Leo felt isolated in this room. Since he had started eating, his hunger had finally started to assert itself again. But it was even harder to block out the pain.
All of a sudden, the door to his room was unlocked. Leo readied himself to be taken for more fighting, but instead, two ninjas came in with a struggling Donatello.
"Don?" Leo perked up.
"Leo!" Don said all too happily when he saw his brother. Then Don was thrust forward and he stumbled to the floor, grunting as he landed hard on all fours. Shackles were also put on his ankles, limiting his movements.
The guard turned on his heel and left, slamming the door behind him. Leo heard the lock click into place and a mild sense of dread washed over him.
Leo could barely move and he grunted in his attempt to move over to his brother. Seeing that his brother was injured, Don rushed to his side.
With tears in their eyes, the brothers stayed locked in a warm embrace, drawing on each other for support. When they pulled apart again, Don asked, "What did they do to you, Leo?"
Leo grunted in pain. "They've been fighting me. I've received all these injuries in the fighting challenges. My left arm, right hand, and some ribs on the right side are all broken. There is a cut in my left side. Some other cuts and bruises all over my body too." He tried to explain his injuries. "Did they do anything to you? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. They just brought me in here from our original cell. Do you mind if I examine your injuries?" Don asked, looking Leo over.
"Please." Leo said and with that, he let his brother start to examine his injuries. With a grunt, he lied back to make it a little easier for Don.
Every time Don came upon a sore spot, Leo couldn't help but wince at the pain. Don saw that Leo's breathing was heavier and hoped he didn't have a pierced lung from one of the broken ribs.
"Your hand and arm are going to heal wrong if I don't set them." He saw how swollen and badly bruised both his hand and arm were.
"Do what you have to do, Don."
Don couldn't do much for the ribs, but he did try to reset them as best his could, getting big groans and flinches from Leo. Then he set about setting the bones in both his hand and arm. Leo tried so hard to hold in the cries of agony and it left him panting for breath by the time it was over.
Leo's limbs hurt from the setting, but at least they were in place again. Leo would still need time to recover before he could carry a weapon again with them.
"Now I should take a look at your side." Don said.
After hearing Don say that, Leo sat up, as he knew his ribs were going to be sore, and he moved around to show his left side to his brother. The bandages that were holding the one over his flesh in place were removed and placed aside as the one over the wound was removed.
Leo groaned as the bandage pulled at his stitches.
Don had to cover his nose in an attempt to keep himself from gagging at the smell. "Oh, Leo! This wound is infected!"
Leo raised his left arm to look. "My wound was torn open a few times since getting it."
The wound had dried blood all around it. The stitching wasn't even holding it closed anymore. Don knew that if he had the right tools with him, he would fix the wound. But, without the tools, he couldn't do much for it.
Don fixed up one of the side bandages up and placed it on Leo's wound after he had Leo lean down on his right arm on his side. Then he took Leo's belt off and applied that over the bandage. After that, he took the other two bandages and wrapped Leo's arm and hand up.
Don wished that there were more bandages so he could also wrap up Leo's ribs. Then once he was done with all that, he asked, "Is there anything else that they did to you?"
"No. Everything below my waist is fine, Don. Thanks."
"Good. Now we just need to get out of here."
"Yeah. But I'm in no shape to fight. Though, I can still use my legs if I have to."
"First we have to get out and get Raph and Mikey out of their cell." Don said.
"But it's not going to be easy." Leo said.
"It's never easy fighting the Foot and trying to escape. For now, just try to rest Leo." Don said. "I'll figure something out."
Leo was more than happy to oblige, comforted by the fact that he had a brother there with him. He laid down on his shell and placed his head in Don's lap. Don's left hand intertwined with his and Leo drew on his strength.
The lack of sleep and his injuries had Leo feeling exhausted. He smiled as he fell into a deep sleep for the first time in days.
Don kept watch over his injured older brother. It was infuriating to see what the Foot had done to him. There was no way he was going to let those wounds and broken bones fester to infection or heal wrong. He had done all that he could for Leo, at the moment. He would get the injuries treated better once they got home. Nothing was going to stop him from finding a way to get them home.
Concerned over the possibility that one of the broken ribs could have pierced Leo's lung, Don kept a close eye on his breathing and prayed that there was no other internal injuries.
…..
The door unlocked, waking Donny. He hadn't realized that he had fallen asleep. His head had been leaning against the wall. He must have been more tired than he thought. Looking down, he noticed that the sound had also awakened Leo.
The two turtles couldn't move. There were 5 ninjas standing before them. Don put his arms over Leo protectively. "You aren't taking him again!"
"Very brave words, Turtle, but you have served your purpose in here."
"Aw! Ain't that cute?" One mocked. "He's trying to protect his brother."
"I won't let you hurt him again!" Don growled at them.
"Separate them," another ordered.
Don clung to Leo more and Leo did the same, despite his broken hand and arm. It was so hard on Leo to even move in his current state. It hurt to breathe, sending pain shooting everywhere. He didn't want Don to leave him.
Two men came over and grabbed Leo and the other two came over and grabbed onto Don's arms, forcing him to let go of Leo.
Leo cried out when they forced him apart from his brother. He was in so much pain that his mind couldn't form words, but he did painfully voice about his injuries when they were touched.
"Let me go! I'm not leaving him!" Don tried to stay with Leo. He knew he needed to stay with him, fearing that if Leo was taken he would never see him again.
Don struggled with all his might as they pulled him further out of the room. Leo had been placed back on the floor and he wished he could do something to help, but knew he couldn't.
"Don!" His voice was very weak when he tried to call out.
Donatello barely heard Leo's voice over the clamor. "Leo!" he called back, redoubling his efforts.
The men had a good, tight grip on Don's arms. They pulled him out of the cell, closing the door behind them.
Tears welled in Leo's eyes. He had thought that things were going to get better when the Foot had granted him a chance to see his brother and let him stay with him. Leo craved the company of his family, even Raph. He just hoped Donny wasn't going to be taken somewhere and tortured because he had been trying to protect him.
Leo wondered when this nightmare would be over.
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