His Story

It was around four o' clock the following day. Everyone had slept in and was energized and refreshed. A lot of them were just hanging around in the living room, playing video games or just talking. Rachel was fast asleep on the couch since she had grown bored, her music blasting through her earphones.

Suddenly the door flew open and Matt ran in and sat down in front of the couch, staring at Rachel for the longest times. "She's asleep?" She sounded surprised, "What?"

"Chill Matt," Andrew sighed as he closed the door, "And knock next time."

Brianna glanced behind her from her spot perched on the back of the couch where Michelangelo and Raphael were both neck-and-neck in a video game. Her bouncing between them and commentary had gotten irritating, so she had moved where she could move and it wouldn't really bother them and her shouting could encourage rather than distract.

"Andy! Heya! Matt," she laughed, "You as well. Welcome!"

"Hey Bria," Andrew smiled at her, "Matt you can try to wake her up, but she'll just kill you."

"No she wouldn't. She loves me," Matt went behind the couch and grabbed her arm.

Andrew rolled his eyes and looked at Bria, "How are you?"

"I'm doing much better today, actually," Bria grinned and jumped down. She grabbed Matt playfully and whirled her out of her jacket before she jogged over to Andy and helped him with his coat.

"Thanks." Andrew said. "But um..." A thud made Andrew sighed and looked over to see that Matt and Rachel had somehow gotten themselves from the couch, to the ground. Andrew sighed to himself and then turned around look at Bria, "We were actually here to see if you and Rae was free for the day."

"How about two?" Bria smiled sheepishly, "I've sort of been in need of a shopping spree," she directed that one in Matt's direction and also raised her voice enough for her to hear.

"Did I hear that?" Matt's head popped up, "Did I truly hear that? A shopping spree?"

"Matthew……" Andrew winced, "Calm down. I did get off work today early and tomorrow is my day off……" He thought for a minute, "Rae are you dead?"

"Oh, yes," Rachel said sarcastically. "I'm so dead that I can't even move because SOMEONE is on TOP OF ME!" Matt giggled and got up and gently helped Rachel up.

Bria giggled, "Yes, yes, a shopping spree. The only clothes I had when I came to New York was a small suitcase. I managed to get a job for a short time to get all that I have now, and then I met Rach and I haven't felt or smelled new clothes in a while," she explained.

Matt's eyes sparkled and Rachel immediately groaned, "Oh my god……"

Andrew shook his head, "So we have two girls spend the night over at my place. I must be some lucky kid."

Rachel cracked up immediately and then teased Andy, "Spending the night? I thought you wanted something else."

Andrew rolled his eyes, "Surely you're happy about going shopping."

"……I guess." Rachel sighed. "I've been thinking about getting a few new things…"

"Like?" Matt pressed.

Rachel thought for a minute and then looked at her arm where the dragon was, before looking at Bria and gave her a smirk.

Andrew and Matt had turned around and Matt whistled, "Whose the hottie?"

Rachel let out a yelp and muffled laughter came from her. Andrew was a little ridged like he always was when he met someone new, "Oh my god guys, you both know him."

"We do?" Andrew and Matt asked together looking at her.

Bria couldn't help it. She laughed hysterically for a bit and then composed herself enough to ask. "Don! Did you come with any possible idea to why Lily was able to heal you and not Nao?" she grinned hugely.

"Yes……" Don said as he watched the other two's mouths drop, "What concerns me is the fact that you two look like you never seen me before……"

"Not like this," Matt whistled, "Just a question, but do turtles always randomly turn human or hot?"

"The random hotness I think runs in the family……I don't know about that," Don blinked at Matt's weird way of wording things, "However, there is a certain process for us to turn human, I think we established that fact due to me and Raph being human and not turtles," he continued.

Bria beamed, "So, Matt, from 1-10?" she asked smoothly.

"For?" Matt blinked.

"Shopping you moron," Rachel muttered.

"Oh, come on," Bria rolled her eyes.

"For Raph I give him a five," She shrugged, "Donny get's an eight."

"Why does Raph get a five?"

"Oh come on Rae, Don has at least ten percent more hotness that Raph does due to the fact that he puts time in his clothing."

Brianna stifled a laugh. Raphael rolled his eyes, "Right…" he muttered.

"Dude, Andrew can kick Raph's ass in that department," Rachel told her, "Come on, remember when he was what? Twenty three? Two piercing on one ear, three on the other, and not to mention that he had a streak in his hair and had this ragged out Emo look?"

"Thanks for dragging me into a conversation I'd rather not be mentioned in," Andrew muttered.

"No. Raph's better," Matt shook her head, "He's has that natural thing going on with the bad-boy. Andrew doesn't he had to work for that. Raph doesn't. All he has to do is ride his motorcycle, and I'm sure he's going to get a few good looks."

Bria turned with utter shock and disbelief at Andrew, her mouth agape. She took a couple steps back and her eyes ran quickly up and down. Her expression changed through different stages: more disbelief, contemplation, thoughtfulness, and soft as memories passed through her mind.

Andrew noticed the look and shifted.

Rachel shook her head as she continued, "Come on Matt, what would rate Andy then?"

"I think I rated him a six back then," Matt said thoughtfully, "Still pretty high compared to some."

"Okay so five for Raph is?"

"Average. I mean there's so many ways to rate someone. Appearance, clothes, types…" Matt rolled her eyes.

"So you rated low because of the bad-boy?" Rachel teased.

"Sweetheart, I'm not like you," Matt said, "Back when you were what? Sixteen or fifteen turning sixteen I'm sure, positively sure that you were all out for the bad ones."

"Okay so I like the type. I can't deal with people that…I don't know… care about their appearance much."

A slow smile grew on Bria's lips as she watched Andy as the two girls went back and forth. She then grinned and gloumped on Andrew, "You're my new best friend," she announced.

The two girls had turned around to that. Andrew blushed and Rachel burst out laughing as Andrew said uncomfortably, "Okay? New best friend, I can deal with that." Matt was pointing at them giggling.

Bria laughed, "I always knew there was something about you that seemed…a little darker. Not only your past, everyone has a dark past, but that just made you higher on my list." She grinned and tapped the toe of her shoe on the floor, sending her ki toward Matt and Rachel in attempt to silence them so she could talk. However, as they were startled and fell backwards, they only laughed harder.

"Yeah. Dark…" Andrew said softly remembering his ex and the fight they had, "Yeah, not as bad as some." He smiled at Bria.

Rachel just cracked up and then Andrew had to throw a glare just as Rachel said, "Romeo oh Romeo where art thou?"

"Down under your balcony trying not to be called a stalker!" Matt replied back.

She sighed and rolled her eyes. Reluctantly she let Andy go, "Minna…" she said since the guys had also started in on it, "Choudai…" she frowned as they just kept laughing at little jokes they kept making. Bria scowled and took Andy's hand as she drug him outside. She slammed the door shut behind them, "There! Silence! Now I can freaking talk to you without being interrupted."

Andrew sighed, "I'm used to being teased. Don't worry about it." He gently rubbed his neck, "Anyway, I was trying to invite you and Rae to come over to my place, and yes if you wish to sleep over you may."

"Hai, that would be nice," Bria smiled at him, "Though, I should be used to it as well…I was never able to ignore it. I tried, but it never worked." She held out her hand, "If you'll take a small walk with me……I'll show you some of my past, and explain any questions you have." She bit her lip…she hadn't shown anyone or told anyone much about herself except Rachel.

Andrew thought for a minute, "Before...before you do anything." He quickly looked at her and gave her a slight smile. "I think, it's best if I go first. I don't want you to tell or show me anything, until you know me."

Bria blinked, but smiled back, "Kaiteki," Agreeable. She nodded.

Andrew smiled and took her offered hand and started walking with her. "Let's see," He watched the ground for a while and frowned. "I lived in a family of five. I have a mom, a dad, and two sisters." He sighed. "I'm the youngest in the family."

They kept walking and he looked at the streets as they walked. He stopped from his walking and watched as some of the cars drove by. "My sister Emily was a History Teacher…and she's stern. She had different ideas and there were always fights between my father and her."

"My sister, Jessica, she's a sweet girl," Andrew continued his walking as he talked. His eyes now were watching the sky and his surroundings than the ground. "She's a Vet. Loves animals. When Emily, dad and mom fought, Jessica used to take me to her room and hold me tightly, telling me that their not fighting."

"When we grew older, the fights got worse. Emily left the family," Andrew sighed, "Jessica was getting blamed."

"I was around sixteen when Jessica told my parents that she was done being the 'new first daughter'. She could understand why Emily left. She grabbed my wrist, a few things, and we he headed out."

He stopped a bench and sat down, "Jessie, she got me into a good school, worked three jobs. She always smiled. Always telling me 'Stay strong, days will get better'. When I got into college, she went to college; we called often as we could. Emily came back in our lives, and we were fine. Dad found us though. Emily left, Jessica left. I was the only one left. I was around twenty. I left and came to New York," He smiled lightly.

"I was around twenty-two when I got accepted at a big shot hospital. That's where I met a woman. A doctor by the name of Katie Johnson," He sighed and looked at the ground.

Brianna tilted her head interestedly, "Andy…a quick random question before you go on……?"

"Yeah?" Anderw looked at her.

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-six," Andrew smiled.

"Oh you suck…My Abby is five years ahead of me, so that makes him 22," she pouted, "26 makes you 9 years ahead…you look way freakin' younger than you say you are. I could've sworn you're 19 or something of the sort when I first saw you."

"Why does that sounds so familiar?" Andrew murmured. "Oh yes, Matt." He nodded and then said, "Back when Matt was a he, he found me and poked me and told Rachel that he found 'a teen that looks like he's misunderstood'."

Bria laughed lightly, "Nice," she nodded. She lightly nudged him, "So…go on…Katie?"

"Yeah… She was my teacher. I always called her Dr. Johnson, even outside of the hospital. One night, we're at a bar. We're both talking about a successful surgery that I finally was able to do, and she turned to me and asked, 'Why do you call me by my title?' and I asked her, 'Isn't that showing respect?' She laughed and…"

He coughed and continued, "She laughed and said, 'You're a very nice guy, Andrew. That's what makes doctors like you so rare. You actually care about the living and I'm sure you would cry at a funeral for someone you didn't even know, if you could. How about this Andrew, you call me Katie outside work and I'll stop calling you Andrew'. I asked her, 'What will you call me?' Katie turned and said, 'Andy's a good name for you. It's suits for someone with a baby face."

"We dated," Andrew said, "For a year. A year and I was a doctor and was working…and I moved up the ranks. Katie……she didn't."

"We……we fought. For the first time we fought, I tried to get away, I wanted a clear head. I told her this…but she didn't listen." Andrew sighed, "She poked so many accusations at me, and threw so many insults, I was just spinning. Finally she told me to leave, to get out…to never talk to her, or see her ever again. I'm to be transferred to a new hospital; she wanted me to take that job so I wouldn't have to deal with her."

"I told her that I didn't wish to take that job. That we should just calm down. I think she took that the wrong way. She pushed me out the door and threw my things away. I slept on a park bench, and Matt was the one that found me two days later. He looked worried and asked if I was okay. I told him that I was as fine as I would ever get. Matt laughed and said, 'I know a safe heaven for you. You'll have to work it out with Starlight, but I'm sure she'll listen to you."

"I met Rachel, and I have to admit, I thought that girl was eighteen, not fifteen. She looked older than what she was," Andrew sighed, "I could see…all the wounds she had through the emotional scars. I always had that power of empathy, to see wounds of cuts and scars that emotions are inflicted on. Katie was jealous of me, and I knew that…Rachel and Matt……I once told them, 'I'm surprised you r not dead'."

"Matt just laughed, but Rae…she was so quiet, I was afraid I said the wrong thing. When she spoke, Matt didn't look surprised. She said, 'I am surprised that I'm not'."

"Her and Matt…" Andrew sighed, "I don't think I ever seen such torture. All of their scars were reopened and none of the cuts were ever healed. All were just infected. Each of them… Them being Informers, I still wonder to this day, if they were searching for something. If their still searching for something."

"When they were a couple, you could see how desperate they were," Andrew sighed, "How desperate they were of each other. They needed each other. Without one another, I think they deemed themselves lost," He watched the ground, "I remember before Rachel walked out, that Matt told me that he wanted to propose to her, but couldn't. I asked why and he said, 'Because I'd just break her heart in the end.' He admitted after a month after that, that he was……a little bent. Rachel accepted that, but her heart……I saw this gash so wide and deep…"

"I wonder if that's what they were searching for. Just someone to love," Andrew sighed, "Someone that could love them."

"I find that sad," Andrew looked up at Bria, "That they didn't have a family to lean on, and that they had just each other to hold. I actually thought how lucky I must be compared to them, and how lucky they were for not having a family." He laughed, "Crazy right?"

Bria shook her head, "No. It's understandable," she assured. She tilted her head, "What of Rachel now, now that she has Raphael?"

Andrew laughed, "Do you honestly want me to answer that?"

Bria smiled, "Yes."

"She's changed drastically," Andrew said softly. "If you were there, Bria, when she was an Informer, you would think this was a mircial." He smiled and turned away from Bria, "She's smiling more, and laughing more. I can see how much she cares about him. She may not always stand up for him, but you can see that she loves him. When I saw her walk through the hospital, tear stained and crying, I saw that gash on her heart and I thought, 'Why is it there?' When she and Raph made up it disappeared. All of the wounds, that were once infected, their gone into scars. Jagged and unperfected scars, but healed."

"I actually admire Raph for healing Rae. That girl that used to take on the most dangerous jobs even for the government just because she wanted to die healed." Andrew laughed and looked back at Bria, "I truly do admire Raph for doing something me and Matt never could. He didn't just heal her. No, he did much more than just heal her. I think he gave her something to work for. I'm sure back when he was hurt he made her feel a little guilty, and I'm sure she worked hard at beating herself up at what she did. When she apologized, I bet that sweet reward he gave her was just a hint. A hint that there was more to this…"

Brianna smiled softly, "Raph said it…He told her several nights go, really. When you and Matt had been here to listen to Nao play?"

"Really? Okay so instead of having to work for it, she actually has something to live for as well. That's nice." Andrew laughed, "Has she kicked anyone's ass at her fighting?"

"No, not really," Bria chuckled.

"What? No way," Andrew was shocked. That couldn't be, "Damn…I'm guessing she's bowing down?"

"Unfortunately…" Bria sighed, "I'm trying to get her to train harder, though."

Andrew smiled and got up from the bench, "Alright."