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Leo woke up to the smell of pizza. He sat up in his bed and realized that the headache was gone. "Next time duck." Leo said to himself. He walked towards his door and peeked out. Raph was nowhere in site. That meant he either ate or left or he was in his room.
Leo quietly walked towards the kitchen. He stopped in his tracks when he saw all his brothers sitting together eating pizza. He hoped that Raph didn't threaten them. "Um, guys?"
"Leo, how you feeling bro? Sorry about my nunchuck. I saved you some pizza." Mikey smiled as he rushed his brother with a big hug.
"Thanks, Mikey. Donnie do you guys want to eat it in the living room? I'm sure Raph would like to be alone, or maybe he has some place he needs to be." Leo looked towards Donnie with pleading eyes.
"Um, Leo are you ok? Why don't you sit down and eat." Donnie looked at his brother in blue with concern.
"You want me to sit here?" Leo asked in surprise.
"What do I have a disease or something Leo? Geez sit down already." Raph grumbled.
"Sorry, Raph sure." Leo quickly went to the chair furthest from Raph and sat down not looking anywhere but at the table.
Donnie looked at Raph and Mikey in surprise. Leo never took Raph's orders and apologize not Leo. Mikey went and got Leo's pizza from the oven. "So bro how you feeling?"
"I'm fine Mikey it's all better now. I think if it's all right with you Raph that I will eat this in the living room." Leo started to get up.
"Since when do you ask for my permission? Look Leo that fall you took, must of knocked you for a loop." Raph looked at his brother in shock and confusion.
"Yeah, my fall must of Raph. If you will excuse me. Donnie, Mikey come with me." Leo pleaded to them.
"Um, sure Leo we'll come with you. Come on Mikey lets go with Leo." Donnie got up and went over to Leo. Mikey shrugged his shoulders at Raph and went too.
"Oh sure, I get to eat in here all alone that's just great!" Raph shouted to no one.
Leo quickly went into the living room and sat down on the couch. Donnie and Mikey sat next to him each concerned. "Leo what is going on?" Mikey asked.
Leo put his pizza on the floor and his head in his hands. "I'm sorry I feel asleep guys. I should have been in there with you. I just thought you would each leave Raph and go into different rooms. Did he hurt either of you?"
"Hurt us? Raph?" Mikey said shocked.
"Leo, Raph wouldn't hurt us. Are you sure you are ok, maybe I should check you out again." Donnie said.
"No, I'm fine Donnie. As long as he didn't hurt you. Master Splinter didn't happen to come out of his room and check on me did he?" Leo asked hopefully.
"Um Splinter ain't here Leo he left on one of his retreats." Mikey told him.
"But, he never leaves his room. Why would he leave the lair? What if Raph went mad again? Sensei just left us to him?"
"Mad?? Ok Leo you really should lay down again." Mikey looked at Donnie.
"Leo come into the lab let us check out your head wound." Don got up and offered a hand to Leo, which Leo accepted with a small smile.
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A small group crowed in Donnie's lab and listened to what Splinter told them about Leo.
Mikey looked at Leo in surprise. "So you aren't our real brother?"
"Well I am Mikey, just not from this dimension I guess? Donnie what is your take on all of this?"
"I don't know what to say. I mean I was shocked when you talked back to Raph that hasn't been like you in a while. And I know you have been very submissive to Raph for us, but when you talked back to him it was great it was like it used to be, except that Raph is still angry."
"Donnie, I need your take on how to get me back to where I belong not on what has happened."
Donnie grabbed Leo's hand in a hard grip. "Leo don't leave. I mean we need you here like for good, not that I don't love the other you cause I do. You protected us always and all, but I think we need the aggressive you to take Raph down."
Leo freed himself from Donnie and stepped back. "Look, I'll do what I can to help, but I don't belong here. This doesn't sit good with me. I don't like you guys being scared of our own brother I don't like it at all. I will do what I can to make Raph see reason and to get him straight in the head, but that is it. Donnie I want a way home and I am leaving it up to your big brain to get me there." Leo smiled at Donnie and added, "Besides when I am done teaching Raph a lesson he won't forget…Your Leo will come back and everything will be just like it used to be, I think. Now what should we do with Raph? I don't want to hurt him Sensei."
"I do not want any of my sons hurt or fighting each other, but I do believe that fighting and winning against your brother is the only way to right what is wrong. Our Leonardo has tried to talk to him it has not worked. I believe that Leonardo blamed himself for how Raphael has turned out. Leonardo loved each of you equally he was deeply hurt when I made Raphael leader but genuinely disturbed by the loathing Raphael produced towards him."
"I understand Sensei." Leonardo looked at the drawn faces around him. He didn't understand why Raph was like this and wished for another way.
Mikey who was silent except for his outburst when they first got together finally spoke up. "Leo you aren't really going to hurt Raph bad are you?"
Leo turned towards Mikey with a smile. "Mikey I could never hurt any of you. I will try to help Raph see reason and if he doesn't then we might get into it, but I promise you not to hurt him too bad. You know Raph sometimes you have to pound some sense into that thick head of his."
Mikey gave a small smile at that and went back to being silent. Leo didn't like this dimension at all. He wanted his family whole. Splinter teaching, Donnie being the Braineack he was, Raph being his usual at times pissy self, but overall a great brother, and last but not least Mikey being happy and joking around. Leo was just about to say something when the lab door burst open.
"Well isn't this special. A family meeting without its leader. What is going on here Splinter?"
"Raph we need to talk lets go to the dojo." Leo began to move forward but stopped when Raph turned to him and shouted.
"YOU ARE NO LONGER IN CHARGE YOU HAVE NO SAY HERE!" Leo's father and younger brothers moved as far back into the lab as they could. Leo saw the look of terror on there face and was sick, and thought, this isn't right this is all wrong, I never thought Raph would be this bad.
"Raph, I would like to speak with you in the dojo when you have a minuet. It is a request not a demand." Leo bowed his head in respect.
"OH, yes well fine. Let's go then. Donatello, Michelangelo you will follow."
"Sure Raph." Came their reply.
Leo's eyes drew together in anger, but if he was to win with Raph he had to remain silent until it was time to let Raph have it. Splinter followed his sons silently into the dojo praying to the Gods that all would be well…
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"So your telling us that Raph did this to you? Leo are you out of your shell? Raph would never hurt you."
"Donnie, how can you say that? The day I lost everything my brother, my leadership, my life, well almost, how can you forget that. Mikey you where there too."
"Dude I think you got hit on the head way too hard." Mikey stared wide-eyed at his older brother.
"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? What the shell happened to your head? Donnie check him out again." Raph said as he came bursting through the lab door.
Leo backed away in fear and waited for Raph to start something. Raph stopped when he neared Leo noticing the look of pure fear on his face.
"Donnie, what the shell is wrong with him. Look at him he is really afraid of me."
"WHAT how can I not be?" Leo asked in shock. "Raph, you actually sound concerned? About me?"
"Geez, Leo of course I am. I don't know how hard you hurt your head but why wouldn't I be concerned for you. Mikey was stupid enough to leave his chuck on the floor. God when I saw the blood I was freaking. Donnie and Mikey ran into the room worried that I killed you or something." Raph laughed uncomfortably.
Leo didn't look at anyone when he told his brother's what he remembered. "I remember sparring with you Raph, but you were beating the shell out of me. The last thing I remember is your fist in my face and then waking up to see all of you around me. I was shocked to see you there, Raph."
"Leo, I don't know what the shell you are talking about. I would never hurt you in sparring; well I might of on accident but never really. Come on bro, sure we fight but we've been doing good lately."
"Raph. I can't remember the last time you haven't hurt one of us. You are just so angry I…I don't know what happened, but please we don't need to be hurt right now. Any of us. We need to be ready for the Shredder, and I know you hate waiting, but we need to wait until we have a good plan…I know you are the leader now, but please listen to me this once we need to wait." Leo was literally begging with his brother. He didn't want to see anyone hurt or killed by Shredder and with Raph wanting to just charge in something bad was going to happen Leo was sure of it.
"Ok, first I don't know what the shell you are talking about. I am the leader? Yeah right, you would never let me lead. Second I would never hurt any of you guys. Look Leo, you must have gotten hurt a lot worse then we thought, right Donnie? So, I think you better stay in bed for a bit." Raph looked to Donnie for confirmation.
"I agree with Raph Leo, you should stay in bed maybe that fall was a lot worse then I thought."
"I don't understand? Why is Raph acting all nice and you guys aren't afraid of him. Mikey don't you remember what he did to you? What the shell is going on?"
"Leo, bro calm down. Raph never hurt me. He wouldn't ever hurt us. Besides you would never allow it." Mikey said with a tiny smile.
"I didn't mean for it to happen Mikey, God you have to believe me. I should never of stayed out so late I should of staid in, but I thought he was gone for the night I never meant for you to get hurt please believe me." Leo started to cry and grabbed hold of Mikey's hand. "I made a promise that day never to let Raph touch anyone again, I will never let him hurt you Mikey I swear on all that is left of my honor."
Mikey placed a reassuring hand on Leo's shoulder and gave him a huge hug. Mikey looked over Leo's shoulder at Donnie with a look of help me.
"Leo, nothing happened to Mikey, listen you have to calm down. We will get to the bottom of this. But, I need you to rest in the lab for a while. I will check on you in a bit ok?"
"But, are you guys gonna be ok? I never talked to Raph like this and sure he's being nice now but what if it changes what if he attacks you? I don't want to rest unless I know you are safe." Leo told them in earnest.
"Leo we are fine, Raph is not going to do anything to us. You need to calm down and rest. Please everything will be fine in a little while." Donnie smiled down at his frightened brother and tried to reassure him.
"But…"
"Look, Leo I ain't gonna do nothing so don't worry ok?" Raph told his brother with what seemed like a happy but strained tone.
"I don't understand what is happening why are you being nice to us? What do you have planned?" Leo refused to lie down and brushed off the hands that where pushing him down.
"I have nothing planned bro. You really need to chill before I get upset and say something we both will regret. Now snap out of this shit you are going through and act like the leader you are." Raph yelled.
Leo looked Raph deep in the eyes and noticed something he didn't before there was no hate there was only confusion and hurt. Raph was hurt? But why? "Raph, are you really back? Do you not hate me anymore?" Leo whispered to afraid to look in his eyes when Raph answered Leo looked down at his hands clasped tightly together.
Donnie looked at Raph in surprise, as did Mikey. What in the world made Leo think that Raph hated him?
"Leo, I never hated you." Raph said as he came to stand near Leo. "How could I you're my bro. Yeah you are always perfect and Sensei loves you to death, but I could never hate you. Hell you saved our shells time after time and you are always there for me. Heck if these bozo's weren't here I would hug you." Raph smiled and waited to hear what Leo had to say to that.
"I…I…Don't understand…I want so hard to believe you Raph, but it has been so long since I…We've seen the real you. I just don't know what is happening." Leo laid down on the lab bed by himself in shock. Should he believe that Raph changed? How could he? It is like Raph changed in a matter of hours, that shouldn't be possible…
"Leo get some rest we will talk about this in a little while. Maybe when you wake up all will be better." Donnie smiled down at his almost asleep brother and squeezed his arm.
"Sleep tight bro." Mikey whispered and stepped out the door.
"Yeah, get some sleep." Raph said as he left too.
Donnie was the last to leave and he looked worriedly at his brother not knowing what to make of what was happening.
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"I have to say that I am shocked you wanted to talk? After you hit me and I swear you will pay for that I figured you would stay away for a while." Raph said with a laugh as he walked into the dojo.
"Look Raph, I really don't know exactly what is going on around here but I got some of it. And I just really can't believe it. I mean sure you are a hotheaded bastard at times but never like this." Leo looked to see what Raph's reaction to that was and got exactly what he was looking for.
"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME YOU LITTLE PIECE OF…" Raph moved towards Leo angrily.
"I called you a bastard and that is exactly what you are acting like. So, if I am to understand this whole thing. The reason you are being such a PRICK is because I saved your life and then it got to be too much for you and you flipped out? I can't believe that, and I won't."
"What the shell are you talking about?" Raph asked confused and he stopped his movement towards his brother in blue.
"Well you flipped out because I saved your life. You couldn't stand it and you beat the shell out of me and won title of Leader. I don't see how that works."
"Have you gone nuts Leo? Has being such a coward and a loser warped your brain?"
Leo looked at Raph and tried to determine the best way to make him see reason. "Raph, I really am tired and my head is still killing me and now with this new stuff to take in it's a bit much, and it isn't even dinner yet! It seems like days instead of hours when I hurt my head."
The whole time this little exchange was going on Mikey and Donnie stood in the back trying to stay out of the way. Splinter was contemplating his eldest sons next move hoping that Leonardo would know what to do.
"I don't get you Leo. What has changed you aren't that afraid of me anymore. WHY?"
"Maybe because I was never afraid of you. You can be such a pain in the shell at times, but no matter where or when you will always come through for your family in the end. You are a good brother Raph and I guess I should of told you that a lot more instead of constantly making you train harder and not telling you what a fine job you did. I am sorry, it was my fault not to tell you what a great job you are doing." Leo kneeled down on the mat and bowed his head to the ground, he then got up and said, "I apologize for not giving you the credit you deserved, you are a great fighter, and a great brother to all of us. I am sorry for not letting you know this sooner, but I will tell you one thing that I think you should know so I don't give you such a big head, and that is that you SUCK as a leader."
"What just happened? You complimented me and then insult me at the same time. How am I supposed to take that?" Raph was confused and angry as shell.
"A true leader never, ever hurts anyone in their group. They push their team hard, but never hurt them. A good leader tells his team when they are doing well and when they are doing badly. I made my mistake there. I never told the good to you, just the bad and I am so sorry for that. When I get back I will tell you how good you are doing that is a promise. But enough about me. I heard all the stuff you have been up to. To call yourself a leader is absurd. A leader tries to look out for his charges, yes he has to be hard on them, but he is soft at times to, but forget for a minuet that you are the leader, what about being a brother? Raph you hurt them, all of them and for what? For nothing. For trying to be something that you can never be."
"DON'T YOU TELL ME HOW I CAN AND CAN NOT BE! I am a great leader. I can fight better, and I can be better then you any time any day."
"Why are you like this I don't understand you Raphael it makes no sense. I refuse to believe that this is really the you that is here." Leo looked deep into his brother's eyes and saw only hatred, deep hatred. "Where are you Raph? Where is the Raph that we know and love?"
"He isn't here anymore and he will never be again. You are not the leader Leo and you might have some fight left in you, but soon you won't I am going to prove to you once again that you are not the leader that I am and you will never be." Raph charged Leo and Leo jumped over Raph with a flip and landed on the other side prepared to defend himself. This wasn't his Raph this Raph was an animal someone he didn't know or want to know.
Raph stopped and turned around ready to charge again. He had a sick smile on his face and licked his lips in anticipation of the fight to come. This changed Leonardo had more spirit; it would be so much more fun to crush this spirit. Raph took out his sai's and prepared to attack. Leo got out his katana's just in time to defend from a blow that would of cut his plastron.
"You don't have to do this. We can talk this out and come up with some kind of solution to what is going on." Leo said as he was looked in a deadly struggle to keep Raph's sais away from his throat.
"Talk time is over, it is defend yourself or die time." Raph laughed and stepped back.
"This isn't how a leader acts Raphael. You have to realize that what you are doing is wrong. This monster before us is not you. Please, Raph see what you are doing look within yourself and realize this is not right." Leo looked pleadingly at his brother hoping that what he said would sink into that thick brain of his.
"I…No…I am doing what is right I should be leader not you, I can beat you. I can win this." Raph was trying to understand what was happening but he couldn't understand. Just as soon as he let his guard down, Leo struck. He attacked Raph with a series of kicks and punches, some Raph blocked but most he didn't and Raph went down.
"A true leader never allows his own emotions to get in the way of doing what is best for the group. A real leader listens and respects other people's ideas. A smart leader knows when to give help and when to accept it. You will be the leader of this group someday Raphael, but not until you learn to do the things I just mentioned. Until then you are still our brother, and the best darn fighter there is." Leo looked down at Raph and smiled.
"I…how did you win? You shouldn't of won, I don't understand. I am the leader I am stronger, and better then you." Raph looked up at Leo and knew he was defeated.
"You lost because I found your weakness. This is also what a leader does; they use the weaknesses of others and exploit them to their advantage. One day Raph, one day you will be ready and when you are I will gladly let you take over." Leo extended his hand to his brother to help him up. Raph looked at Leo and smiled Raph went to grab Leo's hand and throw him over him, but when he tried to reach the hand it was gone.
"A good leader also knows the what the opponent is thinking. You can't win Raph, you will not until you learn, if you want to learn I will teach you, but I will never let you hurt me or my brothers again. Now you have a choice, I can do what they all want me to do and beat the living SHIT out of you, OR we can start over and you can go back to being your usual hotheaded self, joke around with Mikey, train until you drop, argue with me and ignore Donnie. The choice is yours and I hope you will make the right choice."
Raph looked up at Leo and knew that he was right. Raph got so angry at not being as good as he thought he was that he had to prove that he was the best and he lost sight of what was most important…his family.
"Oh, God what have I done? I am so sorry; I don't know what happened…I just lost it. I…just…oh God…I…" Raph ran to the bathroom and threw up.
Leo looked back at his family. "I think it will be ok now. I think that it will really be ok." The others stared at Leo and then ran over to him.
"Leo that was…WOW Bro you rock!" Mikey grabbed him in a bone-crushing hug.
"Thanks Mikey, I think I need you to ease up a little I can't breathe."
"Sorry bro." Mikey stepped away sheepishly.
Donnie looked at Leo in wonder, "How did you do it?"
"Do what?" Leo asked his brother.
"How did you just make him realize what he is doing is wrong? Our Leo tried and it didn't work. Why now?"
"Don, I don't know. Hell I don't know how I even got here. Maybe it was just the right time for him to get back to himself. All that matters is that you all will be better now. Mikey maybe you should check on him. I know how much you miss him and want him back, it will be alright go."
"Thanks Leo, you are the best Big Bro out there." Mikey dashed out of the dojo to see to Raph.
"My son, I am most impressed with you. You have grown beyond my wildest expectations. I too am at a lose to understand how you managed to quell the beast that was inside your brother."
"As I told Donnie Sensei, I am still confused about so much, but I do know that Raph was good and he always will be. He just needed to be reminded of who was the boss and to know that someday he will be a good leader. I should of told him that, who knows maybe the other me would of thought of that sooner or later. Maybe I was sent because this whole situation needed a new perspective. I did learn from this though, I have to really start giving more complements and not so many negative remarks. I know I can be hard on you guys but I am only trying to help you exceed your limitations."
"Well whatever the reason, I am glad you were here Leo. I was really worried that he would have killed you or us soon or later." Donnie shuddered.
"Well now you don't have to worry and you can start using that oversized brain of yours to figure out how I can get home."
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"I don't think this is Leo." Donnie told his brothers while they sat around his room.
"What? It is so Leo. He looks like him, he well he kinda acts like him. That's really the only difference right Donnie? He just don't act like himself." Mikey said.
"That's a big difference. He is afraid. He's afraid of Raph, and he's afraid of what Raph will do too us. That can't be our Leo."
"But how is that possible and what are you saying who's Leo is it?" Raph growled.
"I don't know, I'm thinking multi-dimension possibility's here." Donnie told them excitedly.
"Wait a minuet, wait a minuet. Multi-WHAT. No, that is Leo the bump to his head has got him freaked that's all." Raph shook his head no.
"Look, Raph I know it don't seem possible, but there is no way a bump to his head could cause him to think that you are a psycho."
"If I was to believe that Donatello, then that means that somewhere out there I treat you guys like Shit. That I am a coldhearted bastard that beats the shell out of all of you! How can I accept that?"
"I don't know Raph, but it seems that, this is how it is. Look I don't want to believe it anymore then you do, but it happened. Now lets get on to more important matters. If this Leo is here, does that mean our Leo is there? And if so what is going on now?"
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"So you're saying that I should go back to where I belong when whatever I am supposed to learn or achieve over here is done?"
"I believe that is how it will work, but you have to understand Leo I have never encountered this before it's kinda neat and weird at the same time." Donnie said with enthusiasm.
"I am glad you think this is neat, Donnie. But I need to know if I can get back. This is not where I belong. I need to get back. I need to get back to what I know." Leo said frustrated.
"I don't want you to go." Came a quiet voice. Donnie, Leo and Splinter all turned around to see Raph covered up in a blanket looking small and vulnerable.
"Raph…I can't stay here." Leo looked at his brother with sorry eyes.
"But, you promised to help me to make me the leader, how am I to do it if you are gone?"
"Raph, when I'm gone the other me will be here. He'll help you."
"No, he isn't even capable of fighting back. I really messed you up Leo, God I screwed up this whole family up." Raph looked down at the floor trying to stop his tears from flowing.
"Raph look at me." Leo told him. "You were lost. You couldn't find the true you, but you are fine now. In time all will be as it was. I am not saying that when I come back I will be whole, and neither will this family be, but in time everything will be as it always should have been. I can't stay Raph, and I don't want to. I need to get back to my reality. Please understand that I need to get back."
Raph looked up at the pleading sound of Leo's voice. He looked deep into his brother's eyes and knew that Leo found all this too much to bear. "I guess we can handle things by ourselves. Do you think you will forgive me though bro?"
"I know I will. It will just take some time, but it will happen. Families stick together, through good, bad or worse. No matter what we are family and I will love all you guys." Leo smiled at his brother and Donnie went over to give him a hug, as did Mikey, Splinter, and finally Raph. "It will work out you'll see."
They all pulled back and saw to their shock that Leo was fading.
"LEO!" They shouted.
Leo just smiled and said, "All will be fine. Have faith, besides how else did I come to you if not by faith. Be strong guys all will be as it should." And Leo was gone. Everyone looked around for their Leo, but he was not there. Mikey cried, on Raph's shoulder. Raph hugged his younger brother to him and tried to be strong. Will their Leo return? Donnie stood still in his shock not believing that the other Leo was not there. Splinter turned away and went into his room to meditate.
"LEO!!! COME BACK!!!" Shouted Raph to nothingness…
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"So this isn't where I belong?" Came Leo's quiet voice behind them.
"Leo! What are you doing up?" Donnie asked concerned.
"I couldn't sleep anymore. I have almost forgotten what it was like to have a family that is whole. We were all once so happy so close. It is amazing how things change from just one person."
"Leo what happened there?" Donnie asked. Leo looked at his brother so full of confidence and life that he had to smile. He then looked over to Mike and saw no fear or hurt, just an open curiosity. Then he turned his head to look at his brother and he felt a punch to his stomach. This was the Raph that he remembered the hotheaded, caring brother that was always there for them, but just a hair away from becoming so angry.
"I don't know why Raph turned into what he was. It happened so fast, so very fast…"
Leo told the tale and there were gasps, some angry words, and even some crying when the story was finally told. "And that's when I woke up. I really thought that, that was it. Raph finally won. He killed me and the only regret I had was not protecting you guys, Donnie and Mikey. I didn't care if I died, I just didn't want you to be next. I failed you guys and I never in my life felt as bad as I did in that moment. When I found that Raph hated me a little piece of me died, but to think he could kill my brothers all of me wanted to die. My God, if I am here what is happening over there? Donnie you have to send me back I have to be there for them, they can't do it on their own, please Don send me back."
"Leo, I don't know how. I'm sorry, but you don't have to worry. I believe that once you came here that our Leo went to where you came from."
"But, can you be sure. I mean what if Raph has gotten worse what if he kills one of you when I am not there? I don't want to go back to that abuse, but I can't leave Mike and Don there to endure that. Please you have to send me back."
"When you do finally get back and I have to admit it is a shock to see myself all will be slightly better." Came a new voice from behind them. All heads turned and stared in amazement.
"Well don't anyone jump up and say hi. Geez were is the love?" Leo grinned at the bunch and waited for the questions he knew would come.
"My God how is this possible?" Leo asked no one in particular.
"Got me I thought you were supposed to go back when I got here. At least that's what Donnie said. Not you Donnie the other you." Leo smiled at his shocked brother in purple.
"WOW!!! Two Leo's, this is too cool." Mikey shouted.
"Great now two people to boss us around." Raph grumbled.
"Nah, I think "I" will be going back soon." Leo looked at his other self with interest. "Wow, I look so lost. I can't believe that I let Raph do this to me."
"Hey don't get all self righteous on me. I think you would of done the same thing. I tried to hold back and look what it got me. I don't want my brothers to get hurt so I would do anything. You have no right to judge what I did or do." Other Leo said to Leo. "You have no idea what it was like, to always look over your shoulder to have your own brother hate you for things you couldn't control. Every time Raph beat me I took it, not because I couldn't stop him, because I could, but because I thought I deserved it. I let him down I couldn't stop him from hating me or himself and I was responsible, so don't judge me don't ever judge me."
"I am sorry. I'm sorry for everything you went through. I too love my brothers and it would kill me inside to see my Raph the way yours is or was. You need to get back, they are missing you." Leo told his other self.
"I don't understand this. What has this done for me? Being here for this short time did nothing but make me wish for better things. I don't want to go home to a broken family." Other Leo turned towards his brothers with an imploring look and tears streaming down his face. "Please let me stay here. Please? If what Leo says is true then they are fine, but I need to be whole again I want to be a family please?"
"Leo?" Donnie took a step forward.
"You need to go back bro." Came a horse cry from Raph. "I know that I need you there, that we all need you there. We need our big bro to be there for us. You have to help us."
"You will find some changes when you return. Raphael is not as he was, but it will take time to heal, but things will be for the better. You have to believe that this change had a purpose, and it did for you and for me. You are leaving already, besides leaders look out for others before themselves, always."
"What? NO PLEASE!!! I need to be whole again, please don't let me go!"
"LEO, do something." Mikey cried. "He don't want to leave."
"He has to. His family needs him over there." Leo looked at his other self and took a step towards him. "Your family needs you. Would you turn your back on Mikey and Donnie just to be whole? Would you leave your family to be broken? You will be whole again over there. You just have to put your fear behind you. You will be fine, trust me." Leo smiled at himself.
The other Leo looked at himself deep in his eyes and saw the truth there. "I want my family whole. I will do all I can to make it so. Thank you for helping me." Other Leo turned to his brothers, "I'll miss you guys." And with that the other Leo disappeared.
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Leo found himself in Donnie's room. No one was around. He cautiously peeked out of the room and didn't hear a sound. This was not good. Leo walked out silently towards the lab, and heard sobs coming from inside. Oh God was the other him wrong did Raph do something to his brothers. Leo opened the lab door so fast it hit the wall with a thud and everyone turned around shocked.
There in the lab stood a tearful Mikey, a shocked Donnie, and even a wide-eyed Raph. "Should I ask what is going on here?" Leo said in a strained voice.
"LEO!!!!" Yelled Donnie and Mikey as they grabbed him in a fierce hug. Leo laughed and hugged them back.
"It's good to be home, even though I was home, but I wasn't." Leo turned to a quiet Raph. "Raph?"
"Leo. Look Leo I, I don't know what to say exactly this has been weird too weird and I know I have been such an ASS and I…" Raph didn't have time to say anything else because Leo was squashing him.
"Oh man, Raph I am so sorry I failed you." Leo said as he hugged his brother hard.
"WHAT!" Raph pushed away from Leo and looked down at the ground not meeting Leo's eyes. "You fail me. Leo I'm the one who forgot what it was to be a brother. I'm the one who was so caught up in my anger and my hatred for you and myself that I could of lost my brother."
"I guess you could of, and in part it was my fault too Raph. I was so caught up in protecting everyone and not seeing the problem for what it was. I messed up I was afraid and I should of put that fear behind me and straightened your ass out, but I didn't. I don't know why or how it was possible, but I am glad that the Other Leo was here."
"Did he get back to his dimension ok?" Donnie asked.
"Yeah, he got home. And so did I. How about we get a pizza and watch a movie? Like we used to." Leo asked his brothers with a tearful smile.
"DUDE, that is like the best plan ever." Mikey exclaimed.
"I can eat." Donnie concurred.
"Leo, what about…" Raph started.
"We will take it a step at a time. Now lets get some pizza." The brothers filed out turtle by turtle. Not one of them knew what the future held, but it was a start and that's all that mattered. In the darkness near his room a Father had a tearful smile on his face when he saw all his sons happy.
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"Wow!" Donnie said.
"Dude you can totally say that again." Mikey told him.
"WOW!"
"Cute Don really cute." Raph told his brother.
"Leo…Do you think that the other you will be ok?" Don asked.
"I don't know. But, what happened over there was a new start for them. They will make it or not, it is for them to figure out." Leo sat on Donnie's bed. "Listen guys, I have to say this…"
"No, let me say something Leo. I know I get mad…Ok a lot. But you guys have to know that I would never, ever hurt you. I love you guys and I would protect you all with my life."
"Raph, that wasn't you over there. What I saw in that Raph was such anger such hatred that it scared me. That Raph still has that anger in him, and hopefully in time it will dissipate, but it will be rough for them. You have anger in you, but you could never become that. Look what I wanted to say was that I am sorry to all of you, but to you mostly Raph."
"Leo, you didn't do nothing." Raph told him.
"Yeah, Leo what do you think you did?" Mikey said as he sat down on the bed next to his brother and put his arm across his shoulders.
"I forgot one important part of being a leader, but also of being a brother. I didn't tell you what a good job you guys are doing. I never really said good job and for that I am sorry. You guys are doing excellent in your training in everything. I couldn't be happier of you guys. And not to get too mushy here, but I love you guys. Now with that said lets get the shell out of Don's room and get some aspirin and food. My head is killing me."
Everyone laughed and made their way into the living room, when the lair door opened.
"Hello my sons. It is good to be home. How was everything while I was away?"
All four turtles looked from one to the other.
"Oh, you know Sensei, it was just your normal everyday thing." Leo said as he gave his Master a hug.
"Yeah, a little of this, some T.V. nothing much goin on." Raph told him.
"Yep, just same old, same old." Mikey called out as he headed towards the kitchen.
"Donatello, what about your day?" Splinter asked his quiet son.
"Sensei, it was one Hell of a Day!"
Well that is the end… Ok I know what some of you are going to say…WHAT THE SHELL WAS THAT!!! Well I come up with these Ideas and I have to see where they take me… I want my stories to be as plausible as possible and seeing as its turtle stories how can it be, but…I hope you read it and enjoyed it… If you didn't like it you didn't like it…I enjoyed writing it and I thought it would be cool to have a multi-dimension universe…Well tune in next time for another exciting adventure….