AlessandraDC: When I wrote the chapter, I actually had no idea what April gave Raphael. After thinking about it, I've decided (though I will change it if you have any suggestions!) that it's subscriptions to his two favourite motorcycle and Fight! magazines for the next thirty years. He's not a complicated guy. Indeed, the concept of Little Leo growing up and making his own choices is far beyond what this story will do and where it will go. *Spoiler alert!* But that's all I'm saying since I don't want to give away anything. :) That's an interesting point about the two Leos. We'll just have to see...

Leo's Baby Sitter: I am so glad you thought this chapter was so great! I honestly didn't think much of it, but I'm happy you liked it. April loves her mutant family members and she definitely loves spoiling them when she can. I figured I'd keep my 'no Leo perspectives' rule for the time being, and having Splinter there just seemed so natural. Of course, like any three-year-old, Little Leo just so happened to barge into what was supposed to be a one-on-one between father and son, but it did all work out for the better - at least so far. If Leo is anything, he's a quick learner. Let's just say that when the guys step into his mind next time (right now), they're going to be one, surprised; and two, very impressed. Thank you for the compliment on my updating ability. I, too, have several fics I follow that haven't been updates in weeks, a couple of them months. And while I can be a very patient person, I do tend to get a little disappointed when no new chapters are posted. That isn't to say that I'm not aware that everyone has lives (school, work, family, friends, other hobbies, etc.). I'm just trying to get this story out; otherwise I lose interest myself. And that's not cool for you guys who have stuck with me for so long. :)

Rain in the Dark: Concerning, indeed. This is mostly because Little Leo doesn't have mental restraint; he's kind of rampant. But Leo's strong, too, so he's got some guards to construct. I would draw so much fanart if I could draw at all! That's kind that you'd want to. Maybe talk to AlessandraDC about it? That note on April giving Leo something is an excellent point. I'll have to remember it. If all works out well, that is ;)

Author's Note: The places in the following chapter (ie. Libby, Bruce Carson Dam) do not exist in Northampton to my knowledge. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter 36

"Do you really think he'll keep his promise?"

Mikey watched Leo sigh and say, "He's been doing okay so far."

The four turtle brothers sat on the couch in the lair's living room in Leo's mind. It had been a pleasant surprise for the younger three to no longer find the blank, beige world but their home instead in absolute and remarkable detail. The only noticeable difference was that the front door was made of red brick instead of stone, and Mikey knew the wall between the two Leos still existed – though apparently for very different reasons now.

"And you're doing okay, too?" Mikey had to ask. One of the first things Splinter had told them after his meditation session with Leo six days ago was that the older Leo was in danger from the younger, not immediate danger but just…at risk. Their elder brother had to protect himself somehow from the child who ran rampant through both their minds; ergo the lair replica because it offered an anchor to the real world and it also gave him something to do. Upon their arrival, they had found him training in the dojo. The sight of twin katana gleaming in his brother's hands had made his breath catch as Leo had worked through a kata with his mask turned sideways to blind him.

Leo smiled at him. "I'm doing just fine," he assured, throwing an arm over his shoulders.

On Mikey's left, Don reached behind him and put a hand on his brother's forearm; Raph, perched on the couch's arm on Leo's right, nudged their brother in the side with a gentle knee. Mikey distinctly heard his eldest brother's sigh and turned into him when he wrapped his other arm around him.

"Really," he said and Mike tried not to cry at the desperation he could feel coming off his brother in waves. "It could be a lot worse and I'm glad it's not. I'm fine."

"It's just not the same without you, bro," murmured Don.

"Yeah, especially since now we know the little punk is really yer warden," Raph bit out.

"I understand. But listen, you guys, you can't hate him because of me. Trust me when I say that I'm working on it too, but he's three. He doesn't know better. Splinter honestly thinks we're the same person and while I don't agree, I can understand his reasoning. For all intents and purposes, he is me. Just…focus on him when he's there."

"So, what? We're just gonna ignore ya?"

"Well, no. Don't do that. Raph…" Mikey looked up to find Leo meeting Raphael's hard, amber gaze. "He needs to be loved, too, you know."

The hardness dissolved. Soft gold looked down at clenched fists. Mike reached across Leo to clasp his brother's calloused hands. "We can do that," he said, trying to bring his best puppy-eyes to the table. "Right, Raphie? If Little Leo is happy then he won't get mad at Leo. We can protect you, too, you know," he added, glancing up at his blue-masked brother. "In our own way. We'll help."

"Mikey's right," Don put in quietly. "We might not be able to fix this right away but we can make it better for everyone involved and that includes you and the toddler. Time is all we need."

Michelangelo knew that the smile flickering on his eldest brother's mouth was fake but at least it was a smile and at least it was an attempt. "Then I have all the time in the world," Leo answered, squeezing his shoulders.

Um…guys? April's voice wafted through the lair, quiet and hesitant. We're leaving in two minutes.

Don pulled away reluctantly and vanished to tell April they were coming.

"I'll never get used to that," Leo mumbled. "You guys disappearing into the air like that."

"Hey. It's not like it's permanent," Raph pointed out. "We'll be back soon, Fearless."

"Have fun."

Mikey sat up slowly and met Leo's navy eyes. The turmoil in there was almost tangible. He was trying. He was trying so hard to be kinder to the tot. He was trying so hard to show that it didn't bother him that they played, laughed and had fun with someone who played and laughed back. But Mike could see it.

"You know," he said, waiting for Raph to leave before continuing, "I'm sure no one will mind if you show up…"

Leo shook his head. "That's kind of you, little bro, really, and I would like nothing more than to spend time with you and the family, but I promised. We promised no fighting and that means not taking control. I have to fight my way in for just a handful of seconds. It's brutal and it takes a chunk out of both of us, mentally. No, I'll honour my promise. Maybe I'll watch, though," he added, a twinkle in his eye.

"You can do that?" Mikey gaped. Tickle wars and cuddles ripped through his head, and he felt his cheeks burn.

Leo winked at him. "When I want to. Go. They won't wait forever."

The younger turtle's smile was sad as the lair vanished and he opened his eyes onto Donnie's room. His brothers matched his expression.

When April had announced over breakfast that the temperature would reach a balmy forty-six Celsius, Casey had immediately suggested taking a trip into the valley to the old riverbed. During the spring, there was a river because of the run off Bruce Carson Dam let through, but what with it being the first week of August, the water level was little higher than a good-sized stream. Still though, everyone was up for some fun in the sun, and even Splinter came along. The only one who stayed behind was Klunk who much rather preferred to doze on a sunny patch of carpet than play in water. Mikey rubbed his pet's ears in farewell and scampered out the door with his family.

The walk down to the valley was barely a mile and they had to follow the overgrown path through the woods, but the air was warm despite the mid-morning hour, birds sang in the branches, and the five mutants and two humans laughed at everything and anything, mostly Leo swinging from Raph's hand as the older turtle stumped along on his crutch. His leg was healing well but Don had given him specific instructions to not get it wet.

Yeah, Mikey thought with a snort. Like that was going to happen. Raph was the worst patient on Earth for a reason. Don was lucky that Raph had only threatened to hit him after their elder brother had offered to give him a piggy-back ride for the short hike.

The riverbed was thirty yards from one bank to the other but the stream was little more than ten feet across and came up only to the knee. As soon as he saw the water, Leo let go of Raph's hand and ran, jumping into the gurgling water with a splash and a squeal. Don went in after him while the rest of them set up blankets under the shady trees. Mikey carefully put down the large cooler filled with sandwiches, carrot sticks, water, and a few bags of chips and candies.

No one wanted food, though. With setup completed, the turtles, April and Casey ran for the stream (Mikey duly noted that Raph left his crutch against a tree and tried not to hobble as he ran). Leo laughed and hid behind Don who got the brunt of the resulting splashes.

"Raph, what did I say about getting your leg wet?" Don demanded, making Mike chuckle.

"Aw, come off it, Don!" Mikey would have said Raph whined but the hothead never whined.

"Chase me, chase me!" Leo cut in and then, instead of running, he took to the water that was deep enough for him to swim in.

The three brothers exchanged glances, and it was Raph who said so quietly, "He asked us to."

There was no doubt in anyone's mind to whom 'he' referred and so, with Donnie rolling his eyes, they raced after the tot who had a decent head start. But Mikey was the fastest turtle on land and he pulled ahead, taking the lead, and snatched Leo around the waist, swinging him up and around and sending droplets of water sparkling through the sunlit air. "Gotcha!" he proclaimed.

"Wheeee! Again, again!"

So Mikey flung him in the opposite direction, letting the little feet skim the water's surface to let more liquid crystals fly.

Everyone got wet (except Splinter who sat guard over the cooler to keep inquisitive hands and insects away) but the day quickly turned hot and no one minded. By the time April needed to reapply her sunscreen, it was past lunchtime.

"I'm hungry, I'm hungry!" Leo sang, chip and cheerful, skipping from the stream to plop himself down, still dripping, on the blankets.

"Here, little buddy." Mikey grinned when Raph dumped a towel on the toddler's head and ruffled him gently but effectively. "There ya go. All dry now."

"All dry now!" Leo echoed.

"Here you are, Leonardo." Splinter handed the tot a sandwich which he dug into with a "Thank you, Daddy!"

April smiled as she raided her backpack. "I've got a sippy cup for him," she said and tossed bright blue plastic at Don. "You can throw some water into that so he doesn't make a mess."

Mikey slapped his forehead. "I knew I was forgetting something!"

The redhead grinned at him. "That's why you keep me around," she teased.

"We keep ya 'round 'cause yer awesome," Raph said through a large bite of his sandwich.

"Chew and swallow, Raphael," Splinter scolded. "Though his statement still stands," he added to April and Casey both who smiled.

Conversation wound down with full mouths, Leo happily talking to himself in half-talk, half-babble between bites.

April lay down after that, sprawling on a towel she'd set in the sun. "If I start to burn, wake me," she requested, her eyes already closed. Casey and Don joined her on towels of their own, Don on Casey's other side who almost brushed elbows with the redhead as he began to snore softly.

As Mikey chewed the last of his ham with cheese, a slow smile crept across his face. He leaned back casually, hooking his hands behind his head and resting his carapace against a tree. Raph seemed to think he had the right idea because he curled up in the shade and closed his eyes. Splinter looked like he was meditating but Leo still munched his happy way through a bag of pretzels.

After a few minutes, he caught Leo's eye and held a finger to his lips. Leo smiled and nodded, mirroring the gesture. Mike picked up an empty water bottle, beckoned to him and the tot followed silently across the rocky riverbed to the stream.

"What doing?" he whispered as Mike filled the bottle in the stream.

The orange-masked turtle's smile was purely conspiratorial. "One thing about cooking, little brother, is that you always have to keep an eye on the meat so it doesn't burn." He held up the full bottle. "Time to flip the meat."

When Mikey walked away towards the slumbering trio, he expected Leo to follow him. Instead, the toddler watched him with borderline horror in his eyes. The Leo in his head might have explained the joke to him, he thought as he crept, ninja-silent, across the rocks.

Don cracked an eyelid at him as he neared and groaned, rolling over just in time to avoid getting water dumped on his head and back. Casey awoke with a yell. April shrieked.

"Ding! Time to turn over!" Mikey announced.

"Michelangelo, I'm going to strangle you!" screeched April. She stumbled to her feet, the back of her hair a soppy mess, and lunged at him.

He was too quick for her – there was a reason he was the fastest turtle on land – and danced out of the way. "Ha, ha!" he laughed. "Can't catch a ninja, April!"

"Except maybe another ninja." Raph came out of nowhere to bowl him over and the two rolled into the water, tussling and splashing.

"Get him, Raphie!" Leo called exuberantly, sending up ill-aimed sprays of his own that got both turtles.

"Dude, you traitor!" Mikey complained.

"Hey! Watch it, Leo!" Raph said with a wolfish grin. "You splash me, I splash you back."

Leo smirked and slapped his hands on the surface, splashing again.

"All right," Mikey heard his immediate elder brother snarl. "Change in tactics." He abandoned Mike in the stream and stalked the toddler who squealed and tried to run.

Mikey leaped to his feet in pursuit and both older turtles swiped at the tot. Raph purposefully missed (or maybe he didn't because of his leg) but Mikey scooped him around the waist and twisted sideways to hit the ground, tossing him into the air. "Aha!" he shouted in triumph.

Another toss but Raph snatched him clean out of the air with a growling "Now I gotcha."

"Donnie! Help!" Leo wailed.

Don had retreated from the splashing to Master Splinter's side with one of his new books. "No, thanks, Leo. You got yourself into that mess. I'm not getting you out."

"I'll save ya, Leo!" Casey collided with Raph with a crunch of flesh on shell, and Mikey winced at the sound. That'll bruise in the morning, he thought as he scrambled upright to get out of the way.

He had to admit that Raph did a great job keeping Leo out of the way of Casey's more than half-hearted strikes. With one arm curled around him to keep him steady on his hip and despite being injured, Raphael was a whirlwind of red and green, his amber eyes narrowed to slits as he fended the large human off with one hand. Leo was having fun, squealing with glee at the G-force and Raph's skill.

"Jump in anytime, Mike!" his brother suddenly grumbled.

"Nah, bro. I think you got it," he replied with a lazy grin.

Something soft and slightly damp suddenly slipped around his throat and he yelped as he was pulled back up against a slender frame. Red hair tickled his cheek as April leaned in to whisper in his ear, "Gotcha."

"Yield," Mikey squeaked, raising his hands in surrender.

April laughed softly and kissed his cheek. "Looks like I caught myself a ninja after all."

"A score board somewhere in the Universe just lit up," Don put in dryly. "April: 1. Mikey: 0."

Casey and Raph, who had stilled the moment the towel had slid around Mikey's neck, guffawed. Even Splinter chuckled, clearly not as deep in meditation as everyone had thought. Leo clapped. "Yay, April! Good job, April!"

"Thanks, Little Leo," April simpered as she tugged the towel away.

Mikey rubbed his throat, grateful that his green skin didn't betray his embarrassment too much.

"Well, guys. This has been fun, but I need to head back if we want supper at a decent hour. Come on, Casey."

"Aw, April!" he whined, taking only a half-step toward his girlfriend and away from his best friend.

"Just go, Case," Raph said with a chuckle. "Or the next one she sneaks up on will be you."

"Point taken." Casey grimaced and followed, and Mikey shadowed them to help put stuff away.

"Do we have to leave now, Sensei?" he asked.

"You do not have to, Michelangelo. I will go as the sun has made me sleepy. You are welcome to stay, as long as someone stays with you. I won't have you splitting off on your own."

"I'll stay, Master Splinter," Raph volunteered, Leo still on his hip. "What do ya say, bud? Do ya wanna go home or stay with me and Mike?"

"Stay with you and Mikey!" Leo announced.

"I might as well head back, too," added Don as he closed his book and stood to take the empty cooler from April. "I want to talk to Leo about his notebook, see if he has any more insight."

Mikey noticed when Leo glanced up at his name but it became obvious that he was not the Leo mentioned and he dropped his gaze sadly, curling his hands around Raph's shoulder.

"Play now?" he asked.

"Yes, little buddy. We can play now."

"Be home in time for supper, my sons," Sensei called in farewell, and Mikey and Raph waved to let him know they heard.

Playtime lasted only for another hour before Leo curled up on the warm rocks – to bask or sleep, it was kind of hard to tell.

"Should we head home?" Mikey wondered as he bent to gather up the tiny turtle.

His big brother shook his head. "Leave him be. Actually, I think he has the right idea. There's still one blanket, right? It'll fit us all."

Mikey fetched the lone blanket from its spot under a tree and laid it out. Raph gently settled Leo before sprawling next to him, leaving Mikey only a foot of space on Leo's other side. He poked his brother in the side. "Shove over, you great lump."

"Make me," Raph mumbled, his head already buried in his arms. "If ya disturb Leo, I'll punch ya."

Mikey pulled a face - so much for the blanket fitting them all - and opted for the last bit of blanket rather than face an irate Leo and a fist-happy brother. It wasn't so bad. The rocks under his arm and the right side of his chest were warm and the sun was still high…and the birds were still chirping…

Raucous bird calls sounded through the basking turtles' lulled senses, and all three heads snapped up. Mikey knew from the sun's position that they'd been out of it for at least two hours.

"Birds! Birds!" Leo cried with glee, pointing up at the hundreds of flyers above their heads.

The two older turtles were not so enthusiastic. Sharing glances, Mikey picked up Leo while Raph rolled up the blanket. Mikey couldn't put his finger on it but something was definitely wrong and it was heading their way fast.

-:-:-:-

"There just doesn't seem to be anything in either your notebook or Magic and the Mystical about how to reverse this kind of spell," Don despaired.

He and Leo were in his elder brother's bedroom, sitting on the bed with exact copies of both books open around them.

Leo looked up from turning another page in the notebook. "I know," he answered softly. "I've been looking, too. Maybe there's another book? One that holds counters for the spells listed in here."

Donnie glared. "If there is, I haven't found it! I've been checking online – Amazon, bookstores, even museum archives! Oh, don't give me that look! Their security sucks anyway! But there's nothing! All I keep coming across is the same passage: One to two; two to one. It doesn't make sense!"

"I know, Don," Leo soothed. "I know it doesn't but we can't let that stop us. I can never remember a challenge you've backed down from. If anything, if I recall correctly, the more difficult the problem, the happier you are to work on and solve it."

"None of those problems had to do with dealing with a toddler version of my big brother and having said big brother trapped in his own mind!" Don snapped. He instantly regretted it. The way the words had come out…in response to what Leo had said… Geez, he was an idiot. "Oh, Leo, no," he said hastily, seeing his brother's dead eyes. "I didn't mean it like that. I mean, as much as I love a challenge, this isn't something that I can be happy about. This is about you, Leo. You're stuck here and I can't find a way to help you…"

Leo blinked but he still had that faraway look in his eye.

"Will you listen to me?" Don begged. "I'm trying to apologize here."

"Be quiet." The command was short and clipped but Don ignored it.

"Come on, bro. I didn't mean how I said it –"

"No. Seriously, Don. Be quiet. Something's wrong."

That shut him up. For a moment. "What is it?" he whispered.

"Something's…coming. Why would so many birds take flight?"

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Birds, Donnie, birds! What would make hundreds of birds fly away in a single direction?"

"Well, lots of things. If it's one species, it's typically just a migrating flock –"

"It's August, Donatello!" Leo reminded him.

"Oh, right. Well, predators for one and disasters for another: storms, fires, things like that."

Leo was silent for five full seconds. Then: "Get out."

"What? Leo, I'm confused. What's going on?"

Leo looked him dead in the eye. It was frightening the amount of fear Don could see there. "Our brothers are in trouble. Go."

It took every ounce of willpower to yank himself out of meditation. It was a hard thing to do and typically required either a sudden noise on reality's end or slow re-emergence. Now was not the time to take his time. Leo and his room vanished, and Don's vision nearly went black as he almost lost consciousness.

No. Not right now! Get up, get up!

He used his hands to push himself onto his feet and staggered to the door just as Casey groaned from downstairs about something interrupting his sports recaps. Don almost fell down the stairs in his haste to catch the announcement.

"We interrupt this program for an important news bulletin. The Bruce Carson Dam has malfunctioned. While the dam has not burst, it appears the floodgates for both spillways malfunctioned. Two billion gallons of water from the reservoir have already swept through the small town of Libby, leaving nothing behind. The map on your screen shows the water's trajectory. All locals in the red zone must evacuate immediately to higher ground."

"Casey! We're in the red zone!" April cried, pointing.

But Don didn't care. They were high enough that the house wouldn't be harmed by the flood waters. His brothers down in the valley and playing in the stream on the other hand…

He moved. The screen door banged behind him as he raced from the house. He couldn't hope to outrun a flood but Bruce Carson was six miles north of here and Libby was five-point-eight miles. He had no idea how fast the water was travelling and he had no idea how long ago the dam had loosed its wave of death but he hoped, he prayed that he could reach his brothers in time. It was with a shock that he realized he wasn't alone: Splinter ran beside him, desperation driving him, driving them both.

They heard it, though they never saw it. A low hum sounded through the air before rapidly augmenting in volume to a full-fledged roar. Birds screamed overhead; deer, raccoons and rabbits fled past them, heading in the opposite direction; but the turtle and the rat, son and father stayed their course.

They covered the one-mile trek in five minutes, barely glancing at the roots and stones that threatened to trip them. Then they came to the old riverbed that was not old anymore. A rage sloughed against both shores, spanning thirty yards. Waves tore at the banks; trees tumbled as their earthy rest was compromised.

There was no sign of them. No sign at all of his brothers.

"RAPH!" Don bellowed. "MIKEY! LEO!" His voice was drowned out by the rushing water's roar. He slid to his knees, his hands pressed to his face. Splinter curled a grieving hand over his shoulder.

"Donnie!?"

Don's head snapped up, Splinter whipped around, and there, stumbling along the crumbling bank, was Raph.

"Raphael! Raph!" they cried in unison, rushing to him.

He didn't look hurt but Don tried to be gentle anyway as he threw himself into his little brother's arms. "Where are they?" he demanded, pulling back.

Tears were in his eyes – why were there tears? If Raph was alive so were Mike and Leo. Right? Sobs ripped from the hothead's throat, thick and mournful: "The bank – the water just tore it away… Mikey and Leo…they're gone."

-:-

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