Author's Note: I'm sorry for the long wait, real things in life going on, plus trying to come up with what happens next. Well Both Glazier Blue and I worked hard and here is the next chapter. Without further waiting, Enjoy.

Chapter 12: Lost Hope

As reality crept back, so did a growing, intense, burning coming from his right arm. Once again, he wanted to groan his objections to being roughly handled. Eyes opening and he was greeted with dim light, brick walls passing by, and the sensation of moving through…water? He was still in the sewers. The veil of fog finally lifted enough for the genius turtle to recall what had happened to him, yet struggled to breathe, as Donnie tilted his head backwards trying to see his captor, but to his surprise, he wasn't facing him. However, he got a clear view of his putrid bandaged hand gripping the back of his shell as he effortlessly dragging Donnie's prone form through freezing water.

The memory of the stunning sunset flashed through his mind, as freedom had been so close, just for the Rat King to drag him back into the darkness all over again. His fight had ended up been pitiful, as he had tried with everything he had, only to get his shell handed to him... Just like when all 4 of them had tried to take him on. It had been stupid of him to think he could have done it by himself, even if it had just been for a second. Stupid! Stupid turtle! Then he remembered the sound of a crunch... Had that been from him? Shell! His arm! That freak had broken his arm!

He couldn't believe it, immediately he looked down to see the limb bent ins some. A quick guess is that it is radius…and possibly Ulna bone…compound fracture? Partial? Possibly, but thank shell it didn't seem to be an open fracture.

"AH!" His shell hit a speed bump alerting his captor.

"Finally Awake? Too bad for you." RK responded in a low, disapproving tone, like he was chastising a badly behaved child.

"W-Where the shell are you…t-taking me now?" Donnie weakly groaned, wanting to struggle, but everything hurt too much. Even the luxury of breathing was a growing complication.

"That's not important.… You should just be enjoying the time you have left," He said in a tone that made Donnie look up again. "It's time to make peace with yourself little one."

"W-What do you mean?" Donnie asked not really wanting to understand. What more could the Rat King do to him?

This time he was just met with silence, but that was all the reply Donnie needed to understand. His heart suddenly accelerating, "What do you mean…What the shell do you mean?!" He shouted wasting much needed energy with mounting struggle.

Oh, shell no! He stubbornly tried digging his heels into the ground, but he just made waves in the shallow water. It barely slowed the Rat King from dragging him, but he was starting to get irritated. "Get off me!" He yelled. Donnie's good arm flailing as he searched to find something, anything to grip onto. Twisting his torso, hoping to somehow dislodge the hand gripping him. Gritting his teeth, he grunted, determined he would go no further.

Make peace? Shell! The Rat King was NOT playing around.

Suddenly he was released, falling on his shell with a yelp and nearly engulfed by the murky water. He gasped upon seeing the Rat King's raised foot before he was once again plunged into darkness.

The second time Donnie's head was jerked awake was only when he was unceremoniously dropped on his shell, this time from been over the Rat Kings shoulder. It took a moment for his senses to compose himself, but instantly became horrified upon finding himself in the same familiar surroundings. The single dim hanging light made his blood run cold.

"No…No, no, no not here!" Donatello realizing, he had been brought right back to the center of his nightmare, where it all started.

"GYAH!" He didn't get chance to complete his panic attack as it was immediately followed up with a kicked to the plastron. Coughing as the air seemed to hurt him right now. Coupled that with the pain radiating from his arm, he decided for his health sake, he needed to be quiet for a bit.

All the turtle could do was squeeze his eyes shut and teeth gritted waiting for the pain to pass, but it didn't. Instead, his wrists were seized, yanked roughly behind his shell. He gasped painfully, and squeezed his eyes shut as what felt like multiple knives being stabbed in his already broken arm as it was roughly moved. Almost like he was attempting to break it even more, yet he still tried to jerk away even if it caused more pain.

Why could he not just pass out again? Why did fate want him to endure this?

The Rat King held a stoic face as he restrained the teenager, not caring if it cut off circulation, or caused him agonizing pain. Such things were not important to what was a lesser form of life in his opinion. His prey wasn't going to escape this time. It was unlikely he would in his present state, but he wanted to make sure, as this teen was more resourceful than he had anticipated, though he wasn't about to let on. It was important he had to be completely broken, with no shred of hope left before been served his sentence, and once again the Rat King would stand victorious over whatever pray he chose.

"Stop fighting boy. You failed. Accept your fate," He unexpectedly stroked Donnie across the forehead in what almost felt like a comforting, if not a creepy gesture, but there was no mercy here. He was just pouring more salt into the wound, as once again Donnie gasped, frozen in place, not sure if he was about to have his throat slit. As the larger being brush hand down his cheek, his fingers then running again over the bite wound from earlier. Donnie gasped and shivered upon realizing what the RK was actually looking at, prompting him to violently yank his head away in panic.

After he had finished securing Donnie's hands, he made a start on his legs, roughly grabbing them and binding them with more rope from the knees down, forcing them straight to the turtle's ankles, fully immobilizing him. He tied off before standing up and admiring his handy work. Watching the turtle's still form and heavily breathing as his hands left him. At this point Donnie had stopped struggling. To be truthful, he was just too exhausted from the pain... and really what was the point? He had failed. There was no escape now.

Seconds passed before he dared to finally open his eyes again and look at his captor, searching for any sign of what the RK could be thinking. He didn't have to guess.

"Definitely unworthy... You see Purple the body is easy and even fun to break, but to break a soul, that's much harder. I can feed off that feeling of power for a long time," He looked about at the walls surrounding them. "At first, I could only mentally feed off my rats, but even with so many, they are not enough to keep my mind from falling into darkness..." A look crossed over his face. All the smugness vanished and was replaced with fear... but it was back by the time he looked back at the turtle. "They just sustain me. Quick fixes. So, I seek out stronger being, If I can beat them, break them, I know I am the strongest and I replenish, free from that darkness just a bit longer." The Rat King sort of confessed. He owes the turtle this much of the truth at least. "But you were too easy. I hoped I could feed off your soul for months, but you're not even a meal! More of a good snack." He sneered begrudgingly and disappointed. "Consolation, I have your father's loyalty, and I will release him of the burden of you! What a drain you must have been on him, at least with me, your sacrifice will have meaning for my ongoing survival... I'll understand if that is of little comfort." His voice patronizing as though outwitting a small child. Maybe this was something to do with his telepathic ability or maybe he was just a blood thirst sadist? But he didn't at all care. Purples broken spirit and death, along with his father's would bring him out of that dark hole he had forever mentally been living in since he first open his eyes to the world. This was all he knew.

RK smirk grew when he saw Purple flinch at being a drain on his father. Finally, his words had broken through the teens shielding, having the desired effect. He watched the dark brown eyes that in the beginning so full of life, love, determination and intelligence before, we now consumed with grief and falling into the darkness he lived in. He watched Purple posture slump, curling in on himself as though trying to shield himself from the cruel words cutting into him. Soon he would accept death without a fight. There was just one more thing he needed to do to push him over the edge and the weakling would be begging for a release and he, the Rat King would get his fix.

After some intense staring, Rat King broke eye contact, looking to the depths of the darkness in the room seeing something purple could not. "Watch him. Attack only if he tries to escape."

Donnie's breathing hitched as multiple red glowing eyes started to appear, converging on his position, surrounding him. Again, it was like the stone walls were alive as the outline of their bodies moved in shadows. Worse than any horror movie.

"Well, if you won't listen to me..." The Rat King now had what he needed to finish the teen off. He then casually turned around and walked away, been engulfed by the darkness, leaving Donnie to make that final peace with himself.

"I'm telling you I saw something! Just wait here a second!" Raph suddenly making his way back to the infirmary, weapons drawn.

Leo watched curiously after his brother, but he didn't want to leave a pale Mikey on his own just yet. The realization of the Rat King still been alive seemed to have put the youngest into a state of shock. Leo glanced at him, expecting him to freak out again. His reaction also bringing home what terror Donatello could be going through right now! Mikey finally looked up meeting his brothers eyes. "You're making me uneasy looking at me like that bro!" He muttered.

"Sorry," Leo tried to smile but failed. He could tell his brother was trying not to cry.

"What are we going to do Leo?" He asked in a tone that made the leader repress a hopeless wince. "How are we going to find Donnie? How can we save father from... him?!" He sneered just referring to the monster that had haunted his nightmares for weeks after his attack.

Leo bit his lip. More than anything he wanted to reassure his little brother. But he couldn't lie to him either. He was the leader. It was his job to keep them all safe. But with his father to guide him, without his levelheaded brother, Don, to support him. Magically coming up with some impossible but brilliant invention, casting a light over whatever dark shadow was lurking, the blue clad turtle felt like he had been hit harder than a punch from the Shredder with a wave of helplessness. He WAS helpless! To make it worse, he knew Mikey would just instantly see through the empty words of comfort he could offer. So, he settled on the truth.

"I don't know Mikey... I really don't know." He couldn't repress his own shuddering breath.

Mikey gulped. He honestly hadn't expected his brother to say anything helpful or else they would already be doing it. Leo had not sugar coated anything... So, he should do the same. "If he hurts Donnie... If he kills him or father, then I want to be the one to kill him!" Mikey stated absolute. No sneering, no tears. He was being deadly serious.

Leo blinked at him shocked; killing unless there was absolutely no other choice was forbidden in their clan. Mikey was always first to hold up their father's 'life was precious' motto... Next to him of course. Being the youngest it was a luxury he could afford, but not now! Leo's heart broke right there in that one sentence, it was as though the last bit of Mikey innocence had just gone. What made it worse was if the Rat King had indeed already killed Don, he would have a hard time denying his brother this request... and it would only be hard however because it would be him or Raph who wanted the take that satisfaction... oh god! What were they turning into?!

Before he could respond however, there other brother was back, just standing in the door of the infirmary with a strange look on his face. "Hey bro's I think you better come and see this." Raph said in an oddly calm voice.

"What is it?" Grateful for a distraction from the dark path they were going down. The leader looked perplexed before leading their youngest back to the infirmary. What greeted them was something they did not expect. "What the -?"

A rat! A big grey un-mutated rat was there, sitting on the chest of their unconscious, bound, master, looking right at them with his abnormally large teeth! Leo felt Mikey shudder at the sight of him. Yeah, it was definitely one of the Rat Kings rats, "Don't make any sudden moves." Leo whispered to the two.

"But... but it's one of his!" Mikey gasped. "It's going to attack sensei!" Reaching for his own weapon.

"It won't get a chance too. Raph!" Leo looked at his red clad brother. He nodded slowly pulling out his sai and taking aim. Two seconds and that vile thing would end up embedded in the wall.

"Strange how it's just one. I thought these things travelled like in a hive, " Raph muttered before taking aim at the rodent. He was just about to throw it when -

"Wait!" Leo suddenly holding up his hand. "Why is there just one? What use is that to attack us... and...?" There was something else different this one he had noticed from all the others. "Its eyes! Look at its eyes."

"What about them?" Raph and Mikey said together.

"There not glowing, they're not even red!"

He was right. There was something else familiar about them too. The large rodent remained still, even when it saw the red clad mutant take out its weapon. Instead, it just remained sitting upright on the rat master's chest as though this was the most normal thing in the world. Leo slowly made his way over to it, looking it over carefully and it looked right back at him with eyes that felt like they were looking into his very soul. There was only other one rodent who could ever do that!

Leo gasped.

"Oh my god! … Sensei!?"

"WHAT?!"

Donnie jerked awake, gasping as he was ripped out of a cold empty blissful stillness, and remembered where he was. He must have blacked out again. Why could he not have remained so? Automatically he tried to get up, only to be reminded of his restraints. Pain spiked up his arm, burning worse than ever. Images of the hundreds of beady eyes watching him from the walls, like some kind of nightmare, as he was afraid to even look, but natural instinct forced him too.

Only... there was just darkness. The blood glowing eyes were all gone!

"W-What... w-where are they?" Looking around frantically. Ok, this was… not great, but it was... something...for now. It wasn't going to help him cope any better though. It's not like he could escape.

Besides even if he could, would there be any point? RK could hunt him down without even trying. Thousands of eyes searching, they would find him before reaching the lair... Or maybe they would find the lair. Then the RK would have all of them. No! He couldn't let this "man" hurt his brothers... hurt Mikey again. Donnie eyes stung, as he had finally hit a wall. He wanted his brothers. Where are his brothers?

Were they trying to find him? As his walls continued to crumble, he tried clinging to the knowledge embedded in him by his family, defying the Rat King's words. Maybe he had failed his clan and the RK had his father's...loyalty... No! But had he been cast out? Surely his brothers would object. Leo, Raph... Mikey would fight for him! … Splinter wouldn't never cast him -

*Tap* *Tap* *Tap*

Donnie's thoughts were instantly cut off, as he knew that sound. He had heard it every day of his life in training and for once it made his blood run cold instead of bringing the hope and comfort he so desperately needed. He saw the familiar silhouette coming and everything he had been trying to tell himself wasn't true just vanished. His heart swelled but not with relief …The figure stepped into his circle of dim light. Dread filled him so fast that it broke the last of his spirit.

"S-Sensei…I tried to esca-"

*Crack!*

The rat's tail cracked like a whip rendering the teen silent, as it always did when one of them misbehaved. But the look of his father Donnie knew so well, looked like him, and yet didn't look anything like him. His fury spiked, his ears flat to his head displaying such anger and hate... towards him?! An image Donnie had never thought was possible. Was this his father? He honestly didn't know any more, "Don't you dare call me that again!" Splinter seethed.

"B-But fa- please!" Donnie trying to hold back the tears. He had never been on the receiving end of this much aggression before, as his only salvation had turned into his sinking ship.

"I am no longer your sensei or father. You have forfeited every right since deeming yourself unworthy!" Splinter retained this rage. Eyes narrowing as they glared down on the child, shaking in his shell.

"N-No…No, please!" Donnie's heart broke, telling himself that he wasn't hearing this. His memory going back to the previous encounter he had with his... father? That he would be cast out if he failed. No! This couldn't be happening. "P-Please, don't abandon me! Help me father!"

*Crack!*

The tail cracked so dangerously close Donnie could feel it just miss his face. "You failed my master's test…You are unworthy of the clan. Weakness needs to be cut out and destroyed before it infects the rest of us. For the protection of the others, I am banishing you and you must assign yourself to your fate."

When Donnie spoke this time, it was calm, but broken. "No. My brothers wouldn't cast me out -? " A part of his brain kept saying this wasn't real... But that part of him had been beaten down to nothing. This was happening. The one person who had always made him feel safe. The one who he would call as home...justgone.

"Your brothers!" Splinter laughed darkly. "They too have shed you as a lost cause. They don't want to see you again... You wouldn't want to endanger your brothers, would you?" Splinter kneeled closer so they were leveled. There was no pity or sadness in his eyes. Just disgust and even... smugness? "I spent so many years trying to teach you... To make you something better than what you were. But you are unteachable, as It was all for nothing. You are a parasite, and we will be glad to be rid of you." Venomous eyes boring into him but Donnie just shook his head in defiance again.

"No, my father wouldn't -"

*Slash!*

"Submit or I'll kill you myself…" Splinter hissed

"Gyah!" Donnie cried as burning spread down his face. Splinter had swiped his claws cutting across the olive flesh. The tips of his claws stained with blood.

"I only hope my master will make your death as slow and painful as you deserve it to be," Splinter declared with much venom and malice in his voice.

*Slash!*

"AHH!" Splinter's hand again slashed, this time reopening the wound the RK had made on his neck.

Rendered speechless, Donnie no longer cared as he allowed the tears to fall. His father and... brothers had really cast him out like he was nothing. The words burning like acid from his face and neck all the way through to his heart. That was the final nail in the coffin.

Splinter now stood, satisfied that he had properly broken the young teen, as the sobbing was music to his ears. He was ready to die. The image of his father turned his back on his son and vanished into shadow. The darkness revealing the true form of the Rat King as he went.

He stopped just before he left the room, "Make peace and beg for forgiveness for your dishonor." Still in Splinter's voice. The real Master Splinter was nothing but a whisper in his head by now. How disappointing. He had been even easier to break, and he would soon forget all his ties to his brats... They all forgot in the end. That was his gift to them.

Donatello was left to sob as the realization that there was no help coming.

….No clan…

… No family…

…No home…

No longer caring who heard him cry. He had no reason to escape or resist. Defeated…and dishonored and abandoned… Was there even still a reason to live?

A/N: Hope you like, talk about intense right? Rat King managed to break Donatello down, and in such a vicious way. What better way to do so than to have a vision of Splinter chastising and expelling him from the clan. That's like dumping salt on the wound. And how about with the others? The lone rat there. Well can't say much as it would be a spoiler. Either way I really hope you all enjoyed this, Donatello is going to have such mental scares as a result. We'll do our best to not take long with the next chapter. Feedback is appreciated. Till next time.