You're Needed Here Now, Donnie

Chapter 15 - Flashbacks and Faux Pas

*Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise.

*Author's Notes: Here's Chapter 15 of 'You're Needed Here Now, Donnie.' I would like to thank all of my followers and everyone that has taken the time to read this story and provide me with feedback. I really appreciate it. ;) CJ

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Chapter 15 - Flashbacks and Faux Pas 

Up on the surface, dawn had broken and the light of a new day faintly glimmered inside of the Dojo from the skylight grate above, informing the Hamato family that the night they would not soon forget had finally come to a bittersweet end.

Leonardo closed his eyes as he crossed the threshold of the Dojo, mentally thanking whatever powers that be that morning had come at last. It was high time to put the awful night behind them, but none of them would be able to actually do so until they were sure that Donatello was going to be okay.

The two oldest turtles treaded towards their injured brother on cautious feet, moving at a snail's pace across the first few area rugs of the Dojo. Both Leonardo and Raphael had a nervous feeling roiling in the pit of their gut as they approached their younger brothers.

Donnie was laid out on a tatami mat with a light blanket covering his sleeping form. He looked so peaceful, lying there with his mouth slightly ajar, revealing the gap in his front teeth. It looked as though he was resting comfortably, but they all knew better than to believe that. They could see the deep contusions that spoiled their brother's arms and head and they were all well aware that more marks were being cloaked by the blanket. They could see that the color of Donnie's skin was not as it should be and his closed eyes reminded them that he had not shown signs of consciousness for nearly an hour now.

Leo couldn't help but to wonder if this was what Donnie had been referring to when he had said of his concussion the words "Not much . . . can do . . . Keep 'wake . . . in case . . . "

Is this what 'in case' had meant? Had Donnie been trying to tell them that if they let him fall asleep, he wasn't ever going to wake up?

Shaking his head, Leo tried to push those dark thoughts out of his mind. He was in no mental condition to cope with such thoughts right now. Just the thought of Donnie never waking up . . . it was just too much . . .

Mikey was sitting quietly beside his immediate older brother, clasping both of his stubby light green hands around one of Donnie's limp olive green-colored hands. Mikey didn't bother to acknowledge his two oldest brothers as they entered the Dojo. Leo wondered if that was because Mikey was so focused on Donnie that he hadn't noticed that he and Raph were even there or if it was because his baby brother was mad at them for arguing with one another when they should have been helping their injured brother. Leo truly hoped it wasn't the latter, but he couldn't blame Mikey if he was upset with them. If Leo were Mikey, he would be upset, too.

As Leo and Raph drew nearer, Leo softly coughed into his fist to alert Mikey of their presence, but he was pretty sure that Mikey already knew they were there.

Upon hearing Leo's sound cue, Mikey straightened up his back and lifted his head, but he did not turn to look at them. His eyes remained fixed on Donnie.

The chilly vibe Mikey was giving off made the two oldest brothers think that they were intruding. To say the situation was awkward was an understatement.

"How is he doing, Mikey?" Leo asked with barely any volume. He was now standing directly behind Mikey, feeling as though he didn't have a right to take one step further until he had his youngest brother's permission to move any closer. He felt like he owed Donnie and Mikey that much to not encroach on their privacy without consent.