DISCLAIMER: Only own The Cat. Yeppers, I'm on a role, determined to end this story once and for all. Epilogue to follow – soon, maybe by tomorrow! Yippee!

CHAPTER 8 – MOVING DAY

"Bandages?

"Check!"

"Iodine?"

"Check!"

"Neosporin?"

"Check!"

"You sure we have enough bandages?"

"Raph, I'm sure, okay?"

"Mike, you know I'm a magnet for that cat and not in the best way, either!" Raph complained. He looked at his youngest brother and noted that he was virtually scratch-free.

He hated him.

"Just make sure I don't have to carry him, okay?"

Mike replied, "Okay, I get it already...I'll carry him."

"Goes for me, too." Leo exclaimed, nodding eagerly while scratching at his scabbed hand.

"Me three!" Don added, rubbing his heavily bandaged nose.

"You guys are SO pathetic..." Mike teased, "...a bunch of sissies for ninjas."

"Look," Raph growled out, "I just don't wanna end up look'n like a mummy by the time I get to April's!" He seemed to be nothing but bandages as he looked over his damaged body.

"If you don't stop complaining, it won't take a cat to do the JOB!" Mike exclaimed irritably as he put the gauze tape into the first aid kit. He was not happy about having to get rid of The Cat; he rather liked the furry ball of claws and teeth. It wasn't HIS fault the others didn't know how to handle the feline. It wasn't HIS fault The Cat liked him better. Yet, even though Splinter enjoyed having the animal for a pet, the rat had finally decided they had all suffered enough.

Well, as far as Raph was concerned. His chest still hurt from the solvent Donnie had to use inorder to pry Mike off of him, after getting super glued together when they attempted to 'nub' The Cat's claws.

Nevertheless,Splinter explained his reasons a while earlier.

"I have decided that with all the bacteria the cat might carry, we are only biding time before one of us develops an infection." He had looked over at Raphael when he said this, wrinkling his nose in disappointment. "Where one of us can't seem to leave well enough alone, the only course we have is to either find the animal's original owner or – " Here the rat paused for just a moment.

Mike remembered feeling terrified about what the other 'course' could be, knowing that a lot of unwanted pets ended up in the pound and eventually destroyed. His eyes welled up with tears at the thought, arguments to keep the cat coming to mind, and anger building within him as he anticipated what his sensei would say next.

Splinter continued, "Or we can find a home for him with someone who can tolerate his – personality." He swallowed a little, obviously not at all pleased himself with the decision he felt forced to make.

Mike had such relief that he almost laughed out loud, except for the obviously sad mood of his sensei. He already knew that The Cat had a special place in the rat's heart and it was probably very difficult for him to make the choice to give the beast up.

Now, they were preparing to leave for April's where they would 'store' the cat until they could find the original owner. April had been more than delighted where she actually had a fondness for cats. "But don't expect me to take him in permanently. My lease contract forbids having pets," she had warned them. If she were still living at her old place, above her father's second hand store, in her mind there wouldn't have been any question. However, after the fire a year ago, it was no longer livable. Consequently, she had to lease an apartment instead.

"Hey, Ap, no problemo...we'll find the owner or someone who'll take the cat!" Raph had assured her over the phone.

Now they were trudging through the sewers with Mike holding the squirming kitty. Raph sneered, "Even when the cat wants down he doesn't scratch you...life can be so unfair, sometimes."

"Say, when you have the touch..." Mike chortled smugly.

"Besides your head, you mean?" Leo chided as he walked alongside.

"Aw, guys, com'on...there's just those people, or turtles, who have that way about them...animals can sense it." Mike explained, "Go on, Donnie; tell them."

Don rolled his eyes as he sided up to the others, "Well, it is true, but I think it's more a matter of personality on your part, Mike."

"Yeah, I'm just an easy going guy, that's me!" he laughed.

"Easy as in what, bro? You have a girlfriend or something?" Raph teased.

"Ah, well, not presently..." Mike licked his lips nervously, realizing to what his brother was alluding.

"Hey, we're here!" Leo announced as they came up to a sewer access station.

As soon as they were up and out of the sewers, they walked a ways through the alley towards April's apartment. The cat seemed quite excited being above ground once again. His ears were alert to all the sounds from cars and the hubbub of activity that bled into the deserted byway. His nose worked like crazy, as it sucked in the fresher air, bringing to his senses the smells and tastes of the city – all the while passively entrenched in Mike's firm embrace.

Finally, they made it to the fire escape and before too long were slipping into April's apartment on the top floor. She stood there watching the four turtles as they climbed through her apartment window, noticing right away the black and white ball of fur in Mike's arms.

"Oh, he's beautiful!" she cooed sweetly. However, she quickly noticed Don's bandaged-wrapped muzzle and then the rather large first aid kit under one arm. She smiled to herself, shaking her head, "Poor guy."

"Why thank you, Ap...I always thought I was, too!" Mike cheered.

"The cat, you dimwit!" Raph corrected him with a thump on the back of Mike's head. He then went over and plopped himself down onto the couch, stretching his arms out along the back. "Say, Ap, you sure are brave to take in this menace. I can't thank you enough."

"He really can't, he's quite happy about Splinter's decision..." Donatello explained, leaning against the couch where his brother sat.

"Yeah, I'm sure if they could talk, his legs and arms would say as much!" Leo laughed. He looked over at his brother and assessed the new 'decorations' along Raphael's legs, when earlier his foot and the cat's tail almost became one.

"Easy for you to say, funny man...you only have that one scratch!" Raph shot back.

"Yeah, but...believe me, it was enough!" Leo commented. Don nodded in agreement, rubbing his nose once again.

"Well, I have all the goods to make his TEMPORARY stay comfortable." April explained, "Mike, let's introduce him to the kitty box."

"Kitty box?" Mike asked, confused.

"Ah, yeah, you know – the litter box? Didn't you guys have a box of sand for the cat to use when he, you know, had to go?" April's nose involuntarily wrinkled in disgust.

"No, were we supposed to?" Mike asked innocently.

"Oh, that's just icky...didn't he make a mess?" April asked, her face now matching her nose.

"Well," Don explained, "We do live in a sewer, so we just sort of scooped it up and tossed it out the front door."

"Remind me to watch where I step the next time I come over!" April deadpanned as she shook her head in dismay. "Anyway, on to the bathroom."

Once she and Mike with The Cat were in the bathroom and they had shown the animal the box of sand, Mike turned to April, "You sure you can't keep him, Ap?" His look was pleading as he turned puppy-dog eyes up to hers. If he couldn't keep the cat, having a family friend take it would be better than never seeing the creature again.

Smiling, the woman replied, "Sorry, I'd get my butt booted outta here faster than you can say 'spit'." She scratched the cat's head a little, "He is cute, though. Too bad he didn't get along with everyone."

"Hey, he got along with me – and Splinter." Mike said defensively.

"Yeah, but you know that this is the right thing to do." April remarked, "If he has an owner, they're probably worried about him...and the fear of infection is a big concern, too. None of you guys can risk that, not without taking a chance of it becoming worse. That would be disastrous."

Mike sighed and then said, "Well, yeah, I guess so." Then, he looked at The Cat, sighed once, and then said to April, "Guess it's time to see if he'll take to you."

Meanwhile, Raph, Don, and Leo had the television on. They were well into the cartoon they were watching when Mike and April came out of the bathroom.

"Well, guys, looks like someone else has 'the touch'." Mike announced happily.

As the three on the couch turned around to see what Mike was talking about, there, like an insult flung into their face, was April, carrying the purring cat and without a scratch on her.

Raph could only groan, shaking his head, "Figures!"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Comments - Thanks to all who reviewed after they read. RAMICA: GEMDRIVE2000: