With the fate of one brother up in the air, time didn't move like it should. The three remaining brothers kept their eyes glued on the clock, watching it progress forward sluggishly. Despite Donatello's and Splinter's attempts, Leonardo was not getting any better.

"Yo, Donnie?" Mikey asked from the doorway of Don's lab. Don looked up blearily from the screen of his computer. Leo's fever had been running rampant for three days, and no one in the family had slept since he'd fallen. Raph and Don weren't sure exactly what Mikey was doing with his time, but he looked as haggard as them.

"Yeah, Mikey?"

"Raph wanted me to tell you that Leo's, um, well, not asleep anymore."

Don nodded with a sigh. He didn't have any pain medication. Absolutely nothing outside of pill form, and Leo wasn't eating solids. They couldn't feed him. They couldn't get him to drink. He was beyond that level of consciousness. Donatello had hooked him up to an IV, but even his stash of saline solution was incredibly low. He didn't have much left.

"Thanks, Mikey." He slumped forward, expecting Mikey to leave him now that his message had been relayed. Donatello's lab. A place of solitude. No one dared mess with him while he occupied its walls.

Donatello had pinpointed the cause of Leonardo's affliction through the blood work. That was, he found the abnormality. He didn't know what it was, and as far as he could tell, no one else in the world had seen it before, either. It was an anomaly. Undefinable. He'd hoped for a minute that he'd be able to solve the mystery and bring his brother back, but now he was slipping into despair.

"Donnie?"

Don jerked back into a complete sitting position, belatedly focusing on Michelangelo's unmoving form. So he didn't leave. "Is there something else?" Don asked.

Mikey hesitated a moment. "Not really. Just … we believe in you. And don't blame you, okay?"

"It's not a good time, Mikey," Don sighed.

"We've been awake for, like, five days, dude. You're still doing the heavy work over here. I'm seeing hallucinations at this point, but it's better being awake than asleep…." He visibly shook himself. "Anyway, I just figured you needed to hear something, instead of being all alone down here."

Don blinked. "Five days?"

Mikey shrugged. "Close enough. You know Raph hasn't moved this entire time? Like, I have to bring him food and water and stuff. I haven't seen him leave to go to the bathroom. He's just … sitting there. Watching Leo. Making sure he's gonna be alright." He pulled away from the doorway. "But, uh, think you can check in on Leo for Raph, Donnie? Me and Raph, we don't know what we're doing."

"Yeah, I'll be right there," Don told him. Don watched with glassy eyes as Michelangelo slowly crossed the lair back to Leo's room. Five days. That would explain why he was having difficulty passing a single thought through his mind and why it was such a chore to move. He couldn't take it anymore, yet he wasn't even capable of passing out unintentionally.

Pushing himself out of his chair, Don held himself steady for a moment before letting go of the table he used to stand with. He reached for his medical kit, checking through the contents to make sure everything he needed was there, and slowly followed Mikey's path.

Donatello could tell something was different from the moment he walked into Leo's room. Splinter was still in meditation on the floor, Raphael was still half-conscious on the chair, and Michelangelo was standing off to the side. Nothing about them had changed at all. Leonardo was still under the covers, laying in his bed. But he had a spark of life in his open eyes.

"Leo?" Don asked. He registered the muscles twitch across Leo's face, though the turtle didn't answer.

"I see Mikey got the message to ya," Raphael commented from his seat.

"Yes," Don said softly. "Thank-you for getting me." He crouched down and opened up his medical kit. The first thing he grabbed was the thermometer. The time felt like it was moving even slower than before. Every second, waiting for the temperature get back to him, felt like an eternity. When he finally could read the temp, he could barely stay upright from the head rush. He felt Mikey's hands on his shoulders keeping him steady.

"Donnie," he said with a little urgency to his voice.

"Good news," Don said quickly. "Good news. His fever's finally broke." He moved on to checking his other vitals. All the while, Leo's eyes followed his movements, but he remained silent.

Finished with the check-up, Donatello stood up. "I need to input this information before I forget it. Which is highly possible at the moment. I'll be right back, I promise." His movements were slow, but carried out with renewed vigor.

"Leo, can you talk to us?" Mikey asked tentatively.

Leo opened his mouth, as if to speak, but no words came out.

"Reserve your strength, my son," Splinter cautioned from his meditation. "Put your focus into healing. We will reunite later."

Raphael stood up. "I'm gonna go get a fresh glass of water for him. Mikey, keep an eye on him."

"Do I get your big boy chair?" Mikey asked.

Raph answered with a snarl and roll of his eyes as he exited the room, but with no words. Mikey took it as his cue to take the chair. Not because he wanted to sit, but because it would annoy Raph. Excitement finally gnawed at his insides, but Mikey didn't allow it a way out. He held back. Leo already looked like he was a little overwhelmed, and Mikey did not need a sleep deprived Donatello breathing down his neck.

Leo didn't do much while Raph and Don were gone. He didn't try to sit up. He didn't try to talk. Perhaps he was taking Splinter's advice to heart, but even Leo wasn't the best at recovering gracefully. All four of the brothers wanted to immediately get back on their feet and forge forward after taking a heavy hit. His eyes were open. Didn't that mean he was getting better?

Don was the first to return. A large smile graced his face once his eyes swept over Leo again. Seeing was believing, after all. "Hey Leo, may I ask you a few questions?" Leonardo simply stared back at him. Don's smile wavered for a moment. "Okay. Uh. How are you feeling?"

Leo continued to stare for a moment, but eventually opened his mouth to respond. Mikey leaned forward anxiously. It took Leo a couple times to test his voice, but he did manage to force a few words out after those tries. "Not well. Still a big … headache. Thirsty."

Don nodded eagerly. "Raph went to get water. He should be back any second."

"Behind ya," Raph said, as if on cue.

"Do you need help sitting up?" Don asked, sidestepping to let Raph by.

"No," Leo said. He was rather quick to those words.

Raph and Don exchanged a glance. Looking back to Leo, he softened his voice further. "I have you hooked up to an IV right now, so it's not absolutely necessary that you drink, but it would be encouraging. I'd like to see you keep it down. Are you feeling nauseated?"

"Not really," Leo responded.

"Good. I, uh, kind of need to pass out soon. Like, really soon. Your vitals are almost back to normal. I promise we'll get food in you soon."

Michelangelo jumped to his feet. "Anything you want, bro! The kitchen's open!"

"What's the pain level on your headache?" Don asked.

"I … don't know."

"Level one, just a minor irritant. Level ten, you feel like you're going to die."

Raph snorted. "I think he's been at a ten all week."

Donatello hushed him with a sharp look.

"It's not that bad. A … three?"

Don nodded. "Alright. Uh … I think that's it." He turned to Splinter. "Sensei?"

"My son," Splinter acknowledged without moving.

"Any objection to me passing out?"

"I will fetch you if his condition changes," Splinter said softly. "Sleep, my son."

"Are you sure? You've been awake as long as all of us."

A smile passed over Splinter's lips. "I am sure. It is about time you take care of yourself."

"I'm not tired!" Michelangelo yelled happily. "What ya feel like eating, Leo? You know, we have a few quick soups I can whip up. Eggs? Yeah, I'm a master at breakfast food. Pizza?"

"No," Splinter injected sharply. "Healthy foods."

Don couldn't help the wane smile as he exited the room and nearly stumbled to his own.

"I don't … I don't know," Leo said. He almost sounded frustrated. Struggling, he pushed himself into a sitting position, leaning heavily on the wall at the head of his bed. Raph watched him closely as he moved, but didn't offer help unless asked. Leo had his pride as much as anyone.

"You want me to just whip something up? Whatever I feel like once I'm in the kitchen?"

"Yeah, sure," Leo said. His voice was clipped, but not tight, as if in pain.

"Yeah, okay," Mikey said, as enthusiastic as ever. "I'll be right back, then."

"Healthy foods!" Splinter called after him.

"Leo? You okay, bro?" Raph asked after Mikey was out of earshot. Leo didn't like to burden Donatello and Michelangelo so much, but sometimes leaned on Raphael when something was big. When they weren't in the middle of a feud, that was.

"No."

This prompted Splinter to open his eyes. He was certain he was picking up on the energy Leo was giving off as much as Raph.

"What's the matter?" Raph asked.

"What … happened?"

Raph's brows crunched together. "Well, we were fightin' the Foot. They ambushed us on one of our runs. It wasn't much different than normal. There weren't really a lot of 'em, they weren't any better than normal. But you went down, and they all disappeared. Don and me had ta carry ya back." Raph glanced down at Splinter. "Don says you were under a sedative or somethin', but once it wore off … you ah…. We had ta keep ya from burnin' up ta death, Leo. Donnie's been workin' days non-stop ta get ya back to us."

Leo studied Raphael's uneasy expression with a certain intensity. The stare may have caused uneasiness in either of the other brothers, but Raph was used to it. He looked back calmly as calmly as he could, trying to gauge his brother's state of mind. Leo wasn't making it easy.

"What? Not good enough for ya? Need more details, or it sparkin' a memory?" Raph tried to keep the belligerence out of his voice, but it wasn't exactly his strong suit. Anger was the first line of defense for the turtle. Something didn't feel right about the situation, but he didn't know what was wrong.

"Raphael," Splinter warned in a quiet voice.

"Sorry, Master Splinter," Raph apologized.

Leo continued his study of Raphael's face for a moment before finally replying to one of his questions. "No more details are necessary. I simply can't remember any of the events leading up to now."

"My son, you need more sleep and time to recover. It is too early for you to be moving and worrying about what you cannot fix," Splinter said. "And Raphael, you need rest as well. I will continue to sit here and meditate."

"I don't –"

"Raphael," Splinter said, just loud enough to cut Raph off. "Go to sleep. Now."

Raph looked between Leo and Splinter. Leo was still fixated on Raph, staring at him with unblinking eyes. Maybe he was starting to give Raph the creeps. Splinter still had his eyes open, but he hadn't moved from his meditative position on the floor.

"And Mikey?"

"I will tell him the same thing when he gets back," Splinter said.

Raph grumbled unintelligible words to himself as he danced from one foot to the other. Sleep was incredibly tempting, but it didn't feel right to leave Splinter alone. He hadn't slept just as long as any of the brothers. He finally decided to follow directions without a fuss for once, and left the room with a mumbled departing goodbye. Leo's eyes tracked him until he was completely out of sight.

"Is something the matter, my son?" Splinter asked him.

Leo hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. "No, Master Splinter. You're right. I just need rest." He settled down a little lower in his bed. "I'll wait first for the mystery food so as not to disappoint … ah, him, but rest is my best option."

He reached out to the glass that Raphael had left behind, testing its weight in his hand completely before pulling it in front of him. He simply clutched it before him for a while before slowly drinking. The liquid in his throat was a good feeling. Even though Donatello had told him that he wouldn't die of dehydration, the fever had taken a lot out of him. He still felt dry and incomplete. Drained. He even felt tired after being asleep for so many days.

Splinter slowly drifted back into meditation.

Leonardo let the silence extend. His room light was still on. It probably hadn't been turned off since he was deposited into his room. That was, if Raphael had been telling the truth about the whole matter before Leo had woken up. Leo had a feeling that if they had been fighting, and he dropped without warning, he'd have a mark on his body. He felt bed sore, but nothing screamed a miserable pain to him. Not like before, at least. He couldn't remember a lot before waking up this time, but he could remember pain.

Every so often, a voice would drift up from outside of Leo's room. Mikey's voice. The turtle cooking him up some mysterious healthy meal. Leo wasn't entirely sure if he was hungry, but the guy had been so excited. He couldn't let him down. It sounded as if he was having a conversation with someone, though he couldn't pick out the words.

He came along alone to deliver the food. If he had been talking to someone, and not just himself, that someone hadn't tagged along to visit Leo. Mikey presented the food with as much enthusiasm as before.

"So I kinda figured that your stomach was probably still a little upset and all, since you were so sick. I really hate when I feel like that, and all the normal foods like pizza make you feel even worse. So I made you some toast. Buttered it up a little. Just enough to give it a little extra flavor if ya want. And an instant soup. It's not something from scratch made with a whole lot of love like normal, but I figured you wanted food now instead of, like, three days from now.

"Gotta say, I don't think I could even last another day to make a real soup. I found out when I switched off the light in the kitchen that I was talking to a chair the whole time. Funny thing, the chair as talking back to me. I don't even know what we were talking about anymore."

Mikey finally placed the platter with a bowl and few pieces of toast on Leo's lap. His monologue wasn't long, considering how fast the turtle spoke, but it was enough to make Leo's head spin.

"Michelangelo," Splinter called with his eyes closed. "You may go to sleep."

"You're sure, Master Splinter? Like, I could probably still go for a personal record at this point. I don't even think Donnie could beat me anymore. I feel all sorts of alive."

"You were talking to a chair, my son."

"Well, it was talking to me first."

"I don't think I need to explain further," Splinter said. "Go to sleep."

Ignoring Splinter's demands, Mikey suddenly looked around the room as if he'd lost something. "Yo, where'd Raph go? He didn't take his chair back?"

"He went to sleep, Michelangelo. As should you." When Mikey still failed to move, Splinter added in a harsher voice, "Now."

"Yes, Master Splinter," Mikey conceded with a sigh. He left the room with a slumped posture.

Leo watched Mikey leave with bewilderment. Everyone appeared to be at wits end except for Master Splinter, calmly meditating in the middle of Leo's floor.

Leo ate slowly and delicately, making sure the food didn't disrupt his stomach. He wasn't feeling nauseated, but then again, he wasn't feeling tip-top either. Questions burned in his mind and his uneasiness grew as time went on. A part of him felt that he should bring it up with the rat in front of him, but a larger part told him to keep his problems to himself and quit burdening those that helped him with even more problems.

To his surprise, Leo found room in his stomach to eat everything Mikey had brought for him. He'd shut his thoughts off as he ate to keep from overwhelming himself, but it also meant that he wasn't paying much attention to the food in front of him either. Leo spared a glance at Master Splinter before shoveling the platter next to the half emptied glass of water on his nightstand. Master Splinter would not be happy with him if he had tried anything else.

Then, true to his word, Leo settled back under the covers into his bed to rest. Sleep came easily to him. For the first time in nearly a week, it wasn't fitful, but finally peaceful.