Back in the lair, Leo and Don were trying to adjust to life without Raph. Mikey was still at his girlfriend's place. Leo was watching Space Heroes and Don was working on one of his gadgets in his lab. I miss Raph, Don thought, and I wish he'd come home. Leo needs to call him and sort things out. We're brothers and shouldn't be apart. We need one another. Entering the lounge, Don said, "Leo, have you heard from Raph?"
Sapphire eyes met Don's hazel. "No. Not expecting to anytime soon."
"Have you tried calling him?"
"What do you want me to say, Don? The team's finished. There's nothing to say and me and Raph are over too. He's into that Troy kid."
"He's still our brother, Leo, and we need him."
"Why? All he does is challenge the rules and throw temper tantrums. Besides, I doubt he'd come home. Too busy with that Troy kid."
"Ah, so you're hurt about it."
Leo's eyes blazed and he said, "How do you expect me to feel, Don? I was with Raph two damn years and that kid comes along and Raph ends it? Want me to feel thrilled, because I don't."
"Do you still love Raph? Because if you do and you don't sort things out with him, you'll lose him forever. Do you want that?" Leo shook his head. "Then swallow your pride and call him, Leo."
"Fine, but I doubt anything will come of it."

Leo dialled Raph's number and said, "Raph, whatever I said, I didn't mean it. I was hurt and angry and lashed out. I wish you'd come home."
"Leo?" Raph said sleepily. "It's seven a.m. and ya woke me up."
"It's me, little brother. Come home. We miss you. I miss you," Leo said, and choked back a sob. "Come back."
"I miss ya guys too, but I ain't comin' home, Leo. I'm havin' fun seein' how things are bein' human."
"What?"
"Yeah, I'm human, Leo, and I'm makin' friends. Ya will never guess where I am. South Africa. They talk funny here, Leo. All the different accents and languages I can't identify. Troy says they have eleven official languages. Crazy, huh? And they call traffic lights robots. Ya'd love it, Leo. It's so cool bein' able ta be out without bein' called a freak. I love it."
"How did you become human, Raph?"
"A lady granted me a wish and I asked ta be human. Maybe she can make ya human too. Ask her. A lady named Luna. Squeeze yer eyes tight and ask her. Gotta go. Send my love ta Dad and Don."
"Wait, Raphie. What about me and you?"
"We've been over that. I told ya we're…"
"I still love you, Raph. I always will."
Raph sighed. "I like him, Leo. It…."
"Please, Raph."
"If ya come here, we'll talk," Raph said, and hung up.

Leo grinned and relayed the conversation to Don. "He said we'd talk, Don."
"That doesn't mean he'll take you back, Leo."
"Maybe not, but I'm going to go. You with me?"
"No. You're on your own, Leo."
"Come on, Don. It'll be fun. School, seeing a new country."
"No thanks. Got too much work to do, but you go ahead. Just stay in contact, okay?"
"Fine. You're missing out, Don."
"I can live with that."

Leo went to his room, squeezed his eyes shut and made a wish. I want to be human like Raph and to be where he is. Please. Almost immediately, he felt funny and screamed in pain, as he was transformed into a human. His three fingers became five, his two toes became five, his shell was flattened out and then was totally gone. He reached up to touch his head and felt thick hair. Rushing to the mirror, Leo took a long look at himself and grinned. Staring back at him was a handsome, dark haired and sapphire eyed muscular sixteen-year-old boy. Leo glanced down and saw that he was naked. Even my dick's different, he thought. No longer turtlelike, but a fully functioning human dick.

Troy had woken up not long after Raph's phone call had ended and Raph had told him about the conversation with Leo. "Think he will come here, Raph?" Troy asked.
"Nope. Leo would never leave the lair."
"I need the bathroom. What was that? It sounded like screaming?"

Troy padded slowly to the bathroom, followed by Raphael, gently opened the door and gasped when he saw the figure in front of the mirror. "Who the hell are you?" Troy demanded. "And what are you doing in my house?"
Startled, Leo whipped around, and covered himself with his hands. "Raph!" he exclaimed!" his eyes lighting up. as he saw his brother

"Leo?" Raph said in shock. "Ya sound like Leo, but ya can't be him."
"It's me, Raph. I did what you suggested. Going to see what it's like being human."

"Leonardo?" Troy said.
"Yes. Can I wear something, please? I can't go around looking like this."
"I'll find you something. Wait here."

"I can't believe ya really came, Leo," Raph said. "Didn't think ya wanted ta leave the lair."
"You thought wrong. I did. Someone has to look out for you. Are you all right? Your eyes are blood shot. Have you been drinking?"
"Not a lot. Why didn't Donnie come?"
"Said he had to work. This is neat, Raph. Now we can both go to school and we can work on things," Leo said seductively, moving towards Raph and kissing him deeply.

Despite himself, Raph returned the kiss, tugging on Leo's bandana tails to deepen the kiss. "I missed you, Raphie," Leo said, breaking away. "So much."
"Oh," Troy said, seeing them kiss. "Don't mind me! I just live here!" Troy tossed the clothes on the floor and stalked out.

"Troy, wait," Raph called. "Shit. That wasn't supposed ta happen. Thanks a heap, Leo!"
"You kissed me back," Leo said, dressing. "You still love me, even though you said you didn't, Raph. You can't deny it."
"Yer right. I thought I was outta love with ya, but I ain't. I love ya and I'm attracted ta Troy. What a fuckin' mess. I should go after him and tell him. Wait here, Leo!"

Raph found Troy in the lounge. Tadhg was nowhere to be seen. "Troy," Raph began.
"Don't. No need to explain. It was obvious. You love him and he loves you."
"But I like ya and I wanna be with ya too."
"You mean share you? How could you ask me that, Raphael? That's disgusting!" Troy yelled.
"Turtles do it in the wild. We ain't monogamous."
"Yes, well I am. I don't share. Good luck with Leo. And you can get out of my house too. I have to get ready for school, so leave now!"
"Troy…"
"GET OUT AND TAKE LEONARDO WITH YA."
"Yer really goin' ta school so soon after Luke's death?"
"Yep. Got things to discuss with my friends. Now leave!"
"But I have no where ta go."
"Don't care. Just go!"

Raph looked at Troy sadly and went to get Leo. "He wants us gone, Leo," Raph said.
"We'll be fine, Raph. We'll find a way to survive," Leo said, clutching his hand. "We always have when we were faced with challenges. This won't be any different."

Troy wasn't in the lounge when Raph and Leo were leaving. "Goodbye, Troy," Raph shouted, and left, closing the door behind him and Leo.

They'd just stepped out of the house when an M6 pulled up. Kieran wound down his window and said, "Raphael, is Troy up?"
"Yes, Mr. Brady. He's gettin' ready for school."
"And you're not going?"
"I have no idea where the school is. Also I don't have clothes ta wear for school and nowhere ta stay. Me and Troy fought and he kicked me out."
"I see. And who are you?" Kieran asked, looking at Leo.

"I'm Leonardo, Raphael's brother, Mr. Brady."
"I didn't see you yesterday."
"Yeah, I arrived last night, but Troy wasn't happy about my staying."
"Get in. You boys can stay with me until Troy calms down. I'm sure he will soon. He's not one to bear grudges."
"Really? We'd hate to be a nuisance."
"Not at all. I'll get you some school clothes and some other clothes. You can always pay me back. Have you had breakfast?"
"No." "We'll score some grub, then take you boys shopping."
"That's very generous of you, Mr. Brady."
"No problem."

Raph and Leo hopped in the M6 and as Kieran drove, Leo thought, as he smiled at Raph, I could like being human. Maybe I'll decide to stay one. Raph and I could make a life here.