Raphael wounders about the words he uses against the youngest brother in family, he fears that one day Michelangelo would leave the clan because of him and his brothers. (Takes place after the episode the Gauntlet, one shot.)

Disclaimed: if I owned TMNT, I can make gravity disappeared.


Raphael couldn't sleep and now staring at the wall beside him, as if it was the best thing in the world. He didn't understand, norming not much would bother him at night, but for some reason his gut was eating at him, telling him that he had forgot about something.

But what?

Was it the Shredder?

He had to admit that he and his brothers were a bit over confident when they went topside, but only because so far nothing had been too much of a challenge for them and at first the Shredder just seemed like another bad guy, who needed a beat down. But, if only Raph knew how strong the man was, he might have tried to stop his brother's despites the strange stares they would have thrown at him. He was relief that, they didn't need to lose a loss of a brother, because of one mistake; he didn't know how Mikey had made it out alive after being crash by that sigh.

However, he didn't care his little brother was alive and breathing, that was all it matter and they all came out of it alive.

"You know, I'm starting to think no one wants to be with me!"

Raphael eyes blinked rapidly at the thought, it was Mikey voice, but when had he said that.

"Why do I always get stuck with Mikey?"

"Donnie?" he question, sitting up straight in his bed.

"Hey!"

"Well, I don't want him, and I'm in charge."

"Leo?"

Raph didn't know where they had come from, when had his only older brother started to sound so mean, so unfair.

"Well, then make Raph take Mikey."

"Over my dead body!"

Raph gasped at the thought that was his voice, it wasn't his brothers, it was him, but when, when did all this happened.

"Raph, dude you okay?" Raph's eyes slowly move to his door way. Where Mikey was standing with a half sleepy expression, the red mask turtle wanted to know when his baby brother had gotten there and how long he had been there for.

"Yeah, Mikey, sorry if I woke up."

"Na, couldn't sleep, I went on to check how you dudes were going. You sure you okay, bro? You look pale," Mikey said, concern in his eyes.

"Fine, go back to bed Mikey."

Raph lays back down, eyes watching from the side only to see Mikey pointing his tone at him and walking off, he rolls his eyes and so he did his best to go back to sleep. Raphael allowed the thought of not being able to fall asleep, but he was proven wrong when darkness took over.

The hothead of the brothers soon found him-self standing on top of the same building, where they had fought the Shredder, he takes notice of a shadow behind him. Turning around he sees Mikey standing in front of him and crying.

"Mikey, what's wrong little bro?"

Mikey eyes beam up at him, tears still flowing, he hears the youngest of the family sniffing to himself.

"Raph, why don't you want to be with me? Do you hate me that much?"

Raph stands surprised at the words Mikey had told him.

Where had this come from?

"Look Mikey, you might be annoying sometime, but I could never hate you."

Michelangelo wipes his tears away and Raph want's nothing more, but to hug him and tell him everything will be fine. However for some reason, something is causing him not to move and so he only stares.

"Really?" Raph smiles at the questioned, his brother sounder so childlike.

"Yeah, Mikey, after all you are my brother."

Raphael eyes narrowed when Mikey started to cry again, he couldn't help, but be a little bit a annoyed, but at the same time concern.

"You mean, you only like me because you have to."

"What? No, that's not it at all."

Now his had just wanted to slap Mikey over the head for thinking such a thing, but instead of losing his temper. He does his best to control it, Mikey need his support right now; he knows that Michelangelo looks up to him more than the others. Even if his little brother doesn't have a set favourite he was will aware that his little brother saw him as a hero, as someone he could always count on.

Heaven knows why, the hothead couldn't understand why Mikey would choice him and not Donnie or Leo. He had trouble with dealing with his own anger, when Leo was the perfect fearless leader and Donnie was the smartest, but nothing changed his brother mind and he was the youngest turtle, hero.

It was why Raph would always look after him when needed to and now his baby bro needed him the most.

"Please Mikey, why are you thinking like that?"

Raph smiled to himself as he was finally able to move from his spot, walking over to place a hand on his little brother shoulder, he smiled when Mikey nuzzled it and allowed his tears to fall. Without any hesitation he steps in and takes his baby bro into a hug.

"Nobody wanted to be with, me."

That's when Raph remembers all the thoughts he had before he went to bed, was his mind replaying the memory since he couldn't work it out for himself, but why? Why did it take him this long to remember and now he began wondering why the two of them were out topside.

Wasn't he in his bed a minute ago?
How did he get up here?

"He's lying Mikey." Raph frowns as he turns his head to see Leo and Donnie standing beside him.

"Lying about what?" Raph couldn't help, but snap.

"Lying about Mikey, being wanted, nobody wants him on the team. He only has to come because he's family."

"What the hell gotten into ya fearless."

"Nothing, I'm only telling the truth." Raph eyes turned cold as Mikey cried hared into his arms.

"He's right you know Raph. All Mikey does is mess things up and gets in the way."

"That aren't, true Donnie."

"But it is Raph, you've even said it yourself. It be, better if he just leaves the clan for good. After all I'm always stuck with him, because nobody else wants him."

Raphael had lost it and even though he had sworn to never hurt any of his brothers, he was now rethinking it. He wanted nothing more to punch the two in the face; he doesn't bother to wonder how the two had mange to get so mean, because he doesn't care. His vison was starting to go red and his anger buddling up, he did he tried to hold it because they were his brothers, but he couldn't.

"Don't worry Raphie, I will leave the clan. If that makes you happy, I only want to make my family happy. Does that make you happy Raph?"

"What? No, stop thinking like that!"

That's when Raph realized something, his little brother wasn't in his arms anymore, he looks around in panic and in fear. He doesn't care that Leo and Donnie are no longer there, he feels his heat beat, bumping away and clearly out of tune, he stops his little brother was on the other side of the building.

"Is me being around, just making you mad Raphie?"

"No, Mikey, for crying out loud stop thinking like that!"

Raphael starts to run as fast as he can, but every step he takes it was as if Mikey was further and further away from him, he panics when Mikey starts to wave.

"Don't worry Raphie, you be happy now."

"Mikey!"

Raph eyes snap open, calling out his little brother name, hitting the ground below as he shouts. His eyes widen with fear and lost hope. He has a hard time in standing back up, he can't find his strength so he does something that he hadn't done for a long time and that was cry.

"Raph!" A booming voiced yelled in panic.

"Raph, what happened?"

Mikey looks down in fear and worry, he doesn't know what he should do Master Splinter was sleeping and he was always hard to wake up. He had just helped both Leo and Donnie recover from a nightmare and in there state, they weren't going to be much help either. So he does what his mind tells him to do and takes Raph into a hug, despite his older brother screaming like a lost child.

"Raph please stop your scaring me. Please stay strong, please stay strong for me, I can't, I can't-"and like this Mikey himself started to cry as well.

First Donnie and then Leo, now Raph as well, he can't stand it, it was bad enough his nightmares and his own self-doubt was keeping him awake, but now his brothers were falling apart.

"Mikey?" Raph questions as he feels arms around him tighten.

His eyes glance beside him and he sees his little brother crying silently.

Please it wasn't real.

"I tried Raph, but I'm not strong enough, I don't like seeing my bro's so hurt and lost."

Raphael doesn't know what his little bro is talking about, what had caused the youngest to be in such pain, was it the words that they said to him early?

"Mikey it's okay, want to tell me what's wrong?"

Raph pushes aside his own problems, so he could focus on what really was important, after Mikey had claimed down a little and wipe away his tears.

"Donnie had a nightmare."

Donnie?

"Is he fine now," Mikey nods in respond.

"Yeah, he's cool now, but it was nightmare about the control room. He thinks I'm leaving the clan because of what you guys said to me early."

"You're not going to!" Raph shrugs, back into himself, he wanted to focus on Mikey's problems and now his own.

"Dude, did you guys have the same dream. That's messed up bro, "Mikey said, trying to cut down the tension.

"Why, can't you hate us, you're meant to hate us. We didn't want to work with you and we all turned you down, you're meant to be mad, but you're walking off like it didn't matter."

"Hey bro, take a chill pill dude. Sure I admit that I was mad at you guys earlier, but I can't stay mad at you guys forever."

"Why not?"

Mikey takes his big brother into a hug and smiles before letting out a giggle.

"I'm going to tell you the same thing I told Leo and Donnie."

"Wait Fearless had a nightmare to?"

"Yeah sure did, anyway, so here's the thing. I can't stay mad at you bro's forever, because guess what dude."

"What?" Raph mutters, not taking his eyes from the floor.

"Because were family and family sticks together. No matter what day of the week, no matter the year, no matter the fights and no matter what happens. Were family bro weather you like it or not and I will always stay with the clan, because if I don't. You dues, are going to be a, bunch off rotten eggs, if you don't have someone to make you smile and that's where I come in."

"So, you won't leave the clan?" Mikey giggles again before shaking his head.

"Na, dude, you're stuck with me."

Raphael smiles to himself, his nightmare no longer bothered him, sure he does question himself if he and his brothers really could be that mean to Mikey, but at the end of day his little brother will always forgive and forget.

"Hey Mikey."

"Yeah, Raphie."

"Get of me," Raph said before playful punches his brother and forces him to let go of his grip.


I've wanted to do this for a while, but everyone seemed to have it covered. It's one of the reasons why I went with Raph and not Mikey, I know, I know, they might be a little OOC, but it had to be done. Reviews are always welcomed and loved and now to make do like a ninja.

See ya!