Crash and Burn

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Chapter Eight: Reunions

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Raphael opened his eyes slowly. He was trying to get some sleep, but he wasn't able to.

He got out of bed and marched slowly towards the door, dragging his feet.

Near, far, wherever you are
I believe that the heart does go on
Once more you open the door
And you're here in my heart
And my heart will go on and on

Raph pounded on his brother's door. "Mikey, turn that crap off!"

He heard the music die down, but not shut off completely. After a few seconds Mike cracked open his door and looked out. "Sorry, bro," Mike smiled.

Raph lowered his eyebrows at Mike's expression. Something fishy was going on. He felt someone behind him and turned around to face his brothers. Now he knew he'd been set up. "Okay, what is it?"

"We just wanted to see if you wanted to go on patrol with us," Leo said.

"You could have just asked," Raph snarled.

"Well, seeing as how you haven't answered anyone in three days," Don replied with a sly smile. "We figured more drastic measures were needed."

Raphael grumbled and tried to get past his brothers but they stubbornly stayed in his path. "You can't force me."

Leo sighed. "You've been stuck in your room for three days now, you have to get out and do something."

Raph chewed on his lip thoughtfully. "I'd rather go out with Casey."

Mike closed his door behind him as he came out into the hall. "No can do, he's gotta work. I'm heading over to baby-sit."

"What happened to the other sitter?"

"Shadow kept talking about the pet dragon she thought she was getting. Casey said the sitter thought it was cute, but luckily didn't believe it. Still, now that she's talking, he doesn't want to risk her "slipping" and talking about us." Mike shrugged into his coat.

Raph looked towards Leo and Don, both already geared up. "So, where we headed?"

***

Kali was stretched out on a garden bench, lazily watching Red chase around a will o' wisp. He'd never catch the little ball of light, of course. Whenever he did manage to chomp down on it, it merely flew through his teeth or jaw and the chase started again. Red knew it was pointless as well, but he still enjoyed the sport.

Kali felt a lot better than she had when she first came home, and she was told she went critical after her body had used up the energy her father gave her. They never told her how they had brought her back from that.

That was three days ago by their time, and she wondered what Raph was doing. She hoped he wasn't being all depressed over missing her. She'd be back soon enough.

Eventually, Red got tired and trotted over to Kali. He pushed his snout underneath her hand and she scratched his nose.

"How are you feeling, my dear?"

Kali shifted her dark eyes up to the form of her father. "Better." She pushed herself up into a sitting position. "Is it supposed to take this long to recover?"

Darce frowned. "I'm afraid so. You've never had to deal with an energy drain of this magnitude before. It may take several more days recovery."

Kali sighed and started watching the will o' wisp make its way across the garden again. "Well, at least I don't have to worry about Shredder going after my friends again, now that he's dead."

"Oroku Saki isn't dead," Darce told her.

Kali snapped her head up. "What? No, he has to be dead! You told me he touched The Key!"

Darce nodded. "That he did, and it broke his connection with his power. It should have killed him, but for some reason it did not. It may have something to do with the fact he was dead already..." he continued speaking, stroking his goatee, but Kali stopped listening.

Shredder was still out there? The how and why questions were pushed out of her mind when she realized they didn't matter. She shot to her feet. "I have to warn them!"

Darce put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "There's no way you can. You don't have enough power to travel back yet."

Kali's face fell, then lit up. "But you do! You can take me!"

Darce shook his head. "But I will not. Honestly Kali, I think it's best if you stay here indefinitely. After all, they are only mortals."

Kali's jaw dropped. "Excuse me? I'm not staying here, not when my friends are in danger!"

Darce clenched his jaw and tightened his grip on her shoulder. "You have always been spoiled, Kali. We let you get away with much, not wanting to stifle your extraordinary powers. Thanks to your human heritage, you can do things most demons cannot, such as travel to Earth in physical form, and you came and went as you pleased. Every time you came back heartbroken I wanted you to stay, but you stubbornly continued on."

Kali cringed. "Daddy, you're hurting my shoulder."

Darce let go and gently shoved her back down onto the bench. It was a little harder than he had meant and she slipped off the back and fell to the ground. Her father didn't make a move to help her or even look sorry. He just continued to stare down at her.

"I am tired of your rebellious acts, and they will end now. I forbid you to leave our home. It's for your own good."

***

Raphael had to admit it, he was actually having fun. The weather was starting to warm up a bit and more people were out than in recent months. Four muggings in the first hour alone. Raph really did like being active again. It made him feel more positive, helping people like this.

"Help!"

The three of them instinctively turned towards the scream and took off at a sprint. Down in an alley they could see a rather large man bent over a woman, who had stopped screaming. They all climbed down the fire escape, and Leo kicked a garbage can at the man. It hit his back and he turned.

Leo narrowed his eyes. "Shredder."

***

Kali slammed her door shut without even touching it. "He can't do this to me!" A vase smashed against a wall. She sank down onto the bed and hugged herself tight. He had no right to do this to her, she was an adult, by both human and demon standards.

"It's not fair."

"No one said anything was, darling."

Kali looked up. "Aunt Lianna!"

The she-demon walked, no, more like glided, over from the doorway to meet her niece. "Oh, I'm missed you so much, Kali." She held Kali out at arm's length. "Well, you look well for someone who was nearly killed." She leaned in close and lowered her voice. "Was it truly as bad as all the rumors say?"

Kali blinked. "I don't know, what do the rumors say?"

"Oh, that some human somehow stole The Key and went after you with it. That you were inches from death, and your father was barely able to save you." Before Kali could respond Lianna set her hands on her hips. "I had to hear about my own niece's brush with death through rumors! Unbelievable!"

Kali smiled. "It's nice to see you again, Aunt Lianna."

"Oh, stop with the "Aunt" thing, darling, it makes me feel old."

"You're a thousand and seventeen."

Lianna placed her hand over her heart. "Nine hundred and seventeen, thank you!"

Time never touched demon kind, Lianna stayed dangerously beautiful with long black hair and delicate features, the kind of relative you'd be afraid to introduce your boyfriend to. And she'd stay that way for another thousand years and beyond.

Kali rolled her eyes. "I'm fine, Au- Lianna. Truth is, I'm the one who took The Key."

Lianna arched a thin eyebrow. "Hmm? Why am I not surprised? What for?"

"Well, one of Daddy's acquisitions was trying to kill my friends. Circumstances put me in the middle of the battle, exposed to The Key. And Daddy wasn't even there."

Lianna sighed and shook her head, but said nothing. That's something Kali always liked about her, that she never reprimanded her, and left the teaching to experience.

Lianna quickly snapped her fingers. "Oh, and before I forget, Richard says someone's been sneaking around your apartment the last few days."

"That's probably Raphael."

Lianna's eyes lit up as her gossip radar detected a juicy tidbit. "And who, pray tell, is Raphael? A lover?"

"Not yet," Kali replied with a dreamy look in her eyes as she thought about him.

Lianna smiled. "Well, that's wonderful, dear! I'm glad you finally found someone! But don't wait to long, you know how mortals are."

Kali rolled her eyes to cover up the fear she felt whenever anyone mentioned that.

"Let's take a look at your boy-toy, shall we?"

"Lianna! Don't talk about him like that!" Kali snapped at her aunt as Lianna moved towards the full-length mirror that stood in one corner.

Lianna muttered a few words under her breath and the mirror warped and rippled like water. Kali felt a bit jealous that she hadn't learned complex spells like that yet as she walked over beside her aunt.

The image became clear and a picture of Raphael appeared. He was standing in an alleyway, sai drawn, looking a bit nervous.

Lianna made an appreciative sound. "Good taste, darling, very good."

Kali barely registered her aunt's comment. She was focused on Raphael's facial expression and body language. Something was wrong. "Can you back the view up?"

"Of course." Lianna waved her hand and the view backed up, as if it were a camera and this was a movie scene. But Kali knew this was no movie, it was real. She saw Don and Leo there too, and they were all facing a man she easily recognized although he had changed. As soon as she did she gasped. "Shredder!"

***

Shredder dropped the woman he was holding. They could all see the she was already dead, her neck was mangled... there was no way she could still be alive. Shredder glared at them, wiping the blood from his mouth.

"I didn't think I would meet up with you again so soon."

Don cringed at the sight of him. He was still wearing his trademark armor, and parts of it looked like they had been melted onto his skin. Other parts of exposed skin were charred nearly black and peeling. Over all, he looked like he had just crawled from the grave, a fitting description.

Leonardo crossed his swords in front of him. "I don't know how you survived The Angel's Key, Shredder, but you won't be so lucky this time."

The others readied their weapons and slowly approached, blocking off Shredder's exits. Shredder's eyes shot back and forth between them, looking for an opportunity.

Suddenly, he sprang towards the nearest Turtle, Leonardo.

Leo swiped his katana, slicing Shredder across the chest, but he seemed to pay no attention to the wound. Shredder opened his mouth and Leo nearly gagged at the stench. Before he could make some comment about breath mints, Shredder's teeth were latched onto his throat. He couldn't even cry out.

Raphael and Donatello were on him immediately. Raphael drove his sais deep into Shredder's side. He expected a howl of pain, but got nothing. He stood there confused while Donnie used his bo to pry Shredder off Leo.

Shredder disappeared from the alley, but they couldn't go after him while their brother lay bleeding on the ground. Don inspected Leo's neck carefully. "He's still alive. It could have been worse. We have to get back to the lair."

Raph nodded and picked Leo up, knowing this was no time for arguing over who gave the orders. Not when his brother's life was hanging in the balance.

***

Kali reached out to try and comfort Raphael but ended up touching glass and the image faded away. She looked back at her aunt with a pained expression. "I have to get to them."

Lianna shrugged. "There's nothing I can do. I can't pass between worlds the way your father can, I've never been summoned."

Kali looked back at her reflection in the mirror. "I have to find a way."

A light cooing sound came from the doorway and they turned to see Red sticking his head into the room. The two women exchanged glances and smiled.

***

Don had been waiting in one of the armchairs for Mike to get back from Casey's. When Mike did come home, Don stood up and grabbed his brother by the shoulders. Mike looked at his brother's face and instantly knew something was wrong. "What happened?"

Don bit his lip. "It's Leo. He was attacked by Shredder."

"Shredder? What-? Is he okay? Why didn't you call me!"

"Yes, Shredder, we don't know how. Leo's resting. We've got him cleaned and stitched up."

"Is he gonna be okay?"

Don looked away. "He'll live." He looked back at the confused look on Mikey's face and tried to explain. "There was a lot of damage and blood loss. Raph donated, but neither Splinter nor I have ever dealt with anything like this. We think we did fine, but we won't be able to tell until after he wakes up."

Mike bit his lip. "I want to see him."

"Mike, I don't think that's such a good idea..."

"Don, I need to see him."

Don sighed. "Okay, come on."

***

Raphael stood up as Mike and Don came in. Splinter stayed seated at Leo's bedside. Mike stopped and could only stare down at his brother lying there, bandages around his neck. Raph saw him tear up and put an arm around his shoulder. "He's gonna pull through, Mikey."

Raph glanced over to Don. "I'm gonna grab a drink, want anything?"

Don shook his head.

"Mike?"

After a second, Mike shook his head, and went to sit next to Leo in the chair Splinter pulled up for him.

***

Raph rested his arm against the refrigerator door and pressed his face against it. He pounded against the 'fridge with his other fist. "Why, dammit! How can that bastard Shredder still be alive?"

"Raph?"

At first he was sure he was hearing things, but when he heard his name being called again he had to turn around. He and Kali stared at each other a long time before they both moved to embrace.

"I thought I'd never see you again."

"I missed you, too." Kali's voice softened. "I'm sorry about Leo."

Raph didn't question how she knew, he just held her tighter. "He's gonna pull through," he said, with a defiant edge in his voice.

Kali also heard the fear. "I know." She moved away from Raph and headed towards the back tunnel that eventually led to the infirmary where Leo was. Raph followed her, briefly noticing the purple dragon studying their television.

Kali stopped at the door, not wanting to intrude. Her eyes fell upon Leo and the guilt hit her. If only she'd been able to get here earlier she could have warned them.

"There's nothing you could have done," Splinter said, suddenly standing at her side.

"I could have..."

Splinter shook his head. "A warning would not have prevented this." He moved from her side back to Leo's bedside. Mike was there, bravely holding back tears. Don was busy double checking everything they had Leo hooked up to, an IV and a couple monitors. The beeping that signified his pulse was slow, and that worried Kali.

Raphael put his arms around her and rested his chin on her shoulder. "His body's slowed down to help him conserve strength."

Kali let out an empty chuckle. "Can everyone around here read my mind?"

"Only when it's written all over your face."

Kali sighed and leaned back. It was nice to be back, but she was tired. She wasn't up to full strength yet. Raphael hugged her, "You look tired, why don't you rest in my room?"

Kali shook her head. "I'm not tired."

Raphael gave a nod towards Don and Splinter and led Kali to his room. She gave up her protests as she lay down upon the bed. Raphael curled up behind her and held her as they both feel asleep.

***

Credits: My Heart Will Go On By Celine Dion

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Chapter Nine

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