PRESENT DAY: JUNE 7

Leo woke up later that afternoon and looked at his sleeping mate, who had a smile on his face. He looks like an angel, Leo thought. I am so blessed to have him. "See somethin' ya like?" Raphael asked, sensing him staring.

"Yes, you," Leo said, and kissed him on the lips. "You're so perfect, Raph." His mate blushed and Leo grinned. "I love seeing you all flushed, especially beneath me. You look so beautiful."

"I ain't beautiful," Raphael said, reddening.

"You are. How did I get so lucky to have you?"

"I'm the lucky one, Leo," Raphael said, scooting closer and taking Leo's hand in his. He pressed kisses to Leo's knuckles and said, "It's been five amazin' years. The best years of my life. Ya've given me a reason for livin', gorgeous kids and I couldn't be more thankful. I probably don't tell ya enough, but I love ya so, so much." He leant in for a kiss and groaned when there was a knock at the door. "As usual, we get interrupted. Who's there?"

"It's me, lovebirds," Mikey said. "I'm cooking dinner. It'll be ready in twenty minutes. It would be nice if you could join us."

"Ya hungry, Leo?" Raphael asked. "Ya feelin' okay?"

"Yes. That sounds nice, Mikey. Thank you."

"So," Raphael said, "We have twenty minutes to do whatever we want. And I got somethin' fun we can do." He lazily trailed a hand down Leo's plastron, settling it on his tail and added huskily, "It's called hole in one. Wanna play?"

"There's something I want to talk about, Raph," Leo said, ignoring the shivers Raphael's touch sent down his spine.

"So no playin'?" Raphael asked disappointedly, sticking his lower lip out.

"Not now. This is important. I want to spend my remaining days at the lair, Raph. The farmhouse is great, but it's not home. Yes, I know the sewers are damp, musty and smelly, but it's our home. We were raised there and I wouldn't feel happy anywhere else. I want the familiarity of our home. The eggs will travel safely."

"When do ya wanna go home?"

"The day after tomorrow. When I pass, I want to be cremated and some of my ashes scattered at the farmhouse, some on Turtle Island and the rest at our favorite spot."

"Fine, but I also wanna keep some of yer ashes with me, so I know ya will always be near," Raphael said with a sob and nuzzled into Leo's neck, inhaling his familiar and comforting smell of musk mixed with sandalwood.

Leo kissed the back of his neck and said, "I will always be your mate, Raph, and I'll always be with you."

"In spirit ain't enough, Leo. I want ya with me physically. Why do ya have ta die?"

"I don't have the answer. It's something I have asked, but I don't have any right to ask it. The question should be: Why not me? What makes me so special that I shouldn't get sick? How is my life worth more than someone else's? The answer is I'm not any more special than the next person."

"Stop philosophizing, Leo! And ya are ta me. Ya shouldn't…"

Leo cut him off and said, "Promise me something."

"What?" Raphael asked, looking up into Leo's sapphire eyes.

"I want you to take the kids to Japan when they're older. I always wanted to go there and I think they'd love it. Leo jr loves the folklore and the stories about Martial Arts. He's almost ready to learn ninjitsu. I want you to teach him and all of the kids, including the girls. I want you to teach them that not all humans are bad. April and Casey were our friends. I know you're probably thinking of leaving when I pass, but that's a bad, bad idea, Raphie. You'll have six kids relying on you. How will you cope? At least back home, you'll have our family. And what if you guys were captured? If you have to go, don't go longer than a few days at most and go alone. Uprooting the kids so soon after my death won't do them any good. They'll need familiarity and the family. I want you to consider taking Donnie as a mate."

"Is that all ya wanna ask?"

"Did you hear me?" Leo asked, pulling an exasperated face.

"Yeah, Leo. I heard ya."

"Will you do as I ask?"

"I said I would earlier, Leo, but I don't want Donnie. The rest I'll do. Stop askin' bout him. I'll never want him, okay? And don't tell me that Donnie'll be lonely either. Don't guilt trip me like that! Won't work."

Leo visibly relaxed and said, "That reassures me, but I do feel bad about Don."

"Yeah, well, maybe he'll get lucky and find a mutant. Mona Lisa's available!"

"She's not his type. Donnie needs…"

Ali began to scream lustily and Leo got to his feet, picking up both twins. "I have this, Raph," he said. He quickly fed them and changed them. Then he placed them back into the cot and kissed their beaks. "You two are the sweetest little angels that ever lived," he said tenderly. "And so is your daddy."

"Ugh, Leo!" Raphael said, his cheeks crimson. "Don't tell them that. Yer gonna ruin my tough guy image."

Leo chuckled, cupped Raph's face with his hands, kissed him and said, "You're just a big teddy bear, Raphie, despite your gruffness. Everyone knows that."

"Yeah, well, I won't be after dinner," Raphael said with a smirk. "If yer up ta it, I'm gonna pound…"

"Dinner," Don called from outside the bedroom. "Hurry up. It's getting cold. Mikey's cooked lamb chops."

"Be right there, Donnie," Leo said, and grabbed Raphael's hand.

As the lovers went to the kitchen, Raphael thought, when he's gone, I'm leavin' and takin' my kids with me. I can't live in a place where there are so many memories of Leo. I just can't.

XXX

At dinner, Leo ate hungrily and listened to his family chattering away. It warmed his heart and saddened him at the same time. I'm going to miss this, he thought. Being with my family. The special moments. Watching the kids play, listening to Raph's laugh, his churring when I pleasure him, seeing his flushed face and those stunning golden eyes of his sparkle. I'm going to miss it all incredibly.

"Ya okay, Leo?" Raphael asked from beside him. "Ya look spaced out?"

"Just thinking. I'm fine, Raph. Today's a good day."

"Yeah, well, I did some thinkin' too," Raphael said in a lower seductive tone. "After dinner, we're goin' ta the beach for some quality time." He placed a hand under the table on Leo's tail and gently squeezed it, making Leo blush and duck his head.

The family didn't notice and Lily said, "Can we roast marshmallows on the fire, Daddy?"

"Of course," Raphael said. "But ya have ta do it with yer uncles, because we're goin' swimmin'."

"Aw. Can we come too?" Leo jr asked.

"No," Leo said. "It's late, but you can tomorrow."

"Yippee!" Lily said. "I love the beach so much. I love it here. I wish we could live here. It's so nice."

"Ya done?" Raphael asked, changing the subject. "Are ya done, Leo? If so, go wash yer hands and then go watch some TV. Yer uncles will be there in a bit."

"Okay, Daddy," Lily said, standing up. "Come on, Leo. First one to the bathroom gets to watch what they want!"

"You're on!" Leo jr said, springing to his feet and running out of the room, followed by his sister.

The adults finished their meal. Then Kala said, "That was wonderful. Thanks, Mikey."

"Yes. Thanks, Mikey," Mikey's brothers said in unison.

"You're welcome," Mikey said.

Kala offered to wash up and Mikey said he'd help her. Raphael stood up and said, "Me and Leo are goin'. See ya guys later." He winked and added, as he helped Leo to his feet, "Don't wait up."

XXX

At the beach, Leo and Raphael sat down on the golden sand, holding hands and gazing at the moon, which had just appeared. "It's so magnificent," Leo said in awe.

"Ain't half as breath takin' as ya," Raphael husked. "Yer incredible, Leo. From those blue jewels of yers ta yer adorable little tail and of course yer perfect ass and toned thighs. Yer a walkin', breathin' god and yer mine. I still can't believe it even after all of these years."

"I feel the same way about you, Raph," Leo said, and kissed him passionately. Raphael eagerly returned the kisses and their tongues battled for dominance, as hands explored, and their plastrons ground against one another's, causing loud rumbles to roll up their throats at the amazing feeling. Both felt extremely tight in their shells and it wasn't long before they dropped down, semi-erect cocks, leaking precome. Panting, Leo broke the kiss and pushed his brother down into the sand. "About pounding," Leo said in a low tone. "It's my turn to top, so be a good boy, Raphie, and spread your legs."

"Yer the only one I'd ever be uke for, Leo," Raphael said, parting his legs and looking at his mate lovingly. "Make me yers. Claim me and be as rough as ya like. Ya know I can handle it."

"You sure?" Leo asked, running a hand down Raphael's muscular legs and making him shiver.

"Ya know it. Ram into me. Fuck me hard!"

"So impatient," Leo said with a laugh and lined his dick at Raphael's entrance. Without prepping him, Leo thrust inside of him and Raphael hissed at the sudden intrusion. "You okay?" Leo asked in concern.

"Fine. Keep goin'!"

Leo lifted up Raphael's legs, placing them around his waist, so he could go in deeper. Then he resumed thrusting, stabbing Raphael's sweet spot repeatedly, causing deep rumbles to emanate from Raphael's throat. Leo looked at him tenderly; loving the noises he was pulling out of his mate and knowing he was the only one who drew them. Raphael was spectacular, but Leo thought he was even more gorgeous lying beneath him, his eyes closed, his tail on display and his gorgeous legs spread for his access. Yes, Raphael is a god, Leo thought, as a churr escaped his own throat. A god to savor and love. He's my perfect drug and I've never tired of him. I know if I wasn't dying, we'd be together forever. We're soulmates.

Leo intensified his thrusting and a short time later, he came, churring and shouting Raphael's name and spraying his milky essence deep inside of his brother. Raphael came a minute later, growling softly and yelling Leo's name, coating his plastron white.

Leo pulled out of his brother with a satiated sigh and kissed his lips before lying down and wrapping his arms around him. Raphael nuzzled into him and whispered, "That was the best beach sex I ever had, Fearless."

"That's the only beach sex you've ever had," Leo said with a grin.

"Yeah, but it was fuckin' fantastic. Thank ya. And I love the afterglow. Snuggled with ya."

"See, you are a teddy bear!"

"Yers," Raphael said, and kissed his lips. "I love ya so much, Leo. Good thing I'm on the pill otherwise I'd fall gravid after all the fuckin' we've done."

"Love you too, Raph. And I'm on the pill too, just in case. Donnie says that's wise. My body couldn't handle the pressure of babies. They'd zap my energy and I need all the energy, so I can fight. I am fighting, Raph. I talk of my death, but it's not because I'm a quitter. I'm just preparing you for…If my body gives out."

"I know," Raphael said, pressing himself even closer against Leo and resting his head on his plastron. "Yer my brave Leo and I've never thought ya a quitter. I know ya will fight. Ya always have. No more talk 'bout death and cancer tonight. Please, Leo."

"We should probably head back."

"Yeah," Raphael said with a yawn, but made no attempt to move.

"Like now."

"Five minutes."

"All right."

Leo stroked Raphael's face and watched, as his brother's eyes closed and he began to snore gently, his plastron rising up and down, as he slept. Yes, Raphael is an angel, Leo thought. He's brought me so much happiness and I'm going to give my all and fight.