Chapter 4

"What the hell? Where am I? Hey! What the f-ck is this?"

There was a light thud and then another loud curse and the sound of the coffee table skidding across the wooden floor. Another trail of soft thuds later, the purple-haired girl was in the doorway of Casey Jones' bedroom, leaning against the doorframe so as not to lose her balance.

"Hey! Asshole – what is this?? Get up and untie me!"

"What's all the yellin' about?" Casey asked dully, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

"Who…who are you?" she asked more slowly, one eyebrow raised, "You aren't one of the guys who hit me last night…or did you just lose the freaky costume?"

"Calm down, little girl," Casey said, yawning as he stood up and cracked his neck, "It was too late to drag yer butt into the police station last night, so we kept ya here. We's was just makin' sure you wouldn't take off, that's all."

"So where're the other guys? I don't remember you at all…" she said, looking up at him. Turning her eyes away, as if intimidated by his size, she added quietly, "And I'm not a little girl – I'm sixteen."

He raised an eyebrow, "Whatever you say. You hungry? I assume that's the reason you were stealing that stuff last night."

Her cheeks flushed under the dirt, "I can't say I'd turn down food, if you're offering…" she muttered.

"Sure," Casey said, walking right past her towards the small kitchen portion of his messy apartment.

"Hey…aren't you gonna untie me?" she asked, clumsily hopping after him.

"Nah, you'd probably try ta hop out the window," Casey remarked lightly, looking through his cabinets for something non-expired and reasonably edible.

With a frustrated sigh, she slumped down into a plastic folding chair at the also plastic-fold-up kitchen table. "So…where're those other guys from last night?"

"Went home, got some issues of their own ta settle."

She nodded, "I could see them having issues – what with the costumes they were wearing…"

"Costumes, sure," Jones finally decided on a large box of "Captain Crunch" and pouring a large amount into one of the several chipped glass bowls sitting on his counter.

Her stomach rumbled loudly as he set the bowl in front of her, and she looked up at him incredulously, "I suppose I could just inhale it…"

Casey groaned softly and picked up a plastic, "Wendy's" spoon. He poured a small amount of milk into the bowl, and managed to get some of the food bits onto the spoon, offering it to her.

She was taken slightly aback by the movement, but was too hungry to care for very long and she closed her mouth around the spoon, chewing just enough so that she wouldn't choke and then swallowed, opening her mouth for more.

Casey sighed and continued to spoon feed the restrained juvenile delinquent, the room filled with the slightly irritating sounds of lips smacking and tiny grain bits crunching.

The bowl was empty in a matter of minutes, and the girl looked like she could down the whole box and more if given the chance. "Thanks," she mumbled, twisting her head to wipe her mouth on the shoulder on her coat.

"Want some more?" he asked hesitantly, unsure of whether or not it would be a good idea to give the child more sugar in such a manner.

"Nah, I'm good," she lied, "So – off to the station we go?"

"Yup," Casey told her brightly, standing up.

"What floor of this building are we on?" she asked suddenly.

"3rd, why? You thinkin' about jumpin'?" he asked, chuckling to himself.

"I'm not that stupid," she quipped, "I just don't think I'll be able to hop down three flights of stairs. So are you gonna untie my legs now?"

Exasperated, the young man gave in, "Alright, alright! Gimme a minute with these knots," he knelt down by her ankles, working to loosen the bindings.

Watching his hunched form with interest, she asked, "I suppose you do this a lot, huh? I mean toss riff-raff like me into jail."

"I get around, yeah."

"Mm..." she nodded, "What're you gonna do with my stuff?"

"What, the 'crack'?" he asked, taking a brief moment's rest from his work to gesture over at the pile of small bags on the coffee table, "It's the evidence against you. That stuff's gonna get you a good place in juvy, where you can get a chance to turn your life around for the better."

"I figured that…I meant the food – I don't think the fuzz need that. Do you think you could dump it off at the burned-out tenement on 43rd street?"

Jones scratched his head at the odd request, his other hands pulling the rope loose and letting it fall to the ground, "What for?"

"Let's just say it'll be appreciated," she told him, stretching her legs out gratefully, "Even if it is cold – and late, thanks to me…"

"If I got the time, I'll swing by that way after I drop you off," the man said, picking up the duffle bag of food with one hand.

"Thanks," she said seriously, then stood, "And um…if anyone asks for Kylee – just tell them I'm okay, will you?"

Casey nodded solemnly, "Sure. Now c'mon, we gotta get goin' before the rush starts up at the station. Crime never sleeps in the Big Apple ya know."

"Not heavily anyway," she said with a small smirk, "Lead the way."


"Michaelangelo, Raphael – where have you been? Do not think that because you have grown older I have ceased to be concerned for your safety. Leaving as you did was thoughtless and irresponsible – though I'm sure you have a healthy supply of explanations as to your nocturnal excursions."

Leonardo and Donatello crouched on the second story ledge encircling the lair, eager to hear, but not exactly wanting to be too close, so as to avoid what was sure to be incredibly tense atmosphere down on the first level.

"Raph, do you wanna take this one or should I?"

The color in Raphael's face darkened as he glanced up at the second floor, spotting Leo and Donnie's shadowed figures. "Uh…sensei, would you mind if we…uh…discussed this in your room?" he asked sheepishly.

"Raphael, anything that will be said is to be said in the open, among family. You are not in a position to be bargaining for favors. I want to hear explanations, or punishment shall be given without knowledge."

He sighed, shoulders drooping, "Alright, but ya might wanna sit down…"

Master Splinter sat down warily, "I have a very poor feeling on this matter…"

"Yeah, an' I don' blame ya," Raph said, placing himself on the floor before his master, "Okay…" he took a deep breath and then felt a hand on his shoulder. Mikey was seated next to him, smiling supportively. "I dunno if anybody's noticed, 'cept fer Mikey, as of last night, that I ain't really been happy lately. Not that I'm really-out-there cheery normally, but anyway," he found himself twirling a sai distractedly and quickly placed it and its twin on the floor. The last thing he needed was to look threatened, scared – even though it was how he was feeling. "I dunno know why, but the usual ways I blew off steam stopped workin', an' it got to where I was fit to burst an' then…I found uh, a new outlet. I…well…" Mikey gave him a gentle nudge and he blurted out, "I been drinkin' – a lot lately…too much, I realize now…anyway, so that's where I been." He finished lamely, wanting to say more, to try and justify himself, but he knew he couldn't. He just hung his head, biting his bottom lip involuntarily, waiting for the worst.

He felt his brother touch him again reassuringly and his head snapped back up, "An' one more thing – don't punish Mikey for any a' this. He had nothin' ta do with it."

The old rat's nose twitched slightly, and he took in a deep breath before releasing it slowly, "What you have told me is greatly troubling, Raphael. I have striven for eighteen years to teach all of you to make the decisions most beneficial to our style of living. I see now that my lessons fell on deaf ears, if one of you could stray so far. A wise Ninja's body and mind must always be at their peak, alert and ready. Drugs are the most dangerous enemies that face the warrior," Splinter shook his head, eyes closed, "By ignoring the warnings of your sensei and partaking in such damaging practices, you have dishonored me."

Dishonor…the word echoed long and hard into the depths of Raphael's very soul. That was the last thing he had expected his master to say…and it hit him harder than any physical punishment ever could have. He fell forwards, forearms hitting the grimy steel floor, ashamed, the word still hanging over him.

Up on the ledge, leaning over in an attempt to see, Leondaro nearly lost his grip on the edge of the outcrop, shocked, "Don?" he asked quietly, looking over at the most intelligent (technology-wise, at least) of the brothers, "Please tell me I heard wrong…"

Donatello looked like he might cry then and there, out of pity for their brother. "I wish I could, Leo…I really wish I could…"

Master Splinter stood slowly, using his walking stick as a crutch to trek slowly back to his chamber. He sighed, attempting to will away the pain in his heart. Part of him wished to forgive his adoptive son, while another wished to punish him further for his actions. Suddenly, the rat felt very old, as if all his years had caught up with him at once, weighing down on his back, an immovable burden.

Raphael's breathing was heavy, his eyes shut tight, trying to keep the tears from betraying him. He could feel his brother's eyes on him, and he couldn't take it. Slowly getting to his feet, he glared down at the brother beside him, "I told you this was a bad idea…" he whispered shakily before turning and leaving the lair, wanting to be well enough away before he finally broke down.

Mikey watched Raph leave, too stunned to chase after him immediately. He glanced up at his two brothers in the rafters, attempting to find his voice, "So…what should we do?"

"I…I don't know…" Leo said, shaking his head as he and Don joined Mikey on the first floor.

"What I don't know," Don said, "is how none of us noticed anything was going on before this had to happen…"

"Raph's always been unhappy," Leo said lamely, "And I gave up trying to stop him from going to the surface years ago. How were we supposed to know what was going on? He doesn't exactly like to open up to us."

"I know…" Don nodded, "I kind of wish he would find someone he would open up to, besides Casey–"

"Who's a bad influence anyway," Leo said, scowling.

"But it's probably too much to hope for," Don shrugged.

Mikey scratched his bald, green dome, "I don't know anyone Raph'd talk to, 'cept maybe April…"

"Let's just hope he finds his way there," Leo said, "instead of into more trouble."


The Authors Talk Back!

terran631 - Thanks! Hope this update was quick enough!

Reluctant Dragon - Thank you! We work our hardest to keep everyone in character.

SulliMike23 - You can expect to see more of Casey, as well as April in upcoming chapters!

Silver Sky 45 - Don't worry - we're rooting for Raph too!

VestqueX - Thank you so much! We liked getting the chance to show Mikey forced into a more serious role, and we love seeing him looking out for the ones he loves.

SUzie - Which one of us are you going to name your first born after? Samantha or Shaun? I guess if you have twins you wouldn't have to worry about it. Thanks for the review!