Risen from Ashes

Act one, Part Eighteen: New Interest

Nine days later

"..And if I don't do as they say or I make a mistake, they will lock me in the basement and beat me up till my bones are broken." Nina vents her past to Mikey and Ginny, who listen to her.

The three are all in Mikey's room, Mikey and Ginny sitting in separate chairs while Nina is lying on his bed, almost like they are in a therapist's office. After Nina got better and her fever was gone, Mikey switched into Dr. Feelings mode and acted like Nina's own therapist. So far, he got info on Nina's relationship with her mother and stepfather, and she also told him about her little half-sister. She added on how she was bullied so much in school, and her only sources of comfort were her father's pictures and Bello.

Ginny has her hand close to her mouth, taking this all in. When she heard how Nina hated her half-sister because she was the daughter of her abuser, it was like they ruined her chance to be a sister to a little girl who couldn't see the danger of it. But more horrified that her parents put so much pain and pressure on her. "Good god. That's awful." She trembled. "I can never imagine the pain you went through."

Mikey was too stunned to speak, thinking it was going to be an easy task, but he did not expect this kind of trauma. And he will not lie; this was a whole new level. He wrote down her experience on a clipped board paper. "Wow...I am just..wow." He breathed. "Your parents are done right awful."

"Yeah, we get it, Mikey." Ginny heaved, glaring at him. Then she turned her focus on Nina; her expression turned soft. "Don't worry, Nina, we're gonna be sure you will get better from this and help you move on," she told her.

"Thanks." Nina sighed, looking at the ceiling. "But it's not gonna be easy."

"No one said recovering from trauma is easy." Ginny agreed. "But with the right support, you will be a better person."

"Right." Nina then turned her head to face the two, frowning. "And.. I'm sorry for how I behaved." her voice cracked; sadness was in her voice.

Mikey waves his hand off. "We told you, you're forgiven." He replied back. She apologized to them for the whole nine days. "Don't worry. Now that we know the cause of your action, we can find a way to improve you."

Nina lifted her head from the pillow and stared at Mikey. "How?" she asked him.

"Uh..." Mikey started to get nervous. He and his brothers talked about their trauma with their therapist, and they would get exercises based on them and go through treatment. But they never know what to do when you've gone through abusive trauma. So he is lost, with no answer to Nina's problem.

Ginny spoked. "We'll figure out a way," she told her. "Season is done for today."

Nina let out a nod, glad it was over for today. She got out of bed. She thought Mikey's bed would be lumpy, but it was very soft and comfy. She then left his room, leaving the two alone.

Once she was gone, Ginny turned to Mikey. "Do you know the first thing when dealing with abuse trauma?" she questioned him, right when she saw through his hesitation.

Mikey scratches his head, trying to think hard. "If I remember what our therapist said, I would know." he supposed.

"So that's a no." Ginny knows the true answer.

"It's a no." Mikey nodded. Ginny sighed as she pressed her hand to her face and groaned. It is going to be hard to help Nina without a proper way to help her trauma.

With Nina, she left Mikey's area as she started to feel very nervous and anxious. It has been nine days since she got better from her sickness and opened her past to the turtles. It was a bit strange initially for her. She was never used to being open with others, mostly because she would get hurt with one look from her. Though she feels safe that her family will never find her here, the feeling of fear is still there, and it still clung to her like a leech sucking her skin. She gripped both her biceps tightly and frowned deeply, looking down on the floor as she walked.