"You have to grab on!" Raph yells in fear.

I shake my head, both of my hands sweating crazily as they cling to the ledge. "I can't, Raphael! I can't!"

"Donatello," He says in sincerity; I can see it in his eyes, "you have to grab on, now! I will not let you fall! I promise!"

I look him in the eyes. He's my twin, I think. He wouldn't let me fall. I let my right hand fall from the ledge, my left being the only thing keeping me from going splat on the hard cement. I raise my right hand almost immediately and grab Raphael's left.

"Now give me your left hand!" He yells as he holds me with his left hand. I whimper slightly before obeying and letting go of the edge completely, my left hand shooting up to find Raphael's right. He heaved me up onto the top of the roof, and I felt safer once my body was dragged across the roof. When I was safely on the rooftop, Raph collapsed onto the roof gasping for breath.

I looked into Raph's eyes with my own. Tears streamed down both of our faces before we both enveloped each other in a hug.

"I'm so sorry, man," I sob, my face being covered by his shoulder. "I'm so sorry!"

I heard Raph sniff, his tears soaking my sleeve that covered my shoulder. "You Bonehead," He sniffed, his voice muffled by my sleeve. "You've got nothing to be sorry for."

"Yes, I do," I sobbed into his shoulder. "I made you feel like dirt. I made you feel lower than dirt," I sobbed as I clutched him tighter, "and I'm sorry! I'm so so sorry!"

Raph sniffed into my shoulder, his tears continuing to wet my shirt. "All's forgiven," He whispered. "Just…never…and I mean never…do that again! Give your twin a heart attack, will ya?!" Raph cried with angry fear.

I let out a watery chuckle, tears still streaming down my cheeks from my eyes. "Yeah, Raph," I say through sniffs, "I'll never do that again."

OoOoOoO

I felt a gentle rocking of my bed. That's all it took to wake me up. I'm a somewhat light sleeper, so rocking my bed wouldn't take much to wake me.

I slowly open my eyes as I peer out at the person who had woken me. I'm surprised to see Raph, his head on a pillow he had brought while he covered up with a plush blanket he had brought, his feet hanging out. He never did like sleeping with covered feet.

"Raph?" I ask sleepily? "What are you doing? What time is it?" I stop short when I see his face. Just barely lit up by the moonlight that seeped through the light blue curtains, Raph's face was stained with tears, his eyes were red and puffy, his lips quivered, but he tried to make it look like nothing was wrong.

That didn't work too well.

"Raph?" I ask. "Raph what's wrong?"

He took in a shaky breath, still trying to upkeep his reputation and his cool. "N-Nothing." He says shakily.

I glare at him gently, my thumb brushing away his tears. "I'm not an idiot, Raph," I tell him. My glare softens lightly. "Just tell me what's wrong."

He shakes his head before he turns his head the other way and begins to fall asleep. I sigh with a shake of my head before lying down and falling back asleep.

Not for long though.

Not even an hour later, I am awoken by loud shouts and yells.

"No! Please, no! I'm sorry!" Raph yelled, tears running down his face. I look at him sadly before pushing myself up onto my elbows, my hands grabbing his shoulders. I begin to shake him softly.

"Raph," I say, "Raph, wake up. You're having a nightmare. Wake up, Raph." That didn't work. Of course it didn't. Raph was a heavy sleeper.

See…opposites.

I sigh as I grip his shoulders a bit tighter. "Raph!" I say a bit louder, about loud enough to wake him up. "Wake up! It's just a dream!"

With that, he jerks awake, his eyes darting around frantically. As soon as he saw me, he pulled me into a tight hug. "Good, gosh! Never scare me like that again!" He yelled, his eyes scrunched in pain, tears cascading down his cheeks.

I was taken aback from the action, but I slowly began to hug back, confusion etched into my brow. "Hey," I say soothingly, "what's wrong? What was your nightmare about?"

Raph sniffed, him still not realizing that he was awake. "You fell," He whimpered lightly. My eyes scrunched in confusion as to what he meant. "You fell and I broke my promise."

Suddenly it dawned on me. The events that had occurred earlier must have been plaguing Raphael's dreams. That made sense. After our parents' deaths, Raph had nightmares for about a year. Nothing really left his mind without leaving its mark.

Especially since Raph had been in the crash with Mom and Dad.

"It was just a nightmare, bro. I'm right here, and I'm alive. Everything's fine. Go back to sleep."

"B-B-But-" Raph stuttered sleepily.

"I'm here. And I'm not going anywhere." I assured him.

He nodded slowly before allowing his head to fall back against the pillow, him falling asleep in about ten minutes.

I sighed.

Every time Raph had a nightmare, he went into this trance like state that made him much more open than he really was; he never remembers it in the morning, however.

I sigh as I allow my head to fall back against the pillows. He won't remember, I think as my eyes begin to close. He never does.

OoOoOoO

The rain outside wasn't letting up anytime soon. Thunder cracked across the sky with an earth shattering boom. The lightning had been no better, tearing the sky in half each time its hot plasma ripped its way across the atmosphere.

My twelve-year-old mind had been set on my homework that had been challenging towards myself. History, though I wasn't terrible at it, had never been my strong suit. Science, and mathematics were where I had really stood.

A six-year-old Mikey had sat on the couch of the living room, his thumb stuck in his mouth, slobber dripping from his mouth and down his chin. Sucking his thumb had been a very bad habit that took until he was seven to break.

Leo was pacing in the kitchen, his fifteen-year-old mind fearing the worst. I, in turn, growled under my breath. He had been pacing for the past half hour!

"Stop pacing," I complained, "you're making me dizzy."

"They've been gone for nearly three hours," He muttered, followed by a clap of thunder. "Hopefully everything's ok."

"I'm sure they are fine," I brushed off as I returned to answering the question of the Ancient Mayan civilization. "Maybe they just stopped to get some groceries."

"In a thunder storm this dangerous?!" Leo protested, his pacing never ceasing. "Really, Donnie. It's 7:56pm. They should've been home earlier."

"Traffic?" I offered with a shrug of my shoulders.

Leo sighed as he leant his elbows against the counter, his hands cradling his head. "I've already checked all traffic reports. There's one traffic jam, but it's a route that Mom and Dad wouldn't normally take."

I shrugged, my mind now completely off of the subject of Ancient Mayan, Inca, and Hopewell Indians. "Well, maybe they're caught up in that traffic jam?" I scoot off of the chair I was sitting at and walk up to Leo, looking over his shoulder, his phone lit up showing the traffic jam and its hour expectations. "What's the cause of the traffic jam anyways?"

Leo sighed as he rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "A car wreck. It looks pretty bad, too. A woman, man, and a boy."

I look at Leo through my black rimmed glasses, a sudden pang of anticipation hitting my chest. "Um…Mom is a woman, Dad is a man, and Raph is a boy. You don't think…" I trailed off, Leo's already worried face looking downright horrified after my offering.

He shook his head. "Again," He said in a voice that didn't sound too reassuring, "they haven't a reason to be on that road."

I nod as I exhale, my eyes closing briefly. My feet take me towards the couch in the living room where Mikey sat. Once again, thunder tore through the sky, a thunderous boom echoing throughout the busy state. The loud sound caused Mikey to jump in his seat. I sat up on the couch next to him, pulling him into my side.

He directed his baby blue eyes into my maroon ones before sticking his thumb back into his mouth. A shrill ring echoed throughout the house causing my eyes to widen. Leo was quick to answer.

"Hello?" He asked, running a hand through his thick brown hair.

I listened intently, my eyes wandering to the white home phone that was held in Leo's hand.

"This is he." He answered.

I listened with anticipation. Who wanted to know?

I watched as Leo's eyes flew wide open, fear and concern etched into the gentle yet fierce irises. "What? Are they alright?"

More silence that I had been anticipating, but by now, I was on my feet, my eyes shining in fear, my brow creased.

Leo's eyes filled with tears before a thought had dawned upon him. "What about my brother?! Is he alright?!" Leo asked, his right thumb flying to his mouth, his teeth biting against the nail it possessed, a tear trailing down his face.

A small sigh left Leo's lips, but he began to hiccup, more tears falling from his eyes. "Alright. If he wakes up, tell him we'll be there soon."

With a few more spoken words on the other line, Leo hung up and grabbed his car keys. Yes, he had only had a permit, but I could tell that this was serious.

"Grab Mikey," He said through hiccups as he grabbed his coat and throwing mine and Mikey's to me. "We're leaving."

"What's wrong?" I ask as I help Mikey slip his arms through his orange rain coat.

Leo sighed as he waited for us by the front door. "The crash was from Mom and Dad," He said. My eyes flew wide open, questions racing through my mind. "Mom and Dad…they…they were killed instantly." Leo said with a sob.

My eyes widened, my eyes immediately filling with tears. A sudden thought hit me. "Raph!" I yelled. "Raph was with them! Is he ok?!" I yelled desperately.

Leo placed his hands on my shoulders. "C-Calm down…Donnie. Listen to me ok?" Shaking, I nodded. He smiled sadly. "Good," He said calmly, "Raph's alive. He has a broken arm that needs surgery, he has a concussion and is unconscious, but they believe that he's going to pull through. He looks pretty banged up, but nothing looks life threatening. Which is why we have to get there before he wakes up."

I nod with a sob, tears running down my cheeks. "Ok." I whisper. Leo runs a hand through my dirty-blonde hair, tears falling from his eyes, dripping down his cheeks, but he put on a sad smile for me.

"Everything's going to be ok," He said through hiccups. "We'll figure this out."

I nod as I go to pick Mikey up, him immediately noticing my tears. Since he had been six, he hadn't meant the definition of death or kill. "What's wrong, Donnie?" He asked innocently.

I took in a shaky breath as I kissed his forehead. "I love you, Mikey."

Mikey nuzzled his head against mine. "I love you, too, Donnie." He said softly.

I placed Mikey in his booster seat before Leo began to drive off with us into the pouring rain.

OoOoOoO

I ran down the hallways of the hospital, Leo falling behind, his arms filled with a certain child named Mikey. Room 96, I reminded myself. Room 96!

As room 96 came into my vision, I made a mad sprint for the door. I immediately grasped the handle and almost ripped it off with the force I had to stop myself from flinging into the wall from my built up momentum. I immediately opened the door, the sight before me making me tear up once more.

He had cuts all over his body as if he had been dropped into a bucket of glass and told to swim to the surface. He had a breathing mask on his face along with a red cast over his right arm. His ankle looked seriously bruised, but it had a mere splint instead of a cast. I sobbed as I walked slowly towards his hospital bed.

"R-Raphie?" I asked quietly. I plopped down in a chair that was next to his bed and allowed my tears to flow. I grabbed his cut up hand and placed it against my forehead, a few of my tears entering the small open wounds. "I…I'm so sorry, Raphie. I'm so sorry you had to go through that." I sobbed, my tears continuing to wet his cut up hand.

Leo moved to Raph's other side, his fingers running through Raph's black hair. He chuckled sadly, tears pouring from his eyes. "Look what you've got yourself into now."

But Mikey's reaction?

Oh.

I won't ever be able to forget.

"Raphie?" He asked in a small voice. He ran to Raph's side, picking up his hand in his own smaller one. He allowed it to fall from his frail grip, expecting Raph to make it stay up, but it hadn't. It flopped down lifelessly. Mikey's eyes had widened so much; I was afraid his eyes would pop out of their sockets.

"Raphie?! Raphie, wake up!" Mikey began to yell, but to no avail. "Please, Raphie! Raphie, wake up! Raphael, please!" I had been surprised. Mikey had had the hardest time saying Raph's name, but he had just done it flawlessly. Probably from adrenaline.

Maybe after two hours, Raph's eyes began to flutter open, his green eyes glazed over from his concussion. He moaned lightly, his hand tightening around my own. My eyes shot wide open, my hand tightening around his as well. "Raph?"

He groaned lightly. "Donnie?" He asked in a raspy voice. "What happened? I feel like I got hit by a truck." He complained in a quiet voice.

I hiccupped before lying my head gently against his stomach. He was confused, but, nonetheless, his fingers lingered to my dirty-blonde, carefully tugging at my short hairs. Raph's eyes had glanced towards the sleeping Leo who was holding a sleeping Mikey.

"You were in a car crash, Raphie," I sobbed, my face burying deeper into his hospital gown. "An oncoming truck didn't look where it was going and smashed right into the front of the car." I said with a sniff.

His eyes suddenly widened as he tried to sit up. "Where's Mom and Dad? I was with them! Where are they?" Raph asked fearfully.

I sat up and placed my hands on Raph's shoulders, my maroon eyes looking into his emerald green ones. My eyes held a sad look that only made Raph's fearful gaze become fiercer. "Raph," I say sadly, "Mom and Dad…they…they didn't make it."

Raph's eyes widened. "Th-They died?"

OoOoOoO

I woke up in a cold sweat, my breathing heavy and my eyes frantic. My eyes land on the spot that Raph had previously been only to reveal an empty spot.

He must have woken up, I think. I swing my legs over the side of my bed, my fingers interlocking with my glasses on the end table. I unfold the earpieces and slide the black framed devices on the ridge of my nose.

I get up and get dressed in my purple T-Shirt. Saturday, I think with a slight smile, the dream still fresh in my mind. Well, it wasn't a dream. It had happened. Raph had been in the car crash with Mom and Dad, but he had been much more fortunate than Mom and Dad themselves.

Sure, he had needed surgery on his arm, but he showed no signs of fear. When I was completely dressed I walked out into the hallway and down the stairs. I saw a happy Mikey playing with his truck on the living room floor. I smiled softly at him as he made little truck noises to make his truck be more realistic.

I sat on the couch as I ran my fingers through Mikey's blonde hair. "Good morning, buddy. Sleep well?"

Mikey nodded lightly, his truck wandering up my leg. "Yeah. Leo went to work, and I don't know where Raphie is. Maybe Casey's?" Mikey offered.

I rolled my eyes good naturedly. "More than likely. To be fair, though, he hasn't been to Casey's since Casey got beat up."

I lean back against the couch as a sudden ill feeling washes over me and gentle coughs wrack through my throat.

Mikey looked at me with worried eyes as he crawled up onto the couch. "Are you ok?" He asked me as he placed the back of his hand on my forehead.

I nodded slightly. "I'm fine, Mikey. Just a little cough."

Mikey was ready to protest, light blue eyes wide. "But-"

"I'll be ok," I interrupt him. "If I feel very bad, I'll tell you."

Mikey continued to frown. "But Leo's not here if things get bad."

I smile as I hug him into my side. "I'll be fine. Besides, you're here. And that's all I need." I say. He looks unconvinced, but nods nonetheless.

Hmm, is Donnie really as fine as he says he is? And if he isn't, is Mikey going to be able to help him? Stay tuned for the next chapter! Did you like it, love it, hate it? Let me know! Your opinion matters! :)