Chapter 7: Sapphire
My mind is spinning, my heart is pounding, and I'm positive my face is every bit as pale as it feels. Leo has cancer.
It still doesn't seem possible.
I mean, sure. He's been moving a little slower than usual lately. But he's still been training and leading the team on patrols. He's still capable...isn't he?
I steal a quick glance at him on our way to the lab. He doesn't look any different. But now that I'm paying attention, I can see it. There's a hesitancy in his steps and he winces every so often. He's hurting - that much is clear.
It's not long before Donnie is awake and sitting in his computer chair, facing the two of us. "I'm not gonna lie to you guys. Leo's cancer will quickly get worse if left untreated, resulting in failure of bone marrow, which will in turn lead to the failure of internal organs and..."
"And what, Donnie?" I prod.
"Death," he whispers. As if saying it aloud will make it worse. Beside me, Leo puts his head in his hands. I slip an arm around his shoulders to offer a little comfort.
"So what can we do to fix this?"
Donnie shakes his head. "First I would have to determine how far the cancer has spread. Leo's shell and plastron prevent the use of a lumbar puncture. I don't have the equipment or space necessary to perform an MRI or CT scan on him. And I don't know how effective a chest x-ray would be, considering the fact that the waves might not penetrate his shell."
I consider this for a moment. My brows furrow as an idea appears in my mind. "Donnie, don't vets do MRIs and CT scans on their patients?"
"Ye-es," he says slowly. "Originally the use of an MRI or CT scan on animals was rare, but it's becoming quite common nowadays."
"So all we'd have to do is find a vet that has the equipment necessary and-"
"And what? It's not like we can just waltz in and demand the use of their equipment!"
"Fine. What about after hours?"
"The noise the equipment makes would draw too much attention."
"What choice do we have, Donnie?!" There's a fire in my veins now.
"Stop." Leo's weak voice gets our attention. The blue-banded turtle shakes his head, his eyes flickering with pain and sadness. "It's just not possible, Saph. No matter how you slice it, there's no way we'd be able to pull it off. And even if we did, then what? What's changed, other than we know how far it's gone?"
"Then Donnie comes up with a treatment. And after that, we figure out how to get you back to your old, stuck-up, stubborn as shell self."
Leo just shakes his head again, standing up. "We're not in any position to accomplish this. It's impossible."
"Nothing is impossible, as long as you're willing to give it a try," I retort, crossing my arms.
"There's no use in fighting for something that doesn't even have the smallest chance of success."
My heart sinks as he stands and makes his way out of the room. I turn to Donnie, a pleading look on my face. "There has to be something we can do. Anything."
"Saph..." the genius begins.
I scowl at him. "Don't you dare side with him. Since when was the Hamato Clan made of quitters, huh? Since when did you guys give up on anything?"
Donnie sighs in frustration, running a hand across his head. "Look, Saph. The others don't even know about this yet. Leo hasn't told them, and I certainly am not going to tell them. Besides that, we'd probably have to have money to make a trip to God-knows-where for the scans, as well as lodging and the necessary amenities. On top of all that, Shredder has eyes and ears everywhere. It would impossible for us to even get out of the city."
"You did it that one time-"
"That was different! We went to the upstate in the middle of an alien invasion! If we left now, Shredder would see us before we could even make it past the tollbooths."
The full reality of the situation is beginning to set in. I want to cry or throw up right now. Or possibly both. I can't lose him. Not now. Even if he never looks at me the same way I look at him, it won't matter as long as he's alive. I'd take his wellbeing over his love for me any day.
So I put a hand on Donnie's arm and make him look at me. "Please, Donnie. We can't give up on Leo. Even if he's already given up, we can't do the same. This family would be nothing without him. I know it, you know it, and deep down he knows it too, no matter what he says. We need him, Don."
After a long moment, he swallows and nods. "I'll see what I can dig up. I make no promises though. This is going to be a long shot, Saph. And however this ends up, make no mistake. This will be the hardest thing Leo has ever done. And he's done some pretty hard things in his life."
"Thank you," I whisper, smiling a little. Yeah, it may be a long shot, but even a long shot is better than no shot at all.
