Disclaimer – I own nothing but the story. A big thanks to those that stopped by to read this, and a bigger thanks to those who left a comment or two – KLCtheBookworm, Katana Babe, Shadowflame611, Reluctant Dragon, Empress Caroline of Tamaran, Leo Oneal, Kellie Fay, Ramica, Jessiey Landroz, Lunar Ninja, XXXElektraXXX, Chibi Rose Angel, Pacphys, Mewfem,

As for Beth and Leo, there's still more to the story, but what story would be worth its weight in readership if everything went the way readers wanted it to go, eh? Angst is as angst does, so to speak, and the muses will do what they do. So – try to hold on tight, my friends. Lots can still happen before the end of this missive! However, this chapter might cause some of you 'Leonardo' fans to worry a great deal. Bwahahaha.

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Chapter 25 – Recovery and Apprehension

Leonardo remained unconscious for well over an hour. During that time, Splinter managed to get Beth away from the bedroom where his son was, and over to the living area where he had her sit on the sofa. Hours earlier and shortly after the near fiasco with the burned hamburger buns, Donnie had declared the stovetop usable. However, at the time he had warned Mike to wait before cooking anything in the oven, that is, until he could give it the same 'seal of approval'.

Now, as they waited for Leo to wake up, Mike went ahead and made a pot of hot water for Splinter and Beth's tea, as well as for his and Donnie's cocoa.

Donatello, in the meantime, remained in Leo's room. He wanted to be close by in order to watch his brother's vitals, in case Leonardo had an adverse reaction to the concussion. The last thing they needed would be for him to slip into a coma. Although Leo's other injuries were healing well, it wouldn't be too difficult to aggravate his already compromised mental health.

As Beth sipped at her tea, Splinter observed the girl as he drank from his mug. With her knees drawn up close to her, she sat snuggled into the back of the couch. She embraced her cup with both hands and continued her vigilant stare towards Leonardo's room. Her worried and concerned expression told Splinter how she felt about his son, and every now and then, Splinter heard her sigh. It was obvious to him that she felt frustrated and possibly fearful for her friend's health. Yet, it mystified the rat as to why his two oldest sons had been fighting in the first place. The Master thought back to when he had initially heard the skirmish between Raphael and Leonardo. When he emerged from his sleeping compartment, Splinter had noticed that Beth's room was the only one lit. It was obvious that she was part of the reason and it caused him to wonder which of his two sons had paid the girl a late-night visit. Where he had a choice between either Raphael or Leonardo, it was anyone's guess which one it might have been – given their obvious feelings for her.

Nevertheless, at the time when he had sent Raph to his room, Splinter easily sensed the girl's concern. However, there seemed to be something else that he had felt from her, as well. It was something that contradicted how she would have normally reacted to Raphael's fight with Leonardo. Considering how she behaved with their first altercation, Beth should have been at least angry and frightened of him. Instead, she sent out an aura of pity and compassion for the red-banded turtle. This was in direct conflict to what Splinter had witnessed from her only the day before.

He continued to reflect on that thought, all the while studying the girl and keeping his mind alert to his stricken son.

Beth, in the meantime, felt torn. She worried about Leonardo the most, of course, but her heart ached for Raphael, too, and the way that Splinter had struck him. It was the first time she had seen the rat strike any of his sons, and it bothered her. Yes, she thought, there was a lot of emotion roiling between the father and son, with Leo unconscious on the floor. The fact that Raph had evidently executed a dangerous kick to his brother's head could have disastrous results. There was no blame against Splinter for his angry retort, yet had he listened to Raphael's explanation, maybe some understanding might have occurred.

Beth knew that it was Leo's fault for barging into her room the way that he did and assuming the worse, without giving either she or Raphael a chance to explain. Where she didn't know enough about ninjitsu to understand how the fight had escalated, she did understand how, in the heat of things, it was easy to lose control. It was something she had learned from her father whenever she would attend hearings he had to debate. He had always told her that self-control and managing ones words could be the difference between winning and losing a case.

It was obvious that same held true with physical fights, too, for now Leonardo was lying unconscious in his bed, while Raphael probably lay remorseful and angry in his.

While Beth pondered these thoughts and as she sat silently on the couch, with Splinter in his chair, the silence was broken when she heard the rat ask her, "Miss Beth, may I ask you who was in your room?"

Beth startled and then looked sheepishly over at the master. She wondered how much to tell him, fearful of breaking her promise to Raphael. Yet, an explanation was necessary, if only to absolve one member of the family. She sighed then, answering in a soft and worried voice, "Raphael was, Master Splinter. He was apologizing to me, for what he did yesterday, for…well…getting mad at Leo and me for…" she blushed slightly and then averted her eyes, "…for kissing."

Splinter smiled a little, noting the girl's embarrassment, but then he sobered once again, "Despite his intentions, Miss Beth, my son should have waited until morning to tell you this."

Beth looked over at Raphael's bedroom, mindful of the fact that voices carried well in the cavernous lair. She then looked over at Splinter and whispered even softer, as Mike sat to her left with his second cup of hot cocoa, "He couldn't sleep, Master Splinter, he told me he had to tell me before morning, or he wouldn't be able to sleep. He said something about getting it out of the way so that, before I go back to my apartment, we could have a better visit."

Mike smiled a little as he listened, but then remembered his promise to Beth about teasing his brother. Still, Splinter caught his son's expression. Unaware of the agreement Mike had made earlier, he gave him a look that said any comment at all would be unwise. Mike shrugged noncommittally and then went about sipping his hot beverage in continued silence.

Then, Beth added one more thought, "It was after Raph apologized when Leonardo came into the room. He didn't even ask what we were talking about. He…" Beth hated to share what had happened, where her heart was concerned, but since she now understood Raphael a bit better, she had to tell Splinter everything in order to be fair, "…he just charged into him and started fighting."

Splinter studied the girl again, allowing a moment of reflective silence to pass between them. Nodding in understanding, the rat reiterated his point, "Be that as it may, Raphael still should have waited until morning. It was very improper for him to visit you when he did." The rat turned a glance towards the single lit room, "However, it was equally improper for Leonardo to react the way that he did." He sighed, then, "Still, had Raphael delayed in talking to you, Leonardo would not have had any reason to confront him." Splinter shook his head and looked over at Beth again, "Nevertheless, they both acted inappropriately. If it were not for Leonardo's injuries, I would have to punish him as well."

"Please, don't punish him, Master Splinter; Leo didn't understand why Raph was in my room. He's already upset with the way Raphael had been reacting to me." Then, she softened her voice even more, "Raph shouldn't have even been punished. I – I understand him a bit better, now," Beth said simply.

Although he would disagree with the girl on the issue of punishing his sons, her admittance caused him a bit of amusement. "Do you?" the rat asked her curiously, raising an eyebrow, "Why so?"

"Um…well…" Beth began, but she realized that to say anything might very well break her promise about keeping silent concerning Raph's emotional issues. Instead, she told Splinter, "I believe he was sincere, Master Splinter, when he apologized to me. I…could see it in his face."

Nodding acceptance to her simple answer, yet sensing there was more to it than what she allowed, the rat let it rest until he could talk with her later. His own encounter with his son from earlier had said much to him about Raphael's emotional state. Had he truly been unable to keep silent until morning, it was possible that, during his apology to Beth, Splinter's tempestuous son might have had a similar reaction.

Regardless, the rate was more concerned with Leonardo's concussion and his future within the clan.

Almost an hour later, Donatello called out in earnest, "Master Splinter, come here, I think Leo is waking!"

Instantly, three forms shot up from where they sat and rushed towards the sleeping compartment where Leo was. Although the rat was elderly, when called up on, he could move as fast as his sons did, and so he led the way. He slipped quickly into the room, with Mike and Beth right behind him. Immediately, he noticed Leonardo as his son squirmed restlessly on his bed, as if dreaming. The rat moved swiftly to his bedside, with Mike following along beside him. Splinter then sat precariously along the edge of the mattress. He gently took up one of Leo's exposed hands with a paw and began to massage the back of it with the other.

Splinter softly called to him, "Leonardo, can you hear me?"

With his eyes still closed, Leo moaned, as if in response. Then he gave a weak attempt to say something, but his words mumbled out incoherently. He worked his tongue around the inside of his mouth and then licked his lips. Finally, he uttered, almost out of breath, "Have….have to call the…guys…all around me…Foot everywhere…" Then, slowly, his eyes opened and, as he looked into his father's face, his restlessness ceased. He blinked to focus and then, when he seemed to recognize Splinter, he smiled weakly.

"I'm…home?" he asked uncertainly. He blinked again, as if not quite believing where he was.

"Yes, my son, you are home." Splinter assured him, smiling in reply. The wise rat studied Leonardo's face. He recognized awareness in his son's eyes. Unlike the confused expression that he had from the day before, it was obvious that the veil over Leonardo's impaired memory had lifted. His very countenance told Splinter that, truly, his son had recovered and was back to his normal self.

"How? How…did you guys find me?" Leo asked haltingly as he noticed Don hovering next to him, with Mike eased into his view, as well.

While Splinter, Don, and Mike tended to Leo, Beth had huddled near the door. She wanted so much to go to Leo, but she was mindful of Splinter's request from earlier and her own promise about staying out of the way. Consequently, and due to the shadows that were there by the doorway near where she stood, Leonardo's befuddled state kept him from noticing her.

Nevertheless, Leonardo's question caused both Mikey and Don to stand there in shock, neither of them quite certain how to respond. They looked at each other with raised eye ridges and swallowed nervously, glancing once at Beth, and then they looked back at Leonardo again.

However, before either of them could reply, Splinter quickly responded, "You…were found, Leonardo, by a friend." He smiled, "For now, though…" he felt Beth's presence at the door and knew that she had heard every word, "…I want you to rest." Then, the rat stood up from the mattress, mindful to stay between his son and the girl, and faced one of his other sons, "Donatello, make sure that Leonardo stays his bed." Splinter's words and expression told Don that under no circumstances was he to let Leonardo out of his room. "I will go and make a cup of tea for him." Then, the rat turned around and walked towards the door.

As he approached her, he saw the earnest and sincere confusion on Beth's face. Sadly, he knew that his son's recurring memory might not include remembering her. However, Splinter didn't want to upset Leonardo with something that was beyond his control, so the rat gently motioned for Beth to leave the room. He heard his other sons move in around the bed to block Leonardo's view of the doorway, their conversations rising effectively above whatever comment the girl might chance to make.

As it was, Beth shook her head to negate the rat's request. Yet before she could say anything in protest, Splinter brought a finger to his lips to hush her. He then explained in a low whisper, well under the excited voices of Mike and Don as they talked with Leonardo, "It is best, now, if we let him rest, let Donatello tend to him," and then he gently took the girl's arm to turn her back towards the lair.

As Splinter hurried her away from the door and out into the lair, she asked worriedly, "But, how come he asked if he was home, Master Splinter?" She felt her stomach gripe up in apprehension, as she nearly cried out softly, "How come I can't see him?"

Splinter explained as he kept his voice low, maintaining his goal of getting the girl away from the room, "I believe that he does not recall you, my dear." He felt an expected shift in Beth's demeanor, her body stiffening in surprise and shock at his words. She tried to stop, to turn back, but he continued his firm yet gentle hold of her as they walked, commenting as he did, and forcing her further from the room, "It seems that Raphael's kick to Leonardo's head has helped him to regain his old memories."

They were now almost to the kitchen when Beth forced the rat to stop. She refused to go any further, stubbornly objecting to move. "Wait, what does that mean, Master Splinter?" she asked as she turned to face him, tears welling up in her eyes, as she looked at the rat. She thought back to the kiss she and Leonardo had shared the night before; the obvious affection that he had for her, what she felt for him. She turned back around to face Leonardo's room again, forcing the rat to let go of her lest it become a battle. However, instead of running back to where Leo lay, she remained where she was, her body trembling as she softly cried, "How can he…just forget me so easily?"

Splinter sighed, laying a gentle paw on her arm, "My dear, it is too early to say if he has or will forget you completely, but we need to let him adjust." The rat once again took Beth's arm with a gentle grasp, "Come, and help me make some tea for him. Once he has had some of it, I will…introduce you to him."

Fifteen minutes later found Beth sitting on the couch, waiting there by herself, now, while Splinter tended to Leonardo in his bedroom. Mike and Don were still in the room with him and Raph still sequestered himself in his. She had already finished her tea that Splinter insisted she drink, and now she sulked with worry and concern. She kept thinking about the different way that Leonardo had spoken when he first woke up, the almost familiar way in which he looked at his brothers, and his sensei. Asking about if he was 'home' implied that this place was not as new to him as it had been the nearly two days before. It all sounded as if he had indeed recovered. The way and manner in which he talked seemed as foreign to her as it was familiar to his family. What if he did indeed lose his memory of her, any recollection at all, and only saw her as just another human? What if she – were a stranger to him?

Just when she thought she could love again, it seemed as if life had taken an ugly turn once more on her behalf.

"It's just not fair, not fair at all," she seethed inwardly.

Then, a movement from her right drew her attention away from Leonardo's room. When she looked over, she noticed that Raphael had finally emerged from his compartment. He stood there just outside his door, looking down at the line of cars towards the only one that had a light emanating from it. It illuminated the area just outside the door of what used to be the landing platform for the subway station. Just beyond and with graying shadows in-between, was the living area, softly lit by the one floor lamp, and then the kitchen. He glanced over at Beth where she sat on the sofa and then tried to smile, but Raph looked back towards Leonardo's room again, his look degrading to worry. He sniffed once and then worked his shoulders around before he turned and made for the kitchen, all the while giving the room in question occasional glances.

As he approached the living area, he looked over at Beth and sighed, saying, "Guess I screwed up again, eh?"

Beth looked up at him and shook her head, a sadness edging her words, "No, you couldn't help it, Raphael. Leonardo didn't leave you much choice." She looked at him and gave a small smile, "Shouldn't you be in your room, though?"

Raph snorted and gave a sideways glance to where his father was, hidden from view by the contours of Leonardo's bedroom. He then looked back at the girl, "Not the first time Splintah's sent me there, won't be the last time I left b'fore he tells me I can, eithah." Then he continued on to the kitchen.

Beth shook her head and smiled, leaned over to pick up her cup, and then stood to join Raph as he continued onwards towards the kitchen. She sighed inwardly at the change between them. No longer did she fear him. The bit of transparency he showed her earlier helped her immeasurably to understand this brother of Leo's. She sadly commented as they walked, "It seems that your kicking Leo in the head has helped him to – remember living here,"

Raphael caught her implication, but didn't say anything as they stepped into the kitchen. As he approached the table, he stopped and suddenly leaned his hands along the top of it, as if stricken.

Beth stopped, as well, realizing Raphael's sudden change in demeanor.

"What's wrong, Raphael?" she asked, now turning to face him.

He looked at her, a pained expression growing on his face, and said, "I could a' killed him, Beth."

"You didn't, though," she eased over to lay a comforting hand along his trembling arm.

"You don't know anythin' about ninjitsu, Beth. That kick was designed to kill…and…" he looked at her and then tore his gaze away to stare at his now-whitened knuckles, as he pressed his hands harder against the table. With his teeth clenched, he hissed, "I've used it against my brother, went against all the rules that Splintah's been teach'n us."

Beth shook her head, "Leo didn't give you much choice. You said he tried the same with you, right?"

Nodding, Raph swallowed as he replied, "Yeah, but…I should'a known bettah than to reply back the same way." He looked at her, his eyes pained and suffering, "I'm chunin, or second in command, but I'd been put in charge of my bros while Leo's been out of sorts, before you found him." He sighed, "No, what I did was unforgivable…should'a exercised more control than that."

He then suddenly straightened, saying, "Doesn't mattah, Leo's back, an' I can go about doin' things like I always did." Raph strode confidently over to the refrigerator and yanked it opened, reached inside, and procured a bottle of beer. As he closed the appliance's door, he easily thumbed the top off the bottle. Immediately bringing the bottle to his lips, he took a long, eager pull of the golden liquid.

"You really like that stuff?" she asked as she grimaced in disgust.

After taking his first swig and wiping the back of his hand across his mouth, Raphael replied, "Once in a while, when I'm stressed, yeah…what's it to ya?" but then he caught himself when he realizing his rudeness and Beth's surprised expression. He shrugged as he said, "Sorry, habit. Yeah, I like a beah occasionally. Especially aftah Splintah gets on my case." He grinned wide, "Should be an alcoholic by now, but I do try to control how much I drink; don't need any of those problems added to what I already have." He chuckled a little and then sat down at the table, "Care t'join me?" he asked her.

"Drinking beer? I don't think so, Raph," she smiled, "but I will make myself another cup of tea."

After heating the water to boiling again and filling her cup, Beth then plopped in a teabag and let it steep for a few minutes.

Five minutes later found Beth sharing her tea with Raphael and his beer. Both of them sat at the table, quiet, reflective, and each occasionally looking over at Leonardo's bedroom. They could hear various voices filtering out, and, occasionally, see one of its occupants moving around, but for the most part, they largely ignored Beth and Raphael.

Finally, Raph cleared his throat, took a swig of his bear, and then looked directly at Beth.

She caught his gaze and asked, "What?"

"Just…thinkin'," he replied evenly after he swallowed his drink.

Beth had her elbows resting on the tabletop, with her hands clasped together. Her chin rested on top of them as she looked up at Raphael. She asked with a slight smile, "About what?"

"About…you…an, him." Raph nodded towards the subway car in question and paused for a moment. Then, he took the last bit of beer from his bottle and sat it down, commenting as he studied the empty in his hand, "If Leo's got his old memories back, what about his new ones?" He shot a knowing glance at the girl and waited.

"What…do you mean?" Beth asked, straightening up in her chair and dropping her hands into her lap.

"Exactly what I said, what about his new ones. You, for example?" Raph explained, nodding towards her, as he looked at her. He had a slight frown playing along his face. "I mean, if he fergets who ya are an' all."

"I don't want to even think about that, Raph," she declared, her chin jutting out defensively, "How can you even say something like that?" Beth looked over at Leonardo's bedroom, "I can't believe he would forget me that easily."

"Why?" Raph challenged derisively, "I mean, he's only known ya fer – what – less than two days? We've been his family for the past twenty-one years, Beth. Not to be mean, but ya bettah get quick with reality, cuz if Leo's forgotten about ya, then you're gonna have to have an alternate plan fer yer life."

Beth sat there and stared hard at the turtle, anger welling up within her as she silently mulled over his words to her. The girl nervously wrung her hands in her lap, not wanting to think about such matters. She knew that in only a very sort amount of time, she had gone from being alone to someone who did not want to be that way ever again. The transformation amazed her. Yet, as she thought about it, Beth realized that the longer she allowed herself to remain aloof and without any friends while living topside, it was far too easy to stay that way. Without anyone challenging her way of life, Beth never had a reason to change.

However, after her brief adjustment to being around others, even with those 'others' more strange than she was used to, she had developed a hunger for companionship. Splinter's mentoring through meditation and his kindly, if not wise, words, certainly helped her.

Yet, it was Leonardo, most of all, who seemed to have made a stronger and deeper impact on Beth. He had changed her outlook on life. Not only had he shown her a kind of caring that she wasn't used to, but he had quickened her heart as well. Now, to consider that he might not remember her at all, almost caused the girl to panic.

As she stared at Raphael, with her mouth going dry, and as her vision wavered, in that moment the turtle saw the change in the girl's expression. Swallowing nervously and as he reached out to her with a comforting hand, he grumped to himself, certain of his cursed life, "Great, just great, that's all I need, t'make her go catatonic again. As if I need more 'nails' in m'coffin!"