Yo peeps. Thanks for reviews, and here you go. v.v
I don't own no turtles. I wish I did.
It had been two days since Casey had come home, beaten to a bloody pulp. He had yet to wake up, although his injuries were better. The bruising, and swelling had went down and he didn't have a fever anymore. Donnie had moved into the apartment until Casey woke up- just incase anything did happen- while the rest of the turtles would come by at night. Raphael looked down to his friend, who hadn't so much as stirred in the last hour and a half. He sat by his side, watching the hockey game, although his brothers knew he wasn't paying attention to the game by the way his eyes would always linger on Casey instead, but they didn't voice there thoughts. Raph was touchy; he liked to keep a tough front up, and pointing out his obvious emotional struggle. It would in one way, or another cause a fight.
The second eldest turtle sighed and looked back at the television, trying to pay attention to the game right now was like trying to understand Donnie's tech lingo. Not only that, but the worried looks his brothers kept sending him where even more annoying than trying to pay attention to the game. He hadn't been feeling well earlier today, and he was having trouble breathing. He knew his brothers were just worried about him, hell, he was worried too. They didn't need to keep looking at him like that however. It looked like the type of look a doctor would have when he told someone they had some killer disease. He hated it, it was a look that practically sent him to his own grave. "Will ya stop that?" He asked, exasperated, glaring daggers at Mikey.
"Stop what?" His younger brother asked, tilting his head to the side slightly.
"Lookin' at me like that! Like I'm dyin'er somethin'!"
Mikey blinked and rubbed the back of his head, "Sorry dude?"
Raph rolled his eyes in annoyance, and sighed. "Yeah. Whateva." He grumbled and pushed himself off the floor and walking into the kitchen to get a soda.
Even though he knew something was wrong, he didn't really want to let him hold him back. Truly, he had a feeling he was dying, everything was becoming a struggle for him, he was more tired than he had ever been before, his body ached constantly, and it was close to impossible for him to do physical activities without losing his breath. He could barely see unless he squinted, and his hearing wasn't that great anymore either. Raphael knew his body was pretty much deteriorating, and they couldn't stop it. He pulled a coke out of the fridge, before plopping down in one of the kitchen table chairs. This whole experience, that's why he wanted to act as if nothing was wrong. If he was dying, he wanted to die doing what he loved, not laying in some bed, having his brothers worry and fret over him. Taking a sip of his coke he looked back at his youngest brother, who was playing on his Gameboy. He looked over to Leo, and took another gulp of his soda. "We can't just wait around for Casey to wake up Don. They were targeting him, and we need to find answers."
"How are we supposed to do that, Leo? Just march up to the Foot tower and ask why they attacked him in the first place?"
"If that's what we have to do." Leo retorted, crossing his arms over his chest.
Leo was mad, and worried. He was acting like Raph. "Yo, Leo, my job is to be the hothead." He called to his older brother, who scowled, "I wanna bust some heads just as much as you do, but right now ain't the time. We won't get that far." It felt strange, giving his older brother the lecture. He was the hothead, the only who listened, not the other way around.
The blue masked turtle seemed to calm down a bit and gave his brother a curt nod before looking back at Don, "What can we do until then?"
"Wait." Don sighed, rubbing his temples, "We have to be patient."
April had been silent the entire time, washing the dishes from the dinner they all just had. "Why don't you guys help out?" She asked before any more bickering could ensue. "I could really use a shower."
"Sure thing April." Leo replied, taking her spot and washing the dishes, Don went to check on Casey, and Raph kept his spot at the kitchen table, looking over to where Casey lay. He still hadn't moved.
His best friend had really done it this time. That much was obvious, and he hated it. He hated the fact he couldn't go out and get whoever did this to the vigilante he got along with so well. Instead of bashing the heads of the people who did this, the red masked turtle was stuck inside some lousy flat, waiting for him to wake up, so he could give them any details he could remember. Growling quietly he stood up from where he sat, hands in the shape of fists as he stomped over to the window. They were out there somewhere, possibly hurting others and he was stuck in here, waiting.
"You okay bro?" Mikey asked from where he was now positioned, lying on the floor, game in hand.
"I hate just sittin' around when-"
"Me too dude, but we can't really do anything until Casey wakes up so…" The youngest trailed on and Raph simply chose to ignore him.
He looked back at Casey and sighed softly, crossing his arms over his chest. Knowing that glaring at his friend wouldn't make him wake up any sooner the red masked turtle flopped back down on the floor and went back to watching the hockey game.
"He's awake! Guys Casey's awake!"
Raphael didn't know who was screaming, or what time it was, all he knew was that someone was screaming, and if they didn't stop soon, he'd hit them. The yelling had stopped, and he was about to go back to sleep, until he felt someone shake him. "What?" He hissed.
Leo was grinning at him, "Casey's awake Raph."
He blinked, looking up at his brother and allowing the words to sink into his brain. "What are we sitting around for then?"
Casey was awake, and hopefully he remembered what this was all about. As Raph got up from where he had been sitting, and went back to the living room, (through the night he had moved.) he sat next to his youngest brother.
Casey was rubbing his head and slowly sitting up, cursing quietly to himself as he did so. "Stupid…"
"Does anything hurt?"
"I look like a toy some old lady made, course I hurt!" He snapped at Don, but sighed, "Nothing I can't handle."
"Casey, do you know why you were attacked?"
The vigilante was silent for a bit, eyes closed in concentration as he tried to remember. Meanwhile Raph was shaking with anticipation.
All of a sudden Casey's head snapped up, and he was looking at Raph, "You!" He shoved his finger in his friend's face, everyone giving him a puzzled look.
"Me?" Raph asked, tilting his head. "Ya sure you're okay Casey? I-"
"No you didn't attack me! But it was about ya! I was patrolling when I heard Hun talking to some punks about some type of acid they put in these bullets. It kills ya."
Leo looked puzzled, "Okay…but what does this have to do with Raph?"
"Bro, I think you hit your head too hard." Mikey added, but Casey shook his head.
"Hun said one of his punk's shot Raph. Rememba? When Leo and Raph were out?"
Silence filled the room. Everyone was staring at Raphael, who was still letting the information process through his mind. He was dying. He had a feeling he was, knew he was, but it was always just a feeling. Now here it was, the cold, scary truth. He really was dying. It was strange, how somehow, even though he sort of knew he was dying, hearing the words, having proof that it was true, and not just him being paranoid. The truth managed to make his stomach knot up and he froze, looking at the worried faces of his brothers. Staring into their eyes he saw all the emotion swirling around. Fear, anger, pain, worry, pity, all of it. It both annoyed, and saddened him.
Whether he was dying or not however, he was still the protector of this family, and he wouldn't allow them to feel broken. Not yet, not until he was dead. "What?" He snapped, trying to bring familiarity back into the conversation. He would act as if he was fine.
He wouldn't let his death be the thing to destroy his brothers. Not if he could help it.
Short chapter. I know. That was the point, hehe….Well, now we're at the halfway mark. I'm already working on the next chapter!