Chapter 2

"Serendipitous"

No one was sure how old Splinter really was, not even Splinter. But one thing was for sure, he was no longer young. His fur had long since gone from brown and silky to gray, wiry, and to his dismay, thinning. Though he still practiced his ninjitsu regularly he spent more and more time in meditation seeking… well, rest really, though he enjoyed telling his sons he was on a quest for the seemingly ungraspable wild goose known as peace and quiet.

He could hear one of his adopted son's steady breathing next to him. Leonardo seemed to find more solace in meditation than the others did. The otherwise silent room was a welcome reprieve in the early hours, or at least early for them. Being creatures that had to move among shadows they had become mostly nocturnal, rising in the early evening and finding rest with the rising of the sun.

Heel first, then slowly rolling to his toes, step by step Michelangelo quietly made his way across the padded dojo floor. Leo was a hard turtle to sneak up on and Splinter was harder, still even with his diminishing hearing.

Mikey held his breath and took three quicker steps while simultaneously bringing his hands together smashing an over full balloon with a very loud POP!

Leo responded to the sound as a warrior should, with swiftness and accuracy.

Before the word "run" could find its way to the for front of his brain, Mikey found himself on his carapace with a blade at his throat, a knee in his chest, and Leo's deep brown eyes glaring down at him.

Mikey grinned cheesely at his brother. "Got ya."

The crashing about the Dojo and playful taunting that ensued quickly drew the attention of the rest of Splinter's sons. Not wanting to miss the chance to prove themselves the better ninja they quickly joined the sparring.

Splinter couldn't help but watch with pride at the skill, comradery, and light hearted competitiveness that he had instilled in all of them. And thus they started their daily practice in the art they had mastered in their youth now it was about keeping their skills honed and senses sharp for even the greatest of masters are not invincible and may make a false step.

As night came to rest over the city. Raphael made his way out of the sewers and across the roof tops. In his hand was a piece of paper that had on it the address of the woman he was indebted to.

Raph climbed down off the roof and climbed down the fire escape. Checked a couple different windows, then on the second floor found the one he was looking for.

"Sure add that she can kick ass." Raph grumbled to himself as another desirable trait was shown off before him.

Inside he saw Arayah jabbing and kicking away at a punching bag with a pair of tonfa in her hands. Her movements showing she had had a great deal of training.

Shaking his head at himself, Raph carefully sat a twenty dollar bill down on the window sill with a rock to way it down. Then after steeling one last look, that he told himself was to be sure she would hear him, He tapped on the window sill. He swung himself onto the landing above then, as he heard the window open beneath him, climbed to rest of the way to the roof.

Arayah picked the twenty up off the window sill. She turned the money over in her hands. The less than wonderful feeling of being watched crept over her. While stifling a shiver, she gripped her tonfu and leaned out the window looking for anyone slinking about.

A woman's scream caused Arayah to jump, bumping her head on the open window. A second cry got Arayah to jump out her window and drop her way down the fire escape. As soon as her tennis shoes hit the asphalt she took off running in the direction of what sounded like and exploding struggle.

The scene that awaited her in the crossing ally was a lot to take in.

A circle of twenty or so ruff, thuggish looking men surrounded a very large, partially clothed, snarling turtle. The group was attacking the turtle wielding pipes, chains, and knives. The turtle was holding his own against the group impressively well taking down his opponents with the skilled use of a pair of sai.

A woman sat pressed against the brick wall of the ally, her clothes torn and disheveled, and her eyes wide with shock as she watched the battle obviously terrified.

Arayah decided to see to the woman first. "Hey, you ok?" She asked as she hurried down next to the frightened woman placing a hand on her shoulder.

The woman jumped as she turned to face Arayah. "They…they… he…"

"Who hurt you?" Arayah asked as she gently helped the woman to her feet, taking a moment to glance at the fight, as she led the woman toward the ally's exit. There was going to be a winner and she needed to know who she could trust. She was surprised by the answer.

"Those… men," the woman said between sobs, "They tore…my cloths."

Arayah stopped. "Not the turtle?"

The woman shook her head as she sniffled and continued to limp forward, having no desire to stop now that the street that marked salvation was only feet away. "I need to call the police." She said as she gave herself a directive and in her new found determination took off running in look for the closest phone.

Arayah looked back at the dwindling group of men as she tried to decide if she should continue on with the victim of this gang or if she should aid the creature that fought them.

Raph swung out throwing powerful punches and quick, hard kicks as his opponents came at him from all sides. He ignored the vibration sent through his shell to his bones by Pipes striking his shell as he attempted to block a chain that struck and wrapped around his arm. He retaliated by yanking the holder of the chain off balance while sending out a donkey kick into the closest man behind him. This movement however opened him up to an attack from the side. This came in the form of a blade sinking into his shoulder near his neck. Raph didn't get the chance to express his pain, in his distraction a pipe found a connection with his jaw.

Arayah's decision was made. She ran into the fight blind siding two of the men, which were still standing, with hard strikes of her tonfu to the backs of their heads, each strike after, finding its mark beautifully.

The distraction she provided gave the turtle just enough time to correct himself.

He brought an elbow up into the face of the nearest opponent, the man's upper jaw and orbital bone crunching under the force. Raphael then reached up and in one smooth movement landed his fist on the chin of another man, reaching up and pulling the knife out of his shoulder in the follow through. The knife quickly found its self in a surprised thug's chest, vibrating as each panicked heart beat tapped its blade.

"Ya, you better run!" Arayah yelled her threat at the couple of thugs that had managed to escape her wrath. She then turned back to the turtle that stood a few feet away.

He appeared most menacing. His eyes still glazed with lust for the fight, adrenalin pumping heavily through his veins, and thick red blood dripping down his arm as it seeped from the wound the knife had left in his shoulder.

Arayah took a deep breath and swallowed down her fear of the creature as he eyed her. 'It's an injured animal. You know how to handle this.' She tried to calm herself.

Sirens and blue flashing lights pushed any plan she had in dealing with the turtle to the side.

The necessary retreat was quickly realized by both parties.

As they approached the fire escape Arayah caught hold of the Raphael's belt and pulled gently, "Come on, this way." She said in a manner not too unlike calling a dog.

"Come on." She continued as she led the way up the fire escape to her open window.

Raph didn't care to be coaxed like a pet, but needing a place to lay low for a bit and look after his injury, he followed. Sliding the window and curtains closed behind him.

Arayah went straight for the kitchen as Raph stayed by the window watching, through a crack in the closed curtains, as the police started their search of the ally below. Cupboards banging closed in the kitchen brought his attention into the apartment.

The apartment was small but well kept, consisting of a tiny kitchen, and a reasonable living room that doubled as a bed room. The door to the bathroom was just off the kitchen. It wasn't really decorated other than the curtains and the flowery bed spread, but a well-worn heavy punching bag hung from the ceiling. Between that and the T.V. what else could anyone need.

Arayah dropped a large medical bag on the bed, that doubled as her couch, and unzipped it. She looked up at the six foot plus turtle, took a deep breath than, with a towel in one gloved hand and betadine in the other, began to slowly advance. "Ok, big guy, you're probably not going to like this, but you are bleeding all over." Arayah took a deep breath as she came to a stop in front of him. "Just please don't hurt me."

Raphael rolled his eyes and snatched the towel from Arayah's hand. "I'm not gunna hurt you." He frowned as he pressed the towel to his shoulder.

Arayah blinked at him in surprise as she watched him make his way to the kitchen, where he turned on the fosset and started to try and clean his wound.

A soft hand touched Raphael's arm. He turned to look down at her. She had carried the duffle bag back into the kitchen and was dragging a stool behind her.

"I can help. I'm a doctor… well a vet, actually." Her lips turned up in that sweet, delicate smile, that got Raph's heart beating.

Raph hesitated for a moment, unsure if he should let her so close to him, the sweet distraction that she was. He couldn't stitch up his shoulder by himself however. So deciding to suck it up, he sat on the stool.

Arayah pulled out a local anesthetic and a needle to administer it.

"No needles." Raph mumbled. Just cause she was pretty and had been helpful so far, did not mean he could trust her.

"It will help with the pain." She tried to explain.

"No needles." Raph looked at her when he repeated himself so she knew he meant it.

"You need stitches. That will require a…"

Raph sighed with frustration. Did she really think he was that stupid? "No shots. Can you do that?"

She licked her lips nervously as she nodded. "Ya."

"Good." He said as he went back to trying not to stare at her.

He winced as she cleaned out the injury. He was glad for the pain though. It kept his head clear as her scent, sweet like honey yet spicy like ginger, drifted into his senses.

"My name is Raphael."

It was so strange to have a patient that talked to her, and that the words came from a giant turtle. Especially considering every turtle she had ever seen in the office didn't have vocal cords. He seemed smart too, at least equal to the average human. Matter of fact he had quite a few humanesk features. He stood on two feet, had opposable thumbs, lips instead of a beak, and his eyes were not like a turtle's, and Arayah had to admit he was a magnificent specimen, an excellent example of his kind… if he had a kind.

"It's nice to meet you. My name is Arayah." She said politely.

Raph watched as Arayah pulled open a sterile curved needle that was connected to a long dark thread.

"Why do you keep helping me?" He asked, then grunted when the needle was pressed into his flesh.

"Keep?" She spared him a quizzical glance as she pulled the thread tight, then brought her attention back to his shoulder as she pushed the needle through again.

Raph suddenly realized how creepy he was going to come across if he told her he was the one she helped at the pizzeria. Especially if she put that together with the twenty he had left on her window sill. "well.. um. You… in the ally," He decided that was the best route to run with. "They got one up on me and you could have just left."

"If one sees evil and does nothing, they are as guilty as those that committed it." she gave a small shrug. "Besides, you helped that woman. Why did you do that? You know her or something?"

Raph shook his head. "Same reason you helped me, I guess."

"Hmmm." She hummed as she sat back to admire her work on his shoulder. "All patched up." She smiled brightly

Arayah dug around a bit in the med bag and pulled out a long, thick strip of fabric and a bottle of pain reliever. She fought with the cap for a moment. "Can I ask you something?"

"I'm a mutant." Raph anticipated the question that everyone always asked.

"Turtle or human mutant." She grunted as she continued to struggle with the cap.

Raph reached out and took it from her. "Does it matter?" twist, pop

Arayah frowned at the bottle as he handed it back to her. "Thanks." She rolled a couple pills out into Raph's three fingered hand. "I guess not. Just curious."

Curiosity. Raphael had come to hate that word when it was in regard to him or his family. It had caused them all a lot of trouble over the years. His thoughts on the matter were cut short by the woman's breasts suddenly in his face as she attempted to wrap the strip of fabric in a make shift sling. First, bringing it over his good shoulder then leaning down to bring it under his arm, her V-neck shirt hanging so her ample cleavage was fully visible.

Raph quickly turned his attention to the unfascinating ceiling, counting his breaths till she was done.

Arayah brought his attention back by placing the bottle of pain pills in his hand. "I want you to wear the sling for at least two weeks. I don't want you to pull your stitches." She then put some gauze, medical tape, and betadine, into a bag before handing it to Raphael as well. "Keep it clean. If you run into any problems you know where to find me."

Before Raph could thank her, the door shook with a loud, pounding, knock.

"This is the Police. We need to ask you some questions." The voice, on the other side of the door, called out.

"Just a minute." Arayah called back, then looked at the turtle that sat in her kitchen. "I think I should leave your part in this out of my statement."

"Good idea." Raph said as he stood up and made his way to the window. Before climbing out he looked back and gave her a small smile, "Thanks."

She returned the smile as she reached for the door, the officer was pounding on again. Then, just like that the turtle was gone.

With the room clear Arayah turned the knob and opened the door. "How can I help you, sir?"