Hey guys, here's the next chapter! I'm still figuring out how this story is actually going to turn out so please be patient with me. I mean, I don't even know my bad-guy's name yet XD

Anyways, to my guest reviewer: keep breathing girl, this story is still alive and kicking! I'm not going to do anything as stupid as what I did, I promise. However, I want to thank you for you dedication to this story, it truly is what saved it.

Enjoy!

Leo's p.o.v

Today is definitely a bad day. Wait, scratch that; our lives have been horrendous and extremely tiring this entire week. It's just that this day is slightly worse than the rest of the week has been. Not only because my immediate younger brother got captured and hurt badly, seeing him like that is something I have grown used to over the years, or because dangerous enemies are returning from their deaths one by one. It's because my family is finally, and for real this time, falling apart.

Donnie is desperately clinging onto the Master Splinter and Mikey that have walked into our lives, keeping up the hope they will eventually fill the holes they've left behind so long ago. But I can see how he becomes insecure with the way Raphael is behaving. After Don had dug up Michelangelo's grave he has been more tentative and careful around us, even Mikey. I think he feels guilty for dishonouring the grave, he hadn't expected to find a body after all. Yet Donnie isn't the one I have to worry about too much. He is smart and resilient. And whenever there is something that Don can't handle on his own, he isn't afraid to ask for help. Not since he has become the youngest brother in our family.

Raph on the other hand… I'm afraid of how he'll react once we Mikey and I get back home. So much has happened between him and his former pet and Slash's return won't make it any easier on Raph's and Mikey's relationship. He still hasn't seen Mikey with the orange mask but judging on his earlier behaviour and Mike's apprehension to show it to him, I know there is a change of another fall-out between them. Plus, Raph has become very unpredictable. He didn't seem to be bothered by Mikey's presence in the beginning, he even seemed more like himself the first few days. And then he just snapped, out of the blue really. I'm not sure why Raph's opinion on our 'returned' little brother has changed but it sure caused enough drama.

I understand him though. It doesn't feel the same with this Mikey being around. He's almost too much like his old self. Our lives were so much easier when we were fifteen, so much better. Mikey still lives in that world and even after everything he's been through, so does sensei. They haven't changed and grown older with us over those years. We've learned to live as a brotherhood of three instead of a family of five; there just isn't a place for them anymore. And we all feel that, no matter how much Donnie tries to deny it.

But that doesn't mean I think we should be freaking out on them like Raph did. We need to try and adapt again, we've done it countless of times before. We need to try and piece ourselves back together, rearrange till we fit. Because no matter how unnatural sensei and Mikey feel to me right now, I wouldn't trade them for the world. It doesn't matter where they came from, they're family. But before we've figured this whole mess out, it might be better that I keep a close eye on them. Just to be sure. I'll follow Donnie's wishes and give them a chance, but won't forget Raph's hesitance and distrust either.

I shoot a glance over my shoulder. Mikey drags after me, rather slowly for his being. I guess that strange burning light really did a number on him. He hasn't said much after it happened. I sigh. That's another thing that's keeping me worried. Our little brother, the Mikey of three years ago, would never be this run-down and depressed. And I know this 'version' of him shouldn't be either. That's our fault. We keep dumping terrible news on him while not giving him the support he so desperately needs. We had three years to come to terms with the disappearance of part of our family and all of our friends. We gave him less than a week to deal with that and his own death. He tries hard, I can see that, but he keeps failing in appearing to be alright. It makes me wonder, is he trying to throw up a happy-façade because he feels like this is all is fault, or is this something Mikey has always done before, but that only know I recognize it?

"Leo! Mikey!"

We barely reached the turnstiles when Donnie sees us coming from where he's standing in the pit. He's whipping his hands with a towel we all recognize. Because blood stains are a true nuisance when they need to be washed out, we decided to not use random towels for patching one another up. An ugly green one we once found has then been dubbed as the blood-towel, or how Mikey liked to call it 'Bloody Mary'. I used to hate that piece of cloth, a reminder that I failed another time in keeping my younger brothers safe. Nowadays it only gives me relief that at least this wound could be treated and could heal. That I hadn't lost someone else. There was no bloody towel when we lost Michelangelo. There wasn't one when Master Splinter past away.

"How is Raph doing, Donnie?"

From the grin on my younger brother's face I already feel ten pounds lighter.

"He's resting now," my smartest brother says. "His cuts will heal just fine, I think. They were deep, causing the massive blood loss but the claws mostly tore through skin and some muscle. No nerve damage, no bone trauma. He'll probably be up and pain-free fairly quickly. When the headache lays down, that is."

To my surprise, Mikey groans comically. "Tell me when the next time is you gotta wake him up, a concussed Raph is a grouchy Raph and I have absolutely no urge to be close to a grouchy Raph, thank you very much."

Donnie's smile grows bigger, his hand reaching for Mikey's shoulder to lead us both inside the lair. "Tell me about it, he actually threw his glass towards my head a minute ago. Said that if my head would hurt as much as his, I would think twice of waking him up. Speaking of raging, hot-headed terrapins, what did you guys do with Slash?"

The question was asked casual but I can still see the fear in Donnie's eyes. I can relate. Our final encounter with Slash, the night Raph had killed his former best friend, our little brother had been grievously injured. There was a moment we thought he wouldn't even make it…

"We don't really know," I answer. "We fought him for some time. I… we managed to get out of his reach and all of the sudden he disappeared into this bright light."

Mikey's eyes bore holes into mine. I'm not sure if it is because I'm not telling Donnie of the death-grip Slash had on me or because I refuse to tell Donnie anything about the shadow we had both seen.

"After that Mikey felt sick," I add in an after-thought. It's probably better if Don checks him out, better safe than sorry.

Mikey's eyes theatrically grow wide, his lip jutting out in his infamous puppy-dog-pout. "I-I-I… I feel just fine Donnie, see?"

He ducks from underneath Don's arm, jumping up in a couple of flips before landing on his hands and doing a couple of push-ups while in a hand-stand. "All good!" He cheers while panting slightly from the jumping, flashing a winning smile.

I can't help but relax. It's weird because I used to be able to keep a straight face when Mikey tried to talk himself out of a check-up, or his shores, or training... He practically talked himself out of everything and when he tried, he wouldn't hold back on the new, crazy ways he could come up with to get it his way. That's why I liked my youngest brother so much, he was always there to keep life interesting with his endless creativity. When he died, it seemed like he had taken all the colour out of our home with him, leaving us with practically nothing but the boring, mundane drag that we called our lives.

"You goof," Don laughs, tickling Mikey's feet and making him fall down while squealing in laughter. He rolls over on his shell, his limbs squirming a little instinctively before he manages to get his legs underneath him, kneeling on the floor.

"Watch out for my toes, dude!" he shouts out breathlessly from laughing. "They got feelings too you know."

The comment throws me back into a memory from a long time ago, yet it feels like yesterday. It was a few weeks after Mikey's death that I found Raph tearing into his favourite punching bag. It's something I had gotten used to over those few weeks, as sad as it may seem. A heartbroken Raphael, was a destructive Raphael. However, when he went over to one of the pinball machines to vent his anger upon, I stopped him. He started screaming at me, screaming how he had screwed everything up. Later I found out that my younger brother wanted to put Mikey's teddy bear next to his shrine, because Mike had always refused to sleep without the duct tape stuffed animal. He had said he was the worst brother ever that he didn't even know the name of the ratty little thing while it was an object so important to his little brother. How he wouldn't even have thought of it if he hadn't wandered through the room when he had built up enough courage to actually enter.

After that I had a lot of these moments together with Raph. How we started to beat ourselves up over forgetting things Mikey had said, funny little quirks or brother had, everything. And every time we did that, Donnie always came with the answer. He was the only one who could remember every single name of all of Mikey's toes. He knew where Mike hid his diary, while I didn't even know he had one. He knew that Mikey would always check the microwave for cottage cheese demons before making breakfast. He is the Brainiac of our group, of course, but it embarrassed me how little I actually knew of Mikey. I knew his favourite food, his favourite activities, his favourite hobbies and TV-shows. I knew what he was afraid of and what he didn't like to do. But aren't those things your best friend could know about you just as well? Isn't a brother supposed to know everything?

To us, it had started out as a joke then, but after losing Mikey it became pretty obvious to me that the B-team knew each other a whole lot better than Raph and I did. They had a bond I hadn't even noticed until it was severed. As much as it hurt Raph and I to lose our brother, it didn't change us as much as it had changed Donnie.

A peal of laughter escapes and pulls me out of my depressing thoughts. I smirk when Don starts to drag Mikey across the floor by one of his hands. For once, I decide to let go for a little bit, just to goof off with my brothers. Picking Mikey up by the carapace, I throw him over my shoulder easily.

"Hey!" He laughs, trying to reach my sides to tickle me into letting him go. "That's not fair, you guys are much taller than you used to be!"

With the light sounds of squeals bouncing against the sewer walls after us, we make our way to the infirmary, where Mikey's laughter soon dies down because of the still sleeping Raph. I finally put him down on Donnie's table, his playful glare only making him look more humorous to me.

The examination doesn't take too long. It's obvious there are hardly any notable marks on Mikey's skin and after a good look-over of Mikey's head, making sure to check for a concussion along the way, Don figures that there's nothing wrong with him.

I can see the relief on both of my little brothers' faces although for Mikey it just means that he's glad he isn't going to have any shots. Of course I'm submitted to a full examination as well when Mikey mentions the bruising around my neck. It's probably pay-back for having him checked out but I don't call him out on it. Maybe he's just as worried about me as I am about him.

When we're both passed on with a clean bill of health, I notice how Mikey watches Raph with a weariness. When he jumps of the table he stuffs his mask in his belt instead of tying it around his eyes. I decide not to say anything about it. It's not the time right now. If he doesn't feel comfortable with his mask on yet, I'm not going to make him wear it. Instead I quietly tell them that I'm going to see Master Splinter and explain what has happened today.

"Master Splinter?" I ask while knocking on the door. A soft humming sound from inside tells me I can enter. Sensei is sitting on his bed, reading a book I haven't seen before. It looks like a novel.

"Is there something you wish to speak to me about, my son?" he questions, his eyes roaming over my body looking for injuries. They remain on my bandaged neck for a little longer but I wave off his concern. "I assume you and Michelangelo have made it home unscathed?"

I nod my head before taking a seat in the old rocking chair we have had forever. I watch sensei for a little while before I start telling him what Mikey and I have experienced in the warehouse. Throughout the story he nods attentively but doesn't interrupt me once. His gentle eyes make me feel relaxed and safe. They are just the same as they always have been and nothing like the glazed-over, grey orbs that had looked back to me when we tried to save him from Shredder's clutches. They're dad's, even when a traitorous voice in the back of my head tells me that they aren't.

"When Mikey saved me from Slash's grip, some sort of portal seemed to open. It was a burning light and so very hot. For a moment I thought I saw a figure there and the next thing I know Slash is gone. It affected Mikey in some way. He said it hurt him but I didn't feel a thing. He seems fine now."

It's quiet for a few moments and I know my father needs some time to take in all the information. I patiently wait for his advice. Or at least, I hope he'll give me advice. I'm not sure what to do with this either.

"It might be that the demon I have spoken to was more trustworthy than I thought. I am not entirely sure what happened in that warehouse but it sounds like Slash was taken to that awful world the demon has threatened me with."

"But I thought you would be sent there if you didn't complete that task you were apparently saddled up with. Slash seemed surprised, I don't think he knew that he did anything wrong," I say.

"We are not even sure if Slash was aware of the demon and his tasks, my son," Splinter interrupts me. "But you are right. We are unaware of the task Michelangelo and I have to complete to earn the right to stay here. I am afraid that a misstep might become fatal."

Master Splinter stands up, placing his bookmarker on one of the pages before closing it and putting it away. For a moment his hand is there, strong and full of warmth when it grips my shoulder, then it's gone.

"Let's see if we can make Raphael something light to eat before he goes back to sleep. After that I will call April and ask her to deliver us some pizzas. I believe Donatello, Michelangelo and you have earned it."

I smile at my father but feel anything but relieved by the words he has spoken earlier. If he doesn't know why they are here or what the purpose is, there is no guarantee that they won't suffer the same faith as Slash did. I still remember Slash's screams when he disappeared through that portal and if Mikey's sick look is anything to go by then I can guess that strange world doesn't sound like a place I want any member of my family to be.

I think I know where I stand this time. If we want to remain a family, we need to piece ourselves back together, make room for two more. And to do that, we won't even need to make too many adjustments. Mikey and Sensei will fit back in the way they've always done. I've seen it today. Mikey is back to his crazy antics and makes us laugh. He's the little brother who we indulge and love while secretly wishing we could drown him down the toilet every once in a while. And Master Splinter is still our guide, our master and our father. Maybe we haven't had those two roles in our family for quite some time, but that doesn't mean we can't let them back in. Even when we're not yet sure if they're the same bodies we used to talk to three years ago. Now how to tell Raphael all that…

So what do you guys think? Don't be fooled, this wasn't a complete filler. I left teeny, tiny hints on the exact reason why Slash disappeared. Any of you notice, huh, huh? Please tell me, I'm really curious if any of you figured it out. Hope you all enjoyed, especially you guest reviewer! Maybe put a nickname under your review next time, it feels awkward to keep calling you guest reviewer lol.

See ya!