Chapter 12

They all watched Raphael stomp off. The doctor watched 
him go, then turned uncomfortably back to the 
group. “If you excuse me, I will check on the patient 
once more. I will be back in a few minutes.”


Raphael paced up and down the empty hall.  Shit, shit, 
SHIT!!!!  Why does Mike always get dumped on?!  First 
his eyes, then managing to get captured, now this? 
When does it end? Really? Ever?  Raphael slumped into 
a chair, and covered his face. Sometimes, just 
sometimes, he wished he lived the normal life. What 
would he be doing now at twenty? Going to college, 
drinking a few back with some buddies. Screw that. Not 
only could that not happen; it was pointless and 
stupid to wish for it. His head jerked up as he heard 
a footstep close by. 


Hiroshi stopped short after spotting Raphael.  Raphael 
was staring at him before Hiroshi even realized he was 
in this hallway. This was not a situation that Hiroshi 
wanted to be in at this moment.  Raphael seemed like a 
bit of a harsh personality, and Hiroshi worried that 
Raphael would be the first to reprimand him for 
putting Mike in the hospital. And Hiroshi had had 
enough for one day. He attempted a smile in Raphael’s 
direction and turned to leave.


“Wait.”

Hiroshi turned around. “Why would you even want to 
speak to me?”

“Actually, I don’t really wanna, but I care for Spl…
Yoshi, and I want to know, what are you going to do?”


“Why?”

“Because if you turn around and head back to wherever 
pretending like this never happened or like you found 
out that he died, that’s going to hurt your brother 
like no other, and tell me Hiroshi, do you want to cut 
him out of your life again?”


Hiroshi froze. Was he that much of a coward that he 
would do that? The idea had crossed his mind more than 
once that day, but something was telling him that 
would not be the right way to handle this.  “It is not 
in my current plans, no, but I do not know what I 
think about everything right now. It is especially 
confusing.”

“Yeah, we actually get that a lot.” 

“So, how…”

******

Raphael sighed; he had not had to tell this in a long 
time. “Well about twenty years ago…”


“Thank you again for all that you have done.” This 
time it was the rat.  A rat was thanking him, a United 
States senator, for helping.  Maybe this was just a 
dream related to reelection stress. 

“Once again, your thanks are not necessary. You and 
your friends saved my daughter in the bank today.” 
Senator Grey smiled, hoping that his lack of comfort 
in this situation was not as apparent to everyone else 
as it was to him.  “I just hope that it was worth 
it.”  

Splinter looked down, realizing the undertone of that 
statement. After quickly reasserting himself, he 
looked to fact the senator again. “Do not lose faith 
in my son Senator, for he is strong and I believe that 
he will survive this. We all must.”

The senator looked at him. “Your son? How is that, if 
you don’t mind my inquiry?”

Splinter smiled slightly. He needed to free his mind 
of the problems that they were facing, and the 
familiar story just might do that. “Well about twenty 
years ago…”

Tess pretended not to overhear the story. She had 
never heard it told so full of details. When they were 
the talk of the news, there were many silly stories 
being spread. She had never had the gull to ask Leo, 
but had been curious. How hard that must have been, 
especially when they were younger. She shook her head 
at the thought. 

Leonardo and Donatello were talking in the corner. “So 
who is she?”

“Just someone I work with.”

“Yeah, right.”

“No, seriously.”

“Whatever Leo.” Don smiled.

“Don!”

The doctor came back out. “If you would like to see 
him, please follow me.”

No one said anything. Don and Leo silently followed 
him, followed by Splinter, then in back Oyuki. Dr. 
Afortt led the remaining people into the room where 
Michaelangelo lay. He looked like he was asleep, not 
in a coma. But cuts, a cast and the bandage on his 
head told the truth. Leo stopped short at the sight of 
his brother. Donatello walked closer, sadly examining 
his brother’s state, obviously overwhelmed at his 
appearance.  

Splinter walked up next to Donatello and laid a hand 
on his injured son’s hand. “Michaelangelo, Can you 
hear me?”

Oyuki stayed in the back of the room and leaned 
against the back wall. This could not be happening.

*****

Tess was left with the Senator out in the 
hallway. “Think I’m going to get some air,” she 
mumbled quickly before running out.


Senator Grey sat there as the girl ran out, slamming 
the door behind her.


The cooling air blew on her face, reassuringly. It 
told her the world was still the same. But it wasn’t. 
Being forced to fully realize her new friend’s 
lifestyle made the world seem bleak.  This whole place 
made the world seem bleak. Like there was no light. 


They had no light when they were growing up.


There was a slight chill in the air so she put her 
hand in her pocket, hitting her keys and some change. 
She pulled them out and looked dully at them for a 
minute. Then, without a second thought, she ran to the 
subway.


I need to get away. 

******

Splinter left the room. He found a nice little place 
to be alone, or so he thought. 


“We need to talk, I believe.”

“Are you going to speak to me as a rodent or as your 
brother?” Splinter did not turn around.


“Well it appears that you are both, so choose.” 
Splinter’s ears perked as he thought he heard a 
snicker.


“Are you mocking me?” He turned to face him. 


Hiroshi shrugged his shoulders, and actually a small 
smile broke around the edge of his lips. 


Splinter returned the expression. “So let us talk.”



Oyuki sat in the room. Tears rolled down her face.  
Donatello and Leonardo had left to find Raphael, so 
now she was free to do what she pleased. And what she 
pleased right now was crying. “Don’t leave me Mikey. 
Please. Anything but that. You are the only constant I 
have had since I moved here. Don’t go.”

*****

Mike looked at Beth confused. “Stay, or go? Why would 
I want to leave.” 


“Well they kinda pulled you early, so you have a 
choice here.”


“Pulled me early?”


"Yeah, it’s complicated.”


“Where else would I go?”


“Back.”


“Back where?”


“You know, back to the—argh my phone always rings in 
the least convenient time. Hello? Oh, ok. It’s for 
you.” She handed the phone to Mike.


“Hello?”


“Mikey if you leave I don’t know what I will do?”


“Huh?”


“We were supposed to go to Boston. At least I was 
hoping you were going to go to Boston. I thought I had 
you talked into it. But then you had to… jeez why 
didn’t that car swerve. Just a little bit. Either way. 
Just come back to me please.”




Mike listened to the dial tone dumbly. “What… oh my 
gosh, I remember.”


Beth turned her head slightly. “Really, and…”


"I want to go back.”


“I thought you might say that. Just let me make one 
quick call.” Beth gave him a quick smile and reached 
for the phone. “yeah, hello, yeah, he said he wants to 
go back. Yeah, bye.”


“Well it’s all approved. So how do you want to do it.”


“Watcha mean?”


“Here's the easiest way, click your heel three times 
and say…There’s no place, sigh, nevermind.” Beth 
clicked her fingers and the world turned white. 

******
Oyuki lifted her head as the hand underneath hers 
moved slightly.



“How’s he look?” Raphael asked. Leo and Don had found 
him in the hallway. 


“Not great.” Don averted his eyes. 


Raph plopped down on a seat. “Wonderful…”


“HE’S AWAKE!!!!!!!! HE’S AWAKE!!!!!!!!!”  Oyuki ran 
out of the room, screaming loudly. The doctor ran into 
the room.


“Michaelangelo?” Dr. Afortt looked at his unique 
patient.


Michaelangelo saw a man in a lab coat and a bright 
light leaning over him.


Oh, no not again. Mike sprung up defensively. “Where 
am I?”


Before he could answer, everyone filed into the room.  
After being attacked with hugs, Mike asked, “What 
happened?”


“Don’t you remember the car?”


“Oh, yeah. Hiroshi! Is he…”


“I am fine, Michaelangelo, and I believe you will be 
too. “


Mike smiled. “That’s good.” 


“Excuse me, but our patient needs rest now.” The 
doctor escorted them out.

**********

“Hey.”  Mike smiled as she snuck in.


“Hey, how are you feeling.”


“I’ll live, at least Hiroshi seems to think so.”


“Hmn.”


“What’s up with him actually talking?”


“Don’t know, guess him and Splinter talked.”


“That’s good.”


“You gave me a scare you know.”


“Yeah,” He smiled. “I’m sorry.”


“Don’t be sorry. You did the right thing.”


“Thanks. Hey I’ve been thinking.” He cleared his 
throat.


“Hmn?”


“Well this helped me realize this priorities.”


“Yeah?”


“I’m going to go with you.”


“What?”


“To Boston. I’m going with you to Boston.”



Chapter 13 coming soon!!!






The Story Continues

Home