Chapter 17

Two days after coming back from Alaska, I was walking down the street heading towards April's apartment. It had taken a little begging for Splinter to let me head out after I had disobeyed him before. I was happy about being let out for a while that I was sure I wasn't going to be captured again. I entered April's apartment and walked over to the counter in the second hand shop. April saw me and smiled.

"Hello, how are you today?" She asked, getting out from behind the counter and giving me a hug. I hugged back.

"I'm good, how's everything going for you?" I asked. April l went over to a box near a shelf and started to unpack some things from it.

"Everything is great. I heard from Splinter that you had been grounded" She said. I nodded my head a little.

"Yeah, I was; but I had begged him to let me out for a little while" I replied.

"What did you do to get yourself grounded in the first place? Splinter was a little hush hush on the details." I went over to the box and started to help unpack.

"I went to Alaska with Raph to get an antidote for my voice" I said.

"If you went all the way there, it's no wonder you were grounded. What about Raph."

"Splinter wasn't as lenient as he was with me. Raph is to be stuck underground for the next month, which would make it hard for the night watches his brothers have to do." I placed a wind up carousel on the shelf and bent down to get another item from the box. I dusted it off with my hand then placed it on the shelf.

"What do you plan to do after leaving here?" April asked. I shrugged my shoulders.

"I may head straight back or possibly head to Casey's. After all, Raph wants me to stay there" I half mumbled back. "April?"

"Yeah, what is it?" She replied. I grabbed another ornament and dusted it. I stared down at it, turning it over in my hands.

"What would you do if someone you liked shared their...feelings, but then told you that they didn't want to continue the affection afterwards and said they regretted everything that happened between the two of you?" I asked. April stopped unpacking and turned towards me.

"Has it happened to you?" She asked. I bowed my head, letting my hair slide over the top of my face before nodding. "If it happened to me, I would give myself some time to think then I would try to keep myself busy by staying as far away from whoever it was that broke my heart" She continued. I placed the ornament on the shelf.

"So what I should do is just keep myself as busy as possible to stop myself from thinking about him?" I asked. April nodded.

"It would be best" She said. I tucked my hair behind my ears.

"Thank you. I should try that out" I said.

"Who is this person?" April asked, unpacking the last of the ornaments.

"I don't really want to say" I replied.

"There, the shelves are complete. Would you like to come upstairs for something to eat or drink?" April asked. I shook my head.

"No, I should head back soon. Everyone might start to worry" I said, with a smile. April grinned.

"Whenever you need someone to talk to, you that isn't male or a mutant, my door is always open" She said.

"Thank you so much, I'll see you later" I replied. I walked out of the store before stopping right away. I glared at the person standing in front of me and tightened my fists into balls.

"What are you doing here?" I snarled, trying to keep my voice low and from attracting too much attention. James walked towards me, an arm wrapped in a bandage. His grin becoming more vile.

"Come now, is that any way to treat an old friend?" He asked. I crossed my arms.

"How would you define treating and old friend? Last I checked, you wanted me to go crawling back to you and live a caged life. Excuse me for not being friendly" I snapped. James laughed.

"I guess this is the best I have to do. But still I need you to come with me" He said.

"I am not going with you." James walked closer until he was right in front of me. He pulled out a gun and pointed it at me.

"It wasn't a request" He said, coldly. I glanced down at the gun and he linked an arm in mine. He walked me down the street and towards a large building. We walked through the car park and towards an elevator. James pressed a button leading to one of the top floors. Once the elevator stopped, James dragged me out and we walked towards a door at the end of the corridor. James opened the door and pushed me in. I spun around, just as James was locking the door.

"Okay, you led me here; now how about you tell me what's going on?" I asked. James sat down on an old couch, still pointing his gun at me.

"Sit" He commanded. I sat next to him and he shifted so he looked more comfortable. "I think you know why I am here," He said, "The last time we met; you weren't exactly what I would call friendly. You remember what you did?" I smirked.

"Should I really care what I did? It's in the past and there is nothing that is going to change it."

"That much may be true, but there are ways to teach you a lesson you will help me to feel better." I frowned as my mind thought of many things that could happen. James tucked his gun inside his jacket and stood up. He walked over to the mantel piece and leaned his back against it. "Now, what am I going to do with you? You have made an enemy with Shredder and he hired me to make you regret everything." James moved towards me and leaned in, using the back of the couch as support. His arms were at either side of my head as his face moved to only inches in front of mine. I moved as far back as the couch would let me and stared directly into James' eyes.

"Look, I don't know how much you know about this Shredder person; but I don't want you to be used by him" I said. James smirked.

"Me getting used? I was hired as a way to keep you busy for a while, while he lures the turtles out and destroys them. He told me to keep you busy by any means necessary and he didn't care if you lived or not" He said. I punched a hand out, catching James in the chest. He grunted a little and took a few steps back. I used the opportunity to spring from the couch and start moving backwards toward the door. James turned to me, hatred shining through his eyes. He pulled out the gun and fired one shot. Pain flared through my thigh and I fell to the ground, screaming. James quickly ran over and covered my mouth with his hand. "Hush, do you want to wake up everyone?" He asked, venom emerging from his mouth. I clutched my leg and held my tongue. James picked me up and walked me over to the bed room in the back. He tossed me onto the bed and shut the door, all the while watching me. I sat up and James smiled.

"I think it's time for your punishment" He said, moving towards me.