Vacation: Day one- Don/Leo
Chapter 9 of You Get Used To It
By: Krissy Hughes
I'M BACK! grins
Enjoy!
"Well, man, everyone's gone," Leo looked over at Don, "and they will be for a while. This is routine. So how about we get out of here to go have some fun?"
"Sounds fine with me, lets go," Don agreed. "What are we going to do?"
Leo walked over to a closet near the rear of the house and pulled out a large duffle bag. "Come on," he grinned and scribbled a quick note to Raph and Mikey letting them know where the boys would be and inviting them to join.
Don smiled back excitedly. It's nice to get away and have some fun sometimes, he decided. He was beginning to become fond of his new friends and instructors but getting to know them on a personal, and normal, basis would really bring them closer. Bonding experiences are important in this profession, thought Don.
The boys walked on the path next to each other and followed it around to the baseball diamonds nearby. They got there and Leo pulled two baseball mitts and one baseball out of the bag he had been carrying. The sack also contained bats, bases, and enough extra mitts and balls for a good game of baseball.
Both Don and Leo took a mitt and walked a good distance away from each other so they could lazily pass the ball back and forth as the sun shone down on their bodies, keeping them comfortably warm.
"So where did Mikey and Raph go?" Don questioned hesitantly. They were close enough to each other that they could easily carry out a conversation while keeping the ball in swift motion.
"It's not something we talk about much. If either of them knew that I knew where they went to they wouldn't be happy with me," he sighed quietly. "Mikey goes down to the docks and puts her toes in the water and cries. She comes back later of course looking refreshed and spends the week more excited than ever. I think her life moves so quickly and so much of it is bad that as soon as she gets a still moment to think about everything in her life all she can do is cry," he laughed bitterly, "and cry she does. I thought maybe this time she would be happier and I thought that she would stay here with me. But as you can tell she left again. I guess I shouldn't be hurt but, oh why am I bothering you with this?"
"I don't mind," Don offered.
Leo shook his head in return to the gesture, "Anyway, Raph goes into town and he goes to the mall. Then he just sits and waits for hours on the same couch in the furniture section of one of the stores they have there. The same damn couch every time. I have no idea why he's there. He just sits and looks around at all the people as if he's waiting for something. He studies the face of each person that goes by but it's as if he never finds in them what he's looking for. He always leaves so disappointed."
"That's so sad," Don sighed and Leo nodded in agreement.
There was a calm silence following as the ball continued its path from mitt to mitt. Each of them focused on the motion of the ball from Leo's hand to Don's mitt and then Don's hand to Leo's mitt in perfect rhythm.
"You know, ever since I was little I had one dream. I wanted to play baseball. Even when I was a kid I was damn good at it. It was all I ever wanted to do with my life. I know deep down I had the talent and the determination to go somewhere with it. Play in high school, college, even pro; I could have done it all. Damn it, I gave it up, and what for? This! I gave up my dream for hunting down some insane man who completely ruined my life. Then I ruined my little brother's life so that he's left forever searching for that person he left behind who may never find him, because that's what he gave up. I was lucky enough that the one person who I would consider searching for followed me. Trust me, I love Mikey more than anything in the entire world, even baseball, but look what she gave up. I ruined her life too, and now she's left to cry utterly alone because she gave up her childhood the most precious thing a person is given," Leo berated himself out loud.
"Leo, they followed you because they wanted to," Don scolded, "you tried to protect them from this life but they wanted it. They wanted to be involved to help protect you. I know for a fact that all of you, given the opportunity, would not change your decisions in life. Without the decisions that you have all made you wouldn't be so close, you and Mikey wouldn't have each other anymore and you wouldn't have Devon, and Raph would still be living in fear of your father. Live changes because that's what it's supposed to do." He paused for a second, "I gave up my dream of studying genetics and mutations in my own laboratory. It always fascinated me. I wanted my own lab somewhere so that I could make discoveries on how to stop genetic malfunctions and mutations. All I ever dreamed of for my future were those test tubes and experiments to come. You know what, Leo, hell yes I gave that up for three near strangers and not once have I regretted it. This is my life now; it's what I've been given. Without sacrifice one can never grow. It's not your fault that three other people have made decisions it's just something you're going to have to come to terms with. Without us you'd have nothing and without you we'd all be lost."
They fell into another extended silence until Leo sheepishly sighed, "I'm sorry. I've always felt responsible for all of you. I felt I should be the caregiver of the group and that I was accountable for all of your pain. I guess you are all capable of making your own decisions, after all."
"Your input is helpful in any decision we make, even though you can be stubborn as hell sometimes," Don chuckled.
Raph laughed in return, "well, what can I say, I like me."
"Hey boys!" they heard a female voice call excitedly from a distance.
Both heads turned in the direction immediately and they were greeted with the vision of two girls jogging in their direction. The taller brunette ran and leapt into Leo's arms. "Hi, baby," she whispered. Leo smiled unrestrained at the greeting and put Mikey back on her feet. 'She wasn't crying today,' he thought, 'not anymore.'
He then turned his attention to the slightly shorter blonde standing next to her. "Oh my god, is that you Jacks?"
"Sure is," she smiled, "all grown up."
"I'd say so," he agreed and pulled her into a hug. "I've missed you, squishy."
"Likewise, shark bait," they both smiled at the childish nicknames.
Raph patted Don on the back, "this is Don, the newbie."
"Nice to meet you," Jacks smiled.
"Of course," he agreed.
"You know," Leo grinned, "We've got enough people now to play some pickle. You women can run, here are the lines," he drew imaginary boundaries by his feet and by Don's feet that the women had to cross to be considered "safe." Both acted as if they were offended to have their positions chosen for them but obediently took their place behind the "line" beside Leo. The game began with the girls sprinting back and forth as Leo and Don tried to tag them out.
Both girls collapsed on the ground exhausted from the exercising they had been doing. Mikey sat up with her knees pulled up to her chest after she caught her breath. Leo stooped down in front of her and gave her a quick kiss on the lips and smiled. "Give me some fin," he held his hand prepared for a low-five which Mikey gave to him. "Noggin," she smiled as he held her head in his hands and lightly tapped their foreheads together. "Dude," they both said in unison and giggled.
"I'm glad everyone waited for us to start the games," everyone turned to Raph at the mention of 'us.'
'He found her,' Leo thought, 'finally she came back.'
"Becca," Leo smiled, "It's good to see you again." He stood and hugged her and she hugged back.
"Oh my gosh, Becca! It is you!" Mikey jumped up excitedly and hugged her.
Leo gave his brother a pat on the back, "she's what you've been waiting for all this time, huh?"
Raph nodded and smiled, "yes, definitely so."
"Good, she's worth it," Leo turned away and began, in a louder voice, to introduce everyone who didn't already know each other.
"...And I won't take no for an answer, Becca and Jacks, you'll be staying with us. We've got plenty of room," Leo concluded.
This was the happiest of times for them. Everyone smiled and began small game of baseball where everyone played multiple positions due to their lack of players. Everything was finally content for them. Coming into the turtles everyone had to sacrifice a little something and now, years later in this secluded place and time, they had all circled back to retrieve what they had left behind. In a week they would all have to return to the present in their own broken home but hopefully they could bring back with them what they had recently rediscovered. That was the last thing on their mind right now, though. Right now, all that they were concerned with was making the best of this little gift of time that had been given to them.
You like? Tell me about it.
Chapter 9 of You Get Used To It
By: Krissy Hughes
I'M BACK! grins
Enjoy!
"Well, man, everyone's gone," Leo looked over at Don, "and they will be for a while. This is routine. So how about we get out of here to go have some fun?"
"Sounds fine with me, lets go," Don agreed. "What are we going to do?"
Leo walked over to a closet near the rear of the house and pulled out a large duffle bag. "Come on," he grinned and scribbled a quick note to Raph and Mikey letting them know where the boys would be and inviting them to join.
Don smiled back excitedly. It's nice to get away and have some fun sometimes, he decided. He was beginning to become fond of his new friends and instructors but getting to know them on a personal, and normal, basis would really bring them closer. Bonding experiences are important in this profession, thought Don.
The boys walked on the path next to each other and followed it around to the baseball diamonds nearby. They got there and Leo pulled two baseball mitts and one baseball out of the bag he had been carrying. The sack also contained bats, bases, and enough extra mitts and balls for a good game of baseball.
Both Don and Leo took a mitt and walked a good distance away from each other so they could lazily pass the ball back and forth as the sun shone down on their bodies, keeping them comfortably warm.
"So where did Mikey and Raph go?" Don questioned hesitantly. They were close enough to each other that they could easily carry out a conversation while keeping the ball in swift motion.
"It's not something we talk about much. If either of them knew that I knew where they went to they wouldn't be happy with me," he sighed quietly. "Mikey goes down to the docks and puts her toes in the water and cries. She comes back later of course looking refreshed and spends the week more excited than ever. I think her life moves so quickly and so much of it is bad that as soon as she gets a still moment to think about everything in her life all she can do is cry," he laughed bitterly, "and cry she does. I thought maybe this time she would be happier and I thought that she would stay here with me. But as you can tell she left again. I guess I shouldn't be hurt but, oh why am I bothering you with this?"
"I don't mind," Don offered.
Leo shook his head in return to the gesture, "Anyway, Raph goes into town and he goes to the mall. Then he just sits and waits for hours on the same couch in the furniture section of one of the stores they have there. The same damn couch every time. I have no idea why he's there. He just sits and looks around at all the people as if he's waiting for something. He studies the face of each person that goes by but it's as if he never finds in them what he's looking for. He always leaves so disappointed."
"That's so sad," Don sighed and Leo nodded in agreement.
There was a calm silence following as the ball continued its path from mitt to mitt. Each of them focused on the motion of the ball from Leo's hand to Don's mitt and then Don's hand to Leo's mitt in perfect rhythm.
"You know, ever since I was little I had one dream. I wanted to play baseball. Even when I was a kid I was damn good at it. It was all I ever wanted to do with my life. I know deep down I had the talent and the determination to go somewhere with it. Play in high school, college, even pro; I could have done it all. Damn it, I gave it up, and what for? This! I gave up my dream for hunting down some insane man who completely ruined my life. Then I ruined my little brother's life so that he's left forever searching for that person he left behind who may never find him, because that's what he gave up. I was lucky enough that the one person who I would consider searching for followed me. Trust me, I love Mikey more than anything in the entire world, even baseball, but look what she gave up. I ruined her life too, and now she's left to cry utterly alone because she gave up her childhood the most precious thing a person is given," Leo berated himself out loud.
"Leo, they followed you because they wanted to," Don scolded, "you tried to protect them from this life but they wanted it. They wanted to be involved to help protect you. I know for a fact that all of you, given the opportunity, would not change your decisions in life. Without the decisions that you have all made you wouldn't be so close, you and Mikey wouldn't have each other anymore and you wouldn't have Devon, and Raph would still be living in fear of your father. Live changes because that's what it's supposed to do." He paused for a second, "I gave up my dream of studying genetics and mutations in my own laboratory. It always fascinated me. I wanted my own lab somewhere so that I could make discoveries on how to stop genetic malfunctions and mutations. All I ever dreamed of for my future were those test tubes and experiments to come. You know what, Leo, hell yes I gave that up for three near strangers and not once have I regretted it. This is my life now; it's what I've been given. Without sacrifice one can never grow. It's not your fault that three other people have made decisions it's just something you're going to have to come to terms with. Without us you'd have nothing and without you we'd all be lost."
They fell into another extended silence until Leo sheepishly sighed, "I'm sorry. I've always felt responsible for all of you. I felt I should be the caregiver of the group and that I was accountable for all of your pain. I guess you are all capable of making your own decisions, after all."
"Your input is helpful in any decision we make, even though you can be stubborn as hell sometimes," Don chuckled.
Raph laughed in return, "well, what can I say, I like me."
"Hey boys!" they heard a female voice call excitedly from a distance.
Both heads turned in the direction immediately and they were greeted with the vision of two girls jogging in their direction. The taller brunette ran and leapt into Leo's arms. "Hi, baby," she whispered. Leo smiled unrestrained at the greeting and put Mikey back on her feet. 'She wasn't crying today,' he thought, 'not anymore.'
He then turned his attention to the slightly shorter blonde standing next to her. "Oh my god, is that you Jacks?"
"Sure is," she smiled, "all grown up."
"I'd say so," he agreed and pulled her into a hug. "I've missed you, squishy."
"Likewise, shark bait," they both smiled at the childish nicknames.
Raph patted Don on the back, "this is Don, the newbie."
"Nice to meet you," Jacks smiled.
"Of course," he agreed.
"You know," Leo grinned, "We've got enough people now to play some pickle. You women can run, here are the lines," he drew imaginary boundaries by his feet and by Don's feet that the women had to cross to be considered "safe." Both acted as if they were offended to have their positions chosen for them but obediently took their place behind the "line" beside Leo. The game began with the girls sprinting back and forth as Leo and Don tried to tag them out.
Both girls collapsed on the ground exhausted from the exercising they had been doing. Mikey sat up with her knees pulled up to her chest after she caught her breath. Leo stooped down in front of her and gave her a quick kiss on the lips and smiled. "Give me some fin," he held his hand prepared for a low-five which Mikey gave to him. "Noggin," she smiled as he held her head in his hands and lightly tapped their foreheads together. "Dude," they both said in unison and giggled.
"I'm glad everyone waited for us to start the games," everyone turned to Raph at the mention of 'us.'
'He found her,' Leo thought, 'finally she came back.'
"Becca," Leo smiled, "It's good to see you again." He stood and hugged her and she hugged back.
"Oh my gosh, Becca! It is you!" Mikey jumped up excitedly and hugged her.
Leo gave his brother a pat on the back, "she's what you've been waiting for all this time, huh?"
Raph nodded and smiled, "yes, definitely so."
"Good, she's worth it," Leo turned away and began, in a louder voice, to introduce everyone who didn't already know each other.
"...And I won't take no for an answer, Becca and Jacks, you'll be staying with us. We've got plenty of room," Leo concluded.
This was the happiest of times for them. Everyone smiled and began small game of baseball where everyone played multiple positions due to their lack of players. Everything was finally content for them. Coming into the turtles everyone had to sacrifice a little something and now, years later in this secluded place and time, they had all circled back to retrieve what they had left behind. In a week they would all have to return to the present in their own broken home but hopefully they could bring back with them what they had recently rediscovered. That was the last thing on their mind right now, though. Right now, all that they were concerned with was making the best of this little gift of time that had been given to them.
You like? Tell me about it.