As soon as the crash reached Splinter's ears, he was up in an instant. Not saying anything, he was out the door just as fast, and into the sewers to investigate. If it was a maintenance worker, he needed to make sure they didn't get anywhere near where the lair was hidden. However, if it was something else…
Splinter shook his head. It had to be a maintenance guy.
The four young turtles sat in their bedroom, silent. Finally Raph spoke. "I can't believe we had another brother…"
"I wonder what made him leave the lair?" Leo wondered sadly. "Maybe if he hadn't then-"
"We know." Don interrupted. "It bothers me we don't remember him."
"We were only two, Donnie, how could we remember?" Leo wanted to know. Don shrugged.
Raph rose from his cross-legged position on the floor. "I bet that it was his ghost that made that noise outside."
Leo frowned. "Raph, you know workers come down here all the time and drop heavy things. It's probably just one of them."
Raph shook his head. "No no no! I know it's not a worker! Didn't you guys feel it? It got colder in here, and there was the weird humming before Splinter left."
"Humming?" Don looked confused. "I didn't hear any humming."
"And I didn't feel colder." Leo added.
Raph threw his hands up in frustration. "AUUGH! Forget you guys! He's tryin' to get through to us…or at least Splinter! We gotta find out what he wants." And he was out the door as well, ignoring his brothers' protests.
Splinter moved quickly throughout the tunnel. So far he had found nothing to explain to him the large crash. Suddenly he thought he heard the same sort of splashing noise when a foot steps into a puddle. He turned, expecting to see something, but there was nothing in the gloomy darkness. He continued on.
A couple feet away behind a stone outcropping, Raph let out his breath. He hadn't been caught. At least, not yet. Stepping out from his hiding place, his foot slipped into the very same puddle that had almost got him caught. Everything after that happened in slow motion. He slipped in the puddle, the sensation of falling, striking his head on the stone….
Darkness.
A warm smell and just generally a warm feeling enveloped the young turtle as he slowly forced his eyes open. Sitting up, he realized he was lying on the floor of the main living room. Weird place for Splinter to put me…Raph mused. Usually when they had been hurt, they were placed on the couch or in their own bed.
Raph slowly stood up, looking around. Splinter was sitting a few feet away, kneeling on the floor. Feeling the need to apologize, Raph walked over to his master, standing behind him.
"Um…sensei, I'm…really sorry about followin' ya."
Splinter didn't respond, much to Raph's chagrin. Splinter had never blatantly ignored him before. "I said-" Raph started to repeat, but was interrupted by Splinter.
"Raphael, please do not hit your brother."
Raph was shocked. His brothers weren't even there! "Master, I didn't-" he started, only to be interrupted again, this time by a younger voice.
"No!"
Curious, Raph peeked over his Master's shoulder. He nearly keeled over at the sat of what lay before him.
In front of his master, were four small toddlers. Mutant turtle toddlers. And the one glaring defiantly up at the old rat…Raph recognized himself as a toddler. Next to him, rubbing his arm, was another turtle – the one from the picture. Michelangelo!
"I am sure Michelangelo does not appreciate being hit." Splinter said disapprovingly, confirming Raph's suspicions. "Now apologize."
Raph's young self turned to Michelangelo. "Sorry Mikey."
"What in the…" Raph didn't have time to finish his thought before Splinter rose with an exasperated sigh.
"My sons, I am sorry I have to leave you alone yet again. I promise I will not be too long. Please be kind to each other while I am gone." He looked pointedly at the toddler Raph. After making sure each turtle got a hug, the rat was gone.
As soon as Splinter was out the door, the four turtles broke apart, each doing their own thing. Don picked up an old battered picture book and began flipping through it, Leo looking over his shoulder. Mikey dragged an equally as battered coloring book and a few crayon stumps out from under the couch.
Raph watched with his mouth hanging open as 'he' went over to Mike and asked what he was drawing.
"Nothin'!" the toddler Mike said, turning away from him, blocking his view of the picture. But as Mikey turned from his younger self, he was facing Raph's older self. He could see the picture now. It was what looked like two green blobs, with orange and red near the heads.
"Aw, c'mon Mikey, I jus' wanna see whatcha drawin'!" The young Raph protested.
"Can't see till it's done, Raphie!"
"Show it!"
"NO!"
By this time, the other two brothers had noticed the commotion. "Jus' wait till he's done, Raphie." Leo said, trying to prevent any further fighting. Don watched over the tip of his book with wide eyes. Unfortunately Leo's attempts were in vain.
"I jus' wanna see!" Raph's younger self said, and bent down to grab the paper away from his little brother.
Mikey wasn't about to let it go though, and hung on for dear life. "Lemme see, Mikey!"
"NO!"
While all this was going on, Raph was getting a strange sense of déjà vu. He had been here before. This was his memory! He watched as the two young turtles fought over the piece of paper, and then, inevitably –
Rrrrriiiiiiiiip.
Mikey watched the two torn pieces float gently to the ground, then looked back up at his brother with tear filled eyes. Little Raph took a step toward his brother, a guilty expression on his face. "Mikey, I didn't mean-"
"You did!" Mikey insisted. "You're such a poop!" Tears had begun to stream down his face, and the little turtle turned to face the door. "I'm tellin' Splinter!"
Raph heard himself calling his brother back…come back…come back…
"Raph! Come back!"
Raph's eyes snapped open. Don's face two inches away from his welcomed him. Pushing him away, Raph sat up. He was still in the tunnel. "What happened?"
"We chased you out here to try and convince you to come back to the lair so you wouldn't get in trouble again, and we found you like that!" Leo explained. "You must've hit your head. Raph! What's wrong?"
While Leo had been talking, Raph had been thinking about his memory. The thing that had driven his brother out of the lair…to chase after Master Splinter…the cause had been…
"It was…me."