A/N: As fate would have it this is the second last chapter. The last one is the final confrontation. Here's to hoping that I can write a half-decent fight scene. *crosses fingers*.
(Outside world)
Dark storm clouds rolled over an unsuspecting New York. A few people turned their gazes skyward as thunder began to roll from the clouds.
"Was it supposed to rain?" some of them asked.
From her apartment window, April watched with rising panic and fear as it began to rain. The guys had disappeared two weeks ago. Splinter had temporarily moved in until his sons returned. April welcomed him with open arms. She knew the quiet was fraying Splinter's nerves. Without four rambunctious teenagers, the sewers could get disturbingly quiet.
April was brought out of her thoughts by the sound of the door opening. A soaking wet vigilante and a half-drowned rat walked through the door.
"Still nothing?" April guessed.
Casey peeled his hockey mask off and shook his head. Splinter headed to the washroom without a word.
"I feel so helpless," April said.
"We all do, April," Casey replied as he put his arms around his fiance. "Even the Foot didn't know where the guys are."
Lighting split the sky in two. The rain came down even harder.
"Even the weather feels helpless," April muttered.
"It is something worse," Splinter said, coming out of the washroom.
His ears were flat against his skull and his fur was almost standing on end. His eyes narrowed.
"What is it, Master Splinter?" April asked.
"Shredder," Splinter hissed.
Saki watched as the black rain poured from the heavens. This was no ordinary rain storm. There was presence on the wind.
"Pardon the intrusion, my lord."
"What do the scouts have to report?" Saki asked.
"They were unable to find anything out of the ordinary, master," Karai answered.
Saki became thoughtful. The presence that came through the open window with the wind was extremely familiar. He recognized the anger and the fury. The force at which the wind blew reminded Saki of a certain ninja's strength.
"Master?"
Saki gazed into the dark clouds. The clouds above Central Park began to glow red. They slowly began to spiral as if a vortex was opening up.
"We are about to receive guests," the Foot leader announced.
(Mirror world)
The ground shook violently as Ralph tore a seam between the mirror world and the outside world.
"At long last I can finally escape this wretched place," he said as the vortex opened.
"Hurry it up, Don," Leonardo urged.
Donatello tried to pick the lock of the cage that the eight mutants were being kept in. Fortunately, the cage was in a separate room in the base.
"Raph's the master of lock-picking," he grumbled.
"Can I try?" Happy asked. "I am part of Raphael, after all."
Donatello handed the child the metal stick and moved to the side. Happy took Donatello's place and reached up towards the padlock. He twisted and turned the stick until finally there was a *snap* and the lock fell off. Happy looked up at the older mutants and smiled. The others smiled back.
"Let's go," Leonardo and Cal instructed.
Donatello opened the door and headed out of the cage. Tech picked his little brother up and followed. One by one the group made their way to freedom. They hurried through the base until they came to the main chamber. Donatello held up his hand.
"Ah, Deceit, you have returned from your mission," Ralph said.
"Yes, master."
Leonardo growled and stepped forward. Michelangelo held his eldest sibling back.
"Not now," he whispered.
"Were you successful?" Ralph asked.
Through the small opening in the door, the mutants could see Deceit take out a dagger. The blade was coated with a thick layer of red liquid.
"I took out the girl first. You should have seen the look on Raphael's face when I told him that his little Rea was dead."
Donatello slowly turned to face the others behind him. Tech, Dren, Cal and Splinter were as still as statues. Happy had his face buried in Tech's plastron. His small shoulders shook with fierce sobs. Cal was supposed to be the calm one. But, right now, he looked as if he was about to murder someone. The same thing could be said for Leonardo.
"Rea's...gone?" Dren whimpered.
"Raphie," Michelangelo whined.
Donatello turned back to watch Ralph. How was that even possible? This was Raphael's mind, right? If he was dead (which Donatello refused to believe), then wouldn't everything turn into a void again? The inventor thought back to the Utrom Oracle Pods. Trapped within their own minds. Get hurt bad enough that you end up dying, then you truly were dead. They had almost lost Michelangelo that way.
"What do we do, sensei?" Cal asked.
Splinter remained silent.
"Sensei?" Tech said.
"We must stop Ralph from entering the outside world," Splinter instructed.
"How?" Happy asked.
"Where are the others?" Donatello asked.
"What others?" Cal replied.
"You know. Love, Brave, Stubborn...those others," Donatello explained.
"Why do you ask?" Leonardo wanted to know.
"Strength in numbers. Besides, we're in Raph's mind. His emotions are stronger than he gives them credit for," Donatello answered.
"I agree," Splinter replied.
"Tech, Dren, Mike and Don can go look for the others. Me, Leo and Sensei will keep them busy," Cal instructed.
The groups split up.
"Donny, do you think Raph and Rea are really gone?" Michelangelo asked as they ran through the base with their doubles.
"I hope not, Mikey. I hope not," Donatello said.
Dying was a strange feeling. Almost like falling asleep once you got past the pain. Coming back from the dead, however, was a different story. The peaceful, painless tunnel of darkness erupted into a volcano of excruciating pain.
"Raph? Raph?"
The voice was distant, but familiar. Who was speaking? And who was this "Raph"?
"Raph!"
The voice became more desperate.
"Raph! Wake up!"
A white hot pain shot through his right side. Had he been shot again? He didn't know which was worse. Getting shot or dying. Dying was a lot more annoying.
"He's not dead, is he?"
Another familiar voice. But, the name wouldn't register in his muddled brain.
"He's breathing," the first voice said.
Was he breathing? He hadn't noticed. The pounding in his chest seemed foreign to him. There was only one way to make sense of everything. He began to open his eyes.
"Raph? Rea, he's waking up!"
Rea? She was alive? The foreign drum in his chest skipped. The world slowly came into focus. A white clad girl was kneeling over him.
"A-An-Angel?" he stammered.
Angel smiled in satisfaction.
"Welcome back, Raph," she said.
"What happened to you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Your hair wasn't white the last time I saw you. And you weren't wearing a white dress, either. And, what happened to your pigtails?"
"I've always worn my hair straight," Angel said.
Another girl appeared beside her.
"I was so scared we were too late."
"Too late for what?"
"Raph, you were stabbed," Angel announced.
"Then, why am I alive?"
"We're not exactly sure," Rea answered.
Raphael closed his eyes again. Everything was a blur. He couldn't remember anything past the pain in his side. A woman's face suddenly flashed through his thoughts. He opened his eyes.
"Who stabbed me?" he asked.
"Karai. Also known as Deceit," Rea told him.
"We were lookin' for someone, weren't we?"
"Your brothers," Rea confirmed.
Raphael nodded as if finally remembering recent events. His eyes became distant. Focused on something only he could see.
"She was disguised as Leo."
"Uh huh," Rea said.
"We were in the forest takin' a rest. You went for a walk and Leo went after you. I went lookin' for you and Leo. I heard you scream, but I went in the completely wrong direction," Raphael explained.
He squeezed his eyes against the memory. Rea took Raphael's hand in hers. He tightened his grip around her hand, reminding himself that she was beside him, alive and breathing.
"Hope found me in time," Rea explained.
Raphael opened his eyes and looked up at his best friend. His eyes fell on the expose skin of her throat. The skin was already scarring around a deep gash.
"Was that were she got you?"
Rea placed her hand over her throat. Her fingers touched the rough skin. She nodded in confimation.
"I'm so sorry," Raphael whispered. "First I almost kill Mikey and now I almost killed you."
"Deceit almost killed..."
"I didn't listen," Raphael interrupted.
He swallowed thickly. Angel looked from Raphael to Rea. A small smile touched her lips.
"What's so funny?" Rea asked.
"Nothing," Angel replied. "You two just look so cute together."
"As if," Raphael said.
He winced and placed a hand over his side. It had been cleaned and bandaged. Summoning his last remaining strength, Raphael pushed himself into a sitting position. A wave of dizziness and nausea washed over him. He took a deep breath and held it. As he counted back from twenty he slowly released his breath.
"You okay?" Angel asked.
"Yeah. I'm fine," Raphael told her.
The ground suddenly shook. The three friends braced themselves against each other.
"What was that?" Raphael asked.
"Ralph's making his escape," Rea announced.
"We have to get back," Raphael said.
"You're in no condition to fight," Angel scowled.
Raphael ignored her and got to his feet. Rea jumped to her feet and caught him before he fell back to the ground.
"Listen for once, would you?"
"I'm not letting that psychopath destroy my home," Raphael fought.
Angel stood up. She took Raphael's and Rea's hand.
"Then, I will bring you back," she said.
"Before we go, can I ask you something?" Raphael asked.
"Of coarse."
"Leatherhead once told me that my return brought you back."
"I disappeared for a while. I didn't think you needed me around," Angel explained. "But, when Ralph broke loose, I knew you needed a little hope. So, I came back."
"Thanks."
"I might not be with you when you get to the Ralph's lair, but if you ever need a little hope, just give me a call."
With Angel's last words, everything vanished in a soothing white light.
What do you think?