Ava's Story

Chapter 3

The turtles slowly lift Ava out of the Shellraiser and into the pitch black 'living room'. Donnie lays her down on the couch and covers her with a blanket up to her neck.

"We won't be able to hide this from him." Raph says as he plunked down onto the bean bag.

"I know that, Raph. We are just gonna hold it off until we can think of what to say." Leo says as he sits down on a chair.

Raph smirks.

"Try: We brought home a Foot soldier and we are gonna help her."

"Dude, Splinter would freak if we said that." Mikey says as he rolls his eyes.

A light flashes on.

"I would freak about what, Michelangelo?" Splinter says as he walks in.

The turtles can literally feel their hearts drop to the floor.

Splinter notices Ava on the couch.

"What is going on in here?" Splinter asks angrily, trying to comprehend why a girl was sleeping on the couch.

He looks at Leo for an explanation.

Leo glances at the ground.

"Uh...um....well you see...We kinda brought a girl from the Foot home, because she was unconscious and really hurt and hates it there,so.....yeah." Leo stammers, then blurts out.

Splinter nearly explodes.

"You WHAT?" He shouts, waking Ava.

Ava blearily opens her eyes and rubs them. She is met with a burning pain throughout her entire body, especially in the neck. She shouts in pain, and Donnie immediately runs after her with medicine.

Her icy blue eyes widen, and she realizes what happened. She tries to jump up, but her wounds prevent her from doing so. Donnie presses her back into the couch. She struggles harder, desperate to get out.

Splinter silently watches.

"A little help here, guys?" Donnie says as he tries to keep her contained.

His brothers immediately jump to help.

"I need to leave. I have to get out of here!" She screams, tears falling and heavily hyperventilating.

Donnie grabs a needle filled with a clear liquid.

"Give me her wrist." Donnie says as he prepares the injection.

Leo grabs her thin wrist and holds it for Donnie. He slips the needle through her pale skin and releases the medicine.

Ava quickly calms down and starts breathing slower. She looks up at Leo with a desperate expression. Her eyes are pleading.

"Please let me go. I already will be punished for confessing, if they find out I came with you..." She shakes with fear. " I can't take anymore. I swear I will never tell them anything."

"You can't go until your wounds heal. We'll take care of you. " Donnie says as he passes her a painkiller.

She quickly swallows it.

"But they'll find me. I know they will. Then they'll hurt me." Her voice is filled with many emotions : sorrow, pain, anger, and most of all, fear.

"Who's 'they'?" Raph asks, although it is easy to guess who.

"Shredder. And...my father." She says as she stares at the ground.

"Your father?" Leo asks in unbelief.

This pushed her over the edge. She covers her face with her hands and starts violently sobbing, like she has never done before. All her trapped feelings pour out with her tears, loud and echoing through the walls. Splinter slowly walks over to where she is and places his hand on her shaking shoulders.

"It will be alright, child." He says in a soothing voice. 

He is still wary of her, yet could sense her need for comfort.

Ava's sobs reduce to mild sniffles, and she brushes her long, raven black hair out of her face.

Mikey gets up and embraces the girl. She is extremely unfamiliar with hugs, but returns it anyway.

"What was that for?" She asks, blushing a bit as he pulled away.

"You needed a hug, and I'm a hugger." He replies simply.

And for the first time in a long time, Ava gave a slight smile.

Aww, this one ends on a happy note. :)