Chapter Eleven

Leonardo

Leo stood guard over Raphael's bed, watching as Donnie and Mikey made their way downstairs with hurried footsteps.

Taking a deep breath, Leo prepared himself for the oncoming battle he knew was coming. He had a bad feeling in his gut, one that clawed its way up his spine and coiled around his heart.

"Leo..."

Leo jumped, startled as his thoughts were broken by a broken, raspy voice. Raphael's were open, only just. Leo could only see a small slit of amber staring back up at him.

"Raph, what is?" Leo asked, kneeling down beside his wounded brother.

"I...I'm sorry," Raphael murmured, a fine sheen of sweat standing out on his pale skin.

"Sorry for what, Raph?" Leo frowned in confusion. "You didn't do anything."

"Before the demon started...attacking us...I was always fighting you," Raphael explained, his face scrunched up in obvious pain.

"Sshh, it's okay, Raph, don't talk," Leo soothed.

"No, let me tell you. I'm sorry, Leo, I don't mean to fight you all the time. I don't know why I do- you're my brother, and I love you."

"I love you too, Raph," Leo said, gently pulling the blanket closer around Raphael. "And I'm going to get you out of here, I promise."

Michelangelo

Don and Mikey quickly ran down the stairs, making sure that their footsteps would be heard.

Michelangelo's heart beat loudly in his ears, almost drowning out every other sound. He felt a familiar fear boil up inside him, making a thin sheen of sweat start to coat his body. He felt paranoid, certain that Diego was hiding in the shadows, watching them with his predatory eyes. He felt safer knowing that Donnie was with him and he wasn't alone, but he also knew that, if Diego did decide to confront them, they would be no match for his mind games.

Mikey stopped and quickly scanned the living room for anything important. Apart from a couple of strewn magazines and books, there was nothing. He followed Don into the kitchen, keeping watch as Don quickly stuffed his duffle bag with food and water.

"Come on, we need to search the bathroom- I have all of my medical supplies in there," Don spoke up.

"In...in the bathroom? I...I thought Leo was searching the top floor," Mikey stammered, hating how weak he sounded.

"He's searching the bedrooms. Besides, he might not pack everything I need. I am going to have to look over Raph's wound in the car, and I don't want to have left anything behind that I may need."

"Ok, let's be quick though," Mikey said, following Donnie back up the stairs.

Mikey wanted to close his eyes when he followed Donnie into the bathroom. Blood still stained the bath and the floor a sickening red. Mikey could still see his brother's body slumped haphazardly in the bath, his own weapon sticking out of his leg.

"You can wait outside, Mikey," Don murmured, catching his brother's horrified and scared eyes. "I will only be a minute."

"Ok," Mikey whispered, starting to back out of the bathroom when he caught sight of two piercing eyes staring hungrily back at him from the mirror.

Mikey's mouth went dry as a familiar, sadistic smile appeared in the mirror under the eyes. And then everything went black.

Mikey was standing in the lair. It was eerily quiet and deserted. A strong smell assaulted his nostrils, thick and coiling-the smell of something rotting.

He looked around wildly, his heart racing. Shadows shrouded the lair, the only light coming from a flickering light bulb in the kitchen.

"Hello, Michelangelo,"

Mikey felt fear grip his heart and his legs started to shake.

Diego stepped out of the shadows, a grin on his face. "It's been a while."

"What-what do you want?" Mikey stammered, lowering his eyes to the ground.

Diego paused and tipped his head to the side. "Some fun, of course. It gets rather boring in Hell."

Mikey stiffened at the words, his breath catching in his throat.

"You finally figured it out," Diego smiled, walking slowly around Michelangelo. "Who I am, what I can do."

"You're a demon," Mikey whispered, trying not to let his fear show.

"Yep, that's me in a nutshell," Diego purred in Mikey's ear, making him shudder in fear and revulsion.

"Why are you doing this to us?" Mikey asked, forcing himself to stop trembling. He had to be strong, for his brothers as well as himself. "Why won't you just leave us alone?"

"Because," Diego said, his cold eyes growing serious. "I'm sure your brother has told you all about me- how possession is my skill. Let's just say I'm tired of being in Hell. Let's just say, I need a new body- a real one, not this fake conjuration."

Mikey's breath hitched and he felt his heart stop beating, his eyes going wide with understanding. He knew what Diego wanted now, and he knew he wouldn't stop until he got it.

Donatello

Don turned around just in time to see his baby brother collapse unconscious and lay motionless on the floor.

"Mikey!" Dropping the various bottles of pills in his hands, he ran over to his fallen brother and knelt beside him, checking for a pulse. He was relieved to see that Mikey was still breathing.

"Mikey, Michelangelo, you need to wake up," Don said, gently shaking his brother. They were running out of time, he could feel a coldness starting to seep into the house.

Mikey suddenly jerked under Don's hands, his eyes shooting open as he quickly sat up, panting like he had just come back from a run.

"What is it, Mikey? What happened?" Donnie pressed, forcing Michelangelo to look him in the eye.

"I know what Diego wants," Mikey whispered, his blue eyes filled with fear. "We're running out of time. We need to get out of here, now, or we'll never escape him."