A/N - Thanks to everyone who has been reviewing this story so far, really appreciate it! Sorry this one is a bit short, but it is necessary!
Hole: Splinter
I do not remember falling into unconsciousness. The last thing I recall is Raphael's agonized face as he tried desperately to keep me awake. Judging by the darkness that surrounds me now, it is a battle I clearly lost. I do not believe I am dead, although I can see no way out of this darkness. I must try. I hope Raphael has escaped; for once I hope he listened to me and found a way to save himself.
I must wake up. Whatever has happened I must know. Desperately, I force my mind to concentrate on my physical body, though I find the task much harder than it should be. As I force myself to concentrate, my mind continues to wander. I made the mistakes that led to this tonight. If Raphael has been injured I will never forgive myself. What kind of Father drives his own son from his home? I never got the chance to explain myself to him. I can't help but wonder what misconceptions he has held on to. It is no secret he believes I favour Leonardo, though I have told him multiple times it is not true. Does he also believe I care for him less than I do his brothers?
It hurt to hear Raphael say he did not need me; I will admit it took me by surprise. Given the way I have treated him, I should not have been so surprised though. Do Michelangelo and Donatello feel the same way? I always believed I had done my best to raise the turtles, but now I feel I have perhaps let them down. Even with Leonardo, I have done a disservice. He was always the boy most prone to copying his Father, and I fear he copied my dismissal of his brothers too.
No, this must not be the end. My sons are better than me. I must tell them, I must apologise. With all that has happened, Raphael should not feel guilty; this was not his fault.
Part of me wants to surrender to the cool comfort of the darkness around me, promising freedom from the confusion and pain. Nevertheless, I force myself forwards until some sense of reality brushes against my senses. When it starts, it does not stop as heaviness fills my body and a throbbing pain erupts in my left shoulder. The sudden onslaught of pain threatens to pull me back into the darkness but I must go forwards.
The closer I move towards consciousness the more disoriented I become.
What was I trying to do?
It's so cold. Except my shoulder; that is on fire.
Blindly I push onwards to try and escape this prison of pain and confusion, but it only gets worse.
I'm trapped. I must be.
There can be no other explanation for why my body is refusing to cooperate with me, and I can't move. There is sound now, and light. But I have no idea who the voice belongs to or where I am. I just know I must leave. This isn't safe. I must escape.