Heya readers!

For those new to this story, may I recommend you read 'Changes' first as this is the sequel to that fic. Check my FF page to find it along with my other TMNT fics.

In this story, Raphael and Mona are getting used to becoming parents and bonding with their baby daughter Pandora, but Donatello, still suffering from PTSD since their last encounter with the Foot is starting to lose his sanity as he tries to uncover and study the Foot's evil and disturbed scientist Dr Arden and his evil experiments.

WARNING: This Chapter contains content readers may find distressing.

Cherished

Chapter One

Light and Dark

"Raph! Raph!"

Raphael felt someone shaking his shoulder to wake him, he opened one eye sleepily and a piercing cry filled his ears along with the other voice that called to him.

It only took a few seconds for the cobwebs of sleep to disappear before he sat bolt upright to see Mona also awake and looking towards the crib that stood a couple of feet away from the bed.

Raphael sighed and climbed out of bed and walked over.

"Aww sweetheart." He said gently reaching inside and picking up a tiny bundle from within "My little Pandora, what is it?"

Mona sat up in bed looking worried but Raphael calmly began to walk around the room with the bundle in his arms.

"Is Pandora ok?" Mona asked.

Raphael didn't answer as he walked over to the bed and held the bundle down to Mona showing a tiny green turtle/lizard hybrid baby who was no longer screaming but looked rather distressed.

"I think she's hungry." Raphael replied "She's not wet or anything, I checked."

Mona took the baby and lowered her nightdress so one of her breasts was exposed and she was able to breastfeed.

Pandora instantly calmed down as she began to suckle, Mona smiled lovingly at her daughter and stroked the back of her head.

Raphael climbed onto the bed behind her and began to massage Mona's shoulders.

"She's so tiny." Raphael whispered as he cradled his hand under Pandora's tiny head as she fed.

"And so beautiful." Mona said.

"She'll be as beautiful as her mother." Raphael commented kissing Mona's neck and shoulder as he watched his daughter.

Mona smiled and nuzzled her mate's head.

After a while Pandora finished feeding and Mona instantly placed her over her shoulder to burp her before settling her down.

Raphael watched as his mate carried Pandora to the crib and settled her into it. The baby reptile was already closing her eyes and relaxing as Mona placed her inside.

"Sweet dreams my little angel." She whispered before returning to bed and into her mate's arms.

Settling back into blissful sleep, Raphael kept replaying in his head how a turtle like him had gotten so lucky.

It had been several days since Mona had given birth and they were only getting used to being parents.

They had to get used to Pandora crying at all hours especially when she was hungry or needed a nappy change, but Raphael had pushed all those flaws away, every time he looked upon his daughter, he felt nothing but undying love and he was ready to take anything that was thrown at him.

Closing his eyes he wrapped his arms around Mona occasionally kissing the back of her neck and nuzzling her hair whilst his mate in response squeezed his arms that were wrapped around her middle. It wasn't long before they slipped back to sleep.

Upstairs, the other turtles were sleeping in the large room upstairs, or rather; two of them were sleeping peacefully, the third turtle Donatello writhed and tossed around in his sleep grunting and moaning.

"No! I won't help you..." he groaned "Stop it! Please...! Fuck you!"

Donatello opened his eyes and looked around him, sweating continued to drip from his forehead, he looked over to his other brothers to lay there, one snoring softly, the other on his back with his hands folded on his stomach.

The nightmares hadn't left him, even though it had been several weeks since that terrible incident when the Foot had captured them and they were subjected to torture, the memories hadn't left him.

During those weeks, Donatello had tried to keep everything bottled up; he had suffered more than any of his brothers had endured through the hands of the Foot.

Arashi had told him that his evil freak doctor needed the brainy turtle's intelligence to assist him in his experiments and one of them was extracting Monalisa's baby before it was time.

Digging his fingers into his head, the memory played over and over in his head:

Flashback

"Wake up turtle!" a snarling voice jerked Donatello up from being slumped against the bars of his cage defeated and broken.

He looked up and saw the smirking evil face of Izo Arashi looking down at him and behind him was Dr Arden, his burnt face showing clearly in the dark dungeon lights and syringed hand flexed menacingly.

"Hello..." he hissed.

Donatello snarled at them both

"Now..." said Arashi "We have come to a decision for the lizard lady...and we require your assistance..."

Donatello heard Raphael struggling against his chains and yelling through his muzzle

"You can burn in hell you bastards!" he snarled "I will never help you!"

Arashi frowned and snapped his fingers and three ninjas grabbed Donatello before dragging him out of his cell and over to a rope and hook hanging from the ceiling.

"I believe you are familiar with this torture." Arashi smiled.

Donatello's eyes widened when he saw the device.

"Oh shell..." he cried in horror before crying out in pain as he was kicked in the back of the knees and his hands were tied behind his back and the hook was placed in the ropes that bound him.

He could hear his brothers, sensei, April and Casey screaming and protesting at Arashi as he was attached to the device then the ninja pulled on a rope forcing him to stand up and his arms were pulled up behind his back.

"The strappado." Arashi said "I see it as quite an effective method of torture. Now..." he walked over to Donatello and grabbed his chin forcing the turtle to look at him "are you going to assist my Doctor...or are we going to have to convince you more?"

Donatello growled.

"Never!" he growled "I'll never help you!"

Arashi growled and nodded at the ninja who turned the wheel and Donatello was pulled up from the ground, his arms pulled up behind his back as they lifted him higher.

Donatello tried to hold in his screams but the pain was too great and he cried out in agony as he felt his arms being pulled up behind him, he could hear his family and friends screaming at Arashi to leave him alone.

The ninja held him up there for a few seconds then Arashi ordered them to let him down, Donatello stretched out his toes until he touched the ground and the pain in his shoulder subsided slightly.

"Painful huh turtle?" asked Arashi "Now...are you going to co-operate?"

Donatello looked up at Arashi breathing heavily and spluttering in pain but he still glared.

"No!" he choked.

Arashi frowned again and the ninja lifted Donatello up again causing the turtle to scream more.

Dr Arden crossed his arms and tapped his foot impatiently.

"You're only making it worse for yourself Donatello!" he growled "No matter what you do or say...I will make you work for me..."

"Fuck you!" Donatello shouted over the pain in his shoulder joints as he hung in the air.

Arashi glared then turned to the ninja, after a moment, the ninja realised what he wanted him to do and let go of the wheel causing it to drop a couple of feet before it came to a dead stop causing Donatello to scream loudly.

Everyone screamed in horror and watched as Donatello cried out in shock from the sudden drop and the agonizing pain it caused.

"Now turtle!" Arashi snarled "If you don't want to feel that pain again...you may think of considering Dr Arden's request."

Donatello had tears falling from his eyes and saliva dripped from his mouth as he tried to take the pain.

"Never..." he spat "No matter what you do to me...I'll never help you!"

Arashi narrowed his eyes.

"You just made a big mistake turtle!" he growled as he looked at the ninja near the wheel as they lifted him higher then let go of the wheel again before catching it again.

As soon as Donatello came to a sudden stop, a horrific crunch and pop was heard and the brainy turtle's body fell vertical with his arms as they popped right out of their sockets!

At once everyone yelled in horror and Donatello let out a bloodcurdling scream as his shoulders were dislocated!

Arashi laughed loudly as Donatello yelled and howled over his dislocated arms.

"I warned you Donatello!" he snarled. He nodded at the ninja who let Donatello drop to the ground where he screamed more in pain.

As Donatello landed on the ground, he could see his arms hung limp and loose from their sockets, he felt bile rising in his throat as the pain was unbearable. The screams from his family and friends resonated in his ears and he screamed louder in physical and spiritual agony.

He then felt Arashi kick him hard in the ribs.

"Since torturing you won't make you give in..." he leaned close to Donatello who was going pale and breathing heavily in agony "Looks like I'll have to convince you more!"

Donatello then saw him walk over to Michelangelo who hung horizontal to the ceiling from his wrists and ankles in chains.

"Oh God no!" Donatello thought as he saw Arashi smirk then pick up a flaming torch and hold it beneath the young turtle's plastron causing it to blister and burn and Michelangelo to start screaming in agony.

"NO!" Donatello screamed "LEAVE HIM ALONE! LEAVE HIM ALONE YOU BASTARD!"

Arashi laughed more and moved the torch around Michelangelo's chest and stomach and Donatello saw his little brother's chest get scorched and blistered.

Finally Arashi moved the torch away and laughed as Michelangelo wept in pain.

"STOP IT!" Donatello screamed "LEAVE HIM ALONE!" he could hear the screams of the other turtles, his sensei, April and Casey.

Arashi smirked again then nodded at two ninja who picked up some poles and began to strike Michelangelo like he was a piñata.

"NO!" Donatello screamed as Michelangelo yelled in agony and wept like a frightened child. Despite his dislocated arms causing him unbearable pain, just seeing his youngest brother suffer hurt him more.

He would rather die than hurt help Dr Arden and his experiments with Mona, but he was forced to watch his brothers be tortured unless he helped, he knew they wouldn't kill him if he refused, so what choice did he have.

"Stop it!" Donatello screamed as he cracked within "Alright! Alright! I'll do whatever you want! But please! Don't hurt Mikey!"

"Donny!" cried Leonardo in shock.

"Stop it!" Donatello screamed again "Please just leave him alone!"

Arashi snapped his fingers and the ninjas stopped hitting Michelangelo who hung limp with blood pouring from his mouth.

"Dr Arden..." Arashi ordered "Heal him! I don't want him dead yet..."

Donatello watched as Dr Arden stuck hi syringes with Mona's healing serum into Michelangelo.

"You fucker!" Donatello gasped "You God damn coward!"

He then saw Dr Arden walk over to him on Arashi's orders to heal his dislocated shoulders. Donatello gritted his teeth as he felt the Doctor pop his joints back in, Donatello grunted in pain then felt Dr Arden inject him with the healing serum to help speed the healing.

He was soon dragged to his feet by the ninja and marched towards the door with Dr Arden pointing his syringes at him.

"Any funny business," Dr Arden warned "and my syringes will be driven right into your eyeballs!"

Donatello didn't try and fight as he was dragged out of the dungeon with his family and friend's screams and protests following them outside.

End Flashback

Tears streamed from Donatello's eyes, he couldn't go back to sleep after those horrible dreams and memories.

Getting out of bed he quietly walked to the top of the stairs to go downstairs. The whole farmhouse was quiet, he didn't know what time it was and truthfully he didn't care.

Donatello walked over to the door and opened it, he gasped in relief as he felt the cool air on his face.

He walked over to the steps on the porch area and sat on the swing seat. He looked up at the stars and tried to breathe calmly but it was hard.

He didn't know how he was going to deal with this but he knew he had to, he had held it in for a while, especially for Monalisa's sake when she was still carrying Pandora.

Sitting on the swing seat he stared at the stars trying to let his mind wander elsewhere, but it was still hard.

Poor Donatello, it seems that the nightmares won't leave him be, how will get on as time progresses. We shall find out soon enough!

Hope you enjoyed the first chapter, more to follow soon!

Love Bloodrayne666