Lost in the Fight

Chapter 23 - Ups and Downs

*Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise.

*Author's Notes: The new chapter of 'Lost in the Fight' is here and I'm not even sure how to describe this one. Let's just say that the title of the chapter is appropriate and leave it at that.

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read, vote on, and/or comment on my stories. *hugs* Also, thanks to all of my followers. *more hugs*

As always, please continue to vote on and/or comment on my stories if you are enjoying them. Your feedback makes me happy. Thank you for reading. ;) CJ

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Chapter 23 - Ups and Downs

After frantically wiping off what little antibiotic cream still remained on his now trembling hands, Leonardo leaned over his genius brother and watched him with wide-eyed wonder. Every inch of the oldest turtle's skin tingled and prickled with anticipation and the contents of his stomach started doing a series of tumbling exercises as he anxiously stared down at his injured brother.

Donatello's eyes continued to flit and flutter for several more drawn-out seconds before they ever-so slowly opened to about half-mast, but they only stayed that way for a moment or two. As dim as the fluorescent lighting overhead was, it had still been bright enough to burn his retinas, forcing him to scrunch his eyelids together so that they were separated by just a sliver.

The better part of a minute passed before he made another attempt to fully open his eyes. This time, he flapped his eyelids together repeatedly, attempting to blink away the glare and the blurriness. Still, he was finding it incredibly difficult to focus on anything. He could vaguely see an object hovering over him and it appeared to be moving. The light glowing down from above washed over the contours of the entity, but it was still too fuzzy for him to recognize. The hues closest to him were gradually starting sharpen. When he squinted his eyes, he could make out what appeared to be a big, green shadow with a splotch of blue. His heart tightened at the familiar shades of color before him and he was engulfed in a tidal wave of emotions, torn between an unlikely combination of fear and hope. A part of him was terrified that his eyes were misleading him since his vision was currently suspect at best. Another part of him was desperately holding onto hope that it wasn't just a coincidence that the first colors he was seeing were green and blue.

Trying to ignore the growing discomfort in his chest, Donnie inhaled as deeply as his restricted lungs would allow him to. He then held his breath in tight, afraid to move even a muscle. He just laid there motionless and petrified while he peered up at the unidentified object that seemed to be inching closer and closer to him.

"Donnie?"

The turtle in blue felt his breath catch in his throat as he gazed into his wounded brother's open eyes for the first time in what felt like forever. Though they were barely open and noticeably dimmer than usual, those reddish-brown orbs of Donnie's had never looked so breathtaking in all of Leonardo's life.

Once his initial euphoria wore off, Leo soon noticed that his brother's weary eyes held distress rather than the sense of relief that the oldest turtle had assumed would be there. Donnie looked as though he was frozen with fear. The only detectable movement Leo could see from his younger brother was a slight shiver. It was as if the genius turtle was scared out of his shell and couldn't actually see that his big brother was right there in front of him.

"Donnie," Leonardo repeated his brother's nickname a little louder, hoping that his wounded sibling would be able to hear his second attempt to reach him. The older turtle resisted the strong urge to make physical contact with Donnie, afraid that even a simple touch might send his already startled younger brother into a full-fledged panic attack.