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CHAPTER THREE

Raphael was not in his comfort zone right now. Mikey was sobbing into his shoulder. Leo was sitting on the other side of Mikey, telling him things to calm him down. Probably forgetting that, unlike Raph, Mikey couldn't hear him speak.

Mikey had just mentioned Leo promising to play a video game. Imaginary Leo had told him the same thing earlier. That meant that Leo...This Leo in front of him...he was not imaginary.

He came to this conclusion just as Leo stopped trying to talk to Mikey.

"It's alright Raph," Leo said, turning to speak to Raphael, "Let him...let him cry it out. I don't think he's cried yet. It'll do him some good, won't it?"

"You're real," Raph said to Leo.

"Wha-wha-what?" Mikey asked, looking up at Raphael with red eyes.

"Nothin'," Raphael said, pushing his brother's head down again, "Mikey, it's okay."

"No, it's n-n-n-n-not!" Mikey said, and he cried even louder.

"Yes, I am real," Leo said, "I tried telling you earlier."

Raphael didn't say anything. He didn't want Mikey to hear him speaking to Leo again. The blue masked sighed, and moved from his spot next to Mikey to stand in front of Raph.

"Raph," Leo said, "I know this is weird, shell, it's weird for me too. But I'm not going to hurt you. I don't even think I can. I do want to help."

Raphael raised an eye at him and then gestured with his head toward the still-crying Mikey. It clearly meant, can you help me out with this then?

Leo chuckled. "Like I said, let him cry it out." He said.

"Raphie?" Mikey asked.

"Yeah?" Raph said.

"Can you...can you take me to see Splinter?"

Splinter. Who was just downstairs. Mikey could just walk there himself. But he wanted Raph to walk down there with him.

"Yeah. Sure I will," Raph said, standing up and pulling Mikey up with him, "Come on. Let's get out of here."

"Do you...do you think Splinter'll mind if I go to him?" Mikey asked, sniffling, "I mean, he's got to be upset himself, and-"

"It's fine, Mikey." Raphael said.

Raph didn't let go of Mikey until he was safely in Splinter's arms. And then, while his brother still sobbed, Raphael went to the kitchen. He was shivering as he grabbed a soda. Having Mikey cry on him like that...and realizing that Leo was some sort of ghost...

"Well done," Leo said, entering the kitchen.

"Yeah," Raph said, "But that wasn't fun."

"It never is," Leo agreed, "But it was a good thing that Mikey asked to see Splinter. They can both grieve together now."

"Yeah," Raphael said. "So you're really you. Not my imagination."

"That's right," Leo said.

"So what gives? How are you, you know, here?"

"I don't know Raph," Leo said, "But I promised to help you guys out. I'm not leaving you."

"I was afraid o' that," Raphael said, putting down his soda. "Listen bro, I'm not so sure I can do this."

"Do what?" Leo asked.

"The whole you thing," Raph said, "I can't pretend ta be you."

"You don't have to," Leo said, "Stay the same cranky old Raph. I'll just give you a few pointers every now and then."

"Yeah? Well, maybe I don't want ta be leader," Raph said.

"Raphael," Leo said seriously, "Don't look now, but you're the only one who can pull our family back together. Look at what you just did with Mikey."

"Leo, anyone coulda done that," Raph said.

"But no one did." Leo said, "No one except you even tried. Raph, Splinter's upset. Really, really upset. He's just hiding it better than Donnie and Mikey. They're all upset, Raphael. Please."

Raph looked at his brother.

"Fine," he said, and Leo's eyes lit up, "But I ain't gonna argue with you when there's other people around. I don't wanna look like a nutcase."

"Raphael," Leo said, "Thank you."

To Raph's surprise, Leo suddenly jumped at him in a hug. But he went right through him.

"Whoa!" Raph said, stepping back, "What the shell was that?"

"Shell," Leo said, stretching his arm out towards Raph. It went right through his chest, and Raph quickly pulled himself back even though he felt nothing.

"That felt...strange," Leo said, staring at his fingers, "Different from when you went through me earlier."

"Leo? Don't do that again," Raph said, shivering. "That was creepy."

Leo sighed. "Yeah," he said, "I guess it was."

"So, um," Raph said, trying to change the subject, "Donnie."

"Right," Leo said, looking up. "We should check up on him."

The two of them made their way up the stairs to Donnie's room.

"You should probably knock this time," Leo said. Raph just rolled his eyes and opened the door.

Donnie's room was completely dark. Raph made his way to the dark mass that was Donnie's bed, and looked down.

"He's sleeping." Leo whispered.

Not anymore. Donnie's eyes opened.

"Raph?" He asked.

"Hey Don," Raph said, "Um, go back ta sleep."

"'Kay," Donnie said, his eyes closing again.

"Might want to straighten his blanket," Leo whispered. Why was he whispering? It wasn't like Donnie could hear him.

Raph straightened out Donnie's blanket and tucked his brother in. He rubbed his shell a few times, hoping it didn't come across as schmaltzy or something, and then retreated out the bedroom door again.

At least that wasn't as bad as what happened with Mikey.

"Now for April and Casey." Leo said, all traces of whispering gone.

"What about them?" Raph asked as they made their way down the stairs again.

"They still don't know what happened." Leo said.

Raph stopped. "What?" He asked, "How could they not know-"

"You guys tried saving me in the Battleshell," Leo said, "But they weren't there."

"That's right," Raphael said, "Shell, that means I'm gonna have to..." He broke himself off before he could finish the sentence.

"I'll be here with you the whole time," Leo said.

They were silent for a minute.

"Alright," Raph said, "I'm gonna...I'm gonna tell Splinta what I'm gonna do."

He walked over to Splinter's room and poked his head in the door. Mikey was asleep on Splinter's lap, and Splinter was softly crying.

Raph tried not to focus on that.

"I'm gonna call Ape and Case," he said, "Let them know what happened."

Splinter didn't look up. But he did nod. "Thank you," he said.

Thank you? Oh. Because then Splinter wouldn't be the one to tell them.

"Uh, sure." Raph said. He grabbed the shellcell on the table that Leo pointed out to him and walked over to the kitchen, so his Sensei wouldn't have to hear what he was saying-wait a minute.

"Hang on," Raph said, holding up the shellcell, "Whose is this?"

Leo looked at it in surprise. "I don't know. Here, you want me to check for you?"

He reached forward and tried grabbing the shellcell-but his hand just slipped through it and Raph's hand. Raphael shivered, even though he hadn't felt anything, and pulled his hand back as if it was on fire.

"Don't do that," he said.

"Sorry," Leo said.

"Let's worry about whose it is later," Raph said, "I gotta call April and Casey."

"Right," Leo said. "Raph..."

"What?"

"Go easy on them," Leo said.

Raph huffed, and started dialing April. It rang twice before someone picked up.

"Donnie?" April said sleepily.

"It's Raph," Raphael said. Figures he was calling from Donnie's cell. The turtle sometimes left his gadgets lying around when they weren't topside.

"Raph," April said, "Finally! We were up all night worried sick. How's Leo?"

This was fast. Too fast. Barely ten seconds into the call and they asked about Leo.

"Is he alright?" April asked.

"Raph, you have to tell her," Leo said.

"Raph? Are you still there?" April asked, "Oh hey Casey, it's Raph. I was just asking him about Leo. Raph?"

"Yo Knucklehead," Casey said through the phone, "Everythin' all right over there?"

Great. Now Casey was there too.

"It wasn't their fault," Leo said, looking seriously at Raph, "Raph, tell them it wasn't their fault."

"It's bad," Raphael said, finally gaining his voice, "But it ain't your fault."

"How bad is it?" April asked, "Does Donnie need any more supplies? Casey and I could rush over there right away-"

"No," Raph said, trying to force his voice to stay neutral. "We don't need any more supplies."

"Raphael." Leo said, "Just say it."

Raphael opened his mouth and then closed it again.

"Raph?" April asked, her voice sounding scared.

"Leo didn't make it," Raph said.

He wasn't sure what April and Casey said next. All he heard were his own words. Leo didn't make it.

"-aph," Leo said, startling him out of his thoughts, "April and Casey are trying to talk to you."

"Huh?" He asked.

"Raphael. What happened? You stopped talking there for a minute." April was saying. She sounded a little mad at being ignored.

"You okay Bud?" Casey asked.

"Yeah, yeah I guess," Raph said, "Listen, sorry ta tell you guys over the phone. We're not leavin' the Lair today, but we thought you should know."

"We're coming by tonight for dinner." April said softly.

"That's okay, you don't have to-" Raph said.

"I'll be the judge of that, Raphael." April said, "I'll bet you guys haven't eaten all day, have you?"

"Ape," Raph said. Leo started chuckling.

"Don't ya think they need alone time?" Casey asked.

"No." April said, "Raph, we'll be there at six."

"But April," Raphael started to say.

"Don't you 'but April' me!" April exclaimed, "Raphael, this doesn't just affect you. We all need to stick together here. Do you think Leo would want you guys to go hungry? Don't bother making anything, I'm bringing dinner. And Casey, don't wear those sweatpants with the holes again."

"Yes April." Casey sighed. "Guess I'll see ya later, Raph."

"Yeah," Raph said, "Right. See you guys later."

He hung up the shellcell.

"Just like April," Leo said, shaking his head with a smile, "She's always got our backs, doesn't she?"

"Yeah," Raph said.

"You know what she said? That this doesn't just affect you?" Leo said.

"Whaddya mean?" Raph asked.

"I mean that she's really upset," Leo said. "This is her way of dealing with it: taking care of my family."

"Huh." Raph said.

"Better let Splinter know," Leo said.

"Know what?"

"That we're having guests for dinner?" Leo suggested.

Raph groaned, and stomped his way back to Master Splinter. Why was he suddenly in charge of doing everything?

Oh. That's right. It's because Leo died and left him in charge.

"Masta Splinta?" Raph said, peeking into his Sensei's room. Mikey was still asleep on Splinter's lap.

"Yes, Raphael?" His father asked.

"Um, I told April and Casey," Raph said, waving around Donnie's shellcell, "And um, they kinda invited themselves over for dinner."

Mikey stirred. "What?" He asked. Guess he wasn't as asleep as Raph had thought.

"Yeah um," Raphael said, "We-um, I think that's how April's dealing with this."

"They can't come here," Mikey said, sitting up. "We're not ready."

"My son," Splinter said, "When will we ever be ready?"

"They're coming at six, Master," Raph said, "It really hit them bad."

Splinter nodded. "It is good for family to stick together," he said. "Michelangelo. Perhaps you would be up to making them some dinner?"

"Ape said she had it covered Sensei," Raph interjected.

"I see." Splinter nodded. "Perhaps some dessert then?"

Mikey nodded. "Yeah," he said, getting up from Splinter's lap, "Yeah, I could make them something."

"Thanks Mikey," Leo said. But of course only Raph heard him.

"I'll just go get my cookbooks," Mikey said, passing Raph and Leo and heading for the kitchen.

"Raphael," Master Splinter said, "Please let Donatello know about our guests tonight."

"Sure Sensei," Raph said, "Just as soon as he wakes up."

"Good," said Master Splinter. He looked down at the floor of his room and sighed. "Perhaps I should help Michelangelo in the kitchen." he said, getting up.

"What did he just say?" Leo asked.

"Um, Sensei?" Raphael asked.

Master Splinter hadn't cooked in the kitchen in years.

"It is not good for some people to grieve alone," Splinter explained.

"I wonder if he's talking about Mikey, or himself." Leo commented to Raph.

"My son," Master Splinter said, grabbing ahold of Raphael's arm, "Please. Stay strong."

Raph could only nod. "Um, here," he said, grabbing Master Splinter's arm, "Let me help ya to the kitchen."

"My son, I am old, not feeble." Splinter responded, but he didn't take his arm away.

As soon as he left Splinter in the kitchen with Mikey, who didn't seem at all shocked by Sensei's sudden desire to bake, Raphael went back to the main living area and sat on the couch in front of the tv.

"So," he said, looking at Leo who joined him on the couch, "Now what?"

Leo shrugged. "Now we wait, I guess," he said. "Maybe turn on the news?"

"What, today?" Raph asked, "After what happened last night?"

"Come on, Raph. We need something normal to happen around here." Leo argued.

"Raph," called a voice from upstairs.

"Yeah Don?" Raph called back up.

"Can you come here for a second?"

Raphael pushed himself away from the couch and made his way upstairs.

"Just so ya know, Don, April and Case are comin' over fer dinner at six," he called up as he went.

"Oh. Ok." Donnie responded. "Um, Raph? Can you help me out with something?"

"Sure Don, what is it?" Raph asked, finally entering Donnie's room. The turtle was sitting up in his bed.

"Whoa," Leo said, looking off into a corner of Donnie's room, "What's with the staff?"

Raphael turned to see what Leo was looking at. The purple ribbons on Donnie's bo staff were gone; it was just bare wood now.

"Donnie," Raphael said, "What happened to your staff?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Don said, sitting up straight as if to prepare himself for something important. "Raphael, I need you to do something for me."

"Sure Don, what is it?" Raph said, sitting on Donnie's bed.

"It's, um, it's hard."

"Just tell me what it is already," Raphael said.

"Raph. Don't push him." Leo suggested.

"Raphael," Donnie said, "I need you to take care of the body."

Leo stiffened. Raphael froze. "The what?" Raph asked.

"It's...I couldn't move it. I couldn't even look at it. It's still in the Battleshell," Donnie said. He looked up at Raphael with watery eyes. "Please." He asked.

Raph gulped. "Um. So, what d'ya want me ta do?" He asked.

"Move it out of there. Ask...ask Splinter what to do. Please. I just...I can't do this."