I never knew when I would have to leave.
I never knew why I would have to leave.
But I did know one thing.
I just couldn't leave…without saying goodbye.
Someone was rocking him.
Who was it?
They were cradling his head.
He could no longer see anything past grey blurs.
"Donnie, hold on bro. We'll get you out of here, just hold on."
Was it raining?
The sound of metal clashing reached his ears.
It hurt; he just wanted to escape the pain, wanted to sleep.
"Stay awake Donnie, don't you dare leave us"
They couldn't tell him what to do!
Wait. Who were they?
"Don. Stay awake, bro. just stay with us 'kay?"
Why?
"Don't leave us Don."
He didn't want to leave. Just sleep…
Someone tapped his forehead. Sharply, but gently. The touch was enough to make him hiss in pain.
Did they know how much that hurt?
"Get him out!"
Someone was shouting now.
Who was that?
Who were any of them for that matter?
His heels lightly scraped concrete.
Someone was lifting him.
Where was he going?
Where were they taking him?
"We're gonna' get you home bro. Just hold on, and don't you dare die on me!"
Who said anything about dying? He just wanted sleep.
"Mikey, get back an' help Leo."
"But-"
"Go!"
Something pounded the ground, the noise hurt his head. His head wanted to explode.
Stupid migraines.
"Donnie? Talk to me."
Couldn't they just leave him alone?
"Say somethin'"
NO!
"Don…"
Leave me alone!
"I ain't leaving you Don."
Oh…he hadn't realised he'd spoken.
"I'm gonna' get you home, just hold on."
To what? Hold on to what?
He was being rocked again. No he wasn't; the person holding him was moving.
Everything hurt.
Couldn't they just let him rest?
Air was rushing past, brushing his face.
The cold cooled his wounds, but stung at his cuts.
He felt, rather than heard, the landing.
The impact passed through whoever was holding him, straight into him.
The shockwave jarred his bones.
Wasn't he injured enough? Now they had to go and shake him like a pepper pot?
"Donnie? Oh shell, bro, I'm so sorry."
Good. He was starting to get really irritated.
Well, if they wanted him to stay awake, then that was one way to do it.
Whoosh
Something skidded by his arm.
He felt the air current pass over him.
"MIKEY!"
He winced at the noise.
"Can't you stop the damn archers from shooting at us for one minute!"
A faint reply returned – too faint for him to understand.
The person holding him didn't seem too pleased with the answer though.
They were growling.
The sound did nothing to ease his fears.
He was still shaking. He hadn't realized how cold it was until now.
His tremors were getting worse. That couldn't be good.
The person with him seemed to decide the same thing.
They held him closer, tighter.
"Don? Come on, bro. Stay with me Don."
He couldn't feel movement anymore. The background noises had disappeared.
"Don?"
It felt nice to be held. He hoped they wouldn't let him go.
"Donnie?"
It was raining again. A drop landed on his cheek, and his tongue flicked out instinctively towards the moisture.
He was so thirsty.
The rain tasted of salt. That was strange.
"Donnie? Come on bro, just hold on. April will be here with the battleshell soon. You'll be okay."
Battleshell? What a weird name. And how could someone be inside a battling shell?
His eyes flicked, as he searched for some sign of light.
A flash of red caught his eye.
Red meant something. What was it? He so wished he could remember.
He was being rocked again. The rain kept falling.
Green.
Red and green? That meant…that meant…Raph!
Raph was holding him! He was happy with the fact that he had worked it out.
Something was still bothering him.
Rain wasn't salty. At least, he didn't think it was.
Raph pulled him closer. The movement sent a spasm down his spine, and he cried out in agony.
Shaking, he narrowly opened his eyes. Water? In Raph's eyes? Now that just wasn't right.
Why would Raph be crying?
Horror and realization flashed through his mind.
"Donnie, don't leave. Please, don't leave."
He choked of a cry as he began to shake even worse.
The sword.
It must have caught him after all.
He tried to speak, only to launch into a fit of violent coughing.
So much for that approach.
"…I love you…"
Wait.
Had Raph really just said that?
"I love you bro"
Again?
Unable to reply, all he could do was relax into Raph's hold.
"Don't go…please don't go…"
He didn't want to leave, but something was pulling him away.
He wanted to stay. Where were the rest of his family? He wanted to see them.
What was pulling him away?
No, Raph hold me…hold me here…don't let me go…never let me go…