*Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise.

*Author's Notes: Chapter 42 of 'Slash's Revenge' is finally ready. I'm so sorry about the long wait on this one. After the last chapter, I got pretty much inundated with comments/messages, which is absolutely amazing. Thank you all so much for the feedback on my stories. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to keep up with all of my reviews, comments and messages as of late. I want to take a moment to personally thank those on FanFiction who reviewed my last chapter. Thank you so much to: LittleMiss Icequeen, animegamefanatic, autumnamberleaves, jgrasper22, pilyarquitect, Minnie1015, CNightJoy, Robinschatz, and All Hail Lord Megatron. I'm so incredibly grateful to all of you for reading and for taking the time to share your thoughts with me. I truly mean that. Your words really do mean the world to me. I'm sorry for not responding sooner, but things got a little crazy. Just know that I appreciate you with all my heart…

Okay, I'm getting all kinds of emotional here. Let's jump right into the chapter, shall we? Thank you all for reading…

CJ

Chapter 42 – Of Two Minds

Mikey tiptoed out of his genius brother's room, being extra careful not to make a sound. It had taken a full thirty minutes of convincing Donatello that he needed to get some rest before he agreed to lie down. Another twenty minutes ticked by before he actually closed his eyes. Now that the wounded turtle at long last appeared to be asleep, there was no way in shell Michelangelo was going to wake his brother up by making a sloppy exit.

As soon as the youngest ninja stepped foot into the hallway, he could hear the faint sound of Leo and Master Splinter conversing quietly in the Dojo. Mikey was pretty sure he knew what they were talking about.

Not long after Leonardo had entered the bedroom, he and Master Splinter had gone off to 'discuss something,' leaving Donnie in Mikey's more than capable hands. This was A-okay with the turtle in orange. He much preferred hanging out with his brainy big brother than dealing with more drama.

Mikey had to admit, there were definitely times when it paid to be the immature one that no one trusted with the serious stuff…

Still, he couldn't deny that he was curious about what went down in Raph's room. Judging by the somber expression that had been on Leo's face, things hadn't gone so well between the two oldest brothers.

What else was new?

"How is he doing, Michelangelo?"

The question startled the youngest turtle. Not because of the question itself, but because Mikey hadn't even realized he had made his way into the Dojo. This was living proof that he should never walk and think at the same time. Who knows what kind of trouble he could unwittingly get himself into?

Shaking off his initial shock, Mikey held his head up high to give the illusion that he had totally meant to enter the Dojo. His voice oozed with more confidence than seemed necessary, but not enough to rouse any actual suspicion. "A little better. He's still pretty upset though. I somehow convinced him to lie down and get some rest."

Master Splinter's face showed appreciation, while at the same time, there was unmistakable sadness dwelling in his eyes. This made Mikey all the more curious about what had happened in Raph's room, but he was almost afraid to ask. After all, ignorance was bliss, right?

"Thank you, my son. Your brother could definitely use the rest. It has been a been a trying morning." Master Splinter dipped his head low, revealing that he, too, was in desperate need of rest. His dark, weary eyes gazed down at the rug beneath him, seemingly lost in concentration.

Mikey looked over at his oldest brother only to discover that he appeared to be just as lost.

The moment instantly turned awkward, for it was painfully clear that Michelangelo had once again interrupted something important. Having intruded upon his fair share of important conversations in the past, the youngest turtle knew this uneasy feeling all too well. He shifted his weight from side to side, trying to find a comfortable position as a grimace crept its way across his round face.

One could have heard a pin drop; it was that darn quiet. When neither Master Splinter nor Leo spoke up, Mikey felt the insatiable need to fill the silence that had fallen over the Dojo. Being loud was kind of his thing…

"So what are we gonna do about Raph?"

The question immediately garnered both Leonardo and Master Splinter's undivided attention. They both stared up at Mikey as though shocked that he would ask such a thing, but Leo's expression soon turned almost smug.

"You see? Mikey understands where I'm coming from!"

"Yeah!" Nodding in agreement, Mikey folded his arms across his plastron like he had just accomplished something. What that something was, he didn't have a clue, but it felt good to be right for once.

Master Splinter shook his head, and suddenly, Mikey wasn't feeling quite as confident as before. Mostly he just felt confused. "Wait. What do I understand?"

Abandoning his seated position on the floor, Leo pushed himself up to his feet so that he was at eye level with his baby brother. The leader then placed his hands on his hips as he spoke in his most self-assured tone. "That Raph's being an idiot."

The claim that Raph was being an idiot had Mikey waving his hands out in front of him as if he was being attacked by a hive of invisible bees. "Whoa, dude! That's not what I said!"

"You didn't have to. I know what you meant."

Mikey's eyes almost doubled in size while panic began to set in. His oldest brother was putting words in his mouth. Words that surely would've gotten his butt kicked had Raphael been in the room. Just the thought had the littlest turtle squirming in his shell.

"I didn't mean anything, bro! You know I never think before I speak!"

A facepalm was Master Splinter's silent response. Sometimes, his youngest child seemed proud of the fact that he was a bit… slow on the uptake.

Trying his best to block out what Michelangelo had just all too eagerly declared, the lone rat instead focused his attention on Leonardo. The very son who was currently oozing with confidence over his own intelligence. If only Michelangelo could take a page from his oldest brother…

"Just because Raphael has an opinion that differs from your own does not make him an 'idiot,' Leonardo."

Leonardo was quick to defend himself in a voice that was bordering on disrespectful. He was walking on thin ice and he knew it, but he truly felt like what he was saying needed to be said.

Raph was being an idiot!

"That's not what I'm getting at."

"Leonardo." The lengthy pause that followed his eldest son's name set the ominous tone for what was to come. Pauses like that could only mean one thing: 'You had darn well better listen to what I am about to tell you or there shall be consequences. Painful consequences.'

"Raphael confided in me these feelings of uncertainty about Slash as well. Your brother is very conflicted right now. He still cares a great deal for Slash despite what has happened. Yet, at the same time, he does not wish to betray his family by having these feelings.

"Tell me, Leonardo. Is it not possible that Raphael sees something that we are not capable of seeing because we are too blinded by our anger over what has come to pass?"

The mere suggestion that they were the ones blinded by anger while Raph was the one seeing clearly had Leonardo biting his tongue so hard he could've sworn he tasted blood.

Surely, his father couldn't be serious.

"Sensei, with all – "

A long, slender paw was held up and swiftly waved off the remainder of the leader's sentence, like the conductor of an orchestra calling for silence. "Please allow me to finish, my son."

An argument was right there on the tip of Leonardo's tongue, but all that ultimately came out were the submissive words, "Hai, Sensei." Maybe that's because history informed the blue-clad turtle that this was the only sensible way to answer. Anything else could've resulted in a cracked shell.

"I understand the wrath you are harboring inside, for I feel it, too, my son. What Slash did to Donatello… it is difficult to bear. Even now, I feel a burning need to avenge the pain that was inflicted upon my child, but as I have told you so many times before, there is not greater monster than a lack of compassion.

"Raphael knows Slash better than anyone else. Perhaps we should trust your brother's instincts. If he truly feels there is still good in Slash, then – "

"What?! You're taking Raph's side?" A mixture of utter incredulity and incense echoed throughout the Dojo; Leonardo's voice shaking with raw emotions he fought to keep under control. His hands clenched into fists he didn't seem to know what to do with, and so, he just pressed them against his hips in an obvious huff.

Once again, Master Splinter waved his paw in the air, trying to curb his eldest boy's flaring temper. It was not like Leonardo to be so insolent, but Splinter supposed his son had every right to be in this instance. His brother had been held captive and tortured by the very turtle his father now appeared to be condoning.

"I am not taking sides on the matter, so to speak. I am simply suggesting we take your brother's feelings into consideration. We should not disregard his opinion just because our anger will not allow us to see past our own judgment."

Leonardo let out a snort of disgust before opening his mouth to retort only to be cut off by his baby brother's unusually quiet voice.

"So, you're saying we should just forgive Slash even though he hurt Donnie?" Unlike Leonardo, there was no rage driving Michelangelo's words. The youngest turtle had spoken in a calm, soothing manner, as though he was merely asking out of curiosity.

"Forgiveness must be of your own volition, my son. I cannot ask it of you. Not after all that has come to pass."

Scratching his bald head, Mikey peered up at his father with a clearly baffled expression. The orange-masked turtle wasn't certain what the heck 'volition' meant, not that it really mattered if he had. He was pretty sure he'd still be lost either way. Master Splinter could be so confusing at times. Not sciency-confusing like Donnie, but wise-old-guy-confusing like Master Yoda.

"So, what exactly are you saying, Sensei?"

A small smile tugged at the corners of Master Splinter's thin lips. His youngest child never failed to lift his spirits, even when things were at their bleakest. It was a rare gift only Michelangelo seemed to possess, and it was gloomy times like these, Master Splinter appreciated his happy-go-lucky son the most. Michelangelo may have been somewhat of a difficult child to raise, but there was no doubt the boy was a true blessing. So innocent and pure. So full of kindness and faith. It brought joy to an old rat's weary heart. "What I am saying, Michelangelo, is we should respect Raphael's feelings and do our very best to keep an open mind. I know you of all turtles understand compassion the most. Perhaps your brother has observed something in Slash that we are unable to see."

"In other words, we should trust Raph even if we don't trust Slash?" Mikey's oversized eyes lit up with excitement as he spoke, revealing what could only be described as an 'Aha!' moment. He then clasped his hands together, giddy and clearly proud of himself for solving his father's riddle.

Master Splinter's smile nearly doubled as he watched realization wash over his young son's face. The jubilation twinkling in Michelangelo's bright blue gaze was always a welcome sight. "Precisely, my son."

Leonardo, on the other hand, didn't seem quite as pleased by Michelangelo's sudden comprehension. If anything, it appeared to have struck a nerve with the eldest terrapin.

"Trust Raph? Since when has he been a good judge of character? His supposed best friend tried to kill us! Kill! Us! And let's not forget that that monster… That – that thing… He kidnapped Donnie and tortured him for days just to get back at Raph! Now Raph wants us to just up and forgive him? And you're actually considering it? Have you all lost your minds?!"

It was painfully obvious that Leonardo required additional convincing on the matter. It was equally obvious that the teenager required a reminder of just who was the master here.

"Watch your tone, Leonardo." Though the words were spoken in a seemingly calm manner, there was a dangerous edge that laced each syllable. A not-so-subtle warning that a line had been crossed and Master Splinter's patience was wearing desperately thin.

Always one to try to please his father, Leonardo was quick with an apology and an explanation. "I'm sorry, Sensei. I… I meant no disrespect. It's just that it's hard to contain my temper knowing just how badly Slash hurt my brother."

"Brothers, Leonardo," Master Splinter gently corrected while clasping his paws behind his back. He stood there, straight and stiff like a statue, as he awaited his older son's reaction to what he had just said.

The eldest turtle's steely blue eyes widened for a moment, then narrowed into slits that glared down at the floor as though it had wronged him somehow.

Yes, Slash had hurt Raphael as well. There was no mistaking it, but Leonardo just couldn't bring himself to give a damn about that right now. Not when Donatello was in such a fragile mental state. As far as the leader was concerned, Raph was just as guilty for Donnie's suffering as Slash. Maybe Raph wasn't directly responsible for the physical injuries inflicted upon the genius turtle, but the hotheaded ninja certainly had contributed to the emotional scars that continued to plague Donatello.

Even now, days after they had rescued Donatello from that awful monster, Raphael just kept right on hurting his smartest brother…

"I asked him if he thought there was still good in Slash!"

"You what?"

"You heard me."

"Why would you ask him that after all he's been through?"

"I needed to know, okay?"

"Have you gone completely insane?"

"Apparently… "

"You saw the condition Donnie was in when we found him! Slash beat him without an ounce of mercy!"

"Yeah, but if it weren't for Slash, Donnie would've died that night we found him!"

"Yeah, and if it weren't for Slash, Donnie never would've fallen off that rooftop in the first place! He tortured our brother, Raphael!"

"I know that!"

"Then why in the world would you think there's still good in him?"

"I – I don't know. I just… I just know how I feel."

"Yeah, well what about how Donnie feels?"

Leonardo clutched his head in his hands as the words replayed in his brain.

Donatello was so broken, and yet, Raphael had still sided with Slash.

Was that where Raphael's true loyalty lie?

Not with his brothers, but with the very monster that had brutalized Donnie?

No!

Leo couldn't bring himself to believe it!

But the truth was there…

"Then why in the world would you think there's still good in him?"

"I – I don't know. I just… I just know how I feel."

Releasing his hold on his head, Leonardo peered up at his father. Tears gathered in the corners of the blue-clad turtle's eyes as his voice came out, haunted and whisper-soft. "I can't forgive him…"

These four words made Master Splinter shudder, for he was not sure who his oldest son had been referring to: Slash or Raphael.

Perhaps both…

Suddenly feeling like a third wheel, Michelangelo decided it was best for him to make a hasty exit before things got too heavy. His father and older brother needed to have another one of their infamous 'talks.' The kind that usually confused the heck out of Mikey and/or bored him to half to death. "I'm, uh, gonna go check on Donnie and Raph."

Neither Leonardo nor Master Splinter acknowledged the youngest turtle's awkward departure. Their intense stares remained fixed on each other as if they were trying to read one another's thoughts. Things stayed this way for what felt like eons but what was actually all of a minute.

It was finally Master Splinter who broke the silence; his curiosity getting the better of him. "To whom were you referring to when you said you 'can't forgive him'?"

There was a visible flinch followed by a moment's hesitation before Leonardo blurted out his answer, much louder than seemed necessary. "Slash!"

Master Splinter raised an eyebrow, feeling somewhat cynical, but he did not wish to further upset his oldest boy by calling him out on his bluff. He, instead, softened his tone and tried to get Leonardo to open up to him. "Tell me what troubles you, my son."

Once again, Leonardo visibly flinched at his father's question, but this time, he did not hesitate with his response. "I'm worried about what kind of psychological impact this is going to have on Donnie."

No truer words had ever been spoken, but still, Master Splinter could not shake the feeling that his eldest son was deceiving him in some way.

"We are all worried about Donatello's well-being, but something else weighs heavily on your mind, Leonardo. What is it, my son?"

Leonardo gruffly cleared his throat and shifted his stare back down to the floor. It was a sure sign that he was uncomfortable with the conversation at hand. But even though he was doing everything he could to avoid eye contact with his father, he did not avoid the question. "I already told you, I'm not going to forgive Slash for what he did. I don't think we should even be discussing this. Especially not around Donnie. It's only going to hinder his recovery."

Upon hearing this, Master Splinter's face dipped down into a frown that Leonardo could not see. "I understand you wanting to protect Donatello. I assure you that I, too, want to do what is best for your brother. But I must also do what is best for all of my sons. This includes Raphael."

Leonardo's features instantly darkened. His eyes lifted to reveal the bitterness blazing in his sapphire-blue orbs as he growled out his response. "Why?"

The coldness in Leonardo's voice was most unexpected, causing Master Splinter's eyes to widen in surprise. "What do you mean 'why?'"

Just as Leonardo opened his mouth to respond, Mikey came sprinting inside the Dojo in overdramatic fashion. At least, Leo thought it was overdramatic fashion until he heard his baby brother shout out two ominous words that made the leader's heart clench with dread.

"He's gone!"

To be continued…

*More Author's Notes: Sooooooo... WHO is gone? That's the question here. Anyone care to guess?

I have to warn you, the story gets pretty intense from here. I hope you're all ready for some drama.

To those of you who celebrate Christmas, I want to wish you all the merriest of holidays. To those of you who don't celebrate Christmas, I wish you all joy just the same. May you and your loved ones be safe and happy as we enter the new year.

As always, please take a few moments to favorite, follow, like, reblog, review and/or comment on this story if you are enjoying it. I absolutely love hearing from all of you. It makes me so happy.

Thank you lots and lots for reading, my friends. See you next year.

CJ