Summary: After a fight, a family member disappeared. His brothers searched for him, but after a couple of years, they began to lose hope. Nine years after the disappearance, Splinter died. The three remaining turtles swore to their father that they would find their lost brother, no matter what it may take. But after another year with no sign of him, the three brothers began to lost hope once again, and eventually stopped searching altogether, believing their long-lost sibling to be dead. Even April and Casey, who stuck by them through thick and thin, gave up. The three turtles felt so guilty for saying and doing what they had on that night ten years ago. They went on, regretting everything they had done and protecting each other more fiercely than ever before. They never hid their emotions from each other and they never stopped thinking about their lost brother. Everything seemed hopeless...that is, until the unimaginable happened...
Raphael returned, broken and changed nearly beyond recognition. With one mystery solved, more and more began to appear. What was the red-clad turtle hiding from Leonardo, Donatello, and Michelangelo? What happened during the ten years he was gone? His spirit was crushed and his flame extinguished. He came back with many new scars. Who had done this? They would soon find out, and when they did, their lives would be changed forever.
Author's Note: I'm terribly sorry for the wait. I haven't had much time to write lately and I'm also still trying to figure out everything on Advice would be much appreciated!! -smirks- By the way, if ya don't like torture, gore, drama, and all that good stuff, I suggest you go read someone else's fanfiction. :) Also, if ya don't like Raph being in the middle of everything...then APPARENTLY you've got the wrong person. Anyways...onto the story. XD
"Guys, don't you think we should at least check on him?" Michelangelo looked pleadingly at his two brothers.
"It was his fault, Mikey, just leave it!" Leonardo snapped, looking up from his book.
"I really wouldn't care what happened to him right now," Donatello added, glaring towards the door to their remaining brother's room.
"Don't say that!" Mikey snarled, turning on his purple-masked brother. "You care about him as much as I do! Besides, I believe he had a reason for doing all of those things!"
Leo and Don exchanged a startled glance. Their youngest brother wasn't known for losing his temper.
"Besides, you weren't very nice to him, Leo!" Mikey whirled around to face his eldest brother. "Am I the only one who cares about our brother anymore?" He looked from Leo to Don, but both were too shocked to speak. "I don't know about you guys, but I forgive him, and I'm on his side!"
Mikey glared furiously at his brothers before stalking off to Raphael's room. He knocked softly on the door, ignoring the footsteps he heard behind him and the door of his sensei's room opening. When he tried to open the door, he found it was locked. Don and Leo came up behind him, glancing nervously at Splinter, who had come out of his room to see what all the noise was about.
"My sons, what is going on?" The mutant rat demanded, his tail twitching back and forth.
"I wanted to see how Raph was doing," Mikey growled before his brothers could reply. "But apparently I'm the only one who even cares!"
"Michelangelo, calm down this instant!" Splinter scolded. Mikey looked away.
"Sorry, sensei," he muttered.
"You are not the only one who cares about Raphael," Splinter continued, casting a glance at Don and Leo. "I, too, believe we should forgive him."
Leo and Don bowed their heads, beginning to feel guilty over the whole thing. Mikey knocked on the door again.
"Come on, Raph, open up!" He said, but got no response. "Raph?" He looked back at the rest of his family.
"Is he even in there?" Leo wondered aloud.
"There's only one way to find out," Mikey decided, stepping back a little ways. "Hiya!"
He flew at the door, knocking it down with a strong kick. His brothers and Sensei ducked to avoid the fragments of the door that were flung towards them.
"Nice one," Don muttered, glaring at Mikey, who just smiled sheepishly.
Mikey flipped the light on, but he saw no turtle. There was only a note, lying on Raph's bed. He glanced worriedly back at the three mutants behind him, who still had not seen what was inside the room and became nervous at his expression. Mikey walked over and picked up the note. The others followed him, looking even more uneasy as they took in the empty room. Mikey looked at the note. It was a piece of paper folded in half. In the front it said:
"My Last Note," Mikey read out loud, glancing back at Leo, Don, and Splinter before unfolding the piece of paper.
"You guys are probably wondering where I am right now. Well, that's not important. What is important is that I apologize."
"Sensei, I'm sorry I couldn't be the son and student you wanted me to be. I was always a pain and I didn't listen to you as much as I should have." Splinter bowed his head, knowing exactly where this would go. Mikey took a deep breath before continuing. "Leo, all of those arguments were my fault. I don't know why I started them, but I should have been more respectful towards you and more importantly I should have followed you." Leo winced slightly at the words as if someone had struck at him. "Don, I'm sorry for ruining all of those inventions. I should have respected you a lot more, too." Don stared at the note in Mikey's hands, speechless. Mikey gulped, knowing his name would be next. "And Mikey, even though you probably deserved all of the things I've done to you, I'm still sorry...and I'm especially sorry for...'that night'. I don't know what came over me, but it just goes to show that I'm too dangerous for anyone to be around." Mikey paused, trying to calm himself down before he went on. "I was always the one who messed things up. I was such a hot-head and I hurt all of you. I swear I'll never do anything like that again, even if it means never seeing you again. I'm sorry..." Mikey stopped suddenly, scanning over the last sentence a couple of times. He looked back at his brothers and sensei, his eyes glistening with tears, and read the rest.
"...I won't be coming home..."
Author's Note: I had to leave before I got the chance to put this part up, so I'll just put in it now!! Thanks so much for the reviews, guys. I never thought this plot would be that popular!! -happy squeal- THAT'S SO COOL!! My first reviews!! YAAAAAAAAY!! XD
Warriors Hamsters: Thanks!! And don't worry, you'll find out what happened soon enough. Heh heh heh...-mischievous smile- As for what happened before all this...well, let's just say I probably won't mention that for a while. If ya REALLY wanna know, I already have it typed and I can send it to ya.
Alora05: Wow...thank you so much!! Geez, I never expected a review like that!! I'M SO HAPPYYYYYYYY!!!! -cries joyfully- XD Well, I do hope you like what happens next. I have so many different versions of this!! Aaaaaand...I don't like any of them. -.- I think I'm gonna try something different this time. And one last thing...FINALLY!! Another big Raph fan!! RAPH RULES!! MUAHAHAHAHA :3