Thanks to those who have reviewed thusfar...and don't worry, I'll not leave this for so long again. I'm committed. As always, none of these folks belong to me.
A hissing, gurgling breath, then another.
Then silence.
A swirl of red water circling a sewer drain.
A scream of rage.
A brother's eyes, tearless but full to the brim with pain.
A flame, licking at flesh, sending sparks into a starless night.
He knew he was dreaming, knew it was a nightmare, but it didn't comfort him any, and he could feel the heat of tears on his cheeks. Worse yet, he could feel the slick warmth of April's blood on his skin.
Michelangelo woke with a start, mostly due to the sound of Raphael destroying a practice dummy in the dojo. He groaned and pressed his palms against his eyes, trying to push the dream to the back of his brain. Rolling out of the chair, Mike stretched, pulling one foot up behind him to uncrimp his cramping quads.
Shuffling toward the kitchen, he nodded a sleepy hello to Leo, who was seated at the table, perusing one of Splinter's old texts by the light of a bare bulb. As he pulled a bowl from the cupboard and filled it to brimming with Cap'n Crunch, Mike asked, "Donny back yet?"
Leo glanced up at the clock and his brow furrowed. "No. He should be back by now, actually. It doesn't take that long to get to the south sensors."
"Sensors? Dude told me he was goin' to April's. Didn't think he was leavin' so early, though." Milk splashed out of the carton as Leonardo grabbed Michelangelo's wrist. "Easy, dude!"
"Don went to April's?" There was danger in Leo's voice.
"He told me last night he was gonna go over and make sure there was nothin' in the apartment that could lead to us." Mike dipped his head to suck some milk off his hand. "Jeez, dude, try decaf."
"He went to April's. Alone." Full-on anger had crept into Leo's tone. "And you didn't tell anyone."
"First of all, I was sleepin'. And second, Donny's been to April's by himself loads of times." Mike picked up a piece of cereal and popped it into his mouth.
"Mike, somebody kidnapped and killed April, probably from her apartment. How fucking safe can it be for one of us to go there alone?" Raphael had appeared from nowhere and was standing over Mike, an angry-looking vein pulsing in his neck. "What was that dumbass thinking?"
"Raphael!" Splinter's sharp bark made all three turtles jump. "You will not speak of your brother in that way." He tapped a claw on his walking stick and lowered his chin, his eyes narrowed dangerously. "What has happened, Leonardo?"
"Master, Donatello went to April's apartment by himself several hours ago, and he hasn't returned. I'm worried." Leonardo bowed his head slightly, ignoring Raphael's sneer of derision.
"You must go for him. Bring him home," ordered Splinter. As the three turned from him, he stopped them with a word. "My sons." The brothers looked down at their father, struck suddenly at how small and withered he seemed. "I know that you are mourning Miss O'Neil. And I know that your grief has brought you many questions. But in these times of sorrow, we must be strong as a family. Do not allow your pain to become anger. To allow ourselves to be divided by our tears will only cause more pain." One by one, he met his sons' eyes. "The best way to honor her memory is to not allow her loss to change you."
With a muffled growl, Raphael turned and stumped out of the lair, snatching up an overcoat as he went. Leonardo shared a knowing look with Mike, and they followed their brother, leaving their sensei in silence.
Rafael was the first down the fire escape, leaping from the rooftop to the landing in one bound. Leo and Mike followed at a more sedate pace, down the steps, watchful for witnesses. But when they reached the window and slipped inside, all three stopped short, stunned. "Oh, man." Mike's voice wasn't anything more than a whisper softened with impending tears, and Leo squeezed his shoulder for support.
"Donny?" Raph, of course, was the first to regain his composure, and he began storming around the apartment, kicking at overturned furniture and generally making a big mess even bigger. "Donny!" Neither Leo nor Mike believed his bluster. He was hiding his pain.
Leo turned to Mike. "You okay, Mikey?" he asked in a low voice, softly touching his brother on the head. Mike nodded, blinking away tears. "No, you're not."
"She must've been so scared…" Mike's voice quivered, and he looked away from Leo, sliding a hand under his eyes.
Leo found he couldn't speak around the lump in his throat, so he just nodded and gripped Mike's shoulder again.
"Hey Leo?"
Leonardo looked down at his younger brother, heart swelling. "Yeah, Mike?"
"When'll I stop bein' sad?" Mike's quiet question sent a pang through Leonardo's chest.
"I don't know, buddy."
"Leo!" Raphael's sudden scream spurred both brothers to a run. They raced into the bedroom, hearts pounding, but Leo stopped so short that Mike bashed into him from behind, knocking him forward to one knee.
Raphael was standing like a stone, his face blank with shock. The bedroom was a mess, just like the rest of the apartment, but that wasn't what he was looking at. Propped up against the wall, next to a shattered picture of the brothers and their father, were the blood-spattered, splintered remains of Donatello's staff.