I do not own the movie 'Ben', 'Jaws', or 'Psycho'. These movies in and of themselves scare me silly, so other than a few clips here and there, I haven't had the pleasure of watching them either. Don't care to, so the 'powers that be' regarding these things needn't worry about my stealing them. They can keep 'em!

********

"Somebody just shoot me." I groaned.

I wasn't sure if I was alive or dead, but considering the amount of pain I was feeling, I had a pretty good notion that I was alive – mostly. The thought of opening my eyes seemed too difficult for the moment so I kept them closed.

However, I wish I could have done the same for my nose. A very stuffy and damp odor assaulted my olfactory senses giving me the impression that I was in a cave. The air was cool but it desperately needed to be filtered with a fresh supply. It certainly didn't remind me of my apartment. In fact it made my apartment smell pretty good by comparison.

Then, I heard voices. They were not close by but I could tell they weren't very far off, either. In my befuddled brain that was trying to reclaim a bit of reality, some of the voices sounded familiar to me. "Where had I heard them before?" I wondered silently.

It was about then that I tried to open my eyes, but all I saw was darkness. Great! No lighting either. But in that next moment I felt something around my head. Reaching up to see what it was I felt some wrapping, like cloth, that was covering my face and most certainly my eyes. "What is this?" I exclaimed, trying to sit up. I noticed that my right wrist ached pretty badly, too.

Whoo, boy. I shouldn't have done that. My head started to spin and I hurt so badly I felt like puking.

"How'd I get like this?" I wondered to myself.

Someone called out for me to lie back down. They tried to help me, but out of reflex – and I don't know why, quite honestly - I swung out at them and connected – hard!

"OW! Wow, lady, you certainly pack a punch!" the voice complained.

"Raph?" I asked.

"Who else?" he chided me.

"Well, I certainly wasn't expecting you! Where am I" I asked as I allowed him to ease me back down on whatever it was I was lying on. He pulled what felt like covers over me. I was obviously in a bed, but I was more concerned with my present location.

"You're in our lair. You were beaten up pretty badly. Been out for about three days, now." Another voice explained.

Hmm… that sounded like …Leo?

"Hey, Leo. I'd say good to see you but since I can't, guess you'll have to settle for 'good to hear' you!" I tried to laugh but even that hurt.

Wait a minute; what did he say? "Three days?" I digested that bit of information for a moment. But then I nearly jumped out of bed, pain and all.

"Jiminy Crickets, I have to get to work!" I yelled.

But Raph – if it was him – grabbed me and sat me back down gently, but firmly.

"No, you're not going anywhere. You've been injured and you need to rest!" someone else ordered.

I couldn't place the name with the voice but right now I had more important things to worry about.

"I need to work. I'll lose my job. I'll lose my apartment. Heck, I'll lose my bed and there's no way in hell I'm going to lose that!" I yelled. I was starting to fall apart but I did an admirable job of not. Last thing I wanted to do was wail in front of my friends. I was hyperventilating and getting worse by the second, "I can't lose my job; you don't understand; Bill needs me!" I complained loudly.

"We've already taken care of it, Mindy." It was Mikey. "I left a note explain'n you had an aunt come down with pneumonia. There wasn't enough time to call off work since her condition was pretty serious."

I started to laugh, but then groaned and grabbed my side. I felt bandages there, too. Okay, who dressed me, I wanted to know. Then, I decided I didn't need to. It was a done deal and the less I knew the better at this point. Fortunately I still had my clothes on.

"Ha! That would work except for one minor detail..." I said derisively.

"Ah, what would that be?" Mike asked me.

"I don't have any aunts; they're all dead and Bill knows that! I'm toast!" and I slumped back against the bed.

"Oops." Was all Mikey said in reply.

"Yep, she's toast al'right." Raph exclaimed. I think he was smirking; I wasn't sure but his tone of voice would definitely go well with a smirk. I didn't feel at all bad anymore about clobbering him earlier.

"What's wrong with my eyes, though? How come I have these bandages on?" I asked weakly. I was still trying to come to terms with the possibility of not having a job anymore.

That voice I couldn't place earlier spoke next," You suffered a concussion; a pretty bad one, actually. Your eyes are all swollen, too. Plus you have about three broken ribs and your wrist is sprained. Some minor contusions, but those shouldn't be a problem. However you need to rest in a prone position for a while; I'd say another three days at least."

"Anything else, Dr. Welby?" I asked sarcastically. I was irritable for obvious reasons.

"Hmm...Well…no. Guess that's it." D.W. replied.

"Okay, so, since I don't quite recognize your voice…" and I hesitated right here because I remembered Mikey telling me what Splinter was. I was counting on it being the other turtle…"You must be Donny. Right?" Oh please, oh please, oh please let it be the other turtle, I prayed silently.

"Hmm…Yeah. That's me." Donny replied shyly.

I must have been holding my breath because you could have heard my sigh a mile away.

However, my respite was short lived. No sooner had I expressed my relief than another voice, one that had a slight Asian accent to it, spoke to me.

"My child, how are you feeling?" it said.

Whoo boy, this must be…must be….the rat. Okay, Min ol' girl, you can handle this. It can talk and think and it obviously cares otherwise it wouldn't be asking how you feel and it was a friend of Mikey in fact Mikey called him Master Splinter and…..

"Fine." I squeaked and there was NO pun intended with that one, either. I actually squeaked.

Raph laughed and I could hear Mikey snigger over my reaction.

However, Splinter sternly corrected them, "Our guest is injured and you are laughing at her? My sons, you were taught better manners than that!"

"But, Master Splinter, I told you she's afraid of…" Mikey tried to explain.

"Yes, Michelangelo, I am well aware of Mindy Johnson's fear of rats; you were quite insistent that I know this. But, I am sure her fear is for the smaller variety. "And he turned towards me; at least I think he did because he sounded like he was speaking right to me, "However, Mindy, I am not at all like what you might see in your apartment. As you can tell, I am quite sentient."

I added for emphasis, "And you sound a lot bigger, too." Was that a quaver in my voice? I heard muffled laughing behind Splinter and I think I heard someone getting punched; but I couldn't be sure.

"It will take time but in time you will understand, my child." Splinter assured me. "Now, you must rest and not worry about your job – or anything else for that matter. Things will be taken care of. "

"Easy for him to say. He doesn't have a job to worry about, bills to pay, an apartment to keep – my BED!" I lamented silently. I wanted to cry; if I lost that bed then I lost the only connection with my parents. They passed away long before Jack left me and I was kind of glad for that. They thought he was just wonderful and I know he would have broken their heart had they been alive when he left me. They didn't have very much and with mounting medical expenses, everything they owned was sold at auction to pay the creditors. It was a sad time, but it was in the past. Now, all I had was that bed they had made for me. It would be the final straw if I lost it through mounting rent bills.

I couldn't hold the tears back any longer. Hoping against hope that I was alone, but not really caring at that point, I opened the flood gates and let it all pour out.



*******

*******

"How is she?" Mikey asked as Raph finally came back to the other room. Mike had retreated to what was considered the living room after realizing he had virtually lost Mindy's job. He felt awful.

Raph hadn't planned on witnessing Mindy breaking down, but when she did he just didn't feel right in abandoning her. He stayed silently off to one side, trying not to look at her, but unable to not hear her sobs. "Crying." Raph sighed. "Stupid Foot! What business is it of theirs who she makes friends with?" Then he looked over at Mikey and with a glare, "It's your fault, ya know!"

"Me? Why me?" Mike replied defensively.

"'Cause you were determined to make a new friend, that's why!" Raph's voice was starting to rise and his temper starting to flare, "If you'd just had left well enough alone and not climbed up to her window…."

"Stop it, my sons. It is bad enough you have brought this upon Mindy Johnson, but it is far worse you should argue about it within range of her hearing you!" Splinter said forcibly. "You should have been more careful with your visits. But, what is done is done. Now, we need to protect her." He glared at his sons, his tail whipping about in irritation. "You have a task before you. You know what you need to do. Make sure that no one sees or hears you, but I expect success and nothing less. You owe her that much at least."

All four chorused together, "Yes, Master Splinter"

*******

*******

I had heard them arguing; heard Raphael blame Mikey for putting me in danger. I heard them say something about a stupid foot. What did feet have to do with anything? The questions I wanted to ask them kept mounting and by gum while I was in their care I was going to get answers. They owed me that at least!

However, much to my consternation, the first member of that family to approach me after my cry was Splinter. I was not thrilled, to say the least. Yet, I had to admit his tone of voice and his obvious care for my regard was quite soothing. But I was glad I had my blinders on; otherwise it may not have mattered diddly squat. I truly was afraid of rats; had been my entire life. It had nothing to do with my apartment, as Splinter assumed. It had everything to do with the movie 'Ben'. Gad, all those rats pouring over people and nibbling them away. That movie just about scared me silly! I'll take Psycho any day, or even Jaws, than to watch the movie 'Ben'.

"Are you feeling better, my child?" Splinter asked calmly.

It had been a very long time since anyone called me a child. At first I was rather offended. I was certainly older than this rat, more than likely. Where did he get off calling me such a degrading name? But, wisely I held my tongue in check and just replied weakly, "Not really, but there isn't much I can do about it for the moment."

"No…there is not." He agreed sadly.

"Hmm…where are the others?" I asked, since I hadn't heard any of them for a while.

"They have some things to do and will be back shortly. Could I get you some tea, perhaps?" Splinter asked.

Tea? This was a new twist to service. A rat is offering to bring me some tea. Now that's one for the record books.

"Sure…I guess. What kind do you have?" I asked him.

"Ah, it is an old family recipe from my Master Hamato Yoshi. I think you will like it. It is slightly sweet with a hint of lavender. Very good for healing." And then he was gone.

"An old family recipe? Hamato Yoshi? Was he a rat, too?" I asked myself.

I need to start writing these questions down; they're starting to multiply like --- er ----- rats. Hmm…bad pun; very bad pun!