I do not own the TMNT or related themes and characters.

Chapter Ten; Rising Tempers

K frowned as the sound of a motorcycle engine came to her. There were thousands of different motorcycles in the world but she'd be deaf before she couldn't recognize that particular engine.

She tossed her book aside and hurried to open the door to the garage, barely having time to jump out of the way before Nightwatcher's bike slid through the door. "What the..." Seeing the harsh treatment of his machine, K started to yell at him before she saw that the bike had an unconscious passenger. K shut her mouth and pulled the door shut. She hurried over to where the bike had stopped to help Nightwatcher to his feet.

"Mikey, he's hurt. Ya' gotta do something."

The two of them lifted the unconscious Turtle Titan free of the motorcycle. They carried him over to a bare spot of floor and set him down. K took a knife out of her pocket and began to uncover the wound site. "Get me the trauma kit." She ordered briskly.

"What?" Nightwatcher stared at her through the helmet's visor. Raph had barely been able to pull his eyes away from his brother's pale skin.

"The trauma kit! The big tool box with the red cross painted on it! I have only used it on you a thousand times! Get it!" Raph finally nodded and hurried over to the box in question. By the time he had returned with it K had removed the mask and uncovered Mikey's shoulder. She examined the wound carefully. "The good news is that the bullet didn't cut any major arteries…I think…"

"Ya think!" Raph pulled off his helmet and yelled at K. "Wa's that s'posed ta mean?!"

K glared up at him. "I am a technology expert, not a doctor!" She snapped.

"'ma d'ct'r not a m'k'nik, jm." Mikey muttered.

The two glanced sheepishly down at the injured turtle. K resumed her examination of the injury. "As I was saying; it does not look as though an artery was hit, BUT-" She glared up at Raph, interrupting him before he himself could interrupt her, "There is an exit wound." She finished. After opening the trauma box and pulling out a bottle she added quietly "That might be a good thing... maybe."

"What?"

"I am going to disinfect the wound, make sure he does not fight." Raph nodded and tried to brace Mikey as K poured a dark brownish, yellow liquid over the bullet wound.

Raph watched her work on his little brother, but it bothered him that K wasn't doing anything about his greatest concern. "What about blood loss?" He asked.

K shook her head, "I do not know." She covered Mikey's shoulder and looked up. "You look ready to drop. There are a couple breakfast burritos on my desk; eat them, drink some orange juice and crash on the couch."

Raphael didn't even glance at the desk or the couch. "Ferget it."

In response to his menacing growl K glared at him, "Eat. Sleep. By choice or under chemical enforcement."

They squared off for a moment, K's grey and Raph's brown shooting angry poison darts at each other. "Che-mi-cal, en-force-ment." K repeated. Raphael growled and broke off eye contact. Much as he despised backing down he knew that K didn't make threats unless she was ready, capable, and willing. Her first aid skills might have been far below Donnie's, but somehow he didn't doubt she'd be able to drug him.

By the time Raph had complied and choked down the food and drink K had finished dressing Mikey's shoulder and was trying to make the injured turtle comfortable on the garage floor. He watched her carefully wrap a blanket around the young turtle's shell, trying hard not to disturb the injury. She glanced sharply at Raph. "I thought I told you to go to sleep."

Raph glared, "I ain't getting no sleep until I find out more about what the Purple Dragon are up to." He moved over to the large door and started to push it open again.

K was on her feet in an instant. "Raphael what makes you think I can stay here and babysit your brother? Should you not be trying to get him home? Maybe to your brother who actually knows something about medical treatment?"

Instead of answering Raphael stalked to his motorcycle and pulled it upright. "Call me if anything changes." His expression was stiff with the faint scowl that he always wore when he was hiding his emotions.

"Raph-" K started again before he pulled on his helmet and revved up the bike's engine. Instead of saying what she was going to K simply grumbled, "Fine." With that Nightwatcher sped out the building.

Muttering impressive curses under her breath against pig-headed vigilantes with shadowy motives K moved to the door and pulled it shut once more. The rumbling of the large door as it closed drowned out the sound of the building's rear entrance being opened.

As his motorcycle sped in the direction of the pier Raphael's mind raced faster than any motorcycle could ever travel.

Why had he left his brother, his injured brother with K- who was a complete stranger to Mikey? Why hadn't he just brought his brother home? Raph really couldn't say why although he had the distinct image in his head of Master Splinter's reaction when he had heard of what happened to Leo no more than a couple weeks ago.

Leo, Raph had gone and disarmed his long missing brother, then left him just short of defenseless in this crazy city.

Then there was that lady at the electronics store, the one Raph had been trying to protect and instead sent out into the alley, right where the Initiates had wanted her.

And now Mikey. Shot by Purple Dragon and left behind to fend for himself. Raph left him behind with a girl who barely understood how to treat humans, not to mention turtles.

What was it with Raph and leaving those he should be protecting pretty much defenseless?

Nightwatcher hit the brakes, the tires of his bike leaving black streaks behind him as it protested this sudden change in speed. Just as the machine came to a complete stop he gunned the engine and sped off again, trying to clear his mind of its-self abusive thoughts.