The Journey Home

Disclaimer: I own only Casey Dawn Jones, all other characters in this story is owned by Mirage.

Chapter Four.

Don tenderly fixed up Casey's injuries, he tousled her hair "You were very brave." He picked her up from where she sat on the kitchen chair and set her down. "I suppose you have to get back home soon huh?"

I shook my head " You really are trying to get rid of me aren't you Don, but what I don't understand is why?"

Don turned and looked at me, "Why? Why?" he echoed again, "Maybe because it is about time that you had a chance to live a normal life April. If we hadn't met you..."

"I would have been killed by Baxter's mouser robots" I cut in, "That wouldn't be very normal you know."

" I was hoping to give you a chance to not be caught up in our myriad misadventures, to live without fearing what was coming or what would or could happen to us. Not to mention, that we would be just a bitter reminder to how you lost her father. I knew that the Foot might follow you, may try to get information out of you. But I figured their desire to learn about us would be enough to not harm you too badly." he confessed, "It was a risk and a gamble, and I hated playing with your life like that." he gritted his teeth and his hands flexed into tight fists by his side, "But I felt that it could be worth it if you had the chance to live a normal life. Or as normal as life gets."

" Don, look maybe my life isn't normal by staying connected to you, perhaps I did allow myself to get caught up in your lives, as did Casey. But to turn our backs on you would have been a greater crime. You guys are family..."

"Great! Even so April, how do you expect to explain to your daughter that our brother was responsible for her father's death? We failed you April. Failed you and Casey" he declared bitterly.

"I will tell her the truth. Her father died while trying to help our friends." I stated, " You didn't fail us Don, nor did you fail Leo or Raph."

Don gave me a distant almost cold stare, that seemed to say 'what do you know about it?' He gave a heavy sigh. "I'll go get Mike's room ready for you for tonight. Do me a favour and see if you can help Mike with dinner preparations." he muttered skirting the fact that he wanted me out of here.

"Don, understand one thing. You are not driving me away. I have to go back to the hotel and book out or arrange to stay longer, but I am not going back to New York City. I am on holiday but there is no need to hurry home as I work from my computer anyway. Yes, there is the store, but that has never brought in a lot of money. What is important is here, and I can't leave seeing you and Mike both like this." I informed him with conviction.

He turned to face me "Still as stubborn as ever" he muttered as he turned and left.

"I could say the same" I called out after him before heading back outside.

Mike turned his head "Well April he still threatening to send you home?"

"Yeah" I chuckled a little, "Not that it is getting him very far. Mike how bad is your eye sight?"

"Oh it isn't too bad. See the Foot threw something in my eyes, and it took a bit, in the heat of battle for Don to clean them out and by then the damage was done." He gave a small shrug. "You know how it is on a real foggy day, you see distant shapes through the haze, you can't quite make out who it is, not till they get closer to you. That is how it is for me, everything is like seeing through a fog, a haze. I can see colour but, like shapes, it sort of blurs too. Watching TV doesn't mean what it used to" he gave a sad shake of his head. "Don reads to me though. I bug him about it being my bedtime stories." Mike gave one of his light hearted grins, the ones I recalled so well. "So how long can you stay?" he inquired.

I could hear the hint of hope in his voice as he asked this simple question. "Until Don chases me off I guess." I replied casually. He beamed wide and I could feel his relief.

"That's great April." He cheered.

"Don suggested I help you with dinner, is there anything I can do?" I offered.

While I helped Mike prepare the meal, collecting lettuce, and tomatoes from a small garden that was at the back of the house, I considered the circumstances it seemed neither of them had fully dealt with the ramifications of losing Raph and Leo. It may have been easier for them to handle had they lost just one of them, and not both at once. Mike though acted like he had at least come to grips with it, while Don still was suffering blaming himself. I kept hearing Don's words 'We failed you.' ring in my mind.

I understood the concept of seppuku, having been around the boys for so many years, it is kind of hard not to learn about these things. Not that I felt suicide was ever the answer, but I knew that was the way the boys were raised. Don clearly felt that he had lost honour and the only way to get it back was by following the codes and edicts of the ninja.

Both Mike and Don were different, while they were both creative, and more laid back in attitude one could almost see what made them their own unique beings. Don was quiet, a little shy, he had a sense of humour but it was more hidden and subtle at times. Don's creativity came out in his inventions and programs. He liked to be on his own and yet he cared about his family. Mike on the other hand was loud, sociable, he had been one to hide his pain behind his humour more than once, and I wouldn't be surprised if he did it again. Mike allowed his creativity to come out in writing, cooking, and playing jokes on his brothers.

I bit my lip, Mike had always depended on his brothers, and I shuddered to think what would happen to him if he was left without Don in this wilderness. Don, the still waters that ran deep, trying to hide his pain and anguish pulled from one end to the other, his love of family telling him Mike needed him; while his ninja training told him that he had no honour by running. Had no honour by leaving me to my fate.

I shook my head, they had come here to heal, and yet I had a feeling the wound had only festered. No. I couldn't, wouldn't turn my back on them now. I shuddered a bit as I realized that I had probably found them in the nick of time. They saved my life so often in the past, the mouser robots being only the start of it all, so it seemed only fitting that I tried to save theirs. It seemed that Don would be the biggest challenge to that, and strange as it seemed I knew Don didn't really have the heart to drive me off.

I knew if Don wanted to he could force the issue, drive me off, or he and Mike could go out hunting and not return, but in spite of Don's threats and posturing I had a feeling he didn't want me to go any more than Mike did. I had a feeling Don wanted me gone, more because he felt that our friendship was a threat, if only because of how different they were from the rest of the world, that they would draw the wrong sort of attention, and any one they called ally could be used as a pawn.

Perhaps Don felt I had sacrificed enough for them over the years, and in the end they could only bring me pain. What ever his reasons he was determined to keep a wall between the two of us, and that was something I couldn't stand.

So while I ate dinner and joined in the conversation, mostly with Mike, I tried to figure out exactly what I would do to bring down that barrier. I noticed Don watching us though if I turned to look a him full on, he'd drop his eyes to his plate or glance towards Casey. I smiled to myself, "Don penny for your thoughts."

"If that all my thoughts are worth I'll keep them to myself April" he replied simply, as he stabbed a bit of grouse on his fork and moved the utensil to his mouth.

"Come on Don you have to have some input," I probed.

"No he keeps all the input on his computer" Mike laughed.

Casey chomped a tomato from her salad, and made a face as the juice and pulp from it squirted out, she then laughed, clapping her hands in triumph of the trick. "Sqwert" she said.

"Don you know it might be better if you talk about what is bothering you." I hinted.

He arched an eye ridge in surprise "Who says that there is something bothering me?" he countered. "I'm fine."

Mike nodded " I agree you are F.I.N.E. Donny boy."

"See Mike agrees you could be taking things out of proportion April, seeing things that aren't there." Don declared.

" Your ninja meaning you let show only what you want" I remarked, And sometimes if things are real emotional you might show some of you don't want, I mused to myself.

"April sees what I do, Don, and that is that you are frazzled, insecure, neurotic and emotional, hence F.I.N.E" Mike cut in.

"I am not frazzled" Don corrected abruptly.

"Oh sorry I meant to say feigning indifference, neurotic and emotional." Mike teased.

For a moment I allowed the two to banter between one another, and I had a feeling that this was something they hadn't done much of for some time. They both seemed to relax a little as they continued to eat their dinner.

Don finished his meal and stood up gathering his dishes, " I'll have dessert later."

"Going for your evening walk?" Mike asked he seemed to tense slightly.

I recalled Mike's words from earlier about how Don had gone for a walk, only to follow and interrupt Don in trying to kill himself. If that was the case then Mike had good reason to suddenly become concerned.

"Yes" Don answered, showing no sign of emotion.

"Care for some company Don?" I cut in.

Mike nodded "Good idea. I can keep Casey here amused by telling her the story of Red Riding hood and the three Bears. Plus it will give Don a chance to show you where some of our booby traps are set."

Don gave an ominous look Mike's way, but he gave another soft resigned sigh "April is not staying."

Mike gave him a dismissive wave "Yeah, I know but she still ought to know where they are if only to keep this little half pint of trouble out of mischief, if you know what I mean."

"Look if you don't want me to..." I started.

Don looked my way, "No it's all right. It will give us a chance to talk" he replied giving me a look that was partly hopeful part melancholy, he gave me a wistful smile "I have missed you" he confessed. "It is good seeing you again."

I smiled, in return it seemed he had accepted, or was willing to accept the inevitable, perhaps he had missed our friendship of working on computers. Then again maybe he only wanted to get me alone if only, to try and persuade me why I shouldn't be here; either way our talk ought to be very interesting. I was all ready formulating how to get him to open up, while at the same time try to find out what was going on so I could have a better view of the trouble he was in since coming to Zion.

If this is to be a place of healing, then it is time to do just that! I told myself.

TBC