TMNT - Worlds Change

Seventeen

Leo POV

I glanced over at Venus, shivering beside me.

"V? You ok?" I shifted so my arm rested around her shoulders, trying to share a little warmth. Her shivering didn't stop.

"I'm not sure. I'm not cold, but I can't shake this chill. It's almost as if its..." She went quiet. I watched her warily as her eyes fluttered shut. I had a feeling I knew what was going on. While Venus was quiet, Mikee ran into the room.

"Leo, we have a situation.We can't get in contact with Donnie, and there was just an-"

"Avalanche. Cave. We need to help them." Venus said quickly, cutting Mikee off. She moved to stand, but I caught her arm.

"Whoa, Slow down. What's going on?" I held her hand. She was still shivering.

"Athena and Donnie are trapped in a cave by the avalanche. The cold, The shivering. They need our help."

Donnie POV

"Athena!" I stumbled along the new wall of snow. "Athena! Where are you?" A soft mumbling came from the snow, her bo staff sticking up from the snow. I ran over to her and started digging her out of the snow. I pulled her away from the new bank of snow, holding her close. She was freezing. "Athena. Come on, sweetheart wake up for me."

"Sweetheart, huh?" She whispered softly, her eyes slowly fluttering open.  I couldn't even blush, I was so happy. Holding her close, I sighed.

"Oh thank God. You're ok."

Raph POV

"So what's our plan?" Bellona asked, standing beside me at our makeshift prep table. Leo and Venus stood across from us, Mikee and Iris packed supplies into three bags. One for Bellona, One for me, and one for Mikee.

"We trek up the mountain, try and find a connection to Donnie with the Tphones. If not, we signal back to Venus here and have her trek up to meet us, trying to psychic find her."

"That could take hours. I don't know if they have that long." Venus stood, leaning against Leo, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. I still don't understand how this whole psychic sister thing works, but as long as it worked, I wouldn't question it.

"It will have to do. You are in no condition right now to make the trek, and it would slow down a rescue attempt.

"What about the trackers?" Iris spoke, pausing in her work on the hiking packs. We all looked over at her, slightly confused. "Did Athena not tell you guys? She finished them. Just before they left. She took one to show Donnie, as a surprise." She grinned. I couldn't help but smile a little. Iris was a very hopeful kind of person. Her enthusiasm can be infective. I watched her look at Mikee, who grinned wide and hugged her.

"You are a genius, Iris!" Mikee swung her around and she laughed. The two of them were so innocent. She was perfect for him. I turned back to the other, all with similar expressions as they watched them.

"That could work. But we still need to know how to activate it." I looked across at Venus.

"I can do that. She showed me what her plan was to turn it on, but I don't think she is strong enough for a mind link. I'll see what she's got in her lab."

"I'll come with you." Bellona said, moving to her side to make sure she was steady. Mikee and Iris picked up the bags, moving them to the hallway. I looked back at Leo. He leaned against the table, distracted. Worried even.

"You aren't getting soft on me, are ya?" He looked up at me, laughing a little as he shook his head.

"Nah. I'm just worried about Donnie. And Athena. And Venus." His eyes wandered to the hall she had just walked down. "This connection, between Venus and Athena. They are so deeply connected that she physically feels the chill that Athena does." He looked up at me, whispering. "What if, God forbid, something were to happen to Athena? How would that affect Venus physically, let alone emotionally?" I watched him a moment quietly.

"Well, think about it this way. She can't be completely dependent on Athena. If that were the case, Athena would have blacked out the same way that Venus did during the battle with Shredder. She would have an injury on her side too. So maybe, what she gets, are the mental and emotional sensations. Mentally, Athena knows she is cold. So Venus is showing that. When Venus was hurt, Athena knew and felt a little of her pain, but she physically didn't show signs of it." He looked up at me, calmer, but confused.

"You sounded like Donnie just then." He smiled. I laughed.

"It must be Bellona rubbing off on me. She has a temper, but...she's brilliant. I think she hides it a little for Athena's benefit."

"Really?" Leo seemed surprised. I glared at him a little, but he shrugged.

"She thinks things through. Lots of logic based stuff. Not like the geek squad with the learned book smarts and stuff. She takes the big picture and finds the simple ways to put it." I watched as Mikee and Iris came back, their arms full of winter jackets.

"It's getting colder and there is a chance of snow. We packed some into the bags for Athena and Don." Mikee handed me one of the coats, pulling on one himself. Bellona returned with a device in her hand, Venus close behind.

"We got the tracker running and Donnie must have things under slight control." Venus seemed calmer now, knowing her sister was ok. I was glad she was just as worried about Don as she was Athena. When I first met her, I thought she was a mirror of Leo, all leader. But I quickly realized that she was just doing things to protect her family. I respected her for that, especially since now we were her family too.

"Alright. Bella gear up and we will head out." I said, taking point. As Bellona pulled on her coat, I glanced at the window, where a few snow flurries began to fall.