Disclaimer: "sighs"….well you all know the drill…so I won't repeat it.

Leo: Ugggghmm?

Me: "gives him innocent look" What?

Raph: "walks up behind" Say it.

Me: EEEP…Um…I don't own them…just OCs and Plot. "hides behind Don"

*Do you think that Don and Mikey should have a chance at love? Let me know in reviews!!!*

Also: Would you be interested in seeing Leo's side of this story? Through his eyes? It would be titled Chained Soul.

Chapter 26: Conversation

Just found out that Nel's pregnant, Leo's ecstatic. I swear he just flipped about eight times before he told me.

"Gaulurs," I laugh as he stops and grins at me. (Congratulations)

"I just…I don't know how…what to think Raph," he gasps, leaning against the railing next to me.

I chuckle and look at him.

"Toa kuar oen athe," I tell him. (you will be a good father 'again')

He smiles a little, then his smile, his joy, its gone and I see agony and fear take over.

I look over my shoulder and feel myself bristle with anger.

Its Don and Mike walking toward us.

How dare they? Leo has every right to be happy right now and not have to think about honor and sepukku. He doesn't need to think about not being able to see that child grow up, to see Gaeh grow up.

Before I realize it I stand up and walk over to them.

"Raph!" Leo hisses.

"Hey Raphie-!" Mike starts to greet.

I hit him, hard. He gasps and back away, clutching his face.

"Leave," I spit.

Don's looking at me in shock, as I turn I see the tears starting.

"Raphie?" I hear Mikey sob, "what did I do?"

I turn and head back to Leo.

I lock eyes with him and see the shocked look on his face, but the gratitude is there too.

"Why-?" he starts.

"I promised I'd protect you," I tell him, "go spend time with Nel and the baby."

He pauses, looks me in the eye.

"They're still our brothers," he whispers.

I know, but I'll never let them hurt you or let Splinter hurt you again. Never.

Leo turns to leave and I hear the sound of crying behind me, then someone touches my shoulder hesitantly.

"Raphie?" the voice shakes and I turn to look at him.

It's Don, he flinches a little as I turn around. His injuries are finally healing, his legs weren't as bad as Leo and I thought thankfully.

"What?" I snap, "what do you want with us?"

Tears start rolling down his cheeks.

"We…we want our family back," he says softly.

I suddenly realize how much I just hurt them.

"We aren't the same people," I tell him softly, turning to go to Mike.

I drop down and grip his chin and make him look at me.

He flinches as I lock eyes with him, I turn his head to look at his cheek.

"Can you move your jaw?" I ask him.

"Yeah," he whispers.

"Good, go see Yelgeh Weavinghands," I order, "then come find me."

"But," Mike starts.

I get up and push past Don, who tries to grab my arm, I jerk away. It hurts to hurt them like this, but they must understand, Leo and I are not the same people we once were.

…

I'm sitting down on the stairs, watching the kids play as I work the needle and thread through the seem of the jacket in my hands. It's not my new one that Nel got me, an old one that someone asked me to fix. All the other weavers are busy and I'm one of the few male weavers around here. I get a few gu for it…um like dollars back home. Enough to get a new needle and a new spool of thread.

I grip the needle between my teeth as I work the knot into staying put.

Someone sits beside me.

I grunt to let them know I know they are there.

"Raph…she told us that you two went through a lot but wouldn't tell us everything," Its Don.

I nod as I again push the needle through the leather.

"What did she tell you?" I ask softly.

"That…you were mute for five years and that Leo…he was a mess when you first found him," Don says softly.

"How's Mike's face?" I ask softly.

"Sore…but Yelgeh said he'd be fine," Don murmured.

"It's not my place to tell Leo's story," I tell him.

"I…I understand that," he tells me.

"I guess I'll tell you mine though…get Mike first…I'm not repeating it," I tell him.

"Ok…um…Raph…are you mad at me and Mike for coming after you?" Don asks.

"Not really…just worried…but you need Leo's story to understand that worry," I reply.

"When will he tell us?" Don asks.

"When he's ready…if ever…" I reply.

"Oh…" he murmurs, I hear him turn to leave.

As I hear them return I finish the last stitch and examine the patch, nodding as I see that everything is in order and the stitches are strong enough to last. I fold the jacket and set it beside me.

I pat the stairs beside me and then cast a glance toward the kids.

"K'so!!" I shout as I see the kids start playing rough. (No!)

They stop and look at me, some blush and shuffle their feet and a few boys start sassing me. I get up and head toward them and they bolt knowing I'll swat them for that kind of attitude. As I stop and wait, they come to me and apologize.

I wave them off and return to the porch. Sitting between my brothers.

"You two must understand that you are always my brothers. But I will protect my family with my life," I say, looking them in the eye, "I'll kill to protect them."

They shift over.

"You…don't mean us when you say family do you?" Mikey whispers.

"Not…not in the same way," I reply.

I take a deep breath and start to tell them my story.

"Leo and I had a fight the night I disappeared. He wanted me to take the title as Head of Clan, I guess after I beat him…he thought I took his offer. He starved himself and didn't go home," I begin.

They give me this shocked look but don't say anything as I go on.

"I got hurt really bad…don't remember most of my own story. I ended up a slave…I was knocked out on the way to my old slave compound. I lived underground for the past eight and a half years." I sigh, shifting into a more comfortable position I tell them the rest of my story. Tell them about being in breeding stock, about Tashele, about losing my voice, and about Aria. I tell them everything except Leo's secret. That's his right to tell.

It's dark by the time I finish. The kids are coming in for the evening, to wash up before dinner.

I feel someone touch my carapace, I had removed my shirt to show them the scars.

"These scars came from hot-whips?" Don breathes.

I nod.

"Yeah," I sigh.

"Daddy!" Aria calls as she rushes up to me, showing me a bracelet she made. She's learning a lot from Yelgeh, the most recent of how to make the complicated woven bracelets that a lot of the women around here wear.

"I made it for you," she tells me, all smiles.

I chuckle and let her tie it in place. It's red and black threads. I pull her to me and kiss her forehead.

"Thanks baby, go get cleaned up for dinner all right?" I tell her.

"Ko, a'ae," she replies, pausing to glance at Don and Mike before scurrying off to get cleaned up. (Yes, daddy)

I eye the bracelet and shake my head. Well if she wants me to wear it I will. At least she wants me to.

"You…just-" Mike starts.

"Having a kid changes one's priorities Mike," I sigh.

Don laughs and shakes his head.

"You really are different," Don says.

I chuckle.

"Leo told me that when we first met up," I chuckle, getting to my feet and waving the remaining kids in, "he said he wasn't always sure it was me."

…

After dinner I get Aria to lay down for the night and then slip out with the other adults to talk. Don and Mike are toward the back of the room. I crouch next to Leo and Nel and give Nel a hug.

"Gaulurs," I tell her.

She smiles up at me and leans further into Leo. He relaxes when I take my seat beside him. I look across at Fuira and smile.

She is a tease I swear. She tosses her red hair behind her and gets up slowly, moving her hips seductively. She's going to drive me nuts.

I smile as she walks over and sits on my lap. Pushy dame.

I kiss her neck a little and pull her to me. She twists around so that we are facing each other and rests her head on my shoulder. I settle back against the wall like that. Relaxed and at ease.

Conversation starts back up around us and I lock eyes with Leo.

He's smirking…I'll pound him later, for now I'm just content to stay still.

Reviews Please?