Merry Christmas (uh belated) and Happy New Year! I hope that everyone has had a wonderful Christmas holiday. Other than a wicked winter storm and a power outage that lasted several days (for some people over a week), our Christmas was great. My hubby was able to go back to work (light duty)...he had me scared though...when he slipped on some ice and his knee swelled up. But he bounced right back.

I hope that everyone is still with me on this. Sorry for such a long wait. Just a warning...one naughty word. Heh, Raph. Potty-mouth. :)

I own a couple of extra pounds (heh, holiday eatin') but sadly, no turtles. :(

Chapter 17: Hope

Raph's feet felt like lead as he made the short trip across the street into the parking lot. He couldn't even think of how he was going to tell his father. His mind was spinning.

When he, Mikey and Casey arrived at the van, Splinter met them at the back door.

Splinter's eyes clouded over when he saw just three return. Raph handed him the vase and stood with his eyes lowered to the ground.

"M'sorry, Sensei," he barely managed to keep the tremble out of his voice.

"Leonardo." Splinter's voice was barely a whisper.

April choked back a sob and buried her face into Casey's chest. He tightly wound his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

April broke the hug and turned to Michelangelo. She gently cupped his face. "I-I'm so sorry, Mikey."

Mikey clung tight to his friend and quietly grieved on her shoulder.

"I'm gonna check on Donny," Raph said softly.

Splinter didn't responded for a moment. He finally looked his hot tempered son in the eyes. He nodded…a single tear tracked a wet stain in his fur.

Raph climbed into the back of the van. He knelt beside of his brother and gently rubbed his hand across his forehead.

"I'm sorry, bro," he whispered. He could feel his throat tighten and his shoulders shook slightly as he let the tears stream down his face.

Elyse had followed the three shadows as far as she could. She knelt down and watched them go to a van in the delivery service's parking lot. From her hiding place she could see two more turtles and a dark haired man. When they arrived at the van the back door opened and Elyse couldn't help but gasp. A large rat stepped out of the vehicle. The turtle in red handed the vase to the rat.

Then a red haired woman stepped out of the van and the dark haired man wrapped her into a hug. She could see the woman's shoulders shake and could faintly hear her sobs.

The lady then turned to the turtle in orange and whispered something to him. The turtle seemed to fall apart right there. He collapsed in the woman's arms and let her comfort him.

Elyse felt a wave of guilt wash over her. She shouldn't be watching this…this family was grieving and she was intruding.

She shook her head. "No," she thought. "The other turtle isn't dead."

She knew what she had to do. It was the right thing to do.

When she stepped out of her hiding place and quickly walked across the parking lot she tried to think of what she would say. How would she convince them to believe her? Several times she thought about forgetting the whole thing and just running away. But her feet continued in the direction of the van, even though her heart threatened to beat out of her chest and run the other way.

When she approached the van, four set of eyes were on her in an instant. They stared at her in disbelief. The man and orange clad turtle stepped in front of the woman. Elyse swallowed thickly and fought the urge to faint.

"I-I'm sorry," she started. Her voice didn't sound like her own. She cleared her throat. "There is-is something you should know."

The old rat's eyes narrowed. "What should we know?"

Elyse felt her legs buckle when the rat addressed her. She took several deep breaths and continued. "The other turtle…he's not dead."

"What!" Several voices shouted at once.

The rat held his hand up and they all grew silent.

"The one in blue," Elyse said softly.

"Run, run, run.." ran through her mind.

"What do you know about my son?"

"Son…"

"He-he's not dead." Elyse repeated.

She drew in a sharp breath when the red banded turtle appeared in the doorway of the van. His eyes were narrowed and she could see his muscles tense. Just behind him, Elyse saw another figure wrapped in a blanket. She knew it was the other turtle, the one that wore purple. Someone had already took care of some of his injuries.

"Why are you doing this?" he growled. "Can't you people just leave us alone?"

Elyse opened then closed her mouth repeatedly, like a fish out of water. Finally she found her voice. "He's not dead."

The pain was so thick in the air, she could almost touch it. She took several more deep breaths.

Breath in anger and frustration.

Breath out sorrow. She could taste it…hot and bitter on her tongue.

"You callin' my brotha a liar?" Raph stepped forward.

Elyse's breath caught in her throat when the turtle's hands twitched to the weapons on his belt.

Splinter held his hand up and caught Raph on the plastron, stopping him. "Raphael," Splinter warned.

Elyse's legs shook under her, she wished she could just melt through the pavement and disappear. The only thing that was stopping this enraged creature from running through her with the pointed weapons in his belt was a frail hand.

"Donny was there," Raph snarled. "He saw what happened."

"I-I know," Elyse stuttered. She was surprised that she could push her voice past the lump that was growing in her throat. "I was there too."

It felt like the whole group shifted toward her. She took a few steps back. She seemed to be making things worse.

"Then I suggest that you bebop your happy ass back ova' there," Raph's voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "And leave us alone."

Elyse could feel each bead of sweat that popped up on her upper lip and the ones that slid down her back. If she just ran...turned and ran, she felt that she wouldn't get far. The rat's hand wouldn't stop him...

"Raphael," Splinter said again. "Enough."

The rat looked down at the urn that he cradled in his arm and then back to Elyse.

"My son has told us that his brother was killed by Starcher," Splinter said. "What do you know that he doesn't?"

Elyse swallowed hard. She had to convince them, the other turtle's time was running out.

"He d-did die," Elyse continued. "But he was brought back...after the other, uh, his brother was taken away."

"Brought back?" Amber eyes flashed with anger.

"Revived...he's alive." Nervous hands reached to wipe the sweat away. "There isn't much time. Karai plans to move him, uh, take him to Starcher's boss."

"Saki," Raph hissed.

Elyse nodded.

"Why should we believe you?" Raph crossed his arms over his chest.

Elyse shifted nervously. She looked over her shoulder and then back. "Look in the urn." She pointed to the black vase that Splinter carried. "There is some sort of tracking device in it. She-she said she wanted all of her father's enemies."

All eyes turned to Splinter and the urn. April stepped up to Splinter. "May I take a look?"

"No!" Mikey reached for April's arm. "You-you can't, April. Don't open it." Tears streamed down his face.

"Please."

"It's Ok, Mikey," Raph whispered as he wrapped him in a half hug. "Let 'er look."

His eyes snapped to Elyse. "You betta' be right."

Elyse felt a shiver go up her spine. She nodded.

April carefully removed the lid. She winced when she heard a strangled sob come from Mikey. She inspected the inside of the vase and then the lid.

"I don't know what is in here, but it's not ashes." She held the lid up to reveal a blinking red light. "And here is the tracker."

Raph looked at Elyse, expecting to see a I-told-you-so-grin on her face. But she just stared at the lid with her hand over her mouth.

"When are they goin' ta move him?" Raph's voice shook her out of her trance.

"I'm not sure...when he's, uh, when he is stable."

"Where is he now?"

"He was in the labs...uh, room twenty. If they haven't moved him."

Raph nodded. He took the lid from April and walked toward a storm drain.

"What are doin', Raph?" Casey called after his friend.

"They are waitin' for us ta leave," Raph said as he dropped the tracking device into the water below. "Let's give em' somethin' ta follow."

Raph motioned for everyone to get back into the van. "You too, lady."

"What?" Elyse started to back away.

"You want us ta trust you...you've got ta trust us." Raph held the door open.

Elyse hesistated but then slowly crawled into the back of the crowded van. She crouched down by the injured turtle. His eyes were closed tightly and she could hear his labored breathing. The red headed woman, April, started tending to his injuries again.

Raph and Casey stood by the back windows.

"What are ya lookin' for, Raph?" Casey asked as he glared out the window with his friend.

"Just watch." Raph nodded toward the foot tower.

Jeff had joined Karai in her office. It was a spacious room decorated with Japanese art and weapons. He sat nervously in the leather arm chair across from her desk while she talked to someone on the phone.

A knock on the door made him jump slightly. Karai gave him an annoyed look and called for the person to enter. She ended her call.

A foot soldier stepped in and bowed.

"Yes?" she said as she returned the phone to the cradle.

The soldier glanced at Jeff and then started to speak in Japanese.

Jeff stared wide eyed as the two conversed in their native tongue.

The soldier bowed and quickly left the room.

"They are on the move," Karai said as a wicked smile spread across her face.

She stood and walked toward the door. "I will accompany my soldiers. I want to be there when they are brought down."

Jeff scrambled to his feet and quickly opened the door for her.

"I want you to prepare the other turtle to be moved. I want him brought to my father within the hour."

"Yes, Mistress," Jeff replied. He silently hoped that the turtle was stable enough to be moved. But he had a feeling that it didn't matter to Karai.

Another soldier joined them as they walked down the hall toward the elevator. "Is my car ready?"

"Hai, Mistress Karai," the soldier answered.

The elevator door opened and Karai stepped in. "My soldiers will move the turtle when you get him ready. Remember, Mr. Hale...within the hour."

Jeff swallowed thickly and nodded.

"Do not fail me, Mr. Hale," she hissed as the doors slid closed.

Raph tapped Casey on the arm and pointed to the street. Several black vans and a black sedan raced down the street in the direction that Raph sent the tracker.

"There they go," he whispered. He turned to his friend. "You ready ta go back in?"

Casey smiled. "Lead the way, buddy."

They quickly stepped back out of the vehicle. April gave Casey a kiss and went back to tend to Don.

"Please be careful," Splinter told his sons and Casey.

"Don't worry, Masta' Splinter." Raph bowed his head to his father. "I will bring 'im back this time."

He turned to Elyse. "You comin'?"

She shook her head. "No-no...I can't go back in there. I told you where he was...that he was alive. I done the right thing."

Raph narrowed his eyes. "Well, I hope ya can sleep betta' at night."

He turned and walked across the parking lot.

Elyse couldn't hold back a sob and she removed her glasses to wipe the tears from her eyes.

Splinter sighed. "He is worried about his brother." He wasn't looking at Elyse, but she knew that he was talking to her. His gaze followed the three shadows back across the parking lot and into the street.

He finally looked at her. "Thank you for your help."

"I-I'm sorry," she sobbed. "I hope that they are able to get the other turtle out."

"Leonardo," Splinter said softly.

"Huh?"

"His name is Leonardo."

She nodded and wiped her eyes again. She removed a pen and notepad from her pocket and scribbled something on a piece of paper.

"I am leaving town," she said as she handed Splinter the paper. "This is my cell number. Could you call and tell me if they are Ok? Just-just leave a voice-mail or-or something. Please?"

Splinter took the paper and tucked into his robe. "I will," he said. "Have a safe journey, Miss."

"Elyse." She held her hand out and Splinter shook it. "Elyse Bowen."

He nodded. "Miss Bowen."