Gabriella was just finishing the fourth DVD when she heard a noise. Voices! She looked at the clock and it showed four thirty in the morning. She turned the DVD player off and stored the loose discs inside the armoire. She didn't really want anyone to see her watching these, not knowing if Seth had been given permission or not. They looked private. Certainly, she felt that if Don caught her with them, might think she went snooping somewhere she shouldn't have and 'squirreled' them into her room. She turned the small table lamp off and sat by the door to listen.
" Seth, get that couch turned out in the den. Gee, I hope it's made up!" It was Mike's voice, spoken in a low whisper! He seemed upset.
" Man, he's in a lot of pain. I'll go make some herbal tea! Don, just keep him calm. Devon, stay with Don and then when Seth has the sofa bed ready, we'll bring Raph in" That must have been Leo since Gabriella didn't recognize the voice. All he had done when he first arrived last evening was nod to her.
RAPH!! Gabriella was elated. He was alive! By all accounts, from how Rahab had sounded last evening, Gabriella really thought that Raph would be dead. But, no, he was alive and that made her heart jump with excitement! Besides Rahab and Seth, Raph had shown her compassion and a gentleness. Almost a fatherly like approach.
She listened more intently, now. Some moments passed. Then, Mike spoke and it sounded like he was at the front door. " Okay, let's bring him in!" and then there were footsteps as Seth and Leo left the house. A moment later, " Hey, Bro, it's gonna be a'right!" Mike again, trying to calm someone. Raph? " Hey, calm down, we're going to put you in the den. Just take it easy! Yeah, I know you hurt, but Leo has some tea brewing for 'ya and then you'll feel a lot better"
Gabriella could her sounds like some struggling was going on with grunts and moans. " Hold him - good golly, no matter what they did to him, his spirit sure wasn't hurt none! " Then, " There, you're home, Raph. Everyth'ns gonna be fine, now! We'll take care of you, okay?! Leo's getting his tea ready for you - just hold on, okay!" The strain in Mike's voice was clearly evident. Obviously, this brother cared deeply for Raph.
Gabriella couldn't contain herself. She quietly and slowly opened her bedroom door and stepped out. She hugged the wall along the landing, not wanting to interfer with her presence, yet completely into what was happening downstairs. No one was down below to see her. They were busy somewhere else. She could see the front door from where she stood. It was now closed. Where was everyone?
The den was right off the foyer to the right of where she was looking. The steps down to the foyer were about eight feet to her left, the staircase gracefully curving down and around to the right from her posistion. If she were to stand on the first step at the bottom, the front door would be to her immediate left with the living room on the left side of that between the front entry and the staircase. The living room was deeper than the front door, extending out to the front, creating a porch outside the front entry.
The den was directly across from the living room to the right of the entry. At Gabriella's angle, she could see into the den, but only partially. The sofa bed was along the far right side of that room, but she could only make out the end of it and Raph's legs! He was wrething as if in a great deal of pain. Her heart went to her throat at the very thought of the agony he was suffering from. She wanted to help!
Just then, Rahab came from the other end of the landing where her and Mike's bedroom was, wrapping her robe around her as she walked hurridly along towards Gabriella.
" What's happening?" she whispered anxiously as she came up to her.
Her niece answered in a hushed tone, " It's Raph, they have him in the den. I don't know how bad off he is, but Leo's making him some tea. "
"That should help him. Leo's tea can work wonders in that way!" Rahab commented, relief showing on her face.
Just then, the turtle in question came from under the stairwell, from the direction of the kitchen, towards the den. He had a steaming teapot and a cup. However, he had heard Gabriella and turned around as he came within view of the landing, " Go back to bed, Gabriella!" and it was not said as a suggestion.
" But....." she protested.
" Now! This is none of your concern. Go!" He locked his eyes onto hers, his serious expression giving her a silent warning to obey.
Gabriella looked at Rahab, who quietly concured with Leo, saying " I'll be right up as soon as I know something, okay? Leo knows you're concerned!" Then she affectionately patted Gabby's right cheek, leaned in and whispered, " It's never a good idea to challenge him! " and smiled.
Leo kept watching her. So, Gabby did as she was told and meekly returned to her room. She sat by the door, though. If she couldn't be out there, she was hoping to at least hear what was going on. Gabriella leaned up against the door, her ear pressed hard to catch any sound, any comment that might tell her how bad off Raph was. After a while, she found herself dreaming.
Gabriella found herself back in the forest, running happily. She felt lighter than air as she tripped along the forest floor. The trees were open and not so high that she couldn't see the tops. She felt like she was back in Connecticut again! The fall leaves with their colors seemed to swirl around her as she ran along. But, then, the trees started to grow right before her eyes. Their very nature changed, becoming wider and bigger, nearly reaching the stars above her. It had been daylight, but now it turned to night! Suddenly, she saw something leap at her and she screamed, jumping back. It was a lion, but not the kind of lion Gabriella would have expected! This one had the head of a dragon! It missed her, allowing Gabby to collect herself and start running in the opposite direction. It chased her as it called out for her to stop. But, she kept on going, the terror of this monster getting closer with each stride it took. "How can a lion talk?" she was asking herself. "Lions can't talk - can they?" she questioned as she ran. Then, abruptly, she came to a wall and couldn't go any further! Turning, she saw the creature advance upon her. She screamed once again and thought for sure it would succeed in killing her. Just as she believed she was going to die, someone dressed all in black leaped up onto the top of the wall from the other side. The person carried a long sword that dripped with blood! He yelled something in Japanese and jumped down between Gabriella and the lion. In one fluid movement as the lion approached, the person in black neatly sliced the head off of the creature. Crumbling to a heap, the animal lay dead - no longer a threat. Gabriella was crying out of relief and started to thank her rescuer. He turned towards her, said something else in Japanese, and started to take his mask off.......but he disappeared into a cloud of smoke as Gabriella heard knocking. "What's with the knocking! I want to know who saved me! Be quiet!!" she yelled. The knocking continued.
"What?" she called out, then realized she was leaning up against the bedroom door. "Whoa, I must have fallen asleep!" she said. Gabriella felt her body protest as she started to straighten up. The knocking came a third time and it was then she realized that someone was on the other side.
Gabriella stood up and opened it. "Oh, hi, Rahab! Must have fallen asleep here. How bad is he??" she asked anxiously about Raph, deep concern on her face. She was still recovering from the dream and didn't hear Rahab's reply at first. " I'm sorry, just trying to clear the cobwebs. What did you say?"
" Raph's Bad, but he'll recover. It'll take some time. Leo's tea has helped him settle down; maybe he'll sleep now." Rahab replied. She seemed better than she did earlier when the news of Raph's beating was first learned.
" Why didn't they keep him in the hospital?" Gabriella asked.
" Raph hates hospitals. Always has. After Don arrived there, he made sure that Raph's vitals were stablized before moving him. That took -- a little while. " Rahab explained.
" They were all there the whole time? What about those - weapons of theirs. Didn't that cause problems?" Gabriella asked, confused.
Rahab looked at her niece and thought about how best to answer. Then, she decided that if this newest member was ever going to feel like part of the family, she would have to be treated that way, " Don had Devon stay with Raph once the medical staff had him sedated. They wanted to run x-rays and CAT scans, but he was so crazy with pain that he became dangerous. Once the drugs took effect, he could be manipulated for the tests, but it took a while. Devon stuck around as a security measure. He's as big as his dad, now, and just as strong, but inexperienced in the field. I guess he didn't complain much after he saw how bad off Raph is; there's a marked difference in him - that's for sure!"
" Then, where did Don and the others go?" Gabriella asked softly, not too sure she wanted to hear the answer.
" To find the people that hurt Raph!" was Rahab's simple reply.
Gabriella swallowed, again not sure if she wanted to know, but the question came out anyway, " Did ....did they find them?"
Rahab saw the look of trepidation on her niece's face. She answered, " No, they didn't. They're going to have to wait for Raph to get better before they can start looking again. He may have information the police don't! "
"Why not let the authorities handle it. Why don't they just go about these things the way most people would?"
" They're not like most people, Gabby! Or, haven't you noticed that yet? " and she kissed her niece on the forehead and said good night, telling her, " I think you need your rest, too! We're going to both be tired in the morning!"
Knowing that Raphael was back and that, eventually, he would be getting better put a calm over Gabriella's heart. But, she couldn't go back to sleep. Between the dream and her concern, she was wide awake! She thought about the medical books in the professor's library she had read. Her excellent memory would come in handy, she thought, as she considered the coming days of healing for Raph.
Gabriella had pulled her surrogate father out of the clutches of pnemonia just a few years ago, and he had made a complete recovery! All because she had gone on-line and saturated herself with as much information regarding treatment as she could glean. Once she understood what had happened to the professor, she was able to devise an appropriate treatment and therapy. He had always been grateful. Now, she felt compelled to assist in Raph's recouperation - if only they would let her! Finally, at around five forty-five in the morning, she fell asleep.
No one came in to wake her this time. Had it been just twenty four hours ago that she had woken up in the guest house? It seemed longer, for some reason. "What time is it" she thought. She turned over in her bed to look at the alarm clock and saw that it was two-thirty in the afternoon! " Wow, I need to get up!" and she jumped out of bed. She noticed that the armoire was opened! She also noticed that all the DVD's that Seth had loaned her were gone! Her heart jumped. Did Don come up here while she was sleeping? Maybe Rahab did, but why would she open the armoire and take the DVD's? That same anxiety that told her she was in trouble came back again. It nestled in the pit of her stomach, growling and hissing and growing increasingly bigger. She sat down on the bed and wondered what she would say if questioned. " It was Seth - he loaned them to me!" she could reply. But, in that instant, she realized she could not betray the very person who had tried to help her understand the dynamics of this very unique family. Gabriella made up her mind that if she was challenged about the DVD's, she would take full responsibility. It was the least she could do to thank Seth for enlightening her!
Because she felt so right about her decision, she was actually looking forward to the confrontation. She refreshed herself in the shower, washing her hair with a bit more enthusiasm than normal. Once out of the shower, she mussed with it very little, only combing it out with her hairpic and letting the tresses fall where they may. But then she decided to pile it up on her head and secure it with a gold clip, allowing the length of it to fall back behind her. She rather liked the look, it made her seem - mature! She smiled, knowing that her outlook on herself and life in general had taken an important turn. Gabriella didn't know why, but she felt more alive than she had for quite along time.
With her make-up on, she went to the closet and rummaged through her clothes. She wanted something a bit more sophisticated, so she chose the purple tunic the professor had bought her on one of his jaunts into New York. He had visited little Tokyo a few years ago and picked up a purple silk blouse with 3/4 sleeves and delicate gold embroidery along the sleeve ends and the hem. It was collar-less and had a v-cut in the neckline in front; with the same delicate needlework as on the sleeves and hem. The sides were split and they, too had that same design along the edges. The blouse cut in to accentuate her waste line Oveall, the blouse hung down just passed her hips. She had tried to wear it as a shift dress once, but it just wasn't long enough to cover enough certain physical attributes. At least, that's what the professor had told her! So, she wore it with black stretch pants and loafers. The professor always like that outfit the best on Gabriella, telling her that she looked very 'continental'. She had no idea what that meant, but she had liked the sound if it, just the same.
She took the stairs one step at a time, listening for any voices that might help her discern the general mood of the family. She heard nothing. As she walked into the foyer, she looked back towards the family room and kitchen. No one there, either. "Hmmm...." she said quietly. She went to the back patio door and noticed that Rahab was sitting by the pool. Riahna was there with her, just sitting and being quiet. Taking in the entire backyard, Gabriella could make out Mike who was with Devon. Don could have been in the guest house, sleeping. But, where was Leo?
" About time you were up!" It was him. Gabriella turned around sharply; he had startled her. Leo didn't look as serious this afternoon as he did hours ago. He smiled, " Sorry about snapping at you earlier. Things were pretty ugly and I didn't want you to see it! Thank you for cooperating. " and he bowed his head just a little.
Gabriella could see a lot of Seth in this one. His manners and his gentleness were evident. " Oh, well, I - ah, ... nothing I could have done. Not at the moment, anyway." Gabriella replied, a bit impressed with Leo's graciousness. " How is - Raph?" she asked, concerned.
" Resting! My tea is helping him sleep so his body can heal faster. It has healing properties, too, so that will help. His injuries are pretty bad, but the scans didn't reveal any vital organ damage, just muscle tearing and a severe concussion. Whoever did this, didn't take it as far as they could have; just enough to knock him out and give us all a scare!" Leo seemed relieved, but there was an undercurrent of anger in his voice.
" What's going to happen - to those who did this?" she asked.
He replied honestly, " Depends. If the authorities find them first, there'll be an arrest, trial, and sentencing." He paused, looking at this newest member of the family and decided - as Rahab did earlier - that being part of them meant knowing what they were about. "If we find them first, then we'll go right to sentencing!"
" Isn't that a little - illegal? I mean, if everyone became a vigilante for justice, there'd be chaos!" Gabriella stated.
She saw Leo's expression become more serious and then heard him say in a tone that meant business, " We have no intentions of killing these people, Gabriella! But, we will impress upon them how foolish it was to mess with any of us. Believe me, after we're done with them, they will be more than happy to turn themselves in to the local authorities! " and he turned around and began walking back to the den where Raph was sleeping.
" Can I visit with Raph? I'll be quiet, honest" Gabriella asked as she followed Leo. He turned his head around to look at her and smiled, " As long as you do that, yes, you can visit" and then he walked into the den.
Gabriella stifled a cry when she saw him. Raph's head was swollen, evidence that whoever did this awful thing had concentrated on that part of his anatomy. More than likely, his plastron and carapace didn't provide enough of a target, so they focused on the extremities instead. His one arm was in a cast, obviously broken. He had deep slashes and cuts to his arms which had been stitched closed by the hospital staff. The smear of antibiotics stained his skin, turning it a yellowish green, and made the room smell antiseptic. She could only imagine the same damage to his legs, but they were hidden under the covers. His breathing was steady, though, and that was a good sign. Gabriella looked very intently at Raphs's injuries. She mentally went through several medical books she had memorized, assessing his overall conditon based on what information they provided.
Rahab was right about it not being as bad as it could have been, but Gabriella was very concerned about Raph's head. There were serious contusions all over his face, which aided in the swelling, and a possible cracked skull. More than likely, a concussion, too! She wasn't sure if keeping him asleep was a good thing. But Leo did say his tea had healing properties!
There didn't seem to be any evidence of internal bleeding that she could see since the swelling was mainly epidermal. His eyes were blackened, so there could be some vision damage. But it was too soon to tell. Maybe when he woke up. It seemed like Raph had taken the beating well, though - Gabriella was impressed! He was one tough turtle, that was sure!
She looked closer, despite Leo's gentle pull on her to keep her distance. He whispered in her ear so softly, it tickled, " If he's not completely out, Gabby, Raph probably won't know it's you! He could kill you easily. Please stay back!" She reluctantly complied, but didn't take her eyes off of the stricken turtle. He stirred, obviously aware that someone was nearby. Gabriella cautiously gave him more room. He finally relaxed again.
Gabriella was hungry, but she did not want to leave the den. While she sat in one of the chairs and watched Raph, Leo dozed off and on. His brother stirred a bit, mumbled some nonsense about 'caramels' and 'beaches', and then went silent as he fell back into unconsiousness. Leo was sleeping quite soundly by that time, exhausted from his jet lag from Japan and keeping watch since early in the morning. It was only Gabriella who heard Raph's mumblings.
She hadn't taken her eyes off of him. There was just something about Raph that pulled at her heart. Maybe because he had tried to calm her on their way west, she wasn't sure. She knew it wasn't infatuation and it certainly wasn't romantic. It was more - maternal, for some odd reason. Raph was definately older than she, but he had a roguish quality that attracted nurturing. Right now, that quality was going full tilt! Gabriella wanted to help him, desperately. If only the others would allow her to. But, given her recent record for being less than cooperative, she knew it would be a moot point to offer.
Mike finally came in from outside, smiling at Gabriella as he noticed her. He went over to Raph to check on him. Mike sighed at the condition of his brother and then looked solumnly at Leo. He went over and spoke softly to him. " Leo."
Leo stirred and then woke up.
"Go get some sleep, I'll take it from here." Mike said quietly.
His brother nodded and stood up from the chair. Stretching a bit and then flexing his arms to get the kinks out, he nodded to Gabriella and left the den.
Mike asked, " Did you get anything to eat yet, Gabby?"
She answered, " No, but I don't want to leave him."
" S'okay. Go get yer'self somethin'. Raph's not going anywhere for a while." Mike smiled. He gently took her by the arm and pulled her easily out of the chair, " Might do you good to go outside and get some rays, too! If any there are any changes, I'll let everyone know."
She started to protest. But, he noticed it before any words came out of her mouth. He gave her a look that meant she didn't have a choice. " Promise you'll let us know?" she ventured softly.
" Yep, cross my heart!" and he smiled again.
Gabriella did not want to leave the den. She felt compelled to stay there, watching, waiting. hoping. But, Mike's expression at that moment mirrored a particular edge that she had seen in one of the DVD's she had watched earlier. It wasn't a look she cared to investigate further on a personal level.
Thinking about that brought to mind those DVD's that had been taken from her room while she slept. She wondered if Mike was trying to get her out of the room and in a position to be confronted by Don. They worked as a team yesterday, so it seemed likely they were together again on this DVD issue. There was only one way to find out.
Gabriella made herself a sandwich and grabbed a mango from the fruit bowl. She was a little hesitant to go outside with Riahna there, but decided that she needed to face this one obstical that had dogged her since yesterday. Regardless of the outcome, she was not going to recoil. She would face whatever outburst this young autistic woman threw at her.
Taking a seat at one of the umbrella-covered patio tables, Gabriella remembered she hadn't brought out anything to drink. Leaving her plate there, Gabriella went back inside the house. A moment later, she returned and - noticed the sandwich was on the other side of the mango from where she had originally put it. Not that it was such a big deal, but it unnerved her. She stared at it for a moment, trying to convince herself that maybe she was mistaken. But, her good memorie contradicted the placement of her food. It was then that Gabriella saw Riahna out of the corner of her eye, grinning for all the world like a cat who ate the canary. She then understood in that moment why her sandwich had been moved. She turned and bowed slightly to Riahna in concession and gave her an equally big smile! As if she had been waiting for an excuse to do so, Riahna got up and ran over to her! Gabriella took a half step back, not knowing what intentions this young woman had, given her autistic nature. Totally surprising her, Riahna gave her a huge hug and giggled!
Devon and Seth had seen this display of truce and relaxed their vigil. They were prepared to interfer with Riahna if she decided to do more than just rearrange the food on Gabriella's plate. Though their sister was compliant for the most part, she did have a temper that could go ballistic at the drop of a hat! Not wanting to further intimidate this newest member of their family, they had been given the responsibility to ward off any outbursts that Riahna might express towards Gabriella.
The two brothers were over by the pool, discussing the events from the night before. It was obvious they had found everything quite disturbing, albeit they were very concerned about Raph. The topic then changed to the newest member of their family.
" So, what'd ya think of Gabs?" Devon asked Seth. " Did she try to bite your head off while you watched the house last night?
Seth pondered his answer. He looked over at her as she ate her meal, and then turned to Devon, "There's more to her than anyone here has ventured to find out! That's all I can say!"
Devon was puzzled, " You are aware of the trouble she's caused, right? I mean, it was a hoot listening to Mike talk about the run-around she gave my dad and Don in Connecticut! But then, when she ran off yesterday for the whole day! Wow, Don was madder than I've ever seen him! She was almost eaten by that couger who'd been bugging our place lately, but Mike got'em finally. Anyway, glad it wasn't me he was going after, I can tell you that! I don't think I've ever given them that much trouble! "
Seth just looked at his slightly older brother and stated matter of factly, " Guess that depends on who's telling the story, Devon!" he sniggered.
" What? Hey, I know I was trouble, but - not as bad as that! " he defended himself.
" Again, it depends on one's point of view!" Seth laughed. He then stood up and walked over to the table where Gabriella sat. Devon just glared after him, not at all amused by his brother's comment!
Riahna decided that sitting next to her new cousin was better than doing anything else. There wasn't much talking, but Riahna did let Gabriella know that all was forgiven; she leaned into her! Hard. Very hard. It made eating a challenge for Gabriella. Finally, Seth came around and hugged Riahna. Whispering something in her ear, she then gleefully slipped off the bench and ran over to the garden area to pick some flowers.
Rahab sighed, " Riahna! " as she got up to go supervise the harvest. She looked back at Seth as if to say, "Thanks alot!!". He grinned back, shrugging innocently.
"So, have a good sleep, Gabby?" he asked her. She swallowed her bite of food and replied, " Yeah. But, I wish I hadn't slept so long, though." She wondered if she should tell him about the missing DVD's. Realizing that sharing them with her might have him in trouble, she decided the nicest thing was to warn him. " Say, about those DVD's?" she ventured.
Seth brightened, " Yeah, what'd you think about 'em."
Gabriella hadn't been concerned about that, but replied anyway, " Interesting. But, I wanted to let you know that..."
" Just 'interesting' ? That's all you can say?" he asked, somewhat deflated. " Did you watch all of them. " Seth inquired.
" Well, I think not quite half. I stopped watching when they brought Raph home. Where were you, by the way? I thought you were suppose to stay up while they were gone?"
" I was. Went to bed once I knew that Raph was going to be all right!" he paused, " But, I want to know what you thought of the DVD's!" He looked expectantly at her.
" They're gone!" was all Gabriella said.
" Gone?" Seth asked, confused.
" They weren't there this afternoon when I woke up. Someone came in, opened up the armoire, and took all of them - even the one still in the DVD player! I think maybe Don came up and took them! Were you allowed to show me those, by the way? " Gabriella asked softly so she wouldn't be overheard.
Seth started to laugh, saying, " No, Don didn't take them! How could he have known! He maybe ninja, but he cannot read minds - though he's pretty good a discerning people, that's for sure! Not as good as my father, though! Anyway, I came back and took them; and to answer your question - NO, I was not suppose to show you those! " He looked over at Rahab, " Mom gave me permission. She's going to talk to Mike about it later, once Raph is out of the woods. She doesn't like hitting him with too may things at once, especially after this attack on my uncle!"
But Gabriella only heard one thing, "You came into my room, while I was asleep? Do you realize how inappropriate that is?" Gabriella was indignant, though somewhat embarrased.
"For Pete's sake, Gabby, we're family. It's not like I had any intention to dishonor you! Get a grip." Seth, now, was offended.
"That's not the point!" Gabriella said, more embarrased than angry with him. " It's just not - proper, is all!" and she blushed.
Seth smiled watching the color come to her face. He tried to keep himself from laughing. Finally, he replied lightheartedly, "Gabby, we're related - in case that hasn't occured to you. That means - well, it means we can't allow other things to get in the way of that! It just wouldn't be...." and he realized that this cousin of his seemed more intriguing that he had first thought.
Misinterpreting Seth's response, Gabriella agreed, saying, " I guess that would be silly. After all, I am older than you and being related would be a hindrence - not that anything like that could happen, of course... but....." her last words trailed off as it hit her where this discussion was going. She quickly looked away from him and studied the crumbs on her plate, feeling her face hot with discomfort.
" Our age difference isn't that much, maybe four years, but being related would be a problem!" There was an edge of sadness in Seth's voice.
" That pretty much limits things for you and Devon - and me, doesn't it?" Gabriella asked. She looked at him and noticed his expression had changed from amusement to meloncholy.
" Yeah, it pretty much does. We're unique, that's for sure. If it weren't for Mom, my siblings and I wouldn't even be here. She just sort of walked onto Mike's property out in the desert in Mojave. From what I was told, until she came around, my uncles had to seek out friendships with human females."
Gabby asked, " What about your dad? Was he married to your mom at one time?"
Seth looked at her and then turned away. Finally, he said very quietly, " I was sort of an answer to a dream he had one night. My mom was married to Raph at the time, visiting in Japan where my dad lived, where she had Devon. They were over there for quite a long while because there was some problem with a rival Clan. Anyway, as I was told, my dad had this dream where he was suppose to have a son! Problem was, he had taken an oath of celebacy - and my mom was married to your dad! "
Gabby worked on that for a moment, and then - supressing her voice - asked, " He didn't break the oath? Did he?"
Seth nodded, "In the end it all worked out, though Raph and I don't have the best relationship. We get a long better than we have, but it'll never be close. I'm sort of proof positive that Leo took advantage Rahab." He was quiet for a moment, thinking about his uncle and the difficulty he had being around him.
" Anyway, Gaele is working on a way to bridge the species back east in one of Don's labs, but so far she's not been too successful. Hopefully, she'll find a way before the rest of us are too old to care!" Seth smiled.
Gabriella was quiet, thinking about all he had said to her. Seth was easy to talk to and, despite his appearance, she was getting to like him. Maybe, if enough time went by, Gabreilla would see this family as more her own than she was feeling at present. She still had this desire to return to Connecticut and would, in a heartbeat, if Don gave her the opportunity. But, that was not going to happen any time soon.
Thinking about what Don had told her in the gymnasium the day before, Gabriella asked Seth, " I have a question for you that no one here wants to answer! Where do I fit in with this family?" Gabriella earnestly wanted to know. If she could identify with someone here, she felt it might help her to adjust better.
Seth swallowed, knowing what Don had requested per the professor's wishes. He looked at her and felt that Gabby deserved an answer to her question. He believed wholeheartedly that it would help her to get used to being there. Still, there was that Clan realm thing Leo and Don had impressed upon him so many times. 'When commanded to say nothing, do nothing lest you be asked.' Fortunately, he looked up and saw that Don was coming from the guest house. " Looks like Don's awake, Gabby!"
Her need for answers left her immediately, being replaced by a feeling of dread, that awful feeling at the sound of his name. She thought of Don, like the dread of dawn from yesterday. Suddenly, as if it dropped from the sky and hit her on the head, her mood changed instantly. She began to laugh, just a little, but with each gaffaw, it built upon itself. Seth looked at her, not understanding her mood change. "What? I thought you were afraid of him?"
She was really giggling now, which in turn had Seth smiling a bit. He looked at her quite amused, but for the life of him, he couldn't figure out why she was acting the way she was!
As Don came closer, Gabby tried very hard to control herself, but she just kept thinking about Don, the Dread of Dawn and busted up some more. She laughed loudly, trying to hold it back by cupping her hands over her mouth but she was near to losing it completely.
Don stopped and looked at her like she had completely lost her mind. Gabby tried not to look at him only because it made her laugh all the more. He shook his head, grumbled a bit, and continued on into the house to grab himself a cup of coffee. He had been up half the night sifting through the scant collection of clues concerning Raph's beating. He was not in a very good mood!
" What is so funny?" Seth laughed once Don was in the house, not knowing why he was laughing, but it was becoming contagious.
" I-- hee hee - can't say it outloud!" she giggled. She leaned towards him and whispered in his ear what she had thought was so funny, explaining the play on words. He started to snigger, too, and then his laugh became an outright guffaw. Finally, they were both laughing so hard, it brought Mike out to see what was going on. "HEY! Quiet, already. You want to wake Raph up!!" he yelled softly.
That calmed them - some. But, it was a done deal. Don, the Dread of Dawn would not leave their thoughts and they both took off across the patio, passed the garden and Riahna, whispering the new moniker for Don! They sat down as far as they could from the rest so that their laughter wouldn't bother anyone.
Rahab had returned to the table after convincing Riahna not to pull all the flowers out. She was just as puzzled as Mike was.
" Do you know waz' going on?" Mike asked.
" I haven't a clue. All I know is as soon as Don made his appearance, they started laughing!" she had a smile on her face, too, but it was only a result of watching her son and niece fall apart at the table.
" What's so amusing?" Don grouched as he walked out to the patio, the newspaper in hand.
Mike replied, " Guess - you are!" and smirked cheerfully at his brother.
He was completely confused, now, " All I did was come out of the guest house, for cry'n out loud!" Don grunted and sat down to read the newspaper, sipping his coffee, hearing faint laughter from across the way, and wondering what was so incredibly funny - about him!
Seth and Gabriella sat for a long time, discussing a great many things. She talked about living in Connecticut, at times tearing up at the mention of the professor. Seth listened to her more intently, understanding now what she was going through. Her answer to his question the night Raph was beaten had piqued his interest in understanding this new cousin of his. Hopefully, by being an ear and a shoulder for her, Gabriella might come around to accepting her new family.
When she was done, Seth then told her about the clan life. He thought if she understood what they were all about, it would assist in getting used to her new life here in Big Sur.
As he went through some of the rules, Gabriella interrupted him at one point, asking, " I thought the Japanese govenment tried to do away with Samauri and those like them back in the mid 1800's?! "
Seth replied, " Well, they did with the Samurai, but Ninjas were different! It was hard to track them down since they lived secretly, unlike the Japanese warriors! You see, Ninjitsu developed about Twelve hundred years ago on an island of Japan called Honshu. It was the mountain dwelling people of that island that formed it. Some displaced soldiers and generals from China who escaped the political upheavals influenced some of what we now practice as ninjitsu, but mainly it was the people of Honshu who were responsible for it. Mostly, it was used to protect and thwart invaders. A small number used it for assassinations and espionage, but they were in the minority. Most who practiced ninjitsu were farmers, merchants, teachers, and just regular people who would go about their day doing normal things. They kept their identity of being Ninja a secret. Many political leaders would tax them heavily if it were found out they were ninja! Some sought out spiritual enlightenments and pushed themselves beyond normal physical and mental endurance and abilities. Ninja's are very close to nature and how it works; it aids them in understanding the dangers that might be around them. We can use nature to help us hide or to distract others from finding us. My dad and his brothers hid for twenty years right in the middle of New York!! They're very good at what they do, Gabby!
"However, It was in the mid 1800's when Japan embraced the modern era that the Samurai's were taken from power. The Ninja faded into obscurity until the last century. Then, because of their stealth ability and other espionoge attributes, the Ninja were accepted into Japan's secret service and special intelligence groups - kind of like the Navy Seal and Special Ops here in the states!"
Seth paused as he evaluated his cousin's response to this history lesson. She seemed to have recoiled a bit, so he asked her, "What's wrong, Gabby? You seem concerned."
" You mentioned that they practiced - assassinations! Why?" She seemed alarmed and was clearly not comfortable with that part of ninjitsu.
Carefully, he replied to her, "We personally do not indulge in that end of it. Well, most of us don't, anyway. There were some feuds and blood-oaths that my father and uncles participated in years ago under the guidance of Master Splinter - my grandfather - but it was mainly to rid the world of an organization that originated in Japan. The leader of that clan was a man named Oruku Saki. His clan used to be honorable, but he turned it into something very evil. He had virtually wiped out Splinter's family in New York and then made my father and uncles' lives miserable! Once Saki was killed, Splinter decided it was necessary to take care of the remaining members of that clan. It was a long campaign that took many years, but they're gone now!"
Gabriella was somber as she digested what Seth had told her. It seemed overwhelming for someone who hadn't even considered ninja's to being real! The last thing she wanted was to find out that members of her family were killers! Yet, maybe in the way that they were trained and that they were so unique, it was an necessary part of their life under certain conditions. How they were able to practice their 'art' and still live within the boundries of common law seemed like a daunting task. It was a heavy weight for Gabariella to bear for the moment. She asked Seth, not knowing if she wanted to hear the answer, but she felt comfortable around him and decided to go for broke,
" Have ......have you ever killed anyone?"
Seth saw the fear in his cousins eyes, "No, I haven't - not someone of flesh and blood, anyway, and I really don't know if I could - unless I was trying to protect a family member or someone who is weaker or injured. Sometimes you have to do what you will to survive, Gabriella. I hope I never have to make that kind of decision, though!!"
"But, your father and uncles have, right?" She felt slightly nauseas, her world starting to spin out of control again! Don she could see having that ability. He seemed so formidable and that sword he had in the guest house said as much. But, Mike and Leo seemed so gentle - except she had noticed an edge to Leo the night Raph had been brought home from the hospital. Maybe Raph could, since he seemed the rough and ready type. Still, the thought of being part of a family that espoused violence on the highest level Seth described appalled her.
Again, Seth saw the look of trepidation and he knew she needed an answer, " Gabby, the only time any of them engaged in battle where lives were taken was when those people had either threatened or taken lives themselves. My father and uncles were always the advocates and never the antagonists!"
"Wouldn't something like that end up on the evening news, though?" she asked honestly, not quite convinced things of that nature really happened.
"Ah, the art of ninjitsu is shrouded in mystery..." Seth smiled gently, ".. and because we keep a lid on that area of our life - hence the rule about not getting photographed and having to keep one's mouth shut - is the reason why such things are not publically known!" He paused a bit, then carefully continued, "Whenever there are casualties, each side takes care of it's own - in secret! The U.S. government has agencies that will not own up to knowing about their members if they are lost in whatever campaign they are captured or die in. Not even the bodies are retrieved." He thought about it and then recapped a bit, "But, Oruku Saki tried very hard to make my father and uncles known to the world so that he could destroy them in that way. Unlike us, he wanted world wide dominance and he used ninjitsu to try and acheive that! Most of those who practice ninjitsu want to live normal lives, only using their art in emergencies and the like."
Gabby was quiet for a spell, but then brightened at the name Seth had just mentioned," I remember my father talking about this Oruku Saki! I gathered from him that this man was pretty bad!"
Seth just looked at her. She didn't know, she really didn't understand. " You know, Gabby, I think you need to have a talk with Don." he suggested. " Ask him about his friendship with the professor and how it began."
She started to smile again, but he admonished her sternly, his face now changing from a confidant to almost like a big brother. Wrinkling his brow seriously, he told her, " Hey, no laughing at his expense! What we did back there a while ago could have gotten both of us in a whole lot of trouble. You've already found out the hard way not to mess around with Don!!"
That sobered Gabby up some and she admitted, " Yeah, if that's not the truth!" She paused, then added, " Still, it's going to be tough keeping a straight face! I've been so afraid of Don that finding a new way to respond towards him is refreshing!"
" Well, just the same - be careful! Because if you don't, he's going to put it together that both of us were laughing at him and then I'll catch it! He'll probably air mail me back to Japan!" Seth warned her.
She giggled at his expense, appreciating his humor, serious as it was.
Seth liked her - maybe too much as it was turning out. Devon was older by one year, so he was slightly closer in age to Gabby. But Devon was her half brother, so that automatically disqualified him! Still - they were all related one way or another. It just wouldn't work and he sighed in frustration.
Dinner was taken on the patio, consisting of chicken and baked potatoes, with some raw vegetables on the side. Don had taken his turn at watching Raph, who was still unconscious.
Seth, Devon, and Gabby - who had finally resigned herself to the shorter verion of her name - sat together. Gabby could sense some friction between the two brothers, which confused her to no end. She kept her mouth shut, not sure if the problem was her or something unresolved.
Devon hadn't take particularly well to Seth spending so much time with Gabby. He was still sorting out his feelings for her. The first time Devon saw her was when she had returned from her adventures in the redwoods! He was smitten at first, though somewhat amused by her perdictament with Don. Mike had seen the look in his step-son's face, though, and counseled him severly about being careful with his feelings and where they needed to be! "Can't have anything like that happening in our family, Devon! There's already enough mixing as it is! " Though irritated with Mike's posturing, he had to concede, albeit reluctantly!
Now disqualified from seeking anything more than a brotherly status with her, seeing Seth take such a vested interest in Gabby was hard on Devon! He went so far as to tell his brother earlier, before Gabby came down from her room, to remember that he, too, was related. "Not lost on me, Bro!" was Seth's reply. They both felt cheated, however, and it generated a discussion on their limited social life. Now, at the table, they were at odds again - Devon silently telling Seth to be wary and Seth telling him with a look to mind his own business!
Leo brought the topic up first, " So, which one of us tells her?" he said softly, so as not to let Gabby overhear him.
Mike just munched on his chicken and pretended he didn't hear. Rahab nudged him, '' Well, who does the honors? She needs to know, Mike. Don can't wait this out forever."
Mike shrugged, " It's Don's show, sweetie. If any of us jumps the gun on this before he thinks it's time...."
Leo suggested, " Maybe we all tell her! Rahab's right, she needs to know. We can't be certain that Raph won't have brain damage. Don said at the hospital he almost told her last evening because he wasn't sure if Raph would ever come home again!" He paused, "Maybe I"ll go relieve him and then, Mike, you can discuss it with Don."
Rahab volunteered, " I'll do it. Right after I clean up from dinner. I don't have any hesitation confronting him on issues!"
Mike and Leo both looked at each other as if to say, " Biggest understatement of the century!" and went back to their respective meals!
Author's note: To get an understanding of the last sentence, it would behoove you, the reader, to read Wendy A Peabody's 'Rahab' story. It deals with Rahab's discovery and the subsequent relationships she had with the TMNT's!! Very good fanfic, but it is long - though not as long as mine will be, I think!
" Seth, get that couch turned out in the den. Gee, I hope it's made up!" It was Mike's voice, spoken in a low whisper! He seemed upset.
" Man, he's in a lot of pain. I'll go make some herbal tea! Don, just keep him calm. Devon, stay with Don and then when Seth has the sofa bed ready, we'll bring Raph in" That must have been Leo since Gabriella didn't recognize the voice. All he had done when he first arrived last evening was nod to her.
RAPH!! Gabriella was elated. He was alive! By all accounts, from how Rahab had sounded last evening, Gabriella really thought that Raph would be dead. But, no, he was alive and that made her heart jump with excitement! Besides Rahab and Seth, Raph had shown her compassion and a gentleness. Almost a fatherly like approach.
She listened more intently, now. Some moments passed. Then, Mike spoke and it sounded like he was at the front door. " Okay, let's bring him in!" and then there were footsteps as Seth and Leo left the house. A moment later, " Hey, Bro, it's gonna be a'right!" Mike again, trying to calm someone. Raph? " Hey, calm down, we're going to put you in the den. Just take it easy! Yeah, I know you hurt, but Leo has some tea brewing for 'ya and then you'll feel a lot better"
Gabriella could her sounds like some struggling was going on with grunts and moans. " Hold him - good golly, no matter what they did to him, his spirit sure wasn't hurt none! " Then, " There, you're home, Raph. Everyth'ns gonna be fine, now! We'll take care of you, okay?! Leo's getting his tea ready for you - just hold on, okay!" The strain in Mike's voice was clearly evident. Obviously, this brother cared deeply for Raph.
Gabriella couldn't contain herself. She quietly and slowly opened her bedroom door and stepped out. She hugged the wall along the landing, not wanting to interfer with her presence, yet completely into what was happening downstairs. No one was down below to see her. They were busy somewhere else. She could see the front door from where she stood. It was now closed. Where was everyone?
The den was right off the foyer to the right of where she was looking. The steps down to the foyer were about eight feet to her left, the staircase gracefully curving down and around to the right from her posistion. If she were to stand on the first step at the bottom, the front door would be to her immediate left with the living room on the left side of that between the front entry and the staircase. The living room was deeper than the front door, extending out to the front, creating a porch outside the front entry.
The den was directly across from the living room to the right of the entry. At Gabriella's angle, she could see into the den, but only partially. The sofa bed was along the far right side of that room, but she could only make out the end of it and Raph's legs! He was wrething as if in a great deal of pain. Her heart went to her throat at the very thought of the agony he was suffering from. She wanted to help!
Just then, Rahab came from the other end of the landing where her and Mike's bedroom was, wrapping her robe around her as she walked hurridly along towards Gabriella.
" What's happening?" she whispered anxiously as she came up to her.
Her niece answered in a hushed tone, " It's Raph, they have him in the den. I don't know how bad off he is, but Leo's making him some tea. "
"That should help him. Leo's tea can work wonders in that way!" Rahab commented, relief showing on her face.
Just then, the turtle in question came from under the stairwell, from the direction of the kitchen, towards the den. He had a steaming teapot and a cup. However, he had heard Gabriella and turned around as he came within view of the landing, " Go back to bed, Gabriella!" and it was not said as a suggestion.
" But....." she protested.
" Now! This is none of your concern. Go!" He locked his eyes onto hers, his serious expression giving her a silent warning to obey.
Gabriella looked at Rahab, who quietly concured with Leo, saying " I'll be right up as soon as I know something, okay? Leo knows you're concerned!" Then she affectionately patted Gabby's right cheek, leaned in and whispered, " It's never a good idea to challenge him! " and smiled.
Leo kept watching her. So, Gabby did as she was told and meekly returned to her room. She sat by the door, though. If she couldn't be out there, she was hoping to at least hear what was going on. Gabriella leaned up against the door, her ear pressed hard to catch any sound, any comment that might tell her how bad off Raph was. After a while, she found herself dreaming.
Gabriella found herself back in the forest, running happily. She felt lighter than air as she tripped along the forest floor. The trees were open and not so high that she couldn't see the tops. She felt like she was back in Connecticut again! The fall leaves with their colors seemed to swirl around her as she ran along. But, then, the trees started to grow right before her eyes. Their very nature changed, becoming wider and bigger, nearly reaching the stars above her. It had been daylight, but now it turned to night! Suddenly, she saw something leap at her and she screamed, jumping back. It was a lion, but not the kind of lion Gabriella would have expected! This one had the head of a dragon! It missed her, allowing Gabby to collect herself and start running in the opposite direction. It chased her as it called out for her to stop. But, she kept on going, the terror of this monster getting closer with each stride it took. "How can a lion talk?" she was asking herself. "Lions can't talk - can they?" she questioned as she ran. Then, abruptly, she came to a wall and couldn't go any further! Turning, she saw the creature advance upon her. She screamed once again and thought for sure it would succeed in killing her. Just as she believed she was going to die, someone dressed all in black leaped up onto the top of the wall from the other side. The person carried a long sword that dripped with blood! He yelled something in Japanese and jumped down between Gabriella and the lion. In one fluid movement as the lion approached, the person in black neatly sliced the head off of the creature. Crumbling to a heap, the animal lay dead - no longer a threat. Gabriella was crying out of relief and started to thank her rescuer. He turned towards her, said something else in Japanese, and started to take his mask off.......but he disappeared into a cloud of smoke as Gabriella heard knocking. "What's with the knocking! I want to know who saved me! Be quiet!!" she yelled. The knocking continued.
"What?" she called out, then realized she was leaning up against the bedroom door. "Whoa, I must have fallen asleep!" she said. Gabriella felt her body protest as she started to straighten up. The knocking came a third time and it was then she realized that someone was on the other side.
Gabriella stood up and opened it. "Oh, hi, Rahab! Must have fallen asleep here. How bad is he??" she asked anxiously about Raph, deep concern on her face. She was still recovering from the dream and didn't hear Rahab's reply at first. " I'm sorry, just trying to clear the cobwebs. What did you say?"
" Raph's Bad, but he'll recover. It'll take some time. Leo's tea has helped him settle down; maybe he'll sleep now." Rahab replied. She seemed better than she did earlier when the news of Raph's beating was first learned.
" Why didn't they keep him in the hospital?" Gabriella asked.
" Raph hates hospitals. Always has. After Don arrived there, he made sure that Raph's vitals were stablized before moving him. That took -- a little while. " Rahab explained.
" They were all there the whole time? What about those - weapons of theirs. Didn't that cause problems?" Gabriella asked, confused.
Rahab looked at her niece and thought about how best to answer. Then, she decided that if this newest member was ever going to feel like part of the family, she would have to be treated that way, " Don had Devon stay with Raph once the medical staff had him sedated. They wanted to run x-rays and CAT scans, but he was so crazy with pain that he became dangerous. Once the drugs took effect, he could be manipulated for the tests, but it took a while. Devon stuck around as a security measure. He's as big as his dad, now, and just as strong, but inexperienced in the field. I guess he didn't complain much after he saw how bad off Raph is; there's a marked difference in him - that's for sure!"
" Then, where did Don and the others go?" Gabriella asked softly, not too sure she wanted to hear the answer.
" To find the people that hurt Raph!" was Rahab's simple reply.
Gabriella swallowed, again not sure if she wanted to know, but the question came out anyway, " Did ....did they find them?"
Rahab saw the look of trepidation on her niece's face. She answered, " No, they didn't. They're going to have to wait for Raph to get better before they can start looking again. He may have information the police don't! "
"Why not let the authorities handle it. Why don't they just go about these things the way most people would?"
" They're not like most people, Gabby! Or, haven't you noticed that yet? " and she kissed her niece on the forehead and said good night, telling her, " I think you need your rest, too! We're going to both be tired in the morning!"
Knowing that Raphael was back and that, eventually, he would be getting better put a calm over Gabriella's heart. But, she couldn't go back to sleep. Between the dream and her concern, she was wide awake! She thought about the medical books in the professor's library she had read. Her excellent memory would come in handy, she thought, as she considered the coming days of healing for Raph.
Gabriella had pulled her surrogate father out of the clutches of pnemonia just a few years ago, and he had made a complete recovery! All because she had gone on-line and saturated herself with as much information regarding treatment as she could glean. Once she understood what had happened to the professor, she was able to devise an appropriate treatment and therapy. He had always been grateful. Now, she felt compelled to assist in Raph's recouperation - if only they would let her! Finally, at around five forty-five in the morning, she fell asleep.
No one came in to wake her this time. Had it been just twenty four hours ago that she had woken up in the guest house? It seemed longer, for some reason. "What time is it" she thought. She turned over in her bed to look at the alarm clock and saw that it was two-thirty in the afternoon! " Wow, I need to get up!" and she jumped out of bed. She noticed that the armoire was opened! She also noticed that all the DVD's that Seth had loaned her were gone! Her heart jumped. Did Don come up here while she was sleeping? Maybe Rahab did, but why would she open the armoire and take the DVD's? That same anxiety that told her she was in trouble came back again. It nestled in the pit of her stomach, growling and hissing and growing increasingly bigger. She sat down on the bed and wondered what she would say if questioned. " It was Seth - he loaned them to me!" she could reply. But, in that instant, she realized she could not betray the very person who had tried to help her understand the dynamics of this very unique family. Gabriella made up her mind that if she was challenged about the DVD's, she would take full responsibility. It was the least she could do to thank Seth for enlightening her!
Because she felt so right about her decision, she was actually looking forward to the confrontation. She refreshed herself in the shower, washing her hair with a bit more enthusiasm than normal. Once out of the shower, she mussed with it very little, only combing it out with her hairpic and letting the tresses fall where they may. But then she decided to pile it up on her head and secure it with a gold clip, allowing the length of it to fall back behind her. She rather liked the look, it made her seem - mature! She smiled, knowing that her outlook on herself and life in general had taken an important turn. Gabriella didn't know why, but she felt more alive than she had for quite along time.
With her make-up on, she went to the closet and rummaged through her clothes. She wanted something a bit more sophisticated, so she chose the purple tunic the professor had bought her on one of his jaunts into New York. He had visited little Tokyo a few years ago and picked up a purple silk blouse with 3/4 sleeves and delicate gold embroidery along the sleeve ends and the hem. It was collar-less and had a v-cut in the neckline in front; with the same delicate needlework as on the sleeves and hem. The sides were split and they, too had that same design along the edges. The blouse cut in to accentuate her waste line Oveall, the blouse hung down just passed her hips. She had tried to wear it as a shift dress once, but it just wasn't long enough to cover enough certain physical attributes. At least, that's what the professor had told her! So, she wore it with black stretch pants and loafers. The professor always like that outfit the best on Gabriella, telling her that she looked very 'continental'. She had no idea what that meant, but she had liked the sound if it, just the same.
She took the stairs one step at a time, listening for any voices that might help her discern the general mood of the family. She heard nothing. As she walked into the foyer, she looked back towards the family room and kitchen. No one there, either. "Hmmm...." she said quietly. She went to the back patio door and noticed that Rahab was sitting by the pool. Riahna was there with her, just sitting and being quiet. Taking in the entire backyard, Gabriella could make out Mike who was with Devon. Don could have been in the guest house, sleeping. But, where was Leo?
" About time you were up!" It was him. Gabriella turned around sharply; he had startled her. Leo didn't look as serious this afternoon as he did hours ago. He smiled, " Sorry about snapping at you earlier. Things were pretty ugly and I didn't want you to see it! Thank you for cooperating. " and he bowed his head just a little.
Gabriella could see a lot of Seth in this one. His manners and his gentleness were evident. " Oh, well, I - ah, ... nothing I could have done. Not at the moment, anyway." Gabriella replied, a bit impressed with Leo's graciousness. " How is - Raph?" she asked, concerned.
" Resting! My tea is helping him sleep so his body can heal faster. It has healing properties, too, so that will help. His injuries are pretty bad, but the scans didn't reveal any vital organ damage, just muscle tearing and a severe concussion. Whoever did this, didn't take it as far as they could have; just enough to knock him out and give us all a scare!" Leo seemed relieved, but there was an undercurrent of anger in his voice.
" What's going to happen - to those who did this?" she asked.
He replied honestly, " Depends. If the authorities find them first, there'll be an arrest, trial, and sentencing." He paused, looking at this newest member of the family and decided - as Rahab did earlier - that being part of them meant knowing what they were about. "If we find them first, then we'll go right to sentencing!"
" Isn't that a little - illegal? I mean, if everyone became a vigilante for justice, there'd be chaos!" Gabriella stated.
She saw Leo's expression become more serious and then heard him say in a tone that meant business, " We have no intentions of killing these people, Gabriella! But, we will impress upon them how foolish it was to mess with any of us. Believe me, after we're done with them, they will be more than happy to turn themselves in to the local authorities! " and he turned around and began walking back to the den where Raph was sleeping.
" Can I visit with Raph? I'll be quiet, honest" Gabriella asked as she followed Leo. He turned his head around to look at her and smiled, " As long as you do that, yes, you can visit" and then he walked into the den.
Gabriella stifled a cry when she saw him. Raph's head was swollen, evidence that whoever did this awful thing had concentrated on that part of his anatomy. More than likely, his plastron and carapace didn't provide enough of a target, so they focused on the extremities instead. His one arm was in a cast, obviously broken. He had deep slashes and cuts to his arms which had been stitched closed by the hospital staff. The smear of antibiotics stained his skin, turning it a yellowish green, and made the room smell antiseptic. She could only imagine the same damage to his legs, but they were hidden under the covers. His breathing was steady, though, and that was a good sign. Gabriella looked very intently at Raphs's injuries. She mentally went through several medical books she had memorized, assessing his overall conditon based on what information they provided.
Rahab was right about it not being as bad as it could have been, but Gabriella was very concerned about Raph's head. There were serious contusions all over his face, which aided in the swelling, and a possible cracked skull. More than likely, a concussion, too! She wasn't sure if keeping him asleep was a good thing. But Leo did say his tea had healing properties!
There didn't seem to be any evidence of internal bleeding that she could see since the swelling was mainly epidermal. His eyes were blackened, so there could be some vision damage. But it was too soon to tell. Maybe when he woke up. It seemed like Raph had taken the beating well, though - Gabriella was impressed! He was one tough turtle, that was sure!
She looked closer, despite Leo's gentle pull on her to keep her distance. He whispered in her ear so softly, it tickled, " If he's not completely out, Gabby, Raph probably won't know it's you! He could kill you easily. Please stay back!" She reluctantly complied, but didn't take her eyes off of the stricken turtle. He stirred, obviously aware that someone was nearby. Gabriella cautiously gave him more room. He finally relaxed again.
Gabriella was hungry, but she did not want to leave the den. While she sat in one of the chairs and watched Raph, Leo dozed off and on. His brother stirred a bit, mumbled some nonsense about 'caramels' and 'beaches', and then went silent as he fell back into unconsiousness. Leo was sleeping quite soundly by that time, exhausted from his jet lag from Japan and keeping watch since early in the morning. It was only Gabriella who heard Raph's mumblings.
She hadn't taken her eyes off of him. There was just something about Raph that pulled at her heart. Maybe because he had tried to calm her on their way west, she wasn't sure. She knew it wasn't infatuation and it certainly wasn't romantic. It was more - maternal, for some odd reason. Raph was definately older than she, but he had a roguish quality that attracted nurturing. Right now, that quality was going full tilt! Gabriella wanted to help him, desperately. If only the others would allow her to. But, given her recent record for being less than cooperative, she knew it would be a moot point to offer.
Mike finally came in from outside, smiling at Gabriella as he noticed her. He went over to Raph to check on him. Mike sighed at the condition of his brother and then looked solumnly at Leo. He went over and spoke softly to him. " Leo."
Leo stirred and then woke up.
"Go get some sleep, I'll take it from here." Mike said quietly.
His brother nodded and stood up from the chair. Stretching a bit and then flexing his arms to get the kinks out, he nodded to Gabriella and left the den.
Mike asked, " Did you get anything to eat yet, Gabby?"
She answered, " No, but I don't want to leave him."
" S'okay. Go get yer'self somethin'. Raph's not going anywhere for a while." Mike smiled. He gently took her by the arm and pulled her easily out of the chair, " Might do you good to go outside and get some rays, too! If any there are any changes, I'll let everyone know."
She started to protest. But, he noticed it before any words came out of her mouth. He gave her a look that meant she didn't have a choice. " Promise you'll let us know?" she ventured softly.
" Yep, cross my heart!" and he smiled again.
Gabriella did not want to leave the den. She felt compelled to stay there, watching, waiting. hoping. But, Mike's expression at that moment mirrored a particular edge that she had seen in one of the DVD's she had watched earlier. It wasn't a look she cared to investigate further on a personal level.
Thinking about that brought to mind those DVD's that had been taken from her room while she slept. She wondered if Mike was trying to get her out of the room and in a position to be confronted by Don. They worked as a team yesterday, so it seemed likely they were together again on this DVD issue. There was only one way to find out.
Gabriella made herself a sandwich and grabbed a mango from the fruit bowl. She was a little hesitant to go outside with Riahna there, but decided that she needed to face this one obstical that had dogged her since yesterday. Regardless of the outcome, she was not going to recoil. She would face whatever outburst this young autistic woman threw at her.
Taking a seat at one of the umbrella-covered patio tables, Gabriella remembered she hadn't brought out anything to drink. Leaving her plate there, Gabriella went back inside the house. A moment later, she returned and - noticed the sandwich was on the other side of the mango from where she had originally put it. Not that it was such a big deal, but it unnerved her. She stared at it for a moment, trying to convince herself that maybe she was mistaken. But, her good memorie contradicted the placement of her food. It was then that Gabriella saw Riahna out of the corner of her eye, grinning for all the world like a cat who ate the canary. She then understood in that moment why her sandwich had been moved. She turned and bowed slightly to Riahna in concession and gave her an equally big smile! As if she had been waiting for an excuse to do so, Riahna got up and ran over to her! Gabriella took a half step back, not knowing what intentions this young woman had, given her autistic nature. Totally surprising her, Riahna gave her a huge hug and giggled!
Devon and Seth had seen this display of truce and relaxed their vigil. They were prepared to interfer with Riahna if she decided to do more than just rearrange the food on Gabriella's plate. Though their sister was compliant for the most part, she did have a temper that could go ballistic at the drop of a hat! Not wanting to further intimidate this newest member of their family, they had been given the responsibility to ward off any outbursts that Riahna might express towards Gabriella.
The two brothers were over by the pool, discussing the events from the night before. It was obvious they had found everything quite disturbing, albeit they were very concerned about Raph. The topic then changed to the newest member of their family.
" So, what'd ya think of Gabs?" Devon asked Seth. " Did she try to bite your head off while you watched the house last night?
Seth pondered his answer. He looked over at her as she ate her meal, and then turned to Devon, "There's more to her than anyone here has ventured to find out! That's all I can say!"
Devon was puzzled, " You are aware of the trouble she's caused, right? I mean, it was a hoot listening to Mike talk about the run-around she gave my dad and Don in Connecticut! But then, when she ran off yesterday for the whole day! Wow, Don was madder than I've ever seen him! She was almost eaten by that couger who'd been bugging our place lately, but Mike got'em finally. Anyway, glad it wasn't me he was going after, I can tell you that! I don't think I've ever given them that much trouble! "
Seth just looked at his slightly older brother and stated matter of factly, " Guess that depends on who's telling the story, Devon!" he sniggered.
" What? Hey, I know I was trouble, but - not as bad as that! " he defended himself.
" Again, it depends on one's point of view!" Seth laughed. He then stood up and walked over to the table where Gabriella sat. Devon just glared after him, not at all amused by his brother's comment!
Riahna decided that sitting next to her new cousin was better than doing anything else. There wasn't much talking, but Riahna did let Gabriella know that all was forgiven; she leaned into her! Hard. Very hard. It made eating a challenge for Gabriella. Finally, Seth came around and hugged Riahna. Whispering something in her ear, she then gleefully slipped off the bench and ran over to the garden area to pick some flowers.
Rahab sighed, " Riahna! " as she got up to go supervise the harvest. She looked back at Seth as if to say, "Thanks alot!!". He grinned back, shrugging innocently.
"So, have a good sleep, Gabby?" he asked her. She swallowed her bite of food and replied, " Yeah. But, I wish I hadn't slept so long, though." She wondered if she should tell him about the missing DVD's. Realizing that sharing them with her might have him in trouble, she decided the nicest thing was to warn him. " Say, about those DVD's?" she ventured.
Seth brightened, " Yeah, what'd you think about 'em."
Gabriella hadn't been concerned about that, but replied anyway, " Interesting. But, I wanted to let you know that..."
" Just 'interesting' ? That's all you can say?" he asked, somewhat deflated. " Did you watch all of them. " Seth inquired.
" Well, I think not quite half. I stopped watching when they brought Raph home. Where were you, by the way? I thought you were suppose to stay up while they were gone?"
" I was. Went to bed once I knew that Raph was going to be all right!" he paused, " But, I want to know what you thought of the DVD's!" He looked expectantly at her.
" They're gone!" was all Gabriella said.
" Gone?" Seth asked, confused.
" They weren't there this afternoon when I woke up. Someone came in, opened up the armoire, and took all of them - even the one still in the DVD player! I think maybe Don came up and took them! Were you allowed to show me those, by the way? " Gabriella asked softly so she wouldn't be overheard.
Seth started to laugh, saying, " No, Don didn't take them! How could he have known! He maybe ninja, but he cannot read minds - though he's pretty good a discerning people, that's for sure! Not as good as my father, though! Anyway, I came back and took them; and to answer your question - NO, I was not suppose to show you those! " He looked over at Rahab, " Mom gave me permission. She's going to talk to Mike about it later, once Raph is out of the woods. She doesn't like hitting him with too may things at once, especially after this attack on my uncle!"
But Gabriella only heard one thing, "You came into my room, while I was asleep? Do you realize how inappropriate that is?" Gabriella was indignant, though somewhat embarrased.
"For Pete's sake, Gabby, we're family. It's not like I had any intention to dishonor you! Get a grip." Seth, now, was offended.
"That's not the point!" Gabriella said, more embarrased than angry with him. " It's just not - proper, is all!" and she blushed.
Seth smiled watching the color come to her face. He tried to keep himself from laughing. Finally, he replied lightheartedly, "Gabby, we're related - in case that hasn't occured to you. That means - well, it means we can't allow other things to get in the way of that! It just wouldn't be...." and he realized that this cousin of his seemed more intriguing that he had first thought.
Misinterpreting Seth's response, Gabriella agreed, saying, " I guess that would be silly. After all, I am older than you and being related would be a hindrence - not that anything like that could happen, of course... but....." her last words trailed off as it hit her where this discussion was going. She quickly looked away from him and studied the crumbs on her plate, feeling her face hot with discomfort.
" Our age difference isn't that much, maybe four years, but being related would be a problem!" There was an edge of sadness in Seth's voice.
" That pretty much limits things for you and Devon - and me, doesn't it?" Gabriella asked. She looked at him and noticed his expression had changed from amusement to meloncholy.
" Yeah, it pretty much does. We're unique, that's for sure. If it weren't for Mom, my siblings and I wouldn't even be here. She just sort of walked onto Mike's property out in the desert in Mojave. From what I was told, until she came around, my uncles had to seek out friendships with human females."
Gabby asked, " What about your dad? Was he married to your mom at one time?"
Seth looked at her and then turned away. Finally, he said very quietly, " I was sort of an answer to a dream he had one night. My mom was married to Raph at the time, visiting in Japan where my dad lived, where she had Devon. They were over there for quite a long while because there was some problem with a rival Clan. Anyway, as I was told, my dad had this dream where he was suppose to have a son! Problem was, he had taken an oath of celebacy - and my mom was married to your dad! "
Gabby worked on that for a moment, and then - supressing her voice - asked, " He didn't break the oath? Did he?"
Seth nodded, "In the end it all worked out, though Raph and I don't have the best relationship. We get a long better than we have, but it'll never be close. I'm sort of proof positive that Leo took advantage Rahab." He was quiet for a moment, thinking about his uncle and the difficulty he had being around him.
" Anyway, Gaele is working on a way to bridge the species back east in one of Don's labs, but so far she's not been too successful. Hopefully, she'll find a way before the rest of us are too old to care!" Seth smiled.
Gabriella was quiet, thinking about all he had said to her. Seth was easy to talk to and, despite his appearance, she was getting to like him. Maybe, if enough time went by, Gabreilla would see this family as more her own than she was feeling at present. She still had this desire to return to Connecticut and would, in a heartbeat, if Don gave her the opportunity. But, that was not going to happen any time soon.
Thinking about what Don had told her in the gymnasium the day before, Gabriella asked Seth, " I have a question for you that no one here wants to answer! Where do I fit in with this family?" Gabriella earnestly wanted to know. If she could identify with someone here, she felt it might help her to adjust better.
Seth swallowed, knowing what Don had requested per the professor's wishes. He looked at her and felt that Gabby deserved an answer to her question. He believed wholeheartedly that it would help her to get used to being there. Still, there was that Clan realm thing Leo and Don had impressed upon him so many times. 'When commanded to say nothing, do nothing lest you be asked.' Fortunately, he looked up and saw that Don was coming from the guest house. " Looks like Don's awake, Gabby!"
Her need for answers left her immediately, being replaced by a feeling of dread, that awful feeling at the sound of his name. She thought of Don, like the dread of dawn from yesterday. Suddenly, as if it dropped from the sky and hit her on the head, her mood changed instantly. She began to laugh, just a little, but with each gaffaw, it built upon itself. Seth looked at her, not understanding her mood change. "What? I thought you were afraid of him?"
She was really giggling now, which in turn had Seth smiling a bit. He looked at her quite amused, but for the life of him, he couldn't figure out why she was acting the way she was!
As Don came closer, Gabby tried very hard to control herself, but she just kept thinking about Don, the Dread of Dawn and busted up some more. She laughed loudly, trying to hold it back by cupping her hands over her mouth but she was near to losing it completely.
Don stopped and looked at her like she had completely lost her mind. Gabby tried not to look at him only because it made her laugh all the more. He shook his head, grumbled a bit, and continued on into the house to grab himself a cup of coffee. He had been up half the night sifting through the scant collection of clues concerning Raph's beating. He was not in a very good mood!
" What is so funny?" Seth laughed once Don was in the house, not knowing why he was laughing, but it was becoming contagious.
" I-- hee hee - can't say it outloud!" she giggled. She leaned towards him and whispered in his ear what she had thought was so funny, explaining the play on words. He started to snigger, too, and then his laugh became an outright guffaw. Finally, they were both laughing so hard, it brought Mike out to see what was going on. "HEY! Quiet, already. You want to wake Raph up!!" he yelled softly.
That calmed them - some. But, it was a done deal. Don, the Dread of Dawn would not leave their thoughts and they both took off across the patio, passed the garden and Riahna, whispering the new moniker for Don! They sat down as far as they could from the rest so that their laughter wouldn't bother anyone.
Rahab had returned to the table after convincing Riahna not to pull all the flowers out. She was just as puzzled as Mike was.
" Do you know waz' going on?" Mike asked.
" I haven't a clue. All I know is as soon as Don made his appearance, they started laughing!" she had a smile on her face, too, but it was only a result of watching her son and niece fall apart at the table.
" What's so amusing?" Don grouched as he walked out to the patio, the newspaper in hand.
Mike replied, " Guess - you are!" and smirked cheerfully at his brother.
He was completely confused, now, " All I did was come out of the guest house, for cry'n out loud!" Don grunted and sat down to read the newspaper, sipping his coffee, hearing faint laughter from across the way, and wondering what was so incredibly funny - about him!
Seth and Gabriella sat for a long time, discussing a great many things. She talked about living in Connecticut, at times tearing up at the mention of the professor. Seth listened to her more intently, understanding now what she was going through. Her answer to his question the night Raph was beaten had piqued his interest in understanding this new cousin of his. Hopefully, by being an ear and a shoulder for her, Gabriella might come around to accepting her new family.
When she was done, Seth then told her about the clan life. He thought if she understood what they were all about, it would assist in getting used to her new life here in Big Sur.
As he went through some of the rules, Gabriella interrupted him at one point, asking, " I thought the Japanese govenment tried to do away with Samauri and those like them back in the mid 1800's?! "
Seth replied, " Well, they did with the Samurai, but Ninjas were different! It was hard to track them down since they lived secretly, unlike the Japanese warriors! You see, Ninjitsu developed about Twelve hundred years ago on an island of Japan called Honshu. It was the mountain dwelling people of that island that formed it. Some displaced soldiers and generals from China who escaped the political upheavals influenced some of what we now practice as ninjitsu, but mainly it was the people of Honshu who were responsible for it. Mostly, it was used to protect and thwart invaders. A small number used it for assassinations and espionage, but they were in the minority. Most who practiced ninjitsu were farmers, merchants, teachers, and just regular people who would go about their day doing normal things. They kept their identity of being Ninja a secret. Many political leaders would tax them heavily if it were found out they were ninja! Some sought out spiritual enlightenments and pushed themselves beyond normal physical and mental endurance and abilities. Ninja's are very close to nature and how it works; it aids them in understanding the dangers that might be around them. We can use nature to help us hide or to distract others from finding us. My dad and his brothers hid for twenty years right in the middle of New York!! They're very good at what they do, Gabby!
"However, It was in the mid 1800's when Japan embraced the modern era that the Samurai's were taken from power. The Ninja faded into obscurity until the last century. Then, because of their stealth ability and other espionoge attributes, the Ninja were accepted into Japan's secret service and special intelligence groups - kind of like the Navy Seal and Special Ops here in the states!"
Seth paused as he evaluated his cousin's response to this history lesson. She seemed to have recoiled a bit, so he asked her, "What's wrong, Gabby? You seem concerned."
" You mentioned that they practiced - assassinations! Why?" She seemed alarmed and was clearly not comfortable with that part of ninjitsu.
Carefully, he replied to her, "We personally do not indulge in that end of it. Well, most of us don't, anyway. There were some feuds and blood-oaths that my father and uncles participated in years ago under the guidance of Master Splinter - my grandfather - but it was mainly to rid the world of an organization that originated in Japan. The leader of that clan was a man named Oruku Saki. His clan used to be honorable, but he turned it into something very evil. He had virtually wiped out Splinter's family in New York and then made my father and uncles' lives miserable! Once Saki was killed, Splinter decided it was necessary to take care of the remaining members of that clan. It was a long campaign that took many years, but they're gone now!"
Gabriella was somber as she digested what Seth had told her. It seemed overwhelming for someone who hadn't even considered ninja's to being real! The last thing she wanted was to find out that members of her family were killers! Yet, maybe in the way that they were trained and that they were so unique, it was an necessary part of their life under certain conditions. How they were able to practice their 'art' and still live within the boundries of common law seemed like a daunting task. It was a heavy weight for Gabariella to bear for the moment. She asked Seth, not knowing if she wanted to hear the answer, but she felt comfortable around him and decided to go for broke,
" Have ......have you ever killed anyone?"
Seth saw the fear in his cousins eyes, "No, I haven't - not someone of flesh and blood, anyway, and I really don't know if I could - unless I was trying to protect a family member or someone who is weaker or injured. Sometimes you have to do what you will to survive, Gabriella. I hope I never have to make that kind of decision, though!!"
"But, your father and uncles have, right?" She felt slightly nauseas, her world starting to spin out of control again! Don she could see having that ability. He seemed so formidable and that sword he had in the guest house said as much. But, Mike and Leo seemed so gentle - except she had noticed an edge to Leo the night Raph had been brought home from the hospital. Maybe Raph could, since he seemed the rough and ready type. Still, the thought of being part of a family that espoused violence on the highest level Seth described appalled her.
Again, Seth saw the look of trepidation and he knew she needed an answer, " Gabby, the only time any of them engaged in battle where lives were taken was when those people had either threatened or taken lives themselves. My father and uncles were always the advocates and never the antagonists!"
"Wouldn't something like that end up on the evening news, though?" she asked honestly, not quite convinced things of that nature really happened.
"Ah, the art of ninjitsu is shrouded in mystery..." Seth smiled gently, ".. and because we keep a lid on that area of our life - hence the rule about not getting photographed and having to keep one's mouth shut - is the reason why such things are not publically known!" He paused a bit, then carefully continued, "Whenever there are casualties, each side takes care of it's own - in secret! The U.S. government has agencies that will not own up to knowing about their members if they are lost in whatever campaign they are captured or die in. Not even the bodies are retrieved." He thought about it and then recapped a bit, "But, Oruku Saki tried very hard to make my father and uncles known to the world so that he could destroy them in that way. Unlike us, he wanted world wide dominance and he used ninjitsu to try and acheive that! Most of those who practice ninjitsu want to live normal lives, only using their art in emergencies and the like."
Gabby was quiet for a spell, but then brightened at the name Seth had just mentioned," I remember my father talking about this Oruku Saki! I gathered from him that this man was pretty bad!"
Seth just looked at her. She didn't know, she really didn't understand. " You know, Gabby, I think you need to have a talk with Don." he suggested. " Ask him about his friendship with the professor and how it began."
She started to smile again, but he admonished her sternly, his face now changing from a confidant to almost like a big brother. Wrinkling his brow seriously, he told her, " Hey, no laughing at his expense! What we did back there a while ago could have gotten both of us in a whole lot of trouble. You've already found out the hard way not to mess around with Don!!"
That sobered Gabby up some and she admitted, " Yeah, if that's not the truth!" She paused, then added, " Still, it's going to be tough keeping a straight face! I've been so afraid of Don that finding a new way to respond towards him is refreshing!"
" Well, just the same - be careful! Because if you don't, he's going to put it together that both of us were laughing at him and then I'll catch it! He'll probably air mail me back to Japan!" Seth warned her.
She giggled at his expense, appreciating his humor, serious as it was.
Seth liked her - maybe too much as it was turning out. Devon was older by one year, so he was slightly closer in age to Gabby. But Devon was her half brother, so that automatically disqualified him! Still - they were all related one way or another. It just wouldn't work and he sighed in frustration.
Dinner was taken on the patio, consisting of chicken and baked potatoes, with some raw vegetables on the side. Don had taken his turn at watching Raph, who was still unconscious.
Seth, Devon, and Gabby - who had finally resigned herself to the shorter verion of her name - sat together. Gabby could sense some friction between the two brothers, which confused her to no end. She kept her mouth shut, not sure if the problem was her or something unresolved.
Devon hadn't take particularly well to Seth spending so much time with Gabby. He was still sorting out his feelings for her. The first time Devon saw her was when she had returned from her adventures in the redwoods! He was smitten at first, though somewhat amused by her perdictament with Don. Mike had seen the look in his step-son's face, though, and counseled him severly about being careful with his feelings and where they needed to be! "Can't have anything like that happening in our family, Devon! There's already enough mixing as it is! " Though irritated with Mike's posturing, he had to concede, albeit reluctantly!
Now disqualified from seeking anything more than a brotherly status with her, seeing Seth take such a vested interest in Gabby was hard on Devon! He went so far as to tell his brother earlier, before Gabby came down from her room, to remember that he, too, was related. "Not lost on me, Bro!" was Seth's reply. They both felt cheated, however, and it generated a discussion on their limited social life. Now, at the table, they were at odds again - Devon silently telling Seth to be wary and Seth telling him with a look to mind his own business!
Leo brought the topic up first, " So, which one of us tells her?" he said softly, so as not to let Gabby overhear him.
Mike just munched on his chicken and pretended he didn't hear. Rahab nudged him, '' Well, who does the honors? She needs to know, Mike. Don can't wait this out forever."
Mike shrugged, " It's Don's show, sweetie. If any of us jumps the gun on this before he thinks it's time...."
Leo suggested, " Maybe we all tell her! Rahab's right, she needs to know. We can't be certain that Raph won't have brain damage. Don said at the hospital he almost told her last evening because he wasn't sure if Raph would ever come home again!" He paused, "Maybe I"ll go relieve him and then, Mike, you can discuss it with Don."
Rahab volunteered, " I'll do it. Right after I clean up from dinner. I don't have any hesitation confronting him on issues!"
Mike and Leo both looked at each other as if to say, " Biggest understatement of the century!" and went back to their respective meals!
Author's note: To get an understanding of the last sentence, it would behoove you, the reader, to read Wendy A Peabody's 'Rahab' story. It deals with Rahab's discovery and the subsequent relationships she had with the TMNT's!! Very good fanfic, but it is long - though not as long as mine will be, I think!
