Michelangelo tiptoed down the maintenance hall with ninja stealth. Donatello trailing behind him. Master Splinter had ordered Leonardo to get up later and go to sleep earlier, so they hadn't bothered going to get him. Raphael either. He just wasn't a morning person. They didn't need big Raph bellowing them out of his room and waking everyone up. Flash snuck out of his room and met him them halfway. Mike grinned and handed him a handful of champagne streamers. Flash chuckled and hid them under his shirt.
"Ready you guys?" Mike whispered. Flash beamed and nodded enthusiastically.
"Let's go." Donatello nodded. Mike grinned and opened the door to Maddie and Lita's room slowly.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY MADDIE!" Mike came barging in, twirling around a metal noisemaker. Flash and Don followed him in, hooting and hollering, throwing streamers and metalic confetti around. "WOO WOO!" Mike jumped around. Maddie turned onto her stomach and held her pillow over the back of her head. Lita opened her eyes and watched the entertainment. "You're SEVENTEEEEEEN! La La La La La, SEVENTEEEEEEEEN!" Mike sang, dancing the can-can. He took a deep breath, preparing for another chant. Maddie held her hand out to him, bright red flares swirling around for him. Mike squeaked, stopping the noisemaker. It clanked a few times as it wound down. The other stopped in their tracks. "Uh… right." Mike took off out of the room, Donatello and Flash on his heels. A few fire balls bouced after them out and down to the lair.
Leonardo smirked to himself as Maddie climbed down the ladder from the maintenince hall. It hadn't taken Michelangelo long to blab the news all over the sewers. Raphael seemed bemused at the situation. He sat in the den with a wry smile waiting for Maddie to come down. Michelangelo was in the kitchen, Donatello returned to his room to wrap the present he had bought the other day. Maddie waved vaguely, on her way to the kitchen. She avoided their looks at all costs.
"Hey, where do you think you're going?" Leonardo stood in her way.
"… To make breakfast?"
"Nope, not the birthday girl." He turned her around and lead her to the couch by her shoulders. She sat down reluctantly and looked up at him.
"But I like making breakfast." He shrugged.
"Talk to Mike."
"Yeah!" Mike called from the kitchen. Maddie groaned.
"Fine then. I'm going for a walk." She got back to her feet and went to the door.
"What about breakfast?" Mike looked out of the kitchen, eggs and loose meat smeared on his face.
"…I think I lost my appetite."
"Well, considering it's your birthday! Mabye I should carry you or something." Raphael suggested. It was more for himself then for her though.
"Mabye I should kick your ass or something."
"Oo-hoo-hoo." He held his palms out. Maddie closed the door behind her, her foot steps sloshing through the water of the sewers. Mike peeked out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on the dish rag.
"So, what're we gunna do?" He whispered conspiritally.
"Let's have a party." Donatello suggested, coming out of the hallway.
"A party? Neat!" Flash slid down the ladder.
"We still have those balloons from Aprils'." Leonardo added.
"I think I saw a bunch of old stuff when we were moving. It should be down in the sewers." Raphael signaled to the door.
"Well let's go! Wha, GAH!" Mike ran back into the kitchen to quell the fire that had flamed up on the stove.
"I don't know if that's such a good idea." Joey flexed his sore elbow.
"Why not." Raphael looked over the edge of couch.
"Maddie's kinda touchy around birthdays."
"Why, she keep turnin' 50?" Mike called from the kitchen. Raphael chuckled and turned back to the tv. Even Leonardo laughed, heading for the storage room down the sewers.
Maddie watched her feet as she walked, the laces of her sneakers drifting behind in the grass. She held a double bouquet of tulips in both hands, bought at a stand downtown. The dirt path had been lost behind one of the grassy hills behind her, tall leafy trees sponging shadows over the ground. Maddie stopped in front of a pair of granite gravestones.
b- Febuary 12, 1957
d- July 14, 1992
We are better from knowing him.
Victoria Ann Carlino
b- January 30, 1963
d- July 14, 1992
We are better from knowing her.
She knelt down and placed the flowers on the graves, against the head stones. Her hair blew off her shoulders gently. She closed her eyes and sunk her head down.
"Donatello, keep your head up." Splinter sat in a deep set chair at the front end of the dojo. The chair had been a gift from his pupils, found in a junk yard and cleaned up for him. Donatello spun his bo around his arm and ducked Raphael's sai. Michelangelo lept at Donatello and missed, but not before knocking the bo from his hand. He rolled back to his feet, holding his prize proudly. Leonardo used the moment of distraction to swipe Mike's feet out from under him.
"Bah!" He fell onto his shell with a thud. Raphael spun his sai around and attacked Leonardo. Splinter sat back and watched his students run through their spar with astonishing speed. It hadn't always been that way. They had all improved their skill since they were children. Michelangelo had lessened his goofing off and had been known to make it through a whole lesson without break dancing. Donatello's daydreaming had finally ceased. Raphael's temper had actually seemed to grow. And Leonardo had begun to exceed his sensei's expectations… but still was unmatched against the rest of the team together. Alas. Splinter rubbed his chin. Something caught his attention out of the corner of his eyes. He shifted his eyes to the door, catching site of Lita, peeking in to watch the practice. Raphael had found some face paints in the storage room, Mike had painted her face to look like a cat, long black whiskers, black eyes, and a pink nose. She watched the turtles admiringly, leaning her head against the doorframe. Splinter smiled to himself and turned back to his students. Michelangelo made a cross with his nunchuck chains, stopping Leonardo's katanas short. Splinter clapped twice, stopping the spar.
"Begin warm down." The four nodded and started stretching. Splinter eased out of his chair. Lita disapeared down the hall. He smiled, leaning heavily on the cane as he went towards the door.
In the kitchen Maddie had returned and was carefully working at the counter, oblivious to the streamers and balloons hung around the lair. Splinter eased himself into the chair silently and watched her. She turned around to him, a pile of chopped garlic in her hands. "Master Splinter, I didn't hear you come in." She smiled.
"Thank you, Madeline."
"Would you like some tea?" She brushed the garlic off her hands into a bowl.
"Indeed I would. Thank you." Splinter smiled. Maddie rinsed her hands off and started the heat under the tin coffee pot.
"Wow, that was so cool!" Lita declared, coming back into the dojo. Mike grinned proudly, finishing his kata. "You have got to teach me some of that."
"No." Leonardo answered quickly. Lita stopped for a moment, then looked at him.
"Why not?"
"You have your own training to complete."
"I have time."
"No."
"I can do it!"
"You have to concentrate on your work."
"I can concentrate."
"If you can it's not very evident to me." Leonardo sheathed his swords and walked out of the dojo past her.
"Why do you do that! I just wanna have some fun, what's so bad about that!" She called after him.
"We're not going to talk about this now." He said, right before he found himself being turned around. Lita glared up at him with an anger he hardly ever saw.
"Oh yes we are!" He glared right back at her. "What the hell's your problem! You don't have to boss me around all the time, and you know it! You don't own me!"
"Until you can fight, I do." He ripped his arm away and walked away. Just begining to realize he had sealed his own part in her life off with that last comment. Idiot.
"Bu-" She turned as he passed her. Leonardo disapeared down the hallway, effectively ending the conversation. Lita crossed her arms and glared at the door. Michelangelo stuck his nunchucks behind the leather belt behind his shell.
"Sorry Lita." Donatello offered, following after Leonardo.
"yeah." Raphael left as well. Michelangelo snuck up to her.
"I'll teach you, Lita."
"Really?" Her face lite up.
"Yeah, but real 'igcognito' you know."
"Great." She squealed. "This is gunna be so cool!" Mike grinned.
"Gah! What do you think you're doing?!" Mike declared, running into the kitchen. Maddie turned from the stove, stirring the simmering pot.
"Cooking?" He went up and took her place.
"You're not s'posed ta cook taday! Remember? Shoo! Shoo!" Mike ushered her out of the kitchen. He gave her one last push and closed the door.
"Hey Mads." Raph called. "How's it hangin'." He looked up from 'pro wrestling'. Maddie sighed through her nose and sat down next to him. "Jeez. Don't be too extatic." He turned back to his show. "You even know how long it took to put all this crap up?"
"I'm sorry. You guys are being really sweet. Thank you." She looked over her shoulder at the streamers creamed over the walls. Raph shrugged.
"Weeee!" Donatello sprinkled confetti over Maddie from behind the couch.
"Cut it out." She brushed it off her shoulder and shot him a look. Donatello continued to chuckle and sat down in futon.
"Mike, will you leave the icing alone already?" Leonardo's stern voice emenated from the kitchen. Maddie turned to Donatello.
"Icing?" He grinned sheepishly. "Please don't tell me you made a cake." She turned to Leonardo as he came out of the kitchen.
"It was supposed to be a suprise."
"Dear god." She leaned back against the couch.
"We made one this morning but it blew up in the oven." Maddie closed her eyes and put her hand over her face. "The first one was chocolate, but we could only find plain in the store." He shrugged.
"Yeah, and Mike keeps eating all the 'plain' icing." Donatello added.
"Do not!" Mike came out of the kitchen, his finger in his mouth. Maddie stood up quickly, silencing the conversation.
"Will you guys knock it off!" No one moved. "I don't want a birthday cake! I don't want a birthday party! I don't want confetti in my hair!" She ruffled her hair, sending the remaining sparkles fluttering to the ground. "I don't want a birthday!" Maddie turned and ran out of the lair, leaving the door swinging behind her…
"…Well… I didn't think she'd be that upset we didn't get chocolate."
Joey stirred his coffee slowly, sitting at the kitchen table. Splinter sat across from him, Mr. Tagahasi and Leonardo at either side. Leonardo looked up at Joey and tried to smile. Joey met his eyes, keeping his stone cold apperance. Leonardo looked down again. Joey sipped his coffee, Splinter and Tagahasi their tea.
"You may be excused if you like, Leonardo." Splinter offered.
"Thank you." Leonardo stood up and left. In the den Donatello and Erika were packing the decorations back up. Mike had made a turban out of the broken streamers, sitting on the couch sullenly. Leonardo sat on the arm of the couch and picked at the loose thread.
"Um… when they're done in there you wanna get some cake?" Mike looked up.
"Is that all you think about?" Donatello tucked in the folds of the box.
"Wha?" Don picked up the box.
"It's late, we should get to bed." Leonardo picked Peaches up as he jumped onto the couch.
"Yeah. I'll just put this away." Don left the den with the box.
"Come on, Mike." Leonardo went down the hall to their rooms. Mike gave one last forlorned look to the kitchen before following after.
"Night Erika." He mumbled.
"Good night, Mike." She watched him walk off then went up the ladder to her room.
Noriko lie on her stomach in bed reading. "Konban wa, Erika." She looked up as Erika came in.
"Hai." She sat down on the edge of her bed. "What are you reading?" Noriko closed the book and looked at the cover.
"Amelia Earhart. Donatello recommended it."
"Oh. Is it good?"
"Very." She opened the book again. Erika nodded and slipped her shoes off.
"… Hope Maddie's coming back."
"…Me too."
11:30
Maddie kicked her feet over the edge of the liquor store, sitting on the thick concrete rail around the roof top. It was nice and dark here. One could drop off and slip away if they wanted. Across from her were the ashy remains of her home, what was left after it was swept up and carried off. It was a dark night, a few stars would peek out from behind the clouds as they drifted along. Occasionally the sliver of a crescent moon would show itself as well. Maddie sighed and looked at her knees. She swung her legs over the edge of the building, kicking them lethargically against the brick.
"Hey." Maddie jumped as someone sat down next to her in the darkness.
"Raphael." She put her hand to her chest. "You scared me." How long had he been there?
"Heh heh." Maddie turned back to the burnt lot across from them.
"…How'd you find me."
"You said ya used ta sit on your roof ta think… Figured you be 'round here somewhere."
"Mmm."
"So…"
"I'm sorry about back there. I sort of over reacted."
"I wouldn't say that." She turned to him.
"Why not?"
"Not that you over reacted, just about the 'sort of'."
"Oh." She turned back. "Sorry."
"Hey, don't worry 'bout it. I do it all the time."
"mmm…"
"…doesn't make ya feel better, does it."
"Not really."
"Right." Raphael scratched his head.
"I really am sorry for yelling. That was totally out of line."
"Guess so." He muttered. Maddie sighed.
"I just don't like birthdays very much."
"Yeah. That's what your uncle said." She turned to him.
"What'd he tell you?"
"Just ya didn't like yer birthday."
"Oh." She turned back again. "yeah."
"So… what's up with yer birthday and stuff… ya know… if ya wanna talk."
"…It's sort of personal."
"Hey, 's ok." He held his palms up.
"No, no… I mean… I trust you and all… I… I just haven't talked about it for awhile."
"Oh." Maddie sighed. "Start wherever..."
"You know my parents died when I was 9."
"Yeah."
"Well… we were all driving home from a party my aunt Sherry had had. My father was driving… It was a pretty cloudy night… it was my birthday… so I was still up and awake." She looked at her knees, kicking her feet over the edge of the building. "I think there had been drinking that night… I can't remember… Anyway. We were coming back from New Hampshire, going back into Maine. I don't know if you've gone this way, but some of those roads end up rather winding… Ontop of that it was dark out… After that I don't have any memory. People say it's because of the concussion, wiped my memory clean for a few minutes before hand… The police report said that the car swerved off the embankment and through some forest before it hit a tree and stopped. There's still the skid marks on the road."
"…That's terrible."
"They sent my parents bodies to be buried here in New York in the family plot. I guess that's why I stay with Uncle Joey… I've never really had a birthday after that. So… I just didn't want you guys to try and be nice like you did and have me yell at you like I did. You guys are really sweet for throwing me a party though. So... thank you…" She turned to Raphael. He was already in close proximity and kissed her as she turned to him. Maddie opened her eyes in suprise and looked around. Raphael brought his hand up to the side of her neck, pulling her closer. She shifted her eyes to look at him, his eyes closed… She waited a few moments then leaned into him, closing her eyes slowly. He brought his hand farther around the back of her neck.
The clouds drifted away, bathing the rooftop in faint moonlight. Raphael drew his hand back and looked into her eyes. He was surprised that worked. It was another few moments before she opened her eyes, a bit surprised. He took her hand. "Better get back before yer curfew."
"…Right." She said in a drift. Raphael stood up, Maddie getting beside him. They walked along the rooftop in relative silence and climbed down the fire escape. Raphael held the man hole cover open for Maddie and followed her down. He put the cover back in place and took her hand again.