A Life lost = A Life gain
Part 1
(TMNT CC are AU based on 2003 version, the turtles are 23)
Warning (Rated: T) Disturbing Content, Foul Language, M-Preg, Character Death,
Please Don't Read if you don't like this stuff.
Summary: Raph is devastated over the lost of his brother, lost in his confusion on how to move hone Raph finds himself at a cross roads with choices he never thought he would have to make.
An air thick and dens lingered there in the old worn down warehouse, even the bright moon of the night gave it no justice, making it a mirror image of some horrid fun house, filled with odd things, that were just plainly out of place, which was part of the reason the four brothers ventured to it in the dead of night.
What seemed to be routine, not really out of the norm about this personal mission they were on, for some bizarre reason, still unknown to them all, the tables turned and things that should not have been… happened…
Time stood still, like someone was mocking him, taunting him on the events that were to unfold before his eyes, as his ghostly figure stood there watching this, like it was some old recording preserved just for him.
Breathing unsteadily, he could feel the cold chill that invaded his body, yet the heat of that moment burned deep into his soul, like an untamed fire.
Nothing could change this, if only he wasn't so reckless, so careless, such a hotheaded barbarian on a bloodthirsty rampage, swinging his deadly sai, with precision towards his enemy without thought or care.
One, two, three bodies, laid there in his wake, unable to conquer him, unable to slow his berserk state, his eyes flaming golden yellow, consumed by pure hate and the hunger to destroy anything that dared to get into his way.
He was the perfect assassin of the night, a turtle to be feared, yet where did it go wrong, when did he stepped over the line between a fully train ninja, skilled in many arts including to survive, to one that was no more than a rookie with such dumbfounded mistakes piling up on him?
In the mere heat of battle somehow he managed to twist his foot, entangling it into some iron chains, unable to move or get himself free from his bonds.
Frustrated the armor turtle, built like a tank, pulled at the chains with his strength in vain, feeling the breath of his enemies closing in, ready to strike him down.
Five men came to him, with grins of satisfaction, wondering how to bring death to the freak that made them look like a fool, killing their own in the process.
Biting his lip, not letting his fear to show, or how screwed he was, Raph's eyes burned with desire, flashing a disgusted look at the pitiful humans, "BRING IT!" Raph roared as a challenge, as some of the men not waiting for the moment that the tides would turn on them, pounced on him swiftly armed with their weapons.
Suddenly, in a haze of blue, metal slicing flesh was all that could be heard, not even the terrifying cries of the defeated scumbags could be heard, they were muffled, silenced by the crimson blood draining out of them.
In glory Leo stood there tall, blades in hand, dripping with the blood of his victims, as the bodies drop around him like flies, "Raph, how many times do I have to tell you, stop rushing in! We work as a team numskull!"
Smirking Raph beamed, "Team? …Oh. I get yeah, you're annoyed that I just left right? Not taking the time to listen to your hour long pep talk, huh Fearless?"
With a sigh, Leo shook his head annoyingly at his hothead brother, he just wished Raph wouldn't be so reckless at times, "It wasn't an hour long Raph… Besides, it sure the hell wasn't some pep talk, it was about our plan of action."
"Sure, sure, plan of action… I thought it was just as simple as, we bust some heads, then ask questions later?" Raph leaned back, hissing under his breath, feeling the pain from his ankle as a reminder he was still stuck, he should really get the chains off before they bruised anymore.
"Really Raph?! For once in your life can you be… you know, less you, less reckless and think with your head for once? I know you're fully capable…" Leo lectured Raph, only to stop in mid speech, jumping with a startle, when some odd sound invaded his ear drums.
Quickly both turtles turn their attention towards the sound, as their eyes widen in pure fear.
Bursting down a door that led to where they were not sure of, was this armor suit, guns a blazing, like some action picture, so was this the thing Donnie was babbling about earlier, about that the foot having some new toy?!
Not willing to find out or see what it was capable of, Raph still stuck, desperately grabbed the chains trying to get his foot free, while Leo not risking it, helped his younger brother, noticing his blade had no effect on the chains, what could they be made of to be able to resist his steal?
"RAPH, LEO, GET OUT OF THERE!" Donnie screamed, avoiding the death rays, which wasn't some exaggeration by far, for everything that was hit by them designated instantly like it wasn't there in the first place.
"We are trying to!" Leo spat in frustration, sweating heavily, scrambling at the chains, his fear was thick invading Raph's nostrils.
"Leo!" Raph panicked pointing to the machine that was now aimed towards them.
Leo only looked at it grimly, turning his head back towards Raph, witnessing Raph's lip was trembling in his horror, the red clad turtle was scared, and there was no way he can get out of the chains in time…
"I'm sorry…" Leo slowly said as tears filled his eyes, knowing he had to make this decision for his younger brother, while he rose to his feet.
Taking a breath to muster his courage, the older brother went between Raph and the machine, staring down its barrel, releasing all his regrets, thinking back to all the good times and moments he treasured, not willing to let them go.
"Leo what are you doing?! Leo listen to me, save yourself!" Raph screamed, begging his brother to get out of the crossfire, as he could hear the horrifying sounds of the gun powering up.
All complaints from Raph and the other brothers fell on deaf ears, for Leo only smiled sweetly looking over his shoulder to take one more look at his brother that he was so proud of, "Raph, take care of your little brothers… I guess I have to take a rain check for that beer we promised to have tonight… Good bye Raph… I'm proud and honored to call you brother…"
Shocked by his brother's calmness and the overall chaos that surrounded them all, as the fear consumed him, Raph extended his hand out, wailing in protest, "LEO don't do this! LEO please… please! LEO!"
A flash of light burned his eyes, bear witnessing his brother fading into that light, with the stupid smile on his face that burned into his mind…
"LEO!" Raph jolted up screaming at the top of his lungs, while the cold sweat dripped down his muscular green body, in a flash his body slammed into the ground as his hammock swung side to side over head.
Shaking from his haunting nightmare, Raph stared into the pitch black of his room, not even daring to moan from the pain caused by his harsh fall and rash awakening, gasping for air that wasn't coming, his heart throbbed into his ears, drowning the cries of his brothers that came to his aid.
"Raph, Raph!" Mikey panicked shaking his big brother, begging him to respond to him, reluctantly Raph's yellow eyes stared at Mikey in response, not ushering a word.
"Another nightmare… Raph you have been having them for a month now, I suggest," Donnie started recommending, only to get a glare from Raph, as he scrabble to his feet, pushing Mikey to the side.
"Fuck off Donnie, my dreams and nightmares are my own business, go back to bed and leave me alone!" Raph demanded, growling, shoving Donnie into the wall to force the purple clad turtle to allow him to leave his room, he wasn't in the mood for lectures, or what he should or shouldn't do, if they are so content in moving on from Leo's death, that was their choice, not his!
"Come on Raph, be reasonable here," Donnie put his hand on Raph's shoulder trying to stop his big brother from dropping this conversation and just for once talk to them, then just once again ignore the fact he needed to talk to someone about that day, for the reality of the situation was, out of them all, Raph was the only one bottling this up.
Slapping the hand away Raph snarled, "Don't give me that… come on Raph, bullshit! I said back off! So read my lips egghead, LEAVE-ME-THE-FUCK-ALONE! And drop this shit, you're my brother, not some goddamn shrink, so stop judging me and putting me under your microscope, I ant one of your experiments you can analyze away with. I want my space, so let me have it."
With that the red clad turtle stomped down the hall towards the stairs, making his way to the showers.
Once Raph was out of sight, slowly Mikey came behind Donnie laying his chin on his brother's shoulder, "Donnie I don't know what to do for him anymore… He is hurting so much and… and… I tried to talk to him so many times, but he keeps pushing me away! It's like we don't exist to him… or don't matter anymore…"
"Mikey…" Donnie sighed, turning around giving a hug to the little brother that was begging for some comfort, "I know, he still blames himself, he thinks he was the one that killed Leo."
Sniffling, Mikey pressed into Donnie's plastron tightly as a rain of tears fell from his eyes, "But he didn't… it wasn't his fault, why can't he see that!?… We lost father years ago and now Leo, I don't want to lose Raph too!"
"We won't lose him Mikey, I promise. Let's give him some space like he asked, but still remind him he is not alone, we are here and still alive," Donnie soothed his little brother, which has been becoming harder to achieve everyday, they only had each other, and needed to stick together, yet in the events of everything that was surrounding them, their world was falling apart, and there was no one to hold them up anymore.
TBC
