Hi guys! Soooo? Are you excited and ready for Christmas that's like just right around the corner? (I'm not ready, I totally missed everything leading up to this point because I've been super busy... and sick... yay) But that's actually how this little one-shot came to be!

This is a brotherly fluff piece with a bit of sadness (I don't know how I always stuff that in there, trust me, it's not intentional) Anyway, I hope you enjoy this one-shot! Please leave a review and tell me what you think- reviews are always appreciated- thanks!

Merry Christmas everyone!

I do not own the TMNT

Mikey pressed his head into the pillow, pulling away when he thought he'd suffocate. Only that made his throat burn at the sudden shock of cold air. So again he threw the pillow over his face.

He was sure snot was piling up around his pillow where his nose was, but moving the fluffy square required muscles. And he was pretty sure every muscle ached and sizzled when he did that, so snot or not, he laid the way he was.

The orange banded turtle groaned, scrunching his eyes shut in concentration, holding back the cough. But soon it became a pressing force against his lungs and he gave up.

The cough was muffled in the pillow, but still he laid and waited. Waited for the animalistic growl of his hotheaded sibling who was sleeping in his room next to Mikey's. Or for the groggy feet of Leo to come followed by a lazy knock at his door.

But there was nothing. The soft snores of Raph and Leo continued, slowly getting louder by the minute- much to the young turtle's dismay. But it was ok because a sleeping turtle was better than a rolling furnace or an overprotective brother.

But then again, some attention would be nice...

Mikey sniffed as he peeled away the pillow, slowly rubbing his nose. Attention would be really nice from any of his brothers... or from Sensei... He blinked away the thin layer of water, feeling them cool down his cheeks as they slowly drizzled down.

"Papa..."

He stared at the picture hanging above his bed. It was a picture of a Christmas tree, and in the middle of it was a countdown of numbers. They were smudged out numbers that read from twenty two down. Only the number zero was left untouched.

Normally that was exciting- zero meant Christmas Day! But he was sick... and not just a little sick, but sick to the point where sitting up or walking to his action figures made his head spin.

Who would've thought! Sick. On. Christmas. Day.

Mikey groaned but that quickly erupted into a coughing fit. Once he was sure the coughs were stamped out, he let out a shaky breath.

Why? Just why?

Mikey eased himself onto his side and propped his head better against his pillow. Maybe if he slept more he'd feel better? Or, maybe this was all a bad dream and just a elaborate Christmas scare?

Ya, that had to be it.

Mikey laid like that for some time, glancing at his old SpongeBob clock that Splinter had found in the garbage one night.

It was only three in the morning, but Leo would probably be up in a few hours. He always enjoyed being the first one up... or that's what he thought.

Maybe he enjoyed getting up early to snitch some of those chocolate bars? Oh wait, that was himself.

Mikey groaned again, gripping his stomach. Not even candy made any appeal to the prankster...

He was about to dig his head into his pillow again, but a soft knock halted him.

"Mikey?"

Mikey raised a hairless brow. What was Donnie doing up this early?

Pushing the thought away, he cleared his throat, wincing as even that act hurt. "Ya?" He rubbed his throat, wanting to just wish it better.

"Are you ok? I'm coming in." The door creaked as it was slowly nudged open. Donnie's head popped through the little slit he made, took one look at Mikey and preceded to open it all the way.

Mikey hissed as the light quickly flooded into the room, snapping his eyes shut. But it helped little as it penetrated even his lids.

"Are you sick?" Donnie whispered more to himself than to Mikey.

The young turtle wiggled further into the covers, feeling the onslaught of cold air from outside his room.

Donnie sighed, clicking the door shut and making his way towards Mikey's huddled form. He placed two fingers overtop Mikey's forehead, a frown beginning to form on his lips. "I'll make you some tea. Don't go anywhere." Donnie's hand found the top of Mikey's head and he gently rubbed it.

Mikey weakly nodded- anything else caused stars to dance in his vision- croaking out a small 'ok'.

This caused the tips of Don's lips to curve downward even further, but he said no more as he slipped out of Mikey's room.

Why was Donnie still up? The prankster should've heard some movement coming from Don's room. Any indication that he was still up and not in his room. Besides, Leo was pretty insistent Donnie sleep in his real bed for a change and not on a chair in the lab.

Maybe Donnie was working on a last minute Christmas gift? No. His genius brother was always ahead of the game when it came to dates and such. So what was it that kept his brother preoccupied so late in the night (or early in the morning, whichever you prefer)? Surely he wasn't in the lab, against Leo's wishes... was he?

The door quietly opened again, followed by the warm and inviting scent of camomile tea.

"Drink this; it'll help you feel better. But before you do that," Donnie pulled out a thermometer, waving it slightly in the air. "Open up Mikey."

Mikey groaned, but did as requested, having gone through this more than the little turtle would like to count.

"Why didn't you tell anyone you were sick?" Donnie asked, setting down the cup on Mikey's bedside table. Mikey knew the question was one that was meant to be scolding but he could barely make out what Donnie was saying. It felt like cotton was filling up his ears and it was seriously beginning to annoy him.

He pushed the thermometer off to the side of his mouth with his tongue. "Would you've woken up a ticking time bomb or a overprotective brother if you were sick?"

Donnie hesitated before pulling up a chair, nodding slowly. "You've got a point. You still could've found me though."

Mikey nodded, still massaging his throat. "But you came, so it's all good!"

Donnie rolled his eyes, stretching out his hand. "Here, give me the thermometer."

Mikey passed Donnie the metal device, then reached out for the cup of tea. His muscles protested, and at one point Mikey was afraid his arm would fall off, but then he had the cup's edge to his lips. The tea slid down his agitated throat, soothing it a little.

"Well you're not too bad. But you're going to be sick for a while though, Mikey." Donnie reached out for Mikey's head again, rubbing it soothingly.

Mikey rubbed his nose with the back of his hand. "But I can't be! It's Christmas!" He tried to raise his voice in a whine, but it pitifully croaked instead.

Donnie's shoulders dropped slightly, holding a apologetic look. "Ya I know bud. It'll still be fun though. We'll just do something in here instead, ok?"

Finally Mikey's eyes perked up with a warm shine. "Really?"

Donnie nodded as he braced his hands against the armrest. "Yes, now try to get some sleep. When Leo wakes up I'll explain what's going on." He was just about to get up, but Mikey's hand shot up and gripped his.

"Can you stay here please?" Mikey whimpered slightly, pulling his hands together in a pleading gesture.

"Ok. But try and sleep." Donnie ordered as settled back down into the chair.

Mikey pulled himself back down into the covers again, and was just about to let sleep have claim over him when he got the strength to ask the simple question that was burning in the back of his brain. "Why did you stay in your lab and not go to bed like Leo asked?"

Donnie seemed struck by the question, his eyes widening just a bit and lurching farther into the chair. Mikey wished in that very second that he didn't ask his older sibling that question, knowing how sensitive it really was.

But Donnie swallowed visibly, allowing the tension to drain from his body and he relaxed into the chair.

"We all deal with pain in our own way Mikey. Leo knows that my way of dealing with it is by locking myself in my lab. And yet he still tried to pry me out. Raph's no different either." Donnie clenched his fingers together, looking past Mikey and into a frame of time not in this universe.

"Can't they just see I want to be alone? I-I don't know why they can't see that."

Mikey gripped Donnie's hand in a small attempt at comfort. It wasn't much, but it seemed to be enough because Donnie stared at him.

"I just don't get it."

"Maybe it's because they want to spend time with you, or maybe because they're trying to get you out of your shell?" Mikey knew the answer was both of those. "Maybe they don't want you to get lost..."

Mikey didn't know Donnie's shoulders could fall any more than they already had, and it sent a jolt of pain through his heart.

"That may be true, but, Splinter's gone... he's never going to come back. Not now, not ever. For Pity's sake, I remember spending last Christmas with him! I never imagined that that would be the last Christmas I'd have with him... that we'd have with him." Donnie's gaze intensified as he thought back. He could still see Splinter as bright as day, like it was yesterday...

The purple turtle gasped suddenly, lurching backward as a pair of arms wrapped around his chest. His hands wrapped around Mikey's shell, pulling him closer.

"I know it hurts bro. But please... you gotta come back. I want us to heal together; as a family. Splinter wouldn't want us to be divided over his death. He would want us to come together, to get stronger, together."

Warm tears landed on Mikey's head as he spoke, and already his own eyes blistered with heat.

"I want my brother back..." Mikey whimpered, digging his head in his big brother's carapace.

For a while they sat in each other's embrace, not bothering to move or to let go. "Come on Mikey, you need some rest. Today's going to be great, and I need you to have lots of rest so you can join us. Besides," Donnie pulled away, braving a weary smile that was for the first time carefree. "I've got the best gift for you and I'd hate for you to miss it."

"You promise you'll start trying to spend time with us?" Mikey wiped away the remaining tears, hope starting to burst in his heart.

Donnie gripped Mikey's shoulder, resting his head against his brothers. "Promise." He leaned back into his chair, glancing at the clock. "Now go to sleep."

Mikey snuggled under the covers, his heart full of hope for a new year. "Goodnight Dee..." A smile crept over his lips as darkness slowly washed over his eyes like a blanket.

"Goodnight little brother, Merry Christmas."