Author's Note: We made it! Chapter 10 dudes and dudetts! I never thought that I would make it this far but here we are :). And really, I have all of you to thank for that! ALSO – OH MY GOSH! 100 REVIEWS! Thank-you so much! My mouth dropped a little when we reached 100 and there might have been a fair amount of jumping up and down in excitement. So in result and to celebrate these two milestones, I dedicate chapter 10 to you, my wonderful readers who make me smile every day :).

Disclaimer: Just no.

Hope you all like the read. Cowabunga!

Chapter 10: Living in Silence

Mikey's POV:

*Two months later*

"Faster Michelangelo!"

Mikey tried again, swinging his hips around and moving his feet to perform a not so perfect 'Ushiro mawashi geri' whilst Master Splinter stood at the edge of the dojo watching his every move.

Afterall, his moves were sloppy and Mikey knew it; as he was simply trying to complete the commands which Master Splinter called for, without tripping over his own feet and landing flat on his shell.

Reallllllly, he hadn't asked for a private lesson with Master Splinter at six in the morning and actually it was the last thing that he had wanted to do, but his Sensei had insisted.

They had already been through various katas and Mikey was dreading each command, panicked out of his mind that he wouldn't know the move that Master Splinter called for next.

Sometimes, in the past, he had needed Leo's help to remember the exact form of particular moves and he would have given his older brother a freaked out look before Leo had always mimed the move for him to trigger his memory.

Leo had been a good big brother.

Master Splinter's voice cut through Mikey's thoughts as he accidently slipped in his form, "Keep your stance strong and your movements flowing Michelangelo."

Mikey paused in his katas to look at his Master. "Hai Sensei. Sorry, I am trying."

Master Splinter nodded and took a step forward. "I know, my son. Would you like a break before we continue?"

Man, a break sounds nice. Mikey shook the thought from his head. He could do this. "Ahhh, no Sensei. It's okay."

Master Splinter walked swiftly to the weapons rack. "If that is your wish, then we will move on to sparring before finishing today's lesson." He selected a half staff and turned back to Mikey, "Prepare yourself."

Michelangelo gulped. When did sparring with Master Splinter ever end well?

Oh man, I am sooo toast, he thought to himself whilst drawing his beloved nunchucks from their places on his sides.

Master Splinter took his stance, half staff in hand. "Begin when you are ready."

With a yell, Mikey spun his chucks and swung them forward. Master Splinter met him half way.

And then they sparred.

Mikey's colourful attacks were countered by Master Splinter's skill as his Sensei swept around the dojo with hardly a twitch of a whisker.

Mikey's breaths turned rapid, but he was sort of holding his own against his Master until…the voice returned.

It was distinctly Leo and his older brother's voice rang loud and clear in his mind. I miss you.

Mikey panicked. No, not now. Don't do this Leo. No wait, it's not Leo. Just concentrate and block it out. Leo's gone. It's all in your head. Leo's gone. It's all in your hea-

WHACK!

Mikey stumbled back as the half staff caught him on the shoulder.

Master Splinter held the weapon high and adjusted his stance. "You must focus if you are to maintain the upper hand in a fight."

Mikey nodded once and advanced again, trying to keep up with his Sensei, who just happened to be a Master of Ninjutsu.

Mikey's left chuck skimmed Master Splinter's shoulder who blocked and countered.

Leo was in his head. I miss all of you so much.

Master Splinter spun around and caught him in the plastron, sending him back a couple of paces.

Leo was there again. And I'm not giving up.

Mikey sprung forward and only received a hit to the shoulder for his effort. It stung and he would be wearing a bruise for a couple days.

His brother's voice was too loud. Please, just be okay until I come home.

And then, right there in front of Master Splinter and in the middle of the dojo, it became too much.

Mikey's head hurt, like…the cracked in two kind of hurt, and he couldn't bear it for a second longer. He was going insane and he lost it. The voice wouldn't leave him alone and in his mind the remnants of his dead brother tipped him over the edge with the false promise of coming home.

Leo was never coming home.

It's all in MY HEAD!

Mikey screamed, a sound of high pitch torture, and rushed Master Splinter. Words were torn from his mouth without him being aware of what was really happening. "GOOO AWAYYY!"

And with that, only seconds passed before he found himself on the ground, pinned by Master Splinter who held the length of the bow over his chest whilst his Sensei's knee had him firmly flattened on his shell.

It was over and Leo's voice was gone.

Mikey stared up into the concerned eyes of Master Splinter and opened his mouth to talk but his Sensei cut him off, releasing him from under his hold as his father removed his knee and weapon. "Calm down Michelangelo. It is alright."

The soothing voice of his Master made some difference to Mikey's panicked mind and he accepted the hand that his Sensei was offering before he was pulled to his feet.

Once on his feet, he swayed only slightly and righted himself again.

Only then did Master Splinter let him go and Mikey watched as his Sensei reached to the floor to pick up his nunchucks from where they were on the ground.

From Master Splinter's outstretched hand, Mikey took his beloved babies and replaced them in his belt.

Master Splinter then walked over to sit on his meditation mat, before indicating to a place next to him for Mikey to sit down.

Mikey's eyes widened and he waved his arms in front of him as if being attacked. "Ahhh no can do Master Splinter. No offence, but meditation isn't really my thing."

Splinter narrowed his eyes. "And yet anyone could see that something is wrong. I am not asking for meditation but rather you telling me what is bothering you so."

Mikey relaxed and tensed at the same time. He didn't want to admit to his Sensei that he was still hearing Leo. That he was going insane and should be locked up in a padded cell like in the old horror movies.

Besides, he could deal with the voice in his head, couldn't he?

Mikey walked to the meditation mat and sat facing the mantle of the dojo. Master Splinter looked at him expectantly and he took a deep breath. "Have you ever heard something that isn't there?"

"Of course," Master Splinter replied. "We are ninja, aware of our surroundings and always vigilant."

That's not what I meant, Mikey sighed. I can't tell him.

He had no one to talk to and although Don occasionally checked in, he still had his slightly older brother fooled. Donnie thought that everything was okay and that he no longer heard voices, but the brainiac had it very wrong.

True, he wasn't suicidal but generally thought he was losing his sanity as sometimes his head held two different voices and only one was his own. But he could deal with it and when the voice wasn't in his head he felt more and more like himself every day. He cracked jokes, laughed much more, read comics and goofed around the Lair.

"Master Splinter, it's just that ever since Leo ummm…died, everything has changed. It's been over six months months since the Technodrome thingy went down and I thought that things would be better by now."

His father nodded. "Losing someone you love is the most difficult trial of them all. Life for us was always going to change. It did not happen in the way I expected but one must move with the stream's water no matter how much they would rather fight against it."

At that, Mikey was lost in his Master's metaphors and he frowned at his Sensei before shaking his head. "Can I go Sensei?"

"Yes my son, but you have still managed to avoid telling me exactly what is wrong."

Mikey stood. "I'm okay Sensei. Just missing Leo but it's nothing I can't handle." He smiled, trying to mask the fakeness of the expression as he looked towards the door of the dojo where he heard Donnie talking to someone outside.

Master Splinter noticed. "You may go my son, but please remember that I am your father and I will always be here if you are in need."

Mikey nodded and bolted towards the door.

On the other side, Mikey was met with a pacing Donatello who was holding a T-phone to the side of his head as he walked back and forth in front of the TV.

Mikey skipped up to him. "Who's on the phone D?"

Donnie waved at him like a crazy turtle, arms flapping about.

Mikey smirked. "Does that mean be quiet?"

Donnie covered the speaker of the T-phone. "Yes, Mikey, it means to be quiet. I'm talking to Raph."

At this, Mikey cut the jokes. "What's he saying?"

Donnie turned back into the phone. "Hey Raph, Mikey is here. I'm going to put you on speaker."

Donnie pressed the loudspeaker button and Raph's husk voice erupted from the phone. "-no Donnie, don't ya dare put me on speaker. I don't wanna talk to anybody! I only picked up 'cause you left like 23 voice mails!"

Mikey pretended not to be hurt. "Hey Raph."

"Oh geez, Donnie I'm gonna kill ya. Mikey, you okay bro?"

Mikey looked at Donnie who smiled back at him. "Yeah, I'm good. Where are you?" he replied.

It was an innocent question but Donnie shifted the phone in his hand and shook his head. "I've already tried to ask him," he whispered.

Raph's voice came through the phone. "I heard that and I'm up top Mikey."

Donnie held up a hand to Mikey and replied, "I think what Mikey means is; when are you coming home? Raph, we haven't seen you for nearly three weeks."

There was a sigh on the other side of the line and Mikey had to listen carefully to hear his brother's answer.

"Maybe I don't want to come home Don."

This worried Mike. "What's that supposed to mean?"

There was a moment of silence before Raphael answered. "I can't."

Now Mikey was a little more freaked out. He didn't understand what Raph was getting at. Of course his older bro could come home. He only had to walk through the front door, well the abandoned train platform. Same difference. Mikey looked at Don who vigorously nodded.

Don lowered the phone and whispered. "Mikey, he won't listen to me but maybe you can reach him. Keep trying."

Mikey pressed his lips together and spoke into the phone, his heart thumping. "Just come home Raph. We can talk this out."

Raph's breaths were growing heavier. "You guys don't understand-"

Mikey interrupted. "Then help us to!"

And then Raph exploded.

"FINE! I'll tell! I'll tell you that I nearly MURDERED SOMEONE, I FAILED the only FAMILY I have left and THAT THERE IS NO SIGN OF LEO ANYWHERE...but you already know that I can't just walk away from him."

Mikey could hear Raph's voice break before he strained to hear his brother's last words.

"Ya see? I can't come home and pretend that everything is fine when it clearly isn't. Don't call again. I won't answer."

The line went dead.

Mikey's mouth hung open a little and Don ended the connection on the T-phone.

Mikey watched as Don's head sank and his shoulder's dipped before his brother trudged off towards the lab.

Mikey stood rooted to the spot, thinking and turning thoughts over in his head. I thought I was the only one who was struggling.

He called after Donnie. "Hey, wait up!"

Donnie's POV:

Don heard Mikey call after him, but he didn't bother answering and instead continued into his lab.

All night, Don had been putting the final touches on his latest hack program which he had hoped would break the encryptions on some very shady and confidential documents.

Of course, to first find these shady documents, Don had already broken several state and national laws whilst hacking into Government satellites, but to be frank; with his hack system, the law would never be able to find the culprit.

Don made this extra sure.

He entered the lab with his fingers crossed behind his shell as he prayed that the hack had done its job in gaining him access.

But, with one glance at the computer screen, Don dropped his hands and hung his head.

On the screen the loading bar had stopped just under half way and a message glared at him. It read: Access Failed. Incorrect security codes.

Donatello slumped into his chair. "So, I'm back to square one then," he muttered.

He closed his eyes, trying to figure out his next move, but the only thing he could see was the wooden door with Leo locked behind it.

He had dreamt it the night before.

The hallway was bleak and white.

The floor shone and everything gleamed, apart from the bolted wooden door which loomed at the end of the empty hallway.

Donatello was pulled towards it and glided through the closed door to emerge on the other side.

It was dark and cold.

The cement floor offered no comfort and the far wall was covered in scratched tallies.

In the middle of the cell was a curled figure. His shell was cracked and bruises littered his skin. His feet were mottled in colour and yet his breathing was even and peaceful in sleep.

Leo shifted in his position and his eyes fluttered open slightly. They were hazy but found Don after a few seconds. He looked so still and weak.

His lips moved and his words were just audible. "…Donnie…."

Don went to hold and comfort his brother but was pulled back and through the door as Leo's eyes closed again.

Donatello screamed and scrambled, trying to run back towards the wooden door but he was only pulled further away until the wood was a pinpoint at the end of the limitless hallway.

"Donnie? Donnie, you awake?"

Don groaned. "Yes Mikey."

Don slowly pulled his head off the desk and looked up at the peering eyes of his little brother.

Mikey indicated towards the computer screen which still was glaring at Don with the pop-up message as if rubbing in his failure. "What does that mean?" Mikey asked.

Don really didn't want to talk about it, but instead humoured his brother. "It means that I need the official security and encryption codes to gain access into and view the files that I've found."

"What files?"

"Official documents from the Government about the Krang and something called the 'A-O Project' I believe."

Mikey's eyes widened. "Oh...ummm, anything I can do to help?"

Don regarded his brother with a blank look and snapped. "Unless you are a genius who happens to know how to crack geometric algorithms or you happen to be able to magically locate the codes I need…no there is nothing you can do to help."

Mikey stepped back. "Umm sorry. Okay, I guess I'll leave you to it then."

Don watched as Mikey quickly left the lab.

Way to go Don.

Donatello turned back to his computer, trying to ignore the thoughts buzzing in his head about his brothers, the needed codes, Government secrets and his dreams.

Why hadn't the dreams stopped?

They couldn't be real?

That was stupid, right?

Donatello started designing the program again, altering elements and mathematical equations, trying to concentrate and turn his attention to something he knew he could control.

This would be so much easier if I had the codes, Donnie thought. I need someone on the inside.

He continued to type and calculate.

Leo's POV:

On the inside, Leonardo sat in his cell, staring at the once humorous tally that he still kept on the wall.

He stood with the cement chip in hand and added the 190th stroke to the wall, before slumping back to the floor.

One-hundred and ninety days he had been in captivity and Leo still held onto his sanity although there was no end in sight.

Until now.

His captivity was going to end and he was getting out…

To be Continued…

Thank-you for coming this far with me and as a little teaser, the next few chapters will be high in pace :).

Also, I apologise for chapter 10 being short and just as a side note in chapter 10 a 'Ushiro mawashi geri' is a spinning rear push kick in Ninjutsu.

As always, please leave a review and let me know how I am going.

Cyber high three to anyone who has read this far down for my usual, stay awesome :).