Mikey curled up tightly in a ball, his favourite orange blanket wrapped around him like a cocoon. He stared at the TV as he quickly played a show; he didn't know what the show was, just that it was some TV drama that played this late in the night. Or early in the morning, since it was 2am and he had been up since 1am. Mikey didn't care; he just wanted to get his mind away from why he ended up in the living room. Hopefully the TV hadn't awakened any of this family up, since he even lowered the volume so it was hard for him to hear it. But you could never tell when Sensei and Leo were asleep so Mikey all but prayed he had a bit of luck. Then again, it had been round about an hour since he got up so maybe his turtle luck was finally giving him some good stuff.

"Mikey?" Or not. Mikey jumped at the sudden voice and quickly turned around to see who he had probably woken up. Hopefully it was one of his brothers and not one of the monsters that haunted his dreams, since he was 100% sure that they were real!

The young turtle came face to face with his immediate older brother, which was weird since the dude was either unconscious on his desk or so caught up in his latest project that he forgot the whole world around him. There was a coffee mug in his hand so Mikey could take a good guess at what the turtle was awake for, which was good since Mikey was happy he wasn't the one that had woken him up.

"Err... Hey dude, what you doing up?" Mikey asked, though immediately kicked himself for it since that all knew Donnie worked late into the night and when he was asleep the only thing that could wake him was either the sounds of his brother's last breaths or the sound of the coffee maker.

"Getting some coffee. The real question is here, what are youdoing out of bed? You normally sleep until last afternoon if there isn't any morning practice." Donnie asked. The dude probably wasn't all with it yet otherwise the genius could probably guess why the second he saw him in the living room, watching the TV at its lowest volume while wrapped in a tight orange blanket.

"I err… couldn't bare to miss this program?" Mikey lied, though it was probably as plain as day to even the Shredder if the dude was here. Hopefully he wasn't because Mikey didn't want to move house or die trying to flee.

Donnie just looked at him for a second because sitting down next to him, the coffee mug forgotten as it was put on the step they call a sofa. There was a soft look the purple-clad turtle, Mikey now realising that he wasn't wearing his mask so his eyes were on full show, and Mikey knew that he knew why.

"Same one or new?" Donnie asked quietly as he pulled his baby brother in his arms, the youngest turtle still wrapped in the orange blanket. He rubbed Mikey's blanket covered shell when he felt the young turtle begin to shake.

"New one…" Mikey muttered as he voice began to shake, his self-control of trying to hold in his emotions so as to not wake anyone up was gone in the presence of his big bro. It always happened when he had one of his nightmares, not the silly, monster nightmares, but the 'nightmare' nightmares.

"Want to talk about it?" Donnie asked in a gentle tone, one that Mikey only heard when he was very upset and his brother was comforting him.

Mikey let out the last of his quiet sobs as he nuzzled into Donnie's plastron, no longer caring if he looked like baby, he needed the comfort right now. It was a while before either one of them spoke, both enjoying the comforting silence around them.

Mikey sighed heavily. "… We were all in the sewers, just playing around. Leo and Raph were arguing – of course they were arguing – and you were looking through this junk pill looking for your science stuff." Mikey said, though it was barely a whisper. Donnie giggled a bit at the last part.

"All the things I collet have names Mikey."

Mikey smiled a bit for the first time since Donnie found him. "Yeah, but no one but you cares what they are. Or can remember what those names are."

Donnie laughed quietly before resting his chin on the top of Mikey's head, hoping it would encourage is baby brother to tell him the rest. "And what were you doing?"

"… I was skateboarding on the pipes. I did some awesome tricks dude, I almost got your head too about twice. It was a normal day in the sewers for us, just being our normal ninja turtle selves. But…" Mikey trailed off and pressed his face against Donnie's plastron.

"But?"

"But… Kranng came through the walls, from all sides. T-They had us trapped and we all knew it. Even after we beat the first wave, another just kept coming. I-I got… I got trapped under a pile of rubble from the wall. I couldn't see what was happening…" Mikey drew in a shake breath, hoping he wouldn't start crying again. He tightened his grip on his older brother, afraid he would disappear and the dream would turn out real.

"Leo said to stay under the rubble and not to come out, I was confused but I stupidly listened to the order. I knew something was wrong and I wanted to help but… I stayed under there…. Stayed there until the fighting stopped, when I couldn't hear any footsteps or you guys joking about leaving me there for the night."

Donnie hummed a quick melody, a small one Mikey felt was familiar to him but he was too tired and upset to place it. "What happened Mikey? What did you see when you came out?" Donnie asked but he somehow knew what the answer was. He knew what type of nightmare this was. It was one that all of them shared ever since their first fight up top.

"W-w-when I came out… y-you were… you were all…" Mikey choked out before going into a fit of sobs and cries, trying to muffle the sound in Donnie's plastron.

Donnie didn't say anything, he just held Mikey as he let his sadness out. His quiet humming got louder slightly, trying to calm the distressed baby turtle. Don knew full well what affect those dreams had on them, had on him. He couldn't count how many times he had peeped into his brother's rooms just to check they were still there, that he wasn't alone, that the three people he treasured the most were still there. No saying that he didn't love Master Splinter, it was just Donnie couldn't ever imagine his world without his brothers in it that he could continue to live. Though it was sad, Donnie could picture a world without Splinter with them, if he had his brothers by his side.

"Shhh… You know that even if that were to happen we would never leave you." Donnie rocked his crying baby brother.

"B-B-But you… you guys didn't g-get a choice!" Mikey sobbed, quite loudly that time be he was too upset to try and quieten his crying. Thankfully, Donnie's plastron since to muffle most of the noise.

"That as it may, we still would never leave you, even if you can't see us. Do you know why?" Donnie said and lifted Mikey's chin up so he was looking into slightly red baby blue eyes.

Mikey chocked back more sobs enough to answer. "Why?"

"Because, a turtle of science I may be, I still believe that even if someone is gone that people live on through the memories they made on other. Even if we leave this world, we will never leave you." Donnie smiled as he saw Mikey's eyes light up at bit.

"But, where will you be? I won't be able to see you." Mikey muttered. Donnie smiled gently and wiped away the tears from his brother's cheeks.

"That doesn't mean we ain't gonna be there."

Both the younger turtles turned at the new voice, looking at the stairway that led to their rooms to find their older brothers standing there, not asleep like Mikey had hoped. It was Raphael surprisingly who spoke.

Mikey looked down at his legs, guilty that he had woken his brothers up and embarrassed that he was crying in found of them. Donnie was ok enough but Mikey tried his hardest never to cry in found of his elder brothers, since they never cried.

Mikey felt a strong, three fingered hand fall on his head, giving him a soft slap. He looked up to see Raph was sitting in front of him and Donnie, Leo between them leaving over the sofa.

"Don't go on a guilt trip, that job is felt to 'fearless leader' here." Raph smirked as he was able to get a small giggle from his baby brother. Leo huffed slightly but didn't return the comment.

"What Donnie said is true Mikey. We will always be there, if we pass then we will watch over you. We will live in your memories and visit you when you dream. You will never be alone, because we are brothers. And brothers will always be there, even if you can't see them." Leo said with a soft smile.

Mikey looked at his brothers, not seeing any mocking or laughing that he was crying, but understanding and that love for each other that they never really showed much when other people were around.

"You won't leave me, will you?" Mikey muttered as he cuddled against Donnie, curling up in his lap. The purple masked turtle didn't seem to mind though; in fact he seemed perfectly fine with Mikey curled up in his lap, as he wrapped his arms around the turtle again tightly. Raph had shifted so he was sat next to them on the right, his arm wrapped loosely over Donnie's shoulders. Leo had jumped over the sofa and took up the space on the left of them, rubbing the back of his baby bros shell gently in an attempt to lull the baby turtle to sleep again.

"Never, Mikey." Leo smiled.

"Not in a million years." Donnie said.

"Nah." Raph smiled slightly, not one for many works. But his feelings always shone through.

Mikey smiled before giving into sleep for the first time without fear that night, listening to the soft sound of his big brother's heartbeat. The youngest turtle really couldn't ask for better big brothers, because, they may not be perfect, but they were perfect for Mikey. He didn't feel scared anymore, knowing that he still had a long time of being under his brother's protective glazes gave him the strength to fight off any nightmares and fall into a deep sleep. Maybe Splinter was right.

'The ones you love can chase away the most horrid of nightmares. No matter where you are, they will always be there.'

This piece is dedicated to my little sister who still currently upset that I am going to University for 3 years. Sis, don't ever think I will ever abandon you. Big Sister honour. I'm not that far away and I will visit whenever I can, so no more nightmares and crying, ok?

And those out there who have siblings of your own, always believe that they will be there for you. Even if you fight, I think that you always will be able to see that twisted sibling love shine though.

R&R