Leonardo's shuriken zooms through the air and nicks the shooters hands as it knocks the small machine gun to the side.

You shout Raphael's name as you run to him, setting aside the fact you could possibly be shot and join Raphael in the depths of your mind.

Mikey follows after you, slipping in the rusty red sand as he scrambles to his brother's side, his face full of panic and fear.

Casey is frozen, but only for a moment before he runs to you and Mikey, with April in tow.

"I-is.. i-is he..?" He gulps in fear. Raph is so still, everything and everyone is motionless around him, like time froze when he fell to the ground.

"R-Raphael.." You can barely swallow as you fall to your knees, throat suddenly dry as you slowly roll him over on his shell. You gasp in sudden shock and relief when he groans, clutching his side.

"Oh God.. Sssssson of a motherhugger that hurts!" He wheezes, sitting up slowly.

A soft chuckle escapes you before your relief turns to anger, and you punch his shoulder as hard as you possibly can, which is fairly hard.
"You jerk! I- we all thought you were dead!! Why did you do that?!" You snap furiously, glaring at him as tears rim your eyes. You have no idea why, but when he fell, you stopped breathing. You were absolutely terrified, and you felt like you were about to faint, or puke.. or both.

"Ow! What the heck?!" He snaps back, reaching to hold his shoulder, but then deciding against it as pain spreads across his side like spiderwebs of needles. "I was drawing his fire, your highness, and I'm not dead! Did you forget I had a bulletproof shield on me?"

"I don't know what saved you from the bullet, but that was just stupid and reckless!" You huff, standing and turning away.

"Where are you going, miss?" The Fugitoid asks hesitantly, timid to anger you any more.

"To retrieve the shooter and Am'u." You bark in reply, marching over the hill and breaking into a sprint to chase after the shooter.

Leo sighs and watches the burgundy dust rise in the air behind your footsteps as you take off, while Donnie examines Raphael's side.

"That shield just barely stopped the bullet from killing you.. I need to find away to direct more power to it to make it more durable.." The purple clad ninja mutters to while extracting the bullet from Raph's side.

"Thanks.." He mutters, wincing as he sits up. "What is Y/n's deal?" He huffs.

"Well, with the shared flirting, stolen glances, et cetera, et cetera, she must be feeling something for you, and was probably very worried about you when you ran and were shot." Donnie remarks, standing up. "And she grew angry because she is either in denial of her feelings, or still unfamiliar and uncertain about them, therefore taking out her anger on you and your reckless action."

Everyone stares at Donnie with slight shock, some mouths hanging open.

"How do you figure that, Donnie?" April asks with a raised eyebrow.

"I observe, with my eyes, and I read... why.. why is everyone so shocked?" He asks, looking at everyone with slight confusion.

"No reason.." Leo replies, clearing his throat a bit.

Casey smirks slightly and mouths 'stalker', much to Donnie's irritation.

"I don't get it; why are you all acting so weird?" Mikey asks, tilting his head. "So he... what was that word you used, observes? Nothin' wrong with that!" He helps Leo raise Raphael to his feet. "I observe too!" He adds proudly.

"Yeah, ok. Let's just get back to the ship.." Raph mutters, wincing with each step he takes.

~~

Some time later, you board the ship with the incapacitated shooter over your shoulders; ignoring the looks you receive as you walk past. Anger still races through your veins as you toss the man into a holding cell much harder than you initially meant, then storm to the training room and wait for the room to generate your training arena. To you surprise and horror, as the room generates, it does with fire. The flames lick at your body, blocking the exit and trapping you in the middle island part. You scream as your father's face appearing in the flames on the wall, beaten and bleeding.

"Y/N!" Your father shouts, head snapping back as he's punched in the jaw.

You cover your mouth as you sob.
"Tatå!" You scream, falling to your knees. Everything blurs as tears fill your eyes, your ears filled with the crackling of fire and your name being screamed by your father, joined by your mother and the rest of your family. The scent of smoke stings your nostrils and chokes you like an invisible hand, your throat stinging with your nose as the smoke fills the air and forces its way into your lungs.

All but deaf from the screams of your family, you are oblivious to the fact that everyone hear your screams and are outside the door, trying to break it down and get you out. All shouting your name but drowned out by fire and crying and tormenting screams.

Just as you pass out, they break in and rush into the room. The Fugitoid turns off the room and the arena dissolves. Raph runs over, ignoring his extremely bruised side as he kneels beside you.

"Y/n! Y/n!" He shakes your shoulders with wide eyes.

Donnie rushes over and quickly takes your chest armor off to make it easier for you to breathe, then feels for your pulse.
"Her pulse is faint.. she's not breathing." His eyes widen as he finds a puncture in the side of your neck. "She was poisoned!" He picks you up and runs to the infirmary. Raphael chases after him, watching as Donnie and the Fugitoid get to work.

Hours of waiting, watching, thoughts consisting of heavy, panicked profanity and 'God why can't they get her to breathe!?', Hoping and praying that she'll shoot up with a gasp.. maybe now? Definitely now! Please.. please, now? As they perform chests compressions, give you air, all he can think is: 'Oh my God... please breathe..'

~~

You're strangled in darkness, completely blind; you're sure your eyes are open, though. Unable to move, feeling frigid, you gasp and choke on nothingness, tears forming but not falling.

"Fath.. er... M-Mo... m" You can't speak.. oh God, you're gonna die in this... void. You choke again and feel yourself drifting. No. No, you cannot die.. not now.

Someone, please help..

You cough roughly and try to scream; it only makes it worse. You clutch your throat, skin numb and cold.

'Help, help, help, help me PLEASE!' chants in your mind. You so desperately want to cry, to scream, to feel, to BREATHE.

The nothingness; the void shifts around you. Is it moving? Swirling around your numb, suspended body? You gasp, still desperate for air. How have you lasted this long before being shoved into Death's embrace?

With your mouth still open wide, thirsting for oxygen, the swirling darkness rears back and forces it way down your throat, just like the smoke that threw you into this torture. Embers drift down in the air, one landing on your neck and stinging badly. You scream, silent.

Suddenly, you wake up, in the dimly lit infirmary, clutching the cold railings on either side of your bed. You cry, greedily swallowing in the air as you sob uncontrollably.

Something shifts in the corner. You look with blurred vision, perceiving a muddled body of forest green, touches of brown and slight yellow, and.... And red.

"R-Raph.." You choke out.

Raph's head snaps up and he looks with wide eyes.
"Y-Y/n.. oh, thank God, you're alive." He runs over and hugs you, huffing, as if breathless. Probably not; since you know how that feels from scarring experience.

You lean into his hold and close your eyes,breathing in deeply. After minutes of silence, he looks at you and finds you asleep, which makes him smile in relief.

(Aww yeah, published early!!)