A/N: Hiiiiii: I know, Im a liar I said I would update like 2 weeks ago and I am so sorry about that but look! updated less than a month this time :D But I just wanted to announce how happy I am because Cherish won 3rd place for best romance in universal readers and I am incredibly happy and thankful for my readers for putting my stories on the map! Now lets get Proving a Point some recognition (: (Only if I post on time I knowwww)
Till next time!
-F
Red
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Ringing.
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A strong ringing noise in Raphael's head, singing like the heavens gracing him with their presence. He would of expected the whites and blues of the entrance of the holy gate with that noise.
No.
He might as well been in hell.
He opened his eyes slowly, barely peering out, feeling his head swim in confusion. All he knew is that his body was aching. He tried to move, feeling himself indented into something. It was some sort of metal. The smell gave away the identity of the garbage can under him. He must have landed on it to break his fall.
It was so hot, and his head was swimming. Everything, everything happened so quickly. He could feel the stinging in his leg, the pain he was feeling throughout the rest of his body was masking the venom in his bloodstream enough for him to realize he needed to move. He could hear debris falling around him, the air getting thick with smoke.
The ringing.
So much ringing.
He was feeling nothing but panic and guilt and all he knew was that he knew needed to move.
"Meet at the roof."
He has a destination. He just needed to move.
Maybe he was in hell, because all he was seeing was red.
Leo stood at the edge of the building looking over the burning building in the distance. They were far out enough to not be seen, but close enough to keep eye on the upcoming assistance. Donnie got off the scanner and placed it back in his bag.
"Police scanner says the fire department should be here in 5. We should probably get moving." He offered. Leo stood where he was. Donnie understood why Leonardo was refusing to leave, waiting to have confirmation Raph and Mikey were okay. But, the chip that hit Leo's arm made a pretty deep incision on his bicep and Donatello was determined to get it fixed up before it started to get infected.
"Leo come on, they'll meet us back at the lair. We need to look at your arm." Donnie said, placing the USB in his pocket on his belt so he wouldn't lose it.
"I'm fine." Leo responded in a flat tone, refusing to move from his stance. Donnie huffed, sure he was worried for Raph and Mikey too considering the volume of the fire but he wasn't worried enough to believe that they were dumb enough to stick around for too long. He could tell his older brother was in pain considering how strongly he was grabbing at his lower arm, keeping steady he assumed. Donatello watched the blood slide down Leo's arm and couldn't think of that sort of dedication to even ignore a gash like that.
How intimidating.
A rattling caught their attention. They looked over to see Raph climbing up the fire escape, obviously impaired from his wobble up the flights.
"Raph!" Donnie yelled, running over with speed along with Leo right on his tracks.
Raphael didn't register anyone calling his name, the ringing was still far too loud to understand his surroundings too thoroughly. He made it to the 3rd flight of the fire escape before his leg gave out immediately, making him fumble hard against the metal stairs.
"Got you." Donnie said, hopping down on the platform and immediately went to grab under Raphael's arm with Leo mimicking the move on the other side. With strength, the two pulled Raph up straight and brought him up to the roof where they placed him propped up on the air conditioner. Donnie took a quick mental note of the injuries across Raphael body and immediately saw the slash across his calf.
"Raph what happened?" He tried to ask. Raph has his eyes squinted, grunting out the pain and woozy feeling from the poison he thought he might pass out.
Leo looked to see the battle wounds and couldn't help but to wonder if Mikey suffered any of his own. Speaking of, where is Mikey?
Leo looked around and over the side of the roof to see if Mikey was just struggling behind but didn't see his orange banded lover anywhere. Leo started to feel anxious. He walked back over to the air conditioner to see Donnie pulling out his emergency aid kid to clean up any immediate wounds on Raphael.
"Where's Mikey?" Leo asked. It was as if in that moment Raphael felt sober. Mikey.
His last memory of his little brother being engulfed in flames. His hands suddenly growing clammy because in this very moment, he was scared of Leonardo.
Raph looked up at his eldest brother to him so stern and confused. He tried not to sob.
"Raph where is he?" Leo asked again.
Raphael just stared at him, his clouded thoughts coming up with the future events and seeing a future of a broken family.
With no words, he looked past Leo to the burning anything and allowed a choked noise to escape past his lips. Leo followed his eyes and his blood ran cold.
Raph left his other half to burn along with all of the Foots secrets.
"No.." Leo whispered. Donnie dropped his roll of wrap as he felt everything grow a little warmer, a little heavier. He could see the ticking time bomb on Leo's person and Raph was the target. Donnie stood up, ready to get in between if needed but Leo began to back up.
"What floor?" Leo asked looking as though he was out of breath.
"What?" Donnie asked.
"What floor were you on Raph!" He yelled. His fingers twitched he was filled with so much energy. This was too much energy. Raph didn't speak, he only held back a sob. Leonardo didn't have time for this. Donnie was reading his mind.
"Wait Leo wait!" Donnie Yelled, watching as Leonardo turned on his heel and dashed for the building.
"Shit!" Donnie yelled, pacing back and forth for a moment before turning to Raph. "Stay here Don't move!" With that he ran after his eldest toward the fire. Raphael sat there, motionless as he watched his leader and his intelligent brother to go find a body that they would never recover.
Leo didn't even think when he saw the flames, not a care for the burning sensation hitting his face as he got closer to the burning ash. He needed to find Mikey. He needed to save him. He got to the farthest part of the cleared roof, closest to the building to see its foundation was already beginning to crumble. He didn't care.
Instinct told him where to go, finding the one opening back into the tower and charged towards it. He didn't know what floor they were on, what they were doing or how Raph was the only one to get out. All Leo knew was that he needed to search every floor for his Mikey. He wouldn't stop till he did.
With grace, he pounced off the neighboring roof and glided towards one of the higher floors, blasting through the glass and rolled to his feet, hid body instinctively being mindful of his injured arm. When he stood he immediately choked at the lack of oxygen this falling temple had to offer. He coughed, taking in the smoke and flame into his lungs, feeling as though they would collapse. He needed to hurry.
"Mikey!" He yelled but received no response. He began to maneuver his way deeper in when a pillar fell over, almost knocking him off his feet but quickly dodged. When he moved too quickly, he ran right into some burning debris.
"Gah-ah!" He yelled, grasping at his arm which was once again punctured again this night.
He was getting hot, almost light headed from the lack of air and heat.
"Mikey!" He tried again, getting nothing in return but sounds of sparks and thuds. He felt the foundation under his feet begin to crumble. He jumped back at the floor beneath him fell through revealing the lower level.
His vision was starting to bur. He looked around frantically in hopes maybe Mikey was here. Hoping he was here.
A bust of coughs left his body, causing his chest to constrict. He fell to his knees, trying to duck away from the amount of smoke in his chest. He stayed there for a long while, wheezing in pain.
A crash caught his attention from his side and could see green legs running towards him.
"Mikey.." Leo whispered in relief, glad to see familiarity and happy to know his actions weren't in vain.
Those hopes were diminished when Donnie came into view, bending down to help Leo up. The Blue banded turtle didn't fight while being assisted since he could barely function with the amount of smoke in his lungs. He felt Donnie place something over his mouth, breathing slightly easier feeling the cotton against his snout. Donnie used all his strength to balance Leo on his side as he lead them out towards the closest window. Another shake in the building gave Donnie the sense of urgency to get out of there as soon as possible. He was able to dodge the falling foundation and made it to the closest window, bashing through it and hopping out with Leo down to the ground.
They didn't spend much time on the floor, hearing the sirens in the distance.
"Come on!" Donnie urged, pushing Leo towards the ally way as he continued to cough out the last of the smoke. Leo stumbled but made it through to the alley, falling to his knees immediately once the shadows covered them.
He was choking profusely, lungs burning like an ashtray. He gripped his throat, trying to develop saliva to moisten his throat. He coudn't stop breathing to quickly, eyes wide like saucers.
Mikey was in there. He was still in there. He turned quickly and within that moment, the building came down.
"NO!" Leo yelled, being pushed back by the amount of dust and debris that came flying at them. Donnie took cover behind a trash can and Leo kept low, bringing an arm up to protect his eyes, feeling the rocks hitting against his arm.
When it all settled, Leo removed his arm slowly, and looked ahead and felt every part of his body restrict. The building came down.
Mikey was still in there.
He's still in there.
Leo stayed crouched, feeling his heart beating so quickly against his chest plate. He felt a piece of him was lost, lost in that building, that fire.
He promised.
He promised he would be okay. He said he would come back.
He promised.
Every inch of Leo's body stung and twitched. His breathing erratic from panic and anxiety.
He fucking promised.
Raph.
Leo's body froze, realization hitting him like a sledgehammer. Raph was there.
He caused this.
He broke Mikey's promise.
Inaudible jabber caught his attention seeing Donnie gripping at his arm, probably telling him to move.
He was going to move.
He was going back up to the roof.
He was slipping.
Leo stood up quickly, catching Donatello's attention but wasn't expecting Leo's master speed to beat him up to the roof.
Leonardo wasn't feeling pain right now. He wasn't feeling hurt, and stress.
He was feeling rage.
Donatello could sense the change in behavior and needed to keep up with Leo up to the roof or else Raphael was going to be ripped to shreds.
Raphael gridded his teeth, feeling the burn of the slash and the swimming thoughts. He felt like there was a thousand voices screaming at once in his head. He felt it all. The rage, the guilt, the utter suspense of what will happen next.
Leo got up on the roof and saw his incapacitated brother and all he saw was red.
"What did you do?" He growled, throat still raw from the fire. Raph felt the stinging sensation of fear. Maybe it was the poison, maybe it was the exhaustion but in that moment he thought he had seen Leo become a wild animal.
Donnie came up quick from the stairs and saw Leo's line of direction to Raph who was still perched against the air conditioning. This Leo was scary, this Leo was was determined and more importantly;
He was deadly.
Donnie thought quick, latched one to Leo with all he had and held onto him like an anchor.
"The hell did you do Raph!" Leo hollered. Raph just sat there overwhelmed. He needed to leave.
"Leo that's enough!" Donnie demanded, forcing Leo to look at him but it wasn't working. "This isn't the time or place for this we need to go!" Leo's canines were out like a dog, face scrunched. Donnie knew he was putting himself in the way of a serious beating but if it meant keeping Leo from losing his cool it was worth.
"I trusted you Raph!" Leo continued to yell at the red banded turtle. "You left him there you son of a bitch you left him!" Leo's character was immediately breaking. He was hurt, hurt deeper than he would ever admit. He could see Raph was fighting back tears. Whether it was from remorse, fear or guilt, Leonardo didn't care.
"I trusted you." Leo said, breathing heavily. Raphael just stared. Leo couldn't stand to look at him any longer.
He shook off Donnie and started to walk in the other direction.
"Leo stop he have to retreat!" he yelled. "Raph's injured and I need to look at your wounds!" Donnie reached for Leo but he continued to walk.
"I have to find him." Leo said getting closer to the edge.
"Leo it's too late the building is down and swarming with people. There's no chance." He tried to reason.
"I'm going to find him. I need to." Leo countered.
"You need to get home and look at your arm!" Donnie reached for him once more but this time Leo pushed back, pushed enough to bring out his blade and make a distance between he and Donnie.
"I need you to step away." Leo said clear and cut. "I'm going to find Mikey if its the last thing I do and you do not want me in the vicinity of him right now." He threatened, referring to Raphael. "If Michelangelo isn't found it could compromise us all." Donnie stood there and took in his brothers conditioned and could see his stoic self was starting to fully unravel.
Without another word, Leo jumped off the side of the roof.
"Leo wait!" Donnie called out but his brother had already taken to the shadows and disappeared into the floating smoke covering beneath. Donnie stood there for a moment, mind bottled on what to do. Everything got so out of control so quickly.
He took a few deep breaths and had to trust that Leo wouldn't get caught. His mind was going in a million different directions. The only thing he knew for sure was to get Raph home and take care of those wounds. He couldn't think about Leo right now.
Mikey.
Donnie shook it off. Not right now. One thing at a time.
Donnie turned back to see that Raph was no longer by the air conditioner.
"Raph?" He looked around. "Raph!" Donnie searched every inch of the roof for clues as to where the injured turtle might of gone but no luck. Donnie swallowed a few times and sat down next to the unit and tried to regulate his breathing. Everything came down so hard. Just like the building. Just like his family. And here he was, alone with his thoughts as the sirens continued to blare, clouding his mind as he tried to process Raphael got Michelangelo killed.