She crouched by the couch in the turtles lair, watching as Don tended to Mikey's injury. Mike was laying comfortably on the couch, with Don sitting on the edge of a cushion. Raph leaned against the wall and Leo sat on the edge of the coffee table. Master Splinter, whom she had initially been wary of but now rather liked, sat in a giant easy chair that dwarfed him.

"I'm fine, Don. Check on her," Mikey gestured toward their guest. As they all turned to look at her, she shuffled backward, again on all fours.

"Nothing will happen to you without your consent, my child," The aged rat assured her. She crept forward again, and then suddenly clenched her teeth and scrunched her eyes shut. Her hands clawed into fists, and her back visibly spasmed. Yet she didn't make a sound.

Leo scrambled down from his perch and kneeled in front of her. "Hey! Hey, easy…" He gently touched her shoulder and she flinched violently. "I'm not going to hurt you. Let us help you. Easy… Please let us help…" Her arms shook and she finally let herself lean into Leo's hand. He very gently guided her into a half hug, her being cradled into his side. He was as gentle as possible with her back. As she finally began to calm down, Leo turned to Don from his awkward position on the floor. "She's way too light."

"How can you tell?"

"She's putting all of her weight on me."

"Can you tell anything about her back?"

Leo skimmed his palm over her back lightly. She shuddered but did not pull away. "It feels weird. It's ridged…"

"Ridged?"

"There are two long ridges on either side of her spine, and a large hump on her lower back." He turned to the girl, who was looking up at him now that this round of cramps was over. "Will you let Don take a look at your back?"

She nodded slowly and separated herself from Leo. She stayed close and he kept a hand on her bicep, though. Don left his perch as well and kneeled in front of his brother and guest. "Could you please turn around and lift up the back of your shirt, Miss?" he asked, keeping his voice soft and professional. She shuffled around and hiked up her tattered shirt. Leo turned his face away and blushed – she was facing him now and her old blouse was practically off… She blushed as well, feeling exposed.

"Goddamn…" Raph breathed. Don hissed in a breath but otherwise stayed silent. Knobbed ridges strained to burst from under her skin. A large bump swelled on her lower back. The skin around the afflicted areas was a deep reddish black, like deep, fresh bruises. Skin flaked around the most extended areas, falling off in dry snake-skin like pieces. Muscles visibly strained and spasmed around the deformities, and her shoulder blades jutted out on the outside of the ridges strangely. Besides the obvious abnormalities, she was far too thin. Her ribs jutted out like a drying rack, and her spine appeared almost as knobby as the ridges on either side of it. Dirt was smeared and caked in every crease. At Raph's and Don's noises of shock, she hurriedly pulled her top back down and scrambled back to hide behind the corner of the couch. Leo tried to coax her out again, but she only whimpered. With a slightly sick stomach, Leo realized that it was the first sound he had heard her make.

The old rat climbed laboriously out of his chair to try his luck. "My child, we will not hurt you or judge you by your physical appearance. Please come out." His voice was soft and caring, with a note of powerful confidence. Like an animal, she crawled forward slowly. "Would you like something to eat and a shower? Perhaps you feel better after food and rest." She nodded and stood, stooped over like an old woman. "Leonardo, show her to the bathroom and give her the clothes and toiletries that April left in the guest room. Raphael, go make the bed in the guest room. Donatello, go make a meal for our guest."

Raph and Don scrambled off to do their appointed tasks as Leo offered his arm to the woman. She took it with a weak smile. The stairs were tricky, but they made it. They stopped by the bathroom door. "Hold on, I'll go get-"

"Got it, Leo." Raph came running up, looking more like a big, green steam roller than anything. The woman shrank against Leo's side, intimidated by Raph's size and uncharacteristic speed. He stumbled to a stop and handed Leo some sweats and a woman's toiletry bag.

"Thanks, bro," Leo said, relief and gratitude showing clearly.

"No problem," Raph rumbled as he lumbered back towards the guest room at a more normal speed.

"Here. These are our friend April's things. I'm pretty sure she won't mind at all. If you need anything, y-… bang on the door a few times and we'll come running." Leo flushed, embarrassed. How insensitive could he get? Telling her to yell when she could barely make a peep!

She touched his arm to get his attention. Looking up from his feet, he was greeted with a long awaited sight. She smiled. Gentle, with sparkling eyes, her expression spoke more than words could. Thank you she seemed to say. He smiled back, heart pounding inexplicably hard in his chest. He marveled as she moved with grace and silence despite her horridly deformed back. The bathroom door clicked closed and he shook himself from his stupor. He sped down the stairs, looking for Don.

I've had a reviewer ask for longer chapters, but I'm ashamed to say that it's probably not going to happen. I don't know if she's reading this story or "Raphael's Rose" but either way I'm sorry! Short chapters like this is a reachable goal for me – and with my busy schedule its hard just to get this much! Sorry again!

Review pretty please!