Splinter lifted the glass to Leonardo's lips. He accepted the water greatfully and gulped it down. The cold liquid was refreshing, and he could feel his strength returning. He gazed at Donatello, the pain rushing through him as he envisioned the blood dripping down the motionless body, stilled by the shock of his own mortality. He could still envision the frightened gape on his brother's face as he stood in terror, gawking at the mangled hand.
"I couldn't get to him fast enough." The self blame tore into him and his head continued to throb.
Almost as if Splinter could sense the guilt, he laid a hand on Leo's and spoke softly. "It was not your fault, Leonardo. This fight could not have been avoided. You did what you needed to do. Your actions may have saved your brother's life as well as your own."
The rat rose and slowly approached his unconscious son. He gazed at the silent face as the grief consumed him. He picked up the washcloth and dipped it into the water. After ringing it out, he set it gently back in place. He examined Megan and Mike's handy work. They had done an excellent job. The arm, in contrast to the hand, had needed few stitches. He gazed down at the hand in awe. Little blood had seeped through the bandages, assuring him of a job well done.
He allowed his sight to fall once more on Don's face. He wondered if he would ever see the intelligent gleam in these eyes again, or hear about his latest theory, or experience a new invention. His heart weeped at the thought of losing him. Come back to me Donatello.
__________________________________________________________________________________
"Raphael?" The voice was muffled on the other side of the door. "Raphael, can I come in?"
He laid back on the freshly made bed, running his finger along the sharp edge of a sai. His thoughts were on Casey. Damn, how could he make me look so bad in front of her?
"No. Just leave me alone." He really wasn't in the mood for company right now.
Megan stood outside Raph's bedroom, determined not to leave until he let her in. There were some things she wanted to discuss with him. "Please.", she called. "I need to talk to you."
Raphael sighed as he jumped off the bed and opened the door. Without a word, he flung himself back on the mattress.
An unexpected feeling of guilt washed over her. "Are you mad at me?"
"Huh?" He sat up quickly. "No...course not."
Megan sat down next to him on the bed.
"Then why won't you talk to me?"
Raphael gazed into her big brown eyes, a feeling of helplessness taking over again. Something in her gaze entranced him, piercing deep into his soul. He wasn't used to these strange emotions. Never before had he felt the need to explain his actions to those around him. Splinter had forced things out of him many times, but he had never given them willingly.
Just what was it that had such control over him? He thought about the first time he had seen her. She was beautiful! Never before had he been so entranced. He hated feeling so helpless, but he was also intriegued. He envisioned her exposed body as she lay on his bed wounded. The sight of her had made him feel strangely giddy. He had been distraught when he thought she had died. He remembered the way her touch had made his skin tingle. He knew now what it was that had taken over his control. He had known from the first time he had set eyes on her, although he hadn't wanted to admit it to himself. You've got the hots for her! Casey's words came back into his mind again as he studied at the warm face. He's right. I love her.
Megan stared at him curiously. His vision seemed far away. What is he thinking? She took his hand, jarring him from his thoughts. He blinked at her for a moment, and then stared down at their interlocked fingers.
"What did he say to you?", she asked softly.
Raphael was hesitant about revealing his emotions. He was afraid. He feared the rejection he thought for sure would come if he told her of his intentions, and he was too scared to admit openly how he felt. She studied him intently as he fought his inner battle.
"He said I should stay away from you.", he mumbled atlast.
Megan was confused. These were Casey's friends. "Why?"
He opened his mouth to speak, but their discussion was interrupted by a loud comotion coming from the living room.
____________________________________________________________________________________
The door was suddenly thrown off its hinges as the Foot stormed into the lair. Splinter's first concern was for Donatello, and he stood guarding his son with his own body. Still weak from their previous encounter, Leo forced himself up, ignoring the pain that coursed through him. These guys had wasted Donnie, and now it was his turn to take out the garbage.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Mike hummed happily as he stirred the soup. Leonardo was awake and well, and he was going to feed him the best dinner he'd had in a long time.
"He's gonna love this!" He picked up the pepper shaker and shook it over the pot. "Just a dab. Don't want Leo sneezing all night!", he laughed to himself. He scooped up some of the broth and sipped it from the spoon.
"Mmmm. This is great!", he announced, wiping his mouth on his 'Kiss the Chef' apron. Pushing back the panic for Don that threatened to attack, he danced around the kitchen singing, "I feel like chicken tonight, like chicken tonight!"
He dropped the spoon as a loud crackechoed through the sewers. He turned off the burner and removed the apron, hanging it carefully on a hook.
Man, not again! He invisioned Raph and Casey duking it out on the floor. He glanced at the pot once more before rushing to the living room. The chicken stew's just gonna have to wait!
______________________________________________________________________________________
Casey pounded the punching bag with all of his might, letting his frustration out. Damn that Raphael! Why did he have to fall in love with his cousin? He knew his hunches were right. Why else would he have gotten so upset at Casey's revelation?
He punched the bag again and watched as it swung around drunkenly from the chain. His cruel words stabbed into him like a knife. People, not turtles!
"Man...", he slumped down against the wall, breathing heavily. His eye still throbbed from the punch. It had swollen up so much, he could barely see out of it now. "What was I thinking?" Raphael was his best bud. Ever since they had met almost seven years ago, they had been virtually inseperable. He thought about the many crazy nights before Shadow was born, when he and Raph would cruise the town looking for heads to bust. Those were the days. How could he have said such an awful thing to Raph? The truth was, it didn't matter to him that Raphael wasn't a human. He was like a brother to him. All of them were.
Suddenly, a loud noise came from the living room. He jumped up and grabbed one of Don's training bos. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he was going to be ready.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Megan and Raphael burst into the living room with Casey and Michaelangelo hot on their tail. Megan gasped at the site of the Foot soldiers surrounding Splinter and the two injured brothers. Leonardo was on his feet, but she could sense the pain emanating from him. He was in no condition to fight. Splinter crouched terrified in front of Donatello, his arms outstretched in a feeble attempt to shield him from their attack. Raphael still gripped his sai, his blood boiling as he glared at the unwelcome guests.
Michaelangelo ran for his bedroom. It was a mess. This was the one time he wished he'd listened to Splinter about cleaning his room. Comic books were strewn all over the floor. The sheets hung off his bed in messy heaps. Clothes and towels were thrown everywhere. Good thing he didn't sleep in here every night anymore. He picked up the junk in piles and threw it out of his way. Where did I put those chucks?
Ah hah! He finally spotted them under an old pizza box. He snatched them up quickly, rolling the cylinders between his fingers. The hard feel of the wood gave him a strong, secure feeling. Jumping over the mounds of junk, he rushed back to the living room, determined to introduce these "guys" to the Foot's faces.
___________________________________________________________________________________
April was ready to tear her hair out as she glared at her sister. Robyn sat with her arms crossed, frowning in disbelief.
"Come off it, April.", she moaned.
April sighed and turned on the television. "Fine. If ya don't wanna listen to me, then leave me alone." She was frustrated. It had been over an hour since she began trying to convince her that her life wasn't a joke, that everything she was telling her was real. She had finally managed to persuade her into believing that she hadn't gotten married yesterday, that Casey's cousin really had been injured, and that Shadow was indeed missing. But the one thing that she had really needed to prepare her sister for was the one thing she refused to accept.
Robyn sighed and fell into the chair. What is wrong with you April? Have you gone completely nuts? She thought long and hard about why her sister would tell her such incredibly outrageous stories. Maybe it's stress. She studied April's face as she stared intently at the television screen.
An old rerun of "Three's Company" was on. April hated that show. She was determined to ignore Robyn at all costs, however, so she gritted her teeth and focused her attention on the screen. Jack was flirting with Crissy again. Doesn't he always? Mr. Roper came to the door and Janet answered it. "Hello Mr. Roper, won't you come in?" Jack came wandering out of the kitchen in his pink apron. "Hi.", he smiled stupidly at the landlord. Mr. Roper gave him a funny look as he studied the apron...
"Uhh." April moaned and turned off the television. She'd had enough. She glanced at the clock and realized it was six-thirty already. The sky was growing dark, and there was no sign of Casey yet. Where is he?
Robyn noticed the troubled look on her face and rose to sit next to her on the bed.
"Look, April..." She studied her eyes, searching for the cause of her anguish. "I'm sorry. Let's not argue anymore, okay?"
April nodded half-heartedly and picked up the phone. "So", she forced a smile. "How about some chinese take out?"
____________________________________________________________________________________
The battle raged on. Megan watched in awe as Casey moved swiftly with the bo, knocking down everything that got in his way. She had known he was somewhat of a vigilante, taking the law into his own hands at times, but she had never known how well he could fight. He moved with skill and timing, almost like the green ninjas that joined him in battle.
Megan kept her distance. She had gotten a taste of their power last night, and she wasn't sure she wanted to experience it again. She glanced down at her bare forearms, her sight falling on the bandages. She could feel the skin burn as she remembered the sting of the weapons. Her heart pounded fiercely as she watched the battle before her. She wished she'd studied karate harder when she was in high school, but after a few months, she had become discouraged and dropped out. She wanted to kick herself now as she watched her weary friends fight off the Foot. There's got to be some way I can help!
Michaelangelo spun the nunchuks, knocking two of the ninja in the head. As they went down, he spared a glance in Splinter's direction, and noticed that he was fighting a different battle all his own as he struggled to protect his injured son. He was surrounded by three of the Foot. As the one facing him attacked, he brought up his walking stick to block the blow. Then, he swung it around to his left, jabbing another in the stomach. Swinging it swiftly to his other side, he knocked the third in the chin. Last, he brought the stick in front of him again to block the second attack from the first ninja, and kneed him in the groin. All three fell to the floor with a thud. Mike grinned to himself. The Master's still got it!
Leonardo still ached from the previous encounter, but he was determined not to give up his fight. He had been battling with this sword weilder for ten minutes now, and this guy was good. He rolled out of the way as a katana came down, nearly slicing his shoulder. He came up again, knocking the Foot in the face with the brunt of the handle. The man dropped his sword, gripping his nose as the blood spewed out.
"You broke my nose, you little puke!" The man was furious as the pain shot across his face.
"Yeah, well you guys mangled my brother, and now it's payback time!" Leo kicked the guy in the chest and he stumbled backward to the floor.
Raphael was a ball of energy. His sais flashed as they caught the light and reflected in his hateful gaze. Megan watched amazed at the burning intensity that drove him. No wonder he had made such short work of her attackers last night! Without warning or apology, he barreled through the crowd, shoving his sais into every Foot body he came across. As they went down, their anguished cries echoed through the cavern. She felt nauseous as she gawked at the blood that leaked from the broken carcasses. Well, that's what you get for attacking me and my friends!
The five of them were making short work of the three dozen ninja that had attacked. Raphael looked around the room to find only about ten left standing. Piece a' cake! He glanced quickly at Megan who stood in awe as she watched the intense battle around her. He gave her a quick wink as a grin began to spread across his face. She shot him a knowing smirk as he turned back around to finish his duty. Was he trying to impress her?
One of the Foot spotted her standing alone in the corner, and decided to persue her. She took a step back, the fear growing inside of her as he approached. She glanced at the others. They were too caught up in their own struggles to notice. She turned and ran toward the kitchen.
Her assailant was persistant. He followed her through the lair, his bo jabbing at her. He cornered her in the kitchen, blocking the only exit. She stared at his weapon in fright. It was the same as the one that had knocked her to her knees last night. A new furious wave of adrenaline rushed through her. These guys aren't gonna get away with this! She picked up the pot of searing hot stew and dumped it on the man, his screams ringing in her ears as he dropped the bo and fell to the floor, gripping his scalding body.
Raphael heard the cry of anguish coming from the kitchen and rushed to her aid. If they've hurt her... No, she was okay! He stared down in confusion at the injured Foot, and then up at her.
"Wha..."
She smiled proudly and pretended to buff her nails on her shirt as she tossed him the pot. The realization hit him as he caught the metal cookware. She had burnt him with Mikey's stew!
The battle over, the others rushed in to see what all the comotion was about. Michaelangelo caught site of the mess on the floor and stared into the empty pot.
"My stew!", he complained.
"Thanks, Mikey.", she smiled. "It was really good."
The others began to laugh, and soon Mike joined them.
"Score one for the good guys!", Raphael announced.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Man, where is he? April stood by the window, searching in the dark for signs of Casey. She was really starting to worry now. There had been no word from him or any of the turtles since he had left this morning.
Sensing her concern, Robyn approached her and laid her arm across her shoulder.
"I'm sure he's fine.", she said quietly.
April stared at her sister for a moment. "Robyn", she whispered. "He's supposed to be down there right now...with them."
Robyn was confused as she studied April's grim expression. "What do you mean? With who? Down where?"
"With the turtles." April stared straight ahead, avoiding her penetrating gaze. "In the sewers."
Robyn had had just about enought of this. "April, are you on some kind of drugs?", she asked seriously.
April was insulted, "Of course not! Robyn, how could you even think that?" The frustration from their previous discussion returned in full force.
Robyn was sorry she had brought it up. She walked to the bed and sat down. "I'm sorry.", she said softly. "It's just...you're talking all this gibberish, and...", her voice trailed off as she noticed the fresh tears that were streaming down April's cheeks. She was speechless. She didn't dare open her mouth and do any further damage.
April turned back toward the window. "Come here. There's something I want to show you."
Robyn rose slowly and walked to where she was standing. Without turning, she lifted a finger and pointed out the window to the left.
"See that alley?"
Robyn caught site of the narrow walkway as it hid in the darkness. "Yeah." She shrugged.
"Do you see anything else?"
Robyn squinted and stared hard in the direction she was pointing. "Ummm...no, not really."
"Look harder."
She followed April's gaze as she focused on the passageway. It was narrow, surrounded by two brick buildings. A couple of trash cans lined the sidewalk, but nothing more.
Sensing Robyn's confusion, April decided to spell it out for her. "There's a manhole cover. Do you see it?"
Robyn peered harder into the darkness. She finally spotted the metal rim barely noticeable by the small street light.
"Yeah...I think so.", she frowned. But what does this have to do with anything?
April could sense Robyn's curiousity peaking. "That's where they live.", she said ominously. The seriousness in her voice made Robyn nervous. "Just go down a few tunnels, make a few turns, and you're there."
Robyn was growing frightened. The intensity in April's eyes as she stared out the window made her look possessed.
"Come on, April.", she said gently, trying to change the subject. "Why don't we eat our dinner before it gets cold?" She sat down at the table and opened one of the cardboard boxes. The steam from the fresh white rice floated up, exposing it's warmth. The food looked great. She was starved.
April continued to stare out the glass, concern and fear gripping her as she contemplated going down to the sewers. Maybe they're in trouble.
"April...", Robyn urged her.
"Yeah, okay..." She started hesitantly backing away from the window to join her sister as she caught the scent of the food. She was about to turn around and sit at the table when something caught her eye. She ran back to the window quickly, gawking at the alleyway.
"Oh my god!", she gasped.
___________________________________________________________________________________
"But Casey!", Megan complained as he led her through the tunnels, "I don't want--"
"Look Meg." He stopped and held a finger to her face. "We're all in danger, and you're hurt. Stop arguing and come on!"
Megan was angry. Why was Casey doing this to her? She went to open her mouth but though the better of it. The turtles were approaching behind her. Raph and Mike cradled Don in their arms, their trenchcoats hanging clumsily around their shoulders.
"Come on Mike, hurry!", Raph said annoyed.
"I'm comin', I'm comin'!", Mike complained. Donatello was in no way a light-weight. Michaelangelo could've sworn he weighed a ton. How had Leo managed to drag him all the way to the lair? Brushing that thought aside, he shifted his stance and got a new grip on Don's shoulders. Who's he to complain anyway? He's got the lighter end!
They rushed through the sewers, ignoring the trash and muck that squished under their feet. Raphael thought about his sensei and Leo. He had hated leaving them alone to fend for themselves, but he figured they could handle it.
They were approaching the ladder. Megan handed Casey her suitcase and grabbed onto the first rung, pulling herself up painfully. The spasms shot up her arms as she used them to support her weight. Casey saw the anguish on her face, and grabbed her by the waist, helping her up the rest of the way. Shoving the cover from the hole revealed the dim orange light from the street lamps above. Megan crawled out painfully and sat on the ground as Casey helped Mike and Raph raise Don up. Megan's ribs were on fire. She wished she had some of Splinter's tea to sooth her weary body, but she figured she had done good enough just to grab her suitcase and some extra bandages before her cousin had whisked her away.
Casey grabbed the suitcase and lifted Megan into his arms, carrying her the rest of the way to the motel. Normally, she would have protested his help, but under the circumstances, she was more than happy to accept. Raphael and Mike followed close behind, sticking to the shadows as best they could, while trying to be gentle with Don's body.
Casey stopped at the stairs, taking a look around to make sure no one was watching. Once he was confident the area was clear, he waved the turtles forward.
It was hard work lugging Donatello up the stairs. Raph took the lead, lugging his feet up backwards. He almost tripped over the stairs a couple times when Mike had stepped up too fast. He glared at his brother, but remained quiet. He didn't want anyone to come out of their rooms and see them.
April greeted them at the door.
"My god, what happened, Casey?" His eye was puffy and bruised, reminding her of a shriveled plum. She gazed at Megan, relief washing over her as she saw the alertness in her face.
She smirked at April. "Raphael hit him."
April frowned in confusion, but before she could ask any questions, Raph and Mike entered the room, carrying the wounded Donatello in their arms.
Robyn caught sight of the reptiles and let out an ear-piercing scream before she hit the floor. April rushed to her, crouching down to make sure she was okay.
"She's unconscious.", Casey said from above. "I thought you said you were gonna tell her about them."
"Man...", Raphael complained. "Why do they always do that?"