Author's Note: Here's the next chapter, like I said I had it up within the last couple of days. This chapter just came to me. This chapter is completely devoted to the other turtles group. Sorry no Donny in this one. And also Splinter may be OOC in this one. Believe me once you read this you'll know why I wrote it. Enjoy.

Chapter 11: A Father's Breakdown

The sounds of nature is all that could be heard as several figures combed the forest outside the city. The sun high up in the sky, which perfectly lit up the area, giving the occupants enough visibility in order to search around. Leo, Raph, Mikey and Splinter combed the surrounding trees in search of anything that could give them a clue to their brother's disappearance.

As much as it pained them the turtles, Splinter, April and Casey camped out for the night. They didn't want to leave the area in fear of missing anything. It wasn't a really comfortable or peaceful night. There wasn't much room in the Battle Shell so most of them had to sleep outside and one of them had to keep watch for anything. No one had really said anything, all of them really anxious for the time to pass as quickly as possible.

Once the crack of dawn hit they were out, searching the surrounding area. The turtles and Splinter searched outside while Casey and April searched more on the inside of the building, making sure they go every single inch of the place. They had been at it for at least an hour and nothing had turned up.

Leo and Splinter stood a few yards away from the clearing that had the building. Both father and son looked around on the grass, shrubs and trees to find any kind of clues. "We're not getting anywhere sensei," Leo said as he was kneeled down on the ground.

"I'm fearing that too my son, but we can't stop now," The aged rat responded to his son. It was important right now that he instill hope for his sons, he didn't want them giving up. None of them couldn't do that, Donatello wouldn't do that to them.

"Still it feels like we've been walking around in a huge circle," the leaf green turtle stood up. "We've been at it for an hour and still nothing."

"We have to be patient, answers will come in time," Splinter started to walk in a random direction.

Both of the rat's ears twitched as Leo's Shellcell rang, prompting the blue clad turtle to answer it. Blocking out his son's voice both of the aged rat's ears twitched as something soft could be heard. He sniffed the air as an unknown scent crossed him. Both eyes scanned the area he's in and stopped once he found out which direction the scent and noise came from.

"Sensei?" Leo's voice broke his master out of his focus.

"Yes, Leonardo?" Splinter turned to face his son.

"April and Casey found something outside the building, they want us to check it out," the eldest son explained to his father.

Splinter thought about what his son told him. Curiosity perked itself as to what their friends could have found, but the scent and sound had him the most. Thinking quickly he decided to let his sons go on for now. "You and your brothers go, Leonardo. There's something I want to check first."

"What do you mean?" Leo asked with a raised eye. Now he's curious as to what his father is going to do.

"I'll explain in a bit, just go on right now."

"Alright, be careful," Leo nodded as he turned and ran in the other direction.

Seeing his son off Splinter then turned back in his original direction and narrowed his eyes, walking further into the forest, guided by the scent. "Who are you….and where are you going?" Splinter spoke to himself.

"What is it?" Michelangelo asked as he, Raph, Casey and April stood over an indentation in the ground.

"I don't know, we just found it," April asked from where she stood next to the clue. There was two thin indentations were over a foot long and nearly a foot wide. The indentations were split, almost making them parallel. April then turned and pointed a couple yards away. "There are also two more over there as well."

Casey and Raph then walked over to the other two and looked at them. "These look the same," Casey responded.

"Yet they make a perfect triangle the way they're formed," Raph added in as he saw the position they were all in now.

It was then Leo approached the small group, "Hey, what did I miss?"

"There are some weird indentation on the ground," April responded, pointing to them. "It's almost like…something rested here or something.

"Really?" Leo asked as he looked at the clue they had. "What kind of thing this small could rest here?"

"We don't know yet," Raph responded as the small group came together.

"You know, the more I look at this I can almost see…trends," Casey said, looking closer.

"What?" Everyone said.

"Yeah…these indentations belong to tires."

"Tires?" Raph questioned. It made sense, but yet there was one flaw with the explanation. "Ok if it is tires then what kind of vehicle only require only three?"

It was then Mikey mumbled something, which coughed Leo's attention. "What did you say Mikey?" This caused everyone to look in the orange clad turtle's direction.

Seeing that the attention was on him now, Mikey spoke up, "What about a helicopter?"

It was then realization came into them after that answer was given. "Yeah, that makes sense," April responded.

"Plus the amount of space in this clearing does give enough room for one," Leo started to explain. "But then that mean-"

He was cut off as a loud scream sounded from the forest. "What the shell!?" Raph questioned.

"Come on!" Leo responded as everyone ran in the direction of the scream. Once again it sounded again, the shout sounded male and the way it sound it was like the guy was in a panic. They went into the forest as they followed the trail. The further they went in they could hear what sounded like struggling.

"Where is my son!?" A loud voice echoed throughout the forest. Everyone instantly recognized Splinter's voice and made haste. There was a bit of silence afterwards then a loud thwack echoed, followed by cries of pain. "Where is he!?" Splinter's voice echoed, but much louder this time and full of anger.

They all soon stumbled upon the scene and were wide eyed at what they saw. A lone Foot ninja stood with his back against a tree, pinned against it by Splinter and his walking stick. Holding it horizontal the aged rat had the wooden weapon pressed into the ninja's neck. A look of anger on their father's face, almost like a look a parent gets when their child is in danger.

"I…I…don't know," the lone Foot ninja responded, clearly frighten by what's going on and not noticing the newcomers at all.

"Lies!" Splinter yelled as he kneed the guy in the stomach, knocking the air out of the guy. Before the guy could fall down he was once again pinned against the tree. Face to face with the large angry rat once again.

"Master, what's going on?" Leo was the first to ask.

Teeth clenched the aged rat responded while still holding his grip. "I found this Foot ninja headed to where we were. I took it upon myself to get the answers we need, but he's lying to me."

"I'm…not," The guy pleaded, but that earned him a punch to the gut, making him groan in pain.

"I will ask you one last time, fail to give me the answers I want to know and it'll end badly for you," Splinter seethed to the guy as he leaned in closer, both set of eyes locked onto one another. "Where is Donatello!?"

"I…don't know!" the guy whimper, bad answer.

Splinter then pulled him away from the tree and quickly struck him in the head with his walking stick. The impact caused the Foot ninja to fall on the ground, but there was no break as he was pummeled by the rat, punch after punch rained down on the guy in various spots.

The turtles, April and Casey stood there, shocked at how Splinter was displaying brutality towards the Foot ninja. Beating him for information he might have, but in a much brutal way. April and Casey had wide eyes and dropped jaws as they watched a good friend of theirs brutally hurting the guy.

The turtles just stood there shocked at what they were seeing. They didn't know if their father is venting anger or is just blinded by the truth.

"This was so unlike Master Splinter," Leo thought to himself. "He's basically going against every moral code he taught us. We never would attack a defenseless person, even if it's our enemy."

"What is the matter with Master Splinter?" Raph thought as he watched what was going on. "He's attacking him brutally…but he deserves it, doesn't he?"

A minute passed as the beating stopped and the lone ninja laid sprawled out on the ground. The tip of Splinter's walking stick pressed into his throat. "Tell me where my son is, and no more lies! Otherwise it'll get much worse!"

"Guys you have to stop him," April spoke to her friends, but yet she didn't get a response. "Guys? Guys don't you hear me?"

"Why?" Raph's voice spoke up. "The Foot took Donny, don't you think they deserve this?"

"They took our brother…don't you think some retribution is warranted?" Leo somewhat seconded Raph's comment.

"Not like this," April pleaded, the tone of her voice hitting them as they realized the severity of the situation.

None of them wanted to stop out to stop this, mainly because they felt some kind of jutice is being served, but also shame since moral codes they held onto is being broken. By the one person who taught them it.

It was Leo who made the brave attempt to diffuse the situation, "Sensei, you should stop-"

"Silence!" the rat snapped at his eldest son, which caused the leaf green turtle and everyone else to jump and step back. Both of his father's eyes now glaring at him with fury. "Do not interfere!"

Ok now everyone started to get scared, Splinter would never snap at his children like that, worse his voice filled with so much authority that no one made another attempt to stop him.

"Why is Master Splinter acting like this?" Mikey thought to himself, shocked at what just happened as he continued to watch. "He never loses it like this…This isn't like him."

"Where is he," Splinter seethed as both eyes returned to the Foot ninja.

"I'm…telling you the truth…I don't know!" he cried out as he tried to gulp up as much air. Splinter then raised his walking stick, spun it in his hand and slammed the thicker part down onto the guy's stomach, making a louder cry of pain rang out, causing the small audience to flinch.

"I am growing tired of your lies, keep this up and your life will cease to exist!" Splinter once again seethed in anger, which caused the guy to widen his eyes in fear. And of course this shocked the others as well. Splinter would never threaten anyone by taking their lives. It went against everything he taught his sons, and now hearing him say that further shocked everyone.

"Is that anymore proof things are getting too far?" Casey told them.

"No…Master Splinter can't, he wouldn't do something like this," Leo commented.

"But it looks like he is," Mikey put in

Once again the aged rat began to beat on the ninja again, this time punching him in the face respectively. The recipient stood no chance against the rat's fury.

"This has gone on far enough, this isn't retribution, this is plain torture."

The others knew that they needed to stop this before things got bad. Before it got to the point where Splinter could do something he would regret later on.

Now Raph tried next to stop his father from continuing. "Master Splinter, you shouldn't be-"

Once again the rat cut off the speaker, turning those rage filled eyes on him, momentarily stopping the torture of the Foot ninja. "I told you to be silent! Do not get in the way!"

This caused Raph to back off, completely silencing him. Well that didn't work, now everyone was worried now. It seemed like no one couldn't snap their master out of this rage. And no one dared to try to break it up physically, in fear of what Splinter would do in response. Once the interruption was over Splinter went back to "interrogating" his captive.

The small group then turned to one another, nothing but panic on their faces. "Guys we have to do something," Leo was the first to say.

"But what, Sensei's in a rage, and I doubt none of us is going to go against his orders," Raph responded.

"This is not like him," April said, hand nearly covering her mouth. "He's going to kill him if he doesn't stop."

"He's not going to listen," Casey responded.

"Something has to be done, fast!" Leo said as he turned at the scene before them.

The poor foot ninja is trying to crawl away, but most of his body must be injured because he's not going anywhere fast. Splinter, who still had the fury induced expression, moved over and turned him onto his back. Once again planting the walking stick on his chest. "This is the last time I will ask…so this is your last chance. Where is my son, Donatello!?"

The Foot ninja's breathing is hard and labored. It was almost as if he was going to pass out at any moment from the torture he received. He didn't both trying to fight back, he's too weak to mount a proper defense. There were a few whimpers that escaped him, "I'm telling…the truth…I don't know anything!"

Splinter's eyes narrowed as the fury intensified, "I gave you a chance…now you have no more."

It was then the rat raised his walking stick above his head, preparing to give the final blow that would end it all. The Foot ninja panicked even more as he saw this, his life flashing before his know since he knew this was it.

"NO!" Mikey then rushed forward and grabbed his father's wrist, stopping him from delivering the blow. This move surprised everyone as no one dared to move, watching as Splinter's furious eyes locked onto his youngest son.

"Michelangelo, you dare defy an order!" he shouted, which caused the sea green turtle to tremble. "How dare you stop me!"

Mikey stood there frozen, not sure how to respond. This was something he did out of reaction and now he wasn't sure how to respond or how to take things from here. Either way he needed to say something, try and get his father out of his rage.

"Sensei, please stop this!" The orange clad turtle pleaded.

"He knows where your brothers is, but lies and you're trying to stop me from getting that information!" Splinter responded, all the anger locked onto his youngest son.

"Sensei you're blinded by anger, I don't think he really know where Donny is," Mikey pleaded again, still frozen where he was.

"He's a liar, he knows where he is but is refusing to tell us. I gave him the chance to tell me but he chose his fate," Splinter then turned to face the panicked Foot ninja but once again was stopped by his youngest son's voice.

"But Sensei…no, father this isn't you. You're not like this, you don't beat up on someone out of anger, especially a defenseless opponent. And you don't kill someone either because of that. This is nothing but anger that has taken over you, you're blinded by rage. You're going against everything you taught us, everything you told us not to do. You're not a killer, not like this. Please…stop this."

Splinter stood still from where he stood, listening to every single word his son said to him. Then he replayed it once again in his mind. Slowly the rage inside of him started to leave him, the words of his son bringing him back to a rational state of mind. Soon all of the rage had disappeared, only to be replaced with shame for what he had done, for what he almost did. Both of his ears flatten as the walking stick fell from his hand.

He just stood there, frozen. Everyone wondered what was wrong, even the Foot ninja was shocked at what happened but didn't dare to move in fear of what could have happened.

"Master?" Leo was the first to speak, approaching till he was next to Mikey's side.

"Please take this Foot ninja and see what he know," Splinter's sudden calm voice came out.

"Sense are you…" Raph started to say but his father cut him off.

"Please…I need…to be alone right now," Splinter adverted eye contact with his sons as he sat down, legs crossed and head hung.

There was nothing but silence as everyone look at Splinter, not sure how to take things from here. Here they watched as their master turned into an anger filled tyrant, and now returned to his original self. Leo then spoke up, "Raph, grab the guy. April, Casey go to the Battle Shell and get the rope there."

Without responded they all then started with their assigned tasks, nothing but silence and the sounds of nature all around them. Raph went over and roughly grabbed the Foot ninja and brought him to his feet before marching him out of the area. Mikey looked at Leo, then Splinter before nodding to his older brother before following Raph.

It was just Leo and Splinter left in the area, more silence filled up as the blue clad turtle started at his father's back. He opened his mouth but froze, the words he was about to say stuck in his throat. A second passed as he closed his mouth and decided not to say anything. It was best do as his father said and leave him alone.

Leo then turned and left the rat sensei to his thoughts, but little did the leaf green turtle know was that a small stream of tears fell from Splinter's eyes after he replayed all he done over and over again in his head. The way he lost control and went against everything he taught his sons, oh the shame he felt. Once he knew that he was alone Splinter then cradled his face in his hands as a soft sob escaped him.

Ten minutes later everyone stood around the sitting Foot ninja, who was tied to one of the many trees in the forest. Everyone but Raph and Leo sat down, waiting to find out what the guy knows.

"Ok…unless you want our sensei to have another round with you I suggest you cooperate with us," Leo spoke to the guy, standing right in front of him. This seemed to get the guy's attention, he seemed to have a worried look underneath his mask. "Tell us the truth, do you know where our brother is?"

"I keep telling you no, I don't know anything about him. I wasn't privileged that information," the Foot ninja fired back in irritation, mostly from being asked that same question repeatedly. The only difference now is that he wasn't getting beaten on.

"You know I think he's telling the truth," Mikey spoke from the spot on the ground he sat on.

"So do I," April second the sea green turtle.

"Ok, then why weren't you privileged to know?" Raph asked, leaning against the tree the Foot ninja is tied to.

"I don't know, they wouldn't say anything beyond that," He responded without looking at anyone of his captors.

"Ok, if you weren't told then why are you here?" Leo asked, arms crossed.

"I received a late order to destroy the building that's out here, I never got to accomplish this after that insane rat att-OW!" Raph then hit him in the head with the butt end of his Sai.

"Don't talk about our sensei like that," the emerald green turtle responded, angrily.

"What, I'm only speaking the truth, he's insane!"

"Maybe Master Splinter's method was working," Raph then pushed himself off of the tree and readied his weapon.

"Raph don't even try it," Leo warned.

"Fearless, this guy has a real mouth on him and there's no way he's going to insult our sensei without getting something in return."

"Raphael," Splinter's sharp, parental voice came out from nowhere, freezing the red clad turtle in his place.

Everyone turned and saw the aged rat a few yards away from them. Both ears folded against his skull as he had a sorrow look on his face. This was a new sight for everyone to see.

"Master Splinter…are you," Leo began but stopped once his father held up a hand, silencing him.

"Miss O'Neal, Mister Jones, please take over and find out more from him," he spoke in a normal voice, adverting eye contact. "I need to talk to my sons…in private."

Both humans raised an eye at that, not sure what was happening right now. Why did he only want to talk to the turtles? And also why isn't he looking at them?

"Sure…Master Splinter," April responded, who also got a nod from Casey.

"Thank you," Splinter bowed before turning and walking off. The three remaining brothers looked at one another in confusion, not sure what to make of this. With a Shrug Mikey is the first one to follow his father, followed by Raph and finally Leo.

They had caught up with their sensei and continued to walk, all in silence. The feeling they received in the air made them not say anything, thinking this must be serious. They had walked about nearly thirty yards away when Splinter stopped, turned around to face his children and sat down, head still hung. Seeing that the three boys decided to follow, sitting down on the cool grass, all eyes locked onto their sensei.

They spent a bit of time in silence, their sensei still not looking up at them. None of them knew what to do right now. They weren't sure to say anything, not sure if Splinter wanted them to wait for him to speak first. They just continued to be silent and look at their sensei.

"I'm sorry," their father finally said, catching them off guard.

"What do you mean?" Leo was the first to ask for them all.

"I'm sorry…I snapped at you all…my anger got the best of me and I lost control of myself," the aged rat continued to speak up, all the while still looking at the ground. "Michelangelo…I thank you for stopping me from doing something I would have regretted. You made me see the error of my wrong doing, you basically saved me…from myself."

Mike nodded as he heard his father's words, touched but also sadden to be hearing it. "It was nothing…I just acted, nothing more."

"Still…I let my anger for the Foot get the best of me. When I heard and picked up the scent of him I followed, wanting to see who it was. Once I saw him…I just lost it and proceeded to try to get answers from him. My rational side was long gone after that."

"But sensei, we all tend to lose control, even the best of us," Raph spoke up, trying to ease his father's feelings.

"My sons…you don't understand…so I'll show you," Right after that he finally pulled his head up, looking at the three finally. The three brothers' mouth's open and eyes rose at what they saw. Master Splinter's eyes were red, and a couple of tears fell from them. Their father had been crying, something they thought they would never see at all. Out of their whole lives they never saw their sensei shed a tear, not once.

"Sensei…are you-" Mikey began but was cut off.

"You're brother's abduction…has effected more than you all can imagine," Splinter responded, using the arm of his robe to wipe the current tears away.

They all heard this and it made the three remaining brothers think about this. True they all were effected in many ways because of Donny's kidnapping, but now they started to realize that they never understood what Master Splinter had been feeling. None of them ever asked how he had been doing because of this.

"As a parent I worry a lot over the four of you," Splinter started up once again, gaining his sons attention once more as they listened. "Every time you all leave the lair, I worry about your safety, worried that if all I taught you had been good enough up to this point. I worry if one of you are going to be hurt…killed…or worst of all….taken away from me. It is when you all come back is when the worry leaves me."

"We use everything you taught us…that's why we always come back ok," Leo responded, trying to ease his father.

"Not always Leonardo…there are times where you get hurt and I have to worry if this may be the last time I get to see one of you alive."

"But Donny always patches us up and we're always ok," Raph said.

"I know of this…but that one night when you came back without him…" Both of Splinter's hands clenched around his walking stick. "That same panic filled me. At first I thought we would be able to get him back soon…but as the days went on…to weeks…then months…the worry…inside of me grew…too much…for a parent to handle."

They all saw their father clenched his walking stick and close his eyes as more tears streamed down. They all knew their father is hurting from Don's absence, and weren't sure what to do right now.

"I'm always used to having you all close to me…but now…it feels like…our family is no longer complete."

"We'll get him back father," Leo spoke, needing to reassure him the best he could. "We can, we're not giving up."

"I know my sons…" Splinter then looked back up. "But…I shouldn't have let you all out…that night."

"What?" they all responded, a little confused at what they heard.

"What do you mean?" Leo asked.

"I let you all go out that night…something I shouldn't have done."

It was then the three realized what their sensei was getting at, apparently Splinter is blaming himself for Donatello's abduction. He was the one who told them to stay inside the lair, but then also he let them go out on patrol, which what caused this mess.

"Sensei you can't blame yourself…this could have happened either way," Leo tried to convince but it was a failed attempted.

"I could have had Donatello here just for a bit longer…but I made the choice…and living with the consequences of my decision," he looked back down.

"But I was the one who asked you to let us go," Leo responded, trying to ease the guilt. "You wouldn't have even considered letting us go if I didn't ask you to. If anyone is to blame it's me."

"I still made the choice, no one else, only me."

"Still…we all are to blame when you think about it," Raph said.

"It doesn't matter anymore…I miss Donatello…and I want him back," Splinter said as his breathing seemed to increase as a bit more tears came. It was then Mikey stood up and walked over the age rat, the fell to his knees and hugged his father. Leo followed and did the same, and then Raph. Splinter felt his son's embrace and couldn't help but return it, touched they cared for him as much as they did.

"Just know this…you four are the most important people I have in my life. Ever since my Master Yoshi was taken from me I never thought I could care for anyone again…but once you four came into my life I cared once more. You all filled the void in my life I thought could never be filled…you are my sons…and I would rather die before anything were to happen to any of you."

The brothers took in the words, now even more determined to find their brother, not just for their sakes but for their father's. They didn't care how long it would take, they would keep searching and find their missing brother one day, that's a promise.

A/N: Hope you like. I've been thinking and I never told how Splinter had been feeling because of this event. This may have gone OOC but it was something I had to do. Hope it was good and I'll work on the next chapter. Thank you and till next time.