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This time though, Donatello was left in the middle of a difficult situation - trying to play peacekeeper.", "count": "8", "submission_left_submission_id": "2524885", "submission_left_file_name": "3714896_hummerhouse_at_odds_part_6.doc", "submission_right_submission_id": "2933913", "submission_right_file_name": "4374399_hummerhouse_at_odds_part_8.doc" } ], "description": "Disclaimer: The TMNT are not mine. No money being made.\nType: TMNT 2k3 multi-chapter\nRated: E\nSummary: As a family, as siblings, they were often at odds with each other over something. Usually it was minor and didn't affect their lives all that much. This time though, three of the brothers were being aloof, leaving Donatello in the middle of a difficult situation - trying to play peacekeeper.", "description_bbcode_parsed": "Disclaimer: The TMNT are not mine. No money being made.
Type: TMNT 2k3 multi-chapter
Rated: E
Summary: As a family, as siblings, they were often at odds with each other over something. Usually it was minor and didn't affect their lives all that much. This time though, three of the brothers were being aloof, leaving Donatello in the middle of a difficult situation - trying to play peacekeeper.", "writing": "\tMeditation was meant to be a time when one fully relaxed both body and mind, allowing the inner self to soar beyond the limited confines of the physical form.\n\n\tDonatello couldn't focus. Not, at least, on the act of separating his worries from himself for a period of time.\n\n\tWhen he sneaked a peek around at his brothers, they all seemed to be faring better than him, but he could see the lie. The tension was still there, easily seen in Raphael from the way his jaw worked from side to side. Michelangelo's hands twitched, an unmistakable sign that he was agitated. Then there was Leonardo, whose shoulders were stiff and pulled inward.\n\n\tMaster Splinter's brow was furrowed. Something was bothering him as well. Perhaps it was simply the anxiety he sensed from his sons, or maybe something beyond their home.\n\n\tIt made Don worry that much more, considering their plan to go topside later and acquire some much needed gasoline.\n\n\tTry as he might to think of other things, Don's mind kept coming back to the conversations he'd had with his brothers. Or the lack of them, since learning anything from them was like pulling teeth. As frustrating as it was, Don's new tactic was working better than the old one, where he went head on at them by asking what had happened during Bishop's ambush.\n\n\tToday he'd learned more than he had in the two weeks prior. All he had to do was to lead them into thinking he already knew the things they were hiding.\n\n\tDon knew from experience that keeping secrets was hard. Being constantly on your toes so that nothing slipped out was tiring. The more they thought he knew, the more they would talk about what they thought he knew. He would just have to be patient.\n\n\tAnother thought came to him. Each time he had straight out asked what had happened, not only had his brothers declined to tell him, but they had also instigated sex. There was no doubting that they enjoyed and wanted it. So did Don. But sex was also a great conversation stopper. Don couldn't ask questions when his brains were turned to mush by the things his brothers did to him.\n\n\tThat realization strengthened his resolve not to have sexual relations with them. Donatello did not like being played, and he certainly did not like being manipulated in that manner.\n\n\tHe heard Master Splinter sigh and opened his eyes to see his father stand up and stretch. Master Splinter would not interrupt his sons' meditation, but his leaving them indicated that they could also depart when they were done.\n\n\tDon decided that his period of reflection had reached an end as well. It hadn't relaxed him and it hadn't provided him with answers. The only thing he'd accomplished was to become a little more aggravated with the whole situation.\n\n\tHe was in the service bay, loading empty storage drums into the moving van, when his brothers joined him. The expressions on their faces caused him to stop what he was doing.\n\n\t``Something up?'' Don asked.\n\n\tIt was Leo who answered. ``You aren't going with us to get the gasoline.''\n\n\tDon gawked at him. ``Are you kidding me? Why not?''\n\n\t``Just trust me, Donny. It's better if you remain underground,'' Leo told him.\n\n\t``This is a four man job. You need me,'' Don protested.\n\n\tHe was about to argue further, but another voice interrupted him. ``Okay guys, I'm here. What do ya' need me for? We got some heads to bash?''\n\n\t``We've got a fourth man,'' Leo said, rather unnecessarily as Casey Jones took the stairs down into the service bay and joined them.\n\n\tRaphael and Michelangelo began loading up the remaining empty storage drums while Don stared at Leo. ``Oh, come on, Leo! You can't expect me to stay hidden down here forever.''\n\n\t``Not forever,'' Leo said, ``just for a while longer. If something happens. . . well, we shouldn't all be together.''\n\n\t``Did you all draw straws to decide I stay behind, or was that a joint decision?'' Don asked. ``How was it I got picked to stay home and somehow wasn't allowed to have a vote?''\n\n\t``This is the way it has to be,'' Leo said, voice firm. ``Consider it an order if that makes you feel better.''\n\n\t``It does not make me feel better,'' Don replied, crossing his arms.\n\n\tCasey climbed into the driver's seat and Raph jumped in next to him. Leo waited until Mikey had entered the truck before getting in as well.\n\n\tBefore closing the door, Leo leaned out. ``I mean it, Don. Do not go above ground.''\n\n\tHe slammed the door closed and Casey started the engine. Disgruntled, Don watched them pull out of the lair.\n\n\tCursing under his breath, Don left the service bay. His first instinct was to go directly to Master Splinter to complain, but had second thoughts. His father had already made it clear that there wasn't anything he would do other than to offer advice.\n\n\tWhat Don needed was action. He needed to do something to exert his independence.\n\n\tWith a sly smile, Donatello decided on a course of action. Leo had said he could not go topside. He hadn't said anything about leaving the lair. Sure, it was rule lawyering, something his brothers were always accusing him of, but he wasn't breaking a direct order. Leo could always claim he disobeyed the spirit of the order, but Don didn't care. They weren't exactly treating him fairly either.\n\n\tAfter stuffing his laptop into his duffel bag, Donatello stuck a note to the refrigerator and took off. He had a little bit of a walk through the sewers to reach his destination, which had only been about three minutes from their Y'Lyntian lair but was now several miles away.\n\n\tApproaching what looked like just another dirty section of sewer wall, Don reached high up into the shadows and pressed a button hidden behind a protruding brick. Then he stepped back and waited.\n\n\tOnly a moment had passed before a large section of the sewer wall began to move inward. Once the space was large enough for him pass through, Don entered. Waiting on the other side for him was Leatherhead.\n\n\t``My friend, it is so good to see you!''\n\n\t``You too, LH,'' Don said.\n\n\tLeatherhead pressed a button that made the wall slide shut and then led the way into his home. Not a lot had been changed since Leatherhead had relocated to this abandoned subway station. The crocodile had found the space to be beautiful, and had made an effort to retain its beauty.\n\n\tHe had partitioned off sections for a bedroom, a kitchenette, a bath, and a workspace. The workspace was the largest area, since he spent most of his time there. When Don visited, it was where the two of them hung out together.\n\n\t``I will make some tea and you will tell me what it is that is bothering you,'' Leatherhead announced, leading the way to the kitchenette.\n\n\tDon wasn't surprised that Leatherhead could tell that he had a problem. They had been friends long enough to be able to read each other.\n\n\tBefore long they were seated together, sipping tea, while Don spun out the entire story of the night just over two weeks prior, when they had been ambushed by Bishop. He went on to tell Leatherhead how his brothers had been behaving, without the details regarding their private bedroom interactions. Leatherhead already knew that the turtle brothers were sexually active with one another.\n\n\tThough he gave no details, Donatello did include the way his brothers each came to him to satisfy their needs, but no longer went to each other. It was an important piece of the story and if he wanted advice, which he now realized was part of the reason for visiting his friend, he had to explain everything.\n\n\tOnce Don had reached the end of his tale, they sat in comfortable silence. The teapot was empty, Leatherhead having poured out the last of the tea just before Don finished talking.\n\n\tDon could see by Leatherhead's expression that the croc was thinking and so waited patiently. He was much more relaxed than he had been when he'd arrived and knew that had a lot to do with simply being able to talk through the entire situation.\n\n\tLeatherhead and April O'Neil were Donatello's two best friends, but he couldn't talk to April about this. While she did know about the turtles' relationship, talking about sex with her was much too uncomfortable.\n\n\t``As you know, I do not care for Agent Bishop,'' Leatherhead began, his voice low and rumbling. ``He is a bad man, one who feels no empathy for other living things, including the human race he claims to protect. During my time as his captive, he performed unthinkable experiments upon my person, but though I expected to be dissected by him, that is the one thing he chose not to do.''\n\n\tUnsure where Leatherhead was going with this, Don merely nodded and said, ``If we had known you were his captive . . . .''\n\n\tLeatherhead fluttered a hand in his direction, interrupting him. ``You could not have known. I will be eternally grateful to have been rescued by you, your family, and your friends. My point is that he recognized my intelligence and thus chose not to take me apart. I think he believed that I could be used as a tool in his arsenal, much the way he uses his scientists.''\n\n\t``Like Baxter Stockman,'' Don said. ``If he weren't brilliant, no one would put up with him.''\n\n\t``You are just as brilliant, my young friend,'' Leatherhead said, giving Don a serious look. ``Even more so. From what you have told me of that ambush, I am certain that Bishop set that trap primarily to capture you. And your brothers are aware of that.''\n\n\tDon stared at him as he tried to process what he'd just been told. After merely hearing the story, Leatherhead had somehow known the truth while it had taken Donatello some time to reach that conclusion.\n\n\t``I think I've been in denial, LH,'' Don said slowly. ``I haven't wanted to admit that Bishop's trap was focused on me. He's never done anything like that before. He's always wanted any of us he could capture, and if he could get the four us of, so much the better. What's changed?''\n\n\tThe crocodile shook his head. ``That I do not know. All that I can say is that his motives will not be altruistic, but I believe you already understand that for yourself.''\n\n\t``I can't spend the rest of my life hiding from him.'' The idea of being under-grounded forever left a sour taste in Don's mouth. ``My brothers are at just as great a risk, maybe more so because they are trying to protect me. And right now, they aren't even getting along. I can understand the concern for me, but I can't understand why they are so mad at each other.''\n\n\t``Perhaps it is guilt,'' Leatherhead said. ``Each is ashamed at having fallen into Bishop's trap and they are lashing out at one another, placing blame elsewhere in order to ease their own conscience.''\n\n\t``But we've been in those types of situations before,'' Don said. ``Many times. We talk it out, we apologize, we get over it. That's not happening and I don't know why.''\n\n\t``Then you will have to learn what is going through their minds,'' Leatherhead told him. ``The strategy you have chosen seems sound. You have learned much in the last day. And as much as I relish your visits, I have to ask what it is that you now hope to accomplish by hiding from your family?''\n\n\t``I'm not hiding,'' Don said, although he felt a touch of consternation. ``I left a note.''\n\n\t``Ah, Donatello.'' Leatherhead chuckled. ``Of course you are hiding. Is it to show your independence, or to make them worry?''\n\n\tDon could feel his cheeks reddening. ``Both, I guess. Maybe if they get mad at me, they'll stop being mad at each other.''\n\n\t``Perhaps so, but in my experience, things rarely work out exactly as we wish,'' Leatherhead said. He stood up. ``But enough of the worry. Come, I have made a few discoveries that I believe you will find interesting. It will do you good to leave your problems behind you for a while.''\n\n\tAs he usually did when visiting Leatherhead, Donatello lost track of time. Normally it didn't matter because he didn't have to be concerned about his family worrying about him. Often during his visits, Don would stay so late that rather than trekking home, he'd bed down on a spare mattress in the workspace. It was far enough from Leatherhead's bedroom so that if the giant croc had a nightmare, Don wasn't anywhere in the line of fire.\n\n\tIt was only when his shell cell began to buzz that Don's mind was pulled back to the present. He glanced over at the device, which he'd placed on a nearby table, and somehow knew that the caller was Leonardo.\n\n\tRather than answer, Don chose to ignore the call. Leatherhead raised an eye ridge but said nothing, instead returning to the work they were doing on a power generator.\n\n\tThe phone was silent for ten minutes before it began to buzz again. Don could have sworn there was a more urgent tone to that sound, but knew it was his imagination. Pressing his lips stubbornly together, he refused to pick up the shell cell.\n\n\tOn the third repetition, Leatherhead said, ``They will not stop merely because you believe they will get the message that you are angry with them. Their concern for your well-being will have them conjuring up the worst possible scenarios to explain your lack of response.''\n\n\t``I left a note on the fridge,'' Don replied in a sharp tone.\n\n\t``So you have said,'' Leatherhead responded calmly. ``They could easily think you had been taken before ever reaching here.''\n\n\tKnowing that Leatherhead was right didn't mean that Don felt any less resentful at being monitored like he was three years old again. ``Would it be all right if I spent the night here?''\n\n\tLeatherhead chuckled. ``Of course, my friend. You may stay as long as you like. I only ask that you answer your brother's call. I do not wish to become a target of their resentment.''\n\n\tEmbarrassment hit Don like a ton of bricks. ``Oh, LH, I'm sorry! I didn't even think of that. How unfair of me to put you in this position.''\n\n\tHe grabbed the shell cell and walked out to what had been the main waiting room of the subway station. With a flick of his thumb, Don opened the shell cell. Before he even had a chance to answer, Leo's voice came through. It was clear he'd placed the call on speaker.\n\n\t``Donatello! Donny! Are you there?''\n\n\tStriving to sound as nonchalant as possible, Don answered, ``Hey, Leo. How'd the mission go? Were you able to fill up all of the drums?''\n\n\t``Where are you?'' Leo demanded. ``You were not supposed to leave the lair. Are you all right?''\n\n\t``I'm just fine and I'm still over at Leatherhead's place,'' Don said. ``You did not say a thing about remaining in the lair, so I figured if you didn't need me for a gas run, I'd work on some of the projects I'd started with LH.''\n\n\t``You knew exactly what I meant when I told you not to go above ground,'' Leo said, a harsh edge to his voice.\n\n\tDon was starting to get irritated. ``Really? Was I supposed to know that by using the new mental telepathy that I supposedly now have where no one feels the need to actually tell me anything?''\n\n \t``That was uncalled for,'' Leo snapped. ``We came home to find you gone and thought the worst. How could you do that to us?''\t\n\n\t``How could I do that to . . . ?'' Don stopped himself before he actually started spluttering. ``The deal is that if one of us goes out, we leave a note on the refrigerator saying where we've gone. Did you bother to check for a note?''\n\n\tRaph's voice broke in. ``Give me that.'' His next words came in clearer, as he'd obviously snatched the shell cell from Leo's hand. ``Get your ass home right now. Ya' knew damn well ya' weren't supposed to go anywhere on your own.''\n\n\t``You didn't look for the note, did you?'' Don asked. ``It's obvious to me that you guys aren't thinking straight. Instead of following protocol, you immediately panicked when you saw I wasn't just standing around waiting for you.''\n\n\t``Okay, you're right, we freaked,'' Mikey said, from somewhere nearby. ``Come home now. Better yet, I'll go over to LH's and we can walk back together.''\n\n\tInstead of immediately replying, Don took a moment to think. His brothers were actually together, focused on him and not whatever it was that had them at each other's throats. Maybe Don's absence was the key to resolving the situation. Not being in the lair would certainly make it much easier to dodge their sexual advances.\n\n\t``LH and I are at a critical point in our experiment,'' Don said. ``I'm going to stay over here for a while. Don't bother to come and try to drag me back to the lair either, because next time I'll go someplace where you can't find me.''\n\n\tIt was Leonardo's voice he heard next. ``Donatello, I order . . . .''\n\n\t``No!'' Don shouted, and then took a deep breath to calm himself. ``Don't issue that order because you know I hate to disobey, but right now you aren't my leader, you're my brother. All of you are and we're supposed to be on equal footing. When you guys finally figure that out and decide that you want to resolve things in a healthy way, let me know.''\n\n\tHe ended the call just as all three of his brothers started talking at once. Maybe taking such an aggressive stand wasn't the best thing he could do, but Donatello knew he had to do something. With any luck, his brothers would get the message and they could all get back to normal.\n\n\tOtherwise, Don would have to find out if Leatherhead was amenable to having a permanent roommate.\n\nTBC...............\n\n", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "\tMeditation was meant to be a time when one fully relaxed both body and mind, allowing the inner self to soar beyond the limited confines of the physical form.

\tDonatello couldn't focus.  Not, at least, on the act of separating his worries from himself for a period of time.

\tWhen he sneaked a peek around at his brothers, they all seemed to be faring better than him, but he could see the lie.  The tension was still there, easily seen in Raphael from the way his jaw worked from side to side.  Michelangelo's hands twitched, an unmistakable sign that he was agitated.  Then there was Leonardo, whose shoulders were stiff and pulled inward.

\tMaster Splinter's brow was furrowed.  Something was bothering him as well.  Perhaps it was simply the anxiety he sensed from his sons, or maybe something beyond their home.

\tIt made Don worry that much more, considering their plan to go topside later and acquire some much needed gasoline.

\tTry as he might to think of other things, Don's mind kept coming back to the conversations he'd had with his brothers.  Or the lack of them, since learning anything from them was like pulling teeth.  As frustrating as it was, Don's new tactic was working better than the old one, where he went head on at them by asking what had happened during Bishop's ambush.

\tToday he'd learned more than he had in the two weeks prior.  All he had to do was to lead them into thinking he already knew the things they were hiding.

\tDon knew from experience that keeping secrets was hard.  Being constantly on your toes so that nothing slipped out was tiring.  The more they thought he knew, the more they would talk about what they thought he knew.  He would just have to be patient.

\tAnother thought came to him.  Each time he had straight out asked what had happened, not only had his brothers declined to tell him, but they had also instigated sex.  There was no doubting that they enjoyed and wanted it.  So did Don.  But sex was also a great conversation stopper.  Don couldn't ask questions when his brains were turned to mush by the things his brothers did to him.

\tThat realization strengthened his resolve not to have sexual relations with them.  Donatello did not like being played, and he certainly did not like being manipulated in that manner.

\tHe heard Master Splinter sigh and opened his eyes to see his father stand up and stretch.  Master Splinter would not interrupt his sons' meditation, but his leaving them indicated that they could also depart when they were done.

\tDon decided that his period of reflection had reached an end as well.  It hadn't relaxed him and it hadn't provided him with answers.  The only thing he'd accomplished was to become a little more aggravated with the whole situation.

\tHe was in the service bay, loading empty storage drums into the moving van, when his brothers joined him.  The expressions on their faces caused him to stop what he was doing.

\t``Something up?'' Don asked.

\tIt was Leo who answered.  ``You aren't going with us to get the gasoline.''

\tDon gawked at him.  ``Are you kidding me?  Why not?''

\t``Just trust me, Donny.  It's better if you remain underground,'' Leo told him.

\t``This is a four man job.  You need me,'' Don protested.

\tHe was about to argue further, but another voice interrupted him.  ``Okay guys, I'm here.  What do ya' need me for?  We got some heads to bash?''

\t``We've got a fourth man,'' Leo said, rather unnecessarily as Casey Jones took the stairs down into the service bay and joined them.

\tRaphael and Michelangelo began loading up the remaining empty storage drums while Don stared at Leo.  ``Oh, come on, Leo!  You can't expect me to stay hidden down here forever.''

\t``Not forever,'' Leo said, ``just for a while longer.  If something happens. . .  well, we shouldn't all be together.''

\t``Did you all draw straws to decide I stay behind, or was that a joint decision?'' Don asked.  ``How was it I got picked to stay home and somehow wasn't allowed to have a vote?''

\t``This is the way it has to be,'' Leo said, voice firm.  ``Consider it an order if that makes you feel better.''

\t``It does not make me feel better,'' Don replied, crossing his arms.

\tCasey climbed into the driver's seat and Raph jumped in next to him.  Leo waited until Mikey had entered the truck before getting in as well.

\tBefore closing the door, Leo leaned out.  ``I mean it, Don.  Do not go above ground.''

\tHe slammed the door closed and Casey started the engine.  Disgruntled, Don watched them pull out of the lair.

\tCursing under his breath, Don left the service bay.  His first instinct was to go directly to Master Splinter to complain, but had second thoughts.  His father had already made it clear that there wasn't anything he would do other than to offer advice.

\tWhat Don needed was action.  He needed to do something to exert his independence.

\tWith a sly smile, Donatello decided on a course of action.  Leo had said he could not go topside.  He hadn't said anything about leaving the lair.  Sure, it was rule lawyering, something his brothers were always accusing him of, but he wasn't breaking a direct order.  Leo could always claim he disobeyed the spirit of the order, but Don didn't care.  They weren't exactly treating him fairly either.

\tAfter stuffing his laptop into his duffel bag, Donatello stuck a note to the refrigerator and took off.  He had a little bit of a walk through the sewers to reach his destination, which had only been about three minutes from their Y'Lyntian lair but was now several miles away.

\tApproaching what looked like just another dirty section of sewer wall, Don reached high up into the shadows and pressed a button hidden behind a protruding brick.  Then he stepped back and waited.

\tOnly a moment had passed before a large section of the sewer wall began to move inward.  Once the space was large enough for him pass through, Don entered.  Waiting on the other side for him was Leatherhead.

\t``My friend, it is so good to see you!''

\t``You too, LH,'' Don said.

\tLeatherhead pressed a button that made the wall slide shut and then led the way into his home.  Not a lot had been changed since Leatherhead had relocated to this abandoned subway station.  The crocodile had found the space to be beautiful, and had made an effort to retain its beauty.

\tHe had partitioned off sections for a bedroom, a kitchenette, a bath, and a workspace.  The workspace was the largest area, since he spent most of his time there.  When Don visited, it was where the two of them hung out together.

\t``I will make some tea and you will tell me what it is that is bothering you,'' Leatherhead announced, leading the way to the kitchenette.

\tDon wasn't surprised that Leatherhead could tell that he had a problem.  They had been friends long enough to be able to read each other.

\tBefore long they were seated together, sipping tea, while Don spun out the entire story of the night just over two weeks prior, when they had been ambushed by Bishop.  He went on to tell Leatherhead how his brothers had been behaving, without the details regarding their private bedroom interactions.  Leatherhead already knew that the turtle brothers were sexually active with one another.

\tThough he gave no details, Donatello did include the way his brothers each came to him to satisfy their needs, but no longer went to each other.  It was an important piece of the story and if he wanted advice, which he now realized was part of the reason for visiting his friend, he had to explain everything.

\tOnce Don had reached the end of his tale, they sat in comfortable silence.  The teapot was empty, Leatherhead having poured out the last of the tea just before Don finished talking.

\tDon could see by Leatherhead's expression that the croc was thinking and so waited patiently.  He was much more relaxed than he had been when he'd arrived and knew that had a lot to do with simply being able to talk through the entire situation.

\tLeatherhead and April O'Neil were Donatello's two best friends, but he couldn't talk to April about this.  While she did know about the turtles' relationship, talking about sex with her was much too uncomfortable.

\t``As you know, I do not care for Agent Bishop,'' Leatherhead began, his voice low and rumbling.  ``He is a bad man, one who feels no empathy for other living things, including the human race he claims to protect.  During my time as his captive, he performed unthinkable experiments upon my person, but though I expected to be dissected by him, that is the one thing he chose not to do.''

\tUnsure where Leatherhead was going with this, Don merely nodded and said, ``If we had known you were his captive . . . .''

\tLeatherhead fluttered a hand in his direction, interrupting him.  ``You could not have known.  I will be eternally grateful to have been rescued by you, your family, and your friends.  My point is that he recognized my intelligence and thus chose not to take me apart.  I think he believed that I could be used as a tool in his arsenal, much the way he uses his scientists.''

\t``Like Baxter Stockman,'' Don said.  ``If he weren't brilliant, no one would put up with him.''

\t``You are just as brilliant, my young friend,'' Leatherhead said, giving Don a serious look.  ``Even more so.  From what you have told me of that ambush, I am certain that Bishop set that trap primarily to capture you.  And your brothers are aware of that.''

\tDon stared at him as he tried to process what he'd just been told.  After merely hearing the story, Leatherhead had somehow known the truth while it had taken Donatello some time to reach that conclusion.

\t``I think I've been in denial, LH,'' Don said slowly.  ``I haven't wanted to admit that Bishop's trap was focused on me.  He's never done anything like that before.  He's always wanted any of us he could capture, and if he could get the four us of, so much the better.  What's changed?''

\tThe crocodile shook his head.  ``That I do not know.  All that I can say is that his motives will not be altruistic, but I believe you already understand that for yourself.''

\t``I can't spend the rest of my life hiding from him.''  The idea of being under-grounded forever left a sour taste in Don's mouth.  ``My brothers are at just as great a risk, maybe more so because they are trying to protect me.  And right now, they aren't even getting along.  I can understand the concern for me, but I can't understand why they are so mad at each other.''

\t``Perhaps it is guilt,'' Leatherhead said.  ``Each is ashamed at having fallen into Bishop's trap and they are lashing out at one another, placing blame elsewhere in order to ease their own conscience.''

\t``But we've been in those types of situations before,'' Don said.  ``Many times.  We talk it out, we apologize, we get over it.  That's not happening and I don't know why.''

\t``Then you will have to learn what is going through their minds,'' Leatherhead told him.  ``The strategy you have chosen seems sound.  You have learned much in the last day.  And as much as I relish your visits, I have to ask what it is that you now hope to accomplish by hiding from your family?''

\t``I'm not hiding,'' Don said, although he felt a touch of consternation.  ``I left a note.''

\t``Ah, Donatello.''  Leatherhead chuckled.  ``Of course you are hiding.  Is it to show your independence, or to make them worry?''

\tDon could feel his cheeks reddening.  ``Both, I guess.  Maybe if they get mad at me, they'll stop being mad at each other.''

\t``Perhaps so, but in my experience, things rarely work out exactly as we wish,'' Leatherhead said.  He stood up.  ``But enough of the worry.  Come, I have made a few discoveries that I believe you will find interesting.  It will do you good to leave your problems behind you for a while.''

\tAs he usually did when visiting Leatherhead, Donatello lost track of time.  Normally it didn't matter because he didn't have to be concerned about his family worrying about him.  Often during his visits, Don would stay so late that rather than trekking home, he'd bed down on a spare mattress in the workspace.  It was far enough from Leatherhead's bedroom so that if the giant croc had a nightmare, Don wasn't anywhere in the line of fire.

\tIt was only when his shell cell began to buzz that Don's mind was pulled back to the present.  He glanced over at the device, which he'd placed on a nearby table, and somehow knew that the caller was Leonardo.

\tRather than answer, Don chose to ignore the call.  Leatherhead raised an eye ridge but said nothing, instead returning to the work they were doing on a power generator.

\tThe phone was silent for ten minutes before it began to buzz again.  Don could have sworn there was a more urgent tone to that sound, but knew it was his imagination.  Pressing his lips stubbornly together, he refused to pick up the shell cell.

\tOn the third repetition, Leatherhead said, ``They will not stop merely because you believe they will get the message that you are angry with them.  Their concern for your well-being will have them conjuring up the worst possible scenarios to explain your lack of response.''

\t``I left a note on the fridge,'' Don replied in a sharp tone.

\t``So you have said,'' Leatherhead responded calmly.  ``They could easily think you had been taken before ever reaching here.''

\tKnowing that Leatherhead was right didn't mean that Don felt any less resentful at being monitored like he was three years old again.  ``Would it be all right if I spent the night here?''

\tLeatherhead chuckled.  ``Of course, my friend.  You may stay as long as you like.  I only ask that you answer your brother's call.  I do not wish to become a target of their resentment.''

\tEmbarrassment hit Don like a ton of bricks.  ``Oh, LH, I'm sorry!  I didn't even think of that.  How unfair of me to put you in this position.''

\tHe grabbed the shell cell and walked out to what had been the main waiting room of the subway station.  With a flick of his thumb, Don opened the shell cell.  Before he even had a chance to answer, Leo's voice came through.  It was clear he'd placed the call on speaker.

\t``Donatello!  Donny!  Are you there?''

\tStriving to sound as nonchalant as possible, Don answered, ``Hey, Leo.  How'd the mission go?  Were you able to fill up all of the drums?''

\t``Where are you?'' Leo demanded.  ``You were not supposed to leave the lair.  Are you all right?''

\t``I'm just fine and I'm still over at Leatherhead's place,'' Don said.  ``You did not say a thing about remaining in the lair, so I figured if you didn't need me for a gas run, I'd work on some of the projects I'd started with LH.''

\t``You knew exactly what I meant when I told you not to go above ground,'' Leo said, a harsh edge to his voice.

\tDon was starting to get irritated.  ``Really? Was I supposed to know that by using the new mental telepathy that I supposedly now have where no one feels the need to actually tell me anything?''

 \t``That was uncalled for,'' Leo snapped.  ``We came home to find you gone and thought the worst.  How could you do that to us?''\t

\t``How could I do that to . . . ?''  Don stopped himself before he actually started spluttering.  ``The deal is that if one of us goes out, we leave a note on the refrigerator saying where we've gone.  Did you bother to check for a note?''

\tRaph's voice broke in.  ``Give me that.''  His next words came in clearer, as he'd obviously snatched the shell cell from Leo's hand.  ``Get your ass home right now.  Ya' knew damn well ya' weren't supposed to go anywhere on your own.''

\t``You didn't look for the note, did you?'' Don asked.  ``It's obvious to me that you guys aren't thinking straight.  Instead of following protocol, you immediately panicked when you saw I wasn't just standing around waiting for you.''

\t``Okay, you're right, we freaked,'' Mikey said, from somewhere nearby.  ``Come home now.  Better yet, I'll go over to LH's and we can walk back together.''

\tInstead of immediately replying, Don took a moment to think.  His brothers were actually together, focused on him and not whatever it was that had them at each other's throats.  Maybe Don's absence was the key to resolving the situation.  Not being in the lair would certainly make it much easier to dodge their sexual advances.

\t``LH and I are at a critical point in our experiment,'' Don said.  ``I'm going to stay over here for a while.  Don't bother to come and try to drag me back to the lair either, because next time I'll go someplace where you can't find me.''

\tIt was Leonardo's voice he heard next.  ``Donatello, I order . . . .''

\t``No!'' Don shouted, and then took a deep breath to calm himself.  ``Don't issue that order because you know I hate to disobey, but right now you aren't my leader, you're my brother.  All of you are and we're supposed to be on equal footing.  When you guys finally figure that out and decide that you want to resolve things in a healthy way, let me know.''

\tHe ended the call just as all three of his brothers started talking at once.  Maybe taking such an aggressive stand wasn't the best thing he could do, but Donatello knew he had to do something.  With any luck, his brothers would get the message and they could all get back to normal.

\tOtherwise, Don would have to find out if Leatherhead was amenable to having a permanent roommate.

TBC...............

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