Chapter 2 Master Splinter was watching his daily soap opera shows when the elevator’s door, what lead to garage, opened and battle shell drove at the other end of the lair. Splinter stood up being not pleased with boys since he had many times make it clear that battle shell wasn’t welcome in the lair but when his eyes saw Don and Leo carrying half dead Raph in the infirmary room, his heart skipped few beats and his anger turned into worry and fear. He rushed after his sons and Mikey came in the room last, seeing Raph being placed on the bed. Mikey wanted to stay but Don ordered Leo and Mikey out. Splinter was allowed to stay since he had assist him in surgeries before. Listening the sound of clock ticking in the silent lair Mikey and Leo sat on the couch, one stared at his lap and other dark TV screens. It had been almost 3 hours now and still not a single word about how things were going. Finally door opened and Splinter walked out but instead of coming to say anything to his other sons, he made his way right into bathroom to wash his bloody hands. Turning their gazes at the doorway of infirmary shadow moved inside the room and soon Don came to the doorway. “Leo, could you come here for a second?” Without hesitation Leonardo walked to his brother, still trying to keep his steps as normal as possible instead of running. His way to Don seemed and felt so long but he finally made it, Don closing the door behind them partly and Mikey saw this as his chance. Sneaking behind the door he waited and the silence in the room made his stomach hurt. Finally Leonardo broke the silence with his voice. “How is he?” Don sighed long keeping his head down, raising it up with deep inhale. He had to be honest with his brother and that’s what he was going to be. “We are losing him, Leo.” It felt like icicle had just pierced Mikey’s heart when he heard those words and Leo… His eyes were wide and it took him time to get himself together, becoming his strict-self. “We are not losing him.” “I’m sorry, Leo, but that’s the truth.” “No it’s not! It’s your job to heal him so do it!” “What do you think I have been trying to do these past few hours?! I have done all what I can but… His life is slipping between my fingers...” Don’s head fell back down and his shoulders were trembling with his voice. “I have done everything what I can, Leo. I have done my everything...” Raising those bloody hands on his eyes Don started to sank on the cool floor on his knees, Leo silently repeating “no” to himself over and over again, making his way next to Raphael’s body. Taking a hold on Raph’s hand it shocked Leo how cold his brother already was. He indeed seemed to be given up. No! NO! This wouldn’t do! This wasn’t the plan! This shouldn’t had happen! Leaning forward Leonardo kissed Raph’s cool forehead feeling tiny breeze of his brother’s breathing hitting his neck. Whispering silently Leo kept his lips against that pale green skin of Raph’s. “Come on, Raph. Fight. You can do it. You can’t… You can’t leave us. Fight, my brother, fight.” His hold on Raphael’s hand turned more tight as he fought against those burning tears in his eyes. He couldn’t let them fall here and now. He had to remain strong and have faith if others didn’t. Hearing the door opening both Leo and Don let their teary eyes meet with Mikey’s light blue eyes as he stepped in, holding class capsule in his hand and in it was light purple serum. “I… Took this from Bishop’s lap. M-maybe it will help Raph?” Leo watched as Don’s expression turned a bit more hopeful and he rushed to his little brother, hugging him. Without saying a word Don started to examine it while Leo’s gaze returned back on Mikey who, obviously, was feeling bad what had happened. “Where did you found that exactly?” “It was on the stand near by the spot where you found all those notes and prints about Bishop’s body. I thought… I thought it might would be bad thing to leave in Bishop’s hands so I took it.” Leonardo sighed heading to his little brother, stopping right in front of him. Gently placing his hand on Mikey’s shoulder, Leo managed to give him small smile. “You did well, Michelangelo. You did well.” and in return Mikey managed to smile back. “Leo, come check this!” Hurrying to Don who just called him, Don moved away from microscope giving room for Leo to see what was going on. For a some reason that purple serum, mixed to Raphael’s blood drop, was creating more cells and blood. Looking at Don in surprise Leo saw so much hope in Don’s eyes. “Is this going to save him?” “Yes, it seems so! But… I don’t know does it have any side effects or anything.” Looking down between them Leo’s eyes wondered all around as his thoughts raced in his mind against the time what was running out. Finally his firm gaze met Don’s and he nodded. “Let’s go for it. We indeed don’t know what it will do but it’s our best chance now. If it gives us even a little bit more time to help Raph to recover by giving him our own blood little by little, we use it.” Don nodded and took one last look of the example, gasping. Moving away from Leo’s way, he too took second look. “What the shell?!” “His cells are mutating...” “Second mutation...” Silence filled the room since they all had been there before but in that time it had been Don who had mutated. Did they really want to take another chance with second mutation? And what it would mutate Raph? Hearing walking stick hitting the ground gently with the sounds of steps, turtle brothers saw their father entering the room. Judging by the look on his face he had heard everything. “I never encourage anyone to play God but saving your brother is all what matters. We have been in difficult situations before and we always have survive. As a family, we will survive from this too.” All of them clearly wanted to ask more questions and be absolutely sure this was their only and best solution but none dared to speak. It was Leonardo who took the serum capsule and held it towards Don. “Do it. No matter what it takes, we will save him. He would do anything to save us.” “Even mutate us second time.” Mikey whispered. Don took a look at them all, even Raph, and he made up his mind. Rushing to get syringe from his lab, Don returned back with one full of the serum. Stepping next to Raph’s body Don took better hold on the syringe while his hand trembled but he couldn’t make another move because of the shivers and trembling. Leonardo appeared next to him taking gentle hold on Don’s arm, helping him to give the shot and then… They waited… For nothing. Maybe they should have give Raph some more of it? Suddenly Raph gasped loud and his body was trembling violently. For his own safety Don and Leo tied his arms on the bed while Mikey and Splinter tied his legs. Now that Raph was kept in place Splinter went to Don’s lab, took the blanket from Don’s day bed and came back to infirmary covering his son with it. It took a while but Raphael’s body soon calmed and stopped trembling, his skin’s color starting to turn back to strong emerald green and his breathing seemed to turn more stronger too. His wounds were also begin to heal on their own now. In some kind of way all 4 of them now could sigh in relief but they still were on guard since so far there hadn’t been any sights of second mutation. - - Something was hammering in his head so hard… His heart? So strong sound that Raph never hadn’t heard anything like this before but there was something else too. He couldn’t think clearly what it could had been but he knew one thing – he was feeling weird. Opening his eyes slowly he hissed shutting his eyes tight when the light shined right into his eyes. “Oh, sorry!” Don’s voice said and the light was turned off. Daring to open his eyes again, more carefully this time, Raph met those lovely brown eyes looking at him in relief with small smile on his face. “I heard you were making sounds so I came to check on you and then you opened your eyes.” Don couldn’t help himself as he bend down and hugged his woken brother who hissed in pain. “Sorry, sorry! Did I hurt you bad?” “Njah, just a little bit.” Raph smirked at the genius. “It’s nice ta see ya, bro.” Wiping the corner of his eye so called ‘braniac’ nodded with smile. “It’s so nice to see you too. You… You scared all of us so bad. W-we almost l-lost you...” Donnie’s voice trembled again as he remembered that horrible moment from yesterday. “What? Ya trying ta tell me I almost died?” “That’s exactly what he said.” Leonardo came there with his usual firm steps and despite the fact Raph and Don both waited to see smile on Leo’s face, he looked as strict as ever. “How are you feeling?” Confused at first by Leo’s question, Raph answered to him; “Kinda good. Feeling a bit weird but that’s all.” “Could be because of blood lost.” “Or the serum.” “Hold it! What serum!?” As Raph tried to jump up to sit, he was pulled back on the mattress instantly. Surprised by this Raph tried to move his arms and legs but they were still tied. “What the shell is this shit?!” “Calm down, Raph. I will tell you everything. Just calm down.” Hot breathing was burning his airways as his temper had rose, but Don’s voice calmed him. Raphael snorted but laid back down and Don started to undo bed’s belts what held his bro down. Filling Raph with all info what he had, with Leo still being in the room, Don helped Raph to sit up, checking his eyes once more with small flashlight. “So ya are saying ya used Bishop’s serum on me not even knowing what it does?!” “Yes, but thanks to it you are alive and so far there hasn’t been any signs of mutation.” “And what if that happens, huh, Donnie-boy?! Have ya forgot what happened when ya mutated?!” “We were fully aware of it and we decided to take that chance since we love you and didn’t want to lose you. You mean a lot to us all. Even more than you give yourself a credit for.” Leo’s voice was crystal clear and firm and it was pure honesty what he just had said so Raphael couldn’t argue with it. “And what do ya guys do if I mutate again? Run ta Bishops and beg him ta save me?” “If we have to, yes.” Raphael growled in frustration as he looked Don who was checking the area where he had give the shot but it looked perfectly normal. “I’d say you’re free turtle.” “Ugh, finally! My body feels heavy and needs some exercise.” “That reminds me, Raphael. I will forbid you for going out to topside any time soon, alone or with company.” “What the shell?! Why?!” “Because we are not sure about the second mutation. What if it happens when you’re out there alone or with Casey and attack on humans or him? Perhaps even kill him? Is that what you want?” Knowing Raphael didn’t want any of that Leo watched how Raphael growled, his chin moving from side to side but eventually Raphael gave in knowing Leo was right and he agreed to stay at home for now.