A Farthers Fear
Summary: Splinter fears for his sons future. So many enemy's are after his sons lives. Splinter lets his fear control him and does the unthinkable. He hurts one of his sons and now faces the consequences.(You can imagen any turtle series for this story.)
Notes: Warning dyslexic writer - Mistakes found are welcome to be pointed out so that they may be corrected.
The turtles were relaxing in the lair, doing there own thing. Leonardo was on the sofa, reading a book on different martial art styles April got him for Christmas. Raphael was playing on the arcade machine trying to beat Mikey's current record. Donatello, next to Leo, was on the sofa, fixing one of the T-phones that got damaged in their latest fight with the Foot. Lastly Mikey was on the bean bag reading a new comic book also a gift from April. It was calm and quiet with all the turtles in the main living room. It was a rare but welcome moment after all the battles that seemed endless over the last weeks.
Master Splinter came out of meditation with a start. Breathing a little harsh, beads of sweat forming on his brow. He quickly looked around, realising he was still in the Dojo he sighed in relief. Flashes of the visions he just witnessed invaded the Masters mind. The Shredder, his sons, a flash of metal, blood, pain and death appeared before the his eyes. Attempting to shake off the fear Splinter walked into the living room to see his sons. He watches the turtles relaxing as if there was no ninja clan, alien race, gangs or mutants that would harm or kill the young teenagers given the chance.
The fear from before grew even more intense. He wanted to make sure his sons were safe and to be ready for the next fight that is destined to happen. He will make sure they are ready no matter what.
"My sons, should you not be training if you have so much free time?" The Master suggested hoping they would agree. Not to his surprise his sons, mostly Michelangelo, gave a whine. "But Master, we had training only like 3 hours ago." Michelangelo said with no less complaint in his voice. "Yeah Sensei, after everything we've been through these past weeks I feel a bit of down time is what we need." Leonardo added. As much as the leader in blue loved learning and training, a bit of time to relax it's welcomed.
Splinters conviction waned only for a moment at his sons reasoning but quickly stole himself. Strengthening his resolve he stood straight. His posture screaming authority. "Would your enemy's rest? Would the Shredder take a day off from attempting to take your lives?" Splinter stood firm striking his staff down willing his point across. Raph started to answer "well maybe..." "THE ANSWER IS NO." Splinter struck his staff once more. They were silent for a moment only to be broken by Donnie. "But sensei, if we train all the time with no rest it would be unhealthy."
"I understand that Donatello but as I heard from Michelangelo, it has been 3 hours. That is plenty of rest." Donnie nodded averting his eyes from his Farther.
Raph faced Master Splinter. "Sensei. All of the battles he have faced these weeks we have won. They where easy. I think we deserve a day to relax." The ninja masters eyes narrowed. His sons where not getting the message. It would seem something needed to be proven. "Raphael?" "Yes Sensei?" Raph replied nervously. He knew from Master Splinters voice he was not going to like what will come next. "Attack me." Splinter spoke as he shifted into stance ready for battle. Raphs eyes widened gulping as he realised that Splinter was going to hand his own tail to him.
Not being able to say no to his Sensei Raphael attacked. Pulling out his twin sais he ran straight at the Master ninja striking repeatedly but missing all hits. Splinter moving back as he dodged, he struck Raphael in the plastron three times. A hit to the nerve in his left arm making the red banded turtle drop a sai. Almost instantly the turtle's left arm was grabbed and Raphael found himself being thrown over and down onto the floor, winding him in the process. While this was going on the other three turtles has stood up getting ready themselves. They knew they where going to get their turn soon.
"Leonardo." Nodding to his Farther Leo engaged him in battle. Raphael had sat up and moved out of the way. Watching Leo battle Master Splinter has always inspired him. There has always been that sharp flash of jealousy for his older brother but he will always love his brothers. Not that he will ever admit it out loud.
Leonardo's battle lasted longer then Raphael's. Flips, blocks, strikes and hits. Leo was thrown across the room by Master Splinter ending the one on one battle.
"Michelangelo." Mikey gave a gulp as he obeyed his Sensei. Mikey spun his nunchuku dashing in different directions to hopefully confuse Splinter. Striking fast then backing away before the rat could grab a hold on him. It was an impressive display and Master Splinter found himself trying harder to catch the turtle in orange. Wanting to end the fight faster to prove his point Master Splinter used his staff to knock the nun chucks away causing the youngest turtle to hesitate only for a second. A second was all the ninja master needed to throw his opponent. Mikey landed on the coffee table in the middle of the room with a groan.
"Donatello" The Sensei announced. Donnie was already in action coming in swinging his Bo staff trying to catch Splinter off guard. This proved fruitless as Splinter grabbed the staff mid swing throwing the staff and Donnie across the room into Raph and Leo.
The three turtles groaned as they sat up giving their full attention to their Sensei. "I don't believe I need to say any more on this matter. You all still need training if you are to ever face the Shredder again. He will not stop till you are harmed or worse." "Hai Sensei." the three turtles answered bowing.
"Michelangelo?" Splinter turned round expecting to see his forth son doing the same as his brothers but found that Michelangelo had not moved from where he was thrown. The turtle lay on the floor, the only movement coming from the gentle rise and fall of his plastron.
"Michelangelo!" He called again coming towards the unmoving turtle. As he came within reached to the downed turtle he noticed a small puddle of blood forming around his sons head.
"Mikey?" The three brothers came over to see the same picture as their farther. Donnie came rushing forward wanting to check his only younger brother over. Having researched medical skills the most the Purple banded turtle checked for what had caused his younger brother to be rendered unconscious.
"It looks like he hit his head on the edge of the table when he was fell." Donnie observed. He made some more checks and deemed it safe to move Mikey to the medical cot they had in the lab/infirmary.
Raph and Leo carried Mikey as gently as they could. The tense and quiet atmosphere that seemed to grow as they travelled to the lab only intensified the worry the family felt.
As they placed Mikey onto the cot Donnie went straight to work making sure that there wasn't more damage that was not visible.
"Please leave. I need to concentrate without anyone breathing down my neck." No one argued with the turtle. Once its something that involves science, technology or medicine Donnie is automatically the leader. Unless said turtle is not present or unable.
Both red and blue banded brothers walked out of the lab to the living room to see Master Splinter just standing staring at the spot Mikey had lay only minuets before. The rats eyes seemed transfixed to the small puddle of blood as if its very existence was an impossibility.
Raph and Leo shared a look before walking up to their farther. Splinter seemed not to notice them. His eyes still on the slowly staining floor.
"Master?" Leo said placing a hand on Splinters arm. He noticed a very small, almost unnoticeable flinch. "Leonardo?" Splinter looked up at his eldest son only just noticing that two of his sons have returned from the lab.
"Donnie's checking Mikey now. Raph and I will clean up in here. Are you feeling alright Sensei?"
Splinter stole himself, trying to appear calmer then he feels. This does not go unnoticed by the two present turtles. "Yes Leonardo, I am fine. I will check on Donatello and…. Michelangelo."
The old rat walked off towards the lab where his two youngest sons are. He tried to prepare himself for what he was about to see. This was for nothing as his heart dropped at the sight of Michelangelo, limp, almost lifeless on the one cot in the lab. The cot was required as his sons often came home with wounds and injury's from their adventures on the surface. It was the fact that his son was on this cot not because of an enemy getting a lucky hit but because his farther decided to project his worries onto his sons. His own fear caused this.
After taking over as doctor, Donnie went straight to checking Mikey. He found no damage to the skull, thank goodness, just a cut and swelling from the hit. He did what he could to stitch up the cut, apply ointment and bandaged up his brothers head.
"Sensei?" Splinter was slightly startled by the voice of his second youngest son. "Donatello. How is Michelangelo?" The head of the small clan walked up to the cot looking to the face of his most energetic son only to feel more ache in his heart. Michelangelo's face is relaxed and still. So different from the normal way of which the orange banded turtle sleeps. Constant movement, mumbling about pizza or show he had been watching on TV but non of those actions are happening before him.
Donatello gave a small sigh "From what I could see he hit his head on the corner of the table. Head injury's tend to bleed more so it probably looked worse then it is. He will have a concussion when he wakes. As to how bad it is I will only know when he wakes up. But…..."
Splinter's worry doubled ten fold at the pause. "But what Donatello?" He tried to keep a waver from his voice when he said this.
Donnie gave another sigh looking down at Mikey's face placing a hand on his only younger brother.'s Head. Gently brushing his thumb hoping Mikey will feel the comfort even in spirit. "I don't know when he will wake up. It could be a day, a week or even months. Head injury's are complicated. I don't have a scanner to see if there is anything I can't see directly." Donnie took a wavering breath. "If he does not wake after 4 days it could mean he has….. slipped into a coma from something I can't see." Splinter froze. His rash actions caused by allowing his own fears to control him could have led to his youngest son falling into a coma. His own hands created his own fear. Its worse then an enemy harming him. His own farther, family he trusted
"Thank you Donatello. Go and rest. I will watch over Michelangelo." Splinter placed a hand on Donatello's shoulder. "But Sensei." "But nothing Donatello. You need rest after helping Michelangelo. Healing others drains oneself immensely." Donnie nods in understanding and heads up to his room to sleep. As he walked past the main living room he saw Leo and Raph finishing cleaning up.
Leo and Raph see Donnie and are immediately in his face asking questions. "How's Mikey? Is he awake? Can we see him?" Don simply holds up his hand to silence the two older turtles which they do instantly. "Mikey is still asleep. Master Splinter needs to be alone with him right now so let him. As for Mikey's condition. `sigh` His head hit the corner of the table when he landed. I sew the cut up and bandaged it up. He will most likely have a concussion if…. When he wakes up." Donnie looks down with a saddened expression. "That's not the only thing is it?" Leo says seeing Donnie look down. "I… I don't have the equipment to scan his head to check under his skull. He may not wake up for some time if there is something I can't see." Donnie looked really worried to Leo and Raph which made them think the worst. "What did you mean IF he wakes up?" Raph asked. "If there is damage underneath his scull. Like a bleed in the brain from the impact or something else Mikey could slip into a coma or even… die." Twin looks of horror showed on both brothers faces.
"W… what are the chances of that happening? It was just a table right. Not like an enemy with a club or something." Raph was shaking in both fear and rage. Not able to exert these feeling he turned around and punched the dummy they had in the room. `At least it wasn't the wall` thought Leo.
"There is only a 40% chance of the worst happening. Which does not sound too bad but its bad enough a chance." Don said. Saying that out loud made Donnie feel a little better but worried about that kind of chance. "Then we had better hope that the 60% chance happens. We can't lose Mikey." Everyone nodded in agreement with Leo.
"Sensei says we need to rest. He is taking watch over Mikey right now." Donnie says remembering what Splinter had said only minuets ago. "Then we better rest up so we can help Mikey tomorrow." Leo agreed with a nod from Raph. `Hang in there Mikey` was everyone's thoughts as they walked to their rooms to sleep.