A Christmas To Remember
Chapter 8: You Don't Understand
When Raph walked back in the room Mikey, Donnie, Leo and April still sat in the same place. Tailor was nowhere to be seen.
"Erm, where's Tailor?"
"What?" Everyone said together. April searched round the room and realised she was missing. "Where did she go?" She asked with a bit of panic in her voice.
"Did anyone see her leave?"
"Is she ok?"
"How long has she been gone?"
"I dunno, we were watching a film! We can't do both and watch her as well, you know!"
"Where did she go?"
"I dunno - I didn't see nothing".
"Maybe we should go look for her", Donnie suggested, after the questions had subsided.
"Are you nuts?" Mikey look at his brother as if he was crazy. "It's freezing outside! And we don't even wear shoes!"
April got up and did another quick search around the lair. "She couldn't have gone far, she hasn't got a key or anything to get in".
Tailor's words floated through Raph's head. 'Well, you may be different to us on the outside but on the inside you're just as unique . . . a bit like me'. He had a feeling April was right. She couldn't have gone far. He quickly sneaked out, leaving the voices of panic down in the lair.
//
"Hey, now Raph's gone!" Mikey searched for his brother with no success. "Ok everyone is leaving me! Should I be taking a hint?"
Leo smiled a little and shook his head. "Get a life Mikey, and lets just go find them".
"There is nothing to find".
They all turned round and saw Splinter standing near his bedroom door; he came over and sat down in his chair. "I have a theory", he began, "that they are both fine, all we have to do is wait for them".
"What makes you so sure?" April asked, her panicking voice fading.
Splinter smiled at her and nodded. "Absolutely. I think Tailor just needs to clear her mind, and Raph is just the only person she can turn to".
//
Raph walked around the cold sewers. He could see above him through the grates that the snow had cleared and it wasn't as cold. But he didn't have his coat and he felt a chill flow over him. He didn't know where Tailor was, but what harm could do in looking for her? Something about what she said had touched him. Not emotionally, but he had a feeling he should look for her.
He turned a corner, checking for any sign of life. He got zero. Deciding to make his way back, he spun round. He walked a different way round to the lair just in case he bashed into Tailor.
He never realised that a girl could cause so much curiosity. Maybe it was something hidden about her. Raph shrugged to himself. Maybe it was the uniqueness. Whatever it was, he couldn't put his finger on it.
'On the day, I fall in love,
Sky will be, a perfect blue,
And I'll give my heart forever more,
To someone who,
Is just like you,
The day I fall in love'.
Raph paused in his tracks. Ok, he thought, I definitely, am NOT imagining that! He followed the voice, but it had already stopped. He sighed; maybe he did imagine it. He shook his head and turned back.
'People always say love is wonderful,
That the bells will ring.
And birds will sing,
And skies will open,
And I wonder where's that great big destiny . . .'
It faded but Raph had already found the source of it. Tailor . . . She was sitting. And now she was humming. He watched her rock herself backwards and forwards. She leaned back against the sewer wall and stared at the wall opposite her.
Raph rested his hand on his belt and walked over to her. "Hey", he said softly.
"JESUS!" Tailor shot up from her sitting position and punched him on his arm.
"Hey, what was that for?"
She smiled a little and sat back down using the wall for support. "For scaring me, you do know I want to live my life, don't you?"
Raph rubbed his arm and frowned. "Had to hit so hard?" He asked with mock innocent and hurt.
Tailor rolled her eyes. "What are you doing here?"
Raph sat down opposite her. "Is that the thanks I get? Everyone is worried sick about you and your asking what I am doing here? Are you crazy?"
"Don't be sarcastic!"
Raph lifted his hands up. "Ok, I'll admit, I'm sarcastic, but it's in my genes, but I was stating a fact, ok?"
Tailor nodded and shrugged. "Fine, how nice of you"
Raph folded his arms. "Now that's sarcastic".
"No biggy, nothing's going to happen to me".
Raph frowned at her changed of attitude. "So, may I ask WHY you're here?"
Tailor looked at him. Her eyes sparkled but not as brightly as he thought. "Would you care about whatever reason I was here?"
Raph shrugged.
"Exactly, does it matter?"
"To April, yes it does, she's all panicking about you".
Tailor shrugged. "Tell her I said sorry".
"TELL her?"
Tailor looked away from him. "Yeah, tell her, cause I'm not moving".
"Why?"
"I was just thinking".
"And singing?"
Raph saw her eyes widened, but she kept her head sideways. "What?"
"Singing", Raph repeated, "how did you think I found you?"
She allowed a small smile and turned to him. "Tracking device".
"Oh yes, beep, beep, beep, oh look, I found her, now what? Oh let's turn this thing off and go find a blood relative".
She giggled at him. And her dimples showed. "Could be".
"Suuuuuure", Raph crossed his legs and rested his hands on his knees. "So what were you thinking about?" He decided to talk to her and try and he wanted to persuade her to come back or April would have a panic attack.
Tailor sighed, but allowed a smile. "You wouldn't understand".
"Try me".
She looked at him and concentrated on his face. She could hint curiosity and concern? Maybe. Elliot wasn't there. Her father wasn't there. Maybe Raph would understand.
"I was just thinking . . ."
Raph nodded. Just let her talk, he thought, if she wants to say something let her say it. I'm not good at this at all, he added, where's Mikey when you need him? Or Splinter? Or anyone besides him.
". . . about my mother".
"I - well . . . why?"
Tailor gave him a small smile, but Raph could hardly see her in the darkness of the sewer. He could only see the features of her face and the faint glow of her eyes. Her long hair was resting against the wall of the sewer, and her fringe covered the side of her face.
Tailor shrugged. "Memories, I'll admit that movie got to me, but you knew that, didn't you? You knew my face changed, my attitude, the only reason why is because Christmas reminded me of her. You see . . . she died last year, it was horrible. She died of cancer and because she was so ill she spent Christmas in hospital".
She paused and Raph nodded at her to carry on. She gave a small nod and sighed. "Well . . . when she was all clear she was allowed out, it was the best Christmas ever, but unfortunately, one morning I went into her room . . . dad was out . . . and she wouldn't wake up, she just lay there, still, dead".
"Must have been awful", Raph said quietly.
Tailor nodded and sniffed.
Raph looked at her. Not one tear escaped her eye. He knew that Tailor was like April a lot. But April would have cried, so why didn't Tailor? Why? Because he figured Tailor was strong. She reminded him a lot of himself.
"Anyway", Tailor continued, "I just spent Christmas crying. And remembering the songs me and my mum sang together, that's why you caught me singing, it just came to me".
"You gonna be ok?"
Tailor smiled and nodded. "Yeah thanks. It's amazing you know Raph . . . I've known you for 4 days and already I can trust you . . . well you did save my life".
Raph gave her a small smile and shrugged. "No problem".
Tailor got up and extended her hand to him. "Come on, let's go back".
Raph grabbed her hand and she heaved him up. "Jesus!" He said rubbing his fingers over her hand. "Your hands feel like ice!"
Tailor shrugged and felt the warmth of his hand. "I've been out here longer then you . . . and - and . . ." she was cut off by a sneeze, "oops, bless me".
Raph clutched her hand tightly. Concern waved over him and he shook it off. "I think you'll get sick if you stay out here".
"Thank you Dr. Dolittle".
Raph smiled. "Please, he does animals".
"I'm fine!"
"Look", Raph put Tailor's hand to her face.
"Hey, that's cold!"
"See, you're freezing, come on". He pulled her down the sewer tunnels, with her complaining behind him.
As Raph walked down the sewer tunnels with her, thoughts rushed through his head. Why didn't she cry? Why did she tell him and not April or Splinter or any of his brothers? She let out another sneeze behind him and he said 'bless you'. Another thing; why did she leave to just think about her mum? Didn't she know she could catch cold and get ill? He wasn't a doctor, but even he knew that much.
Maybe Tailor didn't show her emotions strongly. Maybe she didn't cry. But she had something. Something he couldn't guess. Something that made him wonder, the only problem was . . . what?
(Ok, sorry if it took longer - I had my exams! BORING! As always THANK YOU for the reviews - I love ya all!! xXx - and forever, lol - more to come - Merry Christmas everyone!).
Chapter 8: You Don't Understand
When Raph walked back in the room Mikey, Donnie, Leo and April still sat in the same place. Tailor was nowhere to be seen.
"Erm, where's Tailor?"
"What?" Everyone said together. April searched round the room and realised she was missing. "Where did she go?" She asked with a bit of panic in her voice.
"Did anyone see her leave?"
"Is she ok?"
"How long has she been gone?"
"I dunno, we were watching a film! We can't do both and watch her as well, you know!"
"Where did she go?"
"I dunno - I didn't see nothing".
"Maybe we should go look for her", Donnie suggested, after the questions had subsided.
"Are you nuts?" Mikey look at his brother as if he was crazy. "It's freezing outside! And we don't even wear shoes!"
April got up and did another quick search around the lair. "She couldn't have gone far, she hasn't got a key or anything to get in".
Tailor's words floated through Raph's head. 'Well, you may be different to us on the outside but on the inside you're just as unique . . . a bit like me'. He had a feeling April was right. She couldn't have gone far. He quickly sneaked out, leaving the voices of panic down in the lair.
//
"Hey, now Raph's gone!" Mikey searched for his brother with no success. "Ok everyone is leaving me! Should I be taking a hint?"
Leo smiled a little and shook his head. "Get a life Mikey, and lets just go find them".
"There is nothing to find".
They all turned round and saw Splinter standing near his bedroom door; he came over and sat down in his chair. "I have a theory", he began, "that they are both fine, all we have to do is wait for them".
"What makes you so sure?" April asked, her panicking voice fading.
Splinter smiled at her and nodded. "Absolutely. I think Tailor just needs to clear her mind, and Raph is just the only person she can turn to".
//
Raph walked around the cold sewers. He could see above him through the grates that the snow had cleared and it wasn't as cold. But he didn't have his coat and he felt a chill flow over him. He didn't know where Tailor was, but what harm could do in looking for her? Something about what she said had touched him. Not emotionally, but he had a feeling he should look for her.
He turned a corner, checking for any sign of life. He got zero. Deciding to make his way back, he spun round. He walked a different way round to the lair just in case he bashed into Tailor.
He never realised that a girl could cause so much curiosity. Maybe it was something hidden about her. Raph shrugged to himself. Maybe it was the uniqueness. Whatever it was, he couldn't put his finger on it.
'On the day, I fall in love,
Sky will be, a perfect blue,
And I'll give my heart forever more,
To someone who,
Is just like you,
The day I fall in love'.
Raph paused in his tracks. Ok, he thought, I definitely, am NOT imagining that! He followed the voice, but it had already stopped. He sighed; maybe he did imagine it. He shook his head and turned back.
'People always say love is wonderful,
That the bells will ring.
And birds will sing,
And skies will open,
And I wonder where's that great big destiny . . .'
It faded but Raph had already found the source of it. Tailor . . . She was sitting. And now she was humming. He watched her rock herself backwards and forwards. She leaned back against the sewer wall and stared at the wall opposite her.
Raph rested his hand on his belt and walked over to her. "Hey", he said softly.
"JESUS!" Tailor shot up from her sitting position and punched him on his arm.
"Hey, what was that for?"
She smiled a little and sat back down using the wall for support. "For scaring me, you do know I want to live my life, don't you?"
Raph rubbed his arm and frowned. "Had to hit so hard?" He asked with mock innocent and hurt.
Tailor rolled her eyes. "What are you doing here?"
Raph sat down opposite her. "Is that the thanks I get? Everyone is worried sick about you and your asking what I am doing here? Are you crazy?"
"Don't be sarcastic!"
Raph lifted his hands up. "Ok, I'll admit, I'm sarcastic, but it's in my genes, but I was stating a fact, ok?"
Tailor nodded and shrugged. "Fine, how nice of you"
Raph folded his arms. "Now that's sarcastic".
"No biggy, nothing's going to happen to me".
Raph frowned at her changed of attitude. "So, may I ask WHY you're here?"
Tailor looked at him. Her eyes sparkled but not as brightly as he thought. "Would you care about whatever reason I was here?"
Raph shrugged.
"Exactly, does it matter?"
"To April, yes it does, she's all panicking about you".
Tailor shrugged. "Tell her I said sorry".
"TELL her?"
Tailor looked away from him. "Yeah, tell her, cause I'm not moving".
"Why?"
"I was just thinking".
"And singing?"
Raph saw her eyes widened, but she kept her head sideways. "What?"
"Singing", Raph repeated, "how did you think I found you?"
She allowed a small smile and turned to him. "Tracking device".
"Oh yes, beep, beep, beep, oh look, I found her, now what? Oh let's turn this thing off and go find a blood relative".
She giggled at him. And her dimples showed. "Could be".
"Suuuuuure", Raph crossed his legs and rested his hands on his knees. "So what were you thinking about?" He decided to talk to her and try and he wanted to persuade her to come back or April would have a panic attack.
Tailor sighed, but allowed a smile. "You wouldn't understand".
"Try me".
She looked at him and concentrated on his face. She could hint curiosity and concern? Maybe. Elliot wasn't there. Her father wasn't there. Maybe Raph would understand.
"I was just thinking . . ."
Raph nodded. Just let her talk, he thought, if she wants to say something let her say it. I'm not good at this at all, he added, where's Mikey when you need him? Or Splinter? Or anyone besides him.
". . . about my mother".
"I - well . . . why?"
Tailor gave him a small smile, but Raph could hardly see her in the darkness of the sewer. He could only see the features of her face and the faint glow of her eyes. Her long hair was resting against the wall of the sewer, and her fringe covered the side of her face.
Tailor shrugged. "Memories, I'll admit that movie got to me, but you knew that, didn't you? You knew my face changed, my attitude, the only reason why is because Christmas reminded me of her. You see . . . she died last year, it was horrible. She died of cancer and because she was so ill she spent Christmas in hospital".
She paused and Raph nodded at her to carry on. She gave a small nod and sighed. "Well . . . when she was all clear she was allowed out, it was the best Christmas ever, but unfortunately, one morning I went into her room . . . dad was out . . . and she wouldn't wake up, she just lay there, still, dead".
"Must have been awful", Raph said quietly.
Tailor nodded and sniffed.
Raph looked at her. Not one tear escaped her eye. He knew that Tailor was like April a lot. But April would have cried, so why didn't Tailor? Why? Because he figured Tailor was strong. She reminded him a lot of himself.
"Anyway", Tailor continued, "I just spent Christmas crying. And remembering the songs me and my mum sang together, that's why you caught me singing, it just came to me".
"You gonna be ok?"
Tailor smiled and nodded. "Yeah thanks. It's amazing you know Raph . . . I've known you for 4 days and already I can trust you . . . well you did save my life".
Raph gave her a small smile and shrugged. "No problem".
Tailor got up and extended her hand to him. "Come on, let's go back".
Raph grabbed her hand and she heaved him up. "Jesus!" He said rubbing his fingers over her hand. "Your hands feel like ice!"
Tailor shrugged and felt the warmth of his hand. "I've been out here longer then you . . . and - and . . ." she was cut off by a sneeze, "oops, bless me".
Raph clutched her hand tightly. Concern waved over him and he shook it off. "I think you'll get sick if you stay out here".
"Thank you Dr. Dolittle".
Raph smiled. "Please, he does animals".
"I'm fine!"
"Look", Raph put Tailor's hand to her face.
"Hey, that's cold!"
"See, you're freezing, come on". He pulled her down the sewer tunnels, with her complaining behind him.
As Raph walked down the sewer tunnels with her, thoughts rushed through his head. Why didn't she cry? Why did she tell him and not April or Splinter or any of his brothers? She let out another sneeze behind him and he said 'bless you'. Another thing; why did she leave to just think about her mum? Didn't she know she could catch cold and get ill? He wasn't a doctor, but even he knew that much.
Maybe Tailor didn't show her emotions strongly. Maybe she didn't cry. But she had something. Something he couldn't guess. Something that made him wonder, the only problem was . . . what?
(Ok, sorry if it took longer - I had my exams! BORING! As always THANK YOU for the reviews - I love ya all!! xXx - and forever, lol - more to come - Merry Christmas everyone!).