Liability

Chapter 6

Mikey sat on the bathroom floor, knees drawn up against his plastron. His head rolled back, gently smacking the wall. He'd only thrown up once, but his hands wouldn't stop trembling. He couldn't even bring himself to leave the bathroom. His brothers had left a while ago, Raph calling him a baby for being so paranoid. Mikey's head turned as the door creaked open and Donnie peeked in, the corners of his mouth curved in a sad smile.

"There's pizza left if you want any."

Mikey shook his head numbly.

"Ok. Are you sure you don't want to come out of there?"

He shook his head again with a whispered, "no."

"Okay..."

Donnie spun around, heading towards the door.

"Wait-"

He paused, looking back at his little brother. 

"I'll come."

Donnie grinned, turning to pull Mikey up. Mikey dragged his feet, following Donnie to the living room. 

Leo greeted him with a smile. 

"Come sit Mikey!"

Mikey complied, taking a place between Leo and Raph. He had his eyes glued to the tv but he wasn't actually watching it. A couple of minutes passed and he shifted uncomfortably. Beads of sweat lined his neck, and he could practically feel the heat spreading through his body. 

"I'm going to get some water, " Mikey said, standing.

"Okay, could you get us some popcorn while your up?"

"Sure."

Mikey stepped toward the kitchen, slightly swaying on his feet. He walked in, leaning on the wall. After downing a glass of water, he put the popcorn packet in the microwave and waited. 
Why did he feel so awful?
He blinked, realizing the microwave was beeping incessantly. 

"Mikey!? What the shell?" Raph's voice boomed.

Mikey flinched. "I'm s-sorry." 

His body shuddered as a ripple of cold surged through him. He was caught off guard by a hand on his forehead, nearly making him yelp. 

"You're kind of warm Mikey, do you feel ok?"

Mikey quickly retracted from the touch. "M'fine D..." he slurred.

Leo appeared at his other side looking into his eyes. 

"Mikey."

"Whattt?" 

"You don't have to lie."

"M'not."

Raph turned, grasping his arm. "If ya vomited earlier and now have a fever, you're clearly not ok!"

Mikey shrank away from Raph.

"Raph," Leo broke in.

Raph rolled his eyes, backing away reluctantly.

"Come on Mikey, let's go watch the movie."

Mikey nodded, already heading towards the couch.

Leo turned to Donnie. "Get a blanket."

"On it."

Leo followed Mikey and they settled onto the couch, Donnie and Raph coming soon after. Leo took the blanket from Donnie and gently draped it over Mikey's shoulders. 
Mikey welcomed the concern of his brothers, but he had this strange twinge in his gut. One he knew all too well. 

"Um Leo, I think I'm gonna go to bed early, ok?"

Leo looked up at him as he stood up. "Ok, Mikey."

"Good night."

"Night."

Mikey made his way to his room. He quietly shut his door, and this time his tears had no real purpose. They just came pouring down without his permission. He staggered over to his bed, grabbing the Xanax bottle. This time he had to mentally will himself to take only one. 
He sat cross-legged on his bed, waiting for the pill's effect to take him over. 
But instead of the desired tranquility, Mikey fell forward, gasping for air. He clenched the covers in his fists, heart thundering as his body shuddered.

He stumbled off the bed only to drop to the floor with a crash. He breathed in deeply and was granted sweet oxygen, but his breaths came in short puffs. Mikey lifted himself from the floor, staggering to his door. He needed help and he knew it. 

He started down the hallway but only got a few feet before collapsing against the wall, struggling to breathe. Mikey dragged himself into the bathroom, locking the door behind him. At this point, the knowledge that he might be dying had settled in. It made him feel sick, but he wasn't scared. Maybe this was karma for all those times he messed up. Maybe he deserved this.
A wave of dizziness crashed over him. He reached out to grab something as his vision was swarmed by darkness. He couldn't think straight. He felt an odd pain in his lower back but didn't really realize what had happened until his eyesight cleared and he was staring up at the ceiling. 

...

Leo was making his way to his bedroom, Donnie and Raph still in the living room. A loud thud from the bathroom caught his attention. He knocked on the door. 

"Mikey?"

There was no response.

"Mikey, is everything ok?" His voice rose. 

There was a low whimper this time, but nothing more. Leo was banging on the door now, and it must have drawn the attention of his younger brothers because they appeared behind him in an instant.

"Leo, what's going on?" Donnie asked.

Leo turned to them with worried eyes. 

"Mikey won't answer, and the door is locked."

"Mikey, open this door right now!" Raph shouted, banging a fist on the door.
Again there was no answer.

"Alright, I'm going to break this door down!" He threatened.

An awful choking sound reverberated from the bathroom prompting all the brothers to pound the door till it was practically knocked off his hinges. Leo was the first to catch sight of his younger brother.

"Mikey! Oh God, Donnie what's wrong with him?!"

Mikey was on the floor, his body convulsing erratically. 

"He's having a seizure!" Donnie rushed forward, kneeling next to Mikey.

"Raph, pass me a towel, " Donnie instructed, surprisingly calm.

Raph gulped as he handed Donnie the blue towel. Donnie gently placed the towel beneath Mikey's head, turning him on his side. After a few agonizing moments, the sporadic jerks of his muscles ended and he lay there, peacefully, as if nothing had happened. 

"Donnie why did he-"

Donnie cut Raph off with a sharp gasp.

"He's not breathing."

"What?" Leo asked, heart pounding.

"He's not breathing!"

Donnie spurred into action, setting his hands over Mikey's chest and pushing down. He repeated it over and over until Leo let out a breath, "he's breathing."

Mikey wheezed, his eyes opening ever so slightly. 

"Mikey?"

"Donnie- I'm sorry..."

"Mikey, what are you sorry for?"

Mikey turned to Leo. "April didn't lose her pills, I stole them..."

Donnie choked.

"Mikey-! No, this is so messed up!"

Leo grabbed Donnie's shoulder. "What Donnie? What's messed up?"

"I'll explain later, we need to get Mikey to the lab right now!"

Raph nodded, "I got Mikey."

He bent down, scooping the youngest in his arms.