When Michelangelo emerged that morning, he had the impression that Leonardo had definitely heard something the night before, just by the way Donatello pounced on him the second he came downstairs.
"Well g'morning to you too, bro," Mike said glibly. "Would it be okay if I get something to eat before you give me the third degree?"
After a cursory examination, Donatello appeared to relax a little. "No third degree, Mikey, not as long as you promise me you're being honest. Do you have a real appetite?"
"Do you realize who you're talking to?"
"Stop trying to divert me, bro, it won't work."
Michelangelo exhaled softly in return. "My throat hurts, and I'm worn out. But I'm still hungry," he added with a pitiful look.
Donatello smiled. "Your temperature is normal, and I can't find any other reason to be concerned. You should still take it easy in the food department-"
"Are you trying to torture me?"
"It's just until I'm sure of where you stand physically, Mike. I'd like to do some more blood-work at some point today too."
Mike made a face. "You don't see a reason to worry, but you still gotta stick me? Sounds like more cruel and unusual punishment."
"Absolutely. Go ahead and add 'Torture Master' under my resume of qualifications."
Mike laughed, and accidentally kicked off another round of coughing at the same time. The orange-masked turtle saw Donatello tense, and Mike shrugged half-heartedly.
"I guess I shouldn't go to the show tonight. I'd be a noise risk."
Donatello gave him an unhappy glance, illustrating that his older brother agreed with him.
"Everyone has seen it by now, there's actually no reason all of us have to be there," Donny offered.
"Bro, it's the last performance. Don't you think about staying behind with me. I'm a grown turtle - I don't need a babysitter."
"What about a brother?" Donny asked softly.
Michelangelo reached to squeeze Donny's shoulder appreciatively. "Don, it's cool. I'll be fine. I want you guys to go and support Calley. She's done really good, and she deserves to have her 'brothers' there to cheer her on. Please don't make a big deal out of this, okay?"
Michelangelo was overjoyed to escape the Lab, and his purple-masked brother's guilt-ridden stare.
What, like it's his fault he can't knock this cough outta me? I swear, if the sky suddenly fell, he'd find some way to blame himself for it.
As Mike wandered into the kitchen, he found Jenna at the stove, pulling a steaming pan off of a burner. The raven-haired woman offered him what felt like a normal smile.
"Are you ready to eat?" Jenna's familiar Australian lilt was a comforting sound that made more of Michelangelo's irritation dissipate.
"Your husband is limiting me again. I'll be lucky to get a couple crusts of toast. You need to do something about him, Jen."
The woman chuckled. "Donny was your brother a long time before he was my husband, but I'll do my best, Mike. Can I get you something to drink?"
"Better make it something hot." The orange-masked turtle leaned his elbows heavily on the table in front of him, and rested his chin in one hand while he waited.
"What's your flavor preference with the bouillon, Mike? We've got both chicken and beef."
"Surprise me."
"I'll get some toast started too."
At the turtle's raised eyebrows, she laughed once more. "You can go crazy and eat the whole piece if you want, you don't have to limit it to the crusts."
Mike had just started to grunt a reply when his phone went off. He tugged it free from his belt, then looked at the number on the screen out of habit and cleared his throat before answering it. "Hey, Brandon. What's up?"
"Not too much, just a regular boring day around here," his friend offered.
"Aw, y' don't get to break in any new recruits today?"
"Nope, not until Friday. It's going to be a long week of waiting."
Mike could hear the grin in Brandon's voice.
"You'd think that the FBI could give you something to do on the days when you're not humbling their newest field agents. Are you missing the classroom finally?"
"Oh, I've got some things to do, it's just not as much fun. I was planning on inviting myself over tonight, to continue the marathon we started."
Michelangelo sighed inwardly. "Bran, you don't have to do this, all right? Karina is your sister, and a lot of this show is her choreography. You ought to be there too."
"Mike I've seen it a number of times already. Don't try shoving me off - I'm coming, whether you like it or not."
Mike rolled his eyes. "You'll do what you want, no matter what I think."
"You're getting it now. I'll see you tonight, okay?"
"Yeah, Bran, just make sure you bring some decent food. Donny wants to starve me."
"I've got you covered, Mike."
Michelangelo hung up the phone right about the time that Jenna was coming toward him with a mug from the microwave. He took a careful sip before waving at the woman to sit down. "Did you hear from your Mom?"
"About an hour ago. She and Tim are having a great time, and they really needed this. Both of their jobs are so demanding in different ways."
It had been a hard-fought battle to get Jenna's Mom and Calley's Dad to take the vacation, but the tickets being paid for made it more difficult to refuse.
"Honestly, it's not like they even went on a real honeymoon or anything. Both of them seem to think that the world will cease turning if they take some time off. They're a lot alike." Jenna laughed. "I considered asking the Consulate to bar my Mom from coming to work, but she eventually agreed to play along on her own."
Michelangelo snickered. "Tim wasn't any better. Calley had to talk to a couple of the higher-ups at the NYPD to set the vacation time up so he'd have to use it."
Jenna patted his arm. "It's been awhile since we got away from the city too. With Fall coming, the Adirondacks will be beautiful soon."
Mike nodded slowly. "It feels like I've been cooped up half the year. I missed most of the summer stuck underground with these stupid symptoms."
Jenna gave him a sympathetic look. "Hopefully there's a light at the end of that tunnel."
Mike smiled. "It's gotta happen sometime, sis."
When late afternoon rolled around, Mike was surprised to see Luke and Greg show up along with Brandon.
"What is this, an intervention?" Mike asked. "What did I do to get saddled with three babysitters, Doc?"
Luke gave him an easy smile. "I was already on baby duty. I've got to keep an eye on Reina, so I figured she might as well have some fun with her cousin Olivia."
Mike couldn't resist grinning at the toddling 18-month old. Reina staggered toward Michelangelo, arms outstretched to the turtle. He gave Luke a questioning glance.
"It's highly unlikely you could be contagious to her, Mike. I know we've been kind of careful, but if your brothers haven't even gotten sick, I doubt the kids are going to catch anything from you," Luke assured him.
Michelangelo scooped up the human girl, and planted a kiss on her forehead. "Hey, babe, I haven't seen enough of you lately."
Reina tugged hard on the tails of his bandana, and he carefully pulled her fingers free. "Take it easy, kid, no fair beating up on your favorite turtle."
Raphael made a scoffing sound as he sauntered into the room with Karina. "I don't see Reina beating on you if she likes you all that much, Mikey. Just wait until Liv is big enough, and both girls will be teaming up on you."
Mike cast a mock sorrowful look at the babbling turtle in Karina's arms. "You wouldn't gang up on your Uncle Mikey, would you, Olivia?"
Karina chuckled as she deposited the squirming turtle on Mike's other side, so that he was holding both little ones on the couch.
The orange-masked turtle rested one arm around each of them, and looked around at the group. "I've got my entertainment for the night. What are the rest of you going to do?"
Raphael shook his head. "Don't you go off spoiling my girl, Mike, or you'll end up having to keep her happy 24/7."
"Sounds good to me," Mike shot back cheerily.
"Go on, get out of here already," Luke ordered. "Kat's probably wondering where you are, Karina. Weren't you supposed to leave like twenty minutes ago?"
"If my sister doesn't expect me to be late by now, she doesn't know me at all, Luke. Don't get into too much trouble here, boys. Get my baby to bed at a decent hour."
Mike shot a glance at Greg and Brandon, nearly laughing at their innocent expressions. The two roommates were just as capable of causing trouble as all four turtles together.
"We'll be good, Kari, on our honor." Brandon winked. "Now go, before you miss the closing night altogether."
After the rest of his brothers and their wives had hustled out the door, Mike put down both the girls to play on the rug.
Greg gave the turtle a sidelong glance as he dropped onto the couch beside him. "How are you feeling, Mike?'
Michelangelo maintained an even smile. "I'm okay. What's up with you guys? Brandon complained things are boring with the FBI."
Greg chuckled. "He's just mad about not getting to beat anybody down. There's never a real lull at headquarters; bad guys don't like to take a day off. At least that's what Kat used to tell me when I whined about being bored."
"Well there's your answer," Brandon inserted. "If we could get you out from behind your computer and talk my big sister into taking you back, we could all tear up the field together. That's if you've still got it in you."
Greg gave him a somewhat menacing look, but Luke was the first to speak up.
"Kat doesn't need the encouragement to run back to the FBI. We're enjoying just being parents for the time being, thank you very much."
Michelangelo cocked his head. "Y'know there's a chance she might wanna return to the action someday, Doc," he pointed out.
Luke nodded. "I know that eventuality exists. I'm just not in a hurry to send her off to the 'battlefield' again."
"She could take up something in Intelligence like I did," Greg suggested.
"Kat's not gonna be satisfied with some desk job," Brandon scoffed. "Just because you've gone soft-"
"The fact that you can kick my tail won't stop me from putting up a fight, James," Greg interrupted.
Mike smiled at Greg's use of the nickname, the title by which the man had constantly addressed Kat when they were partners.
"Bring it on, Heff. I'm dying for a little excitement," Brandon returned.
"Me too, but let's get the babies out of the way first," Mike offered.
"I'm off duty, so any kind of bloodshed is on your own heads. Don't come crying to me about it," Luke announced.
"It's okay, Luke, you're not the only doctor we've got on speed-dial," Greg said.
"Marc should have his phone off by now," Luke replied. "You'll be stuck dragging your own tails to the ER."
Brandon smirked. "It's all good, Doc. You're just saving me the trouble of whomping Greg into next week. Sayuri might have been rescued from a tremendous disappointment. I don't know how she'd manage without your weekly chats," he teased him.
Greg made another face as his cheeks colored. "Don't bring my girl into this. I might surprise you someday, 'Mr. Taekwondo Master'."
"I'm not going to be holding my breath, Heff."