The Journey Home

Disclaimer: I don't own the turtles or April.

Chapter two:

I know it seemed ridiculous to go chasing after a dream, but I recalled once being a part of that very same dream. I had known five wonderful, unique sentient beings that could not be called human and yet somehow seemed to endow the best of human kind. Then they had vanished, disappearing into a dark and troubled night until there was only a haunting memory left, and some very small mementoes to prove to me that they had been real, they had existed.

I recalled Leo's stern and firm gaze, his brisk way, gentle caring and willing to do everything for those he loved and called family. Like the lion himself he was proud, noble. Then there was Raph, dark, brooding. Sometimes I had a feeling Raph didn't care much for the human race, but considering the sort of people he often dealt with or came into contact with I suppose his views on humans had been based on his knowledge of them. Though there were a few that he called friend, and I felt extremely honoured to be one of them, of course I did my best to change his jaded opinion of humans. Raph would probably kill anyone who called him sensitive or snarl some sort of comment about not being made into some pansy assed wimp, but under his rough exterior, his broiling hot temper and bitterness lay a person who would do anything for his friends and family. He would be lost without them.

Of course those two were gone now, and I could see in my mind's eye how Leo could have fallen first only for Raph to seek revenge. I just wish Raph hadn't taken Casey with him that night, of course if he hadn't then maybe Don and Mike would also now be dead.

I tried in so many ways to talk myself out of it, to go on with my life as Don had told me to, on the night they had returned. It was why Don had severed all connections with me, and I knew that I could no longer rely on them to spare me from the Foot.

Most people I suppose wouldn't have thought twice about trying to reconnect with people who had more or less abandoned me to my fate, and clearly showed that they no longer desired to have anything to do with me. But to me they were like family, we had laughed, cried, shared, triumphed over challenges, and had been weakened when hit too hard, too fast for too long. We had pulled together and stuck by one another through so much that it was impossible for us to not share some sort of bond.

It is true, that Mike and Don did what they thought was best, but they were reeling from everything they had been put through and acted on simple instinct instead of listening to their hearts. For I am sure if they had listened to their hearts they would have taken me with them.

Yes! I had my doubts about going to face them now, I wasn't sure if I would find them or not. Or if I did somehow manage to find them if I could convince them of anything. I knew I was probably letting myself in for a big let down. My mind said, don't go. My heart said, go to them they need you. I was a logical sort of person familiar with computers and there programs, scientific theory and logically I knew that if Don and Mike didn't want to be found there would be no way in the world I would find them.

That my intentions to go to Zion would lead me on the proverbial, goose chase, or in this instance great turtle chase.

I didn't care what my mind or thoughts told me, all I knew was my heart said go, return to them, they need you and their honour their pride will not permit them to come back this way. So if they won't come to you; You must go to them.

So there you have it. I second guessed my decision I don't know how many times, and in the end I still left New York with my daughter and headed to Zion national park in Utah, clinging to that one faint hope, that slim possibility that my heart could guide me to find the missing members of my family, so I would no longer feel as if I was empty.

Of course traveling with a two year old is always entertaining as well as tedious, so I had to make frequent stops, and I worried that in spite of all my precautions that the Foot were following me, though I believe they had given up on the turtles connecting with me and had eventually accepted that I knew no more information about the survivors of the Clan. Still the last thing I wanted was to bring the Foot clan to where the turtles lived, and I had taken a few vacations trips before and never been hassled by anyone. So I felt that going off for a trip would not pique the curiosity of those I wanted the most to avoid.

XXXX

I like Zion it was beautiful, natural wild. I settled into a hotel not far from the park, and there was a bus that could take you into the park. For the first few days I must say I peered deeply into every thick brush, carefully scrutinized every rustling leaf, and went out of my way to find the most secluded and less traveled areas of the park as possible. All in the hopes of catching sight of my long lost friends. But of course it got me nothing and as I neared the end of my time in the park, I had to realize that my hopes and dreams had been dashed once again.

It had been a daunting task, with no hopes of ever truly achieving the goal, like finding the proverbial needle in the haystack. I found myself feeling more gloomy and depressed the longer I stayed there and I snapped a bit more at Casey, making me feel like such an ingrate for doing so.

Really what had I expected? To come here and find them just like that? Well I guess in some way I had felt just that way. At any rate I decided to give up the dream and just enjoy the last day or two in the park admiring the scenery.

Casey loved the park and we walked the trails she would find little treasures of a pine cone, rock, feather and bring them to me squealing with joy at her precious find, and this, our second to last day was no different. She was walking along for the moment, while I pushed her stroller, silently musing to myself that I may of had better luck if I hadn't brought Casey with me, but I wouldn't have felt right leaving her with just anyone for the couple weeks. I was so lost in my thought I didn't notice Casey get to close to the edge of the trail.

I did hear her startled yell of fear as she slid down the steep embankment. "CASEY!" I yelled as I ran to where I could see she had disappeared. "Casey baby?" There was a cloud of dust and rubble and I heard Casey crying, possibly she was hurt, and she was most definitely frightened. "Honey, mommy is coming for you stay right where you are. Okay?" I called down to her.

I glanced around and saw no one else on the path so I left the stroller near where Casey had gone down at and then tried to find the easiest way down without, managing to hurt myself in the process, because I wouldn't be much use to my daughter if I broke an arm or a leg. I had to squat low and I grabbed onto trees or vines where I could as I made my way down ward. Casey had gone down quite far from the path way, she was lying in a huddled ball just screaming.

I was anxious to get to her, and my maternal instincts were telling me all kinds of things, 'What kind of mother are you? Here you are alone in the wilderness, no one knows your here and now because of your incompetence your daughter has suffered broken bones and numerous other injuries. I hope you are satisfied!"

I pushed that thought out of my mind. My heart hammered, as I slipped and almost tumbled, somersaulting further down, but I flung out an arm and grabbed a tree barely catching hold enough to slow my forward momentum. The rough bark scraped my hand. I paused to catch my breath wondering as I looked up ward how I was going manage getting my daughter and I both back to the path. Then I heard a low snarl from the bush coming from the right side of Casey.

I looked in that direction and froze, as I saw a lithe sandy brown shape moving in the trees. I knew there were cougars around here. Mike had mentioned it, plus there were signs in the park. 'No! No dammit. I will not lose my daughter to a cougar.' I stooped down finding a pine cone and tossed it, it didn't have much weight to it and so didn't come close. "Go away! Leave her alone!" I yelled waving my arms in desperation, as I suddenly started a mad scramble towards my daughter. As my voice seemed to echo off every rock and stick in the area.

I realized then how alone I was out here, and I hadn't been this scared for a while, luckily I was still moving.

The cougar came into view and it was closer to Casey who was still lying in a huddled ball of tears, dirt and grit. The wild feline licked it's lips and squatted in preparation to pounce, and I was still too far away to do anything other than watch this over grown fleabag kill my only child. I screamed incoherently and the cougar snarled in vicious reply as if to say that all the noise in the world could not stop it from it's intentions.

"Eat stick Felix" Came a shout as something leaped from a tree and rammed a bo staff towards the cat, the green legs that straddled my daughter were the most welcome sight I had seen for so long. It was Don. I don't know if he knew who it was he was saving, all I knew was he was risking his life to save my daughter.

The cougar leaped undaunted, perhaps the scent of turtle only encouraged it, Don crouched reaching down with a free hand to grab Casey, with the other hand he rammed the end of his staff into the cat's soft belly causing the animal to snarl as Don dived and rolled to safety. He stood up bo at the ready to face the cougar, but the animal had enough and was all ready heading into the woods at top speed.

Don's chest heaved slightly, as he then turned to look my way.

"Donny?" I called.

"You shouldn't have come April" He remarked flatly, "Mike told me he wrote to you, and he shouldn't have bothered you." He glanced at Casey who was still screaming and he awkwardly bounced her in his arms. He set her down and looked her over. "She's okay a few cuts and bruises." He informed me.

"Don, Mike is worried about you, and I wanted to see you again." I insisted.

"So you bring your daughter here to endanger her life as well as your own is that it?" Don snapped his eyes narrowed, he shook his head abruptly "Go home April. Forget us, forget we exist!"

I noticed the bandages on his wrist, "Why so you can continue to let your honour get the better of you Donatello?" I demanded sharply, as I came up.

Hearing my angry voice Casey began to sob, "Sorry Mommma Sorry."

I picked her up rubbing her back "Sssshh, babe" I soothed her. I looked Don in his green eyes and pleaded with him "It seems your endangering your life, for whatever reason and Mike needs you Don."

Don shook his head in bitterness "Don't you think I know that April?" he inquired. "I'll get you up there and then you leave and don't come back." He informed me simply.

I recalled Leo acting like this when things got rough, and yet I couldn't let Don go. There was a haunted look, a pain filled anguished look in his eyes that caught me in and pulled me under like a riptide in the water. I knew that he was rejecting me on pretext alone, pushing me away, trying to shut himself off. If Mike was here, I'm sure he would have all ready greeted me with open arms, and there was a time I would have thought Don would have too.

Things change though, and Don had to accept a great deal of responsibility in trying to keep both him and Mike safe. I knew I had but a short time to convince Don to not send me away.

Besides now that I saw him and could feel his pain, I knew I couldn't just turn around and walk away pretending that he didn't exist. He was my friend and he was hurting and he needed help. "Don I can't leave you not now that I found you."

He gave a small smirk, and arched an eye ridge as he pulled a rope from his belt, "Then what is to keep me from leaving you April?" He asked.

"The fact that we are family Don, We need each other, we were family before and we are family now. Blood is thicker than water, and the fact that we are connected means you can't just turn your back on us and leave us Don."

Casey sniffed and looked at him, he looked a bit thinner and not as muscled as he had once been, and though he didn't wear his pads, he still wore his mask and belt. Casey wiped her nose with the back of her hand, and typical child then went to rub her eyes with the same hand, her mouth formed a small circle, "Don?" she said in a low voice.

Don smiled at her, for a moment his features softening into the gentle more familiar look I knew, or at least had known from before.

"This is my daughter named Casey Dawn" I told him, "You were always there when I needed you and today was no different. Can't you, won't you let me be there for you Don?"

Don didn't seem to acknowledge my question in any way, he threw the rope up and with an expert toss as any had the grappling hook catch securely onto a branch of a tree near the path. "Hold onto your daughter April, we are going up" he said in a flat tone.

I sighed knowing I didn't have much time and I didn't know what I could or would say to change his mind.

TBC