Author's Note: There isn't a specific place in the 2012 timeline where this story takes place, but let's say that the Kraang have been defeated and Karai is still with the Foot.

That You Love Me

Mikey intended to put his plan into motion that very night, so they didn't lose another day. Unfortunately, Master Splinter put his foot down. He seemed to believed that Mikey should take some more time to recover and prepare for the mission.

Mikey used part of said time to negotiate a start the following night thanks to his trademark puppy-dog eyes. After that, he considered his equipment options. He could go as Turflytle–the persona was perfect for bait purposes–but he didn't want his brothers to see him as anyone else than Mikey. No costume this time.

Then, there was the matter of his weapons. They weren't as easily replaced as Donnie's multiple bō staffs, but Mikey was able to craft a decent proxy with the equipment in the lair. It was definitely easier than doing it out in the country.

Once he had prepared everything he could, he crashed in his bed. His hopes for sleep were soon dashed, however. His mind was going crazy with every possibility the following night could bring, and he grabbed one of the comic books April had bought for him while he was sick to try and silence it.

It was a Halloween story like they were so many at this time of the year. Mikey hesitated to continue reading, because then he might become afraid and unable to sleep for different reasons, but he quickly found himself engrossed in the story.

It told the tale of a spirit whose enchantments became permanent on October 31st, if they weren't defeated before. The similarity with Mikey's situation would have been dismissed by anyone who wasn't Mikey, but he knew better.

It ended on a cliffhanger. Mikey let out a desperate whine, and went to complain to Ice Cream Kitty in the kitchen.

That was where he woke up next evening.

Mikey stood in front of the others, doing his best to transmit reassurance and self-confidence. At the last minute, he had decided to take his brothers' weapons with him in addition to their bandanas, and the four different sets of weapons he carried–along with bonuses like a grappling hook and various snacks, not counting his trademark water balloons–helped in making him feel ready for the task at hand.

"Does everyone remember the plan?" he asked.

Various nods and words of approval from April, Casey and the Mutanimals answered his question.

Mikey was very proud of said plan. Rockwell had objected that it was too simple, but Mikey didn't mind the comment. Not only was it true, but in Mikey's eyes it was also a compliment: it made the plan easier to remember.

It went like this. Mikey would wander through the rooftops, being less careful than he usually was, and wait until he was spotted by governmental agents.

Then he would improvise, depending on whether or not Leo was amongst the agents. They had agreed that Leo would probably be around, but Donnie and Raph's location was an unknown. In any case, it was unlikely that they would be found that easily. April had suggested luring the agents to a location where part of the team would be waiting, while the others looked for Mikey's brothers, and Mikey had agreed.

April was now watching Mikey with obvious concern.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" she asked as soon as she got Mikey's attention.

Mikey almost pretended he hadn't understood the meaning of April's question, but her voice sounded too caring for that.

"Of course," he said fiercely. "I'm not afraid of my brother."

"Right now, he doesn't remember that he's your brother," April said as delicately as one could while pointing out such a hurtful truth.

"He will," Mikey stated. "And in the meantime, I won't let him catch me. Don't worry about it, I'm a professional!"

Casey high-fived him. "We'll find them, and we'll bring them home. I know it!"

Mikey gave him a grateful smile.

"Let's go."

Mikey lifted the manhole cover with care and took a deep breath of the night air.

It was time to set his plan into motion.

Climbing to the rooftops and making his way to Human Raph's place was child's play. They had thought it would be a good place to start: both very likely to be monitored and promising to find a lead for Raph's current whereabouts.

Mikey spotted the first suspicious cars immediately. Some were circling the area, while others were parked at various places. Several street lights were switched off, leaving the area in more darkness than the rest of the neighborhood.

Mikey took a deep breath and stood up with his back to the moonlight, so that his shadow would fall on the nearest car's windshield. He stepped backwards as soon as the people inside the car noticed his presence.

His heart was beating faster, adrenaline running through his veins. The chase would soon begin.

He repeated the move on a few more cars, just to be sure. A part of him also enjoyed looking at his own shadow. With his brothers' weapons sticking from his back, he looked like the ultimate ninja.

His pleased thoughts scattered when he felt the presences nearby, replaced by utter focus. They had taken the bait; it was time for the chase.

Mikey was running fast, creating a wind that cooled down his face. It had been too long since he had enjoyed running on the rooftops of his city. The last time, when he had been too injured and worried to seize the moment, didn't count.

When he stopped feeling the agents behind him, he realized that maybe he had run a little too fast. It wasn't like ordinary humans could keep up with him when he was at full speed.

He slowed down until he came to a halt on a chimney. From up here, New York seemed almost peaceful. You would never have guessed that so many beings weren't sleeping at all, including himself and–

A barely there displacement of air was all the warning he got before something came right at his head.

Or more precisely, right at where his head would have been, had he not reacted in time and crouched down on the rooftop.

He wanted to let out an indignant 'Hey!', but first, he knew he was supposed to be silent to avoid being detected, and second, he just…couldn't.

Mikey's heart jumped. Could it be that his unknown assailant was one of the people he wasn't allowed to communicate with? Could it be that he was…

Another projectile was thrown at him, and he decided that he could keep thinking about it while running away. He tried to remember what location he was supposed to be leading the agents–this agent–this maybe-surely-Leo agent–towards, but the projectiles didn't give him much choice in choosing a road. He accelerated. The projectiles seemed to come from further away, until they stopped completely, and Mikey was suddenly torn between keeping a safe distance and being as close to his maybe-brother as he could.

His mind was so focused on this dilemma that he almost didn't realize that the next rooftop wasn't deserted like the others. It was occupied by a dozen or so Foot soldiers, with at their head a person that Mikey recognized immediately.

Mikey wanted to bite a pillow into oblivion. Why did he have to meet Karai now?

Karai seemed to be just as surprised as he was. She must have been in the middle of an operation for the Foot clan. It was surely something worth investigating, except Mikey didn't have the time because someone was right behind him.

"Michelangelo?" Karai said, her hand going to her weapon without drawing it. Yet.

"Karai! What a nice surprise!" Mikey said. "Uh, can you just pretend you didn't see me?"

Karai raised an eyebrow while gesturing for the other Foot soldiers to come closer, and Mikey's fake smile vanished. He would lose precious time if he had to fight them here, but it seemed like just going away wasn't an option. Or maybe with a smoke bomb?

He remembered too late that he hadn't taken any, because he had used the last ones going from one place to the other in the lair while thinking about Donnie. And Donnie wasn't here to make more, which was why Mikey had been thinking about him so much, which was why he had no smoke bomb anymore, and Donnie…

Mikey shook his head to stop the infinite loop and refocus on his current predicament. He really should have learned the recipe, no matter what Donnie said about not damaging his precious lab equipment.

"It has been a while since I last saw you," Karai said, tilting her head like a cat. Or a snake. "Where are your brothers?"

Mikey couldn't help it. He rolled his eyes, hard. It might have been a little unfair, because how could Karai have known? Too bad Mikey didn't care.

He opened his mouth to talk again, and this time, he failed.

"Stay away from him," Leo's voice said from behind him, and Mikey's last doubts about his pursuer's identity vanished.

"So you're not alone after all." Karai's smile didn't have a lot of warmth. One might even have said that it was very cold. "I guess I'm not that surprised."

She turned towards Leo's voice and opened her mouth, probably to call Leo's name. Mikey noted with interest that no sound came out of her mouth, either.

Karai's eyebrows lifted, and she tried again, to no avail.

"What is the meaning of this?" she muttered, glaring at Mikey as if it was his fault.

Well, maybe it was. Very indirectly.

He shrugged his helplessness at her.

"I said, stay away from him," Leo said. "I won't repeat myself again."

Karai put her hands on her hips. "So rude," she said. "Won't you show yourself?"

Mikey, who was paying great attention, noted that she could talk to Leo if she didn't talk to him as if he was Leo. An unfair advantage of being human, maybe.

"So you can target me?" Leo said, and this time his voice seemed to be coming from behind Karai. "Nice try."

Karai frowned. She retrieved a shuriken from somewhere on her person and threw it.

Mikey could have told her it was a bad idea, but first he couldn't, and second she wouldn't have listened.

The shuriken hit the ground, and a few seconds later, several Foot soldiers did the same, hit by the projectiles that Mikey had managed to avoid until then. Mikey quickly checked on the closest one. He was still breathing. A sedative, then.

It was good to know that his brother didn't intend to kill him–not that Mikey had doubted it. Not at all.

"I warned you," Leo said, as Karai and the remaining Foot soldiers gasped.

Karai seemed to consider her options, then waved her hand at the Foot. "Leave me alone."

They obeyed without protest.

Karai took a few steps away from Mikey. "Won't you show yourself now?"

Mikey was almost glad she could do the talking for him. He waited with baited breath.

Leo stepped away from the shadows, his very human arms pointing one gun at Karai and the other at Mikey.

Karai's eyes widened as if she couldn't believe them. It was true that Leo didn't use guns very often.

Or maybe it was the human part.

"Last chance," Leo told her. "Leave this place while you still can. I don't know you, but it seems obvious to me that you're up to no good. If we meet again, I won't be as lenient."

His tone was devoid of any emotion, and Mikey nodded to himself, satisfied. He would have been very upset if Leo had recognized Karai and not him. Very upset indeed.

Karai looked like she was choking on her words. Mikey wanted to grin at her, but the muscles of his face seemed to be frozen.

He wasn't in a very good position, though. He needed to get away from here, to lead Leo somewhere else and leave Karai behind. He really should have kept a few smoke bombs with him.

In the street below, a vehicle screeched to a halt.

Mikey would have recognized the Shellraiser anywhere. Of course, the others were following his location though his T-Phone. As he had stopped moving, they must have become worried that he had been captured or was otherwise in trouble, and were coming to the rescue.

Karai glanced at the street below, then at Mikey, then at Leo.

"I'm curious to know what's the meaning of all this," she said.

Her voice screamed murder, and on another day, Mikey would have quietly hidden behind the reassuring bulk of Raph or Donnie to let Karai and Leo sort whatever they had to sort together.

"But I don't think that's the right time. See you around." Karai used a smoke bomb–how unfair that she was better equipped than Mikey–and just like that, she was gone.

Mikey used the split second where Leo's attention was almost entirely focused on her departure to jump away. The next projectile missed him by an inch.

The chase started again.

At first, Mikey had thought to join his friends below. But governmental agents had just arrived, and judging by the sounds, even though the fight was fierce, April, Casey and the others didn't need any help.

Mikey's best move was to lead Leo away, to a place where no governmental agents could back him up. Maybe Mikey could trap him somewhere. Maybe by collapsing a water tower on him…no, too dangerous…or by throwing him into the sewers where Mikey was at home… Yes, that sounded great! And the fresh sewer water might even help clear Leo's head.

Mikey grinned to himself. Another perfect plan! He was truly good at this.

While thinking, he kept part of his attention on his running speed, so he wouldn't automatically run away at full speed. This was made more difficult by the bullets that Leo was firing at him. At least he hadn't hit Mikey at all this time. It was a good thing. Mikey didn't dare imagining how Splinter would look like if he came home injured again so soon.

He was still thinking about his plan to trap Leo when he realized that he was inside a vast worksite, with no apartment block in the immediate vicinity. His body had started running on cranes and steel beams without him noticing the change.

Mikey made a conscious effort to focus only on his surroundings. Could he find a manhole cover to lure Leo inside the sewers? He didn't know this part of the network very well, but sewers were sewers.

Leo stopped firing bullets at him, and Mikey decided to take his chance and go to the ground. He spun around a crane and plunged towards what looked like an open space. It was hard to say, as there were no lamplights to light it. Mikey had to do with the moonlight and the light bulbs on the cranes. Donnie would have known why the humans had felt the need to light them rather than the ground, but Mikey could only file that in the 'humans are sometimes weird' box of his mind.

He landed on the ground, and all of a sudden searchlights blinded him. He froze and blinked several times, trying to adapt to the light. He was hearing footsteps nearby, and then the sound of more bullets. He gulped and plunged to avoid them.

"Here!" Raph's voice said.

Mikey had no idea what Raph was doing here, but he followed his beloved voice like he was a lifeline. Something heavy flew around Mikey's head with a surprised yelp, and a hand grabbed his arm and pulled him inside the back of a truck.

The door behind him closed, and Mikey could see again.

It was one of those vehicles that were used to convey prisoners. To Mikey's delight, Raph wasn't alone in it. Donnie was wrapping something around the door handle with a focused expression.

"We're prisoners," Raph said. "But at least they won't shoot you down here." He grimaced. "I hope."

Mikey gulped.

"They sure won't be happy about you throwing our guards out," Donnie said matter-of-factly.

"I didn't throw all of them out," Raph protested. "The driver is still here."

"Only because you couldn't reach him."

Mikey blinked back a few tears at hearing his brothers banter like they knew each other. Maybe they had bounded in the fertile environment of this truck.

Donnie misinterpreted his expression.

"We were brought here to help reach you, should they need it," he said. "As we already interacted with you, their leader thought we might be useful."

"I wasn't going to help them." Raph crossed his arms. "But it looked like pretending was the only way to make sure they wouldn't hurt you. Are you alright?"

Mikey tried to nod, but his head didn't move.

Right. No communication.

Donnie sighed. "Same here. But in the end, you walked right into their trap all the same."

Mikey's shoulders sagged. He had intended to trap Leo, but in the end, it looked like Leo had trapped him. But how could he have known that Mikey would run that way?

Or maybe… Now that he was thinking about it, the bullets seemed to have cut his path more than once, rather than aiming at him directly…

Mikey's shoulders sagged even more.

But maybe it was for the best. Otherwise, Mikey would never have found Donnie and Raph, and now they were here. They were surrounded by agents, of course, but they were here and Leo too and finally, finally, Mikey had his three brothers around him.

Sort of.

He straightened up again. Yes. His mission was a full success.

"You are surrounded," Leo's voice said, coming from an outside speaker.

He sounded exasperated, while Raph was grinning.

"This guy is so annoying, don't you think?" he told Mikey. "It's only fair that I would knock his agents out. And crush his cameras."

"Again, it might not have been the best of moves," Donnie stated. "We can't go anywhere as long as we're trapped in the back of this truck." He stroked his chin pensively. "I guess the good news is, they don't want to kill us. Or they would already have exploded this truck."

Raph's grin vanished.

"Yeah, that's…good news." He cleared his throat. "Maybe you could do something about that? You're supposed to be a genius scientist of some sort, right?"

"Indeed, I am," Donnie said, sounding a bit miffed. "Which is why I realize that your course of action might not have been the best." He turned to the wall, producing a screwdriver.

Mikey couldn't say it, but he thought it was appropriate that Raph had been the grain of sand to derail Leo's plan.

Leo talked again. "You're acting against the law," he said. "I suggest that you surrender immediately, before things become truly difficult for you."

Donnie did something to the wall, leaving access to the driver's cab. Raph made quick work of the driver, launched the engine and drove away at a speed that Mikey could only appreciate, especially considering the very low visibility.

The agents started firing at the truck. It wasn't long before Mikey heard a very suspicious sound coming from below them.

"They got the tires," Donnie yelled.

His face had taken an interesting expression, as if he feared for his life. Mikey would have liked to remind him that such a situation was business as usual for them.

"No kidding," Raph yelled back, trying to maintain control of the truck.

And failing, if Mikey's senses weren't fooling him.

"You have to stop," Donnie frantically said. "We're going to… Aaaaah!"

The truck suddenly tilted forwards, and Mikey realized that they were on the verge of a very large hole. The steel structure under them didn't seem like it would resist the weight of their truck.

"We have to get out!" Donnie yelled.

Donnie opened the door on his side, and Raph did the same on the driver's side. Mikey followed after Raph.

It must have already been too much for the steel structure, because it yielded right under Raph's feet. On the other side of the truck, Donnie shrieked.

Mikey jumped after Raph, launching his grappling hook towards a beam. It was almost at the end of its rope when Mikey managed to catch Raph.

Then Donnie passed them by, shrieking as he fell in the dark, and Mikey swung to try and catch him.

He missed. A second later, the entire structure shook and his grappling hook suddenly went loose.

Mikey fell into the darkness with Raph clinging to his neck.

Author's Note: It looks like I did the cliffhanger thing again. Oops.