A/N: Hey everyone, I'm back. I've almost finished writing this story, with only a chapter or two to go so it'll probably be finished within the next two weeks. I figured since I've gotten this far with it I might as well go ahead and post it. This story might not be what those of you who've read Alone in the Darkness expected, but for me it turned out exactly the way I wanted it to. So I hope you guys enjoy it. A quick warning though for later chapters, it's going to be hairy for the guys in this story. So consider yourself warned for later chapters - nothing too graphic of course but the guys do get beaten up a bit.

I also want to add, because I know a lot of my readers for Alone in the Darkness asked if Leonardo is going to get his sight back. No he isn't. Life doesn't always have miracle cures, and I haven't planned on giving him one. I know that might be a disappointment to some of you, but life doesn't always work out the way we would like it to. For Leonardo, this is something he is learning to live with on a day to day basis, not something he's hoping to find a miracle cure for.

Anyway I'm hoping to update every few days or so. I'm still going through and checking for errors I might have missed so if you see one please point them out to me so I can fix them. I'm willing to take constructive criticism, but no flames please. If you don't like it then don't waste your time by reading it. Thank you. And now on with the story...

BLIND SIGHT

Chapter 1

"Ahhh...!"

Donatello's head snapped up as Leonardo's voice rang through the lair. He knew that tone all too well. Michelangelo had probably left his skateboard out again, even after Raphael had told him to pick it up before he went to bed the night before. If Michelangelo had forgotten and had left it where he had - it would have been right in Leonardo's way when he went to get his morning tea.

Springing to his feet and dashing out of his lab, silently grateful that his research had kept him up all night this time, Donatello rushed to where his blue-banded brother was slowly pushing himself to his knees. Michelangelo's skateboard was still rolling slowly away towards the opposite wall.

Donatello silently berated himself, he should have just grabbed it himself when he went to get another cup of coffee an hour ago. But he often forgot about little things like that, it had been almost two years now and Leonardo really didn't need any help anymore. He insisted on being independent and that his brothers not hang all over him.

"Leo! Are you ok?" Donatello asked, gripping his brother's elbow and helping Leonardo to his feet. His eyes scanned his brother critically, searching for any injuries. Leonardo's legs were a little shaky but other than that he looked just fine.

Leonardo shrugged his brother off, looking a little embarrassed. Donatello could see his face darken a little and saw the slight twitch in the muscle running along his jaw telling him that Leonardo had been unaware that he was awake and had heard his fall. His milky eyes were staring past Donatello, not that it would have mattered if they were on him or not because Leonardo hadn't been able to see anything for two years. Unless you counted the first week or so after the accident, and Donatello never did. His brother's eyes had been stolen from him by assassins who had been paid to do this to Leonardo by Karai.

Still Donatello forgot about it sometimes because Leonardo didn't let his disability slow him down or stop him from doing the things everyone else did. He still trained twice as hard as his brothers did, much like before the accident and had mastered wielding the katana just as effectively as he had when he'd been able to see.

It had taken Leonardo a while to adjust and to get to the point where he was now, and it had been a hard one. Donatello didn't like looking back on those first few months after Leonardo's sight had been taken. He'd never seen his brother so broken before and it had killed him that he couldn't do anything to fix it. But looking back on those first few months reminded Donatello of how far his brother had actually come.

Without speaking to him Leonardo turned away and walked into the kitchen to fix himself a cup of tea. Donatello sighed quietly and rubbed the back of his head. He knew Leonardo hated being babied by his brothers whenever he tripped over something. He hated feeling like the "weak turtle" out of the bunch. But Donatello just couldn't help himself sometimes. It was hard to see his brother trip and fall and not reach out a hand. It was what Leonardo used to do, but Donatello knew that Leonardo felt it was degrading somehow, like the others thought less of him because he needed help. They didn't, but Leonardo never saw that.

Leonardo only ever saw them as taking pity on him because he was the handicapped turtle. The one who couldn't see. The weak link. Leonardo tried not to show how much this bothered him, but Donatello saw him slip every once in a while. Every once in a while Leonardo's smile would falter or his face would fall. Donatello knew that Raphael saw these as well and they would exchange the same worried expressions but wouldn't say anything for Michelangelo's sake.

Michelangelo didn't seem to notice Leonardo's act as much as Donatello and Raphael did. Donatello wasn't sure if this was because Michelangelo was actually fooled or if he was just happier pretending. Donatello had seen Splinter shooting Leonardo worried looks from time to time and had even taken him aside a few times but he never seemed to get anything from Leonardo because his face would always look more worried than it had been before their talk.

Donatello returned to his lab, he knew it was best to give Leonardo some space for a while. After Leonardo had his morning tea and had his usual morning meditation session he would be in a better mood for a while. Eyeing the skateboard where it had stopped he walked over and picked up the offending object, he didn't want a repeat incident. He wouldn't tell any of the others that Leonardo had tripped over it, Leonardo didn't need any extra attention and by telling the others that's all he would get.

Of course he'd make sure that Michelangelo didn't leave things lying around anymore either. Just because he hadn't been seriously hurt today didn't mean that it couldn't have been worse. He'd have to make sure he talked to his brothers about leaving things lying around at least, Raphael was usually pretty good to pick up after himself these days, though he'd slip up sometimes. Michelangelo didn't really think about such things, he never had before Leonardo's sight had been taken from him, and although he'd been better about it right after Leonardo had lost his sight as the months passed Michelangelo had slipped into old habits again.

Grabbing a screwdriver Donatello picked up the toaster that had started to spark last week and went to work. There was no point in worrying too much about Leonardo. Leonardo was still adjusting, even after all the progress he made it wasn't easy being able to see for seventeen years and then suddenly have your sight taken away from you. And Donatello pondered as he worked, everyone was entitled to a bad day. This one just hadn't started off so great for Leonardo. But hopefully that would change.

Leonardo sighed as he sipped his hot tea, rubbing his leg where is still stung where he'd cracked it against the floor. He was irritated with himself, the skateboard had caught him off guard and he'd fallen before he'd even had a chance to try and catch himself on anything. He'd had a whole two seconds of that feeling of flying and then he'd landed with a mighty crash. It wouldn't have been so bad though, if Donatello hadn't come running to his aid. Once again he'd been seen as the turtle who needed assistance. The invalid who needed his brother's help with something as simple as going to the kitchen for a cup of tea. Embarrassed he'd shrugged off Donatello's help and had proceeded into the kitchen for his morning tea, hoping that Donatello wouldn't make a big production of his fall. Sure it had hurt, but he knew it was nothing serious. A new bruise on his jade skin - he knew he had plenty of those these days so seeing a new one wouldn't alarm his brothers. That was, if Donatello didn't tell them how he'd gotten it in the first place.

Leonardo sincerely hoped that Donatello wouldn't tell them. He wasn't trying to hide anything from his brothers on purpose but he didn't want them fussing over him either. He hated when they hovered over him like helicopters.

He sighed again as he thought back a few years ago when a trip or fall wouldn't be such a big deal to his brothers. Not that Leonardo would've let himself be caught off guard if he could see in the first place. He had been so confident back then. His brothers had looked up to him as a pillar in their relationship as a team. He'd been the strong one, the supportive one, the one who always had their backs. And now...well now things were different.

He'd gone from the bottom of the pyramid, the support but very much needed part to the very tip. Leonardo no longer saw himself worthy of the leadership role in their team. Not that the others ever doubted him. They still looked to him for guidance whenever they went on patrol, except that either Raphael or Donatello were always in the lead while they when on their nightly patrols, Michelangelo always hovered in the back with him. And up until a few months ago it had been necessary for Michelangelo to be there, to tell Leonardo what obstacles were in the way so Leonardo wouldn't trip or run into something while they ran. It had been embarrassing and degrading and Leonardo's self esteem had plummeted.

Although his skills had definitely improved since the night his vision had been stolen, and Leonardo could disarm any of his brothers with the same skill he'd been able to before. He still couldn't help but feel as if he were the weakest link in the team. The feeling was only intensified when his brothers rushed to his side after he tripped over something like with what had happened this morning.

Perhaps it wouldn't have happened at all if he didn't feel a little off his game this morning. He'd woken up with a massive headache, it made him feel as if Raphael had been playing one of his more heavy metal based bands in his room all night. He'd stumbled downstairs in hopes of some tea and pain pills and hadn't been paying as much attention as he normally would have. After he'd fallen he'd realized that he wasn't the only one awake - Donatello had been at his side almost instantly and had tried to help him to his feet. Leonardo had felt the heat in his cheeks as Donatello pulled on his elbow, making him feel like a tiny little turtle tot. He'd jerked away angrily, not angry with Donatello of course but at himself for letting his guard down enough that he'd need help to begin with. He knew better than that. After he'd heard Donatello wander back to his lab Leonardo had located the pain medication and had popped a couple back. His headache hadn't eased much, the pain medication didn't seem to be doing anything for him so he sipped his tea and massaged his forehead trying to ease the pounding inside his skull.

"Mornin', Leo," Raphael greeted, catching Leonardo off guard. Leonardo jumped and turned in his chair his blank eyes roaming to the place where Raphael's voice had come from.

Raphael frowned, it was really hard to catch Leonardo off guard these days, he was always so alert anyway - but with his other senses being extra sensitive to make up for Leonardo's lack of sight it was almost impossible to sneak up on him now. Not that Michelangelo hadn't tried multiple times, but Leonardo always caught him.

"Morning, Raph," Leonardo replied tiredly his blank eyes falling back to his mug of tea again.

Raphael paused as he reached for a box of raisin bran. Maybe he was imagining it, but Leonardo looked a little off color today. Even from here Raphael could see the beads of sweat dewing on Leonardo's face. He frowned.

"Ya feelin' alright there, bro?"

Leonardo looked up in surprised, as if Raphael had caught him off guard with his question. "Hmmm?"

"Yer lookin' a bit peaky dis mornin'," Raphael said grabbing a bowl and pouring himself a healthy helping of cereal.

"'M fine, Raph," Leonardo grumbled sounded a bit miffed.

Leonardo's tone surprised him, but Raphael didn't push him. If something was really wrong Leonardo would let them know. His brother might not always be the most open, but when something was seriously wrong he'd tell them. At least Raphael hoped he would.

There were times that Leonardo kept things bottled up to himself. Those months after they battled the Shredder had been one of those times. He'd been so trapped inside himself that it didn't matter what anyone else did, they couldn't get through to him. At first it hadn't bothered Raphael, it had been fun to see Leonardo so angry all the time. It had gone to show that Leonardo wasn't as perfect as he always tried to be. It had brought the leader down to their level for a change. But after a while Raphael could see the anger taking its toll on his brother and had come to hate it and worry about it as much as the others did.

No one had worried more than Splinter did. But no matter what he tried it only made Leonardo angrier. Then one day Leonardo had lost control and had injured Splinter during a lesson. Splinter had then made the decision to send Leonardo off to see the Ancient One in hopes that he could help him. Raphael wasn't exactly sure what had gone over during those two months that Leonardo was in Japan with the Ancient One, all he knew was that when Leonardo had come home he'd been himself again. The anger his disappeared as if it had never existed and Leonardo was once again in control. Raphael didn't ask questions, he was just happy to have the old Leonardo back. As annoying as his older brother could be at times, having had to live with an angry and brooding Leonardo for several months, Raphael appreciated having the old version back that much more.

But this was different, if Leonardo's physical health wasn't at top form Raphael was sure that Leonardo would say something. Still he promised he'd keep an eye on his older brother just in case. He sat down across from his blue-banded brother and began to eat his cereal.

"Hey guys!" Michelangelo greeted enthusiastically as he made a beeline for the refrigerator.

"Mornin'," Raphael grumbled through a mouthful of cereal. He had always thought Michelangelo had been too cheerful in the mornings. He definitely wasn't a morning person and it often irritated him that Michelangelo always had so much pep so early.

"Raph!" Michelangelo complained as he shook the empty milk jug at Raphael. "You finished off all the milk again!"

Raphael smirked. "Looks like I did."

Michelangelo scowled at him and tossed the empty container away.

"Have April pick us up some when she goes out today," Donatello suggested as he entered the kitchen with an empty coffee mug in his hands.

Leonardo flinched and then the skin in his face darkened for a brief instant at Donatello's appearance. Raphael frowned and shot his purple-banded brother a questioning look but Donatello merely shook his head at him before shooting Leonardo a worried look.

"Leo, you ok?" Donatello asked a frown pulling at the corners of his mouth. His eyes narrowed behind his mask and his eye ridges met in the middle of his forehead.

"Gotta headache," Leonardo muttered into his tea.

"You look a little off color," Donatello didn't look convinced that it was just a headache. Raphael watched him carefully, his own frown matching Donatello's as he watched his brother examine Leonardo. He couldn't understand why Donatello was looking at Leonardo as if he'd suddenly break. It was the way they'd all looked at Leonardo at first after his vision was gone but they all knew Leonardo hated it so they tried not to look at him any different than how they used to. Somehow Leonardo could always tell when you were giving him the "pity" look.

"Maybe you should just take it easy today, Leo," Donatello suggested casually.

Leonardo growled quietly under his breath and tightened his hands around his mug. "I said I'm fine, Donny! Just back off ok?"

Donatello looked at Raphael who just shook his head minutely. There was no point in arguing with Leonardo - he was twice as stubborn as Raphael when he wanted to be. It was best to just let Leonardo alone to his own devices and they both knew it. But Raphael could tell from the look on Donatello's face that he wasn't going to drop this that easily. Raphael looked at Leonardo again, Leonardo didn't even seem aware of his gaze he was holding his head in his hands, his tea untouched in front of him.

That wasn't like him. Raphael promised that he'd keep an eye on the older turtle during practice this morning and see how he was, but he was getting the feeling that Leonardo wasn't as ok as he kept telling everyone.