I don't own TMNT.

It's Yours Forever.

Raph found himself that night, pacing outside of Don's lab.

"How long can it take to just check him over!" Raph shouted, knowing Don's lab was soundproof so he wouldn't hear him anyways.

"Calm down Raph," Mikey said, walking over and placing a hand on his older brother's shoulder.

A few hours prior, the youngest had been thinking of now seeing Raph as his oldest brother but everything worked out, everything would work out. Right?

"I can't calm down Mikey, I need to talk to Leo now. I need to talk to him before-"

"Before what?" Mikey asked, his bright blue eyes focused on his red masked brother.

"Should I really tell Mikey?" Raph asked himself in his head as he thought it over.

That battle on the rooftops would've affected all of them but something stopped Raph from blurting out the whole story. Was it his pride? Or his fear? Or did he just have too much pride to admit that fear. What was he afraid of? That Leo would hate him? Well, that was definitely one but something else was picking at his heart. He didn't know what it was until Mikey moved closer to him. As his youngest brother stepped towards him, he stepped away in fear. Not in fear of his baby brother but fear that he would do something else he might regret. After all, he was a monster.

What kind of brother destroys one of the most important possessions of his older brother and then knocks him to the ground before nearly shoving a blade through his throat? Oh…what kind of brother was he? He could vouch that he knew monsters that were kinder than that.

"I can't talk about it with anyone except Leo," Raph attempted to say sternly but his voice was long drawn out and shaky.

Then he turned towards the door as it opened slowly and his immediate younger brother stepped out into the main room.

"Well?" he demanded and stepped back when Don flinched from the loud volume of his voice.

Don took a deep breath, "Well, it seems that it was Mono that tried to kill him by using that stone hammer on his skull."

Mikey shivered at the thought while Raph growled at the thought of the giant of the stone generals.

"Anyways," Don said after he noted the shiver and growl, "I ran a cat scan and everything seems to be functioning perfectly."

"A cat scan? What's this have to do with cats?" Mikey asked.

"I took a picture of his brain, it's working," Don explained.

"Oh, why didn't you just say so?" Mikey asked, the child-like innocence in his eyes shining through.

Don sighed at the annoyance of his younger brother, "I did."

Then, the purple masked turtle stumbled back as his immediate older brother pushed past him and into the genius' lab.

"Raph," Mikey said and went to go after him.

"Donatello, Michelangelo," an aged voice said and they turned to see their sensei on the other side of the room, "Allow your brothers to be alone."

Inside the room, Raph found himself staring at what he had believed just hours ago was his dead older brother, but now Leo was sitting up, a look of hard determination on his face.

"Leo?" Raph whispered.

Leo turned his head sharply, the blaze in his eyes made the red masked turtle stumble backwards before he regained his footing. He then glanced at the ground, then the wall, the machinery around him, everywhere but at Leo. Unfortunately, he ran out of things he could use as a distraction and was forced by some unknown force to gaze into those eyes of dark chocolate that were now like ice. There didn't seem to be fury in the leader's eyes but some kind of unemotional shield he had raised to hide an emotion underneath. That hit Raph in the heart, did Leo think he needed to hide his emotions from his younger brothers? Why?

Raph took a deep breath and made his way to Leo's side, who was still sitting up on the cot that he had previously been lying on for hours, and tried to speak, "Leo I-I well I'm trying to-no I, there's just-that."

Raph stopped and grinded his teeth together, this was not working. He was more of an action person than a words person. That was the problem, Leo needed a verbal apology, consolable words, everything Raph couldn't bring himself to say. The opposite problem stood for Leo, Raph needed reassurance, overall, simple attention that had been absent from his life in the past two years. Before he knew it, the red masked turtle reached the side of the bed. It was a lost cause really, the one who needed physical assurance was trying to say the words the other needed while the completely silent turtle was searching for what he could do to give that physical reassurance.

Raphael was by far, the most undemanding of attention, not that he didn't need it. They both stared at one another in silence until Raph forced himself to swallow his pride and to just say what he wanted. He feared being judged, he feared it would make him angry, he feared it would cause him to do something stupid, and he feared his older brother would have to pay the price for his mistake yet again.

"Leo," he spoke quickly and quietly, "I'm sorry."

The eldest said nothing and the hotheaded turtle felt rage beginning to build. He closed his eyes in the rage. He had said sorry. Leo was supposed to say something! This is what Leo wanted right, an apology? Wasn't that it? Raph unconsciously tightened his hands into fists. Then, he froze at the feeling of a hand on his shoulder. His eyes flew open and he found the ice of those dark chocolate eyes thawing into a shade of warm brown. Leo spoke no words only sat up strait and stared back at his immediate younger brother. He let his eyes and actions speak for him. For a long minute, he just stared into the light cindering shade of amber before he pulled Raph close and hugged him.

Raph's breath left him as he found himself being hugged by his older brother. The last time Leo had shown any care like this for him was over six years ago. The last time they hugged was when they had just beat their younger brothers in their own tag team wrestling match. That had been six years ago though. After that Raph believed he simply adapted away the need for physical attention, he was content with a hand on his shoulder, or an arm slung over his shoulders, but now the world seemed to be spinning faster, life rapidly springing from empty space. With a million thoughts in his head, Raph hugged back.

"AWW!" Mikey cooed as he stepped into the room.

Raph and Leo pulled away from each other quickly, their faces glowing with embarrassment.

"OW!" Mikey cried out when Don's bo staff met the back of his head, "What was that for?"

"This is why they aren't closer," the purple masked genius thought while shaking his head.

Raph glanced at Leo out of the corner of his eye and realized that his older brother was smiling at the youngest turtle's unfortunate predicament.

"Hey Mikey, come over here," Raph said, no one noticing the evil smile spreading under the surface.

"What is it Raph?" Mikey asked as he walked over to his red and blue masked older brothers.

When in range, Raph reached up and smacked Mikey on the back of his head.

"OW! What was that for?"

Raph smiled as Leo chuckled, his chocolate eyes shining. Raph smirked and hit Mikey again. This time, Leo laughed.

"I think Raph found a way to make Leo laugh," Don said as Raph hit Mikey again.

"Must it be at my expense?" Mikey asked as he rubbed his sore head.

"Hmm, yep," Raph said with a humorous smile.

Sorry it's short, but it's happy. So there's the happy ending you wanted right? Well, the story's not over yet.

*Wearing evil grin*

Yes, I'm planning something.

Please review? Like ASAP PLEASE? I want to finish this so badly, but I need reviews for inspiration and encouragement!

See ya next time!

~Moonsetta