AN: Reunion time! I'm sure you will be able to tell, but I really enjoyed this chapter, like, really, really. I really let my headcanons go to work here, and these characters went along with them brilliantly. Guh, so much love. I also suggest if you haven't read "The Perfect Son" yet, do so before you continue on this chapter. There is a large reference directly from the story and I think it would help you as you read this chapter.

Beta'd by the glorious Kamerer220, who is also a great road-trip buddy, fyi.

Chapter 9 – Second Chance

-o-

"All fathers care for their sons."
― Master Splinter, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)

-o-

The ride back to the lair was awkward.

The shurikens were actually easy to remove, but left holes that would take weeks to close. Just viewing them made Leo's stomach turn horribly. Combining that with his other injuries made Leo put his foot down and forbade Donnie from driving. Don, surprisingly, didn't argue but gave his brother a smirk, and Leo knew why. With Donnie out of commission, it was up to Leo to drive the Shellcycle home, something he wasn't entirely comfortable with. The only other option was to ditch the bike and hoof it on foot, and that wasn't really a choice. Don was in no condition to be walking any distance, much less the forty-something blocks they had between them and their lair, and Raph would murder them in their sleep if they left his baby unattended.

So they made their way back with Leo driving and Don riding behind him. They went a lot slower than the Shellcycle had ever been driven before, but Don didn't mind. He was starting to feel a little woozy from his earlier stunt and the lack of food he had in his system. He was tired and achy, and appreciated the care Leo was showing in getting them from point A to point B, even though he knew that his condition wasn't the true reason for the slowness. Leo could drive the Battleshell, but the two wheeled Shellcycle, simply put, terrified him.

They made it to the garage in one piece, however, and Don gingerly hopped off the bike, immensely grateful to be seeing the four walls of the garage again. He took note of every tool, every half-finished project, and his mind spinning with possibilities now that they were down one enemy. What wonders could he build with the free time?

Donatello snapped out of it when he heard Leo call out his name softly. He turned to his eldest brother, who was staring at him with a soft smile on his face.

"C'mon," Leo said from near the door, where he had moved to while Don had gazed around. Don followed him, albeit at a slower pace. So Leo was still a few feet ahead of him when he his voice rang out into the lair.

"Hey Raph," Leo said to the seemingly empty space, "I found your bike."

There was soft click that echoed through their home as a door opened and Don heard Raph's voice answer.

"What?" Raph sounded confused as he moved out into the main area. Don still couldn't see him, because Leo had stopped right at the doorway of the garage and the main area, blocking his view. Don didn't have enough energy to push his brother out of his way so he just blinked lazily at the back of his head.

"Your bike," Leo said, his voice filled with barely concealed glee. "I found it."

"Oh," Raph sounded despondent and Donnie couldn't blame him. He was sure as much as he loved the Shellcycle, he had other things on his mind. That thought gave Don's heart a tight squeeze, because he knew exactly what caused that despairing sound to his voice. "I hadn't realized it was missing."

Don could just feel the grin radiating off of Leo now, and knew exactly what was going to happen next.

"That's not the only thing I found," Leo stated, finally stepping forward and to the side, allowing Don entry into the lair. He also moved forward, giving his brother a better view of him.

At first, Raph didn't move, didn't breathe. Donnie wasn't sure if his immediate older brother was even comprehending what was going on. Finally, he saw his brother move and it was to first blink, then to draw in a deep breath.

"MIKEY!" Raph bellowed, not taking his eyes off of the purple-masked turtle in front of him. "GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE!" Then he lunged and Don flinched.

It was only when the arms encircled him and he felt his face get pressed up against his brother's neck harshly did he finally let out the breath he himself was holding. His arms went up instinctively and returned the hug. The olive-skinned mutant remembered, all too well, the greeting he had gotten from the Future Raph and this was so reminiscent of it that it caused tears to prickle his eyes and start to splash against the emerald skin that was against his face. From the water he felt dripping onto his own shoulder, he knew Raph didn't mind.

"Oh, it's you," Raph whispered to him, his voice thick with emotion. "It really is you."

"I'm sorry," Don sobbed, his voiced still muffled because his brother refused release him even an inch. "I'm so, so sorry."

"Shut up and continue hugging me, brainiac." Raph continued his own embrace. It felt like he tightened it, if at all possible. Don didn't mind it in the least. His brother smelt like sweat and motor oil. He smelled like home.

A banging noise suddenly echoed through the air, making Donnie jump and almost break their hold, but Raph refused to release him.

"Not yet," he whispered, Don felt his lips move against neck. "I'm not let you go just yet."

So Don didn't move and took comfort in the strong arms he was wrapped up in. The moment only lasted for a few more seconds when he heard his youngest brother's voice from behind Raph.

"What?" Don heard how raw his voice sounded and a few more tears leaked from his eyes before he finally was able to push away from Raphael. The red-masked turtle reluctantly let go of his brother and turned slightly, allowing Don to get a full view of Michelangelo.

He looked terrible. His mask was slightly askew, damp around the eye holes. His nose looked like it was still running and he probably hadn't stopped truly crying for hours. Immediately Don worried about his hydration level and wanted to grab a bottle of water for him. At that moment, though, Mikey had seen him as well and stopped himself from wiping his nose mid swipe.

"Donnie," Mikey breathed disbelieving. Don's heart stopped at how forlorn his brother looked and moved to his brother.

One minute he was walking towards the orange-masked turtle, his arms opening to give him a hug. The next minute, he was flat on the ground and pain burst from his head. For a brief moment, he thought Mikey had tackled him to the ground and he had hit his head on the floor. Then he realized the pain was radiating from his jaw and not the back of his head. As soon as the room stopped spinning, he looked up and saw Mikey's clinched fist and the shocked looks coming from the older brothers.

He had punched him.

Mikey had punched him.

Don stared up in disbelief as his attacker loomed over him, his teeth just as clenched as his fist.

"We thought you were dead, you bastard!" Mikey screamed at him, raising his fist as if he was going to punch again, and Don's arms shot up instinctively to protect himself.

The move had proven to be unnecessary because his other two brothers finally jumped into action. Raph had grabbed Mikey and manhandled him a few feet away, where his fist was no longer in distance, and Leo had knelt down beside Donnie, ready to fall over him to protect him. Don heard rather than saw the furious turtle grapple with Raph, and tried to push Leo away. Leo just swatted his hands down and checked on Don's jaw.

"Not broken," Leo said after a minute. By then Mikey was no longer trying to get to Don, though emerald turtle was not letting him go anytime soon.

"Not for the lack of trying," Mikey grumbled darkly, his eyes shooting darts at the down turtle. Don blinked at that. He had never seen his brother so angry before, not even when Raph had finally followed through with the threat to send one of his sias into Mikey's favorite comic book. There is one thing that Don did know, though. He certainly deserved it.

"Mikey," Don started to say as Leo helped him up, "I know you are angry-"

"You bet your green ass, I am."

Don paused, still taken aback by the venom in that usually happy voice, but then he continued. "I'm so sorry. I meant to come straight back as soon as I got out of there, but I guess the whole ordeal took a lot out of me and I passed out before I could call you guys."

"An ordeal you could have told us about," Raph said quietly. He still had a hold on Mikey, and certainly didn't look like he was letting go anytime soon, but Don knew he was angry as well, now that the initial shock of him still being alive wore off.

"I know, I'm-" Don started to say but was cut off.

"Save it," Raph interrupted. "You'll be plenty sorry, later."

Don opened his mouth to argue with him, wanting to make sure his brothers knew that his regret was genuine, when someone cleared their throat.

All four heads turned to the sound and they all saw Master Splinter standing there, his ever-present cane placed in front of him and his hands folded on top of it. His body posture was calm and relaxed, perhaps from years of training to appear so, but his eyes were sharp, focused, and Don felt his eyes bore into him directly.

His previous thoughts disappeared from his head as he took in the face of his Sensei. Don looked down at Splinter, his small frame and grey fur surrounded by his worn red robe and dropped to his knees before him, bowing low in reverence.

Don heard Leo hiss behind him at the sudden move, probably afraid he'd injure himself, but he ignored it.

"Master Splinter," Don addressed him formally, his head still down so it looked like he was addressing the floor. "I want to apologize for my absence. An error on my part prevented me from sharing with you the destruction of our enemy and my survival. I had also ran off without permission to do this dangerous task alone. I know I have hurt your with my actions and I ask for-"

The rest of his speech was cut off by a warm hand placing itself upon his head. Don looked up and saw his teary-eyed father stare down upon him with love and joy.

"My son," was all Splinter could get out of his mouth before he knelt down also and enclosed his arms around his returned son. Don felt tears drop upon his head as he was pressed against his father's chest and found his own tears returning. He brought his arms up to also encircle his father and they held each other for a few minutes. Perhaps because they knew the two needed a moment, his three brothers did not join in, though it was usually customary for them to do so. Finally, after Splinter had been able to collect himself, he released his son and straightened up. He turned to the rest of his sons and started to give out orders.

"Raphael, please check Michelangelo's hand to make sure it is not broken. Leonardo, please help Donatello to my room, and then bring us some tea and something to eat. I'm sure," Splinter said as he looked back down at Donatello, "that your brother hasn't eaten in a while."

Don's sheepish grin was all the answer he needed and he turned back to his room. Mikey turned promptly and headed to the infirmary, not even looking at the turtle still kneeling on the ground. Raph quickly rubbed Don's head with affection before following. Don was then lifted up from the ground by Leo for the second time in the past five minutes and was led to Splinter's room.

A pillow was placed in front of the ninja master for him to kneel or sit on, a courtesy not usually given to wayward turtle sons who take their life into their own hands, but Don knew that it was most likely because of his injuries that he was given this little bit of comfort. Otherwise, he was sure he would be made to kneel for hours as he explained, in detail, exactly what had transpired.

Perhaps that was Leo's thinking also, for he looked wary about leaving Don alone with his father while he went to make tea.

"Sensei," Leo spoke as he helped Don down. The younger turtle's energy was slowly draining and he was grateful for his brother's assistance. "Maybe this should be put off at another time, and let me tend to Donnie's wounds. I'm sure he'll be up for any sort of discussions you have in mind after some rest."

Splinter smiled at his eldest son. "Believe me, I understand the stress and strain your brother is under, but it is quite obviously that what I have to say to Donatello cannot wait. I have delayed too long in bringing up this discussion and it would do no one good if I postpone it any longer."

His voice and eyes were gentle when he spoke, but there was still this tone of finality that Leo couldn't ignore so he bowed low to his father and turned to leave. He took one last look at Don, giving him a smile that let Don know how grateful he was that he was there and left to do Splinter's bidding. His father turned his eyes upon his remaining son and Don couldn't hold back his gulp. He knew he was in trouble, and he needed to face it like a turtle. So he squared his shoulders as much as he could (goodness, he was so tired) and faced his father.

"Sensei, I-" Don started, but it would seem like nobody will let him finish speaking today. A furry hand rose up and instinctively his words died out instantly. He stared at his father, whose gentle and grateful expression had morphed into a stern one, mixed in with what Don thought was sadness. He felt his stomach start to churn. It was the same reaction he always had when he knew he was in trouble with Master Splinter. This sickly feeling that he always wished he would never experience again. Yet, here he was, time and again, learning of his father's disappointment in him. When will he ever learn?

"As a father," Splinter began, his voice soft yet it traveled through the room effortlessly, "It is my job to teach you as you grow up and grow older. To teacher you right from wrong, on how to handle certain situations, and how to become your own person." Splinter looked at him, his eyes shining in the candle light. "I have failed you in this regard."

Don's head, which lowed with shame at every word his Master spoke, shot up at that last sentence. "What?" Don cried out, "No! This was all my fault!"

"My son," Splinter started to say, but Don wasn't going to let his father take the blame upon himself when it was clearly his, and his alone.

"You are a great father!" Don passionately said, "You are a great teacher! It is not your fault I cannot learn the lessons you have taught me! I know I'm not the perfect student, the perfect son, but those are not your fault! It's not your fault I cannot execute the moves and-"

"Donatello." Again, Splinter interrupted him. There was that irrevocability in the elder's voice again that warned Donnie in not continuing his passionate reply. So he fell silent and bit his lip to stop more words from coming out. As soon as he saw his son would not interrupt again, he continued on. "No, it is quite obvious I failed you in some aspect if you still believe that the only thing I can teach you is based in the dojo." There was a pause and the sadness in Splinter's eyes showed in his voice as well. "And that my love and regard for you as a son is based on your abilities as a ninja."

Donatello felt himself jerk hard at that last remark, surprise very evident upon his face. It wasn't anything he had ever let known out loud, even in private. This dark and nasty thought. This thought that has plagued since he was old enough to recognize the difference between him and his brothers when it came to ninjutsu. He saw his brothers advance higher and higher, his father giving them the praise they so richly deserved, while he sat in the shadows, trying to play catch up. He felt inferior to them, and had always thought that Splinter saw that too. It was why he tried so hard outside of the dojo, to make sure that the lair was comfortable for his family. Sure, he loved the work, as thankless it was sometimes, and he was gifted in it, more gifted than he had ever shown in his fighting skills, and he wanted to the master of his domain. He wanted no equal. He wanted his father and his brothers to ignore his faults in the dojo, where they were far superior, and praise and be envious of those mechanical skills that kept them safe and warm. As foolish as it sounded, and despite him knowing better, he still felt like he had to earn his father's love someway when he couldn't do it by following his father's footsteps into becoming a great ninja master.

He was sure all those thoughts that flashed through his eyes because Splinter gave an encouraging smile.

"My son," Splinter said softly, his hand coming to rest on his son's cheek, something he had done since he was a toddler. "My love for you is boundless and eternal. It does not diminish when you cannot complete a kata to my liking or when you have done something wrong. I apologize if you felt like this was the case. It most assuredly is not. You are not the 'perfect son,' as you have so put it, because you are not perfect. As a matter of fact, neither am I. No one is and it is unwise to think that you can become perfect by just following my every order, my every move as precisely as I have."

Tears welled up in Don's eyes but he refused to let them drop.

"You, my son, are kind and gentle. You are selfless with your time and selfish with want for knowledge. You are determined and dedicated. You are both easily distracted and have a focus that is unerring. You are not a poor ninja, despite your beliefs. You are a very capable warrior and a very skilled ninja. You are strong where your brothers are weak. You think ten steps ahead while the rest of us can usually only think three. You are patient and observant. You fight not because you want to, or because you are good at it, or even because it is something you feel you have to do. You fight because you love us and want to protect us. You may not have the fastest hands, the strongest kicks, or the most powerful jump, but you try anyway. You never give up. Your determination keeps you upright when your strength fails. Your heart keeps you in pace when your speed lags. Your mind creates the power you need when your muscles gives out. You are Donatello. You are my child. I love both you and your imperfections."

A sob escaped from the turtle as he leaned forward into his father's chest and let the tears finally escape. He knew all that. He had to have known all that, but sometimes, one needed to hear it like a thirsty man needed water.

"Whatever your perceived faults are, my son," Splinter murmured to him, his arm enclosed around his shoulders and cradled him like hadn't been able to do since he was a boy. "Know that I do not dwell on them and neither should you. You should not let them dictate your actions."

Don nodded, his face still pressed against his robe. He let out a sniff, slightly horrified at the mere thought of rubbing snot on his father's clothing, and lifted his head up to look into his father's forgiving eyes.

"I am assuming that the reason you felt the need to do this mission alone is because you felt you needed to prove yourself to us."

The turtle nodded again, backing up slightly so he could straighten up. He felt the irrepressible need to explain himself, to give voice to all of his thoughts and fears.

"I thought you all believed I was weak," he whispered, "I was beginning to think I was weak." The words came rushing out from the darkness they were hiding in. "You all treated me like I was going to break, every time I got sick or injured. With each passing incident, it would get worse and worse. Then this last time… I understood the risks involved. I understood you guys did it out of love, but I feared it was also out of pity." He said the word as if it were poison, something shameful. "I wanted to be loved, not pitied."

"And I know," Don found himself continuing when Splinter made no move to shut him down, "I know it was need the first few months. You were starting to let up again, but so slowly, much slower than before. I know it was serious. I know I needed to be careful, but it was like you guys didn't trust me to take care of myself, which I know is partly my fault. I hadn't known the bug scratch would have done that. I had no clue. Nothing I had researched let me come to that conclusion. I know it was a mistake on my part but I always learn from my mistakes."

Donnie saw Splinter nod, but remained silent. His eyes implored Donnie to continue, so he did.

"Then I found out about Karai's letter and what Leo was doing." His voice sounded dark to his own ears and he tried and only partially succeeded in hiding it with his next sentence. "He lectured me to be careful and in the same breath planned to do something reckless and dangerous. I couldn't handle the hypocrisy."

He took a shaky breath, almost unable to handle the understanding shining from his father's eyes. "I wanted to show you that I was not so easily broken and I wanted Leo to understand that we didn't need him to play the martyr. I was so angry at him, and everyone else that I…"

What does one call going behind his family's back to take down a criminal organization single handedly because of his anger and lack of self-confidence?

"Rebelled," Splinter finished for him and Don saw a smile on his father's face. "You have always been my most surprising son."

Don blinked at that, unsure how to take it. He knew his father wouldn't have meant it in a negative way, especially after the speech he had just given, but he could not understand what his father was talking about.

His facial expression must have tipped his father off, who gave a slight chuckle. "You were the first to speak," he stated. "Did I not tell you that? I did not expect such a small turtle to speak so clearly. How about the time when I came home from scavenge with you fixing our toaster."

"Or," Splinter continued, his eyes peering into his son's with intent, "Never have I seen a temper tantrum so tightly controlled."

A deep blush fell upon Donatello's features. He thought he knew where this was going but he couldn't bring himself to open his mouth.

"Even with your fine memory, I wonder if you recall that time when you were about nine." Splinter looked at his son, who nodded, before he continued. "You had been upset after a bad day at practice and instead of breaking down right then and there, which would have been understandable, you left the lair and aimed your aggressions not at one of your brothers or myself, but at a wall and threw items at it."

Don remembered the incident vividly. He couldn't recall he control his father was talking about, all he remembered was the fury and the emotional pain, and wanting something to hurt to match what he was feeling inside.

"When you ran out of things to hit with or throw, you turned to your fists for answers and had no issue injuring yourself while your emotions played out," Splinter said, and there was a sadness in his voice as he told the tale. "But when the opportunity presented itself for you to hurt someone else, namely me, you refused to do so, even in the state you were in."

"Do you recall, Donatello, what had made you so angry?"

"Um, yeah," Don said, his voice quiet with shame, "I was jealous of Leo."

"Yes," Splinter said, "You were coming off of a long illness and Leonardo was treating the practice as if it was a final test, or a battle. He gives it his all, as he always had. Leonardo has spirit and control. But he has never had the control over his emotions as you do."

Splinter smiled down at the confused look on his son's face and decided to explain further.

"Donatello, you feel emotions as richly and as deeply as each and every one of your siblings, but you hide those feelings, rationalize them away with logic and practice. They do not go away simply because you refuse to feel them. They build up, slowly and vastly, until one day they are too big for you to ignore. Then something happens and they explode out, like a volcano, and because you are so used to not feeling things, you are unable to process those emotions and it becomes like an uncontrollable storm that we all must ride out. It is not safe, nor is it healthy, and I am so sorry for not releasing the pressure sooner."

"Master Splinter, it's not your job to help me control my emotions," Don said, shaking his head at the notion that this was his father's fault.

"Oh," Splinter argued, "but it is. As I said before, it is my job as your father to guide you on your journey in this life. You, my son, are so quiet, and so gentle, that it is quite easy to forget the lessons you have taught me at that tender young age. You have a powerful storm that rages within you that must be released properly, or it will grow into something no one, not even you, can control."

"Are you-" Don looked at his father in confusion and alarm. "Are you trying to saying that my, my stunt was just a temper tantrum?" What was he, five?

A chuckled filled the room and Don didn't know if he should feel affronted or foolish.

"A long overdue one, yes," Splinter said with a smirk. "A lot of things have happened in the past few years since your last… stunt, as you call it. We have been sent from one side of the universe to other, been separated, been abused, and you came through admirably, but not whole. It is my fault for not realizing that just because you are no longer the young little boy I once knew, that you were not completely over your past habits. This could have been avoided had I talked with you, or even just kept a better watch on you."

"You've been watching me plenty in the past few months."

The words were out of Don's mouth before he realized it and he found himself slapping his hand over the offending orifice. His tone had been ugly and disrespectful, his words accusing, and the horrified turtle stared up at his father, expecting to see his ears twitch back in irritation, as it always does when he felt his sons were being insolent. Splinter's facial expression never changed, however. He just merely looked at his son with patience and understanding.

"Yes, we have kept a very close eye on you for your own health," Splinter said amicably. "You are a gifted doctor, though not by choice, and are very quick to recognize illness and limitations in others, but you are amazingly blind when it comes to yourself. I recognize that we may have been overzealous in our intent to make sure you were safe and healthy, but considering the fact that we-" Splinter cut himself off before his voice broke with emotion. Don lowered his hands as he watched his father take a deep breath to get his feelings under control. Understanding was starting to blossom in Don's mind, but chose to wait patiently for his father to continue before voicing his opinion. "It was a very close thing. A father should never have to bury a child."

The grief in his voice was tangible and the turtle ached at it.

"But you are correct, we kept a very close eye on you, but we had our, what do you call them? Blinders? Yes, blinders on, so to speak. We were so worried about your physical health that we ignored your mental one. And while I cannot apologize for wanting to take my time in seeing you be healthy again, I am sorry for ignoring yet another aspect of you for so long that it has caused this incident."

Tears formed in Donatello's eyes as he saw Splinter's own fall down his face. He didn't know what his father meant by 'another aspect' but he recognized that that wasn't important at the moment. What was important that the very visible weight he saw was on his father's shoulders be lifted.

"Master Splin-," Don started to say, but he paused. "Dad."

Splinter looked up at his son. It had been years since he has heard this son call him by that name.

"It is true," Don continued, "that I felt smothered and useless with the way you treated be after the Outbreak, and that while you think my actions were understandable, it does not mean that they were excusable. It was my fault that this happened and I take full responsibility for my actions. It was very wrong of me to take the hard work you put into getting me better and throwing it away because I felt angry or slighted."

"Of course you were wrong," Splinter stated simply, taking Don back a little. "I am not so arrogant to take the full blame of what has transpired. What you did was very harmful for your family, and you will be punished, have no doubts about it."

Don gave a chagrin look as Splinter narrowed his eyes on him. Despite his best efforts, he had been on the receiving end of that look more times than he cared to admit. Regardless, though, Don felt inexplicably lighter, freer, to see that familiar look upon his father's face instead of the sadness and worry.

"As right as you usually are, my bright boy, you are wrong here, though." Splinter's look became less severe. "We all share a fault in this, especially Leonardo. It was, after all, he who planned on facing the Foot on his own first and started spark that caused this forest fire."

The purple-masked ninja opened his mouth to defend his brother, no doubt proceed to bury himself into a deeper hole, when a knock on the door interrupted him. Speak of the devil…

When Splinter bade him to enter, Leo opened the door and brought in the tea. He swiftly placed the tray that had a few sandwiches added to the pot of tea and tea cups. Don felt himself start to salivate at the sight of the food and tea. While his favorite beverage of choice was coffee, he wouldn't say no to downing the whole kettle by himself at the moment. He reached over to help Leo set up the tea, in hopes of doing it faster, but his hand was batted away.

"I got this," Leo said as he placed a cup in front of him and started to pour. "Relax."

Splinter smiled warmly at his eldest son as he served his brother first, something that went against tradition but was fully supported in that moment. When both beings on the floor had hot cups of tea in the hands and the sandwiches had started to be nibbled on, Leo gave a smile and started to leave but the rat's voice stalled him.

"I would like for you to join us, Leonardo," Splinter said, motioning to the extra cups and still sizable plate of sandwiches. Leo paused for a moment before settling down next to Donatello and grabbed a sandwich for himself.

"Thank you, Master Splinter."

The old mutant watched for a moment as his sons tear into the food as if they hadn't eaten in a while (which, in all honestly, they haven't.) As soon as he saw that Donatello looked not as faint and shaky, he addressed his sons again.

"There are more words I wish to say to you," Splinter started to say as he saw that Donatello looked up at him while Leonardo adverted his eyes, seeming to think that he shouldn't be listening in to his brother and his father's conversation. "But those words will have to wait until Donatello is tended to and rested."

A hand came up and touched the area around the cut on Don's cheek and the turtle gave a soft wince. Splinter's whiskers twitched in apology.

"After, I would like both of you to return so I can impart them upon you."

Leo gave a look of confusion, having not been privy to the previous conversation. Don complied when Leo's eyes turned to him for clarification.

"Our punishment," Don said softly between bites and Leo's face blanched for a moment before moving to a more neutral expression.

"Ah," Leo deadpanned.

"What you two did to your family will not be tolerated anymore." Splinter's voice was hard as steel, despite his calm visage. "It is a habit I must break you from and trust me, it will be broken."

Leo opened his mouth to speak, whether for his brother's defense or his own, but Donnie rested his hand gently on his brother's arm and the words stopped before they were ever voiced. The eldest turtle turned to the younger with an inquiring look, but Don just gave him smile.

"It's okay," Don said, his face spread wide with his toothy grin. "It's okay now."

The relieved look on Leo's face almost made him tear up again, but he blinked them away. Leo used the hand not holding a sandwich to grab hold of Don's mask tails and let them slide through his fingers. He stared fondly at them a moment before an indistinguishable look crossed his face. Before Don could inquire about it, Leo turned to their father.

"You knew Donnie was alive the last time I talked to you," Leo said, his voice was filled with a whole lot of wonder and a little bit of accusing. "That's why you gave his mask. You knew I would find him."

For a second, Don wanted to remind him that it was actually he who found him, but then the words finally registered and he also looked at his father in shock.

A toying smile played at Splinter's lips. "I felt that Donatello's spirit was not yet done with this world. But I could not be certain." He looked at both of his sons, gaging their reactions before continuing. "I had a feeling that if Donatello was alive, he would seek out you above all others."

"This was a journey that was started by you, Leonardo," Splinter said. "It needed to end with you."

Leo nodded at the sage words.

"This journey is not over yet, Sensei," Leo claimed, his voice strong. He turned to Donatello, who was there, and alive. "Our journey is nowhere near over."

Donnie beamed at him, recognizing the words for what they are: a promise for change and an apology. As Splinter said earlier, there would be plenty of time later to share words. Right now, Don just wanted to bask in the warmth that is his family and heal.

"Now," Splinter said, eyeing both of his sons again. "I think a trip to the infirmary is in order and Donatello, you are banned from the dojo for the foreseeable future."

The turtle in question groaned, but it was far more good natured than it had been in the past. Leo quickly finished his own sandwich and then helped his brother up. They both gave lopsided bows to their father as they exited.

Before they got out the door, however, they were stopped by a paw on Leo's shoulder. One second, it was just Leo holding up a still weak Donnie, the next it was a three way hug.

Splinter may be small and fragile looking, but his hug was strong and fierce.

"Don't scare an old rat like that again," Splinter said, kissing his sons' foreheads before releasing them. Both brothers were slightly pink with embarrassed pleasure at the affection and they made muttered promises before finally being able to exit their father's room.

The trek to the area used as the infirmary was quiet, but an amicable one. Don was grateful for the arms that supported him through the lair, and Leo was glad to be the one supporting him. He reveled in the solid mass in his arms, the warm and undeniable truth that his brother was not lost to him, that he had not failed so completely that he destroyed his family. The feeling was heady and he felt like he was floating.

The floating feeling lasted the entire length of the home and right up until he pushed Don through the open door of the infirmary and were greeted by the sight of Michelangelo sitting on one of the tables with a bandage around his fist and Raph standing just beyond the doorway with his arms crossed his plastron.

"We need to talk."

-o-

AN2: And talk they will, no worries. A lot of things will be coming out, trust me.

Explanation time, I think. When I wrote the brotherly reunion, I very much had SAINW in mind. Raph was downright ecstatic to see Donnie in the episode, and showed affection so rarely seen on the show. Raph, I always thought, has a soft spot for Donnie. I don't know whether it's because they are both the middle children, or he feels he has to be protective of the gooey geek, but Raph always seems to be the first to jump to Donnie's defense both in battle and out. Raph is going to be way more forgiving of Don's transgressions than he is of Leo's. In his mind, Leo caused all this and was just a bad influence on Donnie. He may be upset about Donnie doing his own thing, but it's only because he wasn't there to have his back. As a buddy of mine on tumblr pointed out, Donnie and Raph are both rebels, only Donnie's a bit more subtle about it.

And Mikey was, there is no other word for it, pissed. Seriously, Mikey was seriously cheesed off to see a brother that was missing for 30 years suddenly come back. No welcoming hug, no smile, no nothing. His explanations of the world around him were harsh and slightly unforgiving, he pulled no punches except to perhaps make his point across. I mean, how else can you explain him leading Donnie to Splinter's grave instead of letting him down gently. He did that on purpose, he wanted to see Donnie hurt. He wanted his wayward brother to feel a portion same pain he has felt for the past 30 years. And had he not had those 30 years and all those battles to mature into the turtle we saw, I can almost guarantee that SAINW!Mikey would have punched Donnie's lights out. Its quiet evident that time and that world had not been kind on Michelangelo and it showed. Also, I kept having this thought run through my head as I wrote this: He's beauty, he's grace, he'll punch a brother in the face…

And I seem to have a thing about one-on-one convos between Splinter and Donnie. Seriously, this is like the, what, fourth story that had some really intense father-son talks? I think it's because out of all his sons, I feel that Donatello is the least like him and perhaps the one he understands the least. Of course, Splinter understands plenty when it comes to this genius, but compared to his other sons, they have less in common and have completely different views. Plus, Donnie's mind works in ways that Splinter can never truly understand or appreciate (in regards to difficulty and vastness of his potential), and Donnie wasn't really built to be a ninja master, so he is the least likely to follow in his father's footsteps if the opportunity came up. (Which is funny, because I'm brainstorming a fic where Donnie does end up becoming a Sensei, what?) I create talks like this to try and create a bond that I wish we could see more on screen. I mean, its quiet obvious that Splinter loves all his sons equally, and that Donnie loves his daddy, I just am always looking for more ways to connect. I'm just like that, lol.

Chapter title is from the song by Shinedown.