We Can Do This!

This is so good!!!

// spotlight on me and I’m ready to break

Percy coming out of Vex’s room only to bump into Vax like

Beyond the Rift

When Leo thought he had several months to heal, the Kraang invade from a parallel universe, and now Leo and Donnie are separated from their brothers and must team up with another turtle team from a parallel universe to save both worlds.

However, their mission turns personal when they discover their own brothers are being mind-controlled and fighting for the enemy.

Yet, nothing can prepare them for the horrors that follow.

———

Chapter 1: Nightmares

Words: 2,544

A hitched breath echoed through the empty room, tangling itself with the dust in the air. His chest was heaving up and down, eyes were closed shut, and eyebrows furrowed. Hands were balled into fists, grasping the sweet texture of cold fabric. Beads of sweat rolled down his chin and forehead, despite the coolness of the room. Choked sobs escaped his throat before he could stifle them, and bitter tears had begun to spill from his eyes.

He’d call it a nightmare, but there was a small crack in his body that’d claim that statement false—that this was reality. And all he truly knew was that he was terrified. He’d desperately clung to the small, weak flame of hope that flickered in his heart, yearning for someone to acknowledge his current predicament.

His mind flashes back to simpler times where he was a kid once again, sleeping with his brothers after an agonizing nightmare. He’d cling to them for several days until he deemed it safe enough to return to his room, his haven. However, he considered himself too old for such comforts. He stood at sixteen years old, fully capable of taking care of himself…

…If it wasn’t for his broken legs and sprained ankles. His skin was painted with reds and purples, injuries dusting every corner of his skin. His ribs ached, and with every labored breath he took, he was rewarded with more agony.

Leo needed something.

He’d been consumed by an itch he couldn’t scratch—an overwhelming need for anything to stop the nightmares from pestering him, or his wounds from hurting him. His lesions decorated his skin like cruel reminders, mocking him for everything he’d lost and gained in a week from the Kraang Invasion.

As if to stabilize himself from the oncoming nightmare—or reality; who knows?— he’d considered his small victories. For one, he was alive and breathing. Secondly, his brothers were also alive and pumping blood. Third, they’d save New York from a deadly apocalypse. Fourth, he’d heal. He knew his slumped, useless body would recover from the trauma—both mentally and physically. Logically, there is a future where he recuperates, and that everything was okay.

But that was a distant future. Leo knew that healing wasn’t linear—never will be. He’d knew there were days ahead of him filled with pure misery and sorrow, while some others would be overflowing with joy and ecstasy.

He couldn’t wait for those days where the heavy burden would lift from his shoulders and he could just breathe. Days he could take in every sound in the bustling city, and let it fall into a calming rhythm. The constant chatter of crowds, the blaring honking of cars stuck in traffic and construction sites were all a sweet remedy to him.

Thinking of this peaceful future had assuaged his labored breathing and the tears from spilling. Unconsciously, he’d release the tight grip he had on his bed sheets, as his palms now laid gently across his stomach.

“Leo?” a familiar voice whispered to him. He gently cracked his eyes open, slowly letting them adjust to the harsh lighting in the med bay. There was a purple silhouette standing by the entrance. Leo softly smiled, relieved that someone was finally there to keep him some company, and that the someone was Donnie.

“I heard you breathing quite heavily–wait, were you crying?” Donnie hurried over to Leo, his best concerned expression straining his features. Donnie was never good at showing his emotions, so really, it creeped Leo out just how worried his brother looked.

While Donnie analyzed his tear-stained cheeks, Leo was being swallowed by the weight of humiliation. He felt too vulnerable. This feeling of exposure had silently confirmed his fears of being useless, a boy forced to depend upon others. After a tense, awkward moment, Leo found his voice and obliged himself to use it, as he finally managed a weak, “I guess. I didn’t mean to.”

Donnie pursed his lips together, clearly unsatisfied with Leo’s answer. He wasn’t the most reliable or emotionally available person, but he’d been trying to make more of an effort lately. He couldn’t simply sit and watch as Mikey drained himself, comforting his brothers when he was also struggling.

“Listen, Leo, i’m your twin, right? You don’t need to put up a front with me. You had a nightmare—I wasn’t born yesterday.” Donnie sat on the stool by Leo’s bed, crossing his arms and raising an accusing eyebrow at his brother. He’d logically used the word twin, as Leo loved to refer them as that, even though it was not accurate.

(Truth be told, Donnie actually never minded being called Leo’s twin, and very much liked the term even if it went against his science.)

Leo’s mouth gaped, and his eyes had a sort of spark in them that Donnie had not seen for several weeks after defeating the Kraang. Leo quickly sat up, whisper-yelling to his brother, “Twin? So you finally admit it when i’m on my deathbed, huh? Didn’t know this was all it took!” He showed his signature toothy grin, pushing the gnawing feeling of his nightmare into the depths of his stomach.

“Scoff. Don’t change the subject, Nardo. Do you, well, I don’t know… Wanna talk about it, I guess?” Donnie spoke with great difficulty, gathering his words as they spilled from his mouth before he could arrange them properly. He shifted uncomfortably, eyes skidding everywhere but Leo’s own pair. He’d do anything for his brothers. (He reluctantly guessed.)

Leo softly shook his head, eyes lingering towards his bruised arms and hands. “I’m fine. I guess i’m just, I don’t know, put down by the state of my body. I’ve never seen so many injuries on me before…” His voice trembled, barely above a whisper.

If it were up to him, he’d rather talk about his feelings with Mikey, albeit with a little reluctance. Donnie didn’t even have the capacity to understand complex emotions, so what could he know about Leo? Had he looked so feeble and fragile that even Donnie, of all people, was stepping in with concern?

Donnie sighed, hesitating before giving a weak nod. A pause between them stretched before Donnie spoke up with a little more confidence behind his words, “I know. I see you, Leo. I can see you’re hurt and lost… maybe even confused, too.”

Before Leo could object—deny that no, he wasn’t lost in a dark void inside his head, and no, he was okay—Donnie looked him in the eye, his hands fidgeting nervously.

“Maybe all you need is someone to just be here next to you while you recuperate, because that’s what I need too.”

It took one thing for Donnie to talk about his feelings, but it was another for Donnie to admit his own vulnerability.

Leo, stunned to silence, gaped at him. His brain scrambled for words, urging his voice to come out and say something—anything—but it failed him. He felt the urge to deflect, to make a joke or push away, but something stopped him. His fingers twitched, reminding him that he still had control, even if he didn’t have the words.

So he leaned in and hugged his twin.

Both of them were caught off guard. Leo acted on pure impulse, doing what felt right. Donnie, on the other hand, froze—eyes wide, mouth slightly parted. He never welcomed physical affection without warning, always quick to brush it off when his brothers tried. But this was Leo. Hurt, vulnerable Leo, who had just sacrificed everything for his brothers. This was the Leo who cared deeply beneath his usual clownish facade, allowing it to slip just for this moment. For Donnie.

Donnie couldn’t just leave him hanging. He hesitated, but slowly let his arms fall onto Leo’s shell, unsure but determined. His head found a resting place on his twin’s shoulder. He squeezed him tightly, and to his surprise, found comfort in the simple weight of Leo’s arms around him.

It felt almost like a warm blanket.

(He considered surrendering himself more to the rest of his brother’s affectionate touches, but he quickly decided against it. Maybe he’ll just allow it for serious moments like these. It felt nice.)

Donnie felt Leo's racing heartbeat against his chest, each beat a soft and gentle reminder that his brother was here, real and alive. No longer trapped in the Prison Dimension, no longer out of reach. With each pulse, Donnie found a quiet solace, his own tension easing as he clung to the steady rhythm of Leo’s heart.

He squeezed his eyes shut before releasing a trembling sigh. “Are you scared?” He murmured softly, the sound hardly louder than a thought.

Leo was truly, undeniably, petrified. The weight of his vulnerability made his stomach churn, leaving him reluctant to accept help from his brothers. He considered his options, ways to dismiss Donnie’s question. He settled for an ambiguous answer with a lighthearted tone, a mask for his unease.

“I have you, don’t I?” he replied, a hint of playfulness lacing his voice.

“Yes, you have me. I’m ignoring your tone of voice right now, stop playing around. Scoff!” Donnie immediately dropped the hug, giving his brother a repulsed expression. That, he was good at.

“What? We were totally having a bromance moment there, dude. You ruined it!” Leo crossed his arms, eyes closed with his face turned away dramatically.

Donnie jabbed his index finger to Leo’s plastron. “We were, until you ruined it!”

“Ruined it? You’re the one who said I was playing around after I said something totally sweet and nice to you!”

“As if! You’re just trying to run away from this conversation with jokes and your childish, jokey tone. I said I wasn’t born yesterday!”

“Ugh, Raph! Donnie’s middle child syndrome is leashing out again!” Leo hollered towards the entrance of the med bay, genuinely hoping for Raph to step in and handle his annoying brother.

Donnie loudly gasped, hand over his heart, his expression the epitome of mock offense. “Middle child syndrome?! You’re literally the middle child too, dummy!”

“Yeah but everyone’s agreed that the title goes to you. I’m just the cool guy. The face of the team, ya know?” Leo flipped his nonexistent hair, a smug look stretching across his features.

The soft shell dramatically rolled his eyes. “Whatever you say Leon. Dad thinks i’m the funniest, you’re just a nuisance who attempts to be my level of funny.”

“Don’t speak to your leader like that, Donnie!” Leo dragged out the word "leader," determined to win their banter.

“Whatever.” Donnie resigned with an exaggerated sigh. One point for Leo, zero for Donnie.

Leo softly snickered at Donnie’s defeated expression. For a moment, it felt like old times. The air around them had been heavy with tension and unease ever since the Kraang invasion. Everyone was still on edge, still processing. But this moment of banter? It felt like a breath of fresh air.

It was all over now. Sure, they all had ghosts of scars plastered across their skin and minds, but those scars twinkled like distant stars. Each one, big or small, tied them together—a reminder of what they went through and a symbol of survival.

Maybe acknowledging this was one small (or big) step for Leo toward his journey of healing. Maybe those days bursting with glee and bliss were closer than he thought.

He watched Donnie as his brother’s lips quirked up into a small, genuine smile, a soft laugh escaping him. Leo’s heart warmed at the sight—Donnie, even with the dark circles under his eyes, finally looked a little more like himself. Relaxed. Present. Leo hadn't realized how much he had missed this—his brother, simply enjoying a moment.

Before Leo could stop himself, words tumbled out.

“Donnie?” His voice was softer now, his smile fading as something heavier settled in his chest. Donnie glanced at him, his expression shifting to curiosity and mild concern.

“I missed you. Please stay.”

Tears were brimming at the edge of Leo’s eyes, his own words hitting him like a punch. He hadn't truly felt it until now—just how much he missed his brothers being themselves.

Donnie blinked, momentarily stunned. His usual sharp wit wavered. He fidgeted with the corner of his shell, glancing away before looking back at Leo. “I’ve been here, Leo. You see me every day. Why do you miss me?”

Leo swallowed, struggling to find the right words. “You’ve been here, but not really... not as yourself. You’ve been too preoccupied, too worried. You haven’t laughed in a long time or smiled. Before, you would return my teasing, but it was only out of a sense of duty, right? But this time, it felt... real. And I realized I missed that. I miss you. I want you to stay with me. Just... stay a little while.”

Donnie hesitated, his eyes softening as he processed Leo’s words. He didn’t say anything at first, the silence stretching between them, thick with unspoken emotions. His hand twitched slightly, as if wanting to reach out but unsure if he should.

Then, in a rare moment of vulnerability, Donnie finally spoke. “Okay, Leo. I’ll stay. For as long as you need.”

“Let’s watch Jupiter Jim! Get me my phone, please. Actually, where even is it? I’ve been so bored since I got to the med bay. I feel like I got grounded.” Leo’s tone shifted from excited anticipation to irritation, furrowing his eyebrows to highlight his annoyance.

“Oh. I forgot about that… Well, the LED screen is bad for you anyway. Especially since you’re recuperating right now.” Donnie objected, reluctant to give back Leo his phone when he was supposed to focus on resting.

“Uh, I’m pretty sure LED screens won’t make my wounds reopen. Now, hand over my phone—I need Jupiter Jim and Instagram reels. Unless, of course, you’re buying me a whole TV to watch those on instead?”

Leo crossed his arms, knowing he’d get his way. He always did.

Donnie groaned, lifting the covers and moving to the drawer where Leo’s phone was hidden. “Fine! But you’re getting limited screen time. Two hours a day, max. You’re supposed to agree with me, medic.”

Leo rolled his eyes. “Who says that’s stopping me?”

Donnie’s expression darkened into a mischievous smile. “Who says I didn’t put a special password on it?” Donnie stretched his arms to Leo, phone in hand.

Leo’s face dropped. “Even I wouldn’t go that far! That’s my phone, not yours!” He reached for his phone, but when he tried his password, it didn’t work. Huffing in frustration, he reluctantly handed it back.

“Please,” Leo grumbled.

Donnie grinned victoriously as he unlocked the phone. “Your two hours start now. Use them wisely, dear brother.” He whispered with a playful cackle.

“Well, are you lying down with me or what?”

Leo’s casual invite was all Donnie needed. He sighed, unable to hold back a small grin as he lifted the covers and lay down next to his brother, getting in a comfy position to watch one of the many Jupiter Jim movies.

He could hear Leo’s own heartbeat, and Donnie released a long breath he didn’t know he’d been holding.

’He’s here, and he’s alive— next to me.’

———

I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter, there is a lot more to come!

This fic was posted in AO3, you could read it here if it’s better for you to directly read it from the site. Kudos and comments are deeply appreciated and bring happy tears to my eyes. They keep me going.

Updates happen on the weekends (Saturdays or Sundays), but I usually post sooner. However, don’t expect earlier updates.

This fic has a minimum goal of 30k words and 15 chapters.

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A,B,C,D!

I Don't Know My Name!

Tell Me If I'm Dead Or If I'm Just Going Insane!

XDDC!

The Writing On The Wall!

The Vowels And The Consonants Say

"Save Us All!!"

Digital hallucination by OR3O

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