Another round of thanks to my reviewers, and also to those who taken the time to read my fic!
Any observations, criticism, advice please feel free to give!
Thanks!
LunarLotis – Thanks, I guess!
Dark Duchess of the Underworld – Thanks for the encouragement, and yes I express my love of characters by making them suffer. A psychiatrist would have a field day with MY brain.
Teoryn – Thanks as always, I've made the adjustment you suggested. I can't believe I didn't catch that. The formatting in my Word doc. made it seem Splinter had his own line already. Only when it got transferred to FF did it become apparent he didn't! Thanks for your feedback ;)
D - Here you go. 'Hands over Chapter'
Cometanme – Can't make any promises 'grins evilly' ;)
Sorry the Chapters a bit later than planned. Had a major dose of Real Life recently.
Also, as I work in retail electronics and Christmas is on the way (don't remind me, I am so disorganised) work is stepping up and I may not be able to post weekly even. I will try, I want to finish this! But just consider this a pre-emptive apology for the wait between chapters. :D
Disclaimer – I don't own anything Except the TMNT 2007 DVD. Hee!
Splinter moved around the kitchen methodically, opening a tin of soup, emptying the contents into a saucepan. Placing the pan on the cooker. Lighting the gas.
All the time, he was aware that Leonardo was watching him, waiting for him to make a comment.
Splinter could feel the discomfort coming off Leonardo in waves, but knew it would be futile to try and get him to admit that his brother was making him uneasy. Instead, he just carried on padding around the kitchen making Donatello something to eat that would be easy to digest. Finally, Leo spoke up.
"Sensei-" He paused, unsure of how to phrase the next question. Splinter stopped and turned to face Leonardo.
"What's… what's going to happen to Don?" What went unspoken was: is this permanent? Leo hated himself for feeling this way, but the way that Don was acting at the moment unsettled him unlike anything else.
Splinter pondered his answer. "I do not know, Leonardo. He has been very ill, and needs more than a few days to recover fully. As they say, only time will tell"
He turned his back to Leonardo, with the pretence of pouring Donatello's soup into a bowl, but it was a cover to avoid Leonardo seeing his own look of worry. The only option available was patience.
"Come, Leonardo, let us take your brother his soup" Splinter had placed the bowl on a tray and was turning towards Don's sick room.
"Actually, Sensei, I'd better call April and Casey, let them know Don's awake" Leo shifted his position. A tell from childhood, it let Splinter know that Leo wasn't telling him the whole truth about what he was thinking.
Splinter eyed Leo carefully, then nodded assent. "It is a good idea, I am sure Miss O'Neil and Mr Jones will be happy to hear Donatello is feeling better" and he moved across the living area, leaving Leo alone with his thoughts.
As Splinter moved into the bedroom, he was pleased to see that Donatello was still awake, although he had been laid back down by considerate brothers. His brown eyes, normally so alert, were half closed but roaming between Raph and Mikey's faces as they conversed softly over him. Every so often they would address a remark to Don, but he seldom said anything in reply, instead preferring to smile or nod gently to prove he was listening.
"Donatello, I have some soup for you to try" Mikey moved from his brother's side to allow Splinter access, and Raph gently raised Don into a sitting position again.
Don's head rang alarm bells at the movement, but quickly the dizziness subsided, and he gave a half-smile to Splinter who sat ready with the tray. "Ooo-Kay"
Splinter placed the tray across his lap, and offered Don the spoon. After a noticeable hesitation, Donatello made a grab for the spoon. And missed. "Sorry…" He whispered, and tried again, this time making contact but then dropping it immediately.
"Sorry… sorry…" He apologised again, tears starting to appear in his eyes. Raph looked away from the spectacle, head bowed.
Mikey reached for the spoon and placed it into Don's hand, smiling a rather watery smile of his own, "Don't say sorry, Donnie! You're still sick, so stuff's still gonna be a bit difficult. But it'll get better, yeah?" Don dug the spoon into the soup forcefully and showered himself and Splinter with it. Don's face crumpled, and Mikey tactfully removed the spoon as Splinter carefully wiped Don's face with a small towel.
"How 'bout I handle this for you for today?" Mikey asked, gesturing with the spoon. Don looked miserable, but nodded. Splinter and Mike changed positions and Mikey loaded the spoon with soup. Don's attention however was on Raph, who had turned back to the bed but still had his head bowed.
"Raphie… sad?" he asked brokenly. Mikey sighed at his brother's childish language, and Raph brought his head up to meet Don's eyes.
"No, Don, just tired. It's been, ah, a tough few days" And it ain't over yet apparently. Raph watched as Mikey spoon-fed Donnie, the genius, like a toddler.
"Where'd Leo go?" Raph asked Splinter, after a couple of minutes.
"He is informing Miss O'Neil and Mr Jones that Donatello is awake and lucid" Splinter answered with his eyes on Donatello. Mikey had fed him about half the bowl, and Don was shying away from the spoon now.
"Nnno…. more. No-t hungry… now" Don was saying.
"C'mon Donnie, please?" Mikey was pressing him, but the rat intervened.
"Michelangelo, it is okay. He has had something. It is best if he just has food little and often for now" Mikey nodded, and after helping Donnie lay back down, he took the bowl out into the kitchen area.
"Master Splinter, what's up with Don? Really? He's talkin' and actin' like a kid! What-what does it mean? Is-is he gonna be like this forever?" Raph was almost afraid of the answer, and steeled himself.
And he was surprised when none was forthcoming. Splinter was fussing around Don, checking the IV, pulling up the covers, stroking Don's forehead, who smiled a sleepy, crooked smile up at him and closed his eyes. It was only then that Splinter answered Raph, in a low voice.
"I do not know, my son"
Raph blinked. Splinter was always so… so full of wisdom and advice. He invariably managed to enter a conversation and instinctively know exactly what to say to reassure them all. This was the first time that Raphael had witnessed his father admitting that he wasn't sure of anything. And that scared him. Not knowing how to deal with the fear, he fell back on the familiar.
"Whadda mean you don't know? How can you not know? Is Don brain-damaged? Is he gonna better? Is he gonna get worse? You can't just- you can't" Raph bit back the rest of his words at the look on Splinter's face.
"You will lower your voice when you speak to me Raphael, not only because you will disturb your brother" Splinter hissed. Raph took a couple of deep breaths, and went on in a lower tone of voice which still did not disguise his anger.
"But you must have an idea! You an' Leo, always goin' on about meditation givin' ya insight an' shi… ah, stuff! That just goes out the window, does it, when Don's involved? Is Don not important enough to get mystical help, huh?" Raph was on dangerous ground now, but didn't care. Splinter had gone very still and silent, which only happened when he was intensely angry.
"Is that why ya left Don to it while Leo was away?" Thoughts only now dawning on him begged to spill out and be heard. "Leo, Splinter's favourite, disappears for months. Donnie has step up, and God, isn't it disappointing? He ain't Leo, and you hate him for it! You wouldn't give him help when he asked for it then, and ya won't now-" Raph's tirade ended when a paw backhanded him across the face.
"How dare you stand there and accuse me of favouring one son over another Raphael." Every word ground out through gritted teeth. "No matter which of my sons were lying in that bed right now, I would help them if I could. If I could tell you what's going to happen I would, of course I would. But the simple fact is, I don't know. And it pains me to say it." Splinter was breathing heavy as well, and his tail was lashing to and fro. The pair of them stood glaring at each other, both waiting for the other to make the first move. Unsurprisingly, Raph broke first.
"Fine, OK, whatever. I'm outta here" and he was gone.
Splinter followed him with his gaze, still angry, and did not see the two orbs of brown watching them both fearfully from the bed.