Howday! This is so fun! I'm really excited about what's going to happen! Seriously! It's going to get crazy...soon. Poor guys! Anyway, thanks for reading!
Disclaimer: Heck no! I own nothing!! And I love it!
Chapter II: You Look Lost Friend
"It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend."
William Blake
It was a monsoon, raging and deadly. Soon the whole village would be flooded. There was nearly half a foot of warm water on the marshy jungle ground. With time weathered walls, the ancient temple was a dry home.
Leonardo sat against a glassless window. Although it was drier, inside the temple was stuffy, too warm. Beside him grew the shallow pool, and the raindrops that continued to fill it. It just wouldn't stop, the rain. For three long days, Leo stayed within the carved walls for protection. Sometimes a visitor would drop in. Mostly they were harmless snakes, monkeys, picas, and rats. However; not all visitors were friendly.
A deep growl disturbed Leo's meditation. In the temple's unlighted distance glowed two orange cat eyes. The jungle held dangers like corrupted bandits and jaguars. This jaguar was not intent on sharing his newly found refuge from the storm.
"You look lost, friend." Leo took out one katana sword. Lazily he outstretched it, but he knew that wouldn't be enough to deter the animal. The jaguar slowly paced in front of Leo. It seemed to analyzing the situation; waiting for an opening for attack.
"I don't want to kill you." Leo said slowly. It was nearly twilight, and then the jaguar would have a technical advantage. No matter how good of a ninja Leo was, or that he lived in the dark sewers for twenty years, turtles don't see well in the dark.
Leo stood which threatened the large cat into an attack. The cat pounced with a terrifying roar, but Leo easily evaded with a side jump. The jaguar realigned then leaped again; this time missing my a mere two inches. The left claw had shredded into Leo's brown habit. The fabric tore too easy due to the cheapness of it.
There was no choice. With two slashes of the twin swords, Leo watched the cat slump to the ground dead. In the dying gray light of day, the cat looked so fallen. Blood began to pool around the beast, and Leo stood there staring at it until darkness finally fell.
Wind began to blow faster, and the rain whipped into every crack in the temple. The jungle sounds of nature were completely drowned from the raging roars of the storm. Leo could smell the fresh blood on his blades.
He had to leave. Using his hand against a strong wall to guide him, Leo made his way further into the chambers. Lightning still flashed, illuminating the carvings on the wall. Reaching down, Leo found his survival pack. Inside he blindly found the matches, and nearby was the fire pit from the night before. Soon the inner chambers were lighted by orange fire. Fire always made the ancient carvings seem alive with the flickering of the flames. The walls seemed to crawl with Moche people.
Looking at the blood on his sword, Leo remembered reading something about ancient cultures. They had practiced in the religious and pagan practice of human sacrifice. Once those walls were flooded with the cries of captured soldiers or some poor farmer or virgin. On the top of the temple still stood a broken alter Leo studied earlier, and it had old marks from a sword. Blood possibly had once slipped through cracks on that alter. Now blood was gone; something gone yet remembered.
Was this something Splinter wanted him to learn? Leo sat watching the flames. Now is when he missed his sensei and brothers. Here where the silence grew like darkness after dusk. Leo laughed sadly when he first realized how much he missed those things that use to annoy him. He missed Mikey's jokes, loud laughing, overuse of the term 'dude', and overall Mikey cheerfulness. He missed Don interrupting his meditation sessions to test out the newest invention, and their long philosophical debates. He missed meditating with Splinter, and listening to his wisdom. Heck, he even missed Raph's temper and endless banter.
He missed them all. It had been a year, but he still hadn't finished his mission. Feeling lost as a failure, Leo leaned his head against the stone. He didn't feel like being the Ghost of the Jungle anymore. He felt like going home. However; that meant going home a failure. That was something Leo couldn't not allow to happen.
No matter how lonely the road.
Don and Mikey arrived home well before Raph and well after Splinter fell asleep. Between them was an unspoken law of silence until they were safely home. They had even walked home without a word; which was proving the impossible with Mikey. Don was almost positive that with something this…magnitude would have Mickey bubbling with questions. However the orange banded turtle only looked silently sad which only increased Don's anger.
"How could he do this to us again?" Don demanded finally. The question wasn't directed at Mikey or anyone in particular. It was just Don's way of releasing the rage in the best way he knew how- by asking hypothetical questions.
Mikey slumped on the arm chair but felt too emotional broken to turn the TV on. Don paced behind the beaten sofa in fuming frustration. Mikey numbly entertained an ironic thought. Don, the normally clam one, was acting more and more like Leo and Raph. Roles were being switched again and again with no warning or reason. Was this just another way of growing up? Did they have to change so dramatically?
But, right then Mikey didn't want to think. Today began with being beaten by youngsters with waffle bats, and the day ended in finding his older brother playing the lone hero for a living. Mickey wasn't mad. He just felt confused like someone took a bat to his brain. He didn't want to feel or think about anything.
Don was still storming but less murderously. Finally Mikey's brother tiredly flopped on the sofa. Don's eyes stared at the ceiling with no energy. Suddenly thick green fingers began to pull at his mask. Don didn't fight as Mikey easily slid off the purple mask from tired eyes.
Then there was a tired, mask-less baby brother on the other end of the sofa. Purple and orange bands were held loosely in his hands. There was something symbolic in that, Don thought dryly. Leo, with his philosophical mind, would figure that one out. He always thought so deeply into that type of stuff.
"Let's...just get some rest." Don offered. He was just about to roll onto his side when a sniffle caused his eyes to widen. Sitting up strait, Don sadly watched a sniffling Mikey.
Mikey was crying.
Mikey hadn't cried since his fight with Raph seven months ago. Mikey had suffered broken legs, arms, and such wounds that would have a seasoned soldier balling like a baby. They had been up against such odds and life threatening stress that would have a stable psychologist babbling like a child. However; these wounds and this stress was something worse. The family was broken. Even at the age of twenty, Mikey was abandoned by those he loved above himself.
"Mikey." Don whispered, scooting over. Mickey leaned into Don's embrace yet he held on to the mask to his plastron. Resting his chin on top of Mickey's head, Don let one tear fall.
This was something that not even Don could fix.
He felt good. Almost perfect in fact; jumping from roof to roof. True the armored suit was heavy and made the jumps hard, but it was so worth it. He felt invincible, complete, and free.
Reaching his bike, Raph looked to the East and the graying sky. Good things in life never last longer than a night. Early bird traffic slowed him slightly on his way back to the camouflaged garage. Surprised, Raph still found Mickey's van still there. Normally after his late night fights, Raph would find his youngest brother already gone to some birthday party in Brooklyn or somewhere.
Actually, Raph hadn't seen much of his brothers. Mostly their interactions were few and far between. Mikey hardly spoke to Raph. The Cowabunga Carl job seemed to take a lot out of him.
Don was another issue. Each time was getting worse than the last. Don was disgusted with Raph's attitude, and Raph was angry of Don calling him on it. Day and day passed and Don was becoming more like Leo. Wasn't one bad enough? Raph thought that high and mighty attitude was shipped to South America. What was worst was Don was the younger brother.
Hadn't they already had their tragedy seven months ago? Don failed as leader. The team was broken. This should have ended brotherly interference in Raph's personal life, right?
Speaking of the braniac, why was he up so early? Sitting at the kitchen table, Don sipped at his coffee mug. The lair smelled of dark coffee with no sugar. Raph didn't hate coffee; he just had other methods of waking up.
Raph looked at Don who bluntly ignored the other's presents. Was Don still angry about their last conversation? Raph shrugged. Last night's conversation ended with Raph storming off, and Don getting another lecture from Splinter.
Just when he was about to go up to his room, Raph turned hearing a sad whimper from the sofa. Walking over, Raph saw a very sad sight. Mikey was tucked in with two blankets, and a most washcloth over his eyes. Grimacing, Raph saw how sick Mikey was. The skin was pale, and despite the blankets, the youngest still shivered and whimpered in a feverish dream.
"When did this happen?" Raph asked with a barely visible tone of concern.
Don took a deep breath to clam himself before answering, "Last night. He was complaining about being so tired."
Stretching, Raph murmured something. "Moron. He should take better care of himself. Guess I'll go to bed now."
With one push of a button, Don had closed the upper levels with the flood tight doors. Raph stood there blinking up at iron doors. He glared at Don who sat there glaring back.
"Yo, Einstein, open the door."
Don shock his head, "No. Since you like doing things on your own, why don't you just open the door yourself?"
"What is this really about?" Raph demanded, growing impatient of Don's word games.
Don growled, "How long did you think you could keep your second life a secret, Raphael? Or should I start calling you Nightwatcher from now on?"
Raph's face froze in shock before he whispered, "Oh…hell."
Don looked at Splinter's closed door. Raph panicked, "You didn't!"
"No!" Don shot him back, "Give me more credit than that, Raph! Splinter doesn't know so don't worry. Funny isn't it, this isn't the first time we had to lie to father for you. At least you not shot this time, huh?" Don motioned for his lab and the sound proof wall. For once Raph followed without the slightest resistance.
After Don closed the door, he said, "I'm not mad anymore. I'm just…confused. I just want to know why."
Raph growled in frustration. He knew Don deserved an answer. In the end, Raph knew he couldn't keep this up for long. It did surprise him that Don wasn't mad. Heck, if the roles switched…
"Just tell me why, Raph."
Light was something manufactured down in the sewers; making things look fake compared to healthy sunshine above. Don's room was littered with disemboweled devices and blueprints of future dreams. He wasn't the messiest turtle, but he was a far cry from Leo's immaculate room.
Don hoisted himself on his clean working table watching as Raph paced like a caged tiger. He wanted to be there for Raph and to try to understand. But, Don would not let Raph's sharade break an already broken family. Something like this would be the final breaking point for them all, but they would get through this. They had to.
"There's a lot of reasons." Raph finally answered, his voice wavering. "I…I just couldn't sit here and do nothing. I couldn't accept that the good days were gone. I-I just remembered all the good we once did, and I couldn't accept that just because Leo's gone that we…"
Raph wasn't the best for explanations for his actions. Deep down, Don believed Raph's intentions were good, they always were. Raph was a rouge who thought things done alone was the best tactic.
"…that we no longer care." Don finished for him. Raph sighed yet again signaling to Don that he was, once again, right.
"We do care, Raph." Don leaned forward, stared at the stone floor. "Me and Mikey are showing it…differently. In a more passive way than you are. We've always done things like that. We're not saving the world anymore, but we are contributing to it in a good way."
"So…that's it?" Raph demanded, "You guys are happy with watching this city decay and rot?"
Closing his eyes, Don leaned back. Exhaustion was taking over- making him unfocused and sick. "I'm not a fighter, Raph. Not everyone has the same drive you and Leo have." He sighed, "You heard Master Splinter. Since the team has been disbanded, we're not allowed to do any crime fighting. So…that's why you're doing this, huh?"
"Ain't that obvious?" Raph leaned against the wall near the door's threshold. "You could guess Splinter's reaction to this."
Don narrowed his eyes, "Yeah, that's because this has happened before, remember?" Raph's face crumbled in guilt. Okay, he was loosing Raph. Don't play on past mistakes. "Anyway, why didn't you tell me or Mikey?"
Raph sighed in frustation. "I...I'm not sure, Don. Hell, I've done this before, right? I just had to get out and do something for those innocent people. I was...scared that if you found out, this would be the third strike. I haven't done much to regain your trust."
Don smiled, "I think you underestimate your own family. True, when I saw you in the alley…"
"Wait!" Raph gaped, "You saw me in the alley?"
Laughing, Don said, "Maybe I should say I found NW in the alley wearing my brother's face. Does that clear things up? Me and Mikey were done with work, so we wanted to go running like the old days. We heard Purple Dragons in the alley, and you can remember the rest?"
Raph grimiest, "Yeah…I…"
"Where was I?" Don tilted his head, "Oh, when I saw you in the alley I was mad, Raph." His smile faded to a frown that lacked anger, but it was underlined with disappointment. Raph's eyes shamefully turn downward, and Don found his assumptions were right. Raph didn't do this to hurt his family, but Raph was a fighter to the core. To cage a bird is to deny him flight which is what birds were created to do.
Breathing in, Don said. "You have good intentions, Raph. If I had you drive and heart, I would do the same thing. I am upset at what your actions did our little brother. You do realize what this did to Mikey?"
"Mikey?" Raph looked up confused at first.. Then it hit, and his heart sank. "Oh shell. That's why he…"
Don nodded sadly. Something twisted inside; hot and aching. He swallowed finding his voice sounding hurt despite his efforts. "He's scared, Raph." Okay not good, Don kicked himself. He cleared this lungs free from that verge-of-tears sound. "Last night he realized that we're growing apart."
"We're not growing apart!" Raph interjected louder than intended, and that was it for Don. Something snapped causing an irreversible wave of emotion.
"Oh, really? Wasn't it you who said that this team didn't exist anymore? I know I messed up okay, but I want to you take some of the blame, Raph!" Don's voice was rising. "I can't do this anymore! I know I fucked up this family, okay? I just can't believe you would do this AGAIN!"
He didn't want this; any of it. He hated how broken and useless any attempt to stop the separation. He hated how his voice sounded so young, so lost like Mikey. Then the tears were coming, and the world caved a little more around him. He tightly closed his eyes and hid them behind his hands. Breathing only seemed to increase the sobs.
Then there were two strong arms holding him. He shivered both wanting to push Raph away and only hold tighter. Don both wanted to accept the inedible, embrace it, and then he wanted to push it away, knock it out.
It was like a vicious cycle the brothers were in. It happened three times since Leo left, and Don couldn't stop it turning. He wanted to hate Raph forever for his pride. He wanted to hate him for all the lies. Then he wanted to forgive Raph. Forgive with all his heart, and hate him forever. He coudln't have both. It was impossible.
Finding himself unwilling to choice what to do, Don just sat there on the bench. His face, covered in hands, pressed against Raph's chest. Soothingly, Raph rubbed Don's shell. Raph didn't cry; not in front of anyone.
"I'm sorry." Raph whispered; his voice low and sad. He meant it. Rarely did Raph show a weakness or apologize. He would cover this up with his anger like Mickey would with a lame joke.
Don took a break, and took a moment before saying slowly, "It's okay."
"No, it's not." Raph said in complete sincerity. "I'm such a idiot! We can and we will get through this. With or without…"
Raph was interrupted by the door opening. Both froze, both worried for the worse. Raph turned his head over his shoulder, and his grip on Don's shoulders released. Don looked over Raph's shoulder to see a very sad looking baby brother. A blanket was wrapped around shivering shoulders. His expression is what caught both brothers. Mikey looked oddly terrified as if at any moment he would toss the blanket to the ground, grab his nun chucks, and start fighting.
"What are you doing up?" Don scolded as he rubbed the remaining evidence of his 'emotional break down.' Raph looked like a kid caught with his hand stuck in the cookie jar, but soon that was replaced with a scowl.
Mikey bit his lip before answering. "Uh…Just here to um…"
"Come here, knucklehead." Raph commanded with open arms. Oddly Raph's voice was quiet, soft, and guilty. Don watched as Mickey's face melted to sweet joy. The blanket did fall to Don's lab floor as Mikey ran to Raph. Don was just about to advice against the brotherly hug since Mikey was sick. However, seeing the tender, sappy, and needed moment, Don decided to let it slide.
Awwww...sweet brotherly time. However; we know what happens next, huh? Oh crap! LOL! Anway, thanks for reading!
-Weezellee