~Try to let go of the truth
The battles of your youth
'Cause this is just a game.~

Leo watched helplessly as Mikey sank to the ground and buried his face in his hands. He blamed him, it was his fault.

"Mikey…" Leo whispered but he didn't dare to take another step. He blamed him. Mikey blamed him. Somewhere he could feel his father tugging his shoulders but he didn't acknowledge it. He could only see the shivering form of his little brother. Tears were staining his cheeks and his eyes were wide open. And they were full of betrayal and hurt.

"Mikey, what happened?!" April exclaimed and kneeled next to Mikey. He could hear his father talking to him but he wasn't paying attention. He could only see how Mikey continued to sob. April engulfed him in a big hug and planted a kiss on his temple. Mikey sniffled slightly and leaned towards April and rested his head against her chest.

"L-Leo….. b-blood…. T-Thorn…" Mikey stuttered with wide eyes. April frowned slightly and looked towards Leo. There wasn't betrayal in her eyes, there was only confusion. She didn't know why Mikey would say something about Leo.

"Who is Thorn?" April whispered and looked over to Mikey again. Nobody had really talked about what happened, they could only tell from their injuries and the minimum they had spoken about it.

"H-he… he w-wanted…. " Mikey sobbed but stopped midsentence. More tears were streaming down his face as more memories entered his mind. He squeezed his eyes shut, he didn't want to remember, he just wanted it to be over.

"Hush Mikey" April soothed and wiped away his tears but new ones kept coming. One of Mikey's hands grabbed April's hand and squeezed it as hard as he could. Pet, animal, master. Every insult kept ringing through his head. He couldn't. He just wanted it to be over. Slowly his fingers trailed along the iron collar around his neck and he suddenly began to cry harder.

"Please take it off" Mikey whispered as he covered his face into April's shoulder. April was surprised by Mikey's sudden comment and wrapped her arms around Mikey's shell, drawing him closer to herself and slowly rubbing his shell to calm him down.

"I'm so sorry Mikey, we can't" April whispered in his ear. "But we will do everything to get it off" She assured him and kept rubbing his shell. Mikey nodded weakly in her hold and sank fully into April's hold. Slowly Mikey stopped crying but kept holding April.

"Let us find us another place" Splinter said in a soft voice as he helped Leo up, who had apparently fallen down in the meantime. April glanced to Raph and Donnie who were still sleeping and nodded before picking up Mikey herself. She threw her own arm around his shoulder and allowed Mikey to lean against her.

The cold collar touched her shoulder when he leaned against her but she didn't mind and followed Master Splinter into the dojo. Leo kept his face low the whole time on his way. Even after all that Splinter told him, Mikey still hated him, Raph hated him, Donnie hated him. They must do.

"My son, what happened?" Splinter asked in a calm voice when they were all seated in the dojo. Master Splinter was in front of the tree as always and Leo was sitting next to him. His broken arm carefully in front of him so he wouldn't hurt it. April was in front of them and Mikey next to her. She still had her arm thrown across his shoulder but Mikey was now sitting up himself.

"L-Leo…" He only managed to say before starting to cry again. April's face flushed and she wrapped her arms around Mikey again but this time Mikey didn't return the hug and kept rooted. Mikey sniffled slightly and tried anything he could do avoid April's eyes.

"My son, do you blame Leonardo for your capture?" Splinter said after Mikey finally managed to calm himself down slightly. Mikey's eyes widened and he looked up. Glancing from Leo to his father.

"N-no… it's j-just" He stuttered and looked towards Leo again. He looked so defeated and so hurt. Slowly Leo lifted his head and shortly their eyes met before Leo turned away again.

"You can say it, I already know" Leo stated in defeat and dropped his head again. Mikey opened his mouth to say something but he stopped. Everyone was looking at him. April, father and even Leo was quickly glancing at him. He couldn't. It was exactly what Thorn did. He was constantly watching, judging.

Animal

Pet

His hands grabbed the collar again. His chest was starting to go up and down very rapidly and he found it harder and harder to breathe. His mouth opened and closed and he could feel the cold rushing over him. Everyone was watching, he was watching.

"I-i…..i'm sorry" He rushed and jolted up and ran out of the dojo, across the living room and into the sewers.

TMNT

Raph groaned slightly when he woke up again. His chest felt heavy and the throbbing pain was still present. He breathed out and slowly opened his eyes. His mouth was dry and his stomach was protesting. Slowly he tried to push himself up but instantly fell on the couch again when a shooting pain shot across his chest.

"Auw" He winced and cursed himself for being so weak.

"Easy Raph" A voice echoed through the lair. He growled slightly and looked to his right to see Casey standing there, just great. "C'mon let's getcha up" He encouraged and began to help Raph by sitting up. Raph wanted to protest but soon found himself relax when he was finally laying with his shell against the couch.

"Masta Splinter said ya had to careful for a few days so ya can be walking aroun' in no time" Casey explained and sat down next to him. Raph bit his lip at the movement of the couch but found it didn't hurt too much.

"Jus' great" Raph growled and crossed his arms, only to hiss in pain when he accidently touched his chest.

"Bonehead" Casey laughed and lightly punched his right shoulder. Despite having his most injuries around his torso there were numerous bruises and cuts he got while he was there, and one of them was on his arm. A dull pain shot through his body when Casey touched the cut on his right shoulder and then he felt it again.

Slowly the blade went right through his plastron again. And the only thing he could do was scream. His throat was raw and tears were streaming down his face. He was weak, he knew he was acting weak but he didn't care. He only wanted the pain to go away.

With a slow agonizing speed his plastron was cut further and further, damaging the tender skin beneath it. He could hear her laughter when blood began to ooze from the new wound but Raph could only cry. He could only listen to Leo's pleads and pray it would end anytime soon.

Raph's eyes widened when the blade cut through another part of his plastron and he screamed again. The blade was now even deeper in his skin than the other ones and it hurt. He could feel the blood oozing out of his body and staining his already wounded plastron. His body was still burning from all the chemicals that were injected just minutes ago.

Several bruises were already starting to form and sometimes the women would even cut his limps to increase the pain.

"You don't have to suffer Raphael, let your brother take the pain." The woman whispered in his ear and removed the blade from his skin. Raph whimpered slightly and threw his head to the side, forcing the woman away from his face.

"N-No" He managed to spat out. He would never cause his brothers pain. He wanted nothing more than to escape the pain but he couldn't allow Leo to be hurt too. "J-just go ta hell ya ugly witch" Raph added and filled his mouth and spit the woman right in her face. The woman's eyes began to glow purple and she grabbed Raph's head as hard as she could.

"You will pay reptile!" She screamed with a hollow voice and jammed the knife in Raph's right shoulder (So where Casey punched him). Raph opened his mouth again but before he could the woman placed a hand on his mouth. Raph closed his eyes and tried to bite the woman's hand but unfortunately it didn't work.

With a sinister smile the woman showed her other hand and showed what was in her hand. Raph's eyes widened when he saw what was in her hand, it was some kind of sand and whatever it was, it couldn't be good. Without waiting any more the woman threw all of the sand on the open wounds on Raph's plastron.

She removed her hand from Raph's mouth and snickered while observing his reaction. Raph just stared wide eyed as the sand took its effect. Slowly it began to hiss and disappear into the wounds. And then a blood curling scream left Raph's throat. He began to kick and struggle against the restraints and his chest kept rising and falling in an attempt to draw oxygen.

But nothing worked and the searing pain in his chest continued to form and form. He threw his head from side to side and vaguely acknowledge the cut on his right shoulder that was the reason of his suffering.

"No!" Raph screamed as hard as he could and struggled more against the bindings. And suddenly something connected with his fist. Raph blinked heavily and placed his fist heavily against his chest. Trying to ease the throbbing pain in his chest. A low whimper came from the other side of the room and when he looked up he saw Donnie cowering in fear, the blanket still wrapped around his body to hide himself.

His eyes were glued on the ground before locking into Raph's green eyes. His eyes were wide with fear and slowly Raph trailed his eyes to the ground. Only to meet Casey. He was holding his cheek with his hand and was sitting on the ground.

"Geez Raph" Casey muttered and rubbed his cheek painfully. Raph swallowed heavily, he had done it again, he had punched Casey, again.

"Casey ..." Raph started and wanted to get up but a shooting pain from his chest stopped him. Casey kept the same pained expression as he lifted himself off the ground.

"It's okay man. Imma get ya something for tha pain" Casey just mumbled and walked towards the kitchen. Raph cursed himself and bailed his fists, slamming onto the soft couch. Until another whimpering sound came from Donnie. And when Raph looked up he could see Donnie even wrapped up tighter into his blanket and shivering heavily, and staring wide eyed towards him.

Raph took a deep breath and sunk something deeper into the couch. He had punched his friend and deeply scared his younger brother. An awkward silence followed as they both waited for Casey to return. Raph had his head towards the side but kept glancing towards his younger brother.

Eventually he stopped shivering but he kept tugging his blanket. Like it was the only way to cover up his body, and the only way to stay save. After a few more minutes of tugging and repositioning the blanket Casey finally came back in. Somehow he had managed to carry two glasses of water with one hand, and some pills and an icepack in the other.

"Here" Casey said in a slow tone and handed Donnie one of the glasses. Donnie glanced from the glass towards Casey and then slowly took the glass. Being careful to stay wrapped into the blanket. A smirk formed on Casey's face as Donnie gratefully took a sip and walked towards Raph.

"Casey… I-I didn't mean to" Raph blurted out. It felt so weird apologizing but there was a strange aching feeling in his heart. He didn't like hurting his family or friends. First he had punched Casey into the wall, and now he had punched him in the face.

"Don't mention it, really" Casey shrugged and handed Raph a glass and some heavy painkillers. Raph frowned and glanced over to Casey. "I know yer in pain Raph, jus' take it" Casey obligated and pressed the icepack against his own cheek. Raph watched carefully as he took the painkillers and swallowed them with the water.

He sighed as he felt the pills quickly taking its effect. These were those kinds of heavy painkillers that were only meant for big wounds and quickly took effect. Raph wanted to open his mouth to make a witty comment but stopped when a loud sound came from the dojo. He whipped his head around just in time to see Mikey running out of the dojo and towards the sewers.

"What was that…?" Raph mumbled but glanced towards the dojo when he could hear more footsteps.

"Where's Mikey?!" Leo shouted worriedly and walked towards his two other brothers. Raph frowned and pointed towards the entrance. "Oh no, we gotta follow him!"

TMNT

He ran as fast as he could, not caring where he would end up. There was a reason he wanted to avoid his brothers, there was a reason he couldn't face them. He closed his eyes and ran blindly through the sewers. He gritted his teeth, he didn't want to think about him, he didn't want to think how he was treated there, he didn't want to think of the collar around his neck.

He let out a short yelp and fell to the ground, heavily tugging the collar. He wanted it off, he just wanted it all to end. And then he just froze as a familiar voice echoed through the sewer. Mikey's eyes shot upwards and he stared wide eyed at the creature.

"It's nice to see you again, pet"

TMNT

So many people wanted the bad guys to show up again, so here it is :D

So his brothers will join him, I can say that but what will they do? Kick their butts or lose again? ^^