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Chapter Text

His ears rung, the tingling sensation running through his head and throughout his neck. Leo, if that was even his name, blinked hard and watched the blinding light of an explosion—no—the explosion—pour its rays through the thin air of the prison dimension. His conscious suddenly came to, washing a horrendous feeling of pain over his body. Every nerve, muscle, and tissue felt like it was on fire, and he wiped away his tears with what little strength he had left. Leo finally settled on not being a dead floating vegetable, and slowly but surely lifted his head. Well, he wasn’t floating, but he was in an extremely uncomfortable position regarding one of his legs being all…squiggly. Definitely not good. Donnie had taught him how to recognize a broken bone from a dislocated one, and other stuff like that.

    Donnie. His eyes started to well up with tears as the feeling of dread crawled into his heart, digging into it like a dagger. He might never see him again. Any of them, in fact. They were safe though, he knew that for sure. The thought made him aware of who he was stuck with. The horrible menace that could have wrecked the world in a moment. He didn’t though. Leo made sure of that. But that horrible menace did wreck his face, his beautiful, gorgeous—practically perfect—face. He was practically a balloon due to all the welted wounds, and the swollen bruises weren’t helping.

    “Urghhh….” He gurgled.

    Either he had sucked on a penny, or his mouth was full of…his hands drifted to his face, barely touching his cracked lips. They retracted, now with red stains on his fingertip. He wanted to shudder, but Leo didn’t have the strength. Instead, he flopped himself onto his plastron, which in turn was also a bad idea. He gulped, feeling the blood rush down his throat. That was enough to convince his body to spit it back up, and he did, which again was even worse.

    The blood sprayed out of his mouth with a choke and Leo closed his eyes tightly, inhaling through his nose to calm himself. Okay. You’re definitely hurt, you’re alone, have no idea when the Kraang is, and all hope of surviving is literally gone. Wow, I suck at cheering myself up. Leo took a moment to examine his surroundings, and somehow realized he was laying down vertically. His mind started to reel as Leo saw the endless ink speckled with stars, even though he thought he was looking down.

    He crawled desperately to a large piece of Kraang armor and hoisted himself up with all his might, curling up into a shuddering ball at the base of a massive mouth, twisted and compacted into a kind of container for him to sit in. Safe, for now.

    The throat was completely exposed with wires and debris poking out everywhere. It was so dark he could barely see, and the only light source was the explosion, still shining after what seemed like years. How long had he been gone? Did the Kraang think he was dead? Leo would’ve thought so too, regarding his current state. Come to think of it, he could barely speak. He tried to say hello, but his throat was so hoarse only a grating squeak came through. That’s not good.

    A roar erupted from farther away, chilling Leo to the bone. The Kraang was out there, somewhere, and the thought made him want to vomit. He constricted around himself even tighter, shutting his eyes tightly. There was no hope for him. Leo would either get slaughtered by the Kraang, eventually starve to death, or die of dehydration, or infection. What joy. Okay, Leo. Calm down.There’s got to be something here to help. Luckily enough, there was. A large, dull red banner was shredded between the Kraang’s hand, the metal glinting ominously as if to say, you don’t have the guts. Leo had no choice. He unraveled himself from the tight sphere he was in and army-crawled to the cloth. He was not about to die of blood loss.

    Leo eventually reached it after multiple stopping points to rest and discovering he had a cracked shell, which didn’t cheer him up. At all. Leo grabbed the banner and frantically wrapped his wounds, hissing in pain when the rough texture rubbed against his raw skin. His leg was in need of a reset and a splint. He prepared himself, huffing and hyperventilating as his quivering hands inches closer to the knee. He shut his eyes tightly and clenched his teeth until they felt like cracking. With a snap and a painful yell, he set the bone back into place. Leo breathed quickly, tears in his eyes.

    “Owwww…” He whined. His voice caught in his throat, and he coughed dryly. He grabbed two rods of metal and wrapped them up with the some of the remaining textile, circling it around his leg. After some time of resting in the armored mouth he was in before, Leo finally regained enough strength to actually move without feeling like he was dropped in a pit of lava. He wiggled his fingers, watching them shake. It was so cold. He shivered and rested his head between his knees. Now that Leo wasn’t as tired, he could finally feel the effects of the prison dimension getting to him.

    The freezing air caused a chill to run up Leo’s shell, and he swallowed his tears. He wanted to be with his family so bad. He wanted to feel their warm embrace, flooding him with a sense of security he wouldn’t have again. Leo imagined Mikey greeting him, hugging him every chance he got. He imagined Donnie, teasing and showing him his new inventions. And he imagined himself apologizing to Raph for everything. That was all he wanted to do. Make Raph know it wasn’t his fault. Leo knew him. He knew Raph blamed himself because he wasn’t there to protect him. But that didn’t matter anymore, did it? None of it did. He was stuck here, fated to die without any of his brothers by his side with the creeping doom of the Kraang always behind him.

    The thought made him want to cry, and he did. Leo sobbed until he couldn’t sob anymore. He cried and cried for what felt like hours. He was satisfied with himself, for saving them. He knew they were safe. But he couldn’t help feeling a horrendous feeling brewing in his heart. What was there left to live for?

    He’d lost his family, his home. It didn’t matter if he died, because no one would know. They probably thought he was dead already, and Leo couldn’t blame them. With his family gone, Leo was a shell. An empty shell filled with dreams that could never be fufilled. Feelings that could never be felt, and wishes that would never come. Nothing was worth anything anymore.

    So he’d wait. Wait for the day some glimmer of hope just might shine through. It was the only thing he could do, besides cry and give up. Ninjas never retreat, and they never back down. So he would keep waiting until his body had turned to dust and his shell turned to a fossil.

He’d wait.

Chapter Text

    “Mikey, it’s over.” Raph looked at him sadly, his blank eyes barely focused. 

    “Leo never gave up on us! I’m not giving up on him!” He yelled in anger. Leo had to come home. Mikey would never forgive himself if he didn’t. His hands reached out in from of him, and he shook them desperately. Tears streamed down his face, as he struggled to open something, anything that would allow Leo to be back with his brothers. Come on, magic hands. I need you. Please. He gulped, his hands quivering. Mikey could barely stand, but he had to. For Leo. Raph was saying something in the background, but his ears were ringing too hard for him to hear. Small streaks of light sparked from him fingertips, but started to fade. Mikey stood there like a statue, arms outstretched as if reaching out for something soon to be there. 

    He stayed there until the sun set, grunting and sobbing in desperation. A hand finally reached his shoulder, and Mikey whipped his head around in frustration. Raph stood there, lips shaking and breathing heavily. “We need to go home.” 

   “WHAT HOME?” He snapped. Raph’s eyes wider for a second, then started to well up with tears. He turned his head away facing the sun, which was barely a sliver over the horizon. “There’s no home until he comes back. I’m staying.” Mikey heard quiet cries from behind him, and he twisted his neck to see Donnie laying hopelessly on the floor, almost like a rag doll. He was grasping his face as if to force the tears to go back into his eyes. His eyes softened and his muscles started to loosen, which allowed him to burst into tears even more.

    Mikey sunk to the ground, covered in rubble.The sun was completely gone now, the darkness enveloping the city. It was covered in flames. He could hear police sirens wailing and ambulances driving across the city. But he also heard cheering. NO ONE should be cheering. This didn’t deserve a celebration. This wasn’t a time for recovery, get-togethers, or parties. But it wasn’t a time for mourning, either. Leo wasn’t dead, he couldn’t be. He was too strong. That, Mikey knew. He sunk to his knees, looking up at the sky. Leo was somewhere in a different dimension, a different realm. Mikey couldn’t bear it. He closed his eyes, and he let the tears fall silently. Raph picked him up, and they walked back over to New York from Staten Island.

    The water shimmered like paint streaks on a canvas, and he closed his eyes in exhaustion.

    Mikey woke up to the sound of soft talking in the main room, and he stretched. It was morning, now. The sun dappled the sewer floor in golden splotches, and he watched them flow over his body as he stumbled to the noise. Mikey rubbed his eyes tiredly, and they were red and irritated from crying. Casey, Raph, and Dad were whispering. 

    “Guys?” His throat was hoarse, and he coughed, sinking to the ground. He was too tired to deal with standing, so he just accepted the fall. Raph ran over and caught him, setting Mikey on the spot next to where he was sitting previously. 

    “Take it easy buddy. It’s been a rough night for all of us.” Casey was sitting, his hands intertwined with each other resting on his forehead. His head was down, and his hair covered his face. Dad was covered with a blanket, his eyes red. Raph had no mask with a few stitches over one of his eyes, and he too, had been crying. Mikey looked around. Still no Leo. It was hard to believe he wasn’t here.

    “Where’s Donnie?” He asked Raph.

  “He’s with April in the Recovery Bay. We found out his shell was…not in good shape.”

Shit. 

 He got up and immediately suffered vertigo, staggering to the Bay. 

    “Maybe you shouldn’t-“

    “I’m fine. I just wanna see him.” Raph nodded, seeing how Mikey insisted.

    The door opened with a hiss, and a blast of cold, crisp air hit him in the face. Donnie was resting on his plastron, and he had gauze wrapped around his whole torso. The heart monitor was beeping steadily, and a bunch of medical equipment was at the ready by his side. April had her hands clasped onto her mouth, trying not to cry. “What happened to him…?” Mikey choked.

    “When he took control of the spaceship, the biogrowth, um…it—it took a bigger toll on him that we thought.” She trailed off, attempting to contain herself. Mikey’s eyes drifted to Donnie’s soft shell to take a closer look, and he let out a small gasp. Not only was he wrapped in gauze, but there were old bloodstains that had seeped through the cloth. His breathing pattern was steady, but labored. Donnie took short, shaky breathes, and he could tell it had been bad.

    “When do you think he’ll recover?” Mikey asked softly, unsurely. If he recovers. 

    “He’ll be fine in a few months,” April reassured him, probably noticing Mikey’s questioning tone. We just need to make sure he rests, take his mind off of…” 

    “Leo.” Mikey finished. The word felt like daggers in his throat, and it pained Mikey to even think of him. He blinking hard, trying not to cry. 

    “Yeah.” April spoke shakily, swallowing her tears. Mikey hugged her and strutted out of the room quickly, wiping his cheeks. 

    He sat in his bed, racking his brain to find any way Leo could come home. He had thought of using some of the Hamato Clan’s ancient texts, but those were shredded a while ago, them being outdated and all. He could practice his ninpo magic in his room until he could open a portal. It was probably risky, but Mikey was willing to do anything to get his brother back. He hopped off of the bed, positioning himself the same way he had on Staten Island. Mikey’s arms tensed, his muscles constricting around themselves. His foot slid back, and his heel lifted off of the sewer ground. He stood in multiple positions, seeing if any of them would work. Mikey even tried doing it upside down, hanging from a pipe. Nothing. And then he fell. He hit the ground with a thump, and his head started to throb. Footsteps creeped closer to his room, and he sat up quickly. 

    “Master Michaelangelo, are you-“ Casey peeked his head out from the hallway. 

    “Yeah, yeah, I’m good. Just great actually.” He gave him a thumbs up and went back to doing his thing. “Oh, and Mikey’s fine, dude!”

    “…I know what you’re trying to do.” Casey spoke low, looking at him with tired eyes. 

   “Yeah, well, it’s gonna work.” He really didn’t want Casey to stop him. It was too important.“Sorry, that sounded rude, um—“

    “I don’t want to lose another mentor.” He looked away, lips quivering.

    “Wh-…what?” What did he mean by that? Mikey had magic hands, so shouldn’t he use them? Shouldn’t the, “most powerful mystic warrior the world has ever known” get to save his brother? Casey walked over to him and rested his hand on Mikey’s forearm, lowering it gently.

    “Okay, um…how do I tell you this…” Casey mumbled to himself, putting his finger to his pursed lips and tapping them. 

    “Tell me what?” Mikey made eye contact with him, and Casey sighed. 

    “So, y know how you sent me back in time…?” Mikey nodded slowly, furrowing his brow in anticipation. “It came at a cost.”

    Casey explained how he and future Leo had died to allow him through the portal. Mikey glanced at Casey, and saw that his eyes were full of regret and remorse for his lost mentors. He stared blankly into the distance, speaking slowly with little tone. The warm light from the other room had gleamed onto Casey’s blank expression, leaving a shadow that stretched across the wall and onto the ceiling. 

 
    “Oh.” He couldn’t find the words. Of course he didn’t want to risk death, but it was really either or. He could save Leo and survive, or he could die trying. It wasn’t exactly the kind of thought he wanted to have. He thought for a moment. Casey would never let him try to get Leo back he had already accepted he was gone. Mikey couldn’t be mad though. He had endured so much pain and death the second he had been born, losing someone probably wasn’t so different. If they were left behind, they were gone. But Mikey wasn’t going to sit here and do nothing. He couldn’t let Leo be stuck there to rot in that god-awful place. So he’d lie.

    “Promise me you won’t try to do anything.” Casey murmured pleadingly. It stung Mikey to be untruthful when Casey was so obviously in distress. 

    “I—I promise.” He almost winced. He hated doing this to him. Why did this have to be so HARD? They were supposed to be ninjas. They were supposed to do anything, and they were supposed to stick together. The guilt was overwhelming, so Mikey decided he wouldn’t try. Today. 

    “This was supposed to be a happy ending, Casey.” He seethed.

    “I know.” He rested his head on Mikey’s shoulder and closed his eyes.

    He looked up at the ceiling, wishing someone—anyone would tell him it was okay.

Chapter Text

Mikey paced around the Recovery Bay, picking at his nails. Donnie was still asleep after a couple weeks, and Mikey hadn’t gotten any better at his magic. The family had changed so much in such a short time. April hadn’t stayed with them more than an hour, and she grew more and more distant as time went on. She only dropped off gifts and medical supplies for Donnie and Raph when they needed it. Raph was in his room all day, usually fighting with the punching bag.

He was so scared they were going to fall apart. He decided to stay with Donnie and talk to him when others weren’t around. Mikey was pretty sure Donnie was the only one who knew how he was feeling. The cold air surrounded him with an odd, satisfying feeling because it was the only air that he could breathe in. It was a place where he didn’t feel like his lungs had been crushed or his head was throbbing constantly. He hadn’t eaten about a week. Too busy for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

“I’m scared, Donnie.” He sighed, finally speaking after an hour of silence. Mikey kneeled at the foot of the bed, laying his head down on the sheet. They felt silky and crisp, like they had just come out of the drier. The hospital lighting illuminated the dark walls of the sewers, and dust floated through the air like snowflakes falling. He clenched his fist, closing his eyes in defeat. “I could use your genius right now, Dee. You’d know what to do.” You always know what to do.”

He opened his eyes again, and they were blurry with tears. The softshell’s breathing was normal now, which comforted Mikey a little. “I just—how am I supposed to do this without you?” He wanted Donnie to be here so bad. His hands shook, grasping the bed even tighter. Family—“ He choked.” Family always sticks together, right…?” God, he wanted a reaction so bad. He wished that Donnie would wake up and say, “Yes we do, Michael!” and they’d hug and everything would be fine and everyone would be happy because they deserved it.

Tears started to run down his cheek and Mikey cried silently. Donnie’s face was still, like someone had frozen it in time. He looked so peaceful and calm. Mikey wanted to do that. He wished he was calm, because maybe then everything would stop hurting, and maybe everything could be as normal as possible. But that wasn’t going to happen. This wasn’t a fairytale like in a storybook, and it was never going to be. His feelings were everywhere, all spread out on a table like a deck of cards. He lifted himself from the bed and dragged his feet to the door. Mikey gazed at his brother sadly, his hand on the doorframe. The guilt of leaving him was almost unbearable.

What if Donnie never woke up? What if this was the last time Mikey were to see him alive? He didn’t want another brother to leave him. Leo was enough. If another one disappeared, Mikey might just “disappear” himself. He swallowed his feelings, and held his stomach, almost like he was trying to keep them down. He staggered out, his eyes blurry. 

He could still hear Raph grunting while hitting the punching bag, and Mikey’s footsteps pattered against the dark, cold cement, where he sat on a bean bag and grabbed a Jupiter Jim comic to distract himself. After a few minutes of deciding that wasn’t working, he sighed heavily and observed the New York City sky. The vast emptiness grew in his heart, and he held his chest. He wanted to connect with Leo any way he could. His hands reached for it in hopes that his brother would reach out through something and hug Mikey. Come home, bro. I miss you.

Mikey choked back his tears, holding them in with his palms. He sniffled quietly, and maybe it was because he was tired, but Mikey felt really light all of a sudden. His world started to spin, and everything was fuzzy. He tried to ignore it, but it kept coming back like a fly buzzing by his inner ear. He decided it was something he should be worrying about, and stood up hesitantly. To his dissatisfaction, he immediately fell over and hit his head. The throbbing pain was his body’s last straw apparently, and a screen of black washed over his eyes, clearing away everything in sight.

A blinding light pierced his eyes, and Mikey heard panicked chatter across the room. His eyes fluttered open, and he realized he too, was in the Recovery Bay. 

“Wh…”He was too confused and exhausted to make words, so he just put together odd noises instead. Raph ran to him immediately, putting his hands on Mikey’s shoulders. He looked at Raph, and realized his eyes were bloodshot. 

“What were you thinking?!” He cried, dropping to his knees and putting Mikey’s hands in his. 

“Raph, what do you—What’s happening?” His eyes stared at Raph’s shaking body. 

“How. How long?” He seethed. Mikey still didn’t understand.

“How long about what? What are you talking about…” Mikey suddenly realized, and the moment he did, Raph shot up and started pacing, mumbling very loudly, in Mikey’s opinion.

“I knew he looked….I should have said something…What was I supposed to—how do I…” Random sentence chunks spewed from his mouth for a while. Mikey looked down. 

“I’m sorry, I just didn’t have time…” He managed to say. Raph’s eyes fixated on him immediately, and his expressions changed every second from mad, scared, confused. 

“I thought you ate already! Why did you lie?!” He looked so hurt. Raph put his hands to his temples and rubbed them, continuing his pacing. 

“I told you, I didn’t have ti—“

“WHAT ON EARTH COULD POSSIBLY BE MORE IMPORTANT?” He bellowed, and his eyes widened. Mikey’s fury bubbled, and it shot out of his mouth.

“SAVING LEO!” He snarled, venom dripping from his voice. His chest was pounding, and he clenched his fist. Raph’s expression dropped, and so did he. He stayed there, his head in his palms. Raph didn’t get it. Mikey needed to save Leo before he was gone forever.

“How…” He whispered. Mikey’s jaw shook. 

“I just think that if I try hard enough, I could use my mystic hands to—to…” He trailed off as a lump formed in his throat. Raph sighed sadly.

“How will starving yourself do anything? It—“ He started. “It only makes things worse. I can’t lose you, Mikey, and—” His arms dropped, and hugged him gently. Mikey’s emotions started to rise, and he braced himself. Agony and despair filled his frail, malnourished body, and he poured his heart out. “I didn’t mean to yell at you. I was just—I was scared.”

They cried into each other’s arms for a few minutes more, and Mikey pulled away, his eyes puffy and bloodshot. “Why didn’t you try to do anything about it…” Mikey had wanted to ask him that question since that day. 

“Grief.” He admitted. “I was—I was so focused on becoming stronger and better for all of us for anything that crosses us in the future, I couldn’t find the time to actually stay in the present, 

and be here when you needed it.” Mikey’s eyes started to well up again as he observed the forlorn and utterly helpless expression Raph had. His heart almost burst. Seeing Raph say the things he said and meant towards Leo…it was painful. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be there when Leo wasn’t.” His voice twinged as he mentioned his lost brother. “You don’t deserve this, and I just wish I could take that pain away.” The lump in Mikey’s throat grew larger, and his face became hotter. 

“It’s okay, big guy.” He tried to chuckle because of the silly nickname, but it also kind of sounded like tears. 

“I know, little man.” Raph must have felt the way he was feeling, because they both wrapped their arms around each other and fell into a laughing/sobbing session. 

“We’ll get him back.” Raph whispered. 

”I promise.”

Chapter Text

Leo hadn’t eaten a proper meal in days. He had however found nasty little bugs, which were bland and oddly crunchy. Soo grosss…. He shuddered, shoving one in his mouth with a grimace. He had grown weaker, and his body had become dehydrated and malnourished. Leo only found dew on metal on cold nights, and he had to lick it off if he had to survive any longer. He was alive, but barely. Leo tiptoed through the prison dimension, and curled into a piece of cloth.

Tonight was colder than usual, and leo didn’t know if he could start a fire. He gulped, trying to contain all his body warmth as much as possible. He hobbled over to some leaky pipes, dripping with oil. Maybe he could use it to start a flame, so he looked around for some sparking wires. Thank god there were some. Little pellets of light flew from them, and he grabbed it desperately. He used some extra wires to make some sort of wood, and put more cloth on there as well. He took off his straps, bearing the emblem of the Mad Dogz. It was just another painful reminder of how long he had been stuck down here. He threw the belt in the area as well. Leo reached for his mask hesitantly. His fingers traced against the soft blue cloth, stained with blood and dirt. He slid his fingers under the textile, and took it off. His heart ached. This was one of the things that connected him with the others. How could he be so heartless and burn it like it was nothing?

No. He was doing this so he could last longer, give his brothers a chance to save him. He threw it in the pile of other things, and reached for more cloth. When he was finished, he broke off the pipe, pouring a little bit the oil onto the pile of tough sheets. He reached for the sparking wire, and prayed to Pizza Supreme in the Sky it would work. Light started to erupt, and he smiled for the first time in days. The warmth started to flood his body, and Leo could feel his blood practically unfreeze. His muscles stopped tensing, and he closed his eyes. The smoke rose, and he hoped that the Kraang didn’t see it. The deep blue cloth burned, black ash spreading across each stitch.

The eye sockets soon turned to dust, settling in the embers. He closed his eyes drearily, and yawned. He had no idea what time it was, because there was no actual sun. He just saw light, and assumed it had to be morning. Leo huddled under his blanket, and the fire flickered, dancing against the walls of the metal. His shadow loomed over him like a statue, and Leo whirled around, squinting into the darkness. Something—someone—was behind him. 

“Who’s there?” He called. It was stupid to try, he knew, but he couldn’t shake that horrid feeling of something coming closer each time his back was turned. Whispers flew by his ear, but he assumed it was the wind. Leo tightened the blanket around him nervously, and his stomach became queasy. His face was freezing cold, even though the fire was right in front of him. He clenched his jaw and instinctively reached for his ōdachi, preparing to fight whatever was out there. The feeling became stronger, and he whipped around. The wind blew through an empty space, and he huffed in frustration. He turned and sat down again, still feeling uneasy.

He’d had this feeling a few times before when he was by himself. (Which was all the time). Maybe it was his brain, desperately trying to make him feel like he wasn’t alone in the universe. He heaved heavily, slumping his shoulders. Leos eyes were stinging, and his eyelids felt like boulders were dragging them down. He had attempted to stay alert as much as possible, but he ended up falling asleep eventually. He wondered if the Kraang was searching for him.

It had to know that Leo wasn’t dead by now, there was just no way he didn’t. The feeling made Leo’s stomach sink. The Kraang didn’t need rest. It probably didn’t even need food or water. But Leo did. Some monster was probably tearing through buildings to get to him, and he was just sitting here doing nothing. It needed to be stopped, and if Leo failed at killing it—if things went sideways—he’d die knowing his brothers were safe. But for now, he needed time. Time to heal and recover so that when the time came, he’d be ready.

Leos chest rose and fell steadily, and his heart beat in his chest. His eyes started to flutter closed, and Leo had to catch himself before he fell. Maybe…maybe just a little rest. He let his body hit the ground, and his eyes shut immediately. Darkness enveloped him as he drifted off to sleep, the pain finally subsiding after days of agony. 

Blood rushed to his ears, and Leo scrambled desperately through the cold darkness. Fear pierced his heart, and he could barely hear. The only thing he could pay attention to was his own heart rate, and it was so fast it was practically humming. Leo’s hands reached out each time he strode, like they were grabbing onto a rope. The scratching and clambering got farther and farther, and his head started to pound. He almost sighed in relief, but ran into some sort of wall. He pressed his palms against it frantically, searching for a way around. The noises got closer and closer until it was right up against his face. He barely had the chance to scream before it snapped down on him.

Leo woke up with a gasp, and checked to see if he was still alive. His hands searched his body desperately, checking to see if he had all his limbs. He sighed in relief. The air was still, and brought a chill to Leo’s bones. Wow. Just what I needed in this moment of great joy and cheerfulness. It was bad enough Leo was probably being chased in real life, let alone in his dreams. The embers of the fire were still burning, glowing warmly in the cool-palleted area. The smell of oil spread through the dimension, and he sniffed in disgust. The air was finally starting to warm up—well, compared to the night before.

He stood up, both his legs aching.The splint he had created was still there, and he limped over to a broken Kraang battle suit. It reached out to the sky, it’s jaws stretched open as if it were stopped mid-scream. The smooth metal glinted in the cold light, and it’s geometric body shape was twisted and crushed. There were many others, all contorted into positions of agony or stress. What could be greater than the Kraang…? He shuddered at he thought. If there was something out there—something bigger or badder than what they had encountered—he was absolutely, totally, fabulously, screwed.

His stomach twisted, and he held it tight. Leo jumped from platform to platform, clambering onto structures like a spider. He knew those little bug thingies lived in damper, more confined spaces, so he reached his arm into one of the holes they usually lived in, and pulled out a couple. They never really hurt him, just felt really icky. They looked like large rolly-polys with giant mandibles, and the bugs had feet like millipedes, just really long, like noodles.

He lowered one over his face, his mouth open. It was cute, and he kinda felt bad eating it. The insect scrambled and it’s head twitched, scraping itself against his fingers. Leo finally decided to man up and eat the stupid thing, and he shoved it inside his mouth, grimacing. He made odd gagging sounds, and he flapped his hands nervously. It felt crunchy and gooey at the same time, and he felt like vomiting. Don’t be like that dummy! It’s just a bug! He told himself, and his eyes watered. The taste was sour and bitter like a lemon peel. When Leo finally swallowed, he found himself gasping for air, glad to not be eating that at the moment.

After a few minutes of recuperating, Leo stood up and went back to his area. He missed his brothers so bad, he felt like exploding. They were out there somewhere, in another dimension. They were probably looking for him right now, he decided, and the thought made him stand up a little straighter. He pulled a piece of paper out from underneath his elbow-high gloves, and Leo looked at the photo of all of them together. They looked so happy when they were with each other. The pain of realization finally struck him in the chest like a dagger. This wasn’t his family. These were the other Leo’s family, the one from the future. A second dagger hit him. This—the people in that photo—they were dead. All of them dead because of the Kraang.

He angrily shoved it back in his gloves, the pain unbearable. The one photo he had of the people he loved, and they were dead? No. Leo didn’t need reminders of things that could have happened. He didn’t need them. Leo needed his family. The one that was alive and happy and perfect as they could be. The ones that were searching for him right now at this very moment that he could go back to and embrace with all the love in the world. The family that accepted him no matter what crap he pulled. The family that loved him, and that he loved back. And the family he would fight for.

Chapter Text

Raph decided to pay extra close attention to Mikey when he was eating, watching him like a hawk. He was so different from the kid he used to know. It felt like he was with a whole ‘nother person. Raph ate carefully and slowly. Mikey was usually the chef, but now they eat the store bought pizzas, and in Raph’s opinion? Domino’s wasn’t really that big of a deal. 

“You can stop staring now, I’m done with my food.” Mikey droned. He looked at his paper plate, and seeing that there was nothing, he smiled gratefully. Obviously Leo’s sacrifice took a toll on all of them, and they just needed time. Even him. He tried to interact with the others more, and spend less time in his room fighting the punching bag until the stuffing came out. (He wasn’t proud when he did that.) Mikey gave a small huff and a quick, sweet smile back, getting out of his chair and walking away. He and Casey had a talk about Mikey’s ninpo, and they decided it was best to let him do his thing, just carefully. 

“Oh, hey Case.” He yawned. Speak of the devil. Casey walked into the room and sat down next to Raph. He was wearing an old grey sweater and some jeans he had found a few days ago. His hair was washed, and was really, really fluffy.

“Hi, Raph,” He smiled slightly.

“So, what’s with the fancy clothing? Well, compared to your other set.” He teased. It was good for him to finally come out of his shell(see what he did there) and get to trying new things. 

“Oh, I just—I decided to try some new stuff, I guess.” Raph grinned widely. 

“You know you’re wearing a turtleneck, right?” He saw the look of panic on Casey’s face as he

started to fumble with his words and apologize. Raph couldn’t contain his laughter and he started to snicker uncontrollably.

“What’s so funny?!” Casey lectured, putting his hands on his hips angrily. 

“You’re a riot, Casey Jones.” Raph chuckled, patting his back as he reassured him that he was in fact not wearing a dead turtle’s neck on his body. 

“What, they didn’t have fashion in the apocalypse?” He asked him. 

“I mean, sometimes…? I dunno. Master Michaelangelos clothes were pretty stylish.” Casey grinned. Raph looked at him and sighed. Leo would have loved to hear that. Raph wanted him to hear it again, and he knew he’d start laughing and make all sorts of horrible puns. He wanted Leo back.

“Do you think we could try and help Mikey? I mean we’ve connected our ninpo before, so…” Raph gazed at Casey, and he turned away.

“I mean…if you’re up for it.” Casey nodded, mumbling. His hands fumbled with each other, and his foot started to tap. 

“You seem like you need rest. When was the last time you slept?” Raph asked, furrowing his brow. 

“Last night, but only for a little. I was just thinks about Master Leonardo,” The snapping turtle’s face must have changed, because he added, “Well—Mine, anyway. Future him.” 

“Was he a good leader?” Raph asked, his voice low and wistful. He had to know for some reason, because if he didn’t, Raph felt like he had failed. 

“The best. He always knew what to do, even when things seemed lost. He was…incredible.” Casey cleared his throat and hid his face quickly. Small sniffles came from the refugee, and Raph’s eyes shone, and couldn’t find the words. It was amazing to hear how Leo led in the future, and that made him want to cry too. Raph started to lose himself in his thoughts, and was surprised when Casey started speaking again. “Y know he used to sing with the rebellion sometimes?” Raph chuckled. Classic Leo. “At times, a lot of people would get discouraged after a failed mission, and he used to cheer them up by partying or singing karaoke,” Casey’s voice started to break, and he rubbed his nose. “He tried so hard, and he—he always made us—made me—feel special.”

Hearing this version of Leo gave Raph a sensation of pride and hope. That was his Leo he saw in those sentences, even though Leo himself doubted it sometimes. Raph knew. He always knew Leo was destined for something special. He doesn’t deserve the things he’s been going through. 

“You loved him, didn’t you.” Casey nodded slowly.

“He was like a dad to me, since—since I never knew my real one.” This kid was so full of potential. 

“You kind of remind me of him, you know.” Raph said these words truthfully. Casey and Leo were so alike. He heard Casey gasp in surprise, and he thought it was so funny that he didn’t even realize. 

“You don’t mean that!” He gave Casey a look, and the refugees eyes widened even more. 

“Well—thanks! I…guess?” His jaw was still a little open, which seemed a little comical. 

“Now that I’ve completely astonished ya, how about get that rest you’ve been needin’?” Raph suggested, sending him off. 

“Yeah, thanks.” Casey grinned, walking into the spare room down the hallway, which only left Raph alone with him and his thoughts, and that made him a little anxious. He was older. He felt older. That wasn’t usually a problem, but now he hated it. It was helpful in some cases, and sometimes he could brag about it, but now he felt like an office worker in a building with no meaning. All adults reach that point, right? Why did that sentence feel so wrong? It made his body shudder, and his face twisted into a flurry of confusion. Raph thought for a while, his head resting on his knuckles. But I’m not an adult. I’m just a kid. A kid who went through too many adult things. He felt sorry for himself, really. So what if he was a kid? He still needed to  do the things that needed to be done, and he would do good doing them.

He huffed in disappointment. Disappointment in himself, that was. And the frustration that was running through his veins. He stood up violently, and was surprised by the rush of anger that flowed through him. Raph winced as the chair screeched against the concrete flooring. He laid his head in his palms, breathing slowly. Raph’s shoulders rose and fell as he tried to calm down. His heart rate slowed, and Raph paced around the room, the lights shining. He did this in a sluggish manner, and snapper stood up straight and rolled his shoulders back in exhaustion, ready to check up on Mikey.

Chapter Text

Mikey honestly felt like this portal was never going to work. Obviously, he had to keep trying, no doubt about that, but it didn’t even open. Not even a sliver or a spark of light, or something like that. Nothing. He put his arms down 

Mikey honestly felt like this portal was never going to work. Obviously, he had to keep trying, no doubt about that, but it didn’t even open. Not even a sliver or a spark of light, or something like that. Nothing. He put his arms down, his muscles worn out. Why was this job so exhausting? No one told him it would be this hard! Future me did it in a flash, so…why can’t I? What was different? He had the skills, he had the ninpo. What was he missing? He lid his hands over the back of his head in frustration, pacing and mumbling to himself. He thought deeply, and sat down on his bed. The covers hitched on the side of the mattress, crinkling under him. The fairy lights he had put up twinkled like fireflies in the warm lighting of his room.
The rushing of sewer water washed away all of his thoughts, and his breath caught in his throat. Meditation. Mikey could almost feel the victory at his finger tips, and he wanted to scream, “I did it!” to the entirety of New York City. He tried to slow his heartbeat down by putting his hand to his chest, practically controlling it as he calmed himself. Mikey closed his eyes and focused on everything around him. An outline of his room started to appear, the lines tracing over every object, down to the last dinosaur stuffy at the bottom of a torn basket of toys. He could feel the blood pumping through his body, which might have been uncomfortable to think about at one point, but not this one.

It reminded him of the water running down into the sewer grate when it rained, causing a waterfall of fresh rain that he and the others would dance in, the liquid soaking Mikey’s jacket and Raph and Leo’s jerseys. Donnie never did it often, but when he did, it felt like a nugget of gold. They’d splash in small puddles and throw Lace Face around. When they were done, Dad would put on a Lou Jitsu movie.

Donnie would be curled up on a beanbag eating a bag of potato chips, and Mikey would be next to him, snacking on the occasional fallen crisp. Leo would always dance when there were party scenes, acting like he was the one on the stage singing karaoke in a bar. Raph of course, would be staring admirably at Lou, practicing his moves down to the last minute detail and small, high pitched grunts would be coming from in front of the projector. Dad always got them hot chocolate to warm up on cold days, and Mikey would always waste the whole marshmallow bag by dumping half of it into his drink.

He thought he heard himself chuckle, but it seemed far off, like it was on the other end of a long hallway. He had been so angry at himself, so angry at the world, he forgot the moments that had mattered. His body began to feel like a feather, and he sighed as peace and serenity washed over him. He felt so light, like he was flying in space.

“Mikey?!” A voice snapped him back to reality, and Raph stood there in the doorway in comeplete shock. His mouth was wide open, revealing his snaggletooth fully. 

“What? What is it?” His voice started to rise in panic as he begun to worry about things that could have gone wrong while he was in La-la Land. 

“You were…you were floating!” Raph’s surprised expression turned into a crooked smile, and he laughed joyfully. “That was amazing dude!”

“Wait, really?” He didn’t even notice. 

“And—and look!” Raph pointed to the top of his head, and Mikey sprinted towards the mirror. Golden, glowing splotches like the markings on his shoulders glowed brightly on his head and he felt it, his hands moving around in a frenzy. They faded away, leaving the markings behind.

“Wh..how did this even—I didn’t even—“ His stutters of confusion were cut off.

“How did you do that?!” Raph placed his hands on Mikey’s shoulders excitedly, and laughed like a small child. What Mikey was not prepared for, however, was for Raph to pick him up and spin him around like a child who had just gotten their favorite toy. Feelings of joy, confusion, and confidence started to infect Mikey’s brain, and he laughed too, his smile reaching his mask. Finally, a glimmer of hope. He spun around with Raph until they both got dizzy, and Mikey buried his face into Raph’s shoulder, crying tears of laughter as complete euphoria seemed to creep into his system.

Raph’s tired eyes seemed brighter now, almost gleaming in the light. Mikey had never felt better. Leo could come home. If he kept this up, Leo would be able to be with them, finally, after all the days that felt like years. His heart sung with all the things he had wanted to say, and his eyes started to water again. Raph held him tight, rocking him as if Mikey was a child in need of comfort. His hard rested on Mikey’s head, and he sniffled joyfully. Casey came running, sliding into view in front of the door. Both of them didn’t even tell him what had just happened. They just ran to him, embracing their friend with a tight hug.
Casey looked absolutely blown away, and stuttered, fumbling over his words.

“Guys, what is happening?!” He sputtered. They both looked at him, and Mikey sat him down for a very long winded conversation. 

After Mikey had finished, Casey looked at him in absolute pride and astonishment.“You…you really think this will work?” Not a hint of judgement or doubt managed to cross his voice, but rather the need of approval from him, and the hope that Casey executed. They both nodded eagerly, and his eyes welled up with tears, and he smiled gratefully, flinging himself into Mikey’s arms. “Thank you. “ A small voice said below his cheek. Mikey patted him on the back like a father supporting his son in one of those old movies. He exhaled through his nose in relief, clutching him tightly.

“Well,” Casey breathed, pulling away. “If this is going to work, you’ll need to practice…right?” Mikey rolled his eyes and smiled.

“Already on it, chico!” He saluted to him, and Casey slipped out a laugh. Mikey sat back in bed, crossing his legs and putting his hands on his knees. “Well? Can’t a mystic warrior in training get his peace?” They both chuckled and said sorry, exiting the room. He sighed, cracking his knuckles in determination. Okay mystic rules. Let’s do this.”

Chapter Text

How long had it been since Leo had eaten? His stomach growled relentlessly, and he shook it off, pinching himself to forget about the aching. It had to have been a week or two since his last meal, or at least that’s what it felt like. He still couldn’t tell. Time was meaningless here, and he just based the days off of his gut. He put his fingers to his head, swirling them around to try and forget the raging headache that had started. He groaned, standing up. I should probably start going out more. I mean, there’s no one here to judge. Except the Kraang. That’s kiiind of a problem. He grabbed a couple more bugs, trying to eat as much as he could. He was ravenous, and desperate. His body had lost most of its fat, and his collarbones were more defined then ever. Leo’s eyes sagged, and he looked sickly. Was it possible to turn greener than green? If so, that was definitely him right now. At least he was alive. Kind of. Leo looked like something out of a Tim Burton movie, and he staggered over to the pile of rubble that used to be the fire that kept him warm. He didn’t try to move at all, and felt like breathing might waste any of the calories he had gained from those bugs. 

“Goshdarn it….” He rested his head on the wall, sighing in defeat. Have they forgotten about me…? No, of course they didn’t. His brothers would never. Leo didn’t even know why the thought had crossed his mind, and he pushed it away angrily, disgusted with himself. He pulled his knees to his chest, lowering his head so that it touched the place inbetween his forearms. He buried his head down, crinkling his snout to stop the tears from flowing. He was the faceman! The guy who could talk his way out of anything. Because what was a team without its main guy, right? 

Leo felt a little better after chowing down on those nasty insects, and he curled up, snuggling into a piece of cloth. He grasped it between his fingers, and realized there was a Hamato clan sigil woven delicately onto the tough, cerulean fabric. The white emblem might as well have been glowing compared to the rest of the prison dimension, which was basically pitch plack. Well, it was when the explosion’s light disappeared for the first time. His eyes had adjusted to the dark, so he basically had night vision. Sometimes a bit of light would glow over the horizon, but it would fade after a few hours. Then dark would consume everything, and Leo would go back to being completely blind. The most disturbing part was the prison dimension was so quiet that Leo could probably

hear a feather land from miles away. At least his skin was hydrated, though. The prison dimension was damp, but again, cold. He constantly felt clammy and sticky, and if he got wet, it would take a day or two to dry completely. He blinked slowly. Seriously, how long does it take to open a gateway to another dimension? He chuckled at his sarcasm. Really? Have I stooped so low that I laugh at something that doesn’t even sound like a joke? He grimaced. There was nothing to make puns about any more, let alone people to share it with.

He had thought of something along the lines of, “you’ve really got to stop bugging me” when he ate those insects, or “I’ve been mantisapating your arrival” or something like that. He snorted at the idea. Maybe he could tell that joke to the others when he got back. If I get back. Leo pinched himself again. How could he think that? Leo pushed the thought away, now in fury. They weren’t like that. His bros wouldn’t leave him behind. Leo’s family was obviously trying to find a way to get him back, right?

A roar erupted from the background, and he almost jumped out of his skin, stifling a scream. The Kraang was running out of places to look, and he was running out of time. He knew that running was the only option, and he couldn’t stay put forever. Leo decided it was time to get his stuff together and stop being a weak coward. He might have taken off his belt, but he was not letting the medical supplies in his packs go to waste.

Leo wrapped the blanket around his neck, throwing it over his shoulder like a scarf. He unrolled gauze and began to reapply it on his wounds, as well as wrapping it on his hands and feet for protection. His elbows and knees were shredded from falling, and his face was stained with blood and dirt. Leo’s leg did feel a lot better, and he was actually pretty proud of himself for managing to heal it on his own. It did however, not heal perfectly, so without that rod, he’d be a limping mess. Tying a few important items to his waist, Leo took a deep breath, and stepped off the ledge. 

He plummeted to a large piece of rock, the wind stinging his eyes. Leo tried not to scream, and tried not to lose those bugs he had eaten earlier. He landed swiftly onto the ground, or at least he did, and then his faulty knee fumbled, and he shrunk to the ground. Hissing in pain, Leo struggled to get back up, and he rested his hand on his other, better knee. Maybe he should lay off of the jumping from high spots for a while. Leo walked throughout the prison dimension, and noticed more weird skulls that didn’t match a humans.

Well, some did, and that was not very comforting at all. Broken ships and Kraang battle suits were scattered throughout the area, and it gave him an extreme feeling of discomfort. The contorted bodies almost looked human in the dark, and his mind decided it would be funny to play tricks on him. Those lifeless, dead hunks of metal suddenly turned into faces that didn’t seem quite right. Their mouths were too wide, and their faces were all wrong. He bit his nails, clutching his stomach. Leo tried not to look, but how could he escape from his own brain? That feeling that someone was behind him grew stronger again, and Leo quickened his pace, easing into running.

The feeling felt like those times when kids would call their parents to come check their closets and under the beds because they were afraid a monster would eat them, only this time, that felt like a genuine reality. He was alone in almost pitch black with the Kraang chasing after him and the threat of infection or starvation hanging over him, ready to strike at any moment. He ran until his sides stung and his heart almost gave out. Leo skidded behind a large, broken skyscraper. It read, TRX INDUSTRIES on a sign that was supposed to be lit up, but was now a jumble of mush and wires. Probably from the fight.

The explosion had been bigger than he thought. Cars were strewn across the prison dimension, and Leo prayed that no one was inside any of them. (that he could see, at least.) His anxiety got the best of him, and Leo took his time checking each car for any humans that could have been left behind. He saw a few cars with baby seats inside, and his heart melted. So many kids would have to remember that day for the rest of their lives, and Leo decided he hated the Kraang even more. How dare they choose what the humans lives would have to be like. That wasn’t their right! Leo’s fury bubbled inside of him, and he slowed his breath. His brow furrowed. Oh great. Now I have a Raph chasm. He really was the leader now, wasn’t he? Leo heard yet another roar, this time further away, and he sighed in relief. It was farther now, which meant Leo could relax a little.

He was also a bit bored, so he poked at the watch on his wrist. A small hologram appeared on screen, but it kept glitching, and the teal light flashed on and off. Small sticky notes of old writings were digitally posted everywhere, and he read a few. “Lol, I stole Donnie’s favorite pencil again, but he doesn’t know it was me! Shhh, no telling>:)” Others read schedules that were scribbled out, or old plans that had been created. “Step 1. Tell Raph his teddy bear is fixed. Step 2. Learn how to sow.”  Leo chuckled. He remembered when he wrote that when he was tired, and the next day, he told Raph about it. Leo also remembered the look on his face when he told him it was fixed, and when Raph asked him to give it back, he had to run and tape it together(He obviously fixed it right after).

His mind was flooded with nostalgia, and he gazed at the scraggly writing wistfully. How he longed to be with his family again, back home and eating pizza with not a care in the world. He imagined eating popcorn with the rest of his brothers while eagerly watching a Lou Jitsu movie, stomping in New York City rain puddles, and visiting Hueso’s Pizza, where Senior Hueso would be waiting for him at the front door. He’d pat his back, and say something along the lines of “Welcome back, pepino!” Oh, how he missed Hueso’s pizzas. His hands shook.

He missed his brothers so bad it hurt him. Leo’s hands tightened around his stomach, and he tried his best not to punch something. Rage wasn’t exactly the best idea, but it seemed like the only option. Grief overtook him, and Leo slammed his fist into a wall. Cracks spread across the point of impact, and his fist practically went numb. A small thundering noise came from the area, and he breathed heavily, his arms shaking. Fuck this stupid dimension, He thought, rage enveloping him. Leo thought about hitting the wall again, but he stopped. No way was he gonna become a savage beast, he was too good for that.

Leo never really lost his cool, he just got a little upset and moved on. The Kraang kidnapping and brainwashing Raph was a different story, but other than that, not much anger would resonate from him. Okay, maybe sometimes. Leo retracted his fist slowly, bringing it to his chest and resting it over his heart. He kind of felt guilty going that, but at the same time, it brought him a sense of freedom. It made him feel like he could do anything without repercussions, and there was no one here to hurt or get mad at except himself, anyway. He dropped to the ground with a huff, and he curled into a small ball, thinking ofhis brothers and the amazing times they used to have together, those videos in his mind playing on repeat for hours.

He had been running from the Kraang for God knew how long. It had been days, most likely. He leaned against a pile of rubble, and took a small breather. Leo didn’t know exactly where he was going, but that didn’t really bother him. Everything looked the same anyway. Well, when he could see it. All he knew was to keep running away from the terrifying screeches. He put his hand over his stomach and felt how fast he was breathing, attempting to slow his inhales. Leo’s sides twinged with pain, and he winced. He felt like he was wearing hot iron shoes because his soles were in absolute agony. The wind blew coldly over his body, soothing his muscles.

Leo felt a little better, and his heart stopped pumping so fast. His shoulders stopped tensing as he took a large exhale, resting the back of his head on the items. Leo opened his watch, sliding to the ground, keeping his knees up. The Kraang was far enough away for Leo to stop being extremely paranoid, so Leo clicked the Photos album. No connection. It read. He slammed his hand down on the power button, grunting in defeat. His head lulled over to the side, and he shut his eyes tightly, bringing him back to the watch. He read the date. September 20. Leo clicked on it again, searching and scanning for something he could use. 

“No connection, no connection, no connecti—ARGH.” He slammed his palms onto his face, groaning. “Come on!” He patted the hologram like it were a broken TV. His left arm dropped, and he stared it down like it was one of those western movies. 

“I gotta tell Donnie to get this a stronger Wi-Fi signal.” He whispered jokingly. Leo was usually the insomniac in the family, but now he didn’t have coffee or anything left in him to keep him up. His body was completely drained of any actual nourishment. Leo let himself relax, and before he knew it, his eyes shut. 

Chapter Text

Mikey had been meditating for about 10 days, and his body had finally begun to really heal. He was eating and cooking full meals again, and always had time to meditate. He didn’t get many results, however he did manage to float a few more times. Mikey had gotten the hang of it, kinda, but it still needed fixing. They told April about his “amazing discovery”, and she came right away. She was so different from when they had last seen her. Her eyebags had darkened a lot, and she wore a dark blue raincoat with wooly-white edges. Her rain boots were yellow, as always. That never changed. April could be wearing complete grey clothing in the rain, but would always wear yellow boots.

Her hair was frazzled, and she looked like she had been crying. They caught up on everything that had been going on, and she mentioned her school a lot. Mikey had never been to school, but it sounded like the most boring thing ever. They ate, chatted, and talked about Leo. Everything was almost right. Mikey wondered what he was going through right now, and he shook the horrible thoughts out of his head. 

“Guys, I’m gonna go to bed, “ He yawned, stretching. It had to be his bedtime by now, because they usually ate really late. They all waved him goodbye, and Mikey slid down a small set of stairs. The Medbay was a few rooms from his, and Mikey snuck over, wanting to check on Donnie. It had been a couple months, and Donnie’s coma had left him worrying every moment of every day, along with Leo being stuck in the prison dimension. He ran his hands along the sides of the monitor.

Because Donnie’s soft shell was easily susceptible to infection, his experience with the unsanitary habitat of the gross Kraang tendrils affected him on a larger scale. It had also gone a night without being treated, and that infection quickly got to his brain. Luckily, they caught it right before it got deathly serious, and put him on meds. Mikey sat by his brother, hands clasped together. His head hung low, but he payed close attention to the heart monitor. Mikey pryed his eyes away, lowering his head to his hands. His eyes closed tiredly, and the room seemed to close in on him. Oh Dee. Please come back soon. 

“Mikey…?” His head shot up, and he looked around the room. Raph wasn’t in the doorway,  or was Casey, Dad, or April. He still heard low chatting from the other room, and his stomach dropped. Please. Please let him come back. Mikey gulped, and turned his head slowly. I’m just hallucinating, right? He’s not… His eyes were glued shut, and he couldn’t seem to open them. 

“…Yes?” He hesitated, voice shaking with anticipation.

“Where—“ There. That was all the proof he needed. Mikey shot up from his chair, sliding to the bed at the speed of light. Donnie’s eyes rolled around, searching for something to focus on. His hand twitched, raising slowly to reach his face, feeling him as if Donnie were seeing him for the first time. It rested on his cheek, and Mikey’s hand raised to meet his. 

“…you’re here…?” Donnie slurred, barely even awake. Finally. His heart sang, and he started to sob. 

“Yeah, yeah it’s me, Dee. I’m here!” He nuzzled into Donnie’s hand, shoulders shaking. His brother was here. With him. Mikey felt like bursting into a million pieces, and he covered Donnie’s ears to make sure he wasn’t scared. 

“GUYS!” Mikey screamed at the top of his lungs, and he immediately heard footsteps rumbling towards the door. 

“What?! What is it? A-are you hurt? What’s—“ Raph stopped in his tracks, and his face looked like it had gone numb. Donnie looked up at them and gave a small smirk. 

“Hey…guys.” He coughed. April’s hands went over her mouth, and tears started to flow. 

“You’re awake!” Her voice cracked, and she stumbled towards him, knees shaking. 

Raph also walked toward the bed, and Dad hobbled over, climbing onto the chair to see his son. Casey ran over and placed his hands on the bars, eyes welled up. 

“Oh how I’ve missed you, Donatello.” Splinter placed his hand on the soft shell’s head gently, and his fur started to become wet around the eyes. Donnie’s eyes scanned each of them, and he hesitated. Tears welled up, and he cried silently. That did it. They all started to weep, and Mikey could barely stand. April ran and grabbed a chair before he could fall, tears dripping down her face. He stumbled back into it, still sobbing. Mikey knew it was probably some of the painkillers and liquid IV’s that made Donnie this distressed, but he couldn’t help the pain of watching his brother be so child-like. Donnie curled into a ball, sniffling. 

“You—I-I’m not dead…am I? You’re not dead…right?” His voice started to crack, but Raph stopped him and placed his hand on Donnie’s shoulder. Donnie felt it, running his arms up to

Raph’s elbow. His eyes widened in realization, and Donnie’s cheeks scrunched as a smile grew on his mouth. Tears ran down his face and he made small sobbing noises. 

“I missed you so much.” His voice broke, and so did Mikey’s heart. Seeing his brother that was usually not one for physical emotions snivel and grovel against Raph’s shaking arms was not what Mikey had really envisioned. Although, everyone else was also sniffling, so he really didn’t have room to speak. He pressed his palms against his eyes, drying his eyebags. Mikey observed Donnie’s confused expression, watching as his pupils darted around the room, as if they were looking for something. Or someone. Donnie’s head turned towards Mikey, a look of puzzlement cast upon his face. 

“Where’s—“ Mikey looked away quickly, hands covering his mouth. There was no way Donnie didn’t remember. He couldn’t have forgotten, could he? His shoulders hunched, his shell casting a shadow over the back of his head. Mikey’s lips shook as he spoke. 

“He’s—“ His voice hitched, and he swallowed his misery. “He’s not here, remember…?” Donnie’s eyes sagged as his jaw released into a small gasp. Mikey looked back, and watched the exact same expression he had on the day Leo had gone creep back onto his face. He was probably reliving everything all over again. All that pain and fury. “But I’m gonna get him back, I swear.” His neck extended as his hopelessness started to subside. “I’ve been training,” Mikey added, sinking to one knee. “I’m getting better at that mystic stuff we talked about, Dee! He’ll be back before we know it.” He nodded, hoping for a look of affirmation from the soft shell. Donnie looked at him blankly, and a small smirk crossed his face. It wasn’t evil, or sarcastic. It was just saying “Thank you”. Mikey could tell by the way his eyes lifted. He nodded once again, and clasped Donnie’s hand in his. His fingers were ice cold against the warmth of Mikey’s palm, and they trembled slightly. 

“I need to go, but maybe…maybe we could watch a movie later?” He hesitated. Donnie smiled slightly. “I’ll let you pick! We could watch Martian, or—or Hidden Figures…” He trailed off. A hand placed upon his head, and Mikey looked up. 

“Promise?” Donnie whispered. 

“Promise.” He repeated, his smile reaching his mask. The others cheered silently, and Raph looked at him, satisfied. His face relaxed, and he breathed slowly. Mikey walked out, the feeling of hope filling him head to toe. 

Leo eyes blurred, blinking rapidly. His arms laid limp at his sides, and Leo’s chest felt strangely heavy. He rested his hand on his plastron, feeling his heartbeat pump steadily. The jet-black sky twinkled with small stars, their light immediately being soaked up by the vast atmosphere of the dimension. They didn’t have any hope of their light being spread, which reminded Leo of himself. No one there to share anything with him. Alone. Scared. Furious. 

The last word took a while for Leo to admit because it felt like a virus infecting his system even though he didn’t want it to. He had no idea who he was angry at. His brothers, The Kraang, or himself. Leo shook the feeling off after pondering on it for a while. The cold stone sucked the warmth right out of his body, and he shivered. Sharp rocks indented on his skin, and when he lifted his arm up, small bumps had formed. His hands hung onto his shoulders like an x, and Leo bent over, trying to sooth his aching neck. One of his hands dropped, and he looked at the holographic communicator, turning his wrist to view its bright, cyan glow. He tapped it, and a small screen popped up. Leo scrolled through the apps and tabs.

None of them had any signal, except for one. CAMERA, it read. The screen glitched, zooming into view quickly. He looked at his face for the first time in months. He had felt it before, rubbing it up and down, examining each distinct feature. But he never really saw it until now. He looked completely different. Leo couldn’t even recognize himself anymore, and the thought made his stomach churn. He dragged his eyelids down, hoping to find something—anything that would show him even a glimpse of who he was before. Leo’s eyes scrolled over to the recording segment of the app. With a shaking finger, he pressed it, and gazed at the pulsing red button. He started to speak. 

“Um…hey guys. I know that I look really different, but it’s me! Your brother…Leo. Things…um—“ His voice caught in the back of his throat, and he cleared it.

“They haven’t been the same without you, to be honest. But look! I managed to fix my leg and—and I’ve been cool about this whole thing, I swear!” He was, in fact, not very cool about it at all, but cast a mask over his face, hoping his brothers wouldn’t worry too much. “I miss you guys a lot. Like, a lot—a lot. But hey, I know you. You’ll stick it out to the end, I know it.”

Leo gave a fake fistbump to the camera, his eyes wetting with tears, “Donnie’s probably going to be the first to find this video,” He chuckled. “With his nerdiness.” Leo added. “I just wanted to say that you keep doing what you’re doing, and things will turn out better, I promise.” He laughed through his nostrils for a moment.

“I know I’m not one for sentiment, but hey, you all might need it, you sorry suckers.” He teased playfully. Leo knew that the video would never reach them, but he still clung on to a small glimmer of false hope that it might. It was delusional of him, obviously, but Leo couldn’t find a reason to stop doing it. Maybe that was what he needed.

To speak to someone, even if that someone wasn’t listening.

He smiled one more time, waved goodbye, and shut it off. Leo rewatched it over and over. He thought it was corny at first, then slowly started to tell himself that those were his words, His complete, pure, and sincere words that were not trained with any opinion, and that made him feel a bit better. Leo’s legs crossed at the ankle, and he laid an elbow on one of them, squishing his cheek into his eye. Staring blankly into the distance, he blinked slowly. The Kraang was probably ravaging anything that got in his way to get to Leo, and when—if he caught him, Leo was definitely dead meat. His fingers tapped the side of his face nervously, his previously rested frown turning into a worried grimace. Leo’s leg bounced, his knee shaking.

His mind flooded with what horrible things the Kraang might do to him. Tear him limb-from-limb? Strangle him? The thoughts whirled in his head like a hurricane until it was too much. His fingers went from a slow tap to a harsh scratching, and he could feel warm liquid run down his cheeks. The injured spot stung like a scorpion’s tail, and he hissed in pain.

Not even bothering to look at his fingers, Leo pulled his head away, and placed a square of gauze over the scrapes. It hurt more than he had expected, but Leo had felt worse, so he shrugged it off, standing and pacing as if nothing had happened. His feet padded against the rock and he chewed on the tips of his fingers anxiously, waiting for something—anything that would give him sanctuary from his own mind. 

Chapter Text

Donnie was, in truth, not happy about the fact that he was being treated. Clearly his brothers didn’t didn’t believe he could care for himself, and that was not helpful at all. He sat cross-legged in the hospital bed, clacking away at his small tech gauntlet. Numbers ran across the screen, and he scanned them. Because they needed to monitor him for a few weeks, Donnie wasn’t allowed to work on his tech. Mikey said that he couldn’t risk an explosion happening, which in Donnie’s opinion was completely wrong. His tech was flawless. He didn’t know why Mikey didn’t trust him with the one thing he was absolutely fabulous at.

He sighed heavily, and let his head fall into the pillow. Though, it was almost at the end of those few weeks, so Donnie could start working again. The door hissed open, and he yelped at the suddenness. Oh. Right. His shell needed to be cleaned daily until the infection and wounds had gone away.

“Hey, Dee!” Mikey smiled, holding a rag and some saline solution in a bottle in his hands.

“Hello, Michael.” He smiled slightly. It was nice that Mikey had decided to care for him, though he cared for almost anyone and everything, which wasn’t bad in its entirety.

“You can go in your lab soon,” The tortoiseshell pointed out. Donnie leaned his head over his shoulder. His brother had his tongue out of his mouth, squinting his eyes as he cleaned with extreme focus.

Donnie muttered “finally” under his breath, relaxing his shoulders. The rag patted against his soft shell gently, the solution cooling his aching nerves. Mikey had told him all about his ninpo, and how he was quote en quote “training”. Donnie had been quite surprised the first time he heard it. Mostly because he was high on painkillers, otherwise he would have had less of a dramatic opinion on it. It seemed foolish, but after all they had been through? Definitely not impossible. He winced slightly, and Mikey pulled away.

“Sorry!” He whispered, putting his shoulders up and smiling guiltily. Donnie huffed, and the corners of his mouth lifted. Donnie rubbed his neck.

“Mikey,” He asked, speaking out of the blue.

“Hm?”

“Do um…” He racked his brain for something to say. “Do you have anything that you want built?” Mikey paused and looked up, squinting. He put his finger to his chin and tapped it thoughtfully.

“Mmm….Maybe. It’s not important though.” Donnie chuckled lightly.

“Seriously, I won’t judge.” Mikey furrowed his brow. 

“Yes you will,” He glared teasingly at the softshell. 

“Won’t.”

Will.” 

“Won’t.” His brother heaved a heavy sigh in defeat. Donnie really, really wanted to build something.

“I was thinking…could you build me like…a little toy? Just to fiddle with.” Mikey hid his face in embarrassment. That was what he thought he was gonna get judged for? Jeez Louise. Donnie slipped out a laugh.

“Hey, you said you wouldn’t judge!” 

“I’m not, I swear!” Donnie shook his hands. “Just funny how you think I’d judge you for that! I mean, Leo eats pineapple on pizza—okay you know what I judge HIM.” Donnie’s face faltered slightly, and Mikey’s did too. Donnie tried his best to shake it off, but sometimes…nevermind.

“What kind of toy?” Donnie sputtered.

“Huh? Oh, um…orange, I guess.”

“What kind, Michael?” His brother looked up. 

“A turtle!” His expression turned joyous. “I’ve always wanted a mini-me!” That was oddly…strange. Donnie decided not to question it, for who was he to judge his brother’s weird choices of inanimate objects? Actually, he couldn’t speak at all. S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N had been like a son to him. He was his son, technically, so Donnie knew exactly how Mikey felt. 

“Sure, I could do that.” He said, shrugging. Mikey’s eyes lit up, and Donnie could see he wanted to hug him. He clacked on his gauntlet once more, and his battleshell came flying in. It hovered in mid-air for a moment, and with a quick whirring noise, the robotic helper arms Donnie had built patted Mikey’s shoulders, and the tortoiseshell flapped his hands giddily. 

“Thank you thank you THANK YOU!!” Donnie nodded slowly, confused at the immense amount of joy coming from his brother. Was it relief or just plain old Mikey-ness? Donnie couldn’t tell. He rubbed Mikey’s head with a slight, closed grin and went back to typing on his gauntlet. 

“I’ll get started on it as soon as I get my lab-time back,” He assured him. Donnie’s lips stuck out while he talked, almost sophisticated. 

“‘Kay!”Mikey nodded, picking up the bottle and rag and walking to the door. Donnie looked back, and their eyes met. A certain feeling of understanding swept through the both of them. This will be good for us. Mikey gave one last smile, running out of the room. 

One week had passed, and Donnie was finally able to go back in his lab to distract himself from the creeping thoughts and worries of his isolated twin. Donnie decided not to dwell on it, really. More distractions, more feelings. He wasn’t one for those. But he still couldn’t shake that gut wrenching feeling of his brother being all alone out there, or worse. What if they were wrong? What if their hopes had gotten in the way of reality?

Donnie placed his fingers on his temples, resting his elbows on his desk. He couldn’t stand not knowing anything about it. Leo was out there somewhere, and he had no idea if he was dead or alive or mangled or…He closed his eyes tightly. He pulled his legs up to his chest and held them up by his feet on the chair. His fingers drifted to his knees, and he nestled his head between them. Donnie’s head pounded, and the walls felt like they were melting all around him. The softshell grit his teeth as the agonizing headache intensified.

His hands grasped his head tightly, trying to hold it together like a broken pot. Donnie took small, quick gasps, and his weary gaze drifted to the bottle of painkillers sitting on his desk. Without a thought, he hopped out of the chair in a panic and dragged himself toward the small, neon orange bottle of advil pills while holding the desk. He grabbed it frantically and Donnie shook a couple of pills out, downing them as fast as he could.

His head still throbbed painfully, but it felt a little better. Bearable, at least. He shook his head slowly, and if Donnie did it any faster, it felt like his brain was knocking against the side of his skull. He looked at the blueprints of Mikey’s request and back at his design, satisfied.

Donnie got back to work, ignoring the pain as best he could. It lasted for about a minute afterwards. He usually got them when thinking about something that gave him stress, but this only happened when it was bad bad. It only happened when he was thinking about Leo.

The dim, purple light of the lab shone on the surface of the desk. Pencils and pens were neatly ordered in different mugs across it, and a few sticky notes were posted across the wall. He breathed heavily, sketching the blueprints with a white gel pen. The lines rolled smoothly across the page as he used his special ruler, the one Leo had gifted him on his 11th birthday. Donnie had asked for it half a year earlier, and his twin promised he’d get one. Donnie didn’t believe him of course, but oh how wrong he was. He remembered the look Leo gave him as he stared at the purple transparent item laying in his palm. “I told you I’d get it, didn’t I?” 

Donnie held it the exact way he did the day he got it, and his eyes got hot. Donnie felt like crying, but for some reason he wouldn’t. He couldn’t cry. He rarely ever did. Donnie pressed a finger to his cheek, the same one the single tear had rolled down the day Leo had been lost to the jaws of the prison dimension.

Lights flashed across the New York City skyline, and a gust of wind blasted him in the face. His eyes widened, and Donnie dropped to the ground, his ragged breaths filling his inner ears.

The softshell remembered that like it was yesterday. How could he forget? It was tormenting him every second of every day. How he couldn’t fix it. How he couldn’t do a single thing except stand there and watch the hope of his brother returning be ripped to shreds in front of his eyes. It filled his with a sense of dread nothing else could compare to. Donnie’s pen strokes became harsher, scratching the paper with fast, vicious movements.

No Leo. No way to get his beloved brother back on his own. His brow furrowed, and the edges of his mouth curved downwards until it turned into a gritted, toothy frown. He pushed his chair away from the desk quickly, spinning until he landed in the middle of his lab. Donnie let out a groan of annoyance, resting his head on the back of the chair. He sighed, focusing on all the noises the sewer was making. Mikey was dead silent, probably focusing on his meditation. Casey was out in the human world, he knew that. Splinter—Dad—was watching tv, and Raph? He actually didn’t know. Maybe he was training.

Donnie ignored the thought, crumpling it up and throwing it in his imaginary trash basket. The softshell would have heard something. His optics flicked around the room, thinking. It got to the point where he called out Raph’s name. No response. Donnie got up and walked outside his lab, wandering the lair nervously. He picked at his fingers, swiveling his head around. He paced, looking in every room. His head peeked into the gym, where the punching bag was still as a rock. The terrapin paced around, and snapped his fingers in realization, his gaze drifting to the sewer pipes that lead to the manhole. Donnie ran back to his lab, grabbing an old purple hoodie.

The soft material covered his arms, flooding him with immense comfort immediately. He padded back over, and the cold metal felt like it was piercing his feet. The subway tunnels dripped with gunk, but Donnie rarely minded. He had lived with it his whole life, and he could just wash off later anyway.

The dripping of water echoed, and it seemed more empty, like something was missing. He rushed out quickly, the small stairs dissapearing as he climbed them. The city lights flashed in his eyes, and Donnie flinched. The night sky stretched across New York, and the crimson red hind lights of cars illuminated the streets. Honking and chattering filled the sidewalks, and Donnie stumbled out. Large ads filled the sides of buildings, and it almost felt unreal. They had built all of this in so little time. Well, maybe more, since he was in a coma for most of it. One video caught his eye, though. Donnie walked over to the tv shop, pressing his hands against the glass. It cooled his sweaty palms, leaving fog in the shape of his handprints. 

“The public of New York City is still recovering from the extraterrestrial attack on their home, and many people still live in fear of the alien menace coming back. They have, however, started turning their hope to a mysterious group of heroes. Two of these vigilantes can be seen fighting a large, possessed helicopter near a local coffee shop.” An old video of Casey and April played on repeat a few times at different angles. 

“The others have remained hidden, and now to ask the question: Who are these concealed heroes, and will they continue to save our city from otherworldly threats?” Donnie huffed in amusement. They had been saving their city for a while now. Donnie wondered if people actually noticed. I guess they did.

He pulled away, walking along the sidewalk, his head hung low. The gauntlet beeped quietly, and the softshell directed his gaze to the small screen. Raph’s tracker. Right! How could he have forgotten? Donnie followed the arrows, accidentally running into a couple of people, and his pacing got quicker as he neared his brother’s location. It lead him to a rooftop, and Donnie stared at the complex’s stairs for a moment

before clambering up. He jumped off of the railings, clearing each floor at the speed of light. He accidentally tripped on the lip of the roof, face planting before looking up with a pained expression. Raph sat on the other end, shoulders slumped. The snapping turtle’s head whipped towards the noise, and Donnie realized he had been crying. Oh dear… He got up, his stance askew.

“How did you—“ Raph looked at the light coming from the softshell’s wrist. “Oh. Right.” He sighed, a smile on his face. 

“Um,” Donnie walked over and rubbed his brother’s bicep awkwardly, a crooked grin forming on his face. “How’s…how’s it hangin’…bro?” His voice faded into a squeak. The moon shone on their faces, and Raph turned back to stare at it wistfully. 

“Fine.” He rubbed his snout, letting out a small sniffle. Donnie wasn’t really good with emotions, but his brother was definitely not fine. With a small breath, Donnie plopped down next to him, staring at the moon as well. The city lights and noises were so distant, they were almost nonexistent. The stars were the only other source of light, it seemed. Donnie struggled to find the words for this situation. His brother needed comfort, but he also seemed like he wanted to be left alone.
He gave a small friendly nudge, trying to seem open. Raph looked back at him, and they stared at each other. Donnie raised an eyebrow. Maybe he didn’t have to do a lot of this in words. 

“It’s—you shouldn’t worry about it. It’s nothing, really.” The large terrapin turned his head away, and Donnie frowned. He nudged him again, and Raph glared at him, analyzing what Donnie wanted. C’mon, just spit it out. He thought impatiently. 

“Come on, Raph. I’m…available? To talk, I mean.” He shrugged, suggesting that he should start talking. 

“Fine.” Raph lulled his head to his shoulder. They waited for a moment. Donnie could wait—not a long time, he’d have to leave eventually—but he could wait.

“I’ve just been so aware. All the time. Raph’s been overthinking everything, and worrying more than I usually do,” He sighed. “I shouldn’t be telling you this. It’s not—it’s not impor—“ Donnie placed his hand on Raph’s shoulder as if to say, you can tell me anything. Raph nodded slowly.

“Okay. Every day, I can’t stop thinking about how young we are. I mean, the earth’s been around for what, 4 billion years? We’ve only been around for about 16, and everything is so messed up with us. With our lives.” Raph clenched his fist until it turned white. “None of you should have had to endure that.” 

“Which part, “ Donnie joked lightly. Raph took it a lot more seriously.

“All of it. When the Kraang came down, when I—when Leo returned with the key. When I almost killed…almost…” He buried his face in his palms. He wasn’t crying, just…preparing to speak. “When I almost killed Leo. And when he sacrificed himself for us.” Of course none of them should have gone through that. Donnie cocked his head slightly. “I know, it’s obvious no one should ever experience that, but I just can’t stop thinking into it. I can’t stop pulling apart every action, every movement to see what could really be the outcome of it all.” Raph gulped, his eyes wetting as he he hesitated. 

“Do you…do you hate me?” Donnie’s eyes widened, and his mouth gaped open slightly, a sliver of his teeth showing. 

“No. No, no Raph no one—we don’t hate you!” He was completely baffled. Raph hadn’t been in control of anything he did. Nothing was his fault, and if anything, they loved him more for his bravery through it all. Donnie knew Mikey, April, and the others would agree, but the bewilderment on Raph’s face didn’t think so. 

“Why not?!” Raph stuttered. 

“Because that wasn’t you! You weren’t yourself! The Kraang did it all, hate them!” Donnie pointed at the sky, his lips inverted. “Yes, you were angry, yes Leo was kind of being an asshole, but none of that was you! It’s not—It’s NOT your fault.” Raph’s eyes started to glisten, and he sniffled.

“But I…I wanted…” Raph stuttered, and Donnie could tell he was about to break down. This was about to get super awkward.

“We all love you, Raph, no matter what you’ve done!” That definitely did it. Raph start to choke, and he hid his face. Donnie’s stomach began to do flips. He had said that so smoothly with no hesitation, and it kind of surprised him. He stared at his brother, eyes glazed over. Donnie looked away, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. Donnie scooched closer, and placed his head on Raph’s shaking shoulder, not saying anything. The shuddering eased, and Raph sniffled loudly. Donnie ignored it, still staring out into space. He hoped this would comfort him, because if it didn’t, Donnie didn’t know what else would.

Mikey wasn’t here to give Raph hugs and kisses on his head or say supportive, loving things, and Donnie wasn’t like that. He just stayed there, waiting for a clear response from his brother. A warm palm rested on Donnie’s shoulder, and he looked at it. Raph pulled him closer, and they gazed at the city, laid before them like it was a miniature model in one of those pawn shops. For a moment, everything was silent. For a moment, everything was at peace. They stayed quiet, letting the breeze roll over them until it was consumed by the night sky. Donnie watched, and wondered if Leo was somewhere out there, waiting for them. 

He hoped he was.

Chapter Text

Leo rocked back and forth sluggishly. He felt like he was going insane. Today—tonight—whatever time it was, it was so quiet. Whatever noise he made was absorbed by the dimension immediately. It was like clicking a pause button on and off, cutting off any noise coming from the tv. His rocking slowed to a stop, and Leo stared at the floor for a good minute. He closed his eyes tightly, trying to imagine him and his brothers together. He also included April and Dad, and Casey along with them. He focused on it so hard his brain started to hurt. He rubbed his arms, shivering slightly. Leo blinked hard, and the view of them all hugging started to flicker away into the cold, empty vat of darkness that laid ahead of him. He reached his arm out, trying hold it close. He looked crazy. He felt crazy. He was probably going crazy. Leo retracted his hand, placing it onto his heart. He hated feeling like this, hopeless and alone. He couldn’t stand feeling stupid or insane either because it made him feel all self-conscious and stuff on the inside. That was probably the least of his worries though. Leo finally decided to stand up and stretch. His calves were sorer than the sorest of sores like, ever, and that was pretty annoying considering he had to be up all the time, running constantly. Leo grit his teeth as he took a couple of steps, the throbbing pain fading as he walked around. He paced for a while, thinking of what to do next. He was pretty bored and things were starting to get repetitive, so Leo decided that protecting himself from the Kraang would be something new that could keep him busy. He had nothing better to do anyway.

The old suits might be something he could use, but of course, Leo had literally no idea how to make weapons. He could use them and look absolutely fabulous, sure, but creating? Nah. Well, it’s technically already been made, so… He shrugged. Trying couldn’t hurt. It took him a while (and lots of scratches), but Leo finally managed to grab a couple of shards of metal from the boney—well, metal—back of the Kraang armor.

The thoughts of his family swirled around in his head like a hurricane the entire time, filling him with a bittersweet feeling that made his stomach ache. He dropped to his knees in exhaustion and looked at the scraps in his hand. Two dagger-like iron blades sat in his hand, about the size of it too. They were dirty and somewhat dull, but considering how far he had gone to get them, Leo couldn’t care less. He lost his swords, so these would have to do. In all honesty, he actually thought they looked pretty menacing.

He found two short poles of metal lodged in a pile of debris and attached them to the bottom, wrapping it in the remaining gauze left in his pouch. Leo knew that carrying them would be a hassle, so he shoved it into his arm wrappings. It kinda made him look like DeadPool, and if he was being honest, Leo could totally live with that. He adjusted it so it wouldn’t hurt his hands and maneuvered them so they were placed between his two longer fingers.

Leo felt weird. He was so well-adjusted to this dimension, it was like it was part of him. He shook his head. But I don’t belong here, do I? The cold air swept over him once more and he shuddered. All Leo wanted was to feel safe in his family’s arms, but that wouldn’t happen. Deep down, he knew it wouldn’t. They couldn’t get him back, even if they tried. Leo was in another dimension, not even in the same universe, most likely. How could they get him back? It was impossible. Admitting that gave him a churning feeling in his stomach, and his heart felt like it was being squeezed. A weight laid on his chest, and Leo couldn’t get it off. This place was so cold and empty, not at all like his home. He missed the sewers and the subway tunnels back home, and the New York City lights.

He missed their movie nights and the fresh, buttered popcorn that would always melt in his mouth, and he’d have to spend the next hour digging the kernel shards out of his teeth. (Ok, maybe he didn’t miss that.) He missed Raph, Mikey, Donnie, April, Casey, Dad, and even the yokai and mutants who had been his enemies at one point. Leo clenched his fist tightly, shutting his eyes so hard tears came out.

He stayed like that for so long he felt like his eyes were open. A voice called out to him, and Leo whipped his head around to see where it came from. No. It wasn’t possible. 

“Mikey?” He called out, voice breaking. 

“Leo?” Mikey’s voice said again, this time louder. 

“MIKEY!” He yelled, almost in tears. Leo got up, stumbling and laughing. There was no way they had found him. He saw a figure in the distance, and Leo ran towards it, arms reached out, ready to embrace his little brother in a hug. It got closer, and Leo could make out the shape of him so clearly. He smiled. He clambered towards him, but then Leo stopped. The figure started to fade, whisked away by the slight breeze of the prison dimension. 

 “NO!” He cried, trying to catch up. Leo ran so fast his feet stumbled over themselves, and he fell on his shoulder. He yelled in pain, but the tear in his muscle was nothing compared to the pain he felt in his heart. Leo looked up with tears in his eyes. It was fake. There was nothing there except the same dark vat of sky and stone, gazing back at him blankly.

A hole grew in his stomach, and he keeled over, staring at the ground with hatred. How cruel. How cold his mind was. Leo didn’t cry, because what good would it do? If he were going to, it would be because of the raging storm swirling in his head. He clenched his fist until it turned white and it shook slightly. He spent the next minute shaking on the ground, and Leo breathed heavily. His shoulder stung and he winced, tears leaking out of his eyes.

“No…”

Leo’s world was crashing around him, and he could feel the hope draining from his heart as the realization fell upon him. 

There wasn’t any hope. None. He was going to be left here to rot until his bones turned into dust. Leo could barely comprehend it. His entire life, his family, his friends, gone just like that.

Taken by a monster with no regard for the damage he had done to Leo’s heart. 

He wanted to kill him. Leo wanted to shred the Kraang until it was a pile of stinking flesh. He felt a growing desire to slaughter the next thing that moved and crush it between the three fingers that had once been so soft to the touch, but were now covered in calluses, cuts, and bruises. His body seemed to move on its own, ignoring the throbbing pain coming from his shoulder. He strutted over, his stance taller.

This alien didn’t scare him, not anymore. Because he had nothing left to lose. He had thought about it earlier, how if he died, he died. But it was true. The slider was fully prepared to let this menace beat him into the ground, but he wanted to harm it before then. Just a couple of slashes to the face, maybe a gash in the forehead, something—anything that would feed his fury. A burning flame started to bellow in his heart, and Leo rolled his shoulder back, brushing off the stinging feeling of the torn skin. He stretched out his arms and cracked his knuckles, a cold expression settling on his face. The slider began to run, and he bounded over the dimension like a jack rabbit with only one goal in mind: Hurt it. And that’s what he was going to do. 

He was going to hurt. 

Leo could finally see the Kraang from a distance. The terrapin had followed the roars that practically broke the sound barrier, and he crouched like a spider, hidden between debris. He had never thought it would come to this, but now here Leo was, about to run to Death with open arms. His skin prickled, and Leo glared. He looked at a loose chunk of metal, ripping it off a moment later. 

“HEY GUMFACE!” He yelled, throwing the alloy towards the Kraang with all his might. It clanked as it struck the alien’s suit, and that red eye that haunted him every night snapped towards him, the light illuminating Leo’s plastron in a crimson haze. It’s jaw was almost unhinged, it’s metal teeth glinting in the dull incandescence coming from its large optic, which looked chillingly like a pool of blood. It hissed, it’s tail lashing like a whip.

“Hello, worm.” The back of the extraterrestrial’s throat let out a guttural growl, and a malicious grin grew on its face. “Come to die, I see.”

“Enough talk, Slimer!” He whipped out his daggers, brandishing them. Without a moment’s hesitation, the machine sprung toward him with otherworldly speed, and Leo tumbled out of the way, latching onto his arm. The Kraang raised its other hand to whack him, similar to swatting away a mosquito. He sprinted up its forearm, and spun himself on its finger. The air whistled in his ears, and the slider felt the cold air sting his cheeks. Leo released with a wild grin and kicked the mechs jaw, so much so he heard a creak. It forced the alien to twist its head, and Leo scrambled up its scapula.
The Kraang roared, and flung him off. He tumbled into a rock and rebounded onto the ground with a crack! He shivered as he got up, and rotated the daggers in his hands so they were positioned correctly. The Kraang hurtled towards him, it’s claws digging up rock as it crawled to him at unimaginable speed and force. Leo’s stomach dropped as he rolled out of the way, the alien missing him by a hair. It looked towards him, it’s eyes basically red with fury. The slider ran towards it again as he yelled, and slashed the front of its face. It let out a furious bellow, and it’s pupils narrowed.

“VERMIN!” It screamed. The fact that it got so mad made Leo’s heart swell. Don’t get too cocky. Uh oh. It raced towards the terrapin and slammed him into the concrete. He could feel something break, but he wasnt sure what it was. As the force of the alien’s hand crushed him, Leo let out a scream of pain. He dug the daggers into the rock above him, attempting to pull himself out of its grasp. It picked him up, squeezing him so hard he could feel his shoulder pop. Leo let out another yelp, but he gulped it down, trying to keep it cool.

“Kill me. It won’t—it won’t accomplish anything. It won’t bring you back.” Leo struggled to get the words out. The Kraang glared at him, it’s pupils gazing at him with an indescribable amount of hatred. It faded into a devilish look of mischief, and Leo shut his eyes tightly. 

“But that’s just it, isn’t it.” It grumbled maliciously. It squeezed him tighter, and Leo could feel himself slipping away. “You want to die, but that won’t work.” Leo tried shaking his head, but he could barely keep himself awake. “You think I’m a fool? I know this feeling too well.” It released him, and Leo let out a desperate choking gasp for air. “No. You will die slowly. From infection, blood loss. Or whenever I decide I’ve had enough of you.” He waved at Leo dismissively.

Leo looked up at him, his vision blurry. He couldn’t move and his ribs were completely shattered. It hurt to breathe, and he felt like passing out. There was no coming back from this, he knew. He’d die after this. Leo would pass, and the world would keep on turning. His plastron had cracks spread across it like spiderwebs. The Kraang looked down on him like a dictator at his subjects.

“Pathetic.” Leo didn’t answer. He couldn’t. He just laid there, eyes closed and completely defeated. He heard the stomping and clanking get farther away. Leo breathed slowly. And then he smiled.

This pain? This agony? It was all a part of the process. All part of the road to eternal peace in himself. Leo thought about all the people he could see when he left this earth. His ancestors. Gram-Gram. Maybe he could check up on his brothers once in a while, see how they were doing. All his hopes and dreams started to flood into his mind and all the things he had said. Leo analyzed everything he had ever done, from the moment he had hatched from his egg, to the lemonade stand he had built, and now. Leo wanted to laugh, though he knew he couldn’t. He hoped that his family was better now. He hoped they had found peace, as he soon would. Maybe in another life, they could find another faceman. He let the tears fall onto the cold hard ground that would become his final resting spot.

Leo drifted his shaky, blood-stained hand slowly over to the dagger. A small red iridescence traced the blade, but it quickly dissapeared as he picked it up, his reflection staring back at him.

Chapter Text

Mikey hadn’t stopped thinking about Leo since that day, and it was even worse today. He didn’t have a moments peace. Not one of his thoughts didn’t revolve around his brother, and his gut ached. Mikey hunched himself over and crossed his arms, knocking on the door to Donnie’s lab. 

“Come in,” The softshell’s voice spoke in a monotone manner. Mikey walked in nervously. Donnie spun his chair around, smiling proudly. 

“Want to see what I just finished?” “No, don’t answer that. Of course you do!” He said 

excitedly. Mikey smiled cheerily, but it faded slowly. Donnie’s smile faded as well as his expression became one of worry. His shoulders slumped and he raised an eyebrow in a forlorn but curious manner.

“Do—do you not like it? What’s wrong? Do you want it made of metal because I can—“ 

“I love it, Donald,” Mikey said honestly, nodding. 

“Then what’s going on?” His brother asked. Mikey looked down sadly.

“I want to try again. I just—something feels really off today. Leo is…I dont know.” He dismissed himself as he spoke the last sentence. “It’s silly.” Donnie got up and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Michael, do what you want, I’m not stopping you.” He smiled slightly. 

“Right, sorry. Can you come with, though? I have a feeling it might work this time.” Donnie sighed reluctantly, but nodded. 

“Are you sure? I mean, things can’t be based on feelings, can they?” Mikey shrugged.

“It just feels different, I don’t know. I wanna get Raph and Casey too, just in case.”

“Right.” They walked in silence to the main room where Raph was reading a Jupiter Jim comic and Casey was talking with Splinter. The chatter stopped as soon as they walked in, though. Mikey’s expression became tougher, and his brow dipped into a v-like curve. 

“Guys, I think it’ll work this time.” Raph looked up. 

“”Mikey?” They stared at each other for a moment. Casey looked over at Raph, then at Splinter, then Donnie. He sighed sadly, getting up quietly. 

“We need to be careful though. If we actually succeed…” Mike gazed at him.

“I know.” He nodded, and Casey dipped his head as if he were mourning for Mikey before his death. This made him extremely worried, but Mikey needed to do this. He placed a hand on Casey’s shoulder and looked up at him. The refugee’s head raised, and they stared at each other for what seemed like eternity. His eyes were dark, his pupils unmoving. Casey looked so determined, yet so terrified. His jaw tightened, and he finally nodded. His sleeves were scrunched at the end, and Casey rolled them up. Mikey cupped his hands around his friends, beaming.
“It’s okay. I’m a mystic warrior, remember?” That seemed to have worked, but Mikey couldn’t tell. Casey smiled shakily, and let out a breath that Mikey could tell he had been

holding in for a while. Mikey started to let go, but Casey pulled him back, looking at him hesitantly.

“How…how do you know this’ll work?” Mikey sighed and gave Casey a sweet smile.

“I don’t. But I have to try.” The box turtle shook his hands, and pulled him in for a hug. He retracted from the embrace slowly and looked at his family, who were staring at him with proud but dismayed expressions. He gave a quick nod, and walked past them into another room. Mikey pushed away a curtain, revealing a room filled with stored items that had yet to be placed somewhere in the lair. Mikey took a breath and prepared himself, but heard shuffling behind him. 

“We’re here for you Mikey,” Raph confided. Mikey bobbed his head slightly, and looked forward. 

Don’t worry, Leo. We’re coming. His calves tightened as he stepped a foot back. Mikey closed his eyes tightly, taking another deep breath which formed into a sort of strained yell as his hands were outstretched in front of him. His fingers twitched, and it felt different this time. He felt stronger. More supported. His yell transitioned into a scream, and his fingers sparked with electricity, tingling and sending shocks up and down his body. Painted streaks of yellow and sunset orange streaked across the room, and lightning strikes of what seemed like molten gold circled his body. It was working. A rift tore open the sky in front of him, and Mikey could recognize those red stripes anywhere. His brother was going to come home.

Leo’s finger traced the blade and he rolled on his back, his shell stinging like a fire had erupted inside of it. He grimaced, and he grasped the crude, makeshift hilt hesitantly, lifting it above his chest. He was ready. He was finally going to feel peace. His jaw shook as he apologized to everyone he had ever known or met. I’m sorry Mikey. Sorry Raph. Dad, Donnie, Casey, April. I’m sorry I couldn’t come home. A tear rolled down the side of his face in between the crease by his eye as he tightened his grip and clenched his teeth. His hand shook, and he pressed the point to his stomach. Leo couldn’t bear to look. His hands loosened as his head started to pound. The slider’s eyes rolled around like loose marbles, andhe knew he wouldn’t wake up after he closed his eyes.

The world he had felt nothing but pain in started to fade around him, and Leo thought he heard the clatter of the blade hit the ground, but he couldn’t tell. Whatever sounds he or anything else was making was muffled, and a rush of serotonin flowed through him as his whole life played in front of him like a movie screen. He wanted to reach out and be in that moment, where he could still see the sun and feel the warmth on his shoulders. At least he saw it one last time. It felt so real, though. Like it was right there above him. Ready to welcome him with open arms. And he accepted it.

Mikey let out a shriek as his brother’s form became clearer and clearer in front of him. Glowing cracks crawled up his arms like vines, the searing pain burning into his skin.

“Master Michaelangelo!” Casey called, his voice breaking into tears. Raph and Donnie’s footsteps stomped closer as they placed one of each their hands on Mikey’s shoulder. Mikey looked up, his face in a twisted expression of agony. Raph’s brow was furrowed in determination, and as Mikey looked back at Donnie, he realized both of his brothers had the same expression. He looked ahead, and watched as Raph charged into the portal.

The cracks sped up their process, and he saw small golden flecks hurtle behind him. He watched as the snapping turtle picked up their brother’s body, and Mikey’s stomach started to drop as his brother’s expression turned into one of horror. He ran to the portal with Leo’s hand swinging limply in his arms. Mikey’s hands began to shake violently.

He couldn’t hold it any longer, and Donnie started to clench his teeth too. His legs were beginning to buckle, and Mikey’s head was pounding. Raph barreled through, forming a protective ball around their brother.

The portal made a loud whooshing and zapping noise as it shut and he fell to the ground, his arms in agonizing pain. It felt like he had just stuck them in lava, only a thousand times worse. Every nerve and every sensor had been set off, and he couldn’t help but let out a wail. Donnie came stumbling to his aid, crawling to Mikey and picking him up in his arms, rocking him back and forth while holding him tight. He stayed for a moment but forced himself out, scrambling to  Leo. Donnie followed while Dad and Casey crowded around him. Raph laid him on the ground, his expression blank. No. Their brother looked horrible, and Mikey didn’t think he

could bear it. Every inch of him was covered in cuts and bruises, and his fingers were sticky with blood, as well as everything else. His plastron was covered in cracks that stretched along his whole torso, and blood was seeping out of them. Mikey hugged Donnie close as Raph checked Leo’s chest. His brother’s eyes shot wide open and filled with tears as he checked his neck, then his wrist. Raph stood up, every inch of him trembling. Mikey stared as the snapping turtle slammed his fist into a wall, leaving a gaping hole with cracks spreading out of it. 

“No. Raph, stop please he’s not gone!” Mikey wailed. Raph’s knees buckled and Mikey watched him burst into tears. “No!” Donnie let him go, and Mikey rushed to Leo, holding his face in his hands. His brothers face…Mikey couldn’t even bear to look. His eyes were rolled back and blank, empty pools sat in their spot. His stomach twisted, and every inch of the box turtle’s body hurt, inside and out. He felt like his heart had been ripped from his chest and pulled apart right in front of him. “Leo come back! Please come back!” Mikey sobbed. Donnie rushed up to his side, checking up on Leo as well. 

“No, no no no no, NO!” The softshell yelled. “This—this is not happening this—no…” He stopped talking, tears dripping silently down his face like a waterfall. Dad came up right by Leo, putting his forehead on their brother’s stomach in tears. Casey just stood there. Mikey yelled and shook Leo as he continued his desperate pleas. Sorrow turned into anger as he continued.

He let out a final yell as he felt that same burning feeling return to his hands. The box turtle opened his eyes as some sort of flame burst from his fingertips, breathing some sort of light into Leo’s lifeless body. He forced every ounce of energy he had, realizing what he could do. Mikey watched the others stand back in alarm as he lifted his head up to let out yet another shriek of anger. He pushed his palms closer to Leo’s plastron and stayed there for what just might have been forever. His brother was not about to die, not on his watch. A kind of rage overtook him, and the box turtle couldn’t tell what was happening.

Mikey only escaped this trance once he heard the coughing escape Leo’s mouth. He opened his eyes and they immediately welled with tears.

“LEO!” He cried, and reached out for a hug, but retracted. His brothers eyes were so heavy, and they looked so weak. 

Leo laid there, not able to move a muscle. His brothers voices crowded him, and he heard ringing in his tympanum. No. This wasn’t real. Another one of the prison dimension’s tricks, perhaps. He was dead, in heaven or something. His brothers were somewhere in a place far away, where he couldn’t reach them. Muffled panicked chatter surrounded him, and Leo felt himself being lifted up.‘you’ll be okay’, he thought he heard someone say. The ringing eased as complete silence fell over him one more time. 

Leo decided it would be a good idea to wake up with the sun blazing directly in front of his face. Wait—not a sun—a hospital light. His eyes fluttered open once more, and he watched as a figure ran towards him. Raph, maybe. He wanted to sit up, but the scorching pain surrounding his torso wouldn’t let him. The insufferable ringing in his ears returned, but this time it was quieter, like a cozy blanket blocking all other noise.

“Leo? You awake?” A gentle yet broken voice whispered by his right tympanum. 

“Hnnn….” Leo groaned. It was the only answer he could think of or physically use as a response. He thought he heard crying, but maybe it was just those little jingle bells going ding dong ding dong all the time. A soft hand grasped his, and Leo blinked slowly in awe. His optics slowly looked at the forearm, then the shoulder, then the face. He finally laid eyes on the person he had never wanted to see more in his life than today. The ringing stopped almost immediately, and Leo started to sob. 

“RAPH!” He screamed, trying to jump up and hug him. That searing pain boiled in his torso once more, and he recoiled back like a viper, hissing in pain. Raph, his big, strong, and powerful brother burst into a million tears. He stepped towards him and their foreheads connected. Leo broke down, wrapping his hands around his neck. 

“This…this isn’t f-fake? You’re here?” Leo choked, burying his face in Raph’s shoulder.

“I’m here, Leo,” The spiny terrapin smiled, grinning ear to ear as tears rolled down his cheeks. 

“Oh God…” Everything he had wanted to say, he could finally say. Leo started to sob even harder, his cheeks scrunching.

“Raph, I am so sorry, I should have been there it was stupid but there was no other way and I couldn’t let him win I couldn’t—“ Leo coughed as his throat started to become dry. His arms felt bruised, and Leo couldn’t even lift himself up from the waist. Everything hurt so bad, and Leo didn’t know what to focus on; the pain or the serenity he hadn’t felt in months.

“Leo, please I—“ Raph’s voice started to crack, and he pulled away. “I can’t believe you’re here!” He gurgled. Leo smiled, though he could barely feel his face. Speaking of which, Leo noticed the CPAP machine resting on his snout and lips, which was weird he didn’t feel it before. But besides that, Leo was home. He was finally home. 

“Where are…where are the others?” He asked hoarsely. Raph’s face dropped slightly.

“Dad and Casey are working on something outside, and Donnie is sleeping, finally. Mikey…” Raph trailed off. “When he was opening the mystic portal thingy his arms,” Raph undid some of the wrappings on his hand, and revealed cracks that made his arm look like a shattered porcelain vase that was glued back together. He closed them back up with a wince. “It was worse than what happened to me. Took a large toll on his energy, I guess.” Raph rubbed his neck, and Leo looked down guiltily. Mikey had done that to himself to get to Leo? He really was a sweetheart.

“He saved you, ya know.” Raph grinned slightly and let out a huff. “He used his magic and did something to you, but none of us know how or when he learned to do that.” Leo smiled and rested his head down on the pillow in satisfaction.

“Yeah, that sounds like him…” He mumbled. His body was weighing him down like a bag of sand, and these hospital blankets had never felt more soft. 

“Leo?” Raph’s voice started become panicked, but Leo waved him off, grumbling about how he needed his beauty sleep. 

“I’ll tell the others you’re okay,” He heard Raph say as he was leaving the room. The slider gave him a thumbs up, and snuggled up into the pillow as the peace he had been looking for for months flooded his system.

Chapter Text

Donnie groaned as he rolled over reluctantly. His nice, soft bed…was on the other side of the room, but Donnie didn’t notice that until after he was face-down on the floor. The sharp, cold sensation on his face shook him to his core, and he yelped, stumbling up frantically. “Phew,” Donnie sighed in relief. He heard knocking on the door, and quickly put on his goggles.
“You may enter,“ He said in the most elegant, did-not-just-wake-up-from-a-nap voice he could. He watched as Raph sheepishly entered his room. 

“Donnie, Leo’s doing a bit better now,” The words flew into his tympanum like a symphony. 

“Oh thank goodness.” He put his hand over his heart and sighed. 

“Said something about ‘needing his beauty rest,’” Raph chuckled. Donnie rolled his eyes teasingly, but the softshell was so relieved to see Leo was somewhat back to normal. The weight on his heart was lifted slightly, but still kept him down, like Atlas. 

“I’d better go check on his vitals,” Donnie grumbled. “See if anything needs to be adjusted.” He fidgeted with his goggles, adjusting them slightly so they weren’t as askew. He just wanted to see his brother, if he was being honest. It was nerve wracking enough when Raphael had first pulled his twin out of the portal. Donnie couldn’t shake the image of his brother’s face out of his head, all bruised and just overall horrifying. Donnie remembered the gash across his head that had healed poorly and was probably infected. And his shell…the softshell almost gagged at the thought.

He walked out of the room quickly, strutting over to the Med Bay. His twin lay there peacefully, but his breathing told a different story. It was all ragged and labored, like someone had torn a gash in Leo’s lung. That was not the case, Donnie reminded himself. If that had happened, Leo would have died quicker than he could say trigonometry. The terrapin quickly replaced some IV fluid he had gotten from a hospital earlier that day. His fingers worked swiftly and efficiently as they whisked across the equipment, analyzing every single item. He left the room as quickly as he entered, but Donnie couldn’t help but stare at Leo’s limp figure before doing so. 

“See you in a bit, brother.” He mumbled. Donnie wished there was more he could do for Leo, but he knew that wasn’t possible. The softshell did everything in his power, but even that wasn’t enough. He decided to work in his lab, do something to distract himself from the mess they had just gone through. Maybe work on repairing S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N or something. He plopped

down into his chair, sinking into the soft foam. Donnie’s hand floated towards the mouse, clicking away at old random files and deleting extra storage. A small red notification popped up in the corner, and he stared at it in suspicion. Donnie debated on not clicking it, but his curiosity eventually got the better of him.

‘New Video Recording—Location: CANNOT RENDER. Device: WATCH.’ Donnie stared at the recording for a while, analyzing the preview photo. It was Leo. He looked a lot less beat up but more sickly, like he had just gotten off of an exceptionally rocky fishing boat. How did he manage to record in the prison dimension? Donnie didn’t know, but he clicked it anyway.

“Um…hey guys. I know that I look really different, but it’s me! Your brother…Leo. Things…um—They haven’t been the same without you, to be honest. But look! I managed to fix my leg and—and I’ve been cool about this whole thing, I swear!” Donnie chuckled. Sure… Even through these horrible events, Leo managed to act normal. Donnie couldn’t fathom it, to be completely honest. He directed his attention to the video once more.

“I miss you guys a lot. Like, a lot—a lot. But hey, I know you. You’ll stick it out to the end, I know it.” The softshell watched as his twin gave the camera a small fistbump, and he did one right back. He knew it was foolish, but still. “Donnie’s probably going to be the first to find this video,” Donnie grinned proudly, but a sad feeling of nostalgia washed over him.“With his nerdiness.” He rolled his eyes, but continued to observe. “I just wanted to say that you keep doing what you’re doing, and things will turn out better, I promise. I know I’m not one for sentiment, but hey, you all might need it, you sorry suckers.”  That last sentence made him tear up a little, but Donnie wiped them away quickly and quickly clicked off.

It seemed so dark and lonely in that dimension. Beyond Leo, it looked like a giant vat of ink. He didn’t know how his twin managed to find his way around the area, because he sure couldn’t. Donnie reminded himself Leo probably had better night-vision than the rest of them did because of how long he had been stuck there. He stared blankly at the screen, his vision blurring. Donnie began to zone out, any thoughts he may have had sinking into the pit that was his brain. He blinked quickly and shook his head, snapping himself out of it.

Donnie decided to check up on Mikey. After the box turtle had opened that portal and healed Leo with whatever that magic was, he passed out almost immediately. They had to put him on medications and heal what had happened to his hands and arms. The minute Mikey was able to escape their sight, he left them immediately, holing himself up in his room. Donnie couldn’t understand why his little brother was so distant, but he’d do his best to find that out, because that’s what he was good at: analyzing the situation. 

Donnie padded out of his lab, clicking a pen anxiously. The cold “hallways” of the subway felt like ice against his skin, and he rubbed his arm to create friction. Mikey’s room was deathly silent, and he knocked on the door. No answer. Donnie had built it for his little brother’s privacy because he had requested it, and honestly, who was he to judge? Donnie knocked again, anxiety bubbling up in his stomach. 

“Michael? It’s me, Dee.” Donnie used his own silly nickname because Mikey called him that often, and Donnie could get by that, if he was being honest. Still no response. Donnie knocked harder, a black hole opening up in his stomach. Worries and worst-case-scenarios flooded his mind, and he clenched his teeth. 

“Donnie?” A small voice asked. His heart stopped sinking, and Donnie breathed a sigh of relief. 

“Yeah. Could I come in? Pretty please?” He asked, trying not to let the crushing anxiety he had felt slip into his voice.

“Sure,” The softshell heard footsteps then a quick click, which signaled that the lock was open. He creaked open the door, and watched as the figure of his brother sat wrapped in a blanket, huddled in a ball by a pillow. Donnie sat down on the side of the bed, the sheets hitching at the edges.

“What’s uh…what’s going on…?” He asked nervously, trying to keep calm. Mikey looked at him, anger and misery filling his eyes.

“What’s not going on?” His brother joked, but Donnie thought he heard annoyance in his voice, which allowed a gateway of dreaded and anxious thoughts to enter his brain. He looked around nervously, and decided to keep his mouth shut. Mikey must’ve noticed, because he sat up next to him, most of his body still concealed under the blanket. 

“Sorry, sorry, it’s just…” Mikey swallowed hard. “I’m just tired, is all.” Donnie could tell that was definitely not all, so he pulled Mikey closer, hesitating slightly. Nevertheless, his little brother curled up next to him, resting his head on the side of Donnie’s plastron. His eyes looked heavy and puffy, and the softshell could feel slight shaking under the cottony brown cloth. 

“Are you cold?” He asked. Mikey shook his head, looking down and away from his brother. Without saying a word, he unveiled his hands. They trembled continuously without stopping, similar to a hummingbird’s wings, and the golden cracks that appeared purple on Donnie were seared into his skin like a brand. Donnie winced as he looked at his right arm. Small cuts similar to Mikey’s creeped up his fingers and underneath his arm wrappings, but stopped at the elbow. They weren’t as apparent as his brother’s, though. 

“It hurts…” Mikey choked, his voice cracking. Donnie looked at the terrapin and guilt invaded him. He was so small.

“It’s okay. We’ll figure something out.” He pulled his brother closer, and Mikey buried his face deeper, small sobs coming from underneath the textile. 

“I’m scared, Dee. I don’t know how I did that—I mean, I know I’ve been training, but I never—I never thought…” He cried. “I don’t know what to do, I’m so tired but Leo needs me but—but it hurts to move and I just feel so useless!” Donnie noticed his tremors were getting more violent, and he turned to Mikey, gripping his shoulders.

“Hey, look at me.” The box turtle struggled to meet his eyes, but did eventually. “We will fix this. And you aren’t useless.” Donnie snorted. “You brought him back twice. Leo wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you. You wouldn’t have anyone to feel useless about.” Donnie put his hand to his heart, and Mikey’s face lifted a little.

“Hey, Doctor Feelings is my job,” He smiled, sniffling through his tears. Donnie chuckled. His little brother, always cracking jokes. 

“Need any advil? I got a couple in the lab.” He pointed behind him with his thumbs, and Mikey nodded gratefully. 

“Thanks. I should probably check on Leo.” He began to stand up, but Donnie blocked him with his arm. 

“Oooh no. You are staying right here, young man!” Donnie signaled to the bed. “You need your rest!” He quickly turned off the lights and flipped on Mikey’s nightlight. Donnie then ran out and grabbed the advil and a glass of water, stumbling into the room cartoonishly. “Now drink up and go to bed.” He ordered. Mikey laughed, and then that laughing turned into crying. Mikey rubbed his eyes and sniffled aggressively. 

“It’s so nice to have him back.” Mikey smiled. Donnie agreed while tucking him in. He was going to say goodnight, but Mikey was already asleep. The softshell looked back at him, wiping a tear from his eye. It was nice to have him back too. 

Chapter Text

Raph kept a continuous watch over Leo, and barely left his side at all. He set up a cot in the room, sleeping there when he felt worried that Leo wouldn’t last the night. Now he sat on a snow-white chair with dark, polished legs, eating his breakfast. Leo ate as well, stuffing the small bowl of lucky charms into his mouth ravenously. 

“Careful dude, you’ll choke,” Raph teased. In reality though, he was terrified. Leo was so frail, and Raph feared for him every waking hour. Something could go wrong, he’d swallow the wrong way, he’d strain a muscle, or the dosage of painkillers would be too much. 

“I haven’t had these in months,” The slider mumbled through his stuffed mouth. Raph smiled, his snaggletooth gleaming in the hospital lighting. He looked down, letting out a light chuckle. Turning his head back to Leo, Raph’s cheeks scrunched.

“What did you eat in there, anyway?” The snapper asked, a shaky tone slithering into his voice. Leo looked at him, grinning. 

“Just these weird bugs, I dunno,” He shrugged. Raph could practically see his brother brush every ounce of fear off of his shoulders and ignore it completely. They talked for a while about what had happened when they were separated. Raph explained Mikey’s situation, fumbling with his words. Leo was a bit more hesitant, but Raph could understand. If he were trapped in that dimension, he would never want to look back on it. His brother did explain some things though. How it looked, how it felt. Raph couldn’t imagine how lonely it must’ve been. 

“Did-ja miss me?” Leo joked, elbowing Raph’s shoulder. The snapper took it a bit more to 

heart, tears welling in his eyes. Yes, he very much did! Leo was his brother through and through, and his younger one at that! Seeing Leo in this state was gut wrenching, to say the least. 

“Of course Raph did!” He squeezed Leo from his shoulder as gently as possible, lips quivering. He sniveled gently, and looked at Leo. Raph thought he caught a glimpse of his brother’s face before it had processed the fact his eyes were on him. Sad, distant, hopeful. It quickly turned into one of joy and sarcasm, though.

The slider let out a snort of laughter, and winced slightly. It had been a week since Leo had come home to them, and Raph was glad to see his brother was healing fast. His shell was another story, however. It had been shattered on the right, a lightningbolt-like crack spreading from the chipped side. That would take longer, he knew. But most of his cuts were gone, and the dried blood that was soaked into Leo’s skin was scrubbed clean.

His mask had been replaced as a gift from April, who had come to visit him two days prior. His plastron had cracks that were someone similar to a bullet shot through glass, leaving rivers and creeks in its wake. He still looked drained of his energy, though. There were massive eyebags that sagged below his lids, and his skin was pale and sickly. Leo was also coughing a lot, which did not help his fractured rib situation. The slider pulled the blankets up to his chest, shuddering.

“Is the AC really necessary?” He pouted ironically. Raph shook his head in exasperation, smiling. Leave it to Leo to steer the conversation in an entirely different direction. He grabbed the remote, watching as his younger brother snuggled under the covers. After a few moments of silence, Leo looked at Raph with a stern, apologetic expression. His eyes looked down sadly. Raph gazed back at him.

”…”

“I’m really sorry, y’know. About…about what happened.” Raph let out a breath he had been holding in for a while. Leo needed rest, not more worries.

“I know, Leo. I forgive you,” Raph sighed. “If you wanted confirmation, I mean.” The snapper added. Leo’s expression became sadder, and he looked away. Raph tilted his head slightly. His brother seemed so guilty, and Raph didn’t know what to do. 

“I mean, you kinda shouldn’t,” The slider shrugged. He frowned, his brow dipping. Of course he could! It was his choice, anyway. 

“But I do.” Raph held his brother’s cold hand in his, keeping a stern face. Leo sniffled, wiping his tears hard with his palm.

“Why? I messed everything up! I’m—I’m the reason you got that!” He pointed to the jagged scar on Raph’s right eye, streaking across it like a lightning bolt. Raph clenched his teeth. 

“That was the Kraang, Leo. No one ever expected that to happen! We were just doing what we usually did; chasing bumbling villains across New York. The Kraang—they were monsters.” Raph snorted. 

“Hm.” Leo shrugged. The snapper’s face dropped. 

“Don’t do that.” 

“Do what?”

“Act like that doesn’t mean anything.”

“What do you mean?” Leo asked, his shoulders tensing.

“Not acknowledging my acceptance.” Raph did his best to keep his voice from wavering.

“Don’t lecture me about this.”

“I’m not trying to. Raph just wants you to understand it’s okay.” He cupped his hands around his brother’s, and Leo shut his eyes tightly. Raph could tell he was trying not to cry, but he patted the healthier area of Leo’s head gently, allowing the slider to break into tears.

“A-all our pain, all of this…” Leo waved his hand weakly towards anything ruined by the Kraang. Raph sighed.

“It wasn’t you. I know that us fighting was…” Raph struggled to find the words. Insensitive? Selfish? “…Not good for any of us.” Leo chuckled weakly.

“You could say that again.” His trace of a smile faded.
“…I don’t want to fight.” 

“Me too. I’m sorry I couldn’t say words the way I meant it.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t listen.”

“Already forgiven. Plus, you turned out to be a great leader!” Raph beamed, wanting to pat his back, but hesitating. He didn’t want to hurt Leo at all, ever. Never again. And it still hurt, Leo and him arguing all the time. It was like a bad smell on his clothes he could never get rid of.

“Well, my first few months of raw experience turned out to be pretty wasted,” Leo grinned.

“Too early, lil bro.” Raph frowned, with a hint of amusement in his voice. Leo chuckled again, and sank deeper into the covers. 

“How’s Mikey?” Leo asked. Raph rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. 

“He’s doing better. Just really tired.” Leo nodded, and smiled wistfully. The snapper raised an eyebrow.

“What’s up?” 

“No, it’s just, he’s very non…mikey—ish. It’s not a bad thing, I’m just surprised.” 

“He spent every day trying to find you. Every hour. It got to the point where he had to drag him out of his room at times, “ Raph joked, but his smile quickly faded. 

“It was more than we ever did.” His eyes looked down, and a feeling of guilt stirred in his heart. He should have done more, but for some reason he didn’t. He couldn’t. He wanted to do something for Mikey, but Raph didn’t know what to do. He wasn’t a bumbling idiot, obviously, but he was too occupied with other things. 

“Hey,” Leo pat Raph’s arm, smiling weakly. Raph watched the slider carefully. “We all have different um…” His hands fidgeted nervously, and Raph could tell he was looking for the words. “Uhhhh….grief-things, so don’t feel bad!” He chuckled. 

“Nice delivery,”

“Thanks, big bro,” Leo grinned, obviously purposely ignoring his brother’s sarcastic tone. “Love you,” He said, yawning. Raph stood up, placing one hand on the bar that was attached to the side of the hospital bed. 

“Love you too.”

Chapter Text

Casey paced around his quarters, one hand in his pant pocket. The other was too occupied with it’s nails being bitten nervously. His bedroom consisted of a futon bed with what little belongings he had brought with him, a blanket donated by Commander O’Neil and a small lamp with a couple Jupiter Jim comics underneath it. He had stayed with the turtles ever since the Kraang had been contained. His eyes drifted to the key, a horrible feeling entering his stomach.It loomed menacingly on a small stool with a sticky note next to it that had, “DO NOT TOUCH!” crudely written on the front of it in red crayon. Casey paused for a moment, both of his hands lowering to his sides.

Memories of him and Master Leonardo flooded his mind, and he couldn’t get them out. He didn want to. They were so precious, more valuable than anything in the world. It was all he had left of his own timeline, all he had of his family. Of course, Master Michaelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael were also there, caring for him, helping him, training him. Very fond memories indeed. Casey’s train of thought was cut off by Raphael’s silhouette passing by the door, and Casey yelped. The snapping turtle’s head peeked pack into the doorframe with a confused look. 

“Sorry, just got spooked.” Raph shrugged, smiled, then left. He sighed, laying himself down on the futon. Casey looked up at the ceiling and rested his hands on his stomach, his mind racing with every moment he had ever spent in his timeline. 

“Dad! Look what I can do!” A young Casey giggled excitedly as he did a sloppy front flip on his head, his sandals askew as he landed. Leonardo sat cross-legged on the floor, laughing dryly with a forlorn expression. Young Casey noticed this, and his face turned into a pout. “What, you don’ like my trick?” The older slider shook his head and chuckled again. 

“I loved your trick, Case,” Casey put his chin on Leonardo’s knee, continuing to pout. 

“Wassrong?” His large eyes looked up at Leo’s face, and it was twisted into a flurry of emotions.

“Well, Uncle Raphie’s…” His eyes drifted away, looking down darkly. “He hasn’t been home for a while.”

“Whyzat?” 

“Ouh boy….” He rubbed his neck awkwardly, clearing his throat. “Well, some people don’t stick around forever, but we’ll always remember them,” He placed a finger over Casey’s heart. “Right there.” ‘God that was such a cliche…” He whispered under his breath.

“What’s a cleechee?” Casey raised an eyebrow. Leo’s melancholic expression turned into one of amusement. 

“I don’t wanna answer that right now…” Leo lowered the upper half of his body onto the ground, laying down in exhaustion. Casey waddled over, the large t-shirt going below his calf flowing gently. He placed a small hand on Leo’s snout and the slider looked at him without moving his head. He let out a sigh and looked at the ceiling, putting his arms behind his head. Casey attempted to do the same thing, but fell on his bottom, mimicking the pose sloppily. 

“Someday we can look up and see stars.” Leo whispered. 

“What’r those?” Casey mumbled in awe. 

“You miiight need to consult Uncle Don about that.” 

“Becu he’s smerter than you?”

“Welll……yeah, he is.”

“Fot so.”

“What, you don’t think I’m smart?”

“Well maybe a wittle.” Leo laughed loudly, sitting up. Casey followed, erupting into giggles as he patted the ground happily. Leo picked the toddler up, swinging him in his arms. They were warm and welcoming, like soft bedding on a cold day. Casey never wanted to leave those arms again.

He blinked the tears out of his eyes, turning towards the lamp as he pulled the covers over his shoulder. The orange light radiated from the bulb, it’s beams shining on his face. He stared into the distance for a moment. The image of Master Michaelangelo being torn apart by the velocity of his own magic haunted him. And worst of all, Master Leonardo—his dad—was gone in a flash.

No mercy, no hesitation, just zapped out of existence. That crimson red light still lingered in his mind, invading his every thought. Casey couldn’t bear it. Every second he thought of it, his stomach would sink to his feet, making him want to vomit. Knowing he would never see his father again…the very mention made him want to fall apart into a million small pieces. Him and the others had saved the world, but at what cost? What had been sacrificed for peace?

In Casey’s opinion, he wanted to relive every moment of that apocalypse, no matter how gruesome or bedraggled it was. A single moment with the one he treasured the most—that was all he needed. To be wrapped in those arms once more was something Casey would never forget. No matter how far into the future he lived, he would take him and the memories of his sensei to the grave. 

When Leo’s body had been delivered through the portal, Casey couldn’t even process it. Well, he could, in a way, but only one way. The day he had been transported to this timeline. He was reliving that moment over and over and over until his brain felt like it was going to tear itself apart.

After Raph had confirmed that Leo’s heart had stopped beating, he couldn’t move. Couldn’t speak. It was a horror show. He had had to watch his master die twice, which was more than enough, Not only had Master Leonardo almost died, but so had Master Michaelangelo. The way that he had screamed with a guttural shriek escaping from the back of the throat and the flecks of tainted skin flying from Mikey’s arms…it was eerily similar. 

Casey tossed and turned, eventually accepting his mind would never give him peace. He lifted himself from the mattress, walking out of the room with a sigh. The turtle’s lair was lit with an azure glow from the led lights and store signs. Some parts of the lair were illuminated with arcade games and fairy lights, with the occasional lamp or two. Every so often, he would find an opening to a tunnel that looked like it might swallow him whole, and needless to say, it gave him the creeps.

An old, rusty subway train lay dormant on its tracks, decorated with graffiti. Spiderwebs filled the lair and coated the pillars that lifted the ceiling up, and the ceiling on its own was caked with paint, stickers, spray paints, and lights, which felt home-ey, for some reason. Casey walked farther, and noticed Splinter sitting by the projector, some sort of channel playing in its light. 

“Oh, helllo there Casey!” Splinter said warmly. He turned around, his cheeks lifting slightly. 

“Oh, hi. I’m just exploring, I’m—“ He was cut off by the boots stomping on the cement stairs that led to the ‘living room’. 

“Hi guys!” Commander O’Neil waved, carrying multiple empty bags in her right hand. “I’m about to go shopping, if any of you guys wanna come? Get your mind off of…all this?” She shrugged hopefully with a crooked smile. 

“Casey Jones here has cabin fever,” Splinter grinned, pointing at him with his thumb. The sentence caught him by surprise. 

“Uhh…what’s that?” He asked.

“You’ve been cooped up too long! C’mon, it’ll be a learning experience.” Splinter nodded with encouragement. Casey shrugged.

“Couldn’t hurt,” He answered. 

“Great!” She grabbed his hand without warning. “Let’s go!” 

They traveled through the subways until they reached the top, Casey practically being dragged. After a flight of stairs or two, they arrived in the middle of a busy walkway. The sun was a blazing ball of fire against his face, and the amount of people was…concerning. It was also really loud, like 100 bells ringing at once. It was so different from the world he had been raised in. Normally, there were usually 10 people in a room at max, but now there was a thousand times that, each person doing their own individual thing. Some man with a teal jacket and poorly cut dirty blonde hair was carrying groceries, and someone else was chatting cheerily with a person at a table across from them. They all seemed unbothered and in their own world, which freaked him out, if he was being honest. 

All seemed to be going great while he and O’ Neil were hand in hand until someone bumped into him. Casey whirled around and swung his fist at the source of contact, and was met by the frightened face of a random bystander who stood quivering in fear. 
“Yo, dude I’m so sorry please don’t hit me!” The person cowered. April pulled Casey’s arm back and began to console the man.

“I-it’s OK! He just gets scared easily,” She stammered, attempting to soothe the person’s nerves. After he had ran off in a panic, April turned to him with hands on her hips. Her face was soft, though.

”Let’s not almost sucker punch anyone else, okay?” She swung her arm around his shoulder, and he sighed.

”Sorry, Commander. My nerves are just a bit shot from all the commotion, that’s all.” He looked down guiltily and she pat his back. 

“Let’s just go get some groceries, alright?”

”Right.”

A few minutes later and lots of walking, they arrived at the Stock-and-Shop, a secluded grocery store at the edge of New York. April greeted a man at the front and shook his hand, introducing Casey. They chatted for a while, and he handed her a small black crate with a matching handle.

”Who was that?” Casey asked, head over his shoulder to look back at the man. 

“Who, him? Oh, that’s the dad of the kid that stocks this store. Baxter and I aren’t exactly on the best of terms…” She sucked her teeth and led Casey into an aisle that had a sign above it labeled “DAIRY”. Casey looked around in awe at all the food, his mouth wide open. April looked up from her basket and stared at him.

”Ohhh, right, you probably haven’t seen this stuff.” 
“Nnoope…” Casey slurred. He was too distracted by all the resources. If he could gather some of this for later, it could be useful.

“Okay, future boy, I’m taking you to another aisle.” April grinned. “If you’re this excited about dairy, wait till I show you what ice cream is.” She grabbed his wrist and dragged him as the colors, smells, and sights surrounded him.