Almost

Disclaimer: Turtles aren't mine.

And for those of you following my Changed and 72 Hours stories, I'm hoping to update soon.

I bolted up right in my bed. The scream caught in my throat.

I could still feel that monstrous hand wrapped around my leg.

That roar echoed in my head as I took several deep breathes, clutching my pillow to my chest.

I had to check. Had to make sure that the real life three-day nightmare we had been living was over.

I crept out of my room, still clutching the pillow, and made my way up the stairs to my brother's bedroom.

I paused at the door. I was scared at what wasn't or rather who wasn't on the other side.

Gathering all my courage, I turned the knob and pushed the door open.

I sagged against the doorframe in relief,

Don was in his bed.

I let out the breath I had been holding and just watched my brother sleep.

We had almost lost him.

I had almost lost Don.

My best friend, my security blanket, my safety net. The one I turned to when my smiles fell.

I didn't know how long I stood there, but was drawn out of my thoughts when Don spoke,

"…Mikey?"

'Crap. Leo's gonna have my shell for waking Donnie up.' I thought.

Donnie had pushed himself up and was watching me; a small smile crossed his face before he spoke again,

"Come here."

I slowly crossed over to his bed.

Donnie scooted over, leaving room for me to sit.

"Nightmare?"

"Uh huh."

"Thought so. Well, are you gonna lay down or not?" he said as he pulled back the blankets.

I smiled and felt the tears start to gather in my eyes again as I lay down next to Donnie.

Donnie wrapped an arm around my shell and pulled me close.

I cuddled up as close to Don as I could get, tucking my head under Don's chin.

"I'm right here," was the last thing I heard before drifting back to sleep.

I woke up swinging, a growl let loose.

The vision of that smirking face danced in my face for a moment longer.

The monster that had held my brother's life in the palm of its hand as it demanded tit for tat.

My anger and rage gave way to the guilt that came with thoughts of my brother.

The brother, who none of them had noticed was sick for so long.

Whose body had been weakened until the outbreak virus had stripped him of his mind and personality, left him a rabid beast with no awareness of who he was - or who his family was.

I crawled out of my hammock and walked down the hall. Just to make sure.

I was surprised to see the door open, but a small smile escaped when I saw way.

Mikey was wrapped around Don, much like a second blanket. He was making sure, even asleep, that Don was really there and not…

I couldn't finish the thought.

As I watched my two little brothers sleep, the guilt began worming its way back into my mind.

We were entire city a way when Don had succumb to Bishop's outbreak virus.

We had almost lost him

I had almost lost Don.

My counsel, my confidant, my comforter. The one I sought when the anger became too much.

"…Raph…you coming in or not?"

Don had raised his head to watch me, an eye ridge raised sleepily in question.

I grinned a little sheepishly at being caught, but I wasn't all that surprised that I was.

I crossed over to the bed sitting on the edge.

Don looked over Mikey at me,

"Dream?"

I merely shrugged my shoulders at the comment; Don always knew what was buggin me without me actually saying.

"Bishop or monster?"

"Bishop"

He nodded his head. He understood. Even though he didn't remember those three days, he still understood the rage that filled my mind.

"There's room on the bed…(yawn)… or the cot under the bed. Take your pick."

This time it was me that raised the eye ridge in question.

"We both know you're not gonna sleep in your room. So take your pick."

I couldn' hide the grin on my face. Don knew me too well.

I climbed in behind him. He turned his head so he was facing me, making sure not to disturb Mikey.

He waited to see if I was gonna talk.

I shook my head.

He nodded, "in the morning." He yawned again, shifting to get comfortable once again.

As though he could feel the guilt coming back, he mumbled, "I'm glad you always have my back."

He soon drifted back to sleep.

I laid there in the silence, watching him sleep. A single tear escaped the corner of my eye.

Like I said he knew me too well.

I laid an arm across his shell, much like Mike, and whispered, "Always will."

I bolted up right.

Those roars still echoing in my head.

I rubbed my hands over my face as I tried to get my breathing under control.

It took me several minutes to get my breathing back to normal and my heart rate to slow.

Knowing I wasn't going to get anymore sleep, at least, not here and not without checking, I climbed out of bed.

I padded quietly towards his room. The door was open; I smiled at the pile on the bed.

Don lay on his plastron, Mikey was snuggled up to him on one side.

I was surprised to see Raph on the other side of Don. He lay on his side an arm stretched across Don's shell, protecting his brothers even asleep.

The smile soon fell from my face as the guilt came back.

The failure I felt at not protecting my brother came back full force. The guilt about not noticing how sick he was…

We had almost lost him.

I had almost lost Don.

My support, my rock, my voice of reason. The one I leaned on when my burdens became too much.

"…Leo…?"

I shook my thoughts away at the sound of his voice.

He had shifted as much as he could without disturbing Mike and Raph, so he could look at me.

I didn't say a word as crossed over to his bed and sat on the edge.

He gave me a small smile, "bad dream?"

I gave him a half smile for an answer.

He raised an eye ridge at me, "We'll talk in the morning."

I nodded and turned to leave.

"Cot is under the bed."

I looked at him in surprise.

"I know and you know that you don't want to go back to your room. So get the cot out and go back to sleep."

I merely shook my head as a crouched next to his bed and pulled out the cot.

Once the cot was up, I laid down facing my brothers.

I couldn't help but smile as I closed my eyes, everything was as it should be.

I shot my eyes open as I felt the blanket cover me.

My eyes met warm, smiling brown eyes.

"You always were the best at stealth."

He smiled as he crawled back into the middle of his bed, careful not to wake Raph and Mikey.

I drifted off to sleep at his words, "Thanks for bringing me back."