Chapter 1 – Trouble in sewer paradise

A/N: Here is my new fic and it's about a cartoon, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the 2003 version. I haven't seen the previous version from the '90s nor the new TV show from 2012. As you can tell from the story I am a big fan of Leonardo, he is my favorite turtle and I enjoy writing about him and the others as well.

I was addicted to it years ago and now I am again as I re-watch the old episodes.

General trigger warning for this story: there is graphic depictions of violence, there's rape/non-con elements, and suicide attempts. All warnings will be given due in the chapters respectively (I am uploading the chapters again and I realized that I didn't put this important piece of information in my initial upload).

My first fic about a cartoon.

The guys are going through some rough time.

Timeline: 2006, shortly after they were forced to find another lair, and Leo is again the target of new villains

Place: New York City and Los Angeles.

TMNT currently belongs to Nickelodeon, I do not own it.

There's some original characters in my story that you'll find out more about as you delve further into the story.

…

Leonardo was dreaming.

He was dreaming of the first time they beat the Shredder. The feeling of comfort, no more fear for his brothers or his- their home.

The way Master Splinter made the Shredder cut the wooden posts on the barrel full of water and sink to his own end was impressive. Leo could tell thatMaster Splinter had kept a grudge for his Master's death but Splinter never seemed to give any signs that he actually looked for revenge. But, that was Splinter. You could expect anything from him, but there would always be the element of surprise with him. When the opportunity came to him, he took action. He had a moral compass that he used to raise them four. But sometimes principles didn't mean a lot, as they were merely in the way of achieving personal satisfaction, and give away parts of yourself that were holding you prisoner.

Leo then remembered the day his morning run - a part of his routine training - was interrupted by the Foot Clan. They chased him all over New York and cornered him, enabling their Master, the Master of destruction to appear after all the damage has been done. Like a real coward, the Shredder always came after the fight was nearly over to give the final blow and put someone away forever.

But Leonardo survived, if only by miracle.

That day Leonardo felt helpless, and he still felt the rage that invaded his mind and body thatday. He was able to fight the Foot ninjas, but when the Elite team of Ninjas came along for the ride, it was then when Leonado felt his life slipping away. When they took his swords and sent him flying through the air he was certain he wouldn't make it. Yet, he made it and he scared his family and friends to death.

The leader was hurt. That meant that they have all been hurt. Even Raph, the resident hothead felt his insides turn out when he saw the shape Leo was in, as Leo witnessed through his words and actions. Despite how they often changed blows instead of words, Raphael wasn't aware of his tell. And that was Leonardo knew him the best.

No matter how hard Raphael tried to hide his feelings that day he truly showed Leonardo how much he loved his brother.

Of course that wasn't the only time Leo's life was in danger.

Leo was dreaming of the poisoning while he was in the middle of a fight with Usagi.

He dreamed of the day they finally put a stop to the horror the Shredder put New York and the world through. The day none of them was left unscathed. He remembered the Shredder pushing him hard and Karai's sword stabbing him. That day he lost part of his shell but it felt that he lost something more thanjust that. He lost a part of himself that he wasn't able to get back to again.

He managed to come to his senses after spending time with the Ancient One. But it still, it almost cost him his family, and losing himself wasn't something Leonardo wanted to experience again.

…

It was what happened after his time with the Ancient One that finally pushed Leonardo to seek an exit from his dreams.

Leonardo screamed.

The scream reverberated and woke the shell out of his brothers. Raphael was the fastest to come to his room and he tried to wake Leo up. Soon Donnie and Mikey came by his side to help him get through to Leo.

"Leo, wake up bro! You are having a nightmare."

But no amount of talking or shaking woke Leonardo.

"It's not real bro, just wake the shell up!" Raphael screamed now.

Leonardo found it tough to open his eyes. His eyelids felt heavy, like glued shut. He fought the pain he could feel behind them. Leo could hear his brothers' desperate yells, begging him to wake up, but he couldn't muster the energy to do so. When he finally opened them, Leo couldn't look at anything, it was too bright with the lights on. His head hurt like shell and his whole body hurt too. He felt worse than when fighting the dark forces of their enemies. He could hear Raphael yelling at him, but it was like coming from a tunnel.

Leo closed his eyes again.

It was Donnie that finally thought to check Leo on the forehead and pulled his hand like burned when he felt the heat.

"Raph, he is burning up with fever."

"Are you kidding me now, Donnie?"

"I wouldn't joke with something serious, Raph. What do you take me for?"

"Sorry Don. You know it's been one of the tough days, and I took it out on you. Sorry."

"No sweat bro." Donnie smiled.

"Since you are the one that plays the doctor all the time, Donnie, what do you think is wrong with him?"

If Donatello didn't know his brother, he sure would've thought that Raphael sounded desperate. But he knew Raph was worried as much as they were so he refrained from snapping at Raphael.

"My best guess is a cold, but I can't really tell Raph. I'll run some analysis in the lab to see if I can determine the exact cause. Meanwhile Mikey grab some cloths and cold water. The colder the better. Press the towel on his forehead and change it as many times as needed."

Raph sighed, but it was a tired sigh, and one of worry and regret. For what, Donatello wasn't sure.

Mikey ran to the bathroom to do just as he was ordered.

Donnie looked at Leo before he walked in his lab and thought, come on Leo, not you again.

...

Raphael suggested the idea of them taking shifts watching over Leonardo. In the three hours since Leo's scream woke them up, Michelangelo was halfway through dreamland. Raph decided to send Mikey back to bed. He did his best with cooling Leo down, but he needed his rest, so Raph carried him carefully.

Donnie was still in his lab running his tests while Master Splinter was in his room meditating after they all explained the situation to him.

That meant Raphael was the one that was left to keep vigil, watching over his brother. The way Leo lay on the bed gave Raph sort of a peace, but Raphael knew that Leo wasn't feeling very peaceful right now. He was moaning as if in pain, every once in a while and he was constantly trying to place his body in the right position.

It hurt Raph to see Leo struggle with it, so he took matters in his own hands. It was Raphael that helped Leo, taking most of Leo's upper body in his arms and unintentionally sitting on the bed, most of Leo's body covering his legs now.

Now it was Raph that felt uncomfortable and it took him a while to adjust to the new position. He was careful not to jostle Leo and make him feel uncomfortable more than Leo already was. With one arm he secured his hold on Leo, with the other he held the cold cloth on Leo's forehead in place. Raph let his thoughts run free as he tried to help Leo when he felt movement. Leo grabbed his arm and no matter how hard Raphael tried to pull it out of Leo's grasp he couldn't. Raphael put his hand on top of Leo's. He didn't know if it was only him, or if he eased the pain Leo felt, but Raph chose to leave his hand on top of Leo's as comforting presence. It felt good to watch out for Leo for a moment instead of Leo watching over him and the others all the time.

It was in that position that Donnie found them and smiled. It felt good to see Raph like that, his constant anger completely leaving him. Mikey bumped in Donnie's shell, but Donatello shushed him before he made a sound. But as known to everyone, Michelangelo couldn't keep his mouth shut or stay hidden for long before he had to do something about it.

"Wait till I get the camera and snap a picture of this. Then I'll hang it up over the TV set. It's gonna be hi-la-ri-ous!"

"Mikey..." Raphael growled suddenly behind Mikey.

"How'd you...? You were just there on the bed...?"

"I'm a ninja, remember, Bozo?" Raph snarled.

"Okay Raph, no need to be that angry with me. Geez, I can't even joke with you anymore."

"Leo's in grave danger and all you can think of is joking with me Mikey?"

"Hey, it was cute. What's got your panties in a twist?"

Raph reached for his sais, but they weren't there. He would've resorted to blows but that's when Donatello stepped in between his brothers.

"Raph come with me. Mikey stay with Leo- Oh-oh!"

"What now Genius Boy?" Asked Raphael irritated.

"That wound on Leo's left upper arm, where did he get it?"

"Dunno. He was here the whole day yesterday. Oh wait, he did get out."

"It's red and infected. Probably that's the cause for the high fever. Okay. Mikey you stay with Leo. I'll expand the analysis. Raph come with me we have to talk. We need to figure out where Leo got that wound."

Raphael grunted and followed Donatello in his lab. "What's the idea, Donnie?"

"First of all you were yelling and that won't make Leo feel any better. Second, you were yelling at Mikey for trying to make a joke. You know Mikey, the goofy brother we have that always lightens up the mood? Well it is about time you find out that his defense mechanism is smiles and jokes whether you like it or not. He is worried about Leo as much as we are. It's just his way of showing his worries about Leo. He talks too much, I know that, but cut him some slack this time. After Leo gets well you can fight whenever and for whatever reason you like. Now, we have to help Leo!"

Donnie yelled the last sentence and Raphael backed up a little.

Angry Donatello was never a good sign. His vent rarely went off, but when it did, you didn't want to be the turtle that gets in his way.

"Donnie, let me get this straight, you said talk right? Well, you are the one talking, so that makes it monologue, not a talk."

Donatello glared at Raphael.

"Very funny Raph."

Donnie's face was unreadable mask and Raphael could see the effort hidden behind it.

"I get your point Donnie. I know why Mikey does what he does whenever he does it, but all this Leo getting sick all of a sudden, makes me feel uneasy. I'm on edge."

"We all are, bro. Just try not to kick Mikey's shell for nothing, will ya'?"

"Okay Genius Boy. By the way, your monitors beeped couple of seconds ago, you should check them out."

"I will. We good?"

"Yeah Donnie, we are all good."

…

Raph got out of Donnie's lab and went to see Leo. Seeing Mikey holding the cold cloth over Leo's forehead made him feel uneasy again. Raph regretted treating Mikey like good for nothing just 10 minutes ago, but Mikey was a tough guy in his own right despite the goofy exterior, and Raphael was the one that never admitted his true feelings to no one except to himself. He wasn't going to start now.

"Do you think he'll be better Raph?"

Raphael turned slightly to see worried Michelangelo looking in his direction.

"I don't know Mikey, but he better not bail on us now when we need him the most. Maybe I'm the toughest in strength of all four, but he is the toughest in mind and focusing on the task in hand. He better not..." Raphael was about to say 'not be dead' when he heard footsteps behind him.

Splinter materialized next to him and he put his pawed hand over Raphael's shoulder.

"Don't Raphael. He is still alive. His spirit is still with us. Leonardo is a fighter. He won't give up on his life and his family, not yet."

"Master Splinter, but how? How will he do that?"

"He needs a real doctor this time." Donnie spoke in a low voice behind them. "My analysis shows traces of gun powder. From a real gun. Nothing like Triceraton or Federation weaponry. The traces from the wound are consistent with those of a bullet made for a .38 revolver. I double-checked just to be sure. It's a real weapon.

"With the other weapons we've encountered at least we had a shot because it wasn't the technology human use to build things. But this specific bullet must have been custom made, because there are traces of something that makes it even deadlier if not treated right. We don't know when Leo got that wound. We are missing the timeline. I can only help so much with the medical angle. I guess Leo was shot by accident while on the topside. The question is how and who shot him?"

"No accidents with us bro." said Michelangelo.

"Michelangelo is right. We need to investigate this." Said Splinter.

"The better question is," Raphael chimed "where the shell we'll find a doctor for Leo? We're not exactly on the list of wanted patients."

"I'll call April. Maybe she knows someone that will keep their mouth shut." Donatello said before fetching his phone.

"They better be or I'll kick Leo's shell for the trouble he is getting us into." Raphael snarled as he tried but failed to hide his fear for Leo's life.

"Oh boy, Leo you better wake up soon." Michelangelo sighed. "Or Raphie is going to kick your shell. You know him when he gets all angry on you. Please wake up, brother."

…