Chapter 3

Leo has been living with Shadow and Kaz for a month. They were now in the process of moving to another home away from the ocean due to the change of temperature. Shadow and Kaz moved everything ahead so all they had to do was get Leo outside and on the move.

Shadow has been helping Leo get accustomed to walking outside of the lighthouse but he still has small panic attacks and they are forced to stop and put it on hold. The latest adventure had Leo stepping right outside of the door before collapsing from exhaustion. While Shadow was okay with the progress of Leo since everyone moves at their own pace she still needed to get out of their home by the sea to another especially since Leo's reptilian body could not adjust to the cold weather. There was another reason why Shadow wanted to move Leo fast but she didn't want to burden him more so she kept it secret.

For now all she cared about was getting Leo to go outside and to walk with his head held high and without fear of the world around him. Also to get more information about Leo's attack the night she found him. Shadow studied at night and especially during times when Leo's night terror the water and wave patterns to find out where he drifted off from. All she could tell was that he was near the docks where they docked the ships that come into port but nothing else.

'One day I hope to help you in the same way as talking to you about my past.' Shadow thought.

"Let me think I believe it was around eight years ago so I was just turning nine years old. My parents were both scientist working at a company that was partnered with Oruko Saki's company with an upcoming project they would come home late so my younger brother and I would stay at a neighbors place. My parents never shared anything about work at home so at the time I just thought they were just busy with work.

One day while my parents were working my younger brother and I were going to go surprise them with a visit. We were finished with school and our after school activities so by the time we got there it was dinner time.

I remember it like it was just yesterday. When we got there I lost everything I cared about in this whole world.

My brother and I visited our parents in their office but when we came in through the door we were immediately greeted with our parents frozen in place with their hands intertwined behind their heads staring at a man I soon found out to be Oruko Saki.

The moment our parents saw us they yelled at us to run. I took my brother's hand and ran out of there. We both looked back into the room just to see my father pushing Saki away from our mother but was impaled with a blade from behind from another man hidden in the room. My mother cried out our father's name just as she too was killed by another blade. My brother and I ran for our lives but we couldn't find a place to hide. Everywhere we went someone was looking for us. We made it to the third floor and ran into an office room for cover but still we had nothing to save us. I looked out the window to see nothing but concrete. We would die if we jumped but we would still be killed staying put.

Then my brother pointed out a dumpster being pushed out from a restaurant next door. We both looked at each other and nodded our heads. I took my bother into my arms as we edged our ways outside onto the window ledge. I looked at my brother and whispered to him that I loved him just as the doors to the office burst open and Oruko Saki stepped out with the sword that killed our parents in his hands.

My brother tipped to the side too much and caught me off balance forcing us to fall too far off the edge. I was damned that day. I fell into the dumpster and just got off with some broken ribs and a dislocated shoulder. My brother…my poor baby brother just missed the dumpster and was killed on impact. The only thing I was given solemnest for was that he did not suffer. Oruko Saki covered up the whole thing by paying off a lot of police officers and medical staff of the event. The media outlets made it look like my parents were committing murder suicide because of the stress of their jobs and home life.

The man who killed my parents looks like a hero in the eyes of many but I know who he truly is. I will expose him for the monster behind the man one day and I will watch his building crumble under the corpses of those who have lost their lives.

Later after being released from the hospital I found out through records stored at home in our family safe detailed plans and transfers of money to the company that my parents worked at about a project labeled, Project Chameleon. Saki was trying to find ways to allow people to become almost invisible just as chameleons change their color to match their environment. But the way he wanted to do it at first was to force a change in people's DNA structure. When my parents found out about this they threated to go to the cops with the information they had. Saki stopped them immediately after their threat, causing them their lives along with their son and almost their daughter's life." Shadow stated.

After explaining everything to Leo he remained silent and awake the rest of the night. Shadow on the other hand stayed with Leo and just read a book she kept from her parent's collection.

While Leo continued to remain inside the safe lighthouse trouble was brewing in lair.

Down in the lair life and time itself seemed to stop.

Donnie was total dependent on the ventilator and the longer he stayed on it the more Splinter and April feared that he would never awaken or even become strong enough to be removed from it. Splinter and April started talking about removing Donnie the ventilator because to them the only thing they were preserving was his body but not his soul. When Raph hear of this he became very violent calling everyone murders and refusing to let Donnie go. Raph would stay watch in the lab with Donnie twirling his sai in his hands. Raph wasn't going to let Donnie go all because of a dream he had one night.

After a long day of headaches Raph stumbled into the lab and fell asleep on top of Donnie's body. As Raph slept he dreamed of walking and talking with Donnie down a long and windy road with nothing but clouds a mist surrounding them.

"Donnie I don't know what to do anymore. Mikey is still catatonic and you still won't wake up. Master Splinter and April are worried that you'll never wake up." Raph said

"Don't worry Raph. I'll wake up one day. I'll never leave you alone" Donnie said.

"Good. I don't want to be alone." Raph said.

"You'll never be alone Raph. You have me and Mikey that's all you need." Donnie said.

"I only need you and Mikey in my life" Raph muttered to himself over and over.

"Raph" Donnie said turning to Raph in a serious tone.

"There will be those who want to separate us, those who are jealous of our bonds" Donnie said.

"Who Donnie? Who would do this to us?" Raph asked grabbing Donnie's shoulders.

Donnie shook his head.

"I do not know Raph. But I fear they are very close" Donnie said.

"Raph, I'm scared" Donnie whimpered.

Raph grabbed Donnie by the back of his neck and pressed his forehead against him own.

"Don't worry Donnie. I'm right here." Raph placed his hand on top of Donnie's plastron "Remember that Donnie"

Donnie nodded his head.

Just as Raph and Donnie separated the world around them started to shake and Donnie was starting to be pulled away from Raph. Raph desperately reached out to Donnie and tried to run and catch up to him but Donnie continued to float away from him. When Raph woke up he was greeted with a concern April. April said that she was there checking up on Donnie when she found him in there. But in Raph's eye she woke him from his dream with Donnie because she knew he was about to tell him the name of who was going to kill him. Raph pushed April away with his shoulder and walked passed her out of the lab to Mikey's room. Inside Mikey just stared up from his bed at the ceiling.

"Hey there baby brother" Raph said in a soft voice.

Raph walked over to Mikey's bed and sat on the edge peering down and smiling at Mikey.

"Guess what. I just talked to Donnie in here" Raph said tapping his head with his finger. "He's a live Mikey and he's going to wake up but he needs help from us." Raph said.

Raph moved in closer and whispered to Mikey, "There are those who want to separate us but don't worry our bonds are too strong for that. I'll watch over the two of you no matter what."

Mikey turned his head and whispered in a horsed voice, "Leo?"

Raph moved back a bit almost stunned by the word Mikey muttered.

Raph cocked his head to the side and asked, "Whose Leo baby brother? I don't remember a Leo so why don't you forget that name. Big brother Raph will be by your side"

Raph tucked Mikey in with his sheet as Mikey returned staring at his ceiling. As Raph closed the door Mikey continued to stare at the ceiling but as he stared at the ceiling a single tear fell from the corner of his eye and rolled down his face.

Raph returned his force from the past back to the present. Raph rocked back and forth in his seat trying to keep himself awake so he could protect Donnie from Splinter and April. The only thoughts in Raph head were protect Donnie, over and over. The throbbing pain from Raph's head was growing stronger and has worsened over the days. Visions of Leo walking around the lair and their time before he was given the title leader plague Raph and his guilt. Raph continues to push the visions of Leo away trying to make it seemed as if he never exists.

"Leave me alone." Raph muttered over and over as he laid his head in his lap.

While Raph dealt with the visions and voices in his head Splinter on the other hand was in deep mediation trying to talk to his two youngest sons. Mikey's mind was closed off and unwilling to talk. Chains were holding the door shut with no way of opening time. Mikey was the youngest and the easiest to understand and reach but after Leo's death and Donnie's injury Mikey has closed off all contact.

Donnie on the other hand had a somewhat closed off mind, very weak almost close to death. Splinter worried that his son was losing the will to fight and stay with them but because of Raph's constant willingness to keep him live still bothers him. Splinter entered through Donnie's door.

Donnie was very pale and weak as he sat in the middle of the room.

"Hello there my son" Splinter said.

Donnie looked up at Splinter and said in a soft almost a whisper, "Father?"

"Yes my son I am here" Splinter said walking over to Donnie.

Splinter placed Donnie's head in his lap and rested his paw on top of his head.

"Father I am so sleepy" Donnie said

"I know my son. I know." Splinter whispered.

"Why can't I sleep?" Donnie asked.

"Because my son your brother Raphael has said the two of you have talked through his dreams and you want to stay with us." Splinter explained.

"I do want to live father and I know this is the coward's way out but I just want to sleep." Donnie said.

"My son you have fought valiantly do not ever call yourself a coward" Splinter stated.

"Yes father." Donnie said.

"Father what happened to Leo?" Donnie asked.

Splinter explained to Donnie what Raph told him of the night.

Donnie shook his head.

"No father. Leo wasn't near the container I was. We ran as fast as we could when I found out it was a trap." Donnie said.

"My son are you sure?" Splinter asked in a concern tone.

"Yes father. And there is something else I want to say." Donnie said.

"Yes my son?" Splinter asked.

"Father I…I want to know what happened to Leo?" Donnie asked.

"Who my son?" Splinter soften his eyes.

"My son you brother gave up his life to save you three from the explosion" Splinter said.

Donnie stared at Splinter in disbelief. A single tear fell from his eye and fell onto Splinter's lap.

"Is there something else?" Splinter asked.

Donnie nodded his head.

"Father I did something horrible to Leo before his death" Donnie said.

"What is it my son you can tell me anything." Splinter said.

"Father, I….I….want….I need to confess on something that has been weighing heavily on me. Leo was hurt one day and suffered a shoulder injury something he came to me time and time again. And I….I…." Donnie trailed off.

"My son I think I can understand what you are trying to say. Please do not push yourself I-"

"No! Father I must say it" Donnie looked into Splinter's eyes with a fiery passion that reminded him of Leo when he was younger. "Father I wanted to see my hero more human so I refused to treat Leo's injury. It's my fault he's dead." Donnie chocked out.

Donnie started to cry as Splinter stroked his head in his lap.

"My son may I ask you some questions." Splinter asked.

"Yes father" Donnie sniffled.

"Do you love you brother?" Splinter asked.

"With my entire heart father." Donnie said.

"Did you want Leo to suffer intentionally?" Splinter asked.

"Never. I would never leave my brother to suffer from anything" Donnie said.

"Then if you were placed in the same position would you repeat your previous actions?" Splinter asked.

Donnie shook his head.

"I would have helped him if I could rewind time." Donnie stated.

Splinter chuckled. "Then forgive yourself my son. What you felt at the time does not reflect your feelings for you brother. It is something that has happened too many in the past. You just wanted to see Leo on the same level as you rather than what you refer to as an untouchable. If given a second chance just as you said you would have helped your brother rather than repeating your actions. Your brother loved you Donatello and he forgives you now all you have to do is forgive yourself." Splinter explained.

"Yes father" Donnie said.

Splinter left Donnie in his own world now at peace. If something were to change in Donnie's condition then from his talk with Donnie it would be okay to end his care. As Splinter closed the door he was just about to return back to his own mind when he stopped short and froze in place. Looking up in shock taking a few steps back.

"Leonardo?" Splinter muttered under his breath.

Splinter stared at the door for his eldest son. A door thought to be lost after his death which disappeared the day he was kill now returned to him. Though it was barred just like Mikey's Splinter walked over and rested his paw and forehead on the door.

Tears started to fall from his eyes and onto the floor.

"You're alive" Splinter said.