Woah! This is a long one, and it is NOT the end yet! TMNT are owned by Mirage. I need a Diet Coke!

Aftermath Part C

"Aww, Sensei," Raph weakly protested, though he couldn't refuse it. "That stuff tastes worse than Leo's cooking."

Splinter looked sternly at his son, being supported by Michelangelo, and insistently held the bowl up to his injured son's mouth. Raph, in spite of the taste and his reluctance, swallowed with great difficulty the first of three bowls of medicines that were to start his day.

Leo tried to pretend he was still asleep, but Splinter made Donatello hold his mouth open with one hand, and Leo had to swallow in self defense.

He had briefly toyed with the idea of pretending to choke, but knew that Sensei would probably just add to his coming punishment if he were to make such a lame attempt.

"Man," Raph barely managed to get out, voice hindered by the gagging reflex in his throat and the indescribable bitter taste on his tongue, as the second and then third bowls of medicines swiftly followed.

"Just think, Bro," Mikey couldn't help saying, as he supported his brother firmly yet gently. "You only have to take that stuff four more times today!"

"Mikey, I swear," Raph barely whispered, too weak to growl in his usual tone of voice, too weak to even threaten his little brother properly.

Leo was no better off. He tried to concentrate on some sort of distraction throughout the entire ordeal, tried to remember that this was for his own good, that Sensei loved him and wanted him better-but no matter what he thought of, his mind kept coming back to the fact that each medicine looked and smelled like something from the sewers, and probably tasted just as bad.

"There, now," Don grinned in false enthusiasm. "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

Leo loved his brother, but sincerely wished that he'd had the energy at that moment to smack him one in the head.

Their ordeal wasn't over; the two were required by their father to each drink a glass of orange juice, a cup of tea, and a very small bowl of broth.

"Please, Sensei," Leo managed finally to work his voice- he'd been having trouble convincing his vocal chords that the slimy, bitter concoction in the last bowl had truly been medicine, not some raw sewer sludge that had come to kill them while they slept- "could we skip the broth this time? I- I'm not hungry right now!"

"You must each have something in your stomachs to aid the medicines," Splinter said in the voice he used in the dojo. Leo briefly wondered where his loving father had gone to, as he allowed Don to pour the required liquids into him. He and Raph both were so weak they couldn't lift a hand to assist in their own feeding. He felt like a helpless baby.

It was all they could do to keep from throwing it all up again, but each harbored in his thoughts the belief that Splinter was serious when he had said that first time, "If you do throw up, then you will get it again. You must have these medicines if you are to heal."

And so another day began, as it had since they first woke up from their injuries.

In spite of their reluctance at taking the medicines and their current liquid diets, Raph and Leo were slowly improving. Since that night when the Daimyo had offered the services of his Master Healer, both turtles were slowly but surely beginning to heal.

With the potent (yet highly unpalatable) medicines of the Master Healer, their infections were quickly clearing up. Their blood slowly was being replenished. Their wounds were beginning to heal. Their fevers finally broke, and they began to sleep peacefully.

Day after day and night after night they slowly grew stronger, staying awake and in the real world, resting, doing what they were told, compliant to every demand, request, or suggestion- well, except where the medicines were concerned- they were so damn nasty!

Heck- even with that part of the ordeal, they managed to keep their sense of humors and their good spirits.

"It's like liquid punishment," Raph managed to whisper to Leo one evening, when Sensei was distracted.

Leo nodded, eyes on their father, who appeared to have a somewhat short temper when it came to the medicines.

"Yeah," he agreed. "I'd rather do flips and write essays."

"At the same time," Raph added, and they both earned a sharp look suddenly from Splinter as they began to laugh.

Though they were dependent on everyone for the least little thing, they were able to joke a bit with their brothers and friends.

"Dude, you totally ruined my 'chuk," Mikey chided Raphael one night, as he helped his brother eat some broth.

"Sorry, Mikey- Bishop's head got in my way- several times," he grinned darkly; then, seeing the look Splinter was giving him, he finished what he could of the broth and went back to sleep.

"Leo, I suppose you can explain why my work area was missing nearly all of my trackers," Don said, changing the massive bandage on Leo's arm. "And why my current projects were completely ruined in the process?"

"Yeah, I suppose I could," Leo nodded in affirmation. "But honestly, Don, I feel too tired to go into detail right now. Besides, I'm sure nothing important was ruined, right?"

Though their bodies were still weak, their spirits were surprisingly high and strong, and they could be found laughing at things the others did not see the humor in.

"Hey, Raph, I'll bet that I have more stitches than you."

"You wish, sword boy. I counted 'em up while you were asleep, and I know for a fact that I have at least seventeen more than you."

"You never were good at math, hothead. Besides, Casey stitched you, and he can't count, either."

"I can count how many ways I'm gonna kick your shell, Leo-NERD-o!"

"Enough!" Splinter's voice would seemingly come from no where- and the two of them, as weak as they were, would be reduced to helpless laughter.

Many times Master Splinter would sternly admonish them that they were supposed to be resting quietly when a burst of laughter would erupt from the room for no apparent reason, or at times when everyone thought they should be asleep.

The stronger they grew, the more they noticed that Sensei was- well, angry with them. He had been with them every waking hour it seemed, and they recalled that at first the attention was very warm and fatherly. But each noticed as they got a little better every day, that their father was just a little more- well, they didn't want to say "harsh", but certainly not as- well, tender- as he had first been.

Slowly, though, they did grow stronger, though they were unable to go anywhere on their own- trips to the bathroom, for example, required two helpers to support them each in walking, and at least one observer during the actual process!

"Aww, gee, Sensei," Raph complained, trying to not notice that he was being watched while he performed a necessary function. "Do we hafta have spotters for this? It ain't exactly weight lifting."

"Yes, it is a humiliating experience, is it not?" Splinter sternly replied, arms crossed. "However, you and your brother are hardly in a position to complain about it, are you?"

The days passed, and though still unable to fend for themselves, the two were slowly but steadily getting better.

Splinter, also, had been healing- his sons didn't know it, but he was required to take two of the same medicines as them, though only twice a day, and not five times as they had to. He understood their reluctance, but as the days had passed, and he'd been able to reflect more and more on their actions of that night- indeed, of the past months- he felt no pity for them.

In fact, he found that more and more he was having to keep his irrational anger at his sons in check. Much meditation had taken place over the past handful of days, as their strength slowly returned to them.

Much doubt and questioning- and growing fear- had taken place during the quiet hours when both sons were sleeping, when he was alone with his memories of what they had been and the realities of what they had done.

It was an issue that, given what kind of man Bishop had been, would have surprised even his other sons. But he had been harboring a secret fear, a fear that was even stronger than the anger he felt at their suicidal behavior.

Had they murdered Bishop? Not met him in honorable battle, but killed him in cold blood?

Had he failed his sons?

"What is your explanation?" Splinter asked them with no preamble one night, roughly two weeks later, when both were awake and they were just the three of them together. He had waited until the others had either gone to bed or gone home, as well as for Leonardo and Raphael to be stronger, to address this issue.

They were sitting up on their futons, propped up on pillows against the wall, well-covered. They had just finished the obligatory green tea and broth Sensei insisted they take after their final medicines of the night before bedtime, and were each desperately wishing for something to wash away the combined nauseating aftertaste of the three medicines, green tea, and chicken broth.

At this long-expected yet dreaded question, they exchanged looks. Then to the puzzlement of their Sensei they played a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors.

Leo lost.

Then Leo spoke.

"What do you mean, Sensei?"

"Leonardo! I believe you both owe me an explanation! Why did you go after Bishop? Why did both of you go after this man without your brothers?"

"Sorry, Sensei," Leo smiled briefly, bowing from his sitting position and almost falling over, which took the stern look from Splinter's face and he rushed to steady him. He sat between the two, facing them, looking old.

Leo looked at his father, and sighed. This was going to be hard, he knew it. But he wasn't a kid anymore (indeed, Raph had always insisted that he'd never been a kid in the first place). Leo realized he was smiling at this brief thought, and, registering Splinter's puzzled as well as increasingly angry observation of his smile, quickly focused on the short version.

"Raph and I agreed that this was what we had to do," Leo said simply. "We decided the first night back."

Splinter looked at them, puzzled.

"The first night back?" he asked, confused.

"From the Triceraton mother ship," Leo explained, as if it were a surprise to him that Splinter had forgotten such an important event in their lives. "That first night back, Raph and I- well, we talked things over, and we came to an agreement. We were going to take care of Bishop one way or another. And over the past months, when we've had the chance, we've been searching for any news or information on where this guy might be."

"I don't understand," Splinter said slowly. "Granted, recent events have shown us just how dangerous this man was, but for you to decide back then..."

"We had to," Leo said simply. "That man was a serious, dangerous, sadistic threat to us. You've always told me it's my responsibility to protect this family. After that first encounter with Agent Bishop, I knew I had to protect this family, no matter what the cost. Raph agreed with me. We had to protect this family from people like him."

"But... but why did you not discuss these concerns with me, or with your brothers?" Splinter asked, trying to keep the hurt out of his voice- but both of them could tell that he was hurt.

"We decided that this was our responsibility," Raph said, as Leo reached for a glass of water. "Don and Mike had been through too much; Don with those Triceratons almost frying his brain, and Mike with that lunatic Bishop!"

"We all were in danger from that man, but Raph and I agreed that we would be the ones to take care of him," Leo continued. "But we kept missing our opportunities to do so. And when he grabbed you that first time, we knew more than ever that we needed to end it!"

"But we failed. We blew it big time. Then that stuff happened with the Shredder, and he got put on hold again," Raph said. "And then all the stuff afterwards- but we couldn't give up, Sensei. You know how Mikey was, all them nightmares! That bastard did something to Mikey that first time! He did something to him, and I- I mean, we, missed it. We failed Mikey." Raph's voice, loud and strident with justification, had suddenly faded into a hoarse whisper of guilt and self-blame.

"When he took you this last time," Leo said, forcing himself to speak normally though the emotions of that night's discovery were heavy in his memory, "Raph and I swore that we would do everything in our power to end him once and for all, even if we got you back safe. That's why we left you to Don and Mike."

"It's true, when we first thought about huntin' Bishop down and offin' him, it was not the way you'd want us to," Raph said. They both knew what Splinter feared. "It's true- we had thought about doin' it that way- assassination, murder, whatever you want to call it. But we didn't."

"We did search for information, for anything," Leo continued the story. "But we were also very much concerned with Shredder. And when Bishop was suddenly involved with what was going down there-"

They looked at each other, sensing that they really weren't doing a convincing job of explaining why they'd not confided in their family.

They were right.

"My sons," Splinter finally spoke, looking at them with a mixture of disappointment, sorrow, and slight anger. "My sons, I have stressed over the years the need for honor, the need for teamwork- the need for family. You two made decisions that should have been addressed by all concerned. I know you say that you did it to protect this family, but-"

"But we didn't," Leo cut him off, feeling guilt at that aspect of it. Unexpected tears were stinging his eyes, as he registered his father's disapproval. "We did it for ourselves- that's what you think. Maybe you're right. We were wrong to exclude Don and Mike. We just wanted to protect them. And we were wrong to exclude you all this time. It just seemed the right thing to do! It just seemed- we were wrong, but it's done. And," he got control of his voice that had begun to crack, and sat up straighter, looking at his father, "And still, we're glad we left them out of it. We're glad we ended it."

"We're not sorry, Sensei," Raph adds. "We are glad we did it this way, and that we finished Bishop."

"That's right. Honor demanded his death, and we should have worked together as a family- but I am not ashamed to say that I am glad we did it like this. I'm sorry it disappoints you, Sensei, but I am not repentant."

"Neither am I, Sensei," Raph affirmed just as sincerely as Leo.

"Did you murder him?"

Both sons sat there, stunned at the words.

Both of them now saw- fear- in their father's eyes.

For a few minutes, neither could speak, too shocked by their father's question; by his belief-

"Sensei, I swear to you, on my honor and my family," Raphael suddenly said, voice shaking with emotion. "I swear to you, honored Master, that we did not strike him while he was down! We met him in combat, and killed him in combat!"

Splinter closed his eyes- the image of Bishop's body, lying before them, hacked into several pieces, brains visible through his skull-

"He was always on his feet when we attacked him," Leonardo hoarsely whispered. He was overcome with the memory of that final battle- as well as the fearful look on his father's face as he had asked them that difficult, horrible question. "He was always on his feet, and he was always armed. He took the severest of wounds, and would fall, and we would think he was dead, and then he would rise up again, and again, and again..."

"It was like somethin' outta the horror movies," Raphael, choking back tears of memory on that gruesome fight. "I struck him several times with the 'chuk, and when I heard the sickening crunch- when I could see brains- I was sure that he was finished! He fell to the floor, and we were sure he was finished!"

"Then he grabbed one of the swords on the floor," Leo continued, eyes closed, seeing it again. "He grabbed one of the swords- we thought it was reflex action- and he was up and slashed Raph across the plastron before I could do anything. I think I severed his arm at the shoulder- the arm without the weapon, the arm where I'd already take his hand, it happened so fast! That's when he caught me across my own arm."

"I hit him again and again," Raph spoke, though Splinter had a hard time understanding him at first, his voice was strained with the story. "I hit him once more, I ran my sai into his heart- Leo brought his sword down once more, trying to sever his head, but I don't think he did-"

"He finally died," Leo concluded in a whisper, and now both had tears running down their faces. "He finally died, and it was over. And we're both glad! We are not sorry!"

Splinter sat there, thinking of all that had happened in the past months, of all that they had said of this most terrible of battles. He sat there, thinking of all their justifications to their actions.

Then he looked at the faces of his sons, wet with tears, eyes closed against the memory- and thought of the horrors they had endured in those final minutes with Bishop. It had not been a clean death. But it had not been murder.

Still...

"It is not the way of the warrior-" Splinter began, but both cut him off.

"We don't revel in his death, Sensei, or the deaths of those 'super-soldiers'," Leo said, opening his eyes to his father, roughly wiping his face with his good arm. "We aren't glad for the deaths of those others we fought who stood between us and our goal. But we cannot feel remorse for Bishop's death! He was a dangerous, sadistic, evil man who only cared if he succeeded, no matter who was killed in the process! He claimed to be saving humanity, while at the same time destroying it! I am not sorry that we killed him!"

Then Leonardo and Raphael looked at each other again, as if reading each other's thoughts, and to the protests of Splinter, they slowly and painfully got into kneeling positions and bowed to their Sensei.

"Forgive us, Honored Master, for not feeling remorse," Leo said. "Forgive us for leaving our family out of our plans. Forgive us for not confiding in you. We have let you down. We are sorry."

"But we are not sorry for the outcome," Raphael added. "We're not sorry that we took on Bishop or that he is dead! We are only sorry that you are disappointed in us. We willingly accept our punishment, and hope to earn your favor once more. Forgive us, Honored Master."

Splinter sighed deeply, and looked even older. He sat there, looking at these wounded, weak- yet strong- warriors bowing in submission to him, begging for forgiveness for protecting the family by excluding it, waiting his judgment and punishment.

He still didn't know what to think about their behavior, but he was wise enough to know that, though they had acted without thought or regard for his lessons- in the end they had acted honorably. They had acted for the family, in spite of it all.

He still wasn't happy that they'd gone after him. But there would be time to reprimand them about that later. Much later, he thought, looking at these two who were still bowing, yet now both shaking from the effort to maintain the positions- after all, they were still weak.

He helped each one back into a sitting position, and then encouraged both to lay down as it was bedtime. He carefully covered each one, and then he took Leo's hand in one of his, and Raph's in his other, and looked at them with tears in his eyes.

"You have not let me down. You could never disappoint me. You do not need my forgiveness. I love you, my foolish sons. My ninja."

Then he kissed each one on the forehead, got up, and left the room.

Raph and Leo stared at each other, slightly puzzled. This had not been what they expected.

"I guess this means we're not grounded," Leo said after a few minutes.

"I guess you're right, bro. Though for a minute, I thought he might just spank his 'foolish sons'."

"Yeah, me, too. Unless he's waiting until we're both well."

"I guess we'd better watch our backs in the future," Raph said seriously.

"Or rather, our backsides," Leo amended.

They looked at each other again.

Then they burst out laughing.

"Get to sleep!" commanded their father from the next room, temper short with weariness.

They grinned at his tone of voice, then went to sleep.

A/N: No! It's not over! They still have to reconcile with Don and Mikey! And they have one more goal: to use the bathroom without "minders"!