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In the sewers Raph rolls over in his bed and groans at the throbbing in his arm. He sits up and rubs his head before swinging himself out of his hammock and walks out of his room. He heads down the hall and into Donnie's lab. The brainiac looks up from his work and raises a brow. Raph waves him off before heading to the medicine cabinet. He sifts through the drugs and pulls out the ibuprofen before popping three of them. He puts it back and turns around.
"Everything okay Raph?"
"Ya just a headache."
Donnie nods and goes back to his invention. Raph walks down to the kitchen to grab something to eat and sees Mikey already there.
"You're up early dude."
Raph shrugs and rummages through the fridge and finds nothing.
"Damn we have no food."
Mikey looks at him before throwing him a sandwich.
"Nah Mikey that's your lunch."
"It's fine I sneak food at the parties."
Raph looks at his little brother and throws the sandwich back.
"Eat your own damn food."
Mikey looks at him before shrugging.
"Fine suit yourself. I make a mean sandwich though."
Raph watches his brother with a smile as he packs up his lunch and puts it into his duffel bag before disappearing out of the kitchen. Raph sits at the table and contemplates ordering pizza but doesn't move.
The phone rings making him snap his head up and look around. He flips over the chair and picks it up groggily.
"Hello?"
"Hungry?"
"Lana?"
"No the other girl who has your number."
Raph smirks and rubs his face.
"Ya I am."
"Good. I have a ton, courtesy of my dad."
"I'll be over in 10."
"See ya."
He hangs up the phone and runs up the stairs to grab his trench coat and keys. When he walks back out he goes back into the lab to get Donnie.
"Finally wake up?"
"How long was I out?"
"A few hours."
"Lana has food. Let's go."
"Food?"
"Yes genius. The stuff you eat. We don't have anything down here."
Donnie looks at Raph then back at his invention but Raph rolls his eyes and pick his brother up.
"Grab ya coat. We're goin' out."
Donnie gives him an annoyed look but does as he's told.
"Are you really that hungry?"
"Yes."
Donnie nods and follows him out the door and to the bikes. They both get ready and take off through the streets. When they get to her apartment they park in the alley and quickly slip up the fire escape and see the window already open. They both swing in and take off their disguises.
"Lana?"
She pops her head out of the kitchen and smiles at them before disappearing again. They look at each other and walk into the kitchen to see a ton of food on the counters. She's still in her white dress with full makeup and jewelry on. Raph stares at her before looking at the containers.
"Uhh did you cook or something?"
She smiles and shakes her head.
"Nah this is all courtesy of my dad."
Raph looks at all of it and smiles.
"Well thank you Mr. Winters…is that necklace new?"
She nods and touches it again.
"He gave it to me for my birthday. It's ancient or something."
Raph nods and starts to dig in and Lana watches him in amusement.
"Want any Donnie?"
"Maybe later."
"Well then I need your help."
He nods and follows her to the table.
"Can you read these over and see if there's anything I didn't catch?"
"Uh sure. What's it for?"
"It's a will and a contract."
Donnie looks at her before nodding slowly.
"Ya of course I'll read them."
"Thanks Don."
She rubs his shoulder before going back into the kitchen. Raph is sitting on the counter eating from the containers.
"Gross dude."
"I plan to finish it so no need for a plate. I'm helpin' you."
She laughs and shakes her head.
"Share some of that."
He holds it out and I scoop some onto the spoon and into my mouth.
"So good."
"Your dad has taste."
I smile slightly and nod.
"Sometimes."
Donnie comes into the kitchen and looks at me seriously.
"Have you read this?"
I nod and take them back.
"And?"
"…and I didn't know what to do so that's why I had you read it."
Donnie shakes his head.
"That's a lot to think about. It signs your life away."
"How so?"
"Wait. Hold up. What're you two talkin' about?"
Lana sighs and waves the papers.
"Remember how I had lunch with my dad today? Well we wrote a will, which puts me in charge of the whole company if he dies. If I sign this then I agree to work for him for the next few months twice a week."
Raph makes a face and shrugs.
"What's so bad about it?"
"You're kidding right?"
"He's offerin' you a billion dollar corporation along with what I assume is a payin' internship. I don't see the downside."
Lana shakes her head in frustration.
"You just don't get it."
She walks out of the kitchen and throws the papers onto the desk in her room. Lana looks around and kicks a few clothes before throwing herself onto her bed and sighing.
"Lana?"
She leans up and looks at the window.
"Mikey?"
He smiles and climbs through the window before putting his bag down. He hops onto her bed and snuggles into the pillows.
"Nice bed dudette."
She smiles and closes her eyes.
"What're you doing here?"
"Donnie texted me saying you had food, and well, I love grub."
Lana laughs and nods.
"It's in the kitchen."
He nods but doesn't move.
"Everything okay Mikey?"
He sighs and looks at me.
"Can I tell you a secret?"
"Of course."
He looks away for a second but tentatively looks back into her eyes.
"…I hate birthday parties."
She looks at him sympathetically and nods.
"…I do too Mikey…I do too."
He smiles slightly before rolling over and hugging Lana tightly.
"It'll get better dudette…"
Her eyes go wide but she keeps hugging him.
"Whoa I would say get a room, but it seems you already have."
Mikey rolls off Lana and flips his brother off as he walks through the door. Lana glares at Raph before getting up and pushing past him.
"Strike a nerve?"
"Fuck off Raph. I can only take so much of your bullshit."
Raph frowns and looks at her. That was fast. She usually doesn't get mad that quickly.
"Lana…you know I'm kidding right?"
She looks at him angrily.
"Kidding or not, it's not funny."
He looks at her with what he thinks is anger brewing in her eyes.
"Lana I-"
"Just…go call Casey, Raph. See if they want any food."
Lana disappears up the stairs and walks onto the roof. She sits on the edge of the roof and looks out at the city. Her foot angrily taps the side of the building and she tries to calm down.
"Why had that made her so mad? Raph was obviously joking but her temper raged."
She sighs and shakes her head. She really was fucked up. No way around that, but she had gotten a lot better…not as many night terrors, or mood swings…and she didn't cry herself to sleep every night. That was one of the main reasons she had gone to California for a few months. Her sister had helped to mellow her out a lot. She had even told her the truth minus a few details, which was hard for her to do because she wasn't much of a sharer.
"Lana?"
She turns and sees Casey smiling behind her. She turns around fully and sees April there too.
"April!"
Lana quickly gets up and throws herself into the red heads arms. April hugs her back tightly.
"So good to see you Lana."
Lana leans back and smiles at her before stepping away from her.
"I didn't get that kind of reaction this morning."
"This morning?"
April makes a face at him and he shrugs.
"What? I got sick of cereal."
"I knew that's why you came over."
"Can you blame me? Your omelets are legendary."
Lana makes a face and he sighs.
"Well they would be if people other than us knew about them."
She rolls her eyes and looks at April closely. Her skin is a lot tanner than normal and she looks a little skinnier, but over all she looks great.
"Hey your dad gave you the necklace?"
Lana nods and touches it.
"Yep today. Thank you by the way."
"I just went and got what your dad wanted. He was very adamant about getting that particular necklace."
"Really? Why?"
April picks it up off Lana's chest and examines it.
"It's supposed to bring the wearer power. Apparently 3000 years ago it was made as tribute to a female warrior. A very powerful one. She supposedly had snuck into the enemies camp and killed the general before faking an order to send his army to their deaths… "
"Woah…that's pretty intense."
"It's just a legend don't worry. Looks good on you though."
She smiles at her before leading them inside. The food is laid out on the table, which has also been set.
"Guys?"
They look around the corner at me and smile.
"Whoa April! You're back!"
She smiles and goes to hug each of them.
"How was South America?"
She shrugs.
"Fun, but very hot."
We talk for a little longer before sitting down and eating. We discuss everything and talk like nothing had changed. Mikey tells us jokes and after a few we're all doubled over laughing.
"Mikey stop! No more jokes. My abs can't take it."
I wipe the tears from my eyes and smile at him. He smiles back and goes back to picking at his food.
"So April, what was your favorite part about being down there?"
She looks at Donnie and thinks.
"A tie between the people and the history."
"The people?"
"They were amazing! And so nice. They took care of me down there. I would've gotten so lost without them."
"Did you see the temples?"
She smiles and nods happily.
"Wow that's amazing."
"I mean it wasn't all pleasure. I was also looking for the statues."
Lana nods and stands up walking back into the kitchen. She reaches into the cabinet and pulls out the whiskey before pouring herself a glass. She reaches for the Coke but instead downs the shot and pours herself another. Lana fills the glass up halfway but a green hand stops her pouring the Coke. She sighs and looks up at the turtle but it's not who she expected it to be. Mikey looks at her and looks concerned before picking up the glass and taking a big sip. He winces before re-pouring the whiskey then adding coke.
"Thank you Mr. Bartender."
He smirks and nods before walking back into the dining room. I follow him while sipping on my drink. When she walks back into the room they all get quiet and she slows down. Raph glances at her then looks at April.
"What?"
Lana looks at each of them before taking a big sip of her drink.
"We were just talking about your dad."
She makes a face but sits down.
"What about him?"
"Do you know anything about four stone statues? Your dad seemed to value them very much."
Lana thinks back and waves her hand unknowingly.
"I vaguely remember him mentioning statues once…but it was weird. He said something about them being really old."
"Like 3000 years old?"
"Along those lines, ya. Why?"
"No reason, he was just really happy when I brought him the last one this afternoon."
"Oh you're done traveling?"
"For now. Maybe he'll send me on some other weird manhunt."
"Like for Sasquatch?"
She laughs and nods.
"Probably."
"Would make sense. We do run with a very strange crowd."
April's smile falls but she hides it by taking a sip of her wine. Lana watches her and wonders what she said. April looks at Lana before raising her glass.
"To being normal."
Lana laughs and clinks glasses with her.
"Screw you dudettes. I love being a turtle!"
Raph, Donnie, and Mikey high five before downing their drinks. They all laugh and stare at Casey. Lana and April do the same and Casey just looks at them before shrugging.
"Fuck you guys..."
He high fives himself before drinking his beer. April kisses his cheek and he smiles at her before capturing her lips briefly. Mikey gags and Donnie slaps him upside the head making him laugh. Raph looks at Lana who just glances at him before finishing her drink and standing up to get another. She uncaps the whiskey before taking a swig of it and putting the bottle down. Her hair moves slightly and she sighs staring at the counter.
"What?"
"I'm starting to think you have a drinking problem."
"It's not a problem."
Donnie caps the bottle and puts it back in the cabinet before looking at her.
"Drinking is not a way to handle your feelings."
"When it stops working I'll believe you."
Donnie sighs and shakes his head.
"We have practice in 90 minutes."
She sighs and goes to grab water from her fridge. She can hear Donnie reminding his brothers about the practice and Mikey audibly groans.
"Dude totally forgot. Splinter is gonna kick my butt."
Lana smiles and shuts the fridge before downing the bottle of water.