prangersturtles: I love my turtles, too. The thing with Don is that he had no idea that he had actually challenged Leo for leadership. He thought it would just fall to him by default since Leo "can't" do his job. Good thing Leo knows what he's doing. And thanks. :)
yukio87: Leonardo is a quick learner if nothing else, and he's not going to be going topside for a good while yet, so we can breathe easily.
5Mississippis: Aw, thank you! Yeah, I really do love Don in this chapter because he's really just trying to look out for his big bro.
LeoFan87: Thanks and here's your update! :)
German Girl: Where else, indeed? And yeah, Donnie really needed a beating to set him straight. Now he has the evidence of his eyes (and bruises) that Leo's still Leo.
pownxmanonnie: Thank you so much!
CelandineGranger: Thank you for commenting on the honour thing. I really tried to hammer home just how important it was that Leo accept the challenge but also that Don understands that he had to fight well because throwing the fight meant dishonouring Leo and the clan as a whole. Glad you enjoyed the chapter!
tarin2014tfan: Ah, yes, nothing beats a heart-warming butt-kicking. ;)
BlueBoltKatana: Thanks so much! That's very kind of you. And, yes, I do love Harry Potter. For a full extent of things I love, feel free to check out my profile. (It's a bit long but it's inclusive.)
snowflakeangel21: Thank you! Leo really is awesome, isn't he? Go Leo!
Turtlecrazy714: Far too much will happen, I'm sure, and yeah, I'm looking forward to Leo and Klunk moments, too. :)
efarraiz: Muchas, muchas gracias!
Scroll Angel: Preach it!
Natalie Ryan: I really, really need to stop making you cry. It's seriously very rude of me. ;) But I'm happy you enjoyed it.
AlessandraDC: Yeah, I really didn't want the angst of a brother feud for longer than a chapter and Don is especially forgiving, even Leo. Trips topside will have to wait for a while, though. ;)
icys: I'm glad it all worked out, too. I honestly didn't plan for Don to win (Leo's too good to lose, even blind).
TMNT-Queen: (Answering your reviews to Chapters 8 and 9) There's an exclamation I've never seen before! Ha ha! Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm pleased that you're loving it so much.
Guest: Yeah, even Don knew better than to throw the fight once Sensei told him not to. Honour's a tricky thing, especially in a ninja clan.
Guest: (Responding to your reviews of Chapter 2-9 (at least, I think you responded to them all)) That's funny that you mention the 'dad' thing. I know only Raph really used it in 2003 but for me in my fics, all the guys use it on occasion, especially when they're emotional. As far as Don being older than Raph (I get a lot of comments on this so don't worry), it's because in season one, episode three, Splinter introduced the turtles to April as Leo, Don, Raph and Mikey. I was young enough to think that meant a birth order so that's what it's been to me ever since. No, this is not a lead-up to SAINW. Also, cortical blindness technically has no cure as it's damage to the occipital lobe, the part of the brain that's in charge of sight, and we don't have the technology required to fix whatever is not working. It has various forms but is common in head trauma. There are just some things an author glosses over - toilets tend to be one for me. Sorry. Also, I just plain forgot about it. :/ In answer to your question about 'holy fate', I very rarely swear (hell and damn are about it, nothing more) and I don't take God's name in vain. So I make up exclamations. I hope that's not weird. :) Leo would be able to do nothing without Mikey. Period. Don didn't chew Leo out for tackling Raph because he wasn't in the room when it happened. ;) And lastly, uh...thank you. I guess your review to Chapter 9 means you liked it. Thanks for all your comments!
lizzybudd: Thank you, my dear! Don actually had no idea that he was challenging Leo; he honestly thought that leadership would fall to him automatically. He certainly learned something new, though, didn't he? Don't challenge Leo! Thanks a bunch!
Selene467: (In response to your reviews of Chapter 8 and 9) Thank you so much! It makes tonnes of sense, don't worry. ;) Leo's brothers are starting to rally now. They're getting over (slowly) their shock and now they're progressing forward because Leo needs them to. Now all we need is April and Casey's reactions and we'll have ourselves a party!
Author's Note: I've been a little under the weather so I had the day off of work today and I decided to post this chapter extra early. Enjoy everyone!
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Chapter 10
Mikey watched his eldest brothers hug, and all the tension and fear in his heart and soul drifted away. He exhaled a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding and leaned against the wall to take some of his weight off his shaky legs. Beside him, Raph and Splinter looked just as relieved since his brother mirrored him in sagging against the wall while Sensei steadied himself on his cane.
Leo did it.
He'd done it. For himself and for them but mostly for himself and Mikey was never prouder. For some reason being blindfolded and being blind were two different things and while he knew how deadly his eldest brother was in blindfolded combat, the fact that he had just won a challenge for his leadership blind made his heart swell – after it had finished pumping wildly in his chest, of course.
Another deep breath to steady his nerves and now he could stand properly. Now he could race across the mat to his brothers to lightly punch Don's arm (because he was an idiot and needed that reminder) and to touch Leo's shoulder with his other hand, letting him know that all was well with the world, blind Leo notwithstanding. His eyes roved over his eldest brother for fresh blood and found it in small smudges across the floor: his foot. At least he hadn't pulled any stitches this time. At least not from what he could tell.
"Come on, you two," he said, pulling Leo gently toward the door. "Let's get you cleaned up. I'm sure training can wait."
Don grimaced through the blood trickling down his split cheek, making his expression gruesome, but his eyes were soft once more as Mikey watched them land on Leo beside him. "That sounds like a good idea, Mike," he said with a small smile.
Mikey grinned at him outright and when they drew level with Sensei and Raph, he said to the old rat, "Training can wait for a bit, right, Sensei?"
Splinter's whiskers twitched upwards with his smile as he said, "Indeed. I will accompany you but we will continue with training when you've finished. We have Raphael's ground work to work on."
Raph groaned while the others chuckled, and Mikey steered Leo out the door.
"You doing okay, guys?" he asked once they arrived at Don's lab.
"You know, I've technically had worse beatings," Don put in.
Leo turned, brow ridge high. "I wasn't trying to kill you, you know."
"I know." Don smirked at him but then seemed to realize that Leo couldn't see it because his face fell to one of solemn resignation.
Mikey glanced at Raph who had followed them in but Raph just shrugged and sat Donnie down on a cot as Mike did the same for Leo. Splinter took up position between the two cots, his hands folded neatly over his cane.
"How's he looking?"
Mikey looked up at his big brother's soft question, barely audible over the opening and closing of drawers and ripping of Band-Aid packages.
"You split his cheek," Mikey murmured back, carefully unwrapping the bandages around Leo's plastron to check the stitching. "And you probably bruised a rib or two when you hit him with his bō but other than that, I'm sure he's fine. Raph's checking him over."
"How's he looking, Mike?" Don asked from the other cot.
Leo snickered while Mikey rolled his eyes. "His stitching is holding," he announced, "and there's no swelling. His foot's bleeding, though, but it doesn't look serious and he's got a bruise the size of Alaska forming on his leg. How's your head?" he added.
"It's fine. I don't get headaches anymore, haven't had one in three days now."
"That's good," Don put in. "We'll continue to monitor it, anyway, though."
Leo pulled a face, making Mikey giggle, and said, "Of course, we will."
"Hey, you know what I just realized?" Mikey observed while he re-wrapped his big brother's foot.
"Do tell, Mikey," groused Raph.
"You fight crime…and you're blind…and you live in New York…" He trailed off meaningfully, enjoying the way Leo's eyes widened with dawning comprehension.
"No," he said shortly.
"Dude, yes!"
"No, Mikey, no. This is not the same thing!"
"Dude, you're Daredevil!"
Raph threw back his head and guffawed, and Mikey beamed while Don and Leo both shook their heads. Splinter just stood there but his trembling whiskers made him think that he, too, fought laughter (because he had seen the movie at least twice).
"There are one or two things wrong with that assumption," Don pointed out, trying not to flinch away from Raph's hands as he cleaned his cheek. "First and foremost is that Leo has not developed a radar-sense."
"How would you know since you've never asked?" countered Mikey, setting an ice pack from the freezer in the corner against Leo's leg and pushing him back on the cot so he could elevate it on a pillow.
"Leonardo," Splinter said solemnly, his black eyes calm but piercing, "have you developed a radar-sense?"
"No, Sensei." Leo looked nothing short of relieved to be able to answer in the negative.
"Very well, then. What is the other thing, Donatello?"
The humour in Don's eyes faded as he said, "Matt Murdock's blindness was a result of a radioactive liquid getting into his eyes. His eyes were damaged. Leo's eyes weren't. The part of his brain that's in charge of sight was."
Leo sighed. "That's why there's no cure."
Don nodded and then said, "Yeah. If I only had a PET or MRI scanner, I could tell exactly what's been damaged. I mean, I'm not much of a doctor but it wouldn't hurt to see…"
"It's okay, Don," said Leo. "Really. We're all dealing with this. There's no use dwelling on things that won't happen."
Mikey reached over and flicked his brother on the forehead. "Speak for yourself," he chided. "Don says there are exercises we can try to help get your sight up and moving. Don't give up when we haven't even started, bro."
"Your brother is right, Leonardo," said Splinter. "You would do well to heed his wisdom."
"Hai, Sensei. So, Doctor Mikey, am I allowed to sit up now?"
Mikey pulled out his best impression of Doctor Don and said, "No. Your leg needs to stay elevated to keep the swelling down. How about I make you some tea? You never did have breakfast."
A small smile was cast in his direction and "Thanks, Mike. Tea sounds nice."
"Keep that ice pack on and stay down."
Leo waved a hand and Mikey left the room.
-:-:-:-
Raph watched his little brother leave out of the corner of his eye, most of his attention for Don. "There," he said, stepping back at last. "Yer not bleedin' now."
Donnie rolled his eyes and lightly fingered his split cheek, cleaned and plastered in Band-Aids. "Thanks, Raph," he said. "I don't think you can do anything for my bruised ribs so feel free to sit down."
Raph met his eyes quietly, conveying the turmoil at having to have been a witness to a freaking duel, and Don looked down.
"I think I'll help Mikey," Raph said after a moment. "Stay there," he added firmly, pointing to the cot.
As he left the room, he could have sworn he heard Don say, "Our little brothers are such tyrants sometimes." And Leo laughed softly and replied that it was easier to have two tyrant, little brothers than three so Don couldn't complain. Even Sensei chuckled at that, and Raph smiled to himself as he walked out of earshot and into the kitchen.
Mikey was busy with the kettle and by busy, he was tapping his foot and watching it boil.
Raph nudged him shoulder-to-shoulder when he passed, heading for the breadbox, and Mike started a bit.
"Ya doin' okay, little bro?" he asked.
"Think so." The orange-masked turtle leaned against the counter, obviously trying to ignore the heating water. "I mean…my heart's stopped pounding so that's good."
"Yeah. Mine, too." Raph slid a few slices of bread into the toaster and pressed down. He knew Leo didn't like to eat breakfast but he was going to get something, even if he had to force it down his throat. "That sure was somethin', huh?"
"I never thought Don would challenge Leo like that," Mikey said, looking at his hands.
"From what I understand, Don had no idea he was challengin' him," explained Raph. "I guess he thought leadership would be his by default because of what's happened. He was just pointin' that out." He remembered seeing Leo's face as his brother had pushed past him, ghastly pale and drawn and full of so much hurt. Donnie had done that. He didn't think his purple-banded brother even knew how much he'd hurt their eldest, but Leo's was the most forgiving nature of them all which was nothing short of a miracle because Raph had seen Leo with a grudge and it had been nothing short of terrifying.
"Leo isn't incapable of leading us," Mikey mumbled, still examining his hands or his feet or maybe even the floor.
Klunk chose that moment to amble in, winding around the youngest turtle's ankles and mewing like a starved animal.
"I know," Raph said as he passed his brother a can of cat food and the manual can-opener. "And I think Don knows that now, too. Leo's proved that he can do what he's been doin' since we were twelve. Think of it this way," he added when Mike didn't look at all convinced. "Donnie's got a big, genius brain and big, genius brains don't work well with belief and faith and that kinda stuff so what he needed was evidence. Solid proof ta confirm or debunk his theory that Leo couldn't lead. Leo gave him that evidence – pretty much beat it inta him so he's not likely ta ferget it."
Mikey stared thoughtfully at the can, now opened, and Klunk nudged against him. Smiling at his pet and dumping the food into his bowl, he said, "I guess that makes sense."
"Course it makes sense!" Raph scoffed just as the toaster popped. He almost burnt his fingers on the crispy bread and fetched the jam, peanut butter and a knife. "Ain't that water ready yet?"
As if frightened that the hothead would punch it for not being ready, the kettle whistled shrilly and Mikey cocked his head at him, honestly confused. "Sometimes, I swear that inanimate objects are scared of you."
Raph tried to scowl menacingly but his mouth twitched up instead of down. "Yeah, well, there's a lot ta be scared of."
The two youngest brothers returned to the infirmary, loaded with trays of breakfast and tea, and Klunk followed them, his tail high. Raph watched as the cat pulled ahead, weaving through the cots' legs to one cot in particular. With a running leap, he landed on Leo's stomach but he didn't startle his brother. Klunk meowed long and loud and rubbed against Leo's obediently petting hands.
"Looks like Klunk's got a new best friend," Mikey observed with a smile, handing to Splinter the first of the mugs.
"Just as long as he stays out of my room," Leo retorted. "He's thrown up on my bed one too many times, you know."
Mikey giggled. "Don't I know it? I had to wash your linen every time!"
Chuckles went around the room and Raph helped Leo sit up, setting the tray across his lap.
"It's just toast, Fearless. Ya need more than tea ta keep up that healthy bulk." He made sure his smirk was audible in his words and he was rewarded with Leo's soft chortle.
"Thanks, Raph. Really."
Raph sat down and accepted the mug Mikey gave him. "Don't mention it, bro," he said.
-:-
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