Beep Beep
Beep Beep
Donatello jumped at the sound, scrabbling into a standing position from his huddle on the floor
Beep Beep
Groaning and trying to wipe the sleep from his eyes, he staggered over to the sound
Beep Beep
A flash of fire, screaming, dust, smoke… Gasping, he shook the image from his mind. His family needed him. Raphael was lying still on the bed; it was his machine that had warned Donatello of his brother's dropping heart rate.
Beep Beep
His whole family were here, unconscious in one form or another. His eyes roved over them, quickly checking the machines that recorded their vitals. He could check them properly after he had made sure Raph was still breathing and his heart still supported him.
Beep Beep
He worked quickly knowing that in the condition they were in, every minute, every second, was a battle with death.
Beep B-
Satisfying himself that Raph would be ok for another hour or so, he began to check on his other patients. Walking over to April, he again heard Casey's voice in his head
"No, get her out first, protect her…" Casey was lying nearby, Don had honored his friend's wish and saved April first from the burning bowels of the building, but had made sure to return. He had not left anyone behind, had refused to.
April's condition was stable, and so he moved on to Mikey. Don had been wrong, Mikey was awake.
He did not know if Mikey could hear or even see anything around him, so he was shocked to say the least when Mikey's eyes flickered up to meet his own. Relief flooded through him, this meant that at least one of his family should pull through.
Don slowly stroked the side of his brother's head. "Mikey?" he enquired gently.
The turtle on the bed groaned and closed his eyes before they flickered open again.
"how do you feel?"
"Urgh…hungry…"
Don stifled a laugh. Yep, that was Mikey, all right. Just as he was about to ask Mikey how he felt excluding his stomach, the warning noise of Leo's machine started up. Don gave his conscious brother a quick reassuring smile before hurrying over to Leo's side. Of all of them, Leo and Casey were in the worst condition – both had tried to protect another.
As Don worked, he realized Leo's warning machine must be faulty. He had programmed the machines to warn of a deterioration in the health of any of his family. The machine did not shut down, until their condition had stabilized. However, the machine seemed to have an echo…
BeepBeep BeepBeep
No, that wasn't an echo…another machine was warning him that he had to act quickly unless he wanted to lose someone. Spinning quickly, he swore to himself as he realized that Casey also needed his help.
He ran to Casey's side as the warning sound increased, and quickly began to alter the machines attached to his friend. As Casey's heart rate began to pick up again, he could hear the warnings behind him, screaming at him to come and help. Rushing back towards Leo, he continued helping his brother, only to hear the dreaded screaming from Casey's machine…
He could help one of them, but he could not stay with them long enough to make their health stable – not without dooming the other to death. The deadly dance continued, Donatello rushing from Leo to Casey, Friend to Family, for how could he chose between his brother and his best friend?
He knew that there was no way he could keep both of them alive; they were too ill, too weak, and he was only one turtle. Never the less, he continued his mad dash between them both. He couldn't choose. How could he choose?
He didn't need to choose.
Fate chose for him.