I hope you enjoy this chapter and thanks to Raph's No. 1 Girl for beta reading.
The characters don't belong to me, but the OC's do.
"Raph!" Mikey screamed.
Suri gratefully closer her eyes, relaxing in the turtle's strong grip that now supported her. Tears of joy and relief streamed down her face. She was safe.
"How did – " Leo started. Raph was still in the wheelchair, but he used one arm to hoist his whole body up so he was even with Shaun and able to allow his sai to meet flesh.
"Later bro." Raph growled, not bringing his eyes to meet Leo's questioning ones. "First I got ta teach some goons a lesson bout threatening my friends and family."
The turtle family sprung into action, weapons once again slashing the limbs and body parts of unfortunate humans, and dodging tranquilizers. Leo did a quick spin kick; bringing down three men about to surround him. Don put himself between April and the threat, his Bo spinning in a fluid motion between his fingers.
Mikey slowly, but surely, made his way to Raph's side, chucks knocking down men left and right. Raph, amazingly, was holding his own in the wheelchair, using one hand for his sai and the other to steer. The chair swung back and forth on its wheels, its metal glint and rubber handles and wheels now becoming bloodstained.
"Ya okay bro?" Raph called out, glancing at his brother while thrusting his sai into the throat of approaching man. Blood gushed from the wound as the victim sank to the floor and another took his place, just to meet the same fate.
"Yeah," Mikey laughed as he stepped aside, causing two of the goons to crash into each other, knocking each other out. Raph winced as he heard the sound of one human skull meeting another. "You?"
Raph chuckled, spinning his chair, amazingly keeping his broken leg out of harm's way. "I've never had more of a challenge kicking butt!"
"Don's gonna kill ya." Mikey warned, unleashing a powerful kick that broke the jawbone of the target. "If these guys don't get to ya first."
"Which do ya think I'll have a better chance with?" Raph joked.
Mikey paused a split second to rub his head, pretending to think hard. "Uh…with the look Don was giving you – the goons." He got back into motion as quickly as he dropped it. "I thought you would worry about Leo's lecture more."
Raph said nothing, only slicing his sai into another person.
"Raph?" Mikey worriedly looked over at his brother.
"Who said I was sticking around long enough to have that lecture?" Raph growled out.
The youngest turtle stopped, whirling around to stare at his brother in shock. "But…I thought you were back for good. You were gonna stay forever!"
"Nothing's forever Mikey." Raph sighed. "I'm going to stay long enough for Donny to patch me up then I'm out of here. Me, Suri, Joey and Sammy are all gonna head out again, look for a new place to stay alone. We're gonna be our own family, not a huge group of homeless looking for a roof and protection."
Mikey brought his chucks down hard on the last of the enemy's heads. He quickly glanced around, making sure everyone was okay and not down; Leo, Don, April and Casey, Suri and Joey. Everyone was there, standing, bruised and a bit battered, but alive. Then he directed his attention back on his brother. His wounds stung as blood lazily dripped down his arm from a cut, but the words of Raph stung like a thousand bees, except there was no medicine that could fix this pain.
"But Raph." He whimpered. He heard the footsteps of his family and friends come up behind him, but he didn't turn around. All his thoughts were on his brother before him. "You can't leave me again."
"Who's gonna leave again?" Don asked, his gaze traveling from Mikey to Raph.
"Raph is leaving…again." Mikey told them. Raph hung his head, as everyone got quiet and stared at the red clad turtle.
"You're leaving, Raph?" April whispered, clutching Casey. The man hugged the shaking redhead to his chest, one muscular arm wrapped around her slim shoulders.
Raph looked up at the group. "Yes. It was nice to see you all again but I've got to move on. Suri, Joey, Sammy and I are all gonna head out again. Find a new place, maybe somewhere in New Jersey." His gaze traveled on all of them, landing on Leo. The leader stared at his younger brother, unflinching, although on the inside he was breaking.
Not again.
"Are you sure about this bro?" Don asked hesitantly. There was nothing they could do to stop him.
"I'm sure Don." He gave his brother a grin. "I'll even let you have a quick check up before I leave, okay?"
Don relaxed slightly. At least he wasn't going to just up and leave with no warning. "Okay, but we need to head back to the lair. Sammy is waiting with Master Splinter in the van."
Together as a group they left the underground room. Suri stayed beside Raph, watching for anything that could jar his leg that had escaped the fight with only a few bumps. Raph wheeled along, pointedly ignoring Mikey's sniffles, Leo unusual silence, and Don's constant muttering to himself.
April was still tucked in close to Casey. This wasn't the first time she'd fought side-by-side with the turtles, or the first rescue mission she'd helped complete. But it would be the first time she'd come so close to losing one of the guys. If it had been any other person in there before her and Casey, or if they'd already packed up and left…Leo would be gone without so much as a clue or a remain.
Casey kept his arm around his girlfriend, not only to comfort her, but for himself. His best friend was leaving him, bound for who knows where. They may never see him again. Raph wasn't the one for visits or letters…when he was gone, he was gone. And that was the end of it.
Leo walked by Mikey, shooting his brother sympathetic looks. One of the hardest things about being a leader was not showing any emotion, but staying strong for the others. It would be up to him to fill in Raph's missing piece of their lives. It would be him filling in the muscle that Raph brought to the team and clan. Everything would rest on him. That was one of the consequences of being a leader; filling in every missing piece of the puzzle.
"My sons." Splinter greeted the group warmly as they all clambered into the van. Leo sat up front and drove, Joey beside him. Splinter started to hand out bandages, snacks, and canteens of water. "Are you alright, Leonardo?" Splinter asked, laying a furry hand on his eldest shoulder.
"Yes, father." Leo kept his eyes on the road.
"They didn't harm you?" Splinter twitched an ear at his son. Leo wasn't usually the one who gave his father brief one or two word answers.
"No father."
Splinter's eyebrow rose. "Joey, please take the wheel from Leonardo." Joey did as the elderly rat asked, quickly switching seats with the turtle. Leo then turned and faced Splinter.
"Yes father?"
"Leonardo, what happened in there?" Splinter desperately wanted his children to share their thoughts and feelings with him; he knew not only because it was unhealthy for them to bottle everything up, but also because he cared for them greatly.
"Nothing master." Leo bowed, consciously aware of the others' eyes piercing him. "Nothing happened inside. I wasn't harmed in anyway. He didn't lay one finger on me."
"Leonardo, I'm not only talking physical."
"Nothing happened." Leo tried to stress the words.
Splinter sighed, stroking his chin fur. "We will discuss this in the comfort of home."
"Hai, sensei." Leo clapped his hands together, bowing. He did it out of respect, (if he didn't, everyone would really suspect something was wrong if he wasn't respectful to Splinter) and because he wanted everyone to stop looking at him. Normally he didn't feel uncomfortable under his brothers' and friends' gaze, but…he just wanted to get away from it all. Because…he had a secret.
He had a secret he would never share. Not with his brothers, not with his father, not with April, Casey or Leatherhead.
He had never really experienced being bought and sold as property. Sure, he'd been captured by Shredder, put through unimaginable tortures to reveal information he'd die before letting him know, and been even captured by Bishop, about to be dissected. But one thing he knew was the pain would only last so long – Shredder would kill him or his brothers would rescue him. With Bishop he'd be dissected within a day; but those tortures would last a short while until he was dead or rescued.
If he'd been sold, and at the amount Shaun was going to sell him, he would've been well taken care of. He would've lived.
Alone.
For the rest of his life, he would've lived alone.
Death seemed too pleasant to him.
He would rather die and walk with his brothers as a spirit, than be sold and taken care of 'til he died, never to see his family again until they joined him on the other side.
Only those who were weak wished for death.
Only those who were weak wished never to be alone.
And if weakness was death over isolation, if Leo wished to die than spend his final days alone, then he was weak.
And a leader couldn't be weak.
Arriving home, Leo allowed his family to go inside. Splinter wanted to have their talk in the sewers where they would be alone and uninterrupted.
"So, my son?" Splinter asked casually. "Did you really think you could fool me? Am I just a foolish old rat to you?"
"No sensei!" Leo protested. "You're wise and sensible; a skilled and worthy opponent; you're a wonderful father figure to us all."
"Is that all?" Splinter raised an eyebrow. "Come Leonardo, I know I taught you better than that. A ninja is brave, worthy, honorable, courageous, and merciful. A ninja takes credit for nothing, becoming one with the shadows. A ninja sees everything that goes on around him, every movement, and every face. A ninja is a devoted warrior; dedicated to the art of Bushido. Tell me Leonardo, are you all that? Brave and courageous, while merciful and honorable?"
"I try to be sensei." Leo admitted. "I try to be loyal to you, not only as my master, but as my father. I try not to kill in battle, unless there is no other option. I do train every day, focusing and meditating."
"Tell me Leonardo, do you fear anything?" Splinter continued walking, his tail stirring up light dust.
"Not anymore sensei."
"Did you?"
Leo frowned. "Yes master, you helped me overcome my fear, remember?"
"I do my son." Splinter chuckled. "I do. Now tell me, did you still train to be a ninja even when you feared heights?"
"Yes. Ninja training along with your skills helped me overcome that fear." Leo said. "Why?"
"Leonardo," Splinter turned to face the blue clad turtle. His brown eyes starred into the ones hidden behind the mask. "You say you are a ninja. You say you fear nothing. I believe you are a ninja, a great and skilled one at that, however, you do fear something."
Leo froze, focusing on the sewer water. "What makes you say that sensei? I'm a leader and a ninja. I don't fear anything; my fear could get my family killed."
"Ah, my son. Are you sure your fear does not make you stronger?"
"Stronger?" Leo asked with disbelief in his voice.
"If you didn't fear for your family's safety, would you train as hard as you do? Your fear for their well-being has done nothing but make you a better ninja and a better leader."
"If I was a good leader, I never would have gotten into fights with Raph." Leo growled. "I…I just hate being weak."
"Weakness is not something to hate Leonardo. Weakness is simply realizing that we are not perfect and it makes us aware of the things we must work on to become stronger. Weakness is a reminder." He laid his hand on his son's shoulder. "Oh Leonardo, if only you could see that."
"But Raph's leaving…again!" Leo protested, holding his head in his hands. "I've failed as a leader and as a brother."
"Has Raphael walked out the door yet?" Splinter asked with a raised eyebrow.
"No."
"Has he arrived in his new home yet?"
"No."
"Then there is still time." Splinter told him firmly. "Even the worst injuries fade into scars of the past. Nobody is asking you to be flawless Leonardo. Nobody is telling you to be the perfect leader or brother or son. However, we are telling you to be the best that you can be. Not your brothers, not your friends, not I ask anymore of you."
"Then there's still time?" Leo didn't dare to hope. "There's still time to ask for Raph's forgiveness?"
"There is always time, my son. It's what we do in that time that is up to you."
"Thank you, sensei." Leo told him sincerely, bowing as low as he could.
"Go." Splinter waved him off with his hand.
Leo needed no further urging. Spinning on his heels, he rushed back the direction they came. His heart pounded in time to his steps, his mask flying behind him, his strength pushed to their limits.
There's always time.
"There's always time," Leo repeated determinedly. "I let my brother go once; I'm not going to let go again."
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It was more of a fatherly/son moment. Please let me know if you're still reading - reviews are needed and wanted ^_^
thanks,
~raphfreak
