Here's the extra Wednesday update as promised ;)

Disclaimer: TMNT=not mine

Today was my 20th birthday.

And it must be a week for birthdays, because it had only been three days since Kevin's birthday party.

I didn't really have much planned. I was go to visit my friend today, and was going out with my family later that night, but anything bigger than that I was saving for the weekend. Twenty wasn't really that big a birthday anyways. It was kind of the awkward"now you're an adult…but I guess you technically were one already" kind of thing. Nineteen had already felt like leaving my teen years behind.

Still, something about today was exciting, electrifying. There was a strange sense of anticipation.

I walked into the hospital cheerfully. I almost thought about attempting to whistle, but figured that would be overdoing it, especially since I couldn't really whistle.

It was only a short elevator ride to the 7th floor.

"Hey there!" I said cheerfully to my best friend. "How's it going?"

Christina grinned wryly. "Hey there birthday girl," She waved me inside. "I'm doing pretty good. They said they'll release me tomorrow." She winked, "Hope the world's ready."

"For you? Never," I laughed. "Do you feel better?"

"Just about," she replied. She scrunched her face. "Apparently my body really likes to try to get infected. It happened with my piercings, it happened with my appendix. Luckily it cleared up pretty fast, but I still had to stay here longer. And let me tell you, the food here sucks. "

I giggled. "Aw, poor thing. Do they not feed you sugar by the spoonful here?"

She looked mildly offended. "I'm not that bad! …Did you happen to bring anything?"

"You addict." I shook my in mock shame. "I'm pretty sure that's against hospital regulations or something. I'll take you out somewhere when you're better though, okay?"

Christina tossed her head back, looking as regal as she possibly could could while in a hospital gown. "I'm holding you to that."

"You do that. In the meantime…," I paused to rummage through my large purse. "Here you go. I brought you some books. And my mom sends her blessings. And these." I handed over the small pot of pink, purple, and white flowers. "They're supposed to help with healing."

She smelled them before placing them on the small table next to the hospital bed. "Flowers are always welcome."

I smiled gratefully at her nonchalance.

I stayed for about a half an hour more, talking about school, birthday plans, and the day to day activities of life. Somehow Christina seemed to have a drama filled love life even when she was in the hospital.

Christina's room was only a short walk from the elevator. I reached to push the elevator call button and then jerked my hand back. I had felt a kind of shock, kind of like static electricity, but a little more painful. I shook my hand, as if trying to shake away what had happened. I brushed the event off though as the elevator doors opened in front of me.

My phone started to beep right then, which meant it was either being called or dying, so I was paying more attention to digging through my purse to find it than anything else.

"Ground floor?" a somewhat familiar male voice asked.

I looked up to see Cowabunga Carl standing in front of me. Michelangelo, that is. Oh hi! I said smoothly, not missing a beat. Ha, I wish.

Actually I just kind of stood there, brain mysteriously blanking. If I had been in his position I would have given me a strange look, a single brow raised in inquiry.

But since he was wearing a mask, I could only imagine what his expression might look like (which, by the way, is really difficult when you don't have a face to work with). My reddening face, however, was clearly visible I finally reconnected and said, "Yes! Ground floor. Hi!"

I'm pretty sure it was more the sudden surprise that threw me off balance. I attempted to collect myself, brushing back the hair from my face with one hand and bracing myself against the elevator wall with the other.

"Ow!" I said sharply, more out of frustration than anything else. I stood straight up, getting away from the elevator wall as fast as I could as I was shocked yet again. This time the shock felt even stronger.

Michelangelo, it seemed, had reflexively stepped towards me. "Whoa! You okay?"

I grinned wryly. "I just keep getting shocked today," I said, looking up at the oversized head of his costume. The lights flickered.

"Bummer! Hey-" The lights flickered one more time and then quit completely, and at the same time the elevator dropped several feet.

I shrieked as I was thrown off balance and into Michelangelo. Unlike me he had managed to keep his balance, even as I knocked into him.

He was the only thing that kept me from crashing to the floor. Strong hands gripped my shoulders and held me up. He released me quickly, placing me back on my feet and then stepping back.

"Thanks," I said quietly.

"Uh, no problem!" He said, his tone as cheerful as ever, yet somehow more hesitant. He still sounded close, but it was completely dark now it was kind of hard to tell.

Well duh, I thought. It's not like there's much space. This elevator was larger than the standard for New York, probably because this was a hospital, but it was by no means large.

"So, are you here visiting someone too?" I asked. I've never been great with silences. I'm okay with them sometimes, but usually they feel uncomfortable.

"Nah, just another day's work! Professional hospital room entertainment is just one more of my specialties." He boasted. "What are you in for?"

I grinned, still trying to get back the prickling feeling that had settled in my stomach. "Visiting a friend. She's recovering from appendicitis. Nothing too bad, although I think she could be dying from boredom."

"Or the hospital food," Michelangelo said sounding very serious.

"Heh, yeah, that too." I felt a brief moment of panic when I couldn't think of anything else to say. It was stupid, but I had been feeling this uneasy sense almost all day and now it was amplifying any uncomfortable feeling I had. I just hoped the elevator would be fixed soon.