Kind of a short chapter...
Chapter 12
Michelangelo looked after Leonardo in confusion. He looked over to where Donatello was holding the goddess. Raphael winced as he tried to move his arm. He had really clocked Leonardo. Not that he didn't deserve it, but he still didn't know why Leonardo was acting the way he was.
Raphael walked over to Donatello, anguish written in every line of his face. "Donny..." He choked out shaking his head. He reached out to touch her but stopped himself. "That's why she didn't want to watch the monster movie." He whispered. Michelangelo didn't think he would ever be able to watch another monster movie again.
"Mikey thinks she's becoming more mortal, and that is why she is sleeping." He finally managed to say. Donatello shook his head. "I honestly don't know Raph. She may know what's wrong with her, but whether we will actually get a straight answer from her is another story" He said softly.
He looked at Raphael. "She's okay Raph." Donatello said to him.
"God Donny I just can't..." Raphael said shaking his head.
Donatello looked at him seriously. "This is the goddess we're talking about. She won against Aerion. She was under the influence of that god and knowing her, if she could, she would march over there right now and kick Heterion's ass. You know that and I know that. She is the strongest woman I have ever known. She doesn't need us to fight her battles for her, or dwell on battles she has already won." Raphael nodded curtly ."I'll take her Donny." He said holding his arms out for her.
Donatello shook his head."I'm going to take her to my workroom. I want to run some tests on her, make sure she's sleeping and not unconscious, see if I can find out what's going on with her." Donatello said looking at her and pulling her in closer. Donatello looked at Raphael, closed his eyes, then passed her over to him. "I'll get her when she wakes up, keep her warm, come get me when she wakes up." Donatello turned and walked away. Raphael looked down at the woman in his arms, pulling her closer pain still evident on his face. "She's been through a lot, hasn't she?" Michelangelo asked him quietly.
"We probably don't even know the half of it Mikey." Raphael said as he lay her down on the couch.
Michelangelo left and came back with another blanket. He bent down and picked her up. Raphael looked at him in confusion. "Donatello said to keep her warm, and you need more rest. Lay down I'll put her on you."
Raphael shook his head. "I can't Mikey, after what she's been through..."
"Raphael, she was cuddling with us and laying on you twenty minutes ago. If she was still bothered by what happened to her she wouldn't be doing that." Raphael looked at him and nodded. He obeyed laying down on the couch. Michelangelo tucked her into his side, partially laying her on his chest. He covered them both up with a the blanket and sat down at their feet. He covered himself and their feet with the other blanket. "Go to sleep Raph, I'll watch her." Michelangelo said looking tenderly at the woman who lay sleeping in his brother's arms.
Michelangelo Looked at Raphael. He knew his brother had been through so much, and that it was due to the woman in his arms that had kept him sane for the past two months. If not for her constantly distracting him from his inability to fight, Raphael probably would have lost it. But now he had to watch as his brothers fell in love with the same woman. Michelangelo had a feeling things were going to get worse unless she chose one of them. And even then, he didn't think things would get much better. He turned towards the TV and began flipping through the channels. Raphael was soon sleeping and Michelangelo turned and looked at them. Donatello had emerged from his workroom and was watching the pair sleep. A look of anguish that had nothing to do with physical pain passed over his brother's face. Michelangelo stood and walked over to Donatello and placed a hand on his shoulder. "She hasn't chosen him Donny." Michelangelo said to him.
Donatello looked at him in shock. "I wasn't..." He began. Michelangelo walked away to find some chips. He didn't want to hear Donatello's excuses. He rummaged through the cupboards and found some snacks then went back and sat down on the couch. Donatello walked back into his workroom, pausing at the door. "I don't want to lose her Mikey... she...she feels like home." He said walking through the door. "I know." Michelangelo said quietly to himself. Two hours later the goddess quietly disengaged herself from Raphael's embrace. She sat beside Michelangelo leaning her head against his shoulder. He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. She was silent and looking at him uncertainly.
"Well thanks to your story I don't think I will ever be able to watch another horror or monster movie again. And if I don't have nightmares tonight I think I will be really lucky." Michelangelo said to her accusingly. She laughed. "I'm sorry about that, I truly am. Thank you Michelangelo." She beamed at him.
He relaxed and smiled back. He pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head. She hugged him back. "You were lonely before us, weren't you?" He asked softly. He didn't know where the question came from but it popped out of his mouth anyway. She was silent for a few moments and Michelangelo didn't think she was going to answer. "I don't have...friends. Death is my only friend, if you can call what we have friendship. Maybe Gabriel, as well, although my relationship with Gabriel is...complicated." She said thinking. Michelangelo looked at her in shock. "Death is your friend?" He asked incredulous. "Well like I said, if you can call what we have friendship. Death is a human construction. He has no emotions or feelings, but because he was created by humans, he has been able to gain them, or at least some ability to understand them. He has also been hanging around with me for over four thousand years. I have always... interested him. He cares for me insomuch as a being like Death can care for anyone. We play chess every Thursday." She said with a smile. She looked over her shoulder at Donatello who had emerged from his workroom.
She looked back at Michelangelo. "Thank you Michelangelo." She said softly. He removed his arm and she stood. Donatello looked grim. She smiled down at Michelangelo, "Oh look at the time, I should really be out looking for demons, I'll catch up with you in a bit Donatello." She said as she disappeared quite literally. "Wow, she just totally ran out on you." He said in surprise. Donatello grumbled something then returned to his workroom. She found him standing on the roof of Belvedere Castle, overlooking the lake. She looked at him steadily, no accusation, no anger, nothing in her gaze but worry. He didn't know what to say to her, he couldn't bring himself to apologize even though he knew he should. He had been so angry, and he was still angry. Anger flowed through his like a raging torrent. He wanted to yell at her, scream at her to choose Raphael, but the words would not come.
"Come back to the lair Leonardo, the air is thick with the stench of Demons." She stood on the wall then turned and looked at him. "You can lie to me if you wish, but don't lie to yourself Leonardo, the only person you hurt is yourself." She unfurled her wings and fell backwards off the building. He watched her soar in the direction of the lair. He sometimes forgot that she could fly. He tailed her occasionally but when she was at home she always had her wings wrapped around her body. She was beautiful when she flew.
He followed her home. The shield of mistrust he had placed around himself was beginning to crack and crumble, but he needed to reinforce it or else he wasn't going to be able to... He couldn't even finish the thought. He walked through the entrance of the lair. His eyes against their will sought her out. She was talking intensely with Donatello, they didn't notice him approach. Michelangelo was watching TV while it looked like Raphael had already gone to bed for the night. "You're getting worse." Donatello whispered at her.
"I already told you I will not take any more of your blood" She said to him reasonably. "But if you took my blood it would help." Donatello said desperately. She shrugged and softly touched his shoulder. "Please goddess," Donatello whispered. He touched her face, pain written clearly on his face. She closed her eyes and leaned into his hand. Rage poured through Leonardo. How could she act like this with both Raphael and Donatello. And how could Donatello betray Raphael like this! Leonardo marched up to her, anger pouring out. She pulled away from Donatello as he grabbed her arm. He pulled her away from Donatello and dragged her to the far corner of Donatello's workroom. "So are you going for Donatello or Raphael? Because you had better choose between the two, because if Raph catches you like that with Donny..." He let the sentence hang. "But maybe if Donny is okay betraying his brother, please continue." Leonardo said in an angry whisper. "Or is it Mikey? Which is it or are you just going to seduce all of my brothers?" He said rage pouring off of him. Sadness flickered across her face. She reached up with her free hand and stroked his face. She opened her mouth to reply when Michelangelo came running up. "Leo, Donny, goddess you have got to see this, the Silver Sentry is on the news!" He was jumping up and down in excitement. The goddess's gaze swivelled from Michelangelo back to him. She looked at him with even green eyes that looked through to his very soul. That gaze knew all of his secrets, and ripped them open inspecting them in minute detail. He broke eye contact with her before he could find out if she found anything in his soul wanting. "Leonardo I..." she began but Michelangelo grabbed her by the arm.
"I have a nice seat right beside me!" Michelangelo yanked her towards the couch. Donatello looked at him grimly.
"So bro, I'm guessing you heard everything, still think she's the big scary monster? So tell me am I under her influence, is she making me want to give her my blood?" He asked, angrily. "She doesn't have to Donny. She's got you three so wrapped around her fingers that of course you would willingly open a vein. So how long has she been feeding off of you Donny? And when did you plan on telling Raphael that not only are you feeding her, you have been cheating on him with her when his back is turned." Leonardo said viciously. Donatello paled."It's not what it looks like Leo..." He began. "Isn't it Donny? She acts all innocent 'oh I can't take your blood...' But meanwhile she has been bleeding you for what a little over a month? I've seen you Donny, all tired and worn out. She's making you act in a way you never would have before." "She's not Raph's, Leo." Donatello said anger beginning to trickle into his voice. Leonardo turned and stalked away. "Raphael thinks she is." Leonardo said to him angrily as he stalked out.