Mutants and Nightmares (2003)

By: AndiKaneUnderwood

Time. All I needed was a little more time. Sadly, I never had any time and if I did, it wasn't on my side. Now my brother is a mutant and I can do nothing to help him until Leatherhead finishes the Retro-Mutagen.

I press my hand on the glass holding my mutant brother captive. The great hulking figure in the distant corner says away from my hands. "It's okay, bro." I speak softly, trying to keep him calm while looking into the brown eyes I didn't recognize behind the ripped purple mask.

Miwa, my oldest sibling, comes over and puts a hand on my shoulder. "Time to take your own advice, little brother." She tells me. "The couch is set up, so you can still keep him safe. I'll take watch duty while you're out." Miwa tells me.

"Thanks, sis." I replied, getting up from my chair to let her take my place and walking over to the lumpy couch in the living room.

TMNT~TMNT~TMNT

"Don?" I called. The word echoed in the darkness around me. "Donny? You here?"

"Don't come any closer!" A small, but familiar voice called back. "I-I'm warning you!"

"Don, calm down, it's me." I told him.

"I know. Stay back!" He yelled.

"Donny?" I asked.

"No! Can't you see? You've already done enough! Stay back!" Don cried, standing protectively over the body of a black haired teen with dull almond eyes.

Leo.

"Don, what happened to Leo!" I cried, trying to lunge forward and get to my older brother.

"The same thing that happened to Mikey. And Miwa. And Father." Don replied.

I looked closer and saw the marks of a sai that littered Leo's body. My sais. I looked at Don. "Donny... Did I do this?" I asked pleaded for him to say no.

With tears streaming down his face he nodded, holding Leo's sword in front of him for protection. Against me. His twin brother.

I backed away shaking my head. "No." I whispered. "No. No! NO!" I yelled, falling to one knee and gripping my fire-y red hair.

Don looked like he desperately wanted to drop the sword and run to my side to make it all better like he used to when we where kids and still did on occasion, but he knew better than anyone that you couldn't let your guard down. Ever.

"I'm sorry, Raph." He sobbed. "I'm so sorry."

Sorry.

So sorry.

I bolted awake to those words. Sweat poured down my face and I'm sure my eyes where wide open. I pushed back the blanket. I needed to know. I needed to know if they where okay.

I saw Miwa still sitting in the chair, but she'd fallen asleep against the cage. I sighed. She was okay.

I rushed up the stairs and stopped at Leo's door. He was a light sleeper. I'd have to be careful. I slid the door open as far as I dared and slipped in through the hole. I tiptoed over to his bed and peeked at the figure laying in it.

Leo was there. So was Mikey. I sighed in relief. Blonde and black heads of hair lay spread out on the pillows and almond and honey brown eyes lay closed. Both where completely unharmed.

Alive. They're okay. I slipped back out the door and slid it shut, failing to notice the honey brown eyes cracking open and watching me as I did.

I walked back out to the living room and gently shook Miwa's shoulder. "Wake up, big sister. Time to take your own advice." I told her softly.

She groaned as hazel eyes cracked open and she stretched out. "Thanks Raph." She mumbled, getting up and heading back to the stairs and up to her room.

I sat at the stool and continued my vigil as I had for the past week. Mikey's crazy friend, Jason would be coming by later with the chemicals Leatherhead needed and Don would be fixed by the time Master Splinter got back from his solo mission.

I know that. I believe that. I would live by it. Don's mutation is temporary and I was going to fix it.