Where I Can Protect You (A 2012 Mikey meets Rottmnt fic)

Chapter 6: "What if"

To say it was late would be an understatement, if anything it was early, extremely early but still early. If it were anywhere else it would be silent but since this is New York an undertone of chaos rang through the sleepless city despite the late hours. Unbeknownst to the citizens of the bustling city, two mutants stood behind an old instrument shop in a mucky alleyway.

Leo groaned, harshly running a hand down his face, dragging his flesh with his few fingers. "Great, the sun's about to rise and we haven't found anything of use" He grumbled. "We should head back to the lair, get some rest, see if Donnie has any new ideas" He suggested. When he turned around to face his brother he saw the red bandana wearing turtle sluggishly leaning against a wall, barely supporting his exhausted self. Leo walked to his brothers side, wrapping his arm under Raph's, he started dragging him to the nearest manhole.

Raph's eyes shot open once Leo's words registered in his mind. "No!" He protested, shoving off of Leo. "We can't go back till we find him!" He shouted, hobbling further into the alley.

Leo sighed. He wasn't surprised by his brothers actions, he honestly expected Raph to put up a fight, but that doesn't mean it wasn't getting old. "Raph, you won't find Mikey while you can barely walk, be reasonable" He said, crossing his arms as he approached his brother. "You need to rest, and then I promise we'll keep looking" He placed a hand on Raph's shoulder, pleading within his mind that Raph would come to his senses and make Leo's job just the littlest bit easier.

Raph couldn't believe what he was hearing. They didn't need to rest, they needed to find Mikey, they needed to bring him home, he needed to save him. Raph's eyes narrowed into a glare. "No!" He grabbed Leo by the arm, shoving him away into some nearby dumpsters. "I ain't goin' back to the lair until we find him!" He shouted at his brother. He knew Leo wanted to find Mikey, that it had been the only thing on his mind, but that didn't stop Raph from taking out all of his pent up emotions on Leo. "How could you even suggest taking a break right now?!" Raph asked rhetorically, already knowing that Leo was just trying to make the responsible decision. "I need to find him, I need to make sure he's safe!" Raph thought of going home as giving up, that it meant defeat.

Leo tried to ignore the horrible thoughts that entered his mind at Raph's word. What if Mikey wasn't safe, what if he was hurt, or kidnapped, or dead. Leo tried to think rationally, he was trying so very hard. Leo had to keep reminding himself that Mikey was strong, that he could defend himself. "Raph, Mikey is probably just lost, or he got into a fight and is hiding somewhere until he's healed, or.. something" He tried to reason, hoping to comfort Raph's worries, and possibly some of his own.

Raph knew Leo was probably right. He wanted to believe that Mikey was okay. He knew underneath all that dumbass.. far, far underneath, was a smart ninja who could defend himself. But what if he was in trouble, the kind he needed his brothers for, to back him up and afterwards tell him to never ever do something so stupid again. And Raph knew Mikey was quick on his feet and could throw a decent punch, but with his nunchucks he could defend himself so much better. "But what if he's in danger right now and we aren't there?!" Raph questioned, his volume belittling sirens. "What if he's being tortured as we speak and we're just gonna go.. what? take a nap?!" His thoughts were taking him to the darkest of places. "What if I'm already too late? What if he's..? What if he's dying and we could've saved him but you made us go back to the lair?!" He stocked closer to Leo. "What if all this looking is pointless because he's already fucking dead 'cause you just had to insist on going back to the stupid quiet lair!!" Now he was yelling directly in Leo's face, having crossed into his personal space during his morbid spiel. "Oh, or what if-" Before Raph could spout the next horrible thought that came to his mind he was abruptly cut off by a sudden searing pain in his left cheek. A ringing faded in and out of his hearing as he lifted a hand to graze over his stinging cheek. He looked to Leo with a dark expression as he asked, "Did you just slap me?" In an ominously quiet tone.