"Hey squirt" I greet the mop of blond hair as he walked up to me in the hallway. Mikey grinned, albeit still shyly. It had been six months already since Mikey had come to live with us. Six months and he had slowly been getting better every day. But he still wasn't fully healed.
If he could ever be.
"You're barely taller" He countered and I snorted, closing my locker. He was still jumpy around loud noises, so I avoided slamming it shut. And he still seemed to be uncomfortable around large crowds, like our high school hallways, so I quickly zipped my bag and flung it over my shoulder.
"Still taller, c'mon" I snicker, gesturing him to follow. "Leo and Don both have some nerd group to attend to so we're alone tonight."
"You're cooking?" Mikey asks, figuring dad was out of the state for a few days right now, something to do with his work. But Leo and Don both had their suspicions as well, we all thought the same, dad was working on Mikey's case.
"Nice try, but you, are definitely cooking" I shot back, snicker and Mikey frowns. I notice the change and I nudge him gently. "Something wrong?"
He shrugs, looking away from me as we enter the park. He stays silent for a moment but I'm not particularly worried about the silence, it was something he did a lot of times, fall silent during conversations. He once told me it was to arrange his thoughts or something, and that it calmed him.
So I didn't push him to say something right away.
"I-.. " He stops again, shaking his head for a second with an embarrassing look on his face and I put a hand on his shoulder, stopping both of us from walking. He looks up at me. "I made friends these last months.. away from you, and that's not the problem, but that means they don't .. know"
They didn't know about Mikey's past.
I immediately realised, because in these last 6 months we got to know Mikey, and we started getting better at reading him, figure out what he was trying to say when he really didn't say anything. He made friends at school, and I should be nothing but glad that he was settling after everything.. but we didn't know them.
And because they didn't know us, or really knew us like April, Casey and Karai did, they didn't know our story. So they didn't know Mikey had been lost to us for 15 years, that I was troubled because of my own past, that I had been lost to the rest for 10 years and that Mikey had issues as well.
I take a deep breath, looking at him.
"What happened?" I ask, leading him to one of the benches in the park. It was a quiet part of the park, rarely anyone using it so we didn't have to worry about anyone overhearing us.
"Nothing bad, I promise" Mikey hastily added and I nod with a frown. "Just.. Mundo can be very loud, and touchy and stuff. Hugs and nudges and stuff"
"It freaks ya out" I deduct and he nods again.
"And Renet…. she's really cool but.. " He looks up to me with an almost desperate look on his face. "I think I like her… and it scares me" He admits and my face falls almost. He was crushing on a girl in his class. He was crushing on Renet no less. I should be overprotective as older brother.
But Renet was a sweet girl, and I knew she would never hurt Mikey intentionally but that was just the problem. She was already by being near him, by making loud noises and by touching him even in the slightest. Like brushing his shoulder, or hugging him. And he liked her.. and with his past..
"Why does it scare ya?" I ask, hoping that I was wrong about the reason he was scared. I didn't want to think about the possibility of him not being able to have a normal life.
"Everything" He whispers, wrapping his arms around himself. "The thought of moving forwards.. if she likes me.. they kissed me as well.. they touched me.. I don't think I can.."
"Hold on for a minute" I cut in, feeling my stomach turn when he just confirmed what I was fearing, he was scared because of what they did in the brothel, raping him daily. "I think yer getting ahead of yourself. You don't even know if she likes you that way, and even if you both do.. you don't have to rush things, take it slow y'know" I try, scratching the back of my neck.
Mikey flushes red as well, and I cough awkwardly.
"I don't know if I can ask her out, kissing scares me as well" He tells with a small voice and I sigh.
"I get that little bro, I really do. But it can also show you it doesn't have to be scary" I tell him.
"I used to be afraid of physical contact as well after what those assholes did to me, and even you were afraid of cuddling because of that place. But dad showed me I have no reason to be scared of contact because he and the guys hugged the shit out of me" I explain and Mikey smiles shyly.
"We showed you that you could come to us after a nightmare and that you don't have to be afraid to be comforted by family." I sigh, looking at the ground. "Look I should be saying she should stay the hell away from you.. but she's a sweet girl from what I've heard from April.. and she can sh-"
I didn't have time to finish that sentence.
I cry out as suddenly something was wrapped around my throat and a hand was pushed on my mouth to keep me from screaming. I buck upwards to get out of the grip but the grip is strong, and my attempt was futile. I scream again but the sounds were muffled through the hand.
I could hear Mikey struggling next to me as well and I open my mouth again, twisting my head and biting down on the hand. Behind me I hear a yell of pain but the arm around my neck never moves.
"HE-" I start but I gag as the arm presses harder against my throat, cutting off my cry for help. I gag and I feel panic rise up at the inability to breath and the arm releases my throat ever so slightly, allowing air to flow through my lungs again.
"Stay still" Someone behind me growls but I don't, twisting again before something is pushed into my mouth and a piece of duct tape is slapped over my mouth to prevent me from spitting it out.
Angry tears burn in my eyes as I realise, or fear, what was happening. The mouse, the boss, the brothel, Mikey's brothel. They found him, they found us.
I can hear Mikey whimper next to me, the sounds muffled by the same gag as I had in my mouth, a piece of cloth secured by duct tape. He shouldn't have to go through this, not Mikey, we accomplished so much these past 6 months and these guys, whoever they were, were dangling that accomplishment above a cliff.
Daring to throw it away like a piece of trash.
"If you want your brother to live, you better stop squirming" A voice speaks up and I glance to the right, eyes widening when I see a gun cocked against Mikey's head, tears leaking out of his eyes. I immediately go limp, muscles still tense in anticipation about what was going to happen.
With the gun still pressed against Mikey's head I allow myself to be dragged away, only to be forced into a van not soon after. Of course they'd had the van close by. Stupid, we should've stayed in full sight, we knew they were still out there.
Not seconds later Mikey was thrown into the van as well, the doors closing immediately after and leaving us with nothing but darkness. Immediately my hands go to my mouth, ripping off the tape without a second thought and ignoring the pain it caused me, spitting out the cloth and carelessly allowing it to fall to the ground beneath me.
"Mikey?" I ask, reaching out in the dark until my fingers collide with his figure. I could feel Mikey moving, followed by the same sound of him ripping off the tape as well.
"R-Raph?" He hiccups, taking a shuddering breath to calm himself. "Tell me… tell me h-he didn't find me" He whispers in a shaky voice and I blink a couple of times, my vision slowly returning, eyes getting used to the darkness.
"I'm sorry" I mumble, pulling him closer to myself and wrapping my arms tightly around his form. He allows me to, leaning into my embrace. He takes a shuddering breath next me.
"Not your fault" He whispers, taking another shuddering breath and rubbing his eyes.
"But it is squirt, I'm supposed to look after ya" I whisper but Mikey shakes his head.
"This isn't your mess, it's mine" He denies but I shake my head as well, nudging him.
"It became our mess when ya came to live with us" I state firmly, not leaving any room for debate. And Mikey doesn't protest again, slumping against me even more and I wiggle slightly to get more comfortable, wincing as the van makes another sharp turn to the left.
Mikey doesn't talk for a while, taking comfort in the arms I had wrapped around him. My heart was pounding in my chest as we continued to drive to wherever they were taking us. Out of the city most likely, maybe back to Pennsylvania, where he grew up and where the brothel was.
But most likely somewhere else, far away from New York City, far away from people who knew us. And probably to force Mikey back into hell.
Is that why they took me as well? For blackmail?
I had no idea how long we were driving, hours it seemed like, before we suddenly slowed, taking more turns until the engine finally shut off. Mikey tensed up significantly next to me, trying to move away but I reached out with my hand, wrapping it around his wrist and pulling him back again.
"Raph.. they want me, I can distract them" He whispers, anxiously glancing towards the end of the van, sounds coming from outside.
"Like hell I will run" I spat out. "Remember what I promised ya, as long as I'm left standing, I will protect you. I promised you that and I'm not going to break that promise by running while you go sacrifice yourself to save my ass." I continue, looking at him, almost glaring. But it doesn't seem to scare him, glaring right back.
"Raph-" He starts, his tone dangerous and angry but he doesn't get to finish the sentence as the back of the van is opened, light pouring into the vehicle. I blink furiously, eyes protesting against the sudden light.
"Get out" A man grumbles, gaze darkening.
I look at Mikey, and we both silently stand up. I know what he wanted to say, that I should run instead, save myself. But like hell I was going to leave him behind with the people who forced him out of his home so soon after his adoptive parents died, people who forced him to get raped every day for 4 years.
Like hell I was going to leave him.
"Don't bother trying to run" The same man warns, gesturing to the gun that was in his right hand, the barrel pointed towards me. Because I was expendable, they didn't need me, they wanted Mikey. I didn't care about getting shot but I knew that Mikey wouldn't leave me, he wouldn't run after me taking a bullet.
So I stayed put.
We weren't outside, so there was no possible way someone was going to see us. We were inside some kind of factory or large building, the van parked in a garage. We were led up some stairs to a hallway of some sorts, before we had to go left and use another pair of stairs, this time to go down towards the basement.
We were led towards another room, with a set of bars separating one half of the room from the other.
"Get in" The man says, placing the gun against my back and I stiffen, obeying the order reluctantly and stepping towards the other side of the bars, lowering my head as I hear it close behind me, the sound of the man locking the door like a gunshot.
"Don't do this Hun, my brother has nothing to do with this" Mikey speaks up, looking at the man on the other side of the bars. "You have me, let him go" He whispers but Hun smirks.
They knew each other. I blink a couple of times. Hun apparently, doesn't seem surprised by the same calling but just takes a step towards the bars. Did they meet in the brothel?
"On the contrary Michelangelo" A taunting voice cuts in and I freeze at the sound, eyes widening.
"No" I whisper, recoiling as if Hun had really pulled the trigger, but I had preferred getting shot over this any time.
"You built up quite a temper these last 5 years" The man continued, walking into the room. Blond hair, crooked teeth and a sinister smile on his face, just like I remembered.
"Go to hell" I grit through my teeth but I take another step back as he approaches the bars, my body screaming at me to get as far away as I could. "You died"
"I never died" Kevin said. "I am alive son"
"Don't call me your son, I never was" I spat out, glaring at him.
"So ungrateful" He snickers and Mikey looks at me from besides me, before looking at Hun and Kevin again.
"How are you still alive?" He asks, gaze darkening as well.
"Someone got me out of prison" My da- Kevin said. Like hell he was my dad, he never was. And yet I noticed I wasn't as sure as I always thought I'd be. "He still needed my help"
Hun snorts next to him. "Don't think too highly of yourself, he could've done this without you" He says before turning to us again. "You being discovered by the police wasn't part of the plan" He explains but it only confuses me further.
"Plan? What plan?" I ask and for a second it's silent before Hun snorts.
"Are you really that stupid that you believe this is all a coincidence? Yoshi's imprisonment, you being adopted so soon, both ending up with shitty lives, it's all part of something bigger" Hun explains and I glare at him.
"What?" Mikey demands with a glare as well, shaking on the spot from both anger and fear.
"That's enough" Another voice cuts in, and a man walks into the room, bigger than Hun was and scars all over his face, one eye too damaged to be used again. "Leave us" He commands, looking at us while he says it, but both Hun and Kevin immediately listen, leaving us alone.
"Who are you?" I ask.
"I am surprised Yoshi has not spoken about me" The man snorts, cocking his head slightly. "You look so much like your mother, except the blond hair that is" He continues, looking at Mikey and I take a step sideways, to get closer to my little brother.
"Don't say anything about her" I glare but the man just looks at me with an amused gaze.
"You didn't even know her" He says, a bit of resentment creeping into his voice.
"And you did?" Mikey asks and the man turns to Mikey again.
"Better than you ever could" He spoke, staring at the both of us for another moment before turning around, leaving the room and shutting the door behind him, leaving us alone.
"That was your dad?" Mikey whispers after a silence, creeping closer to me and a worried look on his face. I look at him, sighing.
"Adoptive dad" I admit reluctantly, nodding.
"I'm sorry, I know you thought he died" Mikey continues, reaching out but I step out of the way, shaking my head. I don't say anything, walking over to the corner and sliding down the wall until I was sitting down, burying my face in my hands.
"Raph?" Mikey asks softly, kneeling next to me.
"I shouldn't even be upset… I got over it, I had Leo and Don, dad… I -.. 5 years-" I mumble but I stop as Mikey wraps his arms around me instead.
"Shut up" He whispers and I snort.
"Why are you..? I don't need no hug" I struggle slightly but Mikey doesn't let go. "I got away, I had time to recover.. you don't, why the hell are you…?" I stop myself, choking on a sob and I look at him with tears in my eyes, he looks at me, bright blue eyes filled with so much pain but also concern.
"These last five years don't mean anything Raph, he still hurt you, and he still scares you. That's perfectly normal" He whispers.
"You've only been with us for six months, you lost more.. what I went through is nothing compared to you, how can you be-" I stop myself as I look at him, and I realise that he isn't. How can you be so calm. He isn't, I could see the intense fear in his eyes, but he was hiding it for me.
We stay silent for a moment, tears welling up in Mikey's eyes. He was hiding his own fear because of me, but everything that happened in the last few hours.. it was taking a toll on him. He hadn't even seen Zucco, the one responsible for everything that had happened, but he knew what was coming.
"Come here" I whisper, nudging him until he was sitting next to me. I wrap an arm around him, bringing him closer to me. "Leo and Don will realise we're not home… they will call dad and the police" I whisper, still shaking slightly.
"They didn't come the last time" Mikey whispers, turning his head away from me. It takes me a while to realise who he was talking about, the police. When he was taken in by Zucco, when he was forced to work at the brothel.
"They will this time, dad won't give up on you. Leo and Don won't either" I state. The last time he had no one that cared about him, his parents died and he had moved away from the city he grew up in, he had no friends, and no other family. And the orphanage didn't care enough to keep looking for him.
"I hope you're right" Mikey whispers, leaning against me again.
"I am" I lied, because I wasn't sure myself. "And you're not alone this time, I will protect you"
"So I've heard" He smiled and I nod silently.
As long as I'm left standing, I will protect you.
That's what I had always said to him, after the mouse incident, in the van, and I was so sure, I would do everything to keep him safe.
But right now, with my dad in the picture, alive, who would protect me?