Holy crap! Shake off the cobwebs! I swear! Sometimes I just need to be slapped in the face, shoved into a chair, and forced to type!

And maybe next chapter will be better.. if there even is a next chapter..

I don't NOT plan on abandoning this story. But if I procrastinate good enough, I may not update for another year or so. I really hope that doesn't happen! I already feel bad about making you guys wait so long! Hope you guys can forgive me! I am planning on updating sooner then last time... but you guys know how I am with promises... *chuckles nervously*

~000~

Big sisters and brothers... I am telling you, it never changes.

-Adam Sandler

His dreams were good. He couldn't feel anything and all was good. He felt himself go between the land of sleep and of being awake; where your head is fuzzy, full of clouds, and it feels so light, but too heavy to lift up.

The voices pushed him closer to waking up, but he didn't want to. The dark of sleep comforted him like a blanket.

"-eed to eat."

He could feel his lips twitch, but he smiled fully in his mind. His brothers' were so nice, their voices so sweet. They always made him smile.

"Please-"

He didn't catch the rest, but it sounded slightly desperate. They weren't talking to him. He was asleep.

"-ake up! Don! He won't-"

He felt himself slipping away again. That was fine.

"You need to eat. I know you can hear us-"

He chuckled slightly. Sounds like his brother was being stubborn again. He should probably wake up and force him to eat. That was he job after all. Keeping them safe and healthy. Happy.

"You sure he-"

"He's moving-" "-The drug wasn't that strong-"

He moaned. He was so comfy. If only he could send his brother a stern thought so he would just eat! He wanted to go back to sleep.

"Come on bro."

Yeah. Come on Raph.

"Leo. Wake up and eat something."

Leo groaned. He felt a hand touch his shoulder and give a gently squeeze. His eyes fluttered open and he blinked groggily, his head still full of clouds.

"Wha-?" They weren't talking to Raph?

"About time dude!" He looked over at Mikey's grin that spread across his face. "The soup is starting to get cold."

Leo blinked a couple of more times and then tried sitting up. He felt nothing but immediately Donatello was helping him, propping pillows behind him to give him support.

"I told you he would wake up to the sound of my voice." Mikey grinned at Donatello.

Donnie rolled his eyes. "Thank you Mikey," He started and just when Michelangelo was about to give his regards, "For whining and complaining until Leo was finally forced to wake up and tell you to shut up."

Mikey huffed and stuck out his tongue. He turned on his heel. "I'll be with Raph. At least he appreciates me." He said and left the lab.

Donnie chuckled and turned back to Leo, who was nodding off again. Don slapped his cheek lightly. "Hey, stay awake. I need you to eat something."

Leo jerked awake before looking just as asleep as before.

"'M not hungry." He mumbled, scratching his side.

Donnie grabbed his hand, eyeing the gauze wrapped securely around the blue-banded turtle's torso. "Yes you are, you just don't realize it." He stated, letting go of Leo's hand and grabbing the bowl of soup.

Leo looked at it before looking down at his hands. What had he been dreaming about? It had left a nice feeling in his chest. He still felt weight-less, yet so, so tired.

"Leo?" Leo jerked his head up, his eyes wide as he looked into Donnie's worried ones. "Still feel tired?"

Leo nodded. "Yeah…"

"I gave you some pretty strong pain-killers so you wouldn't feel any pain. Sorry, you'll be a bit groggy for a while." He held up the bowl. "But if you eat, I'll let you go back to sleep."

The food looked disgusting. It smelled disgusting and it made his stomach churn. "No."

Donnie blinked. "Ok…" He furrowed his eyeridges slightly. "How about. You will eat this bowl of soup and then go back to sleep.

Leo crossed his arms. "I don't want any soup Don."

Donnie breathed through his nose. He knew he had to be patient. He hadn't had any sleep the night before…. Or the night before that… but Leo was drugged, injured, and being a stubborn patient. He could deal with this. "Leo…"

"Good night." Leo turned to move the pillows so he could lie back down.

Donnie slammed the bowl onto the counter, making some of it slosh out. "I am not giving you any options here Leonardo! You will eat your soup and you will like it! Now stop moving and eat the gosh darn food already!" Donnie snapped.

Leo froze and looked at him. His eyes dilated and he was suddenly more careful with his movements. He turned back to face Don again, his hand sliding towards his side.

"I want to see Raph."

"No."

"Don-"

"Soup." Donnie picked it back up and held it towards Leonardo. The thin thread of patience he had was hanging by a simple strand now, and barley that. Considering that Donatello was the most patient of his brothers, that was an accomplishment.

"You need sleep." Leo stated. Donnie wanted to throw the soup at him. Instead he sat on the edge of the bed and held out the spoon.

"I'm worrying about you right now. So please eat." He held the spoon closer to Leonardo... who stubbornly turned his head away.

"I need to go see Raph." He seemed so distracted.

Donnie huffed. "I said no."

"Right now!" Leo suddenly shouted.

"Why are you yelling?!" Donnie shouted back.

"Because you are!"

"I wasn't yelling before!"

"Stop shouting at me!"

"I'm not shouting!"

"Yes you-" Leo suddenly groaned and grabbed his side. He leaned back into the pillows and moaned. "Ow…"

Donnie sighed. "Pain-killers are wearing off." He stated mostly to himself.

"Guys… you're yelling is upsetting Raphie…" Mikey peeked into the lab shyly, worried that the yelling would be directed at him instead. Donnie looked over at him and Leo took his chance and quickly scrambled to get out of bed.

"Hey!" Donnie snapped and tried to grab him, resulting in Leo hitting the bowl of soup out of Don's hand, sending it shattering to the ground. He collapsed no later, panting and clasping at his side.

"Dang it Leo! Why the shell… can't you just..!" Donnie growled as he and Mikey helped him back onto the bed. "You can barely sit up on your own! No walking!"

"Stop…" Leo mumbled as he tried to stay upright, but was pushed back into the pillows.

"Just shut up and sleep." Donnie said, with an actual gently whisper, one hand on Leo's forehead, the other attached to his wrist, checking his pulse.

Leo groaned and felt his eyelids starting to shut. He couldn't sleep. He wanted to stay awake now. The light was as comforting as the darkness was before. The dark scared him now. He wanted to stay with his brothers. His mind wasn't as foggy anymore, but why did he still feel drunk? He had never drunken before, but he was pretty sure that this was how it felt.

"Shhh." Mikey was holding his other hand. Leo hadn't realized he had been rambling. He had to control himself. He should have just eaten the soup like Donnie had asked, not made a mess of everything.

He tried to ask what was wrong, because he suddenly forgot, but was interrupted by a loud crash in the living room.

Donnie shot up and glanced at the door before looking at Mikey. "Is Master Splinter with him?!"

Leo furrowed his brow. Raph. He registered.

Mike shook his head. "He went to go get the herbs for the tea." He stated.

Donnie was out of the door before Mikey could finish the sentence. Michelangelo looked at Leo. "Uh, don't worry big bro! I'll be back! You get some sleep and dream about me, ok?" Then Mikey was gone.

Leo was alone. He needed to help. His mind swooshed and fogged again, and now his side was starting to stab him more and more. The drugs were definitely starting to wear off. Leo shook his head slightly and forced his eyes to stay open. He cried out as he tried to sit up. He was going to help. He wasn't go to sit around and be useless. That's not how he worked, that's not who he was.

His legs shook as he finally got to his feet.

His was going to help his little brothers, because that's what Leonardo did best.

~0~

The rule was, if you couldn't see it, then it couldn't see you.

The shiver shook his body violently, relentless of the blankets stacked on top of him. The world spun. Raph clenched his eyes shut tighter. The washcloth that dapped across his face made him moan.

"Shhh, Raph…" It was probably his imagination that had said that. It had been telling him things all day. To go back to sleep, that he would get better, that they were going to enjoy eating him. He was getting used to ignoring them.

Raph peeked out of the blanket only to quickly hide back under it with a squeak. He covered his head with his hands, "I'm not scared… I'm not scared…" He chanted, hoping the black widow that had snuck into his room had decided to leave. He clenched his teeth and tried to stop shaking as he felt small legs begin to crawl up his legs and arms.

The cold washcloth stopped and found its place across his forehead. The world fogged when Raph tried to open his eyes; his breathing deep.

"I'll be right back…" He watched an orange blur shift and leave, thumping its way towards the even fuzzier shouting sounds.

He took a deep breath, his eyes sliding closed again. He tried to force himself to sit up, but accomplished nothing. Maybe a small finger twitch, but Raphael had sworn his whole body was twitching.

A small scream escaped his throat as he a started fidgeting around in the blankets, hoping to scare the bugs off. No such luck. Raph sprung up and started to scratch his arms and legs unmercifully. With the room dark, Raphael couldn't see where the bugs were, but could swear that every time he got one off of him, another dozen would appear.

He whimpered, but kept his mouth shut tight. Last time he had called for help, his brothers had made fun of him for being scared of such a small bug, and he wouldn't dare open his mouth and allow the bugs a chance to climb in.

Raph felt his arm jerk. He groaned and tried to stop feeling the drool that was dripping onto him from above, slowly sliding down his face.

He could hear the clicking of bugs, the hiss of snakes, the laughter of the psychotic scientist that had haunted his fevered dreams the night before.

His leg twitched and he felt something slowly begin to move up it. Raph moaned and jerked his head to one side. His leg twitched again. He jerked it and the bug clung to him, sinking its teeth into his flesh. Raph gasped and cried out, his voice still weak.

Raph flung off his blankets and bolted for the door. He heard the small swarm of beetles start to follow him. When had those gotten there? Raph yanked the door open and ran down the hall, straight to his brother's room, quickly closing the door behind him.

Sobs choked him as tears ran down his face. He ran over to his older brother who was now sitting and rubbing his eyes. "Raph?" He mumbled tiredly as Raphael quickly climbed into Leo's bed, hiding underneath the blankets.

He pushed himself off of the couch and stumbled to his feet, gasping for breath. He watched bugs begin to bleed out of the walls and the lights flickered as his vision fogged and he swayed on his feet.

He could barely hear the crash from the lab as he stumbled back, the loud maniac from his dreams coming closer to him, cracking his laughter. He turned his head up just in time to watch a giant cockroach climb its way across the roof, its neck cracking as it turned its head to look at him.

His arms were bleeding as bugs bit into him, digging their way into his skin. He scratched his arms raw trying to get them off, his eyes wide and his panting coming out uneven. Raph cried out as a snake circled around his ankles, its beady eyes staring at him. He tripped, stumbling back and crashing into the coffee table.

"Raph!"

He screamed and covered his head with his arms, trying to get into his shell, but his mind fogged he could no longer breath, he couldn't move. The thick sea of bugs swarmed over him. He was crying now. Fevered, hot tears, streaming down his face as the bugs dug into his shell, into his mouth.

"Get off!" He shouted, tears falling to the floor as he shakily got to his hands and knees, trying to get free. "Get off of me! Help! Please!" The sea moved and Raph fell, choking on the bugs.

"Raph?" Leo asked again as he placed a hand on Raph's shaking shell.

"Shut up! I'm not scared!" Raph hiccupped underneath the blanket. "Just get them away from me!"

Leo blinked a couple of times. He lifted the blanket and looked at Raph. "Get what away from you?" He asked.

"The bugs!" Raph shouted, tears falling faster. "A-All the stupid-d bugs!"

Leo scooted closer to his brother, grabbing his shoulders and helping him sit up. "There aren't any bugs, Raphie…" Leo whispered, his eyes concerned. "You had a nightmare."

Raph shook his head violently. "No I didn't! They're here!" Leo pulled Raph into a hug. Having at first fought violently against it, Raph finally lost his composer and fell against Leo, sobbing loudly. "Make them go away!"

He screamed and thrashed as two large spiders tried to hold him down, one keeping its hand on his forehead while the other one seemed to be trying to comfort him.

It probably didn't like its food distressed.

"Mikey. Go fill up the tub with cold water, his fever is crazy!"

"What's happening to him?!"

Raph jerked and bucked. "MIKEY! DONNIE!' Those were their voices. They were nearby. Why weren't they helping him?!

Huge cockroaches crawled up the walls, clicking and giving their own hissing noises as their heads spun around so no matter where they were they could keep a beady eye on Raph as he fought furiously.

He felt the slimy hands of the spider slither all over him and some snakes begin to wrap around his legs and throat as one of the spiders sprinted off and the other continued to hold him down.

"NO!" He yelled, thrashing out, trying to get rid of everything. "Get OFF! Leave me alone!" He shouted.

His bad leg throbbed with pain and heat. The spider continued to fret over him. He couldn't take it anymore and screamed again.

Leo looked around again. There was still nothing there. He tightened his hug on his younger brother. "Shhh… Just close your eyes and think of something else."

"What?!" Raph tried to pull out of the hug, but Leo held him tight.

"Trust me. Think… think of our last birthday. We we're having worms and algae because we ran out of food again." He started.

Raph sniffed, "L-Leo! I can still hear them!"

"No.. Shh.. What happened next? Master Splinter wasn't home. He promised he would bring back presents.."

"Y-Yeah… He got us s-some fruit.."

Leo nodded encouragingly. "Then what happened?" He began to rock Raphael back and forth.

"M-Mikey…" He chuckled slightly. "G-Got so excited he choked on… on a worm…"

Leo laughed slightly. "Yeah… and Donnie snorted on Algae."

Raph nodded on Leo's chest, "And you stole the last strawberry.."

A giant fogged cockroach suddenly joined the group, resulting in the spider yelling at it, but the cockroach ignored it.

It knelt down and used its antennae's to wipe away Raph's tears, only causing more. Raph clenched his eyes shut. He could have sworn he saw the giant bug smirk as it licked the salty tear off of its creaky antennae.

Finally, with his continuous thrashing, he got one of his legs free and he used it to push the one holding him down off. It flew back onto the couch before quickly getting back up and running after Raph who had already kicked the other and was now trying to stumble his way to the lair door. If he could get out, he would be able to lose the bugs in the sewer. Raph looked over his shoulder to see the spider helping the cockroach to stand. Disgusting. Bugs working together to kill him, eat him.

That's when Raph saw the other spider, its eight legs a blur as it sprinted towards him.

Raph buried his head into Leo's chest. "T-They're still there…" He whimpered.

"They won't hurt you… remember the-"

But Raph wasn't listening. His body started to shake and a sob choked him. "No! Nononono!" And Leo was left with no choice but to hold his brother, rocking him back and forth.

Raph cried harder. "They're biting me!"

Leo pulled the blanket around them. "There, now they can't get you."

Raphael sobbed and buried himself deeper into the blanket. "I'm not scared! I'm not scared." Leo heard him muttered to himself.

Raphael let out a cry and shoved his way through the turnstiles. His breathing heavy as he looked left and right, trying to figure out which way to go. He had to find his brothers, they had probably escaped and were waiting for him.

Raph turned his head and gasped as the spider slowly approached him, its mouth bubbling with blood as it took slow steps forward, talking incoherent words.

"Get away from me!" Raph warned as he took a step back, his whole body running on adrenaline. This only lead to the spider taking another step forward, blocking the path towards the shell-raiser, which Raph had decided against anyways thanks to the large wasp that seemed to guard the vehicle like it was a nest.

He took a step back before spinning around and running down the sewer tunnel, water splashing as he ignored the heat and spinning wall.

"Raph!"

He stopped, breathing heavily as he quickly looked around. He took a shaky step back towards the wall.

"Hello?" He called, the deathly silence starting to get to him. He hadn't already lost the bugs had he? If so, he wasn't complaining. "Donnie? M-Mike?" He called out and spun around. "Le-" Raph was suddenly tackled to the ground with a scream.

And all he could remember was crying himself to sleep that night.