Rising of the Moon 
Chapter 10
	It's been about a month. Six weeks since Leonardo's heart surgery and he was slowly starting to heal enough to do particular amount of physical activity's. Such as he managed to do certain house chores like cleaning the dishes or vacuuming the floors. Leo would occasionally help out Mikey with the cars but he only managed to stand for fifteen minutes before the muscles around his chest would start feeling pain, tightness, and numbness, but according to the doctor that was all typcial symptoms after heart sugery. 
	Leonardo was given pain medication prescribed by his doctor to take twice a day and as much as he would hate it, Michelangelo would make sure he wouldn't skip one. Ever since the incident Mikey made sure that Leo didn't push himself too far, despite the fact that he was getting agitated with the over protectivness Mikey kept for him. 
	Even if he understood his reasoning, he was so used to his daily physical excersising activity's. Laying down day after day was unusual and dissapointing to him. His nights would only get three to four hours of sleep as the rest he would stay up trying to figure out how to pass the time, and Leo couldn't help but thinking how terrible it's going to be when he finally get's back on his feet and moving around. How out of shape and tired his nights out on patrol are going to be. If he goes out for patrol again. With what a worry wart Mikey turned out to be, it was going to take a lot of talking into before his little brother would finally allow him to go.
	"I'll be fine, Mikey. I promise." The leaf green turtle insisted as he put on his jacket. Loving the feeling of the coat back on his shoulders. Plus, since Mikey cleaned it, it also smalled a lot nicer.
	"But what if you run into those vampires again, Leo. I saw what they look like, and how can barelly manage to run correctly. I likely doubt you'll be able to beat them." The orange clad turtle protested.
	"Then I will avoid them."
	"That's not an option. When I went out looking for you, I didn't go anywhere near down town and I was still stopped by them."
	"As best as I can." Leo finished. "Besides, I'll never get healed all the way if I don't excersise a little. The doctor recommended walks."
	"At night?"
	"No. But nights the best time for me. My hours are all screwed up, and if I tire myself out I might actually get some decent amount of sleep." The sea green terrapin sighed. He hated the fact that his brother and best friend was so vulnerable, and though he wasn't the best body gaurd, he would have liked it better if he was around to help protect him. But knowing Leo well enough, the leaf green ninja would not allow such a thing. 
	Michelangelo knew well enough before he brought him home from the hospital that he couldn't keep his hold on Leo for long. The turtle was active and always wanting the excitments of life. The fact that he quenches his need for excitment by slaughtering blood sucking monsters each night didn't exactly approve to Mikey, but there wasn't much he could do. Leo was a lot stronger before and that made Leo's nights going out alone more talurable. Now he feels stressed out about the idea.
	"I still don't like it."
	"Mikey, you will never like it." Leo rolled his eyes and smirked at his best friend.
	"Alright. But if you feel like your getting too weak to walk. Or you feel like your in any trouble at all. Don't hesitate to call, okay?" The blue clad turtle chuckled.
	"I promise, and if it makes you feel better, I'll call every hour just so you can check up on me." Mikey nodded his agreement. Leo grabbed his beloved twin katanas and strapped them to his back.
	"I'll be back around six-ish." He shouted out. Just about to walk out the exit of his home and entrance to freedom.
	"No. You'll be back by twelve. No protesting."
	"That's the middle of the night."
	"Exactly. When the vampires most enjoy coming out."
	"Once the sun goes down. That's when they come out."
	"That's when their most crowded." Leo rolled his eyes and scowled.
	"Come on Mikey. That only gives me a couple of hours. How about four?"
	"One."
	"Three?"
	"Fine. Two o'clock it is. It's settled." Leo sighed knowing that was the best he could get, but further more didn't argue. He couldn't test his little brother in allowing him to go out. Nodding he turned around and walked out the door quickly before Mikey decides to change his mind. 
	Leonardo made his way up the first fire escape he could get to and to his surprise he already felt breathless by the time he got to the top. But he couldn't say he didn't enjoy the feeling, despite how quick it came without any real work to it. Leo cursed himself for getting so exausted with no amount of real work in it, but he promised Mikey he wouldn't push himself to far. Much to his dissapointment. 
	Taking a small break on the roof top till he got his breathing under control he got up from where he was sitting and slowly started walking across the rooftops. His speed slowly increasing till he was running his hardest. The hops across the alleyways where tougher to come by. He could only hop two before he would have to take a break, mostly because the landing wrestled hard with his chest.
	He took a break every five to ten minutes to catch his breath and calm down his pounding heart before he would start back running again. He checked with Mikey every hour, giving him a full report of his health as Mikey took check of his vitals through the phone. Leonardo felt it was absolutely crazy that he had to do this every hour, but he found he didn't have much of a choice till his little sibling finally has enough trust in him to allow him to go out. After about two hours he decided to sit down on one of the edges of the building as he over looked the busy city. It was some time past twelve and the moon was high. Leo didn't find any trouble with the vampires, as a matter of fact he hasn't herd, smelt, or seen one at all and with this fact wandering in his head, but a very uncomfortable atmosphere around him.
	Leo guessed he should be grateful for it though. A fight against species way powerful then him might not be a good idea, and the last thing he wants it so be put out of commision for another month.
	The thought of getting into a fight sounded exhilirating and well missed but he knew better Besides, if he came back home with someone elses blood on his jacket. He was sure Michelangelo would never allow him out again.
	It's not like Mikey had no trust in him, Leo knew that. It's the monsters out there that try to kill him that he doesn't.
	Of course Leo hasn't seen any vampire lately. Mostly because he was sure that Raph had spread the truth that he had taken down the vampire hunter. Though he would have expected a big rampage around the city now that they don't have much to fear, but he figured they were all in their secret little hideouts, celebrating with hunted feasts at the tables, and Raph in the center of it all, getting the credit and glory.
	Leo sighed as he closed his eyes. Allowing his head to hand from his shoulders. He still continues to kick himself for that stupid mistake. He should have never given him any of his trust, that was idiotic of him and he shouldn't be this surprised that this happened to him. Becoming. . . companions with his worst enemy would always equal getting stabbed in the back. Or in the heart is more like it. Leo shook his head of those uncomfortable thoughts, he's making sure he would never make that mistake again.
	The leaf green turtle sat there on that same roof top for twenty minutes. Lost in thought as he contemplated the constand moving city's. Leonardo suddenly started sensing that he wasn't the only one of this rooftop. His body turned ridged as he turned every of his senses on. His hand sneaking up to his back and grabbing onto the handle of his sword, and in one swift smooth movement, the terrapin hopped up to his feet, unsheathing his weapon and pointing it at the figure in the darkness.
	"Who are you?" He asked with warning in his tone. When the figure did not answer he growled.
	"What are you doing here!?" He shouted. A sigh came from the darkness.
	"Show yourself now." It took a few minutes and Leonardo waited impatiently for whatever was in the darkness to appear. Leo's eyes widen in shock when he found the emerald turtle red eyed reptile.
	"Leonardo. . ." Snarling wildly, the blue clad turtle did not give him the time to finish as he immediately attacked him. Swinging his sword at Raph, the emerald terrapin dodged with ease.
	"Leo! Stop!" He demanded, pushing the sword away from him when another strike came his way. The sword wielder refused to stop, too blinded by his own rage to care what the other turtle had to say to him. Raphael continued to block and dodge the coming assaults but did not ingaging.
	"Leo, please! I don't want to hurt you!" Leo growl.
	"Since when!"
	"I never wanted to hurt you."
	"And I just assume the knife that was burried in my chest was just an accident." Raph snarled and disarmed Leo from one of his weapons. Only for the leaf green turtle to leap and grab it as he rolled back on his feet. Unsheathing his second sword. Running back at Raphael again.	
	"Please! Let me explain!"
	"There is no need of an explaination! You may not want to hurt me, but I want to hurt you!" The blue clad turtle swung a sword at Raphael as he ducked, swinging his leg around and sweeping Leo's feet from under him. And as he was just about to pin his attacker, Leonardo rolled backwards and back up. The two turtles got back up on their feet, the vampire hunter was the first to run forward as the red clad terrapin stood there, holding his ground. Leo chambered his swords, hammering them down as Raph found no other choise, rolling to the side barely making the cut. Leonardo growled in iritation.
	"Why won't you fight me!?"
	"Because I can't. I hurt you enough." Leo's face softened just the slightest to the point it wasn't even noticable. Truth be told, Leo really did want to know Raph's reason for attacking him so unexpectadly, but he wasn't about to give him the satisfaction of putting down his blades just to listen to him. Millions of questions was running through the vampire hunters head. Why Raph would attack him. Did he mean it? Why won't he hurt him now? But he wasn't going to trust this vampire enough for him to be able to answer. 
	"We can do this all night, Leonardo." 
	Leonardo flinched as he felt a stinging pain in his chest. He took a few breaths till the pain subsided. 
	"Leo, please. Your heart can't handle this."
	"You don't care. You shouldn't care. Your my enemy, and I should have killed you from the start." He panted out. The vampire sighed in annoyance. He knew this was going to happen and he didn't blame Leo one bit, but he really wanted to say what he planned he was going to say for a month without a sword swinging to his head.
	"Fine, Leo. If you want to fight. Let's fight." He narrowed his eyes as he got into a fighting stance. 
	The leaf green turtle smirked, attacking him first. The blades swung with force as Raph dodged them. Punching Leo right in his side. The sapphire eyed reptile gasped but before he could strike back Raphael moved behind him, kicking him in his shell, causing him to fall forwards. 
	Growling in fury, he rapidly turned around cutting Raph along his chest. The turtle gasped and stepped backwards a couple of feet away. Too distracted in the small pain he didn't notice the next strike charging at him. The blade cut clean through his cheek as the vampire crumpled to the ground. The surprise abuse left him devastated for a few minutes. His hand holding his cheek as he caught the stray bits of blood that feel from the wound. He glanced at the red liquid before shaking his head getting back up, finding that Leo was just about to hit him again he managed to flip away right in the nick of time. 
	He stopped himself from rolling on the ground as he dug his feet into the concrete. Getting back up he shook out the fuzziness from his head. He lifted up his hands as he ran over to Leo. The leaf green reptile jump back, spinning around and flinging his swords at his enemy. Raph managed to dodge them, coming back up and upcutting Leo's chin. Leonardo was stunned by the blow as he ended up dropping one of his weapons to grab a hold of his chin. He accidently bit his lip and once he regained his balance he spit out a little bit of blood that filled his mouth.
	He wiped his lip. Calming down his speeding heart beat. Getting a strong grip with both hands on his last katana before leaping after his enemy. Swinging the sword to Raphael's head. The vampire dodged easily enough till Leo made a fake move and ended up cutting his leg. Hissing at the stinging pain, trying hard to ignore it as he spotted the vampire hunter barelling at him with full fury. 
	From instinct he jumped to the side, pushing the flat of the blade to the side. Grabbing Leo's wrist and pinning it under his arm as he brought down his elbow on Leo's wrist as the blue clad terrapin dropped his sword immediatey with a yelp, trying to pull his hand out of Raph's grip, but had failed at the attempt as the red clad turtle gripped hard on his arm and flipped him over his shoulder. Leonardo landed hard on the concrete, groaning and whimpering at the pain that suddenly erupted from his chest but yet, he still continued to fight Raph. Finding no other choice he pinned Leo's wrists with his knees. 
	"Now that I have you undercontrol. I was wanting to tell you something. . ." He was about to continue on till Leo growled loudly.
	"Save it! I don't want to hear it!" Leonardo hissed. Struggling at the pin before pushing his legs up from the ground kicking Raph right in the middle of his head, knocking him back a few feet. 
	The sword wielder crawled quickly on his feet, finding Raph earned himself a bloody noe as he got back up as well. He sniffed and held his hands up. The vampire hunter took a breath to sooth his already angry heart before getting his hands up as well, the two ran at each other. Raph was the first to strike, giving a jab cross to Leo's direction as he leaned back, missing him easily. He came back up jabbing a couple time before reverse upcutting, Raphael blocked them before getting immediately hit right in his gut area. Coughing he stepped back as Leo ran in, kneeing Raph, punching, turning and elbowing him right in the jaw. 
	The emerald turtle was caught off gaurd as he fell limp on the concrete roof. Coughing up blood that spilled from his lip. Most of his body parts were still intacted and not need of immiediate attention, much to his relief. But as soon as his breath came bareling back into his body, he was just about to come back up, finding that Leo was already on top of him. Pushing him down by his shoulders, Raph tried clawing at Leo his hands till they were also grabbed and pinned above his head. And before he could even attempt to use his legs he found that they were stratled under Leo's weight. The vampire growled in fury at his loss. Struggling in the tight grip he was in, trying to find some way to get out of it, but after some time Leonardo held him in place, the emerald turtle finally gave up and went limp on the ground with a huff. Panting out the hard labor of the fight.
	"Hah! Looks like I won this round!" Leo shouted playfully in Raph's face. For some reason the win to this fight distracted him enough to not kill him. Raph laid breathless and confused as he stared up at Leo.
	"Y-Your not going to kill me?" He dared to ask. Leo stayed silent for what felt like forever as he stared at the ground. He knew he would regret this but he looked back up at Raph and finally decided to speak.
	". . . You nearly killed me. But the sad thing about it is that I wasn't expecting it. And I guess that's my fault."  Leonardo spoke with such ashamndeness filling in his voice. There was a long silence spread between them.
	"But I herd about what you did?" Raph's head perked up, studying Leo's expression for any hint. Not finding anything, he had to admit that Leo could hide his emotions really well and Raph admired him for that. Despite how much it annoyed him.
	"Pardon?"
	"Michelangelo . . He was attacked. You were the one that saved him. Am I wrong?" After realizing where this was going. He nodded with a guilty sigh as Raph looked away from Leo.
	"What does this have to do with anything?"
	"It has to do with everything, Raph. I don't care what happens to me. I risk my life every night I go out. There is no telling if I'll be able to come home. I would risk my life for my brothers any time, any where. And I'm prepared for that always."
	"So. . .?"
	"I'm too used to this, Raphael. Those monsters trying to kill me. Your not any different to them. But when my worst enemy saves my brothers life. . . I owe him." He explained. Leonardo had to admit, the words tasted bitter in his mouth. Owing his worst enemy.
	"Owe me? Your not going to kill me cause I saved your brother."
	"My littler brother would be dead by now if it wasn't for you. I am entirelly grateful, and because of that one act. I'm sparing your life." Leo slowly got off of him enough that Raph could breath.
	"Then what was with all of this!? All the screaming, fighting, yelling, and trying everything  in your power to kill me!" He protested, now more confused then ever.
	". . . I was mad." The blue clad terrapin answered easily.
	"You were mad? You were trying to kill me because you were mad. . .?"
	"You fucking stabbed me, Raphael! You seriously think I'm going to be okay with that!?" He shouted angirly. The vampire chuckled slightly.
	"Well, you don't have to worry much about that anyway. I'm not going to be around to bother you from now on." Raph said with a sigh.
	"What do you mean? Your going somewhere?"	
	"Have to now. Your returning as the Vampire Hunter, all the vampires are going to be hunting me down."
	"Your a trator to them." Leo replied, looking to the ground.
	"I was always a trator. I never liked being around other vampires and I usually follow by my own rules. Which sometimes require breaking vampire rules themselves." 
	"So you never were at piece with them?"
	"When I was five maybe. But I never liked them, they never liked me. We were born to be rivals." The emerald turtle smirked.
	"So how was life when every vampire thought I was dead?"
	"For me or for them?"
	"You. I'm sure life for them is just fantastic now that they don't have to worry about anything harming them every time they step out at night."
	"Me? I still never hung around them, or contributated to their little celebration banquets. And lot's of them still doesn't believe the Vampire Hunter is dead. I didn't have much proof except a bloody knife. Since I didn't bring your body back with me to feast on, lot's of them still are suspicious of you. And if you continued to stay down for a while, I'm sure they'll start believing."
	"So things never really changed for you, huh. What was your excuse when they asked about my body?" Leonardo asked curiously.
	"I threw you in the ocean." Leo couldn't help but giggle at that.
	"But why?" Raph frowned as he looked at the ground. He was more positive that he wouldn't be having this conversation with the vampire hunter. So he wasn't very prepared for it.
	"I didn't think you diserved it." The leaf green turtle stared at him. Giving him a confused look.
	"Diserve it?"
	"Yeah, having to be eatten by your worst enemy. Didn't seem like the right way for you to die."
	"But getting stabbed by one is better." Raph shrugged and sighed. 
	"I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to kill you. It's just. . . something made me."
	"Made you?"
	"You killed my brother years ago." Leonardo blinked a couple of times.
	"I killed your brother?"
	"Yes. You most likely would not remember him. But he died by one of your blades. After the thought of that, I just saw nothing but rage. All I wanted to do was avenge him. That's all that went through my mind." Raph explained. Leo stared at him before closing his own eyes and sighing.
	"That explains a lot."
	"You see, Leo. You would do anything to protect your little brother. . . and so would I." Leonardo nodded. He couldn't believe of how much of this he understood.
	"I should just kill you right now." He whispered to himself.
	"But you won't?"
	"No. . . No I won't. I can't. At least not now." Leo looked back  up at Raph as the emerald terrapin smiled slightly.
	"Well. . . that's good news for me." He smirked, causing Leo to giggle a little. The two sat together in the middle of awkward silence. Neither one of them knowing what to say next, but as silent time passed by the two were enjoying the others company as they laid on the roof tops admiring the poluted starry sky, and no one wanted to say anything. Well, until Raphael decided to speak as he started laughing. 
	"What's so funny?"
	"The fact that this is the same roof we fought those other last times. It's like their something about this roof that possess us to fight."
	"We're not fighting now."
	"But it took a big deadly fight to get to here." Leo chuckled and nodded his head. 
	"Maybe it's cursed." Raphael had to laugh at that one before he collapsed back on the concrete floor.
	"I'm sorry." Raph finally said out loud. Leo frowned and remained silent for a good five minutes before he sighed and closed his eyes.
	"I'm not forgiving you. But I'm not mad." Raph looked at him in shock.
	"Your not mad?"
	"Well, not anymore. I got out all my anger from the fight. Right now I'm just content. And if you go now, you won't have to worry too much about me wanting to hunt you down and kill you once revenge crosses my mind." Leonardo smirked in an amzusing way.
	"That would probably be best." Raph nodded as he got up from the ground. Dusting off the dried blood and dirt on his jacket. Leo was the next to get up.
	"I guess I'll see you around?" The vampire shrugged. 
	"Maybe. I might have to flee the city all together just to keep alive." The blue clad turtle nodded his understanding. 
	"Other then what happened. I'm glad that I met you." Leo smiled every so slightly and nodded.
	"Thanks for saving my life as well." Raph laughed as he turned around, taking off torwards the shadows as Leo noticed the sun was just beginning to come up. He covered his eyes when a colorful ray of sun light hit his eye. He wasn't exactly entirelly sure what came over him, but a sudden dissapointment and lonesome rose around him. Shaking off the unwanted feelings, he picked up his swords and sheathed them. He had a lot of explaining to do when he got home if Mikey catches him with blood on him. Leo sighed and glanced back at the last place he remembered seeing the emerald vampire before running in the direction of his home.
	'See you soon.' A small slice of hope lingered in the air around him as he ran home. He had no clue if this night went to hell or if it turned meaningful, but he knew better then to give it too hard of a thought.