Here we have chapter 3. This is my first ever story, and I'm really enjoying putting this together. Writing these stories is tough. I never knew how difficult it was until now - especially when I know there is such a dedicated fanbase. At the moment I'm aiming to publish a chapter each week, however they may be a delay before the next chapter is published. Hopefully not more than 2 weeks.
The soft hum of machinery emanated from Donnie's lab. Raph stood outside the door, hesitating. The weight of his uncertainty pressed heavily on his chest. It wasn't like him to second-guess a decision, but something about this felt different. Ever since the fight and Donnie's strange behavior, there had been a gnawing unease in the back of his mind, a sense that something important was slipping through his fingers.
His fist hovered near the door for a moment, then fell back to his side. The thought of barging in crossed his mind, but even that felt inadequate. What was he going to say? "Hey, Donnie, you're acting weird. What gives?" No, it wasn't that simple. Donnie was hiding something—that much Raph was sure of. And it scared him. Seeing Donnie's vulnerability earlier, the flicker of fear in his eyes when he'd said everything was fine, had unsettled Raph in a way he couldn't quite put into words.
He clenched his jaw, shaking his head. Donnie might be his genius brother, but he was still his little brother. If he was scared of something, then it was Raph's job to protect him. Even if he had no idea how to do it. But it wasn't just that. Raph himself needed Donnie's help—not just for the ever-worsening throbbing headache, but also for moral support. There was a reason the four of them worked well as a team, despite their contrasting personalities. Raph knew that no matter how much his brothers annoyed him, he needed them. All of them.
His headaches had been getting worse—a constant, relentless pounding behind his temples that only added to his irritability. Filled with sudden determination, he forced the door to Donnie's lab open before he could change his own mind.
Donnie jumped, his hands moving quickly to shove a small notebook under a stack of papers on his desk. The movement was subtle but not subtle enough to escape Raph's sharp eyes. "Jeez, Raph! Ever heard of knocking?" Donnie snapped, spinning around in his chair with a scowl.
Raph grinned for a split second. This outburst was the first real reaction he'd seen from Donnie in days—a sign that his withdrawn brother still had a spark of life inside him. Then he remembered himself. This was a confrontation as much as it was a request for help. He crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe, making it clear he wasn't going anywhere. "Didn't realize I needed an invitation to come see my own brother," he shot back. "You busy with somethin' secret, or can you help me out?"
Donnie, ever the observant turtle, noticed the tension in Raph's posture. The dark circles under his eyes and the way he winced when the light from a monitor shifted were telltale signs of discomfort. His expression softened slightly. Without a word, he gestured for Raph to sit down.
"What's wrong?" Donnie asked, moving to examine the bandages around Raph's head.
"Head's killing me," Raph admitted, his tone gruff.
Donnie's brow furrowed, his hands already reaching for supplies. "You should've said something sooner," he murmured, carefully untying the bandage. The skin beneath looked irritated but not infected. Donnie worked with practiced precision, redressing the wound.
"How's that?" Donnie asked as he finished, stepping back to grab a bottle of painkillers from a nearby shelf. "I don't think it's infected. The bandage might've been a little tight. These should help with the pain, too." He handed two tablets to Raph, along with a glass of water.
Raph swallowed the pills and exhaled slowly. "Feels a little better, I guess," he muttered. He glanced at Donnie, who had turned back to his desk and was putting away the unused bandages. For a brief moment, it was like the old Donnie was back. But once he was no longer preoccupied with fixing Raph, the room felt tense again.
"Hey Donnie, Are you good?" Raph finally asked, his voice low. "You've been actin'... off. Feels like you've been avoiding me."
Donnie froze for a moment, his fingers hovering mid-air as if caught between flight and fight. His shoulders tensed, and a flicker of something—guilt? fear?—flashed across his face before he quickly masked it. With a small, nearly imperceptible shake of his head, he resumed his work, though his movements were stiff and less precise than usual, betraying the turmoil he was trying so hard to conceal. "I'm fine," he said curtly, not meeting Raph's gaze.
Raph's jaw tightened. "Look, if somethin's up, you can—"
"I said I'm fine," Donnie interrupted, his tone sharper than intended. He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Just... let me know if the headaches don't get better."
Raph stared at him for a long moment, then nodded reluctantly. "Yeah. Sure."
"Raphie." Raph turned around, surprised at hearing his childhood nickname. None of his brothers had called him that in years. Donnie's voice was softer now, almost pleading. "I just have a lot to focus on—lair security and stuff. Don't worry. Everything's going to be fine."
Raph looked at Donnie for a few more seconds, his unease growing. The way Donnie had said, "Everything's going to be fine" lingered in his mind, and not in a reassuring way. There was something off about it—the words had felt hollow, like Donnie was trying to convince himself more than anyone else. And then there was the look in his eyes—not distant, but scared. Scared of what? Raph couldn't tell. Donnie was hiding something—that much was clear. But getting him to open up was like pulling teeth. Raph wasn't the type to pry, but he couldn't shake the image of that notebook being hastily shoved aside. He left the lab feeling more unnerved than when he'd entered - the headache had improved dramaticaly, but this did little to alleviate his growing concern for his brother.
Later, Raph found Leo in the dojo, practicing his katas. He watched in silence for a moment before stepping inside. "Got a minute?"
Leo paused mid-move, turning to face him. "What's up?"
Raph hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's Donnie. Something's up with him."
Leo raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, he's been acting odd for a while," he said, thinking back to all the times Donnie had been quiet and withdrawn, barely talking to any of them.
Raph thought about the notebook and decided to speak up. "When I went to see him earlier, he shoved this notebook outta sight like he didn't want me to see it."
Leo frowned, his arms crossing over his chest. "Did you ask him about it?"
Raph slowly shook his head. "You know Donnie. He'd just brush it off. I think there's somethin' in that notebook. If we're gonna figure out what's eatin' at him, we need to see what's in it."
Leo's expression darkened with concern as the weight of Raph's words settled over him. He couldn't shake the image of Donnie's strained face or the way he had been retreating into himself lately. What was going on in his brother's mind that he couldn't—or wouldn't—share? Leo felt a pang of guilt. Maybe he hadn't been paying close enough attention. The thought that Donnie might be struggling alone, facing something that made him afraid, gnawed at him. They were a team, a family, and yet the distance between them felt wider than ever. He didn't like the idea of breaking their brother's trust. "You think it's that serious?"
"I don't know," Raph admitted. "But I've got a bad feeling about it. Something's going on with Donnie, and I don't think things'll get better until we figure it out."
Raph hesitated before continuing, his voice softer now. "I want my brother back. I need him. You and Mikey have been great helping me deal with... this." He gestured vaguely to his eye. "But I need all three of you. I'm worried about him. Really worried."
Leo nodded slowly, his mind already turning over the possibilities. "Alright. We need to be careful. How do you think we should do this? Steal the notebook or ask him about it?"
"If we ask, he'll probably shut us out even more. I think we need to read what's in that notebook for ourselves," Raph said firmly. The thought of waiting and watching didn't sit well with him. He hated feeling helpless, especially when it came to his brothers. But for now, it was all they could do.
