"Motherhood" or "Young Again"
By: TMNTlover4ever
Part 4: Left in the Dark

Disclaimer: -checks files- Nope, don't own them yet. -pouts-

TMNT theme song

April:

I woke up at about 7am. I got up to check on the little ones and eventually found them in the kitchen. Sheri probably was still asleep.

All 5 of them were busy trying to cook breakfast, I think.

"What the heck are you all doing!" I asked as I ran to retrieve Donatello from the stool by the stove. I put him on the floor. The others got in a horizontal line beside Don, apparently that's what they do when they know they're in trouble.

"We were just tryin' to cook breakfast for Sheri." Don mumbled with a pouting look on his lips. The others nodded their heads and pouted as well.

"Your not in trouble, just don't come in here and start making food without me, Sheri, or Case...Just me or Sheri." I said firmly.

"Okay." They said in unison.

"Alright then, let's make some breakfast." I said. They all looked at me with happy eyes. "Don, get me the pancake mix. Leo, grab me some eggs. Raph, start making the orange juice. Mike, get the bacon. Angel, make the toast." I commanded like an army Captain.

They did their jobs and in about half an hour we were eating our breakfasts.

Casey had come in when I started making bacon. I guess it is true about how men think with their stomachs.

"Can we take some to Sheri?" asked Leo.

"Yeah. Like a breakfast in bed." Mike agreed.

"Please?" Raph and Don asked.

"Sure." I said. I helped them put the food on a tray and then all five of them ran off to Sheri's room.


Sheri:

I heard some whispers outside my door.

"Angel, open up the door, please." I think I heard Leonardo's voice. Who knows?

Then I realized that the little ones weren't in the bed! I sat up straight in bed and my door opened. Allowing the light from the dojo area to spill onto my bed and onto my face. I squinted my eyes so I could see and then my room filled with light.

"Time for breakfast." chimed all the little ones.

I noticed that they were carrying a tray that had eggs, bacon, two pancakes, and two pieces of toast with grape jelly on each piece.

Leo and Mike held the tray, while Don held a glass, Raph held the pitcher of orange juice, and Angel held a flower that was in a little vase.

They came to me and rested the tray on my lap. Angel put the vase on my end table and Raph put the pitcher of orange juice on the end table as well.

Don put the glass, that now contained orange juice, on my tray. They all watched intensely, to make sure I ate their surprise.

I began eating. It was good. After I finished, they took the tray and pitcher back downstairs. And no, it wasn't silent when I was eating, we talked for a long time, but the conversation was mainly about which was better: Barney or Sesame Street?

I got out of bed and changed into cleaner clothes and I brushed my hair and basically got ready for the day. As I was about to walk out the door, I noticed the newspaper still on the dresser.

I read it again, and again. I sighed. Let the public think what they want to think. I've got bigger issues. Beside the newspaper, I had pictures of families all over my dresser. I looked at my favorite one; a picture of me, the turtles, Master Splinter, April, and Casey.

I was standing in between Raph and Mikey. Casey was on Raph's other side, by Casey was April. In the front, sitting cross-legged was Don, then Leo, then Splinter.

A tear fell from my face and landed on the floor. A little hole developed there, like acid had eaten at the floor. Ghost tears were very deadly, that's why I try to hide my emotions. They were like acid and would slowly eat at anything it landed on, well, anything but me.

It's not that I don't like the turtles at this age, but I miss the older turtles. The ones that would play video games with me, and train with me. I sighed again and walked out of my room.

Casey was playing with Raph and Leo in the dojo. April was getting her nails done by Angel. Mike was playing with his yo-yo in the living room, and Don was reading in the recliner. Another tear was starting to come to my eye, but it quickly went away when the next even happened.

The lights went out. What a way to begin a Saturday morning. Seeing how no sun could get in, it got really dark. I made my way to the candles and lit one so I could see.

"Ow! Why you little-" Casey began.

"What's wrong Case?" I asked.

"Raph kicked me in the stomach." He whined.

I rolled my eyes.

"Come on, tough guy, can't you take a hit?" I heard April ask.

"Shut up." Casey said.

"Okay, everyone in the living room on the couch, stat." I said. After some time, everyone was on the couch.

Poor Mike, Master Splinter told me once that when Mikey was young, he was scared of the dark. I could see him sucking his thumb in the dim-lighted room. He started whimpering.

I picked him up off of Casey's knee and held him close.

"It's gonna be okay. Calm down." I coaxed.

"Now what?" Casey asked.

"I guess we wait for the lights to come on?" April asked.

"I'm gonna go check out what's going on. You two watch them." I said. I lighted a few more candles, so they could see better. April stood up and after 2 minutes of prying Mike off of me, I changed to my 'mutant' form, as the newspaper called it, and flew through the ceiling to the surface.


April:

When Sheri left, Mike began whimpering again.

"It's okay. You have Casey and I hear to protect you. Calm down." I said gently as I rocked him in my arms.

I looked around the dimly lit living room area. Leo was meditating in front of the tv screen. Man, did he ever not take his training seriously?

I saw Raph and Angel playing rock, paper, scissors in front of the couch. Every time Raph lost, he scowled.

Don was reading a different book, I couldn't tell what the title was, but he was right by a candle so I'm sure he could see fine.

Casey was starting to nod off on the couch. I sat down with Mikey still in my arms. He had quieted down, but his thumb was still in his mouth and he still had a worried look on his face. This continued for a awhile.


Sheri:

I flew above NYC, staying invisible. I had developed too many enemies to be seen. The whole city was dark. I groaned. My head hurt, I was starting to get dizzy, and I needed to sleep, badly. My eyes were drooping and I could barely keep them open.

I landed on a nearby rooftop and put my arms on the overhang and started to nod-off. I probably would've fallen asleep if my shell-cell hadn't rang.

"Hello?" I asked tiredly.

"Hello, Sheri." Master Splinter said.

"Enjoying your vacation?" I asked.

"Yes." I heard him sigh over the phone.

"What's wrong, Sensei?" I asked.

"I miss you and my sons." He said.

"Well, you can come back." I offered.

"Is something wrong, my dear?" He asked.

"Umm...that depends on what you mean by wrong." I said.

"Sheri...?" Splinter sounded part concerned, part worried, and part ticked.

I knew I was in trouble now.

"Well, umm...let's just say, you probably should come home. I mean, Case, April, and I have it under control. You don't have to come back." I said rather hurriedly.

"Hmm..." I could tell he was thinking. I knew he scratched his chin. That's a habit he has developed. Whenever you hear 'Hmmm...' you can always expect the chin to be scratched.

"No, I will come home. Just in case."

What did 'just in case' mean? I didn't like his tone of voice when he said it.

"Okay, if you're sure." I said.

"I'm sure. I'll see you later." He said.

"Good-bye, Sensei."

"Good-bye, Sheri."

We both hung up.

I sighed and put my shell-cell up. I can't believe this. I know I'm in trouble. Great...

I sat down and put my shell-cell up. My head was pounding.

The clouds were dark today. Then it started raining...hard.


Casey:

April was gettin' really worried. The time was around 8pm and Sheri left this mornin'. Something's wrong. Very wrong. The lights had been goin' on a off all day. Now, the lights were on. The turtle tots and Angel were takin' turns playin' video games.

April was pacing behind the couch. She glanced at the clock every other step.

"Where is she? She should be here by now." I would hear her murmur to herself.

"April, calm down. She'll be fine." I said to her.

April gave me a 'huff.'

"Then why isn't she back yet, Casey Jones!" She snapped.

"I...I...don't know." I admitted.

"Well, until you know the whereabouts of Sheri, I'm going to keep worrying." She snapped again.

"What if I called Sheri. Ya know, made sure she was okay?" I asked.

"Fine. But raise the volume of the phone, I want to be sure." April said.

I dialed the number of Sheri's shell-cell.


Sheri:

"ZZZzzz...zzzz..." I was asleep on the rooftop that Master Splinter had called me on earlier. The rain was still pouring, but I was too tired to notice. My shell-cell went off which woke me up, suddenly. I looked at the clock on my shell-cell, the time was around 8pm. I groaned and answered the call.

"Hello?" I said tiredly.

"Sheri? What's up? Where you at?" I heard Casey ask.

"Patrolling..." I said with a yawn.

"You've been gone awhile. April and me were gettin' worried." Casey said.

"It's April and I were gettin' worried." I heard a young Donatello say. I smiled slightly.

"Whatever. Are you gonna stay out? Or you comin' home?" Casey asked.

"I'll stay out a bit longer." I said. Lightning flashed and thunder roared as the rain became even harder.

"Are ya sure?" Case asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. See ya." I hung up.

I walked to the other side of the rooftop. My wet hair clinging to my cheeks and my footsteps splattering water with every step. I didn't notice that I wasn't invisible.

"Ready for our 'guidance session,' Sheri?" I heard a voice behind me say.

I turned to see Shredder, his Elite Ninja, Hun, and a bunch of Foot Ninjas.

In this situation I must quote the older Raphael; 'Aw...crud.

'To Be Continued...


A/N: Sorry it's taken so long to update. I've been super busy with school and friends. I'm trying to update as much as possible. Well, later and thanks to all reviewers.

Doppleganger33: And yes, Sheri does have a conscience, but would you think twice about killing people who helped kill your loved ones? (Parents, Friends, Siblings, Cousins, etc.)

I wouldn't, but I'm kinda evil.