Chapter 1

It's almost hypnotic. It's constant, unwavering, balanced. It gives me something to focus on when I'm not drifting in and out of consciousness. It's always there to remind me that I'm still alive and my heart is still pumping. But that's its job, of course. It's a heart monitor. Even if Donnie hadn't told me, I still would've known. I've heard this mesmerizing sound countless times in those sappy movies and dramatic soap operas.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Yep, I'm still alive. Although, being dead wouldn't be such a bad idea either. I'm past the point of boredom. In fact, I can't even see the Line of Boredom I crossed so long ago.

"Mikey?"

The sound of my softly spoken name drifts into my ears, but I'm not exactly sure if it's actually there. My mind has been a bit foggy lately. So I lie completely still just as I have been for the past.. how long has it been?

"Mikey, it's me, Leo."

It's Leo.

"Are you awake, buddy?"

Yes, I am. I just can't move my mouth. It'll hurt too much. I'll just groan in response instead.

"Good. Can you open your eyes for me?"

I try, but the blinding light above me makes me moan a second time and I slip them back shut. A quiet shuffle beside me sounds and a few seconds afterwards, there's a soft click. I hear him return to my side.

"I turned off the lights so it won't hurt as much."

Okay.

I flutter my drooping eyes back open, still squinting even though the room is on the verge of complete darkness. Although I can't turn my head, I know that Leo is standing beside me. He comes to visit me often. I can't say that I don't want his company, though. As I previously expressed, it gets really boring in here. Where ever "here" is. I haven't been able to thoroughly check out my surroundings.

"Feeling any better?"

No, I'm not. Every movement I make has me squealing in pain like an injured little chipmunk. It's annoying.

"Don says that you're getting better, so that's good, right?"

Yeah, sure, Leo. I feel fantastic.

He doesn't talk for a while after that. I wish I can say something to relieve the pressure of the stuffy air, but I know that awful consequences that will come if I try to move. So I just stare up at the ceiling, trapped in my thoughts.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Ah, yes. I'm still alive. Yay.

"We've missed you, Mikey."

I blink at this statement in confusion. What does he mean? I've been lying right here in utter boredom this entire freaking time. Actually, I don't know how long it's been now that I think about it. Maybe a few days, a few weeks?

"Master Splinter is really keeping to himself since it happened."

I don't know what happened. That's about the tenth time he's mentioned it and I feel like I'm about to burst into some turtle confetti. I wish I could talk and give voice to my thoughts.

"Donnie's been stuck in his lab all day, every day."

Not that much of a surprise if you ask me. Einstein always finds something to work on. It's a mystery how his eyes haven't fallen out yet; he is always staring at that rackety computer of his.

"Raph is.. hardly talking. He just beats up that old punching bag all the time."

I can envision him tearing that nasty old thing to shreds. Poor guy. He really needs to learn how to let out his anger in other ways. Maybe a nice cup of tea?

"I've.. I don't know what I'm doing, frankly. I just feel lost."

Oh, Leo, don't say that, dude. It's perfectly fine; it's not really as bad as you think it is. Actually, I'm having it a lot worse than you. I can't even move my mouth to tell you all these things. You should really feel the pain I go through when Donnie tries to feed me. That's torture at its finest.

"I'm sorry I let this happen to you."

For the hundredth time, I don't know what happened, but I know that it isn't your fault, bro. Don't put all this weight on your shoulders. You're a great leader.

"I'm a terrible leader."

…Welp, I don't know what to tell you. Scratch that, I have a ton to tell you, but I can't. Ugh. I hate being in this darn helpless state. I don't think I've ever gone this long without talking or eating pizza or pulling some kind of prank on Raph. I just don't feel the same anymore.

Great. It's silent again.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Please say something, anything. I would rather listen to you lecture me all day than being plunged into that dreary silence again.

Nothing? Okay. I'll just listen to me live. Yeah, I totally just made that a thing. That heart monitor literally lets me listen to me live. Weird, right?

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Growl.

Wait – growl?

Grrroooowwwll.

Oh, I think it's my stomach. Or maybe it's Leo's. I can't exactly feel my body, so I can't tell.

"You hungry?"

Maybe it was mine. I guess I'm hungry? Yeah, I'm probably hungry.

"I'll go get Donnie."

Okay, you do that. I'll just sit here and listen to my new favorite song.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

It's getting pretty annoying, actually. I wish I had my comics here or something. I'm so bored I would even read one of D's textbooks or that freaking eyesight poster he has hanging up in the lab. And I don't even know what half of the words printed on there mean. Augh, someone help me.

Someone else comes into the room. I hear the door gently creaking then clicking shut again. I think my hearing has gotten a lot better since I've been stuck here. If one of your senses isn't working, another one has to step up it's game, right?

"H-Hey, Mikey, it's Donnie."

Why does he sound so nervous? Chill-lax, bro.

"I brought you some applesauce."

Oh, joy. Applesauce. I've eaten that mushy stuff forever now. I wish I had some pepperoni pizza instead. It's warm touch and it's delectable taste would have me back up and on my feet in a flash. Pizza can do that for me. Pizza is my cure. Mmm, pizza..

"I'm gonna need you to open your mouth slightly on the count of three, okay?"

Aw, man. This is the worst part. Someone put me out of my misery.

"One.."

I don't want any more applesauce, though. Please don't do this to me.

"Two.."

It's pretty disgusting. It sits weird on my tongue and it gets stuck in my teeth. Even after it's shoved down my throat, the remnants of it slowly trickle from their hiding places. Applesauce does not taste good after it's been swimming in saliva for five hours.

"Three."

A gentle finger rests itself right below my bottom lip and softly pulls down. A small groan pushes its way out of my slowly opening mouth and I wince a bit in pain. But luckily, it's definitely not as much pain as it was.. three days ago? Three months ago? Psh, who knows. All I'm trying to say is that it's not as bad as it was when I woke up for the first time.

My mouth is all the way open. Donnie's hand comes in my line of sight and then something cold is pushed onto my tongue. I know from experience that it's a spoon. I am being spoon-fed by my older brother. God, I hate being treated like a baby.

"Okay, you can close now."

I obey, inwardly grimacing as I swallow down the mushy crap. This is so awful. I'm in torture right now.

We do this over and over, and I swear, it takes, like, a billion years. I don't even get the satisfaction of feeling full afterwards – I can't feel my stomach!

When we finish, though, I hear a soft sigh from Donnie after he sets down the spoon and empty container. Hallelujah, we're finished.

"..Do you want to try talking again?"

No, not really. It hurts.

"I think you should."

Of course you do. You're gonna make me. Were you even asking me in the first place?

"You just gotta be gentle, and try not to rush yourself, Mike. You really don't need to open your mouth that much to talk; it all comes from your throat. Speaking of that, your voice actually generates from your vocal cords when they rub together and vibrate after the airstream in your trachea.."

Oh good sewers, he's babbling again. That's what I hate most about not being able to talk; I can't tell him to shut up. Maybe I should try to talk just for that reason.

I open my mouth, only wincing a teeny tiny bit. He doesn't seem to notice. He's still going on about how 'incredibly amazing it is that everyone's voices are so unique' or something like that. Seriously, he needs to find a hobby. Pushing that thought to the backseat of my mind and swallowing down a few gulps of lingering spit, I try to speak.

"Shhh…" is the only thing that escapes my mouth at first. He abruptly stops lecturing and I can feel his chocolate gaze on me. I like to think of his eyes as a chocolate brown. It makes me less annoyed when he goes into that crazy-scientist mode. I try to speak again.

"Shhhh…uuutttt.."

I breathe in some much needed air. Come on, I can do this.

"..uuupppp."

I did it!

Silence.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

I try to roll my eyes over to look at him, but to no avail. He's still just a shadowy figure in my peripheral vision. I can't see if his face is disgusted or pleased with me.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

He hasn't said anything yet.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Is he mad at me?

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Then Donnie suddenly laughs, something I haven't heard in a while. It makes me smile a bit. I've missed his laugh.

"Sure thing, Mike. Sorry."

My grin breaks out wider, but I don't give the pain a second thought.

There's nothing to be sorry for, D.

I'm just glad you're here.


A/N

I really do hope I got Michelangelo's perspective down right. If not, please let me know(:

I'm not exactly sure if this story is going to be as long as my others. It depends on the reactions I receive from all of you! Also..

WARNING #1: Not quite sure if this story will have a good ending.

WARNING #2: It'll be a mind-twister. It'll really make you think, trust me.

Reviews are always welcome, so please do not hesitate to leave one(: