What can I say, I like this universe XD this one is specially for Sanru for being awseome

Don curled his arm under his heavy head, one of the signs that he should of left his 'hole' a while ago, the orange light of the setting sun reflected off of his adjusted mirrors filled the room. The setting sun illuminating the object hanging from his fingers. The worn cloth hung from his fingers, the numerous stains indicated the number of years it was worn under his shirt. But the real object of scrutiny was the short wooden tube that hung just above his gaze. The material stained to black, but Don had a vague memory of it once being a lighter color. He twirled the whistle between his fingers for a moment before curling his lips around the mouthpiece and blowing softly. The only sound was hollow, empty. Showing the uselessness of the object

Still he could never bring himself to throw it away, or even repairing it. Whenever it crossed his mind, he would also think about the number of nights he spent laying on his back, looking up at the very craftsmanship he was now returning to his neck. Raphael had been adamant that HE hadn't carved it and refused to take credit for it. SO it had been the only remaining link he ever had to their past lies. Whenever he thought that their 'birth' family had abandoned them out of hatred, or didn't' love them. He would look at that whistle and remember that SOMEONE had cared enough about him to carve this for him, when he couldn't even talk. Maybe they had been so poor it had to be stolen for him, out of desperation.

It showed that someone had cared about them

If only for a little bit.

So, even it was stained through years of bouncing against his bare skin, he could never get rid of it. Donnie pushed himself up into a full sitting position to look behind him at the rafters. Where a large white eagle-hawk , his companion. sat on timber, occupied with the dead rodent in its claws, "You don't think its gross right?" a sharp gold eye glanced in his direction for a moment before the slight pop of skull from spine gave him his answer.

Nevicata had been much better conversationalist then Toki

But he wasn't' about to tell that to the large hawk that had proven he could very easily pick up Donnie by the shoulders. Even if it had only been for a few seconds, and a few feet in the air, it was enough to cause a high pitched screaming sound from his oldest brother.

Don couldn't help but snort at the memory before reaching under his bench and drawing out a plain white scroll and a piece of black lead, using his opposite arm to flatten out and continue his work.

"hey! Don? Dooooon?"

Uh oh Don's head shot up as he spun on his stool. A familiar orange masked kame hung into the 'opening' light blue eyes lightning up, "Hey! I knew you'd' be here!"

"where else would I be?"

"With Arata, with Dorinbo, with Mom, under the house, up a tree, on a roof, under the bridge, being carried away by White Thunder again. "

"One time, he carried me around ONE time. " one time he was never going to hear the end of, "Why are you looking for me anyway?"

"Its dinner time, the suns down and everyone's waiting for you so we can all eat."

Uh oh, was it that late? Don's eyes danced to look at the mirrors on the ground, now dull with the absence of sun. He must have had better candles then he thought.

"I'm not hungry though."

"But you didn't eat this morning, or at lunch. And Raph said that if you gave me lip I should go get him."

Uh oh. Don's fingers cramped lightly before looking back. Mikey's' face gleamed' victory' . That was a low blow, he didn't' know what was a worse move, sending in the youngest , or threatening with the largest.

Shell suckers

"I'm coming." He fought to keep the tire out of his voice. Pushing his scroll back into the nooks he had dug into the dirt before leaning over to blow out the candle. Luckily the moon was still keeping the room lit up a bit, pushing his hand on the desk and lifting himself up and off the desk.

he barely put weight on his legs before his knees buckled. His hand shot back to gab a hold of his desk before the strength faded completely, the stool knocking to the side and a screech marking the birds surprise, but not louder then the "DON!'' and the orange masked kame in his face with eyes of concern

"I'm ok! I'm okay!" his hand going out to grab Mikey's' shoulder, "I-I guess I was weaker then I thought."

"Wh-what what do you mean weaker?! ARE- are you going to be ok? Do we need your medicine? Do we need mom-"

"Nonono, its ok Mikey. I just get weak if I don't eat." aw man Raph was never going to let him hear the end of this. He could already hear the sound of his workshop getting boarded up in the echoes of the future. No, it didn't have to happen. Not if he was careful

"c-Can you walk?"

"I-I should." then again, he was just saying that for Mikey. He couldn't bare the sight of his little brother looking at him with such worry. He put a smile on his face, "Don't worry about me Mikey, I'm the older brother remember?"

"yeah…"

"Go on ahead I have to lock up." but the uncertainty was still there. Mikey giving him one last balance before climbing out

. Don gripped harder into the wood of his desk and pulled himself up to his feet. Though his knees trembled again he forced them in place and calling to Toki, "I'll be back tomorrow! Let the mouse last!" but the distance between him and the ladder seemed more formidable than ever. He glanced around and caught a glimpse of his bo staff leaning against the wall and grabbed it, leaning on it with a smile on his face, "there. I'll show those jerks." before hobbling forward, grabbing the bottom rungs of the ladder and looking up to see Mikey looking right down on him

"You're using your bo staff as a crutch? I thought you said you could walk ok."

"Well, I am aren't' i?" he climbed up the ladder, dragging his weapon behind him before sitting on the ledge and closing the door. Thanks to the grass covering, it was next to invisible, it was something his brothers complained about a lot but it brought a smile to his face. Before he looked up and saw Mikey looking at him, "What's wrong?"

"Raph said that you always get sick. That you could be fine one moment and then coughing up blood the next. That there's no way to prepare for it."

That was a discussion he needed to have with Raph later, he had no right to scare Mikey so bad "Mikey." Donnie's tone was gentle as he attempted to catch his brother's attention. But Mikey turned his head away, his wrists going up to wipe his eyes quickly, "Mikey, there's nothing to worry about. Raph and all out family members know what to do if I can't breathe."

"B-but I don't."

"You shouldn't have to, you're the youngest brother-"

"But I don't want you to die." his words were bitter and hard, sharp like glass. But they were barely supported by Mikey's breath in mid sob. His wrists rubbing his eyes harder. A ache filling his chest, now Don understood how Raph felt when he started crying. Was there a worse pain?

Don's reached out and too the hand that wasn't busy rubbing tears away. it was enough to catch Mikey's' attention again before Don smiled, a tug on his wrist caused the youngest scooted over to him as he carefully undid the shoulder button of his samue, revealing with white hooded tunic underneath, "Put your head next to my chest. "Mikey gave him a strange look before getting up on his knees and leaning his head forward. Don took his head and gently guided the side of his to his chest, "Listen closely now, ok?"

"O-o-ok. " Though Don had his doubts, his hand took Mikey's' put his wrist under his fingers, taking slow deep breaths. Clear and clean, he could feel his pulse through his arm as Mikey's' grip tightened on it, "Do you feel that Mikey?"

"Wh-what about it?"

"It's my heart, it pumps blood through my body. No one could survive long if their heart stopped working or if there was something wrong with it. When Mother first found me, she took me to a I-sha named Leatherhead, my teacher, and he said that my heart was very healthy for someone with my situation. "

"R-Really?"

"He doesn't' lie. And neither do I."

"D-." Mikey paused for a moment, "do I have a 'good heart?'"

"Yeah course you do, I've checked. It's a bit fast, but that's good for you." Don couldn't help but smile as Mikey's' grew to the sides of his head. But then it started to slide off slowly, "What is it?"

"But-but your lungs-"

"Did you hear them?"

"Y-Yeah."

"That's how they sound when they're clear, when there's' nothing wrong with them. You can tell if I get sick if I start coughing, that's pretty much the first warning sign. And you how to tell if my airway closes up."

"so… so you're ok?"

"so I'm perfectly fine, just a little weak right now." Don wasn't really sure how much of Mikey's' fears he had quailed but the smile remained. That was until he grabbed Dons hands, before he could react he found himself hauled onto a shell in piggy back style, Hands holding onto the back of his thighs in support. The Orange masked turtle already on his feet and the bo-staff kicked back into the hole, "MIKEY-"

"Time to go home! If those mother hens have to look for both of us we'll both get grounded-"

"Let me go!"

"NO way! this is better for both of us! You'll get credit for accepting help, and I'll get credit for helping you-"

"I don't NEED help Michelangelo!"
'How do you think they'll feel if you hobble home leaning on yoru staff? You'll be grounded till your wedding day, which Raph keeps telling me, which won't happen till you're fifty."

Don wanted to growl, to pressure point Mikey till he collapsed to the ground. THEN they could see who drug who. But he couldn't help but sigh, crossing his arms over the back of Mikey's shell as he lowered his head, reaching under his shirt to pull out his whistle for a moment, "Mikey?"

His head swerved looking back to him the best he could, it made Don feel a little better to see his brother smiling. Donnie knew that satisfaction, it came from a little brother being put in a pillar of support for their older, "Yeah?"

"I know I'm not like your other older brothers, I didn't even know I had a little brother. I'm not big, muscular, and I can't break a wall with my forehead."

"Raph really did that?"

"I was there for it, and to put in the stitches." Not one of his Kuma-ni's proudest moments but one of Dons, he wrapped his arms around his brothers collar bone in his own attempt at affection and showing Mikey he wasn't just lightheaded, "But I'm not helpless. I can hold my own in a fight, I've proven time and time again I don't let my weaknesses make up who I am. So, I'll let you help me, even if it makes me less of a man." he felt Mikey chuckle weakly, "But you can't just look at me and see my flaws alright?"

There was silence, his little brothers pace slowed. Don thought for a moment he was just tired but he looked back. Blue eyes bright in the darkness and a wide smile

"I promise big brother."

(#)(#)(#)(#)

Shattering glass filed the air, Don's head bounced off the hard wood of the I-sha shop. His body stiff as the dead, his vision swarming over in a nauseating mix of colors. Lead like hands, he was hoping they were his hands alteast, went to his throat. The tight muscles felt like stone under his numb fingers. A ailment that normally only befell him when he was asleep or suffering from a fever. His candles were resting far out of reach on the counter. His oxygen deprived mind struggled through the math, the odds of someone who understood his ailment coming in and helping him. Usagi had just been there, so he wouldn't be coming back, Leo, Raph and Kaede were out in the fields helping with some of the harvest. Splinter was resting or taking care of Lorenzo. Even before he knew the answer, he could feel his heart beating faster in his chest.

He was all alone

Don struggled to stay awake, if only to calm himself down. But the darker the vision became the more painful the pounding in his chest

Dying

This was dying-

The air suddenly swelled with the smell of mint, like a great gust of wind. Don's airway flew open and he was shoved back into his lungs. His lungs expanded painfully but he sucked in the breath as fast as he could before hacking up the dead air that had been in his lungs. Doing his best to smother them with his hands.

Air

glorious air-

A body slammed on top of his, not the crushing weight of his Kuma-ni, but a small size so much like his, arms wrapped around him and a beak pressed into his shoulder sobbing.

There was no doubt in his mind who that was

"m-key." but his lips refused to say the name. His arms refused to hold his little brother back and give him the comfort he deserved. it refused to even give the smallest indication he was still alive. He would do anything to stop Mikey from crying.

The arms around him released him abruptly as the body disappeared, he could hear the door being thrown open, "Dad! Dad! Don had another attack!"

Oh spirits, more footsteps entered the room. A knee pressed next to his arm as a hand touched his throat, "His airway is relaxed again, but his breathing is still strained. "large hands took him by the shoulders and slowly moved him up, Resting his shell against the wall as soft furred fingers touched his face, "Donatello, if you can hear me open your eyes."

Dorinbo that was defiantly Dorinbo. Thin arms wrapped around his waist and squeezed tight, and that was Mikey.

He had to open his eyes

Slowly, painfully he opened his left eye, though it felt like it was being weighed down by a bag of sand. The world painfully disorienting.

"There we go, thank you. I don't think it was a bad attack, but he doesn't seem to be fully aware. You got to him early enough for there to be no real damage. "Dorinbo as probably smiling. there was no doubt he would be proud of his youngest son.

"so he's ok?" Mikey sounded so quiet, it was heart breaking. His arms wrapped tightly around Dons waist. IT was nice for Dorinbo to wrap his cloak around him too. it was so warm.

But Mikey was shaking so bad.

Don slowly pulled his arm free of his tight hug, ignoring the hands poking at his face, his arm wrapping around his brothers shell and hugging him as tight as he could. Mikey's' muscles began to relax, as his beak returned to his shoulder. It was a clear enough sign of his little brothers returning calm. He let his head fall to rest on his younger brothers. Even as Dorinbo continued to check him over. He couldn't help but sigh in relief

This was a family worth waiting for