Hey again. Wow, second chapter. I've decided that I'll update every Monday, since it's already complete. Thanks so much to the people who reviewed last time ~ you guys make my day. Sorry this is so short but, the next few ones will be longer. Um...I don't own any TMNT characters but the odd ones to do belong to me. Happy Reading!
Mikey watched, stunned, as Raph left the room. His brother made no sound, only retreated quietly to his room. He turned to Donny; his brother face was also shocked. He finally turned to Leo.
"Leo?" his asked quietly.
Leo said nothing, his eyes remaining on the abandoned red mask.
"Leo?" he tried again.
Leo finally tore his eyes from the mask, disbelieving. No, his brother really didn't mean those things. By supper, he'd be back to his normal, grumpy self and wondering why nobody bothered to pick his mask up when he dropped it. He and Raph would have a brotherly, heart-to-heart chat, hug and apologize furiously. Just like they always did.
He straightened up. "Leave him be Mikey. He just needs to cool down, as do we all." He turned and walked away, leaving the mask on the ground.
Don, unwilling to change the flow, copied his older brother and retreated to his lab. Mikey turned with desperate eyes to Splinter. But the old rat was already making his way back to his own room to meditate. They all left the mask on the ground to wait for it's master's return and for it to be replaced on the hotheaded turtle's face once again.
Mikey fell to his knees beside the mask and scooped it up. He held it as if he were holding a brand new baby. He shook it lightly to remove any dust from the dirty floor of the lair. When it was clean enough to please him, he held it to his plastron, right above his heart, and began to weep.
Raph silently began to undo his pads, sliding of his wristbands. He untied his belt and caught it before it slid to floor. Within five minutes, everything was lined neatly on the bed. He held his sai's, his beloved sai's, trying to decide if he could part with them or not. Those weapons and him and been through allot together; war, fights, and had saved his life, as well as his 'brothers' more than once.
They're part of your old life, a voice inside told him.
The voice was right. If he could part with his mask, his weapons should be no different. Still, he shook as he laid down the sai's. He would wait, until tonight, before leaving. He didn't want anybody trying to stop him (not that they really cared), but he couldn't stand to see Mike's blue eyes, or hear him crying. He was strong, but it took a very strong man not to cave in at the sight of his baby brother's eyes.
He glanced at the clock on the small table beside his bed. It was almost suppertime. Obviously, Mikey would try and get him to come to dinner, so he went ahead and locked his door. He then got under his bed and pulled out a shoebox, putting in on the bed. Inside were a worn, but very warm trench coat and a hat. He would have to bring those, especially since it was always cold at night and it was winter. He would bring a small, very small, duffle bag with him that held only lightweight things. He stuffed the coat and hat tightly in that bag before glancing around his room. He walked over to his dresser and looked at all the photo's he had. There were a lot of them with him and Mikey. Despite the longing he had to grab one, he left them alone and went on his search of his other pictures.
There was a good one with him and Casey and April. Unfortunately, at the side was Leo. Grabbing his sai, his sliced the picture in half, cutting Leo off from the rest of the picture with him and the others. He gently folded up the picture and placed it in a separate zipper at the end of the bag so it wouldn't get torn or ripped. There was one with him standing with his bike, so he placed it with the other picture.
Even though he couldn't take his bike, he still wanted to remember the positive things from his old home.
His gaze traveled over all the others when he eyes landed on one with him and Splinter. He was kneeling beside his father, an arm around each other. They were both smiling and Raph couldn't help but think back to those days when they were both content. Now?
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He shook his head and grabbed one more with just Casey and April before searching the rest of his room. He reached under his bed, looking for another box where he hid his money when his fingers wrapped around something furry and soft.
What the�
He pulled out an old bear, one that Mikey had given to him when they were little. He was sick and confined to the lair and Mikey desperately wanted to make Raph feel better so he went up (Raph had no idea how he did it without being caught), and bought Raph a bear with his own money. Around the bear's neck was a red bow.
Since Splinter didn't know that Mikey had gone up, Raph was forced to keep the bear hidden. It was his and Mike's secret. He fingered the soft fur beneath his fingers before placing it on his bed. Mikey would want it back. He stripped his bed a sheet and a small pillow before placing them in the bag. He didn't fancy sleeping on cardboard.
He filled his bag with a few more odds and ends; things with either to much meaning to him to leave behind or things he would need. Soon the small bag was full. Raph set it by the corner of his door and lay down on his bed, waiting for night. Then he would be gone.
"Raph?"
Fifteen minutes had passed after Raph had finished packing when he heard his little brother's voice.
"Can I come in bro?"
Raph ignored the voice. It was hard and he felt tears start to threaten him when he heard the hurt in his voice.
"Please Raph?"
Mikey stood outside his brother's room; secretly hoping he would open the door. Silence was all he heard.
"I made fried chicken!" he called, hoping the mention of Raph's favorite food would bring him around.
Stillness.
Don passed by him, giving him a sympathetic look. Don knew Raph wasn't going to answer the door.
"Raph, please come to dinner." Mikey kept trying. As the seconds ticked by, his heart ached more and more. His brother was suffering and nobody seemed to care.
Leo approached Mikey, also wishing that Raph would answer the door. "Mikey, come on and eat." Leo encouraged. "If he doesn't want to come out then he can miss the best fried chicken in the world. It's his loss, and that just means more for us." Leo attempted to lighten his brother's mood.
Mikey gave Leo a small smile, but his heart wasn't in it. "Okay." He sighed as he left the door to join his family in the dining room.
Raph breathed a sigh of relief as he heard his brother's footsteps echo away.
He must have dozed off because when he woke up, it was nearly one in the morning. He half wondered why he woke up at this hour when he remembered. Getting to his feet, he unlocked his door.
The lair was dark and quiet. Everyone was asleep.
Didn't really think I'd leave. Raph thought in amusement as he grabbed his bag.
He was about to reach for the door handle when something stopped him. It was a feeling like he still had something to do first. And he knew what it was. Quietly dropping his bag, he went back into his room and grabbed his bear. Silently, he went into Mike's room.
The orange clad turtle was sleeping soundly, his face with a small smile on it. His blankets were tossed in the floor, evidence from a dream. Raph lovingly ran his hand over Mike's domed head.
"Raph?" Mikey muttered with his eyes still closed. He quickly went back to sleep, snoring gently.
"Yeah bro," Raph whispered. He knelt down and did something he rarely ever did anymore; he kissed his baby brother on the top of his head. Gently raising one of Mike's arms, he slid the bear under his arm. Mikey clutched at the bear like his life depended on it and Raph could almost swear that tender grin got bigger.
Attached the bear's red bow, was a note to Mikey. There was also one for April, Casey and Angel, but none for Splinter, Don or Leo.
Raph felt tears threaten him again and he let one pass. It rolled slowly down his cheek, hitting Mike's sheets. "Bye bro." He whispered. He stood, tucking his brother in with the fallen blanket.
His brother sleeping peacefully was the last sight Raph had of his family before he walked out the door. He clicked behind him and the turtle family became one less that night.
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