Hello, I have been working hard on this story. Finishing it before I posted it.
The story is about grieve during the holidays, acceptance, and embracing love and comfort in the memories with a little bit of Christmas magic and goblins. Life must move forward for the turtles. It's set after the show has ended.
I wrote the story on a whim and I am not sure how it will fair.
Leave a comment and let me know your thoughts.
Jingle
Christmas is coming, put up a Christmas tree, decorate the house in lights, splash the colors of red and green around the house, the kitchen aroma should be that of a good meal, the music should be ringing through the eardrums, mistletoe put up by mischievous of people, the yard either filled with snowmen or elves. Brew a pot of hot chocolate every night by a warm fire, telling stories of the year by the family and loved ones, don't forget the presents neatly wrapped and put under the pretty tree.
Everything that resembles Christmas did not exist at the farmhouse, not this time. The house is desolated, kept dark and quiet, even the curtains are close to block out any light from coming in. For something so quiet, nobody would guess that it contains The turtles, Casey, April and even Angel, all living in this house.
Angel crept around the forsaken house, checking in on everybody. Knocking on a door, "Donnie? Please come out." She asks this every day in the sweetest way, but all she got is groaning and shuffling sounds. He rarely came out of this room. "Okay, I'll bug you later." She is scared to enter the room herself, all she could do is offer her sympathy.
Next two turtles require her to dress warmly. It is a white holiday. Raphael is hard to spot, but if you wander around outside long enough, you will find him guarding the land like a faithful watchdog. "Hey Raphael." She halts and looks up to the tree that oversaw the long road that enters the farm.
"Hey kid."
"I brought you some hot chocolate." She offers him the cup.
"No thanks." He spoke clearly, didn't break his composure or offer his gratitude. "Look, I do not feel like talking right now."
"That sounds like everybody these days." Angel comments indifferently. "Have you seen Mikey?"
"Sorry," he mutters, almost feeling bad for closing himself off. "The barn."
"I will just leave this here." She sets the cup down in the snow, "Have a good watchful day." Trying to sound funny but she didn't have humor in her right now.
The snow went to her knees, getting to the barn gets harder by the day. Inside the barn is Michelangelo, sitting among the stray abandoned kittens. He is out here to give them around the clock care, but Angel knew this is just an excuse to not go inside. "It's freezing in here." She shivers, the barn did not have heat.
Michelangelo nods, sitting on a hay bail and his eyes staring at the cold kittens. "Yeah, I had to get more blankets for the kittens. I hope they'll be okay, radio forecast a bad storm."
"You better come home before it hits." She sits next to Michelangelo, handing him the extra cup of hot chocolate she brought from the house. "Here, this is for you."
"Thanks." He takes the cup, fingers gravitating to its warmth. "I will try. I need to make sure they're safe first." The kittens mewl, only a month old. Few are pure white, others have orange spots on their fur.
"It's sad they lost their mother. Anyways, I am sure April will let you take them just inside this once." Angel fingers run across the hard hay, her legs getting poked from its stems.
"No, I do not want to upset her anymore than she is." Michelangelo answers simply.
"If you are not back, I will come in the middle of the storm to find you. You do not want that, do you?" She said almost cunningly.
Michelangelo bit his lip. "Fine, okay. I'll come in later."
"Great." She offers a weak smile, giving a kiss on the forehead. "See you later."
When she got back to the house, on the porch, she notices the cup she left for Raphael, it is empty. Bending over she grasps it, "That stubborn old turtle… what am I going to do when he is elderly?"
Undressing her coat, mittens, boots and scarf. The last turtle is Leonardo. Easy to find but nowadays she found it hard to be around him. Going to the kitchen, she prepares her entry strategy. If she came empty handed, it makes the conversation die into nothingness faster.
She halts, checking the hallways to ensure nobody could hear her. She returns to her sandwich making and starts whistling jingle bells, her body bobbing to the beat as she butters the bread. Such a jolly moment is forbidden, they would think she is being insensitive. It felt like walking on egg shells around here.
Finished, egg sandwich with peppermint tea. With a bold stride she makes her way towards the living room, slowing down briefly to glances herself in the mirror with hold trims. Angel is 13 years old now, her black hair no longer in pigtails, but now goes down her back. Kept some of her purple highlights, it represents just where she came from. The rough streets. Nose piercing to match her brow pierce, her chest just begun to sprout. Taking out black leather gloves from her pockets, she puts them on to complete her outfit. Her gloved hand straighten her short black shirt that reveals her belly button, long dark red jeans. Appearance matters.
Confident in her looks, she speeds up moving down the hall. Nervous to enter the room, she lingers in the doorway and overhears the conversation.
"How is he today?" April says.
"Worse than yesterday, it's spread to his kidney." Leonardo answers.
Donatello joined his brother while Angel was out. "How did you know? I just checked the urine 5 minutes ago." The news is bad, but Donatello did sound impress at Leonardo's prowess.
"Heh, the answer won't impress you, let's just leave it at that." Leonardo says, unable to offer any kind of expression to his own family.
"Oh my god.." April whimpers out, her tears start to run down her cheek.
"He won't make it to Christmas." Donatello says quietly, sorrow shown on his contour face.
"Do Mikey and Raph know?" April asks.
"I don't think they know the specifics, They know Splinter is dying, just haven't accepted it yet.." Donatello voice broke with soft sobs from him. Leonardo got up to hug April and Donatello. "This sucks but we will survive it. I'll make sure our family doesn't fall apart."
Tears ran down Angel's face, a cold chill went through her very soul. There is definitely no entering the room now. Backing away from the door, the plate suddenly felt heavy and slips from her frazzle fingers. The plate broke and she gasps in horror. Jeepers, She knew he wasn't doing so well, but, dying, that is too much.
"Angel?" Leonardo eyes move the close door, "Are you okay?"
Her trembling lips fails her, backing away in a panic, she covers her face and runs away.
Leonardo opens the door as he hears the footsteps go up the stairs, looking down at the broken glass, the sandwiches intact, but the tea scatter on the floor. He grimaces.
"Give her space, we all been needing that." Donatello succinctly says to Leonardo.
The storm came in. Snow starts to fall as the winds pick up. Raphael found his way to the barn, Michelangelo wraps himself in a blanket as he lies next to the kittens. Sleeping.
Shaking Michelangelo shoulder, "Wake up."
"No." Michelangelo responds sleepily.
"Storm picking up, time to get you to the house or Angel will worry for us."
There is a protest groan. "I don't want to leave them." Michelangelo whines.
"They will be here when we get back, promise." Raphael says as his brother got to his feet and the two of them begin their walkout. "I am scared Raph.."
"Yeah, me too." Raphael says, the two of them didn't have the stomach to watch somebody they love die like this.
Angel hugs her purple pillow tightly, unable to stop the tears. Her parents are dead, her brother gone off to college, and now she is losing Splinter too. This is so unfair! She didn't want to say goodbye, ever. She thought joining Casey this year for Christmas would be fun like last year, boy she is wrong. Her room got chilly as the storm worsens outside. Cleaning up her puffy eyes, she didn't actually want to be alone right now. Her adopted family is downstairs, it's best to join them today. After all, they rarely are in the same house together.
Peeking into the living room, she saw the whole family together. Casey just came home.
"Wooo, that storm is bad." he mutters as the door shuts, removing his boots and dropping the groceries off at the kitchen table.
"Did you get what I asked?" Donatello eagerly asks Casey as he walks by Angel without noticing her, dragging Casey into the living room.
"Stole you mean." Casey frowns, he stopped so many thugs from stealing and yet this time it is a very special exception to the rules. Reaching into his jacket, he took out a drip bag and antibiotic.
The relief on Donatello face, "Wow, Thanks. We really owe that hospital now." He takes the medicine from Casey.
"It's run down, surely we can do some repairs later." Anything to make up for this crime.
"Casey!" April runs into her beloved arms.
Donatello installs the drip while Leonardo, Donatello and Michelangelo stand still in the room and watches their father struggle to breathe.
Angel took out her phone and snaps a photo, the way they stood is very photogenic. It captures their love for each other and the father. Putting her phone away, the power goes out.
The room groans, "No, no, no! Just perfect." Leonardo snaps in annoyance.
"Without power, we have no heat!" Raphael shouts worryingly
Michelangelo screams as he teeters from foot to foot. "What if it's a goblin?!"
Everyone simply stares. Donatello gave the youngest a slap on the back of the head.
"Hold on guys, give it a minute." Donatello assures the group. "We have a back up generator."
"Oww." Michelangelo whines, "This is how horror movies start." He rubs his heads.
"Mikey, you're delusional." Raphael sighs, scratching his knee.
Angel kept herself quiet, musing to herself. Now would be the perfect time to light the fireplace, finding her excuse to enter into the room, she stops as something moving in the corner of her eye. Turning to the window, her hands opens the curtains for a better look and she gazes out into the forest, she gasps.
"Oh no." Grabbing her winter attire, what she saw is nearly impossible, but it is a shadow of another human walking in this dangerous storm. That person needs help, that is all she thought as she rushes out the door into the blinding white snowfall. The cold nips at her nose, the wind slaps her in the face. Pausing for a moment, she considers that she should of told somebody, but it is too late now. She's committed, so she pushes forward as the shadow draws near but pulls away before she could get a look. "Wait!" She shouts, disappearing herself into the snow.
She caught up with the shadow, the image forming into something else entirely. "W-what are you?" She says unsure and creep out, the creature a lot smaller than she initially thought, green skin and white pointy hair. It turns its ugly head around and it attacks, Angel screams.
The generator makes clicking noises as gears started to run, the power comes back to the house, lights illuminating the rooms and everybody offers a sigh of relief. Raphael slumps down to the floor, his father is okay for now. It is hard to look at his dying face. Patting his fathers hands, he looks up to everybody else faces instead.
Leonardo looks like he just saw a ghost, him and me both.
Donatello simply looks relieved that his information is indeed correct and the generator still works.
Casey kept a tough face somehow, he did it for April, she didn't look too well herself.
"That was a close call." Leonardo says, feeling the butterflies in his stomach.
"Casey, you and Don should go check out the generator, make sure it's working at 100 percent." Raphael commands, getting back to his feet. The power going out while Splinter is ill is quite dangerous and feels straight up wrong.
"I'm definitely down." Casey pecks April on the lips before letting her go.
She already misses Casey's comforting touch. Donatello nods, leading the way to the basement with Casey.
April, Michelangelo, Leonardo and Raphael remain by Splinters side. Though there is one member of the family that is missing from the group. "Where is Angel?" Raphael asks, an awkward pause fills the room and Leonardo looks down hardened.
"Splinter kidneys are starting to go Raph." Leonardo says stoically, bottling down his feelings.
"Yeah." That is all Raphael could manage, it didn't shock him to hear that it is getting worse, Swallowing down hard as he goes rigid.
Michelangelo stood uncomfortably in the room.
"I was briefly talking about it, she eases-drop in from the hallway. Well, got upset and ran to her room."
Raphael didn't know what to say to that, but, "Jesus."
"Don says to give her space." Leonardo finishes, sitting motionless.
Raphael lips piece, "Well, I am going to check on her and determine that for myself." He says with a hoarse voice. Getting up to his sore feet. "She doesn't have to be here, she chooses to stay. She has earned the occasional checkup." Raphael said almost lecturing to the eldest. He should of checked on her the moment that the power went out.
"Yeah.." Leonardo head hung low.
When Raphael checks her room, she wasn't there. So he dashes around the house in search for her till his only conclusion is one thing. "Shell.." He curse, like today isn't bad enough, this is just the cherry on top. He storms into the living room absolutely furious. "You should of checked on her!" He spat.
Michelangelo jumps, startle by Raphael entrance.
Leonardo stood up, calmly responding. "What happened?"
"She's gone! Idiot, this is entirely on you!" Raphael shouts and shoves Leonardo's shoulder.
Leonardo stood tall, hovering over him with his harden face. "Not here." He indicates to their ill father.
Raphael lets out a exasperate chuckle, "Then where?" He growls, "You never leave this room! Was her feelings not worth a minute away from our father?"
"You always blame me when things go wrong! Of course I care about her, I just decided to give her privacy." Leonardo snaps as his anger starts to rise.
"What about when April needed help with the groceries or cleaning?"
"Please don't bring me into this! It's fine, really." April says, trying to defuse this argument.
Leonardo did not like what Raphael is insinuating, he did pull his own weight around the house. "Stop it, I am the only one who takes care of Splinter, you think it's easy?" Leonardo arms cross exhaling hard through his nose, eyes glowering at Raphael. Stirring the argument back on the subject. "Nobody could of foreseen her running off."
"Could of been prevented if you had checked up on her.." Raphael spat. "This Christmas is god-awful, I am going to go look for her. You can just stay here and sit on your butt, it's what you do best." He retorts, grabbing a jacket, custom boots, gloves and a scarf.
"Be careful." Leonardo softens.
"Whatever." Raphael shuns him, leaving the room and walking down to the front door.
Michelangelo knows better than to get involved with their fights, brushing it off as he onto a chair and pulls out a magazine. "Tsk, tsk, Leo."
"Where are you going?" April crept up behind Raphael as his hand touches the doorknob "You aren't going out in that."
The door opens up, a gust of strong winds and snow blew into the house. Freezing. "I am, Angel is missing and so is her coat. If I do not come back, don't go looking till after the storms pass."
"But..!" She gasps.
"Promise me April. No sense in anybody else being put in danger."
April emerald eyes study him, full of concern. "Okay, promise.
Raphael exits the house and braves the terrible storm. No ninja training could help him now, the snowfall has turned into a blizzard. Strong winds whip at his body and a chill goes through him. His body is not designed to handle cold for very long. Taking steps forward in the soft ground, tugging his scarf closer to his cheek. "Why did Angel run into this storm?" He ponders, Angel could be impulsive, the news of Splinter must of really upset her for her to run into this.
He isn't even sure if he is going in the right direction, she could be anywhere as the farm is a few acreages. It is very dangerous for her, and himself, to be lost in this. "Damnit." He mutters, Angel's well-being is part of his responsibility. If Casey finds out that she is missing, he too would be dumb enough to search in this storm. He did not want anymore family lost, his vow to protect them all.
His vow did not help him in the slightest. The farmhouse is a good distance behind him. The snowfall has already claimed her tracks. He stops by a tree, leaning against it as he calls out her name, "Angel! Angel!" He shouts loudly, closing his eyes, using his superior hearing and just hope to hear her.
A bell jingle. Gotcha. Opening his eyes, he follows the noise of the chime. Hurrying to the North, no blizzard can stop him now. It leads him into the forest, filled with beautiful spruce tree's that threatens his entering with the sound of wood splintering. The winds agitate the trees.
Raphael looks to his side as a galloping animal catches his attention. "Huh?"
It is an injured caribou racing towards him, lacerations all across its body and a bad limp to the front leg, the snowfall slows down Raphael's reflexes and found himself getting run over by this caribou. Face planting deep into the snow and thank the spirits for his shell, the animal hooves only did minor damage. Spitting out the snow, "Let's leave this part out of the story." Getting bested by the caribou, it left the red turtle embarrassed.
"The bell." He couldn't hear it anymore. Getting to his feet, he listens hard as he starts to worry, but something else runs past him in this storm. "What?" They look like goblins, four of them, they went up to his thigh, chasing that poor caribou. The animal has given up to fatigue and fell over. Okay, he felt a spark of rage. "I don't think so." He dashes forward and leaps in front of the goblins.
They have sharp and broken 4 inch nails from their hands and toes, lumps and moles all across their scrawny green ugly body. They have massive ears and beady red eyes, and small amount of white hair on their otherwise hairless bodies. Razor fangs that stops their mouth from closing properly.
Their weapons, great club with thorns, and chains.
"You are going to have to find lunch elsewhere." Raphael says to them, the goblins stop and shoots him a funny, but an evil look. Raphael suspects they understood English just fine. They growl and hiss at him, jumping at him with their weapons raise.
Time to get to work, Raphael smiles eagerly.
Raphael dodges the first attack, smiting down the second Goblins with a hard punch, the third one got a kick into his side that makes him lose balance. The storm handicaps his movement, making him frustrated. The fourth club met with his shell, making a loud thud, Raphael shot him a frightful glare. "Big mistake."
Raphael pivots his hips, turning around and kicking the fourth goblin off him and he flies hard into a tree branch. He's finished.
Jumping to his feet to dodge another blow, his nose wrinkles. They have this repugnant smell. "You guys smell like death."
One laugh hysterically. Raphael didn't know why that was funny and it disturbs him. "You are pissing me off." He growls, he moves fast and maneuver around their weapons. Getting in close as he takes out goblin one and two, the third one flogs his leg with a chain causing him to fall down.
That left a sting to his leg, the goblin starts tugging to pull him in close, Raphael retaliates by grabbing the chain and pulling the short goblin in close. With a ferocious growl, he kicks the goblin in the face. Sending him to the ground and Raphael gets up victorious. "Ya done!" He spat furiously at them.
Something about these goblins got under his skin.
"Why the shell am I fighting Goblins in a blizzard?" He huffs, Goblins are fairy tail like Santa Clause himself. Well, hopefully now he won't have to deal with them ever again. Calming himself, he goes towards the caribou, only stopping two feet from the animal so not to startle it.
Kneeling, he found himself enticed by the animal eyes. Something felt ancient. "You're the one with the bell." Odd, there is a single bell tied to its antlers. Meaning that Angel is just as lost as before. "I have this friend, her name is Angel, blank hair with purple highlights in her bangs. Wears a purple jacket. You seen her?"
Raphael felt pretty silly talking to a caribou, naturally not expecting any real response from the injured creature. The goblins really made a mess of him. The pain the creature is in must be horrible, Raphael considers for a moment of putting it down, it would be the humane thing to do. With no medical treatment, it's suffering would just continue. He left his sai at home, without them, he couldn't help assist the animal. "I am sorry you are hurt."
He couldn't help but feel a ping of guilt and sympathy. The caribou collects it's strength and stood up, Raphael back away to give it space. "Easy now, just lay down. You are too injured to go anywhere." He tells the Caribou, it's movement is making him anxious. What if it hurts itself even more?
The animal trots away into the snow, Raphael decides it's best to let it go, watches as the snow consumes the Caribou till it vanishes. Looking away, a jingle of a bell and a light emerges. "Huh?" Raphael looks back, unable to believe what he saw. The antlers of the caribous glows, No matter how far away it got, it remains visible. "Whoa…."
It's memorizing. Absolutely impossible. If he didn't see it, he would never believe the story himself. Taking a step forward, he follows the caribous. The walk is a struggle and the snow gets deeper. In truth, he isn't sure how much further he could go. Already lost feeling in his arms and his legs are quickly to follow.
Then he sees her, Angel, only a few feet away laying in the snow. "Angel!" He shouts, with a renew determination, he rushes to her side. His friend is wrapped up in chains, kneeling down, he holds her with one arm and starts untying her with the other. "Speak to me Angel."
Nothing. His jittery hands tears off the chain, but as he did so, he see's the blood. His face hardens, the goblin's club had nails in them and it tore up her chest. Just like it did with the caribou, that stood gracefully next to him.
Eagerly taking off his gloves, he pushes his fingers to her neck for a pulse. No luck, the lack of feeling made it hard for him to find one. Taking off his jacket, he presses it against the wounds. "Angel, please, just show me any sign you are alive." Raphael prays, he is not sure if he could take this. Master Splinter, his father is dying back at home and he couldn't do a damn thing about it. That same helplessness he felt with Angel in his arms.
The bell jingles, Angel takes deep breathes. Not awake, but alive, almost like his prayer has been answered. "Oh, Angel, thank you." He would be in tears if it wasn't for this snow and his mission: Return her safely to the farmhouse. Things didn't get any easier, just harder. Hugging her, he removes his jacket from the wound to see how serious it is.
As his fingers move across her skin, curiously, he does this again, unzipping her jacket and lifts her shirt up to get better access to the injury. "Holly shell." The wound is gone. All that threaten Angel now is the storm.
Things are getting too weird, he knows the injury was real, blood still remains on his hand. "Is this your doing?" He asks the Caribou, getting no response, there is something magical about her. Raphael scoffs, "Okay Comet." Naming the Caribou from one of Santa Claus's reindeer. Comet stomps her hoof and bows its head, walking up to Raphael and giving him a gentle but affectionate headbutt.
"Guess you like that name. I gotta go, It's not safe for us out here. Thank you for leading me to her." Raphael pets Comet while carefully pushing its head away. Trying not to get scratched by its antlers. Putting his jacket on Angel properly, leaving himself with just a scarf, boots and mittens. Picking her up with ease into his protective arms.
"Raph?" Angel squeaks, barely conscious.
"Hey Angel, you are in a lot of trouble." Raphael says softly, happy to hear her voice.
"Is that a reindeer?"
"Yeah, Comet, my favorite one." Raphael lies, he didn't care for any of them. Though this particular reindeer, he can make an exception for.
"I like Cupid and Vixen more."
Angel isn't all there and all Raph could get is soft mewls. Raphael pushes on through the storm and kept her chatting with him. So long as she doesn't fall unconscious, it meant she would be okay. "I think they are dorks, popularity got to their antlers." He jokes, getting a chuckle from Angel.
"Where is Raphael?" Casey asked.
Back at the farmhouse, everything has been going smoothly and quietly. Splinter now holds the gift of silence in his state. The clock in the room ticks away. The whole family is together again, the generator is fine and thus Donatello and Casey returned. Leonardo did not consider Casey would ask that question, his mind worrying about other things. Not answering right away, he looks to the window and saw the storm is only getting worse, not better. Raphael and Angel are out in it.
What is he doing? Sitting on his butt, just like Raphael said.
"Patrolling." Michelangelo finally answers when Leonardo did not.
"That's crazy! He is the first one up and last to go to bed, he's taking this protection duty seriously." Donatello says, not impress by Raphael diligence this time.
"Stubborn, right?" Michelangelo says with his usual smile.
Leonardo glares at Michelangelo and the smile fades. Once that has been corrected, he looks to Splinter. He missed his father so much already, and he is still alive. Right here in arms reach, there is no way he could leave his side. What if it happens, and he is not with him?
The wind shakes the whole house, shutting his eyes, looking inwardly for the answer. The right thing is being blurred by his emotions. The ticking of the clock weighs on his mind. Making his decision, he gets up slowly.
"It is crazy." Leonardo chose not to tell Casey of Angel, Michelangelo has made the same choice. "I am going to go get him, alone. Donnie, don't leave his side for a second." He instructs his brother, with him here it makes leaving feel less guilty.
"But Raphael said to wait till the storm over." April reminds him, not that she loved that answer, but it holds merit, if Raphael can't find his way back then everybody will get just as lost.
"I know, I am going anyways." Leonardo voice says coldly, he pushes into the hallway and starts gearing up for the blizzard.
"I need some cookies!" Michelangelo announces, getting up and he leaps out the door with his excuse before anybody could question him, dashing down the hall to meet up with his brother. "I am coming too."
"No! You are staying here to look after our dying father, got it?" Leonardo voice is very stern angry.
"You task Donatello with that, not me." Michelangelo reminds him as he starts to gear up himself. "Sides, I wanna see who will win, the blizzard or your cold attitude."
"You think this is the time to be cracking jokes." Leonardo clenches his fist, never has he been this close to hitting his younger brother in anger.
"No, it's the time to find our brother. Let's go." Michelangelo opens the door and the first one out. Holding the door open for his brother, as he passes Leonardo gives him the cold shoulder, shutting the door Michelangelo points to Raphael's footprints. "Look here, they are disappearing but still there."
Meaning they have breadcrumbs to follow. Leonardo says nothing, just starts following the path.
"Jeez." Michelangelo tightens the scarf around him and catches up to his brother. Trying to find some friendly chatter now that he is away from Splinter, open him up a bit.
"Duuuude, we should go Christmas shopping for Angel." Michelangelo suggest, "We aren't celebrating it, but she just a teenager now, this is the best time of the year."
Leonardo glances at him coldly but look forward and picks up his pace.
Michelangelo matches him. "It's so cold, my knee's are shivering. How are your knees?"
"Go home, then." Leonardo retorts coldly. "I don't need you."
"You don't mean it." Michelangelo offers him a half smile.
"Right now, I do." Leonardo didn't miss a beat, he didn't even look over to see his brothers hurt expression.
"Liar…" Michelangelo feebly says, the wind presses against them. Almost strong enough to lift them from the very ground, the chatting died with Leonardo's comment. Clearly he is angry that he came along in this bitter weather. Here Michelangelo thought that, if Leonardo could get away from Splinter, he could lighten up.
A bell jingle.
"Did you hear that?" Michelangelo asks.
"Probably just your imagination." Leonardo answers uninterested.
"It's this way." Michelangelo follows the bell.
"Don't wander off on your own! The tracks lead this way." Leonardo commands loudly, but fell on deaf ears, he is already losing sight of his brother. Anger boils inside him, they will lose the trail if they get distracted. No choice, he is forced to follow his brother and abandon the bread crumbs, the snow eats up the remaining footprints.
3 minutes later of following Michelangelo, who keeps claiming to hear the noise of a bell that Leonardo could not. They find Raphael not far from the farmhouse.
Raphael on his knee's, shivering while he held Angel. He lost feeling in his legs and is crawling his way back home.
"Raphael!" Leonardo dashes in worry to his side.
"Your jacket, oh no, we will fix you up." Michelangelo says comfortingly, wrapping his arms around Angel. Raphael reluctantly lets go of Angel. Feeling relief that his brothers have found him.
"Y-you guys came.. For me..?" Raphael asks with a special fondness in his eyes.
"Duh, we have each others back." Michelangelo answers quickly and honestly.
Leonardo grimaces, the fact that Raphael has to worry rather he would show up to his aid bothers him. "I got you bro, lets go." Leonardo says, picking him up and putting him over his shoulders.
"Mikey… that you?" Angel whispers.
"Aww Ang, I am your personal humanoid taxi. Where will you like to go?"
"Farmhouse." She says with the faintest of smiles.
"Farmhouse it is, but I am charging extra for driving in these conditions. Slippery roads."
A weak laugh.
Leonardo and Michelangelo both walk back to the farmhouse, Raphael a heavy turtle and carrying him is hard but Leonardo makes no complaint about it.
Angel and Michelangelo chatter, Leonardo kept silent.
"Angel!" Casey shouts in pure horror when the turtles return home, taking the girl from Michelangelo's arm and hugging her.
Donatello too has the look of horror, nobody told him about Angel either. "April, make some hot chocolate." he whispers to her, she scurries off to the kitchen.
"Donatello, we need your help." Leonardo says, now showing signs of struggle to hold his brother up.
Donatello did give Leonardo a momentary dirty look, but focus on the issue. "They both have hypothermia. Bring them both upstairs to the bedrooms, now! Mikey, find as many blankets as you can and bring them to me."
Everybody listens to Donatello without question. They all waited outside the door, except for Michelangelo, who volunteer to stay by Splinter side. When Donatello came out, he looks to everyone's concern face as they all asked questions.
Donatello answers, "I did all that I can. They are still in danger but we need to keep them company tonight, keep them awake. If Angel doesn't recover tonight, she needs to go to a hospital first thing in the morning. Raphael… there is only so much I can do."
They didn't have any medical care. For the whole world is concerned, they did not exist.