Always Be There

We're home, buddy. We're home.

Donatello awoke, muttering something inaudible as he felt himself being carried bridal-style towards an unknown place. He assumed they were going north. . No— East? Perhaps northeast. . Ow-

"It-. . -kay, Donnie. Don't- . . . -gonna be—" A muffled voice suddenly spoke, slowly cutting out as Donnie slipped in and out of unconsciousness. He desperately attempted to stay awake, to no avail. He slipped into unconsciousness again.

The terrapin fell limp again, head tilting back into Raph's plastron as his limbs continued to dangle from the older's arms.
"Shit— Leo he didn't even make it through that sentence. We need to get to Master Splinter, now." Raph said, noticing the weight increase in his arms and the head falling back against his plastron.
"Oh no— alright then let's hurry. There should be a manhole over in this alleyway." The leader replied, frantically running. The others followed.

—————

Raph set Donnie on the mat in the dojo, gently laying his head back as he frantically looked around.
Leo had gone to get Splinter.
Casey and Mikey were running to get medical supplies.
Raph turned back to the once purple themed brother. Suddenly, his face drained. He realized his plastron wasn't moving. He hovered a hand over the younger's mouth, not feeling anything. "Hurry up!! He's not breathing!" He screamed out, unknowing of what to do.

Splinter and Leo entered the dojo, quickly making their way to the red themed brother.
Splinter kneeled down beside Dee, checking his pulse. It was slowing, and quickly. "My son's, go get the defibrillator. And quick."
Leo nodded and jumped up, sprinting out the door.
"Sensei what do I do?! He's— Shit— I looked away for a second how did that happen so—" Raph began to freak out, breathing rapidly increasing speed
"My son, it is alright. You mustn't blame yourself. You couldn't have prevented it." Splinter said calmly, resting a hand on the terrapins back in attempts to calm.

Leo bounded back in, sliding over and setting the machine down.
"Hurry, his pulse is weakening." Splinter ordered calmly, yet still showing a hint of worry.
Leo nodded and flipped it on. Man was he glad Donnie decided to make one. He took a breath, hovering the two handles over the younger's plastron.
"Now." Splinter instructed.
Leo rested the handles on the purple-clad turtle's plastron, feeling his body move under the machines.
"Again."

It took four tries, and they almost gave up.

Donnie suddenly gasped loudly, the colour slowly returning to his skin. He groaned raspily, eyes fluttering open and being met with three worried faces.
The three older's let out a breath they hadn't realized they had been keeping.
Donnie attempted to speak, but instead let out a pained cry as his good arm shot to his neck, hovering shakily over it.

"My son, do not speak. For it will make your condition worse" Splinter said, resting a hand over the turtle's and gently setting it down.
Mikey and Casey frantically returned to the dojo, holding multiple medical supplies in their arms.
They set the supplies down and grabbed what they were told, scrambling over.

"Michelangelo, spread the burn ointment over Donatello's neck, then wrap it gently so it doesn't get infected. Casey, help me with his arm. ." Splinter ordered, shifting aside so Casey could help him.
Donnie winced every once in a while, letting out either a pained cry or another pained noise. It was unbearable, excruciating, he just wanted it to stop. His entire body was in agony, his neck felt like it was on fire. He felt cold. . So, so, cold. He couldn't really move, other than the pained flinches as they tended to his wounds.

"Donatello, please, do not move. I do not wish for you to get hurt any more." Splinter said softly, brushing his hand over the terrapin's head in an attempt to soothe him. Clearly it didn't work.
"S- augh! Sor—"
"Do not speak, and you certainly mustn't apologize for this. You are not in the wrong, my son."
Tears streamed down the poor turtles face, teeth clenching painfully as he tried to hold back choked sobs.

"Go prepare the sofa for Donatello. He will be in the living room tonight, so we can keep an eye on him."
The three brothers nodded and ran out, Casey running after but being stopped by Splinter.
"Casey Jones." The rat began.
Casey turned to him nervously. "Uh- yeah, sensei?"
"Thank you, for helping bring back Donatello."
"No probs, he's my bro after all." Casey put a thumbs up.

"Yes, I can see." Splinter nodded.
"Hey— mind if I stay here tonight? Just so I can keep an eye on Gap-tooth?"
"Of course, I do not ever mind. I will ask the boys to set up a bed for you."
"Nah, it's fine. I don't mind the ground." The boy smiled.
"Alright, if you change your mind, though. Do not hesitate to ask." The rat replied with a nod.
"You got it sensei!" Casey nodded and ran out.

The rat turned his head back to Donatello, hearing a scratchy, pained cry come from him. He sighed, gently stroking his head. "It will be alright, my son. You will heal. For now, do not speak until you can without pain. Do not move your arm, either. It is severely damaged."
He didn't expect a response, but ended up getting a trembling thumbs up in return.

He smiled slightly, flicking his ear as he heard his other sons yell that it was finished. "Donatello, I will be picking you up, now. Is that alright?"
The purple-clad turtle attempted a nod, wincing.
"Please, if you do feel any pain, feel free to squeeze my hand if needed." Splinter urged, gently maneuvering his arms underneath his son's legs and back. He slowly and carefully lifted him, pulling him close to his chest as he felt his son latch to his hand and squeeze as tight as the weak hand could. (which wasn't tight at all)

He slowly began his way to the living room, walking around the couch and gently setting his son down on it. He went to pull away, only to be held down by a clinging hand on his arm.
Donnie had grabbed his father's arm, latching onto it and squeezing it for comfort. He wanted to know someone was there, he wanted to make sure he wasn't alone. Sure, it may sound pathetic to him normally, but at that point he didn't care. He was in desperate need for someone. At that point his crying was relatively silent, mostly just sniffles here and there.

Splinter smiled, then shifted around so that he sat on the couch, Donnie laying with his head and upper torso in his lap as he clung to his arm.
The others sighed, unknowing of what to do. Yet also sighed of relief.
Leo and Mikey's heart sank, hating to see their brother in that condition.
Raph and Casey weren't much different from them, although they were more angry than anything. Angry that Don had been hurt like that, angry that they couldn't prevent it from happening, angry at the people who did it. And especially angry at April.

"Poor Dee. . ." Mikey muttered, shaking his head and looking down towards the ground.
"At least he's okay. It could have been worse." Leo reassured him, patting his back gently.
"That bitch is gonna pay for what happened." Raph growled out.
"I hear ya loud and clear, Raph." Casey agreed.
"Violence isn't always the answer, My son. You need to be calm, this isn't how April would normally act." Splinter stated.
"So, what? You're taking her side?! She nearly got him killed!!" Raph snapped.
"I am not taking her side. I am simply stating that you shouldn't blame April for her actions until you have heard her side. I have a very strong feeling it has something to do with her newfound abilities."

"But Sensei! She actively forced me to call that place, then threatened to disintegrate him again if I didn't! She has to have some sort of grudge against him for that to have happened." Casey explained.
"Maybe it's something to do with his crush on her or somethin'" Mikey shrugged.
"Mikey, not now." Leo stated.
"Sorry dudes, just a thought." Mikey replied.
Casey shook his head. "No. . she's mad at him for a lot more than that bro. I think she's still mad about the incidents with her pops."