Diversion

Past

Leonardo was unable to move. Of course, if he was in the past, Splinter was still alive.

He breathed in and breathed out, trying to control the storm of his emotions. His father, alive… He could warn him, he could save him… He could tell him to stay away from Shredder, to not leave the lair…

Leonardo closed his eyes. And then what? Should he tell his brothers everything that was going to happen? What if he changed the future for the worst? In his present, he and his brothers were still alive. The Kraang hadn't mutated the Earth. Shredder wasn't a threat anymore… They came within a hair's breadth of failing so many times, he couldn't take the risk to alter this timeline…

He couldn't play that dangerous game.

"Leonardo?" Splinter repeated.

Leonardo opened his eyes again. Concern was mixing with surprise in his father's gaze. Splinter must have realized that something was wrong, that his son didn't look like the turtle he was supposed to be…

Without even realizing what he was doing, Leonardo flung himself into his father's arms, hugging him with all his strength.

"My son, what's the matter?" Splinter asked, hugging him back reflexively. He brushed his scars, and Leonardo felt him stiffen.

He knew that his father was going to demand an explanation, and he knew that he would be unable to lie to him. But certainly Splinter would understand that he shouldn't ask too many questions. Everything Leonardo had to do what to tell him he was coming from the future. Although Splinter might have already guessed…

"Master Splinter." Leonardo broke the hug with regret. "May I talk to you in private?"

Splinter nodded. "Of course."

Leonardo followed his father inside the dojo and knelt in front of him, like he had done a thousandth times before.

Before…

"I'm listening," Splinter told him encouragingly.

Leonardo took a deep breath.

"Well, I… I… I don't exactly know what happened, but…"

The dojo smelt like his father, a warm and reassuring scent.

"I know it's hard to believe…"

The light played with the leaves of the dojo tree, and shadows danced on the tall rat's face, giving him this expression of serenity that always soothed Leonardo…

He forced himself to carry on.

"I'm coming from the future," he whispered. "I can't tell you more, I don't want to interfere with the past… I'm here by accident, I…"

He stopped talking. He would trust his father's wisdom. If Splinter insisted on knowing, Leonardo would tell him everything… Absolutely everything…

Splinter kept quiet for a very long time.

"Are your brothers alright?" he finally asked. "That's all I need to know."

Leonardo nodded slowly, noting his father's choice of words.

Splinter closed his eyes briefly. "And Leonardo… I mean, the Leonardo you were… Is he with your brothers right now? In the future?"

"I think so. If that's the case, Raph, Donnie and Mikey will watch over him." He didn't add that Leo could as well be lost in limbo. "If I'm here, he's alright," he said instead. "My existence depends on his, after all."

Splinter looked at him carefully. "And what are you suggesting we do to set things right?"

"I… I think we should wait. I'm sure my brothers will find a solution."

Or Renet will, he added in his head. She better hurry.

Present

Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo looked at Leo as if they didn't know what to do with him, which was making said turtle very uneasy.

Leo cleared his throat. "So… What are we going to do now? I would hate to bother you," he said in a somewhat sarcastic tone.

Raphael and Michelangelo turned to Donatello, their faces expressing their hope in a magic remedy only he could provide. Donatello put his hands on his hips.

"You know, I have absolutely zero idea how to build a time machine. And even if I did, I would be highly surprised if I could find the appropriate equipment inside the sewers!"

Michelangelo threw his arms around Donatello's neck, not rebuffed at all by the purple paint still covering his brother. "You're the best, Donnie," he emphasized. "You're going to make it."

"We're counting on you, really, we do," Raphael added with conviction. He did look desperate.

Donatello sighed. Thank you so much, Renet, he thought wryly. "Fine, I'll give it a try. After I have a shower." He walked away with heavy steps.

"I need to think," Leo whispered. "If you don't mind, I'll go meditate in the dojo."

"No!" Raphael and Michelangelo both exclaimed. Their father's shrine was in the dojo. If Leo saw it, he would understand the truth.

Leo watched them in surprise. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Michelangelo whispered in a voice that clearly pointed towards the exact contrary. He nodded slightly to Raphael, indicating that he was taking that particular matter in his hands, and dashed towards the dojo.

Raphael was left alone to take care of the necessary diversion. "You don't want to watch the TV instead?" he said grumpily, stroking Chompy's head for more inspiration. "I'm sure we can find a rerun of your stupid cartoon somewhere."

"And what about the living room?"

Raphael shrugged. The living room had seen worse, and they could clean it later, when things would be back to normal. That was, with each Leonardo at his right place. "No need to hurry. Like Donnie said, Splinter isn't home at the moment."

Leo nodded slowly. He was obviously suspicious, and Raphael wondered whether his brother could feel how reluctant he was to pronounce these words. How long would they be able to hide the truth from him? This Leo might be younger and less experienced than his Leonardo, he still had a formidable intuition for everything concerning his family.

Raphael's only hope - and his biggest concern - was that Leo had way too much admiration for Splinter to conceive that he could have been killed by Shredder. Raphael himself had a hard time believing it, and he had seen it with his very eyes…

They all had a hard time believing it.

Raphael shook his head wildly. He didn't want to think back. "Come on," he told Leo.

Michelangelo joined them fifteen minutes later. "Now you can meditate in the dojo all you want," he said, out of breath.

But Leo was deep into Captain's Ryan amazing adventures and he didn't even look at his brother. "Later, Mikey. I've never seen this episode!"

Raphael let out a disdainful groan. He had never understood why his brother loved this so-called hero so much, but in this case Leo's passion was very useful to them.

He had to admit, though, that it was pleasant to see Leo so smiley and relaxed, sitting on the floor in front of the TV with his arms around his knees. These days, his Leonardo rarely indulged like this.

Raphael felt the imperious need to protect Leo from the terrible truth.

He wasn't ready to know.