Hey! I'm back. Happy 2020 everyone! Hopefully you will have both a good year and a good decade. Thank you to AndiKaneUnderwood, Glazier Blue, GUEST01 + Datninjaturtle for reviewing the last chapter.

So. Last time we saw them Leo and Raph had discovered that Leatherhead had somehow disappeared, and were taking a bit of a breather before they went back to the lair. However they couldn't put it off forever…

See chapter one for the disclaimer and let's crack on.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE BODY'S DISSAPERARED!?" Splinter bellowed from the middle of the living room.

Mikey – who was listening outside the door – took his ear away from said door and massaged it a little. For a little rat Splinter sure could make a lot of noise…

As he heard Leo fruitlessly try to explain what had happened Mikey backed away from the door and turned to Donatello - who was fast asleep on the bed him and Splinter had managed to get him into – and sighed. "I wish you were awake. It's no fun just annoying Leo and Raphie." Mikey gave a sudden laugh as a memory struck him. "Oh Donnie! Donnie-!" He threw himself on the floor next to his brother and, rocking back and forth slightly, said, excitedly. "Do you, do you remember when we were about, what? 5? 6? Something like that, and we were sick of Leo and Raphie – more specifically Leo – bossing us around and pulling the 'I'm older than you' card, and so we cooked up a plan where I pretended I couldn't see them, but could hear them, and then you come and you did the same and they thought I was winding them up but then – then – you came in and you pretended you couldn't see them as well and that sold it to them! And they really thought they were invisible up until Raphie tried to pull Splinters tail cos he thought Splinter couldn't see him, but-" Mikey burst out in peals of laughter that lasted for about ten seconds. When he finally calmed down a little he spluttered. "-He could! A-and Raphie was grounded for like ever! Ah…" He sighed and leaned against the bed. "Good times, huh Donnie?"

Mikey waited a few seconds but nothing came and with another sigh he got up and looked at his immediate older brother. "Nothing? I mean, don't get me wrong, I wasn't expecting you to be leaping round the place but…" He trailed off and shook his head. "What am I saying? You've been through a lot." His eyes flicked to the raw scars decorating the inside of his brother's thigh and he repeated. "A lot."

There was a melancholy silence during which Mikey drummed his fingers against the wall and strained himself to listen to the hum of voices coming from the living room.

"-Well I suggest you try and find the body at least-" Splinter was saying, clearly coming to the end of a long rant. "The fact it doesn't seem to be on the news is quite concerning."

"But, Sensei." Leo said – pretty bravely considering the mood Sensei seemed to be in – "If the body was only found, say, ten minutes after we left, which it must have been about that because we only left it about half an hour – then it won't be on the news till later at least. That is if they put it on there at all-"

"What exactly are you trying to say, Leonardo?" Splinter said, clearly in no mood for games.

"I'm trying to say it might be difficult to find the body. For one thing we don't have the faintest idea where to start-"

Just then Mikey became aware of a groaning sound behind him and said, vaguely. "One moment Don…Donnie!?" He whipped round, a smile breaking over his face. "Donnie, you're awake!"

Donnie was indeed awake. He wasn't moving much but Mikey could see he had one eye open and was blearily opening the other one.

Approaching his brother like one might an injured deer Mikey whispered. "Donnie? Donnie, how do you feel?"

Another pause and then a low groan from his brother in purple.

Mikey shrugged. "That answers that then. Do you want some water?"

Another groan. Mikey paused, looked around the room as if hoping someone would magically appear to help him, then turned back to Donnie and asked. "Is that a yes or a no? Donnie?" He gently rested a hand on Donnie's arm.

The effect was immediate. Donnie froze. Completely. Did not move a muscle. Mikey frowned and quickly moved his hand. "…Strange." He muttered a uneasy feeling growing deep in his stomach. He watched intently and it took a while but eventually Donnie seemed to relax somewhat, although Mikey wasn't completely convinced until he saw his chest rising and falling.

Letting out a breath he didn't even know he was holding Mikey stepped backwards, not taking his eyes of his brother then entire time. The result was he collided with the door. After opening it he backed out the room slowly…slowly…slowly…

"What are you doing?"

Mikey let out a scream and whipped round to be faced with Raphael. "Oh, Raphie it's you. Forgive me. At first glance I thought it was Shrek." He blinked and – making an exaggerated look of peering closer – said. "And on second glance as well. And third. And fourth…"

"Michelangelo…" Splinter said warningly.

Next to Splinter Leonardo sniggered, while the brother in red glared and said, dangerously. "Well, that would make you Donkey, wouldn't it? Now ge' out the way. Splinter wants to bring Donnie some water."

Mikey nodded and stepped aside. "Sure thing. Oh! Before you go in…" And quickly told them what had just happened.

After he finished Splinter nodded and said, slowly. "…I must admit, my son, as callous as it may seem, I am not surprised. Donatello, we are fairly sure although, admittedly not one-hundred-present certain, has been sextually abused therefore his reaction is perfectly understandable. He probably think it's going to happen again, although of course-" He added quickly, seeing Mikey's hurt expression. "-There is absolutely no question of that happening here, it will be getting him to see that that is the issue. Now…I think it'll be best if we don't all go traipsing in. Leonardo, you come with me. Michelangelo see if you can make up something for him to eat, he must be hungry. Raphael-" Splinter paused, then said, slowly. "Go and search the rooftops again. See if there's any 'clues' as to what happened to, IT. Leonardo, follow me." And with Raph and Mikey heading off on their individual tasks Leo and Splinter headed into Donnie's room.

"My son." Splinter said, gently, approaching the bed. "How are you feeling?"

Donnie – who had both eyes open and was watching them guardedly – didn't answer verbally but gave his father a look.

Splinter shrugged. "Well. It was something of a silly question…my son, I have brought you some water." He held the glass out, "I would like you to drink it please."

Donnie's eyes went wide and he raised his arm – the whole limb shaking with the effort – and shook his head.

Splinter perched on the end of the bed, while Leonardo – feeling beyond useless – watched from the door.

"Donatello." Splinter said, with a level of warmth that Leo was fairly certain he had used with any of them since they had become teenagers. "I can not begin to imagine what you are feeling, but I am certain you must be feeling terrible." His eyes looked over the multiple bruises on his sons body and then dipped to the scars on the inside of his thigh.

Donatello, seeing this, scrunched his beak up and closed his legs as much as was turtelly possible.

Splinter blinked and reassumed his attention to his middle-youngest. "Anyway. I must insist you take at least a little sip of this." He held the glass out and Donatello in turn shrank back as though the glass would bite him.

Seeing this Leonardo frowned and stepped closer. "You don't want it, Don?"

A fierce shake of the head.

Leonardo looked side wards at Splinter who in turn looked bemused.

"…Why not?" Leonardo asked eventually. "It's water. It's healthy. Taste better than pop."

Donatello – still glaring at the glass like it had personally offended him – mumbled. "Not thirsty. Leatherhead gave me some."

Splinter and Leonardo looked at each other again, conversing silently.

After this brief conversation Splinter nodded reluctantly and handed the glass to his oldest son. "Very well then." He said, while his eldest looked round for somewhere to put it. "Will you at least try and eat some of whatever Michelangelo is making? I'm sure it's delicious."

Donnie squirmed slightly and said, tiredly. "Daddy-" Splinter's eyes nearly popped out his head. Donatello hadn't called him 'Daddy' since he was about five. "I'm tired. I want to go to sleep."

Splinter frowned slightly and said, while going to pat his sons knee. "My son-" Seeing the alarmed look he got in response he stopped himself before smoothly carrying on with: "What is the last thing you remember?"

The young genius thought the question over for a few minutes, then – just as his father and brother were getting really worried – said. "Dunno…did…did someone hit me?" As he said that he brought his hand up to the back of his head and ran it over the lump that had formed there.

"That's right, my son." Splinter said, eagerly. "Now, can you remember who?"

Donatello screwed his face up and thought hard while Splinter and Leo waited with bated breath.

"…Foot?"

Both father and son let out a dejected sigh, although both registered that at least Donatello remembered the foot and therefore hadn't completely lost his memory.

Picking up on the mood, Donnie looked between his two family members in confusion. "No? Not…not the foot?"

Splinter sighed again and went to pat his sons arm, but stopped himself sharply. "No my son." He said, putting as much warmth as he could into it to compensate for the lack of touch. "Not the foot. Now…can you try and stay awake for me? I want you to at least try and eat some of what Michelangelo will be making for you."

A beat, then a simple. "I'm not hungry."

"I know but-"

"Here we go!" With a small bang the door swung open and Mikey paraded into the room carrying a tray with some soup and some bread on it in the same manner that someone might of they were carrying gold. "Soup and bread! Bon appetite."

"I'm not hungry." Donatello said again, rubbing his eye tiredly.

With a smile fixed on his face Mikey sat next to Leo and held a spoon with some soup in it out to Donnie. "Come on Donnie." He said, smile never faltering. "You like soup. It's the one thing I can get you to consistently eat. C'mon have a bite."

The second-youngest opened his mouth – presumably to tell them he wasn't hungry again – when hi stomach rumbled and he carefully put an arm over his stomach.

While Splinter and Leo shared there third knowing glance, Mikey gave a little laugh and said, cheerily. "Well! I believe the stomach has spoken! Now, how about a spoonful?"

It took a little more coaxing but eventually Donnie started eating and soon had managed to finish the whole thing.

Mikey grinned and shot him a thumbs up before taking the stuff away.

Donnie looked at his father with unfocused eyes and said, yawning. "Sleep now?"

Splinter nodded and smiled softly. "Sleep now. Leonardo will stay with you won't you my son?"

Leonardo nodded. "Of course. No one will get you when I'm around Donnie." He assured, although Donnie, having already fell asleep didn't hear the last part.

So, leaving Leo to it, Splinter headed out to where Michelangelo was washing up. "Congratulations on getting him to eat, my son."

"Nah problemo sensai." Mikey said, with forced cheeriness.

Splinter leaned against the worktop and said, thoughtfully. "I wish I knew why he was averse to drinking water."

"Water?" Mikey parroted. "What's wrong with water? Everyone needs water. You die without it."

"Hhmm. And Donatello won't drink it. Worse – he said…that thing, had him drink some. I wonder what that means."

Mikey finished drying up then said. "Maybe it means exactly what he said. Leather-creep gave him water to drink. It seems logical to me. He wouldn't want Don dying on him would he? Not while he was-"

"-Michelangelo!"

"Sorry sensei." There was a subdued silence, then Mikey said. "Oh…by the way, did he say anything about his thigh? You know – the scars? I would have thought they would have been painful. They sure look it."

"…No, he didn't. Pain, Michelangelo, as I'm sure that you are aware is a funny thing. How many times have you had serious injuries by the foot and felt fine until a few hours after? Maybe that's what's happening here."

"…But sensei, its's been a couple of hours. Like, what? Five hours? Surely the pain-"

"Will come." Splinters sighed deeply." It will come."