Let's Do It Right
Preface:
What Do I Do Now?
To say that Leonardo's relationship with his brother Raphael was tumultuous resounded as somewhat of an understatement. Sometimes, for their other brothers, it behaved more like a wild Hamato civil war. Of course that also had something to do with Michalengelo's rather exaggeratory mindset and knack of verbal embellishment for effect. Normally it was something that Donatello took in stride, today was not that day; not that Michelangelo had anything witty or clever to say.
"Leo..." Mikey's note of questioning concern hung in his tone like the somber chord of a melancholy violin.
"I don't know," the leader squared his shoulders and replied calmly, or at least appeared calm. It was the fourteenth time he had repeated the same words in the last hour and twenty-two minutes. Leo counted. It was the only way to keep him focused. They all had looked to him and had all asked the same question that Mikey wasn't able to get out before he was abruptly answered. The ambiguous ...what do we do...?
Leo did not have the answer. In fact he rarely had the answer to begin with, it came to him during the most high stress moments when he had to act before thinking. It was strikingly clear how much those two merged under pressure - acting and thinking. Fortunately for Leo he was equipped with the capacity to make clear headed and effective choices when put in those situations. This situation was neither one he could think clearly while in the midst of or create a wise plan.
Their sensei, their father, had fallen ill earlier that year. It seemed a simple and average illness - a cold perhaps or maybe a low grade version of the flu. The recovery had taken more time than normal, but Donatello was confident that Master Splinter would make a full recovery. However, Splinter had never recovered. His deteriorating health had halted Leonardo and Raphael's contentious relationship.
Three months had passed and the four brothers, though none would admit it, had come to the conclusion that their father would die from whatever had him struck him. None of them would easily accept that solution though, least of all Leo.
The blue clad turtle was pacing the length of the sewer and back again while he could sense that Mikey was going to ask him once more what they should do. His fist clapped into the palm of his hand lightly and he bowed his head. "Enough." Leo said softly, yet with enough conviction to fill his brother's lack of hope with some measure of the most recent vacant emotion.
"Enough...what, Leo?" Don asked, though he didn't stand from the low stool he was seated in.
"Enough waiting. April, we'll ask April for help."
"April knows, bro." Mikey chimed in from behind where Don was sitting. He was the most anxious of them and the turn of events showed more obviously on Mikey's downtrodden spirit as he was typically the most boisterous of them.
"Yes," Leo's head lifted. He was unwilling to sit idly by any longer and watch his father's ailing health take the rat from them. His head was set on risks and what it might mean for his family - all of them - including Master Splinter. "She knows of the situation but we haven't yet asked her for help. I'm going to ask her, and Casey, to find a doctor."
"A...doctor?" Mikey stumbled through his words but was sincere as he asked.
"Yes, sensei's health is my primary concern. If it means exposing us to someone then that's what it means." Leo's declaration was definitive and left no room for argument. He knew what it meant and as much as he hated the decision he had to make, it was without a doubt the only option. As he surveyed his brothers and not one of them spoke up in retaliation he knew his answer to their never ending - what do we do? - had been resolved to their current satisfaction.