We All Fall Down

We had been lucky to escape with our lives. It had been a close call though. The Shredder nearly had us in his clutch, prepared to strike the final blow. It had only been through sheer turtle luck that we managed to get out at the last second. But it hadn't been without its consequences. Raphael had been gravely wounded in battle, Mikey had been shot with some sort of poisionous dart, and Don had been subject to a strange yellow gas, which had caused him to cough for two minutes straight. I was the only one who had made it out unscathed, and the guilt killed me. I was the eldest, the leader, I should have protected my brothers better. I should be the one lying on a bed, groaning in pain, not them. I had failed.

I had failed Master Splinter. I had failed my brothers. I had failed myself. Guilt, shame and worry clawed at my heart as I watched over my brothers, and wished dearly that I could take their place.

Mikey and Don were weak, and Don kept coughing from the gas he had been exposed to, but they were both still standing, both still trying to save Raphael's life. Looking down at him, I couldn't believe he was real. The Raphael I knew, was gone. The hot-headed, passionate, strong brother I knew had been replaced with a shadow. Raphael lay motionless in Don's lab, his chest rising and falling with the barest of breaths. Cords wound around his skin and plunged down the back of his throat and nose. Blood covered his body, which looked so small, so frail, under the sickly yellow lights of the room. A large gash ran down his shoulder and chest, oozing blood. His right leg was mangled, the bone protruding sickly from the torn flesh. A jagged cut above his eye still bled. No one said anything as we moved about, never stopping, arms bundled with bandages and syringes and many other bits and pieces of medical equipment that I cannot name. Donatello shouted orders. His voice was hoarse from the constant coughing, but I could clearly hear the deep-seated worry and concern underneath.

Mikey, poor Mikey, he looked so scared. I could tell he was starting to tire. His movements had become slow and sluggish, and he favored his left arm. A small red dot could be seen where the dart had pierced the skin. It was starting to swell. He looked like he was going to pass out any minute now.

"Mikey, go lie down," I ordered, not looking up from Raphael's motionless form as I wrapped more bandages around his damaged flesh.

"No, I'm fine," Mikey said stubbornly. "I want to help Raph."

"Leo's right, Mikey," Don said, looking up at his baby brother. "You've been injured as well and need to rest. Besides, I have to re-set Raph's leg. You'll only be in the way, and I don't want you to see this."

"What about Leo?"

I looked up and frowned at Mikey. "What do you mean? I don't need to rest. Besides, someone needs to help Donnie."

"Actually, you should go with Mikey, keep an eye on him," Don said with another harsh cough that made Leo wince. "You'll be in the way as well. I need to get this leg set as soon as I can, and if you stay you'll just be in the way."

"But…"

"No buts, Leo. Go with Mikey," Don said firmly.

I sighed but bowed my head in acceptance. There was no use arguing with Donnie. He was almost as stubborn as Raph. "Come on, Mikey, I'll have a look at your arm."

I led him to the worn sofa in the living room and made him sit. Upon closer inspection, I could see how irritated his arm looked, and how swollen it had become. His skin was hot to the touch.

"Stay here, I'm going to get some ice for it," I said. I found the frozen peas and pressed the cold bag against Mikey's arm. "Better?"

"Yeah," Mikey said, resting his head back and closing his eyes as the ice helped cool the raging inferno that was his arm.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?" I asked.

"No, just my arm," Mikey shook his head. "I feel dizzy though, and think I might hurl."

"Okay, just lie down, I'll go find a bucket or something in case you are sick."

As I got to my feet, a terrible scream filled the air. It was full of pain and terror and agony. It was Raphael.

Mikey quickly sat up at the sound and stumbled to his feet.

"No," I said, grabbing his arm as he ran by. "You heard what Don said, we need to stay here."

"But…but he's hurt," Mikey whispered, blinking back tears.

"Don knows what he's doing," I said quietly, urging Mikey back towards the couch. Raphael screamed again and the sound caused Mikey to visibly flinch.

Raphael's screams echoed endlessly inside my head, and I knew it would be a long time before I'd be able to go to sleep without hearing them.

Don emerged from the lab an hour later, looking absolutely exhausted. I quickly jumped to me feet from my place beside Mikey on the couch.

"How is he?" I whispered, not wanting to wake Mikey who had finally fallen asleep.

"I've re-set his leg," Don sighed, rubbing his tired eyes. "It was harder than I thought, there was more damage to his leg than I had first thought. I will have to go back and reinforce it with steel pins, but for now it's set and stitched up."

"Will he make it?" I asked, my heart beating wildly in my chest. I didn't want to know the answer, but I knew I had to ask.

"I don't know," Don replied honestly and I felt my heart sink in my chest. "He's unconscious. His body has been through a lot of stress and he's lost a lot of blood. There is nothing else I can do for him now. It's going to be up to Raphael."

"He'll wake up," I said, forcing conviction into my voice. "He's strong."

Don looked away, making no comment. "So how's Mikey?"

"He complained of feeling dizzy and nauseous," I explained, glancing over to where he was still asleep on the lounge. "The dart wound on his arm was very hot to the touch and quite swollen. I made him put ice on it."

"That's good, it should help with the swelling," Don nodded. "I'll need to check him over though."

"Can it wait?" I asked. "You're exhausted, Donnie, not to mention you've been coughing non-stop since we got back. You need to rest."

"I'm fine," Don said, waving away my concern. "I need to check Mikey."

"He's asleep," I pointed out. "Let him rest. When he wakes up, you can check him. But until then, you are going to rest."

"Is that an order?" Donnie asked with a weak laugh.

I felt my heart sink within my chest again. "No, I'm only asking," I whispered. I had failed. I didn't deserve the right to give orders.

"Okay, a quick rest," Don conceded. "But I want you to wake me up as soon as Mikey wakes."

"I will, I promise," I assured Donnie.

"Also, you need to get some rest too, Leo."

"I'm fine, Don."

"No you're not, Leo," Don said seriously. "We've all been through a lot, you too Leo."

"Alright," I sighed, "I'll get some rest. I just can't do that now."

Don nodded in acknowledgment. "Let me know when he wakes up," he repeated before turning away to head towards the kitchen, probably to make himself another cup of coffee.

Sighing, I made my way back over towards the lounge to keep my vigil on Mikey.

Mikey awoke with a pained groan.

Leaping quickly to my feet, I crouched beside him and placed my hand on his forehead. His skin was burning hot. Sweat coated him like a second skin, and I noticed how shallow his breathing had become.

"Donnie!"

Don stumbled into the room, bleary-eyed and still have-asleep. As soon as he saw Mikey he crouched beside him and looked him over with a worried eye.

"It's whatever was in that dart," Don explained. "It's spreading through his body. His temperature's through the roof."

"What do we do?" I asked, looking down at my youngest brother with worry.

"I'll need to take a blood sample to see if I can identify the toxin. Then I should hopefully be able to make an antidote." Don said, straightening himself up. "Stay here, I need to get my equipment."

I squeezed Mikey's hand as I watched Donnie rush back into his darkened lab. "Hang on, Mikey," I soothed. "Don's going to make you better."

Mikey's only response was a pained groan.

Don re-emerged from his lab. Crouching down beside Mikey, he took a sample of his blood. "It will take two, maybe three hours for me to analyse the blood," Don said. "I need you to keep an eye on Mikey until then."

"I will," I swallowed.

"Call me if he gets worse."

Crouching beside Mikey, Leo held onto his little brother's hand. Beads of sweat rolled down the side of Mikey's face and his breathing was becoming more heavy.

I just prayed Don could create an antidote soon.

An hour had passed and Mikey had finally fallen into a fitful sleep. Getting to his feet and stretching his cramped muscles, Leo made his way over to Don's lab. Walking in, he saw Raphael lying on the medical table.

I gasped in shock.

Raphael was hooked up to various machine; clear tubes criss-crossing over his body. His skin was pale and ashen, beaded with sweat. His leg was stretched out in front of him, wrapped in a white bandage.

"Leo," Donnie's voice said from the darkness, distracting Leo from the sight of his wounded brother. "How's Mikey?"

I swallowed. It should have been him lying there. "He's asleep."

"Good, his body needs rest."

"How's the antidote coming?" I asked.

"The toxin I found in Mikey's blood is a substance I have never seen before. It looks a lot like Krang technology."

"But you can cure him, can't you?" I insisted.

"Maybe," Don said truthfully. "But it will take longer than I had hoped." Donnie broke off with a fierce cough so powerful his whole body rattled.

"Don, are you ok?" Leo asked, quickly rushing to his brother's side.

"I'm fine," Don panted, waving Leo away. "My throat is just irritated from the gas." Don coughed again, a deep, ragged cough.

"What can I do for you, Donnie?"

"Nothing, I'm fine. I need you to get some rest."

"I can't," Leo said firmly.

Don nodded in understanding. "Then keep an eye on Mikey."

I nodded and left the lab to keep a vigil on Mikey.

It was getting late and despite my best efforts I could feel my eyelids drooping with sleep. Mikey hadn't awoken and seemed to be almost peaceful in his slumber. I hadn't heard anything from Don's lab and briefly feared that Donnie may have fallen asleep.

Getting slowly to my feet I stretched my cramped and aching muscles. Checking to make sure that I hadn't woken Mikey, I made my way into the kitchen and searched for something to eat.

That's when I heard the noise. It was a strange sound, the likes of which I had never heard before. It sounded like someone was dragging themselves heavily across the floor. At the same time though, the sound was accompanied by heavy thumps and a wet, squelching sound. The sound made me flinch. It was a horrible sound, one that would be in my nightmares for a very long time.

Thinking Mikey had woken and was trying to get to his feet, I called out to him, thinking he must have tripped over. "Mikey, are you ok?" I called out into the darkness.

There was no reply and the ghoulish sound had stopped. Thinking it must have been my imagination, I turned back around to continue my search for food.

The sound came again, closer this time, and was accompanied by a pained groan.

I froze, a shiver racing down my spine. The sound was getting closer, until it sounded like it was only a few feet away. I turned around slowly.

And screamed.

Raphael was slowly dragging himself towards me, his fingers digging into the ground for purchase. The whites of his eyes glowed in the darkness. His mouth was twisted in a silent scream. He dragged a bloody stump of leg behind, the ruined flesh making the eerie squelch.

"Raphael, what are you doing?" I cried, racing forward towards my brother.

Raphael screamed, a horrible, anguished cry as he reached a bloody and out towards Leo. He pulled himself closer, his mouth opening and closing silently.

"Donnie!" I screamed in panic. Something was very wrong with Raphael.

I quickly scooted past Raphael, running back into the living area. Donnie would know what to do.

"Ring-a-ring o' roses,a pocket full of posies,"

I stumbled to a stop, my heart lurching in my chest in fright.

Mikey sat huddled on the floor by the couch, his eyes holding the same vacant expression as Raphael. He stared straight ahead, slowly rocking back and forth, singing the nursery rhyme in an eerily detached voice.

"Donnie!" I screamed, racing past Mikey into the darkened lab. Something was wrong, something was very, very wrong.

"Donnie?" I called in a softer voice, waiting for my eyes to adjust to the gloom.

I could just make out Don's form slouched across his desk.

"Donnie?" I took a cautious step forward, not wanting to startle Don awoke if he had fallen asleep.

"A-tishoo! A-tishoo!"

Don suddenly sat upright and flicked his desk lamp on.

"Leo…help…"

I cried out and stumbled back in shock. Blood dribbled down Don's chin and what seemed like a never-ending flow. He coughed, his whole body shaking. As he coughed, blood poured from his mouth, so dark it was almost black in colour.

I could hear Raphael dragging himself closer and closer towards the lab, the sickly sound spreading terror through my whole being.

"Don, what's happening?" I cried, backing up into the corner.

"You couldn't save us," Don whispered, his voice ragged as he choked on his own blood.

I flinched as I felt Mikey step up beside me. "What do you mean?" I whispered, choking back tears.

Mikey moved closer so that his lips were just millimeters from my ear.

"We all fall down."