It looks like this whole part is going to be in Donnie's POV…lol

Hope everyone likes that. ^^:

Chapter 3:

(Donnie's POV)

"Donatello?" A voice asked as I started to come around, "Donatello, can you hear me?"

"Yes," I answered groggily as I opened my eyes, half expecting to see Olcadan again, but was admittedly relieved when it turned out to be someone else.

"Father," I called happily as I threw my arms around him in a hug.

"It is alright, my son," Splinter soothed, gently rubbing my shell like he had when we were young, "You are safe," He added, causing me to pull back and look around for Mikey and Zira, only to discover they were both asleep in the beds next to mine.

"What happened?"

"You were captured. Casey's men spotted you in Hell's Kitchen; they believed you to still be under Shredder's control, so they knocked you out and brought you here,"

"Oh," I stated simply as I looked up to find Casey and April standing off to the side as well.

"Yeah, sorry about that," The man offered with a sheepish little smile which I returned.

"It's okay, I'm just glad you weren't Shredder," I admitted with a hollow laugh and he nodded in understanding as April moved over to sit by me.

"How are you feeling?" She asked reaching out to feel my forehead.

"Weak," I informed her mutely, before explaining again what had happened to me while under the Barron's supervision, "How's Mikey?" I added afterwards, looking over at him again as he remained curled up on his bed.

"We found the brain worm," A new voice suddenly put in and looked up to find Leatherhead walking into the room, and Jordon as well.

"The creature seemed to be in a state of shock, which allowed us to remove it safely. He's in no danger," The human added kindly.

"Thank you," I offered and he nodded with a smile.

"However, he has been muttering deliriously about you almost none stop," The alligator proclaimed worriedly, "He continues to beg you not to leave him."

"I know," I answered as I stubbornly pulled myself out of the bed, so I could go to him again, "I did what I had to," I told them sternly as I pulled him into my arms, "I'd appreciate it if everyone would stop reminding me," I added absentmindedly.

"Of course, I apologize," Leatherhead offered quickly and I realized I had said that last part out loud.

"I'm sorry, Leatherhead," I added quickly, "I didn't mean to –"

"It's perfectly alright," He interrupted kindly, "You have been through a lot these last few weeks; I would expect you to be on the defense," This caused me to quickly look up at him in shock.

"Weeks?" I repeated causing Splinter to sit next to me again and lay a hand on my shoulder.

"My son, you and your brothers have been prisoners of the Shredder for nearly three weeks," He explained kindly leaving me to look at the ground in understanding.

"That explains why everyone's here," I commented tiredly and he nodded.

"You should rest; your body and mind have endured much," My father added after a minute as he helped me to lie down again, "Sleep my son, we will discuss our plans later," He offered and I nodded in agreement, before giving into the request and lost consciousness once again.

…

The next day

"Donatello?" My father's voice called to me as I sat on Mikey's bed playing a game of cards with him, but my heart wasn't really in it as I was more or less using it as a way to come up with a plan to find our other two brothers, but I still had no idea where to even start searching.

"Yes," I answered looking up at him as he stood in the doorway.

"Will you speak with me please?" He asked kindly, leaving me to quickly look at Mikey, who smiled.

Thankfully for me, he seemed to completely understand that what I had said before was nothing but lies to free him and instead of being angry or sad, he was almost tickled to think that I would have done something so against my nature just to get him back.

"It's okay," He offered me quickly, "I can play with Zira," He added, before turning to said woman who was currently reading a book on her own bed, "Hey, come over here and let me beat you at Go-Fish," He insisted happily, causing her to raise an eyebrow at him.

"Go-what?" She asked, leaving him floored into silence for half a second before his none-stop string of words started again.

"Go-what, go-what?" He repeated in disbelief as he quickly made to reshuffle the cards, "It's official, you are now about to learn the wonders of Go-Fish. Now, get over here," He ordered around his smile leaving me to laugh a little as I got up to allow her to take my place.

Clearly what she wanted more than anything was just to keep him happy, and so was willing to go along with his demands. Even if she was fully aware that the rules he was informing her of were nothing close to the actual rules of the game.

"What is it?" I asked once I closed the door behind me and turned to face Splinter again. But, instead of answering me, he just calmly laid his arm over my shoulders and led me down the hall to a room he had set up for us.

"The connections between your mind and your body are weak and detached," He explained softly, but seriously and I nodded in agreement, "We must correct them before permanent damage is done," He added before quietly motioning for me to lie in the circle of candles, which I did.

In a matter of minutes; he had prepared himself for the repairing and carefully placed his hands over my body, allowing me to grow more comfortable as I gave all of my trust to him.

"What is this presence, my son?" He asked some time later and I opened my eyes to find him still in his meditative trance, but was currently focused on my right hand where the soul chain was.

"That's a long story, but it's okay," I told him and he nodded, before moving on, having only needed to learn that it wasn't a threat.

"You spirit is restless," He added again and I closed my eyes as I came to understand what he was referring to.

"I – I have a confession," I told him, causing him to pause in his work, "I – I took a life – father – my own," I admitted solemnly, leaving him to lay a comforting hand on my arm, "Will I be exiled?" I asked nervously, struggling to contain my fear.

"No, my son, you did what you had to escape," He informed me gently and I released a breath as I closed my eyes again and leaned back into the pillow under my head, "Calm yourself, all is well," He added quietly, taking my hand and softly rubbed his over it to still my shaking.

"I couldn't stay there anymore," I told him as I felt tears start to fall down my face, "It was too much – I was so alone."

"It is alright," Splinter said again as he gently maneuvered me into a sitting position so he could hug me while my body continued to shake uncontrollably in response to the healing, until finally I felt everything return to normal as the connections in my mind were reinstated.

Finally, I could feel my strength beginning to return and my emotions come back under my control as I leaned into my father's comforting embrace for several minutes more until I could open my eyes again and take a deep breath.

"How do you feel?" He asked me kindly and I nodded as I took another breath.

"Better," I finally answered, though I was still shaking slightly in response to the energy that were still passing through my open chakra points.

"Is your mind at peace?" He asked next, requesting to know if there was anything else I wished to confide in him.

"It felt like years," I admitted, causing him to look at me, "Inside that computer; on the shores of my subconscious," I explained and he nodded, knowing full well what I meant, for the deeper one delved into the mind the longer time seemed to become.

If I had indeed been trapped inside the Barron's mental prison for three weeks, it was very possible that many years had passed in my mind.

Though I wasn't yet able to determine how many exactly, for when I awoke it became nothing more than a dream, eventually I would learn the truth and admittedly – it scared me to think how long I had truly been alone down there.

"Master Splinter?" A new voice asked then and we turned to find April cautiously opening the door to see if we were ready, which left me to look up at the clock and determine that nearly an hour had passed during the repair.

"It is alright April, I am finished," Splinter told her kindly, causing her to step in a little farther.

"Casey's people reported movement in Hell's Kitchen. There's a small group of Shredder's men approaching the city," She finally spoke up, causing me to look at her in shock.

When had Shredder become so active? Was this because of our capture, did he know Mikey and I had escaped?

"Have the gate guards been alerted?" Splinter asked calmly.

"Yes – but –" She started again nervously, "That's not all."

"What is it?" My father added as we took notice of her stiff posture.

"The army – it's –" She began, but was forced to swallow before continuing, "It's being led by – by Raph."

O.O

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