Masked Mayhem

Breathing Between Stars

Warning: References a line from 'The Big House' episode of TMNT 2k3 toon. Then gets real honest about the effects of explosive decompression. New lines added May 14th '11 that have wanted in from the beginning and may be considered overly detailed.

Donatello groaned softly, looking at the screen display as he put the strange tool down. "It's too late, damnit. I'm–I'm sorry, Mike." Donnie squished back in the limited space and let Michelangelo's foot stretch out from its cramped positioning to block the useless access panel.

Mike on his part was trying not to panic: tiny space, one dark window, nothing to distract him from contemplating the absolutely suckiest way to go out. It made for a really shell of a way to end a space rescue. "So, we're stuck here holding our breath for Raph and Leo to show up, literally. And they don't know we took damage when the main ship blew. It's just like the Triceraton cargo hold, right?" Which had not been fun.

Don shook his head then braced the floating reaction against the undersized seats of the rescue pod below him. "No, actually the Triceratons meant the cargo hold hadn't held any of THEIR atmosphere. Ours was very low pressured but we managed to save some of it. That's why we kept our eyes intact." He sighed and nodded at the window past his shoulder. "What do you see?"

Michelangelo was a bit higher up so could see clearly the bright specks of light framed in the window that moved idly around a small piece of the outer hull. "Uhh, lots of really bright stars and a metal hunk. Very sparkly." He looked at Donnie, trying to give a reassuring grin for the pretty view.

Don winced at the smile. "If any of the stars are moving, they are the liquid oxygen reserves. I managed to lock down the connection so it couldn't bleed the ship empty around us but there is no way to allow the emergency pod to recycle the air now. It's just as important now to save our air as it was then, but we have an added issue of how far I ordered them to get out of range of the explosion. They might not get back in time for the limits of internal breathing. But, I'll help you try." With that, he actually began prodding Mikey into the proper form until the tugs and pulls molded his younger brother into the full Lotus and had him as stably anchored as the oddly shaped confines allowed.

Mike watched his brothers face and knew arguing wouldn't change what Donnie had decided was their best bet and he really didn't want to make him explain. Explanations could hurt his head or scare him into a panic. "Heh, I guess that brings new meaning to wanting to reach for the stars. Huh, Donnie?" He stared out the small window wishing some of the pretty sparkly stars he had just been enjoying were safe and sound back in the ship where they belonged. 

Donnie actually smiled this time but his eyes seemed watery. "Believe me, bro. If I could, I'd get some of that back in here with us. It's either a pretermitted peaceful going or Raph and Leo get here in time. Ignore everything until you hear Leo or Raph, okay? They'll have oxygen tanks to help you recover from any deprivation effects. We may have a whole med kit here but I don't think there is any one of these alien drugs I could trust to our bodies. Just let me talk you into this." Don fiddled with the thin tool he had used to pry open the access panel as he tried to scoot back enough to make sure not to bump Mikey in the zero-g of the escape pod. 

Mikey's heart tightened watching those clever fingers trace the flat round end on the thin stalk. "Donnie? Promise not to do anything stupid." He breathing came faster now, like he had run miles, and his heart hurt it pounded so fast. 

The genius smiled warmly and his eyes had stars in them. "Mikey, I AM the smart one. It's going to get cold in here which will only help us and I do deep meditations better than you. I'll need Leo to bring me out—Tell them when you get out. For now, just try to calm down, slow your heart rate, have your eyes closed… trust I'll get you outta here safe." Thick fingers brushed over his eyes before a quick twist of the mask blocked off all light. 

Mikey nodded so hard that Donatello grabbed his hands to steady him but Mike wouldn't let him pull them away without saying something else first, "I love you, Donnie." The hands convulsed on his before pulling away and there was a mimicked hoarse agreement before Don's calming voice came out of the darkness.

"Just focus on your heartbeat, Mike. Let everything else fade away. Listen for our brothers before you breath deep again. Ignore everything else…" the voice narrowed his world to dark pulsars behind his eyes and a slow rhythm, "good. Now slow your breathing and just drift deeper. Hold the air. Make it last an eternity. We've done this and we made it then. Just do it again and take only one breath, then make that one last an eternity. Let time fade. There is only waiting. Take just one breath and let it fade into eternity, baby brother..." 

                                                                   oooO0O0O0Oooo

Eternity passed six times, and the seventh breath beginning to burn after a shorter eternity, when clunking and falling interrupted. The hypnotic suggestions held through strange sounds and hot calloused hands that held shaped plastic to his face. A slicing noise interrupted the eternity of waiting. "C'mon buddy, breathe th' canned air and snap outta it." The familiar voice surged air into his lungs and sight was black flickers dancing across Raph's relieved features.

"Leo, help Donnie." He caught Raph's sickened wince at his rasped words and moaned brokenly into a sob. 

Raph hurriedly maneuvered him up to see Leo cradling their gentle genius and cutting Donnie's connections to the pod. The handle of the small tool stuck out from the bulky brown-stained bandaging on his neck, shifting only with his hoarse exhalations. The tight marks across Don's arms already starting to fade now freed of the wall restraints cobbled together from the assorted seating buckles that would never have held them due to the tiny sizing. Don's face seemed peaceful, the eyes closed without sign of pain as he drew another slow, deep breath from the tube at the base of his neck connecting him to a wall vent.

Leo's fingers danced over the two ends of that final tube and his voice sounded caustic with worry. "He's actuating the CO2 scrubbers, only reason you both made it."

Mike giggled his relief, "Donnie's just getting a bit spacey, dudes." The familiar flick to the back of his skull, told him everything would turn out alright.