Warning: this chapter contains mentions of both physical and mental abuse

(Tim's pov)

"Hey Tim." Mikey looks at me with a quizzical look in his eyes. I know he want's to ask me something but I really don't want to play 20 questions. I've had enough of it from dad, Dick, and Alfred, of course they get that I don't want to talk and leave me alone but Mikey and his brothers don't get that. They are too curious for their own good sometimes. though I do get it living in isolation for so long make's one want to ask a lot of questions about everything one encounters. Though the turtles have already gotten information out of me that my new family doesn't even know. What harm can one more question do.

"What is it Mikey?" I ask hoping that he will ask a simple question with a simple answer.

"Why is it that you always keep your distance from us and back away when someone gets angry?" everyone looks at Mikey as he asks his question.

All I could do was look at him with my mouth wide open I can't believe that he just asked that. That was one of the big things that I hoped they wouldn't noticed. I thought that I had my actions under control, I didn't think that I was making it that obvious. I looked at the others hoping that they would say something on my behave. The turtles nodded at Mikey's question it seemed that they also wanted to hear the answer. April and Casey looked at each other then at Master Splinter hoping that he would say something. I looked at Splinter who looked completely off guard it took him about a minute to fully process the situation.

"Michelangelo, you don't... you... there are some questions that you do not ask people." Splinter stumbled on his words not quite sure what to say.

"Well why not it seems like a perfectly good question to ask, we have all noticed this behavior." Raph looked at Splinter not seeing what the problem was. It seemed like the turtles had no idea that not all relationships will family were kind ones.

"Master Splinter sir," I wait for him to look at me before I continue. "Have you never explained to them that... well... that."

"No I haven't, I never thought that there was a need to tell them about such things." Splinter looked around the room not knowing how to continue this conversation.

"What are you all talking about, Master Splinter you, April, and Casey obviously know what's going on but I'm completely lost. what is it that you never explained to us?" Leo asked for both himself and his brothers.

"Leo it's not like Casey and I know for sure why he does this but we know that it's not something that we should ask." April tries to explain but the turtle's were still confused.

"Well why not?" Raph asked sounding irritated that nobody was answering their questions.

"Well you see... well the thing is... umm well." April rubbed the back of her neck not knowing what to see. I knew that this wasn't going to just go away and that I was going to have to say something.

"Guys the thing is that not all families are like yours." I know that didn't exactly help but at least it's something.

"What do you mean?" Donnie asks as everyone turns to look at me. I was going to say something but Splinter interrupted me.

"Are you sure you want to tell us this Timothy, you don't have too if you don't want too." I nod my head at Splinter the boys wont let this go and it's better to tell them sooner than later.

"What I mean is that not all families are loving one's, not everyone get's along with one another. Some families ignore each other, some have verbal fight's and some... well some..." I really don't want to go any further with this.

"Some what Tim?" Mikey looks at me with his puppy dog eyes. I hate when people do that.

"Well some are worse off like how mine was. As you all know my parents went home a lot and were always on trips. what you don't know was that when I was four they starting leaving me at home without a caretaker when they left, and I was never allowed to leave the house whether they were home or not. I never went to school and didn't get any social interaction with people until I started sneaking out when I was about 9. and the only person I talked to was Jason and he wasn't the most social person in the world" I pause hoping that this will be enough.

"Dude you can't leave a child that young alone like that, can you?" Donnie looked at Splinter hoping for an answer.

"No they can not my son, it is illegal and parents who are caught doing it are jailed for their actions." Splinter answered.

"That might explain why you keep your distance because you didn't spend that much time with people, but not about the staying away from angry people." Donnie asked causing everyone to look at me again.

"That's because also when I was around four my relationship with my parents changed. we used to be a happy and family like you guys but that changed." I looked at the ground debating on whether or not I should go on.

"It's ok Tim you can tell us." April reached over and put a hand on my knee giving me a slight smile.

"My parents started yelling at me, it wasn't that bad at first but as time went by it got worse. It went from yelling at me for not doing chores or for not picking up all my toys, to yelling at me that I was worthless, or good for nothing, or that I would never amount to anything in my live, or that they should never of had a child because having me was the worst thing that every happened to them and that I was a huge disappointment." I stopped to take a breath.

"Dude that's like super harsh." Casey looked at me.

"Why would anyone say that to another person let alone a child?" Mikey looked at both me and Splinter.

"Not all people understand what is ok to say and do my son." I could tell that even Splinter didn't know how cruel my parents could be.

"Unfortunately that's not all, it got worse after I turned 6." I said making everyone turn towards me again.

"How in the world could it get any worse?" Raph asked.

"After I turned 6 my father decided that yelling wasn't good enough. He started slapping, punching, kicking, and using objects to hit me with. my mom would also slap and kick me sometimes but she mostly stuck to the verbal abuse. This continued until my mother died and my father went into a coma. After he woke up he didn't yell or hit me as much, but I was still scared of him. Because of what my parents did I can't stand being close to people. I'm afraid that if I got too close they will start yelling or hitting me. once my father died I lived on the streets until Batman took me in. even though I have been with him, Alfred, and Dick for 5 months I still shy away from them as well. They haven't asked me about it because they know that my parents were neglective and as far as they know the only people I socialized was with them."

"Dude that is so messed up." Raph voiced the option that everyone else in the room had. everyone was too stunned at my story to do anything except for Mikey. He stood up, walked over to me, knelled down and started hugging me.

"I'm so sorry Tim, I should have never asked you." Mikey's voice cracked a bit, I really hope he doesn't start crying because of me.

"It's ok Mikey it's actually nice to talk to someone about this." I didn't want to talk about it before but now that I have it makes me feel a little better.

"Timothy who all have you told about how your parents have treated you?" Splinter asks me and I know he wont like the answer.

"Besides you guys only Jason." I look at the others who all have sad eyes but everything they have heard. Mikey still hasn't let go but I'm not going to complain.

"Why haven't you told anyone else?" Donnie looks confused on why I would tell anyone.

"When I was younger I had no one to tell, then when I started to sneak out I was too afraid of them to tell the police. If my parents were find out then they would be sent to jail and child abusers don't go away forever and if they were mad enough for being locked up when they got released they could have taken their anger out on me and killed me. then after the both had passed I just wanted to forget about it so I never said anything." now that I'm telling them this I wish I would have told Batman. "now that I think about it if I would have told my dad I might have never been in this situation."

"Why is that?" Mikey finally let go and sat down next to me.

"Well before I went through the portal I has having an argument with my dad. He started to raise his voice and when he did that I got scared so I started walking away from him. more like I started fast walking away from him... in the rain... down a hill." I can't believe it this is actually all my fault.

"Wait not to go off topic, but in the rain, your costume was dry when you came through the portal." of course Donnie with his smartness would be the one to point that out.

"Dude not the time." Raph slapped Donnie.

"It might have helped but it might not have. you can't be too sure Timothy. This might have happened no matter what it might be destiny." Master Splinter with his wisdom really isn't helping right now.

"Yeah sure." I look down at the ground, I still think this is my fault. If I wasn't so stupid I might not be in this mess.

"I think it's about time that we all get some rest so we can all collect our thoughts about today." Master Splinter stands up and the rest of us follow. "My sons when you wake up I want you to come into the dojo. we need to go over the questions that are ok and not ok to ask. I don't want you to subject Timothy talking about stuff that he doesn't want to again."

"Hai Sensei" the turtles say in unison.

After a few minutes of saying our goodbye's and goodnights April and Casey left and the rest of us got ready for bed. I really hope that Master Splinter goes over a lot tomorrow because there is still stuff that I'm hiding from then that I really don't want them to know about.