A/N: If it wasn't for Raph wanting a scene in this, it would not have taken me this long to finish this chapter. It was completely unplanned, so I'm a bit worried about the wording. I'm just glad it's finished, really. It was a struggle to write. Especially against Leo's scene which I happen to like.


Leonardo's fists were like lightening as he struck the punching bag with everything he had. Sweat glistened off his skin; only his mask kept it from falling into his eyes. He wasn't aware of the hitch that had invaded his breathing. His thoughts wrestled with a peace he couldn't achieve. Each day that went by with no word from his sensei increased his growing anxiety. He just couldn't put his fear to rest. It weighed heavy on his chest and kept him up at night.

He didn't notice the light footfalls behind him until the owner spoke up. "Still at it?"

Leonardo didn't physically react to Raphael's voice. He kept up the same pace, his body weaving in time with each strike against the fabric. Now that he was aware of his brother's presence, he could not tune him out. Still, he chose not to respond. He knew he was due for a break, but he couldn't stop; even for a second, for that brief span of time could ensnare him in memories of that vivid dream almost a week ago.

"What's it been…five an' a half hours? Ya missed Mike's newest experiment in tha kitchen. Yanno how he gets when ya do t'at. He won't stop blabberin' about it."

"He'll live." Leonardo breathed out. At the airy sound of his own voice, his attacks slowed in intensity. He shouldn't be out of breath, but five and a half hours was a long time for a hard workout. He just wasn't ready to stop completely just yet.

"Hold it!" Raphael called as he approached. Leonardo caught his gaze and paused in his barrage just long enough for his brother to catch and hold the punching bag in place.

The silence grew between them as Leonardo slammed his fists into the now stationary bag. His brother's hold on it never wavered no matter how much power he put behind his strikes. The hours he spent on the bag slowly began to catch up with him. Leonardo's momentum slowed until there was nothing left. He let out a shaky breath as he slumped forward into his brother's waiting arms. He was just so tired.

"Done?" Raphael quipped as he steadied his brother.

Leonardo pushed away from him and turned to the opposite wall. He was surprised to notice just how out of focus the brickwork was. He blinked and rubbed the sweat off his forehead with a look of disgust. Before he could stumble again, he slid to the ground and leaned forward against his knee. "There has to be a reason…" He didn't realize he spoke aloud.

"Fer what?"

"No contact. Nothing." Leonardo's fist clenched against the tatami mat flooring. "Do you sense it?" He tipped his head in his brother's direction. "Something's wrong."

Raphael moved into his line of vision with an incredulous look. "Watcha goin' on about, Leo?"

"Master Splinter." Leonardo's gaze focused on his brother. "I can't be the only one that noticed. It's been three weeks. He should have sent something by now."

"Is that all?" Raphael huffed as he folded his arms before him. "Geez, bro. I'm sure he's fine."

Leonardo glared at his brother's flippant response. He was fully intending to retort, but was stopped by the insistent ringing of his shell cell. Before it could ring more than once, he pulled it out of his belt to answer. "Hello? April?"

"A letter just came from Japan. I just got it. You told me to call-"

"I'll be right over," Leonardo cut off the end of April's words. This was what he was waiting for. Finally, he would know for sure. He hung up on his friend and quickly got to his feet.

"Wait, what was that about?" Raphael's voice stopped him.

"A letter." He only paused for a second before dashing out of the dojo. The footfalls of Raphael followed him. He didn't stop for anything else as he made quick work of the remaining distance to the lair's main entrance. His mind was focused on his goal to the point where he saw nothing else but what was before him.

"Hey, wait up! Ya ain't goin' wit'out me," Raphael called.

There was something in his brother's voice that convinced Leonardo that he would not win an argument against it. If he wants to come, fine. He couldn't slow down. He knew his brother could easily keep up with him. The words were only for show. His silence was all the answer Raphael was going to get, however. He only had enough energy to run. He just had to see the letter for himself as soon as possible. He needed to know for sure. Leonardo couldn't wait another second. Already, he's wasted too much time wondering.

It didn't take him long to navigate his way to April's place. He knew the way so well, he could make the trip half-asleep. Neither one of them spoke as he pushed his lethargic limbs passed their limit. He could feel Raphael's eyes on him as he ran. He knew his brother was probably worried about his current stamina, but Leonardo was glad he didn't say anything. Nothing could stop him anyway. Maybe Raphael knew that. Most likely, he did. Years of living under the same roof meant there was very little they didn't know about one another.

Leonardo never slowed until April's apartment came into view. He flipped down to the fire escape's landing, soundlessly. He didn't even knock as he slipped through April's partially opened window. His gaze quickly found the woman moving around in the kitchen area. As he approached, she looked up at him; barely jumping at their silent arrival. "The letter?" Leonardo quickly asked as he held out his hand expectantly.

April frowned before handing over the letter. She greeted Raphael with a shallow smile before turning back to Leonardo. "What's it say, Leo?"

Leonardo barely acknowledged anything outside of the letter. The handwriting wasn't his master's. He easily recognized it as belonging to the Ancient One. He only gave it a quick scan before he broke the seal with his thumb. His normally stoic composure wavered as he pulled out the letter.

It was also written in the Ancient One's hand. The Japanese characters only took an extra few seconds for his mind to comprehend. Lines jumped out at him as he read. 'I said in my last letter that it was important we speak in a timely manner.' About what? Leonardo still wondered. 'I received your response a week ago. I know the mail runs slow overseas. I believe it is by a week? I thought you would have arrived by now.' His eyes moved rapidly from word to word as the pit in his chest grew. 'It would be amusing if this letter arrives too late to catch you. As your sons would say: 'mail tag'.' The Ancient One's typical brand of humor earned the parchment a scowl. 'I hope to see you soon.'

"It's addressed to Master Splinter," Leonardo looked up from the letter, mirroring April's frown.

"Lemme see that." Raphael nearly ripped the letter from his brother's hands. Leonardo barely spared him a look. He was too overcome by his own growing anxiety to care.

"Oh dear…" April's frown deepened. She moved around the kitchen counter and grasped Leonardo's arm, comfortingly. "Does that mean…?"

"He never arrived." Leonardo's fists clenched. "I was right."

"Dammit!" Raphael cursed and threw the paper to the ground in a crumpled ball.

"I should've started looking last week!" Leonardo took heavy steps towards the couch and fell back into it, his hands shifting in unease. He would be pacing if he wasn't so worn out. "We would've found him by now. Why didn't I trust my instincts?"

"You knew about this?" Raphael rounded on him, his own distress manifesting as expectant rage.

"He wasn't sure," April quickly spoke up as she moved between them. At Raphael's look, she continued, "he wouldn't tell me anything specific. I just took my best guess."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Raphael looked back at his brother, his voice losing just a smidgen of its previous bite.

Leonardo pulled off his mask to better rub his tired eyes. "I don't know, alright? I didn't want to worry anyone if it turned out to be nothing. It was just a weird dream. Or it wasn't. Maybe. I really just don't know. It didn't feel right. He was calling out to me, but it didn't feel like him." He felt April sit down beside him. "I have to find him. If he never made it on the boat…"

"He'll be fine, Leo. You'll find him. I know you will." April's voice was gentle as she laid her hand back on his shoulder.

"Oh we'll find 'im, alright. There ain't no doubt about that." Raphael's fists clenched as he glared out the window like it was at fault.

Leonardo looked up at his brother in time to read his body language. Raphael was ready to run out that window right now. It was something Leonardo wanted desperately to do as well, but he knew he'd never make it without stumbling. He barely had enough spare energy to sit upright. "Where do we start?" He spoke his thought aloud in frustration. "The docks, obviously, but where? We need Don and Mikey in on this."

"Fine. You can handle that while I start lookin'." Raphael was out the window before another word could be spoken.

Leonardo pushed himself off the couch, fully intending to follow his stubborn brother, but he didn't make it very far. April's hand tightened on his arm as she stood to face him. Leonardo gave her a hard look. He knew she was aware he could easily escape her grasp. She wasn't stopping him if that's all she had. Out of respect, he didn't immediately pull away.

"Sit back down, Leonardo." April glared at him with a fiery intensity that stilled any attempts to rebuke her. "Raph will be fine. I'll call your brothers to track him down. You are going to rest. When was the last time you had any real sleep?"

"I can't sleep." Leonardo averted his gaze, his own fury simmering beneath the surface. "I have to find sensei. I can't let anything more happen to him. It's my fault he's been missing for this long. He won't spend another day lost."

"Listen to yourself. You can't help anyone when you can barely keep your balance." April's gaze bore into him. "You'll rest here for the night. No arguments."

"April-"

"No arguments," She firmly repeated.

Leonardo glared off through the window in silence. She's right. I may not like it, but she's right. He snarled. But tomorrow, I'll find you, sensei. I swear it. He let April push him back on the couch without looking at her. He knew if he watched her, he would end up snapping at her. She didn't deserve that. She's just trying to help. He had to remind himself of that. It was all he could do to fight the exhaustion from loosening his tongue. He really did need sleep. His eyes slipped close before he realized just how bad off he was. I'll just…rest…for a few minutes…


Raphael navigated across the rooftops on instinct alone. Fury drove him faster as his mind teased images of his father as a prisoner. His stride was purposeful with one destination in mind. Nothing would stop him from finding his father. No, he wouldn't let anything more happen to him. If only he could outrun those thoughts clouding his vision.

The docks drew ever nearer. That was where he hoped to gain his first clue to his sensei's location. If there was a chance to find him, Raphael would search for nights on end. This wasn't the first time he had proven that and it won't be his last. He was an unstoppable force. If only he could have started sooner. Why didn't ya say anything before, Leo? Damn you!

He was used to his brother's need to hold information, but that didn't mean he liked it. All week, he knew there was something on Leonardo's mind. Raphael knew his brother well. There was no other reason his brother would withdraw so deeply. If he had known this was what he was holding on to, Raphael would have confronted him sooner. We could'a found him by now. Why's he gotta be so…stubborn!

He took the last few feet in a single bound; his feet landing silently on the cement below. He faded into the shadows of forgotten shipping crates to the sounds of dock workers doing their jobs. Human traffic was low this late at night, but the docks were never completely quiet. Raphael waited until he was sure no one was nearby before he moved closer to the shadows of boats lining the waters. His sharp gaze scanned his surroundings for anything that could tell him if Splinter made it at least this far.

For the city that never slept, the docks were a sleepy sliver in NYC. Raphael found it easy to catch phrases shouted into the night even when he wasn't paying attention. He tried to drown out the sounds as he moved among the shipping crates. His pace slowed in his search, hoping to catch something. Shadows slid along the ground to his right before he heard the thump of heavy footsteps. By the time the owner turned the corner, Raphael was completely shrouded in the many shadows the crates provided with practiced ease. It was almost too easy.

What wasn't easy was finding clues when he had nothing to go on. What if Splinter never even made it to the docks? What if there was nothing to find? These thoughts ran through his mind as he returned to his search.

"You could have waited."

Raphael growled at the familiarity of the whispered voice. "Leo call ya to bring me back?" He looked up in time to catch the two shadows as they jumped down beside him.

"No, April did," Donatello continued. "Apparently Leo fell asleep."

"'Bout time, too," Michelangelo whispered. "It might ease his attitude a bit. Then I can finally get back to my game in peace."

"I'm not leavin' 'til I get some answers." Raphael glared at his brothers, challenging. He knew it was too dark to see his face, but he also knew it wouldn't matter.

"Neither are we." Donatello's shadow nodded, firmly.

"Might as well while we're here." Michelangelo shrugged.

"Is that what April wanted?" Raphael asked, already knowing the answer.

"Nope."

Raphael snorted at that. "Alright. Let's do this." His voice lightened. He knew his chances to find anything was greater with his brothers with him. The determination in their voices fueled his own heated drive. This time when he moved, his brothers followed, covering a wider range then he could ever achieve on his own. What could have taken all night now had greater odds.

It wasn't long before Donatello stopped him. Raphael glanced back at his brother, his pace slowing to a stop as he followed the incessant look. There, on ground level, was what he was looking for. It wasn't visible at first, but it was easy to see why. Raphael took note of the slowly rising rusting shipping crate dangling above from a magnetic crane. A hole had rusted through the bottom of it and what had once been hidden now lay undisturbed among the rubble.

Raphael barely took the time to check his surroundings before he bolted. He abruptly stopped as soon as he reached the familiar staff. There was no doubting who it belonged to. He could clearly recall the relief at the end of an awful night surrounding Leonardo's gift to their father. This could mean only one thing. Splinter had made it to the docks, but he had evidently gone no further. There was no other reason for the staff to be left behind like this; cast away like trash.

Approaching sounds brought him back to his feet and finding his place back in the shadows. There, his brothers met with him, each sharing a weight he knew he reflected. "Leo was right."


A/N: Well? What are ya waiting for? Feed that review box! Maybe the next chapter won't take as long. I mean, I started it awhile ago. It shouldn't take more than...a week... XD Joking! ...Maybe :P