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 are still two major problems; he's still desperately missing his family and he has no way home. No OCs. 2k3/2k12 crossover.

A/N:

Minnie1015: They're trying too but it's not easy when they're so worried for their missing brother and they have someone similar in his place. Still, understanding is beginning to build.

Guest (from Oct 4): Thank you :-) It will but it's still early days yet and getting past trauma takes time.

ScribeofHeroes: Unfortunately, Mikey just didn't think of it sooner, though he almost did at one point until he was distracted before the thought could fully form. Thanks. I admit I have to agree about semantics and Raph and it bugged me before posting but honestly, I couldn't think of another way to say it without using that word and I got sick of it so I just posted. Sorry about that. Thank you :-)

Guest (from Nov 2): I'm glad to hear XD

AOtGO – Aftermath

Ch 20

Date: 28th Sept

"Grandpa-sensei!" Mikey called frantically, skidding to a halt in front of the ninja master and causing a ridge to form in the rug before him.

Splinter opened a single eye to gaze up at Michelangelo as his remaining sons filtered into the room behind him, obviously confused. "What is it, Michelangelo?" he asked, opening his other eye and canting a curious eyebrow.

"The Battle Nexus!" Mikey panted excitedly. He bounced from one leg to the other frantically. "You know how to get there, right? Because the Daimyo can definitely get me home and he can totally help you find your Mikey!"

For a moment Splinter just gazed at him. "What is the... Battle Nexus?" he finally asked, carefully sounding out the name.

"It's only the biggest interdimensional martial arts tournament in existence," Mikey gasped indignantly, "and yours truly is the current champion!"

There was stunned silence all around. Then, "You?" Raphael laughed. "The champion of a martial arts tournament?"

Hurt, Mikey turned to look at Raph as if just realising the others had followed him to the dojo. "Yes, moi!"

"Really?" Raph snorted caustically, smirking and shaking his head in disbelief. "Is that some story you made up to try to impress us? Because there's no way you could beat me, even an other-dimensional me. You couldn't even beat Lame-o-nardo, for that matter!"

Mikey frowned, not liking what he was hearing and barely keeping his frown from turning into a scowl. Oh, how he could hardly wait to show them what he was really capable of. Except... he wouldn't be here that long. He deliberately turned his shell on Raph to face Splinter eagerly. All he had to do was convince him that the secret was okay to share. "You can tell them about it, Grandpa Sensei! My bros and I were sixteen when we first found out about the Nexus and all of us made it through the preliminaries!"

Splinter shook his head sadly. "I am sorry, Michelangelo but you seem to misunderstand. I have never heard of this Battle Nexus."

Mikey bounced impatiently, willing the ninja master to come clean but then he saw the sincerity in the rat's eyes and he deflated, his bright hopes dashed. "You... really don't know about it?" he asked, swallowing thickly in disappointment.

"I would not lie to you, Michelangelo," Splinter replied sadly.

"Are you... sure?" Mikey pressed desperately. "Because Master Splinter hid it from us! We only found out about it when we followed him to see where he kept going every three years!"

"I am sorry but I am sure," Splinter repeated, shaking his head slightly, even as Leonardo gazed at Michelangelo in disapproval.

"You and your brothers followed your father to spy on him?" he asked sharply.

"No! Well, yes! Sort of?" Mikey floundered desperately. "It was all for a good cause?" Leo's frown deepened so Mikey struggled to explain. "He always acted so weirdly secretive around Battle Nexus time and the last time he'd come back, he came back with a broken leg. We were... worried!"

"Uh-huh," Leo replied flatly.

"Okay, okay! I can't deny being insanely curious dude but we really were worried that he was in some sort of trouble that he had to deal with every few years!" Mikey protested, begging Leo and the others to believe him. "Especially after we saw him acting so furtively just before opening a glowing secret magic door and going through it to who knows where!"

"A magic door? Really?" Donnie asked in sheer disbelief. Mikey could sense him fighting not to roll his eyes at that and he whipped around to face him.

"Well, what would you call a glowing, arch-shaped door that opened in a brick wall after drawing chalk symbols and chanting a weird incantation?"

"A highly active imagination," Donnie immediately retorted. "Or at best, perhaps a science you just have no understanding of."

Mikey snorted and turned back to Splinter to explain. "So yeah, it's called the Battle Nexus because the tournament is held in a dimensional nexus point, a realm ruled by the Daimyo.."

"Diemyo," Leo cut in, correcting Mikey's pronunciation since he knew Donnie was giving him lessons.

Mikey shot him a look. "Dahmiyo," he repeated stubbornly. "I know it's similar but it's not actually Japanese and it's the way the Daimyo himself and everyone around him pronounce it." He took a deep breath, returning his attention to Splinter once more. "Anyway, as I was saying, Sensei, every three years, the Daimyo holds a massive martial arts tournament, inviting the best fighters from around the multiverse to come compete and opening his realm to tourists and vendors alike. It's a humongous festival where mutants and aliens can come together and walk in the sunlight among each other without fear," he explained, stretching his arms wide as he spoke and getting more excited as the memories of the party atmosphere teased him. He'd loved it so much!

"It sounds impressive, Michelangelo and you say you have been there and are the current champion?" Splinter asked, his brows furrowed as if trying to contemplate such a thing.

"Sure am!" Mikey boasted happily. "I've been there a bunch of times! I've even got a huge statue of me in the Hall of Champions and brought home a really cool trophy!"

Raph snorted again, glancing at Leo and the two quickly fell into a paralysing fit of laughter. Donatello, however, gazed at Michelangelo curiously, no doubt remembering their talk the other day about how defeating Raphael was possible.

"Well, to be honest, the only reason I made it through was because I was paired against Master Splinter and he bowed out, saying it was our time to shine now and not his," Mikey admitted, trying his best to ignore the hurt from the other turtles' jeers. "Then Leo was attacked and knocked out by a poison dart while he was competing against Usagi in the next round. As for Raph," and here Mikey locked his gaze on Raphael, smirking at the still chortling hothead, "I kicked his ugly shell fair and square and I didn't even have to lay a finger on him!"

That caught Raph's attention. He immediately stopped laughing and glared poison at Mikey. "You're making this up now because that's just not possible! You're far too weak to take any version of me on! And without even touching me?" he snorted with a sound of disgust. "As if!"

"Well sure, dude, right now I am but give me some time to get back to normal and I'll kick your shell too!" Mikey challenged with an obnoxious grin.

"It'll be a cold day in hell before you beat me," Raph sneered back.

"It'll be too easy!" Mikey smirked back. Oh but he really looked forward to that and he'd work extra hard for it if he had to. It didn't hurt either that he'd had and would have yet more time to watch how the hothead fought before their spar eventually happened.

"I look forward to seeing such a match," Splinter observed serenely. "It would certainly do wonders to drive home a valuable lesson about complacency and judging others solely based on who they appear to be."

Raph shot Splinter a sharp look that Mikey didn't miss and Mikey grinned. Widely.

"Anyway, you guys might be interested to know that the previous champion to me was Master Splinter and sometime before that, it was Master Yoshi." Mikey's smile turned sad as he focused on Splinter. "That's why I figured... well, hoped... you'd know how to get there."

"I see. It is too bad I don't know. I truly am sorry, Michelangelo."

Mikey shook his head, lamenting the turtle luck that ensured his life was never that easy. "It's okay, Grandpa-sensei, it was worth a try."

"Indeed," Splinter agreed quietly. "I wish I could help you. As much as I am grateful to have you here, it would be much better for you to be home, amongst your original family."

Mikey nodded. Things would be far better if he was. For him and for his family at least, however, it wouldn't be better for them.

Unless...

His eyes narrowed in sudden thought. Just because they didn't know how to get to the Nexus from here, that didn't mean they couldn't get there from his home. He zeroed in on Donnie and Leo. "You dudes are absolutely certain your bro is lost in another dimension, right?"

"The evidence appears to point to that," Donnie replied carefully, his fists clenching at his sides as he swallowed.

"From what I saw in the Astral Plane, it's probably in a dimension similar to yours, Mike," Leo replied softly. "The other turtle I saw looked a lot like my counterpart does in your drawings."

Mikey gazed at Leo thoughtfully. He'd shown his sketches to Leo a couple of days ago when he'd asked to see them. Mikey had thought Leo's fixation on the drawing of his blue-banded brother had just been curiosity at his other self but now he realised there'd been more to it. "Then help me get home," he said simply.

"It might not even be your dimension," Donnie warned.

"It probably isn't," Mikey agreed sadly, there were probably a lot of dimensions similar to his, "but if it is, then you guys won't have to look any further, right?"

"Right," Leo choked, "but..."

"That wasn't the agreement when we took you in!" Raph spat, scowling ferociously. "You agreed that finding Mikey was the most important thing! You said you understood!"

"I do understand!" Mikey scowled back, taking an alarmed step away from Raph. "Weren't you listening to what I said when I asked Sensei if he knew how to get to the Nexus, dude? I said the Daimyo can help find your bro! He's got the power to open portals to pretty much any dimension and zero in on specific people!"

Donnie and Leo froze as the realisation hit them. Splinter stiffened, straightening in sudden interest. Raph, however, just looked pissed and set to argue further.

"Look! About a year or so before I ended up here," Mikey motioned around himself angrily, "we were attacked by this total whack job calling themself the Ultimate Drako! They got hold of the Sceptre of Time and appeared in our home, freezing us all in midair in something a bit like stasis but we could still think and talk and then they scattered us across space-time! Raph and Leo got lucky! Raph was sent to this cool planet shell-knows-where, where he got to be part of some super cool but deadly interplanetary motorbike race! Leo got sent to the dimension where our friend Usagi lives and got help getting to the Nexus from there! Master Splinter was imprisoned at the Nexus – Drako hated that Sensei beat him years before, with a broken leg! Donnie was sent to this awful Earth thirty years in the future where he'd disappeared and the rest of us split up and became old and bitter after Shredder took over and I was sent to another world where superhero versions of us with powers lived!" Leo's eyes sparkled with interest so Mikey turned to him and snapped, "It wasn't as cool as it sounds! Well, actually, it totally was but what happened was not! It was beyond awful! Anyway, we were scattered across different worlds in different dimensions and different times but Leo and Usagi rescued Master Splinter and then Master Splinter and Leo used the power of the Daimyo's War Staff, the weapon that gives him control over the Nexus and dimensional barriers, to find the rest of us and teleport us back to take down the Ultimate Drako!

"The Daimyo is our friend and he owes us! He would totally help you find your brother as long as one or more of you are there to help guide him for what to look for! All you have to do is get me home so we can get to the Nexus or... or find a dimension with a version of us who knows how to get there!"

Donnie swallowed. "That sounds great but... there are two problems with getting you back. One, we don't have a portal or access to one. The only one we even know of is the Kraang's and it's too well-guarded to take our time using it and far too large for us to steal."

Mikey couldn't help but cringe at the mention of his former captors and tormentors. He hadn't been doing well during his sessions in Donnie's lab lately, only managing to cope if he had something else to focus on and Donnie had been too affected by the Mutation Day anniversary to hold a proper conversation and keep him engaged the last couple of days. Yesterday alone, he'd fled about five minutes in, unable to take any more for the day. As for today, he hadn't been back out of respect for Donnie's need for space. At least, that was the excuse he told himself. He wasn't certain how he'd even manage to step into the room tomorrow.

"The second problem," Donnie continued quietly, seemingly not noticing Mikey's reaction to the mention of them, "would be finding a way to track your specific dimension down out of an infinity of other dimensions. I-I'm not saying we give up before we even begin. I'm just being realistic..."

Mikey nodded numbly, crestfallen by the harsh dose of reality. "So you don't know any way to read a dimensional signature or anything?"

Donnie gazed at him in surprise as if he hadn't thought about it, then shook his head. "I can try to come up with something but it will take time and I don't exactly have a plethora of proven science to fall back on."

"Mike," Leo began carefully, "you said you've been to the Nexus multiple times, right?"

Mikey nodded.

"Haven't you learnt how to open the... doorway?"

"The spell is super complex, dude but... I think I do. Mostly. My bros and I worked together to get it right so we could follow Master Splinter through that time and I'm pretty sure I could get the symbols right now. I'm... not so sure about the incantation but maybe... but..." He sighed unhappily. "The problem is that even if I could remember, it's location specific. You have to be in the correct alleyway in New York and in the correct dimension for it to work. The address changes depending on where you are, kinda like the gates in 'Stargate'."

"Stargate?" Leo echoed in confusion.

"Totally cool sci-fi you probably don't get in this dimension," Mikey replied, huffing a sad laugh. "You'd totally love it, Leo. It's so much better than 'Space Heroes'."

Leo gave Mikey a dark look at that. Then, "Well, with this new information... if any opportunity to get Mike home comes up before we find Mikey, we should take it. Especially if there's a chance in finding our own brother by doing so." He gazed around the room as if asking "Are there any arguments?" When Raph and Donnie nodded their agreement, Leo turned back to Mike.

"Unfortunately, you really aren't ready to join us topside yet and since you'd need to be with us for us to try, that means you are going to have to work harder, Mike. Not just in getting your strength and stamina up, you've obviously been working hard at that the last few days, but also in regards to your problem with coming face to face with anything Kraang related because any chance to get you home will likely be through them."

Mikey swallowed hard and stole a look at Donnie, who gave him what was obviously meant to be an encouraging look.

Leo then turned to Donatello. "You picked up scrap metal at the junkyard the last couple of trips. Is there any progress on fixing Mikey's old nunchakus or making new ones for Mike?"

A look of pure irritation surged in Donnie's eyes. "I have a lot on my plate and it takes time to purify it, Leonardo! That is something you or Raph could easily help with to make the whole process faster, by the way!"

"Um..." Mikey stepped forward, seeing the answering irritation build on Raph's face, "I could help with that, Don," he offered.

"No!" three voices immediately snapped back in varying states of horror.

Mikey took a step back, stunned, then his face hardened and he stepped forward again. "If this is because you're comparing me with your brother again, then just don't! I don't know what he's capable of but I know what I'm capable of and we all learnt that stuff for making and repairing weapons back home! I might not be as good as my bros at it but I'm capable of the basics and I'm sick of you all underestimating me based on someone else with a passing resemblance to me!"

"W-we don't do that!" Donnie protested weakly.

"Yeah, you do, actually! All the time!" Mikey retorted. "That first time I joined you in training when I chose to use a katana is a prime example, dude! How about the other day when I cleaned my borrowed room? What about just minutes ago when I told you that I'm the Battle Nexus Champion?" Here, his gaze turned on Raph in particular but he also cast an accusing look Leo's way. "You scoffed, saying I had no chance of winning against any version of you guys and it wasn't just trash talk, that I could get behind, but you meant it!" His gaze travelled across the three brothers again and in a small voice continued as his gaze lingered on Donnie. "You've even been surprised to discover I have a brain in my head and you show it every time. If it was just joking around... I'd be fine with it, shell, I'd even join in but... it's not and it's not cool! If... if you don't want my help, Don, if you can't trust me to help, th-that's fine. Just... stop judging me based on what you expect of your brother because..." Mikey shook his head, hurt and angry at himself for speaking up on today of all days. Today was meant to be about them, him helping them deal with a difficult day as best he could and by telling them how he felt, he'd gone and made it about him and that wasn't good enough either. "I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything." He made to leave when Donatello reached out, stopping just shy of touching him.

"No, Mike, you had every right to say all that because... it's true and I'm sorry for my part in it," Donnie said sorrowfully. "Though... my reasons for saying no aren't just what you think but more because of your current... um.. state of mind, no offence. I can't pretend to know what you've been going through because you haven't said a lot but I've seen you slip back into that place a couple of times now and... I worry that if it happens again while you're working with hot metal..."

Mikey fixed Donnie with a look and for once, it was Donnie squirming.

"Okay... that is my genuine reason for saying no but... it wasn't my initial reason. I'm sorry, Mike. I know you're capable of a lot and that you're very creative," he motioned towards the eyepieces Mikey wore to protect himself as an example, "but I think it's too soon to put you into that kind of situation."

Mikey nodded. "That's fair enough," he said quietly. Then he chuckled darkly. "My lack of sleep probably doesn't help much either, right?"

"You're right, it doesn't," Donnie admitted, shaking his head. "Which reminds me, did any of the apps on the T-phone help at all?"

"Yeah," Mikey answered slowly. "They didn't stop the nightmares or anything but the music did help me settle down both before and after. Thanks." He started to leave again, intending to go clean up the kitchen before bed when this time, Leonardo stopped him.

"For what it's worth, Mike, I'm sorry also and I'll try to do better," he promised quietly. "While you're right in that we seem to have... certain expectations of you because you're our brother from another dimension, we do actually try not to compare you, which is why we call you Mike instead of Mikey."

"I'm sorry too, 'specially after spending time with you and getting to know you," Raph muttered, watching the nearby wall instead of Mikey. "You're different and that's good."

Mikey smiled in relief. "It's okay. I'm still sorry for snapping though," he offered contritely. He hated losing his temper, hated how it made him feel so sick and squirmy inside and doing so yet again made him feel as if he'd taken several steps backwards in his recovery.

"Michelangelo," Splinter called before Mikey could attempt to leave for the third time.

Mikey turned back to face him, looking at the still-seated ninjutsu master expectantly.

"In light of all this and the progress you have made in the last few days, would you be willing to rejoin practice in the mornings?"

Mikey straightened, his eyes wide but Splinter held up his hand to prevent him from interrupting.

"I still wish for you to train with April in the afternoon for a few weeks as you have a lot to learn about our style but I would like you to join during the mornings for the basics. During sparring, however, you will still be sitting out for the time being and working on your rehabilitation exercises instead."

Mikey began nodding frantic agreement as Splinter spoke. He didn't mind because he enjoyed the lessons with April. They were fun and he liked spending time with her, getting to know her but at the same time, since she was a beginner, the class was so easy that it was ridiculous! Even the katas he hadn't known, he was picking up after only a few demonstrations.

"You have picked up the lessons far faster than I imagined you would and all you really need now is practice to refine your technique and to continue rebuilding your stamina until you can keep up with my sons." Splinter smiled warmly. "I imagine you should be physically ready to try going topside on missions within a few weeks."

Few weeks? Mikey's heart stilled as his sudden hopes fell. He'd go insane if he had to wait that long before getting to breathe fresh air and see the open sky again. "I..." he sighed in resignation, eyes flickering despondently around the room. He'd tried so hard to be patient. With himself, with them but he wasn't sure how much longer he could cope. He'd spent so long cooped up in a small cell that he craved the open space and that one night, those scant couple of hours after finally being saved, just weren't enough. "I get that I can't go on missions yet but I really want to go topside for a while. I'd be happy just sitting in the shadows somewhere," he pleaded hopefully.

"I am sorry, Michelangelo but it is unsafe. I prefer you to stay down in the sewers for the time being until I am certain you are ready."

"I understand," Mikey muttered, turning away in bitter disappointment. "I'm... going to go clean up now. Good night."

-:-

"You feel cooped up, don't you?" Raphael suddenly asked as Mikey dried the last of the cutlery.

Mikey shrieked and whirled around in fright, eyes wide and hands tangled in tea towel to heart as metal clattered raucously to the old and cracked concrete floor.

Raph snickered in amusement. "Didn't know you were so jumpy, Mike."

Mikey scowled. "I'm not," he whined. At least, he wasn't usually except when the supernatural was involved.

Raph sauntered deeper into the kitchen as he watched the other-dimensional ninja crouch to the ground to pick up the knives he'd dropped. A moment later, Mikey stood again, tossing them back into the sink to rewash later.

"You know, you should've left the clean-up to Leo since he's still grounded," Raph smirked. "Besides, you cooked so it's only fair that someone else cleans up."

"I never see you volunteering to clean up," Mikey drawled. Then he shrugged and hung up the tea towel. "Anyway, I had help from April today and I couldn't ask any of you to clean up because today was your day."

Raph studied him a moment. "A day we made quite clear we didn't want to celebrate," he pointed out crisply.

At the criticism, Mikey slumped in shame. "Sorry. I just thought..."

"That Mikey would want us to celebrate anyway," Raph cut in, his voice slightly harsh. "And... you're right, he would've and I bet that he did something too, wherever he is. At least, if he's capable of celebrating he would've."

Mikey lifted his uneasy gaze back up to meet Raph's bright green one.

"And that means... we kinda celebrated together. Even if he isn't here so... thanks," he muttered, his face flushed with embarrassment to match his mask.

"You're welcome, bro," Mikey replied with a ghost of a smile.

"Anyway," Raph spoke up louder, more gruffly, now that he'd expelled the embarrassing stuff, "you never answered my question."

"What question?" Mikey asked, furrowing his brow in confusion.

"I asked if you felt cooped up," he retorted with a glare and making Mikey want to laugh. This Raph was such a tsundere and unlike his own Raph, obviously had a very hard time showing he cared but it was definitely there and he felt a small warmth growing in his chest because of it.

"Sorry, I thought it was more an observation than a question, dude. Besides, you distracted me!"

"How?" Raph asked suspiciously.

"By scaring the shell outta me!"

Raphael snorted in amusement. "Like I said, jumpy! And what the hell was with that girly scream, huh? I'm surprised Leo or Donnie didn't come running to save the damsel!"

"Don't dis a turtle's scream," Mikey retorted disdainfully. "I put a lot of time and effort into practising and developing that scream."

Raph snorted again.

"Anyway, yeah, I am. If I don't get out for a bit, I'm gonna go nuts."

Raph glanced behind himself as if checking to make sure no one was there and listening. "Then let's go! You know how to skate, right?"

Mikey stared at Raph in hope, even as Splinter's earlier words echoed through his head.

"I am sorry, Michelangelo but it is unsafe and I prefer you to stay down in the sewers for the time being."

"Uh... do turtles have shells?" he asked in answer.

"Then let's go!" Raph said again, thumbing over his shoulder. "I need to get out for a bit too. You can borrow Leo or Donnie's board."

Uncertain, Mikey continued to hesitate. He wanted out more than almost anything but... "But Sensei said 'I prefer you to stay down in the sewers,'" he quoted, sounding enough like Splinter that Raph froze and stared at him.

"That's really creepy, you sound just like Master Splinter," he shivered. "Anyway, we're not going topside. We'll stick to the sewers 'cause Splinter and Leo are right, you're not ready," he retorted. "Besides, you don't even have a weapon yet, though you're decent enough that you could probably just pick something else to use for now."

Mikey nodded. There hadn't been any training today on account of it being Mutation Day but yesterday, when he'd joined the other turtles for training, he'd used a pair of kama to practice with and of course, the days he'd trained with April, he picked something different from the options available each time. The way he saw it was, if he couldn't use his signature weapons for now, then he'd just get in some practice with everything else as his father would expect him to continue to cross-train anyway. Besides, he needed to get used to the feel of various weapons again and if it was going to take a while to get another set of nunchaku, then he needed to work out what felt best to concentrate on in the meantime. So far, he was leaning towards the short chigiriki.

"Not sure why you keep changing weapons, though," Raph grunted, leading the way out of the lair and into the garage to where three skateboards were lined up, hanging from holders on the wall.

"Just refamilliarising myself with them," Mikey shrugged. "Besides, back home, we cross-train with other weapons at least once a week. Mostly with each others' but not only those."

"Huh." Raph took his deck from the wall and motioned to the others. "Pick one."

Mikey studied the two remaining skateboards. They were larger than the one he owned but that wouldn't be a problem. In fact, he'd wanted a larger style one for a long time, now. Not that that mattered right now anyway as he'd have to take it easy for a bit regardless. At least until he regained his confidence. Sadly, that meant no fancy tricks right off the bat. He reached for the closest board, not seeing much difference besides the art and colouring. "I still can't believe your Leo skateboards. How's he go?" he snickered.

"Yours doesn't?"

Mikey shook his head.

"What's wrong with him?"

"Nothing!" Mikey laughed. "We all have different wheels, that's all. Sometimes we swap to try something different but Leo prefers to stick to his scooter or Don's BMX."

Raph shot him an amused look as the pair headed for the exit. "Your Leo's an even bigger stick in the mud than mine?"

"What can I say? He likes to be in control," Mikey laughed. "At least your Leo knows how to chill." Leonardo was definitely more than balanced and skilled enough to use his skateboard or Raph's rollerblades but Mikey suspected he liked the extra control the handles on the other two rides offered. Something of a metaphor for everything else in their lives, he expected. Donnie liked to let go once in a while and go crazy, whereas he and Raph loved to live life on the edge and damn the handles, so to speak. The pair finally exited the garage and went out into the sewers proper. Raph took them a few tunnels away, pointing out landmarks for Mikey to remember. When they were a safe distance from the lair where any wheel tracks wouldn't endanger their home, Raph threw down his board and began skating through the tunnels, Mikey on his heels the whole way. Mikey itched to pick up speed and skate past the slowpoke leading the way but he didn't recognise this area at all.

"Anyway, yeah, Leo can be... pretty uptight at times but he's got good reason for it," Mikey finally said, picking up the conversation again now they no longer needed to keep so quiet. Raph glanced back at him, his face disbelieving. "He's just got so much responsibility on his shoulders and he tries to take it all to spare the rest of us. He used to let loose sometimes but he got pretty bad after we finally defeated Shredder."

Raph slammed the back of the board down, breaking as hard as the slimy ground would allow. "You guys defeated Shredder fully and Leo got worse?" he choked in disbelief. "Why?"

Mikey braked beside the other turtle and smiled grimly. "Because it took everything we had to do it. We basically sacrificed ourselves to defeat him and the only reason we're still alive is because our friends, the Utrom, came to our rescue and beamed us off the exploding spaceship."

"Exploding spaceship? Beamed?" Raph asked in a combination of confusion and horror.

"Our Shredder was an alien warlord, an Utrom called Ch-rell," Mikey explained seriously. "He'd been trapped on Earth for hundreds of years, biding his time and pushing technological growth until he could build a new spaceship and escape the planet to continue his conquest out there." Mikey waved his arms vaguely up. "Just as the engines overloaded and began to explode courtesy of Donnie, the Utrom turned up and teleported our broken bodies off the ship." A dark feeling of terror at the memory of the explosion he'd seen as he faded from the ship filled his heart and he shuddered at how close it had been. Things couldn't have been closer if they'd tried. "We were all really badly hurt. All of us had broken bones, Master Splinter's fur was burnt from his body and Leo had taken Karai's sword through his shoulder and shell. The Utrom put Shredder on trial and banished him to a snowy wasteland planet with no technology and no one else around for light years and they healed us as much as they could. They saved our lives, then they returned us to Earth to finish healing on our own.

"Geeze," Raph muttered.

Mikey put on a bright smile and started skating again, this time, leading the way. "We went out to Casey's farm to heal after that and for the most part, it was fine but... as time went on, Leo got worse and worse. Uh... not his injuries but mentally. While the rest of us talked and worked through the shit, Leo closed off, barely spoke and became angrier and more intense with every day. He out-Raphed Raph. He blamed himself for not being able to beat Shredder without us sacrificing ourselves in the process, even though it wasn't his fault and there was nothing else we could've done.

"Master Splinter tried everything, even asking our friend Usagi, who Leo really hit it off with, to come and talk to Leo but nothing helped and in the end, he sent Leo away to train with the Ancient One for a few months."

"The Ancient One?" Raph asked, screwing up his face at the name.

Mikey nodded and concentrated a moment as he took a sharp corner fast, the rush exhilarating him. "He's kinda like our great-grandfather, I guess? He was Master Yoshi's master. The Ancient One took Master Yoshi and his best friend off the streets when they were kids and gave them a home and taught them ninjutsu. Anyway, when Leo came back, he was almost back to his old self. He'd lost the self-destructive attitude and had control of his temper again and he'd learnt so much that his skills were through the roof but it's hard to get him to relax now, especially outside our home. Like, no more games outside unless they're training games," Mikey explained sadly, lamenting at their lost childhood and particularly Leo's. "No more skating or riding, just focus, focus, focus, blah, blah, blah."

"Fuck," Raph breathed, his face filled with distaste at the thought. He was all for focusing when it came down to it but there had to be time for some fun and to do things his way. "And I thought our Leo was all work and no play."

"Nuh," Mikey laughed. "Your Leo at least knows how to relax. Even if it's just to some lameo 'Star Trek' knockoff."

"I thought you liked that shit," Raph sneered.

"I do but only because it's so bad!" he snickered. "Seriously, 'Space Heroes' is like some janky parody of 'Star Trek'. It's totally hilarious!"

"Right!" Raph snorted, shaking his head in disbelief. "What's 'Star Trek' anyway? Do I even wanna know?"

"Only one of the most epic sci-fi shows ever!" Mikey retorted with an overly affronted gasp. A fond smile formed a moment later. "Donnie and I always watched it together. That and 'Doctor Who'. He always made time for me unless there was some life-and-death thing going on." God, but he missed Donnie so much that it hurt. For a moment, he was tempted to try to reach out across the Astral Plane again but then he remembered the sheer pain he'd felt from Donnie the last time he'd tried and he couldn't bear to hurt his brother like that again. No matter how much he needed him right now. He wasn't in trouble anymore. He wasn't desperate for help and rescue any longer so it was just better to let Donnie be for now and it would only be for now because while it might take some time, he was definitely going to find his way home eventually.

Mikey fell silent and instead poured on the speed, racing through the tunnels as fast as he could, taking hairpin corners and barely managing to stay on the paths – he definitely needed to take some time to practice skating again; he was so slow compared to before and his skating skills badly needed some work.

"Fuck sake! Slow down already!" Raph roared in annoyance. "You don't even know the area!"

Mikey blinked and braked to look back and see Raph quite some distance behind him. Though he was fast catching up now that he'd stopped.

"Damn, you're fast!" Raph huffed in disbelief as he finally stopped behind him. "You'd even leave Mikey in the dust but," and here, Raph sneered in amusement, "he's got the better moves. Hell! I'm surprised you didn't go flying into the sewer water at least three times!"

Mikey planted his hands on his hips, one foot still on his borrowed board and the other firmly on the ground as he eyed Raph in mock affront. "Really? And there I am taking it easy right now. Gimme a few days to practice skating again and then we'll see who's got the sweeter moves, dude!"

"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that," Raph jeered. "Maybe you'll even believe it, though no one else ever will."

"Don't need to tell myself when I already know it," Mikey retorted, enjoying the light moment. Now, this was what banter should be; no mean barbs, no nasty undertones, just playfulness. He grinned inwardly. "By the way, Raphie? You're slower than a snail without its shell, which makes you a slug!"

Raph growled darkly. "I'll show you who's a slug!" he sneered. Then he took off ahead of Michelangelo who still had a foot on the ground and Mikey grinned and took off after him.

-:-

Comments, thoughts and concrit are always welcome.

* If you ever see my stories posted anywhere other than under the name Zelgadis55 at Deviant Art, FFNet, AO3 or Live Journal, then they have been stolen. Please report them.