Liability

Chapter 1

There were two things on his mind: leftover pizza and his brothers. To be specific, his two oldest brothers who had left the lair hours ago to go on a late-night patrol. Mikey had to stay back to watch over Donnie who had gotten injured in their latest fight with foot soldiers. It was just a broken ankle, but they didn't want to leave him alone, especially since Master Splinter was gone on a trip to Japan. And apparently, Mikey was the best suited to stay and- well, pretty much just wait till they got back because Donnie was sleeping. He was told that under no circumstances, should he fall asleep, cause then his whole purpose would be pointless. And just as his luck would have it, he was tired. Well no, that was an understatement, he was exhausted. He had to eat an entire tub of ice cream just so his eyes wouldn't close. Now, he was laying upside down on the couch, staring at the TV screen that was flickering on black and white static. He tried to shove the tiredness out of his system by screaming, but he quickly had to clamp a hand over his mouth, remembering that Donnie was sleeping. 

He made an incoherent noise as he slid down the couch and onto the floor, repeatedly banging his forehead on the cement to see if he could beat some sense into himself. A buzzing noise sent him flying up and back a few feet with a yelp, before he realized it was just his shell cell. He dove for it, landing on his plastron with a heavy thud.

"Hello~"

"Mikey-! You need to come right now, we're outnumbered, and Leo- we can't hold them off for long!"

"But what about Don-"

"He's fine, but we won't be if you don't come ASAP!"

"Ok, ok, I'm going!" Mikey rushed to grab his nunchucks off the floor where he had discarded them earlier.

"Where are you?"

"Corner of Park street-" A cry interrupted him and the line went dead.

"Shoot, I'm coming guys!"

Mikey sprinted out the lair, and into the sewers, scrambling up the ladder to the surface, not even bothering to close the manhole cover. Park street wasn't far in the shell raiser, but he'd have to hurry on foot.

When he finally got there, he held his nunchucks tightly, ready for a fight, but there was no one there, not the attackers nor his brothers. Had he gotten the wrong street, or had they taken the fight somewhere else? Did they get kidnapped? Were they hurt? Were they lying in an alley, dead? Mikey smacked himself, attempting to get rid of the plaguing thoughts. They were probably fine, they were stronger than him after all. He began wandering around, his feet moving automatically as he tried to convince himself they would be around the next corner safe and sound. But they never were and his small figure had begun to tremble.

He was startled by that familiar buzz of his phone. He clumsily grabbed it, nearly dropping it twice before he picked up.

"Raph?"

"Where the shell are you!?" Raph's gruff voice bellowed through the cell.

"Um... Where are you?"

Raph screamed angrily and Mikey had to pull the phone away from his ear for a second. 

"In the alley by the abandoned warehouse on Park Street. Hurry, I'm hurt and Leo, he- Just hurry!"

Mikey swallowed hard, his voice sounding unfamiliar as he responded. "I'm coming."
He turned on his heels and shot down the street towards the old warehouse. He burst around the corner of the alley and practically flew towards the two figures huddled in the corner, surrounded by what looked like some sort of ninja's. Filled with rushing adrenaline, he jumped into the air, furiously swinging his nunchucks as the ninja's pounced at him as if they were tigers and he was their prey. He shivered as one of their blades swept right past his face. His body seemed to move on its own, dodging and striking, his only concern was in beating them to get to his brothers. Usually he'd be goofing off or having a little fun with them but now it was out of the question. With a fierce cry, he stabbed a ninja in the leg and shoved him across the ground, but another ninja took advantage of Mikey's distraction and sent a hard blow to his head with something that felt like a lead pipe. Mikey stumbled forward, barely catching himself on the brick wall of the warehouse. A slight movement from where his brother's were, jerked him back into action. He couldn't give up, not until he knew his brothers were safe.

"Come at me!" He shouted, giving out a battle cry as he flipped in the air and regained his upper hand in the fight. A few hits later, the ninja's were all either unconscious or had fled, but even then, he was still far too late. Mikey turned towards his brothers and bolted to their side. Raph was sitting, but there seemed to be blood on every inch of him, Leo didn't look much better, but he was laying on his side, eyes closed, unmoving. Mikey's breathing hitched and he had to bite his tongue so that the tears building up wouldn't leak. 

"Mikey- Help me get Leo."

Mikey hesitated, looking down at his feet. He could feel his hands shaking as a wave of nausea washed over him. 

"I- I can do it," he said, his voice distant.

Raph gave him an odd look before nodding and pulling himself slowly to his feet. Mikey crouched, gingerly lifting Leo onto his back. Holding him up by the thighs, he hoisted him into a comfortable position and looked over at Raph. 

"Let's go home."