A/N: This is it. The last chapter. It's been fun and I'm sad to see this story enter the completed pile. Thanks to all of you who have read and reviewed, your support has kept me going. Thank you so, so much.
Disclaimer: see chapter one
Leonardo would never admit it out loud, but he hated hearing Raphael whimper in pain. He knew his brother couldn't help it; Raphael had been out of commission for the last couple of months and training was still hard for him. But as he watched Raphael push himself to his feet with pain and agony on his face, Leonardo couldn't help but feel angry; he just wasn't sure who he was angry with. He was certainly angry with Travis for doing this to Raphael in the first place. He was also angry with Ash for employing Travis.
However, looking deeper, Leonardo was ashamed to admit to himself that he felt angry towards Raphael for not being back to his old self. But, torture was never easy to bounce back from and Leonardo knew that. His brother wasn't just battling physical scars, he was battling emotional and mental scars as well. And Leonardo was angry with himself for being so hard on Raphael, even though he never spoke a harsh word to his red masked brother; he felt it in his heart.
"Don't push yourself, Raph," Leonardo said, reaching out to steady his brother.
Raphael held on to Leonardo for support so he wouldn't fall again, gasping for breath. He looked up at Leonardo, briefly catching his gaze before quickly turning away again.
"Sorry," Raphael mumbled, pushing away from Leonardo.
"For what?" Leonardo asked, confused.
The question caught Raphael off guard. Leonardo's confusion was mirrored on Raphael's face.
"You're not doing anything wrong," Leonardo said. "So, why are you sorry?"
"I should be over this," Raphael said.
Leonardo took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "Raph, no one expects you to recover in a couple of months," he replied gently. "Donnie said it could take years for you to heal. And even then, the psychological damage may never heal."
Raphael put a hand over his right shoulder where the brand was. He had been branded twice now. Once on the neck by Alfredson, and a second time by Travis. He felt a hand on his shoulder and Raphael involuntarily jumped. Leonardo withdrew his hand and stepped back.
"Didn't mean to scare you. Sorry," he said.
Raphael swallowed thickly as his heartbeat began to return to normal. He ran a hand over his face as heat from tears of frustration began to burn behind his eyes.
"I want this to be over," Raphael whimpered.
Leonardo felt his heart break at his brother's words. Had it been the right thing to pull Raphael back from the brink of death? Wouldn't it have been more merciful if they had just let him go? Thinking back on it, Leonardo couldn't help but feel that maybe what he, Donatello and Michelangelo did was selfish. They could have just let Raphael pass away peacefully in his sleep and then he would be free from all the pain and torment that had been plaguing him.
Raphael had no memory of his brothers pulling him out of Death's grasp, and no one had the heart to tell him what had brought him back. Leonardo wondered if Donatello and Michelangelo ever had the same doubts he had about what they did. They never expressed any doubts, but Leonardo could see it in their eyes. The need to apologize for making Raphael suffer was eating at them just as much as it was eating at Leonardo.
"Maybe we should take a break," Leonardo suggested.
Raphael only nodded and started limping towards the door. His knee still wasn't completely healed, but Raphael refused to use a crutch; much to Donatello's dismay. But it was a good sign to Leonardo. At least there was still some stubbornness left in his red masked brother.
Raphael headed for the stairs and began the slow climb upstairs. He cringed in pain every time he had to bend his busted knee, but he never made a sound. He clenched his teeth and took the pain. Only when he was safely behind the closed door of his room did he moan in pain. He fell on to the bed that April and Casey had brought over a couple months back. He missed his hammock, but Donatello said until his knee was completely healed the bed would have to do. However, one good thing about the bed, Raphael found it a lot easier to get in and out of. Raphael grunted as he tried to shift into a comfortable position. When he found a spot that didn't cause him any large amount of pain, he closed his eyes and sighed.
He wasn't sure when he had fallen asleep, but when Raphael opened his eyes, the lair beyond the door was dark. Raphael was about to get up when a cold, haunting feeling crept over him. He slowly pushed himself up and looked around the room. Something else was in the room with him; something evil. The silence was pierced by a wet, gurgling sound and a cold shiver shot down Raphael's spine.
"How are you enjoying life?" came a raspy voice. "Or what you pass for life, these days."
"Who are you?" Raphael whispered in a small, scared voice.
"We're old friends," the voice replied. "However, I'm beginning to feel a little rejected."
Raphael's eyes searched the darkness of his room, but he couldn't pick out any distinct shapes. It sounded like the voice was coming from everywhere.
"You've made it quite clear that you would much rather the company of your brothers than mine," the voice continued. "Twice now I have offered you the chance to end your suffering, and both times you chose your brothers over me."
Raphael swallowed nervously and his breath hitched in his throat. The evil presence seemed to grow thicker, crushing him.
"You turtles are very stubborn. You just won't stay down, even when so severely injured," the voice went on. "We made a deal, Raphael. And you broke it."
"What are you talking about?" Raphael asked, his voice shaking.
The presence felt like it was moving closer. "You would open the doors to the afterlife and be done with this life. But, your troublesome brothers pulled you back."
Raphael's eyes widened when he saw the outline of a tall, hooded figure standing over him. The figure reached into his robes and pulled out a wicked looking scythe.
"So, I've come to conclusion that the only way to put you down like the animal you are is to do it myself," the figure said.
Raphael began shaking his head. "No," he whispered. "No, please!"
However, just before the scythe came down, the door burst open. The figure disappeared and Raphael found himself curled into a ball with his arms over his head.
"Raph, you okay?" Leonardo asked, running into the room. "I heard you yell."
Raphael looked around the room, but the figure was gone. Leonardo hurried over to the bed. Raphael could feel himself slowly start to hyperventilate.
"What's wrong?" Leonardo asked.
Raphael turned to face his brother, fear shining in his eyes. "Of all the people this family pissed off, did we have to piss off the Grim Reaper, too?" he said.
"Seeing Death again, huh?" Leonardo guessed.
"When are you going to tell me the truth?" Raphael asked. "When are you going to tell me what really pulled me back?"
Leonardo sighed. "When you're well enough to know," he replied. "The things you're seeing, they're just hallucinations. They can't hurt you."
"That doesn't stop them from trying," Raphael pointed out bitterly.
Leonardo patted his brother on the shoulder. "Try and get some sleep, Raph."
He turned to leave, but Raphael grabbed his wrist. Leonardo stopped and turned around. Raphael's head was down, his eyes on the floor as if ashamed of something.
"I don't want to be alone," he whispered. He timidly looked up. "Can you stay?"
Leonardo smiled and sat down on the bed. "I'll stay as long as you need me," he said. "I won't let anything or anyone hurt you ever again."
A few hours later, Donatello and Michelangelo found their older brothers fast asleep in each other's arms. Smiling, Donatello quietly closed the door and left the two of them alone. Somewhere in the darkness of the room, two solid burning red eyes appeared. They narrowed as they looked upon the sleeping turtles.
"Someday, turtles. Your souls will be mine."
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