A/N: This story was bugging me all night and I just couldn't start the day without putting some pen to paper. Don wanted the story told, and Mike decided to tell it.

I on the other hand had a million things to do today, and asked if I coud write it all tonight.

No dice. So here's what I've got on hand, I thought I'd nail this part to paper so it would stop rattling inside my head.

Hope you enjoy.

Not now Mikey

BLAM!

I stopped a giggle before it got too loud, ramming the little remote control between the seat cushions where nobody would find it. This has GOT to be the best prank ever! I thought as I heard the last of the explosion die away. Finding that intact airbag at the dump and installing it into Don's lab chair was a pure stroke of genius. He'd sit, I'd blam ... profit!

I was mentally running though the checklist of punishments I'd have to do when I heard the slow steps of Don entering the room. I covered my mouth so he wouldn't see my grin and leaned over the back of the couch for a look.

I was expecting the whole "MICHAELANGELO! Get your butt in here NOW! This is NOT cool dude, NOT funny." speil, with him running out of his lab in a black cloud of thunder, but it never happened, so I turned. I did not expect to see what I did.

He was grasping his right hand with his left so tightly I thought it was going to pop off. His eyes were fixed on a single bright speck of blood that glistened from a fingertip, and walked up to me like he was a bride doing her wedding march act.

Don as a bride. Now THAT's funny. Maybe the bride of Frankenstein 'cause he's in his lab so much. I wonder if he'd keep an Igor as a pet? Now that would be cool.

"Mikey." Don's voice was ice cold and fear gripped my heart. No yelling. No lectures. No punishment. That one single word dropped into my gullet like a heavy iron ball.

"Yeah bro?" I heard myself say, glancing around the lair and hoping against hope someone would come to my rescue. Leo, Raph and Splinter were out for the day, some blah, blah, blah about exercises. They thought it'd be ok to leave me with Don here in the lab 'cause we'd be safe.

I surpressed another giggle. Oh how wrong they were.

"Mikey, remember all those times when we've told you not now, 'cause whatever you'd do would get us killed?" He was still talking slow and measured. He was looking at me kinda funny too, like he was trying to work out if I was up to the task. What task I didn't know, and I sure as shell wasn't going to volunteer.

"Yeah?" I said again slowly, waiting for the lecture or rant or something to start. Pranks usually don't go this way and I was getting kinda worried.

It was Donny's eyes that did it to me. He looked real disappointed in me. Not like usual, when he would just sigh and rub his eyebrows and ask for whatever thing I broke so he could fix it. This was more of a holy-shell-you've-sooooo-messed-up-and-you-can't-fix-it kinda disappointment. I dunno what he was on about. It was just a prank. Sure I could fix it. I'd do the prank; he'd get mad, I'd say I'm sorry, he'd fix it, I'd get punished, bam! Fixed.

But he just sighed again and turned away and said in that terrifying low quiet voice.

"Not now Mikey. Not now."

Can anyone guess what happened in the lab that's got Don so spooked? Do you think Mikey will be able to fix it? Do you think the 2.8g of courage that was so graciously donated to me will give me enough strength to finish this blessed thing?

And last but not least, do you think I got Mikey's voice right? He's always a hard one for me. His voice in my head is fine, but capturing his spirit on paper is like pinning down a cloud.

Would love to know what you think.