I'm sorry for the delay and all but it was in your own interest. This chapter was immensely difficult for me so I kept screwing it up. Eventually I reached out to TJHECTOR who is awesome at writing Raph and who helped me. So give her a big thank you and hate me for taking so long 8D. Anyways enjoy the chapter! And because it's Christmas break, that means much more updates so keep a look out for them.

Chapter 8: Rush

The pain is so bad. It feels like hundreds of wolves are tearing me apart and every time I take a small glance at another one of Mikey's wounds, more skin is ripped off of my body. My heart is hammering inside my chest so hard I can't even feel the throbbing pain in my shoulder. I'm still pounding against the glass walls, trying to get to my already lost baby brother desperately just to make sure he's really gone and not still suffering. Just to see his face one more time. I'm afraid I won't be able to do that with my other brothers. My final hours are coming, I'm sure of it, I knew that all along.

"I wish Mikey would have been able to get out of this mess though," I whisper through harsh pants which slowly but steadily grow worse and worse at the point they almost sound like sobbing.

I sink to my knees and lie my head against the cool glass. The sound of Mikey's name drains every ounce of strength out of my body. I feel hot trails down my cheeks but I won't pay it any attention. I'm still weak. How could I ever think of myself as the muscle of the team when I couldn't even protect my own baby brother. I can't even reach him right now. Some ninja.

A soft hissing sound vibrates through my thoughts and gets me to lift my head up. Better meet my death with the little bit of honour and bravery I've still left. But instead of some of those stupid GI-Joes figures to come and kill me, there's the Italian dude not standing inside the ballroom but inside the cage. I can't help but glare when he inches closer to the still form on the table. How does that murderer deserve to get to touch my bro for a last time while I can't! I stand up and start pounding on the walls again, albeit half-heartedly. I'm spent.

"Now, that's not polite my dear animal friend. I'm here to help you," the smug man replies with an amused grin. "I'm here to save the brother you so easily killed."

It gets too much for me. Another blaze of red anger travels up and clouds my head. I won't let it take me completely though. The last time that happened I ended up with one brother less. Still I feel renewed adrenaline travel through my veins, readying me for another fight.

"You killed my brother," I hiss. "You promised me to keep him alive if I fought and still you murdered him!" I start shouting but the dude doesn't seem to be impressed.

"I told you if you would floor my men I would push the button. I never promised to keep your brother alive when you did. If you wouldn't have been so devoured by your own anger you would have noticed that with every man you took down, one ventilator would shut down, the button pushed you see? You could've saved your brother if you really had tried. He could be breathing if you would have been careful, observant. He could be alive if you wouldn't be his brother."

The last part was spoken with so much venom and hatred I start to feel sick. It was my fault? But I tried so hard. I still didn't do enough! I messed up and killed! I'm a murderer of not only bad guys but of my own flesh and blood!

My breathing becomes irregular again but I refuse to calm down. I did this, I did this I did this, I DID THIS!

What would Mikey think? A soft and gentle voice. He wouldn't be angry, he understands. He wouldn't want you to give up. I've no idea where it comes from. Don't you think he would just be glad to be out of pain? But it is strangely comforting. Yes, he's out of pain. Finally. He didn't have to suffer the faith he was afraid for. And although I wasn't there physically, Mikey new I fought for him till the end. He's seen it.

"You get a choice, turtle," The gentle voice which just spoke to me is quickly overpowered by the rough accented one from inside the cage. I watch him intently when he moves closer to my brother with a needle in his hand. "Inside this syringe I have adrenaline. I can use it to start your brother's heart again. After that it is to you what will happen with him."

I follow the life-liquid with my eyes and for a small second there is this desire to hear Mikey's voice again, to see him happy and smiling and to have him back by my side. But I won't do it. He won't wake up smiling he'll scream out of immense pain. I can't do that to him, not because of my own selfishness.

I shake my head and for the first time since we are here, I see the man frown. His darkened features slump a little while his eyes blaze. I smirk a bit to myself. Maybe I finally managed to break through his plans? No. Not even close.

The needle is coming closer to my brother's neck and I can only shout "Liar!" before the skin breaks and the syringe is emptied. It doesn't take long for my baby bro to move after that and with the first screams, the Italian dude walks off with his hands over his ears.

"And if you wanted to know," he shouts over the screams, "my name is Raphael. The one who saved your brother's life." With that he leaves.

The Plexiglas walls come down, finally, and I run towards my younger brother, pushing away the anguish I felt earlier. The anguish of having killed my brother, the anguish of feeling alone and the anguish of sharing my name with that maniac. All there is now is Mikey who I need to get out of pain as soon as I can.

When I'm close enough I let my eyes quickly scan over the bloodied and blistered body that should somehow be my brother. I want to lift him up, comfort him, but there is no way of holding him like this. Eventually I let one arm slide under my baby brother's head so his back and arms won't touch the unforgiving cold metal of the table anymore. It only causes more shrieks and choked screams though.

"Shhhhh," I whisper in his ear. "It's okay, you will be okay I promise. Just hold on baby bro please."

I wonder why he hasn't fallen into unconsciousness again and quickly remind myself of the adrenaline which must be pumping through his heart. I know even pressure points won't help him right now. His skin, his muscle, his nerves, everything is probably heavily damaged. No way he'll come back from this. In the best case he'll live with severe scarring and several issues with moving for the rest of his life. This isn't better, this isn't better at all. And still that lingering feeling of happiness won't leave my conscience. The euphoria of seeing my brother awake and alive. That damn selfishness not leaving me alone.

The screaming quiets down so I start to talk again. "That's it you're doing good. Come back to yourself Mike, forget the pain. I'm here, I'm here," I whisper soothingly.

Two eyes try to open up but only one succeeds. The right side of his face is burned heavily and his eye is so swollen and blistered he can't open it the right way. His left one gives me a glimpse of baby blue though.

"Hey," I say but he doesn't reply. Another set of whimpers comes from his mouth and he quickly shuts his eye again. He's in so much pain. His small body starts shaking terribly and I know he's going into shock. I try and levitate him so he won't hurt so much but it only causes him to scream at the sudden movements and pain.

"If you want doctors to take care of him, place him on the brancard."

I only move my head around slightly, not wanting to jostle my brother in any way. The voice behind me is a lady's. I can see black hair being held by a pony tail. A few strands are hanging in front of a pale but beautiful face. Her red lips and black eyes stand out on her light skin and if I would've cared, I would notice how cute and young she looks. Her voice is like honey and sounds nice, sweet, but I'm not trusting anyone in here. There's a weird kind of yellow bed on wheels but it doesn't really look like a brancard. There's some sort of fluid instead of blankets and a mattress. It looks like gelatin to me.

"I promise he'll be alright. We'll bring him back to you. Come I'll help."

I quickly shield Mikey with my body, not letting her anywhere close. They aren't getting him. I won't give him up again.

Some choked breaths make me turn my head back to my youngest brother whose upper body is still held up by me in the air. It looks like he's crying in between all the sounds of pain, which is pulling at my heart strings. I hate it when he cries. Often I would go to rough on him when we were younger and even then I always hated it when the little guy would cry. I'm supposed to protect him!

"He's going into shock," the voice mumbles behind me. "We can help him. If we don't, he'll die again."

I know he will. I'm just not sure what he would want me to do now. Pushing him into the enemy's arms and having him probably die again but this time without his older brother? Or keep him here, trying to comfort him but having him die for a second time while being in the most horrible pain. My logic tells me to give Mikey to them. It will be the only way he might survive. But on the other hand my gut squeezes together at the thought of leaving him with them. It tells me something is off.

My brother is getting quieter and his body stops moving so much. I'm not sure if he's settling down or getting worse but I don't think I want to know. The question now is, what would Mikey do? The answer isn't that difficult. He would go on as long as there was still a brother he needed to go on for.

"Never give up," I whisper to myself, not to Mikey, before turning my head upwards. "I'm going with him. I'm the only one who touches him, no one else. And everything that's administered to him will first be given to me. Ya hear me?"

The lady merely nods and gives me a smile I can't see a fake note in. It doesn't eliminate the wariness I feel inside though. Why would they help us when it's their fault this happened in the first place?

"Please place him on the brancard. The substance on it will cool his burns and help with his healing." She takes a few steps backwards, giving me the room I need to relax a bit. I take Mikey in my arms which makes him spring back to life. He struggles weakly in my hold which only makes me sigh in relief. He's still here. I mumble a quiet 'I'm sorry' when I lift him off the table, bridal style, and place him on the brancard as fast as I can.

The strange gelatin immediately soaks the body up which makes me panic. I try to keep Mikey's head above the stuff and look at the lady.

"It's okay, he can still breathe. His head will not disappear underneath it, I promise."

I let go slowly and see how Mike's nose, mouth and eyes stay on the surface. His features relax considerably and I can't help but smile at that. This stuff really works after all. The gelatin is a strange yellow which makes my brother's body look pale. It also takes the edge off of the worst of his wounds which I'm grateful for.

"If you would be so kind to follow me," the girl next to me whispers. "I'll bring you out of here."

She leaves me to push my younger brother out, the way I had requested. I follow without too much hesitation.

Another very good thing about Christmas holidays is Serious Request! A group of 3 radio dj's lock themselves up and eat nothing but very nasty shakes with vegetables and stuff while they broadcast 24/7 for exactly a whole week. They do this to raise money for charity, in this case the Red Cross who helps girls in conflict areas who are raped and can't deal with the consequences. They are kept safe from their attackers and are healed emotionally and physically. A very good cause of course so please, everyone who wants to try (I don't really know if this will work) pull out your phone and send a friendly or funny text to the number 3333. It'll only cost you 0.90 cents (if it works again otherwise it'll cost you nothing). Can you guys try it for me? It'll help innocent girls a great deal. I've sent my fair share (exactly 45 at this moment and I'm going for a hundred) already so come on! Hands off our girls!