Hey! I'm back, with the 1st update of February.

Thank you to Cheetachan, BakaClara, fireworksinthenight, + animifairi

Yet again I seemed to have issues with phrasing and stuff with this chapter. It's so annoying. You know when you can see it in your head, but the minute it comes to putting words on paper…

There's a reference to my other fic 'We'll always be here for you', because I don't want to ruin that one I tend to skirt around what actually goes on in it. It might be an idea for you guys to read it though, if you want so you have a clearer picture.

This is a seriously long chapter. I couldn't figure out a natural place for a break so there isn't one and you guys have got a 2,000 words plus chapter. Apologies in advance.

Warnings: Nightmares [congratulations all who guessed], mentions of Meat Sweats and implications of abuse. Also you might cry a little if I'm doing my job right.

Anyway, See chapter one for the disclaimer and let's crack on.

This is beyond stupid. Mikey thought, as he dragged his feet down the corridor to his brother's room. Donnie will be fine. He'll be asleep, mouth open looking gormless as usual; maybe muttering something about Uranium. There wouldn't be anything wrong with him-

A piercing shriek cut off his thought process and he froze in his tracks. That surely couldn't be…

There was a bang as Raph slammed his door open and leapt out of it, tonfas raised and ready to strike, looking around as if expecting the perpetrator to appear in front of his face spider-man style. After establishing no such thing was going to happen he looked at Mikey and started. "What the shell-"

Another door slammed open and Leo staggered out of it, clearly still half-asleep with his sword raised in the air. "Wha'was'hat?"

Another shriek made Leo's head snap up, his eyes suddenly became focused and his grip on the sword tightened. Donnie.

A soft pattering alerted them to the fact Splinter was awake and heading towards them. "My sons is everything-" The old rat cut himself off upon hearing yet another shriek. Question answered then. Without another word he pushed past his other sons and headed into Purple's bedroom.

Inside was a sight that no parent ever really wishes to see. Donnie was twisting and turning widely, distress clearly written on his face. His fists were clenched like he was trying to fight something, and he was whimpering and muttering nonsense under his breath.

A quick movement behind him alerted Splinter to the fact his other sons had gathered behind him and he held a hand up as Leo moved slightly. "No, my son. Let me." With extreme care and caution he edged towards his second eldest son. "Donatello." He said softly, hoping his voice would be enough to wake him. Or at least soothe him. "Donatello, my son, it's your father." He waited with baited breath to see if the whimpering would quieten down or for any sign his son had heard him at all. When nothing was fore coming, Splinter took a deep breath. Looks like he'd have to do this the hard way…

"My sons shut the door."

He couldn't see them but his parent senses told him his other sons were looking at each other like he'd lost his marbles.

"Why-" Raph began, but Splinter cut him off in a rare moment of temper.

"-Just do as I say, Raphael!"

A bit more whispering followed by a soft click told Splinter his wishes had been obeyed. Looking down at his second-oldest, who was now moving in a way that suggested someone had poured ants down his shell, the rat sighed and flexed his hands hearing a satisfying click as he did so. "Here goes…" He muttered under his breath and reached out to shake Purple awake.

The micro-second his claw made contact with Donnie's shell his second oldest hit out, managing – despite the fact he was definitely asleep – to land a hit directly on Splinters snout.

With a shout of pain he fell backwards against the writing desk his son had managed to salvage a couple of years back.

Awoken by the clatter, Purple bolted upright and looked around the room for Meatsweats before screaming and throwing the covers over his head as the door was thrown open and his brothers came tumbling through it, falling over one another in the process.

"Watch it Raph!"

"Me watch it!? You fell over ME you numpty!"

"You're crushing me!" Mikey wailed from the bottom of the pile.

Enough of this nonsense. Splinter thought as he dragged himself up. "Stop this at once!" He said, while pinching his nose in an effort to stop the bleeding.

The strange sound of their Pops voice got all his sons attention. "You alright Pops?" Raph asked, somewhat warily.

For answer Splinter stopped pinching his nose, allowing a couple of drops of blood to fall on the floor.

Mikey paled. "I'll…get you some sponges or you know a mop…" Before exiting hurriedly from the room.

"…Did I do that?"

The rat jumped as he heard Purple's voice.

Re-pinching his nose Splinter turned round and gave his second eldest a re-assuring smile. "You did. But do not worry, I was prepared for it. The main thing is you are awake."

Donnie didn't seem to hear him, however, to fixated on the blood on the floor. "…I hurt you."

"My son, I am fine-"

"I hurt you!"

"No you-"

"Yes I did, you're bleeding!"

Hearing the sheer panic in his second-eldest voice, Splinter edged forward saying, as soothingly as he could given the circumstances. "My son, I assure you I am fine-"

Purple leapt back, shell flat against the wall. "N-no, stay away!"

Mikey came into the room with the sponges just in time to hear this last sentence. He gave a confused look to Leo who gestured to him to leave Pops to it.

Splinter took a deep breath and sat down on the bed. Purple looked at him like he was expecting to be stabbed.

"Donatello, take a breath." Splinter said, calmly yet sternly. Donnie looked at him with worry before hesitantly breathing in and out slowly. His Pops nodded. "That's it. Nice and deeply, there we go…"

When he was sure his son had calmed down a little, Splinter turned his attention to his other three sons. "Raphael, would you get me some water please. Leonardo, we need some rags for the floor and Michelangelo if you would kindly give me those sponges rather than just stand there holding them, that would be much appreciated."

As Red and Blue hurried of to complete their individual tasks, Michael edged forward and held out a sponge for Splinter. "H-here…"

"Thank you." Splinter wiped his nose, placed the sponge on the writing desk and turned to Purple. "See? I am fine."

Donnie nodded and looked at him for the first time. "…The blood will clot and you'll find it difficult to breath for a while, but it's not broken so – you're lucky."

"I am extremely lucky yes, to have sons like you four. Now, what was that all about?"

Donnie twisted his hands together nervously and Splinter could practically feel the anxiety coming off him like waves.

"I…" Donnie trailed off as Raph and Leo came back into the room.

"Ignore them. Raphael – the water please." After Donnie had drained the glass in less than ten seconds Splinter asked again. "What was all that about my son?"

"Nightmare." Purple whispered, looking at the glass like he hoped it would replenish itself.

His father gently took the glass from him and placed it next to the rag. "What sort of nightmare?"

There was a silence Donnie thought back over his dream. "The…the alarm…that I set up here – it was breached by…a couple of our bad guys-"

"Whoa, steady on they're not OUR bad guys. We haven't adopted them or anything." Leo said, in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere. All he got was one blank look, two annoyed ones and a sharp dig in the ribs from Mikey, who hissed.

"Dude, timing." To him.

Splinter shook his head and turned back to Purple. "Which bad guys?"

"Er…there were four...I'm not sure, the only one I remember is Meat-Sweats-"

"What, him again?" Raph exploded.

Now it was Leo's turn to jab someone in the ribs and Raph clamped his mouth shut when he realised what he just said. However by then the damage was [yet again] done and Splinter narrowed his eyes at them.

"What do you mean 'again?'" He said in a voice that might as well have been made of ice.

Hearing his brothers chorus of 'er', 'well-' and 'you see's made the guilt Don felt twist at his insides even more and he found himself bursting out. "I had a nightmare about him a couple of months back, after I was kidnapped by him, but it's fine, I'm over it-"

"-My son, if you were indeed 'over it' we would not be having this conversation!"

"Ugh! I'm fine! I'm telling you I. Am. Fine!"

The old rat opened his mouth to argue, but closed it again upon realising it would be fruitless. He took a breath and said instead. "Get out and close the door." To Red, Blue and Orange who promptly followed his instructions.

My son. You do not have to be strong all the time, you know." He saw Purple's shoulders hunch, and realising he was on the right tracks, said with extra-special care. "Nightmares are nothing to be ashamed off. Everybody has them. You would not…" He trailed off. He'd been about to say 'would not be human without them' but there was an obvious flaw with that reasoning. "You would not have a beating heart or a working brain without them." He said instead. "Nightmares, by my understanding, are the subconscious trying to deal with what it's been through and, I have to say, you four boys have been through a lot in a very short space of time. Under a year in fact. It is no surprise you may be having difficulties adjusting. That does not make you weak, or any less of a turtle. Do you understand me?"

Donnie paused and nodded.

Splinter smiled and softly stroked the back of his sons shell. Donnie in turn leaned into the touch. "Now." The old rat said softly. "Would you like to tell me what the nightmare was about?"

"Which one?"

"…This one then the last one."

And so Donnie hesitantly explained the dream that was still painfully fresh in his mind, ending with. "Then he threw me into a pan of boiling water and I started screaming my head off."

"I am not surprised." Splinter said gravely. "It doesn't sound at all pleasant. Now…how about the one before?"

"Well…to be honest, Pops, I can't really remember. They were a little while ago, that and the fact I've actively been trying not to sleep and my memory's not too good at the moment. Sorry."

His father sighed. "Very well then. I would however, like to know what happened in order to make you so afraid of him you've basically been having chronic nightmares. I know you were kidnapped by him…did-" Splinter fought down an urge to throw up as his worse thoughts fluttered through his mind. "-Did he do anything else to you?"

Donnie gave him a blank look, clearly not understanding what his Pops was getting at. Thankfully Splinter was saved from having to go into detail as the penny dropped and Donnie said, with audible alarm. "Oh shell no, nothing like that Sensei! No…he just tied me up. And tried to roast me over a fire. But you know, the bro's…" Purple waved a hand in the vague direction of the door. "The bro's helped me out, so – yeah – I'm fine, really. Fine."

The old rat gave his son a look, hunting for any sign Donatello was hiding something. When he found none he sighed and said. "Very well. Just let it be known if you need to you can come to myself about anything alright? And – as a minor side note – if you are, heaven forbid, ever kidnapped by Meat Sweats or any other villain again I WOULD like to know what happened to you. In that aspect ignorance is not bliss. Now-" Splinter held out his arms. "Shall we hug?"

Donnie grinned and threw his arms around his pops, nearly crushing him in the process. But, Splinter thought, as long as his son was happy he supposed the crushing pain in his ribs was bearable.

Outside the door Red, Blue and Orange fist-bumped.