AN – *Shuffles in awkwardly* Soooooooooo long time, no update... I'm sorry about that. Life does love throwing curve balls my way or so to speak... I'll try to keep updating as I can however I kinda started this with no direction so bear with me hehe... This chapter will focus on some character development for Don. I plan to do a chapter like this for Raph and Mikey.. anyway onwards and upwards!

Chapter 5 – A Brother's Comfort.

POV – Leonardo

What I saw made me stop in my tracks. The broken mirror, hanging back in its original place. As good as new, not a single scratch or missing piece.
"What the shell? That was broken beyond repair" I muttered to myself quietly, walking over to it intent on inspecting it however I never got the chance, just as I reached out to touch the embellished frame, I heard it.

"Goodmorning. I trust you enjoyed your Dream last night?" It's words cold and un-caring. I shuddered.

Stop mocking me. I thought bitterly before glancing around the main room to make sure, I was alone before I spoke back to the voice. "What do you want now?" My tone blunt and quiet. I'm so done with this.

"I grow tired of you resisting me, Turtle."

"Well, you know what? I'm done. I've been watching my brothers die. Night after night after night after night. For what!? Tell me how and why you won't leave my mind?" Resting my hand on the counter as I stood.

"I owe you no explanation, Leonardo. However, it may please you to know these visions won't last much longer." Cruel.

I closed my eyes in frustration. "What happens then? I know you well enough to know you'll never stop hunting my brothers... my sensei... me."

"We will meet tonight, atop my domain. Come alone unless you want one of your precious brothers to take your place." Never.

I shook my head, eyes still tightly shut as if that somehow helped, it didn't. "It's not like I have much of a choice anymore, is it?"

"In the meantime, take a long hard look at yourself. The failure follows you, Turtle. It shows." Liar.

Finally, I opened my eyes. I had long forgotten I was standing Infront of that damn mirror. I was faced with myself. I always hated that mirror... or was it myself I always hated? I just don't know anymore. Don't know how long I stared or just looked through the damn thing, a minute? Five minutes? Who knows, I didn't... still don't but I turned away for time only to venture towards my younger brother's lab, hoping to find something or maybe it was just comfort I wanted.

Donatello. The Brainiac of the family. There he was typing away furiously on his worn keyboard. The screen on his computer showing complex equations and charts, things I could never comprehend. It always worried me how he neglected himself for his work, work to help us all and yet he lost sleep and time and barely ever got a 'thank you' from us. Lost in thought I noticed him sit up straight, his office chair squeaking slightly from the shift in weight as he looked over at me quizzically. I know I didn't belong in here, none of us did. This was his world. His beautiful and complex world.

I swallowed clearing my throat, the air was heavy and I didn't quite know how to start the conversation since my last outburst. "Don I-" I paused and started again. "I'm sorry... about last night, I um... wasn't myself." It was a small apology but I meant it.

He turned away from his computer completely rather than just glancing over his shoulder, now completely facing me he sighed gently. "I'm sorry to. Listen Leo, we've been worried about how..." He paused obviously thinking of the right way to put it. "Is that why you're here? To apologise to me? Or is there... something else?" His eyes were soft. "I'd like to know more about these voices."

I watched him reaching across his desk without looking, obviously he had muscle memory as to where exactly he put his latest coffee mug... and there were many. Some half full, most of them empty but all of them containing at least 4 shots of pure espresso when they had once been made.

It wasn't like me to stumble on my words but I was caught between the devil and the deep sea. Unable to tell him of the Shredder's words consuming my mind or about the detail in the nightmares... or how this was to be my last day with them. I put it the simplest way I knew, without technically lying... I hate lying. "Yeah, I came to apologise but I also came to check in and let you know I'm feeling more myself right now than I have in a while, there are no 'voices' now, just you and me."

Don listened carefully. It was hard to hide anything from him, he had a way of un-picking parts from conversations that didn't sound right and in the end piece them together like a puzzle. He never looked convinced and I never expected him to. "Can I take some blood from you? I'd like to run some tests... if that's alright."

His right hand finally finding the handle from the coffee cup, it was funny really when he ran out of his mugs, he would use any that he found in the cupboard so his desk had this array of colourful mugs on it, some plain white, others chipped, the odd beautiful tea cup and the current one in his hand, a Turtle Titan's mug... obviously Mikey's. He took a sip before cringing, he muttered something along the lines of "Gone cold" before replacing it on the desk.

"Yeah, if you think it would help, Don... By the way, did you fix that mirror Mikey broke yesterday?"

He stood up, reaching for the top draw where he stored his medical supplies. "I just replaced the glass; the frame wasn't that badly damaged so it was simple really. Glue and time were all it needed."

Well, that's one mystery solved. "You did a good job Don. I'm sure even Sensei himself wouldn't be able to notice it was ever broken." I watched him shrug, he never acknowledged his achievements and that's a shame, he's so talented. "So which arm do you want?" Like it mattered.

He wandered back over, needle and glass vile in hand. He smiled reassuringly. "You know you can always talk to me right? Leo, I know you think being strong is how you always have to be but it won't make you any less of a Leader you know?" His skilled hands had chosen my left arm, the needle was in the vein and the blood was drawn almost painlessly. The vile was filled quicker than I knew he was done.

"I know Don, I'm stressed but okay, really. Enough about me though... how are you doing?" I really don't ask Donnie that enough. "You haven't been sleeping much, It's not good for you."

Donnie looked away almost lost in thought for a few seconds. "I have so much to do. Raph broke his shell cell again and Mikey has this hack he wants me put into his new video game to unlock stuff. Then there's the upgrade the Battle shell needs, not to mention all of the-" I had to cut him off there.

"Hold up. Donnie, you need to slow down. Not everything needs to be done right away... not at the cost of your health. When was the last time you ate a decent meal? Drank something other than coffee? Had a good 8 hours sleep? We care about you more than some technical luxuries. You need to do something for you. That's an order from a Leader and a brother."

"I know." Was all Don said. It was almost like a small weight had been taken from his shoulders. "I just want to help in any way that I can. I'm not the strongest fighter or even the fastest... This is what I'm good at. This is what I contribute to this team." He gestured behind himself and towards his lab, the inventions and prototypes he's made, the medical bay he'd set up for emergency's... even the large number of vials filled with various chemicals.

Before he finished speaking, I had already wrapped my arms around him, trying to give him comfort. The comfort I thought I had needed upon entering. He needs it more.
"Donnie, You need to understand we are a team and you are a huge part of that, with or without all of this. Thank you, I know I don't say it enough but thank you little brother."

His arms were soon returning the hug, Donnie wasn't usually the type to accept hugs but it seemed like we both knew what we both needed in that moment. Comfort. Kindness.

"Thanks Leo, Same to you... and um.." He pulled away gently. "If you do need to talk about the 'voices' or anything really... I'm here." He looked past me to the clock on the wall. "Well... I guess some of this stuff can wait a while" Don smiled slightly "I'm gonna go take a break, speak to you later Leo." With that I watched him leave, Don's was shoulders relaxed ever so slightly as he waked out.

I looked at the room a little more closely, Donatello spent countless hours in here. I could relate in a weird way, This lab to him is like the dojo to me, Grateful to finally have even a little peace of mind for once in the past couple of days I decided to make a small gesture for my brainiac brother and gathered as many of the dirty coffee cups from his desk and counter as I could. In total I counted 9 coffee mugs, this made me smile sadly as I thought of him depending on these little mugs of energy. Leaving the lab, all 9 coffee mugs in hands I still managed to flick the light switch off on the way out with my elbow before heading to the kitchen.

Trying my hardest not to chip a single rim of the china mugs as I started placing them on the kitchen counter next to the already full sink, the task was almost done I had just one left to put down when something startled me.

"Hey Fearless! You been hoardin' all the mugs or what!?" Came the gruff sarcastic voice of my brother in red.

At the sudden voice, though familiar startled me just enough to allow my grip to loosen on the Turtle Titan mug, it fell with a smash on the kitchen tiles. This is how the day is going to be huh.