Ch 8 Nightmares Are Real.

Leo leaned his fevered head against the the rim of the toilet bowl and took deep steadying breaths. He had awoken feeling rather nauseated and shortly after, found himself vomiting into the toilet. He moaned tiredly as he attempted to stand up. 'At least Raph's already at work.' He told himself as he made his way toward the sink.

"Leo?" Leo looked up to see Mikey standing in the frame of the door. "Are you okay bro?" He looked concerned.

"I'm fine Mike." Leo told him. "I think I ate something at the amusement park yesterday that just didn't agree with me." He smiled weakly at him and turned back toward the sink. He let the water run for a few seconds getting it to a slightly warm temperature. He then rinsed his mouth and splashed his face. He turned back to Mikey after he dried his face. "See, I'm okay now." He smiled and started toward the door when Donnie appeared.

"Maybe we should contact Dr. Rockwell Leo." He suggested.

"No Donnie." Leo told him defiantly. "I'm fine. It's nothing."

"Leo." Donnie began. He placed his hand on his shoulder. "It could be something more."

"Donnie, I apprecia…."

"Bros, as nice as this is, I really, really, really need to use the bathroom." Mikey said, his voice filled with urgency.

Don and Leo stepped out of the bathroom and allowed Mikey to go in. "Listen to me Leo." Don implored. "For all you know there maybe something going on with the drug Saki injected you with."

"I've already seen Dr. Rockwell last month and nothing showed up Don." Leo reminded him. "I've got another appointment with him next month anyway so let's just drop it."

"But Leo…."

"Donnie." Leo turned to him, his eyes pleading but his face stern. "Please….I'm okay."

Donnie sighed in defeat and walked downstairs to the kitchen. He poured himself a bowl of cereal and got himself a cup of coffee, he then grabbed his newspaper and sat down to eat. A few moments later, Leo walked in behind him and went to the refrigerator. He stared inside for a few seconds before deciding breakfast was not going to be a part of his morning agenda. He grabbed the apple juice and shut the door. A few minutes later, he sat across from Donnie and drank, very slowly, a tall glass of the cold liquid.

Donnie looked up from his newspaper. "I'm not going to let this go Leo." He told him.

"Okay Donnie." Leo looked up at him from his section of the newspaper. "Can we just let it go for now if I promise to see Dr. Rockwell when I get back from my honeymoon?" Leo folded his hands and brought them up and put them beneath his chin, shaking them back and forth as he pleaded with Donnie. "Please, just for now, I'm just begging you to let it go and please don't tell Raph." He added. "Now with his new job he doesn't need the added stress."

'I don't know Leo, that's over two weeks away." He stared at him with apprehension in his eyes. "What if it gets worse?"

"Right now I'm just a little nauseated Don." Leo told him. "For all we know it could be all that fried food Raph made me eat yesterday." Leo put his hand on his stomach. "You can't tell me you feel okay after all that junk we ate?"

Donnie shrugged. "We've been going to Coney Island for the Fourth of July for fourteen years now. I'm kinda use to it." He said smiling.

Leo sighed. "Look Don, Dr. Rockwell has my blood test from last month and if anything shows up, you know he'll let us know right away." Donnie looked at Leo and nodded reluctantly. Leo could see the worry in his eyes and smiled at him. "Donnie, if it makes you feel better, I promise that if it get's worse, then I'll let Dr. Rockwell see me sooner, but for now, can we just please let this go till after my honeymoon?"

Donnie glared at Leo. "The Monday following your return from your honeymoon?" He asked raising his eyebrow. Leo nodded his head and gave a sincere smile. "And if it gets worse you'll go sooner, right?" Again Leo nodded. "Okay Leo." Donnie said as Leo sighed in relief. "But I'm holding you to your promises or I drag you there myself."

"And I'll help him." Mikey said as he came down the stairs. He had heard the last part of the conversation and now he stood before them looking both determined and confused. "What are we dragging him to D?"

Leo huffed and Don rolled his eyes. Donnie then quickly explained to Mikey his concern about the possibility of the drug Saki had injected into Leo's body and the effect it may currently be having on Leo's system.

"But Leo." Mikey looked at him with surprise. "Raph has a right to know your not feeling well, especially if it has something to do with what your da…I mean Saki…did to you."

Leo sighed and gave Mikey a pleading look. "Mikey, I know Raph should know what's going on…if something IS going on." He looked from one brother to another. "But Raph just started a new job and now he's talking about possibly continuing school next year to become a full-fledged vet." Leo looked excited. "I don't want what may be going on to interfere right now so can we PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE….just keep this to ourselves for now." He looked from one brother to the other. "PLEASE." He begged again.

Mikey and Donnie looked at each other then back to Leo. "Oh, okay Leo. I suppose." Mikey said. He started to walk over to the stove but stopped and looked at Leo with a stern face. "But we mean it Leo...We'll be watching you." He pointed his two fingers from his face to Leo's then back to his, letting him know they were watching him and meaning what they said. The other two turtles chuckled and everyone went back to having breakfast. Afterwards, Leo bade them farewell and made his way to the dojo to began setting up for the day's events.

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"Good afternoon Leonardo." Leo looked up from his seat behind the desk and smiled at their newest, yet most advanced member to the last class of the day.

"Good afternoon Karai." He returned the greeting and bowed his head respectfully. Even though Karai had been coming for the last seven months, Leo had to admit she was much more experienced then he or his Sensei had expected. At times, he even wondered why she was there and had actually asked her, but she had just said she wanted to keep her skills up and would say nothing more.

"I see your looking over brochures for Cape Cod." She looked at him rather intrigued. "Is that where you're going for your honeymoon?"

Leo blushed slightly and nodded. "Yeah, since I've come back to the east coast, I've been wanting to go there."

"Really. Why?" She asked, looking genuinely intrigued.

"Because of the Cape's west facing beaches, it is one of the few places on the east coast where you can actually experience sunsets over the water." Leo explained. "And I thought Raph might enjoy it." He said, blushing again.

Karai smiled and nodded in understanding. She then went to the changing rooms to change into her karate gi. The class went well and since it was the last class, Leo was looking forward to ending the class, cleaning the dojo and taking a nap. He was feeling rather drained and a nap was sounding good.

"Your looking a little peaked Leo." Karai said as she was leaving the dojo. "Are you alright."

"Oh, I'm fine." He assured her. "Probably just something I ate or did yesterday."

"Aren't you a little young to be drinking?" She asked teasingly.

Leo gave a small chuckle and shook his head. "We went out to Coney Island Amusement Park for the Fourth of July yesterday and I think I just over did it."

"Oh, well get some rest and I hope your feeling better tomorrow." She waved as she left the dojo. "Good night."

"Good night Karai." He said, watching her go.

Leo left the dojo and made his way toward the kitchen. As he walked up the stairs, he found himself feeling somewhat nauseous again. He took deep steady breaths and made it to his room. He laid on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. A small prayer escaped his lips, praying that whatever was wrong with him would not effect his upcoming nuptials. He closed his eyes and fell asleep.

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Splinter watched Leonardo finish teaching the last the class. After the students were dismissed, he walked over to him. "Are you alright Leonardo?" He asked. "You are looking tired."

Leo smiled tiredly at his Sensei. "I'm okay Master Splinter." He assured him. "Just need to go over last minute things."

"Is this about the wedding?"

Leo nodded. "It's a week away now and…I don't know… there's still some things I'm uncertain about" He sighed tiredly. He did not want to admit to Splinter about the strange feelings he was still dealing with or the nausea and constant vomiting that was currently plaguing him. He had been meditating in order to deal with the nightmares and although they have helped somewhat, he was still having occasional frightening dreams. But, he felt that once the wedding was over with, he could relax and enjoy his honeymoon, and if he was still dealing with these certain 'issues' when he returned, he would keep his promise to Donnie and have Dr. Rockwell check into it.

Splinter put a hand on his arm in concern. "You are not having a change of heart, are you my son?" He looked at him with worried eyes.

"Oh no Sensei." Leo quickly assured him. "It's just, well, everything is all set but I was just wondering." Leo took a deep breath. "Sensei, there is no one from my side of the family alive anymore…At least not that I know of." Splinter nodded at Leo in understanding. "And I was just wondering….well…would you mind walking me down the aisle and giving me away?" Splinter looked at him in surprise and Leo couldn't help the blush that came over his cheeks. "I know a father usually gives a bride away and I know I'm not a bride, but I was just hoping…that maybe…you'd let me into your family by taking your name and by giving me away…it…it would be more like you were actually escorting me into your family." He gave Splinter a shy smile.

Splinter smiled at him proudly. "Leonardo." He put his paw on Leo's cheek and stroked it fondly. "I would be honored to walk you down the aisle and escort you into our family." The two smiled at each other and Leo gave his Sensei a heartfelt hug and thank you.

The phone ringing brought them out of their moment and Leo walked toward the desk and picked up the phone. "Hamato Dojo." He answered. "This is Sempai Leonardo Tartaruga."

"LEO!" It was Donnie and he sounded upset. "Leo, there's been an accident." Splinter walked over when he saw Leo look up at him and his face pale. "You and Sensei need to get to the hospital right away!"

Twenty minutes later, Leo and Splinter came running through the hospital doors. Donnie and Angel were waiting for them by the nurse's station.

"What has happened Donatello?" Splinter demanded. He was looking anxious and fear clouded his eyes.

"Raph was coming home from work." Donnie explained. His face looked stressed and his eyes were red and tired. "He was pulling out from the vet's parking lot when a sound like a car back firing was heard. Raph's truck was turning and suddenly it swerved and hit a pole." Leo began to shake and reached out to grab the nurse's desk as he heard the news. He swallowed hard as Splinter put his hands on his shoulders and Donnie continued. "Leo, according to the police, witnesses saw a man with a gun running from the scene."

Tears flowed from Leo's eyes, he looked from Don to Splinter. "What's the date?" He asked, fear showing clearly in his eyes.

Donnie swallowed hard as he remembered Leo's frightening dream. "July 14th."

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Okay, so I'm sure everyone saw that one coming but it had to be done. So much more to get to and the words are just flying from my fingers. See you in the next chapter and please, please, PLEASE review:)