Lost in the Fight

Epilogue - Back on Top

Leonardo wondered if they were doing the right thing here.

Was Donnie truly ready?

Or was it just Leo who wasn't ready?

When Master Splinter had declared Donatello fit to go topside, the oldest turtle had been just as excited about the good news as his brainy brother had been. But now that they were standing on the rooftop, readying for Donnie's first mission since being critically injured, the leader was having serious second thoughts. He wanted nothing more than for Donnie to fight beside them where he belonged, but he couldn't bear the thought of his younger brother possibly getting captured or hurt again.

Not after they had come so close to losing him . . .

Now that Donnie had been allowed to leave the lair, he would be in constant danger. Far more than ever before.

Tiger Claw and Grizzgore were still out there and their orders had been to deliver Donatello to the Shredder. Leonardo wasn't about to let that happen.

But would he and his other brothers be able to protect Donnie at all times?

Would they be able to stop those cold-blooded monsters from getting their paws on Donatello again?

Should they be taking this risk?

As if he could read Leo's troubled thoughts, Donatello stepped forward and gently patted his oldest brother on the shoulder. Unbeknownst to Leonardo, the gesture was actually meant to be a form of payback for all the patting Donnie had been the unhappy recipient of over the past several months. Of course, since the oldest turtle had no clue that the patting he was receiving was strictly intended to be 'pat'ronizing, the point was rather moot.

Still, it somehow made Donnie feel better.

"Leo, I'll be fine. I promise."

"Are you sure you don't want one of us to go with you?" It was at least the seventh time that evening Leo had posed that very same question.

"Yes! I want to do this on my own." As Donnie spoke, he tried to keep any inkling of his rising irritation out of his voice. His eldest brother's lack of faith in him after all the time, sweat, and extra training that they had put in just to get here was dampening what was supposed to be a triumphant moment. A moment that would have never come to be if not for Leo's constant pushing and reassurance.

"Donnie, you don't ever need to feel like you have to prove anything to us. You know that, right?" This was Leo's last ditch effort to get his brother to reconsider, but he should have known better. Having grown up under the same 'roof' as Hamato Donatello, the oldest turtle knew all too well that once his smartest brother's mind was made up, there was no changing it.

"Leo, I need to do this."

Though Leonardo still had his reservations about this whole idea, he could see the determination pouring off Donatello and the blue-masked turtle realized that he had to trust his brother. He owed him that much.

"Okay, but we'll be right here if you need us." There was a slight pause before Leo softly added "always" to the end of the sentence. With that one word, the statement became much more profound.

Donnie gave all three of his brothers a tight-lipped smile, signifying that it was time to put the plan into action.

"Wait, Donnie! Before you go, there's something I've been meaning to give you." With little to no warning, Mikey sprang forward and threw his arms around Donatello, nearly knocking the taller turtle over in the process.

The sudden, unexpected assault of affection from Mikey – though not abnormal coming from the most expressive turtle – still managed to startle Donnie. So much so that he wasn't even sure how to respond. He just froze, paralyzed with shock. His eyes widened and his arms draped awkwardly at his sides as Mikey continued to squish him.