A/N: Well here it is. The final chapter. The epilogue is next and as an extra treat, I am also going to post the prologue for my next fic, Betrayed Secrets.

Disclaimer: I do not own them.


Chapter 29

Slowly, Skye's eyes fluttered open. Her head spun, her body ached, her lips felt dry and she had the nagging urge to vomit. When her eyes finally came into focus, she realized she was back in the lair, but not in the room she shared with Raine. As she tried to shift her weight, she felt a pulling sensation along her side.

Hmm. Don must have fixed me up, she thought. She stilled her body and let her head roll to the right. She smiled as she looked upon her sister who sat in Donatello's computer chair beside the bed. Raine had fallen asleep and now was doubled over at her waist, half sitting on the chair, half lying on the bed. One of Mikey's comic books was pinned under her cheek and had a small damp spot from Raine's drool.

Oh, Raine, Skye sighed contently. Using great effort, she slowly reached her arm out from under the flannel blanket and rested her hand on her sister's arm. She felt instant relief. How she had waited to be reunited with her!

But the minute her hand touched her, Raine's head snapped upwards.

"What? Huh?" she blurted as she fought to bring herself out of the sleep realm. She looked quickly to the left, then to the right, her hair whipping wildly in the air.

"Raine. It's ok. It's just me." Skye reassured.

"Skye?" Raine asked. She raised her hand and held it against her forehead.

Skye chuckled weakly. "You were asleep."

Raine sat back and stretched. "I didn't mean to. I was waiting here, in case you needed anything." Then she looked at Skye seriously. "Do you need anything?"

Skye gave her head one short shake. "No."

"How is your side?" Raine inquired.

"It hurts." Skye didn't sugar coat it. "But that's okay. You're here and that is all that counts."

Raine shuddered as bad thoughts ran through her mind. "Please promise me we will never be separated again? That was the worst experience ever!"

"Promise," Skye agreed.

Raine slid onto the bed beside her sister and stretched out carefully. She let out an exasperated sigh. Finally, she dared to speak what was on her mind and it was summed up into to simple words. "Our parents."

Raine felt a slight movement on the mattress as Skye's body stiffened at the thought. Her response was, "We can't go back home now."

"Never." Raine bit her lip as she reflected bitterly on the day she saw her mother walk through the door of her room. She felt as if she was in another dimension. To her, it was obvious their parents deserted them. They chose a life that the girls did not want any part in. In Raine's eyes, they had deserted them.

"We have to look after each other," Raine whispered into the pillow. "More now than ever."

"Forever," Skye's tired voice answered, and Raine couldn't hide her smile. It was moments like this she was glad she had a twin. To go through life all alone would be incomprehensible. At least she knew in the depths of her heart that together, they could overcome anything. And with that hope, she was ready to face life and any challenges it had to throw at them.

Raine fell into a comfortable silence. She almost lapsed back into her reverie when she heard voices fill the lair. She picked her head up off of the pillow and listened harder. Leonardo's calm firm voice was the first one to fill her ears. She felt her breath hitch. They were home.

"Skye!" Her voice came out as a squeak. But on closer inspection, Raine could tell that she had fallen back to sleep. She decided to let her be.

Quickly, she slipped out of the bed and tiptoed out of the room. She followed the voices down the hall to the infirmary. She paused in the doorway, and looked inside. "Raphael," she whispered.

Splinter was the first to acknowledge her.

"He's home," he said , holding out his arm to invite her over to join their circle. She wasted no time crossing the floor. Mikey stepped aside allowing Raine to see his injured brother. Raine's heart clenched as she saw him lay motionless on Don's infirmary table.

"Is he...."

Splinter placed a hand on her shoulder. "He is alive," Splinter answered. "But he has suffered greatly."

"I gave him a sedative," Don explained. "He is asleep."

Raine went to Raph's side. She gasped in horror as she saw the cuts, the bruises, and the nasty looking scars that were red with infection. His face was scarred around his mouth due to the muzzle. His left eye was almost swelled shut.

"Raph," she whispered as she gently touched his wrist. It was red and raw from the shackles. With tear filled eyes she looked up at Don, who was sitting on the opposite side.

"Can you heal him too?" she asked, hopefully.

"I am going to do my best," he replied. His quiet voice was filled with grief.

"You'll do fine," Leo encouraged. He watched his injured brother sleep. He felt hatred towards Shredder for allowing this to be done to Raph.

Don continued to work on the wounds that needed attention first. The rest fell into silence and let him concentrate.

Raine folded her hands around Raph's fingers and bowed her head. She willed herself not to cry. She couldn't cry here and now, knowing that if she started, she wouldn't be able to stop.

"Hey, Raine," Mikey said stepping up to her side. He placed a hand on her shoulder in a kind and caring gesture. "It's alright. He is going to be fine."

"Hey. No one is tougher than Raph," Casey piped up. "He'll be fit as a fiddle in no time."

"You're home, tough guy," she whispered. She rested her head on the pillow next to Raph's. "I'm right here." .

Finally, Don sighed and leaned back in his chair. He tilted his head to the side to work out the cramp that formed in his neck. He set his bandages aside and folded a cotton blanket over his resting brother.

"I would suggest you all get some rest," Splinter gently instructed, addressing the entire group.

"Sounds like a mondo-notion," Mikey said with a yawn.

"Might as well," Don yawned. "There is nothing more I can do for now. "

"I may as well crash here," Casey spoke up. "Not much sense in going home now."

"You are very much welcome to stay, Casey," Splinter told him. "You know where the spare blankets are."

"I sure do!"

"Very well. I shall see you all in the morning." Splinter bowed and left the room. Mikey followed as he retreated to his own bed.

"Don, go," Leo commanded the purple banded turtle as he took the last roll of gauze from his hands. "You spent more sleepless nights than all of us. You better get your shell to bed ."

For once, Donatello did not have the energy to argue. He shot Leo a thankful smile before he disappeared. Casey left the room as well to find a chair to crash for the night in.

Raine looked up at Leo.

"You should get some rest as well," she told him, noting his bloodshot eyes. He shook his head stubbornly and sat down in Don's chair.

"I will wait for Raph to wake." He spoke firmly enough to let Raine know that she could not change his mind. She admired his protectiveness and devotion he had for his brother. It reminded her of her own bond with Skye.

However, Raine couldn't bear to leave either. She longed to stay by Raphael's side. She nestled her head back down on the pillow and stared lazily at Donatello's craftsmanship. Soon, she fell asleep as well, under the watchful eyes of Leonardo.

***

When Raphael finally came to, he felt like he had fallen out of a nightmare. Horrible memories plagued his mind immediately.

The whips.

The chains.

Julian.

Alex.

Stanley's size 12 boots.

"NO!" he screamed. "Leo! Don! Mikey! Help me!"

Leo had been at his side. He grasped Raph's shoulders and held on until Raphael . He hung on to the struggling turtle.

"Raphael, you are alright. You are home,"Leonardo repeated over and over like a mantra. Raph's head shook back and forth. Raine rose to her feet. Her confused eyes bounced between Raphael and Leonardo.

"They kept hurting me!" he cried. "They wanted me dead!" Leonardo and Raine saw the terror in his amber eyes.

"You're home now," Leo spoke soothingly.

"You're safe," Raine added. "We're safe."

"They used whips and chains. And the shock collar..." Raph started to choke on his own words.

"You won't feel that anymore," Leo promised.

"Look what they did to me!" he cried out as he glanced over the multitude of bandages covering his body. He brought a hand to his swelled eye. "They pushed me until I broke my ankle!"

"Donatello helped you. You're going to heal," Leonardo assured him.

Raph shook his head. "They held me down! He kicked me until I couldn't move!" His breathing started to dangerously accelerate as if he was hyperventilating. His head swirled.

"What is going on?" Don asked, as he dashed in to the room. "I heard Raph yelling." By the fear that was etched over his face, he knew his older brother was in trouble. He ran to his medicine cabinet and grabbed a syringe and a vile of clear liquid.

"You're alright," Raine repeated. "Raph. I am here for you." She squeezed his hand.

"Hold him," Don spoke gently as he walked to Leo's side. "This will make him relax."

"Don's here to help," Leo informed Raphael, in an attempt to get him calm enough to allow Don to administer the medication. Don moved quickly and was successful.

Leonardo gently helped Raph lay back down as the sedative began to work. He shook his head dismally. "Raphael," he whispered sadly..

Raphael stared up at the semi-circle of grief filled faces before his eyes rolled back and once again he slipped into a deep sleep.

***

Once Raphael was resting comfortably, Raine had the burning desire to be alone for the first time since she was rescued.

She excused herself from Don and Leo's company.

"Raine?" Don asked.

She nodded slightly. "I'm fine, Don," she lied.

He gave her an unconvinced look, but didn't push any further. His heart went out to her. How awful for her to have to witness their brave brother be reduced to a weak shadow of his former self.

"But, Donatello. How long is he going to feel like this? His memories must be so vivid," Raine inquired as she slowly traced the lines in his bicep. She frowned as she noted how much his muscles had deteriorated. They were no longer tight and powerful.

Leo turned to Don, waiting for his answer. Donatello looked at them, feeling guilty for not being able to give them the answer they desperately needed for the benefit of their own sanity.

"I'm not sure," he admitted, regretfully. "He is more likely to go into depression."

Leo sighed and lowered his gaze to his sleeping brother. "How long will it take him to recover?"

"Could be weeks, months." Don lowered the pitch in his voice as he sadly added, "Years."

Leo swallowed hard. Years? "How can he be treated? What can we do to help speed the process?" He was determined to get his family back to normal.

"Leo, to be honest. This is major psychological matter. To recuperate properly, he would need intense therapy and medication." He breathed out a frustrated moan. "I can fix his physical wounds. But I am no Psychologist."

"We will try our best," Leo continued firmly. "We have to help him. I want our brother back."

Don placed a comforting hand on Leo's shoulder. "We all do Leo," he told him. Then, feeling the urge to protect his older brother's feelings, he added, "We will help him."

Leo brought his hand upwards and cupped it over Don's hand that remained on his shoulder.

"I have to help him, Don. I will not fail him."

From the sidelines, Raine had listened to the whole conversation. She shook her head angrily. Why did all this happen? Why couldn't they have been left alone that fateful night? Quickly she walked out of the lair entirely. Soon she found herself running through the tunnels as tears began to blind her vision. She thought about Raph's panic attack. His wounds. Don's diagnosis filled her mind like haunting echoes.

When she couldn't run any further, she stopped abruptly and doubled over resting her hands on her thighs. Close by she heard the sound of water fall and the drip-drip-drip as it reached the sewer floor. She walked closer to the sewer grate and looked upwards. It was raining. She remained still as if the raindrops held her in a trance.

The gentle sound that filled her ears brought comfort. As if it washed away the sadness in her soul. Well, mask them anyway.

Soon she felt the cool water of her own tears slide down her cheek. She thought about her sister, lying injured in bed. She thought about her parents and how their whole life was a lie, and how their lives would never be the same. They will always live in fear even though they made a solemn vow that they will remain together forever. No matter what.

She thought of Raphael, beaten and mentally abused.

She burned inside with white hot anger. This whole situation was senseless. Finally, she couldn't find the strength to hide her inner emotions any longer. She pounded the cement wall with her fist in built up rage, until her knuckles bled.

"It's not fair!" she cried over and over until she dropped to her knees into a water puddle. She felt as though everything was crashing down around her. She cried until there was nothing left inside of her.

"Raine, dear?"

"Huh?" she looked up and was surprised to see Splinter standing next to her. "How did you--?" She quickly wiped her cheeks.

"Do not be ashamed," Splinter told her. "You have been through a horrible experience."

"But why though?" she squeaked.

He sighed. "That I can not answer."

"Master Splinter, this is all my fault. If you haven't helped us out in the first place..."

Splinter cut her off short. "It is not your fault."

He reached down and helped her to her feet. "But why did we have to suffer? If it wasn't for Shredder..." The sudden change in Splinter's expression made her stop in her tracks. His ears dropped, and his shoulders slumped. Tears gently slipped from the corners of his eyes and dampened the graying brown fur.

"Master Splinter?" she whispered as she took a step towards him. He looked up at her with glistening eyes. The sorrow they held together was mind numbing.

"My son," he sniffed. "My little boy… What he must have experienced…" he paused and breathed out a shaky sigh. "No one has the right to do that to a child." His voice faded. He cupped his paw over his eyes. His body shook as he sobbed quietly. Raine felt helpless. Her heart broke in two as she watched a father weep for the treatment of his child.

How awful! Raine thought. What he must have went through wondering where his son was and if he would ever see him again. She couldn't begin to imagine the pain that the noble rat harbored. She felt proud to be in the presence of such a strong, beautiful being.

She leaned forward and hugged him. He gratefully accepted and he leaned into her. They continued to embrace each other, searching for the comfort both needed so badly.

"Master Splinter?" she whispered as her own sobs matched his. "Now what? "

Splinter pulled back slightly. He kept his hands on her arms.

"We have to stand together as a family, now more than ever."

Raine nodded. She would stand. She would see that her sister would get better, and Raphael would be restored to his old self. She would see that they didn't suffer for nothing. She would not drown in her pain. She would take a stand and vow never to fall again.