Well I managed to get three reviews in a matter of hours. I call that a great success. Sometimes you just have to leave the reader with questions. I know a lot of people have been confused by the last chapter. I promise an explanation will come in a later chapter.
Ok, time for the story. Oh a warning: eh, never mind you can find out yourself.
I don't own TMNT.
Raph shoved Leo back against the wall of the alleyway.
"Tell me!"
"I can't," Leo protested weakly.
"Ya can't huh?" Raph narrowed his eyes and glared.
In less than half a second he had Leo pinned to the ground, his sai at his older brother's throat, "I want an answer Leo. Now spill it!"
Leo remained silent. Raph pressed his sai closer and whispered, "I warn you, this time I'm not going to hesitate."
"So what stopped you before?" Leo asked with his own glare.
Raph frowned, he didn't have an answer. Well, he knew the answer. He couldn't because despite the two year absence, they we're still brothers. He knew at that moment he had him his grasp that he would trade places with him. He would die for his brother. That's why he hesitated, because he knew he loved his big brother as much as any of the others in his family. Could and would it stop him this time?
"Don, I'm fine!" Mikey said as he got a strange suction cup like device stuck onto his nose.
"I know, I just want to run a few tests," the purple masked turtle said.
Mikey sighed, where were Raph and Leo when he needed them?
April tripped over an abandoned bo staff and straitened herself up before walking into the turtle's dojo. She saw Splinter, punching away at the one punching bag in the room. Apparently, this angered him more than she had previously thought.
"What's wrong Leo?" she thought before making her way to the main room and scooping up the manila folder.
She sat down on the couch and opened it again. She shoved the first few pages and pictures away. At the sight of the next picture she slammed the folder shut and felt like she would lose her lunch.
"You are so freaking smug!" Raph yelled as he ran forward, his sais meeting Leo's swords.
"I don't want to fight you Raph," Leo said under the strain of his younger brother's anger.
"Well, too bad oh Fearless Leader," Raph said while scowling.
They both jumped back and then Raph shot forward as Leo scrambled for the fire escape. Before they knew it, they were on top of the building. It was the rooftop fight all over again. Of course, Raph didn't really care. Leo had stayed away for two years. Something so constant in his life was suddenly snatched away. Leo left them and that HURT. Now, something had happened to Leo during that time. They were best friends but Leo didn't trust him. THAT HURT. He wanted Leo to feel that pain. Raph had trusted him and now, he felt betrayed. His heart couldn't keep taking this!
Each thought was paired with a lash out with the red banded turtle's sais. He was angry. Neither turtle heard when the door to the rooftop flew open and when a yell rang out. Raph struck out with all his strength and knocked away Leo's swords before placing the points of both of his sais at Leo's throat. Then, everything was silent. Raph's eyes blazed a bit with the same anger of the previous fire, but inside something was happening. The flames were dieing, turning into a low cinder. He found his eyes widening and his hands shaking as he stared into the eyes of his older brother. Those dark chocolate eyes staring back were, for a moment, daring him to do it. Then, they grew curious and weary.
The younger turtle found himself taking a few steps back, slightly shaking his head. He had almost done it, again! He had almost killed him! He turned and dashed away, denial roaring through his head. No, no, no, no, no, no, NO!
He didn't hear Leo's call or Keno's footsteps as the young teen walked across the rooftop to Leo's side. He wasn't sure how long he ran but after time he stopped remembering what happened the last time he had left Leo alone. He quickly turned to find he was outside the neighborhood, almost home. He fought with himself, go home, turn around. The memories flashing through his mind, he turned to the nearest manhole and jumped down into the sewers.
"I have to go after him," Leo said as he located and sheathed his katanas.
"Do you even know where he is?" Keno asked.
"I have a few ideas but I can't leave that 'discussion' like that."
"Maybe I should call April or Casey now?"
Leo gulped but nodded. He knew now, it was only a matter of time. Keno descended the stairs and reentered his apartment. Good, his parents still weren't home. He quickly made his way to the phone and dialed out April's cell number. He glanced up at a noise and saw Leo slip through the window.
"Do you want to talk to April?" Keno asked.
Leo's expression changed and then his eyes rolled into the back of his head. Keno's mouth fell open and he screamed when Leo fell forward, the cause being a sword in his back. The hilt being held by a Foot ninja.
"Leo!"
Suddenly, all the windows shattered as Foot ninja crowded around the boy. The line clicked but Keno didn't find time to do more than scream as he dodged shurikens.
April set the folder aside and sighed before crossing her arms. She glanced up as Splinter walked out of the dojo, he seemed to be a more content mood but there seemed to be something bugging him. Before April could ask, her cell phone began ringing. She fished it out of her purse as Don and Mikey walked out of his lab, the white bandage around Mikey's leg much too obvious.
She checked the ID and was surprised, "Hey guys, it's Keno."
"You mean the guy who delivers the wonderful food of the heavens?" Mikey asked with glowing eyes, he was really hungry.
April answered and spoke into the speaker.
"…to April?" Keno's voice said in the distance.
"Hello, Keno?" April asked, getting a few puzzled looks from the others.
She set it on speakerphone and waited for Keno's voice. All that they heard made their blood run cold.
"Leo!"
"Leo! Keno! What is it!? Hello!"
There was a crash and the line went dead. They all met each other's gazes, there was trouble. Don glanced over to grab his tracker to find it was gone.
"I think Raph took it," April said and grew silent as the door to the lair opened and in stepped a familiar face.
The Foot ninja easily overcame the teenager and bound him with rope. They lit the apartment on fire and ducked out of the apartment, leaving the turtle ninja with critical bleeding wounds inside a ring of flames. The chuckled as they ducked out of the windows and as most vanished a few stood behind to appreciate their work. What they didn't expect was to fall unconscious to smacks on the back of their heads. The attacker glanced at the building with wide eyes and dove into the flames.
Keno coughed and called out for Leo. The flames were growing and he couldn't see any more than a few inches in front of him thanks to the smoke, ashes and flames. Suddenly, he found himself in the air. Someone was lifting him? Next thing he knew, he was outside in the alleyway. Before he could wipe away the ash to identify his hero footsteps faded into the distance as a window exploded.
"Keno!" a familiar voice called.
Keno stood up and walked to the end of the alley to see April, Casey, Splinter, Mikey and Don on the street.
"Guys!" Keno called.
"KENO!' the yelled and surrounded the boy.
"We better take care of those burns," Don said, reaching for the few burns Keno had sustained.
Keno pushed his hands away, "Guys, Leo's still in there!"
"What!?" they screamed and turned to see doors opening and people pouring out. They ducked into the shadows of the alley and could only watch in horror as the building collapsed in on itself.
The daring hero threw aside flaming boards and screamed out for the lost one. He had already gotten Keno out but where was-
His thoughts were cut short as a flaming shelf fell on top of him. He tried to jump away and earned a long cut on his leg, the blood bright crimson red against his green skin. He tried to put it down to walk only to collapse. He coughed from the smoke and called out again.
"LEO!"
Leo flinched in his semiconscious state, that was Raph, but hadn't he run off? He remembered the pain in his shell and then heat. Blistering hot heat. Burning fire.
"Leo," the voice whispered.
Then, Leo felt something on his plastron. A hand? A three fingered hand. One of his little brothers! He couldn't bring himself to open his eyes so he listened. Raph pulled himself towards his older brother as part of the ceiling fell down behind him. Great! Just great! He comes to save Keno and his older brother and now he's the one who needs help. The last window he could've escaped from exploded out, the flames lapsing over the area, burning it to ashes.
There was no way out!
Raph turned to Leo and dragged himself until he fell beside him, the smoke filling his lungs. Raph threw one arm over Leo, in an attempt to lift him, but found it was no use. He collapsed again but found the energy to move closer, trying to distance himself from the flames. He forced himself to move just one more inch to whisper into Leo's ear.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry big brother," he whispered before he began coughing from the thick smoke.
Leo flinched whispering out in his own chocked voice, "Reason…I- I didn't know. Not until…April told me. I didn't know…"
With that they both gave into unconsciousness, their last feelings being the flames lapping at their skin.
Whew, that was disastrous. Sorry about using Keno's place but I didn't want to burn April's place. She's lost enough. Don't worry, I say it now. I never mentioned that this was a deathfic. I don't like them anyways. You can always count on me to keep the forever famous TMNT alive and well. Sure they may be close to death, approaching death, in the vicinity of death, but not quite at death.
Anyways, I love reviews. And I'm free for the next two days to do whatever. Review and I'll write er type. It's a promise.
I repeat it again, not a deathfic, no one dies. Especially not my precious TMNT heroes! Oh, I sound like a preppy school girl. Ok, those wondering about Leo's explanation I'll reveal the remainder of his story either in one or two more chapters. So there hopefully won't be too long a wait.
Read and Review please!?
~Moonsetta
