Nightmares
A scream tore through the stillness of the lair. Raph jerked awake and twisted around in confusion, struggling to figure out who had screamed.
"Mikey," Raph mumbled, rubbing his eyes in frustration, "I knew we shouldn't have let you watch that."
Raph got up and slipped out of his room toward Mike's but stopped when he saw Mike heading his way with Don.
All three blinked and looked at each other in surprise.
"But…" Don started, stopping as another terror filled shriek sent them sprinting toward Leo's room.
Raph burst in first to find Leo's bed empty and the sheets a twisted mess.
"Leo?" Raph called.
Don looked around in confusion.
Mike pushed past and climbed carefully across Leo's bed and craned his neck down the other side.
Leo was twisted up in the sheets, hanging half on and half off the bed, his body thrashing frantically and his head jerking back and forth, missing the concrete floor by inches.
"Hey bro it's us," Mike coaxed, trying to wake the thrashing figure.
Raph climbed over and managed to twist down to support Leo as Don and Mike quickly removed the sheets.
Leo gave a particular violent twist, screaming at the top of his lungs before smashing his head against the wall and going limp. Raph grunted and managed to hold Leo up enough that the limp figure wouldn't crumple to the floor. Don quickly helped him reposition their brother onto his bed a few moments later.
Leo lay limp, oblivious to the fact that his family was around him.
"My sons?" Master Splinter inquired as he came in, onyx eyes worried.
"Ouch, that is going to hurt later," Mikey whispered, gently touching the goose egg that was starting to form on his eldest brother's head.
Don flinched and sighed.
"Definitely," he mumbled, "Mikey go grab the first aid kit quick so I can wrap his head. He's ok Sensei…just a nightmare…again."
"Again?" Raph asked, an eye ridge raised.
"He's been having nightmares for a while now…your brother is deeply troubled lately. I have found him often enough sitting on the couch in a daze, afraid to sleep, but too tired to stay awake as well," Master Splinter sighed, sitting down and pulling his son into his lap and cradling him, gently stroking his eldest son's cheek in comfort.
Raph sighed and glanced down at his elder brother.
"Ah shell Leo," Raph sighed, shaking his head as he gave Leo a worried glance.
Leo suddenly twitched in his sleep before he started thrashing as if fighting someone. Raph grabbed Leo's arm and held him still.
"Hey LEO!" Raph said loudly, "WAKE UP!"
~*~
Running…terrified…the sounds of screaming, watching them die. Their bodies broken, tattered…eyes lifeless.
WAKE UP!
He couldn't wake up, he was locked in the terror, clutching his youngest brother as he took his final breaths, screaming his grief to the world.
"NO!!" he pled, "PLEASE NOOOO!!"
WAKE UP!
He couldn't wake up…too much agony…everything fell apart in his hands.
WAKE UP LEO!
~*~
Leo jerked awake, still screaming, thrashing as he struggled against Raph's grip.
"LEO! LEONARDO!" Raph, Don, and Master Splinter all bade.
"Shhh my son," Master Splinter coaxed as he pulled the semiconscious figure close, cradling the trembling body and rocking a little.
Leo's breath was coming in ragged gasps, tears rolling down his cheeks as he wept.
"Gone," he choked out.
"Shhh….it was only a dream," Master Splinter whispered.
Leo slowly relaxed and limpened against his father, face buried in Splinter's shoulder.
Raph reached over and placed a hand on Leo's carapace.
"Easy bro," Raph whispered.
Mike, who had been standing off to the side feeling helpless, walked over and handed Don the kit.
Don nodded his thanks and joined Raph in gently rubbing the quaking figure's carapace.
Leo finally calmed down enough to recognize who all was there, the fear, pain, and confusion in his features vanished a "mask" taking its place.
"Sorry I woke you," Leo mumbled, "I'm fine…just go back to bed."
Raph sat up in shock.
"What?" he spat, "you just were freaking out and now you-" Raph growled.
"Enough Raphael," Master Splinter cut off.
Don handed Master Splinter the first aide kit and pulled Mikey out behind him, Raph got up and stormed out, slamming the door behind himself.
Leo flinched and let a few stray tears fall.
"My son," Master Splinter sighed, "why do you hide from us?"
"I can't be weak," Leo mumbled before rolling over and ignoring the splitting headache that was building.
Master Splinter placed a hand on Leo's carapace and sighed.
"My son…you are not weak and you never have been. Try to get some rest, if you can't….come see me in my room," Master Splinter coaxed.
Leo only hitched the blankets up higher and hunched tighter in his bed.
Master Splinter left seconds later, gently closing the door behind him, he knew Leonardo would come to him later.
Leo's eyes fluttered closed a few minutes later, he struggled against it but failed, sleep pulling him under before the nightmares started again.
Leo twitched again, whimpering as the dreams returned.
He didn't have time to panic though, because as if they had sensed it, three other bodies curled beside him. He relaxed, knowing that his brothers were close as well as safe and slept better than he had in weeks.
Mike, Don, and Raph curled beside their brother and slept as they had as kids, nightmares were banished and only sleep remained.
END.
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