Well, I know it's been quite some time - and I'm sorry for that. It's just that so many things lately has occupied my mind, giving me a huge writer's block. But it's gone now…

Enjoy.

The shell cell dropped to the floor, along with the three-fingered hand holding it. Raph's breathing was getting slower. He closed his eyes, still feeling a very small trickle of a tear running down his cheek. He couldn't cry anymore. He was exhausted, he could barely move from his spot, not even get up or just fall down to lay on the carpet. The pair of red eyes started to scan the room, finding it empty.

'You can run…' a small voice whispered inside Raph's mind. And it was right. He could easily flee from the room. He was a ninja, and everything he needed to know, had been taught to him by his sensei - and Leo.

Raphael flinched, his body arching. Leo had actually taught him more than he had given him credit for. The times that Splinter hadn't been around, Leo had been there, always.

No.

He couldn't run. He could get out of the room and head back to the sewers, pretend that nothing of all this had happened - and base his life on a lie.

The thoughts of escaping made the turtle's stomach turn over. Even if he left the room, even if he left everything behind, he would never be able to run from the fact, that he was the one, who had killed Leo.

He was, it couldn't be questioned. Hadn't it been him leaving the lair in rage? And hadn't he known, that Leo would follow him? It was all his fault, he had started it, he had killed Leo, and he would get his two younger brothers killed…

Raph fell forwards, gasping for air. Images of blood and his brothers lying on the ground tormented his closed eyes, making the world spin around him - he couldn't go on like this. His heart beated faster than ever before, as he slowly realized the fact that he had prayed would never even be suggested - the Shredder had won…

"A prisoner has escaped!" a voice suddenly boomed out on the corridor, "I repeat, a prisoner has escaped!" Raph slowly lifted his head, his eyes opening slowly. He hadn't escaped. He was right where Hun had left him - unless, it wasn't him they were referring to…

The turtle jerked his tired body upwards and looked at the door, finding it not closed completely. Had Hun really been that clumsy? Or maybe it was on purpose, so he could hear the alarm and think Leo might still be - alive! Raphael got to his feet surprisingly fast, his breath wheezing, as he got closer to the door to take a peak outside. Foot members ran through the hallway at full speed, they were all there. He even saw an elite member on the run.

So it couldn't be a trick. It had to be Leo, he wanted it to be Leo. As soon as the coast was clear, he flew out the door and tailed after the Foot, staying close to the walls and shadows with the stealth of a true ninja. His confidence was somewhat back, the alarm telling about a prisoner escaping putting new hope into Raphael's mind. There was still hope. The turtle got to a stop, when he found himself facing five Foot members. His breath and heart stopped for a second, when the five ninjas turned their heads to look directly at him, all with each their weird look in their eyes. It hadn't been him, they had expected to find, Raph was sure of it. The uneasiness in their faces told him promptly that he was right. He spun around, only to face a pack of other Foot.

"Shit…" Raph exclaimed with a whisper, realizing the fact that he was caught - again. But he wasn't down yet. Raphael flung at an opponent, knocking the Foot to the ground, before he was encountered by the rest of the gang.

Raphael was in no shape to fight. He was overpowered easily, taken to the ground and pinned down, only to look up to face the shining metal covering the Shredder's face.

"You are not an easy prisoner, turtle," he hissed, the red eyes behind the mask closing in a thoughtful moment. Shredder turned away to walk back through the hall.

"We don't have time to play 'Cat and mouse'. Finish him off…"