Mikey had only waited ten minutes until Leo opened the doors. He zoomed in to the lab in fast pace, expecting Donnie to be smiling and awake. Except, that didn't happen. His brother was still sitting upright, his head leaned back against the pillow as he appeared dead. The only reason Mikey could tell that he was still alive was the withered breathing that heaved his chest.

Disappointment and sorrow curved his lips into a frown. His excited sprinting gradually turned to a hesitant walk, almost as if he was going up to a podium at a funeral, giving a speech for his lost loved one. He came close to the unmoving turtle as his steps swayed fearfully to a sudden halt.

"He hasn't woken up, yet?" Mikey asked, his hand brushing his brother's forearm gently.

"We had to drug him so he wouldn't feel the pain, he should be waking up soon." Leo told him with a soft ring to his tone, nudging him lightly. "We stitched all his wounds, and he's all patched up. He should be fine."

"I'm sorry Leo, somethings up, Don wouldn't be in the middle of the street for no reason. I'm telling you something's wrong." Mikey told him, crossing his arms. He knew he was right. Only, he wished he was wrong. He'd give up anything to be wrong about this one thing. He didn't want this for him. He never wanted Donatello, his genius of a brother, to be…different when he woke up.

"I think it was the blood lost." Leo told him bluntly. "We're not sure why Shredder let him go, but it's evident Donnie was acting a little weird. But other than that, I think he'll be fine." Leo turned to his heels, "hey, can you watch Don? Sensei wants someone in here. We can take turns and I'm going to make a snack, want any?"

"From you?" Mikey felt a smile creeping on his face, "I'll pass dude, I don't want my food to be all soggy or burnt." Mike made a light tease, receiving a glare from Leo.

"Oookay Mikey, just call me if you need anything." With that, the leader left the lab, leaving him alone with Donnie, a cold silence seeped to the lab once more.

Michelangelo sat on a chair close to Don, as he leaned his body back and looked at him with a watchful gaze. He expected his brother to wake up the moment he sat down, but his older brother was still asleep. A yawn surpassed Mikey's lips; sleep sounded good right now –But he couldn't. He had to watch his brother…

His eyes gradually turned to a close, his head beginning to sag from his spot. He tried to stay awake- for Donnie- but soon enough, his exhaustion started to take over, encompassing him into a light slumber.

Mike shot himself upwards, a gasp escaping him as he awoke.

Shell, he thought bitterly. He was supposed to be watching Donnie. Rubbing his eyes, he looked over at Don in the expectation that he would still be asleep. To his surprise, he wasn't. He nearly fell from his chair in shock and relief. Donnie was awake, but his attention was turned to the wall. He wondered how long Don had been sitting like this…

And why didn't he wake him up before?

"Hey Donnie!" Mikey greeted the turtle, a smile widening on his lips. "How are ya feeling?" He asked, anxious to know. But he received no answer. He frowned a little at the lack of response. It was just like when he pulled him from the streets.

"Bro? Don? Yoohoo. I'm over here, dude!" Mikey tilted his head and, soon enough, maroon eyes met his. Mike jerked backwards in a slight panic, rubbing his head. "Don, you scared me for a moment-"

He allowed a few seconds to run by. This wasn't Donnie. He would've at the least acknowledged him by now if he was okay. He felt his heart skipping a beat, his mind coming to the hard realization. No; it couldn't be. He couldn't be one to jump to conclusions too quickly. There had to be another reason why his brother wasn't answering him- why he had such a dazed look in his eyes. But it was true –he was right about what he said earlier.

"Oh shell…" Panic started creeping into the young turtle with no remorse nor subtly. His expression grimaced, terrified and worried. But all he could do was sit there.

Donnie would get better. Leo promised him he would.

But Don kept staring at nothing. The once genius and brilliant look in his eyes, vanished from air and replaced with a blank and lucid stare that only haunted him the more he looked. He showed no emotion- no concern or acknowledgement. His eyes were void of everything he once was but a glaze of unsheathe tears, like Don unrecognized this place –like he unrecognized his own brother.

Mikey felt like he was punched in the gut at the thought of it. He didn't even realize how hard he was sprinting out the door, his legs worked on an automatic, leaving his poor brother alone so that he could catch his breath. Something wasn't right about his brother. They should've –he should've- rescued him the same night he was captured. He shouldn't have listened to his older brother and stayed put after their last mission, they wouldn't be in this mess the first place.

Michelangelo bit his tongue in regret. No; he shouldn't dare think of Leo as a jerk- he isn't. Leo was doing what a great leader should do, he wanted to keep them both safe –but with the cost of one brother.

"Leo! R-Raph! Dad!" The mask less turtle took a deep breath as he heard the rush of footsteps. A sweet bitterness ran down his shell as the sounds sent a familiar memory. The noise of his family's aid and worry -the same noise that came to him when he was first collapsed to the ground with Donnie bleeding at his side.

"My son, are you alright?" Splinter spoke, placing his paws against his youngest to support him. Mikey couldn't look at his father's eyes, he had to tell him, but he knew how much it will hurt him – all of them. He couldn't even handle the news himself, how was he supposed to muster it within himself to tell them?

"Mikey, what's wrong?" Raphael began to speak up, voice etched in concern. As rude he can be, protecting his brothers was the most important thing. And yet, he failed to protect Don from the Shredder, but that doesn't mean he'll let Mikey slip off, not this time.

Mike stared at the floor, his eyes crystal with a coat of baby blue darkened. Usually, this would be the time where he cracked a few jokes, slipped a few comedic gestures. Normally, he would've been making a fool of himself on purpose to bring relief into the darkness of the situation. Not this time. "It's Don." He took careful breaths, looking up at his leader who silently stared at Mikey with a certain yet fearful look in his eyes. He could read them loud and clear of: don't tell me.

Mikey felt the grip of his shoulders loosen, he didn't need to finish. His father already made a dash towards Donatello, checking on him worriedly. Mike turned his head around for a quick second, catching the glance at the back of Donnie's head; a mess of bandages and gauze that tried to cover the incision. But Mikey could still see the stitches on top.

"My son…" Michelangelo closed his eyes when he heard the silken voice from across the lab. The beats of his brothers' footsteps sounded through the area like a hallowed drum as they rushed to their father in aid.

"What's wrong, Sensei?" Leo asked, feeling an uneasy knot on the pit of his stomach. He watched as his father grabbed hold onto Don's lanky arm, holding his hand in a tight grip. He had to sooth the turtle's fingers into the hold around his paws.

"Your brother. He is not responding, the injury on his head, it resulted into grave trauma. The way your brother is acting, and the critical injury may even lead to serious damage." He wanted to believe this was a dream. –But he knew it was not, all of them did. But no, this was not a twisted dream or nightmare they could wake from.

It was real from the terrified look in Donatello's eyes, to the mess of gauze coursed around his body- the shallow breathing of the four as horror bind them in place. The family's attention was set on Donatello, whose uneven breathing lingered. His fingers twitched in discomfort from the hold of his father had placed him in, but he did not protest.

Raphael felt his senses numbing, his knees collapsing from under him as well as his resolve. He grabbed a chair, trembling, and urged himself to sit down. Dryness caught his throat by force. Darkened tears pin-pricked the very corners of his eyes unsteady. It was burning him- the very urge to let out the tears that ached for release. But he held in.

With a deep breath, he began to ask through the heavy thicket of silence that surrounded them. "W…What do you mean by serious damage, Sensei. What type of damage?" He wanted to say, he seems fine to me, but he knew otherwise. By physical means, he really did seem fine. Other than the hideous sewing on his head, all his previous injuries were securely wrapped and cared for. But this was different – something they couldn't bandage up.

"The trauma on his head. Leonardo stitched up his wound, but I fear that Donatello may not be the same." Splinter spoke in a soft tone, his thumb pressed against his son's forehead as he rubbed the turtle's pale skin in circles. He was careful not to touch the freshly sowed stitches that melded his head as his fingers worked around it.

"We can help him, Sensei." Mikey re-entered the lab in protest. He eyed his two brothers, knowing how they'll deny his request. "Donnie can heal faster if we do!"A small smile plagued his face. He had hope- determination- despite the way Don was watching them quietly, seeing them as strangers he had never seen before. He hated that look, how unfamiliar it was.

"It is not as easy as you said, Michelangelo." The rat released Donatello's lose grip, placing his paws on his lap as he looked at his youngest with a sense of lost hope. "The head cannot easily be fixed, it will take some time. I am no doctor, and cannot jump to conclusions. We do not know if there is any damage inside the brain."

"Then we will wait. And we will see if Donnie does has brain damage or not." Mikey immediately responded, "Don was always here for us, he always waited, why not do it for him?" The smile on his face slowly resided into a small frown. He hated the way he was talked to. They always treated him like he was some child that didn't understood what was going on with the world. They didn't think that he quite got the gravity of the situation, but he did. He understood clearly. Donnie is damaged, and he's going to help.

He waited for Splinter to retort, or explain how the injuries have done some serious damaged to even bring his brother back good as new. But the way how his Master only nodded back -it took him by surprise. "Very well…" Splinter sighed, knowing how much this hurt his sons as it did for him.

"Michelangelo, as eager as you are, you are going to take first shift taking care of your brother." His master began as he started getting up from his place on the cot.

"Morning will be Leonardo, and afternoon Raphael. Your brother is in a grave condition, and with the lack of response, he will need to be fed, bathe and in need of assistance with the basic every day activities." His legs felt like noodles, insecure and ready to collapse dizzily, but he tried to handle the situation as melodically as possible – to soothe his sons through these trying times.

"I will be there if need of assistance." And before anyone could speak or go against his orders, he continued; "and if there is anything wrong, I will be in the dojo." Within a moment, he was already through the laboratories steel doors. The minute their father had left, all eyes turned to Don. The injured turtle toyed with his fingers with light twitches fidgeting his movements in restraint.

"You guys can leave…I can carry Don to his bedroom and put him to bed." Mikey waited for his brothers to listen so he can be alone with Don –but the moment never came.

"No way, little bro, you go get Don's bed set up, and I'll carry him there." Raph told him, crossing his arms as he impatiently stood high on his heels, waiting for his brother to follow his orders.

Mikey didn't seem to hesitate. He ran out the door to Donnie's room like he was told, leaving Raphael to his other brothers. "Not going to help, Fearless?" Raph eyed him with a frown, nearly scolding his brother.

"N-No, I'm going to sleep early, night Raph..." The leader walked out of the lab immediately and made his way to his bedroom. He could hear Mikey's fussing from there.

Raph could only stand dumbfounded for a moment as he blinked a few times until he remembered his task. Oh right; carrying his brother. Leo's attitude wasn't important right now, it was Donatello's care. The red clad turtle inched his way closer to Don –watching the silent turtle stop his movements as he peered to his side and eye Raphael with fear.

Raph felt his stomach tie to insecure knots. He's never seen Donnie so fearful before in his life. The thing that twisted him the most was that he wasn't staring into the eyes of a terrifying mutant or the cold gaze of the Shredder; but his own brother. It was as if he felt that Raph would hurt him. He couldn't blame Don though- this was all Shredder's fault; everything wrong with his life right now seemed to be his doing. He hated him – he hated him so much. His brothers were miserable because of him- Splinter had his life ruined because he just had to attack him that one fateful night. Someday, he was going to pay and when he did, it wouldn't be pretty, he promised.

He heard a weak whimper coming from the cot.

But that day wasn't today.

"Donnie-"Raph started soothingly, as gently as he could. When the turtle turned to look at him, when that fearful expression of maroon came to meet his emerald eyes, he flinched inwardly. This was not the time to back down. He was going to get Donnie to bed- he was going to make Donnie remember who he was- no matter what. "H-Hey buddy, it's Raph, you know who I am, right?" Raph saw his brother's muscles relax, even at its slightest, as he said his name.

"I'm going to carry ya to bed, okay?" He felt like he was talking to a child. He tried his best not to startle the injured turtle as he placed one hand to his shell and cupped the other under his knees.

Donnie held his breath as his body left the bed, his fingers digging deep onto Raphael's arms in fear of being dropped. "Donnie. It's okay-"

Slowly, the hothead began to move, his forearm under Don's head as he felt the uneven gauze on his head. But Raph paid no attention to that. He wanted his brother to be as comfortable as he could be- as little that could be in his current state. Walking up the three steps, and taking a turn to his right, Raph slowly opened the door to his bedroom.

"Ready Mike?" He watched his brother place a cup filled with water on Donnie's nightstand, as he nodded his head.

"I got everything set up." He told him, turning around to see Don's face hidden against Raphael's bulk of a body. He watched as Raph settled Don to the bed, draping the thicket blankets over him.

"As Sensei told you, if you need him, you need me." Raph didn't allow Mikey to speak before he left the room, striding to his own room across the hallway and entering. Mikey waited until he heard the soft click from his brother's bedroom door before turning his attention to Don.