Chapter 24

"Stitches and Vicodin"

"ARAYAH!" The name broke from Raphael's lips sounding more like a broken sob than a shout, his brother rolling from his shoulders as he hit his knees.

Arayah was giving orders to those around her at the kitchen table before she had even reached Leo's side. The blood that covered both brothers told her there was no time to waist. "Mike and Don get Leo into the kitchen. Casey, help Raph. April, I am going to need clean towels. Splinter, please get the medical supplies."

Taking a pair of shears, Splinter handed her, Arayah began cutting the leg off of Leonardo's jeans just below the tourniquet as Don and Mikey carried him to the kitchen floor. As she washed her hands she spared Raph a look over as Casey helped him in after Leo.

"Don't worry about me." Raph barked at her. Worry and fear etched across his features. Raph didn't care what was wrong with him. He deserved whatever he endured because yet another being he loved had been injured because of him. He wanted to look up at his sensei, who sat with Leo's head resting in his lap, He wanted to apologize for leaving, for not hearing the soldier enter the layer, for not protecting Leo as his brother had protected him, for wrecking the bike, and for not running faster. But he couldn't his guilt weighed to heavy.

Not seeing anything that needed her immediate attention, but noting the visable injuries and emotional turmoil on Raphael's face, Arayah let out a soft sigh and returned her attention to Leo and started checking vitals.

Don sat next to her pulling items from the first aid bag.

"I got this, Don. Will you look after Raph?" Arayah suggested after finishing her assessment and turning her focus to Leo's leg.

"Ya." Don answered. Pulling out some supplies he started to try to look after Raph's injuries only to get pushed away.

"Damn it Raph." Don snapped. "Just let me…"

"I'm fine!"Raph snapped at his brother before looking back at Leo, watching the slow rise and fall of his chest.

Raph was far from fine. He needed to have shrapnel removed and cuts cleaned. But he wasn't going to die from his injuries and he wasn't going to let anyone touch him until he knew Leo was going to be ok. So, Don didn't fight him. Instead he looked back at Arayah and asked the question that everyone was afraid to ask. "How's Leo? Is he going to be ok?"

Arayah was fast at work flushing the wounds and pulling shrapnel from the twisted flesh, not waiting for the local anesthetic she had administered to take effect. Leo was pretty unconscious anyway.

"He's not going to die. Good job with the tourniquet, Raphael." She said as she sat a meatal shard in a bowl April was holding.

She had to work quickly if she was going to save the leg, if she could. Arayah didn't know how long Leo had had the tourniquet on. But she knew she had between two and five hours before too much damage was done from blood loss to the limb. They had not been gone more than three hours so perhaps, if they could keep it clear of infection and the tissue damage wasn't too extensive, she could save it. But it wouldn't be the same and it would take time to heal.

First, and most important, she found the femoral artery had been cut. Not completely through and really it was more of a large nick but it would have done Leo in if not for Raph's aid. First she cleaned the wound as a hole then made sure the artery was clear of any large blood clots using a small syringe. The damaged tissue was trimmed down to healthier tissue and then she clamped the artery closed on either side with clamps.

"Don, will you remove the tourniquet." Arayah instructed as she began stitching together the cut artery. She didn't want to contaminate her hands and thus the wound. "Watch for any bleeding and apply pressure accordingly. Mikey?"

"Ya?" Came a quiet and shaky answer from over by the table. He really didn't like seeing the meaty parts of his brother.

"How about you sit down and sip on your water there before you pass out. You're looking a little pale." Arayah offered the yellowing turtle a small smile as he nodded and sat down on the floor before reaching up and taking a glass of water off the table.

Don removed Raph's bandanna from around Leo's leg then setting the bloodied strip of fabric on the counter washed his hands while keeping an eye on Leo and noting what needed quick attention.

And thus the two continued working to set bone, pull muscle back together, and stop any bleeding.

It was well into morning before they were done. Leo had slipped in and out of sleep throughout the surgery on his leg and feet. And Mikey had to give up on watching the surgery after passing out once. He was glad he had chosen to sit on the floor. Leo was then moved to the couch where Mikey watched over him in a half asleep manner.

Casey was now keeping the kids in Elizabeth's bedroom eating dry cereal and playing while April, Donnie, and Splinter cleaned up the kitchen.

Arayah sat in front of Raph looking over his injuries as he stared off lost in thought, occasionally he would wince as Arayah worked.

The kitchen emptied as its other tired occupants shuffled off to check on Leo and find rest leaving Arayah and Raphael sitting on the floor alone.

Arayah poured some betadine on to a piece of gauze and began dabbing at the dried blood on Raph's grazed cheek. "What's in the bag?"

She asked in an attempt to bring him back from where ever his mind was wondering.

His gaze shifted bringing her pretty face into focus. "Hmm?"

"What's in the bag?" Arayah repeated softly.

Raph looked down at the duffle bag that he was still holding. "Oh, umm, some stuff I need."

He then unzipped it a little then reached in and pulled out the book of lullabies and held it out to her. "I thought you might need this."

Arayah dropped her gauze as she blinked at the book and slowly took it into her hands. "You went down to the layer?"

Raph gave a slow nod. "They blew up your Duu."

"They… they blew up my bike?" Arayah blinked as she processed what Raph was telling her. "Is that how Leo…"

Raph nodded before Arayah could finish. "I'm sorry." He croaked. "No one was there and then they were… I was trying to bring it here for you so it wouldn't…"

"Raph." Arayah stated his name firmly and his eyes, moist and blood shot, met hers in response. It broke her heart seeing him like this and she couldn't bring herself to be angry with him. So, she took a deep breath then cupping his non injured cheek said, "What would I have done if I lost you?"

"Leo…" Raph started, wanting to assure her that his brother would make sure the babies were well taken care of, but she interrupted him.

"Leo is going to be fine. I can't lose you, Raph."

He looked at her for a long moment wanting to ask her 'why?' as that dreaded glow of hope for a stronger emotional connection crept in among all the other emotions that weighed on him. But the word wouldn't seem to form in his mouth leaving him to only stair at her.

Feeling she wasn't making her point, Arayah sighed and held up the book. "This is special to me. But Raph, it is replicable. You are not. And you mean a hell of a lot more to me than a book or a motorcycle or any of that stuff."

She surprised herself with what she admitted. Putting him above the things she had worked so hard for, this turtle, this man, this friend… her heart clenched at the lie she tried to tell herself. He was more than a friend but she just couldn't give in to that notion, this life. So with heart so tight she could barely breath she continued. "I need you to stop making such dangerous choices. I need to know that you're going to be here."

He wasn't going to argue, he couldn't. She was right.

Raph nodded.

"Promise?" Arayah asked as she gently rubbed her thumb across the reptilian skin of Raph's cheek.

He swallowed down the lump that had formed in his throat from the concern and insistence he saw in her bright apple eyes. "Yes."

Who knew that such a little word could carry so much weight? She didn't know why it meant so much to her but she felt as though he had handed her the world and all the stars that surrounded it. And she suddenly understood his anger at her refusal to stay after the babies are born. Not sure what else to say but overwhelmed with the emotions that filled her she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him.

He pulled her closer needing to feel her warmth against him, needing to feel her forgiveness because he right now he couldn't forgive himself.

*scene change*

The pain started off dull, but as it pulled him further and further from sleep it morphed into breath stealing, blinding, agony. Leo let out a soft whimper as he attempted to push down the pain enough to look around himself and find the bottle of Vicodin that had been acquired thanks to the team work of Arayah's prescription pad and April's foot work.

Leo managed a couple of steady breaths before opening his eyes and tried to steady the spinning pink room that had housed little Elizabeth up until four days ago. Then it had been used to as Leo's medical room because the couch was just not sufficient for comfort or quiet. And Leo had needed rest, which right now escaped him.

Closing his eyes against the spinning room that made his stomach lurch, he let out another pained whimper.

He heard the door open and close.

"I'm here Leo." Arayah's voice floated through the silence of the room and broke through the mind numbing pain of Leo's leg.

He was in hell. And he wasn't sure how much longer he could take it. Between having to be carried to the bathroom by his brothers, because he would die before he would be ok with passing anything into a bed pan and then allowing either of the women than insisted on playing nurse to carry and get rid of his refuse. Arayah had argued adamantly with Raphael on the subject. Leo had never been so happy for his brother's stubbornness in all his life… well at least he felt that way in that moment. Because Raphael had not backed down and had fought for what was left of Leo's dignity and won when Arayah had finally given in. Though he didn't care to be carried about by his brothers as though he was a small child, it was better than the alternative. Then there was everything else. The ungodly amount of pain, the beauty of the women that played nurse and Doctor, fucking sponge baths, which he could gladly handle on his own, and that saving grace and condemnation known as Vicodin… strong Vicodin. It stole a great deal of his self-control and tattered his verbal filter. Even still he devoured the two Arayah placed in his hand and gulped down the water she handed him after helping him sit up.

For a few long moments he just sat there taking slow steady breaths as he waited for the Vicodin to kick in. He was so focused on breathing that he didn't notice the prick of the needle when it entered his skin. But he did notice the sudden relief.

Blinking down at the veterinarian he watched as she set to work setting towels beneath his leg and removing his old bandage. He hated this it meant his leg was going to be particularly sore for the next few hours.

"How does your foot feel?" She asked as she worked.

Leo gave a shrug. "Not as much as my leg." He could feel his mind slipping into that fuzzy high feeling the drug seemed to give him. He found himself whishing the pain meds didn't helped with the pain so much as his eyes roved over the woman that tended to his injury. He shifted a little tucking his tail tight in an attempt to not embarrass himself on top of everything else he was enduring. He couldn't help but notice some of the changes that seemed to have gained in eventuation due to her pregnancy, things other than her swelling belly. She had already been well endowed with well-rounded breasts before but it appeared they had somehow managed to get noticeably larger. Something Leo figured she must not be aware of because all her shirts were to tight and too low cut.

"Good God, your shirt looks like it's going to explode." The words were out before he could stop them.

Arayah blinked at him then looked down at the V-neck maternity blouse April had given her. She didn't quite know how to respond. The shirt was a bit taught through the bust and her bra, which was two sizes two small at the moment didn't help with containing the voluptuous cleavage. How do you argue with the truth?

She looked up at him about then burst out laughing at the surprised and horrified expression on his face.

"Why are you laughing? I should not have said that."

"It isn't any worse than what you said to April about her needing to make her brats shut up." Arayah smirked then turned her attention back to cleaning Leo's wound.

Leo groaned as he closed his eyes and tilted his head back. "I had hoped I had dreamed that. It's like I think it and then it just comes out."

Arayah started wrapping Leo's leg with fresh bandages before moving to give his foot attention. "I guess it's good you can't move much. Imagine the uninhibited things you would do."

Leo's eyes shot open as a hundred different thoughts flooded his mind, none of them savory for a man of his caliber. Or at least the standard he normally held himself too. "Good god…" He repeated.

Before anything on any of the thoughts he was trying to keep in his head and out of the open could escape a sunny voice lit up the room. "Hey, how you doing Leo?" Mikey grinned as he grabbed a chair from the corner of the room spun it around and sat on it backwards.

Leo blinked at Mikey as his vision fuzzed for a second before clearing again. Then he suddenly blurted out. "Why are all the women here so fucking hot?"

Mikey burst out laughing. "Had another dose of Vicodin did you?"

Leo narrowed his eyes at Mikey. "You don't agree?"

"Ummm." Mikey glanced at Arayah then back at Leo. "Sure. April and Arayah are beautiful. But they are clamed."

Leo looked back down at Arayah and her overflowing bosom watching as the flesh jiggled as she wrapped the bandage around Leo's foot.

"No I'm not." Arayah argued

Mikey chuckled. "You are. You just don't know it yet."

Arayah rolled her eyes.

"I've had more experience than Raph." Leo stated.

Mike burst out in laughter again.

Arayah raised an eye brow at Mikey then looked back up at Leo. "Experience with what Leo?"

"You should probably not answ…." Mikey started.

"Women."

"That was better than what I thought you were going to say." Mikey mumbled with a chuckle.

"I'm quite happy being single boys." Arayah stated as she walked to the head of the bed and leaned over Leo to adjust his pillows so he could lay back, as usual oblivious to her proximity which under normal circumstances would have made Leo uncomfortable. But due to his current state he didn't seem to be able to stop himself from ogling the cleavage that was leaned so temptingly close to his face. "Raph, is so fucking lucky."

Mikey laughed so hard he snorted.

Arayah kicked Mike causing him to laugh harder. "No, cause I am not with Raph. I am single. We don't like each other like that." Arayah nodded mater of factly then started to collect the medical supplies.

Leo frowned deeply then reached up and grabbed Arayah by the arm pulling her back up to the head of the bed. "A man does not endure hell for a woman he does not love."

Arayah pried Leonardo's fingers off of her arm. "All the hell Raph has endured has been because he ..."

"Loves you." Leo stated firmly. "You create his hell when you could create his heaven. And it kind of makes me hate you."

Arayah blinked at him dumbfounded and not sure what to say.

"Well… that conversation took a sudden about face." Mikey chimed in and put a hand on Arayah's shoulder. "I think Leo needs his rest."

Mikey ushered Arayah out of the room and into the hall closing the door behind him. "I wouldn't take him too seriously. I mean he obviously isn't really himself."

"Is that really how you guys feel?" Arayah asked as she looked to the ground and began pressing her fingers together in agitation. Her one pinky finding only air.

Michealangelo let out a sigh and placed a hand on Arayah's shoulder. "Look, we like you. More so now that we know you. But you do kinda mess with his heart."

"What?" Arayah looked up at Mikey and glared at him. "No I do not. I have been very clear with him about where I stand… for the most part."

"For the most part." Mikey repeated her statement with a small smile. "How would you have responded to his obvious interest if he were human?"

Arayah's agitated glair slipped into an expression of shame. She knew damn well if Raphael were human she would have given into him the night they climbed the Woolworth building. And she knew damn well what the feeling she kept fighting was.

"Don't look so down. No one blames you. It's kinda our plight."

"You guys… you are.." Arayah stuttered as she attempted to find a way to defend herself and her waring heart.

"Turtles." Mikey smiled. "And we are proud of it." his smile slipped into a sadder expression. "But we still love and it still hurts to be rejected because of it."

Arayah shifted placing her hands on her belly as she felt small movements with in. "Everything is different Michealangelo. I don't know where I stand on anything anymore."

"Well, while you figure it out do you want to help April and I make dinner?"

Arayah gave a small nod and followed Mikey to the kitchen as he started chattering about the culinary possibilities for the evening.