A/N: Alright, so my first two stories were so much fun to write and y'all have requested for more so here's more! This one features Raph (One of my favs). Please read and review like y'all have been doing! It's been so wonderful and I'm so grateful to all of you! Hope you like it!
Disclaimer: I don't own em. Still. It's sad. I'm gonna go pout about it.
"Why can't you ever follow a single order? Why do you have to fight me on everything?"
No answer.
"Is it really so hard to accept the fact that I might be right? That I might actually know what I'm talking about?"
No answer.
"I mean that's why we're here in the first place right? You, not listening to me! I told you to stay back, but did you? NO! You went ahead and ran to the front of the group without even checking the area first! You never listen! You don't think before you act!"
Still no answer.
And there would be no answer. Raphael was unconscious and had been for almost a week. Leonardo hadn't left his side since. But, he had been ranting and raving at his unconscious brother almost every day. He did it when no one was around, or when he thought no one was around. Leo wasn't as stealthy as he thought he was. Donatello and Michelangelo had heard his ranting more than once since they had first brought Raphael in. They both had tried to talk Leo out of the room, but their oldest brother refused to listen. Don and Mike had gone to talk to Master Splinter about it, but Splinter told his youngest sons to leave Leonardo be.
"And now here you, still unconscious! It's been a week Raph! Would you just open your eyes? How are you supposed to irritate the hell out of me if you're unconscious? Huh?" Leonardo asked as he stopped his pacing, leaning close to his brother.
"Please…just open your eyes Raph…" Leo pleaded, covering his face with his hands. Leonardo sat in the chair he had occupied for the past week, sighing. He wished there was something he could do to help; something that he could've done to prevent the whole stupid thing from happening in the first place.
Last Week:
"Alright, we need to be careful. There's only ten of them, but there could be more hiding in the background." Leo said.
"Only ten? Piece of cake." Raph said cockily.
"Did you not hear that last bit? There could be more hiding, there normally is more hiding." Leo replied.
"So what do you want to do?" Donnie asked.
"We need to check the perimeter first, secure it, and then take them out." Leo stated.
"What if there are more of them?" Mikey asked.
"Then we take them out first Mikey." Leo replied.
"Well let's get going dude! I'm bored!" Mikey said with a grin.
"We need a plan first." Leo said patiently.
"Plan shman! Let's go in, bash some heads, then leave." Raph said, making it sound so much simpler than it really was.
Leo rolled his eyes. "Sure Raph, cuz it's always that easy right?"
"Since when are ya so scared, 'Fearless leader?'" Raph asked, emphasizing the Fearless leader part with a sneer.
"I'm not scared Raph. It's called having a plan and following through with it." Leo replied, irritation lacing his voice.
"Well then, what are we waitin' here for? Let's get goin'!" Raph said and jumped to the rooftop.
"Raph!" Leo called. But the red banded turtle was already jumping from rooftop to rooftop, getting closer to the electronic store where the Foot clan seemed to be stealing from.
"Well, when in France right?" Mike asked with a smile, jumping to his feet and following his older brother.
Don sighed and followed his two brothers. "It's when in Rome Mikey…"
"Guys! C'mon, just…wait! Oh what am I talking for, they're not going to listen to me." Leo sighed and followed his brothers. The closer they got to the electronic store the more uneasy Leo felt. Something wasn't right. The Foot ninjas were just standing there, not doing anything except looking around every so often. Raph and the others were just ahead and suddenly they stopped and Leo heard an engine start. He looked and saw that the ninjas had just jumped into a van and were driving away.
"They're gettin' away!" Raph shouted, getting his Sai's out and jumping off the rooftop and towards the van.
"Raph! No!" Leo shouted. Raphael didn't listen and continued running after the van, his brothers following close behind. Leo was beyond irritated now. Raph could never just follow a simple order! What was wrong with him? He could see Raph running ahead, very close to catching up to the van when he was tackled from the side.
"Raph!" Mikey yelled and with a sudden burst of speed caught up to his brother. Leo and Donnie booked it faster as well.
Raph was struggling with two Foot ninjas, same with Mikey, but soon the four turtles were facing over thirty Foot soldiers.
Leo grabbed his Katana's and threw himself into the fray, Donnie following suit.
"Alright, now this is what I'm talkin' about!" Raph shouted. Leo could practically hear his brother smirking.
Leo rolled his eyes before stabbing at another enemy. While battling, Leo continued to keep an eye out for his brothers. Donnie was taking on three and doing rather well. Mikey had two and was too fast for the ninjas to even get a hit in. And Raph was taking on six, being overly confident as usual, but he seemed to be doing okay. Leo himself was taking on another three, but he could see that they were outnumbered. What started out with thirty was now quickly becoming forty or fifty. The best plan now was to disappear in the shadows and leave.
"Guys, let's leave. There's too many!" Leo shouted. Mikey and Donnie nodded and started finishing off their attackers, but Raph had other plans.
"No way! We can take em!" Raph yelled.
"No Raph, we need to leave! C'mon!" Leo shouted back as he gave a last jab at his current target; Donnie and Mikey following his lead. Raph, however, continued fighting and soon the other ninjas took notice and made their way towards him. Leo and the others were already making their retreat, figuring Raphael was behind them. It wasn't until they heard a cry of pain that they turned around.
"Raph!" Leo shouted as he saw his brother disappear underneath a ton of Foot ninjas. The other three turtles immediately made their way to Raphael.
"Don, Mike, distract them while I get Raph!" Leo shouted. The two turtles nodded and immediately started taunting the band of enemies, leading most of them away from Raphael. Leo charged the group that was still attacking Raph. There were so many of them that Leonardo was having a hard time keeping up with who he was hitting and who was hitting him, but he eventually managed to make it to his unconscious brother. Doing a quick swipe of his Katana's he managed to trip the rest of the surrounding enemies and slip away with his brother. He whistled for Donnie and Mikey and they threw smoke pellets into the ground, slipping away into the night after their older brothers.
Leo was having a difficult time dragging Raph on his own so he heaved the bigger turtle of his shoulder, fireman style, and climbed to the rooftops. Once he was sure they were safe and gently laid down Raphael and waited for Don and Mike to catch up. Luckily, he didn't have to wait for long because soon his vision was clouded with purple and orange bandanas. Donnie immediately started checking Raph's vitals as well as poking and prodding along his brother's body.
"What's the word Doc?" Mikey asked. Despite the light hearted phrase Leo could see the fear in his little brother's eyes.
"Not good. He's got at least four broken ribs, his right wrist is practically snapped in two, his left ankle is broken and…" Donnie lifted his head and then gasped. He looked at Leo and his brother was covered in blood, but it wasn't Leo's or the Foot's blood; it was Raph's and it was from his head.
"We need to get him back to the lab and fast, he's cracked his head open!" Donnie cried. The three brothers jumped into action. Leo cradling Raph's head and Mikey getting his legs. Don ran ahead of them to prepare the lab. Neither Leonardo nor Michelangelo said anything as they made their way back to the lair. Donatello started work immediately on his brother. Master Splinter forced Michelangelo and Leonardo out of the lab, but Leo wasn't going quietly. What shocked everyone was the fact that he started shouting at his father.
"I'm not leaving!" Leo yelled as Donnie worked in the background.
"Leonardo, your brother will be fine, he is well taken care of." Master Splinter said patiently.
"Then my presence will be of no hindrance." Leo replied through clenched teeth.
"Donatello needs room to work, I do not want you to be in his way. Plus, this worry and stress will do nothing but hinder you. You must meditate and reach a place of peace-"
"I need to be here!" Leo interrupted.
"Leonardo." Master Splinter said firmly, his eyes narrowing at the defiance in Leo's.
Leo released a shuddering sigh and looked down at the floor, shoulders slumping. "Sensei…please…"
Master Splinter's eyes softened at the defeated form that was his eldest son. He walked up to him and patted his shoulder before leaving the room. Leonardo stood in the corner while Don worked on Raphael. Keeping a careful eye on both of them. Donatello spent over two hours working on their older brother, even recruiting Leo to help wrap his brothers' ribs, head, wrist and then re-set the dislocated shoulder Raph had gotten. As soon as everything was wrapped and set Donnie went about hooking up an I.V. About five minutes had passed since the I.V. when they needed to change the head dressings again. Blood had already soaked through the first bandages. Once they changed the dressings Donatello turned his attention to Leo.
Leo gave him a look. "What?"
"You're hurt." Don stated.
"I'm fine." Leonardo replied.
Don rolled his eyes and walked over to his brother, pushing him to a chair and forcing him to sit. Leo released an irritated sigh.
"Shut it." Don demanded. He grabbed a flashlight and shined it in Leo's eyes. His pupils dilated just fine so he didn't have a concussion. Donnie grabbed Leo's chin next, turning his head from side to side to look at his bruises. Leo wrenched his chin from Don's grasp and growled.
"I'm fine Donnie. Just a bit bruised." Leo said standing to his feet.
Donatello got to his feet and grabbed a bottle of pills and then a soda. "Take these. They're ibuprofen so they won't make you loopy."
Leo took them as Don went to check on Raph.
"I've got to get his head to stop bleeding." Don said.
"What do you need me to do?" Leo asked.
"I don't know yet…I think…" Don trailed off.
"What?!" Leo demanded.
"I need some blood. I've got to start a transfusion." Donnie said.
"Who's his match?" Leo asked.
"You and Mikey." Don replied.
"How do you know that?"
"I…er…might've taken the liberty of…testing blood samples…a few years ago…" Donatello replied rather sheepishly.
Leo found himself smiling at his younger brother. "It's fine Don. It's probably a good thing you did that."
"Really?"
"Really. Well, let's do this." Leo said offering his arms. Donatello got the necessary tools and set to taking a pint of blood from his older brother.
"I'll start the transfusion. Let Mikey know that I may need some from him soon." Don told Leo.
Leonardo looked ready to bit his head off for asking him to leave but Donatello cut him off. "You can come back Leo, I promise."
That had been a week ago and Leo was still there. They had finally gotten the bleeding to stop but Raph still hadn't woken up yet.
"You sleep any last night?" A voice said from the doorway.
Leo looked up and saw Mike leaning against the door frame.
"I got a few hours." Leo replied with a shrug.
"How's the world's sleepiest turtle doing?" He asked making his way towards his older brothers.
"Still sleeping."
"You think he's gonna wake up soon?"
"I dunno Mikey…I hope so."
"You know, I never thought I'd say this dude…but, I kinda miss him yelling at me."
Leo smiled and chuckled slightly. "I know what you mean."
Donatello walked in and waved at his two brothers. He had his head stuck in a book and was sticking his hand out searching blindly for something in his cabinets.
"Whatcha looking for bro?" Mikey asked.
"My digital fractional caliper, my laptop isn't working right and I gotta figure out-"
"Boooooring!" Mikey said. Donatello rolled his eyes and Leo smiled again, shaking his head. The three brothers all smiled at one another until they heard a groan coming from the other side of the room. Their heads whipped towards the sound and immediately went to their brother's side.
"Is he waking up?" Mikey asked.
"I think so." Donatello answered.
"Raph?" Leo breathed.
Raphael's head moved ever so slightly and his eyes slowly opened. "Ugh…"
"Raph!" The three turtles said all together.
"Master Splinter! Raph is awake!" Michelangelo shouted to their father.
"Ugh…M-Mikey…a little less v-volume please…" Raph groaned.
"Oh, sorry dude." Mikey replied sheepishly.
"How are you feeling?" Donnie asked, grabbing a clipboard and checking Raph out.
"Like I get hit by a truck." Raph replied, shifting his body and then hissing in pain.
"Stop trying to move. You're pretty banged up." Leo said. Raph turned his head towards his older brother. He had never seen his brother look so scared before. Leo's face was impassive like normal, but his eyes were different. Leo never could tell a lie properly, his eyes always gave him away.
"M'fine." Raph replied.
Leo scoffed. "Yeah, sure, you're fine."
"What's the diagnosis?" Raph asked, shifting a bit again.
"Well, let's see; four broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder, a broken wrist and a broken ankle. Oh yeah and we had to give you two blood transfusions." Donatello stated, irritation lacing his voice.
Raph winced slightly, and then tried for a cocky smile. "T-that's all?"
And that's when Leo lost it.
"That's all? That's all?! Isn't that enough?! What the shell Raph? You've been unconscious for a week! We had no idea if you were going to make it or not! You got the snot beat out of you by over twenty Foot ninjas! I told you to stay back! But did you? NO! I told you to leave but you didn't do that either! Now look at you! You're hurt! You lost so much blood that Mikey and I had to give transfusions! Why can't you follow a simple order? Huh?! Would it kill you to admit that I'm right? That I might know what I'm talking about?!" Leo demanded, pacing the room and breathing heavily.
Mikey, Donnie, and Raph said nothing; just watched their older brother rant and rave.
"Mikey…Donnie…can ya give me and our Fearless leader a sec?" Raph asked. The two turtles nodded and left the room.
Once they were alone, Raph tried to sit up. He struggled doing it with only one arm and bruised ribs, Leo ran to him and helped him sit up.
"Look, Leo…I'm…I didn't mean…Sometimes I just…" Raph trailed off not knowing what to say. Leo sighed and grabbed a chair, pulling it up to the foot of Raph's bed.
"I just…I worry okay? I just wish that you would listen. I actually know what I'm talking about sometimes." Leo said.
"It's difficult for me alright? I like doin' stuff on my own, followin' my own rules."
"Well your actions don't just affect you alright? They affect this entire team."
Raph looked up at Leo and gave him a shrug.
"We all worry about you. Remember when Mikey got stabbed a few months ago? Remember how scared you were?"
Raph scoffed. "I wasn't scared. I knew the little punk would be okay."
Leo gave him an 'I know you're lying so don't try to fool me look.' Raphael sighed.
"Yeah…I remember…"
"That's how I've felt the past week. We didn't know if you were going to make it or not."
"Raph scoffed again. "It'll take more than a few Foot ninjas to take me out."
"There were fifty of them Raph."
"Like I said, it'll take more than that. Ya can't get rid of me that easily." Raph replied with a smirk.
Leo rolled his eyes before standing and gathering some ace bandages and gauze. He walked back to his brother.
"Whatdya doin' with all that stuff?" Raph asked, warily eyeing his brother.
"Well, I figure Mikey and Donnie are trying to convince Master Splinter that we're not killing each other, and it's time to change all of your dressings."
Raph rolled his eyes. "Can you please not call them dressings? How about just bandages."
"Why does it bother you?" Leo asked, a slight mischievous tone to his voice.
"Does my fist in ya mouth bother you?" Raph retorted.
Leo didn't reply as he changed all of Raphael's bandages, starting with his head and ending with his foot. Raphael winced as Leonardo rewrapped his broken ankle.
"Still hurts?" Leo asked.
Raph hissed between clenched teeth. "No."
Leo stopped wrapping and started taking it off. Raph was about to ask what was up when Leo started massaging the wounded ankle. Raph groaned and leaned his head back, allowing his brother to help take some of the pain away.
"The others will be in here soon I'm sure." Leo said.
"Great. Might as well prepare myself for a lecture from Masta Splinter."
Leo chuckled. "I'm sure he won't yell as much as I did."
"I've always said ya were a drama queen." Raph smirked, then snapped his head to look at his older brother, realizing he still had a hold of his foot.
"What?" Leo asked innocently.
"Tickle me and I'll kill ya." Raph threatened.
Leo threw his head back and laughed. "Wouldn't dream of it little brother."
Mikey, Donnie, and Master Splinter were making their way back to the lab to make sure Raph and Leo weren't killing each other.
OoOoOoO
"I'm sure they're fine Sensei." Donnie said.
"I am sure as well Donatello, but I am anxious to see my son awake." Master Splinter replied.
"Maybe we should bring a mop." Mikey suggested.
"For what?" Donnie asked.
"Clean up the bloodshed." Mikey replied with a grin. "Ow!" He yelled a second later, rubbing the back of his head after Donatello smacked him.
The three of them were nearing the lab when they heard hysterical laughter coming from inside of the lab. Mikey, Donnie, and Master Splinter stopped dead in their tracks.
"L-Leo! S-Stop!" Raph laughed.
"Sorry little brother, I can't understand you!" Leo laughed back.
Master Splinter chuckled softly to himself. "Let us go sons, we can visit later."
Mikey grinned at Donnie as they followed their teacher, listening to the laughter of their two older brothers.
