April and Mikey heard the sound of the Shellraiser parking outside, it had been at least fifteen maybe twenty minutes since youngest of the four turtles had first arrived. Splinter had remained in the common area anticipating their arrival. It didn't take long for the human girl and young turtle to make out the forms of Leo and Raphael came down the stairs carefully cradling something large between them, as though moving something very fragile.
Both April or Mikey knew it was Donnie they were carrying, but couldn't see how bad Donnie's injuries were. Splinter rushed forward as soon as his two eldest son's descended the stairs, bending over the person carried prone between them before rushing the two boys to Donnie's lab which doubled as an infirmary.
"Donnie!" Michelangelo yelled when he caught sight of his elder brother and closest friend as he rushed down to the lab.
"Mikey wait." April said as she tried to grab the youngest turtle. Unfortunately Mikey effortlessly jumped from the dormitory landing to the floor of the common area. However Raph was prepared as he let Leo and Splinter carry Donatello the rest of the way into the infirmary.
"Sorry Mikey, no entry." Raph said as he blocked the door to the lab with his shell.
"But I want to see if Donnie's okay." Mikey answered.
"Trust me, when I say 'You don't want to go in there.'" Raph said as he turned towards his brother causing Mikey to see the blood that was splashed on his plastron. "It's not a pretty sight."
"But..." Mike said as he looked as though he was about to cry. Raph sighed and put a hand on his youngest brother's shoulder.
"I know you're worried about Don," Raph answered trying to be comforting. "All I can tell you is that when Leo and I found him…he was in really bad shape. In fact I'm surprised he's even still alive at this point. So I'm telling you as your brother and your friend that you don't want to go in there. The best thing you can do for Donnie-boy is staying out here and hope that he will be able to pull through."
"Raph can you get a bowl of warm water and a towel." Leo called from where he was in the midst of tearing a sheet into strips to make bandages.
"I'll do that." April said as she made her way to the kitchen. "I want to be some help, anyway." Grabbing a large mixing bowl from one of the cabinet shelves, she turned on the sink she let it run until the water was a warm enough temperature. Filling the bowl with the water she returned to Raph who already had a few wash cloths in hand.
"Um…thanks." Raphael answered trying to sound appreciative of the human girl's assistance. His concerned green eyes traveled to younger brother who had flopped down on of the bean bag chairs in the pit. "Could…could you look after Mikey for a while we're tending to Donnie? I think he needs someone right now." April nodded in understanding and went to sit beside the young turtle who was lying on his plastron looking teary eyed. With a sigh Raph closed the door to the lab and walked to where Splinter and Leo were hovering over Donatello.
Donatello had been placed on a futon bed that was often times used as a medical cot during moments more intense medical purposes were required. Splinter had once used that cot as a bed when they had been very small children. And Donnie had been tucked into it whenever he was found passed out asleep in the lab.
Right now Donnie was laying on it still as death; he hardly looked like he was breathing. Leo was kneeling one side of the bed holding their younger brothers hand. His blue eyes focus worriedly on Donatello's seemingly unconscious form. Splinter knelt on Donatello's other side examining Donatello's shoulder wounds, the wise rat had set up small number of space heaters to add to a level of warmth to the room. No doubt in effort to help bring up Donatello's body temperature.
"Here's the water you asked for." Raph answered as he placed down the bowl of water and towels.
"Thank you, my son." Splinter answered as he took one of the washcloths and placed it to soak in the water. Raphael started to take a seat close to Splinter, however before he could get settled on the floor Splinter turned to his eyes towards him.
"Before I can start healing your brother's injuries, you two must unfortunately cause him some further pain." Splinter stated regretfully.
"No way, don't you think Donnie's been through enough." Raphael protested.
"Raph, help me get Donnie to a sitting position." Leo said as he carefully placed a hand under Donatello's shell. Raph assisted at once followed Leonardo's lead and carefully lifted up their brothers body so that he was able to sit on the mattress with their support.
"The Shredder dislocated Donnie's shoulder joints," Leo continued. "So we need to replace them before anything can be done with his shoulder injuries. Unfortunately doing that is a painful process."
"Well fortunately Donnie's unconscious," Raph answered. "He won't feel a thing."
"Actually, he's not." Leo corrected.
"Say what?" Raph asked in concern.
"Your brother in a state between wakefulness and unconsciousness," Splinter explained. "While he physically appears to be unconscious, he is still able to feel the pain."
"I'm very sorry about this Donnie, we'll make it quick." Leo softly said to his second brother. "All right, on three…THREE!" The two boys pulled hard on their younger brothers dislocated shoulders. Donatello's went ridged with pain as the appendages reset themselves into their sockets with a painful sounding crack. The worst of it over Donatello's head fell backwards against his older brother's arms. Carefully Leo and Raph lowered their brother gently back on to the futon mattress below him. Splinter placed a gentle hand on his injured son's forehead.
"I know the pain is great, my son." Splinter softly said to the semiconscious turtle. "Please let me help you ease your mind from this suffering. Just listen to my voice; you are falling into a deep slumber. There is nothing around you but peace, all pain you feel is an illusion. Separate your mind from this illusion and allow it to drift." As if in response Donnie seemed to physically relax and even his eye lids ceased all movement as he fell into the peaceful embrace of healing sleep.
"Donnie?" Raph asked in concern as his brothers body seemed to wilt onto the mattress.
"Let your brother rest now." Splinter said. "He has a long and arduous battle ahead in order to recover from all that has happened. This state will help me tend to his injuries."
"Will he be alright?" Leo asked in concern.
"It is too soon to tell, Leonardo." Splinter sighed. "He has lost a good deal of blood and the damage to his body and spirit is immense. I will do what I can, but I can't guarantee his survival."
"Do you need us for anything?" Raph asked.
"No…" Splinter answered. "You two should cleanse your bodies and rest. If you must do something for your brother, pray he is able to find the strength to return to us."
Raph and Leo got up feeling useless in the current situation. Before following Raph out the door of the lab, he placed a hand lightly against the side of Donatello's face.
"We aren't going anywhere, Donnie. We'll just be outside." He softly whispered as left the room.
April and Michelangelo looked up as if expecting the two older turtles to have news.
"Splinter's working on him." Raph simply said, his body shaking with a mixture of grief, anger, and frustration. "We don't know if he'll make it."
"Noo!" April gasped as tears slipped down her face, she held Mikey close as he started to cry.
"Donnie will pull through." Leo said with determination. "We have to have faith that he will survive this."
Raph said nothing in response as he stalked to the bathing room. Leo sighed sadly before turning his attention to April and his youngest brother.
"You two should get some rest. It's been a rough day for all of us." He answered.
"If it's all the same to you…I want to stay out here and wait to see if he's okay." April answered. Leonardo nodded in understanding before following his first brother to the bathing room.
The bath was formerly a women's public toilet back when the lair had been a subway station. Being a family of five men, the room had been converted into a largish Japanese style bath. Complete with showers and a large soaking tub big enough to hold two turtles comfortably or all four though that was a little too cozy at times. Particularly since Raph and Mikey had a tendency to rough house in the bath.
Taking of their belts, masks, elbow pads, knee pads, and anything else that counted as clothes and placing them in their designated cubbies before grabbing a small plastic stool and placing it at one of the showers they began the process of washing away their younger brothers blood from him their bodies.
Leonardo believed he would never be free of the nauseating scent of blood. No matter how hard he scrubbed at his plastron and applied soap his nostrils still could detect the bitter metallic scent of blood. Opening he watched the last traces of Donatello's blood swirl down the drain, almost feeling as if it was own brothers life slipping away. A sniveling sound caught his attention, glancing to the side he noticed Raphael holding an arm in front of his eyes as if he was trying to hide the storm of emotion raging with in him.
"Raph?" Leo asked in concern. "Are you…crying?"
"No!" Raph answered as he turned his eyes to Leo. "I just got soap in my eyes."
"It's okay to cry, Raph." Leo answered placing a hand on his younger brother's shoulder.
"I'm not crying..." Raph insisted still trying to scrabble away any offending liquid from his eyes. "It's just…I can't see how Donnie deserved that! To be beaten and chained up like an animal."
"He didn't, Raph." Leo answered as he turned off the shower water and knelt down in front of his younger brother. "Donnie, didn't deserve any of it. If anyone deserves to be locked away with little to no hope of escape, it's the Shredder and his followers. He's the one who desires to hunt down our family and destroy us, for what…a fifteen year old vendetta."
"When I get my hands on Shredder," Raph added his hands clinching to fists. "He's going to need a breathing tube when I'm done with him."
"In good time, Raph." Leo answered solemnly as he hugged his brother. "We'll have our chance to get back at the Shredder and make him pay for all he's done. But right now, we need to be there for Donnie. He's going to need us to help him through all that's happened."
"Yeah…" Raph said as he hugged Leo back tears falling unheeded down each other's faces, both boys finding comfort in each other's grief.
The day seemed to pass slowly as the Turtles and their human companion waited anxiously for news about their friends condition. It was an eternity before Splinter left the lab. His ears drooped sadly and a paw like hand placed over his eyes.
"Sensei...?" Leo asked as everyone looked up at the Ninja Master. "Is Donnie alright?"
Splinter didn't answer at first. Instead he stood with his shoulder shaking before he shook his head.
"I'm sorry my son's," Splinter said his voice wavering slightly. "Donatello...did not survive his injuries."
"No...Donnie..." Mikey cried as tears fell down his face. "He can't be gone!" April dropped to her knees in despair, her best mutant friend was dead. Never again would he annoy her with his silly attempts to woo her, never again will he catch her as she fell, or promise her that they would get her father back. Leo and Raph were devastated, the Shredder had won. They had gotten Donatello back and still lost.
"I've been nothing but jerk to him." Raph said regretfully. "If I could do it all over again...I'd...I'd be a better brother." Leo said nothing in response, they had failed...he had failed. Tears ran down his eyes as he looked into the lab at the person who had been his second brother...his room mate...his friend. What was he to say...if he could bring his brother back to life he would, but he couldn't. So he said the only thing he could.
"I'm sorry..."