Disclaimer:…ditto… LOL…oh come on you all know the drill anyway.
Chapter 7: Hope and Hate
It had been two weeks since Jaden had found out about his father's secret, the shock had worn off and anger had taken its place.
Jaden was sprawled on the bed that could have only been his father's. The room he was in was full of weight lifting equipment, a punching bag and provocative posters that had faded a little.
Why didn't they tell us? Was their history not interesting enough…without fabricating a lie about growing up on the street? Does mother know? My aunts?
A soft knock interrupted his thoughts.
"Yeah?" Jaden muttered.
"I found some food…are you hungry?" Amber asked softly.
"Not really," Jaden sighed.
"It's not really my place…but Jaden…maybe they had a reason for not telling you about their past," Amber whispered.
Jaden snorted.
~*~
Jade gasped as someone opened the door and she made an attempt to get further back against the wall.
A gentle hand touched her shoulder and she felt something wrap around her.
"It's ok, come on I'm getting you to a doctor," a young man told her.
"How do I know I can-" Jade managed.
"I can't explain yet, we have to get out here before the sedative I slipped into their drinks wears off," he said urgently.
Jade started shaking and whimpered as she tried to stand.
Jerking a blanket off the bed and wrapping her in it.
Jade clung to him and struggled to stay on her own two feet. He quickly wrapped her in a hug and then gently lifted her.
Jade flinched as they slipped through the front room to find everyone asleep.
The blonde young man that was helping her struggled with the door a little and then managed to get it open enough to get them both outside.
Jade clung to him as they reached a beat up car.
"Here," he whispered, helping her in and wrapping her up, "Here's a shirt of mine and some sweat pants, they'll be too big but they should at least cover you up."
"Why are you helping me?" Jade whispered.
"I'm a cop," he replied, "I'm undercover."
"How old are you?" Jade whispered, shivering as she pulled the sweatshirt on and her skin was exposed to the chilly air.
He chuckled as he scrambled into the front of the car.
"Twenty," he replied, "Name's Kevin."
~*~
Raph had been running the shop by himself for the last two weeks, he'd grown bitter almost cold toward anyone. He rarely spoke anymore and closed himself off after he got home, moping around in his wing of the building, drinking and beating a punching bag until his knuckles bled.
The place was a mess, dishes left undone, the window shades had been closed and clothes were scattered everywhere. The master bedroom was a death trap, things strewn everywhere, the bed over turned, the wall paper slashed apart and pictures of himself and Jo torn on the floor.
Only his children's room remained tenderly kept up, not a speck of dust lay anywhere, everything was how they had left it. Like shrines, their pictures were in the rooms, as were their weapons.
Jade's Sais lay on her bed, the silver and black handles contrasting with her scarlet bedspread.
Jaden's Butterfly Swords lay on his maroon bedspread, the black hilts and red sheaths barely showing on the blanket.
Raph stood in the middle of the two rooms, motionless, his mind replaying events from their childhood. To him both were dead, lost forever. Jade hadn't turned up anywhere and the cops had given up hope of ever finding her or her body.
Jo hadn't contacted him since she had left, he didn't even know where she was.
Leo watched his brother silently and then slowly walked forward and placed a hand on Raph's shoulder.
"Come on bro, come have dinner," Leo urged, desperate to bring his brother back from the edge of madness.
Raph shrugged Leo's hand off and walked toward the darker part of the wing, the sound of the master bedroom door locking made Leo sigh.
"Oh Raph," Leo whispered, glancing at the twins' rooms.
A soft wine made him look down. Harley nudged Leo's hand with his nose.
"Hey Harley," Leo sighed, dropping down and hugging the confused dog.
Leo checked the dog bowls and found the same air of reverence played out there as in the twins' rooms, after all Lady and Harley were the twins' dogs.
There was plenty of food and water, but both dogs were obviously hungry for attention.
"Come on," Leo coaxed as he left the wing, holding the door open for the dogs to follow.
Leo stared at the master bedroom door and sighed.
"We still love you Raph," Leo said loud enough to be heard.
And he was.
Raph closed his eyes and let a few tears fall as the words reached his ears.
"I know," he whispered.
~*~
Jade gave a little cry as Kevin carefully lifted her up and carried her to the emergency doors. Nurses and a doctor came rushing out with a gurney.
"No," Jade begged as they took her inside, "Kevin!"
"I'll be right in!" he called.
Jade was shaking as she was brought inside.
"I want to call my dad," she sobbed, "please."
"Let's get you cleaned up first hun," a nurse cooed.
"No…please…I want to call my dad!" Jade begged.
"Let her call," the doctor said quickly as he grabbed his cell phone and handed it to Jade.
~*~
Raph had returned to the hallway between the twins' rooms, a few beer cans crushed beside him another full can in his hand.
The phone rang and he lifted his head and stumbled to his feet.
"H'loo," he slurred.
Daddy?
Raph giggled a little and then broke down sobbing.
"Not fair…" he got out before hanging up.
He staggered toward the living room with tears rolling down his cheeks.
"Not fair," he sobbed, "want my princess back…I'm not your daddy…"
Raph curled into a heap on the battered couch and lay there as sobs racked his heartbroken frame, too drunk to realize he had been talking to his daughter.
~*~
Jade stared at the phone.
"He…hung up on me…" she whispered, tears falling down her cheeks, "something's wrong…he…he sounded drunk."
The doctor tried to take the phone back.
She shook her head and called the main house number. Ignoring her injuries as she frantically dialed again.
~*~
Leo and Mike were doing dishes when the phone went off. Mike paused from putting them away and answered it.
"Hamato residence," he sighed, his eyes widened, "Jade?"
Leo froze and dropped the plate in his hand, it shattered unnoticed on the ground.
"Ok…hang on Jade…hang on…I'm giving you to Leo," Mike said quickly, handing off the phone and dashing upstairs toward Raph's wing of the building.
Uncle Leo? Why did Dad hang up on me?
"Honey…he thinks…he thinks you're dead," Leo whispered, "he's pretty upset right now."
~*~
Mike barged into the wing and froze in horror at the sight of the place before scrambling forward and shaking Raph's sobbing frame.
Raph just lay there, looking miserable.
"Hates me," he wept.
Mike turned, grabbed a cup of ice water and tossed it in Raph's face.
Raph sputtered and growled.
"GET OUT!" he screamed, leaping to his feet.
"JADE'S ALIVE," Mike shouted as Raph closed in on him.
Mike threw his arms up in defense.
Raph froze, vaguely remembering the phone call minutes before.
"A've?" he mumbled.
"Come on bro," Mike urged, gently pulling Raph after him.
~*~
Leo glanced up as Mike dragged a very drunk Raphael toward him.
Raph took the phone in clumsy fingers and held it to his head.
"Jade?" he managed.
Daddy…Daddy I'm so sorry…please come get me.
"I'm coming princess," Raph managed, tears rolling down his cheeks, "I'm coming."
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