This little story was suggested by Mimnim.

They asked for : Raphael has a horrible nightmare and is comforted by Master Splinter. I've decided to set this after the episode 'Slash and Destroy'

Hope you enjoy! X

I Made a Monster

The patrol had been going so well. The four brothers had been getting along better than usual, Leonardo had even been joking around with them!

The night was cool but dry, perfect for jumping competitions!

Raphael had went first and made sure to show off his flipping skills, he landed like a pro!

Leonardo had went next, he had landed with a grin and fist bumped Raph.

Mikey soon landed next to them and they all high threed.

They looked round only to find Donnie had disappeared.

''Donnie?'' Mikey called as he scanned the rooftops with his wide eyes. ''Where'd he go?''

''I'm sure he's fine'' Raph shrugged but didn't believe himself.

''No!'' Mikey frowned. ''He's not fine! Donnie's missing! We need to find him!''

Raph looked over at the unusually quiet leader, Leo wasn't even looking at them.

''Leo?'' He frowned.

''What?'' Mikey looked between them in concern. ''Leo's not here Raph, he's away trying to get the mutagen canister that you FAILED to get!''

Raph glared at his little brother.

''I didn't fail!'' Raph growled before looking back at Leo only to find him gone too. ''What the-?''

''HELP!'' Mikey yelped. Raph spun round to face him only to find him gone too.

''MIKEY!? MIKEY!'' Raph yelled suddenly feeling scared, where were his brothers?

''DONNIE? MIKEY?'' Raph called as he began to run, he had a bad feeling. ''LEO! LEO! HELP!''

Raph leapt over three more rooftops before finding Leo, his leader was sitting on a rooftop alone with a single, empty canister.

''Leo?'' Raph frowned before stepping towards his brother. ''I need your help! I don't know what happened-''

''Raph?'' Leo looked up looking a little lost. ''Why is this canister empty?''

''What? I don't know! It's not important! Listen-'' Raph tried but Leo interrupted him again.

''You let Spike get to it didn't you?'' Leo asked though it was clearly more of a statement, ''That was really stupid of you… I think something bad will happen now''

''Leo!?'' Raph growled, his brother was acting really weird. Leonardo snapped out of his funk and quickly stood up.

''RAPH!'' He yelled. ''Where are Donnie and Mikey? I thought they were with you but…''

''I don't know'' Raph gulped, happy his brother was finally back. ''They're gone… I-.. I don't know where they are…''

''You were supposed to watch them! I thought you were supposed to protect them!'' Leo spat. ''I gave you my trust! I allowed you to look after our little brothers and you failed! God… can't you do anything right? Let me guess, you were off punching stuff right? Running into fights without thinking?''

''NO!'' Raph yelled angrily, ''I didn't do anything!... I have no idea what's going on…Donnie disappeared then you were away getting mutagen and now Mikey's gone too''

Leo glared at Raphael for a moment before sighing.

''C'mon-'' Leo began before a giant green fist hit him from the side sending the leader flying across the rooftop.

''LEO!'' Raph yelped before turning to face this new foe. It was Slash. ''S-Spike… how could you!?''

''I've wanted to do that for a while'' Slash grinned before stepping aside revealing two mangled bodies lying on the cement rooftop.

''D-Donnie… Mikey…'' Raph blanched before running to their side. ''GUYS!''

He put a hand on Mikey first and the smallest turtle lifted his head to look at him.

''You let him get us'' Mikey whispered. ''You didn't even care when he took Donnie… he's dead because of you''

Raph shook his head as he moved over to look at Donnie only to find that his littlest brother was right.

Donatello was dead.

''No… Donnie… no…'' He whimpered as tears stung his eyes. ''This is all my fault… I'm so sorry…''

''What's wrong Raphael?'' A deep voice asked from behind. ''Why are you so upset?''

''YOU KILLED DONNIE!'' Raph cried without taking his gaze off of his brother's corpse.

''So?'' Slash asked as he came closer. ''You always bullied him, he was the geek you picked on constantly. I assumed you hated him so I killed him for you. You were right, he was a wimp''

''I never said that!'' Raph snapped as he leapt to his feet with tears still streaming down his cheeks. ''I love my brothers and… and…'' He couldn't continue as a sob tore from his throat.

''DONNIE!'' Leo cried as he ran towards them all. ''NO!''
Leonardo knelt by Donatello and cried, Michelangelo crawled brokenly towards his two brothers before flopping over Donnie's body.

''Mikey…? Mikey? Mikey!'' Leo yelped as he shook the youngest, ''Raph… Mikey's dead''

''NO!''

''You didn't like him either'' Slash shrugged as he moved to stand behind Leo, ''He was an annoying idiot, I did you a favour''

''No… No…'' Raph sobbed as he stared at the bodies of his baby brothers.

''And Leonardo was a pain. He was always better than you and always showed off'' Slash grabbed Leo from behind and held him up. ''You hate Leo the most… I'm gonna save you from your last tie Raphael''

''NO!'' Raph ran forwards.

''RAPH! HELP!'' Leo screamed as he held out a hand to Raph, Slash didn't hesitate.

With a swift crack Leonardo's neck was snapped and he was dropped to the floor.

''NO! NO! LEO!'' Raph screamed as he caught his brother's head before it could hit concrete.

Leonardo was dead.

''SPIKE! NO! HOW COULD YOU!? YOU KILLED MY FAMILY!'' Raph cried, ''Y-you were supposed to be my friend…''

''They were holding you back, now you and I can fight crime together!'' Slash grinned.

''NEVER!'' Raph snarled as he spun round and punched Slash right in the jaw.

Suddenly the edge of the roof was a lot closer than before and the force of the punch sent Spike reeling over the edge.

''SHIT!'' Raph yelped as he ran to catch his childhood pet. ''SPIKE!''

Slash was no longer a mutant monster but was once again just a little defenceless turtle crying out to it's master for help and it plummeted to the street below.

Raphael closed his eyes when he heard the thud of the turtle's shell hit the sidewalk below.

''NO!'' Raph cried as he sat up in bed, he was in his room. ''Spike?''

He looked around and realised that Spike really had been mutated but hadn't died.

He needed to check on his brothers.

He carefully got up as his injuries from last night complained, he feared how his brothers would be feeling.

He glanced at his clock before leaving the room, 4 AM. His brothers should still be in bed.

When he arrived in the living room however he was proved to be wrong, his brothers were all sitting in the pit together.

Mikey was hugging Donnie's uninjured arm while Leonardo was knelt in front of them looking worried as he tied Donnie's sling back into place.

Donatello looked pale and tired but otherwise ok, much like the others.

''Hey'' He frowned as he joined his brothers on the padded benches. ''What's up?''

''Donnie's sling fell off while he was trying to sleep'' Leo replied as he looked up at Raph. ''Mikey couldn't sleep and I was up anyway''

''oh'' Raph bowed his head guiltily as he knelt next to Leo.

''You ok?'' Leo asked as he placed a hand on Raphael's shoulder.

''Couldn't sleep'' Raph mumbled as his guilt grew heavier.

''It's not your fault''

Raphael looked up at his three brothers.

Donatello had fallen asleep where he was sitting but was clearly uncomfortable, Mikey was cuddling up to him as if afraid something would get them again and Leonardo was clearly trying to hide his fears too.

At that moment Raph knew he couldn't stay with his brothers, not after all he'd caused.

But he didn't want to be alone tonight.

''I need to talk to Master Splinter'' He muttered as he stood up and headed for the dojo.

His father was awake and kneeling under the tree.

''Raphael'' Splinter greeted as he opened his eyes, Raph knelt before him. ''You are troubled. As are your brothers''

''Yeah'' Raph sighed.

''I know what happened'' Splinter sighed gently. ''It was not your fault my son, nobody can be blamed for the events that unfolded''

''How is it not my fault?'' Raph growled. ''Everyone keeps telling me that but they're wrong!''

''They are not'' Splinter shifted slightly and put on a kind smile. ''Did you purposefully mutate Spike?''

''No, but I left him alone with the canister''

''You did not pour the mutagen on him?''

''No, of course not!''

''Exactly'' Splinter nodded. ''Did you give your brothers to him with the command to hurt or kill them?''

''NO! I- I would never!''

''I thought not.'' Splinter chuckled. ''You are not at fault. Spike merely misunderstood the situation and was too hot-headed to stop and think about what he was doing''

''But… I should've done something! I should've protected them better… I should never have complained about them to him'' Raph sighed. ''And now I've lost him and my brothers are hurt because of my own stupidity''

''You did everything you could.'' Raph looked his father in the eyes. ''Leonardo went off on his own to prove a point, would you blame him?''

''No, he didn't know what was going on'' Raph shook his head in determination.

''Exactly and you didn't know Spike would turn on you and your brothers.'' The old rat put a hand on Raph's head and rubbed it fondly. ''You mustn't punish yourself over this, your brothers will need you while they heal''

''I promise to protect them better next time''

''And I'm sure you will'' Splinter chuckled warmly. ''But you cannot do that if you are stuck in your guilt''

Raphael nodded with a smile before hurrying out of the dojo to look after his brothers, Splinter nodded with a smile before closing his eyes.

Please Review with your requests! x