Prologue

A scream snapped the eldest awake, his intelligent eyes flying open as he jerked awake from his slumber. On the opposite side of the room he saw his directly younger brother raise his dark pupils from his open laptop, the screen's glow reflecting off his scales.

"Mikey." The brothers muttered at the same time before leaping - or in Donnie's case - sluggishly standing upright with a sigh - out if bed and leaving the comfort of their room. Across the corridor Doctor Stockman was already present, nervously fiddling with his glasses with one hand as the other tapped away at the keypad lock, opening the door.

"I... I'm sorry Masters, I was trying to lower his dosage to reduce the side effects but -"

The eldest just barged past the stuttering man and charged into the padded room, leaving his genius brother to get the medical details from the doctor. He had to get to Mikey, that was his priority.

Inside was his little brother. At fifteen, Mikey was three years younger than the eldest yet appeared even younger than that. His face had a slight pudginess to it - one of the many side effects of the drugs he was regularly pumped with - and his bright blue eyes were huge in his scaly face. His body was stick thin - a result of only being able to stomach IV fed meals rather than solids - and his bony arms and legs tiny against his soft shell and carapace which wrapped itself across his prominent ribcage.

"Shh, Mikey... It's okay, it's all going to be okay..." The eldest whispered as he entered, watching the huddled figure in the corner carefully for any warning signs of a more severe panic attack. "I'm here... It's alright..." Slowly, the choked sobs recessed and the green head of Michelangelo appeared above his tightly wrapped arms, tears streaking his cheeks.

"He was here again..." His strangled voice whispered, the thick black circles about his eyes making his gaze all the more terrified.

Mentally the elder turtle cursed the incompetent Doctor for allowing this to happen to his baby brother, this was the very reason they had to protect Mikey... Yet despite his inner fury, he kept his face calm, his hands outstretched to show he was no threat.

"Mike, can you hear me bro?"

The smaller turtle began to shake slightly, fresh tears rolling down his freckled cheeks.

"But the Demon says he's real... Why can't you see him?" He pointed to the center of the room. Raph turned his eyes to the spot and - unsurprisingly - he saw nothing. At his silence, the sobs began again anew just as Donnie finally appeared by the eldest's side, something clenched in his hand so Mikey couldn't see.

"Just calm down..." The genius began but instead Mike stood suddenly, bawling his tiny hands into fists as he raised his voice. "He needs our help! He's in pain and he keeps coming to me! I have to-" But before he could elaborate on what he had to do, Donnie lunged forward and with practiced precision, he plunged the contents of the syringe into their little brother's neck. The effect was instant. The youngest terrapin sagged, his eyes rolling up into his head, his lips moving yet little sound emerged.

As the eldest caught his limp form and held his brother close to his own plastron he swapped a look with Donnie, the same mix of emotions the eldest held inside clear to read, the deep regret and helplessness carved in his features. It hurt to see their brother like this.

"Please Raphie..." Mikey whispered into said turtle's side as the drugs took hold, "He doesn't... like... this..." His three fingered hand fell into his lap as his eyelids finally closed.

"Don't worry little brother..." Raph muttered to the unconscious form, "We'll protect you... I promise..." Donnie placed a tender hand upon the elder turtle's shoulder yet there was no comfort to be found in the contact. Setting his shoulders, the leader pushed aside his raging emotions.

"What were Stockman's excuses?" His tone was sharp, his usual authority cutting back in now Mikey was out of it, "Why didn't he talk to us about cutting his meds?" The fierce emerald eyes flared in anger as they turned to the door where the trembling man stood, awaiting his fate.

"He said he wanted to try and reduce the side effects by cutting back on some of the stronger sedatives." Donnie's usually calm tone betrayed the slightest traces of his own anger as he spoke, the scientist within him fuming at being undermined in such a manner. As head of the biology and technology departments, the seventeen year old bore an authority in medical matters few could rival. For a minor researcher like Stockman to act without the turtle's authority was an insult of the highest degree.

"Call the guards, NOW!" Raph turned to bark at the doctor. Once the man had sprinted off to follow the orders, Raph and Donnie moved their brother back to his bed, tucking him in so he looked almost peaceful.

"What do you want to do, Raph?" The genius muttered, his gaze never leaving Mikey's face.

"We're staying here with him until he wakes up." The eldest's tone was final. "As for Stockman -" but before he could finish, the guards appeared at the door and Raph cut himself short, standing upright, his authority emanating from his being in hostile waves.

"Send him to father." He told the guards with a dismissive gesture towards the doctor. "Tell him to do as he sees fit with such a disobedient traitor."

"Wait! What did he say?! Please! No!" The doctor cried out as the guards seized his scrawny arms. With a nod they met Raphael's eyes.

"Hai Master Oroku!" They chorused, their voices rising high above Stockman's squeals, and, after giving a deep bow - they were gone, the desperate pleading of Stockman following them up the corridor to the darkness which lay before him.

In the room, Raph merely blinked, his attention turning back to his brother.

His father would make the doctor pay, of that he was certain.

After all, the Shredder was not a title bestowed upon those of weak will.

TADA! Another story. And an AU at that!

What do you think? More coming soon. ;P

LL99 Out.