Disclaimer: see chapter one
Splinter hopped out of his room to be met with a shocking sight. His eyes widened in horror when he saw Raphael hooked up to a transfusion pump. Donatello knelt at his brother's side, keeping an eye on Raphael's vitals and the power of the pump. Splinter's jaw clenched, eyes narrowing dangerously. He hobbled over to the couch, murder blazing in his eyes.
"Donatello!" the rat yelled.
The turtle's head snapped up when he heard his name. He shot to his feet, hurrying over to the other side of the couch, with hands held out in a defensive manner.
"Sensei, let me explain," Donatello started.
"Is that what I think it is?" Splinter demanded, pointing to the pump.
"Raph needed blood. Leo's was the only type that was compatible," Donatello explained, his voice desperate.
"Donnie?" someone asked.
Donatello turned to see Michelangelo walk up, blue eyes staring at the transfusion pump.
"Is that...?"
"Don't touch it," Donatello said.
"Michelangelo, shut it off," Splinter ordered.
Donatello whipped around. "But, sensei..."
"You know the orders," Splinter told him hotly. "Nothing of Leonardo's is to be used. Especially not his blood."
"Why?" asked a confused voice.
All eyes turned to the turtle in the dojo doorway. Questioning brown eyes looked at each family member in turn.
"What crime did I commit that has you so against me?" Leonardo asked Splinter.
"Your crime is that you refuse to follow orders," Splinter began. "You waste time and effort upholding your senseless code of honor, when there is no room for such nonsense in this war."
Leonardo stared at his father with wide, horrified eyes. His felt his heart begin to crack, spider webs spreading across the edges of his already fragile spirit.
"Your brothers survive because they adapt," Splinter continued. "They are stronger because they know that if they do not fight, they will die. You would much rather talk than fight, find the easiest way out." He pointed to Raphael's motionless form. "This is what your weakness has cost."
"I wasn't even there," Leonardo whispered.
"Precisely!" Splinter shouted, making the turtle in blue flinch. "Your brothers fight with only three when there should be four. But, a team is only as strong as their weakest link. If you gave up on your pointless crusade of keeping honor in this war, if you would just be more like your brothers, you would be stronger. But, until then I will not allow my strongest son to be infused with the blood of my weakest disappointment."
Leonardo's breath caught in his throat, choking him. He stared at his father in shock and hurt. What pained him even more was that Donatello and Michelangelo didn't even raise a voice to protest or defend him. He looked at his brothers and could see it in their eyes. Deep down they thought the same. Leonardo bowed his head and closed his eyes, turning to disappear back inside the dojo.
"Shut it down, Donatello," Splinter ordered. "I will not tell you again."
"It's too late for that, sensei," Donatello told him. "The transfusion is almost done."
At that moment, the pump beeped. Donatello went to check on it, removing the needle from Raphael's arm and putting gauze over the injection site. Movement made Donatello look up. Splinter was making his way back to his room. Michelangelo walked over and put a hand on his brother's shoulder. The siblings turned towards the dojo when they heard the sounds of sobbing coming from within. Michelangelo started to move, but Donatello grabbed his arm.
"Leave him," he said. "In a way, Splinter's right. Leo needs to learn how to grow stronger. And he won't do that if we keep babying him. Raph needs us more than Leo does, right now."
Donatello checked Raphael's vitals, pleased to find that they were returning to normal. The transfusion seemed to have worked. Donatello put a hand on his brother's shoulder.
"Raph? Can you hear me?" he asked. He slipped his hand into Raphael's. "If you can hear me, squeeze my hand."
Everything was still for what seemed like an eternity. Donatello watched his brother's hand for a few minutes, sighing in resignation when it remained still. Michelangelo moved away, going somewhere out of Donatello's field of view.
"Come on, Raph," the purple masked turtle whispered. "You have to wake up. We can't keep going without you. We still need to take down Shredder. You don't want to miss that, do you?"
His eyes grew wide when he felt his brother's fingers tighten slightly around his hand. Donatello looked down to see Raphael clenching his hand. A minute later, a pained groan emitted from the red masked turtle. Michelangelo hurried over just in time to see Raphael's eyes slowly open.
"Raph?" Michelangelo breathed.
Raphael looked up at his brothers, eyes hazy with pain. Donatello could feel his eyes begin to burn with tears of joy. Michelangelo hurried off to tell Splinter. Raphael's eyes roamed around the lair as if he didn't know where he was.
"You're safe, Raph," Donatello assured him. "You're home."
Raphael's eyes moved to the dojo doorway. Donatello followed his brother's gaze to see Leonardo standing in the doorway. A strange sound from Raphael made Donatello look down at him again. He blinked in surprise when he thought he saw what looked like fear in Raphael's eyes.
That can't be right. Raph's not afraid of anything, Donatello told himself. And, he's certainly not afraid of Leo.
Leonardo left the dojo and made his way across the lair, heading for the stairs. He kept going, seeing the look of fear in Raphael's eyes as well. The lair echoed with the squeak of steel as Leonardo ascended the stairs to the upper floor. Donatello pulled the blanket up over Raphael's shoulders.
"Just rest, Raph. You'll be back to your old self in no time," he said.
Raphael leaned back against the pillow, closed his eyes and sighed. Donatello picked up the transfusion pump and headed for his lab. As he was cleaning the pump, Donatello heard footsteps enter the room.
"Is Raph going to be okay, Donnie?" Michelangelo asked.
"He'll be fine, Mikey," Donatello replied. "The danger has passed. He just needs rest."
Michelangelo leaned up against the wall and folded his arms across his chest. Donatello looked at his brother to see a haunted look on his face.
"What's up, Mikey?" Donatello asked in concern.
"I keep seeing them," Michelangelo said quietly.
Donatello frowned. "Who?"
"Titian and Andrea," Michelangelo replied. "Ever since the warehouse attack, I keep seeing them. Awake or asleep."
"It's just your mind playing tricks on you, Mikey," Donatello told him.
Michelangelo glanced up at his brother. "So, you don't have nightmares about them?" he asked.
Donatello shook his head. "Why would I? They're dead. They belong in the past. We live for the future."
"So...what are you fighting for, then?" Michelangelo asked.
"Because I like fighting," Donatello answered.
No sooner were the words out of his mouth did he feel something bump against his shell. Without turning his head, Donatello moved his eyes, his heart skipping a few beats when he saw a silver masked turtle leaning up against his back.
"Your screams suggest otherwise, Dee," Silver whispered.
"Donnie?" Michelangelo asked, worryingly. "You okay, bro?"
Donatello blinked and the turtle was gone. "I'm fine," he replied.
"You don't look fine," Michelangelo told him.
"Whatever," Donatello mumbled.
He finished cleaning the pump and put it away. Feeling ignored, Michelangelo pushed off the wall and walked away. Donatello watched his brother leave, however his attention was brought to something standing in the corner of the room. His heart dropped into his stomach.
"What's the matter, Dee?" Silver asked. "Not happy to see me?"
"You're nothing more than a figment of my imagination," Donatello muttered, closing his eyes and shaking his head.
"My name isn't Figment, Dee. It's Andrea. Remember me? Andrea?"
Donatello headed for the door, however, it suddenly slammed shut on its own. He stumbled back when Andrea appeared, hand on the door. His brown eyes glared at the older turtle.
"You've forgotten about us," Andrea accused. "You, Mike and Raph."
"What about Leo? He's the one who has truly forgotten you," Donatello stated.
"I don't blame him. He was inside that building when Shredder brought it down on top of us, along with me and Titian," Andrea said.
Donatello shook his head. This was nothing more than the side effects of the hallucinogenic smoke. This wasn't real.
"We'll be watching, Dee," Andrea said. "You can't hide from us."
Donatello blinked and Andrea was gone. He released the breath he didn't know he had been holding. Opening the door, Donatello hurried out of the room. He needed a long hot bath and an even longer nap. Donatello rubbed his arms. He thought the hallucinogen had been cleansed from his system. Or was this the workings of his overworked mind? Donatello glanced upward, catching Leonardo standing in the doorway of his bedroom.
Or could it be something else entirely? he asked himself.
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