To Die Happy (Tmnt Donatello Fanfic)

24. Our Fate Cannot Be Fought: Part 2

I'm a good person,
But bad things happen to me.
If I could evade it all,
I wouldn't hesitate to flee,
But when I fall,
And no one catches me,
I fail to see the world as a good place to be.
****

Everyone in the lair had relocated to the lab, sitting themselves close to the computer that transmitted audio to and from Donatello.

Leonardo lay listening to the conversation on the ground with Michelangelo, an arm around his younger brother's shoulders in a comforting gesture. Leonardo didn't fail to notice the tear stains on the vibrant orange material of Mikey's mask and he did his best to be of some comfort to his brother.

Everyone's focus was on the low rumbling of Master Splinter's voice, soft and soothing as he reassured Donatello on Raphael's condition. Donatello's sniffling was still audible after the relief of hearing his brother was even alive had made him cry with happiness. This then made Mikey cry, which made Leo cry and it set off a chain reaction until the whole lab- Casey, Hannah, Celyn and then until his mask of stone crumbled, Splinter. As hard as it was for everyone they silently agreed that they'd stay as silent as possible with their emotions in front of Donnie. He was too fragile to be worrying about everyone else's emotions right now.

A long, strung out creaking on Donatello's end of the line had everyone's heads snapping up to the computer monitor. What had previously been the ceiling, for that's where Donatello was looking, was now a view of the door off to the right. The silhouetted figure that stood in the door frame was unmoving, seemingly waiting, as the light peeped in from behind their body. For a second even Donatello couldn't make out who it was until a familiar face became clear and his breath hitched in his throat.

"It seems the more I insist they leave you in the state I put you in, the more father wants you to live." The words slithered out of Karai's mouth effortlessly and the second Leonardo recognised the voice he had jumped up to observe the monitor.

Donatello looked towards the ceiling again, unfazed. Leonardo's heart felt like it was being squeezed within his chest at how Donatello simply brushed her off as if he has heard it all before. Karai was having none of it, walking towards Donnie and giving him a hard kick in the side before hissing, "Look at me when I'm speaking to you, you useless piece of filth."

Leonardo's anger levels had never risen as high as they were now. Like an animal he growled. "You have no right to call anyone a useless piece of filth Karai." He hissed between clenched teeth. A tight grip on Leonardo's arm pulled him back from the microphone that transmitted audio to Donatello and he turned to see his father holding him back.

A loud smack echoed throughout the speakers and everyone flinched. The monitor was now showing the ground and Karai's unmistakable voice slithered through the speaker once again, "Let's see how defiant you are now. Get up."

Donatello got to his feet shakily, his legs as weak as water and his arms like lifeless noodles protruding from his shoulders. He raised his fists with some trouble due to how much they quivered but he held them as best he could in front of his face. Karai's grin was prominent.

"I'm going to enjoy this." Karai said as she pulled her sword from her sheath. Donatello looked helplessly at the blade, wondering if he should just drop his fists now and allow her to get it over with.

Thinking quickly, Donatello said the only thing his brain would come up with. "This isn't honourable, you're armed and I'm not." He said in a weak attempt for her to reconsider. Karai always prided herself on honour even though she had none, so Donatello hoped it would tug something, anything inside her.