Michelangelo's POV

I can't believe that Sensei's making me do this!! When I said I wanted to help I meant I wanted to help Raph help April and Casey. I didn't mean I wanted to spend the next three hours of my life sorting the weapons wracks! Splinter always lets Raph go hang with Casey! It's not fair! I want a piece o' the action!

Suddenly the sound of a scuffle in the front room made my eyes turn curiously toward the door. The sounds ceased almost as soon as they had begun, but Sensei's expression only confirmed to me that he'd heard it too. I jumped up to go investigate, but Splinter held me back. "No Michealangelo. Just a moment."

Sure enough, less than thirty seconds later Leonardo entered the dojo. He sighed and I frowned. Yes, I frowned. Leo looked almost ten years older than he had less than ten minutes ago. I put a hand on his shoulder, "You okay bro? What happened?"

Leo just brushed me off and turned to Sensei, deliberately keeping his gaze riveted to the floor. "Donnie went after Raph."

Splinter let out a slow exhale and closed his eyes as he rested both hands on his stick. "Donatello will not be able to stop him."

My eye-ridges furrowed. Don? Why would he want to stop Raph from meeting with Casey and April?

Leo nodded and finally met Master Splinter's gaze. "I know Father. That's why I let him go."

Huh?! What the shell is going on here? I glanced back and forth from my older sibling to Master Splinter, completely lost. But one thing was certain. They're hiding something from me. My eyes narrowed. But the question is: what???

"Hmmm..." Sensei murmured as he stroked his beard thoughtfully.

"Stop who from the what now?" I asked, confused. Both Leo and Master Splinter tensed and stayed silent. About a minute of absolute silence passed and I was slowly loosing my ability to stay upbeat. "Why would Donnie want to stop Raph from going to meet April and Casey?" I voiced.

Again, my older sibling and my sensei refused to answer. It wasn't until Leonardo actually made eye-contact with me that I realized: Raph's not going to April and Casey's. "Where's Raph?" I asked, my voice dangerously level. Leo seemed shocked by the sudden hostility of my tone, but I ignored his shock and pressed on. "Where's Raph?" I repeated more insistently.

A weak, trembling voice from the doorway answered, "Raphael is gone."

My eyes widened and I whirled around to find Donatello in the doorway. I gasped. Donnie looked horrible. My smart brother, like Leo looked as though he had somehow aged rapidly within the past few minutes. He was clinging to the wall for support. His eyes were red and it seemed to me like he was about to collapse at any moment.

Without even making the conscious decision to move, I suddenly found myself at my immediate older brother's side, hugging him tightly. Donnie clung to me and I realized that he was now depending on me, not the wall, to console him. I could already feel the tears welling up in my eyes. I hated to see my brothers in pain. I couldn't stand it. It was almost as if seeing them hurt, hurt me. "Where's Raph?" I repeated for a third time. Only this time I made it clear to my father and to Leo that I wouldn't be taking silence for an answer.

Master Splinter sighed. "I have sent Raphael away for training, my child." He stated evenly.

I felt as though an invisible hand had just dug into my body and squeezed all the life out of my heart. Squish. "W-W-WHAT?! WHY?!" I yelled, frantically turning to my older brothers and pulling on their wrists. "Where is he? We have to find him! We can't just let him go! Not after what happened with Leo! I don't want to lose another brother!" I pleaded desperately, ignoring how childish I sound. Tears began to run down my cheeks and the hand around my heart squeezed even harder as my brothers made no move. Squish.

The next thing I knew, strong arms wrapped me in a gentle hug. I glanced around just enough to realize that Leonardo was holding me tightly. He put a hand on my shoulder and murmured softly, "But I came back, Mikey. Doesn't that count for something?"

If this were any other situation, yes, I probably would have let it count for something. But Raphie was gone. Anger swelled up from some deep, buried place inside of me and I shoved Leonardo away. "No!" I exclaimed and now everyone was staring at me in shock. I ignored them and poked my older brother in the plastron the way Raphael often does when they fight. "You were late Leo! You cut off all contact with us! We thought you were dead! We thought you were never coming back! I don't want to go through that again! I—I—" I couldn't hold it in any longer. All the pain, all the doubt, all the anger, it all came rushing out of me. "RAPHIE!" I yelled, somehow wishing, hoping beyond hope, that it would bring my big brother back to me.

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Third Person POV

Leo's heart cried out in distress as he saw all he hurt and anger in his youngest sibling's eyes. Mikey had never told him any of this before. He'd always maintained a happy façade, seemingly rejoicing that Leo was back. Anger. Anger and Anguish. Those emotions did not belong in Mikey's eyes. Mikey...

The eldest turtle shot forward and wrapped his arms around his wailing little brother, and despite the orange-masked turtle's attempts to pull away, Leonardo held firm. After almost a minute of struggling, Mikey lost all resistance and immediately began to nuzzle up against his oldest brother's plastron, desperate for comfort and reassurance.

"It's okay. It's gonna be okay. Raph will be fine. He may be a hothead, but he can take care of himself. Everything is going to be alright. I promise."

Mikey pulled away a little and looked up into Leo's eyes as he whimpered, "How are you so sure?"

Leo smiled and pulled Mikey back into the hug. "Because I know Raph. He won't stop fighting until he's back with us again. No matter what."

Mikey sniveled and Leo rubbed his shell comfortingly. Donatello stood a little bit off to side and watched with sad eyes. Leo motioned him to join the hug, but Donnie only looked away. The eldest frowned. A tear ran down the side of the smart turtle's face.

I'm sorry Leo. Don thought, his heart still bitter that his older brother hadn't told them Raph was leaving. I'm not as childish in my thinking as Mikey is. Your empty promises do not comfort me.

Master Splinter stared sadly at each of his children in turn and frowned. He had known it would affect them deeply, but he had never imagined that their outbursts would have been on such a scale. Especially Michelangelo. The old rat had not stopped to consider that the young turtle was still hiding his hurt from Leonardo being gone. He sighed, suddenly filled with regret. Ay...I should have allowed Raphael more time with his brothers before his departure.

Michelangelo suddenly sniffled and whimpered forlornly, "Why didn't he say goodbye?" Fresh tears spilled down Mikey's cheeks and Leo wrapped a gentle arm of support around the orange masked turtle's shoulders.

Splinter's voice was low and level as he wiped Michelangelo's tears away and consoled the turtles as best he could. "Because that would have been even harder for him, my son. I have no doubt that your brother will miss you as deeply as you miss him. Perhaps even more."

There was a short silence before Leonardo straightened and looked their rat-father in the eyes. "Sensei...where did you send him?"

The old rat raised an eyebrow. "I am surprised he did not tell you."

Leo sighed. "He said that if he did I'd never let him go."

Splinter stroked his beard and nodded. "Indeed. A wise decision on your brother's part. No doubt had you learned his destination you would be uneasy at best."

All three turtles shifted uncomfortably. Mikey's lip trembled a little as he thought of Raphael being alone, somewhere dark and cold, alone, in danger, and in a place he didn't know.

Don stiffened at his Sensei's words, he didn't like where this was going.

Leo's eyes narrowed. "Where did you send him?" he repeated insistently.

"6738."

Donnie's eyes widened and he stared at his father in shock. Splinter can't mean...

"What?" Leo asked.

"Leonardo, when I sent you away you traveled 3615 miles, is that correct?"

Leo was flustered. "Umm...I guess so Sensei."

The old rat frowned and lowered his gaze to the floor. "Your brother must travel 6738 miles."

Amber eyes widened as Leo finally absorbed what his father was telling him. "Raph's traveling almost twice as far as I did."

"Yes, my son. Raphael knew that if he told you his destination the three of you would only be even more concerned and even more reluctant to let him go."

"Where did you send him, Sensei?" Leo asked again, this time, however, his voice was desperate. He needed to know. All of this buildup really wasn't helping. He was afraid. Yes, Leonardo, the Fearless leader was scared. Scared that his immediate younger brother was in danger, far from home. He needed to know. He needed to know where Raph was going.

"Japan." A quiet voice answered from off to the side before Sensei could even open his mouth.

Splinter turned to the smartest of his sons with a soft, empathetic glance. It may not have seemed like it to the turtles, but Splinter could tell that Donatello was on the verge of breaking. Donatello had never been one to openly share his emotions, but a Father always knew when something was wrong with his son. Splinter knew. Slowly, the old rat approached his third son and placed a gentle hand on Donatello's shoulder. "Raphael told you this?"

Don shook his head. "No Sensei. I didn't catch him in time." The Brainiac lied. He just couldn't bring himself to tell his brothers that he'd just let Raphael leave. There were so many things he'd wanted to say. So many things he'd needed to say. And he hadn't even uttered a single syllable. Not one goddamn word! Oh, how he hated himself right now! Donnie bit back his self-loathing for a few moments and returned his attention to their father.

Sensei frowned.

Leo and Mikey stared with dropped jaws. "S-Sensei, you really sent Raph...all the way to Japan?!" Leo mumbled almost incoherently.

Splinter nodded. "There is a friend of mine there who will oversee your brother's training from now on."

Three sets of eyes widened and Mikey blurted, "But Sensei, how do you know he can be trusted?! What if he hurts Raph? What if he betrays our secret?!"

"CALM Michelangelo!" Their father commanded and Mikey immediately quieted at his father's forceful tone. The old rat exhaled slowly. "You shall simply have to trust that he is my friend, my son."

A tense silence fell over the room and finally Master Splinter murmured. "I suggest that the three of you get some rest. Training will resume as usual tomorrow morning."

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Leo's POV

Sensei left, and Mikey and Don trailed out soon after, presumably headed to their rooms. I remained in the dojo a few minutes after they'd gone. I couldn't sleep. Not after that.

I unsheathe my katanas and spend a few moments looking down at my reflection in the blades. How many times had I polished them while I was away? I had no recollection. It was a reflex action. Something I did out of habit. But I can remember looking down at my reflection in the blades. I remember looking down at them and thinking about my brothers. I remember how every time I was injured, even when the injuries were minor, all I wanted was to curl up with my brothers. I remember all those sleepless nights I spent wondering what they were doing back home. I remember how much it hurt knowing that I couldn't go back until I'd accomplished my goal. I remember the longing, I remember the cold, I remember the heartbreak.

Stay strong little brother. And please...please be careful. We can't afford to lose you. Don't be like me, Raph. Please don't hurt them. I know you'd probably be criticizing me for being a hypocrite, but whatever you do, please stay in touch, and return on schedule. And don't you dare let that hotheaded ignorance of yours get you into trouble! If anything were to happen to you while you're away it would tear this family apart. More than that. Your loss would break my heart.

Please Raphael...please...Be safe.