Hey everyone. Hope everyone has had a good week so far. I have no idea what my weekend is going to be like and I've been working on this for a while so I thought I'd better get it posted now while I was thinking about it since I am running around for most of the weekend. I am sorry about the delay again. I tried to make sure I could get this chapter finished so I could get it posted this week. And it's a bit longer this time as well. So again sorry about the delay and thank you again for all those who take the time to review. I'll be back again soon - work is busy and has been hard lately so... I won't go into boring details. But let's just say it's had me stressed out a lot lately. Have a good weekend everyone!

Chapter 14

The brothers' reaction to Mikey throwing out his things had been about what Elizabeth had expected. At first she'd been met with disbelief but after convincing them to go up to the room that she and Raph shared and they had seen the evidence for themselves there was no denying the truth. Mikey had indeed thrown out all his things.

"What da shell? Why would he t'row all des out?" Raphael asked as he pulled out a very crumpled looking comic book, a few pages had tears long enough to stretch halfway up the pages, ruining the pictures. Raph ran his fingers over the torn paper, frowning. Confused at Mikey's behavior.

"He doesn't really know what he's doing, Raph," Don said though the look on his face matched Raph's. He was worried about Mikey, and not just because Mikey was throwing out his most prized possessions. He knew that it wasn't Mikey's fault, that Mikey had no idea what he was doing, and if he were in his right mind he wouldn't be throwing out his things, but still… even with no memory none of them had expected this.

"We have somewhere we can keep these for him don't we, Don? So that they are there for him when his memory comes back." Elizabeth had extracted a Silver Sentry comic and was trying to flatten out the crumpled up pages, but they refused to flatten out. They stayed crumpled, a few of them torn, there were even a few pages that seemed to be hanging oddly, the comic was badly damaged, it would have to be replaced. And she knew that it wasn't the only one that would have to be replaced.

"Yes, we can take them to the lab, probably be best if we get boxes for them though. Some of these have already been badly damaged," Don said his frown deepening as he flipped through the pages of another comic.

"I can go get some boxes, you can usually buy them at office supply places and they are never too expensive," Elizabeth volunteered. She could also make a list of the comics that had been badly damaged and see if she could stop by the comic book store, see if they had copies of any of them and replace the damaged ones.

Don nodded his agreement. "When we get them in boxes we can take them downstairs. There's a shelf we can use for storing them on in my lab – Mikey will never know they are there."

Only one turtle didn't seem happy about this. Raphael was scowling, his arms crossed over his plastron, amber eyes blazing behind his mask giving him a dangerous look. "Ya ain't goin' alone, 'Lizabeth!"

"Raph," Elizabeth tried to soothe, but Raphael was having none of it.

"NO!"

His shout was so definite it made Elizabeth jump. She knew that Raph usually remained calm and patient with her, but even he had his breaking points and it seemed as if he were getting close to his.

"Ya ain't goin' alone! Not wit' da increased gang activity topside!"

"Raph," Elizabeth kept her voice calm, trying to stop Raphael from shouting and waking up Akemi. "I can take care of myself. You've been training me to… "

"Ya 'aven't been trainin' fer dat long! A couple o' years! Mikey's been trainin' all o' 'is life an' look what h'ppened ta 'im!"

"Raphael, calm down."

"NO! Ya ain't goin' alone! It ain't safe an' I ain't gonna let what h'ppened ta 'im h'ppen ta ya too!"

Elizabeth frowned, studying the turtle she loved. She could see the anger there, the fear, the worry, and something else. Before she could say anything Leonardo spoke up.

"He has a point, Elizabeth. It is too dangerous for you to go topside alone. The foot have their ways of knowing who's allied themselves with us, if they see you alone they'll view you as a target to try and get to us. We'll call April, she usually has a few old boxes she doesn't need anymore that she could give us. And we won't have to go topside in order to get them – we'll just use the sewer entrance in her basement. That way we don't run the risk of anymore ambushes, we don't need anyone else down right now."

Elizabeth sighed but didn't argue the matter further. She knew that they all had valiant points. But she knew she would have to go topside sooner rather than later. She was running low on some of her own personal supplies like toothpaste and feminine supplies. There were just some things she insisted on getting herself. She knew that she was going to have to go soon. She was already a few days late, a mixed blessing since she only had a day's worth of supplies left. She would have to convince the turtles to let her go. Maybe if she played to another factor…

"He'll notice how damaged some of these are," Elizabeth pointed out as she held up one of the comic books, waving the wrinkled pages at them.

"Dat ain't our fault."

"Raph, Mikey loves these."

"Ya ain't goin' alone!"

"Raph, I need to go topside anyway! We are running low on supplies."

"Nothin' dat important."

"I beg to differ!"

"'Lizabeth!"

"Raphael, if it makes you feel better I'll ask Casey and April to go with me! But I don't have a choice I'm going to have to go get more supplies sometime."

"Dey can get dem."

"Not these!" She insisted with a scowl, matching his own.

He glared at her, his jaw clenched so tightly that Elizabeth could see a muscle jump in the muscle along his jawline. His hands clenched into fists. His amber eyes were blazing, but she looked steadily back. Raphael had never hit her, she knew he wouldn't start now. She loved him, but at times like this she found him and his brothers a bit smothering. Not something she was entirely used to.

If he was acting like this now what would he say when she told him that her parents wanted her to go down to the ranch for a few days so they could see Akemi? She knew that always calling them from a blocked number where they couldn't call her back and never giving them a phone number worried them, but she had to protect her new family. She sighed, now wasn't the time to think about it. Not with Mikey hurt, confused, and having no idea who he was. Not with his brothers so tense and worried, and not with their new guest. She was needed here. Her parents would just have to wait for now.

"Lizabeth… " Raph said in a low growl making her eyes snap to his, his tone told her what he was going to say before he'd even spoken the words. There was no way he was going to even consider letting her go topside with so much Foot activity up there.

"Raph!" Leonardo's sharp tone cut through the tension like a knife. Raph's glare turned to him instead. Leonardo's own dark brown eyes met his brother's glare steadily, calmly, intimidated. "Elizabeth, we'll talk to Casey and April about going on a supply run." He never looked away from his brother. Raphael growled.

Elizabeth opened her mouth, her cheeks going pink with the idea of Casey picking out her tampons.

"If it is necessary for you to go," Leonardo continued before she could speak. "Raphael is right, you aren't going alone. Casey and April will go with you, and I'd feel better if one of us was with you too."

What was he talking about? He couldn't just go into the store like everyone else.

"Leo," Elizabeth began to argue.

"Elizabeth, I told you, the Foot have ways of knowing who our friends are! They won't hesitate to get you if they get the chance. We don't want what happened to Melinda to happen to you."

Raphael growled, his hands automatically going to his sai in his belt.

Elizabeth sighed but nodded, knowing that the argument was over. She also knew that if one of the turtles went it meant that they would have to go at night so the turtles could either hide in the battle shell, or wait on the roof, keeping a look out. But she wasn't comfortable with one of the turtles keeping watch by themselves, she could tell that Leonardo was thinking the same thing as his dark brown eyes shot to Raphael and then Donatello, barely concealing the worry there.

He blinked and Elizabeth saw his eyes harden a little. "Don, call April and ask her about the boxes, and tell her we'll need to go on a supply run."

"Sure, Leo," Don agreed. He pulled his shell cell from his pocket and headed for his lab, Elizabeth could hear the muted conversation as he vanished from sight.

Elizabeth looked back at Raphael. He was still glaring at her, clearly not at all happy with Leo's decision about letting her go topside. She had no doubt in her mind that he would want to go up there with her, keeping watch. The thought of Raphael up there alone, waiting for her, unaware that Foot soldiers were closing in, ready to try and do him in like they had with Mikey made her blood go cold. She couldn't let that happen. She had to keep him safe.

Elizabeth stepped closer to the red banded turtle, she put a soft hand on his arm and the other touched the side of his face, her fingers brushing just under his mask. "Raph… "

"I don't like dis, 'Lizabeth," Raph growled.

"I'll be with Casey and April, Raph, nothing is going to happen." Elizabeth said trying to making him believe her.

She knew that Casey would fight long and hard before he let anything happen to her or April. He loved April, she was his wife, his soul mate. And Raphael was his best friend, as a result, he'd really taken a liking to Elizabeth because she made Raphael so happy. Though she knew at times he jokingly complained that Raphael had become soft.

Raphael would quickly correct this with a wrestling match that would leave Casey breathless and pinned underneath the almost two hundred pound turtle.

Raphael looked into her emerald green eyes, she stared back into his amber orbs, seeing the pain there, the worry and stress. He was trying to mask it all behind the anger, fight back the way he always did, but this time his mask was crumbling and Elizabeth could see right through it. His hand came up, his thumb stroking her jaw, and then he tilted her head back and brought his mouth to hers.

Elizabeth had shared many kisses with Raphael, sweet and tender, passionate and intense. But nothing like this. This was sure desperation. As if he thought she would vanish right before her eyes if he didn't hold her close. As if this were the last time he'd ever see her. His desperation frightened her much more than his anger ever had. His free hand held her around her slim waist, pulling her closer.

Elizabeth never heard Leonardo quietly walk away to give them some time alone, she never heard any of them coming or going. But she wouldn't have noticed now anyway. Nothing existed in this moment except for her and the turtle that she loved with all her heart.

"I'm sure I've got some boxes that would hold all of those, Don," April said much to Don's relief. "When do you guys plan on coming to get them?"

"Tomorrow night I suppose," Don said as he leaned back in his chair.

"Everything ok, Don?"

Don rubbed his temple. "Besides Mikey not knowing who he is you mean?"

"Don, we both know that amnesia isn't that uncommon when head injuries are involved, and most of the time it isn't permanent."

Don sighed, he clicked the mouse pulling up the multiple pages on the search engine he'd been looking into on his brother's condition. From what he'd researched so far Mikey had retrograde amnesia, and from what he read his brother's memories would come back when exposed to things that were familiar to him, but the time frame in which he would recall those memories wasn't precise, it could take days, weeks, months or years for Mikey to be himself again. The thought of this empty shell that used to be his brother, acting so un-Mikey like was unbearable.

"Don?" April's voice was tinged with worry.

"Yeah, I'm here, sorry, April."

He heard her sigh on the other end of the line.

"Don, you should go get some rest. Mikey is going to need his brothers to help him through this, you won't do him or anyone else any good if you are exhausted. I'll find those boxes for you and talk to Casey about the supply run. Let us know when Elizabeth wants to go and we'll go with her ok?"

"Yeah, ok, April. Thanks."

"Night, Donny."

"Night," Don snapped his shell cell shut, frowning as he clicked opening up a few of the articles again.

Retrograde amnesia refers to inability to recall memories before onset of amnesia. Well that definitely fit Mikey's condition, he had no idea who any of them were or who he was. Retrograde is usually caused by head trauma or brain damage to parts of the brain besides the hippocampus. Did Mikey have brain damage? Did this mean he would never remember who he was or who they were? Would he just form new memories, a clean slate? Retrograde amnesia is usually temporary and can be treated by exposing them to memories from the loss. Were the just supposed to keep trying to jog his memory?

He had done some more research that some old stories about themselves had helped jog some retrograde amnesia patients' memories. Maybe they should try that with Mikey… or show him some old photographs, those seemed to help too. They wouldn't give up, Don refused to give up. He couldn't let Mikey stay like this forever. He was his only little brother, he had to fix this… he had to help Mikey.

Standing he went to get some coffee, it was going to be another long, sleepless night. He had a lot of research to do.

He awoke to the smell of something sweet and inviting. After he'd finished cleaning out his room the day before and having Emily… no, no, Elizabeth… or was it Erin… well it started with an E anyway, help him with taking those books out to the trash he'd found himself oddly very tired and had laid down, not realizing just how tired he was until now.

Glancing at the clock it said it was almost eight-thirty. He'd slept the rest of the night and rather soundly as well. He blinked as he sat up, trying to recall what he'd dreamed about. Those turtles had been in it, he'd been with them and they'd been doing something. But he couldn't recall the dream that well. The more he tried the fuzzier it became. Standing up he neatly made his bed, making sure the covers were pulled tight and there weren't any wrinkles in the blankets.

Then stomach grumbling it's protest about his skipped dinner the night before he cautiously made his way out of the room. Now… where did he go? There were four more doors up here. Two of them were still closed. As he walked slowly down towards the stairs he glanced curiously into the rooms as he passed.

One had a king size bed in it, the pillows had been propped against the wall, the red comforter had been smoothed out so there were no wrinkles. Some work out equipment sat in the corner, a few dumb bells, and a few other things that he didn't recognize. Some books had been put on a shelf on the wall, but Michelangelo could make out what the tiles were and he wasn't going to go snooping to see what they were.

The next room looked like it had been empty all night. This one had beakers on the floor and what looked like random objects, springs, odds and ends here and there. How strange. Who kept those kinds of things lying around, the purple comforter was rather rumpled, tossed aside as if the owner of this room had been too preoccupied to make the bed when he'd woken. Science books the size of encyclopedias lay in a neat stack on a small desk, along with the weirdest pair of glasses Michelangelo had ever seen.

Tearing his eyes away from the odd contents of the room he headed downstairs. There had to be a bathroom somewhere, and the smell was growing more and more enticing by the minute. The smell of frying bacon had joined the sweet smell of breakfast breads. There was something else he couldn't identify as well.

As he reached the bottom of the stairs he noticed the TV was on, though no one seemed to be watching it. A news report was on, the report again commenting on the increased gang activity. More and more people were becoming victims to these gangs, several of them ending up in the hospital with injuries.

This place sure was strange. How many TVs were over there? More than a dozen. But why would they need so many in the first place? And where had they gotten them? He had a feeling that they couldn't just go up to the nearest electronic store and buy them.

As if that weren't enough there were two bookshelves that were packed with DVDs , and what looked like another bookshelf that was in the process of being put together on the floor next to them. For more DVDs? Who needed so many?

"London Bridge is falling down! Falling down! Falling down! London Bridge is falling down! My fair lady!"

"Akemi, you stop throwing things!"

Turning Michelangelo headed for the room where the voices were coming from. He paused, they had a kitchen down here too? The girl with long brown hair… what was her name?... had her back to him as she worked on the stove stirring something. A toddler, no older two or three was skipping around the table with what looked like blackberries in her hands, still singing her song. Every time she sang "falling down" she'd toss a few berries into the air so she could watch them fall to the ground.

"Akemi! You want a time out!"

"NO!"

"Then you stop throwing those berries and pick up the ones of the floor right now before they get squished and make a mess!"

At this Akemi looked at her mother, then at a berry and deliberately squished it with her toes making juice bleed onto the floor.

"I'm going to count to three!" Elizabeth warned with a frown.

Akemi ran over to another berry and squished that.

"One!"

Akemi squished a third.

"Two!"

Akemi turned, pausing and looked back at her mother to see if she really meant it, foot poised to squish another berry.

"Three… "

Akemi still watched, curious then deliberately squashed the berry under her toes.

That did it for Elizabeth, tapping the wooden spoon against the pot she was cooking on she removed it from the heat, turned off the burner and walked over picking Akemi up who began to howl. Elizabeth frowned and then finally noticed Michelangelo for the first time.

"Oh, morning, Mikey."

"Morning… um… "

"Elizabeth." Elizabeth said keeping her voice friendly. Warm. "You hungry?"

He nodded and she beamed.

"Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes, just let me go take care of her and I'll be right back."

He nodded again and watched as she carried Akemi out of the room and upstairs.

He sat down at the table, scratching absent-mindedly at the itchy bandages that were bound around his broken arm. This place sure was strange. It seemed like there was no end to the surprises down here.

"Morning, Mikey."

Michelangelo's blue eyes snapped to the entrance to the kitchen as the blue masked turtle came in. Louie… lion… Leo! He remembered his name was Leo! He was relieved that he at least remembered one of their names.

"Morning, Leonardo."

"Just, Leo," Leo said with a soft smile. He headed for the stove where a kettle was whistling, something that Elizabeth had obviously put on the stove for him. He reached into the cupboard pulling out a mug and a tea bag. Pouring the hot water into the mug he made himself some of the rather welcoming smelling beverage and sat down across from Michelangelo.

"Mornin' Leo… Mikey… " Raph yawned as he walked into the kitchen, making a face at Leo's choice of beverage he sat down next to his blue masked brother and poured himself some orange juice, second later he jumped up making a face, wiping something black off the back of his legs. "Ugh!"

Michelangelo forced a smile, seeing Leonardo looking very amused over the top of the tea cup he was sipping from. It felt strained and forced. He was sure that the other two knew this as well but they didn't say anything.

With a snort of disgust the red masked turtle went to clean the goop off his legs, and then clean it off his chair.

A few minutes later the purple masked turtle came in, heading straight for the coffee pot and mumbling a good morning as he poured himself a fresh cup.

The blue masked turtle frowned.

"Don, did you ever go to bed last night?"

"I had to finish up a few things, Leo."

"Don, if you don't stop with these all-nighters… "

"Leo, it was important." Don said firmly as he sat down next to Michelangelo. The smell of freshly brewed coffee hit Mikey's nose. His beak wrinkled a little, not at all sure if he cared for that smell.

And then Elizabeth was back, hurrying back to the stove to finish whatever she had been cooking before. Raphael threw the soiled towel into the sink and walked over to her, wrapping an arm around her waist and kissed her neck. She smiled, covering his arm with her free arm, cradling it there.

Leonardo was trying to persuade Donatello to go take a nap after breakfast and Donatello was doing his best to explain why he didn't have the time for such things.

It was a comfortable atmosphere, one relaxed and full of friends and family who were comfortable with each other. Who loved and cared for one another.

And one that Michelangelo didn't belong in. He barely knew these people and despite the hopes he knew they had that he would remember them. He had his doubts. This might be a nice family, and happy one. But it wasn't his.