Based on Same as it Never was. Enjoy.

Bittersweet World

Prologue

Donatello stared at the computer screen; he had now read the same line 5 times.

Sighing, he gave up and leaned back in his chair. He just couldn't seem to concentrate on anything anymore, not since he went to the future that is. Don just couldn't shake the images from his mind.

The chaos, the destruction, his brothers. The final battle and the final defeat. Watching his brothers die around him, and knowing that he could do nothing about it. They had all suffered so much, all that time. Thirty years. Thirty years of heartache and suffering. Of endless conflict.

It had hurt him to see how his two older brothers had fought, the hate that they had felt for each other, the rage and blame. But it was done now, and it Donatello felt an ach in his chest at the realization that and nothing that he could do could ever change what had been.

It had hurt him most to see how the world had fallen, the pain and suffering of the innocent people and not being able to do a thing about it.

It had hurt him to see the grave of his father, and realize that he was too late to say goodbye. To find out that he would never again speak to him, or his friend Casey. He couldn't do anything about it.

But what had hurt him most, was his only younger brother. He had been so different. He had been so hard and so cold, his humor was gone, his light heartedness. It was like he was a different person. Donatello's heart went out to see how he'd lost his innocence and grown up much, much too quickly.

He could do nothing.

Helpless. The though killed him. It was the truth.

Well the truth hurt.

Donnie was jerked out of his thoughts by the sound of his brother's voice, practically yelling, in his ear. After a moment, he turned to face Mikey.

His brother was bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet, leaning over the many things cluttering Don's desk.

"Donnie…"

"Yes… Mikey?"

"I got this new, super awesome, really cool video game and-"

"Not now Mikey, I don't have time."

Michelangelo frowned but brightened almost immediately.

"Ok, then, tell me what happened when that ultimate Draco-err, ultimate ninja…ninja Draco, whatyoucallit, transported us. Where did you go? You never really told us much, you know."

"Um, yeah, I know. And I don't plan on telling you anything more, now get out of my lab!" Don made a shooing gesture towards Mikey as he said this.

"Aw, come on Donnie? Please? I couldn't have been that bad….."

"It was that bad…" He spat out, "I… Mikey just drop it." Donatello dropped his face into his hands, sighing deeply.

After a moment's silence, Don felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Mikey looking at him, a small smile on his face, "If you don't want to talk about it, that's cool bro. I get it. Something happened with me too…" He frowned, "Something I wouldn't want to talk about either."

Donatello nodded gratefully.

Before he had a chance to answer, however, his door was flung open, Leonardo and Raphael both stalking into the room.

"You did it-"

"If ya hadn't started-"

"If you would listen for once"

"If you would stop bossing me around to damn much-"

"Fact is, you still broke it-"

"Did not!"

"Did!"

"Did n-"

Don detached himself from Mikey's grip and cleared his throat. " What exactly happened here?" He gave a weary sigh, "As you guys seem to be so mature today, I'm sure you could tell me…"

Raph and Leo both had the grace to look suitably ashamed.

As it turned out, they had been arguing…that turned into physical fighting…which resulted in them knocking over the-

"- Artifact? Are you guys insane? Do you know what could happen if we messed with that thing? We could get stuck in the future or the past or the time zone? You shouldn't have even been near it! And why," he asked, rounding on Mikey. "Was it even out of my lab to begin with!"

Mikey looked very flustered, ' Um, well, I, it's like, um-"

"Never mind, let's just see how bad the damage is"

With that Donatello hurried over to where Uncle Argies Artifact was lying and picked it up. Everything looked normal, he stood up just as his brothers came in.

"It looks alright" He stated in a relieved voice. " It should be fine, I'll just take it to my lab to check it out, but nothing-"

Donatello paused as a blue glow began to fill the room.

"Oh shell."

When the light cleared, there was no one there. Everyone had disappeared.

So what did you think?