A/N: - Next chapter ready to roll – the chapter endings are less dramatic at the moment but every turtle deserves a break now and again! Ok, enough from me and read, read, read!

"And you're sure he was here?" Leo frowned.

"Yes, he said he was going for a look around." The Professor answered, looking at each of his friends in turn.

"We have to find him," Leo made to leave the shack in which they were all sat but was stopped by Splinter.

"No, Leonardo. Donatello, Mr. Jones and Miss O'Neill, if she wishes, will go and search for Raphael. You and Michelangelo are in no fit state to leave here for the moment."

"But Sensei----"

"No. Donatello you will search one area while Mr. Jones and Miss O'Neill search another. Keep in contact with each other and come back immediately if you find Raphael or anything indicating that he is no longer on the island."

"Yes, Master Splinter." Donnie bowed and left with April and Casey, leaving Splinter, Leo and Mikey to explain what had brought them to the island to the Professor.

"Raph? Raphael?" April looked behind a collapsed shack on the edge of the island.

"RAPH, YOU BOZO - GET YOUR STINKING GREEN BUTT OUT HERE NOW!" Casey bellowed at the top of his voice.

"Casey, you could be a bit more polite."

"Politeness never got anyone anywhere when you're dealing with Raphael."

"Honestly," April sighed, following Casey to search a rubbish pile in case Raph was playing some stupid game. That was the most likely explanation for his 'disappearance'. He was probably seeing if a search party would be sent out to look for him. That was what April thought was happening and she knew Casey had the same suspicions. She also suspected that Splinter knew it was a stupid stunt because otherwise he would've had everyone out looking for his second oldest son. But it still didn't stop her being concerned for Raphael. She knew him better than the other turtles and Casey and Raph were very close friends. She caught a glimpse of Donnie a few hundred yards away from where she and Casey were.

"Any sign of him?" Donnie called.

"No…think we should turn in? It's getting too dark to search."

"You guys go in and I'll be there in a minute." Casey said with a wave of his hand. Donnie and April nodded and left the area. They would search again tomorrow. Casey, however, thought that he'd seen a flash of red behind a large rubbish pile. He waited until April and Donnie were gone and then he leant on an abandoned car and folded his arms, "I know you're there, Raph." He said simply.

"Damn." Raph stated bluntly as he emerged, brushing a banana skin off his left arm as he came to stand by Casey.

"Why the hell are you hiding?"

"To see if people cared."

"You idiot, of course people care! Everyone's just too used to your stunts so they're not all out looking."

"I'm not coming back. They'll have to find me."

"I'll tell them where you are." Casey retorted.

"You do that and I kick your thick skull into the ground."

"Raph…"

"No, Casey. I am not coming back. I want to see if people really care and search for me tomorrow."

"And if they don't?"

"I dunno – I'll just wait." Raph walked away from Casey but turned back and called over his shoulder, "and Casey? Don't tell them you've seen me. I'm not coming back until I receive an apology."

"An apology for what?! You started that fight, Raph, not Leo." Casey was indignant. Raph just couldn't admit he was wrong.

"I just want Splinter and the others to stop treating me like garbage. Splinter thinks this is another of my stupid stunts, Leo couldn't care less and Mikey is just too damn wrapped up in staying ill so he gets it all easy."

"Splinter sent out the search party and this is another of your stupid stunts, Raph. Leo does care and Mikey has been throwing up. Splinter stayed with them and wouldn't let them search. That's why they weren't out looking, not because they don't care. Now come back you selfish asshole."

"Not yet, and I ain't an asshole."

"Why not? And yes you are."

"Because I need to clear my head. Tell the others you found me and that I'll be back by tomorrow lunchtime." Raph carried on walking and Casey watched silently until he'd rounded the corner and then went back to the shack. He admired Raph but this was taking things too far. At least he'd managed to get some sense into Raph's head and talked his way out of getting his skull kicked into the ground.

"You ok, Casey?" April greeted him.

"Did you find Raph?" Donnie asked.

"Yeah and he says he'll be back by tomorrow lunchtime – he just needs to clear his head for a bit. He thought no-one cared and that everyone was turning against him."

"Huh, typical Raphael," Leo snorted, "he only thinks of himself."

"Yeah, but you owe me. I talked him out of staying there until he gets an apology from you because that's what he was gonna do."

"He wanted me to apologise to him?"

"Yep, and he was ticked off big time – he threatened to kick my skull into the ground."

"You didn't seriously believe he would do that, did you?" Mikey chortled.

"Well he looked pretty serious to me."

"He makes idle threats like that but he only ever follows it through if he's got an audience to watch him…unless he's with Leo. They fight with and without an audience."

"Hey!" Leo looked up at Donnie and scowled, "Mikey's the one he threatens most and he's carried through more threats on Mikey than on me."

"Only because you wouldn't give me the chance to carry them through – you just snitch to Sensei." Raph was standing in the doorway but by the expression on his face they could tell he was just joking around.

"We thought you weren't going to be back until tomorrow…you needed to clear your head or something." Mikey said, confused.

"Yeah, well there obviously ain't much in my head to clear then is there?" Raph sat down next to Donnie. Everyone was keeping a little distance between themselves and Mikey and Leo. Donnie had said it was nothing personal but they just didn't really feel like being covered in sick. Mikey had pretended to be offended and asked what was wrong with the occasional vomit shower but no-one had bothered to answer him.

They awoke the next morning to the sound of knocking on the door of the shack they had slept in.

"My friends, will you be helping to make breakfast?"

"Yeah," Raph agreed.

"Sure," Donnie added.

"Why not?" Leo yawned.

"No thank-you, I'll just eat it."

"MIKEY!" three other voices chorused. April and Casey had been up for a while and Splinter was meditating. The four turtles had only just been awoken and already Mikey was driving them mad.

"Sorry, dudes, but it was worth a try." Mikey stretched and got up, blinking to clear his sight, "and I'm really hungry."

"You can have mine, Mikey," Leo said, receiving a joyful slap on the shell in return for giving Mikey an offer of extra food.

"Thanks, Leo," Mikey ran out of the door, "let's get started!"

"You are not eating, Leonardo?" it was more of a statement than a question.

"No, Master Splinter, I don't think it would be a particularly good idea."

"A wise decision. Do you wish to stay here?"

"No, I will help make the food but I'll just give mine to Mikey."

"Michelangelo will be hyperactive for the rest of the day…if he manages to keep the food down."

"That won't be a problem, Sensei. The whole group needs a lift at the minute and if Mikey's hyper then at least he'll be able to cheer everyone up for a bit."

"Now you go and get some fresh air."

"You're not coming?"

"I need to meditate further on what we are to do next. From now on we will act only with a sufficient amount of planning."

"Yes, Master Splinter."

"Now go, Leonardo, and please do not allow your brothers to wander off around the island. I want you all where I can keep track of you." Splinter's soft voice trailed off and Leo left the shack to join his brother. He found all three brothers already pigging out on the food. It was all leftovers that people had thrown out or else it was something that had been found unopened in any abandoned vehicles or in the Garbage-man's private stash. They rarely went into that stash because they preferred to save it for special occasions like birthdays and Christmas. However, today was an exception due to the fact that there were visitors on the island. And these visitors were incredibly hungry.

"So, Raph, did you enjoy breakfast."

"I did until you starting taking stuff off my plate when I wasn't looking."

"He took it off your plate as well? And if Leo let Mikey have his…"

"He's had the equivalent of three breakfasts! Mike, you are a pig!" Raph lunged at his brother, tackling him to the ground.

"Ow, Raph, not a good idea! Raph! Get off me! I think I'm gonna----"

"YUCK! Mikey that was gross!" Raph waved a hand in front of his face in an attempt to waft away the smell.

"Sorry – I did warn you."

"He's right, Raph, he did warn you about five seconds before it happened. We managed to get far enough away," Leo looked sympathetically towards Raph from where he and Donnie were stood a few metres back.

"Damn you, Michelangelo," Raph muttered angrily, "I'm going for a walk."

"No you're not." Leo stepped into his brother's way and their faces were mere inches apart, "Sensei wants us all where he can keep track of us."

"Hell, the island ain't that big!"

"But it's big enough. Everyone is to stay in this central area, understood? Everyone?" Leo looked at his two youngest brothers for support.

"You got it, boss," Mikey saluted and winked.

"Sure, I want to listen to the Professor's lectures anyway." Donnie shrugged and walked off. Raph tensed and tried to move past Leo but his brother blocked his path once again.

"Understood, Raph? You are not to leave this central area."

"Fine, fine, I got it, your majesty." He mock bowed to his brother before shoving him out of the way and stomping off in the direction of the wire fence, where he relieved some of his anger by slamming his fists into the fence and kicked repeatedly at the wire. He then drew out his Sais and used them to rip a gaping hole in the wire. Leo sighed and watched from a distance; maybe he'd approach his brother later when he'd had time to cool down after that little outburst. To approach him instantly would only result in yet another fight and, if he was being honest, Leo was getting quite sick of the fights which were becoming more and more frequent. It was enough to drive anyone insane and Leo felt like he was always teetering on the edge of a nervous breakdown but the only thing actually breaking was his heart. It broke his heart to know that their team was falling apart and that Shredder defeated them every time they battled and he was finding new methods each time to throw them and make his life easier.

"Lunch is served, dudes!" Mikey yelled to the rest of the camp. He'd offered to help make it in return for an extra helping of the cabbage and potato soup they were eating. Leo watched, his stomach beginning to grumble, and he eventually gave in to the smell of something other than vomit. He went to sit beside Mikey, having thought of a way to lighten the mood.

"Hey, Mikey, look over there – a massive pizza from the Garbage-man's secret stash!"

"Where?" Mikey looked round. Leo snatched the bread from his plate and took a large bite of it, "I can't see a pizza. Hey, who stole---- Leo, give it back!"

"Too late, I've eaten it." Leo replied coolly. The rest of the camp was in hysterics. Michelangelo, food thief extraordinaire, had just been caught out by his own brother using his own trick.

"That was a dirty trick – no-one likes their food being stolen."

"Then why don't you stop taking other peoples' food?"

"Um, yeah, about that…"

"My point is made."

"Ok, but can I have some more bread?"

"Did Raph and Donnie get more breakfast?"

"Point taken. Now can I have my bread back? I promise never to take anyone's food again!"

"And I'm supposed to believe that because…?" Leo ventured for the answer.

"Because I'm your brother and you'd do anything just to make me happy and make sure that I was ok after the terrible ordeal with the poison…" Mikey fluttered his eyelashes at Leo, who shook his head in disgust and amusement.

"Not what I was thinking, Mikey…and I'm the one having problems with the poison, not you!"

"Oh, trust you to take all the pity! Ow!" Mikey rubbed the back of his head realising that Leo had hit him.

"You'll wait until tea-time for food and you won't take anyone else's food and you will not try and get out of helping to scavenge for useful artifacts in the garbage by saying your ill because I'm helping and I'm ill as well!" Leo pulled his brother to his feet and dragged him off to a rubbish pile to begin sifting through it.

"Stupid brother…" Mikey mumbled, not expecting Leo to hear.

"What was that, Michelangelo?" Leo asked, his voice sounding uncannily like that of a school teacher scolding a pupil for making a rude and unsuitable comment.

"I said 'stupid brother' but I was referring to Raphael, thank you very much Mr. Leonardo, sir!"

"You were talking about me but because I'm in a good mood I'm going to let you off without a lecture, just this once."

"Your generosity astounds me." Mikey said flatly.

"Hey! Raph would be jumping round like an insane maniac if I told him he wasn't going to get a lecture!"

"Raph's an insane maniac anyway."

"I heard that, you goofball!" Raph's head popped up from the other side of the rubbish pile and he threw a discarded drinks can at Mikey hitting him on the top of the head.

"Why does everyone pick on me?"

"I don't pick on you, Mikey," Donnie offered, also joining his brothers to help them sift through the city's unwanted treasures.

"Whatever – so what exactly are we looking for?"

"Anything that the homeless people can get some money for or anything they can use to improve life on the island." Raph said, throwing another drinks can at his brother in orange and this time hitting him square in the chest.

"Ok, I got it. This has got to be the most fun we've had since watching Casey and Raph having a verbal bashing match."

"Yeah, what I wouldn't give to go back and just have one day where we didn't fear for our lives or have any sort of problems."

"I know what you mean, Raph, but it's just not possible to do that." Leo sat down miserably, rubbing his stomach and wincing slightly.

"What is it, bro?"

"I'm not sure. I guess it's just because I'm not used to eating and I had Mikey's bread."

"Yeah, my bread from my lunch!" Mikey stressed the word 'my' to show that he was serious…but it didn't work. Raph had carefully scrambled round to the same side of the rubbish heap and Mikey and Leo and had sat next to the leader.

"You sure you're ok?"

"I'm fine. It's all just after effects of the poison."

"All just after effects? What do you mean by that?"

"I've just got a headache, that's all. It's no big deal."

"Look, Leo. If you're recovering from this then you need to rest up and not go round aggravating whatever after effects you're experiencing."

"Once again, the impossible becomes reality…" Donnie sighed.

"…Raph and caring go together in a sentence. What is this world coming to?" Mikey finished, looking up to the sky.

"Shut your gobs, you two! It's just because I don't want to risk losing against Shredder again, and if we're a brother down then we don't stand a chance." Raph threw a small heap of rubbish at his brothers. Most of it hit Mikey, as intended, but some brushed over Donnie.

"What?! You only got me!"

"I know; call it payback for the sewage incident. I can still smell it sometimes if I'm in a small space on my own or with Leo." Raph growled, satisfied with his revenge. Mikey wiped all the rubbish off of himself with some help from Donnie and then he spotted a plank of wood half buried in the rubbish. He now had two choices: - Go garbage surfing (he'd never had a proper try at that on their last visit) or chase madly after Raph with it and frighten him into apologising for throwing rubbish at him. It was a tough decision and Mikey weighed up the consequences: - broken bones if he surfed wrong or landed at and angle or lectures from Donnie, Leo and Splinter for chasing Raph. After that, it was obvious that one choice had won hands down…

A/N: -Any guesses as to which option Mikey will choose? Both are pretty evenly weighed out when it comes to advantages and disadvantages but what do you think? Make your mind up before the next chapter and then see if you're right…