Photographs

Favorites (2007)

(Credit for the picture goes to 10yrsy.)

They all had their favorite things. For Leo it was meditation and training, for Raph it was patrol and fighting off PDs and Foot Clan, Don loved building things and testing them out, and Mikey liked to bake and play video games.

But their favorite thing? Their most favorite thing in the world? Well that was their family. It was Leo, Raph, Don, Mikey, and Master Splinter. It was Casey, April, and Leatherhead. Usagi, Mondo, and all the others they'd ever met.

They had a story behind that.

"What do you mean, captured?" Don asked, looking up from his laptop with a raised eyebrow at his twin, brother, and father. "Leo went out to get Raph."

"Leo and I had a fight, Donny. I ran. He got taken by those big stone freaks." Raph explained.

Don's eyes went wide. "Raph you never lie to me. Tell me your joking." He said and though his voice was steady, his eyes where blank, and his face was schooled, Raph, Mikey, and Splinter all saw past the mask he'd put up, there was a desperation behind the blankness of his eyes and behind that, there was disbelief.

Raph leaned forward and put a hand on Don's shoulder. "I'm sorry." He told him.

Don's face fell, his eyes lost the blank look and filled with more disbelief, then as he gazed at Raph, they filled with sadness. He mumbled under his breath. "Frate mai mare." Then his face went stone and his eyes blazed.

"We're gonna get him back Donny." Raph promised.

Don chuckled humorlessly. "We'd better. I'm no leader and I don't like our fighting."

If Don was making a wise crack, the sarcasm would be on his face. He was telling the truth. Raph nodded and squeezed the brunette's shoulder.

Once they'd gotten past the front gates and all the Foot, Raph, Don, and Mikey where immediately looking into the cages and trying to find their brother.

Don managed to find a flying gargoyle type monster that growled at him, but didn't attack the cage.

Mikey found the first monster they'd fought. It greeted him by attacking the bars and knocking Mikey off the front.

Raph walked over to the cage next to the one Mikey found and peered in through the bars. He found his brother leaning against the back, looking meek. "Leo." He whispered. "I got 'em!" He called to his brothers.

"Out of the way please!" Don replied, pulling a small triangular device from his duffle. He put it on the doors and pressed a few buttons. Then he backed away and ducked down as the object started beeping.

The door flew off with a pop and landed somewhere behind them with a loud bang. Raph was immediately up and pulling his eldest brother from the cage.

Leo coughed harshly, signalling Don that he'd need a look over once they got home. Then he looked up and smiled weakly at his younger brothers.

Raph smiled back then held put a hand. Don handed him the extra swords and when Raph looked back, the brunette gave him a gentle smile and nodded.

He turned back to Leo. "Leo... here." He held put the swords. Leo wrapped a hand around them. "You're gonna need these if your gonna lead us outta here." He told the black haired man.

Leo took them and sheathed them in his holders on his back. Then he stood taller. "I'm gonna need you too." He told his red-headed brother. "I'm gonna need all of you." He said, looking to his brunette and blonde brothers.

They grinned back at him as Raph wiped the blood from Leo's cheek on the back of his hand. "Alright. Let's kick some stone chassis then." He said. Mikey whooped. "Finally!" He cried.

Don laughed, spinning his bo. "Been waiting all night." He said. This didn't surprise the others, as much as Don was a pacifist, he wouldn't stand for anyone hurting his family.

Then the shadows of the stone generals flickered overhead and the boys got ready for a fight.

It doesn't matter if they've been fighting or if they weren't on best of terms at that moment. They came to each other's aid. They where brothers. It was a family thing. It was their favorite thing.