Hey guys! First off I would like to thank everyone for reviewing, it made me so happy to see that people actually pay attention to the stuff I write! Anyways, I'm trying my best to update with everything going on, so bear with me please. Once again thanks to all of you kind people who reviewed!

Disclaimer: I don't own Ninja Turtles, a surprise isn't it?

Chapter 1

Bring-bring-bring

April rolled over in her bed, groaning. Her head felt like a rock, half swallowed by the softness of her pillow. Her throat was painfully dry from lack of moisture; it felt disgusting. God I feel awful, she thought, I must be sick.

Bring-bring-bring

What was that sound?

Bring-bring-bring

The phone! April jerked up immediately. Her static red hair fell in pieces all over her pale face. "Who the hell . . ." she muttered, snatching up the speaker. Her lips where dry and cracked, she licked them and pushed back her hair. "Hello?" There was a moment of hesitation, then a sharp, perky voice erupted from the other end. It made April jump with surprise. "April! What took you so long? I was worried something had happened!" "Hey mum." April answered without asking. She took the opportunity to switch on the lights, then slumped back onto her bed again; her eyes squinted from the sudden brightness. "Listen, this really isn't a good time." she continued in a dull tone. Karen O Neil ignored her daughter's comment "Turn on the television darling." she said instead.

"What?"

"I said turn it on. Come on, channel six. Hurry now."

April made a weird face, her parents can be so odd, both of them. "Alright . . ." she replied hesitantly, "I'm turning on the TV." Fortunately for her, there was an old box set right in the bedroom. It had be tainted and fixed; a little present from Donnatello for letting him borrow the handy-man set. The screen flashed and blurred for a few seconds before clearing to reveal the opening of the late-night news. "What's this about?" April inquired with some degree of curiosity. "Just watch!" her mother urged impatiently.

The breaking story was on the recent discovery of a body in New York's inner west and how police are now suspecting a link between it and some other case, which happened a few weeks before. The victims where young women by the names of Johanna Dawn and Sarah Lawson, both had died of stabs wounds. "You see!" Mrs. O Neil was saying at the other end of the line, (she was obviously also watching the news from her house.) "New York's inner west. Isn't that where you're staying?"

"Uh . . ." April could finally see where this is going. "Mum . . . don't worry. I'll be fine. Really." "Oh you always say that!" the phone snapped back at her "But you're still a child April, I can see you're still that stubborn little girl. You need to be more careful" April signed again. Her mother can be so paranoid, calling three times a week. Ever since I moved into dad's antique shop she's been on my back, April thought as she half listened to her mum's lecture. "-And you need to find yourself a real job." Karen was saying "One that actually pays, you can't make a living out of your father's old shack you know." "Yeah, yeah." April replied, finding entertainment in fiddling with the phone cord. Thinking back, Karen O Neil and her husband had moved away from the city when April was nineteen. They now lived peacefully on the outskirts of New York, with not much to do but rest and relax. It was in these times that Mrs. O Neil developed a habit of fussing over her long-distance daughter.

"April listen." Karen said firmly "If you want to move in with me and your father for a while that's great. We're right here for you and you know that." "But I'm fine!" April protested. "I love the shop and I take good care of it." she hesitated a second "Besides, I have some new friends who have helped me. A-lot." There was a moment's silence. April wondered whether she'd done the right thing by stating she had friends. "Friends?" Mrs. O Neil said finally. "What friends?" "Well . . .." April felt reluctant to answer. Oh what the hell, she thought. I don't have to state that they're not exactly human. Who'd expect that? "Well there's Leo." She replied "And then there's Don, Raph, Mikey and Ma –uh. Mr. Splinter. Oh, and Stella and Amber." She quickly finished. (It wouldn't sound to good if all her new acquaintances where male.) "I see . . ." Mrs. O Neil muttered suspiciously. There was more silence on the other end; April felt her heart pace up a notch. Karen coughed and cleared her throat a bit, then she changed to a much more serious tone. "April" she whispered, as if not daring to ask. "Do you . . . have a boyfriend?"

April felt dumbstruck by the question. "Um . . .Uh . . ." she spluttered nervously. A picture of a certain dark haired young man suddenly appeared in her head. Casey? Of course! April thought; she'd forgot to mention Casey as one of her friends! "Well?" Mrs. O Neil snapped, once again getting impatient. Her foot tapped furiously on the ground, so loudly you could hear it on the other line. April flushed, Casey's face once again popped into her head. "N-No!" She replied abruptly, nearly choking on her answer. By then she was off the bed and standing with the phone held dramatically infront of her. "No boyfriends ma!" she repeated, sounding more human this time. Why am I so worked up anyway? April thought as she got back to bed. Casey's not my boyfriend after all; he's just a friend. Isn't he? Isn't he?

"Okay then." Mrs. O Neil signed tiredly. "Oh April," she moaned "I really do get worried about you sometimes. Just be careful alright?" "Alright mum." April promised. "It's late, I'd better go now okay?" "That's fine" her mother answered. "Good night April." The phone went dead on Karen's side. April just sat for a moment, listening to the continuous dial tone on the other end. Then she also hanged up, unfortunately now feeling wide-awake. This is going to be one hell of a long night, she thought as she flicked through TV channels for a late night movie.

>

Leonardo breathed in a breath of fresh air and held it. He stretched his weary limbs and formed a lotus position in the middle of the lair. Then he let the air out of his lungs in a deep relaxing sign. It was 5:47 in the morning. Well, at least it was his idea of a morning; Leo was always the first of his brothers to be up. From the east lair he heard a scurry of movement. Master Splinter must also be up, Leo thought. Sure enough, a few minutes later an old rat appeared at the lounge room's entrance. "Good morning Leonardo." He kindly greeted his eldest son. "Morning Sensei" Leo replied without moving. It was important in mediation to maintain a position until the right time. Master Splinter understood this better than anyone. "I will leave you for now." he insisted before heading for the kitchen. Leo heard footsteps, then creak of the cupboard door, some jingling of cups and a soft clonk as the cupboard was closed. Master Splinter re-appeared holding a steaming pot of tea and an old book he had been reading for sometime. Head headed back to his room, mentioning something to Leo about not having breakfast.

A while later Raph and Don awoke as well, unfortunately at the same time. Luckily, Don was quick to spot the signs that Raph was not in a waiting mood and smartly let him wash up first. His wise action avoided yet another morning argument between him and Leo. Had it have happened, it would've probably been something stupid like "Why didn't you tell me that movie was on the other night?" But Don was not much of a morning person himself, which made it difficult to have a conversation with him at that time of day. "Morning Leo." He said flatly as his brother stood up (Leo obviously saw no use in meditation now that Mikey was dew to be awake.) "Morning." Leo answered with much more enthusiasm; unlike the others, he felt best in the morning. "Say," He asked casually as he crossed to the kitchen, "Is Mikey up yet?" Don just shrugged and rubbed his eyes. He really couldn't care less, after all; it's Saturday why not just let Mikey sleep in?

An hour later, every one except Mikey and Splinter where at the table. Raph, seemingly in a much better mood now, had offered to make bacon and eggs. Thankfully, Leo took him off the idea by suggesting they just have cereal. "You know what?" Raph was saying through a mouthful of corn flakes, "Somebody should really go and drag Mikey out of bed. Before it eats him alive or something." Don nodded in agreement, helping himself to a few spoonfuls of cereal, then jumped as a new voice came from somewhere behind him. "There's no need for that, I'm still alive." it croaked. Leo, who was pouring milk into his bow that second, split a large quantity over the side. Everyone at the table focused on the youngest turtle who had just stumbled out of his room.

Mikey looked dead. Well, pretty close to death anyway. His eyes had dark shadows under then, his face was pale as slate, his whole figure looked as though it was weighed down by a semi-trailer. "Ah, Mikey? Are you okay?" Leo asked cautiously. "ATCHOO!!" Mikey answered. "Sorry bros." he sniffed, rubbing his nose "I think I'll avoid any food as a safety precaution." With that he coughed, swayed and went right back into his room. Slamming the door unintentionally on the way. Leo, Raph and Don all stared at the closed room in awe. "Uh, I think we should tell Splinter about this." Raph suggested. Leo agreed with that statement, without a word he took off in the direction of east lair. The phone ring stopped him abruptly in his tracks.

"Hello?" It was Don who picked up. Leo looked on curiously as his brother's facemorphed from surprised to concerned. "April? Is that you? . . . What's wrong . . . . .. No, the TV's not on." Raph wiped his mouth impatiently. "What is it?" he demanded, Don signaled him to hush and walked over to the remote. It was lying faced down on the sofa where Mikey had left it the night before. The TV was switched on, Leo and Raph watched in confusion as Donny flicked to channel six. "And in other news, a gruesome discovery was made by garbage collector Sam Harris earlier today . . .." A news-lady announced on screen "The body of yet another victim of whom the police have dubbed; New York's latest serial killer. Julia Montgomery was found in her apartment with seven stab wounds to her chest and abdomen. Inspectors are fearing the worst for the victim's son who disappeared . . ." the TV drones on, and there was silence in the lair. "Darwin Street . . ." Leo repeated slowly, a look of horror formed on his face "Darwin Street! Isn't that where April lives!?"

End Chapter

Okay! That's it for now. Please, please review!! I don't care if you're critical, I just want to know what you all think of it so far. Thanks guys!