Disclaimer: Don't own. No sue. Plain and simple, ja?

Still Right Here

Universe: TMNT 2012

Pairings: None

Warnings: Spoilers for the Season 3 episode "The Attack of the Mega Shredder"

"Today wasn't such a bad day after all!"

Mikey remembered Leo saying a while ago, right after beating Mega Shredder and saving the city once again. In the confusion and the mess that was the mutated monster's defeat, the Turtle Mech was able to slip past the frenzy nearly undetected, though the team had to take it further away from the entrance of the layer just in case someone was following them.

April and Casey and gone on home after reaching the sewer entrance, saying something about their families, so it was just him and his bros aboard the Turtle Mech now. Normally this would not be a problem, as Mikey loved spending as much time as he could with his brothers when not on patrol. But today, for some reason, the air was charged despite the quiet, with a tense hum of something that was quite off—the rigid silence that usually told him that someone was going to get it, bad, which he did not understand.

They were able to sneak in Shredder's base and escape, kicked Mega Shredder's butt and nabbed a brain worm while they were at it! And Leo was happy earlier, wasn't he? So why did it feel like something was still wrong?

"Uh, guys?" Mikey prompted after the team finished parking the Turtle Mech. They were on their way to the Lair now, with Raph in front and being supported by Donnie while Mikey and Leo fell far back. The thickly frigid silence was still there and getting so much worse that he just had to say something!

"What?" came Raph's voice, rougher than usual with a bite that usually told Mikey his older brother was angry. Even on a bad ankle, Raph still looked scary!

Come on, Mikey, be brave. You can do this. "Are you, uh, OK? I mean, I know you guys like it quiet and all, but this really pushing it."

"OK?" Raph spat the word out as if it were a curse. Mikey nearly jumped at the venom it contained. "Are you seriously asking me after—do I look OK to you?!"

The orange turtle cringed. Yeah, ask that to the turtle who got his ankle twisted. Way to go, Mikey! "Haha, right, uhm, stupid question. But hey, at least we're all in one piece, right? So maybe we could just stop acting like someone's died and all because—"

He didn't miss the way his brothers' shoulders had gone stiff at his words, and once again Mikey was left wondering what was wrong with everybody when Raph actually snarled in a way that Mikey reminded Raph of a mother bear he once saw in a nature show Donnie made them watch once.

"I'm not in the mood to deal with your stupidity right now, Mikey, so do us all a favor and shut the hell up!"

Mikey's knees nearly buckled and he could have sworn he wilted on the spot. From next to him, he felt Leo step to the front. "That's enough Raph!"

"And don't you even start with me, Fearless!" Raph snapped at him. "It's your fault this all happened in the first place!"

Leo tensed and for a minute, and Mikey thought there will be another fight.

"Guys, just stop." Donnie cut in, sending Raph a look. "We can talk about this later. For now, let's just get back in the lair. I still need to check Raph's ankle and you two need to explain to Master Splinter. All right?"

Donnie's tone and the sharpness in his chocolate eyes left no room for argument. Mikey watched as his oldest brother nod quietly then Raph who merely huffed but did not resist as Donnie turned them away. And suddenly there was a wall between his two older brothers and him and Leo, Mikey didn't know how or why and he was lost on what to say to make everything OK again because why in the world were they not?

"I'm sorry, Leo." Mikey whispered from his bowed head, fists clenched in frustration at his ability to make things worse when he was just trying to help.

He felt a gentle hand pat his head, making him look up to meet darker blue eyes tinged with a mix of sadness and something Mikey could not quite place.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Mikey." Leo said with that hushed tone, still gazing ahead. "Everything's going to be fine."

Mikey wished he shared his brother's confidence, he really did.

But as they drew closer to the lair, only one thought reigned in Mikey's mind, bouncing back and forth like an tennis ball.

How am I supposed to fix this?

This was originally planned to be a one shot but it grew too long that I had to chop it in bite sized pieces. See you next time.