A/N: I was not going to update today, but you know what guys? Screw it. I'm currently working on chapter 10 and I'm having too much fun with this story. I really want to share it as soon as possible because I am impatient trash. Besides, this chapter is a shortie so I thought I might!

Thanks so much for reading guys! You are all amazing! I'm just sad I can't reply to my lovely guests so I will do so here!

Thanks Alex for your review! I'm glad you're liking the story so far!

Thanks Guest for reviewing! I hope this chapter is worth the wait!

Thanks also to the awesome: MarthaJonesp2, starbrigate, Cutegenius, Nainers, Rhodesincolumbus for also leaving lovely reviews. I think I replied to all of you right? Haha! If not then send me a message telling me how awful I am and I will buy you all cake. I sometimes forget to reply but I really love doing so! *Has no friends and cries in a corner.*

Ehem, I hope you enjoy!

Nobody

As it turns out, it takes an annoying amount of one-sided conversation for Raphael to stay awake. But at last, the jerk seems satisfied with the stitching work on Raph's shoulder – a very effective wake up call, if Raph says so himself - to finally, shut up.

In the end, they are both exhausted and wary of each other. Which actually kind of explains how they both end up in opposite corners of the cell, looking at each other like some sort territorial predator documentary crud.

The turtle sits with his knees braced against his chest. From the other side of the cell, he stares at Raphael unblinking.

"You're a turtle," he says at last. His voice cracks at the last word, like Raph's used to do a couple of years ago when he was neither a child nor a teen.

Raph doesn't even resist the urge to roll his eyes. "Yeah, no kidding, Einstein."

The turtle doesn't seem to be bothered by the implied insult or maybe he is just too stupid to understand it. He just looks away, burying his face in the sleeve of his oversized dark gray hoodie. "Of course you had to be a turtle, it all makes sense now." He speaks mostly to himself rather than to Raph and lets out a shudder.

Raphael frowns. This guy's talking nonsense. Raph hates it when people talk to him like he knows what they mean, but don't explain shit. He swears, Leo can go on and on about meditation crud for hours. "Hey." He snaps his fingers twice in the air. The turtle's head lifts. Raphael doesn't give a flip about the dirty looks he's getting from the Foot. "You mind sharing what is it that makes sense around here?! Because from where I'm standing-"

"-Sitting," the turtle corrects, raising a smug finger and Raph growls at him.

"Sitting, whatever!- from where I'm sitting none of this makes sense!"

If his little tantrum bothers the Foot, Raph can't tell. He just gives Raph a blank look and goes back to resting his cheeks on his arms. He closes his eyes; they look almost tired. Raph fumes at him but says nothing.

He's not Leo, Raph had acknowledged with a strange combination of relief and disappointment right after his head cleared completely from Xever's venom. As the turtle worked to stop the blood flow in his shoulder, Raph had gotten a better look at the mutant Foot. This guy wasn't his big brother. He was too tall, too thin. He also wore clothes but no weapons of any sort.

Raph had almost started a fight again. But this time the turtle was prepared. He saw Raph's fire before the first fist moved for a strike. Turtle was not a fighter, but he was good with pressure points. Raph discovered this the hard way. And with Raph's weakened state as an advantage, Turtle had had no problem grabbing one of the anklets on the floor and chaining Raph's right foot again. He actually even threatened to tie him up if Raph didn't let him work on the sliced shoulder.

Controlling little creep.

Fast forward, a few hours later Raph sits, trapped in a corner of the prison cell once more but at least with three free limbs and decent room for movement. His shoulder is no longer bleeding and the dizzy feeling from the venom is gone.

Raph knows he should be smart about this. Thankful.

"What do you want?! Who the heck are you?!" He also acknowledges he is extremely volatile and rude. He embraces it, even.

The turtle shoots him a mild glare.

"Keep it down!" he hisses and his eyes dart for the door. He stands up with a little effort. "Do you want them to come back?"

And those words are as clear as day in Raphael's book. He snarls a nasty smile.

"Oh, I'm sure you'd love that wouldn't you, Foot!" Raph says but does lower his voice, because the guy has a point, even if he won't admit it out loud. "Is that a threat? Are you going to call your Master?" He bites the last word like venom.

Turtle looks like he's ready to murder Raph. "Of course I'm not going to- can you please just shut up for a minute?" he finishes in a more calm voice and massages his temples.

"Don't tell me what to do, you-" Whatever Raph's saying is cut off when footsteps approach the cell.

Turtle's brown eyes widen and dart towards the door. He then kneels down to grab the first aid kit. He bolts right back up, his arms at his sides like a soldier and bows his head at nothing.

"What the heck are you-"

"Pretend to be unconscious," Turtle orders in a hiss.

"What?!" Raph whispers back. He's not making any sense.

Turtle just gives him a furious pleading look and puts a finger over his mouth without making sound. The footsteps continue and approach. Raph is not ready to admit how fast his heart is beating. Finally, the footsteps come and go past the door, disappearing down the corridor. It sounds like they were not meant for this cell at all. Slowly, cautiously, Turtle approaches the door and presses his ear against it.

There's a beat of silence. He can only hear Turtle's jagged breathing. They're gone.

Turtle steps away from the door and a shiver travels up his thin frame. As he turns to face Raph, he looks incredibly relieved.

"What's the matter? Scared of the big bad Shredder?" Raph finds himself taunting with a smirk.

Turtle frowns at him with disbelief, then something happens. Whatever expression he has, leaves his features and he lowers his eyes to the first aid kit. He sighs, almost in tired defeat. "I have to go."

Wait, what?

He makes his way towards the door then pauses to look back at Raphael, as if considering something.

Raph is not intimidated by this guy, but he is curious at what his end game is. He doesn't look like Shredder's typical goons; in fact, he looks almost terrified at the mention of Shredder. But if he is, then- then, why was he here? More importantly, how on earth did Shredder manage to get a mutant turtle like his brother and himself?

"Here." Raph jumps, realizing he'd spaced out for a second and Turtle is kneeling in front of him offering a tiny transparent plastic bottle containing white pills. "Don't take them all at once. They should help with the pain but you can't move that shoulder or else the stitches might rip and I don't know if he'll let me help you again."

"Wha-?"

Turtle shakes his head and pulls something from his hoodie's front pocket. It's an old plastic water bottle. The sight of the liquid is motivation enough for him. Raph takes no time in snatching it from the offering hands and drinking the precious water.

"Easy," he hears Turtle say in a warning. "You'll puke again." And gently, he lowers the bottle from Raph's lips. Raph glares at him but says nothing. His instinct of survival finally taking over his temper; he waits. The jerk is right again. He should ration it.

Turtle gives the bottle back and takes out two pills from the smaller bottle. He extends them towards Raph who twists his head to the side, like a child.

"Painkillers," Turtle says in a whisper but Raph doesn't move. Turtle sighs and places the little bottle on the ground. "Take two now and two when the light goes away."

"Yeah, like I'm stupid enough to take drugs from Foot," Raphael snaps.

Turtle narrows his eyes. Then he shoves one of the pills into his own mouth and swallows it with thick difficulty.

He stands up to leave and Raph finds his voice again. "What do you want from me?"

Turtle turns around. The silence is thick and tense. "Not to die," he says finally and moves towards the door.

Oh no. "Wait!" Raph demands and panics when Turtle won't listen to him. "Hey, hey, hey, wait! Wait! What the heck! You don't get to do that and leave!" Raph finally yells and the turtle halts, waiting for him to continue. "What's your deal, man?! Painkillers? You obviously work for the Foot but you're helping me? What the actual frak?! Who the heck are you?!"

Turtle's left hand is already on the door's handle. His shoulders shake and there is tense hesitation before he pulls the hood over his head and murmurs. "I'm nobody."

Then he's gone.

A/N: There you have it folks, short and sweet! Hopefully not too short, but this particular turtle is very reserved. You understand.

Anyways, hope to hear from you! See you all next week!

Flaux.