A/N: Heeeeeeeeello everyone! It's E.T. yet again! I have decided that I shall take over this chapter of the fanfic ('cause I'm just like that).
Alix: Actually, I'm just too busy to do the next one, so I told her to do it for me.
E.T.-grumbles- Yea, too busy driving Leo, Raph, and Mikey around with your new driver's license, so they don't have to put up with Don's driving.
Don: My driving isn't THAT bad.
Leo: Trust me Donny, it IS that bad.
Mikey: Alix… look out for that car! Aaaah!
Alix: Heh, heh, scared ya!
Chapter 9: Star-crossed
Angy couldn't believe her eyes. Despite all the odds, despite that huge explosion and that huge column of smoke she had seen, here was Raphael standing in front of her, and smirking nonetheless. She reached out slowly, putting her hands on his cheeks, her palms feeling his cold, clammy skin. She struggled to find the right words, not sure what to say to someone she had thought to be gone forever.
"You're...alive... Oh geez Raph, you're really here."
He laughed, slowly putting her down on the rods of the bridge.
"What, you think a ten story drop and a huge explosion could stop me?" He gently poked her in the shoulder. "And what are YOU doing, getting captured by the Foot like that? I thought you were-" He was cut off by the sudden 'glomp' he received from Angy, who was sobbing her heart out. Her arms thrust themselves around his neck, as her head burrowed into his chest.
"Oh Raph I thought you were gone! I really did! I can't believe you're... that you..." She broke off as she searched for the right words again, and not finding them. She suddenly felt Raphael's arms around her, reassuring and keeping her safe.
"It's alright, Angy. Everything's going to be ok. We'll get you outta here. I promise." He let her go and held her at an arm's distance. He looked at her hands. "So...why didn't you pass out? You're not wearing any gloves."
Angy looked down at her palms. There were still a few scars from that first night an eternity or so ago. "It's this metal band on my wrist. Stockman says that it keeps my powers at bay. I guess... I should keep it on." Raph frowned and looked as if he was going to say something, but they both looked up as they heard a strange zipping sound above them.
Mikey was descending on a rope at incredible speed, "Angy, I'm coming for ya!" There were no Foot ninjas in sight. Mikey groaned as he landed, holding the carabineer tight and waiting for his brothers and sensei to climb down.
"Oh, I see how it is. You don't need my masterful rescuing skills?" Then the teary turtle turned towards Raph, "And I thought we were rid of you for good!" Mikey said in his most obnoxious tone.
Don landed next to the anchor of the chain and clapped Raphael on the shoulder. "No such luck for us, Mikey. Looks like we're stuck with him."
Leo flipped off the wire and grounded near Angy, not even pretending to hide the smile on his face. "That just means we have someone extra to do the dishes."
Raphael crossed his arms. "I missed you guys too."
"I am glad to see that you are alive and well my son." Master Splinter said; his eyes filled with tears that were quickly wiped away. "We have missed you in the Lair and we will be very pleased to have your presence fill it again."
Raphael bowed deeply to his Master, his countenance as serious as it could get. "Thank you, Master Splinter."
"What about Hun?" She whispered nervously.
"Taken care of," replied Leo with a cold, merciless tone.
Angy let out a sigh of relief. Things were looking so much better now. Raphael was alive; the turtles were all here, alive, reunited. Once they got back to the Lair, back home, all that would be left of this whole incident would be the throbbing in her side...that damned throbbing...
As if on cue, the pain in her side finally registered in her mind. She let out a gasp and clutched at her side. What was...why was the pain coming back? Why did it feel like her ribs were all being broken in half by some unknown force? And the pain was still building. Her vision began to swim, all the shapes around her blurred. There were voices... nice voices, comforting voices. The pain was quickly pulling her away from them. Far, far away.
Raphael was the first one to notice that Angy was no longer standing. With a strangled gasp he ran toward her, barely noticing as the casual conversation of his brothers became a cry of anguish at the sight of Angy's body on the floor. He slowly turned her over, searching for the source but not sure what to do as his genius brother kneeled next to him. "What's wrong with her?"
Donatello's fear and concern showed through his eyes. His previous conversation with her rang through his thoughts. "She must not have been fully healed from that motorcycle crash she had the night you disappeared."
"Can you do anything?"
"What can I do? I'm an engineer, not a doctor."
Master Splinter kneeled on the other side of her, placing his hand on her forehead and gently stroking her hair, his face overflowing with worry. "We must get her back to the Lair, and quickly. She needs rest and a safe place for it. We must leave immediately."
"That won't be necessary."
They all spun around and in that instant, all weapons were out and pointed toward Baxter Stockman, who was surrounded by a waiting tempest of black clad ninjas. He had an irritated frown on his face. "So Hun didn't dispose of you. That IS a drawback in my plans. No matter, as long as I get my test subject back-"
"You won't lay a finger on her." Leo sharpened his blades against one another, glaring his defiance and itching for blood. Michelangelo took a small step forward, nunchucks whirling.
"What did you do to Angy?"
Stockman shook his head at this turtle's ignorance. "I have done nothing to 996. Why would I? She is the perfect outcome of a well performed experiment... and with some pleasant yet surprising side effects I might add-"
"Her… ability to see the future."
Somewhat annoyed, Stockman continued, "She merely hasn't recovered from the injuries she received from that motorcycle crash, which is all your fault by the way. She didn't attend her daily inspection, so the pain reducing serum was not injected into her injuries. It has simply worn off." He tented his fingers and glared over them at his adversaries. "Now, I believe it is time I ended this little conversation. Foot ninjas! Get 996 back safely and with no further harm done to her; kill the turtles!" And with that, the gathering storm unleashed into a hurricane.
Leonardo didn't know what to do. He turned to his brothers, all in their own fighting stances, and then glanced at Angy.
"Well guys? Fight or flight?"
Raphael grinned and crossed his tsai with a clang. "I vote fight."
Mikey rolled his eyes. "You ALWAYS vote fight."
Master Splinter's voice decided them all. "I believe that our best course of action would be to retreat back to the submarine. We must get Anguissolah to safety."
A/N: Yes, yes, so the chapter is short, but I will quickly write the next one. I would have written more, but it would have been reaaaaaaaaaaaaally long. No thanks to a certain partner of mine…
Alix: Don't hurt me! –cowers in fear-
ET: Of course not! Ahem…
Mikey: So what'll it be? Tar and feathering… draw and quartering… or just plain ol' mutilation?
Alix: Eep! –hides behind Raph-
Raph-twirls tsai menacingly and Alix runs away-
ET-gives Raph and Mikey twenty dollars each- What would I do without you?
