A/N: Thanks to cartoon lover for being my first reviewer! To answer your question, it's a slight AU set loosely in the 2014 movie, but there may be elements of the series later on also. It's been a looooong time since I've seen the series, maybe 25 years give or take. But I did see the 2014 movie, and although I was less than impressed with the plot, the special effects were interesting. Explosions make everything cooler.

Phoenix Call

Chapter 5: Into the Night

The night was dark, for which Amber was grateful. Heading quietly down another side alley, she paused to listen for any tell-tale signs of being followed. Satisfied that nobody was trailing her, she pushed on. She had broken her tonfa, and her arm, in the confrontation with Karai, but she had been able to knock the girl unconcious at least. Not as young as I used to be I guess, Amber thought wryly. She wouldn't be able to navigate the ladders and sewer pipes with only one arm, so after forcing down her worries over April and her newest family members, she had taken to the shadows of the alleys. Pausing, she studied the payphone across the street. Maybe he would be awake. It was worth a try. Looping her arm through her soft green scarf like a sling, Amber dug around in her pocket for some change and approached the phone. Quickly, she dialed the familiar number and waited for him to pick up.

"Ugh, Hello? Who is this, and do you have ANY idea what TIME it is?"

"Yeah, love you too Eric. I need your help."

"My God, Sis! Where the HELL have you been? Everyone's been asking ME where you are. I went by your house and it looked like a war had been fought! Wait, you need help?"

Amber rolled her eyes at her older brother. "Yeah, I need help Sherlock. Can you come pick me up at our old playground?"

"Yeah sure - wahhh!" The voice on the phone changed. "Hello? Amber! OhmyGod, girl!"

Amber laughed a little as her brother wrestled the phone back from his wife. "I'll be there in ten."

"See you there."

OoO

"Looks like Mom might be running from something. She just turned down another tunnel guys!"

The turtles hustled, bursting into the tunnel with weapons at the ready and blinked. There wasn't a sign of life in the tunnel. "Donnie, thought you said she was here?"

"Tracker on her phone says she is. Mom? Where are you?" A squeak of surprise came from a small, shadowed alcove to their right. April emerged a moment later, still holding Amber's phone. Raph's eyes widened, then darkened. Knew it.

April and the turtles stared at each other for a minute before Mikey piped up.

"Sup, girl? Hey, not that we're not glad to see you, but was our mom with you down here by any chance?"

April blinked. "Your mom?"

"Yeah, Amber. Remember her? Donated her DNA to this project thing the turned us into crazy turtle ninjas. You're holding her phone? Ring any bells?"

April shook her head. "She didn't come with me. She stayed behind to fight the Foot so I could escape." Suddenly, the phone in April's hand started ringing. Cautiously, April answered.

"Hey April, did my boys find you?"

"Yeah - what's all this about you being their mom? I missed something."

"We'll talk about it later. Put me on speaker so I can talk to everyone at once." April did as asked. "Boys, I want you to take April to the lair. It's not safe for her topside since the Foot got a good look at her face. The pizzas are in the fridge."

"Mom, where ARE you?"

"I'm making my way to a safe place, no worries. Now- HEY! GET OFF ME!" The sounds of a scuffle could be heard along with a male voice. Then the line hung up.

"Donnie, can you trace that call?"

"On it."

OoO

Amber glared at her brother. How damn dare he! Eric had taken one look at the rough state she was in and practically ripped her away from the phone and forced her into his car. Huffing, she cradled her broken arm and looked out the window.

"You're going to tell me how you got busted up so badly when we get to my apartment. You sure you don't want to go to the hospital?"

"It would cause more trouble than it's worth. Joanie can set my arm when we get to your place."

Eric snickered. Sure, his wife was an ER nurse and would likely be able to set the bone, but Amber would get an earful from her sister-in-law about skipping the hospital. Pulling into the underground parking, Eric parked and opened the car door for his sister as she glared at him.

"Sorry Sis, but I figured I'd need to put the child locks on for you."

OoO

"Here, Mom called from this payphone right here."

"Fan out, search for clues."

"Hey guys, we got blood over here on the phone."

Donnie looked at it closely. "Looks like it may have come from a gash to the forearm. A deep one."

"But," April objected, "Amber was using her bladed tonfa. It would have protected her arms."

"Actually.." All eyes turned to Raph as he pulled the broken pieces of tonfa from his shell and held them up for the others to inspect. "I found them back at the Foot facility where they were holding April."

Leo looked pissed. "And you didn't say anything until JUST NOW?"

Raph looked away. "I was planning on fixing them for her."

"Are we even sure they belong to Mom and not some Foot ninja?"

"They do. Look," April pointed to a small, beautiful carving on the handle of the tonfa. It was a phoenix in flight. "She carves that into the wood of all her weapons so she can tell them apart from others."

While the others continued to bicker, Raph gently brush his fingers over the emblem. We both enjoy carving wood. His hazel eyes hardened, looking very much like Amber's in that moment. I'll find you, Mom.

OoO

"There, she should sleep through the night." Joan pulled the covers up over her latest patient and made her way out of the den with her husband in tow. Depositing the extra gauze on the kitchen table, she poured them both a cup of coffee.

"What did you make of her story?"

Eric paused thoughtfully. "I remember the lab she talked about, but I never really went with her. I was in college, after all. But she's never been into alcohol or drugs, so I'm not sure. She wasn't delirious or anything?"

Joan shook her head. "No, and someone HAD stitched some previous wounds on her. It would explain why she didn't want to go to the hospital."

Sighing, Eric sipped his coffee. "It would explain everything, but it's so...so outlandish. If she wasn't my sister, I'd call the institution to come pick her up."

The sounds of thrashing broke the quiet. "Damn," Eric muttered.

Amber was having another nightmare. Her wails broke her brother's heart as the guilt of what happened all those years ago haunted him. Grabbing her hands, he held her gently in place while Joan quickly injected her with a strong sedative. Although she was sleeping, Amber's hazel eyes were open, wide and reflecting the terrors she was dreaming about. Eric put his head on hers and closed his eyes as a tear leaked out. "I'm sorry, Sis."