Alchemy On The Heart

Chapter 9 - Alchemy On The Heart

It had been almost a month and a half since the incident with Shredder's men had taken place. After the boys had brought Kamila back to their island Splinter had them immediately bring her into the main house and began to do as much as he could to save her leg. The medicine he gave her was potent. It worked immediately to calm her down and knock her out to where he could easily, along with the help of Donatello, clean and close her wound without the fear of her waking up and making their work harder. It was well after dawn when they had finished though. Everyone was exhausted but no one dared to sleep until several days had gone by. During those long days she had caught a fever. The boys thought that maybe she had an infection but thankfully it had been due to her being wet from the ride back and the exhaustion.

When Kamila did wake up after about a week she didn't want to see anyone except for Master Splinter who didn't give her an option to refuse. However, she didn't stay in the main house for long. In the dead of night and with fear from the nightmares she had been having fueling her actions she had snuck out with no one hearing to her own home. When Splinter had gone to bring her breakfast that morning and found her gone he only had to follow the blood and bandages left behind to know where she had gone. She had received a hard scolding that day but assured the cowering girl that she was as safe as could be on the island and close to them. By then he had restiched and rebadged her before giving her a tea to drink every day to keep the nightmares away. The sad thing was, the damage was not so easily to get rid off with just tea.

At a month her leg was better and she was able to walk on her own. Splinter had told her that she was not to work though. He had seen it in her eyes and knew that it would do her no good to put her to work in her condition. But without anything to keep her mind distracted she soon found her self becoming depressed. She pushed away everyone by then and locked herself away in her home. She didn't even bother reading the notes that the birds would come and bring her. They stayed unopened on the now dust covered table. She even rarely ate anything now and it made Donnie extremely concerned. He had made sure to have his brothers not question her about what they had seen or heard from what he and Raph had explained to them. Especially about the part about her being a siren.

Speaking of Donnie, he and Mikey were off the island collecting saplings to replant on it. Both Mikey and Don carried baskets slung over one of their arms and gently pried the young trees out of the ground without damaging the roots. They had so far collected a decent amount when they had decided to take a break. Both sat in a shaded part of the forest. Although they had not done enough work to make them tired they both looked exhausted.

Fiddling with a twig Mikey tried his best to stay positive. "When do you thing she will come back?" He asked quietly.

Don looked over at his brother. He knew that Mikey felt guilty for what had happened to her. But it was not his fault. Don thought he himself was the one to blame. He should have seen the men coming and defused the situation before it could have ever started. He should have known that those men were not going to give up just like that, so easily. He should have known she was going to move away from the group and guarded her while her back was turned and defenseless. He should have, but he didn't. It pissed him off. "Splinter said she will be better soon. We just have to keep giving her space or until she comes to us."

"I know that." Mikey said flicking the twig away. "I just wish she'd come back soon... I miss her."

"I know." Don agreed before thinking. 'I miss her to.' The boys fell silent after that. They sat there for a good ten minutes before they had decided to get up but as they got to their feet something large ran past them.

Mikey upon recognizing what it was cheered up. Bringing his hands to his mouth he shouted its name. "Hey Jess! Where ya going?"

The creature named Jess halted in its tracks and turned around alarmed. Her ears recognizing who had called her caused her to rush back over. Jess' hooves dug into the earth as the young centaur made quick work back over to the two turtles. "Hey guys! I was just heading up to drop this here package off at yer place. Good thing I caught ya! Saved me the trouble." She laughed wiping away sweat from her forehead, her short dark grey hair sticking to it. "Its from that fancy guy Grey. Since when did ya start doing business with him?"

"We didn't our friend did. Practically dragged her into his store and made her buy everything." Mikey explained.

"I know, I'm basically carrying his dang whole shop on my back." Jess joked turning to unhook the 2 packages off of her back. "And since when did you have any lady friends besides me? She yer girlfriend?"

"No but she is super cool Jess! She has been staying with us for a while now and she makes the best food ever!" Mikey said happily.

"Well then I might have to swing by tomorrow to taste some of it if it makes you look that happy." Jess said handing the packages to Don.

"I don't think she will cook anything any time soon though Jess. She hasn't been herself lately." Mikey explained his gloom returning.

Jess saw this and gave him the best reassuring smile she could before placing a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry your bald green head to much. I'm sure after she gets this here package she'll cheer right up. And besides no one can stay gloomy when they got you around to cheer them up. Now let me see that smile!" She commanded pinching both of his cheeks gently. She tugged and squished his face as much as it took until that goofy grin returned on him. Pulling away when she saw it she turned back to the way she came. "Alright you guys I got to go. Tell yer friend I said hi and that I hope she feels better soon, Ok? See ya!" She shouted before trotting back into the thicker part of the woods back where she had came.

After their visit the boys finished picking up the saplings and made their way back to the island. With full baskets and packages in hand they dropped off the saplings in Raph's workshop before making their way back to the main house. Don stops midway though and glances over to where Kamila's home was. He fiddled with the binding of the package in his hand as he contemplated on whether or not he should go and give it to her. Should he? Would she be mad with him? Would it make her upset? Don chewed on his lip as he thought out every possible reason not to go.

"Dude. I think you should." Mikey said sneakily popping up next to him causing Don to jump.

"But what about what Master Splinter told us?" He asked.

"Yeah but Jess is a girl. She knows what makes them feel better. She even said that maybe she would cheer up if she got these." Mikey handed his brother the package. "I think she would be right."

Don sighed. Taking the package he left his brother and made his way over to her house. Climbing the stairs he looked up to see three birds sitting there. Each one chirped happily and pecked at the notes tied to their back. One even tried to go over to the window but because it was closed it wasn't able to enter.

Kamila layed in her bed facing the wall. The blankets she had covered her and shielded her from the light from the window. More scales had appeared on her body from what had happened. Her arms were now halfway covered in those translucent scales but her legs stayed with the bolder darker colored ones. Usually by now they would have disappeared after the third or fourth day after she turned and released that side of her. They should have been gone but they weren't and it scared her. She hated that part of her curse. She despised it. That murderous lusting beast she turns into caused her so much trouble over the years. At first it only took control for a few seconds. Just an instant here and there where it whispered and demanded her with out her control to do all these horrible things and it disgusted her. The worse part of it though was the fact that the boys had seen her like that. They now knew what she really was as well now. No longer was she going to be the simple fish scaled woman that cleaned their house. No. Now she was the murderous Siren.

Although Splinter did not treat her any differently she felt that the boys would. That the moment they laid eyes on her they would only see what they saw at that stream. It hurt her. All she wanted was for them to look at her like they always did. But now they knew what she really was she feared the worst. She couldn't bring herself to look into their eyes and see the same looks as the ones the villagers always gave her. So she stayed in her room. She wouldn't dare bring herself to see those same looks. Not from them.

Kamila jumped when she heard the knock on her front door. She kept still. Was it Master Splinter again? She told him she didn't need the tea anymore. Her leg had closed completely so she didn't need any more medical attention. Why was he here? Then she heard the door open and a sneeze she knew well. Donnie! Her body panicked and froze her with each step he took up her steps. 'Go away!' Her brain screamed. 'Don't come in! Don't look at me!' She heard the door knob turn. Kamila shut her eyes as tightly as she could, a tear rolling down her cheek. 'Please.'

Don opened the door to her room. Her house was a mess. Dust covered everything and the dishes from past meals layed dirty on the counter and table, they to were dusty. The house looked as if it hadn't been lived in for months. This scared him. Kamila had been weak and skinny before locking herself away. The thought of her refusing to eat because of what had happened would mean she would be nothing more than skin and bones. Or even worse, dead. When he entered he immediately searched for her. A quick movement to his left made him turn to see her cowering under every blanket she had. There was movement under all of them causing the blankets to rise and fall. This reassured him but he was still concerned. Her room looked just like downstairs except the table in here held unopened notes, bird tracks in the dust as well as scattered bird seed from the empty bowl, and a blood stained slip crumpled and tossed on one of the two chairs.

Donnie looked away from the slip. Guilt bubbled up from the sight of it. It also meant that she was naked under those covers. Other than the clothes she had bought the outfit she wore to the city was the only one she owned and those were ruined. Placing the packages next to the wall by the door he took a deep breath in and sat on the foot of her bed facing the window. He sat there quietly for a good minute or two before looking down at his hands. "Your clothes from Grey came in. Jess brought them over. She is a good friend of Mikey's. She looked like the packages were going to make her collapse. You don't have a closet to put these in though. Maybe Raph could make you a dresser for them." He rambled hoping that she would answer or at least acknowledge the conversation. But she seemed to curl herself deeper into her blankets to get away from him.

Donnie sighed and looked over to the table. "Everyone has been worried about you." He whispered. "Leo has been training non stop. Master Splinter even had to get after him after picking a fight with Raph. Usually its the other way around. But I think Mikey misses you the most though. He's been gloomy and mopey. He wants to come and see you but he doesn't want you to be upset with him. None of us want you to be... They all feel guilty for what happened...Even me." Don explained with another sigh. When he didn't get another response he thought about leaving. Maybe he was making her feel worse? Should he have said that to her? Maybe it would be best if he left.

Don was about to get up off of the bed when he felt something lean against his shoulder. He turned to look behind him to see her skinny arms wrap around one of his own. She was still wrapped in her blankets and hid her face from him. However even with the blankets he could still see the tears drip down to not only wet the blanket but also the back of his arm as she rested her head on it.

"I'm sorry." He whispered. "I should have came to help you sooner. I should have made sure it was even safe to go in the first place. Or better yet told the others what had happened at the market. If they might have known they would have probably taken you to a safer area. But we didn't. I didn't."

"Its not your fault." He heard her say. Her voice was dry and hoarse. He wouldn't doubt it if it was because of all the crying she had done and dehydration from being in her room for so many days. "If I had stayed here... I wouldn't have caused so much trouble."

That was true, but he wouldn't dare tell her. As he was about to tell her something a strong gust of wind unhooked the latch of the window causing it to swing open. The opened window allowed the birds from outside to come in. In a hurry they rushed inside where it was warm and immediately went for the bowl of seeds. However when seeing only the empty shells and no new food they looked over to the two people and chirped at them.

Immediately Donnie got up to close the window. It was the middle of Fall now so the air was chilling. Don wouldn't doubt that it would snow this winter. It was usually a hit or miss. Some winters they hardly got any signs of snow while others they got it two years in a row. Either way he needed to keep the cold air out or else Kamila would end up worse. Padding over to the window he closed it, after the birds dropped the notes and few out, and secured the clasp tightly to where the wind wouldn't dare open it again. He left the shutters open though. She needed the sun and he feared that closeting them would make her feel even more depressed.

Turning around he was about to go back to the bed to try and coax Kamila to eat when he froze. She was standing there on wobbled legs reading the notes. Her body was covered by a thin sheet but Don was able to see her wounded leg. The newly formed scar was not thick but it was wide enough to see from a good distance away. There were no scales growing near it. It was as if they feared the thought of being next to or on it. He watched as she crushed the note in her hand. This surprised and hurt Don. Why had she done that? But his questioned was answered with the full force of Kamila's emotions.

"You are such an idiot." She growled moving away from the table. She held the note tighter as she, very wobbly, rounded the table towards Donnie before looking up at him with fresh angry tears running down her face. "You're supposed to be the smart one! Your supposed to want to stay away from me. Look at me as if im a monster. Treat me like I am a monster!"

Don listened and watched as she ranted. As she stepped closer he saw her leg give out and he moved to catch her before she fell. Her small frame landed in his arms but she, at least tried to, pushed and shoved him away only to be pinned to his chest. "Stop it." She cried, her anger disappearing slowly. "Stop treating me so kindly. Stop touching me like im still normal to you. Like you actually do love me."

"I do though." Don confessed.

"No you don't!" She yelled but clung to him for dear life. "I'm a monster Donnie! I kept what I was a secret from you all. Hid the fact that I was a murderous creature from you! I killed someone! I killed a man, Donnie! How can you say that you love me after seeing me like that?"

"Because you're still you." Lowering his head he buried his chin in her hair. "You're still the kindest, beautiful, selfless person I know. You put other people's needs before your own even when you don't have to. You are smart, sharp, and funny. You even have the power to deal with Mikey when he is off his handle." He chuckled the last comment before going back to being serious. "What happened to you and what you did does not mean that I will see you any differently. It only means that I have to work harder to keep you safe and make you see what I see."

Kamila's hand reached up to cup the side of his face. Pulling back she searched it to see if what he said was true. Another tear rolled down her cheek when she did see the truth. "Then may I be selfish?" She asked sadly. "Can I ask you to never see me any differently?"

"I will never see you any differently whether you do ask me to or not."

Kamila let out a happy breath before looking down at her other hand. Opening it she uncrumpled the note and glanced down at the smudged wrinkled words. "Then..." She began but paused. Taking in a breath she looked back up at Donnie. "...can I really have the love you write about in these poems? Will you love me like you say you do?" She waited a second before suddenly Donnie's face appeared right in front of hers. Their lips crashed together in a meaningful and passionate kiss that forced warmth into her body. Kamila's eyes closed and although she tried to keep her tears at bay one still managed to escape.

Donnie didn't know if his words would be believable if he tried to tell her how much he did love her. He also didn't know if his voice was strong enough to handle such an emotional confession. So with a prayer he tried to show her with this kiss. Her skin scorched him like an inferno but he would never dare pull away. In fact, he wanted to relish in it. Detangling both his arms from the blanket on her he brought one over her shoulders to not only hide her but to bring her closer while the other maneuvered her lower half so that she was now sitting comfortably in his lap. If anyone were to enter her room they would get a clear image of how small she was in that moment compared to him. However, he wouldn't dare let them see her like this. For now she was his and he was going to make sure she knew just how much he loved her.