A/N: So I'm gonna be trying something new...responding to your reviews at the beginning of the chapter! I know writers who do this on here, and I was always ecstatic when the author responded to my review. That was just about my favorite part of each new chapter. ;) So here we go.

tmntsurviver: Thank you very much! I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations haha.

TMNT Loving Leo the Second: I can't wait to see what happens next either. ;) Thank you!

leggo lover 99: Thank you! And yes. I am going to mess with everyone's emotions again. *laughs evilly* Would I be me if I didn't? *wink*

Nutella Swirl: Nope. Unfortunately (at least for the time being) he's pretty much confined to the wheelchair. It remains to be seen how long our not-so-fearless leader will be in that position...currently, none of the brothers are really going on patrols. They're mostly focused on getting Leo back to his old self (or as close as possible). Thank you!

Miraculous Pink Ninja: Actually, Riley's not gone. She just wasn't in the first chapter (let's assume she was out shopping or something lol). I wanted the focus to be mainly on Leo and his brothers. But don't worry. She'll appear soon. She'll be an important part of the story, so don't worry.

Let me know what you guys think about me responding to your reviews like this. If you don't like it, I won't do it in future chapters. This is basically a...field test, of sorts. XD

Okay! Now that I've gotten that done, on with the story!

Chapter 2

"Leo was strong. He could handle anything."

"Not anymore. How did he get so...so broken, Raph?"

Leo flinched at his youngest sibling's words. He could hear every single thing they said through the rice paper doors.

I'm broken.

Well, if he didn't hate himself enough before, that was what pushed him over the edge. The eldest turtle buried his face in his hands and let out a muffled sob.

"I'm such a failure," he said to no one in particular. "I'm a freak. Useless. Worthless. I hate myself!" He clenched his jaw and slammed his hands down onto the armrests of the wheelchair, pushing himself upwards. For a few precious moments Leo stood on his own...and then his legs gave out and he collapsed onto the dojo floor. "Dammit!"

Hot tears of shame and anger coursed down his cheeks and he tried to get to his feet again. But all he could do was drag himself over to the nearest wall.

Self-loathing rose inside of the mutant and he screamed, his vision flashing red. He threw his fist into the wooden paneling on the wall, feeling something in his hand give way a loud crack but not really caring. It hurt. Pain was good. Pain helped him forget.

By the time the others realized what was happening and ran into the room, there was blood smeared across the wall. Crimson rivers streamed down the leader's wrists and arms and splashed onto his plastron.

Raph and Mikey cried out in alarm, each of them grabbing one of his upper arms and hauling him backwards. "Leo! Leo, stop! Stop it!"

"Let me go!" the blue-banded turtle screamed. "Let me go, Raph! Please!" His voice cracked. "Please," he wept, trying to pull away, "Let me go." But despite his struggling, he couldn't break from his brothers' grip. A filthy curse dropped from his lips and Mikey flinched.

"Donnie, do something before he hurts himself worse!" Raph ordered.

The resident genius approached slowly, holding up one hand. The other was behind his back. "It's gonna be okay, Leo."

Leo's eyes went wide as Donnie pulled out a syringe filled with a clear liquid. "I don't need to be sedated! I'm fine!"

"You're trying to kill yourself!" his hotheaded brother snapped.

Leo bucked, trying desperately to free himself. "Please don't do this, Donnie. Please."

"Until we can trust you not to hurt yourself, we can't take that chance."

"I'm your brother! Donnie, don't you dare! I swear, if you take one more step-" But his protests went unheard. Donnie stuck the needle in Leo's outstretched arm and emptied the barrel. Numbness started to spread throughout the leader's body. "I hate you," he snarled. "I hate all of you! Why couldn't you just let me die?!"

And the world went black.