DISCLAIMER: Again, Buster's mine and all mine - much to the relief of certin mutated, ninja kicking, terrapins, who are owned by whomever. Also, Wrestlemania is the property of someone, just don't know who.

EPILOGUE: OF CATS AND MEN

Mike couldn't have been happier. After getting off the phone, it was obvious by his brothers that whatever April had said to their orange-bandanna brother, the news was good. They were in the kitchen, sitting around the table, finishing off yet another pizza.

"So, what? She found the owner and gave the cat back – I hope?" Raph asked as he picked his teeth with the end of one of his sai.

"Better than that!" Mike announced cheerfully, chuckling out loud.

"Aw, don't tell me…" Raph groaned as he stood up to go fetch himself a can of soda. Retrieving the cold can from the refrigerator; he popped the top and took a healthy gulp. Burping loudly, he then asked, "So, tell us, Oh cat-turtle, what's the good news?"

"She found the owner and – get this…" Mike laughed much to his joy and relief, quickly going to the same refrigerator and retrieving a can of soda for himself as well. "the owner lives in the apartment complex next to hers!" he raised his can as if to toast the news, "she was so thankful to have her kitty back that she wants April to cat-sit whenever this gal goes out of town – which I guess is often because she's in sales." He then popped the top, adding, "So that means when this gal is gone, I can visit him!" and then chugged the drink down. He bested Raph's burp with one of his own, sustaining it long and loud. Unfortunately, he caught the attention of his sensei, who then walked into the kitchen at that moment.

"MICHELANGELO!" the rat admonished, "You will mind your manners."

"But, April's not here, Sensei." The turtle replied defensively.

"No, she is not." Splinter said, "But, I am!" and he then took a seat. "So, tell me, Michelangelo, what did Miss O'Neil have to say?"

"Ah, great news, Master. She found the owner." Mike grinned from ear to ear, certainly quite happy.

"That is good news. Now The Cat is back where he belongs?" Splinter said.

"Yep and best of all, this lady wants April to cat-sit whenever she's out of town. Guess she was impressed that April had him for a whole week and not a scratch on her!"

Raph shook his head, "Figures. What is it about me? How come that cat didn't like me?" He slumped back down in his chair in a huff.

"Raphael," Splinter explained, "The Cat can only go on instincts. It cannot decide if you are worthy of his friendship simply because you have good intentions."

Raph offered a sidelong look at his sensei as if what the rat had just said was an oxymoron at best.

"I am quite aware that you tried your best to befriend him…" Splinter said, "Yet, he is, after all just a cat. He befriends who he wants, that is all there is to it."

Mike was still grinning from ear to ear as he went on to say, "Yeah and I guess you have a bit of company with that, too, bro!"

"Why's that?" Raph asked after he gulped down yet another swallow of soda, suppressing a belch.

"Well," Mike chirped, "seems Casey didn't go over very well with The Cat, either – and, oh, by the way, The Cat's name is Buster."

"Buster? I'd like to, believe me!" Raph grumbled. "So, Case had a few run-ins with the monster, did he?" That thought brought a smile to his face.

Yep, nailed him every time he came over. Ap was actually thinking of asking her super if she could keep Buster, but Case said if she did, he'd never come over again!"

Leo snickered while Don interjected, "Can't blame him. That cat's a menace."

"It was just by turn of luck that she saw the 'lost kitty' sign out front of the complex next door to hers." Mike explained.

"So, now she gets to pet sit, eh? Lucky girl." Raph sniggered. "I hope she warns us whenever she does, though; I hate that cat."

………

A week later, the boys were on their way to April's to take in an evening of DVD movies. Case was going to be there, as well. As they slipped through the window, a meow soon greeted them.

Raph, Leo, and Don starred wide-eyed in horror at the creature, not believing what they were seeing. "HEY, what's HE doing here?" all three exclaimed together.

Mike gleefully picked the cat up and rubbed his face against its furry head, "Sure missed you Cat, ah, Buster!" A deep, resonating purr rewarded him, the cat obviously just as happy to see the turtle. However, he glared at the other three, especially one in particular.

Mike sat the cat back down on the floor and looked up at April, "So, where's Case?"

April sighed, "He's such a wuss, he took off the moment he saw Buster here."

Raph growled out, "Again I ask, why is he here and why didn't you warn us?"

"The owner came by about ten minutes ago. She had a last minute call to do damage control on a business sale in Chicago; didn't have much warning herself. She was desperate." April shrugged, "I'm sorry. You guys already left the lair when I called to tell you."

By the audible groans and sighs coming from the trio of turtles who huddled fearfully by the open window, April knew the evening would be ruined for them if she didn't do something with the cat. "Tell you what, I'll put the cat in the bathroom where the litter box is; I'll put his food and water in there so he'll be happy. That way he'll be safe and so will you, how about that?"

The three looked at one another and nodded, finally turning back to April. She knew by the three grinning terrapins that she had scored a hit.

Once the cat was ensconced in the bathroom, April came back into the living area. "Well, guess I ought to make some popcorn, wanna help me Mike!"

"Sure thing, Ap." He replied, leaping up and heading off to the kitchen.

As he disappeared through the doorway, April turned to the other three who were now relaxing on the couch. "By the way, I think I know why the cat didn't like you guys."

"Why's that?" Raph asked as he placed his sai on the coffee table in front of him.

"Well, Stacy – Buster's owner – told me he hates men, anything male. Seems her ex-husband hated cats and would torment him. The cat loved to torment back and so it became a vicious cycle. One of the reasons why she left him, I guess." She paused a moment, reflecting on that thought, but dismissed it, continuing to say, "Anyway, that kind of explains why you couldn't make friends with him."

The three brothers all looked at each other, each one furrowing their eye ridges, and then all three at the same time smirked.

About that time, Mike came stepping out of the kitchen, asking, "Say, Ap, you have any more oil….ah….what?" He quickly noticed three reptilian pair of eyes looking his way.

Three sitting turtles starred amusingly at him, grinning from ear to ear, which only confused Mike even more. "What?" he asked again.

April covered her mouth to hide her smile, knowing what Mike's brothers were thinking.

Raph stood up, shaking his head sadly, "Mike, for cryin' out loud, we're all brothers, here…you could have told us."

Totally baffled, Mike shook his head and asked, "Told you what?"

Leo asked, "You know, you can't keep something like that a secret forever."

Don remarked, "It's bound to be at least one of us, you know. The odds and all."

"What are you guys going on about?" Mike was completely clueless. He noticed April sniggering behind her hand, turning away so he wouldn't notice, but he did just the same.

"What's so funny, why are you all staring at me?" Mike was becoming quite annoyed and bit uncomfortable.

Raph walked over to his brother and put his arm around his shoulder compassionately. His voice understanding and dramatically caring, "We just found out why the cat didn't like us, Mike."

"Oh, yeah? Really, how's that?" the orange turtle asked innocently, quite intrigued now.

"Well," Don stood up and moved around the couch, putting some measurable amount of room between him and his youngest brother, "it seems that the cat, or Buster as he is called, doesn't like men. He likes only – women." He grinned.

"And….that means, what?" Mike was still in the dark.

"At the very least, we know we're male," Leo added as he, too, stood up to stand by Don, "and Casey, too, because the cat doesn't like him, either." Now, he smiled.

"Okaaaayyy? Ah….OH NO! Not that…uh uhhh….no way, guys, no way at all. That cat likes me because I'm NICE, not because I'm…." Mike had his hands up, palms out and fingers spread in defense. "No way in hell…"

Raph added one more comment, "Might explain your hesitancy when I asked if you had a girlfriend. Is there someone 'special' you want to tell us about, bro?"

Soon it was obvious that having a peaceful night of watching DVD's was out of the question…that and having any of April's furniture survive. Not with 'Wrestlemania' going on in her living room.

April could only hope that her neighbors downstairs were out doing the town as they did every Friday night.

She could hope, but that's all she could do.

THE END.

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