Chapter 15

Doctor Cerval had been monitoring Donatello's condition all night. He really believed the Turtle's improving condition had something to do with having his brothers visit to support him. Although the Turtle was still in some pain, he was at least conscious now.

"I'm glad to see you're fully awake now," he smiled at the Turtle, who had managed to open his eyes a bit. "You were in rough condition yesterday when you arrived, but I think you're going to be okay now. You'll still need to rest, but I do believe the worst is over."

Don was confused and looked around the room for a minute. He noticed he was lying on a bed and wearing an oxygen mask.

"Where...am...I?" he asked in Triceratonese. The Triceraton doctor was surprised, but also a little impressed.

"Oh, so you know our native tongue?" he questioned.

"A...A little," Don nodded.

"You're still in prison, but at a hospital specializing in the health of prisoners," Cerval answered in English, thinking it would be the best way to communicate with the Turtle. Don tried to take a deep breath, but he then started to gag violently. It took him a minute to calm down again.

"You're lungs are still a bit damaged," Cerval told him. "It may take a few days before you can breathe properly again. I gave you some medicine to help with the pain, and you seem to be responding well to it."

"Th...Thank you..."

"You don't have to thank me," Cerval chuckled. "It's my job. But if you really want to thank someone, you should thank your brothers. They all came to visit you last night, and I think it's because of them you managed to pull through the night."

"My...brothers?" Don questioned. Cerval nodded as he grabbed a stethoscope. He placed the resonator over Don's chest.

"Yes. They probably would have stayed the whole night if I had let them."

"So it wasn't a dream?" Don thought to himself. "They really were here! I thought I was just hallucinating..."

"I'm having a therapist come look at you, but your previous commander, Jeck, ordered you to be sold. I'm sorry you had to live through whatever he put you through. It wasn't a fair situation." Doctor Cerval removed the stethoscope a moment later. He wrote something down on his notepad and continued.

"Commander Erkon is in charge of you again until a new owner for you can be found. But you won't be allowed to work again until I'm certain you'll be able to fully recover."

He looked at the monitors Don was connected to and again wrote something down on a notepad.

A moment later and they heard a knock on the door. Cerval smiled.

"Ah, that must be your visitors."

He answered the door and Don stared speechless as he saw his little brother Mikey walk in. Tears stung his eyes, but he forced them back.

"Don! You're awake!" Mikey exclaimed as he approached the bed. He was followed by a much younger Triceraton who Cerval explained was the therapist who will be examining him.

"If you'll excuse me, I must check up on my other patients. Let me know if there is anything you need," Cerval told them before leaving the room. Jax hung back as he let Don and Mikey have a moment to enjoy their reunion.

"I...I thought...it was a dream," Don whispered. He lifted his hand to touch the side of his younger brother's face. "Mikey...Is it...really you?"

"Of course it is!" Mikey smiled. He squeezed Don's hand.

Don began to smile as well and pulled his little brother close so their foreheads could touch. "I missed you! Leo...Raph...are they okay, too?"

"It's okay, Don," Mikey felt the tears sting his eyes, but he could not keep them at bay for long. "We're all alive!"

They both cried for a bit, rejoicing over seeing each other again. Don noticed Mikey's uniform a smiled a bit.

"What..are you...wearing?"

"Oh, this?" Mikey chuckled looking down at his vest. "It's part of my new job."

"You...have a..job?" Don asked with a raised eyebrow. Mikey could tell it was hard for his older brother to believe.

"Har har," he rolled his eyes with a smile. He remembered Jax and quickly changed the subject.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" he gestured Jax over and introduced the two.

"This is Jax, Don. He kinda owns me now. I know he looks intimidating because he's a Triceraton, but he's cool."

Don hesitated, but he shook hands with the Triceraton. If Mikey could trust him, then why not give Jax a chance as well?

"Mikey has told me a lot about you and your brothers," Jax smiled. "You really are a tough bunch."

After the formalities, Jax observed Don's condition. He concluded that he and Mikey will stop by everyday to make sure Don will be able to overcome the anxieties of living in prison. He suggested Don try some breathing and activity exercises to cope with the stress.

"I regret to say that I'm only a therapist. I can't decide who your next owner will be. But I will make sure that you are well looked after as long as you're under my care," Jax promised him.

"Thank you," Don smiled a bit.

Jax looked down at his watch. "I'm sorry about this, you two. But Mikey and I still have some work to do. I'll wait for you outside while you say your goodbyes." He left the two alone.

Mikey didn't want to leave Don, but he knew Jax was right. He gripped Don's hand firmly, but brotherly.

"I'll be back, bro. You stay strong."

"Don't worry...about me," Don told him. "You just make sure...you stay okay. Say hello...to Leo and Raph for me...if you see them."

"Of course," Mikey promised with a smile. He let Don hold him a moment longer before finally letting go and leaving the older Turtle to rest.

Leo tossed away his blades with a yell. His mind was confused and he felt angry. He dropped to his knees and his body trembled as if he was fighting a mental beast. His head hurt.

A Triceraton who was monitoring the training exercise stood off to the side a bit, not sure what he should do. Erkon stormed into the training room and glared at him.

"What's wrong now?"

"The prisoner refused the training exercise, Sir."

"What do you mean he 'refused'?" Erkon pressed him. He didn't wait for an answer and turned his attention to the trembling Turtle. He stormed over to him and lifted his chin so Leo could look up at him.

"Report!" he demanded. Leo turned away, refusing to say a word. "Very well. If you won't tell me, then I'll just have to wring the truth from you."

"My brothers...," Leo finally answered.

"What about them?"

"I...I don't know. Something doesn't feel right. I know them, but I feel like I don't. It hurts to think."

Erkon shook his head and turned to the other Triceraton. "I knew that encounter last night was a bad idea. He's confused." He slammed his fist to the wall in anger. "I'll have to start over with him."

"Sir, is that really necessary?" the monitoring Triceraton asked. Erkon nodded.

"I can't have a soldier who questions his existence. This time I'll handle him. Leave us."

The other Triceraton quickly left the training room without further question. Erkon took out the small black device and pressed the button with aggression as if all his anger was in that large finger of his. Leo cried out in agony and tears streamed down his eyes.

"Now you listen to me, Leonardo," Erkon ordered as he waited for the Turtle to calm down again. He crouched down and grabbed the Turtle's head so they could see eye to eye again. "We're going to restart your training, and this time I'm going to make sure you become the ideal soldier I expect you to be. Do you understand? I'm the master of your fate, you're no longer in control."

"But...," Leo shook his head and rubbed his temple. "My head hurts. My brothers...they need me...I think."

"Wrong answer!" Erkon kicked him across the face and again gave the button a hard push. Leo shrieked with pain this time. Erkon continued pressing the button, even when Leo begged for him to stop. Erkon only stopped the torture until he was bored of pressing the button.

He let Leo calm down for a bit before approaching him again. "I hope I've made myself clear."

Leo was in tears, but he said nothing. Erkon nodded in satisfaction.

"Good. Now the real work begins."

He took out the license tag and waved it in front of Leo's face. "See this? It means you're mine now. I can break you if I want, and that's what I intend to do. I'll make you obedient, even if it kills you." He kicked Leo to the floor again and pressed his boot to Leo's throat. "Now then, let's begin your training."