Chapter 11

Many days past since Leo grabbed Raph's hand he never loosened his grip so Raph never left his side. Mikey and Donnie would bring him food and water when he needed it.

Later that day Raph was asleep in the chair next to Leo's cot, Mikey walked into the lab with a plate of lunch for the red banded turtle. He sat the plate down and shock Raph awake, he began to eat but never letting go of Leo's hand.

Mikey placed a hand on Raph's shoulder and said "I know Your not one for giving up but it has almost been a week since he actually responded to us I think it's time we let him go Raphie."

Something in side Raph snapped and tears welled up in his eyes quickly wiping them away he said softly in a hoarse voice "I can't give up on him that night we were in the alley and he was bleeding telling me to leave him and take care of you 2 I just couldn't I've always been jealous of him he was always better but when he got hurt it was my fault I left the lair and he followed I'm the worst brother out there."

Mikey squeezed Raph's shoulder and said "Your not the worst brother your an awesome brother except when you get mad that's a different story." Raph laughed and pulled Mikey into a one arm hug, Raph stiffened when Leo's grip loosened he told Mikey to go get Donnie.

Mikey returned with a concerned looking Donatello hot on his heels, Donnie asked Raph what was the problem but before Raph could answer Leo's hand twitched.

In a blink of an eye all three brothers were next to their older injured brother. A few pained moans managed to slip through his lips while his muscles tensed and his breathing quickened, Mikey placed his hand on Leo's arm and said "Your safe Leo trust me."

Leo relaxed and his breathing became slower and more normal. Donnie pulled up 2 chaired for him and Mikey to sit beside Leo's cot while Raph sat on the other side of the cot.

After hours of sitting there they were soon all asleep around their older brother. In Leo's mind he saw images of his bothers dead laying in puddles of their own blood and him holding the bloody katana that took their lives.

His eyes snapped open, he was breathing heavily and drenched in sweat. His vision was blurry but when it cleared he saw his 3 brothers all asleep around the cot. He looked around the room and recognized it as Donnie's lab, when he tried to sit up he soon regretted it.

His body was covered in wraps and various tubes that traveled out of his arms to many machines. He looked at his left hand and saw Raph's strong hand wrapped around his weak one.

He didn't want to wake his brothers so he closed his eyes hoping to fall asleep once more, but to no avail he couldn't so he just sat there. Soon Raph slowly woke up and his tired eyes looked at his hand but they grew wide when Leo squeezed it.

He moved his eyes up and met with Leo's blue ones he hasn't seen in forever, he smiled and said "Leo your awake how are ya?" Leo returned a smile and said barely above a whisper "I-I'm fine r-Raph just a little s-sore." Raph shook his younger brothers awake and when they saw Leo awake Mikey hugged him while Donnie checked his vitals.

Once done Donnie turned to his brothers and said "Good news Leo your going to make a full recovery in about 5 weeks you should be on your feet again!" Raphael's eyes widened as he spoke his voice shook "Umm...ugh...not that I'm upset about him healing I'm glad that He going to get better but 5 weeks I'll be surprised if you make him stay still for a week"

Everyone laughed but Leo's turned into a series of coughs that racked his body, once the coughs subsided Donnie gave him some water and told him to rest.

Leo closed his eyes drifting off into a dreamless slumber, wishing to recover so he could train and be the protector he once was.

Many hours past the turtles soon told their father that Leo woke up and is not resting. The rat began to meditate to reach his injured son, the first thing he felt was pain but it died down after a few minutes.

He heard pained screams and his eyes snapped open, he rushed to the lab only to see his three younger sons holding down the eldest as he screamed.

He walked over helping his sons whispering something in Japanese to his son. Leo soon calmed down his eyes snapping open full of tears his breathing was hard.

His brothers hugged him as his breathing became normal once more. They don't know long they stayed like that by they didn't care.

The 5 weeks soon flew by Leo was once again to his old self and he brothers were closer than ever yea they still fought over stupid things their brothers but they never hurt one another.

They would go on nightly patrols every night taking out the foot clan and purple dragons, and any mutant that dare hurt anyone.

April and Casey went on runs with them they loved to watch the brothers fight as one live as one survive as one.

When ever they got hurt another turtle was there to take the weight for them. They were a really close family always there for each other each carried a burden and it was heavy but none were as heavy as the Eldest the strongest The leader he carried the heaviest.