Chapter 14 – Healing Rather Than Harm

I couldn't quite explain what had happened in the last six hours but what I do know, is that whatever it was, was leading to a whole other level of bad. After Vickie and Elmira left to go home, Raph had disappeared as well shortly after the girls had left. I wasn't sure if he left to get some air or to follow them home after Elmira refused him to chauffer them back home. I wasn't worried about Raph's whereabouts at all until he came back, barely able to walk and bleeding excessively.

Raph had come home before battered and bruised but never like this, never to the point of blacking out, unconscious to the world around him. Leo and Splinter moved him into the dojo to rest as they tended to his wounds, Mikey was abnormally quiet and I decided it best to bring the girls back. Who knew what evils lurked above the surface that were ultimately greater than us – than Raph.

I had taken extra caution while returning to the surface, making sure I came and left with the girls safely. I only had to wait a few minutes after knocking on their door for Vickie to answer, offering me inside until I cut her off, telling her quickly that she and Elmira needed to come back with us. They had everything that they had packed and ready to leave again. I didn't have the time, or the heart, to tell them why New York was no longer safe, not even for us.

We had made it back to the lair quickly and safely. Mikey was waiting by the door, embracing Vickie the moment she entered. I figured Mikey would fill her in on what happened to Raph – despite his free spirited attitude, he was the most worrisome out of the four of us.

"What's going on Donatello? We've only been gone for six hours, what's happened?" Elmira asked me as she held me by the wrist.

I stared at her until I couldn't stand it any longer, turning my head away as I solemnly replied, "Raph he…he's unconscious and his wounds are too deep, too complicated for anyone of us to heal."

Her eyes widened as she released my wrist from her grasp, rushing past me in a confused frenzy as if she was responsible for what had become of Raphael.

"He's in the dojo Elmira, Leo and Sensei are with him," I called to her as she ran in the direction to the dojo.

I ran in on a kneeling Leonardo and Sensei, a motionless heap, sprawled out over the tatami mates. It was Raphael. Leo had gotten up, comforting me in a tight hug, afraid I'd go over and make his wounds worse. I struggled against Leo, even if he could see my attachment to Raph, it was the last thing on my mind. I had noticed however that Splinter remained kneeling, muttering a sutra – the Tanglon – he was trying to heal Raphael through meditation.

I stopped fighting against Leo who then, unwrapped his arms that were held around me. I stood still, my gaze never leaving Raphael's lifeless body. Leo patted my shoulder in silence before he left the room – it became somewhat eerily quiet then.

Splinter spent a few more minutes by Raphael's side before standing back up, bowing to me before leaving Raph and I alone in the dojo.

As soon as Splinter left, I sprinted over to Raph's side, kneeling by him as closely as I could. His breathing was shallow and the wound that had cut into his chest plate, into the soft skin tissue underneath. The blood from his wound had dried up into a crust, the wound treated.

I rested my hand on his shoulder, hoping that physical contact would bring him around but it was useless. I knew this wasn't the work of the Foot Ninja's or the Purple Dragons – it was something that even Raph's passionate courage and rage couldn't surpass. I had never thought I'd be able to come so close to him like this, without his consent. With my hand on his shoulder, our faces just inches away, it was then I confirmed with myself how much I admired him, how much I loved him.

There had to be a way to save him, to heal the wounds and bring him back to consciousness. Medical procedures weren't effective enough the heal him and neither was time – there needed to be a much stronger way, one that surpassed the physical realm of healing. Taking Splinters meditation in mind, I lifted my hand away from Raph's shoulder.

I had once underwent training for my powers, one that would help me to transfer them onto another that was not in means of harm but rather, of healing. Rubbing my hands together I focused on Raphael and his energy. The fiery passion that naturally resided within him had lost its spark and I knew, if I concentrated hard enough, I'd be able to ignite him back to me and his brothers.

I rested my hands over the wound, directly touching it and the dried blood that remained. He winced, despite his unawareness to the world around him. I knew how badly he was in pain and how badly his body wanted to quit but I couldn't do that – I couldn't let Red go.

I sat with him for hours, the light illuminated from my hands casted shadows on his face that tempted me to lean in and kiss him. I would have if the circumstances weren't so dire to his life.

It was the seventh hour of healing and it was then that my own energies were close to gone. My head rested against his neck as I curled myself against him, hands still feeding health to his wounds.

If the room hadn't been so quiet and if my heart wasn't aching as badly as it was, I wouldn't have started crying. I rarely cried as I believed keeping my composure was everything to a warrior but there were times when I allowed myself – for my family, for Vickie, and now for Raphael.

The illumination had gone away a while ago and the only thing that bore energy was my bod heaving as I cried. If this enemy was set out for my sister and I and not for Raph and his brothers, there would be no reason for me to ever forgive myself for what had happened to Raphael.

The world had lost its fog then and a loud sound pierced my ears. I could barely comprehend what was going on around me but by tha sounds around, it had caused me to awake, Elmira was holding me close and crying. She was by my side in a way that no one had ever been for me before.

The world around the two of us caught up as Leo came to get me after hours of sobbing, after hours of healing. He helped me out of the room as their Sensei took my place beside Raph. I had only hoped he would wake up, that we would still have time together once again. That Red would finally uncover the truth about White.