DISCLAIMER:As many of you may know, I have the tendency of going back over stories and chapters that have already posted. Sometimes I add a word here, a phrase there. Usually, it doesn't add too many words to my total and I can just re-load the 'new and improved' version without adding it as a completely new chapter.

Usually.

However, in the case of Butterfly, I have added so much to all of the chapters that it just pushed the number of words into an additional chapter. Therefore, Chapter 8 is not new, as far as content is concerned. It is as it was before when it first posted, with a few changes here and there. All reviews that were for Chapter 6 are now posted at the bottom of the new Chapter 7. As far as this chapter is concerned, read if you're curious, review if you feel led to, but please know and understand that I did this in an attempt to get back into the story and, thereby, to continue its telling.

As before, I only own the OC and the story itself. All other entities, whether real or imagined, are the property of other, more creative people.

Enough said. Be blessed.

Chapter 8– Just Like Me

Splinter stared hard at his son. He stared at the eyes of his oldest as Leo, in turn, looked back. Yet, no matter how long Splinter look at, nor how hard the rat tried to connect mentally with him, it was perfectly clear that Leonardo did not recognize his family.

If anything, the expression of complete confusion and fear on his son's face told the rat as much.

As the master continued to study him, he noticed the bruising along Leo's skull. He quickly concluded that he must have suffered a concussion, which would explain why his son had been in a coma.

Still, amnesia was not something the master had expected. Yet, as he gave it some consideration, Splinter realized that he shouldn't have been so surprised. Head injuries often had complicated side affects.

Memory loss was one of them.

After uttering his words of confusion, Leonardo startled and quickly tried to sit up. However, he found, much to his dismay again, the need to lie back down. It seemed, to him, that being able to sit in a vertical position was not going to happen any time soon.

Reaching one hand up to his head, he groaned as he lay back down upon the couch, "Oh, my head – it hurts so much. What's wrong with it?"

Alarmed with Leo's confusion and his headache, Donnie was quick to react. Hurrying into the kitchen, he procured a bottle of aspirin from a cupboard and then grabbed a glass from within another. Filling the glass with tap water from the faucet, he swiftly returned to the main part of the lair.

However, as he approached the couch with the pain reliever and glass of water, he noticed a subtle, yet alarming reaction, from his stricken brother.

To Leonardo, Don had moved quicker than he had expected him to move. With his memory compromised, he did not recognize the ninja technique Donatello used to speed the much-needed medication to him.

With his eyes growing wide in surprise, Leo tried to bury himself into the back cushions of the couch as this 'stranger' came rushing towards him.

"H-how'd you do that?" Leo asked loudly in surprise.

As he saw his brother's reaction, Don came to an abrupt halt, the sudden action forcing some of the water to splash out of the cup. The purple-banded turtle now stood there in front of Leonardo, a confused expression on his face as the cup in his hand dribbled water out onto the concrete floor.

Glancing over at his sensei, then at Raph and Mike, Don looked back down at Leo and asked, "What – do you mean, how'd I do that? Do what?"

Pointing to the kitchen with a shaky finger, Leo explained in obvious surprise, "M-move so quickly like that. It's almost as if you – just disappeared right in front of me. How'd you do that?"

Laughing sarcastically, Raph remarked, "What? Com'on Leo, you know we're…"

However, Splinter suddenly held up a paw to quiet him, while he said, "Maybe Donatello was just concerned, my son, for your welfare," He looked directly at Leo and in that way drew the turtle's gaze over to him. "He only wanted to get you the aspirin to relieve your headache as quickly as possible. You are injured and, as you stated, your head does hurt. It is likely you only thought that Donatello disappeared."

Leo's eyes squinted as he looked up at the rat. He tried to decide what bothered him more, the strange creature that was speaking to him, or the quick movement of the other equally strange being who had the glass of water in his hand. He glanced up at those who stood behind the couch and noticed that they looked very much like the one the rat called Donatello. Finally, he chanced a question, his face contorted as if repulsed, "What - are you guys?" He looked over at Splinter and asked another question before the first one could be answered, "And where am I?"

Raphael and Mike looked at one another in surprise. It was becoming quite clear to them that their brother was suffering from amnesia. It seemed as if Leonardo now saw them in the same way as the human world did.

To him, they were nothing more than freaks.

As a result, Raph could not help but grumble, "Great, now even one of our own…"

Yet, with a stern look from Splinter, the red-masked turtle quelled whatever other comment he was going to make. Instead, he remained standing behind the couch in silence, his hands fisting and un-fisting in frustration.

Splinter turned his attention back to Leonardo, smiling patiently down at his son as he said, "We are – friends, my son and you are in our - home."

"Why – do you keep calling me your son?" Leo asked hesitantly. He chuckled under his breath a little, as if the very thought of being this creature's son was the most absurd idea. "How ridiculous to even think that," he mused silently.

"It is an expression that I often use with – guests," the rat explained carefully. "You have been injured and my sons have brought you to our home in order to take care of you."

Leo was now more confused than before. It was perfectly obvious to him the rat was not at all like the ones who were standing behind him. He looked back up and around to make sure of it. Once Leo was convinced of that fact, he returned to look at Splinter, "Why do you call them your sons when it's perfectly obvious you are not their father! Are they your guests, too?"

Splinter sighed and then explained, a hint of sadness in his voice, "No, they are not. Maybe once your headache is better, we can talk more about it." He then turned to Don, "Donatello, I believe that Leonardo is ready for the aspirin."

Anxious for some relief from his discomfort, yet a bit hesitantly, Leo slipped one arm underneath him and propped himself up. He then took the medication and the glass of water from Donatello's proffered hand. Looking at the pills and then up at the purple-masked turtle, he noticed a slight smile spread across Don's face. It was a warm, comforting smile and it seemed to bolster Leo's confidence.

Eager to rid himself of the headache, he then popped the aspirin into his mouth and washed it down with the glass of water. When he was done, Leo handed the glass back to Donatello, who quickly sat it down on the coffee table next to him.

As Leo slipped back down and into the seat cushions of the sofa, he let out a deep sigh. Everything was just so confusing to him. He looked over at the large rat and then up at the three turtles again, easily recognizing that they were not the garden-variety type. Yet, in some strange way, they seemed vaguely familiar to him.

Just the same, he decided to hold back from saying so until he was able to get a better understanding of his situation – and some relief from his headache.

Suddenly, like a delayed reaction, Leo's eyes slowly began to widen. Quickly, he brought his right arm back up, the one whose hand had just held the glass of water, and looked at it as if for the very first time. A gasp escaped his mouth. Holding it out in front of him, Leo studied the appendage with growing apprehension, turning it front to back as he inspected it. However, as he did, his eyes gradually widened even more. He looked back up at those who stood behind the couch and took note that, where they rested their hands along the top, they were exactly like his.

As he looked down at the rest of him and then glanced over at Donnie, one thing was becoming quite clear to Leo.

Despite his inability to recognize anyone and his initial reaction, those who he thought were freaks, were just like him!

A sudden fear gripped him and soon after, a strangled cry began to rise deep within his throat. As it gained volume and force, the others behind the couch stood back and away, uncertain what Leonardo was going to do.

Splinter, however, had seen the look of shocked horror on his son's face. Just with Leo's expression alone, the rat anticipated what was going to happen next. Then, as Leo began to scream, Splinter leaned in and gently took the stricken turtle's wrists. Holding them firmly as he slipped in beside his son, Master Splinter said softly, "Hush, now, my son. There is no need for alarm. Yes, Leonardo, you are just like them. I am sorry that this has worried you, but rest assured, you are safe and, in time, all will be well."

"H-how did – I – get – like – THIS!" Leonardo yelled, trying to pull out of the rat's grip in order to bolt up off the couch. However, he found the creature far stronger than he looked and in his weakened state, Leo was hardly a match.

One of the others like himself, who wore the orange mask, leaned over the back of the sofa and firmly pushed Leo down into the couch. "Hey, bro, easy…it's all right. You're fine, really!" Mike coaxed as he wrestled with his injured brother.

Splinter gently replied as he maintained his hold, "It is a long story and one that I will tell you about, but first, Leonardo, you must calm down."

Raphael, however, could only shake his head and grouch as he threw his hands up in frustration, "Oh, great, just great. Our Fearless Leader can't even remember what he is, which means if the Foot decide to get busy tonight…"

Having enough of him, Splinter snapped, "Raphael, you will go to your room and stay there until you understand that this was not of Leonardo's choosing."

Glaring once at his sensei, Raph snorted, "Well, if Leo hadn't had gone off by himself, Sensei, he wouldn't have been attacked!" and then snapped his mouth shut as he huffed off towards one of the subway cars.

As he stormed inside, he gripped the edge of the door and slid it shut behind him with an angry pull, nearly upending it off its track. It banged loudly as it closed, the noise reverberating throughout the lair. Then, it seemed that he had taken his anger out on whatever objects were in his room, as the sound thrashing came to everyone's ears. Finally, after a moment, they heard Raphael flop down into his bed, the creak of bedsprings audible enough for all to hear.

"Well, now that that's over with." Mike deadpanned with a grin. However, he cringed when he saw his master's stern gaze. "I'll- ah – just go and – a - check on our guest," Mike then released Leo and hurried around the couch towards the subway car in which the girl was resting.

"Good, the fewer distractions Leonardo has, Michelangelo, the better." Splinter smiled thinly. He then looked over at his memory-impaired son.

By this time, the stricken turtle had calmed down. With all that was going on, between Raph's angry march to his bedroom and Mike's departure to Splinter's, Leonardo had been distracted from his shock. As he watched the progression of events, he thought it all rather strange.

Just the same, there was one thing that grabbed his attention. In all that was said, with all that happened, everyone seemed to be referring to him as Leonardo, or Leo, or Fearless Leader - if what the angry turtle said was true.

"Am I a leader?" he asked himself silently. "If I am, I certainly don't feel fearless right now." Realizing with the way he was feeling and that he was somewhat stuck where he was, Leo relaxed against the couch cushions. It was then that the rat loosened his hold on the turtle's wrists. Finally, Splinter released him completely as his son finally calmed down.

Leo looked up at the creature and sensed serenity from him, despite the fact that, moments earlier, the rat was quite upset with the one called Raphael. Leo looked over as he watched the one in orange retreat into yet another of the strange cars, "And that one is called - Michelangelo. What strange names," he thought

However, the other turtle, the one wearing the odd purple mask, stood next to where the rat sat on the couch. Leo looked up at him and meekly asked, "So – your name is – Donatello, right?"

Swallowing to fight back his own concern with his brother's memory loss, Donnie replied, "Right. But, you can call me Don or Donnie." He smiled in an attempt to put him at ease.

"Donatello…" Leo allowed the name to roll off his tongue as he tried it out. "Donatello, Donnie…" he experimented. "I like Don, better. Seems more familiar, for some reason." Leo didn't know why he felt that way, but for the moment, he did.

However, in that moment, he saw a smile spread across Don's face. The rat, too, seemed to respond positively, his whiskers twitching almost in anticipation. "Have I - said something wrong?" Leo asked worriedly.

"No, not at all, in fact, it's a good sign!" Donnie chirped happily. He turned to Splinter and then said, "I'm going to go research a bit, Sensei. If you need me…"

"I will call you, my son," the rat nodded. He then turned back to focus on Leo and commented, "Right now, it is far more important for Leonardo to become reacquainted with his home."

As he watched Don leave and from where he lay on the couch, Leo saw that he was in a large concrete and brick room. It was wide and expansive with a high ceiling that had a decorative glass dome in the center of it. Train cars, three of them, were just behind where Splinter sat, which told Leo that the room he was in was more of subway station of sorts.

As he took in the abandoned station, Leo found that the aspirin was taking the edge off his headache. That, in and of itself, was a relief. Still, he was quite intrigued with where he was at for the moment. "So, do I live here?" Leonardo asked as he looked around.

"Yes, you do," Splinter replied, a bit more upbeat than he felt earlier, "The others are also your brothers. And…" Splinter reached over to caress Leo's skull gently, "it seems as if you have suffered from a concussion. This might explain why you do not recognize anyone."

Nodding as if accepting the rat's explanation, Leo then asked him, "What do I call you, then?"

Smiling and folding his paws into his lap, Splinter bowed slightly and replied, "You may call me Master Splinter, or Sensei, for that is what I am to you."

Leo furrowed his brow in curiosity, asking, "What – is a sensei?"

Sighing and nodding his head, he realized Leo had probably lost more than his memory. And, more than likely, he might have lost his knowledge of ninjitsu as well.

Just the same, Splinter replied evenly, "It means 'teacher'. It is Japanese and is often used in conjunction with martial arts, or ninjitsu." He waited, now, wondering if those two words would trigger his son's memory. He hoped that they would.

Yet, as he watched for a light of recognition in his eldest son's eyes, Splinter slowly realized that his Leonardo' amnesia seemed to be complete. The look of utter confusion on the turtle's face was even more intense that before.

Now, how was his son going to be able to continue his training when all of his memory was gone?

That was the biggest problem and one that the rat feared most. Maybe after some time, Leonardo would find himself again, yet Splinter knew that certain forms of amnesia were permanent. In response, he couldn't help but sigh in frustration. As he sadly watched Leonardo look around from where the turtle lay on the couch, Splinter could only hope that, for the welfare of the clan and for the sake of his oldest son, this would not be true of him.

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Author's Notes: Well, I do not expect any reviews for this, where the contents have already posted and commented on in what used to be Chapter Seven. I will comment on those reviews at the end of Chapter Nine. Just the same, I want to say thanks to everyone's participation in keeping my interest going. Yeah, I took a bit of a breather after finishing Reflected Reality, although Absolution was a random thought that managed to find its way onto Fan Fiction. I do plan to finish that one, too. I know how it's going to end and all, where it's leading to, etc…

Anyway, mucho gracias! Be blessed.