"R—…. Raph?.." Mikey mutters under his breath as he takes in the split second he gets to examine his long lost brother.

It… It has to be him.

His legs move on instinct, slowly pulling him closer with each step, heart thundering in his chest. He can't believe his eyes. He… he needs to see him. He needs to hold him. He needs to know that he's real. That this isn't some fucked up dream. He needs him to stay by his side, just like he always did. He needs his brother.

But Raph doesn't turn. He doesn't even glance his way. Mikey watches his brother rushing ahead, not even stopping to catch his breath.

Panic surges through him as his feet push forward, desperate to close the distance— but as his foot lifts for another step, a hand suddenly seizes his arm, wrenching him back.

"MIKEY! What are you doing?"Leo questions, his brows knitting in confusion at his brother wandering off in the middle of a fight

"Leo! Let me go!" He shouts, attempting to pull out his arm from Leo's fingers.

"What? No! Have you forgotten why we're here?" Leo snaps, yanking him back, wrapping his arms around him in a tight hold.

Mikey thrashes frantically, shouting, "LEO! I SAID LET GO!—" He fights against Leo's grip, finally managing to wriggle free, but Leo's hand remains around his wrist, strong and grounded.

"Mikey! We have to focus! Seriously, did you actually forget our mission?!"He scolds, reverberating a dangerous tremor in his tone. Mikey grumbles under his breath, his teeth gritting together in frustration. However, it seems like he didn't have much of a choice as the turtle in blue starts pulling him back.

"Leo! Just—" Mikey's voice cracked, desperation seeping through. "Just listen to me!"

Leo barely glanced back, still dragging Mikey toward the mission, his focus unshaken. Everything was going according to plan. Well, everything was until this point.

"What?" Leo snaps, his patience hanging by a thread.

Mikey sucked in a shaky breath. "I saw Raph, Leo. I saw him!"

At that moment, Leo freezes, his breath catching in his throat as time seems to stand still. An unforgettable aching gnaws at his chest, one that he's so familiar with, while the air around him feels much thicker and heavier than usual. He must've heard that wrong, right? It can't be real. It shouldn't be real after all these years. He would have laughed if this wasn't just a cruel joke.

His jaw tightens as he spins to glare at Mikey, his stare icy enough to send a chill down Mikey's spine. His grip firms just a little, a silent warning. "Oh no no, we're—" he huffs out a humorless laugh, "We are NOT talking about this again. Ok?"

The crack in his voice was as sharp as a whip, slicing through the tension in the room. He leans forward, inching closer towards the orange turtle with deliberate menace. Mikey doesn't remember Leo looking this big, this intimidating. "We are done talking about him!" He warns, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"Are you serious right now, dude?!" Mikey barks, "This could be our last chance! Our last chance in saving OUR BROTHER!"

"And what if that wasn't Raph?!" Leo growls, his free hand balling into a fist. "We can't be so sure that, whoever that was, IS RAPHAEL!"

"BUT IT WAS HIM, LEO!" His eyes begs for his brother to believe that what he says wasn't an illusion but was one of their own. But when he looks into his heart sees nothing but disbelief and impatience.

"Leo please! You have to believe me!"

Leo stares at him, his heart pounds harder, erratically and furiously. A recognizable heartache rose in his chest, one that he has been buried down for so long. No, he can't do this right now. "Mikey you can't be so sure if—"

"APRIL!" The shout snaps their attention to their brother, who is struggling to unlock the prisoner's cell. "GUYS! We have to move! They've got April!" He leaps to his feet and sprints after them, urgency in every step.

Leo exhales sharply through his nostrils, attempting to subdue the slight jab in his head. "We'll talk about this later." He mutters, "Right now, they need our help." He releases Mikey's arm and takes off after Donnie.

His chest churns at the sight of his brother's final decision, anger surging through him. His face burns as he feels his blood sizzle in his veins. "FINE! Be that way!" he yells, his voice raw with frustration as he turns his body the other way. "Go save her, then! I'm going after Raph!" He throws his hand up, fed up with his brother's ignorance.

Leo stops in his feet as he spins around, letting out an exasperated huff. "MIKEY! STOP IT NOW!"

Before the bickering could continue, a swarm of Kraang soldiers flooded the area, their weapons raised, ready to fire.

Dude… You gotta be kidding…

In an instant, Leo engages immediately, dragging Mikey out of the line of fire as the bullets fly past them. His heart pounds in his chest as he twists and dodges, every muscle screaming with the effort to keep them both alive.

"Like I said, we're talking about this later." Leo snaps, his voice clearly frustrated by all this.

Mikey falls silent, knowing there's no way to reach Raph now. The noise of his surroundings begins to fade, drowned out by the simmering irritation boiling in his chest. He yanks his arm free from Leo's grip, the urge to yell at him clawing at his throat. To scream at him for not even trying to save their brother.

As they push forward towards what seems to be the exit, one question repeatedly echoes in his mind:

How could he?…

The fight had finally subsided, and the turtle trio managed to get April back to her aunt's house. Though they couldn't save her father, Donnie, ever the hopeless romantic, vowed they would help her. Mikey hasn't said much after everything, the bitter feeling remains there, lingering in his chest. His eyes move away when he meets a similar blue eye turtle, unable to forgive him for the opportunity they had lost.

How could Leo just ignore what Mikey has said? How could he just say that Raph is dead? After all these years they could've had him back. After all the loneliness and grief Mikey found him, and yet Leo wouldn't believe him. Sure Mikey wasn't close up to his face or whatever, but he knew what he saw.

How could he? How could he just give up on him?

They finally reach the lair, weary and worn out, each step feeling heavier than the last. Hibernation sounds great right about now.

"Ah, my sons!" Splinter calls across the room, his voice a blend of warmth and relief as he sees them walking in. "I'm glad to see you all unharmed. How was the mission?"

Leo perks his head up before anyone else could say anything, "It went well, Sensei. Almost everything was fine."

"Almost?" He raises a brow, questioning his son's wording.

"Well…" Leo sighs, "We… Couldn't save April's dad unfortunately. We almost didn't even save her."

"Hm? And may I ask who this April is?" Splinter asked, his interest piqued.

"Oh, it's the girl I mentioned before, Sensei." Donatello chimes in, eager to clarify.

"Ah yes…" Splinter rubs his goatee, a smile creeping onto his face. "The one Michelangelo referred to as your girlfriend?"

At that, Donnie grumbles, trying to hold onto his dignity as Mikey lets out a snort of laughter behind him.

"For the last time… She. Is. Not. My. Girlfriend!" Donnie protests, whipping around to glare at Mikey, who's practically dancing with glee. His cheeks flush a bright crimson, betraying his embarrassment.

"Pft— Uh huh. Yup, totally, dude," Mikey rolled his eyes, teasing him even more. This only fuels Donnie's frustration, making him look like a boiling kettle about to whistle.

"She's staying at her aunt's place for the time being." Leo explains, "Hopefully we'll be able to find her dad soon."

Splinter hums in agreement, "I am sure with time we will." His son smiles back at him, relieved that at least the fight was over, for now.

"So," The fatherly rat continues, "Overall, it seems like the mission went alright?"

The eldest son nodded, "Yes Sensei, I… I feel like we did a great job for our first mission." He smiles softly, proud of his leadership.

Mikey thought otherwise as his laughter died down almost immediately. Great job? He can't be serious, right? Mikey stares at him for a moment before his suppressed voice crawls out his throat.

"Excuse me?" the orange turtle spat, all eyes immediately shifting to him. "Did you seriously forget about him?" He glares at Leo, who looks back at him, eyes wide that Mikey would even bring this up right now.

"Um—… about what exactly?" Donnie asks, confused. Completely unaware of what they were arguing about before, all he heard was loud mumbling, but he didn't catch any of the details, so he was clueless.

Leonardo sighs tiredly; he really doesn't want to talk about this now. "Mikey, I told you we will talk about this later," he says firmly, the tension in the room suddenly growing heavier.

"Later?" Mikey asks, flabbergasted. "You want to talk about this later? Are you serious, dude?! THIS IS ABOUT OUR BROTHER, LEO!" His eyes start to water as all that pent-up anger begins to overflow.

His brows knit together tightly, casting a dark shadow over his eyes, which hide a storm in his gaze. "Mikey, enough! This is not the time to argue!" He takes a step forward, invading the space between them.

"NO! We have to talk about this!" Mikey screams, a slight drip of betrayal in his tone. "We can't just— we can't just pretend that was nothing! And why would we hide this from Donnie and Master Splinter?! They deserve to know too!" His voice rises, a mix of disbelief and anger— a rare occurrence when it comes to Michelangelo.

"What is this about, Leonardo?" Splinter questions; however, it seems like Leo is too zoned out to even process the question.

"Mikey, I do NOT want to talk about this again!" Leo growls, veins straining at his temples as his blood simmers under his skin.

"Oh, well, but I do!" Mikey advances, almost challenging his brother. "Actually, we should talk about this again! Because you promised that—"

"We're not even sure if that was him!" Leo yells, cutting him off mid-sentence. His jaw tightens, his teeth clenched so hard they could crack. "You didn't even get a good look at him!"

"I know what my brother looks like! I would be able to tell from a mile away!" Mikey barks back louder, the tears threatening to fall as his repressed emotions start to burst.

"And what if that wasn't him?! That could've been anyone else! For goodness' sake, Mikey, THINK!" Leo argues back, each muscle coiled with tension, ready to break at any moment.

"WELL, YOU DIDN'T SEE HIM! I DID!" Mikey snaps. He clenches his fist, knuckles turning white as they tremble at his side, trying to contain the surge of adrenaline boiling inside him. His words echo like a loud crash of lightning, and the air around them feels suffocating. Donnie doesn't dare to say a single word.

He stands there, too stunned to speak, too afraid to intervene. All he can do is watch and listen to the new information that's being poured out by their angry tongues.

"WE HAVEN'T SEEN HIM FOR FIVE YEARS!" Leo shouts, his words stinging deep into the family's wounds. "AT THAT POINT, IT WAS CLEAR THAT RAPH IS DEAD! ACCEPT IT, MIKEY!" He can't help but feel an ache in his chest from his own self-inflicted words.

"WELL, I JUST SAW HIM, LEO!" He lifts his finger and presses it against Leo's chest, pushing him back slightly. "AND WE COULD'VE BROUGHT HIM BACK IF YOU DIDN'T STOP ME!"

"YAME!" Splinter shouts, lifting his staff and slams it to the ground, forcing the two to silent their mouths. "That is enough from the both of you! Arguing wouldn't solve anything!

The two immediately fall silent, their rigid shoulders slumps slightly. However, their eyes speak louder than words could. "Now, explain to me right this instant." Splinter demands.

Mikey didn't want to talk any longer. He doesn't want to waste more time ranting to a wall. Besides, he feels like he has said enough. He glares at his older brother, mirroring a similar storm as him. "I'm going to my room." Mikey said, turning away from the family.

"Wait what?" Leo calls out, "No you are staying he—"

"Stop it dude." He interrupts, turning to bore his eyes at Leo. The turtle in blue was taken aback, blinking at his cheerful brother who's now glowering at him with an intense glare.

"I get it you don't believe" He remarks, "fine be that way! It's just—…" his words chokes in his throat as the emotional wave starts to hit.

"Just… How could you, Leo?…" He mutters, his voice strained with raw emotion, "How could you just give up?…" He took a teary glance back at him before leaving for his room.

His breath hitch in his throat as violent words were being thrown around. Cold sweat prickles on his skin as Donnie stands frozen in the room, slowly processing what has just been said. Raph is… Alive?…

Is he really? Did Mikey actually saw him?

Was it actually possible to bring him back?

"Leonardo." Splinter calls to which he turns his head immediately. "A moment please, in the dojo."

He nods silently, probably still overwhelmed by the rush of emotions he felt. Donnie could tell by his eyes blinking rapidly, forcing the unwanted tears to fall.

He watches as his father and his brother walk away, leaving him to think by himself. That… That was never a good thing.

His mind likes to wander to many areas, some areas darker than others. He couldn't help but wonder, if Mikey's story was true, what sort of vile suffering Raphael had to endure.

Just thinking of the countless possibilities makes his skin crawl. As a scientist himself, he could take a guess with what experiments they put him in, none are pleasant. He would rather not mention it.

He cringes at the very thought of what could have happened to his dear missing brother. He probably shouldn't think about it. Besides, he couldn't completely disagree with what Leo said.

It's been so long since anything has happened. There wasn't a single clue nor direction that they could follow that could lead them to believe Raph was alive. So yes, logically Donatello thinks that Raph is dead. But he truly wants to believe Mikey. He truly wants to believe that Mikey wasn't just delusional. Besides, Mikey wouldn't lie about these sorts of things.

As the silence feels more suffocating and it becomes increasingly harder to push the horrid images of Raphael from his mind, his ears catch the sound of loud sobs coming from their rooms—specifically, from Michelangelo's.

Donnie hasn't seen Mikey that mad since the last fight they had with Leo. It was brutal; a lot of harsh things being said. Things that they wished could be taken back.

He remembers the sinking feeling in his chest when Mikey confronted him. He remembered how he yelled at him, he can replay it word by word.

"Donnie, you used to try. You tried to look for him, you tried to find clues! WHAT HAPPENED?!"Mikey yells, his throat cracking by the bare force of his voice.

He could feel his chest tightening into a knot, choking on his breath. A tear slipped from his eye as he turned his face toward the ground. Donnie couldn't let anyone look him in the eyes. No… He couldn't bear being looked at in the eyes.

Anyone would be able to look straight through him. They would have seen the swirling guilt weighing down in his soul, the twinkle of shame in his iris. Tears gloss over his eyes, the same eyes he uses to learn and discover new things.

Right… he uses them to search for his brother, that hasn't gotten him anywhere but a dead end. Everyone knew he was doing all nighters to find him. Everyone knew that he was the most intelligent out of all of them. Everyone knew that if anyone could find Raphael, it was him. Why couldn't he do it? Why hasn't he found him yet?

It's funny really. What used to be "I am the smartest out of all of you!" Turns into "I'm sorry that I failed". That's what he's been holding onto, his own failure.

"Well… Sometimes you can't fix everything Mikey…"

He failed them. He failed to find his brother and now they all have to pick up the pieces again. He feels his eyes prickle, he wipes them clean off before any more tears could form.

He can hear soft mumbling from Mikey's room. He sounds angry; full of bitterness and fear. "I… should go check on him…" He mumbles to himself.

Donnie walks over to Mikey's door, where his mumbling starts to sound louder yet not anymore clearer. He takes a deep breath before he knocks the door.

The mumbling stops then he hears, "Who is it?…"

"It's Donnie" he replies, "Um-… May I come in? Please?"

A beat of silence passes for a few moments, Donnie almost thought that Mikey would just leave him outside, before he hears the door knob twisting. Mikey peaks his head out the door, looking at his brother.

His mask was stained with a darker shade around the eyeholes, a telltale mark of Mikey's tears. His eyes, bloodshot and swollen, with glistening tear tracks imprinted into his cheeks.

He rubs his snot from his nose, "Come in dude…" He said as he opened the door fully, letting Donnie in.

They both sit down on Mikey's bed, feeling slightly awkward as Donatello wasn't a feeling guy. This was more Leo's department. Unfortunately, that was the guy who made Mikey upset.

"So—…" The purple turtle starts, trying his best to overcome the awkwardness, "You ok Mikey?"

He took a glance at his brother, who's awkwardly fidgeting his three fingers. "I…I don't know Don…" He sighs, voice worn out from his breakdown.

Donatello's gaze softens as he silently wraps an arm around his younger brother, pulling him close to his chest. Mikey's head rests on his shoulder, his arms winding around Donnie's waist as fresh tears begin to spill.

"I…" Mikey chokes, his eyes squeezing shut as he crumbles in Donnie's arms, "I just want him back…"

Donnie feels the familiar sting in his eyes, the emotions he's been suppressing for so long finally threatening to break free.

"I just want him back, Don…" Mikey murmurs again, sobbing into his brother's shoulder.

The taller turtle rubs soothing circles on his little brother's back, trying to calm him. "I-… I know, Mikey," he mutters, his voice thick as he fights to hold back his own tears. "I know…"

"H-He… He promised me…" Mikey shifts, burying his face deeper into Donnie's chest. "H-He promised us!"

Donnie looks down at him, confused. "Who? And what exactly?"

Mikey's jaw tenses as a wave of emotion crashes over him. "Leo promised! He promised we'd do whatever it takes to get Raph back! He said we would!"

His voice is raw and devastated— soul-crushing to hear. As Mikey's words sink in, a memory suddenly resurfaces in Donnie's mind. He remembers now—Leo's vow, their promise, the hope they'd clung to for so long.

"Leo…" Mikey mutters, the three of them huddled together in a turtle pile on the couch, seeking comfort in each other's presence.

"Hm? Yeah, Mikey?" Leo replies, his eyes glued to the TV, which is playing his all-time favorite show, Space Hero.

"Will Raph ever come back?" The question hangs heavy in the air, immediately drawing Leo's attention. He turns to face his brothers, a knot forming in his stomach.

Donnie shares the same unspoken worry. It's been a year since Raph disappeared without a trace, and the silence that follows feels deafening. Doubt creeps in, gnawing at his guts. What if they can't find him? What if he's really gone?

"Hey…" Leo says softly, shifting closer to his brothers. "I know we'll find him. We just have to keep looking…"

"It's been a year, Leo," Donnie interrupts, the pain evident in his voice. "Statistically speaking, it's just… unlikely. What if he's…" He can't finish the thought, the fear choking him.

Leo's eyes soften, and he pulls his brothers in tighter, trying to shield them from the darkness creeping up on their shoulders. "Hey hey... don't say that don, ok? I know we'll find him. We'll do whatever it takes to bring him back…"

"Promise?" Mikey asks, his voice barely above a whisper.

Donnie's eyes lock onto Leo's, a silent plea for hope in the face of despair.

Leo smiles warmly, a soothing honeysuckle smile. Like a hero who pulled out the sword of the stone.

"Promise…"

What had happened to that promise?

They both wondered.

Leo hasn't been quite the same in recent years. He's still the kind-hearted soul who geeks out whenever an episode of Space Heroes comes on TV. He still has the gentle arms that can carry them back to bed, reassuring them that everything will be okay. He remains loyal to the Japanese traditions taught by Master Splinter.

But he's rarely around anymore. Most of his free time is consumed by training, and Mikey and Donnie don't understand why. There was a time when he would spend a solid five hours in the dojo, even after their morning training. It's frustrating, really. They hardly get to spend as much time together as they used to. It feels as if they've lost a piece of their brother, and they don't know how to get it back.

"H-He…" Mikey chokes back a sob, his voice trembling, "He promised us… He said we would… Why did he break his promise?…"

Donnie takes a moment to absorb Mikey's words, the weight of them settling heavily in his chest. To be frank, he doesn't know.

It's rare that Donatello is left speechless when being asked a question, but these are one of those rare cases.

"I-…" His breath hitches in his throat as the painful truth begins to pierce through his chest. "I don't know Mikey…" He wishes he knew the answer, but he doesn't. He wishes he knew why Leo didn't fulfil his promise, why he got mad when Mikey wants to talk about their long-lost brother. But in the end, he's left utterly clueless.

Mikey's body visibly slumps, silent tears falling down from his cheeks.

"But…" Donnie continues, drawing Mikey's gaze upward. "I… I think everything will be okay…" His voice flows gently, carrying a soothing aura that surprises Mikey, leaving him momentarily stunned. "He's still out there, right?" Mikey pauses for a bit before nodding, "So, he's still alive. And that means he still can come back to us."

Mikey blinks at his brother, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. "…You sure?" he asks, almost pleading for a glimmer of hope.

"Of course I am…" Donnie replies with a soft chuckle, a hint of warmth in his tone. "I'm the smart one, after all."

Mikey, taken aback by his answer, can't help but let out a snort at his brother's confidence. "I guess so." He says with a laugh.

His chest, finally feeling lighter, turns his lips upwards as his smile starts to glow again. They both have settled into a comfortable silence as their arms loosen up a bit, yet still remain settled around each other.

"Hey…" Mikey suddenly speaks up, catching Donnie's attention. "Thank you Don…"

He feels the weight on his shoulders lighten slightly as the corners of his lips turn up. "Anytime, Shell-for-brains…"

Just as the moment settles, a knock at the door breaks the silence, followed by the creak of the door opening.

"Oh…" Donnie says, looking up. "Hey, Leo…"