Chapter Twelve - New Beginnings
"So, when do you want to start moving your stuff?" Sarah asked as they headed back to the apartment from the basement.
"A.S.A.P if that's ok"
"Sure"
"Shit, do you reckon they could've left enough trash?" Casey commented as this had been their fifth trip down to the dumpsters.
"Yeah, tell me about it, but I'm glad that finally somethin' has started to happen..." her voice trailed as they came to the end of the hall to discover the door wide open. Sarah's eyes narrowed with suscpicion. Could it be possible that they had found her already? Sarah quickly looked around the hall before making her move. She moved into the apartment in complete silence, ready for anything. Infront of her was a woman with her back to her.
"Can I help you?" Sarah asked. The woman jumped.
"I'm looking for..." her voice trailed.
"April?" Came Casey's voice from behind them.
"Casey!" Sarah took a deep breath as she realised it was the friend he had mentioned earlier.
"Wow, you look different... kinda like a totally new person"
"You think so? Well after everything that happened, I figured I needed a new look"
"Yeah, it's... nice... I like the new color" Sarah cleared her throat.
"Huh? Oh sorry, Sarah, this is my friend April, April this is Sarah, the one I told you about"
"Hi Sarah" she said with a warm smile. "Um, sorry about the sudden appearance, but the door was wide open...." Sarah glared at Casey.
"Yeah I'm sure it's locked" she mimicked "do ya wanna get broken into or what?" she asked. Casey didn't answer.
"Hey what can I say? The bag was heavy!" April glared at Casey.
"Yeah that'll be right" she sighed, "Anyhow, I hear that you might be able to help me out?"
"Yeah, if you like it" April looked at the young woman in front of her. She seemed familar... there was something about her eyes. She had seen them somewhere.
"Ready?" Casey asked.
"Ready as I'll ever be"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~
April looked around in the apartment in disbelief.
"It's incredible"
"So, I take it as a yes?" Sarah asked.
"Yes!" She answered as she threw her arms around Sarah as she laughed. "I can't believe it, it's perfect. Everything's here" The smile vanished as she sat down on the couch as reality had started to sink in. "You don't know how much this means to me"
"I'm just trying to help out a friend of a friend"
"You don't understand Sarah, I lost everything... everything" April's mouth started to quiver as the events of the last week came back to her.
"Case kinda mentioned it." Sarah sat beside her and grabbed one of her hands, placing it in hers. "You need to be strong to get through this, I know it's tough, but you gotta be strong" Casey stared at the scene unfolding infront of him. He had never seen this side of Sarah before. She was one surprise after another.
"You don't understand Sarah..."
"Actually I do, I've been there.." Sarah said above a whisper. "It was a long time ago. I was very young when it happened and it took a long time to get over, but I made it."
"What happened?" She asked as a tear trickled down her cheek.
"I really don't want to get into it" Sarah answered quietly "Yeah I made it through... barely. I had the support of my family and friends and I'm here if you need anything... anything at all."
"Thank you" April said.
"At least you're alive... my father wasn't so lucky" Sarah whispered. April stared at her wide eyed. What she was saying was bringing back a memory "when did this happen?"
"I was six and it happened in Japan"
"You know, this seems odd, but my cousin Matthew was in Japan when he and his little girl disappeared" April and Sarah stared at each other for a moment.
"You know Ape, Sarah's surname is O'Neil"
"Huh?" She asked as her hands started to tremble. It couldn't be... it can't.... she reached into her bag and pulled out her wallet. "This is the only photo I have, that wasn't destroyed in the fire..." with trembling hands, April handed the photo to Sarah. Sarah looked at it blankly. Two young smiling girls in an embrace looked back at her. One with short brown curly hair, the other long black straight hair. The photo had been taken at the front of an old farmhouse. Sarah's hand started to tremble as a faint memory flooded her senses.
"Sarah, what's up?" Casey asked. Sarah did not answer, her eyes locked firmly onto the picture in her hand. As she took a deep breath to speak, there was a knock on the door and Casey stood up to answer it.
"Hey Keno, my man!"
"What's up?"
"Nothin' much. Gonna eat and run"
"Oh, ok" Keno learned over to one side and noticed the two women in the background.
"Gotta run, good luck man" he said motioning to the back of his friend.
"What that? Nah, it's cool. Later." Casey handed him some cash.
"Thanks, later "
Casey put the pizza box on the counter.
"You ok Sarah?" He asked.
"Huh? Oh yeah, hand me my backpack?" She asked as she came to her senses.
"That was the last time I ever saw her" April commented.
"You know April, I've been looking for someone since I got here, maybe you could help me find her?" Sarah asked as she rumaged through the bag. Finally she found what she was after and pulled out an old envelope.
"I only have this" Sarah said as she passed April the small tattered photo. The picture was of a small girl in a clown halloween costume, complete with make up and wig. With one look, April burst into tears.
"Oh my GOD!!!" she sobbed. "I was seven when this was taken. Who gave you this?" Casey looked up, just as he was about to take a bite out of his steaming piece of pizza.
"My father" she whispered.
"Whoa!" Casey stood at the women infront of him, shortly before he dropped the pizza and started to curse under his breath. April looked at her in amazement.
"Sarah Lynette O'Neil?" Sarah nodded. April cried out in joy as she wrapped her arms around her missing little cousin. "I can't believe it, after all this time!"
"I know, I'd almost given up. I came here to find you" Sarah said in between sobs of happiness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~After the three of them had calm down after their discovery and had eaten, Sarah sat down and had filled in the gaps. She told the history of what had happened and up until she had arrived in New York. She had left out some gaps and in time she knew she would fill those in. Sarah felt it was not the time nor place to tell them of four more ninja turtles - and female at that or her association with the Foot or her abilities in ninjutsu. Casey had some knowledge. April on the other hand a lot to deal with and Sarah let the subject drop for the time being. Sarah knew she would be safe as long as the Foot did not know.
"C'mon Case, we better go, I'm sure April would like to settle in before she heads off to work tomorrow" Casey was about to comment when he saw "the look" and kept his mouth shut.
"I'll meet you back at your place?"
"Sure" Sarah answered as she headed out the door. "April I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Sure, you know where I live" she said with a smile.
Sarah paused outside of the door for a moment.
"So you gonna let them know?" Casey asked in a hushed voice.
"Of course, I can't let them stay there, the Foot know where they are. I'm sure Sarah won't mind"
"Oh I know she won't"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"She's already bumped into Donnie. She hasn't said anything about the others, but I'm sure she knows. Something's going on with her. I think that we should help"
"What do you mean?"
"She didn't say, but the Foot um... how do I say..." Casey paused for a moment. He was talking about her cousin as well and wanted to be subtle to his friend. She had gone through a lot already "let's just say that the Foot had something to do with the disappearence of her father, your cousin.... and she has run into them already" April ran her hands through her hair not sure what to say. She knew Matthew was dead and knowing the Foot, she came to the conclusion that they had been the cause of his death. She paused for a moment, trying not to dewell on the past too much.
"So that'll explain her bruises?"
"Yes and no, I'll explain later. Don't worry about her. She's okay and laying low. I'll mention it to Kyle and Andrew and see what they havta say"
"Who, your hockey buddies?"
"They're P.I.s, look don't worry, just concentrate on you. Alotta shit's gone down over the past coupla days. Try to relax a little. Sarah's helped you out, make the most of it."
"I dunno Casey"
"It's cool April, trust me. I better go. We have a busy day tomorrow with the apartment and all. Call me babe?"
"Sure" Sarah took that as her cue to leave and headed back to her apartment. She was surprised what had been said and found that she was not angered by it, though happy to know that things would work out... eventually. Casey had been right, now was time for them to relax and stay in focus, she thought. A lot still had to be done.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~
April sat there for a moment to take everything in. Not only had she found a nice safe place to live, she had found her long lost cousin as well.... all this in under 24 hours! Things had started to look up for her. First her new promotion and pay increase then this. Things had been bad... but bad luck comes in three's right? Wasn't that an old saying? She thought. First her getting jumped, then Raph getting hurt, then her apartment. Things could only get better. She sighed as she reached over to the phone and dialed her friends.
~Chapter Thirteen ~ Up Soon!
"So, when do you want to start moving your stuff?" Sarah asked as they headed back to the apartment from the basement.
"A.S.A.P if that's ok"
"Sure"
"Shit, do you reckon they could've left enough trash?" Casey commented as this had been their fifth trip down to the dumpsters.
"Yeah, tell me about it, but I'm glad that finally somethin' has started to happen..." her voice trailed as they came to the end of the hall to discover the door wide open. Sarah's eyes narrowed with suscpicion. Could it be possible that they had found her already? Sarah quickly looked around the hall before making her move. She moved into the apartment in complete silence, ready for anything. Infront of her was a woman with her back to her.
"Can I help you?" Sarah asked. The woman jumped.
"I'm looking for..." her voice trailed.
"April?" Came Casey's voice from behind them.
"Casey!" Sarah took a deep breath as she realised it was the friend he had mentioned earlier.
"Wow, you look different... kinda like a totally new person"
"You think so? Well after everything that happened, I figured I needed a new look"
"Yeah, it's... nice... I like the new color" Sarah cleared her throat.
"Huh? Oh sorry, Sarah, this is my friend April, April this is Sarah, the one I told you about"
"Hi Sarah" she said with a warm smile. "Um, sorry about the sudden appearance, but the door was wide open...." Sarah glared at Casey.
"Yeah I'm sure it's locked" she mimicked "do ya wanna get broken into or what?" she asked. Casey didn't answer.
"Hey what can I say? The bag was heavy!" April glared at Casey.
"Yeah that'll be right" she sighed, "Anyhow, I hear that you might be able to help me out?"
"Yeah, if you like it" April looked at the young woman in front of her. She seemed familar... there was something about her eyes. She had seen them somewhere.
"Ready?" Casey asked.
"Ready as I'll ever be"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~
April looked around in the apartment in disbelief.
"It's incredible"
"So, I take it as a yes?" Sarah asked.
"Yes!" She answered as she threw her arms around Sarah as she laughed. "I can't believe it, it's perfect. Everything's here" The smile vanished as she sat down on the couch as reality had started to sink in. "You don't know how much this means to me"
"I'm just trying to help out a friend of a friend"
"You don't understand Sarah, I lost everything... everything" April's mouth started to quiver as the events of the last week came back to her.
"Case kinda mentioned it." Sarah sat beside her and grabbed one of her hands, placing it in hers. "You need to be strong to get through this, I know it's tough, but you gotta be strong" Casey stared at the scene unfolding infront of him. He had never seen this side of Sarah before. She was one surprise after another.
"You don't understand Sarah..."
"Actually I do, I've been there.." Sarah said above a whisper. "It was a long time ago. I was very young when it happened and it took a long time to get over, but I made it."
"What happened?" She asked as a tear trickled down her cheek.
"I really don't want to get into it" Sarah answered quietly "Yeah I made it through... barely. I had the support of my family and friends and I'm here if you need anything... anything at all."
"Thank you" April said.
"At least you're alive... my father wasn't so lucky" Sarah whispered. April stared at her wide eyed. What she was saying was bringing back a memory "when did this happen?"
"I was six and it happened in Japan"
"You know, this seems odd, but my cousin Matthew was in Japan when he and his little girl disappeared" April and Sarah stared at each other for a moment.
"You know Ape, Sarah's surname is O'Neil"
"Huh?" She asked as her hands started to tremble. It couldn't be... it can't.... she reached into her bag and pulled out her wallet. "This is the only photo I have, that wasn't destroyed in the fire..." with trembling hands, April handed the photo to Sarah. Sarah looked at it blankly. Two young smiling girls in an embrace looked back at her. One with short brown curly hair, the other long black straight hair. The photo had been taken at the front of an old farmhouse. Sarah's hand started to tremble as a faint memory flooded her senses.
"Sarah, what's up?" Casey asked. Sarah did not answer, her eyes locked firmly onto the picture in her hand. As she took a deep breath to speak, there was a knock on the door and Casey stood up to answer it.
"Hey Keno, my man!"
"What's up?"
"Nothin' much. Gonna eat and run"
"Oh, ok" Keno learned over to one side and noticed the two women in the background.
"Gotta run, good luck man" he said motioning to the back of his friend.
"What that? Nah, it's cool. Later." Casey handed him some cash.
"Thanks, later "
Casey put the pizza box on the counter.
"You ok Sarah?" He asked.
"Huh? Oh yeah, hand me my backpack?" She asked as she came to her senses.
"That was the last time I ever saw her" April commented.
"You know April, I've been looking for someone since I got here, maybe you could help me find her?" Sarah asked as she rumaged through the bag. Finally she found what she was after and pulled out an old envelope.
"I only have this" Sarah said as she passed April the small tattered photo. The picture was of a small girl in a clown halloween costume, complete with make up and wig. With one look, April burst into tears.
"Oh my GOD!!!" she sobbed. "I was seven when this was taken. Who gave you this?" Casey looked up, just as he was about to take a bite out of his steaming piece of pizza.
"My father" she whispered.
"Whoa!" Casey stood at the women infront of him, shortly before he dropped the pizza and started to curse under his breath. April looked at her in amazement.
"Sarah Lynette O'Neil?" Sarah nodded. April cried out in joy as she wrapped her arms around her missing little cousin. "I can't believe it, after all this time!"
"I know, I'd almost given up. I came here to find you" Sarah said in between sobs of happiness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~After the three of them had calm down after their discovery and had eaten, Sarah sat down and had filled in the gaps. She told the history of what had happened and up until she had arrived in New York. She had left out some gaps and in time she knew she would fill those in. Sarah felt it was not the time nor place to tell them of four more ninja turtles - and female at that or her association with the Foot or her abilities in ninjutsu. Casey had some knowledge. April on the other hand a lot to deal with and Sarah let the subject drop for the time being. Sarah knew she would be safe as long as the Foot did not know.
"C'mon Case, we better go, I'm sure April would like to settle in before she heads off to work tomorrow" Casey was about to comment when he saw "the look" and kept his mouth shut.
"I'll meet you back at your place?"
"Sure" Sarah answered as she headed out the door. "April I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Sure, you know where I live" she said with a smile.
Sarah paused outside of the door for a moment.
"So you gonna let them know?" Casey asked in a hushed voice.
"Of course, I can't let them stay there, the Foot know where they are. I'm sure Sarah won't mind"
"Oh I know she won't"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"She's already bumped into Donnie. She hasn't said anything about the others, but I'm sure she knows. Something's going on with her. I think that we should help"
"What do you mean?"
"She didn't say, but the Foot um... how do I say..." Casey paused for a moment. He was talking about her cousin as well and wanted to be subtle to his friend. She had gone through a lot already "let's just say that the Foot had something to do with the disappearence of her father, your cousin.... and she has run into them already" April ran her hands through her hair not sure what to say. She knew Matthew was dead and knowing the Foot, she came to the conclusion that they had been the cause of his death. She paused for a moment, trying not to dewell on the past too much.
"So that'll explain her bruises?"
"Yes and no, I'll explain later. Don't worry about her. She's okay and laying low. I'll mention it to Kyle and Andrew and see what they havta say"
"Who, your hockey buddies?"
"They're P.I.s, look don't worry, just concentrate on you. Alotta shit's gone down over the past coupla days. Try to relax a little. Sarah's helped you out, make the most of it."
"I dunno Casey"
"It's cool April, trust me. I better go. We have a busy day tomorrow with the apartment and all. Call me babe?"
"Sure" Sarah took that as her cue to leave and headed back to her apartment. She was surprised what had been said and found that she was not angered by it, though happy to know that things would work out... eventually. Casey had been right, now was time for them to relax and stay in focus, she thought. A lot still had to be done.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~
April sat there for a moment to take everything in. Not only had she found a nice safe place to live, she had found her long lost cousin as well.... all this in under 24 hours! Things had started to look up for her. First her new promotion and pay increase then this. Things had been bad... but bad luck comes in three's right? Wasn't that an old saying? She thought. First her getting jumped, then Raph getting hurt, then her apartment. Things could only get better. She sighed as she reached over to the phone and dialed her friends.
~Chapter Thirteen ~ Up Soon!