Shadow Mutation (Book Seven) [UNDER MAJOR EDITING]

Chapter 14: Telling His Girlfriend

The ride back home is tense, to say the least. Leonardo drives like a robot, arms stiff and face set like stone. Michelangelo keeps Raphael's head in his lap while Sarina uses whatever medical supplies they keep on hand to temporarily patch him. Donatello sits at his station with his head on his hand, staring at the glowing vial in his other hand. Destiny sits next to Casey and he can feel the icy cold of her skin leeching through his hoodie.

Casey glances sideways at her. Her teeth chatter, her legs pulled to her chest, eyes drooping as she starts to nod off. He shifts and tugs off his sweater, leaving him in his grey t-shirt, and he nudges her with it but she shakes her head, staring at Raphael and fighting sleep.

"You're freezing, wolfie," he says. "Just take it."

"You need it. I'll be fine," she mumbles.

He doesn't let up, refusing to take his sweater back. She sighs in defeat and takes it, pulling the material over her head and snuggling into the oversized warmth, a small sigh leaving her as her eyes flutter shut.

"Thanks, Case," she mumbles.

He nods, looking back at Raphael. After a few seconds, a gentle weight presses against his shoulder. Destiny leans against him, head on his shoulder, eyes shut and soft breaths passing her lips. Dead asleep. He smiles a little.

"How's he doing, Sarina?" Leonardo calls without looking away from the road.

"His shell saved him from the worst of it," she replies as she finishes binding Raphael's arm. "I will need to do stitches back at the lair and monitor him. It is concerning that he has remained unconscious for so long."

"We're almost there," Donatello says. "The second we're in the tunnels—"

"Step on it?" Leonardo asks. Donatello nods. "Don't have to tell me twice."

Michelangelo pats Raphael's head. "We're gonna fix you up, Raph," he murmurs. "Good as new. I promise."

The Shellraiser disappears into the subway tunnels, hiding beneath the streets once again. Casey tilts his head, listening to the rumble of the tires on the train tracks.

----------

Splinter is waiting for them when they arrive at the lair and the other turtles launch into action, hurrying Raphael into the laboratory. Casey tries to nudge Destiny awake, but she barely twitches an eyelash. He sighs, gathering her up in his arms and carrying her from the Shellraiser.

Casey hears voices in the lab and debates bringing Destiny there. She doesn't have any injuries that he can see—she's just tired, so he takes the liberty of returning her to her bedroom, tucking her in, and leaving her to rest.

"This is concerning. Sarina, what do you make of this?"

Casey pushes open the lab doors. Donatello and Sarina stand over Raphael, focusing on the wounds on his arm. Splinter, Leonardo, and Michelangelo wait nearby.

Sarina shakes her head. "Poison, perhaps? I have not seen anything like this."

"What? What is it?" Leonardo asks, coming closer to them. Splinter hangs back, ears flat as he grips his emerald staff tightly.

Sarina steps aside and Casey finds himself trailing closer, trying to get a glimpse. Under the overhead light of Donatello and Sarina's designated medical table, it's clear that Raphael's injury is anything but normal. Although the bleeding has slowed, his skin and the cuts have purpled like a bad bruise, the edges of each wound already starting to turn black.

"Actually," Sarina murmurs, her eyes flashing. "It almost seems like extremely localized frostbite."

"Like each one of these cuts was exposed to sub-zero temperatures," Donatello says, and she nods in affirmation. "Shell..."