Turtle Tot years & Dream Friends

Summary: His brothers just want to help Mikey his brothers are also worried whenever Mikey speaks out loud to himself. Or, the one where Mikey uses his cuteness and convinced his brothers to go topside.

Disclaimer: Knock, knock. Who there? I don't own. I don't own who. I don't own TMNT.

Donnie may only be a tot, but Donnie started to understand that his baby brother wasn't really all there in the head anymore and Donnie wanted to fix it. He needed to fix it, needed to understand how and when it started and why, Donnie had to try something. Already young and Donnie knew how to fix broken toys him and his brothers found or fix the toys Mikey would bring from topside. If he can do that then he can fix his baby brother because every night his baby brother would wake up screaming. Just like right now they were all sleeping, all waiting for when another horrible nightmare would enter Mikey mind and his body was already up by the time Mikey started to let out a big scream from his lips.

"It's alright Mikey," Donnie said patting his little brother on the head.

His little brother always loved it before but now he seemed to flinch at the touch before crying in Donnie arms with a worried Leo and Raph beside them.

"They killed her Dee."

Donnie wonders who was she because there weren't any females in this family and if they were mother had been long since dead before the ooze had touched them. Donnie goes along with it though because normally his baby brother does not say a thing about his nightmares and this is the first time.

"Who she?" Donnie asked.

"They killed her. They took away her child and killed the baby and then they killed her. I tried to help but I was too late, too slow, I didn't get there on time Dee. I'm sorry."

"It's alright little brother," Leo said. "It's just a scary dream none of it happened."

Mikey shakes his head in Donnie arms.

"It happened. It happened but it won't now. It won't."

Donnie wonders what his baby brother was on about before he remembered that his baby brother had lost his mind a couple of weeks ago when he woke up screaming at them. He just hugs Mikey tightly until Master Splinter walked in and started to hum to them and of, they go again back in a restless sleep. It's the next day where Mikey was going to go topside again to get some more food because the last of it was gone does Donnie ask a question.

He normally didn't ask anything from topside most of the brothers didn't, but Mikey always seemed to know what they wanted anyway and always somehow and someway got what they needed even if they didn't know they wanted it.

"Mikey," Donnie said.

His brother was close to leaving the lair but stop to turn at Donnie.

"Sup bro, what's wrong?"

"Nothing wrong," Donnie said shaking his head. "It's just that can you get me something?"

"Sure Dee, what do you want?"

"I want some books about nightmares."

Mikey seemed concerned for a second and Donnie started to think that maybe he was worried his brothers was having nightmares. Which wasn't the case at all.

"No, that's not it," he said quickly. "I want some books about nightmares because I want to try and help yours."

"Oh."

Mikey didn't know what else to say just looking at Donnie with sad blue eyes. Donnie didn't like his baby brother sad eyes, they used to be happy but then the mean nightmares came and took his baby brother happiness away from them.

"I see what I can do."

Before Mikey left Donnie wrapped his arms around his baby brother.

"Don't worry Dee I be back before you know it. Love you big bro."

"Yeah I love you to." Donnie said the moment Mikey had left the lair.

Mikey came back on the same time he always does with his bags filled with fresh food and three books in his hand. Donnie didn't understand how his baby brother could do it, but he does and Mike hands them over and he happily started reading them. He goes to Master Splinter though because sometime there are big words in there that he didn't understand. He gains a little hope at the following information he finds.

Nightmares may begin in children between 3 and 6 years old and tend to decrease after the age of 10. During the teen and young adult years, girls appear to have nightmares more often than boys do. Some people have them as adults or throughout their lives. Although nightmares are common, nightmare disorder is relatively rare. Nightmare disorder is when nightmares happen often, cause distress, disrupt sleep, cause problems with daytime functioning or create fear of going to sleep.

The nightmares may go away when their ten, their only six at the moment so there is chance that the scary nightmares will leave his baby brother alone.

Leo had a problem and that's the slight fear of Mikey talking to himself. He didn't do it all the time his baby brother tends to speak to himself when he thinks the family isn't listening.

"Will tell me what to do then. Give me some advice here," Mikey said to himself throwing his arms around in the air in distressed.

Or.

"I'm not telling them."

Sometimes.

"You can't ground me your dead."

It's like Mikey is speaking to someone that only he can hear which brings Leo here asking his father what to do about this. As he helped his father make the rooms for his brothers to have their own space. Leo didn't really like the idea he saw it coming though Splinter had been talking about their own rooms for a while, but he didn't want Mikey to be left alone.

"Master Splinter," Leo said. As he looked at the nails for the draw. "Why does Mikey talk to himself?"

Almost to prove a point Mikey himself walked pass the door storming his feet.

"I can handle this. I was the last mutant standing stop calling me a baby."

Leo casted worried glance as he watched his baby brother go to the other side of the lair.

"Hmm, I am unsure my son. But I sense a spirit near him it is possible your brother is speaking to that said spirit."

"How come the spirit talks to Mikey then?"

"I have always said your brother has the rawest talent it wasn't until recently where your brother started to show them."

That's true Mikey used to have a hard time in training but now he can kick their shells whenever he wanted to. Which sometimes made Leo a little jealous since no matter how much he wanted to he couldn't match Mikey skilled.

"So, the spirit is with Mikey because he has talent to see them? Is the spirit the reason why Mikey has trouble sleeping?"

Master Splinter did mention once that there are good and bad spirits.

"I do not sense anything negative from this spirit."

"Stop telling me that!"

Dropping everything in their hands they both turned to Mikey.

"My son is everything alright?" Master Splinter asked.

Mikey gave their father a glare which was very un-Mikey like.

"Yes, just pissed off."

Master Splinter cane was slammed to the floor.

"Do not use that language my son."

"Sorry," Mikey said. Before walking away to the kitchen.

"If that's a bad word how did Mikey learn it?" Leo asked. "Did the mean spirit teach it to him?"

Master Splinter does not speak he just stare in the spot his youngest son had been last. Leo thinks the spirit is a bad spirit, after all Mikey wouldn't know that word if the spirit was a good one.

Leo also didn't like the idea of Mike going up topside by himself. Father had always said that people would look at them oddly, people might not act kindly towards them because their different. People would not understand them, its why they started training because father wanted all four of them to at least have a chance to go outside one day. If the day comes all four brothers would be able to handle any situation that comes their way.

So, why did Mikey to get to go topside?

It wasn't like Leo was jealous, okay he was a little jealous because his baby brother got to go topside. Not to mention Mikey seemed to be better at almost everything now which would often anger Leo because what's the point of being big brother, if big brother can't even look after himself. So, yes Leo was a little jealous and upset with his own baby brother.

"Leo."

Leo turned to Mikey who stood behind Leo with Spike on his shoulders.

"Raph doesn't let anyone touch Spike."

Which was true, Raph would threaten anyone that went near the none mutant turtle. Yet, Spike stood on Mikey shoulder.

"I know dude, but Raph said I could look after Spike for a little while. He makes the loneliness go away."

Any jealous or anger that was in Leo went away as Mikey words reminded him that something was troubling his baby brother.

"That might be why your allowed to touch him."

Raph can act mean and scary, and yells a lot and never listens to anybody without adding his own comeback to counter it, but Raph can be a big softie sometimes especially when it comes to the youngest of the family. Which is why it explained so much on why Mikey was the only one outside of Raph, to look after Spike, anything that would help Mikey wouldn't have been a second thought to his oldest baby brother.

"Yep, hey Leo want to come topside with me?" Mikey asked giving him the puppy dog expression.

"Mike, you know the rules."

"Please. It won't be for long I just want to show you and the guys something really pretty. And, Splinter would never know."

"If four of us goes up their Splinter will be noticed something is off the moment the lair goes still."

The lair is never still, it's never quite but Mikey didn't seem to be listening to reasons.

"Please big brother. Please."

"No," Leo said folding his arms and looking away.

Leo knows how to avoid the puppy dog eyes mind trick. Look to the floor and don't make contact.

"Please."

His answer was still no.

"Please Leo."

Nope.

"Pretty please."

No and no, he was not going to get in trouble like the rest of his brothers surely well.

"Ni-san please."

Leo knows once his brother has his mind set on something there is no turning back. In other words, he gives up with a sign, he might get grounded afterwards but he could always say he was there to keep them in check.

"Fine Mikey."

"Yes."

Mikey tackles him for a quick hug before leading the way. Leo didn't like the look on Spike face that seemed to almost be laughing at him. He hated this, once they arrived to the surface with Raph and Donnie they found themselves on one of the skyscrapers. At least Mikey seemed happy for a change.

"Did he use the puppy dog eye trick on you to?" Donnie asked.

"For the last time Don," Raph cut in. "That tick only works for your weak minds. It doesn't work for me at all."

"Yep, Raph falls for it to Donnie," Leo joked.

Raph grumbled as Donnie laughed a little before running up to Mikey when it looked like Raph was ready to punch the second youngest in the shoulder.

"Why are we up here Mikey?" Leo asked.

He will admit though he felt happy being out here the air itself was different compared down in the tunnels, the cars and people we're loud, but it felt so much better than being inside the lair. Leo couldn't wait until he and his brothers are older enough to explore the outside world more. For, now though he just liked looking up at the sky the light blue colour that shined down upon them slowly turning red.

"Gentlemen and Raphael," Mikey said.

Raph looked ready to punch Mikey but Raph held back when they all sure the real smile on Mikey face.

"You will get to see a sunset."

Sitting on the rooftops the turtles stayed and watched the sun go down, Leo had never seen anything right it before in his life he wished he could see it more often. Leo knows though their father would not approve, so he just takes what he can. Even when the sunset dies down turning the sky to dark night sky, the turtles went back to the lair only to find a very worried Master Splinter waiting for them, that promised training which would leave them sore for the next week for the stunt they caused. Leo was still thankful for it, for today Leo saw the sunset for the first time in forever. Which is why before they went to bed that night Leo rub his brother forehead.

"Thanks, little bro."

"No, problem Ni-san. I can't wait until you guys can come up there with me and you get to see it more often."

Leo smiled he couldn't wait either.

So, yes Leo can be a little jealous sometimes of his baby brother but Mikey is his baby brother. He can toss his pride outside of the window for all he cared if it meant his brother is happy. Leo will just have to train twice as hard to catch up with Mikey this way when the time comes Leo can do the job that he is meant to do and look after all of his baby brothers.

Mikey had the room to himself Mikey didn't like it at all. He knows Master Splinter and his brothers had been helping to make their own rooms but it didn't seem to help Mikey calm at all. Mikey knows during his teenage years and childhood years he was given his own room since Splinter thought the time was right to do so. However, every time Mikey wakes up or even looks into an empty room his mind just takes him back to the timeline he left.

Clam my son, Tang Shen said. Your brothers are safe there currently all in their rooms looking about in amazement.

He can't do this though he can't be left alone again Mikey didn't want to be left alone he didn't like his new room. Where was Leo, Raph and Donnie great he was feeling like a kid again whenever he thought his brothers didn't want him anymore.

It's alright my son your safe. There all safe.

Know they weren't he was back there he was back there watching his brothers die one by one again and wondering where his brothers went and wondering why they wouldn't wake up. Wondering where their bodies should even be rested. Mikey cried, he used his hands to cover his eyes and it was starting to get a little harder to breath.

Raph was the one to hear it as he looked around his new room. Placing Spike on the floor he went to check on the others, Leo was fine so was Donnie and Master Splinter was okay but yet he heard the sound faint of crying.

"Mikey?"

It had to be Mikey it's been Mikey a lot these days whenever somebody cried it was Mikey the one to do so. Raph darted to his baby brother room and stopped in his tracks his little brother was there and crying on the floor hugging his legs close to him.

"Hey it's alright bud." Raph said rubbing the back of Mikey shell.

Raph was sadly used to doing this. Used to helping his baby brother that seemed to be troubled by something that his brother wouldn't let anyone to help him with.

"I can't find them," Mikey said in between loud sobs.

"It's alright Mikey, it's alright."

Sometimes Mikey words never seemed to make sense to anyone but him, which is what worried Raph the most.

"I can't find them because there dead. There dead, they left me, my brothers left me."

Raph gulped and he was mad he was mad at the world itself for putting his brother through this.

"Raph?" Donnie asked walking up to them. "What's going on?"

He didn't need to answer as he sat close to his crying baby brother, Leo followed next rushing in.

"I heard crying, oh Mikey."

Mikey cried. Mikey just cried and cried even after Master Splinter had enter. It would take over an hour for them to bring Mikey back to his senses.

Mikey didn't like his new room which is why Mikey was allowed to stay with one of his brothers for just a while. He stayed with Leo for the first night, whelping beside his older brother and never letting him go. Leo had to hum a lullaby to him just to get Mikey to sleep and Mikey didn't want to sleep but he found himself sleeping. Dude, he must be such a pain to all of them but Mikey didn't seem to be able to control his emotions anymore. Tot him saw something wrong and because of that his body expressed it.

It's during his dreams though he sees a very young Karai, Mikey does not understand.

"What are you?" young Karai asked.

"Wait you can see me?"

He was sure he was dreaming so how could this be, maybe this is what Tang Shen meant when she said she would work on it.

"I'm a turtle."

"You look odd for a turtle."

"I'm a mutant turtle."

"Oh, are you real?" she asked.

She was young here and seemed oddly different but then again, she hadn't been through the same as his sister had by the time they first meet. Karai was dead set on killing them in his timeline, but after sometime she come around even if she did end up being a mutant herself for a short time.

"I am. Your dreaming, right?" Mikey asked.

"I think so. I normally don't dream about mutant turtles talking to me though."

"Oh, will first time for everything."

"I have to go soon though. Father wants me to train I'm going to be a kunoichi."

"That sounds cool," he played along.

"Yeah. I'm going to be leader of the Foot one day."

He winched at the thought she tried to turn the Foot around after Shredder death and while she was able to convinced half of the ninjas the other half not so much. Killing her in the name of Shredder that's when the war really started.

"You okay, you got sad for a moment."

"I'm alright."

"Want to do something? I'm mean you're in my dream, right? Anything possible in dreams and the alarm clock will wake me up later."

"Sure."

"Cool. I might teach you how to be a ninja to."

"I'll like that sis."

And so, they played. Playing hide and seek and with wooden swords it was the most fun Mikey had in ages.

"No fair." Donnie said as he hit the ground.

"Sorry Dee." Mikey said shyly

"You always win," Donnie protested shaking his baby brother hand offer in help.

They had been sparring once again and as always Mikey won again beating his three older brothers with ease. It wasn't his fault he had dealt with worst then his older brothers.

"Well done Michelangelo," Master Splinter said. "As always your moves are flawless but you had been a little clumsy this time leaving your right side opened."

"He was clumsy?" Leo questioned.

"His right side was opened?" Raph questioned as will, almost like the older brothers didn't see anything wrong with Mikey moves at all.

Donnie stood back up and shot a frown at his brother.

"Indeed," Master Splinter said.

Mikey was a little clumsy his mind was elsewhere still thinking about last night dream with his older sister. He wanted to tell her the truth near the end of it but by the time was brave enough to he had woken up sleeping beside his older brother.

"Sorry sensei. I was thinking about something."

Splinter hummed.

"Do you wish to share what has been troubling you my son?"

Mikey shakes his head.

"No sensei."

Mikey knows his father and brothers wished he did, but Mikey feared his brothers would not believe him. He also feared Splinter reaction if he found out his daughter was very much alive this early on in life.

"Very well my son. Now, Donatello I wish for you to stay behind so I can help you with your form my son. You are almost there but you are allowing your mind to take control which leads to mistakes if you keep overthinking."

"Yes. Sensei."

"You three may go sparring is over for today."

Raph and Leo had already gone up one another Leo wining over Raph. Mikey glances at Donnie one more time but his older brother didn't seem to want to, look at him. It hurt a bit Donnie and Mikey had been best friends in one timeline.

"Do you think Dee hates me?" he asked Leo on the way out.

Leo and Raph both seem to stop in their tracks casting Mikey worried glances.

"Why would you think that?" Leo asked.

"Because I always beat you guys in training now and I think sometimes Donnie gets a little mad at me because I can get things done while he has trouble with it. Even you guys seem to get mad at me to."

"Look Mike," Raph said. "Sometimes I do get a little mad that your better at the ninjutsu stuff but I'm mainly mad myself for not being as cool as you."

"Yeah, Mikey," Leo said. "You're our baby brother and Splinter says we have to look out for one another. So, we can get upset whenever you do something easy and we can't even match it. We be pretty awful big brothers if something happens to you and we can't protect you because were not that strong."

Mikey wrapped them both into a hug.

"But you guys are more awesome them me. I'm just causing trouble again."

He always did cause trouble in his last timeline his mistakes often cost the team.

"Were all awesome," Leo said. "Even you little bro. Don't worry we get there and maybe one day we could be better than you."

Mikey just hug them tighter at least he understood the anger his brothers get whenever Mikey won in training. Later that afternoon Donnie had found him in the kitchen and spoke to him, saying sorry before he was giving his brother a hug.

Note: Karai enter the story she gets a bigger part in the next chapter which is already written down by the time you guys read this, it just needs to go through some rereads. I'm actually pretty happy with the third chapter its going to be a little emotional. Thank you to the lovely people reviewing the story, I'm glad the lovely readers like it. Also, to Astrid-Jay that asked for Mikey & Leo moments I hoped the chapter showcased it in this one.