*Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise.
*Author's Notes: I've returned with chapter 23 of 'Slash's Revenge' and this is an extremely emotional one. I'm not going to lie. It made me cry several times while editing it.
Oodles and oodles of thanks to each and every one of you for sticking with this story. I truly hope you enjoy the chapter. ٩(●ᴗ●)۶
CJ
Chapter 23 – Bad Blood
Balance had never been something Leonardo had struggled with. At least, not up until now…
Against his better judgment, Leo had opted to let Casey Jones stay behind the wheel of the Shellraiser so that the oldest turtle could help tend to his wounded brother. A decision the leader was seriously regretting as he fell on his backside for the third time in the last four minutes. The family was doing their best to keep Donatello still, but it was kind of hard when they were being whipped around like they were stuck inside a blender.
Leo was just about to call Casey out on his reckless driving skills, when Raph beat him to the punch.
"CASEY! What the shell, man? I thought you said you could drive this thing!"
"I can, yo!" Casey Jones peered up at the rearview mirror to see Raphael's fierce, green eyes glaring at him. Nothing out of the ordinary. In the couple of weeks since they'd met, Raph had already given Casey this look multiple times, but it still managed to rub the teenage human the wrong way. Maybe that's because he knew he was an amazing driver. Anyone who said otherwise didn't know what the heck they were talking about. "It's not my fault this baby's a total tank!"
"Well, why don't you try warning us the next time YOU'RE GONNA SLAM ON THE BRAKES?!" Each word of Raph's question was noticeably louder than the previous one, like someone was turning up a volume knob. By the time he finished with what he had to say, the hotheaded turtle's voice could probably be heard for several city blocks.
Assuming Raphael could see him in the mirror, Casey gave the temperamental turtle the evil eye.
"Nobody likes a backseat driver, dude!"
"Oh, yeah? Well, you're gonna like me a heck of a lot less if you keep driving the way you are, Jones! Get your head out of your – "
"RAPH!"
Poking his head up to glance at his two oldest brothers, Mikey formed his lips into a perfect circle as if to silently say, 'Oh, no you didn't.' The youngest turtle found himself wondering if Leo had completed Raph's sentence like that on purpose. The mere thought of prim and proper Leonardo saying 'get your head out of your Raph' would have been absolutely hilarious if not for the grim circumstances. As it was, Michelangelo just lowered his gaze without so much as a peep, focusing his attention back on Donnie.
They had all taken their turn at trying to get Donatello to open his eyes, but save for a few pitiful moans, he remained unresponsive. His head was currently resting in Master Splinter's lap so the worried father could keep him from getting tossed around too much. The bumpy ride made it nearly impossible for them to administer even the most basic first aid. They didn't want to risk injuring Donatello any further.
As much as it pained Splinter, he had done everything he could for his wounded child at this point, other than trying to keep him comfortable.
Master Splinter let out a sharp exhale, frustrated with the helplessness of the situation.
Once they arrived back at the lair, they would be better able to assess Donatello's condition as well as care for his many wounds, but until then, they were essentially just killing time.
Feeling the overpowering need to do something other than wait, Splinter patted his unconscious son on the less swollen cheek yet again in a vain effort to rouse him. "Donatello, can you hear me? We will arrive home shortly and would all prefer if you were awake for the occasion."
No movement came from Donnie, much to all their heartbreak.
Blinking back his tears, Master Splinter soothingly stroked his feverish son's forehead, while his three other sons applied pressure to whatever wounds they could, just trying to stop their genius brother from losing any more blood.
"There's gotta be some other way to help him." If the tone of Raphael's voice was any indicator, he was on the verge of tears. One look in his sorrowful eyes revealed as much.
Desperately wanting to come up with a solution to make his family whole again, Mikey blurted out the first thing he could think of. "Maybe if we stop and get a pizza, that'll help wake him up."
As to be expected, the suggestion didn't sit well with the hotheaded turtle, who was already an emotional train wreck to begin with.
"MIKEY! How can you even think about food at a time like this?"
The harsh words made the youngest turtle flinch and his bottom lip started to quiver out of control. "I… I was just trying to help."
It only took an instant for Raphael to regret his actions, and when he did, he felt a whopping two inches tall.
Had he learned nothing from this horrible ordeal?
"I know you were, little brother. I'm sorry."
The sound of the youngest turtle sniffling only added to Raph's guilt. Luckily, Casey's voice soon rang out, effectively distracting the temperamental turtle from his misery.
"Guys, we're just about there!"
A fleeting glimpse ahead told Master Splinter that they had entered the sewer tunnels. It would only be a matter of minutes until they reached their destination. "Perhaps it would be best to contact April and prepare her for our arrival. Donatello has lost a great deal of blood. We will most likely need to do a transfusion when we get back to the lair."
While Leonardo quickly went about fulfilling his father's request, Mikey's round face scrunched up with uncertainty.
"A trans-fa-who-sion?"
"Transfusion, my son," Master Splinter gently corrected his youngest child, giving him the most reassuring expression he could muster at the moment. "It is a means to transfer blood to someone."
"Where are we gonna get the blood?"
It never ceased to amaze Master Splinter just how truly innocent Michelangelo could be. Despite the many hardships they had been through, Michelangelo remained almost as pure as the day he and his brothers were first allowed to go up to the surface. He was living proof that there was still good in the world.
"I am afraid it will need to come from one of you three, as you all share the same blood type as your brother." How grateful Master Splinter was that his intellectual son had had the foresight to test all their blood types in the case of a medical emergency. The genius turtle had also trained his father and April on how to administer a transfusion, in the event that the need should ever arise.
Donatello's good sense could quite possibly save his own life.
"So how do we get the blood from us to him?" A baffled expression accompanied Mikey's unusually timid inquiry. He seemed to be quite troubled by the whole transfusion concept. Perhaps because he had watched one too many late-night vampire movies.
"We have to use a tube, my son."
Master Splinter's rather vague answer failed to make Michelangelo any less confused, but Raphael knew exactly what his father was talking about.
"I'll do it. Whatever he needs. Take it all if you have to." Determination set on his face like a stone, the hotheaded turtle offered up his arm as collateral.
"I do not believe that will be necessary." While Master Splinter appreciated his second oldest son's obvious eagerness to help Donatello, he couldn't help but to worry about Raphael's current mental state. The temperamental turtle was far too willing to sacrifice himself, most likely because he felt responsible for what had come to pass.
It was evident that Donatello wasn't only brother who had been badly hurt by Slash's actions.
Master Splinter made a mental note to have a heart-to-heart with Raphael on the matter, but this would have to wait until Donatello's condition improved. The wounded turtle's health took precedence over everything else for the time being.
"We'll all take turns, Raph." Apparently finished talking with April, Leonardo reentered his family's conversation as though he had never missed a beat.
"Let us hope there is no need for turns." The sadness in Master Splinter's tone was nothing short of painful. His shimmering gaze drifted back down to Donatello, once again examining the visible injuries that had been inflicted upon his young son. As bad as these physical wounds were, Splinter couldn't help but to wonder just how severe the wounds underneath were.
The ones they could not see…
The Shellraiser soon came to a rather abrupt stop, sending everyone in the back of the vehicle tumbling forward. Raphael instantly growled his disapproval, but said nothing. For the moment, he was too concerned about Donatello to yell at Casey. The hotheaded turtle then lurched forward and gathered his wounded brother up, bridal-style, before anyone else had a chance to. Getting up to his feet was a bit more challenging than Raph had anticipated, but he managed to force himself up into a vertical position without jostling his injured brother around too much.
"Raph, let us help." Leo stepped forward to offer his assistance, but the temperamental turtle clung to Donatello's wilted body tightly, almost like a selfish child unwilling to share a toy.
"I got him, Leo!" Giving his older brother a scowl that warned 'don't mess with me,' Raphael then climbed out of the Shellraiser and marched towards the lab with his unconscious brother draped in his arms. Donnie's left arm dangled towards the floor in an unnatural position, flopping with each step Raph took. The sight made the second oldest turtle shake with rage as Slash's words from the night he had taken Donnie came flooding back…
"Do you think that Donatello's arm is fully healed yet?"
Through blurry eyes, Raph peered down at his unconscious brother, unable to stop the awful sound of Donnie's screams from echoing inside his brain once again.
For the past eleven days, Raph had tried not to think about what Slash had done to his brother to get him to scream the way he had, but now that the hotheaded ninja was staring at the evidence, he felt like a volcano ready to erupt. Anger pushing him onward, Raphael picked up his pace and rushed inside the lab with the others following behind him in just as hasty fashion.
Having heard the sound of the Shellraiser approaching, April had done her best to get things ready for the family's arrival, but no amount of planning or organizing could have possibly prepared her for what she saw. The second they entered the lab, all of April's busy work stopped cold. She just stood there gaping at Donatello's severely beaten form, lying limp in Raph's hold. "Oh my God!"
Not paying any attention to April's startled reaction, Raphael laid Donatello out on the table the teenage girl had cleared off for them. Judging by the mountain of stuff piled on top of Donatello's desk, Raph was guessing that April had assembled every medical supply in the lair she could find. Had the genius turtle been awake, he would have no doubt been impressed by her resourcefulness. Then again, had the genius turtle been awake, they wouldn't have had a need for all that stuff…
"Okay, let's get this transfusion started." Pulling up a chair, Raph said down next to his wounded brother, all set to donate as much blood as Donnie required.
"April, do you remember what Donatello taught you about transfusions?"
"I – I think so." It was obvious from the tentativeness in April's response that she did not feel one hundred percent confident with the task being asked of her, but at the same time, there was determination beaming in her oversized, blue eyes. There was no question she wanted to help Donatello in any way possible, even if it meant stepping outside of her comfort zone.
"If you require assistance, I will be right here." Master Splinter offered a frail smile to convey his appreciation for April's assistance before continuing. "Leonardo and Casey, will you please tend to Donatello's hand? It appears to be the wound from which he is losing the most blood."
"Hai, Sensei." After a quick bow of his head, Leo went about gathering the medical supplies he thought he and Casey would need to clean and patch up Donnie's hand. The leader hadn't actually seen the injury at this point, but based on the heavy bleeding, he guessed the wound was going to require stitches.
"What about me, Sensei?" A small voice sounded out, tremulous and full of despair.
Master Splinter turned to see his youngest son looking up at him with a lost expression on his face, still awaiting instruction from his father while the others were already diligently doing as they were told. No doubt Mikey was just searching for some way to serve a purpose.
"You can assist me, Michelangelo, if you feel you are up to it."
Wide eyes shrinking into narrow slits, Mikey nodded resolutely, pushing back any sign of reluctance. Sure, he was scared of what he might see hidden underneath all the bandages, but he wasn't about to let Donnie down at a time like this. Frightened or not, Mikey needed to be strong for his big brother, like his big brother would have been strong had it been him lying there hurt.
Just as Master Splinter was about to peel back the dressings wrapped around Donatello's thigh, Casey's shrill voice cut through the heavy air, immediately garnering everyone's attention.
"Whoa, dude! It looks like the guy tried to cut his finger right off!"
From his chair, Raph took one glance at his little brother's mangled finger, and yet again, his whole body started to shake with rage. The hotheaded turtle hadn't looked all that closely at Donnie's hand when he had wrapped it up, more focused on stopping the bleeding than examining the wound. But now that Raph was looking at it under the fluorescent lighting of the lab, he realized with sudden, gut-wrenching horror just what the wire cutters had been for.
The fresh blood that had painted the floor back at Slash's apartment… It had been from that sick, deranged monster trying to slice through Donatello's finger!
The revelation had the temperamental turtle on the verge of a stroke.
"Raph, you've gotta hold still! I can't draw your blood if you're squirming all over the place!"
Upon hearing the fiery redhead snap at Raphael, Master Splinter peered over to see that April already had the needle prepped for the extraction, but his second oldest son's currently agitated behavior was not going to help matters any.
"If you wish to help your brother, Raphael, you need to calm yourself!" The thunder that rattled Master Splinter's words seemed somewhat hypocritical given the fact that he was calling for calm, but the outburst sufficed to sway Raphael into submission. The turtle held his arm as still as possible so April had easy access to jab the needle into his vein, and that she did. Her bedside manner definitely left something to be desired, but Raph managed to stifle the yelp that wanted to come out when she stuck him like a pin cushion.
Maybe this was her form of payback…
Clenching and unclenching his fist, Raph silently watched on as the clear, plastic bag sitting beside him began to fill up with the deep red liquid flowing from his arm. He wasn't sure why April couldn't just pump his blood directly into Donnie's bloodstream, but Raph opted not to question her methods. She was the one holding the needle, after all.
Once Master Splinter saw his most volatile son was now cooperating with April, the father turned his eyes to Leonardo and immediately noticed the color had fled from his oldest boy's cheeks. Splinter wasn't the least bit surprised, considering what Casey had announced just moments ago.
"Leonardo, will you be able to repair the damage?"
"It – It's a mess, Sensei. I don't know if – " Leo's sentence stopped short. Not because he was interrupted, but because he was just too upset to finish it. He was clearly traumatized by his brother's condition.
Being a ninja, Leonardo had seen more than his fair share of battle wounds, but for some reason, he was having an extremely difficult time just looking at his brother's mutilated hand. Maybe that was because he could actually see the bone in his brother's finger. Or maybe it was because he was used to his father or Donnie taking care of the 'gorier' stuff.
"Clean the wound out as best you can. I will help you stitch it up once you have finished."
Leonardo nodded, still looking a little less green than usual, but despite the nausea swirling around in the pit of his gut, he forced himself to keep working on the wound, just as his father had instructed. Casey, on the other hand, had to walk away, for fear of blowing chunks all over the place. That was the last thing poor Donnie needed.
In a futile attempt to settle his fraught nerves, Master Splinter drew in a deep breath as he slowly moved towards the wound on Donatello's thigh. The troubled father then carefully stripped away the bloodied wrappings. What he saw underneath made him recoil. Splinter could hear Michelangelo gasp from beside him and he half-expected his youngest child to walk away like Casey had, but the smallest brother stood his ground, proving once again that he possessed much more resilience and strength than any of them gave him credit for.
Pressing the back of his paw against his mouth to muffle any sound that might inadvertently slip out, be it anger or distress, Master Splinter stared down at the extensive damage done to his intellectual son's upper leg. It was evident that Donatello had tried to treat the wound at some point. There were signs of healing, but there were also noticeable signs that the wound had become infected. Badly infected. This explained Donatello's high fever. It could have also been a contributing factor in his blood pressure being so low and his unconscious state. Not that Master Splinter was a medical expert by any stretch of the imagination, but he did know a good deal about infections, having read quite a few books on the subject out of fatherly concern. His boys were constantly going head to head against the most dangerous of foes. He would be a fool not to arm himself with at least some basic knowledge of proper wound care.
Unfortunately, that knowledge he had ascertained through the years wasn't helping to ease his mind the least bit. If Donatello was going into septic shock, his organs could shut down and they could very well lose him.
What Donatello desperately needed right now was something to help him fight off the infection.
Rather hastily wrapping the leg wound in fresh gauze, Master Splinter glanced around the laboratory to assess the situation.
"April, were you able to locate Donatello's supply of antibiotics?"
"Yeah. I put them on the desk." A casual flick of the wrist indicated which general direction the said antibiotics were in, but April kept her eyes fixed on Raph's arm the whole time, not wanting to make a careless mistake.
"Casey, could you please fetch me a glass of water from the kitchen?"
"I'm on it!" With far more enthusiasm than seemed necessary, Casey Jones bolted out of the lab as though the fate of the entire universe depended on him getting a single glass of water. Perhaps he just welcomed the distraction.
"Michelangelo, can you retrieve the antibiotics from your brother's desk? I believe they are in an orange, plastic container."
Always eager to help, Mikey scurried over to Donatello's desk and started frantically rummaging through the stack of medical supplies in search of an orange bottle of pills.
While his youngest son scoured the desktop, Master Splinter seized the opportunity to check on his oldest boy's progress.
"Leonardo, how are you coming along?"
A weary sigh followed the question before Leo lifted his head up to meet his father's earnest gaze. "It's hard to tell with all the blood, but I – I think everything's cleaned up." The lack of confidence in Leonardo's tone tugged at Master Splinter's heartstrings. He knew his oldest son was doing all that he could to help Donatello, but it was obvious that Leonardo was disappointed in his own efforts.
Perfectionism could be both a blessing and a curse.
"Very well, then. Let us stitch up the wound." Master Splinter moved beside his oldest son, ready to step in and start the suturing process.
Though Leonardo was extraordinarily grateful for the assistance, his father's sudden aversion to Donatello's wounded leg was making the leader nervous. Yet again, the eldest turtle had a sneaking suspicion that Master Splinter wasn't telling them something.
"But – But what about Donnie's leg?"
"I will tend to his leg in the Dojo, once we have treated his other wounds."
A grimace twisted at Leonardo's facial features, demonstrating his skepticism.
"Why the Dojo? All of our medical supplies are in here."
Giving his oldest son a look that conveyed both his anguish and his resolve, Master Splinter lowered his voice, confident that Leonardo would be the only one to hear his next words. Everyone else in the room seemed preoccupied. April and Raphael were busy bickering about how long things were taking while Michelangelo appeared to be totally engrossed in his rather hapless search efforts.
"Please understand that there are many things I have yet to teach you, Leonardo. Amongst these things are ancient healing techniques, passed down from generation to generation. I believe these mantras may be the only way to help your brother right now."
It took the oldest turtle a moment or two to process what his father had just said, but once it began to sink in, he was eager to provide whatever assistance he could. Anything to save his brother.
"Okay. What can I do?"
"I need you to watch over the others and make sure they stay outside of the Dojo until I am finished."
Disappointment rutted deep furrows into Leonardo's brow and the teenager suddenly looked years older than just seconds before. He couldn't stand the idea of being stuck on babysitting detail while his father fought to save Donatello. It just didn't seem right.
"But I want to help."
"I know you do, my son, but this is something I must do alone. The procedure requires complete concentration and I cannot afford any possible distractions. Perhaps someday I will teach you these techniques, but not so long as your brother's life is at risk. I am asking you to trust me."
"I trust you, Sensei." The unspoken 'always' shone brightly in Leonardo's eyes, but his sapphire-colored orbs were soon dulled by sadness once again. "Is Donnie gonna be okay?"
No sooner had the question left the oldest turtle's lips when Master Splinter tilted his head down. "I do not know, Leonardo. Your brother's condition is very critical. There is a possibility that the infection may be too far along for even the mantras to save him, but I assure you I will do everything in my power to bring him back."
It was at this point that Michelangelo excitedly proclaimed he had located the antibiotics. He soon rushed over to Leo and Master Splinter to brag about his accomplishment, but it didn't take long for the youngest turtle to notice something was amiss.
"How come you and Sensei look you just saw a ghost or something? What happened?"
Mikey's questions immediately sparked April and Raph's interest, as well as Casey's, who had just stepped back inside the lab.
"Nothing has happened, Michelangelo. Leonardo and I were just about to start stitching up Donatello's wounds."
The somewhat cryptic reply made it clear to Leonardo that Master Splinter wished to keep their conversation just between the two of them. As much as Leo hated the idea of keeping secrets from his brothers, he understood the reasoning behind Sensei's decision. He was only trying to protect them from the truth. The awful, awful truth.
Arching an eye ridge, Raphael closely studied Master Splinter's face, and then Leonardo's, as if to question the validity of what their father had just said. Not the least bit surprisingly, Splinter's expression revealed nothing, but Leo's held enough remorse to confirm Raph's suspicions.
They were hiding something.
"What aren't you telling us?" Though each word he spoke was laced with poison, Raph tried to keep his body stock-still. April was just about finished drawing his blood and he didn't want to screw anything up by losing his temper yet again.
In response to Raphael's question, Leo turned his head away; an obvious admission of guilt. This made the hotheaded turtle's insides curdle with dread.
"You already told us Donnie's dying! What could possibly be worse than that?"
The instant Raphael heard his baby brother start gasping for air, he realized his horrific mistake.
Not everyone had been told that Donnie was dying. If Mikey's reaction hadn't served as proof of that, the mortified looks on both Casey and April's faces did.
Tears began to gush down Michelangelo's maskless face, like someone had turned on a faucet. Struggling to contain his sobs, the youngest turtle stared at his father and two oldest brothers as though they had committed the most heinous act of treason imaginable. In his eyes, they had.
How could they keep something like that from him?
"He – He's dying? And you didn't – you didn't tell me?"
"Michelangelo, please try – "
A seething voice stopped Master Splinter's explanation dead in its tracks. Mikey wasn't about to let any of them try to comfort him. Not after what they'd done.
"Don't! Don't talk to me like I'm a child! You! You had no right! No right to keep this from me!" Teeth slightly barred, Michelangelo shook an accusing forefinger at his three conscious family members for added emphasis. He wanted them to see just how mad he was.
"We're sorry, Mikey." The apology had sounded so much more convincing inside Leonardo's head, but the moment he heard himself utter the actual words, the leader was filled with unspeakable shame. It seemed like such a petty thing to say in light of current events. His baby brother's incensed reaction that followed told him as much.
"I don't wanna hear it! You LIED to me!"
"It was never our intention to hurt you, my son." Reaching out a paw, Master Splinter attempted to console his youngest child, but Michelangelo just backed away, twisting his head from side to side in disapproval.
Leonardo's shoulders slouched in defeat, sadness reflecting in his glossy, blue eyes. "Mikey, we were only trying to protect you."
The look on Michelangelo's face was akin to someone who had just been slapped; a mixture of incredulity and insult.
"I don't need protecting! He's my brother, too!"
Feeling responsible for everything, Raph decided it was time to reenter the conversation. When he finally spoke up, his voice was quiet; devoid of its usual coarseness.
"Mikey, you know – "
Three words into his sentence, Raphael was abruptly cut off, but not by the person he had expected to interrupt him.
"Stop it! All of you!"
Hands balled into tight fists at her sides, April stood there, face soaked with tears. There was anger blazing in her bright, blue eyes, but there was grief in them as well. Her accusing gaze moved across the room as if to ask the brothers 'why?'
An infinity seemed to crawl by before someone finally reacted, and shockingly, that someone was Casey Jones.
Being careful not to spill the glass of water in his hand, the gangly teenage boy strode up to the family and put his two cents in.
"Red's right! I know you're all upset. I totally get that, but Donnie needs us and I'm not gonna just give up on him."
The insinuation that they had given up on Donatello cut deep, but not nearly as deep as the realization that Casey – a boy they had just recently met and who didn't seem overly bright – was the only one astute enough to recognize they were neglecting Donatello's needs.
Several dumbfounded seconds of silence passed before April gruffly cleared her throat to gain everyone's attention.
"If it's okay with you, I'd like to start the blood transfusion now."
Upon hearing April's request, Master Splinter glanced over at his second oldest son to see that the needle had been removed from his vein and his arm was already bandaged up. Splinter hadn't even noticed that April had finished her ministrations.
Stare drifting down to Donatello's bruised face, Master Splinter felt his heart drop like a lead balloon.
How could he let himself get so easily distracted when his wounded child needed him the most?
I am sorry for my moment of selfishness, my son. Please forgive me.
Faith suddenly returning to him full-force, Master Splinter gave April a short nod before giving the other teenagers explicit instructions on what to do. They all did as they were told without question; the words 'Donnie's dying' serving as their motivation.
Bound and determined to save Donatello, Master Splinter picked up a needle and thread and quickly began to stitch up his son's many wounds, moving at the fastest pace his paws would allow. The sooner Splinter stopped the bleeding, the sooner he could treat the infection raging through his son's weakened body.
Like Casey, Master Splinter was not about to give up on Donatello. Not just because he couldn't bear the thought of losing another child, but also, because he feared he just might lose his whole family if were to fail to save Donatello. The desperate father could not let that happen.
So long as there was still life within his own body, Master Splinter would not let his precious son die.
To be continued...
*More Author's Notes: This chapter was kind of a roller coaster ride. You know things are bad when Leo starts to crack under the pressure. And poor Mikey broke my heart in this one. He seriously needed a hug here. ⊂ ( ;o ‸ o;) ⊃
Did anyone else find the 'Get your head out of your Raph' part amusing? I sure hope so…
As always, please take a moment to favorite, follow, like, reblog, review, and/or comment on this story if you are enjoying it and want me to continue. Your feedback is so very important to me. I always get excited to hear from all of you.
Thanks so much for reading, everyone. I really, really, really appreciate it.
CJ