The eldest closed his eyes and violently shook his head, emerging from a daze. Squinting through the fog that engulfed his vision, his blood ran cold as he saw an unsettling and familiar reflection in the pool of blood that had formed on the floor. However, recognising where the crimson fluid was coming from frightened him even more.

"No…"

His hand abruptly retracted from the blade embedded in Raphael's hand. Rising in fear of what he had done, he quickly and carefully reversed away from the scene whilst blocking the look of horror from Donatello.

As Leonardo sprinted away, Donatello rushed over to his injured brother.

"Raph? Are you okay?"

*Cough* "Does it look like I'm okay?" Raphael coughed harshly and winced from his pulsating wound.

"Don't move. I have to take this out carefully so as not to damage any more of the surrounding tissue."

"Let me do you a favour."

"Raph, NO!"

"AAAARRGHH! Sh…shell!" The red banded turtle cried out as he ripped the blade back through what was left of the local undamaged tissues. Donatello immediately applied pressure to both sides of Raphael's injured hand with a cloth, successfully predicting that Raphael was going to pull out the blade. Shock and adrenaline helped aid the injured turtle to a sitting position.

"Raph, you need to lie down!"

"Donnie! Go after 'im." Donatello cringed in response to his brother's display of agony.

"Raph, I'm not leaving you. You'll lose a lot of blood if I don't stem the blood flow right now."

"I'll be fine. GO! Leo may go after Mikey next."

"You must be delirious - Leo's our brother. He wouldn't!"

"You saw…what he did. We…can't…take that risk…" Raphael struggled to speak.

Donatello had an impossible choice – Raph or Mikey? Michaelangelo had no idea of his brother's current mental state. If he found Leo there would be no telling what would happen. But Raphael needed medical help. Without immediate assistance he could continue to lose more blood if Leo had hit an artery, or potentially develop an infection – which if left untreated could turn in to something worse and life threatening. Donatello quickly grabbed a large, clean dressing from one of his first aid cabinets and winced as Raphael shrieked from the extreme pressure applied to his injured hand.

"Raph? Listen to me - squeeze your hand like this, keep it above your chest and don't let go. I'm sorry it hurts but it is important you don't ease any pressure. Keep a strong grip. Can you do that?"

The red banded turtle shuddered as he deeply exhaled and nodded.

"I'll be back. I promise!"

"Donnie?!"

The younger brother looked back in angst as he reached out for his bo staff.

"Be careful."

Leonardo slammed his door shut and jammed one of his katana in the frame to prevent anyone from charging in. He held his head in his hands and continued to hyperventilate in shock at what he had done.

Why do you hide? You had the advantage

This can't be happening! Please, no! I would never…

But you did! You have always had it in you

You MADE me

You've always had that potential. If only your precious rat master were here to witness what you have done

What I have done is unforgiveable. I have dishonoured my family.

Did it feel good to witness your brother's suffering? To share pain? I guess for you it makes a pleasant change from watching your last beloved memory of Hamato Yoshi. Seeing him fall to his demise over and over…

Leonardo had no control over his dreams, nor his recent nightmares, so almost every night the Shredder would torment him even in his unconscious state by replaying his Sensei's murder. Sometimes he toyed with him more by placing Leonardo in Shredder's place to watch first hand.

My brothers will never forgive me for this. But…at least I can do one last thing for them.

And what is that?

I will not let you hold revenge on my brothers as you have had on me.

How do you know I do not already influence your brothers?

Sensei, forgive me for what I'm about to do, but I can't let my brothers suffer any more…

Turtle…

...

Answer me

Leonardo stared at his reflection in the mirror to focus on his cursed inner soul. In an attempt to block out the Shredder's voice, he began to meditate - honing in on the memory of defeating the Shredder's physical form once again.

You will hear me

The leader responded in breaking the mirror in a frantic attempt to break the spiritual connection between the Shredder and himself.

Now staring in to the flickering candles, Leonardo felt heat prickle against his skin as he scoured the rooftop for his nemesis once again, successfully returning to a meditative state.

You've been a thorn in my side long enough.

Leonardo cried out and clasped his head as a hot searing pain racked his mind. There was only one thing that could get him back on track. Subconsciously pulling out his personal tanto blade he began to dig in to his left forearm which was still limp from his encounter with Raphael. Leonardo had to dig deeper to feel the familiar sensation since his dislocated shoulder was affecting his circulation.

The next wave of excruciating pain suddenly emanated from his weakened shoulder as the Shredder strangled and twisted the limb. Leonardo then almost passed out from reliving the number of impacts his chest suffered thereafter. Feeling powerless from the beating, his concentration began to falter. His weary eyes wanted to close for the last time when a familiar voice summoned him.

Leonardo. Fear nothing.

I do not fear you.

"Leo? Are you okay in there?"

Leonardo tried hard to block out the muffled voice of his concerned brother on the other side of the door.

"Please, open the door, Leo. We can talk about this."

Donnie, I can't. I'm sorry. I have to stop him. Stop him from hurting us. It's the only way.

Stop this now, otherwise your brothers will be next!

NO! Stop this PLEASE! Leave my brothers out of this.

Whether I stop or not, I win.

Either…

You could do the noble thing and protect your brothers by surrendering yourself to me, in which case I will stay within your mind for as long, or as short, as you live…

Or you can die here and now, succumbing to your wish of everlasting peace, from there I will simply move on to torment one of your brothers. You would have no influence in which I choose.

"Leo! Open the door!"

What will your choice be?

Donatello slammed himself against the door which eventually gave way. He figured his brother had attempted to barricade it somehow. As he recovered his balance he was horrified at what he saw. Leonardo sat in the middle of the floor with shards of glass in front and a tanto blade in his right hand with a slick coat of red from a recent victim. Before he could say a word, Leo suddenly fell backwards and collapsed on to the floor, clawing at his head. Donatello froze in fear when he heard an unrecognisable cry of anguish that emanated from his brother's mouth. As his brother continued to scream, his back arched awkwardly whilst unintentionally turning on his side away from Donatello. The second youngest longed for this to be over. He felt hypnotised and powerless watching his vulnerable brother visibly straining to contain more outcries just before his body began to convulse. As Donatello cautiously knelt down to manoeuvre a blanket he found nearby under his brother's head, he spotted the blood that had seeped from the deep cuts the elder had inflicted on his own forearm to the floor. Donatello was too preoccupied though to notice that the new blood had also coated his brother's arm that hid previous self-harming wounds.

"Oh Leo…I'm so sorry."

It was an agonising wait for Donatello to watch his brother's uncontrollable spasms. He knew it was important to keep back and not to make contact during his seizure.

"This is all my fault."