Ok, I was none too fond of the word processor my computer came with. Since I'm still to cheap to spring for Word, so it's time to try a new one.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Turtles or any associated characters. I don't get paid for this and I mean no harm. Please don't sue.

Chapter 7 - Meditation, Puteka, and Dirty Spoons

By the time Leo had the puteka ready Raph and Mikey were helping Don to his bed. He had been warmed in the shower but was still out of it. Leonardo knew that it had to have something to do with that yellow goo.

"Here, Donnie, drink this." Leo ordered gently.

Don didn't object, but rather robotically took the cup from his brother and did as he was told. The foursome in the room was silent as Donnie obediently downed the puteka. When finished, he seemed marginally more alert but was still acting strangely. Michelangelo had just finished replacing the dressing on Don's leg from its run in with the katana when Leo spoke.

"Raph, Mikey, they're still expecting you at the restaurant this afternoon. Kermit called them and said Don and I won't be there."

"Hey, how come you get to stay here with him?" Raph objected.

"Raph, please don't do this. I want to try something before whatever this is settles too much."

Raphael understood what Leo had in mind, but he still didn't like that he and Mike had to leave. He wanted to stay too. "Come on, Mikey." Raph grouched, though his voice was laced with resignation. Nothing more was said as the red and orange masked turtles left the room.

Leo sat on the edge of his bed and studied his brother. Don still looked too pale. He had curled up on his side under the blankets, but he didn't seem ready to sleep. "Donnie, you should try to go to sleep."

"I'm not tired."

This annoyed Leo slightly. He had had enough of Don insisting that he was fine when he so obviously wasn't. It was strange. If given options, Don would object, but he hadn't yet objected to anything that came across as an order. Finally, and idea struck him.

"Alright, if you're fine then come here." Leo got off the bed and sat in a lotus position on the floor.

Don just looked questioningly at his brother.

"Hey, you're the one who said you're fine. Now, off the bed. Bring a blanket, but get on this floor." Leo ordered.

Don obeyed. He grabbed a blanket, wrapped it around himself and sat on the floor, also in lotus position, facing his blue masked brother.

Leonardo knew that Don's chi was all out of whack. Mike and Raph had probably noticed it too. Usually, Splinter did this sort of thing, but he wasn't here so Leo did what he felt he had to do. He started leading Don through some meditation exercises to help refocus his chi. Leo only hoped it was enough.

After a while, Leo left Donnie to his meditation and went to the kitchen. Eventually, he decided to heat up more water for the puteka Kermit had suggested. He was just about to remove the packet from the cup when he noticed Donnie standing in the doorway with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders.

"Hey, what are you doing here? You're supposed to be meditating, Donnie."

"Leo, that was over an hour ago!" Don complained.

Well, he certainly sounded like the Donnie Leo knew. "Really?" Leo looked around for a clock and only found one marked in clarets, which didn't help him much. "Oh, sorry." Leo hadn't realized that much time had passed. It wasn't really like Don to meditate for that long, he was good for about a half hour or so when he had to, but almost never went longer than that.

"No, Leo. Thank you. I needed that."

Leo pushed the puteka across the table to his brother and poured another cup of hot water for himself. Out of curiosity, he tossed in one of the puteka packets.

Catching the sliding drink, Don eyed it skeptically. He had no idea what it was, and it smelled strange. Not entirely sure he wanted to drink it, he looked questioningly at his brother. Evidently, Leo caught it, because he answered the unspoken question.

"It's puteka. Kermit said it might help. I think it's kind of like tea."

Don nodded and took a careful sip of the hot drink. It tasted pretty much like it smelled, and he didn't like it at all. He put the cup back on the table with a grimace. "Must be an acquired taste." He commented.

"You drank it earlier without complaint." Leo informed his brother.

"I did? Well, if you told me to then I wouldn't be surprised. If you had told me to put on a grass skirt and do the hula I probably would have done it." Don murmured the last part, not really meaning for his brother to hear.

Leo caught it, but let it slide, it obviously wasn't meant for his ears. He'd ask later as he really wanted to know what Don had been through, but he could tell that his brother was quickly dropping on him.

Donatello caught himself as he nearly fell asleep on the table. He jerked his head up. Glancing at the cup in front of him, he noticed that it was still about half full. This puteka stuff tasted awful and Don didn't really want to finish it, but Leo was watching him and he knew he wasn't getting away until he did so. Holding his breath, Donnie chugged the rest of the puteka. He made a face, left the cup on the table and, with a mumbled promise to wash it later, went back to bed.

Raphael's mind was far away as he gathered dinnerware. Jake had noticed about the time Raph dropped a handful of dirty silverware into the clean silverware container.

"Raph! What are you doing? Now we have to wash all those again!" Jake cried in dismay, shocking the red masked turtle back to the present.

Looking down at what he had just done, Raphael realized that he had to pay a lot more attention to what he was doing. He could usually focus better than this, but didn't normally have to in a non-life threatening situation when a member of his family was hurt or sick. "Oh shell, I'm really sorry, Jake. I didn't mean to do that." Raph said sadly. He could feel three eyes on him, and realized that he still hadn't quite adjusted to that eyestalk on the top of Jake's head.

"You ok, man?" Jake asked as he cleared the rest of the table Raph had been working on.

Raphael explained the events following the school day.

"Donnie? Isn't he the one who was so awed by the lack of traffic jams?"

"Yeah, that's him." Raph wondered if there was something more to Jake's question, but when Jake didn't offer anymore, Raphael didn't push things, not tonight. He just wanted this over so he could go home.

Jake had just left for another part of the restaurant when Raph heard a cry of pain from Mikey in the kitchen. Apparently, his usually cheerful brother was taking to this situation just as poorly as he was. As Raphael finished the table he was working on, Lindsey approached him.

"You know Raphael, you and Michelangelo should probably go home to your brother." she advised. "Alice told us that Kermit called in earlier to say that you all had been worried about him."

"I'm sorry about the mess."

"Oh, don't worry about it. I am worried about you and Michelangelo. You two are pretty out of it tonight and I don't want you getting hurt."

"I can usually focus better than this." Raph mumbled under his breath.

"It's ok, you're worried. Why don't you two go home for the day? Come back tomorrow if your brother is better. Alright?"

Raphael nodded reluctantly. Megan was leading Michelangelo from the kitchen, he had some gauze wrapped around his forearm and looked miserable. Together, the two turtles left the restaurant and went home.