A/N: After an awfully long wait where I struggled for...a year?... to get just the LAST scene written, here it is!

Michelangelo woke with a start that sent his worn body into ripples of painful throbs. He let out a startled gasp at the pain before collapsing back down on the soft bed, his body already curling as much as possible. It took a few minutes for his body to calm down and, when it did, Michelangelo had the chance to notice the room he woke up in: his own bedroom.

"What?" Slowly, he moved out of the curl and glanced around the room. It was definitely his. He could see the silver sentry poster on his closed door and his comic books were stacked were he left them. He saw glittering on the floor in the corner and remembered the glass he had thrown after one of his fights with Leo. That was the fight that got Splinter involved. Thinking back on it now, Mikey realized Splinter's punishment meant to keep them together so they could work out their problems, but it backfired. Or…maybe it didn't?

There was a knock on the door then and then young turtle glanced up but did not speak. The door was opened and he sensei's nose proceeded the visitor. "May I come in, my son?"

"…Ah, 'kay," Mikey said, still watching as the rat stepped into the room. "Where's Donny and Raph?"

"With your brother." Splinter replied, "May I?" He indicated the bed and Mikey immediately made room for him. "You have done a good thing, Michelangelo. Am I correct in assuming you are better?"

"I don't know… I had a freaky dream," He said, morosely.

"You were with Leonardo. Speaking with him…?" The old rat asked, though the twinkle in his eye said he already knew.

"Yeah…how did you-?" Mikey finally looked into his sensei's eyes and he understood. "…It was real?"

"Spiritually speaking," Splinter grinned, "I witnessed it through my spiritual link with Leonardo. He called out to you."

"Is he going to be okay now?" Mikey's voice held a desperate edge. He felt worry when Splinter's grin turned into a frown.

"I do not know. It has been so long. Leonardo still has a battle ahead of him. He is fighting, but he will need time. He is hurting… Can you hear him?" Splinter glanced at the still open door.

It was like the look turned off the mute button to the outside world. Just a few seconds of really listening, and he caught the muffled noises from below: screaming and shouting. Mikey could only recognize Raphael and Donatello's voices. Leonardo's was an indistinguishable whine.

"…Can I…see him, sensei?" Michelangelo asked.

"Are you able to walk? I hear your leg is still troubling you…"

"Yeah but…"

"Your brothers are busy and I cannot carry you."

"I don't care. I need to see him!"

Splinter's smile returned. "As long as you are careful and you do not use your leg so much or your injured hand. I will attempt to assist you. Do not tell Donatello I let you try."

"Deal." Mikey said with his own grin. Now the only thing stopping him was the blanket which had managed to tangle his legs together. With Splinter's help, Mikey finally sat up with his feet dangling over the edge of the bed. The last time he had tried to walk still worried him. He didn't feel weak anymore, but the thought of falling again stilled him for a bit

Splinter held out a clawed hand to his son and Mikey gave him a small smile. He held the arm of his injured hand out so he could use his good hand to push himself off the bed. He balanced his weight on his good leg and waited a minute until he was steady. "I think I can make it." He said softly.

"I'll be right with you."

Michelangelo moved slowly, limping and hoping a little. He kept a loose grip on Splinter's shoulder when he didn't have a rail or wall to help him move. Sometimes he nearly fell, but he kept moving. Eventually he was near enough to the lab to hear what was going on clearly. Then he opened the door.

Inside, his eyes strayed from where Donatello was frantically searching for something to Raph standing by the cot holding Leonardo down. Raph was either yelling at Donny to hurry up or speaking softly to Leo to calm down. Then Mikey really looked at Leo. The eldest was trashing and groaning as if trapped in some freak nightmare. He wasn't responding to Raph's frantic words of comfort. It was almost like he couldn't hear it as he movement nearly dislodged Raph's firm hold. And then…

"MIKEY!"

Michelangelo jumped at Leonardo's desperate cry. He barely noticed that Donny and Raph had frozen. Both had their eyes on Leo's desperate movement, before the noticed Mikey in the doorway.

"Go, my son." Master Splinter whispered behind Mikey, "Your brother calls for you."

Mikey bowed his head as he slowly limped into the room. To him, the room seemed to have gone silent. Even Leo's trashing carried no sound.

"Mikey…!" Donny exclaimed but just a look from the rat silenced any more protest.

"I'm here, Leo," Mikey whispered as he touched Leo's arm. Just the one touch had Leonardo going limp and his closed eyes relaxed. Now they fluttered, almost as if Leo was trying to open them.

"Mikey…?" Leo's voice was rough and barely audible.

"Hey bro," Mikey said with a small smile.

"I almost thought-"

"Shut up, Leo," Mikey grinned as he touched a finger to Leo's mouth, "Your voice sounds horrible."

For a fraction of a second, the corners of Leo's mouth twitched into a smile in return.

"Have a seat, Mike," Raph nearly growled as he watched Mikey's form slumping from exhaustion. Mikey plopped down into the chair as he kept a careful hold of Leo's injured wrist. "So's this anotha goodbye 'r ya actually stayin' this time?" Raph asked Leo.

"Staying I guess…" Leo frowned before glancing up at Raph, "Sorry…don't remember all I said but I'm sorry…"

"Sorry ain't cuttin' it this time, bro. Ya ain't eva doin' that again ta me, got it?"

"Raph…"

Mikey leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Leo's head as he shot a glare at Raph, his eyes carrying an inner turmoil that Raph dared not point out. "Stop it, Raph. It's not a good time for that right now."

"Mikey…?" Leo's somewhat muffled voice said as he moved as if to push him away but didn't have the energy.

Michelangelo silently lifted off of him a bit, still glaring at Raph.

"Do you think you can drink a glass of water, Leo?" Donny asked from beside them.

"Hmm?" Leo mumbled, opening eyes that had threatened to close on him. "It would be nice."

"We'll try it." Donny said before he ran off.

"Ya stayin', Mike? I need some air." Raph said.

"Yeah, I'm staying." Mikey answered him. Then Raph was gone as well. The silence left Leo struggling to stay awake until he finally just left his eyes closed.

"Leo? Are you still awake?"

"Hmm, yeah…" Leo mumbled, not even bothering to open his eyes again. "Tired though."

"Splinter said that dream was real and that you pulled me in…"

"Mmm…"

"Di-did you really plan to jump?"

Leonardo frowned as he forced his eyes open enough to catch his brother's wide-eyed disbelief. "I-" He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Well…I think it's more like falling than… I almost fell…" His eyes slipped closed as he turned away, guiltily.

"I…thought so… Even when we were still prisoners, I thought you were falling. I didn't want you to. I didn't want to see it either… I hated it…"

"I know. I didn't want you to see it as well."

"At least you're back. I didn't like the idea of losing you. You're my big brother." Mikey wanted to hug Leo, but he knew he shouldn't. He knew he didn't need to when Leo smiled in response.

Neither said anything more as Donatello reentered the room to help Leonardo drink some water before the eldest was finally allowed to sleep. Mikey refused to leave Leo's side from that moment on. When they tried, Leo would groan and, though still mostly asleep, latch onto Mikey's arm. Donatello was forced to give up and drag a cot over for Mikey to sleep in. Though Leonardo physical health was increasing, the two brothers felt his attachment with the youngest wasn't healthy for both parties…

"Fuck, Donny! Wake up!" Raphael exclaimed as once again; their spar abruptly ending when Donatello's lack of concentration opened him up for an attack. Raph twirled his twin sai before replacing them in his belt. He thrust his open hand out at Don to help him up. "I hate it when yer distracted."

Donny sighed as he took the hand. "Sorry." This evening spar was meant to be relaxing, but it was only turning out to be a bust. He just couldn't stay focused.

"Sorry ain't gonna cut it this time," Raphael said, a good portion of his previous frustration gone. "Talk ta me. What's eating at ya this time?"

Donatello grabbed a bottle of water and took a sip before speaking. "You can't tell me you haven't noticed how co-dependent Leo and Mike have become. It's been nearly three months. Leo should be walking around by now, but he's still bedridden. And Mikey's not any help. He's just holding Leo back. "He glanced towards the infirmary hidden behind the paper door. "It's not right."

"They'll snap out of it. They don't need us babysittin'."

"It's not getting better. I've never seen either of them act like this. I'm worried. Leo's not even trying, Raph. You know that's not normal behavior. By this time, he should be up and running around with the rest of us whether he was ready to or not."

"Whaddaya expect me ta do about it? I ain't no shrink." In a fit of emotion, Raph whipped his sai at the wall. The weapon buried itself in the brick, quivering. "What if there ain't nuthin' we can do? I don't get Leo anymore. I know he ain't fuckin' acting right." He walked to the wall as he spoke and retrieved his sai. "I'm not good with this shit."

"That's the problem, Raph. I don't know." Don sighed. "If I did, I would have implemented it immediately."

"Well, don't expect me ta have an answer for ya, brainiac."

"Duly noted."

The two brothers looked away from each other, lost in their own thoughts on the subject.

"It is not quite as difficult as you believe, musuko."

The voice of their Master Splinter caught the boys' attention in an instant. The elder rat stood framed in the doorway, his clawed hand only lightly grasping his walking stick. Splinter looked remarkably better than he had in recent months. With the worry for his son's survival lifted, light sparkled a new in his dark eyes.

"You have cleared the most difficult hurdle already. All that is left are the memories too near. You need only to awaken their spirits anew to the joys of family. I suggest a game of ninja tag. It has always been a favorite or you boys'."

"…That's it?" Don asked.

"What if they refuse?" Raph asked next.

"They will not refuse." Their sensei smiled. "I will be the one to suggest it to them."

A/N: And they all lived happily ever after until their next big adventure. Seriously. I'm done with this fic. Unless I decide to add a chapter where they find Shredder, I'm labeling this as complete. Do you know how hard it is to upload a new chapter where most of what was written is a year old and the new writing style is just so different and better? Yeah, it feels weird. But I got it finished anyway! Yay me!