Chapter 6: Never Going Back
Two weeks had passed since everyone surprised Madison with the rooms (they had begun to decorate 'em!) and she and the children had settled into a wonderful contentment living with the turtles. Brian now cried whenever Mikey left, and Molly seemed glued to Raphael's hip 24/7. The turtles' kindness towards the children and her self was a completely foreign concept to them. They never yelled at the kids, not once had she seem them raise a hand to the children, not even in practice when they were learning to spar; and even with Madison's injuries, Donny made sure his touch was as soft as feathers. It had turned out, half her wounds were infected from lack of proper care but Donny was keeping a close eye on them with his expertise and she was fast on her way to making a full recovery. With how gentle and kind he was being, taking extra caution to cause her as little pain as possible, that Madison often found herself needlessly apologizing for decking him when they first met. Peter had taken to sitting in on her check ups with Donny.
"You certainly take an interest in this kinda thing, Peter," Donny said one day after cleaning Madison's cuts again.
"Well, I'm usually the one who takes care of Maddy's cuts and whatever," he shrugged. "I'm just wanna make sure you ain't makin' it worse."
"Aha," Donny chuckled.
"Peter is a wonderful doctor," Madison smiled at her little brother as she re-donned her shirt, taking some delight in seeing him blush a bit by the compliment.
"I do what I can," he blushed.
"You ever think about becoming a real doctor some day?" Donny asked.
"Once or twice," he admitted, not seeing another smile spread across his sister's face.
Most of her bruises had begun to fade but she knew the scars from the cuts would be there for life. The bruise on Peter's cheek was almost completely gone, although it had been replaced by several more from having to spar with Kaylin in their daily practices. Molly seemed to be following Raph just about everywhere except maybe the bathroom. He usually didn't seem to mind until Mikey would start to give him crap about going soft. Most of the time though, when Madison peered up over one of her books and watched the two families reclining around the T.V., Molly was almost always curled up in a ball on Raph's lap sucking her thumb and clutching the stuffed rabbit he had given her. Occasionally she would reside herself with Master Splinter but despite how light she was, he was just far too old to be able to let her sit in his lap for so long.
Madison smiled with just a little ping of jealousy. Molly had always come to her in the past and now she wasn't, but she knew that this was a very positive step for the little girl. Molly hadn't needed to take her medicine in almost two weeks so whatever Splinter and Raph were doing for her, she was going to encourage it. She had completely taken on the task of cooking and a majority of the cleaning despite Don's furious protests. Madison just brushed his objections off. She had to be doing something. If she wasn't able to work and keep her mind off everything she was going to...
She didn't let herself think about what happened because she wasn't sure what would. She just needed to be able to do something and preferred to stay away from the dojo when people were around because she knew that if she just completely lost it she wouldn't be able to stop. She still woke up every night to her father's cruel sneer and taunting voice insisting that he was going to find them. Her dreams started becoming more and more real. So real that she could have sworn that he was in the room with them and tried to grab her. When she woke up screaming and every one woke up and came running in she apologized and lied, saying that she woke up and there was a spider on her face. She knew she hadn't fooled Master Splinter with the lie but he didn't press the matter any further and ordered everyone back to bed.
"You ok, Maddy?"
Madison's head snapped up in surprise at Mikey's voice and she smiled, "Hmm? Oh yeah, why?"
"You just seem kinda, I dunno, withdrawn."
Don looked up from the TV in mild surprise, "Since when have you used the word 'withdrawn'?"
Mikey laughed, "It's today's word on my 'Word of the day' Ziggy Calendar."
Madison chuckled and rolled her eyes, "What time is it?"
"About 11:30."
"I'd better go get lunch started," Madison said getting up. "Not one word, Donatello!"
Donny immediately shut his mouth and refrained from telling her that she should sit back down, "How does she do that?"
"We've givin' up trying to figure out. She's got super powers or somethin' like that," Kaylin muttered, not tearing her eyes from the hockey game on the TV. "Ah come ON! What the hell kinda call was that?"
"KAYIN JANETTE MILLER!" shrieked a voice from the kitchen causing everyone to wince. "WHAT have I told you about swearing around Brian and Molly!"
"Sorry, Madison."
"Oooo…" Peter jeered. "Somebody got the middle name!"
"Shut up, Peter Ronan, or a certain older sister is gonna find out you've been sneaking topside with Raph at night," Kaylin snarled. Peter immediately shut his mouth.
In the kitchen, Madison was frowning at what she found, or rather didn't find for that matter. There wasn't really much left in the cupboards and fridge except maybe peanut butter and jelly, a carton of milk, random condiments and a tub of Mikey's homemade cookie dough ice cream. They had eaten all of what had been in the kitchen and the groceries she had bought with her had been gone awhile ago. She closed the fridge with the jar of jelly in her hand and began making PB & J sandwiches for everyone. Madison addressed Splinter about it during lunch.
"So if it's ok I would like to go grocery shopping later today," she finished.
"I am not sure that is a wise idea at the moment, Madison," Master Splinter said.
"Why not?" she asked.
"May we please speak about this else where?"
"Sure."
Madison followed Splinter out of the kitchen, only having to flash a short glance at Kaylin and Peter for them to sit back down. Once out of ear shot Madison asked, "Is something the matter?" She couldn't imagine why he would object to her going top side. After all she had been topside many times in the past few weeks to go shopping and things like that. They had all even gone to the park the other night.
"My sons came across this flyer last night while on patrol," Splinter said pulling a folded piece of paper out of his tattered kimono and handing it to her. Madison took the flyer and opened it. Her eyes quickly scanned the page before narrowing dangerously. The flyer had the word MISSING written in big bold letters up at the top and a picture of the children, herself and their mother just below it. The information underneath described each one of them and a personal note from their father about how much he missed them and wanted them back home.
"'After the death of my beloved wife, our precious children were the only things I had left. There is no one who loves my kids more than I do and knowing that they are out there somewhere possibly starving and shivering rips me apart. Please, if you have any information call…' $2,000 a kid! THAT SON OF A BITCH!" Madison ripped the flyer into confetti and crumpled up what ever large piece allowed her to do so. "'Beloved wife'. 'Precious children'. 'No one loves them more than I do'! BULL!" Madison looked livid as she stormed off ranting. "Did the hooker down at the Piggily Wiggily grow some self respect or something? You sick little f…!"
Master Splinter shook his head sadly but chose not to follow her. Sometimes a person just needed to vent and even with how little he knew of her actual past, he figured she had a lot to vent about. He returned to the kitchen silently. The twins and Molly looked up immediately.
"Where's Madison?" Kaylin asked. "She ok?"
"Your sister will be fine, my children," Splinter said softly. "She has just learned of some rather disturbing information and needs some time to decide what to do about it. I recommend that you all leave her to her thoughts for the time being."
The children nodded.
"That goes double for you, Michelangelo," he shot over his shoulder to the youngest turtle who was trying to leave.
"What?" Mikey exclaimed, whirling around looking slightly guilty. "I was just going to er… clean my room."
"Than I shall escort you there on my way to my meditation."
Mikey groaned.
Leonardo was making his way past the dojo towards the kitchen when he heard the sounds of someone practicing. "Maybe hell has finally frozen over and one of the guys is actually taking their Ninjitsu training seriously," he chuckled to himself. Opening the sliding door just a crack, Leo was shocked at first to see Madison inside brutally attacking the punching bag with a vengeance, swearing loudly to her self. Her moves were swift and hard. She didn't look it but she was fast, and she was strong. Leo saw her land a punch that nearly sent the bag off its roof support.
"YOU... CAN'T... HAVE... THEM!" she screamed at the bag. Looking around the room quickly, herself looking quite rabid, she ripped a pair of Sais of the wall and stormed back over to the bag. She lunged at the swinging bag with an almost battle like cry, not even flinching when the Sais' clashed with smooth sharp steel instead of the worn fabric of the punching bag. She turned her head and glared at Leo whose katana held her sai mere centimeters from the bag's skin. He nearly drew back from the look in her eyes. Her empty green eyes were filled with wrath, no trace of their former sweetness or gentleness could be seen at all. It was almost as though her soul had completely left her body. "You can't have them, you basterd." She seethed at Leo.
"What?"
"YOU CAN'T HAVE THEM!" Madison threw Leo's katanas off her sai and got into a fighting stance. Before Leo could even blink Madison lunged herself at him with the fury of a thousand men.
"Madison! Whoa! Madison, snap out of it!" Leo barely dodged her attacks, meeting the short blades with his own several times. " Madison it's me! It's Leo!"
"Yer never touching them again!"
'How am I suppose ta her snap outta it with out hurtin' her?' Leo asked himself. He narrowly blocked one her sai thrusts with his katana. "Madison! Stop it! AAHHH!" Madison brought the other Sais down giving Leo with a large gash across his arm, blood seeped down his arm. With in seconds she had him flat on his shell, her foot on his plastron and the sai in her hand at his throat.
"I'll kill you!" she screamed. "You don't deserve to live!"
" Madison, please!" he exclaimed. "It's me!"
"Go to hell," she seethed and brought the sai back. Leo closed his eyes and waited for Madison to plunge the blade into him, but the pain never came. He suddenly felt Madison ripped off of him. He opened his eyes and saw Donny and Raph holding Madison up against the wall, she screamed and swore and thrashed about like a demonic cat from hell trying to fight for its life. Her sai lay lifeless on the floor next to his head. He sighed in relief as Mikey appeared at his side, helping him up. "LET ME GO!"
"Not on your life, Babe," Raph said trying to hold her back. She was stronger than she looked so it was taking a lot of his strength to keep her back. "What the hell is wrong with you, girl!"
"I won't let him hurt them anymore!" Madison's voice dripped with venom. "We're never going back! You hear me! NEVER! I won't let him take them back! Let me go!"
"Maddy!" Kaylin and Peter ran into the dojo. "What are you doing to her! Let 'er go!"
"You outta ya mind, Kay!" Raph exclaimed "Yer darling sister just tried to knock off Leo!"
"What are you kidding?" Peter snapped. "We're talkin' 'bout Madison here!"
"Peter," Kaylin said, her eyes moving over Leo's arm. "Look."
"What…?"
"Oh god, she… oh god…" Kaylin ran over to Madison before finishing her sentence or Peter could reply. She grabbed Madison face in her hands, "Maddy! Maddy, it's me! It's Kaylin! Maddy, stop it! Please!" She threw her arms around Madison's trashing body and held her tightly, refusing to let go no matter how hard her sister flailed. Peter caught on and sprinted over to do the same. They held her tightly and shouted for her to stop until her trashing died down and Don and Raph were able to let her go. Madison was breathing hard and her eyes faded back into reality as she slumped to the floor.
"K...Kay?" she looked around as if she had no idea what was going on or where she was. "Peter?"
" Madison," Kaylin looked her sister in the eye. "Maddy? What happened? What did you do?"
"I…I don't know," she said, her body shaking violently. "I...I saw him! Oh God, Kay, I swear I saw him! I heard his voice!" she grabbed Kaylin's shoulder. "He won't get you!"
"Of course he won't, Maddy, what are you talking about?"
"I swear I won't let him get you! He'll never touch any of you every again! Molly! Oh my god! Where is Molly!"
" Madison, calm down!"
"No, I have to find…!"
"Miss Miller!" Master Splinter appeared in the door way with Molly holding his hand. He rushed to her side and cupped her sweating and near hysterical face. He grimaced at Madison's hollow eyes "Be still, my child. Be still." He held her gaze and stroked her hair. He started saying something in Japanese until she wasn't shaking quite as bad even though her destroyed eyes were clearly shaken down to their very cores. Splinter stroked her face gently with one paw. "Be at peace, dear child."
She muttered something no one else could hear before her eyes closed and she slumped forward into his arms.
" Madison!" Kaylin and Peter exclaimed as they pulled Madison in they own arms. "What's wrong with her! Why isn't she waking up?"
"She is very upset."
"OBVIOUSLY!"
"Donatello, Raphael, please take Madison to the infirmary and attend to her," Splinter ordered. "When she awakens alert me at once; a mild sedative might be needed."
Don and Raph nodded. Raph lifted Madison into his arms and left the dojo.
"Michelangelo, take the children."
"Sure, Sensei."
"WHAT!" Peter and Kaylin exclaimed. "Are you kidding!"
"Please, my young ones," Splinter said firmly. "You're sister needs to be tended to and Donatello will not be able to concentrate with all of you crowded around him."
The kids looked slightly angry but nodded respectfully and left with Mikey.
"Leonardo, please go and allow Donatello to tend to your arm."
"Yes, Master Splinter," Leonardo turned to go but paused. "Um… Master Splinter?"
"Yes, my son?"
"What happened to her?" he asked, clutching the rag Mikey had found for him to the place where Madison had gotten with the sai. "I came in, stopped her from trying to mutilate the punching bag and she attacked me like I was her worst enemy. I could see in her eyes…"
"What did you see?"
"Nothingness," he said. "It was like she was somewhere else fighting someone only she could see and I couldn't snap her out of it. She acted like I was someone else. Like she didn't even see me."
"I do not think she could, my son," Splinter said sadly.
"It was almost like she was in a trance. She seriously wanted me dead, Sensei. And she would of probably succeeded if Raph and Donny hadn't come in when they did."
"Her actions were not purely her fault, Leonardo," Splinter said softly. "Do not think that it was your blood she meant to spill." The old rat placed a weary paw on Leo's shoulder before exiting the dojo. Leo stood there for a moment, still clutching the rag to his arm. He stared at the small puddle of blood the gash has left on the dojo floor while he had been on his back; he gritted his teeth.
"What did he do to you, Maddy?"