Part Three





The air was sharp as it hit his lungs, spiking pain with every breath his drew. Yet it's icy chill was strangely welcoming. The pain... It was like an old friend in a face of strangers.... a reminder that he was still here. Wherever here was.

Leonardo, gazed about him. He was in a wasteland, vast and strange to him.

"Where am I..?" He couldn't remember how he had come to be in this desolet place.

"Donny....?....Mike...?....what happened...?"

He spun around looking for an answer, but the bizarre world he was in seemed to go on forever.

Then off in the distance he saw a light. It's faint glow the only warmth, in this strange world. It drew him like a moth.

"So bright..." he whispered as he took a step towards it.



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"Donny do something !!!" Mike cried, covering his eyes with both hands.

Donatello lunged forward, laying on top if his older brother as his body shook violently.

"Don what's going..on?" Raph asked his breathing was coming in harsh gasps of air.

"Turn for the worst..." Don grunted. "Unn.. Help me hold him down.."

Raph nodded laying his weight on top of Leo's chest.. "What's going on..?"

Mikey...unn go to the kitchen and get me a bowl of water, and ....some blankets .....go hurry..!!"

Don cried as his younger brother raced off.

Raph turned to him. He knew this tactic too well.

"Don what is it!!" he hissed.

"He's not coming out of it...Raph.." Don turned his worried eyes to the other turtle by his side "What...what do you mean....?"

"They don't usually last so long...." Don gulped.

"Well do something......" Raph demanded.

"I can't...there's nothing we can do...we ...have to hope he rides out the seizure."

"Hope..?" Raph looked at him.

'The longer it is......less change ......he'll wake up...ever..." Don sobbed.

"NO !!" Raph gasped. He pressed his face to Leonardo's plastron., willing his brother to live to fight.

// Come on Leo... Please...I'm sorry.....don't you go heading for the light just yet.."



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// It's getting warmer... so much warmer..// Leo sighed as he stepped up to the source of the light. It was a doorway, and on the other side he could see the most beautiful world. He went to take those final steps forward when...he stopped.

// Raphael ..? // he turned looking out into the dark nothingness from which he'd come.

^^^sorry^^

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^please^^^^^^^^come back^^^^^^^come back ^^^^^^^^^

"Raphael!!" Leo called out into the dark. He turned and took a few steps back into the night.

"COME LEONARDO...." A mocking voice called from through the door.

Leo stopped, looking first one way then the other. "Raph..." he called again. There was no answer. But he was sure he'd heard Raph's voice. Hadn't he? He stood unable to move, and completely torn.





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All at once there was stillness. And with it the silence that follows all catastrophic events.

"Unnnn"

"Look Don !" Mike jumped up from the couch were he'd been weeping.

Don raised his head , then carefully unwrapped himself from around his brother's legs.

"The seizure's stopped...." Don breathed.

"Look he's coming around." Raph gasped edging closer.

"Unn.....help....he..lp" Leo's weak voice came to their ears.

"Leo, Leo ! " Don cried, placing a hand to his brothers brow. "It's Don, I'm here"

The large turtles eyes fluttered briefly before he fell silent once more

"Leo, come on wake up !!" Raph fell to his side "Please Leo..!!!"

"Raph, stop." Don said , grabbing his brothers arm and pulling him back "I think he's coming out of it. "

"You think!!" Raph snapped "I want to know !! Is he or isn't he gonna be alright. Can you tell me that Genius !!!"

Don sighed shaking his head.

"I thought you were supposed to be the smart one !!" Raph snarled, he turned and stormed out into the kitchen.

Don watched him go before turning his weary eyes to Mike. "Come on Mikey, help me get Leo to his bed"



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Don tucked the blankets snugly around Leo's body, Making sure he was comfortable before leaving.

Closing the door behind him, Don made his way to the Kitchen with Mike following behind him.

Raph looked up from the table when they came in. Don was giving him a cold glare that spoke volumes for the mild turtle.

Raph shifted uncomfortably under his brother's gaze "Donnie, ..... I wanna say ............I'm sorry. You were right .... it was a dumb idea.. I'm sorry I blamed you.... I....I.." Raph swallowed hard. "God what was I thinking !! He cried covering his face with his hands.

"Don ...I don't feel good.." Mike whispered pitifully. "It feels like there's rocks in my stomach."

Don rubbed Mike's shoulder "It's guilt Mike ," he paused looking over at Raph. "It's not a good feeling ..." His voice cracked as he continued.

"I just.....feel so.......when I think what could of happened. We.....we could have lost Leo. And it would have been all for what..........over what !!!"

"He shouldn't have bossed us around .." Raph said in weak protest.

"Maybe not. But if it was bothering us so much....maybe we should have talked to him....argued with him even......anything.......anything....instead of this........" Don gestured to the rooms chaotic state, as fresh tears fell down his cheeks.

He got up to leave, picking up his things and brushing the tears away as he did so.

Raph hung his head in shame. "Don I really am sorry... you know " he pleaded.

The older turtle stood quietly for a moment. "Yes .......I know.." he answered, not turning around. ".......but I'm not the one you need to apologize to"



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Don made his was to his room, shutting the door behind him. With a low groan he sat down on the edge of his bed. Rubbing his eyes.

Why had they done that?

It was like on of those stupid stories you hear about so often on the news. The ones that told how somebody was killed because of some stupid joke, or some idiotic trick....the ones that made you shake your head because it didn't have to happen....but it did...........it did because someone didn't take the fucking time to think.



// We could have lost Leo ! We could have killed our own brother, just for being stupid and playing some dumb joke. We didn't think !! WE DIDN'T DAMN WELL THINK !!!//



There was a knock at the door. A moment later Raph poked his head in.

"Don?" he asked. As the older turtle turned to look at him.

"What?" Don asked curtly.

Raph took a step back and Don regretted snapping at him. Though he could be a jerk at times and a complete hothead ,right now Raphael, for all his mighty words and grand temper , looked as though he might simply crumble and start crying.

"Oh Raph.." Don soothed, getting up and pulling his little brother close.

"It's my fault Donnie !!" he moaned.

"No it's my fault too" Don assured him.

Raph shook his head "No....I'm the one who thought it up......I'm the one who made you...it......it's..my fault..."

"Stop it Raphael !" Don said firmly. "We are all responsible for our own actions. I didn't have to help you.........but I did. I'm not proud of what I did.....but it was ME who did it"

Raph nodded accepting Don's answer for the time being.

"Don....Is Leo gonna be ok.. I Mean it's over now right.....he'll be okay won't he ?" Raph turned to look his brother in the eye his bright blue eyes shimmering.

Don want to say yes. He wished he could with all his heart and soul. But he couldn't lie to his brother. Leo hadn't woken up yet. That wasn't a good sign. He hadn't mentioned that to Raph either "I... don't know Raph" He mumbled casting his eyes to the floor.

Raph nodded silently, bowing his head as he left the room. Leaving Don to his thoughts once more.



// All this............ because we didn't think..//













To Be Continued ...............................