I have a new story that will hopefully help me work through the writer's block on everything else. This fic center's mainly on Don and Raph but the rest of the family will get plenty of time as well. I hope everyone enjoy's and as always, leave a review please. Muchas Gracias!

Yesterday's Today's

The sewers were dark and wet. Very seldom did any light make its way down into the mold ridden, trash strewn subterranean world. Any noises that occurred on top of the tunnels followed the example set by the illumination from above. It echoed into the upper area but disappeared as it leaked its way further down into the lower levels. Save for any sounds of dripping or running water. Occasionally, and unknown to the residents of the city above, the distant echoes from overhead were interrupted by the voices of the inhabitants of the maze of tunnels. This time, however, the break in the silence came from those who had not resided in the sewers for many years.

A small pair of eyes watched from behind the safety of the corner of a brick wall. The small turtle had been intent on heading forward, making his way to another part of the world and away from the place his family called their home. His determined footsteps stopped when a large black hole appeared in the ceiling over his head. Nervous and scared, he ducked into a small alcove, waiting to see what was on the other side of the ominous looking void. He was surprised when he saw two familiar but unknown figures fall through and land on the cement where he once stood.

"Oh, way to go genius!" the largest of the two mutants exclaimed. "You got the coordinates wrong," he glared. "Again!" he emphasized.

"Raphael," the turtle in the long purple cloak growled. "You know just as well as I do that traveling through the worm holes in the time space continuum is a guessing game at best!"

Raphael? The young mutant questioned. But that's my name.

"Sorry Don," the large Raphael rubbed at his forehead and palmed his good eye, trying to level himself. "I'm just tired of seeing every possible place but the lair."

The little turtle sucked in a breath at the mention of his brother's name. His feelings of curiosity rising and the fear losing out, he stepped closer and hid behind a cardboard box that rested on a cement slab by the corner of the wall.

"Raph," Donatello shook his head and grinned. "Look around," he said with a sweep of his arm. "Don't tell me you don't recognize the sewers of New York?" The brainy turtle chuckled at the idea of finally reaching their long awaited destination. Five and a half years away from home was entirely too long. He couldn't understand why Raphael was just standing their, arms folded, and shaking his head.

"Wrong Don," Raphael pointed a finger towards his brother in the purple cloak. The golden amulet dangling over his chest jumped at the movement. "It's the right place but the wrong time."

"Oh really?" Donatello adopted a defensive stance. His arms crossed, his right hand gripping tightly to a small piece of gadgetry, its body nothing more than a silver box that seemed to shimmer even though the lights were dim. "And how can you be so sure?"

The little turtle behind the box leaned forward on his toes, questioning what he saw before him. Things like, why was his older self missing his right eye? And, as cool as it looked, why did he have a tattoo on his left arm? He absentmindedly rubbed at the same spot on his own small arm as he pondered the question. He looked long and hard at his other self while the two larger turtles continued to argue. The grown up Raphael was wearing an eye patch over his right eye, three light green scars ran down the front of his head, behind the black cloth covering his now missing eye and continued on, stopping at the middle of his cheek. His mask was gone now but he wore an amulet of a dragon's head around his neck, a ruby was centered in the eye of the small metal beast. His arms were protected up to the elbows with leather that was the color of a deep red and his legs were covered in the same material, reaching to his knees. A red sash with gold trim was tied about his waist, a pair of sai tucked neatly into it, a cloak of the same color rested on his hsoulders.

The little Raphael finished studying his older self and turned his attention to the older Donatello. The brainy turtle was wearing what his real life brother usually wore: a purple headband, belt, kneepads, and elbow pads. But this taller one had on a purple cape with a hood. It was clasped around his neck with the same amulet as his older self only much smaller and in place of the ruby was a purple stone that shimmered. A small glass stick was nestled neatly into his belt. His usual bo staff was missing. The little turtles musing were interrupted when his older self raised his voice. Surprised, the little turtle jumped, the box scraping the ground.

Raphael pointed to the box at the far corner of the tunnel. "I told you!"

Donatello, surprised that they were being watched pulled the short piece of glass from his belt. It glowed at his touch and instantly enlarged. He held it defensively, watching and waiting to see what had been listening to them the entire time.

"Put it away Don," Raphael waived with his hand as he walked over to the disheveled bit of cardboard. Standing a few feet short of the box, he folded his arms and looked down at the pair of eyes staring at him. "C'mon out kid," he spoke softly but a stern tone still evident. He sighed and rolled his eyes when he received no answer. "Raphael," he called out once more. "I know it's you so quit hiding will ya'?"

Donatello jerked his head back in surprise. His eyes went wide and his mouth gaped open in shock as he watched the small turtle come creeping out from behind the wet box, dragging a small and tattered bag with him. Slowly, Donatello lowered his bo staff and straightened up.

Raphael grabbed the small hand of the little turtle and walked him back over to where his brother was standing, bo staff now shortened and resting in its previous spot. "Now do you believe me?"

Donatello shook his head and smiled in amusement. Letting out a large grin and kneeling down in front of the little turtle, he spoke. "What are you doing out here by yourself?" He placed a finger under the little Raphael's chin and made him look up. "You know Master Splinter doesn't like it when we wander through the sewers alone."

The little turtle turned his eyes down toward the ground and rubbed the stone floor with his toe. He didn't answer when Donatello questioned him again.

The adult Raphael sighed at the silence. "I…" he stopped and reconsidered his words. "I mean he was running away," he looked down at the little face as it stared up at him.

"You're me?"

"Yeah kid," the larger turtle smiled and knelt down in front of his smaller self. "Only much older." He didn't move as his little counterpart timidly reached out and touched the scars.

"What happened?" he questioned.

"Nope," Raphael shook his head in answer. "I can't tell ya kid. Sorry."

It was Donatello's turn to ask a question. "So why did you run away?"

The little turtle shrugged his shoulders. "I didn't mean to break your TV Donnie," he looked up with pleading eyes. "Really," he added in earnest. "It was an accident."

Donatello's eyes widened at the remembrance. "It was, wasn't it?" he smiled softly and reached out to hold the little turtle. "You were just trying to help me carry it and it fell." Tightly he squeezed, if only for a moment and then let go. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. Forgive me?" The purple banded turtle smiled as the little face nodded 'yes'. "Good," he gave the four year old a pat on the shell. "You should get back to the lair," Donatello indicated with a jerk of the head. "Master Splinter is probably worried sick about you."

"I'll take him back Don," Raphael picked up the turtle tots bag and grab the little hand. He stopped his brother as he started to open his mouth in protest. "I know," Raphael acknowledged. "No interacting with the whole family, don't let them know I'm here, universal paths crossing and multidimensional big booms. I understand that part."

Donatello silently agreed, assured that Raphael was aware of the fact that he needed to remain anonymous. One small turtle knowing about them was enough. If everyone was aware they were present, they could alter the future and seriously mess up the path that had been set for them. Out of habit, Donatello looked at the small silver box in his left hand. His right finger ran over the cover of it and it rippled like a puddle of water until the outside pulled apart, revealing a screen with a few buttons underneath. Gently, he pushed a few, causing a series of strange symbols to project out. "I'll set the timer so the next hole won't open for another fifteen minutes."

Raphael nodded. "You coming?"

"No," Donatello answered. "Go ahead. I'm going to stay here. I'll store the placement coordinates but play with the time frame. Try and advance us forward a few years each time the hole re-opens."

"Alright," Raphael and his little self started walking away down the tunnel.

The small turtle turned his head back but kept walking forward as he was led away. "Bye Donnie!" he called out, a large smile and wave accompanying his words.

Donatello smiled and waved back. "See you soon!"

Rounding the corner, Raphael slung the tattered duffel bag over his shoulder and picked his smaller self up to carry him.

"I'm not a baby," the little turtle grouched and try to push away to be put down.

"Would you stop?" the larger Raphael growled, almost too harshly as he struggled to keep the smaller turtle in his grasp. "I know you're not but we don't have much time and I got a lot to tell you, okay?"

Complying, the little turtle remained still and listened.

"Look," Raphael started. "I know you're gonna want to run in and tell Master Splinter everything you saw but you can't. You gotta keep it a secret."

"Why?"

"You just do, okay? If you tell what you saw and both you and Donnie know what's going to happen in the future, you might try to stop it and that could really mess some stuff up," he tried to explain.

"How?"

Raphael rolled his eyes in exasperation. He remembered being this age and how the conversation went and what was explained, but he also remembered not really understanding the reasoning behind it all. "You know how we like to watch the same movie over and over with Mike?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, what if you just watched the beginning and then went straight to the end? Would the movie be any fun?" He asked as he kept walking.

"No," the little turtle answered. "There's good stuff in the middle that I like to see."

Raphael stopped and smiled. "Exactly. If I tell you what's going to happen, then you kind of miss out on all the stuff that gets you there." He stopped at the last turn before the lair and set the little turtle back on solid ground. "I can't tell you anything else really," the large turtle stopped and gave a thoughtful look to the little face staring back at him, smiling. "Look," he knelt down and spoke softly. "Don't try and run away again, okay?" The little turtle nodded in agreement. "I know it doesn't always seem like it, but our brothers really do need us and if we were to run away," Raphael shrugged his shoulders. "Who would be there to protect them, keep an eye on them?"

The little turtle looked up and gave a half smile, "No one, I guess."

The large turtle allowed himself a moment and gently touched the cheek of the small turtle. He wanted so badly to tell the child everything but he knew better. Even though it meant he would still go through some painful experiences, there would be good times as well. And all of it, a chance to learn and grow.

The moment of silence was interrupted by a familiar voice. "Raphael?" Master Splinter called out urgently from the entrance of their hidden home.

With a finger raised to his lips, the larger of the two turtles reminded the smaller one of the secret he had to keep and then quickly turned him around and sent him on his way, bag in hand.

As quick as he could, the little Raphael raced around the corner and ran to his father, answering the call of his name. "Master Splinter!" He splashed his way through the last part of the tunnel. Reaching the doorway, he dropped his bag, jumped into his father's arms and hugged his neck. The fatherly rat hugged back.

Holding Raphael in one hand, Splinter knelt down to pick up his son's bag. He started to step back in through the doorway but paused before he did so. It seemed odd to him that even though his son was in his arms, he also sensed that he remained behind, wasn't home yet. He started to step back into the tunnel, but the child he was carrying stopped him.

Holding his father's face in his hands, the little turtle warned, "Don't go out there Master Splinter."

"And why is that Raphael?" Splinter asked, recognizing the playful tone in his son's voice.

"Because," the little turtle giggled. "There's ghostes out there."

"There are?" Splinter raised and eyebrow.

"Yes," he affirmed. "And trolls, and gnomes, and big green monsters with arms like squids," he wiggled his arms to emphasize his point.

"Really?" Splinter answered his eyes wide in a showing of surprise. "Well then, I suppose we had better get out the tunnels and back inside." He nuzzled Raphael and gave a small squeeze. "Are you ready to go home my son?"

The older Raphael remained silent and still, pushing himself up against the wall around the corner and out of sight, but still able to hear the conversation. A single tear made its way down his cheek. "Soon dad," he whispered to his father who had already gone back inside. "I hope it's soon. Because Donnie and I are going to need all the help we can get"

He looked down in surprise as the ruby on his amulet began to glow and pulsate. Realizing he was close to the time limit Donatello had given, Raphael raced back to their point of entrance. He arrived to find Donatello nervously waiting on him, glancing back and forth between the slip in time and himself. "You ready?" Raphael called out as he ran faster.

"Does it matter?" Donatello yelled over the rising hum created by the growing hole in the wall, his hand stretched out behind him, reaching for Raphael.

In an answer, Raphael grabbed for Donatello's waiting arm and the two leapt towards the dark spot on the wall, hoping that the next jump would be the one to take them home.

So, what do ya'll think? Let me know. Thanks