Shattered Mirrors Ch8. (Cold Confusion)

Raph POV

Wiping down his muscles that very much enjoyed the nice lukewarm shower that fogged up the room, Raph was feeling quite content with himself.

The red clad turtle touching his arms inch by inch, couldn't help smirking at his well built frame, as part of him kind of wished he swooped up April and brought her in with him.

Though he was fully aware she was upset over the misunderstanding in the lab, he knew he could have changed that quickly, just by letting her near this sexy body of his.

All he needed to do was flexed his rippling arm muscles and puff out his chest and he would be made.

Raph doing such an act without thought; sadly found the effort quite silly and pointless without a captivated audience, what was the point if she wasn't there to see it?

(Man, I really should have been more aggressive, more demanding? Or is that crossing the line with her. Sure, I do tend to be so at times, but there are limits… I really should have kidnapped her against her will… Of course she would have been pissed at first, but man I know she would be screaming for more in the end…)

Letting out a sigh of disappointment over a chance not taken, Raph finished off his shower, pulling down a fresh clean towel to dry himself with.

The bum out turtle took his sweet time, started to dry his legs first, working his way up, making sure every inch was dry enough to apply some moisturizer for extra treatment.

Not one to admit he does use such products in fear of the teasing that would go with that little guilty pleasure, Raph like to have his skin soft and irresistible.

Hell, he even noticed that April tended to touch it more when it was in such a condition.

Sure someone would state he was using tactics to get the female's attention, but who would blame him, April was beyond hot in the red clad turtle's eyes.

Finished with the prepping and pampering, Raph ended things off with strapping his pads and belt on, then finally his red bandana.

That was a fresh set of course, what would be the point taking a shower, then to place his sweaty gear back on?

Sluggishly making his way to the toilets area of the bathroom through the small archway, Raph stop in his tracks, suddenly hearing an familiar alarming sound.

(Huh, what the hell?)

There across the room the unmistakable noises of someone hacking away, accompanied with a plopping, splashing like sounds came echoing behind him from within one of the stalls.

(Is someone throwing up?)

Unsure who was sick or why, it was clear as day, whoever it was, was feeling green around the gills.

As the constant actions progressed, the turtle was more than just a bit sick, they were very ill, for the dry heaving kicked in quickly followed by the sobbing in between.

Removing his hand from the washroom's door, Raph walked up to the stall, lightly tapping on the metal door, "Hey who's in there? Are you ok?"

The sick soul, not ushering a word only sobbed louder, hacking, gasping for air.

(Damn this doesn't sound good; I need to get into that stall. All I need is someone to start choking on their vomit!)

Fearing the seriousness of this situation, Raph rushed to the sinks looking for something that was flat enough to place in the lock on the door to open it.

Sure, he could simply knock the door down, but that would result the person in the stall getting hit by the door. He was desperate to get it open, yet not that desperate!

Scrambling through some of the items, which were mostly toothbrushes and paste, finally to his luck, Raph came across to one of April's hair clips that was laying there.

She must have forgotten to put it away, which he was never one that cared if she did put it away or not, unlike Leo who was all ways so anal over silly things like this.

Not wasting any time, Raph went back to the stall door, placing the clip in the flat slit for the lock, unlocking the door quickly.

This stall door like any other that opened inward, Raph opened it carefully, minding the sibling on the other side, avoiding not to hit the brother in need.

To his dismay, Raph gulped hard seeing there hugging onto the porcelain thrown was no other then Donnie, with his head half in the bowl.

(Donnie?! Why is he sick? And no one around to check on him!)

Instantly once again attempting to spill what was left in his stomach, which by now was nothing, only resulting the sicken turtle to dry heave, gasping for air between, making his body tremble in the end.

"Shit Donnie what's wrong?!" Raph placed his hand gently onto Donnie's shoulder.

In direct response the younger brother shuddered by the contact coldly, as if Raph was some stranger.

(Crap is he warm?!)

Raph quickly placed his hand firmly onto Donnie's forehead was mortified that his fears were beyond realized and it was worse than he originally predicted.

Donnie wasn't just warm, he was burning up, to the point just touching him was very uncomfortable.

(Shit, he is on fire! Why does he have such a fever? What would cause this? What has happened to him?!)

"Damn it Donnie?! Shit don't you dare close your eyes!" Raph panicked noticing Donnie's body was shaking uncontrollably and his eyes fluttered open and closed.

(Damn, I need to cool him down quickly! Don't pass out bro, please don't pass out Donnie!)

Swooping Donnie up into his arms, Raph rushed back to the shower area, cranking the cold water on.

Without any resistance, Raph went under the unforgiving water holding Donnie close, trying desperately to resist the urge of getting out of it.

The ice cold pallets beat down against his green skin, bringing shivers down his spine, yet he couldn't move from his spot. His first priority was to get Donnie to a normal temperature before all else.

There was no way he would leave Donnie in such a condition alone.

Feeling his brother's forehead once again, a rush of relief claimed Raph, noticing that this little simple trick was working wonders.

Donnie's temperature was dropping gradually; if this keeps up, he would should go back to normal, that is if it doesn't sky rocket again.

(Don't worry Donnie I will make sure you get better… I will not leave this very spot until you are.)

April Pov

"April are you okay?" Mikey lingered around the female turtle, placing his hand onto her shoulder giving her a sweet smile of support.

"I'm fine now Mikey, are the kids taking a nap?" April kissed Mikey on the head as the small turtle grinned ear to ear.

"Yep, they are sound asleep, hopefully they will stay down for a bit, I'm beat," Mikey leaned his shell against April's, stretching out on the couch flicking through the channels to find something interesting to watch on his down time, not worrying if it was kid appropriate.

It has been a while he had a moment to spend some time with her. With the kids and everything going on, neither one of them normally had a moment to spare to just hang out, nor just sit around talking about anything that didn't involved the kids.

"Sorry about that Mikey, I don't mean to dump them on you so much, it just…" April started to apologize, feeling the sharp pain of guilt for making the youngest brother in taking so much responsibility that in many ways wasn't his to take.

"April I'm cool with it, really I am. I love the little hatchlings to bits," Mikey smiled sweetly again laying his head against April's arm, "I know a lot is going on, besides it's best that it's me not… say Leo," Mikey grinned wildly, seeing the curling smile on April's lips, knowing all to well he got her to cheer up.

(Yeah really…)

"I sadly have to admit you're right," April admitted trying not to snicker.

"Yep… oh that reminds me," Mikey lowered the controller, tilting his head towards April with a very playful smile, "Leo churred to Willow today."

Taken by surprised by his sudden new news, April gasped for air, choking on her glass of water.

Recovering from the sudden shock, April placed the cup down right away, giving Mikey a sideways look.

(Did Mikey just say Leo churred? No I must have heard that wrong.)

"Mikey say that again."

Grinning more the orange clad turtle was amused by her reaction, "Leo churred no word of a lie and it was really cute! Not just how Willow reacted towards Leo, but his churr is actually as soft as yours."

Unable to contain it Mikey burst out laughing almost rolling off the couch reminiscing the moment yet again.

"What?! Come on Mikey, you must be pulling a fast one on me," April gently nudged Mikey shoulder playfully.

Shaking his head, Mikey gave her a straight look calm and serious, "April it's true, ask Donnie. Leo did churr and it was soft, you should have seen his face. He went as far as to threaten us to never to tell anyone. Which doesn't make sense considering you're the only one I would tell, besides it was cute and Willow was ecstatic."

Smiling on the event, wishing she seen it for herself, April leaned back, nodding, "I would guess so, she has been wanting him to act like that towards her for some time now. Though Leo does make her cry the most, oddly she always wants him in the morning."

"Yeah, she finally had worn him down," Mikey stated with some more chuckles getting comfortable against April, attempting to channel surf once again.

"Well I think it's a good thing, Leo has to stop denying he is a turtle at times and it's ok for him to act like one. Especially around the kids."

Nodding Mikey agreed, finally finding a channel that he was satisfied with.

Just as the both turtles were going to take the moment and relax watching the tube, a door slammed open as Raph voice hollered.

Startled by the sudden outcry coming from Raph, both turtles jumped up, flashing a look over towards the bathroom door.

(Donnie?!)

In a mist of confusion the two surprised turtles stared at Raph, who in turn was trembling and chattering his teeth, while water dripped off his body, as he held Donnie in his arms who was unconscious.

"Raph what happened?" Mikey asked as both him and April reached them.

Quickly April checked Donnie, noticing that Raph's arm was ice cold and had goose bumps covering it.

(Why is Raph so cold?)

"I… Don-n-ie, w-a-s…" Raph chattered, as his pupils dilated, he was even wobbling, ready to collapse at any moment.

"Mikey go get Leo quick, and some blankets fast!" April directed the young turtle helping Raph towards the lab.

"A-a-pppril…. D-oonnniee," Raph managed to get out squinting his eyes.

"Raph stop talking just keep walking we are almost at the lab okay?" April shook her head.

(What is going on?)

Reaching the lab, to the female turtle's dismay it was quiet, there was no sign of Leatherhead, did he leave?

(Damn of all the times he isn't here is when we need him…)

Carefully directing Raph to the cot, making him to put Donnie onto it, then lay down himself.

Stubborn as a mule the red clad turtle still fought to speak, which was a fruitless act and one that was hindering him more than anything.

(I have to get him to relax and worry about getting himself better.)

Seeing no way around it April used the only tactic she knew always made her mate speechless.

With a gentle kiss on the lips Raph stop staring at her in bliss.

"April Leo is coming I have the blankets… I don't think kissing him is the proper treatment," Mikey raised an eyebrow at April, letting out a small sigh.

Smiling at the small turtle she shrugged, "It is when you want him to shut up. Now give me those blankets I need to get Raph's body temperature back to normal. Mikey can you grab the thermometer?"

Doing what he was instructed Mikey went to Donnie's desk looking for one.

While he did, he took notice the oddly abandon lab, "Where is Leatherhead?"

"I don't know he wasn't here when I came in," April pointed out, while Mikey gave her the thermometer, popping it into Raph's mouth.

While April attended Raph, Mikey took the time to check on Donnie noticing he was wet too, yet wasn't cold, instead warm?

Examining the brother Mikey's eyes widen, "April I think I know what happened."

"What happened then Mikey?" Leo voiced came from the doorway.

Looking at his two young siblings warily, Leo made his way to them, unsure how this happened or why.

"I think Donnie had a fever and Raph used a cold shower to bring it down," Mikey bit his lip, waiting for April to give him the thermometer to see where Donnie was standing.

(Donnie had a fever that doesn't make sense…)

"Mikey that doesn't add up, how can Donnie had such a fever, neither I or April notice it when he was in her room," Leo crossed his arms.

The thermometer ready to read from Raph, April shook her head, jumping to her feet.

(Great his temperature is too low.)

Quickly as the other two turtles started to question her actions, April crawled into the bed beside Raph holding him tightly against her body.

"April?" both Mikey and Leo asked a bit puzzled.

(Really? Why are they looking at me like that?)

"He is freezing, his temperature is way too low for the norm. Do you want to volunteer to warm him up?" April narrowed her eyes at them both, for not seeing that is her true intent.

Coughing Leo cleared his throat in embarrassment, "I will pass… what of Donnie?" Leo placed his attention back to Mikey, who at the moment was testing Donnie.

"This isn't good guys he is a high 100.4 F and rising… What should we do?" Mikey whimpered.

"Aspirin. Get him some Aspirin, that should fight it, if he gets higher we will need some ice. And worse case scenario would be that we might have to do a cold bath again to him," April instructed as both turtles looked at her in surprise.

"Wow you really know your stuff, huh April," Mikey was happy someone did.

"Well to a point. You see, after dealing with Donnie and all the things we have been going through, I started reading to make sure someone knew how to handle the small things if something like this happened," April admitted turning red.

"Well I'm happy you did, without Donnie to rely on we need someone to know these kind of things, we can't keep scraping by… Though I have to admit now we do have Leatherhead around to help. Who has much knowledge which comes in handy… Talking about Leatherhead, where is he? I thought he had work to do?" Leo looked about noticing no trace of him, he would thought the alligator would have said something before leaving.

"Don't know," April shrugged rubbing Raph's arms, who was still in a daze.

"Leo can I have some help to get Donnie to drink this? I crushed the pills and put it into this glass of water so we can get him to drink it," Mikey waved Leo to aid him.

Taking their positions to tend to Donnie, Mikey placed himself behind Donnie to support his shell, as he held onto the glass.

Leo went to the purple clad turtle's side helping to keep his head straight up, while reluctantly opening the helpless turtle's mouth open, to allow access for the water.

Taking a breath Mikey poured the water mixture down Donnie's throat, hoping he would not choke on it.

In reaction Donnie's body gurgled, forcing Leo to hold his mouth shut so the brother would have to swallow.

The older brother even had to stroke Donnie's throat to make him to drink it.

Leo and Mikey finally done with this dreadful deed, felt worse for wear, they didn't like this, but it had to be done.

Gently placing Donnie down again Mikey took some efforts to soothe him.

"Guys, why do you think Donnie got ill all the sudden? I mean I can't see how this came to be?" Mikey whimpered more, hating seeing Donnie in such a state and then seeing Raph the way he was wasn't helping.

"I don't know…" April repeated herself feeling that was the only answer she had.

"I think I should give Leatherhead a call. We probably will need his assistance," Leo walked towards the lab door, taking out his shell cell, dialing up the alligator.

(Yeah, sure… He better not have been the one that did this to Donnie!)