A/N: Alright, I guess I made you guys suffer long enough. :D


Leo pulled a katana with his free hand. He had no idea if his blade would even injure the monster before him, but he was not going down without a fight. With all three of his brothers down, his situation was more than desperate. A familiar battle cry came from above a split-second before Splinter landed on the creature's back. "Stay away from my sons!" He drove his walking stick into Sab's back between his shoulder blades.

Sab shrieked and bucked throwing the rat from his back. Leo watched in astonishment as the walking stick fell to the ground as Sab became a puff of smoke. A moment later he had reformed into his dragon shape. But the turtle didn't fail to notice the large gash right between his front legs, exactly where Donnie had said his heart should be. A clawed foot shot out and swatted at the old rat sending him rolling right under Sab's chest.

"Master Splinter!" Thinking fast, Leo threw the spear. Splinter caught it and buried it deep into the dragon's chest. A horrific noise filled the chamber. Leo, Don and Splinter clutched their ears and the walls around them shook. Then just like that Sab disintegrated into millions of speckles of glowing embers. The firestone, which had come off the end of the makeshift spear, fell to the ground and rolled a few inches. The light inside it flickered for a moment and nearly went out.

Splinter picked up the stone as Leo sheathed his sword. Turning towards his brothers, he pressed a hand to the large gash on his arm. "You okay, Donnie?"

Rubbing his doubly sore head, he blinked a few times to clear his fuzzy vision. "Yeah."

"What about Mikey?"

Don reached out to touched Mikey's shoulder. "Mikey wake up?"

There was a long pause before the youngest brother blinked his eyes open. "Man, what hit me?"

"That would be Sabazios." Don reminded him.

Leo knelt near him. "You okay?"

Mikey rubbed a hand across the back of his head. "Swell, other than a pounding headache."

Donnie frowned at the blood running down Leo's arm. "That wound is pretty bad. We need to stop the bleeding."

Leo shook his head as he stood. "No, I don't need help right now. Raph does." Don and Mikey followed him across the room to where Splinter already knelt beside their hot-headed brother. "How is he, Sensei?"

Splinter shook his head with a distraught expression. "Not good." The three gathered around as Raph took in one struggling breath after another.

"What happened to him?" Don knelt across from Splinter and placed a hand on Raphael's brow.

"He told me that Sab had bitten him." Splinter indicated the puncture wounds on Raph's arm, which were turning black.

"But Sab's gone, right? Shouldn't that make Raph better?"

The others exchanged worried looks. It didn't appear as though Sab's presence had anything to do with the venom now coursing through Raphael's body. Leo clenched his fists. "We haven't come this far to lose him now!"

Splinter lowered his head and rested a hand on Raph's plastron. "I know of no way to cure such a terrible poison. This is far beyond my ability to heal."

Mikey was freaking out. "But we have to do something!"

Donnie looked up. "The firestone? Where is it?"

Splinter opened his other hand to reveal the stone. "It is here, but it seems its power is greatly reduced."

Don took the firestone from their father and frowned at it. The fire inside that had burned so brightly was dim. But it still burned. "Maybe I can give it a little boost with my control board." He stood and made his way to where he'd tossed aside the panel earlier. "Like recharging a battery. Earlier when I was examining it, it reminded me of a power source."

Leo frowned down at Raph and took his hand. "Whatever you're doing, make it fast."

Donatello turned off the voltage and removed the wires from the ruined Triceraton transporter, quickly trimming away the burnt ends. With the skill of a practiced electrician, he wired a receptor to each end of the stone in mere seconds. Taking up the control board again, he slowly increased the voltage until the stone began to glow brightly again.

Mikey gripped Raph's other hand. It felt like his brother was burning up from the inside out. "Come on, Raph. You gotta hang in there. You want to go through on all those threats you made to me, don't you?"

Donnie hurried back with the freshly charged firestone. He looked at his family with a hesitant gaze. "I have no idea if this is going to work." They all gave nods of understanding. Taking Raph's arm, Don pressed the tip of the stone into the puncture wound on his arm. The reaction was immediate. Raphael began to thrash. "Hold him still!"

"Donnie! What's happening!" Leo demanded.

Still gripping the stone in one hand and trying to keep Raphael still with the other, Don could see the blackish layer which had settled over his brother begin to fade. "It's working! Just keep holding him!"

Raph suddenly gave a cry of pain and sucked in a deep breath. After a few more moments, his eyes fluttered open. "Let go of me!" The words were half garbled but they made a collective sigh of relief escape his family.

Leo looked up at Don. "Is it gone?"

Still clutching the firestone, which was quickly fading in power now, Don made certain he couldn't see the dark layer of poison any longer. Finally, he sat back pulling the tip from Raph's wound. "It's gone."

Raph blinked a few times, a bit more aware of his surroundings now. "Hey, guys."

Splinter smiled, stroking a hand across his son's brow. "Welcome back, my son. We have dearly missed you."

Raph's eyes remained at half-mast. "Yeah, me too."

Leo frowned. "You sound tired."

Mikey snorted. "Bro, he was just trapped in a void for days, then bit by some kind of serpent god-thing and nearly died! I'm just tired thinking about it!"

Leo gave a small chuckle. "Yeah, I guess you're right." His gaze shifted back to Raph. "Can you move?" Raph gave a small nod and the four helped him to his feet. Don pulled one of his arms over his shoulders, while Leo did the same on the other side.

Still half in a daze, Raph stared around the lair. "Whoa, did you guys let Mikey decorate?"

Mikey pouted. "Hey! No way! This is all thanks to your good buddy, Sab!"

Raph tensed at the name and Leo hurried to reassure him. "Don't worry. He's gone for good."

As Raph's weight settled back on their shoulders, Don turned them towards the stairs. "Mikey, could you find the first aid kit?"

Mikey made a face. "But-"

Splinter placed a warm hand on his arm. "It is alright, Michelangelo. I will find it. You may go with your brothers."

"Thanks, Sensei!" Mikey grinned and hurried up the stairs after his brothers.

Leo nudged Raph's door open with his foot and they settled their brother into his hammock. Raph laid back with a heavy sigh. "Hey, Don."

Donnie put a hand on his shoulder. "Yeah?"

"I'm never rescuin' the toaster again."

A round of chuckles went through the room. Leo smiled. "In that case, I promise never to break one again."

Raph cracked open an eye to glare at him. "Don't make promises ya can't keep, Frearless."

Splinter appeared in the doorway with clean bandages and first aid supplies. "I must agree with Raphael on that point." He said with a sparkle in his eye. Donnie took some bandages and anti-septic and began wrapping Raphael's wounds, while Splinter made quick work of Leonardo's. "The last few days have trying ones for all of us. A good night's rest is in order." He placed a hand on Raph's shoulder. "Sleep well, Raphael." He turned and ushered Mikey and Don from the room.

Leo started to leave, but paused just inside the door. "It's good to have you back, Raph." As he pulled the door closed, he almost missed the soft reply.

"Thanks, bro."


Mikey paced back and forth across his room. He knew Splinter had sent them to bed and Raph really did need rest, but he couldn't help the anxious worry pooling in his gut. What if the venom wasn't really gone? What if something happened to Raph while they were all asleep? What he needed something? What if he didn't fully phase back into their dimension? What if…? He let out a frustrated groan. He was not going to sleep tonight, not with all these thoughts rattling around inside his head! Frowning, he cracked open his door to scope out the hall along the bedrooms. Silently he slipped out and down to Raph's door.

He blinked in surprise to see Leo settled against the wall closest to Raph's hammock. The older turtle allowed a small smile to cross his face. Leo beckoned him in with a small wave and then pointed to the side. Leaning against the wall opposite from Raph was Donnie, his head laid against the only bookshelf in the room. Mikey smirked. It seemed he wasn't the only one that couldn't sleep without knowing Raph was alright. Closing the door behind him, he approached the hammock.

Raph was sleeping soundly. He was even snoring, completely unaware of his company. Mikey's smile broadened and he settled against the wall across from Leo. He had a sneaky feeling this type of midnight meeting would gone on for several days, maybe even weeks. It seemed none of them was willing to let Raphael out of their sight, not after not being able to see him for so long.

Another hour passed when the door cracked open once more. Splinter smiled at the sight of all four of his sons scattered about Raphael's room. They all slept, peaceful expressions adorning their faces. The old rat's smile grew a bit. Raphael was in good hands and so he closed the door, leaving him under his brothers' watch.


Raph sat up in his hammock and yawned. He felt a lot better than he had the night before. His stomach growled loudly. Well, it seemed his body was back to normal functions as well. Another sensation hit him and his swung his legs over the edge of the hammock about to make his way to the bathroom, but he stopped just short of stepping on Michelangelo. That's when he noticed his room was rather crowded. Leo and Don were sleeping against two of the walls, while Mikey was have spread across the floor.

Normally he wouldn't like the intrusion into his room. And they all knew it. But this time was different. They were worried about me. A warmth blossomed in his chest and a smile tugged at one corner of his mouth. I wonder if that's why I slept so well, 'cause they were here with me. He realized with a touch of surprise that he'd done the same thing while stuck in that void. He'd sought them each out, wanting to be near them, and seeking comfort from their presence. He hadn't tried to seek solitude once, even though it had been what he was finally given. Peace and quiet and a chance to be completely on his own. Frowning, he shook his head. He didn't want that anymore, not after seeing what his "death" had done to his family.

Raph's gut made another protest and he silently lowered himself from the hammock, stepped around Mikey, and made for the door. With practiced ease he opened it without a sound and slipped down the hall to the bathroom.

A little while later, Mikey sat up and stretched. He looked about the room, finding both Don and Leo still asleep. Then he spotted the empty hammock. A wave of sheer panic took over. "Raph!"

All three turtles were on their feet in less than a second. Leo and Don exchanged a quick look, both spotting the open door. "It's alright, Mikey. I'm sure Raph is here somewhere." Don tried to reassure him.

Terror was evident in the younger turtle's face. "But what if he's not! What if something happened to him! And we were all asleep!"

Leo caught one of his shoulders. "I'm sure he just slipped out of the room to-." A sound from down the walkway completed Leo's explanation and Mikey sprinted out of the room.

Raphael was surprised when he opened the bathroom door and Mikey practically tackled him, wrapping him in a tight embrace. "Mikey, what the…" He frowned, feeling his brother tremble.

"You're okay!" Mikey held on a little tighter. Leo and Don appeared from Raph's room. Leo wore a slightly amused expression, while Donnie frowned a bit.

Raph sighed. Maybe it hadn't been such a bright idea to slip out on them. He returned the warm embrace. "Yeah, Mikey. I'm fine. I promise." Both Leo and Don grinned as they reached the two. "Okay, that's enough, numbskull. Don't make me hurt ya." Raph gently pried his younger brother from him.

"I can't say I blame him." Leo put a hand on Raph's shoulder with a broad smile. "It's good to see you up and about."

"Yeah, you had us pretty worried last night." Don said from beside Mikey. "How are you feeling?"

"Back to normal, I guess." Raph looked at Mikey's still distraught expression. "Actually, I'm stravin'."

Mikey lit up. "One mega breakfast coming up!" He grabbed Raph's uninjured arm and dragged him towards the kitchen. Don and Leo laughed, following at a much slower pace.

Raph settled into his normal chair at the table as Mikey began bouncing about the room. He had just cracked three eggs into a pan, when Raph finally spoke. "Say, Mikey, do ya think…I could have one?"

Mikey turned to look at him in confusion. "One what, bro?"

"One of your drawin's."

Mikey's eyes widened and the biggest dopiest grin crossed his face. "Absolutely!"

Donnie stepped into the doorway and took his chair next to Raph. "I thought you might want this." He placed something smooth into Raph's hand.

Looking down, Raphael found the firestone in his palm. Its center, which had glowed like a small sun, was now dark. "Thanks."

Donnie slipped an arm around his shoulders giving him a sideways hug. "We missed you, Raph."

Raph let out a heavy sigh. "I know ya did. I missed you guys too." He lifted his eyes to meet his genius brother's. "And I'm sorry."

Don frowned. "I am too." The both smiled and nothing more was said of it.

Splinter's ears twitched as he entered the kitchen with Leonardo. "Raphael, I am pleased to see you looking well." He sat down on Raphael's other side. "How are you feeling this morning?"

"A lot better."

Splinter smiled as he placed a warm hand on his arm. "We are all so grateful to have you back safely, my son."

Raph smiled as well. "So am I. It's good to be back."

After breakfast everyone headed out to start cleaning the lair. But Leo hung back a moment with Raph. They stopped in the kitchen door. Raph eyed his brother. "Ya got somethin' to say?" He half expected a lecture from Leo about everything that had happened. But the eyes he turned on Raph were anything but accusing.

There was a long pause before he spoke. "We need you, Raph. Maybe more than I ever realized. I know sometimes we have our differences and we argue. But the main reason I get upset with you is, well, because I care about you. You're my brother, Raph." He took a step forward and wrapped him in a tight embrace. "And I'll never stop carrying about what happens to you."

For a split-second Raph tensed at the unexpected hug, then he relaxed into his brother returning the embrace. "Thanks for not givin' up on me."

Leo stepped back with a guilty frown. "But I did."

Raph shook his head. "No, ya didn't. Not really. You didn't believe I was gone even when everything and everyone was tellin' ya I was. It meant a lot to me."

Leo smiled. "Come on, we better help clean up."

Raph wasn't surprised that for the remainder of the day he was never alone. One of his brothers or his father was always nearby. They were constantly talking to him and asking questions. Normally he would have balked at so much attention, but he knew it wouldn't last forever. And right now, he was enjoying their company as much as they were his. He was getting a second chance and he planned to make the most of it.


A/N: I'm making this my submission for the Writer Nexus End Year Challenge. Go vote on DA if you get a chance. Otherwise just leave me some reviews. Tell me what you thought.

Thank you all so much for your faves and reviews! Have a fabulous Christmas and a very happy New Year! I know 2018 is gonna be better than 2017 by a long shot!