Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were created by Eastman and Laird but are owned by Nickelodeon.
A/N: UPDATE…YES! OMG OMG OMG OMG.. (Someone take away my coffee, please). Thanks ladies and gentlemen for all of your support on this story. I'm finally back to writing more on it…
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Chapter Seven: Reunion Part 2
"The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I have passed at home in the bosom of my family." – Thomas Jefferson
There was always something about coffee that made Raphael dislike his younger brother. Okay, so maybe he did not dislike Donnie, no…it was just that stench of coffee! For his eighth birthday, Mikey had made Donnie some coffee flavored muffins – by accidently mixing up the coffee Leonardo bought in mistake of the chocolate cake mix (that had been an interesting day).
While no one had liked the muffins, Donatello did (it also may have been the first time anyone had enjoyed Michelangelo's first attempts in cooking). In fact, it was from then on the younger turtle was always asking, "Hey guys, do you want some coffee? Master Splinter said I could make some so as long as someone helps me drink it?"
That was when the coffee addiction had started (and the one time he recalled Donatello had gotten trouble for being so hyper and bouncing off the walls, it had made Michelangelo look like the silent type)
Raphael could vaguely remember a time where Donatello had enjoyed tea, which was often what Master Splinter had enjoyed giving them. Donnie would at times attempt to drink ice tea – Raphael remembered at one point that Donatello had been the only one to drink ice tea when his younger brother did drink it, rather than hot tea – but even then when Donatello had discovered the power of coffee because of those muffins, it had been a shock…
It was then Donatello had stopped drinking tea unless he was sick and coffee had become such an addiction. Then there was the time Mikey switching Donnie's coffee with decaf…ouch. That had been one of the rare times as kids that Donatello had ever been so angry…
However, when they went on one of their first nightly runs over the rooftops and stopped near a Starbucks, the smell of the coffee had almost made Raphael want to break down in tears. Especially Big old Raphael…
Who would have thought coffee would make someone cry?
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Splinter never really did want to punish Donatello, he really did not. In fact, if he never had to punish any of his sons again, he would dance with joy in front of his sons. However, life did not work that way.
Donatello had such an inquiring mind about everything that him holding the toaster captive so he could see how it worked was crazy. It was not a brand new toaster but it had been one that looked several years older.
However when Splinter had found the toaster in working condition and was able to use his spare bit of money to help buy his sons some good tasting foods to put in the toaster…
He had been rather shocked to see the toaster in pieces in Donatello's lap. After that, the disappointment he had felt for his son had increased. Why did Donatello insist in always trying to take things apart?
Yet, it was only when Donatello was gone did Splinter stop and think how much he would love to see Donatello take apart a toaster once more…even if it did irritate him.
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When Leonardo entered the lair, he was not surprised to see Mikey and his father in the lair. In fact, he was thankful that his youngest brother had made it back home with their...guest…brother?
He frowned, trying to sallow a wall of emotions that he had never truly been able to heal from in the beginning. His mind flashed back quickly to his fear of heights and seeing Donatello's face…
He shivered and put the memory away…for now. He knew it would nag at him when his mind wasn't on more important issues.
The eldest turtle could not help but see that their 'guest' – he did not allow himself to say brother because all he knew this could even have been an attack on their mediation or something as a way for someone to play a cruel joke on them – was resting on their couch, still unconscious it.
However, when Leonardo saw both Michelangelo and Master Splinter watching their 'guest' it made him wonder him his mind was not was letting him see what his heart already saw.
In the corner, Raphael stood leaning against the wall, arms crossed as he eyed Splinter and Mikey hovering over their 'guest.' His face was in a downward snarl, meaning something was bothering the second oldest brother. Leo could not, for the first time, feel Raphael's emotions.
He stood back where he was, keeping a watchful eye as two tended to the wounds that turtle bad been upon. However, there was one nagging thought that did not leave his mind. He could recall their 'guest' having a bo…
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Consciousness always seemed to be unwelcomed for him. If it was possible to simply sleep the rest of his life for all the pain in his short life, he would. He had a pounding headache, he noticed.
Vaguely, Donatello could remember heading to the Takahashi's house, fully clothed (as not to attract much attention to a tall walking mutant turtle even with his bo). Then there were humans dressed in black…blood curling screams…
Pain exploded in his heart and he slowly, achingly moved a hand to slowly rub the pain. It felt like a constant burn, one that he thought healed back when he had lost his family…or did it ever fully heal?
However, the pain was even more present now when he remembered the bodies of the Takahashi family…their blood in the snow.
To his surprise though, Donatello felt his arm underneath a blanket as he moved his hand in a soothing motion over his heart. More concerned about the sudden arrival of the blanket and wondering why he wasn't dead, the turtle quickly tried to force open his eyes.
One eye hurt and he could barely open it. He was surprised the eye had not swollen shut. Though, if he did not figure out where he was, it would not matter if he could see out his eye properly or not. He tried to crane his head around, trying to get a vague idea where he was. It was hard because when he moved, his sore body protested the slightest movements.
From first glance, he could tell he was in the sewers (the stench was a possible dead giveaway) but the familiarity of the concrete and bricks gave it away. He noticed he was in a room that had furniture and he was lying down on a bed (a better bed than the one he had in his own place). The place was decorated in various Japanese decorations and if Donatello could guess right, he would think is father had decorated the room.
'No, quit thinking such thoughts,' he thought has he rubbed his hand over his heart in a soothing motion once again.
His mind quickly dashed off the décor when memory of his late father's teachings came to mind, "Do not let yourself be seen by the world above."
Yet, technically he was not on the surface level of New York and clearly in the sewers, that teaching quickly came to mind. He slowly started to move the blanket off of his body as he struggled to gain some strength in his body. His body protested the entire movement and as soon as he began to stand, he felt dizzy.
Fearing he would meet the floor, he was rather surprised when a set of arms grabbed him on his tumble down to the ground.
Looking up, he was greeted by very familiar face and shock ran across his face.
"Master Splinter?!"
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Meanwhile, in the living room, three turtles waited for their sensei and father to come from the room. After tending to Donatello's wounds (which Leo had been adamant that this was probably a cruel trick being played on them by the Foot, to which almost caused Raphael to punch the eldest turtle).
"Are you sure we should be leaving Master Splinter alone in there, Leo? I mean, with that being Donn-"
Mikey was the first to the silence that had been surrounding the three brothers. The quietness had been uncomfortable since they had placed the turtle in their father's room to rest.
"Sensei can take care of himself, Mikey," Raph interrupted, keeping a watchful eye on Leonardo who never responded after several minutes.
"True…"
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Splinter had taken to simply sitting in a chair, watching as Donatello slowly looked around the room. His son's movements were slow and painful, he noted. The way he moved though, resembled his son's personality.
The rat knew the moment when Michelangelo had brought the turtle into the entrance of their home that it was his son. Yet, as hours had passed and he had thanked any deity that was listening for bringing his 'dead' son home, he realized that there were many questions forming in his mind.
How had Donatello survived the fall? Even more importantly, where had the turtle been the last five, long heartbreaking years?
He had decided to remain in the shadows as he allowed Donatello to look around the room and gain awareness, as he did not want to startle the scared turtle (which was easily spotted by the look on his son's face).
It was when Donatello had taken movements to move and started to fall forward did the rat make his presence known. He did not want to see further injury come upon his son. To hear Donatello's voice say his name almost started to shatter his broken heart once more. The turtle's voice had sounded intelligent, young, fearful, and yet so different from the one he had memories of.
"My son…you must not move yet. You must allow your wounds time to heal…"
Apparently, that response was not what the turtle was expecting.
"I'm dreaming…I'm dreaming. Those guys must have done more damage to my head than I thought. Maybe if I'll close my eyes…"
And to Splinter's surprise, Donatello did that. However, they were only closed mere milliseconds before they opened once more, as the genius turtle stared his father in the face.
"No, my son, my Donatello, you are not dreaming."
Gently, Splinter placed a paw on his son's shoulders. From behind his mask, Donatello's eyes begin to water and even from behind the mask; the tears were already falling down his face.
With a sudden movement, the rat quickly embraced his son who had started to cry, murmuring in comprehensible things as the rat talked and whispered to him calmly in Japanese and English.
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A/N: And that's end folks! Believe me…don't you? Nah, next part is coming in a few days, just wanted to get this out before I posted a really long chapter so you all could at least read something. Reviewers will get a shout out next chapter. I just figured here is a good spot to break up this part of the story…