Leonardo had taken Splinter to the April's apartment for a few nights and he still wasn't good enough to come back. He had snapped out of it a few times, but most of the time, he stayed asleep. Leonardo couldn't stop wondering about what was making him sick. Was it stress? An illness he had? Environment change? Was it all the fighting between them and Raphael? What could have done this to him? Leonardo had so many questions, but Splinter wasn't awake to answer them.
Alana was sitting on April's couch, being quiet and not talking to anyone, until she heard what sounded like someone sobbing on the balcony. She got up and walked over to it and looked out to see Mike leaning on the railing with his head tucked in his arms. He was crying. Alana walked over and stood next to him, but didn't dare touch him. She still had an uncomfortable feeling around them.
" Mikey?" She asked softly. He stopped crying and wiped his eyes, before looking at her. The thought of any of them crying, was something she just hadn't considered. Mike didn't say anything to her, but only turned away and looked out at the scenery in front of him.
" Um.....are you ok?" She asked uncertainly. For a moment, Mike wouldn't say anything and only stared out at the sky, but then he slowly nodded his head.
" Yeah I'm alright. I'm just afraid to loose him, that's all." He said. Alana nodded, knowing all to well what he was going through.
" No one's told Raphael?" She asked.
" No one has seen him." He replied. Alana nodded and looked around. She felt tired and sticky. She had taken a bath in a whole day and it was starting to bother her like crazy.
" How long is everyone going to be here?" She asked. Mike looked up and shrugged.
" I don't know. Why? Do you want to leave?" He asked. She looked away for a second and then looked back at him.
" It's not that, it's just that I need to take a bath and change my clothes and my clothes are back at the lair."
" Oh. Well.......I think that everyone is going to stay here for another night. I know that I am....." He said and looked at her.
" Ok." She said casually.
" Then I am going to go ahead and head back." She added.
" By yourself?" He asked, almost surprised.
" Yeah......besides the only thing I have more to fear of than anyone else is your brother." She said, in reference to Raphael. Mike smirked.
" Naw......I know Raph is an asshole sometimes, but I don't think he would truly do anything to hurt you." He said. Alana looked at him like he was crazy.
" Yeah right! I kicked him! I took his sais! Besides, you saw the way he attacked Donatello so how can you say that he isn't dangerous?" She exclaimed. Mike looked at her and then they turned to notice Donatello standing by the door, watching them. Alana looked away from the two and didn't say a word.
" Raphael has an anger problem. He lets it get the best of him. Sometimes, he goes out of his mind, but he would surely regret hurting any of us once he snapped out of it. He may not show it, but he cares for us, maybe even you." Donatello stated. Alana turned and looked at the two of them. Leonardo had walked over when he had overheard the conversation and looked at Alana.
" Well I would expect you to defend him because he is your brother, but as for caring about me, I doubt it. I don't need sympathy or someone to care about me. That was my parents job, not anyone else's." Alana said and walked past them.
" Alana." Leo called softly. Janet was asleep in the room, so she couldn't hear what was going on.
" You need to let go of it. You can't live like this. You don't eat, you hardly sleep, you work out too hard, and you lock yourself away from the people around you. You're going to regret it." He said.
" Leo's right. You've got to let it go." Don said, but Mikey remained quiet. Alana narrowed her eyes, even though their words sounded so true.
" I will let it go, the day that man who murdered my family is dead. Until then, I can't let it go." She said and walked out the door.
" Where is she going?" Don asked.
" Well, she said that she wanted to go back to the lair." Mike said finally.
" Let her go. Raph will probably be there." Leo said, not feeling too much comfort in that, but inside he knew that Raphael may scare her, but he wouldn't dare hurt her.
Alana rode her motorcycle in the night and headed to the reservoir that would lead her into the sewer. When she knew no one was around, she drove down it and into the dark tunnels with only the little headlight on the front to give her the sight she needed to make it back to the turtles home. She came to the lair opening and drove up the ramp and parked the bike next to the Javelin. She got off and walked over to greet Azul who was more than glad to see her and then she walked over to her little room and dug through some clothes. She found her night gown and towel and went over to the bathroom to take a nice warm shower. She pulled the hair bow out of her long dark hair and set it on the sink. She started the bath water and then slipped out of her clothes. Alana stepped inside the tub and slowly sank down into the water and relaxed. She leaned back so her hair would soak in the water and then she sat back up and reached for the bottle of shampoo that her and Janet shared. She squeezed some into her hand and began to rub it into her hair until it became a white lather. She felt so clean and refreshed, now that she had finally been able to get into the bath tub. She turned on the shower head and began to rinse out her hair, before she laid back against the tub and relaxed. She looked around the bath room and then at the reflection of her face in the water.
What am I going to do without my family? Where do I go from here? Janet seems to have found what she has always wanted, but what about me? I have my goals and I can't stay here just dreaming about them. I want to go to school. I want to be something special. I want my dreams to be my reality, but how can they happen after everything that has taken place? I don't have my family to help me. I'll have to do it on my own.
The thought of having no family to help her with her school almost frightened her. She knew that she couldn't live in the sewer for the rest of her life with the turtles. Alana couldn't stay out of school for too long. She would have to start her studies again when the end of summer came around. She wanted to make it in the world of graphics art and she was going to stop at nothing till she got there.
Alana heard a soft noise and opened her eyes and turned to look at the door. To her horror, Raphael was standing there looking at her with a very amused face. Alana was so shocked, she couldn't find the voice to scream. He was leaning against the side of the door, watching her.
" What the hell do you think you are doing?!!!" She nearly screamed. He smirked.
" I'm waiting for you to give me back my sais." He stated. Alana flushed with embarrassment and anger at the fact that Raphael would just barge in like that. Alana reached for her towel, but Raphael got in the way and sat himself down on the toilet seat. He sat there and looked as if he was waiting for something, but Alana wasn't about to give in to him. She glared at Raphael, but he didn't seem to care all too much.
" Get the hell out of here so I can get dressed." She growled. Raphael leaned back and shook his head.
" I am not leaving until you give me back my damn sais." He replied coldly. Alana glared and knew that he wasn't going to relent, so with all the courage she could muster, she stood up and stepped out of the tub, despite the fact that she was completely naked. Raphael's eyes widened larger than she had ever seen and he starred at her with the utmost shock on his face.
" Stop staring at me! I am only doing this, because you won't move your ass out of here." She growled. She was very sure to keep her breasts covered and only her side facing him.
" I thought you said that I was ugly because I was so muscular." She stated, covering herself with the towel quickly before he could take it.
" Yeah and?" He asked, looking at her.
" Then don't look." She replied flatly. Raph looked up at her levelly and sat back and looked right into her face. He didn't seem all that interested in the fact that she was naked anymore.
" Where are my damn sais?" He asked again, except he was a little more casual tone this time, but Alana could see the gleam of anger in his dark eyes.
" Look Ra-ph-eal!" She said smartly.
" I am not giving you anything! You act like such an ass and you're dangerous." She growled.
Raphael smirked and nodded as if he was proud.
" I don't think it's something to take pride in. Do you want people to fear you? I mean, don't you want to be loved by anyone?" She asked and quickly got dressed when he had turned his head to look around the bathroom. Raphael turned his head and looked at her with an expressionless stare.
" No I don't want to be loved by anyone, because I know that it won't happen. Aren't you forgetting that I am a freak?" He asked coldly.
" I never said that you were a freak." Alana stated while pulling her hair into a ponytail.
" No one said that you had to say it." He growled.
" Whatever." Alana grumbled.
"I want my sais." He said, obviously losing his patience. Alana looked at him and narrowed her eyes.
" No." She said and walked out. She heard Raphael curse at her and then come out of the bathroom and follow close behind her. He grabbed her shoulder and turned her around.
" Give them back!" He growled into her face. Alana looked at him and then shook her head.
" No. Look, shouldn't you be checking on Splinter or something?" She asked and turned around.
" Why the hell would I want to do that?" He asked angrily. Alana stopped and turned to look at him.
" I forgot....you haven't been here to talk to your brothers yet." She mumbled.
" So. Why?" He asked, clearly agitated that she was trying to change the subject. Alana looked around uncomfortably.
" Um.......well......Splinter.....well he had some kind of attack....."
" WHAT!?" Raphael nearly screamed. Alana backed away.
" He's sick or something. He passed out on the floor and wouldn't wake up for hours, so your brothers took him to April's house." She said, but before she could say any more, he turned and stalked out of the lair, obviously forgetting about the sais that she still had in her possession.
Alana watched him go, but didn't say anything more. She wondered if he was going to go to April's apartment or if he was going to just take his anger and frustrations out on someone else. Alana looked around the lair and felt a sudden touch of uncomfortable feelings. She was alone in a large dark sewer. She suddenly wished that Raphael would come back to keep her company, even though it wasn't exactly the best company to have. She quickly went to her room and put on her old black sneakers and pulled her hair into a ponytail. She didn't want to be there anymore. Azul was there, but she felt like it wasn't enough. She quickly walked back to Azul and unleashed her and then went to her motorcycle. She swung her leg over it and turned it on and then called Azul to her. The blue merle Aussie jumped onto the tank and sat herself comfortably down in front of Alana. Alana started the engine and quickly left the lair, not wanting to be alone in the dark.
Raphael only stayed by the window of April's apartment and looked in on Splinter on the couch.
" Why don't you come inside, Raph?" Mike asked.
" No. I'm already leavin." He said tonelessly and turned away. Casey rushed over to the window.
" Hey Raph, wait up." He said. Raph reluctantly waited for him.
" We haven't hung out in a while, why don't we go for a walk of something?" Casey suggested. Raphael shrugged and then walked along side Casey in the alley way. Raphael had on his trench coat that Mike had lent him at the apartment, but he still didn't feel like walking around the streets.
" So what's been going on?" Casey asked.
" Besides the fact that I have to live with two rich spoiled brats? Nothing." He said with a touch of contempt. Casey smirked.
" C'mon Raph, they're not that bad, are they?" He asked, but the look on Raph's face told him otherwise.
" Ok, maybe I'm wrong." Casey mumbled.
" Alana is the worst. That kid thinks she knows it all." He grumbled.
" And she took my fucking sais!" He added with a more angered tone.
" She did? Damn, that sucks. Is she going to give them back?" Casey asked.
" She better or she's gonna get her ass kicked." Raph growled.
Alana stopped the motorcycle in a small wooded area that her dad used to take her to see wild birds and squirrels. It was only about a mile past the house, but she hadn't bothered to look at the house when she had to pass by it. Azul went about, sniffing the ground. The poor dog was probably happy to finally be outside and in the fresh air again. Alana was still sitting on her motorcycle, but she was relaxing and looking at everything around her. There was so much peace in a place like that, but even if her mind could relax for the moment, it was a nightmare of frightful images where ever she went. She looked over at Azul who was picking at something that sparkled.
" Azul, that better not be glass, girl." She said and got up to get it before the dog cut herself. She looked down at it and then frowned. Slowly, she lifted it from the ground and brushed the dirt off of it. It was a watch with the four diamonds on the twelve, nine, six, and three O' clock marks. Alana trembled when she turned it over to read the inscription she knew was already there: To my Darling Catherine, Merry Christmas........Love, Antonio. Alana could see the dried blood spots and wondered if her parents were buried there. She put the watch in her pocket, but looked at Azul who was no longer interested in the spot. She was sniffing the ground and following the scent down a small path. Alana followed slowly, and looked around cautiously, but when she heard the small sound of a branch breaking, she stopped dead in her tracks and so did Azul. But the dog turned her head to the left and bared her teeth and let loose a low growl. Alana walked over and quieted her and then looked through some bushes to see two men wearing all black with sunglasses and beany hats. Alana felt as though she was going to scream. They were lifting two heavily wrapped loads into the back of the same black Ford truck she had seen the night that her parents died. Alana felt the horror fill her when she could see a face. The eyes were wide open along with the mouth, underneath the plastic. She recognized her dad.
Suddenly, Azul barked angrily and the men turned to them. Alana turned and grabbed Azul by the collar and began to make her way back to the motorcycle. Then she heard the truck start and it only made her run even faster. She got to the bike and started it up. Azul jumped onto the tank without even having to be called and Alana turned and flew down the small path and out of the woods. She was back on Oakland Dr, and switched gears and the sped down her old street. She heard the cracking of branches and looked into the rear view mirror to see the truck coming out of the woods. She knew they could outrun her at anytime, so she had to get back into the city where she had the advantage of cutting through cars where they couldn't go.
Raphael and Casey sat in an old parking lot to an abandoned tattoo shop and talked while drinking a beer.
" I'm just so sick of Leo and those two girls" Raph said and took a sip of his beer.
" Yeah, I know Leo can be a pain in the ass. I know that you don't like these rich people to much, either........ Raph, are you jealous of Leo?" Casey asked. Raphael looked over at him.
" No." He answered flatly.
" Don't take it offensively, I don't mean to piss you off or anything, but do you ever wish you had what he had?" Casey tried again in another way. Raphael sipped his beer again and shrugged.
" I guess. I've sometimes wondered what it was like, but what's the point? I'm a guy, of course the thought has come to mind, but reality is what it is. Besides, I don't think I could deal with a girl like Janet. She's a real pain in the ass." He said. He turned when he heard Casey chuckled and smirked. It was nice to be away from everyone and out with Casey again. Raphael looked around and then turned his attention to the small street the ran along side the parking lot.
" What's wrong, Raph?" Casey asked.
" That engine noise.......it sounds like Alana's motorcycle." Casey smirked at him.
" How can you tell? They all sound basically the same."
" Yeah, but hers has some kind of rattling like that in the muffler or something. Like something's loose on it." He said. Casey looked at him and then turned to the street.
" I know she's not going to come through here! That street has holes in it. And it sounds like whoever it is, is going pretty damn fast." Casey exclaimed. Then they heard a scream.
" That is her!" Raph exclaimed and dropped the rest of his beer and stood up with Casey, but before they could move, they saw her flying out from around the corner with a large black truck gaining on her. They pulled along side and then suddenly turned toward her, causing the side of the truck to bump the handle bars to the motorcycle. Alana screamed when she lost control and the bike started to lean toward the curb, the side of the tires skidded against it and before anyone knew it, the motorcycle tumbled to the ground. Raph and Casey rushed over and saw Azul jump off and land safely, but Alana tumbled off and landed hard on the ground. The motorcycle, skidded and finally slid to a stop a few good feet away from her. Casey and Raph rushed over and knelt by Alana's side. Casey saw the truck speed off down the street and wondered why the hell they would to that to Alana. Azul trotted over and began to whimper for Alana who blinked a few times before coming around. The first thing she saw when she woke up, was Raphael's face. She stared at him in shock for a moment and then turned to look at Azul.
" Alana?" Casey called gently. She looked groggily at him for a second and then struggled to get up. She felt Raphael's three fingered hands gently help her off the ground.
" Damn......she's cut up pretty bad." Casey commented, noticing the tear in her pants that revealed a bloody cut on her thigh. She had a small scrape on her face, and various other cuts on her body, but she didn't seem to be thinking about them. Her eyes were almost blank, but they were wide with shock and thought.
" Alana, what happened?" Casey asked. Alana looked at him and began to tremble, but shook her head as if she was afraid to tell.
" She's pretty fucked up, so go call Janet and Leo. Case, tell them to bring the old pickup, cause I don't think that motorcycle is gonna be driven back."
" Alright, I'll be right back." He said and took off for the payphone next to the abandoned tattoo shop. Raphael looked at Alana who suddenly began to shake and before he knew it, her body went limp in his arms. She had passed out and Raphael didn't even know what she could have done to make those men chase her, but he knew that he had to get her back to the lair as soon as possible. Mike and Don were better with medicine than he was. He lowered her down to the ground and let her head rest on his chest as he knelt on his knees next to her. As much as he disliked her, the last thing he thought of was her dying.