A/N: Well look at this. So I'm not dead? Nah, I've been writing this thing on the bus for months. I decided to type some of it up and here it is :) I thought this fic deserved an update. Seems like I have to make it a five chapter thing. Oh well. It IS a timed event. Poor Don can't last too long where he is. AlexHamato is my unoffical beta and ConnieNervegas helped me out in a later chapter too :) Gotta show them my love ;)

"…Raph?"

I call my brother's name, praying for a response, but I just get nothing. Not even static. Just dead air. Just the thought causes me to cough. The silence broken only by me. I can feel the darkness pressing against me. How long has it been? I don't want to think about it. I hope Raph caught his name…

"Now, now, Donatello... Do you seriously believe I would let you tell our little secret?"

Just his voice causes me to shiver. I can tell it's coming from the walkie-talkie but I know by now that he could hear me just fine without it. He could very well be the last person I ever hear before I die… I take a shallow breath of the slowly thinning air around me before I address him with as much courage as I can muster. "What do you want?"

"I have told you before: this is just a little experiment. A turtle can hold its breath for longer than a human. Can you? Is the air depletion giving you difficulties, Donatello? I want to inquire on how well my little lab rat is doing. It is becoming more difficult, I presume?"

I can't think about that. I'm not going to think about that. "I'm not going to be your lab rat, Donavon. You will lose."

"I will believe it when it has happened. For now I will enjoy the show as my pawns comb the city for you, but they will never find you. Oh, pardon me, they will find you. They will find your corpse. I am not that cruel as to leave you for the insects to feast on for long."

I do not want to admit to the tingle of fear at his words. I take in a few greedy gulps of the air before managing to maintain my semblance of calm. I can't freak out here. Each breath could mean the last. It's not over yet. I can still breathe without getting lightheaded…

"You're right. It isn't over yet."

Did I say that out loud? I hear his laugh and turn away from the sound.

"Suit yourself. Believe what you wish. Cain and Abel may have been the first but they were not the last to fail the so-called brothers' bond."

I don't want to listen to him anymore. I can see what he's doing. He just wants me to lose hope. Fallacies of argument won't fool me. My brothers are nothing like he had ever experienced. If that couldn't be seen as a fallacy in itself, I'd tell him that too. I already know I have to be careful in my wording with him… He's already thrown Raph into a craze. I can't let him do that to me…

I soon realize it's been silent too long. I hate the silence. I remember how I used to treasure it. If Mikey was here…but I don't want him to be. Even if it would help keep away the silence. If I ever get home again, I'll never shoo him away again when he wants to talk. I said if, didn't I?

The walls are closing in again. I gasp before I realize my hands are already pressing against them. It isn't enough that I'm stuck here, but the only reliable distraction is my enemy?

Raphael was frustrated. He was done with the games. He knew that man was laughing at him. He could almost hear it. He just wanted to curse him out; to show him not to mess with him. He couldn't last much longer like this.

"Don't lose it yet, Raph," Leo spoke quietly, "I know you can do this. Don needs you to."

"This guy knows how ta fuckin' piss me off," Raph grumbled.

"Don't give him what he wants."

"How touching." The radio's static cleared with the voice of the enemy, "Did I come at a bad time?"

Raph growled as he whipped the walkie-talkie out of his belt. "Where is Don?"

"You always get straight to the point. You can't say anything nice to me first? How about a nice apology? My feelings are hurt."

"Well I'm fuckin' sorry then. Talk ta me."

"I don't suppose I could get better than that? You have such a temper. I came across some literature recently. Do you read? You slaughter the English language so thoroughly, I would be surprised."

"What's wrong wit'chu?" Raph grounded out. He tried pacing, hoping it would keep him from saying something worse. The radio creaked with the pressure of his fist.

"Is that anger boiling up again?"

The voice sent another wave of fury through him. Of course it was! Raphael nearly punched the brick wall in his fury. He needed to stay calm, dammit! He caught Leo's look and he chilled the flame enough to allow speech. "Anger?" Raph forced calm into his voice. "Not even close."

"That's wonderful. You are making so much progress."

"I want my brother back."

"Donatello? He was crying like a child some time ago. He must have known just how little time he had left."

"Where is he?" Raph's voice had risen, but he was still holding back. "Stop wastin' my time!"

"No, Raphael. You are wasting time. Did you even catch the first clue? It was an easy one."

"What clue?" The question only brought the man on the other end to laughter. Raph used the time by actually punching that wall. The brief moment of pain was better than anything in cooling his rage. He even relished the dull throb. "I'll find you. I swear it."

"Is that a threat? Maybe I should just watch Donatello die. I love tragedies, you know?"

"No!" Raph's posture changed in an instant. The rage disappeared as desperation replaced it. The static still dragged on as Raph stared at the tiny box in his hand. "C'mon, talk to me! …I'm sorry!"

"…Maybe I'll forgive you this time. You're running out of chances and Donatello is running out of time. I suggest you try harder to stay calm before he ends up dead. You are on trial here."

"Fine," Raph sighed, collapsing to his knees. This time when the silence elapsed, the static was the only sound between them. Raph didn't let himself think of the time disappearing. He couldn't.

A pleased sigh came through the static, "Good boy. Finally, tempus fulgent. You have passed that trial, though Ulysses could have done it quicker. He is more like your brother."

Raph stood, resisting the urge to say anything. He caught sight of Mikey sitting on the far edge of the roof, his legs swinging out in front of him. Watching his brother made silence even easier. He could tell from where he was that Mike was lost in thought.

"Did you know in the Victorian era, they used to place a bell with a string tied to the deceased finger above the gravesite? It's one of those things Donatello would appreciate. It would have been a simple matter of ringing a bell to show he was still alive. Of course, back then there was no way a coffin could withstand six feet of soil piled over it. If anyone had lived, they would have been crushed."

"Why did you tell me that?"

"You do want to find your brother, right? Maybe you could talk to him. He's starting to look so pathetic."

"Of course I want to talk to him!"

"Say please."

The silence has a voice. I may have said that before, but I can't remember. It's there. That voice. I can hear it whispering. This jumbled mess of sounds with no visible source. It never goes away. You would think something so quiet could easily be ignored, but that's not the case. When it's this quiet, the whispers are louder than anything else. Just sounds. I think I'm going nuts. I've been here too long; this coffin. How fitting is that? I'm going to die here.

Can it cave in? I don't know what would be better. I want it the cave in. At least it won't take too long to finish me. I can hear it creaking. I didn't hear it before, but now? Now it's too late. The dirt slipping through the cracks only prove it. This stale air is growing thin. I don't want to die like this.

I tried meditation to slow my breathing. We've all done it before. That could keep me alive, but the silence won't let me concentrate. Always, the hope of talking with Raph pushes that thought clear away. He needs me. I can hear it in his voice when he talks to me. I can't block him out too.

"Are you still crying?"

The fear leaves me with a spark of anger. I stop myself from kicking out in fear of wasting more energy, but only just. "Do you get off on watching me?" My snide remark sounds breathless even to me. How much air do I have left?

"You sound like you're having a little trouble there. How much oxygen do you believe is left in there? It must be less than 50%. Maybe 20%? Or is that too high of a guesstimate?"

"I don't know…" I breathe shallower, hoping that will help somehow. I'm counting every breath now, but I can't stop every gasp fear brings on. I know I'm running out of time. "I bet…you know. Real funny game."

"I think so. I promise to be with you in your last moments."

"You're sick." My voice is only a whisper now. Maybe that will help.

He laughs, "You want a choice? Don't talk to me. I don't give choices."

I decide to ignore him then. I have to focus. I can't let this bastard distract me. I can't let him make me his toy project. No, it's too late for that. I'm trapped in a box underground while he observes me like some hamster in a cage! If I knew where that camera was, I would break the damn thing! If only it wouldn't cost energy to do so… Everything costs energy. I don't have enough oxygen left to use it. I almost hate knowing that…

"Donny!"

Raph's voice cut through the silence and I gasped in shock as I grabbed for the walkie-talkie. Maybe this was all part of Donavon's plan? Distracting me like this so he can surprise me and waste precious air. It's not like I could do anything about it now. Raph needs to hear me. "Raph."

"Ya doin' alright?"

I can hear his relief. Does he think I'm going to die too? I don't blame him… I notice my silence after a moment. "Kinda."

"'Kinda'?" He asks me, "Ya still got air, right?"

"Some." I know he will be even more worried by that. I can't help it. I can't deny what I know. I know the air's just too thin. I shouldn't even be talking. One cough and I know this is the end. I don't have enough air just to clear my lungs! I don't want to waste it, but I… I can't breathe! Distantly, I can hear Raph calling my name again, but I can't form the words to answer him. In this moment, as my lungs begin to sting, I know I'm going to die…

"Donatello!"

A/N: Dun dun DUUUUUN... Yeah, leaving it here. I have more writing to do, I know. The next scene's not even done being typed yet and it's going to be long ;) Please feed me with reviews. They make me happy.