Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

As dusk fell, a distant rumbling sounded in the air, heralding the approach of a downpour. The sky, which had been a serene blue, was now a stormy sea of charcoal clouds, swirling ominously overhead. A sudden gust of wind swept through the streets, whipping up leaves and debris. The atmosphere crackled with anticipation as the first fat drops of rain began to pound the sidewalk, quickly turning into a torrential downpour. The world seemed to shrink under the inexorable onslaught of the storm as nature unleashed its full power on the earth, heralding the coming of a stormy night.

A loud rumbling sound echoed through the lair. Even the walls seemed to rattle, causing a slight shiver to run through the bodies of the inhabitants. Leo, seated on the couch in a lotus position, watching Space Heroes for what felt like the thousandth time, flinched. He turned off the TV turning towards the boys’ rooms and called out, “Hey guys! I think this rain might be more than just a drizzle. The weather’s getting worse.”

“What? Is our fearless leader scared of some rain?” Raph grumbled as he came into the room plopping into the beanbag chair beside his older brother. The latter cast a frown with growing irritation. 

“Raphael, if you’re eager to get drenched and blown away by the wind, go ahead. But I still believe it’s wise to call off today’s patrol,” Leo asserted firmly. The red masked turtle grumbled, but didn’t say anything in response.

Mikey, having overheard the conversation, burst into the room with uncontainable enthusiasm, a wide grin lighting up his face. “Did someone mention a ‘day off’?” he exclaimed, excitement palpable as he flopped onto the couch beside them. “This storm is like the universe giving us a sign to relax! We can throw a pizza party, binge-watch cartoons, and there’s so much more fun stuff we can do! Oh, and board games! We haven't played those in ages,” he beamed, throwing his arms up.

“Hmm, I highly doubt the pizza guy will brave this weather, Mikey,” Leo remarked, his tone tinged with skepticism.

The distant rumble of thunder made Mikey flinch and huddle slightly. Raph rolled his eyes at Mikey’s reaction and, still resentful of Leo's suggestion to abandon their patrol, scoffed. “Seriously? It’s just a little storm,” he muttered, arms crossed defiantly.

Leo let out a heavy sigh as he placed his hand on Mikey’s shell, gently tracing circular motions. “This isn’t just a ‘little’ storm, Raph. It looks serious.”

“Agh, really, Leo? If you’re wrong, all tonight’s crimes are on you.”

Splinter, who had been silently watching the exchange from the corner of the room, finally spoke in his calm, wise tone. “My sons, I understand your eagerness to fulfill your duties, but sometimes wisdom lies in knowing when to back off and wait for a better opportunity. Safety must always come first,” he humed,  gently stroking his beard, “however, some training wouldn’t hurt.”

Mikey let out an audible groan. But before anyone could say anything Donnie rushed into the living room with the laptop in his arms.

“Hey guys,” Donnie announced, sitting down next to his brothers on the floor and typing away. “Looks like a storm’s heading straight for New York. Shouldn’t be too much trouble. But we’d better not go outside tonight, the wind’s gonna be pretty intense.”

Leo glanced over Donnie’s shoulder at the screen. “See, Raph? We better stay home eventually.”

“Okay okay, I got it, leader.”

A sudden, louder boom reverberated through the lair, causing it to tremble slightly and the lights to flicker erratically.

“Whoa, what’s that?” Mikey asked, his voice tinged with concern.

“It’s probably just a power outage,” Donnie casted a reassuring glance at Mikey. “But just in case, we have a generator in my lab.”

As Donnie spoke, the sound of heavy raindrops, gusts of wind, and booming thunder filled the air. The electricity in the room surged even more violently, sending shivers down their spines. Then, a powerful wave of energy erupted, enveloping everything in a bright, warm orange glow and knocking out all the electricity in the vicinity.

Only the dim glow from Donnie’s computer screen pierced the darkness, casting eerie shadows across the room. The four brothers stood frozen, their eyes wide with shock at the unexpected event.

The orange light had been something indescribable — warm yet menacing, bright yet ominous. It filled the room with an unsettling energy that seemed to linger in the air, leaving an uneasy tension in its wake.

The eldest brother broke the silence, his voice low and cautious. “What was that?”

Donnie shook his head, his brows furrowed in confusion. “I... I’m not sure. It felt like some kind of energy surge, but I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

Raph tensed. “Well, whatever it was, it ain’t normal,” despite trying to appear nonchalant, there was a subtle tension in his voice, a hint of slight fear he couldn’t hide. Raph was known for his bravado, but deep down, even he couldn’t deny the seriousness of this confusing situation. He’s never seen something like that ever before either.

Mikey glanced nervously around the room, his eyes darting from shadow to shadow. “Do you think it’s safe?”

Before anyone could answer, another deafening clap of thunder echoed outside, followed by a gust of wind from the tunnel that rattled the walls. The brothers exchanged worried glances, a sense of foreboding settling over them like a heavy blanket.

“Alright, everyone stay calm,” Donnie said, moving swiftly towards his lab. He didn’t know he would need the machine this soon. “I’m going to hook up the generator so we have power. Raph can you lend a hand?” Raph nodded silently, falling into step behind Donnie.

Sensing the tension, Splinter rose from his seat. “I shall retire to meditate,” he announced softly, with soft strides, he made his way to the dojo.

Leo put a reassuring hand on Mikey’s shoulder, feeling the tension that radiated from his younger brother as the storm raged outside. In a soothing tone he said “Hey Mikey, it’s okay. The storm may seem scary, but it’s just bad weather, nothing more.”

Mikey met Leo’s gaze and squirmed uncomfortably. “But this one feels different, Leo. What if something really bad happens? We don’t even know what that energy surge was,” he said in a really quiet voice.

“Donnie’s got it covered. He’ll hook up the generator and sort things out. After the storm passes, everything will be back to normal,” Leo wrapped his arm around his baby brother's body giving a hug, but behind the mask of calmness he couldn't shake the unease creeping into his own mind. They had just returned from the farm, reunited with Splinter, dealt with the Kraang, and all they craved was a brief escape from the chaos around the world. He noticed that the sudden burst of energy had not only startled him but also his brothers, particularly Raph, who rarely exhibited fear trying to keep his big strong brother image and it was scaring him.

A sharp sound came from the lab, jolting Leo from his overthinking. He sprang from his seat, grabbing Mikey by the wrist tightly, unwilling to leave him alone in the dark, and headed to the lab.

When they entered the lab, Donnie was working furiously on the generator with his glasses down and a soldering iron in his hands. Raph was standing nearby, shining a flashlight into the machine’s interior. The beam danced across the tangled mess of wires and circuits, casting eerie shadows on the walls. Brothers glanced at the sound of the door opening, revealing two worried faces.

“What’s the situation, Dee?” asked Leo using his leader's voice. 

With a heavy sigh, Donnie pushed his glasses up to rest on his forehead and glanced at the eldest “The power surge fried some of the connections,” he explained “I have some spare ones, and I'm about to change everything. But if you think about it rationally, the surge should have destroyed all the equipment, but it only burned the inside generator, cause I left it with its top cover open. Not that I’m not glad for my other tech survival. It’s just... Why?” he furrowed his eyebrows at the burnt wires and returned to his work.

“What do you mean?” asked Raph.

Without lifting his head from the generator, Dee explained “I mean that a power surge of that magnitude should have caused widespread damage, especially to the thicker wires connected to the sockets. But only the thin ones burned, and only the ones on the surface! That's impossible!” he exclaimed.

A heavy silence settled over the room leaving everyone with uneasy feelings. 

“Perhaps… The Kraang activity again?” Mikey broke the silence with his concerned voice.

“Wha- Don’t be stupid Mikey. We’ve beat them. It’s definitely something else,” Raph shot a glare at his little brother, his expression tight with frustration. It was his own thought that Mikey echoed, and he quickly denied it. He just didn’t want to deal with these squishy brains ever again.

“Yeah… but unfortunately it could be true...” Leo frowning interjected.

As Donnie plugged the generator the lab was bathed in lights, revealing the intricate contents within. All the technology hummed to life, filling the space with vibrant energy. Amidst the flurry of activity, one of the bright screens began to flicker, making an annoying sound.

Everyone turned sharply toward the source of the sound, their attention drawn to the flickering screen. Donatello wasted no time, rushing over to the computer and diving into action, his fingers moving quickly across the keyboard as he muttered something to himself. With a swift motion, he turned the screen so that the others could see.

The screen displayed a map showing part of a street in New York with a dimly flashing dot on it. “My sensors have picked up the origin of the energy surge,” Donnie announced “Wow. There’s a pretty big flow of energy there. I’m surprised nothing more than a burned tech happened.”

“So what’s now Leo?” sighed Raph.

Leo glanced at Raph before turning to his second youngest brother. “Can you secure this location, Dee?”

Donnie nodded in response.

“We can’t go outside, not now anyway. The storm isn’t over yet. So all we can do is just  go to bed, have our beauty sleep, and tomorrow we’re gonna trace the source and check what it was,” Leo concluded. “And Donnie, I suggest you sleep too, and not on your desk.”

To this, he only sighed but accepted, heading to his own room with Raph following closely behind. Leo was also on his way to his room, intending to collapse into bed, but he was abruptly stopped by a hand grabbing his wrist.

“Hey, Leo,” Mikey whispered, “Do you mind if I sleep in your room tonight? I’m not sure if I can sleep in mine.”

Leo gently patted him on the head. “No prob, little brother. Let’s go.”

Meanwhile on the wet cold rooftop lay a dark unconscious figure. Heavy rain poured down on them, whipped by the wind. Thin red streams, diluted with water, trickled down from beneath their body.

Chapter Text

He slowly drifts back from the depths of unconsciousness, the bitter cold tightens its grip on his shivering body. The relentless buzzing in his ears only exacerbates the throbbing ache in his skull. Every movement sends jerks of pain piercing him, making him whine quietly.

Struggling with the fog of confusion and discomfort, he attempts to grasp the details in his surroundings. His gaze falls upon his injured arm, the sight of dried blood and a jagged cut sending a surge of alarm through him. Despite the numbness that clouds his senses, he winces at the thought of patching the wound, knowing it will only unleash another wave of agony.

As faint distant sounds reach his ears, he hesitates before cautiously lifting his head, only to immediately regret. The momentary wave of dizziness overtakes him, plunging him back into the world of disorientation. He slumps down, a hacking cough erupting from his throat, mingling with the taste of blood that stains his lips. Through barely open eyes, he struggles to make sense of the blurry figures and swirling colors that dance around him. His heart sinks, he silently prays for the unknown to pass by without further notice, unprepared for defending himself in this current form. A sudden, light touch against his chilled skin elicits a sharp jerk, as if a flame has seared through his veins. And despite battling both his physical and mental anguish, he succumbs once more to the comforting embrace of darkness.

Dawn broke, a refreshing scent lingered in the air following the rain, with puddles scattered across the rooftops. Despite the intensity of the storm, there were no trees uprooted from the ground, only twisted wires awaiting repair. Gradually, the city began to stir from its slumber, the streetlights dimming as lights in the buildings flickered to life. The once deserted streets now showed signs of life, though only a few weary faces traversed them, the city still cloaked in the tranquility of early morning.

Leo’s movements were swift as he propelled himself to another rooftop, his eyes scanning the surroundings with a furrowed brow. “You sure this is the place, Dee?” he questioned. “We’ve searched almost every rooftop closest to this spring and found nothing.”

“I’m absolutely certain!” Donnie’s voice carried determination, his fingers tapping on the device’s screen as he double-checked the readings. “My tracker has a margin of error of only twenty meters!”

Raph leapt behind them. “Seems like that tracker of yours doesn’t work at all,” he muttered under his breath.

“Hey Raph, look around!” Mikey exclaimed, executing a perfect somersault in the air before landing gracefully next to his brother. “Isn’t the weather simply lovely after the rain?” his eyes gleamed with excitement as he gestured towards the sky.

“Really, Mikey?” Raph shot back, his tone biting. “Because last time I checked, excitement didn’t come in the form of a waterlogged scavenger hunt.”

Leo glanced between his brothers. “Guys, quiet it down.”

“Stop! It might be here,” Donnie interjected, coming to a sudden halt on one of the rooftops and spinning around with a tracker in his hands.

One by one, the others landed on the roof behind Donnie.

“I don’t see anything,” Mikey remarked, scanning their surroundings. His eyes darted from one point to another, searching for any suspicious details that might hint at their elusive target. He started circling the rooftop to catch a source of the mysterious burst of energy. 

Donnie’s heart sank as he too looked around the rooftop and found nothing but the same familiar scenery. Had he miscalculated? Had his tracker made a mistake and just thrown an error? What if he had missed some important detail? What if his calculations were wrong? What if...?

“Perhaps... we’re looking in the wrong place?” confidence shaken by the lack of progress. “Maybe we should have looked beyond the roofs and on the ground…”

“Then we need to split up and search again,” commanded Leo, his hand was instinctively rising to his chin as he began to rethink all possible options.

“Aggh, we don’t have time for this!” Raph’s frustration erupted, his hands flung up in exasperation. Leaning against the edge of the roof, he wrapped his arms tightly around himself, a mixture of exhaustion and irritation etched on his face. “We have to get everything done before the sun comes up!” 

Leo’s expression hardened as he looked at his red-masked brother. “We need to figure out where this surge in energy came from. If it’s something serious, we should be with it sooner than when something more serious happens.”

“I’m getting tired of doing this bullshit, it’s probably just some wiring issue and that’s it. We’re just messing around,” he muttered, pushing himself away from the edge of the roof.

They were about to split up when Mikey’s sudden scream pierced the air. 

Reacting swiftly, the team raced towards the sound, weapons at the ready as they prepared to defend themselves if needed. In front of them, they saw Mikey standing wide-eyed with his hand slightly covering his mouth and looking at.... blood? On the wet surface, there was a thin, almost dried, blurry trickle of blood trailing behind the air conditioner. They were definitely not alone.

“Stay alert!” the eldest ordered as they approached cautiously.

Leo tensed, his muscles coiled like springs as he prepared for a possible surprise attack from behind the air conditioner. Whatever it was, it wasn’t good. With a quick glance, he saw his brothers tense and focused, mirroring his own readiness. Moving a little closer he heard a distant hoarse cough. Turning sharply and pointing his katanas at the dark, prone figure, he opened his mouth in astonishment. “What…”

It was a turtle. Just like them… A little different but… How was it even possible!?

The turtle lay curled up on the roof, trembling uncontrollably against the cold surface beneath it. Shallow gasps escaped from its mouth, interrupted by occasional coughs that wracked its weakened figure. Its injured arm hung limply at its side, the jagged cut stark against the pallor of its skin, dried blood stained the roof beneath it. Glassy emptiness froze in its half-open eyes, dilated pupils struggling to focus in the dim light. Fresh blood caked on its lips, and every cough left a new wave of purple stains on the roof.

“Oh, God!” Donnie exclaimed first, breaking the tense silence. He crouched over the figure, switching into doctor mode as he began a quick examination of the wounded body with his eyes. Everyone laid down their weapons, except Raph, who looked skeptically at the unfamiliar figure.

“What’s wrong with him?” Mikey approached with concern.

“I don’t know.” Donnie muttered, his gaze still fixed on the body as he assessed the extent of the injuries. His eyes ran over the strange, hard artificial shell. What is that? It’s not natural. For what…?

“What with his shell?” Mikey pressed again, his gaze flickering between brother and the injured turtle.

“I don’t know yet,” Donnie replied, a furrow forming on his brow as he delved deeper into his thoughts.

“What are we gonna do with it?” Raph’s skepticism cut through the tension.

“I don’t know, please be quiet!” Donnie snapped, “Let me examine him first!”

Deciding to check for a pulse, Dee pressed two fingers against the stranger’s neck. The injured turtle moved sharply and hissed in pain, causing Donnie to withdraw his hand quickly. 

“Uh, okay. That’s bad,” he concluded, observing as the turtle’s breathing grew shallow. Suddenly, the stranger’s eyes slowly closed and his body went limp. He passed out. Only the rise and fall of his chest was the only indication of life.

Okay. Time to panic!

Donnie turned around with frightened eyes to his eldest brother. “Leo, what do we do? There’s no way I can help him here!” he exclaimed, his voice laced with desperation.

Leo stood a little confused but weighed the decision. “We’ll take him back to our lair and deal with him later.”

“No way! I’m not taking it home!” exclaimed Raph, tightening his grip on his weapon. There was no chance he was allowing this unknown entity into their lair.

“He is a turtle , dude!” interjected the youngest. “We take him home, we patch him, and he’s gonna be our new friend! Yeah!” his eyes sparkled with enthusiasm as he bounced on his feet.

“Shell-for-brains. He’s not a friend. I don’t know what the hell he’s thinking. And why he’s in such bad form. I don’t care. He can be evil!” Raph spat furiously through his teeth.

“So what do we do Raph!” Leo argued. “We can’t just leave him here to die. Also, he might have answers about the power surge. Maybe it’s even something that did this to him!”

“Agh, whatever!” Raph retorted, his irritation evident as he turned away, unwilling to entertain the idea further. Sometimes he felt like Leo was making dumb decisions that would someday lead them to a not-so-good outcome. 

The eldest only sighed heavily at this. Sometimes he felt like Raph didn’t realize how difficult it was to be a leader and make informed decisions.

He turned his attention back to Donnie. “Alright, let’s get him back to the lair. Careful.”

Home. Warmth. Comfort. Tranquility. Reflection. Help. A bright flash. Pulsing pain. Confusion. Disorientation. Fear. Anxiety. Struggle. Darkness.

Consciousness gradually began to seep in, as if through a thick fog emerging from a bottomless blackness. The first thing that hit his nose was the pungent odor of medicine, mingled with the dampness of the surroundings, hitting his throbbing head with a jolting pain. A numb sensation washed over his body, followed by a distant sharp hurt in his arm and throat. His senses tingled with awakening, each nerve ending pulsing with awareness. A shudder rippled through his frame, sending goosebumps dancing across his skin like ripples on a pond.

Thoughts slowly began to piece together a slice of reality, like scattered fragments of a puzzle finding their rightful place. As consciousness stirred, he became aware of distant voices, their murmurs mingling with the soft hum of machinery and the rhythmic clicking on the keyboard.

What.

He felt his heartbeat begin to quicken in response to the unknown danger. His fingers twitched slightly, a reflexive attempt to touch his surroundings and grasp the reality of his situation.  With each futile attempt to connect with his surroundings, he felt a sense of frustration welling up inside him, a primal urge to break free from the confines of his own body and reclaim his place in the world. 

He lifted his heavy eyelids with difficulty, blinking hard a couple of times, struggling to clear the blurriness that clouded his vision like a veil of mist.

I.V. drip. Banged arm. Unfamiliar place. Where am I.

Clarity finally began to come to Don’s mind as he recalled what had happened. He remembered how he’d worked to devise a solution to help Mikey regulate his overwhelming power, crafting bracelets designed to channel and disperse the excess energy coursing through his brother’s veins. He remembered the moment when he’d called Mikey over to test his invention, how the world around them had begun to tremble and flicker. Then a sudden burst of energy erupted, and…

Where is Mikey.

With his eyes he began a cursory examination of the room he was in. His gaze fell upon a figure seated at a nearby desk, typing away on a computer. Wait what. A wave of confusion washed over him as he realized the figure was another turtle, yet not his little brother. There was a sense of familiarity about the turtle, but Don struggled to place where he had seen him before amidst the haze of his memories.

Find. Mikey.

His gaze drifted to the side, where beside the stranger at the desk lay his own belongings: his battle-shell and goggles. 

Nice. Quietly get up. Quietly take it. Quietly leave. Easy-peasy, fresh and squeezy. 

Lining up his plan in his mind, he swiftly ripped the needle from his arm. Wincing at the sharp pain it caused, he rolled over and tumbled to the ground with a loud thud.

Their gaze met.

Shit.

The stranger rose calmy from his seat and approached Don with cautious steps, hands raised in a gesture of non-threat.

“It’s okay,” he reassured, his voice calm. “My brothers and I found you on the rooftop and patched you up.” A gentle smile graced his lips, though there was a hint of concern in his eyes. “Do you remember what happened?”

Don remained silent as he sat on the floor.

“Um, do you understand what I’m saying?” the stranger inquired, his tone laced with genuine concern.

With a sudden movement, Don lunged forward, knocking the turtle to the ground before making his way to retrieve his belongings. 

Crawling and writhing in pain, he nearly reached his belongings when strong hands grabbed him, holding him firmly in place.

“What’s going on here? I heard a loud noise,” a voice broke through the chaos, and as he turned, he saw another turtle standing there, adorned with a blue mask. Beside him stood another turtle, this one with an orange mask.

His gaze then fell upon his captor, and he found himself staring into the frowning face of a turtle wearing a red mask.

What the…

“I told you we should have tied it up,” growled the voice above him.

“Raph, he’s hurt. He can’t do anything to us in his condition,” the purple masked turtle said, standing up and rubbing his side.

The grip tightened around him.

I need to get out.

Letting his instincts take over, he did what he would normally do in a struggle for freedom. He bit. Hard.

“Ouch! What the shell!” 

The grip around Don loosened, and he pushed his captor away, collapsing to the ground in pain, clutching his wounded arm. While the red masked turtle rubbed his shoulder, sending an angry glare. 

“What is going on?” a serious voice echoed through the doorway, commanding attention. He looked up, his gaze meeting the piercing eyes of a huge, shaggy rat who stood in the doorway.

Holding his wounded arm throbbing with pain, Don struggled to his feet and with the hoarse voice. “Geez. You are tall.”

Chapter Text

“I told you it should be tied up.”

“Raph, we got it. That’s already the fifth time you’ve said that,” Donnie retorted, rolling his eyes.

“Did you also have to tape his mouth?” Mikey questioned, looking curiously at the angry turtle.

“It bit me!” Raph exclaimed, showing his shoulder with a bandage on it.

The four brothers crowded around the chair where their ‘captive’ was seated. Don was securely bound to the chair, his hands and feet tied with sturdy ropes, and his mouth firmly sealed with tape. The turtle sent murderous glare to his captors, breathing rapidly. It was evident by the tension in his posture that he was in deep discomfort from the ropes tugging his limbs together.

Raph’s insistence on the potential danger posed by the stranger only grew stronger after the incident. He remained adamant, unwilling to entertain the idea of welcoming the turtle into their home. Splinter, on the other hand, deferring to his sons for the important decisions, politely excused himself to make herbal tea for their ‘guest’.

“So…” started Dee. “We’re sorry you’re in this position, we really are.” 

“I’m not sorry at all”

“Raph!” shushed Leo with a stern glance.

“Ignore him,” Donnie continued. “I know this is a confusing situation for you and you’re scared.”

“But we want to help you,” Leo joined, taking the lead. “So you better cooperate with us. As you can see, we don’t wish you harm and we don’t intend to hurt you.” Don raised an eyebrow at those words.

“Well, almost all of us,” Leo corrected himself quickly, shooting a warning glance at Raph.

“So, we’ll take the tape off, but promise not to bite,” said Donnie, cautiously approaching the turtle. “Please,” he added, carefully removing the tape. Raph took a step back. Just in case.

The turtle remained silent at first, his gaze piercing, as if he was scrutinizing every corner of the room, searching for something elusive and sort of analyzing them. Donnie even contemplated starting a simple conversation with him, perhaps asking about how his day was, just to break the tension without immediately hitting him with a question about what happened. But looking at his battered figure it was clear, he had a lousy day. 

Don’s voice, though still hoarse and croaky from the injury, emerged from his mouth leaving others stunned.

“Where’s my brother?” Sharp as a knife, laced with frustration and a simmering anger that threatened to boil over. Yet, a hint of worry could be heard.

“What-” Dee started, taken aback by the unexpected question.

“I’m asking where my brother is,” he demanded as he began to struggle against his restraints, eyes blazing a deathly kill.

“You were alone,” and an abrupt silence. Don’s eyes widened for a second, quickly replaced by a frown.

“Let me out,” Don began to stagger more sharply in the chair, straining against the tightly tied ropes. The knots were expertly done, making it nearly impossible for him to break free. If he had his battle-shell and wasn’t in such a messed-up state, which was only made worse by the pain in his chest and arm, he would have been outside already, on his way to finding his brother, or at least trying to. His annoyance grew as he struggled, nearly losing his balance and almost falling forward, when strong arms caught him just in time.

The blue masked turtle held him tightly, attempting to calm him down. “Stop, stop,” he urged, his voice tinged with concern.

The others tensed up, watching the turtle’s distress from the sidelines. Leo’s attempts to reason with him fell on deaf ears as the turtle continued to struggle, his movements becoming more erratic. Finally, Leo shook him hard, trying to get his attention. It worked.

“Untie me,” firmly repeated Don. 

“Okay, but promise to calm down.” 

“Fine.”

With a sigh of relief, Don felt the constriction of the ropes fade as they were removed, rubbing his hands he felt it would leave him faint red marks on his skin beneath the bandages.

His gaze darted to his scattered belongings, and with a limping gait, he made his way over to the table. Don reached for his goggles, sliding them over his head, noticing on the corner of the desk he put on his arm-remote, and with a subdued click, secured his battle-shell into place. But today, even the familiar weight of his light gear felt heavy, the armor pressing against his back felt like an anchor, pulling his chest down. He found himself leaning on the table. A dull ache began to throb in his head again, gradually intensifying with each passing moment, slowly sapping his strength. He needed to get out.

“And where do you think you’re going?” Raph inquired, his arms crossed, blocking the exit from the lab, as he saw the turtle begin to slowly approach the exit. Don halted in his tracks, a flicker of annoyance crossing his features. His eyes narrowed, scanning Raph’s imposing figure. Behind him, the other turtles watched with concern, knowing how hotheaded his brother was.

“Get out of the way,” demanded Don standing a few steps away from Raph.

“What the rush?” Raph wasn’t planning to yield.

Don couldn’t contain his frustration any longer and closed the distance between them, hovering over the red-clad turtle with barely suppressed anger. In moments like these, he would usually find solace in Mikey or Raph’s calming presence, but unfortunately for the others, neither of his brothers was there to intervene. “Move,” he growled through gritted teeth, his patience wearing thin. Why did he need to repeat twice? They were driving him crazy. Especially this version of Raphael.

“No.”

“Alright guys, let’s just calm down and talk, okay?” The eldest interjected, approaching Raph and placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder, and looking firmly at the turtle, which made the latter shrink back a bit. “You’re hurt, and it’s best not to go anywhere on your own.” Leo turned to his second youngest brother with tired expression. “Explain to him,” nodding toward the other turtle, hoping to convey the seriousness of the matter.

“Yeah, I totally agree with Leo,” admitted Dee. “First of all, you haven’t recovered from hypothermia yet, your body needs heat to maintain itself. Also you’re more likely to have a fever, it’s not certain, but it’s best not to take any chances. And you have a chest contusion. I assume from the fall,” he started listing on his fingers what other symptoms he’d noticed. “Plus, you’ve got a wound on your arm,” Don looked at his arm as if he had only just remembered about it, feeling the quick pulsation. “And you can’t function normally. You’re all wobbly. So in conclusion, you need proper rest and specific health care,” The purple-clad turtle concluded, hoping that at least these reasons would enlighten their ‘guest’.

“What do you suggest I do then?”

“Let us help you,” Voice gentle. “And tell us what happened,” Leo added, considering for a second. “But first, let’s get your health on track.”

And Don yielded. Deep down, he knew, while he’s in such a bad condition, he would not be able to find and help Mikey. Damn it. Plus… Maybe their counterparts could give a hand. 

When they offered to help him with his health, he didn’t expect them to usher him into the kitchen and seat him at the table with a steaming mug of tea and give him an ice pack for his bruising chest. In the past, when he was sick, Leo would typically shove pills down his throat or give him some strange orange concoction that smelled like chymosin. Oddly enough, Nardo’s methods always seemed to work, although he couldn’t shake the feeling that Leo enjoyed messing with him because Mikey and Raph never had to endure such treatments.

The kitchen itself was compact yet functional, with ample space for cooking and dining. However, its atmosphere felt rather drab and uninspired. There were no colorful pictures or magnets adorning the fridge, nor any indication of a to-do list or grocery needs. There was no vase of flowers, no ‘don’t eat, this is mine’ or ‘don’t eat, poisoned’ signs, which of course would be another one of Raph’s tricks. Even the array of kitchen appliances seemed to be limited, prompting him to wonder if their Mikey even was the designated cook or if they simply preferred minimalism. Not even a simple, unnecessary piece of trinket that would have been left lying around. If Leon had gotten in here, this place would already be a mess. That’s why Michael won’t let him in the kitchen, even though Leon could cook. 

Oh, and the lair itself exuded an air of simplicity, lacking the vibrant graphics or skateboarding track. Instead, there was a modest TV accompanied by a couple of arcade machines, offering a semblance of entertainment amidst the subdued surroundings. And there was also some inconspicuous passageway that gave off a warm glow where their Master Splinter, why do they call him  like that? , had gone earlier. It must have been his room. Anyway, at least their counterparts didn’t seem evil.

The tea exuded an aroma that made his nose wrinkle in disgust. He didn’t even want to know what was in it. A pair of small white pills were placed on the table in front of him.

“Take it. It should make you feel better.” 

He wanted to feel better, so without a choice, he reluctantly swallowed the pills, washing them down with what they called tea. Surprisingly, it didn’t taste as terrible as he had expected. And it was also good for his body and sore throat, so whatever.

The others also settled at the table, their gazes fixed on him with a mix of caution and concern. Don could feel with his skin their numerous questions that swirled in their minds. Yet they hesitated to bombard the wounded turtle with inquiries at this moment. As much as they didn’t want to keep up the underlying nervousness, they were all mainly concerned about two things ‘where the energy surge came from’ and ‘what had happened to the turtle’. The logical step would have been to introduce themselves and engage in casual conversation, but they simply lacked the energy for it. They already had a lot on their plate and just wanted to resolve whatever it was quickly. However, to extract information they also had to tread carefully. Though the turtle seemed harmless, it was evident, he could cause trouble when he was in a better condition.

“How you mutated?” suddenly broke the silence Mikey. Don looked up from under his mug a little confused. “Like, you just look like you mutated a long time ago. And were you a human first? Then what was your turtle’s pet name? Or were you a turtle at the beginning?” continued Mikey, beginning to babble. “Oh, and you kinda look like my brother Donnie, with all this look and purple mask, and gear. Are you a ninja too?”

“Um, Mikey, don’t push him.”

“But he really looks like you!”

“Oh, he owes me a lot of money,” whispered Don with a self-satisfied smirk, puzzling the others. “Yeah, I’m kinda an alternate verse of your Donatello,” he admitted.

“Wha-”

“Bullshit,” quickly dismissed Raph. It didn’t sound to him like the truth he would believe.

“Raph, wait. Let’s hear him out.” 

“A random turtle who came from the middle of nowhere, is in our home and claims alternate universes exist?” he said with a grating voice. “I don’t like having him here in the first place, Donnie. So I’m not gonna listen to any more of his bullshit.”

“Let’s just hear him out!” Dee argued. “Maybe he knows something about this outburst!”

“Maybe he is the one who caused this outburst!” Don squirmed in his chair nervously, which didn’t go unnoticed from others.

“So you know something,” asserted Raph, fixing his gaze on Don.

“Nope!” Don quickly hid behind his mug, taking a loud slurp. 

“That’s it!” exclaimed Raph, sharply standing up and causing his chair to fall back with a thud. He leaned on the table with both hands, drawing closer to Don with an intense stare. He swore, if someone didn’t stop him right now, he was about to hit that turtle on his damn face!

As if reading his mind, Donnie gently placed a hand on Raph’s chest, pulling him back and preventing from advancing further. “Raph, calm down.”

“I believe him!” Mikey piped up, adding to the chaos.

“Not now Mikey!” barked Raph. 

“Both of you! Stop it! Raph sit down!” Leo commanded. 

Amidst all the chaos, Don sat quietly, already finishing his ‘fifty-fifty’ tea, lost in thoughts about how funny their counterparts were. This Raph was like a little walking angry bean, nothing like his big bro. This Leo was even weirder, he was more serious compared to his dumb-dumb twin. And Mikey, well, he was just the same - curious and kind-hearted as ever. 

“I believe him too,” Donnie’s voice interjected, drawing Don’s attention away from his thoughts.

“Elaborate,” Requested Leo.

“Remember the time when we ended up in that grand central station of dimensional travel,” Donnie began, noticing the confusion on his brothers’ faces. With a sigh, he explained “The gateway between realities,” they nodded in recognition. “So, remember there were many portals and in one of them we saw us, but not us. So it was us, but in a parallel universe,” he tried to explain as clearly as possible, gesturing with his hands to illustrate his point and then added quietly. “And I’ve also kinda been researching this theme.”

“Yeah… I kinda remember that…” admitted Raph with a frown. “They looked like dorks.” To which Don smirked.

“Woooaah!!! Cool!” enthusiastically exclaimed Mikey. “See! I was right!”

“Wait,” Leo intervened before the younger one could continue his babbling. “If you really are an alternate verse of Donnie… Then… Which brother are you trying to find?”

Don’s expression abruptly changed to one more somber.

“Michelangelo,” he replied quietly. 

A wave of tension washed over everyone in the room.

“How can we help?” immediately offered Leo. “We can go look for him. And I think everyone would be okay with you staying here. You’re hurt and don’t have anywhere to go anyway,” he said, already on the verge of springing into action. He felt as if he’d lost his little brother.

“I have one way that I want to try,” Don tried to reassure him, even though he himself was on the verge, “but I need space where I can be alone for a while.”

“I think the dojo will be perfect,” said Leo, and noting the tension in Raph’s expression added. “And, Master Splinter’s in his bedroom, but he won’t bother you. I hope it’s okay,” Don nodded.

Leo was about to rise from his seat to accompany Don to the dojo, but Raph intervened, placing a hand on his shoulder and motioning for him to remain seated.

“I’ll show him.”

As they left the kitchen and almost neared the dojo, Raph suddenly came to a halt, swiftly turning Don around to face him. With a forceful jab, he pointed his forefinger squarely at Don’s chest, causing the latter to stagger back slightly with a quiet hiss. Raph’s gaze flashing with a threatening glare.

“I want you to know,” voice low and dangerous. “I don’t trust you. And if you lay a finger on my family, I will beat the shit out of you without a question,” he jabbed his finger at the turtle once more. “Did you get it?”

“I got it,” Don replied with a flat voice, harshly brushing Raph’s hand off his chest and disappearing out of sight into the dojo.

Once inside the dojo, Don exhaled, he was finally left to his own thoughts, allowing him to focus on the implicit and explicit goal he had been relentlessly pursuing all along. To find Mikey. He vividly remembered grasping his brother’s hand at the last moment, struggling to get those damn bracelets off, how desperately tight he held to protect his precious sibling. He knew for sure that Mikey was here, not physically beside him, but at least with him in the same universe. Yet, he’d rather end up here alone. He wasn’t prepared for anything to happen to his little brother. He would never forgive himself for that, and neither would the others... never. The guilt and helplessness weighed heavily on him. Despite being glad that his theory about the existence of parallel universes was true, he simply just wanted this bad dream to end.

The dim glow from the candles cast a tranquil aura over the dojo, instilling a kind of diffuse calmness in his body. A gentle scent of lavender, tinged with a distant hint of vanilla, drifted through the air, offering a soothing balm to his senses. Their Splinter knew exactly how to create a calming atmosphere. Even the pills he’d reluctantly taken earlier seemed to be doing their job, offering a slight reprieve from the pounding headache and the dull ache in his chest.

Crossing his legs into a meditative posture, Don tried to concentrate on his ninpo, recalling all of Raph’s instructions on how to meditate. He felt a twinge of regret for not practicing enough. Closing his eyes, he visualized his younger brother in his mind’s eye. A faint shiver passed  through his body, causing him to wince slightly. Gradually, a warm, vibrant purple glow suffused the room, spreading to every corner, filling the space with its disturbing radiance.

No matter how hard he tried to concentrate, and no matter how deeply he sought the familiar, warm energy of his younger brother, he couldn’t find it. It was impossible. It was as if it had vanished into thin air. Normally, Mikey’s energy was so strong that he didn’t even have to focus much to sense it. He just felt it. It was always just there, like Leo’s and Raph’s. And he usually could feel brother’s ninpo from three kilometers away. At first, he attributed the absence of Mikey’s energy to the fact that they were in a parallel universe, but now, he couldn’t comprehend what was happening. Only one conclusion came to mind.

Mikey is lost. And he doesn’t know where and how he’s gonna find him.

All he could do was hope that nothing bad had happened. Hope.

Don shrunk, his gaze unfocused as he wrestled with his thoughts. A familiar heaviness settled in his chest, reminiscent of the emotions he experienced when Leo had sacrificed himself. Oh! How he hated feelings.

“Hey,” Donnie poked his head through the doorway. “You doing alright?”

Don glanced up. “Totally fine.”

He is not.

It was evident by his shrunken figure, that his attempt to find Mikey had not gone as planned. 

Donnie made his way into the dojo and settled down beside Don, mirroring his pose. Don looked a bit lost, even though he tried to mask it. And as much as Donnie wanted to engage with his counterpart about some ‘nerdy stuff,’ alternate universes, technology and inventions, ask him how he tried to find Mikey, he knew now wasn’t the time. He hoped they’d have the opportunity later, once they found his brother and everything settled down. Donnie could see the worry behind Don’s eyes, so he wanted to offer some help.

“So… I was thinking maybe I could track your little brother the same way I found you,” Donnie set the computer on the floor so Don could see the screen with a loading system.

“Okay.” 

“I’ve already set it to load, it should be done in a couple of seconds,” Don only nodded at this.

Those few seconds felt like an eternity. The atmosphere was down but there still was a glimmer of hope that the computer would manage to find at least a trace of Mikey. 

The progress bar slowly crawled to completion.

‘98%... 99%... 100%... Loading the results…’

‘Not found.’

Chapter Text

The screen glared back at them in mocking black letters.

‘Not found.’

Donnie exhaled through his teeth. He was… well, embarrassingly self-conscious about the whole thing. Not the first time, sure, but that didn’t make it sting any less. He’d been hundred percent certain. Absolutely positive his system would pick up another turtle.

And now?

Now he was caught somewhere between baffled and annoyed, the mix setting into that familiar pit of disappointment. Failure wasn’t new… but it still hit like a gut punch every time. His brain tried to whisper excuses about probabilities and margins of error, but it didn’t help the feeling. Not when he knew he couldn’t just fix the answer with another tweak. It was a machine, and the machine had said no. Even though he wanted it to say yes .

He flicked a glance at Don.

The turtle sat stiff as a statue, staring at the screen with a glassy, far off gaze. His expression was unreadable (not like Donnie could read expressions very well), but it was as if someone had just… switched him off. Probably his thinking face. Donnie silently prayed he didn’t look that dumb when he was thinking. Would absolutely tank his fragile reputation.

The only sign Don was still alive was the restless twitch of his fingers, picking at the edge of his bandage. Which Donnie found both concerning and irritating. He really wasn’t in the mood to patch him up all over again, especially after how well the last attempt touching him went. And still. He felt sorry for him.

Without realising, Donnie started picking at the rough skin around his nails. He tore his gaze back to the screen, letters smearing in his tired vision. He ran the problem in loops, bouncing thoughts around, trying to tie invisible threads together. Trying to actually fix it. Giving up was not in his style.

However, it all seemed… wrong.

He had done everything the same as last time. Exactly the same. Well, if not for one detail that the signal had practically lit up on its own. Technically, there was no difference. Manual or automatic, the system worked the same. It tracked anomalies, unusual movements, mutants, patterns of interest.

Which meant–

Definitely some kind of error.

Unless Don’s brother wasn’t even here.

. . .

Oh.

God.

Unless Don’s brother wasn’t even here. 

He straightened slowly, bracing himself for whatever outcome. 

“You sure your brother’s even here?” the words slipped before he could stop them.

“Huh?” Don’s eyes shifted toward him, still the same disconnected stare. “What do you mean by that?” 

Yikes. Was it too harsh?

He tried again, trying to soften his voice. “Hey, I’m just saying. We don’t know, okay? What if he just didn’t come through– whatever you came through?”

The following silence pressed on him, urging him to speak again, just to fill it.

Then Don spoke, his voice flat and tight. “Are you dumb?” 

Donnie froze, for a second caught off guard. If the turtle wasn’t so messed up, he was pretty sure, the guy would lunge at him and choke.

“I’m never wrong,” Don added, jaw set.

Wow. Ego much? Donnie bit back the comment. 

“I’m just saying,” he shot back instead. “I’m making conclusions based on what we’ve got. And right now we don’t have anything else. It’s just a possibility to consider,” he shrugged.

“And you’re making this conclusion with only one data point?”

“As I said–” Donnie heavily sighed. “That’s the only data point we’ve got for now.”

“Scoff! And I thought all Donnies were supposed to be smart.”

“Excuse me?!” Donnie blinked in surprise. “I am smart!” 

Don rolled his eyes, like that alone proved his point.

This was not where Donnie expected the conversation to go. Well, he’d anticipated the argument, sure, but not this.

And it was irritating, because he was truly trying to help. 

“Fine,” Donnie eventually snapped, two days of exhaustion finally crawling up his spine. He let his hands drop against his thighs with a slap. “What’s your brilliant plan then?” he bit.

“Unlike you?” Don shifted slightly, wincing as his hand twitched toward his side. “My brilliant mind doesn’t stop at a single data point. For a proper conclusion I would need to collect more information and observation,” he paused. “I’d need to go out and search the streets of this New York.”

Donnie stared. Now he was the one letting the silence stretch.

“Yeah,” he said flatly, “maybe not all Donnies are smart across the multiverse,” he crossed his arms, staring him down.

“Pardon?”

“How are you gonna search the streets in this condition?” Donnie continued, gesturing vaguely toward him. “You’re falling apart. You can barely move!”

“So what? Still an option, isn’t it?” Don raised brow, crossing his arms. “Why do you even care?”

Donnie deflated with a soft sigh.

“Okay,” he said finally. He closed his eyes, counted to three, opened them again. “It’s also an option. I wasn’t dismissing anything. I was just… considering all possibilities. And I started with ‘he’s not here’ one.”

“You mean the negative one?”

“Are other options pleasant or what?” Donnie muttered, mostly to himself. “I just like starting with the worst so I know what I’m dealing with.”

“So you’re the type to put your emotions on in the first place?” Don’s voice stayed flat.

“You’re the one to talk!” Donnie shot. “And how the heck is it even relevant!”

“You don’t even know me,” another eye roll. At this rate, his sockets were going to get stuck in the back of his skull.

“Oh my god! We’re literally the same person–agh–turtle–whatever!” Donnie stumbled over his own words.

“No. We are not,” Don turned back to the screen, making it clear the conversation was over.

…Fine. Whatever.

Donnie rubbed his temple, feeling dull pressure coil behind his eyes. A nap sounded better than surviving another round of this. Leo had been right about the all-nighters… And gallons of coffee.

“This’s clearly getting us nowhere,” he muttered, groaning as he also turned back to the console. 

The screen burned his eyes, its glow far too harsh for his liking. This wasn’t how he pictured meeting his counterpart. He wanted cool discussions in a chill environment, with a joint of brainstorming in his lab. Not wrestling the urge to either throttle his multiversal twin or himself.

Neither option was particularly noble, but both felt alarmingly tempting. And, really, what kind of problem-solving instinct was that, when the so-called ‘problem’ might not even be here?

Wait.

“Why did you immediately decide that if your brother didn’t come through, it’s automatically bad?”

Don groaned, tipping his head toward the ceiling. “You again?”

“Damn. Just listen.”

“Why would it be good?” Don exhaled slowly, like the very concept insulted him.

“It could mean he’s still in your original universe.”

Don’s eyes sharpened, dark with tiredness and something heavier. “He’s not. That’s for sure. And I already told you this.” Did he?

“How can you be so sure?” Donnie asked carefully.

“Are we really doing this again?” Don scowled. “I saw him fall in with me.”

“Saw…?” Donnie leaned in slightly, the screen light cutting across his own features. “Like, you saw the entire process?”

“All of it,” Don’s fingers twitched against his bandage. “Well, except for the part where I passed out every three seconds.”

“Fascinating,” Donnie winced, heat crawling up his neck. “Uh– I mean, not the part when you were passing out, or falling, or, you know, losing your brother,”  Don’s fingers went still. “Okay. Shutting up.”

“You’d better.”

Donnie rubbed his neck. “You know what,” he said quickly, covering his embarrassment. “I will re-run the system just to be sure and then we calmly decide what to do next.”

Donnie was already tired of that stupid gray circle spinning.

Fifth time. He’d watched it spin for the fifth time. Just like at home, back in his lab. Except there, he chose to sit in front of the screen. There, he was working. There, he was actually solving something.

And this… this half-excuse for a device only made it worse. More irritating. Like it reminded him of his own failures. He could feel it in his spine, like time itself was trickling out through his bones, pouring between his fingers like sand. And across from him, his counterpart didn’t seem to care how much they wasted.

And they’d wasted plenty.

So now all he could do was sit and watch it spin. Circle after circle after circle. He had no power to change anything. His arm and chest throbbed dully, the strange pill wearing off, a shiver settling into his body. Like the whole situation wasn’t already too much. He considered going on his own again. Just leave this filthy place and figure out everything later. Find a shelter, settle there and be done. And sure, he was crazy, but not stupid. If he wanted to slip out on his own, he’d have to find a way past the lair;s exits while wrestling with the hot headed turtle. Right now he was outnumbered. Useless.

As a bar switched the circle and started counting percent, the laptop let out a strained whine. Think, electric. The screen jittered, pixels teared into streaks of blue and bright yellow before a sharp bzzt cracked through the air. Sparks skittered at the edges, flickering like fireflies caught in glass. The glow stuttered, the error message flashing in and out, until–

pop

The screen went dark.

“Shit,” Donnie cursed under his breath.

Don wasn’t the only one being useless, apparently. This stupid machine was useless as well. “This laptop is a disaster to my eyes, ears and brain,” Don confessed, glaring daggers at the machine.

“This laptop has found you,” his counterpart pointed out, frowning as he studied the casing and giving it a few keystrokes.

“Congratulations on it,” Don scowled, forcing himself upright despite the soreness weighing down his body. “I would’ve survived on my own anyway. No big difference.”

Donnie looked up with a pointed gaze. “Whatever,” he waved him off and shut the useless thing with a tired sigh.. “We’ll find another way to fix it. You can’t go out anyway.” 

He stood, tucking the laptop under his armpit as he came to stand beside Don. “So you better just trust us, or not. Either way, we’ll search the area for you. Don’t think Leo’s gonna be against it.”

“Tsk,” Don muttered, though the lightheaded fog in his skull made it hard to muster any proper defiance. His shoulders sagged.

“Are you two done?” the dry voice cut through the air.

Both their heads snapped toward the doorway.

“The dinner’s ready,” Raph stood with his arms crossed. “And if you don’t haul your asses to the couch, Leo’s gonna be pissed off. There’s a new episode of his space crap, and apparently he wants to rot the other Don’s brain with it too.”

His stomach did a double flip.

The food was… unpleasant. 

Oh who was he kidding! It was disgusting . And on his plate! It was disgustingly laying on his plate! And he was trying to be polite out of sheer mercy for the other Mikey, who was watching expectantly for him to take a bite.

It was pizza, and he liked pizza. But not with a bunch of pineapples on it, and anchovies. 

First chymosin tea. Now deadly pizza. No. Just no.

These guys’ taste buds were crazy. If they still had them. 

He decided he wasn’t that hungry. Still, he picked up a slice, feeling its soggy weight in his fingers. He took one tiny bite and chewed cautiously, praying he wouldn’t puke in front of everyone. Honestly, even Leo’s mystery tofu would’ve been better to swallow.

Faintly in the background, an episode of what Raph called “space crap” played. Honestly, it didn’t look bad. It looked like a Jupiter Jim movie if it had been made in the 90s. He might have enjoyed it, if his thoughts weren’t tangled up in the little brother he needed to save, plus his  aching body, and a culinary crime assaulting his nostrils. Even the sofa beneath him felt like stone. He wasn’t sure if he was just tired or if it was really made of stone. He was on the verge of crying. Even his lab chair on a bad day sounded better.

“So hey, Donnie Two!” Mikey’s voice cut through. Don flinched.

Mikey moved from the floor on the coach and now was almost hugging Don’s right arm, slowly chewing on his own slice. Don shifted, inching left.

“What did you say?” Don blinked, his brain shorting out for a moment.

“How’s the world of yours?” Mikey repeated, grin wide, eyes curious.

“It’s fine,” Don replied flatly, barely glancing up. He wasn’t a big fan of small talks.

“Pfft- ‘Fine’ isn’t an answer,” Mikey scoffed, rolling his eyes.

“It pretty much is,” Don muttered, raising a brow.

“Nope! Not good enough! You gotta describe stuff! Like, tell me everything! I bet your world has all kinds of cool things. I mean, I can tell just from your steel shell–”

“First of all, it’s not steel. It’s titanium,” Don corrected without missing a beat. He caught Dee perked up on his left. “Second, ‘fine’ is absolutely a word, and it accurately describes the general state of our world,” he set down his plate on the sofa, done with it. “You’re lucky I even told you that much, ‘cause I have no intention of elaborating further. You’re too nosy.”

“Hey!” Raph barked from his side. He was digging daggers all the time he was sitting. “Don’t you dare talk like this to my brother!”

Don narrowed his eyes.

“What’s ella-bear-ating…”

“Let’s focus on what we should do next,” Leo interrupted. He turned toward Donnie, who was still fiddling with the laptop. “Did you manage to find anything? Any clues?”

“Not really,” Donnie sighed, spreading his hands over the laptop before finally giving up. He set the screwdriver aside. It wasn’t a five-minute fix. “The devices have been acting weird ever since that surge. Don suggested we check the streets, so I thought it might be a good idea to include that place on our next patrol,” he added, taking a bite of his slice. “Since we don’t have any other leads.”

“Yes, it’s a good idea,” Leo replied thoughtfully. “Then in about seven hours, we’ll go out and search that area again,” he concluded.

Don hummed, relief flickering briefly, at least they hadn’t started fighting over it. He really needed to check that place. And everything around. In seven hours then.

What! Seven hours?

“Seven hours?” Don asked, bewildered.

“Yes. It’s daytime right now.”

“Why?” he frowned, confusion flickering across his face. They all looked at him like he’d lost his mind. Did they really have a rule against going out during the day? Don jumped to another question that had been nagging him.

“For how long was I out?”

“Not for long, really,” Donnie answered. “To be precise: for just around nine hours and fourteen minutes.”

So he’d wasted even more time than he thought. It didn’t help the case, he wanted to go now. At the very least, they should let him come along.

“Can I come with you?”

“No,” Leo’s tone was firm, his eyes sharp. Leadery.

“What, why not?” Don pressed, tone sharper. “It’s my brother. And you have zero idea what he looks like.”

“Then describe him. But you’re not going.”

Don’s frown deepened.

“Ridiculous. There’s no reason to not accompany you.”

“Knock it off,” Raph growled.

Leo raised a hand, shutting him off. He exhaled through his nose, his eyes softening slightly as he looked at Don.
“It’s reckless in your condition,” Leo explained. “You can’t help someone in need while you’re hurting yourself.” He paused, letting the words sink in. “If you have a better plan, we’re all ears.”

Don’s jaw tightened. Okay, Leo had a point, in a way. It was, indeed, reckless. But for other reasons. Firstly, this wasn’t his world. These weren’t his enemies lurking the streets. Everything was new, unfamiliar. For the first time in his life, he knew nothing. And he hated it. Hated it down to his bones. He wanted his own brothers back. Wanted so badly it ached. But he couldn’t go out and chase that desire, not when they refused to let him. Still, he’d been through worse. He would survive on his own. Well, then, he’d make use of whatever technology they had at their disposal, and create his own, better, plan.

“Do you have access to the street cameras?”