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Chapter 20

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Michelangelo stirred slightly, and opened his eyes.

Raphael glanced over at the sudden movement and froze. The magazine he'd been holding spilled to the floor as he leaped up out of the chair and stood at his brother's side. "Mikey…" he breathed.

Michelangelo's eyes closed again for a few seconds, and then opened. He did this several times, Raphael all the while repeating his name softly.

Finally, his eyes open, Mike blinked a couple of times and looked at Raphael, seeing him. "…Raph…" he croaked.

"Yeah, it's me, little brotha'." Raphael could hardly contain his joy. He leaned over and hugged Michelangelo gently. "Welcome back, Mikey."

Rising back up, Raphael turned towards the doorway and shouted for the others. After quite a bit of commotion, Casey and Leo entered, followed by April and Master Splinter moments later.

Michelangelo was understandably foggy, but the familiar faces began to bring him back slowly. They all greeted him warmly, hugging and touching him, smiling and sniffing back tears.

Leonardo was smiling, but said with some concern, "Michelangelo… how do you feel?"

"Ugh… like shit…" He smirked a little, a face the old Mike had made a thousand times.

They laughed a bit at that. It was an easy sound, lifting some of the tension that had encased all of their lives for so long now. It wouldn't last long.

"…what happened… can't remember…"

"Easy there. It'll come back to ya. Just relax for now." But as Raphael laid a hand on Mike's shoulder, he wished just the opposite. Better off if he neva' remembers.

"Mike, uh, you were injured when…" Leonardo swallowed, looking at Raphael, "…when we fought with the Foot. You've been in a coma for the last week. But everything's fine now, you're going to be just fine."

Michelangelo nodded slowly. It was starting to make sense. He looked around the room. Right… he was in bed, in the infirmary. Everyone was here, looking after him, worried about him. Okay, no surprise there. But something seemed… off, somehow. Something was missing here, but what was it? His brow furrowed. It was like he could almost remember, but it was just out of reach. He looked down at himself and saw the bandages across his chest, then saw the many bruises and scars. Jeez, thought I felt pretty sore… they really got me good this time…

Then he saw something else.

At first, it looked like he was having a seizure. Michelangelo's hand gripped the side of the bed as though he was hanging on for dear life. Shaking and gasping for air, his horrified eyes became transfixed on his other arm.

Raphael and Leonardo each grabbed a shoulder and held him down. "MIKE! What's wrong!?" Michelangelo, unresponsive, was in total shock. Raphael turned around and yelled, "Ape! What the fuck's happenin' to 'im?"

April rushed up and put her hands on Michelangelo's cheeks, trying to get him to look at her. He was hyperventilating now. "Michelangelo? Mike! What is it!?" Following his gaze, she thought she understood.

She tore out the I.V. quickly, a small trickle of blood following it along his arm. Almost immediately his body relaxed somewhat, but he was still breathing too quickly.

"Easy, easy!" April turned his face up to look at hers. "Slow, deep breaths."

Michelangelo did as she instructed. He closed his eyes and drew a couple of deep breaths, then spoke. "I remember… I remember everything…" A flood of memory overwhelmed him, he was drowning in it.

A few more breaths, then: "Donnie." His eyes snapped open. That was it, what had been missing… Donatello wasn't here. His brother, whom last he'd seen as a prisoner, who'd been mortally wounded, was not here. "WHERE'S DONATELLO!?"

He lunged upwards, but Leonardo and Raphael both continued to hold him down gently. "EASY!" Raphael growled, "Don's here, he's alive." He sighed. "I guess we should fill ya in on the whole story."

Leonardo looked at Raphael, then down to Mike and also sighed. "Yes, I suppose there's no use in putting it off."

The room settled once more. April gently laid a hand on Michelangelo as she spoke. "Mike, I'll go make you something to eat, while you guys catch up." She stood to leave. "Casey, why don't you give me a hand?"

"Huh? What do ya need me for?" He said absently. She shot him a look. Oh, how he knew that look. "Oh, I mean, yeah… you're totally gonna need my help." As they both exited the room, Master Splinter came to Michelangelo's bedside.

"I will meditate now, my son. I will, however, return later to speak with you when you have finished with your brothers." He leaned in, embracing his son a second time. "I am glad you have returned to us, Michelangelo. I love you, my son."

"Thank you Sensei… father. I am glad to be home, and I love you too."

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They began by telling him about Donatello.

They left out some of the more heinous details, such as the night Donatello had gotten out of bed and left his room. Though they were set up to watch around the clock, Raphael had left briefly for a bathroom break. When he returned, Donatello was gone. Raphael had searched frantically, finally locating him in his own bedroom, crouched in the corner. Please, he was saying, I just want to go home… please let me go home… He kept repeating it over and over. Unaware that he was safe at home, his feverish mind was forcing him back into imprisonment.

When Raphael approached him, he cowered away, burying his face in the wall. "Don, it's me… it's okay." He tried to comfort him, but if Donatello had heard, he didn't act like it. "…brothers… my brothers… my brothers will come for me…" he mumbled, swaying. His head lolled to one side, and Raphael caught him just in time, picking him up and solemnly returning him to bed. Most of Don's episodes after that had been in reliving the experience, much to his brothers' dismay.

But they didn't need to tell him that. Regardless, he was going to want to see Don for himself, so it was best to prepare Mike somewhat. They made sure that Mike understood that Donatello was in bad shape, but didn't want to scare him with too much. When April had filled them in on his condition, even she remained vague about his chances. She didn't have to say, really. Based on what they'd all seen in this past week, it was obvious to everyone now that Donatello was going downhill fast.

"Guys… I need to see him." Michelangelo was desperate. "Help me up."

Leo stood up, grimacing slightly at his leg. "Mikey… you should probably stay in bed…" The words fell weakly, he spoke even as he stood and began supporting Mike's arm.

Michelangelo went slow, but managed to get to his feet. With a brother on either side of him, they all worked their way over to Donatello's room.

April was there, checking on Donatello's blood pressure. She looked a little surprised to see them at first, but smiled and finished up quickly. As she excused herself, she reminded Michelangelo not to overdo it.

When April left the room, no one spoke. Donatello lay quietly, only the sound of his breathing could be heard. Mike reached out and touched him on his good arm. "Hey Donnie." His voice was barely above a whisper.

Donatello's body tensed a little. "Don… it's me, Mikey." Michelangelo swallowed, fighting back tears, and went on. "I, uh, just wanted you to know that it's all good… I'm doin' fine now, so… so, no worries." Michelangelo just stood there for a minute, stroking Donatello's arm, then whispered, "Don, it's all over now… we made it, we're home. C'mon, you gotta wake up and hang out with us now."

"Mikey." Donatello spoke the word solidly, but did not open his eyes. All three turtles froze, their breath caught in their throats.

Remembering himself, Michelangelo spoke with a hopeful tone, "Yeah, Donnie… it's me, Mikey."

Donatello's eyes opened, but he did not look at his brothers. Instead, he stared at the ceiling, into nothing. "Mikey… it's going to be okay."

He went on. "Remember that time when we were kids… you started digging that tunnel in the junkyard? I tried to stop you at first, but you talked me into it. We spent so many hours building it… you dug out the main part, I added all that stuff to the inside. Remember how we used to sneak off there once in a while?" Donatello smiled calmly, tiredly.

"Y-yeah… it was pretty cool." Stuttering, Mike was taken aback.

He turned slightly in the direction of Michelangelo, but did not look into his eyes. Don's own eyes were still vacant, looking at something somewhere else. "Sometimes, I like to imagine that we're there, hidden away in the junk, where it's safe." He went on. "Mikey… it's going to be alright, little brother. I know that they're coming for us. I saw Leo, he swore they'd come." The comforting aspect of his voice was unnerving.

"Don… Donnie… it's okay. We're home now, it's all over." Michelangelo was clutching his shoulder and shaking it with his working hand, laying the splinted one across Donatello's chest. "Please Donnie… please wake up…"

But Donatello did not wake up. Instead, he drifted back off into sleep and nightmares.

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The dragged him back to bed.

"He… he took care of me… in there…" Mike was sobbing now, it was all just too much for him.

Raphael and Leonardo exchanged a look. "Mikey…" Leonardo said his name.

After a few deep breaths, Michelangelo recanted what he would of his story. He left out the worst of the details, only filling them in on what was necessary. Incredibly, he marveled, it was actually almost worse having to face his family now with it. Even though he held back the most horrible parts, the look on his brother's faces as he told his story was almost worse than anything he'd endured there.

When he finished, Leo began with their end of things, starting with the fight on the rooftops. Raphael interjected here and there, adding bits to the story, and eventually Michelangelo had a pretty good understanding of what had happened.

"So you just, like… jumped him like Batman?" Mike sounded incredulous. "Death-from-above, style? Damn."

"It got the job done." Arms crossed and acting cool, Raphael couldn't hide the satisfied smile creeping over the corner of his mouth.

Leo chuckled. "Yeah, I got to admit, it was pretty cool. Raph really let Shredder have it."

Mike's tone went serious again. "I'm sorry… sorry I caused so much trouble for you guys. If I'd been tougher like Donnie…"

"Michelangelo." Leo had his 'big brother' voice on now. "Whatever you believe, know that none of this was your fault in any way." He was standing by the bed now. Raphael followed suit, both of them looking down on their bedridden brother now. "If anything, it should be me apologizing to you."

"Uh, yeah… that makes two of us." Raphael looked slightly uncomfortable.

Before Mike could protest, Leo spoke. "Mike, you should really get some rest now. I'll send April in to check on you in a minute."

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