No Escape

Chapter 28

Raphael paced back and forth in front of Leo's cot, his older brother's mask clutched tightly in his hand. His anger warred with worry and fear. He didn't know what else to do but get in Donny's way, and keep pestering him every few minutes.

"What the hell is wrong with him, Donnie?" Raph growled as he made another lap in front of Leo's cot.

Donnie sighed tiredly. "Raph..." Donnie growled in grief-stricken irritation.

"He ain't brain dead, Donnie." Raph shot back in growing agitation.

"Raph..." Donnie tried again patiently.

"He woke up! He was able to move his feet and his arms when you asked him to. He was in there!" Raph screamed at his brother.

"Does it look like he is in there?" Donnie snapped back in bitter anger and frustration.

Raph forced his gaze from his younger brother's grief stricken eyes, and instead, looked at Leo, who was laying on the cot, sunken eyes closed peacefully. Raph felt his shoulders slump slightly in defeat.

It had been a week since Leo had opened his eyes and responded to Donnie's commands. But after this small miracle, his brother didn't seem to respond anymore. Leo would wake up and sleep, but seemingly at random intervals. He never tried to speak, acknowledge their presence, or respond when he was being talked to.

Donnie believed that it was a fluke that Leo had responded to them in the first place, and that his initial diagnosis of Persistent Vegetative State was accurate. Leo's lights were on, but no one was home; and no one was coming home... ever again.

His father had been crushed, and Mikey had been devastated at the horrific news. At the moment, his father was praying in his meditation room, while Michelangelo was sobbing brokenheartedly in his bedroom.

Raph on the other hand, was furiously fighting with Donnie, delaying the inevitable one painfully disheartening day at a time.

"I'm sorry, Raph." Donnie began, gently shaking his head from side to side in regret. "It's what Leo would have wanted."

"I don't give a shit what Leo would have wanted. He's still in there, Donnie, I'm tellin' you!" Raph shouted at his brother desperately.

"He's gone, Raph!" Donnie snapped angrily. "He is gone... just accept it. The only reason Leo is still alive at the moment is because of the life support he is hooked up to."

"Donnie..." Raphael warned before Donnie cut him off.

"It's time, Raph. If it were you and Leo was calling the shots, he would know to let you go; because it was what you would have wanted. And Leo had enough honor to accept that."

Raph flinched at Donnie's words, only because he knew that his genius brother was speaking the absolute truth, even though it was obvious that it was hard for Donnie to speak the words, but not as hard as they were for Raph to hear.

Donnie placed a comforting hand on Raph's shoulder and gave it a quick squeeze. "Go get Mikey and Master Splinter. We can all say goodbye to him and then... then I..." Donnie closed his eyes and took a steadying breath. "I will pull Leo's life support."

Raph swallowed down the lump that had formed in his throat at these words and felt it slide and settle into his gut, like a hard piece of lead. Words of protest rose up and hovered upon his lips, but he knew that it was no use. Donnie was right. It was time to let Leo go.

With leaden feet, Raph walked slowly to his father's meditation room, even though he knew his sluggish pace would not delay the inevitable. He didn't say a word to his father, his presence was enough to alert his father that it was time. His father only looked at Raph sadly, and stood on shaky legs.