Aelan was laying on his stomach with his arms crossed and his head laying on it as they waited for Veronica to come and help him. Nate had given him some sort of tea and it made the pain much more bearable. He could still feel the ache, but it wasn't as terrible as before.

"How you feeling?" Nate asked.

Aelan looked up. "Okay. Does it look as bad as it feels?"

"Yeah, it's pretty gnarly back here... I'm sorry."

"No worries."

"How can you say that?"

" Will it matter if you take the blame?"

"I guess not..."

"Where's Hael?"

"He went back over to Leon. For someone who hates him so much, he seems awfully concerned with him."

"Hael is stupid. He's always been reserved about Leon. When you left, he didn't want to deal with it and it was easier for him to blame Leon... Nate, can I tell you something?"

"Anything."

"I think Hael saw what I saw back then."

Nate frowned. "What do you mean?"

"It's vague and I may not be remembering it right, but when you slipped out of my hands and got sucked into the fairy ring, I was stunned, staring at the broken mushrooms in complete shock and fear. A few seconds passed and I felt Hael touch my shoulder. He asked me if I was alright and what had happened to you... but then he said something else. He said, "Did it get you?""

"'Did it get you?'" Nate asked in confusion.

"Remember that when I was pulling you, that tree came to life?"

"And then you let go."

"Yeah..." he said sadly, looking away.

"I'm not mad, Aelan."

"I'm sorry though... if I had just been strong..."

"Hey," Nate said, putting his hands on his brothers'. "Seriously, it doesn't matter anymore. Anyone would have freaked out if a tree suddenly came to life."

"But that's the thing though, you and I only saw that tree... Right?"

"Do you think that Hael's not our real brother?"

"No, not that. I just don't think he's as oblivious as he is acting. He knew what happened to you but then when I went crazy, so he blamed Leon to keep from being crazy too. If he agreed with me about what I saw..."

"Yeah..."

"What do you mean?" they heard Hael say loudly from the group with Leon.

"I'll be right back." Nate said. He walked over to the couch as Hael stepped away. "What's going on?"

"Why don't you tell him what you told me?" Hael spat.

"Hael-"

"Go on! Tell him!"

Veronica sighed. "Nate, I'm afraid that I can't do much more for Leon."

"What do you mean?"

"The thorn we removed went in deep but it had a few tricks so to speak. It released a toxin in Leon's body and was also edged in tiny serrated teeth. When we pulled out the thorn, it... it tore up everything in its wake."

"So... what are you saying?"

"This is beyond homeopathic medicines or pseudosciences. To save your brother, you're going to need a miracle."

"Or magic."

"I still don't get it."

"This crackhead wants us to try and bargain with these homicidal fairies to help Leon. They want you and that's all they've been after so far. So that means that most likely, they would want us to give you back, so what the point of trying to bargain?" Hael explained.

"Did you ask Leon what he wanted?"

"He's going to be unconscious for a long time." Veronica explained. "The less he's up and about, the longer he'll survive."

"The point is that it doesn't matter. The fairies don't' want to bargain or trade or whatever. They want you as the price for anything we do or they would make us trade Leon for you and what good is that? One brother for another or lose two brothers in the process?"

"Is there no civil way to speak with them?" Veronica asked.

"They've been on the attack since I escaped. Like Hael said, they aren't really the 'talk it out' type." Nate answered.

"What about Aelan?"

"What about him?" Hael said, crossing his arms.

"Since he's turning into a fairy, could he maybe... talk to them?"

"That's up to Aelan. They royally fucked him over."

"But they messed you up too, Nate." Venus said. "You were robbed of your life and now they are robbing you of your family right in front of you."

"This isn't my decision. It's between Aelan and Leon."

"And you."

"Not until we have a price. If Leon wants Aelan to try and communicate with them, then we go one step at a time. We need to treat Aelan first though."

"Let's let Leon sleep. He's comfortable right now and we don't need to wake him."

Hael crossed his arms but went over to Aelan with everyone else.

*******************

"Okay, so. This is going to be weird. I need someone to hold this UV flashlight while I gather the stones needed and then you will shine the flashlight through the stone and hopefully it will repair the damage."

Nate held the flashlight as he waited for Veronica to get the crystals. Once she got them, they worked on soothing Aelan's pain and recovering his skin from being burnt. It took about an hour and a half to find the right combination of crystals but Veronica was surprised it actually worked as she watched the skin where the light touched start to smooth out and heal. She wiped the sweat away at the finishing touches of amethyst to relieve stress.

"It looks almost as good as new." She said.

"What did she say?" Aelan asked.

"She said it looks almost as good as new."

"Can you flap your wings for me and tell me if they still sting?"

Aelan started to flap them and winced initially but worked out the pain with each flap.

"It feels okay. It aches but I think that's better than being burnt." He sat up slowly and stretched his arms, feeling a slight pull but nothing like the agony he was in a while ago. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome. I'm going to go check on Leon. The medicine I gave him is probably wearing off by now. You guys need to talk to him about this plan."

She walked of and Aelan looked at Nate.

"What plan?"

Nate sighed and explained what they had discussed before.

****************

Leon felt like small streams of fire was going through his veins. Every move and every breath was like flames. Even blinking was it's own form of nagging torture. It didn't hurt as much as it was annoying.

"You're awake." Veronica said. "How do you feel?"

"Like an electric blanket."

She chuckled. "That's a new one... Leon-"

"I know. I it's pretty bad."

"Did you overhear?"

"Bits and pieces. I was in and out of consciousness."

"I see... I'm sorry."

"Are you a fairy?'

"No."

"Then you aren't to blame."

"I should have been more careful."

"Personally, I don't think it would have mattered. The thorn was like a fishhook and the edges were so small anyone wouldn't have realized it was serrated until they pulled their hand down the sizes. It's like sawgrass... Is Aelan alright?"

"Yes, everyone's fine."

"Leon!" Veronica moved as Aelan fell next to his brother, his wings fluttering in agitation. "I'm so sorry!"

"Why is everyone sorry?"

"I'm a fairy now and I can't even help you!"

"They turned you into a fairy so I don't expect you to suddenly have magical powers."

Hael walked up, crossing his arms. "The twins have a plan but... we need your say."

"Okay."

"They're after me, not you guys." Nate said, walked so Leon could see him. "They are hurting people because I'm not being cooperative. We were thinking that if Aelan can somehow get a hold of them to talk, we could come to some sort of agreement."

"Why do we need to talk to them?"

"Your wound is beyond Veronica's expertise." Venus said. "The hospital most likely won't even be able to see the wound and logic isn't practical at the moment."

"According to Veronica, magic is all we have."

"I'm really sorry, Leon. I've done al I know how to do without an actual doctor, but even Venus said that without magic, it's highly unlikely you will survive."

"I see... so what agreement were you thinking?"

"There isn't one because it's the fairies that have the advantage. Either you will die or someone is going to be traded. It's the only thing I see. They want Nate back, Aelan's turning into one, and you're dying. The bargains I see include trading brother for brother or losing two brothers. I'm not seeing any good options."

"So it's up to you." Nate said. "You're the one that needs to be saved. Do you want us to try another way or... this way?"

Leon scoffed. "Why me?"

"Maybe don't be a hero next time." Hael snapped.

"Then Venus would be in this position. She's my girlfriend, so how could I let this happen to her?"

"I am?" Venus said in surprise.

"What do you mean by that? You've always been my girlfriend, sober or drunk. Now that I don't have to worry about the drinking part-"

"Earth to Leonardo!" Hael screamed. "This is a crisis about you three, not a rekindling of lovers! This is a serious matter!"

"I am taking it seriously, Raphael!" Hael glared at him. "You want to start with the names then bring it on."

"Guys! Stop." Nate said. "Half of this wouldn't have happened if Hael had just confessed he saw the tree too."

"Nate!" Aelan yelled.

"What? He needs to know."

"I told you that I would tell him at a better time." He argued.

"What are you even talking about?" Hael asked.

"Aelan said that you saw when I got sucked into the fairy ring and you saw the oak tree with the maple leaves come to life."

"No I didn't."

"Yes, you did! Stop lying!" Aelan screamed, taking everyone off guard. His wings fluttered angrily as he stared at Hael. "You saw what happened that day, Raphael! You saw Nate get sucked in and then that tree made me crazy! You could have helped me! You could have tried to keep my insanity at bay by just believing me! But you only care about yourself! You let them put me away and you blamed Leon for everything, but it was your fault!"

"Fine! Is aw the damned tree! I didn't see Nate get sucked in but yes, I saw the tree."

"And you didn't say anything?" Leon said angrily.

"Aelan was bad enough causing our parents to go insane themselves. What good would it have done anybody? Then both of us would have been put in the crazy house! Our parents were already assholes without losing Nate, but you can't say that things would have been better if I had said something."

"It would have been better for me!" Aelan said. "I wouldn't have done this to my face!"

"No one asked you to do that!"

"Do you not know what the definition of crazy is?" Nate asked.

"Shut up, Donnie, you weren't even there!"

"Whose fault is that?"

"Yours! You're the little shit that went to go follow the friggin Pennywise lights into the forest!"

"Well then if I'm to blame then why did you make Leon take the brunt of it? You made Leon thing he was a horrible person because you didn't speak up!"

"Leon was already self-deprecating at the time so what difference did it make?"

"A hell of a difference!" Venus shouted.

"Venus-"

"No, this is ridiculous. How can you stand there and still blame everyone else in your family but yourself? There may be some things that all of you did to get in this situation, but at least everyone else is owning up to those mistakes. Everyone except you. I don't know who's more of a child, you or Nate."

Leon shook his head. "Guys. Stop fighting."

They didn't hear him as everyone started yelling at each other, Veronica and Leon just sitting back and watching the cacophony. Finally, Leon sat up a little and breathed in deep.

"HEY!" he screamed over the talking.

He started coughing and Veronica handed him a glass with some orange liquid in it. He drank it down and stopped coughing as he cleared his throat.

"Raphael, Donatello, and Michaelangelo, what the fuck is wrong with you three? This is no time to be doing this. I don't fucking care anymore about who and what and how. Right now, I'm getting closer and closer to death's door, Aelan is turning into a fairy, Nate's physically ten years behind and Hael is just an asshole."

"Hey!"

"It doesn't matter! So far the plan the twins came up with is the best plan we have. We only need a price or a compromise to work with. From there, we plan. Does everyone understand?"

"Yes." They all said.

"Um... so... your real name is Leonardo?" Veronica asked.

"Yes."

"Raphael." She said, pointing to Hael. "Donatello." She said, pointing to Nate. "And Michaelangelo." She said, pointing to Aelan. "You're... named after the Ninja Turles?"

"Our parents had a sense of humor... once."

"And your name is Venus?" she asked.

"Yes."

"No relation." Leon said. "You want to know a funny thing? The girl at the police station is named Kaycey and likes Hael."

"I'm going to go process this weirdness as well as see if I can find anything on summoning fairies." Veronica said, still shocked at her discovery.

"Hey wait! I have an idea. Leon, you think that fairy is still alive at your house?"

++++++++++++++++++

yay, what fun! there's actually a lot more TMNT references in this story but I will mention those later. and i spelled michelangelo's name wrong, so oops on me

anyway, and yeah, i almost forgot that fairy was up there in leon's apartment just sitting around lol. hopefully someone can help with what's going on with leon and such