My Mutation (TMNT FANFIC) [UNDER EDITING]

Chapter 11: Cracking

Days went by at a sluggish rate, all of them following a predictable pattern that's so predictable it made things go by more slowly. The three teen turtles would wake up, Mikey would make everyone breakfast, someone would check in on Donnie and stay by his side for a few moments before training would start; everyone trying to use that as a distraction. After that the turtles would do their own activities as Splinter spends his time with Donnie, meditating beside his son and trying to keep his son's mind free from any terrors or forms of infection. 

Nearly a week has past and it's on this very day that those hazel eyes open once more. A crack at first, everything appearing to be blurry. He blinks rapidly, getting rid of the sleep in his eyes as he then awakes completely, seeing the ceiling of his room. He sighs feeling an ache irradiating from his head, a sharp pain cutting through his thoughts like a knife. Slowly he sits up, swinging his legs to the side of the bed as he just buries his head in his hands waiting for the pain to stop. 

A minute passes, then two, then three. It wasn't until five minutes have past that Donnie felt the pain diminish to a more tolerable and almost non-existent level, a shaky breath leaves his lips and slowly he stands. He grabs his things, putting the mask over his eyes, putting the pads on, but all these actions of his were slow and sluggish as if he's moving through thick mud. 

Once deeming himself as dressed and ready to face the world he opens his door and leaves his room. Going down the hallway and to the kitchen where the sound soft chatter and clashing of pots is quite noticeable and hard to miss. He moves slowly into the light, his appearance instantly capturing Leo's interest as a smile graces his features. 

"Donnie!" 

Raph and Mikey then look to him. Mikey grinning as his baby blues lit up, Raph just looks slightly happy, evidently trying to suppress his true joy for seeing his brother up.

"Dude! You're up!" Mikey says as Donnie goes to sit with his brothers, Mikey turning back to prepare everyone's breakfast. 

"How are you feeling, brainiac?" Raph asks, slight worry appearing in his face, but it was only there for a moment before it hid behind his usual uncaring facade. 

"Uh not so great actually." Donnie murmurs quietly as he felt the pain in his head return. He winces but shows no other response to the pain. It's not as bad as it was when he woke up, it's more tolerable. 

"It's ok  if you want to skip training today." Leo instantly says. "Master Splinter will understand."

"Yeah, he'll understand if you all of the sudden decided to turn into the Hulk!" Mikey says a bit too enthusiastically as he dishes everyone's breakfasts. Immediately Raph and Leo shot glares at Mikey. 

"Mikey!" 

"What? What did I say?" He asks blinking in confusion, putting everyone's plates in front of them. "The Hulk's awesome!" 

Raph groans in annoyance while Leo just sighs and facepalms. Donnie however ignores it, it's true he's already worrying about the effects of the serum he concocted; he doesn't need Mikey to add fuel to that fire. 

Leo snaps him out of his anxiety,  "but seriously Donnie, if you think you can't do training today than you can take a break and just watch." 

"Yeah you can watch me wipe the floor with Leo's shell." Raph states already stuffing his face with food. The blue masked terrapin just narrows his eyes at the hot head of his brother. 

"No it's fine, I'll be good to train with you guys. I need to catch up on what I've missed... By the way... How long have I been out for?" 

" 'bout a week." Came a reply from Mikey. His older brother just stares at him in shock, his eyes bugging out of his head.

"A week?!" He exclaims. Mikey nods, looking rather carefree of the whole thing. 

"Yeah dude, you were like out cold for a week." 

Inaudible sounds came from Donnie, the boy rendered speechless for he was not expecting to have been out for that long. He just thought it was a night... But a week? That's just too long. What was it in the serum that made him go in a week long coma? Whatever it is he needs to find out, and soon. Afterall the information that Mikey just provided could only be an indication that the serum is one of negative effects. 

"But what matters is that you're up now." Leo says shining some optimism on the situation giving Mikey a pointed look before looking back at Donnie. He slings an arm over his shell. "You and I can do some one-on-one training, huh Donnie?" 

"Yeah... Uh sounds good." He nods but he's only half listening. 

Everyone starts talking again but Donnie remains absent from the discussion, only picking at his food as he pays his thoughts more mind than his brothers. He feels like he's stuck in some kind of trance, and as if he's detached from everything around him. The only thing that feels real and a staple of reality is the dull aching coming from his head, staying at a consistent level of pain. 

When everyone stands to clear up and head over to the dojo he does the same, lagging slightly behind as he tries to focus back on reality. But he feels like the whole concept itself is just too fragile to grasp, as if it'd break into a million pieces even if a breath of wind were to touch it. 

"Ah my son you're up, I'm very glad."

"Thank you, Sensei." Donnie bows respectfully to his father before looking back at him in the eye. Worry still swims in their depths, the rat mutant clearly not thinking it's a good idea for his son to be present of now. 

"My son, are you certain you are able to train with us as of now?" He asks gently, as if reading into Donnie's situation and seeing how disconnected he is to everything. Donnie simply attempts to put a mask of confidence as nods back curtly. 

"I'm fine, Sensei. I can fight" The turtle says only doing little to reassure his father.

"Very well." The boys then proceed to do some warm ups, katas following that and finally a sparring match. For the beginning Donnie felt as if everything he was doing was wrong, during the warm ups he still felt as if he was moving through mud, his katas felt rickety and awkward; not quite having the fluidity that they do, or should do at least. Before the sparring began, Donnie felt a wave of nausea hit him, his head feeling too light and the need to throw up incredibly strong. His stance weakens noticeably as he attempts to take calming breaths to make the nausea cease. Mikey just hops from one foot to the other, obviously in a very good mood at having his brother back. 

"Ready to face the all amazing Michelangelo, Donnie?!" Mikey yells cheerily, very hyped up. Donnie doesn't give an answer, too focused on trying to beat down the nausea. 

Noticing that something's wrong Splinter keeps an eye on his second youngest, concern gripping tighter around his heart. "Donnatello." He says, his voice ringing with authority and sharpness. Raph and Leo stop momentarily, them too looking over at Donnie, wondering what's going on. "Are you okay my son?" 

Donnie doesn't answer, his head bent down, his eyes blinking lazily as he tries to just keep standing. He forces himself to make a step towards Mikey but he just ends up falling, Splinter instantly dashing forwards to catch his son. Slowly he lowers the teenager onto the ground, the remaining turtles standing around as they look on in worry. 

"Donatello, what's wrong? Are you ill?"

His hazel eyes blink again as he lolls his head to the side to look up at his father. He's seeing the world out of focused, everything blurring and spinning before him. A weak sound escapes him and his eyes roll to the back of his head as he goes limp. 

"Did I do something wrong?" Mikey asks timidly, very fearful and worried for his brother. 

"No my son, you did not. This must be the effects of the serum." Splinter speaks softly, his brow furrowed. 

"Don't worry Mikey." Raph jostles his brother's shoulder. "We'll find out what's wrong with Donnie and then he'll get better." 

But with the thick tension settling on the room it's hard for anyone to believe any of those words that were spoken. 

___________________________

Yellow Light by Of Monsters and Men