Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Something is not right.

Hazelnut eyes snap open and Splinter sits up in a flash. Something is very wrong. But what? 

Frowning, Splinter’s ears twitch as he scans the loft of the farmhouse that he and his sons are currently sharing. 

There is a lump in the bed next to him, breathing softly and evenly. It is only thanks to his superior hearing that he can hear anything at all.

Leonardo.

There is a snort from the bed on the other side of his eldest, pressed into the corner. Splinter’s ears twitch again as his second eldest snorts then murmurs and rolls over.

Raphael.

The rustle of cloth and a soft hum draws the once human's attention to the bed in the furthest corner of the room. The lump curls further under his covers before settling once more with a sigh.

Donatello.

Splinter’s heart drops when he turns his gaze to the final bed directly across from his, under the window. 

It is empty.

Michelangelo!

Eyes wide, Splinter leaps from his bed, his movement barely making a creak as he stands. His eyes dart around as he hurries to the bed, placing one slender paw onto the covers. 

Splinter’s ears flatten and his lips form a thin line.

The quilt and sheets are cool to the touch. Wherever Michelangelo has gone, he has been gone for a good amount of time.

Splinter strains his ears, hoping to possibly hear his youngest downstairs. His orange-cladded son was known to have late night binges, having the highest metabolism of all his brothers. 

Michelangelo. Where have you gone, my son?

Splinter’s tail twitches, his anxiety spiking the longer the house remains silent of any sign of his youngest.

"Sensei?"

Splinter twitches as the drowsy voice of Leonardo cuts through the air. Hands flexing at his sides, Splinter turns toward his son but his ears are trained for any sign of the pitter patter of his smallest son's feet.

Leonardo is fully sitting up now, rubbing sleep from his eyes as he stares at his master and father.

"Father?" He calls out softly. "Is everything all right?"

Squaring his shoulders, Splinter glances at his eldest.

"No. Michelangelo is not in his bed and I have a great sense of foreboding."

Leonardo's eyes widen and even in the darkness, Splinter can see just how young his son looks without his mask.

"Mikey's missing?"

Splinter nods before tensing when his ears pick up something downstairs. Eyes narrowing, the ninja master turns toward the stairs, listening.

Downstairs. But where? 

Leonardo, sensing that his master is focusing, slides out of bed and silently glides over to his hot-headed brother’s side. He covers Raphael's mouth before shaking him gently.

"Raph," Leonardo hisses. "Raph, wake up, but remain quiet."

Instantly, the body under Leonardo's hand tenses and golden amber eyes open. He shoots his older brother a questioning gaze when Leo lifts a finger to his mouth before releasing his immediate younger brother's mouth.

"Don't panic," Leo whispers. "But Sensei is trying to find Mikey. He's not in bed. Can you wake Don so that I can help Sensei look?"

A frown forms on Raph’s lips but he nods, shooting a gaze over Leo's head at the tense form of their father. Leo slides back, allowing the emerald turtle to climb out of bed, a sliver of pride washing over him when the bed barely creaks as his bulkiest brother exits his warm bed.

"Mike better have a good reason fer dis," Raph breathes in Leo's direction. Leo remains silent as he watches Raph approach their brainiac brother.

He will worry about consequences later. At the moment, he just wants to make sure that his youngest brother is all right. 

Splinter closes his eyes as his remaining sons shift around behind him. He can hear the occasional whisper but when one has ears as big as his, it would be hard for him NOT to hear his sons whispering to one another. However, the voice that he thought he heard downstairs was far too faint for even him at the moment.

This really is not the time for you to be showing off your stealth skills, Michelangelo, Splinter thinks as he shuffles closer to the stairs. He and his sons freeze when a floorboard downstairs creaks and Splinter finally hears what he's been searching for.

Whispering.

Bolting down the stairs, Splinter is practically flying when he reaches the main level. Leo, Raph, and Donnie are right on his heels, not making a sound as they all pile into the living room. Splinter presses a paw to his chest, his heart pounding as he scans his youngest.

Michelangelo doesn't even twitch as his four family members appear in the space with him. He doesn't appear to notice them at all. His vibrant blue eyes are trained on a single wooden door next to the fireplace, a slight crease in between his eye ridges and a troubled frown on his face.

"What's he doin?" Raph whispers as Splinter cautiously moves forward.

Donnie runs a hand down his face as he studies his only baby brother.

"I think Mikey is sleepwalking," Donnie mutters, using his hand to muffle some of the sound.

A deep frown tugs at Leo's lips as he watches his father approach their youngest member.

"Mikey hasn't sleepwalked in years," Leo whispers back, shoulders tense. "Why would he start up again now?"

Donnie shrugs as he also watches his father move as though to not startle their youngest and smallest member.

"It could be a number of things. Mikey used to sleepwalk when he was overly stressed or if he was having a very intense dream."

Raph presses the heel of his palms into his eyes, resisting the urge to growl in frustration.

"And why da shell would da knucklehead be stressed? Da Shredder is gone, we’re on decent terms with da Foot and Casey and April are back from dere honeymoon. What else is dere?"

Splinter’s ears flatten against his head as he listens to his 3 oldest sons talk. Everything they just said is right. Michelangelo hasn't had an episode in sleepwalking since he was six. And now, the ripe age of sixteen, it feels very out of the blue for his gentle-spirited son.

"Michelangelo? My son? Are you all right?"

The small sea green turtle doesn't remove his gaze from the basement door. Doesn't give any indication that he even heard his father call out to him. 

Movement catches Splinter’s eyes and he drops his gaze to the young turtle's hands. Mikey is pulling at his fingers, wringing his hands in the way that he does when he's nervous or upset.

"I told you," Mikey whispers, voice high in distress. "I can't let you out. The others would be upset."

Splinter’s sharp gaze snaps to the door, straining to hear if someone will reply back to his son or if this is just part of his dream. When no voice replies but Mikey shakes his head, Splinter steps closer.

"My son?" Splinter calls out gently, hovering a hand over his son's shoulder. "Who are you speaking to?"

This time, Mikey reacts to his father’s presence but the unfocused glaze in the ocean blue eyes tells Splinter that his son is still asleep.

Mikey wrings his hands as he shoots the door a look but keeps his face toward Splinter.

"She wants me to let her out of the basement, Daddy. But I keep telling her that I can't do that. She'll make a mess of the floor."

Unnerved, Splinter purses his lips as his tail thumps softly against the floor. His sons almost never call him 'daddy' anymore, deeming it too childish for them now. Only Michelangelo falls back on such a title when he is truly distressed or upset. Splinter glances back at his eldest three sons. Raphael appears disturbed while Leonardo and Donatello appear just as confused as he feels.

Whiskers twitching, Splinter turns his gaze back to his youngest, who has returned his eyes to the door. A sense of dread fills Splinter but he shoves it down as he moves to comfort his obviously distressed son.

"Who can you not let out of the basement, my son?"

Mikey's shoulders hunch up as he gestures toward the door.

"Her! The black-haired lady in the basement," Mikey states as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "She wants to come out but she can't. We just cleaned the floors and we promised April to not dirty them again."

"Anybody else gettin weirded out by this?" Raph whispers and Splinter can't help but secretly agree with him. 

He remembers dealing with Michelangelo’s sleepwalking episodes all those years ago and never was his son so clear in his dialogue as he is right now.

Why do I feel that I am going to regret asking this?

Steeling himself, Splinter finally rests his hand on Mikey's shoulder.

"And why do you think she would dirty the floors, my son?"

An upset whine emits from his youngest and Splinter instantly regrets his question when Michelangelo turns watery ocean blue eyes toward him.

"Because her guts keep spilling out, Daddy! Every time she drags herself across the floor she leaves blood and entrails everywhere." Splinter's stomach twists as he stares at his son in shock, who merely continues, not even realizing that his entire family is now tense and slightly sick. "She keeps promising that she'll find her legs but she never does and without her legs she's going to mess up the floors."

This...is new. 

Splinter has known that his youngest son has a vivid and wild imagination. He always has, even as a child, and many of the things that his son's mind has created due to that same creativity has lent itself to his training which has been marvelous. But, he is well aware that his son's vivid mind will supply Michelangelo with some horrific scenes, many fueled by real life events and the many horror films that he consumes.

Apparently, Michelangelo and I need to have a discussion about his horror movie intake. Splinter squeezes Mikey’s shoulder, closing his eyes to center himself.

"My son, what if we help your friend find her legs? Then she won't have to worry about...dirtying the floors."

"Who votes that we hide Mikey’s horror movie stash?" Donnie mutters, his face pale and he looks vaguely sick. Leo and Raph quickly nod their heads, also appearing to be much greener than they usually are.

"Mike sure knows how to lighten the mood," Raph grumbles. Leo reaches over and pats his emerald green brother’s arm. 

A sniffle pulls Splinter's attention back to his sleepwalking son and his heart breaks when the mutant rat spots large tears rolling down his son's face.

"Michelangelo? What is wrong?"

Mikey shakes his head, clearly upset as his bottom lip trembles and he scrubs at his face.

"She said that we wouldn't be able to get them back in time. She says that they're down too deep. It's why she hasn't gone to get them yet."

Oh, Kami. Give me strength.

Splinter moves his hand from Mikey's shoulder to his head.

"Her legs are too deep where?"

"Too deep in the lake," Mikey whimpers, the sound breaking Splinter’s heart. "But it's not fair on her, Dad. She didn't put her legs there but without them, she can't come out of the basement."

Yes. Definitely talking to him about his horror movie habits.

Rubbing his son's head, Splinter offers Michelangelo a soft smile. 

“You and your brothers are turtles, my son. You can hold your breath for much longer than a human can. And you, of all your brothers, have the best swimming abilities.”

“I sure ain’t goin’ inta no lake ta find some random lady’s legs.”

Mikey sniffs as he stares up at his father. Splinter waits patiently for his son’s sleeping mind to catch up with what he said. However, his smile slips when Michelangelo turns his head back to the basement door. Mikey tilts his head as if listening to someone and he starts wringing his hands again.

“Uh, I don’t think they want to go into the basement.” 

Splinter’s ears flatten when Donatello makes a distressed noise. Then Mikey tenses and pales. Splinter’s eyes narrow when his son’s energy turns distressed and nervous. His youngest shakes his head, dropping his gaze as he shuffles his feet.

“I don’t think us trading places will help you.”

Nope. We are done here. 

Splinter reaches down and takes a hold of his son’s shoulders.

“Michelangelo, say good night to your friend, we are going back upstairs.”

Mikey tilts his head toward his father but keeps his gaze on the door. Splinter narrows his eyes when his youngest doesn’t say a word. Moving his own gaze to the basement door, Splinter studies it. His gut is telling him that the great foreboding that he felt upon waking is coming from this very door. Sharp, dark brown eyes narrow when he sees movement through the space between the door and the floor. However, when a thin tendril of darkness starts seeping out toward his son, Splinter doesn’t think. Humming low in his throat, Splinter lifts a single hand and snaps it forward at the same time that he tosses his youngest toward his brothers. When his hand connects with the wood, a high pitch screech fills the air and the darkness seeps back under the door. 

Chest heaving, Splinter straightens. He isn’t sure what that darkness was but he will fight through Hell itself if it thinks that it can touch his sons. Especially his youngest. 

“Mikey!”

Splinter’s head snaps toward his sons, fear spiking when he sees Leo holding his youngest brother up, who has gone completely slack in his hold. Michelangelo’s eyes are closed and his breathing is labored as a sheen of sweat starts to form on his face. Donnie already has a hand on the youngest’s face by the time Splinter reaches them. 

"Bring him upstairs," Splinter orders as he presses a hand to Mikey’s forehead. He hisses. "Donatello, go grab a bowl of water and a washcloth. Leonardo, pass your brother to Raphael. Then I want you to grab the thermometer from the bathroom. Silently. We do not want to disturb Casey or April." Splinter’s ears twitch as he glances up at his red-banded son the moment Mikey is transferred to his hold. "Stay by his side, Raphael. I shall be up in a moment. And if he wakes, keep him awake." 

Raph nods and turns to head back up to the loft as Leo and Don rush off to do their assigned tasks. Glancing down, a worried frown graces Raph’s lips as his amber eyes study his smallest brother.

"Ya really know how ta keep us on our toes, knucklehead. So, no more horror movies fer ya."

Splinter’s lips twitch at Raphael's words, silently agreeing and already plotting where he can hide his youngest's movies and horror comics.

Only until I know that this won't happen again, Splinter thinks, glaring at the door. He knows that the darkness he saw has nothing to do with those movies but it will make him sleep easier at night. 

But first? 

He has a darkness that needs to be sealed away as to never try and touch his son again. 

Determination flashes through Splinter as he approaches the door once more. He can still see the shadows moving along the bottom of the door but not daring to reach out just yet. Breathing in through his nose, Splinter releases it slowly and resumes his humming until warmth gathers in his palms. A pale blue light radiates from his hands and he presses his palms against the firm wood. His ears flatten when a shriek echoes out from the basement, high and otherworldly. 

A shiver glides down the once-human's back at the sound. He increases his humming, doing his best to not get distracted by the ringing of the screams. That is until he realizes that the screams aren't only coming from the basement but from upstairs.

"Michelangelo," Splinter whispers, attention turning toward the loft. He moves to rush up to his distressed son, hearing his eldest three crying out for him to help their youngest. However, when he goes to move from the door, Splinter’s hands refuse to leave the wood.

"What?"

Splinter yanks on his hands, throwing all of his weight backwards. They do not budge. A dark and eerie voice laughs out through the screams and a hoarse voice whispers out around him.

"We shall obtain his light one way or another," the voice whispers directly into Splinter’s mind and his eyes widen. "It is only a matter of time. He was ours the moment he walked through that door years ago. And there is nothing you can do. He belongs to US."

Images of shadowy figures standing in a circle flashes through Splinter’s mind, some of the figures not having a defined shape while others appear to be in various states of decay. Splinter’s mouth waters as the shortest figure becomes visible, a torso with arms bent out to the side, as if her arms are broken, and long black hair covers most of the woman's face. Or what is left of her face. Her jaw is unhinged and as if sensing his stare and she lifts a hand, dragging herself forward and Splinter can see blood and intestines trailing behind her.

THAT is who his youngest was speaking to? Splinter’s ears flatten as he snarls, the voices' words echoing in his head.

"You will NEVER touch Michelangelo," Splinter snaps. "Nor will you touch ANYONE from my family. For you will NEVER leave your dark prison, demon. Go back to where you crawled out from."

Closing his eyes, Splinter resumes his humming once more, increasing the volume and gathering more warmth to his stuck hands. Once he has enough, Splinter shoves the warmth from him as the voices continue to laugh and taunt him.

"You shall never be rid of us, Hamato Yoshi," the voices whisper. "Michelangelo is already OURS." 

"NO!"

Splinter shouts, eyes snapping open and he sits up. Heart pounding, Splinter glances around, his chest heaving as he frantically tries to gain his bearings. How did he get back up to the loft? He was just downstairs. His eyes instantly snap forward. 

Dread pools in his gut as he spots Michelangelo’s empty bed.

No.

"Sensei?"

"Master Splinter?"

"Father?"

Splinter barely registers the voices of his remaining sons as he flies from his bed and rushes downstairs. Splinter pauses at the base of the stairs, glancing toward the basement door only to find it turtle free. 

Where are you, Michelangelo? 

Throat tightening, Splinter wills his heart to stop pounding so that he can hear properly. A small clank of glass is the only indicator he needs before he's sprinting for the kitchen. Splinter vaguely hears his other sons calling out to him as they appear on the stairs, but he only has one thought. Making sure his youngest is safe and not in the clutches of those demons. He will not allow such evil creatures to destroy the bright light that is his youngest son. Not while there is still breath in his body. 

Splinter’s body trembles as he crosses the threshold of the kitchen, eyes flickering around the dark area.

Michelangelo stares back, eyes wide from his spot near the sink, empty glass in one hand and the other about to turn the tap on. The youngest Hamato blinks owlishly as his father stares at him, the once-human's eyes wild and his shoulders heaving with each breath. 

"Uh…" Mikey starts, wetting his lips as he glances over Splinter’s shoulder when his brothers finally catch up, looks of bewilderment all over their faces. "Is everything okay, Sensei?" Mikey's snout twitches when his father only continues to stare at him. "Um, I promise that I'm only getting water, Sensei. I just didn't want to wake April and Casey by getting some water from the bathroom."

Without thinking, Splinter crosses the space and tugs his youngest into a tight embrace. Mikey blinks as he is nearly crushed against his father’s chest and cautiously wraps his arms around the tall rat mutant's waist, allowing himself to bask in the warmth and security no matter how confused he is.

Splinter presses a hand to the back of Mikey’s head, turning his eyes to the ceiling as a familiar burn appears, blurring his vision.

I swear these boys are going to be the death of me.

Chapter Text

Michelangelo stands in the doorway of the kitchen, peeking inside from the shadows as he watches his father standing in front of the stove. There is a minute hunch in his father’s shoulders and a sense of upset that hangs over his father’s head.

A tiny frown tugs at Mikey’s lips as he slowly backs away and heads for the back door. The door barely creeks as the orange-cladded slips out of the farmhouse, his toes wiggling in the damp grass and Mikey shoots a look at the grey sky.

Looks like it might snow.

Dropping his gaze, Mikey jogs across the lawn and slides up to the slightly ajar barn doors. Peering inside, his blue eyes land on the shell of his brainiac brother. Donnie has his goggles on his face and a small blow torch in his right hand. Sparks fly around his brother as Mikey slips inside, shivering a little as the damp air follows him from outside.

Fiddling with his fingers, Mikey waits patiently for his smart brother to notice him. He has almost caused Don to burn himself one too many times by just shouting his name for him to be comfortable doing so here. Considering that they are in a WOODEN barn. That JUST got repaired. Don’t think that Casey or Mama Jones would appreciate him burning their barn down. It’s not like Mikey means to. A lot of the time, he is just too excited to think about checking to see if Don is using one of his more dangerous toys.

But right now? He’s okay with waiting. This isn’t really something he’s in a rush to speak about but he really needs to know if his brothers have noticed the same thing he has.

Ever since his father came rushing into the kitchen last night (this morning?), he’s been acting strangely. And not his normal “I’m Sensei and your father and I was raised by an ancient being and a group of aliens that crash landed on Earth hundreds of years ago” type of weird.

No. This weird has Splinter being spacy, his ears twitching minutely, appearing out of nowhere the moment he or his brothers go to a different room. Pretending that he needs to be in there but secretly checking on him and his bros.

Almost like he just can’t relax and is terrified that they won’t be there if he isn’t in the same area as them.

Like he’s waiting for something bad to happen, Mikey thinks as he rests his hands on his nunchakus.

Pursing his lips, Mikey shakes his head. They came up to the farmhouse to relax and celebrate April and Casey returning from their honeymoon. So, there’s no reason for Splinter to be stressed. Shredder isn’t even around anymore!

Mikey’s eye ridges furrow.

Maybe that’s it? The Shredder… Saki…was Splinter’s brother after all. Maybe it’s just starting to hit him now that the one that he used to call brother is now gone? Especially now that their family is on good terms with Karai and the Foot. And maybe he’s starting to miss him?

I mean, I would miss one of my brothers if they died, even if they turned evil, Mikey thinks with a soft sigh, throwing a sad look over his shoulder back toward where the farmhouse is obscured by the closed barn door. It’s only fair for Sensei to miss his.

“Is there something you need, Mikey?”

Jumping, Mikey’s attention snaps forward once more. Donnie is no longer hunched over whatever it is that he was working on and is now facing toward him, goggles resting on his forehead as he wipes sweat from his cheeks. Hazel eyes furrow as Mikey doesn’t answer right away.

“Mikey?”

Jerking, Mikey lifts his gaze before sighing. Does he really want to be bothering Donnie with his possibly nonexistent fears right now? When he’s in the middle of a project? That just doesn’t seem fair.

Donnie frowns, unused to his little brother being so solemn.

Realizing that he’s freaking his brother out, Mikey clears his throat and walks further into the barn until he’s standing next to his immediate older brother.

“Whatcha workin’ on, bro? A new toy?”

Don's frown deepens but turns back toward his current project. When it comes to Mikey, if he doesn’t want to talk about something, it is like pulling teeth to get him to say what’s on his mind. It’s always a waiting game with the youngest, but the older three turtles have learned that they need to wait. If they push too hard or ask too often, the youngest clams up and they’ll never figure out what’s wrong until it boils over. And a stressed and upset Mikey is not one that he or his other brothers enjoy dealing with. Because Mikey will either be overly obnoxious or he gets quiet and hides away.

Mikey licks his lips as he waits for his bro to answer, shivering a little more. April and Casey just had to get married in the fall. A warm arm lands on his shoulders and Mikey lifts his eyes to meet Don’s gaze.

Concern swirls in the brainiac’s eyes but there is a soft smile on his face.

“It’s nothing overly special, Mikey. Merely trying to fix one of the generators that got destroyed during April and Casey’s wedding when Shredder attacked. Mrs. Jones mentioned it and with how close winter is getting, I thought I could fix this up for her so that she doesn’t need a new one.”

Mikey nods, looking at the still slightly mangled piece of equipment. He tilts his head.

“Looks like you’ve gotten pretty far on it.”

Don nods, eyeing his little brother. Mikey flashes him a smile, hoping to clear the concern from his bro’s face for the moment.

“It wasn’t completely destroyed and most of the parts were salvageable.” The olive turtle gestures to an old red tractor. “And Mrs. Jones gave me permission to use whatever I needed from this old tractor here. Said she was just gonna scrap it anyways.”

Mikey remains silent as he listens to his brother talk. Completely in his element and, for the most part, quite relaxed. He bites his lip, wondering if he should even mention what he’s noticed about their father. For all he knows, it could be in his head. That Sensei isn’t acting any different and he’s only just noticing his father’s quirks now.

“Mikey?”

A squeeze on his shoulders brings Mikey away from his thoughts. Glancing up, he meets Donnie’s gaze. His brother’s eyes flicker around his face, searching for something. Mikey isn’t sure if his brother found it when a deeper crease between his eye ridges forms on his bro’s face.

“What’s wrong, little brother?” Don asks softly, pressing Mikey closer to his side. “You’re awfully quiet.”

Sighing through his nose, Mikey drops his gaze once again. Fiddling with his fingers, Mikey contemplates his options. Him bringing this up WAS the whole reason he came in here in the first place. So, would it really HURT to bring it up? And if maybe his bros haven’t seen anything, then he can just let it go?

Though Leo might be the better option to ask, Mikey thinks, leaning against his immediate older brother.

It’s not that Donnie isn’t perceptive. None of them ever truly miss anything. Donnie almost always knows when one of them is trying to hide an injury or is sick. But when he is absorbed by a project or experiment it does tend to take him a little bit longer to notice certain things. It’s not really his fault, he just gets hyper-focused on what he’s doing and Mikey can’t fault him for that. Not when he does the same thing with his drawings.

Mouth twitch, Mikey peers up at his much taller brother.

“Uh, well, this might be silly. But, um, have you noticed Dad acting weird?”

Donnie's eye ridges furrow and Mikey’s stomach sinks at the confused look on his purple-cladded brother’s face.

“’Acting weird’?” He echoes back before humming, rubbing his chin. “Not that I can recall. I mean, him sprinting downstairs was pretty weird last night but other than that…” Donnie shrugs with a sympathetic look on his face as he shakes his head. “Sorry, Mikey. But then again, I have been out here since breakfast so, maybe check with Leo or Raph? I think Raph said he was gonna help Casey reinforce the dock. And I think Leo was going to meditate for a little while.”

Nodding, Mikey swallows another sigh as he smiles at his brother.

“Sure, Don. I’ll go ask them. Thanks. Sorry to bug you.”

A giggle escapes the smaller turtle when Don wraps both arms around him and squeezes, lifting him off of his feet. A slight weight lifts from Mikey’s shoulders as he looks down at his brother.

“Donnie! What are you doing?” He asks, laughing as Donnie spins them.

“Hugging my baby brother,” Donnie states cheekily, squeezing another giggle from Mikey. “Is there something wrong with that?”

Mikey laughs, squirming around.

“No! But you’re crushing said baby brother!”

“Oh? I didn’t notice.” Donnie smirks, placing Mikey back onto his feet but not letting him go.

“Meanie,” Mikey states, faking a pout. “Doooonniiiiie, if you don’t let go, I can’t go and both-er-talk with Leo or Raphie.”

Donnie cocks a single eye ridge as he stares down at his little brother, pleased by the amusement swirling in those ocean blue eyes.

“Hmm, I don’t know. Maybe that was my plan all along?” The olive turtle grins. “Keeping you all to myself, trapped in my lab as my personal little lab assistant.”

“Surrounding me with shiny buttons to push?”

Don opens his mouth before pausing. Mikey snickers as he sees the wheels turning behind his big brother’s eyes as he rests his chin on Don’s plastron. Finally, after a beat of silence, Don releases Mikey, who whoops and rushes for the door.

“Freedom!”

“You better run, chucklehead!” Don calls after him. “Or I might keep my word!”

Pausing at the door, Mikey sticks his tongue out at his big brother. Don shakes his head with a fond eye roll before turning back to his project at hand.

“Hey, Don?”

Said turtle turns back around and Mikey bites his bottom lip at the questioning gaze.

“Thanks,” Mikey says before quickly escaping back out into the yard not giving the purple-cladded turtle a chance to respond. Once far enough away, Mikey slows his pace. He stretches his arms into the air and sighs.

While not exactly getting the answer he was hoping for, Mikey can’t help but feel a little better. It’s not often that his bros mess around with him. Well, they do, but it’s been a long time since they’ve initiated something playful like that. Usually, he’s the one to start everything but it always lifts his spirit when one of his bros gets playful with him.

Loud cursing drags Mikey from his thoughts and he cautiously follows the sound, rubbing his arms when another breeze rustles the grass around him. Amusement hits him as he spots Raph and Casey down at the dock. The blackette is currently dancing around, his thumb in his mouth while the other hand waves a hammer around. Raph is standing nearby watching with a smirk. He says something that causes Casey to flick him off but Mikey is too far away to make out the words.

“Funny dance you got goin’ there, Casey,” Mikey says, chuckling as he stops next to his brother. “Is that your mating dance? The moves you used to entice April into marrying you?”

Icy blue eyes glare at the seafoam green turtle. Raph snickers, slinging an arm over the shorter turtle’s shoulders.

“Nah. Da knucklehead smacked his thumb with da hammer after I told ‘im ta be careful.”

The two turtles snicker as the human gives them the bird. Raph walks forward and takes the hammer from him.

“Gimme dat before ya hurt yerself further and Ape has meh head ‘cause ya can’t be trusted with tools.”

Mikey bites his lip to keep his snickers at bay as Casey glares at the red-cladded turtle as the hammer is taken from his hand.

“I woulda been just fine if ya didn’t distract me!” Casey growls, studying his thumb. “Damn, it’s already bruisin’. I better not lose meh nail ‘cause of dis.”

Raph waves a dismissive hand as he kneels next to the dock and finishes hammering the nail down.

“What are ya complainin’ about? Yer already married, so what if ya lose a nail? I don’t think Ape married ya for yer hands.” Raph shoots a smirk over his shoulder. “Ta be honest, I’m not sure WHY someone as smart as April would marry ya.”

Casey glares at the emerald green turtle before turning toward Mikey as he opens his mouth.

“If ya don’ want me shovin’ yer ass in da water, I’d keep meh mouth shut,” Casey warns and Mikey snaps his mouth shut. “Dat’s what I thought. Now, I’m sure ya came over here for more den ta listen ta da brat over dere raggin’ on me.”

Instantly, Mikey’s mood dampens and he glances over to Raph’s shell before glancing out at the lake. Shuffling in place, he tilts his head.

“Oh, uh, I heard a commotion and wanted to see what was going on.” Not a lie. “Don mentioned you dudes were fixing the dock?”

Raph and Casey exchange a look but Mikey keeps an innocent look on his face. Golden eyes narrow behind a red mask as he sits back on his heels.

“Yeah, da Shredder really did a number on it. Many of da boards were cracked and ready ta burst.”

Casey rubs the back of his head as he picks up an extra plank, studying it.

“Also been promisin’ Ma I’d fix da dock fer awhile now. It was startin’ ta mold. Pa built it back when he was a kid with my gramps, so it was about time. Shredder just gave Ma da excuse ta finally get me ta do it. Without complainin’, as she put it.”

Mikey’s lips twitch as he walks closer to the broken dock. He can see that many of the planks are indeed broken and there are a few spots where the planks are discolored, obviously ready to go if any weight is put on them.

“And you’re gonna fix it before winter?”

Casey sighs and rubs his face.

“Dat’s da plan, at least. But I heard we’re supposed ta get some snow here in da next couple of days. And if dat happens, might have ta wait again.” Casey’s nose wrinkles. “I just don’t like da thought of Ma comin’ up here and tryin’ ta use da dock to get to da lake when it freezes over. I don’t think it’ll hold da snow this winter.”

Nodding, Mikey moves to poke at one of the damaged planks only for a warm hand to catch his bicep.

“Watch yerself, Mikey,” Raph warns, tugging the younger turtle away. “Case thinks dat da supports have also been damaged so don’t go walkin’ out dere like a knucklehead. Da water is too cold fer ya.”

Pouting, Mikey allows his brother to lead him away from the dock.

“I wasn’t gonna walk out on it,” he huffs, shivering slightly as another breeze floats by. “I was just looking.”

Raph snorts as he eyes his little brother critically.

“Yeah, well, yer lookin’ and everyone else’s lookin’ are two separate things. And why are ya out here without a sweatshirt? Yer gonna get sick.”

Mikey rolls his eyes but doesn’t step away from the heat that his much bigger and buffer brother is radiating.

“I told you, Dude, that I just came from the barn. I don’t need a sweatshirt to just go like ten steps from the house to the barn to see Don.”

“Then don’t complain if ya get sick,” Raph states dryly, shrugging as blue eyes glare at him. “Just sayin’, bro. And ya know Leo is gonna have a cow if he sees ya shivering da way dat ya are.”

“I’m not—“ Mikey starts before a harder breeze hits him and he shudders. Subconsciously, he leans closer to his brother, jaw clenching to keep his teeth from chattering. He narrows his eyes when Raph cocks a single eye ridge, a smug look on the older’s face.

“Ya were sayin’?”

Mikey purses his lips and glances off to the side. He flinches when a warm hand lands on his head and he side-eyes Raph as his brother studies him closely.

“All right, Mikey,” Raph says, sighing. “What’s eatin’ ya? Yer obviously stallin’ on goin’ back inta da house, so what is it? Did Dad throw you out fer a little bit?”

The corners of Mikey’s mouth twitch at the mention of their father and he shuffles in place. He did tell Donnie that he would go ask Raph but there’s nothing saying that Raph would know or have seen anything either.

But…I guess it doesn’t hurt to ask at least, right? Won’t know if I don’t try and all that, Mikey thinks, fiddling with his wrist guard before shooting Raph another look.

The taller turtle is watching him closely and he can feel Casey’s eyes also on him. He knows the longer he takes to respond the more likely that Raph will get annoyed and just shoo him away, but, well, he can’t help it! There has been many times that he’s brought something up to his brothers only for them to dismiss it or tell him that it’s just his imagination only for what he saw to actually be what he saw and nearly kill them. But…what if this is the one time where he really is just seeing things that aren’t there? That there isn’t anything wrong with Sensei and that he’s just overthinking everything?

“Mikey-“

“Can I ask you dudes a question?” Mikey blurts out, cutting Raph off.

Raph and Casey exchange a glance as Mikey watches them, biting his bottom lip nervously. After a beat, Raph and Casey focus on him once more and Mikey swears that his heart is pounding so hard that both of them can hear it. Raph’s hand falls from his head and lands on his shoulder, the two older males shrugging.

“Sure, Mike.”

“Fire away, Squirt.”

Swallowing thickly, Mikey nods and glances off to the side. Why is he so nervous? He managed to ask Don no problem. It’s just a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question. If they haven’t seen anything then they haven’t seen anything. And if that’s the case then he’ll just move on and ask Leo.

Mentally nodding to himself, Mikey releases a breath of air that he didn’t realize he was holding and looks back at the two waiting males. They’re wearing matching frowns and Casey has stepped closer, obvious concern written on his face.

Mikey wets his lips and rubs his palms on his thighs as he clears his throat.

“Have…Have either of you noticed Chichi* acting weird today? Or…well…weirder?”

Silence follows his question and Mikey quickly drops his gaze, allowing his eyes to drift over to the backside of the farmhouse. He frowns when he spots a curtain shifting in one of the attic windows but he quickly shoves it away. April had mentioned going up there to try and find some old documents that Mama Jones wanted and she didn’t trust Casey to not accidentally destroy them. And with April’s history in antiques, she was the perfect choice to locate and possibly preserve the old documents.

“Mikey?”

Jumping, Mikey looks back at the two older males, almost forgetting about them.

“Y-Yeah?”

Raph’s golden amber eyes flash as he glances up at where Mikey was just staring. His little brother is known to be a little bit of an airhead but even this is a little weird for him. And for him to look so serious and nervous? It just doesn’t sit right in the older turtle’s gut.

Flashes of last night flicker through Raph’s mind as he studies his little brother. The way that their father just flew down the stairs, practically tackling the youngest in the kitchen who was only getting a glass of water.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Raph sighs as he glances over at Casey. Confusion is swirling on the blackette’s face as he offers a shrug. Considering that nobody told him about what happened last night, it isn’t all that surprising. The emerald turtle lowers his hand and shakes his head.

“Sorry, Squirt. But I haven’t really noticed anythin’.” Raph eyes Mikey as he wilts and stares down at the grass. “Is dat what ya were talkin’ ta Don about in da barn?”

The seafoam green turtle nods, chewing on the inside of his cheek as he yanks on his wrist guard. Shell. He was really hoping that Raph noticed something. Considering that Raph had been with him during one of Father’s ‘Oh, I forgot my book in here’ episodes before leaving to come outside.

“Yeah, but Donnie said that he hadn’t noticed anything either,” Mikey mumbles, rubbing his arms when another, stronger breeze hits him. “He suggested for me to come out here to see if maybe you or Leo noticed anything.”

Strong arms tug him closer and he allows himself to be maneuvered until his face is tucked into a broad shoulder. The smaller turtle frowns as another shiver wracks through his body. How is it that Raph is so much warmer than he is? Raph’s been outside far longer than he has!

“Well, ya still got one more turtle ta ask, bro,” Raph says gruffly, tugging gently on the long tails of Mikey’s mask to get the smaller turtle to look up at him. “Leo would probably be da best ta ask about dis anyways. Ya know how Don gets while workin’ on a project and, well,” Raph glances back at the blackette who shrugs as Mikey pouts. “Case and I have been out here since little after lunch. Only ya and Leo have been in da house with Sensei. And I think dat ya should be headin’ back inside anyways. Yer shiverin’ somethin’ bad, Mikey. Anymore and we all know dat yer gonna wake up sick tomorrow.”

Mikey’s eye ridges furrow as both Casey and Raph start walking him back to the house.

“But Donnie said that Leo was meditating.”

A large hand lands on his head and he can’t help but smile as Raph wiggles his head around.

“We all know dat if it’s ya interruptin’ Fearless’s meditation session, he’s gonna be just fine with it.” Raph bumps Mikey so that he runs into Casey, who is now on Mikey’s right side. “And, if ya bat yer baby blues at him and complain about bein’ cold, he’ll drop everythin’ fer ya.”

Mikey frowns as he glances at his brother. He’s not entirely sure that’s gonna be how it’s gonna go down. What more than likely will happen is that if he bothers Leo while meditating, his eldest brother is going to tell him that he’s busy. Then, if that doesn’t work and he tells Leo that he’s cold he’s gonna be mother-henned and then forcibly put into a sweatshirt. Another shudder courses through Mikey, one that he can’t really tell if it’s because he’s cold or from the thought of telling his aniki* that he’s cold.

And I’ll be in for lecture after lecture after lecture, Mikey thinks as he huffs quietly, watching the grass as he walks up to the house. He hisses when his toes catch on the steps up to the porch, the cold making the pain sting worse than usual. Shell. He didn’t think he was out here that long!

Raph and Casey both catch him as he stumbles and he swears that he hears Raph curse under his breath.

“Sorry, I tripped on the stairs,” Mikey states softly as Casey opens the door.

Raph doesn’t reply, save to snort and guides the younger turtle back into the warm farmhouse. They pause by the kitchen, soft clinking catching the three males' attention. April is standing near one of the counters, pulling down two mugs. As if sensing their stares, she glances back over her shoulder and smiles.

“Hey, guys! How’s the dock going?” Her green eyes flicker down to the smaller turtle as he shivers and her smile slips. “Mikey? Sweetie? What’s wrong?”

Before Mikey can respond, Raph catches him in a headlock and gives him a noogie. Mikey whines and shoves at his older brother.

“Raaaaaphie! Stop!”

“Da squirt decided ta go outside without a sweatshirt,” Raph states, ignoring his younger brother’s whining. “Came down ta see what we were doin’ and wouldn’t stop shivering.”

Concern flashes on the redhead’s face and she abandons the mugs on the counter to reach the three males. She gently pries Raph’s arm from around Mikey’s throat and presses her hands to his cheeks. A deep frown forms on her lips as she scans the youngest.

“Mikey, you know that you shouldn’t be going outside without some sort of layer on,” she scolds softly, rubbing at his freckles with her thumbs. “It’s much cooler up here than it is down in the city.”

Dropping his eyes, Mikey squirms at the scolding.

“I’m sorry, April,” he mumbles. “I didn’t expect to be outside for so long. I originally just went out to talk with Don. And since he was in the barn, I thought I’d be fine.”

A small smile tugs at April’s lips and she leans down to kiss the top of Mikey’s head.

“Barn or not, I don’t want you leaving this house again without a sweatshirt of some kind, am I clear? You get sick far too easily. And you, of all your brothers, could easily get pneumonia. So, next time you go out, you’ll be wearing a sweatshirt. Actually,” April pauses and straightens. “I want you to go put one on right now. According to the weather, we’re expecting a few inches of snow tonight, so it would be smart for you to start wearing one in the house and to bed.” A pout forms on Mikey’s lips which earns him squished cheeks that causes him to giggle. “Don’t you pout at me, young man. You know that your father and Leo will force you to wear one anyways. So, go put one on and I’ll make you some hot chocolate. That sound like a good trade?”

Perking up at the mention of hot chocolate, Mikey nods and is about to move when he pauses.

“Oh, uh, hey April? Where’s Dad and Leo?”

April straightens and taps her chin in thought.

“Well, Leo should be up in the loft meditating, if I remember correctly. And I think Splinter went up into the attic to read for a little bit as to not disturb Leo.”

Mikey’s face scrunches up in confusion as April walks back over to the mugs and pulls another four down.

“Wait, weren’t you just in the attic?”

The redhead nods as she replaces the kettle on the stove.

“Yup, but as I was coming down I ran into your father and he was holding a book in his hands.” She glances back at Mikey over her shoulder. “Outside of saying ‘hi’, I didn’t ask him what he was doing. But I knew that Leo was meditating in the loft so I just assumed he was looking for another place to read without being disturbed. Casey? Would you go get Donnie from the barn? I’ll make everyone some tea or hot chocolate before supper.”

The blackette nods before departing. Mikey watches him leave, rubbing his arms as some of the chill from outside enters the house when the door opens. He jumps when a warm hand cups his elbow and tugs him along.

“C’mon, Twinkle Toes,” Raph says gruffly. “Let’s go get ya a sweatshirt before ya turn inta a popsicle.”

Knowing better than to argue, Mikey allows himself to be tugged along, extra mindful of where his toes go as they ascend the stairs. (He’s only got four and he already banged one of them, he really isn’t in the mood to bang another.)

As they walk, the back of Mikey’s neck prickles, as though somebody is watching him. He glances off to his right, studying the living room as they slowly head up to the loft. As his eyes drift over to the basement door, he blinks as he spots Splinter standing there watching them.

“Chichi?” Mikey calls out before stumbling on the stairs.

“Geez, Klutz! Whaddya trying ta do? Crack yer head open?” Raph grouses as he yanks his little brother back to his feet.

“Wait, Raph!” Mikey says, reaching out for the railing to peer back down into the living room. “Dad’s in the…living room?”

Mikey’s mouth falls open as he stares out into the living room but the spot where his father had just been standing is vacant. Reaching up, he rubs his eyes and looks again. Still empty.

Raph appears at his side, glancing down as well. His gold eyes scan the room before glancing down at Mikey, who peers up at him with wide ocean blue eyes.

“But he…he was just there!” Mikey stammers, gesturing toward the spot where he saw their father. “Dad was standing right there! Right in front of the basement door. Honest!”

Nerves dance in Mikey’s stomach as Raph glances back down into the room before skeptical eyes land on him again. He hunches into himself, wrapping his arms around his torso.

“He was there.”

He flinches when Raph sighs and two muscular arms wrap around him. Not one to waste a Raph hug, Mikey leans into his brother’s hold. Two hugs from Raph in one day? This day just keeps getting weirder and weirder.

“I ain’t sayin’ dat ya didn’t see ‘im, Mikey,” Raph mumbles. “But, if Sensei was standin’ dere, well, he’s a master ninja, it would make sense dat he would move before I could see ‘im. But…” Raph hesitates, causing Mikey to lean back and stare up at him with a frown. “Don’t ya think dat if Dad WAS standin’ dere and saw ya trip dat he’d just leave and not at least come over ta see if ya were okay?”

Mikey’s eye ridges furrow as he thinks his brother’s words over.

Raph’s right. If their dad was standing there and witnessed Raph not only helping him up the stair but also catching him when he almost fell, he would have surely rushed over to make sure they were okay. So then…what or who did he just see?

Biting his lip, Mikey glances back over the railing into the empty living room. Raph gently tugs him along.

“C’mon, Bro. Let’s get ya a sweatshirt and by den, maybe April’ll be done with da drinks. And ya can ask Leo yer question.”

“You have a question for me?”

Mikey squeaks as both he and Raph jump. The hothead’s eye ridge twitches as he glares up the stairs. Their eldest brother stands there, amusement dancing on his face at having surprised not one but two of his younger brothers.

“Thought ya were meditating,” Raph grumbles as he readjusts his grip on the smaller turtle.

Leo nods as he descends the stairs, reaching out for his youngest brother, his amusement long gone as he studies the orange-cladded turtle.

“I was, but then I heard somebody stumble on the stairs and the two of you talking. What’s going on? Mikey? Are you okay?” Chestnut brown eyes scan the youngest of the three. His frown deepens when he takes hold of Mikey’s arm. “You’re freezing! Mikey, what have you been doing?”

Mikey wilts under his aniki’s upset stare and stares down at the wooden steps. Leo helps Raph guide the seafoam green turtle the rest of the way into the loft when the youngest doesn’t respond right away. Mikey shivers again, throwing one last look toward the living room before he’s led toward his bed near the window.

“Da knucklehead went outside without a sweatshirt,” Raph states, earning another pout from the smaller turtle.

“Tattle-tale,” Mikey mumbles before shrinking into his shell a little at the hard glare his eldest brother is giving him.

“Michelangelo, you know that out of all of us, you need to layer up when it starts getting cold,” Leo says, voice edging toward his ‘Leader Voice’ as he pulls Mikey’s backpack from the floor and yanks out a navy blue sweatshirt. “And that goes for just going to the barn. You KNOW that you get sidetracked easily. So, even if you’re only going to the barn, you might end up doing something else either before or after. So, you NEED to wear a sweatshirt. Arms up.”

Sighing, Mikey begrudgingly lifts his arms and closes his eyes as soft fabric is yanked down over his head. Even with his shell, this sweatshirt is a little too big for him, the sleeves easily falling over his hands and the bottom of the sweatshirt stopping right above his knees. And the hood is so massive that if he doesn’t put it just right, it’ll fall and blind him.

When his head finally pops through the correct hole, he offers his two big brothers a smile. Raph rolls his eyes, smirking as Leo returns his smile before digging around in his bag again. Mikey leans forward curiously, peering inside the bag.

“Whatcha looking for, bro?”

Instead of answering, Leo pulls out a pair of rolled-up fuzzy orange socks and smirks at the youngest. Mikey stares at the bundle with a light frown on his face as he tilts his head.

“Where’d those come from? I don’t remember packing those.”

“That’s because you didn’t,” Leo states, grabbing one of Mikey’s ankles and resting the heel on his thigh. “I did. I knew that there was going to be a chance of it getting a lot cooler up here than down in the city and that you’d be more affected, so I tossed these in here just in case. And because you insist on sleeping next to the window, I want you wearing these to bed, got it?”

Mikey stares down at the brightly colored fabric now covering his feet. They’re very warm and incredibly soft and he can feel the little grippies on the bottom of the socks that will keep him from sliding all over the place.

Why do I have a feeling that Leo got this type on purpose so I can’t just go sliding all over the place?

Wiggling his toes, a smile spreads across his face as he looks at Leo.

“Sure, bro! Besides, they’re super soft! I love ‘em!”

Chuckling, Leo pats Mikey’s knee as he stands, his chestnut brown eyes softening as he studies his little brother.

“I thought you would.”

“Mikey…”

Chestnut brown and ocean blue eyes turn toward the emerald turtle standing just behind the eldest turtle. Mikey shrinks down as golden amber eyes stare him down as Raph crosses his arms.

“Wasn’t dere somethin’ else dat ya wanted ta ask Fearless?”

Leo blinks before turning back toward Mikey, his eye ridges furrowing in confusion. He tilts his head when Mikey drops his gaze, his bright smile from earlier gone. There is a certain air of nervousness and uncertainty radiating from his baby brother that wasn’t there before. Concern bubbles in the eldest’s chest and he sits on the bed next to the smaller turtle. He reaches out and grasps the slightly smaller hands and ducks his head so that he can meet the ocean blue orbs.

“Mikey?”

Mikey stares down at their joined hands, soaking in the warmth of his eldest brother for a moment before lifting to meet his aniki’s gaze. Concern swirls in those chestnut orbs causing Mikey to look back down at their joined hands.

“Mikey, if any of us will have da answer dat yer lookin’ fer, Fearless will,” Raph states, squatting in front of the two sitting turtles and resting his hands on seafoam green knees. Mikey nods his head, mouth twitching.

So far he’s been 0 for 2 with his bros. Who’s to say that Leo will be any different? Shell. He just thought he saw Master Splinter in the living room! What else is he seeing that no one else is seeing? How does he know that Master Splinter’s behavior isn’t just a piece of his imagination as well? The only comfort he’s been feeling is that his bros haven’t just outright called him crazy. But that doesn’t mean that they’re not thinking it.

A hand gently squeezes his causing Mikey to look up at Leo. A soft smile forms on the older’s face as his eyes flicker around the freckled face.

“What do you need to ask me, Mikey? You know that I’ll try my best to answer it for you.”

Mikey’s shoulders slump a little and his own lips twitch into an almost smile. What is it about his eldest brother that just radiates calm and makes him feel better just by sitting here with him?

Just ask him. If he doesn’t know, he’ll say so and you can just drop all of this, Mikey thinks, wetting his lips as Leo starts to rub his hand with his thumb.

“Promise you won’t make fun of me?” He asks shyly, peeking up at his brother.

Leo’s eye ridges furrow as he shoots a look down at Raph before returning his gaze back to his baby brother. He squeezes the smaller hand in his again.

“Of course, I won’t make fun of you, Mikey. This obviously means a lot to you,” Leo says, voice firm, and Mikey relaxes a little more as he fully looks at his brother. “And if it means that much to you, I won’t make fun of your feelings on it. So, what’s going on, little one? What do you have to ask me?”

Mikey shoots Raph a look, who nods. Breathing in deeply, Mikey releases it slowly before resuming eye contact with Leo.

Here goes nothing.

“Have…Have you noticed anything weird with Chichi*? Like, him doing things that's weird even for him?”

Leo tilts his head as Mikey speaks, a slight frown forming on his face. He slowly nods. He has noticed. Ever since their father went sprinting downstairs to find the youngest, Leo has noticed a strange air of…SOMETHING surrounding their father. He was hoping during his meditation to figure out what exactly that SOMETHING is. But…apparently, he isn’t the only one who has noticed. And it appears that it’s bothering his baby brother. A lot. If the concern and worry shining in those bright and vibrant ocean blue eyes is anything to go by. And the anxious look on his face just doesn’t look right on his usually happy-go-lucky brother.

“I have,” Leo admits softly and Mikey practically sags into him in relief. He lifts his arm to allow Mikey more access to his side. “He’s been on edge ever since we got up this morning.”

“Like he can’t relax,” Mikey adds quietly and Leo rests his cheek on the top of his head, nodding.

“Exactly. I was hoping that during my meditation I could figure out what exactly it is that’s bothering him but nothing came to mind.”

Sitting up, Mikey fiddles with his sleeves as he shoots the stairs a quick glance before looking up at his two brothers.

“What…What if Dad is missing Shredder?”

“What?!”

Mikey wrings his sleeves in his hands and shrugs.

“I mean, think about it. The Shredder was his big brother. Someone he was raised with for years. And now he’s gone. Forever.” Mikey ducks his head. “I…I don’t know about you dudes, but I know that I’d be pretty upset if one of you were evil and I had to kill you. Knowing that you’re no longer here. Wondering if maybe there was something I could have done to have prevented or changed it. Ya know?”

Mikey lifts his head, eyes stinging as both of his brothers stare at him with wide eyes and open mouths.

“Just because the Shredder was evil and tried to end the world doesn’t make the knowledge of him being Dad’s bro any less valid. So…maybe it’s just hitting him now? Since…well, ya know, we’re back at the place where the Shredder was killed. And, yeah, he has Karai as a way to remember Shredder, but doesn’t that also kinda stink? That he was able to get his niece to see the way but not his own bro?” Mikey swallows thickly as he tries to keep his emotions in check. “It’s just not really fair, ya know? Chichi has lost so much and now he just lost another piece of him not even a month ago.”

Two pairs of warm arms wrap around Mikey causing him to tense before he glances at his two brothers.

“Dudes?”

Leo presses his forehead against the side of Mikey’s head. A huff of a chuckle has the youngest frowning.

“What?”

“Sometimes we forget just how perspective you truly are, little brother,” Leo states, chestnut brown eyes soft as he studies his baby brother. “And, honestly? I hadn’t even thought about the Shredder being Father’s brother in a long time. Sometimes I even forget.”

Raph gently bops Mikey’s snout as he releases him from his grasp to resume kneeling in front of him.

“I mean, it’s ain’t hard ta forget dat sometimes,” Raph admits. “With Dad bein’ a rat and da Shredder was human. We’ve known Dad as a rat our entire lives dat remembering dat he was once human can be easy ta forget. And da Shredder had absolutely no honor compared ta Dad who hammered da importance of honor inta us since we could walk.”

Mikey frowns.

He understands where his brothers are coming from but still. How can they forget something that was such a big part of their father’s life? Or the fact that he was their uncle? And Karai’s father? She’s their cousin for crying out loud!

A yelp escapes Mikey when Leo squeezes him against his side. The leaf green turtle smiles down at his youngest brother.

“Don’t make that face, Mikey. It’s not like we do it on purpose. But, if you think that this is what is bothering Father, we could always try talking to him.”

Mikey’s lips purse as Raph snorts and stands.

“What?”

Raph cocks an eye ridge at their older brother.

“Ya really think dat Dad is just gonna tell us what’s goin’ on?” He snorts again as he crosses his arms, his amber eyes narrowing. “Yeah, right. It took us bein’ 15 fer him to tell us dat he even HAD a brother. And dat da Shredder was his brother. AND only after da tin can kicked our shells! And dropped a fuckin’ sign on Mikey! What makes ya think dat Dad is gonna be willin’ ta tell us dat he misses his murderous brother?”

Leo and Mikey exchange a glance.

Mikey drops his eyes to his lap and sighs. Raph is right. Again. Their father has this nasty habit of keeping his emotions inside or pushing them down to deal with theirs.

Which isn’t fair, Mikey thinks.

He glances sideways as Leo shifts and stands before grabbing his wrists. Mikey allows Leo to pull him to his feet. He giggles when he feels the grips on his socks catch on the boards.

“But that doesn’t mean we can’t at least let Father know that we’re here for him,” Leo stated, wrapping an arm around Mikey’s shoulders and looking at their hotheaded brother. “We can’t force him to tell us but just having that option of talking with us could help him relax.” He smiles at the smaller turtle. “But, for now, let’s head back downstairs.”

Nodding, Mikey leans into his brother’s side as the three of them head back down the stairs. He bites his lip as he glances out over the living room but the space is still empty. A gentle tug on his mask ties has the smaller turtle squawking and flailing his arms around.

“Raaaaph!” Mikey whines as he clings to Leo to keep his balance. He pouts at his snickering brother. “I’ve already tripped going up the stairs, dude. I don’t really wanna end up as a pancake at the bottom.”

“We wouldn’t let you fall, Mikey,” Leo soothes, righting the smaller turtle as he shoots the red-cladded turtle a look. “Right, Raph?”

Raph doesn't answer as he snickers and grabs the hood of Mikey’s sweatshirt, pulling it up over the seafoam green turtle’s head before trapping him in his hold as they continue moving.

“My sons?”

Mikey grasps the front of his sweatshirt as he and Raph jump. Mikey secretly croons when he feels Leo twitches and the three turn to find their father standing there, book in hand. There is a light frown on his face as he studies the three of them and Mikey can’t help but fidget with the pouch pocket on his sweatshirt.

“Is something wrong, my children?”

Mikey peeks up at his father, not liking the concern on his face. Putting on a smile, Mikey leaves his brother's grasp and takes his father’s hand in his.

“Nah! We’re okay!” Mikey tugs lightly on his father’s warm free hand. “But c’mon, Chichi! April is making hot chocolate and tea before supper! Raphie and I just went up to get Leo.”

Master Splinter’s face softens as his youngest tugs him along, still slightly concerned about why his youngest is so bundled up. But seeing his ocean blue eyes sparkling excitedly is enough for him to let it slide for now. He allows himself to be led, smiling when he spots the amusement on his eldest 2 sons.

“And is your other brother aware?”

Mikey nods his head, flashing another ‘Mikey Smile’ at his father.

“Yup! Casey went to go get him!” Mikey states as they enter the kitchen. “April! Look who we found!”

The redhead turns, three mugs in hand. A smile spreads across her lips as she watches Mikey tugging his father further into the kitchen. Raph rolls his eyes as he sits at the table.

“We didn’t find ‘im, knucklehead. HE found US.”

Mikey sticks his tongue out at the emerald turtle before sitting across from him with Splinter sitting on his other side. He smiles up at the older mutant as the once-human reaches over and fixes the floppy hood on his smallest son’s head.

“We found each other,” Splinter states, cupping Mikey’s cheek.

A confused smile forms on Mikey’s face, unsure what his father means by that. Not sure what to say, he merely leans into his father’s hand.

“Were you cold, my son?” Splinter questions as he strokes the warming cheek with his thumb.

A sheepish look morphs onto Mikey’s face and he squirms in his seat under the intense stare of his father. If Leo’s fussing is bad, then Master Splinter’s is like triple that.

“Mikey decided ta wander around outside without a sweatshirt on,” Raph states, gratefully taking the mug from his eldest brother. He grins as the youngest whines.

“Raaaaaaaph! Uncool, dude!” Mikey says, pouting as he’s handed his own mug of liquid deliciousness. He shrinks under his father’s hard gaze. “It’s not like I meant to be outside that long, Dad. Honest! I was just going to see Don and then I went to go see what Raph and Casey were doing. It wasn’t even all that cold when I first left the house.”

The seafoam turtle shrinks further as his father sighs.

“Michelangelo, Watashi no nikkō*, you KNOW that you cannot be wandering around outside without some sort of light shirt on. Have you warmed up enough?”

“Hai*, Chichi,” Mikey answers, sipping on his too-hot hot chocolate. “The sweatshirt and the socks that Leo gave me are great!”

Mikey grins up at his father, happy to find him relaxing even more. He hates seeing his father tense. And as much as he wants to ask Sensei what’s wrong, he doesn’t want to ruin this moment of calm that his father appears to be having. A small smile forms on the older mutant’s face and he sips the tea that Leo placed in front of him.

“That is good to hear, my son. Let us keep you that way.”

Nodding, Mikey watches him from the corner of his eyes for a moment before his eyes land on the book his father had been carrying.

Dreams, Premonitions, and Bad Omens.

Confusion and concern rises in the small turtle and he quickly sips his drink. Why is Master Splinter reading about dreams?

He sneaks another glance at his father as he laughs about something April said that Mikey didn’t quite catch.

Maybe it has something to do with what happened last night? Maybe Master Splinter had a nightmare? And now he’s trying to see if it could mean something?

The orange-cladded turtle’s finger flex on his mug. That isn’t out of the realm of possibilities. They have all learned by now to not take anything too lightly. Like when he had that dream about Shelby and the others in that strange underground Atlantis only to end up meeting them and going to the very city he dreamed about.

So, maybe Dad had a nightmare last night? But about what? And what could freak him out enough to need to locate me? Mikey’s eye ridges furrow in thought. Maybe something happened to all of us and me not being in bed scared him?

He sips his drink again, head perking up when he hears the door open and close and the voices of Casey and Don waft in the kitchen. The olive turtle grins as he rubs his arms and takes a seat next to Raph.

“Brr! It certainly cooled down out there! Good thing you came back inside, Mikey. I think it’s going to snow tonight.”

Hazel eyes land on the seafoam green turtle. Mikey smiles sheepishly as his brother raises an eye ridge as he takes in the sweatshirt. Donnie glances over at Raph. The emerald turtle takes a big swig from his mug, cheeks puffing out as he meets his immediate younger brother’s gaze. Amber eyes blink in question causing the purple-cladded turtle to laugh. Leo and April join them at the table, placing Casey’s mug down in front of him as he takes the remaining open seat.

“Mikey got a little chilled from being outside,” April explains as she nurses her cup of tea. “So I had him go upstairs to put a sweatshirt on before making some hot chocolate.” The redhead turns to the blackette as she sips her drink. “If we want to go get pizzas for tonight we might want to leave soon, Casey.”

Mikey instantly perks up, eyes wide.

“Pizza? Now you’re speaking my kind of language, April!”

The redhead laughs, her green eyes sparkling as she watches the youngest wiggle happily.

“I thought it would be a good treat for all of us to have. But we would have to go into town to get it.”

“Yeah, we’re too far out fer them ta drive out here,” Casey adds, downing his drink in one go. “But I’m down ta go now, Ape, if you are. With da temp dropping and how cold da water has gotten, we’re gonna probably have ta wait.”

April nods as she also finishes her drink and brings her and Casey’s mugs to the sink. Mikey quickly finishes the rest of his drink and hops up from his seat and also placing his mug in the sink.

“Cool! Then while you dudes are gone, I can do the dishes,” Mikey states, peering down at the pile of dishes that has been growing since this morning.

“Actually, let me do the dishes, my son,” Splinter says, also standing. “These old bones can only sit for so long without stiffening up.”

Mikey steps aside as his father approaches, peering up at him.

“I mean, if you’re sure, Chichi…”

A soft smile forms on his father’s face and his hazelnut eyes gleam in the artificial light. He rests a hand on his son’s head.

“I am sure, Michelangelo. Besides, they are merely dishes. I think I can handle them,” Splinter says, chuckling as he strokes his son’s cheek before turning toward the sink and starting the water.

Mikey stands there for a beat long, mouth twitching into an almost frown as he watches his sensei and father roll up his maroon sleeves. He glances back at his brothers. All three are watching them and Mikey makes a face while nodding toward the older mutant. Donnie responds by shrugging and finishing his own mug. Raph rolls his eyes, already in the process of standing. However, unlike their other two brothers, there is a slight frown on Leo’s face as he stares at their father’s back. Mikey can see the wheels turning behind his eldest brother’s eyes as he studies their father.

An emerald arm wraps around Mikey’s shoulders once again as Raph leans around him to place his mug in the sink as Splinter busies himself with everything else.

“C’mon, baby brat. Sensei don’t need a chaperone. He’s a big ninja.”

Mikey rolls his eyes but allows Raph to steer him out of the kitchen. April and Casey are already by the front door, pulling out their jackets and hats. April peers up from her spot on the floor as she ties her boots and offers the two turtles a smile.

“Why don’t the four of you decide on what movies you want all of us to watch when we get back? I think we all deserve a good movie night, don’t you?”

Mikey breaks away from his brother, bouncing up to April.

“Shell yeah! I can’t remember the last time we had a family movie time! What are you guys in the mood for? Action? Comedy? Or something a little more spooky?” Mikey wiggles his fingers, earning himself a laugh from April and a snort from Casey.

Standing, April places her hand on a seafoam green head.

“Whatever the four of you decide on, I’ll watch. Even horror related. But it would be nice to make sure EVERYONE will enjoy the movie, not just a select few, okay?”

“And if ya want more ta choose from, Ma put some of Pa’s DVDs downstairs next ta da washing machine.” Casey scoops up his keys and opens the front door. “C’mon, babe. Da sky’s gettin’ darker and I know ya don’t like drivin’ in da snow.”

April rolls her eyes again, patting Mikey on the cheek before walking over to her husband. She cocks a red eyebrow at him before plucking the keys from his hands.

“Nope, but like shell am I letting you drive, Casey Jones. I want to make it back in one piece.”

The blackette squawks indignantly as he follows April out the door, calling after her.

Mikey shivers as a particularly strong gust of wind manages to slip past the door before it fully closed. He throws his red-cladded brother a look over his shoulder only to receive a shrug in response. Mikey glances back at the door one last time before shrugging as well.

“Humans are weird,” he comments as he follows Raph further into the living room, ignoring the weird twisting in his gut as he passes the basement door.

“Yeah, well, yer weirder so dat ain’t sayin’ much.”

Mikey whines when Raph punches him in the arm just as Donnie exits the kitchen.

“Doooooonnie! Raphie called me ‘weird’!”

“I’ll call ya more den dat if ya continue callin’ me ‘Raphie’, baby brat.”

“C’mon, you two,” Donnie says, placing a hand on Raph’s shoulder when he moves to punch Mikey again, who shrieks and ducks behind the purple-cladded turtle. “I literally just got out here. Raph, stop punching Mikey. And Mikey, well,” Don pauses with a lopsided grin. “You’re just being sensitive. I heard April mention something about a movie, why don’t we grab all of our options and lay them out and when Leo and Sensei are done with the dishes they can help us choose.”

A pout forms on Mikey’s lips and crosses his arms.

“I’m not ‘sensitive’!”

Don and Raph exchange a skeptical look before Donnie places his hands on his little brother’s shoulders and turns him toward the basement.

“There’s nothing wrong with being sensitive, Mikey,” Donnie says soothingly as Mikey huffs, not even bothering to walk, just allowing his taller brother to push him across the wooden floor on his heels. “But the faster we collect the movies, the faster we can choose one and wait for April and Casey to get back. I’ll go upstairs and grab the DVDs we packed from the lair and Raph will grab the DVDs up here. Why don’t you go down and grab the DVDs that Casey mentioned? And the 3 of us will reconvene here. Sound good?”

Mikey bites his lip as he and Donnie stop right before the basement door. Donnie pats his shoulder and moves away. He stares down at the brass doorknob. The image of his father standing here, staring up at him fills his mind causing his snout to twitch in discomfort.

“Awe, is widdle Mikey scwared of da basement?” Raph teases as he starts pulling DVDs from their home.

Mikey glares at him over his shoulder as Don sighs.

“Raph, don’t…”

“I’m not scared!” Mikey denies earning a cocked eye ridge and amused smirk from his hotheaded brother. “I’m not! I…I was just thinking about what movie we could watch and just forgot to move!”

“Well den, if yer not scared, hurry up and go down and get da movies,” Raph states, gesturing toward the door as he reaches for another basket of movies. “’Cause at dis rate, Don and I will be done before ya even get da doorknob turned.”

Pursing his lips, Mikey turns back toward the basement door. It’s not like he’s never been in the basement before. He’s helped Mama Jones with laundry and has grabbed stuff for Casey when asked. But usually, somebody is with him.

One would think that with him living underground his entire life, going down into a basement would be second nature to him, but his entire family knows that he can’t handle dark places. That he needs some sort of light source at all times. It’s why he has a Silver Sentry nightlight in his room and why Donnie has flashlights hidden all over the lair. Just in case.

It’s also why he asked to sleep near the window.

The moon is almost always out when they’re up here but there is this porch light that he can see and it acts like a makeshift nightlight without asking for one and bothering his family. He knows that Sensei and Donnie would be fine sleeping with the extra light but Leo is already a light sleeper and Raph purposely shoves a towel between the door and floor to make his room as dark as possible. It’s why they sleep the furthest from the windows. Sure, sleeping near the window makes him kinda cold but Mama Jones specifically made him that fluffy quilt to use while up here after they had been up here to let Leo heal. During a bad bought of below zero temps, Mikey got too cold and got super sick. He had a 103 temperature and could barely keep anything down. The high fever also left Mikey confused about where he was and what he was supposed to do. That was also how Mama Jones ended up learning about them. Because Mikey was too sick to know any different and wandered downstairs to ask April for another blanket. Mama Jones took it like a champ though and ended up taking over helping Mikey get better so that Splinter could focus on Leo. And then, when Mikey got better, she forced Casey to peel apples for 2 days straight for trying to cover up their existence from her. She’s dubbed the four of them as ‘her turtle boys’ and Splinter is ‘her rat brother she always wanted’. Turns out rats are her favorite animals and turtles had been her mother’s.

“Mikey,” Don says, his voice jerking Mikey from his thoughts. “If you’re really that uncomfortable going downstairs by yourself, I can go after I get the movies from my bag.”

Swallowing thickly, Mikey forces a laugh and waves a dismissive hand.

“Nah, Don. I totally got this. I just—”

“Got caught up thinking again?” Donnie finishes, a teasing smile on his face. Mikey pouts at him as Raph snickers behind him.

“Maybe…”

“Well, stop thinkin’ and go, numb-nuts!”

“I’m going! I’m going! Yeesh!” Mikey grumbles as he reaches for the doorknob and pulls it open.

His jaw clenches as an unsettling darkness stares back. Creeping a little closer, Mikey reaches for the light switch and flicks it on. He holds his breath as golden light illuminates the space, allowing him to see the rest of the wooden stairs and cement floor. Cement bricks line the wall and old canning equipment rest on the ledge to the left.

Fiddling with his sleeves, Mikey slowly creeps down the stairs. His shoulders stiffen as the stairs creak with each step that he takes.

This isn’t so bad, he thinks as he finally reaches the bottom and glances around.

A single light hangs directly above his head and another is resting above the not quite ancient washer and dryer. Old toys and furniture litter the space, doing nothing more than collecting dust and giving spiders places to live.

The grippies on Mikey’s socks squeak with each cautious step he takes and he shoots a distrustful look at the open hole housing the water pump. Casey and Donnie have had to come down here more than once after a heavy rain storm to get the water pump up and working again so that the basement doesn’t flood. Donnie has offered to build Mama Jones a new one but she declines each time, stating that she likes having the excuse to force her son to come up to the farmhouse.

Like Casey would say ‘no’ to his own mother, Mikey thinks, amusement easing his unease as he works his way to where Casey said the DVDs are hiding. The seafoam green turtle rubs his nose as it starts to tickle and he’s silently grateful for Leo’s foresight to make him wear these fuzzy socks. He can already feel that there is a massive temperature difference between the living room and the basement and he can just imagine how cold his feet would be if they were making direct contact with the cement floor.

Cautiously, Mikey steps around two unlabeled boxes before finally reaching the washer and dryer. Ocean blue orbs flicker around, scanning for anything that remotely looks DVD-like or a box labeled DVDs.

“If I was a box of DVDs where would I be hiding?” Mikey mumbles, reaching up toward a shelf next to the washer and tilting a slightly smaller box toward him.

He frowns when he spots no DVDs but, instead, he notices a broken hand mirror resting at the bottom, cracks spidering out across the mirror surface but the main housing of the mirror is still intact and beautifully crafted. Silver roses line the oval portion of the mirror and the handle is like a single leaf curving down and to the left.

Carefully, Mikey lifts the mirror from the box, intrigued. About five different Mikey’s stare back and he tilts his head, grinning when all of his reflections mimic him.

“Why would anybody abandon this down here?” Mikey wonders out loud as he tilts the mirror around. “I’m sure there’s a way to fix the mirror or replace it. Shell, I bet Donnie could fix this easy. I wonder whose it was…”

Flipping the mirror over, a large R made of vines sticks out of the back but that’s it. Huffing at the unhelpful information, Mikey flips the mirror back over and holds it up to look at himself again.

He freezes.

In the reflection behind him stands Master Splinter. The older mutant is watching him but there is something unsettling about his stare that has cold sweats spreading across the young turtle’s body. Frozen, Mikey watches with wide eyes as his father lifts a hand and extends it out to him, as if silently asking him to take it. His heart pounds as he merely stares at his father in the reflection, unsure what to do. His mind is telling him to turn around and take his father’s hand but something deep in his heart is saying that this isn’t right.

“D-Daddy?”

Splinter tilts his head but remains silent. He extends his hand further out, fingers spreading a little more. Mikey swallows thickly, doing his best to keep his panic at bay as his instincts tell him something isn’t right about his father. But, this is his father! He shouldn’t be scared of him! He’s one of the few people that makes him feel secure and safe. So, why is he hesitating in turning around and taking his father’s hand?

Why…Why isn’t he saying anything?

Mikey opens his mouth to call out again when a sound from upstairs cuts him off.

“Michelangelo?!”

Gasping, Mikey jerks and fumbles with the mirror for a second before finally clutching it to his chest. Realizing he just heard his father’s voice, Mikey’s gut twists. That voice didn’t come from behind him. His father’s voice came from upstairs. Spinning around, he finds nothing but old furniture and dust settling behind him. Panic and alarm rises in Mikey’s chest as he shoots the mirror in his hands a terrified look. If Splinter is upstairs, then who did he just see? And why did they have his father’s face? However, before Mikey can think of a solution, movement on the floorboards above him spurs him into motion. Swift footsteps closing in on the stairs has Mikey fumbling to put the mirror back into its box, something telling him that he shouldn’t be caught holding the small object.

Once safely back in its box, Mikey’s eyes scan the other boxes around him, mind racing until he finally spots a box with DVDs written on the outside.

That was just a figment of your imagination. Your brain wants to freak you out. Dad is obviously upstairs. Not creepily standing behind you, asking to hold hands. Get yourself together.

Shaking his head, Mikey hurries toward the box he came down for. He pouts as he realizes just how far away from the washer it is.

“Casey lied! These aren’t next to the washer at all!” Mikey grumbles, willing his heart to stop racing as he picks the box up with shaking hands. He frowns as he spots some weird black marks on the cement floor just behind the box.

Almost like drag marks…

“Michelangelo, answer me!”

Jumping, Mikey turns toward the stairs. Wetting his lips, he shoots the marks one last look before shrugging it off and hurrying away.

“I’m right here, Chichi!” Mikey calls out just as his father appears at the base of the steps, chest heaving minutely and there is a tension in his father’s body, as if ready to spring into action.

Concern bubbles in his chest at the alarmed look on his father’s face and he quickens his pace.

“Chichi? What’s wrong?”

Relief spreads across the older mutant’s face as he hurries forward, crossing the remaining distance in seconds. His maroon robes flutter around him from the swift movement and Mikey swears that his father is gliding across the cement. Warm hands catch Mikey’s face and hazelnut eyes flicker around as if scanning him.

“Oh, Michelangelo. Thank goodness,” Master Splinter breathes out, stroking a freckled cheek. “Are you all right? Why are you down here?”

Confused, Mikey tilts his head into his father’s hands, allowing himself to finally start relaxing now that someone his heart has dubbed a protector is nearby. Soaking up the warmth radiating from his father, Mikey shuffles closer as he hugs the box of DVDs closer to his chest. Unsure what to say, the smaller of the two shrugs and smiles.

“Uh, yeah? Dad, I’m okay. I came down to grab this box,” Mikey says, lifting the DVDs for his father to see. His smile slips a little when his father’s frown deepens. “Chichi?”

“You are awfully pale, my son,” Master Splinter mutters, tugging Mikey closer. “I do not want you coming back down here, am I clear?”

Bewilderment shoots through the nunchaku wielder and he stares up at his father with wide eyes.

“What? But wh—”

“It is far too cold for you down here,” Master Splinter states, cutting off his son’s question with a stern tone. “And it is already affecting you. I can feel how even more chilled you have become compared to how you felt upstairs.”

Almost on cue, a chill runs down his spine causing Mikey to shiver harshly, the DVDs rattling around in their home with force. Tsking, Splinter places his hands on his youngest’s shoulders and guides him toward the stairs.

“I want you to head upstairs and warm up.”

Mikey flinches and nods, knowing better than to argue with his father when he uses THAT tone. He starts walking up the creaky stairs when he realizes that Master Splinter isn’t following behind him. The older mutant is staring off into the rest of the basement. His shoulders stiff.

“Dad?” Mikey calls out, worry mixing with his earlier unease and fear. “Is there something wrong?”

Splinter’s ears twitch in Mikey’s direction and he slowly drags his eyes away from the darkness of the basement. Hazelnut eyes meet ocean blue and he shakes his head.

“No, Watashi no nikkō,” Splinter says, briskly walking back toward the stairs. “Merely making sure everything is still in its place. I would not want us accidentally rearranging Mrs. Jones’s basement and making it difficult for her to locate things.”

Mikey nods as his father joins him on the stairs and resumes his ascent when his father motions for him to move. A frown tugs on the youngest lips as another shiver hits him right at the top of the stairs and the back of his neck prickles. He starts to turn around but a warm hand catches the back of his neck and he glances up at Splinter. Concern radiates from the older mutant.

“Give me the box of DVDs, Michelangelo,” Splinter says softly. “I want you to go grab a blanket and then sit on the couch until you have warmed up. I shall let Raphael go through these.”

Mikey resists the urge to protest at letting Raph of all people choose the movies for them to watch. But there is a looking in his father’s eyes that has any protest dying in his throat.

He’s worried, Mikey realizes as he slowly starts for the stairs leading to the loft. However, before he can make it very far, Leo materializes next to him, a large knitted dark green blanket in his hands. A grateful smile forms on the youngest face as the older turtle steps closer and wraps him in the soft fabric.

“C’mon, Otōto*. Let’s get you warmed up.”

Nodding absentmindedly, Mikey allows Leo to lead him over to the couch. The eldest sits first before patting the spot next to him which Mikey gladly plops down on. His big brother chuckles as Mikey curls closer to him, lifting his arm to allow the smaller turtle more access to his side. Too cold to care about how clingy he might look, Mikey tucks his head under Leo’s chin, pressing his cold snout into the warm skin. Shell. He didn’t realize just how cold he got down there, but Leo feels like a freaking heater against him!

“Shell, Mikey!” Leo says at the first initial touch of his cold face. “Was the basement really THAT cold already?”

Mikey shrugs, watching as Splinter approaches a concerned-looking Raph and hands the hothead the box that Mikey brought up. He quickly drops his gaze when his father turns toward them. He doesn’t hold back the content sigh that escapes him when Splinter approaches and gently rubs his head.

“I shall go make you some nice warm tea,” Splinter mutters. “Let us know if you start feeling sick, Watashi no nikkō.”

“Hai, Chichi,” Mikey mumbles into Leo’s shoulder, who tightens his grip on him. Splinter nods before walking away.

Another set of footsteps approach and Mikey spots Donnie appearing at the end of the couch. There is a confused frown on the genius’s face as he stares down at the four DVDs in his hands.

“What’s wrong, Donnie?” Leo asks gaining the olive green turtle’s attention.

“Did any of you go into my bag recently?”

The other three turtles exchange a look and Mikey lifts his head to frown at his immediate older brother.

“Uh, not that I’m aware of, dude. Why?”

“Hmm. Weird.” Donnie hums as he holds up the DVDs in his hands. “I could have sworn that I grabbed more than just these movies before we left the lair. Because these were in that stack of movies that I asked you to put together, Mikey. But, well, these were all that I could find in my bag.”

That catches Mikey’s attention and he sits up further.

“Wait, what? That’s impossible! I literally watched you put the stack into your bag, dude!” Bewilderment courses through the smaller turtle as his brother shrugs. “We arrived yesterday! And we haven’t even watched a movie yet! How are they not in there?” An upset whine slips from the youngest. “My horror movies! My poor, poor horror movies!”

He burrows back into Leo’s hold, an upset pout tugging on his lips as Leo wraps his arms around him.

“It’s okay, Mikey,” Leo says quietly as he fiddles with Mikey’s mask ties. “We’ll find your movies.”

“And it’s not like dat we won’t be able ta watch some horror movies,” Raph adds, as he holds up a few from the box from the basement. “It looks like Casey’s dad was quite da horror movie buff as well an action and comedy buff. Dere’s quite a few titles in here dat I know we don’t have at da lair. Like, dis one here. ‘Behind Da Open Door’. Da cover looks pretty creepy. Right up yer alley, Mikey.” The emerald turtle tosses the DVD to Leo, who catches it with one hand. “And dere’s another called ‘Mirror’. Dis one looks kinda old but still up yer alley, bro.”

Mikey pulls his arms from his blanket and catches the second DVD as Raph tosses it to him. He stares down at the cover. A young woman stares back, her reflection splintered into five different versions of her in a hand mirror. Her blue eyes are wide and her mouth is open in a scream, except for one. In the upper right-hand corner is a smiling version of the woman but her eyes are completely black with black liquid spilling down her face and out of her open, smiling mouth.

Images of what Mikey saw downstairs flicker into his mind and he quickly passes the box to Leo, who takes it. He’s about to hand Mikey the other box, but the youngest pulls up his blanket and buries his face into the crock of Leo’s neck, shivering.

“Don, can you turn up the heat?” Leo asks, setting the two DVDs down before wrapping both arms around the youngest. “We will have to wait to watch these until after Father goes to bed. You know how he doesn’t like horror movies.”

Raph grunts as he returns back to sorting the movies, shooting Mikey a glance. Leo, however, minutely shakes his head as he shifts to pull the youngest further into his lap. Mikey allows himself to be manipulated, soaking in the safety and security that he feels being surrounded by his brothers. Whatever he saw in the basement, it obviously wasn’t his father. But, how can he bring it up without his bros thinking that he’s crazy? Raph was already skeptical about him seeing their father in the living room and he was standing right next to him!

They’ll probably just say I was seeing things because I was freaking myself out, Mikey thinks, pouting as he snuggles closer to his leaf-green brother. And maybe I was. But even if it was my imagination, at least Chichi banned me from the basement so I never have to go back down there again.

Sighing, Mikey relaxes on Leo’s lap, peeking an eye open when the couch bounces as Donnie joins them. The genius rubs his head with a concerned smile but otherwise doesn’t say much as he glances back at their brother kneeling on the floor, throwing out movie suggestions as Raph holds them up. Through half-lidded eyes, Mikey watches them with a smile.

Everything is gonna be just fine.

Chapter Text

“Michelangelo.”

Ocean blue eyes snap open with a quiet gasp. Mikey’s heart pounds as he stares at the wooden wall next to his bed, the light from the porch streaming into the dark loft area. Frowning, the seafoam green turtle rolls over and glances around, trying to see just who called his name. When the quiet breathing of his family greets him, Mikey scrubs a hand down his face. Someone DID call his name, right? He could have sworn that he heard a voice but he can’t remember whose it was.

Maybe he’s more tired than he thought he would be.

The feeling of unease rolls over him the longer he glances around at the shadows scattered around the loft. Huffing out a quiet breath, Mikey shakes his head and pushes the feeling aside as he fishes out his ShellCell from under his pillow. Squinting, the screen illuminates his face as he taps the screen to check the time.

2:21 a.m.

Groaning, Mikey shoves his face into his cool pillow. He’s only been in bed for little over an hour. They managed to watch a total of four full movies before everyone started getting sleepy and they bid each other a ‘good night’. He wanted to stay up a little longer to watch one more movie but his big brothers put a kibosh on that, stating that he’d end up sick if he stayed down there by himself.

Mikey rolls his eyes.

Geez. Come out of the basement with some chills and your bros suddenly think you’re gonna end up with pneumonia. Yeesh.

Huffing, he shuffles around in his bed and pulls his quilt closer to his chin. He pauses when he breathes out again and notices a small cloud float away. Shell! Is it really that cold? Sitting up, Mikey rubs his eyes as he glances out the window. He grins as large white flakes float by the glass, collecting on the roof.

“Nice! Looks like Don was right about the snow!” Mikey presses closer to the glass only to shiver as his blanket falls into his lap. “Guess the heater broke. Or turned off somehow.”

Pursing his lips, Mikey glances from his blanket over to where Donnie sleeps. He can see the soft rise and fall of his sleeping brother’s form. A quick debate of whether or not he should wake his slumbering brother snaps through his mind before he shoves it away. It would be a waste of time if he woke Donnie only to find out that the heater is merely turned off and then both of them would be wide awake. The two insomniac turtles.

Because THAT wouldn’t call for a Leo lecture if he found out, Mikey thinks dryly as he shoves his blanket further down, instantly shivering as his bare legs meet the cold night air. If the heater is broken, then I’ll wake Donnie. But I’m a big turtle. I can turn the heat up on a thermostat.

A smile forms on Mikey’s lips as he spots his orange-covered feet. He wiggles his toes before fully standing. He pauses as he shoots his slumbering family a look. His father’s emerald shoulder peeks out from under his blanket and rises and falls slowly with each calm breath he takes. The only bad thing about sleeping in the same room as his ninja family, he never knows just how light they are currently sleeping. Sure, they’ve been up here before and almost all the times that they’ve been here have been fun and stress-free, there have been a few times that have been scary. And with how on edge his father had been all day, Mikey wouldn’t put it passed him to not actually be sleeping but in some weird meditative state that allows him to know the moment one of his sons gets out of bed.

But, so far so good. Nobody has moved or even shifted and he can still hear Raph snoring softly off in the far corner. Tip-toing as quietly as possible, Mikey keeps a close watch on the forms of his father and eldest brother, the two lightest sleepers. He pauses at the top of the stairs, holding his breath as he hears someone shift. However, when no one calls out to him, Mikey relaxes and continues his descent.

While they do make slight noise, Mikey can’t help but be grateful for the tiny rubber grippies on his feet. He can just imagine himself slipping the rest of the way down the stairs and waking the entire house with just how slick these fuzzy socks would be against the wood of the steps.

A triumphant grin spreads across a freckled face and Mikey sends a look back up at the loft.

Ha! Take that! Only the skill of the Battle Nexus Champion can sneak passed a ninja master not once, but TWICE! And I’ll be back in bed before Father even notices me gone.

Grin still in place, Mikey mentally hums the Mission Impossible theme to himself as he creeps toward the thermostat. He lifts his hand to turn the dial up, frowning when he sees that it’s at 65 degrees. 65! Shell. No wonder it’s so cold in here! Mikey’s eyes narrow.

Wait. Didn’t Donnie turn the heat up before we headed to bed? And 65 shouldn’t be cold enough for me to see my breath…

CREAK.

Mikey’s eyes widen as he freezes with his hand on the thermostat. That was a floorboard. And not the one he is standing on. Shrinking further into the shadows, he presses his shoulder against the wall and scans the main floor of the farmhouse. The thermostat is located in the space between the bathroom and the master bedroom. But that sound came from somewhere behind him.

Swallowing thickly, Mikey shakes his head and releases a trembling breath. Honestly, that noise could have been anything! The farmhouse is super old, built back in the mid-19^th century by a great-great-great something grandpa of Casey’s according to Mama Jones. So, for all Mikey knows, it could have just been the house settling. Or even a raccoon or squirrel up in the attic.

Heh, wouldn’t that be funny? Mikey thinks as he turns his attention back to the thermostat and clicks it back up to 75. He waits for the sound of the heater kicking in as he presses his shell against the wall. Me getting scared by a raccoon in the attic? Maybe it’s a ninja raccoon and that’s what Sensei was doing up there. He was giving the raccoon lessons.

Mikey tilts his head and frowns as he realizes that the hum of the heater is still missing. Usually, it kicks in instantly and is anything BUT quiet. Which can only mean one of two things. Either the heater is broken-broken or it just needs the breaker to be flipped. Mikey purses his lips. He knows how to do one of those two things. But, there’s a problem with him flipping the breaker.

The heater is located in the basement.

And if it’s this cold up here that I can see my breath, I can just imagine how cold it is down in the basement, Mikey thinks, tucking his hands further into his sweatshirt sleeves.

And the fact that his father banned him from the basement.

Not that I really want to go back down there anytime soon, Mikey thinks, shuffling in place. He tenses when he suddenly hears movement to his right. He frowns in confusion when he hears what sounds like a muffled curse and the sound of a door opening. The beam of a flashlight exits the room first before a familiar silhouette emerges.

“Stupid fuckin’ heater,” a voice grouses and Mikey sags as Casey exits the master bedroom. “I swear dat thin’ never stays— Jesus fuckin’ Christ!”

Mikey smiles at the blackette as Casey clutches the front of his white sleeping shirt, snickering as the human mutters curses at him.

“Morning, Casey! Fancy meeting you here.”

“Dammit, Mikey! I was all ready ta clock ya! What da shell are ya doing in da shadows?”

Mikey fiddles with his sleeves while peeking up at the scowling blackette.

“Um. Well, I woke up and noticed how cold it was so I came down to turn the heater back on but it hasn’t kicked on yet.”

The blackette’s scowl deepens as he walks up to the thermostat. Mikey slips to the side to give him more room.

“It was at 65 so I dumped it up to 75 but nothing has happened yet. I was just debating whether to go wake Donnie to see if the heater was broken.”

Casey sighs and runs a hand down his face. Tired ice blue eyes flicker over to the slightly shivering turtle.

“I’m pretty sure dat we just need to kick da heater back on. Ma likes ta wait as long as possible before turnin’ da blasted thing on and usually it needs us to flip da switch once or twice before it’s good ta go.” Casey sighs as he starts for the basement. “But I woulda thought with her knowing dat you guys were comin’ up with us dat she would have tested the bloomin’ thing.”

Mikey follows the blackette, not really keen on being alone right now.

“Well, maybe she just forgot,” Mikey whispers, wetting his lips nervously as Casey opens the basement door to reveal an inky blackness. “I…I mean, it wasn’t until about two days ago that they were predicting snow. Up until then it wasn’t supposed to get below 60 degrees, remember?”

Mikey hesitates at the top of the stairs as Casey starts to descend further into the darkness, ignoring the switch as he swivels the beam of light around.

“Dat don’t matter right now,” Casey grumbles. “We need ta get dat heat on so dat ya four don’t freeze and get sick on us. C’mon Mikey, I’m gonna need ya ta come hold da flashlight fer me.”

Air catches in the seafoam green turtle’s throat as Casey turns toward him, already halfway down the stairs. Mikey wads up the ends of his sleeves in his hands as he shuffles in place.

“D-Down there?”

Casey lifts a black eyebrow in question.

“Uh, yeah? Down here. It’s where da heater is.” Casey scans the younger male. “Dere’s nothin’ ta be scared of, Mikey. Besides, I’ll be down here with ya. But I’m gonna need both hands ta get da panel off. And, well, I ain’t gonna lie, it’s a pain in da ass ta do dis alone. So, I would appreciate da help.” A crooked smile forms on the blackette’s face. “I’ll get April ta make ya some cinnamon apple pancakes in da morning if ya do dis fer me.”

Oooo, bringing out the bribery. Master move, Casey Jones.

Mikey bites his bottom lip as he thinks it over. While he is technically banned from the basement, upstairs isn’t any warmer right now and he IS the only other person awake to help Casey. And it would just waste time going to wake one of his brothers to take his place just to hold a flashlight for Casey. And cinnamon apple pancakes DO sound pretty good right now.

And there’s nothing saying that Chichi will find out, Mikey thinks as he stiffly descends the stairs earning himself a smile from the older male. Casey and I will be in and out of the basement before anyone will notice.

His hands twitch at his sides.

And it IS April’s turn for breakfast, Mikey thinks as his eyes flicker around in the darkness.

He forces himself to relax as Casey wraps a warm arm around his shoulders and the two of them start forward. Like upstairs, their breath is visible and Mikey tries to tug his sweatshirt further down to cover his legs as he shivers. He jumps when something suddenly shifts and Casey mutters out a curse.

“Damn. Stupid fuckin’ boxes. I told Ma we need ta clean up down here,“ Casey grumbles as he passes the flashlight to Mikey and moves behind him, warm hands on his sweatshirt covered shoulders. “We’re gonna walk like dis till we get here. Like shell am I gonna let ya trip over some damn boxes and get hurt down here.”

That pulls an amused smile to Mikey’s face even as he eyes the darkness nervously.

“Considering that YOU were the one to trip and nearly face plant, I don’t really think this is for my benefit, Case-man.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Casey grumbles, nudging Mikey forward. “Well, not everyone is used ta walking around in da dark like you and yer bros. Now march. I want ta get a few more hours of shut eye and I know dat yer wanting some as well.”

Nodding with a snicker, Mikey allows Casey to steer him along. His breathing hitching the closer they get to washer and dryer and he has to make a conscious effort to not start trembling. He’s already having a hard time controlling his shivers and he knows that, while not fully awake, if he starts shaking too hard Casey is gonna change his mind and send him back upstairs. And the thought of his friend being down here alone makes Mikey’s stomach twist unpleasantly.

“Dere it is,” Casey says pulling Mikey from his thoughts. Mikey’s eyes widen as he realizes that the heater is located vicinity that he thought he saw Master Splinter.

It was just your mind playing tricks on you, Mikey thinks as the two of them pass by the exact spot. Mikey forces his eyes forward. Chichi was obviously upstairs and that’s where he is right now. Nice and warm in his bed. And Casey is down here with you. You’re gonna be fine.

“Okay, Mike,” Casey says as they reach the heater. “Just hold da flashlight right dere while I take da panel off ta reach da switch. Stupid mice tried making a nest inside it, just had ta add an extra layer of inconvenience ta dis whole process.”

“S-Sure, d-dude,” Mikey states, trying to keep from having his teeth chattering together. “Just do what ya gotta d-do.”

Casey throws him a look over his shoulder, frowning when Mikey tries to smile at him.

“Mike, if yer gettin’ too cold, I ain’t gonna force ya ta stay down here. I don’t want ya gettin’ sick…”

Mikey shakes his head, free hand clutching and unclutching inside of his sweatshirt sleeve. He’s a big turtle. And besides, he’s made it this far, he’s gonna stick it out.

Mikey smiles at the blackette.

“I’m o-o-okay at the moment, C-Casey. Honest! I…I don’t think g-going upstairs will do m-much anyways. Let’s j-j-just get the heater on then we b-both can go up.”

He also really doesn’t want to walk back through the basement alone and in the dark. The only light switch is back at the top of the stairs and there is only one tiny window that sits above the washer and dryer that allows light in. And it’s really not doing much for them down here.

A concerned look crosses the older male’s face as he scans the small turtle.

“If yer sure…”

Mikey nods, keeping his smile in place until Casey looks back to the heater. As he works to get the panel off, Mikey chews on his bottom lip. The slimy feeling that he always gets when standing in a dark place for too long is slowly creeping down his spine. And it’s not helping that he has his back facing the rest of the basement. He doesn’t dare move though, afraid that Casey is just going to force him upstairs if he thinks that Mikey’s shifting due to the cold. Like shell he’s going to leave his friend down here to deal with this heater on his own. Everything is fine. There is nobody standing behind him. His eyes widen as the back of his neck prickles and Mikey holds his breath as his heart jackhammers in his chest.

There’s nothing there. Casey and I are the only ones down here. There’s nothing there. Casey and I are the only ones down here.

“Michelangelo. Come to your chichi, little one.”

His father’s voice whispers in his ear, freezing air brushing his cheek. Mikey’s mouth dries as his mind races. What is Master Splinter doing up? And why didn’t they notice him? Mikey gasps when clawed fingers grasp at the back of his hoodie and Mikey whips around, the touch not feeling like his father at all.

As he moves, a high-pitched ringing fills his ears and his vision blurs. Confusion fills Mikey as he catches sight of a maroon robe as he pitches sideways. He sees a slim clawed hand reaching out for him but he swears that instead of pink skin the hand is white and decaying with exposed muscle and bones. The scent of something rotten and dead fills Mikey’s nose as he hits the cement floor, his leg twisting in an odd angle and his head bouncing off of something. As he lays there, his stomach rolls and his mouth begins to water unpleasantly.

His body shivers as he lies there on the dusty basement floor and he can’t tell what he hit his head on only that a dull pain blooms across his skull. What is his father doing in the basement? Mikey forces himself to focus on the area where he thought he saw Master Splinter, but when he blinks sluggishly, the maroon robe is gone but the smell of something rotting remains.

Confused, Mikey feels himself being rolled over and a panicked Casey is hovering above him. He can only guess that the blackette is speaking to him but his head feels like it’s full of cotton and the ringing has yet to stop. He feels strangely numb but he can tell that Casey is touching his face, the faint feeling of pressure moving along his skin. What he’s not sure about is why Casey is pulling off his shirt and wrapping it around his head.

Strong arms slide under his neck and knees and he’s leaning against a warm bare Casey chest as the older male starts moving. Mikey’s eyes sluggishly shift over to the darkness where he saw the maroon robe of his father. Nothing but boxes and covered furniture can be made out in the darkness. A noise of confusion escapes the seafoam turtle.

Where’d he go?

Vibrations against his cheek tells the young turtle that Casey is talking again. But he still sounds like he’s underwater and garbled so it’s hard for him to follow along. Mikey manages to blink sluggishly again as he’s placed onto something soft. He glances up at the blackette as he grabs the dark green blanket from earlier and wraps Mikey up in it, mouth never stopping.

“-ya warmed up. Dere we go. Now stay here while I go get Don and we’ll fix ya up nice and good, Mike. Don’t ya worry. Now ya sit tight, all right? I’ll be right back with yer bros, okay?”

Casey doesn’t wait for Mikey to answer before he’s already rushing off. Mikey swallows thickly, glad to finally be able to hear again but hating how his stomach won’t stop rolling.

Breathing harshly through his nose, Mikey leans forward. His jaw clenches at the movement, hating how jerky and disjointed he feels. He presses the heel of his hand to his forehead as a sharp pain shoots through his skull.

Shell. Did he split his head open when he fell? Is that why Casey wrapped his shirt around his head?

Wrinkling his snout, Mikey lifts his head and glances toward the basement. His stomach drops. The door is still wide open with an empty void staring back. Mikey’s heart pounds in his chest as he stares at it. His eye ridges furrow the longer he looks at, half expecting to see someone emerge from the shadows. He swears that the darkness is slowly creeping further and further out of the basement. As if long fingers are wiggling and searching around at this area it’s normally not allowed near. And Mikey’s ‘Tiger Instincts’ are telling him that isn’t right nor is it a good thing.

Gotta close the door.

Detangling himself from the blanket, Mikey staggers to his feet, swaying slightly as he hisses when he puts pressure on his left leg. He must have landed on it on his way down as well. Shell. He’s just walking chaos isn’t he?

Pressing his hand to his head, Mikey slowly limps his way over to the door. His hands are clammy from the nausea rolling in his gut. And there is a shooting pain running up and down his leg with each step but he knows that he needs to keep going. If he doesn’t close this door then the darkness will get in and it will hurt more than just him. And like shell is Mikey going to let anything hurt his family. Not when he can stop it.

Breathing harshly, Mikey reaches the top of the stairs and he grasps the door, ready to close it. Bile rises in his throat but he manages to swallow it back. He refuses to vomit. He doesn’t want to make a mess of the floor.

“Michelangelo.”

Mikey freezes as a familiar voice calls out to him and looks down into the basement. There, at the base of the stairs, is his father. Splinter stares up at him with his hands folded behind his back, strangely illuminated compared to the darkness of the basement. Mikey’s hand trembles against the wood of the door as he stares down at his father.

“Chichi?”

“You have forgotten something, Watashi no nikkō.”

“I…I have?”

Splinter nods as Mikey tries his best to remember what he could have forgotten. He has his sweatshirt and his fuzzy soaks. What else is he missing? A soft chuckle emits from the basement, the sound causing the orange-cladded turtle to shiver. The mutant rat smiles, as if amused by his youngest’s confusion, and brings one of his hands out from behind him. Mikey blinks as he tries to focus on what his father is offering him.

In his grasp is Casey’s flashlight.

“Yes, little one. You have. Do you not need your flashlight? I know how much you do not like the dark.”

Mikey’s chest rises and falls quickly, uncertainty warring alongside his heart as muddled thoughts scatter around in his brain. He really does hate the dark. And it's been so dark everywhere. But…But there is a reason Casey brought him back upstairs. And he really doesn’t want to go back into the basement.

But why don’t I want to go into the basement again? Mikey thinks sluggishly, leaning against the basement door as he presses the heel of his hand to his forehead.

“Michelangelo,” Splinter’s soft voice cuts through Mikey’s racing thoughts. “Will you not come down and take your flashlight? Would you leave your poor old father down here in the cold basement waiting? Do you not trust your own father?”

Guilt stabs Mikey in the gut as an upset look crosses his father’s face. Horror washes over the small turtle as his father starts to lower his hand, his ears drooping a little. Panicking, Mikey clings to the door as he tries to straighten.

“Of course, I trust you, Chichi!”

Splinter tilts his head, his smile widening as he holds the flashlight out further.

“I believe you, my son. So, come down to me and take your flashlight, Watashi no nikkō. Nothing will harm you as long as I am here.”

Mouth twitching, Mikey slowly nods and starts shuffling forward. Everything in his gut is screaming not to go, but he can’t figure out why. It’s his father! Chichi would never hurt him. And once he has his flashlight, he and Chichi can close the basement door together to keep the darkness away.

Splinter’s smile morphs into a grin at the small turtle’s movement.

“That is a good boy, Michelangelo. Come to me. Come down into the basement and we shall chase the darkness away together.”

Mikey nods, his head feeling oddly heavy and stuffy. Lethargically, he starts stepping across the threshold.

“Very good, little one. C’mon to Chichi.”

Numbly, Mikey starts to step down. However, right before his foot can touch the wood of the first step, a warm hand from behind him yanks him back. Stumbling, Mikey gasps as he starts to fall backwards, his stomach swooping unpleasantly. Warm arms wrap around his waist, keeping him upright while tugging him close.

“Don’t worry, little brother,” Leo’s tenor voice mumbles into his ear. “I’ve got you.”

Mikey tilts his head back with wide eyes just as he hears the door to the basement slam shut. Jumping, he looks straight ahead as his heart leaps into his throat. Only to find his father standing proud on the other side of the door, anger radiating from him.

Mikey blinks.

“C-C-Chichi?”

“You are all right, Michelangelo. We are here.”

Confusion fills the younger mutant. Of course, his father is here. They were just talking! Mikey frowns. Now that he’s thinking about it. He didn’t hear his father come up the stairs. So…how’d he get up here so quickly to shut the door?

Mikey lolls his head toward his father.

“How’d you get out of the basement so quickly, Chichi?”

Splinter slowly turns toward his youngest, ears flickering as he studies his son. His youngest is shivering and the white shirt wrapped around his head has a bright red patch on it where Casey stated that his head scrapped a piece of furniture during his fall. His concern spikes as a minute shiver courses through his youngest’s body causing his eldest to tug him further into his lap. Leo lifts his head, eyes wide as he stares up at his father. A deep frown mars Splinter’s face as he approaches his two children. Splinter meets his eldest son’s confused and unsure gaze for a moment before refocusing on his smallest child. He presses a palm against his overly confused child, hazelnut eyes taking in the wide and slightly unfocused ocean eyes. Visions of his dream from the night prior flash before his eyes and his gut twists painfully. However, unlike in his dream, his son is awake. Injured and confused, but at least among the living.

Poor choice of words, Yoshi, Splinter thinks with a wince.

“Michelangelo, my son, what are you talking about?” Splinter asks softly. “I was never in the basement.”

Mikey frowns at him as he leans into his father’s touch, soaking in the warmth.

“But you were! You wanted me to come down and grab the flashlight I dropped. You said it’d keep the darkness away.” Mikey’s eyes start to burn as he reaches out for his father, his fingers grasping the emerald sleeves of his father’s sleeping robes. “And…And I trust you, Chichi. Honest! I was gonna come down to get it from you! But…But I fell or something. But I didn’t mean to! I love you! I was gonna go down!”

A bewildered look crosses Splinter’s face as he gathers his distraught son into his arms, rocking the both of them gently. He presses his lips to a portion of the seafoam green turtle’s head that is still white and rubs Mikey’s shell.

“Shh. Shh. You are all right, Watashi no nikkō. There is no need to get upset.” Splinter shifts the two of them until they can both sit on the couch. Mikey climbs further into his father’s lap and the older mutant lets him as he grabs the discarded blanket that Raph holds out for him. “Michelangelo, shh. You are all right, little one. You fell and hit your head and it is making you very confused right now.” He wraps the shivering turtle with the blanket. “Now, tell me why you think that I asked you to grab the flashlight from the basement.”

Sniffling, Mikey pulls back and scrubs at his face as his father watches him with concerned hazelnut eyes. He studies the older male as his father uses his thumb to wipe his cheeks.

“You…You were trying to give me the flashlight. You were standing at the base of the stairs. I was talking to you!” Mikey curls into himself, whispering; “You said we’d chase the darkness away together.”

Alarm flashes across Splinter’s face and he glances up. Concern radiates from his other 3 sons and Casey looks just as lost as he did when he woke them all up. Pressing his snout against his youngest’s chilled temple, Splinter beckons for his eldest to approach.

“I promise you, Michelangelo, that I will always be there to chase away the darkness. No matter how old you get or even if I am no longer on this plane, I shall be there to help you drive back the darkness. Understand?” Splinter mutters softly and Mikey nods weakly against his shoulder. “Good. Now, I am going to give you to Leonardo so that Donatello can check you over while Mr. Jones and myself go downstairs and get the heater working once more.”

Strong fingers dig into his robe and wide, unfocused blue eyes stare up at him and Splinter fears that his youngest will pass out with how pale he has gotten.

“No! Chichi, you guys can’t go into the basement! If you do, then the darkness will get you!” The seafoam body in his arms trembles and curls closer to the older mutant. “I don’t want the darkness to take you away.”

Splinter’s heart nearly shatters at the whispered confession. He holds Mikey closer, warring with himself on what to do. He knows that he needs to go down and check the basement with Casey. But how can he when his youngest, his baby, is so distraught and frightened and confused in his arms, begging him not to? Splinter rocks the two of them, humming softly as he thinks of a solution. He glances up when Leo kneels in front of him, his eldest sparing him a brief glance before reaching out to press his hands to Mikey’s shell. The youngest flinches at the touch but his eldest brother is unbothered as he starts rubbing circles on the carapace.

“Mikey, Otōto,” Leo calls out softly. “Nothing downstairs is going to take Father from us.”

“Yeah!” Raph pipes up from his spot on the arm of the couch. “Nothin’ down in dat basement is strong enough ta beat Sensei. He’s just too tough. And we all know dat Casey makes a great grunt man.”

“Hey!”

A wet giggle escapes the small turtle and he peeks out from where he’s buried his face in his father’s chest. Leo rolls his eyes before focusing on his youngest brother. Chestnut brown meets ocean blue and Leo’s face softens.

“What Raph is trying to say is that Father won’t be down there alone. He’ll have Casey with him and together they’ll be able to get the heater working while also protecting each other. So, why don’t you come to me and let Father go downstairs. The two of us will sit right here on the couch and wait for Father to come back up while Donnie checks your head and knee. Sound good?”

Mikey worries his bottom lip, trying his best to think over his brother’s suggestion. But his brain stills feels so foggy but he knows that he can trust what Leo says. He’s his big brother and leader for a reason. He always has a plan. Always knows what to say. Makes everything better.

After a beat, he slowly nods and twists in his father’s grasp to reach out for his blue-cladded brother. Leo smiles as he easily plucks his brother from their father’s lap. He holds Mikey close as Splinter swiftly stands and allows the two to take his spot. Hazelnut brown meets chestnut brown before he reaches down and smooths a slim hand over his injured son’s head.

“Mr. Jones and I will not be long. Just remain here with your older brothers.” Splinter straightens and glances over at the blackette. “Are you ready, Mr. Jones?”

Casey jumps before nodding.

“Oh, uh, yeah. Sure thing, Master Splinter. I already got da panel off of da heater, so all I need ya ta do is hold da….” Casey pauses, shooting the youngest a look. “Da flashlight.”

Splinter follows his gaze, frowning as Leo meets his gaze while rocking the youngest and whispering softly to him. Donnie appears, first aid bag in hand with a now wide awake April, her hair standing up everywhere. Her green eyes flicker over to Splinter and Casey as she rounds the couch to squat in front of Mikey as Donnie sits beside him. Splinter shakes his head causing April to nod in understanding before turning her attention back to the youngest of the group, rubbing his shell.

“Come, Mr. Jones,” Splinter says, leading the way to the basement.

Casey nods and reaches the door before the older male. He hesitates for a moment but when Splinter reaches him, he pulls it open. Splinter’s eyes narrow as the two peer down into the basement. The heavy energy that he felt earlier trying to lure his youngest back into its depths is gone but there is residual energy lingering in the air. Placing a hand on the unnerved blackette’s shoulder, Splinter cautiously makes his way down, the stairs only creaking when Casey follows behind him. Splinter’s lips thin as his breath clouds before him.

Michelangelo should not have come down here in the first place, Splinter thinks as he reaches the landing. He can’t even be mad at his youngest either. Casey explained what happened as he rushed to wake Donnie. And how can he be upset when Mikey is upstairs, curled up in his eldest brother’s lap with a head wound that is making him dazed and confused? Not that anyone can stay upset at Michelangelo for very long.

A hand catches Splinter’s elbow, dragging him from his thoughts. Pausing, he glances back at Casey. The blackette, however isn’t looking at him. He is staring off to his right. Splinter follows his gaze and spots something illuminating off in the darkness.

“Dat’s da flashlight,” Casey says, voice barely above a whisper. “But fer some reason, it’s over by da drain. Dat ain’t where I left it.”

Unease builds in the once-human’s gut as he and Casey make their way over to the resting flashlight. Splinter eyes the covered furniture as they pass, his ears twitching for any unusual noises. Nothing appears out of place but the foreboding from last night’s dream is slowly clawing its way back into his chest as he and Casey stop a few steps away from the flashlight. Casey leans closer to Splinter.

“Dat flashlight shouldn’t be on,” he whispers and the mutant rat narrows his eyes. “Da batteries popped out and I kicked dem inta a little pile before picking Mike up and gettin’ him upstairs.” His icy blue eyes are wide. “And dere’s too much crap in da way fer it ta have rolled over here. If anythin’, da light should be further back if it did roll.”

Splinter nods before sticking his arm out when Casey makes to move closer. The older male shakes his head, motioning for the blackette to stay put as he creeps closer. Splinter’s emerald robes swirl at his feet as he moves. Once he reaches the flashlight, his eyebrows furrow as he spots a massive crack down the middle of the glass. Curiosity fills Splinter as the strong urge to follow the beam of light hits him. His hazelnut eyes drift over to the drain. Something maroon sticks out of the hole in the cement. Something maroon and very familiar.

Heart pounding, Splinter stands and approaches the drain.

“Master Splinter?” Casey called out softly as the ninja master squats down. “Do ya see somethin’?”

Instead of answering, Splinter cautiously reaches out, grasping the wet fabric. He holds his breath as he starts to lift, the fabric heavy and water-logged. A voice in the back of his mind warns of the possibility of a hand coming up and grabbing him but he shoves it away. He doesn’t sense any immediate danger, just the lingering presence of one.

Not that makes me feel any better about this situation, Splinter thinks bitterly as he finally pulls the entire piece of fabric out of the drain.

Casey gasps behind him.

“Isn’t….Isn’t dat yer robe dat ya were wearin’ earlier?”

Pursing his lips, Splinter nods.

“It is indeed. How it got down here, I do not know,” Splinter states, face darkening. “But this is quite concerning. Whatever or whoever took my robe obviously did so to use it to confuse Michelangelo in his current dazed and injured state.”

Casey’s eyebrows scrunch together and a troubled look shadows his face as Splinter grabs the flashlight as well and rejoins him.

“But…Why Mikey? He hasn’t done anythin’!”

“I do not know,” Splinter says, voice hard and his hands tighten around the flashlight and robe. “But I intend to put a stop to it before this goes any farther.”

Chapter Text

The farmhouse is quiet as April rummages through the kitchen, pulling pots and pans down to start making a late breakfast. Nobody has gone back to sleep since the incident in the basement with Leo and Master Splinter having tried to get Mikey to rest but every time the youngest starts to relax, he starts panicking and calling out for his father. It’s heartbreaking to the redhead, seeing one of the beings that she considers to be a little brother to be so distraught and terrified.

April purses her lips as she starts up the stove to begin making breakfast.

Casey had pulled her aside when he and Master Splinter returned from the basement, explaining what happened, from at least his perspective. The heater going out, leaving the bedroom only to find Mikey already fiddling with the thermostat before figuring out that the heater wasn’t turning on. Casey then asking Mikey to help him kick start the heater and hold the flashlight. Honestly, it sounded like a series of events that shouldn’t have caused such a scene. Casey kept saying how if he would have known that Mikey was getting so cold and that there was something in the basement trying to mess with the youngest, he wouldn’t have asked Mikey to join him. Raph’s tried to get it through Casey’s head that what happened wasn’t his fault. That it wasn’t ANYONE’S fault.

Nobody’s fault but whatever was in the basement trying to take our Mikey from us, April thinks as she dips a piece of toast into some cinnamon batter before placing it onto a sizzling pan.

A few years ago, if someone would have asked her if she believed in ghosts, she would have laughed in their face. As a scientist, of course she didn’t believe in ghosts! There wasn’t any proof of them.

A frown morphs onto April’s lips as she adds another piece to the pan.

But now? Now she has experienced too much weird stuff to be able to confidentially deny such beings anymore. There is just too much evidence contradicting what she had thought for years. Her father used to tell her the craziest stories about his adventures and all of the items he would get in his shop. While enjoyable to listen to, she never actually believed in any of the stories about cursed objects or haunted dolls that she was forbidden to touch. And then she met her little brothers and second father. And they have turned her world upside down.

Mystics. Ninjas. Dimension hopping. Ninjutsu. Chi.

It’s all so confusing and out of this world. Most of it, she would have never believed if it wasn’t for the fact that she witnessed it first-hand. Heck, Mikey has even used some of his healing chi on her and Master Splinter has personally brought her to the Astral Plane. It will never fail to amaze her on all of the new experiences that her new family has given her. And she wouldn’t exchange any of it for the world.

April aggressively flips one of the French toast.

And yet, it seems like at every turn, the world is trying to do something to take her family away from her. She’s already lost her father years ago and her mother died right after she got her job at Stockman’s lab. Hasn’t she lost enough people? Why are they trying to take her little brothers and the man-turned-rat who she sees as a father away from her as well? What have they done to deserve having some weird spirit thing trying to take poor little Mikey away?

April drums her fingers on the counter as she watches the bread slowly crisp absentmindedly gauging when to plate these pieces and add the next four to cook.

Logically, there has to be a reason why this spirit thing is targeting Mikey specifically. And why it’s choosing Splinter to imitate.

No, April thinks as she scoops the first few French Toast off the pan and onto a plate before adding new pieces. I know why it’s choosing Splinter. Mikey trusts his father unconditionally, having been raised by him and protected by him all his life. His brothers as well, but Mikey looks up to his father so much. As do all of his children. And Mikey never goes against his father’s orders. He’s more willing to disobey his brothers, but his father? Never. That little stunt to try and get him back into the basement just proves it.

Anger boils under April’s skin. Having Donnie wake her up in such a panic asking where the first aid kit was and coming out to see Leo cradling a bleeding Mikey was almost too much to handle. And the worst part is? There isn’t anything she can currently do about it!

Or…is there?

Biting her lip, April shoots a look up at the ceiling. Mama Jones did leave her in charge of going through the documents up in the attic. What if there is something up there that could help them? Some sort of diary or deed that might explain what’s going on with the house? Sure, Casey’s great, great, great, great grandfather built this place, but that just means there is so much history behind it that there has bound to be some weird supernatural stuff that’s happened. At least ONE of Casey’s relatives had to have died here and that can leave some sort of spirit or strange spiritual energy behind, right? Maybe if they figure out what it is or why it’s here, they can get rid of it. April doesn’t want her family losing the one place where they feel safe and can be free to roam around in the sun.

Plating the rest of the French toast, she pops the plate into the microwave to keep it warm. It might not be her apple cinnamon pancakes that Casey promised Mikey, but it’s gonna have to make do. She’ll make the pancakes for him tomorrow when everyone is less stressed and she knows that Mikey will be able to stomach it and there is more time for her to make them properly. But, for right now, they’ll have to make do with quickly-made French toast.

Wiping off her hands, April swiftly leaves the kitchen, instantly spotting Raph and Casey on the couch. Both are staring at the blank TV screen as if lost in their own little worlds, and she can’t help but feel her heart ache for them as well.

Casey was absolutely shaken last night, blaming himself for what happened. He was the one who asked Mikey to come down even when the little guy was hesitant and visibly uncomfortable doing so. Nobody here blames the blackette, least of all Mikey, but the way that Casey is just glaring at the TV screen but periodically shooting glances toward the basement door is enough for April to know that her husband is mentally beating himself up. And the way that the two beings that have dubbed themselves the ‘Protectors’ of their makeshift family are practically guarding the door is enough to show just how uncomfortable all of them are.

Raph’s hands keep twitching where they are resting on the back of the couch, as if ready to spring at any moment. The foot resting on his knee is bouncing up and down and April can see the scowl on his face and the way that his eyes aren’t actually staring at the TV screen but are off to the side, eyeing the basement door.

April is starting to think that maybe they need to move the couch in front of the door just to get everyone in the house to relax. Or, maybe even call Mama Jones to see if she’d mind if they board up the door. Just for right now. Or not. Because then Mama Jones will want to know why and what if the thing in the basement makes the heater turn off again? Then they’d have to unboard the door and it would be more of a hassle than they need at the moment.

And what if that thing somehow gets Mikey downstairs even with the boards up? We might not be able to reach him in time before that thing does something!

Pursing her lips, April shakes her head and continues forward, loud enough to alert at least Raph before laying a gentle hand on Casey’s shoulder. The blackette jumps, swearing softly under his breath when he glances up, icy blue eyes wide.

“Geez, Babe! Nearly jump outta my skin!”

April smiles softly at him which slowly allows him to relax. She glances over at Raph to find amber eyes also focused on her.

“I just wanted to let the two of you know that the French toast is ready. It’s on a plate in the microwave. I’m gonna go let the others know and see if Mikey is up for eating.”

“Oh, uh, thanks, Babe. Appreciate it.”

Casey nods distractedly as he and a silent Raph stand from the couch. She does gain a soft pat on the shoulder from the emerald turtle in a way of thanks. She watches them disappear into the kitchen before moving on to the second floor. Green eyes watch the basement door warily as she moves by, not liking the energy that she feels radiating from it.

Whether she’s just projecting her feelings or if there really is an energy coming from that space, April isn’t sure. She’s not as sensitive as her little brothers and adoptive father are, having not been raised in a way to BE sensitive in such a way, but she’s gradually learning to rely on that part of herself more. To rely on her intuition.

And her intuition is telling her to not go near that door.

Shaking her head, April creeps up the stairs, doing her best to not make them squeak. She isn’t completely successful, but she only makes two of the seven stairs squeak so she’ll take it as a win. April peers around the loft, instantly zeroing in on her other three little brothers. Donnie is sitting on a cushion on the floor next to Mikey’s bed while Leo is curled up around his youngest brother, holding the seafoam-green body close to his chest with his shell pressed against the wall. The older two turtles instantly look up at her as she moves closer.

April offers them a sad smile.

“Hey,” she says softly. “How’s Mikey holding up?”

She peers down at the youngest, pleased to see the soft, rhythmic pattern of someone asleep. His quilt is wrapped tightly around his form and his hood has been tugged up to help protect the stitches and wrappings that Donnie had to give him. April fights to not shudder when she remembers the olive turtle gently unwrapping Casey’s ruined shirt from the seafoam head and just how red the once white fabric was and how the wound just wouldn’t stop bleeding.

Movement brings the redhead’s attention back to the bed and her heart nearly breaks as Leo softly strokes Mikey’s cheek.

“He finally fell asleep,” Leo mutters, glancing up at the redhead. “Donnie and I have been making sure that he doesn’t start having nightmares.”

“But otherwise, he’s been doing all right,” Donnie states softly as he shifts to a kneeling position and rests his arms on the bed before laying his chin on his forearms. He brushes a speck of lint away from his baby brother’s head. “I’ve given him some painkillers and we’ve been monitoring him for any signs of a concussion. I’ll have to rerun some tests when he wakes up so that he’s not so worked up and isn’t running off of such heavy emotions.” A frown tugs on the olive turtle’s face. “I’ve never seen him so worked up before and it was… unnerving. Mikey truly thought that something was going to harm Sensei if he left his sight.”

April nods, reaching down to smooth out the slight wrinkles in the fabrics.

“I’m sure after he wakes up, Mikey will be a lot calmer and able to explain to us what exactly happened,” April says, meeting the gaze of her awake little brothers. “But I also think that Mikey will have a really good explanation for reacting like that.”

Leo nods as he relaxes further on the bed but keeping his grip on his brother. He frowns.

“Hopefully. But it certainly has Father on edge. He hasn’t been able to relax since he and Casey came back upstairs.”

April nods, running her hand over the blanket to smooth out the wrinkles. She glances around the loft.

“Speaking of Sensei, where is he? I know Mikey wouldn’t let him go anywhere. But I just finished breakfast and came up to let all of you know.”

Donnie stands, kissing Mikey’s temple before cracking his back. Leo watches his brother for a moment before glancing at April.

“I believe Sensei went up to the attic. He said that he forgot something up there, one of his books I think.”

Surprise courses through April as she glances up at the ceiling. She would have thought that Splinter would have waited but, then again, it’s the basement that’s been the issue so far, not the attic.

And the attic holds all those old documents…

Suddenly determined, April straightens.

“Sounds good. I’ll run up there and let him know about the French toast being ready while you guys head down before Raph and Casey eat them all.”

Leo shakes his head as Don nods.

“I’ll remain up here with Mikey. I don’t want him waking up alone and panicking.” Leo’s chestnut eyes flicker to his standing brother. “Would you save me and Mikey some?”

“Of course. Come get me if he wakes up and is in pain, okay?”

Leo merely nods and rests his head next to Mikey’s once more. The entire scene warms April’s heart, but she wishes that this scene would have happen without the youngest being injured and scared.

“I’ll go get Sensei,” April states, following Donnie back toward the stairs. “Let me know if you want me to just bring you up a plate, Leo.”

“Will do.”

April offers the leaf green turtle a thumbs up as she and Donnie descend the stairs. The walk is quiet save for the slight creaking that April is making even when she tries to follow in the exact same footsteps as the genius turtle. How they can walk so much quieter than her when the only one lighter than her is Mikey, she will never know.

She throws the second youngest turtle a look and mentally sighs. As relaxed as Donnie is trying to appear, April can see a slight tension in the young turtle’s shoulders, something that is just barely there but enough for her to know that Don is just as stressed as his brothers are. Which doesn’t completely surprise the redhead. As the resident medical professional, Donnie has more to be worried about then anyone else. And it never helps when the young turtle doesn’t tell them the full extent of certain injuries. So, there must be more to Mikey’s head injury that Donnie hasn’t told any of them. But if April tries to pry, she knows that Don is just going to wave off her concern.

But that doesn’t mean she isn’t going to at least let him know that she’s here for him.

“Hey, Don?” April calls out just as Don turns to head for the kitchen. The olive turtle pauses and glances back, confused.

“Yeah?”

April frowns as her eyebrows furrow but she holds Don’s hazel gaze with her own.

“If there is anything I can do to help you with Mikey and his injury, just let me know, okay? I’m here for all of you.”

Don blinks in surprise as he studies his friend/sister. April keeps her face sincere as she waits for the genius to make his own conclusion. After a beat, Don smiles, a little tiredly, but genuinely.

“Will do, April. And…thanks.”

April nods as Don turns and resumes his walk toward the kitchen. She sees him turn his head toward the living room only to snap his head forward swiftly. He does quicken his pace.

Well, it wasn’t exactly what she was hoping, but he at least agreed to let her help if needed. And that is a step in the right direction and more than he used to let anyone get with this kind of stuff. So, she’s going to take what she can get right now.

Huffing out an almost chuckle, April continues toward the small closet that holds the stairs leading up to the attic near the front door. The door is open and April can see a soft light glowing from the top of the stairs. As quietly as she can, April makes her way up the wooden stairs, hating how much worse these stairs creak than the stairs up to the loft do. She knows it’s because there has been more maintenance done on the loft stairs because they’re used more often, but dang does this not make her feel like she’s entering a scene from a horror movie.

And after this morning, I don’t think we’re very far off from that, April thinks dryly as she emerges into the main attic space.

She glances around, noting that everything looks the exact same as it did yesterday when she was last up here. Dusty boxes and old furniture are littered around and she knows that the documents are further in, hidden away in a few locked filing cabinets that she knows was added many, many years after the house was built.

April frowns as she glances around, realizing that she has yet to see any sign of Splinter anywhere. While the attic is large, it’s quite open so there aren’t a lot of areas where a large mutant rat can hide.

“Uh, Master Splinter?” She calls out, moving further into the attic, waving away stray dust dancing in the air. “Are you up here?”

A slight rustle is the only answer she gets, and April follows the sound. Maneuvering around a few stacks of boxes, April blinks in surprise when she finds Splinter kneeling on the floor, head bent and ears flat against his head. April’s heart leaps into her throat as she stares at the ninja master. Usually, he makes some sort of comment letting her know that he knows that she’s there, but he has yet to even twitch.

Maybe…Maybe he’s meditating and he’s in a deep trance?

April glances around, uncertain what to do.

Maybe she should leave and come back? But after what happened this morning, the thought of leaving any of her family alone for too long just doesn’t sit right with the redhead. Wetting her lips nervously, April slowly creeps closer to the being that has become a father to her, even if he’s not technically old enough to be her father. Slowly, she reaches a hand out.

“Is there something I can do for you, Ms. O’Neil?”

Jumping, April snaps her hand back and stares at the back of Splinter’s head with wide eyes.

“S-Sensei?”

The ninja master straightens, his ears twitch up and April can see his tail swipe slowly across the floor. As he moves, April shifts closer until she’s near his shoulder. She glances down, half expecting to see candles or even the book that Splinter was up here to grab. What she’s not expecting to see is a stack of DVDs. HORROR DVDs.

“What…What are you doing?” April asks, squatting down when the older being doesn’t answer. She frowns when she realizes that she recognizes the titles. “Aren’t…Aren’t these Mikey’s DVDs? The ones that he was missing?”

Confusion swirls in the redhead when Splinter’s ears droop but a tiny, almost sheepish smile forms on his lips. His hazelnut eyes flicker up to meet her light green.

“They are indeed Michelangelo’s.” Splinter chuckles at April’s bewildered look. “They were never exactly MISSING. Just merely…not where my sons could find them.”

“You…You took Mikey’s DVDs?” April questions, even more confused when the rat master minutely nods his head. “But…But why? You HATE horror. Why take his DVDs?”

Splinter sighs, a deep and heavy sound. This type of sigh is very rarely heard from the master, but it feels very necessary. The ninja master has been feeling so many different emotions since this morning, many of which he just can’t put into words, only sounds.

“Master Splinter?”

He glances at the redhead before reaching down and picking up one of the DVDs.

“It…was a silly decision on my part, really,” Splinter admits, frowning at the box art of a group of six teens huddling together as a shadowy figure looms over them. “I…I had a dream the night before where Michelangelo was speaking to a being that was not there. Or I THOUGHT was not there, at the time. And one of the many thoughts that I can remember having from that dream was that I needed to take Michelangelo’s horror movies away for a little while as to help him with his nightmares and sleepwalking. Of course, the dream delved into something much darker that no mere horror movie would ever be able to put upon my family.” Splinter places the DVD back down and curls his hands onto his thighs. “It was quite silly and childish of me to wake up yesterday and take my son’s movies but I…had hoped that maybe by removing them, I could stop him from experiencing such a scenario like in my dream.”

April quietly drops to her knees and reaches out to take one of Splinter’s hands in her own.

“And…did it?”

A hallow chuckle emits from the older being. Splinter shakes his head.

“No, it did not,” Splinter states softly. “He still ended up in the basement and the same energy I had felt in my dream was emitting from the basement so heavily that I thought I was dreaming once more. It wasn’t until I noticed Michelangelo about to descend the stairs that I realized that this was no dream, but a harsh reality that something down there was trying to lure my son away.”

April nods, squeezing the slim hand gently.

“You didn’t actually have a book to find up here. You were coming back up to grab Mikey’s DVDs, weren’t you?”

Splinter huffs out an almost chuckle.

“Yes. I did not want to admit to my sons that I had done such a petty thing, especially since it did not seem to help in the slightest.” Splinter lifts his head and glances toward a filing cabinets. “But, I also was hoping to find answers while I was up here. I thought, maybe meditating up here for a little while with something of Michelangelo’s might tell or offer me a clue on what might be hunting my son.” Wizened brown eyes return to April’s face. “But so far I have far more questions than I do answers. Short of going through Mrs. Jones’s private records, I have had no luck in finding any clues on what is going on.”

The redhead nods. While she’s surprised that Splinter would attempt to hiding Mikey’s DVDs due to a dream, or rather, a nightmare, she can’t help but find it endearing that he was willing to do so anyways if it meant helping his son not suffer whatever that dream Mikey suffered. Even if it didn’t help.

April glances back at the filing cabinets that Splinter had looked at earlier.

“Actually, outside of me coming to tell you that breakfast is ready, I was also hoping to possibly find answers up here,” April admits quietly, regaining eye contact with the older mutant. “However, unlike you, I WAS going to look through the records up here. Something must have happened a long time ago to cause some sort of entity to be here and target Mikey. I don’t believe that this is an isolated incident. I mean, this place is at least a hundred and some odd years old. I think Mama Jones said it was built in like the 1870s or something like that? So, this place is OLD. And, well,” April offers Splinter a tight smile. “We know quite well that things that old tend to have some sort of history.”

Boy, don’t they?

After the scare with dealing with Utrom Shredder and the Mystics. Heck, just knowing the Ancient One, it’s hard to deny that something over a hundred years old isn’t going to have SOMETHING attached.

Splinter sighs.

“I just would hate to invade Mrs. Jones’s privacy in such away.”

April smirks and stands, dusting off her knees.

“Well, then it’s a good thing I’m married to her son now, isn’t it?”

Marching over, April pulls open one of the drawers and glances inside. Stacks upon stacks of paper stare back and she grins.

“Besides, Mama Jones wanted me to go through these anyways,” April says as she glances around for an empty box. “She never said I wasn’t allowed to read them or let anyone else read them. Her only requirement was to not let Casey handle them because she didn’t want him to accidentally rip them.”

Splinter also stands from the floor, tucking the DVDs inside of his robe to deal with later as he locates an empty box and holds it out for April to use. She offers him a smile and gingerly starts lifting papers out.

“If it means that I can make sure that my youngest, as well as all of my children, are safe, then I do not see the harm in at least looking.” A bittersweet smile forms on his lips. “I do think that Mrs. Jones would be quite understanding as well. And I do understand the need to keep Mr. Jones away from the more…delicate paperwork. But I am sure we can find something he can do that can help.” The smile slips from Splinter’s face. “He…was quite upset when I came up here.”

April nods solemnly.

“He didn’t look all that better when I was telling everyone about breakfast. I’m hoping having a full stomach would make him feel better, but I know that he hates when any of the boys get hurt, especially under his care.” The redhead glances up at the taller being. “Casey sees all of them as his little brothers, just like I do. He’d do anything for them.”

Splinter’s lips twitch back into a smile as he places the now full box down and goes and retrieves another empty box.

“Yours and Mr. Jones’s loyalty toward my sons has been a blessing that I never thought my boys would ever experience. And is one of the only things that allows me to sleep at night when they go on patrol. Because I know that they have the support they need above ground when I cannot be with them.” Splinter’s smile slips as April resumes placing documents and journals into the new box. He closes his eyes. “I cannot fathom what would have happened had Michelangelo gone down into the basement himself and not with Mr. Jones. Had Mr. Jones not woken up in time, I know Michelangelo would have just ventured down himself, not wanting to bother his brothers. And seeing that…THING trying to lure Michelangelo back into the depths of the basement once he was alone in the living room has me very on edge.”

April scowls as she places two last journals into the box before deeming it too full for the rest. Bending down, April hefts the other box into her arms. They’ll come back for the others.

“I’m glad as well. While I don’t know what Casey would have been able to do if that… whatever tried attacking them, it does make me feel better knowing that Mikey wasn’t alone. But there is one thing that I’m certain of.” April glances over at Splinter as he meets her gaze. “I’m absolutely certain that Mikey should not be left alone. If that thing is truly only after Mikey, then we’re gonna make it as hard as possible for it to even get near him. Casey and I might not be as sensitive to the supernatural or spirits or whatever, but we can at least be there as a second person to make sure that nothing happens to him. Or, if Mikey starts acting weird, we can call for one of you. But like hell am I going to let something happen to my little brother and Casey is going to be going all ‘Big Brother’ on Mikey’s shell.” The redhead pauses before the stairs and studies the ninja master. “But I am curious. I know you said that through meditation you haven’t received any clues, but you know much more about the spirits and the supernatural than I do. Do you have any ideas what could possibly be in the basement? Any thoughts or theories?”

Black eyebrows furrow as a troubled expression appears on Splinter’s face. His fingers flex on the box in his arms, his claws digging into the sides of the cardboard.

“I…I have a few theories,” Splinter says slowly, ears twitching as April waits patiently for him to continue. “But only one that truly holds any weight. There was a great evil aura that was radiating from the basement when we first reached Michelangelo, an aura that spelled great harm toward my youngest if he reached the bottom. But a number of supernatural beings radiate such energy. Currently, I can only speculate on what I think it could be as we have yet to find any other evidence of a creature living here.” The ninja master shakes his head, sighing. “Hopefully there might be some evidence inside these papers here as this sudden attack feels very…random. We have been up here with the two of you many times and Michelangelo has gone into the basement himself many times as well and not once have I felt such a presence, such an evil, like I did tonight. So, what has changed? Did we unknowingly bring something with us? Or did something happen since we were here last that allowed something to move in?”

April nods her head, wheels turning in her mind. But, like Splinter, nothing comes to mind.

“I…I’m not sure. I know that Mama Jones was up here for a little bit getting the house ready for our stay, but she’s done that so many times that I can’t imagine that she did something.” The ex-scientist huffs. “This would be so much easier if it was just a computer glitch. At least Don, Leatherhead, and I could make some sort of firewall to combat it. But you mentioned having an idea of what you might think that it is?”

The once-human nods his head as he nods for April to start down the stairs.

“Currently, I can only think of it being a yurei. But, again, without any evidence, this is only speculation and does not narrow the list down a lot.”

April tilts her head back in curiosity.

“A ‘yurei’?”

“Yurei is a rather broad term,” Splinter explains as he flicks off the light for the attic. “But usually a yurei is a spirit who is kept from a restful afterlife for a multitude of unfinished reasons. Be it love, wanting revenge, jealously, hatred, or massive sorrow. This home has a long history behind it, it would not surprise me if a few of the past residents have not fully left or had some sort of unfinished business.” Hazelnut brown eyes flicker down to the box as the two of them head for the kitchen. “And hopefully the documents in these boxes can help us narrow it down.”

“I hope so t—”

April trails off when the sound of retching comes from upstairs and soft mutters of Leo can be heard. Exchanging a glance with Splinter, the two swiftly place their boxes down and hurry up the stairs.

Only to find Mikey bent over the side of the bed, vomiting onto the floor while Leo holds him and rubs at his shell.

“Easy, Otōto, just let it all out. It was just a bad dream, that’s all.” Leo glances toward the newcomers. “Father. April.”

Splinter’s ears flatten against his head and he hurries forward to join his two sons on the bed. Splinter glances over at April.

“April, would you please go down and grab Donatello for me?”

Startled by the use of her first name, April nods and swiftly runs back downstairs, grabbing a bucket from the front closet and some cleaning supplies for when Mikey has finished emptying his stomach onto the floor. Splinter then hears her rush from the closet and toward the kitchen before refocusing on his whimpering son. As gently as possibly, the ninja master guides his youngest forward and into his lap, holding the quivering form close as he sways them both.

“Easy, Watashi no nikkō, easy. You shall only continue being sick if you do not try calming yourself.”

A broken whimper escapes from Mikey as his fingers dig into his father’s emerald robe, burying his face into his chest as tears stream down his cheeks.

“B-But there was so-so much blood! And-And I couldn’t FIND you or Leo or Raphie or Donnie or anyone! I was-was all alone! I d-d-don’t wanna be alone, Daddy!”

A hammer slams into Splinter’s heart at his son’s choked out words and holds him tighter against his chest. Tawagoto*. He thought that his son would at least be able to get a few hours of rest in, but it seems that his mind, and possibly the entity in the basement, have other ideas. Splinter purses his lips as he nuzzles into Mikey’s warm temple, ignoring the smell of sick that is clinging to the young mutant.

“Shh, Michelangelo, you are all right,” Splinter mutters. “As you can see, you are not alone. Leonardo and I are both here while Donatello and Raphael are merely downstairs with Casey and April. You are not alone. There is no blood around. You are safe and sound.”

Mikey nods, sniffling as he rubs his face against his father’s chest. When he abruptly stops and stiffens, Splinter pulls back. He exchanges a concerned look with his eldest before glancing back down at his youngest.

“Michelangelo?”

Wiping at his cheeks and snout, Mikey leans back just enough to stare down at his father’s chest. Frowning, he gingerly reaches out and pokes at a hard spot that he just rubbed his face on.

“F-Father? What’s…What’s in your robe?”

Splinter nearly sags at his son’s question. Dear Kami, these boys are going to give him a heart attack. He thought his son was going to say something about a woman missing her legs in the lake outside. Not ask what he’s hiding in his robes!

Kami, give me strength.

Trying to not chuckle, Splinter slowly reaches into his robes and pulls out the missing DVDs that his youngest had been searching for since last night. The spark of light and excitement that appears on Michelangelo’s face is enough to tell Splinter that returning his son’s horror movies might not be that bad of an idea after all.

“My…My movies!” Mikey croaks out, taking a few into his hands and showing them to Leo as he scoots closer. “A-Aniki, look! Father found my DVDs! Thank you, Daddy!”

Splinter braces himself as his orange-cladded son launches himself into him, wrapping strong arms around the once-human’s neck. A piece of Splinter melts and he turns the hug with just as much vigor, chuckling.

No need to tell him WHERE I found them. He is happy and that is all that matters.

“You are very welcome, Watashi no nikkō,” Splinter says, kissing his son’s temple. “Are you feeling any better?”

Mikey releases a shaky breath, burying his face into the crook of his father’s neck as he soaks in all of the security and love radiating from his father. Tightening his hold, Mikey timidly nods.

“Hai, Chichi,” he mutters into his father’s warm fur. “My head still kinda hurts though.”

A sad look morphs onto Splinter’s face at his son’s quiet admission. It takes a lot for Michelangelo to admit if he’s in pain when it comes to a major injury, such as his head, and him doing so willingly tells Splinter more about his son’s state of being then anything else ever could.

Reaching down, Splinter runs a soothing hand down Mikey’s covered shell.

“I know, my child, I know. But Donatello should be here shor—”

“Mikey!”

Speak and they shall appear.

A tiny smile forms on Splinter’s face as his second youngest appears at the top of the stairs with April close behind him. Concern is written all over the genius’s face as he hurries forward, expertly ignoring the patch of sick on the floor. Mikey tenses when a new set of hands touch him but quickly relaxes when he realizes that it’s just Donnie there, trying to reassure him.

“Hiya, Donnie,” Mikey mutters tiredly, turning to offer his immediate older brother a tiny smile. “Sorry to pull you away from whatever.”

Donnie shakes his head as Splinter gently transfers the sick turtle to the medic of their family.

“Don’t be sorry, Mikey. I wasn’t doing anything important. But how are you feeling? Do you still feel sick?”

Splinter scoots his way off the bed as Don takes his place, already running hands over his little brother’s head, taking a crude check of his temperature. Leo follows his father off the bed as April bends down to start cleaning the floor. When Leo steps closer, April shakes her head, shooing him off as she places the empty bucket next to the head of the bed and dumps some powder on the floor.

Knowing that he’s not going to win this argument with the redhead, Leo backs off to the other side of the loft where Splinter is standing, watching as Donnie checks Mikey’s head, the latter of the two already whining and trying to scoot away. Leo eyes his father as the taller mutant remains silent, noting that outside of the DVDS that he had given Mikey, there is nothing else on his person. Most importantly, no BOOK. However, he can sense that there is something bothering his father, but he also knows that this is neither the time nor the place for such a discussion. Not when his little brother just stopped crying and being sick all over the floor.

Saddling up to Splinter, Leo mimics his father’s stance and folds his hands behind his shell.

“So,” Leo starts quietly but when his father’s ears twitch, he knows that he heard him. “Where DID you find Mikey’s DVDs? We looked all over the main level and the loft and couldn’t find them.”

Hazelnut eyes flicker down to meet chestnut brown. Leo lifts an eye ridge as his father glances away.

“I found them up in the attic.”

Surprise courses through Leo at his father’s statement and a frown tugs on his leaf green face.

“In the attic? What were they doing up there?” Leo’s eyes narrow suspiciously when his father’s whiskers wiggle. “Father?”

Splinter side-eyes his eldest, nearly laughing at the suspicious glare he is receiving. For one so young, he certainly has a very intense stare.

No wonder Michelangelo and Donatello never lie when Leonardo gets after them. He would make a wonderful sensei someday.

“You are not to repeat this to Michelangelo, am I clear?” Splinter mutters, shooting his two youngest a look before motioning for Leo to follow him further into the loft. Leo nods slowly once the two stop.

“Of course, Father.”

Splinter nods, clearing his throat as he looks to make sure no one is paying them any attention. April is still cleaning the floor and Donnie appears to be arguing about something with Mikey as the youngest pouts and whines. Seeing that they won’t have an audience, Splinter refocus on his eldest and sighs.

“Father?”

“I may….” Splinter clears his throat again. “I may have been the reason why Donatello could not find Michelangelo’s movies. I know, I know,” Splinter whispers when surprise morphs onto his son’s face. “I…am not entirely proud to say that I took them. But, after the dream that I had, I…I felt it necessary. However, it did not help in the way that I was hoping it would. So, I brought them back down and, maybe, tomorrow or the next day, the four of you, at least, can watch a few if Michelangelo is feeling up for them.” Splinter frowns and his tail flicks across the floor. “However, after this morning, I would understand if he did not feel up for watching any horror movies until much, much later.”

Leo nods, still slightly shocked that it was his FATHER of all people who took Mikey’s DVDs. He and his immediate younger brothers were beginning to fear that maybe whatever was in the basement took them to lure their brother back into the basement. But, knowing that it was actually their father and sensei who hid them makes Leo feel a little bit better about possibly watching one of the horror movies with his baby brother.

Leo’s eye ridges furrow as he thinks over his father’s words.

“You mentioned having a dream, Sensei. What was it about?”

Splinter opens his mouth before pursing his lips. Leo frowns at his father’s hesitation. Movement catches his attention and Leo glances down. His father’s fingers are tapping at his thighs, a motion he only ever does when he’s highly agitated by something. Leo opens his mouth, maybe to ask again and apologize if he overstepped his boundaries when Splinter shakes his head and rests a slim but warm hand on his eldest’s shoulder.

“You and I shall discuss this later when it is truly only the two of us. As of right now, let us work to make sure that Michelangelo is comfortable. And, hopefully, we can get him something to eat that will not upset his stomach.” Splinter squeezes Leo’s shoulder and the katana-wielder blinks up at the taller mutant. “However, I want you to promise me that you and your brothers will not leave Michelangelo’s side until further notice. Not until we figure out whatever it is that is in the basement that seems to be drawn to your brother and remove it.”

Leo squares his shoulders as he nods once.

“Of course, Father. Don, Raph, and I have already discussed that one of us will be with Mikey at all times. Bathroom, kitchen, out in the barn, one of us will be with him. Mikey will also not be sleeping alone either so that he can’t get out of bed without one of us knowing.”

The ninja master’s shoulders relax, a sliver of pride blooming in his chest at just how efficient his sons are when it comes to planning. However, he has a feeling that the youngest was not included in such discussion yet and he can already hear the complaining now.

I am sorry, Michelangelo, but your safety comes above personal space right now, Splinter thinks, patting his son’s shoulder.

“Very good. I am glad to know that you and your brothers are on the same wavelength as me. April has already informed me that she and Mr. Jones will also be assisting us in making sure that Michelangelo is not alone.”

A tiny smile forms on Leo’s face as he nods. He expects nothing less from his two friends and he knows that if any of the Mutanimals were up here with them, they would also be willing to be on “Mikey-Protection Squad”. Slash would have gone nuts if he would have seen Casey carrying a bloodied Mikey upstairs.

“I’d expect nothing less from them.”

“Father? Leo?”

Splinter and Leo turn at the sound of Don’s voice, both swiftly approaching when they see the tall genius helping the youngest from the bed. Mikey offers them a smile when Leo takes his other arm and Splinter turns his gaze to his second youngest.

“Donatello?”

The purple-cladded turtle smiles as he readjusts Mikey’s hood on his head.

“While a little warm, Mikey is just fine. He was merely overstressed from the dream that he had, and he panicked, which, unfortunately, led to him throwing up. None of his stitches ripped from the movement, however, and his bandages are still clean of bleed. His knee is still pretty swollen, so he’s going to need to ice it here shortly. But Mikey thinks that he’s up for eating something small and light. Right, little brother?”

The seafoam green turtle nods, leaning more against Leo since the leaf green turtle is closer to his height.

“Yeah. I’m a growing turtle after all. Gotta eat it.”

April stands from her spot on the floor and smiles at the small group.

“Don’t worry. There is some applesauce in the fridge that Mama Jones made. Some of the jars have cinnamon applesauce and the others have regular. And she gave us free reign of them. As long we don’t touch the ones that are in the freezer without asking, we can have them.”

Mikey wiggles in Leo’s hold, causing April to chuckle.

“Oooo, Mama Jones makes the best applesauce!” He turns large ocean blue eyes up to his father. “Can we head down now? Raphie might find the applesauce and eat it all!”

Chuckles resound from the older beings and Splinter cups his youngest’s cheek.

“Of course, Watashi no nikkō, let us head down and enjoy a nice breakfast. Leonardo?”

Confusion morphs on the orange-loving turtle’s face before a surprised squeak escapes him when Leo suddenly sweeps him off his feet. Mikey winces and buries his face in the nape of his brother’s neck.

“Leoooooo, not cool, bro,” Mikey whines, his voice muffled. His lips quirk when he feels his brother chuckle.

“Sorry, Otōto,” Leo apologizes, nudging Mikey’s temple with his snout. “I’ll warn you next time, okay? But, let’s get you downstairs.”

Splinter watches silently as his eldest and youngest slowly head for the stairs. He catches Donatello by the shoulder before he can also follow. His second youngest meeting his gaze with a confused one.

“Father?”

Splinter tilts his head, silently sad that his 16-year-old genius of a son is now almost as tall as he is, but he quickly shoves that thought away. He can lament about his sons catching up to him in height later. Right now he needs to focus on the task at hand.

“Donatello, I was wondering if you would be willing to help April and I with something after breakfast.”

Hazel eyes blink in surprise before cautiously nodding his head.

“Uh, sure, Father. I’d be more than happy to help you and April out. What do you need me to do?”

“Wonderful. April and I will explain more once everyone has eaten breakfast. We shall meet out in the barn.”

When Donnie nods again, Splinter smiles and kisses his purple-cladded son’s head. Olive green eye ridges furrow in confusion and concern as the tall ninja master walks away

“Maybe this is what Mikey was talking about when he mentioned Sensei acting weird,” Donnie mumbles to himself before shaking his head and following after the rest of his family. He’ll worry about it later. He has a little brother to take care of.

Chapter Text

A quiet sigh escapes Mikey as he sits at the kitchen table, staring at the back of Casey’s head as he does the dishes while Mikey taps his pencil against his cheek, his sketchbook sitting in front of him, eraser marks and shavings littering the page. Honestly, Mikey just wants to go hide in the barn or up in the attic to safely draw without interruption, but his father and brothers were specifically clear that he is not to go anywhere without another person in the room with him.

Mikey swallows a sigh as he places his pencil down.

It’s not that he minds spending time with his family, honest. And after the scare down in the basement, he doesn’t blame them for being so clingy. It’s been nice. Allowing him to see a side of his brothers that he hasn’t really seen in such a long time. But, like, he can’t even go the bathroom without one of his bros being RIGHT THERE. Like, c’mon! Let a turtle have his privacy!

It’s like they think something is going to reach up through the toilet and grab me, Mikey thinks as he rests on his fist. His snout wrinkles at that thought and his stomach flip flops. How about we don’t think about that? I’d rather keep my applesauce in my stomach.

Biting his bottom lip, Mikey slowly looks away, doing his best to not aggravate his stitches. If he wanted to, he could just slip out of this room and Casey wouldn’t know until it was too late. But… should he? He scared his family so much this morning and…and he himself is still pretty shaken up by the whole thing. He could have sworn that he heard and saw his father in the basement but when Leo had recounted what happened for him, it didn't add up. Why would his chichi be in the basement in the first place? And why ask him to go back down while injured if that HAD been his father?

Mikey’s snout wrinkles.

And what was with that scent of decay that he smelled after collapsing?

In all his horror movie marathons and comic books, whenever the scent of decay is brought up, that usually means a haunting which also means a demon of some sort is nearby.

The youngest shivers at that thought and curls into his sweatshirt. His eyes flicker to the doorway before returning to Casey’s back.

But that's just silly! They've been up here quite a few times now and nothing like this has ever happened.

Mikey fiddles with his sleeve in thought, frowning.

If it is a demon, then, maybe when the fight broke out with the Shredder here, they accidentally unleashed something? Maybe there was something in the pond nearby that they disturbed that was laying dormant all this time and the negative energy that the Shredder brought up and the fighting caused whatever it is to awaken and attach to the first thing that holds a whole bunch of living energy, the house.

Ocean-blue eyes drift up to the ceiling. He wishes he could ask maybe Donnie or even Master Splinter but the two of them disappeared someplace with April after breakfast. And he can't ask Leo about it either because he dragged Raph on a run to get him away from the basement door. And like shell he would think about asking Raph. He would probably smack Mikey upside the head for even bringing it up in the first place.

Puffing his cheeks, Mikey gingerly reaches up and pokes at the gauze around his head. As he does so, his eyes drift back down to the blackette’s back as he places another glass off to the side to dry.

He COULD ask Casey. This is his grandparents’ farmhouse after all. He’s bound to have heard something as a child. But how can he approach such a topic without getting the cold shoulder or told to not worry about it? Especially since he can tell that the older male still feels bad about having him go downstairs even though Mikey could have easily said ‘no’ and went and got Donnie instead.

An image of the broken mirror in the box above the washer comes to mind and Mikey pauses. Maybe he doesn't have to outright ask about any demon stories but maybe work his way toward them by just asking about some of the old stuff in the house in general? Get Casey talking about a whole bunch of stuff so that it would be a nice little nonchalant type thing to ask about ghost stories. Shell, he might not even have to ask, Casey might just bring it up himself with how the blackette loves to talk.

Mikey fights to not fidget in his seat too much as he formulates his plan in his head. After a beat, he brings his hands to rest on the table and starts playing with the cuff.

“Hey, Casey?”

Mikey’s frown deepens when he sees Casey tense before relaxing with a tilt of his head to show that he was listening.

“Yeah, Squirt?”

Mikey wets his lips, hesitating for a moment before just deciding to completely commit.

“Did you have any relatives whose name had an ‘R’ in it?”

See? That wasn’t too hard! And totally not related to demons or scary decaying Master Splinter look-a-likes.

Mikey keeps his face innocent when Casey stops what he's doing and fully turns toward him, a heavy frown gracing his lips. Icy blue eyes study the young turtle and Mikey fights to keep his innocent persona going.

“Um, yeah, I think I remember my gram or gramps mentioning someone with an R name, but I can't quite remember what it was.” Casey scratches his cheek before making a face when he smears soapy suds all along his cheek. He uses his shoulder to clear it but keeps his gaze on Mikey. “Why do ya ask?”

Keeping an innocent look, Mikey shrugs and fiddles with his sleeve.

“Oh, was just curious, is all,” Mikey states, trying not to squirm when Casey narrows his eyes. Mikey sighs. “All right, all right. When I was in the basement looking for the movies you mentioned, I found this box above the washer and dryer.” Mikey shoots Casey an apologetic look. “I didn't mean to snoop! I was just looking for movies and happen to see this silver mirror. The mirror part was shattered but on the back were roses around this R. It was very pretty. Just thought if it did belong to one of your relatives then maybe Donnie could fix it for your mom or something.” Mikey leaves it there, his stomach swooping as he recalls what he SAW in the shattered mirror part. That might be too much for his friend.

The blackette tenses when Mikey mentions being in the basement, and Casey can feel his blood run cold at the thought that whatever stole Splinter’s robe could have attacked the youngest in the basement without any of them knowing. And all because he mentioned his pops movies being down there. Dat’s strike two fer ya, Case-man. His eyes flicker from the bandage on his adopted little brother’s head down to large, inquisitive ocean-blue eyes.

Casey sighs and rubs the back of his neck. Whoever thought it was a good idea to give Mikey those big blue eyes was an absolute menace to society. He just can’t say ‘No’ to that face.

“Honestly? I don't really recall any specific name but dat don't mean Gram never said one. Ma might know more, and I could send her a text if yer really curious.” The blackette tilts his head in thought. “Otherwise, I could ask April ta maybe check da records Ma is having her going through. But dat’ll have ta wait fer when dey come back. Not sure where she disappeared ta with yer dad and Donnie.”

Mikey nods slowly, wincing a little as the movement pulls at his bandages. He thinks over his options. On one hand, he’s very curious on who owned that mirror and why it allowed him to see the not Master Splinter, but, on the other hand, he doesn’t want to bother Mama Jones with this. What if she asks a bit more about why and learns that Mikey got attacked in the basement? She would be so upset, and Mikey doesn’t want to upset any more people than he already has.

Making up his mind, Mikey offers Casey a smile.

“We can wait until April comes back with Father and Donnie. I’m sure your mom is busy and don’t wanna bother her.” Mikey shrugs as he slowly starts to stand. “Besides, it’s not like it’s something that needs to be done right away. I still haven’t asked Donnie if he’d be able to fix it or not.”

Alarmed, Casey hurries away from the sink, hands outstretched.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! What da hell ya think yer doin’, Mikey? Sit yer ass back down!”

Mikey whines and waves Casey’s hands away as they try to grab his shoulders.

“Duuuuuude, stop! I’m fiiiiiine. All I’m doing is going to the bathroom!” Mikey pouts when Casey levels him with a disbelieving stare. “Sheesh. You and my bros are acting as though I’m made of glass. A turtle’s gotta pee, Dude, and I don’t need a BABYSITTER to just use the bathroom and then come back.”

Casey shuffles from foot to foot, an uncertain look on his face.

“I know ya don’t need a babysitter ta use da bathroom, Squirt,” Casey states, running a hand through his hair as his nose scrunches. “But I promised Leo and Raph dat I wouldn’t leave yer side until dey got back.”

Mikey fights to not groan.

He knows his father and brothers said that he can’t be alone, but this is getting ridiculous! He’s a grown turtle! And he highly doubts the thing in the basement is going to attack him in the bathroom. They don’t even know why the thing downstairs wants him, so like, honestly, it could just be a fluke and he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Probably trying to use him to get to his father or Leo.

Mikey’s fingers drum on his sketchbook. He turns toward Casey.

“Dude, I’m gonna be like five steps from the kitchen, you won’t even know I’m gone.” Mikey winces as he tries to keep his tone from being too annoyed. It’s not Casey’s fault that he’s stressed his family out. So, maybe a compromise is in order. “But…if it’d make you feel better…” Mikey’s snout twitches. “You could, I don’t know, walk me to the bathroom? Or something?”

Casey relaxes at the suggestion of walking Mikey to the bathroom. Mikey quickly lifts a finger.

“But only to the bathroom! I’m going in there by myself!” The orange-cladded turtle sniffs and turns up his snout. “I want to keep some of my dignity!”

Casey chuckles. “Dat’s sayin’ ya have any dignity at all, Mikey.”

“Heeeeeey,” Mikey whines playfully as the two slowly move to exit the kitchen, Mikey working to not limp as he puts pressure on his injured knee. “I have plenty of dignity! I am a very dignified turtle, thank you very much!”

The blackette snorts, shoulders relaxing even more at the light banter. This feels normal and seeing that sparkle back in the younger male’s eyes definitely lifts Casey’s spirit a bit. There was just something unnerving seeing an almost hollow and frightened look in those normally lively ocean-blue eyes.

“I think yer bros would beg ta differ, Short Stuff.”

Mikey sticks his tongue out at Casey as they reach the bathroom.

“They just don’t understand what dignified looks like is all! I bet if you spoke to Sensei, he would tell you that I have a lot of dignity.”

Casey rolls his icy blue eyes, lips quirked up.

“Or he’s really good at lying. Now get in da bathroom so dat I can finish da dishes before everyone comes back.”

The nunchaku wielder snickers as he walks into the bathroom, closing the door as the thought of both Leo and April glaring at the blackette, disapproval heavy on their faces comes to the forefront of his mind. While he shouldn’t find that so funny, he can’t help it! Because he knows that they’re going to cross their arms in sync, mouths drawn in a tight line, and there would be a sharpness in their eyes that could cut through steel!

Mikey snickers again as he flips on the light, only flinching a little at the change from dark to light. He pauses at the sink to look in the mirror, eyes instantly going to the gauze on his head before sliding back down to look into his eyes. His eyes drift to look behind him on habit, heart skipping a beat before calming down when all he sees is a wall with a horse picture hanging there. Mikey snorts.

“Pull it together, Mikester! It’s just the bathroom, get over it.”

Huffing, Mikey heads for the toilet, not willing to admit that his eyes are flickering around.

Casey sighs as he leans against the wall, crossing his arms as he waits. After a beat, his eyes slowly start drifting to his left and the next thing he knows, he’s staring at the basement door. Casey quickly shakes his head, clearing his throat and looking away. His jaw works as he does his best to not glance at that door again. Really, there is no reason for him to be on edge at all. Nothing has happened since bringing Mikey back upstairs and nobody has gone near the basement at all.

Icy blue eyes flicker toward the unassuming wooden door.

And yet…

There is just something so unnerving about the fact that something unseen attacked someone he considers to be a little brother in a place that has done nothing but provide him and his new family comfort. He was practically raised here each summer and not once did he ever get the impression that there was something darker lurking here. Sure, he had moments of hating being in the basement, but what kid doesn’t? It’s dark and basements just give off creepy vibes. But as he got older, he never had a problem. He didn’t even feel anything when he and Mikey went down to check the heater.

But Mikey had…

Casey winces and hunches a bit more into himself.

Thinking back, it was completely obvious that the young turtle had felt something bad before heading down with him, but Casey had brushed it off as Mikey just being unnerved by how dark it was.

It’s no secret among them that Mikey is scared of the dark. At first, Casey had thought it kind of strange and a little ironic that a ninja, someone who almost exclusively used the shadows to travel and remain unseen, was scared of the dark. That is, until he saw Mikey in action. When with his brothers or someone else, Mikey appears just fine with the dark. He noticed the nervousness more when Mikey had to go in dark places by himself. He had brought it up to Raph once when the two of them were hanging out at his apartment. He had thought that Raph would laugh and sneer about the observation since Raph is the one who teases Mikey the most about his fear, but the hothead had surprised Casey. This serious look crossed his friend’s face as he stared him down with intense golden eyes and even made him promise to never repeat what he was about to say because even Mikey doesn’t completely remember this, and it was better that way.

It had weirded Casey out seeing his usually sarcastic friend so serious, so he agreed. What Raph said next, he had NOT been expecting.

Mikey is a sensitive.

At first, Casey had no idea what Raph had meant, thinking that the hothead meant that Mikey was sensitive, as in that he gets upset easily at teasing, but then again, that could have been because he was on his third beer, but he’d never admit that in front of Master Splinter. But when he finally understood what Raph meant, he called BS. People can’t just TALK or SEE the dead! But the glare Raph sent his way was more than enough to shut the blackette up.

Apparently, when the four of them were about six, Master Splinter had needed to make a food run. While they had been learning ninjitsu for a few years now, they were still just kids and needed to be supervised. So, whenever Splinter made a food run, they would have to go with him. Normally, he would do these runs at night as there would be less of a chance of running into humans and they could use the cover of darkness to hide. They weren’t allowed to make a sound and had to listen to everything Splinter said. If a street was too busy, Splinter would leave the four of them inside of the sewers next to the ladder and keep the manhole cover cracked so that he could still hear them if needed.

This was one of those times where Splinter had left them in the sewer because the street was too busy to have them safely up above but the dumpster in that alley always provided a generous amount of food for them that Splinter couldn’t grow himself and would be packaged tightly. They were standing there, trying to be good, whispering to each other when Don had noticed Mikey acting weirdly. When asked about it, Mikey had pointed down the sewer saying that he could see a lady standing there watching them. But when the three of them looked? There wasn’t anyone there. Leo told Mikey to knock it off as he was scaring Donnie and the three of them had gone back to what they had been doing. Only to have Splinter return and frantically ask where Mikey had gone. They hadn’t even noticed that he was gone which had been scary. But what was even scarier was the fact that they had never been alone at that point. They were always told to keep the buddy system, to never go someplace without letting another know. They explained to Splinter that Mikey had said that he saw someone but that they hadn’t seen anyone and told him not to play around like that. Even in the dim light, Raph remembered how terrified their father had been when they said that. He would never forget how their father just scooped them all up and sprinted down the sewers trying to find Mikey. Raph couldn’t tell Casey how long they looked but they just couldn’t find him anywhere.

Until he screamed.

Casey shivers and runs a hand down his face, breathing out slowly as he tries to not let his memory upset him.

Raph had said that the type of scream Mikey had released was one that none of them had ever heard before. It was horrifying and all Raph could think of was that Mikey was being dissected like they were warned that humans might try to do if they get caught. Raph wasn’t sure what room they found Mikey in, all he knew was that it was pitch black to the point that he could barely see his own hand in front of his face, but they could hear Mikey sobbing and crying out for something to let him go and that he didn’t want to leave them behind. Splinter had placed him, Leo, and Donnie down at the mouth of the room before rushing in, ready to attack anyone who dared to harm one of his children. Except, there wasn’t anyone in the room with Mikey. Raph stated that he swore that he might have seen something darting around in the darkness, but it was hard to tell if that was just Splinter frantically looking for the crying Mikey or not. Raph couldn’t recall if he ever heard Splinter throw a punch or attack anything within that room, but he did recall hearing his father humming a specific tune. And it was only when Splinter finally found Mikey and brought him back to the three of them did the humming stop and Mikey was barely conscious. There had been long scratches and bruises on both of Mikey’s arms and legs as if someone had been trying to grab and drag him around. And weirdly, the darkness of the room seemed lighter the moment Splinter removed Mikey from it. When they asked what happened, who had taken Mikey, all they were told was that there were angry spirits that had wandered into that part of the sewer and were drawn toward their child-like energy and light. The three of them had been very confused about why Mikey had been the only one to notice these angry spirits but the only answer their father could come up with was that Mikey was a sensitive. He was more in tune with the energy around him and the spirits knew that.

Casey had been silent the entire time Raph had told him about that story, learning that Mikey had been sick for four days after that incident and was plagued by nightmares for months afterward, but weirdly, Mikey had no memory of what happened. He claimed that the last thing he remembered was Splinter telling them to be good as he exited the sewers and then nothing. Leo, Donnie, and Raph vowed to never tell him because they didn’t want to further traumatize their little brother anymore. And ever since then, Mikey had been terrified of the dark and to keep Mikey from figuring out that something was wrong, Raph teased him about it, Donnie would explain why the dark wasn’t scary, and Leo would try to explain why they needed the shadows to survive.

And yet, Casey had completely forgotten about this when he had forced Mikey to go downstairs with him. He sighs again for what feels like the hundredth time today and Casey knows that it won’t be the last time he does so today. But what can he do to help the others protect Mikey? Master Splinter, Raph, Leo, and Donnie have way more experience in fighting the supernatural than he does. He can’t punch a ghost with his fists!

A frown tugs on Casey’s lips as he glances back at the bathroom door when he hears Mikey move around.

And…And what if whatever is downstairs is an ancestor of his? His own family attacking another of his family. He’d be heartbroken if that was the case!

“Did you have any relatives whose name had an ‘R’ in it?”

Casey’s eyes narrow as Mikey’s question bounces around in his head. Mikey had said that he was merely curious, but Casey can’t help but feel like there was more behind that question that Mikey was trying to hide.

His fingers drum on his arms in thought before Casey sighs.

“Oh, fuck it,” he mutters, and he pulls his phone out. “I’m sure Ma knows mo—”

“Hey, Casey?”

The blackette’s head snaps up when April’s voice wafts down from the attic. Huh, so that’s where she went. He straightens from the wall and takes a few steps forward to look over toward where the entrance to the attic is half expecting to see the redhead peering down at him. He cocks his head to the side when he doesn’t see her but maybe she’s at the top of the stairs.

“Yeah, Babe? What’s up?”

Casey glances at the bathroom door before glancing up when April responds.

“Would you mind coming up here for a second? I need help with some boxes.”

“Uh,” Casey starts, a conflicted look forming on his face as he shoots the closed door a look. “Uh, can it wait fer a second? I don’t wanna leave—”

“Casey,” April interrupts, “it’ll take not even five minutes. Please?”

The blackette wrinkles his nose and shifts anxiously. He really doesn’t want to leave Mikey alone but it’s not often that April asks for his help willingly. He sighs.

“All right! I’ll be right dere, Babe.” He knocks on the bathroom door. “Mikey? April needs my fer a second up in da attic, but I’ll be right back. Could…Could ya stay in da bathroom till I’m done?”

“Sure, Case-man! Bathroom lockdown it is!”

A tiny smile forms on Casey’s face as he shakes his head at the chirper response.

“I’ll be fast, Squirt. Just stay dere.”

Shooting the bathroom one last look, Casey jogs toward the attic and starts up the stairs. As he emerges into the spacious area, Casey glances around the dark space.

“Babe, I’m here. What ya need?”

Mikey tilts his head as he hears Casey hurry away before sighing and sitting on the closed toilet putting his chin in his hands. He wiggles his sock-covered toes, only wincing a little when the movement manages to irritate his swollen knee.

First, he needs a babysitter and now he’s forced to stay in the bathroom because said babysitter is needed elsewhere.

“Man, this blows,” Mikey mutters, pouting as he glances around the small bathroom. “Why couldn’t I have been locked up with snacks or a bed? Maybe even some comic books.”

Puffing up his cheeks, the orange-cladded turtle pulls out his phone and pulls up April’s number. Fine. If he’s going to be trapped in here, he’s going to at least complain to the person who’s responsible.

Mikey: Y did u steal C? I wanna leave the bathroom 😭

He hits send and finally stands from the toilet to stare out the small window, just needing to move even if it’s three steps to the window. His eyes land on the pond and the broken dock. There is a fresh coat of snow covering everything. It looks so pretty but Mikey remembers what Casey and Raphie said about how badly damaged the dock was. And looking a bit more closely, Mikey can see that there is a bit of a slant to the dock that doesn’t look intential.  

“Hopefully the dock doesn’t collapse from the snow,” Mikey states aloud, pressing his snout more onto the cold glass, his breath fogging up his view. “Maybe we can make a fence around it so that nobody walks on it until it can be fixed in the spring.”

VRR. VRR. VRR.

Mikey jumps when his phone vibrates in his hand, and he smirks when he sees April’s name appear. Time to see April apologize for trapping him in the bathroom! He’s a growing turtle after all! He needs his space to walk around. He opens the message and his smirk instantly vanishes.

April: Steal Casey? What are you talking about Mikey? I’m in the barn with MS and Donnie right now

Mikey straightens from where he’s leaning against the window as he stares down at April’s words, heart starting to pound as he tries to remain calm. She’s in the barn? But Casey said that she needed help in the attic. He glances back down when he feels his phone vibrates again.

April: Mikey sweetie is everything ok? Casey is supposed to be with you right now is he not there?

Panic starts to set in as the wheels in Mikey’s head start turning. April’s in the barn but Casey said she needed help up in the attic.

Mikey bites his lip as he quickly types up his response.

Mikey: So u DIDN’T ask for C help in the attic??

The young turtle shifts from leg to leg as he waits for April’s response, shooting frantic looks over his shoulder as he ignores how his knee seems to throb in time with his quickened heartbeat. He promised Casey he would stay in the bathroom but what if that thing from downstairs is trying to attack the blackette? Trying to hurt Casey because it wasn’t able to while he was downstairs with Master Splinter? His bottom lip burns from how hard he bites it, and he yelps when he bites down too hard when the vibrations from his phone startle him.

April: No…

Mikey’s stomach drops to the floor and he’s already turning toward the door when his phone vibrates again.

April: Mikey what’s going on??

With shaking hands, Mikey types back.

Mikey: Casey said u needed help in the attic and to stay in the br

Hitting send, Mikey shoves his phone back into his pocket. Taking a moment to breathe, Mikey grasps the doorknob to the bathroom and twists it, yanking the door open. He reaches pass his waistband of the sweatpants that Donnie forced him into and pulls out his nunchakus. He sends a silent apology to April as he feels his pocket vibrating and then again in rapid succession meaning that the redheaded genius is attempting to call him. Cautiously, Mikey limps out into the main house, glancing around the empty living room. His eyes instantly land on the closed basement door and his eyes narrow when he thinks that he sees movement in the crack where the door and the floor meet. He stares at it for a beat longer but when nothing happens Mikey finally tears his eyes away. The orange-cladded turtle glances toward the front door. He spots the door leading up to the attic sitting open.

Mikey gulps.

It’s going to be fine. He doesn’t hear any screaming or yelling or muffled thumps so maybe Casey is still okay?

Wetting his lips, Mikey shifts to press his shoulder up against the wall and starts to creep toward the open door. He pauses when he thinks that he hears the floor creak in the living room, flashes of last night when he was first dealing with the thermostat comes to mind. The seafoam green turtle bites the inside of his cheek to force himself to not dwell on that memory, to continue forward. He needs to make sure Casey is okay.

Mikey stops right beside the closet door, the open door acting like a barrier for him from seeing inside the closet. Heart hammering, Mikey peeks through the crack between the wall and the door. He spots the stairs leading up to the attic and he follows them up with his eyes into the attic.

Mikey furrows his eye ridges.

The attic is dark, as if Casey didn’t turn a light on when he got up there. Which…is a little weird. Mikey presses his shoulder more into the wall as he strains his ears to listen for any sign of movement upstairs. He cocks his head when he thinks that he hears walking. Mikey contemplates calling out to Casey but what if it wasn’t Casey up there? Or if Casey wasn’t alone? He doesn’t want to put his friend/brother in danger!

Swallowing thickly, Mikey creeps out from behind the door and slowly makes his way into the closet. He hesitates for a moment, bending down to grab a random shoe and putting it in the doorway. Just in case. He’s seen too many horror movies to just walk into a room without making sure the door can’t just slam shut behind him! No way, no how!

Once the shoe is in place, Mikey straightens, having to swallow a wince as he applies too much pressure to his knee and the change of elevation making his head throb. Shaking it off, ocean-blue eyes stare up into the attic, terrified but determined.

C’mon, Mikester. You can do this.

Breathing out quietly, Mikey steels himself as he begins to ascend the stairs. He does his best to make sure the wood doesn’t creak, putting all of his stealth training to the test as he enters the attic. Eyes flicker to and fro as Mikey takes in the spacious area, the furniture covered with white, dusty fabric looking like every attic scene in horror movies. Mikey clutches his nunchakus close to his chest as he forces himself to continue forward.

Creak.

Mikey presses a hand to his mouth to physically stop himself from ‘eeping’ aloud as he presses closer to a covered dresser. His heart leaps up into his throat as his eyes swiftly move around, frantically trying to find the source of the noise. A familiar grumbling catches Mikey’s attention and he nearly sags in relief.

Casey.

He quickly moves out from behind the dresser and sighs out in relief as he spots Casey standing near some filing cabinets, scratching his head.

“Casey.”

The blackette jumps with a curse and spins around swiftly with a wild look in his eyes that nearly makes Mikey laugh. Casey presses a hand to his chest as he spots Mikey.

“Mikey! Are ya TRYIN’ ta give me a heart attack?” Casey snaps, running a hand through his hair. Mikey snickers at him, silently counting to five in his head before a lightbulb suddenly goes off above the blackette’s head. “Hang on! What are ya doin’ up here? Didn’t I tell ya ta stay in da bathroom until I came back down?”

Mikey nods, sobering a little. “You did but, um, I texted April while waiting for you.”

Casey snorts, placing his hands on his hips.

“Oh? And did she tell ya where she went? ‘Cause I’ve looked everywhere up here and she’s not here!” Casey states, looking over his shoulder. “And if she is, just know dat I’m eating all da chocolate ice cream in da freezer!”

Mikey blinks. “Wait, we have ice cream?” The younger male quickly shakes his head. No! This is no time to get distracted! Mikey clears his throat making the taller male look at him. “Scratch that, we can discuss ice cream later, Dude. Right now, I think we need to get out of here.” Mikey’s fingers flex around his nunchakus. “April said that she’s out in the barn with Dad and Donnie right now.” Wide ocean-blue meets surprised icy blue as Mikey lowers his voice. “I don’t think it was April who called you up here, Dude.”

There is a tense moment of confusion before Casey’s eyes widen at what Mikey was implying. A soft curse escapes the blackette as he nods in understanding.

“Den fuck it, let’s go back down ta da kitchen,” Casey states, trying to sound as casual as he can as he hurries over to the injured turtle. “And I’ll show ya where Ape is hiding the ice cre—"

BANG!

Casey and Mikey jump and whip around to look at where the noise came from, eyes as large as saucers as they cough as dust falls from the ceiling as the house shakes from whatever just slammed shut. A horrified look forms on Mikey’s face as he thinks about the shoe that he placed in the doorway of the closet. Had it not worked?!

Before he can fret more about it, Mikey’s world suddenly tilts as he’s scooped up into a set of familiar arms.

“Ca-Casey!” Mikey squeaks out as the blackette starts sprinting for the stairs.

“Like fuckin’ hell am I allowin’ whatever is in dis house ta hurt ya again,” Casey snaps as he weaves around furniture. “Can’t believe I was stu—”

A dresser suddenly slides out of nowhere and slams into Casey’s side causing the two hit the floor. A pained gasp leaves Mikey as a pained yell leaves Casey as they roll. Trembling, Mikey curls into himself as pain shoots up his leg and through his skull before forcing himself to lift his head toward where he can hear Casey cursing. Panic shoots through the young turtle as he spots his friend.

“Casey! Move!”

Casey lifts his head as Mikey cries out for him to move and he blurrily looks up at where his adopted little brother is reaching out for him, struggling to sit up.

“Wha-?”

The question dies on his lips when a shadow falls over the blackette and he glances up just as a large piece of furniture falls toward him.

“CASEY!”

Chapter Text

“CASEY!”

The blackette raises his arm to protect himself because, fuck, he knows this is going to hurt. There is a fleeting thought that shoots through him that he hopes that if he IS crushed under that heavy oak dresser that Mikey is left alone long enough for someone to come help him. A snarled grunt breaks through the pounding of his heartbeat in his ears. Casey’s eyes snap open and he glances up.

“Leo! Raph!”

Both of the turtles are grunting as they work to keep the heavy piece of furniture from collapsing on top of all of them. Raph cracks open a golden eye and shoots Casey a strand smirk.

“We can’t leave ya fer five seconds, *grunt* can we?” Raph huffs out, grunting again as he readjusts his hands.

“Hey! I ain’t as bad as Mikey or Leo!” Casey argues, a sense of normality washing over him as he shakily springs to his feet, ready to help the two put the dresser back when some furniture in the back corner starts falling over and moving around.

"Casey," Leo calls out, gaining the blackette’s attention. “Get Michelangelo out of here. *Grunt* Raph and I will be right behind you.”

Casey meets Leo’s gaze, hesitating for a moment, not liking the thought of leaving two young males up here by themselves. What if the spirit thing attacks them? But there is a gleam of determination in the leaf-green turtle’s eyes that has his argument dying in his throat.

Steeling his resolve, Casey nods and turns. His heart breaks as he spots the youngest turtle still on the floor, ocean blue eyes wide with fear. The blackette can see a sense of relief wash over the fun-loving turtle as he rushes for him.

Mikey reaches out for him.

“Casey! You’re okay! I thought-You were-” Mikey stammers as Casey kneels next to him, blue eyes blurring as unshed tears start to form. Casey places a hand on the teen’s head and offers him a lopsided smile, doing his best to exude his normal confidence.

“Hey, hey, it’s gonna be okay,” Casey soothes as he does a quick scan of the young turtle to make sure he didn’t get hurt when they both fell. He can’t exactly tell since the teen is wearing such baggy clothes but nothing looks to be bent awkwardly so Casey is going to take that as a good sign for right now. “I’m all good and fine. Yer bros really do have some fuckin’ good timin’.” Casey’s smile turns a bit more genuine when Mikey laughs wetly. “Let’s get ya outta here.”

Mikey sobers quickly when Casey starts lifting him and he shoots a panicked look over the blackette’s shoulder before looking back at the older male.

“Bu-But Leo and Raphie…”

Casey’s face softens. “Dey’re gonna be okay, Kiddo. Dey’re tough cookies.”

Mikey’s face pinches, his mouth opening to argue when a tingle runs down the side of Mikey’s head.

“Duck!”

On reflex, Casey does as Mikey orders just as a loud SMASH echoes through the attic. The two exchange a wide-eyed look as they stare at the smashed remains of an old lamp.

“CASEY!” Leo snarls, snapping the two of them out of their stupor. “Get him out of here! NOW!”

Mikey tenses in Casey’s arms as he watches Leo and Raph daftly knocking other floating objects from the air as they try to zip toward them. Casey nods and without another word, rushes out of the attic. Mikey’s heart jackhammers in his chest as they reach the bottom of the stairs and he can’t help but be relieved to see that the door is still open. He does catch a quick glimpse of the shoe that he put in the doorway, the shoe laying in a different position than how he left it. A sick pit forms in the seafoam green turtle’s stomach as he realizes what that means.

The spirit tried to lock us in!

Mikey’s hands grasp at the front of his sweatshirt as they hurry into the main part of the house.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The two of them slide to a stop as the loud sound of someone banging on a door filters through the house as well. On reflex, Mikey leans closer to Casey as he wildly looks around for the source of the noise.

CRACK!

Casey whips around when the sound of splintering wood replaces the banging and he tightens his hold on Mikey as they both stare at the back door. There is a large silhouette standing on the other side of the door.

“C-Casey?” Mikey whispers as he feels the blackette take a few steps back.

Ice blue eyes narrow as Casey frantically glances around.

“Uh, we’re…We’re okay, Mikey. Just…Just keep calm. Raph and Leo will be down in a sec and whoever is outside dey can help us han—”

SLAM!

Mikey curls into Casey as the older male hunches over him as the back door bursts open. Tension leaves the two when April, Splinter, and Donnie rush into the house, weapons drawn and breathing heavily. The three frantically glance around and Mikey can spot the moment they spot him and Casey by the way all three of their bodies sag with relief. Splinter sheaths his sword back into his walking stick and rushes forward.

“Michelangelo!” Splinter’s hands cup freckled cheeks and his keen eyes flicker over the smaller form. “Are you injured, Watashi no nikkō?”

Mikey shakes his head, throat constricting at the sense of protection and security washing over him now that his father and one of his big brothers is here. April and Donnie join the older mutant in surrounding the two. The redhead looks up at Casey, green eyes shining with worry and concern.

“Casey, what’s going on?”

Casey releases an angry huff as an irritated scowl forms.

“Dat stupid spirit thing tricked me,” Casey growls. “It had me believin’ dat ya were in da attic and needed my help while Mike was in da bathroom. I stupidly went up ta help only ta not find ya.” Casey glances off to the side, eyes landing on the attic door, waiting for Raph and Leo to appear, slowly lowering Mikey so that he can stand but keeps a hold on the young . “I shoulda known somethin’ was off when I couldn’t find ya at all.”

Mikey glances up at the blackette and pats his chest.

“Case-man, don’t be so hard on yourself! You were just trying to—”

SLAM!

“Somebody grab me a chair!”

The small group spins toward the sound of Raph’s voice as it filters into the room right after the sound of a door slamming shut. Leo and Raph are pressed against the closet door as it shakes as if someone or something is slamming their entire body weight against it, trying to open it.

Donnie is the first to react and rushes for the armchair as he puts his Bo on his back. Casey shoves Mikey into Splinter so that the older mutant can help the younger stand and hurries to help, the two pushing the heavy Lazy Boy across the wooden floor toward the struggling teens as they fight to keep the door closed.

The sound of more rattling fills the space as if the entire house is shaking with an anger that is radiating from an unseen entity. Mikey’s hands find his father’s robe as he shoots a fearful look at the basement door, hating how that door rattles violently behind the couch. Lights flicker on and off rapidly and the sound of the blender going off in the kitchen joins the choir of noises. A high-pitched whistling whizzes through the house, a sound almost like a frustrated wail.  

“Why is it so angry?!” Mikey shouts out as he shoots his father a wide-eyed look. “What did we do?!”

Splinter looks down at his son, meeting that panicked gaze as his mind races. How on earth can he answer such a question when all he has is questions of his own.

A twinge of fear spikes inside of Mikey at his father’s silence. How can they defeat and defend themselves against something that even has his father stumped?

“…im…t…me.”

The young turtle’s head snaps back over to the basement door, heart skipping a beat. Was…Was that a voice? No. It couldn’t have been a voice. Except… maybe it could be? His not-father spoke to him, twice if he recalls. Once right before he fell and injured himself and again when he went to close the basement door. So…is it really farfetched to think that the spirit is calling out again?

Maybe…Maybe it’s just angry because we’re not helping them? Mikey thinks, biting his bottom lip. His snout twitches. Except…Except there has always been an air of WRONG whenever the entity has been around. Dangerous and wrong. Which isn’t what a spirit that needs help would feel like, would it?

“..iv…hi…t…me.”

Ocean-blue eyes flicker up to his father and then back over to the basement door. That is definitely a voice. But nobody else is reacting to it. So, is the entity merely calling out to him? Is that how it works? But why him? What does he have that nobody else in his family has that makes the entity or spirit thing want HIS help? He’s just Mikey! The loveable goofball! Leo and his father are the ones with all the knowledge on spiritual stuff and how to deal with it, so why not reach out to them? Shell. Donnie and Raph would be better options then him as well. Donnie is a genius for crying out loud! He has a device for everything! And if he didn’t? He’d make one! And Raph? Well, Raph is so stubborn that he would figure out a way to just use his fists to help the spirit.

Uncertainty fills the young turtle when he feels his father’s arms tighten around him as the seven of them just watch as the house continues to freak out around them. Mikey’s eye ridges furrow as he tries to think through all the noise and panic happening around him. Maybe…Maybe they should just try talking to it? See what this entity wants? Talking always helps, right? Communication is key and all that.

Eyes returning to the basement door, Mikey watches as it rattles in a way that he has only ever seen in movies. The sight and sound has his heart leaping into his throat. A voice in the back of his head tells him that if the entity truly meant no harm than he wouldn’t feel this scared of it. But he shoves it away. He had been scared of Leatherhead the first time he met him and the two of them ended up fighting. Once he was able to speak with Leatherhead, that scared and dangerous feeling went away. This could be something similar.

Won’t know until you try right? The nunchaku wielder thinks as he releases a shaky breath, steeling his nerves.

“Wha-What do you want?” Mikey whispers quietly, hoping to not draw attention to himself. He knows he doesn’t succeed when he feels the sudden stare of his father on him and the older mutant is drawing him closer. However, he keeps his eyes on the basement door, hoping that the spirit heard him and won’t make him ask again.

Then, all at once. Everything stops and the air goes still. The lights remain on and the doors and shutters stop rattling and all of the appliances in the kitchen go silent. The seven of them exchange a look.

“Is…Is it over?” Donnie asks quietly, fingers flexing, having redrawn his Bo.

Mikey bites his lip as Leo twirls his blades. Mikey watches as his eldest brother slowly surveys the space with narrowed eyes.

“Something tells me that no, it’s not over,” Leo says in a low voice.

Raph glares at the blue-cladded turtle.

“Oh? And why’s dat, Fea—”

Scratch. Scratch. Scratch.

The hothead falls quiet as the sound of wood being scratched cuts him off. Mikey presses closer to his father as he joins everyone in glancing around. A harsh shiver has Mikey furrowing his eye ridges in confusion before he realizes that the scratching sounds close. Almost too close. Holding his breath, Mikey slowly looks down at his feet. A choked noise leaves him and he stumbles backwards, tripping on his father’s robe.

“Michelangelo!” Splinter exclaims as he tightens his hold on his panicking son. “Watashi no nikkō, whatever is the…”

The ninja master trails off as he follows his youngest’s gaze down to the floor. An ‘M’ and ‘I’ have been scratched into the wood and it appears that a ‘K’ is slowly being scratched out.

Without thinking, Splinter wraps his arms around Mikey and easily drags the smaller form a good seven feet away from where the word is forming. The others having seen both reactions also follow their gaze. Stunned silence falls over the room as they watch in horror as the rest of the letters follow suite.

M-I-K-E-Y

A lump forms in Mikey’s throat as he tries to swallow, his heart racing.

“What da shell is going on?” Raph asks, breaking the silence. “Why da shell did it just write out Mikey’s name?”

Mikey’s fingers tighten on where they cling to his father’s robe. He turns wide eyes to his family before glancing up at Splinter. He whispers:

“Be-Because I asked what it wanted.”

Mikey flinches as his family erupts into a mass of sound at his confession.

“Ya did WHAT?!”

“Michelangelo! Why on earth would you-?!”

“Mikey! That could have been-!”

He covers his ears for a moment, eyes squeezed shut. He knew his family would be upset but he wasn’t expecting them to react so strongly.

“Enough.”

Silence falls over the room and Mikey lifts his head as he slowly lowers his hands from his head. He stares up at his father. Hazelnut brown eyes meet ocean blue. Splinter’s face softens as he studies his son’s face and he holds his hand out for his son. Mikey glances down at the hand. He hesitates for a moment before reaching out. Splinter takes the seafoam green hand into his pink hand and gently tugs his son closer to him.

“You are all right, my son. You were curious and got your answer. Was it one we wanted? No. Was it one we already suspected to be correct?” Splinter pauses, closing his eyes and breathing in deeply then releasing it slowly. He meets Mikey’s gaze with his own once more. “Yes. But right now? We all need to calm down.” He hugs Mikey to his chest as he turns his gaze to the others. “If we allow ourselves to lose control of our emotions, then that entity has won. We need to be levelheaded and think through our options.”

The remaining five exchange a glance as Mikey watches them from his hiding place against his father. His eyes land on his eldest brother whose chestnut brown eyes turn and meet his. Leo’s features melt a bit before his shoulders square and a flash of determination ignites in his eyes.

“Father, I think that the best option would be to get Mikey out of here. Return him home where it’s safe and we have our wards up. Then we can return here and help Mama Jones get rid of whatever it is that is trying to harm Mikey.”

Mikey blinks and leans back to look up at his father. Wards? Since when did they have wards in the lair? The youngest Hamato bites his bottom lip as he watches his father think over Leo’s suggestion. There is twitch in his father’s whiskers that tells the young turtle that he isn’t completely convinced with the plan. So it’s much to Mikey’s surprise when his father inclines his head.

“Very well. Let us attempt to get Michelangelo out of here. Donatello. Raphael. Go upstairs and pack as much as you can.” Donnie and Raph nod and vanish. “Ms. O’Neil. You and Mr. Jones should do so as well. Nobody is going to be left here alone.” Splinter turns toward Leo as April and Casey nod, both sprinting for the bedroom. Casey stands at the door as April rushes in, holding the door as if to keep it from closing.

And locking them in like it tried to do with us in the attic, Mikey thinks as he clings to his father’s emerald robes. Splinter’s arms tighten around him.

“And me, Father?”

“Leonardo, you shall stay with me and keep watch for any signs of our unwanted guest.” Leo nods as their father speaks and he approaches them silently. “We do not know just how powerful this entity is yet or all that it can do. Whatever just happened could have taken a lot of their current energy or it could be just a taste of what they are holding back from us.”

Leo stops right next to them and rests a hand on Mikey’s covered shell. He offers his brother a reassuring smile before looking up at their father. He lowers his voice even though he knows that the entity could probably hear him no matter how softly they speak.

“And if that was only a quarter of their power?”

Splinter looks at his eldest son, hating how much responsibility and maturity swirls in eyes so young and yet he can’t help but feel proud. Proud that his son is stepping up like the leader he always knew that Leonardo would be. Stepping up during a time when he would hold nothing against his eldest child for being terrified and looking toward him for a solution or guidance.

Splinter’s ears twitch and he shoots a glare toward the basement door.

“Then we shall deal with it as it comes.” He glances at his sons with a sideways glance. “All we can do is be prepared for anything and prepare as if that wasn’t the only thing that entity can do.”

Leo nods and takes a step closer to his youngest brother, angling himself toward the basement door.

“Don’t worry, Otōto. We’re not going to let anything happen to you. We’re going to protect you.”

Mikey looks between his father and big brother. A spark of love shoots through him but there is also an ember of concern and panic.

But who’s going to protect all of you?

As if hearing his thoughts, Leo turns to look at his brother again. Mikey stares up at him. Leo smiles gently down at his little brother. He opens his mouth.

“Okay! We’ve got all our stuff, Father!” Raph says, causing Leo to snap his mouth shut as both the emerald turtle and olive turtle leap from the loft carrying all the bags on their shoulders. Donnie and Raph jog up to the three.

“We’re also done!” April calls out, rushing out of their room with their suitcases in hand. Casey is close behind her, eyes flickering about with his keys already in hand.

“Babe, let’s switch,” Casey says, reaching for the bags and tossing April the keys. “Ya drive faster and better den I do.”

April nods, placing the bags down and seamlessly catching the keys at the same time. Casey scoops up the bags and nods toward the door. Raph and Donnie are already hurrying toward the front door. Everyone seems to hold their breath as Raph reaches for the doorknob. A collective sigh of relief can be heard when the knob turns and Raph swings the door open. He holds the door, ushing everyone pass him. Mikey clings to Leo as Splinter guides the two of them to the door. Raph shares a look with Leo as the three pass by Splinter, the eldest mutant hesitating to hold the door to allow Raph to exit before him. Raph also hesitates a beat before exiting and Splinter couldn’t be more thankful that he didn’t have to argue with his more hotheaded child to get him out and away from the house.

Splinter exhales shakily and shoots a look back over his shoulder. His eyes narrow. A space that usually radiates such warmth and love is clouded in a dark grey and a feeling of hostility. Splinter shakes his head, silently wondering what he had done in a past life to bring such misfortune to his family, to his loved ones. His children never deserved such fates that seemed to have followed them the moment they turned fifteen and how April and Casey seemed bound to be dragged into their messes when the two humans have done nothing but been kind and helpful to them.

Lips pursed, Splinter shuts the door behind him, double checking that it is locked before heading for the vehicles. His eyes narrow and his ears perk up when he sees his family merely standing around the cars rather than climbing inside.

“Is there a problem?”

Everyone turns to look at the older male and his heartrate speeds up at the disappointed and concerned looks on their faces. Splinter easily spots his genius son kneeling next to the tires. Donnie looks up with an upset frown on his face.

“All of the tires have been deflated.” Concern swirls in his hazel eyes. “Both on the BattleShell and on April’s van. We can’t drive on these.”

Raph growls. “What? Sliced tires too cliché fer da freak in da basement dat it gotta just deflate our stupid tires?!”

Splinter reaches out and places his hand on his red-cladded son’s shoulder in a calming gesture. Raph grumbles and crosses his arms but falls silent, a golden glare on the deflated tires. Splinter squeezes his shoulder.

“Are they merely deflated or slashed?”

Donnie runs a finger over the tire before standing and stretching.

“They’re only deflated, which is nice but the only pump that Mama Jones has here on the farm is a hand pump.” Donnie winces as he looks his father in the eye. “And there is no way we’ll be able to utilize that to pump up the BattleShell’s tires. I have an electric pump in the BattleShell but it’s not really meant to refill a completely deflated tire, it’s meant for topping off a tire after I patch it up if it gains a leak. My heavy duty pump is back in the warehouse.”

Splinter nods, shooting a look over to his eldest and youngest son as his genius son speaks. Leo is holding Mikey close, rubbing his arms and rocking him slightly, trying to keep the youngest warm. Needing to think fast, the older mutant looks over at Casey.

“How swiftly would your mother be able to come to the farmhouse?”

Casey scratches the back of his head.

“Uh, depends on what we tell her, honestly. She’s made it out here in less den an hour when it normally take her about an hour and a half.” Casey drops his hand, his icy blue eyes serious as he studies the mutant rat. “Ya know she’d drop everything fer ya guys if we tell her dat we got a problem.”

April pulls out her phone.

“You want me to call her?”

Splinter glances between the two humans.

“Are you comfortable having her involved? I do not want to risk another one of our family to this yokai if I can help it. However,” Splinter starts, whiskers twitching and tail swaying behind him. “She may be our only chance to get Michelangelo some place safe as we try to deal with ridding your grandparents’ home of this unwanted guest.”

“But I don’t wanna leave if all of you can’t come with me!” Mikey exclaims, ocean blue eyes wide and a frown on his face. Leo hugs his closer, muttering softly to him that has the youngest whining and burying his face back into Leo’s shoulder.

“I know, Watashi no nikkō,” Splinter replies softly, hating to see any of his children so upset. “But—”

“But it’s ya dat da demon thing wants, Knucklehead!” Raph interrupts, turning his golden glare over toward his little brother.

Hazelnut brown eyes lift skyward at the interruption, Splinter squeezing his hotheaded son’s shoulder in warning. A huff leaves his emerald green son once more.

“Michelangelo,” Splinter starts, waiting until his youngest peeks out at him. “We do not wish to be separated from you either. However, you are in far more danger being here than the rest of us. No,” Splinter holds up a hand when Mikey goes to argue. “You have been the main target of this yokai meaning that as long as you are here, you are going to be in the most danger.” When Mikey doesn’t argue but goes back to hiding in Leo’s shoulder, Splinter has to resist the urge to sigh. He, instead, glances back over at Casey and April.

Casey straightens.

“Ma would be more upset if we didn’t tell her what’s been goin’ on, so I’m good ta let her know.”

Splinter nods and turns his gaze back onto April.

“Ms. O’Neil?”

“Already on it,” April states, putting her phone to her ear.

Splinter breathes out slowly, gently nudging Raph toward Leo and Mikey as Donnie joins the duo in blocking the wind from hitting the youngest. Getting the hint, Raph joins his brothers, grumbling softly under his breath. Splinter shakes his head before he turns and looks back at the house, the dark windows doing nothing to reassure the older mutant, an ominous air surrounding a once cheerful home. Behind him, Splinter listens silently as April starts talking with Mrs. Jones, briefly explaining the situation.

“Great, thanks, Mrs.-err- Mama Jones,” April says before tapping end on her cell. A grim look is on her face as the redhead looks at her family. “Mama Jones said she’s on her way. She was down in the cities visiting a friend so it’ll take her about four hours to reach us.”

Leo lifts his head to look over at the three adults, his chestnut brown eyes wide and making him appear very much his age in a way that breaks Splinter’s heart.

“So, what shall we do until then, Father?”

Six set of eyes land on the older mutant and Splinter straightens, smoothing down his maroon robe. Squaring his shoulders, he turns back toward the house.

“We go back inside and we wait.”

Chapter Text

Silence fills the barn save for the slight whistling of the wind outside. Donnie walks around, plugging in the heaters that Mama Jones allowed him to store in the barn so that he could work without getting too cold. Donnie hopes to someday make a way to heat the whole barn, with Mama Jones’ permission of course. That way he doesn’t have to keep wasting so much energy on these tiny heaters.

Donnie frowns, a part of him wishing he had asked this sooner and had them already installed. Then maybe they could just stay out here in the barn and Mikey can stay away from whatever it is in the basement that’s trying to harm him.

Oh, Mikey, what have you gotten yourself into this time?

Clicking on the last heater, Donnie sighs softly as he looks toward his makeshift workstation.

One of the wooden tables he normally uses for his blueprints while they’re visiting is now bare and moved to the center of the barn, courtesy of Raph and Casey. Multiple boxes sit stacked on the floor around the base of the table and Donnie can’t help but wonder what’s in them. He has an idea but outside of actually pulling some of the papers out, he doesn’t truly know.

April was supposed to be going over some of the old documents in the house for Mama Jones, so maybe that’s what Father wants my help with?

Donatello frowns as he fiddles with the last heater and readjusts his scarf around his neck, tucking his snout down into the soft fabric. He has no qualms in helping his father and April with going through the paperwork found in the house, but he can’t help but secretly wish that they chose to do so INSIDE the house. The purple-cladded genius buries his hands in his jacket pocket as he waits for his father and sister-figure to return.

Something just doesn’t sit right with him having Mikey inside that house without everyone being there. Sure, he’s currently in the kitchen with another person, and sure, that person is Casey, who would normally be a pretty decent choice as a protector for any of them if they needed it, but what they’re dealing with isn’t just a rogue Foot Soldier or a Purple Dragon Punk wanting revenge. No. This is something different. Something supernatural. Something that the normal eye can’t see, and the normal person wouldn’t be able to fight without help. And unlike himself and his brothers, all of whom have been taught to fight not only physically but spiritually as well, Casey doesn’t have that.

And I don’t really see a hockey stick and a baseball bat being enough to fight off an angry spirit, Donnie thinks, chewing on his bottom lip. But at least Leo and Raph are still at the house, so it shouldn’t be all that bad.

“Donnie?”

The genius looks over to the entrance of the barn just as the doors are pushed open and both April and Splinter enter carrying a box each. Donnie rushes over to the take the box from his father.

“Are these the last ones?”

April nods, smiling as her cheeks and nose turn a bit more red as she heads for the table.

“Yeah. Leo helped us pack these before Raph grabbed him for a parameter run.”

Of course they would, Donnie thinks as he gently places the box down onto the table. His fingers flex on the sides of the box. Mikey will be fine. He has Casey with him, it’s going to be fine.

Donnie breathes out slowly and looks over at his father and honorary sister.

“So, what exactly are we going to be doing out here with all of these boxes?”

April grunts as she also places her box down. A slight frown tugs on her lips as she glances at all the boxes.

“Sensei and I thought that there might be some sort of hint about what’s going on inside the documents that Mama Jones wants me to go through,” April states, hand going up to tighten her ponytail making her red hair sway with the movement.

“And we wanted your help in going through them, my son,” Splinter continues walking up to his genius son and resting a hand on his shoulder. “You are a quick read and have a strong memory. With your help, we might be able to piece together what is going on and what might be targeting your brother.”

Donnie purses his lips as he shoots a look toward the barn entrance as if he can see through the wood toward the farmhouse. He glances back at April and his father.

“I’m willing to help in any way possible, Father,” Donnie states firmly, pulling out his ShellCell to take notes on. He bites his lip as he looks at April and Splinter. “But may I ask why we’re not doing this in the house? Not that I’m complaining! The generators will keep us warm around the table but…” Donnie trails off when April rests a hand on Donnie’s shoulder.

“You’re worried about Mikey, right?” April asks quietly, her green eyes bright with understanding. Donnie’s shoulders slump as he nods.

“Yeah,” Donnie says, voice quiet as he glances between the two adults with him. “I know he has Casey with him, but what if something happens while we’re out here? What if we get locked out? Or-”

“Donatello.”

Donnie stops, his eyes wide as he looks at his father. Splinter steps forward and takes his hands, very gently prying them apart. When did he start wringing his hands together? Donnie swallows thickly as his hands are squeezes tenderly by slender clawed hands. Splinter offers him a tiny smile.

“My son, I know you are worried about Michelangelo. Especially with his injuries, but your little brother is strong. You saw for yourself how much he had improved since coming down for food. His color returned and he was more himself.” Splinter’s smile grows more tender and he rubs the back of Donnie’s hands with his thumb. “You have been doing a wonderful job in helping him. Right now, we need to let him rest and take his mind off of what is happening. Us hovering around him will only make him more stressed.”

Donnie sighs and nods. “I know, Father, I know. I guess I would just feel better if Leo and Raph were still in the house with them too.” A wary smile forms on his face as Donnie glances at April and then back to his father. “But I know why Raph took Leo for a run so I can’t complain. Leo would have driven Mikey nuts.”

April steps forward and rests a hand on Donnie’s bicep. She offers the young genius a smile.

“They’re going to be okay, Donnie. Casey might not always be the sharpest tool in the shed, but he cares about all of you and will do anything for you.” April presses her hand to Donnie’s cheek, stroking it gently with her thumb. “He’ll do everything in his power to keep Mikey safe.”

Donnie bites his bottom lip, his throat growing tight at the reassurance from his adopted older sister. After a beat, Donnie breathes out with a shaky sigh and nods, his smile a touch more genuine.

“You’re right. Thank you, Father. Thanks, April,” Donnie says. Splinter inclines his head and extends his hand out, gesturing toward the table.

“You are welcome, my child. Now, shall we start?”

Donnie moves over to the table and sits down, readjusting his scarf and jacket. “What exactly are we doing with these boxes?”

April sits across from Donnie while Splinter takes the spot to his left.

“We’re going through Mama Jones’ family records that were in the attic,” April explains, grunting as she lifts one of the boxes up. She places it down with a dull ‘thud’ and removes the lid. “She asked me to do this while we were up here but,” April shoots Splinter a look. “Master Splinter and I thought there might be something hidden within these records that might explain what’s going on or who could be responsible.”

Donnie’s eyes widen as he looks over at his father, who nods along with what April says.

“There must be a reason why this is all happening now,” Splinter says softly, accepting a stack of papers from the redhead. “We enlisted your help, my son, because I know you are good at research and are swift at reading.”

A large grin forms on Donnie’s face as his father speaks and he happily accepts his stack of papers from April. He THRIVES in doing research. This is one of his favorite pass times! His hazel eyes already start scanning the documents.

“So, we’re just looking for something that might stand out as a haunting? Or maybe a ritual of sorts being done?” Donnie asks, moving onto the next page as he speaks.

April nods. “Or anything that just seems strange in general. Mama Jones wanted me to document and check everything in the records, sort them by year if possible and maybe write down things that are starting to fade.” April reaches down and pulls out a stack for herself. The scientist tilts her head when she spots a leather-bound journal at the bottom of the box. She plucks it out, flipping it around to check for a name. There are pale tan roses pressed into the dark brown leather. Curious, she flips open to the first page.

Rose Jones.

April lifts an eyebrow. Rose Jones? Not a name she’s heard anyone utter but then again, with how old this journal looks, Casey could very well not even know of this relative. She is about to flip to the next page when she feels her pocket vibrate. April slips her phone out and glances down at it.

“Looks like Raph and Leo are about halfway through their run,” April says out loud when Splinter and Donnie look at her. “Sometimes I forget just how big this property is.” She shakes her head as she places the phone face down onto the table. “Which makes me curious on just how old this farm truly is.”

“Has Mr. Jones said how long?” Splinter asks, shifting to a new page to scan.

April shakes her head. “No, all he’s said is that it’s been in his family for years.” She frowns at the journal in her hands. “Said that technically his cousin Sid was supposed to get the farmhouse but when their grandmother found out about his drug use and involvement with gangs, she changed her mind and gave it to Casey’s dad and mom upon her death. She still extended the offer to Mama Jones even when Casey’s father died.”

Donnie sets his stack of papers down, having read the last page as April spoke. He tilts his head.

“Does Casey have any other cousins outside of Sid?” Donnie asks, his snout twitching upon saying Sid.

He still remembers when Sid came to the farmhouse while they were all trying to heal and threatened April and Casey about some supposed money their grandfather hid on the property. Turns out Casey’s grandfather DID have money hidden on the property, found by accident by Mikey falling backwards against the fireplace in the living room when Raph knocked his crutches away. With Mama Jones’ permission, they used the money to help buy April a new antique shop. Last Donnie heard, Sid moved to a different state somewhere in the Midwest to keep out of trouble with the gangs that they took care of.

“Not that I’m aware of,” April says, dragging Donnie back into the present. “As far as I’m aware, his grandmother only had two children; Casey’s father and then his aunt. I believe his aunt is the eldest, which is why the house was going to go to Sid, but as far as I’m aware, Sid was his only cousin.” April shrugs. “I mean, it’s not exactly like our wedding was the typical meet the in-laws type of wedding. Which is fine!” She quickly adds when Donnie’s face falls. “Honest! Outside of Shredder and the Foot attacking us, I would change nothing about it because I could never have gotten married without my little brothers there. But it made it slightly hard to invite family who didn’t know about any of you. I have some relatives down in Florida but that’s about it.” April reaches across the table and takes Donnie’s hand. “Mom, Dad, and I were pretty alone up here when I was growing up. Dad was an only child and my grandparents died when I was super little on his side. Mom wasn’t from New York originally so her family is from out of state and I barely know them, even now. When she vanished, Dad didn’t speak about them much so it was just us. He then remarried to a wonderful woman I had the pleasure of calling Mom. Then he vanished while I was in college and I had to figure things out myself and then my mom died right before I got the job at Stockman's lab.” April squeezes Donnie’s hand. “But all that to say, I believe Casey and his cousin Sid are the only grandkids his grandmother had.”

Donnie nods, filing that information away for later. His eyes flicker down toward April’s hands. “What do you have there?”

April holds up the journal. “Not sure, I found this inside the box. Looks like it belongs to a relative of Casey’s named Rose Jones.” April passes Donnie the journal. “Here, I was going to read it but you read faster than I do and,” April glances down with a laugh. “Looks like you finished your stack already.”

Donnie takes the journal, flipping it over to study the cover. “Pretty heavy, durable paper.” Donnie runs a finger over the cover. “Good leather too with great craftsmanship. I think the roses were hand pressed. That’s very impressive.”

Splinter chuckles as he flips to another page. “The early days certainly provided people with many wonderful things. It is good to see that Mr. Jones’ family have been doing well for themselves even so early on that they could afford such a nice journal. Was there a year written anywhere?”

Donnie studies the inside the cover page as April shakes her head.

“I didn’t see anything, but then again I didn’t look too far into the journal,” April states when Donnie flips to the front page.

“Wait,” Donnie says, bringing the page closer. “Rose wrote in pencil so it’s starting to fade but this says December 3rd, 1871.” Hazel eyes scan across the page. “Hello, Diary. Father and Mother just returned home from the big city and presented me with this diary and a beautifully crafted mirror! What wonderful gifts for my 18th birthday. I was afraid that they would not be here for my birthday, the last few days having snowed much day and night. Uncle and Jon came to clear snow from the roof and a path so we can feed the sheep.” Donnie’s eye ridges shoot up. “This used to be a sheep farm? I wonder when they switched to corn and apples?”

April shrugs. “I don’t know.” She holds up some papers. “These here look to be ledgers for around that time frame.”

“I do believe mine are the same, merely a few years older,” Splinter chimes in. “I can see why Mrs. Jones wished for you to go through this. Some of this might be valuable information.”

Donnie nods along as he flips through random pages. “My stack were also ledgers for wood and hired help. Would Mama Jones wish to—”

Donnie trails off when he flips to another random page and a drawing catches his attention. A faded drawing of a pentagram with random symbols. A cold weight falls onto Donnie’s shoulders as he stares at it.

“Donnie?” April calls out worriedly when her genius brother stops talking.

Splinter looks over at his son as well, his hazelnut eyes taking in the stiffness in his son’s posture. Which can only mean one thing.

“Donatello? What did you find, my child?”

Donnie chews on his cheek. “Well, I think I might have fo—”

VRR. VRR.

Donnie and April both jump when a loud noise rattles the table. April presses a hand to her chest when she spots her phone vibrating.

“I swear this thing will give me a heart attack sooner than any Foot surprise attack would,” April says with a laugh as she plucks up her phone. She lifts an eyebrow as she spots the name on the screen. “Mikey? Wonder what he wants?”

“Casey didn’t start another fire in the kitchen, did he?” Donnie jokingly asks even as his anxiety shoots up.

Splinter turns toward his son, a warily amused look on his face as his mouth opens to speak when his ears twitch and his fur stands on end. His dark eyes narrow as he glances around the barn.

There is someone else here with them.

April laughs with a faux scowl. “I hope not! I promised Mama Jones that he’d only be allowed to handle the meat, specifically the steak, if we had any.” She opens the message. “We all know Mikey, no matter how sick or injured, would have—” April trails off and her eyebrows furrow in confusion.

Mikey: Y did u steal C? I wanna leave the bathroom 😭

Steal Casey?

April bites her lip as a bad feeling forms in her stomach as she starts to type.

April: Steal Casey? What are you talking about Mikey? I’m in the barn with MS and Donnie right now

She hits send before looking at an anxious Donnie.

“April? What’s wrong?” Donnie asks, leaning forward a bit as his hazel eyes lock with April’s green ones.

“Mikey just asked why I stole Casey from him,” April states, biting her bottom lip. “But you both know that I haven’t touched my phone since Raph’s update.” The scientist anxiously waits for Mikey to answer her.

“What?” Donnie asks, his voice raising a notch. “Did he say why he thinks that?”

April shakes her head, a small cloud escaping her lips as she breathes out shakily. “No, he didn’t. Let me… Let me ask.” As she speaks, April’s thumbs fly across the screen on her phone.

April: Mikey sweetie is everything ok? Casey is supposed to be with you right now is he not there?

“O-Okay, let’s see what he says,” April says, dragging in a deep breath and releasing it again. She tries to offer the worrying teen before her a smile. “For-for all we know, Casey told him a little white lie to keep him in the bathroom to do something quick.”

April’s eyes flicker to Splinter when he continues to remain silent. He appears focused on the papers in his hands but she can see his ears twitching just slightly which means he’s listening. But whether it’s to her and Donnie or to something that she can’t hear, she doesn’t know.

April jumps when her phone vibrates and she swiftly opens the message.

Mikey: So u DIDN’T ask for C help in the attic??

The horrible feeling in April’s gut grows more and her hands are numb as she types back.

April: No…

April waits for a split second before sending a second message.

April: Mikey what’s going on??

April looks up at Donnie and Splinter. “I think…I think we should go check on Mikey and Casey.”

“Why? What’s wrong?” Donnie frantically questions as he stands, shoving the journal into his jacket pocket, placing the papers on the table back into their box.

“Mikey asked if I called Casey into the attic for help,” April explains as she returns her papers to the box as well. “I… I’m glad it’s not the basement but I’m still concerned.” She laughs nervously as Donnie stares at her in concern. “I’m sure it’s fine! But let’s just check to be sure, yeah?”

April and Donnie look over at the ninja master. Splinter stands slowly and he taps on the table twice with his finger. Donnie’s eyes flicker down and April feels her breathing hitch but neither say anything. Splinter trained them well.

We are not alone.

Donnie keeps his expression the same as his father looks at him.

“Let us check on Michelangelo,” Splinter says calmly, appearing no different than earlier. “I am certain Mr. Jones did not wish for our wayward spirit of the family to wander off in his injured state.”

Nodding, Donnie swiftly starts turning the heaters off with April helping. A prickle to the back of his neck has Donnie hesitating with his hand hovering over the last heater as April moves to the boxes. His hazel eyes slowly lift to look at his father, who stands there, appearing as if he’s merely waiting for the two to finish.

Splinter’s eyes narrow and his fingers flex on his walking stick. His ears twitch, the only indication the ninja master gives before he is moving and within a heartbeat, Splinter is next to Donnie, eyes gleaming with anger. Splinter’s walking stick is an emerald blur as he twirls it, effortlessly sending a pitchfork and a machete away.

“You will not touch my children, Fiend!” Splinter grows, tail swaying. “The two of you, to the exit NOW.” 

April nods, dropping the lid she was about to place back onto the box on the table. Her eyes are wide as she rushes around the table only to hear a heavy THUD behind her. April glances back as she grabs Donnie’s hand, a large hammer resting right where she had been standing. Her green eyes narrow and a surge of anger flashes through her. 

“C’mon, Donnie!” She says and tugs her little brother along behind her as the air fills with the sound of items whizzing by, a sound she is quite accustomed to by now. 

Donnie doesn’t speak as they run, his eyes wide and his heart hammering in his chest as he pulls his bo from his back and bats away a flying screw driver heading for April’s head.

April stops at the door and yanks on the handle. Her heart drops to the floor when it doesn’t budge.

“Oh, come on,” she growls, tugging harder before stepping back to ram the wood with her shoulder. “Come on! Open!”

Don looks back over his shoulder as he watches his father move as a green blur to keep everything that is being thrown at them by an unseen force at bay. He shakes his head, trusting his father to keep them safe before moving to help April ram at the door.

“Why-Why isn’t it budging?!” Donnie shouts as he puts more force against it. “The lock isn’t that strong!”

April releases a frustrated shout before backing up and getting a running start. Once at speed, she jumps and lands a solid kick to the door, splintering the wood and knocking it off it’s hinges.

Donnie’s eye ridges raise up as he looks at April who fixes a single strand out of place. She looks at the genius and takes his hand again.

“Nobody messes with my family, not even a spirit,” April states firmly then looks over her shoulder. “Sensei! The door’s open!”

Splinter nods but never takes his eyes off of the inside of the barn.

“Go!” He orders. “I shall be right behind you.”

April nods and with a final tug of Donnie’s hand, she pulls him out into the yard, aiming for the farmhouse.

Splinter twirls his staff, blocking an onslaught of nails aimed his way. He leaps backwards with one of the heavy machines creaks and comes crashing down right where he was standing. Splinter’s eyes narrow as his feet slide on the dirt right before the door and in the same breath, his hands become a blur as he signs something. A low hum emits from the once-human as his hands begin to glow a pale yellow color. The louder he hums, the more his hands glow until his hands can no longer be seen. Splinter slams his hands down into the dirt and a large glowing symbol appears before him.

“You shall not harm my family,” Splinter snarls, pushing some of his ki forward. “Kiero akuma!”

A high pitched and otherworldly screech echoes around the barn as the symbol’s light fills the room with Splinter’s shouted phrase. Splinter straightens, a cold look on his face as he look into the barn as he sees the shadows morphing and writhing as if in pain. Tail twitching, Splinter turns on his heels and sweeps out of the barn. 

He is greeted by the wide-eyed looks of his children. Donnie’s olive green face is pale as he stares up at the barn. April stands next to him, her hand covering her mouth as the screams continue.

“What is that?” April whispers out.

“That is confirmation that whatever is in the basement has a hold across the property,” Splinter says darkly, his hazelnut eyes flashing. “Come.”

April and Donnie sprint after the older male as he rushes for the house.

“Does…Does this mean NO WHERE is safe as long as we’re on the Jones’ property?” Donnie asks, fear lacing his words.

“I fear so, my son,” Splinter explains, his eyes glued on the house, a strong sense of foreboding filling him the closer they get to the house. “What we need to do right now is to get everyone away from the house and somewhere secure before we can deal with this fiend properly.”

Donnie’s heart drops to his stomach at his father’s words and he pumps his arms faster. “Oh, gods, Mikey,” the genius mutters as he swears he sees the entire house shudder.

Splinter’s lips thin as he catches Donnie’s muttered words and he can smell the fear on both of his children behind him. He keeps his own fears of what is happening within the house to himself. No use upsetting them more than they already are. He needs them as focused as possible as to be ready for whatever they will find within the house.

The small group reaches the back door and Splinter moves to yank the door open when his ears twitch. He looks up at the house, his eyes wide as he swears he hears Michelangelo screaming Casey’s name. Heart pounding, Splinter moves to open the door but it doesn’t budge making the mutant snarl.

“You will not keep me from my children,” Splinter spits out. His blood is boiling as he swears he hears the added voices of Raphael and Leonardo now. The ninja master takes a few steps back making April and Donnie move backwards as well. He passes his staff to Donnie, who takes it.

Taking a deep breath, Splinter sprints forward, his right fist glowing once more before he punches the door. The door slams open, crashing against the wall with enough for to shatter the glass. Straightening, Splinter smooths down his robe. He then extends out his hand and Donnie places the emerald walking stick back into his father’s hand.

Standing tall, Splinter draws his blade from his walking stick and sprints into the room, April and Donnie right behind him. The older mutant glances around, an almost immediate sense of relief when he spot Casey hunched over a wide-eyed Michelangelo.

Thank the gods, they weren’t too late.

“Michelangelo!”

Splinter sheaths his blade as he rushes forward and he cups the pale cheeks of his youngest, doing his best to scan the small form of injuries even though his nose twitches with the faint scent of blood coming from Mr. Jones. He will need to be treated. “Are you injured, Watashi no nikkō?”

When Michelangelo shakes his head, Splinter once more sends another thanks to the gods. Seems he and his family just cannot catch a break, no matter how small.

Chapter Text

Mikey watches as his father moves about the loft area, pieces of papers in his hands with kanji written on them, protective kanji. His father places the pieces of paper down along the stairs and the banister. There are papers along the ceiling and the floor as well, stuck there with the help of Leo.

It’s been a strange time.

Ever since they re-entered the house after finding the tires flattened out in the driveway, his father and Leo sat down and started writing things on pieces of paper that Raph and April tore up from loose paper all around them.

Mikey bites his bottom lip as he glances over at where Donnie is examining the small cut on Casey’s head from where he smacked his head when one of the pieces of furniture slammed into him and knocked him down. Thankfully, outside of bruises and the knock to the head, that cut is about the worst he got.

A shiver courses through Mikey’s body and he wraps his blanket tighter around him, his eyes flickering about inside the house, unable to focus on one thing.

The entire feeling of the house has changed since the spirit scratched his name into the floor. Once warm and inviting, the entire space is now cold, dark, and heavy. Almost like a thick woolen blanket soaked in icy water is resting upon them, forcing them to sink down until they drown.

Shaking his head lightly, Mikey turns to look out of the window. A light flurry has flakes dancing around in the air, a sight that is usually very exciting for the youngest turtle. He adores snow! It usually means he can hide within layers to go explore New York during the day! But right now the snow just has him curling more into his blanket, his hood falling over his eyes.

Mikey’s gaze shifts from the yard to the small lake (pond? He’s not sure what the proper term is for it anymore), the broken pier sticking out through the snow. His head tilts as he stares at it. It’s dangerous to just leave it as it is, hopefully once all of this is done they can put that makeshift fence up that Casey mentioned.

“Mikey?” 

“Eep!”

Mikey jumps as a hand lands on his shoulder and he looks up with wide eyes only to find the gentle eyes of Donnie looking back. An apologetic smile forms on the genius’s face as he rubs and squeezes Mikey’s shoulder.

“Sorry, Otōto, I didn’t mean to scare you,” Donnie says softly, sitting next to the smaller turtle. “I just wanted to see how you are doing. Does your head hurt? Or anywhere else? Casey said when he got hit he dropped you. You didn’t slam your knee again, did you?”

“O-Oh! Um,” Mikey glances down at himself, as if he can see his body under all the layers he is wearing. “I don’t think so? I mean, sure, stuff aches, but that’s nothing new, right?” Mikey shoots Donnie a grin only for it to instantly slip from his face at the look his brother is giving him. His ‘I’m the doctor do NOT lie to me’ face. “Honest, Don, I don’t feel all that bad! You know I heal fast!”

Donnie’s silence stretches on making Mikey gulp a little. Silent Dr. Don is NOT something a turtle wants to deal with. Mikey frantically tries to think of what to say to make this better.

What Mikey isn’t expecting is for his brother to pull him toward him, holding the younger turtle close with his arms wrapped around him.

“You know you can talk to me, right?” Donnie whispers, hands rubbing Mikey’s shell. “Even with things that aren’t physical injuries.”

A swirl of guilt shoots through Mikey as he leans into Donnie’s hug, hiding his face in his brother’s neck. He sits there for a moment, sighing out softly.

“I just want this to all go away,” Mikey mutters into Donnie’s shoulder, his fingers clinging to the dark purple sweatshirt that Donnie put on before he had gone out to the barn. Mikey inhales deeply, the scent of coffee and something uniquely his brother helping to calm him a bit. “This was supposed to be a fun trip, Don.”

Donnie holds Mikey close, pressing his snout into the top of his little brother’s head, mindful of Mikey’s stitches.

“I know,” he whispers. “But we’ll figure it out, okay? Father and Leo are working on new wards that should hold until Mama Jones gets here and then we’ll get you back to the lair and you can cuddle with Klunk and hear about his adventures with Leatherhead.”

Mikey’s lips twitch at the mention of his loving furbaby. What he wouldn’t give to have his little kitten with him right now. Though… maybe it is a good idea that his little ninja kitty isn’t here. He’d never forgive himself if something happened to his fur-son.

Donnie rubs Mikey’s shell, his hazel eyes fixed on his older siblings as Raph does a nice and easy toss, launching Leo into the air to place another ward. His attention is dragged back to Mikey when he feels the youngest shift in his arms. Glancing down, Donnie offers Mikey a tiny smile as the smaller turtle leans back to look up at him.

Mikey returns his brother’s smile before looking over his shoulder right as Leo lands from placing his ward. Mikey cocks his head, ocean blue eyes narrowing as he looks around at the pieces of paper.

“Where are those located back at the lair?”

Mikey turns toward Donnie who blinks in confusion at him. The olive turtle tilts his head as he readjusts Mikey’s hood.

“Where is what located in the lair?”

Mikey purses his lips as he looks back at the wards. He gestures toward the room around them. 

“The wards. Where are the wards located back at the lair?”

Mikey waits patiently as Donnie stares back at him with wide eyes. His immediate older brother shifts uncomfortably and Mikey squints at him.

“Well…” Donnie starts, smoothing down Mikey’s blanket. “You know, they’re around. Sensei and Leo deal with them more than I ever do. I just deal with the security system. The machines. You know this…” Donnie gestures around the room. “Isn’t my forte, Mikey. I’m the follower of science.”

“But you DO know where they are,” Mikey states, a pout forming. “How come I never knew we had wards around the lair but all of you did?”

Donnie opens his mouth before closing it. Mikey watches him closely and he can see the slight panic in his bo wielding brother’s eyes. Hugging his blanket closer, Mikey glances around the room to find it far more quiet than it was before.

“What are you all hiding from me?” Mikey asks, his tone edging toward annoyed. “You guys know I’m not dumb right? I can tell you’re not saying something to me on purpose.”

“First off, we ain’t ever said ya were dumb, Mikey,” Raph says, pointing a finger at his little brother, golden eyes narrowed behind his crimson mask. “Second off, maybe we ain’t sayin’ something ‘cause, I don’t know, dere’s a crazed entity inside dis house and we don’t want them knowing where our wards are?”

Mikey blinks and a soft ‘oh’ leaves him suddenly feeling very foolish. He glances off to the side, embarrassment coloring his cheeks as Donnie rubs his arm.

“Still don’t know why you dudes know about them but I don’t.”

“Hey.”

Mikey looks up to find Raph standing in front of him. The emerald turtle squats down and places his hand on Mikey’s good knee. 

“We get ya wantin’ ta know, Squirt, honest,” Raph says in a tone surprisingly gentle for his usual tough guy act. “I didn’t say da shi….stuff I did ta embarrass ya, just fer ya ta know WHY we ain’t sayin’ nothing. ‘Kay?”

Splinter appears over Raph’s shoulder with a tiny smile.

“Once this is all over, Michelangelo, ask again and we shall answer your question. All right, my son?”

A soft sigh leaves the youngest but he knows this is the best he is going to get right now. And they aren’t blowing him off, merely asking him to ask again at a less dangerous time. He can handle that.

Mikey nods earning himself a grin from Raph, who pats his thigh and Splinter leans down to kiss his forehead. Donnie hugs Mikey closer, knowing that the youngest isn’t fully satisfied with this compromise. He thinks for a moment before smiling and reaching into his pocket.

“I think I have something that will at least keep you entertained until Mama Jones gets here.”

Mikey tilts his head as he looks at Donnie as the genius pulls out a leather-bound journal. Mikey’s eyes zero in on the pressed rose on the cover and an image of the broken mirror flashes through his mind.

“Rose…” Mikey whispers cutting off whatever Donnie was about to say.

The olive turtle stares at Mikey in shock before he glances down at the journal. He clears his throat and nods as he passes the journal to his little brother.

“This journal used to belong to an old relative of Casey’s named Rose Jones. We had just started looking into it when we were attacked in the barn.”

“Whoa, back up dere, Genius,” Raph says, pausing in mid-rip as he shoots his immediate younger brother a glare. “What’s dis about ya being attacked in da barn?” He shoots a look toward April and then his father. “Dis why ya chose da loft instead da barn?”

Splinter nods as April kisses Casey’s cheek when the blackette stands to look her over. 

“We’re FINE, Casey, honest,” April says tenderly, rubbing her husband’s other cheek with her thumb.

“Ya sure? None of ya were hurt?”

The ninja master walks up to the couple and places a reassuring hand on the taller male’s shoulder.

“Mr. Jones, I can assure you that Ms. O’Neil, Donatello, and myself are all right.” Splinter guides the younger male back down onto the bed. “We got of out the barn before the yukai could do anymore damage.” His wizened brown eyes then flicker over to Raph. “And yes, my son, that is why I chose the loft. There are too many tools inside the barn that could harm one of us. It is also very open and not insulated. The house is at least insulated should the heat go out with many blankets and clothes we can use to keep us warm.”

Donnie glances over as Mikey studies the journal cover more closely.

“You also did something before leaving the barn, didn’t you, Father?” Donnie asks, a slight frown on his face. “There was a golden light and I heard a terrible screeching coming from within. It… it sounded otherworldly.”

Leo narrows his eyes as he stands from his kneeling position.

“Otherworldly?”

Donnie nods, his hazel eyes wide as he looks at his eldest brother. Splinter studies his children as they all turn toward him.

“I used some of my ki to trap the evil inside the barn and keep them there. It is a technique I will teach all of you when you are further along in your chi control training. Using too much ki at one time can seriously harm the body and without proper chi control to manage what you expend could even result in death.” Splinter walks up to Leo when his eldest looks conflicted. “All of you have come along way in your training, much faster than I had dreamed when I first started teaching all of you.” The once-human looks over at April and Casey. “And I do mean all of you. A lot of what you have learned has been absolutely necessary for your survival and some I would have rather waited in teaching you but life comes with many challenges and one must learn to bend and adapt. If you cannot learn to do that, then you can very well see yourself killed.”

Raph frowns.

“But… we’ve dealt with so much spiritual BS in da last year or more. Wouldn’t us learning how ta channel our chi or ki or whatever be beneficial?”

Splinter nods gravely.

“It would,” he admits but a somber look swirls in his eyes. “However, working with chi is very different.”

“But we already can channel our chi to an extent,” Leo points out, shifting uneasily at talking back to his father. “Such as some of the healing we can do and some of the moves we have done to give ourselves an advantage on the battlefield. Wouldn’t us learning to do what you just did out in the barn help further our advantage?”

A spark of pride hits Splinter. His children are thinking ahead and looking at protecting themselves, even if that means questioning his decisions. Truly becoming the young, independent adults that he has wanted for them since he found them mutated in the alleyway.

Leo blinks when Splinter reaches up and pats his cheek with a slender hand.

“The chi you have used in battle all of you have worked to perfect and you use around yourself,” Splinter explains. “The chi I used affected an entire structure. None of you have had to do that consciously. You need to be able to channel your chi to create it into ki and at the same time making sure you do not involve other areas that you did not intend. If I was not careful with how I expended my ki, I could have easily infected the yard or even the woods behind the barn. And while I had been aiming my attack at the evil inside the barn, I do not know what is in the woods or how it would affect the yard. If I mess with the balance of the land, who knows what else could be brought here.”

Donnie rubs his chin as he slowly nods.

“You also taught us that uncontrolled chi can also harm those we don’t wish to harm, so having the ki leaking to other areas could also harm innocents, not just the spirits inside the barn.”

Splinter nods, pleased that his children seem to understand.

“However,” Splinter says as the master kneels back down to continue making wards. “I have been thinking about of what I can teach all of you to protect yourself from the evil surrounding us. This yukai is dangerous and has a very far reach. However, as I have never taught anyone how to deal with the spirits in such a way, I will need to reach out to who I know has.”

Mikey looks up from the journal in his hands, his fingers tracing the rose indent.

“You mean you’re gonna contact Gramps?”

Hazelnut brown meets ocean-blue and Splinter nods.

“That is correct. However, it might not work since time works differently at the dojo, he might not be available to speak with me.”

Leo kneels next to their father, determination shining in his eyes.

“What do you need us to do?”

Splinter inclines his head. “I will need to go into a deep trance in order to contact your grandfather and it could take a while. You and your brothers know what can happen when disturbed while in such a deep trance.”

Casey moves to scratch the stitches on his forehead before April catches his hand and holds it in hers. He offers her a smile before looking back at the man, err rat, who has become like a father-figure to him.

“And… And I’m guessin’ Gramps don’t got a cell, huh?” Casey yelps when April elbows him. “It’s an innocent question! It’s rarer ta find someone on dis planet without a cell den dere is one with!”

“Mr. Jones is correct,” Splinter says with a light chuckle. “My father is quite old fashion and not because he is called the Ancient One. The dojo is and isn’t technically on the same plane as our world which means that human technology CAN work but not all the time.”

April’s eyebrows knit together.

“Human technology?”

The once-human nods, his brown eyes landing on his adopted daughter.

“That is correct. Utrom technology works just fine within the dojo. However, the elders are very wary of allowing their technology out into the world despite having the TCRI building here in the states.” Splinter shakes his head. While he isn’t the most tech savvy even he knows that it is quite silly that the elders refuse to allow their technology out into the world when the TCRI building houses some of the very same tech from what he can recall. Splinter finishes one of the wards and moves onto another page. “My other siblings all have cellphones but if they are inside the dojo it is near impossible to contact them outside of meditation.”

Casey and April stand there for a moment, the two still as statues.

“I… Come again?” Casey stammers out, his ice blue eyes flickering around the room. “Sib-Siblings? Ya-Ya mean da Shredder wasn’t yer only sibling?” Casey points at the four teens, bewilderment on his face while April has a thousand yard stare on her face. “Did da four of ya know about dis? How da hell are ya so calm?!”

Leo looks over his shoulder at the two humans with an apologetic smile.

“Um, yes we did and do know.”

“But we were only told about them when we went to meet Gramps!” Mikey quickly jumps in. He winces. “Well, okay, so I guess like this wasn’t the first time we met them or Gramps but we were forced to not remember that scenario so like TECHNICALLY we’ve only known about them for like…. Um…”

“We’ve only known about them for 13 months now,” Donnie supplies, patting Mikey’s hand when his little brother shoots him a grateful smile. 

“Why didn’t you tell us?!” April suddenly exclaims. “I would have invited them to the wedding!” She tugs on her hair. “Oh no, I hope they aren’t upset by not being invited!” A pout forms on the redhead’s face when Splinter starts laughing. “Sensei! This isn’t funny!”

Splinter passes the second ward over to Leo as he offers April a smile.

“My apologies, Ms. O’Neil,” Splinter says, a twinge of amusement hidden within his tone. “However, there was a reason I did not tell or speak of my siblings often. They would have loved to have come to your wedding and I can assure you that none of them are offended that you did not invite them, since you did not even know they exist.” Splinter dips his brush into the ink as he tries to figure out the best way to formulate his words. “My siblings… They can be very… intense.”

“Sounds like someone else I know,” Raph mutters before snickering when Leo shoots him a glare.

Splinter ignores the interruption as he focuses on the two young adults before him.

“My siblings never truly understood my want to travel the world, my need to better understand the everything we have been training to protect.” Black eyebrows furrow as Splinter drops his gaze to stare at the blank piece of paper before him. “Saki and I were the youngest of the five. Our father gave us each one year to go out into the world and see it for ourselves to better grow and enhance our skills. After that year was up, we had a choice: return to the dojo and continue learning from our father and the elders to become the next ancient ones or we could live out in the world. If we chose the latter, it wasn’t permanent. My older siblings had already gone out into the world by the time Saki and I became teens. They had brought us gifts from the different countries and cultures they visited but otherwise never seemed to hold the same fascination that Saki and I had for this place that, at the time, we could only view through this small glass ball our father had.”

A bittersweet smile forms on Splinter’s face.

“My older siblings warned me and Saki that the world beyond our protective borders was complex and not always as beautiful as the small ball would show us. There was dangers everywhere and it was these dangers that led to my siblings choosing to remain at the dojo to further their training to become the next ancient ones. When it came to my turn to leave, Saki had already estranged from us and was under the tutelage of Ch’rell, the enemy of our elders and father, that my siblings were hesitant to see me off.”

“They just wanted you to be safe,” April states in understanding as Splinter nods.

“Correct. However, I wanted to see the world, I wanted to explore the places I had read about.” Splinter finishes his third ward and passes to Leo who stands with Raph to place the pieces of paper in any empty spots around the loft. “I never thought that my travels would lead me to the same city that my brother had taken up residence in. At that time, I was coming close to the end of my year and I was having conflicting feelings. On one hand, I was terribly homesick and alone in a world I did not understand.”

Splinter glances up at the two humans.

“But, on the other hand, I had seen such wondrous things during my travel and it made me sad to think of going back to the dojo, a place that was so secluded from the Earth. My father was leaving it up to me to decide while my siblings were becoming every pushy to bring me back to the dojo.”

The once-human then lifts his hand and looks at it. He can still picture what his hands used to look like before becoming thin with claws.

“Then I became like this and I found my sons,” Splinter continues softly, dropping his hand back down to resume working on the wards but sending his children a smile. “And it was then I found my purpose.”

“Do…” April starts before hesitating. She takes a step closer to the older male. “Do they know that you mutated?”

The ninja master nods.

“They do however, I did not tell them right away.” Splinter chuckles and shakes his head. “Which, is truly silly to think about now. Then, I had been afraid of what they would think or do if they saw what Saki had turned me into. Would they shun me? Would they go after someone who had been our brother for most of our life? Would they force me to stay hidden away? And what of my sons? Would they take them from me?” Splinter allows his brush to glide against the paper in smooth strokes. “I know now that they would not have taken my sons from me, not if I would have told them my plan of teaching and raising them as my own.”

The ninja master makes sure to provide eye contact with each of his sons, a gentle smile never leaving his face. Mikey can’t help the small smile back when their eyes meet for a moment before Splinter looks away.

The youngest always wondered why their father never spoke to them about his other siblings at all. His fingers flex against the journal in his hands and he looks down at it.

Every family has their secrets, Mikey thinks as he tunes some of the talking out. So maybe Rose can shed some light on what’s going on.

Gingerly, Mikey opens the cover to the page saying Rose’s name. Moving on, he opens to the first page. Mikey’s eyes widen when he spots the word ‘mirror’ among the gifts that Rose was given alongside the journal. So that’s who that belongs to! A thoughtful frown forms on Mikey’s face as he skims the rest of the page. But… this journal is quite old. Almost as old as the house itself and yet the mirror, while the actual mirror part was damage, the rest of it looked quite new and polished. Honestly, Mikey wouldn’t have been surprised if Casey would have said that the mirror sounded like his mom’s or something it looked that new. But who else’s could it be if not Rose’s? The design fits and there was that ‘R’ on the back.

And Casey couldn’t recall any other ‘R’ name in the family.

Mikey fingers one of the pages as he looks toward the stairs just as Raph and Leo place one of the wards on the banister. Could the mirror help them? Or maybe give them more insight? But to gain access to the mirror someone would have to go downstairs and his gut is telling him that would end in disaster.

“Mikey?”

Mikey jumps, his snout twitching before he turns his attention to Donnie. His brother is watching him closely and Mikey realizes that he might have been staring for too long off in the distance. His soft-spoken brother leans forward to better meet his eyes, concern swirling in those deep hazel eyes.

“Is everything alright?”

Heat rushes to Mikey’s face as the room falls quiet and he can feel everyone’s eyes on him. Clearing his throat, Mikey rubs his snout and throws Donnie a smile.

“Course! Um, but, uh, I think I might need to use the bathroom….”

Mikey bites the inside of his cheek as silence follows his admission. His eyes shift from one member of his family to another until they land on his father. The two of them stare at each other before Splinter nods.

“Of course. That was going to be my next area to fill. Can you hold on for a little longer until I have made enough wards to fill the bathroom and to line the path to the bathroom?”

Mikey quickly nods. “Oh! Um, yeah, sure, Sensei. I can hold on. Just…just let me know when you’re done.”

Splinter chuckles and nods.

“I will, my son. I think all of us should probably use the facilities as we wait for Mrs. Jones to arrive. No one should be by themselves even with the wards around and before I meditate to contact the Ancient One I will make more wards that lead to the front door.”

Mikey nods as he watches Casey and April sit upon one of the beds while Leo and Raph wait for the next round of wards to be made. A soft sigh leaves Mikey as he leans into Donnie, his brother happily accepting him to cuddle more on the bed.

As much as he hates not being able to do anything, Mikey is good to just cuddle with one of his brothers and just block everything out right now. And with how Donnie is hugging him, he thinks his big brother also needs this moment of peace.

Even if it’s just for a little bit.