BTY Chapter 3
~*Back with the Turtles*~
"April got a tip on a gang in downtown New York, we're going to patrol there tonight" Leo says as he and his brothers run across the rooftops. Raph nods and so does Donny but Mikey frowns.
"Dude, unless you lost your memory you do remember it's our 21st birthday today right?" he says, picking up the pace a little. Leo catches up, frowning at Mikey.
"I don't know Mike, what if we get caught?" Leo says as the others join them, already knowing what Mikey intended to suggest. Raph stops abruptly for a minute and stares at the street below. Leo turns back and run to him.
"What is it Raph? A mugging?" he asks a little confused. He follows Raphs line of sight to a trio of girls standing on the street.
One of them wearing a black dress, the other a blue strapless one and the third a red strapless cocktail dress.
The girl in the blue dress brings her fingertips to her lips and whistles so loud it stops a cab that had just passed by them, and made what few people were on the street turn and stare. Raph's eyes widen and Mike and Don finally notice they'd stopped and join them. Mikey follows Raph's line of sight to the girl in blue.
"Ooo Raphie boys got a crush, though one would think you'd be watching the one in red, just sayin dude." Mikey says mockingly. Raph growls at him and Mikey hides behind Leo.
"Shuddup Mike shit like that ain't gonna happen" he says simply, walking on, but taking one last glance over his shoulder at the girls as they got into the cab and head toward downtown. Raph starts to run and the others soon join him.
~* In zee Cab, Twenty Minutes Later*~
"So then I look up at him and he has these epically bright blue eyes!" Elizabeth says dreamily, telling Leeanna and Brigit about the dream she had at the airport. Brigit nudges her with her elbow,
"Oooo someone's got a dream crush!" Brigit says laughing, Leeanna smiles and rolls her eyes as the cab comes to a stop in front of a building with a long line of people standing out front, causing the impatient woman to groan.
"I hate dicking around in lines" she mumbles under her breath impatiently, Brigit laughs, stepping out of the cab after she pays the driver.
"Good thing we won't be waiting long then my friends" she says, pulling Elizabeth out the door of the cab. Leeanna steps out the other side and walks around to where Brigit is dragging Elizabeth to the front of the line with Leeanna in tow.
The strawberry blonde smiles sweetly at the bouncer and he grins, opening the door for the trio of women, making those in the line protest loudly or just roll their eyes.
As they step inside they're bombarded by music and the heat of hundreds of bodies mushing together. Brigit brings them to a table in the corner.
"I'm guessing you come here often?" Elizabeth shouts over the din of loud music. Brigit nods and grins.
"Yep! Every weekend if I can! Okay so here's the plan! We all split up and have some fun! Meet back here in an hour or so to check up!" she says excitedly and stands, not waiting for an answer, she heads toward the bar. The other girls sit there for a moment then Leeanna stands too.
"You gonna be okay on your own kiddo?" she asks Elizabeth warily, Elizabeth smiles and waves her off.
"I'll be fine, go have fun! Plus I'm going to wait till I see my blue eyed cutie!" she shouts happily and Leeanna nods, laughing, and walking out onto the dance floor.
~*The Turtles*~
"You sure this is a good idea" Don asks anxiously, clothed in a purple sweatshirt and jeans, like his brothers who wore sweatshirts the colors of their masks so as to tell one another apart in the crowded bar and club, all of them wearing loose blue jeans.
Raph is busily trying to pick the lock to the back door of the club and Mikey bounces on his toes excitedly, having been the one who ultimately convinced their fearless leader to take this chance. Leo puts a hand on Dons shoulder.
"Its fine don, we're ninja, if someone catches us we can just disappear" he says, sounding as though he were trying to convince himself as well. Raph finally opens the door and holds it for them as the loud music spreads out into the alley. They all file inside.
~*Leeanna's POV*~
I was dancing in the middle of the crowd when I suddenly catch sight of a man leaning against the wall. He's surrounded on one side by three other men dressed similarly to him, in jeans and sweatshirts that shadow their faces.
He's staring intently at me and it stops me for a moment, my hazel eyes catching a pair of bright amber ones. I look away quickly, hoping to god that I'm not dancing to badly, and return to it. I flinch when a loud male voice speaks suddenly into my ear.
"hey sexy, wanna dance?" he asked as he grabs my hips and yanks me back to him, almost toppling me backwards, his breath smelling strongly of brandy and vodka.
I twist and try to step away but he holds on tightly, I lift my arm, careful not to hit any of the people crowded around us and elbow him as hard as I can in the chest. He stops moving but doesn't let go of me.
"No actually I don't, so get off" I shout at him, more to be heard over the music than the fact that I'm now thoroughly irritated and a little intimidated that elbowing him in the sternum did jack squat. He laughs and wraps his arms around my middle, holding on tighter than before.
I push against his arms and grit my teeth, finally hooking my hand under his arm and grabbing his cohones I twist, causing him to let out a squeak of pain as he falls to his knees. I walk away, swiftly back to the table where Elizabeth looks bored out of her mind as a nerdy looking guy rambles on and on, I grab her arm and pull her up. She smiles a quiet but grateful thank you at me as the man looks at me rather accusingly, Liza's as promised blue eyed admirer, frowning in agitation.
"We were having a conversation" he says snobbily. I laugh, my voice unamused, still feeling sleezy from my experience out on the dance floor. I grab our purses, having had enough of guys who thought they were better than us.
"A one sided one I'd bet, come on Liza lets go find Brigit" I say, pulling her with me. I look around and see her at the bar, swaying in her seat with a guy who had his hand a little too high up her thigh for my liking. I tilt my head in confusion and glare slightly, striding over there with Elizabeth and pinching the top of the guys hand, taking it off of Brigit's thigh. He glares at me, yanking his hand out of my grip and rubbing it.
"Do I know you?" he asks me. Brigit turns toward me, her cloudy eyes alarming me along with her drunken swaying. She gets up and hugs me, leaning most of her weight on me as she does.
"hey Leester! Meet Daniel, he says he wants to take me to his place to show me his-" my eyes bug and I clap a hand over her mouth to stop her extremely slurred words. I frown, Brigit is usually good with holding her liquor, she shouldn't be plastered like this. but then my brain zeroes in on the haze over her pearl grey blue eyes and I feel my heart start to pound with the anger rising up in my chest. I grab Brigit's drink from the counter and swirl my fingertip in it. My nails coated in my Undercover Colors nail polish, a precaution made earlier from before we got here.
As the red of my index finger swiftly turns black I silently thank my mother for having made me bring my collection with me. Daniel stands and makes to grab her arm but I pull her behind me. which would have been more effective had I been taller than 5'3 and she 5'8. I set the drink on the counter then and push it towards the bartender, mouthing the word 'Laced' as he catches it. His expression turning grave as he sees us and pours out the drink, grabbing the wall phone. I see the group of men from earlier standing at the end of the bar, drinks in hand and trying to pretend they weren't watching the events as they unfolded, or well, most of them, the one in red from before just blatantly stares and I have to avert my eyes from his, they're too distracting.
"Liza hold onto Brigit while me and Danny have a little chat" I say, grabbing Daniel by the front of his shirt as I pass him. I pull him away from Brigit but also away from the men watching. I want to keep this information between the sleazeball, my friends, and I, for Brigit's sake. He grabs my hand and tries to twist it behind my back but I yank away.
"What did you give her? and don't give me that 'I would never drug a girl' Bullshit cause I already know you did." I lift my nails show him, my middle finger held high as I stare into his face.
"Really?" He asks in disgust as he gets the thinly veiled middle finger gesture I had planned just in case he had.
"Yep, not to mention she's showing every symptom, so I suggest if you want your nuts to stay intact with your body you'll start talking" I say threateningly, even though I know with my small stature it won't do much. He laughs but doesn't answer me or deny it. I'm about to ask again when I hear crying. I turn to see Brigit crying loudly into Elizabeth's shoulder and walk back to her.
"b-but I don't wanna go Lizzy" she says, I grab her arm gently, nodding for Liza to do the same. I decide to just take her to a hospital and upon relaying this to Liza, we pull her toward the exit.
"Matt we're leaving!" I hear Daniel yell, I look back to find the guy I'd incapacitated on the dance floor, walking toward us along with Daniel.
"Shit... Liza we've gotta go!" I say, hurrying them out the door, before it closes I see a pair of amber eyes staring at me but right now I don't care, I've had enough of men ogling me. I turn us left and walk down the street until Brigit starts to pass out, becoming too much for me and Liza to maneuver on our own. We turn into an alley and I sit her down, tapping her cheek to keep her awake.
"Come on Brigit, stay with us" I say encouragingly as a couple of shadows fall in behind. I whip my head around to look and stand, already in boxing stance as I realize who it is.
Daniel and Matt glare at me as they enter the alley, cutting off the exit. I hear the girls shifting nervously and tighten my fists further, Liza dropping down to kneel beside Brigit, Daniel chuckles.
"You really want to fight us little girl? you could hurt, you know? break a nail I don't wanna make you cry unless its from to much fun" he asks, looking me over mockingly. I grit my teeth in disgust and lurch forward, sucker punching Daniel in jaw and dropping to sweep Matt off his feet. I twist up and get in my stance again.
"Liza, take Brigit and get out of here!" I command my tone lethal. Liza starts to protest but I just point at the nearest exit.
"oh and by the way, this little girl is about to kick your ass" I say, grabbing a garbage can lid from beside me and flinging it captain america style into Matt's face. he shouts as it makes contact and I go straight for Daniel, trying to give Liza and Brigit time to get away by giving these assholes something more prying to think about. I curse this tight dress Bri had made me wear, it's sapping the strength out of my kicks but I have to make it work.
I roundhouse kick Daniel in the stomach but he comes back with a solid punch to my face. I stagger backward and he returns the roundhouse I'd given him before I can get my bearings, knocking all the air from my lungs. I fall to the ground, hitting my head hard on the concrete. Matt kicks me soundly in the ribs a moment after. With me gasping as I feel and hear a faint crack in my chest cavity. as I try to get back up, he kicks me again.
I get up to my hands and knees, coughing and spitting blood onto the ground. My head spins in circles as I try to get my bearings to stand, laughing voices all around. Suddenly someone from behind me wraps their arm around my neck and the other drops down around my middle, pinning my arms to my sides and lifting me off the ground.
"should have just let us have fun with your friend honey, now you're gonna die for it, like the hero you tried to be" My eyes bug at this, whispered threat in my ear the breath on my neck as I suffocate. I shut my eyes tightly, I hear a solid thud behind us as I thrash, trying to regain some leverage. Matt appears in front of me again as I open them at his laughter. He grits and bares his teeth through the steady stream of blood running from his obviously broken nose and punches me hard in the sternum, pushing all the remaining air I had out of my lungs to speed up the choke hold I'm in.
"Brigit get up! We've got to go!" Liza says straining, then Matts eyes falter and he disappears. a moment later I hear Liza scream bloody murder. I struggle harder, thrusting my weight forward and hoping to base my weight to throw him. I slow down as I start to see black and white spots dancing across my vision. Turning my head as best as I can and seeing Bri crumpled on the ground and Liza being held off the ground in his arms as he carries her back into the alley, screaming. I feel myself getting weaker and my ears ring obnoxiously.
"Fuck.. I can't do anything…" the thought reverberates in my head as her voice gets farther and farther away, my body weakening to the point of going limp. "Is this how I die? Without being able to save my best friends?"
Suddenly I'm dropped like a hot potato, landing strangely on my ankle.
A large hand grabs my arm, wrenching me to my feet with a rib jarring yank and whoever it is shoves me behind them all before I've managed to pull in a single breathe. I cough and gasp, leaning heavily against the persons back, clutching their sweatshirt in my hands in order to stay on my feet and get air back into my lungs. my rib cage hurts like hell and I realize that I don't hear fighting anymore just silence. I back up unsteadily and glare at the one who stands like a barricade in front of me. I instantly recognize the red sweatshirt and realize that he must have followed us out of the club. Great, what will he want in return for saving my ass?
"I could have taken them.." I speak my thoughts out loud, more in my own self-loathing than to to him. blushing with embarrassment at having to be saved along with having been clinging to them a moment before. I cross my arms over my chest and quickly uncross them due to the stinging pain it causes. I feel my head getting lighter and reach an arm behind me, bracing myself against the wall.
I look at Brigit whose now being held bridal style by a tall boy with a blue sweatshirt on. Another who was in the club, his hood had fallen off and his face looks… different….. in the darkened alley. She holds onto him and giggles.
"Good job you Kung fu frogs you!" she says, poking him in the chest right before passing out.
The one in red turns and glares at me.
"What?" I snap when he'd been staring at me for a few minutes, he growls a little.
"Ya could at least say thanks!" he says, moving to stand in front of me, yanking his hood off, revealing another face unlike any I've ever seen. I inspect his features for a moment and realize that they remind me of my little brother's pet tortuous. I hold back a wince as the muscles over my ribs tighten painfully.
"Thanks?! Listen'ere buster, I was doin' just fine till you guys showed up!" I say frustrated. He narrows his amber eyes at me. A little ways away I see Liza faint dead away and the turtle in orange catch her with a comical outburst. I push myself off the wall with a wince and start toward the others.
"Listen dollface, if I hadn't of come along then ya might as well be unconscious from oxygen deprivation! Face it, ya would have gotten your ass kicked if I hadn't'a came and protected ya" the red turtle says behind me, I cringe at the sickeningly intimate pet name. The orange masked turtle boy snickers
"Ooo big word Raphie" he said, the one named Raphie tosses a venomous glare at him.
"Do not call me dollface buster! And for the record, I don't need your protection" I say as he looks me over, smirking.
"What? Ya don't like to be called dollface? How bout shortstop or tiny? Or maybe little blue? With how pale ya are it's a nice color for ya" he says smugly, I round on him, my patience for the night finally spent.
"that's it! you monumental asshole! you wanna go?! Lets go!" I snarl whipping to face him and scowling up at him, motioning for him to come get some and when he rolls his eyes I launch at him. the guy in purple grabs me by the arms and pulls me back, jarring my ribs in the process. I gasp as a sheet of white blankets my vision for only a second and I wrap my arms around my ribs as pain rips through me. The one who'd stopped me from launching at Raphie helps me sit down and huffs at his red compatriot.
"Raph, why's it you always have to get into fights with people?!" the one in purple says, leaving a hand on my shoulder as he kneels down and puts a finger on my ribs, applying a little pressure.
"does that hurt?" he asks, I grit my teeth and push his hand away, trying to stand up.
"We should probably get moving, They'll no doubt bring back up" The turtle in blue orders, his tone serious. He must be the one in charge.
"Wait, we're bringin'em with us?" Raphie questions angrily, Orange fist pumping awkwardly because of the girl he has piggy back style on his back.
"Well we can't just leave them here to fight the Purple Dragons on their own Raph now can we?" Blue tells Raphie exasperatedly, starting toward the middle of the alley. I contemplate arguing but I figure that if they wanted to hurt us they would have done it already and there is no way in hell that I can handle any back up that's coming and get Brigit and Liza home safe by myself.
"Yeah whateva Leo" Raphie grumbles under his breathe, apparently having no adequate protest to this development. The turtle in purple stands from where he is in front of me and goes to where Leo now stands, kneeling and pulling a man hole cover off to the side with ease.
"So we're takin them to the Lair then?" He asks curiously, Leo nods and hands Brigit over to him as he jumps down into the hole.
"Yeah, I figure you can check them all out and then we can go from there Don" Leo's voice comes up through the hole and Don sits beside it. "Alright lower her down to me Donnie"
As this is happening Raphie grabs my arm and helps me up, a silent apology in my opinion, but leaves me to do my own walking after I wrench my arm away. letting Blue, Don and Raphie go down ahead of me. I help orange lower Liza down to Don and he smiles brightly.
"My names Michelangelo, but just call me Mikey" He tells me kindly, grabbing my hand and helping me down into the hole. I grit my teeth as my ankle protests each rung of the ladder.
"The names Leea, it's nice to meet you Michelangelo" I say calmly, deciding to stay just a bit wary of these guys for now. After a second of slow going I feel hands wrap around my hips and lower me to the concrete below like I weigh nothing I gasp and twist to see who. Before I can I'm being set down gently away from the man hole opening as Michelangelo jumps down. I look to see Raphie standing quietly behind me but then stalking off after his brothers with Michelangelo and I in tow.
Ten minutes later we're walking through the sewers, well, I'm limping and tripping over stuff half the time. I pull my arm out of someone's grasp and straighten up, just trying to focus on moving forward.
After a few moments of silence, Donatello starts to interrogate me on the others symptoms as well as my own and started lumping me in the whole 'tend to wounds' thing too but I told him I was fine, I mean Bre and Liza are more important right now.
"Whoa whoa hey, I told you I'm fin-" Tripping over something else wrenches me out of my thoughts and a hand catches my arm again, dragging me upright with one painful jerk.
"Are you sure you don't need help?" I hear someone ask me, all I can see is faint shapes in the darkened tunnels and I shake my head before I realize they probably can't see it.
"No. Like I said I'm fine, my legs aren't broken" I say, regulating my breathing carefully since my ribs protest against any breathes that aren't shallow as hell. I wince as another breathe comes in too deep.
"But your ribs might be, and statistically speaking, walking will only aggravate the injury more, and it will most likely turn into a lot of pain" I can tell this was Don speaking because of his tone of voice.
"I've had worse than this" I chuckle my tone nonchalant, walking on before one of them can ask just what worse is. I can't hold back another gasp and let a frustrated 'shit' out when I breathe too deeply, jarring my ribs once again.
"Alright that's it, I'm tired'a watchin you try ta act tough" the gruff Brooklyn accent speaks somewhere to my left. I roll my eyes and try to step away but Raphie catches me up in his arms and starts to carry me bridal style down the tunnel.
I put my hands on his chest and push away, blushing profusely and hoping to god he can't see it. I hate being carried I hate feeling fragile, dainty, girly, just ugh it makes me want to puke. He adjusts his arms so his left curls around my waist and holds me firmly to him while his right holds up my legs.
"Put me down! I can walk just fine" I retort in frustration, He growls in a non-spoken dismissal of my order. I get the sense that its useless to try to argue with him and reluctantly stop struggling.
The rest of the trip is silent except for the sound of Brigit and Liza's steady breathing. I feel painfully out of place, I have my hands in my lap to try to combat the awkwardness I feel. my head starts to spin a little again like earlier, I instantly chalk it down to coming down from the adrenaline rush now that I'm not moving anymore. Suddenly before I can catch it I feel myself swaying dizzily and upon feeling myself list to the side dangerously far.
Or maybe the concrete making contact with the side of my face.
I quickly put my arms around Raphie's neck to steady myself, he flinches and I feel the skin on his neck start to heat up. I look at him curiously, though through the darkness I can't truly see him, only his figure. Just then he turns his head to return my gaze and those same amber eyes seem to glow back at me through the pitch black.
My eyes widen a little and I quickly avert my eyes, embarrassed at being caught staring my face darkens an entire shade of red. I see him look away out of the corner of my eye and he quickens his pace.
I try to shut out the weird tingly feeling in my cheeks and instead focus on making an inventory of my injuries.
The barest wet streak on my cheek indicates a cut and the soreness around the left side of my face and around my eye signifies the birth of a shiner and some no doubt, rather noticeable bruising. my ribs have begun a constant song of sharp pains, and my ankle feels like someone took a hammer to it. My head on the other hand feels like I'm wading through a blissful field of cotton balls. Fucking great way to end our first day in New York
All of a sudden I realize that Raphie has stopped walking, looking straight forward just as a door opens and a light assaults my eyes. I shut them quickly and turn my head into the space between Raphie's neck and shoulder to shield my eyes against the sudden jab of pain. Its like a shard of glass passing through my head at the lights arrival and I hold on tighter to Raphie with a pained groan. Raphie jerks at the sudden closeness and moves into the room, lowering me quickly onto what feels like an armchair and prying my arms easily off of him. I immediately regret his rash actions as a flash of dizziness hits me, I lean forward and place my throbbing head in my hands. I try to ebb the wave of nausea that comes with it, my eyes still shut tight against the light.
I hear a slight shuffling of cloth and a creak of couch springs, a small hand laying itself on the back of my head. I look up carefully, opening my eyes gradually and forcing them to get used to the new light as I take in the individual touching my head along with our surroundings. my jaw drops at seeing a rat wearing a Japanese style robe and carrying a walking stick.
"Great, am I hallucinating now?.." I ask unsure considering what's happened in the last half hour.
I look around seeing a huge room, I see part of a kitchen through an open door across the room to the right. I'm currently sitting in a living room and as I turn to explore more I notice a door to the left next to the entrance we came in opened up to a room that, from what I could see from here, had a metal cot and some first aid supplies.
There is a second floor with a total of ten subway style doors and one on the first floor that's closed. I figure from how some doors looked more used then others that not a lot of people are staying down here. I direct my gaze back to the rat as my dizziness subsides and my vision blurs a little, I shake my head to clear it, and the rat shakes his head.
"I assure you that you are not hallucinating miss, but I do think it would be best for you to allow my son Donatello to examine your injury's he is very capable in this way" he says, his voice holds a distinctly Japanese accent, I find that he sounds extremely wise. I find it relaxing, but I shake my head at what this relaxing voice is telling me. I nod to where Brigit now lay on the couch and where Liza is being covered by a blanket in an armchair across from me by Michelangelo.
"They're more important right now, take care'a them first" I say quietly and the rat stands there and stares for a moment. a look of curiosity on his face that I just barely catch as I put my head back in between my knees to keep from retching.
"Donatello tend the other girls, my sons do as Donatello commands. Miss, if you can I would like you to come with me" he says, calmly turning and walking away, not looking back to see if I follow.
I get up uneasily and limp after him, pretending that I don't feel the heat of multiple eyes boring into my back as I go. Upon reaching the Chinese style door the rat stops and opens it for me, prompting me to step inside. He follows me in and closes the door behind us, walking around me and settling himself onto a pillow.
I kneel as well, taking the hint from the oriental feel of room but I practically fall on the way down due to my ankle twisting in on itself without warning. I grimace but withhold the groan and take a deep breath and look at the rat, whose watching me just as curiously as I am him.
"What is your name little one?" he asks after a moments silence.
"Leeanna Kathleen Baker" I answer giving him my full name, simply because I feel I should. He nods simply and smiles a little bit at how stiff I've become.
"So Leeanna, I can tell that you are in pain yet you value your friend's wellbeing before your own. This is honorable and not something seen commonly" he says as though picking apart personalities is what he does normally. I set my hands on my knees, breathing slowly to manage the dizziness.
"I'm not important right now" I say calmly, residing to speak as though I weren't speaking to a total stranger. This thought practically catapulting the fact that I've seen five mutants tonight and not once till now wondered who they were or where they came from, or even more specifically how. "Besides, just because people don't do it normally, don't mean you shouldn't or it isn't the right thing to do"
"My name is Splinter, and I am sure that you are probably wondering how we came to be" he says as if reading my thoughts. I blink at this as he skirts over my response and I nod, concealing my wonder at how he knew and he launches into their entire background story. I sit in stunned silence the entire time as I listen to everything they've been through and everything that had to do with their beginning and when he finishes I pull my dress further down my legs with a deep exhale of breathe.
"The question now is, will you and your friends keep our existence a secret" he lets the weight of his words drop onto my shoulders and without hesitation I nod. His eyes widen in surprise at the quickness of my decision.
"Your sons saved our life's Splinter, it's the least we could do" I say with finality as I begin to hear more talking in the living, specifically more women's voices. Another jab of pain assaults my ribs as I twist around and I place a hand on the protesting cage.
"I suggest you allow my son to tend to your wounds now Miss Baker" he say formally, I shake my head.
"Call me Leea and no thank you, I'll be fine" I say avoiding saying my usually casual - I've had worse-, knowing what would happen if I did say it. I stand, leaning all of my weight on my good ankle and gesture to the door.
"Shall we?" I say, suppressing a wince, Splinter raises an eyebrow and stands as well. before I can get the door for him he grabs my wrist and gently pulls it from the handle.
Upon receiving a curious look from me he gives me a slightly amused glint and raises his walking stick, whacking the door with it. The response to which is a two person chorus of Ow.
I open the door to find Michelangelo and Liza standing there, a hand to her forehead and Michelangelo with a slightly pouty look on his face, she's wearing an orange t-shirt and a pair of pajama pants rolled up to her ankles in thick feet swallowing rolls.
I sigh and grab Liza's arm, pulling her gently to the couch which Brigit lies on still asleep and have her sit her down. As soon as Liza looks at me she gasps, speaking in a flurry of words as I bring her to the couch.
"Holy cow! Are you okay?! Do you not feel that? How are you standing right now?" she asks me worriedly, I tilt my head a little in confusion at the amount of worry in her tone. She looks at me like I'm crazy when I don't respond and turns to pick up her handbag. which sits just next to my bag and Brigit's, they must have grabbed our things for us before they followed us out. Explains why they didn't get there sooner, I think to myself. Liza rummaging through the bag and producing a compact mirror, shoving it in my hands.
I almost don't recognize myself for the major bruising developing on the left side of my face and the impression around the still bleeding gash on my cheekbone. Which makes me realize that Matt must have had on brass knuckles when he punched me.
The area around my eyes has turned a dark purple, standing out against my greenish blue eyes. I groan at the unwelcome thought and wince a little as my ribs protest the sound, flinching and reaching arm across my rib cage subconsciously. Liza grabs my shoulder and I look at her as soon as I see her face I know what she's going to do.
"No" I say simply, she groans at my reaction, probably knowing I caught her thought process.
"Let Donnie check you over Leea! You're hurt!" she says pleadingly, her doe like brown eyes seeming to get even larger, I shake my head.
"No Liza, Brigit needs help a hell of a lot more then I do" I say, looking over my shoulder at Brigit who's now giggling in her sleep.
"Go unicorns go! Be free…" she says, just above a whisper. I raise an eyebrow at that and Liza snaps her fingers, bringing my attention back to her.
"Donnie says he can't evaluate her until she wakes up anyways, please let him check you out!" she says all puppy dog eyed, the raise eyebrow still remains.
"Alright, one the puppy dog look doesn't work on me and two have you even gotten checked out yet? Are you okay? If not then I'll just wait, besides you know that I can check myself over." I reply with a calm tone, my voice dropping a little as I near the end of my sentence.
"I know you can but still.. If you don't get checked now and your ribs are cracked like Donnie thinks they are than you could seriously hurt yourself! Donnie said I'm fine! They got there before tall muscled and blonde could do anything" she says the puppy eyes going away replaced by a look of seriousness I've only seen once on Skype when I'd told her that I thought my arm was broken when we were thirteen and had refused to go to the hospital.
I roll my eyes and am about to say that I'd be fine when a large hand drops onto my shoulder and I jump, holding back another wince with effort. I look over my shoulder to find Leonardo standing over me.
"My brother can check you over now" he says, smiling convincingly at me, I shake my head and he blinks in confusion.
"I'm okay." I say in a not so silent dismissal of the subject, at that moment I realize that I've been hearing a calming repetition of solid punches against clothe. Which is probably why I haven't lost it worrying about Brigit and Liza or started pacing like I usually would.
I look for the source of the sound and my gaze lands on Raphie throwing punches at a bag near a solid looking oak door. I watch as he executes a one two punch and a round house kick into the bag, making it sway back and forth like a pendulum.
In my wide eyed shock I'm reminded of a comment my boxing trainer made years ago about how strong you had to be to make a bag swing like that. I watch curiously as the bag finishes its wayward rotations and comes back to him, wondering what he'll do. I half expect him to stop the bag like any normal boxer would but instead he slams his fist into it with a grunt, pushing it back into its frenzied circles once more. Liza snaps her fingers, pulling my attention away once again.
"Let them check you out damnit!" she says in frustration I realize that she's been talking to me and I didn't even hear her speaking. I look at her surprised, I've only ever heard her swear before when she's extremely adamant or angry. I sigh and stand, leaning all my weight on my right leg, Leonardo notices and grabs my arm gently.
"Fine, but while I'm in there check Brigit's eyes with the flash light in my bag okay? If they dilate then there's a short list of drugs that Daniel could have used, if they don't then that narrows the list too. If you notice anything weird about how she reacts to the light then make a note of it" I say, trying not to limp as I walk around the couch, upon failing at shaking Leonardo's hand off my arm I set aside my pride and let him help me walk.
I glance to where Raphael had been when I hear the punches stop and see him watching me, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and a smirk on his stupid face. he must have noticed me staring because his eyes are smug and telling exactly of his cocky demeanor. I narrow my eyes and turn my head quickly, walking into the infirmary looking room I had seen earlier. I carefully guard my features to hide the embarrassed warmth I feel in my ears and neck.
~*Brigit's POV, Twenty Minutes Later*~
I feel a pull on my eyelids, and suddenly a bright light shines in. I swat at it drunkenly and hear a small squeak of surprise as I squint my eyes shut against the highly offensive light.
"You're awake! That's great! How do you feel?" I hear Elizabeths voice ask me and right now I don't know how to answer that question. I feel like a hundred nails have been driven into my skull, and my stomach tightens as fuzzy memories fight their way back.
I try to sit up, and meet a hand on my shoulder, pushing me back down again. I open my eyes again, this time more slowly when a male voice registers in my fuzzed out brain, looking around and see Elizabeth sitting on the edge of a red worn out couch.
The hand on my shoulder is connected to an orange masked turtle and I nearly pass out again. I push his hand away and sit up, ignoring my stomach as it rolls with the nausea.
What I see shocks me, this place is huge.
I look around the room and notice two other masked turtles not counting the one in orange and a robed rat staring at me. I feel a hand touch my arm and turn to face Elizabeth then I remember the fight and realize that Leea's missing from the bunch along with one of the other turtles.
"Where's Leeann? Wait weren't there four of you?" I ask pretty much slurring my words, I look Elizabeth over. she's wearing pajama pants and an orange shirt that's way too big for her, The orange masked turtle pops up in front of me again.
"Oh is that the other girl's name? Oh, well she's getting checked out by Donnie, boy did she take a beating! By the way Master Splinter, can we keep them?" he asks excitedly, I get the feeling he ran his mouth a lot but was generally a good guy. The turtle in red grabs him by his mask tails and drags him away with a sigh of annoyance along with a scolding about how she'd already introduced herself to him topside as what he'd said sunk in.
"Wait what? Where's Leeann?!" I ask, my head progressively getting clearer, I hear the sound of a door opening and turn around to find Leeanna limping toward the couch, a distraught looking turtle in purple coming out the door after her.
She looks horrible, well at least physically emotionally she looks fine except for the occasional wince. nearly the whole left side of her face is bruised purple and there is a piece of gauze on her cheek. She's wearing a pair of grey sweatpants hanging low on her hips and rolled up around her ankles along with a white T-shirt that's big enough that the other part slips partially over her shoulder. her black loosely waved hair is out of its braid and down around her shoulders, swaying around her as she slowly makes her way toward the couch.
"I'm right here Brigit relax, oh and by the way I didn't take a beating Michelangelo. I got into a fight which I was handling just fine" she says glaring at the orange masked turtle that's now trapped in a headlock by the one in red who stops momentarily as she exit's the other room but then continues torturing the one in orange whom I assume is Michelangelo. The turtle in purple grabs her arm but she pulls it away, giving him a scalding look that he comes close to flinching away from but doesn't.
"You shouldn't be walking around Leea! You've likely got cracked ribs and a definitively twisted ankle! Along with a head injury! If you won't lie down like I said before than you should at least use the crutches until I can find a way to properly diagnose your injuries" he says sounding like one of those doctors that take their job really seriously, She sighs.
"I'm fine! I'm not taking crutches so leave it alone, okay Don?" she says limping the rest of the way to the couch and sitting down with a slightly withheld wince, I frown at her.
"How bad?" I ask her, her responding by rolling her eyes, me knowing she won't lie to us she groans, looking at me.
"Bad but don't worry about it" she says with a slight laugh, I can always tell when shes hiding something or when something bads happened and she doesn't want to tell you. I know she won't tell me anymore than that, though that doesn't exactly reassure me any. I turn away from Leea as the rat begins to speak.
"You should allow Donatello to tend your wounds more thoroughly Miss Baker," he says meaningfully, a Japanese accent sticking out in his weathered voice. just as this thought passes my mind he looks at me.
"As for you Miss Duncan it would be best if my sons escorted you home to rest" he says, smiling kindly at me. I glance at Leeanna and Elizabeth, still feeling slightly foggy.
"Sounds like a plan," I hear Leeann say as a strange ringing sound assaults my ears. I look at Leea and wait for her reaction to the sound but when I see none I look to Elizabeth, getting the same result.
I frown a little and try to stand to look for the source, dizziness gripping me the second I'm upright. The blue masked turtle grabs my arm just as I start to sway and I fall against him.
Leea tries to stand again, a worried look on her face as she looks me over but a green three fingered hand shoots out and pushes her back down onto the couch. she turns and glared at the red masked turtle who still has the orange one in a headlock in the crook of his other arm but stays where she is.
"You okay Brigit?" Elizabeth asks me, I nod and with the blue masked turtles help I stand up straighter.
"I'm peachy Lizzie!" I say, smiling reassuringly, she returns the smile in all of her overly hyper happiness and Leeann gives me a relaxed half smile. the turtle in red blinks looking a little surprised by her sudden change of emotion. He then retracts his hand and stalks into another room releasing the orange turtle. Leea turns and watches him go just for an instant but then looking quickly away.
"I believe it prudent to escort Miss Brigit home and to allow Elizabeth and Leea to remain here for the night" The rat stands, giving the now, open mouthed to protest, turtle in blue a wave of dismissal as he continues his tone final. " Leonardo you will stay at her home tonight to ensure her safety"
Leonardo's mouth shuts with a curious looking click and he bows, then starts to lead me toward the giant door.
As we're turning left into the dark tunnel I hear the happy go lucky Turtle's voice pitch in and suggest a scary movie marathon. In response to which I hear Liz clap in excitement and start begging Leeann to stay up to watch with them since Don wants her awake for a while anyway. I know she's secretly afraid of anything rated higher than PG 13 but I also know she can't refuse Liz even though she says she can. Leonardo closes the sewer wall door before I hear her answer but I know what she's said, she may act like a hard head but she's a softie when it comes to Lizzie or her own siblings.
"So now that we've got some time do you mind explaining everything that's happened? I don't remember much" I ask him curiously, leaning on him heavily. He chuckles and nods.
"I'll explain everything on the way" he says helpfully, I nod as he grab's my arm and puts it over his shoulder when I stumble again, I have to wonder at all this though.
"What have we gotten ourselves into?"
I hope you liked it! R&R Please! :D