16

"Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them."

- Albert Einstein -

Leo woke up in the Shredder's throne room, laying on his side, his hands and legs tightly tied. He couldn't even remember when he passed out, and how...

He slowly lifted his head and analyzed the room. It was empty. He rolled himself onto his plastron and pushed himself on his knees. This way, he could see more of the dark room. As he turned his head, he noticed a figure in the edge of his eyes.

"Hah!" he yelped as the figure jumped in front of him. It was Karai.

"So, we meet again, little boy," she smirked. "Do you miss your daddy?"

Leo narrowed his eyes. "Where's yours?"

"It's just me now. But if you don't talk to me, next time, you can chat with my father."

"What do you have?"

"What do you mean?" she raised an eyebrow.

"That makes Mikey work for you. He wouldn't do it on his own!"

"Are you sure about that?" she squatted down on his level and tilted her head. "To the best of my knowledge, your daddy and the turtles don't see each other as family anymore. Therefore, Michelangelo has no reason to refuse to help me."

"Where is he now?"

"It's my turn to ask, little boy. Who is your mother?"

"Why is the Shredder so interested in my family tree?"

"Oh, that's my question. I'm curious who Leo courted to."

"...I don't know my mother."

"Did Leonardo never tell you how you were born?"

"He doesn't like to talk about the past." Leo broke the eye-contact. "There's a lot of things even I don't know about, so you kidnapped the wrong turtle, Karai."

"Even without information, you are still useful to me. Your daddy will come to rescue you."

"If you want him, why bother with me?"

"Without you, Leonardo wouldn't care about any kind of threat. Whenever I saw him after his rat master's death, he seemed like who wished to die. Knowing that April and her little friends would take care of you, he wouldn't mind dying here. But your death, that's something, he certainly doesn't want, so he will be cooperative with the Foot. Plus, this way, Raphael is more likely to come here as well."

"I'm sure there could have been an easier way to catch them."

"That's true. But isn't it more fun if they come here on their own?"

"Are these your words or your father's?"

Karai was taken aback. She showed surprise for a moment, then calmed her facial muscles once again.

"My father knows the best what's good for the Foot. And what is good for the Foot, is good for me."

"That didn't answer my question."

She took a deep breath. "What are you trying to achieve, little boy?"

"I just believe that you are different from the Shredder."

"What makes you think that?"

"My family and I are still alive. You are the one who leads the missions. You had 30 years, yet you let us live our lives."

"That's-"

The door opened and Michelangelo entered.

"What are you doing here?" asked Karai.

"Let him examine the boy. Your plan will succeed without his torture too." he spoke firmly, taking a glance at the young boy to see if he arrived in time.

"How emotional you have become about him."

"Well, he's my nephew."

"Yeah, you still offered to catch him for me," she rolled her eyes as she stood up. Michelangelo looked away in shame.

"Whatever... the point is that Leonardo and Raphael met up, so they will come here soon."

"Wonderful," she pulled Leo up. "He's yours."

The old turtle quickly took Leo by the arm and dragged him out of the throne room.

"Where are you taking me?"

"To the doc. He will check you up and explain some stuff."

"Like why you are doing this?"

"Yeah... listen," he stopped and faced the boy. "I know what you may think about me. Uncle Mikey gave you to the Shredder... you must hate me, and I get it. But it was never against your person."

"Then it's against your brothers... I mean, they are not your brothers anymore, right?"

"It's kind of complicated... All of us went through some serious stuff. All of us made mistakes and somehow it escalated pretty bad."

"Do you hate them?"

Michelangelo continued to lead Leo on that dark corridor.

"No."

"Why do you act like that, then?"

"Because they hate me."

"If that's your only reason, then you are being very stupid."

"Hey! Respect the older, kid!"

"Then act like someone who deserves respect!"

"Huh... no mercy towards old Mikey, huh?"

Leo pressed his lips in annoyance. Michelangelo looked at him gently, guilt clearly shown on his face. Leo was a bit relieved to see that. Mikey still has a chance to return to his old self, at least, he hoped.

"But really, how were you born?"

"I'd rather not share it with you."

"Okay, okay, got it."

"Maybe April could help," Raphael mentioned as he prepared green tea for his distressed brother.

"I don't want to endanger more people than necessary."

"I get it. But I'm not sure if just the two of us will be enough..." Raphael walked back to the couch with the hot tea and put it into Leonardo's hands.

"Argh... I can't understand Mikey..." Leonardo sipped from the cup.

"He better has a good reason to be such a dumbass!" Raphael clenched his fists. Leonardo nodded, then silence fell on them for long minutes. Leonardo focused on his tea, while Raphael was waiting for his brother to say something smart because he was at a loss for words.

"Raph..."

"Yeah?"

"Do you think things can be ever like in the old times? I mean... I know that some things can't be brought back, as you said it too... but could we build up a new life based on our old?"

"I don't know Leo... I would like to say that we can fix it... but I'm not sure. So many years passed... all of us got hurt, and we all still have some underlying displeasure about each other."

"That's right... not enough that the Shredder hurt us, we were cruel to each other too." Leonardo sighed. "I know that I hurt you... and Mikey... I let my anger and grief get the better of me."

"This happened to all of us... Look, I'm not saying that we should just forget everything and ride off into the sunset... after all, just a few hours ago, even yer voice made me mad... We won't solve it overnight, but it's not impossible."

"Wow, Raphael... your brain aged well."

Raphael narrowed his eyes smacked Leonardo on the head.

"Hey, it was a compliment!" his brother held his hands up in defense.

"Ya implied that I was stupid!"

"Well..."

"Don't. Answer. Don't ya dare!" he growled slightly. "With ya, might work. With Mikey, I don't know. He seems too lost, especially after his latest mission..."

Leonardo drank the last drops of the tea, then looked in Raphael's direction. Leonardo thought for a moment.

"Do you think Master Splinter's death was my fault?"

Raphael took the cup from his brother and put it on the coffee table.

"I used to. Even when I met yer son. I talked a lot of shit about ya to him... on the way here, I visited Splinter... he would be really mad at us now. I thought it through what I did... I wasn't any better than ya and Mikey. You were the leader, blaming ya was so easy, but I just didn't wanted to think about my own actions and responsibility." then, he chuckled a bit. "I guess I was blinder than ya."

Leonardo smiled and leaned against his brother.

"It's a good start for a better future."

"Sit down, little Leo," Mikey offered a chair in the lab. Leo sat down and look around. No one else was there, just the lab stuff he couldn't even name.

"So... someone will examine me, right?" Leo asked shyly.

"Yes. He will be here soon."

"Who's the doc here?"

Michelangelo didn't answer right away. He squeezed the boy's shoulder and sighed.

"Soon, you will understand me."

Oh my gosh! I just checked my reviews and I saw 31 and I was like whaat, that's not the number I remembered xd

Whoever you are Guest, thank you for your comments! I read them and they mean a lot to me! 3 And don't worry, this isn't the end, I'm just slow to update ^^" I won't abandon this story:)

ScribeofHeroes:

(Chapter 14)

It's alright, I knew you would eventually show up:)

Thank you^^

Probably, Splinter wants to learn more from Leonardo before dumping in on the boys.

(Chapter 15)

Yes, Tequila fell into the usual outcome of oldman-takes-kid-in :"D

Yes, he knows when to put aside his pride. At least, most of the time.

Raphael must have questioned for a moment if he was in another world xd

Well yes, sadly he knows it too, it's just a lie. But that seemed to best way to make Raphael help him.

It's time for him to face his feelings too.

Yeah, he didn't connect the dots yet.

They have a lot to work on.

It's best if he takes Raphael too.

Maybe the next chapter will answer a few things.

Thank you for the comments once again! 3