Rehab
By Lauren
"I feel like a caged animal," Raphael commented, crossing his arms over over his plastron, then sighed very audibly.
Leonardo shook his head. "That's what you get for staying out so late. You couldn't have actually thought that Sensei wouldn't catch you sneaking in or out eventually."
"Yeah, he caught me," Raph agreed, then glanced at Leo, "but I seem to remember he had a little help in finding out."
"He asked me," Leo stated.
During the exchange, Michelangelo kept turning his head towards whomever spoke.
"Well, ya didn't hafta tell 'im!" Raph said, then glared right at Mike. "Will ya quit doin' that? You're drivin' me nuts!"
"Makes it so easy sometimes," Leo said, quietly, almost grinning.
Raph blinked. "What was that, dear brother?"
Mike suddenly got a scared look on his face and ran for cover in Donatello's lab. "I hear they're at it again," he said, as Mike peered out the door. He looked at Don and nodded. He turned back to watch.
"I said you make it so easy sometimes," Leo said, matter of factly
"What's that s'poseta mean?!" Raph said, just a notch under yelling.
Don joined Mike at the door. "Don't hog the doorway, Mikey, I want to see this."
Leo sighed. "Are you really that dense or is it just an act to torment me?"
That was the breaking point. Raph stood and stalked over to Leo, who stood his ground. There was a momentary staredown.
Raph gave a quick snort, "Bastard," and threw the first punch.
Leo side-stepped, catching Raph's arm, and dragged him part way to their make-shift dojo. Raphael kicked out his legs and Leo fell face-down. He looked up to see Raph beckoning him. Leonardo jumped up, but took a steady pace getting to Raph.
"C'mon, Leo, what's holdin' ya back?" Raph said, smirking.
Leo stopped when he was within five feet of his pissed off brother, then jumped at him, and the two tumbled into the dojo... and right into Splinter's line of sight, but they didn't notice. Raph pinned Leo down and took a swing, only to have the situation reversed by Leo. This happened twice before...
"Enough," came Splinter's voice.
Unfortunately for Leo, he was on the bottom again and, when he looked towards their sensei, Raph took a cheap shot and slugged him in the jaw. Leo held his jaw for a moment, then shoved Raph off of him, causing him to tumble backwards.
Don and Mike appeared in the doorway, as Splinter moved in between the two fighting brothers. Leo made it to his feet first, holding his jaw again. Raph glared at him a few seconds before slowly standing.
Splinter turned to Raph first. "Raphael..."
But he was still seeing red. "Leo starts the whole thing and I get blamed!" he interrupted.
"Raphael, please do not interrupt," Splinter said, firmly.
"I only interrupt when I know I'm gonna get the shit-end of the stick," Raph spat.
Mike and Don became wide-eyed and left the doorway quickly to find safer ground.
"Raph, do you ever listen to yourself?" Leo asked.
"More than I listen to you," Raph said, pointing a finger at Leo. He turned abruptly, grabbed a pair of sai from the wall, and left the dojo. Heading through the main room of the subway station they called home, he grabbed a trench coat, fedora, and left, climbing up the ladder.
Don peeked out from one of the cars. "Wow."
Mike looked out from behind him. "Whoa."
Leo stepped into view and looked towards the ladder, with Splinter barely a step behind him. Leo sighed. "That went rather well," he commented, dryly.
*pound, pound, pound* Casey staggered into the room half asleep. "Oh, someone wantsta see if a hockey stick'll fit up their nose." He reached the door and unlocked it.
The door flew open, and Raph barged in, grumbling.
"Come on in," Casey said, then closed the door. "Do ya know what time it is?" Raph stopped, turned, and gave him a very nasty glare. "Jus' wonderin'." He paused. "Ain't it a little late..."
Raph turned and headed into the kitchen. Casey followed and stopped in the doorway.
"I hope ya ain't lookin' for food..." he began, then stopped when Raph turned, holding a six-pack of beer. "Good choice."
Raphael stalked past Casey and made himself at home on the broken-down couch. He pulled out one bottle, removed the cap with his teeth, and chugged half of the bottle.
Casey looked on wide-eyed. "Geez, I need coffee just watchin' you drink. What the hell's goin' on?"
Raph downed the last of the first bottle and opened a second.
"You gonna make me guess, here, or toss me a few clues?" Casey asked, while Raph downed most of the second bottle, then glared at him. "Nothin', huh?" Casey sat on a beat-up chair across from the couch. "If you're doin' this just to see me talk to myself, Raph..."
Raph finished the second bottle, then smashed it on the floor.
Casey looked down at the shattered bottle. "Touchy, touchy." He stood. "Well, fine, stay or whatever, I'm goin' back to sleep." He headed for his room.
And Raphael opened a third bottle, downing it in one gulp, then pulled out a fourth. "Shit."
The next morning...
"Rise and shine, dudes!" Mike called out.
Don groaned and rolled over. "When did you become a morning turtle?"
"Come on, Donnie, get up," Leo said.
"Yeah, move your shell before I sic Raph on you!" Mike said, then laughed.
The trio waited for a snide comment in reply, but got none.
Mike shrugged and walked over to Raph's car. "Hey, Raph, wake up call! Come on ya lazy turtle..." He stopped after opening the door, then turned to see Don come out of his car, tying his bandanna. "He isn't here."
"Big surprise," Leo commented. "He's probably at Casey's and planning on staying there until atleast after morning practice."
Casey walked back into his living room and leaned on his hockey stick, surveying the damage. The six-pack was empty: three bottles sitting on the couch, one on the table, the shattered bottle, and... no sign of the sixth. "Took it for later." He rested the hockey stick on his shoulder and went out the door.
He walked outside and saw a half empty bottle sitting on the steps. "The hell..." He went down the steps to the street, looking around. He was about to turn and go back up when he heard a very familiar sound. "Awe, damn, someone's bustin' heads and didn't invite me!" He jogged over to the alley.
"Wow." He took note of all the unconscious bodies first, then noted the rather large group that remained. He saw someone in the middle of the group being beaten on, even though they were already on the ground. "Damn, even I know when I'm out-numbered." He turned and jogged towards the nearest out-of-the-way manhole cover.
A few minutes later, he practically jumped down the ladder. "Hey, guys!"
"Casey, my man!" Mike greeted, walking over. "What's happenin'?"
"Hey, Casey," Leo chimed in, joining them.
Don followed. "Hey, Gakface."
Casey raised an eyebrow at the greeting, but ignored it. "I just saw this mess of goons pounding on..." Casey said, then paused, "someone, but half of them were out cold and the rest were still brawlin'. I woulda jumped in myself, but there's too many."
The three turtles exchanged glances. "We'd better check this out," Leo said.
The four went top-side and Casey led them to the alley near his building. "They're gone. Damn! I wanted to join in the brawl! Finally get back up and they take off."
"It's okay, Casey, you'll get a chance soon," Mike said, earning a glare from Casey.
"Uh, guys?" Don said. "Do you see what I see?" He pointed down the alley.
"I don't believe it... or maybe I do," Leo said, moving forward, with the others following.
The four gathered around and looked down at Raph at the ground, beginning to stir.
"Idiot," Leo said, irritated.
Raph blinked his eyes open, trying to focus them. "My head..."
"Master Splinters' going to have it," Leo said. "What happened?"
Mike helped Raph sit up. "Musta been jumped." He raised a hand to his head. "Whatta headache."
Casey crossed his arms over his chest and smirked. "From the poundin' or the beers?"
The other three turtles shot glares at Raph, who simply stared back at them. He let Mike help him up.
Casey went back into his building, half empty bottle in hand, seeing as how there was no more excitement. The turtles went back underground.
They reached their home--going the long way, instead of down the ladder--and were met by Splinter. He eyed the brothers and took note of Raphael leaning heavily on Michelangelo. "Explain, please."
Leo glared at Raph. "Raph went to Casey's, got drunk, then beaten up."
"Raphael, is that true?" their sensei asked.
The other three waited for Raph to deny it. He sighed. "Yeah." They looked at him, surprised.
"You are to stay in for one week, practicing," Splinter said.
Raph blinked, looking momentarily surprised, and Leo saw it. He began to grin, but Raph sighed. "Fine," Raph agreed, and let Mike help him to his room. Leo's grin turned into a look of confusion.
"Geez, Raph, you gainin' weight or something?" Mike asked, after helping his brother sit. He just looked at him in return. "Oh-kay..." Mike turned to leave.
"Mikey," Raph said.
Mike turned. "Yeah?"
He expected a verbal assault, but instead Raph just gave him an odd look, a void look.
Mike cocked his head to one side, meeting eyes that should have had fire in them. "You okay, Raph?"
Raphael blinked, then shook his head, then raised a hand to it. "I'm fine," he answered, quietly.
Mike shrugged. "Okay." He turned and left, then joined Leo and Don. "Guys..."
"There's something wrong here, right?" Don said.
"You noticed, too?" Leo and Mike chorused.
"He didn't argue with Master Splinter," Leo said.
"He didn't yell at me for askin' if he was gainin' weight," Mike added.
"And did you see that look in his eyes?" Don said. "Like a void?" Leo and Mike nodded. "I think I'd like to go check out that alley again."
"Pizza's here!" Mike exclaimed, carrying in four pizzas. He plopped them on the table, then grabbed some plates and sodas.
"Guess I'll get Raph," Leo said. He stood from the couch and went to the subway car and knocked on the closed door. "Hey, Raph, pizza's here."
"Not hungry."
"What?" Leo said, surprised. "But, Raph, you haven't eaten all day..."
"Said I ain't hungry," came Raphael's response, which was alot quieter than Leo expected.
"Alright, we'll leave you some for later, then," Leo said, then started away.
"...Leo?"
Leonardo sprinted back and peeked through the crack in the door. "Yeah?"
"Nothin'."
"Is there something wrong?" Leo asked. "You're acting kind of strange. Are you sure you're okay?"
"Fine. Leave me alone," Raph said, quietly.
Leo sighed and headed back for the 'kitchen.' Mike and Don had already nearly polished off a whole pizza. "Sensei isn't joining us?"
"He's still meditating," Don said, grabbing another slice of pizza.
"Oh," Leo said, then sat down heavily.
Don looked over and saw the worried expression on his face. "Raph's not joining us, is he, Leo?"
"No," Leo said. "Are you sure there was nothing left in that alley, Donnie?"
"Positive. No clues, nothing. I just don't get it," Don said, then took a drink of soda. "It couldn't have been traumatic, but it's the only thing that makes me understand his change in attitude."
"He seems..." Mike began, then looked down at his plate, "...I dunno... subdued."
Leo slammed his fist on the table. "I wish he could remember what happened. It be easier on all of us."
"Maybe he'll remember eventually. I think we should just wait a little while and see if he gets any better. Until then, I asked Casey to keep an eye out for anything weird..." Don said.
And Mike interrupted, "Besides himself."
Don shot Mike a glare. "I told him to let us know if he sees anything odd."
"I'm just worried," Leo said.
Raph leaned back heavily against the wall in the 'living room'. He had heard most of his brothers' conversation. He shook his head and made a move to go back to his car, but he leaned back again and placed a hand on the side of his head, then blinked, trying to focus. He waited for the feeling to pass, then made his way, slowly, to his car.
"Are you sure, Casey?" Don asked. "Alright, just remember... okay, see you later." He hung up the phone.
"Nothing," Leo commented.
"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. No blood, no... anything," Don confirmed, plopping next to Leo on the couch. "Geez, about 25 guys laying on the ground from injuries caused by Raph--probably in a drunken stupor, to boot--and there's no blood and even Raph doesn't remember what happened. I just don't get it!"
"Whoa, Donnie, maybe you oughtta switch to decaf," Mike commented, grinning, trying to lighten the mood.
Don threw a pillow at Mike. "I just can't figure this whole thing out."
"You're not alone," Leo said.
Mike threw the pillow back at Donatello. "Maybe I'll try and see if I can get Raph to come out here." He stood up.
"Hey, Mikey, if he doesn't come out, take some of the left-over pizza in to him. It's got to be nearly 24 hours since he ate," Leo said.
"Okay," Mike agreed and went to the subway cars. He opened the door a little wider and stuck his head in. "Hey, Raph? You sleepin'?"
"No."
"Want some pizza?" Mike said.
"No, thanks, Mikey."
"D'ya want a soda or water?" Mike tried again. This time he didn't get a reply, just Raph placing his pillow over his head. Mike sighed, then went back to the others.
"Well?" Don asked.
Mike shrugged. "He's in some kinda quiet quadruple funk that he doesn't want to come out of."
"Donnie, just how long do we have to wait?" Leo asked. "There has to be something."
Raph blinked and rubbed his eyes. He looked at the clock. 2:47am. He paused, staring at the clock. It changed, and he realized he'd been holding his breath. Twenty hours it had been since... something. He still didn't remember anything after taking out a few of those street punks and even that memory was hazy.
He sighed and stood carefully, his stomach complaining about the lack of food. He made it to the 'kitchen' quietly and looked in the fridge. Nothing but left-over pizza. He nearly scowled. Not at 3am. Still have nightmares from the last middle of the night pizza, he thought, then decided on a bottle of water.
He sat at the table and stared at the bottle a moment, then unscrewed the cap and took a drink. A few seconds later, he coughed a couple times and looked at the bottle again.
"What the..." he questioned, quietly, then took another drink. He coughed again, then sighed. He sat back, then the same feeling from earlier washed over him.
Raphael raised both hands to his head, trying to get rid of... whatever it was. A headache? His sight unfocused, and he blinked several times. It felt like his head had been rammed into a wall 20 times.
The feeling finally passed, and he lowered his head to the table... and remained like that for the rest of the night.