Leo finally made it to the manhole cover closest to the lair, the icy rain and recent snowfall did not help his journey back home, the trek through the sewers to get the lair was not an easy walk either. He was exhausted and kept stumbling, the pain was still mind numbing and trying not to pass out was difficult. At least I'm not shaking anymore, he thought before all the tunnels began to look the same, but he pressed on, thankfully something eventually looked familiar and he was finally able to make it home.
Mikey had just finished making breakfast, the turtles and their father sat down eagerly awaiting this new recipe Mikey got off a Rachael Ray magazine. After several attempts to call out for Leo from the dining area they looked at each other realizing Leo hadn't responded to their calls. Donnie stood up from the table saying, "I'll go see if he's in his room," Donnie walked by the entrance of the lair and just as he placed his foot on the first step Leo walked in.
He appeared as though he had been in a fight, he was pale, his left arm limp by his side covered in blood. He held the wounded limb close to his body using his right hand Leo barely able to speak managed to whisper, "Donnie" before he slowly closed his eyes and collapsed. Donnie turned around knowing he heard his name and saw Leo falling to the floor. He ran to Leo in a desperate attempt to catch him but he made it too late, he ran quickly to his fallen Brother.
Donnie touched Leo's neck checking for a pulse, the first thing he noticed was his brothers' skin. It was ice cold and clammy and immediately after his pulse, it was sluggish, severe hypothermia was his initial thought. Donnie looked at Leo's make shift bandage covering Leo's left shoulder and pulled it down, the bleeding wasn't too bad but the wound, it needed to be cleaned and looked infected. Raph, Mikey and Splinter were already by Leo's side by the time Donnie looked up "Help me get Leo to the lab" Donnie ordered. Raph and Mikey lifted Leo trying their best to avoid the injured shoulder, Leo moaned a bit as he was being lifted and his eye brows remained furrowing but he did not wake.
.::TMNT::.
Leo was carried into the lab and place on the bed, Donnie asked Mikey to boil water and Raph to get as many blankets as he could find. Master Splinter firmly planted himself by Leo's right side placing his hand on Leo's forehead in concern. Donnie covered Leo with whatever blankets he had in the lab at the moment Donnie's primary concern was getting Leo warmed up. Donnie ran to the other side of the lab and grabbed a space heater he placed it near Leo and cranked it up to the max.
Donnie leaned over his unconscious brother and parted Leo's lips, he inserted a thermometer into his brother's mouth, after a few agonizing seconds the temperature read 30 degrees Celsius for a turtle 28-30 degrees was normal but because Leo was part human he was in trouble humans needed to be 37 degrees Celsius. Donnie was right about the hypothermia, Donnie immediately grabbed the leads to the heart monitor he took from a rundown ambulance he quickly placed the leads on Leo's chest and flicked it on. The numbers across the screen were bad Leo's pulse was too slow they needed to warm him up now, luckily Raph walked in at the perfect time and began placing more blankets over Leo, and tucking the sheets in around Leo's body. Donnie nodded in approval and Donnie's next concern was dehydration he pulled down the blankets around Leo's right arm. He cleaned Leo's right forearm with an alcohol wipe and skillfully inserted the IV before taping it down and covering it up again.
Mikey came into the lab and stopped for a moment taking in Leo's unconscious form on the table, he was covered in blankets and Master Splinter glanced Mikey a worried look. Mikey noticed Donnie looking at him as if signaling to bring him the water. Donnie taking out what he needed from the drawers and cabinets thought to himself the shoulder might possibly need stitches and his other wounds look superficial I'm going to need to exam him. Donnie asked Mikey and Raph to stay and help incase Leo woke up, Master Splinter started his way out of the lab and suggested he would go make some herbal tea for Leo. Truthfully Master Splinter just hated the part where he had to watch his sons suffer and needed an excuse to not see it again. Donnie said to his two brothers watching him, I would prefer to wait for when he's awake to do a full examination but right now I just to make sure there are no other severe injuries. Donnie lifted the sheets covering Leo's legs first, there was sufficient bruising like he was kicked over and over or fell but no broken bones.
Donnie touched Leo's stomach and chest then moved to his shoulders and arms no broken bones as far he thought to himself but he would not know for sure until Leo awoke. He covered his unconscious brother and then walked to the sink to wash his hands, he dried them before looking at Raph and Mikey and saying, "I need you two to hold him in case he wakes up, I'm going to clean the shoulder wound now, grabbing a pair of scissors he cut away the make shift bandage around Leo's left shoulder, it revealed a red and swollen wound with dried blood all over it.
Unfortunately it was a bullet wound and it was still in the shoulder, Donnie looked at Mikey and Raph who already had their hands on Leo in case he awoke. Donnie grabbed a few towels and lifted Leo's shoulder and placed several folded towels under it. He grabbed the warm water Mikey had boiled and sucked it into a large syringe and poured it into the wound blood, water and a bit of pus poured out. Donnie sighed it was a bad sign he glanced at Leo who had not moved and repeated the process a few more times and wiped the wound for a clearer view of the entry wound, the bullet was currently stemming the bleeding "the next part might make him wake up so hold him tight guys" Donnie grabbed a pair of forceps and inserted the forceps into the wound, the bullet was pretty deep blood began leaking out.
Leo moaned, he was waking up as Donnie feared, his eyebrows scrunching he gritted his teeth and turned his head away from Donnie, Leo's head then went up into the pillow before coming back down slowly "hold him!" yelled Donnie "I think I found the bullet". Leo's breathing was quickening and his vitals were picking up in a bad way, too quickly spiking up and crashing back down. Donnie placed his hand on Leo's shoulder pressing down to keep him still. Donnie finally got a hold of the bullet when Leo's movement's started to get more violent, his left arm was now out of the blankets. Leo's unconscious form attempted to grab at Donnie but Raph grabbed Leo's hand in time and pinned it to the bed.
Donnie quickly glanced at Leo's vitals and began to use force to pull the bullet out after few seconds of tugging Leo began to yell in pain, it was unbearable, the veins in his neck and forehead popped out. Donnie kept steady pressure on the bullet and it finally popped out, Leo's screams stopped abruptly and his body went limp, his chest was still heaving and a moans escaped his lips. Raph and Mikey looked quickly at Leo then at the blood covered bullet Donnie had dropped into a dish. Donnie grabbed a thick pressure dressing and pressed down at the wound with both hands in attempt to stop the bleeding,
Leo was restless, his head slightly jerked and he moaned again, Leo's leg mad a few attempts to move but Mikey and Raph kept them down. Donnie kept steady pressure on the open wound and attempted a glance at the wound few times but the blood had not stopped. After a few minute's Raph spoke, "Donnie Leo is shaking" Donnie looked at Mikey and asked him to get the thermometer Mikey placed the thermometer into Leo's mouth per Donnie's orders and in a few seconds it beeped. Mikey showed it to Donnie who said, "His body temperature is rising, check it again in 5 minutes I need to monitor if it's rising too fast." Donnie looked at the wound and was satisfied that the bleeding was slowing, he cleaned the wound. He placed a few layers of square cut pieces of pressure dressing gauze over the wound and began to wrap the shoulder. Donnie was half way done wrapping when Leo began to shake more violently, to the point that Leo was beginning to wake up himself up. Leo's eyes were beginning to open, Donnie asked Raph and Mikey hold Leo's steady so he could finish. Raph placed one had on Leo's mid chest and with the other he pinned down Leo's left arm again at that moment Leo completed opened his blood shot eyes, and looked at Raph and began to try to speak.
Raph made out the words, I.. hhhurt.. ssshot.. ccchase.. ssso hottt.. before Leo closed his eyes and turned his head away again. Raphael feeling bad for his brother tried to claim Leo by saying, "its ok bro just relax you're home, we got you." Leo gave Raph a confused look and looked over to Mikey who said, "Its ok Leo Donnie is making it better." Donnie was finally done wrapping Leo's shoulder and now he moved onto the next concern. Leo was way too weak between the shaking and the pain he had no energy and he was clearly fighting unconsciousness. Donnie placed the thermometer back into Leo's mouth, Leo was still shaking violently under the sheets, his teeth chattering and short quick breaths could be heard, Leo's eyebrows remained furrowed, he moaned trying hard to stay awake. He looked as if he wanted to say something but his eyes forcefully closed.
Donnie said nothing when he took the thermometer out of Leo's mouth but his face said it all. Leo was moving too much, Donnie didn't want to risk Leo causing his shoulder to bleed more. "I might have to tie him down" Raph and Mikey gave Donnie and worried look Donnie explained "the shaking could last hours his temperature is climbing too fast and his shoulder is already showing signs of re-bleed. I need to call April, Leo's going to need large doses of antibiotics." It was going to be a while before Leo's body temperature would get back to normal. Master Splinter acted as if he didn't just witness everything and made some noised to make his presence known he held a tray of herbal Tea. Mikey and Raph were still holding on to Leo's shaky form before realizing their father was watching them. Donnie did a quick once over and grabbed a tablet to type Leo's vitals.
All they could do now was wait, Donnie looked at his father and said, "I'm going to go call April now, call me if he wakes up or has a seizure I won't be long." Splinter walked over to Leo, Mikey moved out of the way and was now standing next to Raph. Master Splinter poured the Tea and brought it over to Leo, Raph assisted his father in lifting Leo's head to get him to drink but Leo was not cooperating. He was clearly in pain and his breathing remained quick and short, Leo was also too busy shaking. They managed to get him to take in one sip before Leo moaned and turned his head again and that was enough for Master Splinter to say, "We can try again later my sons." Master Splinter pulled the covers up over Leo and grabbed the tray and made his way out of the lab. Mikey had followed suit he had noticed sweat built up on Leo's forehead, he went to get a wash cloth and a bowl of water.
In the kitchen Donnie was on the phone with April who of course panicked and began speaking quickly and said she would tell Casey and she would get whatever they needed. Donnie named the three different types of antibiotics he would need and hung the phone with a sigh all they could do now was try to keep Leo comfortable until April arrived with stronger pain meds and the antibiotics. Minutes, turned to hours, Leo was in pain. He shook thunderously under the sheets and he had enough sheets to make any person sweat but it was not enough. He was in pain and his groans were letting everyone know, Master Splinter made him a strong herbal tea for the pain but they could not get Leo to drink it. Leos head went back into the pillow then slowly to the side, his shoulders would lurch forward then back unto bed, Leo constantly moved his arms and legs. Raph held tightly to Leo's hand wishing it was him instead of Leo on the bed.
April and Casey entered the lair and immediately hearing sounds of someone who was in obvious pain, April looked at Casey and quickly ran to the lab. "I'm here! How is he!?" as she looked at the shaking and moving form lying in the bed, and then back to Donnie, he responded, "Leo is septic his hypothermia was quickly over taken by the infection in his blood stream." April handed Donnie the antibiotics before walking over to Leo on the right side of the bed. Raph was holding a wash cloth to Leo's forehead, he moaned again before turning his shaky head away from Raph. April touched Leo's left forearm his skin was on fire, she turned to Donnie who had already began to melt pills and said she would stay until Leo got better, Casey said, I'll stay too".
Donnie's first priority was to give Leo something strong for the pain. Donnie injected the pain medication and a few minutes later Leo began to calm down. Donnie injected the antibiotics next and hoped that they would take effect quickly. It was hard for the family to watch Leo suffer. Donnie kept a constant watch on Leo's temperature which was still dangerously high. The only good news was that Leo's heart beat was stronger now. Donnie changed Leo's bandage for the third time," if he keeps bleeding like this I'm going to have to give him a transfusion." He sigh again and said, "If in the next hour his temperature is not down we are going to have to place ice packs on him." Splinter came in with a fresh basin of water and handed it to Raph who remained firmly seated by Leo's side.
Splinter didn't mind because he needed to meditate he asked Donnie to let him know if there was any change before turning and heading to the dojo. Raph wrung out the cloth and placed it on Leo's forehead. Leo's teeth chattered momentarily before he turned his head and looked as if he fell asleep again. The silence and tension in the room was thick the concern for Leo was heavy on their hearts. Donnie made no promises that Leo wouldn't get worse but he had hope Leo would get better.
Mikey, Casey and April left to give Donnie room to do his doctoring thing. They sat in the couch quietly not knowing what to say until April asked, "what happened to him? Do you guys know who did this to him?" Mikey shook his head and said, "All we know is that he was chased, that's all he was able to say before passing out." At that moment a yell came from the lab, it was Leo he was trying to get up, "he's delirious from the fever," yelled Donnie grabbing Leo trying to keep him in the bed. "Mikey go get ice packs." Mikey ran and pulled them out of the deep freezer, Splinter heard the commotion and went to the lab. He helped get Leo back into bed and began speaking softly in Japanese to Leo, he began calming down. Master Splinter continued speaking softly while Donnie and April placed ice packs under Leo's arms and on his chest. Leo groaned a bit but his eyes slowly closed and he fell to sleep.
After the incident April and Casey stayed the night, Mikey slept on the couch and Casey and April took Raph and Mikey's beds. Leo was improving his vitals were getting stronger and his temperature was getting better. Donnie gave the ok to remove the ice packs Leo was finally resting. He remained asleep for two days before waking up to Mikey reading him a comic. Leo slowly said, hey….. Mikey…. Mikey looked at Leo and jumped from his seat! "He's awake!" Said Mikey loudly causing everyone to stumble into the room. Donnie checked on Leo and was satisfied that Leo would make a full recovery. After a bit they asked Leo what happened? He said it was another bout with the purple dragons, he was out for a morning jog and with is luck he ran into them doing their usual bad stuff and he was out numbered but was able to escape.