Chapter 4

Decisions and Discoveries

A/N: Well, here's a new chapter. Thanks to all of those who reviewed. Here are some shout-outs:

Shellsboy 24: Thanks for your review. Leo is not a loser. You're the loser. Just kidding! Keep reviewing my story.

Ana the Romantic: I know it looked weird for Erin to let Leo hug her, but I would've done the same thing. She was just upset and needed comfort. Keep reviewing, and I'll keep reviewing your story too.

Lioness Goddess: Glad you like the story. Shredder tried to recruit the boyfriend, not Erin and Maureen's dad. You'll find out more in this chapter. Keep reviewing.

Now, that I've done that, it's time to get on with the story. Keep reading and reviewing. All flames will be cut up by Leo's katanas.

Disclaimer: Turtles not mine. I'm just borrowing them. I own Erin, Maureen, and anyone else not related to the Turtles. Enjoy!

The next morning, Erin woke up and ground the sleep out of her eyes. For a minute, she couldn't remember where she was. Then, it all came back to her. She yawned and stretched her arms. Then she got out of bed and crept downstairs to use the bathroom. She was surprised to find Leonardo awake with Splinter watching the news.

"Hey, how's it going?" asked Leo when he saw Erin come in.

"Good," replied Erin. She sat on the couch between Leo and Splinter. "So, what's going on in the news?" she asked.

"There was another suicide bombing in Iraq this morning," said Leo. "I just don't get why people would do this after we saved them."

"Me neither," said Erin. "I mean, how can they do this after we freed them from Saddam? Do they hate us or something?"

"I do not know," said Splinter. "I feel that these people are troubled. They need help for their problems."

"Either that, or they're the ones who still support Saddam," Erin said.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Leo said.

Then Maureen came downstairs, rubbing her eyes. "I need to use the bathroom," she said.

"It's right next to the kitchen," Leo said, pointing it out.

"Thanks," Maureen said. She ran to it and slammed the door.

Donatello came out of his room. "Hey, guys," he said. "I got an e-mail from April. She's due to return on Sunday if the weather's good. She'll stop by here after she unpacks her stuff."

"Great," Leo said. "I can't wait to see her."

"The bathroom's free if anyone needs to use it," Maureen announced.

"I'm going to take a shower," Erin said. "I have some dance clothes to change into." She went upstairs and got her dance clothes. Then she went into the bathroom and closed the door.

"What's for breakfast, Leo?" Maureen asked, getting into his lap.

"Whatever you want," Leo told her. "What do you usually eat for breakfast?"

"Coca Puffs," Maureen answered. "Do you have those?"

"Yes, we do," Leo said. "Do you dip them in milk?"

"No, I usually eat them dry," Maureen said. "But I do like milk to drink."

"Okay," Leo said. "Let's go to the kitchen and get it." The two of them headed to the kitchen and were nearly bowled over by Michelangelo.

"Breakfast time!" Mikey cried, running into the kitchen. He threw open the refrigerator and took out a carton of eggs. He put two of them in a frying pan and turned on the stove.

"Do you want eggs, Maureen?" Leo asked.

"No thanks, Leo," Maureen said. "I'll just have my cereal."

Raphael came into the kitchen, yawning and rubbing his eyes. "Hey, who's in the bathroom?" he asked.

"Erin's taking a shower," Leo said. "She should be out soon."

"She better be," said Raph. He went to the refrigerator and took out a carton of milk. He took a swig right from the carton.

"Eew!" said Maureen, wrinkling her nose. "That is so gross, Raph!"

Raph wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and glared at her. "So what?" he said. "I always do that."

Then Erin came into the kitchen. "Well, the bathroom's free," she announced.

"It's about time," said Raph. He ran into the bathroom and slammed the door. Erin rolled her eyes and reached for the carton of milk.

"I wouldn't drink that if I were you," said Maureen. "Raph drank straight from the carton."

"Gross!" said Erin. "I'll just have orange juice then." She got it from the refrigerator and poured herself a glass.

After Raph came back, the family settled down for breakfast. There were bacon and eggs, toast, cereal, milk, and juice. During breakfast, the Turtles asked Erin and Maureen about their hobbies and what they liked. The girls found out that they had a lot in common with their new friends.

After breakfast, Splinter, the Turtles, and the girls returned to the living room to talk. Normally, the Turtles would have had practice now, but Splinter decided that he needed to hear more about Erin and Maureen.

Splinter sat down in his chair and crossed his legs. Mikey and Don sat on the couch while Leo and Raph sat next to the girls on the floor. Erin and Maureen had no idea what was going on and looked at Splinter questioningly.

"I know that you have had a bad ordeal, but I feel that you should tell us more," Splinter said in his gentle way. "Please tell us of the events that transpired the day that you lost your mother. Start at the beginning."

Erin began to tell them everything that had happened that fateful day. When she was done, the Turtles and Splinter exchanged looks of sadness and sympathy.

"Who would do this?" Mikey asked.

"I think I know who," Leo said. "I've thought about this ever since the girls came to us. Now, you may not believe me, but I feel that the Shredder did this."

"Why do you feel this way, my son?" Splinter asked gently.

"Because of the way their building blew up," answered Leo. "It reminded me of the way April's building blew up last year."

"You mean April's building blew up, too?" asked Erin incredulously.

"Yes," said Leo. "That's what makes me believe that the Shredder did this."

"Come off it, Leo," scoffed Raph. "The Shredder's gone. It could have been someone else." He turned to the girls. "Do you know of anyone who had something against your mom?"

"I do," said Erin. "His name's Brad Carson. He's Mom's old boyfriend from high school. Mom went out with him for a little while, until she found out that he was into drugs. Then she dumped him and met our dad. I think Brad was jealous of them. A year later, our dad died in a car crash. Brad came to our mom and told her that he'd changed. Mom believed him at first, but then she found out that he was with the Foot Clan. She told him she didn't want anything to do with a criminal and left him. I know he resent us, too."

"So, you think that because your mother left him that he killed her?" asked Leo.

"Yes," said Erin. "I'm sure of it. He was mad because this was the second time she had rejected him."

"So, you mean that this bonehead works for the Foot?" asked Raph.

"Yes, he does," replied Erin. "He loved being there and serving their leader. He worshipped the leader of the Foot."

"Do you know the leader's name?" asked Splinter.

"I do," said Maureen. "His name's Oroku Socko."

"She means Oroku Saki," corrected Erin. "Everyone says he's so great."

Mikey gasped. "That's the Shredder!" he cried.

"Really?" asked Erin. "I've never heard him called that before."

"I have," said Maureen. "I heard Brad and Mom talking one time. He said that he was sworn to serve the Shredder and the Foot. At first, I thought he was talking about a paper shredder or something."

Raphael was angry. "I say we kick this guy's butt," he growled.

"That won't bring their mother back," Leonardo pointed out.

"But he killed their mother," Raph said. "And you want to let him get away with that?"

"What choice do we have?" Leo asked. "If we reveal ourselves, he may send the Foot after us. Plus, he could hurt Erin and Maureen. Do you want to be responsible for that, Raph?"

"No, of course not," Raph said. "I'm just angry at what he did."

"We all are," Splinter said gently. "But that is no reason to act rashly, my son. The only thing we can do is protect Erin and Maureen from his clutches." He went into his room to meditate upon what he had just learned.

Michelangelo went to his room to read his comic book while Donatello went to his lab to work on his invention.

Raphael sprawled on the couch to watch TV. "Hey, Leo, want to watch a movie with me?" he asked.

"Not today, Raph," said Leo. "I'm gonna take a walk."

"Can Erin and I go with you?" asked Maureen.

"Sure," said Leo. "You'll like the place I'm going to take you." The two girls followed him out of the Lair and into the sewers.

"Where are you taking us?" asked Erin curiously.

"To my special place," said Leo. "Actually, it's Raph's and my special place. We found it when we were exploring the sewers when we were younger."

"You mean you and Raph get along?" asked Maureen, trying to keep up.

"Yes, we do," said Leo. "Of course, we have our fights like any normal brother or sister. Do you guys get along?"

"Sometimes," said Erin. "I think the reason we fight a lot is because we had to share a room with each other. You guys are lucky you never had to do that."

"Actually, we did share a room when we were younger," Leo said. "But we were inseparable. We were always worried about one another. One time, when I had a fever, Raph was really worried. He was at my side all night long. He wouldn't leave me, even though Master Splinter told him I'd be okay. That showed that he really cared about me."

"Does he still care about you now?" Maureen asked.

"Yes, he does, although he never really shows it," Leo said. "I know he's looking out for me though. I hope that you two are the same way."

"Of course we are," Erin said firmly. "I will always protect Maureen."

"Good," Leo said. "That's what I want to see. I don't want you guys fighting all the time."

"You sound just like our mother," Maureen said with a giggle. "She would say that to us all the time."

"Did you guys ever know our mother, Leo?" asked Erin.

"We'd heard of her, but we never met her," answered Leo. "Even though your mom was April's closest friend, she never told your mother about us."

"Why not?" asked Maureen.

"Because it was supposed to be a secret," said Leo. "April never told anyone."

"Mom would have kept it a secret," said Erin. "She might have told us, but she would never have told anyone else. At least, she would have told me. Maureen would probably have told someone."

"So would you," retorted her sister. "You would have told your friends."

"Girls, calm down," said Leo. "I don't care if you tell someone, as long as they swear never to tell anyone else. We'd also have to clear it with Master Splinter. He's very worried that people will discover us and put us in labs to be tested on. Others would mistake us for freaks. They wouldn't understand that we're good and that we help them out."

"How horrible!" Erin said softly. "Don't worry, Leo, we won't let that happen to you."

"Where are we?" Maureen asked. "I think I hear a waterfall."

"That's my special place," Leo said. "Come on." He led them over some rocks and between two boulders until they came to a huge pond. Water gushed out of a pipe like a waterfall.

"This place is beautiful!" Erin gasped. "No wonder you like it. It's ideal for meditation."

"I know," Leo said. "This is where I come when I feel depressed or when I just want to be alone."

"So, Leo, how do you guys know the Shredder?" Erin asked.

"Well, it's a long story," Leo said. Then he told them of how Shredder killed Splinter's Master Yoshi and how Shredder had wanted Leo to join his army. Then Leo told them of the night when Shredder attacked him and burned down April's building.

"Wow!" Erin gasped. "You've been through a lot, too." She could tell that he was in a lot of pain just talking about it. She put her arm around him and gave him a hug.

"Thanks, Erin," Leo said. "I really needed that."

"Hey, guys, look!" Maureen cried. A basket had just shot out of the pipe and landed with a splash.

"Something's in there," Erin said. She watched as the basket drew nearer to where they were. Inside were three baby kittens mewing at the top of their lungs. They looked frightened and wet.

"Kittens!" Maureen cried. She picked up the orange one with stripes on his back. "Can we keep them, Leo?" she asked.

"We'd have to ask Master Splinter first," said Leo. "But I don't think he'll object."

"Cool," said Erin. She picked up the black and white kitten while Leo took the grey and white kitten. Together, they went to the Lair with their new friends. When they got home, they noticed a familiar face sitting on the couch with Raph.

"April!" cried Maureen. She ran and gave April a hug.

"Hey, guys," greeted April. "I'm so glad you're safe. Where did the kittens come from?"

"We found them," said Erin. "They were in the sewers and we brought them home."

"Well, what are you going to call them?" asked April.

"I'm going to name this one Milo," said Maureen, cuddling the orange kitten. "I'm naming him after a movie I saw."

"Well, I'm calling mine Oreo," said Erin. "She's black and white just like an Oreo cookie."

"What about you, Leo?" asked Maureen.

"I'm calling this one Yoshi in honor of Master Splinter's master," replied Leo.

"An excellent choice, my son," said Splinter. "I think these kittens will make a nice addition to our family. But remember, you three, that you must take care of them."

"We will, Sensei," said Leo.

"Yeah, we'll take good care of them," added Maureen.

"Good," said Splinter. "Now, why are you here, Miss O'Neil?"

"I came to tell the girls some important news," said April. "I think it would be best if you girls stayed here. It would be harder for Brad to track you."

"Great!" aid Erin with a smile.

"Goody!" Maureen said, jumping up and down in her excitement.

"I'm glad you like it," April said. "I'll stop by from time to time to see how you're getting along. I figure it's only fair that I do since I promised your mother."

"Let's party!" Mikey cried, bringing out some boxes of pizza.

They spent the rest of the day eating pizza and talking about future plans. April promised to go to the variety show and videotape it for the Turtles. Erin and Maureen exchanged smiles, happy to have a family again.

Foot Headquarters

Brad Carson paced the floor of the warehouse impatiently. He only hoped that the Foot Ninjas had carried out their plan. One of the Foot Ninjas came up to him and handed him a paper. He read it with a grin. Noleen had died in the blast. Then his smile faded. The children weren't on the list.

"I don't see Erin's or Maureen's name here," Brad mused. "How did they survive?"

Then, another Foot Ninja came up to Brad, looking badly beaten. Brad looked at him in surprise.

"What happened to you?" demanded Brad. "Why do you look like this?"

"Sir, we tried to carry out the plan," said the Foot Ninja. "But the children weren't home. They spotted the building burning and left. We tried to ambush them, but we were attacked."

"By who?" asked Brad with a scowl on his lips.

"Two of the Turtles," said the Foot Ninja. "We didn't stand a chance against them."

"You fool!" hissed Brad. "There were only two of them! You could have taken them easily. You were just a bunch of cowards. Master Shredder will be most displeased at your failure."

"But we couldn't help it," whined the Foot Ninja. "Those Turtles were too powerful."

"Be quiet!" snapped Brad. "I will hear no more of your nonsense!"

Then Shredder appeared. "What have you learned?" he asked.

"Your Foot Ninjas couldn't carry out the whole plan," said Brad. "The two girls are still alive and well. Your men tried to attack them, but they were rescued by two of the Turtles."

The Shredder grew angry. "This is an outrage!" he shouted. "Why didn't you stop the Turtles and take the girls?"

"They were too powerful," answered the Foot Ninja. "We didn't stand a chance."

The Shredder was silent. Once again, his enemies had gotten the best of him. But that wouldn't last for long.

"What should we do, Master?" asked Brad.

"We'll find them," said Shredder. "And once we do, they will all pay." His evil laughter rang out, echoing through the warehouse. He would get his revenge sooner or later.

A/N: Well, that's it for this chapter. So, will Shredder get the girls? Can the Turtles protect them against Brad and Shredder? Find out in the next chapter coming soon. Please read and review.