CHAPTER THREE

"How are you doing, Don?" asked Leonardo, entering the lab.

"Tired, but alright," said Don, looking up from his work and putting down his coffee cup, "How are you? You were hit pretty bad today."

"I'm fine," said Leo, "I'm more worried about you. You haven't been sleeping lately, have you?"

"Ugh, not this again," said Donnie, "Please, Leo. I get enough of this from Master Splinter, Mikey and Raph."

"You're not still mad at Raph, are you?" asked Leo, "I don't agree with what he did, but he only did it to help you."

"I don't know," said Donnie, "I know he was worried about me, but still, that hurt."

"Yes, but you did sleep for five days," said Leo, "That took the edge off. And I think it made you a little more calm."

"Well," said Donnie, looking at his now slightly-better organized desk, "I realized that some things just aren't worth worrying over."

"So, you're going to bed soon then?"

"Now Leo," said Donnie, "I thought I made it clear to Master Splinter at dinner that I can't abandon my work tonight."

"I know," said Leo, "But still, he seems to think that all this work is unnecessary."

"It seems like it, but it really needs to be done," said Donnie, taking another sip from his coffee cup.

"Don," said Leo, "You know that your work will never actually be finished, right?"

"I know," said Donnie, "There will always be upgrades needed, new inventions, and that stinking toaster will always finds its way back in here. I think it must like the lab or something."

"So," said Leo, "If your work will never truly be done, then why are you always sacrificing your sleep for it? Take your time, plan things out…and ask for help. I mean, geez Don, we're not completely helpless when it comes to mechanics."

"Right," said Donnie, setting down his coffee cup, "But Leo, I-"

"Listen to me, Donnie," said Leo, walking over to the desk and leaning against it, so that he was eye-to-eye with his brother, who had been facing the computer.

For a second Donnie thought that his brother would knock over the coffee cup, but then he realized how foolish that sounded. Leo always had control of his surroundings. He was leaning over the coffee cup, to be sure, but he wouldn't allow it to spill.

"What is it, Leo?" asked Donnie, his brother completely demanding his attention.

"You need to rest," said Leo, "You've been up for five days straight. I knew, but didn't say anything to Master Splinter. But you know he wouldn't like it. Donnie, I want you to go to bed."

Donnie smiled and shook his head.

"Sorry Leo," he said, "But I need to get this done."

He slightly nudged Leo to the side, and Leo complied, albeit while frowning.

"You see this?" asked Donnie, "It's the blueprints for the engine improvements for the Battleshell. And here are my plans for the new security system. Once we have that in place-"

"Donnie," Leo interrupted, "You are worth more than some improvements or a new security system. And you're burning out fast."

"I'm completely fine, Leo," said Donnie, "I've got coffee to keep me awake."

Donnie took a sip from his coffee and grimaced.

"Must have gotten stale or something," he said, taking another sip.

Leo laughed. "And you're still going to drink it? Geez, Don, you really are tired!"

"I'll make a fresh pot later," said Donnie, shifting through papers, "My work here is more important."

Leo stood next to him, watching him silently. One of Leo's arms was on the desk, and the other was on his hips.

"Thanks, Leo," said Don suddenly, taking a small break just long enough to drink some more coffee.

"For what?" asked Leo.

"For not pushing me any more to go to bed," said Donnie, rubbing his eyes, "And for keeping me company."

"Well," said Leo, "I guess I can't force you to do anything, even if I'm not happy about it."

"Yeah," said Donnie, yawning.

Suddenly Donnie blinked. He had just yawned. What? He must have had quite a look on his face, because Leo started chuckling.

"Want me to get Raph to carry you upstairs?" he asked, a smile in his voice.

"No thanks, nothing coffee can't cure," said Donnie, downing the entirety of the rest of the coffee in one fell swoop. Leo looked slightly surprised, but only for a second.

Donnie then turned back towards his desk, and picked up a sheet of paper.

But something was wrong, the words kept on jumping around the page.

"Leo," Donnie said, "Is there something wrong with this piece of paper?"

"Not that I can tell," said Leo, standing as still as he ever was.

Donnie shook his head and blinked, but the numbers had all completely jumped off the page.

"Um, Leo?" he said, "The page is blank."

"It's only your imagination, Donnie." said Leo, so calm that he almost sounded bored.

"Leo, this isn't right!" said Donnie, scrutinizing the page as closely as he could.

He began to feel very tired.

"Um, Leo?" he asked.

Leo was suddenly there, gently wrestling the page out from Donnie's hand, and lifting him out of the chair.

"Come on, Don," he said, "I'm taking you to bed."

"Leo," said Don softly, tripping over his own two feet. His eyes were closing despite all of his efforts to keep them open.

Leo pulled him up to stand directly next to him, pulling his brother's arm over his own shoulder, and slowly coaxing his brother's feet to stand.

"Sorry Don," said Leo, almost laughing. "I didn't think you'd drink all of it."

Before Don could think to ask what he meant, he was out like a light.

"A little help here, Raph?" Leo asked.

Raph instantly walked in through the door, and draped Don's other arm over his shoulder. Between the two of them, they began carrying Don out of the lab.

"So he really drank the whole thing?" asked Raph.

"Yeah," said Leo, smiling, "He felt tired, so he drank his coffee." He smirked. "I wonder what he'll say when he finds out I slipped something into that coffee."

"Better you than me, Bro," said Raph, smiling, and turning off the light as the two left the lab.

"Hey Guys," said Leo, "Raph and I are taking Donnie to bed. See you in the morning."

"Um," said Mikey, looking up from whatever comic he was reading, "Do I even want to know?"

"Hey, it was Leo's idea. He did it," said Raph, "Not me."

"Okay, I'm good with that." Said Mikey, turning back to what he was doing.

"Good night my sons," said Splinter, "How much did he drink, Leonardo?"

"The whole thing, Master Splinter," said Leo, smiling, "And thank you, Master. It worked like a charm."

Master Splinter raised an eyebrow.

"Well," he said, "He will be asleep for quite some time."

"How long this time, Sensei?" asked Mikey.

"Two, maybe three months. A year at the most." said Master Splinter.

"What?" cried out all of his conscious sons.

Splinter smiled. "Can't you take a joke?" he asked slowly, "There was only enough to knock him out for three hours. The rest is up to him."

"So," said Mikey, "A week then?"

Raph just managed to whack Mikey over the head before he continued on with Leo, the both of them carrying Donnie up the stairs towards the bedroom.

THE END