Author's note: This one digs deep into Vicky's past, very deep. Those of you who are familiar with her background and know what happened to her as a young girl, and who are...sensitive...to such things may not want to read this. Nothing is graphically described here but it is very strongly hinted at what happened.

Leo found himself startled awake that night. It wasn't by children or because of his brothers barging into the room to tell him about some crisis going on. He was startled awake because his wife of only a few weeks was tossing more than she normally did. Sleep had always been hard for her to come by, but this was more than that. He knew instinctively something was wrong as he sat up, very wrong.

"Vicky, wake up dear one." He shook her gently, then frowned when she didn't. Her head was whipping back and forth on the pillows, her legs kicking and she was whimpering and crying now, the tears coming as a small flood out of her eyes, soaking the fabric of the pillow case. His unease grew alarmingly when he felt the sheer pain and terror coming from her. "Vicky!" He almost snapped as he shook her harder, still she didn't wake.

"Damn it..." He leaned over her, his eyes searching her face frantically trying to figure out what was wrong. "Come on, wake up..." He brushed his hand across her cheek. It was soaked with tears. She was to the point now where her breathing was very quick as she fought whatever was haunting her. Quick short gasps of panic. Jumbled images were coming across his mind that he couldn't clearly make out, but her fear came over clearly.

Cursing wildly now, he almost went to go get Donnie when something else occurred to him. Their bond had been strengthened when they restored it, they could even see and feel what the other was dreaming. Which was more than likely why she was hitting him so hard. He also knew that if they weren't careful doing it they would wake the other up, hence the reason they didn't do it often. He didn't hesitate now, he wanted her to wake up.

He brought himself lower over her struggling body, barely blocking an arm that came at him, before he placed both of his hands on her cheeks and brought his forehead to hers, closed his eyes and dove in.

He had a decent struggle fight through her pain, her fear and anguish. When he finally did he was greeted with a sight that actually made him coil back for a second, not out of fear, but in pure disgust, not at her, at what he was seeing. He fully understood now why she was so terrified. Her pain washed over him, he could actually feel it as the man loomed over her, doing things to her naked body no little girl should have to go through.

Rage that would rival Raph's worst outbursts took a hold of him then as he pushed the pain away. But this was a memory, he couldn't lash out himself at the figure he saw. He could however do something else. Leo firmly wrapped his mind around hers, using his anger to push through her barrier. Once he had a firm grip on her he pulled her out of that corner of her mind, away from the memory and into a calmer area. Gently he guided her through happier times, times not full of pain and fear. Slowly bringing her closer to him.

After what seemed like ages he opened his eyes. She hadn't made it this far yet. At least her thrashing had stilled, but her eyes were still leaking tears. Leo leaned back a bit to give her the space needed to come around, but he still stayed over her, watching.

Finally, her now red streaked eyes opened, her breath still coming in quick, choking sobs as her body tried to calm down. He was the first thing she saw and she immediately reached out for him. "L-l-le-o-o..." She sobbed as she wrapped her arms around him.

Relieved now, he sat up, pulling her up with him and held her to him. "Shhhh...I'm here." His hand stroked her hair as she clung to him. "I'm here dear one." Her body shook against his as she buried her face into his neck.

He didn't say anything, just held her as his hand kept running through her now tangled hair. He knew that would soothe her, help her calm even more. With a long, shuddering, sigh she lifted her head up and wiped her eyes with her arm, though she still stayed close to him.

"You ok?" He brushed back the tear wet hair out of her face.

"Y-yeah...I think so..." Her eyes still looked haunted however.

"You sure?"

"No..." She admitted in a barely audible whisper.

"Talk to me."

Instead of doing that, she pulled out of his arms before reaching to the nightstand. She pulled out an envelope and handed it to him with a shaking hand. Leo looked at her out of the corner of his eye as he took it, then pulled the paper out and unfolded it. Then he began to read. It didn't take him long to figure out what it was. A victim notification letter from the state it had happened in. "He has a parole hearing coming up?"

She just nodded as she swallowed hard, trying not to cry again.

"When did you get this?"

"T-today."

He looked up from the paper at her. "Are you worried he's going to get out?"

She shook her head no.

"Then what is wrong?" He gently asked her.

Her chin started to tremble as tears filled her eyes again. She tried to tell him, but couldn't form the words. So he did it the other way. Still watching her he slowly pushed in, waiting for her to give him permission. This was one area he had never pried in to see, because he knew how much this pained her. She never offered to show him, until now.

Him personally she didn't fear anymore, that he could tell right away. She wasn't the seven year old little girl anymore and she definitely had advantages on him now. But he had been able to do it, and it was the memories that hurts her now. Even after all this time they still haunt her. What he did to her and what he did to her friend. And every time she gets one of those letters that dark corner gets kicked wide open and it comes flooding out. With shock he realized that this wasn't the first time she had nightmares this severe over it, it was just the first time since he knew her because there hadn't been a letter since before he showed up.

She had known it was coming though. Leo had been catching glimpses of...him and what he did for a few weeks now. Since the bond had been reestablished actually. He was now so deep inside her mind that he got hints of what he did and the pain it caused that she didn't even know she was letting out. Then the letter came and she spent weeks trying to bury it all again. And she went through this every time?

Leo folded the paper back up and put it in the enveloped, carefully thinking as he did. Then he wadded it up in a fit of anger and threw it across the room. She actually flinched at that. "No more." He growled. His eyes met her uncertain ones then. "I'm not going to let you go through this anymore."

"Leo-"

"Hush." He told her firmly and pulled her into his lap. Again he put his hands on her cheeks and brought his head to hers, and again he went inside. She let him without a fight, which was good because he wasn't going to back down from this. He firmly went to that corner she kept hidden even as she shied away from it. He found the memory that he had came in on first, sneered at it, then slammed the door shut hard enough to where she wouldn't be able to open it again. Again and again he did this. Every encounter she had with this monster was blocked off behind a door of his anger and his love. They would never get through and cause these serious nightmares again. And if the door did come down for some reason he would slam it right back up again.

But some things he had to leave, just because they were a part of who Vicky was. He opened another door and met the child Vicky still held dear, the friend who had died at his hands. It was then that he realized that she choose to honor the girl...by naming Amy after her. He quietly backed out of that area, he would leave that. Just as he had to leave the memory of him. She would still know that he did what he did, she just wouldn't have the memories anymore of what he exactly did. He was drained mentally when he pulled back out, but the effort would be worth it.

"What...did...did you do?" She asked him, her face confused as he removed his head from hers.

"Something I wish I would have done earlier." He tiredly replied. He laid back down and pulled her with him. "Get some sleep. This won't happen again."

Despite looking unsure about it, she did nod back off again fairly quickly. Leo watched her a long while, just to make sure those barriers held. He got confirmation on that when she started to smile in her sleep, obviously dreaming something completely different than earlier. With a relieved sigh he settled down himself again but found himself looking at the ceiling.

"Thank you Father." He said quietly, not wanting to wake her again. "I didn't understand these lessons when you taught them to me at the time, but I am grateful for them now." Then he rolled onto his side, pulled Vicky close and allowed himself to drift off.