Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT
*The guys are 25 years old in this fic.*
*I have the guys at about 6'2" in this fic*
Chapter Nine: A Challenge
Jamie had gotten home only a few minutes ago from work she groaned when she spotted the clock.
"Long night?" Mike asked as he made his presence known, grinning as she jumped slightly.
"You know…you are almost worse than Leo about sneaking up on people," Jamie chuckled.
"Nah…I do it on purpose. He just is so 'ninja' he can't help it," Mike chuckled.
Jamie laughed.
"Thanks by the way," Jamie whispered, "You're the only one who really seems to want to help me adjust here…I mean Leo…he's having a hard enough time so I don't hold him accountable and all that it's just…you're probably my closest friend right now."
Mike gave her a soft look, leaning back against the counter, elbows resting on its top.
"You're welcome. I just…I wish…Leo. It's hard seeing him like this," Mike whispered, eyes traveling up to Leo's room.
The bright blue eyes that usually sparked with mischief were dull with worry.
Jamie was silent.
"I know, I got so used to seeing him smile when he was around me that seeing him like this is very difficult. He's lonely you know?" Jamie replied, leaning against the counter next to him.
"Lonely?" Mike asked, turning his gaze toward her.
"It's part of his depression. He feels like he's not part of the group. It's hard to explain, he just feels like he's overlooked all the time," Jamie whispered.
"Like he's isolated?" Mike asked, frowning in worry.
"That's the word I was looking for. Yeah, he told Trish that the only time that he felt like he was actually included was when you were all in the middle of a battle other than that he felt like no one saw him," Jamie sighed, "He used to say that you all saw 'Leonardo' but not 'Leo'."
Mike's shoulder's dropped.
"I'm not saying that to make you upset, "Jamie whispered after noticing the pained look on Mike's face.
"No I'm glad you did. Helps me understand him more," Mike whispered, "…did…he ever try to…you know?"
"Kill himself?" Jamie finished bluntly, wincing as Mike flinched, "yeah. I got to see Trish talk him down once, scared the hell out of me."
"Once?" Mike asked, eyes widening.
Jamie rubbed her eyes.
"Leo was suicidal from the age of twelve to twenty-two," Jamie whispered, "He attempted suicide I think a total of ten times over that course of time?"
Mike squeezed his eyes shut and buried his face in a hand.
"Oh bro," he choked out.
Jamie put a hand on his shoulder and then wrapped him in a hug.
Mike returned it and froze as they came face to face as they pulled away from the hug moments later.
Neither dared move, eyes locked together.
They jumped as Raph's grouchy morning mutterings reached their ears and they pulled away quickly, leaning against the counter again eyes flicking back and forth.
They smiled slightly.
"Morning Raph," Jamie greeted with a grin.
Her endless attempts to get on Raph's good side never seemed to work, but it didn't stop her from trying.
"Whatever," he muttered as he stopped and stared at the empty coffee pot.
He grunted grouchily and moved to start making some.
"You should probably try to get some sleep before class," Mike whispered as he glanced at the clock.
6:30am.
"Don't have class," Jamie replied with a grin, "Christmas break started at midnight. Last final was yesterday."
"Nice," Mike said with a grin.
"Too early to be happy…shut up," Raph muttered as he stood arms crossed over his chest and glared at the coffee pot.
"Oh quit being a sour puss," Jamie chuckled, sticking her tongue out at him.
He turned his glare on her, eyes narrowing dangerously. Amber orbs blazing with a fury that make Jamie realize she'd teased him a bit too much. He view was cut off as Mike planted himself firmly in front of her and eased into a semi-defensive position.
Icy blue dared furious amber.
Raph grunted and turned heel retreating to the dojo.
"That was scary," Jamie managed after a minute.
"He's not a morning person and he's still pissed about Leo and Trisha," Mike mumbled,"please be careful about getting on his nerves…"
Jamie did something surprising she rose onto her toes and gave him a peck on the cheek.
Mike tensed and then blinked in surprise as the young woman waved to him as she sauntered towards her room.
"You're drooling," Don chuckled.
Mike nearly jumped clean out of his shell.
"Shesh Donnie," he yelped.
Don laughed.
"You do realize you're nearly six years her senior right?" Don asked skeptically.
Mike blinked and sighed.
"Yeah," he muttered bitterly, "humans do that though? Right?"
Don nodded thoughtfully.
"Some do," Don answered, "but…I'd be careful Mike. Jamie's a touch eccentric, could just be flirting out of curiosity. She also might not have meant anything by that kiss."
Mike sighed and leaned heavily on the counter, head dropping into his hands.
"Yeah I know," he mumbled.
Don patted him on the shoulder.
"Any sign of Leo so far?" Don asked, gently changing the subject.
"Nada," Mike replied.
Don sighed and rubbed his neck in worry.
"He's not eating again," Don muttered.
"Yeah, shall we hold him down and force it down his throat?" Mike asked with a mischievous grin.
"Sadly he probably wouldn't fight back," Don muttered.
Mike's shoulder's dropped and he sighed sadly.
"Probably right," Mike muttered, arms crossing over his chest, chin pressing against his plastron.
Don gave him a sad smile.
"He'll come around Mike. He's tough," Don whispered.
"Not as much as we all think," Mike whispered causing a frown from Don as he told him what Jamie had revealed.
~DOJO~
Raph flipped the lights on in the dojo without stopping to make sure that Leo wasn't meditating.
Not that he'd care anyway at this point.
"Morning Raph," Leo muttered as the calm that had been around him, vanished the instant the lights flicked on.
The crushing weight of his depression slammed into him almost instantly.
Raph turned and glanced at Leo who was slowly getting to his feet. Raph approached him and got in his face.
"Why?" he hissed ,"why tell me I can't and you go ahead?"
Leo shrank back, suddenly uneasy with Raph's presence.
"Raph I," Leo started.
The punch happened too quick.
Leo hit the floor, clutching his jaw. He seemed to shrink back even more.
"Raph," he choked, "…please let me explain."
He grunted as Raph's foot connected with his stomach.
Then it was like a crack in a dam, Raph exploded. Leo's gasped pleas fell on deaf ears as he struggled to get up then to get away.
He just didn't have the strength physically nor mentally to defend himself.
Leo began to convulse as a seizure started. Raph jerked him upright as Leo struggled with the seizure and threw him against the wall.
"Answer me!" Raph snarled, then froze as he realized his hand was around Leo's throat, the other pinning him to the wall and Leo was convulsing in his hands; body jerking and straining, fingers scraping against the wall.
Raph jerked back, letting Leo go. He hit the floor, hard, and gave a particularly violent shudder before going limp. Blood stained the tatami mats and ugly bruises were forming. Raph struggled to find words to call for help it seemed like hours before he managed to shriek Don's name.
Mike was the first one there.
"LEO!" Mike cried out in horror and then his icy blue eyes snapped to Raph, "GET AWAY FROM HIM!"
Didn't have to be a genius to see the bruises around Leo's throat and the angle in which Raph was kneeling next to Leo.
Don burst in and stutter stepped at the sight before charging forward to kneel beside Leo.
"GET BACK!" Don snarled at Raph as he tried to help, "you've done enough!"
Raph jerked away and retreated to the far side of the dojo, watching with tears streaming down his cheeks and chest heaving as Don started CPR on Leo.
Splinter and Jamie joined them after Mike scrambled out to fetch medical supplies and Leo's medication.
Raph shrank into the shadows of the room and stayed there long after the family had moved Leo into the infirmary.
Hours later Splinter entered the dojo.
"Raphael," it was an order.
Raph slowly moved forward and dropped into a kowtow position, face on the floor and hands limp in front of him while he rested on his knees.
"My son," Splinter sighed, "so much anger."
Raph trembled before speaking.
"Watashi wa watashi no meiyo o kaifuku suru kyokawokou sensei, watashi wa seppuku suru kyoka shite kudasai," Raph whispered, "Watashi wa jibun jishin rippana senshi to yobu ni ataishinaidesu." (Sensei I beg permission to commit sepukku, allow me to reain my honor. I am unworthy to call myself an honorable warrior)
"Īe, watashi wa anata ga sore o fukugen suru tame ni okonau hitsuyō ga arudarou nanika o motte iru," Splinter replied, resting a hand on Raph's skull. (No, I have something else I'd have you do to restore it.)
Raph trembled.
"Remove your mask and weapons and give them to me. For the next two months you will tend to your brother's health. During this time you are forbidden from speaking to anyone other than Miss Jamie or Leonardo. You will spend One hour everyday with Jamie, training with her and One hour getting to know her. You will not train otherwise, and every other moment you are awake you are to stay by Leonardo's side and regain his trust as well as repair your relationship. You will get to know your brother and understand why you did what you did." Splinter ordered.
Raph trembled from his place on the floor before nodding and struggling to contain a sob.
"Jealousy will destroy you more effectively than rage. Do not let it control you," Splinter comforted.
A/N: Sorry for the long wait! Been busy with college and all that, here ya go now please leave me a review!