Coming Home

The Call

IMPORTANT: So, this is an alternate universe where Mikey did not run into the Punk Frogs and actually succeeded in running away from home. It sort of bothered me that they didn't address the issue later on.

I do not own TMNT.

It was a night not unlike any other. Mikey sat in the back of the stolen van (which after all these months he still felt bad about taking) and peeked out the window. The unwelcoming forest stared back at him. He had driven out the edge of the small town, where nobody was likely to find him. Sitting back with a contented sigh, Mikey silently congratulated himself on learning how to drive. That had been his main issue after leaving. But now with a car and the know-how, he could go anywhere.

Anywhere.

The thought sort of scared him in a way. Anywhere. He didn't have a purpose, a plan, he didn't know what to do. It had been six months since he had struck out on his own. Now what? was the lingering question in his mind.

The freckled turtle decided not to worry about it. He wasn't usually one who worried about things like that, but tonight he was feeling somewhat lonely.

"Mrrow?" an orange and white cat jumped into his lap from the front of the car and rubbed her head against his chest.

"Heya Klunk," Mikey cooed, petting the cat affectionately. "You still care about me, don't you?" The cat responded with a loud purr. Poor little street cat had been almost starving when the teenager came across her, and Mikey couldn't help taking her in; it was what he did. Stroking her as she purred quietly, the turtle took in a deep breath of the musty leather smell of the car. That smell had become the smell of home.

"Mrrow," the cat suddenly meowed urgently, jumping off his lap and butting her head against the car door. "Mrrow!"

"What's your problem? You wanna go out?" Mikey asked dubiously. He didn't like letting her leave at night, especially near a forest like this.

"Mrrrraaaow," Klunk tilted her muzzle into the air and wailed.

"Fine, fine, you win," Michelangelo grumbled, putting on his best pouty face as he popped open the car door for her. Crazy cat. He had just settled into the sleeping bag on the van floor when there came a scritch-scratch from the door. He promptly groaned.

"I thought you wanted out!" he shouted, The noise came again. Scritch-scratch. "Ugh!" Mikey sat up and opened the car door, feeling slightly crabby at the fact he had been woken up again, but then he saw the small black bundle in her mouth.

"Klunk, did you kill something?!" Mikey screeched in horror. The cat just leaped up inside, padded over to the corner, and dropped the thing. She looked up with big green eyes and tilted her head. "Mrrow."

"Please tell me you didn't kill something," Mikey said, slightly panicked as he shut the car door. He hated to look at dead animals. It was disgusting and saddening all at once. The black bundle had a crimson puddle forming under it and the turtle wanted to puke. Klunk had actually killed something and brought it back-

Then the animal moved.

Four little legs jerked out and started to churn wildly at the air, a black tail thrashing back and forth and its eyes wide. It was a tiny black kitten, with mangy fur and crazed amber eyes. Klunk nudged it slightly, evoking a screech from the animal. Mikey flinched.

"Oh no, no no no no no," Mikey scooted towards the delicate little thing and very very slowly tried to wedge his hand under it, but that only made it screech louder so he drew back again, whimpering. What was he supposed to do? He couldn't even tell where it was hurt, probably on its other side where he couldn't reach. The kitten's paws flowed through the air furiously, like it was trying to swim. Finally, gathering up every bit of guts he had in him, Mikey thrust his hands under it and flipped the creature over as fast as he could, trying not to tear up at the sound of it screaming in pain.