Back in the sewers, Leo was tossing and tossing, unable to sleep and unable to stop worrying about Raphael. It was Thanksgiving, a time of celebration, and he and his brothers should be having fun and looking forward to a day of fun and a feast cooked by Mikey, instead of stressing that something had happened to their brother. His insides churned and his gut told him that Slash had something to do with Raphael's absence. He'd seen the malevolent gleam in Slash's eyes when he was being choked. Slash had always been obsessed with Raphael. Maybe the apology and his politeness had been an act; he'd been planning to take Raphael and had just waited for the opportunity when he knew that Raphael was alone. Leo glanced at the digital clock 9 a.m. If Slash took Raphael, where did he take him? The weather was foul out there. A severe storm and wind chill that was below freezing. They were turtles and badly needed heat, otherwise they'd go into some kind of forced hibernation, their bodies shutting down and potentially death. He had to find Raphael and now, even if it meant risking being seen by humans. He couldn't lose his brother. Sure Raphael was a pain in the ass most of the time, but he loved him and he knew the hothead loved him too. They were brothers and nothing would change that.

Leo was about to get out of bed, when Donnie entered, carrying a tray on which were a cup of tea and toast. "Some breakfast," Donnie said, placing the tray on Leo's lap.

"Thanks, Don, but I need to…"

"Eat," Don said firmly. "How are you feeling, Leo?"

Leo sipped his tea and sighed. "I'm anxious about Raph. The weather's awful out there and Raph's in huge trouble if he's with Slash. That guy is savage, Donnie, and will do whatever it takes to turn Raphael against us. He almost succeeded before. What if we can't save Raph and he dies or worse, he's Slash's prisoner for life or he turns against us and hunts us down? We can't lose Raph. He's our brother, part of the team and what…"

"Leo, calm down. We'll do our best to find him."

"How can I relax when he's with that sicko? What if Raph's hurt to the point he can't defend himself?"

"We'll try to find him, Leo. I promise, but he might not be in the shape he was before and I hope…"Don's voice trailed off, his face ashen.

"What?"

"I discovered things about Raph and you that I thought I didn't need to reveal, because it wasn't like any of us would find mates. It's highly likely Slash now knows. If he does, Raph will be in bigger trouble than we could have imagined. I'm talking massive," Donnie said hysterically. "Shit. I never dreamed this would happen. I should have said something. Maybe just maybe…"

"What the heck are you talking about?" Leo demanded.

"I'll be right back," Don said and left the room. When he returned a few minutes later, he shoved two files under Leo's nose and said, "Your medical files."

Leo read and his jaw dropped in shock. What the hell, he thought? Me and Raph are girls? We can lay eggs, but how come I didn't suspect I was one? Why haven't I laid dud eggs or liked boys? I've only ever liked girls and….This has to be a joke, right?

He looked up at Donnie, who was nervously adjusting his glasses, and snapped, "This is a sick joke, isn't it, Don? We can't be girls. Look at us. We're muscular, have dicks, like women and are alpha. You're wrong!"

"Actually, Leo, I'm one hundred percent correct. You and Raphael both have ovaries and uteruses. Your tails are shorter than mine and Mikey's are. Look at the X-rays. I never showed Raph when I took them and you know him. As long as he's healthy that's all that matters to him. Now your plastrons are currently concave. Female turtles have flat plastrons, which allow them to hold the eggs internally…"

Leo's face paled and he said, "What do you mean currently? Eggs? I can lay eggs?" Leo rubbed his face and said, "This is too much. I'm a boy for damn's sake. Look at me!"

"You relate more to a boy physique wise, but you can lay eggs and you won't become a complete female, which means laying eggs will be more laborious and tough than say for Raph. Your hips aren't wide enough. Raph's different. His genes are changing. I noticed that last year. It's not uncommon for male turtles to turn into females. I've read up on it and it's fascinating. Want me to explain?"

"If it's not happening to you!" Leo hissed. "I can't believe you kept this from us! And no, I don't want a lengthy explanation or your science babble. Keep it short!"

Donnie pushed his glasses that had slipped down up his nose again and stammered, "Anyway, Raph's going to change. I don't know when exactly, but he will. His plastron will become convex, he'll be slimmer, will lose his muscles, his voice will become high pitched. His hips will be perfect for him to lay eggs. He'll be a female and even more alluring to Slash, who'll breed him if he hasn't already tried. Now female red sliders lay between two and thirty-two eggs and…."

Mikey entered the room and said, "Hi, guys. Hey, Leo. How are you feeling, Leo?"

"Nauseated! Care to fill Mikey in, Donnie?"

The genius adjusted his glasses again and said, "Mikey, I've been holding back medical information on Leo and Raph, but it was only because I thought none of us would find mates and it wouldn't be a factor in our lives."

"Are they sick?" Mikey asked worriedly. "Leo said he is nauseated."

"No. They're healthy, but females, Mikey," Don said and explained to a flabbergasted Mikey, who shook his head in amazement.

"Does that mean I am too, Donnie?" Mikey asked.

"No, Mikey. You're one hundred percent male."

"And Raph doesn't know?"

"I don't know. Slash might know and have told him."

"So Leo and Raph are going to lay eggs?" Mikey said excitedly. "How many?"

"Why are you so thrilled and not repulsed?" Leo demanded.

"Because," Mikey said. "There will be cute little babies. I'm going to be an uncle! I always wanted to be an uncle!"

"We're mutants, so maybe three eggs max," Donnie said.

"WHOA!" Leo roared. "You really are a numbskull, Mikey. If Raph has babies and he's been kidnapped by Slash, that means they weren't created out of choice! And as for me, I have no intention of laying eggs. I'm a fucking boy! And Raph won't fucking want them either. We have to fucking find him before that happens and if he does fall gravid, it's your damn fucking fault, Donnie!"

Leo never swore, so both Donnie and Mikey looked at him in surprise.

"What's going on?" Splinter asked, entering the room. "I heard raised voices. Are you all right, Leonardo?"

"No, Sensei. Donatello kept a gigantic secret from me and Raph."

"I am sure he had a valid reason," Splinter said, looking at Don, who shifted his gaze and studied his hands. "Donatello?"

Don looked up, his eyes filled with ashamed tears and said, "Sensei, I found out that Leo and Raph are females, but whereas Leo will always look like a boy on the outside, Raph won't. His chromosomes are changing and he's going to turn into a complete girl. And I fear Slash knows. I'm sorry. I thought it wouldn't be relevant, because we wouldn't find mates and…."

"It didn't cross your mind that perhaps with mating season, you and Michelangelo would then desire your sisters?" Splinter said, struggling to find the right words. "For one, who is usually so intelligent, Donatello, I am shocked."

"No, because I've been injecting Mikey with a drug that decreases sexual desire for the past few years, so that we wouldn't feel any attraction to them, so when mating season happened, we weren't interested. I told Mikey it was because he was sick and he believed me."

"What the hell, dude?" Mikey shouted, his blue eyes flashing. "You lied to me!"

"Yeah, but it did the trick," Don said. "Otherwise we'd have been all over you guys. I had…a huge desire to have you both as mates and to have babies with you. I couldn't help it. Shit. I'm a scientist, but even I have raging hormones and…I feel…" His family looked they were going to throw up, but Don continued, "Raph's so cute with his green eyes and his little tail that drops down when he's so relaxed. And he has a firm ass that I wanted to caress. Raphael's like a Greek god and so is Leo with his leaner features, gorgeous eyes and toned legs. Don't look at me that way, Mikey. I saw you checking them out!"

Mikey dropped his head in shame and Splinter tapped his cane on the ground and said coldly, "Such perversion in this place! I'm speechless! Michelangelo, did you harbor the same desires?"

"Yes, Sensei," Mikey mumbled. "I wanted them both and it's not like it's a sin. They're not really our sisters. Only me and Don are related."

"Still," Don broke in. "I feared your wrath, Sensei, and did the injections.

"You were wise, Donatello," the old rat said furiously. "I am disgusted. They might not be your biological sisters, but they were raised as such and that will remain. I forbid you from ever having sexual intercourse with them. If you do, you will be banished. Do I make myself clear? The injections will continue. Leonardo, have you had any fantasies about your siblings?"

"NO!" Leo almost screamed. "I like women and so does Raph. I could never feel that way about my siblings. The idea of it makes me want to vomit. I feel betrayed, sickened and hurt that this was kept from me. Sensei, I deserved to know it and so did Raph and now he's in the hands of a psycho, who may be raping him right now. It's Donnie's fault! If he'd been honest…."

"I don't think your sister's kidnapping is Donatello's fault, but I do believe he should have been honest with you and us all. We are a family. There will be no secrets in future among us. Got it?"

Everyone nodded and Mikey said, "What if there are babies, Sensei? Slash could make Raph gravid."

"I have a feeling Raphael won't want them. They'd be a product of rape and seeing them every day would be too painful. You can't blame her."

"But they'd be her babies too," Mikey said. "Hey. Do Leo and Raph need female names now? I like Lisa and Angelina. My two cute sisters. Raph will be Lisa."

"Mikey!" Leo yelled, his blue eyes blazing. "No one's changing their names. Sensei, we have to respect whatever Raph wants. It's his choice. I won't call him a girl. He's still a boy to me and I'll regard myself as a boy no matter what anyone says! Sensei, it's nine a.m. and it's a long time until dark. We have to do something. Every second that passes…."

"I understand, Leonardo," Splinter said. "I too am worried about your sister, but I can't endanger my remaining family by venturing out now. We'll leave at nightfall. Donatello, is there anything else you've kept from us?"

"No."

"Then you and Michelangelo will train with me and then we'll meditate. Leonardo, you will rest."

"I feel fine, Sensei. Honest."

"You look exhausted. Sleep and you can meditate with me after lunch. Come on, Donatello and Michelangelo."

Mikey left after shooting Don a death stare for lying to him.

Leo moved his tray to the other side of the bed, his appetite ruined and pissed off at Don's deception. He lay down staring at the ceiling and tried to sleep again, but thoughts of Raphael tormented him and he was unable.

He stood up, donned his gear and grabbed his weapons. Then he slipped out of the lair. Screw the fact that it was daylight. He'd stay in the shadows and he'd find Raphael. His precious little brother needed him and he'd do whatever it took to bring him home.

A/N Yay! An update. Thanks to all following and reading. Will Leo find Raph?