"Leo?? What the hell...?" Raph caught one glimpse of his brother and ran into the room cursing. As he rushed to his side, he found Leo staggering and gasping for breath.
"Shit!" Raphael realized the severity of Leonardo's condition, and began to worry about what could have possibly caused this to happen.
Leo pressed a hand to his forehead, trying to shake the dizzy feeling. His breathing came in gasps, more like coughs, as he crept toward the bed. Sucking in large amounts of air to stay conscious, he flopped himself down on the mattress and shut his eyes tightly.
Raph stared at him in shocked concern. "Leo, come on, man, what is it? I heard you screaming, and...you're hyperventilating all over the damn place!" He laid a hand on Leo's carapace to help brace him, and gripped his right arm with the other. "Can you talk? Are you in pain?"
Leo took some more deep breaths, trying to calm himself enough to be able to speak. He glanced at him, seeing the large, rounded eyes and the hanging jaw. He realized he must be scaring Raph half to death.
"He...he's here, Raph. I...f...felt him. Here, in my head." He hit his forehead rather hard, a determined look on his face, as if he was trying to rid it of unseen demons. "He's in my mind Raph, I saw him. He's alive!"
Raph looked at him skeptically, deciding he had finally lost his marbles. "Alive? Who?"
"Baxter..."
"Baxter!?"
he...he's been filling my mind with these...images. Raph, I saw her...I saw--"
"What!? You gotta be pullin' my chain!" So Baxter really did have Megan? This was starting to sound extremely serious. But how could Leo know for sure? And why would that demented mad scientist let him know such a thing?
"I...we gotta go. We gotta find her, Raph. He's planning something." He rose to his feet and staggered toward his katana, nearly falling over as the pain hit his head again. "I don't...I don't know what, but it hurts, Raph...and she's--"
Raphael could see his brother was in agony, and in no condition to go out on a wild goose chase. However much it pained him to wait, he knew it would be worthless to go searching for her with Leo in this state. For once, he felt it was his obligation to be the sensible one in a desperate situation. Besides, they would need the others' help if they were even going to begin to pinpoint a location.
Leo was visibly shaking, and his hands were clenched into tight little balls of fury. Raphael knew he was likely to pass out at any moment.
"Woah, take it easy there, Tonto. You ain't goin' anywhere." He took the katana from Leo's hand, threw his arm around his neck, and walked him slowly back to the bed. He set the sword down on a shelf and stared at Leo uncertainly. "Now...what the hell do you mean, you saw her?"
"God!" Megan cried out in anguish and balled her hands into tight fists, her fingernails digging into the soft skin of her palms. The sensation actually brought some relief, as it redirected her mind from the fire that seered through her abdomen. She had expected it to be painful, but she had never imagined it would feel like this. Squeezing her eyes shut, she concentrated on the one thing she wanted more than anything else right now - getting this baby out.
"Try to lay still." Dr. Hudson filled a syringe with clear liquid and held the needle close to her arm. "If you squirm I might miss the vein."
"Try to lay still!? Easy for you to say! You're not trying to squeeze a watermelon out of a hole the size of a pea, you jackass!"
He stopped what he was doing and stared at her, startled for a moment, but the surprise quickly passed. "Now, now...I'm only trying to help..."
Megan sucked in an agonizing breath. "Go to hell!"
Philipe brought his face down threateningly close to hers, allowing his nose to lightly brush across her cheek. She could feel the heat from his breath on her face as he spoke. "Ahh...I wouldn't get testy if I were you. You do want the pain medication afterall, do you not?"
Megan cringed at his touch. There was something in his voice that was so evil...so menacing. As another wave of pain hit her, she narrowed her eyes and glared up at him, but held her tongue. She knew if she voiced her true feelings of disgust toward him, she would never get the drug. Philipe was wicked enough to deprive her of it, the bastard. Sighing, she sucked in another breath as Dr. Hudson pierced the needle into her skin. In an instant, she could feel the warmth flowing through her veins, and the pain began to ease up a little. But even so, the medication could only do so much.
She glanced down at the new shackles Philipe had insisted she be confined in. Constructed solely of metal, they provided little room for movement. He had locked them tight with a key, satisfied that she would not be able to escape again. She cursed him silently as the metal dug into her wrists, bruising them with the force from each contraction.
"How the hell am I supposed to pop this thing out with these damn things around my ankles?"
Philipe glanced at his watch uninterestedly. "The contractions are only ten minutes apart. The baby won't arrive for several hours. We have plenty of time."
Megan glared at him in hatred as another contraction attacked, spreading hot flames through her lower body. The pain welled in intensity, piercing her abdomen, and she cried out.
Dr. Hudson laid a hand on her stomach and studied the monitor. "Hmmm...that's odd..." He glanced at Philipe, and waited for him to make eye contact before directing him toward the readout.
"What is it?" Philipe frowned as they approached the screen.
"The child...it's...transforming inside her..."
"Let me see." Philipe spat, and rudely nudged Dr. Hudson out of the way to stare at the monitor. "My god...it appears to be...growing, even now."
Dr. Hudson nodded. "Unless we get the baby out of there soon, it may become too large, thus crushing her organs, suffocating the child, and killing them both."
They were purposely talking softly, but Megan had heard enough to know that her life was in danger. She had known all along that something wasn't right. It had been a rough pregnancy, and even now, she could feel the baby moving inside of her, almost as if writhing in anguish. A cold fear gripped her. One of them was going to die. She was sure of it...unless they did something, fast!
Dr. Hudson approached the bedside and began to take her blood pressure. "Please..." she said softly. "Please, find my husband. Tell him where I am. I need him here."
Dr. Hudson ignored her pleas and did his best to keep his attention focused on the task at hand. He refused to even so much as look her in the eye.
"Please!" she urged, a little louder this time, as an overwhelming sense of dread and utter loneliness threatened to consume her. "Please, I'm...I'm begging you! God, I can't do this alone! What if he never sees either of us again? Please, I need him! It may be the last time I ever..."
Dr. Hudson finally rose his eyes carefully to meet hers. He just stood there, motionless, and stared at her blankly, his face void of all emotion or thought.
Megan stared into his expressionless face, into the hard, blue eyes, so cold...so unfeeling...
"Please..." she said softly one last time, almost as a whimper now. "What if this happened to your daughter? Wouldn't you at least want her to know she wasn't alone? Wouldn't you want to be there with her...to do your damndest to make sure she'd pull through?"
Finally, after another long, agonizing moment, his eyes softened, and a look of apology crossed his face. She stared into his eyes, noting a hint of sorrow that hadn't been there before. "I'm sorry..." he said quietly.
Mike broke away finally and stared at her, wondering what she was thinking behind those clear blue eyes. Amber sat there for a moment in stunned silence. She hadn't expected him to do that. Not that she minded. The feel of his body against hers had sent her senses into overdrive. As she closed her eyes, she could still feel the hard, toned muscles gripping her tightly, the warmth of his mouth on hers, the rough, yet curiously smooth feel of his skin. She was definately starting to understand what Megan meant by 'something you could never experience with a human.'
Mike smiled at her nervously and began to put on his gloves. I shouldn't have done that. I'm...moving too fast...
The radio, which had been playing soft music in the background, suddenly sparked to life. "A blizzard is expected tonight, which will affect the city of Manhattan and parts of upstate New York..."
"Uhhh...maybe I should be getting home. I'm sure Raph and Leo are probably worried..."
Amber rose from the chair quickly, trying to think of something...anything to get him to stay. "Wait! Mike, please don't go. I...I..get scared being in the house all alone at night."
"High winds and several inches of snow are expected..."
"Hmmm..." Mike smiled absent-mindedly, realizing her intentions. She wants me to stay! I can't believe this! "Maybe I better stay put then..." his look grew mischevious. "Sounds like a pretty bad storm heading our way. It's probably not safe to leave you here alone..."
"No." she smiled back and took his hands. "Probably not."
"What if there was a snow-in or something...?" he added softly.
He stared at her for a moment as she fiddled nervously with his gloves, finally pulling them off and tossing them on the coffee table.
She looked up at him with eyes that threatened to drown his very soul. "You might as well get comfortable then...if you're gonna stay."
She lowered her gaze to his hands, tracing the veins and scars with her finger, the heat rising in her cheeks. He was staring at her again, she could feel his eyes on her. She wasn't sure what to say or do. She had never really had much time for mixed company, having been forced into performing at Baxter's every beck and call at such a young age. Sure, she'd had a couple of boyfriends, but the most they'd gotten into was kissing, and some light petting here and there. She was glad he had agreed to stay, but now that she'd gotten him here...
Mike gently slipped one of his hands from hers and reached up to remove the band from her ponytail, watching as the golden hair cascaded down in layers to frame her face. She looked like an angel, and something welled up inside of him, making him want to kiss her desperately again.
"Since we're being comfortable..." he said softly.
She stared up at him, her eyes twinkling. His face broke out into a silly grin, which he quickly fought back. As the seriousness returned to his eyes, he ran his hand over her silky hair, noting how the light reflected off the golden strands. The urgency built up in him until he thought he would explode. As he moved in to kiss her again, the lyrics from the radio hummed softly in his head.
"There's things that you guess and things that you know...there's boys that you can trust and girls that you don't..."
He stopped short, pulling away a little in embarassment. He knew this song. He used to dance to it on his bed when he was younger. Usually, his thoughts would be on Renet, or April, or any other 'hot looking mama' he could envision at the time.
"There's little things you hide...and little things that you show..."
His cheeks began to redden over the green. As he glanced into the glimmering pools that were her eyes, an eery feeling passed over him for a moment. Was that fear that had flashed behind the dark pupils? Guilt? After a moment, he decided it was neither. It was probably just his own nerves.
"Sometimes you think you're gonna get it, but you don't and that's just the way it goes."
A thought occured to him. Why did she want him suddenly? Why was she being so nice after turning him away? He wondered what her true motives were. Was this just a game to her? Or worse yet, would he wake up in the morning to the realization that this was all just a dream?
"I swear I won't tease you, won't tell you no lies...I don't need no bible, just look in my eyes. I've waited so long baby, now that we're friends...every man's got his patience, and here's where mine ends..."
He decided he didn't care at the moment if this was only a dream. At least it would be the best damn dream he'd had in a long time. She moved in closer to him and laid her hands on his jacket sleeves, her eyes giving off a seductive glow. "It's warm in here." she said softly. "The closet's over there...I'll be right back with some tea."
"I want your sex...I want you...I want your.....sex..."
He stood there, frozen, and watched her leave for the kitchen. Once she was out of sight, his shoulders relaxed a little. He let out the breath he had been holding for what seemed like the past five minutes, and began to take off his coat.
"It's time to wake up now, Robyn..." he gripped her hand tighter, wishing the sensation could snap her out of the coma somehow. "If only you would open your eyes and look at me..."
He studied the closed eyes again, absent-mindedly trying to count the number of eyelashes that framed the lids. She had been unconscious for three weeks now, and it seemed like an eternity. He wished he could get into her mind, show her his thoughts, talk to her - if only to tell her how much she really meant to him.
He lowered his left hand down to lightly brush her hair with his fingertips. The wound on his hand had healed a long time ago, but the scar would forever be there, reminding him of a time that had once been...a time when Robyn was healthy and energetic...a time when he had fallen in love. His hand trembled as he rested it on her cheek, the coolness of her clammy skin a shocking reminder of her present state. As he looked into the ghastly pale face, his heart sank. Nothing he could do or say would change any of this. And after all this time, her body still refused to wake up. He couldn't help but think the worst.
It seemed as though everything he had done over the past three weeks was all in vain. Robyn and Trevor would never be reunited. The family structure that he'd worked so hard to create was cracking like plaster, and would soon fall into pieces on the floor.
He squeezed his eyes shut in agony as he tried to imagine the pain and fear she must have experienced. He knew the raw wounding power those mousers contained - he had a pretty gnarly scar on his calf to prove it. They would have killed Splinter long ago if he and his brothers hadn't come to the rescue at that crucial moment. He couldn't help but feel that he'd let her down. He hadn't been there for her when she'd really needed him. Now, she may never need him again.
He gripped her hand tighter and sucked in a ragged breath. He couldn't stand it anymore. He couldn't bear to be here, day after day, watching her slowly slip further and further away from him. It wasn't fair. She deserved to live. A part of him wished he would have never met her in the first place. At least she would be safe right now. She would have never even known Baxter or the mousers existed. Still, he couldn't help but revel in the fact that she was his, that this great, wonderous, miraculous thing had happened to him.
"Please..." he opened his eyes and concentrated on her face, willing it to come to life, daring the majestic emerald eyes to open and look at him once again. "Please, Robyn...you gotta pull through..." He could feel the water well up and spill over his cheeks again. "I need you..."
He stared into the clear, greenish liquid, watching as it swirled around and around in the cup. The warmth it exuded into his hands was a welcomed replacement for the gloves. "My...father, Splinter, used to make us tea all the time. He would hold these really neat Japanese tea ceremonies and we'd all gather 'round on the totami and drink...it was this really big ceremony. He was really serious about it..."
She noticed the hint of sorrow in his eyes. "Your father...sounds like he was a really special guy."
Mike sighed. "Yeah..."
She watched as he took another sip of the tea, entranced with the way his wide mouth pressed against the cup, the large green fingers appearing almost clumsy against the delicate plaster. After a long, soothing sip, he set the drink down on the coffee table and looked at her.
"I wish you could have met him. He would have liked you."
She could see the sadness still lingering there, hiding the transparent sparkle in his eyes. In a small attempt to lift his spirits, she forced a smile. "Oh? How can you be so sure?"
"Because...I like you. It always made him happy to see us happy."
Her smile was genuine this time. She could feel his eyes on her, probing, almost penetrating, as she stared down at the drink in her hands. What was he thinking? Was he waiting for her to react? What should she say? A long moment of discomfort passed before she set down the cup, attempting to look casual.
Suddenly, without warning, he reached out and took her hands. "Do you like to dance?"
She bit her lip and nodded as he pulled her to her feet. A new song was playing now, one that she hadn't heard in a long time. It brought back so many memories of her high school days. She had been innocent then, just another face in the crowd. But that hadn't lasted long before Baxter and her father had gotten a hold of her.
Mike pulled her so close, she could feel his breath on her cheek. Her heart began to race as he laid his hand on the small of her back, and used the other one to slowly brush the hair out of her eyes. His strong arms engulfed her again, and she felt safe for the moment, like no bad thing could possibly touch her. Smiling up at him nervously, she rested her head on his shoulder and shut her eyes.
"Close your eyes, make a wish...and blow out the candlelight. For tonight is just your night. We're gonna celebrate, all thru the night..."
She ran her hands gently over the muscles in his neck, noting the pure strength they contained. He swallowed and closed his eyes, lost in the feeling of her touch.
"Pour the wine, light the fire...girl your wish is my command. I submit to your demands...I'll do anything, girl you need only ask..."
When he opened his eyes, he realized she was staring at him again with a certain playful seriousness. He swallowed again and returned the stare for a moment, becoming lost in the blue tides that were her eyes. He lowered his gaze finally, studying the delicate skin of her neck and the way the red, velvety shirt clung to her figure, enhancing the curves of her body and the soft, rounded breasts.
He took in a breath as he lowered his mouth to hers again, kissing her gently at first, and then with growing passion. She clung to him, her arms around his neck, and curled her fingers around the top of his carapace as the warmth from his mouth flowed through her. He slid the tip of his tongue over hers, slowly at first, teasing her gently, and then with increasing urgency.
His heart began to pound as he clenched her arms, directing her back toward the sofa. He pushed her gently over the couch's arm, moving with her as she fell back onto the cushions. She sank down slowly into the soft leather, her heart pounding in her throat. He studied her face quietly as he knelt over her, straddling her with his knees. Noticing no apprehension in her eyes, he began to kiss her again.
The song continued. "I'll make love to you, like you want me to...and I'll hold you tight, baby all through the night..."
Amber ran her hands down Mike's shoulders and over his plastron, amazed at how hard yet pliable it was. She ran her fingers along the joints separating the sections, the feel of the hard shell exciting her senses.
His mouth traveled downwards to her neck, nibbling at the soft flesh. She let out a quiet moan and scratched her fingernails lightly over the ridges in his plastron.
"Can you feel that?" she whispered.
He stopped what he was doing and looked up at her for a second. "Feel what?"
"This..." she whispered as she ran her fingers down his shell again. He closed his eyes as tingles of pleasure ran through him. "Oh yeah..."
She smiled and grabbed his arms as he moved his hands down and ever so slowly lifted her shirt, exposing the delicate flesh of her stomach. Amber closed her eyes as the velvet rubbed against her skin, sending tingles of delight through her. Then, smiling warmly, he lowered his mouth and began to kiss her body tenderly.
"Don?"
His eyes flew open as a distant voice echoed in his head. He sat upright and rubbed his forhead curiously, as a slow realization hit him. He'd fallen asleep! But for how long...? As he glanced around for a clock, he caught sight of her, and his heart stopped. She was watching him. Her eyes were open!
"Robyn!" He leaned over her and covered her mouth with his, kissing her desperately, totally oblivious to the wetness that was spilling over his cheeks yet again. "You're awake...how do you feel? Are you okay? Are you thirsty?"
Robyn closed her eyes and smiled weakly. "No...I'm...f...fine..."
He noticed her speech was a little slurred and hard to understand, and he knew it was a product of the brain damage she'd suffered. They could work on rehabilitating her later though. All that mattered to him now was that she was finally awake. He finally had her back after all this time.
He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her gently as joy and relief overtook him. He found himself laughing and crying at the same time, and try as he might, he was unable to stop. All of his emotions blended together - the pain, the agony, the joy. He kneeled down beside the bed and laid his head next to hers on the pillow, unable to take his eyes off of her. "I love you." he whispered and kissed her cheek.
She smiled again. "Love you..."
"I missed you so much. I've been coming here every day since I got back."
"I...know..."
A smile broke out on Don's lips. "You mean you could hear me?" It was amazing. It was something he had always wondered about. He'd seen shows on tv about this subject, but he could never know if the truth they portrayed was accurate. "I was hoping you would. Did you hear what I told you about Trevor?"
He could barely make out the slight nodding of her head.
"I found him, Robyn! He's here. He's in New York. He can't wait to see you." He stopped his rambling suddenly, realizing that this might be too delicate a subject at the moment. Her condition was still poor, not exactly the state a mother wants her child to see her in after all these years. "Maybe when you're feeling a little bit better--"
"Now..." Robyn interrupted. "Need...to see him...now..."
Mike pulled up for a moment, staring at her uncertainly. He glanced down to the floor where the red velvet shirt lay in a crumpled heap, then rose his eyes back to her bare shoulders, which were naked except for the thin straps from the lacey bra. Shit..., he gasped to himself, I can't believe this is happening...
She noticed his uncertainty and smiled at him reassuringly, taking his hand in hers. Mike sucked in a breath as she moved his fingers down toward the zipper on her jeans. He could feel the blood pounding in his head now, the desire taking over. Swallowing hard, he pulled down the zipper and began to fidget with the button.
Amber closed her eyes. She couldn't believe she was actually doing this. She had to admit to herself that she'd been curious, and he was awful cute, but what would her father do if he found out? For that matter, how would anyone she knew react if they heard she'd slept with a giant mutant turtle? For some reason, the more she pondered the idea, the more it intrigued her.
The button came loose and Mike took in a breath as he pulled the flap open. He stared at the top of the white, lacey underwear that peeked up from beneath the denim. He ran a finger along the elastic band below her bellybutton, fighting the strong urge to rip the rest of the clothes from her body.
Amber stared into Mike's alluring brown eyes as the intense need gripped her. She could feel it in his touch, and see it in the way he looked at her - he wanted her too.
He slid his palms gently over her skin, pushing the straps down slowly from her shoulders. She stared at his hands, watching the material fall away, her skin tingling in response to his touch.
As the hook came loose, the bra fell open, revealing her soft, rounded breasts. He stared down at them in wonder, an intense heat building up between his legs.
"Come on...breath...you gotta breath..."
"I am breathing, dammit!" Megan gulped up as much air as her lungs would allow, as a series of spasms attacked her abdomen. The muscles in her arms and legs grew tense as she pushed against the pain, the fire in her belly rising to the point of torture.
Dr. Hudson glanced at Philipe warily as he prepared another dose of the pain medication. Philipe nodded gravely, and the doctor plunged the needle once again into Megan's arm. The heat flowed through her veins, slower this time, leaving more of the pain behind than it had the time before.
"I need more..." she gasped.
Dr. Hudson raised the vial for another filling, but Philipe stopped him. "You've had enough for now."
"But it hurts...I need more!"
He moved in close to her and curled his fingers around the sleeve of her dress. "I'll say when you need more. Do you wanna die before this abomination is even born?"
She glared at him, the hatred apparent in her eyes. "How dare you...?"
He brought his face really close to hers again and she thought she could see an eery glow behind the green eyes. "You better watch how you speak to me from now on. I'm in no mood to put up with your mouth. Remember...he who gives life...can also take it away..."
"What's that?"
He rose his head quickly and stared up at her, his breathing heavy with anticipation. He ran his hands lightly over her shoulders, not wanting to lose the passion of the moment. "What...what's what?"
She pointed to a spot on his upper, inner right thigh. "That."
Mike glanced down at the small area of black ink that marked his skin. His face began to flush as she stared at him curiously, her forehead crinkling into a frown.
"Uhhh...ohh...that." He tried to shrug it off. "It's just a tattoo..."
Amber cocked an eyebrow and stared at him micheviously. She could see the embarassment in his eyes, sense his apprehension. He wasn't going to get away that easily.
"A tattoo of what?" She sat up a little from under him and reached a hand out, running her finger down the length of his thigh.
The heat built up in him again at her touch, his skin exploding with sensation. He stared down at her body, at the little patch of hair he so wanted to explore. Do we have to do this now?
"It's...nothing. It was done on a dare. It's stupid. I'll show you later."
Amber grinned. "I wanna see it now."
Dammit...I'm gonna get you for this, Raphael... Mike groaned and repositioned himself a little so she could get a better view. There was no point in arguing with her. She was determined to get a look at it before they went any further.
Amber stared at the tattoo in shock, her eyes wide in amazement. "What does that mean?"
Mike pointed at the large 'XXL' that was etched into his leg. "It means...extra, extra large..." he sighed.
Amber sat there in silence for a moment, studying the redness that had attacked his cheeks. He wondered what was going through her mind. Must really think I'm a freak now...
Suddenly, she burst into laughter. He stared at her in surprise. "And that arrow..." she giggled. "...Sorta pointing up...does that lead where I think it does?"
Mike closed his eyes and nodded lightly, embarassed beyond belief. Amber slowly got a handle on her laughter and touched his leg again. "So..." she said, the look in her eyes sensual, almost alluring. "Is it true?"
He gazed at her again, taking note of the flirtation in her voice, the beckoning in her crystal eyes. "I...uhh...I don't know...no one's ever..."
"Hmmm..." she grinned. "I'd be willing to find out..."
Excitement replaced embarassment as he leaned over her again, a mischevious smile spreading across his lips. "Yeah?"
She laid a hand behind his neck, lightly stroking the skin. "Yeah."
Mike shivered and stared into her eyes, running a finger down the length of her jaw. She was so beautiful. He could hardly believe this was happening to him. Carefully, he shifted his position again, bringing his knees up to straddle her waist. She closed her eyes as he leaned down to kiss her once again, the passion, the need flowing through them both.
He moved his head down slowly, allowing his lower lip to trail across her skin. She breathed deeply as the sensations tingled through her body. She knew that this probably wasn't the best of ideas. What if Baxter or her father, or even Philipe found out somehow? But still, as her mind screamed out 'no', her body, her senses cried 'yes'. It just felt right. He kissed her breasts gently, the warmth from his breath sending ripples of excitement through her.
This was it - the moment he'd finally decided would never come for him. But it was happening now. He gazed up into her face, seeing the want...the need. He closed his eyes and very slowly, very deliberately pushed inside of her. In an instant, his senses blended together, his head swirling with a million different sensations at once. It was like nothing he'd ever felt before, and the power of it took his breath away.
Amber gasped and sucked in a breath as she felt him enter her. His body on hers was warm and soothing, yet strong and powerful. She tilted her head back, allowing her senses to take over.
Mike sucked in a breath as he began to thrust, the ecstacy taunting him. He needed it. He needed more. She could hear his breathing quicken, feel the warmth of it on her face. The feel of him...the raw power, the gentleness, the urgency was like nothing she'd ever experienced before.
Mike could feel the raw desire welling up inside of him. He let out a low moan and lowered his head to kiss her again. She accepted the kisses readily, the passion building inside of her as well. Mike rose his head finally and stared her in the eyes. She could see the desire burning within them.
Soon, his passion became a part of her. She wrapped her fingers around the couch cushion, her nails digging into the leather. Bringing up her other arm, she gripped his shell firmly, bracing herself as the pleasure racked her body.
Mike pulled out to her cries, the delight coming to him now as well. He shut his eyes tight. His breathing came in shallow gasps as the ecstacy spasmed through him.
"Hey Donnie, how's it going?" Casey strolled into the hospital room, a playful smirk on his face.
Don glanced up and gave him a small smile. "Fine. Did you bring him?"
"Of course I did." he punched the turtle lightly in the arm. "You think I'd refuse the request of a lady? Speaking of which..." He turned toward Robyn, and the smile turned into a grin. "How you feeling little sis'?"
He had been calling her that for months now, ever since he and April had gotten married. Although he hated being soppy, he had to admit it was nice to be part of a bigger family. Growing up, it had always been his aunt and uncle and Megan, and not much else.
She smiled at him weakly. "Lil' sis?" she joked. "I'm...ohler than you...you know..."
He grinned at her. "Hmmm...must be why I still have my rugged charm..."
Don rolled his eyes. "Oh brother..."
Casey leaned down and gave Robyn a hug, being careful not to press too hard against the bandaged wounds. "It's great to see you again."
"You too..."
"Hey, I got someone here who really wants to see you. He's waiting out in the hall."
"S...send him...in."
Casey stepped out into the hall and came back a moment later with an energetic kid trailing behind him, practically stepping on his heels all the way to the bed.
"Mom?" He stared at her in child-like wonder, his eyes large and bright.
She smiled, and Don couldn't help but melt. She looked so weak, yet she was trying so hard to be so strong. "I... missed you... Trevor. God, it's...so good...to have you back."
He returned the gesture. He remembered her. If not for the pale skin, matted hair and the bruises on her cheeks and forehead, she would have looked just like the picture he kept in his wallet. "I missed you too."
"Come here."
He approached the bedside and she reached for him, pulling him into a hug. "I've always wanted you here with me. You know that, don't you?"
Trevor nodded.
Don and Casey exchanged happy, yet somewhat uncomfortable glances. Don knew there was a long road ahead of them, and he only hoped there would be no boulders to stand in their way.
She pulled away a little and looked him in the eye. "Have you been...good for...Don...Donatello?"
"Yeah..." he glanced back at Don, and the turtle was surprised to see his eyes come to life and a smile spread across his face. "He's pretty neat too. He let me play on his computer, and he said if I'm really good, he'll show my how to program my own video game!"
Robyn smiled at the turtle. "Yeah...Don's a very special guy."
Don gazed at her, the joy returning. This could work...Trevor did like him, and now that Robyn was getting better, they could actually become like a real family.
Casey noticed the look in their eyes as they stared at eachother. He took Trevor by the hand. "Hey, watta ya say we go get an ice cream or somethin' and let Don and your mom be alone for a little while?"
Trevor kissed him mom on the forehead, and then curled his fingers around Casey's. "Kay..." he smiled. "Bye mom."
"Goodbye Trevor. I'll see you soon."
Mike ran a trembling hand over Amber's forehead, brushing away the matted hair. She sighed and laid her cheek against his plastron, smiling happily. She had never expected sex with him to be so great, or so utterly breath taking. Every time she closed her eyes she could feel him again, hear his ragged breaths, see the passion in his eyes. Megan had not been exaggerating in the least when she had spoken about Raphael, at least, not if what they had was anything like her and Michaelangelo. She could hardly believe the wonderous way he made her feel.
As they snuggled down under the blankets, the phone rang, breaking the serenity of the moment. She glanced at him warily. "I better get that."
Mike watched her as she rose from the bed and picked up the receiver. "Hello?"
"Amber, this is your father."
"Oh..." she glanced at Mike nervously. "Hi dad."
Mike grinned at her and opened his eyes really wide, biting on his fingernails like he was nervous. She bit her lip and stifled a laugh.
"Amber we need you to come down to the lab immediately."
"Uhh...but I'm sorta...busy at the moment..."
"We need you here now. It's an emergency. This is not a request."
She could hear the urgency in her father's voice, and she sighed. "Okay, I'll be right there. But what's going on?"
"The girl...Megan is in labor. And there are some...complications."
Amber swallowed nervously and glanced at Mike. He was smiling at her, totally oblivious to the horrific things that were happening to his friend. "Oh...I see."
"Philipe and I need your assistance, or both she and the baby will die."
"Okay. Okay, I'll be right there. Bye."
As she hung up the phone, Mike sat up, staring at her in concern. "What is it? Is something wrong?"
She tried to look at him, but found herself unable to make eye contact. "Uhhh...no...I mean...yeah. It's just a small emergency at my dad's work. But, I'll be back as soon as I can, I promise. In the mean time, you're welcome to stay..."
"Naw..." he threw back the covers. "I should probably be getting home anyway. My brothers...they kinda need me right now."
She pulled on a pair of pants and a shirt, and stood in front of the full length mirror, playing with her hair a little. "Okay." she forced a guilty smile. "Call me later?"
He grinned. "Definitely!"
She grabbed up her purse and kissed him on the forehead. "Oh, and Mike...?"
"Yeah?"
"It's true."
He stared at her curiously. "What's true?"
She grinned. "That tattoo."
He smiled and picked up a pillow, hurling it at her as she hurried out the door.
April swirled the hot fudge with her spoon, studying it as it spilled over the ice cream and slid down to the bowl. "So...how is she?"
"She seems fine." Casey said. "Her reflexes are slow, and she has some trouble talking, but she's gonna be just fine." He shot Trevor a reassuring smile.
"Yeah...she didn't say much when I was there earlier. Guess our visit was more of a hug fest than anything else."
He could see the tears of happiness welling up in her eyes again. He wrapped his arms around her and she burried her face in his chest.
"Things are gonna be just fine now, April. You'll see. Robyn's okay, and now all we gotta do is find Megan. She's close by, I just know it."
April sighed, her breath warming the skin beneath his shirt. "I hope you're right, Casey. I really do."
"Promise me..." Robyn stared into his eyes, her focus on some distant point. "Promise me you'll...take...care of him..."
"Robyn...don't--"
"Promise me, Don. I need to know...that if...something happens..."
He took her hand, kissing it gently. "I promise, Robyn, but don't talk like that, okay? Everything's gonna be great. You're gonna be fine."
"I...I don't know..."
"How can you say that? Look how far you've come? You're awake now, and you're getting better. Pretty soon you'll be able to leave this place and come back home to us. Don't you wanna come home?"
She squeezed his hand and a pang of sorrow hit him. Her grip was so weak. "Of course...I do..."
There was a long pause as they stayed there, just staring into eachother's eyes. It was almost as if he could hear her thoughts, feel her fear.
She sucked in a breath finally. "I love you...Don..."
He could tell she was having a little bit of difficulty breathing. "I love you too, you know that? You just hang in there. You're gonna be fine."
She closed her eyes. "Just...don't forget... Just don't--"
Her stared at her in concern as her voice trailed off. "Robyn? Of course I won't forget. Robyn?"
She wasn't answering, wasn't moving. "Robyn? Oh god..." He laid his hand on her arm and began to shake her gently. "Robyn?" Don't panic...don't panic...
"Robyn, come on...wake up..." He held his hand in front of her nose to check her breathing. When he felt no air brush his fingers, he began to panic. "Robyn!? Dammit, Robyn...don't you dare leave me!"
He glanced up at the monitor, noticing how the beeps were slowing, becoming farther apart.
He rested his hand on her forehead and pried her eye open with his thumb. Her pupil did not respond to the light. "Shit...please don't die, Robyn...shit..."
Suddenly, the monitor went flatline, and the solid, deathly beep rang in his ears.
"No!!! Oh shit...Somebody help!"
Casey caught sound of Don's cries from down the hall and broke into a run.
"Casey?" April called after him. "Casey, what's--"
"Just keep Trevor here. Finish your ice cream."
"But Casey, wait!"
Casey threw the door open and rushed inside the room, realizing right away what was happening. Don appeared panic stricken, frozen beside her, his eyes wide in fright.
Casey laid a hand on his arm. There was no time for comforting right now, he knew, but he had to get Don to snap out of it. "Don...come on, buddy. Just tell me what happened."
He blinked up at him through tear-filled eyes. "I...she just stopped breathing...oh god, Casey! We gotta do something!"
"I know, I know..." he was struggling hard to stay calm, but his heart was racing. "Stay here, I'll get the doctors."
As his friend rushed from the room, Donatello began to sob. He felt so helpless right now, so worthless. All my fault...it's all my fault!
He buried his face in her chest, his breaths coming in painful spasms now. God, please let her live! Please! I'll give anything! Just don't let her die!
"Please Robyn...please!"
Chapter 12 Coming Soon!