Chapter 23
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"I think hes gone paranoid"
"I think he's just stupid"
Voices behind me woke me, but I kept my eyes shut and just listened. I was still curled up on the bed inside cabin, finding another blanket or two had been put over me. It took me a moment to recognize the voices belonged to Leo and Raph.
"We both know Donnie isn't stupid"
"Oh yeah? Then what's his deal lately" Raph grumbled, and Leo shushed him a little. I heard their voices returned to hushed whispers.
"I don't know, but when I get back I plan to find out"
Silence, then "The way he's treat'n her lately..."
"I've noticed. I thought... " A sigh from Leo, then "This isn't him. Something must have happened"
"You sayin its her fault?" Raph's voice started to rise again, and Leo once again had to shush him.
"I'm not saying that at all! I get the feeling she's not a part of what his problem is lately"
"Then what is?"
An angry sigh from Leo.
"Look, I am gonna give him a piece of my mind if he doesn't straighten up soon"
"Raph-"
"I'm gettin sick of his attitude"
"And I'm getting sick of yours"
"Well I-"
"Don't you dare. We promised Jade we'd be here for her... do you want to let her down?"
Silence again, then "No, but-"
"Then shush"
The boys fell into silence, and I took that moment to turn around, seeing them both turn to look at me. I could see the cracks of light shining in from the roof and walls then, wondering how long I'd been asleep for. They were both still sitting on the other two makeshift beds, and both gave me a warm smile.
"Hey Jade, how'd you sleep?" Leo asked.
"Uh, okay I guess. Did you guys sleep?" Moved to sit up, putting the thin blankets around me.
"A little" Raph suddenly looked worried.
"What's up big guy?" I moved to sit beside him, bringing the blankets with me "Missing Rachel?"
The strange smirk on his face told me he was. I rested my head on his shoulder, looking over at Leo, who had a strange smile on his face.
"Don't worry Raph. You guys won't be apart for long"
A small laugh, then "Thanks Jade"
A sudden yell had all three of us up and on our feet, blankets forgotten.
I heard...
"Dad?" I wondered, running for the door and opening it before the boys could protest, running outside to see a flurry of movement.
To both my utter amazement and shock, my dad was running in my direction, trying to bat off some very confused free Hork-Bajir, who looked almost upset. They weren't really touching him, but they were trying to stop him from moving, which wasn't working very well.
"Well, this is interesting" I scratched my head, now seeing my dad look at me. His eyes suddenly lit up.
"My little girl!" He started to come at me, stopping when I felt the boys now standing behind me.
I saw the colour drain from his face, and I knew he was looking at Raph and Leo.
"Jade, look out!"
"Dad, don't-" Before I even knew what was happening, he ran and grabbed a sharpened stick the Hork-Bajir had laying around, coming and yelling something incoherant as he ran at-
"Whoa whoa whoa! Dad stop!" I jumped in front of Leo, holding out my hands and seeing him slow down a little, now standing in one spot. The Hork-Bajir all looked at a loss as to what to do.
"Uh, Jade?" Leo sounded confused.
"Honey, step aside. Daddy is trying to save you from the-"
"Daad, no. Bad dad!" I tried to indicate he put the spear down.
"I'll take care of-"
"Raph don't you even think of hurting my dad!"
But it was too late, Raph had pulled out his Sai's, and my dad turned the spear on him.
"I think he thought about it" Leo muttered.
"Why thank you Leo, I had no idea what was going on, and needed the added commentary!" I snapped, now moving myself in front of Raph, my hands out to my sides.
"Sorry" I heard him mutter, and my dad looked at him, keeping his spear pointed in my direction.
"Jade, let me-"
"No Raph, I'm warning-"
"AAAAH!" Suddenly my dad turned, running full tilt at Leo, and I watched as Leo dodged it expertly. My dad skidded to a stop, then turned and started to run back at Leo, but I was already there.
I saw the fear in his eyes as he realised he was now coming at me. I dodged the spear, grabbing it as it went past, wrapping my arm around it and grounding myself as I stopped the spear from going any further forward, pretty much ripping it from my dad's grasp as I did. Unfortunately he kept coming, and by pure instinct I dodged, kicking him as he went past and hearing him cry out, falling face first into the grass, skidding a little.
"Note to self; don't piss Jade off" Leo sounded shocked.
It took me a second to realise what I'd actually done, cringing and dropping the spear, going and collapsing beside him as he groaned a little.
"Oh my god dad, I'm so sorry" I moved to help him, finding he now had both my arms, and was shaking me. The look in his eyes was...well... he'd lost it.
"What gives you the right to kick your father up the behind?!"
"Dad, I was try-" I was cut short when he wrapped an arm around the front of my shoulders, starting to pull me back with him as we looked up at Raph and Leo. Raph looked pissed. Leo looked worried.
"Stay back! You won't take my daughter!"
"Dad, let go" I yanked myself free, scrambling up and feeling Leo half catch me. My dad looked even more shocked.
"Dad, seriously. They're not gonna hurt me" I tried to explain, moving forward again and seeing him scrambling backwards with his arms.
"No..."
I slapped my forehead, indicating to the Hork-Bajir not far off.
"You just spent... however many weeks... with these guys?! How can you be so scared of two big green dudes who just walked out of the cabin with me?"
The instant I said those words I regretted them.
"They... those perverted-"
"Oh flippin hell!" I snapped.
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Well, after alot of coaxing, and some more explaining, my dad had finally calmed down. Mostly because my mum showed up at just the right time, with my siblings in tow.
Now, we were all sitting down in a big circle of logs, my dad not too far away as I sat with Raph and Leo. Both of them looked uncomfortable to say the last.
"So, how did you... uh, turtles... meet my daughter" My mum started up, holding onto a slightly squirming Phoebe.
"Well, we saw-" I put my hand on Leo's arm, and he fell silent.
"They pretty much saved me one night, when I'd been uh... jumped by some thugs"
My dad looked beyond shocked "When the hell was this young lady?!"
"Well... it doesn't matter. It's a long story"
"Your... friends... that helped us. They said they were morphers, and we saw them change into animals" My mum spoke up again.
"It was sooo coool!" Ryan perked up, his eyes lighting up. Tina, his twin, just rolled her eyes.
"It was sooo gross!"
"You are so-"
"Kids" My mum silenced them.
"I think you should tell them" Raph said "That way they know"
"Thanks Raph, real helpful" I muttered, knowing he was right.
"Tell us what?" Dad again, looking at me. I sucked in a deep breath.
"Well mum and dad, when I was only ten, I met an alien. It was right in the middle of a battle between his race, and this other race called the Terinans. I got hurt, he saved me, along with Amanda and a guy called Robert. And now...we have the power to shapeshift into anything we want to"
"What are you-" But I kept going, interrupting my mum.
"So, for four years, I helped fight these bad aliens. And then it was over, so I thought hey all the fighting for me is over. But no!" I lifted a finger, stopping my parents from talking again.
"We came to America, where I met the Animorphs, if you remember who they are now. And they're now fighting this massive army of aliens you call the Yeerks, who have a really sneaky way of invading earth, so we don't know who is, and who isn't infected with these parasitic slugs"
"Jade, I don't-"
"But wait! There's more!" I interrupted Raph now, who looked annoyed.
"When we went on that family vacation in New York, I was sent on an errand by the Animorphs and by my leader. That, my dear father, is when I got jumped by thugs. But... luckily... Leo and his brothers saw I was in trouble, and saved me. Then we fought the Yeerks together, and we've been fighting them and ever since we moved to our home now, I've also been fighting common thugs, as well as brain stealing aliens!"
"Jade, are you okay?" Leo looked concerned, and I got up, turning to him and putting my hands on his shoulders. He looked almost afraid of me.
"Oh but Leo, they haven't heard the best part yet!"
"No, Jade, don't-" But I turned back around, standing in front of everyone.
"Mum, dad, I'm dating a turtle!"
"What?!" Dad yelped, and I heard Leo groan.
"You mean you're dating... him?" Mum looked equally shocked, pointing to Leo.
"Oh no, I'm dating his brother, Donnie. Who, frankly, is being a bit of a-"
"Jade!" Leo was suddenly in front of me, hands on my shoulders "That's enough!"
"What's wrong with you" Raph shook his head, but I just laughed.
"What's wrong? What's wrong?!" I moved away from Leo, looking around at everyone.
"What's wrong is I've been fighting aliens and whatever else for almost eight years straight now... I need a holiday!"
I suddenly felt lightheaded, my eyes closing on their own as I felt myself falling.
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Yes, I had lost the plot. And then... to everyone's surprise, including my own, I'd fainted. Having to explain everything to my family, who I had been able to keep everything from for so long, just seemed to be too much for me.
When I woke up, I apologized to the turtles, and to my parents, and soon we all sat down and had a proper talk, without my dad trying to attack them with sharp pointy objects.
After things died down, I managed to sneak away from them all, going and sitting by a small stream in the valley, away from everyone else.
It was peaceful, and it gave me some time to just relax.
I laid back on the grass, feeling the water trickling over my feet, closing my eyes and just listening to the random animals around me. The birds, the crickets...
"Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-"
"Ooomph!" The random little children jumping mercilessly on me.
I looked up to see Phoebe had landed on my stomach, and was giggling like crazy.
"You little-" I smiled, reaching slowly up and grabbing her when she tried to escape, tickling her and pulling her down beside me. She giggled more, squirming like mad.
"Don't go too crazy, or I'll never get her to sleep"
I stopped, looking up at my mum as she sat down beside us, pulling a still giggling and squirming Phoebe into my lap. She looked... upset.
"Mum?" I asked, letting go of Phoebe when she almost headbutted me, watching as she went and splashed her hands in the water.
"I fishing" She said, but my attention was now on my mother.
"Jade, I-" She bit her lip, then looked straight into my eyes.
"I am so sorry"
I blinked "Uh, what for?"
Tears were suddenly in her eyes, and I went and hugged her, hearing her sigh a little.
"Oh my poor baby. If I had known what you'd gone through..."
"Mum you've got nothing to be sorry about"
She pulled back, her hands now resting on my elbows, looking into my eyes.
"It's a mothers job to protect her children. And I... I failed you as a-"
"Oh no no no mum, you didn't. If anything, I failed you"
She now looked at me, tears still brimming her eyes, but she stayed silent.
"I should have been the one to tell you about the Yeerks, I should have been the one by your side, guiding you through the danger when-"
"Jade was hurt but, so Jade couldn't come" Phoebe spoke up, and we both turned to her. She hadn't turned around, her hands were still elbow deep in the water. How did she-
"The point is, I didn't protect you from all those dangers. And I am so sorry I wasn't there for you, for all those years" She was now hugging me again, and I could feel tears wet my shirt.
"Oh mum, it's not your fault. Nothing and no one could have predicted what would happen that day I went into the woods with Amanda and Robert. But... "
I pulled away from her, looking into her eyes and trying to wipe away those tears. Her whole face suddenly seemed older...
"I'm okay mum. I really am. I mean, who can say they have a daughter who can become any shape they want?"
She looked about to cry again, but suddenly Phoebe was back, crashing into us and almost knocking us over, her arms now all wet.
We managed to sit up, Phoebe now sitting in mums arms, quiet as we looked at the stream, watching the water trickle by.
"So" Mum finally spoke up again "A boyfriend, huh?"
I nodded, leaning my chin on my knees "Yeah, he really is a turtle"
"And how long didn't I know about this boyfriend of yours?"
"Uh... a year and a bit" I flushed a little, thinking back to Donnie. I wondered if he was missing me...
"So... am I going to be meeting him?"
I shrugged a little, turning to Phoebe as she poked me. She really did look like a mini me. It was kind of creepy if you thought about it...
"Jade?"
I looked back up at my mum.
"Can I meet him?"
"Well, he's a fair way away at the moment. Took the boys and I half the night just to get here"
"I don't care. I want to meet this future son in law of mine"
My jaw dropped then.
"What?"
"Mum, you're taking this surprisingly well for one thing, and another... you're thinking about getting me married?!"
"Jade" Suddenly mum placed her hand on my shoulder, her green eyes now staring right into mine "I don't care who or... what... you love. As long as they make you happy, and treat you like you deserve"
Now it was my turn to tear up, and I put my arms around her shoulders, pulling her close for a hug and hearing Phoebe yelp a little in protest.
"Oh mum, you have no idea how much it means to hear you say that"
"Hey" Came the little voice between us, and we pulled apart to see a very grumpy looking Phoebe. She poked me, then stuck her tongue out.
"Now, your father however..."
"Uh?"
"He might have to take more time to get used to"
"I'm not sure he'll ever get used to it" I muttered, wondering what would happen if I put my dad and Donnie in the same room. Probably something similar to what happened with Leo and Raph..
"Ooh, Jade did no no" Phoebe suddenly giggled at me, and I raised an eyebrow.
"What are you going on about, you little rascal?" I tickled her, and she stuck her thumb in her mouth, giggling at me.
"Jade, sweetheart"
I looked back up at my mother, who looked concerned.
"Have you and...Donnie...been..."
"Mum, I am not answering that question"
She just stared, and I blushed more. Why did everyone have to know all the intimate details?!
"You know, I never went through the b-"
"Mum!"I yelped. She just smiled at me.
"One, no, two, Phoebe" I pointed at my littlest sister, who just swung her legs, smiling almost evilly at me through that thumb.
"All right, all right" We fell into silence again, with Phoebe occasionally making strange sounds as she did.
"Do you love him?" My mum asked. I nodded.
"Does he love you"
"I'd hope so. After all we've been through. I mean, we almost-" I stopped, realising telling her about the other week's events might upset her.
"Almost what?"
I sighed, looking down "We almost lost each other a few times"
"Jade!" She looked shocked "Do you mean to tell me I almost lost my oldest daughter?"
I cringed at the question.
"Jade?"
"Y-yeah?"
"How many times have I almost lost you?"
"Uh, a few?" I rubbed the back of my neck, knowing she would flip if she found out of all the stupid decisions I'd made recently.
"Jade Emily-!" I looked up when I'd heard my full name, cringing more when I saw the look on my mothers face.
"If you were younger, I'd ground you" Then her features softened, and she looked upset again "But I know... you're almost eighteen, and you're no longer my little baby girl..."
"Oh mum, I'll always be your little girl" I hugged her again, avoiding the little squirming mass.
"No, you wont" We pulled apart again, and I found little miss had decided to latch herself to me.
"Jade, I want you to know this" I looked at her again, feeling Phoebe finally plop down beside me, pressing herself up against my side.
"I'm proud of you. I know the past few years must have been so hard on you... especially after all you've gone through, and you're still my... well, my big girl now" She stroked my hair "All this time and I didn't realise what a beautiful young woman you've become"
"Oh, mum" I just wanted to cry. Hearing that from her meant so much more than she could have known.
"Don't you ever give up sweetheart. And if you ever die on me... you can be sure, mama is gonna come kick your ass"
I couldn't help but laugh at that, knowing she wasn't kidding.
"Thanks mum, I'll do my best"
For the first time in a very long time, I felt invigorated.
I felt ready to fight for who and what I loved again.
I felt ready to truly... live...again.
Oh heaven help whoever got in my way from now on.
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Yay for family! Hope you guys enjoyed, and thought it was funny!
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