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Leo-
“DONNIE!”
Leo looked up at the sky, blinking.
Donnie had been right there.
He had been right there, screaming.
Then Leo blinked and he was gone.
Maybe he was seeing it wrong?
He continued blinking, trying to clear his vision as the rain continued hailing down, unrelenting. Leo searched the sky for his baby brother in purple.
He only saw the ominous glowing form of april.
She curled up in the air for a moment, then unfurled, letting out a distorted shout. Lighting shot out of the clouds around her, and one hit the telephone pole the brothers had climbed up on.
Leo cried out in pain and released his hold on the pole, falling onto the roof below. He rolled, and ended up on his side. He shifted, sat up on his knees and looked back up to the sky once more.
Something flittered into his sight, and he instinctively reached out to grab it, looking at his hand to see what it was.
It was a familiar worn purple fabric
It was Donnie’s mask.
“She’s gone!” Raph had stood up and was looking in the same direction. He sighed, then turned to the eldest, his voice softer than usual, no hint of anger behind it. “What do we do, Leo?”
Leo looked back at the mask in his hand, waving gently in the wind as the rain attempted to weigh it down.
“What just happened?” Raph continued, his words swirling through Leo’s head for a moment before dissipating. “Is Donnie… gone?”
Gone?
Leo felt a flash of anger over his heart, followed by confusion, and some sort of pain he couldn’t pinpoint.
Donnie wasn’t gone, he couldn’t be.
He just disappeared, right?
“Poor Donnie…” Casey’s voice audibly cracked, and Leo flinched, clenching his fist around his brother's mask.
No, Donnie’s NOT gone.
Leo took a deep breath in, repeating the thought. But the more it played through his head, the more far-fetched it became. Leo had heard Donnie scream, and heard his scream cut off and then-
No.
No no no no NO!
Leo stood up abruptly, startling the two turtles and the human.
“No! Of course not!”
He then recognized the faces of his team.
The childish devastation in Mikey’s baby blue eyes.
The utter shock and betrayal swimming in Caseys.
And the steaming rage billowing off Raph in waves, unlike any anger Leo had ever seen from him before.
One thought slipped into the leader's mind, silent and commanding.
“We need to find April.”
~~~
Raph-
Raph followed behind Leo silently.
He couldn’t speak, not with the gnawing lump in his throat, not with the boiling anger in his stomach.
He had heard Donnie begging April, trying desperately to reach her as he was suspended miles above the ground. Donnie had recognized the danger he was in, Raph was sure of that.
But his brilliant, loving, kindhearted baby brother remained determined, fearless until he faced death. He continued to try to help April, despite her own verbal affirmation that she couldn’t control it.
He trusted her.
And she…
Raph wasn’t blinking, staring straight ahead, his fists clenched. The seething pain growing steadily out from his chest reminded him of a star. Donnie told him once that bigger stars implode and turn into supernovas, beautiful expanses of minerals and materials that make up large parts of the universe.
That was what Raph felt like. He felt like one of those big ass stars, and as the pressure dropped inside him, the gravity of his anger was ready to make him erupt.
Then he spotted April, her hair flowing above her head, and that creepy white aura radiating off her.
“You can’t do this, April!” Leo shouted, desperation clawing at the edge of his voice, a new sound that Raph hadn’t heard before. “Or Za’Naron or whoever you are!”
“Do not stand in my way, or you will be cleansed,” Her voice was awful, grating against Raphs ears like nails in a chalkboard. She spoke as more than one person, and as she finished her statement, something fragile bent in Raph’s mind. “Just as Donatello was.”
You…
YOU DON'T GET TO SAY THAT.
“We have to stop her.” Leo stated.
The bend creaked, stiffening in Raph’s joints.
“But what about April?” Casey asked quietly.
It broke, snapped in two, and all of that build up finally prepared for its grand performance across the galaxy. “Are you kidding?!” Raph swiveled to look at Casey, a low, guttural growl vibrating his throat as his voice dropped low. “April O’Neil is gone.”
He turned to look at the monster that killed his brother.
“We take her down!”
~~~
Mikey-
Mikey was moving in slow motion.
Everything felt wrong.
He cried out for Raph as April attempted to do the same thing to him as she had done to Donnie.
Donnie!
Mikey hadn’t been able to do anything. Why wasn’t he able to do anything? He saw it, and heard it all. He saw the way Donnie’s whole body lit up, the layers of his being stripped away in flashes as his scream echoed through Mikey’s soul.
And he saw April fly away, almost casually, when she was done destroying Mikey’s big brother.
He screamed half-hearted sentiments to her. Leo seemed to think that they could bring her back, but she still fought, even when they bound her with Mikey’s chain.
She broke free, throwing everyone back, and returning to finish Raph off.
And once again, Mikey watched as his older brother started to glow, the static sound of his entire being being torn apart shooting through Mikey’s skull.
But Raph wasn’t saying anything, he only yelled at her, his eyes white.
And Mikey saw the fat tears rolling down his cheeks.
Mikey couldn’t just sit there, not again.
He got up and ran, ramming his shoulder into April's back.
She fell, Raph fell, and Mikey ended up on top of her.
He saw the necklace not a foot in front of his face, and the way it lifted off the ground slightly. The band was still around April’s neck, but the crystal was right there.
It was RIGHT THERE.
Mikey didn’t think, he didn’t need to.
He brought down the end of his nunchaku on it, feeling an unwelcome feeling wrap around him right before it shattered beneath his weapon.
Then the feeling pulled, and threw him off.
He rolled a few feet away, hearing her scream. He looked up, seeing the aura around her distort and shift, shooting astral spirit-like wisps out of her body before she collapsed.
Mikey felt a weight sink into his chest.
He struggled to get back to his feet, running over to Raph, who was already being helped up by Casey.
He swallowed, looking at some of the odd colors dotting Raph’s skin as his red-banded brother looked up. He didn’t look at Mikey, but at April.
The gaze pierced the girl with pure, unbridled hatred. Leo remained on his knees, on the other side of her, several yards away. Mikey turned away.
He heard her yelling something, and the way the two voices from her were separate now.
She killed the flying black creature, then fell to her knees, exhausted.
Casey spoke slowly. “April, is that really you?”
Mikey watched her hold her head for a moment, then she answered. “I think so… but… but Donnie-” She breathed, looking at her hands.
Mikey nearly crumbled, his legs trembling beneath him. That weight in his chest attempting to pull him down.
“SHUT UP!” Raph shouted, jerking in Casey’s grip, startling the teen. “DON’T YOU DARE TALK ABOUT HIM-” He winced, grabbing his chest and wheezing. Casey looked worried and lowered him slowly to the ground. But that didn’t stop Raph. “YOU BACKSTABBING LITTLE-” he fell into a painful coughing fit as Casey rubbed his shell, checking over his body as best as he could.
April shook her head, making the expression of a kicked puppy. “What have I done?”
That was when Mikey broke, he blinked back his own tears, recognizing the ones still flowing down Raph's face.
Then, in a soft voice that cracked several times, he finally said. “You killed him…”
April looked up at him. “Mikey, I-”
Mikey’s shoulder shook as he sobbed “You-” His blue eyes locked with hers. “You killed him-”
He stumbled toward her, falling to his knees in front of her, the salty feelings now running freely down his cheeks. “You did this, so you can undo it, right?”
Her eyebrows raised in shock. “What?”
“Bring him back!” Mikey raised his voice.
“I can’t-”
“BRING HIM BACK!!!” he shouted, falling into the breathtaking sobs and the way they shook his body and hurt his chest. It hurt so much, so, so much.
He curled into himself in front of her, gripping his forearms with his hands and setting his forehead on the concrete.
His sobbing echoed around the area, burning into the memories of all of his family.
Well, not all of them.
Not Donnie.
~~~
Third Person POV-
April looked around, desperate for someone, anyone to look her way.
Instead she spotted the sparking remains of the crystal.
“Donnie’s not gone-”
She ran over to the pieces, receiving a wary look from Casey.
She gathered them in one hand, lifting them above her head, and set her other hand on her temple to focus the power.
Leo snapped out of his stupor for a second, seeing the way particles around them shifted, mostly from around the brothers themselves, as if Donnie’s pieces stuck around to help his brothers through their grief. Leo watched the particles swirl around together in front of April, several feet off the ground, forming a moving, bright mass of blue, white, and purple.
It formed arms, legs, then a head.
And as the sparkling dissipated, the missing quarter appeared, all in one piece.
Donnie was back.
He fell to the ground, and struggled for a moment to get up, but Mikey was with him in an instant, not allowing him to stand as he tackled him in a hug. Donnie was surprised, which gave way to worry as Mikey sobbed more than before, burying his face in his older brother's neck.
“Donnie!” Raph cried out, standing despite Casey’s adamant protest, and making his way over to the turtle with the teens' help. Leo followed quickly, all three gathering around their tech-savvy brother.
Raph set his hand on Donnie’s cheek in a gentle way that Leo hadn’t known he could manage, and turned his head to face him. Raph searched Donnie’s eyes with his own, as if needing confirmation that he was there, really there, in front of him.
When he’d seen enough, Raph huffed, leaning forward with a grunt and settling his forehead on Donnie’s shoulder.
Leo took Donnie’s free hand, the one that wasn’t wrapped around a quieting Mikey, on the side opposite of Raph. Leo rubbed his thumb over the back of Donnie’s hand slowly. It was real, he could feel it.
Everything had felt so out of place that the moment it was back to normal, normal felt wrong.
Mikey sniffled, sitting up a bit. Donnie looked at him, removing his arm from around his little brother's shell to run his thumb along his cheek, wiping away some of the tears. “Hey,”
Mikey broke into a smile, laughing brokenly. “You do all that and all you say is ‘hey’?”
Donnie smiled. “Trying to get feeling back in my tongue, sorry.”
He wiggled his tongue, blowing a few raspberries that Mikey happily returned. Raph sat up, watched for a moment, then glared. “Really?”
Donnie turned and blew one at him, and Raph broke into a chuckle.
“Alright genius, let’s go home.”
Donnie nodded, and looked at Leo, who was still fiddling with his other hand. He considered saying something, but decided against it. The far-off look in Leo’s eyes concerned Donnie.
Then he snapped back, looked up at Donnie and gave him a small smile. “Yeah, home.”
Donnie smiled back, and stood with his brothers.
Leo didn’t let go of his hand, staying mostly silent for the trek back. Mikey found his place walking in front of Donnie, and the purple-banded turtle supported Raph on his other side. Casey had decided to go to the hospital for a few broken ribs. April said she’d take him.
Donnie didn’t speak to April.
~~~
Donnie-
Donnie stared at the tv. It was off, yes, but he wasn’t exactly watching it, just letting his mind wander.
Letting it wander to the feeling of being torn apart molecule by molecule.
Nope, let’s not go there-
Donnie took a deep breath, shifting slightly. Mikey was curled up against his side, having become more clingy for the past few days after the incident. The incident that anyone had yet to actually speak about because they all had the emotional maturity of 10 year olds and refused to discuss anything that may be a sign of weakness to other boys.
Raph had been healing, Casey had gotten out of the hospital.
And April had not shown her face, texted, or made any contact since then.
Donnie was okay with that. He didn’t really feel like talking to her yet.
Leo entered the room, plopping down on Donnies other side, a little closer than he’d normally sit. He’d been somewhat hyper-vigilant since the incident, checking up on Donnie a lot more. He had also been quieter, and not all there all the time.
Raph had tried to be more stealthy, but Donnie knew that he was acting oddly too. Donnie had woken up the other night to find the hothead curled up on the floor beside his bed. He’d gone back to sleep and when he got up the next morning, Raph was gone.
Donnie looked at Leo for a second, sensing the nervous energy radiating from his oldest brother.
Donnie stood up, earning a cry of protest from Mikey. “Alright, that’s enough.” Leo looked at him confused, and Donnie pointed at him. “Grab me some blankets, please?”
“Uh, sure?” Leo stood. “How many?”
“As many as you can find.” Donnie said, then turned to Mikey. “Hey Mike, can you make some of your beef stew for dinner?”
Mikey tilted his head. “But don't you like cream-of-mushroom more?”
Donnie shrugged. “It just sounds good.”
“Hmm, okay.” Mikey also got up and ran off.
Donnie did prefer cream-of-mushroom, but beef stew was very popular among all three brothers, and a very warm and filling meal. That was what they needed.
Donnie headed to Raph’s room, knocking on the door.
“Who is it?” his voice called from inside.
“It’s me.” Donnie said.
“Come in.”
Donnie opened the door to find Raph sitting up on his bed, putting the comic book he’d been reading down.
“Hey, Donnie, what’s up?” He asked.
“Can you help me grab a lot of pillows?”
Raph’s face bunched up. “Why?”
Donnie crossed his arms. “Cause I can only hold so many, and you’re joining us.”
“For what?”
“Just come on.” Donnie led the way down the hall and into the spare room they used for storage. They had some totes with linens and pillows that they gathered their quarry from. Leo looked at them from where he was grabbing blankets, still confused. He followed behind as Donnie led them back to the living room, dropping down the pillows that were piled up in his arms.
“Donnie, what are we doing exactly?” Leo asked.
“Movie night.” Donnie said simply. “I’m making us a comfy place to curl up and watch some movies.
“Why?” Raph asked.
Donnie looked at him for a moment, before huffing. “Because I think we all need some decompression.”
And for once, Raph didn’t argue or protest, just started helping Donnie set up the pillows. Leo also got the idea and laid out blankets when they were needed. Mikey returned around the time they were finished with four steaming bowls of stew. The two oldest were surprised and sat down cross-legged to eat their portions.
“What movie are we watching?” Mikey asked.
“Why don’t you pick?” Donnie suggested, blowing on his spoon before taking a bite. The savory meal hit the spot just right.
Mikey looked at Raph and Leo, who turned to Donnie.
“Don, why don’t you pick this time?” Leo urged.
“Cause I can pick next time.” Don shrugged. Then he locked eyes with his two older brothers. “It’s not like I’m going to disappear.”
They both stiffened, looking at each other, shocked.
Leo swallowed, “Donnie, I-”
“Look,” Donnie interrupted. “I get you all are worried, but coddling me is not going to make everything okay again. I suggest we take a night, relax, and spend some time together.”
Leo relaxed his shoulders and nodded. “If that’s what you want.”
Donnie twitched, a small bit of anger building up in his stomach. “What about you guys?!”
Leo blinked, Raph stared, and Mikey scooted closer to Donnie’s side.
Donnie looked at his youngest brother. “When I came back, none of you were okay. Mikey, you were crying.” He diverted his attention to the oldest “Leo, you weren’t responding, and Raph,” he turned to the hothead with an expression of utter bewilderment “I don’t even know how to explain you.”
“And what about you, Donnie, you were-”
“I know what I was, Leo!” Donnie put his bowl down and pressed his palms to the ground. “It felt weird and painful and disorienting and I never want to do it again but I’m okay now!”
“But you’re not!” Raph spoke up. “You just said it. It wasn’t fun.”
“But I’m not going to disappear now!” Donnie argued. “You don’t have to act like I am!”
Mikey pressed his shoulder to Donnie’s side, and Donnie looked at him, slightly annoyed. What was he-
Mikey looked up at him with watery baby blues that froze Donnie in his tracks.
“We were scared, Dee.” He looked down, grabbing Donnies arm. “We thought we lost you. I don’t want to lose you ever again.”
“It may seem overwhelming,” Leo put his hands in his lap. “And you can tell us when to back off, but we just need to make sure you’re okay for now. That makes us feel a whole lot better.”
“Yeah, what they said.” Raph huffed, crossing his arms.
Donnie sighed. Their logic was sound. He pulled his bowl back up and took another slow bite, noticing that the movie had started already. “What do you guys say we stay out here tonight?”
Mikey lit up. “Like when we were kids?!”
Donnie nodded.
Leo nodded. “Sounds good to me.” He shuffled over to Donnie’s other side, leaning his shoulder against him.
Donnie looked at Raph, who groaned slightly. “Fine, but I’m not cuddling.”
Donnie woke up in the middle of the night to find that Raph had lied and had somehow wedged himself to lay his head on Donnie’s plastron, between him and Leo.
Donnie smiled, relaxing into the warm comfort of his family, and allowed the sweet relief of sleep to steal him away from his thoughts once more.