Garage

09:45 pm

"So, how's Leo?" Casey asked while he worked on the bike's engine.

"His pain episodes are getting worse, ya should've seen him" Raph said.

"Well, I don't know if I'd wanted to see him like that. Must be pretty hard for you guys, huh?" Casey asked cleaning the grease of his hands.

"Donnie is the most affected. Mikey tries to cheer everybody up, keep going as if nothing had happened and sensei is helping Leo with his meditation" Raph continued.

"What about you?" Casey asked taking a seat near Raph.

"I'm ok… I guess" Raph shrugged.

"You guess?" Casey insisted.

"I ain't in the mood for talking, Case. Let's end this thing so I can go back to the lair" Raph said getting annoyed by the endless questions. He really didn't want to talk about Leo's condition now.

"Hey, eh… Raph… why don't you take a lil break and go now? I can handle this. It's not like I haven't built a bike before, y'know?"Casey said.

"Yeh, right… look Casey, I… I'm sorry for being all moody" Raph apologized.

"It's ok. You have your reasons. I'll be here if you need to talk, k?" Casey said patting Raph's shell.

"K… bye"

...

...

I'm feeling kinda bad for Casey. I like to talk and hang out with him but… I really need to be alone now. I wasn't in the mood for talks and bikes as ya could notice. Besides, it's getting late and I don't like Don and Mikey to deal with Leo's pain episodes alone.


Lair

Hmm, weird. The lair is quiet… too quiet. Mikey's not with his video games... Splinter must be at April's and Don with Leo. Better go check.

"Raphael…" Uh oh… Splinter.

...

...

"We have been waiting for you, my son. Come" Splinter ordered as he made his way to the dojo. Raph followed him without a word.

...

The dojo? This is getting weirder and weirder. I didn't do anything lately so… I guess this is not lecturing time. But… did he say: we? Does that mean Don and Mikey… and maybe Leo are there too?


Dojo

Candles, incense, everybody here (yeah, Leo's here too)… they're kneeling and Mikey's quiet? What the shell is going on here?

...

...

"Kneel Raphael" Splinter ordered. Raph did what he was told.

"Now we are all here, we can continue" Splinter said.

"What's this? A ceremony?" Mikey whispered.

"Don't know" Don whispered back.

"Leonardo and I have been talking lately about something I was not so sure to do" Splinter started.

"Raph, we grew up together; we trained together and did so many things together. I have seen your progress and sensei has evolved you into a better ninja that he could have never hoped you would be…" Leo continued.

"Wait a sec… I've heard this talk before" Don said quietly.

"Leonardo's time as your leader ends here. Raphael, I have decided you will be the new leader of the team from now" Splinter announced. Everybody was in shock.

"WHAT?" the three turtles yelled all at once.

"Yer… yer kidding right?" Yer… this is… heh… ok, ok… nice prank, guys. Really, I give ya that" Raph chuckled nervously.

"This is not a prank, Raph" Leo said in a serious tone.

"May I have to remind you I do not make any kind of joke, my son?" Splinter said raising a brow.

"I knew that talk sounded familiar to me!" Don said.

"Yeah, sensei told the same to Leo when he became leader" Mikey replied.

"Ya can't be serious!" Raph said still not believing what it was happening there.

"I am serious, Raphael. As I said, Leonardo and I talked about this and…" Splinter said but a really angry Raph interrupted him

"And ya decided without telling me first? Oh, how wise!" Raph said sarcastically as he got up.

"Raphael! You do not talk to your master in such an unrespectable way!" Splinter said angrily.

"Raph, we all know I'm not gonna be here for so much longer. This team needs someone who guide them" Leo said trying to make some sense into Raph's mind.

"So yer expecting me to do that? Hah! Well I have some news for ya: I ain't yer replacement!" Raph yelled and ran out of the dojo.

"Raph!" Leo called his brother but he got no answer. That meant only one thing: he had left not only the dojo but also the lair.


I can't believe it! I can't, I can't I can't! I don't accept this! I won't accept this! NEVER! How could he do that to me? Choosing me as his replacement, as the next one in the list… like… like… like some second hand old stuff! Darn ya! Darn ya, Leo! If ya weren't sick I swear I… I… GRRRR!

Sure I wanted to be leader someday but NOT LIKE THIS! Splinter is only doin' this 'cause he knows Leo's dying! I'm gonna be the leader but just 'cause Leo is gonna freakin' DIE! GOD, I HATE HIM! I SO HATE YA RIGHT NOW, LEO! I hate ya, I hate ya… I HATE YA, LEO!

"I know you do" Leo? Oh great! He followed me… nice, very nice.

...

...

"Leave me alone! I warn ya!" Raph yelled angrily.

"I just wanna talk to you about…" Leo started.

"I know what yer gonna say and I don't care anymore! GO AWAY!" Raph said without looking at his brother.

"Raph…" Leo continued.

"Yer not gonna convince me no matter what ya do or say, Leo"

"Could you please let me…" Leo tried to explain his reasons but Raph was too angry for listening.

"Explain? Huh? What ya have to say? How yer gonna explain ya decided to choose me leader without tellin' me first?"

"I'm sorry but…"

"NO, yer NOT sorry! Ya heard what Splinter said! He wasn't sure about this, about me being leader! My own sensei and father doesn't think I'm good enough and he had to wait till the powerful Leonardo died… for making me leader!" Raph yelled finally looking at Leo.

The blue masked ninja winced at the word "died". He knew he was going to die but he didn't need to be reminded of that.

"Raph, you don't understand this! That's not the reason!" Leo insisted.

"By the way, what da shell are ya doin up? Yer supposed to be in bed!... Oh… I get it… yer showing off ya still have some strength, huh?..." Raph said angrily, now turning around to face the city view instead of his brother.

"Raph, please… please, stop th… nngh!" Leo suddenly felt a sharp pain through his entire body.

"To humiliate me?" Raph continued, not noticing Leo's face contorted in pain.

"R-raph… I… nngah!" Leo tried to move but the pain was increasing making him kneel in the ground.

"To show how weak I am and that's why I wasn't chosen leader before?" Raph growled.

"Nnghaaaahh!" Leo collapsed on the floor in fetal pose, sweat running down his forehead and his face getting paler by the minute.

"Leo!" Raph finally noticed his brother was in pain and ran beside him.

"Leo, what is it? What's wrong?" Raph asked in concern. Leo embraced himself tightly, his face still contorted for the intense pain.

"Shell… don't tell those are one of your pain…" Raph realized what was happening. Leo was having another pain episode… worse than the other ones.

"Hang on, I'll call Donnie" Raph pulled out his shell-cell.

"I… ahh… I can't wait f-for much longer…" Leo managed to say. And it was true, he couldn't wait.

"Don't worry, Leo. I know what to do…" Raph said and dialed Casey's number.

"Hello?" Casey answered.

"Casey, get some morphine and wait for me" Raph said.

"Morphine?" Casey asked in confusion.

"Just do what I say! I'm going to yer place this moment" Raph said and hung up.


Later that night, Raph appeared at Casey's place with Leo on his arms.

"Whoa! Now I understand why ya wanted morphine! Why ya didn't tell me it was for Leo?" Casey asked as he helped Raph to put Leo in the couch.

"No time to explain, now help me. Grab his arm" Raph said while he prepared the needle.

"This is gonna hurt a little, bro" Raph warned. Though he knew how to prepare the medicine, he wasn't so good at finding blood vessels.

"N-no more than… nhgn!... this… that's for sure" Leo chuckled trying to ignore his pain which was becoming stronger. The needle went in and with it the medicine. Leo fell asleep immediately.

"What now?" Casey asked.

"He needs to rest, just that. Can we stay here tonight?" Raph asked.

"Do ya really have to ask, dude? C'mon! This is your house! Feel free to do whatever ya want!" Casey said in a friendly way.

"Hehe, thanks Casey. Can ya call the others and tell them we're staying here?"

"And you don't do it because?" Casey asked sensing trouble in the air. If Leo had left the lair in his condition was because something bad happened… an argument in most of the cases.

"It's a long story" Raph sighed heavily confirming Casey's thoughts.

"Hmm… I think I understand. Don't worry, I'll tell them" Casey said and dialed Don's number.


Minutes later…

"Raph, I think this is not the time for I talk but… I also think you need to. So, why don't ya tell me what happened?" Casey asked.

"Splinter chose me as leader" Raph said.

"Really? Well, congrats!" Casey said happily.

"But I don't want it" Raph continued.

"Why not?" Casey asked.

"Splinter just chose me because Leo… y'know…" Raph explained.

"Oh, I see. So you feel like a replacement, huh? Raph didn't say a word; Casey took that as a "yes".

"Look Raph, I haven't been with ya guys since you were kids but… I'm sure Splinter doesn't think ya are just a replacement. He raised ya up and trained ya. He knows ya are as good ninja as Leo is!" Casey said.

"Then why he said it was a hard decision?" Raph said with a sigh.

"Bro, Leo is Splinter's eldest son… they are closer to each other and now he is dying! It's hard for parents have to deal with this things; what kind of parent wants to live knowing his or her child is gonna lie 6 feet under! Splinter said it was a hard decision? He has a strong reason for saying that, Raph! He doesn't think of you as a replacement… and certainly Leo and the others don't think like that either" Casey added.

"Whoa, that was deep, Case. Ya've been watching Oprah?" Raph chuckled.

"Har-di-har. I'm talking serious here" Casey said.

"I know, I know. Thanks Casey, really. I think I just overreacted… again. Now… what am I gonna do with him?" Raph said referring to Leo who was deep asleep.

"Let him rest for now and tomorrow ya can tell him yer sorry and all that stuff" Casey suggested.

"Well, I'm dead tired. If ya need something call me, k? Night Raph" Casey waved and went to his room.

"Yeh, night Case" Raph waved and grabbed a chair placing it near Leo. This was going to be a long night.