A/N Just wanted to say sorry for the double upload of chapter 20. I went back and fixed a couple of type-o's. Anyway, on with the show.
When Leo awoke the next morning, it was with a sense of peace and bliss he had not felt in a long time. Even with his eyes closed, Leo could still feel Raph's arms wrapped tightly around him, protecting him even in sleep. Leo couldn't begin to describe how happy and relieved he had been to see his younger brother on that dark, lonely road. Whether that meeting had really occurred on some other plain of reality, or if it was just a trick of Leo's mind, created by his subconscious in response to his brothers' presence, Leo wasn't sure; he was just glad it had taken place, because he never would have made it back if it hadn't been for his younger brother.
Unable to resist any longer, Leo opened his eyes. He was startled to find himself half lying on Raph's plastron, his ear directly over his brother's heart and his arm draped over his brother's waist. Directly across from Leo was Donny, who was lying on his side cuddled up against Raph, using the older turtle's shoulder for a pillow. Leo began to wonder where Mikey was, when a heavy weight against his shell caught his attention. Carefully raising himself up, Leo looked over his shoulder and found Mikey draped across his back, using Leo's shell as a pillow. Putting his head back down on his brother's chest, Leo couldn't keep a smile off his face. He was back, and his family was together again. As Leo once again drifted back towards sleep, he made a mental note to speak to his brothers about their choice to send him back; they needed to know he didn't forgive them for it, because he saw nothing in the situation that needed forgiving. They had acted to save his life, demonstrating their love for him in sacrificing far more than he had.
TMNTTMNT
When Leo awoke once again, he wasn't sure how much time had passed. It was late enough that all three of his brothers were now up and awake, though they were all still clustered around him, each remaining on contact with him in one way or another. For a while, Leo was content to just lie there with his eyes closed, listening to his brothers talk softly among themselves. It seemed that strange vision last night with him and Raph had occurred, for Raph was recounting it for their younger brothers.
"He really woke up," Mikey asked, and Leo could hear the longing for reassurance in his youngest brother's voice, even as Mikey's hand trembled very slightly where it rested on Leo's shell.
"He looked at me and spoke," Raph confirmed. "He was…Leo."
"You could have woken us up," Donny accused, and this time Leo could hear the hurt and fear in his second youngest brother's voice. Fortunately, Raph took no offense at Donny's tone.
"I'm sorry, Donny, but he was only awake for just a minute or so," Raph apologized. "There just wasn't time to wake you up before we both fell back to sleep."
"I know," Donny said, voice a little more resigned. "At least on an intellectual level. On an emotional level, however, I'm jealous as hell that you've had the chance to talk to him. I guess Mikey and I will just have to wait until he ready to return to the land of the living once more."
That, Leo knew, was his cue. His brothers needed him, and he needed them. It was time to be fully reunited. Opening his eyes, Leo blinked against the brightness of the room, and it took a moment to orient himself. From what he could determine, he was lying face down on a pillow in Raph's lap, Donny and Mikey sitting on either side of him, a hand each on rubbing lightly over his shell.
"Hey, guys," he croaked hoarsely as he tried to push himself up on weak, shaky arms. Immediately, the hand on his back stilled, and suddenly he had three pairs of hands helping him sit up. Numerous pillows and cushions were placed behind him to help him sit up, and Leo couldn't help but be grateful for the support. No sooner had he been situated, however, then he found himself in two-way hug with Mikey and Donny. His eyes closed once more, Leo soaked up the love pouring off his brothers. Feeling their tears hit his skin, Leo just pulled his brothers even closer. Opening his own misty eyes, he looked up to meet the teary eyes of his best friend.
"It's alright now," he whispered softly to his brothers. "I'm back now; everything is going to be okay. You saved me; thank you. Thank you so much."
At this, Donny pulled back slightly and gave his older brother an uncomfortable look. "But we sent you back with them," he said guiltily.
"No," Leo corrected, pulling Donny back against him. "You sacrificed your own happiness and put aside your own desires to do what you thought was best for me. No one has done that on my behalf in a long time."
"So you don't regret that we're now stuck here permanently," Mike asked, his head resting against Leo's plastron. "With your old family, I mean."
"We're together again," Leo told him. "I could never regret that. As for my old family, well, we'll figure something out."
TMNTTMNT
Leo, still extremely weak, only stayed awake for a few moments more before drifting off to sleep again. His younger brothers took this time to eat some breakfast, since it was only seven in the morning, and take showers, although like the night before they did it turns so that one of them was always with Leo. They had all just regrouped in their common room, discussing whether or not to inform Master Splinter that Leo was back, when the sounds of tramping feet and loud voices reached them: the others were back.
Moving quickly, Donny slid the door between their rooms and the rest of the Lair mostly shut. It wouldn't do to have Leo's other brothers come tearing in here, waking Leo up out of his much needed sleep. They would have to wait until Leo was a little more ready for visitors before they would be allowed to see him. At least that was the plan. The others had been back only a few minutes, when alarmed yelling could be heard coming from the side of the door. Leaving Mikey and Leo's side, Raph and Donny moved to the door and slid it open just a little more so that they could hear better.
"Leo," Donatello screamed as he tearing from the infirmary. He had gone straight there to check on his brother, only to find it empty. Raphael and Michelangelo came running to see what their usually calm brother was yelling about.
"Donatello, what it is," Raphael panted as he ran into the room. "Is Leo…"
"He's missing," Donatello exclaimed. "The IV lines are still hung, but he's not there."
"But," Michelangelo protested, "where could he go? I mean, there are no signs of a fight, no signs that someone forced their way into the Lair."
"I know, but Leo's not here," Donatello told them. Just then, Master Splinter emerged from his room, and the three turtles descended on him like a trio of noisy locusts. The elderly rat tried to calm his sons, to explain what had happened, but for once even he was unable to get through the din they were making.
Raph looked at Donny. They hadn't wanted to share Leo with his family just yet, but they couldn't leave them worrying like this. Besides, with all the noise they were making, they were going to wake Leo up anyway. After a nod from Donny, Raph stepped out of the room. The other turtles were so involved with their distress, they never noticed him. Heaving a sigh, Raph raised a hand to his lips and gave a long, loud, shrill whistle. All noise came to a dead stop. The three older turtles looked at Raph, stunned to see him.
"Keep it down, you goons," he growled. "We have Leo. And if you wake him up before Donny says it's okay, there'll be hell to pay, so keep it down."
And with that, he turned and marched back into his family's new quarters, leaving three shocked turtles, and one elated rat, watching his back.