Title: Moth and Flame – The sequel to the 'Cat and Mouse' series
Author: Jayde
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Seven years have passed since the events of 'Rest in Peace'.
Credits: Sassy rules the universe. It's a secret so don't tell.
Disclaimer: I do NOT own the turtles. I borrow them only for entertainment purposes. No profit or harm intended. Okay, well, not much harm. Psychological harm.
Author's Notes:
Reluctant Dragon: Yes, only ten chapters. And the angst is building.
Pacphys: A shopping trip for Rachel! What a good idea … Unfortunately, I don't know who she would shop with. I can't see her shopping with Raph … Well, not without laughing hysterically.
Fallen Hikari: I'm flattered that you're jealous of me. I'm blushing and stuff.
To everyone who is stopping by to review: Reinbeauchaser, chibi-rose-angel, Lunar-ninja … you guys make it worthwhile.
Chapter 6:
Two years ago …
"I can't thank you enough for coming Juliet," Bill said, putting the last box of flyers into the back of a van. He dusted off his hands, and looked up at the leaden sky. "Not everyone's willing to work in the rain." He glanced back at her, and scrubbed at his silvery gray beard. "Don't suppose you'd like to come on with us full-time?"
"Oh, I don't really have the time," Juliet insisted, smiling. She really liked Bill, and she believed in what they were doing – trying to get real change in the laws that affected the aliens now living on their planet. "I've got the kids, and Mike …"
"All the more reason to help us out," Bill countered. He sat down on the back bumper of the van, giving his legs a rest. "I'm an old man, Juliet. I can't fight all this by myself."
Juliet shook her head at his blatant bid for sympathy. "I'll think about it, and talk it over with Mike."
"You do that," Bill said, rubbing at his aching knee. "'Cause God knows I could use you."
If you had to choose your greatest fear, it might just be getting up to perform in front of a crowd of people. Noelle, waiting the wings before going onto a small stage in front of friends, family, and perfect strangers, shared that terror.
She heard her name, a scattering of applause, and then stepped out into the light. For a moment, she felt sick. What if she forgot the piece she was to play? What if she tripped and fell in her new shoes? The panic filled her as she looked out at the audience gathered together on folding chairs. The sea of faces seemed to be threatening, until she saw someone familiar. A wide, green face beamed up at her. Noelle straightened her spine, and walked to the piano bench. Sitting down carefully, she placed her fingertips on the smooth keys. She could do this. Noelle started to play.
Mike, sitting in the audience between Rachel and Raph, watched as Noelle's blue dress started to waver away through a liquid haze. He wiped at his eyes, hoping no one would notice he was crying. He couldn't help it, though. He wondered if this was what Master Splinter had felt at times – when they had defeated the Shredder, or simply did their best in the practice room. When Noelle finished, he stood up, not caring if it was bad form to give a standing ovation at a little piano recital. He felt Rachel and Raph stand with him, and he could hear Sam whistling shrilly from just behind him. Noelle bowed, her face bright red in response to her family's display.
"Woo!" Rachel shouted as Noelle left the stage. "She was great!" Rachel enthused to Mike. He put an arm around her shoulders, giving her a friendly squeeze. It was a fantastic moment that had to be shared.
The only thing missing was Juliet.
After all the students had performed, there was a small reception in an adjoining banquet room. Sam had nearly run over a couple of pedestrians to get to the hotel on time for the recital – giving Don at least one cardiac incident on the way over. It couldn't be helped, though. She had to stop and pick up a bouquet of flowers. It wasn't her fault the florist had been slow – she had flashed her badge to get him to hurry up. But it was worth it when she handed the flowers to Noelle.
"Congratulations," Sam offered. The girl took the flowers, and then threw her arms around Sam's neck. Sam grinned, and returned the hug. "Do you remember me?" Sam asked, flabbergasted.
"Of course I do," Noelle replied, letting go to look up into the face she remembered from so long ago. Here was the woman who had helped start her life over again – who had brought her to her father. "Thank you," Noelle said sincerely. "For everything you did for us."
Sam blinked a few times, and her smile went awry for a moment. If she ever had a doubt again that she had done some good somewhere along the line … Well, she would remember this. Sam swallowed around a lump in her throat, and Don stepped forward to embrace Noelle.
"You were wonderful," he complimented.
"Thanks, Uncle Don," Noelle said, dropping an affectionate kiss on his cheek. Sam, now recovered a little from her emotions, found herself face to face with Raphael.
"Hello," Sam tried, if only for Don's sake.
"Did you bring your gun?" Raph questioned, taking his time to check out her dress. Sam rolled her eyes.
"I left it in the car. Think I should go get it?" she retorted. Don chose that moment to place his hand on the small of her back, and steer her towards less troubled waters.
"I see Leo," he interrupted. Raph watched them walk away towards the buffet table, and turned his attention back to Mike and the girls. Mike was listening attentively as Noelle chattered about her new plans to go Julliard, and Rachel was making eyes at some pimply-faced boy across the room.
"Hey," Raphael said quietly, nudging the teen's arm with his elbow and nearly knocking her off balance in her high heels. "It works better if you go over there and talk to him."
"No way," Rachel argued immediately. "You think?" she asked, rethinking her position.
"Go," Raph instructed, giving her a light shove. She tottered off, and Raph made a conscious effort not to watch. Instead, he concentrated on Mike. "You okay, bro?"
"Yeah, of course," Mike responded as Noelle wandered over to where Sam and Don were talking to Leo and his date. "Can you get over that?" he said, nodding to the rest of the family and changing the topic.
Raph turned, and studied the group through narrowed eyes. "She's blue," he said bluntly.
"And tall," Mike added, picking up his drink from the nearby table and taking a sip.
"She talks weird," Raph continued, warming to the theme.
"She's an alien," Mike noted blandly. Raph lifted a bottle of beer to his mouth, and then nearly choked on his first sip.
"They're holding hands," he said, obviously disgusted.
"Leo looks happy," Mike sighed, and Raph glanced over at Mike, concerned. He set down his beer, and put a hand on his brother's shoulder.
"I know things are bad right now," Raph started, but someone across the room caught his attention. "But maybe things are lookin' up." Raph took Mike by the shoulders and turned him around. On the other side of a sea of people, Mike saw her.
"Jules," he breathed.
"Mom!"
Noelle hurried over to her mother, dodging around a waiter, and arrived at the same moment as her father. "I can't believe you're here," Noelle cried, and Juliet pulled her into an embrace.
"I'm sorry I missed seeing you play," Juliet said, stroking Noelle's hair tenderly. She looked over at Mike. "I really am sorry." Mike just nodded; feeling a little like someone had removed some of the oxygen from the room. She had come after all.
"Juliet."
She turned her head, and her eyes widened with recognition. "Oh my God. Sam!" Juliet shouted happily. She reached out and tugged on Sam's sleeve to add her to the hug, squeezing Noelle in the middle. "It's been so long …" Juliet let go of the two only to find herself staring up into an unusual pair of glittering eyes.
"Juliet, this is Sen," Leo introduced, and Juliet put out her hand immediately. Sen took it gravely.
"It's very nice to meet you, Sen," Juliet said.
"Damned aliens," someone muttered from just behind them, and Juliet started a little, letting go of Sen's fingers. "Can't get away from them," another voice added disagreeably. Before anyone else could react, Juliet had whipped around to face the speakers.
"No, you can't," she spat at the two men, who reared back in surprise. "So why don't you try accepting instead of spewing your hatred and bigotry everywhere." Mike made a grab for her arm, but Juliet shook him off. "I can't believe you would stand here and call them 'damned aliens' where they can hear you. Have you no empathy for other living beings?" Her voice had started to rise in volume, attracting the attention of others throughout the room. Noelle shrank back, embarrassed by her mother's attack.
"Juliet, let it go," Leo stated calmly, but she ignored him.
"No, I'm sick of letting it go. I'd like an answer to my question," Juliet demanded.
"Just take your freaky friends and go home," the first man replied. Sam slipped in between them swiftly before the confrontation reached a new level.
"What say we all go back to our corners?" Sam suggested. She faced the two men, and shifted her jacket aside a little to show them her badge. "No hard feelings, right?" she added frostily. The two backed off, and Sam watched them disappear to the far side of the room.
Seeming to come out of a trance, Juliet glanced around at everyone. "I …" she began tentatively.
"God, Mom, what's wrong with you?" Rachel accused, standing beside Noelle. Juliet could see, now, that her younger daughter was crying.
"Party's over," Raph said, draining the last of his beer.
It was a painfully long car ride from the hotel. The silence between the four occupants was so heavy Mike literally slumped under the weight. When the car stopped, Noelle dived out first and barely waited for Mike to unlock the door before fleeing into her bedroom. The door slammed hard enough to rattle pictures down the hall, but Mike did not make any objection. He tossed his keys into the dish on the hall table, and retreated to the kitchen.
Juliet followed at a cautious distance, and stood in the doorway to the kitchen for a moment, still in her light coat.
"I know this has been difficult on all of you," Juliet started in a vague manner. Her shoulder hit the doorframe as Rachel pushed her way past and into the room. The teenager spun around and snarled at her mother in an excellent imitation of her aggressive uncle.
"What? Are you going to say you're sorry, again!"
Juliet glanced over at Mike, but he wasn't even looking her way. He was standing by the fridge, holding a piece of paper in his hands and looking at it fixedly.
"Save it, Mom. We've heard it a hundred times already, and we know it means nothing!" Rachel continued to rage, her hands curled into fists at her sides.
"Rachel, go to your room," Juliet attempted. She wanted to talk to Mike, and then she would patch things up with Noelle. She couldn't figure out where all this rage was coming from with Rachel.
"No," Rachel replied coldly, and Juliet straightened her spine and stepped clear of the doorway.
"I am your mother, and I expect …"
"No, you're not my mother," Rachel retorted viciously. "You haven't been my mother for months."
Struggling to find something to say, Juliet turned for help. "Mike, would you …?"
"You can't even talk to me anymore!" Rachel shouted, the raw emotion starting to show in her voice. She charged out, nearly knocking Juliet over, and wrenched open the front door. It shut a moment later, and the apartment was left quiet once again.
"Are you just going to stand there!" Juliet cried at Mike's still form. "Rachel just ran out of here in the middle of the night!"
Finally, Mike turned to look at her, but his eyes were dead and cold. "Why don't you go after her?"
"I … I have to be at a midnight rally …" Juliet watched as Mike's eyes closed momentarily, and he almost smiled.
"Sure. A rally. Absolutely," he said bitterly. He laid the paper on the kitchen table, and moved toward her. "Good. You go to your rally," he added, giving her a wide berth on his way out. "Just go."
The front door opened and shut again. Not certain that her legs would hold her; Juliet pulled out a chair and sat down at the table. In front of her rested the mystery paper. She dragged it over with numb fingers and read it – it was an award certificate for the recital. In the emptiness, Juliet could just make out the sound of Noelle crying in her bedroom.
