Disclaimer: I do not own TMNT

The initial shock of his father's revelation still had not worn off by the time the four of them were preparing to leave the lair. They had all decided an evening out was long overdue. Leo moved in a daze, watching his immediate youngest brother from the corner of his eye in a new light. He noticed how stiff and tired Raph looked, how withdrawn. He kept his distance from Leo, and even avoided touching or being near Mikey and Donnie, as if they were fragile trinkets that would be easily broken. Instead of the initial frustration Leo would usually feel towards his brother, he only felt sadness and regret, maybe even a little anger. His brother was miserable. And now he wanted to leave. Why? Because he couldn't handle being around them anymore? Because he needed bigger, better things? Because he hated his older brother who had abandoned and neglected him for two years? Leo sighed in frustration and grabbed his katanas from their resting place against the wall, and strapped them to his back. Splinter appeared in his doorway as the four of them walked to the lair entrance, two excitedly, two sadly. Leo brought up the rear and noticed the sad expression on his father's face as Raphael passed him without acknowledging him. Leo paused and looked at his father, pleading for an answer to the questions and worries drowning in his mind.

Splinter just solemnly shook his head and disappeared back into his room. Disappointed and lost, Leo trotted after his brothers, slipping silently through the doors as the elevator doors boomed shut and they rose upwards.

"So what have the Foot been up to while I've been gone? Seems like Karai hasn't been much but hired guns lately? Their funding spent up or something?" Leo hopped over a brick ledge and onto the next building.

Donatello swung over the gap and landed lightly next to Leo. "I honestly don't know. I haven't tried hacking into their databases in some time. Other . . . issues were of more importance while you were away. I forgot about them because they weren't a thorn under our shell."

Leo nodded knowingly as the two of them continued. They had decided to split up, partially because Mikey was being annoying and he would tone it down around Raph, and Leo also wanted to talk to Donatello again. Instead of looking for trouble like they had down at the docks, the boys had decided to patrol around the more down trodden part of downtown. So far they hadn't seen anything.

"I didn't see anything the whole time you were away." Donnie continued. They continued in silence, listening for any sounds of trouble. Ten minutes passed before Leo slowed, signaling for his brother to stop.

"Raph, Mike." Leo said softly into the mic of his shell cell. "Let's head in. Doesn't look like there's anyone out tonight."

Moments of static passed before Mikey's strained voiced boomed out of the device. "Nice timing, Leo! Woah, you almost got my mask. Hasn't anyone ever told you not to touch a ninja's mask?" The sharp ring of metal clashing against metal rang through the tiny speaker. Donnie tensed and grabbed his shell cell, instantly turning on the locator and shot off in the direction Mikey's signal was coming from, Leo right behind him.

"Mikey," Leo huffed as he and Donatello flew over the buildings.

"Leo? Ya still there? We're kinda caught up at the moment dude. Yo! Leave him alone!" Mikey shouted away from the communicator, then his voice was loud and clear again. "Bro, ya gotta hurry. Raph got knicked and he's bleeding everywhere. Hey, Foot trash! Get over here! I'm the good looking one!"

"There they are!" Donnie tersely said as he skidded to a halt.

"So, uh, what were you saying about Foot activity earlier?" Leo asked as they invisibly crept forward.

Donnie nervously chuckled. "Guess they're back from vacation?" Leo looked at him quizzically. "What?" He asked defensively.

"That's a line I would have expected from Mikey." Leo said quietly as they moved closer. Raph's strangled cry of rage could be heard, along with Mikey's exhausted teasing. Their brothers' tiring physiques worried the two into hurrying, and they were soon in the fray of black clad warriors, but moments after Leo and Don arrived, the shadows began to retreat. By the time Leo had drawn his swords, the ninjas had completely disappeared.

Donnie leapt to Mikey, who had a nasty cut on his head, and immediately began tending to him. Leo looked around at the damage. Raph was standing over a small pile of unconscious bodies near the edge of the building. He shuddered and turned to face Leo. He looked like he was about to cry. He opened his mouth, then his eyes rolled back in his head, and his body fell to the ground.

"Raph!" Leo yelled as he leapt towards his brother, catching him before he tumbled over the edge. Don and Mikey rushed to Leo's side, helping him get a better grip on their fallen brother.

"Call April. Raph needs to get home. Now." Donnie's voice was so solemn, that even Leo didn't have anything to say about him taking charge.

Two hours later, Leo was pacing the floor in the main room of the lair. Even Mikey wasn't complaining about his obstruction of the tv. He, April, Casey, and Splinter were waiting anxiously on the couch. Splinter's tail twitched in barely refrained annoyance.

"My son, you must calm down. Raphael will be fine."

Leo spun, his anger erupting to the surface. "No he won't! There've been way too many close calls lately! We can't escape tragedy forever! And it's all my fault! I'm the one that suggested splitting up! It's always my stupid calls that get my brother's hurt! And heaven forbids I pay for my choices!"

"Leonardo!" Splinter stood up, the crack of his walking stick plunging the room once again into silence. The rat and eldest turtle glared at each other for a full minute.

"Well," Leo whispered menacingly. "I guess Raph finally gets his wish."

Splinter's mouth fell open, and Leo was in the elevator before he could call his son back.