(Two Days Later)

"Donnie?"

"Mm."

"Don."

"Mm?"

"I'm sorry to do this, but I need you," Luke whispered over his bunk.

"What?" It took a couple seconds for the slight daze to leave the purple-masked turtle's eyes. "Oh, okay. I'm up."

Waking Donatello was the last thing Luke wanted to do. The turtle had probably only slept for about five out of the last thirty-six hours, between getting sick repeatedly for most of that time. As Donnie followed Luke out of the room, Mike suddenly jolted upright on the top bunk.

"What? Who's on the ship?" the younger turtle asked sleepily.

"Mike, you're all right. Just go back to sleep," Donatello encouraged him.

"I can't, the monkey has my pants," he murmured.

Don laughed, and tapped his arm lightly. "Go back to sleep, bro."

The turtle joined Luke out in the hallway a moment later.

"How's the stomach feeling?" The man asked him.

"Uh...it's fine."

"I don't believe you. You really shouldn't have done this, Donnie."

"Doc, I already explained it to you."

"Yes, after you'd injected yourself. I would appreciate being clued in before you become the guinea pig in the future."

"If I'd told you the plan, you wouldn't have let me do it. Look, being forced to move up the new antibiotic so fast, there was no way I could consider giving it to Leonardo, not without testing it a little further first."

"Is that the final stage of all your new formulas, using them on yourself to see what happens?"

"In smaller doses usually, Doc. I need to know what to expect."

"Well, it stops now. The only reason I'm waking your shell is because the hydralin's not making a dent in his fever anymore. We're going to have to move ahead with the antibiotic."

Luke didn't miss the way Don's legs shook while he hesitated at the top of the stairs.

"Give me your arm, Donnie."

"Let me have a second."

"I'm not asking you, I'm telling you: give me your arm."

Donnie's brow furrowed slightly, but he obeyed and let Luke steady him.

The doctor grabbed the desk chair as soon as they got into the Lab, and pointed him into it.

"What's your recommendation for proceeding with the tetrozine, Don?"

"How high is his temperature?"

"Been hovering around 104 degrees, for over two hours now."

"Right, um...okay. I wouldn't give him more than...eight units to start. Even that might be a little heavy, considering the fact he's never had it. But all we can do at this point is hope for the best."

"I have the IV ready to go. I just didn't want to give him a single thing before I talked to you. His most current vital information is on the screen. Do you want to take a look?"

Donnie wheeled over to the computer bank. He rubbed his eyes before focusing on one of the screens. He appeared to concentrate harder than usual on interpreting the information, and then switched over with a click to see his neurological activity.

"He's holding up well, considering," Donatello said finally. "His brain activity indicates a little interruption, but it doesn't seem to point to real damage. What do you think, Doc?"

"No, he was fortunate the bone fragments steered clear, but it was a little too close for comfort. We kept the swelling down, so if we can kill this stupid infection, maybe he'll come around before next year," Luke finished, a little frustrated. "How did you do it on your own for this long?"

"Well, I didn't, not really. I always had my Sensei. He started teaching me about herbs and training in first aid as a kid. With the introduction of the library and internet, my studies went much more in depth. Over the years, our roles shifted. I began to take the more prominent position on the medical side, but Master Splinter has still been there with me. His knowledge and experience is irreplaceable."

"How did you get started?"

"Well, I actually began with observing ourselves. I was taking notes on all the herbal elements my Sensei taught me, and it evolved into keeping track of sicknesses and injuries. I was building a record of actions we took, and the results it garnered."

"Sounds like the beginning of your journal."

"You could call it a first draft, Doc. Master Splinter brought me the books he could find too, but I was flying through them really fast. They also didn't contain the information I was most interested in. We must have crossed over the Library about three dozen times on random errands, before he agreed to let me find a way in. That's when things took off for me."

"How old were you?"

"Eight. I was overwhelmed by the books at first. Then, I discovered the computers, and life was never the same. The vast information available on the internet drove me to do things I never imagined I could. My junkyard trips transformed after that too. I was determined to get a computer of my own."

"What about an internet connection? How in the world did you make the leap?"

Donatello chuckled. "Ebay."*

The man was thoroughly confused. "Is that a joke? Because I don't get it."

"I found a rare set of baseball cards at the dump. The kinda thing you don't throw away, so I'm sure it was sabotage. Their loss was our gain. I posted the entire collection as one lot on Ebay, and waited for the right buyer to come along. It took months, but an eventual bidding war ended with a near $10,000 payday."

Luke's eyes widened. "Wow. That must have been incredible."

"It was, and the timing was perfect. It came together right after Staten Island, and we really needed the boost. Sensei was badly injured, and I was left trying to put him back together."

Luke nodded morosely. "You were ten. I remember the event from your journal."

"It was a big deal. I didn't know if he'd ever walk again, but he was determined. My thought was to put the money towards our immediate needs. Master Splinter told me to do something else. He wanted me to build my lab."

"And you did it." Luke couldn't help feeling a sense of pride for his friend.

"Not on my own. I managed to hook up the fiber optics, and went through the back door of an internet provider to set up an account."

"When you say a back door, what are you actually referring to?"

"I broke into a location after it was closed, and created the account. Same deal with a storage facility. I used them for receiving internet shipments for years. It was the start of better times for us, in terms of things we had access to. Healthier, safer food, real medical supplies we didn't have to trash pick...

"After some intensive searching, I even found a tech company who would work with me, sight unseen. Of course, they were completely taking advantage of me too. Daystar paid me in peanuts, at least, until April came along."

"Right. She helped you hook up with more businesses."

"April convinced me I could do better than Daystar. Now I have work coming in from several different companies. Between various tech resources, my inventions, and developing herbal alternatives to drugs, my hands have been extremely full. I know I'm overdoing it, but I can't really help myself. The electrocution only seems to have motivated me more."

Luke folded his arms sternly. "Overdoing it won't end well. You're going to burn out, Donatello. You need to slow down, before that happens."

"I understand in theory, but...I don't want to stop. Having both the inspiration and the money to work on projects is still sort of a novelty. The progress makes it hard to slow down. At the same time, I didn't factor in how this obsession would affect my brothers. With Mike, it doesn't matter. He might get on me about working too hard, but he doesn't try to stop me or take things personally."

"Mike's really good for you, isn't he?"

"He's the only one in the family I can really be myself around. Even with Sensei, I don't talk to him about stuff like I used to."

"Why did it change?"

"Mostly because the guys, meaning Leo and Raph, don't appreciate my obsessions. It's easier to play down what I'm working on, to avoid irritating them. I find myself withholding details from Splinter, mostly because I'm afraid he'll try to slow me down too.

"That's not right, Donnie. What you're doing is the equivalent of erecting barriers."

"Maybe it is, but at least they won't flip out on me," he muttered.

Luke wasn't sure Don meant for him to hear it. "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing. I don't mean anything by it, except that I want to keep the peace."

"Your answer for keeping the peace is silence? How is shutting anyone out supposed to be healthy?"

"I didn't say it was. It's just my solution for now."

"It's not a solution, Don. You guys can work out anything, as long as you try."

"Doc, you don't understand how mad they can get." The flash of fear which briefly crossed Don's face got Luke's attention.

He stared at the turtle for nearly a minute. "Hold on a second. Does this have something to do with your spar from last week?"

"No," Donnie squeaked, entirely unconvincing.

"Was it even an accident?"

"Doc, we were only goofing off."

"Look me in the eyes, Donnie, and tell me that's all it was."

"That was it," he returned evenly.

"Once again, I don't believe you. Explain exactly what transpired, or I'll go wake Master Splinter and get him to drag it out of you."

"It wasn't...entirely intentional," Donnie wheedled. "Leo and Raph were in a spar, and it got a little out of hand. Mike intervened, I went to help him, and was caught in the crossfire by accident. It was over very quickly. Doc, you cannot tell Sensei." Donatello sounded desperate.

"I don't understand why you guys didn't tell him!"

"Luke, please, I'm asking you as a friend. You can't tell Sensei, or say anything to the guys. It would just make things worse."

"Why are you covering for them?"

"We've all made mistakes, Doc. Please don't make a big deal out of this."

"I'm confused, Donnie. First this was an accident, now it's a mistake. Who hurt you?"

"It doesn't matter. That's not gonna happen again."

"Because you said so?"

"Doc, you have to swear to me you won't say anything."

"I don't think it's wise to keep it from your Sensei - but you're not some little kids. You do what you want for now, and I'll keep my mouth shut. If it happens again, all bets are off."

Luke sent him a probing gaze. "I need you close by in case something goes wrong with the antibiotic, but it doesn't mean you need to be awake. Come on over to bed, and get some more sleep."

Don raised his hand like he was in a classroom. "Am I allowed to get throw up again first?"

When Splinter wandered into the living area around 4am, he was surprised to find his second oldest sitting on the couch already.

"My son, what are you doing? Dr. Barrows said you need your rest."

"I can't sleep, Sensei, not for anything."

"We will see about that," Splinter countered. "I will put on some tea for you, and we are going to talk."

The rat disappeared into the kitchen for a few minutes, and returned with a special blend for him.

Raphael appeared fascinated by the mug. The red-masked turtle focused so hard on his drink, Splinter knew he was only avoiding him.

"What is troubling you, Raphael? Is it only Leonardo, or is there something more?"

"I know what happened to him was my fault, but it's deeper than that, Sensei. Leo and I...we ain't been getting along, and it's got me wondering about some things."

"I know the two of you have been struggling."

"How did you know, Sensei?"

"I live here, Raphael. The tension between you has been tangible since last week."

"Master Splinter, can I ask why you paired us up to begin with? Is it only because we're the oldest?"

"Your ages have absolutely nothing to do with it, my son."

"Then what is it, Master? He and I are never gonna be like Don and Mike. We don't mesh that way."

"The purpose of your partnership isn't based on your complimentary personalities. That would be too easy. I set each pair up in the fashion which would encourage the most growth."

"Sensei, what do you mean? Do you want us to fight like this?"

"Fighting is not my wish for any of you. But the ability to work together as a unit demands a certain adaptability, a willingness not to stifle your partner. When you can learn to adjust according to one another's strengths and weaknesses, then you will truly be one."

"What about Donnie and Mike? It's never been this hard for them. Have you ever thought about switching us around? Seems like they already got what they need from each other."

"I would not do that, Raphael, not to them or you. Their personalities are not a perfect match any more than yours and Leonardo's. The difference lies in how they choose to deal with one another. Their differences bring them together, instead of pushing them apart. Each one excels at their specialty, and supports the other in theirs."

"I dunno," Raphael glumly. "Not sure if Leo and I can get there." He cocked his head after taking another drink of his tea. "Sensei, are you drugging me?"

"Yes. Now finish it."

"Hai, Sensei." (yes) He obediently swallowed another drink, and looked toward the Lab. "Leo doesn't want me for a partner. I sense it more every day."

"I do not agree, Raphael. Both of you are relying too much upon your feelings, and make far too many assumptions of what the other is thinking. You brother could not love you more."

"That ain't the problem, Sensei, never has been. We just can't work together."

The rat sighed. "You are not finished learning. It does not mean the two of you can go no further. Lie down, Raphael. Take some more rest. We can talk about this later."