A/N: Yep. Raph and Don are a pair of shell-heads.
And yep, Raph's still having vision trouble. Remember, I have promised a happy ending.
Chapter 25 -Reunion-
~~~
In the silence of the little apartment, Raphael felt his fury and despair building in his chest. He figured Ann's surgery had been done soon after his own. So why was her vision restored and his was still blurred and foggy?
Mebbe it's da mutation. Mebbe he jus' didn't bother ta do a good job on my eyes, since he figured Karai was gonna kill me anyway. Mebbe it's just my lousy luck.
He fought the urge to rub at the irritating stitches, remembering Don's instructions when he'd scratched his eye once, years ago.
Don't rub it, Raph, you could make the scratch worse.
Raph shook his head, half grinning to himself.
Well, Donny, I dunno how dis can get much worse. I'm sorry, Bro. You don't need dis right now. Now while yer still gettin' better. I've gotta get outta here. I've gotta get home. But what about Ann? I can't jus' leave her.
Realization poured over him like a bucket of icy water.
She can see. She… she saw me. Oh shell. I never t'ought… but… she didn't run away or scream or not'in. I guess maybe… she kinda knew before what I was, but… She stayed, when we got outta dat lab. Stubborn pain in da… she stayed. She wouldn't leave me. Least not 'til I yelled at 'er.
Raphael shook his head, confused and frustrated by his own tumbling thoughts and emotions. He stood up from his kneeling position, wincing as his aching muscles protested. Disoriented by his blurring vision, he tipped forward, throwing out his hands to stop his fall. They sank deep into the soft mattress of the bed. The faint scents of cinnamon and vanilla reached him.
He swore mentally and forced his trembling limbs to hold him as he stood upright. Suddenly, he was uncomfortable in Ann's bedroom. Her scent haunted him, reminding him of the softness of her body when he'd carried her, the brown of her eyes, the way her hair curled against her cheek…
Raphael strode toward where he remembered the door being, holding his hands out to avoid walking into a wall. He managed to make his way back out to the living room and was moving toward the couch when heavy treads, too heavy to be Ann, sounded in the hall. A faint rasp and click of a key turning in the lock froze him.
He drew his sais with a growl and edged back into the bedroom. Lacking sight to find a better concealment, he ducked behind the bedroom door and crouched, ready to defend himself against the intruder.
"Here we go, Bailey. Home sweet home. You just stay here, ok, Boy and I'll come take you out again at lunchtime." The dog whimpered, and Raph heard scrabbling claws. "I bet you're hungry, aren't you?"
So, the man who Ann had seen from her apartment so forcefully was taking care of Bailey.
What's she want wit' dis guy, anyway? He's jus'… tall an' blond and…human.
Raph scowled. Anger was a familiar emotion. Rage often coursed through his veins, releasing adrenaline and serving him well in fights. It was a shield, a weapon, a tool, which made him a formidable opponent.
This new feeling, this churning in his gut, the heat in his face, the cold sweat on his palms, this was new and Raph didn't like it. It made him feel weak. It made him want to rush out and drive his sai through the man's gut. He stifled the urge, though his knuckles were nearly white on the handles.
He heard the man moving around, banging cabinet doors. There was the brief sound of a can opener and a happy little yelp from the dog.
"There you go, boy. Ok, I've got to get to work," the man was saying. Heavy footsteps moved toward the door. Raph heard claws clicking on the floor and a low growl from Bailey.
"What is it, boy?" the man's voice was low, suspicious. Footsteps started toward the bedroom where Raph was hidden. He raised his sai, making ready to knock the guy out. Adrenaline surged, making his hands shake.
Raph tensed as he heard the front door creak open.
Oh, shell, now what? Dat can't be Stulir already...
"Oh! Stephen! What are you doing here?" Ann's voice went high with alarm.
"Ann! I didn't expect you home so soon. I was just dropping Bailey off for the day. How did the surgery go? Are you ok? Ann, what happened to your face? You have a bruise…" Raph heard worry, tenderness in the man's voice and his hands clenched on his sai again.
"I'm fine, Stephen. The surgery was a success… My vision's been restored. Oh, Stephen, it's so good to see you…"
Raph heard emotion in her voice. Joy. He felt something twist in his gut.
Well, it ain't like ya have a chance wit' her, anyway, Raph. Duh. She's human, so's he…
Ann spoke again. "This is… my umm… friend. Austin. Austin Hamato."
Raphael felt as though every trace of oxegyn had been drained from the room.
Austin? Here? How'd she find me? Oh man... I didn't want 'em ta see me like dis.
"Hello." Austin's usually warm voice was clipped, cool.
"It's nice to meet you, Austin," said the man politely. "Ann…"
"Stephen, I have a lot to tell you," Ann said. "But not now, ok? I'm… I'm going to be… staying with friends for a while. Oh… Bailey… I can't leave him. He'll have to come, Austin…"
"Do you need me to take care of him for a while longer, Ann? It's really no trouble…"
"No, I can't leave him here," said Ann. "It's not safe. Stephen, the clinic… Doctor Stulir's… I have to talk to you. The place needs to be investigated. They've been doing illegal experiments on unwilling subjects."
"Ann!" The man's voice cracked with emotion. "Are you all right?"
"I am now, thanks to… to a friend," said Ann. "But I very nearly didn't get out. Stephen, I'm going to need your help. But right now I have to get out of here, ok? Don't worry. I'll call you."
"Are you sure, Ann? You know you and Bailey are welcome at my place…"
"Thank you, Stephen, but no. I can't put you at risk," Ann said gently but firmly.
"All right," The man's voice was quiet. "You'll let me know where you're staying?"
"I'll… I'll call you," said Ann.
The man's footsteps moved across the floor, paused for a long moment and moved out. The door latch clicked behind him. Raphael heard a sigh escape Ann.
"Where is he? Where is Raphael? You said he was here," snapped Austin. Her voice sounded strained with worry and anger.
"He… he was, I swear," Ann told her. "Put that knife away. He can't have gone far; I told you, his vision was still coming back."
"Austin, wait," said Raph, stepping out from behind the door. "I'm here."
He could make out colors and shapes vaguely. He saw a blur of black coming at him and tensed, instinctively ready to defend himself. The next instant, he was wrapped up in an embrace that he was sure would crack his shell.
"Raph! Raph, you great idiot! We've been searching everywhere for you! Are you all right? Did they hurt you?" Austin finally released her death-grip on his shell and leaned back to look up into his eyes.
Raphael smirked. "I always knew ya'd fall fer me one day, Sis," he said.
Austin stepped back and punched him on the arm. "Baka," she muttered.
"Does dis mean yer not leavin' Mike fer me?"
Austin shook her head, her grin spreading. "Not in this lifetime, Romeo."
"So, I guess she really is your sister in law," said Ann, relief evident in her voice.
"Yeah." Raph smirked. "Only 'cause she met my bro first."
"Oh, right, because you ever had a chance," Austin teased. "Come on, Raph. We've got to go," she said, sobering. "You too, Miss Peters. It's not safe for you to stay here."
"Hang on, I'll get Bailey's leash."
"Oh, no, we're not taking some dog…"
"If we're takin' Ann, we're takin' Bailey," said Raph firmly.
"Raph, Leo…"
"Leo'll just hafta deal wit' it," said Raph, crossing his arms over his chest and trying to glare at his sister in law.
"Raphael?" Austin suddenly sounded small and uncertain. "Ani?" Her hand touched his arm and he flinched, realizing he'd been glaring in the wrong direction. He turned, orienting on her voice and the fingers brushing his wrist.
"'m ok, Austin. Where's Donny? What's goin' on?"
"Mike, Leo and I have been searching for you," explained Austin. "When I met Miss Peters…" Ann snorted and Raph felt Austin's hand tense on his arm. "When I met her," continued Austin, ignoring Ann, "we called April to tell her we were going to get you. Leo woke her up. She went to tell Donatello, to get the med-lab ready, but he wasn't there. She traced his shell-cell to a place called Anitech Labs."
"What?" Raphael's hands clenched on his sai. "Let's go." He strode purposefully toward the door, swearing when his barked his shin on an end table.
"Raph!" Austin was at his side in an instant. He growled, pulling away.
"'m fine," he said. "We gotta get Donny. We gotta go right now."
"Raphael!" Leonardo's voice snapped like the crack of a whip.
Raph turned, instinctively taking a defensive crouch.
"Raphy!" Mikey's more exuberant greeting was Raph's only warning before an orange and green blur pounced on him, nearly knocking him off his feet. Raph grunted, fighting to keep his balance.
"What the hell?… How did you two get in here?" Ann sounded angry and frightened.
"It's ok, Ann, they're my bros," said Raphael.
"Well, I gathered that much from the green skin and shells," snapped Ann.
Bailey barked and Raph heard a squawk from his eldest brother. He smirked.
"Bailey, down," Ann ordered.
"Hey there… n… nice doggy," Mikey stammered. He ducked around Raph, hiding behind him. Raph's smirk grew.
"Don't worry, Mike. He don't like da taste of chuckle-head."
"Raph? Are you… are you ok?" Leonardo sounded uncertain.
Raphael scowled. "'m fine, Fearless. We gotta go. We gotta get Donny outta dat place, before…"
"Raph…"
"Not da time, Leo." He felt his brother's presence before Leo's hand brushed his arm. "Leo. I'm gonna be ok. Da guy did somet'in ta my eyes, but Ann says it's temporary. Right now, Don's in trouble. We gotta get 'im outta there."
Leonardo's hand squeezed Raph's wrist. "You're right, Raph. There's no time to waste. Miss Peters, I'm sorry for this, but we really do have to go. We can come back for your things later."
"I don't need anything," said Ann. "Just let me get Bailey's leash on."
"What? We're not taking the dog…"
"Leo, da dog is comin'," said Raph quietly. He didn't need his eyesight to know his brother was considering him with a dark-eyed glare.
"Fine. We don't have time to argue," said Leo. "Let's go. Mike, you're going to have to lead Raph down the fire escape."
"I don't need nobody ta hold my hand, Fearless," snapped Raphael.
"Whatever. Let's go. The van's in the alley," said Leonardo. Mike moved silently to the window. Raph trailed him, sticking close to his shell, but not quite touching his brother. He brushed past Leonardo.
"Raph…"
"No time, Fearless," growled Raphael.
Leo sighed and followed his brothers out the window. To his secret relief, Raph found he could climb down the familiar fire-escape easily enough.
"You're almost there, Raph, just drop down," called Mike encouragingly.
"I got it, Mike," snapped Raph, landing lightly next to his brother.
"Raph, are you ok?" asked Leonardo, dropping to the ground and touching his elbow.
"I'm fine," snapped Raph. "Let's go get Don."
"Ok." Leonardo caught his brother by the elbow. Raph growled and jerked away, but Leo tightened his grip. "You need help, Raph. We don't have time to argue."
"Fine." Raph let Leonardo lead him to the Battle Shell, feeling foolish and angry. He heard the girls' footsteps and the click of Bailey's claws on the pavement, then on the metal as the dog jumped willingly into the van.
Raph climbed up and settled into a seat, buckling his seat belt. "Com'on, Fearless. Let's get goin'." he growled.
He felt the van vibrate around him and roll out. He leaned back in the seat, painfully aware of the woman sitting just a few feet away, her dog panting at her feet and of the empty seat where his brother should've been.
We're comin' Donny. Don't worry. We're gonna get you out and Stulir's gonna pay.