"Mikey" Leo sighed, making a move to break free of his grip, but Mikey stuck on like glue. HIs breath rasped more and more as he continued to plead. " No! If you go. and Raph goes, I won't be able to stand it! I'll just shrivel up and die!"

Good old melodramatic Mikey. But Leo's heart softened completely by then, and he stared at Raph with pleading in his own eyes as Mikey continued to babble on about how good he would be and how much life without Leo sucked. Ralph nodded the slightest, glowering the whole time, and cleared his throat. He patted Mikey on the shoulder. "Hey, Mikey, don't get so worked up. He ain't going anywhere. Are ya, Leo?" The challenge in the last words was unmistakable.

Leo stared back, in stunned surprise. "What? YEs, of course! I'm not going anywhere. I...I meant that I'm going down to the Dojo and wait for you and Raph and Don to calm down enough to join Master Splinter and me. That's all."

Mikey stared at him with uncomprehending eyes for a moment. Then his forehead hit his side with a slight thud. HIs shoulders shook with emotion and his shuddering gaps or air. Finally he said between gasps, "Should have...been clearer."

Leo sighed and made to move away again. He finally got what Mikey thought he had meant. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." HE said as kindly as he could, kneeling to wrap his arms around his little brother. Mikey started, then leaned his head on Leo's shoulder and cried softly.

"Shh, it's okay. Everything is okay." Leo soothed

"Ya going to live, Mikey?" Raph asked, squatting at his other side, with a concerned expression.

Mikey nodded slightly, as he hung on to Leo and tried to gain control of himself. Both Leo and Raph watched him with growing concern. Mikey's skin was paler than normal, and growing paler by the minute. He was calmer, but his breath continued to come out in thin, rough gasps.

"Better go get Donnie." Leo sighed, getting up to his feet. But he had no time for more than that. The door flew open, and Donnie himself stood there glaring at them. "What the shell is all the racket about? I can't hear myself think!" He yelled, making both Raph and Leo jump.

then Don's glare fell on Mikey, and froze. THe rage flew away, and he started toward the three. "What…...what did you do now, Leo?" he snapped, as he settled on the side Leo hastily vacated for him.

"I did nothing!" Leo protested, staring at Don, startled.

"Yeah right...Okay, just focus on breathing, Mikey. Deep as you can draw in."

Leo wondered idly how Donnie could change tone in the same sentence being uttered. Besides, him being blamed for every bad thing that happened was starting to get old. Then he took a closer look as Don gently comforted their baby brother. His face was wet with tears, his purple mask hung loosely around his neck. Was Donnie crying? What could have happened to upset him that much. Then Leo's face paled. That couldn't be what was wrong? Surely not!

"Here, let me help." Leo started to offer but Don stopped him from speaking with a withering expression. "I think you helped enough for one day."

"Come on, lets get back to the dojo." Raph cut in quickly, his gentle tone belied him shoving Leo hard away from Don and Mikey. "We gotta tell Splinta about this."

Mikey managed to smile reassuringly at them, right before Don whisked him out of sight and into the infirmary. It worked too. Leo felt somewhat encouraged. But he was beginning to see just why Don was so insistent in him talking to Mikey. That was freaky.

"What happened?" He asked as he allowed himself to be steered away from the new war zone. "Mikey never had asthma."

"Panic attack." Raph answered shortly. "He gets em sometimes. Nowadays. Don thinks it was all the stress of, well, you being away so long, and the parties. And, you know, life."

"What do you mean by life?"

Raph, paused, frowning. "Meaning stuff I ain't going into right now." He said at last, sternly.

Leo knew when not to push Raph, at least most of the time. NOw was not a time to push.

"What else do I need to know?" He asked instead, humbly. "I really need to know what happened to you guys in the last few years."

Raph sighed, and gave a last shove. "Don't worry, we'll catch ya up, but ya gotta wait for the right time."

"Can you tell me about what happened to Timothy?"

"Aw, shell!" Raph growled. "Whatcha gotta be asking me for?"

"I have nobody else to ask right now."

"Shell. I hate this."

Leo waited him out, as they started walking toward the dojo at last. Finally, at the door, Raph sighed, and absently rubbed the back of his neck. "Fine, whatever. I'll tell once we report. I don't think we'll have a full training session, way today's shaping anyways."

"Fair enough." Leo nodded. He was now fairly sure that he knew where this was going. And just as sure that he really didn't want to hear the rest, and have his suspicions confirmed, even though he probably needed to.

"That stupid, self-righteous, annoying mincing, prancing prig!" Donnie muttered in a low growling voice as he helped Mikey onto a cot, with gentle hands that rather forcefully bellied the dark anger in his voice.

"Dude...chillax." Mikey managed between gasps.

"Don't talk." Don commanded firmly. "Just focus on your breathing."

Mikey sighed and immediately regretted it, as he fought to get his breath back a few seconds after. He obeyed the order, and pulled shaky breath after breath as he watched Don dart from station to station with the ease of long practice. The infirmary, or the sick bay, as Mikey liked to call it, was not exactly at the level of the hospitals Mikey saw on T.v. But considering what Don had to work with, it was a very impressive room in it's own way. Everything was cleaned to within an inch of it's life, and all the supplies was kept in pristine order, what supplies there are anyway. the last couple of years, the supplies grew rapidly with the money from the jobs. Money that was now less than before, now that Mikey gave up Cowabunga Carl.

Mikey felt guilty for a moment, for having quit his own job recently. But everyone finally agreed that the parties were causing him too much stress, that if he really wanted to give it up, he can. Mikey had the feeling that Leo would not be really happy until Don quit his job as well. Hah! Good luck with that one!

soon, mikey had an oxygen mask on over his beak, a water bottle beside him and a game boy in his hands. He didn't turn it on just yet, however. He just stared at Don pensively. Don put a bell beside the water, and smiled his small thoughtful smile at his current patient. "I'm going for my laptop. And to check on Master Splinter to let him know what is going on. He'll understand, I'm sure. Need anything while we are at training, you ring that bell. I'll be right up."

"How..."

"Shhh. With this." He soothed, tapping the headphones on his head. "INtercom hookup. No wires. If you sneeze, I'll know about it. I'll be back if you need anything at all. If you get tired, lay down. Okay?"

Mikey Nodded wordlessly.

"Need anything before I go?"

Mikey shook his head at that, and watched Don, a.k.a super mother hen, leave. A single tear soaked silently into a bright orange mask. He put the game boy down on the table beside the water and bell. The game inside was cool and all, but he didn't want to play just now. He was too rattled still. He glanced at the door with a guilty expression then carefully got up and made his way to the desk, and picked up a pen and notebook. Making his way back, he settled down and was soon scribbling furiously. A tiny smile graced his mouth under the mask as he breathed in the medicated air into his lungs. The magic of writing slowly made him relax.

Leo and Raph turned to stare as Don stalked into the dojo, a grim expression on his face. HE walked over to Master Splinter, who turned to face the door as well. Bowing respectfully, he said softly. "Sorry for being so late, but Mikey needed some attention. He won't be able to come to training today, sensei. He had one of his attacks."
"I understand. I hope he will be feeling better soon." Splinter answered gently. "Both Leonardo and Raphael already voiced their concern."
"I'm sure they did." Don muttered, glancing at Leo with a spiteful expression.
Splinter watched him, with concern. "Donatello, kneel before me." He commanded.

Don stared at Splinter in confusion, but did as he was told. Splinter sighed. "I thought so. YOu feel very warm. YOu should go rest as well, my son."

"I can't! I got to keep an eye on Mikey, Master! This attack was really bad."
"YOu can keep an eye on him better when you are well rested. You are excused from training as well, but I will come to see you later. To make sure you are resting as you are supposed to."
"Hai, Sensei." Don sighed and walked away after getting back to his feet, and bowing again.

Leo watched him go, with a frown. "What was that all about."
"...beats me."
"Raph, you know something, don't you."
"Look, all I know is Don's been sick a lot. I'm sure it ain't anything. He's working too hard again."

"That's worrisome."
"YOu still have to tell me what happened to Tim, Raph."
"I will. After training. Remember?"
"Fine. Fine."
The two fell back into the kata they were working on before Don came in, and on Splinter's signal, started again.