Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT

*The guys are 25 years old in this fic.*

*I have the guys at about 6'2" in this fic*

Chapter Fourteen: A Night to Remember

Leo grunted as Jamie's voice broke in on his dreams.

"Heeeeeeeeeeey LEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeO," Jamie called, "you should wake up."

Leo grunted as he tried to tell her to go away and grimaced from the pain in his jaw.

He swatted at her with his hand.

Raph's rumbling chuckle made Leo lift his head and squint sleepily at them.

"So how does chicken noodle soup sound?" Jamie asked.

Leo blinked and then nodded stiffly.

"Come on bro, let's go eat some soup," Raph chuckled.

Leo grunted and slowly sat up, ribs protesting the movement. A whine of pain erupted from him before he could stop it.

Raph was there instantly.

"What's wrong?" he demanded.

Leo gestured to his ribs and then finished sitting up, abet slowly but he did.

Raph nodded nervously.

"I don't want ya' to get hurt worse," Raph mumbled.

Leo fumbled around as if searching for something, then, spotting a folded piece of paper he handed it to his brother.

Raph glanced down and then opened it carefully.

I forgive you, but I know you need to understand why I don't you, that you couldn't see her. But I will have to explain later. For now understand that I never wished to hurt you, only to protect you.

"Alright, I'm holding you to that," Raph said softly, before folding the paper and putting it into his belt.

Leo nodded and dipped his head as if to say "of course".

"Well let's go eat some dinner alrighty?" Raph suggested with a smile.

Leo raised an eye ridge, and then paused, giving off a muffled confused noise as he realized that Christmas music was playing.

The confusion that flickered across his face was enough to make Jamie and Raph laugh slightly.

"Leo come bro, this stuff is getting cold!" Mike called good naturedly.

"Mike's going to eat everything if you don't hurry!" Casey laughed.

Leo slowly stood and then turned to look around him he froze at the sight of the tree. His eyes widened and he rose to his feet and moved towards it slowly. His shock was obvious. He turned to look at Jamie, his eyes asking.

"She would've wanted you to have put it up, even without her," Jamie whispered, "I saved the ornament you guys got together for you."

Leo followed her downward gaze to the delicate porcelain ornament; it was a snowflake, elegant, intricate, and beautiful. Leo swallowed, tears welling up in the corner of his eyes, but nodded stiffly and reached out, palm out waiting for her to drop it in his hand. Jamie handed it off, gently pressing the ornament into his hand. Leo's finger's slowly curling around it as if afraid it would suddenly drop and shatter.

Leo stood there and waited, fingers gently cradling that ornament, he seemed lost in memories. Then, with a jerk of his head Leo straightened up and turned. As he made his way towards the tree the others watched sadly as he gently hung it and stepped back, wrapping his arms around himself and dropping his chin to his chest.

Jamie walked forward and wrapped him in a hug; then Raph joined her and slung an arm around Leo's shoulders. It wasn't long before everyone else joined in. Tears rolled down both his and Jamie's cheeks.

"She would've had a blast with this…cooking up a storm and stressing that the tree was off center or something," Jamie whispered with a soft laugh.

Leo nodded weakly, whipping tears from his eyes desperately. Mike rubbed the back of Leo's carapace, gently making him aware that they were all there for him.

"Hey bro," Mike whispered, leaning over Raph's arm to hug Leo from behind, "we're all here for ya."

Leo nodded a choked sob pushing past his lips.

The others just hugged and held him as he recovered then as he turned to look at them they stepped back and smiled.

"So," Jamie said breaking the ice, " let's eat…Leo, Mike made soup and some other stuff you can drink and…I think you said shakes for desert?"

Leo looked at Mike questioningly, eyes sparkling in delight.

"Yup, ice cream shakes, I'll be putting a banana in yours," Mike replied with a grin.

Leo gave him a thumb's up.

Dinner was entertaining to say the least, Leo somehow managed to spill his soup, causing much laughter especially after Mike did the same thing three seconds later. The night was definitely something Leo would never forget, for the first time on years he felt fully involved with his family and after they all piled up together to watch White Christmas as insisted upon by Jamie and April. Leo dozed off wrapped in the arms of his family and a faint smile on his face.

He fell asleep thinking that if this was a precursor to Christmas, then, he couldn't wait for Christmas.

A/N: ^^ Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww aren't they cute? *sighs* Anyway, Next chapter will be on Tuesday the 20th I will be done with this semester and will start updating regularly then (as in daily), the next chapter of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness will be up the same day. Sorry for the long wait on both stories, RL got crazy.

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