Rating: T
Warnings: Overall story - Brief mentions of torture. Bit of language.
Disclaimer: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon.
Summary: For months now, Mikey's been through hell with no one to count on but himself. He's finally been rescued but there're two major problems; he's still desperately missing his family and he has no way home. No OC's. 2k3/2k12 crossover.
Comments, thoughts and concrit are always welcome.
A/N: Just to clear something up, someone mentioned in a review that I got Splinter's story wrong so I just wanted to say that I actually haven't seen season 5. I haven't even seen past Splinter dying... (I really don't want much tv anymore, haven't for a few years really...) Also, despite taking so long to publish this chapter, I had actually written this long before those episodes aired. I just hadn't gotten around to editing and doing corrections. Sorry for disappointing you with the different story as a result.
AOtGO – Aftermath
Ch 9
Date: 21th Sept
Mikey plastered a bright smile on his face and turned to confront the person encroaching on his space. However, to his surprise, it wasn't just one set of eyes, but two that met his unflinchingly with the third somehow seeming unable to meet his gaze as though they felt guilty or uncomfortable about something.
"What?" Mikey asked, voice flat despite his effort to smile.
"Michelangelo," Leonardo spoke up firmly, "we need to talk."
His feeling of dread increased tenfold. They were curious and had questions, he knew, but he simply couldn't bear talking about what happened to him yet, let alone think about it. Swallowing nervously, his gaze flew from one turtle to the next to the next.
"Talking sounds great, dude! It's great being able to have real conversations, isn't it?" Mikey began, trying not to babble and failing as he picked up his plate and attempted to walk nonchalantly to the table to sit down with it. "So... what should we talk about, dudes?"
When the other three exchanged uncomfortable glances, Mikey quickly took the opportunity to steer them away from what he knew they wanted, speaking fast enough that they couldn't get a word in edgewise if they tried. "Oh yeah! You know, the contents of your fridge are awful? I mean, I know you guys haven't really had much chance to stock up but a dude's still gotta eat, you know?"
Leo, Donnie and Raph joined Mikey at the table, unsure how to react at the sudden swing of the conversation.
"Um... we... it's okay. There's plenty of cereal in the cupboard and bread in the freezer," Leo finally managed to reply. "That's enough for the daytime."
Mikey very deliberately took a bite of his plain cheese sandwich and chewed, swallowing his grimace at the taste with despair; he would never enjoy food again. He just knew it.
"As for dinner, April or Casey usually bring pizza down with them before sundown, so we eat just before leaving to search for Mikey," Leo continued, trying to maintain eye contact even as his heart obviously broke at the mention of his missing brother.
"Hey, are you okay, Mike?" Donnie suddenly asked, sitting up a little straighter. "You look like you're about to be sick."
Mikey swallowed down his mouthful with some effort and nodded, trust a Donnie to notice something off with him. "Yeah, I'm fine, Don," he replied automatically. Then he quickly steered the topic back to distract them, "So, do you guys have a preferred place to scavenge or shop? I know I can't do much to help you right now but I could at least help you restock in the meantime."
"Oh! We uh... we just order groceries online once a week and have it delivered to a friend's restaurant. Then we pick it up while it's quiet," Donnie replied, perking up slightly as he answered.
"Cool!" Mikey smiled broadly, the effort hurting his face right now. "Well then, do you want me to help with a shopping list? Because I can so totally do that. I did it all the time back home when we couldn't find stuff any other way!"
The other three exchanged looks once again. "It's fine. We only just ordered the night before we found you, so there's still a few days to go before our weekly shop," Leo replied distantly.
Mikey sat up straight, taken aback. "Then... where's the food, dude?"
Raph scowled in annoyance. "Already told you. Freezer and cupboard!"
Mikey's jaw dropped in shock. "Are you really saying that's all you've been living on the last month? Toast, cereal and pizza?"
"And ramen or sometimes pizza gyoza," Donnie piped up, elaborating.
"You dudes gotta be kidding me!" Mikey spluttered, staring at Donnie in disbelief. "Don't you get sick of having no variety? I know I would."
"It's not like we really give a crap about what we eat right now. The only reason we even bother to stop to eat is that if we damn well drop, we can't search for our brother," Raphael spat in anger, unable to believe they were still going on like this. "It's not like any of us can cook, anyway. 'sides, we eat far better now than we did before we started going topside so who cares!"
Donnie paled as he groaned at the reminder.
Mikey sighed despondently. He might not have been able to eat properly anymore but he was damn well going to make sure they did at least. "Well, let me know your budget and I can look after things so you guys don't need to worry about it."
"Didn't you just hear me? I just said we don't need anything else!" Raph snapped impatiently.
Mikey flinched at the tone but pushed on anyway. "I'll cook. I enjoy it, dude!" he insisted, forcing himself to stare Raph down even though it took everything he had right now. "Besides, it's the least I can do after you guys helped me!"
"We have basic ingredients for making pizza and pancakes and things like that in the tubs over there," Donnie spoke up, grateful for the offer and trying to head off the developing fight anyone with half a brain could see coming.
Mikey pushed the second half of his inedible sandwich aside and went to take a look, eyes bulging at the sheer amount of flour, salt, sugar and the like, yet little else. "I am so doing a list," he muttered. Even if he was doomed never to taste real food again, like hell would he allow his own stupid problem stop him from making sure everyone else actually ate well. Shaking his head in disbelief, Mikey quickly fetched the Gladwrap and wrapped the remainder of his late lunch before placing it in the fridge when he was hungry enough to be able to force it down.
"Aren't you finishing that?" Donnie asked, with a concerned frown.
"Not as hungry as I thought," Mikey immediately responded, the lie slipping easily off his tongue as he closed the door and turned around.
"But you've barely eaten since you arrived!" Donnie protested, staring at Mikey in blatant disbelief. He'd heard the other-dimensional turtle's stomach rumbling loudly more than once since he initially woke up.
Mikey threw a disarming smile on his face as he headed for the door. "Just not used to eating large amounts anymore, dude," he lied again. "Hey! I'm gonna go get started on that shopping list. Catchya around!" he called back easily, ready to make a run for it before they recovered and remembered what they had actually tried cornering him for.
"Michelangelo, wait!" Leonardo suddenly commanded in the same no-nonsense tone that Mikey recognised from his own brother. He couldn't help but freeze in place but he refused to turn and look back. "That can wait. We still need to have that talk. Please come and sit with us."
It was all Mikey could do not to shake as he slowly slunk back to his seat at the table, lamenting the loss of skill in the art of distraction, an area he'd always excelled at much to the extreme annoyance of his brothers, especially Raph. As he sat, he couldn't bring himself to meet anyone's gaze.
"We need to know about your time with the Kraang," Leo began, still speaking in that tone that said he expected to be obeyed.
Mikey's hands clung together in his lap, twisting, fidgeting and sweating as he stared down at the table.
"It's important, Mike," Leo added, softer, almost understanding.
"I don't want to talk about it," Mikey whispered, unable to speak louder, lest they hear the shake in his voice.
Raph growled but Donnie spoke up before he could say anything.
"I... we... we know you aren't ready to talk about what happened to you, Mike, but the simple facts are that not only is it better for your mental health and recovery to talk, preferably sooner rather than later, but also, what you know could help us find out what happened to our own brother. He's in trouble and we need to help him..." Donnie pleaded softly. "Surely you can understand that."
Mikey swallowed, still staring at the table. He got it, he really did but he didn't know anything that could help them. "Please don't make me remember it... please..." he whimpered.
A fist suddenly slammed down on the table causing Mikey to jump and stare fearfully at Raph with startled eyes. "Dammit, Mikey! Don't be so damned selfish!" he snapped furiously. "What if it was your brother? Wouldn't you want to follow every damn lead there is?"
Mikey nodded miserably, his terrified gaze still caught in Raph's.
"We went out of our way to help you when we didn't even know you! The least you could do is help us in return!"
Tears sprung to his eyes at the accusation and he gasped as he fought to hold them at bay, even as he shook his head wildly. "Of course I want to help but I can't! The only other turtle I saw was that huge spiky one! There was nothing else! No one else! If I saw him, I would have told you that the first night but I didn't! He wasn't there!"
"Did you see everyone that came and went?" Leo asked tensely, drawing Mikey's attention back to him and away from Raphael.
"No..." Mikey whispered, shaking his head again. "Most of the time it was hard to even see out. They could... they could adjust the opacity and density of those forcefields..."
"Then how could you be certain he wasn't there at some point?" Leo asked pointedly.
Mikey stared at him dumbfounded.
"For the record, we don't think he was there," Leo continued. "If he was, Metalhead wouldn't have made us leave so soon and if it was simply a case of our brother escaping, he wouldn't have left knowing there were other prisoners still there."
"So why are you pushing me about this?" Mikey cried, breath hitching in his plastron. "That place was a nightmare and... and... I... I can't..."
"You don't look too bad for seven or more months of torture," Raphael pointed out sarcastically. "The Kraang even treated your injuries and kept you fed well enough to still have the energy to put up a fight."
Mikey drew back as if slapped and gazed at Raph with betrayal written all over him.
"There are more forms of torture than merely beating or starving someone, Raphael," Splinter's stern voice came from the kitchen door, causing three sets of eyes to shift to him as if caught out. Mikey however, kept his locked on Raph, unable to tear them away.
"Or electrocuting them repeatedly," Donnie murmured softly, pity in his voice.
Mikey's eyes widened as he turned to stare at Donnie; he'd never even mentioned it to him or anyone else.
Donnie motioned to one of the fading burn marks and Mikey drew his arms closer to himself, crossing them tightly against his plastron in an effort to cover up the evidence.
"While it is true that it is in Michelangelo's best interests to talk to someone about his experiences, if you push him too hard before he is ready, it could prove rather more detrimental instead."
"Hai Sensei..." Three voices chorused, chagrined. The brothers then turned to face Mikey, Leo and Donnie with apologies on their faces and Raph just looking at him uncomfortably. Mikey shrank back further under their gazes.
"We're sorry for pushing you, Mike, but we're desperate for any information that could help," Leonardo said softly. "I hope you can forgive us."
Unable to trust himself to speak, all Mikey could manage was to nod.
"I... I guess we don't need to know about your time in that prison," Donnie added, "but if you can, what we do need to know about is how you ended up there, by default, in this dimension."
Mikey shook uncontrollably as he remembered the sheer agony he'd endured in the minutes before finding himself in that place.
"How... how would that help?" he finally asked in a small voice.
"Was it an altercation with the Kraang that led to you being their prisoner?" Leo asked gently.
Mikey nodded numbly, lowering his gaze back to the table.
"Our brother also disappeared during an altercation with them. Simply vanished from an almost empty room. If we can find out what happened to you... then that may tell us how he vanished also and eventually lead us to him."
"... Did you hear him screaming?" Mikey eventually managed to ask, his voice almost too quiet to hear.
"No, there was nothing. He was simply there one minute and just... gone the next." Leo admitted almost as quietly.
Mikey swallowed and continued to shake, trying to suppress the memories once more. He'd screamed so long and loud at the time that his throat was raw and his voice shredded for days afterwards. His voice hadn't been quite the same since. "Then what happened to me and whatever happened to him aren't the same thing at all and for that, you should be happy!"
"How can you be so sure of that?"
"Because if it was, you'd probably still hear his screaming in your nightmares!"
And with that, Mikey was out of his seat and bolting from the kitchen, brushing brusquely by Splinter before anyone could even blink.
-:-
"Geeze! Just what the hell did they put him through?" Raphael asked, visibly shaken. He'd been able to see all along that their guest was covering up his hurt and fear. Even when laughing and helping to poke fun at Leo during 'Space Heroes' earlier that day, his supposed 'good humour' hadn't quite reached his haunted eyes but Raph could never have guessed he was concealing that much pain and terror. And there he'd been, helping push him beyond breaking when what he'd needed more than anything was patience and understanding. He so wasn't the turtle for that... Raph twisted in his seat to stare out through the kitchen door where Michelangelo had disappeared from view as fast as he could. "Leo, tell us again how you're sure our bro isn't with those monsters," he begged desperately.
"Whether or not he was to begin with, I couldn't say, Raph. However, when I briefly connected with Mikey's mind, I'm certain he was not," Leo stated confidently. "I'm also certain that other turtle he was with would have helped Mikey for sure. I not only feel that's the case, I know it." He didn't dare add 'I have to'; he couldn't allow his family to have any doubts.
Raph nodded and settled back slightly, glancing up at Splinter as their father took a seat at the table beside him.
"While I did not connect with Michelangelo that night, I was in the Astral Plain with your brother and I too could sense that what he felt was real," Splinter offered gently. "Michelangelo is out there and despite the trouble he was in at that moment, I too believe that he is currently safe. This, along with your thoughts that he may be in another world is but a small part of why I reinstated your curfew.
"As for your question about our guest, Raphael, I cannot answer that," Splinter continued as calmly as he could. "From our conversation last night, however, I know his hurt runs deep. Perhaps far more so than even he realises just yet."
"All the more reason he needs to talk to us!" Leo protested in frustration before Raph could respond.
Splinter turned a curious gaze on Leonardo. "Would you blindly open your heart and soul to someone you just met? To someone you had no real reason to trust?"
Raph spluttered indignantly at the insinuation. "If he's really Mikey, then why the hell wouldn't he trust us?"
"Consider honestly," Splinter said gently, "other than giving him safe haven, have you, have any of you, truly given him reason to trust you as yet? He may be a Michelangelo but he does not know any of us yet. We are simply too different from his own family as he is to your brother."
Raph opened his mouth to reply, 'Of course we have!' but Donnie piped up first in an ashamed voice.
"After cornering and pressing him like we just did?... No, we haven't," he admitted. "And that's not even counting the way we argued over him that first night when we found him... or the way I all but told him he was too weak and unskilled to even stand up against the Kraang, let alone the Purple Dragons..." Donnie swallowed in shame. He'd told Mikey several times he could come to him whenever he'd needed to but he hadn't truly given the other-dimensional turtle any real reason to feel welcomed or trusted.
Raph closed his mouth again as Donnie's words sunk in. He knew full well that had their positions been reversed, he likely would have had a far more violent reaction than Michelangelo's in the same circumstances.
Splinter nodded. "Even were he home, it is quite likely he wouldn't be ready to open up to his own family yet either. We need to take things slowly, let him open up at his own pace and if you listen carefully and patiently, you may be surprised at what he lets go of without even realising."
"Sensei," Leo began hesitantly, "I know we shouldn't have pushed him the way we did but... I can't help but feel that he's the key to finding our Mikey."
Splinter regarded Leonardo carefully. "Perhaps you are right and he is or perhaps you are simply mistaken. Either way, you are not wrong in your desire to ask him, my son, however, it is the way you approached it that is the problem."
"We should have explained exactly what and why we needed to know first, before pushing him for answers, and then asked him if he had any information that might help," Leo realised, looking guiltily at his brothers as he spoke.
"Indeed. You may have found Michelangelo far more receptive to your questions had you done so."
Despite his realisation that Mikey had been through more than he was letting on, Raph couldn't help but snort at that, remembering the way the other turtle had snapped and stormed out even after knowing why they were questioning him like that. "Somehow, I doubt it. I mean, would it have killed him to at least try to help?"
Splinter turned his intense amber gaze onto Raphael. "He is not unsympathetic, Raphael."
"Coulda fooled me," Raph retorted, turning his head away sullenly.
"As you know, I spoke with Michelangelo at some length last night while you were all out searching. He was in fact quite upset over the thought that I wasn't allowing you to do enough to find your brother."
"Well, you aren't," Raph muttered petulantly, even as Leo and Donnie perked up in interest.
"He was?" Leonardo asked.
"Indeed," Splinter confirmed firmly. "Once I explained my reasons for your curfew and that if you find a legitimate reason to stay out longer you could, he calmed down," he explained, looking at each son in turn. "Remember, from his perspective, he has only had his freedom again for less than a day. Give him time, give him reason to learn he can trust you and open up to you, then you may try approaching him on such matters again. However, be mindful of how you do so. Emotionally, Michelangelo is not in a good place right now."
"Hai, Sensei."
-:-
That night, after Leonardo, Raphael and Donatello had left to resume their search, Splinter returned to the dojo, intending to meditate under the tree. However, he paused, his sharp hearing picking up the tell-tale rustle of someone trying to keep very still up among the tree branches. He slowly walked over, looking up to see Michelangelo nestled in the forks, mostly hidden from view.
"I am very sorry about what happened this afternoon in the kitchen, Michelangelo. I assure you, my sons did not mean to distress you the way they did."
After a moment, Mikey lifted his head slightly to peer over his knees and arms. "I know... I... I don't blame them," he replied miserably. "I just..."
"It is quite alright, you do not need to explain, my... grandson," Splinter assured him.
Mikey's eyes went wide at the affectation and a hint of a smile lit upon his features. Splinter smiled in return.
"I still maintain that I am not old enough for grandchildren, so if you tell anyone I indulged you this night, I shall, of course, deny it."
"Oh damn," Mikey chuckled half-heartedly. "Shame I didn't have anything to record it with, then."
With a completely straight face, Splinter pointed out, "I am the master. They would believe my word over that of a 'faked' recording," he air quoted.
"How about if they heard it in your own voice instead?" Mikey asked in a nearly perfect mimicry of Splinter's voice and accent. As the ninjutsu master stared up at him in surprise, Mikey shrugged, "I'm pretty good at voices. Comes in real handy for pranks or distractions."
"I don't doubt it," Splinter replied dryly, once again reminded this was truly a Michelangelo. "Perhaps you should come down and we can continue to talk without my having to crane my neck to see you."
Mikey froze, hesitating.
"I will not press you over anything you do not wish to talk about," Splinter quickly assured.
Swallowing, Mikey nodded and began to make his way down, favouring his left arm as he did.
"Is your arm giving you trouble, Michelangelo?" Splinter asked, his sharp gaze fixed on it.
"It's fine," Mikey automatically answered, almost as if it was a practised response. Splinter narrowed his gaze, silently pointing out he didn't believe Michelangelo and Mikey sighed. "Honestly, it's fine, Grandpa Sensei. It's only aching a little bit. I wouldn't have even noticed if you didn't ask me about it."
"And yet you carry it as though it is troubling you," Splinter observed sternly. "Talk to Donatello tomorrow about exercises to strengthen it again and perhaps in training next time, choose a weapon that does not rely so heavily on your left hand, or is at least lighter in weight. Right now is time for you to begin your recovery, Michelangelo and I do not want you pushing yourself too hard and risking further injury."
Mikey nodded numbly.
Splinter then regarded Michelangelo thoughtfully until he noticed the turtle begin to squirm under his gaze, reminding him of how Michelangelo had told him he'd been watched constantly. "Can I get you anything? Perhaps some tea or the pizza we saved you from dinner?" he offered.
Mikey shook his head before remembering his voice. "No thanks."
Disappointed, Splinter went and sat in his favourite meditation spot at the base of the great tree, lightly patting the ground nearby and silently inviting the other turtle to join him.
"Is there anything you wish to know about us or this world?" he asked once Michelangelo was seated.
Michelangelo opened his mouth as if to ask, then instead closed his mouth and shook his head.
"You may ask anything. I will answer if I am able," Splinter reassured.
Mikey took a deep breath and then glanced up at the tree trunk beside them. "How?" he eventually asked.
"How what?" Splinter canted his head.
"How is this possible?" Mikey asked, motioning to the green canopy above.
"For the tree to not only grow but thrive down here?"
Mikey nodded emphatically, eyes fixed on the humanoid rat.
"Ah, it was not always so," Splinter replied with a half smile. "It is, however, a long story.
"I'm listening," Mikey smiled faintly, happy to actually have the freedom to do so.
"When I was first mutated almost sixteen years ago, I despaired at the realisation I would not be able to spend time among nature any longer and neither did I wish for my sons to grow up without knowing the simple beauty of a plant," Splinter explained, staring into distance as if watching his young sons the way they were when first changed. "So the first opportunity I found, I brought down a pot plant but unfortunately it died from insufficient sunlight. Regardless, I tried again, more than once, making sure to place it beneath a drainage grate where it could get some sunlight now and then."
Mikey nodded, closing his eyes as he listened, simply enjoying the sound of someone actually talking to him, telling him a story.
"After some months of searching for a safe refuge for us, I chanced upon this abandoned subway station and realised it was as safe a location to make a home as anywhere else in the sewers," he continued, smiling faintly as he reminisced. "To my delight, I discovered this room had a small grate in the ceiling, allowing in a few precious hours of dim sunlight. I allowed my boys to spend their days in here before this became our dojo and even brought down another plant, a small, potted tree this time. While it did not thrive at the time, it did at least gain enough natural light to survive along with us.
"As my sons grew older, Donatello's thirst for knowledge soon became apparent. Sometime after our third mutation day, he informed me of an idea he had of setting up mirrors to increase the amount of sunlight that came in; I believe it was an idea he gained from when we read stories together about treasure hunters in old tombs and temples. Of course, he was far too young to implement such an idea himself but he was able to explain it well enough that I could set up what he suggested. The increased natural light made a huge difference, for all of us. In fact, to this day, each of my sons still spends at least one day a week in here basking in the sunlight for a time."
Mikey's eyes flew open and he looked at Splinter in surprise. "This room gets enough sun for basking, even with the tree in the way?"
"Indeed," Splinter confirmed. "You were napping at the optimal time of day today but perhaps you can make use of it tomorrow."
"I'd really like that," Mikey breathed wistfully, remembering back to stolen moments of sunshine at April's and of course the unlimited time whenever they visited the farm. Then he wilted. They'd planned to visit the farm when spring had come and he'd been so looking forward to it. To cookouts and sleepouts, gazing up at the stars while camping, the feel of the breeze softly caressing his skin. Ghost stories around a roaring fire, marshmallows and hot chocolate... the camaraderie of family taking a well-deserved break... but before any of that could happen, their world had been attacked again and this time, they'd come and taken him away...
"Be in here around one twenty pm and you will have nearly an hour and a half at this time of year."
Mikey forced himself to smile as he nodded, trying to push the maudlin thoughts from his mind, even while making plans for the next afternoon.
Splinter smiled again, "Back to the story. It was not long after the improvement of conditions that my little, scrawny potted tree began to thrive and it was then that I dug out a few of the concrete pavers and instead planted it directly into the ground. A number of years later, Donatello improved on the mirror set up again, allowing in far more natural light to what you can see today."
As much to distract himself from his thoughts as to indulge his curiosity, Mikey stood and walked out from under the tree and gazed up, staring at the small grate and mirrors set up surrounding it. "That's amazing!" he breathed. "I wish we had something like that growing up."
"You never had opportunity to bask?" Splinter asked, turning to face Mikey in concern. "I know how essential for the health and well beings of turtles, even mutated ones, basking is."
Mikey flushed in embarrassment, "Well, we didn't get a chance to in actual direct sunlight until after we met April, but we used to under shafts of sunlight from grates in the sewers and then, of course, Donnie set up some UV lamps for us a few years before that." He shrugged. "Of course, they were all destroyed when the MOUSERS brought down our old lair but that's what led to us meeting April and not too long after that, Casey."
Then Mikey grinned, laughing lightly as his previous upset was momentarily forgotten. "So can't tell you how often Raph and I snuck up to April's rooftop for some sun. Her building has this sweet spot where you can't be seen by any of the neighbouring buildings. Hah! Leo so would have had a cow if he knew what we were really up to, instead of laying in April's living room. It was so great!"
"I am sure he would not have been the only one to 'have a cow', as you say," Splinter admonished sternly, twitching slightly at the thought of his own sons taking such a terrible risk.
"Haha, no, he wouldn't have been," Mikey grinned sheepishly. "Donnie was so peeved when he found out, until Raph and I invited him along one time. Would have been awesome to include Leo too, but... he would have just stopped us from going again."
"And rightly so."
"Heh, yeah, probably," Mikey admitted reluctantly. "Was still so worth it though."
"I do not wish you doing something so dangerous while you live in this world, or encouraging my sons to do such things."
Mikey turned to look at Splinter in shock, at once hurt by the lack of faith and touched by the concern directed at him. "I promise Sensei. Besides, if I can bask in here, there wouldn't be any need to do it on the surface."
Splinter nodded, relieved to hear it. "Tell me, what would you and Raphael have done had another tenant come to the roof?"
"Wouldn't have happened," Mikey replied, shaking his head. "April owns the whole building; the shop and apartment above. We wouldn't have risked it otherwise."
-:-
The next afternoon, having slept in well past training and through half the day, Mikey walked out towards the living room feeling, if not better than the night before, then at least ready to face his other-dimensional brothers. The escalating voices that greeted him, however, almost sent him scurrying back to his borrowed bedroom.
"So you're saying you want to just quit looking for Mikey?" Leonardo asked coldly, standing face to face with Raphael.
"No!" Raph exploded loudly. "You're not listening to me! I'm just saying it's useless to just keep blindly searching like this, Leonardo!"
"It's not 'blindly searching'," Donatello interrupted from nearby. "I've been trying to find traces of dimensional activity during our searches."
Raphael whirled angrily on Donnie, poking a single thick finger viciously into his taller brother's plastron, but Donnie, though he swallowed nervously, held his ground. "You couldn't even find any readings at the place we lost him so how the hell do you expect to find them anywhere else in this damn city?"
Donnie's mouth worked as if to say something but nothing came out.
"See?" Raph snorted triumphantly.
"What else would you have us do, Raph?" Leo asked grimly, tiredly, and in that moment, Mikey noticed just how vulnerable and lost Leo truly was. He was struggling to hold it together and probably blaming himself for everything just like his own Leo would have been in the same circumstances. "We're doing everything we can with few resources and no one besides a couple of friends who can help!"
"We break into TCRI," Raph suggested eagerly. "Donnie said he's pretty sure the Kraang are active there again."
"No."
"Leo, it's our only chance! Sure, we destroyed the old portal but they've probably built a new one by now. Hell, they have to have if Mikey's somehow been sent to another dimension! We can break in there, take control of the portal and finally find Mikey!"
"Do you have any idea how insane you sound right now, Raph?" Leo asked, his features taut. Mikey figured that meant Leo had already thought of Raph's idea before now and dismissed it for whatever reasons. He tensed up, folding his arms across his plastron and clutching too tightly at his biceps as he watched from the steps by the dojo.
"It's an impossible idea, Raph," Donnie ventured quietly. "Leo and I already discussed it several days ago."
"Without me?" Raphael asked darkly.
"You were off to meet Casey at the time it came up," Leo explained stiffly.
Raph calmed slightly, mollified. "So then, Fearless, tell me just why it won't work!"
"For a start, there's only the three of us."
"What about..."
Donnie looked sharply at Raph, "Before you even suggest it, there's no way we can risk taking April that deep into Kraang territory and you know all the reasons why that's a bad idea!"
"... Yeah... but..."
"Strategically, there's no way just the two of us, three if we were to include Casey but that would leave April feeling left out and useless, could keep hundreds of Kraang off Donnie long enough for him to take control of the portal and search an infinity of dimensions."
"The best I could do would be to hack into their systems, copy all the data and bring it home to translate and find if they have any records about what happened to Mikey," Donnie explained softly. "And while I have no problem with that in principle, we'd then also have to steal the portal and that's simply far too big to carry."
Donnie shrugged matter-of-factly. "Maybe I could find the plans to build our own portal but then there's the problem of downsizing alien technology and finding a powerful enough power source that's also stable, not to mention finding the parts I'd need. There's only so much even I can do with the scrap parts from trashed Kraang bots..."
"Raph, I get what you're saying. It does seem pointless to search the city the way we've been doing but right now, it's all we have." Leo's voice was full of pain. "If we can find other traces of portal or Kraang activity, then that might give us an opportunity for Donnie to work his magic. TCRI however, is out of the question. It's too well secured and far too well guarded."
Raphael's eyes suddenly narrowed. "You checked it out, didn't you, Leonardo?"
Leo looked away, unable to meet his brother's eyes even as Donnie also shot to attention, staring accusingly at him.
"When?" Donnie demanded flatly.
"The night we discussed this originally... after everyone was asleep."
"You went without us?" Raph burst out furiously, stepping forward with his fists clenched tight.
"I thought we already decided it wasn't an option, Leo!" Donnie snapped, annoyed.
"I had to be certain," Leo answered in frustration. "If there was even a ghost of a chance..."
"Well, was there?"
Leo shook his head glumly. "TCRI is definitely active again and security is at least ten times tighter than before."
Mikey jumped as he felt a warm, bony hand rest briefly on his shoulder and squeeze. He turned startled eyes to see Splinter give him a quick apologetic smile before walking past and silently approaching his sons.
"So... what now then, huh?" Raph asked desperately. "We can't just keep going on like this but we can't give up either!"
"I suggest you all take the next couple of nights to rest up and rethink your options," Splinter commanded calmly, looking at each turtle with eyes that brooked no argument. His gaze lingered longer on Leonardo and from the way Leo cringed, Mikey knew he realised Splinter had heard everything and that he was in trouble for sneaking off alone after curfew.
Raph opened his mouth to argue but then shut it again quickly, thinking better of it for once.
Hesitantly, Donnie however, did speak. "In that case, would... would it be okay if we took a supply trip to the junkyard?"
Splinter's sharp gaze settled on Donatello and he raised his eyebrows.
"I... I could really do with some parts."
"Tomorrow, perhaps," Splinter conceded reluctantly. "Tonight, however, I want you all home. As for you, Leonardo, I will see you in my chamber. Now!"
"Hai Sensei!" Leo responded obediently, though his eyes showed it was the last thing he wanted, even as he immediately began to follow Splinter to the dojo.
Mikey quickly stepped aside to make room for both ninja to breeze past, then hesitantly made his way towards the pit where Raph and Donnie still were, the latter with his head hanging forlornly in his hands, elbows atop his knees.
Raph's teeth were grit and his fists clenching and releasing as he muttered furiously to himself. He glanced up with a scowl as Mikey gingerly stepped down and sat on an empty nearby bench.
Mikey's gaze flickered back and forth between the two, seeing yet again their hurt and desperation and for the first time that he could remember, felt an intense jealousy surge through him.
"What?" Raph barked angrily, glaring at the abused turtle.
"He's so lucky, you know?" Mikey said softly, the words tumbling unwanted from his mouth, all the while knowing speaking them was a horrible idea.
"Who's lucky?" Raph snapped.
Donnie looked up, his reddish-brown gaze fixed on Mikey almost accusingly.
"Your Mikey..." Mikey answered, unable to stop himself.
Raph was on his feet and in Mikey's face in an instant, practically spitting in rage and despair. "How the hell can you think that, huh, Mike?" he demanded. "He's been missing for over a damn month, lost, alone and in trouble! And sure, while Leo might have sensed he was still alive a week ago, who the hell knows what's happened to him since!
"So I'm sorry, Mike, but I don't see how that makes him 'lucky'," Raphael air quoted viciously. "So why don't you explain that for us both!"
Donnie nodded wordlessly, still staring at Mikey, a world of hurt shining in his eyes.
Every instinct made Mikey want to back away, but he couldn't. "Because at least he has people he loves doing everything they can to find him..."
-:-
* If you ever see my stories posted anywhere other than under the name Zelgadis55 at Deviant Art, FFNet, AO3 or Live Journal, (or reblogged by only) then they have been stolen. Please report them.