This is a missing scene, what might have happened to the mutant branch of the Hamato family after Donnie and Leo's escapade recounted in "Tales of Leo."

Splashing he knew came from stomping came down a pipe toward the lair, so Splinter's ears went up. His eyes focused in on where the sounds were coming from. A voice joined the splashing. "Leo, wait up … Look! It was just a great car! So I ..."

Raphael's head went up and his eyes widened. "Was?"

Michelangelo also looked up. "Was?"

Leonardo stomped into the lair his eyes narrowed and jaw set. Donatello came in waving his arms around his head and half-stepping into Leonardo's way thrusting his face nearer his brother's. He stiffened and stopped before getting fully into Leonardo's way, however. The set, powerful gait of the fearless turtle-tot, and the menacing waves coming off him told Splinter why Donatello didn't quite dare.

Splinter tried to keep his voice low, even, and caring. "What happened, my sons?"

Raphael stepped into Leonardo's way and jabbed a pointed finger into his plastron. "Did you ruin his car, Leo?"

Leonardo grabbed the one finger of Raphael with all of his own on his right hand, thrust it aside, and shouted, "Lay off Raph!" The words rang off the walls and down the pipes leading away from the room.

Michelangelo's jaw dropped. His eyes widened. Splinter's ears lifted straight up. His own eyes stared. Donatello leaned back and grit his teeth. Raphael froze except for his mouth, which dropped open. The one Splinter considered his eldest almost never threatened the secret of their existence like that.

Leonardo walked around them all, climbed up into his hammock, and turned to face the wall. Donatello stared after him with wide eyes and open mouth. Splinter took it upon himself to interrupt the moment. "My son …" Donatello looked upward into the narrowed eyes of his rat sensei. "Please step outside our lair with me."

When they did, the rat sat cross legged, and Donatello got down on both knees facing him, but with his head down. The rat only studied him a moment before asking. "My son, what happened?"

"I lost my car."

The rat kept staring at him in silence.

Donatello felt the silence as well as heard it and continued. "By making it fall into the water."

The rat's shoulders and eyelids fell a little in sympathy as he kept staring at him. Donatello looked away into a far, far corner. He mumbled the next part, "And I tried to get it back with a stick, but the current was really strong ..."

The rat's eyebrows drew together now forming a furrow. His jaw tightened too. Donatello's hands gripped each other in his lap. His voice got high. "And I fell in, and the current dragged me to a pool I fell into, and my foot got caught, and Leo saved me."

Splinter now raised an eyebrow. "I see … And why on the way home were you still talking about your car?"

"Because … after he saved me, I asked Leo why he couldn't save the car too."

Splinter's ears went straight up. His eyes widened. But before he could say anything, he heard Michelangelo behind him. He turned toward his youngest son's voice as Donatello also looked past him toward his brother in orange who was staring at him with sad eyes. "Awww … Man, you 'really' lost your car?"

Splinter thrashed his tail along the floor. His voice came low and menacing. "Michelangelo …"

The turtle in orange darted back into the lair. Splinter looked back to his smartest son, who gulped. "Apparently, everyone, except perhaps Leonardo, and now I, mourns your lost toy, Donatello. It was indeed remarkable and a tribute to your genius, your concentration, and your work-ethic, but it was not as precious as you."

Donatello lowered his head. "I know …"

"Nor was it as precious as your brother's life. For you to ask him to risk his life for it after he saved yours was very disrespectful."

Donatello looked up at his father with wide eyes, "But Leo can do anything."

Splinter's ears rose, eyes widened, and shoulders went back. Then they fell again. He shook his head. "You, who are so intelligent, Donatello, truly believe that?"

Donatello froze still staring at his teacher. Splinter shook his head. "We may try to make you and your other brothers think that, Donatello, to calm you down. But no, Leonardo and I can not do everything. We cannot think and create like you. And the things we do, he and I both, are to protect and provide for all of you your needs and sometimes your wants. You 'needed' to be rescued, and you 'wanted' your car to be rescued too, but your brother's strength is still small compared to what it will be someday; I hope. I do not think he had the ability to do both today."

Donatello's wide eyes fell to the floor as their lids fell to almost completely cover them. His head bowed too. Splinter watched him closely. "Do you know what you have to do?"

Donatello nodded. Then he stood to his feet. Splinter stood too. Donatello walked into the lair. Splinter followed behind him, but stood in the doorway and cleared his throat. "Raphael, Michelangelo, come scavenge with me." Both brothers he called shot to their feet and followed his disappearing tail out. It was unusual Splinter took two of them out at the same time, never had it been both of them. Even if both weren't greedy for their father's attention getting away from Leo right then was quite motivating.

. . .

Donnie walked up to Leo's hammock and stared at the back of his shell. "Leo?"

His brother did not move. Donnie sniffed while still staring at his shell. "Leo, I'm sorry … I just thought you could do anything …"

Now his brother's head did turn. His eyes appeared fixed on Donnie's. His smart brother in purple continued, "It, it was really brave what you did, and I'm sorry I didn't appreciate it. I, I was really scared, and thinking of all the reasons you might not be coming, but when I realized you did it, I guess my unrealistic expectations for you kicked back in, and I …"

His voice cut off as Leo sat up in the hammock and hugged him. He sniffed and hugged him back. His brother's voice came out kinda scratchy. "I got there as soon as I could Don. I had to come down another tunnel, so I wouldn't get stuck too, and could save you. I'm sorry that I couldn't save your car too."

Donnie grinned over his shoulder through his tears. "I'm not. Cause next time, I'm gonna make an even better one." And both brothers laughed together.

What do you think?

God Bless

ScribeofHeroes