You are not Alone

"Where am I?" Leo questioned as he walked down a long brightly lit tunnel. He moved his head from left to right in wonder. His eyes blinked at the brightness of the light that seem to come from everywhere and yet, at the same time, nowhere. Occasionally, he would hear a voice. A voice that sounded familiar yet was very indiscernible. It seemed like he had been walking for a very long time. As he walked, he attempted to recall what had happened.

"I remember arguing with Donnie.." Leo mused as he walked. "We were expecting the Kraang to invade and he wanted to use his new turtle mech to fight them." He stopped walking when a voice could be heard throughout the corridor.

"I'm sorry Leo." It sounded like his purple clad brother was speaking to him. "You were right." His voice sounded tired and sad. Leo looked around to see where the voice was coming from. "If we'd just left the city when you said the Kraang would never have found the lair and started the invasion...none of this would have happened." As his eyes wandered around, trying to find Donnie, his voice began to fade away. "Donnie?" He whispered.

He continued to walk toward the direction he assumed the voice had come from. "How long is this tunnel?" He looked around. "There's got to be an end or possibly a door or…or something?" Leo tapped his chin. "Need to figure this out. Need to remember what happened" He forced himself to continue to remember that day. "I remember April coming into the lair." Leo frowned as a memory came back to him. "She was with someone other then Casey." He paused as a voice called out to him.

"Please Leo." It was a female voice. "Please wake up." It sounded like April. But her voice sounded so far away. Almost as far away as Don's did. Why couldn't he see them?…or anyone for that matter. "Everyone misses you." He felt something wet and cool placed on his forehead. He put his hand to his head but nothing was there. "You need to wake up."

"Wake up?" He blinked his eyes. "It doesn't feel like I'm asleep." His body began to feel like it was floating. He looked down at his feet and saw he was walking on solid ground. At least, it looked like he was walking on solid ground. For some reason he felt as though he was floating in water. He frowned and shook his head, while the one voice faded away, the first voice, still barely audible could be heard somewhere in the far off distance.

Leo stopped walking and tried to block out the sound of voices and the bright light. He had to think, he had to remember "April brought someone…it was her friend Irma." He rubbed his tired face and tried to bring the memory to the surface. His eyes widened as he remembered what happened next. "April's friend! She was actually a Kraang in disguise!" His creased his forehead in wonder as he again continued to walk. "The Kraang found our home and was able to send a homing signal to the rest of the Kraang and they invaded the lair!"

"But what happened next?" He had to remember. If he could remember maybe he could figure out where he was and why he was here. "We were fighting the Kraang but they just kept coming and coming and coming. Then we began to run away from the lair." Leo frowned as he wondered why they would run from the fight. "Why would we run." He wondered. "Why would we run from the Kraang when….Sensei!"

Leo snapped his fingers. "Sensei told us to get away because he had a plan."

"Leonardo." Leo stopped and looked around. The voice was so close and so clear. "Leonardo." Leo looked behind him and squinted his eyes against the bright light. He could see a tall figure coming forward. The light dimmed and Leo's eyes widen in recognition.

"Master Splinter!" He ran over to his father and wrapped his arms around him.

"How are you my son?" Splinter asked as he nuzzled his son's head with his cheek.

"I'm not sure Sensei." Leo confessed. "I feel lost and confused." His body shook lightly as a shiver ran down his spine. "And...I feel so alone too."

"You are not alone my son." Splinter placed his paw on Leo's shoulder and gently turned him around. "I am here with you and I will help you get home." The two began to walk the corridor together. "Tell me Leonardo, what are you confused about?"

"Well, for one thing Sensei." Leo began. "Where are we?"

"We are on the spiritual plane." Splinter told him.

"Why?" Leo asked. "I don't remember trying to come here."

"You are here because you are trying to heal from something that has happened to you." Splinter replied. "Do you not remember?"

"No I..I don't."

"What is the last thing you do remember my son?"

"I remember you telling us to get out of the lair because the Kraang were attacking. I remember not wanting to leave you but you insisted and said you had a plan." Leo rubbed his head as the memories came back to him.

Splinter nodded. "What happened next?"

"I remember the Shellraiser blowing up." Leo narrowed his eyes as he thought back to that awful day. "Raph wasn't home, he and Casey were out hunting for Karai." Leo looked around in wonder as the voice from far away could be heard once again, but it was still barely audible.

"What else my son?" Splinter asked looking at Leo intently. He watched as Leo's eyes searched the area.

"We ran out into the sewer tunnels. Donnie and I started arguing again because he wanted to get to his turtle mech but I wanted to go find Raph." Leo stopped walking and looked up at his Sensei in concern.

"What is the matter Leonardo?"

"Raphael!" Leo exclaimed. "I never saw him." Leo looked around nervously. "Something could have happened to him Sensei." Leo started pacing back and forth. "He could be hurt. I got to figure out how to get out of here and go find him."

Splinter put a hand on Leo's shoulder. "Come my son." He gently maneuvered him further down the tunnel. "Let us get some tea."

"But Sensei." Leo began. "Where are we going to….?" Leo stopped talking and his jaw slacked open. His Sensei suddenly led him through a door and into a room that looked exactly like their dojo. Before them was a small table with tea already waiting for them. "Where did this come from?" He asked.

"We are on the spiritual plane." Splinter told him with a chuckle. "Anything can happen here."

Leo sat across from his Sensei and they sipped their tea quietly for a few minutes. Finally, Leo looked up at Splinter. "What about my brothers Sensei?"

"What about them?" Splinter asked, looking up from his tea.

"Donnie was hurt by the Kraang, how do I know the rest of them aren't hurt? They could be somewhere in the sewer, hurt, injured…maybe even…" Leo would not allow himself to think any further on that thought. "Shouldn't we be looking for them?"

Splinter looked at Leo curiously. "How can you go looking for them when you have yet to discerned how to leave this place?"

Leo finished his tea and stood up. He looked around the room trying to find something…anything that may show him the way out. As he continued to think, a new voice came to him.

"Well Leo." It was Mikey. "We've been here for a few weeks now." He said. "And so far we're doing whatever we can to not kill each other." He heard Mikey sigh. "Oh, there's a new show on called 'Crognard the Barbarian'!" He heard Mikey laugh. "It's about this barbarian who lives in a futuristic earth and rides around with a princess whose a sorceress and a strange beast-like creature and this weird ghost like thing. They beat up all kinds of strange creatures and have all kinds of adventures." Mikey laughed. "Maybe when you wake up Leo, we can go back to New York and have adventures again." He heard Mikey sigh sadly. "I'd like that Leo." His voice faded away.

Leo turned toward his Sensei." Did you hear tha….." Leo looked behind and was startled to see the dojo and his Sensei were no longer there. He was back in the long white tunnel and it was now very quiet. Almost dead quiet. Leo sighed and looked down at the floor dejectedly. He shook his head and started walking again.

"Everyone keeps telling me I'm asleep." Leo told himself. "And Sensei says I'm in the spiritual plane." Leo narrowed his eyes. "Why can't I just open my eyes and be with my brothers." Leo closed his eyes tight and thought of home. He opened his eyes and let out a dejected sigh. He was still in the spiritual plane. "Maybe if I hit myself." He slapped his face a few times but that did nothing.

"Got to figure a way outta here." He berated himself. "Come on Leonardo think!" He looked around and listened hard hoping to hear for his brothers or April again. So far no voice could be heard.

"Okay, after we ran out of the lair, I remember Donnie got hurt by a Kraang blast. I told Mikey to get Donnie and April to her apartment and I would meet them there." He looked around again. "Clearly, this is not April's apartment. So why did I not go there?" Leo stopped and he hummed thoughtfully. "Because of the Kraang. I was leading them away from the lair and the others so they could get away." Leo nodded to himself. "Yeah, that sounds like something I'd do." Leo again looked around the brightly lit tunnel. "So what happened that I did not get out of the sewer and get to April's." His eyes narrowed. "Or did I get out and something stopped me….?"

"I'm going to do everything I can to make you better Leo." Donnie again. "I've been working on a mutagenic medicine that will help you heal when you wake up." Leo looked around bewildered. "You just need to wake up." Once again, his voice faded away while the other far away soft whispering voice came back.

"Why does everyone keep telling me I need to wake up?" He looked up into the bright light and cupped his hands around his mouth. "I AM AWAKE DONNIE.!" He yelled out. "I'M HERE!" No response from his brother. Leo sighed and continued to walk and attempt to remember.

"Really need to try and figure this out." Leo creased his forehead as he thought about Raph.

"Yo dude." Leo blinked in surprise upon hearing Casey's voice. "Just coming up here to see how you're doing. Still sleeping I see." Leo stopped and listened intently. "Anyway, it's spring here now and your bros are really enjoying the sunshine Leo." Leo frowned . "You should get yourself up and join them. They miss you ya know."

"It's spring?" Leo began to walk again. "When the Kraang attacked, I thought it was still winter." Leo shook his head in disbelief. "What is going on?" He looked up at the ceiling and let out an exasperated sigh. "WHERE IS EVERYONE!" He shouted. He let out a disappointed huff. "And how do I get to where you all are?"

He rubbed his eyes and felt a stabbing pain run through his back. He pressed his palms against his eyes to block out the light. He saw darkness but the light still stabbed through it. He fell to his knees and pressed his hands harder into his eyes. Something had happened to him but he couldn't remember. 'Why?' He wondered as the pain ran through him. "Why can't I remember what happened after I left the lair, after I distracted the Kraang from getting to the others. Why didn't I get to Aprils'?" Black. The answer was staring at him, he knew this. The color black kept coming to him. But the light was distracting to him.

"Why does the light bother you so my son?"

Leo stood up quickly and whirled around to find his Sensei standing behind him. He blinked hard as tears threaten to fall. "I…I'm not sure Sensei, I feel like it keeps blocking things." He told him, feeling distressed. "I keep hearing my brothers and our friends but I don't know how to get to where they are." He moaned into his hands. "I still feel so lost…so…alone."

"You are not alone my son." Splinter placed his paw on Leo's shoulder and looked at him sternly. "Your family is here with you and they are waiting for you to be with them."

"But why can't I remember Sensei?" Leo again rubbed his tired eyes. Pain seemed to be all over his body now and it was everything he could do to just concentrate on speaking to Splinter. "I know something happened to me after I left the lair but I can't remember what!"

"And why does it matter to you what happened?"

"Something tells me that if I could remember what happened then maybe I could figure out a way out of the spiritual plane and back to my brothers." He looked up at Splinter, an idea began to form. "Sensei, have you been able to leave here?"

"No Leonardo. I have been wandering around the spiritual plane for almost as long as you have my son." Splinter told him.

"Then where did you go to after we had our tea?"

"I figured you needed some time to yourself to gather your thoughts so I moved myself to another part of the plane." Splinter smiled at him. "Did it help?"

Leo looked away from him. "I think so."

"Then you have remembered something?" Splinter asked him again. "Something that will help you?"

"I remember the color black." Leo muttered. "For some reason the color black keeps coming to me but I'm not sure why." Leo rubbed his chin in thought. "Something black and ominous."

"And what does black remind you of my son?" Splinter looked at Leo a knowingly.

"Black, dark, death." Leo's eyes snapped open and he looked up at his father. "The Shredder!"

Splinter nodded. "What happened with the Shredder Leonardo?"

"I got to the surface and was attacked by his footbots!" Leo exclaimed. It was finally starting to come back to him. "I was alone, I was fighting for my life." Tears ran down his cheeks as the memories came at him. "I was trying to get to April's but I couldn't…They wouldn't let me." Leo shook hard in anger.

Splinter placed his arms around Leo's shoulders. "It is alright my son." He soothed. "Take deep breaths and let the memories come back to you slowly."

Leo nodded and took deep breaths. "Thank you Sensei." He said as he calmed down. He closed his eyes and thought back. "There were so many of them. Shredder's footbots seem to come out of nowhere. I remember seeing Shredder, Bradford, Xever and Tiger Claw watching me. I remember calling to him, demanding he fight me but he wouldn't." Leo creased his forehead. "He told me I was beneath him."

"Shredder is a coward that would prefer others do his fighting for him." Splinter mused. He was thinking back to his own battles with Saki and now he began to realize the Kraang invading their home and Saki's attempt at killing his sons was all a setup. The Kraang and Shredder were working together.

"Yes." Leo agreed, his jaw and fist were clenched in anger. "I remember finally defeating all the footbots then falling into a very cold pool. But I didn't stop. I wasn't going to let them take me."

Splinter waited for him to continue. "What happened after you defeated the foot my son?"

"I faced Shredders goons, I took them all down!" Leo was shaking in anger. "I was so angry and filled with such hate." Leo's fist shook hard. "All I remember is seeing red when I looked at them. Then I defeated them and…and…"

"And what Leonardo?"

"Shredder, I saw him. He came up behind me and when I turned he...he attacked and then I felt pain shoot through me." Leo's voice was now a whisper. "I was exhausted and he sends his goons to finish me but when they didn't!" Leo put a trembling hand on the back of his shell. "He attacked me!" Leo shouted through gritted teeth. "That coward waited til my back was turned and he..he tried to kill me!"

Splinter placed his paw under Leo's chin and lifted his head to look at him. "As he did me." Splinter admitted.

Leo looked at his father in horror. "Sensei?" Leo went to reach out to him. "Are you…are you alright?"

"I am waiting for you my son." Splinter told him with a smile. "As your brothers are waiting for you."

"My brothers?" Leo looked away then back at Splinter. "All of them?" The whispering voice could be heard again, but now it was getting louder. "They're all okay? Even Raph?"

Splinter nodded. "They all are waiting for you." He told him. "But you needed to heal spiritually before you could heal physically and go back to your brothers." He moved his paw from Leo's chin to his cheek. "And now that you have remembered, you are ready to heal and face the challenges that await you in the real world my son." Splinter looked at Leo with proud eyes. "You only need to follow the voice and then you will wake up."

"Wake up?" Leo turned away from his Sensei as the far away voice started moaning. "But Sensei I…" He turned back to see Splinter was no longer there. The moaning sound grew louder and was now sounding angry. Leo turned to follow it.

"It's been three months Leo." It was Raph and he sounded irritated. "I mean come on, what are you waiting for?"

"Keep talking Raph" Leo said. A feeling of peace came to him as he ran down the tunnel toward the sound of his brother's voice. "I'm coming."

"You're the one whose always able to come out on top and beat these things Leo." Raph continued to rant. "But maybe you're just afraid to beat it this time. Is that it?" Through the light, Leo could see a thin line of darkness up ahead. He smiled in relief. That was his way out. "Did Shredder and his goons beat you to the point where now you would rather lay there and die? Is that it Leo!? IS IT!?" Raph's voice was shaking and filled with anger. "We need you Leo!" Leo ran faster. "I need you." He choked out.

Although Raph's voice faded away, Leo could still feel his presence. He ran toward the line of darkness and noticed it was a door. He pushed it open and stepped through. There was no longer solid ground beneath him, he felt himself falling yet floating in the air, through space and blackness. All around him, he heard his brother's and friend's voices calling to him. Speaking to him. Memories of the past came to him. He saw his life as a child with his family, the first time they went out on the surface and had pizza, his times with Splinter, sparring in the dojo or just sharing tea in the kitchen. He saw images of friends they had made and villains they had fought. Battles won and lost. Then...nothingness.

A light dripping noise could be heard through the fog in his mind. Leo felt himself slowly waking up. A presence was near him. But it did not make him scared or nervous, the presence gave him a calm peaceful feeling. His body ached and it felt cold and wet. He wanted to speak, open his mouth and start talking but his throat hurt too much. He took a breath and tried to move.

"Leo?" Raph's voice came from his left side. He moved his head slowly and opened his eyes.

"Hey Raph." He whispered with a weak smile.

Raph's face went from concern to happiness and he let out a loud yell. "GUYS! GUYS GET UP HERE!"

Footsteps came running. Leo looked around the room he was in. He did not recognize it but the looks of relief from his brothers and friends made him feel at ease and he tiredly greeted them.

The next day, Leo was sitting on the couch. It had been a rough start to his day. Raph had taken him out and wanted him to train, to get back on his feet, to heal. But he wasn't ready and ended up getting sick. His brothers and friends had told him about Splinter, but something about what they said didn't feel right.

"I just can't stop thinking about Master Splinter." Leo told them as April set some tea down on the coffee table for him. "Maybe he's not really gone."

"We saw it happen." Donnie told him. "Shredder threw him down a drainpipe." His voice shook as the memory came back to him.

"Maybe Leo's right." April pointed out. "I mean…Splinter was a great ninja master."

"The greatest in this century." Raph agreed.

Leo looked from his brothers to their friend. A distant memory seem to nag at him in the back of his mind as a voice continued to haunt him. 'I am waiting for you my son'. Leo knew, they had to get back to New York.