The longest Hour

By

Hannio

Disclaimer – None of the characters mentioned in the below work of fiction belong to me in any shape or form. I'm merely using them for my own entertainment.

Author note – This story is a gift fic for Jenihenpen. No girl on the face of the planet has ever been quite so lucky as me when my favourite dude took me under her wing and showed me what it was like having a true friend guarding my back. Writing this for you knowing how much you love these guys is the least I could do for you! Even if I wrote a million of them it still wouldn't be quite enough to show how much you mean to me.

To everyone else I hope you enjoy it! My plotline which I was given was for Raph to be hurt, Leo to be the big brother and a hug to be involved, this was made all the more difficult due to me having written something like this recently but I hope I've managed to do it well, I've tried doing it in a different style as well to help make it different but anyway please enjoy!

Leonardo hated the foot with a passion that bordered on obsessive. He hated the way they wore masks covering their faces. He hated the way they swarmed over him and his brothers trying to rely on numbers to defeat their enemies rather then skills. He hated when they actually managed to land a blow on one of his brothers, filling his ears with their cry or grunts of pain and more importantly he hated their leader. Whether it was the Shredder or Karai he didn't care. He just wanted them gone so the threat against his brothers was gone for good. He didn't care what it took he would get it done.

It had been a normal day when Leonardo had taken Raphael and Michelangelo out for a roof top run; it was winter so the nights drew in quicker meaning longer for them to be out. Donatello had refused to come with them, pleading that his experiment was at a critical stage and needed his full attention on it. Leonardo had left him to it, leaving the lab before Donatello could start explaining exactly what was so critical about the experiment. If Donatello said it was critical and needed watching then that was good enough for Leonardo.

It had been fun right up to the point that the foot had swarmed around them without warning and attacked. They were outnumbered but that had never stopped them before. Leonardo had been surrounded by them but he fought with his usual style, none of them able to get close to him due to the sharp blade he wielded with such skill. He could hear Michelangelo's laughter and the occasional snort from Raphael, but other then that he was focused on the task at hand.

Too focused perhaps as he kicked the last Foot Ninja in the gut and looked up to find his next victim. What he saw wiped the confident smile of his face leaving an expression of horror in its place even as he started running forward, feeling as if he was going in slow motion.

He watched as an Elite Guard came up silently behind Michelangelo, his sword already arcing towards the younger turtle, who had been too preoccupied with his own battle to notice that his rear was unprotected. Leonardo knew even as he ran that he wouldn't make it in time, he knew that if that blow hit Michelangelo then his little brother would probably die.

There was a suddenly blur, an emerald green barrier inserted itself between Michelangelo and the Elite Guard and then there was the sound of metal slicing flesh. Leonardo had come to a suddenly halt, his surprise stopping communication between his body and brain. His brain screamed at him to continue moving but his body suddenly felt as if it was made of stone.

The sound of Raphael's sai hitting the ground, released from nerveless fingers echoed round his head as he watched Raphael's hand automatically cover the slice to his slice that no doubt went straight to the bone, if the blood trickling from it in a steady stream was anything to go by.

He watched as the elite Guard lifted his weapon up ready to strike. He knew that Raphael could have dived out the way but he knew that wouldn't happen. Instead Raphael had swung round and shoved Michelangelo as hard as he could out of the reach of both the Guards. He turned back and defiantly met the eyes of the elite Guard.

Leonardo had began moving then, he could hear Michelangelo call out Raphael's name but his attention was focused on the scene in front of him, which was playing like a movie he couldn't turn off. The Elite Guard waited until his brother's defiant amber eyes had met his and then unleashed a blow with his weapon to his Little Brother's skull. The blow that had echoed round the rooftop stopping Leonardo in his tracks again. The blow that had made Michelangelo cry out loud for his brother, shock and fear in his voice. The blow that dropped Raphael to the ground as if he been made of stone, the same ground where he remained unmoving, making no sound, for all appearance dead.

Leonardo had never hated the foot more.

He suddenly moved, every movement possessed as blinding rage gripped him in his desperation to get to Raphael. He went through them like a forest fire, no longer caring whether he killed them or not. If they stood between him and Raphael then he would dispose of them. The elite Guards and foot ninja had vanished by the time Leonardo came to a stop by Raphael's body and looked down.

He hid his scream of rage and pain well, not wanting to frighten Michelangelo who was staring down at Raphael and shivering. Leonardo recognised that the youngest was going into shock and knew he had to act quickly. He knelt down ignoring the pool of blood that was beneath Raphael's head and placed his fingers against Raphael's neck, His heart threatening to stop beating as he felt for a pulse. If Raphael was dead then Leonardo would not rest until he had killed every last one the foot and anyone connected to them.

For a moment he felt nothing and bit back tears as an empty feeling penetrated his heart threatening to overwhelm him for a moment but then he felt it, the small flicker of a pulse beneath his fingers. He closed his eyes for a moment before he spoke.

"Mikey, stay with me" he commanded, his voice rough and angry in his desperation. "I need you to remain focused, Raph is alive but we need to get him to Donnie now, you understand. I'll carry him but I need you to scout ahead for me, make sure we're safe ok?" Michelangelo had nodded and turned when Leonardo had stopped him. "And Mikey?" he said waiting until Michelangelo looked over his shoulder at him. "Do whatever it takes to clear us a way understand?" Leonardo watched as Michelangelo normally fun filled eyes hardened with the expression Leonardo normally saw in the mirror each morning. The look which indicated that he would do whatever it took no matter what the cost was.

"Got it" Michelangelo replied, his voice grim. He had allowed himself one more glance at Raphael before he turned and ran silently across the now deserted rooftop. Leonardo had lifted his hands up and quickly untied his bandana, wrapping it around the heavily bleeding cut on Raphael's arm, stemming the blood flow. Once it was secured he carefully picked Raphael up. He wanted to sort the head wound out but he had no idea what to do. The only thought in his head was getting Raphael home to Donatello.

He hurried down the fire escape, noticing grimly a few fresh foot solider who were either unconscious or dead. Michelangelo having apparently taken his warning to heart. He glanced down the alley and saw his youngest brother waiting by an open man hole and hurried to him.

"You hold him while I go down first, when I call you pass him down, I won't wait for you but follow me ok?" Michelangelo had nodded and reached out taking Raphael. Leonardo hadn't hesitated as he jumped down the man hole, his leg bent to absorb the impact. He straightened and immediately turned back, his hands outstretched for Raphael. Michelangelo passed him down to him with a pained grunt, waiting until Leonardo had a firm grip before he let go of his brother.

Leonardo turned and flew down the tunnels, his mind focused only on Raphael, chanting out loud to his brother, his voice quiet in the silent tunnel.

"Stay with me, stay with me, stay with me, don't go where I can't follow." He stopped suddenly outside the entrance to their home, and adjusted Raphael so he could reach up and grab the metal pipe which was the secret entrance to their home and pulled, barely waiting for the wall to fully open before he was in calling out the top of his lungs as he did.

"Donnie, DONNIE I need you." He watched as Donatello came out of his lab, an annoyed looked on his face even as he spoke.

"Leo I told you over breakfast how importing this experi…" his voice trailed off as he took in the scene. "No, no. no what's happened?" he demanded, leaping forward his fingers landing on Raphael's neck feeling for a pulse "Bring him into my lab now" he had ordered, a whip of authority to his voice that was normally lacking. Leonardo had obeyed without question. He had placed Raphael on the bed and watched as Donatello took care of him, never leaving his side even for a moment.

He blamed himself for the entire thing; it had been his idea to take them outside to burn off some of their excess energy. If he had just remained silent then Raphael wouldn't be laying on the bed, bandaged up, his breathing shallow as Donatello stitched the gash on his arm.

He shifted breathing in and holding it before releasing it shakily, forcing himself to watch Donatello's steady hands as he sowed, even though the sight of it made his stomach churn uncomfortably. He refused to leave Raphael's side so he would simply have to endure it.

His gaze flickered to Michelangelo and softened for a moment. The youngest was curled up at the bottom of the bed, his hand resting on Raphael's leg over the cover occasionally stroking it as if he was trying to reassure himself that his big brother was still alive and with him. Leonardo knew Michelangelo would not leave that space until physically forced to and even then he would fight with everything he had. It was a confrontation that he wasn't looking forward to having.

Raphael and Michelangelo had always been inseparable when they were children though they had grown more distance the older they got but Leonardo knew that deep down under the fights and the banter that made up the majority of their relationship now, there was still that deep unswerving love for each other. The pair of them was two half of the same coin. Michelangelo looked up to Raphael and was never completely happy until Raphael walked through the door, the same door the blue eyes would always remain fixed on with a waiting expression. He would pretend that he wasn't but Leonardo knew his brothers well and he knew that if Raphael died Michelangelo would never forgive him self.

Leonardo pushed himself off the wall and walked over stopping to look down into Raphael's face wishing that his brother would open his eyes and glare at him, or smile or just do something to indicate that he was still there with him. Raphael was never still, even when he slept he was a restless sleeper, always shifting about, his face never motionless, everything always reflected on it without fail. It was what made him such an awful liar. The stillness he was showing, the lack of anything on his face was frightening.

He reached his hand out and cupped his brother's cheek; thankful for the feeling of warmth he felt which proved that Raphael was still alive. He stroked the cheek once with his thumb before removing his hand and straightening. Raphael was never one for physical touches, he disliked being hugged or touched more then anything, always enduring it when his brothers did it like he was about to go to slaughter.

Leonardo reached up and cradled his forehead, his head was throbbing. If only he had been quicker. If he had been able to read what Raphael had been about to do then he could have prevented the blow to his head. Raphael would have been ok, probably cursing like a trooper as Donatello dealt with his arm, but he would have been awake and he would have been active and everything would have been normal.

He breathed out again slowly trying to control his rage and helplessness; he needed to kill the Elite Guard who had done this to Raphael. He would find him whatever it took and make him pay. He reached down and picked up Raphael's good hand, needing some contact with his brother.

"I think you should go and get some air Leo" Donatello suddenly said, his voice low and soothing. He glanced up for a split second before dropping his eyes and resuming his task. The voice cut through the silent room like a knife "Raph won't wake up yet and if he does then I promise I'll call you instantly. Go outside into the living room or go to the roof, try and clear your head. Raphie will need you when he wakes up."

"I should be here Donnie, he'll want to see me and Mikey when he wakes up he'll.." his voice failed him for a moment before he spoke again "He'll be worried about us" Donatello shook his head.

"Raph won't want to see anyone Leo, when he wakes up he'll be so drowsy and out of it that you could be wearing a dress and it wouldn't register with him. Trust me on this one, I know all about head injuries, I read up on them after that time that Mikey knocked himself out on his skateboard." Leonardo made sure he kept his eyes on Donatello's face as he finished the sowing the wound. He laid the needle down and leaned back and stretched, the sound of bone cracking filling the air

"Take Mike with you, I don't need either of you here at the moment, there's not much space and you're taking it up." he stood and turned making his way over to the first aid box and picking it up. "When you return I'll deal with both your injuries, I see you have a few cuts that require medical attention."

"I don't want to go." Michelangelo suddenly stated speaking for the first time since he has entered the room and taken his position. "I need to stay here with Raphie." Donatello shared a look with Leonardo, a look of reprimand in his eyes. Leonardo nodded and released Raphael's hand. He touched his brother' s face once more before walking to the end of the bed and pulling Michelangelo to his feet, tightening his grip on his wrist as the younger turtle struggled against him

"Come" he stated firmly, his grip tightening further. "Donnie will be able to work faster without us hanging around taking up all the space." Michelangelo hesitated for a moment before his eyes hardened and he opened his mouth clearly about to argue the point further. Leonardo cut in before he had the chance. "Look I don't like it either but it will help Raph" his voice was quiet and he waited as he watched the internal struggle happening in the blue eyes staring into his own. He watched the exact moment he won, as a resigned expression flooded Michelangelo's gaze and his shoulder slumped. Michelangelo nodded as the fight oozed out of him.

"Fine, if it helps Raphie then I'll leave." he commented, before leaning down and patting Raphael's leg. Leonardo looked away as he turned and began making his way to the door. He hated leaving Raphael, but he knew deep down that Donatello was right; he would be no good for his brother if he couldn't control his own emotions. It should have been him lying in the bed.

He stopped and leaned against the back of the sofa watching as Michelangelo entered the room closing the door behind him with one last glance back. He walked up to Leonardo and stared at him before speaking, his voice shaky.

"Is Raph going to be ok? No bullshit I need to know." Leonardo paused for a moment before he nodded.

"Donnie seems to think so and he's the expert of us so we just need to trust him. Doctor Don always knows best after all. He'd be the first to tell you that." a slight smile quirked Michelangelo's lips before it disappeared.

"This is all my fault Leo." he suddenly said "If I had just been paying attention then Raph would never have leapt in the way of me." Leonardo shook his head and leaned forward pulling Michelangelo into a rare hug. Michelangelo held himself stiff for a second before relaxing with a muffled sob.

"This isn't your fault Mikey." Leonardo stated quietly, rubbing a hand up and down his brother's shell in a comforting manner. "And Raph will tell you exactly the same thing when he wakes up. He made the choice to jump in and take the blow for you, he won't regret it. This isn't your fault." Michelangelo nodded pulled back sniffing slightly, he rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand and managed a watery smile.

"Thanks Leo" he said before looking sharply at him. Before they could say anything more Donatello stuck his head out, a wide grin on his face.

"Sleepy beauty had awoken, should have known his hard head would have meant he was better protected and would wake up sooner then most people." He commented, relief in his voice as his head disappeared back into the room. Michelangelo was the first in there with Leonardo right behind him. Raphael was looking around him, his eyes out of focus and groggy but it was still him. Leonardo looked up at Donatello with a questioning look.

"Well?" he asked eagerly.

"Concussion so we'll have to watch him carefully over the next 24 hours and try and keep him as awake as we can. But he knows who I am; he knows what happened he's just out of it and feeling a bit groggy." Leonardo looked back down watching as Raphael made a grab for Michelangelo's hand, missing the first time but managing it the second. Michelangelo bent down, squeezing the hand tightly as if he didn't want to let go.

"You're ok?" Raphael mumbled looking at Michelangelo "I thought I wouldn't get there in time." Michelangelo shook his head.

"You managed the same as usual, you took quite the knock, guess I owe you one Raphie." Raphael shook his head slowly, the action stopped as Donatello put a hand on his shoulder with a soft warning against movement.

"You can make me dinner." he replied the ghost of a smile on his face. "My favourite dinner not yours like you did last time, don't think I didn't notice. I always notice Mikey." he commented tiredly, his voice a low rumble. Michelangelo gave him a brilliant grin.

"Promise" he said "Thank you Raphie." He bent down and nuzzled his head against Raphael's shoulder the same way he used to do when they were children and he needed comforting.

"Sissy" Raphael whispered tiredly, he rubbed his shell and left him there as his attention swung to Leonardo who was watching him. "Don't look at me like that Fearless" he stated.

"Like what?" Leonardo asked his voice slightly shaky.

"Like I've come back from the dead or something, I'm fine" Leonardo nodded, remaining silent as relief washed through him making him feel almost light headed. He was still his brother, still grumpy, still blunt and straight forward, still exactly the way he liked him. "And this ain't your fault so don't act like it is" Leonardo didn't reply "Come here" Raphael demanded. Leonardo walked up to him "Bend down" Raphael commented, his voice slightly stronger as he rolled his eyes, the movement slow. Leonardo bent down and was surprised when Raphael wrapped his arms around him and held him close for a moment. It took only a second for Leonardo to get over his shock and wrap his own arms around him, squeezing him back tightly.

"Don't ever do that again Raph" Leonardo said rubbing his forehead against Raphael's shoulder. Raphael released him and leaned down looking exhausted even as Michelangelo nuzzled against him again clearly not planning on moving.

"I don't plan to though I wouldn't hesitate if I needed to do it again." he said looking directly at Leonardo before turning to look at Michelangelo, a fond look on his face. "You're annoying you know that?" he said grumpily.

"I know" Michelangelo replied. Raphael stared at him for a moment.

"You're not planning on moving are you?" he asked a resigned note to his voice which was sounding clearer and clearer with each spoken word.

"Nope." Raphael turned beseeching eyes to Donatello who grinned back at him and patted his shoulder fondly.

"Come on out you two Raphie needs his rest, you can come and visit him later. I've got to run a few more tests on him so out." Leonardo grinned as he allowed himself to be ushered out the lab, Michelangelo's grumbles in his ears. Everything was back to normal.

Author Note – Oh my gosh that was so hard to do! Still I hope it's ok and everything. Please review but no flames please. Thank you.