Hi, everyone! Finally managed to crank this out, so that we can get back to all that lovely family bonding and introspection and stuff. Group scenes are tricky so it took quite a bit of playing with. Please leave a review and some feedback if possible!

The sound of the portal opening was familiar. There was the crackling hiss of the fabric between dimensions burning a hole through itself, for a brief moment seeing two very different worlds feel the same rush of air from the ritual performed.

Donatello knew that sound, from the many times he and his brothers had caused it themselves. More often than not, though, it brought them enemies and pain, and they were expecting no otherworldly guests tonight.

So grabbing his bo staff as he rushed from his lab was the only right thing to do, just in case. The period of relative peace they had been enjoying had probably lasted too long anyway.

Out of the corner of his eye, Donnie could see his brothers do the same, dropping TV remotes and comic books to reach for their weapons instead.

When the figure stepped through, he prepared for the worst. But the telltale rabbit ears, pulled back in a samurai's topknot, were a dead giveaway to the figure's identity. Donnie relaxed.

"Usagi?" Leo's grin was wide and he sheathed his swords, vaulting over the couch to meet their friend. Nothing like his older brother's favourite swordsman to get Leonardo's guard down. "What are you doing here? Surprise visit?"

Donnie felt his muscles tense again at Usagi's thin smile. His fingers twitched briefly around his staff. Maybe he was being followed, and he jumped to their world to escape? Or he needed their help with some serious problem. Neither prospect was really a good one.

"Well, we can relax," Mikey said, his arms hanging over the edge of the couch. He grinned at Usagi. "It's only Leo's sword boyfriend. What's shakin', samurai?"

That earned a glower from their eldest brother, but Usagi didn't even raise his eyebrows. He seemed preoccupied, actually—he held a large, fairly cumbersome-looking basket in one hand. Usagi kept glancing at it as if it would jump up and bite him.

"My apologies for the sudden arrival, my friends." The portal closed quickly behind Usagi. Gently, he set the basket down. "But, as always, it's very good to see you all again."

The way he looked everywhere but at them, how he shrugged off Leo's friendly clap on the shoulder … he was clearly agitated. Donnie saw Leo straighten up, eyes narrowed, and saw how Raphael's grip tightened around one of his sai.

"What sort of news?" Donnie ventured, sticking his staff back into his belt. "You really don't look so good, Usagi. Do you need our help or something?"

The way the samurai looked at him, usually friendly, instead made Donnie's stomach twist. It was hard and piercing like Donnie had never seen. He closed his eyes for a moment. Then his head began to fill with theories, to try and figure out what it was he had done to the samurai.

Leonardo reached out for their friend's shoulder again, and Usagi seemed to relax—though his eyes were still on Donatello.

Donnie remembered then his secret. He kept his expression neutral, before Usagi finally shook his head and turned away.

"So!" Mikey said. His cheerful voice cut through the tension of the lair.

Donnie's youngest brother leaped over the couch and landed lightly in front of the basket. Donatello saw the twitch of Usagi's hands towards his parcel, though he pulled them back in a second. The samurai's eyes were on him again, and Donnie frowned. Miyamoto Usagi's gaze was usually bright and intense, but never so harsh, as if Donnie had committed some personal crime against him.

"So," Mikey said again, looking around at his family."Uh … what's in the basket, Usagi-san? Brought me a present?"

They were all quiet. Leo mumbled something unheard and Raph scowled at their guest, arms folded protectively against the tension.

"Yeah," Raph added, finally speaking up. "What are you doing lugging that thing around? It's-"

Raphael stopped mid-sentence. This was unlike his brother, just as it was unlike Mikey to have gone deadly quiet now that he'd lifted the blanket off the basket's top. Donatello peered over to see what was inside—and pulled back in surprise, eyes widening.

"Aww! Dudes, it's so cute!"

Mikey leaned in closer, obscuring the view of soft blankets and green scales that Donnie had found all too telling. Where had Usagi found thislittle creature? And more importantly, why had he brought it here?

Instantly the lair's atmosphere changed. Leo crouched down to peer over Mikey and get a better look, and even Raph took a few cautious steps forward, curiosity getting the better of him. Donnie stayed by the couch, fingers digging into the arm of the worn fabric. He could still see from here—definitely a kame infant, with tiny fingers and eyes squeezed shut in sleep.

Remember, Akane, if you ever need help, find my friend Usagi if you can, alright?

He breathed out slowly, reminding himself that that was too far-fetched. A hum of exclamations now surrounding his brothers as they got a better look at the child. They were mutants: freaks of nature, who had no hope of another generation.

"Who's a cute little shell-head?" Mikey cooed. "You are! You're a cute little shell-head!"

Leo finally looked up, his expression questioning. "Really though, Usagi. Why did you bring a baby here? Is it a family friend or something …?" His stance wasn't comfortable, but Donnie didn't blame him—the four of them had no experience with young children, much less ones like them.

"I … in a way, yes." Usagi finally settled himself into a kneel, glancing with irritation at the concrete, rather than tatami mats, beneath his legs. "Donatello-san, do you remember Akane?"

Donnie's stomach clenched. So much for that.

It just wasn't possible. There was no way.

Mikey sat back onto his heels and looked at his brother curiously. "Who's Akane?" he asked, and Donnie could see the question in Leo and Raph's eyes as well. From them, though, it made him shrink, their gaze so much more knowing and accusing.

Usagi suddenly seemed extremely flustered, giving Donatello a pained look. He shifted uncomfortably, fingers twitching where they rested on his knees.

Donnie's gaze fell on the tiny figure in the basket, his eyes seeing what his brain refused to believe. A baby had been brought here, to them. A turtle baby. Who had been delivered by someone he had told his lover to go to in a time of trouble.

Donnie had been called a genius all his life. This puzzle was easy enough to piece together. Even if it just shouldn't have been. Ever.

"This would have been far easier, had you told your brothers what had happened ..." Usagi said with a small sigh.

"Yes, Donatello. It would have indeed."

Donnie had not thought it possible this to get any more uncomfortable. Master Splinter, however, had caught him off guard.

Usagi bowed immediately. Donnie looked everywhere but his master's face. Splinter quirked a brow, as if this whole situation amused him. But his sons could see the fire in his eye—Donnie wasn't the only one who could put together the pieces.

"Well?" Raph asked, his eyes narrowed. "Who's Akane, Donnie? Is there something you need to tell us?"

"A girl," Donnie said quietly. He glanced at the basket—Michelangelo was bent over it again, his mask tails brushing the child's nose. "I met her when we visited Usagi, and that's why I went missing … do I have to talk about this now?" he asked, almost despairing.

Leo opened his mouth to say something, but Mikey beat him to it, lifting his head excitedly.

"Oh, dude! I see how it is." His grin earned a fiery glare out of Donatello, which only served to deepen the mischief in Mikey's eyes. At least someone was having fun. "Being girl-crazy strikes again, huh? No wonder you were so tired when we found you in the morning—I mean, is the kid really yours?"

"She," Usagi said suddenly, looking utterly lost. "It's a girl. There are letters for you, by the way," the samurai added after a moment. "In the basket."

"Michelangelo." Splinter's voice silenced all of them. "Our guest should not have to hear your foolishness. Donatello will tell you all that he must, later. He and I will speak first." Splinter motioned for Donnie to follow, with a look of intensity that Donnie had not seen since his childhood. "Come, my son. Your brothers will watch her until tonight."

Leo blinked. "We will?"

"Yes," Splinter said sharply. "If she is your niece, then you had better get used to her presence."

Wordlessly, Donnie followed their father away, through the dojo's paper doors. Within five minutes, everything had changed. The only one who seemed unaffected was the baby herself, who had now opened her wide brown eyes to stare up at the others. Michelangelo's smile widened, and he let her reach out and grip one of his fingers.

"What a dumbass," Raph muttered, after a minute of thick, tense quiet. "What was he thinking?"

"I couldn't tell you," Leo said tiredly, glancing around at who was left. "Don't look at me like that, Usagi. You did what you had to. I'm … going to make tea. Mikey, keep her quiet, I guess."

He hoped it—no, she—wouldn't cry. He wouldn't know what to do. Neither would her father (Leo's genius little brother, by some miracle) who had proven far too impulsive for his own good, after all.

Whoever Akane was, he felt sorry for her. To have met Donatello the one time he chose not to think.