Author's Note: Hi there, sorry for the wait. This is it, this is the last chapter of the story. I hope it's good for you all. Glazier Blue and I worked on this to make it good. Enjoy.

Chapter 31: Defused

"What do you mean he's gone?" With this question up in the air and asked Leo and Raph practically run out of the dojo, almost knocking Mikey over in the process. Splinter's not far behind, his worried mind hoping to find Donatello just hiding somewhere in the lair. But to their dismay they can see that Mikey was right, for the elevator had indeed been activated, and the monitors covering the garage on the surface are empty one vehicle. Donnie was gone, and it looked like he had taken his new armed battle wagon with him, but for what purpose?

"Has he run away?" the orange clad brother asked breathlessly. "Bros, we have to find him! We have to tell him it's ok."

"I agree Mikey, but if he just ran away why would he take the Battleshell? Why all the armored weapons? No. Something much more is going on here." Leo said as their minds raced trying to piece together what the genius could possibly be up too? If it was the Donatello they knew before all of this had happened they wouldn't be so worried, but with a mixture of the drugs he had been taking and coping with the horrible depression he had been hiding, their brother ever going out alone right now was a troubling thought. But now he had driven off in basically a bomb on wheels... It was certainly not reassuring their already in placed fears.

The family would never believe that their brother would intentionally go out to hurt anybody... Not Donatello. But it was clear now that what he had endured had changed him. They all could agree that Donnie might not currently be in his right mind, and that scared them. Either way they had to find him.

"What on this blue earth could he be planning to do with the Battleshell?" Raph demanded as though the others would know.

"I don't know, but there is NO WAY Donnie would attack anyone, whether he was high or not... Unless...Does he know something we don't?" Mikey looking around still confused.

"I think we already established that he knows a lot of things we didn't shell for brains." Raph said meanly as he waved a quick goodbye to his last nerve.

"That's not what I meant Raph." Mikey snapped back equally as upset. "Donnie said he built all that stuff to protect us from him ... I'm thinking that he was talking about the Prime Leader. That's the only person that Donnie probably feels threatened by... But the Prime Leader isn't here on earth... is he? Wait, is he?"

"I honestly don't know Mikey. But I think we may have noticed by now if the planet was being invaded again. None of this is making sense. We have to find him, and hopefully Don will fill us in on everything that's going on in that head of his." Leo said setting his shell-cell to track his missing brother. "Damn it! He switched his cell off!" The Leader almost through the device across the room in frustration."

"Well that's just peachy. The genius has gone solo in a mini weapon of mass destruction on wheels and something tells me he didn't make all that as a surprise fire-work display for the 4th of July. He could be anywhere by now. How are we supposed to find him? And even if we do, then what? How are we to calm him down long enough to tell us what is going on?" Raph stopped his rant with a sigh. "We should have being dealing with this from the start." The hot head growled but it was a sad noise, one filled with anger at his own failures for not pushing his brother further into talking to them.

"Maybe he's attacking the Shredder's lair?"

"NOT helping Mikey!"

"We will have to take the roof tops on foot. Split up but stay in contact. Just FIND him." Leo turned to his master. The old rat didn't need to say anything... He didn't have the heart to say any more. "Don't worry sensei. We'll fine Donnie and this time we'll bring him home. We are going to make this right." A nasty taste filled Leo's mouth... there was nothing really that they could do to make this right. But they nodded towards their master, then the two older brothers ran out the door.

"Mikey what are you waiting for?! Move it!" Raph yelled behind him.

One quick thought later and Mikey made sure to grab his skate board on the way out. Even though he was the fastest of them all, if he was on the rooftops and on his board he'll probably be able to catch up with the van in no time. Donnie was not going to be left on his own in this any longer... But would they have to take him down by force to help him?

…..

It wasn't too long before Donatello was coming to a stop down the side of an alley. Luckily due to the lateness of the hour the streets were deserted. The signal of the Prime Leader's ships location was just in front of him. The signal told Donnie that the ship was air born, just in front of a moderate size 10 floor apartment building. But he still couldn't see the ship. If it was cloaked it would remain invisible, he would just have to depend on Trax's device to guide him.

What was Zandramon waiting for? If he would just invade already then at least he would have a visible target. Maybe it was a trap? The Prime Leader was here waiting to see if he, Donnie, would dare and take the chance to strike first. If Donnie did fire first he would have to be depending on the device been acute, and on his small missiles actually hitting the ship, and NOT the buildings behind it. He was at a disadvantage.

But even if he did hit the ship they would return fire, and the building may be caught up in the cross fire... It was a tragic thought, but the faster Zandramon was destroyed the better everyone would be. He couldn't let nothing, or no one get in his way, not even his brothers. They didn't understand what was at stake…Or what would happen if he failed.

Donnie backed up the van, so it was deeper down the alley with a clearer view of the apartment block. The com beeped louder than ever... The ship was there, he was sure of it. Hiding in plain view. It would be in perfect target range of his multifunction side panels, and the laser cannons, and even the concussion blasters built into his moving van. His weapons were ready to go. No way could any stupid alien survive this. Already the anxiety in his chest started to deplete. As far as he was concerned wiping out any aliens that came this way would send a direct and clear message.

LEAVE EARTH ALONE!

Donnie quickly got out of the van with the controller in his hand. His fingers were shaking over the buttons with anticipation, his heart starting to pick up the pace. Hopefully if he started firing at the ship, it would draw it away from the building and the damage wouldn't be too bad ... As long as no one came outside to see what was going on and got caught up in the crossfire. Either way, it was all going to get very messy, very fast,

Looking down he turned one of the knobs on the controller aiming his weapon's direction. Donnie's heart began to race at the speed of sound as the cannon charged up.

But just as he was about to begin the five second countdown, he suddenly slammed his thumb down on the cancel button. His youngest brother Mikey, had just appeared in the entrance to the alley, having just jumped down from a fire escape. Now he stood directly in line of site to the building Donnie was aiming for. His orange brother had clearly seen everything before he jumped, for he raised his hands in surrender.

"Mikey!" Don yelled in surprise. "What the shell are you doing? Do- do you know WHAT almost happened just then!"

"Hey there Donnie boy. Whatcha' you doing? We are all out looking for you bro... You had us worried." The orange clad brother responded in a worried, but very carefully controlled, tone. His voice had nothing to do with being nearly obliterated though, thank you very much.

"How...How did you find me so fast?"

Mikey smiled a little smugly. "Everyone was freaking out because you turned off your phone, but then I remembered there was a tracker in the van. All the work you put into it, I knew you would never risk losing it. I got here first because, let's face it, I am the fastest." The orange clad turtle stepped closer with his hands still raised. "So, D, mind telling me why you're aiming all that fire power at a building filled with innocent people?"

"No Mikey, you don't understand. I am not aiming anything at the building. I am aiming it at the Prime Leader's ship! He's come to take me back, and you guys too. He wants revenge on me... He's going to destroy the city." Donnie ranted desperately.

"What do you mean Donnie? Where is he?" The teen looking frantically about him a bit startled. All he could see was the building, but Mikey wouldn't let his brother be taken again... But where was the enemy? They weren't exactly shy last time. "There is nothing in the sky Donnie. I don't understand?"

"He's here. His ship is cloaked... I saw him... in my room. He's here."

"In your room? Donnie what are you talking about?" The orange clad turtle looked at him skeptically. Was he missing something? Maybe he really was...

"I don't have time for this Mikey. get out of my way!" Donnie snapped frantically, this time taking a step forward to meet him. His younger brother had to move, if he fired now, he would be blown up along with the building behind him. Why was Mikey trying to stop him? Didn't he understand that he was trying to save everyone?

"No, I don't think I will." Mikey said, being careful to keep his voice light but firm. Remaining in the line of fire, he took a step closer. "Not till you tell me how you know he's here."

"I told you already. I SAW him, in my room by hologram projection. He warned me he was coming... and Trax's warned me with this." Donnie held out the com with his other hand. "See! It's beeping. It's the same tech... It's tracked the ship... It's in that area behind you... Move OUT the way Mikey so I can shoot it before they start firing at us!" Donnie was becoming more frantic, for Zandramon could start attacking any moment.

Mikey looked over the strange device on his brother's wrist. He had never seen it before and it was definitely not from earth... It took him a moment to remember... Those were the same communication devices the Triceratons had when they had been on Earth. What was Donnie doing with one? How had he gotten it? Mikey didn't know, but one thing was for certain, it WASN'T beeping. "What are you talking about Donnie? That thing isn't even on." Mikey argued. It was only then that it dawned on him what was going on. "Donnie, I need you to listen to me ok... You're not well. Those pills you took have tripped your head and now you're riding the crazy train."

"No, I'm not. I'm doing what needs to be done. I'm saving all of us. Now I said get out of my way!" Donnie warned this time dangerously.

Shell! Where were Raph and Leo? Mikey thought. He had messaged them ages ago when he had first spotted the van. Why were they not here yet? He just had to keep Donnie talking until they got here, then they could stop him from aiming those guns at a lot of innocent people who were currently sleeping peacefully in their beds. "No can-do bro. You may be a genius, but I am the battle Nexus Champion, and you can't get passed me." Though he was scared Mikey did his best to sound confident, with a flash of teeth he showed Donnie his prize-winning grin... But it didn't seem to have the effect he hoped.

"I'm not playing around here Mikey! Get out of my away NOW!" Without thinking Donnie marched forward and roughly took ahold of his brother's arm before carelessly throwing him sideways against the wall. Mikey crashed into the trash cans, then crumbled down to the floor with a painful groan.

Donnie flinched. He hadn't meant to push Mikey so hard... What if he had hurt him -No! He couldn't get distracted. He had to stop the invasion. The turtle made his way back to the van, ready to watch the Prime Leader burn. But just as he started the count down once more, Mikey was already up, standing in front of the guns, again blocking his target.

"They're NOT there! There's no invasion. You're confused bro... The medication messed with your head! You're about to blow up a load of families…Donnie please don't do this!" Mikey yelled back, but Donnie didn't want to hear him.

"You don't know what you're talking about." Donnie retorted. Trax had sent him a signal to warn him... The Prime Leader was here, he could feel it. "Why are you so stupid! Why can't you ever listen to me!"

"Maybe I am stupid." Mikey smiled sadly. A rare time when his smile had no humor to accompany it. "But I know the difference between right and wrong, and this is wrong! And if I have to die to prove that, then I will." The orange clad turtle said in defiance. "If I'm going out, I would rather it was done stopping you from destroying yourself than standing by doing nothing... You're NOT a prisoner anymore Donnie. You're not in any danger, but if you're going to let those stupid aliens control you, then you can start with me!"

Donnie sneered as he tried to brush off his little brother's words. Was he seriously willing to die just to prove him wrong? But Donnie was so sure he was right. Either way he couldn't afford to take the chance, even if it meant forcing his way passed his brothers to do it.

"Please Donnie you're not well. If there was an invasion, shouldn't it have started by now?" Mikey tried to sound reassuring, but it just came off as patronizing.

"Is everything just a joke to you Mikey?"

"Who's joking?" Now the youngest turtle looked like he was about to cry. "We know what happened to you Donnie...We know what the Prime leader did to you... Sensei told us."

At these words Donnie froze. They knew! They knew of his dishonor…The panic on his face must have been evident, so Mikey was quick to step in. "We know you're in pain and we understand Donnie -"

"You don't understand ANYTHING! They destroyed me... Donatello is Dead!"

"I don't believe that. If you're not my brother, then you won't remember when we were 5 and you had wondered off to play with the electrical box. You wanted to know how that one and only light bulb in the lair worked, but instead you blew the fuse and we were in total darkness until dad could find another. Do you remember that?" Mikey asked hoping he had triggered some little spark of the old Donnie. He could almost see the memories running through his brother's head, but Don was quick to flick it away.

Desperate to keep those walls up, Donnie kept telling himself that Mikey didn't understand. They hadn't been there…They hadn't gone through what he had…they hadn't had to give up their last shred of honor in order to survive, as they would never understand what he had to do. Donnie looked up only to find Mikey was now much closer to him. His hands closed around the controller, "This is your last warning Mikey. Step. Aside." His tone dripped with anger, and his fingers tightened.

Mikey just shook his head. "Even if you press that button, you'll still be our brother. We'll still love you and nothing you do will stop that. You can try."

A burning intensity suddenly stabbed Donnie right in the chest. No! He wasn't going to be broken…Not again! Even if that meant making Mikey hate him, it was a small price in comparison to what terrible fate would lay before them.

"Shut it!" and without holding back, Donnie resentfully punched his brother across the face. The young turtles head snapped to the side. For a few seconds Mikey could only wince as his jaw throbbed. Already he could taste the blood filling up around his tongue. Quickly Mikey placed both hands on either side of his face to get his head to stop spinning.

He then spit out the blood before regaining his bearings and looking back towards his brother, clearly seeing the emotional turmoil driving through his sibling. "Nope. That didn't work." Mikey said quite simply. "Still love you."

"I said SHUT UP!" Donnie's control slipped, this time he punched him hard in the plastron. Mikey fell onto all fours, clutching his stomach as all the air was robbed from him. He coughed, but the moment he could breathe again Mikey was on his feet, still blocking Donnie's way. He had to admit, his brother's punches had much more force behind them than before he was taken. Those bulkier arms were not just for show. But what scared Mikey more was that there was so much pain and anger inside Donnie, enough to drive his brother to hurting him.

"Nothing- yo-u ca-n do will *cough* make me hate you Donnie." The little brother reached out with a shaky hand, as though to hug Donnie, but the purple turtle harshly pushed him back. Mikey stumbled for a moment but then went to reach out for Donnie once again.

"Don't touch me! Stop it!" Donnie yelled as though Mikey's mere touch burned him. All his control was gone. Mikey reached out for a third time, and Donnie started hitting him on the chest. Already losing his will to fight back, there was no real force behind the blows. The only strength left in him was a desperation to keep his brother away.

"I'll always love you." Mikey kept repeating. Donnie couldn't look at him. He only continued to hit him. He was breaking. Every one of his cold stone bricks he had hand carved to shield him was melting away into a river of sobs. The torments…the abuse…and cruel acts done to him that stood at the front of his head, it was as though Mikey was forcefully pushing them out of his head.

He hadn't even realized that Mikey had managed to get his arms all the way around him and was now holding him tightly. Donnie struggled hard, but Mikey wouldn't let go. From the angle Don found himself resting his head on his brother's shoulder. After another moment his struggling ceased. He hadn't meant it to. Donnie still wanted to push away but it was as though Mikey had just somehow adsorbed all the fight out of him.

No... oh god no! Donnie thought as he realized what the hot wet streak were running down from his face... He was crying! HE WAS CRYING! He swore he would NEVER cry again, but here he was, and all from his brother just hugging him.

He was crying like a little child... Any remaining resistance poured out of him as fast as the tears did... Now he was just hanging limp in his little brother's arms, he swayed forward as his knees buckled. Without releasing him Mikey brought them both to the floor. The remote control dropped from Donnie's fingers as he continued to sob into his brother's shoulder, clinging to him for dear life.

"I love you big brother." Mikey whispered into his ear, sighing in relief as he felt his Donnie stop fighting him.

"I love you too." Donnie's broken voice gripped him tighter. Shaking uncontrollably, he then looked over Mikey's shoulder towards the building he had been so intent on blowing sky high... just like that it was as though a vale had been lifted, and Don could see what he had been about to do. All of the aliens in Donnie's head had instantly vanished, leaving behind a horrid realization of what he would have done. "Oh god…what was I? I was going too…!" He shook but Mikey shushed him.

"B-But Mikey…I was…I was about to…" he was still too startled at the realization.

"But you didn't," Mikey responded.

"I could have…I was going too…" he stopped as Mikey shushed him again.

Only mere moments passed when the two turtles felt two more pairs of arms embrace them both from either side. Leo and Raph had arrived in time to witness Donnie break down.

Still holding Mikey, Donnie buried his face in Leo's shoulder continuing to sob. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I couldn't stop them… I couldn't s-stop them… the Prime L-Leader, I couldn't-"

"Don't talk Donnie. It's ok." Leo whispered rubbing his shell. They didn't want to hear the terrible truth that their young brother had been repeatedly violated. Not here. They remained in the embrace for a while, until Don had calmed down. Then the three brothers quickly assisted him, making their way back to the van and soon driving away from what could have been a devastating scene.

A short time later they had reached their garage and parked the battleshell. Then the four brothers sat facing each other on the floor of the large vehicle. The silence lingering as they waited for Donatello to release all the pain and humiliation he had been bottling up.

"Why didn't you tell us what really happened to you Donnie?" Leo asked quietly. Donnie shook his head, not able to look at them. There gently passive brother was still there, they could see him as he took his mask off. But the passive Donnie had been hurt so much for so long, that even though his mental cage doors had been opened, he was still afraid to come out of it. He had locked that version of himself away in order to protect himself, and even now that fear of weakness still lingered. This dark and aggressive version had been born out of horrendous trauma and even madness, and it still wanted to push everything away and preserve the vulnerable side, even if it meant isolating it.

"It wouldn't change anything… I had let myself be taken advantage of. I was afraid that I had shamed our clan." He said, still without looking up. Mikey was just about to say how crazy that was, but Leo gave him a warning look to let Donnie talk.

"You're not ashamed of me?" Donnie said in an I don't believe you tone. "Ok then." This time he said even a little challengingly. "You already know how the Prime Leader... claimed me." The brothers winced. "Then how I was free for all his body guards." He spat in disgust.

Raph looked away not able to repress a growl, while tears ran freely down Mikey's cheeks. Even Leo was biting his lower lip. It hurt them to hear this, but it needed to be heard, more for Donnie's sake than theirs. Donnie's voice just seemed to be growing angrier. "I was beaten so badly that I woke up in the infirmary…not to get any treatment, but to be pumped up with a drug that paralyzed me from the neck down… but I could still feel everything." Don trailed off for a moment letting it sink in. Although he was saying this in a flippant way, they could clearly see that it was burning him from the inside out.

As more details poured out Raphael's hands were so tightly clenched that they tingled. All three of them still haven't spoken, but it was hard, and all he wanted to do right now was lash out. But he held himself still. Very still. How many times had Donnie had his innocents destroyed?

Mikey looked away as though the pain coming off his brother was stinging him.

"Are you not ashamed of me yet? Then how about I tell you how I escaped... I convince Rhynnok to help me…" Don cut himself off dreading the next part, his heart picking up the pace again, but the gates were open now and he couldn't stop them. "Things between him and I changed later... but he would only stick his neck out for me if I did something for him first... I -I had to let him..." More tears were quickly wiped shamefully away. "I let him!" Don couldn't finish, nor could he look at his brothers as he revealed that he had finally given up the last of his honor willingly. "And everything just seemed to go on automatic after that. Until the mass break out that is." Donnie then told them about how the other prisoners started to believe he was some kind of hero, here to kill the Prime Leader for them.

How Rhynnok had saved him. How they all marched outside singing his childhood song... The sound of the gun fire and screams crowded his nightmares. Donnie clutched his head as he spoke. The yard became an ocean of blood... and for the days the followed he buried every one of them. But not before he told them how close he had come to killing the Prime Leader. Revenge had been so close. It was all he had wanted... But had Trax's not stopped him, he would have started an all-out war against earth.

Don's hand unconsciously went up and rubbed the scars on his face, feeling for the now pink skin. His hands tremble as the phantom pain came rushing back. He was so ashamed of these, how could his brothers not be? "He had wanted me to kill someone. An innocent... I couldn't... So, this…was his mark… A mark of my enslavement. A reminder that he would always own me. Every time I looked in the mirror."

The brothers silently looked over what had been laying underneath the bandage, tormenting their brother in the mirror. Donnie's story had been enough to paint a picture.

"I don't see a mark or shame, or enslavement Donnie." Leo finally said. Don looked up at him. "You came out of a war, and no one comes out of that unscathed. Even the best of us. You may see it as enslavement…but all I see is accomplishment."

Mikey then piped in, "Besides, you look tougher with it, a turtle no one wants to mess with. Like one of those action stars in the movies," He added.

Don continued to rub the scars trying to believe them, but he wasn't sure. It just seemed like they were trying to spin this off into something positive. But they couldn't do that with his violation. Nothing could ever change what had been done to him or what he had done.

The brothers seemed to pick up on his way of thinking. They let him continue... Finally, Donnie finished his story into a sea of horrified silence. He dares not look at them... but it was getting awkward. "So, do you still think I haven't shamed you?" It was a sarcastic question because he was sure he already knew the answer. Now he knew that he had had a drug induce vision of an invasion, he didn't have much left to offer in the way of redeeming himself.

"No. In fact I have never been prouder of you Donnie." It was Leo who broke the painful question with a tone so defiant that it took Donnie aback. "Because there is one detail you keep forgetting to mention." He looked his brother in the eye. "After all that you went through, after everything they did, you didn't tell them where Professor Honeycutt was. His capture would have condemned all of us but not you. I think somewhere along the way you forgot about the one part you could take pride in." He smiled kindly. "So, to answer your question Donnie, no we have never and will never, be ashamed of you and that is all I want you to remember."

"And we're going to keep reminding you of that until you believe it." Mikey added.

"Donnie." Having sat back and listened silently to the bitter end the red clad turtle finally put forth what he thought. In a quiet and steady tone that was so unlike him that it drew all their attentions. He gave a look that the purple clad turtle had never seen before. "No one is expecting you to just get over this. I wouldn't blame you if you went on a crazy destructive rampage over the entire city... I get that...believe me." a tiny smirk. "But you're better than me, because I know that would hurt you more later... So, my advice is feel it and be in pain. Grieve and struggle. Get angry... but then find your way back on your terms. And when you're finally ready to face what they did to you, we know you will fight with everything you have, because that is the brother we know. Those prisoners died because they finally saw what we have always known."

When Raph had finished his speech, everyone was looking at the red clad brother slightly gob smacked. None of them at any time in their lives had ever heard their hot head brother speak like this. But he was, and he was doing it unashamed and without any anger. Instead Raph reach over, squeezing Donnie's shoulder before pulling his geeky brother into a one-armed hug. Donnie was lost for words in the face of all his brother's support, and for the first time since he was taken, he no longer felt alone.

A/N: Hope you like. Once again another story is done, after so long we come to the end of this story. I thank all those who stuck with us during this story, it wouldn't have be made if it wasn't for you. And once again Thank you Glazier Blue for your help.

New here's some good news if you all forgot. This isn't the end for Don. No there is going to be a sequel. Don still has some stuff to work through, and Glazier Blue and I have a good story plan in mind. Can't give anything away, but we hope you all will like it. We're going to be taking a break before we start on it. Still we hope to see you all in the next story. Till Next Time.