Bad Day: Alternate Beginning

Ever wondered what would have happened if Donatello was unable to save Michelangelo at the beginning of the episode: "Bad Day" (TMNT 2003)? Would the other two brothers be able to save the youngest ones? And what happened to Klunk, were they really able to save him too? Please R&R.

I do not own TMNT or any other affiliated characters in the show. I also don't own Animal Planet (even though I wish I did).

This story is mostly in Donnie's POV. Some of it is in Mikey's too! Please don't hate me for what I am about to do!

"Are you able to hold your breath sensei?" Leonardo asked as he held onto his father's shoulders.

The only reply the eldest turtle received was "yes". Raphael held tightly onto his father's other shoulder. He gave his brother a look as if to signal that he too was ready to tackle the running pool of water.

"Let's go" Leonardo said before him and his two family members were able to take in a gasp of air. Together, they dived into the churning icy waters below. Michelangelo watched as part of his family made their escape to safety. The water level was getting high and quick. The youngest let his eyes scan what was left of his home, trying to come up with a plan to get to safety.

A loud cry, a meow caught the turtle's attention. Quickly scanning the water, he saw his kitten, Klunk, struggling to swim through the waters. The orange feline tried to swim to a board that was floating nearby but failed. Only a scared muffle cry escaped the kitten's mouth as he was submerged underneath the water.

"Klunk!" the turtle was able to cry out before jumping head first into the water, hoping to save his precious pet before the unthinkable would happen.

Mikey's POV

Hollering my pet's name, I quickly dove into the waters. I barely hear my remaining brother holler in protest as I make my way up through the churning whirlpool. After reaching the surface, I quickly start paddling to the location where I last seen Klunk. I kept calling his name, hoping to hear some sign of life before going under again.

Donnie's POV

All I could manage to say was "Mikey, no!" as I watched my brother dive head first into the water. Knowing that the debris from the flood could potentially hurt my brother as well as the temperature of it affect his ability to escape any sort of danger, I dove after him. Klunk was gone and we needed to get out of here. I know he loved his furry companion but our lives were at stake as well.

I spotted an orange and green blur make its way back underneath the water. Determining it to be my younger brother, I followed him, hoping that I can reach him in time.

Mikey's POV

I swam as fast as my little turtle legs could move. I thought that being a turtle, maneuvering in the water would be easy. The only problem was I didn't expect to be slowing down. The water was cold. No, freezing! I remember Donnie once told us that the cold and cold blooded creatures didn't mix. I ignored my aching body as I continued to search for Klunk. No sign of him. Maybe he got caught in an undertow and was pushed towards the bottom of the lair? Determined to find my kitten, I swam deeper as my lungs started to burn, begging for air. My legs and arms felt like knives were stabbing them as I approached what used to be the living room floor, still, I was determined to find any signs of my little feline friend.

Donnie's POV

What is that goob doing? I wondered as I watched my brother swim deeper down towards the bottom of the lair. My lungs started to burn and I knew that I was running out of air. If I followed Mikey, we would both be in trouble. Quickly, I decided to go back up to the surface to collect some oxygen that I so badly needed.

Mikey's POV

As I made my way over to the remains of our couch, my eyelids started to get heavy. I see Donnie making his way back up to the surface. I didn't realize that he followed me down here. I decided that I needed to do the same. I started swimming up towards the surface but my body started to protest. It felt like I was swimming in slow motion. As I became more determined because I knew my time was running out, I felt something hit the back of my head, hard! I saw our old television set drift by me as I finally gave in to my heavy eyelids. Everything went dark.

Donnie's POV

As I swam upwards, I could see the lights to our now flooded home come into focus. Seeing that I was almost there, I kicked harder until GASP. FINALLY! I started to cough up water and what seemed to be my left lung as I tried to take in the air that my body was recently starved of. As I tried to get my coughing under control I started glancing around frantically, hoping to see my brother make his way to the surface. There was no sign of him.

As I was getting ready to dive under again, something furry brushed against my arm. It took me a minute to find what rubbed up against me because water was continuously pouring into my eyes, blurring my vision. Taking my right hand, I was able to feel the "thing" that rushed by me. I grabbed it and when I realized it was my brother's cat, his friend, I cried.

"Klunk, buddy" I managed to say as I pulled the creature out of the water. Klunk was unconscious and appeared to be not breathing. Oh no, Klunk! Mikey's going to be devastated! I could try to resuscitate him, remembering a show I once watched on Animal Planet about mouth-to-nose resuscitation, but it had already been too late. Mikey's best friend had drowned.

I quickly patted the little kitten's head and muttered my apologies as I placed him back under the water and let him go back under. I was sad that the kitten could not have a proper burial but if I didn't get moving we might have another burial to plan. "Mikey, I'm sorry. I'm coming bro, hold on!"

As I was getting ready to tackle the waters one more time, I saw a blur of green, blue, and red make their way up to the surface. My eldest brothers!

"Donnie, what's going on?" Leo managed to say as he tried to regain the air that he lost.

"Where's Mikey?" Raph asked with a solemn expression on his face. I was no good at this point. I could feel the tears stream down my cheeks as I remembered Mikey frantically searching for his pet and then me finding Klunk just moments before.

"Mikey, he went after Klunk…but he went too far down…couldn't stop him…Klunk he's…he's…dead!" I replied, letting my tears fall uncontrollably.

"Where is he now, Donnie?" Leo sternly asked, quickly snapping me out of my crying fit. All I could do was point down below as Raph quickly went under. Leo and I followed immediately after him. We needed to find him, we just got to!

It felt like hours passed as we swam towards the bottom of the lair when Raph spotted him. He motioned for Leo and I to follow him. Mikey was unconscious and I became worried as there was no air bubbles or any signs of life coming from my younger brother. Raph scooped him up in his arms and Leo motioned for us to make our way back above.

Making my way to the surface for the second time tonight, I glanced over to where my brothers had ascended from the icy waters.

Mikey wasn't moving. I didn't think he was even breathing! I swam over to Raph and put the side of my head up to Mikey's mouth to see if I could feel his breath. Nothing. "Raph, Leo, he's not breathing!" I cried. I glanced at Leo, pleading for him to come up with a plan. We needed to get out of here. We needed to help Mikey before it was too late.

As if Leo was reading my thoughts, he spoke. "Raph, you need to swim with Mikey. Donnie, stay with me. We have to go back under and get back to Master Splinter".

We both nodded in agreement and the three of us, with Mikey in tow, quickly dove back under.

It was dark. I could barely see anything in front of me and I guess Leo saw a bit of panic in my face because he grabbed my hand and started swimming harder. As we got closer to our destination, I could see light coming from the end of the tunnel. I sighed with relief and air bubbles escaped my mouth. Wonderful, there goes my air supply. Leo saw me and kept motioning for me to paddle faster. I kept trying but my body just wasn't letting me. Everything went dark.

I opened my eyes seeing a green and blue blur coming into focus. I started coughing and gasping for air and then remembered my fallen brother. "Mikey" I tried to yell, but my voice was too raspy to even make it above a whisper. Leo looked at me with sad eyes when I heard Raph yelling behind me.

"Come on Mikey, breathe" the hothead yelled. I turned to see my orange clad brother laying on the floor, as still as anything; my other brother, beating on his plastron furiously. I wanted to help, I wanted to help my brothers but I couldn't. I was in shock. Whether it was from the icy water or from watching my brother lay motionless on the floor, not breathing, all I could do was watch. I felt a cool hand rest on my shoulder. I looked up to see Master Splinter staring back at me with damp, sad eyes.

Raph tilted Mikey's head back and breathed into his mouth. He went back to pumping his chest again. After the fifth pump, I watched Leo slide in next to our red clad brother as he breathed into Mikey for another try. Leo quickly took over the compressions as Raph continued to plea with our younger brother.

"Mikey, don't do this, bro. I need you". I let out a soft cry. Come on, Mikey. Breathe! I silently pleaded. Raph bent down to see if there could be a sound of life coming from our brother. When there was none, he continued to breathe for him. I could see tears stinging his eyes, the realization that Mikey may never wake up, hitting our toughest brother.

Leo did more compressions and Raph's cries became more desperate. "Come back to us Mikey. Come on!" He breathed into Mike's mouth again. I watched as the air entered his lungs and quickly escaped back out. Before Leo could start compressions again, Raph shoved him out of the way. Raising his fist in the air he cried, "Damn you Michelangelo, BREATHE!" With that, Raph's fist came down on Mikey's plastron, hard, and then I heard it. A gasping noise, a cough, and then baby blue eyes finally opened! As Mike continued to cough, Raph moved him on his side so he could get the water out of his lungs.

"That's it bro, get it out. You're doing good, bro" I heard him whisper to our younger brother. I wanted to hug him, to tell him to never do that again but my eldest brother beat me to it. Once Mikey stopped his coughing fits, Raph sat him up and supported him with his arms. He looked at Mikey and hugged him, tears started to fall from his eyes. I scooted towards my brothers and touched Mikey's hand. God, he was alive and he was breathing! I felt tears start to stream down my cheeks. I didn't even know that I was crying.

When I had Mikey's attention, I finally spoke, "Mikey, are you okay?"

His raspy voice responded, "Yes, I'm okay. Klunk?" His eyes enlarged. "I couldn't save him!"

I glanced over at Leo, giving him a pleading look. Mikey almost died and he's worried about his cat. What do I tell him? Then Raph spoke:

"No one could have survived that Mikey!" A sigh of relief escaped my lips. I didn't have the heart to tell Mikey that I found Klunk. It would devastate him! I quickly threw myself onto Mikey, wrapping my arms around him to comfort him as he started to cry, letting Raph support us both. I felt another pair of arms encircle us and when I looked up, I saw my blue clad brother, tears staining his cheeks, holding onto the three of us.

When I felt Mikey's tears have stopped I let go, signaling Leo to do the same. When we pulled away, I pulled Mikey's bandanna tails back and let them go. "Ow, what was that for?"

"That's for scaring me half to death and for being a dumb ass by going in the water to begin with" I replied. I think I just sounded like Raph a little bit there.

"I'm sorry guys. I didn't mean it" He replied.

Sensei and my older brothers started talking about what had happened back at the lair earlier. I started zoning out as I watched my youngest brother cough every now and then. I can't believe I almost lost him. We almost lost him. If it hadn't been for my two older brothers, Mike might not be here. I might not be here. I suddenly realize how lucky we were to have one another and that no matter what we will always be there for each other. I suddenly snap out the trance I was in and help Mikey to his feet. Sensei said something about going topside….

End

Meh, the ending wasn't as well as I was hoping. Hope you liked it. Please review!