Note: Some of you may wish to read 'A Christmas Surprise' first otherwise you might not understand some parts in this chapter.
Also I don't own the song in this chapter
Chapter Fourteen
Happy Holidays
The following day Mona was given the okay to leave the sickbay, she still felt pain in her side when she walked so James suggested she used a cane to get around until it fully healed.
Mona didn't mind too much, in fact she joked with Splinter about it and compared canes.
When she was approached by the Chicago Knights and any of the residents of Mutopia, she merely told them that she needed to get some air and they all acted the same way as the others, that they were glad she was safe and alive.
Yet Mona felt she needed to explain herself fully to Tyroth's parents and apologise for her behaviour.
She soon found them sitting on a bench by the canal, there was a while to go before the Christmas Eve party was to begin so she believed she had time.
Mona hobbled over to Richard and Erica as they sat there talking, and the two humans looked up at her.
"Ah Monalisa!" said Richard with a smile "You're out of the sickbay!"
"I am yes." said Mona with a smile "Yet my wound hasn't completely healed and I need the cane for support, but I'll be alright!"
"I'm so glad you're okay!" said Erica standing up and gently hugging Mona "We were all so worried about you! Especially when Ray...I mean Tyroth found you in that nook and almost frozen to death!"
"Your son is a real hero." smiled Mona "He has saved my life many times, and you should be so proud of him!"
"And indeed we are my dear!" said Richard.
Mona nodded with a smile then looked serious.
"Mr and Mrs Ottosen." she said "I feel that I need to apologise for my behaviour since you arrived, and also to explain why I behaved the way I did."
"Mona?" Erica started.
"You don't need to..." Richard spoke but Mona held up her hand to stop him.
"No...I must." she said, she looked around making sure there was no-one else around. Luckily there wasn't as the others were making sure the main hall was set up and ready for the party later and many of the other residents had gone to their rooms for last minute preparations.
"Okay." She said sitting down on the bench with Erica and Richard "I...I don't know if you know about me...but I used to be a girl known as Monalisa Freeman."
Erica and Richard narrowed their eyes slightly as they thought for a moment.
"I went missing in New York over four years ago." Mona explained "No-one knew what happened to me."
Richard's eyes widened slightly as he began to remember.
"I think I remember the news speaking of a missing woman in New York!" he said "And the police gave up the search after a year and a half."
Erica looked at Mona in shock.
Mona nodded then took a breath.
"What happened to me..." she said "Was horrible...I was attacked and brutalised by the Purple Dragons and they rubbed reptile poison on my face, they beat me so badly I almost died, and they threw me in the sewers to dispose of any evidence, and it was in the sewers I was mutated by toxic waste."
Tears brimmed in Erica's eyes as she listened.
"Oh my God...Mona!" she stammered.
"Then for two years, I lived alone and homeless in New York." said Mona "I slept in an abandoned house, I stole food and clothes to survive as well as fight the Purple Dragons in revenge for what they did to me..."
The Lizard Lady took a breath.
"And I spent two Christmases alone..." she ended "Until the turtles and Master Splinter found me and took me in."
Richard was quiet for a moment and Erica had tears in her eyes.
"I never talk about it because it huts too much." said Mona "But I wanted you to know...and the fact I was jealous that Tyroth, Amber and you are reunited, and I still miss my parents and brothers."
"Mona." said Richard "We had no idea...we're so sorry."
"It's okay." said Mona "You didn't know."
Erica placed a hand on Mona's shoulder.
"You don't need to explain your behaviour." she said "The important thing is you're okay, and who knows, you might be as lucky as us, maybe something will make you reunite with your family, but even if it doesn't, you had such a wonder life then, and you have a wonderful life now!"
Mona gave a small smile.
"That's true!" she said "But I am grateful you were reunited with your son after so long."
"Thanks Mona." said Richard "Now, why don't we think about getting ready for the Christmas Eve party? It's not long now!"
"Sure thing!" said Mona "Thanks for letting me talk to you!"
"Anytime!" said Richard, and Erica smiled warmly at the Lizard Lady.
That evening, it was time for the Christmas Eve party.
Donatello was spinning the decks with Cam and Barry.
Louie was behind a line of tables with a couple of other Mutopians serving all kinds of food and confectioneries that he had whipped up.
Many of the other residents were dancing, drinking or enjoying the food as Louie served them.
Mona stood by a drinks table with Sephie and Amber as she watched the turtles dance in the middle of the floor with some of the Chicago Knights.
"I'm so glad you were well enough to join us for the party!" said Amber with a smile "If you had died in the snow that night, we wouldn't be celebrating Christmas here now!"
"I'm glad I made it!" said Mona "Thanks to your brother!"
Sephie sipped her drink and looked towards James who even though he was enjoying himself he kept glancing in Mona's direction, obviously still wanting to keep an eye on her.
Sephie then looked towards Tyroth who was standing with his parents watching the dancing.
"You are a true hero my love." she thought "How you saved Mona, I'm so proud of you!"
As the party continued Donatello started to play some cheesy Christmas Songs.
One of them was 'Rocking around the Christmas Tree' to which the Chicago Knights began to form a Conga line around the large Christmas Tree making everyone laugh, then came 'Wonderful Christmas Time' to which Percy began to dance in a funny way to the music wearing a Santa hat on his head.
Then Donatello decided to leave the DJ work to Cam and Barry before leaving the room with Michaelangelo.
Mona wondered what they were up to, but she soon found out and everyone almost collapsed in laughter as they saw Donatello and Michaelangelo dressed up as the Ugly Sisters tottering in.
"La la la, le la la!" The two turtles sang as they tottered in "Hello lovlies! Hello!"
Mona laughed hard as she watched.
"What are those two up to?" she asked Sephie who shrugged whilst chortling.
Tyroth shook his head at Donatello and Michaelangelo then turned to his parents.
"You should have seen the pantomime we put on last year for Mutopia!" he said "We did Cinderella and those two got the short straw!"
Erica and Richard laughed as they saw the younger turtles get into character and start talking in high voices.
Cam then picked up the microphone and spoke into it.
"Evening folks! Hope you're all having a good time! We are proud to announce a little show from our favourite Ugly Sisters from last years Pantomime!"
Everyone cheered and laughed as Donatello and Michaelangelo curtsied then began to get into position to sing a song.
At once Barry played the record 'I'm sexy and I know it' to which everyone burst out laughing again then clapped as Donatello and Michaelangelo began to dance in their poofy dresses.
"Oh man!" said Mona "I remember getting Donatello and Michaelangelo into character by making them dance and listen to that song!"
"I remember!" said Sephie as she clapped along with the song "They started to enjoy themselves in the roles after that!"
As the song ended everyone gave Michaelangelo and Donatello a huge round of applause as well as a few laughs to which the two turtles curtsied and Sonia ran up to them both excited and the two turtles scooped her up and Leonardo took some pictures.
After a while of some dance and Christmas songs, Cam and Barry decided to turn it down a notch.
"Well that was fun guys!" said Barry
"But now I think it's time to slow it down a bit and get swaying!" said Cam "As well as relax a little!"
He then played a slow track to which Sonia recognised as the ending song from one of her Christmas films 'The Polar Express'
As the intro music started, Tyroth took Sephie to the dance floor, followed by a couple of other residents.
Donatello, along with Michaelangelo had gotten out of their dresses earlier, walked over to Amber and asked her to dance to which she agreed.
Leonardo decided to have a break and walked over to stand with Splinter and George.
Kate blushed and gathered up her courage to go over to Michaelangelo.
"Mikey?" she asked "Please dance with me?"
Michaelangelo blushed a little too.
"Uh sure!" he said with a smile holding out his hands for her and the viper held his hands and they began to sway in time to the music.
Children sleeping, snow is softly falling
Dreams are calling like bells in the distance
We were dreamers not so long ago
But one by one we all had to grow up
When it seems the magic's slipped away
We find it all again on Christmas day
Raphael walked over to Mona and held out his hand to her.
"May I have this dance?" he asked.
"Of course!" said Mona with a smile, she stepped towards him with her cane, but Raphael told her to leave it.
"I'll hold you up babe." he said with a smile to which he gently pulled her close to him and they began to glide over the dance-floor.
Believe in what your heart is saying
Hear the melody that's playing
There's no time to waste
There's so much to celebrate
Believe in what you feel inside
And give your dreams the wings to fly
You have everything you need
If you just believe
As Mona held Raphael close, she felt tears in her eyes as she realised just how close she was to never seeing him again had she had frozen to death alone in that nook in Chicago.
She saw all the other Mutopians and the turtles and Splinter and how she nearly left them heartbroken at Christmas. She never felt more grateful to be alive.
She felt Raphael stroke her hair and kiss her forehead lovingly.
"I love you so much Mona." he said.
"I love you too..." said Mona.
Trains move quickly to their journey's end
Destinations are where we begin again
Ships go sailing far across the sea
Trusting starlight to get where they need to be
When it seems that we have lost our way
We find ourselves again on Christmas day
Listening to the last verse, Mona felt a connection. Indeed she had lost her way, lost her way in her anger and jealousy towards Tyroth, then lost her way in Chicago, then almost lost her life, but luckily, she had been found again and everything was alright again.
She hugged Raphael again then thought of her grandmother's spirit who came to her when she lay injured in the snow.
"Thank you so much for coming back." she thought "I miss you and the rest of the family so much, but you're never far from my thoughts, I wish I could see you for Christmas, and comfort you when you remember me sadly, but I promise you, I am alright, and I think about you every minute! Thank you so much for your help...I love you."
Believe in what your heart is saying
Hear the melody that's playing
There's no time to waste
There's so much to celebrate
Believe in what you feel inside
And give your dreams the wings to fly
You have everything you need
If you just believe
If you just believe
If you just believe
If you just believe
Just believe
As the song started to fade out, she opened her eyes as she rested on Raphael's chest as the other mutants.
Amber and Donatello were still dancing and giggling. Sephie and Tyroth were still holding each other close and swaying like her and Raphael.
She then looked over to Kate and Michaelangelo who were moving quite close to where there was some mistletoe hanging up.
Mona smiled as she watched, then Kate looked up at the mistletoe and blushed to which Michelangelo grinned then gave her a kiss on the cheek making her blush again. Kate then returned the favour.
Mona did look around for Percy in case he began to tease the couple, but the grasshopper was sitting with Sharky by the snacks and wasn't paying attention although Mona did wonder if Tyroth warned him to not play pranks during the party.
Chuckling, Mona looked up at Raphael and kissed him tenderly on the lips.
"Merry Christmas hun." she said "I'm glad I'm here and with all of you!"
"Merry Christmas babe." smiled Raphael "I'm glad too!" he then glanced at Tyroth and Sephie who had walked back to join Richard and Erica.
"And thank you Tyroth," he thought "Thank you for saving Mona...I owe you a lot!" he kissed Mona again then they began to walk back with the others to enjoy the rest of their Christmas in Mutopia.
Awww! Hope you enjoyed that chapter! Some heartfelt, funny and tender moments!
I wanted to add a bit of silliness with the younger Turtles dressing up as the Ugly Sisters from the pantomime they did last year in 'A Christmas Surprise'!
And I've finally finished this fic! Yay! And just in time for Christmas! Just a week to go now! uh oh!
I hope you enjoyed the fic! I now got to try and finish 'All Hallow's Threat' now and I hope to get something else before Christmas if all goes well!
See you later!
xxxxxx