Change

Disclaimer: I do not own Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, nor anything affiliated.

Summary: Raphael feels change on the horizon. His feelings, body, and brothers are maturing. When Donatello is kidnapped by Shredder, Raphael battles to save him, and with whether his feelings for Donnie are as brotherly as he'd once thought. (Turtlecest. RaphXDon MikeyXLeo)

Chapter 1

Raphael looked up to the sky as he felt the rain starting to fall. He scanned the clouds, and was certain more rain was to come. He didn't care. He actually liked the rain, though for whatever reason, his stubborn mind would never let him admit it. He looked from the rooftop, and gazed over the the city, watching for any sign of action, anything to slice through the complacency that had fallen over him lately. Things had been far too quiet for Raph, and he found himself feeling pent up, and paranoid.

He stayed out late on patrol, sometimes far after nightfall, and he was missing dinner increasingly.

He felt so many changes in himself. It was damn frustrating...

...and he had no one to talk to.

Master Splinter and Leo would only see it as weakness.

Mikey wouldn't be serious about it...

...and Donatello?

Donnie.

What the hell was he supposed to say to him?

Something about Donnie had always been different. Even when they were younger there was a certain favor toward him. He'd always felt like Donnie needed him...

Or did he need Donnie?

Lately these confusing feelings seemed to bother him more often. Of course, he was giving himself plenty of time to think. He was spending most of his day alone. His brothers didn't seem to question it. He had always had the tendency to be distant. He honestly felt bad for that, but it was just how he dealt with things.

He let out a chuckle.

"Maybe that's why I'm so fucked up..."

"Maybe what?"

Raph whirled around to see Mikey climbing up to the roof. He shook his head, automatically annoyed at his younger brother for startling him.

"None of ya business, alright?"

"Whoa, at ease!" He threw his hands up as if Raph was pointing a gun at him. "I was just wondering where you were. We all were. Master Splinter says he wants to talk to us."

Raph rolled his eyes and walked towards Mikey. "What's he want to talk about?"

"No clue. I don't know these things. I'm playing messenger boy."

" 'Bout all you're good for, blockhead." He scooped Mikey up in a noogie, his way of apologizing for snapping.

"Aw, Raph. Get off!" He shoved his older brother away and immediately started back down the building's fire escape. "What are you doing up here anyway? It's gonna rain."

Raphael took once more glance over the city, and at the ominous clouds above it. "Yeah, it is..."

...

As they walked into the Dojo, Donnie and Leo were already sitting in front of Master Splinter. Mikey and Raph took their places, and Master Splinter took a breath before speaking.

"My sons... It has come to my attention, through our connections on the surface, that the Foot may be active again in the city."

The four turtles looked at each other.

"But we took care of Shredder." Leo said, "Do they have a new leader?"

"We do not know. We assume nothing before we investigate."

"What do we do, Sensei?"

Raphael rolled his eyes at his ever proper older brother.

"Leonardo and Donatello will go tonight, and observe a jewelry store that we believe they will attempt to burglarize. Michelangelo and Raphael will stay here. I do not want attention drawn. If there is any sign of activity, use the radio, and call for your brothers. Do not attempt to fight them until you are all together, is that clear?"

Raphael jumped up. "Stay here? Are ya kidding me?"

"No. The two of them will draw less attention. You will stay here unless they need you."

Raphael felt his face growing hot. Not only did he hate being left out of the action, but the idea of Donatello going anywhere near harm's way without him put a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He had to go. If something happened to Donnie... to either of them, and he wasn't there to protect them, he...

He couldn't even think about it.

"I'm just as good at being quiet as them! What if something happens?"

"Then I trust your brothers to know what to do."

Raphael took a deep breath, hating how he'd turned his words around.

"We'll call if we need you, Raph. They may not even be there." Donatello's voice was like cool water to red hot metal. Raphael looked at him, then back to Master Splinter, before walking out of the room, officially pissed off.

He made his way to his room, and collapsed on the bed in defeated annoyance. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, replaying the way Donnie's voice had sounded as he attempted to reassure him in the dojo. It didn't exactly work. He was still nervous, and still didn't like the idea of the four of them not being together on such missions.

He couldn't help but laugh at himself.

All of them? Or him not being with Donnie?

He loved his brothers. All of them. He and Leo couldn't seem to ever find steady ground with one another, but they were brothers. That was to be expected, and Raphael was just adult enough to know that his attitude never helped anything. He had tried before to take steps to get along, but it always seemed to fall apart for some reason. His temper just got a hold him when it came to Leo, but he knew that he would die for him. For any of them.

Mikey was a source of happiness to Raphael, even though it came with that side order of annoyance. He looked out for Mikey, like a big brother should, and knew that he was hard on him, but only because he was trying to teach. He secretly loved his antics, and often wished that he could be more like Mikey. Things rolled off of him, like water rolls off a beautiful swan's feathers, and Raph envied that far more than he cared to admit.

Dontello, however, was different. He supposed it came out of nowhere. Sometime between very young and about 13. Donnie was his brother, but he never felt the same about him as he did with Leo and Mikey. Once he reached his early teen years, he was able to understand the concept of being in love. At first saying to himself that he was in love with Donatello just fit. The innocence of childhood sheltered him from the conflict that came along with that.

Once he reached about 16 he realized that being in love with your brother wasn't exactly acceptable. All hopes he'd ever had of telling Donnie went right out the window. He would never risk loosing his brother, by being selfish and asking for more. Oh, but how he longed to kiss him. Donnie made him think of all that mushy stuff in the movies. It was annoying... yet he found himself thinking about it all the time.

He sat up quickly, shaking his head, trying to shake the frustration off like water. He was bored, but it was a more intense form. He was practically stagnant. He thought more and more of leaving, just packing up and disappearing in the night without so much as a note, and he would've, too, a long time ago...

If it wasn't for Donatello.

Maybe it would be better if he did. Maybe...

He jumped as a knock came at the door. "What?!" He yelled, done with being followed around for one day.

"Hey, it's me." Mikey's voice was quiet, apologetic. "Can I come in?"

Raphael stood up with a sigh and opened the door. Mikey had a large goofy grin on his face, and held up some doughnuts, and soda like a peace offering. Raphael gave him an annoyed look, but finally took the soda from him and moved from the door, and Mikey slid his way in.

He plopped down on the bed, sat the doughnuts beside him and popped his soda. "So what's up, Bro?"

Raph sat down in his desk chair. "What is it, Mikey?"

"I'm just checking on ya, geez. Can't your brother hang out with ya?"

Raphael couldn't help but smirk, feeling happy that Mikey was trying so hard to reach out to him. He opened his soda, and Mikey took that as an invitation to get comfortable.

"So you think the Foot are back?" Mikey asked, almost too light heartedly.

"If they are. We'll take care of them, that's for sure."

"Got that right, Brother!" Mikey took a big bite of a doughnut. "Leo and Donnie will know more when they get back."

That feeling came back to Raph's stomach as Mikey reminded him that Donnie would be out there.

"I don't like this." He found himself confiding. "I got a bad feeling."

"What could happen, Raph? You act like they're not intensely trained badass ninja turtles or something."

Raphael rolled his eyes. He took a drink of his soda and decided Mikey wouldn't take it serious enough... as usual.

"Look", Mikey said, sensing Raphael's intense gestures, "I'm just saying it will be ok.. and if you're... I mean... nah, nevermind."

"What?"

"No... no. I'm putting my foot in my mouth."

"What, Mikey?" Raph leaned forward.

Mikey looked and him and finally sighed: "I was gonna say that, if you're that worried about it, that I would... cover for you... maybe."

Raph's heart swelled for his little brother. "Would ya, Mikey? I'd owe you one!" He jumped up and started gathering his things to go out.

"Now, wait just a second!" Mikey stood up quickly, and Raph turned to him. "I'm really not looking to get in trouble today. If I'm going to do this, I want to know why you really want to go out. Are you really feeling like something bad will happen, or are you just looking for a piece of the action?"

Raphael always admired how Michelangelo could have his moments of intelligence. He smiled at his brother. "You're smarter than you look, Mike..." He placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, and before Mikey could say anything else, he disappeared out of the room.

Mikey didn't even try to follow, and fell back on Raph's bed defeated, just knowing he'd let his big mouth get him in trouble... again.

...

As Raphael made his way quietly through the shadows on the rooftop, he watched carefully for Leo and Donnie, not sure where they'd be posted to watch the store. He froze suddenly as he heard voices, but relaxed when he realized it was Leo and relaxed more when he realized it was on the rooftop across the street. He climbed up a small tower on the rooftop and got a great vantage point of the store, and his brothers.

The store was dark and quiet, no activity whatsoever. Raphael let out a breath he'd been holding when he saw that, and thought for a moment that maybe he should go back, and try to keep Mikey from getting into any trouble on his behalf.

Just as he was about to climb down, he heard Leo hush Donnie. They all looked to the store. A huge black van pulled up in front of it, and stopped. Raphael's eyes darted from the van, to his brothers and back again.

He heard Leo turn the radio on and call. No response.

He tried again. Nothing.

"Dammit, Michelangelo..." Raph whispered, knowing that Mikey had once again forgotten to turn on the radio.

He heard Leo give a similar curse and look around, contemplating what to do. He climbed down quickly and rushed to the edge of the roof, as close to his brothers as he could get, listening to their plan.

"What do you want to do?" Donnie asked Leo.

"I don't know. Let me think. How many of them are out there?"

Donatello crawled over and looked over the roof, looking intently. "A driver, and passenger at least... I can't see anyone else."

"What are they doing?"

"Just sitting there."

Raphael watched them like a hawk, ready to dive in if they noticed his brothers, but doing his best not to get carried away and protective.

Leo tried the radio one more time, and when there was once again no response, he sighed. "I think we should go back."

"Go back?" Donatello said, looking over at the alleged crooks. "But we might loose them."

"How many people do you think could fit in the back of that van, Donnie?"

He took another look. "I don't know. 10, cramped?"

"That 12... versus you and I."

Donnie saw his point. "Alright... let's get out of here."

Just as Donnie said that, a loud bang came from the street below. Raph gasped as a giant net shot up and opened above his brothers. "No!" he screamed, but Donnie and Leo rolled out of the way just in time.

"Raph?" Donnie called out, but there were two more shots from the street, this time it opened above Leonardo and Raphael.

Raph managed to jump out of the way, but the net swirled around Leo, tangling him. Donatello was there in an instant and helped him cut his way free. Raphael looked over the roof to see 5 or 6 men, all with the net guns, some had knight sticks. He looked over to his brothers who were gathering themselves.

"Get out of here!" He yelled and pointed toward the lair. Leo and Donnie rushed to the edge and looked over for themselves.

Leo looked up at Raph. "We all have to go! Now!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three nets opened, they all jumped, narrowly missing capture. Donnie slammed into an air conditioning unit, not having time to check before he jumped. He slumped down and clutched his head.

"Donnie!" Raph yelled, but he jumped as he sensed the bodies behind him, he turned to face 4 men, two with the net guns.

"Which one is that?" One asked.

"It doesn't matter!" Another yelled, and fired the net gun. Raph leaped in the air, and felt the net catch his leg, sending him spiraling in the air, and causing him to land on the rooftop with a thud, but thankfully not tangled in a net. The wind rushed out of him with the impact, and he faintly heard his brothers calling his name.

"Yes it does, you idiot" The tallest one said, slapping him in the back of the head. "We want the purple one."

Raphael's eyes blazed as his words sank in.

We want the purple one...

The purple one...

He jumped up in a rage. He grabbed the one that said it and tossed him into the side of the rooftop, inches away from rolling over the edge. He fell with a thud, but the others closed in quickly. They rushed him, and caught him off guard enough for the net gun to land it's target perfectly, and wrap him in the net.

"Raphael!" He heard Leo scream, and could hear them scrambling to get off the roof.

"No!" Raph called, though he couldn't tell they were unable to hear. "Get him out of here, Leo! Leo!"

The men walked over and checked his mask. "Red." One said.

"He'll come after him. Everyone hide."

"Any of you touch him and I will fucking kill you! I will fucking rip you in half!"

Raphael struggled as they all disappeared.

"Raphael?" Donnie's voice came from the street. "Talk to me, Raph! Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, Donnie! Get out of here, dammit! They're after you, Donnie! Go!"

"Shut up!" He heard one of the men yell, and suddenly a boot connected with the back of his head, racking him almost to the point of passing out. He couldn't hear anything, but he saw all of the men rushing passed him, down the stairwell, and the fire escape.

No..! Donnie!

He tried to yell for Donnie to run, but he had no voice. He tried to fight with the net, but his strength was fading out of him. Finally, he fell still and the world blurred as he slipped in and out of consciousness...

He was lying there trying to regain vision, when a voice came from behind. "I knew it. I fucking knew it!"

He looked up to see Mikey rushing over to him. He grabbed one of his sais and sliced the net. Raphael fell free, and started catching his breath. "What.. the hell are you... doing here?"

"I'll take that as your 'Thanks for saving my ass, Mikey.'"

Raph couldn't help but smile as he struggled to his feet. "We have to get down there." He told Mikey. "Those men... they're after Donnie..."

"After Donnie? What are you talking about?" Mikey rushed over to help his brother walk toward the fire escape.

"I heard one them say that they wanted the 'purple one'." Raph said, starting to get himsef together, "They have net guns. They're trying to take him. They had me right there and didn't even touch me. It's just Donnie."

"What? Why?"

"Like I know, Blockhead?! Let's go!"

They rushed down the fire escape to the street where Donnie and Leo were doing a pretty good job about holding their ground. Raph and Mikey joined the fight, and Mikey cowered at the disapproving glances from his eldest brother, Leonardo. He didn't like to disappoint him.

Raphael rushed to Donnie's side, and knocked the men away from him furiously. "Donnie, you've got to get out of here..."

"Not without all of you!" Donnie said immediately, and Raph knew he was serious. Raph did everything he could to stand between Donatello and the few remaining men. The men aimed the net guns right at the four of them. They all stood close together, looking around for an escape, but every path was suddenly blocked by more men.

Then Raph smirked, as he heard it. A low growl of an engine coming up fast. The other three turtles slowly caught on and the men started looking around anxiously. Suddenly a large Harley flew toward them, they all dove out of the way, as Casey Jones rode into the circle of men. A few ran away completely, but most cowered and watched until everything settled to see what had rode up on them.

"Hey guys!" He greeted happily, "Need a hand?"

"You know it, Brother!" Mikey said excitedly.

The men closed in and Casey whipped his bike around. He rushed forward, causing the men in front of him to run, and knocked a few to the ground with his hokey stick. The turtles jumped into action, using Casey's distraction as the opportunity they needed to take out the remaining thugs and regain control of the street. Raph searched the alleys, van, and streets like a wild man for any thugs they may have missed, finally he walked back over to his brothers.

"Alright. Let's get out of here."

"Hold on, Raph." Leo said, walking toward the van.

"What do ya mean hold on? What if there's more of 'em?"

"We need to find out what they're up to." He jumped in the back of the van as Raphael did everything he could not to loose his cool. Donatello walked over to him and placed a calming hand on his shoulder. Raph relaxed immediately.

"What were you doing out here? Did Master Splinter send you?"

"Not exactly."

"Oh I see." Donnie rolled his eyes and spark of annoyance shot through Raph.

"What? See what?"

"You wanted a fight. You came out here for a work out."

Raph felt his face get hot for the millionth time that day.

"Well, if that is what I came out here for, I certainly got it didn't I? What if you two had been alone? The radio didn't work! You should be thanking me!"

"I never said I wasn't grateful, Raph." Donnie said, and even though his tone was annoyed, it chilled Raphael. "I just don't understand why you followed us in the first place. Was that what it was? Looking for some action?"

"No. It was... that is, I.. had a bad feeling."

"A bad feeling?"

"I did! Ask Mikey, it's why he said he'd cover for me..."

"Cover for you?!" Leonardo's voice stopped their conversation entirely.

Mikey sunk behind Casey, as Leo stomped over to him. "You actually covered for him, and let him follow us? Master Splinter said-"

"I know, Leo!" Mikey interrupted, "But he said he had a bad feeling, and if he had a bad feeling than it made me have a bad feeling, ya know? So I thought I'd let him check on the bad feeling so my bad feeling wouldn't be so bad..."

Mikey was stumbling over his words, and Raph stepped in between them.

"It was my idea, Leo. I wanted to follow and I did, so lay off, will ya?"

Leo looked at Mikey, then back to Raph with disapproval, but turned and let him be for now.

He looked at everyone: "Let's go home..."