(A/N: Enjoy and feel free to review! I'm doing my best to work on more!"
Back at the lair, Donnie had anxiously been waiting for their return, however his emotions exploded into a confused hurricane upon setting eyes on the mixed sight that unloaded from the truck. Bebop and Rocksteady, Eva's damaged condition, his brothers' unconscious state, all of this was too much at once.
"Calm yourself, my son, one breath at a time" Master Splinter reassured as he placed a hand on his son's arm. Donatello drew a deep breath. His father was right.
"Hurry and take them to the med bay, I have everything set up in there" he directed, pointing in the intended direction. Anton and Ivan each hoisted a turtle to carry and followed Casey and April who worked together to lift one of the brothers. The purple masked turtle then turned his attention to Eva. The young woman stood stright, but it was more than obvious it was taking everything she had not to collapse. Her shirt was shrredded along with parts of her pants with blood still soaking through the fabric. Donnie was a little afraid to see what kind of damage had been done.
Leo was going to kill him.
"Take care of miss Evangeline my son, I will check on your brothers" Master Splinter spoke up, hobbling on his cane toward the infirmary.
"Come on, let's take a look" Donnie stated, leading the way toward his lab. Evangeline followed, doing her best to avoid limping. Unfortunately Eva's shoulder was useless as she struggled to scoot onto the exam table.
"What exactly happened to you?" asked Donatello as the purple masked mutant raffled through his drawers.
"Let's just say I'm not a fan of androids anymore"
Donatello resisted a chuckle, making use out of what he could do with one arm.
"Probably a dumb question to ask where it hurts" the mutant joked, motioning for Eva to remove the battered fabric she wore.
"Whatever doesn't probably will tomorrow" Eva hissed as her shoulder gave protest. A knock at the door, however, made both of them pause.
"Miz Evangeline, we're gonna head out before Red and Blue wake up. We don't wanna make'em any more angrier than they probably will be" Anton stated from the other side.
"Ok, be safe going home" Eva called, cradling her busted shoulder.
"Speak for yourself" she heard Ivan chuckle, "Let us know how Mikey's doing when you can"
"Will do!"
"Do I want to know?" Donnie asked with a raised eyebrow ridge, examining over Eva's damaged shoulder.
"No"
From there, any conversation fell silent as Evangeline let Donnie work, assisting with her good arm when needed. When he was finished, Don reached over his computer and pulled down her forgotten jacket she had forgotten the very first time she had been in the lair. Honestly she had completely forgotten about it until now.
"Thanks Don" She stated, doing her best to pull it on and pull up the zipper. From there the two of them made their way out into the lair where Evangeline collapsed into the cushions. She would hang around until the other three woke up, then head home. Unfortunately, as the young woman sat watching Donatello fiddle with one of his projects on the coffee table, her eyelids started to slowly feel like lead weights. When had she become so tired? Either way, her body's demand for sleep overwhelmed any desire to stay awake.
"Leo! Calm down!"
Evangeline's eyebrows furrowed, stirring from her slumber. What the hell was that ruckus?
"Leo, you should really be resting" Donnie's voice stated.
Couldn't they be quieter?
"I'll rest when I have an answer"
Evangeline's eyes snapped open at the sound of Leonardo's agitated tone. The eldest terrapin, despite his injuries, came stalking across the room, clad in nothing but loose sweatpants, his maskless gaze focused on his younger brother. Having a pretty good guess what was about to happen, the small female rose to her feet to stand beside Don behind the couch.
"Leo, don't-"
"What the hell were you thinking Donnie?" Leonardo's voice came out deep and angry.
"What are you talking about? Leo you should really rest more-"
"I don't want to hear it, Don! What were you thinking sending her in there-!" the older brother snapped, his three fingered hand extended to point at his sibling. It didn't make it far as a much smaller hand came up to slap it away with alarming force. The sound echoed through the sewer walls, silencing everyone watching. Their eyes fell on the source, who's expression glared up at the large mutant with a look that none of them had seen before.
"I'm the one who made the plan. I'm the one who volunteered to go into the duct. I'm the one who stayed behind to buy time"
Her voice was level, but bit with venom they hadn't heard since the young woman laid Raphael on his shell. Leonardo, however, didn't seem phased.
"It doesn't matter. You should have let Donnie, April, Casey and Master Splinter handle it"
"If you hadn't noticed, your brother was gravely injured and no offense to Master Splinter, but he's not as young as he used to be. He can't go around busting you guys out of trouble anymore" Evangeline retorted, crossing her arms. Without his mask, Leo's features were so much more pronounced. She would have most likely enjoyed it, had he not been so angry.
"It doesn't matter!" His voice rose, blue eyes narrowing down at her, "You're inexperienced! Do you even realize how reckless that was? Who knows what could have gone wrong?"
"Last I checked, everyone made it out just fine"
"That doesn't change the fact that you put everyone in danger! You have no training, and little to no experience as a fighter!" Even if you blacked out it would be sheer luck if you made it out alive!"
Evangeline's hands by this point had balled into tight fists, clenching until the knuckles grew stark white. Hazel eyes bored dangerously up at the mutant turtle, screaming silent volumes of emotions.
"Leonardo Hamato. I'm. Going. Home"
The cold use of his full name made even the mighty leader of the turtles take a step back. Eva stalked passed him, her gaze focused on the exit. She needed to get out of there before something regrettable was said.
"Hang on dudette, I'll-ouch- come with you" Mikey said from the doorway, taking a weak step forward.
"Don't. Get some rest Mikey, I know my way home" Evangeline's soft voice uttered, making the youngest stop in his tracks as she disappeared into the darkness of the tunnels. Leonardo only stood there, jaw clenched, unable to speak.
"My son," Master Splinter was the first to speak, approaching to place both hands on his cane as the rat eased into the recliner, "In my own wise words, you have fucked up"
Everyone's jaws toppled to the floor, staring wide-eyed at the elder. Never had he used such language!
"Master Splinter!" Michelangelo exclaimed in horror, none spectating knowing how to react.
"I am growing old and am running out of proverbs and haiku" their father stated, turning his attention toward his eldest, "However, Leonardo, I am disappointed in you. Reckless as it may have been, Miss Evangeline did assist in saving the lives of you and your brothers"
Leonardo felt his chest tighten. That much was painfully true. What had came over him? Yes, he had been angry, but also, the mutant had been terrified. Terrified at the very thought, for that split second, that someone precious to him could have been ripped away, and there would have been nothing he could do. A heavy hand rested itself on his shoulder.
"I think what Masta' Splinter is trying to say is go talk to'er, but don't make the same mistake" Raphael conveyed before taking a seat on the couch, grunting on his way down. Leo gave a nod, though whatever anger he had been feeling had shrunk, it was still there. He needed some fresh air.
"I'm going..."
"Shouldn't you rest first? You guys have been through a lot" April stated, crossing her arms.
"I need some fresh air, I'll call if I run into trouble" the maskless leader replied, waving a hand toward the red head as he strolled out of the lair. What injuries he'd received in their fight were minimal compared to his brothers. He counted himself fortunate. Out of habit the ninja reached back only to find that his faithful katana were not there, making him feel almost naked. Maybe they could go back to the ruins of the building to find their weapons soon, surely they would be there.
Leonardo scaled the latter to the surface, moving the manhole plate to climb out and begin his accent to the rooftops. The cold night air felt good to his hot skin, the loose sweatpants he had been changed into doing nothing to slow him down. The mutant turtle took a deep breath, exhaling it slowly. It felt good breathe fresh air.
One step at a time, he started to jog across the roof, heading in the direction of Evangeline's building. Master Splinter had indeed been right, he had came off as ungrateful, however that still didn't excuse the fact Eva had been completely reckless. When he got there, Leo decided though an apology was in order, he would still be firm on the fact she should have never involved herself!
After all, it was lucky she hadn't came face to face with the androids they had been taken by. There would probably have been nothing left of her! He refused to think about what could have happened to her, his heart just couldn't take it.
Grunting slightly, the terrapin lowered himself to the unlocked window of Eva's building, using his feet to lift it to swing himself in, all the while going over everything he wanted to say in his head. His hand hesitated for a split second on the doorknob, enough to take a patient breath before opening it.
"Eva…." his voice carried through the apparently empty apartment. Had she not made it back yet?
"Come to yell at me more?" Came a reply from Evangeline's bedroom just as the door began to open.
"No, but I wanted to-" Leonardo started, fully prepared to go into a full lecture, that is, until the leader's eyes took in the young woman's appearance. Though she wore nothing but a silk nightgown, which normally would have sent the terrapin into a fluster, it was the fact that Eva's fair skin was severely discolored with bruises, especially her left shoulder. Her small lips adorned a split on the bottom, and though they were small, cuts on her cheeks and across her nose were visible.
Leonardo lost every word that he had rehearsed previously, visibly melting. Eva watched the expression on the turtle's face soften as two large hands extended, one cupping her injured shoulder with a gentleness the young woman wasn't aware he possessed, the other brushed across a wound that adorned her lower chest. His touch made her body shiver, forcing the young woman to take a shaky breath.
"I thought you made it out fine..." Leonardo nearly whispered, letting his fingers lightly glide down her arm. Eva never let her eyes leave his, taking in his bare features. Seeing him in nothing but a pair of sweatpants was a rare, and lovely opportunity.
"I did, it was just a bit rougher than I would have preferred" Evangeline lightly joked, resting her hand on his. He didn't seem amused at all.
"Eva…. This could have been so much worse"
"Don't you think I know that?" the small female sighed, pulling her eyes away to look at the floor, "You don't seem to understand that I couldn't just sit back and leave you all there"
"Why? Casey and April could have handled it. Why did you have to put yourself in danger?" he asked, eye ridges furrowing together.
Evangeline took in a deep breath, summoning all the courage she had.
"Because.. I love you..." she stated, face turning a deep tomato red. It took a moment for what the young woman said to fully register. He didn't really know how to react. Leo's heart pounded wildly in his chest, his breathing struggled to maintain its normal control. He froze.
"Leo..?" Eva whispered, reaching up with her good arm to squeeze the hand on her shoulder.
"Eva...I'm a mutant" Leonardo breathed, the expression he now held making Eva's heart wrench violently in her chest.
"Do I look like I care? Donnie, April and Mikey have done very well to remind me, and honestly that hasn't changed anything" Eva deadpanned, taking a step closer.
"Wait, they know?" he interjected, not knowing whether to be horrified or disappointed that he had been left out of the loop.
"Yea, well, shit happens..."
Leonardo drew in another deep breath, not really sure how to feel. What was he suppose to say? Suppose to do? A visible wince, however, alerted the turtle to a more pressing matter at hand. Eva had most likely been planning to go to bed, and considering her current state, was in pain. Without hesitation Leo gently swept the young woman into his arms to return to her room.
"I'm sorry..." he mumbled, silently wishing this could be under better circumstances.
"For what?" she asked, leaning into the smooth warmth of the large male's plastron. Too bad this couldn't last.
"In the lair, I was..."
"Leo, yea, you were a jerk, but you were just scared for your family" Eva reassured, sighing at the welcoming softness of her own bed. Running on nothing but coffee, adrenaline and sheer will was so tiring.
"My brothers, though I do worry about them, have been through much worse" he stated, taking a seat on the edge of the mattress, "But, when I heard you had gone into that building alone.."
Now that the initial surprise had worn down, Leonardo now felt his words coming back to him. Evangeline had confessed something almost unbelievable, and with the way he felt right now, the eldest wanted nothing more than to return it.
He looked to the petite female sitting in the bed, only now taking in her current state of dress. The blue silk settled so delicately against the small shapes of her bosom, flowing all the way down to barely cover her hips. Green suddenly started to dust with pink as the turtle watched one of the thin straps slide off her shoulder. A large lump formed in his throat. Pull yourself together Leonardo!
"You were scared I wouldn't come back" her tender voice nearly whispered.
"I was.."
"Then, do you feel the same way?"
The oldest of the ninjas sucked in a breath. There was no denying it by this point.
"I do"
Those words made Eva's heart swell to the point of bursting, just knowing that what she felt wasn't one sided. His colored cheeks however, tugged a smirk to her lips.
"Take your time Leo, there's no rush" she reassured, reaching out to thread her fingers through his, giving them a squeeze.
"Thank you" he smiled gratefully, standing and placing his free hand to her cheek, "Get some rest. Don would kill me if I kept you up"
Evangeline gave into an amused chuckle.
"Be careful getting home"
"Always"
Eva watched the turtle leave before falling back on the bed, covering her face with a pillow. She could only guess what Brandon would say with this kind of news.
