April entered the lair and taking in the chaos, called, "Guys, it's me. Where are you?"

Don entered the lounge and said, "The guys are in the infirmary. As you can tell, the lair was blown up. We think by Tiger Claw. Me and Raph only had minor injuries. Leo and Mikey weren't so lucky. Mikey's arms were crushed by the rubble and he had to have them amputated. He also has a broken leg. Leo has a broken leg and is supposed…"

April's eyes flew wide in shock and she said miserably, as tears filled her blue eyes, "How are they? How's Mikey?"

"He's understandably distraught, but is trying to be positive. We found a doctor. It's a long story. The doc performed the amputation and we're keeping him until Mikey's ready to have his prosthetic's attached."

"You kidnapped a doctor?" April said in amazement.

"We had no choice. He's the best orthotic doc and Mikey needs him. You'd have done the same thing for a loved one. Did you see Raph by the way?"

"Collided with him when I arrived. He looked like he'd lost his best friend. What happened?"

"It's a really long story. I'll tell you later. Would you like to see the guys? I know seeing you will cheer them up."

"Of course, Donnie. How are you doing? You must be a wreck."

"I'm hanging in there. I have to," Don said and choked back a sob. "My brothers need my strength. I can't afford to crack. Usagi's been wonderful and tremendous support. I'm so grateful to him. Of course this means we won't be moving to his dimension, but that's all right. My family needs me. Usagi will understand and too bad if he doesn't. My family will always come first and he has to accept that."

"Just know I'm here if you need to talk," April said and hugged him.

Hot tears spilled down Don's cheeks and he wept bitterly, unleashing his pent up emotion. He'd been courageously trying to stay strong for his brothers, but he was both emotionally and physically shattered and he wasn't sure he could endure much more. Splinter's death had been taxing enough, but his brothers' injuries were a whole new ball game and Donnie was battling to cope.

He pulled away after a few minutes and said, "Thank you, April. I might take you up on that."

"No need to thank me, Donnie. It's what friends are for and please talk to me. You don't have to shoulder it all alone, okay?"

Donnie managed a small smile and said, "Thank you. Let's go see the guys."

xxxxx

April gasped in horror when she saw Leo and Mikey, looking frail and very small on their stretchers. Her hand flew to her mouth and she said sadly, "Guys, I'm so sorry."

"Hey, April," Leo said. "Good seeing you."

"Hi," Casey said from his seat beside Leo's bed. "How was Paris, April?"

"Hey, April," Mikey said. "So glad you're here. I missed you."

"Howdy," Usagi said.

"April," Don said. "That's Doc Alberts. Doc, this is our friend, April."

"Pleasure meeting you," Alberts said. "You look familiar. Are you Kirby's child?"

"I am and I know you. You're Cooper Alberts, a world-renowned orthotic surgeon. My dad and I met you last year in Vermont. So you're working on Mikey. You'd better do a good job. He's counting on you. We all are. I'm so glad to see you too, Mikey, and you're going to make a full recovery. So will you, Leo. Donnie told me what happened. The bastards," April said furiously and angrily clenched her fists. "I'd like to kick their butts."

"We will," Leo said. "But the first priority is rebuilding the lair and ensuring Mikey gets all he needs. Did you see Raph, April?"

"Yes. He looked like a sad puppy. I asked him what the matter was and all he said was 'Leo and Casey are fuckin'. Then he bolted. Strange. I had no idea you and Casey were, but surely that's not a problem. Raph should be happy you found love, Leo. Unless…."

"We're not!" Leo said and dragged a hand down his face. "What a fucking mess! Casey and I never had sex. We've just been dating. We kept it secret until we felt ready to tell everyone."

"But we will get to that point, Leo," Casey said and stroked Leo's cheek. "You know I love you."

"Unless Raph's jealous," April said.

Leo snorted contemptuously and said, "I don't think so. He's in love with someone called Alex. He's just mad I didn't tell him. That's all, because we tell one another everything."

"Yes, Alex," Don said coolly and glared daggers at Leo, who flinched. "Want to tell everyone who Alex is, Leo?"

"Who's Alex?" Casey asked. "And we will have sex, Leo, won't we?"

"Fuck!" Mikey yelled. "Is that all you think about, Casey? I don't know what Leo says in you!"

"Alex is a beautiful blonde, whom Raph loves," Leo said, staring at Donnie and daring him to challenge him. "So he doesn't love me. Mikey, stop shouting at Casey. Let's all just calm down!"

"No, Leo! You calm down," Don snapped, his hazel eyes flashing. Donnie never lost his temper, so everyone stared at him in astonishment. "I'm sick and tired of covering up your lies. Either you tell Raph the truth or I will!"

"What truth?" Casey and April said in unison.

"I think I get it!" Cooper said. Everyone turned to look at him. "Leonardo was pretending to be Alex and Raphael believed him and fell in love with him. Well, not him, but Alex. This is like a soap opera and is entertaining. And Raphael's been in love with Leonardo and Leonardo feels the same way, but both refuse to accept their feelings. Raphael's mad and is jealous Casey's with Leonardo! I almost am grateful to you for kidnapping me. I haven't been so entertained in years. You should get your own reality show called Reptilian Revelations or Reptilian days of our loves. Haha. I love that idea."

"Shut up," Don snapped, staring hard at the doctor, who fell silent.

"Is this true, Leo?" April asked. "You pretended to be a girl to court Raph?"

"You cheated on me, Leo?" Casey demanded, his brown eyes flashing.

"Technically, it'd be emotional cheating and not cheating per se, because Leo was pretending to be a girl and wasn't himself," Mikey said.

"You were gone for weeks and never contacted me!" Leo hissed. "I thought we were over, Case, so I…Look, Raph was upset with his breakup with Mona and I thought it would make him feel belter if he received some messages on a dating site."

"Oh," Casey said and sighed in relief. "So it's not true that you're in love with him and vice versa?"

Before Leo could comment, April said, "Leo, who do you love? I don't buy your story."

"Case of course. That doctor's talking shit and…" He looked at Mikey and Donnie, daring them to challenge him.

The usually placid Don said acidly, "Leo, grow a damn spine. You're not in love with Casey anymore. You love Raph and you want him. I'm fucking sick of your damn lies. Tell Raph the truth or I will. I mean it, Leo. He deserves to know. The charade's gone on long enough."

"What? You love Raph?" Casey angrily questioned. "Leo, you bastard! I've only ever been good to you! How could do that to me?"

Leo dropped his eyes to the ground, unable to meet his gaze, and murmured, "Yes. I love Raph. I always have and Alex…"

"What 'bout Alex?" Raphael asked, suddenly appearing with Ruby.

Casey looked Raphael in the eyes and said spitefully, his heart broken by Leo's revelation, "Alex doesn't exist. Leo was pretending to be her…."

Raphael's jaw dropped, his heart shattered into a million pieces, his pain etched on his handsome face, as tears threatened to fill his emerald eyes. His world had crumbled and his dreams were destroyed. It had been one gigantic fantasy and he couldn't believe it and how easily he'd been duped. How had he not realized it wasn't real? Was he really that gullible? Why would Leo do that to him? Now he was doomed to be alone forever. His dreams of having a family gone too.

Holding a hand to his heart, Raphael said in a broken voice, "Is this true, Leo? Alex is ya? It was just a game?"

Leo raised his head and nodded. "I'm sorry, Raph. I can explain…."

"Fuck ya and yer explanations," Raphael growled, blinking back tears. "It was just a game. How could ya do that ta me, Fearless? How could ya make me believe in someone, who don't exist and make me think I'm special? How could ya betray me like that? How could ya give me hope that someone loves me when it was a sham? How could ya lead me on like that? Ya musta laughed at me, knowin' yer little bro was so besotted with a fictional person. That's cruel, Leo. So callous. I thought I had a shot at havin' a family! Now all my dreams are fuckin' ruined. I'm gonna….I fuckin' hate ya, Leo! Who else knew?"

"Me and Mikey did," Don said. "I told Leo to…"

"Screw ya two too!" Raphael raged. Turning to Ruby, he snapped, "And ya said I got a lot ta be grateful for. Lotta shit! My family betrayed me. I gotta get outta here." He shifted his gaze to Leo and regarding him coolly, said venomously, "I hope ya die and I never wanna see ya again. Yer dead ta me, Leo. No. All of ya are. I'll never forgive ya!"

Then Raphael stormed out of the lair, closely followed by April.

A/N Thanks to all reading, reviewing and following. :)

Poor Raph. Will he come home? Will he mend things with Leo? And what will the others make of Ruby?