Well I didn't get this done before the move, but that needed to be done and I am happy to be all moved to my new place. Boxes are everywhere, but since I needed a break, I was able to finish this chapter. Not sure I'm entirely happy with it, but I hope you all enjoy it.
Chapter 24
Leo's eyes fluttered before falling shut again. His head pounded, his wrist ached, and his chest pounded. He felt the air flow in and out, pulling at his aching chest. He swallowed thickly. He was alive. That was not good. He wasn't supposed to be alive.
He failed.
His mind started to weigh down on him. His breathing increased slightly. "Why?" he whispered. "Why?"
"That's what I've been asking myself for awhile now," a voice pushed through his thoughts.
Leo pushed his eyes open and saw a blurry image of Raph. He blinked, the images clearing. "Where am I?" he asked faintly.
"Home," Raph said roughly. "Where you should be."
Leo sighed and let his eyes fall shut. "I don't belong here," he mumbled.
Raph scoffed. "That's not true and you know it."
"Whatever you say," Leo said. He didn't have the strength to go into an all out argument with Raphael. He didn't believe Raph, but wasn't going to say so. He'd just wait until Raph got fed up with him, then he'd be free to sneak out and try again. The second attempt would work. He was sure of it.
"Are you even listening to me?!" Raph blasted.
Leo sighed again and looked up at Raph hovering over him. "What do you want?" he asked wearily.
"You to just listen!" Raph yelled.
Leo winced, the yelling hurting his aching head.
Raph stood silent for awhile, breathing hard.
The silence stretched for quite awhile.
"Calm down before you break something," Leo said absently.
"Calm down? Why don't you calm down? You almost killed yourself," Raph growled, dropping down into the chair by the bed.
"Yeah I noticed," Leo replied, his gaze turning up to the ceiling. "It should have worked."
Raph grunted. "It's only going to work if we don't care."
"You don't."
"Yes we do."
Leo shrugged. "I haven't seen them come talk to me. I haven't seen you either. Or sensei..." He turned his gaze back to Raph. "You tried to kill me."
Raph seemed to instantly deflate. "Leo... I... I didn't meant to..."
"I just want to be out of your way Raphael," Leo said bitterly. "I don't want to hurt you. Or the others..."
Raph blinked and blew out a breath of air. "You won't hurt us. And I... I... I'm sorry. I never meant to try to hurt you. I just wanted you back. The real you. And I didn't have the patience to wait."
Leo listened to his words, but still felt bad. Still felt the pain of how he shouldn't even be here. But he also knew Raph almost never apologized. It was hard to ever get him to do that. "I forgive you," Leo said softly.
A tear trickled down the side of Raph's face.
Leo absently starting rubbing the wrist he had cut and then started to sit up.
Raph blinked back the tears and wiped his face with one hand while gently pushing Leo back down with the other. "You're not going anywhere."
"Raph..."
"No Leo. If I let you out of my sight..." Raph's voice slowly hardened back to his normal self. "You might try again."
"I told you I don't want to hurt you guys," Leo said firmly.
"And I told you that you won't," Raph stated more firmly. "I won't let you try again. The others don't want that to happen either. They care about you too."
"Then why aren't they here?" Leo asked, frustrated at being forced to lay back down. "Why didn't they come talk to me before? Why was I left alone in my room?"
"We did come to you Leo. Well mostly Mikey, but each of us did. I just chickened out every time when I tried to talk to ya."
"You? Chickening out?" Leo asked in disbelief.
Raph nodded. "Yeah. I did. Now what's it going to take to make you believe me? I never meant to hurt you. We all care about you. And you will never hurt us."
Leo took a deep breath. "I did hurt you guys. I attacked you, held Donny hostage to get you guys to the park..." His face twisted, his hand picking faster at the bandage on his wrist. "I hurt my own family."
Raph took Leo's hand, pulling it away from trying to pick at the bandage around his cut wrist, and gripped it tight. "You weren't you. Donny says you had amnesia. Had ya remembered, I know without a doubt ya wouldn't have hurt us. Believe it Leo. I ain't leaving 'til I've convinced ya."
Leo half chuckled, wilting into the bed he lay on. Something seemed to have changed inside him, like a realization, a weight lifting from his over burdened mind.
"What?" Raph asked, arching an eyeridge.
"You don't know how bad I wanted to hear that," Leo said softly.
Raph blinked. "Really?"
"Really," Leo repeated. He gave his brother's hand a squeeze. "It's still hard, but I believe you."
Raph laughed. "Good."
"Hey dudes, what's going on in here?" Mikey asked walking in. "Leo! You're awake. How're you doing?"
"Sore," Leo admitted. "But alive."
"You sure scared us," Mikey complained.
"I know. I'm sorry," Leo said as Don and Splinter walked in.
"There is no need to apologize my son. But do not do that again," Splinter said, a twinkle in his eyes.
Leo smiled. "I won't Sensei." It felt really good to smile. He was such an idiot, thinking how he had been. He looked around at his family surrounding him. He saw nothing but love in their eyes. His own eyes teared up.
"What's wrong Leo?" Don quickly asked.
"I've missed you guys so much," Leo whispered.
"Well, I have to admit, so have we," Raph spoke up.
"Big time!" Mikey added.
Leo's smile returned. "Thanks."
"No problemo bro. That's what family's for," Mikey said with a big smile.
Leo chuckled. It felt so good to do that. He really was needed, loved, and not blamed. Imagine that. He could see the truth in their eyes. And that thought warmed his heart enough to give him the strength to go on. To get back to normal. Because he was a part of the family. Because he was their brother, a son to Splinter. He wouldn't let them down. If he was ever to die, it would be in battle, not by his own hand.
"Hey Leo?" Mikey asked.
"Yeah Mike?"
"You ever wonder if the Foot wonder's what happened to Shade?"
Leo arched an eyeridge. He'd never thought of that. "Well I'm not going to tell them if that's what your asking..."
"No way! Leave them guessing," Mikey laughed.
Raph chuckled.
"One mystery we'll never help them with," Don added.
Splinter smiled slightly, but remained serious. "Do not over estimate them. They may find out."
Everyone stopped laughing.
"Never," Leo said. "We'll always be prepared."
"Always." Raph stuck his fist out.
"Ditto." Mikey put his hand on top of Raph's.
"Same." Don's hand joined in.
"Right." Leo slapped his hand on top of his brothers'. He looked at Splinter who nodded and gently laid his hand on Leo's.
"Because together we are a team," Splinter said firmly.
"Always!" the four brothers chimed in together.
---
"Shade is no where to be found," Hun reported.
Saki smirked, sitting at his desk, his hand folded and laying on the wood in front of him. "So he failed."
"Apparently."
A knock banged against the door.
"Enter!" Saki growled.
The Elite Guard entered and bowed before Saki. Rising, the first one took a step forward. "Tech division says the cure they made has disappeared."
Saki sighed. "Do not waste my time."
"We have found out who is responsible and have a video feed from the hidden camera."
"Show me!" Saki ordered. He was not pleased with these games of how his ninjas got to the point.
The Elite guard clicked a button and a hidden screen came into view, showing the video footage of Shade swiping the antidote and putting another vile in its place, before leaving the room.
Saki muttered under his breath. "Shade?" he asked, but didn't sound entirely surprised.
A tech came in and started messing with the video feed until it revealed Shade's face.
"Leonardo?!" Saki boomed, standing up from behind his desk, fists curled into tight balls.
Hun growled.
"He was supposed to be dead!" Saki roared. He picked up his gauntlet and slashed the desk in front of him, breaking it in two. "Find and destroy him!"
The End
And that would be the end of this fic. There could be a sequel, but I'm not sure. I might if you guys can convince me too and I'll add it to my list of fics to do. Be sure to go see my profile, there is a little one shot of what Leo was thinking when he had locked himself in his room right before he tried to off himself. I felt I had over passed that part too quickly and going back helped me with the ending. So go ready and enjoy that. And don't forget to leave a review for that and this. : )
