Once Donatello figured out where Raph had gone, he gathered the others and they all entered into the Nexus, hoping to find Raph. They were soon told that Raphael entered into the Nexus hours before and rushed through the estate before anyone was able to stop him.
They were offered to stay until they were able to find their brother but the Daimyo was in doubt that they would ever see him again, especially if he went after KC. “Many had tried before and none had returned.”
After three days of searching and waiting, Donny started to think the same thing.
He was sitting with Splinter, staring off at nothing as despair set in when Leo burst into the room. “Someone’s found Raph. They’re coming up the road now.”
It took a second for Leo’s words to register with Donny but when they did he was on his feet, running for the door.
He exited the large estate in time to see Kluh, in his large form, approaching with Raph in his arms. Raph was patched up but blood still dripped from his limp body.
Kluh was followed by three of his kinsmen. Two dragged the bodies of KC and Bloo behind them while another, still in his smaller form, carried a bundle in his arms.
Donny’s heart was in his throat and he stood frozen as he watched them approach, fearing the worst. Then he saw Raph move and Don rushed over towards Kluh. The group was quickly surrounded by the Daimyo’s healers and Raph was whisked away before Donny could reach them.
By the time he got there, Kluh and his friends stood unburdened. Donny looked up at the large man, “What happened?”
Kluh shrugged, “We were walking by, when your brother came out of a house that looked like it didn’t have a door and then he passed out. When we investigated, we found a door hidden by magic and the bodies of KC and Bloo inside the house. We patched your brother up as best as we could and brought him here.”
“Thank you, for helping him,” Donny bowed.
“He killed the creature that has been plaguing these lands for years,” Kluh said. “That monster took my brother years ago. I am honored to help the man who finally bested him.”
“Yeah but at what cost?” Donny whispered to himself as Kluh and his friends walked past to get into the Daimyo’s estate.
“I wanna hear from the Daimyo himself that that monster is dead,” one of them stated as they passed.
Leo walked up behind Donny and placed his hand on Don’s shoulder. Donny turned to face him and for a moment Leo thought Donny would pull away but instead Donny fell into his brother’s arms and for the first time in months, Leo held his younger brother.
It felt good to be able to hold him again, Leo was just sad that it happened amidst such tragedy. “Let’s go inside,” Leo offered. “Master Splinter and Mikey have already gone in. I’m sure that by the time we get there, someone will have news.”
Donny nodded and allowed Leo to guide him back into the estate, leaning on him for support. When they entered the large building, Mikey was waiting for them. A sad smile spread across his face when he saw them together.
“Raph’s weak but they say that nothing was fatal and that he should be able to go home in a few days.”
Donny heaved a sigh of relief. His emotional turmoil taking its toll and making him light headed. Leo supported him as they walked over to where Splinter was sitting then reluctantly set him down. Leo had no idea how much the lack of contact with Donny had affected him and knew that if it had affected him so much then it had to have been worse for Raph.
Leo found himself understanding why Raph did what he had done. If someone haunted Mikey’s dreams and had him pulling away from Leo, then Leo would have probably done the same as Raph and gone after the one who had plagued him.
Donny lied his head down in Splinter’s lap and waited for someone to come out to give them an update.
Mikey scooted closer to Leo and placed his head on Leo’s shoulder. “It’s a start.”
After a while one of the healers walked by, carrying a bundle in his arms. Mikey shot to his feet and rushed over. “Do you think you will be able to find its parents?”
The healer stopped and looked at him. “This child was not abducted; it is the child of KC and Bloo.”
Donny stood and walked over to the healer, “Bloo and KC were both male. How did they have a child together?”
“I have no idea,” the healer answered.
“What’s gonna happen to the baby?” Mikey asked, craning his neck so that he could look at it.
“Again, I have no idea,” the healer sighed, lowering the baby so Mikey could get a good look. “There are not too many out there who would want to raise the unnatural child of those two.”
Without a word, Mikey reached out and took the baby from the healer. “This baby is innocent. He shouldn’t be rejected because of who his parents are.” Mikey then turned and walked away.
Donny stood in shock, “Uh, Mikey?”
Mikey didn’t stop, just marched on over to Leo and sat down. Leo looked up at Don who could only shrug.
“Mikey?” Leo reached out for the baby but Mikey turned away. “What’s going on?”
Mikey looked over his shoulder at Leo, “He’s orange and blue.”
“Okay,” Leo said slowly. “Why did you take him from the healer?”
“He’s just a baby,” Mikey was starting to get choked up. “Nobody wants him because of who his parents are.”
“I’m sure the Daimyo will find him a good home,” Splinter soothed. “He’s not going to do anything to hurt the baby.”
Mikey continued to hold the baby tight and when the healer reached out to take him, Mikey jumped to his feet and moved away. “If he grows up here, everyone is gonna hate him. He’ll be sad and unloved. I’ll love him.”
“You said that you don’t even want kids,” Leo said, standing up.
“I lied,” Mikey yelled. “I was never given the choice, it was taken from me. I know in my head that having kids would be unfair to them but in my heart….” Mikey kept his back to them, sheltering the baby who had started to cry. “I really want to keep him.”
Mikey shushed the baby while bouncing him in his arms and Splinter pulled Leo aside, “Taking care of this baby would be a great responsibility but Michelangelo is right, I fear that the child will receive unfair treatment if it were to stay here.”
The healer looked between Splinter and Leo and whispered, “There would be no objection if you did take him.”
Sighing, Leo walked up to Mikey and spoke softly, “KC raped Donny.”
“This baby had nothing to do with that,” Mikey argued then turned to look at Donny. “You’d be okay with me keeping him, right? He has no one and he would be an outcast here.”
Leo looked back at Donny and their eyes met. After a few moments, Donny nodded his head though there were tears in his eyes.
“Are you sure?” Leo walked over to Donny. “Will you be okay?”
Donny looked past Leo and at Mikey, “Can I see him?”
Mikey walked over and held the baby out so Donny could see him.
Donny’s breath hitched as he stifled a sob. Black tears streaked down the baby’s face, coating his orange cheeks. Donny pulled the wrapping apart to look at the baby fully. Its body was mostly blue that faded into orange and he had KC’s marking along his head, only they were more faded. “He looks more like Bloo.”
“He’s innocent, Donny,” Mikey looked into Donny’s eyes. “We can raise him right and he will be nothing like them.”
Donny continued to look down at the baby, “You should name him Chris.”
“Chris?” Mikey lifted an eye ridge. “Why Chris?”
Donny shrugged, “It fits him.”
“So you’re alright with me keeping him?” Mikey asked, pulling Chris close.
“Yeah,” Donny forced a smile. “He is innocent and deserves to be loved.” He looked up into Mikey’s eyes then brought his hand up to caress his cheek. “And you deserve a child. You’ll make a great mom.”
Mikey turned to look at Leo and the look in his eyes said everything; Mikey had no intension of letting the baby go.
Leo nodded his head, “Alright.”
Mikey beamed at Leo before turning his attention back to Chris and walked away to sit back down. He leaned over towards Splinter to show him Chris. Splinter caressed the baby’s head and smiled then started to offer advice on how to raise a child. Mikey listened, hanging on every word of advice.
Leo sighed, “There goes my sex life. It was good while it lasted.”
Donny did his best to stifle a chuckle by covering his mouth with his hand.
“I’m glad you can find the humor in this,” Leo fought his own smile. “I was horrible with Raph as a kid. I’m terrified I’m going to screw this kid up.”
“You weren’t so bad,” Donny placed a hand on Leo’s shoulder.
“Yeah I was,” Leo mumbled.
“Yeah you were,” Donny agreed with a grin and a sparkle in his eye. “But you’ll learn. And you’ll give that baby a better life than what he would have had.”
“Why Chris?” Leo asked, keeping his voice low.
“KC’s full name was Kayne Christoffersen,” Donny answered, the humor draining from him.
“Don’t torture yourself, Donny,” Leo caressed Donny’s cheek.
“I’m not,” Donny forced a smile. “And I won’t let what happened to me affect the way I treat Chris.”
A healer walked out and bowed to them, “He is awake and ready for visitors but I suggest that you go in one at a time and keep your visits short.”
“You go, Donny,” Mikey offered.
“Spend as much time as you need, my son,” Splinter nodded in agreement. “If we do not get the chance to see him today, that will be alright.”
“Thank you,” Donny bowed then followed the healer to where Raph was being kept.
The dimly lit room was small with a plush tatami in the center and not all that different than the one Donny was kept in only a few months ago. Incense of healing and relaxing herbs were burning in a corner, filling the room with a musky scent. Raph was lying comfortably, surrounded and supported with pillows and blankets. His gear had been removed and his side and shoulder were wrapped with fresh bandages and a damp cloth was covering his eyes.
A healer was kneeling next to him, holding a glass of water so that Raph could drink through a straw. She looked up when Don entered the room, placed her hand on Raph’s plastron, and then whispered to him, “Donatello is here.”
Raph’s breath hitched and he looked ready to sit up but the healer held him down and gestured Donny over. “Don’t let him get over excited,” she warned. “There was a toxin on the spike in his side. As long as he stays relaxed it won’t circulate through his system too quickly and his body will be able to filter what is left out without lingering damage.”
“I understand,” Donny knelt down next to Raph.
“Good,” the healer stood. “I’ll give you two some privacy.”
“Thank you,” Donny bowed his head then waited for her to leave.
Once they were alone, Donny bent down and nuzzled Raph then started to pepper Raph’s neck with small kisses. “You big jerk.”
Raph reached up and wrapped his arms around Donny, “I’m sorry I made you worry but maybe now you won’t have nightmares about him anymore.”
“You didn’t have to do it,” Donny said as he shifted so that he was lying down next to Raph. “I felt safe with you.”
“He won’t be able to hurt anyone else,” Raph said.
“Mikey wants to keep the baby,” Donny said, running his fingers along Raph’s jawline.
Raph husked out a laugh, “What’s Leo think of that?”
“He thinks his sex life if over,” Donny answered.
Raph laughed harder and ended in a coughing fit. Donny sat up to help him drink some water then waited for Raph to settle back down. After a few deep breaths, Raph asked, “How do you feel about the baby.”
“I’ll be alright,” Donny flipped the cloth covering Raph’s eyes and got a brief look at how puffy they were. “I just want to sleep in your arms again.”
“I’ll be home soon,” Raph managed a smile.
Donny lied back down next to Raph, gently resting his head on Raph’s plastron. “I’m sorry I drove you to do this. I shouldn’t have told you about my nightmares.”
“I was planning on doing it anyway,” Raph soothed. “What you said just fueled the fire that was already there.”
“Why did you kill Bloo?” Donny asked in a small voice. “He helped us escape.”
“I didn’t mean to,” Raph sighed. “I took off his collar and he died. I didn’t know that would happen. There was magic in the collar, removing it must have triggered something.” Raph’s arm came up and wrapped around Donny, “Stay here with me tonight.”
“I don’t think they will let me,” Donny replied.
Raph scoffed, “They better, or I’m gonna pitch a fit and become irate.”
Donny chuckled, “I guess I have no choice but to stay.”
