A/N: Here I am with the next installment of Returning Home :D Yeah, so the last two chapters were just boring ones based on the movie, but this chapter, after the beginning section, is non-movie material! Yay! :)

Chapter 9: nueve

Disclaimer: I own my currently broken heart, not TMNT.

Warning: If you haven't noticed by the past nine warnings, this story contains Turtlecest. If you plan on complaining about it, be prepared to receive a long message that will probably contain large amounts of cussing. And it will be in all caps to emphasize my disappointment at your lack of ability to read the warnings. Shame on you.

"Mm-mm," Michelangelo leaned back in his kitchen chair, stomach full and content. "My compliments to the chef!" Letting out a loud and lasting belch, he hardly heard the phone as it began to ring. Standing, Donatello abandoned his half eaten piece of pizza and approached the dinging object. "Cowabunga Carol Party Services. Cowabunga, dude," his eye ridges furrowed as a raised voice began to ramble on the other end. "Whoa, whoa. Slow down, April. Now, what happened to Raph?" Leo didn't hear the rest as he froze, pizza stuck halfway on it's journey to his mouth. His heart began to pound, senses overcome with worry, mind racing with the possibilities. What has that idiot done now? Can't he just...just stay safe for two seconds? Why can't he just give my nerves a break? Despite his slight annoyance, the blue clad turtle was out the door before any of his other family members could move.

Landing heavily on the fire escape, the three brothers entered the open window to the sight of Raphael on the floor, pillow under head and April leaning over his unmoving body. The redhead's exclaims of surprise at the sight of Leo were matched by her boyfriend's as he entered the room a second after their arrival. "Sorry the reunion couldn't be under better circumstances," he said, eyes never leaving his unconscious brother.

"Whoa-ho," Mikey said as he followed his eldest brother into the apartment. "Nice pad, kids." Bright blue eyes finally settling on the hothead, his voice dulled as he continued, "Oh, hey, Raph." Leo was quite disgusted by his lack of concern for their injured brother. Something could be seriously wrong, and he didn't even care. The eldest turtle's attention was drawn to Don as he began to examine Raphael, murmuring quietly to himself. After a few seconds, he let out an amazed, "Whoa!" Turning the red clad turtle onto his plastron, he made the stone, star-like object lodged in his shell visible to the other occupants of the room. Removing it carefully with a pair of tweezers, he narrowed his eyes and furrowed his eye ridges, studying it. "Some sort of stone. Probably obsidian, I think."

"Well, is he going to be alright?" Leo asked, becoming agitated that he seemed to be the only one concerned for their brother's well-being. As if in answer to the question, Raph groaned, in obvious pain. Before Leo could voice his ever-growing anxiety, Don spoke, still examining the stone weapon. "There's an engraving on it. Looks South American; that's your department, April." He reached out his hand containing the tweezers, and she took it carefully, studying the signs and symbols.

Leaning forward in the chair he was occupying, Casey held out a dart. "Would it help you if I told you that those statues you collected for that Winters guy were shooting these at me and Raph?" Looking at the offered quill, April's eyes widened considerably in shock and recognition. "The legend of Yoatl. It...It can't be. It was just a myth, a scary story the locals-" Her awe-filled tale was interrupted by another, louder groan from the mutant on the floor.

"I'd better take him home and treat him. I have better supplies there," Don said as he stood.

"No, I'll take him," Leo countered, also standing.

"I'm the family doctor here," the purple clad turtle objected.

"You're not the only capable one. Being in a jungle for a couple years by myself, I've become quite adjusted to taking care of injuries. I'm not too bad with medicines, either. You would obviously be more interested and knowledgeable about this Yoatl, and you can tell me all about it later."

Sighing in defeat, Don mumbled, "alright," before helping to swing Raph over Leo's shoulder. With a farewell nod to the others, the blue clad turtle left as April began her tale again.

Raphael groaned quite a few times on the way home and every time Leo had a mini heart attack. When he saw the entrance to the lair, he was overcome with relief. His entrance brought the attention of his sensei, who raked his worried eyes over his second eldest son. Eyes meeting the carrier of the injured mutant, he nudged his head towards Don's lab, where most medical issues were taken care of. Nodding in wordless understanding, Leo carried his brother inside, shut the door, and laid him on the bed. As he situated the blankets around Raph, the blue clad turtle raised a hand and brushed in down his unconscious lover's cheek. Relishing at the feeling of the tough texture, he closed his eyes, realizing how much he had missed the feel of his skin against his own. Raph stirred, causing Leo to flinch and snatch his hand away, knowing how angry his brother would be if he felt or saw such an action. Bleary eyes opened slowly then snapped wide as he saw the hovering body above him.

"Leo! Where the hell am I?" He began to sit up, but his older brother's hand was instantly on his shoulder, pushing him back down. Raph shivered at the contact.

"Stay down," Leo commanded. "You were shot by some walking statue or something of the sort. It's obviously not getting along with your system." A sudden spasm overtook his stomach and the hothead grimaced. "Let me get you something for that." Leo turned away from his patient and opened the cabinet that Don kept all of his medical supplies in. Scanning a finger along the bottles, he grabbed the one he was looking for and poured the contents into a measuring cup. Handing it to Raph, he instructed, "Eat it."

"It's a liquid. Only kid's medicine is liquid."

"Not all liquid formula is. Now eat it."

Sending Leo a suspicious glance, he took his time raising the plastic cup to his mouth and pouring the thick, red liquid down his throat. He instantly gagged. "God, it tastes like shit!"

"There's nothing I can do about that." Leo took the measuring cup and set it aside to be washed later.

"Yeah, well-" before the sharp reply could continue out, Raph was overcome with a fit of coughs. Leo was by his side in a second, rubbing his shell until he was able to catch his breath. "Get your fuckin' hands off me," the hothead growled and his brother, dismayed to say the least, obliged.

"Are you hungry?" A shake of the head. "Thirsty?" Raph nodded. His caretaker left and reappeared a few moments later with a glass of water. He reached an arm around, preparing to help his brother to sit up, but, after a death glare from the hothead, he held his hands up defensively and backed away. Chugging it all quickly, he handed the empty glass to Leo. Setting it beside the measuring cup, the eldest turtle sat in a chair beside the bed and simply stared at his brother, studying his face. Raph looked over and furrowed his eye ridges. "What?"

"I...I don't get you."

"..Whaddya mean?"

"Before I left, we were...I mean, you and I...were..."

"Together," Raph whispered the word his brother couldn't.

"Yeah...and then...I come back and...you just...well, you know," Leo rubbed his eyes tiredly. "You're going to be the death of me." Raph stayed silent, having nothing to say. Leo, as predicted, continued. "I don't understand what happened. Are we even still together? I'm so unsure, so...confused! Did this time apart separate us more than distance? And the worst part is, you won't even talk to me. I want you to let it out, let me know. Help me to understand, but do you do that? No. You just go along your angry way and don't tell me anything. Not a fucking thing." He sighed and rubbed his eyes again. "You won't tell me anything, but let me tell you something." Leo looked directly at Raph who looked directly at hands in his lap. "I love you. More than a brother, as you already know. I love you and I want to know if you still feel the same way. Cause if you do...God, if you do, save me from drowning in this flood I'm in. If...If you don't, I..I won't bother you again...So?"

Raph continued to look at his fingers, not uttering a word.

Leo swallowed the lump in his throat, trying to form words. "Al-Alright. I won't bring it up again." Standing, he kept his eyes on his feet and made his way toward the door. The hothead watched his reseeding form, mind racing. Did he really want to be loveless? Was his only chance of happiness walking away from him right now? What was the right choice for him; what should he do? He had to decide quickly for one of his options was walking away from him and, if he did decide against him, he didn't know if he could get him back.

The hothead's mouth was suddenly dry as he wiped his parched tongue across his arid lips. "Le-"

"Leonardo, my son," Splinter's raspy voice overpowered his second oldest, making Leo inaudible to Raph's voice. "How is Raphael doing?"

Glancing sadly at his brother, his gaze quickly returning to his father, he reported, "He's fine," before dismissing himself to his room. The elder rodent looked after his eldest, concerned by his distressed aroma. Shaking his head, he turned to Raphael. "I'm glad you are feeling better, my son. You had us all quite worried, especially Leonardo. He was particularly apprehensive about your well-being."

"Yeah," the red clad turtle mumbled. "I know." Splinter left him to rest, leaving Raph with his thoughts which was something he didn't want to be alone with at the moment.

He rubbed his eyes in distress. "God, Leo. Why do you have to make everything so damn complicated?" Sighing, he turned on his side and attempted to get some sleep.

A/N: Phew, I thought it'd never end! Seriously, that just took forever :P Anyway, poor Leo! :( All alone in the world of love...or is he? Oh the suspense ;)

Review! Review for the love! :D