Soooo... I did A LOT of research for this particular chapter to make sure everything that's in there worked spatially. I also have several references to things scattered throughout and I'd LOVE to see if you can find them! Also... CAN YOU BELIEVE WE'VE REACHED 20,000 WORDS?

Enjoy!

March 19, 2012

The dark New York sky was littered with stars. The bare sliver of the moon shone down onto an empty alleyway. A large mouse dragged an even larger slice of pizza to it's den the next street over. It squeaked and ran for safety as the manhole cover in the middle of the alley lifted.

April was the first to emerge from the sewers. She quietly checked around the edges of the alley. "It's all clear, guys!" She hissed. The rest of the Hamatos followed suit. As Mikey lifted himself out of the sewer, he tsked at the messy alley surrounding them.

"Man! I was just up here two weeks ago!. How'd my alley get so dirty?" The youngest turtle shrugged off the backpack he had brought, digging around until he pulled out a pair of three-fingered cleaning gloves. He began picking up the trash, oblivious to the dumbstruck looks his brothers and sister were giving him.

"I'm sorry, Michael… I just hallucinated." Raph massaged the bridge of his beak. "Did you just say that you were up here two weeks ago?"

Mikey paused loading trash into the dumpster, realizing his mistake. "Uh…" He sighed. "Yeah. I try to come up here once or twice a month to clean up just this corner of the city. I live here too and want to do my part to take care of my city! Besides, I'm real careful. No one ever sees me."

No one said a word as a tiny calico kitten wound herself around Mikey's legs.

"Okay… no one except Ms. Ice Cream Kitty here." The boy picked the kitten up. She purred, nuzzling into his plastron. "I come up here to feed her while I clean. The first time I met Ice Cream Kitty, she was eating an old ice cream cone. I knew that wouldn't be healthy for her, so I asked Mai to help me get some proper food." Mikey scratched Ice Cream Kitty behind her ears. "I'll admit, I really miss her when I'm at home, but I didn't know how Pops would react to a cat in the Lair…"

"Well, say bye to the pretty kitty for now, Mikey." April began climbing the fire escape that would take them to the roof. "We've got limited time here. We want to make the most of it!"

xXx

"It's… it's…" Leo stuttered.

"It's beautiful!" April breathed.

All five Hamatos had scaled the fire escape to view the New York City skyline. They unintentionally stood oldest to youngest with April standing between Raph and Donnie. She grabbed their hands and squeezed. It was time to start a new adventure - together.

The teens laughed and cheered as they dashed across the rooftops. They made their way from their alley exit to the nearby Greenwich village. They each had places they had always wanted to visit and were determined to fit all the stops in that night.

The first location they came across was Mikey's pick: Joe's Pizza. He and Mai enjoyed making homemade pizza, but he really wanted to try what was said to be the best pizza in New York. April worked her way down to street level in order to get everyone several slices. As soon as Mikey took a bite, his eyes welled up with joyful tears.

"I never thought I'd taste anything as good as Mr. M's pizza gyoza, but this is amazing! I LOVE IT UP HERE!"

Once their stomachs were full, they continued to run around the city. They found a hidden compartment within the walls of the Comedy Cellar. The teens were able to laugh along with the regular audience as the on-stage comedian made a joke about how he thought "quicksand was going to be a much bigger problem than it turned out to be." Running a bit further, the group came across a closed East Village Books. Donnie and April browsed for several minutes, each coming away with several finds. They put their treasures in Mikey's backpack and left enough money to cover their tab on the front desk. They weren't thieves, afterall. As the night drew on, they found a deserted Tompkins Square Park. April brought out her phone to take some selfies with her brothers… and Donnie. They took turns taking pictures of each other to remember the kind of night they might never have again.

xXx

Leo sighed as he and his siblings lay flat on one of the rooftops closer to home, all thoroughly exhausted from their evening running about. He lifted his Tphone to check the time. "Alright, guys. It's almost 3am and we're about 30 minutes from the Lair. I think it's time for us to head home."

Raph groaned, sitting up. "Hate to say it, but I agree 'o fearless leader'. Today was a loooong day." All the others agreed, attempting to sit upright.

Donnie grumbled as April pushed him to his feet. He suddenly froze when her hands her half way up his shell. His hands flew to his chest. "Oh no! Gravity is… increasing on me!"

"No it's not, Dee!" The girl struggled with the weight of 180 pounds of pure turtle muscle going limp in her hands. She growled as Donnie smirked over his shoulder.

"It is too, April. The same thing happened yesterday."

April squealed as the boy came crashing down on top of her. She giggled, attempting to wriggle out from underneath her friend. "Come on, you big dummy! Your butt is crushing me!" Donnie laughed with her. He pushed himself to standing, then helped April to her feet. "Did you have a good Mutation Day?" April asked, brushing herself off.

"The best. Thanks April." Donnie drew her in for a hug. "It probably wouldn't have happened without you."

"What are friends for?"

"Cute, guys." Leo teased. " But none of us will be coming back up here if we don't get our butts back by curfew."

Both teens blushed as they quickly separated. Each ninja knew they had more than just familial or friendly feelings towards the other, but not if they should act on them just yet. Donnie shook his head, bowing and gesturing in the direction they would be traveling home.

"After you, mi'lady."

The redhead chuckled, curtsying in reply. "Why thank you, kind sir."

With that, all five teens were off along the rooftops again. April hummed one of her Little Mermaid songs to herself as she leapt over an alley. A downward glance revealed that the alley wasn't empty. A group of well-dressed men were loading glowing cylinders into the back of a white van. Her heart stopped as she caught sight of one of their faces. No… It can't be… April's foot caught the lip of the rooftop, tumbling to the ground in a fetal position. The boys skidded to a stop.

"APRIL!" Donnie shouted, rushing to her side. Her eyes were glazed over, her breathing erratic. Leo checked the perimeter to make sure Donnie's shout didn't give away their position.

"Uh… guys?" Mikey glanced around nervously. "I think she's having another episode…" The loose gravel scattered on the roof began to circulate along with several pieces of trash that had been left behind.

"This isn't a normal episode." Raph observed, scrubbing his face. He was upset he didn't know what to do to help his sister. "Normally, she has to go into a deep meditation or it's somethin' from her nightmares. This happened when she was awake. And her eyes usually aren't open."

"April? Can you hear me?" Donnie smoothed sweaty strands of hair from her face. "Tell us what you're seeing."

"I… I see the men in… suits." She gasped. "But… they're not men… they're suits… for the bubblegum hamsters…"

"The Kraang?" Donnie muttered. His soul broke as his best friend began to whimper and thrash in his grip.

"Daddy, Daddy no! Why do they have to take more blood? Mama, help! Where are you?"

"April," Donnie's voice quavered as he gripped her hand, trying to ground her. "April, it's Dee. It's Donnie. And Leo and Raph and Mikey. We're all here for you. You're safe. The bubblegum hamsters aren't going to hurt you any more."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as the debris swirling around began to sink. April's breathing evened out as she tightened her grip on Donnie's hand. She sat up, leaning into the purple turtle's embrace. Donnie brought his arms around her trembling frame.

"What happened, Red? Where did that come from?" Raph knelt before the pair.

"I'm… not entirely sure…" She brushed her bangs out of her eyes. "I glanced down and saw those guys in the alley…" Her gaze sharpened. "Those men in suits were there. They've got something to do with what happened to me before Mama and I escaped the farmhouse." She looked to Leo, begging. "Leo… we're already late for curfew. You guys can head back home, but I need to check this out. This might be the only opportunity to find something about my dad. Maybe... maybe find out if he's still alive..."

Leo crossed his arms, taking in the crew around him. April's steadfast gaze; the glares of brothers who dared him to leave her behind. "We're not leaving, April. Let me text Splinter what's up and then we'll investigate."

xXx

"Alright. Splinter semi-approved this mission." Leo reported. The five warrior teens knelt, observing the men in the alley from their rooftop perch. "He gave us thirty minutes to observe, not engage, and get back home. Okay, April?" No response. "April? We can still pull the pl-"

"I heard you." Her voice was cold. Not for him; for the men below. "Let's go."

Everyone melted into the shadows, slithering down the side of the building. Being the lithest of the group, April made her way lightly to the roof of the van. The four turtles slunk around the sides, clearing the van's cab before making their way to the rear doors. The men in suits had entered the building next to the alley mere minutes before. They had to check things out quickly before they returned.

"What do you see?" April hissed.

"Some… glowing goop. Mikey, bring me your backpack." Donnie was already loading the orange turtle's pack with several canisters.

"Wow. Very scientific, Donnie." Raph scoffed. "Can't get more specific than 'glowing goop'?" He winced at the pebble April chucked at his head.

"Stop being annoying and go see if the guys in suits left any ID in the cab."

"Yes mam…" He grumbled.

"WAAAA!" Mikey ran from his watch post around the corner followed by pink lasers. Leo leapt in front of his brother, katanas drawn.

"We're out of time, guys! Bag it and tag it, Donnie. We're outta here!"

"I'm not." April pushed her way past Leo's defenses. With his hands full of swords, he couldn't pull her back.

"APRIL NO. Splinter said to not engage!" The 'fearless leader' shrunk back in fear at the malicious glow in the girl's eyes.

"They killed my mom and have most likely killed my father. I'm going." She yelled, pulling her tessen from it's sheath.

Donnie groaned, about to go after her when the van violently shook. "THEY'RE ON TOP OF THE VAN!" He shrieked. He pushed Mikey behind him, bo-staff spinning. The man in the suit cocked his head.

"The beings before Kraang do not look like average Earth humans Kraang has interacted with previously. Kraang shall capture the new beings before Kraang in order to study them for future Kraang knowledge." The man in the suit -Kraang- leapt down from the van. Raph readied his sais.

"Donnie, Mikey. You guys go help April. Leo and I can handle this guy."

"Right!" The two younger turtles ran out of the alley after their sister. Kraang's eyes followed them before Raph shouted.

"HEY UGLY! My eyes are over here!" Raph launched a punch, twisting his weapon so his fist would impact the man's face. Kraang stumbled backwards, but quickly righted itself. A strange warbling sound surrounded the figure. "Still standing huh? I'll fix that!" Raph went in for another punch, but was intercepted by Leo's katanas.

"What're you doing, Raph? It was my turn to strike him!"

"YOU'RE TURN? What're we playing, POKÉMON?"

While the brothers continued to bicker, more men in suits came to join the Kraang they were fighting.

"Aw sewer apples…" Raph grumbled.

Donnie and Mikey weren't doing much better. The boys saw April cutting down Kraang left and right, rubbery-pink blobs skittering out of their chests. Before they could reach her, they were surrounded by their own troubles. Donnie readied his bo, but winced as his brother's nunchucks smashed into his head.

"MIKEY!" He growled.

"Sorry, Dee! Not used to close-quarters team fighting, I guess. WAIT! THERE'S A SECOND VAN!"

Donnie whipped his head around, seeing a second white van pulling up behind a panting April standing over her pile of fallen Kraang. The next few moments felt like an eternity.

Her eyes met his, the malicious glow dimming to let a bit of his April shine through. Those eyes widened as she was yanked off her feet into the back of the waiting van. Donnie struggled past Mikey and their surrounding Kraang, reaching for her. April fought back, thrashing like a wild animal. Something silver flashed before falling to the asphalt. The boy could see his name on her lips as she screamed. The doors closed and the van took off.

Without thinking, Donnie grabbed the piece of used gum he knew Mikey kept on the underside of his utility belt, placed it on the back of his Tphone, prayed to all of the ninja gods and Hamato ancestors before chucking the device at the van.

It landed with a splat on top of the fleeing vehicle.

With their comrades safely away, the still intact Kraang fled into the alley with the first van. Donnie was so numb, he barely heard Raph and Leo's shouts. He definitely didn't hear the other van speed away. He walked towards the silver thing that had fallen during April's fight.

"DUDE! YOU STABBED BE WITH YOUR SWORD!"

"ONLY BECAUSE YOU ALMOST COST ME AN EYE!"

"I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE GOING TO LAND THERE WHEN I WAS AIMING FOR HIS EYE! Wait… Donnie, where's April?"

The blue, red, and orange turtles stood before their purple brother as he held a tiny silver fork earring in his massive hand. He looked to them, broken and confused.

"They… took her."

... I'm not sorry...

*I am sorry about the fight scene. I wanted to get this chapter out, but wasn't completely sure how to get that scene on paper. I hope you imagined the first fight between the turtles and the Kraang from the first episode of the 2012 series. That's what that scene was inspired by.*

See you next time and STAY CREATIVE!

PS: Frozenwolfheart22: I always keep you in mind when I'm thinking about writing these. You've posted so many reviews and appear invested in the story. Thanks for being such a great fan and motivator and hope you're able to see everything through until the very end! (At least 20 chapters, most likely a few more than that.)