Howdy, everyone! I have a small announcement. MY BOOK IS GOING GREAT!!!!! I've been talking with a women from Dorance Publishing, really nice lady, and she's kinda been helping me! Anyway, enjoy the story!!!!
-In the lair-
Raph: These past few months have been...perfect, I guess. Sort of. Jack died a few days after the others saved us from Owens lab. Amy also had a miscarriage the same week. She went through a lot, but we tried to stay with her and...she's okay now. Amy's also ditched that serum she made. Now, she lets her freak flag fly. Just like the rest of us. Leo can see again! So, he'll be able to see the kids when they come. April and Casey got married. Splinter walked April down the aisle. She handled herself really great. Casey didn't though. He was sweatin in his tux. Lucky for him, he had a great best man right by his side. He'd be a puddle still at the alter if he didn't have me...and they actually had their wedding on Halloween. So, me and the others could just go as ourselves.Then, at the wedding, me and Leo had our first slow dance. I had no idea what I was doing so I kinda let Leo lead. I have no idea where he learned to dance, though. Probably from April. Then, he and I actually got married about a month after. We walked each other down the aisle. We kept it to ourselves and only invited April and Casey. No need to invite Amy since she already lives with us. She took my old room and I moved into Leo's. OH! Right! Mikey also finally told Don how he felt. Mikey ended up sleeping in Donnie's room after that. By then, Leo was about five months along. That was also how far along he was we saw the babies first pictures. Donnie said they were two healthy eggs. Guess we're having twins. Donnie said Leo only had four months left, but it felt more like four years. After those few months "flew" by, and after a lot of Leo's screaming...we had two eggs. Donnie doesn't know what the genders are or when they'll hatch, but he said it shouldn't be long. I got a feeling they'll hatch real soon.
-In the dojo. Leo sits In the center of the room with his eyes closed and his swords sitting in front of him. Raph, Donnie, and Mikey move in around him, not making a sound-
Donnie: (Moves in and lunges for Leo with his bow staff. Strikes toward Leo's head).
Leo: (Moves his head back to avoid the blow and opens his eyes. Grabs Donnie's staff and his arm and throws him away. Stands to his feet).
Donnie: (Flies through the air and hits the wall).
Mikey: (Attacks Leo from behind with his nunchucks).
Leo: (Avoids the attack. Grabs Mikey's nunchuck and arm and throws him like he did Donnie).
Mikey: (Flies in the air and hits the wall. Falls to the ground and lands on top of Donnie).
Leo: (Smiles at his younger brothers) Think about your attack. Don't just charge in.
Mikey: Well, it's been a while since we've trained with you.
Leo: It's only been a few months.
Raph: Feels like longer.
Leo: (Turns around to look at Raph only to miss his Sai).
Raph: (Smiles and charges forward).
Leo: (Dives out of the way and grabs his swords).
Raph: (Strikes down at Leo).
Leo: (Raises his swords and blocks the attack. Throws Raph away and stands up).
Raph: (Slides backwards).
Leo: (Charges forward and strikes at Raph).
Raph: (Dodges the sword and blocks another attack).
Leo: (Holds Raph down with the swords and stays there).
Raph: (Holds his Sai up and blocks Leo's swords from reaching him. Slides under Leo and kicks his stomach and throws him on his back).
Leo: (Falls hard on the ground and drops his swords).
Raph: (Holds his Sai to Leo's throat).
Leo: Hmm. Not bad.
Raph: Kinda missed kickin' your ass in trainin'.
Leo: Its been a while.
Raph: Whatever you say, "Master".
Leo: (Pushes Raph's face to get him off and sits up).
Raph: (Stands up and puts his Sai in their holsters).
Amy: Who knew you had it in you, Raphie (Stands in the doorway).
Raph: Why don't you pull those claws out and take a turn. Bet Leo's good for one more fighter.
Amy: I would...if it weren't for, well.
Leo: If it weren't for what?
Amy: If it weren't for the fact that there are two eggs hatching in the lab right now (Smiles smugly).
Raph and Leo: (Look at each other then at Amy, wide-eyed).
Amy: What are you two waiting for? A formal invite? Go meet your kids (Laughs when she says the last sentence).
-Raph and Leo stand to their feet quickly and run to the lab. Donnie, Mikey, and Amy follow. Leo walks into the room first, followed by Raph. Splinter, April, and Casey are standing a few feet from the eggs. Raph and Leo walk past them and kneel down in front of the cracking eggs-
Leo: (Smiles and looks at Raph).
Raph: (Smiles at Leo and puts his hand over Leo's shoulder).
-The egg on the left begins to shake and crack even more. An arm comes through one of the holes made by the cracks. Pieces of the shell fall off onto the table and the baby turtle inside comes into view. The egg falls onto its side and the baby slides out slightly-
Leo: (Stands and grabs the baby before it falls and holds him in his arms. The baby squirms in his arms and he smiles).
Raph: He looks like you.
Leo: (Looks up at Raph and smiles).
-The second shakes more and more and pieces of the shell fall off onto the table. The babies arm pokes through, but, after a while, stops moving-
Raph: (Looks at Leo, worriedly).
Leo: (Looks at Raph and nods his head toward the egg).
Raph: (Reaches for the egg and pulls off some of the pieces to give the baby a little help. Pulls off more pieces until he can see the baby. Keeps pulling off pieces, but stops after a while).
Leo: Raph? What's wrong?
Raph: Nothin' (turns around and shows Leo the baby girl in his hands).
-The baby is healthy in every way, but she is missing her left arm-
Donnie: Phocomelia.
Raph: What?
Donnie: She has Phocomelia. Born without one or more limbs. In this case, born without a left arm.
Raph: (Looks down at the baby).
-The baby opens her eyes and looks up at Raph. She smiles a little. Then, she closes her eyes again-
Amy: Any ideas on what to name them?
Leo: What about...Picasso?
Raph: Picasso~ I like it (Smiles smugly).
Leo: Me, too. Now, how about you her?
Raph: Hmm. How about...Venus?
Amy: Venus? As in Venus de Milo?
Raph: Yeah. What do ya think?
Leo: It's perfect.
-In that moment, rumbling can be heard and the lair shakes. The babies start to fuss and cry-
Leo: Shhhh. It's okay (Tries to calm Picasso).
Raph: Calm down, calm down (Tries to calm Venus).
Amy: What the hell is that?
Donnie: (Runs to a monitor) Some old friends of yours came for a visit.
-Owens and his guards are on the monitor-
Casey: We gotta get the hell outta here.
-The banging gets louder and the whole lair rumbles. Everyone falls to their knees. The two babies start crying. Leo and Raph try to calm them-
Raph: We gotta get outta here.
Donnie: We can take the van.
Splinter: Everyone, out now.
-Everyone runs out of the lair. Right after they all make it out, Owens' men break through and rubble flies everywhere-
Owens: Search the place. Find them.
-The soldiers spread out and search every room. They start downstairs and then they search upstairs. They wreck Splinters room, the dojo, the lab, Don and Mikey's room, Amy's room, and Raph and Leo's room. Then, after they ransack every other room, one soldier finds the garage. Five soldiers then search everywhere in the garage. The last thing they search is the van. They find nothing. Above them, everyone else is hiding on the ceiling beams Donnie uses to fix the roof. Raph and Leo have the babies in their arms, trying to keep them calm. Venus starts to fuss and Raph tries to calm her. Then, he gets an idea, and gives her his hand. She grabs his hand with her arm and sucks on it-
Raph: (Sighs with relief).
-The soldiers end their search and leave the garage. The others come down from the ceiling and Casey grabs a metal pipe and puts it through the door handles-
Casey: Let's hope they stay out.
Donnie: We need to go. Now.
Mikey: Let's just get in the van and get out of here.
April: We can go to our house. We just have to make sure we aren't followed.
Mikey: I got the keys (Picks up the keys to the van from a table). Let's go (Hops in the driver seat and puts the keys in the ignition. The van is stalled, but then starts after a while).
Donnie: (Hops in the passenger seat).
-April, Casey, Amy, Raph, and Leo hop in the back of the van. In that moment, the soldiers come back into the garage with their guns pointed at the van. Casey and Amy close the doors. Mikey pushes a button and the van is lifted through roof. The soldiers start shooting up through the van's floor. Everyone ducks their heads, trying to avoid being shot. Leo and Raph huddle together and try to hide the babies from the fire, and they succeed, but Raph gets shot just in his side just above his hip. They make it to the top of the elevator and Mikey presses another button and the door opens-
Donnie: (Climbs to the back to examine everyone. Comes to Raph and Leo first) Were they hit?
Leo: No. They're fine (Glances at Raph's shell). Not so sure about Raph, though.
Raph: I'm fine.
Donnie: We need to patch you up and stop the bleeding. Give Venus to Leo.
Raph: (Hands Venus to Leo).
Leo: (Takes Venus from Raph).
Donnie: I don't have anything to put pressure on it.
Raph: (Takes his mask off and gives it to Donnie) Here. Just use this.
Donnie: (Takes the mask and puts it over the bullet hole. Grabs Raph's hand and puts it over the mask) Just keep your hand on it...a-and keep putting pressure (Moves to the other side of the van to check everyone else).
-After a while;at April and Casey's place-
Casey: (Opens the back of the van) Come on. It's clear.
-Donnie and Casey help Raph out of the van, each of them grabbing one of his arms and putting it over their shoulder. They come inside and set Raph down on the ground in the living room-
Donnie: Alright, Raph. Let me see it (Kneels down next to Raph).
Raph: (Moves the mask off his shell. It's a bloody mess).
Donnie: Jesus, Raph.
Raph: Its-its not that bad (Breathing heavily).
Donnie: He may be in shock.
Raph: I'm...fine.
Donnie: Relax, Raph. April, do you have any bandages?
April: (Searching the kitchen cabinets) We don't have anything for him. Here. Use this for the bleeding (Gives Donnie a wet towel).
Raph: I'm...guessing that's...that's not a...good...thing.
Donnie: (Thinks for a while. Gets an idea) Hold still. Casey, come here.
Casey: (Kneels down next to Donnie).
Donnie: (Grabs Casey's hand and puts the mask in it. Puts Casey's hand on Raph's shell) Keep your hand here. I'll be right back. April, I need your sword.
April: (Gives Donnie her sword) What are you gonna do with it?
Donnie: First, I'm gonna heat it up (Ryan to the kitchen and turns the stove on. Puts the sword in the flames).
Casey: Donnie, I think there's something wrong with Raph.
Donnie: What is it?
Casey: He's pale, he's burning up, and his hearts slowin' down.
Donnie: April-
April: Already on it (Runs to the living room with a wet rag. Puts the rag on Raph's forehead. Puts her fingers against Raph's neck to check his heart rate). Casey, let me see your watch.
Casey: (Takes his watch off and gives it to April).
April: (Holds the watch in one hand and keeps the other to Raph's neck) Shit. Donnie! His heart rates 66 BPM! We need to close the damn wound and get him to rest!
Donnie: I'm coming (Grabs the sword and turns the stove off. Runs into the living room and kneels down next to Raph). Move.
April: (Moves out of the way).
Casey: (Take Shia hand off of Raph's shell and moves).
Donnie: This is gonna hurt like hell Raph, but it'll help.
Raph: Just...get it...done.
Donnie: (Holds up the sizzling sword. Lowers the sword and sets it against the bullet wound on Raph's shell).
Raph: (Tries to hold back a scream, but fails).
Donnie: (Lifts the blade off of Raph's wound. The wound is closed and has stopped bleeding).
Raph: (Pants heavily through gritted teeth. Slowly closes his eyes and falls asleep).
Casey: Is he gonna be okay?
Donnie: The bullet is pressing on his spine. He needs surgery. But I don't have any equipment or experience with any of-
-There is a knock on the door-
April: Move him to a different room. All of you. I'll deal with them.
-Donnie and Casey lift Raph and move him out of the living room. The others follow. April opens the door-
April: Can I help you?
???: Hi! I'm your neighbor, Enola Bates. I'm so sorry we've never met before, but I thought I heard screaming...a-and I saw you come inside with...well...they looked like they were...in costumes? Turtle costumes.
April: Really?
Enola: I just want to know if everything is alright. I'm a mother and a doctor so...I worry a lot (Chuckles).
April: No nothings wrong. Everything is-wait...you said you're a doctor?
Enola: I have been for the past seven years. Well, really I'm a vet.
April: Any experience with doing surgery on a turtles shell?
Enola: I've done every type of surgery in the book on every creature that has ever needed it...and they've all lived.
April: How about removing a bullet from a snapping turtle's spine?
-In one of the bedrooms. Casey and Donnie lay Raph down on the bed. Leo sits in a chair in the corner with the babies in his arms, not taking his eyes off Raph-
Mikey: Hey.
Leo: (Looks up and sees Mikey) Hey.
Mikey: Relax, okay? Raph'll be fine. He's tough. Tougher than all of us.
Leo: Hmm. Thanks, Mikey.
Mikey: No problem, big bro.
-The door opens and April peeks her head through-
April: How is he?
Donnie: Breathing. Who was at the door? Did they leave?
April: Not exactly (Opens the door and walks in).
Enola: (Walks in after April. She gasps and stops in her tracks when she sees everyone) Wow.
Casey: What the hell are you doing?!
April: Look, she has experience. She's a doctor.
Donnie: I doubt she's done surgery on a turtles.
Enola: I have, actually.
Leo: What kind of doctor has done surgery on a turtle?
Enola: Umm...the animal kind? I'm-I'm a vet.
Donnie: Oh, my God.
Enola: But-but I've done surgeries on turtles almost as large as you all.
Casey: Yeah, but I bet you've never done surgery on six foot tall mutants with five times a stronger shell of a regular snapping turtle. So don't come with us saying you know how to help our goddamn friend! (Bangs his hand against the table and makes a loud sound).
-The noise startles the babies and they start crying. Leo tries to calm them. He manages to get them to stop crying. Then, Raph begins shaking-
Leo: Raph?
Raph: Shakes even harder and blood starts coming from his mouth).
Enola: Put him on his side!
Casey: What?
Amy: It's a seizure. Listen to her!
-Casey, Mikey, and Donnie set Raph on his side and Raph coughs up blood-
Enola: Keep him still.
-Casey, Mikey, and Donnie hold Raph still-
Enola: If you want my help, then you'd better get me a damn knife so I can cut through his shell.
Mikey: (Goes to the kitchen and grabs a very large knife).
Leo: (Sees the knife and holds the babies in his arms tightly).
Enola: Maybe you should get those kids outta here because if he wakes up, he's gonna scream. Loudly.
Leo: I'm not going anywhere.
April: I'll take them. If they need you I'll come back (Takes the babies from Leo).
Leo: Be careful with them (Touches his hands to the babies' heads).
-Raph settles and stops coughing up blood-
April: You, too. If he wakes up, first person he's gonna go for is Enola. She dies...he dies...and I know if he dies...then part of you does, too (Walks out of the room).
-Splinter and Amy follow her-
Leo: (Walks over to the bed and stands next to Raph. Grabs Raph's hand and squeezes it) Get that thing out of him.
Enola: Give me the knife.
Mikey: (Gives Enola the knife and some gloves) I grabbed some gloves, too.
Enola: (Takes the knife and puts the gloves on) Turn him onto his stomach. Carefully.
-Casey, Mikey, and Donnie turn Raph onto his stomach-
Enola: (Holds the knife to Raph's shell. Dogs the knife into Raph's shell).
Raph: (Starts to stir and move in his sleep).
Leo: (Squeezes Raph's hand).
Raph: (Starts to wake up. Feels what's happening and screams) AHHHH! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!
Leo: Raph, you need to stop moving.
Raph: (Screams).
Enola: Keep him still!
Leo: Raph, please. You have to stop, okay? Enola's gonna help you. She's gonna get the bullet out.
Raph: AHHH! (Breathes heavily through gritted teeth).
Leo: (Squeezes Raph's hand and tries to keep him still).
-Casey, Mikey, and Donnie try to hold Raph still-
Enola: I've almost got it.
Leo: Almost there, Raph. Almost there.
Enola: Got it (Holds the bullet up and sets it on the table). I need something's. Glue and varnish.
Casey: I'll get them (Runs out of the room).
Enola: Hurry!
Leo: What now?
Enola: Now...I need to fix his shell.
-To be continues-