Michaelangelo, You Made Me Smile (Book 3)

Christmas Tree, Oh, Christmas Tree, May You Burn

My eyes were heavy when I woke up, like I didn't want to even wake up. But there was something that made me wake up. I couldn't tell what, but I freaked out when I saw the pink sheets before relaxing again, remembering where I was. I looked at my hand and sighed, knowing that I couldn't go back... Shredder would probably mistaken me for a Turtle and kill me.

But I pushed the thought to the side again and got out of bed, not even bothering to mess with remaking the bed. I went to the door and opened it, suddenly catching a faint whif of smoke. I looked around curiously. This place was solid stone. How could there be a fire?

I walked out of the room and looked around, trying to follow the smell of smoke, wondering what was going on. I heard a small fire, like a campfire, crackling when I reached the end of the hallway. I peered out in the main room and saw a small tree burning. Then there was Julie beside the flame, her curled green squirrel tail flicking in amusement.

"What are you doing?!" I cried, looking around for a fire extinguisher. There was none nearby so I searched through the rooms, finding one in what looked like a laboratory, even with a container filled with guts for experimenting? But I ran back to the fire and put the orange and red flames out.

Julie looked at me with the most pained look that I've ever seen her. I lowered the extinguisher in confusing and looked at her more closely. She looked down and muttered, "Sorry.... I just don't like Christmas...."

"Why?" I asked, a little concerned and worried about my friend.

She looked at the charred plastic ashes of the tree and sighed, "My mother and father were killed on this holiday..."

"Oh," I said softly. "Was it by a Christmas tree?"

The look she gave me could've made anyone smile a little. It was of shock and disbelief and utter stupidity. "No!"

"Then why burn the Christmas tree?" I asked, looking at the poor tree.

"Uhm..." she paused, not sure of a response to the question. She looked at me and sighed in defeat, "I don't know..."

"Okay," I said. "So don't ruin the holiday for us by doing this."

She shook her head and smiled. "This isn't the main tree, doofus."

"It's not?" I asked, a little relieved and stunned. "Then where's the main one?"

Smiling in only the way Julie could, she took my wrist and brought me up a set of stairs to a vast room. The first thing I saw was a tree, I'm not sure what type of tree, but it wasn't a pine of Christmasy type of tree, and it was covered in lights and tinsel and decorations that I could tell were either homemade or were found broken in the tunnels of this sewer.

"This is," she smiled. "I couldn't burn this one. Everyone would have me skinned alive."

"I imagine," I said a little breathless, smiling at the twinkling of the lights.

When was the last time I felt this kind of joy? When I and Naomi and Julie were all human and we would hang out at the hangout? It's been a while... I haven't felt this since they all disappeared. I paused and looked down. What was Sophie feeling? She lost everyone... First Naomi, then Julie, and then the last link she had was me. I grit my teeth. Poor Sophie.

"Do you not like it?" someone asked behind us and I turned around. Mikey walked in, a little cautious of being here by the looks of it.

"No, I do..." I sighed, looking between Julie and the Turtle. "Just... I'm feeling joy. Something I haven't felt since I lost Naomi and Julie... And I'm thinking of how Sophie's feeling... She must be in real pain."

"And Leo's in pain too," Mikey continued.

"Leo?" I asked.

"You haven't seen him much... He's been keeping to himself and in his room, wondering when he can see his girl again," Julie explained. "Donnie was like that before he met me."

"Do you think Sophie could meet Leo? Do you think he would be happy? Then Sophie could see us and Leo may be happy!" I smiled at the thought. I was acting like a child, wishing for everyone to be happy.

"It's not that easy, Cindy," Julie sighed.

"Why?" I asked, still acting like the child I was inside.

"You'll find out soon," Julie smiled, setting her hand on the top of my head and trying to give me a noogie, but failing since I had no hair anymore. It was a sad thought, really, but I guess it was okay once you got used to it.

Julie left the room, leaving me and Mikey in the vast room alone. He was watching me a little worried and hurt. I sighed and looked at him, "Sorry about the door."

"I kinda deserved it..." he said, rubbing the back of his head, moving his mask a little. "I did change you..."

I ground my teeth and looked at my wrapped wrists and hands, wondering why he insisted that I changed. What was I supposed to do about this? I mean, I'm now a spy technically, but at the same time, I don't.

So, if I was I supposed to do? Befriend these Turtles only to then betray them? Or betray Shredder and the Foot? I was really confused as I stared into the orange masked Turtle's blue eyes.