Years gone by

Mikko gently ran her fingers over the scar. You healed nicely. She was glad for that. She was worried that there would be complications. But it looked like he was good to go.

She wanted so badly to tell him that she would move in with him. And honestly she would, but first she needed to talk to Gabe. Find out why he did what he did and if their relationship could be saved. But...Did she want to save it? She had Victor. She was falling for the guy. She still loved Gabe of course. But Gabe was moving on it seemed.

She took Victor's hand and gave it a squeeze.

Let's go find you a house and I would love to live with you. But I really need to talk to Gabe first. I say talk but what I really need to do is yell at him and maybe eat Cindy. She was joking. Mostly.

She helped him to his feet and walked out the infirmary with him into the sun. It was a beautiful day.

Victor grabbed his shirt and pulled it on, and his boots. And soon, he was walking out into the sunlight with Mikko, his fingers intertwined with hers. The sun felt amazing on his skin. He took a moment to take it all in...

"This is definitely something I didn't get to experience back at the lab..." And after his escape, he had to keep a low profile during the day, traveling mostly at night.


"Maybe after I find a place and you scream at your boy, we can go for a swim?" He suggested, hopeful. But deep down he knew that once Mikko went back to her place, she wouldn't need him anymore.

A swim sounds great. It's the perfect day for it. Maybe later we can picnic under one of the big shaddy trees. Be all romantic.

Mikko walked them over to the vacant houses but on the way ran into Cindy.

Hey. I heard you got a new heart. You doing ok? She asked Victor.

But before he would get a chance to answer Mikko attacked Cindy. Leaping on top of her with a growl and biting at her face and neck.

Mike would leave in the morning, leaving Spike and Ryn to Erica and Leo and oooooh booooy he was still over the moon and surprised with the return of Yoshi and Shen.


He went to take Donnie his pizza, and still in quarantine himself until midday he is careful to keep his distance from all and is quiet entering Donnie's space, but familiar enough with all his siblings spaces to put the pizza on.


A good breakfast and the coffee pot. He knows how his brothers like their brekky beverages.


Though sure coffee was a bean they had to be stingy about the sharing out of as Lilo free the beans on her island... islands? Same with cocoa and sugar.


Still he will wait until Donnie wakes.


One of them should be at least to say good morning and make sure their brother made an attempt to eat something and that his medical care was seen which of course it was. Aniss might be resting but trained under her staff were on.


So he makes himself a sweet tea and waits.

He and Erica didn't really sleep, they maybe rested their eyes on the porches but all through the rest of the wee hours and it would continue the two were always on watch, there where citizens can come up, keep distanced and talk to them. Or one of them.


Ideas a plenty for better protection of crops against another bout of bugs and birds, and their walls. Some just wanted to thank them for the comfort and funeral the night before, some to talk about what was damaged, especially those in buildering and engineering tracks of work for the city.


~


There had only been a few hours in which Yoshi and Shen came home. It was a wonderful feeling to have them home. A moment their little family had to be flooded but not really tell all their stories of their time apart.


Soon though.

He lounged by the pool, resting, enjoying the sun and being home.


And no the prospect of being stuck in the house for a few days in quarantine didn't bug him at all.


Though he was eager to catch up with Jade and meet the new young turtle guy uncle Mikey told him and Shen about. She was inside cooking breakfast for herself, the new guy ,and Ryn the mermaid...


A mermaid!


And Yoshi thought he would be the only surprise coming back to ShellCity!

Vic knew things wouldn't go well when Cindy appeared, and he was right. He was quick to grab Mikko by the waist and pulled her off of Cindy...

"You gotta calm down, babe..."

He then looked at Cindy, clearly not happy with her. "She saw you with Gabe. It's best if you get out of her sight."

Once Victor pulled Mikko off of Cindy she calmed down. She was still raging inside but knew that killing the woman wouldn't go over well with anyone.

Cindy pulled herself off the ground. she was kind of happy that Mikko knew, maybe she and Gabe would break up after all.

Without a word she ran off to her house leaving Vic and Mikko.

Mikko took some deep, calming breaths. I went a little crazy there. Thanks for stopping me from killing her. I'm sure that wouldn't go over well with Flag.

She wrapped her arm around his waist. Let's move you into a new home.

Shen sang, she was home!


Hah no better a feeling than running into her mother's arms or being swept up into a hug by her father! Then seeing the delightful shock on their faces at the sight of Yoshi, of being amused by him trying to hide behind her unusually shy for several moments until their parents hugged him too! Much like that time he had come out to them as a carrion eater.


She was making up some milk to go with flat pancakes stuffed with fruit bits.


Wondering eagerly when Jade would be in to see them! She couldn't wait! And their uncles!


And new turtle!


Blew her and Yoshi's mind hearing that! Soooo perhaps their parents got a little revenge on the shock thing.


On her shoulder was Sprout Jr, a grown but young cutting from Sprout, or experiment five oh nine, and sort of her pet? The plants vines wrapped about her shoulders and leaves wound in her hair and he, she? Watched from her shoulder as she cooked.


Uncle Raphs and Jades pizza was in the freezer for another night, Uncle Mikey took Uncle Donnie's to his rooms for breakfast.
Her heart hurt for her intelligent uncle, but perhaps Jumba or Lilo would have more technology based solutions for him to replace his eyesight?


One could hope. And she certainly would. Her clover coloured wings folded into the shell on her back and her long tail swishing a little as she works.


It's a silly happy ditty she sings.

Vic wrapped an arm around her and headed for the vacant houses. "Yeah, she's not worth it." He gave her a squeeze and kissed the top of her head.

There were a couple of houses left, but Victor wouldn't need much space for just himself so picked the smallest of what was left...

"What do you think? Should be okay for a lonely guy..."

It looks cozy. And who says you're lonely? You got me! She gave his cheek a smooch.

Now that Vic found his new home it was time she went and talked to Gabe. She really didn't want to. She knew it wasn't going to end well for them. But she had to make sure she went in and was rady to listen to Gabe's reasoning. She didn't have to eccept it. but she would listen.

Mikko gave Victor a squeeze.

I'm going to go talk to Gabe. I might not kill him we'll see. But I'll meet you back here and we can go for that swim.

There was a swing! The porch had a friggin swing! Oh yeah, this was his new pad. And Mikko was heading out a lot sooner than he expected. He gave her a squeeze. "Good luck, beautiful. I would offer to come with you, but I know this is something you have to take care of." 

I'll be back Mikko promised before heading off to her house. Or what was her house. She wasn't sure she wanted to live there anymore.

Soon she was walking inside the house. Gabe! You have two minuets to explain what happened last night.

Leo and Erica were kind and spoke to her about making plans for alliances with her kind, her pod, and bringing in the little groups of survivors that she knows of and bringing them in.


And patient with her limited but growing english!


And more food!

Gabe was not feeling well at all. He was laying on the couch when Mikko came in asking him about last night. He was taken aback by that. Did she know? There was no way...

"Don't come at me like that. Where were you? You spent all night with that freak..."

He's not a freak! And yeah I did. Because when I came home you were on the couch fucking Cindy! Mikko took her ring off and threw it at him.

Good bye!

Gabe was not expecting her to throw the ring at him. She had seen him with Cindy?! He jumped up off the couch, a little unsteady, but luckily rebounded...

"What, you're just gonna fucking leave me?!" He was upset and angry, but it was mostly towards himself.

Mikko turned around. She angry and hurt and crying. She was trying to hold it together but it just wasn't happening for her.

Yes! You can have Cindy! But just tell me why? And in our new house? Our couch, our bed? I don't even want to be in this house anymore.

Gabe could have thrown Cindy under the bus and told Mikko that she had gotten him drunk, but that would have made him look weak and like a victim and Mikko would kill Cindy. Mikko wasn't the only one crying. He knew that he had fucked up....

"Because we got drunk and I fucked up, okay?! Is that what you want to hear?! I didn't mean to, but you know what...maybe that's just who I am. An unfaithful piece of shit!"

Gah! She hated seeing him cry!

We need some time apart. I have to think. Her voice was calmer now, she stopped yelling and she was more hurt than angry.

I'm going for a swim with Victor. Maybe I'll come back later.

She wiped the tears off her face then headed back out the house.

Victor. Fucking Victor! That guy had to go!!! "Yeah, I'm sure freak boy will help you make good decisions!" But he let her go. He had no choice in the matter...

But he was feeling jealous. Then he remembered, Victor was Bishop's escaped science project. Maybe he would go pay Bishop a visit...

Mikko wanted to turn around and yell some more. None of this was Victor's fault. if anything Victor was a light at the end of this dark tunnel. But she didn't. She left the house slamming the door behind her.

She went back over to Vic's knew house and met up with him. As soon as she seen Victor she ran into his arms crying against his chest.

I think we broke up. She managed between tears.

Victor was relaxing on the swing when Mikko came running to him. He was happy to see her, but that smile turned into a frown when he realized she was crying. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight, rocking her in his arms.

He should have been relieved by the news, but her heartbreak made him sad and he would have gladly taken that from her, even if it meant she would go back to Gabe.

"I'm sorry, Love. I wish there was something I could say or do to make it all better. A heart like yours doesn't deserve to know this kind of pain." He told her quietly, wiping at her tears.

Mikko melted into him. Just being in his arms made her feel so much better. She nuzzled against him on the swing.

You don't have to say or do anything. Just you being here is enough. You want to go for that swim? that'll get my mind off of things. Plus...I kinda wanna see you naked. She teased with a little smile.

She sniffled and wiped away the remaining tears from her face.

Did you look around the house? You think there would be enough room for two?

Gabe picked up Mikko's wedding ring and placed it on the end table. He was in no condition to drive, but he was going to go tell Bishop where to come pick up his little science experiment!

He stumbled out of the house and headed to Chris' and Jinx' place, because misery loved company! He knew Chris didn't like Victor, either. He banged loudly on the door...