Revelations
Two days of bliss, wonder, and adoration.
Morgan never felt so pampered in her life. The brothers waited on her hand and foot and Raphael did not stray from her side. His constant presence slowly brought her back to a more stable mental state after the trauma and pain of the previous few days. She'd slept through the night, two nights running - not a single nightmare disturbing her rest, simply because she was cradled in his strong arms.
Of course, it also helped that he wore her out with his absolute dedication to her body and its needs. She smiled to herself at the thought, a sinful little grin which sparked a low hum from the turtle on her right. Raphael's hot gaze caressed her face, lingering on her lips and Michelangelo laughed.
"That smile is sexy as hell, sis," Mikey said with a smirk of his own, reaching across to grab the dice of the board game from in front of her. "You should wear it more often."
She blushed as Raph kicked his little brother under the kitchen table and Leo sent a glare his way.
"Hey, I'd have to be dead not to notice something so gorgeous," Mikey protested with a wink in her direction. "Besides a little flattery might get me Connecticut Ave., right? How about a trade?"
They were playing Monopoly and it was getting rather cut throat. Leonardo owned the most expensive side of the square and his hotels were beginning to eat away at the other's profits. If any of them had a prayer of winning, they were going to have to gang up on the strategist. Morgan smirked and passed Mikey the property card, before sipping the piping hot tea Master Splinter had given her.
As much fun as she was having, something was missing. Or rather, someone. She hadn't heard so much as a peep out of Donatello since they found her in the tunnel. Raphael was treating her like a princess and caring for all her wounds, but she missed Donnie. She understood he had a lot of projects going on, but it seemed odd he hadn't come to see her at least once. After all, they were friends.
Unless I've somehow offended him? Surely the others would have told me.
She focused on the group in front of her. The whole family was competitive and the game absorbed most of their attention. Perhaps she could take a moment to check on her friend. She turned toward Raphael and he instantly leaned down to her.
"I'm gonna take a short break," she said. "Play for me when my turn comes around?"
Slipping from her chair, she headed for the restroom in the opposite direction of her intended goal. She didn't know why, but she felt the need to conceal she was checking on Donatello. Nothing she could specifically point to was wrong, but in such a close knit family the genius was conspicuous by his absence and she wanted a moment alone with him to ask if everything was ok.
Raphael's worried eyes followed her to the bathroom door before he politely turned away and she sighed, wishing there was some way to reassure him her most recent attack had been a fluke. Usually, they paralyzed her with fear instead of sending her running, but she guessed only time would ease his anxiety.
The moment she felt his gaze disappear, she pulled her instinctive camouflage around her and stealthily moved to the other end of the lair, unobserved by the rest of the family.
As she approached the lab, she began to wonder.
Is this a good idea? What if Donnie is avoiding me on purpose?
Well, she would go in and if everything seemed normal, she would slip out again without anyone being the wiser.
The room was long and perhaps even more cluttered than she remembered. She wove her way through stacks of unrecognizable items and furniture until she sensed Donatello's aura toward the back. She frowned. It was dimmer than usual and he wasn't moving around much.
A large table stood before her, with several flasks bubbling away, but under their slight noise she detected a soft sniff. Circling the obstacle warily, she stopped to analyze what was in front of her.
Which was... nothing, until she focused on the ground.
Donnie sat on the floor, leaning against the wall behind the table. As a bark of laughter echoed in from the kitchen, he sank even lower with a small moan. Worried, she cast about for something to help make sense of his behavior. Was he sick? Had one of his experiments injured him somehow?
She crept closer and inhaled deeply.
When the resonance came back to her, she was even more confused. He felt... odd. His only physical injuries were the minor scratches she had given him on that out of control night several days ago, but internally his rhythms were totally off. And he smelled wrong. His gentle scent of leather and oil was mixed with another. In fact, the aroma was distinctly metallic, like... Leonardo.
Concerned, she decided it was worth revealing herself, but she put the table between them before discarding her camouflage so it would appear she had only recently come in.
"Donnie?" she called.
Donatello stiffened as the sound of her voice sent a shiver he couldn't suppress down his spine and climbed quickly to his feet. He knew Raphael wasn't about to let Morgan anywhere near him by herself and he didn't want anyone to see how despondent he was over the situation.
Despite Leo running interference, the hot-head made it clear Don wasn't to come within ten feet of her without at least one other brother present. That was all the compromise he was going to get for saving her life. Raph really didn't want him to even set eyes on the girl.
Ashamed, he had shut himself in the lab, but listening to the others engage with her when he could not was almost too much for him to take. He was considering leaving, perhaps spending some time with Leatherhead to regain his composure, when her soft call startled him.
"Morgan?" he said, leaning over the table and checking the room for her chaperone. "Is everything ok?"
He quirked an eye ridge in surprise. She was alone.
Now how had she managed that?
Since they returned from the tunnel Raphael had practically glued himself to her side. He frowned. By now, his brother had probably turned her formerly fond thoughts of him sour with tales of his unwanted desire. Perhaps she had come to confront him. He examined her expression anxiously to determine what she was thinking, but he saw nothing negative in her face.
Did they not tell her she was supposed to stay away?
She tilted her head like a small songbird, curious and inquiring, as he scanned her from head to toe. At least Raphael seemed to be following his instructions about treatment though his fingers itched to peel back her bandages and examine the wounds for himself.
"Why are you holed up in here all by yourself?" she asked in a gentle tone, startling him out of his thoughts. "Whatever you're working on can spare you for a little while. Spend some time with us."
They hadn't told her.
He couldn't quite believe it. Surely Raphael wanted to, but Leo probably talked him out of it. His conscience pricked him at the thought.
Why blame Raph? The truth is YOU are afraid to be around her alone.
Every time she drew near his body shocked him with its response. His heart rate elevated, his shell grew tight, and his thoughts became tangled. He needed to get her out of here.
"I'd like to, but my, uh, experiment is at a delicate stage. I can't leave it unattended."
He hoped she'd take his excuse at face value and let it drop. Spending the evening under Raphael's hateful glare would not be a fun experience and it would make everyone else uncomfortable.
"Oh. I can keep you company in here for a bit if you like," she offered.
"N-No, you shouldn't. You're still healing. You should be out there relaxing and enjoying the pampering."
"But I miss you," she objected.
Her eyes grew luminous and her face held a forlorn expression that struck him to the core.
"What?"
He was so disturbed he couldn't form a proper sentence and he glanced around the room, slightly panicked. If Raphael found her alone in here with him, there was going to be trouble, but what kind of friend would he be if he turned her away when she wanted to talk?
He didn't like his options.
Hurt the precious woman in front of him by rejecting her? Or injure his brother by letting her stay and risking his own inappropriate response? His analytical mind spun, searching for an alternate solution. If only he could trust himself around her...
"I miss you," she repeated a little sadly.
It was too much. She deserved to know. He opened his mouth to explain, but no sound came out. He had nothing, not a single word in his vast vocabulary would resolve the situation without upsetting her. And he couldn't bring himself to lie, not to her.
"Donnie? Did I do something?" she pressed. "Offend you somehow?"
"No! Of course not," he said, surprised at the direction of her thoughts. She could never do wrong in his eyes.
Uncertainly, she reached across the table for his face, trying to ascertain his expression, but he flinched away. If she touched him it would be all over. He would give her anything she wanted. He stepped back out of reach.
"Morgan, come back to the game."
Leonardo's unexpected voice, right behind her, made her jump. Her hip crashed into the table and she yelped. Don reached out to steady her, almost involuntarily, but Leonardo beat him to it, wrapping his hands around her waist and supporting her carefully until she balanced.
"Thanks," she breathed before turning her face back to him and reaching out again, "Please Donnie, tell me what's wrong?"
Her pleading and sorrowful expression were breaking his heart. He almost gave in, but Leo intervened once more, taking her hand.
"Morgan," Leonardo said, trying to guide her toward the door. "Raph is frantic, please come back in."
Don winced thinking it was a bad move, but the leader had spent the least amount of time with her so perhaps he didn't realize how little escaped her notice. After her tragic experiences, she was an expert at spotting manipulation.
She planted her feet and narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him.
"What's going on?" she demanded. "What's wrong with Donnie? Why does he smell like you? And why don't either of you want me in here?"
Donatello stared at her, amazed himself by how much she perceived.
She can detect Leo's blood in my veins?
Leonardo traded a glance with the genius, but for once Don was too discombobulated to determine what the leader wanted from him, so he shrugged.
"We were hoping to let you get a few more days rest before addressing it," Leo said at last.
She shook her head violently.
"If something is wrong with Donnie tell me now."
Donatello's dark mood lifted slightly at her response. She still cared about him and he knew she was good, through and through. Perhaps she could forgive him.
"Let's sit down," Leonardo said, with another slight tug on her hand, "and we can talk about it." as Morgan's face hardened in defiance, Leo nodded to Don adding, "All of us."
Stubbornly, Morgan refused to move until Donatello's aura came around the table and began to walk before them, but even then she couldn't relax. Something was definitely up with her friend and she was annoyed nobody wanted to tell her.
As they exited the lab, Raphael shot out of the hallway he was searching. His eyes locked on Morgan and he crossed the room at top speed, vaulting the couch. He pulled her tight against him the moment he reached her.
"Angel!" He nuzzled her face before pushing back to examine her all over. "You ok? You didn't come back!"
"We thought you'd gone out again," Leo added. "I was getting Don to check the security system."
Guilt hit her hard. She'd been bemoaning Raphael's loss of trust but hadn't even considered her little stealth mission would look like another deadly disappearance to them. She stretched up on her toes, lifted her face, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him to calm his panic.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you," she said. "I'm fine. Really. I went to check on Donnie."
Raphael stiffened and raised his head to glare at his brothers over her shoulder. "I thought we agreed-" he began, but Leonardo cut him off.
"I let it go before, but Morgan needs to hear. In fact, she's insisting on it."
She cupped Raph's cheek in her palm and turned him back to her.
"You've gone out of your way to make me happy these past few days, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. But you can't shelter me from everything. If something is wrong and it involves me we should face it together, ok?"
She felt his intense gaze as he examined her face, searching for something deep in her eyes. Whatever he saw must have convinced him because he finally sighed and led the way back to the couch. As they sat, Michelangelo bounded in, enveloping her in a hug over the back of the sofa.
"SIS! You freaked us out, babe! You can't just disappear like that. Don, can we get her a bell or something?" He smiled. "It worked when I had a cat."
"Mikey," Donnie said with a growl for his brother's disrespect, "Morgan is not a pet and she can go wherever she pleases." Irritated, he took the seat furthest away from the rest of them.
"Of course she can," Leo said, taking her hand and giving it a light, reassuring squeeze as he passed to the other chair. He seated himself and gave everyone a serious look before he continued, "We're simply concerned because of what happened the other day."
Morgan flushed. "I'm sorry guys. I really am."
She knew that flashback had been one of her most disastrous yet and if it hadn't been for the strange girl, she would have been gone by the time Raphael arrived. So it wasn't fair to complain about their watchfulness.
"It wasn't your fault," Donatello said, in her defense. "The attack was triggered by Raphael's temper. Again."
"But something else happened, didn't it?" she asked before they could get into an argument. "Something no one wants to tell me."
"Can't slip anything past you, can we?" Mikey said, his chipper tone fading to one of unhappiness.
She waited in silence, but nobody spoke up or looked in her direction. Even Raphael had turned away. Obviously this was an uncomfortable topic.
"Ok-ay," she said. "Let's start with something easier. What was up with the crocodile?"
"Leatherhead?" Donnie said, "Well..."
"You ever wonder why you can do all that really awesome stuff? Like how you can read auras and make yourself disappear?" Mikey interrupted. "Oh! And like, smell people's wounds?"
She blinked at him in confusion trying to figure out what her abilities had to do with the large mutant who knelt to her in the middle of the lair several days ago.
"Uh, well I guess. Most of the time I try to fit in and act normal so I don't think about them too much. Why?"
"LH knows other people who can do those things!"
Her mouth dropped open in surprise.
There are others who can do what I do?
She never considered the possibility.
"I always thought I was a one-off, a freak," she blurted, stunned.
"What Mikey means," Donnie said, frown apparent even in his voice, "is Leatherhead recognized your species. He didn't realize you were adopted, so he was treating you as he would your parents."
"My species? You mean humanity?"
She raised an eyebrow at the genius. She knew he liked to be precise with his language but 'species' seemed a little overboard, even for him.
"Technically, we believe you're only half human," he said and rushed on as her eyes widened in fear. "Which is why your body was having such trouble with the transfusions at the hospital."
"Half-human?" she repeated. Her voice trembled and Raphael took her hand, lacing his fingers through hers.
"Like us!" Mikey said, trying to keep a positive spin on things. "That's why our blood helped you get better!"
"What's the other half?" she asked.
Donatello's eyes snapped to her face and he stared hard. She fidgeted under his gaze, fearing the worst.
"What is it, Donnie?" she whispered, tightening her grip on Raphael's hand. "Something bad?"
"No!" Don and Raph rushed to reassure her at the same moment.
"I'm sorry, I didn't intend to frighten you," Donatello said, a tinge of awe coloring his voice. "It's just... you're taking this so well. I mean, I think most people would freak out about being compared to mutants and... "
"Yeah, well get it together Fanboy," Raphael snapped. "She's still waitin' for an explanation. Or do ya want one of us to finish?"
Morgan frowned and rested her injured hand on top of their clasped palms in a soothing gesture. Ever since they got back from the tunnel, Raphael had been... irritated around Don and she wondered about the change.
"No, I got this," Donatello said. "Morgan, have you ever heard any myths or legends regarding the Fae?"
"As in fairies?"
"More like powerful elves, the Sidhe, or the Seelie Court. Although the fairy mythos does eventually equate back to the Fae as well-"
Donatello cut off what was clearly about to become a lengthy commentary and cleared his throat.
"Yes, so, most of those stories were created to explain sightings of another race of beings who share the planet with homo sapiens. The Feyian. They exhibit unique, inborn talents which humans have yet to evolve, but you display a number of them."
"So you think I am half Fae-yen?" She asked, trying out the word.
Her thoughts exploded with questions and she couldn't hold them back. They spilled out chaotically as they occurred to her.
"Have you ever met any? Would they teach me to do more with my gifts? Are they all blind?" She gasped. "Do you think my Feyian parent might be searching for me?"
"We haven't," Leonardo said. "Leatherhead has seen one other and says she resembled your physical characteristics. He would be the person to ask the majority of your questions."
"But sweetie, I wouldn't get your hopes up about meeting them," Donatello said. "They appear to be ruled by a rather archaic form of matriarchy and tend to dismiss those they don't consider pure blooded."
Her face fell.
"Right," she said. "I get it. Half human, half Feyian. Nobody want's a half anything."
She dropped her head as Raphael growled next to her, plainly angry at his brother. Donnie didn't mean to hurt her, she was sure, but he had a tendency to offer more information than she needed. A strong arm wrapped itself securely around her as Raphael drew her close.
"I want you," he whispered in her ear. She could virtually hear his smirk as his husky tone caused her to shiver under his hands.
"Do not be troubled, my child."
Master Splinter's voice was warm as he approached the group and Morgan blinked as he dropped whatever mysterious shielding he employed so she could 'see' his aura. Leonardo leapt to his feet, drawing up another chair for his father.
"It does not matter what particles your DNA consists of," the kindly rat continued. "Here, you will always be welcome. Here, you are family."
Morgan smiled at him, touched he would take the time to reassure her.
"Thank you, Master Splinter," she said. "I would not be here if it weren't for the bravery and kindness of your sons. I owe them a huge debt."
Everybody spoke at once.
"Nonsense."
"It was nothin', dudette."
"It was our honor."
Raphael simply growled, not wanting to contemplate the 'not'.
"Did you thank the girl for me?" Morgan asked. "The one who gave me the blanket..."
She trailed off as everyone tensed around her.
"Girl?" Leonardo asked.
"You were alone when we found you," Donatello said.
"April called with your location," Mikey added. "The foil thingy came from our emergency kit. We have those, right Donnie?"
"We have them," Don said. "But she was wrapped in one when we arrived. And she had a flashing lantern so we wouldn't miss her."
Morgan frowned. "But I heard the girl call."
"Let me get this straight," Leo said. "A stranger found you in the sewers, someone who knows enough about us to call April to report you and nobody thought to share this information?"
Morgan flinched at his tone. She hadn't heard the leader lose his cool so thoroughly before.
"We have been a little busy, bro," Mikey said to diffuse the situation.
"So you don't know her?" She asked timidly.
"We don't know too many human girls," Michelangelo said. "Maybe it was a mutant?"
"Can you describe her?" Leo asked.
"Taller than me, but with small hands. Strong, she was able to drag me several feet with no problem," she paused, thinking hard. "Leather boots and, from what I felt of her clothing, some sort of wool body suit."
"Did she do anything?" Donnie asked. "Besides give you the blanket."
"She scolded me for being in the sewers unprepared."
"Anything else?" Mikey said.
"She asked a lot of questions, but I didn't recognize her and I didn't want to give you guys away so I just said I was hiding."
Leonardo nodded his approval.
"I got the feeling she knew who I was and she didn't seem too happy to see me. Her stare was distinctly unfriendly, though when she realized I couldn't see she seemed more inclined to assist."
"Why did ya think she might know us?" Raphael asked.
"Something she said."
Morgan closed her eyes and began to recite. 'They're probably already out looking for you, but maybe I should help things along...' She recreated the girl's clipped words to the best of her ability and heard Leo inhale sharply.
"She had a Japanese accent?" he demanded.
"Is that what it is?" Morgan asked.
"What did she smell like?" Donatello asked and she wrinkled her nose.
"It was hard to tell over the sewer, but," she blushed, "a little like Leonardo."
"How so?" he asked in surprise.
"Metal. You both carry the scent of oiled steel," Morgan said, "but she also had some sort of sickly sweet aroma, like frankincense."
"So a Japanese girl with a bad attitude, carrying a katana, and reeking of incense," Donatello summarized.
"You don't think..." Mikey said.
"Karai?" Raphael said with venom. "She wouldn't lift a finger for anyone."
"She's already helped us with Morgan once," Leo protested.
"Only so she wouldn't have to deal with the competition!" Raph spat.
"Who is she?" Morgan asked, worried by their reaction.
"Karai is a conflicted young woman," Master Splinter said into the sudden silence. "One who finds herself in the unenviable position of being second in command of the Foot clan. She is also the Shredder's adopted daughter."
Morgan shrank back into the couch cushions at his revelations. Her breathing sped and her eyes flew wide. Raphael twisted his body in front of her to offer a physical shield and she clutched at his shoulders as panic overwhelmed her.
A leader of the Foot clan found her?
Adrenaline flooded her bloodstream, pushing her towards another flashback. Her vision dimmed and she couldn't hear the concerned voices of the brothers around her. She was almost lost to the fear and despair when a deep vibration drew her back to the present.
Raphael was holding her hand, pressing it tightly to his plastron. The rumbling in his chest was deeper than the call she knew and loved. Protective, it spoke to her body on an entirely different level. Her racing heart began to calm.
"Hey," he said taking her face in his other hand. She felt his gaze burning into her eyes. "Stay with me, angel. I ain't gonna let anything happen to ya. Just breathe..."
He was right.
Though Karai's invasion of the sewer threatened her feeling of safety, the girl had not harmed her. And, Morgan realized, four fierce guardians surrounded her. They would protect her, no matter what. She closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against his, breathing in his soothing scent. A few moment's later she pushed him away.
"I'm alright," she said and the deep vibrations quieted, dying away as if they had never been.
Donatello let out the breath he was holding. His gaze narrowed and snapped to his father's face as the rat emitted a little grunt of approval. Splinter had purposefully triggered one of Morgan's panic attacks to see how she would react when Raphael was present!
Or perhaps he did it to see how Raph would respond. Whatever the reason, Donnie couldn't say he approved, but it was amazing to watch how quickly she recovered under his brother's guidance. She had not had the same reaction with the rest of them. Sadly, he dropped his eyes to the floor.
"Assumptions are only a starting point for understanding," Splinter said. "A wise warrior recognizes the need to investigate further before yielding to negative interpretations."
Their father spoke to the room at large, but his dark eyes pierced Donatello's as he raised his head and the genius got the feeling he was referring to more than their assumptions about the mysterious girl.
"Sensei's right," Leo said. "It might not be Karai. We should return to the spillway and study it further."
"If we're goin' out, let's stop by April and Casey's place," Mikey chimed in.
"You just want to raid the fridge," Raph said.
"No," Michelangelo protested. "It's for something important! We need to check her cell log for the mystery caller. Donnie might track the number back or somethin'. Besides, I bet she's restocked the ice cream bars."
"Told ya," Raphael grumbled. "raidin' the refrigerator."
Donatello grimaced as his brothers resumed their usual bickering. Couldn't they see nothing had really been resolved?
"He does have a point, though," Leo said. "About the phone, I mean. And it's dark enough for us to go out. Ok team, let's hit it. It's been too long since we had a proper patrol."
"I ain't going," Raph said. "I won't leave Morgan unprotected while you all go out scrounging' around."
Leonardo stood, throwing his brother an irritated glance, but didn't protest.
"Donatello will stay," Splinter said. "He is still recovering. Raphael, you will go- so as not to leave your brothers short-handed."
Don flinched, knowing that wasn't going to go over well. Raphael's glare could have sliced through steel, but their father returned his stare calmly, not even twitching his whiskers.
"Donnie ain't up to fightin' off the Foot alone if they attack," Raph snarled.
Donatello wanted to protest, but this time Raphael was right. After such severe blood loss, he wouldn't be up to much fighting. He hadn't even been able to train the past few days.
"I will remain and protect my children. Or do you doubt my ability as well?" Splinter asked.
His tone was mild, but there was a dark gleam in his eye his sons knew well. One which practically dared the hot-head to test his theory. Abruptly, Raphael backed down. He hadn't confronted their Master over such matters for many years, but his father never missed a training session and could still defeat each and every one of them barehanded.
"No, Sensei," Raph said, dropping his eyes.
"It will be a short run," Splinter said, turning away and dismissing them, "but be careful my sons."
Leo and Mikey went to the weapons room to outfit themselves, but Raph turned back to Morgan.
"You gonna be ok, sweetheart?" He asked, stroking her hair.
She shivered a little under his caress and the sultry expression on her face made Don's heart clench. He turned rapidly away, his eyes burning, as Raph continued.
"I won't be long," he promised. "If they decide to hang around at April's, I'll head back."
"I'll be fine," she said. "It'll give Donnie and I a chance to catch up."
Donatello's head snapped up. She was right. They were overdue for a long conversation. He set his mouth in a grim line, determined to speak to her as soon as the others left.
"As long as he keeps his hands to himself," Raph growled and Morgan flinched back, surprised.
"Raphael!" she said, shocked. "Are you jealous?"
He didn't answer her accusation, at least not verbally.
As Leo and Mikey trotted out into the darkness of the sewer system, Raphael swept Morgan up in his arms and kissed her so passionately her toes curled. Involuntarily, she moaned into his mouth and a hungry rumble sprang to life in his chest.
Donnie blanched.
How am I supposed to tell her after that?
"Raphael, we were planning to leave sometime tonight," Leo scolded from the door.
The red-banded turtle smirked as he set her gently back on her feet.
"Just makin' sure she's got somethin' to remember me by," he said, and with a last sharp glance at a pale-faced Donatello, he jogged off after his leader.
