Disclaimer: I don't own TMNT

Chapter 1: Gone

The sun was beginning to set in New York City as the turtles emerged from the sewers. They quickly made their way to the rooftops and began their race, Leo and Mikey in the lead and Raph and Don not too far behind. They ran and leaped from rooftop to rooftop like there was no tomorrow.

"Hey Leo! Think fast!" yelled Mikey as he attempted to kick Leo and get ahead of him. But Leo ducked and Mikey went flying into a wall.

"Oof! Hey!" Mikey watched as an upside-down Leo dashed away laughing. Mikey got up and was now running next to Raph and Don. The three of them arrived at their destination and saw Leo waiting for them.

"Man you guys are really slow," said Leo.

Mikey stuck his tongue out at Leo, Raph and Don just shot a glare at him.

"Alright ya won this time Fearless Leader, but next time ya gonna…"

"Raph don't stress about it it's just a race," said Don.

"Don't worry Raph," said Mikey with an evil look on his face, " I know how we can get back at him,"

Leo looked a little scared, he quickly braced himself for anything Mikey might do, and of course that was anything. Mikey suddenly hurled a water balloon at Leo and it hit him right in the face. Leo stumbled back in surprise.

"Hey!" said Leo, "where did that come from?"

"As a leader you should be more observant, especially with me," said Mikey. Leo stood there dripping and with a big frown on his face. Raph and Don couldn't help but snicker.

Leo suddenly sprang forward, not to attack his mischievous brother, but because three ninja stars almost hit him.

"What the shell!" said Raph as the four of them pulled out their weapons and looked around for their attacker. Then a group of Foot Ninjas came out of nowhere. The turtles didn't wait they immediately attacked.

Mikey leaped in the air and took out four ninjas with his nunchuks. Raph took out two with a split-kick, then dodged a blow from another and took him out. Don twirled his Bo staff and knocked down a group of ninjas that were circled around him. Leo was cutting through ninjas like they were sheets of paper. But he felt that something was wrong.

Leo looked over at Don, he was doing fine, he looked at Raph he was doing more than fine. He looked over at Mikey who seemed to be doing fine but something was coming at him a large metal ball. Leo ran over to Mikey.

"MIKEY LOOK OUT!" screamed Leo. Mikey spun around and just as he did Leo leaped in front of him and the object smashed against Leos head. Leo collapsed unconscious.

"Leo!" shouted Mikey. He felt anger rise up in him; he sprang towards the ninjas and finished them off. The fight was over. Mikey ran to Leo's side.

"Leo! Oh my god! Leo! Don't be dead! Please don't be dead!" Mikey cradled Leo in his arms. Raph and Don ran over to him.

"Mikey what happened?" asked Raph in shock

"He got hit by that thing," said Mikey pointing to the metal ball. Don knelled down and studied the head wound.

"We have to get him back fast this looks really bad," Don got up and briefly got the size and weight of the object that hit Leo, Raph helped a trembling Mikey pick up Leo and they all ran back to the lair.

Splinter was fast asleep in his room but he jerked awake when he heard a lot of commotion in the main room. He heard Mikey and Raphs panic stricken voices and Don trying to calm them down. He knew that something was wrong. He got up and ran out of his room and saw his sons go into the medical room. He dashed across the room and into the medical room. He saw Leo lying on the table unconscious, Don and Raph were standing around him Raph was carefully listening to Dons instructions and helping him. Mikey was sitting in a chair nearby shacking and crying.

"My sons what happened?" said Splinter

"Sorry Sensei we can explain at the moment," said Don and continued to work on Leo. Splinter went over to Mikey and hugged him.

"Michelangelo tell me what happened," said Splinter

"W-we were…on the rooftop…t-the Foot…attacked us…Leo jumped…in front of me…got hit…by a…thing,"
Splinter held Mikey tighter to help him stop crying. "My son it will be alright, Leonardo is strong he will overcome this injury,"

After what seemed like hours Don and Raph finished. And Don explained Leo's injury.

"He has brain damage to the frontal lobe," Don started

"Please tell me that the frontal lobe controls stuff he doesn't need," said Mikey desperately.

"I wish I could. The frontal lobe controls: speech, movement, emotions, reasoning; the things he needs the most. When he wakes up, he gonna be…different,"

"This is my fault," said Mikey

"No Mikey this a'nt your fault you did nothing…"

"The thing was gonna hit me and Leo jumped in front of me. If I had been more aware then this wouldn't have happened!"

"My son this is not your fault. Fighting in a battle is not easy, there are many distractions, and it is difficult to be aware of all your surroundings."

Mikey and Splinter stood by Leo's side waiting for his to wake up, or even move slightly. Raph and Don were in the kitchen getting food. Finally Leo moved.

"He's waking up!" said Mikey he called out to Raph and Don "guys he's waking up!" Raph and Don came running in. Leo opened his eyes and looked at all of them.

"Leo? How are you feeling?" asked Don. Leo didn't answer but he smiled, the smile was so wrong for him, it was child-like. Don smiled back, he wasn't surprised he knew that Leo would be acting different, but it was still strange.

"Can you say something?"

Leo opened his mouth, "D-Da," Leo started

"I think he's trying to say your name Don," said Raph

"D-Da…Da…Dan,"

Don smile faded away for a moment, "Close enough. Leo do you remember who that is," he pointed to Splinter, and Splinter stepped forward.

"Spl…enta,"

"Good." Raph stepped forward.

Leo looked at him "Waph," Raph smiled at Leo

"Good job," he said, Leo smiled and looked very proud of himself, but again it was child-like.

Then Mikey stepped forward, "M-Makey,"

"Ok," said Don "well at least his memory isn't damaged, at least that much. Leo can you sit up for me," Mikey looked at Don with a sad expression on his face, he was starting to talk to Leo like he was a baby.

With a lot of difficulty Leo pushed himself up in a sitting position, then started swaying as if to keep his balance. He then almost fell over to the side but Raph caught him.

"Do ya think he'll be able to walk?" said Raph

"I don't think so," said Don. He looked at Mikey who had tears in his eyes "Mikey…" Mikey ran out of the room, he couldn't stand to see his brother like this.

"I'll get him," said Raph as he ran after Mikey.

Don and Splinter gave each other a sad look. Don helped Leo lay back down. Leo giggled.

"Sensei, I don't think he'll ever be the same again. Not with the amount of damage he received."

"It certainly looks that way now, but that could change. Leonardo is strong, he will heal to some extent."

"Oh I'm sure he will too, but no matter how much he heals I think we're gonna have to take care of him for the rest of his life,"

Splinter fought back the tears that threatened to come out. He couldn't believe that Leonardo, his eldest son, the leader, the responsible one, was gone.

A/N: Chapter 2 probably won't be up until the end of next week. Thanks for reading and please review!