Chapter seven:

Raph places some of Leo's favourite flowers on the shrine. He sits in front of it with a heavy sigh. "Oh Leo..." He can't stop staring at Leo's face in the main picture. "Things don't feel the same without you here. Like a part of us is missing." He is surrounded by quiet which he sighs to. "I wish you could come back. I want another chance to talk to you. I want to make sure things are right between us. Even though I..." He glances away at the memory of being possessed by Krang. He takes a breath pushing down those memories for now. "We're not angry at you. We love you so much." He pauses at feeling a tear slide down his cheek. He sniffles wiping at his now tearful eyes. "Leo!" He sobs almost like a child. "We still have so much to talk about! So much to do together! Why do you have to be gone!?" He hunches over crying with his hands fruitlessly trying to wipe away his tears. He hunches over letting himself cry to get it out if he can't stop it.

The space quiet other than the slightly echoing sobs.

Raph cries for a little bit before managing to calm himself down. He raises his head to look to Leo's shrine once more. "I hope that your end was quick. However it ended." He has doubts it was knowing Krang and how sadistic he can be. He just wants to hope for a little bit. "I just hope that he didn't krangify you. I know how horrible that can be. Trapped inside your own body." He shudders at the memory that he quickly pushes away. He takes a breath to try to calm himself down. "I just wish that you could still be here with us... With me..." He lowers his head with a sigh. "Thanks for listening at least. I promise I'll visit you again soon okay?" He waits for a moment with no response heard. He is about to get up when a hand comes to his shoulder. He turns to find Mikey standing there.

Mikey looks worried.

"I was just finishing up here. I can leave so you can have a turn alone with Leo."

"Are you okay?" Mikey inquires still looking worried at Raph.

"Yup. Raphies okay. No need to worry little man." Raph confirms but Mikey doesn't look convinced.

Mikey sits down next to Raph. "When you talk like that it means somethings wrong. Do you wanna talk about it?"

Raph slightly glances away thinking that offer over for a moment. He lets out a small sigh before deciding to do so, he knows Mikey will find a way to get him to talk.

Mikey's always been the best with mental health stuff.

"I keep thinking about him. And thoughts came up of what his last moments might have been like. What if Krang forced him to get Krangified? Krang probably would have killed him first then maybe would have done that. But still..." Raph finds he isn't sure he can talk about it more and gets hugged by Mikey.

"It's okay. It's understandable why you'd be worried about that. Considering what happened." Mikey assures him keeping him in a hug.

"I just hope that however it ended for him that it was quick." Raph sighs closing his eyes. "And that Krang didn't do anything afterwards."

"Me too. It's good to talk to someone about your thoughts and feelings. We're here for you and you can open up to us. You don't need to hide." Mikey reminds him to which Raph nods with a sniffle. "Glad to hear it big guy."

The two stay sitting there in a hug for a good bit.

Raph does feel slightly better. He does think about how he wished he had told Leo the truth about something.

If only they knew that things would turn out this way...

...

Leon tries once more in taking more steps than before. His eyes narrowed in concentration and determination. He moves one foot forward keeping his balance thanks to the railings. He moves to take another step which he manages to do. He can feel his body resisting what he's doing, begging him to stop which even makes him shaky all over, yet he pushes forward. He goes for another step keeping his focus strong. He blocks our everything but his determination to do this. He starts the fourth step when his legs collapse from under him. He is able to hold onto the railings to not completely fall to the floor. He tries to push himself back up even as Donatello comes to his side.

"That is good progress. Are you sure you don't want to take a break? We can do leg lifting exercises in the wheelchair." Donatello offers though Leon doesn't plan to back out so quickly.

"I'm not giving up just because I made some progress." Leon insists and glances to Donatello. He doesn't care if he looks like he's really struggling to do this. He will push through and get better. He will do it. He can do it. He is Leo after all. ""Don't underestimate me brother."" He adds in spanish only to receive a rather confused look. He blinks as his confidence falls to confusion. He wonders if Donatello understood what he had just said.

"Wait. What language is that?" Donatellos question all but confirms it.

"Hold the phone!" Leon gasps as he can't believe such a thing can happen. "You don't speak spanish!?" He sees the other shake his head no. "Huh... Me and my family can speak it fluently. So I don't even think about it when I say something in spanish."

"We tend to use english and japanese." Donatello admits moving his hands to offer to help Leon up.

Leon shakes his head wanting to do it on his own. "I know japanese, and of course english as if that wasn't as clear as glass, but my japanese isn't as good as the other two I know. Besides english of course. You can tell I'm a very fluent speaker there."

"Wait. You know three not including english!? What other language do you know?" Donatello blinks rather curious at this as if it's so hard to believe it to be true.

"Sign language. Technically we changed it to fit the fact we don't have human hands. But I can in a way speak very fluently with that as well." Leon manages to force himself to stand once more. He does feel wobbly though he won't let anything stop him.

"Lets talk more about things after this. You can try walking a little more. I'll be right here watching."

Leon moves his hands one by one to make a good place for him to grab onto the railings. He uses it as good support as he takes a step. He feels like so far so good. He takes another while focusing on what he is doing. He glances up to look to see what is up ahead. He feels like he's gone far yet the other end feels like it's miles away. He takes another step hoping the end will suddenly be rather close. He takes one more and goes for the next, which he gets his foot on the ground before he collapses. He isn't sure his body can get himself back up this time. He doesn't want to say it though... He just might have no choice if he can't do it alone... He slightly reaches out to Donatello who comes to check on him. He's helped out of that spot and back into the wheelchair.

"You've improved so much." Donatello praises giving Leon warmth inside. "That was great!" His thoughts are clearly distracted. "I do have to ask since I'm curious. Why did you learn spanish and sign language?"

"Well we started learning spanish as kids after we met April. Her and her family spoke it. So she helped us learn it. Sign language was actually an idea that started back when we were kids. Me and my worlds Donnie weren't usually very chatty kids. For our own reasons. It even can come out now when we're older if we get overwhelmed. My Donnie gets that happening more than I do though. Anyways we needed a way to still be able to communicate. One that wouldn't be just writing it down. We learned of sign language after we ran into the sewers one day then found a book on it. A perfect way to communicate when words are hard. So we modified it and practiced until we knew every bit by heart."

"That's kind of sweet actually." Donatello admits looking almost as if he's proud of this.

"Yeah. It's pretty good." Leon nods his head and the two turn as Splinter enters the room.

"Hello you two. How are things going in here?" Splinter inquires as he moves closer to the two.

"Leon is improving a lot Sensei. I think he's getting closer and closer to the next step. He'll have to use forearm crutches at least to start. Just a bit more before he can try using those instead of a wheelchair." Donatello turns to look to Leon. "But the wheelchair would have to stay as an option at least at first. You might find it hard to support yourself for too long, and may need it to help get around at first."

Leon just nods since as the family medic he understands that healing won't be so quick. Especially not with the injuries he took in that place.

"I see. Well that is good." Splinter nods his head to this. "If it's alright I would like to borrow him from you for just a little bit."

"Of course Sensei." Donatello bows to Splinter before heading off.

Splinter turns to look to Leon now that it's just the two of them. "Are you ready?"

Leon nods his head and looks as Splinter brings out the katanas.

Instead of just putting them down to be looked at Splinter offers them to Leon.

Leon pauses for a moment and tries to will his body to move to grab them. He won't be bested by some damn swords! His hand starts to reach out being slowed by his body trying to resist. His hand stops halfway and it feels like it's suddenly become stone.

"It is alright if you can't get it." Splinter tries to assure him. "The point is you tried."

Leon pulls his hand back hating that simple swords are getting the better of him.

Splinter moves the katanas away and places them down, before placing a hand on Leon's shoulder. "You're getting closer and closer to healing everyday. How are you feeling right now?"

Leon knows that Splinter will catch him if he tries to lie. So he'll have to be more honest than he wants to be. "Still hate that they're getting the better of me. I know it's because they represent what I went through and all. I just hate that it had to be those that makes me like this."

"I understand." Splinter assures Leon who blinks at him. "It is something that you don't want to be afraid of, yet your trauma has made it so. It can be very frustrating to try to go back to normal with this." He moves his hand off of Leon. "You are still healing. There is no shame in taking your time with this. Healing doesn't happen overnight, in fact what you went through may make it take longer than you want. Remember that. Through your frustration remember that."

"I'll try." Leon tells Splinter who nods softly.

"Go ahead and relax. You've deserved it after all the hard work you've put in."

Leon already had an idea of what he's going to do. He leaves the room and heads straight to Donatellos lab. He glances around until he finds the other working on something. He comes over and peeks around Donatello.

Donatello keeps working though Leon doesn't miss the brief glance at him.

Leon watches him work for awhile longer before Donatello finally speaks.

"Do you want to help?"

"Sure." Leon agrees and is shown how to hold up a piece so that it can be screwed into place. He is glad that the other is letting him help, he just wanted to go to Donatello as if he would with his Donnie at home.

Leon and Donnie are seen as twins where they are from, as much as Donnie tries to deny it Leon knows that he likes the thought of it.

"You know, I'm really glad that you woke up." Donatello mentions causing Leon to glance to him. "I really was worried you might not wake up."

"Well it helped that I heard your voice." Leon admits causing Donatello to look at him in surprise. "I followed it, and it lead me to a point in the dream I was stuck in where a path opened. Allowing me to wake up."

Donatello stares in shock at Leon for a few moments before he smiles to himself. "Heh. Guess I was wrong about you not hearing me back then." He chuckles a little warmly at this and Leon gently punches his shoulder.

"You know it." Leon confirms to him feeling truly relaxed with him. "Guess you could say your voice was my guiding light out." He lightly jokes at Donatello, getting a slight shake of the head at that. He continues to help Donatello out for awhile feeling glad to be around at least a version of his twin. He does hope that he'll be able to go home soon.

A few weeks later...

Leon has been getting really good at taking steps. He pauses as he finally makes it to the end of the railings.

"You did it!" Donatello happily cheers to which Leon looks back at him with a big smile. "I think you might be ready for the next step." He heads away for a moment before returning with forearm crutches. "Lets try these. Though we'll still use the wheelchair as well. You'll need to work into these." He helps set them up for Leon, supporting him as he does so, and moves Leon away from the railings. He makes sure Leon is steady before letting go. His arms still out so he can catch Leon if needed.

Leon leans into the forearm crutches as he tries them out. He does feel like his body does want to just fall, though the crutches are indeed helping in keeping him up. He shifts the crutches to try to walk... Only to fall and be caught by Donatello.

"Not bad for a first time." Donatello mentions and Leon can't help wondering if it's only to make him feel better. "Come on. Let's try again." He encourages to which Leon is helped up after nodding in agreement. He uses his hands to help support Leon as the other tries to walk with the forearm crutches. He tells him how to move easily with them.

Leon does as Donatello suggests and soon he finds that he thinks he's getting the hang of it... Even if he needs Donatellos support right now...

"That's such a good job for a first time." Donatello mentions with a happy tone. "How are you feeling?"

"Excited." Leon admits to Donatello with a smile. "This gets me closer to walking again!" He tries to walk a little more and Donatello helps him. "I think I'm getting the hang of them too!"

"You seem to." Donatello warmly chuckles at this. "But you'll also have to use the wheelchair in the meantime."

Leon whines at this. "Aw. I was so itching to get out of that thing." He gets another chuckle from Donatello.

"And you will. When your body's ready." Donatello points out but Leon playfully pouts at it. "Lets take a break from these and sit you in your wheelchair. Feel up to joining movie night tonight?"

"Sure do!" Leon confirms with a smile. "What movie is playing tonight?"

"I believe it is the new version of Top Gun Maverick. Casey said we had to see it so he leant us a copy."

"Never heard of it but it might be good." Leon nods to this and Donatello seems to agree. "Can't wait then." He wheels into the living room that night to join them.

Michelangelo sits by where Leon situates himself. He holds up the bowl of popcorn letting Leon take some. "Ready to check this thing out?" He inquires to which Leon nods his head popping the popcorn he grabbed into his mouth.

They all watch the movie together and find that it truly is a good movie. They all mentally thank Casey for giving them a chance to see it.