Mikey couldn't stop crying.

From the moment Shredder threw Master Splinter from the rooftop, the tears had started and wouldn't end. They'd soaked his mask already, and the stripe of orange hung limp around his neck now as he sobbed into his hands.

What had they done to deserve this? Had they not been good enough students? Had they not been caring enough, or disciplined enough?

No.

Sensei couldn't have disappeared from their lives forever.

Impossible.

Mikey looked up at the doorway in to the kitchen. He narrowed his eyes, willing Splinter to just come in, or pass by. Just a tiny glimpse to assure Mikey that this was all a bad dream.

His hands gripped the edges of the counter, knuckles turning a lighter green as he held onto the granite.

C'mon Splinter, just walk through and I promise I'll be the best ninja ever for you. I won't skateboard in the lair anymore, or blow off training for pizza breaks. I'll give all that up! Just walk in and grab a Cheesicle.

He continued to stare at the doorway.

Splinter didn't come.

Michelangelo began to cry again.

He sank to the floor, leaning his body up against the fridge, hearing Ice-cream Kitty above him, mewling curiously. He wouldn't be the one to break the news to her. Fae would have to do that. Mikey just wanted to watch the doorway until his sensei showed up.

He tilted his face up, looking at the cement ceiling. Finding patterns in the cracks and crevices.

That one looked like Splinter's staff.

That looked like a rat's ear.

The display of cracks near the left corner looked exactly like the time Splinter had introduced him to nunchaku...

Mikey would've done anything to have him back.

He wiped the tears from his cheeks, standing up and ripping the freezer door open. ICK screeched in shock, barely able to register what had happened before Mikey yanked out every hunk of frozen cheese and slammed the door, leaving her in darkness again.

He didn't quite know what he was doing, as he laid out the treats on the counter. All he knew was that if Splinter was coming back from a nasty fight with Shredder like that, he'd be hungry.

"There," he affirmed to himself once the Cheesicles looked fairly presentable.

Mikey glanced around. The kitchen was still in ruins from his last culinary disaster. Splinter hated messes. If he was returning, it shouldn't be to a big catastrophe like this.

The kitchen was spotless now, and the Cheesicles were starting to thaw. Mikey waited by the doorway. Splinter didn't come. He spotted his skateboard from the sliver of the living room he could glimpse.

Mikey frowned. Splinter didn't particularly like skateboarding. Said it took away from training occasionally. The video games too. And the pizza.

Michelangelo hurried out of the kitchen, scooping up his board and the video game cases scattered on the floor. If Splinter was returning, he'd have to be his best. No more distractions. No more messing around. Only keeping his father safe, and being the best ninja in the history of the world, because the best master in the history of the world was teaching him and he had to shape up or Splinter wouldn't come back—

"Mikey! Stop!"

His train of thought crashed. Raph was in front of him, shaking his shoulders. His nose was sniffly, Mikey noticed, and the skin was split open on Raph's hands.

Mikey stepped back, glancing at his skateboard and stack of games and pizza boxes, now at the bottom of the pool of water beneath the tire swing.

"What do you think you're doing?" Raph asked in a rasping voice.

"If I'm better, he'll come back," Mikey deadpanned.

Raph looked away, letting out a brokenhearted sigh.

"He's not coming back, Mikey. There's nothing we can do."

And then Mikey started to cry again, and his brother could do nothing but weep silently with him.