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Description
    it was a few days later when the ship stopped. we snuck off and hid under the docks. we waited until things were safe to move out. I was able to move on my own better with using Donnie's bow as a walking stick but it was still hurting. we were jumping roof tops when I stopped them. "why don't we take a bus?" I asked.
    "oh sure... we'll take it to a fancy restaurant and then maybe go see a movie. think, tiffles. they aint gonna drive giant turtles around town!" Raph snapped.
    "first off, my house is a few towns that way." I pointed. "second, there is a store. I can get some clothing for you guys so we don't have to jump all the way there like rabbits. we will run out of roof tops when we get to the country."
    "oh."
    I went into the store and got 4 tan trench coats and matching hats. then we got on a bus. the turtles and I sat in the back. Leo leaned in towards us. "we need to be carful what we say if we want to remain inconspicuous. it will take a few buses so everyone get comfy. we're going to be here for a while."
    "what are you guys planning on doing once we get home?" I asked.
    "don't you mean when we get to your home?" asked Raph.
    "no. I mean our."
    "but its yours. ours was...its gone."
    "I say ours because it is your home too. I don't plan throwing you guys out. my home is your home." Raph looked at the floor.
    "well....I plan on eating pizza and playing all the video games got! what new movies came out while we were gone? any good horror movies? do you have comics?" I nodded. "I'll read those. man, we should have grabbed some of our things when we had the chance!" Mikey was rambling on now.
    "Mikey!" Leo got him to stop. "be carful on what you say. anyone could be listening."
    "I hope to do some experiments and inventing. I should rebuild the battle shell and the shell cells. perhaps tink around on the computer." Donnie was beginning to daydream.
    "and don't think because your hurt ya get out of sparing with me. once your all better its on! same for Shifu." Raph looked at me with a wicked smile. he punched his palm on his other hand.
    "what about you Leo?" I asked.
    "I plan on doing what I have always done. train."
    "you cant tell me that is all you ever do. don't you have a hobby?"
    "meditation."
    "anything else?"
    "all I want to do is train, meditate, and patrol. its what I have always done and will do."
    "wow. lighten up, Leo. there's more to life then wars. there are times of peace where you can live. without it, we'd all be like Raph."
    "hey!" Raph shouted.
    "see?"
    "do you have books?" Leo asked.
    "I have plenty."
    "then I will also read."
    "sounds fun." I smiled.
    "you boys should listen to this girl more often. sounds like she has a good head on her shoulders." we looked at the direction where the voice was coming from. it was a woman in her late 70s, maybe 80s. she had silver hair tried back into a pony tail and a purple dress on with a white jacket over it. "when my husband came back from war he was never the same because he felt he always had to be ready for the next one. he died from over training. stressed his heart and pop! if you keep this up, boy, you'll end up the same. at least end up very bitter. you should live like any other boy. do something fun like your friend in the orange or the purple. they are doing things that make them happy. just because your in a war doesn't mean your life is over. you should live while its on and after. otherwise your not truly alive."
    "but-" Leo began to protest but she cut him off.
    "no buts about it! if you continue down this path you will be your own enemy. just relax once awhile and remember that you are not just a solder but a person. like any other person, you need do things that make you happy. do something fun like sky diving, date, go to the movies, play sports, or go for a simple swim. if you do the simplest of things it doesn't mean you'll lose the next battle. you have to live without regrets. and the way its looking your only regret will be that you never truly lived." everyone was looking at this woman speechless. "and you, redhead!" she looked at Raph. "this young lady is offering you her very home, show her some respect! you say your home is gone but you are wrong. home is more then a place. it can be people too. look around you. you have your friends still. family too? they make you happy and feel welcome. don't they? home is where you are the happiest. think about it. what makes a home? the place or the people in it?...well? answer me, boy!"
    "its...the people." Raph looked at me.
    "that's right! home is more then an address. its these people." she gestured to us. Raph looked at us. his eyes were different. they weren't stone anymore. for the first time they were sad yet loving.
    "what if the people are gone?" Raph asked in a sincere voice. I looked at the turtles and they looked shocked at Raph.
    "at least you still have their memory. they maybe gone but it doesn't mean your going to forget about them are you? no. your going to have their memory in your head and the love you had for them in your heart. Daniel may be gone but I still feel he is with me and I feel home. he is with me because I keep him in my heart. I still love him with everything I am and remain loyal to our vows even though he broke it with death due us part. I remember every moment with him and it makes me feel home. you are never truly homeless. even without a roof you still have loved ones weather its beside you or in your heart." we looked at her. none of us knew what to say. Raph look at me then at the floor. "now, what are your names?"
    "well, mam. this is Tiffany, Don, Mikey, Raph, and I'm Leo." Leo answered gesturing to each of us.
    "what unique names." she smiled. "now you, missy." she stared at me. great I'm next. "I see that your close to these boys?" I nodded. "good. take my advise and don't put my words to shame. if something is simple people tend to complicate it.understand?" I nodded again. "I know a thing or two about relationships. they are like seasons, always changing. once you get used to the weather it moves on to the next. but as long as things change they always stay the same." I didn't understand.
    "how can it stay the same if it changes?" I asked.
    "you'll see. you say your friends but from the looks of it your looking for something more. can really say what your truly looking for or are you blind to the facts?"
    "I don't understand."
    "oh boy, kid. if you cant see what is in front of you then look deeper in to it."
    "it seems to me that you just talk in riddles. some we understand and others we don't get at all. please, just answer bluntly."
    "I'm saying quit the love triangle here and pick one!"
    I blushed deep red. "were just friends!" Raph, Leo and me shouted. Don and Mikey were laughing.
    "oh, that's how it always starts." she laughed.
    after being on a few buses it turned dark outside and began to rain. "aren't you just happy we decided to ride the bus?" I asked.
    "some ones gettin cocky." Raph snorted while looking out the window. I smiled at him and put my hand on his shoulder. he flinched.
    "you okay?"
    "I'm sorry. I haven't known ya for that long and I already said it enough times to sound like a broken record."
    "why are you apologizing?"
    "I was really rude earlier. but that lady was right. right now, all I wanna do is go home where Splinta is. I miss him. ever since we were in New York I couldn't get him out of my mind. I just need to know hes okay with my own eyes. to be honest, I just want things to go back to normal. I do like ya, Tiff. but I wish that everthin' was the same like before we left."
    "I understand. sometimes I wished the same thing. Splinter is depressed. sometimes he won't eat, I catch him up late at night, most of his smiles are false. I wish it because he needs you guys. if things were the same I bet he would be happier. I know he misses you so much." I grabbed Raph's hand into my own. "it killed him to not be able to join me. he was so worried about me going. he wanted to see you sooner but it was too dangerous for him to go. he is really protective over me because he didn't know you were alive until we got that letter. he loves you all so much. so, no. he is not truly okay at the moment. he maybe safe but if this would have kept up he would have died by him not eating enough or worse. if he sees you then he will be okay."
    "are you trying to say his depression is to the point of suicide?" Leo asked. "I won't tell him anything you say."
    "I don't know. but when you see him cry the amount tears he has it makes you wonder. he may not know but I seen him cry only once and it was too much to stand."
    "poor Splinter...." Donnie murmured.
    "I never thought he would....it just... is he hurt?" Leo asked.
    "what do mean?" I wasn't sure what he was getting at.
    "has he....hurt.... himself?" Leo asked slowly.
    I gasped. I never even thought about that! "I- I don't know..."

Description
    it was a few days later when the ship stopped. we snuck off and hid under the docks. we waited until things were safe to move out. I was able to move on my own better with using Donnie's bow as a walking stick but it was still hurting. we were jumping roof tops when I stopped them. "why don't we take a bus?" I asked.
    "oh sure... we'll take it to a fancy restaurant and then maybe go see a movie. think, tiffles. they aint gonna drive giant turtles around town!" Raph snapped.
    "first off, my house is a few towns that way." I pointed. "second, there is a store. I can get some clothing for you guys so we don't have to jump all the way there like rabbits. we will run out of roof tops when we get to the country."
    "oh."
    I went into the store and got 4 tan trench coats and matching hats. then we got on a bus. the turtles and I sat in the back. Leo leaned in towards us. "we need to be carful what we say if we want to remain inconspicuous. it will take a few buses so everyone get comfy. we're going to be here for a while."
    "what are you guys planning on doing once we get home?" I asked.
    "don't you mean when we get to your home?" asked Raph.
    "no. I mean our."
    "but its yours. ours was...its gone."
    "I say ours because it is your home too. I don't plan throwing you guys out. my home is your home." Raph looked at the floor.
    "well....I plan on eating pizza and playing all the video games got! what new movies came out while we were gone? any good horror movies? do you have comics?" I nodded. "I'll read those. man, we should have grabbed some of our things when we had the chance!" Mikey was rambling on now.
    "Mikey!" Leo got him to stop. "be carful on what you say. anyone could be listening."
    "I hope to do some experiments and inventing. I should rebuild the battle shell and the shell cells. perhaps tink around on the computer." Donnie was beginning to daydream.
    "and don't think because your hurt ya get out of sparing with me. once your all better its on! same for Shifu." Raph looked at me with a wicked smile. he punched his palm on his other hand.
    "what about you Leo?" I asked.
    "I plan on doing what I have always done. train."
    "you cant tell me that is all you ever do. don't you have a hobby?"
    "meditation."
    "anything else?"
    "all I want to do is train, meditate, and patrol. its what I have always done and will do."
    "wow. lighten up, Leo. there's more to life then wars. there are times of peace where you can live. without it, we'd all be like Raph."
    "hey!" Raph shouted.
    "see?"
    "do you have books?" Leo asked.
    "I have plenty."
    "then I will also read."
    "sounds fun." I smiled.
    "you boys should listen to this girl more often. sounds like she has a good head on her shoulders." we looked at the direction where the voice was coming from. it was a woman in her late 70s, maybe 80s. she had silver hair tried back into a pony tail and a purple dress on with a white jacket over it. "when my husband came back from war he was never the same because he felt he always had to be ready for the next one. he died from over training. stressed his heart and pop! if you keep this up, boy, you'll end up the same. at least end up very bitter. you should live like any other boy. do something fun like your friend in the orange or the purple. they are doing things that make them happy. just because your in a war doesn't mean your life is over. you should live while its on and after. otherwise your not truly alive."
    "but-" Leo began to protest but she cut him off.
    "no buts about it! if you continue down this path you will be your own enemy. just relax once awhile and remember that you are not just a solder but a person. like any other person, you need do things that make you happy. do something fun like sky diving, date, go to the movies, play sports, or go for a simple swim. if you do the simplest of things it doesn't mean you'll lose the next battle. you have to live without regrets. and the way its looking your only regret will be that you never truly lived." everyone was looking at this woman speechless. "and you, redhead!" she looked at Raph. "this young lady is offering you her very home, show her some respect! you say your home is gone but you are wrong. home is more then a place. it can be people too. look around you. you have your friends still. family too? they make you happy and feel welcome. don't they? home is where you are the happiest. think about it. what makes a home? the place or the people in it?...well? answer me, boy!"
    "its...the people." Raph looked at me.
    "that's right! home is more then an address. its these people." she gestured to us. Raph looked at us. his eyes were different. they weren't stone anymore. for the first time they were sad yet loving.
    "what if the people are gone?" Raph asked in a sincere voice. I looked at the turtles and they looked shocked at Raph.
    "at least you still have their memory. they maybe gone but it doesn't mean your going to forget about them are you? no. your going to have their memory in your head and the love you had for them in your heart. Daniel may be gone but I still feel he is with me and I feel home. he is with me because I keep him in my heart. I still love him with everything I am and remain loyal to our vows even though he broke it with death due us part. I remember every moment with him and it makes me feel home. you are never truly homeless. even without a roof you still have loved ones weather its beside you or in your heart." we looked at her. none of us knew what to say. Raph look at me then at the floor. "now, what are your names?"
    "well, mam. this is Tiffany, Don, Mikey, Raph, and I'm Leo." Leo answered gesturing to each of us.
    "what unique names." she smiled. "now you, missy." she stared at me. great I'm next. "I see that your close to these boys?" I nodded. "good. take my advise and don't put my words to shame. if something is simple people tend to complicate it.understand?" I nodded again. "I know a thing or two about relationships. they are like seasons, always changing. once you get used to the weather it moves on to the next. but as long as things change they always stay the same." I didn't understand.
    "how can it stay the same if it changes?" I asked.
    "you'll see. you say your friends but from the looks of it your looking for something more. can really say what your truly looking for or are you blind to the facts?"
    "I don't understand."
    "oh boy, kid. if you cant see what is in front of you then look deeper in to it."
    "it seems to me that you just talk in riddles. some we understand and others we don't get at all. please, just answer bluntly."
    "I'm saying quit the love triangle here and pick one!"
    I blushed deep red. "were just friends!" Raph, Leo and me shouted. Don and Mikey were laughing.
    "oh, that's how it always starts." she laughed.
    after being on a few buses it turned dark outside and began to rain. "aren't you just happy we decided to ride the bus?" I asked.
    "some ones gettin cocky." Raph snorted while looking out the window. I smiled at him and put my hand on his shoulder. he flinched.
    "you okay?"
    "I'm sorry. I haven't known ya for that long and I already said it enough times to sound like a broken record."
    "why are you apologizing?"
    "I was really rude earlier. but that lady was right. right now, all I wanna do is go home where Splinta is. I miss him. ever since we were in New York I couldn't get him out of my mind. I just need to know hes okay with my own eyes. to be honest, I just want things to go back to normal. I do like ya, Tiff. but I wish that everthin' was the same like before we left."
    "I understand. sometimes I wished the same thing. Splinter is depressed. sometimes he won't eat, I catch him up late at night, most of his smiles are false. I wish it because he needs you guys. if things were the same I bet he would be happier. I know he misses you so much." I grabbed Raph's hand into my own. "it killed him to not be able to join me. he was so worried about me going. he wanted to see you sooner but it was too dangerous for him to go. he is really protective over me because he didn't know you were alive until we got that letter. he loves you all so much. so, no. he is not truly okay at the moment. he maybe safe but if this would have kept up he would have died by him not eating enough or worse. if he sees you then he will be okay."
    "are you trying to say his depression is to the point of suicide?" Leo asked. "I won't tell him anything you say."
    "I don't know. but when you see him cry the amount tears he has it makes you wonder. he may not know but I seen him cry only once and it was too much to stand."
    "poor Splinter...." Donnie murmured.
    "I never thought he would....it just... is he hurt?" Leo asked.
    "what do mean?" I wasn't sure what he was getting at.
    "has he....hurt.... himself?" Leo asked slowly.
    I gasped. I never even thought about that! "I- I don't know..."