Slash's Revenge

Chapter 31 - Scared of Him

*Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise.

*Author's Notes: Chapter 31 of 'Slash's Revenge' is finally here! The first chapter of the new year... I truly hope it is worth the long wait.

Huge thanks to everyone still with me. I adore all of you so much. You are awesome, my friends! ;)

And now, on with the chapter... Please enjoy!

CJ

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Chapter 31 – Scared of Him

"How much longer do you think it's gonna be 'til he wakes up, April?"

Despite the bleakness of the situation, April couldn't keep a wisp of a smile from playing on her lips. Mikey was like a little kid waiting in a long line to get on his favorite ride. Patience had never been his strong suit.

The way he kept looking at Donnie was so genuine and pure, hanging on his big brother's every breath, eagerly waiting for him to regain consciousness. It pained April to watch Donnie continue to break poor Mikey's heart.

Continue to break her heart...

"I don't know, Mikey. Soon, I hope." Pausing for composure's sake, April ever so gently traced her fingertips across Donatello's forehead. Heat still radiated from his brow, but not nearly as intense as it had the day before. She had that to be thankful for. Perhaps this meant the worst of his fever had finally burned out. "His color looks better today. Don't you think?"

Mikey peered down at Donatello and saw the dozens of bruises staining the genius turtle's skin. Granted, some of the spots were starting to fade to lighter shades of gray, but he still looked as if someone had tried to pound him into the next century. Mikey would hardly call it an improvement over the previous day, but if it made April feel better...

"Yeah. He's actually starting to look a little more green than black and blue." With that said, Mikey climbed onto the bed and scooted up beside his wounded brother, feeling a compelling need to be as close to Donatello as possible. Now that Donnie's vitals were showing signs of improvement, he didn't seem quite as fragile as before. Mikey felt a lot more confident snuggling up to his sleeping sibling.

April continued to stroke Donnie's forehead as she spoke, whisper soft. "He's been through so much."

For a second, Mikey thought April was going to add to her sentence, but she sealed her lips shut.

Maybe she was afraid to say anything more. Like she might lose it if she did.

Mikey understood the feeling all too well.

"It's gonna be okay, April. Donnie's super strong and he's got us to help him get better. We'll be here for him every step of the way."

Sinking her top teeth into her trembling bottom lip, April nodded in agreement just as Donatello's eyelids started to flutter for the third time the past hour.

"Come on, D. Open your eyes for us," April coaxed, mild and sweet, but just like the previous times, the fluttering soon stopped. Just like the previous times, Donatello remained out cold, completely oblivious to the fact that anyone was in the room with him.

"Ahhh, man! Another false alarm! You gotta stop fakin' us out here, bro. Seriously." Placing a hand over one of the many bruised scutes of Donnie's plastron, Mikey gave his ailing brother's chest a few gentle pats, if only to reassure him that he was there.