Sorry it took me so long to get this done, everyone! Summer's been a lot busier than I expected it to be! We're almost done! So close! One more chapter down, one to go. Hope you enjoy!

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The turtle rubbed his aching forehead with a pained groan. His eyes were red and puffy, shadowed by dark circles. They drifted leadenly to the old clock in the far corner. Three in the morning. His brothers were asleep, or should be if they had any sense. Sometimes he seriously doubted it. He lifted his head and listened a little. Nothing. Maybe they had a little sense after all.

Pain shot up his side and he grit his teeth. Damn wound. Donnie had already tried lecturing him—too many times to count. But he'd kept his word to Leo and obeyed all the brainiac's orders. Took all the painkillers and antibiotics. They made him groggy, but he wouldn't dare fight them, not this time. Normally he'd be truant and see how far he could push Leo's limits, but he couldn't take the chance, not when she needed him.

Raph winced as his wound ached again. Painkillers were probably starting to wear off. He should take a few more, but he wanted to keep a clear head, just for a few minutes.

He leant forward, hovering over the unresponsive form on the table. His fingers lovingly brushed her cheek and he whined, unable to hold back the tears. They spilled from his eyes and silently rolled down his face.

"I love you." He kissed her forehead. "So much."

"She knows."

Raphael practically fell from his seat, but gentle arms caught and stabilized him. He glared up at the familiar face and huffed. Hm. Of course this brother didn't have any sense.

"Go back to bed." Raph said once his brother had lowered him carefully back into his chair.

Arms lifted in surrender, the other turtle said softly, "Just came to see how you were doing."

"Mhm. A checkup at three in the morning."

"Nah, that's Donnie's job, bro." He laughed a little and rubbed the back of his head. "I'm the one-turtle pep-squad."

"Uh-huh. Get lost, Mikey." Raph said, his voice thick with emotion.

Mikey recoiled as though struck and even in his overwhelmed and exhausted state, Raphael realized that he had made a mistake. Before the youngest brother could run off, an emerald hand snatched Mikey's arm.

"Why are you really here, Mikey?"

"Look, it's a bad time..."

He's trying to run, Raph thought. His eyes narrowed. I don't think so.

"No," he said, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Stay, little brother."

"I—I—" Mikey struggled. "Let me go, Raph."

"Not till I get some answers."

"Raphie..."

"Mikey." He growled, warningly. His neon-green eyes flashed with that familiar spark and Michelangelo stopped resisting like his hotheaded brother had just put him in a trance.

Suddenly Raph had a lap full of little brother. He hissed in pain and shoved Mikey off as the enthusiastic hug strained his side.

"Mikey, wound—"

"Oh my gosh, Raph I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" Michelangelo apologized profusely, backing away, practically to the other end of the room with a fearful, guilty look on his face.

"It's okay, Mikey. It's okay, really." Raph urged, trying to get his very agitated younger brother to come towards him again.

Hesitantly, Mikey slid back over to him, leaving about five feet of breathing space. It felt empty and strange. He had to find a way to break the ice and get Mikey back in normal Mikey mode. He put on his best pleading face.

"Know if there's any left-over pizza lyin' around down here?"

Raphael's guilt lessened at the way Mikey's face lit up. In seconds, Michelangelo became turtle on a mission. He streamed out of the room and reappeared about ten seconds later, carting five pizza boxes. Raph couldn't help but chuckle.

"I don't think I'll be needing that much, little brother." He said, laughing quietly.

Mikey smiled and chuckled along weakly. "I didn't know what you'd want. There's garlic and mushroom...peanut butter, celery, and raisin..."

Raph blinked.

"Hawaiian—"

"Let me guess: Leo?"

"Uh-huh." Mikey answered automatically, sifting through the pizza boxes. "Classic pepperoni...and an almost intact meat-lover's." Mikey smirked knowingly at his red-masked sibling.

Raph smiled at his little brother. "Why are we even talking? Hand it over."

Mikey beamed and handed it to him, pulling up Don's desk chair and starting with the box that was on top.

The older turtle eyed his younger brother nervously as Mikey began scarfing down pizza, "Slow down. Pizza's not going anywhere."

Mikey paused mid-bite. He chewed more slowly and eyed Raph. "Aren't ya gonna eat?" He asked with his mouth full.

Raph sighed. Oh well. For Mikey.

The hothead really wasn't aware of how hungry he was until he started eating. 'Just one piece' became two, three, finally four pieces. He took his time and chewed slowly, listening to Mikey, who had mastered the art of eating and talking at the same time. When Raph finally closed the box and handed it back to his little brother, Michelangelo was smiling brightly.

"I'm so glad you ate something, Raph. We were worried."

"Eh, I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me Mikey. You know I can take care of myself."

"Just 'cause I don't have to doesn't mean I won't, Raphie."

"Aw come here!" Raph grabbed Mikey in a headlock and rubbed the bald head roughly, his way of showing affection.

Mikey laughed and half-heartedly attempted to bat Raph's hands away.

Raph lowered his voice and softly asked, "Is that why you're here? You're worried about me?"

"Not just you." Mikey's gaze drifted over to the unconscious lizard mutant.

"You should get some sleep." Raph said gently.

"So should you."

Raph rubbed his forehead and sighed. His eyes strayed to Mona Lisa. "I can't."

"Neither can I," said Mikey.

"You really are worried aren't you, little brother?"

"No duh, Raph! We're all worried!" Mikey stood and clenched his fists.

"You think I'm not?"

The younger turtle's anger dissipated. "I know you're worried about her, Raph, but you have to—"

Against his better judgment, Raph shoved himself to his shaky feet. He could feel the uneasiness radiating off his younger sibling.

He interrupted Mikey's tirade. "She's not the only one."

Raph shuddered a little and leaned against the chair for support. His gut constricted under the intensity of Mikey's stare. He was suddenly cold. For the first time in his memory, Raphael felt as though he and Michelangelo were worlds apart. It was uncomfortable. Mikey was always the brother easiest for Raph to reach. At arm's length, whenever Raph need him.

Why? Why was Mikey suddenly so distant?

"You don't have to worry about us." Mikey said, snapping the uncomfortable stretch of silence.

"Wise turtle once said: just because I don't have to, doesn't mean I won't."

Mikey shifted uncomfortably.

Raph took a shaky step towards him, and Mikey took an equal step back. Raph froze.

"I think I do, Mikey. I really think I do." The red-masked brother whispered.

The youngest refused to look at him.

Michelangelo turned his carapace to Raph before the hothead could see the tears in his eyes.

When Raph heard a soft sniffle, he stopped in his tracks. With hesitation, he whispered, "Mikey?"

"I hate this, Raph."

"What?" Raph asked. He was a little stunned. 'Hate' was a word that he didn't often hear coming out of his youngest brother's mouth.

"This! All of this! Everyone! You, Sensei, our brothers! All of you, you're always doing this!"

"Mikey, what—"

"You always blow me off."

"I'm not blowing you off, Mikey, I'm asking what's—"

"What do you think is wrong, Raph? Just because I'm youngest doesn't mean I'm a weak link! You guys think that you can just pizza-coat everything and I'll be happy! That I won't notice you're just indulging me! You always expect me to come to you when something's wrong. To open up and let you read me like a book! You guys keep things from me all the time and you act like it's a crime for me to be angry because I'm just the airhead little brother who needs to be shielded."

There was a tense moment of silence.

Raph pressed a hand to his aching side and straightened. He stared hard at Mikey's carapace and said, "What do you want me to do?"

Mikey wiped his eyes and turned his head back in Raph's direction. "Let down the brave face, bro." In a whisper, Mikey said, "It doesn't fool me."

"I can't do that, Mikey," Raph said. "Not for any of you, even if Fearless ordered me to himself."

"Why not?"

"'Cause I'd never be able to pick up all the pieces."

The crack in Raph's voice was Mikey's undoing. He shot forward and wrapped his sibling in a hug. He was afraid Raph would fall apart if he didn't.

"Never meant to hurt you." Raph mumbled.

Mikey hugged tighter. "I know."

"Only wanted to keep you safe."

"I know."

"Keep you happy." Raph whispered, little tears in his eyes. Guh, the meds Donnie's got me on must be making me super emotional.

"I want you to treat me the same as the others." Mikey whined a little.

"But I don't want ya ta start bein' like the others. I want ya ta stay Mikey." Raph yawned, getting a little sleepy, but refusing to yield.

Mikey grinned. "Raphie, that's ridiculous. You know I'll never stop spreading my awesomeness to the world."

Raph rolled his eyes and yawned again.

"Promise?"

"Promise." Raph said softly.

Mikey wasn't satisfied and shook his head. "Okay, let's take a pledge."

"Mikey." The hothead groaned, but smiled at his younger brother's enthusiasm.

"Repeat after me." Mikey raised Raph's right hand. "I Raph—"

"I Raph—"

"Promise to respect Michelangelo—"

"Promise to respect Mikey—"

"Michelangelo!"

Raph enjoyed the look of lighthearted exasperation on Mikey's face. "That's what I said: promise to respect Mikey."

"Hey, muscle-head, you're repeating after me and I said Michelangelo!"

"Fine. Promise to respect Michelangelo—"

"And not to treat him like a defenseless kid."

"But you're my kid brother. You act like a kid."

Mikey growled good-naturedly at Raph. "Alright. And not to treat him like an incompetent, worthless side-kick."

Raph moved faster than any injured turtle, mutant or not, should be capable of moving. "If I ever made you feel that way, little brother, I'm—sorry. I didn't mean to—"

Mikey briefly hugged his older brother, but pulled away with a devious grin on his face. "Doesn't get you off the hook, Raphie. Finish the pledge."

Raph sighed, but looked directly at Mikey as he said, "And to never treat him like an incompetent, worthless side-kick and if he ever calls himself that again, to kick his shell 'til he takes it back."

Mikey rubbed his chin. "Well, I guess that's good enough."

Raph looked affronted. "Good enough? You get me all sappy and all I get for it is a 'good enough'? C'mere you little..." He tickled his little brother's sides.

Mikey shrieked and shoved Raphael back into his chair. The hothead chuckled. Laughing resurrected the pain in his side. He grimaced.

"Donnie'll pound in my skull if he finds out I didn't take another pain killer."

"Where are they?" Mikey asked.

"Over there." Raph motioned with his head.

Mikey grabbed the bottle of pills and took one out, handing Raph the cup of water from beside them. Raph downed the pill and made a disgruntled noise.

"Hate those things." Raph's eyes drifted to the bandages on Mikey's shoulder. "Shouldn't you be taking some, too?"

"Don took me off 'em yesterday. Still aches a little, but it's not that bad. Won't get full mobility back for another week or so, though."

"Sorry."

"Don't be. Not your fault."

"Yeah it is. You got it protecting me."

"Payback for all the scrapes you've saved me, then. It's only right, Raphie."

"I was saving you the pain." Raph justified.

"And I was saving your life."

Raph didn't even attempt to argue. "Thanks."

Mikey waved it off. "I know you'd do the same for me."

"Damn right I would."

Mikey smiled and they fell into a comfortable silence.

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The next morning when Don entered the lab, he found the two bright-masked turtles passed out and snoring softly. There were several pizza boxes scattered across the floor. Two were empty and the others had attracted the attention of a group of Periplaneta americana, otherwise known as the common cockroach. He sighed.

Better get these out of here before Raph wakes up, he thought, gathering up the pizza boxes. Don took care to make sure that none of the insects went scuttling off in the direction of his sleeping brother.

Waking up with a cockroach on his face would not only put Raph in a dour mood, it would start him up on an extermination rampage. And the hothead was in no shape to be chasing after anything.

Just as Donnie finished disposing of the cockroach-laden refuse, Leonardo walked smoothly into the lab. The eldest took a good, long look at the two turtles blissfully unaware of his presence and turned to Don.

"Has Mikey been in here all night?" Leo asked in a whisper.

Don shrugged his shoulders. "No idea, but I found some empty pizza boxes, so at least they ate."

"You mean at least Mikey ate." Leo said.

"I think they both did. Most of the meat-lover's that Mikey was saving for Raph was gone."

"You threw it out?"

"Roaches."

"Ah." Leo nodded in comprehension. He glanced beyond his brothers to Mona Lisa, then he turned back to Donatello. The question was wordless.

"There's actually been a little improvement. She's slowly starting to breath on her own again."

"That's good, right?" Leo asked.

"Very good. I'm hopeful for a full recovery."

"Hopeful?" Leo said, for clarification.

"Hopeful." Don reaffirmed.

There was brief silence.

"Soon?" Leo's eyes were fixed on Raph's sleeping form.

Don huffed. "Hard to tell."

"He needs her back."

"I know, but we can't rush this type of recovery," Don said.

"I know."

The breathy, barely-there quality to Leo's tone jolted Don with memories of his eldest brother lying unresponsive in a bathtub.

"You probably know better than any of us." The brainiac whispered.

Leo was quick to soothe his younger sibling. "She's in the best possible hands. Besides, she's as stubborn as Raph. There's no way she'll stay out of action any longer that she needs to."

Donnie smiled. "You're right, Leo."

"Of course I am, Donnie."

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There we go! Second to last chapter complete! Apologies again for it taking so long.

How was it?