Hey guys, I'm back! Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed etc. :) I am actually loving the reactions to Leo decision from you all! Is that evil?

Anyway, here is chapter 3, which may not be very exciting, its basically just how the other Turtles react to Leo's decision. But, oh, JUST YOU WAIT till the next chapter... *laughs evilly at the twist that is planned*

To answer some questions: 44TayLo, Oh, yes, Leo does have a plan... dondena, I have taken your tracker device idea into consideration, thank you, it'll play a bigger part later :) Who am I. Well. I'm just me, thanks so much for your support :) And to Rose Black Dragon, you are absolutely right. Leo is not a cruel person. But... have you ever heard the phrase 'you have to be cruel to be kind'?... *suspense* :P

Anyways, review please :)

Alura xx

The three brothers stared at Leonardo in utter horror. Had... Had they really just heard that? Who was this creature, standing before them, about to send their own brother to his death? Was this their leader?

Raphael didn't know how to react. On one hand, he was glad that the rest of his brothers would be safe, but on the other hand... He was hurt. Hurt that Leo could throw away his life so suddenly, with no objection or argument to it. But this was Raphael, so his hurt turned into immediate hurt and anger.

Leo remained stone faced, his expression blank and matter-of-fact.

"Leo..." Mikey spoke up softly. "What are you doing?"

"It's alright Mikey." said Raph, his voice cold, hiding his aching heart. "If ol' fearless here wants me to do his dirty work, then I will."

Leo turned his head sharply to Raph.

"I'm glad you agree, Raph." he said, even colder than Raph had spoken. "After all, I'm a coward. Like you said, you're stronger, you're faster, and you're braver than I could ever be."

The two brothers locked eyes, both determined not to be the first one to look away. As Raph stared his brother down, Leo looked away, but it was in a manner that was authoritative, as if he knew that he was better than Raph, even though he had just said the opposite.

"And until you prove to me otherwise, I always will be better than you." Raph growled. "And that's why I'm gonna save Splinter, without yer help!" said Raph, turning and going to train. "Who's the hero now, princess?" He slammed the heavy door behind him.

"Fine, I'm glad you agree!" Leo practically screamed after him. "You're a hero! You would make a better leader than me!"

As the echo faded away into nothing, Mikey stood abruptly, his chair crashing onto the floor behind him.

"Why, Leo?" he demanded, tears beginning to stream down his cheeks. "Why did you do that? Why are you sending Raph? Don't you care about him at all?"

Leo just stared emotionless at his brother, who choked back a cry and ran from the room.

"Mikey!" Donatello ran after him, leaving Leo alone in the vast space.

Leo sighed, leaning on the table and dropping his head. He didn't like it, but it had to be done for all their sakes. Gradually he made his way to the meditation room, clawing himself away from the cries of his younger brother, and the grunts of a hard training Raphael. Leo sat on the meditation mat and he concentrated hard. He could feel his Sensei's presence, but he made no attempt to communicate with him. Leo felt too ashamed, and he hoped that one day his Father would understand and forgive him.

A few hours later, he went to visit Donatello in his lab. Donny looked up and acknowledged his presence, but was obviously cross with him. Leo smiled grimly an observed the line of gadgets that Donny had spread out on a table.

"... How are the tracking devices going?"

Donny shrugged.

"Not too bad. The tech in the ones we were wearing tonight seemed to work, I'm working on making them smaller, and having them put elsewhere." Donny smiled. "Raphy wasn't too happy about his necklace."

Leo smiled slightly too. Donny held up something small with a pair of tweezers.

"Once I'm done, I'll be able to insert the chip down the back of our shells. It should be virtually undetectable."

"Like micro chipping a dog?"

"Kind of."

Leo smiled. "Keep me posted on it." Leo began to walk out.

"I'll make one for Raph as soon as I can." Leo shuddered as Donny said these words, and Donny noticed this in disbelief. "You... were planning on going after him... Weren't you?"

Leo stopped for a second, and then hardened, clenching his fists.

"Leo, do you have a plan?" Donny was just about ready to burst into tears and kill his brother at the same time."

"…Be sure to get some sleep, Donny." He left to go and visit Mikey, leaving Donny with a feeling of disgusting hatred for his brother. He felt a tear roll from his eye, but he brushed it away, determined to finish the device before his brother was sent away to his death. Had his own brother really become so shallow as to not even think of rescuing his brother? This wasn't the Leo that they knew, and it wasn't the Leo that Donny wanted to know. He shook his head at the thought and continued to work.

Leo gently rapped the door with his knuckle, hoping that Mickey hadn't gone to sleep yet. He heard a sniffle from the other side of the door.

"Come in."

Leo opened the door and entered the dark room. The room was messier than usual, but that was to be expected of his younger sibling. Leo sat on the bed next to Mikey, who was wrapped up in his sheets clutching an Aqua man comic. Mikey tried to smile, but Leonardo could tell that he had been crying. His face was blotchy, and his orange bandana had wet patches under the eyes.

"How's Aqua man going?"

Mikey shrugged. "He's chilling' with batman. They're pretty close to each other. Like brothers. Brothers that don't fight." Mikey glared at Leo with his last sentence. Leo sighed.

"Even people who are close to each other sometimes separate, Mikey. That's why Batman and Aquaman have their own comics."

Mikey held back a sniffle. "Leo, why are you sending Raphy? I mean, I know he wants to go, but... It was just the way you said it! Are you punishing him for something?"

"I'm sending Raph because I know how strong he is. He... could beat anything. Do anything. He has the potential to be a great leader someday."

Mikey shook his head, not understanding his brother's words at all.

"You'll understand one day, Mikey."

Leo went to put a hand on Mikey's shoulder, but Mikey shrank back from him, angrily avoiding his gaze.

Leo stood. "Be sure to be awake by 9PM tomorrow, Mikey. Goodnight."

Leo began walking to the door.

"What happened to you, Leo? I thought you were the best! You were the Aquaman to my Batman. Now, I... I don't even know you..."

Leo looked down, his bandana creasing. "Goodnight Mikey."

Leo's heart felt like it was about to break into a thousand pieces as he left his brother sobbing quietly into the dark.

Leo opened the door of the training room, and ducked just in time to save himself from being decapitated by a couple of Ninja stars. He saw Raph standing there, breathing heavily, having almost worn himself out for the night by using every single weapon in the room. He turned to Leo and began to sharpen his Sai's.

"Hey, Raph."

Raph nodded, briefly acknowledging Leo's existence. "Yo, Leo."

Leo approached slowly, observing the battered training room around him. "How are you?"

"Oh yeah, perfect, Y'know, my own brothers sending me to my death. Besides that, I'm perfect!"

Leo crossed his arms. "I thought that you would want to go."

"Of course I want to go! If it'll save Splinter and my brothers, then I'll go. Jesus Christ, Leo, what's the matter with you? None of us want to go, Leo, but we're Ninjas, so we do what we have to do, even if that means making sacrifices!" Raph became quieter, ashamed that he had spilled out his emotions to his brother. "Whad'ya wants, Fearless?"

"Raph, listen-"

"No! You can shut yer piehole for just a minute!" Raph cut him off. "I've always trusted you, Leo. Every day of my life, and especially those times where you've saved my ass. But I don't know what ya doin' here! I want to go, to save Splinter, but it's like you don't want me around no more." Raph drew closer to Leo. "Maybe you just don't wanna go. You stinkin' coward. You're my brother. MY BROTHER!" Raph went to strike Leo, but Leo blocked the blow with his Katana. Raph was so close to Leo, he could feel his breath, and it hurt Raph to see nothing on Leo's face, not one single emotion.

"Doesn't it hurt Leo? To be leader? To be makin' all these tough decisions on your lonesome... and knowin' the concequences?"

Raphs eyes narrowed his eyes through his bandana, the crimson material surrounding his eyes like flames of rage.

"Does it hurt to be sendin' me instead of goin' ya'self?'

"Shut up..." Leo growled through clenched teeth.

"But I suppose your too important to go." Raph continued, oblivious, and taking joy in enraging his brother. "After all, you are Splinters favourite."

"I said SHUT UP!" Leo pressed on his Katana's, pushing them towards Raphael. The blade clipped Raphs arm as he defended himself, a bit of blood oozing from his green skin. Raph was shocked at this action, but Leo showed no emotion again. In fact, Leo's inner turmoil was about to burst from him.

"...I love you, Leo, and I thought you loved me too." Raph shoved Leo off and holstered his Sai's.

"You're not my brother anymore." He turned his back to Leo. "You're dead to me."

Leo began to walk out, unable to hide any of his emotions for much longer. He half turned back to Raphael.

"For the record," he said, looking at his brother's shell. "I meant what I said." Leo narrowed his eyes. "You would make... a fantastic leader."

Raph almost turned around at this, but he held his ground, picking up the harshness and sarcasm in Leo's voice.

"Goodnight, Raphael."