Crash And Burn

Burning

It's a booming crash that knocks Mikey from his consuming fears, and his head shoots up, expecting the see the warehouse roof finally giving out. The fire around them ripples and flickers but then resumes its threatening stance, and Mikey can only blink and breathe, thoroughly shocked that they're still alive.

The sound seems to knock him from his terrified stupor, and his senses come alive all at once. The heat is suffocating as the flames crackle around them, and he knows that it's going to reach them at any second, but he can't seem to keep his emotions in check, and he doesn't want to risk letting Donnie go again.

What if he comes back and he's stopped breathing?

Something faintly crashes near them, and Mikey grips his older brother tighter, realizing that they're dead for sure if he doesn't try. He can't give up; none of his brothers would give up in his place, no matter how unlikely the odds.

So get up and get moving, knucklehead!

He lays his older brother back on the ground, his hand idling on Donnie's arm for the longest minute of his life, and then he sees his plastron rise and fall. Mikey releases him and forces his gaze away, getting onto shaky legs and scanning the flames. 

They circle him like a smug predator, promising to reach him on their own time and devour him just a slow. Jaw set, Mikey ignores the dance of the celebrating shadows.

It's all in your head, Mikey.

Just focus on finding an exit. Any exit.

He creeps as close to them as he dares. The flaring heat taints his cold blood as narrowed eyes scan using the dangerous light the flames present. The smoke burns, and his tears become a mix of necessity and terror as he wipes them away desperately, attempting to see through the cloaked surroundings as an inkling of despair circles around his racing heart. 

Then he hears a new sound. Just barely audible over the popping ash and roaring flames, he hears his name.

If he wasn't already holding his breath, he would have started right then.

He doesn't dare give into new hope until he hears it again, with Donnie's name immediately following suit, and Mikey forsakes holding his breath to scream the names of his older brothers, his fear flooding out with his words. 

There's a crash, and a thud of wood, and then their names are more pronounced, and Mikey's heart soars because their brothers are getting closer.

"Mikey!" "Donnie!"

He thinks he sees a shadow and waves, abruptly recalling the brother on the floor. He scrambles to Donnie's side and leans over him, cupping the side of his face, not wanting to risk an action that could mess up his head more. "Donnie! Donnie, they're here, bro! D! Donnie! Hey, Leo's here!"

Donnie barely stirs, and then he's limp again, and Mikey hooks an arm around him, carefully sitting him upright. "They're here, Donnie! Stay with me, Leo's here!"

"Mikey?! Mikey!"

In a flurry of green motion, Leo's by his side, and he's desperately trying to hand their injured brother over, the tears that blur his vision slipping into his mask. "He has a concussion! He's bleeding! I don't- he said not to- trying to sleep and he can't sleep, he can't-"

"I know." Leo's calm and in control as he cuts him off, attention narrowed only on their incapacitated brother, carefully patting the side of his face. "Donnie? Donnie! It's Leo! Wake up! We're here! Come on, don't do this to me!"