Author Notes: Sorry for the little delay, but I had this little, tiny issue where my home was HIT BY A FREAKING TORNADO! Thankfully, nobody was hurt, and my house seems to have escaped damage, but I didn't have power for three days, and have been busy playing the most epic game of Pick up Sticks/Trees/Remains of Neighbor's Houses out of my yard. So that was a thing.

Also, somebody asked, so I thought I should clarify where I'm pulling the characters from.

Leo- 2k12, with physical/personality traits pulled from 2k3/IDW
Splinter- 2k3
Hamato Yoshi- 2k3/2k12-pre-mutation
April- 2k12/2k3 mixture
Casey- 2k12/2k3 mixture
Angel- IDW comics
Irma- '87/non-evil 2k12
Stockman- 2k3/IDW comics
Bradford/Xever- 2k12 (obviously.) Pre-mutation
Darius Dun- IDW comics
Agent Bishop- 2k3/IDW comics
Oroku Saki- He be dead.

As new characters are introduced, I'll clarify the version I'm using in the notes.

Chapter 14: Big Brother

I sat on the grass in the sanctuary, knees drawn up and chin resting on my folded arms as I stared at the window and the man in the hospital bed on the other side. He had black hair like his sons, and any injuries or bruising from that long-ago accident had long since healed, leaving him looking like he was just resting quietly in the bed. His handsome face was pale against the white pillow and sheets, his muscles relaxed and slack. If it wasn't for the IV lines draped around him, and the breathing tube taped to his face, I would think he was just sleeping.

Could... could that really the great Hamato Yoshi, lying in there? One of the greatest ninjitsu masters in the world, according to Master Splinter?

Master Splinter had loved the man, admired him... All my life, I had only heard of his greatness, his courage, and his compassion, and stories of how he fought with honor to protect his ideals and those dear to him.

It was hard to reconcile the great and noble warrior my Master had painted with that quiet, empty-looking shell of a human laying there hooked up to all those blinking machines.

I exhaled slowly through my nose and absently tapped at my knee with one finger as I stared at that clear wall.

What did I do now?

Even though there was nothing I could do about the situation, I somehow felt like I had let Master Splinter down. Like I had failed him. His greatest wish had been to see his old master again, but he would've been heartbroken to see his dear human in such a condition. I had said I would stay until I met the man, but... it felt like I was leaving things unfinished. Incomplete.

And the Hamato brothers... I couldn't help but feel like I was letting them down as well. Even though I had been in no way responsible for what happened, the day of my mutation, when my new life had begun, had also been the day they had lost everything. They had lost their father, in spirit if not body, and they had been left alone to a cruel world. Their safe haven had been ripped from them that day, inflicting a deep wound that had struck straight at the heart of their family.

And I was starting to realize that they obviously must have hoped that I somehow would be able to patch some of that void. That if they had a new brother, even if he was a mutant animal, it would somehow heal a little bit of that deep wound. They wanted me to somehow make their family whole again.

And I was planning on running away.

I shut my eyes tightly and turned my head to rest my cheek on my arm, feeling cowardly and miserable.

"Leo?"

A familiar, smooth voice called out to me, concerned, and I lifted my head and looked up to see Donnie walking up to me. He was carrying a small electronic device in one hand and a toolbox tucked under his arm. He was still dressed in his battle gear, the black and purple gi complimenting his fair face and black hair. Whereas Raph had looked rough and ready, Donnie looked elegant and graceful.

And tired.

Dark circles hung under his soft reddish-brown eyes, and he moved as if the weight of the world sat on his shoulders.

He glanced back at the window, then back at me with a sad, understanding smile. He gently set his bo staff and toolbox down on the grass, and then, cradling his latest device in one hand, carefully sat down next to me, glancing my way. "Mind if I sit here with you for a bit, Leo?" He settled down and exhaled wearily, tilting his head back and wincing as his neck cracked a little. "Raph and Mikey are running some errands, so I thought it would be a good time to work on this drone I've been building for a bit and spend some time with you." He smiled at me. "How are you doing, by the way? I hear that you and Mikey had quite the adventures while we were gone."

I lay my cheek back down on my arm, watching him. Then I shifted to look at the window and the hospital bed on the other side.

He followed my gaze, and stared at his father wistfully for a long moment, before turning back to me, smiling softly. "Don't worry, Leo. Dad's spirit is strong. He'll wake up one day."

I turned back and studied him quietly. I could see his words for what they were. He spoke with all the reassurance of somebody who's repeated the same mantra over and over, trying to convince himself and others that if he said it enough times, he'd eventually come to believe it.

I closed my eyes, exhaling slowly through my nose. Donnie was trying so hard to keep everything and everybody together. This gap-toothed, generous purple clad human was working himself into exhaustion for his family.

And yet, as tired as he looked, he had opened his toolbox and was currently pulling out a screwdriver, holding the drone upside down as he prepared to work on it. From what I had learned of this brother in my few weeks here, my guess was that the device wasn't even intended to be for himself, but was a useful gift for somebody he cared about.

I chewed on the inside of my cheek for a second, thinking, then finally unfolded my legs and pushed myself up so I was standing.

Donnie glanced up at me, slightly taken aback by my movement. "Hm? Leo? Everything okay?"

I turned away and padded away across the grass towards my hut. He frowned, watching me walk away, then sighed sadly and forlornly turned back to working on his project.

I ducked inside my small abode, digging around in my nest of pillows and cushions on the floor, and finally found what I was looking for.

Donnie blinked up in surprise as I came back and settled back down next to him. I opened the bag of gummy worms I had pilfered from Mikey earlier, dug around until I found a grape flavored one, and then turned and reached out, offering it to him.

Understanding crossed his face, and his mouth curved up in a genuine grin as he reached over to accept it from my hand. "Oh. Um... Thank you, Leo."

I watched as he ate it, then I set the whole bag on the ground and pushed it closer to him.

He blinked, then broke out in a chuckle and looked at me with his warm brown eyes. He held out his hands. "I'm fine, Leo. Honestly."

I pulled up a knee and rested an arm on it, examining him and not convinced. I reached over and nudged the bag.

"You know, too much candy is not good for you. We should be eating healthier snacks, like fruit or vegetables." He rolled his eyes, but smiled as he reached over into the bag and took out another gummy worm. "But thank you for worrying about me."

I blinked at him, then gave him a small, tentative smile, glad I was able to cheer him up a little bit anyways. Then I turned back to watching Hamato Yoshi and his uninterrupted dreaming.

Donnie paused, and set aside the drone, settling instead to watch alongside me. "That door in the back of the room there, that's for the nursing staff." he explained almost absently to me. "As you may have noticed, the wall there is made from a specially created material that can shift from glass-like transparency to opaque in a matter of seconds." He leaned back on his arms. "It used to be just a viewing window into the meditation garden here, able to give us privacy if we desired it, but since we've transformed the garden into your sanctuary, it serves a new purpose to help protect you. When the nurses come in to tend to Dad, it'll shift, so your secret will remain safe." He looked at me, giving me a friendly, gap-toothed smile. "So don't be startled if the walls shift to hide him unexpectedly. It just means the nursing staff has entered to check on him and move him."

As he continued to watch his father's form, the smiling mask gradually melted from Donnie's face, and he looked so miserable and sad, my heart broke for him. I didn't know what to do. I knew all too well myself how losing a father felt. How did somebody comfort a human? Especially if they were a mutant? Biting my lip nervously, I finally grew brave enough to scoot a little closer, and then carefully, hesitantly, reached over and put a hand on his shoulder.

Donnie blinked and turned his head to look at me in surprise, and I was ready to quickly pull my hand away, wondering if I had only just made him uncomfortable, but then his eyes crinkled up as he smiled gratefully and reached over to put his hand on top of mine. He gave a shaky exhale, then a wry chuckle and shake of his head. "Mikey's really been working on you during the three days we were gone, huh?" He patted my three fingered hand under his warmly. "I'm glad you're feeling more comfortable now, Leo."

Donnie was silent for a long moment, watching the hospital bed alongside me. Then, without turning, he said quietly, "I wish you had known him. It was a hit and run, you know. They never did find out who it was. The person who..." He trailed off, then took a deep breath as he drew his knees up, hugging them as he murmured, "Not that it matters, I guess. It wouldn't change anything. But still... it... I dunno... might give us some closure or something."

I watched at him with sad, worried blue eyes, then back at his comatose father. I didn't remember much about that day, but Master Splinter had remembered it vividly. He had told me that the canister with the green liquid that had changed us, this 'mutagen' Donnie had called it, it had come from that van. The Hamatos must not have seen that. Which was understandable, they were probably focusing on the fact that their father had just been hit by a speeding vehicle.

He cleared his throat, and turned back to watching his father's unconscious form. He was trembling a little under my hand, as if he was fighting hard to keep years of emotions safely in check, as he always had. Finally, he whispered hoarsely, "I miss him, Leo."

I swallowed hard, noticing a tear escape his eye and start to roll down his cheek.

He cleared his throat and quickly wiped it away, his voice growing thick with growing emotion. "Dad would know what to do. He was always so strong, so wise... He always knew what to do."

A lump in my throat at the heartbreak in his voice, I moved even closer to him, gently pulling him to my side and wrapping an arm around him, wanting nothing more then to take all the troubles that weighed on his shoulders and put them on my own shell.

He seemed surprised by my action at first, glancing at my arm around his shoulder with a blink, but then he relaxed and seemed almost grateful for the comforting embrace. "Leo..." he gave a small sniff, looking up at me. Shakily, Donnie leaned into me, and then it was like the floodgates opened. Twelve years of grief and heartache and worries just seemed to break loose all at once, and his shoulders began to heave with sobs, quietly at first, but growing heavier.

I just pulled him in tighter, doing my best to hold him together as he finally allowed himself to crack.

"I'm scared, Leo." he finally sobbed out as he buried his face in the scaly muscles of my arm. "I can't do this anymore! We keep talking about Dad like he might wake up at any time, but I've studied cases like this! After all this time, there's only a fifteen percent chance of him ever waking up The odds of him making a full recovery is almost nothing! I'm scared, but I CAN'T be! I'm the chuunin, the big brother! I have to take care of everybody! I have to be strong!" He reached up and angrily wiped at his tears. "But I keep thinking, what if I mess up? What if Mikey or Raph or you or Dad get hurt, because I made the wrong decision? I'm always afraid that I'm going to let everybody down, but I can't show it that I'm afraid, I have to be the strong big brother. I always have to know exactly what to do, but you know what? I don't always know! I'm a genius, but that doesn't mean I always have all the answers!"

I wrapped both of my arms around him and pulled him in tighter, then pressed my forehead to his and gave a low, mournful little rumble in my chest.

With that sorrow filled low rumble, Donnie clutched at me tighter and his body shook as he let out a hiccuping sob into my armored chest. "Oh, Leo... What do I do if Dad never wakes up? What will I do if he's gone forever? I'm not ready to lead the clan yet, Leo. I don't even want to! I just... I just want to make things! To invent, to create, to learn! I have dreams, but I feel like I'll always be pulled in another direction. I feel trapped, Leo. I... I have so many ideas, so many things I could build and discover and make! I don't want to give up my dreams. But... but I'm the big brother, and I HAVE to set aside all my own interests and ambitions."

He clung to me tightly, curled up in my strong arms with his face buried in my plastron. I pressed my chin on top of his head, hoping to give him a little comfort.

For a long time, Donnie allowed himself to let loose the tears that he had fought to hide almost his entire life. Finally, though, the tempest passed, and the sobs began to die into ragged, wet hiccups. Donnie kept his face buried in my embrace, but his hand shakily lifted up to carefully trace the scutes of my plastron, as if memorizing them with touch.

I kept my arms around him and my face buried in his hair. It was as if puzzle pieces I didn't even know I was missing were starting to click into place in my soul, and this human in my arms was one of those most important pieces. But, at the same time, it was strange. His back had no shell, his skin was smooth and scaleless, and human bodies were just so... warm. Master Splinter had been as well, and I supposed it had something to do with being warm-blooded creatures.

"L-Leo... can I ask you something?" He finally sniffed, wiping his face.

I moved one of my three fingered hands holding his shoulder a little, relaxing my grip slightly so he could sit up or move more freely if he wanted.

But he didn't move, continuing to remain curled up in my embrace. He gave a gasping, humorless laugh, though, shaking his head as he covered his face with his hands. "This is so stupid and probably wrong of me to even consider... I mean, I don't even know if you even understand what I'm saying... But... " He took a deep, ragged breath, and was quiet for long moment, then his voice got small. "... Leo... Could you be my big brother?" He pressed his face into my plastron, sniffling. "You... you don't have to actually do anything. It... it just would be really nice to know that I have a big brother."

I swallowed hard, shifting a little to press my cheek against the top of his black hair.

Hesitantly, I took a deep, shaky breath, licked my suddenly dry lips, and began to open my mouth.

Then I lifted my head and tensed up as I heard the doors of the sanctuary slid open, and could instantly sense that it wasn't one of the other two brothers returning.

I growled slightly, shifting to push Donnie behind me protectively.

"Leo? What...?" Donnie sniffed, wiping his face and confused. Then he went rigid as he saw what I was glaring at.

An absolutely huge human man noticed us, and strode over. He was like no human I had seen before, towering with huge, bulking, powerful muscles, but dressed immaculately in a neatly tailored business suit. His square, neatly shaped beard and mustache were greying, as well were the wings of his well groomed hair, and he held a golden monocle in one eye. He somehow looked like a cross between an old southern cotton baron, and a football player. He radiated cold power, strength, and control.

This man was a powerful predator dressed comfortably in a businessman's suit, and he was eyeing us like we were prey.

"Mr Dun! Why are..." Donnie quickly got up to his feet, rubbing at his tear stained face with his sleeve while trying to regain his composure.

"I decided that it was time that I came down and had a talk with you, Donatello. You weren't in the lab, so I assumed you would be in here." the man, who must have been Darius Dun, came to a halt in front of us, standing tall and holding his arm behind himself imperiously.

"If you wanted to meet with me, then you should have called or messaged me and scheduled a time." Donnie growled, wiping a cheek and obviously embarrassed at being caught off guard in such an openly emotional state. "I was having a conversation with my brother Leo." He glared at Darius through tear stained eyes. "One that was meant to be private."

"I... can see that." Darius sniffed disdainfully, eyeing him, the corner of his mouth curling slightly in a controlled sneer.

I did not like the way this human seemed to be judging Donnie, especially not when the purple clad genius was so vulnerable, and moved to stand between them, a low growl rattling my chest as I glared at the huge man.

"Leo, no. It's okay!" Donnie quickly put a hand on my shell, trying to pull me back.

Darius, to his credit, didn't flinch in the slightest at the sight of a mutant turtle bristling in front of him. His arms remained behind his back, and his lips tightened under his well trimmed, square beard as he turned his glance to the purple brother. "Donatello, if your new brother continues to display aggressive behavior towards the staff of this facility, I'm going to have to insist that certain precautions be put in place."

"Oh really?" Donnie's eyes grew hard. "There is only one instance that I'm aware of, and that was when Bradford drew a sword on Mikey. I honestly don't think Leo reacted any differently then Raph and I would have in that situation. He definitely acted with more reservation then Raph would have." He glanced at me, then at Darius, his tear-stained eyes narrowed dangerously and his foot slid over to toe his bo staff, which he agilely kicked up and sheathed it in a holster on his back without looking. "Were there other instances that I'm unaware of?"

"Oh, calm down, Donatello." Darius rolled his eyes haughtily, as if dealing with a petulant child. "You're growing paranoid."

Donnie took a step forward, his jaw muscles tight. "There was an unidentified boot print found in Leo's sanctuary while we were gone, and I've checked through both the camera feed and the door entry logs, and noticed signs that the data logs in both of them may have been tampered with, possibly to cover up any video evidence or unauthorized log in attempts. Somebody is threatening my brother, Mr Dun, and I'm not going to take that lightly."

Darius scoffed, not impressed in the slightest. "Calm down, young master. Nobody is going to harm the mutant." He looked at Donnie deliberately, then tilted his head slyly. "In fact, as I recall, the only injury your dear turtle brother has received so far was a result of one of your own direct decisions, not anything my staff has done." He eyed the scar in my shell pointedly.

Donnie winced visibly, and seemed to deflate a little, his eyes darting involuntarily to my shell for a second in spite of himself.

I put a hand on his shoulder, eyes narrowing at the large hulk of a human in front of us. I had to remind myself that physically attacking the intruder would probably bring more trouble to Donnie then it would solve.

Darius unfolded his arms, bringing one forward to wave a hand through the air dismissively. "At any rate, this is actually why I've come all the way down here in search of you, in spite of my extraordinarily busy schedule. Doctor Stockman has informed me that you have been irrationally stubborn when it comes to some of his requests lately. I have looked it over, and what he is asking for is quite reasonable."

Donnie bristled up, immediately stepping in front of me, hand on his bo staff. "Leo is NOT to be touched! I believe I have made that very clear!"

Darius's lip curled up in contempt. "I have allowed you to waste a considerable amount of the clan's resources to indulge in this pet project of yours, even when it appeared to be nothing more then a fairy tale. All that expenditure will not be spent just for the purpose of putting this mutant in an indoor garden for you to play with. Dr Stockman believes that there is an opportunity here for useful knowledge and research that could be obtained, and I agree with him. As a fellow scientist yourself, you must see his reasoning. All Dr Stockman is asking for is a few blood samples to study, nothing more. Your brother is in no danger."

I felt my stomach involuntarily plummet with fear at his words. I would not let them run tests on me. I couldn't let them! Not after what I went through!

"Leonardo is a Hamato and my brother. He is NOT a lab project for Stockman to experiment on!" Donnie snarled heatedly, his brown eyes flashing and obviously sharing my feelings on the subject completely.

"Donatello, please use that intelligent brain that I know is in there." Darius stepped forward and pressed a finger roughly against Donnie's forehead. I narrowed my eyes and mentally imagined myself grabbing that finger and snapping it off. "'Leonardo' is a mutant, not a human. This is for his own well being, as well as scientific curiosity."

"I am the Chuunin of the Hamato Clan..." Donnie started testily, swatting the hand away from him sharply.

"And I am your guardian." Darius interrupted him sharply. "You are under my authority."

"Not for much longer." Donnie said coldly, arms crossed. "In only a year and a half, I'll be twenty one, and then I'll be able to take full custody of my brothers and the clan."

"Yes. Or maybe your father will finally wake up tonight after all these years. Who knows?" Darius sneered. "But until either of those things happen, I am in charge, and tomorrow morning, Dr Stockman will be allowed in to get his blood samples. Is that understood?"

Donnie's nostrils flared angrily, and he glowered at Darius, bristling protectively in front of me. Then his eyes darted to look at me, and he took a deep breath and forced his stance to relax a little. He glared at Darius. "Let us discuss this matter out in the tea room. I don't wish to upset Leo any further by continuing to argue in front of him."

Darius folded his arms behind his back again imperiously, giving a curt nod. "Very well." He stepped to the side and nodded for Donnie to lead the way.

Donnie took a step forward, but I reached out and grabbed his arm, looking at him pleadingly. I did not want him to leave to face this man alone, without his brothers by his side to protect him. I couldn't follow him out there, not without causing a major incident.

Donnie gave me a gentle reassuring smile, and patted my hand. "It's okay, Leo. I'm going to be just down the hall, I won't be too far away. We Hamatos protect one another. I'm not going to let anybody touch you."

Apparently he misread the reasons behind the worry on my face.

"I'll be back before you know it." Donnie gently pulled away, following Darius out of the sanctuary. "Watch over Dad until I return."

I stood there, unable to do anything as I watched the doors close behind the purple Hamato brother, dwarfed by the huge, heavily muscled businessman at his side like a prison warden.

My teeth clenched, and I flexed my hands in agitated motions. I did not like this. Not at all.

I turned and walked up to the glass window, staring at Hamato Yoshi sleeping there, completely oblivious to the dangers his sons were in. I pressed my forehead against the stone-like glass, tapping my finger against the surface as my mind raced.

Then, after a long moment, I resolutely stood up and took a deep breath, before turning towards the wall with the vent that gave me access to the rest of the compound.

It probably wouldn't work, but... maybe there was something I could do.

I had to try.

Author Notes:

What could have been...

Donnie: *tearfully clinging to Leo* Pls be my big brother?

Inner Logical Leo: *flailing around* Code Purple! Code Purple! Don't give in! We can't! This won't work! We have a plan, remember?! We need to stick to the plan!

Inner Chibi Leo: *quickly buries Inner Logic Leo under a tackle and pins him, Steven Universe-style stars in his eyes**

Actual Leo: ... Okay.

Donnie: *freezes, face still pressed up against Leo's plastron* O_O

Also, I'm going to mention that my update schedule is probably going to remain a little on the slow side, compared to what it was at the beginning of the story. Not only do I have a big mess remaining to clean up and thus less free time, but from here on out, the story is going to get rather intense, and is different then what I usually write. I'm going to take my time and try to get it right. I'm still going to try for at least one chapter a week, though.