Through the haze of pain, Raphael could only hear the ragged edges of voices, rising and falling down a tumbling dark. He could feel odd things-the warm scarlet now pooled around his shoulder, soaking his bandana, the cool scratchy surface of the dojo mat. His eyes rolled backwards and his head flopped to see his sai's hilt, jammed through his palm and wrist.

It should have hurt a hell of a lot more than this. Raphael winced when he felt the prong grinding against his now quaking limb. His tremor had grown to outright quaking, and he was so cold-

Breath came in lurches, as he threw back his head and panted. He was too numb to do more than slide his head through the red pool, instinctively seeking his brothers.

Leo was sprawled, and still, looking like he had been lopped off at the knees. Raphael slumped in relief to see that Leo wouldn't be getting up any time soon.

"Raph!" Mikey screamed his name, high and shrill...Panicked.

"Mikey." Raphael croaked out as he forced his lips to crack the smirk. "Thanks. Ya...ya saved me."

Mikey's eyes went huge as he glanced from Raphael to his bloodied wrist. His smile was trembling as he shrugged. "Stay still, Raph, okay?"

Raphael gave him a choked snort. "Can't. Not with two feet of steel through my wrist."

He heard Don's sobbing sigh and felt the rush of air as he dropped to his knees, trying and failing to ignore the gore soaking his knee pads.

"Oh, God." Don muttered the prayer as he shuddered, swallowed. Forced himself to focus, and fix this...

Mikey was staring at him, in terror. Raphael's eyes had fluttered shut. Splinter was grim and silent as he stooped to comfort his son.

" We have to stop this bleeding." Don tore his own bandana free, ignored the whimper as he felt for the pulse point.
Sliding the bandana under the limb, he tied the knot, tight enough to staunch the flooding, but not enough to endanger the cirulcation.

"Mikey-go get the lab ready for when we move Raph. Get my suture kit ready, and find every clean bit of guaze we have, okay?"

Mikey scampered off even before Don finished the sentence. Eyes sliding from Mikey's footsteps, back to his suffering brother, Don winced.

Here came the hell. Splinter met his gaze with a wretched nod, before his eyes flickered to Raphael's.

"Raphael, my son, the sai will have to be removed."

Raphael grunted at that. "Can't hurt any worse than when it went in."

Don grimaced at Raph's tired whisper. "Master Splinter, it would probably be best if you got some more of that herb that sedated Leo. I think it would be easier on Raph if he-"

"Hell, no." Raphael snarled, as he shook his head. "No! I've never been knocked out before when you treated me, I ain't having that now!"

Don looked at Raphael, stricken, as Splinter softly objected, "My son, it will spare you pain. I think it best-"

"No, Master Splinter! I don't want it! Donny, pull the damn thing out already and get it over with!"

"Will you shut up and listen to me!" Don's rare temper flared as he gestured, helplessly. "It's not that simple, Raph. I can't just yank it out. I don't know if you have severed nerves, or what's been damaged and what hasn't. I could cut some ligament in your wrist and ruin any chance you have at mobility, not to mention the risk of infection."

Raphael's eyes narrowed as he hefted himself the few inches he could. "Don." His voice was measured, and quiet.

"Either ya pull the damn thing out now or I will."

"You will do no such thing." Splinter whispered, as his steadying paws tightened in anger. "Raphael, stop this foolishness and listen to your brother."

Raphael eyed them both, helpless and pissed and hurting worse than he ever had in his life. "Then what the heck are ya plannin' on doin? Leavin' me here with this thing stuck in my hand?"

"Master Splinter, could you please go get the medical kit from the lab? And, make sure that Mikey stays in the lab, please. I don't think it would be good for him to see this."

Splinter rose with a sigh, and shuffled off as quickly as he could.

The silence was overwhelming and heavy, and interrupted only by Raphael's ragged breathing. Don looked at the wound again, and fought the urge to vomit as he assessed the damage. Raphael's wrist was neatly pinned, and the sai's point had gone clean through the wrist into the dojo mat. As sickening as it was, the wound was little more than a neatly carved slit, not a jagged hacking, or a shredded mass. At least Leo's vicious attack had been precise enough to mitegate some of the potential complications.

That was good. A straight stabbing, without the blade being twisted around in the flesh was less damaging, at least. Raphael's fingers were splayed, the palm arching upward and twitching around the hilt. Movement. Maybe there wasn't as much nerve damage as Don feared.

But still, the pain would be excruiating when it was removed, unless Don could convince Raphael to be sedated for that part.

"Raph, I really wish you'd let me give you something for the pain. Something that would at least-"

"I said no!"

"But-"

"Damn it, Don, listen to me." Raphael's sudden flinch was louder than a scream. "I don't want to be knocked out. I can stand bein' hurt, I ain't no good at being helpless.

Don nodded in tortured acceptance. "I'll try to make it quick, Raph...but it's still going to hurt."

Raph smirked. "Hell, yeah, it's gonna hurt. It's my weapon, bro."

Raphael's lips ground themselves into a tight line when he saw Don's expression crumble.

"I trust ya, Don. I know you can fix me."

It was meant to comfort. Don swallowed back the whimper.

And now, the thoughts were skittering through his skull like roaches fleeing a shoe, as the blood geysered out of his arm.