The Leader Gave Me Hope: The First Book of the Freeformers Series

• Investigating •

Raphael's eyes found his brother as the team made their way to the docks. He figured Leo would revert back to Hermit Mode the moment Faline walked out. It had been the same way he'd dealt with heartbreak in the past, but this was different, somehow. Back when Karai's fiasco had made him mute, he'd still shown some emotions when Mikey goofed up, or Donnie succeeded in engineering something for the four of them, or Raph himself had agitated him.

Now there was nothing but a blank expression, a featureless shell that had replaced Leo. Raph sighed quietly, watching the leader of the four point half heartedly toward the docks, not even bothering with his usual show of complex hand signals. The others followed the simple order, deciding it was probably not best to stir up any trouble by disobeying commands now.

Truthfully, Raph hadn't been all that torn up about Fae's departure, he reflected as they sprinted across the deserted street. Quite the opposite, in fact — he'd been relieved to see her go.

A twinge of guilt struck him as he and his brothers began to scale the chainlink fence surrounding the docks, a pang he smothered immediately. Why should he be feeling repentance for his treatment of Fae, when she'd been the one to practically rob Leo of his happiness? Why should he feel sorry for his actions, when hers had caused so much pain to his brother?

He knew his family would never believe it, and he desperately attempted to conceal it himself, but Raph had always cared deeply for the others. He'd watched everything that could go wrong, go wrong. He'd witnessed Leo's devastation when Karai flew the coop. He'd seen Donnie's evident heartbreak when April had chosen Jones, and not the nerd-tastic terrapin. He'd watched Mikey being rejected by not one, but two girls (granted, his little bro had gotten over it relatively quickly — it was one of the perks of being Mikey, in that the spunky terrapin never held interest in one thing for too long). Not to mention a run-in with a female salamander that had made Raphael's taste for romance turn bitter.

Raphael understood his ways of showing his protectiveness were odd, to say the least. He believed in toughening his brothers up, building them up so they couldn't be broken down so easily the next time. He demonstrated his concern with every jab at his youngest brother, every tease aimed toward the genius, and every harsh word directed at Leo. Like building callouses on the hands of Life, so that the next foe who dared to approach them would be evaded that much easier...since they'll be able to punch their lights out...because of the callouses he helped to form... on their hands... of Life?

Okay, maybe his proverbs weren't as poetic as Splinter's words of wisdom, but he felt his theory was sound.

Raph hadn't even realized they'd reached the shipping containers and crates obscuring the ocean from view. Leo threw an arm to the side, blocking the red clad terrapin's path and silently analyzing the scene around them, peering through the darkening shadows and finally signaling with a nod of his head that they could proceed their advance.

The four turtles, weapons now unsheathed and clutched in their hands, melted into the crevices and sanctuaries of darkness, the cloud-congested sky and approaching evening their allies as they crept from hiding place to hiding place. The ensuing silence allowed Raph to slip back into reflection.

Fae had been the one to break Leo's spirit, and he despised her for it. Still, the way the leader had looked at her, and the way she seemed to light up in his presence, made Raph wonder whether the blonde had really intended to hurt him.

Seeing Leonardo so worried about someone outside his clan had been a refreshing change. Watching his vigilant guard come down when Faline walked in the room, and catching his dreamy smiles thrown her way when she wasn't looking further justified his increasing, undying devotion. And it wasn't as if Fae wasn't attracted to Leo too — her reddening face when he'd compliment her training and demure smile anytime he came near was evidence of her growing feelings.