Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE TURTLES.

Hello! I'm updating!!!!!!!!

I actually meant this to be a short story, but it turned into this! Can you believe that?

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Raph and the others managed to get up to the garage through the long way, without meeting any other Foot soldier.

Leo was with them all along. He just sort of trailed after them, like a lost little puppy. (A/N: sorry, couldn't resist.) And every time there was an obstacle in his way, Leo just fazed right through it.

Splinter was always near Leo. Making sure to watch over him. But Leo made sure to be last and to avoid any eye contact with him.

Because Splinter knew what danger there was.

The others, however, seemed not to notice the danger. They were all seemingly much happier that Leo was once again with them.

Splinter sighed. He had been too caught up in his thoughts to realize that they had reached the truck.

Suddenly, his sensitive ears picked up running footsteps. "My sons! We have been found!" He quickly warned them.

Raph nodded. "Okay, everyone into the truck! We're gonna make a break for it!"

Everyone quickly jumped into the truck, but Leo hesitated.

"Leo! Come on!" Raph yelled, extending his hand for Leo to grab, momentarily forgetting that Leo wasn't solid.

Leo looked at the hand before grinning. But instead of taking it, he grabbed the door of the truck and shut it tightly.

"Leo!!!" Raph yelled, trying to open the door.

The wall near them crumbled and Hun stepped through, flanked by hundreds of Foot soldiers.

Leo looked calmly at them. Hun's eyes widened before he laughed. "So you are alive, freak."

Leo grinned, before turning and fazing right through the door of the truck.

Hun gritted his teeth. So his Master was right after all. He looked at one of the Foot soldiers. "Go. Warn the Elite." The Foot took off.

The other soldiers immediately jumped onto the truck, trying to break it apart or injure it.

But the truck came to life and began moving.

Raph grinned. He had forgotten that Leo wasn't really solid, so it was a nice surprise that he just fazed right through it. Now, he was driving. Of course, the door was blocked by the Foot, but did Raph care? Nope.

He drove straight into them. The Foot fled like pigeons. (Sorry, horrid comparison.)

&&&&&(five minutes later)

They were out of New York and heading towards the mountains where Leo was said to be. Raph let Casey take the wheel as he went back to check on his brothers.

The truck was freezing. Raph realized. But of course, it was winter...

His brothers seemed to be fine. Raph realized, however, there was something seriously wrong. He knew.

"Raph?"

He turned to Mikey. "Yeah?"

"I feel like we are missing something..."

Donny nodded, frowning. "I feel like that too. How strange."

Raph shrugged. "Well, what have we missed?"

Splinter sighed before looking at Leo. He couldn't bare it anymore. It hurt him to see one of his sons in pain. Looking at his three younger sons, he spoke. "Look at Leonardo."

Six pairs of eyes stared at him. Then, Raph spoke up. "Why? Leo's fine!"

Splinter sighed. "Are you sure my son?"

Mikey glanced at Leo. "Yeah. Apart from him sitting on the floor, he's fine."

Splinter looked intently at them. "Look again." He knew Leo was silently begging him to stop, but Splinter ignored him.

Raph rolled his eyes before looking at Leo. Leo was fine. A bit pale, a bit translucent...wait. Translucent?

Raph looked again before realizing that Leo was see-through. All other times, he seemed solid!

"Don?" Raph spoke up, fighting to keep himself from panicking. "Why's Leo translucent?"

"What??!!" Don whispered, looking at Leo. He suddenly realized that Raph was right. Leo was also breathing hard, and is outline seemed blurred...

"Master Splinter...?" He heard Mikey ask from behind him.

Don and Raph also turned to look at Splinter. Splinter looked sad. "I had hoped that you would have noticed before it had came to this." Splinter began before kneeling beside Leo.

Leo let out a shaky breath before closing his eyes and collapsing against Splinter. Splinter felt Leo collapse. It wasn't so long before...

Splinter looked down sadly at his son, who was trying to hold himself from fazing through Splinter.

Looking back up at his sons, he continued. "Leonardo is in a state between life and death."

Raph nodded. "We know! Donny told us that—"

Splinter sighed. "Yes. I realize that. But you do not understand what that is. Leonardo, you see, cannot sojourn long enough in one place. The place between life and death, or Twilight Zone as you refer to it, is a state of unconsciousness where the body is asleep, but the Spirit wanders along the path of the dying. I believe this is referred to as Coma." Splinter added, looking at Donny, who nodded.

"But whenever a Spirit feels that they are needed in the realm of the Living, they will return. However, this is very taxing on the body. The more the spirit wanders across the border of the Living, the more the body weakens. And the more the body weakens, the closer the Spirit gets to the realm of Death."

Donny scratched his head. "But what does this have to do with Leo?"

Splinter let out a shaky breath. "Leonardo is only here because he felt that you were in danger. But also because you asked him to stay. He has agreed to it, because he feels that as the 'elder brother' he must take care of you. But you must understand, that the longer Leonardo is away from his body, the less chance he has of surviving."

Mikey paled. He looked at Don and Raph, silently asking them what they should do. Donny looked helplessly at Leo, before turning to Raph. Raph was torn between his want of having Leo here with them again, and the fear of not seeing Leo ever again. He weighed his chances.

But then he took a glance at Leo. Leo opened his eyes and looked tiredly at Raph. He smiled gently at him, as if telling him that it was all right, but then let out another shaky breath and closing his eyes.

Raph bit his lip. "Fine. Leo," He growled, "Get the shell back to wherever you came from. I don't want to see you until this is over!" Raph growled, fighting back tears. He really didn't want Leo to go.

Leo opened his eyes before smiling at Raph and fading slowly away.

Immediately the truck became warm.

&&&&&

It was a long and silent ride to the mountains. Splinter had told them that he was proud that they had allowed Leo to go back, but still. It reminded them of how close Leo really was to Death.

Raph gripped the steering wheel even tighter. It was his turn to drive again.

&&&&&(at the mountains)

Donny took a deep breath and looked around. They hadn't been here in a long time. This place was off limits to hunters, as it was a natural park, and humans rarely came up here anyways.

The scenery was spectacular. The snow was thick and pure white. It blanketed everything in sight. Tall evergreens rose out from the white nothingness. The air was so clean and fresh up here.

Donny, if Leo hadn't been in such a horrid situation, then he would've envied him for just being here.

"Donny?"

Don turned to look at Mikey.

"Do ya think we'll find Leo?"

Raph immediately hit Mikey over the head. Mikey yelped in surprise and looked up at Raph.

Raph glared at him. "You IDIOT!!!! Of course we'll find him!!!!"

But Donny noticed that Raph was close to panicking.

&&&&&&(ten minutes later)

"I swear I've seen that rock about a dozen times already." Casey noted, his teeth chattering.

Donny rubbed his forehead. "Nope. Only about 5 times."

Raph growled. "You counted it??!!"

Donny nodded tiredly.

Raph snapped. "Then why haven't you said a word!!! Goddamn it!!! We've been circling around this fuckin' rock for god knows how long, and you ain't even say a fuckin' word???!!!! Leo's out there somewhere, and this ain't helping find him!!! You goddamn fuckin' idiot!!! Leo's dead and it's all your goddamn fault!!!"

Donny snapped as well. "Hey!!! Don't go accusing me of all that!!! I didn't know we were passing the same rock until Mikey mentioned it!!!! I thought that was different rocks I was counting!!!"

"Oh yeah. Right. Tell that to Leo when we find him. Oh yeah, you can't! HE'S DEAD!!!"

"Shut it Raph. Leo isn't dead!"

"With your genius work, he might as well be!"

"Well, with your idiocity, I wouldn't be surprised if he were! I don't know how the shell he put up with you!!!!"

"I don't know how the fuck he put up with you!!!!!!!"

"You're---"

"ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!"

Donny and Raph looked sheepishly at Splinter. Splinter looked furious. "ENOUGH. That is enough foolishness. Leonardo is NOT dead, he in fact is perfectly fine. Just ask him yourselves." Splinter added, with a slight smile.

Donny and Raph whirled around to see Leo sitting on the rock they had just passed five times.

"LEO!!!" Mikey yelled happily, while Raph bit his lip.

"Leo! Why're you here?" Raph asked, looking worried.

Leo seemed less pale and his outline was sharper. But he was still a bit translucent. But he smiled nonetheless and laughed silently.

Then he looked disturbed and turned his head to look away from them. Then he looked back at them and hinted for them to stay quiet.

"Why—" Mikey started to ask, but Leo shook his head violently.

Then, Leo hinted for them to come over to him, and he pointed downwards. The others looked at each other before quietly walking over to him and looked down.

They quickly realized that they were on top of a very high cliff. And also, what they saw shocked them. For below them stood an Elite.

Raph's eyes widened and he looked up at Leo. Leo caught his gaze before smiling gently and fading out of sight.

Raph drew back, away from the cliff. Then he spoke in a hushed tone. "Guys, we've gotta find Leo, and fast. I have a bad feeling that the Elite are looking for him..."

Donny nodded, looking pale. "We should split up. The more ground we cover, the better."

Splinter nodded in agreement. "My sons, you search eastward. I, Ms. O'Neil, and Mr. Jones will search west."

Donny nodded before taking out a shell cell from his bag. "We'll keep contact in this."

Splinter nodded. "Be careful my sons."

&&&&&&(fifteen minutes later)

Mikey sighed for the fifth time.

"Goddamn it Mikey! Will you quit that??!!" Raph snapped, as he kept trudging on in the foot deep snow.

Mikey grinned and sighed just for the heck of it.

Raph gritted his teeth and was about to jump onto Mikey, when Don grabbed his arm. "Look guys!"

They looked and saw Leo standing near a tree. He seemed distracted. He didn't even seem to hear when Mikey called to him. Then he faded out of sight. He seemed more translucent now.

Mikey cocked his head. When he saw Leo starting to fade, he jumped forward and began to rush towards him. "Wait Leo!!!!"

But Leo disappeared before Mikey reached him. Mikey stopped near the tree and took a hesitant step to where Leo had stood. But a surprised gasp tore through his throat, and the ground gave way under him and Mikey disappeared out of sight.

"MIKEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Don and Raph yelled in surprise and horror.

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Okay. Tune in for the next chappie!!!!!!!!!!!

R&R PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!