Disclaimer: nope...hugs Leo and gets an annoyed look from Rose...

Chapter 5: Give Me a Break

"Ahhhg," Leo groaned as he started to roll over and then froze gripping his abdomen, another pained groan escaping his lips.

"Daddy!" squealed Lenora, tackling him and hugging him tight. Two more small weights quickly planted themselves on him also clinging to him in a tight hug, accompanied by another excited "Daddy!"

"Len? sweat heart...honey let daddy up a minute," Leo managed to groan as a wave of nausea hit him and he tasted bile, "boys...babies...please..daddy doesn't feel good..."

The three moved away as Leo rolled, gripping his abdomen, and retched into the grass beside him. He groaned and pushed himself onto his elbows, he quickly wiped his mouth and slowly sat up, feeling a little better. His abdomen was on fire still though and it slowed his movements.

"Ew," they said quietly, wrinkling their noses a little. Leo managed to smile weakly and then pushed himself into a sitting position, keeping one hand on the ground in an attempt to prevent the ground from spinning. He touched his abdomen gently and winced.

"Still as stubborn as ever I see," Don teased good naturedly. Leo took a double take and nearly fell down in the process.

"Don? What the sh-" Leo started to spit, cut off by another wave of nausea and the taste of bile again, he managed to swallow it this time though.

"Rose called us when you went missing...we came to help look," Don said gently, "it might be best if you stay laying down bro...those antlers did some work to your abdomen...Rose and I managed to patch you up between the two of us..."

"Don...shut-up...your babbling...and its making my head hurt..."Leo interupted. Don chuckled and eased Leo back down, narrowly avoiding putting his knee in Leo's vomit.

" You seriously need to rest bro," Dom said firmly.

"What's wrong Donnie?," Leo ordered, suddenly aware of his brother's nervous look, grabbing his brother's wrist as Don started to cover him up. Don froze and dropped his head.

"Johnson got Raph...by the time we realized something was wrong they had taken him and left....he was supposed to meet us here three days ago...we...you almost didn't make it bro..." Don's voice faltered a little, his fingers gripping the blanket, his eyes pain filled. Leo's golden-brown gaze softened as he met his brother's chocolate-brown.

"He can take care of himself Don...he'll be ok..." Leo comforted, "He's not me...Johnson won't risk him...won't risk 'another male'...he can take care of himself Don." Leo's eyes showed that he was confident.

Don managed to nod but the worry was still there, still in his eyes. After a few moments Leo, despite his struggling, fell asleep. Don managed to move Leo away from the vomit and then giving the triplets a stern look, he headed back toward the others. The triplets curled up next to Leo and fell asleep. Lenora rested her head on Leo's plastron, his arm wrapped around her gently. The boys firmly placed themselves at Leo's other side curled up in their father's embrace.

Don sighed as he reached the others. April was sitting on the edge of the battleshell's opened back. Casey was curled up inside, his side wrapped, he was half asleep. April was on the phone with her sister.

"We should be back by Thursday next week...I'm sorry about all this....thanks for watching James....yeah I'll call when we get news...thanks again," April sighed, clicking the phone closed and putting her head in her hands. Casey put a hand on her back.

"Ape...he'll be fine honey...Angie can handle 'im...Karai and the guys agreement hasn't been broken yet...if anything she'll keep an eye on the two," Casey comforted.

"I know," April sighed.

Fawn glanced up as Don entered the area.

"How's Fearless?" she asked quietly. Don chuckled at the name. April and Casey grinned.

"Stubborn as ever...but at least he's still too weak to get up...he's asleep again," Don replied kissing her on the forehead gently and brushing her light-brown hair from her face as he sat down next to her. He placed his hand on her rounding stomach for a second, smiling softly. She leaned against him, resting her hand on his.

April and Casey exchanged a knowing look and smiled at the two. Rose and Mikey came out of the woods holding two bags and a pair of conies.

"Awww!" Mike exclaimed when he spotted his brother and Fawn. They rolled their eyes at him. Rose smiled.

"Hey love birds, Don how's my man doing? Has he woke up yet?" Rose greeted. Don chuckled, blushing a little at "love birds".

"Yeah...tried to get up but got sick...the triplets and him are asleep now," he replied. Rose nodded and started skinning the rabbits.

"Don't be surprised if he's up by dinner tonight...he's tougher than he used to be...more resilient I guess," Rose warned, her mouth quirking up in a slight smile.

"More like now," Leo grumbled, as he walked over, moving gingerly.

"See?" Rose pointed out. Don growled and sighed.

"You shouldn't be up...you just puked for goodness sake!" Don grumbled as he got up. Mike looked just as annoyed.

"Yeah man come on!" Mike snapped. Leo growled, low and fierce, his eyes flashing. April flinched.

"I've lived out here for five years....gotten tosed by over twenty bucks, stabbed myself at least five times, gotten clawed open by a bear, nearly lost my leg to a bear trap, chased a wolf off and got attacked by the rest of the pack, and I've gotten shot by three hunters...I think I'm going to be fine," Leo growled.

"Shell," gasped Mike, eyeing his brother with new respect. Don laughed and slapped his brother on the carapace.

"Shell Leo...I think your tougher than Raph!" he laughed. Leo's mouth quirked upward in a hint of a smile.

"Oh you forgot to mention the puma Leo," Rose said absent mindedlly. Leo chuckeld and dropped down, slowly, to kiss her.

"Want me to finish that?" he asked.

"If you want," she replied. Leo sat down and quickly finished the skinning, shaking his head at the sight of how thin they were.

"Its been a bad year," he muttered, quickly cleaning the conies and removing the unwanted organs with quick and practiced movements.

"Mikey hand me those," Rose instructed as she pointed to a pot and a bag. Mike quickly gathered the objects up. He quickly cut and prepared the rest of the wanted ingredients. Rsoe choose a few herbs from her bag and put them in the boiling pot with the vegtables and Leo dropped the cleaned meat in as wel.

Leo grunted as he got to his feet, moving gingerly, hand brushing against his stomach for a moment before he stood.

"Move slow Love," Rose said firmly. Leo raised an eye ridge but sighed, stroking her hair gently before heading off towards the kids.

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Raph groaned as he sat up. His head conected with the top of a crate sharply. He spat out a cuss word and then rubbed his head, muttering angryily.

"He's awake," whispered a girl.

"No really?" snapped another girl.

"Come on Jade he's gorgous! Look at all those muscles!!" the first gasped.

"Adar...for goodness sake!" snapped Jade.

"Oh come on you have-" Adar insisted.

"Ok fine he looks good now stop!" Jade growled.

"Give me a break and SHUT-UP!" snarled Raph as he twisted around and froze staring in shock at what he saw, jaw hanging open.

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