Chapter Nine ~ Homecoming - Donatello
With everything that had happened over the last five days, Casey had totally forgotten about Sarah. After the last battle was over, the police statements taken, he had farewelled April and Don had offered to help Casey with his stuff, not to mention the truck's transmission was playing up.
They slowly walked the stairs up to Casey's apartment. With it being late and Don in his trenchcoat and fedora, they had not been too concerned about raising any suspicion.
"Shredder's cast off side kick really knows how to throw a punch" Casey muttered as he rolled his jaw. He paused for a moment outside of the door, he raised himself onto the tip of his toes as he looked for the spare key on top of the door frame.
"How original!" Don commented and rolled his eyes. Casey looked blankly at him. He would have answered had he not been exhusted. As he went to put the key into the lock, the door swung open. They quietly dropped the two bags they had with them and headed down the hall. They paused as they heard a low moan coming from the livingroom. Don looked to Casey.
"Something you should tell me?" He whisphered as he pulled out his bo. They heard another low moan, then nothing. Casey made a signal to Don as he crept along the hallway. He held his breath as he peered around the corner.
"Oh shit!!!!!" His eyes widened as he saw Sarah sprawled out on the floor in her bath robe. He looked around the apartment to see signs of a struggle. He dropped to his knees as he came to her side. He gently turned her head to see a small pool of blood that had trickled from her spilt lip onto the carpet.
"What the hell?" He asked Don as they both noticed the bruising on her neck.
"I thought you were single!"
"I am, idiot! She's a friend"
"Like I haven't heard that one before" Don said but then paused as he noticed Casey looking at the girl infront of them. Without a second thought Casey reached forward and covered Sarah's exposed leg which was bare up until midthigh. He then knew that Casey was telling the truth. Only a friend would have done that.
"Look, she is a friend and that's it!" Casey snapped. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sarah could hear voices and gasped as she felt a cold compression on her forehead. She wanted to open her eyes.... but the pain....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Casey looked concerned as he held the damp towel to her forehead. This was the last thing he had expected. He looked to Don who had said nothing as he had noticed that Don was watching him.
"The first aid kit is out for a reason.... " Don finally said as his voice trailed as Sarah moaned again.
"Arm..... hurts...." Casey and Don looked at one another. Don peered over to one of the sleeves and he reached for it as it was a little reddish. He remained silent as he pulled it up, exposing her grazed arm.
"So, what has your friend been up too lately?" Before Casey could answer, Sarah's eyes began to flicker. Don handed Casey the smelling salts he had taken from the first aid kit.
"I think it's time we found out"
Sarah jerked to an upright sitting position as she let loose a sloppy right hook, missing Casey by inches. Wide eyed she looked around the apartment and her eyes fell onto Casey.
"Hey calm down, it's only me"
"I can see that!" She snapped as she tried to stand. She let out a groan as her body ached.
"What happened?" He asked.
"I should be the one asking, where the hell have you been? I've been worried sick!" Casey rose to his feet and faced her.
"Calm down, I've been out of town. I didn't have access to a phone"
"Yeah right! God, you'd think you were in the middle of nowhere!"
"Calm down"
"Why should I?" She snapped.
"Cuz I can't understand you!" He snapped back, then grinned.
"Oh" Sarah paused, looking at him. She reached foward and touched his swollen eye, at which he flinched.
"Let me get you some ice" as she turned, pain shot up the left side of her body and she let out a groan.
"Sarah?" Casey asked.
"I'm okay, just sore... let me get you some ice..."
"No. Let me" Sarah said nothing as she limped over and picked up the stool off the floor.
"So what happened?" He asked from the kitchen. Sarah paused. She felt it again. Someone else was there with them. She tensed up. Her mind was still a little cloudy. She looked around the apartment. Nothing appeared broken, but someone else was there with them. She went to get up.
"Sarah?" Casey asked. She raised a finger to her lip gestering for him to hush, then pointed toward his bedroom door. She noticed Casey gulp, then he came around to her side.
"Sarah it's okay" he whispered.
"You don't understand" she whisphered back.
"Um, Sarah, he's a .... friend" she stared at him.
"What?" she demanded, then paused. He must have brought one of them back she thought.
"Oh" she looked over to the seat and limped to it. "Let me have a look at your eye.... oh and call him. It's rude to keep your guest hidden in your bedroom"
"What?"
"Just get your sorry arse here, don't make me go there and get you!" She said with a smile on her face.
"Yes mom!" Sarah waited. Nothing, she looked at Casey's eye.
"Good, there's a tiny cut, a little swelling but there's no permant damage and a bruise.. here" she reached over and crabbed the ice pack off the counter and handed it to him, then reached for the first aid kit.
"Shy is he?" She asked as she took out some cotton balls and antiseptic lotion. She did not look up as the figure causiously approached them.
"Um... Sarah, Don... Don, Sarah " Sarah flinched as she applied the lotion to her arm. She looked up.
"Hi, nice to meet you, you know, you can take off the trenchcoat.... the Foot are long gone"
"What?" They both said together.
"Bunch of trouble makers if you ask me"
"What did you do?" Casey asked as his eyes narrowed with suspicion.
"Nothing. I accidently walked in on some kind of deal, I guess they must have followed me" Don said nothing as he was trying to figure out the girl infront of him.
"That's not like you" Casey said as he took a seat. It was late and he was too tired to start something.
"You try to run after being hit by a car with a bunch of maced ninjas angry at you, I'm surprised they took as long as they did, by the way, I suggest you move"
"What?" He said as he ran his hand through his hair.
"The Foot, they know where you live, once they work out the connection between you two... well, it's not gonna be pretty..." Sarah paused as Don stepped foward to look at her arm.
"It's not broken, it looks worse then it really is"
"You sure?" Don asked quietly.
"Yes. C'mon, take a seat... judging by Casey here, i'd say you guys had quite a fight on your hands... and please Don take off that coat!"
"Well I don't think that's a good idea" again, he said softly, looking at his feet.
"Um... Don it's okay, I know, how is your brother?" He looked up at her.
"G... good, how'd you know?" He asked amazed.
"Same way as Case, we saw you"
"Oh" Don flinched as Sarah reached foward and crabbed the fedora.
"Hey!!" He protested, then stopped as he saw the geniune smile on Sarah's face. She reached foward and gently touched his cheek. He pulled away surprised.
"Um Sarah... you're staring" Casey said.
"Huh, oh, sorry... here" she handed Don some of the lotion. "I noticed a nasty cut"
"Oh" Don said as his cheeks slightly flushed with embarrassment. He looked down as he unbuttoned the trenchcoat and laid it neatly on a spare stool. Sarah smiled. He was exactly like her sisters.... a little taller and bigger in frame and....
"How old are you?" Sarah blurted out.
"Fifteen... why?"
"No reason... I... Julie!!!!" Sarah reached over and crabbed the phone as she remembered what had happened.
"Hi, I'd like to make a collect call to Australia please" she paused as she listened to the operator. "Um, 02 222 5345...."
"Julie?" Don asked.
"My sister was on the phone when those buggers jumped me.... "
"Good Afternoon Sydney Martial Arts Centre" Came a tiny voice.
"Lee?"
"Sarah?"
"Yeah, is Jules there?"
"No, we were worried. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Look tell Jules to call me back on..." Sarah looked over to Casey "What's the number here?"
"212-555-5318"
"Okay Lee, it's 212-555-5318, look I gotta go bye" and with that she hung up. Don looked at her.
"My, aren't we to the point"
"It's late and I'm tired, besides, this mud mask is killing me, I gotta get if off" Sarah slowly got to her feet.
"Want some help?" Don asked almost as an after thought.
"Thanks. My leg is killing me" Sarah said as she and Don slowy made their to the bathroom.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On the other side of town, a small bunch of Foot soldiers made their way to what was left of their clan.
"And?" Andy asked. With Tatsu and Shredder out of the picture for the moment, he as being the highest in rank left, was in charge.
"She was on the phone asking someone about Oroku Saki, we have the number" and the ninja handed a tiny piece of paper over.
"Good, now go back and get her... let's see exactly how much she knows, she could be a threat to us" the small group bowed and headed out the door.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sarah took the towel off her head and let her long black hair fall past her waist. She turned the tap on and dampened one half of the towel. She knew the mask would not come off easily. She turned and looked at Don.
"What?" She asked.
"I dunno, it's weird how did you two end up together?"
"Well" she said as she covered her face with the damp towel "I was jumped and he came to my aid, I don't know what happened but we clicked and we're been friends ever since. It's hard to explain, there was something about him, but then again, he did save my life."
"You two look pretty close, how long have you known him?"
"Around a month or so"
"That's it?"
"Yeah, so?"
"Well, I mean....."
"You think we're living together?"
"Um..."
"It's okay... but no, I was in a motel and moved my things here a couple of days ago when he disappeared. I was worried and didn't want to miss him in case he left a message or something...."
"Oh" Don remained silent as he watched Sarah wash off the now softened mask. He couldn't figure her out, she seemed nice enough... but it was odd to see a girl so... injured. With her back to him, Sarah raised her arm to brush her hair and groaned. She was not having a good time.
"Here let me" he said as he gently pushed her down onto the closed toilet lid and crabbed the brush from her.
"It's okay... I'll manage"
"It's clear you can't" He said as he held the brush in his hand, pausing for a moment. Sarah said nothing.
"I guess it's something Case wouldn't do" she said as she tried not to laugh. "He's too macho for that!" Don giggled as he started. He had helped Splinter many times, so he was not a beginner.
"Someone say my name?" Casey asked as he walked into the room. "Oh look it's a kodak moment"
"Ha ha, very funny. I'm in pain okay" Sarah said as she turned her head to look at him.
"Your face..." Casey said as the smile dropped from his face. She felt Don stop brushing.
"It's only a bruise. It'll go"
"But Sarah, you know I hate it!"
"Yeah I do Case. Well you get of my back already!"
"He's right" Don said looking at her. "They had no right to hit you that many times..."
"What? It was only one whack"
"Why are you defending them?" Don asked angrily.
"I'm not, it wasn't even that hard, it was enough to throw me off the stool"
"But your cheek bone...." A smile formed on her face.
"Oh that bruise...."
"Did you have to bring it up?" Casey asked "I already feel bad enough about it"
"Wait... hold on a minute... the Foot didn't do it?"
"No" Sarah said quietly "that one was an accident, the lip is what they did"
"Accident? What did you do Casey?" Don asked in an accusing tone.
"We were mucking around and I froze. I had a flashback... it's okay, Case would never hurt me" Don said nothing but grunted, going back to what he was doing.
"How do you want it?"
"Think you can manage a plat?"
"I'll try" he said uneasy. This had been the first time he had really been this close to a female before, but it did not unnerve him... she made him feel ... comfortable... was the word that came to mind.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"So what exactly happened?" Don asked as he helped Sarah open up the folded mattress of the sofa bed.
"Which part?"
"Well what happened here"
"Oh that" Sarah paused as she opened the sheet and gave a side to Don.
"Well, I was on the phone to my sister as you already know, and before I knew it I had fallen off the stool and was looking up to five of them. Two to the left, two to the right and the group's leader." Don looked at her for a moment. That was odd. How did she know?
"You're very observant" Don said.
"Yeah, when you have four younger sisters you have to be very aware" Sarah said as she tried to cover her mistake.
"Yeah I guess so, how old are they?"
"Thirteen"
"Quads?"
"Yeah something like that...."
"Did you want something before I'm off?" Casey called from the kitchen.
"Yeah green tea, there's some tea bags on the counter. No sugar please... Don?"
"Nah I'm okay" he said putting the top sheet on, then a blanket. Sarah looked around to a pillow and blanket on the floor.
"Where are you gonna sleep?"
"Over there on the floor"
"What? No, the bed's big enough for both of us.... just stick to your side okay"
"Well if you haven't noticed, my shell will stick into you"
"It'll be fine, it's not like I haven't done this before..." Sarah could have hit herself for the slip of the tongue. "I meant, I've shared with my sisters." Casey yawned as he put a mug on the end table next to the couch.
"Night all and remember no funny stuff!" He said with a cheeky grin on his face.
"I don't think so" Sarah said "Not in my condition" she winked at Don as she played along. She was about to say something when something formed in her mind. They had visitors again. Sarah looked to Don.
"I don't like this one bit"
"What? Casey is kidding"
"It's not that, keep your eyes open" Don looked at her uneasy. She was not joking. Sarah's senses were on full alert as she saw a figure dart past the window and she gasped.
"There... someone's on the fire escape" Sarah said. Casey opened a closet door and pulled out a metal baseball bat. His eyes narrowed.
"Stay here" before they could stop him, he was out the window and they could hear raised voices. After a moment, Casey returned.
"Those little brats should know better to be running around at this time of night, sorry to scare ya like that" with that he turned and went into his room. Don looked at her. She had sensed their presence before he had. What was going on?
"How'd you know?"
"Oh that, something that sis taught me, with four kids running around, it comes in handy"
"Where are your parents?'
"They passed on when I was young, my mum at child birth and dad was murdered, Julie is my half sister"
"Oh... sorry" he said quietly as he fluffed the pillows.
"It was long ago... do me a favour?"
"What?"
"Please take that stick thing off, I don't want it sticking into me" she said as she took off her bathrobe revealing a t shirt and long cotton pj pants. She had changed not too long ago.
"Sure... night"
"Night" Sarah said as she climbed into her side of the bed. Within minutes the household were asleep.
From a nearby rooftop a Foot member lowered his binoculars. Having the turtle there would complicate things.
"Wait an hour, then get her when the other two are asleep." Five members bowed then scamped off into the night.
~ Chapter Ten ~ Up Soon!
With everything that had happened over the last five days, Casey had totally forgotten about Sarah. After the last battle was over, the police statements taken, he had farewelled April and Don had offered to help Casey with his stuff, not to mention the truck's transmission was playing up.
They slowly walked the stairs up to Casey's apartment. With it being late and Don in his trenchcoat and fedora, they had not been too concerned about raising any suspicion.
"Shredder's cast off side kick really knows how to throw a punch" Casey muttered as he rolled his jaw. He paused for a moment outside of the door, he raised himself onto the tip of his toes as he looked for the spare key on top of the door frame.
"How original!" Don commented and rolled his eyes. Casey looked blankly at him. He would have answered had he not been exhusted. As he went to put the key into the lock, the door swung open. They quietly dropped the two bags they had with them and headed down the hall. They paused as they heard a low moan coming from the livingroom. Don looked to Casey.
"Something you should tell me?" He whisphered as he pulled out his bo. They heard another low moan, then nothing. Casey made a signal to Don as he crept along the hallway. He held his breath as he peered around the corner.
"Oh shit!!!!!" His eyes widened as he saw Sarah sprawled out on the floor in her bath robe. He looked around the apartment to see signs of a struggle. He dropped to his knees as he came to her side. He gently turned her head to see a small pool of blood that had trickled from her spilt lip onto the carpet.
"What the hell?" He asked Don as they both noticed the bruising on her neck.
"I thought you were single!"
"I am, idiot! She's a friend"
"Like I haven't heard that one before" Don said but then paused as he noticed Casey looking at the girl infront of them. Without a second thought Casey reached forward and covered Sarah's exposed leg which was bare up until midthigh. He then knew that Casey was telling the truth. Only a friend would have done that.
"Look, she is a friend and that's it!" Casey snapped. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sarah could hear voices and gasped as she felt a cold compression on her forehead. She wanted to open her eyes.... but the pain....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Casey looked concerned as he held the damp towel to her forehead. This was the last thing he had expected. He looked to Don who had said nothing as he had noticed that Don was watching him.
"The first aid kit is out for a reason.... " Don finally said as his voice trailed as Sarah moaned again.
"Arm..... hurts...." Casey and Don looked at one another. Don peered over to one of the sleeves and he reached for it as it was a little reddish. He remained silent as he pulled it up, exposing her grazed arm.
"So, what has your friend been up too lately?" Before Casey could answer, Sarah's eyes began to flicker. Don handed Casey the smelling salts he had taken from the first aid kit.
"I think it's time we found out"
Sarah jerked to an upright sitting position as she let loose a sloppy right hook, missing Casey by inches. Wide eyed she looked around the apartment and her eyes fell onto Casey.
"Hey calm down, it's only me"
"I can see that!" She snapped as she tried to stand. She let out a groan as her body ached.
"What happened?" He asked.
"I should be the one asking, where the hell have you been? I've been worried sick!" Casey rose to his feet and faced her.
"Calm down, I've been out of town. I didn't have access to a phone"
"Yeah right! God, you'd think you were in the middle of nowhere!"
"Calm down"
"Why should I?" She snapped.
"Cuz I can't understand you!" He snapped back, then grinned.
"Oh" Sarah paused, looking at him. She reached foward and touched his swollen eye, at which he flinched.
"Let me get you some ice" as she turned, pain shot up the left side of her body and she let out a groan.
"Sarah?" Casey asked.
"I'm okay, just sore... let me get you some ice..."
"No. Let me" Sarah said nothing as she limped over and picked up the stool off the floor.
"So what happened?" He asked from the kitchen. Sarah paused. She felt it again. Someone else was there with them. She tensed up. Her mind was still a little cloudy. She looked around the apartment. Nothing appeared broken, but someone else was there with them. She went to get up.
"Sarah?" Casey asked. She raised a finger to her lip gestering for him to hush, then pointed toward his bedroom door. She noticed Casey gulp, then he came around to her side.
"Sarah it's okay" he whispered.
"You don't understand" she whisphered back.
"Um, Sarah, he's a .... friend" she stared at him.
"What?" she demanded, then paused. He must have brought one of them back she thought.
"Oh" she looked over to the seat and limped to it. "Let me have a look at your eye.... oh and call him. It's rude to keep your guest hidden in your bedroom"
"What?"
"Just get your sorry arse here, don't make me go there and get you!" She said with a smile on her face.
"Yes mom!" Sarah waited. Nothing, she looked at Casey's eye.
"Good, there's a tiny cut, a little swelling but there's no permant damage and a bruise.. here" she reached over and crabbed the ice pack off the counter and handed it to him, then reached for the first aid kit.
"Shy is he?" She asked as she took out some cotton balls and antiseptic lotion. She did not look up as the figure causiously approached them.
"Um... Sarah, Don... Don, Sarah " Sarah flinched as she applied the lotion to her arm. She looked up.
"Hi, nice to meet you, you know, you can take off the trenchcoat.... the Foot are long gone"
"What?" They both said together.
"Bunch of trouble makers if you ask me"
"What did you do?" Casey asked as his eyes narrowed with suspicion.
"Nothing. I accidently walked in on some kind of deal, I guess they must have followed me" Don said nothing as he was trying to figure out the girl infront of him.
"That's not like you" Casey said as he took a seat. It was late and he was too tired to start something.
"You try to run after being hit by a car with a bunch of maced ninjas angry at you, I'm surprised they took as long as they did, by the way, I suggest you move"
"What?" He said as he ran his hand through his hair.
"The Foot, they know where you live, once they work out the connection between you two... well, it's not gonna be pretty..." Sarah paused as Don stepped foward to look at her arm.
"It's not broken, it looks worse then it really is"
"You sure?" Don asked quietly.
"Yes. C'mon, take a seat... judging by Casey here, i'd say you guys had quite a fight on your hands... and please Don take off that coat!"
"Well I don't think that's a good idea" again, he said softly, looking at his feet.
"Um... Don it's okay, I know, how is your brother?" He looked up at her.
"G... good, how'd you know?" He asked amazed.
"Same way as Case, we saw you"
"Oh" Don flinched as Sarah reached foward and crabbed the fedora.
"Hey!!" He protested, then stopped as he saw the geniune smile on Sarah's face. She reached foward and gently touched his cheek. He pulled away surprised.
"Um Sarah... you're staring" Casey said.
"Huh, oh, sorry... here" she handed Don some of the lotion. "I noticed a nasty cut"
"Oh" Don said as his cheeks slightly flushed with embarrassment. He looked down as he unbuttoned the trenchcoat and laid it neatly on a spare stool. Sarah smiled. He was exactly like her sisters.... a little taller and bigger in frame and....
"How old are you?" Sarah blurted out.
"Fifteen... why?"
"No reason... I... Julie!!!!" Sarah reached over and crabbed the phone as she remembered what had happened.
"Hi, I'd like to make a collect call to Australia please" she paused as she listened to the operator. "Um, 02 222 5345...."
"Julie?" Don asked.
"My sister was on the phone when those buggers jumped me.... "
"Good Afternoon Sydney Martial Arts Centre" Came a tiny voice.
"Lee?"
"Sarah?"
"Yeah, is Jules there?"
"No, we were worried. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Look tell Jules to call me back on..." Sarah looked over to Casey "What's the number here?"
"212-555-5318"
"Okay Lee, it's 212-555-5318, look I gotta go bye" and with that she hung up. Don looked at her.
"My, aren't we to the point"
"It's late and I'm tired, besides, this mud mask is killing me, I gotta get if off" Sarah slowly got to her feet.
"Want some help?" Don asked almost as an after thought.
"Thanks. My leg is killing me" Sarah said as she and Don slowy made their to the bathroom.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On the other side of town, a small bunch of Foot soldiers made their way to what was left of their clan.
"And?" Andy asked. With Tatsu and Shredder out of the picture for the moment, he as being the highest in rank left, was in charge.
"She was on the phone asking someone about Oroku Saki, we have the number" and the ninja handed a tiny piece of paper over.
"Good, now go back and get her... let's see exactly how much she knows, she could be a threat to us" the small group bowed and headed out the door.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sarah took the towel off her head and let her long black hair fall past her waist. She turned the tap on and dampened one half of the towel. She knew the mask would not come off easily. She turned and looked at Don.
"What?" She asked.
"I dunno, it's weird how did you two end up together?"
"Well" she said as she covered her face with the damp towel "I was jumped and he came to my aid, I don't know what happened but we clicked and we're been friends ever since. It's hard to explain, there was something about him, but then again, he did save my life."
"You two look pretty close, how long have you known him?"
"Around a month or so"
"That's it?"
"Yeah, so?"
"Well, I mean....."
"You think we're living together?"
"Um..."
"It's okay... but no, I was in a motel and moved my things here a couple of days ago when he disappeared. I was worried and didn't want to miss him in case he left a message or something...."
"Oh" Don remained silent as he watched Sarah wash off the now softened mask. He couldn't figure her out, she seemed nice enough... but it was odd to see a girl so... injured. With her back to him, Sarah raised her arm to brush her hair and groaned. She was not having a good time.
"Here let me" he said as he gently pushed her down onto the closed toilet lid and crabbed the brush from her.
"It's okay... I'll manage"
"It's clear you can't" He said as he held the brush in his hand, pausing for a moment. Sarah said nothing.
"I guess it's something Case wouldn't do" she said as she tried not to laugh. "He's too macho for that!" Don giggled as he started. He had helped Splinter many times, so he was not a beginner.
"Someone say my name?" Casey asked as he walked into the room. "Oh look it's a kodak moment"
"Ha ha, very funny. I'm in pain okay" Sarah said as she turned her head to look at him.
"Your face..." Casey said as the smile dropped from his face. She felt Don stop brushing.
"It's only a bruise. It'll go"
"But Sarah, you know I hate it!"
"Yeah I do Case. Well you get of my back already!"
"He's right" Don said looking at her. "They had no right to hit you that many times..."
"What? It was only one whack"
"Why are you defending them?" Don asked angrily.
"I'm not, it wasn't even that hard, it was enough to throw me off the stool"
"But your cheek bone...." A smile formed on her face.
"Oh that bruise...."
"Did you have to bring it up?" Casey asked "I already feel bad enough about it"
"Wait... hold on a minute... the Foot didn't do it?"
"No" Sarah said quietly "that one was an accident, the lip is what they did"
"Accident? What did you do Casey?" Don asked in an accusing tone.
"We were mucking around and I froze. I had a flashback... it's okay, Case would never hurt me" Don said nothing but grunted, going back to what he was doing.
"How do you want it?"
"Think you can manage a plat?"
"I'll try" he said uneasy. This had been the first time he had really been this close to a female before, but it did not unnerve him... she made him feel ... comfortable... was the word that came to mind.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"So what exactly happened?" Don asked as he helped Sarah open up the folded mattress of the sofa bed.
"Which part?"
"Well what happened here"
"Oh that" Sarah paused as she opened the sheet and gave a side to Don.
"Well, I was on the phone to my sister as you already know, and before I knew it I had fallen off the stool and was looking up to five of them. Two to the left, two to the right and the group's leader." Don looked at her for a moment. That was odd. How did she know?
"You're very observant" Don said.
"Yeah, when you have four younger sisters you have to be very aware" Sarah said as she tried to cover her mistake.
"Yeah I guess so, how old are they?"
"Thirteen"
"Quads?"
"Yeah something like that...."
"Did you want something before I'm off?" Casey called from the kitchen.
"Yeah green tea, there's some tea bags on the counter. No sugar please... Don?"
"Nah I'm okay" he said putting the top sheet on, then a blanket. Sarah looked around to a pillow and blanket on the floor.
"Where are you gonna sleep?"
"Over there on the floor"
"What? No, the bed's big enough for both of us.... just stick to your side okay"
"Well if you haven't noticed, my shell will stick into you"
"It'll be fine, it's not like I haven't done this before..." Sarah could have hit herself for the slip of the tongue. "I meant, I've shared with my sisters." Casey yawned as he put a mug on the end table next to the couch.
"Night all and remember no funny stuff!" He said with a cheeky grin on his face.
"I don't think so" Sarah said "Not in my condition" she winked at Don as she played along. She was about to say something when something formed in her mind. They had visitors again. Sarah looked to Don.
"I don't like this one bit"
"What? Casey is kidding"
"It's not that, keep your eyes open" Don looked at her uneasy. She was not joking. Sarah's senses were on full alert as she saw a figure dart past the window and she gasped.
"There... someone's on the fire escape" Sarah said. Casey opened a closet door and pulled out a metal baseball bat. His eyes narrowed.
"Stay here" before they could stop him, he was out the window and they could hear raised voices. After a moment, Casey returned.
"Those little brats should know better to be running around at this time of night, sorry to scare ya like that" with that he turned and went into his room. Don looked at her. She had sensed their presence before he had. What was going on?
"How'd you know?"
"Oh that, something that sis taught me, with four kids running around, it comes in handy"
"Where are your parents?'
"They passed on when I was young, my mum at child birth and dad was murdered, Julie is my half sister"
"Oh... sorry" he said quietly as he fluffed the pillows.
"It was long ago... do me a favour?"
"What?"
"Please take that stick thing off, I don't want it sticking into me" she said as she took off her bathrobe revealing a t shirt and long cotton pj pants. She had changed not too long ago.
"Sure... night"
"Night" Sarah said as she climbed into her side of the bed. Within minutes the household were asleep.
From a nearby rooftop a Foot member lowered his binoculars. Having the turtle there would complicate things.
"Wait an hour, then get her when the other two are asleep." Five members bowed then scamped off into the night.
~ Chapter Ten ~ Up Soon!