Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Landing on staten Island was a painful journey, it was the one place worse than New Jersey! Leo had landed straight onto his back. He saw a bright orange light finally fade. He was struggling to keep his eyes open but he did, for his brothers. Donnie rushed to his side kneeling down and examing his body. The soft shell shook his head. An orange blur entered his vision it was Mikey. "Is he gonna be okay?" The tone of his voice was shaking.

The purple capped turtle opened his mouth to speak but before he did he let out a small breath. "Yeah, he'll be okay but he'll need time to recover," Donnie replied "his shell seems fine for the most part but his legs, ribs and arms aren't doing so well. That was also misusing of possible head trauma." His hands began to flip, turn and shake. "But at least he'll be okay." Donnie gave a small smile towards Mikey he returned it including a hug.

"Ewww. Are we on Staten Island, gross!" They both turned in shock to see Leo speaking. The box turtle rushed over to Leo, sweeping him into a big and tight hug. His face began to burn. Tears formed in his eyes and fell down his face creating something that seemed to be a waterfall. "Leo...I thought that you died. Please never do that again." He was hiccuping on his shoulder. The older twin patted him on the back and gave him a reassuring smile.

He lifted his hand to his face. Tears were falling down from them, he felt embarrassed but happy, his older twin was alive. He was grateful. It had seemed even rubbing his red eyes didn't help the fact that a certain red eared slider had noticed. "Woah! Donald, are you crying?" His eyes squinted and his teeth grit together. He turned to face his twin who was giving him a smug look, "Just please never do that again. Promise?"

His eyes were glissing as the sunlight reflected off of them, "I promise." He held out his smallest finger and Donnie shook it, they had done it ever since they were tots. His missed those times, but there's no going back only moving forward and right now he needed to be here for his brothers. He was pulled into a tight hug by his brothers in which he kindly accepted. After everything they all deserved a break.

All that was playing out in their ears were the waves hitting against the shore and the walls of the Island. All of them began to cry. They all refused to let go of each other, they're hands all wrapping around everyone of them. They all shared smiles together. "I'm so glad you guys are okay. I don't know what I would have done without you." Tears fell onto each one of their shoulders, they were now drenched in each others tears but they couldn't care.

After finally letting go of each other one finally broke the never ending silence, "We should be going home now, I'll cook the dinner!" The orange capped turtle was bouncing up and down with joy. His hands were bouncing with him, he waved them in the air as he continued with a list of what to cook. The red eared slider interrupted, "Well that sounds great Mikey but maybe we should discuss this when we get home?" Is that okay?" Mikey stopped in the motion and agreed.

"I'll call April or Splinter and see if they can pick us up." He placed his hands on his wrist band and began to type in April's number. It rang for 10.3 seconds (according to Donnie's calculations). The call had been answered, "Scoff, took you long enough. Anyway we need a lift, think you can bring the turtle tank over?" Quessing by April's expression she didn't look impressed. She answered him, "It didn't take me that long but sure, we might be a few minutes but we'll be there. Catch you later Dee!"

He ended the call and wrapped his arms around his chest, the thought had hit him. They had just survived an invasion but they had saved the world. They did what was best and he wouldn't take it back, it what was good for his brothers. He was proud not just proud of himself but of his brothers (but mainly himself). Mikey was still chating up a storm of ideas to Leo and he was stating his ideas as well which was nice to see.

After a while April, Casey and Splinter had arrived. Mikey had swarmed them with hugs and thank yous. Splinter and Casey emidently sprinted towards Leonardo and tried to treat him injuries but Donnie had insisted that they get him home first. Splinter agreed and helped him to his feet and made him enter the turtle tank. "Can't wait to get home and eat some of Mikey's coo-" His speaking was ended abruptly as the turtle tank seemed to rock to its side.

Everyone froze in their place. Donnie, Mikey and April stared at each other with fear in their eyes. "Spliner and Casey stay with Leo, clean him up and don't move him too much it could damage him more." After giving the instructions to them the trio exited the turtle tank. April was sweating, Mikey was fidgeting with his weapon, Donnie held his bo staff close to his chest not loosening his grip of it at any given moment.

They're hearts were in their throats. They're eyes were locked onto it... Onto him. Water was dripping from his shoulders, spikes emerged from his back. One eye glowing yellow while pink tentacles cover that side of his face. The other eye was a shade of pink it looked the same as his normal eyes but not at the same time. His arms were covered with pink goo and what seemed to be pink veins. One of his arms were replaced with a tentacle. Thier were sharp spikes that seemed to have to have grown from under his scales on were now making holes on the outside. His sharp teeth were bared at them, he let out a small growl at them and after that he let out a ground shaking roar.

It was Raph. His own brother, they were so focused on Leo that they...Forgot. "Raph! We know your still in there, please come back to us!" Mikey's voice ripped through the silence that was after the roar of course. Raph let out another roar. Donnie lowered his bo staff a bit just bellow waist height. He felt bad, Raph must be in so much pain. April raised her bat higher, "What should we do?" Donnie was frozen in place, non verbal. Mikey noticed this and tried to pull him back. That was until Raph lunged forward.

The purple capped turtle just had enough of a reaction time to raise his bo staff and jam it in his brother's mouth. This was his brother. He kept pushing his jaw further down on the bo staff almost snapping it in half. The red capped turtle flickered his eyes up to see Mikey tossing April with his chain at Raph while she raised her bat and swang. She landed a hit on his head, he stumbled back at the impact and a growl escaped his throat.

He raised his tentacle and twisted it in spirals and Donnie was pushed onto his back. Blood escaped his mouth and he was rushing backwards. Mikey swung his chain and tried to hold Raph down, his tentacle was quick to react as grapped his hands and was intching to close to him. April rushing over to help. She hit the back of Raph who had eventually let go of Mikey, who dropped down on the floor.

Her face twisted into despair which Raph tried to quickly take advantage of. That was until a certain genius turtle had shot a tranquilliser at him. It impeded in the tentacle which Raph quickly tried to quickly remove. He shot another. His attacks were halted and he fell unconscious on the floor. They all tried to catch their breath. "How can we help him? We can't just leave him like this..."

Mikey stared at his older brother. The older brother who always took care of them, watched over them. He rested Raph's head on his knees. Tears formed in his eyes, his vision was becoming blury. His brother's chest was vibrating against his knees, he found it some what comforting. Donnie finally released a breath a gave his suggestion. "My dear brother Angelo, as soon as you forget I am a genius and I swear I will fix our brother...and everything will be fine."

Chapter Text

He lifted his head up. A tight knot had formed in his stomach, he felt sick. He gulped his words, "You might wanna get me a bucket." Casey raised an eyebrow he asked, "But why sensi?" Splinter had zoomed after a bucket and held it out in front of his son and patted his back. The blue capped turtle felt the claws of his father press and rub against his shell, it gave him some comfort.

He gagged, he vomited the smell made him want to vomit more. He coughed and he finally rested his head back down almost retreating back into his shell. "My son, you have done well. Now please rest." Splinter patted Leo's head giving him reassurance that he wasn't leaving his side. Leo gave him a smile in which Splinter and Casey returned.

Leo wrapped his arms around himself. The air felt heavy against his scales, it pressed against his face making him want to go back into his shell. He sat with the bucket in his hands. He honestly felt bad, Donnie was going to kill him for the stench. The rat mutant sat next to him and told him, "I'm very proud of you blue, I can't imagine how hard it must have been but I can't describe how proud I am of you." Splinter laughed under his breath, "If only I had been there for you sooner." Leo moved his hand onto the rat's shoulder and answered, "You may not have been there back then but your here now. That counts right?"

Sinter nodded and moved his son's hand off of his shoulder. He held his breath before letting it go, "I don't deserve you boys, it was no excuse to leave you boys at a young age." His eyes were now glassy but he didn't deserve to cry, he wasn't there for his boys. His sons. Before he knew it he was pulled into a tight squeeze. "You may have left us but you were going through something that you didn't understand at the time and. I'm just grateful your here now."

The hug lasted awhile but it was comforting and reassuring it left them both glassy eyed. When the hug finally ended Casey had yelled out to them, "Hey. Looks like they're back!" Leo and Splinter laughed in synce until they saw Casey's expression cahnge drastically. His previous expression was exchanged for a more shocked and terrified look. He jumped out of the Turtle Tank, all they could hear was his footsteps. The red eared slider lifted himself up trying to look through the window, his eyes layed fixated on trying to find out what it was.

"April you don't have to help us." It was Donnie's voice he sounded drained of energy. He could see April enter the Turtle Tank she looked exhausted but upset. She didn't look up or face anyone she just sat down. At that moment Leo felt the Turtle Tank being weighed down by a powerful force. He lifted himself up further even Splinter did. They stared in disbelief. "Raph...?" Leo wanted to pounce onto his big brother and hug him. When he looked down upon him Leo felt like being sick again.

His face was morphed into beast, no. Worse. A Kraang. He felt his temperature rise higher, he felt sweat roll down his face his entire body felt like it had reached its boiling point. He watched all of his brothers. Donnie was typing things onto his wrist band while watching Raph at the same time. He noticed Mikey's lip was quivering, he bit into his lip and fiddled was his fingers. Raph. Was...Just there. He seemed so peaceful. Resting there while being dragged into the Turtle Tank.

"Blue." He felt a hand shake him he snapped out of his daze and looked down at Splinter. Splinter seemed to have said something but Leo didn't hear it. Splinter repeated himself, "Blue, I'm going to go to the front with purple will you be okay?" Splinter held his hand in his own. Leo nodded and gave a thumbs up along with a smile. He waved his father goodbye and layed back. He could hear the sound of Raph being dragged along the floor to the back of the Turtle Tank. After a moment Casey and Mikey were with him chatting about something that the blue capped turtle couldn't keep up with.

After what felt like an eternity their were finally home. Surprisingly Raph hadn't woke up from the way Donnie was driving. He was surprised they hadn't crashed into anything on the way and knowing Donnie he wouldn't have cared if he hit a kid. It was mainly Donnie and Casey who had carried Raph to Donnie's lab, Donnie kept on insisting that Mikey or April don't get involved and especially for Leo to not get involved. After that they all headed to the living room to have a Jupiter Jim marathon.

They all enjoyed it. Eventually Casey had joined them after helping Donnie and he loved the movies. He claimed that he never got a chance to watch movies or videos, only camera feeds if that counts. In the middle of watching a Jupiter Jim movie when the heard a loud ear piercing roar. They had felt the ground shake. The box turtle was the first one to run after the sound, followed by Casey. The blue capped turtle layed there groaning in pain whenever he tried to stand April took note of this and helped him up. He thanked her in which she replied, "No problem-o!"

They had finally reached Donnie's lab to see him working on a new Shelldon, ever since the Shredder he's always been trying to work on repairing Shelldon. Everyone could tell he missed Shelldon. He rested his hands and turned around to face them. Leo was still limping on his leg a bit but that would heal soon. "Hello my dearest brothers and friends. How may I be able to help you?" He forced a smile on his face. Leo frowned at how his twin was shaking. "We heard it." Casey said as he walked over to get Leo off of April's back. He raised an eyebrow, "What are you talking about?"

The box turtle was searching, searching for his brother. He was getting worried. His eyes darted around the room in a panic. "Donald. You can't tell me you didn't hear...Him." The purple capped turtle didn't reply, he sat in silence fixated on his hands. He was shivering he always remembered his lab being cold but not this cold. The older twin tried to walk over to his twin in which he succeeded (painfully). He patted Donnie on his shoulder and asked, "Dee, where is he?"

Donnie had set his thoughts to one thing. Raph. He answered his question "He's in a chamber I built. Until I can find something more secure he'll have to stay in there." He refused to look at Raph's direction. Mikey was about to speak when he was cut off, "You can't go in the chamber but I did install Windows, don't worry they are reinforced." He already knew someone was bound to ask the question so he answered it quickly to get it over with. They all quickly rushed in to see their brother.

Raph was banging on the walls, screaming. It was a mixture between anger and pain. Mikey didn't agree to this, he didn't like this one bit. "We can't keep him locked up here like a wild animal." Mikey had stated his point across to everyone but no one responded. The room was silent. Raph began to bang on the walls and try to pry them off. His eyes were filled with nothing. Nothing but the anger. Anger of the Kraang. Donnie folded his arms and replied, "Well there's nothing we can do. For the time being we'll have to keep him in there. He's just to dangerous." The youngest out of them all turned and his eyes were filled with nothing but rage.

"Guys! He's not some type of animal. He's our brother. The one who always took care of us, helped us with anything. He was always the one to love us." Mikey ranted on and on about how they should make it atleast more comfortable to stay in. Leo felt the heat rise up in the room. Donnie and Mikey were arguing about what they would do with Raph. The tension was unbearable. The arguing got worse but he pushed that to the back of his mind. He got closer to the window of the chamber, he couldn't bare it.

His brother was there, he knew it. Raph had to be there. He heard him say his name while under the Kraang's control. Deep down he knew Raph still loved them. He was still there. He pressed his hand against the window, he hoped Raph would walk up to him and hug him. He hoped that Raph would talk to him. He just hoped that Raph would do anything that wasn't the Kraang telling him what to do.

He kept his hand pressed against the window his eyes were searching Raph. For any sign of his brother coming back. He felt his eyes sting. He was about to cry but he couldn't do it here not while his brothers there. He had to escape.

He removed his hand from the window and said to everyone, "I need to, umm... clean my room, yeah!" Everyone stared at him. Leo quickly pushed the labs door open and ran for it. He gripped tightly onto his bed the mattress was creasing in response. He felt so bad, he had done this to Raph. It was him who went for the key. Raph had sacrifed himself to save him. The red eared slider's head reminded him of that terrible piercing sound, the growing groans of his brother, his emotional eyes. He didn't deserved to be saved. Just at that moment he heard a knock at his door.

He raised his hands to wipe his eyes. He raised up from his bed and said, "I'm coming." He really didn't want to let them in, his eyes still looked red and poofy. Twisting the door handle he saw the face of his twin staring at him. He was confused, "Wait, Dee. I thought you didn't let anyone be on their own in your lab." He didn't respond straight away. He let him enter his room and sit on his bed.

"Well, I don't, I escourted everyone out before I left." The soft shell had replied. The twins sat together on his bed. Donnie raised an eyebrow in concern. He fiddled with his fingers. "Well do you wanna talk about it?" Leo laughed, he supposed it was ment to be a cry, "Is it really that noticeable?" His younger twin nodded while rolling his eyes. "Well, I mean... It was my fault." He knew his twin wasn't good at emotions but he still wanted to talk about it. "What's your fault?" He laughed again this time louder in which he got a face with 'really?' written all over it.

"I'm the reason why Raph is like that. I'm the reason he's hurt. It was all my fault." He knew his twin wasn't good at understanding or communicating with emotions but still, he needed to let it out to someone and he didn't want to bother Mikey. He heard his brother sigh, this wasn't going to get him anywhere. "Sigh, we'll I mean in technically it was your fault but you didn't mean it, you didn't want Raph to get hurt." He let out a breath before speaking again, "I know I'm not good with this whole emotions thing but I can tell you love and care for everyone. You did what you thought was best."

He was shocked, Donnie? Donnie! Of all people to tell him this. Wow. "That's some words especially for you Dee." He heard him begin to grit his teeth. "Scoff, I'm amazing at everything I do." He felt the pride coming off of him. His face glimered with pride, he was so full off himself. "Umm. I was just wondering, what would have happened if Raph wasn't infected with the Kraang?" What if he hadn't saved me?" His twin rubbed his finger against his chin and gave him a answer, "Well it would have been a different time branch. But at last this was the one chosen for us. Curse the creator."

He heard the purple capped turtle whisper the last part under his gasping breath. He never questioned his twin's weirdness and he won't now. He felt his eyes becoming poofy again, this time he let the tears fall. "Thanks Dee, your a good brother." He had woke up a bit more to allow a smile to form on his drenched face. Donnie had forced a smile on his face but atleast he was trying. He stared at his hand and then Donnie, back and fourth he licked his hand and wiped it hard against his face. "What the-? Nardo! That is so gross!" He melissoly laughed as he ran. "Heeey Donald~ What do you call it when you go shopping for new eyebrows?" He could tell he didn't want to hear his joke, "I don't want to hear it Leon!" In which he was correct, "Browsing. For your information you need to go browsing cause those eyebrows are looking a little flat."

He clenched his fists together tightly, he gritted his teeth and he groaned in anger. He returned to his lab, after while of trying to get his eyebrows back in which Leo kindly smeared off. He watched Raph pace around in the chamber. He mind traced back to when Leo asked him those questions, 'What would have happened if Raph hadn't protected Leo? What if he wasn't infected?' His head was aching with these questions and they only got worse. 'What if Micheal wasn't able to open the portal? What if I hadn't crashed my drill into the Kraang's face? What if-'

His thoughts were cut short as he heard his lab door open. "Micheal." He spun the metal plated chair around to face his younger brother. "Micheal, I'm so-" He quickly stopped in the middle of his sentence. The youngest was hanging from the frame of the lab door, "No. Donnie I'm sorry, I shouldn't have acted that way. I just wanted to apologise." He emidently felt bad, a knot formed stomach. "I'm also sorry, I shouldn't have pushed your ideas to the back, you only wanted to make sure Raph was fine." Donnie formed a smile on his face, "We cool?" He stuck out a hand in response. The box turtle quickly shook his hand with rapid speed.

"Hey uh Donnie, I forgot to ask can we have a turtle pile? Only if you want of course." Mikey had asked with light speed he had almost missed the question but he gave his answer, "Yeah, that's okay." The orange capped turtle in response quickly began to hop and jump around as he smiles brightly. "Okay so I guess we're having a turtle pile?" He twisted around to see Leo standing in front of the lab door. "Scoff, yes we are and yes you are invited." They all quickly got into bed with multiple blanket wrapped around them.

They snuggled into one another, the warmth of them made them feel comfort. The vibrating chests was weird but also comforting. After a while everyone was asleep in a giant heap of comfort and caring brothers.

Chapter Text

He continued to watch as Raph paced around in the chamber. His hands felt numb, he knew he could fix Raph he had to. Last night, he had to escape the turtle pile to keep working on Shelldon. It was confusing, ealier he heard Leo say something about Raph saying his name. None of that really mattered as it wasn't going to help them get him back, it was just more evidence that Raph was there. Raph had to be there, he was too stubborn to leave his family. He cared about them.

His mind sprung back to how he was wrapped in black sluggish goo. He felt his body shiver. The way it twisted his body into numerous positions, it hurt his arms, legs and spine even remembering it. Rubbing his head he turned back to the analysis he had been keeping on Raph. He wondered if he still needed to eat and he didn't want to risk it. After returning from the kitchen he placed a piece of meat through a little hatch he had recently built in.

For a couple of minutes Raph didn't acknowledge the meat and once he did he didn't seem to care. The soft shell didn't want to pick up the meat as it felt disgusting to touch. Facing back to the analysis of Raph he noticed that he hadn't slept the entire time. He highly doubts that he'll sleep, so he'll have to put him to sleep somehow of course without hurting him. After over looking the statuses he turned back to see that the food he offered was gone. So he does need food.

Ealier that day the soft shell had gone out to collect what was left of the Kraang, whether it was alive or just goo it was still useful. Of course he wore gloves he's not an animal. Even with gloves on it still made him shake, it reminded him of how he was severed from the ship. It caused him to freeze. His mind encased that memory in the front of his mind. Trying to push it to the back of his mind he collected what was needed, a couple of kraangifed rats and some disgusting goo.

The purple capped turtle opened his pouch and placed the assets in it and quickly headed back to the lair. Mikey had offered him some pancakes but he declined the offer. He rushed back to his lab, he swiftly grabbed equipment out a microscope, scalpel, clamps, whatever he needed. He knew this was going to be disgusting and he already wanted to throw up. The knot in his stomach became tighter making him cross his arms across his stomach.

He grabbed a kraangifed rat out of his pouch and began to examine it, he kept it in its container as he examined it. He began to work on a antidote but first he wanted to examine how the rat behaved around one of its own kind just not kraangifed. Donnie wondered endlessly in the sewers looking for a rat. Eventually he caught one, he still wore his gloves. He definitely was going to put hand sanitizer on after this. He brought the rat back to his lab and placed the rat with the kraangifed rat.

What he saw made him what to be sick, the kraangifed rat was attacking the other rat almost beating it to death, he thought it was going to kill but it didn't. Instead it spread the infection to the rat, the rat squirmed it pain until it was corrupted and turned into a Kraang. Donnie's mind clicked onto a thought 'Was this what happened to Raph? Leo did say he sacrifed himself and that he was impaled by the supposed leader Kraang. Was his treatment worse? Did it hurt him more?' The transformation that they all saw was horrifying.

How Raph screamed before his eye burst out tentacles and gallons of Kraang goo that coiled around his body. How his body was morphed into a monster. How his eyes changed into the eyes of a Kraang. He was snapped out of his thoughts when a low hiss. The soft shell twisted his head to observe the chamber. Raph was being more aggressive towards well anything really. A cock roach. He emidently attacked and spliting it in half with his fingers. Donnie wondered why he didn't try to kraangife it. His head raced with the possibilities or what it could be, could it be that Raph doesn't have that ability? But the rat had it.

Donnie's mind fluttered with ideas as to why Raph had killed it and done nothing more. Until his mind shut up he stood up and stumbled towards the chamber. Raph was there just staring at his surroundings he didn't even notice him. He felt bad for all the times Raph had to pull him out of his lab, put him to bed when he was working on a new invention. He huffed as he continued to observe Raph's situation. While observing Raph he heard a knock on his lab door.

"Enter." He didn't want to speak much while looking over Raph, he couldn't take looking at the monster that took the form of their big brother. He wanted to trick his mind into believing it was Raph at that was it but he couldn't. As the lab door flung open the soft shell wanted to ask questions and he wanted answers. "Heya Donatello, how is he?" Casey walked in not meeting his eyes, staring at his own feet. Donnie sighed as he crossed his arms against his chest, "I'm working on an antidote, I haven't started yet as I'm running tests first. So don't expect it to be done."

The teenage boy motioned his hand to see if he could go closer to the chamber and Donnie agreed. The purple capped turtle sat back down in his metal plated chair and rested his head in his hands. Casey watched as Raph was stomping around in the chamber. He just barely fit into the chamber ever time he stood up he banged his head against the titanium celling. "So why are you truly here?" The question broke through the thick silence. The boy huffed as he held his breath and let out a low breath. "I just wanted to see how he was because what happened it my time line was worse."

Donnie was confused as to how it could be worse to which he asked the question, "How was it worse, did the treat you worse? Did they do something horrible while turning you into one of them?" He watched as the young boy wrapped his arms around himself and began to rub and scratch. "Well after you 'severed your purpose' if they saw no use for you or if they thought you were weak they would kill them in many gruesome ways." His entire body shut down. His head was aching with the idea of different ways Raph could have been killed. Casey continued on about the many horrors of the original time line.

"As I said when we first met we have to hunt for food because the Kraang got they're servants to cut any type of food supply." His eyes were now filled with a fire. A fire that will never die out until he has permanently erased THEM. "We had to hide in caves as the Kraang wiped out every building with those weird tentacles and when people tried to go back home... They would also get turned into one of their slaves." Donnie gritted his teeth, his eyes narrowed at the sound of Casey's words. He clenched his hands into fists, he wanted to punch anything that was a Kraang. Anything that they claimed was their's.

"When someone got turned into a Kraang zombie there was never really a chance they'd ever come back-" Donnie saw red closing off his vision. "Once they were the Kraangs' slave they would never listen to anyone but the Kraang. They only served their 'masters-'" Donnie's breaths came out short and was in synce with the seconds of the clock ticking away. "They made them do things that were unreal almost impossible things that nobody could imagine. They hunted people like wild animals, they made sure there was no sense of hope, they made people believe that there was no escape."

Casey wanted to continue about how his time line was a giant mess and how the Kraang had won. He didn't want to ruin anything that this time line had to offer, although his time line wasn't good it still offered some great things. Atleast that's what Master Leonardo had said to him and he only realised now what he ment. "Get out." The voice had made Casey jump, he wasn't expecting Donatello to speak at the sudden moment. "Wha- Why? Did I say something wrong?" He stared at his hands, he didn't mean to say anything that might have upset him in anyway. He just wanted to tell him about the time line. Things that he couldn't tell anyone else because they wouldn't understand him.

"I-... No. I just need some quiet while I work, so if you would kindly leave that would be appreciated." He agreed and stepped out of Donatello's lab not without apologising of course. As he left he heard the sound of metal clashing together. He stood silently in the living room. He didn't want to be more of a burden than he already was. "Hey, whatcha doing?" He jumped at the sudden voice that played out in his ears. It was commander O'Neil. "Nothing much just thinking." When he gave his answer he didn't expect another question to be shot at him, "Thinking about what?" The young boy didn't want to give an answer but he had to as he needed to get weight off of his chest.

"Well I was just thinking about my time line and about everyone in it." Casey's face was gloomy, he wanted to talk about it but he didn't know how to. How do you explain that your still thinking about what happened in a different time line and in that time line everybody you loved died. That you were the only survivor. "You struggling with it?" He was honestly surprised could she tell by his face? He never really was a good lair. He remembered the times where he tried to lie to Master Leonardo, he failed miserably with it.

"Yeah." He heard his voice bounce off of the walls of the lair. Every thought he had was tied up it a giant mess. He felt a hand rest against his shoulder. "Until your ready you don't have to talk about it," His frown had been exchanged for a smile as he heard those words. "I get it. My parents really didn't pay attention to me or for what I did when I was younger but that's how I met the turtles. As I got older everything got better. Bad things happen but that doesn't mean nothing nothing good can come out if it." She held out her arms and kindly wrapped his arms around her.

"Thank you and I'll let you know when I'm ready." The embrace lasted a while which he was glad for. He received a pat on the shoulder as April walked off into Donnie's lab. He lept around the lair, he had never seen it he only heard stories about it. The memories didn't leave him though, he didn't want to let them go. The stories he heard about Raph was at the centre. About how he was the previous resistance leader and how huge he was. People kept saying Donatello was just below his waist and Donatello was taller than Master Leonardo. About the sacrifes he made, how he sacrifed his life for others. Casey hoped really hard that that fate wouldn't be waiting for Raph.

He wondered aimlessly in circles around the lair he was invested in it. Resting his eyes he saw Master Leonardo sitting on a chair in the kitchen. He entered and asked, "Master Leonardo, are you alright?" He turned around to face him and smiled. He waved his hand in the air and said, "Yeah, I've just got a saw throat." While Leo was rubbing his throat Casey began to admire the lair. He left and rushed around the lair in amaze. He twirled around and laughed, be never thought he could do it. He never thought he could prevent the Kraang, although they still got the portal they were stopped and there was no war, no end if the world. Not anymore.

His eyes were falling and he allowed it. He could finally rest, he didn't have to worry about surviving anymore. No more hiding caves, eating whatever scraps was laying about. None of that anymore. Resting his head he layed back against a beanbag he let his eyelids fall over his eyes. He would let his dreams carry him anywhere really as long as he gets some sleep.

***

The chemicals bubbled as he examined them, the chatter was at the back of his mind. It turned into a red and black as they mixed with one another. On the other side if the room Mikey was sat next to the chamber he was talking to Raph. Well atleast trying to talk to Raph but he wasn't paying attention to Mikey, he was only focused on getting out of the chamber. He only payed any attention to Mikey was when he tried to rip the window out. The box turtle didn't care about this though he kept showing his older brother the new drawing he made of all of them together sitting in front of a sunrise.

He heard a sniffle he spun around to see the orange capped turtle reaching up to his eyes and rubbing his wrists against his eyes. "My brother dearest Angelo, what's the problem?" His eyes widened as Mikey fell onto the fall bursting out into tears. He rushed over and pressed his arms onto his younger brothers shoulders and asked again, "Mike, what's wrong?" He pressed his kegs against his chest and tried to breath, he stared at Donnie and answered, "I know it's dumb and it's not that I don't believe you but what if we never see Raph again? What if he's gone forever even though we got that Kraang thing off of him?"

He patted the back of his sibling and began to breathe with him. He could feel himself tensing up, he proceeded to breathe in and out. "Micheal, I would never let Raph our older brother be taken by some monsters. I'm trying my best and I'll try even harder," he stared at the window to see Raph bitting on the edges of it. The grunts and snarls made Donnie shiver and he wanted to hide in his shell. "For our brother." He forced a smile on his face and his younger brother gave back a sloppy smile in return. As Mikey tried to hug Donnie a huge explosion ringing through their ear slits.

The chemicals were scattered around on Donnie's work desk, he narrowed his eyes and let out a frustrated grunt. He began to put his hands into fists. He wanted to punch something, anything. He felt a tap on his back, he turned around to face his younger brother. He let out a breathe to which Donnie followed along with, he smiled and said, "I'll clean this up later, how about we go to the living room?" Mikey nodded and basically dragged him out of his lab and into the living where everyone was standing with wide eyes.

Something behind him grabbed him and began to shake him, "Donnie, what was that explosion? Are you okay? Was anyone hurt?" Grabbing the hands he put them down by the person's sides and replied, "It's fine April it wasn't harmful it was just a test for the antidote." She let out a sigh of relief and insisted that they go sit down with everyone else.

Everything felt calm as they all walked into a room with movies plotted around the room. "Hey Dee, we are having a movie night wanna join?" The orange marked turtle grapped the purple capped turtle to his eye level and nodded swiftly. He agreeded and sat down with everyone as the had a movie marathon.

Chapter Text

Pulsing through his arms was a stabbing pain, he twitched at the ache in his ankles. He opened his eyes, it was still pitch black. He tried opening and closing them again the same result repeated itself. A soft breeze brushed against his face, his pushed his snout up and twisted his mouth into a frown. He thought about trying to find away out of the room he was in, he was in a room right? On his command he tried to move his legs, they refused to obey him.

Numerous attempts later and he still wasn't successful, he scrapped his teeth against each other (if he brushed them against each other any harder he was sure they were going to begin to start spraying sparks). Tight invisible straps sinked into his scales making him itch, or atleast tried to. Sweat rolled down his face, he guessed it was by the heat but there was no heat. What was around him was covered by a frost land of cold air. Wondering how that was possible he moved his eyes around to try to find someone, no one. He was completely alone.

Thinking to himself he began to let his eyes fade out of reality, if this was considered reality. Beginning to let his eyelids fall over his eyes he felt a quick rush of wind pass by him, it was accompanied by a loud thud. He lifted his head, he was on the ground? Wasn't he already on the ground, he didn't want to question it anymore. He placed his hands against a liquifed solid metal surface. Lifting himself up, he stabilised his position as he got up. He let his eyes roam around the empty space. He saw nothing, nothing of interest or of value.

He tried to walk but it didn't feel like he was moving. He felt his body move but didn't feel it himself. On each side of him, little strained and soft whispers chanted through the emptiness. It was so quiet he barely heard it or even noticed it was there in the first place. The voices sounded so unnerving yet so comforting. He was all alone in this place and the voices provided him a substance of pleasure, he felt the comfort and pleasure from them. Whipping his head around he expected to see someone but nobody was there.

He kept trying to turn his head, even though it didn't feel like it, overall every one of his attempts lead to the same result. No one was there. He was completely alone. He tried to think of a possible answer to the voices. How could this be? Where we they coming from? He continued to question the possibility of someone speaking but not truly being there. Then he heard a faint ringing sound. More voices erupted from the void, progressively getting louder and louder. He still couldn't tell what they were saying and even how they sounded. Sharp chills went up his spine or atleast he thought they did.

These voices were devouring at his breaths, consuming any feeling he had. A painful stab came from behind his eye. It felt like it was burning and about to burst open, into a massive bloody and grimy heap of nothing. His arm felt different, it felt stronger and more powerful. It felt greater to have this new replacement for his arm. Surging through his body was great power. He actually felt something, he felt happy. He could actually feel himself. Even if he was in pain a bit, he was happy. He was actually feeling himself. It felt great, amazing even, to be this new being that he was becoming.

He would be stronger and better with this new energy. With this new power. He would enjoy being this new being. Atleast that's what the voices had told him.