Donatello had left the Shredder had begun to take over. The streets were filled with more Foot soldiers and Purple Dragons than ever. Leonardo, Raphael, and Michelangelo would spend all night trying to stop them. During every fight their enemy grew in power.

The night was dark, darker than usual. Mikey was silent as they jumped from roof top to roof time. Even Mikey could not make light of the events that had unfolded during the past several weeks. The three turtles jumped down from the building they were on, not because they saw the enemy, but because the next building was burnt down earlier that week.

They found themselves surrounded. Leo unsheathed his katanas, Raph drew his sais, and Mikey madly spun his nunchucks above his head. They were outnumbered, nearly ten to one. Mikey stood between his brothers. Leo and Raph took out five Foot soldiers each while Mikey got three.

Mikey was sending Foot soldiers to both Raph and Leo, it was hard for him, usually Donatello was with, but he was not there, Mikey began to doubt he would ever see his purple clad brother again.

Raph grunted as he took out two Foot in one swift motion. They were down to half the foot soldiers. In a flying attack Leo took out three more.

"Little help here," Mikey called out, surrounded by six of remaining Foot soldiers, but before they could reach their brother Leo and Raph had to each take out their three own enemies. There was heart wrenching scream, it was Mikey.

Leo and Raph whipped around, a foot drove a knife into Mikey's left arm, and the withdrew it. Mikey dropped to the ground like a ton of bricks. Blood pooled under him. Blinded by rage Raph violently beat the Foot down that injured his only remaining younger brother. Leo attempted to go help his brother, but the Foot surrounded him, daring him to cross the line, to help his brother.

Leo grunted and lunged forward. Raph was soon by Leo's side. Swiftly they took out the Foot and they dropped down next to Mikey.

"Mikey!" Leo called turning Mikey over in his arms. Mikey was hardly breathing, he had lost so much blood. The knife cut half way into his arm, it hung limp. Leo took his brother's mask off and tied it around the gash, the orange mask instantly turned red.

Raph placed a hand on Mikey's forehead, "'es burn' up."

"We need to get him to the lair!" Leo shouted lifting Mikey up bridal style, his brother's blood covered left arm against his plastron.

The two brothers raced their last remaining brother home. They lost Donatello, he may not be physically dead, but they lost him. Now they had to arrive home with Mikey half dead and a near severed arm. Leo ran with Mikey to Donatello's old lab and placed him on the table in there. "Raph get Master Splinter!" Leo command. Without a word Raph turned from the room.

"Michelangelo!" Splinter cried out looking at his son.

Leo was try to keeping pressure on the gash, but it was useless. Mikey was struggling even more to breathe. Raph took over the job of keeping pressure on the gash. Leo began rummaging through Donatello's medical supplies to get something to help Mikey. He finally found an I.V. bag he handed it to Splinter. Next he went to the oxygen machine, he placed the mask over his brother nose and mouth.

Splinter walked around to see Mikey's arm. He closed his eyes and sighed. "We need to amputate, his arm is beyond repair, if we do not he will not survive," he said gravely.

"Ya want ta cut his arm off?" Raph asked.

"Yes, Raphael," Splinter said.

"Sensei," Leo said his voice was hoarse, "how can we do it?"

"Keep pressure on his wound, I will look for supplies to amputate," his voice was grave, "Leonardo, I need you to get me as many cloths as you can find, and boiling water so we can sterilize. Then I need you to bring me one of your katanas." Leo nodded.

"Hang in there buddy," Raph said looking down at his pail brother.

Splinter took a needle that would numb his son's arm. Mikey groaned, "hush, Michelangelo all will be okay."

Leo rushed into the room with an armful of cloths, he placed them on the table and raced back out. Splinter handed Raphael a cloth for him to start to clean the gash.

"Raphael, we need to work quickly when Leonardo gets back," Splinter said tying a tourniquet above the location he was going to amputate; half way between his shoulder and elbow.

Leo rushed back into the room with the boiling water, he drew out a katana and sterilized it. Leo gave a sad smile, he had just sharpened his weapons this morning.

The wound was cleaned, Splinter looked to his eldest son, "Leonardo I would like you to perform the amputation."

"Me? Sensei?" Leo asked.

Splinter nodded, "you have great persuasion, you can do this. Raphael I am going to need your help holding your brother down.

Leo took in a deep breath, he brought blade down and sliced his brother's skin, and into the muscle, he saw the bone. When he was done he dropped his katana to the ground and took a step back and collapsed to the ground. Raph helped Splinter bandage up Mikey's stump.

"Let us bring him to his room," Master Splinter said, "Raphael, Leonardo help bring the oxygen machine and IV."

Raph went over to help Leo stand up before he walked over to Mikey. He picked him up bridle style, he was pale, he had a high fever, he could still die.

It was three days later when Mikey woke up Leo and Raph had kept vigil by their brother's side. Master Splinter went to the dojo to mediate.

Mikey began to moan, "Le...o," Mikey croaked out weakly.

"Mikey!" Leo shouted jumping to his feet. Leo grabbed his brother's remaining hand.

"Wh-ere's….my….arm?" He asked weakly.

Leo brought his hand to his eyes and began to cry.

"Dude!….what's….wrong?" Mikey breathed out, "am...I….dead?"

"Yer not dead you knucklehead," Raph said he could not help but to smile, "Leo 'ere had to amputate yer arm," He tone was suddenly serious.

"Why?" Mikey said trying to sit up, but he found himself too weak.

"A-a f-foot n-nearly c-cut it off," Leo cried, "y-you w-would have d-died…"

Mikey looked over at his brother, "s-sorry….you….had….to….do...that."

"We're just glad you are okay," Leo said finally collecting himself, "we already lost Donnie, I did not want to lose you too," Leo squeezed Mikey's good hand.

"We will get through this," Mikey said weakly.

"Yeah Mikey we will," Leo said.

"Only one problem," Mikey said weakly.

"What is it?" Leo asked urgently.

"Chuck will be lonely," he gave his brother what could have been the last smile that would cross his face.


A/N: written for my 100 theme challenge on dA (theme misfortune)