A giant thank you as always to Amonraphoenix for beta reading this chapter for me, and for letting me pick her brain:)

Also a thank you to my reviewers moonie016 and mela989898!

Chapter 3

Donatello pulled the thermometer out of Raphael's mouth as his brother glared at him in irritation. Donatello looked at his brother's temperature and nodded. His brother's fever was finally gone. It had been four days and it was relief that his brother was finally feeling better.

"I told ya Donny, I'm fine. I can even go to the bathroom by myself now." His brother said sarcastically. "Now let me out of bed." He growled as he didn't wait for Donatello's permission and just slid from his bed.

Donatello sighed but knew that there was no reason to keep Raphael in his bed any longer. Raphael stood up and stretched. "I'm goin for a shower." Raphael announced. "Where's Kitten?" He asked as he made his way to the bathroom, pausing at the threshold.

Donatello gave a shrug. He wasn't sure where she had gotten to. All he knew was that she had gone outside somewhere.

Raphael frowned. "Things okay with you two Donny?" He asked in concern. Donatello paused for a moment and then shrugged. He had been unable to apologize to Raphael for accusing him of sleeping with Katherine because Raphael didn't remember the conversation. Raphael didn't remember most of that night and he didn't remember puking on Katherine either, which she loved to remind Raphael of, which embarrassed his brother to no end.

Raphael continued to wait to see if Donatello would elaborate on his shrug, but truthfully Donatello didn't know how to answer the question. Things had been strained between him and Katherine for the last few days, but things seemed to be getting better. It was obvious that he had hurt her deeply with his accusations, but she had forgiven him, and yet there was this uneasy tension that surrounded them both. He was unsure how to make the tension go away or even what the cause of it was.

Donatello blew out a soft puff of air. "We're okay Raph." He said as his brother nodded, and gave him a look that Donatello took to mean that Raphael didn't quite believe him, but that he wasn't going to push Donatello for a better answer.

Raphael entered the bathroom and closed the door behind him. Donatello walked over and sat on the edge of Raphael's bed, before pulling out his phone. If Donatello was lucky he would be able to catch his brothers before they left to go to Comic Con for the day.

Donatello heard the shower turn on in the background.

He dialed Leonardo's number and didn't get any answer. Donatello hung up and tried Michelangelo's phone.

"Hey Donny!" Michelangelo said in an ecstatically happily voice. "You just caught us." Michelangelo lost the smile in his voice and asked in concern " Wait, how's Raph?"

"Better." He replied. "His fever is finally gone and he is up and out of bed."

"That's great!" Michelangelo said with relief. "Leo will be glad to know that Raph's all better. He's been a giant stick in the mud the entire time we've been here and today is the last day. Course I think things aren't goin' too well with him and Karai. In fact Karai left yesterday to go to Japan, so she ditched out a day early. Not that I think this was really Karai's scene anyway, but still. Oh that reminds me though; Holly needs to go home today and she has some stuff she has to do at home, but she wants me, Leo and her to all go camping together the day after she gets home.

"You think that's a good idea Mikey?" Donatello asked with concern.

"Sure, I want to spend as much time with Holly as I can before she has to go back to school. Besides you Raph and Kitten aren't going to be back for another week anyway. We'll go camping for 10 days and meet you back at the lair. After all, you three may just decide to stay in your little tropical paradise for a little longer." Michelangelo said with a suggestive chuckle.

"Mikey, Raph and I aren't sharing Katherine." Donatello told his brother quietly.

There was absolute silence on the other end of the phone and then some muffled scrambling. Michelangelo lowered his voice, which echoed oddly into the phone, meaning Michelangelo had probably moved himself to the bathroom and shut the door. "Donny, don't pull my leg like this." Michelangelo said his voice full of worry.

"I'm not pulling your leg, Mikey." Donatello said as he looked at the closed bathroom door, the shower still running.

"I...I'm sure that there is nothing going on between Raph and Kitten." Michelangelo hastily put in.

"I know." He answered softly. "Believe me I know..."

"Donny?" His brother questioned worriedky and Donatello shot another glance at the closed bathroom door. He felt like Michelangelo may be able to help him.

"I accused her of sleeping with Raph. I accused Raph too, but he can't remember because he was too sick, but...Mikey, I messed up big time. I know there isn't anything going on between them, but I don't know how to fix what I said." He said in a wavering, depressed voice into the phone.

Michelangelo was deadly silent for a moment before answering. "It's Inception." His brother told him.

"W-what?" Donatello asked in total confusion.

"You know, the movie Inception." Michelangelo prodded.

"Mikey I have no idea what you are talking about." Donatello said in exasperation as he shook his head that he knew his brother couldn't see.

"A thought, once it has been thought, cannot be un-thought." Michelangelo informed him.

"What?" Donatello asked even more confused than he was a moment ago.

"You thought Kitten and Raph were fooling around behind your back right?" Michelangelo asked.

"Yes..." Donatello answered tentatively wondering where his brother's mind was going with this line of thought.

"So it doesn't matter if there was or wasn't anything going on. You thought there was and so even though you know there is nothing going on between them, you will always be looking and watching to see if there is." His brother insisted.

"No, Mikey I…" He began but his brother cut him off.

"Yes you will. You will always be watching them now and wondering; did Kitten get too close to Raph? Did she touch his hand for longer than she should have? Did she look at him too long? Is she smiling up at him in a more intimate way than she should? Don't you get it Donny? Now that the thought has been planted in your head you can never get it out. And Kitten knows this, which means you have put her in the position of having to choose between you and Raph." Michelangelo explained patiently.

Donatello felt himself pale. "What do you mean she has to choose between me and Raph?" He asked into the phone, his voice shaking slightly.

"Not in the romantic sense." Michelangelo began."At least...I don't think so…" Michelangelo pondered for a minute before continuing his thought. "If she stays with you that means she is always going to have to watch what she says to Raph, how much time she spends with him and basically distancing herself from him. I think that this would hurt her deeply, especially since they are still so close and you have never said anything before now about their relationship bothering you, which means it will hurt even worse. If she breaks up with you it will break her heart, but she will be able to keep Raph's friendship and eventually maybe even yours in time."

"Mikey, are you saying that she's going to break up with me?" Donatello asked as tears began to prick his eyes at the thought of losing Katherine forever.

"Just a minute!" Michelangelo yelled as he tried to cover the mouth piece of the phone and failing miserably. Donatello heard Michelangelo remove his hand from the phone. "No, not necessarily." Michelangelo reassured him. "You tell her that you trust her and that you trust Raph and that she doesn't have to change the way she acts around him and you two should be good, as long as you don't accuse her of being overly friendly with Raph."

Donatello thought about what his brother had said for a moment and nodded. His brother was right. Katherine had seemed awkward around Raphael as if she wasn't sure how to act, and she had seemed awkward around Donatello if he was around with Raphael as well.

"Mikey, how'd you get to know so much about women?"He asked his baby brother in surprise.

Michelangelo chuckled. "I will never admit to watching more chick flicks than I can name with Kitten." He said with a smile in his voice, but turned serious. "I'm sorry Donny. I should have kept my big beak shut." He apologized.

"It isn't your fault Mikey, it's mine. But thank you. Have fun camping and say 'hi' to Leo and Holly for me." Donatello said with a slight smile, his voice full of gratitude to his brother for the advice.

"Kay." Michelangelo said. "Say 'hi' to Kitten and Raph for us. Bye!" He said as Donatello hung up the phone.

Donatello contemplated his brother's words for a moment and then stood. He needed to go and find Katherine before any more time passed.

Donatello searched the house and then outside, but was unable to find her. He could search the whole island and miss her, so he decided to go to the shed and tinker with one of the ATV's that seemed to be acting up.

Donatello wasn't sure how long he was in the garage for, but he had managed to fix the ATV so that it ran like a dream. He washed the grease off of his hands with a towel and walked out of the garage.

He stopped in surprise as he spotted Katherine talking with Raphael. Raphael stood close to Katherine while Katherine had her arms wrapped around her body like she was hugging herself. She looked up at Raphael and reached out a hand gently touching Raphael's forehead as if checking for herself that his brother's fever was really gone. Raphael pulled his forehead away and probably growled at her that he was fine; at least that is what it looked like his brother said, Donatello was too far away to tell for sure.

Katherine laughed and shook her head at him, Raphael gave her an answering smile and it was at that moment that Donatello realized that Michelangelo was right. Donatello knew that there was nothing going on between Katherine and Raphael and yet seeing them standing together rolled a wave of uncontrollable bitter jealously through him.

Katherine looked over and spotted him. Her smile fell from her face and she jumped back guiltily from Raphael, even though she had nothing to feel guilty about.

Donatello closed his eyes. Michelangelo was also right about Katherine and her not being able to be comfortable around Raphael. If Donatello didn't talk to her and tell her that she could continue to act the same way around Raphael as she had in the past, he was going to lose her for good. It didn't matter how much seeing her and Raphael together bothered him, that was his problem, and he had to get a handle on it if he wanted to stay with Katherine.

Raphael looked over his shoulder and looked at Donatello in utter confusion at Katherine's sudden change in behaviour.

Donatello pasted what was no doubt a strained smiled on his face and walked over to his brother and his girlfriend. "So Raph," Donatello began, smiling warmly at his brother. "What's for dinner?" He asked.

Raphael gave Donatello a confused looked. "Huh?" He asked as he glanced at Katherine who was looking at Donatello with a mixture of confusion, trepidation and the growing signs of annoyance.

"Well, Katherine has been cooking all of our meals and I have been up for 3 nights looking after you. I think you owe us; so dinner." Donatello said with a persuasive smile.

Raphael blinked in shock but nodded slowly. "Okay, Donny." He said, unsure of himself as he turned around and walked slowly back to the house.

Donatello watched his brother's retreating back with shock. He had expected Raphael to put up more of a fight. Raphael hated cooking and was horrible at it. He tended to get impatient, so food either ended up burnt from him trying to cook food too fast at too high a temperature, or things were undercooked if he didn't wait for it to thaw first, and Donatello didn't know which was worse.

Donatello turned his attention back to Katherine whose face had gone blank which meant that she was suppressing all of her emotions, but her lightening gaze indicated that she was either irritated or angry...or worried.

"Raph's fine." Donatello said as he stepped towards her slowly.

Katherine was studying him, trying to decipher what he was thinking. The problem was -with Katherine- Donatello was an open book. She was always able to read him too well.

"Donatello..." She began but Donatello cut her off by brushing his thumb across her cheek and claiming her mouth in a searing, passionate kiss.

She let him kiss her but he could feel her pulling away too soon. He was about to lose her, he could feel it. "I trust you." He blurted out. "And I trust Raph. I don't want you to change the way you act around him." He told her earnestly as he searched her moss green eyes, which were widened slightly with surprise. "I know you love him and I can't change that and I wouldn't want to change that. But you are with me and I never should have accused you or him. I am so sorry." He clutched her to him in a vice-like embrace. "I love you, Katherine. I don't ever want to lose you." He pleaded to her.

"I love you too, Donatello." She replied softly, "But..." She began, a hint of doubt lacing her words.

Donatello knew that saying that he was sorry wasn't enough to fix what he had done. Things hadn't been right between Katherine and him for the last four days, even though they were both trying; which meant that he had to prove to her that what he had just said was true.

"No buts," Donatello said with a smile. "Now you had better go inside and make sure that Raph doesn't burn the house down, or even worse, actually try to cook some food." He said with a shudder.

"I thought you wanted him to cook? Though I will admit that the thought of Raphael cooking is slightly horrific, but I just thought you were trying to get rid of him." She said to him searchingly.

"I did want to get rid of him." Donatello said his smile becoming suggestive. Katherine blinked at him in shock for a moment before shaking her head and pushing his shoulder away gently.

"So what are you going to do?" She asked him.

He grinned down at her and his smile became more salacious. "Well I thought I would start by pushing you up against that wall over there and then..."

Katherine shook her head and laughed. "Nice try." She said with a wry smile.

Donatello gave an innocent shrug. "I'll go and rip apart the other ATV. I think there is something wrong with the starter and I'm going to see if I can fix it."

Katherine nodded. "Fine, I'll go and help Raphael so he doesn't give us food poisoning while you get all greasy and dirty." She said with a mischievous smile and lust filled eyes that promised a heady, sweat filled night for both of them.

Donatello grinned in eager anticipation. Katherine turned and walked towards the house, Donatello watched her go. She paused and looked over her shoulder. "You know that I know you are lying through your teeth, don't you?" She asked him curiously.

Donatello felt his heart leap into his throat in sudden anxiety, knowing that she had seen right through him. She knew that he was pretending that he was okay with her and Raphael being alone together. "I..." He began but she cut him off with a wave of her hand.

"You get an 'A' for effort Donatello. And that counts for a lot. I appreciate that you are trying and that is important. You can't help the way you feel, but you can control how you act. So thank you." She said as she gave him a loving smile, and turned to go into the house.

Donatello felt his shoulders sag in relief. It was the first time in the last 5 days that he had felt like things between him and Katherine were going to be okay.

Donatello walked to the large shed and began to tinker with a broken generator. He was pleased with himself when he got it running again. He figured then that he would go up to the house. It was possible that Raphael and Katherine had already eaten dinner because Donatello had lost track of time again.

He had been aware of a steady rain which had begun sometime after he had started tinkering, but when he opened the garage door he encountered a harsh down pouring of heavy rain and high winds.

He closed the shed door before dashing into the house. By the time he reached the back door he was drenched; his clothing clinging to him like a second skin.

He opened the door and stumbled inside, closing the door quickly against the storm that raged outside. The back door led directly into the kitchen, which was dark and empty, indicating that dinner was long over and dishes had already been cleaned and put away.

He pulled off his shirt and his shorts, not wanting to drip throughout the house. He bundled his clothing into a ball and trudged to his room, throwing his clothing in the laundry room on the way. He passed by the living room and heard the TV and changed course before he got to the staircase that lead upstairs where his room was. He was about to walk into the living room when he stopped and looked down at himself. He was standing in his wet underwear. This thought didn't bother him, he knew that both his brother and Katherine wouldn't care, though no doubt Raphael would make some rude comment about him being cold. But besides this, it would look like Donatello had rushed in like a jealousy crazed lover trying to catch Raphael and Katherine in the act of doing something inappropriate.

He closed his eyes, took a deep steadying breath, opened his eyes and headed to his bedroom instead. He changed into some dry clothing and headed back to the main level, walking calmly into the living room and stopping dead in his tracks. His brother was sitting on the couch beside Katherine, his arm draped casually across the top of the couch behind her head.

He swallowed down his jealousy and pasted a smile on his face.

Raphael glanced at him and frowned as he followed Donatello's line of sight his gaze resting on his arm draped behind Katherine's head. Raphael seemed to start with surprise and he removed his arm swiftly, covering the action by reaching for and taking a sip of pop that had been sitting on the coffee table in front of him.

Donatello felt his eye ridges rise in surprise. Normally Raphael would just grin at him broadly and drop his arm over Katherine's shoulders until she playfully pushed him off.

"Satellite is out." Raphael informed him as Donatello took a glance at the TV to cover up his confusion. An action movie of some sort was playing on the screen. "We put in Independence Day."

"I made up a plate up for you, it's in the fridge." Katherine said with a smile.

"And you'll be happy to know I didn't cook anythin'." Raphael pointed out with a big grin.

Donatello smiled back. "Well at least I won't have to worry about food poisoning." He said as he turned and went back to the kitchen. He lost his smile as he wondered at Raphael's reaction. It was then that he wondered if his jealously had been so noticeable, that even his normally oblivious brother had managed to pick up on it.

Normally Donatello had only been irritated with Raphael when he was overly friendly with Katherine, which generally just seemed to encourage his brother more. But now it seemed that Raphael knew that his irritation had turned to jealousy and had decided to back off for once.

Donatello gave a soft smile of relief at his brother's unusually thoughtful gesture. He quickly warmed up his dinner and walked back to the living room to eat it.

Raphael's arms were both by his sides and Katherine was laughing at something his brother had just said. Donatello fought with his jealousy for a moment as he wondered what Raphael had said to put the smile and laughter in her eyes and voice. He gave himself a mental shake and sat down next to Katherine. She turned her attention from Raphael to himself.

There was a slight intensity to her gaze that momentarily gave him pause. The look vanished as she gave him a smile. "We would have called you in, but we know what you get like when you are busy fixing things." She said to him.

"That and neither of us wanted to go out into the rain and get you." Raphael said with a grin.

Donatello nodded as he took a bite of his spaghetti. It was good, proof that Raphael hadn't cooked. "There was this old generator I was fixing, even managed to get it running." He said with a satisfied smile. "I lost track of time."

Katherine gave him a wry smile and nodded.

"Shhh this is the best part." Raphael said as Katherine turned her attention back to the TV, a grin stealing across her face as Raphael leaned forward in anticipation. The main character started beating on an alien of some sort as Raphael began cheering him on and Katherine threw back her head and laughed.

Personally Donatello didn't understand what was so funny about the scene. It was mildly amusing, intense and somewhat violent. The thought struck him then that Katherine wasn't laughing at the scene, but rather his brother's reaction to it.

"Welcome to Earth!" Raphael yelled at the TV which had Katherine laughing even harder.

Donatello looked between Raphael and Katherine, as Raphael turned to Katherine with a huge smirk on his face. "Now that is how ya take down alien scum!"

Katherine shook her head. "Probably not the most intelligent way to take down an alien invader." She pointed out with a smile.

"Oh come on Kitten, the guy beat the alien with his fists! Through a bio exo-suit! That is awesome!" Raphael said with exasperation.

Katherine chuckled. "Awesome, funny and totally stupid; but I could see you doing that Raphael."

Raphael quickly frowned. "You callin' me stupid?" Raphael growled, his golden eyes narrowing dangerously in sudden anger.

Donatello looked at Katherine, a worried frown puckering between his brows, wondering how to intervene in what had suddenly become an argument.

Katherine lifted a delicate, russet brow and grinned even more broadly, apparently unconcerned with Raphael's apparent, growing anger. "Tell me you wouldn't totally do that."

Raphael narrowed his eyes further. "So? If you're so smart, what would you do?" Raphael asked his intense amber gaze locked on Katherine's mischief filled green ones.

Katherine laughed but seemed to think the question over before answering. "If I was in the same situation where I had just been shot out of the sky I would have to assume I was a different kind of person than I am, so therefore I can't say what it is I would do."

Raphael rolled his eyes. "Just pretend that the alien is right there, what do you do?"

Katherine seemed to think it over again and shrugged. "I am not a fighter," She began flexing her arms to show that although she was in shape, she had no real muscle definition. "So for me it would be rather stupid to try to confront the alien head on. However I suppose if the right motivation were to occur I would probably find a weapon of some sort and bash him over the head with it."

"See, you're not smarter than me." Raphael pointed out with a satisfied smirk.

"I never said I was. You are smarter than you think you are Raphael. "She said to Raphael seriously. Raphael looked at her in surprise before a smile crossed her face again. "But I would have at least grabbed a weapon." She said teasingly.

"These fists are weapons." Raphael gloated curling his hand into a fist and flexing his bicep.

"Point." She conceded as Raphael nodded smugly and turned his attention back to the movie.

Katherine turned her attention back to Donatello. "What?" She asked him and he realized that he must have been staring at her with a strange expression on his face.

He shook his head in answer to her question because he wasn't sure what had bothered him about the short conversation that Raphael and Katherine had just engaged in. They were just talking and although Raphael had gotten angry Katherine hadn't been bothered by Raphael's anger, which wasn't unusual, but coloured with the glasses of jealousy he realized the depth of Katherine's and Raphael's friendship. Katherine understood Raphael, his thoughts and feelings, and Donatello finally comprehended how much her friendship meant to his brother. Katherine was probably the only one who really understood Raphael, and the thought that Donatello had let his feelings of jealousy almost destroy that made him feel ashamed of himself.

"Course Donny'd be dead." Raphael said as an afterthought.

"What?" He yelped in surprise.

"True." Katherine agreed with a knowing nod.

"What?" He repeated, slightly stung by the fact that Katherine had just agreed with Raphael.

"It's true Donny, you'd get yourself killed." Raphael took a swig of his pop and grinned slightly.

"I am just a good a fighter as you are, Raph." He said narrowing his eyes slightly, wondering if he had just been imagining Raphael's earlier good will.

"No Raphael has a point," Katherine agreed with his brother. "You would want to talk to the alien and see if he meant you any harm first and be distracted by all the cool technology." She said with a big grin.

Donatello realized then that she was teasing him and so was Raphael. "Funny." He said shaking his head and standing. "I'd hit the alien on the head with my bo if it was unfriendly and then I'd play with the alien technology." He said with a grin. Katherine laughed and Raphael grinned. "You guys want anything from the kitchen?" He asked holding his empty plate.

"I'm good." Raphael said as Katharine shook her head.

"Are you sure Raphael," Katherine asked with concern. "You didn't eat anything for dinner."

Raphael shook his head. "I'm good, not really that hungry." He answered with a shrug.

Donatello nodded but shared a concerned look with Katherine. Donatello walked to the kitchen and washed his plate off in the sink. Raphael was probably still feeling a little under the weather and would only get angry if Donatello tried to coddle him.

Donatello sighed inwardly and turned his attention back to his feelings of jealousy. He needed to get a better handle on them because he was getting sick of it.

With this thought in mind he walked back into the living room, sat down beside Katherine, and pulling her in close as they finished watching the movie.

Donatello opened his eyes and realized that he had fallen asleep sometime during the second movie. He glanced at the black screen of the TV and the dark living room. He looked over at Katherine who was leaning against his shoulder sleeping soundly. Raphael was sleeping as well, but had somehow managed to bury his face into Katherine's neck, his arms wrapped around her body, his knees curled into her lap.

Donatello felt the rage build up within him until he realized that Raphael appeared to be shivering violently in his sleep.

Donatello moved waking Katherine up. She yawned and tried to stretch when she realized that Raphael was wrapped around her like a blanket. She frowned at Raphael in irritation, but her irritation was quickly replaced by concern and worry.

"He's burning up." Katherine whispered to Donatello as he reached over and felt his brother's forehead. It burned beneath his hand and yet Raphael's body was wracked with convulsive shivering that was getting progressively worse.

"His fever is back." Donatello said as he shifted away from Katharine to stand. "He must have fallen asleep and gotten cold, so he moved closer to the nearest source of warmth his body could find." Donatello said as he gently shook his brother's arm.

"Wha...?" Raphael asked as he lifted his head out of Katherine's neck. Raphael looked at Katherine with blurry-eyed confusion glanced down to see that he was practically sitting in her lap and looked at Donatello in horror. He scrambled away from her as fast as he was able, which caused him to fall off the couch and onto the floor in a heap.

Raphael looked at Donatello anxiously. "Donny I...I..." He stammered as he clutched his head in pain, before allowing his hand to drop and the pain to vanish from his face.

That Raphael had allowed himself to show a moment's pain indicated to Donatello that Raphael was very sick. Raphael seemed to gather his thoughts and looked ready to try to speak again but Donatello just shook his head. "Come on Raph, let's get you to bed." He said quietly as helped Raphael pick himself off the floor. Raphael closed his eyes, almost collapsing in Donatello's grip.

Katherine threw Raphael's arm over her shoulder as Donatello put Raphael's other arm over his own shoulder. Together they both walked Raphael upstairs to his bedroom.

They lay Raphael down onto his bed and Donatello turned on the bedside lamp, the dull yellow light illuminating his brother's strained emerald features.

Donatello checked his brother's temperature again and frowned with worry when he read his brother's temperature was sitting at 103˚.

"He was better this morning, and he was fine a few hours ago, what happened?" Katharine asked in a soft, worried voice.

"I don't know." Donatello answered as he put another blanket over his brother's shivering form. "Raph, can you tell me how you feel?" Donatello asked his brother gently.

""Freezing, head hurts...everything hurts, I think...I'm gonna need the bucket again." Raphael groaned as Katherine leapt up and ran from the room to get a bucket for Raphael to vomit in if he needed to. "I didn't mean to...to... Donny." Raphael said weakly. "I..."

"It's okay Raph." Donatello said softly as his brother's eyes fluttered closed and he fell into a deep sleep.

Katherine came back into the room with a bucket and a few damp cloths. She put one of the cloths on Raphael's forehead and the other on his chest just above his plastron.

"This is more than just a flu." He said to her grimly as she looked at him with worried eyes, Donatello's own heart filled with its own dire apprehension.

Thoughts? Opinions? curious as to what is ailing our hot-headed turtle?