Leo can't believe it. He's been home for a grand total of twenty minutes, and Mikey is already hitting him up to play video games. He's been out in the jungle for the past year and a half, seeking to refine his spirit, become a better leader for his brothers, and further more, he's been traveling for the last thirty-six hours and he needs to sleep. He is not about to veg out on the couch and play games. He opens his mouth to refuse—

—and Mikey turns on the puppy dog eyes. Leo has never been able to say no to the puppy dog eyes, and even a year refining his spirit hasn't increased his resistance.

"All right, one round, but then I'm going to bed."

Mikey whoops and dances around the lair so enthusiastically that Leo knows he will not be able to refuse a second round should Mikey ask. They settle in and Mikey chooses his character for him. The game system is unfamiliar to Leo, and Mikey lets him play a freebie round to get used to it. As Leo's character stumbles around like a drunkard, Mikey makes some light conversation.

"So, why did you stay away so long?"

Leo doesn't want to answer that. He stays silent for as long as he dares, and then just says,

"I wasn't finished with my training."

"But Splinter only told you six months. You were gone a whole extra year. What were you doing?"

"Training," Leo says, rolling his eyes. They move on to the main round, and Mikey trounces him easily.

"Another round?" he pleads, and Leo gives in, too tired to even pretend to resist.

"So, did you finish your training? Are you back for good?"

"Of course I'm back for good, Mikey. This is where I belong. I know that now."

Mikey pauses the game and rounds on him, eyes flashing.

"Now?" he repeats angrily. Leo can only stare at the abrupt change in his brother. "You know that now? Meaning you didn't before?"

Leo's non-answer is answer enough. Mikey makes a noise of disgust.

"Is that why you stayed away? Because you forgot where you belonged?"

"I—" Leo can see now that Mikey needs an answer closer to the truth. He fiddles with the game controller. "I lost track of what was important. Something was missing, and I didn't want to come home a failure."

Mikey's expression has lost some of its anger, but Don's voice is cutting.

"I guess we all owe Raph forty bucks, then."

Mikey squeaks and jumps. Leo ignores him and turns to look at Don, who has a cold expression on his face.

"What do you mean?" Leo asks. Mikey answers.

"When you didn't come back, we all took bets on what you were doing. It looks like Raph won. I bet you were abducted by aliens. Guess I lost."

He feigns looking forlorn, and Leo gives him a chuckle. Don doesn't move.

"Don't you want to know what Raph bet?" he asks, his voice still cold. It's giving Leo the creeps. He nods. "He bet you didn't come home because you still had that perfectionist stick stuck up your tail."

Leo's mouth drops open. Mikey laughs.

"Well, you know, close enough. Come on, bro, I'm gonna kick your butt!"

They turn back to the game, Leo with an unsettled feeling in his stomach. Mikey's character mops the floor with Leo's, and Leo can't help but feel it's symbolic somehow. On his way to bed, he passes Don's room, and stops.

"What did you bet, Don?" he asks in a low voice. Don doesn't turn to face him.

"I didn't. But… if I had, I would have bet you were dead."

Leo's entire body goes cold, and he can't think of anything to say. Don continues.

"It was the only thing I could conceive of that would have kept you away from us."

Words continue to fail him. Don gets up and comes to the door.

"I guess I was wrong."

He closes the door.

It takes Leo a long time to fall asleep that night.