Hehe, it's great to see that I still have a few people reading my fanfics. It's worth all the writing, especially when you think that I only have the time to write at night. Work is taking all of my time at day at the moment, as I have just recently started in my new job. There's so many things I still need to learn, I guess. But now it's past midnight, and I'm tired. But this time, you get little closer as to what the fic is centered about. And as always:

Enjoy...

>>>>>>

With an annoyed growl, Raphael turned off the TV. It was so boring today. They had finished lunch not too long ago, and were now trying to find things to occupy their time with. Leo was sitting meditating with Splinter, while Mikey and Angel had stuck their noses into a gigantic pile of comics in Mikey's room. As for Don… The turtle was trying to find the cause of all the problems in the lair, like he had done several times before – to no avail.

The red masked turtle stood up to head for a glass of water, but a quick look towards his older brother and sensei made him stop. It wasn't only the sight before him. It was also the tension in the air that told Raph that something wasn't right. Leo had lost focus on his meditation a long time ago, and was desperately trying to regain it.

"Leonardo, I believe a break is in order," Master Splinter sighed, rising from the floor to walk for his own private domain. However, Leo only opened his eyes and held them fixed on the floor, until the rat was gone.

"You alright, Leo?" Raph walked to his brother slowly, giving Leonardo some space to breathe. All the years together had told Raphael how to approach his brothers – though the opposite couldn't always be said.

A silence held the air until Leo closed his eyes again, as if he was trying to meditate again.

"I don't understand," he paused, as a three-fingered hand reached to touch the soar mark on his plastron, "I… It feels like I'm loosing it, Raph."

Raphael blinked, sitting down beside his brother.

"Loosin' what?"

"My focus. I can't concentrate when meditating, nor fighting." Leo looked at the turtle beside him, trying to find the right words to describe his feelings, but it was harder than one could imagine.

"Chill bro," A hand fell upon Leo's shoulder, "Maybe ya just need a small break, like Sensei said." Abruptly, Leo pushed the hand off his shoulder and stood up, looking down at Raph.

"It's not like that," he hissed, making his brother freeze, "I can't explain it, but something is not right. I-" Without finishing his sentence, Leo stomped off to the Dojo without looking back, leaving Raphael alone in the large room, still doubt founded by the events. How long had it been like this? It had been some time since everything in the lair had started to act crazy, but when had Leo changed? Maybe Raph just hadn't noticed, but it couldn't have happened in one night. Finally getting up, Raph felt an urgent need for fresh air. Without waiting for permission, he headed out the door and into the sewer lines that combined the system beneath Manhattan and climbed up to the surface.

The cold hitting him instantly as he opened the manhole cover made him smile. Winter was coming quickly, but it was still way too early to even think about snow. Jumping out, Raph gently placed the cover back in its place and headed up a nearby fire escape to make it to the top of the building, bringing him closer to the cold breeze awaiting him. It was almost like being hit by the water from a cold shower. But of course, without the water. His mind felt eased, as he looked out over the horizon, when finally reaching the top. It was peaceful. Not even a police siren could be heard in the distance. Raphael sat down on the edge, placing his head resting on a closed fist. What was going on? His mind slowly drifted off, as he watched the cars beneath him head each way. People were on their way home from work, probably having a family waiting for them. They would have the dinner ready in less than an hour, and would use the rest of the evening to try to forget the bad moments of the day and try to make the good ones last for as long as possible in their memories. A small smile lit his beak by the thought. The people didn't know how lucky they were, being normal and stuff.

His thoughts were pushed aside, as the shell cell suddenly went off. Raph quickly answered it, remembering that no one actually knew that he had left the lair. Well, guess they found out.

"Hey Raph," Don replied in the other end of the line, not sounding like anything was wrong, "Think you could help me get something at the junk yard?"

"Well, yeah. Sure," Raph stated, "I'll meet ya there." He hung up, looking up at the sky. The clouds above him didn't look the best, but hopefully it wouldn't start raining until they had gotten home again. Raph got up and started sprinting towards the junkyard, flying over the edges as he leaped from each building. It didn't take long, before the junk yard was in sight, and the Battle Shell could soon be seen driving through the open gates. Raph smirked and sped up, reaching the area in no time. Don was standing outside the vehicle watching him, as he landed firmly on the cold ground.

"Yo Don," Raph smiled, brushing the dust off his hands, "What was it you needed help with?" His brother gestured for him to follow, leading him to an old wreckage of some sort of vehicle.

"I found it yesterday, while looking for new parts," Donnie explained stopping by it. It looked almost like a van, but perhaps a tan more slim lined, "I really want that engine, but it weighs too much for me to carry it alone." A sly grin spread on Raphael's beak, as he eyed Donnie, who looked back with a cocked eye ridge.

"What?"

"Ya just brought me along to carry the heavy stuff, huh?" Raph snickered and crossed his arms.

"Well, yeah," Don couldn't hold the amused smile back, "It's what you do best…" The two turtles starred at each other, until Raph broke out of his standing position and walked past Don to get to the front of the trashed vehicle. No words were needed for Don to know, that Raph accepted the reason for him to be there, and the older turtle usually didn't say no to help carrying the heavy objects. It was a little like weightlifting, Raph had once stated. Don adjusted the strap on the bag he had with him and followed his brother, who had already opened the hood to look down at the engine. Don just needed to get it out, as it was attached to the car with different bolts and wires. Don placed the bag on the ground, jumping out to start take off the wires. Raph looked down to study his brother working. Usually, it wouldn't have taken Don that long to get the wires off, but perhaps it was just a bit rusty? When finally done, the purple masked turtle looked over to the bag.

"Raph, hand me the – ehm…" Don paused, scratching his chin. Raph's eyes followed Donnie's gaze, seeing a small piece of metal sticking up from the bag.

"Screwdriver?" Raph asked.

"Yeah, that one."

"Don," Raph sighed, "Ya can't use a screwdriver to get the engine out." Donatello blinked with a perplexed look in his eyes, like realisation hit him like lightning.

"What's happening around here?" Raph looked at Donnie, "First Leo's acting weird, and now you?"

"What's going on with Leo?" Donnie asked, making Raph pause.

"You mean you haven't noticed?" Raph's voice proved how dead serious the turtle was. He was actually starting to get worried for his brothers, "He's acting like he has forgotten all we've learned from Master Splinter. He was even worse than Mikey was when he was five, when he and Sensei meditated. And now you don't even know how to use your tools? When did that happen, Donatello?"

Donnie stopped breathing, looking like he had been stabbed in the back with Raph's sai.

"I – had hoped no one would notice," Donnie sighed, turning his face away, so he wouldn't look Raph into the eyes, "Even when I have tried to find the course to the power cuts, and all the other unusual things going on in the lair, I guess that…" Donnie heaved a large sigh, still not daring to look at his brother. Don felt so ashamed, "I had no clue of what to do, or where to begin."

Raph was speechless. It was the same with Leo all over again.

"Don, I'm sure there's a reason for-"

When Donatello looked up, Raph was caught mid sentence and couldn't continue. The pain in Don's eyes was a new sight to him. Perhaps if he had been with him and Mikey on that fateful night when they had found Angel, he would have seen something similar or maybe even worse, but he hadn't been there.

"No," Don hissed, "I'm slowly loosing my touch. I have done this for so many years, and now it's slipping away from me. I managed to hold it down in the beginning, but now I can't even get the power back up. Every time it has returned, it hasn't been me…"

"Don, stop." Raph raised a hand to stop his brother from going on, "We need to talk with Splinter about this, it ain't right." Raph dragged his brother with him to the Battle Shell, though Don tried to protest.

"What about the engine?"

"I'll come get it later," Raph simply stated, pushing Don into the passenger's seat and positioned himself behind the steering wheel, "Right now, we're goin' home."