Chapter 12: Getting Acquainted

Dear Readers! Thank you for your patience. Life has gotten busy and thus I found myself neglecting this story.

Author's Note: I am not one to make major changes to plot or title once entering a story, especially when so far along; this time though I am making an exception. I'm changing the Title from 'I'm Not Where I Belong' to 'Finding Where I Belong'. Apologies for any confusion this may cause.

God Bless,

Windofmysoul

"And this is how you do what I like to call the 'super secret ultimate ninja sneak attack'!" Mikey commented, his tongue hanging out of his mouth as the turtle pulled the Xbox control closer to his face, his eyes narrowed in concentration.

Wind leaned back against the couch cushions his grin widening in growing fondness. They were currently lounging in the pit.

After lunch, Donnie had cleared Wind to move around with the utmost promise that he doesn't exert himself too much and remain within close contact with at least one the three brothers at all times. Wind easily agreed to all terms, inwardly grateful for an excuse to stay close to the brothers. He loathed to leave their side. Even though he'd just met them he felt drawn to them in a way he couldn't explain. Like leaves on the same branch he felt connected to them in a way he'd never experienced with the Ortianinas. Maybe it was because they were turtles like him, maybe because they were blood, maybe it was because he felt oddly compelled to protect them. Maybe it was all of the above yet at the same time much more. He didn't know! But it didn't seem to matter, because despite his instincts screaming at him to retreat to the comfort of the trees and leave before he got too attached he found himself grounded here, grounded in a way he'd never been before.

"Oh really" he commented smiling at Mikey. "I don't see how that move is all that 'ninja-y'" he smirked watching the character on the screen do a series of unnecessary flips as the little Mario sneaked into the lair of some animal with spikes on his shell? Really what was this game?

"Oh ye of little faith" Mikey sighed dramatically. "Watch and learn."

Wind smiled content to continue to let these brothers baffle and amaze him.

Already he'd been introduced to a cat made of ice-cream. The pet, presumably Mikey's, was kept in the freezer. The fact that it had mutated him had terrified him and he didn't miss Donnie's rising anger as at his own reaction to the Krang. He'd been growing familiar enough with the family to realize that Donnie's anger hadn't been at him per say, but it still unsettled him. To what extent had his brothers come in contact with the Krang? It was obviously a sensitive topic for Donnie and naturally this unnerved Wind greatly.

He was grateful that alongside the awkwardness there were also many moments like this one. Warm and wonderful like sunshine. Where he got to learn just a little more about the three amazing turtles. Mikey had shown him some of his drawings. The turtle indeed had tallent! Donnie had shown him some of his inventions, like the T-phone. Mikey hadn't been joking when he said Donnie was the smartest person he'd ever meet. The purple band turtle was humble but there was no denying his genius. He had an incredible mind! Pride swelled in Wind's heart as his gaze darted around the room, clues of the scientist's ingenuity and genius was ever present and it presented itself in the form of aiding and supporting his family: showing the caring and compassionate heart of the gentle turtle.

Raph had been an ever present companion at Wind's side and the wander found his company welcome and comforting. The wander was surprised how at ease he felt around the red-clad turtle. Often few or no words were spoken, mostly due to Wind's lack of experience with communication; yet even in silence it was comfortable.

In a way beyond words Wind felt as though he knew these turtles. Beyond reason, beyond words. In a similar way they hung close to him as though as drawn to him as he was to them.

This didn't mean that things were not awkward: they most definitely were. Much had yet to be said and Wind was unfamiliar to the city even in its underbelly and the brothers hovered about him as though afraid he would just disappear.

The hovering was oddly welcomed by Wind, who without the proximity of the mental connection he was used to with telephats drew comfort by their physical proximity. Still in awe of the beings that were just like him. Used to being an alien among aliens the presence of these other turtles was eye opening. The longing within him intensified. For as long as they were equally curious about him, he basked in their proximity, soaking up all he could learn. About the family he never had been allowed to have.

A smile spread across Donnie's face as the genius watched Mikey and Wind on the couch. Wind's face was scrunched up in confusion before smoothing into a found and amused smile as he rolled his eyes, obviously confused by the video game yet enjoying Mikey's antics. The purple clad turtle was glad things had progressed as they had.

It was Mikey who had steered the boat this direction. It was the easy going bubbling personality of the youngest brother who had kept them all from going insane with protective worry over the miraculously returned family member.

Wind was obviously still uneasy but seemed to be just as heartsick for his family as they all were for him. Donnie felt a jab of pain in his heart as he remembered that look of pure regret and pain when Wind had admitted thinking he was the only one of his kind.

The only one.

The thought made Donnie absolutely sick! He remembered the pain he'd felt when learning about the brother they'd lost. For Wind to learn about not just one brother but a whole family he'd lost..

Donnie let out a centering breath, reminding himself that they were all together now. He kept repeating Mikey's wise words throughout the day fighting to not go out of control and freak out!

He was actually amazed none of them had had a freak out yet. It helped that they'd been able to release most of these emotions when Wind was unconscious. The family had been able to cry and comfort one another. Talk and just take the whole situation in.

It worried Donnie how the returned member was masking his own unease. It was there obviously but Wind seemed more focused on learning about his long lost family, then embracing his emotions regarding the situation. Donnie reasoned that he'd most likely dealt with all the existential crisis of learning about them during his journey with Leo. Well at least Donnie hoped, Wind had the time and space to at least try and process all of that if possible.

They were all still in the dark about where exactly wind had been all these years and how Leo had found him.

As much as Donnie, wanted no needed to know. He didn't want to force his brother to talk about anything he wasn't ready to. They had time. They didn't need to rush things. Getting to know each other and building trust was what was most important right now.

Not for the first time that day, Donnie felt tears well up in his eyes.

Their brother was home.

Home.

Master Splinter smiled from the doorway of the dojo watching his sons as they ate pizza around the table. He was grateful that the turtles of the other world were giving his sons their much needed space for this reunion.

The four turtles of this world sat undisturbed in the kitchen. Three turtles with brightly colored masks hovered excitedly around an unmasked fourth. The returned member sat on the stool with his legs folded crisscross beneath him looking at the pizza skeptically yet seeming willing to try the food if only to appease the others. Splinter smiled as sapphire eyes widening in surprised delight before the graceful turtle lost his present elegance and proceeded to demolish the pizza in large bites before realizing what he was doing and with a sheepish smile, apologies. The three turtles laughed, delighted that a love of Pizza was shared. Splinter smiled at his sons' antics, glad for their joy.

As much as his heart longed for this reunion as well, he struggled to fight past the gripping guilt that tore at him and kept him at bay.

The day of their mutation was a nightmare and a blur, to this day the details are fuzzy. He had always told his sons that he bought three turtles that fateful day, but not for the first time he found himself questioning that once solid detail.

He had bought all the baby turtles in the litter not wanting any of the brothers to be separated from one another. During the fight with the mysterious men in the alley he had dropped the small aquarium the baby turtles had gone flying and then..there was the ooze.

His whole world had changed that day, in the moment he could barely process what was happening let alone process all of his actions. He had grabbed the turtles and ran. Now years later with the reveal of another world of four brothers the ninja master wonders in dread if he did in fact grab all of his turtles? Had he accidentally left one behind?

These were in fact questions he'd asked himself the day of his mutation but with other factors pushing down on him such as the safety of his new sons and himself it was questions he had been forced to push away. As the years went by the details faded further. It wasn't until the arrival of other turtles that these plaguing questions resurfaced. Along with the pain they brought.

Tears in his eyes the ninja master and father watched from a distance wondering in his heart if his son could ever forgive him for such a grievous mistake.