Bright and early the next morning there was a knock at April's door, startling her, and four Turtles, awake. They'd had a long night, talking about Splinter, talking about what they could do and what they couldn't. They'd all stayed at April's. Nobody knew she'd have company so early in the morning!

"Who is it?" April asked.

"It's me, Charles," Pennington said from outside.

"It's my boss!" April whispered to the Turtles. "Can you guys, uh-" She looked around. There wasn't a Turtle in sight. "-hide?"

She put on her dressing gown and opened the door for Charles. He barged into her apartment. Danny trailed behind him. The boy had a sullen, angry look.

While his father talked to April, Danny sat down and picked up a copy of Sports Illustrated to read. Next to him was a floor lamp. It was the ugliest lamp he'd ever seen. It looked as if it had been made out of a giant turtle. Not only was it ugly, but it wouldn't turn on, either. He moved to the sofa, where there was a light on already. He put his feet up on April's coffee table. That looked like a turtle, too. It was as ugly as the lamp. What's with these turtles? Danny wondered. He forgot about it, though, as soon as he saw that there was an article about college basketball in the magazine. He didn't pay any more attention to his father and April, either.

"April, listen, I've, uh..." Charles stuttered. April thought he seemed very uncomfortable, and when she heard what he had to say, she knew why. "I've been thinking about this crime story. You've been working on it too hard lately. I think you should take some time off and let someone else handle it, you know?"

Suddenly, April was very awake, and very angry. "Charles! What are you talking about? This is my story. No way! And besides, I'm certain, if I can just push Sterns a little harder-" She began washing her face.

Charles looked panicked. "Oh, no, April. Not that! Don't push Sterns any more, OK? At least not today?"

April couldn't believe her ears. "Charles, what's with you today?"

"Oh, nothing. I just thought you'd like some time off, that's all."

"Well I wouldn't," April said. "Hand me a towel, will you?"

Charles looked around for one. There wasn't one in sight. "Where do you-" he began, searching. He reached for the shower curtain. April couldn't let him open it, though. She was certain Mike was hiding in the bath. She couldn't let him see the Turtles!

"Charles, no!" she shrieked, but it was too late. The curtain flew open and...! Nothing. There was just an empty bath. April thought there was a lot to be said for the art of ninja-invisibility!

"What's wrong?" Charles asked.

Now April had to explain her shriek. "Wrong? Well, now you've gone and seen my unsightly bath ring!" She snapped the shower curtain closed and turned to Charles. "Out!" she said. "Out! Out! Out!" After all, what business did he have in her bathroom anyway? "I have to get ready for work. There's a crime wave going on and I'm a crime reporter!"

"Sure you won't reconsider?"

April spoke to Danny for the first time. "Hey, Danny, tell your dad to relax," she joked.

"I wish," Danny said. April didn't think he was joking at all.

It took a few more minutes to get Charles out of her place, but she finally succeeded. Turtles began appearing from every corner of the apartment.

"That was close!" Mike said, suddenly standing behind April. She was so surprised that she jumped about three feet. "Time to switch to decaf, April," Mike teased. April smiled, a little.

xxxxxxxx

Charles grumbled as he sat behind the wheel of his car. Nothing was going right for him. Sterns was on his back. Danny was in trouble with the law, and sure as anything, April was going to try to corner Sterns, which would make Sterns corner Charles - or worse, Danny. Charles took it out on Danny.

"I just don't get it, Danny. I make enough money to provide for more than the both of us, and you're out stealing. Why?"

"I don't know," Danny answered.

"You don't know. What were you going to do with that car stereo anyway, or don't you know that either?"

"Sorry," Danny said.

Charles couldn't help himself. It was too much. He exploded at his son. "Not as sorry as you're going to be after school!" he began as he pulled his car to a stop at a light. "When I get home-"

Without a word Danny opened the door of the car and bolted. He disappeared into an alley before Charles could even open his door.

If things had looked bad before...