Disclaimer: I only own the plot.
Chapter 1: The Human
Raph's POV
I groan, yesterday was not fun. These mouser things attacked our old home and wiped it out. Master Splinter and the rest of us got split up. Mikey and Don were fine thankfully.
Leo…I shudder as I realize what we...what I…almost did. He got trapped in a cave in for the second time in his life, and we almost walked away from him.
We were getting ready to head topside to find a way around the broken areas of the sewer near our home, when I realized that I hadn't heard Leo's half drag, half shuffle walk for over two miles.
By the time we got back to the old lair he was screaming hysterically. It took us twenty terrifying minutes to dig him out to which I found him quaking and sobbing. It took me another fifteen minutes to calm him down enough to get him to focus on walking.
By some miracle he hadn't been badly hurt, just a few bruises and scrapes. He practically clung to me as we guided him to where we were going.
Mikey scouted ahead to make sure our path had been clear.
Three hours later we had Master Splinter lead us into the caver we ended up cleaning last night, all except Leo, who can hardly stand let alone carry debris.
I roll over to spot Leo half curled beside me, after I figured out he wasn't as messed up as Don thought, I became Leo's protector.
I look out for him, make sure he eats enough, force him to exercise his bad leg, and try to convince him that he can make his uncooperative hands hold a spoon or fork, knives never work out well...
His hands shake constantly, he can't hold them still thanks to the injuries he received due to the cave in, when we were eight.
He pushed me to safety…and sacrificed his mobility and for a while...we thought his mind.
No one believes me that he's sane. After all…he never talks. I know why. It's how I found out that he was still himself on the inside.
He stutters really bad, like really bad. Sometimes he can't even form the words. Figured out basically he can't get what he's thinking out, because of the head injury messed him up.
His hands shake, he drags his right leg more than limps, and he can't speak very well.
Leonardo, my big brother.
Leo whimpers and drags my attention to him.
"Shhh," I coax, sitting up and grunting.
I gently rub his carapace and slip out of the small room that serves as our temporary room. Room assignments are going to be figured out later.
The effort of walking that Leo had to put in yesterday, exhausted him, he practically fell asleep the second he found a dry spot that was out of the way yesterday.
When Leo was crippled in that cave in, I became the new Leader of our little family. Splinter started training me to lead our family if something happened to him. My vicious temper has tapered off some. I still get real testy sometimes, but unlike when I was a kid, I think before I act. My training sessions tripled, while Leo's just flat out ended. Leo became the unofficial "black sheep", Master Splinter…for a while anyway…I thought never even paid attention to him. Found out after a while that Master Splinter will sit beside Leo and just rub his carapace as he sleeps.
I've heard him tell Leo that he's still proud of him…that he still loves him, but he has to train those that can learn it. He's told Leo that if there was a way…if their had been, he would've taken Leo to someone who could've helped him. He still would if the damage could still be fixed.
Don…he's convinced that Leo's is, mentally handicapped…basically he thinks Leo's a retard. It's hard seeing Don look at Leo with a mixture of sorrow and disgust. I know he still worries about Leo because he dug just as frantically as I did yesterday to get Leo out of the old lair. He just…doesn't see past Leo's scars…he doesn't see the brother that still tries to look after him.
Mikey…he was frantic to get Leo out yesterday…until we got him out and then…Mike. He just ignored Leo after that, back to trying not to look at the mangeled body of a brother that he used to idolize. Like Don, he thinks Leo's wrong in the head. Won't talk to him, hardly ever spends time with him…ever.
Yesterday's frantic dig was the most time either of them have spent with Leo in about seven years.
Seven years…
I hear someone moving and glance that way. It's Mike, probably trying to make something for us to eat…not Leo…it's a miracle if Leo gets a full meal, unless I save some for him anyway.
I pause and look around. The place looks a lot better than it did last night, but there is also a lot to get done.
Leo's POV
It's hard…having so much to say…having fears of the dark…fears of being trapped and having no way to tell anyone. I honestly hate being like this.
Don's disgusted glances…Mikey's avoidance…Master Splinter's lack of contact. Raph is the only one who ever pays attention to me anymore. I probably would've starved to death years ago if Raph hadn't been there to make sure I got enough.
They never mean to. It's…hard to see myself like this, let alone be someone who once looked up to me and see me like this.
I grunt as I roll a little and try to force my uncooperative hands to support me enough to stand.
One thing I can do is push-ups, weeks of practice with Raph have helped me build up muscle in my arms, my hands always pose a problem though. I have to fight to keep them flat. Sit-ups have been a struggle, because my bad leg can't bend I can't lay how I'm supposed to. Raph would have me lay on the bed and drape my upper body toward the floor. He hold's my legs and I sit up. Painful…but effective. And then there's his whole insistance that I exercise my bad leg, I have to massage the muscles until they're lose and then practice applying more and more weight. He doesn't understand that the bones never healed right. No matter what I do that leg will always be weak, it'll never fully support my weight again.
After about five minutes of struggle I manage to get up.
I'm still tired from the trek yesterday…but I want to help out. Anyway I can.
I limp, half dragging my bad leg, out of the room Raph and I slept in last night and move toward my brothers and father.
Don is already working on getting electrical running through here. Mikey is heading back to the old lair to start collecting our stuff. Raph is organizing everything.
I limp up and stand or sway next to Master Splinter.
He glances at me and smiles a little, touching my arm in comfort, steadying me at the same time. It's just enough for me to get my balance and I can catch my breath. I grunt and look at Raph. He stops and then looks around.
He's trying to find something for me to do.
"Leo I want you to organize this stuff into piles best you can 'k?" he tells me, pointing toward the debris.
"Raph!" Don snaps, shooting Raph a horrified look, "his leg."
It's all I can do not to get annoyed…patience…patience.
"He can do it…can't ya'?" He looks right at me.
I nod and start limping toward the stuff. I start sorting, nails, rock, wood, metal, etc., everything finds a place. It's hard work because I can't bend real far without losing my balance, so I have to pretty much squat to pick things up.
By the time Raph and Mike come home I've only gotten a small section of the area Raph assigned me done. But even so, I'm thrilled that I did something to help out.
Raph's POV
I chuckle as Leo shoots me a grin as we come into the new lair. He's got a few small piles around him and about twenty feet cleared. Not much done for how long we were gone but…its something. Months ago he wouldn't have even been able to stand unassisted. Now with the light workout sessions I've been helping him with he can move around more and finally isn't looking like as gangly as he was. He's still thin, but some muscle is starting to show up.
It's nearly a week later that life goes back to how it was before, Leo gets ignored by the others and to my rage. Don insists that the large cavern on the lower floor it perfect for his "lab" and Master Splinter took the other one.
So Leo has to struggle up the stairs to get the room Mikey left him. I chose the one directly beside Leo's. It'll keep him more relaxed and since I'm close I can help him if he needs it.
There's a bathroom up here mercifully, I couldn't watch Leo struggle up and down the stairs just to use the bathroom.
Leo's back at home now, we're running after a mouser that Don thinks he fixed enough to lead us to where it is…that's when we hear her scream.
We rescue her of course, Master Splinter trained us to. Then of all things, she sees us and faints.
Great, just great.
"Can we keep her?" Mikey asks.
Can we keep her? She's not a dog Mikey!
But she saw us, wonderful.
"We'll take her back to the lair, Splinter will know what to do," I mutter.
I'm worried though, she fainted when she saw us…what'll happen if she sees Leo? His scars aren't exactly pretty. In fact they twist his face and leg pretty bad.
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