Bittersweet Truths
Summary: Raphael comforts Cat as she learns the truth about what happened with the lair and garage.
Cat stared at Raph and he squirmed. The whole time they'd been telling her what had happened to the lair and garage, she'd just stared at him. No one else, only him. Finally, he sighed, unable to hold the unnerving gaze any longer. "Listen, darlin', we just didn't want to upset you so soon after your hospital stay."
Leo sat forward on the couch, leaning his elbows on his knees. "We wanted you to get stronger before we told you."
"And we've intended to tell you all along." Don pointed out. "But aneurysms can be tricky. It's believed stress and high blood pressure are main factors in them."
Cat looked up at Kala. "So, that's how you got that concussion?" Kala gave a little nod and Cat dropped her gaze to her lap. "I need some air."
She wiggled through the small crowd and out the back door, Raph only a few paces behind her. Mikey caught his arm as Cat stepped out the back door. "Give her a minute, bro. It was a shock to us too at first."
Raph pulled away from his brother and stepped to the screen door, but he didn't go out. He just watched as Cat hugged herself and stared blankly out into the yard.
Cat trembled. She felt numb and hurt at the same time. Why had she been so insistent? Why couldn't she have just left well enough alone? But she had to keep pressing until someone finally told her the truth. And the truth did nothing but hollow her out. She felt the sting of tears at the back of her eyes. She'd lost another home. She'd lost her business, the lifeblood of their family. How would they survive now? Her customers were loyal, but they weren't going to drive to North Hampton to get their bikes fixed. It hurt so bad to know this time it was truly and completely gone. Everything she'd built – they'd built - was gone.
She shuddered and large hands wrapped around her shoulders. She turned, burying her face in Raph's chest. Not everything is gone. She reminded herself. She still had Raphael and Yoshi. And everyone had lived, a truly miraculous feat considering the odds. Things could be replaced. Garages and homes could be rebuilt. But nothing could take the place of a life.
Raph's arms wrapped around her tightly. She wanted to be mad at him. She wanted to yell and throw things and hunt down that punk of a Neutrino. But she could do none of that. All she could do was sob into her spouse's plastron and cling to him as if the world was falling apart around them. He rested his cheek against her head. "I know it hurts, darlin'." And she knew he spoke the truth. He was hurting just as much as she was. He tilted her head back so he could look her in the eyes. His thumbs gently brushed away the streaming tears. "I'm right here. We're gonna get through this. You hear me? We're gonna do this together."
"I'm not so sure I can." She confessed. "I've started over twice now. I don't think I can manage a third. I'm tired, Raph." She rested her head against his plastron again. "So very, very tired."
He stroked her hair gently, his fingers brushing the shorter patch on one side. "Then rest, darlin'. You don't have to do anything. Let them do it." She opened her eyes to look at the five turtles sparring in the yard, the largest of which was her own son. The five young turtles glistened with sweat, obviously having been training for several hours. Leo made sure that they continued to practice their ninja skills, despite no true dojo and their current situation. And although K-three wasn't a ninja, he still fought beside them and lead them, so he trained along with them as well. It was a strange and oddly soothing sight to watch them spar, like nothing had changed. It was a sort of grounding point continuing a routine long established.
Raph felt his petite wife calm, though her grip on him did not lessen. Cat didn't cling like this unless she was worried, scared or hurt. Which he supposed all three might be the case here. All he knew was that he needed to comfort her. Or maybe it was better to distract her, remind her that they were all still alive and life would go on no matter what. He turned his head to look at his little brother standing inside the door. "Hey, Mikey, what do you say to a picnic?"
Mikey's eyes lit up. "A picnic sounds great, bro. Where at?"
"How about down at the pond. I'm sure would could all use some cooling off right now."
Mikey grinned. "I'll get the basket ready!"
"We're going to go ahead. We'll meet you down there." Raph turned Cat to the end of the porch and they stepped out into the yard. Cat was silent as he led them along the familiar path to the pond. Neither noticed, Yoshi extract himself from the match to watch them disappear into the trees and then exchange a worried look with his uncle through the screen door.
Raph remained quiet as well, settling them in a sunny patch beside the water. Cat had yet to release him, but her tears had stopped. They sat for a long time in companionable silence. Raph was never good at words and Cat was out of them. Both enjoyed the sun on their skin and the warmth it filled them with.
At last Cat spoke. "So, what did you do about the garage?"
"I had the owners pick up their bikes and told them we had some vandals break in. I said I didn't know when we'd reopen." Raph wasn't sure they'd ever get to that point again either.
"Do you think that we can reopen? I know we can't where we were, but maybe…."
"Yeah, maybe. But that will depend if Donnie can reconstruct some more holo-projectors. Most of them were destroyed in the lair. We only have the two right now. And you can't run the place by yourself anymore." He looked down at the top of her head and knew the next statement was going to set her off, but it had to be said. "And I don't think I want you workin' in the garage anymore."
"What?" She sat back and stared at him for a long moment. Her eyes narrowed and he braced himself for the fight. "Raphael, if I want to work in the garage I will and that is that. You are not going to-"
He grasped her shoulders. "I'm going to do whatever it takes to take care of you." His voice dropped. "I've nearly lost you twice. I won't do it again. I….I can't." Unshed tears sparkled in the morning sun. "Don't you understand? It scares me to death to think of losing you!"
She rose up on her knees, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I do understand. I nearly lost you too this time." His arms shook as they curled around her. "But I can't stop living Raph. Me and you we're people of action. I can't sit around, it's just not me."
"I'm not askin' you to stop livin', darlin'. I'm just askin' you to take it easy. Let us carry the load." She leaned back to look at him and he stroked her cheek. "You can still work on bikes if you want, but let K-three and Yoshi run the place. Do it because you want to, not because you have to."
She gave a little nod and curled into the crook of his neck. "That's assuming we even have a place."
He sighed, squeezing her. "Don't you worry about that. Leo and Don will take care of it. We'll get a new place, you'll see. And if we can't have another garage, we'll find a new way to live. We always have and we always will." He felt her head bob slightly against his neck in agreement. After a moment he shifted them, so she was sitting in his lap, her head still cradled in his neck. He kissed her brow and stroked her hair. His fingers brushed the spot of hair that was just starting to grow again and he shuddered inwardly. They had both come so close to death this time. His enemy had been one he could see and fight, but hers had been a deadly assassin, sneaking and swift, threatening to steal away his beloved forever.
"I had a dream about you while I was unconscious." Raph almost jumped at Cat's voice. She'd been so still, that he'd thought she was asleep.
"Really? What was it about?" He nuzzled into her hair.
"We were in bed together."
He smirked. "Havin' naught dreams about me while you're unconscious, darlin'?"
She chuckled. "No, it wasn't like that. Well, it might have been like that, but it didn't get that far." Raph's brow furrowed, but he remained quiet as she continued. "It felt so real. We were kissing and you said I smelled good and you asked me what you smelled like."
"And you said mine." He finished, his heart pounding loudly. Cat sat up and he met her emerald eyes. "I'll always be yours, darlin'. I love you."
"We had the same dream. How-"
He captured her lips in a passionate kiss that sent her reeling. The power and love behind it made her eyes sting with tears. Somehow they ended up on the ground, his body looming over hers. It didn't matter anymore how it had happened, but it had been a gift – a very precious gift – that had given them both strength. She whimpered a bit when he broke the kiss, her hands coming up to pull him back down to her. "Raph…" She pleaded.
He chuckled softly as he lowered his mouth to her ear. "Later," he rumbled. "Someone's coming." She groaned, but allowed him to pull her up into a sitting position beside him, only moments before the large group led by Yoshi and Kaz appeared on the path. Raph chuckled again as she cuddled into his side, the scent of her arousal still tickling his nose. He knew the others might smell it as well, but she was his mate and they'd all come to accept these sort of things over the years.
Yoshi frowned as he set the cooler down he and Kaz had been carrying. He approached his parents slowly, squatting down beside them. "You okay, Mom?"
She smiled at the concern and love in her child's eyes. "I'll be alright. It's just going to take some time to wrap my head around it." She patted his cheek warmly. "I promise."
He nodded, though the frown didn't leave his lips nor the concern his eyes. He and Raph exchanged a look before he stood and returned to everyone milling around with blankets and food. After things were mostly arranged, a small wrestling match ensued in which Yoshi and Shinta dragged Kaz into the pond all the while his bride laughing at him.
Jamie was the closest to the water and was soaked by the incredible splash. With something between a squeal and a laugh, she dropped the sundress she'd been wearing over her swimsuit and dashed into the water after her step-son. Shinta laughed, trying to get away. Leo shook his head at them, but a small smile pulled at his lips. Next to him, Kala was telling Mikey not to eat all the cookies and Mira was trying to get Katsu to eat before he went swimming.
Donatello and Sarah approached Cat and Raph. She knelt down and offered Cat a piece of clothing. Her smile was soft. "Want to go swimming like old times. I know it's not our pond but…"
Cat smiled weakly, taking the swimsuit. "Yeah, I think I'd like that." And she realized as she looked around that she was home. The lair might be gone, but it was just a place. Home was with her family, who loved her. Things really were going to be okay.
A/N: So no reviews for a while... T_T... I'm considering making the next real fic, my last for the series...
