I'm a glutton for punishment. I already have like, three stories that are unfinished, so what do i do...start a new one. But i have high hopes for this one! It's so unlike my usual genre.

So here's to you my valuable readers.

Enjoy

Chapter 1

The sun rose peacefully over the New York skyline, shining through the buildings and lighting up even the darkest corners of every alley. Even before the sun reached it's highest point, the streets were filled with cars, angry citizens wanting to get to work on time, and if they weren't in their cars, they were walking. Even though it was summer, the morning wind still proved to be a hassle in everyone's already crummy morning.

Leonardo sat on the edge of the building, watching the sunrise. He was on his way to April's for breakfast. He decided not to tell the others, even though he loved his brothers, he needed some time away from them once in awhile.

Everything was getting to him, Splinters getting old, Mikey's becoming restless, Don never gets out of his office, and Raph is just being a bastard, there was really no other way of putting it.

And Leonardo hasn't been feeling himself lately. He's been nauseous all the time, not very hungry, and when he does manage to eat, he feels like he's eaten a cow.

Even now he feels exhausted, even though he woke up a half an hour ago. He'll talk to Don about it later, but now, he needs someone else to talk to.

He stood up and glanced to the left, seeing April's apartment complex. He groaned softly, then pressed on. Leaping from building to building.

…..

Leo walked casually up to the gate, looking up at the building, the night sky gave it an ominous, haunted look. But the fact that it looked haunted wasn't what was making him scared. It was what lay inside. But he knew it had to be done.

He still hasn't told his brothers, he doesn't know if he ever wants to. But he knew he has to eventually. But after this is over.

He wiped seat away from his brow and pushed the gate open, stopping only to cough. After his violent cough attack was over, he wiped drool away from his lip on the bandage that was wrapped around his hand and walked through the grounds, fear lingering in his heart. He was shivering, partly from the night wind, but mostly from fear.

He didn't like to leave his brothers in the dark, but he had to keep this to himself. If his brothers knew, nothing would be the same. Not before long, he spotted them, foot ninja's, standing outside the door, oblivious. Leo took a deep breath, rose his hands high in the air and slowly walked toward them.

They noticed instantly and drew their weapons, he stopped, "I don't mean any harm." Leo said loudly. They didn't respond, only walked closer to him. Leo hesitated as one of them stopped in front of him and pressed the tip of his sword on Leo's throat. Leo shivered, "Please don't." He begged, shaking.

The foot ninja chuckled darkly as the other circled around and removed his Katana's. He held the swords in his hand as he drove his foot into the back of Leo's knee, forcing him on his knees.

"Why have you come here?" The foot ninja asked, pressing the tip against his skin, cutting it slightly.

Leo clenched his teeth through closed lips, trying to hide his pain and fear. He coughed softly, "I…" He started, trying to find the right words, "I wish to speak with Saki."

…..

He stopped when he landed gracefully on the fire escape, coughing violently. He took a deep breath, then walked up the stairs toward April's apartment. He suddenly wondered why she only invited him, she's had the others here before for breakfast. But in her message, she said 'Why don't you come over tomorrow for breakfast.'

No acknowledgement of the others at all.

Suddenly, just before Leo reached the window, his cell vibrated strongly. He groaned, knowing it was unavoidable, but he was prepared. He pulled it out of his belt, sat down on the metal stair outside of April's window and flipped it open. "Hello?" He said, trying to sound cheerful.

"Leo, where the hell are ya?" Raph's voice sounded tired, but irritated.

"Went out for a jog."

"And you couldn't tell us that?" He asked, sounding even more irritated.

"I didn't want to wake you." Leo responded, wanting this to end already. Raph breathed through the phone, short breaths that made him sound like he's trying to clam himself down, "You could have left a note. Mikey was worried about ya."

Leo smiled softly, "Tell him not to worry, I'll be back soon."

Raph sighed, "Alright, see you when you get back. Be careful." He said.

Leo nodded, "See you them."

He hung up the phone and pressed it against his lips, thinking deeply. He felt like Raph wasn't telling the complete truth, Mikey wasn't the one worried. He chuckled softly and pushed himself to his feet, suddenly feeling dizzy. He leaned up against the railing for a second.

"Hey?"

Leo stirred and glanced at the window, seeing April looking at him worriedly, "You ok?"

Leo cursed softly to himself, "Yeah…fine." He said, and then entered the apartment. His stomach sprang to life in a series of dull to sharp pains. He winced, but managed to hide each one.

"So, how've you been lately?" April asked as she walked over to the oven and continued her cooking. Leo made himself at home and sat down on the couch, holding his stomach. "Hanging in there."

She glanced back at him, not sure how to take that, "What do you mean?" She asked. Leo quickly looked from the ground to the window, trying to ease the tension. "I haven't been feeling myself lately."

April turned the stove off and leaned against the counter, eyeing him with worry, "Well talk to me, breakfast is almost ready."

Leo wasn't hungry, but he didn't have the heart to tell her.

"Well, I've just been feeling weird. And it doesn't help that my brothers are slacking and Splinters getting old. Mikey…he's just not motivated." Leo didn't like to be the center of attention, he wanted to stop right there and start a new conversation, but for some reason he continued talking. "Don's constantly in his lab, I don't know what he's doing in there, he's usually out and about, but now he's in there day and night. And Raph…he's just mopping around for some reason. I can't talk to him because he always says he's not in the mood or to get away."

April frowned, "What do you think is the problem? Something has to have happened?"

Leo sighed, thinking he knows the reason. "We're done. The foot haven't attacked in over four months, Shredders probably planning something big. Purple Dragons are history. There's nothing for us to do anymore. Mikey figured that out and stopped training, Don now has more time to do whatever it is he's doing, and Raph upset that things are not the way they used to be. There's no danger around every corner, we're not constantly getting threatened. And we all know Splinter is getting old, he can barely walk to the bathroom by himself, that's probably not helping anything." Leo stops suddenly, going into another cough attack, stomach exploding in a dull pain.

"Whoa, where did that come from?" She asked.

Leo shook his head, "Started up a few weeks ago, but I think its getting worse." Leo stated, starting to feel dizzy again.

"Are you hungry? Breakfast is ready." April said.

Leo nodded, "Yeah…Yeah I'll…"

Suddenly, he couldn't speak, he couldn't feel much of anything. His knees buckled and he hit the ground hard. "Leo!" April shouted, running to him and holding him up.

"I'm ok…I'm fine April." Leo urged.

"No your not, we're taking you to Don."

"No!" Leo said quickly, "Not Don…take me to Leatherhead."

"What?! Leo-"

"Don can't know! None of them can!"

"Leo!"

"April! Please! Just take me to Leatherhead."

…..

Leo wasn't dumb, he knew there was something wrong. He was just afraid of going to Don and him finding out that it was something really bad. He couldn't do that to them. Splinters old and now if its known that Leo is sick, they're not ever going to be the same.

But Leo never expected this.

April was in tears. Leatherhead was professional, but upset. Leo just sat there, staring at the floor, unable to think.

"There is a chance." Leatherhead said softly. Leo doesn't listen as he continues talking about percentages and recovery.

He says the word again.

Cancer.

It sends chills down his spine, making his legs feel numb. He buried is face in his hands, wanting him to stop. "Leonardo? Do you need a second?" He asked.

"I need more then a second." Leo responded.

Leatherhead nodded, then went back to his work. April grabbed Leo's shoulder and leaned on him. "Leo..." She said, sobbing in his shoulder.

"Don't tell them." Leo said sternly.

April looked up at him, "What?"

Leo turned and faced her, "Don't tell the guys."

…..

Leo sat in April's apartment, he didn't want to go home yet, he couldn't face them, but he didn't know why. They've called enough times, it's already four o'clock and he still hasn't called or talked to them at all. The phone vibrates quickly, they left another voicemail.

April's still in tears, in the kitchen doing something.

It hasn't sunk in fully yet, it all feels like a dream to him. The fact that Leatherhead basically said, "Leo, you're gonna die soon. And there's no stopping it." made Leo feel helpless. Like his fate has already been sealed and there's no way to stop it.

It had to be the ooze, it makes sense. Leo knew that you could cancer from anything nowadays, but he's a mutant turtle, so it might have been easier for him. Don knew all about this stuff, but he'll ask him later when this stuff settles.

Cancer.

That words strikes fear in his heart. Not because he knows that he's going to die. Something else has been bothering him about all this.

He stood up and made his way to the bathroom, closed the door and looked at himself in the mirror.

His brothers.

That was the thorn in the bush.

What will happen to them if and when this cancer takes Leo? And god forbid something happens to Splinter. The three of them can't be alone. They can't be.

Unless.

Leo sighed softly. He hated it. But he had an idea of what he had to do. He plucked his phone out from his belt and dialed Don's number. He held the phone up to his ear and heard the rings.

"Leo! Wher-" Don started. But Leo interrupted, "I'll be back soon, don't worry about me."

Don didn't respond right away, "Wha-"

"Just calm down, there's something I have to do." Leo said, then hung up the phone. He tossed it on the sink and turned the water on, taking a handful of water and splashing it on his face. Another violent cough attack erupted, he got out everything he could and spat out.

The phone vibrated again, Leo groaned as he grabbed it, turned it off and stuck it back in his pocket.

Everything seemed to fall down on him all at once. Spontaneous anger fueled his inner rage as he smashed his fist into the mirror, shattering it on impact. April shouted something and within minutes, opened the door.

"Leo!" She exclaimed, grabbing his hand. Leo then realized the large gash running across his knuckles. April quickly sat him down on the toilet, grabbed the bandages in the medicine cabinet and began wrapping his hand.

"Leo…I know your scared. But you need calm down." She said, wiping a tear away as she continued to wrap his hand. "There is a way past this. You can get better."

Leo pulled his hand away when April finished, "April! I'm a turtle! There is no hope for me! I can't go to a doctor and get rid of this. Leatherhead doesn't know what how to cure it, he said it himself! Don wouldn't know what to do! I can't do anything about this!" Leo shouted.

April tried to keep the tears in, but Leo's sudden rage scared her. "That doesn't mean you have to give up."

Leo stopped talking, he let those words sink in.

Giving up.

But Leo realized that he wasn't just giving up on himself. He was giving up on his brothers.

Now he knew what he really needed to do.

For his brothers.

He stormed pass April and out of her apartment. April screamed for him, but he didn't stop. He got onto the fire escape, climbed to the roof and got away. There was only one thing he had to do to keep his brothers safe, and he had to do it, no matter how much he hated it.

….

The Katana the foot ninja was wielding was placed on the back of Leo's neck as he walked down the corridor. The foot ninja's were talking, but to quietly for Leo to hear. His heart raced as they lead him to the Shredder.

He coughed, trying to keep an upcoming attack in. He took a deep breath, then felt his stomach lurch as they walked through a door. It was undoubtedly Saki's room. A large banner with the foot ninja symbol hung from the ceiling. The room was dark, only lighted by the one large window in which he was standing in front of. Looking out over the ominous city.

The foot ninjas stopped Leo a few feet from him and forced him to his knees once again.

Saki turned around, facing Leo with a sinister grin. "An enemy that I have been chasing for years now, finally surrenders. And even goes through the trouble of walking here himself. Do you know how much trouble that saves me?"

Leo growled softly, angry at himself for what he's doing, "I'm not surrendering."

Saki's face lowered into a bitter smug. "Then what are you doing here?"

Leo took a deep breath, trying not to cough, "I've come to make you a deal." Saki's eyebrow jerked up in curiosity. "Oh? And what would this deal be."

Leo sighed, "I want full immunity for my family. You will not touch them, nor even think about them. And…I want your best medical help."

Saki let out a roaring laugh, "This is interesting, and what do I get?"

Leo closed his eyes, "I will join you."

Saki smiled largely, "Hmm…I'm not sure that's a fair deal."

"Please." Leo begged.

Saki rubbed his chin, "First, tell me why you're doing this."

Leo bit his lip, feeling his heart hammer inside his chest. "I…I have cancer."

Saki didn't show any emotion, but Leo could tell that he was shocked. Saki rubbed his chin again, "So let me get this straight. I've been trying to get rid of you and your brothers for years now, and now that you're finally dying. You want me to help you survive this deadly disease?"

Leo's heart sank when he realized how moronic that sounded. "How about this." Saki started again, "I will leave your brothers alone, I will not even think about them anymore. And you will join me." Saki grinned, "But you will not receive any medical help from me…or no one. You will let this disease grow and you will suffer…and you will parish."

Leo felt a tear fall from his eye, Saki raised a finger up, "So in other words, you help me and let this disease kill you…and you're brothers are free. The foot ninja's will no longer pursue them."

"How can I trust you?" Leo asked quickly.

Saki smiled again, put his hand over his heart, "You have my word."

Leo looked to the ground, thinking about what he's getting himself into. But in the end, his brothers are safe no matter what. And that's what matters most.

Leo took a deep breath, "Ok. You leave my brothers alone, and I will join you…and die."

"Wonderful," Saki said as he held his hand out in front of him. Leo looked at the hand, feeling a sick lurch in his stomach.

He took Saki's hand and shook it. Sealing the deal.

Sealing his fate.