Leonardo couldn't help but stare at his younger brother, Raphael, as shock and stark terror surged through his body.

Someone…some…thing…had bitten Raph. The wound bled continuously, disgusting pus seemed to bubble out as well, as if the bite had been festering for days, instead of the few hours Raph had been gone.

How could he have let this happen?

As his leader…

No.

As his older brother…

How could he have let this happen?

Raph wanted to assure Leo that he was totally fine. But his shoulder was killing him. For once, in all his years of bashing skulls with Casey, this may have very well been the only time he actually regretted going out.

Raph barely remembered how he had gotten bit in the first place. One minute Casey and him had been busting up some Purple Dragons and the next, Raph had been staring up at the sky, dazed and in pain, while Casey waved a hand in front of his face.

This could very well have been the stupidest thing he had done to himself. Considering the crazies he dealt with practically on a daily basis, Raph really should have known better than to let his guard down. Even with Casey there to cover his shell, Raph should have been putting years on ninja training to use.

Now look…It was all going to waste. Because of one stupid mistake. He'd let one of those…things…get close to him…close enough to bite…

The last thought on the red-banded turtles mind before the terrifying darkness consumed him was the very one that scared him the most.

Because he had gotten…bit…he would have to leave his family. Forever…

He was going to die.

Don's minded whirled with questions as Leo and Casey carefully hauled a feverish Raph in the Lab. He knew something like this was bound to happen to him or a member of his family. True, Don hated himself for having those kind of thoughts about his beloved brothers, but…

Since that incident in Miami, he knew he had to prepare for the worst of whatever emergency situation that may take place.

But Raph?

Don had been expecting Leo to be the one to get bit, the leader always looking for the best in people, even his enemies. Or Mikey, the goofball who always managed a slight scrape in every battle. Heck, Don was shocked he himself hadn't been injured yet. He'd been working with April and his Utrom friends just in case he was put into that particular situation.

But Raph?

With his strength and obvious fighting prowess, Raph should have blown right through whatever obstacles were in his way…

Don sensed that someone was talking to him and had been doing so for a while, but not a moment later, Raph let loose a scream that seemed to deafen them all. After managing to get Raph properly secured, without the chance of injury to the other or himself, Don set to work gathering multiple sample from his red-banded brother.

It was bound to be a long night.

When Mikey had finally decided to move from where he had been standing when Raph and Casey came stumbling in, it was after his hot-headed brother passed out and had been carried into Don's Lab, but Mikey couldn't bring himself to follow after his injured brother.

Instead, Mikey slowly made his way over to the couch and sat down just as slow. While he would ave normally powered up one of his multiple gaming stations, this time, however, Mikey just gather his legs to his chest, wrapping his arms around them, and settling his head on his knees.

This could not be happening.

Mikey knew he was having a panic attack, but he was content to handle it himself. He knew Don would find the answer to this hellish nightmare. Donnie would fix everything.

His genius older brother would find the cure to this sickness and make Raph all better again.

His calming, blue brother would make sure Raph didn't train for at least a week, just so he didn't have a relapse and get sick again.

And his hot-headed brother would get over this, get better, and be stronger than ever.

He had to. If he didn't, then Mikey didn't know what he would do. Without Raph, Mikey wouldn't have anybody to play with. Sure, pranking Leo was fun, but his oldest brother would just shrug it off and not care. A joke on Donnie was really entertaining too, but way to dangerous. Everyone knew Donnie was one who could hold onto a grudge forever. And that would be absolutely NO fun whatsoever.

Pulling a prank on himself, while it may prove interesting, just seemed kinda…stupid.

But busting Raph's chops always proved fun. If it was a day Mikey wanted to roll around, He'd let Raph grab him around the neck and wrestle him around. If it was a day that Mikey had no wish to have his ever beautiful face damaged, he would run around the Lair and Raph would undoubtedly give chase. Between catching him and the ever fun game of Hide, Seek, and Don't-kill-me-Raphie!-I'm-the-cute-and-funny-one!, Mikey always manage to have fun.

That was his way of bonding with Raph. With Donnie, he listened to lectures, even if he had no idea what he was being told. With Leo, he made sure to make the stressed out leader laugh and relax.

Pranking Raph was just something Mikey couldn't live with out.

And he just hoped, prayed, and wished that everything was okay.

…

The scream that rocked the Lair was NOT reassuring. Not reassuring in the least.