To Die Happy (Tmnt Donatello Fanfic)

26. Our Fate Is Set.

MAJOR VIOLENCE. Do not read if you are squeamish or don't like reading these type of things!

Karai stands in a room, a gun clutched in her small neat hands.

Mikey begins to wonder when she started carrying machinery in her arsenal. Karai was a true to her roots traditional ninja. No guns or bombs here.

So when she lifts her weapon in a playful manner and aims it at the side of his brother's head does Mikey's heart jump leaps and bounds in his chest. She has the power to shoot Donnie right now. Just pull the trigger and blow his over-achieving brains out.

Donnie's face is set just like it had been when he told Mikey to leave. Mikey's heart swelled with pride at his brothers courage- he definitely couldn't do that in his shoes.

The border of the shot and the ever moving numbers in the corner of their screen remind Mikey awfully of the time Karai had set up the same camera to film April's death. His mouth is dry and his throat has formed an enormous lump that Mikey doesn't know what to do with.

The gunshot is deafening as the bullet rips through Donnie's temple and straight through to the other side where his brain splatters on to the wall. Donatello's eyes never close- he didn't have time to. He just crumbles to the ground in an evergrowing puddle of blood and brain matter.

"See you soon."

The scream that rips through his throat echoes through all of New York's sewer system. His entire body shakes like a rustling leaf, his eyes overflow like a raging waterfall.

Michelangelo can't stop seeing the bullet shoot it's way through his brother's head, destroying the amazing brain that sits inside. His fingernails scratch at his face; clawing the image away from his eyes and trying to unsee everything that happened moments prior.

He doesn't feel the blood that seeps underneath his nails- doesn't hear himself yelling for the images to go away. All Mikey knows is that it won't stop repeating in his head and burning the images in his brain forever.

It isn't the first time Mikey's dreamt about Donnie being killed or tortured. He often dreamt about the injuries he got the night he sacrificed himself, often dreamt about Donnie being slowly stabbed like Karai tried to or Donnie killing himself. It all brunt a whole in his memory and Mikey couldn't take it anymore; he tried to be strong. And he failed.

Mikey digs at his eyes deeper, broken skin catching underneath his nails from his cheeks. It isn't until two hands grab forcefully at his wrists does he scream out again, pleading for the images to go away and for the nightmares to leave him alone.

How far has his life changed since Karai came and wrecked everything? How much did she destroy his life without knowing the extent to which the damage she caused? Mikey knew Leonardo was depressed, he knew the grief was slowly eating Casey alive and now that Raphael was awake and well he was beginning to show the signs of the guilt that gnawed away at him too.

They'd all failed Donnie. They had him back for such little time when they got Karai out of their lives and they took it all for granted. Donnie was gone again and the more days that passed, the more Mikey started to believe he'd never get him back.

Mikey felt like he was waiting on the news that Donnie was dead. Maybe he was even hoping for it.

"Mikey, Mikey stop!"

But how could he stop when Donnie's brain was hitting the wall with a sickening splat! How was he meant to get the images of his brother's haunted eyes piercing his soul as he fell forward out of his head?

Mikey's eyesight was blurred as he looked up at Raphael's shocked and horrified face looking down at him, his smaller fists clutched in Raph's bigger ones. Mikey's bottom lip quivered as his face crumpled up in grief for the future Donnie could have had. Even if they did get his brother back, what state would he be in? Mikey wailed in agony that was unrelated to his facial injuries.

Did Mikey truly even want Donnie to come home? Maybe, maybe not. Wouldn't it be more merciful to put the suffering soul out of his misery instead?

Mikey didn't know if he even wanted Donnie to see their corrupted family now.

***

Raphael was beginning to lose the fire that used to burn brilliantly inside of him.

His cause? Raphael sat down and thought about their situation rationally. Shredder has an entire army of foot soldiers. They have three broken brothers, one just out of a week long coma that's left him slightly off balance, one that hides the self harm on his arms with as much subtlety as an elephant in a crowd of ducks and one that just tried to claw his eyes out because of the nightmares that haunts him when he sleeps are graphic and violent and diminished what little hope he has left inside.

Raphael never gave up. But this time, he's fighting a losing battle.

Maybe it's because he woke up in this situation and he isn't clinging to the little hope everyone else has. He thinks Splinter must surely see that? How does he not?

Raphael couldn't even think how Splinter can fathom this. His rare but whole family was ripped to shreds in the blink of an eye. That's the second family he's lost to Shredder.

Raph felt the hatred burn inside him. He knew that the day they tried to save Donnie was the day that the family would be broken apart for good. Someone was sure to die, there was no doubt in Raphael's mind someone would. It was a matter of who and how many that was undecided.

Raph got up from his seat at the couch, glancing at the time. 4:45. Mikey had woke the entire lair at 4:00 and his loud, pained wailing was still echoing from Splinter's room. Raph knew that within the hour change that Splinter was going to go get his little herb tea and try and get Mikey to atleast calm down and breathe. It had been forty five minutes for christ's sake.

Raph walked for the rooms, his mind set when he bumped in to Leo sneaking out his room with a bow tucked under his arm.

"What are y' doin'?" Raph asked and Leo looked like he was cursing inside his head at being caught so early in his self set mission.

Leo sighs a heavy sigh. "I'm going to get Donnie, wether you like it or not." He said firmly.

"I'm comin' too." Raph said and Leo's head whipped up.

"What do you mean your coming?"

"I mean I'm comin' with you to save Donnie. This waitin' around isn't goin' to solve anythin'." Raph answered and Leo shook his head slightly. "But are you prepared for the possibility of dyin' tonight?"

Leo nodded slowly. "I can't bare the guilt anymore. I failed him Raph and I have to get him home if it's the last thing I do." Leo says determined and Raph nods.

"I'll get my sais."

**************************************

Sorry it's short but I'm trying to get this story to a close. Also this is unedited, so I apologise for any mistakes you may find. Just point them out and I'll change them :)

So Raph and Leo are prepared to die to change the situation. Did you expect that?

Don't forget to comment and vote. Every single one is very much appreciated :) <3

And thank you to all who has stuck through with this story right until the last few chapters. And those comments on the last chapter brought me to tears with the support you guys give. Thank you so so much!

Till Next Time!
-Aoifetello xxx