I lay staring at the white toned walls of the room I had been thrown in. The bleeding in my chest area had stopped thankfully, but it was still painful to move too much. I felt pretty woozy. I was hoping all of the numerous blows to my head weren't too serious. I would hate to fall asleep and just not wake up. That would seem so wasteful.
I was worried about Don. With each passing moment, I was beginning to dread what Saki was doing to him. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe with me there they didn't need him and he would just get rid of the much more skilled fighter. I was easier to control so it might be simpler to just keep me.
The thought of them killing Don made me feel sick. I knew it would destroy Leo and the rest of his brothers, but a small part of me thought it would also destroy Melinda. I think she felt more for Donatello then she had even realized. I think she was in more self-denial than I was. I had watched her fret for him almost every day sense we had begun this trip. I think her fretting for him was part of the reason she had so easily been sucked in by Saki.
Saki told her a truth that was easier to handle. That she was somehow being tricked into her feelings that she shouldn't have to feel them. Thinking this was easier then actually realizing she might want a relationship with someone as different from her as Don was. That was a line I didn't think she felt prepared to cross. I shivered. Saki's words ran back on me also.
I realized I did have feelings for Leonardo. As stupid as that was, as unbelievable as it was, I couldn't change it. But could he possibly feel the same? I had expressed my true emotions to Saki. I didn't understand how someone like Leonardo could feel something for someone like me. He was so special and I was so plain. Yet he seemed compelled to keep helping me and I couldn't understand why. At least if nothing else I seemed to interest him.
I groaned lightly. Going around in circles was making my head hurt more. Plus I didn't see how any of this should matter. If by some chance I did escape the situation I was in, I had to go home. I couldn't stay here. I couldn't abandon my life. So nothing between us could work out anyway. I SHOULD be trying to figure out a way to escape. Not laying here wondering about feelings.
I must have hit my head a little too much it was making me act stupid. I smirked and rolled over onto my back to stare at the equally dull ceiling. I was listening to the guard outside the room pacing. As I was concentrating trying to work out the pattern of his steps I heard the same thundering footfalls I had heard earlier. Hun was approaching.
I tried to pull myself up into a sitting position. After a few failed attempts I managed to. I heard Hun speaking to the guard, but his words were muffled through the thick door. Then I heard a code being punched in. Someone was coming inside. I started to slide backwards afraid I was once again going to be dragged from my cell.
The door slide open and Hun was glaring inside at me. My eyes grew wide as I seen he had Don slung up, he was holding him by his belt. Don appeared to not be awake. I moved to stand. Afraid for my friend and was horrified as Hun too threw Don in and he skidded across the floor to stop next to me.
I glared up. Holding my side where a pain was shooting through. "You inhuman monster!" My eyes narrowed at the blond man in the doorway.
"You're saying that to the wrong person." Hun smirked down to gesture at Don. I shook my head, nearly growling.
"No, trust me I didn't." My voice was cold. I held Hun's gaze. I was sick of being threatened by all of these men. Hun just laughed. Smirking at me even more.
"I can't wait until you see what my Master has planned for you girl." He grinned and before I could shoot a smart remark back at him he stepped away and the door slide shut. I could hear him pressing in the lock code and speaking to the guard. It appears he was done with me for the moment.
Shaking terrified by Hun's implication I sunk back to the ground, my eyes immediately falling on Don. I was worried. He looked in even worst shape than me and I hoped they hadn't thrown him in the cell with me so badly injured that I couldn't even help him. I touched his face. It was cool, but I was pretty certain he was cold blooded so that seemed correct. I slapped his cheek lightly.
"Don please wake up…please be alright." I begged as I continued hitting him lightly trying to wake him. I nearly fell over when he groaned and his eyes started to flutter. I felt myself tear. I was so grateful not to be alone. No problem, I had to admit felt as heavy if you had someone to share the burden of it with you. Slowly Don woke up and I watched him look around confused before focusing on me.
"Lea?" He seemed surprised to see me there, groaning he slowly sat up. I noticed he was favoring one of his wrists.
"Are you hurt Don?" I looked at him concerned wondering if there was anything I could do. He looked down at his injury and shrugged.
"I'm pretty sure its broken, but I've lived through much worst trust me. Are you alright?" I noticed him looking at my wound. I didn't want him to worry about me. So I returned his shrug.
"It's stopped bleeding. I should be alright." I sighed. I neglected to mention my head, but had a feeling my face had to be black and blue and I was a fairly pale girl so I am certain it had to look mildly appalling.
"Well Leonardo is going to be furious when he finds out what the Shredder did to you. VERY furious." I could see Don was studying the room, trying to look for any means of escape. I sighed.
"It's locked up tight like a drum. Trust me, all I've been doing is studying the layout of the room sense they put me here. But the guard, I'm not sure why, but every five minutes or so he walks down to the end of the hallway. I think he is waiting for something." I shrugged looking at the door. Trying not to concentrate on what Don was telling me about Leo.
Don looked at me a little surprised. "Yeah, that's good observation Lea." I turned to see him smirking lightly. I shook my head, laughing.
"I am certain you figured out the same thing in like two seconds." I couldn't help, but grin. "You guys are pretty amazing." We fell silent for a moment. I could see Don looked uncomfortable. I wondered if he was in pain or if something was bothering him. "Where are your brothers, Don? Did they come with you? Did they escape?"
I watched him freeze. He seemed to stumble over what he was trying to say. "I didn't come with my brothers, Lea." He looked away from me. "Not that they didn't want to come." His words were coming out in a rush. "They were all really worried. Leo is beside himself."
I looked at Donatello confused. What he was saying wasn't making any sense. "Did you come alone, Don? Why?" It seems like it would have made much more sense for at least two people to try to get inside.
"No," He continued to look away. "I came with Melinda."
My eyes grew wide. My immediate thought was of her safety. "Was she captured too?" I didn't even care how she ended up back with Don I just hoped she was alight.
Don looked at me pained. I felt a knot grow in my stomach. "Lea, I know this is going to be hard to hear, but…she's the one who captured me."
I looked at him shocked. Certain I didn't hear him right. "What do you mean, Don? She was with you when you were captured?" I looked at him confused.
"No Lea, she," he sighed. "She was with me. Leo pulled her off the street. He was trying to find you. We figured you were in here and I was going to work with Mel to get a camera inside to check. Well as we were sneaking around the building, we were cornered by some of the Elite. She turned on me and pulled out a gun. I had no choice but to drop my weapon."
Donatello looked so betrayed, so pained. I just sat staring at him in shock. I couldn't believe Melinda was so far gone. That she was so enveloped in the lies that Saki was telling her that she would do such a horrid thing. "It had to be a mistake Don, or it was Saki. The lies he fed her. He tried to feed them to me too." My hand drifted up to my wound. Realizing the price I had paid for disobedience made me fear for her even more.
Donatello looked down to the floor cradling his injured wrist. "Whatever the reason, she did it." He voice was soft and dulled. Like he wasn't sure how to feel. I wanted to speak out, I wanted to defend my friend, but I wasn't sure what to say.
Melinda and I had grown so far apart in these last few days. It was like we had become completely different people. I still couldn't understand how she could follow someone like Saki so blindly. He was so evil. If I ever got the chance to speak to her again, I wanted to ask her. I wanted to know what her reasoning was for her choices. I had to know. If only to make me feel better about all she has done.
"My brothers will come after us here now. Once we don't come back. And I know Shredder is laying a trap for them. I wish I could warn them." Donatello kept staring at the door, his expression heavy.
I looked down at the floor worry also on my face. "Don, Saki knows that…well…" I wasn't sure how to phrase my next statement. Not without totally feeling embarrassed and stupid. I sighed, glancing up at the Turtle. He was looking at me curious. "He knows that…" I flushed red I couldn't say it. I couldn't tell Donatello my feelings, not so blatantly and I wasn't about to presume enough of anything to speak about Leonardo's feelings to make a statement. So stupidly I stuttered.
"He knows what Lea?" Donatello looked a little baffled by my flustered form. I sighed, I felt stupid for not being able to express myself like an adult. I was stumbling around my feelings and my words like a child.
"Nothing Don, I think I am just being stupid." I turned away from him, looking at the wall. The only reason I wanted to tell him was because of Hun's threat. This "plan" Saki had for me. I didn't want Leonardo to get hurt on account of me, I wasn't worth it.
I could feel Don watching me. I desperately wanted to share with him my worry. Only because I was afraid it would affect his brother. But I couldn't even began to put together what to say. I felt stupid. Somewhere in the back of my mind I heard the guard moving away again. I noted it. Seeing how long he was away for.
"Why was Leonardo out looking for me?" I tried to stir the subject in the direction I needed to go in without actually coming right out and saying what I was thinking. Don looked at me a little baffled by the change in topic.
"He was worried. Leo likes to take matters into his own hands when something worries him." Don was considering me as he spoke. Like he was trying to figure out where I was going with this.
"You don't think he would do something stupid to help me do you? Something that could get him hurt?" As soon as I said it I sort of regretted it. I could see Don look away and realized HE had done something that could be considered a bit dangerous to help Melinda and it had turned out getting him hurt.
"Leo, would do what he felt he needed to do, no matter what the cost to him was." Don's voice was hurt; I could see pain in his eyes. I realized he wasn't just speaking for his brother but for himself also. I sighed.
"He shouldn't get hurt for me." I was watching the door realizing it had been a while sense the guard left.
"That's not your choice to make, Lea. It's his and if he wants to risk his life for you he can. " Don's voice raised a little impassioned. I knew he wasn't talking about Leonardo, but was in fact talking about himself. I looked at him with pity. I realized he still felt very deeply for Melinda and that everything that had happened tonight wounded him deeply.
I heard stirring outside, I head turned back to the door swiftly. There were footsteps, but they were not the guards. Don and I exchanged looks. I knew he could tell also. We both grew still, just listening.
"Donatello?" The voice was small but there was no mistaking it.
"Melinda!" I pushed myself up surprised and moved towards the door.