Ariel is knocking at her parents door. She keeps shouting at them to open up. After what they done to her husband. She is going to make them pay. She bangs on the door. "OPEN UP!"


Chapter 4

She makes it home. The boys are slowly waking up. Raph looks at his dad, he is still sleeping. Ariel smacks the steering wheel and shouts. She is glad she is home now. Here, nothing can hurt them. Leo place a hand on her shoulder. "Mom...it's okay. We are home now"

"Yes...we are" she says She gets up along with the boys. She goes up to Henry. She frowns, he is looking pale. She rubs his head. "Honey...we are home" He stirs, opening his blue eyes. "We are home, safe and sound" He nods but is to weak to get up.

"Sweetspark...I'm so tired..." he cries "So tired"

"I know baby. Let's get you to bed" she kisses his forehead. Henry tries his best to get off. He stands up, but the world spins. He goes down to his knees. Leo and Raph catch him.

"We got you dad" Raph says.

"We are right here" Leo says back. The boys got their father on their shoulders. Helping him walk to the house. Ariel looks at them. Her boys are strong, the three of them are strong. She walks after them, making sure Henry doesn't fall back. "Come on dad..we are almost there" The father coughs, a little, but nods his head saying he is okay. Once in his room, the boys set him down. "Get some rest dad..we will be here" He smiles at the two boys. He hugs them both.

"I love you" he says. The kids say it back. He lets them go, and they leave the room. Ariel walks in, slowly walking to him. She genlty helps him lay down. He groans in pain, his back is hurting. He hits the pillow with a grunt. "Ariel...sweetpark..I..."

"Sshh...get some rest" She starts rubbing his forehead. She traces over the cut. "I'm so sorry for hurting you"

"Don't...don't start that. It's not your fault. Please don't blame yourself" he says "If anyone is at fault, it's me. For not being strong enough to defeat those monsters"

"No..don't say that"

"I ruined our vacation time. Because of me...we had to come home. It's all my fault"

"No, no one is at fault here'

He nods "Then dont' blame yourself...promise me"

"I promise.." She kisses him. She rubs his head, helping him go to sleep. He goes to deep sleep. Ariel gets up to start bring their luggage down. The boys go out to help her. She brings it all inside. As she place her bags down, she sees the letter. She roars as she tears the letter up. She throws it in the trash. She goes to the living to see her parents picture there. She grabs it and chunks it across the room. "How dare THEY!?"

She gets her phone, ready to call her parents. She stops, no, she has to face them. She is going to go to their house and give them a piece of her mind. She is going to comfront them. She will make them pay. She sits on the couch, hugging herself, and cries. It was their plan, they were the ones that send them there, that invited them there. The letter said to go on vacation, that the house is paid for. Leo sits next to her. He hugs her. She hugs him back. Raph goes in to do the same.

"Tomorrow, I'm going to see my parents"

"We want to go" Leo says

"No. You guys will stay here. I need you two to watch your dad" She says

"You are not going alone" Raph says

"Yes. Don't worry. It's just my parents" she says. "I just need to ask them a few questions"

"Okay..." The boys look sad. She hugs them again.

"Your dad is strong. He will be better in no time" She assures them. Both nod in agreement.

It's ten at night. The boys are in their own room. One is playing videogames while the other is just listening to music. She walks into her room. Henry is sitting up, staring out the window. He still looks tired. She closes the door. He turns to her, he smiles weakly. "Sweetspark..." He tries to lend his arms out, but he is shaking. She runs to him, and hugs him tight. She cries on his chest. She hugs him for dear life. Henry hold her close, letting her shed all the tears. "Sweetspark..." She shakes by the crying. Henry doesn't have the strength to rub her back, to rock her back and forth. All he can do is hug her tight, the best he can.

"I thought I almost lost" she cries "Henry, You are my heart, my soul. I love you so much, so, so much"

"Ariel.."

"I can't lose you. I can't" she cries. "I need you. I need you"

"Ariel...it's okay. I'm right here" he whispers "I'm right here"

She feels his arms, loosen around her, fall to his side. She leans back, seeing him sleeping again. She moves him, making him lay on her chest. She hugs his head, rubbing it. She drifts off to sleep.


Ariel is driving with speed. She is on her way to her parents. She is trying to keep calm. She needs to keep calm for now. She is still on the road. Last night, was okay. Henry fell ill. He has high fever, his throat burning, his stomach aching. She feels bad, because of her he is sick. The curse really did take all his energy. She didn't want to leave him. She should've stay with him. To care for him, but she decide that she need to talk to her parents now. She tells Leo about the medicine. What to give him, and what to feed him. She goes off running. Before she did, Henry gives her a weak smile again. She smiles back, saying it's going to be okay. She takes a turn, and there it is. The big house. She parks, and waits in the car. She grips the wheel, trying to stay calm. She takes a breath, and out she goes. She stands by the door. She counts to ten, she can do this. She hopes she doesn't lash out at them. She knocks on the door. After a moment of silence, she knocks again. Her blood, now boiling.

She paces around the front porch. "They are home. Both the cars are here" She goes back to the door. She knocks again, non-stop. She is not stopping until they open. She bangs on the door "OPEN UP!" She shouts "I know you are here!" she is about to kick the door but stops when the door handle jiggles. It swings open, she stops and stares. It was her dad, he is staring at her with confusion. Ariel is about to shout at him, about to go to his face to yell at him. She tries but nothing came out, she is loss for words.

"Ariel...what brings you here..." he starts "Aren't you suppose to be on vacation. I mean, we did pay for it"

Ariel couldn't say anything. She is far to angry to speak. She wants to take action. Her eyes start to cry, her tears going down slowly. He sighs and opens the door more to let her in. Her mother gives her a smile as she enters.

"Ariel...hi. Oh...you are crying?" she says as she opens her arms to her. Ariel didn't go, she didn't want a hug from her. "What's wrong...Ariel...?"

She still can't say anything. It's all blank in her mind. She can't shout at them, they are her parents. She can't do this. She thinks about Henry, that what got her to grow angry. Henry, they hurt Henry. She fist her hands, more tears going down. "Henry...he..." She can't say it. She blinks a few times.

"Henry is gone isn't he?" her mom says. "I'm so sorry. It must be hard. He was a good man. Sorry for your loss"

Ariel freezes as everything came crashing down. She can't believe it. Why would her mother say that? Unless she knew about the curse. She did know about it, why? Ariel can't move, her anger is slowly raising.

"I'm sure..Henry, did his best to fight' she says "But...he was to weak"

Her father shakes his head. He sees Ariel, something is rising up on her. He can tell that she is about to go into rage.

"WHAT are you SAYING!" She shouts

Her mom looks at her with wide eyes. She looks at her dad, giving him a look.

"Henry is ALIVE and WELL!" Ariel grits her teeth. "Why did you assume he is DEAD!"

They both were taken aback. "Well...you are crying, we thought you lost him. I mean you did say Henry..."

"Unless...you knew about the curse!" Her parents look away from her. Ariel starts pacing around their floor. "You knew about the CURSE!" Ariel grabs a pillow and chunks it across the room. "Tell me the truth.."

"We have no idea what you are talking about?" her mom says

"The house, you rented for us. You knew it was haunted" she snaps "You knew. Tell me the truth now"

"We won't tell you nothing. Look, we give you a vacation week, and this is how you thank us" her dad says "I can't believe you"

She grabs another pillow and throws it across the room. "Stop that"her mom shouts

"NO. not until you tell me the truth" she grabs another, this time making it hit the plates on the shelves, making them fall and break on impact.

"ARIEL, ENOUGH" her dad shouts

"TELL ME" Ariel cries "You wanted him dead. You wanted him gone. I thought you two...move on!" She grabs another one, breaking more plates.

"Okay...okay...yes. We knew about the curse" her dad snaps. Ariel grabs a glass cup and throws it at him. He manage to dodge it.

"WHY! WHY!" she shouts.

"Ariel...Anna told us that he broke her heart. He hurt her he even abused her. So why are you with him. He's been hurting her friends, abusing them as well. beating them. He is not a good man. We want him gone, to protect you" her mom says "Why would you go with someone who cause so much pain"

"That is not TRUE!" Ariel throws another cup. "He did nothing wrong. He is a good man. He is...the most amazing man I ever met"

"No...your sister..."

"MY sister IS WRONG!" she looks at the floor, trying to control her anger.

"Look were just trying to save you"

Ariel shakes her head. She takes a breath. "From now on, I don't ever want to hear from you ever again"

"Ariel...wait"

"I want you to delete my number, my address...or whatever. I want you gone. Away from my life. I will never, ever forgive YOU!" The parents look in shock. Ariel eyes, one is red, one is brown. The red one, looks like blood. "I don't ever want to hear, see, or even think about you anymore. Also, stay away from my children"

"You can't do that. They are our grandchildren" her mom says

"Like ya'll even care" she rolls her eyes "Yes, you did talk to them on their birthdays, on Christmas, but no more. Not after you tried taking their father away from them"

"Henry...he..."

"IF you take him away from those boys, it will crush them. it will hurt them so much...they..." she stops "I dont' want to think about it" Ariel turns to the door. She blinks a few times, all she sees is red sight. She can hearing ringing in her ears. She place a hand in her heart "It will crush me too. I can't live without him" She turns back to them "Good-bye"

"Wait Ariel...I think you are curse...let us help you" Her mom says "I know how to break the curse"

Ariel scoffs "of course you do. And I am not curse. I'm fine"

She opens the door. She slams the door. She runs to her truck. She gets in and starts driving. She cries her eyes out. She can't believe it, they send her family there. They put them in danger. She knows they always hated Henry, but this...this is to far. She sees her parents walking to her. She backs out quickly, she doesn't want to talk to them ever again. She revs up her truck and drives away. She is not looking back. She is done with them.


It's dinner time. She is serving cereal. She doesn't feel like cooking today. She sees the boys enjoying their fruit-loops. She sighs, she can't tell them, it will break them.

"Mom...you can tell us..." Leo starts "What happen?"

She reaches to hold Raph's and Leo's hand. She sighs in anger, closing her eyes. Leo is right, they deserve to know.

"They knew about the curse. They send us there, to umm...to curse your father"

"WHAT?" Leo shouts. She grips his hand tighter. He looks at her, he can tell that tears are starting up again. "Why...?"

"We never told you this. You dad said it's best not to. Because...you kids get to decide if you want to see your grand-um...my parents" She starts "But my dad nor my mom never like your dad."

"Uhh?" Raph says

"Yes. They always hated him. They tried so hard to get rid of him. Ever since I started dating him"

"But why?" Leo says

"My sister Anna loves him too, but he fell for me. He loves me. only me. So Anna made up lies, saying the he hurt her. That he even cheated on her with me. She fed them lies like he is a bad man, always hurting everyone he sees."

"No..."Leo shouts "Not true"

"I know. But they believe my sister more than me" she sighs "The scar your dad has..on his face..."

"Yes...we've been wondering about that. Dad never told us about it, about how he got it" Raph says

"My dad, was the one that gave him that scar" The boys look in suprise "My dad attack him, on our wedding day. He cut him open. He broke two of your dad's ribs, gave him a concusion. even broke his hand"

"No...no" Leo cries. "Why didn't dad say anything!"

"He didn't want you guys to look at my father like he is the bad guy. He didn't want you boys to know hate" Ariel says

Leo slams his fist at the table. "I always been telling them that they are awesome..."

"Your father, wanted to show ya'll nothing but love. So he kept quiet about it, kept me quiet" Ariel rubs Leo's hand.

"Grandpa lied to us...does he really love us?" Raph says

"I don't know" she whispers

Leo shakes his head. The times they talk, he will tell him everything, about school, about what he will do. Raph did the same. During Christmas, they give them a list of gifts they want. Leo even talks to his dad about what grandpa is planning to do this holiday. All his dad did, was smile and encourage him to talk to him more. Leo gets up and walks to his room. Ariel tries to hold back tears. Raph gets up too.

"I cant' believe it"he whispers

"Raph..wait..."

"No...I'm..going to bed" He runs up to his room.

She stays at the table wondering, what to do next. She sighs as she gets up to go to Henry. She gets soup ready for him, walks to the room. She place it on the table, and goes to him. He sees her walk in, he smiles wide.

"Ariel..." he whispers. She smiles weakly, He gets up, but winces as his whole body starts to ache. He coughs a little. She rubs his head. Her tears swelling up again, She removes the wrap around his head. She tends to his head. He growls, winces here and there. She kisses him. "Ariel...you okay?"

"I'm fine..." she sniffs. He hugs her but not as strong as before. She leans back.

"Sweetspark, tell me..." he whispers

"I told the boys" she says "I told them about what they did"

She looks at his scar. She gently use her finger to rub it.

"Ariel..." he whispers.

"They..umm...they are really upset" she cries "I broke their hearts"

"Let me talk to them.." he says

"No...right now, rest up" she says "We will talk more when you get your strength."

"Okay" He goes to eat his soup but his hand in shaking. She leans him back, making him sit up. She feeds him the soup.

"I also found out that my parents plan this. They knew what was going to happen. They knew you were going to get posses..and..."

"Shh...shh..."

Ariel is starting to get angry, she can feel her blood boiling again. She grips the spoon tight. Henry notices, and he place a hand on her cheek. He use his thumb to rub her cheek. She looks at him, eyes fill with tears.

"Ariel...it's okay.' He whispers

"NO! It's not okay. Look what they did to YOU!" she cries

"Ariel, I'm okay" He says "I know...what..."

"NO! NO! Don't!" she cries "They did this! I say that it's enough!. I already talked to them. They are gone from my life. Never to see them again!"

"Ariel...you don't mean that. You are just upset. Don't completly shut them out. They are still your parents"

"Oh right? The ones that hurt you, the ones that posses you, The ones that almost took you away from our kids. If they lose you...they will!"

Henry takes hold of her face. He makes her look at him. "Ariel...I'm still here. Still with you. I will never leave my kids. I will be there for them"

She collapse to her knees. She shakes as she cries. Henry tries to bring her up to him, but he still feels weak. He coughs a little, trying to move. She moves up to hug his waist. He rubs her back, telling her that he is okay. She gets up, and feeds him soup. He coughs again, his head is spinning. He leans back, trying to relax, but he sees his kids, standing by the door. He blinks, wondering what they are doing.

"Kids..." he coughs "Everything okay?"

Leo looks down, Raph did the same.

"Kids...I..."

They run to him, hugging him tight. Ariel steps aside. She sits on the little cough they have.

"Dad...We didn't you tell us?" Leo whispers

Raph leans back wondering why.

"I didn't want you, to live with hate. I wanted you to know your grandparents, because they are family"

"But...look what they did to you" Raph whispers

"I know. But you have to be a stronger man. To forgive" Henry says "So you won't carry that burden your whole life"

Leo reaches to his dad's face, tracing the scar.

"They hurt you" he whispers

"They did Leo" he says "But I forgive them. I'm okay, really"

"Love you dad" Leo says "I know I don't say it much, I know...I don't..."

Henry taps his head "I love you too"

Raph hugs him, being careful with his head. "I love you too dad"

Henry gives the hug back. Ariel goes in to join the hug. A little longer later, the family is now sleeping in a huddle. The night going by.


I thought I told you to stay away! "Ariel shouts. She glares at them, shooting daggers at them. She is about ready to attack. Her eyes, different.