Noose

Chapter 11

When he woke up it was to a shout of; "What the hell?" His legs got tangled in the mess of covers as he fell off of the bed, and down to the messy floor of broken objects and littered knick-knacks.

"Skinny, I told you no wild parties. And please tell me the Grovel Hog is not slumped out there drunk on the other side of this wall," Kally tapped her knuckles on the wall next to the door frame she stood at.

"Kally! Is- is that really you?!" Leo managed to untangle himself and stand up. Now that he was standing he didn't know what to do, should he move forward or stay there?

The brunette gave a heavy sigh, bending down she grabbed a turned over chair and a small round end table. She sat down; her hand came to her eyes as she rubbed at them as she heaved another heavy sigh. She was careful of her contacts. "Leonardo, take a seat."

He nodded, taking a seat at the foot of the bed, across from her. He folded his hands on his lap, his heart feeling like an open wound as his brain registered that this must be a dream. She was dead, she couldn't be here and talking to him. This was his own mind trying to work things out. If he fought it, then he could end up hurting himself, or worse, forgetting. Forgetting his friend, forgetting everything he had learned when she was with him. The pain in his chest he could do without, that was the only thing he wished he could forget.

"Fearnot..." she leaned forward, her elbows on her knees; "I left you a note sweetie."

"But it was a lie..."

"A lie? But I am staying with my mother until this is all done and over with."

"You can't be if you're dead."

This was ridiculous; he was talking to his own delusions. But when he looked up from his hands to her face, he could see her mask, broken and shattered. It felt like she was really there, not the fake persona that he had grown to know as his friend. This was what Kally really was, or so he had hoped. She was a girl who tried her best, who tried to hard, and received nothing in return. In her life she was mocked and jaded, in her death was when people started to change their minds and say she was brilliant and well versed. Her eyes were a beautiful hazel, her hair the brownest of browns, skin so pure not a freckle. Her smile was the best though it eased the pain in his heart.

"Leonardo," she got up slowly, moving over to him. She sat down beside him, a warm arm wrapping around his shoulder, her hand coming to his. Soft hair rested against his neck and shoulder as her cheek pressed against his. Kally stayed there with him, for what seemed like forever, from the window being open and the blankets being kicked around in his fitful sleep she woke him from -his skin was cold and drank the warmth provided. He finally gave in, leaning back and letting a few tears trickle down his cheeks.

He knew this wasn't real, he knew she wasn't really there holding him and offering comfort. He would give nearly anything for it to be true, for her to be alive and yelling at him for messing up her place in that moment where his halo of perfection became his own noose.

"You're a good kid," she squeezed his shoulders. She moved, getting up and pushed him back onto the bed. He's eyes blinked a few times as she moved him up. She rounded the bed, and picked up a pillow from the floor, fluffed it up and slipped it under his head. With a few pulls she got up some blankets and flicked it into the air, letting it pool around him before tucking it in. Bending over she whispered, "I'll be calling you to see how you are doing, Skinny." A feather light kiss, to the forehead. One more on his cheek and, as he drifted offher hands petted leathery skin -she promised once more to give him a call.

Then, everything was dark...

When Raphael woke up it was to the sound of the phone ringing in the kitchen. He grunted getting up from the spot next to the door he had fallen asleep at. His body protested at the stiffness he had from the sleeping in the same position of being curled up for hours on end listening to Leo in the other room. His throat was scratchy from giving small prayers until he finally found a fitful slumber for the night. He was reaching out for the phone when Leonardo blurred past him, his finger slamming on the speakerphone button.

"Kally!"

"Uh, not; this is Mikey," came the voice on the other side.

Blue's heart dropped into his stomach, "Oh, uh... 'sup?"

"Love you too bro. Both your Shell Cells were off and we were getting worried, especially after the news." Mikey paused; "Um... how you doin' bro?"

"I'm, uh;" How was he supposed to tell his baby brother that he just had a break down?

"He's doin' fine, Mike," Raph leaned against the kitchen counter, arms folded. "We'll be comin' home in a few minutes."

It was silent for a bit before the youngest spoke up once more, "If you need something... anything, just ask, okay?"

"Thanks Mikey."

An odd sadness pooled in the leader's stomach as he hung up the phone.

"It'll be okay Leo."

He looked up to only see Raph's back to him, if he could see his brother face on then he would see that he was just as sad, just for a different reason.

"If there's somethin' you want to take with you, go ahead. I don't think Kally would have minded." Raph gave a half hearted chuckle, "Maybe some of her over sized tomboy clothes."

Leo smiled bitterly as he turned and went back into the room he had tore up. He found a backpack, military issue, that Kally and always loved. He picked it up and found the one thing he didn't break, a picture frame with her and a few friends that she had not heard from for a few years. He put it into the backpack. Looking around, he found a story book of folklore that she got all of her stories from. He froze realizing it was on the round coffee table he knew he had thrown over. Next to it was the chair that she sat in... Then...

He twisted around, eyes wide, the pillow in place, covers on the bed when previously they had been on the floor. Then last night... He clutched the book to his chest.

The phone broken apart and on the floor of the bedroom;

...began to ring.

To Be Continued...