A.N - Not so much the reawakening of a muse as a lets post this up and see how it goes down. I'm going to say right now that Leo is pretty right field in this chapter ... as such I'm not entirely comfortable with it. If he is let me know, and please give me tips on how to get him into line, if he isn't then let me know that too!

--

Chapter 9 - Stark Warnings

When Mikey had told him Raphael couldn't quite believe it. Pacing his bedroom he threw himself down onto his bed, his mind whirling whilst he stared at the ceiling. What would Leo do, throwing himself onto his side he bunched his pillow up and growled quietly. Leo would probably talk to them and not stop till he made them see sense. That would be the grown up, mature thing to do... Running both of his hands over his face, and to the back of his head Raph got up and headed out of his room, this was gonna need tact, patience and persuasion. All things that he had in little supply, shaking his head he walked towards the scent of freshly brewing herb tea,

"Yo, we need t'talk!" leaping up the step into the kitchen Raph paused, Damn staring at the slight, and now turning back of Lotus. Cradling a small white porcelain cup she returned his cold stare, a tiny smile playing on her lips.

"Yes?" she queried softly, her tinny meekness marred by her cold, unrelenting brown eyes.

"Yo'need t'back up lady" he hadn't really been intending in having this conversation, but he was here now, and it would save a trek back across the lair later.

"Back up?" sipping from her mug a single eyebrow rose to back up her alleged lack of understanding.

"Yea, as in getcha claws outta Leo."

From within the mug a tiny chuckle slipped out, lowering the cup from her lips her cold laughter grew until it filled the room. "No." she stated her voice dropping all pretence of the meek child she pretended to be.

Blocking her escape, and the outside world, by taking up residence in the doorway Raph nodded his head slightly. His nod to tact failing he turned to menace, letting out a low angry growl he pushed on, his clenched fists tightening. "Look I don'know what yo'want Lady, but Leo sure as Hell aint gonna be it."

"You are right." She conceded quickly, "You do not know what it is that I want." Her lack of interest in her partner served to infuriate Raphael. Swirling the contents of her cup her eyes remained down, watching the liquid splash around inside. "He will not listen to you." she told him, smug eyes settling on Raphael's rapidly contorting features.

"Oh he'll lis'en Lady, I'm his bro'her, an' do'n 'ere that means something."

"And I am the object of his affection." She spat in response, "So who do you think he shall truly believe? You, a brother who shows no love, or me, one who responds to his advances" Tilting her head to one side she took another long sip, her eyes never leaving Raph's face. She observed the muscles tighten in his jaw, his weight shift in the doorway in order to block it completely, saw his eyes narrow and bore into her passive stare. Meeting it without flinching she continued with renewed vigour, her child like innocence returning to patronise him "Have I hit a nerve? Does it bother you that a stranger means more to your brother than you?"

"Yo'DAMN lucky yo'a lady … "Raph hissed quietly "Or I'd beat seven dif'rent sortsa shit outta yo'right here, right now."

Walking to a chair at the table she sat down, placing the mug down in front of her, leaning backwards she gave Raph a careless, dismissive look of disdain. Watching his retreating back she murmured softly, "I quiver with fear."

--

Donny, Mikey and Splinter sat in a small circle. Unsure of how to deal with the problem at hand they had turned to their father for some guidance. Listening to their careful up date of all that had transpired Splinter nodded, "Then perhaps an intervention is in order."

--

Raph found Leo in the dojo meditating, and after an awkward exchange, and strained silence Raphael had done his level best to explain the situation as it stood. Receiving nothing more than a cold stare in response Raph tried again,

"Donny's tried warnin' yo'. Mikey's tried showin' yo' and now I'm telling yo'. That girl is bad news Le-o."

Now no longer sitting, Leo stood to stare at Raph. "Bad news? Bad news in what way? Bad news in the way a frail injured girl who hasn't got a clue where the Hell she is has to sit around and wait until she can go?"

"Take the blinkers off Leo. She's upt'something and yo' the dupe she's usin' to gettit."

For a few seconds Leonardo continued to watch his brother's animated face. Noted the lines that caused the sides of his face to crease up as he struggled to keep a grip on his temper. He could see Raphael's clenching and then releasing fists, in an attempt to control his temper, and that surprised him, he had never known Raph to hold back when they had fought in the past. But most of all the fire that burnt in his eyes and through him made him want to retaliate. And that scared him. "Lo isn't doing anything Raphael." He kept his tone level, and clipped. "In fact, she should be back now with tea, so …" indicating to the side of Raphael he made to walk round him.

"Lo?" Scoffing at the short nickname, he followed his brother into the lair proper. "Get the rose tinted specs off! We picked 'er up robbin' April for Chrissakes!"

Stopping in the middle of the lair Leo felt his own fists clench, closing his eyes he silently counted to ten, his posture resembling that of a slightly elongated praying monk.

"What's wrong Leo? Forget that she's goin' back t'the police pretty soon?"

"Shut up Raph …" he ordered quietly. Internally something was shifting again, unlike his previous shift in pace, this one originated in the very pit of his stomach, burning and twisting. His eyes flicked open to hear Raphael's angry comments. Deepening his breaths he gritted his teeth, resisting the growing urge to hit him where he stood. Years of controlling his emotions and suppressing his anger were coming under jeopardy. He knew what it was churning inside. At some point the dose of anger he was entitled to had twisted itself into a ball of rage that now desperately wanted to break free. "God Raph just SHUT UP!"

Raph paused; it was his turn to study his brother. Beyond the clear, serene expression were two tired eyes that struggled to remain as calm as everything else about him suggested. As the silence dragged on Raph broke it, picking up where he had left off "She's using you!" he finally repeated, the venom he held for the girl clear. "She's gotcha wrapped round her lil finger so tight yo'don't even see what she gotcha doin' right now!" He finished, shoving Leo once, and hard.

The serene mask that struggled to remain in place shattered with the single push Raphael gave him, forcing him to take a step back towards the dojo the clenched fist flew towards the side of his brother's face before Leonardo even realised he was doing it, "I don't exactly recall where it was I became your bag Raph, but I'm getting sick of it!" The shaking that had consumed him over the past few days returned as he fought to drag his conflicting, carefully tempered emotions back under control. Flexing his fingers he stared at his brother's stunned expression. Leonardo had never hit anyone that hard before, and even when they sparred he hadn't thought he could do that. Letting out a long breath he continued to watch Raph. Watch his brother bring his hand up to his mouth, watch him run his finger over his gums which wept tears of blood. Watch his eyes widened as he realised that Leo had indeed hit him, and then grew wider when it dawned on him that he had been hit with intent. Straightening himself up to his full height he gave Leo a tiny smile, his head shaking from side to side in disbelief as he chuckled, "What the Hell has she done t'yo'?"

"Lo isn't doing anything to me!" Leonardo repeated coldly, "I'm just having a really tough time when it comes to you and your crap! Do you get some sort of pleasure out of pissin- …"

"Yo'gonna try hittin' me again?" Raph asked him uninterested in his brother's ranting, and blocking his path to the kitchen. "Cos I'm not gonna stop talkin' till yo'start listenin'…" he narrowly missed the second, barely controlled swing that came at his face …

--

CRASH

"Yaaagh!"

The two brothers looked to their father and then back towards the Lair, getting up quickly they hurried into the other room, the sight of Leonardo and Raphael brawling on the floor the first thing to greet them.

"Leonardo!" Instinctively he turned to his eldest to halt the proceedings, watching in horror as the same boy threw another angry punch at his brother's face, from his pinned position on the floor.

"I – don' – care – if – I – got- …"

"Raphael!"

The clenched fist he held over Leo's chest stopped thumping down onto his brother's defending arm, the angry breathing that accompanied his aching fist did not. "She's bad news Leo …" he repeated, lowering his arm.

The sight of a tired, bruising, Raphael bothered his family, seeing Leonardo in a similar state surprised them too. But what bothered them more was the sight of Lotus, leaning in the door way to the kitchen, a detached look of pleasure on her face as she observed the two brothers brawling on the floor. Her facial features altered seamlessly at the sound of the first call to stop, but even as she approached the separating brothers she knew the cat was out of the bag.

"Lee …" her voice sounded so shocked, "You did not need to defend my honour so."

"Leonardo, come." Splinter instructed softly, his hand extending to take his son into Donny's lab so that his wounds could be treated, and a successful intervention implemented. To his surprise Leonardo didn't move, "C'mon dude …" Mikey implored softly, "That looks like its gotta hurt."

Unbeknownst to all gathered a line had been drawn in the sand, on the one side stood Raphael, Donny already checking his arms and neck for strain injury. Mikey stood forward from the hub of activity, his hand outstretched to his brother to cross the line and join him. And then there was Master Splinter, his father, carefully positioning himself between Raph and himself. It was not lost on him that in their eyes were looks ranging from disbelief to reserved mistrust for the girl that stood just behind him, her hand resting on the crook of his nearest arm.

When he finally spoke again his voice was almost as detached as Lotus had only appeared seconds earlier. "Lo and I will tidy this mess up." Rejecting them by turning his back, he let Lotus help him towards the kitchen, an overwhelming sense that they were too late engulfed those he left behind.

"First thin' tomoro …" Raph growled "She's goin' back t'the surface …"

--

"Why do your brothers hate me so?"

Entering the kitchen Lotus helped Leonardo settle down into a kitchen chair, her voice a fearful whisper, "Do they not realise that I can do no harm. I do not know where I am, I do not know my way about this lair. I do not go to places of privacy without invitation. Do they not realise I sleep in your room out of your sense of good manner? I do not understand, it was not my choice. It is you who chooses to take the time out of your busy day to spend time with me. I do not understand what it is that I am doing to hurt them so." As she continued her animated tirade, Lotus' voice steadily grew in distress.

Tired, and aching Leonardo responded with a muted "I don't know. I really haven't got a clue." Wincing as she dabbed his wounds with alcohol Leonardo leant in to give her a chaste kiss, over the moon to feel her accept it. As long as she loved him he would readily accept anything that Raph could throw at him.