So after much consideration, i have realized that i am not the messenger boy to the dynamic duo. I'm more of a water boy XD. No, i'm kidding, but we do have something new for you all. That's right, straight from Fanfiction is your very own, Jet! Amonraphoenix! And DarkUnderworld! I had to bold their names because their to awesome for normal font.

ENJOY!

Chapter 11

It had been three days since they had first arrived at the farmhouse, and the situation hadn't improved with time. Master Splinter was still unconscious and they hadn't heard anything from Mikey, and Leo was still not talking.

Raph pushed his cereal bowl away from him and laid his head on the table, sighing deeply.

"What's wrong?" April asked worriedly.

"I'm sick and tired of just sitting here. I wish I could do something more... about everything… but there's nothing I can do." Raph growled bitterly.

"Casey's probably on his way back." April began trying to offer him as much comfort as she was able. "Who knows, maybe the work crews have finished clearing the tunnel and we can finally get to the lair." She said hopefully.

"I guess." Raph grumbled. "But what are we going to do about Leo?" Raph asked in irritation, not knowing what to do with his older brother.

April sighed. "I really have no idea. I think he just needs to hear some good news." She said.

"Well, let's hope Casey manages to come up with some." Raph mutters.

April nodded and stood up from the table, walking into the next room to check on Master Splinter.

Raph sighed, not knowing what to do. He could either sit in silence with Master Splinter in his room; go out and try to rescue Mikey; try to talk to Leo, or just sit here. Raph decided that he really didn't want to do any of them.

He grunted and stood up, walking from the kitchen, and glancing into Master Splinter's room as he passed. April was sitting beside Master Splinter's bed, trying to make him more comfortable and checking to see if he was awake yet. He felt his shoulders slump despondently as he made his way to the front of the farm house, opening the door and stepping outside. He quickly wrapped his arms around himself because of the cold. He exhaled, warming his hands and rubbing them together. It was getting colder and colder with each passing day; and he didn't even want to think about how cold it was in the lair.

He pushed the thought away and walked out into the yard, stepping into the cold grass, which crunched underneath his feet. He inhaled deeply and looked up into the sky, seeing the silver-blue color or the morning hanging low. He walked further out approaching the woods that surrounded the property, not being able to see that far through the darkened forest.

He studied the grounds surrounding the house and noticed that there were not many animals out, probably all hibernating. He sighed deeply and removed his arms, getting use to the cold. A truck pulled up and stopped near the house. Raph watched nervously as Casey got out of his truck.

Raph walked up to him. "Case…What did you find out?" He asked excitedly.

"Come inside, I want to tell both of you." He answered.

Raph nodded and followed him inside, feeling that somehow Casey was not delivering the good news that they were hoping for, and so desperately needed. They walked through the house, April rushing forward to meet them.

"Casey? What did you find out?" She asked, her voice shaking slightly.

"Well…" Casey paused looking at both April and Raph, and pausing as his eyes most likely sought out Leo, and not finding him continued. "They were still out there, clearing the tunnel."

Raph's stomach dropped a little. "And?" Raph snapped, interrupting Casey.

Casey ignored Raph's interruption, his voice relieved as a smile spread across his face. "They said that they're cleaning up tonight, and that the tunnel should be all clear by tomorrow."

"Casey, please tell me that you aren't joking!" April plead, her voice shaking with relief.

"Nope." Casey answered with a big smile.

Raph let out a relieved breath, his heart lightning somewhat as it filled with hope at the good news.

"Thank God." Raph breathed in relief.

April wrapped her arms around Casey. "So Mikey still has a fighting chance?" She asked hopefully.

"Yeah… he just needs to hold on." Raph said his gaze straying up the stairs. "I'm going to go tell Leo" He said hoarsely.

"Good luck." Casey called out as Raph made his way slowly upstairs. He exhaled nervously when he stopped on the upper floor. The door at the end of the hallway was open slightly.

Raph clenched his teeth and slowly walked towards it, dreading the confrontation he knew was coming. He peeked inside and saw Leo sitting in a chair, reading.

"Here goes nothing." Raph grumbled softly to himself. He raised his hand to knock on the door, finally pushing it open and walking in when Leo didn't respond.

Raph coughed nervously. "Uhh, hey, Leo. I got some good news!" He said, trying to sound cheerful.

"Is Master Splinter awake?" Leo asked softly.

"Uh…No." Raph answered, slightly stunned at the question.

"Is Don alive?" Leo bit out viciously.

Raph felt his blood run cold at his brother's harshly asked question. A flash of grief cutting him straight through, piercing him down to the very deepest depths of his soul. "No." He managed to whisper hoarsely.

Leo said nothing after that, just letting the strained silence between them build up to uncomfortable level.

"Come on, Leo, let me just-"Raph tried to break the silence, to push his older brother out of whatever had consumed him.

"Please." Leo begged softly. "Just leave me alone".

Raph felt his heart twinge with pain, "Ok." He agreed sadly, not knowing what else to say, or what else to do. He turned walking towards the door, but his feet stopped, pulling him up short of his destination. He looked back at Leo and felt a tear roll down his cheek heart breaking in grief and desperation. "We need you, Leo, so where are you?" He whispered sadly.

Leo leaned forward, closed his eyes, and breathed deeply; almost enjoying the feel of regret and self-hatred that inflicted him.

He placed his book on the night table and stood, in one smooth motion, walked towards the still open door, and shut it. He then turned and walked back to his seat. He didn't sit, but instead watched Raph through the window.

Raph had walked outside, not going too far from the house. His brother stopped, standing there in the freezing cold; staring at nothing and not moving. Finally his brother moved, burying his face in his hands, shoulders shaking with the strength of his sobs.

Leo knew that staying silent was only making the situation worse, but for some reason, he couldn't help it. The misery was too unbearable. He wished he could go outside and comfort Raph, but he knew that he could not give that comfort, because he didn't feel that comfort within himself to actually give to his brother.

He inhaled and looked up, not wanting to look outside anymore. Instead he looked on the wall to the left. There he saw a little plastic cross with Jesus hanging on it.

He sighed and walked up to it, grabbing it off the wall and holding it in his hands. He stared into the little plastic face of Jesus. It seemed as if Jesus was looking back up at him with... sorrow. He exhaled.

"Listen…I guess you know that I'm not very religious." He stopped, sitting down on the bed, "I just… never really given much thought about it; believing in a god, praying, you know, stuff like that." He wiped a fresh tear from his cheek before continuing. "But please…if you're up there just..." Leo sighed, biting his lip. "I could use a little help here." Leo muttered softly."That's all I ask. Just give us a little help. You don't know how much we need this. My baby brother is still down there, hurt, cold, straving; he needs our help. Just please; help us out here!"

Leo could feel himself suddenly getting angry, "Or just don't help us! Better yet! Give us a break! Please! I'm begging you! Give us a damn break! I don't know how much more I can take. My family is everything to me, and my brother is dead; and my father is in a coma…Please…just... give us a break." He finished numbly.

Leo sighed and tossed the cross on the bed. He glanced outside and looked at where Raph was. His younger brother was now sitting under a tree, hands pressed against his face, still sobbing in anguish grief and frustration. The sight made Leo want to break down himself. He coughed out a soft sob, trying to stem the tide of misery that was about to overflow and consume him. Leo managed to make it to the bed before the dam of negative emotions- anger, bitterness, hate- that he had built up, finally broke. He sat down on the bed, buried his face in his palms, And began to sob.

"I'm so sorry, Raph…I'm so sorry." He choked out hopelessly.

Casey watched Raph walk down the stairs, not stopping to talk to anyone, as he made his way quickly outside.

"This has got to stop" Casey said sharply.

"Easier said than done" April answered, her voice thick with worry.

"But it has to! We can't keep going on like this!" Casey added.

"You got any ideas?" April asked softly her gaze straying to the stairs.

Casey sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "No." He answered morosely.

April shook her head and walked into Master Splinter's room, sitting next to him. She lifted his limp hand in her own, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Master Splinter, if you can hear me... me and Casey could… could really use your help." She inhaled quickly fighting back a fresh wave of tears before she continued. "Leo and Raph…they're losing it. They're on the verge of losing all hope, and I'm scared that everything is just going to get worse." April began to sob brokenly as she looked at Master Splinter, hoping that he would wake up; but he remained motionless.

Casey stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly. "It's OK April, we'll find a way, we always do." He soothed.

"I know...I know, but...I can't shake this bad feeling..." She whispered wretchedly.

"What feeling?" Casey asked uneasily.

"The feeling that... that it's only going to get much worse." April predicted miserably.

With Master Splinter's hand in his own, Leo closed his eyes. "Sensei, Father, I can't…I don't know what to do. Everything I do ends in failure. We can't afford to fail anymore. So please, wake up; I need your guidance, Father." Leo gently brought Master Splinter's hand up to his cheek. "I need you." He whispered sadly.

He bit his lip, let go of Master Splinter's hand, and leaned back in his chair. Footsteps sounded inside the room. He looked over his shoulder, towards the door, and saw Raph standing just inside the doorway, a glass of water clenched in his hand.

"Hey." Raph said softly.

"Hey." Leo responded, trying to sound calm and in control.

Leo expected Raph to walk back out, but instead he walked in and sat down in the chair on the other side of the bed.

"Can't sleep either?" Raph asked casually.

"No, not really." Leo replied.

"Yeah, I don't know what it is; just can't seem to fall asleep." Raph agreed.

"Worry." Leo answered, his voice cracked slightly.

Raph looked at Leo. "Worry keeps me up." Leo explained. "Worry, fear, sadness…regret…self-hatred..." Leo's voice trailed off.

"Do I even need to ask?" Raph inquired softly.

Leo sighed tiredly. "I wouldn't be surprised if you did."

Raph chuckled bitterly. "I'll just save my breath then."

Leo gave a half smile. Silence settled over the two of them. Leo looked at Master Splinter, examining the misery clearly seen on his face parent's unconscious face.

"We're going to get Mikey back tomorrow." Raph murmured, almost too softly to hear.

Leo nodded fiercely. "I know."

"How did-" Raph began.

"Thin walls." Leo answered quickly, a lopsided smile on his face.

Raph nodded in understanding.

Leo looked from Splinter to Raph, seeing the bandage on his brother's hand.

"I'm sorry." Leo apologized softly.

Raph looked up at him in surprise.

"I'm so sorry…for everything…I don't know what I…I…I'm so sorry." Leo stuttered sadly.

"It's OK." Raph said, waving away his brothers apology.

"No, it's not!" Leo snapped angrily. "I don't expect you to ever forgive me..."

"Leo..." Raph tried to stop him.

"I mean I don't even –" Leo tried to finish desperately.

"Leo!" Raph snapped, his voice harsh. "Stop. It's OK, alright? I forgive you." Raph's voice gentled.

Leo looked at him in shock. "But why?" He croaked in confusion.

"Because Leo, you're being way too hard on yourself; you always are." Raph answered with a casual shrug.

Leo knew Raph was right, but he couldn't help the way he felt. He looked at the ground dejectedly.

"I'm sorry too." Raph put in softly.

"For what?" Leo asked in confusion.

"For running away." Raph began. "For freaking out and leaving you and April to deal with everything on your own." Raph admitted. "I just…I couldn't forgive myself for what I almost did to you."

Leo frowned, recalling the bloody fight earlier. "I probably deserved it." Leo smiled.

Raph laughed, Leo joined. It felt good to laugh again, like brothers.

They stopped and Leo patted Master Splinter's hand. "Mikey's alive." Leo said suddenly. "I know it."

Raph jerked his head toward him, unable to believe what he was hearing.

"Master Splinter will be fine, he'll wake up soon. Tomorrow we'll go and rescue Mikey. We'll be fine." Leo affirmed confidently.

Raph smiled with him, a stray tear falling and rolling down his cheek.

"And…Don…well…we were too late." Leo frowned, feeling tears begin to roll down his cheeks.

"He's in a better place now." Raph added quickly.

Leo smiled sadly. "Yeah…better. A place where he can walk around in the open, and not have to worry about people being scared or judging him.

"Or dissection." Raph added impishly.

Leo chuckled darkly, "Yeah, that too."

Raph picked up his glass of water and rose it high in the air. "To Don."

Leo sharply exhaled, more tears falling as he raised his own glass into the air. "To Don." He murmured.

"For being the best damn brother a turtle could ever have." Raph added. "I'm going to miss you bro."

Leo closed his eyes, his mind flooded with images and memories of Don.

"I love ya, Donnie." Raph said, taking a drink of his water.

Leo took a sip of his water then set it back down on the night table. Both of them falling back into silence.

Some time later Leo noticed that he was falling in and out of sleep. He glanced over at Raph and found that he had fallen asleep in his chair as well. Leo smiled and looked out the window, thick fluffy flakes of snow beginning to flutter heavily down past the window pane.

Leo closed his eyes and fell asleep.

A horrified shout made April start awake. She quickly sat up in bed and looked around anxiously.

"NO!" She heard again, able to tell that it was Leo's anguish voice she heard.

She quickly got out of bed and ran out of her room. When she got to the stairs she saw Leo on his knees, sobbing hard in front of a window. Raph, sat on the floor next to him, a bleak look of grim disbelief straining his features.

April's heart stopped beating in horror as her gaze shot to the window, looking out in disbelief at the mounds of thick white snow that covered the ground. "There must be nine feet of the stuff piled up out there." She whispered in stunned shock.

His eye's snapped open as he inhaled sharply, taking in so much air at one time that his lungs felt like they might explode.

Once he exhaled, the pieces of his world began coming back together again; one tiny piece at a time.

Mikey's world was still cloaked in darkness, his head moving slightly as he inhaled once more, and moved his good arm. Mikey frowned as he felt fabric rub against it. He blinked and felt what lay on top of him.

Blankets.

He lifted his head, yelped, and then put it back down. His insides were in agonizing pain. He clenched his teeth and heard as his stomach rumble in protest.

He shifted to his side and caught his breath, it took him a minute to realize that an intense brightness was hitting him square in the face. He covered his eyes and grunted, noticing his hand. It looked as if ice had formed on it.

He moved his other hand to feel it.

"Don't touch it!" He heard a familiar voice say.

Mikey looked around frantically. "What?" His voice was hoarse and thready.

"Your hand got frost bitten." Came the answer.

Mikey blinked his eyes and noticed that the light was pointing down at the ground now, giving him a clear look at his older brother's face.

"How do you feel, Mikey?" Don asked.

"Don! Is that really you?" Mikey asked in shock.

"Who else would it be?" Don asked with a lopsided smile.

Mikey cried out, threw the blankets off of him, and wrapped his arms around Don's shoulders. "Oh God, Don, I thought you were dead"

"I thought you were." Don replied.

"What do you mean?" Mikey asked in confusion, sitting up, and trying to ignore the excruciating pain that blazed through his skull.

"Well, when you saw me you got overexcited. You fractured your toe and fell, hitting your head on the table. Then you just lay there, so still and un-moving. I thought the blow to the head had killed you instantly." Donnie replied sadly.

Mikey moved his hand and felt around the back of his head, feeling the abnormally large bump. He cringed and stopped feeling it.

"Thankfully you just knocked yourself unconscious. I wrapped you in blankets, and after a couple of days I started feeding you soup and-"

"Wait!" Mikey quickly interrupted him. "Did you say a couple of days?" He asked in disbelief.

Don remained eerily quiet. Mikey finally noticed that his brother appeared much thinner than he last remembered, his skin an unhealthy shade of grey-green.

"Don…how long was I out?" Mikey asked in a shaking voice.

Don sighed, "Well…"

"Just tell me" Mikey snapped.

Don looked up at him. "Almost two weeks." His brother answered softly.