Hi guys, I know it has been a long time since I've updated and I'm very sorry :( However I am doing what I can to get through this story. This update is, sadly, just one to move things along. We'll be getting back to some juicy stuff soon.

Thank you for the reviews and alerts. I really appreciate it :) xx

Happy New Year my lovelies!


Chapter 12

Raine was staring blindly at the ceiling when a bulky doctor walked into her room and locked the door.

"Can I help you?" She asked the broad white back facing her.

"I heard ya were here."

The rough voice betrayed its owner before he could turn around.

Raine's heart sped up. "What are you doing here?"

His dark eyes shined at her over the pale facemask. "Sara called an' said you'd gotten hurt. I came to check on ya…Are ya okay? Where is she?"

"I'm okay. I asked one of her friend's parents to look after her for a few days. She'll be back in the morning probably though. That kid worries too much."

"I don't think so. You're her only family... How are you?

"The doctors seem to think I'll survive." She smiled. "I'm just a little sore."

"A little? From what Don said, you got trashed." He pulled the medical mask down.

Raine barked out a laugh and rubbed at her ribs when they ached. "Yeah, well. I heal quickly." Raph leaned close and checked her bandages anyway. "Did you find what you were looking for the other night?"

He scowled. "No, but she found Mikey."

She managed to produce a convincing gasp of surprise but the concern that flooded her face was genuine. "How is he?"

"He was unconscious when I left. Don and Leatherhead saved him… Don'll call when he wakes up."

Raine released a sigh of relief and the tension in her shoulders drained away, she suddenly felt very light. The lump in her stomach that had been with her since she'd woken up was gone.

"That's good, Raph."

He nodded and they lapsed into silence. Raine's mind was woozy with relief and drugs but she could easily see that Raph had serious matters on his mind; his frown was too dark for any light-hearted thoughts.

"What wrong Raph? You're being too quiet."

He looked up. "I'm usually quiet."

"Yeah." She agreed. "But it's a different sort of quiet. What's on your mind?"

"Ghost."

The lump reformed in her stomach. "What about her?"

"I'm goin' to hunt her down and make her wish she never came to New York."

The lump moved up into her throat. Sudden nausea roiled in her belly and Raine was certain she was about to lose what she had eaten only fifteen minutes ago. Raphael was dead serious, he hated Ghost and would kill her the first chance he got. She couldn't blame him but the knowledge packed a punch in her heart.

"I'm sure she already feels that way, I mean you guys haven't given her an easy fight. Don's safe and Mikey will be too."

"And when I find her we'll all be safe."

Raine reached out and laid her hand on his arm. "Don't compromise your honour for the sake of revenge. If you defeat her in honest combat you'll be free."

"If I kill her we'll all be free."

Raine nodded unable to deny the truth. She asked the question that haunted her thoughts. "Will you unmask her?"

Raph seemed to muse for a while, his frown still ominously dark. "Maybe."

"Do you really have to know who she is?"

He looked at her bewildered. "Raine, she could have hurt you. She could have used you against us. There's still Leo an' me."

Raine tried to push away the anger and hurt at her impugned honour. She had never been accused of the things Raphael and his brothers thought her capable of. Hell! One man had thanked her for treating him so fairly!

"I'll be sure to keep my doors and windows locked." She said dryly. "But she hasn't come near us. Has she done anything to make you think she's so dishonest?"

He scowled. "Besides huntin' us down for money? She's working for Karai and the Foot. They wouldn't know honour if it punched them in the face."

Raine smiled at the fairly accurate description. "If Karai had her way you wouldn't have been allowed to survive. She probably would have hunted Don and Mikey down while they were injured."

The frown on his face told her that she wouldn't get any further pleading the case of an assassin trying to kill his family.

"How are you? Considering everything that's happened?" She asked softly.

He shrugged. "I'm good."

"As good as I am. Don't bullshit me Raphael." Raph turned to her, his eyes saying things his pride wouldn't let him. She cupped his cheek in her palm. "Everything will be okay."

The door rattled and Raph jumped away from her. He was hidden inside the dark bathroom before the nurse was able to unlock it. The look on her face was exasperated.

"Why was the door locked?"

Raine smiled wanly. "I wanted to sleep and not be disturbed."

The nurse eyed the IV bag attached to the bed and shrugged. She had too much to do to worry about one young woman. She asked Raine some questions on how she was feeling, did she remember anything new? Raine answered appropriately. Then she scribbled on a chart and left, closing the door again on the way out.

Raph slid out of the shadows and looked at the folder the nurse had put away. "Don would be able to tell you what this meant."

Raine smiled. "I'm getting better, I'm happy knowing that."

She was relaxing while Raph was snooping when the pressure on her bladder became insistent. Raine groaned in pain as she tried to rise. The sharp sensation ran along her ribs and across her back. Raine paused for a moment to be sure she hadn't wet herself.

Raphael was at her side when she opened her eyes again, helping her lay back down.

"Where does it hurt?"

Raine scoffed. "Everywhere. Even my heartbeat hurts. But I need the bathroom right now."

Raph nodded and looked around. He handed her a white bedpan.

She chuckled softly. "I'm not peeing in that. Help me up."

She suppressed her groan of pain and waiting as he unhooked her IV. It was slow going and a little awkward, Raph had to stretch his arm through the semi-open door so Raine could do what she had to in mild comfort.

She settled back into her bed a few minutes later with a sigh of relief. It had only been a short distance but the effort had drained her.

Her ribs still ached slightly and the burn down her spine made being on her back uncomfortable.

"Are you okay?" Raph asked as he adjusted the blanket and patted the pillow.

She nodded. "I will be."

He was still fussing with her pillow and Raine realized this was the most tenderness she'd seen from Raph ever. From anyone ever really. He must have been seriously concerned about her. She immediately felt guilty, something that was very uncommon for Raine.

His hand on her neck stopped any further thoughts. She almost stopped breathing when his fingers stroked her throat softly.

"What are you doing?" She whispered.

"I don' know."

He leaned in as Raine reached up. The kiss was smooth and warm. Raine felt it clear to her abused feet. Her hands snuck up and around his neck, urging him forward onto the bed.

It was a long while later that they parted for breath.

"What are we doing?"

"Kissing." Raine replied with a smile.

He rolled his eyes. "Ya know what I mean."

"Do we have to label it? Can't we just enjoy this and wherever it goes?"

Raph paused, staring at her and Raine thought he was going to cut and run. "Ya sure ya want me? You're human and I'm not."

She almost sighed with relief. Her hand trailed down until her fingertips traced the edge of his plastron. "I'm sure Raph. I wouldn't be holding you if I wasn't."

He growled something Raine couldn't understand and he kissed her again. Heat flooded her body as he took possession of her mouth. A hand on her waist made her gasp and not in a good way. Raph pulled away.

"I'm okay." She assured him. "But we might have to go slow until I'm back on my feet."

She smiled at the mildly disappointed look on his face and reached up to bring him close again. She would deal with the consequences tomorrow.


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TammyCat