The endless void of water below him was inviting in a strange, almost scary way. It seemed to be sucking him in, screaming at him to let himself fall into the cold embrace of the liquid.

And part of him actually wanted to, that's what terrified the boy. He was just so broken, and wanted nothing more than to drown the pain of it away. But, there was still that rational side of him, the one that talked him out of this about what, three times now? No, it was two, the last time that rational part hadn't really been working. Last time, someone else talked him out of it. But the question was, would he be able to be talked out of this now?

He was close to the breaking point this time, or maybe he was well past it. All he knew was that he wanted it all to end. The words, the abuse, the pain. Everything. And this was the only way, wasn't it? He was just so tired. He just wished he could disappear into the waves without anybody noticing, and then he could literally rest in peace.

The boy almost smiled at the thought, then frowned, clenching his hands tighter around the freezing railing of the bridge, even though everything was screaming at him to let go.

Just let go. What are you afraid of? You're not leaving anything behind, except your crappy life. Just do it, Jones. Let go. Let go. Let go! LET GO!

He clamped his eyes shut at the thoughts, breathing erratic. His grip was loosening dangerously, and he didn't want it to, yet he didn't tighten his hands around the metal again. Everything just hurt so much.

Part of his soul cracked and chipped at every nasty word thrown at him by the other kids at school, and the bullying of the other boys on his hockey team, which he hated and never even wanted to join in the first place.

He seemed to shatter again and again every single time his father came home from work in a drunken stupor, and would smack him around and yell and scream at him, hating him just because he 'wasn't a man'.

All because he hated actual sports, specifically hockey, that dudes his age were expected to like, and because he instead, loved to do other sports like things. He loved dancing, and singing, and heck, he hated himself for being too terrified to audition for the school play, because that would have been a dream come true.

He hated himself for letting his dad hit him, abuse him, force him into signing up for a stupid hockey team full of total jackwads. He hated himself for letting the other kids bully him, call him stupid things just because he wasn't a jock, wasn't the typical sixteen year old highschool boy. It was all so stupid, and pointless, and he just…

Casey wanted it to end.

Why couldn't it all just end? Why were the only people who he felt accepted by a bunch of mutants, and not his own kind? Sure, April accepted him and so did her dad, but still. He wanted everyone else to see him as Casey.

Casey, who was one heck of a dancer, thanks to his mother's talent. Casey, who loved to sing along with April and Mikey while the three of them made pizza, or just goofed off like the crazy teens they were. Casey, who felt more at home in the sewers with four mutant turtles and their rat father, than he did in the house he'd grown up in. Casey, who was so sick of all of this pain and hurt and ache in his heart, that he wasn't hesitating anymore, he was ready to free fall into the water and never resurface, because he didn't want to. He didn't want to face his reality anymore. The reality that he belonged nowhere, with no one, and that he'd have to live with that knowledge for the rest of his life.

Casey clamped his eyes shut as a chilling breeze went by, his hands were shaking as his fingertips loosened around the metal. This was it. He was doing it. He was finally just going to end it all, like he should have years ago…

He screwed his eyelids shut tighter, his hands were no longer on the railing, wind softly brushed across his face as he began to fall forward….

And then something grabbed the back of his sweatshirt, and Casey's eyes shot open, then widened. The water was right under him, the deep abyss no longer inviting, now absolutely horrifying. Then Casey was being yanked back, and he was roughly pulled over the railing. He crashed back against something hard, and blinked in utter confusion and fear as he processed the green arms that were wrapped around him tightly, protectively, almost desperately.

"Ya said…" Raphael panted heavily, sounding like he ran all the way across the city just to get there, "Ya said… that you… you wouldn't think about it... again…" Casey was shocked to hear the concern and fear in his best friend's voice, he'd only ever heard Raph's voice like that when he was talking to his brothers about something important, and or terrifying. That tone of voice was reserved for family… "You said you were okay, Casey…" Raph said hoarsely. "Why didn't ya call me like last time, Case? What…. Why didn't ya say you needed my help?"

Casey didn't reply, he couldn't. What was he supposed to say? 'I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to talk me out of it and save my life again'? 'I didn't want anybody to stop me because I literally wanted to die'?

"Casey…" Raph's voice was barely above a whisper, and Casey realized he was trembling within his turtle friend's arms. "Case… Buddy…"

Casey couldn't stop himself from breaking down into sobs, Raph's arms tightened around him even more, holding him like Casey was a lifeline. Casey just couldn't believe himself. He'd thought about falling off that bridge countless times, he'd sat on the railing three times this last month, imagining the relief it would bring to just end it. And tonight… tonight he almost did it. He almost made the biggest mistake of his life. He almost ended his life!

"It's gonna be alright, Case." Raph said softly as Casey cried into his plastron pathetically, clinging to the turtle desperately. "You'll be okay…I got ya, brother."

Brother.

He considered Casey family, just like Casey considered the Hamato Clan and the O'Neil's to be his sanctuary, his safe, happy little place. A small, odd family of his very own. But, family just the same.

And Casey Jones would never again even think of letting that go.

A/N: Would you like more of this story? Do you want me to continue it? I totally will if you all want me to! I already have some ideas brewing in my head! MWAHAHAHA! Anyway, I hope you liked this, and tell me if you want more! -Neon