Disclaimer: If I owned the ninja turtles, I would not be here writing fan fiction. I do not own the turtles or any associated characters or places. They are the property of Mirage Studios. I make no money from this and I mean no harm. Please do not sue.
Chapter 26
Raphael watched his brother. Leonardo was getting restless and anyone who knew him had noticed. Casey had even commented on it from time to time. From where he stood, Raph had a feeling that his blue-masked brother was getting very close to a snapping point.
"She's after us again, Raph." Leo said absently as he shifted his weight so he was leaning against the door frame.
"I know." He knew all too well. All three adult turtles had come home from evenings out banged and bruised from fights since the renewed assault by the Foot had begun. Why they had waited this long before coming after the turtles again was anyone's guess, but that did not change the fact that Leo and his family were once again under siege by the Foot. For so long they had thought the Foot finished with them only to find themselves in the middle of a renewed war.
"This won't end until I face her."
"Will it really end even then?" Raph questioned. "You know them, Leo. The snake always has another head."
Leo nodded absently. "Another head, a weaker head. A head we can deal with."
"You sure about that one?"
No response.
"He deserves better, Raph." Leo said after a very long moment. Never once did he turn to face his brother. He was focused on his son at the moment.
"But he wants you around. At least let me watch your back." The red-masked turtle protested.
Leonardo shook his head sadly. "I can't. Not this time. This time, I have to go alone. Me and her, Raph, that's how it has to be."
"Just so long as you're the one to walk away."
Again, there was no response.
"Leo?"
"You know as well as anyone that I can't guarantee that." Came the reluctant response. "I wish I could, but I can't.
"He needs you, bro. He needs you more than anything in the world."
"I trust you, Raph. You and Mikey." Leonardo responded in a distant tone.
"Don't say that, Leo. Don't you dare say that. Don't you even think that!" Raph could feel his blood pressure starting to rise.
For the first time during the whole conversation, Leonardo turned to face Raphael. "Her skills have improved."
"So have yours."
"Marginally," Leo responded with a shake of his head. "I want the three of you to go. Leave town. Maybe go up to the farmhouse for a while. He likes it up there." Leo said as he turned back to the bedroom in front of him and the sleeping turtle therein.
"He likes it wherever you are, bro."
"Then this time, he's not going to get what he likes." Leo said sadly, never taking his eyes off of his resting son. A violent cough followed by a small moan informed him that the latest bug Donnie had caught was still in his system and making him miserable.
"This is something I need to do." The blue-masked turtle continued.
"He's not going to understand." The one in red countered.
"I don't expect him to."
Raphael shook his head in frustration, but he recognized his brother's demeanor and tone. He was about to speak but Leo was not done yet.
"Maybe someday he will, but I pray he never truly does. If it comes to that, Raph... promise me that you'll do what you can to keep him from understanding?" Leo asked.
"You know I can't promise that, Leo."
Leonardo turned to face Raph, a pleading expression on his face. "Raph, Raphael, please. Please promise me. Promise me that if I don't come back that you'll do what you can to keep him safe, keep him from understanding this... this war, this life... this hell. Take him away. Far away. I don't care where you go. Away from Karai and this city. Away from Bish-"
"I know, I saw him too." Raphael admitted reluctantly, remembering the evening two nights ago when he thought he was seeing a ghost, only to later realize that it had been far too alive.. "Leo, I-"
"Promise me. You're... you're great with him, Raph. He loves both you and Mikey. I trust you, both of you, but- Mikey's not here, and there's not much... Raphael, promise me." Leo placed his hands on his brother's shoulders and pleaded with his words and his eyes. "Promise me."
"I promise." The red-masked turtle heard himself say. No! Wait! Leo, you can't do this! Were the words that flashed through his head.
"Thank you." Leo responded, easily seeing Raphael's internal monologue in his eyes, and taking note of it before continuing his plan. Donatello coughed again and drew his attention.
Leonardo moved into his young son's room and gently shook a small, olive-green shoulder. "Donnie? Donnie, wake up." The blue-masked terrapin called gently.
Two small coughs met Leo's ears and his heart broke. What was he doing? He was needed here. He needed to make sure his son got well again, and yet... Leo looked back to Raph, someone that he trusted, even with something as important as Donnie's health and safety. Two large, sleepy, chocolate eyes met his own.
"Daddy?"
"Yes, baby, it's me." Leo said gently as he pulled his son into a tight embrace. "It's me." He relished the feeling when Donnie returned the hug and Leo lingered, letting the moment stretch out. In the end, it had been Donnie to back away slightly.
"Daddy? What w'ong?" The young turtle asked carefully. While he did not know what was wrong, it was easy for the child to sense that something was from Leo's behavior.
Leo kissed the boy on top of the head. "Well, baby," He started. "Daddy needs you to go with Uncle Raph and Uncle Mikey. And Daddy needs you to be very, very good for them."
"You not come?" Donnie asked in a small voice.
"Daddy has some things that he needs to take care of here. Some things that he needs to do all by himself and no one can help him. Now matter how much he might want them to."
Donnie just frowned, not understanding what he was being told. Leo pulling him into another tight hug and the smothering affection frightened the young turtle, bringing tears to his eyes.
"Daddy?"
"Shh..." Leo said softly, kissing the child's head once again. "I love you, Donnie. I love you more than anything in the world, and I wish I didn't have to do this, but I have no choice."
"I love you too." Donnie responded, sounding concerned.
Leo hugged the confused and frightened boy more tightly.
"Daddy?"
Despite a valiant effort, Leo felt a tear escape his eye and he wiped it away before it could soak into his mask.
"I need you to go with Uncle Raph and Uncle Mikey now, baby." Leo said firmly as he bundled Donnie up in warm clothing. "They will take very good care of you, I promise."
"Daddy?"
"Shh..." Leo said, giving his son what might easily be his last tight hug. With a gentle kiss to Donnie's forehead, Leo handed the child to Raphael.
"Daddy!" Donnie called in dismay at being handed to Raph, the fact that Leo was really leaving finally sinking in.
"You don't have to do this, Leo. We can all go, leave town, start a new life somewhere else." Raphael insisted. The tears glowing in his nephew's eyes were not lost on him.
"No, Raph." Leonardo responded flatly. "This is something I need to do. Go, you don't have much time."
"What?"
"Go, Raph. Mikey is at April's framing some of his art. Get him and get out of town. If you don't hear from me within a week..." Leo trailed off, knowing that his brother would understand, and hoping that his son would not.
"Don't think like that, Leo!"
"Take him and go, Raph. Before it's too late. Go on. Go!"
Something in Leonardo's voice, made Raphael jump to obey. It was a tone he seldom heard, but had long since learned to listen to. Raph held Donnie close to his chest and ran to the warehouse. Moments later, the Battle Shell screeched out into the streets. One stop later, it raced for the city limits, desperately fleeing a ticking bomb.
Leonardo pulled a single sword from its sheath. He stared at his reflection in the flawless metal for a long moment before closing his eyes. A perimeter alarm – one Don had installed so long ago now that it seemed a lifetime – pierced the silence surrounding him in the lair, and the blue-masked turtle made a near silent appeal to the only ones he could think of asking: one human and one mutant rat.
"Help me, Masters. Just one more time."