A/N: Inspired by the song Safe and Sound by Taylor Swift. It took some time to nail down a concept, but I'm quite pleased with the final product. I hope you all enjoy the story.
Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with the TMNT or the song lyrics. They all belong to their respective owners. I'm just borrowing.
A dark figure crouched in the shadows of an alleyway as a group of soldiers marched by. Blue eyes peered out of the darkness, a face hidden in the shadow of a hood. He was just beyond the reach of the firelight of the street lamp, but even then some of the light managed to kiss his light green skin. He held his breath, burrowing further into the shadows as another group of soldiers ran across the mouth of the alley. He had to get home. He had to know if they were all right. But, his path lay across the cobblestone street.
The figure turned his blue eyes skyward. He couldn't afford to get caught. He would be bound for the dungeons for certain. None of this would be happening if King Splinter was still alive. However, since the Shredder took the throne, Anthro citizens were being hunted down like savage animals and dragged off to the castle. Some were never heard from again.
He took a hesitant step forward, feeling the burn of the light from the street lamp. He took several deep breaths, eyes locked on the alley across the street from him. He had to get to the Den. They were waiting for him. Shifting the bag on his back, he bolted forward. The wind caught his cloak and threw it behind him, exposing his Anthro body.
"You, there! Turtle! Halt in the name of the Shredder!" a guard shouted.
The voice ignited the fire under his feet. He shot forward, feet slapping across the rough stones underneath. Heavy footsteps pounded the cobblestones behind him. The figure slipped on the wet stones, righted himself and dashed around a corner. The guards continued to give chase. His eyes widened when he discovered that the alley was a dead end.
"Nowhere to run, turtle!" a guard yelled from behind him.
Can't go back, can't go forward, he quickly thought. He looked up and smiled. "Let's see if you boys can jump," he called over his shoulder.
Like a monkey, he sprang into the air and grabbed a window ledge. He threw himself upward, grabbing another ledge. Before the guards could react, he was up and over the house, landing gracefully on the roof. He turned for a brief moment to wave before jumping down the other side. The rest of the journey was easy going. He entered the Den, a small house near the edge of town.
There were no sounds, which was both a good and a bad thing. He quietly closed the door behind him and locked it. Making his way upstairs, he listened for anything in the stillness. It was only when he was near the only bedroom in the house did he hear hushed, anxious whispers. He opened the door and peeked in. He sighed in relief. They were still there.
"Mikey?" his little brother with a red bandana whispered.
Michelangelo stepped into the room fully, closing the door and pulling back the hood of his cloak. "Yes, Raph, it's me."
"Mikey!" his little, scrawny brother with a purple bandana exclaimed, running to greet him.
Michelangelo wrapped his arms around his brother. "I'm home, Donnie," he said.
Donatello looked up at him with wide, worried brown eyes. "Leo hasn't woken up, yet," he said.
"Well, Leo's very sick," Michelangelo told him. "But, I have some medicine for him."
He guided Donatello over to the bed where his third little brother, this one with a blue bandana, lay in shivering and breathing heavily. The eldest turtle placed a hand to the little one's forehead. Leonardo's skin was cold and clammy, covered in a thin coating of sweat. Michelangelo slipped off the bag and placed it on the floor. He opened it and pulled out several ingredients, laying them out on the floor.
Raphael and Donatello watched as their older brother mixed up a disgusting looking concoction in a clay bowl. However, Michelangelo knew what he was doing. He would make Leonardo better. The little ones climbed on to Leonardo's bed and curled up at the foot of the bed. When the mixture was ready, Michelangelo picked up the bowl and lifted Leonardo's frail body up, helping him sit up a little bit so he could drink the potion. A raspy cough emitted from the blue masked child at the foul taste, but Michelangelo coaxed him to drink more.
When the potion was gone, Michelangelo laid Leonardo back down on the pillow. He sighed as he ran a hand over his brother's forehead. He placed the bowl on the floor and checked Leonardo's right leg. He unwrapped the bandage and winced when he saw the inflamed wound. It was his fault that his brother was sick. The little ones had begged and pleaded with him to take them on one of his scavenging outings. To appease them, he had allowed them to join. However, they had run into trouble with the Shredder's guards and Leonardo had ended up getting hit by a poison dart.
Michelangelo had never forgiven himself for what happened. These three were the only things he had left in the world. Their parents were dead and Splinter was gone. The wizened rat had taken care of them like they were his own. But, when Splinter died and the Shredder took power, he hunted the brothers down in fear that they would be crowned ruler.
Michelangelo wrapped the wound up in a clean bandage and covered Leonardo up. He kissed the top of his head and stood up, looking at the other two. He knew they were worried about their brother, they all were. But, all they could do was wait and hope for the best.
"Okay, you two, bedtime," Michelangelo said.
"We want to sleep with Leo tonight," Raphael stated.
"There's not enough room for all three of you," Michelangelo told him. He hummed in thought. "How about this: One of you sleep with him tonight, and then tomorrow night the other sleeps with him?"
Raphael and Donatello looked at each other before turning back to Michelangelo and nodding. "But, who goes first?" Donatello asked.
Michelangelo took off the gold medallion he always wore, put his hands behind his back and hid the medallion in one of his hands.
"Whoever guesses the hand my chain is in gets to stay with Leo," Michelangelo explained. "Sound fair?"
"Right," Raphael chimed.
"Left," Donatello said.
Michelangelo held out his right hand first, revealing it to be empty. He held out his left hand and let the medallion fall from his fingers. Donatello cheered as Raphael pouted and climbed off the bed.
"Donnie won, Raph. You'll get your turn tomorrow," Michelangelo told him.
As Donatello snuggled under the covers with Leonardo, Michelangelo helped Raphael climb into his own bed and covered him up.
"Okay, little ones, sweet dreams," he said, heading for the door.
"You can't go, yet," Raphael announced. "You didn't sing the song."
"It's late," Michelangelo whispered. "You need sleep."
"But, you have to sing the song," Donatello said. "We can't go to sleep without the song."
Michelangelo sighed and sat down on the floor next to Raphael's bed. "I'll sing it once, and then you have to go to bed, okay?"
Raphael and Donatello nodded. Michelangelo took a breath before he started to sing.
I remember tears streaming down your face when I said I'll never let you go
And all those shadows almost killed your light
I remember you said don't leave me here alone
But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight
Just close your eyes the sun is going down
You'll be all right no one can hurt you now
Come morning light you and I'll be safe and sound
Don't you dare look out your window, darling everything's on fire
The war outside our door keeps raging on
Hold onto this lullaby even when the music's gone, gone
Just close your eyes the sun is going down
You'll be all right no one can hurt you now
Come morning light you and I'll be safe and sound
Just close your eyes
You'll be all right
Come morning light you and I'll be safe and sound
Michelangelo stood up and kissed Raphael's forehead before doing the same with Donatello and Leonardo. He looked down at his sleeping siblings and smiled.
"Good night, little ones," he whispered. "May you soar with eagles and dance with fairies. And hopefully someday, the world will be a much different and better place. And you truly will be safe and sound."
Reviews are welcome, flames are not