Sing To Me Your Darkest Secrets
Chapter Three:
I Never Had a Problem Facing Fear

See, I suspected when I woke up, it'd all just be a crazy nightmare. Nightmare, did you get that part? I'd tell Raph and he'd laugh at me, tell me to quit being so dumb. And April, she'd want to know more and I could recount the my heroic tale as, well…it's my girl, ya know? She don't need to know the whole truth. Better she thinks I'm some hero, even in a dream, than the wuss I really was. Who passes out? But, you know…when I woke up, not much had actually changed except the scenery...

Casey lay unmoving for a while, his eyes still closed but his ears tuning in on his surroundings as he could hear voices. He wasn't sure who they belonged to, he couldn't match them with any of the faces he knew so well, but he could hear what they were saying. "S'what was it you said knocked him out?" It was when Raph spoke that Casey recognized someone, feeling somewhat relieved as he at least knew one of them and therefore could breath again as fear left him. But it was when someone answered, one of the voices he didn't know, that Casey tensed up, all the while still with his eyes closed as if that kept him from fully waking up. From facing his fear.

"I think that it might be better, Raphael, if we wait until he wakes to explain that much. I…as strong as you and your brothers may be, I don't want you all to lie unconscious next. We only have so many beds. Please, don't get up - you shouldn't strain yourself..." The voice was soft and sincere, a sort of shy-like voice, as Casey could hear rustling about, no doubt a sign that Raph had tried to defy the man and get up before he should. Casey was slowly starting to remember these people, but he couldn't quite pull the names from the recess of his mind. Whether it was because he wanted to forget or genuinely did was still up for debate. Casey knew Raph would not have that, he was not the sort to sit still for anything, let alone a stranger telling him it was what was best for him. That, fortunately Casey figured, was when he heard Leo pipe in.

"Well as much as you think it would be a good idea to wait until he wakes up, I think it might be best if we heard what you have to say now. We shouldn't be here anyhow." He sounded impatient, Casey considered that for a long time as he rolled Leo's tone over in his head. It was rare that Leo sounded anything but clam and deductive; but there was an edge to his voice and Casey could tell that the unofficial-official leader had his arms folded over his chest sternly. Almost disappointed in the fact that they were there at all, assuming it had been Raph and Casey's doing. There was defense there too, likely for Raph's well being. It was Leo's way of protecting the hothead without openly doing so in a way that might bruise his ego. He would defend Raph all day long to these strangers, but later question him for the decisions he had made. "We can explain to him, whatever the case may be. Trust me, we can handle it."

"You see, as much as I want to believe you, I don't." It was Ash, the blocks fell into place when the snide one spoke up and Casey was sure it wasn't a dream. He could even picture the two of them, the spiky haired man standing taller above Leo's bulky, fit turtle frame. "I get that you're intentions are good. And I'd be happy to explain as much as I know, Leo." The bark in Ash's voice was enough to snap Casey back to reality wholly and he didn't like at all where it was going. Clearly his friends' story had been lain out for these two strangers to see, as questions in that moment weren't about where they came from or what they were. Casey knew that was because now they held all the cards in this stacked hand. Payton and Ash could have information they needed. Casey remembered, in that instant, the bloody scarf with weird runic symbols on it - he was certain they did, but part of him was terrified by those answers as much as he was the questions. "But you're not going to get the information we know just so you can take your wounded and high tail it. Facts are nice but only when tempered with experience. Experience tells me that if you do exactly what I expect, which is to just leave, you'll make a grave mistake - possibly fatal. You can't hide from this. I don't know where you live," Casey reasoned that - okay, maybe they didn't know everything, but Ash went on, "and I don't much care at this point. But trust me when I say, they'll find you."

"I thought you said they wouldn't kill us." Casey finally chimed in, making his presence known as his eyes flicked open and he found himself laying across a white sofa. Six sets of eyes turned his way with varying degrees of expression - Leo, Don and Payton all bore ones of concern and Mikey of excitement while Ash seemed surprised and Raph relieved. Raph had to have brought them up from below, or Donnie tracked Raph's phone to an unfamiliar location when the hothead didn't turn up as expected. Whatever the method, they were there now, in what appeared to be more a hospital room and not an apartment for its clean lines and impeccable upkeep. It had to belong to Ash, the man unwilling to settle for a wrinkle.

"Mornin' princess." Raph chuckled gruffly and Casey ducked his head down in instant embarrassment, though with a broad grin playing against his lips.

Ash's head turned back to the red wearing turtle. He appeared mildly amused, in his stoic manner. "I suppose that makes you a charming princess as you were out first." Raph, Casey could tell, was clearly offended, ready to jump up for the ribbing, but Leo's hand came down on his brother's shoulder, obviously having seen the direction Casey assumed. Both knew, as well, that even in his wounded and tired state, Raph would shred the lanky and overly neat, yet mouthy man to bits. Ash might be snarky, but he clearly wasn't a fighter by any means. The cocky little smirk on his face didn't help Raph's mood and Payton offered a swift warning only in the other's name, "Ash..." Casey watched him look up to his brother and the smirk faded and he tucked his head down a little bit, having gotten a similar unspoken message from Payton to which he heeded.

"Uh, so...what about possible death? Can we go back to that please? That part seemed pretty important." Michelangelo chimed in, poking his head unceremoniously between Leonardo and Donatello. He sounded clearly upset by the prospect, his voice a little higher pitched as his eyes were wider behind his orange colored mask. "Oh, hey Casey." He wiggled his fingers at the man in passing, smiling briefly. It was almost as if he was distracted in that second before his eyes fell back to the two foreign brothers and his look of worry replaced that of his excitement at seeing Casey awake.

"I merely said they wouldn't kill. I implied at the time - then. Wouldn't kill, then. You know, before you decided to tell me the entire truth."

"They?" Casey chirped, swallowing hard as he scrambled to sit up from his spot. He was leaning on his arm, a little bit weak in the knees again and glad then that he wasn't standing as he certainly wouldn't be able to hold himself up. "Raph only saw one guy - or girl I guess. What do you mean they, since when did they multiply!" Casey was clearly panicked with every inflection of his words.

"Haven't you heard that if you see one cockroach there are dozens more?" Ash asked seriously - though it wasn't that far off from his normal tone. "If you think they come in ones and twos, you're wrong. You need to rethink everything you've ever heard, every scary story you've watched on TV or read in a book. Myth is often based in fact - somewhere long ago. But only based in, normally the truths are forgotten because the story ends up warping through the ages. And suddenly nothing matches anymore. This time, the truth is scarier than the myth. Much scarier."

"Um...myth about what exactly? Everyone is awake now...can't you just tell us?" Donnie the offered words this time, as he was anxious to understand. It was clear his curiosity was getting the best of him and he wanted answers - something - to make sense of why Casey was so rattled and what Raph had witnessed that brought these two brothers to them.

"Vampires." Casey answered for him, his voice soft and quiet as if he almost didn't believe himself. "Me and Raph - we saw one I guess."

Did I mention they were weird? Those brothers, that is. I'll never forget what Ash told me once. We were sitting there, after I realized he was serious about the vampires thing, that I needed to forget everything I'd heard and start from the get-go because something about society and fascination blah blah blah, making them cool and stuff. He said, if I met one, they would be more likely to try and eat my face.

Good thing I wear a mask.

"Wait - what?" Donatello held up a three fingered hand as if to stop Casey from talking and squinted in confusion as if he weren't hearing properly. Don didn't often believe in things of just happenstance, of fate...and a myth such as vampires, based in something well beyond science, was difficult for his brain to even process. In fact, it was so much like a dream that he felt blind sighted by something so far from the scientific spectrum. His eyes, which had been on Casey when he said it, turned to the other two humans in the room. "Yeah - I was thinkin' the same thing." Raph muttered, as if it was the first time in their lives that he and Donnie were on the same mental wave length.

"Ash..." Payton said again, softly - it was clearly precautionary as the man hadn't even spoken yet. "Let me." Casey could imagine the things that Ash might say there, where Payton stopped him, something about how questioning vampires coming from a five-foot-something tall, walking-talking turtle seemed hypocritical. Casey also knew that Donnie had facts to back his existence and he would use them all on these two brothers if necessary. However, it was then that it dawned on Casey; his life was weird - and if he could befriend the turtles, then perhaps he shouldn't be so quick to judge something else that seemed just as outlandish. He didn't exactly live a normal life and, truth be told, he didn't want to. Maybe Payton and Ash had facts too, and science - which Casey figured he wouldn't understand - to back their statements. It was certainly worth a shot as when he listened and gave the turtles a chance, he was hardly disappointed. Besides...if it would save their lives, then why not?

Just then the front door banged open and was instantly slammed shut, hitting the pane hard enough to make Ash wince. A huffing and puffing, chest heaving woman threw her back against it as if that would ensure it was closed tightly. Casey heard several sets of weapons rustle at the spontaneous noise, the sound of metal being unsheathed and nunchucks whipping the air was unmistakable. He had even reached around to get a weapon from his back but found himself shockingly naked without his equipment. "No. NO! Don't!" Ash was on his feet in a second and his voice raised. It was the first time Casey heard anything from him besides the simple base tone he always seemed to have, even under pressure. He held his hand up as Leo already had his katana out, his feet parted and his body ready to pounce on the intruder. "It's just Joey."

"Fuck you, Lionel!" The woman barked sharply between gulps of air, clearly still trying to regain her breath. "I'll just Joey you. Next time you need me, I'll leave your sorry excuse for skin to die. Or I'll wipe snot on your shirt just to watch you squirm."

"Fine then, I'll let the oversized turtles take your head off." Ash said in a deadpan with a bored shrug.

"Oversiz -" The scrawny woman, covered in sweat and filth, started to say until her eyes fell on the four turtles. She didn't blink and after she stared for several long seconds in silence, Casey was pretty sure she would start screaming any second now. But instead, her eyes flicked down to the ground at their feet. It was in that instant that Ash spoke again, drawing everyone's attention. "There's no time for that Joey, I need you're help now."

"No shit you need my help, didn't your mother ever tell you not to let strangers in the house, Ash?" She smiled at him with a lazy grin as he caught her around the upper arm and pulled her further into the apartment. Leo and Raph, of the four of them, didn't put their weapons down. Leo had, instead, let his katanas fall down to his side and Raph still had his sais up and ready in his fists. Don and Mikey, however, just seemed plain curious, if not confused, by the going ones and what exactly it all meant. Don even had moved forward, to tell them to stop as he had questions that they weren't giving proper answers to, but Joey didn't seem to be hitting a wall yet in her talking. "If not, let me be the first. Ash, you shouldn't talk to strangers, take candy from them or let them in. I'm dreaming again right? This is one of those weird ones where I wake up on the subway and the guy next to me - you in this case - tells me to quit snoring. That's never really happened." She clarified for the benefit of the four turtles and Casey, as if an afterthought as she waved a hand dismissively, still being nearly dragged by her arm. Ash pulled her down in front of the coffee table with a hearty jerk. "Easy on the goods darling, I need those ankles, knees and toes." He gestured to the scarf, ignoring her, which was spread out neatly.

"What's it say?" He asked pointedly, jabbing at it as if to redirect Joey's attention. Donnie had slipped a little forward, curious too as he peered from behind Joey to see the symbols stained into the fabric.

Joey's eyes turned back to him and she scowled before she looked back at the bloody fabric. "You're sick." She wrinkled her nose and Ash caught her chin and turned it back to the table sharply.

"It could mean life or death. See - our new friend here was impaled with a Screamer that bore this message. What does it say, Joey?" He pointed directly at Raph, though not without letting her face go. Raph's grip tightened first, though he had shrank back just a little bit as he was clearly disturbed by the possibly of causing a 'life or death' situation for he and his brothers.

"Ash...is he dead?" Joey asked, frowning hard as she stared down at the fabric. She had ignored Ash's question, failing to acknowledge any of it. And that much clearly frustrated Raph as the red clad turtle pushed a little forward, Payton protesting softly from behind. "No! I'm right here, ya know...waitin' for this so called expert who could read this junk. This is a joke! Ya gotta be kidding me - you claim to have all the answers and yet you ain't talkin'! Would you just stop making this show, and let us go? Don here, he could'a figured half of it out on his own by now if you'd just let us leave." He growled and it was, to Casey's surprise, Payton that stepped forward.

"It's not that simple, Raph. It's not you she means, but the doll that we were there to save tonight. The doll you saw in the alley way. No..." Payton dipped his head down and for a second, Raph seemed to soften some for how heavy everything was turning out to truly be. But his softness lasted for a second before he scowled a little bit, stepping back and plopping down to sit again. "He didn't make it. The only survivors you see are the ones standing here before you. We did our best."

Joey finally glanced back at him, after a few more seconds of silence. "Good job on the surviving thing. That doesn't happen often when you get nailed with one of those, particularly with a bunch of angry, fanged bastards. I saw this one guy that had a Screamer right through his middle. I'm still dreaming right?" She looked pointedly at Ash and he grumbled a swift 'because you haven't seen weirder things' and gave her face a little shake by her chin which was still clutched between his fingres. "No I have, much weirder - you've never even been in a doll house." She ribbed Ash with a wide smile. "Do your new stranger friends have names?" She asked. "A simple yes or no will work because now is not the time for an introduction as I don't often barge into your house. And though this scholarly thing is fun and I could probably read it if I could get my blood pressure to drop - I came her for a reason, Ashton Lionel. That being that you need to move...like right now. NOW! They're coming!" Her voice got somewhat urgent as if she could hear or see something they couldn't. Casey reasoned that, with the night they had had so far, that might be possible "Word hit the street fast that some poor innocent bystander got caught staring at a doll gone wrong in a back alley - two other witnesses were there and then those Lionel boys. I figured you had the walking, talking corpses with you." She reached down and scooped up the stained ascot, balling it up and stuffing it in her pocket, just after shaking her face loose of his grasp. "All of you, we have to move or we're going to be kibble."

I didn't know what she meant at first.

But it was weird the way that she just came in like she belonged there. Joey is, if it's possible, weirder than those brothers. She didn't bat an eye at seeing the guys - it would take me some time before I understood why. Part of me still believed she thought it was a dream, this whole mess can only be classified as a dream for any sane person. Remember - I'm not crazy. I'd really like to get out of here. If I knew how to put a sigh in words, it would go right here.

"I'll explain on the road." Joey swiftly instructed, getting to her feet and expecting the others to follow her. She was already nearing the front door when a voice interrupted her.

"We can't just go out there." Leo stepped forward, determined and pointed as he had no intention of being waved from that decision. In fact, his conviction was strong in a way that was very indicative of Leo.

"Well, Blue, you're going to have to if you want to live. Which I assume you do. I mean sure stay, if you want, but damn it don't say I didn't warn you." She snapped back with the a roughness that was accompanied some by frustration and panic. She was tiny compared to Leo's girth. Even still she came back with fierceness, unconcerned with how his arm alone was at least twice her scrawny mass. But Leo merely stood still in his spot, unmoving.

"Raph's sick." Donnie added, worried as he looked to his brother. It was half to Leo that he said it, concerned that it would be a bad idea to stay with Raph unable to fight, even if they all knew Raph would be involved no matter what his health status. In fact he had already dismissed the sling that Payton had put on him and would have been picking at the gauze that was taped to his shell if he weren't so focused on what they were talking about. Don's comment was also directed to Joey as he knew too it would be hard to take Raph with them as he hadn't even been able to stand long without needing to stop and sit down some, as he was doing then - having slipped his weapons away. "He's in no condition to move and the last thing we want is to wound him further."

"He's in no condition to stay either." She explained in frustration. "You must be Raph then." She looked at him where Payton was still standing next to him, doting some as he tried to keep Raph from getting up and the red clad turtle would swat his hand gruffly away, telling him to stop trying. It didn't seem to phase the stranger as he was clearly used to dealing with more insubordinate patients. "What about him...is he sick too?" She jammed a thumb toward Casey bitterly, her eyebrow arched as she challenged the brothers. "You guys all seem to think this is up for discussion. It's not. We're leaving and its final." Her voice had gained an edge of urgency as she looked toward the widow. "Too late." She hissed as something could be seen, from quite a distance, spiraling towards the glass. "DOWN!" She jumped forward and caught Mikey on the way so they both slammed hard into the ground. It was with an 'eep!' from Mikey that they both crashed. Ash lashed out and caught Casey by the shoulder, jerking him off the white, micro-suede couch and onto the floor with him. Payton, in turn, pushed Raph off from the futon that had been pulled out so it could facilitate him in the living room and ducked down next to him.

Neither Don nor Leo had been jerked, or moved down, as Joey instructed. As a result, they hung for a second, just as there was a whistling sound, which turned into a loud and wicked scream, just before a crash sounded as the window shattered, showering the space inside with little blades of glass. It was followed by several thuds as the projectiles, just like the ones on the roof, came whizzing through the air and embedded into the wall as if they were very dangerous darts aiming for the bull's eye board. Casey glanced up just in time to see Leo expertly dodge each with quiet feet. At some point, his twin katana had found their way into his hands again and he was slicing at them, knocking some off their course so that they lodged into the carpeting rather than into his shell or exposed flesh. Don dove forward and skidded on his shell next to Raph and Payton, narrowly missing one that was aimed, presumably, at him.

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND!" Joey hissed, from the ground, at Leo who was still on his feet. "Get down before they kill you!"

"No." His eyes narrowed only briefly as his attention was split between the spears and Joey's yelling. "If they want a fight - then a fight they'll get." He growled, clearly energized some by the challenge but also in defense mode as the last thing Leo would ever be all right with was the injury to his brothers. He was meant to protect them and if someone was after any of them - Raph in this case - he would be more than willing to be hurt, captured or killed in his place.

"This is definitely a dream and the occupants are retarded." Joey snapped, but scrambled to her feet. She caught Leo's wrist, tugging at it as he swung still, expertly, with the free hand. "Do you have a death wish? Wish granted!"

"I won't run." He gave a hearty shake of his arm that forced her off from the wrist she was holding; he was clearly stronger than her as she couldn't quite keep a strong grip on his muscle. She stumbled back and bore her teeth at him, growling a little in her annoyance. Leo's hand closed tighter around the grip of his katana, ignoring Joey and her irritation. He lunged back, readying his attack stance, as he anticipated more to come from the window. From behind him, he heard pounding at the door as it was rattled against its frame. Leo was hardly frightened by it - at least, if he was, it didn't show outwardly.

"You don't know what you're doing!" Joey barked at him, frustrated and angry with his obstinate bravery. Her eyes flicked from the ground at his feet, to the oddly quiet window and back to the turtle himself. His head snapped over to her, her annoyance finally reflected in him.

"Then tell me what I need to do so I can properly fight them." Her nostrils flared and a dangerous smile flicked across his face in response - he was ready to fight whatever would come through at them.

"Go for the head." She made a gesture to her neck, with a slicing motion. "Lop that sucker right off, or fire. That's it. Staking is a load of crap and holy water is a joke. And they'll invite themselves right in if they feel like it." As she was speaking, Leo absorbing her instruction as he finally had real answers, Ash took action. He had crawled to the base of the window as low as he could, though it was clear he was trying not to be shredded open by the bits of glass littering the carpet. His fingers caught the curtain that was whipping freely around with the window. In a second, the chiffon fabric was aflame, Ash having flicked a lighter out of his pocket. A sudden blast of heat shot through the room, along with a vibrant orange glow, when the curtain raced into hearty flames. The strength of the fire grew rapidly as it licked the walls and the whole window frame.

"ASH!" Payton barked over the crackling sound. Mikey had, in turn, scrambled to Don and was helping pull him away from the window as it was clearly, in his mumbled panic, he did notenjoy the fact that there was fire at all. In fact, it surprised them all as even Leo started, stunned by the intensity ablaze and how quickly the apartment was going up in flames.

"They won't get in now." He defended.

"YEAH! But we won't get out either! You're a maniac." Joey had taken a step forward, ducking too as the smoke detectors started to wail throughout the entire place. It was certainly going to make their escape much less subtle than had been planned as soon there were going to be service men, firefighters, swarming a place they ought not to be.

"Yes we will." She heard Leo say, almost calmly. There was no room for question or option as he was definitive in his words. And the others, at least his four brothers and Casey, made no indication to stop him. In fact, if Leo had a way out, they would follow him every step of the way without a single bit of doubt, not then. Not even Raph could question as, in that moment, there was a certain amount of blind trust for Leo as their leader. His eyes were settled on the window frame and clear determination in his posture. "I won't let my family die here tonight."

"You're as cracked out as he is." She told Leo plainly.

Leo was serious and he was determined - but that's Leo. You get used to it after awhile, even Joey learned to tolerate his noble behavior. Everyone does with time. It's just in the beginning, it's so...overwhelming. Anyways, I knew he was serious and that meant we all better buckled down because whether we wanted to or not, Leo was getting us the hell out of there. As much as I appreciate that, I sometimes don't like his methods. I dig the offer, I certainly didn't have many other ideas. But he and Raph can be more alike than either of them like to admit. I saw it that night...