Ch 6 Conversations in a Hospital

Splinter, Donatello and Raphael raced through the doors of the hospital, making their way quickly to the nurse's station. The nurse looked up at them as they stopped in front of her. "Please, nurse, my name is Hamato Yoshi, I was told my son Michelangelo was brought here with..."

"Please sir calm down." The nurse told him sternly. "Your son was brought in and is currently in surgery." She looked at him with sincerity in her eyes. "The doctor will be out as soon as he's done and let you know how he's doing."

"Please, is there anything you can tell me about my son now?" He asked, choking back a sob. "Anything at all."

Before the nurse could respond, a voice called out to him. "Master Splinter!"

Splinter turned at the calling of his name, relieved to see Leonardo's aunt walking quickly toward them. She gathered him in a hug and cried silently.

"Ms Langinstein." Splinter pulled her back and led her to a row of seats. "Can you tell me what happened?" He took her hands in his as they sat down. "All the police will tell me is that Michelangelo was hurt helping Leonardo."

Irma took out a tissue and wiped her eyes then blew her nose. She shook her head and tried to gather herself to talk. Raph and Donnie sat down behind Splinter and watched her anxiously waiting for her to speak.

"Oh Splinter." She sobbed. "Thank goodness your here." She took a deep breath and attempted to tell them what she had learned. "I've spoken with Leonardo and he told me he was attacked by those ruffians, The Purple Dragons." She shook her head again. "They beat him and tried to...to..." She took a deep breath. "They tried to force themselves on him and Michelangelo stopped them." She shook as she spoke. "Oh Splinter, they shot him!" Splinter and the boys gasped in horrified shock while Irma cried into Splinter's shoulder. "He tried to stop them from raping Leonardo and they shot him!" She cried out and grabbed another tissue.

Splinter suddenly leaned very heavily against the chair he was sitting in. His breathing quickened and his eyes filled with tears at the thought of his youngest being shot. He leaned forward heavily and placed his head in his hands, his body shaking with uncontrollable sobs. Donnie and Raph stared at each other in disbelief. Raph clenched his fist in anger at the thought of his brother and Leo being assaulted and almost killed by the Purple Dragons.

Raph looked up at Irma. "Ms Langinstien?" She looked over at him. "How's Leo?" He asked anxiously. "Can I see him?"

Irma closed her eyes and took a breath again. "Leonardo is really shaken Raphael." She told him. "They beat him up pretty bad." She began to cry again. "They told him they wanted him to give you a message. Something about not saying 'no' to them."

Raph stood up and growled loudly. He began to shake and tears fell from his face. He clenched his fist and began to walk away. "I'm gonna kill those bastards!" He screamed.

"Raphael!" Splinter stood up and grabbed Raph's arm holding him back. "You will do no such thing!" He told him. "You will stay here and be with your family. Allow the police to do their job and bring them in." He turned to Irma and took a calming breath. "Is Leonardo going to be okay?"

Irma nodded. "He'll be fine, he's speaking with the police now and the doctor who checked him out wants him to stay the night for observation."

"Ms Langinstein." Raph turned back to her. "Can I please see him?" He begged. "I need to tell him..."

"Mr. Hamato?" They turned to see a doctor in green scrubs walking toward the group.

Splinter quickly walked over to him. "Yes, is this about my son, Michelangelo?"

The doctor nodded. "He's out of surgery and I"m happy to say he'll be fine. He's a very lucky boy." The doctor told them. "The bullet hit his temple and although there was a lot of blood, no severe damage was done." The group let out a collected sigh. "He's being moved to the recovery room." He continued. "You'll be able to see him in a few minutes. We'd like to keep him for at least a week to make sure there is no additional trauma."

Splinter nodded and sat back in his chair. Exhaustion set in and he put his face in his hands and once again began to sob. Raph and Donnie sat on either side of him and held him tight, tears rolling down their faces as they too finally gave into their relief.

"Raphael." Irma put a hand on his shoulder and gave a gentle smile. "I'll let Leonardo know you would like to see him, but for now, go be with your brother." He nodded and the three Hamatos got up and followed the doctor to Mikey's room.

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Irma cautiously walked into Leonardo's room, the police were still there and questioning him. Leo shook as he attempted to recall the nightmarish attack.

"Where were you coming from again son?" One officer asked.

Leo took a breath. "My boy...a friend's house." He said quickly, his eyes lowered.

"Can I get this friend's name?"

"Raphael Hamato."

The officers exchanged looks. "Was it his brother who helped you?"

Leo choked back a sob. "Yes." He said, tears once again falling from his eyes. "Michelangelo."

One officer shook his head. "Huh, I thought that Raphael kid cleaned up his act." He looked at the other cop. "Haven't heard of anything from him in almost two years."

The other one shook his head. "Things happen." He muttered. They turned back to Leo who was looking up at them in surprise. "Are you sure the ones who attacked you were the Purple Dragons?" Leo nodded. "Would you be willing to pick them out of a line-up and press charges?" Again, Leo nodded. The officers finished with their report. "Good, we'll be in touch." They told him. They left his room with a nod and Leo leaned back against his bed and closed his eyes.

"Leonardo?" Leo opened his eyes and smiled nervously as he saw Irma walking in. She smiled down at him and gently stroked his bruised cheeks. Leo's face was swollen from the beatings, both eyes black and blue. His right arm was in a sling and both wrist were wrapped in bandages.

"Hi Auntie." He greeted her, attempting to stay calm. "How's Mikey?"

"He'll be fine. The doctor just spoke with the Hamatos and he came out of the surgery a little while ago. Their with him now."

Leo nodded and closed his eyes. "I'm tired auntie." He told her. "I think I'd like to just rest now."

"Raphael was hoping to see you." Irma told him.

Leo slowly shook his head. "I can't see him right now." He didn't try to hide the tears that rolled down his face. "Please, just tell him to leave me alone for now...please."

Irma placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it tenderly before leaving his room.

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Splinter, Raph and Donnie stood over Mikey's bed. His head was bandaged and his eyes had dark circles under them. Splinter bent down and kissed his son gently on the forehead. He placed a gentle paw on his head, careful not to brush against the wound. Mikey weakly opened his eyes and smiled up at his family.

"Hey guys." He said weakly.

"Oh my son." Splinter sobbed as he gently hugged his youngest. "We were so scared."

"Hey ya knucklehead." Raph said placing a gentle hand on the top of his baby brother's head. "You may think you have a hard head but it's not hard enough to stop a bullet."

Mikey nodded. "Just wanted to make sure." He joked and gave a slight chuckle.

"How are you feeling Mikey?" Donnie asked, wiping hid eyes.

"Like I have a headache the size of Canada and it's still getting bigger." He smiled. Then winced from the throbbing. "Is Leo okay?"

Splinter and the other turtles nodded. "He'll be okay Mikey." Donnie told him. "He's been taken care of and their keeping him for the night."

"What about Renet?" He asked. "Is she here?" He gave a hopeful grin. "Ladies love it when a hero gets hurt."

"After you left, she went after Mona to see if she was okay." Raph told him. "She doesn't even know."

"We'll call her tomorrow and bring her by after she gets home from work." Donnie added.

MIkey nodded then yawned. "Get some sleep my son." Splinter told him. He gently rubbed his paw over Mikey's head like he use to when he was a child. "We'll stay with you while you sleep." Mikey nodded again and closed his eyes. Feeling his Sensei's smoothing fingers along his forehead helped him to relax.

Raph took Donnie's arm and let him out of the room. They stood just outside the door. Donnie looked at Raph waiting for him to speak.

"I'm sorry Don." Raph told him, his eyes lowered in shame. "But please, don't be angry with Mona." He looked back up at him. "It wasn't her fault, I should have just told her straight up a long time ago it was over." He looked at him tenderly. "If you love her then..."

"Raph stop." Donnie told him. "For your information, I'm not angry with Mona, she never even wanted to be with me." He gave a heavy sigh. "She only went out with me because she was waiting for you to come home and by dating me, she was hoping it would give her a chance to still get to you." He rubbed a tired hand over his face. "And I kinda knew about it all along." He shook his head and glared at Raph. "But I am angry with you." He told him.

Raph looked at him in shock. "Me? Why me?" He demanded. "What did I do?"

"The way you've been treating Leo!" He almost yelled at him. "How could you do that to him?"

Raph held his hands up. "Now just a minute Donnie." He took a step back. "I didn't do anything to Leo. He didn't give me a chance to explain and then, to top it off, he throws me over his shoulder when all I wanted to do was talk about what he did see!" Raph growled at him.

Donnie could practically see the steam rising from Raph's ears. But he didn't back down. "I'm not talking about what happened tonight." He explained. Raph gave him a curious look. "Since Leo first met Mona he's been aware of something between you two, and every time he ask you!" He pointed his finger at Raph's chest. "You blow him off!" He leaned his head in close to Raph's till they were practically touching. "You've never told him the whole truth and for what reason Raph." Donnie looked at him accusingly. "He has the right to know, especially if you want this relationship to go somewhere." Donnie stepped back and took a calming breath. "Unless this is just another one of your pathetic romps..."

"It's not Don." Raph quickly whispered. He pulled out the small blue wrapped box. "I bought this a while back and picked it up on my way home from school. I was going to give it to him today." Raph looked down at it sadly. "I wanted to let him know that I wanted our relationship to be something more."

"Raph...were you...were you going to propose?" Donnie asked, his eyes lighting up.

Raph smiled and shrugged. "Something along that idea." He told him.

"Then talk to him." Donnie urged. "He wouldn't have gotten so upset and run off like that if he knew the truth." Raph nodded and placed a hand on Donnie's shoulder.

"Thanks Don." He walked toward Leo's room, hoping he'd be able to speak with him. But when he got to the room, Irma was outside the door, speaking with the doctor. He waited till they were done before walking up to her and asking again if he could see Leo.

"I'm sorry Raphael." She looked at him with pity in her eyes. "He doesn't want to see you."

Raph hung his head and sighed. "Can you tell him to call me as soon as possible then. Please Mrs. Langinstien, I really need to talk to him about...about everything." His eyes pleaded with her.

Irma smiled and patted his shoulder. "I'll let him know, but you must let him come to you okay Raphael." She told him sternly.

Raph watched as she opened the door to Leo's room and went in. He took a quick peak inside before the door closed and gasped when he saw Leo laying in his bed. The bruises and bandages that littered his body was more then Raph had expected. He took a deep calming breath and headed back toward Mikey's room, one thought going through his mind, "I'm gonna kill those bastards."

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Mikey opened his eyes as his door slowly opened. It was long after visiting hours and his family had long since said their goodbyes to him. He smiled when he saw Leo peek in and smile at him. He walked quietly over to Mikey and looked down at him with tears forming in his eyes.

"Hey Leo." Mikey said.

"How ya doing?" Leo said, fighting back a sob.

Mike took Leo's hand and gave a gentle squeeze. "I'll be fine. How bout you?"

Leo opened his mouth to speak but instead his body lurched forward and the tears began to flow freely. He put a hand to his mouth to hold back the sobs, but instead they came full force. He leaned into Mikey's shoulder and cried hard. Mikey wrapped his arm around Leo and let him cry.

"It's okay Leo." He soothed. "We're both okay."

Leo nodded and sat back up. "When I saw your head covered with blood...sob...oh God Mike." Leo took a deep breath to try and calm himself. "I thought you were..."

"But I'm not bro." Mikey told him. "The doc says I'm fine and I'll be out after a week." He smiled at Leo and gave a small laugh."Besides, I've gotten worse from Raph."

Leo wiped his eyes and smiled back. "I don't think Raph has ever shot you before though."

"No but I'm sure he's wanted to." The two boys laughed lightly and Leo seemed to relax a little. "Thank you for saving my life." He told him. "Doc say I'm okay and I'll be leaving tomorrow." He told him.

Mikey nodded. "I'm sorry for what you went through Leo." He told him.

"Not half as sorry as I am for what you went through." He whispered and looked away from him. "My aunt wants me to stay home for a while. I guess it's a good idea."

"It is Leo." Mikey told him. Leo looked up at him and nodded. "Take some time and get yourself together, then please talk to Raph." He begged.

Leo looked down. "I...I don't know Mike." He looked away shamefully.

"Leo, I know what happened." Mikey told him. "But you don't know the whole story." Leo looked away again and gnawed on his lower lip. "Just give Raph a chance to speak with you." Leo shook his head. "Please Leo." Mike implored.

"I just need some time Mike." Leo told him. "He really hurt me."

"And he's really sorry." Mikey took Leo's hand in his. "Raph loves you Leo." They stared at each other for a moment. "Please bro, give him a chance."

Leo smiled at the endearment Mikey used. Both Raph's brothers had begun to feel like his brother's as well and the thought of losing them as well as losing Raph was heartbreaking to him, but he couldn't yet get past what he saw. He gave Mikey another hug. "Tell Sensei I'll be back to work soon. I just need sometime."

Mikey wondered if he meant that about Raph or his job. But he nodded anyway and watch Leo walk out his room.