A Lost Child

Chapter 21

"He's been unconscious for a month now Donnie. Can ya not tell when he'll wake up?" Raphael asked resting his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands.

Donnie, Raph, Mikey, April, Casey and Master Splinter all sat in the pit of the lair.

The lair had been quiet ever since Leo arrived, beaten and fighting for his life.

"Raphael...you must remain patient and calm. Your brother will wake up. He just needs time to recover." Splinter said sadly.

"Are you sure about that Sensei? What if he doesn't?" Mikey asked looking over at his father from where he sat on the floor beside April, who had her arm wrapped around him in a comforting way.

"Only time will tell my child." Splinter replies, looking over at his youngest son.

"Master Splinter?" April asked looking over at her sensei and second father figure.

"Yes April?" Splinter replied, turning to look at April.

"Can you tell us a little about Leo?" April asked.

"Ya...like what was he like growing up?" Casey added.

Splinter thought about the questions for a moment, remembering when the turtles were mere tots. He smiled to himself before turning back to the teenagers.

"Leonardo was a sweet, happy, little boy. I say little because yet being the oldest, he was physically the smallest for a while as you all grew up. Leonardo loved you three dearly."

Raph, Donnie, and Mikey all turn to one another and smile.

Splinter watched his sons interactions before looking down at the ground, "there are many things that I remember but there is one memory that I enjoyed the most about the four of you." Splinter said looking back up at his three sons, April and Casey.

"You all were just three years old. I returned home from a scavenging to hear the four of you laughing loudly. I thought I had put you all to sleep but I was very wrong. I walked into the lair to find Michelangelo lying on his stomach laughing and Donatello, Raphael and Leonardo all lying on their shells laughing as well. You all calmed down when you noticed me but that moment was shut down quickly when Michelangelo farted loudly. You all burst out laughing." Splinter told laughing at the end.

Mikey blushes but laughed along with his brothers, April and Casey.

"Turns out, Michelangelo was constipated." Master Splinter added, "you four laughed a lot growing up." Splinter said smiling sadly.

The teenagers in the room looked at Splinter sadly. They all hated seeing their Sensei sad.

"But if I had to chose one thing I loved the most while watching the four of you grow up was our nightly routine. I would always start with Michelangelo. He would get his bath first and he was the one that was put to bed first. Donatello followed next. He was much calmer with everything than Michelangelo. After Donatello followed Raphael. Your stubbornness was something else." Splinter said smiling at his blushing son.

Casey laughed, "tell me about it."

They all laughed at Casey remark.

"Raphael constantly ended up wasting as much water as he could when it came to bath time. You hated bath time."

"Still do!" Raph said confidently.

"Eww." Mikey said laughing.

"Leonardo was always the last one to be bathed and put to bed. He was the calmest of you four and always wanted to be held as he fell asleep. He would stare up at me with his big blue eyes." At this April awed. Splinter only smiled, "At first it was a little off-putting but I learned to accept his curiosity. Once Leonardo fell asleep in my arms I would hold him just a little longer staring down at his young face." Splinter sighed loudly, "I guess somewhere deep within my souls I knew he would be taken away from me."

Splinter sighed deeply once again, looking around at everyone. He noticed they all looked sad and angry, "do not let my memories fool you children. They were of happy times. So I want you all to be happy and stay happy, hoping for your brother to return to us soon."

Raph, Donnie, Casey, Mikey and April all looked at Splinter before turning to one another and smiling at each other. They all then turned back to Master Splinter.

"We know Sensei, we just hope that Leo wakes up real soon." Raph said smiling sadly at his father.

"He was stolen from us ten years ago and we've only just gotten him back. We haven't even been able to properly get to know him; let alone properly introduce ourselves." Donnie said sadly.

"We don't ever want him taken away from us again." Mikey said confidently, smiling up at his father.

April and Casey smiled at the brothers love for their returned brother.

Splinter stared at his sons with so much love in his eyes for them. He knew one day they would go after Saki and get their revenge on him for taking their Leonardo away.

Sorry it's short 😕 but we only have a couple more chapters left! So I hope you've enjoyed the story so far. You all are in for a surprise come the last chapter! Thank you for all your support!! It's very appreciated!! 💙❤️💜🧡