Taking Care of Mikey

"I'm Alive?!"

The brothers and Splinter stared shock and disbelief as Mikey sat up in bed, sticking his tongue out in disgust.

"Mikey!" They shouted, hugging the life out of him. Leo was sobbing. "Oh little brother....we thought we lost you."

Mikey smiled weakly. "I thought so too dudes, I thought I was a goner! But....how am I alive?"

Donnie hummed. "The cherry blossoms must have worked somehow, it's the only way."

"But....he died before they were put in his mouth." Splinter stated, still hugging his son in his arms.

"Does it matter? He's alive!" Raph interrupted, slinging his arm arm around his little brother.

Donnie mused. "I think I should do some tests...just to make sure everything's really fine."

He had Mikey lie down while he did several tests. He determined that the poison was no longer spreading through Mikey's system.

"The poison's been neutralized so you won't get any sicker, but you might still feel sick until you recover completely."

Mikey grinned, color slowly coming back to his face. "So that means I'm not gonna die again?"

Donnie nodded. "Right....but it doesn't make any sense, you died....your hand was limp and cold."

Mikey nodded. "Yeah, I heard you guys crying and talking and hugging me, it was so sad."

Donnie jumped up. "Wait, you could hear us?" He asked. Mikey nodded. "Yeah, but I couldn't see anything, I couldn't feel you holding me though."

Donnie gasped. "Mikey, I don't think you died!" He exclaimed. "I think you were beginning to slip into a coma."

Mikey's eyes widened. "Woah...that's kinda scary, so....so I didn't die?" He asked in slight confusion.

"I don't think so, you can't hear or feel when you die, I assume....but in coma you would be able to hear and feel."

"That actually make sense, plus one of the side affects was the chance of a coma, remember?" Leo reminded them.

"So....Mikey was still alive?" Raph asked, wiping the tear tracks from his eyes with slight embarrassment.

"Yes, it appears so....but if we had waited any longer to give him that antidote, he wouldn't have been."

Splinter slumped down in a chair, rubbing his head. "I am so tired....I think I will go rest."

The turtles nodded, understanding that their father was probably exhausted from his journey.

"Get some sleep sensei, you've earned it....and thank you, papa." Mikey said. Splinter smiled and hugged his son with tears of relief in his eyes.

"I am just glad you are ok now, my precious son." He said softly, rubbing Mikey's head. "He is ok, right?"

Donnie nodded. "Hai sensei, he's ok....he might still feel sick for a while but that's normal, he has to recover."

Splinter nodded and walked to his room for some much-needed sleep. As soon as he awakened, he wanted to talk to his sons about what happened.

Meanwhile, the brothers sat together, sitting very close to the youngest. They were relieved he was ok and grateful that he hadn't died.

They snuggled close, knowing they were all drained both physically and mentally, especially Mikey.

They hadn't slept much, not wanting Mikey to die alone while they slept and Mikey had been suffering too much to actually sleep.