Somebody To Lean On
A/N: This idea just came to me today, and I had to post it. It takes place right before Hacking Stockman, so Don is still in his broody mood and blaming himself over Splinter. I hope all of you enjoy it. Please feel free to leave a review after you've finished reading. I enjoy feedback.
Disclaimer: The TMNT are property of Mirage Studios, Inc. I wish I owned them, but I don't.
Summary: Donatello is blaming himself over Splinter's disappearance, and Leo can't take it anymore. Can he help Don snap out of it before it's too late?
Donatello sat at his computer, typing furiously. He was determined to do whatever it took to get Master Splinter back since it was his fault they'd lost him in the first place. With Serling's help Don was trying to do all he could to locate where his father could be. Despair threatened to overwhelm him as he kept coming up with dead ends.
"Don, come out with us," Raphael pleaded. "You've been workin' on that computer since we got back. You need to take a break."
"I'm a little busy right now in case you haven't noticed," Don replied. "You'll just have to go by yourselves."
"But, Don, it's movie night," Michelangelo reminded him. "We're going to April's to watch some awesome flicks and chow down on buttered popcorn. Let's have some fun like we always do."
Donatello glared at his little brother. "I don't have time for fun, Mikey!" he snapped. "I'm a little busy trying to find our father who was blasted to smithereens because of me! But if you care more about movies than about your father, go ahead and have your fun. I guess it just shows how selfish all of you really are."
"Don, Mikey didn't mean it that way," Leonardo told him. "We're worried about him, too. It's just that we know you've been working hard, and you deserve to take a short break. If Splinter were here, he'd say the same thing, and you know it."
"Stop lecturing me, Leo!" Don snarled. "I don't need to hear it. Just go enjoy yourselves. I've got more important things to do."
"Fine!" Raph spat. "Who needs ya?" He stormed out of the Lair. Mikey gave his brother a sad look and followed Raph out. Leo sighed and turned away, feeling sorry for Don. In a way, he knew what Don was going through. He thought it had been his fault that they'd almost died during their final battle with Shredder. He became angry and lashed out at his family members, just as Don was doing now. He was going to make sure that Don didn't make the same mistake he did by harming one of his family members.
"Guys, wait!" he called.
"What's up, Leo?" asked Raph.
"I'm gonna go back and talk to Don," replied Leo. "He needs somebody to lean on right now. I think maybe I can make him see sense."
"He won't listen, Leo," predicted Raph. "You can talk all you want, but it won't make a difference. Just leave him be. He'll come around."
"Like I did?" Leo retorted. "It took me injuring Master Splinter for me to realize what I was doing to myself and to you. I'm not going to let Don make the same mistake."
"Just send him to the Ancient One," Mikey suggested. "He could use a vacation."
Leo shook his head. "I doubt Don would go," he pointed out. "He's determined to do all he can to rescue Master Splinter. I just think this is the best thing I can do for him. If it doesn't work, at least it was worth a try. It's better than doing nothing and watching him slip away from us. I'd hate to think of what he would do."
Raph and Mikey were silent as they contemplated what Leo was saying. They knew he was right, and they felt the same way. None of them wanted to lose their brother. It just couldn't happen.
"Okay, Leo, you go back," Raph told him. "Just try to bring him back to us. Good luck."
"Yeah, good luck, bro," Mikey added.
"Thanks, guys," Leo said. He turned and headed back to the Lair while Mikey and Raph headed to April's.
As Leo entered the Lair he saw that Don was still typing away. Leo was quiet so as not to disturb him, but Don must have sensed someone was there because he said, "I thought you were going to April's."
"I changed my mind," Leo replied. "I just want to talk to you."
"I can't talk, I have to work," said Don shortly.
"Okay, you can just listen," said Leo. "Look, I know what you're going through. I felt the same way."
Donatello spun around to face his older brother. "You have no idea what I'm going through!" he retorted. "You don't know what it's like to feel responsible for losing a parent. I feel so damn guilty because I could've prevented it. Do you have any idea what that's like, Leo?"
"Yes, I do," said Leo. "I felt that way after the final battle with the Shredder. I thought that I could've done something to prevent what we had to do somehow. I thought there was a way out of it that wouldn't involve us having to sacrifice ourselves. I had nightmares about it every night. I cried myself to sleep because I felt I wasn't a good leader to you guys. Then when I cut Splinter, I felt even worse. I couldn't believe what I'd become because of my anger and guilt. Then when the Lair got attacked, I felt guilty again because I thought I'd lost all of you. It took me a little while to heal from all of that, and it wasn't easy. The Ancient One and Splinter helped me through it. I don't want you to make the same mistake. Just let me help you through this."
Don's anger abated. How could he be so stupid? Of course Leo knew how he felt. How many times had he tried to reach out to his older brother and had been subbed by him? Now, he was doing the same thing. "I'd never harm any of you," he said softly. "I just want Sensei back."
"So do we, Don," Leo told him. "We'll do our best to find him. But I know he wouldn't want you to blame yourself for what happened. If you keep this inside, it'll just tighten like a cork on an unopened bottle."
Don sighed. "I know you're worried about me, but I need to do this," he said. "I know you're trying to help me, but it's not that easy. I can't help feeling like it's my fault he's gone. It isn't a feeling I can just ignore, Leo. You need to know that. I appreciate that you're reaching out to me, but this is something I need to deal with on my own. Okay?"
Leo didn't like to hear this. He didn't want Don to deal with this on his own. He needed support to help him through this, not to be alone. Why did Don want to deal with this on his own? It wasn't going to work because it hadn't worked for Leo. He had tried to deal with his anger on his own, and it only caused more pain. Yet, he knew he couldn't keep pressing the issue. Don had made his decision, and that was that.
"That's fine, Donnie," he said. "If you want to work this thing out on your own, I respect that. It won't be easy, but you need to know that if it gets too hard, we're here if you need us."
"I know, Leo," Don replied. "Thanks. Now, go back to April's and enjoy your movies. Tell April and Casey I send my regards."
"I will," Leo promised. "See you later, bro." He headed out of the Lair, his heart heavy with sadness. When he arrived at April's, Raph and Mikey looked up, but their faces fell when they saw that Leo had come by himself.
"I knew it wouldn't work," said Raph.
"Bummer, dude," said Mikey softly.
"I did the best I could," said Leo. "He wants to deal with this on his own."
"It's not your fault, Leo," April told him. "I hope you let him know he has support if he needs it."
"I did that, and he thanked me," Leo informed them. "But this is just something we can't snap him out of. I guess it'll have to take something drastic to get him to wake up just like it did for me."
"That ain't true, Leo," said Raph firmly. "He'll snap out of it. We just have to give him his space like he wants us to. If he doesn't want help, we can't force it on him."
Leo knew Raph was right, but he didn't like it. They were supposed to rally together as a family to find their missing father, but instead they were falling apart. It wasn't supposed to be this way. Leo could only hope that his purple-clad brother would come to his senses soon. They had lost their father, and they were losing their brother as well. Leo vowed that he would do all he could to get his father and brother back safe and sound.
A/N: And that's the end of the story. I hope you all enjoyed it. Feel free to leave a review after you've finished reading. I'd really appreciate it. Have a shell-tastic day!