I Just Wanna Be Yours

Down With the Sickness

         ~Normal POV~

    "I don't think he's got this," Leo crossed his arms as he watched Raph twirl and hop around on the Dance Dance Revolution machine.

     "Hey! Leave him alone," Mikey growled back, defending their focusing brother.

     "What? I'm just saying he doesn't have this," Leo repeated, ignoring Mikey's glare.

     "You're just trying to get into my head," Raph brushed off the blue ninja's doubts.

     "Oh, my peaches and cream, he just doubled," Donnie popped up behind me, making me almost leap out of my skin.

     "Rag! Now!" the buff turtle ordered, Mikey immediately moving to wipe the sweat from his brother's forehead.

     "Have I ever told you how big and beautiful you are?" he complimented Raph with a large grin.

     "No, but thank you."

     "Uh, he is about to set a new high score," Donnie ducked away and moved up to watch the score ranking up front and center. "I can't watch, but I can't not watch!"

     "You know what they say about big-time moments?" Leo shoved his brother down to meet his eyes with Raph.

     "Yes, I do. They say that in big-time moments, leaders make--" the red turtle's words were cut off as they all tensed up at the sound of their dad's voice.

     "Brain!" everyone turned from the screen that read "game over." Splinter gripped his head in pain. "Ow, my brain!"

     "No! Why?" Donnie cried out before the rat reeled for a sneeze that came out very soft.

     "Gesundheit," I said as the boys just stared at their father.

     "Omigosh, omigosh, omigosh, Splinter's a zombie!" I glanced at Mikey who wore a worried expression.

     "Mikey, zombies are interested in other people's brains," Donnie spoke calmly to calm his brother's panic.

     "Rat Flu. This is not a drill. I repeat, this is not a drill," Raph warned and I raised a brow in confusion.

     "Rat Flu?" I walked beside Donnie as he explained the seven-stage process of Splinter getting sick and recovering while the other turtles helped their dad to his chair.

     "I feel terrible. Do I look terrible? Be honest," the rat had pink eye, a runny nose, and was foaming at the mouth while sweat dripped down his face.

     "You look great, not horribly sick at all," Raph lied through his teeth while his brothers cowered behind him. The buff turtle pulled a curtain closed to give their dad some privacy. "He's horribly sick."

     "Look, a flu this intense is going to affect all areas of his brain-- I'm talking the full seven stages--" he held up his six fingers, one of the legs from his spider shell popping out to give him an extra digit. "before his body naturally heals itself.

     "You guys know what the full seven stages mean?" Raph hugged Leo and Mikey to his chest, Donnie moving closer as they held a solemn look.

     "Mm-hmm."

     "Another chance to get whatever we want!" Raph shouted and they all cheered.

     "But poor Dad. He must feel terrible. But lucky us, he'll say yes to whatever we ask for! Whoo-hoo!" Mikey grinned.

     "Only if we make it all the way to the end of the flu, the elusive stage seven," Donnie shrugged at the thought. "And we never get there."

     "This year's gonna be different," Raph assured his brothers. "Nobody's getting bit. Nobody's getting infected."