Chapter 37: The truth will out
Expecting to wake up with a headache Rebecca was pleasantly surprised to find herself feeling refreshed and rather determined. She had a chat with April who assured her that on this mission she, April O'Neil, would be able to help owing to the fact that she had "contacts". April had become like a older sister and the two were much closer than when they had first met but then that seemed to be the way that things went with Rebecca or so that was what she mused to herself. It was certainly the same with Raphael – they hadn't been the closest and then all that had changed after she saved him.
Arriving at the hospital April ushered her through a side door to where they were going to meet this "contact" of hers. Working in the media she certainly had a lot of useful contacts.
"You feeling okay?" asked April putting a supportive arm around Rebecca.
"Fine, just fine" Truth was she felt nervous, incredibly nervous.
"April O'Neil" a man in a white coat paced forward and held out a hand "Great to see you"
"And you Doctor – this is my friend"
Rebecca gave him a brief smile.
"Ah yes, the friend. Do come this way both of you"
He indicated down the corridor and to a side room – it was dark inside until he flicked a switch "I only have 10 minutes but I am sure that will be enough for this. If you would lie here Miss and lower your trousers please"
Rebecca got up onto the couch and did as he asked; revealing her flat toned stomach which still showed no indication of a baby bump of any kind.
"This will feel a little cold" April sat next to her as the doctor applied jelly to her mid-section and held the scan probe in his grasp.
"Okay, let's have a look shall we"
Pressing the probe onto her abdomen he moved it around. Rebecca looked at the screen next to her all the time expecting to see a monster appear with dark eyes and gnashing teeth. Instead she saw a small bean shaped object.
"There you are – would you like to hear the heart beat?"
Rebecca nodded feeling numb. The thump-thump sound of a beating heart filled the room.
"Everything looks perfectly normal here – do you know how far along you are?"
"No we don't know much I'm afraid just that it's a bit complicated" replied April
"From this I would say you were a few weeks and trust me everything looks like it is progressing well – you have a perfectly healthy baby in there"
Rebecca could feel her mouth getting dry "If there were problems would you be able to tell?" she asked, feeling herself growing hot.
The doctor frowned: "Problems? As in genetic? Do you know who the father is?"
"Again it's complicated" interrupted April
"Look Miss you really are too early for a scan but I did this as a favour for April but please try not to worry like I said everything looks like it is progressing well"
"And the baby looks normal?" In spite of everything Rebecca still found this hard to believe
"Yes your baby looks normal"
"Are you sure?"
"Yes I am sure, I do this on a regular basis. Would you like a picture?"
"Yes please" said April, trying to soothe over the Doctor's worrying glances and confused expression with a bright smile.
He printed off a photograph and gave it to Rebecca then motioned to April to follow him outside whilst the gel was wiped off and she got sorted. Once the door was closed he scratched his head and faced her still holding onto the look of confusion "Look April I know I did this for a favour but your friend seems to be awfully worried, is there something else I should know about this?"
"No doctor, there's nothing, honestly, she's just a little apprehensive that's all – first time mom an' all" April was hoping he'd drop it and not ask anymore questions.
"Well if she does want to discuss anything do let me know and do make sure she gets plenty of rest – these first few weeks are very important"
April nodded "I'll take good care of her"
Back outside she walked quietly with Rebecca who was still looking at the photograph.
"Want to grab a coffee or herbal tea, water?"
"That would be nice" Rebecca paused then put the picture away to look at April "Thanks"
"It's nothing, I'm happy to help you"
They found a small coffee shop back on Main Street and Rebecca chose a seat near the window so she could look at the people passing by and wonder what their lives were like. Were they facing challenges? Were they afraid?
"Now fancy seein' you here" Rebecca froze, oh she knew that voice. He pulled out a chair and sat opposite her "Small world. You look great by the way"
"Leave me alone" her voice was barely a whisper.
"Look I was worried, I know you've been to the hospital I just wanted to check you were okay"
"Are you following me?" She felt sick.
"Sorry, hard habit to break.."
April appeared back at the table with drinks "Who's this?" she asked. Nolan stood up and held out a hand.
"A good friend of your good friend"
Rebecca shot up from her seat – causing her chair to topple backwards "Don't touch him, that's Nolan" she said firmly.
April looked shocked "Why are you here?"
Nolan smirked at her "Why not? It's a free country – and last time I checked this is a public place"
"I'm sorry, I can't…" Rebecca grabbed her coat and Nolan went to lunge at her in an attempt to stop her leaving, April saw this and blocked him.
"Move Miss O'Neil or you will be sorry. Her father was a pain in the ass and look what I did to him!"
Rebecca turned back round – this guy had gone too far. Marching over to him she grabbed his coat and pulled him out of the building. Back out on Main Street he un-hooked himself from her grasp and straightened out his jacket "This is quality leather babe please be careful".
"Don't babe me" shouted Rebecca "Leave us alone – leave us all alone!"
Suddenly there was a feeling of electricity coming from her hands and an energy shot forward catching hold of Nolan and sending him flying backwards. People screamed and fled. April grabbed her hand "We gotta get out of here, now" and with that she pulled her away.
Reaching the car she locked the doors and started the engine. Rebecca just sat there looking at her hands; she couldn't believe what had just happened.
"What was that? I didn't know you could do that anymore?"
"Neither did I" murmured Rebecca. Certain things had changed but she didn't know she was that powerful again. Why was this? Like so many other things she had no answers.
At April's apartment Rebecca went to the bathroom to rinse her face, returning to the lounge she could hear April on the phone.
"Yes she's okay just a little shaken up. Look I think you should come over – I don't want to leave her on her own…yes I know…okay, that's great, thanks, see you soon"
Putting the phone in her jacket pocket she sat down. Rebecca sat opposite her.
"I really don't want to leave you on your own so I've asked Raph to come over"
Taking a deep breath Rebecca looked down at her hands "You think I might destroy the place.." she began
"Gosh Becky no, I'm worried that this Nolan will come back. I'm worried for you not the apartment"
A tapping sound came from the door; thinking it was Raphael she opened it but then realised she shouldn't: it was Nolan.
"Should've known" she took several steps back and pulled Rebecca towards her.
He walked in clapping his hands with a satisfied smirk plastered across his face "Well I have to say it Rebecca I am impressed. For someone who had no powers you are doin' a pretty good job of lookin' quite powerful – you should check out UTube – you are famous girl"
"Someone must have recorded it" whispered Rebecca as the two of them continued to back away.
"YOU again!" growled Raphael – he appeared in the door way behind Nolan his sais already drawn.
"What a surprise – a mutant freak!" Nolan shot Raphael a look then sprung at him only to be knocked to the ground. The two of them quickly became embroiled in a fight. "Why do you keep poppin' up?" asked Nolan as he punched Raphael in the shoulder causing him to stumble.
"Could say the same about you" A sai stabbed forward and injured Nolan on the arm. As they all watched the wound appeared to take a life of it's own and closed up until there was nothing there.
"Told you green guy I am indestructible!" he mocked. Hands gripped into fists began to change into long lean ones with claws. With this new look he lunged back at Raphael gashing his side and then the other. Rebecca had seen enough. Feeling the power build once again she swung Nolan around and flung him out through the window. Raphael got to his feet, wincing in pain.
"Let me help you" she whispered, helping him to stand up properly.
April was looking out of the window checking for Nolan "He's gone" she said "I'll get the first aid kit"
"No need" added Rebecca "I think I can.."
Placing her hands on the wounds they began to glow and within minutes he was healed; just like she had done before. Raphael looked at her "You.." he began, feeling shocked.
"I know, crazy right?" she tried to make a joke of it.
And he grabbed her and held her as tight as he could; then remembering she was pregnant he loosened his grip and let her go "Sorry it's just I, I can't believe.."
"I think it is safe to assume I have indeed gone backwards" Rebecca sat down on the sofa
"Well, there were clues" Raphael sat next to her and took hold of her hand in his own.
April frowned "You knew she was changing?"
"There were a couple of minor things that's all.." replied Rebecca "I asked Raph not to say anything"
April walked to the kitchen and back "Okay. But that's it – that's all there is?"
Raphael squeezed Rebecca's hand and answered for her "Yes that's it"
They both knew it was a lie but with so many lies floating around it was easy. Not that it should have been; April was her friend and she had been really kind to her.
It would appear though that April was happy with the reply and in another hour she was collected by Casey and delivered to her office leaving just Rebecca and Raphael. She cuddled up next to him, laying her head on his lap she remained quiet. All the while that the silence passed between them he stroked her neck and shoulders and her head whirred round and round with question after question.
"What you thinking about?" asked Raphael. His touch was begin to distract her mind as her body began to wake up.
"Everything" she muttered "I think I am getting what I deserve"
Raphael frowned and pulled her up so he could look at her "What are you on about?"
Her eyes refused to meet his and instead she got up "I'm a bad person Raph, I am lying to everyone and more importantly we are lying to Leo, he's your brother and I can't believe you don't feel any guilt because I do"
Raphael got up and wrapped his large arms around her "Tell him then, if that'd make you feel better about us"
She wriggled away from him and ran her hands through her hair "He will find out and he'll hate us"
"He won't find out unless you tell him; Donnie won't say anything..if he does I will pound him and he knows that. I warned him… though he did tell Sensei"
Rebecca looked at him wide eyed "He told Splinter, Oh God, he must hate me!"
Raphael tried again to hug her but she slipped past him to the kitchen.
"Oh my God.."
"Don't panic, I beat him – he won't say anything else"
Rebecca slumped down in a chair "That's your answer to everything.."
"What..and it isn't your new answer since you got your powers back?" He felt frustrated by her.
"No! I hate fighting but I just had no choice!" she snapped, putting her head in her hands.
He felt uncomfortable, unsure of what to do and so they remained there standing close and yet so far apart. He wanted to reach out to her but didn't know how to so he kept a distance. A beat down was the only way some idiots listen. He knew he was right about this and that's how he knew Donatello wouldn't say a word to anyone else.
In the lair Leonardo found himself sitting at the kitchen table having finished training with his brothers and having a one on one session with Splinter to further hone his skills. He was annoyed by Raphael who had once again disappeared without saying where he was going. Raphael was really going off the rails and he didn't seem to care one bit about loyalty and family.
Donatello came into the kitchen and sat down next to him "Okay bro?" he asked
"I would be if we could tag that brother of ours" replied Leonardo "He's gone off again on his own"
Donatello felt awkward so he coughed a couple of times to try and clear it. He knew exactly where Raphael would be "Do you not know where?"
Leonardo shook his head "You need to put a tracker on his T-phone that is going to be the only way forward Donnie"
Donatello coughed again "Look Leo I have to say something but have you not noticed how he is with Becky? How they are together?"
Leonardo turned to look at his brother "What do you mean?"
"Well, they're a bit over friendly if you get my drift…"
"Over-friendly? Flirting you mean?"
"Err, no I think it's gone beyond that.." Donatello's sentence trailed off "You'd have to ask them though, I mean, I could be.."
Leonardo got up "You think he's….and she's…" he stopped "They wouldn't.."
Now Donatello felt really uncomfortable.
"Donnie…tell me everything you know….and start at the very beginning"