Chapter 2:

Leo P.O.V:

It's been a few days since I told my brothers and friends the truth of what I do in the Army. None of them have reached out to talk to me about this or let me explain on why I choose this as my career in the Army. I hope that we can talk about this before I leave but I fear that the one person who I hoped to talk about this with will ignore me to the bitter end. But for now I have plans with Sarah and we're meeting in a park so she can play with Kaz more. Kaz is the kind of dog where he takes a while to get use to new people but with Sarah he immediately warmed up to her. I don't try to understand it but if you are good with Kaz then you're fine in my book. I decided to dress in my causal ware meaning just a plain grey jacket open with a navy blue t-shirt under it, long grey jeans and black combat boots. I walked out of the apartment checking my phone for any messages, none, they really didn't want to talk to me.

It's their choice they know when I'm leaving so I'll just have to see.

I walked to the park with Kaz to see Sarah waiting by the opening to the park looking up and down from a sketch pad. Sarah was wearing a cream color blouse with a floral patter around the neck with blue capris and sandals. She had a tan messenger bag on her side.

"Hey there Sarah." I called out.

Sarah looked up and smiled at me.

"Hey there Leo how's everything going?" Sarah asked.

"Same as always. What are you working on?" I asked.

"Just passing the time." Sarah said showing me her sketch.

It was the trees in the park with kids running around under it.

"It's beautiful" I said.

"Thanks Leo let's go other there." Sarah pointed.

We walked over to the tree that Sarah was drawing. Collapsing under it I watched Sarah starting to figure out a new sketch. Kaz is sleeping with his head on my lap. Soon my eyes started to get heavy and I fell asleep for a bit.

I woke up when I felt a light shift of weight on my lap and someone giggling. I slowly opened my eyes to see Sarah and Kaz together, Kaz was having Sarah brush his fur with her hand while licking her face. I smiled at this. I wish I could take a picture of the two of them to remind me why I continue to fight. I look down at the sketch pad that Sarah placed down to pet Kaz. I was a little shocked. Sarah sketched a picture of me and Kaz sleeping together with me laying on the ground and my arm on top of Kaz with his head next to mine. We looked almost peaceful.

"Do you like it?" Sarah asked timidly.

I pretended to go into deep thought while getting my phone out. Sarah looked a bit concerned thinking I didn't like getting sketched without my permission.

Kaz licked Sarah's face again and when she turned back to Kaz I snapped a picture of the two. Kaz was licking the side of Sarah's face and with one eye closed Sarah was in the midst of laughing and stroking Kaz's fur.

"Just as much as I like this picture." I said showing her the picture on my phone.

"Oh no delete that." Sarah cried out still laughing.

Sarah tried to reach out but I smiled and kept it from her grasp.

"Sorry but I think I'll need this later." I said placing my phone back into my pocket.

"Fine" Sarah said "Then I'll take this." Sarah took the picture of Kaz and me sleep and placed all her pencils and erasers in her bag.

I helped Sarah up from Kaz and we walked out of the park side by side together. Sarah was going to walk home but I decided to walk with her.

True it was because I didn't want to let her walk home alone but I also wanted to talk with her more. We chatted about our family's and what she was doing in college, exchanging numbers I waved goodbye and watched her walk to her dorm on campus then took my time returning to my friend's apartment.

Raph P.O.V

It's been a week since Leo returned and told us the news of what he does in the army. You know I thought all he did was work on trucks or do scouting. Sure all of that is still dangerous but knowing he's on the edge of life and death ever signal moment he's out there is killing us. My younger brothers and friends all talked about this after Leo left we couldn't understand why he chose to do something so stupid. Ever since then no one has talked to Leo, he's leaving next week and none of us want to talk to him.

My stubbornness was the one thing that got me in a lot of trouble growing up and it was Leo who would always bail me out. Our father passed away suddenly and now we have to worry about Leo blowing himself up. How could he be so selfish?

I threw myself into work with my partner Jacob helping him with a robbery case.

"So who's your brother doing back?" Jacob asked.

"He's fine" I stated.

Jacob looked up from the case file and looked at me.

"What?" I asked.

"Something you need to tell me?" Jacob asked.

"No" I muttered.

"You can talk to me anytime Raph you know I'm there for you." Jacob said.

Jacob and I didn't talk about the subject of Leo after that. We drove into the case to the point where we were going to have to do a stake out at the suspect's residence.

We sat there in the car the sounds of cars driving, horns blasting and people yelling. I sat in the driver's seat with Jacob sitting shot gun.

"So do you want to talk about it now?" Jacob asked me breaking the silence.

"Fine" I said.

I told Jacob about what Leo was doing in the army and the anger I had for it.

"I can understand your frustration Raph." Jacob said.

"Oh yeah how?" I asked sarcastically.

Jacob turned and looked at me seriously.

"My older brother's name was David and both of us entered the police academy together. While I went to become a detective he went to join the bomb squad. We were both called out to a bomb placed under a school bus. I was standing by the police cars watching David and his co-workers work to disarm the bomb and dispose of it. At first we let out a sigh of relief but when David look back under the bus he saw a secondary bomb with the timer reaching zero. He yelled out to everyone to get down and as if things were in slow moment the bomb went off. David threw himself over his partner and shielded him from most of the blast. David died that day saving his partner's life and everyone else. Now I'm not trying to change your mind about the career move your brother has chosen but you have to talk to him about why he chose it then just ignoring him because like you told me a long time ago. All you have is each other. It'll kill you if something happens to him over there and you can't take anything back." Jacob stated.

Jacob turned his attention back to the apartment and while my eyes were on the building my mind was on what Jacob told me. I understood why Jacob named his youngest son David now, it was in honor of his fallen brother and if things are left like this and something happens to Leo it will kill me having him believe that we're never going to acknowledge or understand why he chose this as what he wants to do in the army.

After the stake out is a bust I call my other brothers and friends to talk to them about Leo and to have him come and talk to us so we could understand why he's doing what he's doing.

Mikey P.O.V

Raph called all of us together to meet at Casey and April's apartment. Leo was going to come with Kaz to talk about why he's doing what he's doing. I still don't understand it myself. We already lost our father my heart will shatter if we lose a brother and with a job like that he's on the edge of life and death every day. It was bad enough when he joined the army but now this? My stomach has been churning and I hate it. I want my older brother back, I want him home.

Leo entered the apartment with Kaz by his side taking a seat in the middle of the room we circled him as if we were attacking him something that Kaz didn't like and showed us when he started barking and growling. We back up a bit while Leo calmed him down.

"Leo can you talk to us about what you do?" Donnie asked.

"As long as you guys listen with an open mind" Leo said.

"Tell us Leo." Raph demanded.

"Please" I plead.

Leo nodded and told us how he became who he was.