DISCLAIMER: do not own the turtles, only the story plot line.

WARNING: maybe a bit out-of-character for the turtles, but once again, this is how I imagine them to be. Also, there may be some blood, torture, angst, etc…but hey, it's my story!

WARNING #2: THIS WILL BE A VERY BLOODY/GORY/SAD CHAPTER. IF ANY OF THAT YOU DON'T LIKE, PLEASE DON'T READ. There. I warned you. Now if you do read it, don't write any flames, 'cause it was your choice to do so. Oh, and I love Leo, he's my favorite character. But I have a horrid habit of putting too much of my soul into the character and then boom! You have a bloody/gory/angsty story. Anyways, I think that's it. Yeah.

ITALICS ARE DREAM-SEQUENCES OR MEMORIES.

Okay, one important message I want to say. I'm going on vacation for the Christmas holidays, and where I'm going, there's no internet. Sob. So I won't be able to update any stories. But I won't forget ya'll and as soon as I get back, I'll update as much as I can! I promise!!!

Happy Holidays!

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Silence.

Finally,

"Wha???" Mikey whispered as he stared at Bruck.

Bruck sighed before rubbing his temples. He looked down at the floor.

Raph groaned. "No wonder you took after Leo more…"

Bruck nodded. "Floyd…'e…well…'e was always wiser, calmer, stronger, faster, and better that me. But 'e was always lookin' after me, especially after our parents died in a 'ouse fire."

Bruck sighed again.

Mikey nodded. "Hey, does that guy remind you of anyone?" He asked looking at his brothers.

Don nodded. "Yep. Leo. No wonder you listened to him more, even though he was younger than you…"

Bruck nodded again. "I guess…you might call it a replacement." He said. "But Leo let me. 'e always knew what I dealt with…"

Don nodded thoughtfully. "But how did Floyd die?"

Splinter cut him off there. "Donatello!" He barked. "That is not a question we freely discuss! We must wait—"

But Bruck cut him off. "Na'. It's okay. I think I should tell ya'll now…"

Bruck sighed before continuing. "Our parents died in a fire when we were still young. I was only five, but Floyd was ten. We 'ad no livin' relatives, so we would've gone to an orphanage, but Floyd refused to let that 'appen. 'e an' me ran away and found a nice little 'ouse on the outskirts of the city. There, Floyd forced me to go to school, while 'e went to work."

Bruck let out a deep breath. "But ya gotta understand somethin'. Our parents didn't die in an accident. They were mugged, beaten, an' tied to a chair before bein' set on fire by a rogue gang. An' we both knew this."

"We also knew that the gang was still around somewhere. I, always the 'otheaded idiot, would always try to go an' find them to get revenge. But Floyd would always drag me back 'ome. I…was always cussing at 'im and angry that 'e didn't want revenge…"

Bruck heaved a sigh, before getting a faraway look in his eyes. "Floyd would always tell me that 'we were just kids, an' we ain't got what it takes to bring them down.' 'e would also say that 'revenge ain't everything. Sometimes we gotta let the past go…'."

Bruck shook his head, suddenly choked on tears. He cleared his throat before looking back up again. "I never did understand what 'e meant. I was just angry at bein' denied my revenge. So one night, I snuck out after I 'eard that the gang was in our area. An' I found 'em. An' tried to fight 'em. But like Floyd said, I was too young. They beat me up real easy. They would've killed me too, when Floyd showed up. 'e was real angry that night, but real afraid. 'e knew we couldn't beat 'em. So 'e grabbed me and we ran. But the gang wouldn't leave us be. So…Floyd…'e…"

Bruck broke off before blinking back tears. "'e told me to keep goin'. To not look back. I didn't think about it then, 'cause 'e was always the one with the ideas. And most of 'em were pretty good too. So I ran. But then, as I rounded a corner…there….there was a scream…and then a gunshot…"

Bruck broke off. He buried his head into his hands. "I didn't know what to do then…I knew that I couldn't go back…I knew what I would find…so I ran. I ran away that night. Not just from the gang, but from the city. I took Fang with me, Floyd's Christmas present to me once, and we both left the city. I got caught up with a gang a few years later, met Jamie an' Jake, an' ended up 'ere."

As Bruck finished his story, an eerie silence settled in the truck. Finally,

"Damn…no wonder you ain't wanna talk about it…" Raph muttered, and for once, nobody said anything about his language.

Donny nodded. "But…how did Leo find out? I don't think he just asked you, did he?"

Bruck chuckled sadly. "Na'. 'e figured it out on 'is own."

April looked at him. "But how?"

Bruck shrugged before looking at them. "I'll continue where I left off. We 'ave enough time before we catch up to them."

Splinter followed the tracks at a rapid pace. He needed to find his sons and fast. Suddenly, he reached a place where Leo's footprints ended, two small swords glinted in the snow, and a pool of blood lay. Splinter stopped. He sniffed around before finding that there was a footprint of a human and another of a dog, going away towards west. Splinter cocked his head before looking after the truck tracks.

There was a small trail of oil going steadily after the truck. Splinter suddenly realized what had happened. He sighed. "Oh, Leonardo." He sighed unhappily, before picking up the two small swords and tucking them away.

The human must've taken Leonardo, but the human did not seem to want to harm him. At least, Splinter hoped not. Splinter growled before bounding off after the truck. He needed to save his sons first, then they would return for Leonardo.

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Splinter bound ahead, following the oil tracks. The snow now had covered the tire tracks, but the oil scent was hard to cover up. Splinter slowed as he saw the truck.

It had stopped on the side of the woods, and two men were standing in front of it arguing.

Splinter neared them, feeling a growl rise up his throat.

The two men stopped talking as he neared. One of them asked rudely, "What ya want old man??!!"

Splinter's grip tightened his grip on his staff. Old? Really…Man? Hardly.

"I am here for my sons." He snapped.

The man who had first spoken scoffed. "Really? And what makes you thing we have 'em? Huh, old—"

Then, his eyes caught Splinter's tail flicking here and there. "What in the name of--?" he murmured as he looked closer at Splinter. Suddenly, he jumped backwards. "HOLY SHIT!!!!"

The other man swiftly took out a small hand pistol, but Splinter jumped up and knocked it out of his hand. He glared at the two men, now cowering before him.

"WHERE ARE MY SONS???" Splinter growled, his eyes flashing dangerously.

The two men looked at each other before one of them pointed to the truck. "It was his idea, really!" He yelled, pointing to the other. "It was all Jamie's idea!!!! We ain't know that those thin—I mean, those turtles were yours…"

Jamie's eyes flashed. "Why you treacherous backstabbing son of a—"

Splinter jumped up and brought his staff down onto Jamie's head. "There WILL BE NO cursing!!!! Especially when there are children around!!!"

Splinter growled at the unconscious form of Jamie. He then turned towards Jake. "And you—"

Jake began to back.

"You have no honor!!!! Shame on you!!!" Splinter hissed, before knocking Jake unconscious too.

Splinter then reached down and picked up a small key that one of them dropped. Then, he opened the back of the truck with a swift kick, and stepped inside.

"MASTER SPLINTER!!!!!!!!" Chorused three voices. Splinter sighed as he opened the cage with the small key he found.

As soon as he opened the cage, three small green forms immediately jumped onto him.

"We're sooo sorry Master Splinter!!!"

"Yeah, really!"

"We should've listened—"

"To you—"

"And to Leo—"

"AND WE'RE SORRY!!!!"

Chorused the three turtles, hugging Splinter as if their lives depended on it.

Splinter sighed. "It is alright, my sons. I am glad you are alright."

Raph looked up at him hopefully. "Does that mean no punishment?"

Splinter turned serious. "As soon as we get home, each of you will do twenty flips, and you are GROUNDED for a week!!!! NO tv, NO computer, NO anything, but vigorous training!!!! WHAT were you all thinking!!!!!!"

Splinter scolded, as the three turtles groaned.

Splinter sighed before picking the three turtles up. "But right now…" He continued in a softer tone, "We need to find your brother."

Donny looked up at him. "Leo? What? I thought he was with you!!!"

Splinter sadly shook his head. "I am afraid not Donatello. Your brother, it seems, has been taken by one human…"

Donny looked back at the truck that they were slowly leaving behind. He only saw two figures lying by it. He stopped.

Splinter turned around. "What is it Donatello?"

Donny looked up at him. "There are only two humans there, Master Splinter! But there were three!!!"

Mikey nodded. "Yeah and a very mean doggie!!!"

Splinter frowned. "That is not good…"

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Whew. That's it. Tune in in about two weeks or so to see the continuation. I'm serious! I'm gonna be gone for two weeks or more!

Sorry, and Happy Holidays!