Leonardo was awoken by the sounds of choking sobs. His blue eyes widened. The five year old turtle looked around. Nothing seemed unsual.
That is until he laid eyes on his second youngest brother, Raphael.
He was trashing in his bed.
His legs kicking wildly, his arms flailing as he fell over.
Leo jumped up, and as quickly as his tiny legs could carry him, ran over to his fallen brother.
"Raphie?" He whispered.
Raphael looked into his eyes, but he wasn't there. Leo could see his eyes growing dimmer.
He was afraid.
He didn't know what to do.
Thank whatever gods were out there, when Master Splinter rushed in as soon as he heard Raphael fall.
"Leonardo," Splinter looked at his eldest son, "go with your brothers. I will take care of Raphael."
Leo looked back at his brother. who was in Splinter's arms.
He shook his head, "Raphie..."
"Raphael will be okay."
Leo walked over to his bed, and grabbed his stuffed tiger. He held it out, "For Raphie..."
Splinter smiled and took the animal. "Go to bed, Leonardo. Raphael will be okay, you will see."
For some reason, Leo was uncertain about that.
He looked back at his retreating father and brother, and slowly made his way to Donatello's and Michelangelo's room.
The next morning, Leo was glad to see Raphael up and about. Even if it was really early, but Leo figured it was just due to him not being able to get back to sleep.
Raphael's emerald eyes once again shone with that fire he liked about Raphael.
"Hi Raphie," he ran over to his brother, "are you okay?"
Raphael nodded, but then, he went tense.
Leo took notice but had no idea why he would...
Raphael bit his lips before a loud, "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" escaped his beak.
Leo covered his ears and watched as Raphael ran over to a chair and climbed it, trying to escape from...
from...
a cockroach?
Leo looked at Raphael, and then, at the small insect.
Raphael. Insect.
Raphael.
Insect.
Raphael.
"Raphie?" Leo walked over, "Are you scared?"
Raphael's eyes snapped to Leo, "NO!"
The cockroach skittered under his chair, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Raphael climbed onto the table.
Leo looked around.
With a smile, he grabbed a blank, but somewhat dirty, piece of paper.
He used it to lift the roach and carried outside the layer.
He smiled back at Raphael, but it fell, when he saw his emerald eyes filling with tears that just didn't seem to belong in them.
"Raphie?" Leo walked over and touched his shivering body, "Raphie?"
Raphael's eyes snapped over.
Wide in fear.
"Raphie?"
"They wanna...they wanna eat me..." he whispered.
Leo stared at his brother.
Raphael clenched his small fists, "They keep wanting to go in me..."
'In him?'
"They wanna eat me!"
'Eat him?'
"Raphie?"
Leo pried Raphael off the table as gently and as quickly as he could.
He led them into their room, and it wasn't until then, that he noticed his tiger in Raphael's hand.
But...he didn't have it earlier.
Maybe he dropped it, when the roach appeared?
Leo quickly led Raphael to his bed.
Raphael stood still as Leo got in.
Leo saw Raphael just standing there, unsure of what to do, and patted his bed.
Raphael crawled in and Leo was quick to embrace his trembling brother.
It took some time, but eventually, Raphael fell asleep.
Leo opened one of his eyes, and smiled as he thought in his sleep:
'Don't worry Raphie, I won't let those bugs eat you.'