A Brother's Intuition

Raphael: Wounds

They say that time heals all wounds...but I can tell you right now: that's a fucking lie.

It's been three and a half weeks. Three and a half goddamn weeks! Almost a whole fuckin' month has passed and the horrible gaping hole in my chest has only been growing deeper.

It's all Fearless' fault! The goddamn stuck-up prick! Somehow it's always his fault and I'm the one getting blamed for it.

I'm staying with Casey. I couldn't go to April's because I knew my brothers would find me there. I can't help but wonder how long the hockey player's charity is gonna hold out. But Casey's my friend. He's got my back. For now anyway.

The night I showed up outside his window, I was in the midst of a complete emotional breakdown. It took him three hours before he actually got me to start making sense.

The next thing I knew, I was telling Casey Jones everything. I told him about the lab and the mutagen, I told him about my brothers and my Sensei, I told him about April and about Sacks' crazy plan to drain all of our blood to extract the mutagen. I told him about my childhood in the sewers. I told him about my constant fights with my older brother Leo. And finally, I told him about our most recent one.

When I finished blubbering, Casey patted my shoulder and we fell into silence. At least, until he murmured, "I got somethin' for ya." He threw me a baseball and I caught it in one hand.

I glanced down at it slowly. Holy Shell!

"It's autographed." I stated, my eyes wide with surprise. I stared at Casey disbelievingly. The human smiled. "I know a guy on the team. Told him I owed someone a favor and asked him to do me one."

My lips curved upward into a subtle smirk and I raised an eye-ridge. "This wouldn't happen to be because of that offer you made me when I was injured, would it?" I asked slowly.

Casey's face was grave. "You saved my life, Raph."

I grinned widely. Sure I had just had an epic fight with Leo, but I pushed that aside for a moment and stared down at the ball in my hands. "Case I..." My voice broke. Thanks. That was all I wanted to say. But I was so choked up that I couldn't do anything of the sort. Instead, my emotional side got the better of me. I hated how incredibly small I sounded as I confessed, "I've never had anything like this before." I admitted softly.

Jones just grinned and clapped me on the shoulder. "Don't mention it, Raph. Consider this the start of a collection."

A brief smile danced across my lips, but then my thoughts returned to my family and I shot to my feet. "I gotta find somewhere to crash for a little while. Especially since I won't be going back home any time soon." I was about to head back out the window when Casey caught my arm.

"The hell are you talking 'bout? Yer stayin' here." He ordered.

I stared wide-eyed for a few moments before glaring darkly at him. "No way, Case. It's too dangerous."

He threw up his hands. "Oh shut up. It ain't like we can't defend ourselves. I know the couch ain't that comfortable, and the apartment ain't much, but you're welcome to it."

I just stood there and gaped for a few moments. "Thanks." I finally grumbled.

The corner of his mouth tilted upward into a lopsided grin. "What are friends for?"

I shrugged. "I wouldn't know." My voice cracked a little and I whispered, "Never had one before."

Casey's smile vanished. "You have brothers, though."

I smiled bitterly and watched Case grow nervously tense. I couldn't keep the hurt out of my voice as I confessed, "Brothers don't always have to be yur friends."