A/N Not my best chapter, but I'm trying to move the story along--I can't wait to get to the Leo/Raph chapter, so please bear with me

Leo used the next several days as he healed as a chance to unobtrusively get to know his new set of brothers. With his voice out of commission, and with his wounded right shoulder making it all but impossible for him to write, Leo was saved from answering any uncomfortable questions while familiarizing himself with his new family. In many ways, they reminded him of his brothers from several years past; less world weary and battle hardened, and much more affectionate with each other. To Leo's shock, he discovered that in this dimension, his brothers were only 16 years old, compared to his age of 17. For once, he really was the big brother.

As Leo was able to do more for himself, he began to unintentionally pull away from his new brothers. Unconsciously, he started preparing himself for when his brothers would turn on him. Without realizing it, Leo flinched away from his brothers' touches, refused to meet their eyes, and he carried himself slightly tensed up, as if expecting a blow at any moment. The behavior did not go unnoticed by the others.

"I wish I could get my hands on the bastards responsible for this," Raph growled to his younger brothers one night as they sat around the kitchen table, sharing a pot of coffee; Leo had already gone to bed when the discussion turned to his disturbing behavior.

"I know what you mean," Don agreed. "It was bad enough seeing that noose around his neck and finding that untended shoulder wound. But this beaten dog behavior, well that takes a while to become this ingrained. It suggests that Leo was facing some serious verbal and emotional, if not physical abuse, over a long period of time."

"So what do we do now," Mikey asked.

"We'll have to start by regaining Leo's trust," Don said. "Prove to him he can count on us not to hurt him, physically or emotionally. That's going time, and a lot of patience." This was said with a stern look in Raph's direction, but rather than blow up, Raph just nodded his head. He knew his usual attitude and responses would only make this situation worse.

"We'll do whatever it takes," he told Don. Raph was determined to get his big brother back, to regain the best friend he had lost so long ago.

"Here's to us, dudes," Mikey said, raising his mug in salute. "And to Leo, 'cause we're gonna get him back."

Mikey began his part of what he and the others were calling "Operation Reclaim Leo" immediately the next day. Being the most empathic and "touchy-feely" of the brothers, he took it upon himself to re-teach Leo that not all touches were scary or painful. He started slowly with small, deliberate touches as he helped his older brother recover from his injuries. A hand on Leo's elbow to steady him when he overbalanced due to his arm in a sling, or a soft pat on his shell as he passed him between rooms were all the beginning of Mikey's plan to help Leo get accustomed to being touched again.

At first, Leo flinched every time Mikey got too close, but that didn't stop the youngest turtle. Instead, he just made sure he was very deliberate in his motions, making sure Leo saw him move before touching him. Slowly, Leo stopped jumping at every little casual and incidental contact from his brothers. That's when Mikey stepped the program up. It wasn't enough for him that Leo simply endured being touched, he wanted his brother to find the comfort and enjoyment that could come from physical contact.

Mikey finally go this chance to put the next stage of his plan into play as Leo began the slow exercises Don okayed that would return strength and mobility to his arm. Although the stretches and simple katas Leo was allowed to perform were not strenuous, they nonetheless caused his long unused arm to ache. After two days of watching his brother suffer with a stiff arm, Mikey decided it was the perfect time to approach his brother for a new lesson in non-threatening physical contact.

"Hey, bro, how's it going," Mikey asked one evening, about two and a half weeks after Leo's awakening in the Lair.

Leo gave his brother a surprised look, like he couldn't quite believe Mikey was actually speaking to him, before he said, "It's going well enough, I guess. It's nice to have my arm out of that sling."

That was the perfect intro for Mikey to ask, "So how's the shoulder feeling?"

Leo shrugged, or at least tried to; it was obvious his shoulder was paining him Shaking his head at his brother's stubborn streak, Mikey finally asked, "Would you like me to rubbed that for you? It will help it loosen up and feel better."

Leo was about to decline when Don spoke up from the couch where he was reading a science magazine.

"I wouldn't pass on that," he told Leo. "Mikey gives the best massages, and he doesn't offer very often. He has a hard time sitting still long enough."

Feeling uncertain, but not wanting to offend his brother, Leo finally agreed. He was very tense as he allowed Mikey to settle him on a chair in front of him. Drawing on all he'd learned about how to deal with his brother's jumpiness, Mikey very slowly placed his hands on Leo's shoulder, making sure his brother was aware of each move as he made it. At first, the pressure was very slight, letting Leo know he was free to break away at any moment. As the minutes passed, however, the pressure Mikey was asserting on his shoulder began to increase as Leo relaxed and allowed the massage to work the stiffness out of his shoulder. By the time Mikey was done, Leo was nearly asleep in the chair, completely at ease under his brother's hands. Mikey smiled at the sight, pleased to see this first trial of greater physical contact had gone so well.

Of course, Leo didn't immediately become acclimated to being touched over night. It still took some coaxing to convince him to let Mike rub his stiff shoulder every few nights, when the discomfort became too much. It wasn't until nearly a week and a half later that the first breakthrough occurred. Leo had just finished his exercises for the night while Don, Mikey, and Raph were having a small snack in the kitchen, when Leo emerged from the dojo and approached Mikey. Eyes firmly downcast, Leo said, ever so softly, "Mikey, would…would you mid rubbing my shoulder for me? It feels a little stiffer than usual."

Mikey and the others wanted to turn flips, they were so excited at this newest development. For so long, Leo had acted like he was indulging them when he allowed Mikey to massage his shoulder. This time, though, Leo was asking strictly for himself. The brothers were ecstatic. From then on, it became more and more common for Leo to reach out to the others, at least to Don and Mikey. Slowly, teasing swats and affectionate hugs began to take the place of timid and fearful winces and avoidance. After giving the new mode of behavior several weeks to settle into place, it became Donny's turn to handle the next step in Leo's rehabilitation.