Raphael finds friendship and more with a woman who also wears a mask...

Rated M for adult themes, violence, and character death. I don't own anything TMNT or Batman. Please Read and Review, I will take any and all suggestions and comments with gratitude!

Chapter Key ~Memories~ Present

Raphael, for once in their lives, hadn't protested Leo's command. Instead following his brother silently through their lair and into the kitchen. As he set to work ripping what remained of his wraps away and cleaning his torn hands in the sink, he knew he Leo watched from the table.

He knew his brother's keen eyes were taking note the obvious outward signs. The discoloration of his skin was from poor eating the past weeks. He'd allowed his shell to become scraped and had done a poor job of cleaning it. And then there was the slight tremble his shoulders were refusing to hide from the lack of restful sleep he'd been getting.

Turning Raphael took a seat across from Leo with his hands wrapped in layers of paper towel that would later litter his bedroom in torn, bloodied clumps. "Where's Don an' Mike?"

Oldest and leader of the four shrugged. "I sent them to April's. They didn't need to be here, and I'm sure you don't want to share every detail with all of us."

Grunting, Raphael reached beneath the table, retrieving two bottles out of a six pack that his brothers refused to allow in the fridge. Even with Splinter dead two years now, his brothers still didn't believe in letting him chill his beers. As if drinking them warm with stop him. "What makes ya think I'll tell you?"

Raph watched in amazement as Leo took the other bottle, popped the top and took a long drag; he knew how much Leo hated drinking. "Cause we're not leaving his table until you do Raph." With Leo's gaze now on him, he took a swig. "How many messages does this morning's make?"

This morning's message had been the same as all the others.

~He rolled over, reaching for his nightstand at the familiar buzzing that seemed to haunt his dreams lately. As his cleared, the same message stared back at him. "3rd and Linker, rooftop, midnight. Please Raph."~

Raphael slammed his bottle back, downing it in a single go before wiping his mouth on his forearm. "What difference is it, Leo, hn? It ain't her, she's dead."

~That night he'd received the usual text and gone to meet her, only to find Nightwing in her place. He'd been standing at the edge of the building and turned to him as he approached.

"M.B. didn't send you the text tonight." He sighed. "There's something she'd want you to know…"~

He watched Leo sit his own beer down, a frown spreading as he met his stare. "Do you know for sure?"

"I've seen her grave…" Raph stood, glaring down at him as the chair he'd been sitting in scrapped against the floor. "…an' so have you."

Being the oldest came with its pitfalls, Raph knew this now. It had taken him years to see that he didn't want the responsibilities that came with being Leo. He knew Leo was just looking out for him but right now he didn't want him to.

His brother never moved, never raised his voice, just sat there; staring at him. "Look Raph, I wasn't out to piss you off…"

He snarled, his fists clinched and beginning to bleed again. "Well, ya did a piss poor job of that, didn't ya?"

Leo sighed, turning his attention turned to Raph's hands. "You're bleeding again." Their eyes met. "Why don't I wrap them for you?"

"Leave it." He turned, now just barley giving Leo his attention from over his left shoulder. "They'll either dry or I'll deal with it later, right now I don't care."

"All right, whatever you say." Raphael took a step way as Leo decided to ask once more. "Please Raph, just tell me."

Raphael was facing the hallway where their bedrooms were, no intention of answering but something in Leo's voice made him falter. His shoulders fell and he sighed. "Eight in a three-week span Leo, every other night. An' before ya ask, they're always the same. A rooftop, a time, an' a 'please'."

Without waiting for a reply Raphael had left the kitchen, knowing Leo would watch him stagger into his bedroom. Feeling defeated all over again, he collapsed onto his mattress just as a familiar buzzing drew his attention again.

Sighing he reached over his nightstand and retrieved the phone she had given him more than a four years ago. The message that greeted him nearly made his heart skip a beat. "Aurora."