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Leonardo

I half carried Raph through the sewer. He limped along, but an injury from his fall to his bad knee kept him supporting most of his weight. The whole time he swore and complained at me. "Well Raph, it wasn't my fault you were on that rooftop in the first place," I snapped at his latest complaint.

His only response was a glare that was far more hurt than angry. He pulled his arm away from behind my shoulders and limped to the sewer wall. Unsteadily, Raphael sat down and began rubbing his knee, wincing from the effort of walking on his own. Those piercing green eyes of his stared off in the direction of our home. The expression on his face was utterly lost.

"I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry Raphael."

"No, you're right. It was in no way your fault," I had never heard my brother back down and act so subdued so fast, "it was all mine."

"Raph," I used to hate the way Raph would criticize me. I hated how he had something to say about everything I did and how it was wrong. But standing here, listening to him giving up on himself, letting his fears and pain overtake his will, that was so much worse.

"Is… Donny okay? I didn't hurt him too bad, right?"

I sighed, the memory of why he had stormed off resurfacing, "He's fine Raph. Just a scratch… I should've warned the others about how you sleep lately."

He coughed out a quiet almost laugh before shaking his head, "I can't do this much longer Leo. I can't take this. I can't sleep, I'm seeing shit that ain't there, and now I'm even hurting you guys. I can't do this."

"Raph, you were nearly beaten to death. You had a friend betray you and then sacrifice herself so you could get away. You went through something no one should have to get you." I was glad he was willingly opening up to me, but at the same time his words worried me more. When he fell, it may not have been his doing, but what had he been thinking when he was on that ledge? I looked at my brother on the ground and all the times he had stumbled into our home or was dragged there by one of us, bruised and bleeding, flooded my mind. There were too many to count, and a secret toll was taken on him.

Raph groaned and wrapped his hand around the back of his arm. I didn't notice how fresh blood still ran from the new slit in the fabric. He had cut himself bad. If we didn't clean the wound out soon, no doubt infection could set in, and we would risk blood poisoning which was never easy to treat down in the sewers.

I knelt down to his level and rested a hand on his shoulder. He looked at me with tired eyes, "We can help you Raph, I can help you. You can heal from this."

His eyes widened on the word heal, as if it held another meaning to him. He sighed before beginning to push himself up again. I took my place under his arm and helped bear his weight. Together we began walking again towards home. Our footsteps echoed against the walls.

When we were walking, I nearly missed it. Just barely. Splash!

We both spun around. My arm that wasn't behind Raph's shell reached for a katana while my brother reached instinctively for the sai that were missing. I lead him over to the wall. Once he was leaning, I detached myself from his side. If there was going to be a fight, I would be ready.

I peered down at the heavily shadowed tunnel we had just passed through. The tunnel was black except for the occasional rays of light the passed down from the street drains, but even those added so much light. I drew out my sword all the way so that it hung heavily in my hand. We were too close to home, and I had to protect my family. Everything remained silent under my gaze. There was no more noise, no movement, until I noticed the piece of shadow darker than the rest.

My eyes narrowed, and whatever I had locked my vision onto noticed. The form tried to dart away but tripped. I grabbed a flailing arm and swung the figure into the wall. They collided hard with their left hand bracing against the wall over there head. Whoever I had was very thin and rather weak as well. They didn't attempt to fight as I twisted their other arm behind them, threatening to fracture the bone. A dark hood concealed their face.

"Who the hell are you? And what do you want? Who do you work for?" I twisted their arm slightly more and a feminine cry escaped. The hand holding my sword reached up and pulled down the hood, sure enough, revealing the face of a young woman.

She seemed familiar, but I couldn't recall who she could be. Her face was grimy and drawn out. Black, thick lines were drawn around her eyes but were faded and smeared like she hadn't done her makeup in days. Nearly white hair was cut chaotically in a short boyish style. Honestly this girl looked like she could head one of the punk bands Raph listened to.

The girl remained silent, her face pressed against the brick. In her eyes, she seemed to be in a state of disbelief as she looked into my face. Her lips parted but no sound came, as if she was struggling with what to say.

"Again, who are you? And what do you want?"

"Leonardo," she finally whispered in a voice that was nearly a sob. I held my grip but my expression softened. That voice… I can't place it, but how did she know my name?

Behind me, I could hear Raph struggle to stand. In my peripheral vision, I could see him clinging to wall for support as he stood. His face was awestruck and I knew right then he was right on the edge of shattering completely. Raphael looked so hopeful for once, but if something went wrong right now, I worried I would lose him forever. "It… it can't be."

At the sound of his voice her eyes shut. I watched in the dim light as a single tear ran down her cheek. In the weakest voice, like she herself would break too, she spoke again, "Raphael."

Raphael

There was a moment right there where I thought my heart would stop and never start again. That moment was when I heard her say my name. I took two shaky steps forward, one hand holding the wall. I stared at my brother pinning the girl to the wall. From what I could see over his shoulder, she looked nothing like the woman I knew. But that voice, it made me remember a rooftop from months ago.

"Let her go, Leo." I said weakly. I had to know.

He looked at me once, concerned, before dropping his hold and stepping away. After three steps back, he stopped and watched her with unmoving eyes. She stood there limply, arms and head hanging towards the ground. She looked so thin. "Face me," I ordered.

Her arms wrapped around herself before she lifted her face and with one step, faced me.

Those eyes… Although the rest of her had changed, those forest green eyes still held the same power to them. I walked towards her, forgetting the wall or my injuries. I silently stared as I moved closer. Her chest heaved under her dark clothing. When she looked back at me, there was a terror in her those eyes. When we were only a foot apart, I stopped all together and just looked at her.

"Well say something already, God damnit!" she screamed in the tunnel. Leo reacted by reaching for his other katana, but I waved him down.

"You're still alive," I finally whispered. She jumped forward and surprised me by wrapping her arms around my neck. Her face hid in my shoulder as she held tight like I may disappear any second. I placed one hand in between her shoulder blades where her hair used to flow past while the other touched the back of her head, holding her. I shut my eyes, overwhelmed by the moment.

She was back, Serena was back at my side again.