That's it, I'm impatient. I know I already posted today, but I'm posting again.

This is the second-to-last chapter. Be on the lookout for the epilogue!

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The look on Master Splinter's face was absolutely horrifying. It wasn't entirely clear what he was horrified about: the thought of Leonardo being buried alive, Donatello's claim that he was the one who caused Leo to be buried alive, or Donatello bursting into tears. Whatever their Sensei was thinking, he clenched onto poor Donnie as tightly as if action alone could convince the turtle that it wasn't his fault.

Donatello, for his part, would not stop crying into Splinter's robe.

"Donnie," Mikey said, softly coming up behind his brother, almost as if he was afraid Donatello would grab onto him and start crying on him, "It's alright, Don. It-it wasn't your fault. Leo would understand, bro."

"Ya didn't kill Leo." Raph spoke up calmly.

"Yes I DID!" Donnie shouted, turning to Raph ferociously, "Raph, we all know that you're in denial. But you do know that Leo is dead, because we buried him. And now we all know that I'm the one who killed him."

"But you didn't." Leo said firmly, although he knew Donnie couldn't hear him.

"It wasn't your fault," Mikey said, kneeling down to be at eye level with Donnie, "That Foot guy threw the sword. He's the one who did it, not you."

"But I...when I think about what I did..." Donnie buried his face in Sensei's robe. Splinter silently and soothingly rubbed his head.

"But it's not your fault." Leo said.

"My son," Splinter said, his voice full of sorrow, "It was a trick of the enemy. There is no blame on you for your brother's death."

"Guys, you should know that Leo ain't dead." Raph said.

"Knock it off, Raphie!" Don said, looking up to glare at him again.

"No, listen. I was just here ta talk to Splinter about what happened last night. Leo ain't dead." Raph exclaimed.

"They're not going to believe you," Leo said.

"Oh and what do ya want me ta do, send 'em up upstairs and show them?" Raph snapped at Leo, taking the others by surprise, "Guys, I've been tryin' ta tell ya. Leonardo isn't dead."

"Raphael," Splinter said sternly, "That is enough."

"Don't stop, Raphael." Leo encouraged.

At those words, Raph reacted. Maybe it was because Donnie was kneeling against Splinter's legs, thinking he killed Leo. Maybe it was that Mikey was trying and failing to comfort Donnie, and maybe it was the tears that were in the corners of Master Splinter's eyes. Maybe it was Leo, who for once in his life was telling Raph to go against Splinter. It might have been all those things rolled into one. But whatever the reason, Raph reacted.

There was only one way he figured he could get his point across. Well, there was probably more than one way, but he acted on the first plan that came to mind.

With a snarl, he reached out and grabbed Donnie, yanking him off the ground and away from Master Splinter.

There was a cry of surprise from Don, a cry from Mikey and some sort of gasp from Splinter, but Raph didn't let any of that stop him. He ran, carrying his brother up the stairs under an armpit. Leo followed close behind him.

"Raphael!" Master Splinter cried out after him, "What has gotten into you?"

Raph didn't answer, but he did reach his room. He flung the door open and tossed a very surprised Donnie inside, then closed the door behind him. That left Donnie inside the room and Raph outside to block the door.

"Raphael! Let me out!" Donnie called out, banging against the door.

"Leo is alive, Donnie!" Raph called out, keeping the door closed with sheer strength, "Ya didn't kill him!"

"Raph! What are you doing?" Mikey asked, finally arriving at the door.

He reached for the doorknob, but Raph slapped his hand away. Donnie started kicking at the door from the other side.

"Let your brother out this instant, Raphael!" Splinter told him, on his way up the stairs.

"Not yet," Raph shook his head, "Turn on the lights, Donnie. You'll see better."

The pounding stopped briefly as Donnie found the light switch and turned on the lights, and then it resumed.

"Raph," Mikey said, "You're scaring me, bro. Just let Donnie out, and we'll-we'll talk this over, alright?"

"Get inside, Leo." Raph told Leo, confusing Mikey, "We don't need ya out here anymore."

"Right." Leo said, choosing to walk through Raph and the closed door instead of outright disappearing like he had done the night before.

Raph shivered as Leo walking through, even though he still didn't feel anything. But that didn't stop him from blocking Mikey's next attempt to open the door.

"Ow!" Mikey said, cradling his slapped hand, "That hurt!"

"Sorry," Raph mumbled.

"Raphael." Splinter said, finally at the top of the stairs and making his way towards Raph, "If you do not let your brother out, we will be forced to attack and restrain you."

"Somebody please get me out of here!" Donnie shouted.

But Raph stood his ground. "Just turn around Donnie," he called out, "Do it quick!"

"What the shell do you mean by-Oh. Shell. SHELL, SHELL SHELL! RAPHAEL! What did you DO!"

"HE. AIN'T. DEAD!" Raph called out, before abandoning the door and throwing himself flat on the ground, "You KNOW that, Donnie!"

Instantly Mikey sat on his shell, and Splinter pinned him down. But Raph didn't move to stop them. He knew that at this point, he didn't need to.

"It is alright Donatello," Master Splinter called out, "We have him restrained. You can come out now."

"You can let Raph go," Donnie responded calmly from inside the bedroom, "He's not crazy."

"What? He practically locked you in his room! His own room! Wait. His own room? Who does that, anyway?" Mikey asked.

"Um, I think you guys need to come see this..." Donnie said.

Master Splinter picked up his nose and seemed to sense something in the air.

"No," he said, "It's not possible..."

With a single bound, he left Raphael and opened the bedroom door.

"Sensei!" Mikey said, immediately putting pressure on Raph to keep him pinned in place. He didn't really need to, Raph was already keeping himself as still as possible, but Mikey wasn't about to take any chances.

Then he caught sight of what was inside the room.

"Wait," Mikey said, "Is that-?"

"It is," Donnie said, tears streaming down his face as he held onto Leo's hand, "And he is alive. He's got the fever to prove it."

"Wait, what? How-?" Mikey asked, turning to look at Raph.

"Told you." Raph smirked.