Kay. Well this is my second fic and my first TMNT fanfic. For starters I do not own any of the TMNT original characters, nor the show plot, or anything else like that. I am but a lowly fanfic writer in college and can not afford to be sued. Well there's the disclaimer. Now on to the fic.

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Small coughs could be heard through out the lair. Splinter gently held the small turtle as the coughing spells rocked his body.

The rat sighed. Of all his sons, Donatello always got terribly sick in the winter months. The first year they had all been together, Splinter had feared he would lose his young son. But the baby turtle surprised him by pulling through, soon playing with his brothers. However he was always the first to get sick in later years. Splinter feared this would always be so.

Three small heads poked around the doorway. "Sensei?" one asked gaining Splinters attention. Looking up the rat smiled at his other three sons. "Yes, Leonardo? What is it?" The five year old turtle walking in a bit. "Is Donnie okay?" he asked as his younger brothers join him. Donatello turned his body a bit so that he cold see his brothers.

Splinter shook his head. "Your brother is very sick." He couldn't help but think how cute their faces looked when drooped into disappointed pouts. "But some rest and he should be fine."

Donatello moaned as he felt another coughing coming. Splinter took the wool blanket beside him, and moving Donatello around a bit, wrapped him firmly but gently in the blanket. His second youngest son sighed, snuggling into the welcomed comfort.

"Leonardo, would you watch your brother while I get him some hot tea?" The small blue banded turtle nodded. "Of course Sensei." Splinter smiled at his seriousness, then, laying Donatello down on his bed, the ninja master stood up. "Do not get him over excited. You brother needs rest more then anything."

With that, Splinter left the room. Leonardo, Raphael, and Michelangelo glanced around the room for a minuet. Then the three went to their brother's side. "Hi-hi Donny!" Mikey said happily, plopping upon the bed.

The mask-less turtle opened his eyes tiredly. "Hi Mikey." He whispered as his throat was sore from coughing. "Where's Master Splinter?" Donatello asked as he rolled over on his side to see his brothers faces better. "He went to make you some tea." Leonardo said simply getting on his knees by his brothers bed so that they were eye to eye.

"Why do you always get sick?" Raph asked crossing his little arms in front of his plastron. Donny shrugged. "I don't wanna be sick. It just happens." Mikey frowned as Donny's words trailed off into a coughing fit. The youngest of the four sat the sick turtle up as their father had, and smiled triumphantly as the coughs lessened.

Donny shivered as he rubbed his throat. Leo quickly joined Mikey in holding his second youngest brother up, climbing onto the bed as well. "You need to get better so we can train with sensei again." The blue banded youngster said. "Yeah, we don't want to get ahead of you." Mikey said excitedly. Donatello only shivered more, even when they put the blanket around him. His face was flushed, which was interesting to them to see because they were, after all, green.

Raph's frown deepened. The temperamental turtle slipped away unnoticed as his brothers chatted away. The red banded little turtle jogged to his room. He knew Donny needed something to make him feel better. And his five-in-a-half mind knew just what to get.

Reaching under his covers, Raph pulled out something fuzzy. It was an old, slightly ragged bear with a piece of red cloth tied around its eyes like their masks. Raph smiled lovingly at the bear. His most treasured possession. Then he headed back to Donny's room.

Leo felt Donny's forehead as Mikey chattered away about some new cartoon called Mighty Ducks or something like that. Still hot. Leo sighed quietly. When it was only the three of them, they could never have as much fun without Donny. He and Raph fought more without Donny to stop them. And Mikey always got hurt without their brother watching out for him.

Mikey suddenly stopped talking. Leo blinked, looking at him. His baby brother pointed to Donny, who was sound asleep. Leo watched as Mikey lay down next to Donny and began to rub his shell. "What are you doing?" Leo whispered, lying beside his brother as well. "Dad dose this when I don't feel good." Mikey informed him. "It feels real good." Leo sighed. "Where is Master Splinter anyway?" He asked as Mikey stopped his motions.

"I'm right here Leonardo." Leo and Mikey sat up quickly. The rat ninja master held a cup of tea and smiled fondly at his sons. "How has he been?" Leonardo got off the bed carefully. "He's been sleeping sensei." The blue banded five-year-old reported. "He coughed a lot too!" Mikey added, he too getting off, not as carefully.

"Thank you my sons. You may go play." The two young turtles left the room as Splinter went to Donatello's bed. Waking his son, the rat made him drink the tea. Donny finished the tea, then sat still as Splinter felt his forehead. "You still need rest my son. But you should soon be better." Then over his shoulder he said, "Yes, Raphael? Do you need something?"

Raphael was standing there, looking nervous. Donatello, with a cough, looked over at his brother. The red banded turtle blushed deeply as he walked up to the bed. Then he held out the bear to his younger brother. "Here Donny." He said quickly. Donny took he bear puzzled. "But Raph, this is your…" Raph, now blushing furiously, turned his back on his brother. "Yeah, but you can barrow him. He'll help you get better."

With that, Raphael hurried out of the room. Donny looked at the bear in a sort of awe. Cuddling it carefully he allowed his father to tuck him in. Donny felt the soft fur on the bears belly. He smiled and yawned sleepy before another cough escaped his beak. "Sleep my son." Splinter said stroking the small head. "Maybe tomorrow you can play with you're brothers."

Donnie mumbled something as he felt his eye lids close. Splinter smiled. "I love you too my son." He whispered, bending to kiss the sick ones forehead. Once he was sure his second youngest was asleep, Splinter left.

That night, after all had gone to bed, three pairs of little feet made their way to a room. Leonardo opened the door. He silently led his younger brothers into the darkened room. Then they went to Donny's bed.

"What are we doing again?" Mikey asked his older brothers in a loud whisper. "Shhh!" They both reprimanded him. "We're going to make sure that Donny's warm enough." Leo said quietly climbing up next to Don, who mumbled something in his fever induced sleep. Raph nodded. "He has a cold 'cus it's cold." The red banded turtle also climbed up on the bed. "So if he's warm, then he won't be cold. Get it?"

Mikey thought hard, face screwed up tight. Then he grinned. "Yeah, I get it!" He said almost too loudly. "Shhh!" Leo and Raph covered his beak. "Dad wouldn't let us stay here if he knew. He wouldn't want us to get sick." "Yeah, so keep you beak shut and go to sleep." With that the three turtle tots snuggled next to their sleeping brother.

In the earlier hours of the morning, Splinter looked in to check on Donatello. He blinked as he found not just one son, but all four.

Michelangelo slept next to Donatello, the youngest one's share of the covers kicked away sleep. The orange banded tot was sucking his thumb. Donatello still cuddled Raphael's bear in his sleep. The purple turtle banded was turn halfway on his side, his forehead resting against his younger brothers. Raphael was curled up on Donatello's other side. The red banded turtle's arm across his two younger brothers protectively in sleep. Leonardo lay sort of at the head of the bed, seemingly allowing his brothers to lay on him. He had both his hands on Michelangelo's and Raphael's shoulders. The blue banded head tilted to the side, his mouth slightly open in sleep.

The ninja rat master stood there, smiling at the image. A tear trickled down his aging face. As quietly as he could, Splinter entered and sat down in the chair next to the bed. He sat there, watching them in there sleep. His heart felt full of pride at the love his sons had for each other.

And his heart was full of something close to sadness as well. He knew, somewhere deep inside himself, that a time was soon approaching when moments like these would be precious few. Splinter decided that they would forgo training today. Today they would spend time together. Today they were going to have fun.

Then they were going to take medicine to make sure they didn't catch Donatello's flu.

Yay! Finished! Comments, complaints and general disgust or what ever are welcome. -