For @CassieJackson_!

I drew the picture in the middle, credits to the show and artists for the other pics!

This is different than the canon Dimension X episode since this is my own version.

Also: April is aware of her Kraang powers, and the guys know too!

This is completely different from the episode 'Into Dimension X' as Leatherhead is not trapped there, and it's just a little different than the canon version.

So basically, 'Into Dimension X!" Kitty's version!

TWs/CWs: abuse, physical harm, injuries, blood, emotional trauma, and abandonment issues.

Enjoy!

~*~

The moon brightly hovered over the rooftops. A few stars could be seen through the inky blackness of the sky.

The turtles, April, and Casey were on patrol together.

It was quiet and still.

Too quiet.

Too still.

"I don't like this." Leo murmured as he took a step back. "It's...too quiet. Something's up."

He scanned his surroundings from the top of the rooftop.

"Chill, Leo, just cause' it's quiet doesn't mean somethin' is wrong." Raph replied as he twirled his sias in his fingers out of boredom.

"Yeah, let's just enjoy it." Casey smiled, nudging Leo. Leo sighed and let his guard down just a little.

He watched as Mikey started doing cartwheels near Donnie. Donnie was currently checking his T-Phone to see if anyone was hidden near them.

He had installed a special tracker to track body heat as it would alert him when the Foot Clan was nearby.

He even had a metal detector installed so they would be altered when Kraang were close by.

"Careful, Mikey, you might fall off the roof!" Donnie warned worriedly as Mikey did a faster cartwheel closer to the edge without realizing.

Mikey yelped as Donnie grabbed his arm, pulling him away from the edge.

"Oops, hehe, sorry! Thanks for the save, Dee!" Mikey said as he spun around, away from the edge.

Donnie let go of the youngest and patted his head gently. Mikey churred and melted at the touch.

"No problem, Mikey, just please be more careful."

Donnie smiled carefully as he watched April and Leo spar out of boredom while Casey and Raph started having a playful arm-wrestling match.

Suddenly, a Kraang portal opened, right on the rooftop in front of the teens. They all jumped back, away from the glowing pink thing.

"What is that?!" Casey yelped, hiding behind Leo. Donnie hummed and took a cautious step closer.

"It...looks like a portal of some kind." He hummed.

"Everyone stay away from it, we don't know what's on the other side or where it leads to. Perhaps I can analyze it and-"

Donnie was cut off by a scream as Mikey tripped over a crack on the ground and stumbled close to the portal.

"Mikey, no!" Raph cried out as Mikey tripped and fell right through the portal.

"Little brother!" They all tried to grab Mikey, but he was gone before anyone could get ahold of him.

"What do we do?" April looked at Leo. Leo took a deep breath, shaking slightly.

He looked at the shocked faces around him.

He looked at the still-glowing portal.

"We jump in after him. April, can you use your powers to keep the portal open until we come back with Mikey?" Leo asked her.

April focused hard and channeled her energy into the portal which stayed open.

"I think so. Casey, stay here as well. In case I need help." April told Casey.

Casey nodded, sticking close to April but not too close to throw off her concentration.

"Alright guys, let's go save our sunshine!" Leo announced as he, Raph, and Donnie walked up to the portal and jumped in at the same time, holding on to each other as they screamed.

The portal swirled around them, sending pink matter floating around them.

"I'm gonna hurl!" Raph warned, turning a different shade of green.

"Not on me!" Donnie yelped.

Suddenly, they were spewed out of the portal as if it spat them out.

The turtles groaned as they slowly stood up, dizzy. They instantly realized the oxygen was off, so Donnie handed everyone a regulator so they cloud still breath.

Everyone popped one into their mouths and sighed in relief.

"The air here is toxic, it appears to be a mix of sulfur and nitrogen." Donnie explained. "Mikey doesn't have a regulator, so we need to find him, now!"

"Okay, no one split up, we gotta find Mike." Raph advised them. They slowly walked together through the strange world.

It was all glowy and pink like the portal but huge. As if they were in space.

Leo took a big step and started floating. "Uh, guys? Little help?" He spun around in the air.

Raph and Donnie grabbed each of Leo's arms and helped him back down to the squishy, pink floor.

"Ew, why's the floor so...squishy?" Raph lifted a foot. "Gross!"

They kept walking, keeping ech other close. Suddenly, they were falling and screamed as they tried to grab onto something, but had nothing to grasp.

They landed on the squishy pink floor but in a different area. The brothers looked around for any sign of their orange-clad brother.

As they hurried around, calling Mikey, they kept an eye out for danger at the same time.

Suddenly, they heard a familiar whimper. All three brothers froze on the spot. They knew that sound anywhere.

"Mikey? It's us, otouto! Where are you?" Leo called as they kept moving, fighting Kraang that seemingly came out of nowhere.

Once the Kraang were defeated, they saw a turtle in the corner of the space shaking and crying as silently as possible.

It was Mikey.

"Mikey...? Hey, it's okay bud, we're here, you're safe." Raph murmured as he took a step towards Mikey who was crouched and hiding his face.

Mikey looked up and froze. His baby blue eyes were wide and flooding with tears.

"Raphie...?" Mikey choked out, rising slowly. "I...you guys came for me...?" He whispered, tears falling faster now.

Leo, Raph, and Donnie instantly surrounded the crying turtle.

"Of course we did, Mike. Hey, where'd ya get the respirator?" Raph asked since Mikey had some sort of high-tech breathing device like theirs but fancier.

"And...why do you have so many injuries?" Donnie gasped. Mikey was covered in bruises, scars, and fresh wounds.

The worst was a huge bruise on his head and a cut on his leg which was bleeding badly.

Mikey's face was thinner, and his orange mask was torn in two right down the middle but was still somehow attached to his face. A huge scar was under the tear.

Mikey just whimpered and backed away when his brothers tried to comfort him and check him over.

"I...can we just go home?" He begged. His voice was devoid of its usual optimism and joy. It was almost monotone.

The brothers were very confused and had many questions, but Mikey was obviously not in any state to talk right now.

Why was Mikey so injured?

Why were some of the wounds scars as if they were old injuries?

He went through the portal scarless. Minutes ago.

What happened?

"Of course, April and Casey are still topside, and April is keeping the portal open. Come on, let's go."

Leo reassured him as they all walked together, floating once in a while.

After a bit of searching, they found the exit where the portal was and jumped through together, making sure not to let go of each other.

The four turtles soon found themselves back on the rooftops. They spat out the oxygen regulators and realized no time had passed in New York.

"How long were we int there?' Leo asked April and Casey, who were staring at Mikey in shock.

"Just a few minutes. Mikey...what happened?" Casey gasped as Mikey hugged himself and looked down.

They all realized that Mikey didn't want to talk about anything right now, and they weren't going to force him.

After a few words to April and Casey, the brothers took Mikey home.

On the way there, Donnie knew he needed to ask Mikey questions.

"Little bro...what happened? How did you get so hurt after only a few minutes there?" He whispered, trying not to scare Mikey, who seemed extra jumpy.

"I...I...minutes?" Mikey froze. "I was there only a few minutes?" He stared up at Donnie. Donnie slowly nodded.

"Yes, we jumped in almost immediately after you fell in." Donnie replied. Something wasn't right.

Raph and Leo exchanged glances as they soon made it to the lair. Mikey stopped cold as he entered their home.

"Home..." Mikey whispered. I'm home, Home. I'm home." He looked around the lair with tears in his eyes.

The brothers once again exchanged confused glances. Splinter entered soon after, and Mikey instantly hugged him tightly. "Papa!"

Splinter was taken aback but hugged his son just as tightly. He instantly knew that something had happened. "My sons? What occurred tonight?"

Leo explained what they had seen and how they had gone into the portal after Mikey.

"Michelangelo is traumatized and terrified...I fear he was not in that strange place for just a few minutes. Some of these injuries and scars seem to be old. He was there far longer." Splinter told the three older turtles.

"Come on, little brother, let's go take care of your wounds." Donnie told Mikey. Mikey nodded, then looked at the remainder of his family.

"I want you guys to come too...please?" He begged, seeming fearful.

"Okay, Mikey, we're coming." Leo reassured him as they all went to the lab.

Donnie spent about ten minutes noting down all of Mikey's healed and unhealed injuries and made a list to keep track. He had so many scars...

Unhealed Injuries:

Cuts on his head, face, arms, legs, and the back of his neck

Bruises on his entire body, even his shell

Scrapes all over him

A broken finger on his left hand

A sprained right foot

Healed injuries:

Numerous scars all over his body

Chips and cracks in his plastron and carapace, including deep gouges

A minor skull fracture

A jagged scar from his forehead to the top of his head which sliced his mask in half

A broken eye ridge bone

Numerous other broken wounds

They were stunned. Their precious Mikey sustained so many injuries. At least most were healed.

He had scars everywhere.

"Mikey...how long were you there...?" Splinter whispered, teary eyed. He'd never seen Mikey this badly hurt.

Mikey sniffled. "A few years, I guess? It was a long time..." He closed his eyes, shuddering.

Donnie frowned. "Based on the healed wounds, I can determine that some are...about three years old."

"Three years...? Oh, otouto." Raph muttered softly. "I don't get it...why? We jumped right in after him."

"Time seems to pass very quickly there, my sons. What was minutes here was years there." Splinter added, scanning Mikey's plastron.

"Does that mean Mikey's 18? Our big brother?" Leo asked. They all considered it.

"Technically, yes, he's even a foot taller." Donnie replied. Mikey was taller than before. He was also scarred and his eyes were dull and dilated.

"I don't wanna be older..." Mikey mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

"That's okay, you're always our otouto no matter what." Raph firmly told him.

"Mikey, I need to treat your unhealed injuries. May I do that?" Donnie asked gently.

Mikey slowly nodded. "Go ahead..." He sat still as Donnie wrapped Mikey's foot, put a splint on his finger, and cleaned the many cuts and scrapes before bandaging the worst ones.

Mikey was silent the whole time.

He wasn't yapping a mile a minute or bouncing off the walls. He was just sitting there, a far off look in his eyes.

The family exchanged secret glances. They knew Mikey was obviously very traumatized and had been through a lot.

But they didn't want to push the poor turtle into explaining anything right away. They didn't wanna trigger him.

"Mikey, we won't force you, but whenever you're ready, you can...tell us what happened." Leo said as gently as he could.

Mikey met his eyes and slowly nodded.

~*~

The first few days, Mikey was very clingy to his family and couldn't be away from them without slipping into an anxiety attack.

It was obvious he had developed bad separation anxiety which was understandable since he was away from them so long.

He also barely spoke at first, only using one-word replies. He had nightmares every night and they comforted him as best as they could.

He always slept with his nunchucks, too. That was new. And he started hoarding food and bumping into things and stumbling.

Leo, Raph, Donnie, and Splinter tried to help Mikey feel safe, but that was hard to do when they didn't know his triggers.

One day, after he'd been home about a week, he walked into the TV pit. "I'm ready to talk...just so you guys stop accidentally triggering me."

They all sat in the living room area, April and Casey included. They all stayed close to Mikey but not too close. He was currently cuddling against Raph.

"When I fell through the portal, I thought you dudes were right behind me. I waited for ages but...no one came." Mikey whispered.

"I was so scared. I thought...I thought you guys abandoned me...that you weren't coming for me." He added, wiping his eyes.

The brothers scooted a little closer. Raph rubbed Mikey's carapace to keep him calm.

"We'd never abandon ya, little bro. We jumped in, but time worked weird as shell there apparently." Raph murmured, nuzzling Mikey.

"I know that now, but I didn't know at first. I was taken by some Kraang and they gave me a breathing thingy so I could breathe, cause I was, like, suffocating." Mikey sighed.

"They locked me up in a cage and experimented on me and let these super scary creatures attack me to...test my healing factor?"

"That explains your injuries..." Casey said gently, frowning. "That's messed up, little dude."

"I know. It was so painful each time...they also gave me food only to take it away unexpectedly..." Mikey mumbled.

"That's why you've been hoarding food?" Donnie asked, not scolding, just asking. Mikey nodded.

"Yeah...it's not that I don't trust you guys, it's just that I'm scared I'll never feel full again..." He was so thin now.

"We promise you'll get as much food as you need." April reassured him. Mikey relaxed a little at that.

"What else happened, my child?" Splinter stroked Mikey's head gently, mindful of the bruises.

"They cut me, beat me, kicked me...it hurt so, so bad. They also...isolated me. I was alone a lot." Mikey winced.

"They sometimes attacked me at night too...that's why I sleep with my chucks now..." He added, shaking.

Donnie embraced Mikey carefully and slowly. "Oh, sunshine...it's alright now, you're safe here. Forever."

They were all fuming because of what Mikey experienced. This went on for three whole years too.

"I did escape after three years and spend like two months alone...then you found me. Thank you..." Mikey whispered.

He clung to his brothers. They gently returned the affection. "Of course we came for you, we'll always come for you..." Leo cooed, rocking Mikey who clung to him tighter.

"Can you explain your triggers, my boy?" Splinter murmured, hugging Mikey ws well. Mikey nuzzled against his papa.

"Yeah. Uh...no sudden loud noises, please don't sneak up on me, please don't touch me without asking or unless I initiate it, and...and don't leave me alone for too long." Mikey explained.

"That all makes sense. We'll be as careful as we can." April smiled softly. They all agreed, and Mikey smiled for the first time in three years.

~*~

Recovery wasn't easy. Donnie diagnosed Mikey with PTSD, depression, generalized anxiety, and separation anxiety.

They all were mindful of Mikey's triggers and made sure he healed physically as well as mentally.

If he had a flashback, they grounded him.

If he had a nightmare, they comforted him.

If he hoarded food or slept with his njmchucks, they didn't judge him.

If he clung to them, they let him.

They also took a break from training and patrol to help Mikey recover physically and emotionally.

He was less happy-go-lucky, more quiet and cautious, clingy, jumpy, and didn't prank them anymore. He became slightly more serious.

But after moths of gentle therapy with his family, Mikey slowly started to heal. He'd always have physical and mental scars, but he would be a little less traumatized.

~*~

One day, a year after he came home, Mikey walked into the TV pit and hugged each of his brothers and Splinter. They gently returnrd the care.

"Hey otouto, you okay?" Raph asked softly, scanning his brother's face.

"I feel okay today, mostly." Mikey smiled a little. He knew he'd have good days and bad days.

"That's good little brother, that's really good." Donnie smiled. "May I pat your head?" He asked gently.

"Sure." Mikey smiled a bit as he liked headpats now. He was still getting used to touch but accepted it more.

"We're proud of you, bud, we know this isn't easy." Leo churred. Mikey chirped in response.

"I'm glad to be home..." He replied, his eyes lighting up a bit for the first time in a year. He still got clingy sometimes but they didn't mind.

Mikey was not the same and he never would fully be the same.

But his family was okay with that and they were all learning to adapt. Especially Mikey.

But he was home now and safe, protected by his beloved family who would never leave him behind.

And that was all he needed.

~~~~~~~~~~~
Hey cheeseicles! Poor Mikey!

~Kittymasterofall14
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