Disclaimer: I don't own the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. But oh dear gods do I love them.

I keep on missing my update days. Sorry. I'll do better. I promise. :(

First Move

The lair was quiet.

Everyone had gone to bed.

Even Donnie, still holed up in his lab, had fallen into a fitful rest.

That is, until the searing pain of losing control of his own body woke him.

His body crawled out from under the desk, and left the lab for the second time that night.

Donnie desperately tried to get himself back into the lab, to no avail of course.

It was like watching a movie, but it was in first person and he was the main character, though he had no control over what happened. He could only think about what the spirit had decided to do, who the spirit had selected to take away.

To Donnie's surprise, he found himself leaving the lair.

He was completely confused. Everyone was in their rooms. He had heard them retire. If someone had gotten up, he would have heard it.

He pushed open the usual manhole cover and crawled out, quietly replacing the cover to its place.

What could the spirit possibly want on the surface? Donnie was lost in thought, not even paying attention to where his body was being taken. He realized what was going on all too late, when he landed on the fire escape.

'Oh my God.'

He didn't say it. He couldn't control his mouth. He couldn't control anything. If he could he'd be running back to the lair at full speed to end his own life, not prying open the window to his sweet princess's house.

He was forced to crawl inside. He tiptoed toward her room completely undetectable, although he was actually screaming loud as he could and begging the spirit not to do it.

He pushed her door open. She was soundly asleep. The sight of her would have made Donnie smile if he weren't in such a situation. He loved the way she looked when she was asleep. He remembered the photo of he and her that he kept in his lab. He often would gaze at it in the days when he was allowed to stay in his lab.

Now he was cursing himself for paying the picture any mind. How else would the spirit know that she was dear to him?

He took his bo staff from its position on his back and twirled it in his hands, flicking the blade from its end.

Donnie felt sick to his stomach.

'Oh my God.'

He held the staff directly over her.

It was aimed directly for her heart.

'Let's talk this over!' Donnie tried to reason.

'I mean her life? For a pot? Can't you just…break my laptop or something?'

'…If you're willing to sacrifice it it's not enough.'

'Please! It was an accident! I'm sorry!' Donnie cried.

His pleas fell on deaf ears.

For a moment all was quiet in the room and in his mind.

"…Donnie?"

In one swift movement his staff was brought down.

There was excruciating pain.

Then a sharp high-pitched cry…

Mr. O'Neil rushed from his bed at the sound of the scream. He threw open the door to his daughter's room and took a moment to process what he saw.

Donnie was pressed up against the wall, his hand over his mouth, starting wide-eyed in front of him, though he didn't seem to be seeing anything.

His bo staff was at his feet. There was something red covering the blade.

April was in bed, though her covers were tossed back. She had the same red staining her sheets and pajamas.

Mr. O'Neil dashed for her.

He side was sliced clean open.

He started back up at Donnie, who had finally focused himself. He was looking back at Mr. O'Neil in terror.

"Did you…?" O'Neil started. He coughed. He really didn't want to believe his eyes.

"Did you…do this?" He asked quietly.

Donnie didn't answer.

"You did this, didn't you?" Again, it was no question. He felt anger rising like lava in a volcano.

"I-"

"YOU DID THIS!" He roared. Donnie cringed.

"GET OUT! TAKE YOUR WEAPON AND GET!"

"I-"

"LEAVE!"

Donnie scooped up the staff and flew out the window.

Mr. O'Neil grabbed April's phone off her nightstand.

"911, what's your emergency?"

"I need an ambulance, now!"

Donnie ran as fast as his legs could take him and even faster. He kept stumbling and tripping over nothing but he didn't stop or look back.

'…You overpowered me.'

"SHUT UP!" Donnie screamed

'That's pretty amazing.'

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP!"

'Worry not, the next time won't be so easy.'

Donnie ran faster still.

Leo picked up the heart adorned photo frame, examining the picture of Donnie and April inside. He had woken up that night when he felt something was off, and was surprised to find Donnie's lab door open. He had ended up staying inside the lab to think once he discovered, even more surprisingly, that Donnie wasn't in there.

He suddenly heard fast footsteps, a splashing sound, then the footsteps continued. Leo stepped out of the lab to see Donnie running at full speed.

"Donnie-"

He ran right past Leo. Leo dropped the picture and bolted after him.

Something was horribly wrong.

Leo followed Donnie into the kitchen.

Donnie jerked open a drawer and removed the largest, sharpest knife they had.

He pressed it to his neck and-

Leo caught him by the wrist.

"DONNIE, NO!" Leo tried to pull his hand away from his neck.

"LET ME GO!"

"NO!"

"GET OFF!"

"NO!"

"LEO-"

"NO! I WILL NOT LET YOU KILL YOURSELF!"

Donnie dropped the knife.

"BUT I WANNA DIE!"

He fell to his knees.

"I WANNA DIE! PLEASE! PLEASE LET ME END THIS! I'M TOO DANGEROUS TO LIVE ANYMORE!"

Leo watched his little brother, completely speechless.

"So please…just…I wanna…"

Donnie buried his face in his hands and broke into a fit of uncontrollable sobbing.

Leo did the only thing he knew he could.

Kneel down and hug him.

"Oh. Donnie."

Leo was slightly glad the Donnie seemed to lean into him once he had wrapped his arms around him a opposed to pulling away, but his cries did not subdue.

Not for a while.

Once her finally did fall silent he just stayed where he was, comfortably wrapped in Leo's arms.

After a stillness that seemed to last an eternity, he finally spoke.

"You should get away from me."

It caught Leo off guard, but he stayed cool.

"I won't."

"Leo, please-"

"Don't you start. I'm not leaving you."

Donnie stayed quiet.

"…Do you want to talk about it?"

Donnie shook his head. Leo sighed. He stood, helping Donnie up with him.

"Come on, I'll keep you company tonight."

"Oh no, you don't have to-"

Leo gave Donnie a look. It wasn't angry, but it was stern, and Donnie instantly shut up.

Leo led Donnie to his room and into his bed. He lay down beside him. Not five minutes later Donnie was out like a light bulb, but was far from peaceful.

Leo gazed at him with a worried expression.

"Oh Donnie…" He whispered, wiping a falling tear from his brother's face.

"What is going on? Why won't you open up?"

End Chapter 7