Disclaimer: TMNT belongs to Mirage Studios, I think. Well, point is: I don't own them.
A/N: This is my first real attempt at writing a fic containing my childhood heroes. I've always LOVED them, but never found the courage to write my own story, until now. I know that this first chapter is very short, but it's just the prologue, so it's supposed to be. I promise I'll post the next chapter real soon. Please leave a review before heading out, and be honest. With that said, let's just head on with the story. Enjoy!
ESTRANGED
by
Mickis
Genre: Drama/angst
Language: English
Censor: PG13
Summary: Years of despair has passed since the tragic night of Donatello's disappearance, and all hope died. But destiny reunite the four brothers. Only Donatello has changed beyond recognition, and he never speaks of the time stolen from them.
Prologue
No matter how brave one might be, there comes a time in everyone's life when you take the easy way out; escape. Some things are too harsh to deal with and some memories too vivid to remember. You know you are better left without them, and for protection, you hide inside yourself.
The rain shot in his face as he ran through the bitter New York night, a force in a life of its own; jumping from rooftop to rooftop, with only the sound of lonesome cars accompanying him. To anyone else, he was no more than a raging silhouette, passing them by so fast they were left wondering if it had only been their imagination.
But he was far from an illusion. For the way his tired muscles cramped, he couldn't be anything but real. His body had gone beyond numb from the cold rain that never seemed to end, and he continuously slipped at the wet edges of the rooftops. The colder he got, the less control he had over his body, and he knew the risk of crashing towards the deadly ground below him grew bigger with each step. But he didn't care, at least not about anything else but finding his brother.
He wasn't going back without him. There was no way he would just leave him out here in the storm. Who knows what could happen to him if he did? Instead he kept on running, scanning the empty streets beneath; detecting nothing but drifters and drunks that didn't have any shelter from the cruel rain. Without even wasting them a thought, he ran pass them, hoping that maybe, just maybe, his brother would be in the next alley.
But no matter how many rooftops he jumped, or how many alleys he passed, Donatello was still missing. And the chances of finding him alive grew slimmer by the second, only causing the ninja to run faster. He was racing against time and his brother's life depended on him crossing the finish line before the last second slipped away.
After hours of running, without any trace of his sibling, Leonardo's adrenaline started to wear off, and he was simply too tired to fight back the tears that had been burning his eyes throughout the search. He furiously hurled the buildings of New York City, ignoring the hot tears that fell down his freezing face and fed on the tiny ray of hope that still shone in his heart, emptying it.
We have all gone missing before, Leo told himself, the taste of his salty tears lingering on his bottom lip.
We've all disappeared, and come back.
But this time it was different, and he knew it, although he was too afraid to admit it to himself. But the truth ran right behind him. He felt it mockingly breathing him in the neck, chasing him. And he knew that the minute he stopped it would catch up with him.
And that's why he ignored every screaming muscle, begging him to stop and turn home for warmth and rest. He ignored the pain all because he knew the outcome of him giving up.
He knew this time might not end in their favor.