A/N: You guys are so smart. A shout out to LilyTheNinjaGirl and Sairey13, who have both already figured out the plan.

Please note: Character thoughts are in italics.

Disclaimer: If I promise to keep all of the turtles alive in this fic, then can I own them? Please? Pretty please?

Chapter 21-Not Part Of The Plan

Casey placed Michelangelo's limp form on the floor of the van. He then turned and hustled back to rejoin the fight. April quickly administered the antidote created by Donatello, before taking a seat next to her unconscious friend. The red head held one of Mikey's cool hands into her own. Biting her lip, she felt for Mikey's pulse. April breathed a sigh of relief when she found it. The pulse was faint, but it was there. The antidote was working. But that discovery did not make the sight in front of her any easier on the eyes. The blood all over her friend's plastron may have been part of the plan, but it was still unsettling to see the normally energetic turtle looking so lifeless. April rubbed slow circles onto Mikey's palm with her thumb as she waited for any news about his brothers.

Suddenly, the doors to the vehicle were thrown open, causing April to let out a startled yelp. The red head looked on in horror as Casey and Donatello struggled to place Raphael's limp body into the van. April's brow furrowed. Something about the red masked turtle looked different compared to Michelangelo. With eyes widening in realization April let out a gasp. Raphael was covered in double the amount of blood as Mikey! What the?

Casey and Donatello climbed into the van. But something was wrong.

April's quickly glanced around the van, searching for an answer.

They were missing something.

Counting three turtles, April's mouth fell open.

No, they were missing someONE.

Where is Leonardo's body?

A sinking feeling began to build in April's gut as she asked. "What happened? And where's Leonardo?"

Donatello ignored the questions. "We've got to get out of the blast range."

Casey jumped into the driver's seat. "Where to Donnie?"

Donatello said. "Casey, drive three blocks away from Foot Headquarters. That will put us out of range. After the blast we'll have to swing back and circle the building."

Donnie turned his attention to April. "How's Mikey doing?"

Recognizing she was now dealing with Dr. Don, April scrambled to assist Donnie. Her questions would have to wait. "He's still unconscious. His breathing and pulse rate look normal. I gave him the antidote you left."

Donnie nodded. "Good. Grab me that syringe and vial over there. Actually, I'll need two vials."

April raised an eyebrow.

The genius turtle replied to the unspoken question. "Raph got two doses of the serum. He's going to need two antidotes."

April nodded. At least that explained all of the extra blood on Raphael's body.

With the syringe in his hand, Donnie placed the needle into his brother's arm. He pushed down on the plunger. Donatello watched as the liquid drained into his older brother.

Raphael had received an overdose of the serum.

That wasn't part of the plan.

Unable to keep the worry out of his voice, Donatello palmed his brother's face, speaking softly. "Raph come on. Please. This has got to work."

Despite having parked blocks away from Foot Headquarters, the van still managed to shake from the force of the explosion.

Casey looked out the window as the smoke began to curl around the space where the tall skyscraper once stood. "Wow. Donnie, did you do that?"

Donatello nodded. But now was not the time to praise his explosive skills. They had to find Leonardo. "We've got to find Leo."

Casey hit the accelerator and began circling the van around the fallen building. Donatello leaned over Casey's shoulder, searching for his brother among the wreckage. The purple masked turtle's stress level couldn't get any higher. First Raph and now Leo.

This can't be happening. Donnie started breathing in short breaths. They've come too close and risked too much. They couldn't lose now. He was beginning to panic. Donatello required time to think and to plan. Leonardo was the one who could always keep calm under stress, not him. Donatello's knuckles became white as he gripped the seat in front of him. They had to find Leonardo, they just had too.

Where the shell is he?

It took two passes of the van circling Foot Headquarters, before the smoke cleared enough to make out the shapes in the dark.

Donnie pointed out the window. "There!"

Following Donnie's finger, Casey saw Leonardo sprawled on the side walk. On either side, lay the younger Foot Elites.

When the van stopped, Donatello shot out like a bullet from a gun. He raced over to his fallen brother. Dropping to his knees Donnie's voice wavered. "Leo?"

It didn't seem possible, yet Leonardo's body was covered in even more blood than Raphael's. Once again shifting into Doctor Don mode, he pressed the gauze into Leo's side, trying to slow down the bleeding.

Donnie's voice was laced with worry and grief. "Oh Leo, what did you do?"

The team medic shook his head as he attempted to piece together what happened. Pressing harder on the wound, he noticed his brother's bloodied sword. Then the position of the two Foot Elite's compared to Leonardo. Immediately the scene clicked into place in the genius turtle's mind. Leo must have been discovered by the Foot Elite before he could use the Utrom portable transmat device. Without the tanto, Leo had no way to fake his death. Looking at the angle the sword penetrated, Donatello grimaced as he came to the obvious conclusion. My idiotic brother stabbed himself with his own sword.

Finishing his triage of the wound, Donnie scooped up his eldest brother. Now he had two patients to worry about.

Master Splinter had been unable to shake the uneasy feeling that lingered in the air all evening. Unable to meditate, Splinter hoped to settle his nerves with a cup of soothing tea. Alone in the kitchen, the sound of quickly approaching footsteps caused Splinter to hurry towards the entrance of the lair. Splinter's eyes widened at the sight. His missing son Donatello came bursting through the door and raced to his laboratory, completing ignoring his sensei. In his arms Donnie carried the bloodied and unnaturally still form of his eldest son, Leonardo. Hot on Donnie's heels was a stricken looking April O'Neil. Following behind the duo was a man Splinter did not recognize. The black haired stranger grunted from the strain as he struggled to carry a bloody looking Raphael to Donatello's laboratory. And missing from the unexpected group, was Splinter's youngest son, Michelangelo.

Splinter's cup of tea shattered on the floor.

Confused, Casey turned when he suddenly felt the removal of some of Raph's weight. Even though he had been told that Raph's father was a mutant rat, Casey couldn't stop the yelp of surprise when he laid eyes on the unexpectedly close mutant. Quickly remembering his manners Casey spoke. "Thanks. Umm, I'm Casey Jones."

Splinter had many questions, but they would have to wait until his sons were out of danger. "Come, we must hurry." The human and the rat carried Raphael into Donatello's laboratory. Splinter grimaced as the smells assaulted his sensitive nose. His short tempered son was covered in blood. But the blood didn't smell like it was from a turtle, or from a human. Splinter wiggled his nose but he could not figure out what the source was.

With a look of intense concentration on his face, Donnie began barking out orders to his assistants. "Put Raph on the cot over there."

"Casey, fetch Mikey from the van. Put him in his room. It's on the second floor, top of the stairs, third door on your left."

Casey nodded and rushed out of the lab. Master Splinter breathed a small sigh of relief at Donatello's words. At least all of his sons were finally home.

"April, check on Raph's vitals. Master Splinter, I need your assistance."

Ignoring the brusque tone, and struggling to keep his curiosity in check, Splinter moved swiftly to his smartest son's side. The blood on Leonardo smelled different. This blood smelled familiar.

Splinter asked. "My son, what has happened?"

Donnie was frantically wrapping another layer of gauze around the unconscious leader. "Leo's been stabbed with a sword."

The gauze wrapped around Leo was soaking through almost as fast as Donatello was wrapping. The wound was bleeding heavily. They did not have time to stitch the site closed. The bleeding needed to be stopped, now.

Splinter let out a hiss. He was glad that Leonardo was unconscious. This wasn't going to be pretty.

Donatello's voice rose up an octave. "This isn't working. We've got to stop the bleeding. Quickly."

Donatello was overwhelmed. This wasn't part of the plan. The medic's voice began to shake. "Master Splinter, I-I d-do-don't h-ha-have anything to c-ca-cauterize the wound."

It had been a long time since Splinter had seen his smartest son off kilter. Splinter placed a steadying paw on Donnie's arm. "I have a tanto we can use."

Splinter ran out of the room to retrieve the knife.

Donatello looked down at his pale brother. He was an engineer not a Doctor. Sure Donnie was the best choice out of all of his brothers for medical care. When it was basic medical care.

But this much blood loss?

And patching up a sword wound?

Trying to keep himself from panicking, Donnie began to breathe in and out, slow and deep. He could do this. He had to do this.

Master Splinter returned with the tanto. "We need to sterilize the blade."

Giving a brief nod, Donatello blanched. He would have to heat the blade up until it was very hot. Then press the heated metal against the wound in short bursts. Donatello began to shake.

Splinter placed his paw on Donatello's arm. "My son, you can do this."

Donatello looked up at his father's face. Master Splinter radiated a confidence that soothed Donnie's nerves. Gathering his resolve, the purple medic nodded. "Get Casey. I'll need you two to hold Leo down."

Finished with checking his patients Donatello sank down heavily in the couch. April and Casey had already left, with promises to check in on the brothers tomorrow.

As the rush of adrenaline began to wear off, Donatello realized how tired he was. But he couldn't go to sleep. Not until all three of his brothers had woken up.

A cup of hot tea was placed in front of him, causing Donnie to jerk in surprise.

Splinter's caring eyes looked down at him. "My son. Please come with me."

Donnie wasn't surprised that Master Splinter would want to talk. After all, Donatello just burst through the doors to the lair with all three of his brothers, after having disappeared for six months.

The weary turtle was surprised that his father led them both to Donatello's room to talk. Donnie sat down on the bed. The purple masked turtle looked down at the drink in his hands. He wasn't normally a fan of tea. But right now, he was too tired to care. It was clear that Master Splinter wanted answers.

Donnie let out a deep breath. He wasn't sure where to begin.

Sensing Donatello's inner turmoil, Splinter spoke first. "My son, what has happened?"

Unsure of where to start, Donnie sat on his bed in silence for a few moments. Well they always say one should start at the beginning.

"The day Mira came over with April, she brought the Triceriton Mind Probe. I don't know why I ever let her leave it in my lab."

Donnie looked at Master Splinter, the self-loathing in his tone evident. "I suppose it is because I never could resist a technical challenge."

Splinter patted Donnie's hand, encouraging his son to continue.

Donatello was silent once more, struggling to organize his jumbled thoughts.

He began anew. "Well, it really all began that day Leo left to join the Foot. After we returned to the lair, Raph and I. We argued. He walked in on me while I was working on the Triceriton mind probe. Raph jumped to conclusions."

Donatello looked up again this time with guilt in his eyes. "I should have listened to you Master Splinter. I should have talked to Raph sooner. I tried to reason with him, but he was too angry. He wouldn't listen. After Raph stormed out, Mikey came in. He was still hurting from Leo leaving. I think Raph's departure just pushed Mikey over the edge. But he was right. It's my job to fix things around here."

Donnie's hands had curled into fists as he spoke. Splinter reached over and slowly uncurled his son's hands.

"My son. Your intellect knows no bounds. And while we are grateful for your skills, it is not your job to fix your brothers when they act up."

Donatello continued.

"Mikey wasn't the only one hurting. I missed Leo too. And I knew what Raph was going to do when he rushed out. I figured if I could repair the Triceriton mind probe, Mozar would come to pick it up. Then I would be able to find Raph. Convince him to come back and help us free Leo from the Foot."

Donnie looked down. His defiant voice took on a hint of sadness. "But it was taking me too long to fix the device. I tried to hack into the Foot Clan's firewalls. To start keeping in contact with Leo. Make sure that he was ok."

Donatello took a sip of tea. "Playing online chess, the Foot Elite would never know who Leo's opponent was. Then one day, Leo came to me with a plan. Why not use the Shredder's teachings against the Foot? One of the Shredder's favorite strategies was to fake his own death. So Leo proposed, why not fake his own death while simultaneously destroying Foot Headquarters? With Leo and the building gone, the Foot elder's would deem that it wasn't worth the investment to rebuild in New York. Anyone left would be requested to serve the clan in Japan instead."

Splinter raised an eyebrow. It was a bold and dangerous plan.

"Leo would use a tanto to pretend that he had killed himself. I designed a knife with a retractable blade. On impact, it would release pig's blood. At the same time, a needle from within the center of the blade would emerge. The serum would make it look like he was dead. Once we had the body, I could use the antidote I created and revive him."

Splinter leaned back, processing the information. The plan was brilliant, just like his two sons. It combined Leo's strategic thinking and Donatello's technical genius. Pig's blood, that must've been the smell that was in the lab when my sons first arrived.

"Please my son. Continue."

Donatello felt no need to talk about his time as a captive of the Triceritons. Not yet anyway. He wasn't ready.

"I ran into Raph and Mikey on Mozar's ship. Shortly thereafter, Leo showed up with the Foot Elite. We escaped to Foot Headquarters."

Donatello paused again. It wasn't his place to tell Splinter what happened with Raph, Mikey, and the two elder Foot Elites.

Splinter noticed the hesitation. But now was not the time to force Donatello into talking. Splinter would get the details in time.

"Donatello, what went wrong."

Donnie shook his head. "At first nothing. Mikey lost his tanto in the fight, but his "death" still went as planned. During the battle, Leo lost possession of his tanto. Raph was stabbed with both of them."

Well, that explains why Raphael was covered in more blood than Michelangelo.

Donnie's voice began to waver. "Raph received a double dose of the serum. It was an accidental overdose. That wasn't part of the plan. We had to get Raph and Casey out of there. I knew that the younger Foot Elite were somewhere in the room with Leo and me but I'd already started the countdown. We were running out of time. I handed Leo the Utrom portable transmat device, then helped Casey carry Raph to the van where April was already waiting with Mikey."

Donnie's voice grew soft. "I'm not entirely sure what happened after that. Foot Headquarters exploded. We found Leo among the wreckage. He was already unconscious, surrounded by the two younger Foot Elites."

His mouth suddenly very dry, Donnie drank his tea and continued.

"I know Mikey will be fine. And I think Raph will be too. Since he received a double dose of the serum, it should just take him a little longer to wake up."

"But Leo." With a look of grief on his face, Donnie almost whispered his next words. "Master Splinter, I think Leo stabbed himself with his own sword."

Looking down at the empty cup in his hands, Donatello felt completely drained. His eyes and limbs were twice as heavy as when he started. Finished with his tea, he placed the mug on the table beside him. Donnie's attempt to rise was stopped by Master Splinter.

Donatello protested. "Sensai, I have to go check on my patients."

The concerned father shook his head. "My son, you have done everything you can for your brothers. Now it is time for you to rest."

Donnie shook his head. "No Master Splinter, I can't rest until." Donnie was stopped mid-sentence by Splinter's finger on his mouth. Why do I suddenly feel twice as tired as before?

Splinter said. "Sssh, my son. Your brothers are home. You are all safe." Splinter leaned his genius son backwards, adjusting the pillow behind his head. He pulled a blanket over the tired turtle. "Now it is time for you to rest as well."

Maybe I'll just close my eyes for a few minutes. Donnie's mind started moving slower and slower, but he was still able to process what was happening. The tea. Sensai must've slipped a sleep aide in my tea. Donnie was going to have to remember that little trick the next time Raph or Leo acted like difficult patients.

Splinter's furry hand gently caressed Donnie's forehead. "Sleep now my son. And welcome home."

A/N: Sooo, was the plan what you expected? Better? Worse? (Well hopefully not worse) Regardless, at least there was a nice father son moment included too. For today's virtual treat we are going to Portugal. Virtual Serradura to those who review!