Chapter 3

Why are they…

…they are just…

….smiling at me?

Dudes, you okay there? Especially you, Raph? I don't think you've ever genuinely smiled like this at me before. But I don't know, it's kinda nice. It's definitely a lot brighter than that scowl you wear like a fresh coat of sunscreen every day.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

This actually looks… familiar. It's like this has happened before. Oh man, I think I'm losing my mind. Just stop thinking about it, and they'll eventually stop and everything will go back to normal.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Okay…? So, the message I am receiving is that you guys are just going to keep staring at me like this? I mean, it's an improvement from when you dudes would just yell at me for being stupid, but still. This is kinda getting on the creepy side, don't you think? It's almost like I stepped into a painting or something.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"D..Donnie?"

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Well, I guess you guys won't respond to me either. Can't say I'm surprised, though. But good shell, all of your eyes are so wide. I can see the whites of your eyes surrounding the blue, green, and brown. Weird.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

I get it; you're happy! Yay, congrats, good job, whatever you want to hear! Can you stop now?

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"Hey Mike, you awake?"

Wait – whoa. Raph… how did you do that without opening your mouth? And, if it wasn't already obvious by the way I'm staring wide-eyed at you guys, yes, I am awake. I'm surprised you didn't previously see that considering you won't tear your gaze away from me.

"Yo, wake up. Don's here."

Um. Yeah. I know Donnie's here. He's right there beside you. And how in the sewers are you still talking without moving a single muscle? Where is the logic, exactly?

"Mikey!"

My eyes snap open. Wait; they snapped open? Weren't they already open just a second ago? I swear that they were. I'm positive I wasn't sleeping. The unwavering rhythm of the heart monitor hasn't changed at all, meaning that I was listening to it the entire time. And the only way I would be able to listen to it was if I was awake. Right?

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Something gently nudges me. I turn my head and briefly glance over Raph curiously. He isn't smiling anymore. That ugly scowl is back. It actually gives me a flicker of relief. It was downright eerie with all my siblings staring down at me like that. At least, I think they were staring down at me a few seconds ago…

"God, thought you'd never wake up. What could you be so tired from in the first place?"

For your information, it's actually very exhausting to be constantly running around in your own mind. I've tripped and stumbled and ran over all of the thoughts that I can only keep to myself at the moment. I can't wait to be able to fully talk again. But man, if I think thinking's tiring, I can't wait until I can start training again. That'll be a sight for sore eyes.

Speaking of eyes, D has his chocolate brown ones glued onto me. At least they aren't as obsessive-looking as they were before. Or did that whole thing even happen to begin with? I don't know. Leo isn't here anymore, so I guess not. I guess I was daydreaming or something; I have a tendency to do that. Sensei usually "firmly talks" to me about drifting off during training and meditation sessions.

But can you blame me? I mean, training is good for me and all, but it can get pretty tedious and meditating is more of Leo's thing. So, in order to escape from the totally mind-numbing activities, I daydream. Usually, my fantasies are based upon what-if's, like, "What if the sewers overflowed and we had to swim through all that crap?".

But this time it was different. It wasn't a what-if, and it wasn't even something too far out of the ordinary either. It was completely normal despite the, to put it in the least, discomfort I received from it. But the worst part is that this time, it felt so… real…

"Einstein says he wants you walking again today."

At this, my breath hitches and I slowly yet anxiously sit up as to not earn myself a head rush. Raph gives me a gently familiar smirk, and the smile I didn't even realize I was wearing on my face grows wider. Finally – some action time!

Then I notice Donnie in the corner. He glances up at the heart monitor and scribbles something down on the clipboard he holds in his hands. Always the ever-working turtle, isn't he? But just as that thought crosses my mind, he tosses the clipboard into a beanbag in the corner of my room and turns to me with a smile.

"Your statistics have been looking fairly normal recently, Mike, so I think it's okay if you got up and at em' again. Hopefully your body is prepared; it hasn't been physically active for a long time."

Oh yeah, I'm prepared. I'm so prepared. I'm beyond prepared. I can do this. No more sitting in my bed and being like "woe is me." Imagine – if I start walking again, I can have my normal life back (and not to mention that Pinball Master title as well). Shell, I'm so excited, I can't wait to be sitting at the dinner table and swallowing down my throw up mixed with whatever type of disgusting tea Splinter put in my cup! That's pure desperation at its finest.

"Just gotta swing your legs over and hop on the ground and bang – you're back on your own feet."

Sounds easy enough. But then again, that suggestion came from Raph…

The door hesitantly creaks open, tearing through my thoughts. I playfully roll my eyes as I see the head of my brother slowly peek in. He's always so uptight about everyone having their own privacy in their rooms. I'm actually surprised he didn't do some elaborate knock before entering.

However, as soon as the shadowy sapphire irises notice that everyone is awake and present in my bedroom, the figure fully steps inside and gives me a slight smile. It almost seems to reflect off the blue bandana he has. Man, I don't think my brothers have ever been so glad to see me before. A lot has changed.

"H-Hey, Leo," I manage to rasp out. At this, he nods in head in acknowledgment and loosely crosses his arms over his chest.

"Just wanted to make sure Raph doesn't push you too hard," Leo replies. It earns him a sharp glare from my hotheaded brother, but Leo doesn't seem to care/notice. We've all gotten used to that look, trust me.

Licking my lips, I follow Raph's directions despite Leo's concern. Slowly, I pull my legs over the side of the bed and a burst of relief crashes into me as my heavy feet dangle in the air. I have never felt so free before. Hoping to obtain more of that light and feathery feeling, I cautiously push myself off the bed and glance downwards as I land on my wobbly feet. The ground is so cold, yet so welcoming. One thought races in my mind:

Freedom. Sweet, sweet freedom.

I look back up to meet the gaze of the rest of my three brothers with a wide beam. But I swear, my smile instantly falters.

They are all smiling.

They are all genuinely smiling straight at me.

I can see the whites of their eyes surrounding the blue, green, and brown.

Then they… stop. Leo blinks and waves his hand towards his own body, indicating me to move forward. Whipping the sudden confusion to the far back of my brain, I obey and take a tiny step towards him in order to not rip away the small padding attached to my plastron which is connected to the heart monitor. I'm surprised I don't fall; I'm already unbalanced on the inside due to the sudden déjà vu.

But that's what it is. Déjà vu.

I get it all the time. So does everyone else. It's perfectly normal.

Right?

A/N

Okay, so things are hopefully going to start picking up after this chapter. Better late than never, right? Sorry, but I couldn't exactly just have Mikey bounce right back up on his feet so quickly after the accident. Gotta slowly progress(:

Until next time ~