TMNT: Life or betrayal: Chapter 4: Sanctuary

Splinter finally emerged from his quarters. “My sons, what is going on out here?”

“Karai and several Foot soldiers have invaded the lair,” Leo explained. “Mikey told the Shredder where our lair is in exchange for his safety.”

Splinter sighed. “I see...and where is, Michelangelo?”

“We kicked the little traitor out!” Raph sneered.

Splinter's face grew stern. “What do you mean you kicked him out?”

“We made him leave for good,” Leo clarified. “Obviously we're going to have to relocate and we thought it would be in all of our best interest if he weren't with us.”

“I do not believe that any of you have the authority to make that decision,” Splinter scolded.

“But Sensei,” Leo argued, “he risked your life and ours to protect his own! Aren't you angry?”

Splinter sighed. “Have any one of you ever lost a child?”

All three of the oldest boys looked down and shuffled their feet.

“Exactly,” Splinter said. “There is no greater pain in the world. I would rather have our home revealed then lose another child at the hands of the Shredder.”

“S-sorry,” Leo apologized, “I...”

“I am going to go look for Michelangelo and I want the three of you to think on this matter. You have been very cruel to your brother and I would have expected better from any one of you.”
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Tap! Tap! Tap!

April's slumber was disturbed by the sound of someone or something tapping on her window. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, and then staggered to her window. There stood Mikey standing on her fire escape.

She sighed and pushed the window open. “What is it Mikey...” she noticed the tears rolling down his cheeks and the scarcely-seen scowl on his face. She instantly switched from tired and annoyed to concerned. “Oh no, Mikey, what's wrong?”

Mikey covered his face and struggled to catch his breath. “M-my....bro-others...”

April climbed out onto the fire escape and placed a hand on Mikey's shoulder. “Your brothers? What happened? Are they okay?”

Mikey nodded. “They-ey...kick-ked me-e...ou-out.”

April gasped. “They kicked you out?”

Mikey nodded again.

“W-well, why would they do that?”

“They-ey...they-ey thi-ink...”

April sighed. “I can't understand you.” She guided him to the top step of the fire escape and sat him down. “Here, why don't you take a seat and try to calm down, and I'll get you some tissues? Then you can tell me everything, okay?”

Mikey nodded through his heavy sobs.

April returned with a box of tissues and a brown paper bag. She sat beside him and handed him a tissue.

Mikey accepted and blew his nose and then wiped his eyes. “Thank you,” he choked out.

She then handed him the brown paper bag. “Here. Inhale and exhale into this. It might help you to relax a bit.”

He accepted and did as instructed. April rubbed his shell and consoled him while he cried for several minutes.

“So you wanna try and tell me what's going on?” she gently asked.

Mikey nodded. “The guys ki-icked me ou-ut...because they thi-ink I told the Shre-edder where our lai-air is, b-but I really didn't! They-ey said I'm-m a traitor...” he began to sob again.

April raised an eyebrow. “You sure you didn't say anything? I mean I don't want to accuse you, I wouldn't blame you, but...”

“I swear, I didn't,” Mikey defended. “I told them I wou-ould die first! I do-on't know how the Foot fou-ound our lair...but I never said a word.”

“You promise?”

“Yes, April. I-I would never do-o anything to hur-urt my family...even if my-y life depended o-on it.”

April sighed. “Alright, I believe you. I wish there was something I could do.”

“It's enough just that you believe me. Sorry to bother you late at night. I just didn't know who else to turn to.”

“No it's alright, Mikey, I understand. Maybe I could call Donnie and try to talk some sense into him.”

Mikey shrugged. “You could try, but I don't think it'll do any good. They hate me.”

April dialed the number on her cell. “Oh shoosh. They do not.”

Donnie, Raph, and Leo were in the midst of packing up some of their kitchen stuff when Donnie's phone rang. He pulled it out of his belt.

“Guys it's April,” he cheered. He eagerly answered. “Hello?”

“Hey Donnie,” she said, “so I'm out here on my fire escape trying to console your little brother, and wondering if you could tell me anything about that.”

“Mikey's there?” he said. “I should have known he'd come running to you with some sob story.”

“What is wrong with you?” she all but shouted. “He just came here crying so hard that he could hardly breathe all because you guys kicked him out for something you should know that he would never do!”

“Well do you have any other suggestions as to how the Foot found our lair?”

“That's beside the point! Even if he did can you really blame him after what he went through?”

“Yes I can. I would die for my family.”

“Are you saying you would rather lose Mikey than the security of your home?”

“No, I'm not saying that...”

“When has Mikey ever lied to you?”

Leo stood next to Donnie. “What is she saying?”

Donnie put April on speakerphone. “He has lied to me plenty of times.”

Leo immediately knew they were talking about Mikey. “This doesn't concern you, April.”

“He's my friend and I care about him, so this does concern me, thank you! How could you just throw him out on the streets? Where do you expect him to go?”

“Don't know, don't care!” Raph piped up.

“If you want to continue to associate with Michelangelo, then that's your decision,” Leo said. “We, however, want nothing more to do with that traitor.”

Mikey overheard what Leo said through the phone and quietly began to sob again.

April leaned over and patted him on his shell. “And where is Splinter in all of this?”

“I have no idea,” Donnie said. “He left a few minutes ago. He's looking for Mikey.”

“Oh no, Splinter's looking for me? Oh man, I am in-n so-o much troub-ble,” Mikey hid his face in his hands and continued to sob.

“So you guys don't even care what becomes of your own brother?”

“Nope!” the older three said in unison.

“I say it'd serve him right,” Raph added.

April sighed. “I know you don't mean that.”

“Are you done butting into our lives now?” Leo snapped.

April growled. “Well I don't know how much more I can say, but as long as you guys leave Mikey homeless, I don't wanna speak to any one of you!”

Mikey jerked his head up. “April...”

April held up a hand to silence him.

“Fine by us!” Leo shouted, took Donnie's phone, and hung it up.

“A-April, you wou-ould do tha-at for me?”

April wrapped her arms around him. “Yeah, Mikey, I would.”

“Why?” Mikey whispered.

April sighed. “Mikey, you need support. I'm your only friend and it's not like you have any other family. You have nowhere to go and they know that. They have no right to do this to you.”

Mikey sighed. “I can't let Splinter find me. He'd never believe me. He must be furious...”

“You don't know how he feels about it. Who knows? Maybe he's on your side.”

Mikey shook his head. “I doubt it.”
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“Donnie, any leads as to where we can move to?” Leo asked, taping up another box of belongings.

Donnie looked up from his laptop. “Yeah, there's another abandoned subway station about an hour away from here, on foot that is.”

“How big is it?” Leo asked.

“It's a little smaller than this lair. Looks like we may have to share rooms,” he said.

Raph groaned. “An hour? God, that's so far! Can we take the Shell-raiser at least?”

“Only if we can get there through the sewers,” Leo replied. “Donnie?”

“Yes, we can. The Shell-raiser would be best anyway to help get all our stuff in.”
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“Where am I supposed to go?” Mikey sobbed. “I can't just go back home obviously, and I know I can't stay with you.”

April sighed. “I'm really sorry, Mikey. I wish I knew what to do.”

Mikey tried to smile. “You've done enough just by being here. If I didn't have someone to talk to in all this, I...” he sighed. “I just don't know what I'd do.”

An idea struck April. “My townhouse is vacant right now because...well, you know, because of my situation. You could stay there for a little while, but you have to do one thing for me.”

Mikey sniffled. “What's that?”

“I need you to reconcile with your family.”

Mikey sighed. “I wouldn't know where to start. They won't listen to me.”

“You've gotta try, Mikey. You're not safe on your own. You need your family.”

“Okay, I'll try...somehow.”
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Donnie set down the final box with the remainder of them.

“Well that's everything...well, except Mikey's room,” Leo said.

“Why should we take his stuff?” Raph snapped. “If he wants it he can come get it. He's lucky I don't burn it.”

“How long has it been since Splinter left?” Leo asked.

Donnie pulls his phone out and checks the time. “Jeez, it's been like an hour. I wonder if he found him.”

“Probably,” Raph groaned. “I'm sure he'd predict that he would go to April.”
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The brick townhouse sat solemnly connected to two other houses, one on each side. Conveniently, right in front of the stoop was a manhole.

“Well here it is,” April sighed. “Home sweet home.”

April pulled out her house key and the two entered.

“April, I can't thank you enough for doing this for me.”

“Of course, Mikey. You're my friend and it's the least I could do.”

Mikey looked down and shifted uncomfortably. “Thank you...”

April sighed. “I really hate to leave you this way, but I really gotta get back to my aunt's. You gonna be okay for a while?”

“Yeah, I'll probably just go to sleep.”

April hugged him. “Well, make yourself at home, okay? I'll come see you in the morning before I go to school, I promise.”

“Thank you so much, April.”