There were pizza boxes strewn across the kitchen table, most of them still with pizza inside. Raphael stared at the slice on his plate. He couldn't remember when he had felt less like eating. There was a tight band across his chest that wouldn't go away.

He pushed a box toward Mikey, usually the last person to refuse pizza. "Here, bro."

"No thanks." Mikey played aimlessly with the slice on his plate.

"Leo?"

Leo shook his head. "We should take some in to Master Splinter, though. He hasn't eaten in hours." He reached out for a plate.

Footsteps approached and Splinter came into the kitchen. They all jumped up. The question was on Raphael's lips, but it was Leo who asked first.

"Is he-?"

Splinter shook his head. "No change." He put a slice of pizza on a plate in silence and headed back to the bedrooms.

The three of them exchanged a glance. No change. Raphael leaned against the cupboard, his arms folded across his chest like a shield. Mikey hunched over, resting his chin on his folded arms. Leo stood with his head down, hands resting on the benchtop, fingers splayed out, staring at his hands as if they held some sort of answer.

No change for twelve hours. Twelve hours and Donnie would not wake up.

It was Leo who moved first, reaching out to close pizza boxes and stack them in a pile. He put them in the fridge. "All right. Time for our evening patrol."

"What?" Raphael pushed himself off the cupboard. "Are you crazy? We can't go out now!"

"The Kraang aren't going to put their invasion plans on hold just because Donnie is-"

Raphael shoved himself forward until he was inches from Leo's face. "Because Donnie is what," he snapped, his hands curling into fists. Don't say it. Don't say it. If you say it, I'll-

Leo stared him down until Raphael had to look away. "Because Donnie is out of action. For now." His face was set into stubborn lines. "So we patrol."

We can't go out there. What if something happens? He couldn't even admit to himself what something might be. They couldn't go now. "We're not going. You can't possibly expect us to-" He flung up his hands, unable to say what he wanted to say without touching on the raw place in his chest.

"I can. Staying here won't help. We're going."

"Just...just us?" said Mikey, eyes wide.

Raphael swung around to face Mikey. "Who else, genius?" He lashed out at Mikey's head. He knew the blow was too hard, knew it as soon as he swung, knew it when he heard the snap of Mikey's teeth as his hand connected.

Mikey ducked away from him, hand to his head, blue eyes stormy.

"Enough, Raphael. Mikey. We're going." Leo turned and walked out, head down.

Mikey followed Leo out of the lair. Raphael stood in the kitchen, fists clenched. Too hard, meathead. Pull your punches! He slammed his fist down on the benchtop. The jarring impact sent a shockwave up through his wrist to the shoulder. One breath in, one breath out. It wasn't Mikey's fault. It wasn't anyone's fault. But he wanted it to be. Wanted someone or something to blame.

He glanced towards the bedrooms. If you wake up, Donnie… He could still feel the impact of his hand on Mikey's skull.

If you wake up, I promise I will never slap Mikey again.