CHAPTER THREE
Casey laid quietly, in bed, next to the woman he loved and simply basked in the morning glow of her sleeping form. Her mouth had even the slightest smile curl up at the corner of her lips in the carelessness of sleep while her hair was a beautiful wave of rose red locks.
The mans heart fluttered just seeing her, and a sigh of content escaped him as he gazed upon the beauty that lay next to him. Not long after however, Casey looked to the clock.
"08:37am."
He gave a small groan, and turned back on his side to face April - the woman of his dreams, and the only one for him. Casey just soundly laid there, softy caressing Aprils face and eventually, after a few moments of that sensual action, her eyes began to open as a soft moan escaped her.
"Mornin' Babe."
Whispered Casey, receiving a soft gentle smile back after he snuggled in and kissed her forehead.
"Hey, how'd you sleep?"
Softly murmured April, so very attentively touching the face she adored.
"Ooo, I slept like a log."
Snorted Casey.
"Yer know me babe, once I hit the pillow I'm down and out for the count."
April chuckled as she sat up and gave a small stretch and while doing so, released a yawn. She looked to the man she had been sharing her bed with for many months now and smiled lovingly at him. April and Casey had been dating for three years and she absolutely adored him.
She loved his jet black shoulder length hair, his thick Brooklyn accent, those soft gentle blue eyes of his and his touches. His touches were to die for!. He was a hockey masked vigilant who would most nights, go out, and bust heads of street punks he caught messing up his turf and he would on some occasions, patrol with the turtles.
He and Raph were always getting into trouble... they were like two kids but always looked out for one another. Nevertheless, it worried April deeply, and she wished Casey wouldn't go out doing that because maybe, one night, he won't come back alive, if at all.
However, she couldn't say nothing to him about it, because she knew how much Casey loved protecting his City with the turtles and she also knew how much Casey really looked out for Raph as he did for him, but it still didn't stop her worrying.
'Maybe one day.'
She thought.
'Maybe one day he'll just stop with out me needing to beg him?'
April leaned down and gave Casey a soft kiss on the lips before getting up and headed to the bathroom for her morning shower.
"So, April."
Casey grinned.
"Got any plans fer today?"
He questioned loudly.
"Pardon?"
Her voice echoed back in from the bathroom after she turned the shower on.
"I said, have yer got any--"
Pausing abruptly in his question, Casey regarded the phone ranging on the nightstand.
"Hey, can you get that? I'm popping in the shower."
April shouted and quickly heard her lovers response.
"Sure thing, babe."
Jumping out of bed, Casey picked up the phone and cleared his throat.
"Good mournin', April O'Neil's residents,"
He sniggered impersonating a posh tone of voice, which was rather hard for the brut vigilantly.
"This is Casey Jones, speaking, how may I help you?"
"..."
The phone was silent, only having Casey question while raising one black eye brow.
"Hello? Are yer there?"
"..."
Still nothing, so he questioned one last time - feeling himself begin to become annoyed.
"HEY, who is this?"
Still no answer, which was it, he snapped.
"HEY, LISTEN PAL, WHAT'S YER DEAL!"
Just as Casey finished his ordeal down the phone, a small, but familiar voice replied.
"Case ... We need to see you, some time today if possible."
"Hey, Hey Leo! How's it goin' man?? Hey, is Raph there?"
The Vigilant, exclaimed, only the voice that responded back was dead, flat and lifeless.
"... Case, we need to see you..."
"Whoa, hold on there Leo, yer soundin' far too down in the sewers fer my likenin', what's up pal?"
"Come over about 6 ish ... Tonight, we have something to tell you, and bring April, she needs to know."
"Okay Leo, but we may be a little late, is it important?"
No answer...
"Leo? Leo, ya there?"
The vigilant man finally realised the dull flat tone of the terminated call.
"He hung up!"
He grouched, scratching his head with his free hand and pondering to himself
"Wow, something big must be up, he didn't sound like the Leo, I know. He normally tells me to be at one with my inner soul an junk."
Casey shrugged with a snigger and he put it down to maybe Leo had a rough night or he and Raph had been arguing again. Once Casey got back to bed, April came in 15 minuets later - dressed and was drying here hair with her towel.
"Hey, Get out of bed lazy bones."
Laughed the red headed woman as she threw her damp towel at her lover.
"HEY."
He whined, offering a smile to her before jumping up and got dressed. April chuckled to herself as she headed into the kitchen and looked in the fridge.
"Ooo.. Great!"
She moaned out before prolonging a sigh. Casey strode to the door way - just finishing slipping on a black T-shirt and cocked his head up at his lover.
"What's up, babe?"
He asked seeing her roll her eyes and look to her purse,
"Where outta milk."
"Ahh no problem, Sweetheart!"
Smoothly said Casey, while stretching calmly and then relaxing.
"I'll just whip up a good old Casey breakfast."
"With what?"
Fearful asked April, her eyes slightly wider than normal as she looked her man over. Casey smiled, with a wag of his finger at her.
"Ah-ha, now that would be tellin'."
He snorted but suddenly, a look of fear came over Aprils face and it instantly had Casey grunt - sounding rather offended - as he crossed his arms tightly
"HEY... I can cook, I just don't like ta is all."
"Okay,"
April laughed and headed into the living room before Casey bursts a blood vessel.
"I'll just watch the news, see if any thing interesting has happened with in the last 24 hours."
Casey set about scanned the cupboards - searching for stuff he could use - and smiled in response to his lovely girl.
"Yeah, you do that.".
--
Living room...
April sat down and shook her head. Thinking about what mess Casey was going to come up with, she giggled and thought to herself
'He will probably be the first man to invent nuclear food with out the proper use of the chemicals needed.'
Again, she giggled at the thought as she turned on the TV. April sat there, watching the news, while having an unintentional soft yawn came from her showing boredom. However, at the change of music in a new news report announcement, her interested peeked as it broke from its normal boring line of work and grabbed her attention...
"Good mourning, this is the 9:00 news, I'm Jenny Storm, and this is what's coming up within the hour...
...A car vandalized, right on owners property. A shop window smashed, only to take a strange unvalued ring and our top story for the hour, is what use to be known as one of the best down town bars around.
The bar it's self was called the Hunters Lodge and estimates say it was burned down during the early hours of this mourning, leaving the police to uncover a total of 14 dead human remains and this weapon... it has been identified as a martial arts weapon, known only as a Sai..."
April jumped to her feet out of shock and worry, having seen the Sai they were displaying, before.
"Casey, get in here!"
She cried out, eyes not leaving the TV for anything. Casey came bursting through the door way and swung round to look at the TV.
"What is it, babe?"
He asked, sounding a little concerned to her out burst. April hushed him swiftly and pointed to the TV.
"Look..."
"No witnesses have been found and the police will later get back to us on the information and identities of those poor victims..."
April regarded Casey, before immediately picking up the phone.
"I'm calling the guys."
She announced frantically and began tapping the table anxiously as she heard the continuing ring.
"Come on... pick up... PICK UP!"
April shouted and soon enough, there was a slow sighing voice on the end.
"Hello...?"
The woman gasped, shocked to hear such a sound from no other than Michelangelo. It was early but it wasn't so early in the morning for him to sound like that.
"Mikey? Turn on the TV and switch to the news channel!"
"Oooo, what's the point April..."
The redheads mind had struck a blank to Mikey's grim answer, causing her to stutter.
"What? Mi?... Mikey, are you there?"
"Sorry April, Mikey's not ... feeling to good today. What's up?"
Sighed the purple clad turtle, really not up for talking right now either.
"Whoa, Don, you sound even worse, are you okay?"
"...Yeah... what's the problem, April?"
April softly cleared her throat, before speaking urgently.
"Turn on the news channel, there's some thing on there about a burnt down bar and they have found 14 dead human remains! And get this, they found them along with a Sai. Is Raphael alright? I'm sure it was his Sai they just showed, was he there last night? I also think the shredder may of had something--."
"WAIT! Did you just say HUMAN remains?"
Donnie's voice had risen up and he had practically bellowed in Aprils ear, even Casey flinched when he heard Don shout.
"Yeah, watch the news report, you will get a better understanding of it rather than having me ramble on in ya ear."
"Oh My GOD! This is great! HE'S ALIVE! Hahaha, hahaha.. GUYS, HE'S ALIVE!"
The purple clad turtle announced loudly and extremely full of high joy and enthusiasm, on the other end of the phone to his brothers and father. April, had by now, pulled the phone away from her ear. Both Casey and April flinched at the volume Donnie was shouting at.
"Thank God, I didn't have it on speaker."
Chuckled the female. Casey was quick to agree with a few nods of his grimaced expression. After a few seconds of silence, April though it was safe to endanger her ear again, and so, she placed the phone back to her ear and questioned.
"Donnie? Who's alive?"
"I can't talk right now April, I have to go! we'll talk later, bye!"
The phone connection held the dim blipping sound of a terminated call, leaving April raising an eye brow at Casey.
"What the hell was that all about?".
--
Lair, Kitchen...
As Donatello hung up the phone, he bellowed from the top of his lungs from within the kitchen.
"GUY'S, HE'S NOT DEAD!!!!!! RAPHAEL, IS NOT DEAD!"
"What?"
Came the small voice of their old father, gently limping his way into the kitchen with light taps of his cane to the stone floor. Swiftly, his pacifist son exclaimed in pure pleasure.
"Sensei, its Raph, he's not dead, he made it out of the fire. MASTER, HE MADE IT OUT!"
From the moment the news clicked in Donatello's head, excitement took control. He leaped forward picking up the elderly rat and began spinning him around while entering the seating area as he started to slow his spinning down. Mikey and Leo ran in, there eyes wide at what they saw.
"WHAT THE?"
"Donnie, put him down."
Once the genius son realised what he was doing, he instantly placed their Sensei gently down in a chair and jumped to Leo and Mikey; pulling them both in a great big hug.
"He's alive!"
He laughed, overjoyed and highly thrilled. Mikey's face shot straight into the biggest smile his brothers had ever seen.
"NO WAY, Bro...!?!?"
He cheered and hugged just as thankful and excitedly into the embrace his big brother was providing. Leo's face remained serious but confused however, due to him needed just that little bit more information to be convinced.
"Donnie, how do you know?"
Donatello smiled, rather smugly in fact, and pointed to the TV. Leo averted his attention towards where his brother was pointing and caught some of the news report.
"The bar it's self was called the Hunters lodge and it was burned down during the early hours of this mourning, leaving the police to uncover a total of 14 dead human remains..."
The pacifist grinned, seeing Leo's face and his eye lit up in realisation. Leo's mouth turned to a smile of pure joy and the leader shot his sights back to his brain of a brother.
"Donnie!"
He gasped, feeling a tickle reignite with in him.
"OH MY GOD! Donnie, he is alive!"
Shockingly exclaimed Leo and grabbed both his sob happy giggling brothers into a hug of rejoice. Mikey was so emotional he had to wiped a tear from his eye. Of course, in his sorrow of love, he accidentally shoved his teary hand in Leo's face as he sobbed. He was meant to put it round his brother neck but it was a clumsy moment of pure happiness.
"You guys ... I just ... LOVE, you guy's."
Leo shook his head after Mikey's teary hand had smacked him in the face, but fought to ignore what his baby brother did and he focused on what he said.
"We Love you to, Mikey."
Proudly spoke the eldest of the ninja team. As the turtles finished off their hug, they all looked to see a bright smiling Sensei rat.
"Well, my son's, what are you waiting for? Go, find your brother."
Advised Splinter, his tone had returned back to their good old fatherly self and his happiness was obvious. Donnie questioned in concern, walking forward and stopping before his master.
"Sensei, will you be alright to watch over that young woman?"
"I am more than capable of looking after an unconscious young lady, Donatello."
The purple clad turtle set his sights to the floor with a sheepish mumble.
"Sorry, Sensei."
He forgets how well his father can handle himself should the situation turn violent, due to the look of the old rat.
"Do not be sorry Donatello, be honest, now go, my son!"
And on that command, all three brothers faced their Master, kneeled, bowed there heads and all replied in a spirited union.
"Yes, Master Splinter."
Splinter sighed in relief as he watched his 3 son's set off to find his missing boy, and their brother. They were still a four after all... question was... where was the stray turtle of the team?.
--
Top side; Early morning...
Raphael awoke to the strong smell of wet hair gel and the noise of a moving river. He rubbed his eyes to wake himself and then slowly massaged his head, while allowing a slight yawn to follow through.
"Aww... God. What happened?"
He muttered groggily to himself and began to feel the aches of the night. The turtle suddenly chocked and coughed in an effort to clear his throat, and he could taste smoke from the night he had just undergone. It was not pretty. Remembering Hun, Raph pinched his arm to see if the feeling was back from where that dragon Member had stuck him with a dart, and sure enough, it was.
His mind began to work - setting back to all the events of the past 24 hours and then it all flooded right back; The reason's of his surroundings, why his head hurts, why his jaw feels like its going to drop off and the explanation of the strong hair gel smell.
It was not Casey after all and it was not one of his tradition drunk nights out with the man.
Raphael fixed his attention towards an unconscious young male who looked to be in his late teens early twenty's form the turtle's estimate. The tempered ninja helplessly placed his hands back to his head, as he let out a groan.
"Man, did any one get the license plate number of the truck that hit me last night?... Oooo.. My head."
He gave himself a slight shake and frowned - narrowing his eyes at the male human. After staring at the motionless form for several moments, he got up and headed over to his new guest.
"Hey?"
Raphael gave the man a small kick to the leg and grunted.
"Hey, Wake up..."
The red clad turtle knelt down beside the human and placed his hand on his top left shoulder before giving the man a small shake and watched as he began to slowly come too.
"Ahh... wha? .. Wher, where am I?"
The young man give out little moans and even began to shake from the damp bitter morning chill they had awoke to.
"Who... Who are you?"
Raphael held his hand on the humans arm as he got his bearings and to brace him to get over the shock of the fact a big green mutant turtle was kneeling by the side of him.
Finally, James's dizziness slowly came to a stop as he finished looking around and he jolted as his eyes met Raph's.
"Whoa! ... what are you?"
'Man, I hate it when they can't tell!'
Mentally Grunted the unnerving turtle.
"I'm ah turtle."
He replied sarcastically. The guy scanned Raph, weary at first, but found himself following through with laugher.
"Ha! Well I've seen it all now."
Raph bit his tongue before saying something snide back, but the man looked like hell, so the temperamental turtle thought to give him some slack.
"You saved me last night, didn't ya??"
Asked James, the softest of smiles playing with his mouth. Raph, a little shocked by the calm reaction from the stranger, lifted his hand off James's shoulder and gave him a small smile.
"Yer remember then, do ya?"
"Sure I remember, it wasOH MY GOD!"
Panicked James, forgetting all about his busted hands as he threw them at the turtle in an attempt to grab Raph's arms.
"AHHHH!!!"
James screamed out in complete agony!
"FUCK!... BLOODY HELL!"
The temperamental ninja had turned his head, wincing his eyes at the utter pain this human must have been in. Slowly, after at least 15 second of hearing him mutter, hiss and curse the man fell into a growl and then soft hiss in pain. Raphael set his sights back to him, after he had calmed down and roared aggressively.
"WHAT HELL WAS THAT ABOUT?"
Snapped Raph.
"You some fuckin' psycho or somethin'?"
The guy laid there, whining faintly. His out bust was due to remembering his elegant lady friend.
"Keya!"
He gasped
"Wha...what happened to Keya, where is ... she?"
"Huh?"
Raph sounding a little dumbfounded as he ridged his brow half heartedly - giving a confused look to James before he began in a little hesitated voice.
"Keya?...who the Hells Key--"
The sudden pretty face of that black haired woman flickered before Raph's eyes and he caught on having a lecherously grin form on his muzzle.
"Oooo, yer must be on about the chick... Huh?"
James scrunched his face when seeing the turtle wink with a smug smirk as he said the word chick. Raph sighed, considerably softly, as he looked at some trees at the distance and described the woman they were on about.
"Yeah, pretty little thing, about 5.5, Fit, blackish hair, green eye's--"
"That's, KEYA!"
Barked James, narrowing his eyes at the turtle from his description of her and having god knows what running through his mind. The mutants eyes narrowed at the sudden harsh tone the male human was taking with him and it wasn't long before James tried shifted slightly, while scowling at the turtle.
"Where is she!?!? If you've hurt her I'll--"
"WHOA! Cool it there soldier, BOY!"
Growled and warned Raphael, jumping up hostilely to his feet and pointing aggressively at James with a large snarl.
"I just saved your life! If I wanted her, I would have just left you there ta fry! And beside's she isn't rally my, TYPE! .. Hence I'm ah TURTLE!"
The mans eyes widened having the look of regret enter them.
"Sorry! Sorry... I'm just ..."
He traced off in what he was saying as he looked to his two hands and focused on them. They were rather numb, but still powerfully painful. Raphael's anger drained out of him almost too quickly for his likening, he was feeling rather a lot of pity for this human. Why? He didn't know him and he didn't want to know him. The turtle slouched his shoulders, rolled his eyes and calmly spoke after glaring at the man for 10 seconds.
"No.. listen pal,..."
He was hesitant to James, like he was having difficulty speaking of something but he sounded much more friendly.
"I'm the ones who's,... Who's Sor,... Sorr--"
Raph paused as his throat tightened on him in trying to stop him from saying that apologetic word. James raised one eye brow, looking at the turtle who seemed to be having difficulty saying one word or was it that he was just speech impediment?
"Sorry?"
Offered the young man. Raphael offered a smile of thanks, now that he didn't have to say it, and clicked his fingers once in a happy motion.
"Yeah, that's the word. I mean, look at the night you've had... and then the next thing, havin' ta wake up to my ugly mug,"
The man chuckled a laugh and Raph gave a small grin as he sunk down slowly beside him. Maybe the mutant wasn't so bad in being nice after all? The red clad turtle continued adding levity to the situation, finding himself happy to be in a non aggressive conversation for a change.
"I mean hey, I've had 18 years of getting use to this, you've only had 18 minuets"
Raph joked as he pointed to his face while saying what he said. The man looked down, giggling but suddenly released a few unpleasant coughs. The red clad ninja gave a small smile as he folded his arms, looking almost proud of himself... he could be nice, it just took effort.
"I'm Raphael, by the way, but feel free ta call me, Raph."
The man nodded, regarding the rather magnificent being beside him and smiled his response.
"James."
Raph looked to the floor, pondering in thought, before he questioned as he took to his feet.
"Well James, can ya walk?"
James set his sights up at the turtle, giving him a small nod and wheezed as he tried to stand.
"Well, I could try."
James struggled to his feet, gaining a quick hand from Raphael as he helped him balance. However, within a split second, James's whole self took a turn for the worst. He helplessly dropped to the floor coughing and gagging.
"I Can't!.. My chest, it's so painful!"
He cried, making the turtle wince at the horrible sound this human was making in pure discomfort.
"I..I can't breathe properly!.. Raph, Help...!".
Painfully pleaded James. Raphael's whole self froze, not quite sure what to do! James kept coughing and his breathing was sketchy, it was like he was having a panic attack or drowning.
"JAMES!"
Snapped a frantic turtle. Raphael dropped to the floor by James and grabbed his shoulders - having no idea what to do... One second the human was fine, next, he's crying out for help. Trying to calm him down, Raph spoke as calmly as he could muster.
"James! look at me, focus!... calm your self."
"Raph .. HELP!"
James hissed before he continued coughing and chocking up blood uncontrollably. His eyes rolled round in his head and his body fitted under the fight he was putting up to stay in it. Raph's eyes watched the human while feeling his whole body rush with adrenaline as he saw this slow life taking experience happen right before him, and what pained him more, was he couldn't do any thing to help as he had no idea what was happing.
"JAMES! No!"
Raph growled as frustration got the better of him.
"DON'T DO THIS, MAN! STAY WITH ME! YOU'RE NOT OUT YET!"
He frantically shouted and ordered, his mouth twitched as he thought of shouting for James to stay with him and fight this but Raphael could see it was no use, the human before him was dieing, and in a most painful way to say the least.
James forced his eyes open and looked right to Raph's, instantly having a shocked connection made. Raphael had never seen anyone speak so many words with one look alone.
"Rah...Raph, plea.. Please,"
James began to talk, but his voice was shaky,
"Take strong care of Keya, PLEASE! Promise ME! Prom... Promise ME, RAPH!"
Raphael's eyes stayed on James's, with out wanting too. He felt sick seeing such a twisted sight take place. The hot headed turtle was not use to seeing such torment since he normally just killed his enemy outright and speared them the agony in suffering - unless he really took a disliking to them. For example, if Raphael ever caught a Rapist or paedophile he would take great pleasure in prolonging there suffering before mutilating them.
Raphael held his eyes to James's, having the question spin round in his head.
'Take care of Keya? what the hell!?!? I don't even know this chick, an she could end up freaking out and not takein' to kindly ta havin' someone like me watching over her. But there again, this guys got my nuts on a chopping board ... how the FUCK can I say no to him when he's dieing! How the fuck do ya tell some who's diein' when they have asked yer in there last breath to do something for them, an just say no? FUCK!, I'VE BEEN CALLED HEARTLESS BUT NOT EVEN I COULD SAY NO TO THIS!'
Raphael broke eye contact, bowing his head in honour to the man before him, and spoke his promising word.
"Till the end, James ... Till the end!"
The red clad turtles breathing was shaky; he felt sick and utterly useless. James's eye's winced together, shutting in pain, as he tensed up - giving out one final cry, before immediately going limp and realising a 'Thank You' in his last breath.
Raphael, slowly pulled his hands away, still with his head lowered in respect as he waited a few minuets and allowing the whole experience to sink in. He sat there on his haunches, completely dazed, looking at James's lifeless body and had the humans last word's echoing in his head. Eventually, the temperamental turtle let out a punching growl to the floor!
"FUCK!"
He snarled and with in a few minuets the depressing silence was broken. Raph heard a faint sound coming from behind him. He looked over his shoulder, stood up to face the direction the noise was coming from and pulled his one remaining Sai out, gripping it with force as he clenched his teeth and braced himself for company
The turtle needing a great anger release right now, so he was welcoming what ever wanted to face him on the other side of that shrub.
--
The three brothers had searched high and low for Raphael, but found nothing. Leonardo was slowly beginning to lose hope. He kept going over and over in his head, what place's to look, where to go, but nothing ... not a trace. Raph was always the better hider, he'd use his surrounding's and shadows to his advantage thus getting the surprise attacks on the enemies. He once told Leo that stealth was power. Leonardo understood that, but no one could use it more to there advantage than Raph.
As the three ran, Leonardo caught the faint smell of copper iron in the air. It gave off the discreet smell of blood and it had him stopped him dead in his tracking. Mikey and Donnie, quickly responded to his actions and watched as their leader pointed his arm out to the east of him and looked to his two bothers over his shoulder - indicating that's the direction there going in. They silently waited for Leo to give the signal to move and as he did, they crept over to a bush, still unaware of what was on the other side.
Donnie looked to Leo and he gave the order - simply by giving a quick nod of his head - and on that, all three turtles somersaulted over the bush simultaneously drawing their weapons before they landed right in to their fighting stance; only to be met face to face with Raphael!.
Instantly, Leonardo's eyes softened and he relinquished his Katana's dropping them to the floor. Mikey stepped forward first, shaking his head in disbelief while a big beaming smile made itself known upon his muzzle.
"Raph?... Is it really...wwhhhoaa!!!!!!!!"
The youngest sibling, pounced forward, taking his red clad brother to the floor and attacked him with hugs and kisses. Raph's face scrunched up at the assault and he moved his head from side to side - trying to avoid Mikey's attack. The hot headed turtle was utterly confused by this considerably gay greeting from his baby bro.
"What the?!?!?!"
He shouted out
"Get off of Me, Mikey!"
Michelangelo continued his emotional onslaught, completely ignoring his wonderful brothers snarling. Raph opened one eye, and looked up to Donatello, gasping.
"Donnie, would yer give meOH WHAT THE FUCK!?!?!"
The temperamental turtle snapped out and struggled some more. Before Raph finished his question, Donatello was there also on the floor - hugging him as well. Of course, the purple clad even pushed his luck in giving Raph a few kisses and hearing quite a nasty growl of protest from the red clad ninja.
Something about how the two offending turtles are going to have their weapons shoved up an orifice where the sun don't shine if they don't back off.
Raph let out a large growl, trying to struggle out of there grasp. Mikey had never felt so strong in his life, and when Donnie latched on as well, it was like trying to lift total dead weight. Frustrated in what was going on, the tempered shell of rage continued his struggle.
"GRRAAHHHH!!!!"
Leonardo stood there, remaining silent and smiling so peacefully at the 3 on the floor. He felt himself go as light as cotton itself.
'My brother is alive!'
He thought.
'...And kicking, right in front of me... quit literally on the kicking part.'
The turtle leader found himself dropping to his knees and letting out the biggest sigh of relief ever.
"Raph, your alive!"
He sounded softly. Raphael struggled up, gasping for air and faintly replied.
"Of course I'm alive!!! but I won't be fer long if these two have any thing ta do with it..."
His voice got weaker and fainter due to lack of oxygen from Mikey's overly tight squeeze, causing Leonardo to give out a laugh.
"Okay guys, give him some air."
Donnie let go of Raph, regarding his leader with the biggest smile Leo had ever see him do. However... Mikey on the other hand, remained locked on his red clad brother and just let Raph go just enough so he could get his breath back. The baby brother of four began to cry, pushing his head in slightly at the top of Raph's chest just under his chin and he snuggled in with a soft whisper.
"We thought we had lost ya, bro."
Mikey sobbed causing tears began to glaze Leo's eyes.
Both Donnie and the blue clad turtle watched as Raphael grit his teeth while shutting his eyes after hearing those words. With a silent few second, Raph quickly braced himself for the emotional episode he was going to undergo any minuet, especially now that his baby brother was crying.
The temperamental turtle had to take full control of his emotions, for he would be dammed, if he was to cry in front of his brothers or any one for that matter. Raphael lifted both arms, with a silent sigh and placed them around Mikey; gently hugging him in.
Raphael didn't hate his brother's but he found it hard to express his emotions willingly, he was a little awkward that way. Michelangelo sobbed a little more, grateful for the kind comfort his big brother was providing.
Leonardo and Donatello, didn't really know of the special world Raphael and Mikey had built together but it was a world that only they knew about.
"Hey, Mikey,"
Raph softly whispered, tight to Mikey's ear so it merely sounded like a mumble to the other two.
"I'm not goin' any where, bro, I'll always be here... you of anyone should know that."
The red clad ninja felt Mikey nod - understanding what he was saying, so he continued in a whisper.
"I'm yer guardian angel Mike's, yer not gonna get rid of me that easily."
Mikey's sobs slowly started to stop. He just kept his head snuggled to Raph's chest - listing to his heart and keeping a firm hold of him; never wanting to let go for fear he was actually dreaming and any minuet now he was going to wake up.
"I love you, Raphie."
Gently whispered the loving words of his baby brother, and it felt like a stab through the heart to Raphael. Raph had a feeling he was going to be hearing those words from Mikey right now and he wasn't as prepared for them as he had hoped. Mikey was so upset and emotional and the red clad turtle knew that no matter how many times he thought was ready to hear them words, it always hit him hard.
Raph grit his teeth as those word's hit home, and he closed his eyes, feeling they were glazing with tears so he slyly hid his face from Leo and Donnie.
The hot headed turtle had wanted so many times just to say how he felt, but his stubborn male tough guy pride stopped him every time and he hated himself for it! Raphael envied his brothers... especially Michelangelo. They could all so willingly express their feelings with out no trouble. Leonardo was the more difficult one out of those 3, but out of the four, Raphael won hands down every time!.
And it was not something he was proud of.
This was a rare sight to see, as Raph very! Rarely! showed any emotion, unless it was anger or vengeance; something hurtful, anyway.
Raphael had always had a soft spot more for Mikey than the other two and it wasn't a deliberate thing, but something had happened many years ago and from there on, Raph saw his baby brother in the brightest light there ever was. No matter how pissed off the red clad ninja was with Mikey, he always stuck up for the little orange clad ninja and protected him.
He protected all his brothers when they were out patrolling, of course! It was a natural instinct, but if they were in the lair - where the most dangerous thing was Leonardo's cooking - then Mikey was safe 100% there too ... as long as he didn't try Leonardo's cooking.
Raphael would side with Mikey every time if there was a problem between the four brothers. Leonardo and Donatello knew this, they just didn't know why? Mikey knew this too, and sometimes, took advantage. Like he would creep in to Raph's bedroom in the morning and blob some whipped cream to his sleeping brothers hand, then tickle his noise with a feather, thus having the reaction of Raphael swearing he's going to kill him and make his death a very slow one.
Mikey had a laugh winding him up, but one of Mikey's favourite times was when they would all sit on the couch and watch movies all night. Another one of his favourite's, was sneaking into Raph's bedroom after everyone's gone to bed and complain he's having nightmares and he doesn't want to be alone. Raphael would ask the same question every time while giving him the same shifty look.
~~"Did any one see you come in here?"
"Nope"~~
Mikey would watch Raph eye him suspiciously before he would shift over and lift his bed covers, allowing Mikey to climb in and under them. The orange clad turtle would sound joyfully at the usual reaction.
~~"Yey, thanks Raphie!"
"Yeah, Yeah, just get outta here by 6, yer got that!"
"Got it bro."
"An Mikey..."
"Yeah?"
"I Don't think I have ta warn ya not--"
"Not ta say a damn word about this."
"Hmm... Smart ass!"
"Hehe, Night, night Raph!"
"Night."~~
Leonardo and Donatello didn't know what it was, but something about Mikey would bring out a slightly more lenient side to Raphael. Though, Raph would pull himself right back into his shell the second he thought he was over doing it a bit to much.
Leonardo put it down to the temperamental turtle must of always had the image that Mikey was the baby and needed protecting no matter how big or old he got, nothing was ever going to change that. Mikey was still his baby brother, so Raph saw it as his job to look out for him, as it was Leonardo's job to look out for all three of his little brothers.
Both the blue and purple clad ninja watched Raphael take a slow deep breath and tighten his hug a little to Mikey. But what they were unaware of was what he was whispering.
"I'm gonna kill yer, you know what I'm like in situations like this."
Mikey chuckled a little, still sounding in their quiet little voices.
"I know bro, but I just wanted to tell you I do and I never ever want you ta leave us again!"
"I won't, Mike's."
Raph assured his brother with the softest of whispers, ensuring Leo and Donnie didn't hear him. The two sibling both embraced each other a few more seconds, getting caught up in the moment and once Mikey had stopped crying, Raph looked over to Leo, then to Donnie; realising the full class of the situation, he cleared his throat and began to break hugs with Mikey a little awkwardly.
As the red clad ninja let go, Mikey looked up and smiled to him. Raph gave a small-embarrassed smile back, with a whine to cover himself basically and to get him back into his shell.
"Ahh, Mikey!"
The orange clad turtle understood what he was doing.
"Ya big knucklehead... why'd ya have ta say those things for?"
The youngest turtle shrugged and laughed - up lifting the mood with a small insult to help ease Raph's conscience.
"Hey, I got caught up in the moment Bro, and I made ya feel something proving ya do have a heart after all.. Ne haha..haha..."
Raphael smiled secretly, gratefully for that small wise crack, but it didn't stop is normal reaction. The red clad turtle jumped up and shook his fist at Mikey while growling his name just before he grabbed the youngest and put him in a head lock.
"I'll give ya some thing ta feel!"
He sarcastically snarled. The orange clad turtle laughed as Raph noogied him roughly.
Leo stood up, enjoying the sounds of laughter coming from Mikey once again and put away his Katana's... As he done this, Donnie walked over to an unconscious man on the ground and noticed the blood trail from the mans mouth.
"Hey Raph, who's this?"
Nervously asked the pacifist. Raphael quickly stopped what he was doing with a sharp spin round on his heels.
"Don't touch him!"
He warned in a growl. They all looked to the snarling turtle with confused stares and it was Leo that moved forward in question.
"Why not, Ra--"
"He's Dead!"
Sneered the tempered turtle, swiftly interjecting his leader and making his point clear.
"He's been dead for about 10 minuets now."
The 3 brothers heard the pain in Raph's voice as he spoke. Raphael hated his rescue missions to end in the death of the one he tried to save, it really got to him, a little more so than his family thought. Leo averted his eyes to the floor as he asked a rather grim question.
"Was this the guy you went back in the bar for?"
Raph clamped his teeth, with a tough sigh, as he relaxed and gave a small nod.
"Yeah,"
Regarding the male human with the slightest of respectable smiles, Raph was silently thanking him as he spoke.
"He was a good guy, if it weren't for him I really would have been dead for sure."
Mikey advanced forward with a questionable look.
"What'ch mean, Raph?"
The turtle in question, regarded all three of his brothers, while taking in a deep breath and began the nights tail.
"The second I got in there, I was lost, the place had changed with in a matter of minuets. I began coughin' an my eye sight was blurrin', the heat was so intense, anyway, as I searched the floor for this guy he finally gave out a moan indicating where he was,... but just as I got to him and helped him out, I was attacked--"
"By Who?"
Questioned Donnie. Raph grunted, folding his arms in that casual stance he likes to portray.
"By sir ugly, himself. Hun was still in there.. He crept up behind me giving my a taste of his knuckle sandwich as I turned to see who was there... After that he went to cave me in with a chair and me not seeing very well and the fact the place was falling down around us an nearly frying us, I decided to cut the fight short, so I."
Raphael slyly winced his eyes and hissed, looking to Leo before he said what it was he done, knowing ol' honour bound fearless was not going to approve of what he done.
"I Err, ... kicked in his... Knee caps."
And right to the know how, Leonardo's eyes jerked open wide to the sound of that.
"You did what?!?!?"
He exclaimed, sounding more shocked than he had meant.
"Hey, desperate times caused for desperate actions,"
Raph was quick to defend himself.
"I had to, Leo, it was the only way. There was no time for honour at that point and the place was cooking us alive!"
Leo sighed, rubbing his temples and averted his eyes to the floor, unintentionally sounding that sigh of disappointment.
"Did He get out?"
Raph shrugged, thinking about it.
"I err... don't know, last I saw was 'im screaming I'm ah dead turtle. So I'm sorry, but I wasn't hanging round to help that fucker out when I was only going back in fer him."
Raph pointed to James's lifeless body in making a point.
"Anyway, by the time I had done all that, the exit door had been barricaded with planks of wood and the ceiling had gone, so I was there tryin' ta find a way out, when James, pointed me in the right direction. We managed to escape with in seconds of the building falling down."
When Raphael stopped talking, Donnie got up and slowly paced towards him with one eye ridged as he questioned slyly.
"So, why didn't you make your way over to us?,
His tone was boarder line tainted with animosity but worry.
"We were standing right on the other side, at least we would HAVE KNOWN YOU WERE ALIVE !".
He shouted, allowing anger to take control. Raph placed one foot forward, tightening both hands into fist's and scowling back.
"Hmm...? that's a good question,"
He snarled through clenched teeth.
"Mind if I answer it for ya with giving ya TWO BLACK EYES!"
Donnie advanced forward, as if accepting Raph's challenge and had Leonardo instantly intercept as he saw this as a safe time to step in.
"Whoa, cool it Donnie boy. Raph, YOU TOO!"
He ordered. They both looked away from each other and heard Donatello muttered sorry under his breath. Raph on the other hand, didn't say a word, he just continued scowling at the floor and clenching and unclenching his fists. Leonardo folded his arms, and spoke, trying to be the voice of reason.
"Now, we have had one HELL of a long night guys. We're all tired, hungry and very stressed, so we're going to be grouchy and start saying things or doing things we are going to regret later!"
He set his sights from both Donatello and Raphael, making sure they were listening.
"Now I suggest we head home, have something to eat and get some sleep. Master splinter won't mind looking after the girl a few more hours and April and Casey will be over later to talk about the bar, so we are ALL! going to need our rest!"
Mikey stepped forward, timidly putting himself into the conversation.
"Leo, what should we do about him?"
He asked, trying to be respectful in his tone. The leader turtle looked to James's body, and then to Raph.
"We'll have to take him with us, clean him up and wait for the girl to come round. We can brake the news and allow her to say her goodbyes. Of course, we'll have to hold a funeral for him and then we'll see where it goes from there"
The red clad turtle gave a small nod in agreement, before hearing Leo ask.
"Raph, would you carry him back to the lair?"
Raphael slyly tensed up and his eye's shut with a silent sigh. He set his attention to James, and headed towards the body when suddenly he felt the blue clad turtle's hand rest on his shoulder.
"I'm REALLY glad you're alive, Raph."
The elder male said, offering the softest of smiles to him. Raphael merely looked to Leo's hand on his shoulder then to his face - saying nothing - before shrugging his brothers hand off and gruffly muttering under his breath in an iced manner.
"Whatever..."
Leo's head turned to the floor with a disheartened sigh and he grit his teeth at Raph's coldness before forcing himself to disregard it once again and then began walking to the nearest manhole, closely followed by his brothers...
At least they were a 4 again.