Author's Note: This is a very short but still necessary chapter. Enjoy! I will update again soon! Thanks again to all readers. You guys are amazing!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter 7

After Splinter left the room, Mikey wasn't sure if he should leave. He stayed where he was for a moment as he twisted his fingers together, his shoulders hunched inward. His elder brothers sat side by side on one of the cots, scrutinizing him, and he shifted his weight, feeling like a bug under a magnifying glass.

Then: "How're ya doin', Mike?"

Mikey started at the question but answered immediately, his smile already falling into place. "Fine! I'm fine!"

Donnie's eyes narrowed a fraction. "Are you sure? I mean…after what happened today…Sensei did say you'd talked to him."

"Whatever Sensei said, I'm sure he's exaggerating," Mikey supplied easily.

"So yer not worried at all about Leo and us goin' to get the tech and all that?" Raph asked.

Oh.

He tried, he tried so hard to keep his mouth from frowning and it was only because of fifteen years of hiding his worries that he succeeded at all.

"Well, yeah," he answered with a casual shrug. "I mean, who isn't, right? But I'm not freaking out or anything. To be honest, I don't really mind Leo being all small now. It's kind of fun."

"We noticed you've been doing a great job with him," said Don, smiling a fraction. "Sorry we haven't been much help."

Mikey sauntered forward, his fingers tucked into his belt, and plopped himself on the cot opposite them. "Nah. Don't worry about it. I'm kind of still wrapping my head around it, too."

"There's a good way ta put it," Raph mumbled. His golden eyes were keen as he stared at Mikey. "But yer sure yer okay?"

"Right as rain, dude."

There was a minute of lull in the conversation during which a large, angry rumble came from Don's stomach.

"Sorry," he said, his green cheeks barely displaying the dark red of embarrassment. "I've barely eaten all day."

Sometimes, a kind deed goes farther than any words will. Master Splinter's words came back to Mikey in a rush, and he jumped to his feet.

"Come on then!" he urged, grabbing his brother's elbow and towing him out of the lab. "I know just the thing!"

Don instantly despaired. "Please, Mike, no. I don't want microwaved pizza."

"Geez, bro! Insult me, why doncha? Nah, man. We're gonna have breakfast!"

"Breakfast for supper?" Raph queried, following the pair.

"It's past suppertime," Don pointed out. It was almost ten o'clock.

"Don't be such a killjoy, Donnie!" Mikey released his brother and dug through the refrigerator. "Waffles and whipped cream and, aha! I knew we had some strawberries in here! Thank you, Casey Jones!"

"At least let us help, Mike," said Don, already reaching under the cupboard for the waffle iron.

The orange-masked turtle beamed. "Here, Raph. You can wash and cut the strawberries. Don, take the whipped cream otherwise the waffles will burn."

"They will not!" was the indignant scoff.

Mikey's smile was growing steadily larger. "Will, too! You're just as bad as Leo in the kitchen."

Don turned around very slowly and drew himself up to his full height, mock-glaring. "Considering that Leo is now a three-year-old, I take serious offense at that statement."

Mikey was undeterred as he said, "Well, it's like what Sensei always says, Donnie: we choose to be offended."

"Michelangelo!"

Even Raph was chuckling by the time the waffles were done, and Mikey felt lighter. His worries were still laden across his weary shoulders and mind but, for a while, he didn't feel the heavy burden as much. He and his brothers sat around the kitchen table, eating and laughing, and it could have been just another late-night meal for the turtle brothers.

Except one of those brothers was absent.

Yeah, Mikey felt lighter, sure, but in all honesty, did lighter feel better at all when everything was so heavy already?