Disclaimer: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is the property of Viacom, Nickelodeon, Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird and all organizations associated with said names. This is non-profit.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Exile
by BrownEyedBirdie
Author's Notes: Sorry about the delay this week. My internet has been down at my house. This is another short chapter and I like to think of this chapter as one for every Turtle fan. It features all the brothers in, I hope, a spot on character portrayal as they come together as a family and a team of ninjas. Weiterlesen!
Chapter 12 - Knit
Mikey watched the car turn the bend and disappear behind the trees.
"They're gone," Mikey said and turned back to look at his brothers. Donnie waved his hand to follow him and they climbed the stairs to the room Leo slept in. Nothing had changed. Leo was still asleep. But on second look, Raph saw a sheen of sweat on Leo's brow and a slight rattle to his breathing.
"Okay," Raph said, "What's going on, Donnie?"
"Leo has a dislocated leg," Donnie said, "I didn't catch it before because I was focusing on his shell in order to protect everything internal."
"How could you not catch a dislocated leg?" Raph shouted.
"I'm so sorry," Donnie said sarcastically, "With all the other medical equipment I packed, I didn't have room for a 100 pound X-ray machine."
Raph narrowed his eyes but seemed to concede the point.
"The point is," Donnie continued, "Leo's developing a high fever and his breathing is very shallow."
"From a dislocated leg?" Mikey asked.
"If his injuries are as extensive as I think," Donnie said, "A dislocated leg can cause damage to blood vessels and that can lead to blood clots in the leg."
"So what do we do?" Raph said.
"Our only choice now is to put the leg back in place," Donnie said.
"What?" Raph and Mikey roared. They tried to stare Donnie down, but he wouldn't shrink back.
"If we do it now, before he wakes up," Donnie said, "It will be less painful."
"How can we put him in any pain at all?" Mikey asked.
"The pain he'll feel will last only a second compared to a long illness from blood poisoning," Donnie said. Mikey and Raph grimaced.
"I don't like it anymore than you do," Donnie continued, "But it's either this or we risk a trip into a populated town and see if they've got a well-stocked hospital."
All three brothers were silenced as a weak moan floated up from the bed.
"Father," Leo whispered. They all looked at each other with pale faces.
"Okay, Donnie," Raph said softly, "Tell me what to do."
"Mikey, I want you to get the rest of the bandages," Donnie said, "It's on the list I gave April and Casey. Raph, we're going to need some splints to hold his leg still after we reset it."
Raph hurried down the stairs, stopping only to put on the heavy coat and grab the axe. Mikey collected the bandages while Donnie gently probed at Leo's leg. He knew without an x-ray, it would be harder to put the leg back right, but he also knew that any more delay would only make Leo's recuperation longer.
"I'm sorry Leo," Donnie said, "We'll try to be as quick as possible."
"Here are all the bandages, Donnie," Mikey said, "How's Leo? What are you doing?"
"Just checking over Leo's leg," Donnie said, "I want to make sure I know exactly where I have to put the leg."
Mikey was silent as he stared at Leo's face.
"Do you think he knows what's happening?" Mikey asked. Donnie shook his head.
"Mikey, he's in a sort of coma," Donnie explained slowly, "More like being in a deep sleep?"
"Like Snow White?" Mikey asked, sounding more than ever like a little child.
"Yes, like Snow White," Donnie said, smiling at the comparison, "Leo's in a deep sleep that will only let him experience a small amount of what's going on around him. It'll be like being in a dream."
"As long as it doesn't turn into a nightmare," Mikey said softly. Donnie glanced at him.
"I hope it won't, Mikey," Donnie said, "But there's no guarantee that he won't have a rough road ahead of him."
"What do you mean?" Mikey asked.
"I mean that he's still sick, Mikey," Donnie said gently, "He's going to have to get this out of his system, even after we fix his leg."
Mikey looked panicked.
"He'll be okay," Donnie said, "April and Casey are going to get all that we'll need."
"But I don't like that he's hurting," Mikey said, "No one should have to be in pain awake and asleep. I should know."
Donnie looked at him curiously. Mikey's eyes widened.
"Mikey, have you been having nightmares?" Donnie asked. Mikey looked at him sheepishly.
Raph brought the axe down a third time on the log and tossed it aside in frustration. The logs had been split but he couldn't get them sheared off to use as splints.
"Maybe there's something in the barn," Raph said as he threw aside a fourth log. Inside the barn, he began to dig in the tack room. No one had been out here since they first arrived and the tack room had been left disheveled from Raph and Casey's first hunt.
"This place isn't' too bad," Raph said as he glanced around, "We could use the space for training until the snow clears."
Finally, Raph located a wedge that could take off the inside edge of the wood. As he turned, he saw off into the far corner of the barn. The space had been cleared away for boxes and tables. It was cluttered and showed signs of a child playing. Raph smiled.
"I think Donnie may be interested in this," Raph said. He hurried back to the wood pile to finish the splints. When he returned to the bedroom, Donnie and Mikey were clearing away everything from around Leo.
"This should be enough," Raph said, "What else do we need?"
"Nothing at the moment," Donnie said. He took the logs and set them beside the bandages. Mikey gave Raph a warm smile.
"I talked to Donnie," Mikey whispered, "About my nightmares, I mean."
Raph smiled and squeezed his youngest brother's shoulder.
"I think we can get this set in one try," Donnie said, "Mikey if you and Raph hold him still, I can set the leg."
"No," Raph said. Donnie blinked in confusion.
"No offense, Donnie," Raph said, "But we both know that I'm the only one who can set Leo's leg."
Donnie opened his mouth to argue, but sighed and nodded. He and Mikey held their bodies across Leo.
"Twist it just beneath his thigh bone," Donnie said. Raph nodded.
"Can I close my eyes?" Mikey asked softly.
"Both of you close your eyes," Raph said. He gritted his teeth and took hold of Leo's leg where Donnie had said.
"No, I'm not," Donnie said, "I'm right with you." Donnie put a hand over Raph's. Mikey did too, but kept his eyes squeezed shut.
"Oh three," Raph said. Donnie nodded. Mikey gave a whimper and a nod.
"THREE!" The brothers shouted as one voice and with a nerve shattering crack, two bonds began to knit.
*()()()*
Thus ends another quick chapter that's leading up to a very episodic one that I've been working on for a couple of weeks. I think you'll like it. I've deliberately kept things short the last two chapters for that very reason. See you next week!