Bluestar-TMNT-Warriors suggested a story about Donnie after he and his brothers came back from the other dimensions in 2K3.

Genre: hurt/comfort/tragedy Rated: T

Keeping Watch For The Future

Donatello was sitting just outside the Lair, he had his shell against the wall next to the hidden entrance.

He felt he needed to keep watch tonight, he had his shell cell gripped in his hand ready. Just in case.

All he would need to do is tap the screen twice to set off the alarms in the Lair and his brothers would come running. He wouldn't disappear and that future would never exist.

He just couldn't let that happen!

Donnie shuffled slightly as he looked out into the darkness before him, whoever took him could be waiting out there for him now. They could be making plans to snatch him... who took him? What happened? When did it happen?

Suddenly the door next to him flew open causing him to dive to the side in panic, they were here! Whoever wanted to take him was here! They'd found him.

Donnie tried to tap the screen on his phone but dropped it in his sheer panic.

"No!" he yelped as a pair of hands grabbed his shoulders.

"Hey! Hey!" A green face with a blue mask filled his vision, "Calm down Don, it's ok... just take a deep breath"

Donnie calmed at the familiar voice, his big brother was still here and still 16.

And still able to see.

"Shell Donnie" Raphael frowned from behind Leo, "you wanna wake up the whole sewer"

Donnie blushed when he saw all three of his brothers kneeling around him, this was super embarrassing.

"S-Sorry" Donnie stuttered shyly as he picked his phone back up, his brothers noticed he was shaking, "You guys just gave me a fright... I should've been paying more attention"

He should've been more aware; anyone could've taken him! He was lucky it was his brothers that had snuck up on him.

"What's up bro?" Mikey asked as he sat closer to Donnie for warmth.

"Why you sittin' out here all on yer own?" Raph asked as he looked around, "it's cold out here... not ta mention it kinda smells"

"Um... I uh, I couldn't sleep" he shrugged, his brothers couldn't know what he caused. They couldn't know, They'd think he left of his own accord.

''Y'know…'' Leo began, he wouldn't look away from Donnie's eyes. ''You've been acting kinda jumpy lately… Anything you wanna talk about?''

Donnie shuffled awkwardly and kept his eyes to the floor.

''It's nothing''

''Oh really?'' Raphael raised an eyeridge. ''You expect us ta believe tha' after that li'l show?''

''Drop it Raph'' Donnie looked up at his brothers. ''It's nothing to worry about, I'm fine''

''Donatello'' Leo sighed. ''Whatever is bothering you…-''

''We could help!'' Mikey chirped knowing his two eldest brothers were on short fuses due to their concern. ''if- um… if there's a problem… maybe we could help you out?''

Donnie frowned as he studied his brothers for a moment, they could see he was thinking so they smiled and nodded reassuringly.

Donatello was stuck.

He could tell them… they might be able to help him work out what happened? They might help him prevent it…

Or they might get mad…

They could listen to his tale and blame him for their deaths, it was his fault after all.

Would they think he ran away on purpose?

He should've found out more while he was still in that nightmarish world… he should have learnt everything there so he could prevent any of it happening.

He looked at his brothers carefully, they were showing him nothing but concern.

''If I tell you…'' Donnie began weakly. ''Will you get mad at me?''

The brothers frowned, Donnie winced slightly.

''Why would we get mad?'' Raph asked, ''What's it about?''

''It's about where the Ultimate Draco sent me'' Donnie replied quietly. ''I did something terrible…''

''Tell us'' Leo said softly, ''We promise not to get mad''

Donnie frowned sceptically.

''How can you say that when you don't know what happened?''

''We're family'' Leonardo replied with a soft smile. ''We can't stay mad at each other''

''That's what you think'' Donnie muttered at he remembered Leo and Raph from the future.

''You gonna tell us?'' Mikey pleaded.

''Fine'' Donnie sighed. ''But… it's not gonna be easy… it wasn't like the worlds you guys got sent to''

The brothers sat closer to Donnie and waited patiently for him to begin, Donnie nodded as he took a couple of deep breaths.

''When we were sent to different dimensions… I was sent about 30 years into the future. It's only a possible future… I think'' Donnie could see his brothers listening intently so he continued. ''When I first arrived I found myself in the lair… only… it wasn't the same. It was abandoned and looked like one hell of a fight had taken place before I got there, it was dark and nobody was home. The first thing I did was head up to the surface, I hoped to find you guys in April's apartment or something but… when I left the sewers the streets were dark and desolate, nobody was around… it was like… a ghost town.''

''But within minutes I found myself surrounded by foot soldiers, it turned out humanity had been enslaved by the Shredder and his foot clan''

''Woah'' Mikey grimaced. ''That sounds scary''

''It was'' Donnie nodded weakly, ''I was about to fight the ninjas when… somebody started taking them out in the shadows. I recognised the combat style and knew it to be one of you, only… when he revealed himself… he was different''

''How so?'' Leo asked, he wondered if he wanted to hear the answer.

''Michelangelo'' Donnie began only he freeze when Mikey grinned. ''Michelangelo… he was… scarred. Really scarred and one of his arms, from the elbow down, was missing.''

Mikey frowned sadly and absentmindedly rubbed his forearms.

''I allowed him to help me escape and he told me about how the Shredder took over the world. I had went missing… I had disappeared and nobody could find me. Leonardo and Raphael's conflict had run too deep for two long and now they were enemies. Leo was blind and Raphael had lost an eye... we all split away from each other and… and… Master Splinter was dead'' Donnie had tears running down his face.

Leo and Raph looked at one another in surprise, had their arguing really went that far?

''Mikey took me to April's base. She was leading the resistance against Shredder, Casey… Casey was dead'' Donnie shuddered but continued. ''I came up with a plan to defeat Shredder. I worked with April and Mikey to try and get Leo and Raph to join us. They fought at first but they soon agreed… they shouldn't have…''

Donnie wiped his tears as he tried to calm down, this was the hardest part to retell.

''I created a suit that would help me to defeat the Shredder and we all went to battle… Karai had some Karai-bots to help her fight… I wasn't looking… I should've kept my eye on everyone so nobody would get hurt but I was desperate to kill Shredder I-… All I heard was Mikey screaming my name, I turned round and… he was surrounded by bots there was nothing I could do, I wasn't close enough… they killed him'' Donnie let out a sob before taking a deep breath, his brothers were very pale. ''Karai was fighting Leo and… she got behind him and stabbed him in the back… he died too… Raphael lost it… he was crying out for Leo and he tried to fight Karai too but she stabbed him in the stomach… he died hugging Leo's body… I killed the Shredder and freed the humans but I couldn't protect my own brothers''

The three brothers watched Donnie cry in shame, he had his head tucked between his knees as if trying to hide from them.

''Hey'' Raph was the first to recover as he placed an arm around Don.

''D-Donnie'' Mikey sniffed, tears of him own streaming down his face.

''I'm sorry'' Donnie whimpered. ''I'm so sorry! It's all my fault! I should've fought for you guys…''

''It's not your fault'' Leo nodded sternly, ''Don't ever think that. From what I'm hearing there was nothing you could do, there's nothing to feel guilty about''

''What if it happens? What if I do disappear and put everything into motion?'' Donnie shook his head, ''It'll all be my fault.''

''You would never leave us'' Raph stood up and began to pace. ''If you disappeared it would mean someone had taken you against your will… We will never let that happen Donnie''

Raph growled and punched the wall.

''Dammit! Why the hell were you sent there?'' He asked angrily. ''Why'd we all go ta cool places when you were sent ta that hell?''

The brothers fell quiet for a moment except for Mikey and Donnie who were both still crying quietly.

Donnie looked up at Mikey who looked back at him, he sat up and opened his arms just for Mikey to fling himself into them.

''Raph's right'' Leo nodded as Raphael sat next to them and hugged them, ''We would never let anyone take you from us and if they did manage it we would never stop looking for you. This was not a real future because those brothers gave up and blamed you which we would never do.''

Leo hugged his three little brothers.

''Th-Thanks'' Donnie whimpered. ''That's why I was out here, I was keeping watch in case somebody decided to come and take me…''

''That why you freaked out when you dropped your phone?'' Raph asked quietly, Donnie nodded with a blush.

The brothers chuckled slightly but continued to hold each other until the crying quieted down.

''C'mon'' Leo pulled his brothers to their feet, ''let's get some sleep''

''We're all sleeping in my room'' Mikey promised to Donnie, ''You aren't gonna be alone tonight''

Leo opened the door as they all agreed to Mikey's plan, he waited until his three brothers were inside before looking out into the sewer beyond. He did a quick scan before shutting the door.

Nobody would hurt them tonight.

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