Leo rocked back and forth he looked up as a figure was thrown in to the tiny cell. He crawled over to the girl making sure not to wake the youngest of the three. He blindly felt his way over to her. Leo ran his hands over her assessing the damage. A few bruises a long gash oozed blood down her left side a few cuts a few burns here and there a particularly nasty burn was on her shoulder. He moved up and laid her head in his lap. Trying in vain to hush the whimpers of pain escaping her lips. He brushed her cheek but recoiled at the all too familiar wetness of blood coated his fingers. He quickly assessed the damaged and winced realising what they had done. One half of her beautiful face had been sliced open like an envelope that would leave her half blind. Leo let out a soft growl. How could they do this how? And why? This poor girl would be half blind and it was all thanks to him. The man who had held Leo and these girls prisoner for three months. Three months! Three months of being endlessly and mercilessly torched. He thought of his family. Michelangelo the youngest and the joker of the Hamato clan. Leo smiled as he remembered the little ray of sunshine that occupied their lives. His thoughts then wondered to Donatello the brainy whiz kid second youngest shy and sweet little Donnie. Leo lowered his head at the thought of his last brother Raphael. Strong brave Raph. He will protect our family. Finally he thought of his farther and sensei. Master splinter. Leo longed to sit once again with his master in the dojo, sipping cups of herbal tea. He fought tears as he remembered the last day with his family where had it all one so wrong?
Flashback
Leo and Raph were at it again "get out of my face Raph" Leo growled "why should I fearless" Raph retorted Leo sighed. "Don't sigh at me fearless" Raph bellowed. As the conflict continued the two youngest sat watching the row like a tennis match heads flicking from side to side. Suddenly Raph exploded and screamed "I hate you" he punched Leo in the shoulder hard. Leo stumbled backward he held his shoulder and stared at Raph. There was complete silence on the rooftop as if the whole world held its breath. Then Leo jumped off the rooftop and disappeared. The three boys stood stunned as they saw their oldest member vanish into thin air. Leo had ran into the deep dark part of the sewer, his breathing ragged from trying to hold back the tears that so badly wanted to flow. He stumbled forward and lent against a wall wiping the one stray tear that had escaped. He looked up and realised he didn't know where he was. Leo's eyes quickly scanned the area this is new he thought. Leo kept on stumbling forward soon he found a ladder and sped up it. As soon as he was back on the rooftops he sighed with relief he knew where he was. He began to run across the rooftops thinking about the argument that had taken place hours before. He was so engrossed in his thoughts he didn't notice the huge gang of foot behind him until it was way too late. Finally he noticed his followers. He turned to see the shredder himself standing at the front. Leo could feel the evil grin spreading over the villains face. Leo growled and leapt into battle. The first foot ninja went flying into a gang of five others as Leo kicked and punched he felt the shredder coming up behind him. He turned his katanas meeting the gauntlet with an almighty clang he felt the punches and kicks of the foot. Finally shredder kicked him to the ground and four foot immediately sprang on him restraining him. Shredder walked up leisurely "ah Leonardo Hamato" his voice send a cold ripple down his back Leo glared at shredder. A foot ran over with an unusually large needle shredder picked it up and walked slowly toward Leo. He struggled violently trying to get away. Shredder jabbed the needle into the crook of Leo's neck. Leo trembled trying not to show weakness. Not to scream out in pain. And then the world went black.
End of flashback
Leo sighed stroking the girl's unharmed cheek. Suddenly he felt the smaller girl nuzzle up to him. He put one arm around her trying to keep the freezing girl warm. When will this hell end? He asked whatever god was out there. Why me? Why Venus? Why Emily? Why?
Meanwhile
"Any luck Raph" Donnie shouted down the shell cell trying to be heard over the storm.
"Nothing yet Don, but we'll find him just like we promised we would"
"he wouldn't do this to us he has been gone three months" Donnie said rubbing his eyes "I'm worried Raph"
"Don't worry Don" Raph soothed his younger brother "this is fearless we're talking about. You know dead stubborn, the leader. He'll come back Donnie I know he will we just have to wait."
Donnie and Raph made their way back to the lair. Nether said a word preparing themselves for the sadness they were about to bring on their shattered family. Every day without their older brother was agony. Eventually they quietly entered the lair. Michelangelo sat at the foot of the couch with a blanket around him resting his head on the seat all the brothers could do was look at their baby brother. Waiting for his big brother to come home. After Mickey was tucked up in bed. And Raph had made Donnie go to bed. He lay there quietly listening to the snores of the younger turtles. His hammock bed swung gently. After he was sure his family was asleep he let a single tear slide down his face. Raph had a horrid nightmare. Leo was reaching out to him "please" his voice sounded weak and raspy "help me please" Raph ran toward the image of his broken brother but Leo moved further and further away and nothing he did made him get closer. Raph woke up with a start "LEO" he shouted. He let one more tear escape his eyes "where are you Leo?" he whispered only to be greeted with silence. He had never felt so sad and scared in his entire life. He wanted Leo back. His big brother. This was the soft side Raph had never let show itself he curled up, clutching his knees to his chest this time letting the tears run freely down his cheeks. "Don't worry Leo" he whispered, more to himself that anyone else. "I'll find you. Me and Mike and Don. We will find you and make the monsters that took you away wish they hadn't been born. Just hold on a little while longer. OK?" Donnie sat outside the door listening to his big brother cry. He too had tears glistening on his cheeks. He had never heard or seen Raph or Leo cry ever and it scared him more than anything. The usually calm turtle felt rage pulse through him and hatred filling him. A blinding hatred. Those people who had hurt his eldest brother would pay with their lives. Nothing less would ease the suffering of Leo and the Hamato clan. Oh what those monsters would have in store for them. The wrath of the Hamato clan would rain down upon them. The thought of slowly killing the man or woman filled Donnie's head. They would regret taking Leo. Regret it big time. Donnie shivered at these violent and uncharacteristic thoughts. Where are you Leo?
Meanwhile
Leo cradled both girls. It had been a while since Emily had gone back to sleep the fourteen year old reminded him painfully of Mickey. He thought again longingly of home. Suddenly Venus stirred. Immediately Leo sat straighter. She let out one soft whimper of pain before she sat up. Leo felt her gaze slowly look around the pitch black room. We had all learnt our way around the cell by feeling. Her eyes glowed a dull blue. That was our only light source. Even though one eye no longer worked it still lit up even then a streak of black going across her eye made it evident she could no longer see. "L-Leo?" she asked weakly "I'm here" Leo whispered reaching forward and holding her hand in his. She smiled clearly tried she shuffled over and laid her head on Leo's shoulder. "Th-the men s-said that they a-are moving B-Bella and Violet into our cell" Leo let his head rest on hers. "But why?" he asked "probably mental torcher." She replied "seeing our loved ones suffer but their wrong" Leo looked at her quizzically. Her power was fading fast he could tell because the light was getting dimmer by the second "we can then break out I couldn't break out before because I can't leave my sisters" Leo's face brightened like a child's on Christmas "you mean get out of this hell hole?" Venus chuckled quietly. "Yes Leo but I will not be able to heal you and Emily like normal or provide light I will have to ration my powers." She yawned the last part sleepily. Leo could feel his eyelids starting to droop to "you will see your family again Leo" she whispered. Leo concentrated on his family harder than ever he turned his head "Emily are you awake" he felt the figure shift in his arms "yes Leo I am" Leo breathed he hoped "Emily I need you to help me" he felt Emily nod her head she had heard his thought "I can only give you a boost into the dream realm after that they will start to put up the mental barriers you know this." Leo did, once he was in Emily could no longer help him her powers had limits. "Yes I know are you sure you can?" Leo asked "piece of cake Leo. Venus knows more about her field of magic, but when it comes to me"
"I know" Leo interrupted he heard Emily sigh she sucked in a deep breath and opened her eyes a soft orange glow filled the room "one" she whispered Leo prepared himself "two, three" Leo felt his sprit being catapulted into the dream realm.
"Leonardo my son" splinters voice was shocked and overjoyed. Before his master continued Leo cut him off "sensei I can't talk for long they block the mental barrier so listen" splinter looked confused his tail flicking from side to side nervously. "We are going to break out and then I will be home" Leo felt his form flicker "send everyone my love" Leo shouted as he began to fade "see you soon father"
At the lair
Raph woke up and stretched yawning sitting up in his hammock bed. He stumbled over to his battered chest of drawers putting on his knee and elbow pads wrapping his bandana around his head and his belt around his waist tucking his Sais in and heading downstairs. He saw Mickey sitting watching the news Donnie seated next to him. Nobody was really paying attention to the screen. The three sat in a tense silence before Raph decided to break it. "Don any luck with finding Leo?" Donnie looked up from his mug of coffee "not yet" Donnie replied looking back down at the swirling brown liquid. "We'll find something eventually" Mickey said making Raph and Donnie jump. He reached forward and switched off the TV. The three teens sat listening to the silence that filled the lair until the dojo door slid open revelling their sensei. "My sons come in here there is something I must share with you. The boys all filed in and sat in front of their master. "Enter the dream world with me" Splinter commanded and the brothers obliged. Soon they were in what looked like a room of clouds "The dream realm" Donatello breathed "my sons" all three heads snapped to their sensei "observe" all three boys watched at another splinter appeared in front of them. He was searching for Leo and all three turtles knew it too then their brother appeared. All three gasped "Leo" Mickey cried out but the event had already passed. "Leonardo my son" splinters voice was filled with emotion. Before splinter could continue Leo cut him off "sensei I can't talk for long they block the mental barrier so listen" Raph looked at his brothers their faces mirrored his own "who are they" Mickey asked "and what's a mental barrier?" splinter hushed him "keep watching my sons this is the most disturbing part." Leo continued he was hurrying now. "we are going to break out and then I will be home" Raph felt anger rise within him so someone had taken Leo. "Send everyone my love" Leo shouted as he began to fade "see you soon father." And he was gone in a flash of light they were once again in the dojo. The three sat quietly with splinter silently watching them. "Break out from where" Donnie finally asked more to himself than anyone else. "Yeah" Mickey joined in "and what's a mental barrier?" Raph finally asked "and who is we" everyone remained silent. "So if Leo is coming home then does that mean we should just wait for him?" Mickey asked. "No" Raph said firmly "we keep searching he could be injured or something we can't stop" Mickey and Donnie nodded in agreement "searching will continue tonight" Donnie said "maybe tonight we should stick together" again two heads bobbed in agreement. The plan was set, they just had to believe in their older brother and not one of them even Raph doubted him for a second.
