"We have to help him guys!" Mikey cried out, looking at the building that was above them, ablaze and covered in flames. His heart was hammering, beating too fast but he didn't pay attention to it, he didn't pay attention to anything but the thought of Leo up there, alone.

"We can't Mikey, the fire is getting too much" April reasoned, narrowing her eyes. Mikey frowns, growling low in his throat.

"I don't care, Leo is up there, all alone" Mikey shot back, looking at the two humans, and specifically Raph and Don, who were both down here, which meant one thing. Leo was alone up there, facing the Shredder. Someone their father couldn't win from, someone they couldn't defeat.

The man who killed his papa.

And he wasn't just going to abandon his older brother.

Mikey narrowed his eyes, taking out his chucks and letting one end fall to create the kusarigama chain.

"Mikey don't" Don cried out, but Mikey was already running, throwing the chain and wrapping it around a high branch, pulling himself up.

TMNT

"You killed him! He was your brother, and you killed him." Leo cried out, swords drawn and circling around the rooftop. Heat was attacking him, flames licking at his shell. But he could only focus on the figure in front of him, the man who was responsible for tearing his family apart, threatening his brothers.

Shredder didn't say anything, growling lowly and staring at the leader of the Hamato clan, the head of the clan right now since Splinter was out of the picture.

"He was your brother Saki, your best friend! How could you do that?!" Leo tried, dodging an attack from the Super Shredder, feeling the figure rush past him by mere centimetres. He cried out as he felt something collide with his shell.

"Splinter was cursed to become a lonesome rat" Shredder growled, throwing Leo on the ground and against one of the walls, dropping him like a sack of potatoes. "It was his faith, his destiny" A hand wrapped around his throat, lifting him off the ground. Leo's eyes widened, staring into Shredder's eyes.

He narrowed his eyes, baring his teeth. "You're a monster, a demon. Is that your destiny?" Leo hissed.

"No... I-I-" Shredder hesitated. Leo reached for his sword, trying to attack the enemy holding him but before he knew it another hand wrapped around his wrist. Leo's eyes widened, panic seeping through his body and heart hammering in his chest, and before he knew it, Shredder snapped his wrist.

Leo let out a cry of pain, a gurgling sound forced from his throat before Shredder punched him, throwing him far away until he came to a stop, not moving. Pain was pulsing through his body, his wrist throbbing. Shredder walked over to him, extending his blades.

"And now you die" Saki growled, eyes narrowing and raising his blade, lowering it with immense speed. And Leo could do nothing but stare at it with fear, the tips of the blades nearing his stomach, killing him instantly if they made contact.

"NO!" A voice screamed, rushing past his brother and wrapping the chain around Saki's wrist, flipping over him and pulling the hand away from his oldest brother.

"Foolish turtle!" Shredder growled, ripping his hand free, causing Mikey to fly towards him. But instead of being surprised, Mikey growled, kicking Shredder and landed near Leo.

"Leo" Mikey whispered, stashing his chucks and hosting up his brother to the best of his ability, dragging his brother away. They didn't get far, Mikey dragged Leo to the middle of the rooftop, planning to go further but suddenly a fist slammed into his plastron. He cried out, landing on the ground, away from his brother.

Shredder didn't say anything, smirking almost as he watched Mikey land a couple of meters away, bending down to grab Leo by his throat. Leo cried out weakly, reaching for the hand with his uninjured arm.

"I will kill him Michelangelo" Saki growled, looking as Mikey slowly stood up, facing the man who was currently holding his oldest brother up, ready to kill him. "I will end him like I ended your pathetic father"

"NO" Mikey screamed and then he literally seemed to explode. Orange energy, light, whatever it was, seemed to fly in every direction, knocking both Shredder and Leo away. "I won't lose anyone else" He continued, the glowing light completely surrounding him, travelling all the way to his chucks.

Leo slowly lifted himself up, eyes wide as he watched his youngest brother.

"What is this?!" Shredder roared but Mikey didn't answer, screaming in anger and charging forwards, eyes white and narrowed in concentration. He struck, his chuck connecting with Shredder and the mutant was forced to claw at the ground to keep him from moving backwards too much.

Leo crawled backwards slightly, trying to get out of the way as Mikey barely missed him as he struck again. He seemed to never stop, constantly moving, hitting Shredder and dodging another attack.

Mikey jumped back, using his hands to catapult until he was standing on a broken wall, crouching down. He was panting harshly, sweat trickling down his face. Whatever was happening to him... it was exhausting him.

Leo could hear footsteps approach him but he didn't react to it, recognising them as Don's and Raph's footsteps, he could only focus on his littlest brother charging again.

"MIKEY!" Raph screamed, as Shredder caught one nun chuck in his hand, swirling it around and letting Mikey fly against the wall, denting it. "We have to help him" He cried out, looking at Leo and Don. Leo grit his teeth, looking at his wrist, already swelling, before reaching out for his katana.

"Don, Raph, go for his arms" Leo ordered and immediately his two immediate younger brothers nodded, drawing their own weapons. Mikey was already up again, charging again, eyes still white but a grin on his face as he watched his two older brothers join him in the fight.

"You're going down Shredder" Don yelled, snapping his bo staff in half against Shredder's head and jumping backwards without much of a thought, growling in frustration at his now broken weapon.

"Don, manoeuvre 9" Raph yelled, charging in together with Mikey, attacking at the same time while Don threw out his grappling hook, jumping and wrapping it around Shredder's left wrist. Shredder growled, kicking and forcing Raph to jump backwards to avoid getting hit but Mikey wasn't fast enough.

The foot connected with the side of his head and he flew backwards, rolling over the ground but immediately getting up.

"LEO!" Mikey screamed, his voice changed, lower as he still glowed. Raph jumped again, wrapping the chain around Shredder's order wrist before Mikey could even land on the ground, before he even screamed.

"Now!" Raph roared and Mikey screamed in anger, energy practically dripping from his nun chuck as he allowed it to fall, creating his kusarigama chain again. He charged again, flipping right over Saki while wrapping the chain around his neck. He landed behind Saki, pulling the chain until Saki was forced to crane his neck.

Forced to expose his neck to Leo's Katana.

Mikey didn't look, back facing the Shredder but he could hear the metal slicing through skin, blood covering his shell and he released the chain, jumping forwards and rolling out of the way before Shredder falls down, the head dropping right next to him.

Leo was panting, dropping his katana and falling to his knees, clutching his wrist.

He looks up, both Raph and Don had released the chains, now standing next to each other and checking each other for injuries. Leo turned his head just fast enough to see the glow completely leave Mikey's body, his eyes returning to the bright blue colour before they rolled into the back of his head, his legs giving out.

Before he could even react a green figure shot past him, Raph catching their littlest brother before he could hit the ground.

"Mikey?" Raph whispered in panic, carefully lowering the orange banded turtle. Don immediately crouched down next to him, reaching out to support Mikey's head. Raph shifted slightly until Mikey's was resting on Raph's arm, head falling to the side and touching Raph's plastron.

"You with me Mikey?" Don whispers, nudging Mikey slightly and the youngest turtle blinks sluggishly in response, staring at his immediate older brother.

"Is it done?" Mikey whispers in a low voice, eyes glancing at Leo, who was now slowly crouching down next to Mikey as well. Raph frowns, looking at the decapitated form of their biggest enemy before reaching for Mikey's mask, gently taking it off and tilting his head slightly to look at the wound.

Blood was already starting to dry to his skin, covering most part of his left side.

"We should leave, the fire will reach this part soon" Leo ordered, looking directly at his littlest brother with a frown on his face. Mikey glanced at Leo, before glancing down at his wrist. Leo was trying to hide it from the rest but of course Mikey saw right through it. He had heard Leo's cry of pain after all.

"I don't think I can walk on my own bros" Mikey offered and Raph frowned, looking at Don. The purple masked turtle seemed to understand the silent conversation immediately, helping Raph get Mikey on his back. The latter groaned a few times as he was jostled multiple times but eventually slumped when he was on Raph's shell.

Leo nodded, signalling Raph and Don to run ahead.

TMNT

"What happened out there Mikey?" Don asks, opening up one of his eyes and shining a light in it. The youngest turtle squints, squirming on the bed.

"I don't know" He whispers honestly, wincing as Raph gently starts to wash the side of his face. The wound was still sore, and was bleeding again now Raph had cleaned off most of the blood. Not to mention his head was still pounding and his limbs didn't want to corporate.

"I think Master Splinter was right" Leo whispered, sitting on the other side of the bed and watching his littlest brother closer. Don looks up, frowning slightly.

"You mean about the intuition" He states, and Leo looks up with red eyes, nodding numbly.

"That was spiritual energy.. dad always mentioned how Mikey was the most gifted, but I don't think he ever thought this was possible"

"Wait he thought I was...?" Mikey interrupts, turning his head to look at Leo. The latter sighs again, nodding painfully. "He never told me" He continues, frowning slightly.

"He wasn't sure... and you always had trouble concentrating. He wanted you to figure it out yourself" Leo explains, reaching out to grasp Mikey's hand. The latter doesn't react, but doesn't pull away either.

"Well he sure as hell did" Raph shrugs, reaching out to pick up a needle and a thread. Don chuckles, putting away the light and helping Mikey sit up a bit straighter before looking at Leo.

"Your turn" He announces, and Leo just lifts his injured arm for Don to see it. "Do you think it's dangerous?" He asks after a short silence and Leo looks up, cringing slightly at the sight of his mangled wrist but Don was as careful as always and he wasn't causing any more pain than what he already felt.

It took Leo a moment to understand what Donnie was talking about, would Mikey's connection with the spiritual world be dangerous?

"I don't know" He answers honestly, looking at Mikey again. His littlest brother had his head slightly turned towards him so Raph had better access to the wound, and his immediate little brother was currently in the process of disinfecting the wound before he could stitch the wound shut.

"Didn't dad tell you anything?" Mikey croaks softly, no resentment or anything in his voice. Just curiosity and slight fear. Raph put away the disinfect and carefully made the first stitch. Mikey winced slightly but stayed still. Leo shook his head at Mikey's question.

"I don't think he could've told us anything, he has never been able to use it like you did" Any other time Mikey would've been gloating at the fact that he was good at something but the realisation that he was better than his own dad, and that he wasn't here right now, only served as a blow to the gut.

He swallows painfully, humming slightly as he closes his eyes. All brothers seem to catch on Mikey's train of thought and Leo carefully reached out again, rubbing Mikey's arm.

"He would be proud little bro" He whispers softly, and Mikey opens his eyes again, smiling weakly.

"I miss him" Mikey responds.

"We all do Mikey" Raph tries to assure his little brother, stopping for a moment.

"I will get some mattresses to the pit" Leo announces softly, and Mikey grins, nodding with a slight sparkle in his eyes, joy slowly returning.

"I will help" Don opts, glancing at the now splinted arm of Leo. The latter nods, allowing Don to catch up with him before walking out of the room together.

TMNT

There was sound, but he couldn't hear what it was. He frowned, whipping his head around but he was met by nothing but darkness. The sound got louder, it seemed like someone was talking, talking to him, but he didn't see anything, or anyone. The figure, or whoever was talking, said something again, louder this time.

"Hello?" Mikey asks, unsure, taking a hesitant step. There it was again, louder this time.

"Michelangelo" The figure spoke suddenly, much clearer than before. Mikey yelps, turning around again and looking at the figure of his father.

"Dad?" Mikey whispers, taking a step backwards. His father's face softens slightly, a smile on his face.

"It is alright my son" The rat assures, kneeling in front of his son so they were approximately the same height. "It is me, I promise"

That was all Mikey needed, his eyes widened, and he rushed forwards, wrapping his arms around his father's neck tightly and burying his face in his fur. "Dad" He mumbled, trying to contain the tears that were threatening to spill.

"I don't understand" Mikey whispers, reluctantly pulling away and looking at his father. The latter smiled, stroking the side of Mikey's head. "Are you real?"

"Not real enough my son." The rat admits, bowing his head for a second. "We are in the spiritual plane, between life and death"

"Am I dying?" Mikey immediately asks and Splinter chuckles, shaking his head.

"You are not my son, you will be fine" Splinter says, smile faltering and a sad look appears on his face.

"But you won't" Mikey deducts and Splinter nods painfully. "Will I be able to see you again?"

But Splinter shakes his head. "I requested to stay until you had defeated my brother. I gave guidance to Leonardo and strength to you all, but I cannot stay here forever"

"You wanted to say goodbye" Mikey states, and Splinter nods again.

"They would let me stay until I knew you were safe from Saki" Splinter says and Mikey nods heavily, sinking to his own knees and staring at his father with wide eyes.

"We are safe now..." He whispers, and Splinter closes his eyes for a moment. "This is the last time I will see you, the last time any of us can"

"You are correct my son" Splinter speaks softly.

"Why me? Why only contact me, and what happened to me with the Shredder?" Mikey asks, leaning forwards slightly, anxious to hear about his experience and what it meant. But much to his disappointment, his dad shook his head, a low chuckle escaping his throat. Mikey sank back down again.

"I have not told you before, but I always suspected you to be the most spiritually gifted. I however, cannot tell you much about what happened. You are more advanced than I have ever been, something far greater than I have ever seen" Splinter explains but Mikey frowns in almost disappointment.

"I don't know what to do dad, the energy... it exhausted me... it hurt" Mikey admits and Splinter frowns.

"I know my son, and you should not lie about your pain to your brothers" Mikey nods slowly. "But I have faith that you will figure this out. As for merely contacting you, I could only reach you" Splinter continues, and Mikey tilts his head slightly.

"Why? You said you talked to Leo before" Mikey asks and Splinter hums in agreement.

"He was reaching out to me when I did, now he was. I was only able to contact you because of your spiritual connection" His dad explained, looking up with a frown. "I do not have much time left" He announces, causing Mikey to immediately widen his eyes, panic rising and heart pounding.

"I can't lose you again" Mikey tries, taking a step forwards and reaching out for his dad's hand. Splinter's face softens, squeezing Mikey's hand softly.

"I will never truly leave you, I will only be unable to talk to you. But I will always be with you and your brothers, in here" He says, putting a hand on Mikey's plastron. Mikey looks up, tears in his eyes.

"What do I tell them?" Mikey whispers and Splinter smiled sadly.

"That I love all of you, my son. You have given me a new family these past 17 years, and I will always continue loving you. You are brave, you will get through this together." Splinter says, putting his hands on Mikey's shoulders.

"Not without you dad" Mikey whispers, wrapping his arms around Splinter's neck again.

"You will be okay my son, together" Splinter says, squeezing his son gently one more time before standing up. "It is time" He merely announces, but Mikey refuses to let go off his hand as his dad slowly starts to rise.

"I love you dad" Mikey says softly, voice cracking and tears streaming down his face, but he doesn't fight it. He holds his hand through the entire time, before his dad literally vanishes, his hand grasping thin air. "Always" Mikey sinks to the ground, putting his hand against his plastron.

A soft orange light lights up beneath his hand, just above his heart.

He doesn't wake up, but Raph senses his distress, snuggling closer to his younger brother, not waking. And despite the tears flowing down Mikey's cheeks, he smiled slightly, the area around his heart glowing orange.

Always.