Apologies that this took so long. I honestly wasn't sure where to end the chapter, but I found a natural place to stop. Thank you all for you interest so for in this story :)

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Chapter 3 Keeping Quiet

Raphael was the last one up for breakfast. Rubbing his eyes he yawned widely just before he entered the kitchen. Surprisingly he had managed to get more sleep and no horrible monsters decided to join him for the night which was a relief. He clambered up the nearest stool and flopped down on the seat.

He noted Donnie was sat adjacent to him, next to Michelangelo, nursing a bowl of now soggy cereal and looking like he hadn't slept a wink last night. He was usually bent over some random book whilst he ate but this morning he was just staring into his bowl as if the answer to some unknown question was waiting for him in there. Something niggled at the back of his mind but Raph shrugged it off.

"Heads up bro!" Mikey called across the table and slid the cereal box across to him.

Without thinking about it Raph caught it and poured it into his waiting bowl.

"So, how did the horror marathon go last night dude?"

Raphael froze, his right hand wrapped about the milk carton. In his peripheral vision he saw Donnie's eyes flick in his direction before focussing back down. That little blabber mouth! He couldn't keep his mouth shut for even one night?!

He glared across at Donatello who met his furious gaze with wide eyed terror. He shook his head vigorously and Raph's eyes narrowed.

"I tried to stay awake but I guess I fell asleep, sorry bro," Mikey added sheepishly, not catching Raphael's silent accusation of Donnie.

Still suspicious but relaxing somewhat, Raph sat back and sloshed a good amount of milk on his cereal.

"You really shouldn't have watched that marathon last night Raph," Leonardo began.

Oh, great here we go…

"You betrayed Master Splinter's trust."

"Oh I did not," he retorted with an irritable shrug of his shoulders.

"You did so."

"Look, I'm tired alright Leo. Just back off and gimme a break-"

"And why are you tired Raphael?"

Raph froze, spoon midway to his mouth. Sewer apples! How was he going to talk his way out of this one?

"Raphael woke up earlier that he intended to Master Splinter," Leonardo answered in his stead.

Splinter raised an eyebrow and looked back down at him. "Is that so, Raphael?"

With a quick look at his older brother, Raph snapped his gaze back to his sensei. "It is Master Splinter."

Their father nodded. "Very well, training starts in ten minutes my sons. I suggest you all be prompt."

"Hai sensei," the brothers all chimed together.

With that the tall rat turned about and made his leave.

When Raph was sure that Master Splinter was out of earshot he glanced across at Leo. "Why didja do that? You're usually like the world's worst liar."

Leonardo looked back at him, staring him squarely in the eye. "Because what I think doesn't matter. I wasn't about to drop you in it," Raph quirked an eyebrow and was about to say something when Leo continued. "It's up to you to come clean and tell Master Splinter what you did."

Any words of thanks Raph was about to say died on his tongue. Self righteous teacher's pet. Out of the corner of his eye he thought he saw Donnie smirk. Without a second's hesitation he shot daggers his younger brother's way.

"You got somethin' ya wanna say you skinny dork?"

Donnie's features turned ashen. A nervous swallow and the boy gave a tight shake of the head

.

"Good," Raphael growled back and finally began to eat his now soggy cereal.

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Once in the dojo Raph was suddenly quite pleased that they would be partnered up to spar one another. However when Donnie was made his opponent his heart sank a little. It wasn't going to be much of a fight but, at least it would be quick. He really wanted to give Leo a pounding.

As they faced one another Raph noted the nervous stature Donnie held. He might be a weed but he usually held a firmer stance than this. He was always out there to try and prove himself, despite the fact that he got pummelled nearly every time. Heck, even Mikey could run circles around him. Well, Raph wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

"Hajime!" Splinter gave the command and Raph didn't hesitate.

He flew at his younger brother who actually yelped and blocked the attack. Raph tried again and again, twirling his blunted blades and trying to provoke an attack but Donnie seemingly refused to fight. If Raphael didn't know any better he would have said Donatello was afraid of him. Well, so he should be! Sneaking around and calling him scared? Raph began to feel a prickle of anger needle itself through his mind and his attack upon Donnie became ever more fierce.

Finally Donnie lifted his bo staff, clipping his blunted sai and knocking him clean in the face. It was more an accident that a blatant attack, Raphael knew that but he still took umbrage to it.

"That's how you wanna play it, you little nerd?"

His strikes came in so furious and fast that Donnie could not keep up with him. "Stop! Stop, please!" his brother begged.

"Yame!"

Donnie fell onto his shell as Raph, his adrenaline still surging fell with him. "I didn't say anything," his brother whimpered as he was bodily pulled up and off his brother.

"Your anger is not a weapon Raphael," Splinter scolded.

"Hai sensei," Raphael averted his gaze as Master Splinter then turned to Donatello.

"Donatello I know Raphael intimidates you but pure defense is not going to win a battle."

"H-hai sensei," Donnie stammered.

With that their teacher turned about and struck his crystal cane against the floor. "Again!"

Raphael readied himself but Donnie just stared back at their sensei with dismay. He caught eyes with Raph and then did something that surprised everyone. He threw down his bo staff and shook his head. "No," he said in a small voice.

"Donatello, arm yourself!" Splinter said firmly.

The boy took a step back and to everyone's shock defied Splinter a second time. "NO!" Glancing back at Raph, Donnie turned and fled the dojo.

Again something irritated Raphael at the back of his mind but he dismissed it just as quickly. "Wimp," he uttered as he stared at the dojo's empty doorway.

"Leonardo, find you brother. Bring him back."

"Hai sensei."

As his goody two shoes older brother ran to do his father's bidding Raph flipped the training sai in his hand.

"Raphael."

He fumbled the blade and dropped it.

"Is there anything you need to tell me?"

Raph stiffened. "No."

"I sense a rift between you and Donatello. Care to tell me what that rift is?"

"There ain't no rift Master Splinter."

His father and teacher let a soft but frustrated sigh. "Very well. Maybe Donatello can enlighten us after Leonardo brings him back to the dojo."

A flare of panic sparked in Raphael's chest. "There's nothing wrong sensei, promise!"

"Let's hear what you brother has to say."

Raphael swallowed nervously and looked back to the doorway. Leonardo walked back in and he was alone.

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What had he done? What had he just done? He shouldn't have defied Splinter like that! Donnie leant on the door to his 'lab' and tried to slow his panicked breathing. He just couldn't face Raphael again. He hadn't done anything wrong. He'd kept his mouth shut and still Raph tried to wail on him.

"Donnie!"

The boy froze as he heard his oldest brother's voice travel across the lair. Quick as a whip he flung himself through the doorway and pulled the door's handle with him. The heavy metal slammed shut and Donnie tripped back and fell on to his shell.

"Donnie! C'mon! Master Splinter wants you back!"

Donnie scrabbled back from where he now sat, heart pounding so hard he could hear it reverberating through his ears.

"No!" he cried back and heard Leo start to turn the handle of the door.

In a snap Donnie was back on his feet and leapt at the door, he caught the handle but he didn't have the strength to stop it moving. His feet scuffed the floor as his brother pushed the door from the other side. "Darn it Donnie! Let me in!"

"Please, just leave me alone Leo!" Donatello pleaded.

There came a decisive shove and Donnie yelped as he fell back for the third time that morning. "Donnie, what's gotten into you?"

Donnie scrambled to his feet and backed off. "Nothing!" he replied with a slight high pitched whine to his tone.

Leo stared back at him, now showing genuine concern. "Donnie, what's wrong?" he asked quietly.

Daring to turn his back, Donatello retreated further into his lab trying to find some kind of distraction.

"You know you can talk to me, don't you Donnie?"

The little genius finally turned around, staring at a half finished circuit board in his hands, belonging to the laptop he was trying to build himself. "I-I'm just not feeling all that great right now Leo," it was honestly a part truth.

He could almost see the thoughts that flicked through his oldest brother's mind but to his utmost relief Leonardo didn't press the matter further. Leo sighed and turned to leave. "That's it?" he said quietly.

Donnie nodded. "Yes Leo, it is."

"Alright then, I'll let Master Splinter know," seconds later he was gone.

Fresh guilt pooled inside poor Donnie and he stared back at the empty space his brother had left. He could always talk to Leo, and the disappointment he saw reflected in Leo's deep blue eyes actually physically hurt. The tension twisted in his chest like a tightly coiled iron spring until it got unbearable. A lump started to bloom in his throat once more and he ran back to the door but Leo was long gone.

With a wretched hiccup Donnie heaved the door closed and slumped down to his knees as the barrier squealed shut. Hands flat against the cold metal the boy rested his forehead against the door and felt the tears involuntarily spill down his cheeks. He didn't like keeping secrets from his family. He only wished that Raph would let him off, after all he was only trying to help, right? He would have never had said anything anyway. Raph just didn't give him the chance to explain. A gentle sob bubbled up his throat and before he could stop it he was crying.

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