I hope you have all enjoyed Believe so far.
Please read at the bottom for further notes but for now, enjoy!
"Where's Mikey at?" Raph asked from the doorway, Suri at his side like she'd always been. He'd tried to keep his anger under control at the sight of his brothers, especially after what he'd learned, but the sight of them added kindle to the small fire, steadily making it larger.
Leo looked up from his book, his chocolate eyes narrowing at the sight of the girl. Even though she'd proved to be one of them over and over – proved her loyalty to them – something about her still rubbed his the wrong way. "Mike went up to Casey's for a bit. They were going to order pizza and watch a movie I think. Why?"
"No reason." Raph shrugged his shoulders but he couldn't help but quench the slight fear in his heart that had been eating at him for the past few hours. He was with Casey, safely in an old apartment – as safe as you could call Casey's place – eating pizza and having the time of his life.
Then why did the fear not leave?
Raph cleared his throat. "Would you mind calling him bro? You know, just in case."
Leo raised an eyebrow. "In case of what?"
"I just have this feeling, okay?" Raph sighed, rubbing two fingers at his temples. The feeling was getting stronger…. "Look, can ya just call?"
Leo starred at his brother oddly, but reached for his shell cell anyway. Flipping it open, he punched in a number, waiting patiently for the young turtle to pick up. After twenty rings, Leo closed the phone, a concerned expression on his face.
"What's wrong?"
"Mike's not answering his phone." Leo frowned the small device, as though if could answer his questions.
Raph felt his heart start to race as he anxiously fingered his sai for comfort. "He was at Casey's right?" he started to lift himself from the wheelchair.
"No you don't." Leo jumped to his feet, placing a sturdy hand on Raph's shell to make him fell back into the leather seat. "I'll go."
"But -" Raph objected before Leo silenced him with a look.
"I'll go." He repeated firmly.
Raph slumped down and cursed his broken leg. Suri shot her own small glare at the blue clad turtle, which Leo ignored as he slipped his X-crossed swords onto his shell. Slipping his shell-cell back into his leather belt he glanced up with set brown eyes. "Stay here Raph. I'll be back in a few. Chances are they're out and don't even hear it, but I'm going to check anyway."
"Where you going Leo?" Don called out wordily as he watched Leo prepare to head out. After Raph had left, his heart thudded painfully every time one of them went out alone. He knew it wasn't happening again – one of them wasn't leaving – but it still didn't stop his rapid and fearful heartbeats.
"Out." Leo told him as he collected his katana that he'd just finished cleaning, slipping it into it's rightful sheath. "Mike's not answering his shell-cell."
Don's eyes flashed with worry at the mention of the youngest turtle. "Wait for me – I'll come with you." He ran back into his lab, reappearing a second later with his Bo staff on his shell. "Let's go."
"Now Raph," Leo called out as they headed towards the elevator. "No daring rescues this time, K bro?"
Raph just crossed his arms in front of his plastron; sending death glares at the two retreating turtles with fire in amber orbs. Leo rolled his eyes at the elevator door slid open and the two slid inside. A second later it closed with a rumble as it made it's way above ground.
"Raph?" Suri asked softly as they starred at the closed elevator door. "Think Mikey's okay?"
"The twerp better be." Raph growled as he gave himself another push, hoisting himself from the chair. His tightly bandaged white leg was held slightly off the floor as Raph attempted to regain his balance. After the frantic spinning of the room stopped, he set both feet firmly on the floor, ignoring the painful bolts of pain that shot up his leg. "Let's go."
Suri shot him a worried glance. "Should you be up on that leg yet?"
Raph gave her a painful grimace in what was supposed to be a smile of reassurance. Suri just shook her head at him, tossing a lock of black hair from her eyes. "Fine then, but I'm coming with you at least."
"I knew you would." Raph smiled down at her as he hobbled to the door. He pushed the big elevator button and waited impatiently for the doors to slide open. Limping inside, he waited for Suri to join him. As soon as she was in and the doors were shut, Raph let himself lean on the side, doing his best not to show that he was in pain due to the several stabs of pain ran through his legs. He didn't notice he had a grimace of pain etched on his features until he saw Suri's concerned face.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Raph said right as the doors slid open, revealing the empty space where the battle shell was usually parked and his bike, still parked in the far corner and covered by a light trap.
Raph hobbled over to it and threw back the cover. His bright red and black Harley Davidson seemed to light up the warehouse, twinkling in the faint moonlight that shone through the windows. The spray painted flames seemed to leap off the dark background. The leather seats were a gentle brown. The black tires had no mulch or grime on them as every inch of the steel was spotless.
Suri let out a whistle as she moved towards the bike. "Nice."
"Thanks." Raph slipped one his black helmet with a red stripe on the top before offering her the spare helmet, a twin to his own. She pulled back her black hair before slipping it on her own head, adjusting the strap before mounting the bike. She moved towards the front and grabbed the handle, and looked at Raph expectantly.
"Hop on." She patted the seat behind her.
Raph had to shut his hanging jaw before answering. "Ummm….no."
Suri gave him a look. "Do you really think you'll be able to ride with that injury?"
"Yes."
"No, now hop on." The look she gave Raph made the turtle realize that she wasn't moving an inch. With a heavy sigh, he hobbled forward and mouth, enjoying the feeling of polished leather under him and the sleek metal by his legs. Pulling out the small stands for his feet, he gave her a nod of the head.
Suri revered the engine as Raph pushed a small button on his shell cell. The garage door opened quickly and with another nod from Raph, they tore out of the garage and onto the street. Raph pushed the button again on his phone, knowing the garage door would close on it's own.
As they tore down the street, a few strands of black hair escaped Suri's helmet and whipped back, hitting Raph on the nose. He jerked his head back slightly, just out of the hair's reach, and held on tightly to her hips. He resisted the urge to wrap his arms completely around her waist and tuck himself into her, letting her rest against his plastron.
But he didn't…they were just friends.
"Which way?" Suri screamed above the rushing wind.
Raph glanced at the streets then pointed to the right, towards the more rundown part of New York. "That way!"
Carefully maneuvering the bike, she weaved in and out of cars. Raph had to smirk at the number of honors that were honking at them, they enraged yells as drivers rolled down their windows and the snotty teens as they flipped him off.
Nothing like New York traffic to brighten a spirit.
"Turn in there!" Raph jutted his chin at an alleyway. Carefully slowing down, Suri maneuvered the heavy bike around garbage and trashcans until they came to a relatively clean spot. Shutting off the engine, Raph looked up worriedly at the darkened window of his friend's apartment.
Dismounting the bike, he let a low hiss of pain as he landed on his wrong leg. Suri was immediately at his side, her arms wrapped around his large shell. She gave him an encouraging smile as they hobbled forward. Raph grabbed a small box hidden under a bolted down dumpster and slipped out a well worn trench coat. Slipping it on, he held the collars of the jacket high up to his chin, hiding his face as they opened the back door to the apartment building and slipped in.
Normally they would just take the fire escape but with his leg, Raph knew there was a better chance of him surviving with Shredder than climbed the metal structure. Carefully setting each foot on the rotting stairs, he made his way up to the third floor, where Casey lived.
He paused at the end of the hallway, sticking his ear to floor.
"Is he okay Don?" Leo's hushed voice asked softly.
Don gave an unintelligible answer in which he heard Leo let out a soft growl. Raph couldn't take it anymore and pushed open the door and stepped inside.
Leo was glaring at door, one sword already drawn as he stood protectively over Don and Mikey. His eyes went wide and he sheathed the sword.
"Raph!" He growled.
Don relaxed and went back to tending to Mikey. Raph's eyes scanned over Casey's still form on the couch and Mikey's body on the floor – the glass on the floor from the mirror…the spilled pizza and drinks. He knew his amber eyes were red with rage.
"What the shell happened here?" he growled.
Don sighed, rubbing a hand over his domed head. "We…don't know."
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