After seeing his brothers of the future die because of his plan, Don seeks out his team's strategist. Perhaps he could learn a better plan for if that future ever came, one where they would all make it out alive.

I don't own TMNT.

The purple banded turtle paced restlessly outside the room he shared with his eldest brother.

"Just go in and ask," he told himself, "He's your brother not a mutant turtle hungry tiger."

Don took a deep breath and then glanced up at the clock, 1:00am. Ever since they returned from their alternate dimensional traveling thanks to Draco/the Daimyo's son, Mikey had been out, playing his role of Turtle Titan all over the city, Raph was out riding his motorcycle until it practically fell apart and Leo was constantly reading more and more into Japanese history, specifically on ninja clans and samurai heroes. The genius turtle himself had said nothing other than he was sent to a dark future. The others had been so excited that they didn't press the issue.

Finally Don turned and ducked inside the shared room. The place was full of machine parts, unfinished inventions and other odds and ends the purple masked turtle thought could be useful. Leo often looked on with distaste at the sight of the room but he had promised not to complain as long as Don proved that there was use for whatever he scavenged. The room was mostly Don's, Leo's part of the room was built around the futon he slept on. He was currently sitting there now, reading an aged book. The blue masked turtle glanced up, aware that Don was there but more interested in the text on the pages. Don glanced around nervously, machine parts, bolts, screws, pieces of metal and plastic. They weren't that much of a distraction though.

He looked over at his eldest brother again and caught the nearly doubled amount of books on the one bookshelf Leo had near the foot of his bed. The wood of the shelves was old but the short bookcase held all of Leo's books. Then Don glanced back at Leo again before letting his eyes drift upward at his own bed. It was an amazing find, the high bunk and the futon below it. Well, he was pretty tired, he supposed he could wait for a few hours and get some sleep. He walked to the head of the bed and climbed up. About ten minutes later Don heard Leo get up and turn out the light, returning to his bed and lighting a candle to keep reading by. Finally Don turned onto his plastron and fell asleep. His dreams were nothing of the calmness and life of that dancing candle flame.

His mind spun as he fell back into the past, well the possible future? Those last few scenes ran over and over in his head. Mikey calling out only to be killed. Leo being stabbed in the back by Karai and Raph charging head on for vengeance, using the last of his strength to make it to his older brother. Then, Don opened his eyes and found himself in his bed at the present time, not 30 years in the future and with practiced ease he glanced down to see that his eldest brother was sleeping soundly. The room right of theirs shook with the snores of his immediate older brother and the random shouts from the left room assured Don that his little brother was still a kid. Try as he might he couldn't get back to sleep though. Ok, options: He could go down to his lab and rethink that stupid plan he had used, he could go ask his sensei, but no, their father was asleep, like everyone else. Don glanced down again and bit his lip. Ok the team's strategist was right there! So what was stopping him? Fear? What was he scared of though? It wasn't like Leo was going to convince the family to abandon him because of that stupid plan. Right?

An uneasy feeling settled in his stomach. It felt like an icy hand was going through his stomach and climbing it's way up his throat with long, sharp, pointed nails. He was scared, that that future could happen. Oh, he needed a brother right now. He silently slipped off his bed and when his feet hit the ground he found he had two options. You naturally went to an older being for comfort. He wasn't sure why, instinct he decided. So he could duck down here and talk with Leo or go see Raph. His hotheaded brother was in a good mood, which was rare, but Don did want to know, could he have done something different? He wanted to know but then he didn't. He wanted to know a more secure way of completing that mission and getting his future brothers out alive but he had already gotten them killed so he didn't want to know a better plan because it would only prove that he was wrong. He could deal with that sometimes but when there are lives on the line, especially his family's lives, he just couldn't be wrong. EVER. AGAIN.

With those thoughts in his head he stepped around the bed, thinking it was better to be wrong now to be better prepared for that future than to cower in fear of something that could possibly never happen. He knew his few footsteps had already woke up Leo but he always remained silent in case there was actually no reason to get worried. The purple masked turtle sat on the edge of Leo's bed and waited for-

"What is it Don? Something wrong?" Leo asked with a yawn as he sat up.

"Can I ask you a question Leo?"

"Sure," the eldest turtle said, reaching out and relighting the taper on his bedside table, before turning his eyes on his younger brother.

"Um, well, the question's um kind of…hypothetical," Don explained, fidgeting with his hands.

"Hypothetical?" Leo asked, musing on it for a minute, "Ok, what is it?"

"Uh, let's say there's this mad dictator and he's controlling the world," Don said.

"Yes and?"

"Well, you have to terminate him within a duration of a couple of hours. He controls trillions of strong robots, he has an enormous battle suit and a highly skilled right hand man."

"Ok, and the opposing force?" Leo asked clearly realizing that this was a talk of strategy, "What does it consist of?"

"There's four ni-warriors and three are handicapped."

"And how are they handicapped?" Leo asked, trying to meet Don's gaze but failing as the purple masked turtle's gaze seemed glued to the candle flame.

"One's blind and he uses a single blade."

"Uh huh."

"Another only has one eye and he uses um, two large knives."

"Yeah," Leo said, wondering where the heck this question came from.

"And the third uses a-a club."

"A club?"

Don nodded.

"Don, not to upset you, but this is becoming less and less of a simple question."

"Sorry," Don apologized, mentally slapping himself. How could Leo not grow suspicious?

Leo laughed quietly and reached out to lay a hand on his little brother's shoulder, "Go on."

Thinking he was already down the road of ruin anyways Don continued on, "Well, you have to break into his stronghold. Which is surrounded by hundreds of these advanced robots that are able to kill, pretty much anything. They're deadly."

When Leo didn't say anything the younger turtle continued on, "You have to get in and destroy him before he's able to spread his evil to other planets and galaxies."

"So this is on earth?"

"Y-yeah."

"Ok, well let's see," Leo said running all the data through his head, "Are these robots just on ground level or can they go underground and/or in the air?"

"Some can fly," Don said, "But they can't go underground."

"Well, I would suggest a drilling machine. Now this dictator, how evil and powerful is he?"

"So evil and powerful he makes Draco, the Ultimate Ninja, and the Shredder look like gardeners."

"Ok," Leo said, "So this guy's pretty powerful. Does he rely more on power or intelligence?"

"Definitely power," Don said quickly.

"Well, then all you have to do is outsmart him."

"Well ok, say you get in there," Don said, "Via the drilling machine, you have the four ni-warriors. They're facing the shre-uh-dictator."

Leo raised an eye ridge but let Don continue, his brain fitting the pieces together to how the mission could be completed.

"And he's got this giant battle suit and the forth warrior has one too but it's less advanced. It's like a stone wheel against a hydrogen bomb."

Leo hummed a second before closing his eyes, "Go on."

"His right hand man is there as well and as soon as all the warriors go out to face them, twenty of these advanced robots surround them."

"Is there anyone else on this opposing team besides these four warriors?" Leo asked, opening his eyes and watching as Don's gaze shifted to the floor.

"Yeah, there's an old woman who's really good with a gun, there's a muscular guy in a wheelchair and a guy with a robotic body and a human brain."

"Why does that sound familiar," Leo thought and then pushed the thoughts aside, he would meditate on it later this morning.

Speaking of that, Leo looked over at the clock of their door, 5:00am. He was usually in the dojo by now but he wanted to completely hear Don out and give him an answer. Well, as soon as he got to this 'hypothetical question'.

"The muscular guy does something stupid and begs the dictator for employment. The dictator destroys him and the robotic guy. The warrior in the battle armor is taking on the dictator, the blind warrior with the blade is taking on the dictator's right hand man, who's really good at fighting. The other two warriors are fighting back the bots."

"No rush Don," Leo said apologetically, "But, are we getting to the question soon?"

"Ok, here's the question," Don said laying his hands in his lap, "You know your team, you know your mission is to eliminate the dictator to save the world and you've got 1 in a 50 trillion chance to possibly complete the misson. How would you go in, take him out and get out without your team suffering casualties?"

"No casualties, well that makes it more difficult of course, it also makes it a little easier since there's not such a large team to worry about."

Leo was quiet for a long time. Too long.

"J-just forget it Leo. I shouldn't have asked."

"Oh no Don, it's fine, we discuss strategies all the time, it's nothing new but I have to admit this situation's quite impressive, I've never heard you come up with anything like it before."

How Don wanted to yell that he hadn't come up with it. It had happened! For real!

"I think it'd be best to discuss this over tea and coffee," Leo said with a smile before climbing to his feet and turning to hold out a hand to his younger brother, "Coming?"

Don let a relieved smile cross his face, maybe the kitchen would be better for discussing this instead of this dark, gloomy bedroom. He took Leo's hand and got pulled to his feet. They both made their way to the kitchen where Leo made himself a pot of green tea and Don started his coffee maker.

"So how'd you come up with this situation?" Leo asked.

"Internet. I got bored and checked out some of those internet games Mikey plays. I just really put a bunch of things together."

Leo seemed to believe the lie for the time being and turned to pour a cup of the green tea when the kettle whistled. Don turned to the coffee maker, pouring a large cup for himself. They both leaned against the counter, taking in the caffeine and sugar they needed for at least the next few hours and sat down at the table. The eldest reached over and pulled out a notebook and a pen from one of the shelves set up above the counter. Mikey usually used them for recipes he made up. Leo tore out a new sheet and drew a simple rectangle.

"Now what can you tell me about the room these warriors are in."

Don recalled the throne room perfectly and described every detail, making sure he wasn't speaking in past tense. Soon Leo had a full sketch and it perfectly matched the battlefield Don could remember.

"Let's see," Leo said, drawing out the sketch of a being in a large battle suit before drawing a slightly larger one in front of him, "I'd definitely fight fire with fire in this instance. As for this blind blade wielder, I'd have him against this dictator's right hand man."

"He is the most skilled of them," Don muttered, then snapped his jaw shut as Leo heard it.

"Ok, now can the other warriors take on these robots?'

"Maybe one at a time," Don murmured, taking a long drink of his coffee nervously.

So far Leo's plan was the same as his.

"Since you have this elderly woman around, you might as well use her. I'd have her and the one armed warrior using long range blasting and/or throwing weapons from above. They could climb on the banisters here and get the key advantage. As for the one eyed warrior. I'd set him to fight any robots below and also to cover the blind warrior's back. That way nothing could sneak up on either of them and they'd still have air support from the elderly woman and one armed warrior above."

Don just froze as Leo continued.

"I'd bind the dictator in the giant battle suit to the one using the smaller, lower tech battle suit. Have the drill on remote control and have the drill cut through them both. Then since this elderly woman's good with a gun, she'd hold off the robots with the blasting weapon of her choice while the one armed warrior throws a safety line down to their comrade so he can get out of his battle suit before he's destroyed along with it. After the dictator's gone they all focus on the right hand man then they destroy the robots or if they can't destroy them, they hold them off long enough to get away in the drilling machine. Mission complete your team suffers no casualties."

Don had ducked his head, a shadow hiding his eyes before his shoulders began shaking. He couldn't believe it, just a few, little adjustments and they could've all gotten out alive! He was so stupid!

"I got them killed," Don murmured, unaware he was saying it out loud, "I wasn't smart enough and they got killed, because of me."

"Don? Are you ok?" Leo asked, amazed, they were just discussing strategy, something they had in common but now his little brother oh-

A sniffle came from the purple masked turtle and Leo got up, walked up behind Don and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Don, my plan isn't perfect. In this scenario it's rare even one would get out alive. There's probably a better plan, this is just the one I would choose because it's more secure, if one warrior's in trouble at least one of the others could help."

"Why hadn't I thought of that!" Don screamed in his head, "Security, safety, backing each other up, supporting one another, that's what a family did. That's what a team did on a battlefield!"

"Don, what's wrong?" Leo asked, pulling a chair next to his purple masked brother.

"Nothing," Don said, but his voice cracked and he could just sense that it activated Leo's 'Big Brother' mode.

The purple masked turtle felt an arm slip around his shoulders before his older brother pulled him close.

"Don, please tell me what's wrong," Leo whispered.

The genius turtle shook his head before climbing to his feet and quickly saying he was going to get some sleep. Leo watched as his younger brother disappeared into their room. The eldest glanced back down at the paper and the plan. Well, it wasn't a perfect plan it was just a plan he thought would be part of he and Don's normal strategy discussions. Of course, those muttered words and cracking voice worried the leader. He was worried but he knew Don would open up in time. Leo glanced at the clock they had hanging over the door nearby.

5:30 am

He scooped up the empty coffee cup and tea cup from the table before dumping them in the sink. Then he walked into the main room and glanced towards the quiet rooms around him before ducking inside the dojo. Time to train.

I was bored and stuck on my essay I had to do for my history class.

Anyways, it was kind of just rambling so, review if you want.

~Moonsetta