"-id great work out there Don... You saved us... You always do though, don't you..."

Everything comes swimming into a fuzzy focus, his senses kicking starting it takes everything in him to open his eyes to see where he was. Why couldn't he do that again?

'But before you let him know you're awake, take the time to listen to what he has to say, you might enjoy it.'

The conversation that had taken place in his mind pops into his head and a sudden wave of understanding overwhelms him, and his body relaxes from when it had once been slightly tense. So he was in the infirmary in his lab. Wait, wasn't there a buzzing sound and a cold-

Don just barely held back a flinch as a slightly cool cloth pressed to what he could guess was his fevered forehead, his first finger on his left hand twitching instead.

"Sorry Don, I know it's cold, but we've got to keep that fever down, especially after the scare you gave us earlier in the week." Leo's soft voice soothes his ears. However, panic grips him as he realizes that Leo is talking to him as if he knew he was awa- "I think its time to wake up now Don. You've been sleeping for almost two weeks, and Mikey's worried sick... Oh, what am I saying, We're all terrified Don... We can't lose you..."

What? Does Leo know he's awake or what? Cause his phrasing is just confusing...

'He doesn't know you are awake. Despite your inner turmoil, your body has kept an even breathing and a lifeless look. As for the scare he was talking about earlier, since I know you'll ask about it sooner or later, we got an infection and nearly died the day after the attack. April just managed to get here in time to save us from dying in this bed.' Goro's voice says in his head, almost startling him.

Don knows that the mental link wouldn't be as strong as it was when they were in the spirit plain, so he wouldn't be able to respond and that Goro can only just barely scrape together his thoughts enough to have a vague idea of what's going on. The same went for Don. If he concentrated hard enough he'd be able to get a small idea of Goro's thoughts. Emotions were easily detected between the two of them though, and perhaps with a little help from Master Splinter, they'd be able to strengthen their bond.

Something good could come out of what Karai had done after all. She was trying to destroy his family through him, trying to get him to reveal the secret of his home's location, and when he didn't comply, she torture d him from the inside as well as the outside. Karai had he scientists inject him with various different chemicals to cause him pain, both physically and mentally, knowing that the scientist within him would be appalled at the unknown substances in his blood. However, those harsh chemicals ate away at the cure Leatherhead made in his blood stream, the only thing keeping Goro in deep stasis.

Donatello had known long before he'd been captured that the mutation was still a part of him, and that if certain chemicals reacted badly with his blood, there would be horrifying consequences. It was why he refused to inject himself with painkillers, or had any medications, to afraid that he'd accidentally release Goro. No... Not Goro... The beast...

Goro was nothing like the monster that had once terrorized him and his every thought. That monster was intent on causing suffering to every living thing, including the body it was inhabiting. Even when Don told it that the constant transformations and fighting over the control on his body was actually starting to kill and shut it down, it still forced the mutation whenever it had even the slightest chance. It was killing itself and it didn't even care.

All of those soft comments and occasional acts to help him and to comply to his wises were all of Goro's attempts to help, to fight back against the blood lust and rage programmed into him from Bishop's Virus in his own way. If the monster was a horrible part of Don's mind, then how bad was it if it controlled his thoughts and emotions?

'Quiet your mind, he is speaking again Sama.' Goro says to him, Had Leo been talking to him this entire time?

"-need you Don... I don't think you'll ever fully understand that... We don't care what was done to you, the the beast is back in you again." A flare of anger from Goro's emotions startles him, but as quickly as it appeared, it is smothered away. "We'll do everything to help you, just like you have done all of our lives."

A small chuckle leaves his brother's lips, making Don struggle to hold back his own smile. It'd been so long since he'd heard that laugh.

"I remember when we were younger, how Mikey, Raph and I would always be wrestling each other, playing tag, or just playing something together, but you almost never joined us. Back then, I used to think it was because you though yourself above it, that you were to good to play anything with the likes of us just because we weren't as smart as you. Looking back on it now though, realize it was because you had already mentally matured when we hadn't, already realizing that you weren't as physically as we were, but that you still needed to protect us. You had convinced yourself that you had to be the one to provide us with anything we could ever want or need, even at such a young age, you took our safety and happiness onto your shoulders... And none of us realized or ever tried to help... If anything, we just made it worse..."

'Do not speak, let him continue.' Goro reminds Don as he finds himself in the thought process and motion of opening his mouth the protest the accusations. They were true, but he'd never admit that to them or let them continue to think like that. He just can't.

"And I know that if you were awake right now, you'd talk until you are as blue as my mask about how I'm wrong and how I should never think like that, you'd do it just to take away any guilt that I'm feeling. You've always been so selfless, never asking for anything in return, and yet when you need us, what o we do? We leave you, we put more pressure on you... I hurt you... I didn't mean it Donnie... I don't know what happened... This dark force just started controlling me, my emotions. I was always angry, I always thought about who I could kill... And who I could screw..."

Don can hear the crack in Leo's normally deep and controlled voice, the sound of emotions finally breaking through that carefully crafted mask devoid of emotions. It breaks his already worn heart. Sympathy also licks at his emotions, making him aware of Goro, who was also listening to this.

"I...I ruined everything with us Donnie... And if I could turn back time and stop that... I'd do it a heartbeat... Every time you ignored me, it was a reminder of just how much pain I forced on you... I'm so sorry... The longer I spent away, the more of that dark side of me began to disappear, and the more I began to understand... I stayed longer than I needed to because I had to be sure that I killed that part of me... Because if there is some way that I can fix what happened between us... I don't ever want it to come back... I screwed up Don... This is all my fault... I'm sorry love... I'm so sorry..." Continuous sobs leave Leo's lips throughout the little speech, and now he rests his head on the infirmary bed near Don's shoulder, sobbing into the sheets while gently holding his hand as if it were the most fragile thing on the face of the earth.

'Speak... He needs you now more than ever...' Goro says softly, obviously being careful with Don's own fragile emotions. Squeezing his hand in Leo's grip slightly, a small bit of happiness tugs at his heat as he hears Leo's breath hitch and feels his head snap up up from where it was previously laying.

"Y-Y'know... You've really g-got to st-top blaming yo-yourself all th-the time.." Done stutters out, cursing himself for not realizing how dry his throat is and how weak his voiced sounded as small coughs rack his system.

"Shhh, don't speak, let e get you some water." Don feels Leo rush out of the room, the warmth of his hand leaving Don's as he does so. While this is happening, Don opens his eyes, prepared for the blinding light above his head to attack his close eyes, and finding no such thing. Good, they'd turned off the major lights in the infirmary, now he wouldn't have the worry about being temporarily blinded.

He only has his eyes open for a few moments before is blue branded brother practically materializes in front of him with a cup of water with a straw in it, and a bowl of ice chips. "I remember you saying that both of these are good for injured people who need to drink. I don't know which of these is better for you right now though. Are you dizzy? Nauseous? In pain? Do you need medications? What-"

"Leo! I'm fine. The water is fine." Don interrupts, proud that he didn't stutter and that his voice didn't sound as weak as before.

"Okay" The blue banded terrapin replies, setting the bowl aside and holding the cup up and maneuvering the straw to sit between the olive green lips, letting him drink to his fill. Finding it hard not to just down the soothing liquid, Don sips the water slowly until his throat feels a it better, knowing better than to down it all to avoid getting sick. Letting the straw drop from its position between his still chapped lisp, Don's runs hid tongue over them, wetting them enough to talk comfortably.

"I'm so sorry Donnie! I'm sorry I didn't notice your pain! I'm sorry I let Karai do that to you! I'm sorry I coul-didn't save you! I'm sorry for the way I hurt you! I'm-" Flinging his arm up, Don presses his finger to Leo's lips, silently telling him to shut up. It was also then that he notices the white bandages wrapped around most of his upper arm, a sharp pain shooting up his limb, reminding him of the injuries.

'The wounds were rather large and deep on my body, so they're size and severeness are nearly doubled on your own.' Goro speaks to him, and the pain seems to disappear, becoming nothign more then a gentle, numb throb. 'I'll do my best to absorb some of the pain to make things easier for you. It's the least I can do.' Goro says, a hint of compassion boosting Don's own emotions.

"Thanks Goro." He replies, realizing his mistake too late as Leos' brow furrows, both leaf green hands holding his olive one gently as the bring it away from their controller's mouth. "Don't ask Leonar-Leo. I'll explain that later." Don cuts in before the silent question is even voiced. "As for your apology, you can stick it, because it really isn't needed. I was cold and angry, and I treated all of you like shit. So for that, I am sorry. It doesn't matter what I went through, I had no right to treat any of you the way that I did. I also realize that your apology covers what you actively did to me, so that I will accept, but the rest are not needed, as you couldn't have helped nor stopped them. I appreciate the thought behind them though." He feels pride spread through him, and realizes it's Goro's emotions.

"Don, I-" Leo starts, but he is cut off rather quickly.

"Just kiss me." Don whispers, eyes slightly teary as he looks up at the turtle he still loves.

Not even a full beat passes before Leo's lips are caressing his own, the once strong presence of Goro faded away as his whole world became about the blue banded turtle holding him close. He'd spent so many nights dreaming of the moment when he could be snuggled deep into his lover's arms once again.

Breaking the kiss, the soft words that are whispered lightly into his ear slit is; "I love you."

And that's all it takes for Don to finally break down. After two years of keeping his tears in, of letting his pain be bottled up, of suffering alone, he was finally letting all of that hurt flow out of his in waves of tears and sobs as his mate held him close, mindful of his still healing body.

"I-I-I l-love y-yo-you to-oo." He gets out through the violent sobs, olive green hands gripping leaf green shoulders. It felt like centuries, which was more like fifteen or so minutes, before he finally calmed down, his tears gone and his heart returning to normal once again. Sympathy and comfort envelops his mind, and he gasps at the intensity of the emotions, before a smile tugs his lips upwards. For the first time in forever, he finally feels at peace with himself.

"So, who's Goro?" Leo speaks breaking the embrace but still keeping physical contact. Deep in those silver pools Don can see the look of concern, curiosity, and above all, jealousy.

'Oh shit.' Goro's thoughts reach him, and Don couldn't agree more.

So here's the next chapter
Hope you all enjoyed it :)
R&R