A Brother's Intuition

Promises Promises

Casey Jones paced the length of his apartment for what felt like the hundredth time that night. He let out a sigh of frustration. Almost an entire week had passed since he'd last seen Raphael and he was worried.

Somehow or other, the turtle had managed to weave his way through the human's outer defenses, quickly becoming one of Jones' closest friends. He had never met anyone with whom he shared so many unique personality quirks and interests. Casey reached the wall and turned around, pacing back towards the other side of the apartment. Jones was inwardly questioning whether or not he should head out on the town for a little late-night skull bashing. In the end, he decided it just didn't feel right going without Raphael. Not when he didn't know anything whatsoever about Raph's current status.

Shit, for all he knew the kid could be...

Jones pushed that thought away. He really wanted to know how Raph was doing. He glanced around the room and his eyes landed on the shelves where he kept all his special sports equipment. The human walked over to the teak cabinet and plucked an item deftly off a stand. An idea struck him. He whipped out his cell phone and dialed a number he hadn't used in years.

He had a promise to keep, after all.

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Raph's eyelids were heavy and he groaned as he slowly returned to consciousness. As soon as his vision cleared, the turtle tried to sit up, only to have a three-fingered hand press him back down against the table.

Either Raph gave up easier than expected, or Leo was using more force than necessary because Raph's shell hit the metal lab table with a loud thud. The injured turtle hissed as pain flared up in his shoulder. "What the shell, Leo?! What was that for?"

"Sorry." The eldest murmured absently. Raph glared at his older brother, and was about to try once more to sit up, when Leo said, "Don't even think about it. Donnie will kill me if I don't let him examine you first. He wants to make sure everything is properly healed."

Raphael raised an eye-ridge. "How long was I out?"

"Donatello kept you sedated. You've been under for about five days."

"Five days? You shittin' me?" Raph asked disbelievingly. If Don had kept him unconscious for five days then it must have been even more serious that he had thought.

Leo frowned at Raphael's coarse language, but shook his head. "No. You've been out for five days. Don wanted to make sure your injuries healed as quickly as possible. Which would only happen if you maintained complete bed rest for a week or so. You should be stable now, but don't test the wound. The stitches could reopen from any kind of stressful physical activity, so stay put. Don will be here in a minute."

"And just how long have you been sitting here?" Raph asked.

Leonardo looked away and refused to make eye contact.

So that's how Leo was going to play it, hm? Raph frowned. He knew his brother. And knowing Leo, he had probably been stressing himself out trying to do everyone else's job. That was what he always did whenever any of them were injured.

"He barely left your side for a moment. I had to bring all of his meals in here. He refused to realize that you weren't going anywhere in your sedated state."

"Well it took you long enough to show up, Brainiac." Raph muttered before glancing back at his older brother. He lowered his voice a little, "Thanks Leo. For staying with me. You didn't have to—"

"I wanted to. You're my little brother. And you really scared us this time."

Raphael rolled his eyes and grinned, punching Leo playfully in the shoulder. "Relax bro, I'm a fighter. I told you I was hanging."