Hey everyone! For some reason, I was in the mood to update. Weird huh? Well I went over this chapter a few times, checking for grammer mistakes, ext...and if it's not perfect, sorry. My new beta reader Raph's No. 1 Girl and TheIncredibleDancingBetty have all thrown in time and patience with me to make this one possible. Big thankies!
"Raph?!" Don ran to her side, squeezing her shoulders. He shook his head before running to the door. "GUYS! He's waking up, come on!" he shouted.
Several footsteps could be heard running to the door and Mikey was the first in, followed by Leo and Splinter. They all hovered anxiously over Suri, watched in amazed silence as Raph slowly opened his eyes.
He blinked, trying to regain his focus. Upon seeing he family member's face, he let a soft, almost silent groan, escape his lips and closed his eyes again.
None of them took notice. He woke up!
"Let's let him sleep guys." Don cautioned as he shooed them all out of the room, except Suri. "I'll be sure to tell you the second he wakes up again."
It wasn't until till later that night, after everyone had gone to bed, did Raph wake up again. He let out a small moan before turning his head. Don was slumped at the computer desk, snoring loudly, his head resting on the keyboard.
He turned the other way and a small grin played on his face. Suri was watching him with wide eyes and a large smile on her face.
"Hey Raph." She whispered as she squeezed his hand.
Raph squeezed back. "Hey Suri."
They sat there for a while, just happy and satisfied to be near each other. It was Raph who broke the first silence.
"How long?" he rasped.
"A week." Suri told him.
"You've been here that long?" Raph asked in surprise. "With them?" he jerked his head in Don's direction.
"Anything for you." Suri teased quietly as she batted her eyelashes. "Ready to go home?"
Raph yawned before nodding his head. "I won't be able to sleep until I'm back in the warehouse with everyone else. And if we leave now, we'll be able to get away easier with everyone asleep."
Suri nodded as she offered her arm to help the turtle sit up. Raph clutched her arm tightly as he used what was left of him muscles to help hoist himself into a sitting position. Suri helped him every step over the way.
With shaky legs, he lowered himself off the table and onto the floor. With the girl's help, somehow, they made it back to the warehouse.
Joey had night watch duty, and his eyes narrowed as he saw two figures, one large and one small, gradually make their ways towards him. Slowly their form began to take place and Joey's eyes went wide.
"Raph?' he gaped as he rushed forward to help. He draped one of the turtle's arms of his shoulders, helping guide the two back to the warehouse. "Are you okay buddy?"
"Yeah Joey, just tired." Raph managed to give his friend a weak grin. "How's it been over here?"
Joey chuckled. "Well Sammy's been asking bout ya 24/7 and Becky seemed pretty shaken up bout that whole thing. Shaun's doing good though; Betty totally digs the bruises. Ya know chicks dig the scars."
Raph groaned as he put too much weight on his right leg. "Well can't say much bout mine." He gave a weak laugh. "It's good to be back though."
Joey gave his friend a gentle sided hug. "And it's good to have ya back."
As soon as they stepped through the door they heard a squeak and Suri's laugh.
"Wait for it." She murmured. "Wait for it."
A second later a small blob came running up, curls bouncing everywhere, blue dress flapping and tiny legs moving as fast as they could. Raph quickly knelt down on one knee to greet the small girl.
"Raphie!" Sammy squealed as she threw her arms around Raph's neck. She squeezed him tightly as though her life depended on it. "You're back. I missed you." She gave him a small kiss on the cheek to prove her point.
Raph smiled as he hugged the small girl. "I missed you too Sammy." He gently pried her off as her hugs somehow managed to get tighter. "Careful though, I still kinda sore."
"Sore?" Sammy giggled. "You look funny." She pointed out the multiple bandages that covered the turtle.
"Sammy, why don't you go get Becky?" Joey urged the girl.
Sammy brightened instantly at the idea. As she bounded away, Raph shook his head in amusement.
It's good to be back.
Don let a small moan as he lifted his head. "Ouch," he rubbed his sore neck and then his face where the keyboard dug in. Then he remembered. "Hey Suri -" he turned around, falling out of his chair.
"Raph!" Don screamed as he rushed to the bed. There was no sign of the red clad turtle, or of the girl, Suri. The blankets were wrinkled, proof that someone had been there not to long ago. Bandages and splints that had helped immobilize Raph had been carelessly tossed aside the IV drip strung across the bed.
"What's wrong Don?" Leo rushed into the room. He stumbled to a halt and starred at the reason for Don's yell. "Raph?"
Mikey pushed behind his brother, his fear that Raph had died during the night. What he did see however, was an empty bed. He staggered forward, shock written on his face. "Raph." He whispered as he gently touched the bed sheets that had wrapped his brother not a few hours ago.
Leo was in shock, and guilt. He was the one who let that girl in. If she hadn't been here, Raph would've stayed. With the condition he was in, it would have been impossible to leave without help, let alone get up.
His normally trained ears failed to hear the soft patter of Master Splinter. As soon as the elderly rat saw the empty bed, instead of going into shock of tears, he chuckled and shook his head. Leo turned to stare at him in disbelief.
"Sensei?"
Splinter's shoulder's shook as he laughed. Regaining control of himself, he answered the question written on their faces. "My sons don't be alarmed at this old foolish rat. I am not happy at his departure. However, I do find it amusing that Raphael had managed once again to sneak out of the lair, the second time injured and we failed to hear him." He turned to Leo. "What does that say about his ninja training?" His whiskers twitched in amusement. "Or, shall I say, failed to tell me about yours?"
Leo felt his cheeks turning beat red and Splinter's eyes lit up like fireworks.
"I made a funny." He laughed loudly, his laugh rich and full.
Mikey rolled his eyes at Don. "Only sensei could find something even remotely funny about this." He whispered to the purple clad turtle, who nodded his agreement.
"Sensei?" Don asked after the rat had managed to calm down and breath normal without breaking into hysterics. "All calm now, what are we going to do about Raph? He's in bad shape and staying out in the cold and with little food isn't doing him any good."
"I am aware of that my son." Splinter replied, the wise tone back in his voice. "However, have you not said that the best place for one to heal is in a place where he is at ease? If Raphael is not at ease here, can we expect him to heal correctly?"
"No sensei."
"Tell me Donatello, is there any point in putting a cast on a broken leg that has not been set?"
Don shook his head. "No cause the leg is still broken, regardless of what you do. It can't heal properly unless it's been set, or fixed."
Splinter's ear flicked back and forth in amusement. He was waiting for his son to get his metaphor. "Tell me, has Raphael found what he is missing?"
"Obviously not." Mikey growled as he stood next to Leo.
"If Raphael is not at peace, then why bring him back where he can not heal? If a leg is broken, why cast it if it has not been set?" Splinter raised an eyebrow at his sons. "Raphael is at peace where he is right now. There his physical wounds may not heal correctly, but his mental wounds shall."
"But sensei - " Don started to protest. Splinter held up one furry hand to silence him.
"Physical wounds can be healed when he returns. You have led me to believe that the wounds are not fatal or permanent in any way, am I correct?" at his nod, he went on. "Then those will be dealt with when the time is right. For now, we must wait."
Leo opened his mouth to protest, but no words of object came out. He had no idea how his sensei did it, but the strange way he compared things always seemed to make sense. Maybe not at first, but in the end, he would look back and be amazed how wise those words were and how they affected his choices.
If not for Splinter, Leo would have rushed out and dragged his baby brother home, somehow forcing him to stay. But Master Splinter used those wise words of his and made Leo think twice about doing it.
If Raph needed healing, then why didn't he come home?
"Master?"
Splinter stopped; tail flicking at his eldest son. "Yes Leonardo?"
"How can we heal something if we don't go straight to the heart of the poison?" Leo asked. "Is it possible to heal something and not deal with it directly?"
"My son, when you set a leg, do you just grab it and twist, hoping it will slide back?"
Leo winced at the painful thought. "No."
"There is always going to obstacles to dealing with the problem." Splinter told him. "There are things that must be done beforehand to get to the trouble. Sometimes trying to rush ahead and not let time unfold, you can do more damage; pouring salt in the open wound."
"So are you saying we just have to wait?" Mikey asked.
"No my son, you must have a part in the fixing. You may have all the materials, but if you have no one to do the mending…"
"What do we do when we have all the pieces then?" Mikey asked.
"Do you?" Splinter questioned. He glanced around. "I do not see Raphael."
Mikey shook his head. "No, I mean when Raph is home - "
Splinter held up a hand. "Let time be on your side. Deal with the problems as they arise; do not waste your time on solving something that happen and focus on what is happening. Do not dwell on fixing tomorrow's problems; let the problems of tomorrow come when they come. Fix the troubles for today."
"What?"
"Don't worry about what will happen tomorrow." Don explained. "Worry about today."
"Oh."
Splinter nodded his head, satisfied that his students were understanding his words.
The second Splinter departed from the room, Mikey slumped on the examination table, holding his head in his hands and groaning.
"You okay Mike?" Leo asked worriedly as he went to his youngest brother's side.
Mikey moaned, shaking his head. "Splinter and his teaching's make my head hurt."
Leo stood back and chuckled silently to himself as Don set upon himself at explaining the teachings to Mikey in words that even Leo had trouble understanding.
Mikey groaned and shut his eyes. "You're not helping Don." He protested.
Don frowned as he turned to Leo. "Am I not making sagacity? It's all quite unadorned really."
"What? English Donny, I'm begging you." Mikey pleaded from the table, eyes still shut.
Don sighed as he placed his hands on his hips. "I asked if I wasn't making sense. It's all simple, really."
Leo slapped Don on the shell. "This is coming from the turtle who read the dictionary at age six."
"I was bored!" Donny objected.
"So were we," Leo smirked. "Donny, try and talk to us in smaller words. We're not as advanced in the English language as you are."
Don threw his hands in the air as he stalked out of the room. "Here's a small words then – BYE!"
Leo shook his head as Mikey jumped out of bed, his eyes wide with excitement.
"Leo!" he shouted as he started to a bizarre jig; a cross between the Chicken Dance and the Tango. At least, that's what Leo assumed he was doing.
Leo backed out of his brother's reach before he could pull him in. "What now?"
Mikey shouted triumphantly, pumping his fist in the air. "I understood Donnie!"
"Oh boy."
