Save Me

The cold wind howled in the late November evening. The sun was preparing to fall behind the snow covered mountains in the west, making the sky behind dark clouds a bright orange. An orange just like the small turtle's mask was as it covered his sparkling blue eyes.

Everything seemed perfect, but was it really? Huddling in a large light brown coat, the youngest member of the family kept quiet as he watched the silver clouds hover over the darkening sky. The forest seemed to be still and dead, but the orange masked turtle knew there was life behind the tall wooden plants towering over the old house. The farmhouse.

The building was nice to stay in, for now, but it wasn't home. It could never be home.

It's been a week since the blue-eyed turtle had arrived at this place. Leo is currently in a coma, laying in the upstairs bathroom tub so he can stay hydrated. Raph is constantly watching over him; waiting for Leo to wake up. Donnie was inside the barn, working on a medicine to help Leo when he woke up. April was cleaning the house and making dinner. Casey was most likely working on an old broken down car in the barn next to Donnie. And then there was Mikey, who trying to stay away from the volcano Raph, and not bother Donnie, as much.

Mikey had been trying to reconnect to Raph as much as possible, because whenever they meet, Raph would blow up. Lately whenever Raph greets Mikey, its with a punch to the face. Whenever its a goodbye, well Mikey would be lucky if he gets away with just a glare. Michelangelo knew it wasn't Raph's fault, he had been staying up too many nights waiting for Leo to open his eyes again; never knowing if he ever will. Raph was just tired. Maybe not just tired, but exhausted.

The lime green turtle moved towards the wooden steps, deep in thought. Once to the second step the little turtle squat down and sat on the cold porch. Pulling the coat closer, Michelangelo closed his eyes. He was tired as well. The nights had given him many chances to relive the death of his father, Master Splinter.

"No…" Mikey moaned as he had opened his eyes again, "Don't think about that. You'll just start crying again. It's time to put a smile back on. I mean, think about all the great things that came from this... " Mikey paused to think before saying, "All my brothers are still alive… or mostly alive… No. Don't think that…." Mikey fell silent again as he moved his legs towards himself and he wrapped them in the large coat.

"April and Casey are with us… We have food, and water. Nice showers, a TV." Mikey spoke softly to himself.

"We still have each other. We don't have to save the city or go try and stop Shredder anymore…" Mikey shut his mouth as the image of the Shredder grabbing Master Splinter and drop him into a whirl of moving water flew through his mind.

"No! Don't think that!" Mikey scolded himself.

"Everything's going to be okay… Leo will wake up… And we'll figure everything out..."

Mikey laid his head on his freezing knees and stared at the wooden planks.

A couple minutes passed when the freckled turtle felt something cold on his head. Raising his chin slightly he looked up to see white flakes of snow drift towards the dead, yellow grass. More soon followed after.

"Mikey, come inside. You're going to freeze from the cold." April spoke gently behind the ninja turtle. Mikey sighed softly, watching as his breath came out in a ball of heat. Moving up the orange masked turtle turned and entered the old smelling house. The heat was amazing on Mikey's skin; warming him up fast.

"There's some soup on the table." April told me as she closed the front door quickly as the cold air threatened to get in. Mikey nodded as he left towards the wonderful smelling kitchen.

"I'll see if I can get Raph down to eat with us." April told him as she moved to the old creaking stairs and ascended them.

Mikey shuffled over to the counter and looked down inside the bowl of steaming soup. Gathering it with his frozen hands, Mikey took the bowl to the table and sat on wooden chair. Michelangelo picked up the warm metal spoon and lifted the broth and wheat noodles up to his empty mouth.

"Why are ya always pestering me.?" The youngest heard the angry voice of his older brother say.

"I'm not Raph. I just want you to come down and eat with us. Is that too much to ask?" Mikey heard the red haired girl tell him in a voice not too harsh, but stern.

"I don't wanna eat! For the last time!"

"I'll stop bothering you once you have something in that stomach of yours." April told him and Mikey felt a small blast of victory when he heard the long low sigh in reply.

"Fine." Raph mumbled gruffly before footsteps were coming down the hall and over to the stairs.

Mikey stopped eating and waited patiently so he could eat with the others. The blue eyed turtle turned and watched as Raph's tired face and April's entered the kitchen.

Raphael avoided Mikey's eyes, but the small turtle was okay with it. At Least Raph was here. It's been too long since the older mutant had gotten food in him.

The green eyed turtle picked up his bowl and sat down two seats away from Mikey. The orange-clad turtle watched as his brother stirred the soup with the spoon for some time before putting it in his mouth. Satisfied Mikey went back to his dinner.

"Watcha been up ta Mikey?" Raph mumbled a couple minutes later, still not looking Michelangelo in the eye.

"Huh?" Mikey asked, somewhat startled by being spoken too. "Oh, just been doing my own thing, and trying to stay away from Donnie,"

"Huh."

"I've checked this place out. There's a lot of trees in the backyard, I bet it would be fun to play hide-n-seek!" Mikey looked hopeful at the ninja in front of him, but was disappointed Raph didn't seem to care.

"Hide-n-seek is for babies." Raph muttered before blowing on the soup.

"Or maybe we could go camping sometime…" Mikey said as he stared at the smooth table. Raph's only response was a smack of his lips as he pulled the spoon out of his mouth.

"I'm sure we'll go camping when it gets warmer," April told Mikey was a small smile.

"It's snowing outside. Maybe when there's enough snow we can go play in it…" Mikey glanced up at Raph who was draining the leftover contents in his bowl. After he was finished the green eyed turtle got up and dropped the bowl on the counter before walking over to the fridge.

"We could make a snowman… I've never made one, I bet we could make the biggest snowman, or turtle in the world!" Mikey smiled in hopes his enthusiasm would get to the second oldest. Raph pulled out a jug of orange juice and poured himself a glass and began to make his way towards the stairs, leaving the youngest out of the brothers disappointed.

"Raph… I never get to see you anymore… I want to do something with my big brother... I don't care what. I'd be okay if we even spent some time watching TV together… " Mikey tried one last time to get through to Raph.

"I don't want to spend time with you." Raph huffed as he looked over at Mikey with blazing green eyes.

Mikey opened his mouth to speak, but words were far from his mouth, leaving him speechless.

Raph turned away and moved closer to the stairs when the freckled turtle whispered, "I just want to spend time with you…"

"Life just isn't fair sometimes." Raph spat out in a low growl.

"it's never fair… but we can try to make it..." Mikey mumbled as he heard his brother move up each step.

"Keep trying Mikey," April whispered. Mikey gave a small nod before abandoning the rest of his food and jumping off the hard chair. The lime skinned turtle hurried over to the stairs and looked up at the red tails that dangled on his brother's shell.

"Raph..." Mikey began, but ended when his older brother spun around with a dangerous glare.

"Mikey! No! Don't ask me again! I don't want to spend time with you! I don't want to be around you! Just leave me alone!" Raph spoke in a loud growl; leaving the blue teary eyed turtle to replay the sentences over and over like a broken record. After Mikey replayed it enough times, he finally found his voice.

"Fine, I'll go alone, by myself. Like I've been for the past week." Mikey told him in an unusual calm voice that came out strange to him, like hearing someone speak above water while you were under.

"You do that." Raph snapped as he made his way back to his cave, also known as the bathroom.

"See you around then, huh, Raphie boy?" Mikey shot at him, feeling hurt and angry at trying so hard only to be rejected.

Raph stopped to look back at Mikey while the lime green turtle marched to the door. Michelangelo grabbed the handle and yanked the door open.

"Mikey…" Raph began, but the sound of the front door slamming shut cut him off.

The snow was freezing as it touched his warm skin. The tracks left behind him in the thick layered snow were spaced out as Mikey hurried towards the barn in long strives.

"Stupid older brother, who has no feelings." Mikey mumbled in frustration as he walked through the swirl of snowflakes. The night had fallen and the darkness consumed him just like the snow had. The lights from the farmhouse light up in a fuzzy blob of light that illuminated the yard. The further Mikey got away the less amount of light fell upon him.

The dark shadows of the forest was all the youngest could see as he approached the trees.

Considering himself lucky had hadn't taken the coat off, the orange clad turtle pulled it as tightly as he could. The air came as a shock to his warm body, leaving him fine until the freezing droplets of water had collided into him.

After a couple minutes of walking Mikey finally reached the darkness of the trees. He wasn't planning on going very far, just enough to clear his mind.

Stepping over a fallen log, Michelangelo brushed a small tree with his shoulder that scratched at the leather that wrapped tightly around him; saving his torso from the cold air.

"I should have known Raph would snap at me… why did I even try…?" Mikey spoke softly to the snow.

"He wouldn't want to spend time with me… I'm just his annoying little brother…"

Mikey stared at the ground as he walked for ten minutes; his tracks slowly starting to disappear as the snow hits them.

The orange masked ninja glanced up at the tree branches that had two inches of pure white snow on them. Below the branches were long, clear, sparkling icicles that were clutching tightly onto the wood.

More time passed when the snow began to slow down and the light from the moon was shining more brightly through the dark clouds that covered up most of the light beams.

Breathing heavily from the lack of oxygen, Mikey found a large rock. Walking over to it the orange masked turtle brushed off the layers of snow and sat down. The rock was freezing against his bare legs, but Mikey decided it would be okay until he caught his breath.

The snow fell lightly onto Michelangelo's lap causing the youngest's teeth to chatter loudly. His nose, his face, his fingers and his toes felt numb as the cold eat away at them.

"Ok-k-kay… G-g-g-tt-t-a, ke-e-eep, g-going-g-g…" Mikey chattered as he stood up; his muscles groaning in the process.

He slowly made his way back to the farmhouse when he slipped on something cold and hard. His baby blue eyes looked down at the ice underneath him. His mouth curved into a small frown then he gave a little smile. Turning his head to look at the frozen pond Mikey's face lit up.

"Wow," He breathed as he took in the frozen ice designs on the solid water.

Moving forward the smallest turtle only slipped twice before he met the middle of the pond.

"Wow," Michelangelo grinned as he looked at the tall black trees reaching towards the sky. He moved his gaze down to the ice and he jumped twice.

"It's sturdy!" Mikey whispered excitedly as he brushed the slick slippery water with a foot.

Turning to face a chosen tree, Mikey skated towards it.

Mikey twirled lightly and smiled as the snow whipped against his face. Stopping suddenly the little turtle laughed as the dizziness took over him and he swayed to the left. Regaining his balance the orange clad turtle moved towards the opposite side; left, right, left, right, push to the side, push to the side, Mikey went as he slide across the solid water.

Once he had reached the end he pivoted and pushed his feet forward, causing him to go backwards to the middle again. When Mikey got where he wanted to be, he pushed with his left foot and he spun with the snow as it flew around him in a white streak. As he turned Mikey sprung up and twisted before landing on both feet and slowly began to stop. Looking forward again, Mikey slowly and carefully slide across the ice.

To the youngest, time seemed to stop as the music of the forest overtook him and his body swayed from side to side.

Placing his arms at his sides, the freckled turtle tilted his head up to the heavens and closed his eyes. The snow came to rest on his eyelids and melted straight away from the burning heat that was spreading through his body.

Panting hard Mikey opened his eyes to meet the grey clouds. All his worries were gone as the snow fell to the ground everywhere around him. The freckled turtle looked down at the ice as it sparkled in front of his stinging baby blue eyes.

Once again Mikey started his dance on the delicate parts of the ice. Several minutes flew past like the snow and there was no stopping the small turtle.

His heart was beating rapidly against his plastron. His lungs were trying to pull air into his mouth. And yet the orange masked turtle didn't stop. He didn't stop until he heard his name flying over the dark shadows of the trees.

Gasping for air Mikey closed his eyes tightly as the lightheadedness came over him in a rush. The weakness was flooding through him, but Mikey didn't want this moment to end.

Starting up again he pushed towards an area of ice that snapped and cracked. Only when the ice gave out a horrible moan did Mikey halt. Dropping his head, he looked down as a deep dangerous line spider-webbed it's way around him. Blue eyes widened as the ice groaned and cracked before him.

"Oh, no…" Mikey breathed out as the lost time and worries collided in to him with a bang.

Searching frantically for a way out, without causing more trouble, Mikey could only watch as more cracks speed around him; moving further outward.

"Oh crap..." Mikey got out before the ice tipped towards the freezing cold water. A horrible sounding scream ripped its way up Michelangelo's throat as gravity pulled him under. The water consumed him in seconds and pulled him completely under. The blue eyed turtle cried out in bubbles as his muscles screamed out in pain. Mikey's eyes stung to the point he thought they would break. The youngest crammed his eyes shut as his lungs frantically tried to hold onto the breath he had left.

Time was really slowing down now as the freckled turtle sunk towards the bottom of the pond.

'Save me! Save me!' The thought was pounding against Mikey's skull as he tried to move his legs. Nothing seemed to work. White dots flashed through the youngest member of the turtle's vision. His lungs felt like they were getting smaller. Blood pounded through his body, and he could hear every thump of the rhythm. The orange clad turtle stopped trying to move towards the surface as it became more and more difficult to kick. The coat around Mikey's shoulder felt like anchor weighing him down. The light was consuming him as he let out the last of his breath. The bubbles made they're way up and popped at the surface of the water just as the small turtle hit the bottom of the pond; sending the mud to circle around him in a cloud. Through the last of his consciousness he heard the sound of a large splash then everything around him disappeared.

Raph dived in head first. He willed his eyes to keep track of his little brother as he moved his arms towards him. Kicking harshly against the cold, Raph reached out a hand towards the pale turtle. Determination courses through the red masked turtle and he moved closer to the unmoving ninja before him.

Taking one hand, his fingers wrapped around Mikey floating arms and pulled Mikey towards him. Raph's strong arms wraps around Mikey's torso and he held his brother close. Lifting a hand up Raph pinched Mikey's nose and he moved his mouth to Mikey's and he blew the last of his air into Mikey's.

'Please work.' Raph pleaded in his mind as his feet touched the soft muck underneath. Springing his legs he shot towards the surface of the water that was starting to freeze over again.

He cracked the thin layer of ice with his head and he hauled himself and Mikey out of the water. Droplets fell off their skin as Raph laid Mikey down on the snow-covered grass. Pressing two fingers to Mikey's neck, he felt no thumping against the lime turtle's skin. Raph laid his head on Mikey's chest and heard nothing.

"Ya ain't gonna die." Raph told his baby brother as he slipped the coat off Mikey shoulder's. Immediately Raph began chest compressions. Push down thirty times, breath in twice. Push down thirty times, breath in twice. Every time Raph pushed in air he saw Mikey's chest rise up and down, but still his little brother didn't stir or breathe.

"Yer not going to die. I won't let ya." Raph confirmed as he pushed down against Mikey's hard plastron. The thick protection in front of Mikey's chest kept Raph from getting as far as he had liked to.

"Breathe Mikey." Raph begged as seconds ticked by with absolutely nothing. No noises, no breathing, no heart rhythm. Everything was still as his baby brother laid on the cold frozen ground. The snow that gathered around them was the only sign that the world was still moving on, without out Mikey.

"Please!" Raph trembled as the cold water turned into a cold sweat. Panic was running through his head as a red light, a warning signal. It's been too long since freckled turtle's lungs were filled with oxygen. It was becoming too late.

'Why isn't it working?' Raph thought desperately as he stared at the closed eyes wishing they would open up and reveal life. The little turtle's baby blue eyes stayed hidden behind his orange mask and they weren't opening.

'What am I doing wrong?' Raph thought as hopelessness fled through him. His breathing was becoming harder to get out and in as he bent down again and blew out his air into his brother's mouth.

'Am I not pushed down hard enough? Am I doing it all wrong? Why isn't he breathing?' Thoughts were penetrating him causing him to start shaking violently, and it wasn't from the cold.

"BREATHE!" Raph suddenly screamed out. He dipped down and breathed in twice, sprinkling Mikey with water droplets that weren't only from the pond.

"Please…!" Raph whispered as he pushed down on his brother's chest.

Raph gasped has hot burning tears made its way down his freezing cheeks and feel off his chin and dropped onto the white snow. Pushing rapidly Raph gasped again as his emotions were bursting to control him.

"If ya open those sparkling blue eyes again, I swear I will do anything ya want to do!" Raph promised as he tilts Mikey's head up and pushes air into his mouth once more.

"Just come b-back to me little brother…!" Raph spoke barely above a whisper as tears fell from his green emerald eyes.

"Come back to me…" Raph nearly gasped out in a sob as he began to slow down.

"I never got to tell you I was sorry…" The hot headed brother whispered. Three minutes had gone by since Mikey was last breathing, and Raph was beginning to fear the worst.

'He's gone... I failed him...' Raph thought miserably as he stared at the lifeless brother under his hands.

'I'll never get to see him smile again... Never get to hear him laugh...' The vision and words he said to his little brother earlier had come rushing into his mind, 'I don't want to spend time with you! I don't want to be around you! Just leave me alone!' None of it was true, but now he'll never be able to take any his words back.

"I failed..." Raph sobbed softly as he continued to push down. He bent down and instead of blowing Mikey's his mouth, Raph kissed his head softly as he inhaled a shaky breath.

"I'm so sorry..." Raph whispered as he bite his lower lip to keep himself from wailing into the night.

'Don't give up.' The thought came to him in the back of his mind, as a small voice of determination.

Raph looked to Mikey and he shook his head vigorously.

"NO! I won' give up! No' on you!" Raph yelled as he thumped harder against his brother's chest, harder than before.

A minute ticked by with no change and yet Raphael kept going strong.

"I love ya! I LOVE YA! Ya come back ta me righ' now! YA HEAR!" Raph bellowed at Mikey with green eyes burning like fire.

"Ya bettah come back so I can tell ya I'm sorry! If ya don' I'm going to beat ya up in the after life!" Raph informed him sincerely.

"Don't ya make me live in this life withou' ya!" Raph told the lime green turtle under him.

Coming down with all his force Raph, pushed inwards. It happened so fast Raph almost pushed down again as Mikey tilted his head and vomited water and throw up on the both of them.

Gagging and gasping was the only noise Mikey could make, leaving Raphael completely bewildered as happiness and relief slammed down on him.

"You freakin idiot!" Raph yelled half cried after he recovered from his shock. To help him Raph grabbed onto Mikey's shoulder, lifted him up to the sitting position, and slammed his palm against Mikey's shell. Mikey choked as he gag and hurled out everything in his stomach.

"You're such an idiot…" Raph muttered over and over to himself as he held Mikey close until Mikey slowed down and eventually stopped puking.

"R-ph..?" Mikey whimpered out as his blue starry eyes looked up at green eyed turtle. He face was so pale.

"Oh My Gosh!" Raph got out as he hugged Mikey and cried happy tears onto his brother.

Mikey was starting to slow doown as he fell weakly onto Raph with his eyes beginning to close.

"I'll get you back!" Raph called out as he felt the slow pulse on his skin. Bolting to a standing position Raph sprinted faster than he ever thought he could, towards where he knew the farmhouse stood.

Trees flew past them both as Raph's feet thumped against the soft snow. Snowflakes slapped them across the face as the clouds sent more freezing droplets of cold water to torture them.

"DONNIE!" Raph bellowed at the red barn once he was close enough. Turning, he dashed towards the house when he saw Donnie poke his head out of the door and look over at him.

"GET TO THE HOUSE NOW!" The red masked turtle hollered at the purple ninja. Without hesitation Donnie sprinted after the second oldest in a mad run to the house.

When he reached the door, Raph shoved it open and sprinted to the downstairs bathroom. Donnie entered and ran after Raph as he looked at the small unconscious turtle in Raph's arms.

"No time to explain!" Raph shouted at Donnie when Donnie looked like he was going to ask what happened, "How do we get his temperature back to normal!?"

Donnie didn't wait to answer, instead he flipped the bathroom light on, ran to the tub and turned the handle to faucet; water immediately began to pour out.

Donnie sprinted out of the bathroom leaving Raph to clutch Mikey tightly.

"You're going to be okay. I have you. I won't let anything bad happen to you." Raph whispered into Mikey's ear.

"I swear You'll be okay."

Donnie flew into the bathroom and shoved blankets at Raph.

"Put these around his head, neck, and chest." Donnie commanded and Raph obediently followed his orders. After carefully wrapping each blanket around the directed body parts, Raph pulled Mikey as close as he could get to him.

Donnie checked the tub frequently then he stopped the flow of water and turned to Raph.

"Get him in, but don't let his arm and legs touch the water." The green eyed turtle stood up weakly and Donnie helped him take off the blankets. They both slowly put Mikey into the water and waited.

After an hour, Donnie nodded and they pulled Mikey out.

"Is he going to be okay?" Raph asked tiredly. He could feel himself gaining a fever, but he was more concerned about Mikey at the moment.

"Yes, but his temperature is really high. I'm afraid he's going to become really sick." Donnie informed Raph as he studied him with his intelligent brown eyes.

"You don't look so good either." Donnie announced to the hot head and Raph shook his head in reply.

"I'll be fine. I'm more worried about Mikey." The tempered turtle commented as he moved towards the stairs.

"I'll get you some medicine to take." Donnie told his older brother as he followed Raph, but turn to the kitchen while Raph made his way to the stairs.

Slowly moving upward, Raph grunted as his muscles burned from the use.

Once to the top, Raph made his way to the bedroom him and Leo would share, once Leo wakes up.

Pushing the door open with his shell, Raph steps into the bedroom that had never looked so greeting.

Slumping over to the covers, Raph laid his baby brother down and wrapped him tightly in the soft brown comforter.

Once Raph was satisfied he took Mikey and pulled him to the pillows and arranged Mikey carefully on the mattress. Raph then laid down next to him, curling his arms around Mikey's shell and clutching Mikey to his side.

After a couple minutes the purple masked brother stepped in with a stack of large blankets and a handful of pills. Raph glanced over at him tiredly and Donnie placed the pills on the nightstand that stood near the bed. Standing up straight Donnie took a blanket and draped each one he had brought over the two turtles.

"Here take this Raph." Donnie ordered as he held out a small pill of Ibuprofen. Raph stared at him for a second before taking the small pill in his hand and swallowing it.

"When Mikey wakes up, give him one too." Donnie tells Raph and the red masked turtle nods slowly.

"I'll come back in an hour to check on things." Donnie said as he turns and leaves with the sound of his feet shuffling out of the room.

Raph turns to his baby brother and presses his head to Mikey's and closes his eyes slightly.

"We'll be okay…" Raph mumbled and smiles slightly when Mikey makes a small muffled noise under the blankets.

"When we get better, we'll spend as much time as you want together. I promise little brother. I promise."