In the next day Reonel was training hard under the gaze of her parent who suddenly jumped in her training to fight with her. She did well despite the surprise attacks. She even managed to protect herself when Michelangelo suddenly attacked on her from the ceiling. Nel never hadn’t even thought her parents would had set such trap for her in dojo.
Moving fast out of the way Nel stopped her sliding. Scanning Mikey’s pose fast she read him, analyzing what his next move would be. Then thinking her own choices being fully aware of her aunt’s flexibility and speed Nel made her move. She ran towards Mikey who smirked. Obvious. Her move was so obvious it humored older turtle. If he would had take a look at Leonardo back then Mikey would had realized he wasn’t paying full attention on Nel. Leonardo could tell his daughter had something in her mind.
Just few feet away from Mikey Nel suddenly jumped, Mikey automatically changing his stand position. Spreading his legs Mikey took more stronger and firm standing pose, getting ready for the impact. He had trained with Nel before so Mikey knew she was able to deliver as hard punches as Raphael… And those hurt!
Seeing her opening Nel took a hold on ceiling beam pushing herself back on the floor. She had mass but she also had speed. Having herself running back at full speed in few seconds she came scarily closed to Mikey, suddenly disappearing from his view. Next view what Mikey had in front of his face was ceiling and smiling Reonel looking down at him.
“W...what!? What happened?”
“You made a mistake.”
Leonardo said as he approached his family members. “When you spread your legs too wide it gave her access to slide between them. Before she was fully through she spread her own legs tackling you and that’s how you ended up on the floor where you still lay. I also might could say she’s faster than you, Mikey.”
“Heeeyyy!”
Smiling Leonardo chuckled with Nel. He was very proud of his daughter but she wasn’t paying attention. Suddenly Leo swung his hand at her making her jump backwards in surprise.
“Mom! You could have hit me!”
Taking his steady and firm pose Leo’s eyes kept staying on her, turning her serious and steady as well.
“I never said training is over. Before you hear those words from me in this room you should be alert and ready for anything. Never drop your guard like that. Now come on. You against all 3 of us.”
Reonel almost choked on her own saliva as she watched Raphael and Mikey come to stand on both side of her mother. “T-that’s not fair!”
“It’s not fair out there even in real fights! There are gangs and Foot who will attack on you in groups! You need to learn to fight against more than just one or two persons.”
“But there’s all 3 of you! I have no chances.”
“Count it four.”
4 pair of eyes turned on Donatello who stood at the doorway with his bo in his hands. He heard Nel’s desperate sigh of no while he approached his brothers.
“I mean if I’m not interrupting anything. I could use some exercise now too since I have got my works done.”
“That would be wonderful if you would join us.” Leonardo said with a smile on his face as he slightly nodded. Their victim stood not so firm and confident anymore. She never hadn’t fight against all of them at once!
“What’s the matter? Scared?”
“No. Just nervous.”
“There ain’t reasons ta be nervous. Just come at us and fight like your life depends on this fight, Nel. Either ya walk out here as victor or ya die here. Simple.”
“DIE?!” Turning to look at the others Nel felt her heartbeat racing faster and faster. T-they didn’t mean to kill her for real? Or beat her all that bad? Figure stepping closer made her eyes focus on her father again who was wearing wide and wicked smirk on his face as he cracked his knuckles.
“Shall we then, little girl? I’ll enjoy beating ya ta the ground.” Stopping he was face to face with Nel who obviously was tensed and nervous.
“Ya peed yourself already?”
“No!”
Laughing Raphael bend forward tapping her cheek a bit. “Oh poor little baby. How can ya beat anyone if ya can’t even hold your pee?”
Growling slightly Reonel slapped his hand away. “I said I didn’t pee myself! Are you fucking blind, deaf or just stupid?!”
Straightening himself Raphael laughed turning to look the others over his shoulder. They knew what Raphael was up to so they played along, laughing with Raphael more or less. Hearing growl coming from the front of him Raphael turned his focus back on Nel who had start to look pissed. Good. Just a little bit more.
Reaching to tap Nel’s head Raphael lowered his voice. “Ya know what I do ta girls like ya? I beat the fuck out of them. Such weak pussies ain’t worth allowed ta live.”
“Hhgggrrhh! I show you pussy! And it’s the toughest one you ever meet, beating the shit out of you!”
Light green fist just went pass his head, fingernail giving small scratch on his cheek. Smirking Raphael raised his arms up when more and more hits came at him and he felt every one of them. Nel indeed was good and hard at punching. But then again she had fight 15-16 years now without ever even touching a weapon. She herself had become a weapon.
–
After hours of intense fighting boys were panting with sweat on their skins and smirks on their lips. Reonel, in the other hand, was on her carapace panting hard and heavy. She wanted to complain how hard and difficult this training had been, how badly she was out of breath and felt like dying. How every muscle in her body hurt, not to mention all the bruises what had started to form on her body.
3 brothers left the dojo but Raphael decided to stay with is daughter to make sure she was okay. Squatting down next to her Raphael chuckled poking her cheek.
“Ya still alive?”
His chuckle turned into short laugh when Nel all but groaned and mumbled some weird nonsense sounds to him. Sitting down Raphael waited patiently for Nel to get her breathing under control. It took nearly 30 minutes before Nel was back in good shape enough so that she could sit up next to her father, who handled her a water bottle. Twisting cork open Reonel drank eagerly, letting deep exhale when done.
“Ya fought well, Nel. I’m damn proud of ya.”
“You call all this a good fight?” She chuckled silently while showing her blooming bruises.
“Those are small price ta pay. Besides ya would have much more of them if ya wouldn’t be good and fast like ya are.”
“I think it’s ‘Thanks, dad’ then.”
Getting up Raphael helped Nel on her feet as well but no words were said. It was all clear now between them. Smell of food pulled duo out of the dojo, making them head straight to the kitchen where Michelangelo was in full rush during cooking.
Raphael sat down just watching his bro while Nel gave him a helping hand. In no time whole family was gathered around the table to eat. It felt still a bit weird for not having Master Splinter there with them. Guiding everyone’s thoughts away from their passed father Leonardo suggested Nel to take a shower after she was done eating. Sun was setting and they would need to head to the park later.
Remembering Jake made Nel’s eyes grew and shine, smile overtaking her lips. Eagerly she nodded, stuffed rest of the food in her mouth and excused herself. In a hurry she forgot her plate, fork and mug on the table which made Leonardo sigh.
“Don’t sweat it, bro. I will take them to the sink.” Mikey said as he got up, taking Nel’s dishes into sink with his. Since Mike had cooked he didn’t need to do dishes. Donatello offered to take care of them since he had no projects currently and Raphael decided to give him a helping hand.
After sun had FINALLY set Nel was spacing anxiously. She was eager and nervous to go see Jake – especially now because she knew Leonardo would join them. She had no idea how well it all would go since with her father… It hadn’t go all that smooth. Luckily Leonardo could keep himself under control, at least better than Raphael. Hearing mumbling sounds from behind her Reonel watched how Leonardo and Raphael walked towards her side by side, keeping their eyes locked on each other.
She couldn’t hear exact words but silent murmurs when two oldest turtles stopped to face one another. For few seconds they talked before reaching closer to each other, sharing a small kiss. It was small thing but it warmed Nel’s heart so much.
Seeing Reonel staring at them Leonardo faced her, approaching her with stern look on his face. “Ready to go?”
“More than ready! Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!”
“Eager much.” Raphael smirked. “Teenagers.”
Chuckling Leonardo started to follow her, when she already had run to entrance of the lair, giving a look at Raphael over his shoulder. “Like you never haven’t been as eager as her about things.”
Instantly catching the hint in Leo’s sentence made Raphael smirk widely. In silence he watched his mate and daughter disappear into the darkness of sewer.
–
Making sure road was clear both turtles landed in the shadows of near by trees where they were going to meet Jake. He was nowhere to be seen yet and it made Nel nervous. Rubbing her shoulder gently from behind Leonardo assured his daughter Jake would come and he was probably just little late.
It felt so long but after a couple of minutes Jake started to appear and his form came more and more clear when he came to them. His eyes widened behind the glasses when Leonardo stepped forward next to Nel when she introduced two males to each other.
“Your father was huge, Nel, but so is your mom. Um, I hope it’s okay for me to call you that, sir?”
“By all means, that is most okay.” Looking at Nel Leonardo nodded near by building. “I will go there and keep watch.”
Reonel knew Leonardo did this because he was so used of being cautious and wanting high spot to see everywhere just in case. But she also knew her mother did this to give them privacy. Silently Leonardo disappeared without a sound or movement which Jake could had seen, heard or sensed. Pushing his glasses better on his nose he blinked few times in shock.
“No offensive, but your mother and father are HUGE and still they move perfectly steady and without a sound. How they do that?”
“Ninja thing.” Nel chuckled as she sat down with Jake who now had become excited. Taking a hold on her hand he smiled widely and kindly.
“Thank you for coming. I have got wonderful and big news!”
Something in her stomach made it flip upside down already but she remained strong, forcing smile stay on her face. “Then tell me already what you got.”
“Okay, okay! You remember that school in Australia what I told you about? That I had send application there where hundreds of other students wants to get too. To be honest I wasn’t very hopeful since that school accepts only 5 students from other countries per year...”
“Yeah?”
“But I got accepted!” Jake almost jumped up with excitement as his hold on Nel’s hand got more tight. “It’s awesome! Imagine! Me, a little guy from New York, being accepted in one of the most well known schools! I can’t believe it!”
She did her best to keep her smile on while she was tearing apart inside. “Congratulations, Jake. That sounds amazing and I’m so happy for you.”
“Thank you. It means a lot. But yeah, that is my big news. Another is that I will be moving to Australia since I can’t get to that school otherwise.”
Seeing Nel’s expression break into sad one made Jake realize he completely had forgot Nel and her feelings about this. Sitting closer he sealed her bigger hands in his, smiling softly.
“Hey, it’s okay. No need to look so sad. I know this is hard for you, it’s hard for me too, since I would like to stay here and keep seeing you but… This is once in a life time chance and I --”
“You will use it. I won’t let you skip it because of me. It just… I will miss you a lot. When will you leave?”
“I will miss you too.” Lowering his head Jake took deep inhale before looking back in those blue-yellow eyes. “I will leave after 3 days.”
“So soon?”
“Sadly yes. I got notification from the school later than other students for some reason so I need to hurry. I can spend few days on Australia before my school starts.”
Just simply nodding Nel lowered her head and Leonardo could see it all the way to the roof she was sad. He wanted to go there and comfort her but Jake did it for him by wrapping his arms around her, just simply holding her.
Closing her eyes she took everything in from this hug since this was her last hug what she was going to get from Jake. “Reonel, even that we go separated ways now, don’t forget that you are my friend.” Jake said with a smile after releasing Nel from the hug. Digging a note from his pocket he gave it to Nel who took it.
“My email address. I hope you have one since I do consider you as a friend and want to keep in touch with you.”
“Of course. I would like that a lot. You have paper and pencil?”
Digging into his bag Jake gave her what she asked, watching in silence as Nel wrote something down. Handling piece of paper back to him revealed email address.
“Don’t lose it.” She smiled slightly which made Jake nod with smile.
“I won’t.”
Young couple sat side by side closer 30 minutes after that talking and taking everything out of their last minutes together. When the time of separating finally came Jake hugged her once more, gently kissing her forehead. Promising to keep in touch with Nel he left and faded into the darkness.
Tears she’d been holding back now arose in her eyes but they never escaped on her cheeks. Withdrawing into the shadows she soon came in contact with her mother and the look on her face told Leonardo everything. Not knowing what to say exactly to comfort her, Leonardo pulled Reonel to his side, holding her close as they headed to closest manhole cover.
–
At home Nel headed straight into her room which made Raphael shoot Leo with questions, and he had truthfully answered on them. While Reonel had been devastated and sad she still had, willingly, told her mother about Jake and his moving to Australia. And that had been all what Leonardo had needed to know. Of course these news hadn’t been making Raphael feel all that good or happy. He was pissed someone had dared to hurt his little daughter and break her heart. While Jake and Reonel never really hadn’t become a couple, it had been obvious there was some sort of crush at least.
Few next days boys were careful with Reonel since they didn’t want to make her cry more than she already had. But they did what they could to encourage her to keep on going in life. Searching for her love poems book Reonel sighed. She wanted to read them to make herself feel a bit better since there was some certain calmness in them but she couldn’t find the book. Not until she came across with her mother who was sitting on sofa chair with the book in his hands.
The two were alone at the lair while Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael had ventured to April’s to get food supplies from her place what she had got them and Raphael had gone to see Casey. Sitting on the couch made Leonardo look at her while she smiled gently.
“You really seem to like that book, mom.”
Realizing Nel had caught him for reading those poems Leonardo closed the book, handling it back to her. “I’m sorry I took it without your permission. I have read my books so many times I felt I need something new to read and then I remembered your book.”
“No sweat, mom. You can read it as much as you like. Just let me know when and if you borrow it.”
“Fully noted.” Leonardo smiled but Nel knew that smile hid the pain what Leonardo had learned to mask in early state of his life.
“Mom? I know you like to have little training with dad before hitting the shower and bed but… I was wondering could I join you two? Or spar with dad after you are done?”
“Be my guess. It wouldn’t do you any harm – if your remaining bruises won’t get in a way.”
“They won’t. Besides there’s a chance I will be getting more of them.” She laughed and Leonardo joined her. Their laugh filled the lair when 3 other brothers arrived home. Rest of the evening went nice and well by eating take-away, what April had bought for them, and watching a movie. Donatello yawned long while standing up, deciding to hit the bed just before the movie ended. He hadn’t had much sleep lately since his mind had managed to figure out new things for him to do and he had got so excited about it that he had worked 2 days in a row. To ensure Don, indeed, would sleep Michelangelo followed him after movie ended.
3 other turtles headed in the dojo where Reonel watched her parents train for an hour before Leonardo gave a sign it was enough. Feeling Nel wanted alone time with her father Leonardo left the room, informing his mate and child he would be in shower if he was needed.
“Dad? Can I talk to you?”
“Yeah. About what?”
“About mom.” This stopped Raphael in the middle of his movement, staring at her with great worry.
“Is Leo okay?”
“Mom’s fine. Or at least in some ways but there’s something wrong with him as well.”
Now more worried than before Raphael hurried to his child, taking hold on her shoulders. “If ya know anything about Leo, tell me.”
Smirking in her mind she knew she had got her father’s full attention. “I think mom’s sick.”
“Sick? How?”
“Love sick.”
“… Wha..?”
“He’s been reading my love poem book what I got from April.”
Snorting Raphael pulled his hands beside his body turning back on getting his water bottle. “Your mom keeps reading books all the time. No big deal.”
“But it’s a love poem book, dad.”
“Yeah, so? Why I should care about that?”
Walking next to her massive parent she looked stern. “He’s reading it because of you.”
“Me? Haha, why?”
Turning more stern she pushed herself between Raphael and barrel. “Because he loves you but you don’t bother to show your love to him.”
“What are ya talking about? I do show my love for him.”
“In any other way than just sex.”
“Love and sex – it’s the same.”
“You really don’t know much about this stuff, don’t you? Love is MORE than just your dick and mom’s hole where it fits.”
Growling slightly Raphael raised his eye ridge. “Just spill it out whatever ya are trying ta say, kid.”
“All what I’m saying is that you should do something romantic to mom now that your anniversary is coming.”
“Oh, let me guess. He talked ta ya about it?”
“Only after I asked and pushed him.”
“That ain’t gonna change anything. I ain’t gonna celebrate any stupid anniversary.”
“Why?”
“Because.”
“...What?”
“I just don’t want ta, okay?”
“You are such a wuss.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Then arrange something nice to mom!”
“No.”
“Uuaahhh! For fuck’s sake, dad! It’s one damn day a year when ya could do more than just think with your dick and fuck mom’s ass! You could do something else which would make mom happy!”
“He is happy with me!”
“Is he really?! Have you seen mom’s face when he’s been reading that book of mine?!”
Raphael stood slightly surprised and still for a while but when he didn’t move or say anything, Nel kept pushing. “Well, have you?”
“… No.”
“Figures. Listen, dad. Mom loves you. He’s not denying it, none isn’t, but he simply wishes ONE romantic day per year. He wants to celebrate the year what you two have go through together. Mom doesn’t say it out loud but it’s written all over his face when he reads. On top of that mom most surely feels like he’s nothing more than a sex toy to you.”
“That ain’t true! He ain’t sex toy ta me!”
“Then prove it to him and prove me wrong. Celebrate anniversary with him this year.”
“… Don’t know how. Don’t know.. what I’m supposed ta do. I ain’t romantic person.”
“Dad, really, use your brain. It’s not rocket science. Just something nice and romantic what you know mom would enjoy. You should know mom and his taste in likes and dislikes. And you can ask help from Casey. He celebrates anniversary with April every year, right?”
“It’s different with them since they can go out in fancy restaurant and all. I can’t take Leo in any.”
“Then make him his own special little place where you two can share little lunch or something. Be creative. You can do it, dad. Mom needs it. Mom needs you… and your love. Not just sex.”
Not having more to say, or actually she did but didn’t say it all, Reonel left feeling Raphael’s eyes on her shell. She would make sure her father would arrange something romantic to Leonardo.
