Hey guys. JTH here and I'm going to write something a little unique, little quick chapters and reads. Not sure how this will turn out, but fortune favors the bold right? Everyone who saw the Season 3 premiere of the new Nick show remembers the opening intro where April narrated the events of their time at the farmhouse to date. I decided to do the same thing, this will basically be April's journal entries after each episode while they're at the farmhouse, to bridge one episode to the next. This first entry will take place before Within the Woods though, so this is basically "the intro to the intro". again don't how this will come out and may not be for everyone. But we'll see. As always, TMNT does not belong to me and all said rights go to their respective owners.

April O'Neil: Journal of our Journey

The Beginning

We're on the road and on the run, in my dad's old van. Heading to my family's old farmhouse to escape New York City, The Shredder, and The Kraang. This is my journal to record all data and information we obtain during our get away.

This is our story...

During our journey and time at the farmhouse, I plan to keep all my friends logged in my journal. Making sure I know how everyone is handling the situation, see how they're progressing. It'll be tough, no question. But we're a team, we're a family. And during our biggest time of crisis, this is when we need to stay together. Continuing to fight for each other...our friends...our brothers.

Leonardo - Stay With Us...

To say that Leonardo is in bad shape, would be an understatment. Everyone is worried about his well-being, his health. Will he be okay? Will he ever be the same again?

I wish I knew...

Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello are doing everything they can to keep him alive until we can get to the farmhouse. Whenever they keep an eye on their eldest brother, no words are spoken. It's hard to watch whenever I peak my head behind into the back of the van to see all their faces, makes me wish I stop doing it. But I'm too worried about Leo to stop, I fear that he's dying, and we may be too late.

Hold on Leo, please stay with us. You're going to be alright.

I hope... :(

Raphael - Staying Strong

Raph is doing everything he can to stay strong for his younger brothers. But I know it's hard for him, for someone who wears his emotions on his sleeve. He'll try to remain calm, I know he will...I trust he will. Mikey has been under his arm ever since we left the city limits, and Raph has kept him there as a sign of comfort. He keeps assuring Donatello that he did nothing wrong, that he did everything he could. That is whenever Donnie is not distracted with checking on Leo to listen to him, even though I don't believe Donatello is listening anyway. But Raph keeps trying, he's persistent. It is one of the few times where being that way is a positive.

Raph is growing up before my eyes. Keep doing what you're doing.

Stay strong Raphael... :)

Michelangelo - I Feel Your Pain Mikey...

I feel so terrible for Michelangelo, he saw his sensei, his "father", disappear before his eyes. I feel your pain Mikey...I know exactly what you're going through. For the past year, I've lost my dad more times than I can count. But I'll remember what you did for your older brother Raphael. You hugged him hard. You calmed his rage.

I'm so proud of you Mikey.

I can't lie. When you're not acting goofy, you're really brave.

Just don't act goofy all the time. Okay Mikey? :)

Donatello - Never Lose Hope Donatello

Donnie...

I don't even know where to start...

Donatello has pinned this entire avalanche of events and emotions on himself. He blames himself for everything...the invasion, Leo, our defeat, ...everything. Nothing we say makes him think otherwise. But it's not your fault Donnie, it's not! Nothing that's happened is, please understand that Donatello.

I feel I caused as much pain to him as anything else that happened.

Back at the apartment, he was about to tell me something, something I knew he had wanted to say for a long time. But I stopped him. I may regret what I did later in my life...but not right now. He wouldn't understand, no one would.

Donatello became the leader when we got seperated from Leonardo. But him telling me how he felt at that point in time, was a mistake. That was a sign of giving up, like he knew we were all going to die, that there was no hope left. So I stopped him...I'm sorry Donnie but I had no choice. When I hugged Casey in front of you, I needed you to realize that you had to focus on the matter at hand, to lead us all to saftey. It may not have been right, but I know it worked.

But don't give up Donnie, I know you'll have another chance to tell me how you feel one day. And hopefully you'll feel happy when you do. Confessing one's feelings should occur when you can cherish it, not to be wasted on a time of crisis.

So keep trying.

Never lose hope Donatello...

I believe in you. :)

Casey - Questions...

Casey continues to drive through the moonlight on the highway as we continue to get away as quickly as we can. Never in my life has a main road in New York ever looked so empty and deserted. For the longest time, I rested my head on his arm. Casey continued to stare out the windshield like a zombie, showing little to no responce to my closeness. It shows how rattled he is, and Casey is one to not be very often.

Will Casey be okay?

Will I be okay if he's not?

How will be able to be comforted by Jones if he feels worse than I do?

There's a billion questions and zero answers. But Casey is a hockey player...born and raised. He learned it from his dad; he's a tough, stubborn guy who won't go down without a fight. I just wonder how much fight he has right now?

...I have to stop asking questions... :(

April - The Healing Has Begun

By the time I record this, we've since arrived at the farmhouse. We've been here for two days now. We've gotten Leonardo taken care of in the upstairs bathroom to allow him to recover in our tub. Everyone is starting to make themselves feel at home and get as comfortable as they can be. But it's a struggle for the Turtles. It is very clear they will have a hard time adapting to this new enviorment in the wilderness. Living on the surface 24/7.

I can tell they're homesick, I'm homesick and this is my home. But all we can do is look ahead. Just by doing that, the healing has begun. Little by little, we'll get back on our feet and our wounds will go away.

It's always been said that you as a person or a team is more defined how you react to defeat than in victory. As a person who doesn't watch or care for sports all that much, I never understood that saying...but I do now. I agree with it 100%. These trying times will bring us together stronger than ever, and our friends and family will be there for us more than ever. We have to try and forget the past and focus on how to help the present to fix the future. I know this, but one thing will be certain...

I'll never forget the night we left New York City...

So what do you think? Let me know, any thoughts or comments are welcome. Until next time, thanks for reading. :)