Fractured Poem

Chapter 1

Raphael was different from the rest of them. He was more violent, physical, and rough around the edges, but there was more to it. Leonardo had started to find the difference creeping up on him and making itself ever more present as he started to withdraw from the family. Yes, he would still play with Mikey, but there was something held back about it. He would pick on Donatello and give him noogies, but in a way that made it seemed forced. He would greet Splinter the same as always, nothing changing between father and son, but he had most noticeably changed towards Leonardo himself. Their once head butting relationship was becoming non-existent, and Raphael would have a hard time looking at his brother, just doing as he was told. At first it was a pleasant, yet unsettling surprise, then it progressed, setting a worry deep in the three brothers that were confused and starting to become scared. A few times they had tried to approach him about his odd behavior; only to be told that he was fine. Then one day he got a phone call in the middle of dinner. His voice was hushed, hands fidgeting as he tried to make some sort of arrangements. Three sets of eyes turned to one another questioning what was going on. Tawny eyes stole a look to their father who just sipped his tea, leaving his meal untouched until his fourth son returned to the table.

Something odd was going on, he did not know what, but it settled an uneasy feeling deep in his stomach; a feeling that burbled and laughed at him in a taunt. It wasn't right, whatever it was; Raphael's behavior, the way Splinter did not seem to notice the change in the family. Something was really wrong, and by the looks his other brother's faces, they knew it as well. There was the sound of the phone hanging up that set his muscles tight. There was a tension as Splinter looked over his shoulder giving his son the strangest of looks Leonardo had ever seen on their father's face; disapproval. He had never disapproved of any of his children, perhaps some of the rather ridiculous things they had done in the past, but not themselves.

"I'm goin' out," Raphael mumbled starting to drag his feet.

Everyone started, except the red masked turtle when Splinter's voice boomed out, "You are not permitted to go out, not until dinner has been eaten and I have a word with you."

"But master maybe-"

"Leonardo," the old rat did not look at the one child he prized more than the others. "This is none of your concern, please allow Raphael and I to work this out."

A typical "yes master" was choked in his throat. He watched helplessly as Raphael came back to the table, sitting down so that his back was to everyone as he watched the shadows that were hidden just out of reach of every light placed up. It was like he wanted to be swallowed up by it, to just disappear and be left alone for the rest of his life. Everyone finished eating, slowly due to the dissaperance of appetites. Splinter got up from the table and made his way to his room -four turtles waited at the table, three worried, one looking old and tired as he sat in his chair like a broken doll.

"Raph?" Michelangelo reached over the table, hand barely touching skin that tightened under his finger tips.

When no other response came forth Donatello tried, "Raphael... um... you do know we're here for you right?"

A half shrug, at least it was better than nothing.

"You can come to us for anything, honest. Anything at all."

Tired eyes started to gleam with an emotion that was foreign to them, sadness was evident as he shifted, looking up to meet Leonardo's gaze. The leader looked surprised as their sibling got up, the sound of the chair scraping against the floor. "I gotta talk ta Splint'a," with that he took long strides, ducking into their father's room.

Leonardo's lips pressed against each other softly and relaxed, repeating a few times, a sign he was deep in thought. His eyes watched the door his brother's shell had disappeared into, familiar fingers of Michelangelo threaded over his palm taking his hand into a tight worried grip as Donatello got up to stand by his side, hand on his shoulder for reassurance. They couldn't just leave him like that; whatever "affair" was at hand was changing their brother into a hollow being that could only echo commands. They wanted the old Raphael back... the one that would snap at them, who would throw his brother-like passion around with noogies and playful punches. The one that lived with them, who slept next to their rooms at night, it felt as if it was someone else.

"When he goes out tonight..." Leo whispered, feeling the hands on him squeeze to confirm that they agreed with his unfinished thought. He wasn't the only one who saw those eyes, the gaze of sadness and defeat, that look of silent pleading. He needed help, but he couldn't ask for it. It didn't matter to them, they were going to give him help even if they had to force it upon him.

*~*~*~*

That night, slipping up to the streets above, Raphael quietly made his way to the roof tops. With sleek precision, he flowed with the shadows from rooftop to rooftop, making his way to his destination. He was unaware of being followed, and if he did know he wouldn't have cared. He stopped by a flower shop, his brothers watching as he picked the lock, quickly got in and got out leaving a few bills on the counter. More curious than worried they continued to shadow his every move until it took them to the outskirts of town. From rooftops to the streets below, hiding in trees as they continued to move farther away from rushing streets and cluttered sidewalks. The three froze when they watched the silhouette of their brother disappear into the gaping maw of an old graveyard.

Michelangelo's body pressed up against Leonardo's shell as the youngest hid behind the oldest, blue eyes peering over shoulder and blue mask tails fluttering in the increasing wind. Donatello had taken a step back and closer to Leonardo as well, taking in the comfort that was their leader, the man with out fear -or so he told himself.

"Why would Raph come here?" Donatello's voice came through the wind that pushed and pulled at them like a curtain. Something was wrong, almost akin to the electrical hum coming from a light bulb that had just burned out.

"I… don't know," Leo tried to get his legs to move but the rusted fangs of the cemetery gate groaned in the wind, moving them as if they could fall at any moment. Applying some imagination, it could easily look like the mouth of a beast all ready to swallow whomever was brave enough to walk past it whole; the reason, he was certain, Michelangelo was currently shivering.

"Um, maybe we should, uh, you know, like… uh, go in and… Make sure he's okay."

Leonardo put a comforting hand over the top of Michelangelo's, the hand shivering under his warm palm. He patted the hand in reassurance. "No matter how creepy this may look, we need to go in there and find out what exactly has been going on with Raph."

He heard Mikey take in a deep breath, before both his brothers flanked his sides, coming around him as the hand under his curled fingers. Leonardo's blood ran cold. A chill of the coldest frost upon a tombstone settled in his stomach as he counted the five fingers that began to clutch.

Quickly he whirled around, backing up a few steps with a start. Instinctively his hand flew to the hilt of a swords, only to relax at the realization that there was nothing behind him. He jerked from Donatello's touch when his younger brother touched his arm. Looking to the olive colored ninja he stood silent for a few moments, eyes wide and unsure if he had even felt anything at all. Donatello's hazel gaze seemed to search him for answers before narrowing in confusion and curiosity. "You okay Leo?"

"Yeah," he moved his palm from his hilt.

"Dude, I'm the one who's supposed to be scared here," Michelangelo tried to smile, despite the fact that he did seem less than courageous from his brother's actions. "Do you need a pep talk to get you back into leader mode? You know I'm all for going back home and doing a team rally and coming back out here in the morning."

The forest green turtle tried not to roll his eyes as he shook his head. He decided not to reply to the youngest's mix of humor and pleading, and take point instead. Moving relatively quickly they managed to get the twisted gate. The metal teeth above cracked and bent, taking away the name of the cemetery and leaving nothing but thorny bolts and screws. Tawny eyes looked up as the jaw of the beast groaned in the wind, jittery in movement as if jostled by a group of kids. He felt himself automatically swallow before hurrying into the darkness of the cemetery, his brothers close to his shell. He would be lying if he said that everything was alright, in fact, everything seemed off. There was something in the air that left a strange feeling in the back of his mouth, almost as if he had tried to swallow his own tongue. The grass on his feet felt as if it was shying away, trying to hide. The wind held a mischievous whisper, as if it knows all and only wishes to taunt with silence... and for a moment Leonardo found himself comparing Raphael and Splinter's actions to everything this night held.

"Hey, there, some lights." Donatello pointed over to a few that flickered in a small thicket nestled in the breast of tall Mausoleums. Like willow o' wisps a few dull lights flickered through the trees, swaying gently, weaving and dancing. "I... think someone may be looking for something."

"Why do you say that Donnie?" Michelangelo hid behind his older brothers, displaying their own insecurity of being out in the open in such a taboo location.

"The pattern of the lights, it's consistent of someone who's looking for something..." His brows knitted together, "You don't think that Raph is over there... do you?"

To Be Continued...