Disclaimer: I own nothing. Except this fic.
Author's note: I must be doing something right. I'm still getting reviews. More memories on Splinter's behalf in this one, for better or worse.
"..."- Talking '...'- Thinking *...*- Sound, Flashback Beginning/Ending
* * * *
A week passed. There was no sign of consciousness in Michelangelo's still form. True to his word, Raphael never left his side. Everyday he sat in a chair and watched over his youngest brother. Once in a while he would get up and check the monitors Donatello had hooked up, stretched his legs, and then sat back down. He never left the lab. He slept and took his meals in that chair. More than once Leonardo, Donatello, or Master Splinter would come down to check up on him at night, just to find him sleeping and his meal on the table beside him, cold and untouched.
April and Casey came down and visited every day, checking on Raph and Mikey. Sometimes April would get so upset Casey had to walk her home.
Leonardo and Donatello were taking it rather well, considering their current circumstance. When their guilt and sadness became too much, they both took it out in their own way: Donatello invented in his lab, while Leonardo practiced his moves that needed improvement. Needless to say, even though these happened frequently, neither got much done. There were times, late at night when they were in bed; both brothers were tempted to cry themselves to sleep. But then they would tell themselves that the sound would go through the wall and they could wake the other, and kept from it. If they had known that neither of them was sleeping, they would have given in and would have had to comfort each other. Instead, they kept their silence and spent the nights staring at the wall.
Master Splinter, however, was aware of the grief and pain that was reverberating through his sons. He was dealing with his own torment as he realized that there was nothing he could do to ease anyone's pain, or to help Michelangelo. More than once, when he was meditating late at night, the thoughts and emotions of his sons would enter his head. Often they came accompanied by the image of a grave with Michelangelo's name engraved in the stone. Sometimes they became so intense Splinter had to hold his head in his hands and pace his breathing before they went away.
One night, after Leonardo and Donatello had gone to bed; Splinter began his nightly rounds of checking on the boys. It became a habit when the boys were young, now he did it just to show the boys he still cared. He first stopped at Leonardo's room. The room was dark, as it usually was at night. From what he could see, his eldest son was on his side, shell facing the door. Splinter closed the door as he left.
*Flashback*
*sniffle*
5 year old Leonardo had a cold.
*sniffle*
And Splinter didn't know what to do about it.
*sniffle*
He tried all the methods he knew. But nothing was working. As he rummaged around the kitchen, Leonardo stood by the doorway, waiting to see what else his Sensei would think of. Whatever it was, he didn't care. As long as he would be able to breathe normally again.
*sniffle*
Eventually the noise caught the attention of 5 year old Michelangelo. He stood in the doorway, watching the commotion. He looked over at Leonardo, who just sniffled again. He then looked back at his Sensei, going between cupboards, looking for something to cure the cold. After a few minutes, he spoke up.
"Master Splinter?"
Splinter turned to see the youngest of his four 5 year olds standing in the doorway, looking at him with his head adorably tilted to one side.
"I heard on the TV that chicken noodle soup helps cure colds."
Splinter absorbed this information, then turned to a cupboard and pulled out a dented can of chicken noodle soup. A picky human had thrown it away because the can was dented. Splinter thanked Michelangelo for the information, then followed the instructions on the label. When it was done, he gave some to all the boys, then had some himself.
The next day, Leonardo had stopped sniffling.
*Flashback Ends*
Donatello was the same way as his brother, lying with his shell to the door, facing the wall. Splinter sighed as another memory came to him as he quietly left the room.
*Flashback*
*hic*
7 year old Donatello had the hiccups.
*hic*
Each time his diaphragm twitched, he shot off the ground about an inch. So he never stayed on the ground for longer than fifteen seconds.
*hic*
Once again, Splinter was baffled. He tried everything he knew. From drinking water upside-down, to a tablespoon of sugar- which he considered his last resort- nothing worked.
*hic*
Defeated, Splinter turned to his second youngest. "I am sorry Donatello. Nothing seems to be working. I am afraid you will have to put up with them until they go away."
Donatello looked disappointed, but walked out of the kitchen and towards the living room.
*hic*
Suddenly, as Donatello walked by the doorway, Michelangelo jumped out at him, hands raised like he was going to grab him.
"RAH!"
Donatello nearly shot out of his shell. Jumping high enough to nearly clear his brother's height, he yelped at such a pitch that they were amazed the television screen didn't crack.
"AIIEEEEE!"
Michelangelo began to laugh so hard he fell back onto his shell, where he started to roll back and fourth as he held his stomach.
After Donatello recovered, he looked at his younger brother angrily. "Not funny Mikey! You- Hey! My hiccups are gone!" His anger disappeared and he began to smile. "You did it Mikey! You got rid of my hiccups!"
Michelangelo wiped away a tear as he calmed his laughter. "You're welcome, Donny."
*Flashback Ends*
As he made his way to Donatello's lab, Splinter couldn't help but remembering how much effort it took not to laugh.
~
Raphael was sleeping in the chair again, the blanket from his bedroom tossed to the floor. Splinter sighed and picked it up, then carefully covered him up, from the shoulders down. An eyebrow went up as he noticed the night's dinner on a nearby table, untouched. His eyes softened and gazed down at the turtle sleeping in the chair, his head resting on his chest as he slept.
'His neck will get sore from sleeping like that,' thought Splinter, and once again felt helpless. Raphael was feeling the worst, since it was him that had tossed his opponent that collided with Michelangelo. Of course, Raphael and Michelangelo have had their moments..
*Flashback*
He just couldn't get it right. No matter how many times he tried, 10 year old Raphael couldn't perfect his move. Something just wasn't right. Frustrated, he was tempted to throw down his Sais in defeat.
Michelangelo, who had finished his practice just after his other two brothers, stood on the sideline and watched every time Raphael tried to get it right. Master Splinter watched with interest from the other side of the room.
After a few more tries, Michelangelo stepped up. Raphael lowered his Sais and faced him.
"Show me how you start out," said Michelangelo.
Raphael glanced at Master Splinter, asking if he should let him interrupt. Master Splinter nodded. He wanted to see where this was going.
Raph reluctantly showed Michelangelo his starting pose. Mikey thought for a minute then adjusted the angle of Raph's right arm.
"There. Now try it."
Surprisingly enough, it worked. The move was absolutely perfect. Master Splinter was impressed and surprised.
Michelangelo grinned.
*Flashback Ends*
'It is amazing,' thought Master Splinter. 'One little adjustment changed everything. But if a rather large adjustment occurred...' He looked over at the pitiful figure lying on the med table. "It would change the world," he finished quietly. He walked over to the form and put a gentle hand upon the green one.
'Michelangelo...'
*Flashback*
Splinter was making his nightly rounds, checking on the boys after he had sent them to bed. All four of them were two years old, and quickly learning how to talk. Young Donatello, however, still hadn't said a word. He often worried over this, but each time decided the toddler would speak when he was ready.
For now, the boys shared a room, thus making the journey much shorter. He quietly opened the door and looked in.
Leonardo was sound asleep, curled up on his side, the blankets up to his chin. Raphael lay sprawled; one arm above his head as the other clutched the blanket. Donatello lay on his stomach, his face buried in his pillow. Splinter worried he could suffocate himself, so he hurried to correct it. He rolled Donatello onto his back, pulling the blanket up to his shoulders. Pleased that his son was now safe, he relaxed. It was then he noticed a rather large pair of eyes looking at him. He realized they belong to Michelangelo, who was lying on his side. Splinter got down on his knees so he was eye level with the youngest of his sons.
"Michelangelo, can you not sleep?"
He just shook his head, looking innocently up at him as he sat up.
Splinter gently took him in his arms and carried him out of his room and into the living room. There he sat into an old rocking chair and sat the toddler in his lap. His eyes scanned the bookshelf beside the chair, then pulled out a book. Holding it so the young turtle could also see, he began to read it out loud, softly, of course, so not to chance waking the others. Michelangelo's eyes followed along as Master Splinter read, almost as if he himself could read it. He probably had memorized it, as Master Splinter had read the story to all of the turtles many times before.
~
Master Splinter slowly closed the book after he finished it. That was his favorite to read to the boys. He looked down at the young turtle in his lap, only to find Michelangelo had fallen asleep with his head resting just under Splinter's shoulder.
Splinter smiled as he replaced the book to it's spot on the shelf. He picked Michelangelo up and carried him back to his room, where he put him back into bed. As soon as the blankets were replaced, he curled up into a ball and nestled his head deeper into his pillow.
*Flashback Ends*
He just looked so innocent back then. And now, as Michelangelo lay on his shell with the blanket pulled up to his chest and his arms at his side on the blanket, he didn't look very threatening.
The elderly rat sighed, and started for his room. Just before he left the lab he paused, and looked at the two brothers.
"Our lives will not be the same without you, Michelangelo."
* * * *
Author's note: Bonus points if you at least got a giggle out of this chapter. Next chapter will probably be the last. I have a few more planned out; one is total cuteness, the other some cuteness. Next chapter soon, I hope.
Author's note: I must be doing something right. I'm still getting reviews. More memories on Splinter's behalf in this one, for better or worse.
"..."- Talking '...'- Thinking *...*- Sound, Flashback Beginning/Ending
* * * *
A week passed. There was no sign of consciousness in Michelangelo's still form. True to his word, Raphael never left his side. Everyday he sat in a chair and watched over his youngest brother. Once in a while he would get up and check the monitors Donatello had hooked up, stretched his legs, and then sat back down. He never left the lab. He slept and took his meals in that chair. More than once Leonardo, Donatello, or Master Splinter would come down to check up on him at night, just to find him sleeping and his meal on the table beside him, cold and untouched.
April and Casey came down and visited every day, checking on Raph and Mikey. Sometimes April would get so upset Casey had to walk her home.
Leonardo and Donatello were taking it rather well, considering their current circumstance. When their guilt and sadness became too much, they both took it out in their own way: Donatello invented in his lab, while Leonardo practiced his moves that needed improvement. Needless to say, even though these happened frequently, neither got much done. There were times, late at night when they were in bed; both brothers were tempted to cry themselves to sleep. But then they would tell themselves that the sound would go through the wall and they could wake the other, and kept from it. If they had known that neither of them was sleeping, they would have given in and would have had to comfort each other. Instead, they kept their silence and spent the nights staring at the wall.
Master Splinter, however, was aware of the grief and pain that was reverberating through his sons. He was dealing with his own torment as he realized that there was nothing he could do to ease anyone's pain, or to help Michelangelo. More than once, when he was meditating late at night, the thoughts and emotions of his sons would enter his head. Often they came accompanied by the image of a grave with Michelangelo's name engraved in the stone. Sometimes they became so intense Splinter had to hold his head in his hands and pace his breathing before they went away.
One night, after Leonardo and Donatello had gone to bed; Splinter began his nightly rounds of checking on the boys. It became a habit when the boys were young, now he did it just to show the boys he still cared. He first stopped at Leonardo's room. The room was dark, as it usually was at night. From what he could see, his eldest son was on his side, shell facing the door. Splinter closed the door as he left.
*Flashback*
*sniffle*
5 year old Leonardo had a cold.
*sniffle*
And Splinter didn't know what to do about it.
*sniffle*
He tried all the methods he knew. But nothing was working. As he rummaged around the kitchen, Leonardo stood by the doorway, waiting to see what else his Sensei would think of. Whatever it was, he didn't care. As long as he would be able to breathe normally again.
*sniffle*
Eventually the noise caught the attention of 5 year old Michelangelo. He stood in the doorway, watching the commotion. He looked over at Leonardo, who just sniffled again. He then looked back at his Sensei, going between cupboards, looking for something to cure the cold. After a few minutes, he spoke up.
"Master Splinter?"
Splinter turned to see the youngest of his four 5 year olds standing in the doorway, looking at him with his head adorably tilted to one side.
"I heard on the TV that chicken noodle soup helps cure colds."
Splinter absorbed this information, then turned to a cupboard and pulled out a dented can of chicken noodle soup. A picky human had thrown it away because the can was dented. Splinter thanked Michelangelo for the information, then followed the instructions on the label. When it was done, he gave some to all the boys, then had some himself.
The next day, Leonardo had stopped sniffling.
*Flashback Ends*
Donatello was the same way as his brother, lying with his shell to the door, facing the wall. Splinter sighed as another memory came to him as he quietly left the room.
*Flashback*
*hic*
7 year old Donatello had the hiccups.
*hic*
Each time his diaphragm twitched, he shot off the ground about an inch. So he never stayed on the ground for longer than fifteen seconds.
*hic*
Once again, Splinter was baffled. He tried everything he knew. From drinking water upside-down, to a tablespoon of sugar- which he considered his last resort- nothing worked.
*hic*
Defeated, Splinter turned to his second youngest. "I am sorry Donatello. Nothing seems to be working. I am afraid you will have to put up with them until they go away."
Donatello looked disappointed, but walked out of the kitchen and towards the living room.
*hic*
Suddenly, as Donatello walked by the doorway, Michelangelo jumped out at him, hands raised like he was going to grab him.
"RAH!"
Donatello nearly shot out of his shell. Jumping high enough to nearly clear his brother's height, he yelped at such a pitch that they were amazed the television screen didn't crack.
"AIIEEEEE!"
Michelangelo began to laugh so hard he fell back onto his shell, where he started to roll back and fourth as he held his stomach.
After Donatello recovered, he looked at his younger brother angrily. "Not funny Mikey! You- Hey! My hiccups are gone!" His anger disappeared and he began to smile. "You did it Mikey! You got rid of my hiccups!"
Michelangelo wiped away a tear as he calmed his laughter. "You're welcome, Donny."
*Flashback Ends*
As he made his way to Donatello's lab, Splinter couldn't help but remembering how much effort it took not to laugh.
~
Raphael was sleeping in the chair again, the blanket from his bedroom tossed to the floor. Splinter sighed and picked it up, then carefully covered him up, from the shoulders down. An eyebrow went up as he noticed the night's dinner on a nearby table, untouched. His eyes softened and gazed down at the turtle sleeping in the chair, his head resting on his chest as he slept.
'His neck will get sore from sleeping like that,' thought Splinter, and once again felt helpless. Raphael was feeling the worst, since it was him that had tossed his opponent that collided with Michelangelo. Of course, Raphael and Michelangelo have had their moments..
*Flashback*
He just couldn't get it right. No matter how many times he tried, 10 year old Raphael couldn't perfect his move. Something just wasn't right. Frustrated, he was tempted to throw down his Sais in defeat.
Michelangelo, who had finished his practice just after his other two brothers, stood on the sideline and watched every time Raphael tried to get it right. Master Splinter watched with interest from the other side of the room.
After a few more tries, Michelangelo stepped up. Raphael lowered his Sais and faced him.
"Show me how you start out," said Michelangelo.
Raphael glanced at Master Splinter, asking if he should let him interrupt. Master Splinter nodded. He wanted to see where this was going.
Raph reluctantly showed Michelangelo his starting pose. Mikey thought for a minute then adjusted the angle of Raph's right arm.
"There. Now try it."
Surprisingly enough, it worked. The move was absolutely perfect. Master Splinter was impressed and surprised.
Michelangelo grinned.
*Flashback Ends*
'It is amazing,' thought Master Splinter. 'One little adjustment changed everything. But if a rather large adjustment occurred...' He looked over at the pitiful figure lying on the med table. "It would change the world," he finished quietly. He walked over to the form and put a gentle hand upon the green one.
'Michelangelo...'
*Flashback*
Splinter was making his nightly rounds, checking on the boys after he had sent them to bed. All four of them were two years old, and quickly learning how to talk. Young Donatello, however, still hadn't said a word. He often worried over this, but each time decided the toddler would speak when he was ready.
For now, the boys shared a room, thus making the journey much shorter. He quietly opened the door and looked in.
Leonardo was sound asleep, curled up on his side, the blankets up to his chin. Raphael lay sprawled; one arm above his head as the other clutched the blanket. Donatello lay on his stomach, his face buried in his pillow. Splinter worried he could suffocate himself, so he hurried to correct it. He rolled Donatello onto his back, pulling the blanket up to his shoulders. Pleased that his son was now safe, he relaxed. It was then he noticed a rather large pair of eyes looking at him. He realized they belong to Michelangelo, who was lying on his side. Splinter got down on his knees so he was eye level with the youngest of his sons.
"Michelangelo, can you not sleep?"
He just shook his head, looking innocently up at him as he sat up.
Splinter gently took him in his arms and carried him out of his room and into the living room. There he sat into an old rocking chair and sat the toddler in his lap. His eyes scanned the bookshelf beside the chair, then pulled out a book. Holding it so the young turtle could also see, he began to read it out loud, softly, of course, so not to chance waking the others. Michelangelo's eyes followed along as Master Splinter read, almost as if he himself could read it. He probably had memorized it, as Master Splinter had read the story to all of the turtles many times before.
~
Master Splinter slowly closed the book after he finished it. That was his favorite to read to the boys. He looked down at the young turtle in his lap, only to find Michelangelo had fallen asleep with his head resting just under Splinter's shoulder.
Splinter smiled as he replaced the book to it's spot on the shelf. He picked Michelangelo up and carried him back to his room, where he put him back into bed. As soon as the blankets were replaced, he curled up into a ball and nestled his head deeper into his pillow.
*Flashback Ends*
He just looked so innocent back then. And now, as Michelangelo lay on his shell with the blanket pulled up to his chest and his arms at his side on the blanket, he didn't look very threatening.
The elderly rat sighed, and started for his room. Just before he left the lab he paused, and looked at the two brothers.
"Our lives will not be the same without you, Michelangelo."
* * * *
Author's note: Bonus points if you at least got a giggle out of this chapter. Next chapter will probably be the last. I have a few more planned out; one is total cuteness, the other some cuteness. Next chapter soon, I hope.