I decided to expand on the first chapter. Now it's not a one-shot anymore.
Disclaimer: I only own myself. Hopefully nobody tries to sue me for that.
Michelangelo looked over his immediate older brother's shoulder anxiously, baby blue eyes eying at Donatello's computer monitor suspiciously. He's gotta have a mistake somewhere in here. No way the Shredder was telling the truth!
Don sighed, reading the orange-banded turtle's mind. "Sorry Mikey, but I've looked over the Foot's research at least five times. What I've gotten done so far on my own matches up completely. And everything that the Foot got done ahead of me is all accurate."
Raph came in. "They gotta be lying."
Donnie shook his head sadly. "Unlikely. I transferred this data from their lab computers."
Raph growled and clenched both fists. "Damn it."
Mikey looked over Don's written notes again, trying to understand all the geek-speak. It didn't take long for him to give up.
"My sons."
The three turtles looked to see Master Splinter in the doorway.
"Yes, Master Splinter?" Don responded.
The rat entered the lab and stood next to his second youngest. "You all have done so much tonight. You all should rest."
"But-" the young genius started. But his sensei cut him off with a raised hand.
"J is safe. That is what is important." He put a hand on Don's shoulder. "Come."
The purple-banded turtle sighed in defeat. He got up and followed his brothers and father into the living room.
It was around this time that Mikey voiced a question that was floating in everyone's heads. "When are we gonna tell him?"
Donnie shook his head. "I'm not sure I want to tell him."
Suddenly a new voice joined the conversation. "You won't have to worry about that, Donnie."
Everyone looked over at Leonardo, who was carrying the sleeping form of J, bridal style.
Raph walked up to him, ticked. "Oh great. Just great. Ya told him!? Why would ya do that!?"
Leo looked at J's tear-stained face. "I didn't want to hide it from him. Remember how he told us how he knew about us right away?"
"Oh yeah. He said he didn't want it to slip out later and have us be mad at him for not telling us," Mikey answered.
Master Splinter nodded. "So you extended the same courtesy back to him."
"Right."
Donnie shifted nervously. "How did he take it?"
Leo sighed and held J a little closer. "He cried himself to sleep."
Mikey ran up close. "Poor J!"
Raph wasn't please. "See? This is what I mean! His spirit's busted up by the Shredder and then ya go and stomp on it!" He stomped over to Leo, glaring.
The blue-banded turtle glared back. "He needed to know."
"No he didn't!"
"What's done is done! I'm not sorry!"
"Damn straight, you're not!"
"Raphael!" Splinter said sternly.
Donnie stepped between them. "Guys, knock it off. You're both right, in a way."
Both turtles opened their mouths to argue.
"And you're gonna wake J if you keep it up," Mikey complained, cutting them off.
Neither of the elder turtles had a response.
Donnie turned to Leo, planning on changing the subject. "Did you take off J's bandages?"
Leo gave Don a look of disbelief. "Of course not. I think he did it before I went in to check on him. Do you really think I'm that foolish?"
Everyone looked at Raph for the inevitable confirmation to Leo's rhetorical question.
The hothead already had his mouth open, but closed it upon noticing everyone's accusing stares, pretending he wasn't going to insult Leo.
"What?" he said, annoyed.
Mikey looked at Raph, then at Leo. "Okay, dudes," he began sternly, "you need to chill. If you guys argue like this, our lil bro isn't going to feel very good when he wakes up. So you bros need to get along till he gets better. Okay?"
Both turtles had the decency to look embarrassed that they had just gotten lectured by Michelangelo.
Mikey smiled. "Good. Now I'm pooped. So Leo, I need you to lay J on the couch. I have an awesome idea."
Everyone stared at Mikey blankly.
"Care to explain further?" Don inquired after a second.
Mikey groaned inwardly. "I was thinking we could get all our mattresses out here and bunch them all together like one big bed." The orange-banded turtle grinned again. "Then we all sleep on it, like in the good old days."
"Ya mean like when you and Donnie had nightmares?" Raph interrupted with a smirk.
Mikey fake pouted, but nodded. "Except with J in the middle."
Master Splinter walked over to the couch. "I think that would be an excellent idea." He sat down. "Leonardo. Please bring J to me. I will watch him while you four gather your mattresses."
"Hai, sensei," Leo replied, carrying his human brother to the couch. He laid J down, positioning him so that his head rested on Master Splinter's lap.
Meanwhile, the others had already begun bringing the mattresses in.
"Need I remind you, Raphael, that you also tended to have nightmares? Primarily about giant insects, arachnids, and other such -"
"Shut up, Donnie."
*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*
Soon enough, all five teens were comfortably sleeping on the line of mattresses in the middle of the living room floor. Donatello and Michelangelo slept on either side of J, with all three sleeping between Leonardo and Raphael.
Some time after all were asleep, J's eyes opened. He looked around confused.
Where am I?
He tried shifting, but he was bound by something strong. J's breath caught in his throat. What now?
A mew broke him out of his despair. J looked up to see a feline-like silhouette.
"Klunk?" the boy whispered.
The cat mewed in confirmation.
If Klunk is here then… J hand went to whatever was holding him in place.
It was a pair of leathery arms. J's hand traced one toned arm until he found the shoulder it was attached to. Then his hand found the edge of a plastron.
Obviously a turtle's. But whose? J hesitantly felt his way up to the turtle's snout. He was rewarded with a soft grunt.
Donnie? So the rumors are true… He is a snuggle-bunny when he sleeps. J suppressed a giggle, but he couldn't resist grinning like an idiot. It looks like he didn't outgrow it.
J felt something rub against his shin. He realized that Donnie wasn't the only one who joined him. He focused all his attention on that general direction. He heard some light snores, but that was coming from behind the form just in front of him.
Is that Raph back there?
Suddenly, the form in front of him mumbled something about either anchovies or Argentina. J's mind quickly identified the voice.
And given that it's Mikey, it's probably anchovies. And since Donnie, Mikey, AND Raphie are here - Wait… 'Raphie'? Oops. Don't tell him I called him that. Anyway, what was I saying? Oh yeah. If Donnie, Mikey, and Raph are all here, I think it's safe to assume that Leo is also here.
J smiled softly as an overwhelming sense of security washed over him. He snuggled back against Donatello until he was as close as possible. Slowly he started to drift off to sleep.
Hey, J's brain suddenly called out. You think it's awkward that Don doesn't have his mask or gear on and that you don't have a shirt on?
REALLY? was all J could respond with before falling completely asleep.
*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*
Klunk watched as his master's human companion fell asleep. The young cat sensed that his whole pack was a lot calmer than they had been for the past fortnight.
And he was happy for this. Klunk couldn't stand it if his pack was distressed. But now all was right.
The tabby jumped up onto the the coffee table and made himself comfortable, before falling asleep himself.
Next chapter, look forward to a new character being introduced.
And tell me what you think of all this. Feedback is beautiful.
*singing* You're beautiful... So beautiful! Baaah-daaaah...
Er, sorry. Random moment.