Just when I think I'm going to update my Mario fic first, I finish this chapter. Oops. Oh well.
Guess what! I actually got that new character I mentioned into this chapter! Yay me!
Disclaimer: If I owned TMNT, then they would be a lot shorter in the new movie.
The kitchen was quiet as everyone ate. J ate slowly, per Donatello's request. The silence was getting to everyone, and they all knew why. But no one was ready to break the silence, and J wasn't ready to relive his experience with the Shredder.
Another reason to eat slowly. J wasn't the only one to notice this, however.
Raphael narrowed his eyes. Ya ain't hidin' this forever, J.
Then he looked at Leonardo, hoping to get his attention. Luckily, the leader noticed his gaze, and he returned it inquisitively. Raph glanced at the door, then back at Leo. Understanding, Leo nodded. The two oldest turtles silently got up and left the room.
No one asked why they left. Partly because nobody wanted to be the one to break the silence, partly because they already had a good idea of what the answer would be anyway.
With that in mind, J finished what was left of his toast and took his plate to sink. "I'm gonna take a shower," he said to those still in the kitchen, "if that's alright with everybody."
Michelangelo looked at Don, who nodded. "Sure, dude."
"Great." J forced a smile. "Haven't had a decent one in two weeks." Oh shoot ‒ I just said that out loud. He quickly made his way out before it sunk in, leaving three confused mutants behind.
*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*
Leo shut the door behind him as he entered his room with Raph.
The red-banded turtle wasted no time. "He ain't talkin', Leo."
Leo sighed, "I know."
"Kid didn't even beat around the bush when he woke up. Flat out said said he didn't want to talk about it."
"He'll open up in time. I'm sure of it." Leo didn't sound sure, and they both knew it.
Raph huffed, "Ya mean like you did?"
Leo winced. He knew all too well what Raph was talking about
The hothead kept digging. "Or Donnie? Or Mikey? Remember how long it took them?" He poked Leo in the plastron roughly.
The blue ninja grabbed his wrist and pushed it back, responding coldly, "Of course I remember ‒ I was there."
Raph pulled his hand out of Leo's grip. "And what makes ya think J's gonna be any different?" He started counting off on his fingers. "He still ain't used to the 'bro' thing. He's got so many secrets already that he's keeping from us ‒ we don't even know his name!"
"That's just to mess with Mik‒" Leo began.
Raph cut him off. "But he still don't tell the rest of us! And to top it off, while you, Mike, and Don all just had one day of hell, J had to go through TWO WHOLE WEEKS!"
"Raph, keep your voice down or he might hear," Leo warned.
The hothead bit his tongue. Shit.
Leo used this moment to think. If we don't want any repeats of the other times, we're going to have to take action soon. But if we press J too soon or too often, we run the risk of him shutting us out. "We need to time it just right," he finished out loud.
Raph nodded impatiently. "Well?"
Already, the leader was formulating a plan. "How's this? We give J five days to recuperate in peace. On each day, just one of us will keep him company, as if it's a normal day. If he doesn't open up to any of us individually, then we take action on the sixth day."
Raph nodded again, considering Leo's idea. "If ya ask me, six days is still too long."
"Do you have a better idea?"
Raph shrugged. "Guess not."
Leo opened the door and headed out. "Then let's tell the others."
*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*
Meanwhile, the others were trying to understand J's parting words.
"Uh…" Michelangelo began, "did anyone else notice that J didn't, you know, smell?"
Donatello nodded. "I didn't smell anything last night when I examined him."
"Or when you were cuddling him?" Mikey quipped with a sly smile. He was rewarded with a tired glare from the brainy turtle.
Any response he had, though, was cut off when Master Splinter spoke up, "Perhaps you are trying to think of the wrong odor."
His two youngest sons looked at him in confusion. "Huh?"
The old rat set his teacup down. "As you recall, I watched J while you for gathered your mattresses last night." Upon receiving nods, he continued, "Well, I noticed a lingering scent of disinfectant on him."
"Disinfectant?" Don repeated.
Mikey cocked an eye ridge. "What's so weird about that?" he asked. "Donnie examined him before that."
The genius shook his head. "That was just a small physical, Mikey. To make sure he could still move properly. I didn't need disinfectant. In fact…" Don paused as he thought about the previous night's events in the lab. "J asked me if I was going to use any. When I said no, I thought I heard him sigh in relief. It was really quiet, so I thought I just imagined it. But…" He furrowed his brow. "No, I'm sure of it. He was relieved that I wouldn't use it."
Mikey tilted his head. "Weird. I wonder why. Do you think it has something to do with…" He trailed off. "You know."
Splinter sighed sadly, his eared flattening against his head. "We can only hope that J will be willing to tell us soon."
Mere moments later, Leo and Raph returned to the kitchen.
"Where's J?" Raph asked upon noticing the room's severe lack of human presence.
Just then, they heard the sound of running water coming from down the hall.
"Shower," Donnie answered simply.
Leo sat down. "That's fine," he said. "Actually, it works in our favor. I have a plan for getting him to open up."
Donatello cocked an eye ridge skeptically. "A whole plan? Is that really necessary?"
Raphael deadpanned, "What do you think, brainiac?"
Understanding, Donnie looked at his coffee mug shamefully.
Splinter gave his second-youngest a sympathetic look before inquiring the oldest, "Leonardo, please tell us your plan."
And so Leo relayed his idea for helping J.
After he was finished, Mikey spoke, "You know, Leo, the girls are probably gonna want turns, too."
Silence loomed in the kitchen.
"Oh shell."
"The girls!" Don exclaimed in terror. "We forgot to tell the girls!"
"We are so dead," Leo moaned.
"Well, uh," Mikey stammered, "maybe we don't tell them?" His suggestion was rewarded with a smack to the back of the head, courtesy of Raphael. "Ow!"
"They're gonna find out eventually," the hothead pointed out. "Face it fellas, we ain't gettin' outta this one. We just need a plan to get out in one piece." He looked at Leo expectantly. "Well, Fearless?"
The leader shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Well," he began, "Cherry is the most easygoing, so I guess we could call and tell her, and then she would tell Des and call and tell Kellie."
Raph smirked. "Great." He tossed Leo's shell cell on the table and proceeded to exit the kitchen. "You do that."
Mikey quickly follow him, not wanting to be the unfortunate turtle to make the call.
Donnie rose and slowly backed away with coffee mug in hand. Before Leo could get a word in, he pointed out, "You're the most logical candidate for this, Leo. Cherry likes you." After that, he, too, fled the scene.
"Donnie!" the blue-banded turtle yelled in disbelief. He looked around for Master Splinter in the hopes that he could pass the duty on to him.
Unfortunately for Leo, the wise rat was nowhere to be found; he had left the as soon as the girls were mentioned. Very wise, indeed.
The leader sighed, "Shell."
With as much dignity as he could muster, he accepted his fate and dialed the number.
"Hello? Leo?"
Leo couldn't help but wince when Cherry answered.
"Hi, Cherry," he said, trying not to sound nervous. "Good news: we found J."
"WHAT? Really?" she squealed, "Where is he? Where are you? Do y'all want me to call Kellie so we can help save him?"
Leo interrupted her slew of questions. "That's the thing, Cherry. We actually already saved him."
"Oh," Cherry replied, slightly disappointed.
This surprised Leo. She's taking this better than expected. Unless, of course, she's thinking that we only just rescued him now. Leo blinked in realization.
"Well, I guess that's okay‒"
Shell. "Cherry, wait. I'm not sure you're understanding me." It took all his strength not to hang up and run. "It was last night. We freed him last night. He's been here, safe, at the lair for more than twelve hours." The forest green turtle braced himself for her response.
When she didn't respond right away, he grew worried.
"Cherry?"
"Why didn't y'all call us?" Cherry was clearly hurt. "J is our brother, too, ya know! We were worried!"
"Cherry, I‒"
She cut him off sternly, "No. I'm calling Kellie and we're coming over right now. Ya'll can explain yourselves then."
Before Leo could respond, Cherry hung up.
So now I've introduced Cherry. Sure she's still virtually "off-screen" for now, but hey, she still got in. That's enough of a victory as anything else.
Also, I have a question. I mentioned in the previous chapter's author's note that this story is en media res. Should I put this story on hold and start my whole self-insert series from the beginning, and then work my way back up to here, so I can introduce all the important elements? Or do you want me to keep going with To Be Home?