Tmnt An Agonizing Secret

Chapter 13. Realization

Mikey retracted his hand weakly to his side as he continued to gape at the black cat. This is impossible...if this isn't the right cat, then what happened to the other? What happened to the one I...the one that called out to me? Mikey watched regretfully as the cat in Don's arms was moved away from him. Already, his head had become too heavy to hold up on his own; Mikey let himself fall back against Raph.

"Mike?" came Raph's soft call. "Somethin'...uh, wrong?" Mikey stared absently at his brother. Raph smirked, suddenly understanding the irony of his question. "I mean besides yer broken ribs and that crazy stunt ya jus' pulled?"

Mikey gave a small smile to his brother's comment, and the three turtles above him visibly relaxed at the familiar gesture. I don't want to worry my bros even more, so I better keep them in the dark about this. I've already caused enough trouble, and that's coming from the prankster king! "Nah...I was...just thinking—"

Mikey's answer cut off as he suddenly started coughing. He squeezed his eyes closed at the new wave of pain it brought and felt Raph tense up behind him. It only lasted half a minute, but by the end of it, Mikey was spent. I'm so tired...I can't even move my arms or legs anymore. But somehow I still have to figure out what happened to the grey cat I saw earlier. And I have to do it now, 'cause I can bet that my bros won't let me even think of leaving the lair until I'm totally healed.

Mikey felt a hand on his shoulder and he instantly opened his eyes. Leo was standing above him with a sad smile. "Let's get you home, okay?"

Mikey didn't respond but winced a little when Raph started to move. He felt his older brother slip muscled arms underneath his legs and just below his shoulders. Mikey was lifted up slowly, but the turtle's injuries still ached with pain, which left Mikey no time to prevent his siblings from leaving. Mikey bit back a gasp when Raph stopped abruptly in worry.

"Sorry bro," Raph said gruffly. "I know it hurts."

Mikey was about to respond—but something caught his eye. That same shadow he had seen in the large cut-off pipe was there again. It's like déjà vu. Am I just seeing things or...? Mikey twisted his head to get a better look. The same gray cat from before was there, watching Mikey expectantly. The youngest extended his hand toward the gray cat, hoping to alert his brothers, but the cat instantly disappeared.

"Mikey?" called Don, sensing his little brother's distress.

Mikey didn't answer, deep in thought. Why didn't it want to be saved? I thought it was giving me a second chance, but—Mikey turned to the black cat in Don's arms—we saved this cat instead. It's almost as if...it's almost like—

Mikey froze in Raph's arms as he came to a startling realization. That has to be it. All this time...I was wrong.

"Mikey, are you okay?" Don asked, feeling a twinge of panic. He looked at Raph nervously.

To his brothers' dismay, Mikey started to cry. "Yeah, everything...is okay," he choked out. "Everything is fine."

But Don didn't feel so sure. "He may be going into shock," Don whispered in a low voice to Leo and Raph.

"Mikey? Mikey, can you tell us what's wrong?" Leo asked as calmly as he could.

"I'm just..." Mikey sniffled, catching his breath, "...glad you found me." He gazed up at his brothers. "Can we go home now?"

Raph gripped the youngest a little tighter and gave a rare smile. "Yeah. Just rest now."

The three older turtles watched as Mikey sunk limply against Raph and closed his eyes. In seconds, he was fast asleep.

Leo sighed as he rubbed a hand across his face tiredly. "Sure has been an eventful day hasn't it?"

"The day's just begun Leo," Don responded. "It's probably morning by now."

Raph groaned. "Don't remind me." He shifted Mikey a bit to get a better hold. "Now let's move before my arms fall off."

Don and Leo agreed and they all started to head back the way they came, to the lair.
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The trip back had mostly been a silent one, but as the turtles finally shuffled wearily into Don's lab and placed Mikey onto the bed, Raph couldn't contain his unease any longer.

"Why'd he do it?" Raph muttered crossly, watching Don examine the youngest for more injuries. "Saved a cat, big flippin' deal—he coulda' died if we hadn't been there in time." He glared at the black cat that now was sleeping on a cushion in the corner of the room. It had already been cleaned and bandaged.

Don turned to Raph with a sympathetic look before going back to work. "You know how he is, Raph."

"Yeah. An' I still don' understand what goes through his mind," Raph snorted. He glanced at Leo for a second, who had his back to Raph and was holding Mikey's hand. Raph wondered what face the oldest was wearing at the moment.

Leo's grim frown was tight with worry. He too couldn't grasp why his little brother would keep quiet for so long over a cat. "He should've been able to trust us," he said in a soft voice. Neither Don nor Raph could argue with that; silence lingered over the siblings for a full minute.

Don finished tending to Mikey and with the help of Leo, laid a thick blanket on him. Don sighed and stepped back from the bed, turning to Leo and Raph. "Well, he's really bruised the shell out of his ribs, but I think it's safe to say that he managed to not break anymore."

His analysis didn't lift the tension from the room, but it at least assured the older turtles that their little brother would eventually make a full recovery.

Raph yawned loudly and stretched. "Why don't you go to sleep?" Don said in response. "I'll keep watch on—"

"—I don' need it," Raph interrupted. "I'll stay 'till he wakes up."

Leo nodded. "I'll stay too."

"Fine. I'll go get some blankets then." Don hurried out of the lab.

After watching Don leave, Raph moved his eyes to the sleeping cat, then to Leo. "Do ya think Mikey'll eva' pull somethin' like this again?" he asked seriously.

For a moment, Leo looked lost on what to say. He turned his back to Raph once more to hold Mikey's hand. "Mikey is a fast learner. I think he'll know the right thing to do next time."

Don entered the lab before Raph could reply. He handed a blanket to each of his brothers before he settled himself in the lab chair at his computer. Raph and Leo sat down on the fold-up chairs beside Mikey's bed.

"I guess we'll hear the whole story when Mikey wakes," said Don after another sigh.

"One thing's for sure," Raph grumbled. "We are not keepin' another cat."

"Was Klunk too much for you to handle?" Leo chuckled a bit.

"Shut up."