The Perfect Son

Disclaimer: I don't have the monopoly on ninja turtles.

Chapter Eleven- What about Leo?

Donatello:

Our session sort of lost it's momentum after Leo left, but Christine seemed suitably impressed by our skills and techniques, which in some way made up for Leo's lack of interest.

I could tell by Raph's glowering look that he wasn't amused either. His whole body was tense. I don't know what he was expecting from Leo, it was surprising enough, that Leo had agreed to watch some of our work out.

I had learned that some people when they got amnesia never recovered any of their memories, and others might recall a little something after many years of nothing.

It was rather disappointing though, especially when I realized how much time Leo used to spend in the dojo- practicing his moves, working with us to sharpen our skills, work harder or dig deeper. Now, it seemed he had taken up the life of a pacifist.

Mike escorted Leo and Christine back to their apartment and Raph waited until they left the lair before voicing his snide comments on Leo and his present attitude.

"At least he came here, and he did watch most of it. That was quite a step for Leo," I pointed out on my brother's behalf, "So he is trying Raph."

"Trying? Is that what you call it Don? He's trying all right…trying my patience." Raph growled.

"Well that is nothing new," I remarked dryly.

"I hoped when he went into his old room something would help him. Nothing! There was nothing on his face, being down here meant nothing to him. Don let me ask ya a question, you ever get the feeling that Leo doesn't want to remember us, or anything connected to us?" Raph insisted, "maybe, Don, Leo is happier the way he is and prefers us to just leave him the hell alone!"

"He'll remember, eventually Raph," I tried to assure him, though I wasn't so sure about that myself. "We just have to find the right key to open the door so to speak, and unfortunately this isn't one lock that we'll be able to pick."

Raph shook his head in irritation, "You and Mike fail to see the picture here. If Leo wanted to remember something by now…"

I quickly cut him off, "There is no proof of that Raph it just might take more time where Leo is concerned there is no set time for recall of memories. We can't go for a quick miracle cure because there is none."

Raph was starting to pace, he was getting antsy - a bad sign with Raph- and he was making me nervous. I hadn't seen him this angry for a while now. I felt closer to Raph now then before but I was still leery of the fact that Raph was clearly ticked off and barely containing it.

I knew Raph when he got like this, didn't react well to logic, and by all signs he was ready to blow and just looking for the perfect excuse to explode.

"Don, Leo is NOT who he once was, he has totally changed and he has no interest in fighting any more. It isn't like he's going wake up tomorrow morning and say - oh yeah, I'm Leonardo and I'm a ninja turtle," Raph snapped. "Your suppose to be the smart one here Don, figure it out why don't ya?"

"Raph I believe Leo wants to remember, there is just something that is missing between here and there - like wires that are crossed or something. He can't tell us what it is, and it might be connected to the fight that almost killed him." I pointed out logically.

"Yeah the fight that made him forget us, and become a pacifist" Raph growled irritably. He paused at the door way of the dojo and pitched a sai across the living room. It sank into one of our armchairs, like our furniture needed help in being destroyed. But at least it wasn't an electronic item that would need to be repaired.

"Amnesia is a tricky subject- difficult to diagnose and curing or dealing with such patients is hard to do." I stated casually, as I watched Raph stalk over to his chair and retrieve his weapon.

I really grew uncomfortable when I saw him start to toy with his weapon- Oh I did not like this, Raph wasn't through yet!

"There is your missin' connection Don. Leo's scared shitless, of being beaten to death, so he figures by not fighting no one is gonna hurt him. Only you and I both know thins aren't that easy" Raph's lips twisted into a grim sneer, "I might just kill him myself if he keeps this up. Hell did ya hear me lecturing him? I'm turning into him!"

"You seemed to be enjoying yourself at the time Raph," I commented casually, keeping both eyes on him. My body tensed ready to move. If Raph kept this up he was going be doing all chores for a week.

Where the hell is Mikey? I wondered and glanced at the VCR clock he'd only been gone for about fifteen minutes, not long enough to be back yet.

"I don't want to be Mr. Perfect, that is Leo's job. I was hopin' he recognize what was being said, and realize he'd heard it before," Raph snapped as he sent his sai across the room, it landed in the DVD player.

I gave a silent mental sigh, we lost a lot of electronics that way, though I have to admit that it had been a while since the last electronic device had died due to a weapon being tossed into it. As, I recalled it had been our stereo that had died and Mike had provoked it by playing some irritating song over and over.

Raph and I had always had a working relationship - he'd break things and I got to fix or replace them.

"Come on Mike!" I mentally urged my brother on. "Raph…"

"Don't you say it Don! I don't want to hear that Leo needs more time and to just be patient with him. I've heard all that, okay? What I want to hear is when, or if Leo will ever get any memory back." he raged, whirling to face me.

It took every nerve I had to stand there and look him in the eye, without cringing. I had a feeling, that no matter what I said at this moment, it would end up with me on the wrong end of his ever combustible nature.

"Hey, Raph I can hear you shouting about three blocks from home," Mike stated casually as he entered the lair.

I breathed a soft sigh of relief, and as Raph turned in Mike's direction I planned on getting out of the way of him and his anger.

"Don't tell me Mike, that perhaps you agree with Don here, about waiting for Leo to come around on his own sweet time?"

I froze as I neared the tunnel that lead towards the kitchen and my lab, wondering how Mike would answer this question.

Mike gave a grin, "Funny that you should mention that Raph. Christine put this note into my hand, when Leo wasn't looking. I guess, she's kinda worried about Leo's lack of memory too. I read it on the way home," He confessed as he handed over the folded piece of paper to Raph.

Raph arched an eye ridge and seemed to calm down a little. I decided to risk getting closer to him, if only to see what Christine had written to us.

Raph unfolded the paper, and began to read aloud.

Hi Guys,

I wrote this up ahead of time and I'm actually hoping that after tonight's visit that you won't have to read it.

Until you three showed up, Leo seemed keen on finding out who he was. Then you found out about him and coming around on a regular basis and while it was natural for him to reject you at first, by now he has plenty of chances to accept you.

Now, he no longer talks about wanting to remember you. In fact, much as I hate to say it, he has even told me he doesn't want to remember you or fighting in any way.

At first I thought it didn't count- that he was joking somehow. I've talked to him quite a bit about it. He wavers at times saying he does want his memory back and other times saying he doesn't care to.

I don't know what is going on. I don't know how to help him. I convinced him to go there tonight and it wasn't an easy task to get his grudging acceptance, but I hope that by being in his home he will get some memory of who really is.

However, if that doesn't work out I hope at the very least we can get together to talk about things -just the four of us without Leo. Call me at work tomorrow, so we can set something up.

Please, I don't think Leo is going to remember his past this way. We have to come up with some other plans or alternatives that we can try to help him come back to being the brother that you know.

Raph heaved a sigh as he finished the letter. "I'm glad someone besides myself agrees that Leo is going to need some other form of treatment then just giving it time and playing silly kid games of twenty questions and can you remember." He muttered before stalking towards the dojo.

Mike eyed the DVD player "Raph doing chores for the week Don?"

"If you wish to go convince him of that go for it, but if I were you I'd wait until he had some time to calm down first. I'm afraid of what he might do to me, if I tried." I informed him.

"Nah, I think I'll wait." Mike shrugged indifferently. "Don, Christine knows Leo better then we do now."

"Yeah, I know Mike." I said, not sure where Mike was going with this, but knowing he was going somewhere with it for he had a very serious, concerned look on his face.

"So if she is worried about Leo, not wanting to remember us. What will that mean for our family? I mean if Leo decides he doesn't want to remember us what then?" He inquired his eyes looked a little watery as if he was fighting back tears.

"I don't know let's just wait and see what we can work out together before worrying about that Mike," I soothed, "We will cross that bridge if and when we come to it. In the mean time help me clean up after tornado Raph's destruction path."

Mike nodded his head and bit his lip, "Okay but only if you help me do dishes."

"Deal Mike," I agreed.

Mike was right about one thing Christine knew Leo best and maybe if we worked together with her, we'd be able to break through the wall around Leo faster. It was the best we could hope for at the moment.

TBC