Title: Tears
Author: Psycho Babble
Archived: none
Feedback: Yes please
Characters: Splinter, Turtles, Elizabeth (OOC)
Beta's: Leo o' Neal
Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the TMNT universe. Elizabeth (Beta II) is mine.
Author's notes: to understand this fanfic and where Elizabeth comes from read 'Tears of the Past' first.
Chapter 1
(Line breaker)
"Not know," she muttered. She stared at the board that Donatello had been writing on with chalk, trying to figure out what the arrangement of numbers and letters meant. Donatello sighed quietly; she was smart, quick and eager to learn. When it came to mathematics she had no idea.
"Ok, we'll come back to this tomorrow," he said. It was already late in the afternoon and he knew that Leo wanted to do some training with her.
"K," she said. Donatello watched her leave and then started to clean up the bits of paper she had been flicking around the room while he had been trying to explain just what exactly he was doing.
(Line breaker)
"Tie this around your eyes, Lizzie" Leo instructed her.
"Won't see," she complained.
"That's the whole point. This blocks you from seeing and making you uses your other abilities." He handed her a bo stick, the only weapon she seemed to be able to use with ease. She swung it a little in her hands, testing the weight of it in her hands before settling into a defensive stance. Leo was using wooden swords that had been lightly padded to avoid serious injury. She fended off his attacks until he stepped up his attack and then she started to falter, letting more and more hits through. Eventually he stepped back from her and lowered his weapons.
"You're not even trying," he admonished.
"Am," she said defiantly. Anyone who didn't know her might have thought that she was being rude. She wasn't, until she was about five she had not talked much at all and when she finally did start talking her speech patterns were already developed so much that she spoke almost like one would imagine a Neanderthal speaking, if they could speak that is. Over the years she had learned how to express herself in as few words as possible, thus making it easier for people to know what she meant. Luckily she had a very understanding family.
"No, you're not. You're easily distracted, clear your mind of all other thoughts all that matters right now is this." He told her. She shook her head.
"Not easy," she said.
"It is, take a deep breath and let it out slowly and with it all these distractions that you have." He said.
"No understand, you," she said.
"Then tell me," he said simply. She shook her head again, even if she could put into it all into words she didn't want to. How could he possibly understand? She tore off the blindfold and threw it to the floor.
"No," the bo stick joined the blindfold and before he could stop her she had strode from the room. Her face; Leo had noticed, was a frown of confusion.
"She's still distracted," he said to the shadows.
"I know," Raphael slapped him on the shoulder.
"Appreciate you tryin anyway, bro. I was sure that this would work; I don't know what's goin on with here cos she won't talk to me. She won't talk to no one."
"Guess she takes after her father the hothead," Leo grinned at his brother. For once Raph didn't rise to the bait.
"No, something else is bothering her and knowing her it's no small thing either. Just gonna have to wait and hope she weathers this storm well." Raph muttered half to himself. Almost ten years ago she had come to live here, not long after that she had started calling him daddy. A human kid calling him daddy! The thought brought a smile to his face even now, but he wouldn't have changed it for anything. He loved her as if she were his own flesh and blood. She would choose her moments, sometimes she would talk to him and sometimes she would keep stuff to herself. He just hoped that this time she'd be alright.
(Line breaker)
"What?" The fifteen year old continued to stare at the TV that was showing reruns of old cartoons.
"Pizza run," the turtle said.
"And this is relevant to me how…?" She strained to look around her uncle.
"Because I have to continue getting the rest of the food ready for dinner, everyone else is busy doing other stuff. So either you go get the pizza or all we'll be having is salad," he replied.
"Ok," she flicked the TV off and stood up.
"I knew I could count on you, Lizzie," he said.
"Always can, got money?" She held out her hand.
"Go now," she said and was off out the door with the money.
(Line breaker)
Relaxed, even letting her ninja training go somewhat as she bobbed her head slightly to the music that blared through earphones. Her mind going so fast that she had trouble keeping up. How could they not know what was bothering her? Especially her father, he should have realized, should have known that this was the time. Every year around this time she sank into a depression that hung over her like a black cloud. They never seemed to know why. Each year she knew her father tried to get her uncle Leo to distract her by teaching her some new ninja technique. It never worked. What on earth made her father think it would work this time?
Her mind so caught up in her own inner musings that she didn't notice those that had been silently following her for some time now. It was a short fight. If you could even call it that. One man grabbed her arms and pulled them behind her back another man pressed a cloth over her mouth and nose. She held her breath, but eventually she had to breath and when she did blackness overcame her.
(Line breaker)
"Mikey, where's the pizza?" Donatello came into the kitchen where Mikey was setting the table, a floral print apron covering his plastron.
"Lizzie's gone to get it," he straightened a fork.
"That was almost an hour ago. Are you telling me she isn't back yet?" Donatello demanded.
"Are you sure it's been that long?" Mikey asked. When Mikey started cooking he could loose track of all else.
"Never mind, I'll go track her down," Donnie said. Mikey didn't even answer, his full attention back on the pie he was putting together.
(Line breaker)
Donatello fished the cd walkman out of the sewer water. A thoughtful frown creasing his forehead. It was Lizzie's walkman alright, but where was Lizzie? He knew her well enough to know that she wouldn't just dump her walkman and keep going without it. He spotted a rag and lifted it to his face, sniffing cautiously at it. For a moment his mind reeled and he put out one hand against the sewer wall to steady himself.
"Damn," he muttered.
(Line breaker)
"He still going at it?" Donnie asked Leo. Leo nodded once as his eyes moved over to Raph. Leo had gone out after Donnie had called him on the shell cell. They had found no trace of Lizzie and they had no choice but to return to the lair to tell Raph that his daughter was missing. Raph had insisted on going out himself and looking for her. He had returned a few hours ago and was now beating up a punch bag. Anger a frustration battled for space in his mind.
"Any ideas?" Donnie asked. Leo looked at him and after a moment he nodded. He gestured to the banner that had one symbol on it. A symbol that they all knew very well.
"You're kidding right?" Don's voice to hold much hope. Leo shrugged once and turned back to Raph. He could understand his younger brothers' frustration, and he knew that Raph knew who had taken his daughter, that knowledge would not sit well with anyone.
(Line breaker)
She came too slowly, darkness was all she saw and it took her moment to figure out that she was blindfolded. Naked and her arms stretched out to either side, a grunting groan of pain emanated from her gagged mouth at the realization that she was not tied, but rather that someone had nailed her wrists to something.
"Welcome home, child. Your training begins now," a man's grating voice spoke. Her breath hitched in her throat as she recognized it and a sob escaped her.
"Save your energy you are going to need it,"