It had been over a year now since Vernon's nephew, Foster, had visited last. It was now the middle of summer vacation for kids, and Foster was involved in a new science project for a summer science program. After resolving some major issues a year ago, the turtles and Foster were great friends now.

Foster wondered if Donatello wanted to see his new project and might be interested in helping him with it. He wanted to design something incredible, like how the solar magnet had been before it had fallen into evil hands a year ago, but Foster wanted to make sure it wasn't so dangerous this time.

Donatello was only 7 weeks into his recovery when the invitation came about to visit Foster.

He really didn't want to be seen like this, but he did want to reconnect with the young genius. It wasn't often someone as young as that kid was a genius like Donatello.

All the turtles went to the Junior High school where they would meet Foster and begin working on the new project. And once again, Vernon did try to supervise.

The turtles had drove and hidden their van away from the school and came in via the sewers. Donatello was nervous about being seen, but he didn't want to let his young friend down.

Donatello walked in last when they walked into the room. He was hiding himself behind his brothers, and they had a feeling they knew how he felt right now.

"Hi guys." Foster greeted.

"Hi, Foster. Did you decide on what you wanted to work on yet?" Leonardo asked.

"I wanted to run some ideas past Donatello first." Foster said.

"Uh, sure, Foster, go ahead. I'm all ears." Donny said.

"Can you come over here to take a look at my list of ideas?" The redhead boy asked.

"Uh, sure." Donny said.

"Donatello, you can't hide behind us forever. Go on." Raphael urged.

"He's right. Go on." Leonardo encouraged.

"Why would you be hiding behind them?" Vernon asked. He always assumed that was his job to hide behind others, at least if he might get beaten up.

The trio parted, revealing why Donatello was hiding behind them. The man and boy instantly saw why.

Donatello nervously walked over to Foster. He still wore bandages around his middle and the brace on his leg was easily noticed.

"What happened, Donatello?" Foster asked.

"I really don't want to talk about it. But I am recovering well." The turtle said.

As Vernon saw the extent of the bandages, now he knew why he hadn't seen Donatello with the other turtles in so long.

The trio left Donatello with Foster so they could work on a science project together.

Later on in the evening, April brought Donatello home.

….

At home, Donatello had finally resumed working on his inventions. Currently, he was working on something that would aid Foster's science project.

…..

One week later was the showing off what they were calling a Polar Gauge. The Polar Gauge could detect solar storms that disrupt the atmosphere by using a magnet. The turtles and April were all there to witness who won. The turtles were all in their trench coats. The brace on Donatello's leg was covering his pants leg.

Foster won this year's science project.

The guys, Vernon, and April were all happy for him. Donatello's tutoring had helped a lot.

Foster went home with a big blue ribbon.

At the eighth week of recovery, Donatello felt he was ready to try to go out to dinner with his brothers again for pizza. He so wanted to get out of the lair, but his family was still cautious of him being out as he could still re-injure himself.

They went to Vinnie's for dinner that night. Donny was so glad to be eating pizza at a pizzeria again.

But within minutes after they started eating, there was a burglar alarm from across the street. There was a jewelry store that had just been robbed.

"Just when the pizza was tasting so good." Mike whined.

"You stay here, Donatello." Leo said.

"I know." Don felt so guilty that he couldn't help his brothers fight.

All four of them got up and went outside, but Donatello hung back while the other three went running after the robbers. They all took off their clothes running after the crooks so they wouldn't hinder their weapons or running.

Donatello watched as his brothers took down the robbers with ease, but as he watched, he noticed something familiar about the robbers.

These were three men of the man who had tortured him! That could only mean that the man could be watching him from anywhere.

"Ah!" Donatello moaned and slunk back inside Vinnie's. He did want to face the man who had harmed him, but he wasn't ready to face him just yet. He wanted to wait until his recovery time was over.

Michelangelo tied the crooks up with his ropes and the turtles went back to Vinnie's, picking up their coats on the way. The crooks were now all tied up for the police, which were now approaching with their sirens.

Once they were back in Vinnie's, when they saw Donatello, they saw he had a worried look on his face.

"What's wrong, Donatello?" Leo asked.

"Those were just a few of those men that worked for the man that tortured me!" Donny said.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. I wouldn't forget their faces in a million years." Don said.

"We should ask where their boss is." Leo said.

"No, Leonardo. Not yet. I want to face the man that hurt me, but I'm not recovered yet. When I'm done healing, then we go after him." Donatello declared. "And for all I know, he might have been watching me stay behind while you guys were all taking down his men."

The others knew he was right. It was dangerous for Donatello to be left alone on the streets right now. His leg might have been nearly healed, but his plastron still had awhile to go yet before being completely recovered.

The turtles watched the police drive away with the crooks. They would face the humans who had hurt Donatello in time.

And Lenny had been watching from a distance. He had seen the three turtles go after his three men that got arrested, but he had also taken notice of the fourth turtle that had hung back at the entrance to Vinnie's. It was obvious that the purple masked turtle had lived after all, but he had hurt him bad enough he still wasn't able to fight. He smiled in satisfaction of what he had done to the turtle.

….

On the next checkup, Jane declared his leg and ankle completely healed and now he could go without anything on it. But he should still take it easy for a little while on it to get used to not wearing anything. It might still or might not at all hurt. Donny had had some bad fractures.

Now he could take normal baths and showers again.

Master Splinter had him begin small katas after the brace had been taken off, but nothing big. There were still at least two more months worth of recovery for the plastron.

Donatello could lift some small weights, do some arm and leg exercises as such, but putting any bend in the plastron just needed to be watched yet. He now went without the bandages, but the covering was still on, protecting the cut areas. All scars were revealed now on the skin. He still felt guilty for what had happened to him.

He didn't wake up with nightmares quite so much now as he did in the past. But after seeing Lenny's men, it did bring back nightmares for a few nights. He really hoped that man wouldn't recapture him and torture him again.

He had come so far in his recovery already and Donatello wasn't about ready to let that man hurt him again. That man had made sure he was off the streets for quite awhile with what he had done to him. Donny wanted to get revenge on him so bad for doing what he did, as did the family. They wanted to take that man down, but not without Donatello with them. It would just be a little bit longer.

Beta read by Turtlefanforlife1982.

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