A/N: Hey guys. So it has been a while again. But I can explain. I have this big writer's block and I really haven't written anything for a while. I just started again this evening and although I have written till chapter 15 I want to have a small 'stock' of chapters so I don't run out of them. I hope you guys understand this. Anyway, I still hope you will enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 9

It had been a few days since June had seen April and the guys because she had been busy with the normal regular things. Work had become a tat busier with all the fishermen working close to home because the Thanksgiving and Christmas were coming closer and closer with each day passing by. June wasn't particularly looking forward to those days. Most of the time her little brother and sister and she didn't get any presents. At least not from their dad. Sometimes they got something small from their aunt from the city but that wasn't really something to look forward to. There was no Christmas tree, ever and the house was never decorated. They just didn't celebrate it. Of course she and her brother and sister wanted to, but if their dad didn't try anything there was no way June could try and start any celebrations at home. She tried to make the best out of those days though, just for the sake of her brother and sister. Taking them out for a walk in the park or playing games on the playground close to home. It was the least she could do to make them happy.

But this afternoon she would spent with April. The red-head had asked her to come and do some grocery shopping with her. June had been off for this afternoon and had agreed to it. So now they were walking in the shop, looking for the things on April's list. It was a good thing they both knew this shop well; they would be finished quickly and they could do something else before June had to pick her brother and sister up from school. June's thoughts were interrupted by April's voice.

"So June, I was thinking. Maybe if we're finished here I could come with you when you pick up Sam and Elena and then I could join you for a while at your place. It has been a while since I've been there and I would like to see the kids again. Your father too by the way." June stopped in her tracks and blinked a couple of times. No. No. This was something she had wanted to avoid. There was no way April was coming to her place. What if her dad got home earlier? Today was the day he would go straight to the bar from his work and he would end up home drunk already. She didn't want April to see that. Not at all. But if she said no right now.. It would make things even more complicated because April would ask why. And because her old friend was incredibly smart it wouldn't be hard for April to find anything out. "Hey, are you okay?" April's voice rang through the air and June focussed on her. She nodded slowly and then swallowed.

"Ehrm.. Yeah.. I think you can come. That would be nice." What did she do? It was too fast, she should have thought about it longer. This was so stupid. Stop it! She warned herself. She didn't need any suspicions yet. Just act normal and keep praying your father will be home later than normal. June could always make up an excuse if her father did came home earlier and he would be drunk. She would just push it off to a farewell party for an old colleague or something.

"Great!" April exclaimed and threw something in her shopping cart. Then she turned around to face June again and smiled smugly. "So, you and Raph get along very well, huh?" June's eyebrows knitted together and she made a face. "You're seeing things, April."

"Yeah, sure. I know how he is. He really changed since he met you, June. He may still be the hothead I know, but he is a lot more gentle than he was before. You do him good." June bit her lip and crossed her arms in front of her chest. Maybe April was right. She really was having a good time with him and she had heard the others say he was changing. But little did June know it could be because of her. She had never knew him before. And besides, she got along with all four of them. Although there was still a distance between her and Leonardo. That was probably because he was this kind of leader – as April had called it - and June didn't really felt comfortable around him, yet. But as far as she had seen from all of them they really seemed nice and if June could believe April, the guys liked her too. "I am right, aren't I?" April broke her train of thoughts and June looked at her friend.

"Maybe." She said and then grinned herself. "That's something you need to find out yourself. Now let's hurry up so we can leave and pick the kids up. They are almost done." June said and pulled the shopping cart forward.

"April!" Both Elena and Sam exclaimed when they saw the red-head standing next to their big sister. The two of them clanged to April and the girl smiled widely at the two kids, both ruffling them through their hair. "Hey kids. Long-time no see!" She said and the kids let go off her, nodding wildly.

"I thought you died!" Sam said.

"Sam! C'mon, that's not the first thing you say to somebody you haven't seen in a long time." June raised her eyebrows and shook her head. But April chuckled and mentioned with her hand to let it go. "I would have thought the same." April turned around and mentioned for the kids. "Come, let's head to your place and then you can tell me what your thoughts were of me vanishing of the earth." Sam followed the red-head as if he was in a hurry, but Elena stayed with her sister. Elena tugged at June's hand and June looked down. The glance in her little sister's eyes said the worst she couldn't say out loud. What about dad? June shook her head and started walking after April. She had no idea what to expect. Maybe luck would be on her side today; her father would not show up until April would get down again. One could wish, right? She was really hoping it would turn out that way. Otherwise it could turn in a lot of problems. Of course June and her brother and sister would be ashamed but it could also cause to dent the friendship that was starting again between April and June. Because who in the world wants to be friends with someone with a father who's always drunk and abuses his oldest daughter when he feels like it. Yeah, nobody. A bad feeling settled down in June's stomach when she got behind the steering-wheel and she swallowed. Haphazard then, that was the only way to get through with this.

When they arrived at June's place they got out and June let out a relieved sigh when her father's car wasn't there. That was a good sign, a really good sign. "C'mon guys, let's get inside and get ourselves something to drink." June walked to the door and opened it with her key and walked inside, immediately kicking her shoes off. "How I hate walking on shoes." She murmured and closed the door when everybody was inside. She heard April chuckle when she hung up her jacket and smiled at June. "You're still the same as all these years."

"It just has something to do with dancing. Most of the time I dance without shoes, but that's not really a good thing when you're standing on a building in the middle of the city."

"Probably not." April said, letting out another chuckle. Together they walked into the kitchen where the two kids were already sitting at the table. "So, I made some orange juice this morning, I bet it's still good. Anyone up for that?" June asked and when all three people in the kitchen agreed she got the glasses and filled them with the orange juice. She sat down with them and took a sip from her own orange juice. Just when she was about to ask her brother and sister about their day April started the conversation. "So, what did you guys do today at school? Did you learn anything new?"

"We're learning all the states at the moment, that to-topo-"

"Topography he means."

"Hey I was still talking."

"No you weren't, you didn't even know how to pronounce the word." Elena said and Sam crossed his arms in front of his chest and pouted. Both April and June chuckled and June looked at Sam. "Do you have some kind of test soon then?"

"Yeah, we both have, but I don't know when." He explained and drank a few sips of his juice. "Why are you here, April?" He asked suddenly and focused on the red-head.

April shrugged her shoulders. "I just wanted to see you guys and see your dad. It has been a while." Sam didn't respond to it and then only shrugged his shoulders once. "I'm going to do some homework." He announced and took his backpack before leaving the kitchen. June noticed the confused look on April's face but didn't say anything. Instead she looked at Elena and smiled softly. "Go and do some homework too, April will be here later too." Elena nodded and smiled at April before also going the same way her brother had went a minute before. April waited till the two were out of hearing range and then turned to face June. "What's wrong all of a sudden? They were happy a few moments ago?" June looked at her glass and turned the last bit of it around in the glass before drinking it and looked at April. "I have no idea what you're talking about, April." She said and got up from her chair to put the glasses away. But a hand on her wrist stopped her in her tracks. A stinging pain went through her wrist and she quickly pulled it out of the red-haired girl's grasp. "Wait, June. Your wrist! There are bruises all over!" She exclaimed and June quickly pulled her sleeve further down her wrist. Yesterday her father had pulled her back in the hall when she was about to leave the house and his fingers had left marks on her wrist. "It's nothing April." June said and rubbed her wrist. In the corner of her eye she saw that April wanted to say more but suddenly the front door swung open and she heard the stumbling from her father in the hall. She cursed inwardly and clenched her teeth together. The way he was making a lot of noise June already knew he had been drinking. How could she had been so stupid. She should have never taken April with her. When April got up, obviously to greet her father June grabbed her wrist this time and shook her head. "April. This is why I didn't want you to come." She said sharply and let go of the read-head's wrist. When her father stumbled inside the kitchen he looked from June to April and back at June with an incredulous look on his face. "April?" He slurred. "Long time no see." Then he focused on June. "But what did I say about bringing people without asking me first? You didn't stick to the rules, again. I can't expect anything else from you." June pinched her nose bridge and closed her eyes for a moment before looking up and walking to her father. "Let's get you down on the couch. C'mon."

"No I am not going anywhere. Not before I punish you for again not listening to me." In a blink of an eye his hand was wrapped around her hair and with all his force he threw her away. Her father was a really strong man and even when he was drunk he knew how to use that power. June heard April gasp for breath but her father was already on her, raising his fist for the first hit. June saw April storming to the two of them and attempted to pull the man of her but that was useless. Her father pulled his arm out of April's grasp and hit June on the eye with it. A small cry escaped June and she started to kick her father with all her power, trying desperately to get him off her. When he suddenly stood up he pulled her up with him and he stumbled a few steps but stayed upright and the second hit collided with her nose and June was sure she heard something crack under the pressure but that could have been her imagination too. When her father raised his fist for a third hit something collided with the back of his head and he blinked before falling down on the ground; exposing an April holding a pan. April let the thing fall out of her hands and then she bent over and reached for her friend getting her off the ground. "We're leaving now." She said sharply and pulled June up, taking her to the hallway. There they both saw Elena and Sam sitting on the top of the stairs. April mentioned for the kids to get downstairs and they silently obeyed. June sniffed and wiped away the blood what was running out her nose with the back of her hand. "Don't touch it!" The red-head ordered and took all their jackets of the hallstand and pushed it in all of their hands. "Put them on. We're going to some friends of mine. Elena, Sam, your sister knows them too. There's no reason to be scared but keep in mind they are different. They don't mean you any harm. Now c'mon, we're no longer staying your sister needs some medical attention and I'm not leaving you two with him." April said and then she opened the front door, taking her mobile phone from her pocket. She speed dialled Leonardo's number and waited for him to pick up. "Leo? Listen, there happened something, what exactly I will explain later but I'm taking June's brother and sister down with us. Tell Donnie to get his first aid things ready because June needs some medical attention."