Well here is finally is, the prologue to No Matter What.
I can't thank everyone enough who has stuck with me through this - every review has meant the world to me. Special thanks to the people who pushed me to finish and never to quit. Thank you so much Mikell and Melody Winters.
The turtles do not belong to me. Carley, Dominick, Jayden and Gruber do, as well as any other OC's you have seen. These are my property so don't use without permission.
Thanks and enjoy.
"I can't believe it." Raph murmured in the darkness of the bedroom. He watched, beside Leo, as Carley let her green lids cover her amber eyes. Her thumb was stuck in her mouth and her red blanket covered her shell.
"What?"
"He's gone." Whispered Raph. "I mean, all it took was a second for our lives to be changed. And all it took was a second for it all to go back. The second the door closed on Gruber, I knew it was back." He turned to Leo. "A second bro. Just a second. Can you believe it?"
"Sometimes we take for granted those precious seconds Raph." Leo smiled gently. "I know I have."
"But these…" Raph gently ran a finger down his daughter's cheek. "I never want a second of their lives to be wasted. They are precious bundles that I was blessed with. But still…it only took a second." He blinked away tears.
"A second can change a lot Raph." Leo said softly. "A lot can happen in a second. Lives can be changed. Lives can be lost in a mere second."
"Live can also be gained." Raph smiled, looking up at Leo. Amber met brown. "I wish I could undo those seconds in the past where I messed up. I wish I could redo that night."
"You can't change the past bro." Leo lifted a finger, wiping the tear dripping down Raph's cheek. "But the future is still up for grabs."
"I know." Raph opened his arms.
And the two brothers met in an embrace.
"A second Raph." Leo whispered in his brother's ear, eyes tightly shut. "That's all it takes."
"I know Leo. I know."
And Leo did know, that deep in his heart, that everything that had happened these years would leave scars on them all, some emotionally, others physically.
Raph had the scars of pain that he would always wear, the brand on his shoulder that would forever force memory of hell he'd lived through. His emotional pain... it would go away, but would always be in his mind, a memory locked away.
Don... he would always remember the first time he laid eyes on his brother in the cage. The wounds inflicted and knowing in great detail what brought them. Never would he forget bandaging those wounds, wishing he could do more than salve and wrappings. Wishing he could fix the pain of the mind... but he knew he didn't, and he never could.
Mikey's innocent heart would be scarred when he found out that Raph was a mindless, terrified beast, trapped in the body of his brother. He knew humans could be bad... but to bring that much pain on his brother would forever scar the soul of mercy towards them.
And himself... Leo knew that everyone of the burdens - the pains, hurts and memories - that his brothers carried, he also shouldered.
The fear he would always have.
The pain he would never forget.
But through all of, every scar and every wound, would become a mere memory. A memory that no brother would ever forget.
They were ninja.
They were peace keepers.
They were shadows in the night.
But most of all, they were family.
They were brothers.
And they would never forget that...
No Matter What.
Review Please!
Also be sure and keep an eye out for the sequel to this fic, Forever Loved. The brief summary is located on my prologue page.
Thanks everyone again!
~raphfreak