Catching Up

It felt so good to have proper clothes on again. Splinter sighed as he adjusted the large shirt and jeans his sons had found for him while the family scavenged the nearby shops. Food, blankets and the like had been the priority, but enough humanity remained in the ninja master that walking around in his underclothes made him very uncomfortable. It had filled him with warmth when Raphael sidled up and handed the bundle of cloth to his father.

A soft ding of metal on metal sounded from the kitchen where Michelangelo was setting things to rights so he could prepare dinner. Another thing Splinter was looking forward to. He didn't know what he had been eating while… tripping the light fantastic, but he knew rats in general were not picky. He was sternly not allowing his thoughts not to go any further than that.

In the corner April and Raphael were setting up the cots, sleeping bags and pillows for the night and nearby young Mr. Jones was stringing left over blankets and sheets up as a changing area for those that concerned themselves with such things, the majority of which had been used to cover the windows so no passing patrols would be attracted to the soft lantern light inside what should be an abandoned building.

Donatello was organizing the electronics and medical supplies he'd gathered earlier. The family medic had already given his father a once over and treated the few small wounds in his dark fur. The rest of the family had only received bruises and minor cuts during the battle in Stockman's lab, but the concerned glances Donatello kept taking of his eldest brother confused the family head. Splinter then took a second look at Leonardo for himself.

There were changes apparent in all his sons. As a group they were all a little taller, now reaching his shoulders, rather than just his waist, but individually they were altered as well. Raphael was oddly calmer and very attentive to the needs of his brothers. Donatello, while still obviously interested in April, was much less frenzied in his affections. Michelangelo was mostly the same, but slightly more focused. Any improvement in that department was very welcome.

None was more changed than Leonardo though. The first, most startling change was his voice. Deeper and more resonant, Splinter was wondering if his son had entered a new stage of puberty and if maybe his younger sons would soon follow. The thought of his boys with squeaky voices in the process of breaking forced a smile to his face. But there was also a sterner element to his oldest boy. Before they were separated, Leonardo had already begun maturing into a serious young leader, but his encounter with the Shredder seemed to have accelerated the process. At the moment his "little boy blue" was meditating in the corner, likely reflecting on recent events and forming new strategies for future encounters. Something caught his eye though, while deep in thought, Leonardo kept rubbing one of his knees. He didn't seem to be aware of it, but he'd been doing it at least since he'd sat down. As the rodent reflected, the absent habit had been present since they had arrived at their new refuge.

Whatever was bothering Donatello about the situation, it seemed he'd had enough. The bo wielder reached into one of his bags and strode over to his brother. He snapped the chemical ice pack and wordlessly held it out. Leonardo opened his eyes, smiled sheepishly, took the pack and placed it on the knee he had been rubbing.

"Is there something the matter my sons?" Ah that look, how many times his boys had looked at him like that when he had caught them at something.

Donatello was the one to answer. "Sorry Sensei. Leo's knee was bothering him so I thought an ice pack would help."

Splinter tilted his head. "His knee? I thought you had not been injured in rescue?"

"No not then Sensei, he got hurt when.."

"Don." Leonardo quietly interrupted. "I'll tell him, why don't you finish what you were doing with the radio. It'd be nice to hear if there's any chatter out there."

Donatello blushed, nodded and returned to his work. The brother in question walked over to his father and carefully sat down again while keeping the cold pack to his sore joint.

"Sorry Sensei, we didn't really get the chance to compare notes on the past few months did we?"

"I am afraid there will not be much comparing Leonardo, I was largely unaware of events while, indisposed."

The blue banded turtle ducked his head and smiled. "I'm just glad you're yourself again." He looked up into his father's eyes and the sincerity in his own blue grey orbs touched his parent deeply, "I missed you so much Chichi."

Splinter just had to reach out. The warm hug lasted until Leonardo had to pull back taking the strain off his knee again. This reminded his father of matter at hand.

"So what happened to all of you while gone?"

The young man actually squirmed a bit. "I'm afraid I can't tell you the whole story. I wasn't exactly conscious for the first couple months."

"What?!"

"Um you know the Shredder got a hold of me right?"

"Yes. Leonardo, what exactly did he do to you?"

Leonardo's eyes slid to the side, "That's not important," which meant it was, "What really matters is what happened after."

He was clearly not ready to discuss what had happened to him at the Shredder's hand. Splinter let it slide for now. Letting his son talk about what he wanted too may later open the door to what he did not.

"So it turns out April's family has a house in the country. We went up there to recover and regroup. We would've been back sooner but, well, I was kinda, sorta cough in a coma."

A chill ran down the elder ninja's spine. To hear that one of his children had been in such dire condition…. "And how long did this coma last?"

"Ah, three months."

Splinter shuddered. One of his boys had been beaten into a coma. A coma that had lasted three months. And where had this father been? Mindlessly wandering the sewers like an animal. If only he hadn't given into his desire for revenge. He'd had an opportunity to lose the Shredder. If he had taken it, he wouldn't have been able to prevent it, but at least he could have been there for his children through such a serious trial.

"I cannot tell you my son, how sorry I am that you suffered so. I consider myself very lucky to have you back safe." A slow breath to suppress the overwhelming emotion. "That you have endured and recovered speaks highly of your strength my boy."

"It speaks highly of my brothers Father. Donatello would be an excellent doctor. Mikey did so much to lift my spirits and Raph? Sensei, you wouldn't recognize him. He sat by my side until I woke up. Once I did he worked to get me back in shape, and all along he stepped up to hold the family together. I…"he hesitated, and suddenly became very formal. "Jonin," Splinter sat straighter at the title address. "I hereby designate Raphael as my second, to be chunin of the clan should I fall in battle or be unable to fulfil my duties. I have seen abundant evidence these past months that he is more than capable."

Splinter bowed his head in acceptance. "Your brother will be honoured Leonardo, and I am gratified that you have someone to rely on. A leader bares great burdens, having someone to help carry them is essential. But back to your story?"

Leonardo relaxed, pleased his father agreed with his choice. "Right, yeah. So as you can probably guess. I was pretty roughed up. My voice? That's part of it. My throat was injured and it changed my voice, and the knee? Everything else pretty much healed but, well, it's a lot better, for sure! But. My knee isn't quite right. It's usually fine, but after really working it sometimes it still bothers me. Donnie says it should be okay, but it'll probably always be a little weak. I'm sorry Sensei. I wish it was better."

"Oh Leonardo. That you have recovered so well is a near miracle. I would be surprised if there wasn't some lingering effects. Many a warrior has old pains and wounds that complain from time to time. Do not concern yourself, I know of a salve that may help when you have need. I make use of it myself on a regular basis. My bones do not care for rainy days. As for your voice? I would do anything to spare you the pain it cost you, and it will take some getting used to, but while different it is not a bad change. I was just thinking that you sound older now, more mature."

Leonardo betrayed himself however by preening at being called older in the way that only the young can. "Bet it sounds a little better though. Ever since I broke my nose last year, the guys kept telling me that I was all nasally."

Splinter chuckled to himself. Leonardo had zigged when he should have zagged and the result was Donatello's fist in his nose during a spar a year earlier. The crushed nasal passages had indeed slightly altered the timbre of his son's voice, but as they had become accustomed to it before, so they would again.

"All things considered my son, I am so proud of you all and so happy that we are together again."

"Hey everyone! Soup's on!"

Every other ninja, kunoichi and vigilante in the space shushed Michelangelo.

"Hey knucklehead. Enemies right outside the door remember." Hissed Raphael.

"Come my children, we are all of us well overdue for a good family dinner."

Slowly they all moved to the kitchen. The world may be cold and dark, but here and now, they had a warm light to bask in all their own.