A/N: Four chapters in a week, I'm getting a hang on this momma thing. I write - when he naps. It works lol! Thank you so much for the reviews and the congrats on baby ! I'm grateful, as always for thoes who take the time to read and review my little stories. Thanks so much.

Disclaimer: No I don't own TMNT, … Cause then I'd be rich, which I 'm not.

"No Leo, You didn't."

Leo froze. His eyes still hovering on the old rat's weary features. Splinter had his gaze above Leo's head to the voice which now spoke from behind them.

Leo wasn't sure he remembered how to breathe as he tried to gain the courage to turn around. How? Could he really be there?

No. Don't kid yourself Leo. This must be one elaborate ruse by Bishop. He was taken…his brothers were killed.

He had never really left that dark place.

As what little hope he had gained from the warmth of his Sensei's candles left him, the voice spoke again.

"You did what ya could. We all did."

Leo blinked as Splinter rose and let his hand touch warmly on Leo's trembling shoulder, as he walked past him. The thought of Splinter leaving caused him to shake from the fear long enough to turn.

"Please! Father, stay. "

Splinter turned with a gentle expression clinging to the eyes which held pain at the desperation in his eldest son's voice.

"I'm not leaving you, My Son. I mean only to turn on the light." He offered and waited until Leo slowly relinquished his hold on his arm.

Once free Splinter moved toward the light. All the while Leo's eyes followed him, up the stairs, and past the doorway. He was certain if he blinked all would go back into that darkness.

As his master crossed the threshold his eyes shifted past the turtle which stood there, only halfway noticed in the desperation to keep his master in sight.

Wait.

His eyes slowly moved from the rat to the turtle which stood in the doorway. He was thin, painfully so. Which gave Leo a moment to wonder if he looked the same. He didn't wear a bandana but Leo had never needed such simple things to tell his brothers apart.

Brothers.

He must have been starring because after a moment the other turtle shifted. Seemingly just as unsure of the moment as Leo, who still knelt on the ground by his father's candles. The other took a deep breath and swallowed heavily.

"Hey."

So simple but clean, and very much there. The other started walking towards Leo. His gait was off. He wore his share of sores on his body, from sitting on the concrete for so long. He came to stop beside Leo, hovering for a moment before offering his hand.

Leo wasn't sure how long he had been holding his breath until he reached out for that hand and felt the other tighten his grip in response. That touch, that simple contact, made it clear he was there and Leo exhaled. Only to take another breath in sharply as he rose to his feet.

Nearly eye to eye but not quiet due to the slightest difference in height.

"Raphael?"

His voice was hoarse and uneven to his ears.

They both stood for a long moment until the other gave a tug on Leo's hand and brought him into an embrace.

To hell with the badass premise, he was certain he would never see his big brother again -Alive or otherwise.

At first Leo was stunned, still to afraid to believe it was real. The uneven breathing from his younger brother in his ears, the callused hand on the back of his neck, each element drawing together in some form of reality. He tightened his arms in reply.

In moments such as these one tends to notice the oddest things. Such as the way his younger brother's breathing was uneven, and shaky. From anyone else he would have said he was crying. But not Raph. That's just not how these things worked.

A furred hand on his arm and the brightening of the room reminded Leo of his father's arrival on the scene.

Leo drew back though, not completely withdrawing his arm from around Raph's shell to look at his father.

A sideways glance to Raphael as he noticed a quick swipe of his forearm across his eyes.

"Welcome home my son."

Leo looked back at his father who seemed a little blurry to him. It was only then, he noticed - he was crying too.

TBC - please read and review!