So people, you waited long enough!

Here I present you...

Chapter 11 : Pulling Through

"Hey… Donatelloo…" I hear a dark, twisted, whispering, sing sang version of my voice teasing me. Everything is dark, there is no floor or ceiling, only this voice near my ear, circling around me.

"You're going to die, you know?" it taunts me, voice menacing. "No, let me rephrase it: Your mind is going to die, my dear, dear Donatello." Oh how I hoped not to hear this voice ever again. "I will remain, though. Do you know what happens, if I remain, Donatello?"

"Shut up!" I scream. "If I die you'll go down with me!" I try to threaten back at it as I'm growing more and more upset.

"Ohh, I beg to differ," the voice whispers, sinister to my ear. "You seem to forget what kind of power I hold over your precious little body, could that be?" It talks down to me as if I were a stupid little toddler.

"What do you mean?" I sneer.

"Well, I'm a direct side effect of your second mutation, Donatello. I can trigger it, nearly control it. And I'm pretty much convinced I let you die before I let your body recover." The voice states evilly.

"I don't believe you! You're based off of me. If my mind goes blank, yours will too. Too many of your thought patterns actually use ME to function. You'd be nothing but a drooling moron without me." I geek speak him down. "I'm too much of a scientist to be scared enough by your hollow threats."

"Maybe… yeah maybe you won't really die, but- ever thought about being suppressed enough you could be considered being dead?" It points out. "Oh, controlling your body, tricking you precious family into trusting that I am you." It hums happily. "Well, actually I AM YOU!" the voice laughs loud enough that it hurts.

"What kind of face do you think will your lovely red banded brother make, when we make out and I rip his balls off all of a sudden, eh?" the threat hit's me hard as I know I can't let this- this THING harm my family.

"YOU STAY AWAY FROM MY FAMILY! OR ELSE!" I roar, slightly beginning to panic.

"Or else what, exactly? It's not like you could do anything about it, except watch." I practically feel its grin on me. This disgusting bastard. I can't let him take control, never! Considering it's a 'he', does that even matter? I guess I'll take it as a 'him'.

Wait, he said he can control this second mutation; With him being based on me, I should be able to do the same as well. If I really concentrate and feel into my body, I might be able to take control over the mutagen and with it over him. A nice side effect would be to be able to heal faster or for that matter, at all!

Okay Donnie, focus!

"What are you trying to do, Donatello, eh?" He grunts as if disturbed. "Hey, you! S… stop that!" Now he sounds pained actually. "I said stop it - NOW!" he winces more with a piped voice as I take further control.

"No you monster! I won't stop! I will never just stop! I won't die! I won't leave my family to this horrible future that might await them if I did! I won't leave Raph behind, just now that I learned that he loves me, too! YOU WILL GO! YOU WILL BOW TO MY WILL BECAUSE YOU ARE MEARLY AN UNWANTED GUEST IN! MY! REALM!"

I'm awake and panting like crazy. Where am I? Whoa a breathing mask? Not again! I rip it off in panic to be yet again captured. Stupid, Stupid, Stupid!

Wait, I'm in a bed… this is my bed … I'm home. "Thank god, I'm home." I whisper feebly as a tear leaks out of my un-bandaged eye.

Then I see a shadow hovering over me, that clearly turns out to be Raph with a very worried but happy face. "H… Hey Donnie." He croaks, then after our eyes meet, he hugs me as if I'd be the most precious thing there was in the world.

"You survived, Don! And you're awake! Finally!" Raph blurts out. "Thanks, Donnie; Thank you for coming back." he whispers meek but happy. "You're home, no need to shed tears anymore, okay?" He tries to sooth me, or more himself as I feel how shaken up he is, although he's not letting much of it seen.

"It's okay Raphie," I try to calm him, "I'll be okay... I guess… and I'm not going to leave you again." At least I hope so, as I remember how extensive my injuries were. Then I return the hug as far as I can with all the I.V.s and other stuff sticking out of my body that I realize to be there now. "But I need to rest a bit more, I'm not feeling too hot." I stated as a light nausea manifests in my stomach.

"No wonder, it's only been two days since we brought you back. We stood watch at your bed all the time; well mostly me, I just couldn't leave ya." He now looks me in the eye and I recognize how sleep deprived he looks, and how red and puffed his eyes are. "You're going to be back in action in no time, bro. I promise!" he takes me by the shoulders and reassures me.

"Okay, if you say so, then it has to be true, eh?" I smirk at him as I lay back down, carefully supported by my beloved hotheaded brother.

Then he asks more concerned "You woke pretty shaken up… Uhm, did you dream bad?" OH Raph, you have no idea HOW bad; and it wasn't even a dream.

But I can't let him know. I can't let anybody know. They're worrying enough about my health already, don't need them to get up and about my mental state as well.

"Hrm, yeah I had a nightmare, but it's okay now. Don't worry, Raph." I lie, which I hate to, but what choice do I have? "Considering what happened to me it's not that surprising don't you think?" I try to reason him into a less worrying state.

"Well, I just wanted to make sure you're really okay, y'know?" He states kind of embarrassed, and then drops down to his nearby chair on which he slides right next to my bed.

"I know, thanks." I nudge him a bit to comfort him, then I realize- "Uhm Raph, about the kiss- I… I'm sorry I didn't mean to …"

"'tis okay, Donnie. It's not like I didn't want to… I did, for a long time actually." He looks down at the floor, blushing and really feeling embarrassed about it.

"So, we've been wasting lot's of time with not being together, although we would have wanted to?" I ask, recapitulating the past ten years in a swift and quite unfair manner.

"Guess so… pretty stupid, eh?" a solemn Raph answers with hanging shoulders.

"Yeah, kind of." I gaze at the ceiling."So, how about making the most of it now?" I stroke over his strong biceps with my left hand, which is quite an effort in my current poor state.

"Yer not wasting any time, eh Donnie-boy?" he smirks at me, taking my hand in his, looking deep into my eyes.

"Never ever again," I answer determined.

He gives me a little peck on the cheek and stumbles up from his chair, fidgeting for his crutch. "I'll go get the others. It's half past three in the morning, that's why no one came in yet. They'll be thrilled to see you awake!" with those words he crutch walks over to the door, but turns back to me before leaving. "I love you Donnie, more than anything in this world! We'll get you fixed up again! Don't worry about it! – And, uhm… I'd really appreciate it if you wouldn't tell the others how mushy I tend to get beside you nowadays, okay? Got an image to hold up y'know?" He grins and poses very manly before leaving the room.

"I love you too, Raph." I sigh happily and close my eyes awaiting a big family hug which hopefully won't open any wounds again.