I am so sorry that this chapter took a little while to post, but the ending was really hard for me to write (we all loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeee writer's block!). My dad's surgery was last Monday, and luckily he is recovering very well and is currently home. Thank you all for your support and love! This chapter is a big one…hopefully it all turns out all right :)! Please R&R!

*I own nothing*

WARNING: Eating disorders will be mentioned and played out. Please do not read if this bothers you in any way!

TMNT

The worry in April's voice was the first thing that set Donnie off, the second being that she was shaking. He looked up with a tear-streaked face. "What is it Ape?"

April gulped nervously. "Don…its about your little brother."

-0-

Adrenaline is a funny concept; all it takes is one moment for a burst of energy to take over someone. In Donnie's case, worry and fear overloaded his system. His little brother could either be waking up, or in worse circumstances, be having his last moments.

Donnie didn't want to stick around too long to find out. Grabbing April's hand, Donnie rushed towards the front of the school. It didn't take long for the young teen to reach his shiny black car.

"Get in," He called out towards his best friend. April nodded and quickly sat down inside the vehicle, she reached over and put on her seat belt. No matter the situation, safety came first.

She looked over and frowned. "Donnie, you're not wearing your seatbelt."

"I will," the roaring of the engine filled the silence. Donnie wasted not a single second and pulled out of the parking lot. "Hey April?"

"Yes Donnie?"

"Can you text my brothers that we are on our way?" Donnie reached inside his pocket and pulled out his vibrant purple phone. "Tell them ten minutes tops."

"If you put on your seatbelt."

Donnie grunted but with a force he didn't know he had, the young teen reached and put on his seatbelt. "There, now will you text my brothers? Please?" April nodded and reached over.

Almost there, we'll be there in around seven minutes – D

"There text sent," she said softly, "Now all we need is a response."

Although April really didn't expect a response from Leo or Raph in that matter. If Leo made it sound as bad as it did, then something must be really wrong. There wouldn't be time for any texting matter at that point.

It was almost at that point that April realized that Donnie was going thirty past the speed limit on a 45-speed limit street.

"Donnie," she warned, "Please slow down. Having us get into an accident isn't going to let you see your brother any faster."

"I'm not going that fast."

"You're going over 70 miles per hour on a 45-speed limit street. You could hit someone, or worse, we could be hit."

"We're fine," Donnie's face contorted into a look of annoyance. "Plus, we have an excuse."

"You think that if you happen to hit some little child, that your excuse will change anything?! Donnie just slow down!"

"No"

"You're breaking the law!"

"No"

April's anger was starting to rise, she only wanted what was best for everyone. Even if it meant prolonging a visit for a sick individual, in the end, if they were both dead, that wouldn't contribute to any good cause.

"Use the break!"

"No"

"DONNIE! Just SLOW down!" April snapped.

"NO!"

"Why are you like this?!" She gaped, "This isn't you!"

"April just SHUT UP!" Tears streamed down Donnie's face as his hands gripped the steering wheel. "I'm trying, ok?! And I wouldn't slow down because my little Otouto could be dying, and I would miss his last moments?! So just please shut up."

April sat back in silence and shock. There had only been a few select moments when Donnie had been remotely close to snapping at her, but never had he snapped at her like this before. In many ways she knew why her best friend was not faring well, and in his perspective, it was not his fault.

Donnie was only human.

But this stress wasn't healthy. April sighed, almost too scared to respond back. But she knew that Donnie needed her more than he knew. "Donnie…I'm sorry. It was wrong of me to ask you to slow down."

Sobs shook Donnie's body as he fought to keep them in. But in the end, suppressing emotions never worked well.

-0-

It didn't take long for the duo to reach the hospital. But to April, it felt like a lifetime. Donnie never responded back to her, he only cried as she sat helpless in the side seat. She wanted to hold him and tell him that it was ok, but she also knew that he needed his brothers more than her.

So, once they reached the hospital's lobby, April grabbed Donnie by the shoulders and looked him straight in the eye. "I'm going to stay here. You deserve to have some alone time with your brothers."

Donnie hugged her as he nestled his face into the crook of her neck. She could feel tears fall down but she didn't mention it.

"Thanks Ape," he whispered. Donnie pulled away. "I'll be sure to keep you updated on his condition."

The young teen girl nodded and sat down in the nearest plastic chair. She sighed as she watched Donnie run towards the elevators.

'The Hamatos don't deserve this' was the last thought that ran through April's head before she saw Donnie disappear through the steel elevators.

-0-

The elevator couldn't have gone any slower, if it weren't for the old women and young child in the elevator, Donnie would've been far more irritated. But when those doors opened, the young teen boy went running on unto the ICU floor.

The cold tile squeaked as the young teen ran with panic in his system. Thoughts raced through his head, he tried to control them, but it was far too late. Everything was pointing in a bad direction, and Donnie would've been a complete hypocrite if he said that he hadn't already assumed the worst.

Hope wasn't really something that Donnie had yet learned to embrace.

He was the science guy, one of the only guys in the Hamoto family with logic. Leo and Raph relied always more on feelings and all that sappy stuff that Donnie tried to avoid. But now…Donnie wished that he was a little bit more than his brothers.

He really needed a little bit more of that sappy stuff at the moment. Maybe mediation would've been helpful, or at the very least, different coping skills for stressed filled times. But hopeful everything will be over soon.

Or if it was as bad as he thought it could be, grief would only plague him for weeks and years to come.

Donnie really needed a miracle.

Running towards the door, Donnie briefly paused and went over to the desk. He saw a young woman about 20 years of age at a computer typing.

"Hello, my name is Donatello. Can you help me locate my little brother?"

The young women looked up and smiled. "Hi Donatello, I'm Lizzy. What's your brother's name?"

"Michealangelo Hamoto, he is 14 years old."

"Ok, let me see…your little brother is 4n 19c. Head to the north room's and he'll be in room 19." Lizzy handed Donnie a post-it. "In case you get lost."

Donnie gave a small smile. "Thank you so much Lizzy. Have a nice day." He grabbed the note and walked with a new-found speed towards the north ICU rooms.

-0-

It didn't take long for Donnie to find the room, but once he did, Donnie almost fainted. Inside his little brother's room, there were too many people for his liking. He took a shaky breath and grabbed the door handle.

Walking inside, Donnie's legs felt like Jello, and almost buckled a few times when he took another step. Almost immediately Leo came running up towards Donnie and gave him and huge hug. Tears streamed down his pale cheeks.

Donnie hugged him back harder. "Is he..." His voice quavered.

Leo broke the hug and grabbed his hand. Leading him towards Mikey's bed, doctors parted out of the way.

"Look," Leo whispered.

The young teen looked up and dropped to his knees as he started to sob. There in Mikey's hospital room was Mikey lying down with his eyes half-way open.

"Hi Ani," Mikey whispered. "I'm finally awake."