Chapter 6
Chapter 6
As Casey reached the farmhouse, he caught someone on horseback treading up the driveway. A small figure was riding in front of a taller figure with someone walking beside the horse, guiding it by the reins. From where he stood, he could see Raph riding it with Shadow in the front. He always told her never to ride horses without him being there to watch her. With no background of riding skills, he feared for his daughter's safety on the large animals. Raphael was going to get it for sure. Gritting his teeth, he shook his head with a groan. April stood on the porch when she saw him approaching her.

"Oh, hi Casey!" April ran down the steps with a small smile. "Where were you?"

"Save it. Who's horse is that?"

"Um....Kate's. I guess."

"Who?"

The two looked to see the group coming closer. Kate held the reins to Augustus. April could see Raphael mouth the words, 'oh, shit!' when Casey crossed his arms to them. He did not look pleased at all. Only the words 'big trouble' went through Raph's thoughts.

"Hello!" Kate smiled. "You must be April. I'm Kate." She extended a gloved hand which April took.

"Hi, Kate. Yeah, I'm April. Nice to meet you. This is my husband, Casey."

Kate extended her hand to Casey. He looked down to it. April nudged him to shake it.

"Uh, yeah, hi Kate. Is that your horse?"

"Yeah, that's Augustus." She smiled brightly.

"Great. Would you mind getting my daughter down from Augustus?"

Her smile faded as she turned to Raph and Shadow.

"Ride's over, guys." She glanced to Casey whom wouldn't take his eyes off her. Raphael jumped down and reached up to help Shadow off. Placing her on the ground, she stood behind Raph, afraid to be close to her father. "Well, I guess I'll head back to the ranch. It was nice meeting you folks. Raph, Shadow. Take care for now, okay?" They nodded to her. Kate climbed up on the horse and circled him around to trot down the road. Raphael stood silently, feeling the heat radiating from Casey.

"I know what you're going to say man, and I-"

"Shut it, Raph!" Casey circled around to Shadow as she clutched Raph's coat. "What were you doing on a horse, little missy? Huh? I've told you about riding horses and you go ahead and do it anyway. I can't even take a walk without worrying you might get hurt!"

"I'm sorry, Daddy." Shadow spoke quickly and quietly.

"And you...." Casey looked to Raphael next. "Letting her ride like that. What the hell were you thinking?"

"Hey, chill man. It's not like she rode alone. She-"

"I don't care if ten people rode with her! I don't want her riding horses. Especially ones that we aren't familiar with. Is that clear?!"

"Yeah, sure. Whatever." Raphael looked away. "Jeez, it's no big deal."

"It is a big deal when it's my daughter you're screwing around with!" Casey rounded on him, talking down to him like he were a child. Pausing, he eyed to Shadow again. "Shadow, go to your room, I need to talk to Raph alone."

"Daddy, I'm sorry-"

"I said, go to your room! I will deal with you later."

Shadow looked up to Raphael. He nodded for her to get moving. Nodding back, she headed for the steps, hearing Casey talk sternly to Raph before entering the house. Walking in, the place was empty. Now, was a good time to wish for a lock on her door. She turned to face the window, looking out to see Casey still talking to Raphael with April standing by. She couldn't bear to watch and did what she was told. Go up to her room and wait for further instructions. Shadow reached her room and sat on the bed, slowly rocking back and forth.

"I'm innnn trouble." She whispered to herself.

"Ha! Foul, Don! Foul, sensei! Did you see that?"

Splinter sighed while resting on a saw horse, watching his students spar.

"Donatello...." Splinter waved as if giving a command. "Michaelangelo....." He pointed over to another part of the barn.

Leonardo stood upright, straightening the punching bag he was beating a pulp to. He had to think about what his target was in order to hit it hard enough. He could think of a few people he'd love to pound their faces clear in. Splinter caught this act and frowned to his actions. Pound, kick, kick, pound, pound. The sweat was starting to pour out. Donatello back flipped with bo in hand, pausing to catch Leo in a small fit he started. That gave Michaelangelo to squeeze in a left hook.

"Ack, aw, Mike! Now, who's doing the fouls here?"

"Hey, man! You weren't watching! It's what I like to call the 'catch them off-guard' move. Fair and square! Right, sensei?" Splinter said nothing. "Right! See?!"

"Master?" Donatello rose off the ground, brushing the hay from behind his legs. "Is something bothering you?"

"I..." Splinter closed his eyes and waved a hand. "There was a dispute. Not that long ago. Someone is going to get hurt. I can feel it."

"Someone we know?"

"Duh, Mike! No, he likes to channel in to total strangers." Donatello rolled his eyes. "Do you know who it is exactly, sensei?"

"No....I sense much anger. I...." Splinter looked down, then to Mike and Don. "It is much stronger than I felt it earlier."

"The anger. It's Casey, isn't it, Master?" A mumbled voice spoke up in the back. Leonardo stood tall against the swaying punching bag; his sides heaving in and out.

"I am afraid so, Leonardo. Casey is not acting as his normal self."

"Jeez, I always thought he wasn't normal to begin with." Michaelangelo scratched his neck.

Donatello slid his bo to an angle, resting his hands and chin on the tip.

"For Casey, this behavior is bizarre for him. I don't know, I'm starting to dislike him even more."

Stepping out of the barn, the four caught April getting in the mini-van and Raphael kicking up dirt around the front. Casey was nowhere in sight.

"Think we missed something?" Donatello asked, catching the mini-van roar out down the driveway. Raphael started to walk towards them. "Wait, here comes my answer now."

"Yo. Better watch out for the old Casemeister. He's a little bit steamed right now."

"What the hell happened, Raph?" Leonardo approached him with hands out in confusion. "Where have you been?"

"Can't have a social life if that's what you want to know." Leo said nothing, waiting for a further explanation. "Okay, it's like this. I'll start from the beginning. Shadow and I are on a walk and get to the bottom of the hill to the main road-"

"Wait, you took her down to the main road?"

"Yeah, Leo. It was cool. Anyway, we see these two people on horseback and Shadow just had to get a closer look. She's totally nuts about horses as you all know." They knew. "She just had to touch them." Raphael rolled his eyes, then looked back to them. "We go over, say hi, yadda yadda, then the little beggar wanted to ride the horse. So, I gave in. Guess cuz I'm a nice guy."

"More like a stupid guy-" Mike mumbled.

"SO!" Raphael said louder. "We ride back to their ranch and hang out and me..." Raphael lays his hands flat to his chest. "...being the responsible one, decides to call the house to let you guys know where we are." He looked to all of them. Yup, they knew about the phone call. "I don't know what the hell is wrong with Casey. The one chick Kate, who owns one of the horses, brings us back to the house. I'm riding with Shadow and Kate's pulling the reins. No biggie, right? Casey comes walkin' out of nowhere, sees us on the horse and has a shit fit." Raph raised a hand quickly. "Oh, 'scuse me sensei. He starts yelling at me, yelling at Shadow, I mean, damn! The guy had like a crazed look in his eye. He sends Shadow to her room and continues to bark at me like I'm some goddamn two year-old."

"Where's Casey now, Raph?" Leonardo placed his hands to his hips.

"There." Raph pointed to the house. "He said his anger made him hungry so he was going in to eat. April's pissed. She grabbed her keys and took off. Said she needed to get some air or something."

"Where's Shadow?" Michaelangelo glanced to the house.

"Still in her room, I reckon. Casey, doing his fatherly job, sent her there as a punishment. But I don't feel she did anything wrong. She's just a kid for Christ's sake."

"Sounds like she did nothing wrong to me." Michaelangelo shrugged. "Casey's just being overly protective. Perhaps too overly protective."

"Well, yeah. I can understand that. But, damn. Even I was more lenient with her." Raphael sighed. "She does that crazy botching of the eyes crap and you can't help but give in."

"Amen to that, bro." Donatello raised a hand to agree with him.

"So, what do we do now?" Michaelangelo looked to all of them. "We can deal with Mr. Time Bomb or hitch hike down the road."

Leonardo started to walk toward the house. "No, we should go in and check on Shadow. It wouldn't be right of us to leave her alone with....him."

"Hey, Leo?" Leo turned to Raph. "Now, I know what it's like to be on Casey's shit list. It sucks."

"There shouldn't have to be a list, Raph. I can't stand him when he acts like a jerk."

"Jerk? Heh, you're being nice, Leo! I've called him things far worse than that."

"Out of respects to April and Shadow, I keep the more vulgar comments to myself."

Raphael looked around. "Do you see them out here? Noooo. So, go on, I know you want to say it!"

Leonardo paused and looked to Splinter. "I also have respects for my sensei."

Shadow gasped when Casey opened the door to her room. He looked like a bear with sweat streaking the sides of his face.

"I'm sorry, Daddy. I'll never ride another horse again."

"Well, you certainly won't after you have a blistered butt!" Casey approached the bed.

"No, no! I understand now, please, no!" Shadow sobbed and placed her hands flat to her rear, scooting away from him.

The Turtles and Splinter approached the house, pausing outside the entrance.

"Master?" Donatello tapped his arm. "Do you want to wait out here?"

"Perhaps it might be better, Donatello. I will be fine."

"Okay, Raph, why don't you and Leo hang out here too to look out for April's van." Donatello looked to Mike while removing his bo from his belt. "Hope I won't have to use this."

Michaelangelo's eyes widened. "Gads, I hope not either! Casey's our friend!"

"Yeah, our friend." Donatello repeated with a huff. He briefly closed his eyes with a hand on the knob.

The house was dark. The only lights that filled the house came through the windows. Donatello entered first to look around, suddenly feeling like he was doing a drug bust or hunting down criminal activity. Michaelangelo started to head up the stairs as Donatello moved into the parlor room with quiet stealth. The place seemed in ship shape. No furniture tossed around. For Casey to lose his temper over something like this was very common.

"I'll check...." Michaelangelo pointed and Donatello nodded to him.

Michaelangelo reached the top step, listening in through each room. Don's and Raph's room was empty. So was his and April's. No sounds were heard in Shadow's room. Looking in through the crack of the door, he saw nothing. The room looked as is. Typical child-messy. But still empty and silent. That doesn't mean anything. She could be sleeping....on the floor? Perhaps unconscious. Visions were now racing through his mind that she was injured or hurt. He finally decided to check the entire room.

"Shadow?" Michaelangelo crossed over to the closet, peering in. "Are you here?"

"Unca Mike....."

Whipping his head over, he found her on the other side of the bed on the floor, curled up in a ball. She quietly whimpered, holding onto her backside.

"Shadow! Aww, jeez.....what happened to you?" Michaelangelo bent down to gather her in his arms, hugging her tightly.

"N' trouble. Daddy's mad at me." Shadow buried her face into his shoulder.

"I know. He gets mad at us, too." Mike stood up, looking closely to her. "He didn't hurt you, did he?" She said nothing. "Tell me the truth."

"I don't know."

He's heard that one before. He did a quick check to see of any noticeable scars or bruises.

"He better not have. Let's go downstairs. April should be back soon. Wanna go wait for her downstairs?" She nodded quickly. "Okay."

Michaelangelo stepped out into the hall where he met up with Donatello half way on the stairs.

"Hey, Mike. He's not anywhere in the house. He must have went out through the back way. How's Shadow?" Don frowned to her face, placing a hand to her damp cheek.

"She seems to be okay. I was on my way to see if April came back. I don't want to leave her alone in the house in this condition."

"Good idea." Donatello stepped aside to allow Michaelangelo to pass down the stairs first.

"Do you have something to say, Raphael?" Splinter padded over next to Raph whom rested against a pole on the porch.

"What's there to talk about?" Raphael turned to look out onto the driveway. Leonardo was circling around it, continuing to check the open road.

"Life. This trip." Splinter paused and his voice got lower. "Casey."

"Look, I said I don't want to talk about it. Is that clear?"

"No. You are hiding something from the rest of us. And when you hide something from those you love, you are really hiding it from yourself." Raph took a moment to look around before turning back to Splinter whom never took his eyes off of him. "Sometimes, when you talk about your problems, others can help with whatever it is that is bothering you."

"No one can help me." Raphael mumbled with his face sulking into his crossed arms. "I made a terrible mistake and it almost cost one of my best friend's life. I stood by and watched him suffer, sensei. There was something I could have done but didn't. I don't know why. I feel that I failed him."

"That is where you are wrong." Raph looked up with puzzlement. "You alerted his family, took him to the hospital and got him medical attention. In a way, without knowing it, you did help him." He suddenly looked somewhat proud. Splinter wasn't finished yet. "It is true you did not get involved in the activity Casey went through." Raph frowned again. How did he know that? "But, you did save his life by not leaving him to perish in that alley."

"How did you-" Raphael turned away. Wait, this is Splinter. He probably sensed it in a vision or something.

"I will just say, I know my son's whereabouts fairly well by now."

"So, am I off the hook?"

Splinter shook his head. "You were never on any 'hook', my son." Oh, thank God. "But-" Damn, almost. "The next time you decide to have a drink, think about what you are doing to yourself and what it might do to others." He was a rat. But a wise rat. Raphael nodded and looked away again, cutting off the conversation. He hoped the subject would change once he looked back.

His wish was granted. The subject was altered when the three looked to see the mini-van returning. Shadow pushed opened the screen door for Mike as he came out with her in his arms.

Donatello followed next with a wave. "Hey, Raph. Master."

"Hey." Raphael turned to see Shadow's face. "What did he do to her?"

"Um..." Mike looked as well. "He who?"

"Don't play dumb, Mike." Donatello reached over to cover Shadow's ears. "Her asshole of a father. That's who."

"Raphael!" Splinter chided.

"Quick thinking, bro." Mike nodded to Don.

"Somehow, Raph, I knew you were going to say something negative about him."

April stepped out of the van with Leonardo approaching her side. The two looked to one another before heading up the front steps. All of them stared at her quietly. The look on her face was mixed with guilt and anger.

"Um, I don't want you to think I ditched you or anything. I just had to get away from him for awhile."

"Don't we all?" Raphael grumbled.

April paused to look at Shadow. "Mike, what's wrong with her?" Her eyes flew wide to him. "What happened?"

"I found her in her room like this. She wouldn't tell me what happened."

"Oh, Mike....here, give her to me." April extended her hands. "I knew I should have taken her with me." Shadow wrapped her arms around April's neck, squeezing her tightly. "Oh, sweetie....what's wrong? Guys, what happened while I was gone? Weren't you in the house at all since I left?"

"No, we weren't." Leonardo shook his head.

"We were in the barn while you were out waiting for Raph to come back." Michaelangelo suddenly felt guilty. "Um, he came over to see us as we were coming back to the house. You were getting in the car and Casey was nowhere to be seen." He sighed and looked to Shadow. "We thought she was with you until Raph said Casey sent her to her room."

"Ohhhh." April rocked Shadow gently. "Honey, did Daddy spank you? Please, talk to me." Shadow only hid her face in the nape of her neck. "Oh, damn you, Casey!" April hugged and patted her back. "Have any of you see him? Is he in the house now?"

"Nope. I didn't see him." Donatello glanced inside through the screen door. "How convenient for him not to be here at this moment."

"This is nothing new." April sat down in the porch rocking chair with Shadow in her lap. "What was it this time? Because she rode that horse?"

Raphael signaled her. "Right on the money, April. I shouldn't have let her ride like that. It's my fault."

"Oh, Raph. No it isn't, trust me. Casey has a thing about horses ever since he was a kid. He got thrown off of one and broke his arm in the process. Never cared for them since then."

"That's no excuse to spank her, April." Leonardo rested a foot on the second step with an arm over his thigh.

"If Casey is so against horses with himself, why does he get all bent out of shape if Shadow is around them? That's what buggin' me." Raphael crossed his arms to her.

"Well....wait, Raph. Yes, Leo, I understand your concerns about that. I've covered for her with so many excuses in the past to save her from getting spanked. I agree this one time was definitely uncalled for. And, Raph, getting back to what you said, I do remember one event that stuck in my mind of when I discovered Casey sheltering his daughter with horses. It was when him, me and Shadow went to visit my sister, Robyn, out in California." April pointed to Michaelangelo. "You remember that one summer, Mike, when I told you guys to watch after the apartment?"

"Yeah, we all stayed over but took different shifts of actually 'watching it.' We even cleaned up before you got home." He grinned widely.

"Uh, huh. Casey was shocked when the place looked the same when we returned. I have to admit, I was too. But just a little."

"Riiiight!" Mike continued to grin.

"As I was saying, a co-worker of Robyn's owned a horse ranch in Monterey. So, the plan was simple. We drove out for a visit and at that same time, her company was having a picnic at the ranch. I think Shadow was about three or four years old. How old were you, sweetie?" Shadow held up four fingers. "Okay, four. Her memory is better than mine at times!" April chuckled a little as the group nodded to her. "Um, so, anyway we went there and you all know how she loves horses?" They nodded again. "I carried her off to go see the gorgeous animals and one of the women was kind enough to let her sit on one. In one spot. The horse wasn't even moving and the woman and I stayed right with her. Casey saw us and he nearly took my head off."

"You never told us about that, April." Leonardo frowned. "You just said you went to a ranch and had a picnic."

"I didn't think it was much of a worry until later on that day, when Shadow started acting strangely. She doesn't tell me if Casey spanks her. I have to physically witness it. Usually when he does, she gets real quiet and very affectionate. Which is how she was acting to me at the ranch. I knew something was wrong and I kept giving Casey the stink-eye all night long."

"So, you let him spank her just like this?"

"Of course not, Mike. He doesn't spank just because he feels like it. As her father, he decides the punishments. Sometimes, I feel he reprimands her for the dumbest reasons but he of course always seems to make it sound like she deserves it. One time he paddled her because she was playing with the downstairs light switches on the wall after he told her not to. You know, little things like that. But this...." April gestured to Shadow wrapped around her neck like an orangutan. "Each time this happens, I want to wring his neck."

"April, as a parent, I realize you have rules in your house and if she does something wrong, she gets disciplined."

"But, Leo, to spank her?" Michaelangelo frowned to him. Leo shrugged.

"There are other ways of handling it, Mike. Some parents think it's a good way to teach their children right from wrong."

April nodded. "Yeah, I mean, I give her light taps if she talks back or disobeys me. That's typical. Casey doesn't know his own strength sometimes and I think he's too hard on her."

The wind picked up suddenly, knocking over one of their trash cans on the side of the house. Shadow glanced around. "Is Daddy home?"

April brushed the hair from her forehead. "No, he's not."

"Good."

April snickered a little. "See, this is how she gets when you guys aren't around and Daddy is being mean."

"Poor kid." Raphael pushed himself up onto the porch railing. "Casey can be such a...." He looked to Splinter. ".....you know what. He's gotta learn to chill."

"You should talk, Raph!" Michaelangelo showed his wide grin again.

"Hey, I can chill anytime I want. And I've never once put a hand to the little tike. Never had and never would."

"Even if you were her father?"

"Nah....well, you gotta look at both sides of it. The dad spanks his kid, the kid is in pain and the dad knows it's painful for him to do it. So, it's pointless. Both end up getting hurt in a way. That's why I never agreed with it."

April looked down to her wrist watch. "It's going on 4. Have you guys had any lunch?" They shook their heads no. Standing up, she looked through the screen. "I wasn't hungry myself but I can fix you an early dinner. I was planning on making a chicken casserole with the frozen meat in the freezer. I should take it out now." April went through into the house, looking around. "He hasn't been back. There's no lights on in here." The Turtles and Splinter followed in next, watching her put on the living room lamps. April paused to find a note resting on the end table. "What's this?" Picking it up, the words looked like they were written hastily. "It's from Casey. It says he went to spend the rest of the afternoon with some guy named Jack."

"Jack?" Leonardo came closer, reading the note over her shoulder.

April looked to him with eyes lowered. "I don't know anyone named Jack."

"His name is Jack Russell, a distant neighbor I met." Everyone automatically turned to face the front door. Casey stood in the doorway, looking to all of them. "Um, that's where I was."

The room was dead silent until April said: "Oh. Okay! Well, thanks for the note." He nodded to her, turning to head for the steps. April placed the note back on the table. "That answered my question. Now, how 'bout I get dinner started?"

April put Shadow down and headed for the kitchen, attempting to make the evening appear as normal as she could. Her mind raced with thoughts. The Turtles knew Casey had a temper but they were never around when Shadow was disciplined. Now, that they got a taste of what it's like at the Jones's residence, she hoped they wouldn't think differently of him. She knew Raphael would say something, Leonardo might suggest another alternative to handling kids, Michaelangelo would say hitting children is wrong no matter what, and Donatello would likely back out at any given time. He was never one for arguments. It was Casey's child, there was no way he was going to get involved. At this point, Don, or any of his brothers for that matter, may not have a choice.

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