This chapter took a little longer but is absolutely jam packed with angst. Leo worries about Raph, Don worries about Raph, Midori mostly in the background for the first half and comes back in at the end. We get some nice M & M (Midori and Mikey) bonding, and Splinter being the concerned rat father that he is.

Ch. 33-Someone's Gotta Give

The minutes dragged on. Time came to a near standstill. Midori began to rock back and forth in anxiousness and dread. She cradled his head in her hands, murmuring softly to him.

Shell, she didn't know what else to do. She didn't have any medical supplies, and even if she did, she lacked the knowledge necessary to treat the injuries that needed urgent care. She couldn't move him, he was at least a good eighty pounds heavier than she was. And in his current state, moving him probably wasn't the best idea.

Midori's whispers grew softer and her pleas more insistent as more time ticked slowly past. Raph seemed to be going in and out of consciousness. There was an occasional groan and every-so-often a sudden twitch, but his eyes still did not open.

Midori pressed her forehead against his, tenderly. "I love you…so much. Please. Please hang in there for me." She begged, her voice hoarse, her eyes filled with tears.

Someone landed in the alley behind her, but Midori's attention was focused solely on Raphael. A hand grabbed her shoulder. The kunoichi's battle instincts flared. She shot up and turned on her assailant with her jitte in her hands.

There was a vague sound of surprise before twin katanas crossed the ancient steel weapons with a clang. Golden eyes slowly recognized the form of the eldest turtle through the dark sheets of rain cascading down on the roof around them. She sheathed her weapons and turned to gaze back at Raphael.

Leo's dark blue eyes followed Midori's gaze and fear clawed at his heart as he beheld the red-masked turtle laying limp on the ground. He rushed over and dropped to his knees, staining his kneepads in water and mud. Leo didn't care. The only thing that he cared about at this particular moment was his brother.

Donatello and Michelangelo dropped down into the alley with soft thuds. Donnie was carrying his black, medical bag. Mikey froze about two yards away, in fear.

Leonardo was bent over Raphael, with tears in his eyes and a hitch in his voice. "I never should have let you come alone. I wish—" Leo stopped himself. The eldest ran a hand over his immediate younger brother's cheek as Raphael's words echoed: Not all wishes can come true, Leo. "I love you, little brother. Please don't leave us…me…I'm not ready for this."

There was fear in Leo's eyes. Leonardo, the oh-so-fearless-leader was afraid. Michelangelo was terrified. Leo was afraid. Mikey couldn't move. He was paralyzed with fear.

Donatello pushed past the youngest turtle and moved straight to Raphael's side. He bent down and felt for Raph's pulse. His observant, brown eyes ran over Raph's injuries. "We need to get him back to the lair."

Leonardo had never driven so fast in his entire life. Don hadn't said anything about how quickly they needed to get back, but Leo had caught the grim glint in the brainiac's eyes. The sooner the better. Hang in there Raph.

Donatello was thinking much the same thing, as he did what he could to stop the bleeding from the wound in Raph's side. He patched it up and then began immediate work on the other cuts, particularly the ones that were losing a lot of blood.

The second they entered the lair, Michelangelo and Leonardo lifted Raphael onto the lab table. Mikey frowned, his eyes filled with tears. He wanted to reach out, to say something, anything, but he couldn't. He was too afraid. Afraid of losing his best friend. The youngest turtle took a step back, allowing Donatello to go to work.

But Leonardo wouldn't budge. The eldest stood there. One of his hands gently ran over Raphael's.

The brainiac put his hand on Leo's shoulder and pulled the eldest away. Leo resisted and Don glared. "Leonardo, I need to examine him. The longer you hold me back, the more you endanger our brother's life. I understand how you feel, but I need you to back off."

Leo frowned, but he pulled away.

At that second, Raphael twitched and a small groan escaped him.

Leo's eyes widened.

Donnie patted the side of Raph's face gently. "Raph. Raph! Raphael, can you hear me?"

Raph shook his head back and forth, as though trying to loosen Don's grip.

"Open your eyes, Raph."

"Nuh." The red-masked turtle whimpered.

Leo bent back down by Raphael's side and whispered, pleadingly, "C'mon Raphie, please. Please, little brother, for me?"

Emerald Green eyelids fluttered open just the tiniest bit. "Leo?"

The blue-masked turtle let out a wan smile. "Yeah, little brother, I'm here." Raph's right hand slowly lifted, as though reaching for something. Leonardo took it slowly into one of his own. "We're here."

Suddenly Raph's eyes snapped shut and he grimaced. His grip tightened and his breathing rate quickened.

Don's brown eyes flashed his hand shot out to brush against Raphael's skin. "Rapid breathing. Skin is cool, clammy and uncharacteristically moist, slight paleness—"

"Leo…what's…? I can't…?" Raphael was pale and confused.

"Confusion…" Don's eyes widened as he made a rapid diagnosis. "Leo!" Don yelled, desperately. "He's going into hypovolemic shock!"

The blue-masked turtle felt panic rise in his chest at Donnie's tone. "Well, what's that mean?"

"It means he's lost too much blood." Don turned to the youngest, "Mikey get the rolling lab table, now!"

Mikey nodded. He found the table and frowned, "It's got stuff on it!" he yelled.

"Then knock it off!" Don yelled, insistently.

Mikey did as told and rushed the table over next to the one Raphael was laying on.

Donnie's eyes were bland as he went on, "Alright, I need everybody out." The genius turned to his eldest brother, "Except you. Get on that table."

Midori, who until then had watched in silent shock, keeping her distance from the commotion shot forward, only to be held back. She turned and glanced down at the hand tightly grabbing her wrist, then up to it's owner. Mikey's face was grim.

"Come on, sis. I know you wanna stay, but…we gotta go so Don can do his thing. Raph will be okay. Please. I know you're worried, and probably scared. Shell, I'm scared! I'm absolutely terrified, but our hanging around isn't going to help anybody."

Midori's eyes softened and she cast one last, concerned glance at Raphael, before turning away and allowing Mikey to lead her away.

Leonardo did as Don ordered without question. He knew what was coming. In a family of ninjas, you had to be prepared for everything. As such, they were all aware of their respective blood types. He and Raph were the only ones with O positive.

Mikey was A positive, Donnie was AB positive and Master Splinter was also A positive. Which meant that Raph and Leo could give to any of their family members, but they could only receive from one another.

The eldest turtle held out his arm as Donatello approached him with the needle. Leo felt the prick as it pierced the skin, but paid it no heed.

Instead, he turned his head so that he could stare at Raphael on the lab table next to him. Hang in there, little brother. Donnie's gonna get us both through this. I promise.

About ten minutes later, Leo began feeling a little bit dizzy. Donatello stopped his work on Raphael and rushed over to remove the needle. Just as the brainiac was about to do so, Leonardo's hand stilled him.

"No Don, take as much as you need."

Donatello shook his head and swatted Leo's hand away. " I can't do that, Leo. He needs more than you can afford to give, and I'm not about to risk both of you." His voice was stern. He removed the needle smoothly and effectively, quickly stopping the bleeding and taping a cotton ball over it tightly.

"I can give more" Leo argued insistently.

Don's eyes narrowed. "No you can't, Leo. I already came close to losing one brother today. Like I said, I'm not going to risk losing another."

"But Raph…"

"Raphael will be fine, his blood levels are low, but stable, thanks to you. I also managed to patch up that wound in his side, so he shouldn't be losing any more blood any time soon." Don stated as he bent over his immediate older brother and removed the equipment. Leo sat up and was about to get up, but Don caught him and pushed him back, making him sit with his back propped up against the wall. "Oh no you don't. You can sit up, but you're staying here. It's not safe for you to get up just yet."

Leo's hands gripped the cup that the brainiac shoved into his chest. Water?

"You need fluids. Drink." The genius commanded.

Leo did as he was told. When the water was gone, Don took the cup, refilled it and gave it back to him.

Don opened his mouth to speak, but Leo cut him off. "I know: Drink."

Don nodded. Then he turned back to Raphael and began work on Raph's shell.

Leo drank the second glass of water more slowly as he watched Donatello at work. His dark blue eyes deepened with thought as he stared. He pondered how the intelligent turtle could do all of this. Wasn't Donatello as disturbed as they were? Didn't it bother him that Raphael's injuries were so extensive, so threatening?

"It does get to me sometimes."

Leo belatedly realized he'd been staring directly at the brainiac. "How did you know what I was…?"

"I know that look, Leo. I've seen it before, though it usually comes from Raph. It's not that I don't feel anything, big brother. But I have to push all of that aside. I have to live with it. I have to go to work, because in the end, I'm the only one standing between you guys and death. I have to push past my feelings, past my doubts and all my shortcomings, so that I can save your lives." As the brainiac finished wrapping Raph's carapace, his brown eyes landed on Raphael's left arm. It looked abnormal, dislocated at the elbow. "I'm gonna need Sensei's help for this." With that thought, the smart turtle left the lab.

Leonardo stared after Donnie in awe. When did my little purple-masked brother get so strong? He wondered absently.

A moment later, Don returned with Sensei. They moved over to Raphael's side and gripped his arm. Slowly, they began to move Raph's bones back into place.

Don glanced at Leo and muttered, "You might wanna look away, Leo."

Leo wanted to, but found himself unable to. He watched with pained eyes as Raphael, unconscious though he was, whimper and try to pull away from the source of pain.

He watched and his eyes widened as he was presented with a repeat of the events of all those years ago. When they were almost seven…When he had failed.

He had failed again. He had failed to protect Raphael again! I won't let you get hurt again, Raphael. I swear it. Echoed through his mind as tears rolled down his cheeks.

There was no greater failure than this.

With Midori and Michelangelo, following their leaving the lab...

After Donatello booted them out of the lab, things had grown increasingly tense. There was a long moment of silence, before big, blue eyes turned to Midori. There was a subtle pain in Mikey's eyes, accentuated even further by a slight undertone of fear.

Midori's lip pushed out slightly. It was no secret that Raphael had a soft spot in his heart for his youngest brother. Therefore it was no surprise that Michelangelo rapidly managed to worm his way into her heart. The orange-masked turtle was now as much her little brother as he was Raphael's.

If Mikey's grim expression was any indication, this experience had completely derailed him. It hurt Midori to see him in such poor spirits. She was not particularly good with reassurance.

Handling Raphael was one thing. Handling his brothers was a whole different ball game. Anger was easy, but she was not a touchy-feely kind of person. As worried as she was about her boyfriend, Michelangelo needed her. And somehow, Midori knew that Raph would want her to do all she could.

Mikey had turned away and now had his back to her. Slowly, she reached out and wrapped her arms around him in a backwards hug. Michelangelo turned around and pressed into the hug, returning it full force.

Midori rubbed his carapace gently, the way she often did when Raphael was upset.

Mikey leaned into her sweet embrace. He sobbed into her shoulder, blubbering about all the things that he hadn't been able to tell Raph before the hothead left.

Midori said nothing, offering silent reassurance and support, which, strangely enough, was exactly what Michelangelo needed most. Someone with an open ear.

Eventually Mikey quieted and he pulled away. The youngest turtle's face went three shades paler, and Midori reached out to support him, fearing he was about to keel over.

"Mikey, what is it?! Are you alright?"

"Splinter." Mikey stated. "We…I have to report to Master Splinter."

Midori was still in her vigilante attire, minus her helmet, which she had left behind in all of the concern and commotion. Gloved fingers gripped Mikey's shoulder gently. "I'm going with you."

Michelangelo shook his head. "Leo usually does it, but Leo's…" Baby blue eyes glanced worriedly at the closed door to the lab. The youngest turtle straightened. "I have to do it."

Midori maintained her tight grip on his shoulder. "I understand that, Mikey. I know that you have to do it. But I see no reason why you should have to do it alone."

Mikey's smile was bitter sweet and he gave Midori a quick hug. When the orange-masked turtle spoke his voice was soft and filled with emotion. "Thanks, sis."

Midori cupped the side of Mikey's face gently. "Don't mention it. C'mon, let's go report before it gets any later."

After Midori and Mikey had both relayed the latest occurrences to their Sensei, Splinter's expression was grave. "I shall go and assist Donatello." The rat left the dojo with Midori and Michelangelo right at his heels.

It was the kunoichi who spoke first. "Master Splinter, that may not be wise. Donatello said he needed to be free of other distractions, that is why he refused to let us stay. I suggest that all three of us wait until he says otherwise."

The old rat turned back to them and his shoulders deflated. Splinter lowered his head and tried to conceal his concern. "You are right, my child. I almost allowed my emotions as a father to interfere with what is best for my son. Thank you, Midori."

"You are welcome, oji san."

The rat smiled a little when she addressed him as uncle. Her mother's influence, no doubt. With little warning, the rat father pulled his youngest son and his 'niece' close to him. Both teenagers latched on without question or resistance. They needed this as much as he did.

After raising four mutant turtle sons, Splinter had learned that children so often needed reassurance and hugs really were the best medicine a father could provide.

Whenever they were pained, or stressed, or hurt, he simply wrapped them in his embrace and the rest of the world ceased to exist. It was just him and little turtle sons. Nothing could harm them while they were wrapped in his arms.

But they had grown so fast. They no longer needed hugs as much as they used to. Strangely enough, Splinter found that he was now the one seeking reassurance from them. Ironic, the way life turns around, isn't it, old rat? He thought to himself.

Eventually they moved over to the couch, where they all sat and waited anxiously. Splinter quickly found himself with teenagers snuggling up against him on both sides. I wonder if they realize that they are comforting me as much as I am comforting them? He thought. The tension in the atmosphere beyond their position indicated that they were all well aware that they were soothing each other's fears.

They remained that way for what felt like eons. Suddenly, the lab door opened with a creak and three heads shot up, and turned around to stare at Donatello. The brainiac seemed a little stunned, but quickly moved on. "Um, Sensei?"

The old rat stood.

"I'm going to need your help with this."

Splinter nodded and shakily stood. Before the purple-masked turtle could disappear back into the lab, the rat father caught his shoulder. "How is he?"

Don relaxed a little. "He's through the worst of it."

Everyone in the room let out a relieved sigh.

But Midori's frown didn't fade. "No comlpications?"

"As far as I can tell, he's going to be just fine. Leonardo should be, too."

Splinter's head snapped up, "Leonardo? What happened to Leonardo?"

Don's tone was very annoyed. "Raph needed blood. Leonardo just failed to tell me when the indicator meter reached the maximum. Meaning he gave more blood than he should have and nearly risked going into shock himself. The self-sacrificing leader jeopardized his own safety to save Raph. And while I can say the thought was appreciated, I was not at all pleased. Anyway, he's resting now and should be good to go in a couple of minutes. He's in a for a nice long lecture, too."

"So, Raphie's gonna be okay?" Mikey asked softly.

Donatello was about to be blunt, when he realized there were tears in his youngest brother's eyes. Slowly the genius reached out and pulled Michelangelo into a reassuring hug. "Yes, little brother, Raph is going to be just fine."

The whole room felt brighter at the prospect.

"Master Splinter I need your assistance. Raph's elbow was dislocated and I was hoping you'd be able to assist me with the reduction."

Splinter's face darkened. "Which elbow?"

"The left."

The old rat lowered his gaze. "The same one he dislocated as a child."

Donatello nodded. "Hai, Sensei."

"Is it serious?"

The tension slowly returned as everyone turned back towards Donatello. The tension was slowly breathed out as Don shook his head negative. "It's not very serious at all considering. I was concerned that there was a fracture, but I've run scans and Raphael appears to have been quite lucky."

"The longer we wait the harder it will be on Raphael. Come Donatello." Splinter stated and the two of them headed for the lab. The old rat held back, allowing his third son to lead the way. Splinter glanced back over his shoulder at Michelangelo, who still looked quite fearful. He smiled as he saw Midori lead the youngest of his sons back over to the couch and comfort him. She is a very sweet child. She would make a very fine wife.

The old rat cut his thoughts off right there. That is not your decision to make, Yoshi. That is hers and Raphael's, if Raphael is indeed ready for that kind of commitment.

Indeed, now was not the time.

Okay, so how was it? Review please!

I've always considered Leo the self-sacrificing type, haven't you? (We'll sort out his whole blaming himself thing later…)

And what about Midori and Mikey moments? Were they believable (yes, no, maybe so)?

How as Splinter and sons' relationship?

Okay, important question…Where exactly was Splinter's mind taking him at the end there? (Waggles eyebrows in very Mikey-like suggestive fashion)

What do you guys think of Splinter's musings?