Okie dokie. Here's chapter one. The guys aren't really in this one. It's just some one-on-one Alex/John time. I figured I'd do something light to ease into the season. Hope you enjoy. Please review!

Chapter 1
"The Long Ride"

It had been a couple days since Alex had returned back to Earth with her terrapins and Master Splinter. When they landed in the lair, Alex found her brothers and Fred there, all unconscious. April, Casey and Leatherhead were frantically running around the lair not really knowing what to do to help the boys. When they arrived, it scared the crap out of them. Then the two older humans and the largest mutant had the injured to freak out about.

They finally decided it was best for them to all head up to Casey's grandmother's place up in the Hamptons. It was a quite peaceful place for them to all heal up and relax. April and Casey took the van and the trailer with the guys in it while Alex called John to help bring her, her brothers and Fred.

The car ride was eerily silent. For most of the ride John didn't take his brown eyes off of the road. His lips were pierced together and his brow knit together. Alex could tell Blake was freaked out about the events she had told him about, her injuries and the unknown people in the back of his car (now all dressed in street clothes thanks to Casey). All of which were unconscious; three were seated in the back seat (her brothers) while Fred was in the open aired trunk of the SUV.

"You almost died," he finally said.

"Yeah," Alex sighed.

"Yeah?" he repeated. "Yeah? That's all you can say to that?"

"What do you want me to say?" Alex asked calmly. She turned her head away from the window of the passenger's side and to John. "That I'm sorry? That I regret my actions? I'd be lying if I did.

"I got them back, John," she said. "My brothers will be able to go back to their old lives now. Fred can be a normal kid again! And most of all we stopped the Shredder; an alien that killed about 4.2 million innocent people, John! I'm not sorry about what I did because we did good. I'd do it again too. And if I died, then so be it. I think it was worth saving millions more lives."

John sighed. "I know," he said. "I know. You're right. I would have done the same thing. It's just…"

"You were worried," Alex finished for him.

John shook his head, his grip on the wheel tightening so much that his fists turned white. "Worried? Try petrified!"

"I'm sorry," she said. "I may not be sorry for my actions, but I never want to purposefully hurt you, John. You know that, right?"

"Yeah," he said. "I know. And I'm proud of you, you know that?" He ruffled her hair, causing her to wince as he hit part of the bruise on the side of her head. "Sorry," he said before continuing. "And I'm glad you got your brothers and friend back."

"Thanks," she said with a small smile.

"Not to make this all about me or anything," John said, "but now that you've got all three of your older brothers back, does that mean you don't still need one more around?"

Alex raised a brow, completely confused. "John, you think I'd abandon you?"

"Well, we're not actually related and you do have your family back," he started to say.

"John," Alex said, stopping him. "I'm not going anywhere. You're stuck with me for the rest of your life, Blake!"

John smirked. "Good, I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Oh," Alex said. "I've been meaning to ask you something."

"Shoot, Firecracker," he said.

"What the heck was up with you checking out Ms. Parker?" she asked.

"What are you talking about?" John asked.

"Oh, don't play dumb!" Alex laughed, groaning right afterwards because of the discomfort it caused her. "I saw you do it!"

"I wasn't checking her out," he protested. "I was checking her over to make sure she wasn't hurt. That's all!"

"Yeah, I so don't buy that," Alex said. "You were checking her out. Period."

"Fine!" he admitted. "Can you blame me?"

"Nah, she is pretty," Alex agreed.

"Pretty? Yeah, but more like she's rocking the whole sexy librarian thing," John corrected. "I'm telling you if I had her as a teacher I would be teacher's pet, if you get what I mean. That thought was stuck in my head the rest of the day!"

"Ew!" Alex gagged. "Mental image not necessary!" She shivered. "Ah, dude, scarred for life!"

"Get used to it, Alex," John said. "You're growing up. This is what you have to look forward to. Men and their hormones." The second he said that his face contorted. "On second thought, the moment a guy looks at you, I'll kill him."

"John!"

"What?"

"Three overprotective older brothers and now an honorary overprotective older brother? I'd hate to imagine if the guys found out someone was interested in me," Alex said, shaking her head. "I'm never going to get married!"

"No, we just have to approve of him first," John said. "And no sex until after you're thirty!"

"John!"

"What?" he asked. "Hey, no hitting the driver! What have I told you?"

"A lot of things?" Alex said wisely.

John rolled his eyes. "You are such a pain, Firecracker!"
"Yeah, but you love me," Alex said.

"Why do I love you again?"

"Because I have a charming personality," Alex laughed, ignoring the pain. "That and I kick butt!"

"You are such a weirdo," he laughed.

"I never claimed anything different," she said. "But back on topic! You're going to have competition if you want to go out with Ms. Parker."

"Who said anything about going out with her?" he asked.

"I did," Alex said. "I can tell you're interested."

"So what if I am?" he retorted. "I mean, she's obviously intelligent and extremely good looking."

"Don't forget clumsy," Alex said. "You could save her from herself and be her knight in blue polyester!"

"I'm not an officer anymore. I don't wear the uniform."

"Technicality."

"That's enough out of you."

"Nuh-uh, we are not done talking about this," she said. "You have competition! Don't you want to know about them?"

"Them?" John asked. "There's more than one?"

"Well look at her!" Alex pointed out. "All of the single teachers are after her, and half of the married ones!"

"Mhm," he hummed.

"But you really only have to worry about two," she told him. "Maybe three, but she always seems annoyed with Mr. Clark, so I wouldn't worry about him."

"Is that so, kiddo?"

"Yeah," Alex said. "You remember my history teacher, right? Mr. Sam Wesson?"

Emily was right. Mr. Wesson was extremely good looking. He was very tall, which was kind of weird considering that Ms. Parker wasn't the tallest, but he was very muscular with slightly longer brown hair and to die for blue puppy dog eyes.
"You have him and Mr. Smith, my PE teacher," she added. "Dean Smith is also extremely fine to look at. He's shorter than you are, but extremely muscular. He's got short dirty blond hair and green eyes. Emily says he's sex on a stick."

"Yeah, okay, I did not need to hear that!" John said.

"That's just payback for your comment earlier," Alex said.

"Okay so there goes any chance I'd have with her. I mean, I've seen Mr. Wesson. There's no way she'd pass that up. Or the other guy, from what you say. What reason would she have to pick me?"

"Because you're awesome," Alex said. "And you're really good looking too. You don't give yourself enough credit."

And he didn't. John was the tall, dark and handsome type. He had extremely dark, warm brown eyes that always made Alex feel safe, protected and cared for. He had short dark brown hair and was also tall, about 6'2" which made him taller than Dean but shorter than Sam. He had a smooth, clean face. He was very good looking.

"Didn't you say she was young?" Blake asked.

"Yeah, she's twenty-one," Alex said. "Why?"

"Aren't I a little old for her then?"

"You're only twenty-eight," she said.

"Twenty-nine," he corrected.

"What? I missed your birthday?" she exclaimed.

"Hey, don't worry about it," he said. "I just went out and had a couple drinks with Longer. Nothing big."

"I still would have gotten you something," Alex said.

"I don't need anything," he said.

Alex stuck her tongue out at him and looked back out the window. "But eight years isn't that bad. Who cares about age?"

"She might," he said.

"Yeah, but if it does Mr. Wesson and Mr. Smith don't have a chance with her either. Wesson's twenty-eight and Smith's thirty-two, but she doesn't seem like to type to be bothered by a large age difference."

"Okay, so there's the age doesn't matter, but that doesn't mean I really have a chance."

"Of course you have a chance!" Alex insisted. "Why wouldn't you?"

"I don't know," he said. "You tell me. What are the guys like?"

"Well, Mr. Smith's kind of a player, he's funny and cool, but he's best friends with Mr. Wesson, so he has to be a good person. Plus, Ms. Parker thinks of him as a friend so he has to be nice! Mr. Wesson's more mellow. He'd be the kind of guy to sit at home and read with. He's really nice and smart."

Alex saw that John was about to say something negative about himself so she jumped in again. "But you're extremely sweet and funny. You're protective and it makes people feel safe with you. Plus, she was totally checking you out too."

"Wait what?" he asked excitedly and shocked. His brown eyes looked to her, pleading her to tell him. "She was?"

"Yeah," Alex answered. "I even asked her about it. She was extremely embarrassed and she denied it, but she stuttered so much that it was obvious that she was."

"Really?" he asked.

"Oh yeah," Alex said. "See, you have a shot with her! Don't sell yourself short."

"Okay, okay, I get it. Be confident," he laughed.

"Yes, stupid. Be confident!"

"What? I'm stupid? How am I supposed to be confident if you keep putting me down!" He joked. "Hey, no hitting!"