I am alive!!!!!
Do not fear! I remembered this story! I didn't forget about it! :)
I've just had a lot of stuff to do, and this story still isn't finished, but it's getting there. I'm working on whenever I have time, which will soon be a lot because tomorrow is my last final! :)
So please, just bear with me a little longer, as this chapter is also a lot from the movie. But it's pretty important.
Disclaimer: TMNT do not belong to me, and neither does anything from the 2007 movie in this chapter.
Chapter One: Rooftops
"Standing on the rooftops, waiting 'till the bombs drop…" ~ "Rooftops" by Lostprophets
Raph leaned back against the wall, letting his hands fall in his lap and his head tilted back.
He didn't know what to do anymore. He wanted his brothers and father to realize that Leo wasn't coming back. Shell, Raph had known it the second his brother had stepped into the sewer on his way out. Raph had known it before Leo had even known it.
Even thinking about Leo made Raph's blood boiled. For one, Raph couldn't really blame his brother. If he had the chance to go out in the world without his family and be by himself, Raph would jump at the opportunity.
So Raph really wasn't upset with Leo for not coming back on time. What he was upset about was the fact that Leo refused to write and tell them why he wasn't returning. In fact, he hadn't written the family in one year, seven months, and five days.
Not that Raph was counting or anything…
And that thought made Raph become even angrier. He shook his head and narrowed his eyes, standing up. He needed to get out of here before the next time he raised his fist, it didn't stop and ended up hitting whichever brother happened to be within range.
Fists clenched, Raph walked briskly down the steps and headed to the door. He caught a glimpse of Mikey watching T.V. and Don still sitting at the table, project forgotten. He glanced up as he heard Raph.
"Where're you going?" he asked, voice sounding tired.
"Out," Raph replied. The longer he stayed here, the angrier he got…
He saw Mikey watching him, something behind those bright blue eyes that made Raph think that his baby brother wasn't so innocent anymore.
"I'll be back before morning," Raph grunted.
Before the door slammed shut, he caught the look on Don's face. He leaned against the door when it did come to a close and closed his eyes, trying to rein in his anger and save it for later.
It wasn't fair that Leo had just dumped all his responsibilities on Don. If anything, he should have given the position to Raph, but no! Leo just couldn't the fact that Raph might be better suited for something than he was.
With a growl, Raph took off down the sewers and up the nearest manhole. He shut it quickly, and then made his way to the roof tops, where he swiftly ran to his best friend's apartment. When he got there, he lowered himself down on the fire escape and knocked quietly on the window. He heard some shuffling and a muffled curse, and then the window opened.
"Raph?" Casey Jones asked, looking surprised.
"Come on," Raph growled, pointing to the top of the roof.
Casey blinked, then crawled out the window, shutting it before he followed his friend up the fire escape to meet him on the roof.
When he reached the top, he hoisted himself over the edge and saw the red-banded turtle pacing across the roof. Knowing his friend well, the man didn't say anything. Rather, he sat down against a chimney and waited until his friend decided to speak.
It didn't take very long…
"I hate him."
Casey watched as his friend punched the brick, ducking out of the way as some debris from the powerful strike rained down upon him.
"I hate him for what he's done to this family," Raph continued, eyes blazing. "I hate that he's causing Master Splinter all this grief, that he pawned all his responsibilities on Donny, that he's forced Mike to see the reality of things. Why can't he just realize that he's not the only one in this world?!"
"Aren't you being a little hard on the guy?" Casey asked.
Raph took a seat next to him.
"No, you know what?" Raph said. "I hope he never comes back."
"Maybe you should try to work it out when he comes back…" Casey suggested. "I mean, that's what I would do… you know, if I had a brother…"
Raph glared at him. "And how, do you propose, I do that?"
Casey shrugged.
Raph rolled his eyes and then sighed. "I guess if I had the chance to leave the city, I'd go too…"
Casey nodded. "Yeah… it's not like you could just hop on a plane and go to, like… Japan or something." He chuckled.
Raph was silent. Casey looked over at him. His turtle friend had a thoughtful look on his face.
"Raph, no." Casey snapped. "You can't. What about Mikey and Don? What about Master Splinter?! Your family can't lose another member!"
Raph sighed. "Yeah… guess you're right…"
Casey let out a breath he didn't realize that he had been holding. "Yeah. Of course I am… So, April keeps talking about-"
The vigilante continued to talk, not noticing how his best friend refused to look at him…
I'm so sorry about how short this is! But it's the shortest chapter in the whole story so far, so please, don't hate me...
Anyways, I know this is still a little tedious, but the next chapter is where it gets good. So please review, and I'll work on the rest of the story soon! :D
