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His role in the family takes an unexpected turn when his brothers decide to expand on his job description.", "count": "24", "submission_left_submission_id": "1586333", "submission_left_file_name": "2255694_hummerhouse_beck_and_call_part_23.doc", "submission_left_thumbnail_url_huge": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/huge/2255/2255694_hummerhouse_beck_and_call_part_23.jpg", "submission_left_thumbnail_url_large": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/large/2255/2255694_hummerhouse_beck_and_call_part_23.jpg", "submission_left_thumbnail_url_medium": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/medium/2255/2255694_hummerhouse_beck_and_call_part_23.jpg", "submission_left_thumb_huge_x": "300", "submission_left_thumb_huge_y": "221", "submission_left_thumb_large_x": "200", "submission_left_thumb_large_y": "147", "submission_left_thumb_medium_x": "120", "submission_left_thumb_medium_y": "88" } ], "description": "Disclaimer: The TMNT are not mine. No money being made.\nWord Count part 24: 4,880 multi-chapter 2k3\nSummary: Donatello is known as the 'go-to Turtle', the guy who can fix all sorts of things. His role in the family takes an unexpected turn when his brothers decide to expand on his job description.\nRatings per chapter vary - R to NC-17\n~~This incredible preview image was commissioned from the very gifted @NeiNing.\n \n!!~~Winner in the Universal TMNT Fanfiction Competition 2016: (Erotica Ballot) Sexiest Donatello 1st Place; Most Turtle-Tastic T-Cest 1st Place \n", "description_bbcode_parsed": "Disclaimer: The TMNT are not mine. No money being made.
Word Count part 24: 4,880 multi-chapter 2k3
Summary: Donatello is known as the 'go-to Turtle', the guy who can fix all sorts of things.  His role in the family takes an unexpected turn when his brothers decide to expand on his job description.
Ratings per chapter vary - R to NC-17
~~This incredible preview image was commissioned from the very gifted \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNeiNing\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t		\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNeiNing\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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!!~~Winner in the Universal TMNT Fanfiction Competition 2016: (Erotica Ballot) Sexiest Donatello 1st Place; Most Turtle-Tastic T-Cest 1st Place  
", "writing": "\t``They wanna see dead, I'll show `em dead!'' Raphael yelled into the shell cell.\n\n\tDonatello had no idea what Casey had told his brother, but it had clearly angered Raph. Stopping the situation from getting any worse was priority number one. Jumping to his feet, Don saw that Leo was already walking towards Raph and instinctively knew that would lead to a clash that would do the family no good.\n\n\tMoving quickly, Don reached Raph before Leo could. Rather than trying to take the phone away from his brother, Don called out loudly, ``Hang up the phone, Casey. Right now.''\n\n\tIf it had been anyone other than Donatello, their human friend might not have listened. Such a demand from the genius was not something with which Casey was accustomed. That he had disconnected was clear when Raph pulled the phone away from his head and glared at Don.\n\n\t``What the hell do ya' think you're doing?'' Raph barked. ``Do ya' know what he told me? The Shredder's got his minions setting up recruitment bases all over the city. They're telling people they wiped us out!''\n\n\t``Since that's not true, it doesn't matter,'' Leo said, pulling Raph's scowl over to him.\n\n\t``It don't matter? Once a kid joins, how's he supposed to quit? We've gotta get out there and shut them down!'' Raph shouted.\n\n\t``We can't do . . . .'' Leo began.\n\n\t``Don't tell me what . . . .'' Raph interrupted.\n\n\t``Enough!''\n\n\tThe command was sharp and forceful, pulling the brother's attention from each other to the speaker.\n\n\tMaster Splinter stood near the entrance to his room, his whole body seeming to quiver with some repressed emotion. He stared at his sons, his entire demeanor imposing.\n\n\tAfter a moment of silence in which the very air felt electrically charged, Master Splinter said, ``It is evident that I have put this conversation off for far too long. Raphael, come with me.''\n\n\tHe didn't wait for an acknowledgment, instead turning back to his room. Clearly he brooked no dissension and it was easy to see from the way Raph's eyes narrowed that he welcomed a confrontation with his father.\n\n\tThat was the last thing that Donatello wanted. Granted, the two of them needed to talk, what they didn't need to do was argue.\n\n\tAs Raph marched towards his father's room, Don skipped after him, resolved to be a part of whatever discussion was to take place. All of this coming to a head was on him and he was determined to see it through to a resolution.\n\n\tDon saw Leo start to move as well and paused to shake his head at his brother. Leo stopped, looking unsure, so Don offered him a reassuring smile.\n\n\tRaph had just begun to slide Master Splinter's door shut when Don caught up to him. Don entered the room and closed the door himself, turning to find their father kneeling behind his chabudai.\n\n\tSeeing the quizzical expression on his father's face, Don said, ``I believe this conversation is one in which I should participate.''\n\n\tMaster Splinter gazed at him, saying nothing for a long moment before finally inclining his head in agreement. Don and Raph approached the low table, both sitting on the tatami mat across from their father.\n\n\tRaph shook with barely suppressed rage. Don could feel the heat coming off of him and was thankful that Master Splinter had halted his volatile son's outburst before Raph did something to tear his stitches. Sitting to Raph's left, Don decided that no matter what happened, he'd make certain his brother kept his injured arm stationary.\n\n\tDonatello expected Master Splinter to turn his attention to Raph, but instead his first words were directed at the purple banded turtle. ``Why did you feel it necessary to accompany your brother?''\n\n\tAnswering without hesitation, Don said, ``I think we've all been facing too many things alone. We want to be closer to each other. To do that, we need to have an understanding of what each of us is going through. I want to be here for Raph.''\n\n\t``That implies that Raphael is willing to share his thought processes in a constructive manner,'' Master Splinter said. Looking at Raph, he added, ``Are you, my son?''\n\n\tRaph's jaw twisted from side to side, as though he was trying to hold back the words he really wanted to use. Anger finally got the better of him.\n\n\t``Ya' want to know what I'm thinking?'' Raph demanded. ``I'm thinking about all those years I spent butting heads with Leo `cause I thought he was getting too full of himself. Here I was, calling him Splinter Junior, thinking he wanted to be just like ya', when all along it was you working hard to make him forget we're his damn brothers!''\n\n\t``Raph,'' Don said, his tone cautionary. He wanted Raph to say what he was thinking, but he didn't want his brother to cross the boundary into disrespect.\n\n\t``No, Donatello, let him speak,'' Master Splinter said. ``I am beginning to understand that I have robbed all of you of the right to feel the things that you have wanted to feel. Because I taught Leonardo to bury his emotions, I took something very special from this family.''\n\n\t``You're damn right ya' did,'' Raph said, clearly fuming. ``I used to be able to talk to Leo. I used to be close to my brother, like so close I woke up every morning excited to spend time with him. Ya' stole that from me; ya' stole Leo from me and I blamed it on him!''\n\n\t``You are correct,'' Master Splinter said, his voice soft. ``I saw Leonardo's devotion to you as a detriment rather than an advantage. I believed that he could be his strongest without the emotional attachments that might make him question certain decisions he could possibly be forced to make.''\n\n\t``Like having to sacrifice one of us to save the others,'' Don said with quick perception.\n\n\t``Instead he's the one who does the crazy shit,'' Raph fumed. ``He's the one we can't afford to lose but ya' got him so messed up he don't listen to me.''\n\n\tAnother mystery was suddenly answered for Donatello. This was why Raph fought nearly every decision that Leo made. He was trying to make his older brother understand that he needed to think of himself and not just his three younger brothers while formulating a plan.\n\n\tRaphael balked and behaved aggressively not only because he didn't like being ordered around, but because he feared for Leo's safety with every plan their leader made.\n\n\t``That has been a symptom of the quandary Leonardo's mind has endured,'' Master Splinter said. ``In learning to be an effective leader, Leonardo has been taught that the one in command must not face direct danger himself, but that he must direct his team to do so. This has been one avenue in which Leonardo has refused to obey.''\n\n\t``Of course he refused!'' Raph bellowed. ``Ya' told him he was probably gonna have to send one of his brothers to their death. How do ya' teach your kid that he has to do something like that? How do ya' sleep at night knowing ya' come off sounding like you're picking favorites?''\n\n\tMaster Splinter was shaking his head. ``That was never my intent. My purpose was to show Leonardo the importance of careful planning. I believed he needed to view every individual situation through dispassionate eyes.''\n\n\t``Well ya' sure as hell accomplished that,'' Raph said gruffly.\n\n\t``You feel very protective of your brother,'' Master Splinter said.\n\n\t``That's supposed to be your job,'' Raph snapped. ``That was always supposed to be your job. Ya' don't protect a kid by pulling him away from his brothers, so don't even try to tell me ya' did it for his own good.''\n\n\t``Are you angry with me because of the way I trained your brother, or because you feel guilt over your treatment of him?'' Master Splinter asked, cocking his head to one side as he studied Raph. ``For many years you did not know that his change in attitude was my doing.''\n\n\t``Yeah I'm pissed at myself,'' Raph said. ``Do ya' think I look back on all the shit I gave him and feel good about it? Leo was stuck in a damn tug of war, with me on one side and you on the other.''\n\n\t``The only way he could cope was to wall off his emotions,'' Don said, looking at his father. ``Exactly the way you wanted him to.''\n\n\tMaster Splinter bowed his head in acknowledgement. ``I was wrong. Please, Raphael, accept my apologies for making Leonardo into someone you resented.''\n\n\tRaphael's mouth opened as though to make some retort, and then closed again. The outright apology from his father seemed to surprise him and push him off stride. Unsure of how to respond, Raph fell back on the reaction he knew best. Anger.\n\n\t``Somehow ya' think saying `I'm sorry' makes up for all those years I lost with Leo?'' Raph asked. ``Ya' think it makes up for how I took my frustrations out on him, or on Mikey, or even on Donny here? I didn't want to feel like that all the time! I didn't want to be so mad that I was ready jump Shredder by myself! I didn't want to feel so useless that I nearly cracked my own brother's skull open with a fucking pipe!''\n\n\t``It is all that I know to offer you, my son,'' Master Splinter said. ``I can admit to my mistakes and pledge to fix them. The past cannot be changed. Tell me what more I can do.''\n\n\t``You're the all wise one!'' Raph shouted. ``Ain't ya' supposed to have all the answers? Maybe I want those years back. Maybe that's the only thing that'll make this better!''\n\n\tDon's heart rose into his throat. He could hear the raw pain in Raph's voice, sense the loss that his brother felt. It came to him then just how close Raph and Leo had been, like two halves of a greater whole. For Raph, having Master Splinter yank Leonardo away from him had been like having a physical part of himself sheared off.\n\n\t``Raphael, you cannot isolate yourself on an island of savagery,'' Master Splinter said. ``It will do you no good and it will push your brothers away. I love and cherish you, my son. Allow me the time to make amends.''\n\n\tReaching over, Don set his hand on Raph's thigh. He meant it as a reassurance, a way to let Raph know that Don was with him and always would be.\n\n\tRaph glanced at him, eyes glittering, and Don knew that the anger over the past wasn't the only thing eating at his brother.\n\n\tDon kept his hand where it was as Raph looked again at their father. It would be best now if Raph got everything into the open. From the mood he was in, Donatello guessed that Raph wasn't going to hold anything back.\n\n\t``Ya' gonna make amends with Leo too?'' Raph asked with a sneer.\n\n\t``With all of you,'' Master Splinter replied. ``It is a debt I do not take lightly.''\n\n\tRaph leaned forward. ``Ya' gonna offer him his heart's desire? Tell him he can have Donny all to himself? Be a great way to get back into Leo's good graces again.'' \n\n\tDon made a noise of protest and Master Splinter lifted a hand to stop him from speaking. ``Even if I were to do something that foolish, Leonardo would not accept such a directive.''\n\n\t``Neither would I,'' Don said forcefully.\n\n\t``If that is what has been bothering you, cast it from your thoughts,'' Master Splinter said. ``I assure you that despite what you may think, I do not play favorites. I accept that three of you have a physical attraction towards Donatello, but I do not see exclusivity as a way to return balance to this family. Restoring the emotional stability to your bond with your brothers is my only goal.''\n\n\t``And ya' think ya' know how to do that after all the missteps ya' already made?'' Raph asked with a touch of sarcasm.\n\n\t``I am not omnipotent, Raphael. I am merely a father,'' Master Splinter said. ``As you learn, so do I. My meditation provides some answers, but not all of them. The path that I was on with Leonardo was not the best one. I am adjusting my course. Please believe me when I say that I am devoted to all of you. There is nothing in this world or the one beyond that means more to me.''\n\n\tDon could see that Raph's chin had tightened and that there were furrows in his brow. He was fighting down some strong emotion and it wasn't anger.\n\n\t``I just want Leo back the way he was,'' Raph said, a slight catch in his throat as he spoke. ``I just want us to be like we used to be.''\n\n\t``There is nothing stopping the two of you from connecting again,'' Master Splinter said. ``It may not be exactly as it was, because you have grown, but it can be better than it has been.''\n\n\t``The four of us can work on that,'' Don said. ``We all provide something to each other, something we need. No one should be separate from the others, not Leo, and not you Raph.''\n\n\tRaph reached down with his good hand and set it atop Don's. ``Ya' sure do have a way of saying just the right thing, Donny.''\n\n\t``It has forever been clear to me why each of you has always been comfortable confiding in Donatello,'' Master Splinter said with a smile. ``He fixes things. That includes the mistakes his old father has made.''\n\n\t``Come on Donny, help me fix the big one I've made with Leo,'' Raph said as he stood up.\n\n\tDon rose with him. ``Are you sure? I thought you wanted to be stronger before you started working things out with him.''\n\n\t``I'm strong enough and I'm tired of putting stuff off,'' Raph said with determination. ``I figure the only way to get what I want from him is to tell him what I want from him.''\n\n\tHe wasn't exactly sure what Raph meant by that, but Don tagged along behind his brother. Before leaving the room, Don glanced back and saw that Master Splinter seemed deep in thought, his eyes shut.\n\n\tRaph strode down the steps, moving purposefully towards Leo. From where he stood, Don could tell that Leo had been pacing, though he'd stopped as soon as Raph appeared.\n\n\tLeo tensed as Raph drew near, a reaction that had become all too natural over the years. Mikey was turned backwards on the couch, kneeling there as though he'd been conversing with Leo while the other two were in Master Splinter's room.\n\n\tNot sure what to expect, Don held his breath as Raph closed in on Leo. Without a word, Raph curled his good arm around Leo's shoulder and pulled him into a hug.\n\n\tIt surprised all of them, Leonardo the most. He appeared stunned but after a moment he lifted his arms to Raph's waist and returned the hug.\n\n\tMoving quietly, Don circled around the pair and crossed over to the couch. Standing next to it, he waited with Mikey to see what would happen next.\n\n\t``I'm sorry,'' Raph said, his voice slightly muffled due to his face being pressed against the side of Leo's head.\n\n\t``For what?'' Leo asked.\n\n\tRaph leaned back but didn't relinquish his hold. ``For everything. For being an asshole. For always questioning ya' and fighting with ya' about every decision ya' ever made.''\n\n\t``I appreciated that more often than you realize,'' Leo told him. ``I was never as sure of myself as I might have led you to believe.''\n\n\t``You're a lot better at that decision making stuff than I ever gave ya' credit for,'' Raph said. ``I just wanted ya' to talk to me. I wanted to feel like I was important to ya', like when we were kids.''\n\n\tDon had one hand on the back of the couch and Mikey reached over to take it. When his brother gave his hand a squeeze, Don glanced at him. Mikey leaned on the couch back, his chin propped in his palm and a smile on his face as he watched the pair of brothers.\n\n\t``You've always been important to me,'' Leo said. ``I would never have gotten so angry during our disagreements if having your support didn't mean so much to me. I'm the one to blame in this; I'm the one who put the distance between us.''\n\n\t``It ain't on ya', Leo. It never was,'' Raph said. ``Master Splinter pushed ya' away from us. He made ya' separate yourself. He said so himself.''\n\n\t``It wasn't only Father's teachings,'' Leo said. ``There was something deep within me that understood what he was saying. I knew from my studies the types of life or death decisions a leader has to make. As badly as I wanted to lead, I didn't ever want to make the ultimate sacrifice of one of you.''\n\n\t``Damn, Leo, that don't mean ya' got to do everything yourself either,'' Raph said.\n\n\t``But it did mean that I couldn't allow my mind to wander,'' Leo said. ``I've behaved so coldly; held myself aloof, because I knew I had to maintain a sharp focus. If I falter or become unsure of myself during a battle, one of my brothers could die.''\n\n\t``I'll give ya' that one,'' Raph said. ``I can understand it, I kinda feel the same when we're in a fight, only I ain't thinking fourteen different moves ahead the way ya' are. I'm just trying to be everywhere at once.''\n\n\t``That's one of the things that I have to understand as leader,'' Leo said. ``I have to know where each of your strengths lie. Mikey has natural abilities, but he's like a light beam that has to be focused in a certain direction. Donny is a less instinctual fighter; he's still thinking when he should be reacting, but his brain is often our best weapon.\n\n\t``You're a warrior through and through, Raph,'' Leo continued. ``When you fight, it's with a berserker fury. You perform effortlessly in battle, almost like your body knows exactly what to do without conscious thought. It's why I often have to call your name several times when I'm ready to change tactics.''\n\n\t``Sounds like you're saying I don't think before I leap,'' Raph said with a grin. ``That ain't far from the truth.''\n\n\t``The point is that I think about these things. I keep them in mind when I devise a strategy. I didn't know any other way to keep the three of you safe other than to distance myself so I wouldn't think of each of you in such a personal way,'' Leo said.\n\n\t``Ya' were young and inexperienced,'' Raph said. ``The job ya' took on was a damn heavy weight and it didn't help that I wasn't supportive. I got it into my head that we'd always do everything together, but this separated us and I resented it. Master Splinter gave ya' a way to push aside your feelings and do the job. The more ya' drew away from me, the more pissed off I got.''\n\n\t``That's no excuse for how I behaved,'' Leo said. ``I knew you almost as well as I knew myself. Being close to you was my greatest joy. My greatest fear was making a decision that would get you killed.''\n\n\t``So ya' shut out the happiness and fear all at the same time by shutting us out,'' Raph said. ``Like I said, ya' were young and doing what Master Splinter said. You're old enough now to know that ain't the route to go. If it was, ya' wouldn't have gotten so bent out of shape about me taking Donny to bed.''\n\n\t``We are nothing if not adaptable,'' Leo said, the corners of his mouth lifting. His expression grew serious again as he added, ``I still want to be the best I can be. I'll still work hard, train hard, and study hard so that I won't let you guys down.''\n\n\t``How about ya' let me into that world of yours again, like when we were kids?'' Raph asked. ``Seems to me we'd both get better by helping each other. I sure remember pushing ya' to get up off your scrawny ass and train with me.''\n\n\t``That's some faulty memory you have there, Raphael,'' Leo said with a genuine smile. ``The way I remember it, I knocked you on your shell nine times out of ten.''\n\n\t``And they're competing again,'' Mikey said in an aside to Don.\n\n\tRaph tipped his head in the direction of his wound. ``Soon as this little nick here heals up, we'll see who lands on their shell the most often. Donny can make a chart of it and we'll hang it on the wall.''\n\n\t``Deal,'' Leo said, looking happier than he had in days.\n\n\tThey continued to hold each other which prompted Mikey to make smooching sounds with his mouth. ``Now, kiss and make up,'' he said.\n\n\t``Get bent,'' Raph said without rancor. He didn't bother to look in Mikey's direction.\n\n\t``Well put,'' Leo said in agreement.\n\n\tRolling his eyes, Mikey asked, ``Whose brilliant idea was it to have these two acting like they're one in the same turtle?''\n\n\t``As much as I hate to interrupt, you've been up for too long, Raph,'' Don said. ``You still need to get as much rest as you can to speed up the healing process.''\n\n\tThe grimace that crossed Raph's face was readily interpreted by Leo. ``Could he sleep on a bed if he shared it with someone who'll make sure he does no rolling around?'' he asked Don.\n\n\tFeeling a quick surge of joy, Don asked, ``Would that someone be the brother who is such a light sleeper that not even Raph's smallest movement would go unnoticed?''\n\n\t``Ya' want us to share a bed?'' Raph asked Leo, sounding surprised.\n\n\t``Mine probably won't be as comfortable for you as your hammock, but it will get you off of the cot,'' Leo said. ``It would give us the chance to talk some more.''\n\n\t``Like when we were kids and it was supposed to be lights out? We'd stay up half the night whispering so Master Splinter wouldn't know we weren't going to sleep,'' Raph said with a grin.\n\n\t``Just like that,'' Leo said. They started for the stairs and he added, ``Sensei knew, by the way. I saw him peek in on us a few times, but he never said anything.''\n\n\t``Yeah, I didn't figure we were fooling him,'' Raph said.\n\n\tThey both called out their goodnights to Don and Mikey before disappearing into Leo's room.\n\n\tWhen the door shut behind them, Don looked at Mikey. ``Do you think they've settled things between them that easily?'' he asked.\n\n``Nope, but I think they've been waiting a long time to start down that road. Long enough so they're ready to jump at it the first chance they get,'' Mikey said. ``Speaking of jumping, it doesn't look like I'm gonna have to compete with anyone for your attention tonight.''\n\nDon pulled on Mikey's hand so that his brother had to crawl closer to him. Leaning over, Don said, ``You can have my undivided attention. Did you have anything particular in mind?''\n\nThe already impish grin that Mikey was wearing grew larger. ``Well, I have these magazines and they have pictures,'' he said.\n\nIf Michelangelo had eyebrows, Don was sure he'd be waggling them. ``And here I thought the only things you stuffed under your mattress was comic books.''\n\n``You have so much to learn about me, Donny-boy,'' Mikey said, climbing over the back of the couch. He eagerly tugged on Don's hand. ``Come on, let's get started on those lessons.''\n\nThough Donatello didn't get much sleep that night, he did indeed learn a lot about Mikey. When they showered together the next morning, at least ten minutes alone was spent in getting the paint off of Don's body and another five in removing certain food particulates.\n\nThe night they'd spent together seemed to have gone well for Raph and Leo too. It was Leo who cared for Raph's stitches the next day, cleaning the wound and then putting fresh wrappings on his arm.\n\nAll four of the brothers sat down to have a realistic discussion about how and when they could respond to Shredder's latest gambit. Don had always thought of Leo and Raph as a very formidable fighting team, but seeing them work out strategy together made him almost feel sorry for their arch enemy.\n\nOver the next couple of weeks, Michelangelo alternated between sleeping with Leo and then with Raph, ensuring that no one slept alone. One of Don's concerns had been whether Leo could drop his personal defenses enough to be intimate with not only him, but in a nonsexual way with both Raph and Mikey. Without Mikey's help, Don wouldn't have known how to make that happen. His youngest brother was truly amazing.\n\nThings continued to smooth out between Leo and Raph as they slowly regained the easy camaraderie they had shared as children. This eased the pressure from Don, who had nights `off' where he could work on projects uninterrupted, or simply turn in when he wanted to be by himself.\n\nHe soon found that he didn't sleep as well when he was alone and more often than not he sought the company of one of his brothers, usually Leo. The other two understood.\n\nWhen Don couldn't be there at night for Raph, he tried to find some private time during the day to satisfy his brother's needs. That didn't necessarily mean that Raph desired sex each time; quite often he just wanted Don's company. It was during one such time when Don realized that he had the power to forge a new dynamic between himself and his brothers, and between his brothers themselves.\n\nMichelangelo was a good sport about it all. It did not bother him that the two more alpha turtles tended to monopolize most of Don's free nights. When they had the time to be together, Don rewarded Mikey by acquiescing to his younger brother's more creative whims.\n\nThrough his talks with Master Splinter, Don came to think of himself as the family foundation. If that were truly his role, then Mikey was the framework, built to weather even hurricanes because he was the one who kept their unified walls intact and solid.\n\nAs Leonardo's relations with Raphael eased, so did the strain between Leo and Master Splinter. It didn't take long for it to become apparent to all four turtles that their father was following through on his promise to make amends for past mistakes.\n\nFor Donatello it was very freeing to be able to openly show affection for his brothers without worrying what any of them would think or that one would have a bad reaction to those displays.\n\nWith Mikey and Raph that type of open touching came naturally. Leonardo tended to balk at having anyone see him being intimate with Don.\n\nFor a period of time Don respected Leo's wishes to move slowly in that direction. Finally he grew tired of waiting and decided to become the aggressor.\n\nThey had just completed their first training session with a fully healed Raphael. One glance at Don's look of intent told Mikey that he and Raph shouldn't leave the dojo just yet.\n\nMikey pulled Raph to a stop just as Donatello stepped into Leo's personal space and kissed him full on the mouth.\n\nOnly his hands clutching the edges of Leo's carapace kept the started turtle from escaping. Leo's initial instinct to flee was gone in a second and Don found his tight grip returned as his brother deepened the kiss.\n\n``Ha!'' Mikey exclaimed triumphantly. ``I told you we'd be getting a show before long.''\n\nMouths separating, Don and Leo looked over at their brothers. Raph's arm was around Mikey's shoulders and both of them were wearing broad grins.\n\n``Yep, little brother, ya' called that one,'' Raph replied.\n\n``Though I think Leo could teach you something about technique,'' Mikey said in a teasing tone.\n\nRaph tugged Mikey's head down and dug into his skull with his knuckles. ``Ya' wanna see technique? How about this!''\n\n``Ow! Ow, ow, ow!'' Mikey yelped, pulling out of Raph's hold. ``I liked you better when you couldn't move.''\n\nHe danced out of reach as Raph grabbed at him. ``I'm gonna show ya' just how well I can move. Come here!''\n\nMikey took off running with Raph in pursuit. Leo held Donatello close, watching the rambunctious pair with an indulgent smile.\n\nRuminating over the weeks since Raph had first come to him with an unthinkable request, Don almost couldn't believe the changes that had taken place in their lives. Were there still things that needed to be worked on? Of course there were, there always would be.\n\nWith a sigh of satisfaction, Donatello knew in his heart that all of the important things had been fixed.\n\nThe End\n\n", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "\t``They wanna see dead, I'll show `em dead!'' Raphael yelled into the shell cell.

\tDonatello had no idea what Casey had told his brother, but it had clearly angered Raph.  Stopping the situation from getting any worse was priority number one.  Jumping to his feet, Don saw that Leo was already walking towards Raph and instinctively knew that would lead to a clash that would do the family no good.

\tMoving quickly, Don reached Raph before Leo could.  Rather than trying to take the phone away from his brother, Don called out loudly, ``Hang up the phone, Casey.  Right now.''

\tIf it had been anyone other than Donatello, their human friend might not have listened.  Such a demand from the genius was not something with which Casey was accustomed.  That he had disconnected was clear when Raph pulled the phone away from his head and glared at Don.

\t``What the hell do ya' think you're doing?'' Raph barked.  ``Do ya' know what he told me?  The Shredder's got his minions setting up recruitment bases all over the city.  They're telling people they wiped us out!''

\t``Since that's not true, it doesn't matter,'' Leo said, pulling Raph's scowl over to him.

\t``It don't matter?  Once a kid joins, how's he supposed to quit?  We've gotta get out there and shut them down!'' Raph shouted.

\t``We can't do . . . .'' Leo began.

\t``Don't tell me what . . . .'' Raph interrupted.

\t``Enough!''

\tThe command was sharp and forceful, pulling the brother's attention from each other to the speaker.

\tMaster Splinter stood near the entrance to his room, his whole body seeming to quiver with some repressed emotion.  He stared at his sons, his entire demeanor imposing.

\tAfter a moment of silence in which the very air felt electrically charged, Master Splinter said, ``It is evident that I have put this conversation off for far too long.  Raphael, come with me.''

\tHe didn't wait for an acknowledgment, instead turning back to his room.  Clearly he brooked no dissension and it was easy to see from the way Raph's eyes narrowed that he welcomed a confrontation with his father.

\tThat was the last thing that Donatello wanted.  Granted, the two of them needed to talk, what they didn't need to do was argue.

\tAs Raph marched towards his father's room, Don skipped after him, resolved to be a part of whatever discussion was to take place.  All of this coming to a head was on him and he was determined to see it through to a resolution.

\tDon saw Leo start to move as well and paused to shake his head at his brother.  Leo stopped, looking unsure, so Don offered him a reassuring smile.

\tRaph had just begun to slide Master Splinter's door shut when Don caught up to him.  Don entered the room and closed the door himself, turning to find their father kneeling behind his chabudai.

\tSeeing the quizzical expression on his father's face, Don said, ``I believe this conversation is one in which I should participate.''

\tMaster Splinter gazed at him, saying nothing for a long moment before finally inclining his head in agreement.  Don and Raph approached the low table, both sitting on the tatami mat across from their father.

\tRaph shook with barely suppressed rage.  Don could feel the heat coming off of him and was thankful that Master Splinter had halted his volatile son's outburst before Raph did something to tear his stitches.  Sitting to Raph's left, Don decided that no matter what happened, he'd make certain his brother kept his injured arm stationary.

\tDonatello expected Master Splinter to turn his attention to Raph, but instead his first words were directed at the purple banded turtle.  ``Why did you feel it necessary to accompany your brother?''

\tAnswering without hesitation, Don said, ``I think we've all been facing too many things alone.  We want to be closer to each other.  To do that, we need to have an understanding of what each of us is going through.  I want to be here for Raph.''

\t``That implies that Raphael is willing to share his thought processes in a constructive manner,'' Master Splinter said.  Looking at Raph, he added, ``Are you, my son?''

\tRaph's jaw twisted from side to side, as though he was trying to hold back the words he really wanted to use.  Anger finally got the better of him.

\t``Ya' want to know what I'm thinking?'' Raph demanded.  ``I'm thinking about all those years I spent butting heads with Leo `cause I thought he was getting too full of himself.  Here I was, calling him Splinter Junior, thinking he wanted to be just like ya', when all along it was you working hard to make him forget we're his damn brothers!''

\t``Raph,'' Don said, his tone cautionary.  He wanted Raph to say what he was thinking, but he didn't want his brother to cross the boundary into disrespect.

\t``No, Donatello, let him speak,'' Master Splinter said.  ``I am beginning to understand that I have robbed all of you of the right to feel the things that you have wanted to feel.  Because I taught Leonardo to bury his emotions, I took something very special from this family.''

\t``You're damn right ya' did,'' Raph said, clearly fuming.  ``I used to be able to talk to Leo.  I used to be close to my brother, like so close I woke up every morning excited to spend time with him.  Ya' stole that from me; ya' stole Leo from me and I blamed it on him!''

\t``You are correct,'' Master Splinter said, his voice soft.  ``I saw Leonardo's devotion to you as a detriment rather than an advantage.  I believed that he could be his strongest without the emotional attachments that might make him question certain decisions he could possibly be forced to make.''

\t``Like having to sacrifice one of us to save the others,'' Don said with quick perception.

\t``Instead he's the one who does the crazy shit,'' Raph fumed.  ``He's the one we can't afford to lose but ya' got him so messed up he don't listen to me.''

\tAnother mystery was suddenly answered for Donatello.  This was why Raph fought nearly every decision that Leo made.  He was trying to make his older brother understand that he needed to think of himself and not just his three younger brothers while formulating a plan.

\tRaphael balked and behaved aggressively not only because he didn't like being ordered around, but because he feared for Leo's safety with every plan their leader made.

\t``That has been a symptom of the quandary Leonardo's mind has endured,'' Master Splinter said.  ``In learning to be an effective leader, Leonardo has been taught that the one in command must not face direct danger himself, but that he must direct his team to do so.  This has been one avenue in which Leonardo has refused to obey.''

\t``Of course he refused!'' Raph bellowed.  ``Ya' told him he was probably gonna have to send one of his brothers to their death.  How do ya' teach your kid that he has to do something like that?  How do ya' sleep at night knowing ya' come off sounding like you're picking favorites?''

\tMaster Splinter was shaking his head.  ``That was never my intent.  My purpose was to show Leonardo the importance of careful planning.  I believed he needed to view every individual situation through dispassionate eyes.''

\t``Well ya' sure as hell accomplished that,'' Raph said gruffly.

\t``You feel very protective of your brother,'' Master Splinter said.

\t``That's supposed to be your job,'' Raph snapped.  ``That was always supposed to be your job.  Ya' don't protect a kid by pulling him away from his brothers, so don't even try to tell me ya' did it for his own good.''

\t``Are you angry with me because of the way I trained your brother, or because you feel guilt over your treatment of him?'' Master Splinter asked, cocking his head to one side as he studied Raph.  ``For many years you did not know that his change in attitude was my doing.''

\t``Yeah I'm pissed at myself,'' Raph said.  ``Do ya' think I look back on all the shit I gave him and feel good about it?  Leo was stuck in a damn tug of war, with me on one side and you on the other.''

\t``The only way he could cope was to wall off his emotions,'' Don said, looking at his father.  ``Exactly the way you wanted him to.''

\tMaster Splinter bowed his head in acknowledgement.  ``I was wrong.  Please, Raphael, accept my apologies for making Leonardo into someone you resented.''

\tRaphael's mouth opened as though to make some retort, and then closed again.  The outright apology from his father seemed to surprise him and push him off stride.  Unsure of how to respond, Raph fell back on the reaction he knew best.  Anger.

\t``Somehow ya' think saying `I'm sorry' makes up for all those years I lost with Leo?'' Raph asked.  ``Ya' think it makes up for how I took my frustrations out on him, or on Mikey, or even on Donny here?  I didn't want to feel like that all the time!  I didn't want to be so mad that I was ready jump Shredder by myself!  I didn't want to feel so useless that I nearly cracked my own brother's skull open with a fucking pipe!''

\t``It is all that I know to offer you, my son,'' Master Splinter said.  ``I can admit to my mistakes and pledge to fix them.  The past cannot be changed.  Tell me what more I can do.''

\t``You're the all wise one!'' Raph shouted.  ``Ain't ya' supposed to have all the answers?  Maybe I want those years back.  Maybe that's the only thing that'll make this better!''

\tDon's heart rose into his throat.  He could hear the raw pain in Raph's voice, sense the loss that his brother felt.  It came to him then just how close Raph and Leo had been, like two halves of a greater whole.  For Raph, having Master Splinter yank Leonardo away from him had been like having a physical part of himself sheared off.

\t``Raphael, you cannot isolate yourself on an island of savagery,'' Master Splinter said.  ``It will do you no good and it will push your brothers away.  I love and cherish you, my son.  Allow me the time to make amends.''

\tReaching over, Don set his hand on Raph's thigh.  He meant it as a reassurance, a way to let Raph know that Don was with him and always would be.

\tRaph glanced at him, eyes glittering, and Don knew that the anger over the past wasn't the only thing eating at his brother.

\tDon kept his hand where it was as Raph looked again at their father.  It would be best now if Raph got everything into the open.  From the mood he was in, Donatello guessed that Raph wasn't going to hold anything back.

\t``Ya' gonna make amends with Leo too?'' Raph asked with a sneer.

\t``With all of you,'' Master Splinter replied.  ``It is a debt I do not take lightly.''

\tRaph leaned forward.  ``Ya' gonna offer him his heart's desire?  Tell him he can have Donny all to himself?  Be a great way to get back into Leo's good graces again.''

\tDon made a noise of protest and Master Splinter lifted a hand to stop him from speaking.  ``Even if I were to do something that foolish, Leonardo would not accept such a directive.''

\t``Neither would I,'' Don said forcefully.

\t``If that is what has been bothering you, cast it from your thoughts,'' Master Splinter said.  ``I assure you that despite what you may think, I do not play favorites.  I accept that three of you have a physical attraction towards Donatello, but I do not see exclusivity as a way to return balance to this family.  Restoring the emotional stability to your bond with your brothers is my only goal.''

\t``And ya' think ya' know how to do that after all the missteps ya' already made?'' Raph asked with a touch of sarcasm.

\t``I am not omnipotent, Raphael.  I am merely a father,'' Master Splinter said.  ``As you learn, so do I.  My meditation provides some answers, but not all of them.  The path that I was on with Leonardo was not the best one.  I am adjusting my course.  Please believe me when I say that I am devoted to all of you.  There is nothing in this world or the one beyond that means more to me.''

\tDon could see that Raph's chin had tightened and that there were furrows in his brow.  He was fighting down some strong emotion and it wasn't anger.

\t``I just want Leo back the way he was,'' Raph said, a slight catch in his throat as he spoke.  ``I just want us to be like we used to be.''

\t``There is nothing stopping the two of you from connecting again,'' Master Splinter said.  ``It may not be exactly as it was, because you have grown, but it can be better than it has been.''

\t``The four of us can work on that,'' Don said.  ``We all provide something to each other, something we need.  No one should be separate from the others, not Leo, and not you Raph.''

\tRaph reached down with his good hand and set it atop Don's.  ``Ya' sure do have a way of saying just the right thing, Donny.''

\t``It has forever been clear to me why each of you has always been comfortable confiding in Donatello,'' Master Splinter said with a smile.  ``He fixes things.  That includes the mistakes his old father has made.''

\t``Come on Donny, help me fix the big one I've made with Leo,'' Raph said as he stood up.

\tDon rose with him.  ``Are you sure?  I thought you wanted to be stronger before you started working things out with him.''

\t``I'm strong enough and I'm tired of putting stuff off,'' Raph said with determination.  ``I figure the only way to get what I want from him is to tell him what I want from him.''

\tHe wasn't exactly sure what Raph meant by that, but Don tagged along behind his brother.  Before leaving the room, Don glanced back and saw that Master Splinter seemed deep in thought, his eyes shut.

\tRaph strode down the steps, moving purposefully towards Leo.  From where he stood, Don could tell that Leo had been pacing, though he'd stopped as soon as Raph appeared.

\tLeo tensed as Raph drew near, a reaction that had become all too natural over the years.  Mikey was turned backwards on the couch, kneeling there as though he'd been conversing with Leo while the other two were in Master Splinter's room.

\tNot sure what to expect, Don held his breath as Raph closed in on Leo.  Without a word, Raph curled his good arm around Leo's shoulder and pulled him into a hug.

\tIt surprised all of them, Leonardo the most.  He appeared stunned but after a moment he lifted his arms to Raph's waist and returned the hug.

\tMoving quietly, Don circled around the pair and crossed over to the couch.  Standing next to it, he waited with Mikey to see what would happen next.

\t``I'm sorry,'' Raph said, his voice slightly muffled due to his face being pressed against the side of Leo's head.

\t``For what?'' Leo asked.

\tRaph leaned back but didn't relinquish his hold.  ``For everything.  For being an asshole.  For always questioning ya' and fighting with ya' about every decision ya' ever made.''

\t``I appreciated that more often than you realize,'' Leo told him.  ``I was never as sure of myself as I might have led you to believe.''

\t``You're a lot better at that decision making stuff than I ever gave ya' credit for,'' Raph said.  ``I just wanted ya' to talk to me.  I wanted to feel like I was important to ya', like when we were kids.''

\tDon had one hand on the back of the couch and Mikey reached over to take it.  When his brother gave his hand a squeeze, Don glanced at him.  Mikey leaned on the couch back, his chin propped in his palm and a smile on his face as he watched the pair of brothers.

\t``You've always been important to me,'' Leo said.  ``I would never have gotten so angry during our disagreements if having your support didn't mean so much to me.  I'm the one to blame in this; I'm the one who put the distance between us.''

\t``It ain't on ya', Leo.  It never was,'' Raph said.  ``Master Splinter pushed ya' away from us.  He made ya' separate yourself.  He said so himself.''

\t``It wasn't only Father's teachings,'' Leo said.  ``There was something deep within me that understood what he was saying.  I knew from my studies the types of life or death decisions a leader has to make.  As badly as I wanted to lead, I didn't ever want to make the ultimate sacrifice of one of you.''

\t``Damn, Leo, that don't mean ya' got to do everything yourself either,'' Raph said.

\t``But it did mean that I couldn't allow my mind to wander,'' Leo said.  ``I've behaved so coldly; held myself aloof, because I knew I had to maintain a sharp focus.  If I falter or become unsure of myself during a battle, one of my brothers could die.''

\t``I'll give ya' that one,'' Raph said.  ``I can understand it, I kinda feel the same when we're in a fight, only I ain't thinking fourteen different moves ahead the way ya' are.  I'm just trying to be everywhere at once.''

\t``That's one of the things that I have to understand as leader,'' Leo said.  ``I have to know where each of your strengths lie.  Mikey has natural abilities, but he's like a light beam that has to be focused in a certain direction.  Donny is a less instinctual fighter; he's still thinking when he should be reacting, but his brain is often our best weapon.

\t``You're a warrior through and through, Raph,'' Leo continued.  ``When you fight, it's with a berserker fury.  You perform effortlessly in battle, almost like your body knows exactly what to do without conscious thought.  It's why I often have to call your name several times when I'm ready to change tactics.''

\t``Sounds like you're saying I don't think before I leap,'' Raph said with a grin.  ``That ain't far from the truth.''

\t``The point is that I think about these things.  I keep them in mind when I devise a strategy.  I didn't know any other way to keep the three of you safe other than to distance myself so I wouldn't think of each of you in such a personal way,'' Leo said.

\t``Ya' were young and inexperienced,'' Raph said.  ``The job ya' took on was a damn heavy weight and it didn't help that I wasn't supportive.  I got it into my head that we'd always do everything together, but this separated us and I resented it.  Master Splinter gave ya' a way to push aside your feelings and do the job.  The more ya' drew away from me, the more pissed off I got.''

\t``That's no excuse for how I behaved,'' Leo said.  ``I knew you almost as well as I knew myself.  Being close to you was my greatest joy.  My greatest fear was making a decision that would get you killed.''

\t``So ya' shut out the happiness and fear all at the same time by shutting us out,'' Raph said.  ``Like I said, ya' were young and doing what Master Splinter said.  You're old enough now to know that ain't the route to go.  If it was, ya' wouldn't have gotten so bent out of shape about me taking Donny to bed.''

\t``We are nothing if not adaptable,'' Leo said, the corners of his mouth lifting.  His expression grew serious again as he added, ``I still want to be the best I can be.  I'll still work hard, train hard, and study hard so that I won't let you guys down.''

\t``How about ya' let me into that world of yours again, like when we were kids?'' Raph asked.  ``Seems to me we'd both get better by helping each other.  I sure remember pushing ya' to get up off your scrawny ass and train with me.''

\t``That's some faulty memory you have there, Raphael,'' Leo said with a genuine smile.  ``The way I remember it, I knocked you on your shell nine times out of ten.''

\t``And they're competing again,'' Mikey said in an aside to Don.

\tRaph tipped his head in the direction of his wound.  ``Soon as this little nick here heals up, we'll see who lands on their shell the most often.  Donny can make a chart of it and we'll hang it on the wall.''

\t``Deal,'' Leo said, looking happier than he had in days.

\tThey continued to hold each other which prompted Mikey to make smooching sounds with his mouth.  ``Now, kiss and make up,'' he said.

\t``Get bent,'' Raph said without rancor.  He didn't bother to look in Mikey's direction.

\t``Well put,'' Leo said in agreement.

\tRolling his eyes, Mikey asked, ``Whose brilliant idea was it to have these two acting like they're one in the same turtle?''

\t``As much as I hate to interrupt, you've been up for too long, Raph,'' Don said.  ``You still need to get as much rest as you can to speed up the healing process.''

\tThe grimace that crossed Raph's face was readily interpreted by Leo.  ``Could he sleep on a bed if he shared it with someone who'll make sure he does no rolling around?'' he asked Don.

\tFeeling a quick surge of joy, Don asked, ``Would that someone be the brother who is such a light sleeper that not even Raph's smallest movement would go unnoticed?''

\t``Ya' want us to share a bed?'' Raph asked Leo, sounding surprised.

\t``Mine probably won't be as comfortable for you as your hammock, but it will get you off of the cot,'' Leo said.  ``It would give us the chance to talk some more.''

\t``Like when we were kids and it was supposed to be lights out?  We'd stay up half the night whispering so Master Splinter wouldn't know we weren't going to sleep,'' Raph said with a grin.

\t``Just like that,'' Leo said.  They started for the stairs and he added, ``Sensei knew, by the way.  I saw him peek in on us a few times, but he never said anything.''

\t``Yeah, I didn't figure we were fooling him,'' Raph said.

\tThey both called out their goodnights to Don and Mikey before disappearing into Leo's room.

\tWhen the door shut behind them, Don looked at Mikey.  ``Do you think they've settled things between them that easily?'' he asked.

``Nope, but I think they've been waiting a long time to start down that road.  Long enough so they're ready to jump at it the first chance they get,'' Mikey said.  ``Speaking of jumping, it doesn't look like I'm gonna have to compete with anyone for your attention tonight.''

Don pulled on Mikey's hand so that his brother had to crawl closer to him.  Leaning over, Don said, ``You can have my undivided attention.  Did you have anything particular in mind?''

The already impish grin that Mikey was wearing grew larger.  ``Well, I have these magazines and they have pictures,'' he said.

If Michelangelo had eyebrows, Don was sure he'd be waggling them.  ``And here I thought the only things you stuffed under your mattress was comic books.''

``You have so much to learn about me, Donny-boy,'' Mikey said, climbing over the back of the couch.  He eagerly tugged on Don's hand.  ``Come on, let's get started on those lessons.''

Though Donatello didn't get much sleep that night, he did indeed learn a lot about Mikey.  When they showered together the next morning, at least ten minutes alone was spent in getting the paint off of Don's body and another five in removing certain food particulates.

The night they'd spent together seemed to have gone well for Raph and Leo too.  It was Leo who cared for Raph's stitches the next day, cleaning the wound and then putting fresh wrappings on his arm.

All four of the brothers sat down to have a realistic discussion about how and when they could respond to Shredder's latest gambit.  Don had always thought of Leo and Raph as a very formidable fighting team, but seeing them work out strategy together made him almost feel sorry for their arch enemy.

Over the next couple of weeks, Michelangelo alternated between sleeping with Leo and then with Raph, ensuring that no one slept alone.  One of Don's concerns had been whether Leo could drop his personal defenses enough to be intimate with not only him, but in a nonsexual way with both Raph and Mikey.  Without Mikey's help, Don wouldn't have known how to make that happen.  His youngest brother was truly amazing.

Things continued to smooth out between Leo and Raph as they slowly regained the easy camaraderie they had shared as children.  This eased the pressure from Don, who had nights `off' where he could work on projects uninterrupted, or simply turn in when he wanted to be by himself.

He soon found that he didn't sleep as well when he was alone and more often than not he sought the company of one of his brothers, usually Leo.  The other two understood.

When Don couldn't be there at night for Raph, he tried to find some private time during the day to satisfy his brother's needs.  That didn't necessarily mean that Raph desired sex each time; quite often he just wanted Don's company.  It was during one such time when Don realized that he had the power to forge a new dynamic between himself and his brothers, and between his brothers themselves.

Michelangelo was a good sport about it all.  It did not bother him that the two more alpha turtles tended to monopolize most of Don's free nights.  When they had the time to be together, Don rewarded Mikey by acquiescing to his younger brother's more creative whims.

Through his talks with Master Splinter, Don came to think of himself as the family foundation.  If that were truly his role, then Mikey was the framework, built to weather even hurricanes because he was the one who kept their unified walls intact and solid.

As Leonardo's relations with Raphael eased, so did the strain between Leo and Master Splinter.  It didn't take long for it to become apparent to all four turtles that their father was following through on his promise to make amends for past mistakes.

For Donatello it was very freeing to be able to openly show affection for his brothers without worrying what any of them would think or that one would have a bad reaction to those displays.

With Mikey and Raph that type of open touching came naturally.  Leonardo tended to balk at having anyone see him being intimate with Don.

For a period of time Don respected Leo's wishes to move slowly in that direction.  Finally he grew tired of waiting and decided to become the aggressor.

They had just completed their first training session with a fully healed Raphael.  One glance at Don's look of intent told Mikey that he and Raph shouldn't leave the dojo just yet.

Mikey pulled Raph to a stop just as Donatello stepped into Leo's personal space and kissed him full on the mouth.

Only his hands clutching the edges of Leo's carapace kept the started turtle from escaping.  Leo's initial instinct to flee was gone in a second and Don found his tight grip returned as his brother deepened the kiss.

``Ha!'' Mikey exclaimed triumphantly.  ``I told you we'd be getting a show before long.''

Mouths separating, Don and Leo looked over at their brothers.  Raph's arm was around Mikey's shoulders and both of them were wearing broad grins.

``Yep, little brother, ya' called that one,'' Raph replied.

``Though I think Leo could teach you something about technique,'' Mikey said in a teasing tone.

Raph tugged Mikey's head down and dug into his skull with his knuckles.  ``Ya' wanna see technique?  How about this!''

``Ow!  Ow, ow, ow!'' Mikey yelped, pulling out of Raph's hold.  ``I liked you better when you couldn't move.''

He danced out of reach as Raph grabbed at him.  ``I'm gonna show ya' just how well I can move.  Come here!''

Mikey took off running with Raph in pursuit.  Leo held Donatello close, watching the rambunctious pair with an indulgent smile.

Ruminating over the weeks since Raph had first come to him with an unthinkable request, Don almost couldn't believe the changes that had taken place in their lives.  Were there still things that needed to be worked on?  Of course there were, there always would be.

With a sigh of satisfaction, Donatello knew in his heart that all of the important things had been fixed.

The End

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