Destiny and Sarina's shared room isn't nearly big enough to hold the amount of mutants wanting to fit into it, prompting Splinter to direct everyone except Leonardo, Donatello, Sarina, and himself out into the hallway.

"Just because we're stuck out here doesn't mean we don't want to know what's happening!" Raphael calls into the room, arms crossed tightly over his chest. Casey gives an agreeing "hmph".

"We will let you know," Splinter says, giving his son's shoulder a quick squeeze.

Sarina feels her stomach twist when she sees Destiny. The wolf mutant is coated in a sheen of sweat and she shivers even with the blanket draped over her. Her hair is plastered to her face and when her eyes manage to open, they're glassy and wrought with discomfort. Leonardo quickly goes to the side of the bed that's closest to the wall and sits down, resting his hand against Destiny's head lightly. He almost cringes at the heat coming off of it.

"Des, Sarina's here," he murmurs. "She's gonna help."

Destiny's eyelids flutter and she finally notices the cyborg lingering at the doorway. "Good," she croaks, letting out a quick cough. "Ow..."

"Sarina," Donatello murmurs, nudging her. "Let's go."

Sarina nods, composing herself in an instant. She follows Donatello to the bedside, where Donatello takes a knee and Sarina stays standing. He reaches over to Destiny's pyjama tank top, where the bloody bandages around her shoulder are easily visible, and pushes the thin sleeve down enough to start unwrapping.

As he uncovers it, his face pales. "Oh shell..."

Leonardo and Sarina take a look at the shoulder, both faces going blank with shock and horror. The spot where Destiny was shot has blackened around the edges. It's inflamed and oozing pus, with red streaks surrounding it that makes her skin look cracked, and the gouge itself is radiating heat. When Donatello tries to examine it, his touch makes Destiny yelp.

"What is it?" Michelangelo asks from the hallway, trying to look in.

"Infection," Donatello utters. "Sarina? What do you think?"

Sarina leans down, her irises spinning as she examines the wound. Symptoms scroll by in her head and her eyes flash once as she grimaces. Immediately, the three males directly around her direct their attention to her, expectant.

"Kraang bullets are, obviously, not like human bullets. They sear the skin, making the wound deep and hard to clean," she explains. "Usually, the smaller ones leave burns that heal easily with regular treatment; using ointments and such. This, however, was from a full-blown Kraang ship. No medicine you have here will help." She looks down at Destiny, a grim look bringing her lips down as she delivers the last amount of news. "If we don't fix it, she'll lose her arm."

"Lose my arm?!" Destiny squeaks, her pupils dilating before she groans and sinks deeper into her pillow. "Just my luck."

"I'm convinced that the only reason she still has an arm right now is because of her wolf form. That gave you time," Sarina adds.

"Tell me you have a way to fix this," Leonardo begs.

There's a soft whirring sound as Sarina thinks, sifting through her memories and trying to connect the dots. There's a click and her eyes flash. She turns to the group, moving into view of the spectators outside the door.

"I know of a medicine that will be perfect. The Kraang created it in order to heal their brain bodies as well as repair burn marks on their droid bodies." She pauses, allowing them to take this in, then adds, "I know that it works because they tested it on me when they first created it, then perfected it on me as well. The only problem is that this medicine is currently located inside TCRI."

The group shares a few looks and Splinter's hand lifts to his goatee.

"We can do that," Michelangelo says. "Anything to help her, right?"

"If I may, I'd like to speak to Donatello and Sarina alone," Splinter says, utterly calm.

There's a soft "hai, Sensei" before Raphael, Michelangelo, April, and Casey wander away. Leonardo forces himself off the bed and heads for the door, casting one last look back at Destiny before he too is gone. Splinter moves to the bedside, where he sits down and rests one hand on Destiny's forehead. She squeezes her eyes shut as a shudder rolls through her.

"I'm s-so cold," she whimpers.

"I know, but you will be alright," Splinter assures her. He looks up at the pair of intelligent mutants as he starts to methodically pet Destiny's ears. "Sarina, I will be the first to apologize for the restraints. We were unsure and took the precautions needed."

"I understand."

"However," he says. "There are still some concerns. When you said that the Kraang had given you necessary defences, I never imagined this."

"I understand that you don't trust me anymore," she says, "and I understand that going back to TCRI when I am basically a homing signal is dangerous, but it is Destiny's only hope." Her expression is resolute, determined. "Do whatever you must to make yourselves feel safe, and I will do whatever I must to save her."

Splinter's whiskers twitch and for a second, there's a smile in his eyes. "You have a fire in you that I have not seen before," he says. "We will have to discuss a plan of action with the others."

Donatello perks up. "So we're going to do it?"

"We have to," Splinter says. "This is a risky mission, one that I would normally not allow, but Destiny has been through a lot. She should be given the chance to keep her limbs."

"Thanks, Sensei," Destiny's sarcastic groan sounds from the depths of her pillow. She drags her head up just enough to force a weak smile. "But hey—" She coughs again. "At least, if I lose it, it's not my dominant. I'd hate to s-suddenly become a lefty." She weakly wags her left arm only to wince.

"You're very talkative for someone who's severely injured," Donatello states with a slight smirk.

"I-If I'm dying, I gotta get the words out now," she responds. She tightens the blanket around herself and exhales heavily, eyes fluttering shut.

Splinter gets to his feet. "What can be done to help her right now?" he asks.

"Keep her warm, rested, and hydrated. Be sure that she eats," Sarina says. "We must hurry. I do not know how fast the infection will spread."

"We'll clean it and redress it," Donatello says. "We'll fight it for as long as we can." He starts towards the door, still talking, and Splinter follows. "I'll let the others know. Mikey can start making some food and I'll get..."

His voice trails off as he gets further and further away. Sarina starts to go when she feels a hand secure around her own, making her turn. Destiny grips her hand tightly, her burning skin finding a momentary solace in the cool temperature of Sarina's palm.

"I'm not g-gonna lose my arm, am I?" she asks.

Sarina tightens her grip slightly. "Not if I have anything to say about it."

----------

Leonardo carries Destiny out to the living room, her shivering body cocooned in his soft Space Heroes blanket. He sets her down on the couch and pushes her multicoloured bangs out of her eyes, testing her temperature with the back of his hand.

"S-Stupid Kraang s-ship," Destiny mutters through gritted teeth.

He smiles a little. "You're the one who attacked it in the first place."

"I was b-boss and you know it," she retorts before another cough rises to the surface. She sighs heavily.

"Casey and I will run to the pharmacy and pick up some fever meds," April says as she grabs her coat.

Casey nods as he tapes his broken hockey stick back together. "But we'll be back in time for TCRI butt-kicking," he promises. He brandishes his stick, the hockey tape roll still dangling from it.

Sarina, Donatello, and Splinter sit at the kitchen table, working out a plan for infiltrating TCRI. Michelangelo works around them, tossing veggies into a pot of bubbling soup. Outside the kitchen, Raphael heads for the living room, arms laden with blankets and extra pillows. He settles down next to Leonardo and Destiny, where he gets to work fixing his haul into a comfy nest around Destiny.

"Thanks, Raphie," she mumbles, nuzzling her face against one of the pillows as she lets out a heavy breath.

He huffs at the nickname, but softens when she looks up at him with a slightly teasing smile. "Yeah, it's nothing, little sister," he grumbles, ruffling her hair.

Leonardo tests her temperature yet again, his brow furrowing. "I'll be back right away," he promises as he gets to his feet.

"Mkay," she hums.

He heads to the kitchen, slipping into the empty seat next to Splinter. Judging by the expressions on Donatello and Splinter's faces, he came at a bad time.

Despite this, he asks, "How's it going, guys?"

"We've hit what you might call a crossroads," Sarina sighs, tapping her fingertips against the table.

Donatello straightens up as he launches into a quick explanation. "If we bring Sarina along, we risk being tracked down by the remaining Kraang and getting attacked, but...we get the medicine. This is assuming that Sarina isn't a double agent leading us into a trap," he says.

Sarina purses her lips. "I am operating with the benefit of the doubt on my side," she murmurs.

"Or..." Donatello continues. "We leave Sarina in the lair under watch, then find the medicine on our own based off her word, but...that could be a trap. We get captured and Sarina's left to bring the Kraang to the lair with a lot less people to worry about."

Sarina exhales heavily. "It's strange for you to be talking about me like this."

"Sorry, Sarina," Donatello says with a weak smile. "We have to exercise every scenario."

Splinter lets out a soft chuckle. "Of course, I would be here if anything went wrong."

Leonardo perches his hands together over his mouth. "Option A seems better at this point."

"If there was a way to jam my energy signal, our chance of success would skyrocket," Sarina says.

"Just a comment," Michelangelo says as he wanders by, ladle swinging, "but your whole energy signal thing reminds me of when Donnie had to cover a Kraang power cell with a lead casing so the Kraang wouldn't find it."

He whistles a happy tune as continues on his way, ladling soup into a bowl before practically skipping out of the kitchen. Donatello's face slackens and he gasps, slapping his hand against the table as he lurches to his feet.

"That's it!" he exclaims. He rounds on Sarina, eyes bright. "Sarina, where do you think this energy signal is coming from in your body?"

"It's most likely somewhere in my brain," she answers.

He gets even more perky. "I'll be back," he says, bolting for the lab. "KEEP WORKING ON IT!" he hollers over his shoulder before the slamming lab door seems to shake the entire lair.