Chapter 2
Sunday, November 21, 1999
Chapter 2

It was after six on a Sunday morning. Leonardo checked and rechecked his bag waiting by the front entrance to their lair. Leo, as he preferred at times, was always putting himself in charge of his brothers. Someone needed to lead. Someone had to give the guidance. He felt he was the right turtle for the job. His relationship towards April, Casey, and Shadow was out of respect and kindness. Well aware of the perils he and his brothers get in nearly all the time, he knows deep down he couldn't have survived or even made it through the torture in the past had it not been for their human companions. He owes a great deal of gratitude for what they've sacrificed over the years. And to him, he remains a life-long friend.

"Something's wrong." Leonardo said aloud while looking toward the door. Michaelangelo entered the room holding a large duffel bag with a pair of skis resting on top. "Mike, I feel that- what are you doing with those things?"

"Don said we're spending our vacation at the farmhouse. Last time, I missed out on some wicked cool skiing. Found these puppies will be quite useful down the humongous slopes."

Leonardo nodded and continued.

"Mike, I feel that something's wrong. Casey and the others haven't arrived and it's going on six-thirty. I'm starting to worry about them."

"Eh, Casey probably drank himself to oblivion and can't get up from having a massive hangover. You know the routine. They'll be here soon. You'll see."

"Are they here yet?" Donatello entered next holding his sack.

"No." Leo and Mike said at the same time.

"Oh, I forgot to mention. They were stopping to buy some supplies at the drug store. You know...." Donatello winked and did a twitch.

"Mm." Leonardo looked off to the other rooms. Splinter was ready to go but was taking a quick nap before leaving.

"Of course, when I spoke to Casey, he wanted to leave right at six. He told me to be ready and no dilly dallying around."

"Where's Raph?" Leonardo started to look around left to right, noticing his absence.

"You mean, Raph never came home?" Michaelangelo asked in surprise. Leo and Don looked to one another.

"What do you mean, never came home?" Leonardo came closer to Mike with arms crossed.

"Oh. I guess he only told me. After our roundabouts, he stopped into that bar to visit Casey. I thought you knew."

"No, I wasn't informed of this." Leo looked to Don again whom shrugged in response. "He must have left when we came back home."

"Well, he's all packed to go. He was just stressin' over something." Michaelangelo rested a hand against the wall. The room went silent. Everyone was stressing about everything but chose to handle it in different ways. At that moment, the pay phone rang. Each stopped to look at it. Leo raised his hands like a 'time out' gesture and went to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Leo? It's me, April. I'm sorry we're running late but we got a little behind schedule here."

He could sense the fear rising in her voice.

"What's wrong, April? What happened?"

"Leo, it's Casey. I can't really explain it over the phone. Raph is here with me and Shadow. Just hurry over here." She sounded panicky.

"Where's here?" Leonardo nodded and turned away from the group. " Alright, we'll be there as soon as possible."

The van was parked outside of the hospital when the Turtles and Splinter arrived. Luckily, the emergency entrance was empty of any people wandering around. Raphael was found pacing the outside of the building, smoking a cigarette. He almost looked like an expectant father waiting for his wife inside. He looked up to see the group speed walking toward him.

"Explanation, please." Leonardo looked down to try to see Raph's hidden face. He blew a puff of smoke out to him.

"April's inside with him now. She'll explain what happened."

"Well, can't you-" Mike started to speak.

"I don't want to talk about it." Raphael twitched his head for them to go in. He seemed to be in a deep depression.

Walking up to the automatic sliding doors, the group entered the lobby in heavy garb, their faces well-concealed in hats and scarves. On the far end of the room, Shadow was sleeping on her stomach; her body stretched out across two chairs. Michaelangelo walked over and tapped her shoulder lightly. She slowly looked up and opened her eyes, blinking to him.

"Unca Mike?"

"Yeah, it's me. What's going on, sweet-stuff?" He sat down in the next seat over and brushed the fallen hair ringlets from her face.

"Daddy got hurted last night." She crawled onto his lap and reached to give him a big squeeze of a hello.

Donatello surveyed the area before glancing to the sign-in sheet at the front counter. He quietly walked over to read what it said for Casey's reason for coming in.

"Animal bite." He whispered to the scribble in the small, thin lines. But what kind of animal? Rabid dog? Deranged cat?

The group all looked over to see April coming out of the door, her face pale and tiresome. Leonardo approached her and placed both of his gloved hands onto her trembling shoulders.

"April, is he alright?"

"I....don't.......know....." She sounded on the verge of tears as she fell into his open arms. He gave her a small pat on the back, looking to see Donatello signaling to the sign-in sheet. He nodded to him before pulling away to guide April to a seat. He sat down beside her, looking straight into her eyes. Her beautiful eyes had a glazed look to them like she hadn't slept all night. She explained the story as the others sat close by listening. Minor cuts and bruises weren't the problem. It was the large gash on his arm that caused a lot of blood loss. So much blood, April had to be a quick donor to get his level back up to normal.

"Was Raph with him when he was attacked?" Leonardo put a hand to her shoulder.

"Yes, at the bar. That stupid bar. Both went there the other night and someone or some thing attacked Casey off-guard. God, he looks horrible. I won't even let Shadow go see him. Don't worry. The doctors said he'll be fine. We'll get on the road soon. This is supposed to be a vacation. What a great way to start it off. I'm sorry to keep you guys waiting."

Leonardo blinked to her. "Sorry? That's twice now that you've said that to me."

"Well, I am sorry. I mean- that is- " She was struggling with the words. Leo raised a finger to stop her.

"Listen, April." He started, his tone stern yet gentle. "Never apologize for something you have no control of. If something happened and it wasn't your fault, then you have nothing to be sorry about."

"I just wish all this could have been avoided." She whispered, looking away to the ceiling.

Leonardo tapped her hand as Splinter walked over slowly. He was covered up in thick shrouds with a hood covering his head.

"Hello, April-"

"Oh, Splinter. Hiiiii." She patted his arm. "We have an extra coat for you. It's outside in the van."

Splinter chuckled softly.

"That is alright, my dear. I just wanted to tell you that, under the circumstances, you have all my blessings." He extended a shaky hand and April took it into hers.

"Thank y- oh, your hands are cold!" She placed her other hand over his to warm it up. He looked down with a smile.

"The weather has been unkind to me. I feel this pain is the worst I have ever felt in years."

Shadow sat up with a yawn just as the doctor came through the front door. Mike helped her down as April handed her the car keys.

"Sweetie, go to the car and get that extra coat for your grandfather, okay?"

"Uh, huh." Shadow arm-locked with Splinter. "Follow me, grandpa S'pinter." She escorted him out the double doors to the parking lot. The Turtles and April stood upright fully as the doctor approached them.

"Mrs. Jones?" April nodded, not realizing she was squeezing the life out of Leo's hand. "Your husband is recovering just fine and should be able to leave very shortly. We need you to come back with us and sign some papers."

April turned to Leo. "This won't take long." She looked down and released his hand. "You can wait here."

"Sure, April." They watched her leave before Leonardo turned to Donatello. "What did it say?"

"It just said 'animal bite.' That could be anything. If it had been a dog, he'll only suffer minimal damages. If it had been something else, then, I think I'd have to look in to some heavy research."

"What kind of animal do you think it was?"

"For Casey's sake, I'm hoping it was just a dog. And if it had rabies, that's not a problem. They have cures for that."

Raphael watched the scene of a tiny figure helping a somewhat taller figure over to a maroon-colored van. Unlocking the passenger side, Shadow flipped the switch and swung the sliding door as hard as she could. Splinter stepped closer and climbed in with little strength.

"Here's my jacket!" She reached in a bag behind the back seat and waved it in front of him. "It was from my Aunt Robyn."

"I see. Thank you, my dear." Splinter took it and started to put it on. Raphael came over to get some heat radiating from the inside of the van. Shadow turned and rammed into the lower half of him in a waist-hug.

"Hello!"

Raph chuckled and tapped her shoulders. "Hey, kid. Been gone 30 minutes and ya miss me already?"

"Yeaaaaah." She looked up with a grin of her baby teeth; some were missing for the big ones to grow in. He frowned to her mouth.

"Eww. Thanks for sharing." Raphael looked up to Splinter whom sat on the seat, watching the whole scene with a small grin.

The three paused to stare at the entrance, watching the rest of the group slowly emerge out of the double doors. April walked with Casey; Leonardo supporting him on the other side. Donatello walked off on the left while Michaelangelo was in the front.

"I'll drive, Casey." April headed for the other side of the van.

"No, it's okay. I can drive. You're exhausted."

"Please, I insist. You're in no condition to dr-"

"Look, April. I'm okay, now. It's a long drive and you need the rest. I've gotten plenty of rest." He gestured to his arm. "It's not like I'm blinded or incapacitated. I'll get us there. Don't worry about it. Hop in guys."

"Don't worry, he says?" Donatello whispered to Michaelangelo. Out of the four, Donatello has been the one chosen the most to ride with Casey on several occasions when he shouldn't have been behind the wheel. Luckily, the journey's were just around town and not out of state. Whenever he drove out of state, the rest also got a taste of his style of road speed.

Casey stepped in with an unsure April slowly sitting down in the passenger seat. The others piled in the back with a quick slam to the sliding door on the side. Shadow handed Casey his keys before fastening himself in on the seat belt. Onward to Casey's grandmother's house to spend an eventful get-together. If they only knew the horrors that lied ahead.

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