Hey guys! Got a new chapter story for you. Well, actually it's an old OLD one. I posted this originally on a forum ages ago as a one-shot, and it was more of a poem at the time. It was a one-shot that wouldn't quit though, mostly because I just had to come up with a proper ending for it. This is still the shortest chapter of them all.

This IS set in the 2k3 'verse.

Please enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT

He heard voices.

Distant, hushed, familiar, and beautiful for how much he missed the ones they belonged to. Had it been only days? He didn't know. It felt like months that he'd been locked away in the dark. Beaten for nothing but for existing. Some hint of revenge was there, but he knew they did not plan on keeping him there much longer. Bleeding, and how much he'd lost he had no idea. They never dressed the wounds they inflicted. It was never enough to kill him, and that was the only sign he had that he wasn't supposed to die yet. He was dying...yet still alive. He held on, stubborn and fighting as he always did. If escape was possible, he wouldn't die in their hands. If not, he still would not be broken.

And he still clung to some hope that his brothers would come.

Raphael blinked blearily as the fuzz of sleep started to withdraw. Where are they? All too soon the pain was shooting through every inch of his body. Broken ribs scraped together as he shifted, and his legs screamed underneath him, the blood circulating through them again. He leaned forward desperately, straining against the fire flaring up from open wounds to see through the bars caging him. There was only darkness. No...I heard them...

The voices of his tormentor's were easy to identify. Gravelly, full of hate, and carried an accent from outside the city Raph called home. He had only encountered them once before, and they had become a distant memory. He'd almost forgotten how dangerous they really were...But he didn't care about them now. The sounds echoing through the gray halls beyond his room were not those men.

He dared to hope for it once more. His brothers were here for him.

He bit back a moan as the voices came closer and he could finally make out the words.

"...should be close now..."

"Do you see him?"

"Maybe the next room..."

His eyes widened. No! They can't leave!

He opened his mouth, trying to yell to them. A weak gasp escaped his ragged lungs only. They had to hear, they had to hear him! Please!

"Wait..."

Raphael thanked the gods for their ninja training. Fearing they would proceed still, he jerked his body, forcing himself forward. The chains from his wrists clinked together, and a soft cry came out from both excitement and pain. He couldn't stop yet. He slammed his arms back until they smacked the wall, and then forward again. The sounds echoed around him in the chamber. Through it, he heard the words that filled him will a joy he rarely felt.

"He's here! Come on!"

If the chains were not holding him up he would've collapsed then. Instead he dropped his head in exhaustion, wincing when his skin pinched under the shackles around his wrists. A small stream of light broke into his small room, and a quiet bark of laughter choked out when he saw the familiar shadow on the floor.

"Raphael!"

He rolled his head back up to stare again through the bars. There was Leo, staring wide-eyed but relieved back at him. Leo pressed close the the bars, trying to close the distance.

"Don," he said calmly. Always calmly. He didn't need to finish the order. The purple-banded turtle had already appeared next to him and was examining the iron. Raph could see the gears turning in his brother's brain. Don looked him in the eye and gave a concerned smile.

"We'll get you out of there bro," he said softly. Raph had no doubt they would.

His eyes traveled tiredly to his youngest brother, whose blue eyes had met his as he knelt down and wrapped a hand tightly around one of the bars. Raph tried to reach towards them, to close this final gap, to finally go home with them. If he had to die, at least now it would be with his brothers.

He let out a moan of pain when his arms would not pull any further.

"Stay there Raphie..." Mikey said, giving him his lopsided grin. "We're coming to you."

I've waited long enough... he thought, unable to speak still. But he trusted his brother's words.

He closed his eyes and it barely felt like a moment before his brothers were suddenly there. Donny was making quick work of the cuffs. Whatever magic science trick he'd used to get through the bars, he used on the chains and immediately took to checking his injuries as Leo and Mikey carefully laid him down. His head rested comfortably on Mikey's lap, and Raph didn't care about any act he'd put on before with them, he needed them close.

"Broken ribs, dislocated shoulder...this wrist is probably broken too, lots of open wounds, might be infected..." Don listed in a mutter.

"We've got to get him home," Leo said. "We don't have time."

A loud clang suddenly rang out and Raph looked up at Leo, startled.

"Don't..." he rasped.

Leo's brow furrowed in confusion.

Another clang. He knew what was coming...

"Don't leave," he gasped harshly. "Stay with me!"

Laughter.

Leo took his hand. "We won't leave you behind."

The vision swam together and into darkness before Raph, but his older brother's voice echoed calmly in his mind.

"We'll take you home Raph."

His eyes shot open as another clang rang out and white light flooded the room.

"Wake up Freak!"

Fearful anger welled up inside him and he growled at his captors. He pulled on the chains painfully, the growl almost turning into a whine. The dream was gone, his brothers with it.

We'll take you home Raph.

He trusted his brother's words.

I'm waiting for you Leo!

Can you guess who has captured poor Raph? For those who don't know the 2k3 series as well, I will explain later anything you will need to understand.

Reviews more than welcome and thanks for reading! Have a great day! :D