Kinda' ironic that this chapter is marked with an X, huh? Anway, I cried almost the entire time writing this. Let's say...Raph and I...we understand each other. I'll leave it at that. I'm sorry if I scared everyone with my last chapter. I love all your reviews. Sorry, I wasn't able to answer to all of them. Stupid work and sleeping pills. Anway, thanks for reading and enjoy. BTW, this is another song-chapter. The song is "No Way Out" by Phill Collins from Disney's Brother Bear. IT is so Raph's feelings, eh? (I love...dew!)

Disclaimer: I LIKE CHOCOLATE MILK! (Cheese from Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends)

Chapter X: Tower of Stone

"Ah, yes, the sea is still and deep, All things within its bosom sleep! A single step, and all is o'er, A plunge, a bubble, and no more." -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

"Calm down, Don." Don mentally scolded himself. "Don't jump to conclusions. Okay…jump is the wrong term to use here. SHUT UP, BRAIN!"

Taking a deep breath, Don peered upward. Did Raph hear him? Either he didn't or he was ignoring me. Either way, Raph kept climbing the stone tower. The wind was stronger as Don climbed closer to the top. A storm was coming. In the black, moonless sky Don could see the faint difference between cloud and night. The air was thick with aroma of the storm.

Everywhere I turn,

I hurt someone

But there's nothing I can say to change

the things I've done

Raph got to the top- no problem. Somehow it was like he couldn't feel how strong the wind was, how high he was, nothing. Nothing is what he felt. Hallow like the ink black sky above and twice as dark.

They hated him.

I HATE RAPH!

"Stop being such a hothead, Raph." Leo growled, "You almost got Donnie KILLED!"

Don started growling back, "Not when my own father needs me, okay? Not when I'm needed more at home! Where are your priorities, Raph? All you do is go on patrol, train, and drink with Casey!"

"You lied to us, you know."

"THEN STOP ACTING LIKE AN ASS!"

"Oh, really? Wasn't it you who said that this team didn't exist anymore? I know I messed up okay, but I want to you take some of the blame, Raph!" Don's voice was rising. "I can't do this anymore! I know I fucked up this family, okay? I just can't believe you would do this AGAIN!"

"You're impatient! HOT TEMPERED! And more importantly...I'm better than you."

"You've got to be KIDDING ME!" Laughing cruelly, Don added, "What fools we were! To believe that you've changed!"

I HATE YOU!

I HATE YOU!

Closing his eyes, Raph stood solid against the pounding wind. It was so cold here- alone on his tower of stone. There was something symbolic in that sentence. You could analyze it, pull every word apart, and put it together and get the same result.

Where Raph was in life was his own damn fault. He lied more than once to everyone he loved. He was the reason they were all suffering from that year. Raph was the problem. Raph was the reason, and they hated him.

However; no one hated him more than the turtle standing on the ledge of his own tower of stone.

Each line Raph read from Mikey's journal was the truth. It was blunt and far from pleasant, but it was the truth. Those words were what Raph feared, and now he knew the truth that Leo and Don hid from him. It was…surprising yet understandable that Mikey of all of them should come out and convict Raph. Still, he was…grateful. At least someone was telling how they really felt.

They hated him.

Raph hated him.

They wanted him gone.

Raph wanted him gone.

I'd do anything within my power
I'd give everything I've got
But the path I seek is hidden from me now

The wind was strong and growing stronger. Don's purple bandana tails whipped to his left. Light was something distant like the city's skyline or the occasional flight warning light that Don passed rarely. Mostly they were in darkness all the way to the top.

Looking up, Don saw the top edge but not Raph. Feeling is anxiety building, Don tried to push back that fear. Man, he was going to need ten coffee mugs after this, and maybe a anti-anxiety pill to knock him out for a week or two. Even Mikey's idea of a vacation was sounding good.

Don was so sick of thinking he could scream. Screaming sounded good actually. Add screaming to list of things to do. Anything sounded good but thinking. It was odd because of the obvious. Don was a thinking, and now he didn't want to think.

"Okay, nearly there." Don gripped the ledge and hoisted himself. He tried standing, but the wind was too strong. Giving a loud yell of dismay, Don landed right on his back. Standing again was easily and effective. His knees were still slightly bent to stop him from taking another fall.

Brother, I let you down

There was one option. Raph's family needed to be happy. Raph was destroying that happiness, so Raph had to leave…for good.

Looking down at the black river far below, Raph was soon faced with that choice. His eyes were dry. He couldn't cry. It would be pitiful and a lie to cry now. It would be just another lie on top of the countless others.

Like Mieky's journal said, this had been going on for years.

Raph frowned. Tonight, with one jump, he would end it…

"Ah, yes, the sea is still and deep, All things within its bosom sleep! A single step, and all is o'er, A plunge, a bubble, and no more."

No more…no more…


You trusted me, believed in me

Don saw Raph's back turned to him. His brother was on the edge of a 276½ foot drop to the water below. Sure they've been on higher ledges, but Don read Raph's intentions loud and clear as Raph leaned over the edge.


And I let you down

"RAPH!"

Don yelled over the gathering storm and the racing winds. Behind his yell was a desperate prayer. A prayer that Raph heard him, that he would turn around, and Don's worst nightmare wouldn't have to come true.

Thank God, Raph did hear, and he did turn around. Light was very limited here on the top of the tower of stone. Still they could see each other's faces. Don's face- full of fear yet broken with relief. Raph's face- full of something else yet broken with something stronger.

"Go home, Don." Raph said over the wind in a calm, empty tone.

"Not without you!" Don yelled back, finally standing tall. "What the hell are you doing, Raph?!"

Of all the things I hid from you
I cannot hide the shame
And I pray someone, something will come
To take away the pain!

Raph didn't answer at first, but stared with empty eyes. Not wanting to do anything to result in the unthinkable, Don just stood and waited. His heart was a flame with fear.

"I'm doing what I should have done a long time ago…"

How did it come to this?!

Tears filled Don's eyes instantly, and he yelled in a very broken voice, "Y-you can't do this!"

Raph reached behind his head and untied his bandana. Mask-less, Raph held the red ribbon in his hand. Looking to Don with a weary smile, Raph steeped two feet before releasing the mask. The wind quickly carried it, and Don caught it.

"I-I'm sorry…Donnie."

There's no way out of this dark place
No hope no future
I know I can't be free
But I can't see another way
I can't face another day.

Don was sobbing now, but he yelled, "YOU CAN'T! DAMN IT, RAPH!" Raph turned his back, and walked to the edge. "FINE!" Don reached back behind his own head and soon his purple mask was off. "If you go…I go too!"

There's no way out of this dark place

It was like someone had lassoed a rope around Raph's neck. Raph turned with complete anger in his eyes. It was the first recognizable emotion from Raph Don had seen in a long time.

"Don't…you…dare!" Raph growled.

No hope no future

Don took three steeps closer to Raph. His face frozen in determination. They were two inches from each other as they stood as statues on the tower.

"I won't leave you." Don growled, "You can't ask me to do that Raphael. Mikey and Leo would say and do the same. So don't you fucking dare ask me to leave."

I know I can't be free

They stared at each other with bear faces full of anger, but anger at what or whom?

"You hate me." Raph finally broke the silence. "You're just to nice to say it to my face. You have to cover it up with a lie. At least Mikey was the honest one, and now…I know how…"

But I can't see another way

SLAP!

Raph took the blow, and he still stood. The red mark where Don's palm made contact with Raph's face grew, but Raph still turned his cheek. Don was fuming now. Never had be been so angry at anyone ever!

"If you think that…then twenty years HAS BEEN A LIE!" Don yelled as loud as he could. Taking Raph's neck in his hand, Don jerked Raph's head to face him, "LOOK AT ME, BIG BROTHER! Look at me, and tell me again that I hate you!"

I can't face another day.

Raph was crying now. Broken sobs of a broken man. Don released Raph's neck in favor of a crushing embrace. It was like Don was holding Raph away from the edge of his tower.

"I love you, okay?" Don whispered through his own tears. "God, Raph! I love you! I-if you…I couldn't take it! None of us would." Raph was trembling now, and Don just held tighter.

Then it started to rain.

There's no shelter from the storm inside of me.

Yeah? People love me again, right? No more arrows? Anway, I should clear something. Ahem...THIS IS NOT INCEST! I just had to clear that up. Seiroulsy...ewww. That kinda killed the...mood, didn't it? I just wanted that to be clear. Okay? Okay. Anway, thanks for the reviews! This time I will reply to ALL OF THEM! Serioulsy, it's a goal of mine! This ain't the end, but it's close to the end!

As always, thanks for reading!

-Weezellee