Oops, this one got a bit long...but oh the feels!

I leant against the wall while I waited, my jacket rasping over the brick while plumes of white fogged from my mouth. I sunk deeper into my coat, pulling my scarf up over my mouth then plunging my gloved hands into my pockets. Winter was clinging to the city hard in it's last reigning month and I was starting to appreciate how warm Donny managed to keep the lair. "C'mon, c'mon." I muttered to myself.

It was my second visit above ground in a week, the last one being only long enough for a late night haircut. Same as last time the turtles waited for me on the rooftops, completely invisible but as palpable as if their presence was a living thing pressing down on me from above. The ally I waited in was small, contained, only one entry or exit unless you we able to climb almost sheer walls of brick. Most importantly it was far from the lair. Underneath my gloved fingertips I could feel the hard curved plastic of the t-cell and drew comfort from it. Even if I somehow got separated from the guys this was my lifeline.

Working up the courage to contact Hayden had been harder to do than I'd thought. I'd had the means in my possession for weeks before I'd finally rung my brother, all the time half hoping his number had changed or that he wouldn't answer. Of course for the first time in his life he had, picking up practically on the first ring and surprising me to the point where it had taken a few moments to find my voice.

"Hello?"

That was it, just that one word and I was stuck for what to say. So much unsaid that it created a bottleneck between my brain and my mouth. Mixed feelings so potent I could almost taste each one of them. Bitter anger, hurt and pulsing betrayal tumbling around with relief and and an overwhelming love for my big brother. Asshole.

"Hello?" The impatience in his voice was biting and familiar, unblocking my brain effectively as a light slap.

"Hayden." It came out as a whisper.

"Just a sec," there was a rustling and crackling and I imagined him covering the mouthpiece as he moved to a more private spot, "Scarlett, finally. I said contact me in a week, it's been a month." He was hissing in a whispered voice as if he wanted to yell at me but didn't want to be overheard.

"I've been busy." I shot back, not missing the irony of our roles being reversed as I used his same old response on him and feeling a vindictive pleasure when he huffed in irritation.

Instead of rising to the bait of an argument he clipped out "I can't talk," immediately my eyes narrowed and I felt the hot angry words building in my throat. Before I could voice them he added "But I want to see you, make sure you're ok. Tomorrow night, text me an address with a time and I'll meet you wherever."

"O-ok."

And now here I was...

I was pulled from my thoughts as a tall figure rounded the end of the ally and paused just inside, head flicking back and forth as if searching for something...or someone. Instantly I tensed, this was it. My stomach churned with a mix of anger and relief just at the sight of his silhouette. Hesitantly I stepped out from the wall and waited until he spotted me. "Scarlett?" Hayden's deep voice called out so I came to meet him, each step easier than the last until we were finally standing face to face after eight long months. His eyes searched mine and he frowned "Scarlett?" he repeated hesitantly.

"It's me Hayden." I answered and at the sound of my voice he visibly relaxed before reaching forward and grabbing me in a tight hug. It only lasted a second but the shock of it rendered me speechless, apparently my big brother really had missed me. Too soon he was holding me out from him at arms length, running his eyes over me probingly and with increasing frustration. I watched him with mounting confusion until I suddenly realised he was trying to get a good look at me but was hampered by my layers of clothing. He was trying to see what kind of mutant I'd become.

With angry movements I yanked the scarf from around my mouth and neck then shoved back my hood so that my head was bared. Then I glared at him, daring him to speak, to say something. The expected words tumbled from his mouth, causing me to roll my eyes. "I thought you got mutated."

"I did," I snapped "but I've got it under control now." I crossed my arms over my chest as I added "I found some people who actually want to help me instead of treating me like I'm not worth the hassle."

"Not this again," the familiar growl was back in Hayden's voice "I keep telling you kid, everything I do is to look after us..."

"Joining the Purple Dragons is for us?" I retorted hotly and my brother let out a frustrated groan as he let his head fall back on his shoulders.

"Five seconds before you start bitching at me, five seconds. You haven't changed at all Scarlett." He growls at the sky and in that moment my eyes fall on the side of Hayden's neck, drawn there like a magnet.

"What the hell is that?" I grab at his arm, lowering it so I can push aside the neck of his shirt. He tries to pull away but I hold onto him tightly and I can feel his surprise at my strength rolling off him in waves. I ignore his struggles, shock widening my eyes as I see what he's got inked onto his skin. "What the fuck Hayden?" I breathe, staring numbly at the the dragon winding it's way up my brothers shoulder and over the side of his neck in shades of black and purple. It's huge and from what I can see it must run down his entire arm. "You got a gang tattoo? Are you insane?" I let him go and step back, body shaking with anger.

He straightened himself with agitated movements, glaring at me from under his dark fringe of hair. "So what?"

"So what? Oh my God," I run a hand over my face "I can't...You're so...so..." I pause as a wave of realisation washes over me. "I can't believe I didn't see it until now. You're pulling a mom."

Hayden tenses dangerously "The hell you just say?"

"It all makes sense now. I'm such an idiot." I feel tears well up in my eyes and blink them back. "Pushing me away, leaving me all alone for weeks at a time then convincing me it's my fault you don't hang around. That it's for my own good while all the time you're building a new family for yourself. Only in your case it's a fucked up family of petty thugs."

Vaguely I notice Hayden's face has drained of colour, jaw set hard "Don't," he warns, "don't you dare compare me to her."

"You are exactly like her you selfish dick," I spat at him "stupid arrogant asshole!"

"I'm warning you Scar." Hayden takes a step forward, fist clenched.

"I bet you don't even know that the Purple Dragons are the ones who helped mutate me..." I pause my rant as a guilty flush spreads over his face, stomach dropping in disbelief "you did know?! And you joined them anyway? You FUCK!" I explode as I launch myself at him, clenched fists raining down on any part of him I can reach. "Fuck you!"

Hayden tries to catch my fists, grunting in pain when I manage to catch him on the jaw. "Stop it Scarlett!"

"It's your fault I got mutated, I was looking for your sorry ass when they caught me." My voice was starting to break as it rose higher and louder, I kept hitting him as tears blurred my vision. "You don't give a shit about anyone but yourself. If you'd come with me last time I called you I'd never have been bitten by Xever and poisoned, I nearly fucking died Hayden..."

My words are cut off as pain explodes across my cheek, then I was on the ground with no idea how I got there. "I told you to stop!" Hayden yells from somewhere above me. I lift my head to meet his dark eyes, brimming with fury, then there's a solid thud to my right and my view of my brother is suddenly blocked by a wall of green and brown.

"Back off." Mikey's voice is almost unrecognisable, furious and low. Three more heavy thuds then I'm being helped up by Donny. "You don't touch her again."

"You...I thought you freaks didn't know where she was." I heard Hayden spit out accusingly, too angry to be surprised by seeing the turtles.

I rubbed at my cheek as I stepped to the side until I could see him again. Pouring every ounce of venom into my voice I said lowly. "Don't you ever come near me again, I'm done. I hate you."

There was a chilling silence while my brother looks at me in disbelief, then his face hardens to stone. "Fine by me." And without so much as a backwards glance he turns and strides away.

Four pillars of strength stood around me as I listened to his retreating footsteps but still a hard lump ice formed in my chest, freezing my heart even as it broke. In the quiet following his departure we all waited until I could find my voice to say "Let's go home."

That escalated quickly...