I'm sorry Donnie! But this has to happen! Enjoy xx

A Problem with Spirits

Chapter 3

As the day progressed Donatello slowly got worse. His throat was agony now and he couldn't speak, he could barely breathe!

He was in great pain and his brothers knew it, they felt so helpless.

Especially when the coughing fit started.

It was truly horrible!

Don had just started coughing and couldn't stop!

he was suffocating.

Hurting.

Dying.

The brothers had tried to comfort him and help him but nothing was working. They could hear his splutters as he tried to bring some precious air into his lungs, his body trembled and struck out with spasms. It was like he was drowning.

Raph watched as tears ran down his suffering brother's face, Leo and Mikey were trying to comfort him but.. he couldn't breathe.. he was going to die!

And Raph just couldn't take it.

The lights flickered dimmer and dimmer as Don's life ebbed away.

''MARY! MARY! PLEASE!'' Raph yelled desperately, ''HELP!''

Mary appeared as the light flickered off. She smiled at the choking turtle.

''Please'' Leo looked up at her, ''leave him alone.. stop his pain!''

''Fine.. I'll put an end to his suffering'' Mary chuckled.

Suddenly the choking stopped and Donatello fell limp.

''NO!'' The brothers yelped as they shook Don,

''It seems I've found a way to torture you'' Mary mused as the brothers panicked.

''You killed him!'' Mikey squeaked.

''No, he's just asleep.'' Mary grinned, ''He'll be a little sore once he wakes up but he'll be alive right?''

''AAAHH!'' Don screamed.

''Oh and I had to give him a nightmare'' Mary laughed happily, ''It's the least I could do''

Leo pulled Donnie onto his lap as the younger turtle cried hopelessly. Mikey panted as he stroked Don's forehead, Mary looked over at the seething Raphael.

''Now now'' She smiled. ''Don't look so nasty or I'll make him suffer even more!''

Raph calmed himself down and Took Don's hand.

''Thank you'' She smiled, ''The rest of you will get your turn''

And with that she disappeared.

After a few moments Don sat up with a scream so filled with anguish that it caused the other mutants' hearts to break.

Donnie sobbed as his brothers held him comfortingly.

''it's ok'' Leo whispered, ''You're ok''

Don swallowed painfully before holding his throat.

''I-I can speak'' He gulped, ''I can breathe? What?''

''We got Mary to lift the curse'' Mikey explained. ''Are you ok?''

''I'm sore'' Don breathed, ''But I'm ok..''

''We thought you'd died'' Raph mumbled tearfully. Don looked at each of his brother to see they had been crying and still had pale faces, he couldn't believe it!

It nightmare had been a lie! They really did care about him, he wasn't just noticed when something needed fixing or a question needed answering. he was their brother and they loved him.

Donnie had tears in his eyes as he berated himself for thinking such thoughts.

''Don? Why are you crying?'' leo asked gently.

''I just realised something'' Don shook his head, ''It doesn't matter''

''it does'' Raph nodded, ''Tell us''

''My nightmare wasn't real'' Donnie shut his eyes as he breathed in the comforting scent of his brothers, ''You guys do care''

''Of course we do'' Leo frowned, ''Why wouldn't we?''

''i'm just the fix it guy... I'm never noticed unless something needs fixed'' Don sighed.

''That's not true'' Mikey shook his head angrily.

''I know'' Don smiled, his brothers released him and they sat together in the dark.

''I'm gonna go get a candle'' leo nodded as he stood up.

''What happened to not splittin' up?'' Raph growled angrily.

''I'm just going into the next room'' Leo raised an eyeridge, ''You guys aren't far away if I need help''

Raph nodded and allowed Leo to go.

He walked into the dark dojo and looked around himself, he found the matches easily and soon found the candle when he knocked it over.

''Oops'' He grumbled as he bent over and picked it up. he lit the match and burned the candle's wick making the whole dojo light up with a low orange light.

he heard the door slam closed behind him.

he turned around to see Mary with a look insanity in her eyes. She began cackling as she disappeared, the laughing echoed around the poor turtle as he ran towards the door and tried to open it.

It wouldn't budge.

''GUYS!'' Leo called fearfully, ''GU-MMMM!'' leo's mouth clamped shut, he couldn't open it.

he stumbled back as he tried to rip his mouth open but it wouldn't work.

''LEO? LEO!?'' Raph's voice called from the other side of the door as the three brothers tried to break through.

They could hear leo's muffled noises.

leo looked around himself in terror as the laughing increased in volume.

''leonardo'' Mary called from her darkness. ''What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?'' She teased.

The sound of metal slicing through air rushed towards Leo as he backed up against the wall, the swords hit the wall and Leo could no longer move.

His eyes fluttered closed as the mad laughing copied the dull thumps in his head.

''LEO!'' The door broke open, there was a single candle in the middle of the room. It had a tiny flame on it and they could barely see around the room.

''What's that?'' Mikey gulped when they saw the shape against the wall.

Donnie grabbed the candle and the three brothers stepped towards the wall.

The light hit the shape and a collective gasp echoed around them

''LEO?''

Sorry Leo.. My bad.. Please Review xx