One Hand Down

Disclaimer: Need I repeat – I do not own them.

Part 4: Brothers


Raphael awoke to the sound of a woman humming. He felt his arm getting heavy, as if it was going to drop off. He opened his eyes he could make out the red-brown hair of the person in front of him.

"April?" He whispered.

"Don't move just yet, Raph. I'm almost done," April soothed as she completed the plaster cast on his arm.

He watched her as she proceeded to tie something around his neck and she lightly stroked him on the forehead. She smiled at him, "It is true what they say, 90 of accidents happen in the home."

"What are you doing here?" Raph asked, becoming more aware of his surroundings.

"Fixing up your arm. When Leo called to tell me you had broken your wrist, I managed to get some plaster off my friend, Tracey. You remember Tracey don't you?"

"Yeah, the purple dragons busted her surgery last fall," Raph replied.

"That's the one," April smiled as she began to clean up.

"My son?" Master Splinter walked into the picture, "Do you want anything to drink?"

"Come to think of it, I'm really thirsty," Raph said as he tried to sit up.

"You are still suffering from shock, lie down, I have some water here for you. You are not to try and move until you feel more awake," Master Splinter soothed his son.

Raph closed his eyes again. He felt weak he could not control his body. He felt Master Splinter's bony hand lift his head up, and water sliding over his tongue and down his throat. He could not see anyone, but he heard the commotion around him.

"He's not answering his shell cell, but we've managed to locate him using my technology," Donnie informed someone.

"Where is he?" Leo replied.

"Down by the pond in Central Park. We should have known he would go there," Donnie replied.

"Please go bring your brother back, let him know I want to speak with him," Master Splinter said. Raphael could not see it, but he knew his brothers bowed before they left.

"I'll give you guys a lift," April's voice replied, "Now try and not break any more bones, Mister!" She gently patter Raphael's shell as she left.


Central Park

A rock skipped across the water, as Leo and Donnie made their way over to the direction the rock came from. Another one went flying across.

"We better get to him before he fills the whole pond," Donnie joked to Leo, "Even though that is very unlikely, but you know what I mean."

"Hey Mikey," Leo said, in a calming comforting manner as they approached.

"What you want?"

"We just want to talk to you Mikey," Donnie said.

"Why you want to talk to me for?"

"We're your brothers, that's what we're hear for, talking to," Donnie replied.

"Because we know your hurt and upset, that's why," Leo put a hand on Mikey's shell.

"Raph's the one who's hurt not me."

"Mikey you can't fool us, we know your hurting too," Donnie said.

"Just leave me alone," Mikey said as he throw another rock.

"Raphie needs his brother to be at home right now," Donnie said.

"He doesn't need me, he's got two others. Why would he want me? I mean your not the one who made him injure himself."

"Oh come on Mikey! You know as well as we do that Raph lets his temper control him too much," Leo said.

"Besides, you're his favourite brother, he hangs around you more than me and Leo," Donnie said.

"He hates me, he's always bagging me out. He'll never want me anywhere near him again," Mikey said. Tears ran down his face.

"No he doesn't." Leo replied.

"Leader you maybe Leo, but you were always crap at lying."

"Mikey come on, come home with us, we can sought it out back at home," Donnie was starting to feel the cold, under his coat. With no coat on Mikey was putting himself at risk of catching a cold or worst and Donnie did not want Mikey ill in bed with phenomena on top of Raph's injured arm.

"What home, I don't have a home anymore do I?" Mikey started to cry. He was shivering. Leo and Donnie exchanged looks. Donnie put an arm around his little brother.

"Yes you do, your home is with us, Mikey, with your family," Donnie said.

"You never wanted me around, none of you. You always hated the way I played around. That I never take anything seriously. You hated it when I broke your inventions and Leo you always hated it when I play up during training instead of listening to you or Master Splinter. And Raph," He let out a sob, "Raph has always hated me."

"No he hasn't," Leo said, "Raph doesn't hate anyone, well no one in our family, that is. He might hate the Shredder or the Purple Dragons, everyone does."

"Mikey, I seriously think deep down, your Raph's favourite brother. I mean he puts up with you more than Leo and I ever do. Remember when we were kids, you and Raph used to gang up against me and Leo! Raph wouldn't have done that with you if he didn't like you. He's also the only one who'd muck about with you, Me and Leo hated it! You know if Raph didn't like you, he wouldn't want you hanging around him."

"Mikey, if there's any brother Raph can't stand, that's me," Leo said, "But we still cover each other's backs when we're fighting the Shredder and his goons, he's always there to cover everyone's back, risking his own life for ours."

"Well, sorry I just changed all that didn't I? He won't be fighting with us anymore and he's going to hate me for the rest of his life because of it," Mikey whispered.

"Look Raph's at home right now and I'm sure he really wants us all there for him. He's in a lot of pain, well he was until April gave him that needle. He needs us, Mikey. Seventeen years of being brothers should not be washed away because of one silly little fight between you two."

"That was more than any silly little fight, Donnie, because of me, Raph's probably never going to wield a sai again – that's probably the worst thing that could happen to that guy."

"What ever gave you that idea, trust us Raph will wield a sai again – he's got another hand you know. His injured hand will heal, in time," Donnie suggested, trying the cheer Mikey up.

"Donnie, Mikey has a point, what if Raph looses some control over his hand?" Leo asked, he had not thought of the long term affects of Raphael's injury.

"I'm sure Master Splinter will help him master it, if there is any damage. Besides, we all know Master Splinter can still slice ten blocks of wood even though he's an old rat. So if Master Splinter can still practice ninjitsu, so can Raphael."

"You really think so Donnie?" Mikey looked up at his purple masked brother, "You really think Raph will be okay?" The image of Master Splinter splicing the wood which earned him the name Splinter, ran through Mikey's head. Mikey had always thrown to the back of his mind that Splinter was old, he didn't want to think that one day Master Splinter might not be with them.

"This is Raph we're talking about – he's always okay," Donnie chuckled, making Mikey do the same, "Good, we're finally making this one smile again."

"Want to go get some pizza?" Leo asked Mikey. Leo knew this would cheer up his baby brother.

"Only if we can get Raph's favourite for him?" Mikey said.

"That's what we're doing."