Leatherhead sat by the stasis chamber, wishing he could touch Donatello. Guilt filled him as he looked down at his love. “I wish I was there. I should have been there.”
Raph’s words earlier had cut Leatherhead to the core. What kind of boyfriend didn’t see the signs that his love was sleep deprived? He knew that Donny had a hard time sleeping when he focused too much on work. Why didn’t he help him? “I’m sorry.”
“Excuse me,” one of the agents softly spoke to get his attention.
Leatherhead turned to see the young man standing not too far away. The agent smiled and pointed to a sofa nearby. “If you would like to stay in here tonight, you can sleep there. It unfolds to become a bed. We put it in here a while back so spouses of agents who have been hurt could stay with their loved one. I think you fit the criteria.”
“Thank you,” Leatherhead smiled. “I do not wish to leave Donatello’s side anytime soon.”
He looked back down at Donnie and placed his hand on the stasis chamber, “How much longer does he have to be in there?”
“We should be able to bring him up sometime tomorrow.”
“That soon?” Leatherhead turned to look at the man.
The agent nodded, “That stuff works quickly. Donatello will be ready to head home in just a matter of days. I am allowed to give you any information on his treatment that you request. ”
“Yes, thank you.”
“I’ll get a printout right now,” the agent smiled then walked away. He stopped before he reached the door and turned back to Leatherhead. “There are blankets and pillows in the cabinets above the sofa. If you need any help with anything, feel free to ask.”
“Thank you,” was all Leatherhead could think to say.
**
Bishop had convinced Raph to move into his room so Raph ran to gather a few personal things from his old room. A few agents saw him leave Bishop’s room, naked, in the middle of the afternoon. He saw knowing smiles spread across a few of their faces as they passed and knew it was a matter of time before the whole compound knew.
He had to run back past the infirmary on his way and he passed just as Splinter came out. His father held out his hand to stop Raph, “Do you have a moment?”
Raph skidded to a halt and looked down the hall in the direction of Bishop’s room before looking down at Splinter. “Yeah, I guess.”
“Is there somewhere we can talk privately?” Splinter asked.
With a heavy sigh Raph turned back towards his room, “This way.”
They walked in silence down the hall. Splinter was a patient man and held the questions that were burning inside of him. When they reached Raph’s room, Raph opened the door and stepped aside to allow his father to enter first.
“You looked to be in a hurry when I stopped you,” Splinter stated as soon as the door was closed. “Is there somewhere else you need to be?”
“I was heading back here. Anything else I had planned can wait.” Raph said, gesturing to a nearby chair. “Please, have a seat.”
“Thank you,” Splinter said with a bow before sitting. “I’ve wanted to talk to you about something for a while now. I just couldn’t find a moment where I could be with you alone before.”
“We’re alone now,” Raph sat on his bed and leaned forward, resting his arms on his thighs. “But if this is a lecture about living here and working for Bishop, I don’t wanna hear it.”
“It’s not.” The way Splinter said those words had Raph looking up to see the sorrow in his father’s eyes.
Guilt filled Raph and he soon found himself on the verge of tears. “I’m sorry I blew up before. I wasn’t blamin’ you for what happened to Donnie. I was just ventin’ anger. I used to be the one who made sure he went to bed.”
Splinter shook his head, “I’m not here for that either.”
“Then what?” Raph asked. Then he felt himself flush a little and a mild amount of fear bubble up. “Have the other agents been talkin’?” He stood up and started to pace back and forth. “I knew that they would start talkin’. Fucking gossips. ”
Splinter gestured for Raph to sit back down, and said, “If there are rumors floating about, I have not heard any but now that you have brought it up, is there something I need to hear from you before I hear it from someone else?”
Raph sat back down and his heart hammered in his chest. He had no idea how his father would handle the news of him being in a relationship with Bishop. He cleared his throat and looked away, “Maybe, after we talk about whatever it is that you wanted to talk about.”
“Very well,” Splinter nodded then took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Do you remember how I used to sit in Leonardo’s room while he was away in South America?”
“Yeah,” Raph nodded. “You said it made you feel closer to him. I even caught Mikey in there a few times, clutching that creepy doll he made.”
“When you left and I didn’t know where you were, I went into your room,” Splinter said, trying his best to keep his emotions in check. He watched his son for any response to his confession and was relieved to see that there wasn’t any anger in his eyes just curiosity, so he continued. “I was sitting on your bed. I never went through any of your things, I just sat. As I ran my hand over your bed, I encountered the item that you keep hidden under your pillow.”
As the words left Splinter’s lips, Raph’s features melted into sorrow. Raph took a deep breath, in an attempt to hold back the tears but they broke free anyway. He reached back and removed the carapace from under his pillow.
Splinter stood and made his way over to sit next to Raph on the bed. He placed his hand over Raph’s, “I will answer any questions you have. I know you were young so your memories must be fragmented.”
“How did he die?” Raph asked, running his hand over the dome of the carapace.
“It was our first winter,” Splinter started as he recalled the memory. “I was still learning how to be a father and building our home. Our food was scarce so I rationed it. I did not know that the five of you would hibernate. If I had known, I would have let you all eat more.” Splinter moved his and on the small carapace. “The two of you were always giving the others some of your food. You curled up together and slept the longest but he never woke up.
“When you woke up you were so weak, I didn’t know if you would make it. As soon as you were strong enough, you wandered the lair looking for your brother. I don’t know how you found him but you managed to remove the rocks and lie down next to his body.”
“I remember that,” Raph said, nodding his head. “You told me to say goodbye.”
“When did you go back for the carapace?” Splinter asked.
“A few years ago,” Raph answered. “It was after I had a fight with Leo. I wandered the sewers and recognized the area. We hadn’t been there in years but I could see that you had visited. I tried to take all of him but he fell apart so I just took the carapace, then put everything back the way it was.” He continued to look down at the carapace, running his hands long it. “Are you mad at me?”
“No,” Splinter answered.
“What was his name?”
“I never got the chance to name him,” Splinter said. “I named you all after that winter, when I found the book on art.” He placed his hand back on Raph’s and managed to catch his eye. “I have always suspected that the two of you were close because you were brothers. Have you considered letting Bishop run a DNA test on the carapace to see?”
“That would require me telling Bishop about him,” Raph forced a chuckle. With a heavy sigh he placed the carapace of his unnamed brother back under his pillow. “Do you think the others remember him at all?”
“I do not know,” Splinter answered. “They never showed any signs of it. I assume that their memories of him are blended with their memories of you.”
“Thank you, father,” Raph forced a smile, “for being so understanding.”
Splinter squeezed Raph’s hand, “If you ever have any other questions, all you have to do is ask.”
Raph cleared his throat and wiped away the tear that managed to escape. “Well, I’ll take you back to your room.”
Splinter stayed sitting on the bed as Raph stood and made his way to the door. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”
“Hmm?” Raph turned to look back at his father. “Do you need help up?”
“Isn’t there something that you would rather I hear from you and not as a subject of gossip?” Splinter said with a hint of a smile.
“Oh yeah,” Raph cleared his throat again. “I guess it would be better if you heard it from me.” He sat back down on the bed. “Do you believe in reincarnation?”
“Yes,” Splinter nodded.
“Good,” Raph said, as he wrung his hands. “That makes this a little easier.” He took a deep breath then let it out slowly. “Bishop believes that I am reincarnated from someone he knew years ago.”
“Oh?” Splinter lifted an eyebrow. “Friend or foe?”
Raph swallowed hard, “Friend.”
“Something tells me that there is more to this,” Splinter said. “Why would he tell you that he believed that you are reincarnated from someone he knew if there wasn’t something he wanted from you?”
“It’s because… well…. The guy he believes I’m reincarnated from was… uh… Bishop’s lover.” Raph felt himself flush and he couldn’t bring himself to look at Splinter to see his reaction.
“That explains why I smell him on you,” Splinter stated flatly. Before Raph could react beyond a sputter, Splinter continued, “Do you believe that he speaks the truth?”
Blushing and keeping his eyes diverted, Raph shrugged, “It feels like it could be true. I want to be with him and I found somethin’ that was familiar to me in his room that I had never seen before.”
“Then I suggest deep meditation to know for sure,” Splinter offered. “Take yourself back and explore this past life.”
“I can do that?” Raph turned to look at his father and was pleased to see that there wasn’t even a glimmer of disappointment in his eyes. “You’re… you’re okay with the idea of me and Bishop together?”
Splinter smiled, “I want you to be happy and if he makes you happy then I am more than alright with you taking him as a lover.”
“Thank you, father,” Raph smiled. “I have to admit that I feel a lot better now that we’ve talked.”
“You can talk to me about anything,” Splinter said, placing his hand on Raph’s leg. “I will never stop loving you.”
“I love you too,” Raph said, leaning in and touching his head to Splinter’s.
**
Raph stood with his family as the doctors opened the stasis chamber and drained the fluid within. It was a little hard to watch as Donny’s lungs expelled the pink slime and gasped for air.
The doctors rolled him to the side to let Donny cough up all that he could then one moved in and suctioned out more with a small hose. An oxygen mask was placed over his beak as he was rolled back onto his carapace.
The doctors reassured him but it was obvious that he was in a state of panic. It took ten of them to hold him down and keep him from trashing too much.
Donnie’s body trembled, though Raph didn’t know if it was from cold or shock. Maybe it was a little bit of both.
Leatherhead looked ready to toss the doctors aside to get to Donnie’s side. Fortunately they moved fast and got out of the way so Leatherhead could step forward and show Donnie a familiar face.
Raph couldn’t stop the smile that came from seeing the love between them. Before, whenever he saw them together, Raph would feel a swell of bitter jealousy and leave. But now he was happy for them and the love they shared.
“It’s alright,” Leatherhead soothed, placing his hand on Donnie’s plastron. “You’re safe, my love.”
Donnie looked up at Leatherhead and immediately started to calm. Reaching up, Donny touched his trembling, slime covered hand to Leatherhead’s snout.
Leatherhead placed his hand over Don’s, “Let the doctors take care of you, my love. Once they are done, I will not leave your side again.”
Donnie’s chest heaved and he managed to rasp out, “Where?”
“Don’t talk,” Leatherhead shushed him. “Save your strength. You’re in Bishop’s compound. The doctors here saved you. Do you remember what happened?”
Donnie nodded.
Leatherhead anticipated Donnie’s next question. “You have not been out that long. Their medical science is advanced so they were able to heal you quickly. It has only been eighteen hours since the explosion.”
He ran his hands down Donnie’s arms, the scars were barely noticeable. “The doctors need to clean you off. I will still be in the room, just out of sight. You family is all here as well. Stay calm and let the doctors do what is needed.”
Donnie nodded again and Leatherhead backed away from him. The team of doctors got to work cleaning Donnie off then moved him to a more comfortable bed. He was connected to machines and covered with a warm blanket then he was carted from the room.
They all followed while Donnie was moved to a more comfortable room that actually had a large window. The sky outside was orange and purple as the sun set behind the city. After a few more monitors were set up, the doctors left the room.
Leatherhead sat next to Donnie’s bed and took hold of his hand. “How do you feel?”
Swallowing hard, Donnie licked his lips before mumbling through the mask, “Alive.”
Leatherhead kissed Don’s fingers, happy to see his love doing so well after thinking he was going to die. He couldn’t believe how good he looked considering how close to death he really was. He was so happy that he couldn’t contain his tears of relief.
Mikey stepped forward and said, “You look really good, Donnie. The scars are barely noticeable.”
Donnie managed to smile up at Mikey but it was obvious that he was tired. Splinter stepped forward and grabbed hold of Don’s other hand then leaned in to kiss his head. “We will leave so you can get some rest.”
“I’m sorry,” Donnie whispered.
Splinter shook his head. “Don’t. We do not need to place blame with this accident. You are alive and well and that is all that matters.”
As Splinter backed away Raph walked over and kissed Donny on the head. “If you need anything, just ask.”
Don grabbed hold of him, “Thank you.”
“Get some rest. You’ll be out of here before you know it.” Raph pulled away from Don and led the others back to their rooms.
