Chapter 7

While Donnie was still struggling with the lack of technology, Mikey was having a blast running in and out of the house helping April clean. He was blasting her old cassette tapes on the large rectangular boom box that was in her room. Leo sneezed as he walked through picking sheets up off the floor. Splinter rocked away in a rocking chair on the back side of the porch. Vanilla Ice filled the upstate New York.

Mikey walked into the living room to April wiping down the shelves and breaking out her moves, "Stop, collaborate, and listen. Ice is back with a brand new invention. Something grabs a hold-" She turned to see Mikey chuckling at her, "What are you laughing at, Orange?! You're not the only one with some serious moves."

"Oh, really? You think you got some moves? That sound like a challenge." He smirked.

Vern stopped the van in the gravel driveway. The guys hopped out and began grabbing grocery bags. Casey paused and looked towards the house.

"What's wrong?" Raph mumbled.

"Do you guys hear MC Hammer?" Casey asked.

They all walked through the front door and stopped at the living room. April and Mikey were in the middle of the break it down part of "Can't Touch This."

"Is this right?" Mikey asked as he and April criss crossed their legs and arms over and over.

"Yeah, you got it! After this last beat, you spin in a circle and put your hand up in a stop motion." They both turned and put their hands up when they finally noticed Raph, Casey, and Vern standing in the foyer. Casey was dancing around, too mocking them.

"Don't stop on our account." Casey was folded over in laughter.

April scowled at him, "Shut up, Jones! Jealous because you have no rhythm. Did you guys get detergent? We need to wash these sheets."

Vern held up the Arm and Hammer detergent, "Yes, very manly detergent."

"Yes, manly." April agreed and threw a questioning look at Raph and he just shrugged in return.

"Did you guys get me orange crush?" Mikey asked excitedly as he followed them to the kitchen.

"Here ya go." Casey said passing it to him as they unpacked.

"Awesome! I'll start cooking." Mikey said firing up the stove.

Leo set the table out back. While Mikey finished up dinner, April cleaned some more and the rest of the guys just did whatever. They literally had no idea how to just enjoy themselves in the open. It was going to be an adjustment. Just breathing all the fresh air made the guys feel light headed. Splinter felt like a normal father relaxing after working all day. A feeling he never thought he would get to feel due to the fact that their lives are completely abnormal. After dinner, everybody went on about the night setting up their places to sleep and settling in.

"Vern, are you sure you don't want to go ahead and stay over?" April asked as he headed toward the door.

"I'm good, O'Neil. I'm going to finish out the week at work and then I'll head back out on Friday and spend the weekend." He replied, "So, you guys don't miss me too much, k?"

April laughed and rolled her eyes, "Sure, Vern. We'll see you Friday. Let us know when you're headed out and we'll have dinner ready."

"Thanks, O'Neil. I appreciate it."

"No, thank you, Vern. You know, for everything."

"Anytime. Hold the fort down until I come back." He joked as he walked out the door.

April saluted, "Yes, sir."

She went out on the porch and saw Leo sitting in the swing.

"Hey, you." She piped up and sat beside him.

"Hey." He said back.

"Leo, you want to talk about whatever it is that's got you acting so 'un-Leo' like?"

"Un-Leo like. Is that a technical term?" He smiled.

April smiled back, "When it comes to you, yes. You seem very stand offish. Anything on your mind?"

"I'm not sure what it is. I know I'm acting weird, but – I just don't know." He contemplated sincerely.

"Well, when you know, come find me, okay?" She patted him on the arm sweetly, "Good night." She stood up and kissed his forehead which she could still barely reach with him sitting down.

"Good night, April." She walked inside and he looked at her longingly, "I love you." He whispered to himself.

Mikey and Donnie were passed out in the living room from playing video games.

Raph walked Master Splinter to his room, "Do you need anything, Dad?"

"No, son. I'm fine. Go, go, enjoy yourself. I'm going to read and go to sleep." Splinter promised.

"Oh, I'm just a couple of rooms down if you need anything." Raph assured.

"Son, I am capable. Quit worrying and go have some time with April. I love you." He promised ushering him out the door.

"I love you, too. I'll see you in the morning." Raph closed the door behind him and went to April's bedroom, but she wasn't in there. "Hm." He turned and headed down the stairs to find her. Donnie and Mikey were still asleep in the living room. Leo must have gone to sleep, too. Casey was in the downstairs bedroom doing his thing. Raph crept into the kitchen and he heard movement. There he saw April in the laundry room off the side of the kitchen, folding sheets.

"Baby." He groaned, "You have cleaned enough today." He took the sheet out of her hand and laid it down.

"But it'll wrin-"

"It's a sheet. Who cares if it wrinkles?" He grinned and pushed her against the dryer and took her mouth with his, "You've done plenty today. It's time for you and me."

"I'm good with that idea." She smiled.

"Let's go upstairs." He said pulling at her arm.

April followed him through the kitchen, she halted at the cabinet and opened it up. There was her liquor stash. She plucked the bottle of tequila from the shelf and headed upstairs with Raph. They unscrewed the top and sat Indian style on her bed and began sipping on the bottle. The relaxation set in as they finally began to feel at ease. Soon sitting turned into laying, and talking turned into kissing, and kissing turned into euphoria filled blur. The tequila just right and the house was quiet. Raph made his way on top of April and then all began to go horribly wrong. There was a crash downstairs, like someone kicked the front door down. Raph's head snapped up.

Panic set in on April's face, "Oh, my God, Raph."

"It's okay. It's okay." He jumped up off the bed and picked April up and shoved her in the trap door behind the clothes in her closet, "Stay here and stay quiet. I love you." He kissed her hard and shut her in and ran to help his brothers.

Glass and the sound of furniture breaking was all over the downstairs of the house. He tried to shake off the tequila, and as he made his way to the bottom of the staircase, he saw Leo go flying across the foyer. He jumped off the staircase and clothes lined his attacker. Just as he feared, the house was covered in men wearing Foot Clan masks. They had finally found them. Raph drew his sai's and began fighting off as many as he could. Mikey and Donnie were holding their own in the living room, while Casey was hacking at a few guys with his hockey stick in the kitchen. Master Splinter was throwing people from one side of the room to another with his tail. But they were still flooding into the house. They had to run. There was no way they would fight them off and live.

Casey was struggling in the kitchen and Raph ran to help him, "Raph, we gotta get out of here now!"

"Grab Splinter! I'll get the guys." Raph whispered hastily.

"April?" Casey asked.

"She's in the trap door that leads outside." He answered and ran after his brothers.

He ran into the living room and signaled Mikey. He pushed the guy he was fighting off to the ground.

"Donnie, now!" Mikey shouted.

"Leo, let's go!" Donnie yelled to the last brother.

They all made their quick escapes. Some of the Foot were already retreating for fear of someone else hearing. All the guys ran to the basement door and snuck out through the ground entrance at the back of the house. They ran as quickly as they could, until they heard her. April was screaming as she was dragged away.

"Raph!" She shrieked and then her screams were muffled.

Raph turned to run after her, but Leo stopped him.

"They'll kill you, Raph! We will get her back, but right now we have to get away to save April."

"No, I may never get her back!" Raph began running toward the front yard, but it was too late. The tires squealed out of the gravel driveway and Raph couldn't catch up, "No, April!" He fell to his knees in the gravel, "April!" He shouted in agony, but she was gone.