Part 1 of 2
~Rescued~
The house stood, abandoned now, but once a year he made the journey across the bridge, through the crumbling streets, to remember. He came to remember when it had been full of love and laughter and warmth, before the cancer, before the sharp burn of vodka chased the pain away, and his children with it. He came to remember her smile, her touch, her unending gratitude and her fierce loyalty.
He might have drowned himself in alcohol, if not for the meeting. Trudging along, one night, with her picture cupped in his hand, he was attacked. The rescuers appeared like wraiths, relieving the thugs of their nefarious notions effectively, but without undue violence. The one in purple had helped the shaken man up, handed him the tattered photograph, and made a bow. Then, they were gone.
The man had been a teacher once, a father. He saw in the unusual team a unique bond he'd nearly forgotten could exist. They were as alone as he was in the universe, yet they were united in purpose. That night, he remembered himself, the man he'd once been. His faith in community was restored, his hope reawakened. From above, she watched, and smiled.
A/N: Unless you're a 2k3 fan, you might not remember Don's friend, The Professor. He's a homeless man, with a big heart full of courage, and he embraces the Turtles unconditionally as friends. For that, I love him more than any other minor character.
For those who want to look him up on Youtube, he appears in the episodes: Garbageman, and Michelangelo's Christmas Rescue.