I don't own TMNT.


"Thank you Usagi," Leo said as he turned back to his samurai friend, "That was an amazing adventure."

"I am glad you enjoyed the trip to the Kimiino Mountains," Usagi said.

"Yeah, maybe I should take more time off in the future."

"You are welcome in my world anytime Leonardo-san."

"And you're welcome anytime here Usagi."

"Thank you, my brother," Usagi said before he turned back to the portal, "I hope to see you again soon."

"As do I Usagi," the blue banded turtle said with a smile.

As Usagi stepped back through the portal and Leo turned to greet his father and two youngest brothers no one took notice of the red banded turtle hidden in the shadows, a deep scowl on his face.


"So, how was it?" Raph asked as he watched his older brother run through a kata.

Leo turned and smiled at his immediate younger brother, "It was an adventure, I never knew exploring old mines could lead to so much, there was actually still gold in some of them. Of course, I never thought we'd run into a band of ogres though. We really fought well together, it makes me wish I had known Usagi earlier, he could've been very helpful in many of our battles and-Raph are you okay?"

The leader had stopped in the middle of his explanation and caught the slight change in Raph's expression. A strange emotion pooled over Raph's eyes and filled them to the brim.

"I'm fine," Raph spat, "Glad ya had fun."

Ok, now Leo was definitely concerned, could it be that Raph was still-?

Before the thought could be completed, Raph stormed out of the dojo.


Leo frowned as he watched Raph stumble out of the elevator and into the lair. He glanced towards the small lab on one side of the lair and heard the whirl of a tool. He pressed his lips together in thought for a few seconds before making his way to ask a few questions to his purple masked brother.

What he didn't see were the eyes following him. Small pools of salty water set inside eye sockets as a begging gaze followed his every foot step.

Leo entered Don's lab and knocked lightly on one of the tables to alert his tech loving little brother that he was there. Don finished cindering two pieces of metal together then backed up and took off his goggles.

"Ok what injury did you hide this time?" Don asked with a skeptical eyes.

Leo frowned, "Do I ever only come to you when I'm hurt?"

"No, it's usually when you've been hurt for a couple of days that you come to me, so what is it?"

Leo shook his head, "I'm fine Don. I wanted to ask about Raph. Is he-"

Don sighed, "Oh, that. Yeah, he still is. He's barely been eating or sleeping and he won't let me give him anything to help."

Leo mentally nodded his head, he refused drugs just as much as Raph did. It drove Don crazy when they refused things like sleeping pills.

"It's been months," Don murmured, "I don't think he'll ever get over it Leo."

"He won't, it's just something you can't get over," Leo said sternly.

Don took a deep breath, "I was hoping you could do something."

"Me?"

"Yes, you," Don said with a fixed glance at the eldest, "Leo, you were his first best friend. Mikey and I have tried everything we know. He either gets angry or depressed."

"It's Raph Don," Leo explained, "Don't you think he'd lash out against me the most?"

"Not if you remind him," Don said as he turned back to his work, "Look Leo, we can't do anything, not even Master Splinter can."

That surprised the blue banded turtle, Raph usually lashed out in anger at almost everyone but to ignore help from his sensei? This was something else.

Leo took a deep breath, "Ok, I'll try."

Don smiled before frowning and turning back to his work as the eldest walked out of his lab.


Leo found himself back in the dojo that night after the team left their evening practice. The blue banded turtle had trained while he was away but he did have to work on a few things to keep up to normal speed. When he turned to go into a kata he froze to see his red banded little brother in the doorway, his eyes downcast.

"Raph? What's wrong? Are you ok?" Leo asked uncertainly.

Raph glanced at the floor and walls rather than at his older brother, "Ya had fun right? The week in Usagi's world?"

"Yes, I quite enjoyed the vacation, I think I should take one more often," Leo said with a slight smile as he played the past week over in his head.

He remembered the joy of just running, in grass! Meeting honorable warriors who shared his view of bushido, training in the sun, eating unusual but delicious food, drinking fresh spring water, riding a horse, sleeping under the stars, strolling into a town with no danger of being jumped and dragged off to be dissected and best of all, being with his friends who he rarely saw.

"Leo?" Raph mumbled quietly, pulling the leader from his thoughts.

"Yes Raph?" Leo asked back.

"He's a good friend right?" Raph muttered wistfully.

"Raph, he's my best friend," Leo explained and walked towards his little brother.

"He, um he called you…" Raph trailed off as he backed up one step.

"Huh?" Leo asked and then remembered something that might have caused Raph to act such a way.

Leo tilted his head, "You mean when he said, brother?"

Raph's silence confirmed the thought.

TBC…………


Guess what? I LOVE REVIEWS!!!

~Moonsetta