Something told him from that moment on; everything is going to be alright. Leo made his way to Splinter's room. On the way, he saw Mikey sitting in the chair. "Hey Mikey; how are you doing?" Mikey looked up at Leo who was strangely smiling.

"Why are you smiling Leo?" Leo sat down next to his youngest brother. "Now isn't the time to be smiling and why were you coming out of Raph's room?"

"Because Mikey, everything is going to be alright. I have been in Raph's room because I feel closer to him in there and I didn't touch anything. I'm smiling because I saw Raphael and he wasn't hurt. He told me to keep taking care of you and Don and he is going to take care of the rest. I don't know how he did it but I feel more at peace now. I feel like he is going to be alright and pull through this." Mikey smiled; so Raph did the same thing to Leo as well. "He did the same for me. I had a terrible nightmare that showed me hitting him with my nunchucks but then Raph appeared and told me to cheer up and everything is going to be alright. The only thing he didn't tell me is if it was us that attacked him but I still felt better than before. I was just as surprised as you are. I wonder if he did the same with Donnie."

"Let's go see." The brothers stood and headed for the bedroom. Inside, Don sat beside the still unconsciousness Raphael with a slight smile on his face. He just knew from this point on; their family will be whole again. He heard the slight whoosh of the door as his brothers entered. "I take it you saw Raph too." Leo asked. Don just smiled. "Yes I did and he reassured me although I still want to know if we attacked him or not. He refused to tell me if we did or not; that question is still bugging my mind. I had a nightmare that showed me I did." Donatello lowered his voice at the last part. Leo and Mikey barely caught Don's last sentence.

"I saw my dark half as well. He showed me breaking bones with my nun chucks."

"And I saw mine as well, he showed me breaking his ribs and giving him his concussion." The three brothers sat in silence; each unsure of what to say next. Over the past few days; they each had experienced nightmares only to be comforted by their ailing brother. They glanced down at Raphael when they noticed he become paler. Raphael's breathing started to slow down. Don sat there; for the first time, unsure what to do. Should he fight to save his brother's life or let him go in peace? He lunged to start CPR but was stopped by Leo. "Let him go Don. He's going to a better place now where he will be free from pain." Don stared at Leo with a sad but understanding look in his eyes. He knows it is for the better to let Raphael go. He sat back down and grabbed Raph's hand. Mikey grabbed Raph's other hand. "Go Raphie boy, be forever young."

"So the three of you have finally realized what happened to your brother." Leo, Don and Mikey shot up their heads only to be greeted by the glowing red eyes of their dark halves. The Dark Turtles sneered at their counter parts. Leo glared the Dark Turtles. "You are not welcome here. LEAVE NOW!" The Dark Turtles just laughed. "Is that all you got Oh Fearless Leader Leonardo?" Dark Leo snickered."Do you really think we are going to listen to you? We have been waiting for this moment. Your dear brother may have attempted to thwart our plans but ending up failing to do so." Don glared his darker half. "What do you mean?"

"I mean is Raphael knew all along what we were up to; that's why he appeared to all of you but in doing so, cost him dearly. Just the simple act of projecting himself into your minds took a great deal of energy; energy he needed to live." The three brothers sat stunned. So Raphael had indeed been taking care of everything. But if he knew doing what he did would cost him, why do it? The Dark Turtles sneered at their counter parts."Those nightmares as you call them weren't nightmares; but memories." Dark Mikey grinned. "Please allow us to refresh those memories of your since we can see you are not clear on them." Each Dark Turtle pointed to their counter parts. "Let's start with you Michelangelo. Watch and remember.

Mikey swung his nun chucks down hard on Raph's arm. The sound of bones breaking echoed throughout the lair. Raphael dropped his sai and clutched his broken arm. "Ugh bro snap out of it." Raph pushed himself up off the ground only to be caught in the legs by the nun chucks. He landed painfully on his broken arm. He attempted to block strike after strike with is good arm but failed. Several bruises formed as he was repeatedly hit. Raphael refused to attack his youngest brother rather just defend himself. Dark Mikey laughed as he watched his counterpart sit in horror. "It's fun to watch isn't it?" Mikey shook his head. He still didn't want to believe he did that. "Oh but you did Michelangelo; take it all in." Tears streamed down his face. "Now who is next; oh Donatello is."

"Watch Donatello as you take part in killing your brother." Dark Donatello snickered. The bo-staff came down hard on Raphael's head; momentarily knocking unconsciousness. His head swimming, he forced his eyes open enough to catch sight of the bo-staff coming down again; this time on his ribs. He heard the bones snapping as it became painful to breath. Pushing his brother away, Raphael started to run. "Don you're stronger than this. Snap out of it!" Dark Donatello snickered as he watched his counterpart express horror on his face. "Oh yes Donatello, you did that. Take it all in and memorize. Now we have saved the best for last; Leonardo the Great Leader himself, will get to witness the final and fatal blow to his younger brother.

The scene switched. Raphael blocked one strike of the katana blade but not the next. The metal sliced thru his arm, blood oozing from the deep cut. "Watch it Leo. I know ya want me ta leave and all but ya don't gotta attack me." Leo didn't respond; only swung again. Raphael dodged to the side but Leo was too quick and caught his thigh. Blood poured from the deep gash. Raphael stumbled to the ground. He refused to fight his brother, instead defended against the attacks until the mind control wore off. Raphael painfully pushed himself off the ground and ran to the back of the lair. He knew if he could get to safety, he would only have to wait. He heard the shuffling footsteps of his brothers behind him. Just a little further; thud. Raphael slipped and fell hard on his shell. He tried getting back up only to be met with pointed tip of a katana poised directly above his plastron. Staring into the blank eyes of his older brother, he said only thing. "I'm sorry," before the katana plunged deep into his plastron. Raphael made no sound as the sickening sound of metal pulled from flesh echoed in the lair. He didn't move again.

Dark Leonardo laughed out loud. Leo sat in horror as he watched himself stab his own brother. Although, the actual memory was still fuzzy, there is no way that can't be a simple nightmare. The expression on Raphael's face as he defended against his brothers is one none of will forget so easily. "See Leonardo; you dealt the worst strike of all. The one to end his life. How does it feel to finally be free of your brother; no more arguments; no more fighting? Maybe if you had actually treated him like a brother and not a rebel soldier who needed to be put into place; he might still be here." Leo's mouth hung open. His dark half had a point. He rarely ever treated Raphael the same way that he does with Donnie and Mikey. He only saw his younger brother as someone who needed to be controlled. Every time Raph asked for help with a kata, he always barked orders at him instead of simply explaining it. He silently promised that when Raphael wakes up, he will treat him like the brother he is and not an underling. Donnie and Mikey tried turning their heads away but couldn't. To watch as they attacked their own brother is too much too bear. Tears streamed down their faces. "Yes our dear brothers take everything you see in." Dark Leo sneered. "Now is time for the grand finale." The red string appeared in Dark Michelangelo's hand and stretched it over to Dark Donatello. Dark Leonardo stood directly in the center. With a slow agonizing motion, he drew his katana. "Now it is time to say goodbye to Raphael and know you are the ones that have caused this." Leo, Donnie and Mikey sat in shock. The same red string they have seen in their nightmares is real and the haunting warning they had been given replayed in their minds. Dark Leonardo wickedly smiled as he brought down his katana on the red string. Leo shook his head. No, he was not going to let it end this way. In a flash, he had his katana drawn and blocked his evil self's strike. "I will not let you do this. I will save his life." Dark Leo sneered. "Oh really, when it is you that has put him here."

"Yes, he is my brother and I will not let him die by no one's hand." Leo's arms strained as Dark Leo pushed down harder on the blade. Leo prayed his katana wouldn't snap. "Stop fighting and let what comes naturally happen albeit a little rushed." Mikey and Donnie watched in horror as their older brother struggled against his dark half. Not wanting to lose their older brother; Donnie and Mikey added their strength to the struggle. Leo grunted as his hands became sweaty and could feel his katana slipping away. Several intense filled moments passed until they heard a weak and hoarse voice.

"Leave my brothers alone, this is between you and me." Raphael weakly muttered. Despite his growing weakness, he knew he had to protect his brothers. Dark Leo sneered. "So you will protect the ones that attacked you?" Raphael coughed. "They ain't the ones that did this, ya did. So; yes I will protect my brothers." Leo, Donnie and Mikey were all stunned that Raphael had finally awakened .For a brief moment they were distracted. Dark Leo glanced at the barely conscious Raphael. Dark Leo noticed the remaining brothers' distraction. He knew this was his chance to forever end Raphael's life. A grim smile played across his lips as he pressed harder on his blade; edging it closer to the red string. Leo didn't fail to notice this but knew his blade alone wasn't enough. Before, he had slipped one of Raphael's sais into his belt. Leo realized the shape of the sai will give him just enough edge to push the katana away. Letting his katana slip away, he quickly grabbed the sai and wedge Dark Leo's katana in the sai. Leo, Donnie and Mikey continued to push upwards. "You will not take my brother from me." Dark Leo pushed down on his blade with all his might but his efforts were futile. The blade of the katana stuck strong in the sai.

Meanwhile, Raphael wanted nothing more than to physically help his brothers but unable to sit up; he couldn't do much other that get into their heads. Wait, the same method he used to help his brothers he can use against the Dark Turtles. Raphael knew it would be his last stand. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on the minds of the Dark Turtles; specifically Leonardo. Dark Leo felt the intrusion in his mind. "Get out!" Leo didn't falter at his dark counterpart's sudden outburst.

"Not until you leave my brothers alone." Raphael firmly planted himself in Dark Leo's mind. "You will die doing what you are doing."

"Then so be it; but I am not going to let my brothers be tortured by the likes of you. You have done enough damage to their minds." Raphael forced his way further into Dark Leonardo mind. He began a mental barrage of attacks forcing Dark Leo to falter in his physical attack. Leo noticed his counterpart waver in his attack. "He's faltering guys, now's our chance." Leo called forcing the sai upward. "This is strange, his attack was much stronger, how is it weakening?" Donnie questioned. Mikey already knew; he glanced down at Raphael who had slipped back into unconsciousness. He knew Raph is now doing the same thing to the Dark Turtles that he did with them but quickly realized it would mean losing him. "Raph's in his mind. He's fighting him but we're losing Raphie in the process." Donnie looked down. Raphael grew paler by the minute and breathing labored. "Come on Raph, you can do it; don't give up on us."

"Yeah Raphie boy!" Leo heard his brothers' exclamations but dared not take his eyes away from the battle.

Raphael heard his brothers' voices cheering him on. Using that as his power; he forced more against Dark Leo. "Ya don't stand a chance with Leo an me fighting ya." Dark Leo sneered. He pushed harder but to no avail. Leonardo gave one final push with the help of Donatello and Michelangelo; snapping the katana in half. Leo grinned and the others cheered. Raphael felt his brother's dark counterpart fail. "Never underestimate the power of family." With that; Raphael returned to his mind, however, it was too late. "I'm sorry guys." He silently thought to himself. He had used the very last ounce of his strength. Leo, Donnie and Mikey cheered their victory. The Dark Turtles vanished from sight. The Dark Turtles gone and Raphael alive; or is he? "We won Raph, thanks for the help bro." Leo called but received no response. "Raph, we won, you can join in anytime now. Raph?" Leo started visibly shaking. He noticed the stillness of his brother. Raphael had given the last of his strength. "Please no Raph! No!" Leo dropped the sai and started CPR. Donnie and Mikey joined; all brothers frantically trying to revive their hot headed brother. "Please Raphie boy; ya can't leave us!"

"My big brother no!" Don lastly said. This time they would not give up until they had him back. They each went back and forth taking turns; first Leo then Donnie and finally Mikey. Despite their growing fatigue, they refused to give up for they know Raphael would never give up on them. Donnie was visibly shaking and Mikey's muscle's twitched at each chest compression. Pangs of guilt ate at their minds. The longer it took the more of chance they have at losing their brother. Push; push, breath; breath; each effort brought no results. Donnie finally sat back; his skin slick from sweat. He didn't want to quit so easily but the doctor in him told him the fight is over. "You lied Raph." Leo and Mikey turned around to face Don. "You lied, you said everything will be alright that you will take care of everything. You said you weren't going to leave us but you did; YOU DID!" Donatello shouted the last part. "Why Raphael? Why, tell me that? Why is it always you in my lab getting stitched up? Why is it always you that has to protect us? Tell me damn it?" Donatello slammed his fists into the floor. It was that moment that Leonardo and Michelangelo came to the realization; Raphael is gone. Once again saving their shells. They scooted closer to Donatello and embraced each other.