AN: Since putting this at the end didn't work, let's try the beginning.
I need your advice! I will be writing another TMNT book once this is done, but whether it's a sequel to this or a new book is up to you, my readers!
So here are your options: it is either a straight up sequel, Emily as a main character, or it's an entirely new start, Emily never existed. If you chose the second one, Raph will not be the one getting the girl again.
So, please, message me, enter into the poll on my profile page, or just leave a review with your two cents.
YOUR REVIEWS WILL DECIDE THE FATE OF YOUR READING MATERIAL!
It had been three weeks since the night they had taken Emily from the lair. Twenty one nights since she had smiled at the brothers, since she had trained with them, since she had patrolled the streets with them. Twenty one nights since Raph had held her hand, since he had kissed her cheek, since he had even seen the love of his life. He was a mess, frazzled, sleepless, argumentative, and pained. The rock supporting a vast refurbishing of his temper had disappeared. His brothers barely spoke to him, afraid to set him off. He worked out for hours on end every day, sweat and tears mixing on his face.
Twenty one nights after she had been taken, Don came to him in the dojo. "Raph," he called quietly. "I got a lead."
It was enough to draw the normal Raph to the surface, to clear his thoughts and give him drive and dedication. There was no doubt about what the lead was about. He thought he knew where to find Emily. "Where?"
"South side, another warehouse district. I found an unusual amount of medical supplies being shipped there. So it's not like we have an informant to leak information. I don't think they'll have time to move her."
Raph nodded, picking up his sai off the ground. "When do we leave?"
"Tonight."
Casey's van took all four brothers and the human vigilant to the suspected location, stopping a few blocks away. Leo laid out the plan. There were five doors, five fighters. Each one would take a door and fight his way into the middle. They could not take Emily out without passing one of them.
Raph had the door in the rear, kicking it open on Leo's command. His hallway was crawling with Foot sentries, but they were quickly dispatched. He kicked in every door and found no sign of Emily, no sign of medical equipment. Towards the end of the hallway, he kicked in a reinforced door and found a lab like the other warehouse. He didn't bother with the paperwork, he just wanted Emily. He heard a scuffle louder than the rest from the middle of the complex. Forgetting his hallway, he ran to support Mikey, who was overwhelmed by the Foot.
The men were beaten back just as Raph kicked open the door they were guarding. Lying on the ground was a woman wrapped in a hospital gown, one arm shackled to the wall, black hair and tan skin surprisingly well kept, her legs and arms even thinner than he remembered. "Emily?" His voice became choked in his throat.
Her eyes slowly fluttered open, bruised and puffy. "Raph?" she whispered, hoarsely, dryly. She was not aware.
He rushed into the room and took her up in his arms, crushing her to his chest. "Em, it's me, it's Raph. I'm here."
Clarity came to Emily's eyes as she began to sob, clinging to Raph with only the strength of a child. "Raph, oh, Raph. Please get me out of here, please."
Raph nodded and gently kissed her cheek, using his sai to break the chain and lifting her into his arms, cradling her tightly against his chest. She was lighter than before, lighter than even their first encounter. She was limp in his arms, sobbing silently against his shoulder in relief as his arms drooped around his neck.
"I got her. Let's go." He spoke into his ear piece as he ran gently back out his door, a hallway he knew was clear. "We're almost home, hon, we're almost home."
Emily passed out on the van ride, her fingers still curled around Raph. Don began looking her over for signs of obvious injury while Raph ran his fingers through her hair, refusing to let her out of his arms. Her ankle had healed improperly and Don feared he would have to re-break to keep from hindering her mobility down the road. She had scarring on her wrists and ankles, most likely from tie downs. There were needle marks on her arms and Don made a mental note to get blood work done by a doctor friend of his.
Emily was taken to the lab and laid out on the cot. She was regaining consciousness and awareness slowly but surely. Raph had gone to her room to grab some close for her and came back down as she opened her eyes again. Gently, he held her hand in his and ran a finger over the back of her hand. "You're safe now, Em. You're home." He gently kissed her forehead as she squeezed his hand. "I'll get her dressed." She told his brothers who had all congregated around the cot. Taking the cue, they left the lab and shut the door.
He eased her out of the hospital gown and saw a myriad of bruises lining her overly pronounced ribs. He slid her clothes onto her gently, kissing her forehead and cheeks murmuring that he was sorry for letting her go, for letting her get taken.
"Shh," she whispered hoarsely, finding his face. "I blame them, not you." Talking was painful for her, but she deemed it worth it. The others were let back in and Raph clung to her hand, stroking her hair. Don gave her a basic physical with a pained expression on his face. She had lost twenty nine pounds, her ankle did in fact need to be re-broken, her wrists were both sprained as well as one of her ankles, her heart rate and blood pressure were irregular, and she was running a fever. Don arranged for Casey to take her to the hospital to a doctor they knew could be trusted. In the mean time, he encouraged Emily to try and move around, to eat and drink, and to try and regain her strength.
Raph refused to let go of her. He was always holding her hand, nuzzling into her shoulder, kissing her softly. He had never had the freedom to do this in front of his family: his brothers, his father, and his friends. He had the freedom to show his care for Emily. Casey was shocked, so were his brothers. They had known him their entire lives as harsh and shrewd. Here he was being kind and gentle and caring.
Emily was distant, absent minded, but responding better and better with each interaction with someone. By time she went to bed, after being carried up to Raph's room in his arms, she was smiling slightly and talking more readily.
The next morning, Raph helped her wash and dress and carried her down the stairs to meet with Casey. She could barely walk and stairs were impossible. He gave her a gentle hug and a kiss on the top of the head. "It's good to have ya back, kid." He carefully led her out of the sewer and to his van, driving her to the hospital.
Professor Perry took his degree and became Doctor Perry. The brothers knew they could go to him if the injury surpassed Don's knowledge and skills. He had been warned ahead of time about what they knew transpired. He had also been warned about which of the brothers had claimed her as his own.
"Ms. Fredricks?" Perry asked as she walked into his office, partially supported by Casey.
She extended a shaky right hand to him. "Emily." She whispered. "I've heard about you from the boys, how you helped them when they were younger."
Perry nodded and helped guide Emily into an examination room. Setting her onto the table, he asked her what happened.
Emily's face turned cold and she shrunk in on herself. "They took me, from our home. They took me to a lab and started testing me. They tested to see if Raph and I had… if we had… slept together that night. They were disappointed that we hadn't. But I had fractured by ankle that night out on the job. They were still able to get his DNA off my skin, off my clothes. Then they started testing me to see if they could find the thing that changed them. Then they started knocking me out. I don't know much of what happened after that."
Perry nodded. "I see. And I've been told Donatello already did a basic physical evaluation. I've also been told the results. So you're here so I can do a more in depth evaluation and take some blood for testing. Uh, Mr. Jones, could you give us some privacy?"
Casey nodded and walked back into the office. Emily was uncomfortable being alone with Perry, but she took a deep breath and tried to be brave. Without Raph by her side, she was nervous enough. Perry's examination was much more invasive, but it was over soon enough. Casey willingly enough took her around the waist to lead her back to the car.
"When do I gotta drag your skinny butt back here?" He smirked, helping her back into the passenger seat.
Sighing, she stretched and situated herself. "Not unless there's a problem. He's faxing the results to Don."
She was asleep by time he made it to the usual parking place to get to the lair. He didn't usually carry people places; he wasn't as brawny as Raph. But Emily was a feather in his arms, her head lolling against his shoulder with a peaceful smile on her face. She was like the little sister he never had, and basically a sister-in-law as far as he was concerned through Raph. They made it back to the lair where Raph practically snatched Emily out of Casey's arms, taking her against his own chest and bringing her up to his—now officially labeled as their—room. He was just as anxious without her as she was without him. Casey couldn't believe the two had survived the past three weeks with their sanity. They cared about each other so much and had already been put through so many trials. As if overcoming their physical differences weren't enough.
Emily progressively returned to herself within a matter of days. She was still unusually skittish, and she still refused to leave whatever room Raph was in unless it was necessary. If there was a sudden noise, she often had a wave of terror flash across her eyes, but she no longer physically recoiled. Within four days, she felt more like herself enough to go to the gym and see Mr. Potter. She especially wanted to go after she was told about Raph's confession.
She made the walk carefully, mostly in the sewer since she wasn't with anyone else. It was obvious at this point the Foot knew who she was, which required extra caution on her part. Emily made it to the gym without event and found Mr. Potter sweeping after the last class. "Hey Mr. Potter." She called quietly from the door.
He looked up from the ground, dropped the broom, and ran to Emily, enveloping her in a tight hug. "I'm so glad you're okay." He murmured into her hair, fighting tears. His wife came down from their connected apartment after she heard Emily's voice. Mr. Potter had told her the majority of what Raph had said. She also enveloped her would be daughter in a tight hug. "What happened to you?" Mr. Potter asked, feeling the bones in her arms and back far more easily than before and seeing Emily walk in with a slight limp.
She sat down her would be parents for the third time she told her story. Mrs. Potter seemed in shock the whole time while Mr. Potter seemed to seethe through clenched teeth. "Don't be mad at the boys, please. They did everything they could. And I need you to like Raph. I don't particularly care if you like the others, but you have to like Raph." Her eyes pleaded with the Potters.
"He's the one that came to tell me." Mr. Potter reminded his wife. Turning to Emily, he continued. "I like that one. I haven't met any of the others. But your boyfriend is safe." He smirked as Emily squirmed under his title for Raph. "He didn't like it when I called him your boyfriend, either." He was chuckling now.
Emily nodded, remembering Raph's recounting of the meeting. "Because it feels like we're something more. We've been together for two months, one of which I was, uh, gone for. But even then and even with what we are, I can barely stand to be here without him."
"Then you should have brought him, dear. I'm sure Alex would like to meet him." Mrs. Potter smiled kindly, warmly.
Watching Mr. Potter, she tried to smile back. "What did Mr. Potter tell you about him?"
"Well, he was tall, muscular, a little gruff until he opened up about what happened, and then it was pretty obvious he's very much in love with you." She was oblivious.
"Maybe one day, Mrs. Potter. Right now, I don't think either of you are ready for that." She smiled innocently. Looking at Mr. Potter, she turned serious. "They know who I am now, so I have to be less public. That means less if any fights."
Mr. Potter nodded, resting his fist against his mouth in thought. "Will they let you out during the day?"
"That's when I'm safest. Why?"
"Help me teach. I'll pay you wages to make up for the lack of fights."
Emily grabbed him in another hug, tight and python like. "Thank you!" She squealed. "When do you want me to start?"
"I'll give you a few weeks more off. You deserve it. You still look terrible." He smiled, holding her tightly.
Emily stayed for a few more minutes, returning home a little after eight. Raph was nervously sitting in the living room, his feet tapping incessantly. As soon as he saw her and saw that she was alright, he stilled and calmed significantly. Without hesitation, she curled into his side to watch the movie the others were watching. Only Don was absent, and she assumed he was in the lab. He had barely stepped out of there since Raph returned with the thick folder.
She heard the phone ring followed by Don shouting from the lab that he'd get it.
"Hello?" Only five people knew the number to the lair. Three of them were in the room.
"Emily? Yes, she's here." Kato didn't know her, so that left Doctor Perry. Emily's stomach dropped and she clung to Raph tightly. Something was wrong.
"Emily," Don called from the kitchen. "Doctor Perry needs to speak to you."
She carefully disentangled herself from Raph and shakily walked to the phone, her heart beating louder than a drum line. "Hello?"
Raph stood and followed her, leaning against the table and gently holding her hand while she stood at the phone.
"Good news or bad news?" So there was something on her blood panel.
"I see." Her voice was wavering and she began to shake.
"You don't know?" Her voice was cracking now, vibrating with emotions. She had to lean against the wall.
"What should…" Her voice had failed her as she shut her eyes, taking a shaky breath.
She nodded slightly to something Perry said. "When can we know?"
"Is that still within…" She was cut off by Perry.
"Alright. I'll get back to you as soon as I can, but it'll take some time." She hung up the phone and sat down in the chair next to Raph, her head resting on the table.
Raph gently rubbed her back. "What did he say?"
"Raph, we need to talk." Emily whispered, visibly shaking.
He led her up the stairs to their room, the one private place they had. Setting her on the bed, he gently held her hands, stroking the backs. He looked down at her patiently, refusing to press her.
"Raphael," A deep breath and sigh, her eyes closed tight and a few tears leaked out. "I'm pregnant."