Trapped Within

{Chapter 23}

~Moments after Donnie left~

POV Leo:

I was stunned, standing there quietly as I watched Sensei just stood there and Donnie run away, Sensei, just stood there, letting another son leave the lair, disowning this family once more, "Master Splinter-"

"Everyone off to bed, training will begin at eight in the morning", his voice full of authority as he walked back, looking at no one but the exit in front of him. "Sensei...what you said just then...you...you can't be serious...", Raph's voice cracked as he spoke, in moment unlike this, I would tease him, making fun, but I couldn't the air in here just felt to think. Sensei stopped, staring down at the ground, Master Splinter never looked back towards us, "I will not waste my time looking for someone that would rather stay trapped than be saved...", I felt empty, I wanted to listen to Sensei, to be his most obedient son, to let Donnie fend for himself outside, but I couldn't how could I, "Sensei...Sensei!-"

"That is enough Leonardo! Now off to bed...", bowing my head, I stared down at the ground, Karai and Raph next to me copied as they bowed their head, listening as Master Splinter walked off to bed, leaving only the three of us alone inside Donnie's Lab. Walking towards the open garage door, I left the two behind, ready to find Donnie, "Leo? Where are you going?! You're going to piss off Sensei!", Raph whispered as he grabbed my shoulder, but I needed to leave now, "I. Don't. Care! I am not losing any more of my team than I have to...", I felt so useless, watching as my own team was falling apart in front of my eyes, and I did nothing, for once I knew I needed to do something, to do the right thing.

"Mikey may not want to be a part of this family, but I will not lose any more important people in my life", reaching beside my head, I fixed my bandana as I ran down the long tunnel, my feet tapping against the wet concrete. "Leo!-", looking back down the tunnel, Raph and Karai ran closely behind me, "You can't forget about us bro!". I laughed as the exit came closer, "Alright, then! Let's do this!"

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'We searched...', standing on top of April's apartment, I tried to think of more places to check, but I was running out of spots, we called and sent messages but he never answered. Everything was going wrong, my team was slowly falling apart...my family was falling apart. Walking towards the edge of the building, I crouched down and sat on the ground, crossing my legs, trying to get comfortable, to finally calm down and clear my mind, but I couldn't.

Reminders of incidents and failures, everything that led me to this point in time was all our fault...all my fault. Mikey would be home right now, baking up the most ridiculous concoctions, or even just chatting with Ice Cream Kitty, talking his heart out to the lair's only pet. "If we-...If I were a better brother he would be here, but he's not, and neither is Donnie...God I wish I was stronger- a better leader, then everything would be perfect, the team would be happy and perfect-"

"But who really is perfect...", a softly spoken feminine voice sounded out behind me, I just sat there never looking back as the sound of the footsteps walked closer, crouching down next to me, "I know I'm in no place to fix this family, to make this family perfect like you said, but...", her words were slurred and her voices rasped tiredly, "Miwa spoke to me saying that the building has been left empty since two months ago...that there are some...kids? Still living there...", we just sat that, and I just looked towards the smog-filled sky, letting her find the words she wants, "Mikey was given multiple chances to let us know about his location...", she softly grabbed my hand as she unwrapped the clothes that protected my hands from gaining any callus, "He even had the chance to come home...yet something...kept him there"

"It was the Kraang, he was too scared to escape, too scared to run-"

"No...Mikey is never scared of getting harmed by a threat...he was scared...of us finding out something...he had a chance to come back, he was just a few feet away yet he knew he needed to stay-", I was confused, thinking back to the mission, none of it made sense, Mikey was never standing close to us, the only moments we saw him, we watched him through cameras, "But Mom, the only contact we had with him was through my meditative state, what are you talking about...", pushing herself to her feet, she walked back towards the fire exit, still wearing the clothes from the missions nights before, her hair brushed finely, as her hair blew with the nights gently breeze, "Hmmm-", looking back, her eyes and brows were turned down, giving off an almost sorrowful expression as a soft smile showed on her face, "Maybe your right Leonardo...but I know I saw him in those eyes, for now...Mikey needs time to think...time to rest", she mumble quietly the last part under her breath, I wanted to know what she meant, to ask her what she was speaking about, but she was gone, running towards the fire escape her silhouette vanished, disappeared like that.