TMNT - The Finale - My way

The escape pod rocked and swayed as it popped out from below the water. With a hiss the pod cracked open, and the three turtles and human steadied themselves. That's when everyone saw the giant flying Technodrome drop into the water.

"Leo! No!" Mikey cried out. He almost fell out as the pod was shoved by the waves from the giant ship, but didn't tear his eyes away until he felt a hand on his shoulder. Blue eyes met and Mikey felt tears build up as he collapsed against April.

April had no words as she held the youngest of her friends tightly. She squeezed her eyes shut to keep the tears away. They were there for her when her dad was taken, so she had to be strong for them now. Her gaze moved to Donnie, who was trying to figure out how to get them to shore. The purple clad turtle was buzzing and moving around the small pod in a busy manner, and April believed he was trying to remain distracted from the harsh reality they were facing.

Raph had yet to do anything since the drome went down. He sat there starring at the open water, and if April listened closely she almost heard quiet mutterings from the reckless turtle.

"April?" She looked down to find Mikey's sky blue eyes glistening up at her. "What's gonna happen now?"

"I don't know, Mikey... I just don't know..." April spoke softly. Mikey sniffled and laid his head back down onto her shoulder.

xXx

Once they made it to shore it was a silent journey home. April had her arm wrapped around Mikey as he sluggishly walked. All the turtle's spunk and spirit was gone. His shoulders were slumped, his feet dragged, and he hadn't made a sound since they were in the pod. She gave his shoulder a light squeeze in an attempt to bring something out, but nothing worked.

Donnie was muttering and fiddling with his t-phone as he walked. The poor turtle almost ran into a wall he was so focused, but he managed to right himself before impact.

Raph was worrying her most of all. He hadn't said anything directly since they were in the Technodrome. His emerald gaze remained glued to the ground, and he lagged behind the rest of them. April expected that he would be insisting that they go search for Leo. That he would be furious that Donnie wouldn't let them go, or something other than this blank nothingness he was showing.

They made it to the lair, and found Master Splinter right inside. The rat must've been waiting for their return. He looked up at the group, but immediately noticed the lack of his eldest son.

"Where is Leonardo?" He questioned as he approached the battered group. None of them spoke, but Mikey began to cry softly. The master seemed to understand, as his face fell and he turned from the teenagers to keep his composure. He already had lost his daughter to his enemies, and now he lost one of his sons.

Mikey tried to keep his voice hushed, but wasn't as Master Splinter turned and approached his youngest. April released Mikey as their sensei gently wrapped his arms around his son. Mikey instantly clung to his robe and his cries increased in volume. Soon his body shook with sobs as he cried into his father's chest.

"Michelangelo.." Mikey looked up at his father. "Do not be sad, my son. Your brother would not wish for you to shed tears for his noble sacrifice..."

Mikey sniffled and shook. "But... But dad.... He's..." The orange clad turtle looked down. "Leo's gone..."

xXx

It had been a few hours since they're return, but it was no better than before. Master Splinter had gone to his room to meditate. Mikey was snuggled up to April while they sat in front of the TV, thought neither were really watching it. Raphael was in the kitchen with Spike, and he still remained quiet but he was at least speaking to his pet. Donnie was in his lab working on a bunch of projects at once.

The silence that hung in the air was thick, and you couldn't slice it even with one of Leo's katanas. April turned her head when she heard Donnie's lab open. She heard quick footsteps, and soon saw Don heading toward the exit.

"Where are you going?" She called. Mikey also looked up at his brother.

Donnie turned. "I'm going out to see if I can find anything to fix the Turtle Gliders." Just as he was about to leave he was stopped again. This time by a sai being flung at his head and piercing the wall in front of him.

Raph stood a few feet away and had a death glare stained on his face. "Why are ya being like this?!" The hot headed turtle snarled. "It's like ya don't care that our brother is gone forever!"

Donnie recoiled as if he had been smacked. "How could you say that? Of course, I care! I'm just trying to get things back in order so that we won't lose anyone else next time!" He yelled at his brother and stormed over to him.

"We wouldn't have even lost him if it weren't for you!!" Raph shouted. "If ya had just let me go I could've saved him!"

"That's the thing though, Raph! You couldn't have saved him! I know that, you know that, and Leo knew that too when he helped us escape! He KNEW we couldn't beat that thing, so he did what he had to do!!" Donnie's voice rose in pitch as his temper flared. "Don't EVER say I don't care, because I'm just trying to do what Leo would want, and that's to not let his death go in vain!"

Raphael seemed to snap as soon as his brother used the word 'death'. A primal roar escaped from the turtle as he tackled his brother to the floor. The two mercilessly brawled it out as Mikey and April watched from a far.

"Stop it! Stop it! Stop fighting!" Mikey cried. He looked devastated at the scene before him. Leo was gone, his brothers were fighting, and he couldn't do a thing to stop it.

"Guys! Stop!" April shouted. Even her voice was lost in the brothers' fight. Raph was about to land a solid blow to Donnie's head when Master Splinter emerged from his room at the noise, but as he was about to call for them to stop another voice stopped him.

"What the heck is wrong with you two? I'm gone for a few hours and you've both lost it."

Raph and Donnie halted in their fight to look at the entrance to the lair. None of them could believe their eyes at the figure who was struggling to make it in their home.

"LEO!!!" Mikey shrieked in joy as he raced to his brother.
Don and Raph soon joined with their own shouts of joy as the three turtles tackled their brother.

"Agh!" Leo cried out, and they realized then that their brother was badly injured. Mikey and Raph each took a side to haul Leo up, and they brought him to the couch so he could lay down. Donnie had run off to get the medical supplies and called April to help him. The human dashed a step behind her tall friend towards his lab.

xXx

Leo was all bandaged and resting in his room when the door creaked open. He slowly turned to find one of his brothers.

Raph quietly shut the door behind him as he entered the dim room. His brother was supposed to be sleeping, but he had a feeling that wasn't the case. Seeing that dark blue gaze locked on him as he turned just proved his point.

The elder brother remained silent as he watched the hot head creep over slowly. Raph sat at the edge of the bed and starred at the floor trying to collect his thoughts. He planned to come in here and lecture his brother for giving him such a scare, but all of those angry words were gone now.

It seemed that his brother would need a slight push to get him going. "Something the matter, Raph?" Leo asked.

Raph turned himself to face his brother more. "Why'd ya do it, Leo?"

"Because I had to do something. It was obvious we were outmatched." Leo spoke calmly. He didn't want to rile up his brother's easily flared temper.

"But why you? Why not someone else?"

"It's my duty as leader to protect my team." Leo reached out and grasped Raph's wrist. "It's also my responsibility as eldest to keep my brothers safe. All of them."

The emphasis Leo gave the to his last words hit Raph like a rock. "But I could've done it instead! The others... They need ya way more than they need me. Ya saw what happened back there. I snapped and could've really hurt Donnie..."

A light squeeze on Raph's wrist made him lock eyes with his brother. Leo didn't say a word, but Raph could read it in his brother's eyes. There was no way Leo would let his younger brother sacrifice himself.

"Ya gave us all a big scare earlier... We really thought you were..." Raph squeezed his eyes shut to shake away the remaining depressing thoughts. When he opened them again they locked right with Leo's and the elder could see the fire burning in those emerald eyes. "Don't ya ever do something like that again? Ya hear me?"

Leo smiled and nodded. "I'm not making any promises though..."

"I wouldn't be to sure of that. Once you're better Mikey will be stuck to ya like glue unless he knows ya won't try a stunt like that again." Raph smirked as he stood. "Now rest up, Fearless. The sooner you're better the sooner we can get back to bashing people's heads in."

Leo rolled his eyes, but chuckled as he sunk deeper into his bed. Raph left with the only noise being the click of the door shutting.