Abandoned Bones

He had left them all behind; without a farewell, without a note. They didn't know why. No one knew. Leonardo couldn't remember any argument that might have sparked the abrupt departure: nothing that Raphael had said, or Michelangelo had done, or anything that could be blamed on himself.

It had taken a good day before they became concerned. It had taken a week before they grew sick with worry. It had taken a month before their efforts to find him became more and more frantic.

Nobody had seen him, and he couldn't be found in any of his familiar haunts. He never contacted any of them, not even April, or Casey.

Donatello had left, and he had abandoned everything that belonged to him. His life's work remained in the lair: his computer, his notes, his gadgets, his shell cell, even his tech tab had been left behind, as though he had always intended to return.

But he never did.

Donatello had left. They had spent weeks, months, years looking for him. Fruitless years. Years of misery. Years that had torn apart their family. Years that had cost them: Mikey's arm, the war against the Shredder, Casey, and...

Master Splinter.

Leonardo had felt—still felt—that loss keenest of all. Even more keenly than the mysterious disappearance of his brother. No matter what Raph might think.

Donatello had left them, but Leonardo finally found him.

Tucked away in an unused part of the Sewer, hidden under a pile of rubble. How could they have missed this? After all these years of searching, to find him like this. Broken, battered.

Dead.

Donatello had left them, perhaps only to enjoy a run through the sewer, a trip to the junkyard for some part he needed. Thinking he would be back before too long. Thinking he didn't need any of his belongings. That he would return to them.

Someone had found him. Someone had killed him.

There was no need to ponder just who might it have been. The specific individual didn't matter. Leonardo knew who was to blame.

Donatello had left them, and it was the Shredder who had found him. The Shredder who had killed him. Even if that Utrom bastard had never touched him, it was still his fault.

He couldn't bear to tell his brothers. They thought Donatello had left, but that he would return. They couldn't know. They could never know. He would not destroy their hope. They had lost so much, he could not take this away, too.

Donatello had left them, and he would never return. Leonardo fell down to his knees and wept for his lost brother, tears falling uselessly on old, dusty, abandoned bones.