Mother's Advice Part 1

Chapter Summary: Tang Shen speaks to Leo and Raph and Mr. O'Neil, speaks to Splinter. While Mikey with his lack of sleep talks about evil pizza wanting to brainwash people and how he must protect his bros from that said evil pizza.

Note: Not based on an episode this time. I just wanted to give Tang Shen a moment with her sons. This would also be a part 2 where she speaks with Donnie in the next chapter.

Out of all his brothers Leo finds connecting with the Astral realm a lot easier. It just seems to come natural to him, Splinter had explained it once that he did not overthink like Donnie did, or allow his anger to overtake him like Raph did, allowing Leonardo to connected with the Astral Realm. Finding Tang Shen standing before him wasn't anything new she often waited for him and his brothers. He was in mediation to try and remove any stress from his mind. While he wasn't the leader stress wasn't weighing down on his mind, but with Mikey mindset it often lingered. He tried his best to understand his baby brother mind. Trying to walk in Mikey shell, but that seemed impossible Mikey energy was always all over the place. Never centered.

Still he wanted to understand wanted to get to know his baby brother that always seemed to be always by his side. Ready to listen whenever Leo had a problem, and yet he seemed so far away whenever Leo tried to reach out to Mikey. When Mikey lack of sleep would cause Mikey mood to change the depression that could follow, the panic attacks that cause Mikey to barely breathe. Leo wanted a way he could help his baby brother it was his job as big brother to not only protect them but to also help them. He tries to reach out to Raph, but often times it's only add fuel onto the fire. Donnie never speaks to him about anything rather going to Mikey whenever the second youngest had a problem. Leo sometimes feels out of place like he was meant to do more, but is unable to because Mikey carries all of their problems on the back of his shell.

"Do not feel out of place my son," Tang Shen told him.

"How can I not? What's the point of being the oldest if none of my brothers seem to even want me there?"

"How did you get to that point Leonardo?" she asked curious on how he even reached to such an answer.

"Will everybody just go to Mikey whenever they have a problem. Even Raph is willing to be more open with Mikey than me. And, when I try to reach out of him, he just fights me. Donnie never wants to spend any time with me and he doesn't speak to me at all."

"Have you tried to look at this from your brother's point of view my son?"

"Yeah, but it never works out well. When I think I know how they tick something happens to prove me wrong and then it seems like I'm on a whole different level."

"Have you thought that maybe they might be fearful of you?"

"Fearful of me?" he questioned. "How does that work?"

There was a small smile on his mother lips.

"You are the oldest my son. Your opinions about them matter the most."

He didn't see how that could be possible, none of them seem to care what he thought.

"Even Raph?"

"Even Raphael. You are the oldest of the family my son your thoughts matter the most to them. If they change how you think about them even a little than they fear you might view them differently. It's why they go to Michelangelo the most your brother view matters to them as will, but Michelangelo does not appear to carry any judgement of them. So, they go to him."

"But I wouldn't judge them," Leo said.

"Maybe not, but have you opened to them about your own emotions?"

"What do you mean mum?"

"I mean my son, have you told at least one of them about your own doubt?"

Leo shakes his head he hadn't really been opened to any of them about his problems even Mikey. He was used to being there for Mikey whenever his younger brother needed it, but he never shares his own problems with the youngest. He either deals with them on his own or opens up to Master Splinter or Tang Shen.

"Who do I go to then?"

He didn't want to go to Raph or even Donnie and he can't take them to Mikey. Mikey had his own demons that he needed to battle he didn't need Leo's.

"Start with the most opened," she advice.

"But Mikey has his own issues to deal with I can't add my own to his."

"Just try my son. I know you do not wish to share your doubts with Michelangelo, but a start is somewhere. Beside your brother goes to you does he not?"

"When we we're tots, he did."

Mikey used to sleep with him when he could because his nightmares didn't bother Mikey when he was with someone. Mikey stop coming to Leo though when he got older.

"And, maybe this will help Michelangelo as will. Just try my son you will never no failure or victory if you do not try," Tang Shen said.

Leo nodded his head and ended mediation opening up his eyes to find himself in his room. He walked pass Raph whom was speaking to Spike and walked pass Donnie lab, April had started to come down a couple of days ago after the turtles asked Splinter if she could. Master Splinter had allowed both O' Neil's to visit, Xever still had a long way to go before he was even allowed in lair. Xever seemed to respect their wishes though and didn't bother them, April was at school today and Mikey was somewhere. Granted, Leo didn't know where Mikey was his baby brother was normally topside speaking to Baxter, but Baxter had been called into work today because someone called in sick. Master Splinter was also in deep mediation and Leo wonder where his baby brother was. Until he found Mikey in his own room staring at the celling.

"Mike?" he asked as he enter the doorway.

Leo wonders if he should get his baby brother some of his comics because his room was quite bear which for some reason never fit well with Leo. Leo always thought Mikey room would be the messy to the point that one wouldn't even be able to see the carpet itself, but Mikey never kept much in his room. Like he had forgotten that he could whenever Mikey had something there always seem to be something in his baby brother blue eyes that seem to think it would be taken off him, almost as if Mikey was on the run and could only take his weapons with him and nothing else. That needed to change Mikey should have some fun in his life. Leo would sometimes dream about a fun loving and happily Mikey, that joked around a lot more, smile more, but then he would wake up and reminded himself not to mix his dreams with reality.

"You okay Mikey?" Leo asked.

"Trouble sleeping," Mikey answered sitting upright on his bed. "You okay bro?"

Yes, Leo was okay but then Tang Shen reminded Leo to be open with his own problems, with his own emotions. Leo isn't very good at emotions.

"Hey, Mikey I have a question. I was wondering what's my role in the family?"

Something goes pass Mikey eyes too fast for Leo to catch it.

"You're Ni-san," Mikey said like it explained everything.

"I know I'm the oldest Mike, but there isn't much for me to do."

"Is this because you're not leader. Look Leo I tried to get Master Splinter to change his mind, but he doesn't he has it set that I'm the one that leads. Which makes no sense to me dude because you're the oldest and you be much better at it."

Whoa, slow down little brother Leo wanted to say.

"Mikey that's not it. It's a part of it, but it isn't fully. If anything, you do great as leader."

"No, I don't." Mikey protested. "I could get you guys killed at some point."

"No, you won't Mikey," Leo said trying his best to comfort his brother. The last thing he needed was Mikey to have a panic attack. "Mike where is this all coming from?"

Mikey breathing trying his best to calm himself down and Leo rubs a hand on Mikey shell, telling him silently that everything is okay.

"I just need you Ni-san. I need you sometimes, but then I think you might not listen."

"Off course I will. And, here I thought you didn't need me."

"Why?"

"Because you never go to me anymore Mikey."

"Oh," Mikey said looking at the floor. "But I do need you. Sometimes the leader needs a leader to."

Leo hugs his baby brother and any doubt about not fitting in with his own family goes away.

"I tell you what. I'll come to you if I need anything and you come to me if you need anything and if you need help with any choices you need make you can come to me."

"Really?"

Sometimes Leo forgets that his baby brother is just that his baby brother. No matter how many times Mikey can act so very old, and very tired war veteran, he was still Leo baby brother. That grew up too fast because of the mean nightmares that keep haunting his brother dreams. At the end of the day Mikey was still the youngest that needed all of his brother's support.

"Yeah, really."

"I like that Ni-san. And, you don't need to worry about how you fit in the family."

"I don't?"

Mikey shakes his head.

"Nah, because you're my older brother."

"Yeah Mike, I am."

Leo was and he will do his best to be there for Mikey a lot more than he had been. Did he know what role to take? No, he's still a little unsure but he knows what role a big brother has to do and that's to look after the youngest. For, to long Leo allowed his own thoughts to cause him to lose track of life itself.

Kirby noticed something about the family youngest. It was faint at first and he tried not to judge because he didn't know about them too well. Yet, he could see it and by the looks of it, Mikey hadn't at all slept in a couple of days, maybe more. The youngest seem to have trouble standing, tripping over his own feet and most likely would have landed on the ground. If it hadn't been for one of his older brothers that seemed to always be beside the orange mask turtle, to catch him. Kirby had also noticed whenever at meal times Mikey seemed to be in a different place, his meal would go untouched and a part of him would often say. This isn't right, he isn't meant to be like this.

He shakes those thoughts away because he just thought that maybe he was being judgement, but then he sees it. The soft actions that the older three would take to look after their leader. It's small, compared to their normal loud and yelling ways, they always seem to be quite around Mikey.

"You need to eat baby bro," Raph would say.

Putting something on Mikey plate.

"Not enough food," Mikey would mumble.

Kirby wonder if Mikey even knew where he was because their always seem to be food in the cupboard, even if Splinter had at first denial their help. Splinter slowly allowed him and his daughter to bring the turtle family what they needed and when. Baxter seemed delight about this often helping the pair with shopping list and what they the family might need.

"There's always enough." Leo said.

Kirby decided he didn't like seeing the youngest in such a state as if his mind was in two places at once. Kirby was a psychologist these guys saved his life and his daughter life, from who knows what could have been if those Kraang got to him. For all he knows he could have ended up as some sort of mutant bat, which wasn't something Kirby wanted to think about. So, he was going to help them first he needed Splinter permission to do so. Which is how Kirby ended up in Splinter dojo, two fathers facing off one another.

"I want to help your son," he said, Splinter eyebrows narrowed.

"Explain."

Kirby needed to remind himself that Splinter wasn't that bad, he was just a little old fashion and knew ninjutsu. He was also a mutant rat, mind you and knew ninjutsu. Kirby just thought the last bit needed to be pointed out twice.

"I'm a psychologist. It's my job to help people that may be going through tough times and Michelangelo seems to be going through a tough time."

"I'm afraid my youngest son has always been like this since he had been six."

"Oh?"

"Yes, I have tried many times to get him to open up to me, but he never does. He tells me half-truths and half lie. I worry if I keep pushing him to open to me, he may run off and as you can see, if something we're to happen to my youngest son. I do not know if my oldest children can handle that, Michelangelo holds this family together."

Kirby nodded his head. He's seen it since he had been welcomed down here. The way Mikey was able to help Raph with his anger or how he can bring Donnie out of his lab and get him to rest. He had also noticed that Mikey and Leo started to spend more time around one another and Kirby had never seen the three of them in the same room with one another, unless there was a fourth one and that fourth one was Mikey.

"I understand, but I do worry about this. Especially with his eaten habits he seems to think he's somewhere else and I haven't seen him sleeping either."

"Michelangelo had often had nightmares. They keep him awake the only time he rests if he is with one of his brothers and he does not sleep in their room anymore. It is why most of them spend time in the living room, it is the only place where he can sleep."

Just like now, Kirby noted going to the dojo his daughter was with the four of them, but the turtles had all been in the living room talking to one another with a fast-asleep Mikey. Leaning on Leo shoulder that seemed so uncomforted and yet, the leader in orange seemed to be sleeping peaceful for the first time Kirby had known him.

"I could still help him."

"Hmm, I supposed it can't do too much damage," Splinter said. "Do not force him to open up though."

"I won't."

"Do not harm him."

"I won't."

"Do not share anything with anybody, unless he wishes for you to do so."

Kirby was starting to feel like a kid again being lectured.

"I won't."

"Very well, you can help him. Good luck."

"For what?" he asked.

"Good luck in getting his brothers away from him to speak to him alone."

Splinter was right about one thing Kirby did need luck for that.

Raph was cold, his baby brother had taken his blankets once again. Not that he cared too much about it anyway, he would just have to get used to it. Mikey hadn't asked to sleep in his bed since they had been tots and Raph tried his best to understand why the youngest would. Not that Raph had a problem with it don't tell anyone he even dared thought he didn't have a problem helping his brother's, mainly Mikey. There was always a soft spot in his heart for Mikey though, the leader of the team or not, Mikey was still his kid brother that clearly needed his big brother's help.

Raph was going to let him stay in bed he just wished Mikey didn't take all over his blankets. Either way he was able to get some sleep and think about the day. April had been here chatting about to them about school life, Donnie seem to have his head stuck in the cloud during the conversations. While April father had went to spoke about Splinter on a matter that Raph didn't care about, too busy being concerned about his youngest brother. With the day pushed aside he found himself dreaming, Tang Shen was waiting for him a smile on her lips.

"Hello my son, how have you been?" she asked.

"Alright," he muttered.

"I want an honest answer my warrior."

Tang Shen might not be alive, but her spirit still brought a certain amount of fear to Raph. One that reminded him not to hide anything from his mother or else.

"I don't trust the O'Neil's," he admitted. "I also don't trust Xever. Why does Mike have to make friends with strange people?"

She laughed politely at this.

"I supposed in a sense people would have to be strange to befriend you and your brothers my warrior. Michelangelo friends are questionable at best, but you can't pin the blame on him with the O'Neil's, for this time it wasn't his fault."

That's true they seemed determined to help them after Mikey had saved April father and Xever saved April.

"I still don't trust them how do I not know they won't hurt us?"

"I know for a fact that young April will never dare do such a thing my son."

"And, Xever?" he asked.

She frowned a little as if she saw something that he couldn't as if she knew something that he didn't. He always got a feeling that his mother was keeping something from him, something to do with the family and Mikey himself. His mother would often say that Mikey never told her anything about his nightmares, but Raph gets a strong feeling that his mother at least knew half of the story.

"It is hard to say for now," she said. "Xever path is uncertain, but I think this time around he would make a fine hero and not a villain."

He frowned at the words she used.

"What do you mean this time around?"

"That is answer for another day my warrior."

"Will I ever know?" he asked and she smiled.

"Maybe," was her only answer.

Before his dreams changed.

Donnie was staring. He couldn't help it whenever April was around and whatever object he seemed to be working on, almost became the least of his worries. Almost all of his worries went away when April was here, all but one.

"Mikey you need to sleep," Donnie said.

Mikey stumbled forward, but Raph caught him before he hit the floor.

"I'm perfectly a- okay dude."

"You sound drunk."

"Nah, Leo, I don't sound that. Don't drink turtle honor."

"You look it. I don't get it Don he spelt last night," Raph said.

"Was it a real sleep or just a nap?" Donnie asked. Looking at his baby brother that waved his hands at him weakly.

"Not the kind of turtle, you didn't ask me for a drink yet," he said his eyelids closing.

"He isn't making sense," April noted. "Is this normal?"

"Mikey being Mikey or the lack of sleep?" Donnie asked.

"Dee, you should have seen them dude."

"Seen what Mikey?"

Mikey looked at him a hint of craziness in his eyes and fear at the same time.

"Evil pizza. Dude, how I forget about the evil pizza that wants to control you all and be his pizza slaves. I must protect my bros from the evil pizza."

Donnie found his face being covered by Mikey arm as Mikey brought the three of them closer his eyes turned to glare at April.

"Mikey it's me April," she said.

"I know who you are."

"You do?"

"Off course you're the evil pizza wanting to use my bros to take over the world. Will, just what. I might have forgotten about you until now, but now that I remember you and your evil ways. You shall die."

"And, we go to sleep now."

Baxter had entered the lair pressing a needle into Mikey green skin. Mikey turned to Baxter.

"No, fair dude why would you drug me with that stuff?"

"Sorry, Mikey sometimes this is the only way to get you to sleep."

"I must save my bros from evil pizza," Mikey muttered. Slowly letting go of his three older brothers and falling to the ground before Raph caught him. "Save, brothers. Must protect. No more death. Evil Pizza!"

Mikey eyes had gone wide as he said the last word before it was lights out.

"Why is it always the face?" Donnie asked making sure nothing was missing.

"You guys force him to sleep?" April asked looking a little shock at the news.

"It's the only way to sometimes," Baxter said. "Now, let's get M to bed before he goes on rambling about another evil pizza."

"As long as he isn't talking about some sort of evil, music I pod," Leo said.

As he and Raph helped carry Mikey back to his room.

"It's a turtle pod Leo, that's what Mikey calls it a turtle pod," Raph pointed out.

"Mikey has problems sleeping due to nightmares," Donnie told April. "We have a theory that it's because he bolts up all of his emotions inside of him. Because of this they need to come out and the only way they can is through his nightmares. Which is why he is unable to sleep and sometimes has to be forced to."

April glanced at him and glanced at Mikey.

"That doesn't seem right."

"Yeah, I know, but it's sadly how it is here."

Donnie had failed on some level he had failed his only baby brother.

Note: There's going to be a part two for this one which is Donnie speaking to their mother through his dreams and Mr. O'Neil trying to help Mikey. I'm also thinking of throwing in the Purple Dragons into the mix and writing about how Mikey is planning to deal with them. Review if you want this story updates twice a week, thank you to all lovely readers that have been reading this story.