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Chapter Text

Your head hurt. Your head hurt worse than you had ever felt. Nothing could possibly be worse than this headache...that was until you moved your neck. You cried out with a pained whimper.

“ah, so you're finally awake.” you heard a deep voice whisper from the darkness. You instantly recognized the steely voice and shivers ran down your spine. “I was beginning to think that we had caused some lasting damage.” A hulking man stepped out from the shadows. Scars covered the man's face. A twisted purple dragon tattoo ran down his side. It twisted menacingly as he moved. “I'm glad we still have time for that.” He chuckled deeply

Your stomach dropped. Hun was a dangerous man and you knew you were in trouble. Despite your body's protests you attempted to move. It was no use your wrists were shackled to the wall. Your mind was fuzzy and slow. Unsure about the details you tried to piece together how you came to be here.

There were movies. Mikey had called you after work, to ask you over for movies and pizza. It was a ritual that you and the guys held often. You remembered watching the Creature from the Black Lagoon and Gamera (the turtles loved monster movies). You had trained afterword with Raphael. He had been helping you with your weapons handling. You had decided to call it a night and walked home. Most nights Raphael would have walked you home but it was cold and you insisted that you could walk on your own. He was always so protective over you.

You now wish you had taken him up on it. You remembered that a block from your apartment building you heard heavy footsteps following you. You had tried to lose your follower. Employing the techniques taught to you by Splinter and the boys. Around the third block you thought you had lost them. It was only then did you feel the splitting blow to the back of your head. Then black.

“Why don't you just kill me?” you croaked hoarsely trying to hide the fact that you were panicking. No one knew where you were. No one knew you were in trouble. No one knew. No one knew. You frantically repeated the same words over and over in your head.

Hun's cruel laughter echoed off the cold walls. He came within inches of your face, his rancid breath making you gag.

“My master wants to send those green freaks a message. It would be a shame if you died too quickly” He looked you up and down. “It will take them a while to identify your body.” Your blood ran cold. “Master Saki has been waiting this day for a while you know. We've been watching you, and now we understand that you mean a lot to those bastard turtles.” The air was forcibly evicted from your lungs as he lobbed a heavy punch to your gut. He chuckled as he watched you wretch and gasp for air. “Master Saki didn't tell me how to kill you, but personally I have some ideas.” He pointed at the long disfiguring scratches on his face. “That fucking rat, He maimed me pretty good. So I figured I would pay it forward.” He backed off a little and you felt the panic wash over you. I am going to die. You thought. Frantically you searched for a way to get out of this. “Of course I would prefer to return the favor to the rat himself, but Master Saki says that this will break them. He plans to weaken them slowly.” Hun turned around to grab one of his tools laid out on a table. “then annihilate them at their weakest.” You heard the clinking of metal tools. Hun had thought this out.

I have to escape, I have to escape I HAVE TO ESCAPE.

You repeated in your head, keeping your mind off the devices hun was planning to use on you. As you struggled, you noticed one of the bolts keeping your wrists constrained was loose. You started to fiddle with it quietly, prying the cold metal bolt from its casing. Hun hadn't noticed. You continued to work quickly and quietly. Suddenly the bolt came free in your hand. If you pulled hard enough you could pull out the other bolts and free your arms. You began to struggle. The pain was excruciating. Your bruised body wanted not to move. The simple act of breathing hurt let alone the energy it took to pull yourself free. You wanted nothing more than to lay back and die. But you saw your friend's faces. You imagined how the turtles would react if your beaten bloodied body was found. The grief felt by Mikey, the guilt by Leonardo, the pain felt by Donatello, and the anger felt by Raph. You couldn't give up now. You pulled harder than you thought possible. Blood began to drip down your wrist as the metal cuffs cut deep into your skin. You felt your strength begin to fail and suddenly success! Your arms came free. Just as you felt your metal bindings give way Hun turned around. He held a twisted metal knife in his had. It glinted evilly in the dim lighting. You could only imagine what it would be used for. He paused a moment before letting out a low growl.

“You clever little bitch.” He quickly crossed the space between you. Grabbing you by the neck he lifted you against the wall. You kicked and struggled but the hulking man held you firmly in one hand. You tried to scream but only a strangled choking sound escaped. “You always think you're smarter than me. Well you aren't so tough without your freak friends to help you...” His words were lost as blood began to fill up your ears. Hun continued to talk but you couldn't hear. You clawed at his hand held around your throat as the world started to go dark. This is it. I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm going to die. Your vision was almost gone and then the pressure was lifted. Life giving air rushed into your lungs. You slumped to the ground as Hun released you. Your head spun. Slowly your vision returned.

“ Touch her one more time...I dare you” Raph's words dropped like stones. He quaked in anger before you.

“ra...ph” you croaked. He turned his head toward you.

“Don't worry [your name], I'm going to get you out of here. You're going to be...” His voice was cut short as Hun launched himself at Raphael. He landed a hit to his head sending Raph to the ground, it didn't stop. Hun's attack was relentless. Blow after blow he pounded Raphael with his enormous fists.

You felt anger boiling as you watched. You weren't about to let this man take your best friend away. I have to help him, I have to help him I have to help him your new mantra rang in your head as you willed your quaking legs and battered body to rise. Blood still dripped from your wrists to the floor as you limped to the table full of torture devices. Your eyes swept over the array of weapons. Quickly you grabbed a twisted version of a sai and leapt on to Hun. Using the last ounces of your energy you slashed downward burying the knife into the giant's back just below the shoulder. Hun screamed out in agony. He rose up, ripping the sai out of his back. Swiftly he turned to you. Grabbing you by the hair he hoisted you up. Raphael struggled to stand. He froze when he realized hun had the knife to your throat. “I had planned to kill her slowly, Raphael.” Hun roared “To slice her into small pieces and leaver her scattered for the birds to eat.”

“Put her down you bastard.” Raph spat “I'm the one you want to fight, so fight me!” Raphael's anger boiled. He was close to losing it.

Hun chuckled sickly. “I want to hurt you...I assume killing her will hurt.” Hun jabbed the twisted knife into your stomach. You feel your skin split as the weapon sliced through flesh. Cold and icy the steel buried itself deep into you. You let out a strangled scream. Hun's murderous laughter echoed in your head as your body convulsed in pain.

“NOO!!!” Raphael screamed leaping on hun. The blood and anger boiling beneath the surface erupted. Using his sais Raphael stabbed into hun's chest. You fell to the floor. You watched as Raphael ripped Hun apart. Slashing and stabbing. Blood began to well up in the back of your throat. The copper taste was unbearable. Even now the overwhelming damp smell of blood surrounded you. You were in trouble.

“Raphael..” you choked out quietly. The large turtle slowed his bloodied movements. He spun around.

“[Your Name] I'm so sorry!!” He shouted as he leapt to your side “This is bad this is really bad.” His eyes had been leached of anger in its wake was worry and fear. He apraised the wound. “I can't pull it out! If I do you won't make it far.” Tears formed at the corners of his eyes. “If I had just walked with you, if I had been there I could have stopped him.” He growled the anger at himself flashed across his face. It faded instantly when you wretched blood onto the floor.

“I...I'll be ok..” you gasped out trying to calm his fear. You couldn't stand the horrific sadness in his eyes. “It wasn't...your fault.” It was painful to talk but you would endure much more to keep him from feeling this was his fault. You had no idea if you were going to be ok, in fact you were pretty sure you weren't.

“Donnie will know what to do.” He resolved scooping you up very gently. The act still hurt. Everything hurt. You felt the blood spilling from your body. You let out a small cry. “I'm so very sorry. You have to stay with me. You can't leave me now.” Raphael talked to you as he ran. “Remember when we tricked Mikey into believing the sewer rats were reading his comic books? Or the time when you reprogramed Donnie's Shell cell to sound like master splinter calling him every time it rang! What about the time we took leo's swords...” He continued but you could no longer focus on his words. You were feeling dizzy and sleepy. Your glazed eyes looked at Raphael as he ran. The pain was fading and that scared you. But the look of fear and sadness in Raphael's eyes scared you even more. You clung to him, praying you could cling to life.

“I'm sorry Raph” you breathed.

“Don't you dare say you're sorry.” Raphael's words came out near a sob “I'm the one who's sorry. I should have protected you. Just PLEASE don't die.” You couldn't answer only rest your head in his chest as you came up the entrance of the lair. “DONNIE! LEO! MIKEY! SPLINTER!” Raphael called their names. You vaguely remembered hearing Leo's voice and shouting before your world went black.

~TO BE CONTINUED~

Chapter Text

You swam in the darkness, lost in a void of pain. You felt weightless and cold in between life and death. You screamed but no sound left your dry throat. You felt yourself lifting floating drifting farther and farther away from what you knew to be real. You couldn't remember what happened or why you couldn't wake. Then there was a sense of motion, a falling sensation as if gravity had just been turned on and you were being pulled down. The warm familiar grip of reality slowly faded to your consciousness. A high pitched beep echoed from somewhere to your right. Air filled your lungs in a harsh mechanical woosh. Your lungs burned in protest as the machine breathed for you. You attempted to move your tounge only to find it pinned beneath a breathing tube. You swallowed drily wishing for a drink.

I'm on a ventilator. You pondered, Why am I on a ventilator? You couldn't recall the recent events that had put you here.

Gingerly you shifted your head not opening your eyes. Your muscles screamed in the attempt to move but you did your best to ignore it and push through. You forced your eyes to open and immediately regretted the decision. Harsh light blinded you with shooting pain. Where am I!? You felt the tightening sinch of panic in your chest Breath... just breath.... you scrambled to keep yourself under control. You slowly searched your fading memories for where you were. Stretching your fingers slowly you felt your side. You fingertips meet the spongy give of gauze and bandages. It was then that you felt the tendrils of memory grab hold and you were thrown into a movie like sequence. Images of pain and hun flashed before your eyes. The memory of Hun plunging a knife into your gut pulsed in your mind. You let out a strangled yell. Your eyes flying open you suddenly felt constricted with the heavy tube in your mouth. With jerky painful movements you threw yourself upright and frantically pulled at the tubes surrounding your face and arms.

“Donnie!! She's awake! Donnie!!” You heard someones worried voice call. You were still attempting to free yourself from the constraining medical equipment letting out small whimper's of distress. It wasn't until you felt strong gentle arms grab your hands that you registered anyone else was with you. “Shhh, its ok ya gotta stop that.” Raph's unusually gentle voice whispered as he stilled your scrambling hands. Turning your panicked eyes to him you felt the tears of frustration and pain well up. “(Y/n) its gonna be ok. We gotcha, you gotta just trust me. Don knows what hes doin'” You were too out of it to really understand what was going on but the strong pressure of Raphael's hold kept you grounded. You allowed him to gently lay you back onto the bed.

“Raph! What happened!” Donnie's voice barked the question as he rushed into the room. He reached for the machines and began jotting down notes.

“I...I don't know Don,” Raph stammered “She was just layin' there same as every night and suddenly she was rippin' out the tubes and Ivs” He sat kneeling at your bed. “It's like she didn't recognize where she was.”

“Thats normal when waking from a coma.” Don mummbled something under his breath as he scribbled on his clipboard. “Hold her arms I have to check to see if she's opened that wound again.” Raph nodded and gently lifted your right arm causing you to whimper. Donnie lifted the blanket. He appraised the grizzly wound after removing the bandage. “I don't think she's done any more damage but we'll have to watch her. A wound that deep shouldn't be reopened.” Don took a small flashlight and opened your eyelids looking for any complications. You struggled to focus on him as he preformed his tests shutting your eyes tight you tried to relax your beaten body. He wrote more down on his chart and then carefully switched off the ventilator.

“(Y/n) I'm going to take the breathing tube out.” Donnie spoke softly as he pulled the restraining medical device from your mouth. You felt the pressure leave as you started to breath on your own. Both Raphael and Donnie seemed to let out a sigh of relief. Just then you heard other voices.

“Let me see her! Is she awake? Can she talk?” Mikey jibbered nervously as he rushed into the room.

“Mikey, cool it.” you heard Raph growl warningly. “She ain't said nothing but she's comin around.” He ran a hand protectively over your forehead.

“Come on (Y/N) wake up.” You heard Mikey whisper hopefully, his voice choked with emotion.

“How is she doing?” You heard the calm voice of Leonardo as he quietly entered the room. You felt Raph stiffen up focusing all of his attention onto you.

“She is looking good,” Donnie replied. “There doesn't seem to be any extraneous complications with her breathing, liver functions seem to be doing ok, her oxygen levels are normal, red and white blood cells are even. Its just a waiting game now.” He continued to spout tests and numbers that no one really understood.

You forced your eyes open again. This time the light was bearable.

“Hey! Sleeping Beauty's awake!” Mikey squeaked out. He held a skewed grin filled with both worry and mischief. You attempted to smile back but it came out more like a grimace.
“Please someone tell me he's not my shining knight.” You playfully whispered. You let out a small cough as your dry throat clenched. Raphael was immediately there with a small glass of water. He held it up to your lips and gently tipped it back.

“Take it easy there tiger.” Raph said as you greedily sucked at the water Nothing tasted as good as the cold liquid that spilled down your throat.

Donnie was still running a flurry of tests as Mikey continued to chatter on.

“You've been out for two weeks!” Mikey blurted out finally before falling into an awkward silence. “We were all really worried...Raphie here hardly left your side.” You felt your heart clench at these words. It must have been awful for them. You had been on the verge of death for so long. You didn't know what you would have done if it had been one of them.

“We are all just glad you are awake.” Leo commented still leaning in the door frame.

“Yeah no thanks ta you fearless.” Raph mumbled under his breath. Leo obviously heard it clenching his fists but chose not to respond to Raph's attempt to provoke him. Tension filled the air of the infirmary, there was something that had happened. Something between Leo and Raph that you had missed. You felt your lids grow tired and you let them fall.

“Guys she really needs to rest now I think we should all leave.” Donnie looked over at Raph and leo particularly. Raph's icy gaze moved from Leo to Don before pulling his chair closer to your side

“Don't worry (y/n) I'll be right here when you wake up.” He spoke to you softly. It almost broke your heart to hear how sad and tired he sounded. It was the last thing you heard before falling into the dark embrace of sleep.

Dreams plagued you. Vicious images enveloped your mind in fear and terror. Death lay all around you. Painful memories of your run in with Hun played over and over like a movie. You watched as he repeatedly stabbed you over and over. Raphael's face burned in your memory a mix of fear and anger. You felt blood... blood everywhere. Your nightmare twisted as suddenly it was Raph being gutted while you watched helplessly. Tears stung your eyes as you fought to stop the scenes before you. You cradled Raphael's broken body in your lap. You sobbed uncontrollably as the blood seeped from his body. You couldn't save him.

You were brought back with the gentle sound of your name. It took you a moment to understand you were still in the lair cold sweat chilling you.

“Its ok you're safe here.” you heard Raph's reassuring words. Slowly you opened your eyes and looked at him. He was tired, dark bags sat under his eyes and he held his shoulders hunched in what could only be exhaustion. He must have never left your side. He perked up slightly as you looked at him with wide confused eyes. “It's only a dream.” He reached for a damp cloth on the table. “How you feelin?” he asked pressing the cool cloth to your forehead.

“Well, I imagine this is what your punching bag feels like.” you winced as you tried to sit up.

“Just lay still let me go get Don he'll have something for the pain.” Raphael looked reluctant to leave you alone but after a moment he stood and left the room. It took only a moment for Donnie to walk in launching a series of questions on how your head was or if you felt pressure in your abdomen. Once he was satisfied that nothing new had happened he and Raph gingerly helped you sit up. He handed you a couple of pain pills and some water.

“Take these... they should help a bit.” Donnie checked your eyes as you downed the pills and the water in one gulp. “Well your signs seem to be normal but you aren't out of the woods yet.” He fixed you with a stern look “You'll have to stay in bed for at least a week and I mean it no extraneous movement no quick sitting up nada. If you don't take it easy your wound will open up and I'm not sure we'd be able to close it again.” You nodded in understanding knowing that the next week would be a torturous regiment of healing.

“I'll go tell the others you are awake I know Mikey has been dying to talk to you.” Don left the room still flipping through readings on his charts. Silence fell in the small room and only the steady beep of the machines broke it. You looked slowly at Raphael still stationed at his post near your bed. He was looking at you with worry like any moment you might relapse and fall back into a comma.

“I promise Raph, I won't fall to dust if you look away.” You smiled softly.

“don't even kid about that.” he muttered looking you in the eye. You were shocked at how tired and worried he looked. Raphael never wore emotion other than anger. But looking at him now you wondered how those sad eyes had ever held any spark. It broke your heart.

“I'm sorry I didn't mean anything by it,” You paused looking at your knees. “Thanks for saving me. I shouldn't have let that happen. I should have been more aware of my surroundings.”

“It wasn't ya fault. It was le...I mean if Leo hadn't kept...” Raphael straightened a little as familiar anger returned to him. Clenching his fists he attempted to find the words he was looking for. “What I'm tryin' to say is that it ain't your fault. If I had been there I coulda protected ya but I wasn't instead I was here helpin old fearless with his precious trainin'” You remembered the tension between Raphael and Leo the other night. You realized slowly that Raphael blamed Leonardo for what had happened to you. This broke your heart just as much as seeing him sad. They were brothers you had seen them all walk through fire for each other. You opened your mouth to reply but Leonardo's words interrupted your chance.

“Yeah Raph you could have been there and been hurt just as much or more likely killed..” He entered the infirmary shoulders back and eyes blazing. He was angry, clearly having enough of Raphael's quick remarks and attitude.

“Are ya sayin that I couldn't have protected her?” Raph snapped angrily grasping at the hilt of his sai tucked into his belt.

“No that's not what I'm saying. I'm just telling you there were a lot more of Hun's goons that were sent after her than any one of us could have handled on our own.” He kept a level glare at Raph.

“Maybe for you oh fearless one! But I wouldn't a just let them take her had I been there.”

“I didn't say you would it just wouldn't have been possi...”

“Just shut up Leo you think you're so much better than me!” Raph was shouting now “Well guess what you're not!” He stood face to face with Leo. Tension oozed from every corner of the room.

“DUDES! DUDES! Take a chill pill!” Mikey shouted as he squeezed between the fighting turtles. He practically skipped to your side.

“He's right you know, stress isn't good for her right now. You need to let her rest.” Donatello entered shortly after Mikey with a new bag of fluids for the machines. He fixed both Leo and Raph with a hard stare. Raph shot Leo one last dagger-filled look before taking up his post again.

“Yeah, you two you're stressing out my human!”

You let out a small giggle. Mikey had called you His human since the day you two had meet and he had asked to keep you.

“There you go... Laughter is the best medicine! I have something for you! Guess! Guess!” He playfully held something behind his back.
“She don't wanna play your stupid game Mikey, just leave her alone.” Raph growled. Mikey ignored him rolling his eyes.

“Yes I do!” You protested shooting an irritated glance at Raphael. He usually wasn't so overbearingly protective of you.

“Its ok he's been a super grumpy shell with you out.” Mikey staged whispered to you. You could see Raphael tense slightly. Then Mikey's bouncy joking demeanor changed to a somber one. “Its been really weird around here without you.” Mikey bowed his head slightly looking at his feet. “Its so quiet and we haven't watched a monster movie in weeks.” He brought his head up to look you in the eye. “We really didn't know if you were gonna make it.” You thought you could hear him holding back tears and as you looked over the room you saw sadness in everyone's face... particularly Raph's.

“It's ok Mikey,” You soothed. “I made it. Thanks to you guys I'll be right back to my old self soon” You couldn't stand seeing any of them so down. “Now I'm going to guess you have a comic book for me!” Mikey's blue eyes sparkled with relief and mischief before producing a stack of crisp new comic books. Laying it in your lap he practically jumped up and down.

“Its the new Silver Sentry! Its really good this week and I know you love it so I got you a couple of issues to catch up on.” He chattered away filling you in on various stories and comics you had missed while being out. You looked up and caught Raph's eye. He looked at you with a look of worry and relief. You returned the look. Both of you knew how close to death you had come but you didn't realize until now how much it would have affected everyone. Splinter soon joined the room leaning in to give you a short hug. He insisted that you have some herbal tea. The room was filled with the sound of Mikey's questions and jokes. The world was almost back to normal, but the heated looks between Raphael and Leo didn't escape your notice. You would have to have a talk with both of them before this was through. But for now you reveled in the love of your friends.