Oh boy…what can I say? I am so so sorry for taking so long updating. But now that I am rid of my life blood sucking job, I can spend more time with my family and doing the other things that I love. Hope y'all are still with me. The epilogue will be after this and I promise that it will not take over a year. If all goes well, I can update next week.
I don't own…I just neglect, heh.
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Chapter 8: Sleep tight, until morning light
The trip back to the battleshell took longer than Don had wanted. He sprinted ahead of the group and had the doors to the vehicle open before Raph even stepped through the gates of the cemetery. He helped Raph settle Leo in the back, his fingers automatically reached for a pulse. He blew out a breath when he felt the steady rhythm under his grip. Don looked up suddenly when Raph started to walk back toward the graveyard, Casey close behind him.
"Where are you going, Raph?" Don called after him. "We have to go!"
"I have somethin' to take care of," he answered over his shoulder. "It won't take long."
Don sighed, he didn't have time to argue. He quickly slid an oxygen mask over Leo's face.
"Get my med-kit, Mike."
Mikey nodded and gathered the supplies his brother would need. He was happy for something productive to do. Anything to distract his mind from bringing up the images of his brother in the grave with the scattered bones...not moving...not breathing.
It wasn't a full minute until Raph and Casey climbed into the battleshell. Raph took a spot beside his blue clad brother and Casey slid behind the wheel.
"How is he?" Raph turned his attention to Leo.
"He's breathing," Don answered as he untangled the tubing to the oxygen tank and turned the valve.
"Then why does he need oxygen?"
"He was in that coffin for almost two hours, and I'm not sure how long he had stopped breathing…" Don's voice trailed off.
He swallowed hard and raised his eyes to meet Raph's. "It's alright, Raph. This is just to give him some fresh air. I'm not going to leave it on long."
"Most of these wounds are superficial," Don continued as he started to clean some of the cuts that littered Leo's arms. He motioned to the bruising on his face and the abrasions on his wrists and arms. "I'm not too worried about them."
Raph nodded. He knew that Leo's physical wounds would not compare to the mental impact that being buried alive would have on him. He felt chills run up his spine when he thought about what it must have been like. No light, no air. His breath caught in his throat and he had to physically shake himself to get another breath.
~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~
Leo started to stir. He could hear voices, whispering voices talking in a rush. He cracked his eyes open but it was still dark and he could feel a pressure on his face. His hands automatically reached up to take it off.
"Leo!"
"Bro, don't.."
"Hold him."
Voices sounded off at the same time and his hands were pushed down to his sides. Panic surged through him and he struggled against the grips.
"Calm down, Leo." Don's voice whispered in his ear. His head turned to the sound and he searched the darkness for the communicator. Did it start working again?
"Breath in and out, breath deep. That's it, bro."
Don sounded so close.
Leo took several deep breaths, his vision started to clear. Shadows appeared over him, familiar outlines against the darkness. After a few more breaths, faces and colors came into focus.
"Hey, bro," Don smiled at his brother.
Leo opened and closed his mouth, nothing but a harsh croak came out. He squeezed his eyes shut as a couple of tears leaked down his face. He stopped struggling under Raph and Mikey's grip, but his shoulders started to shake with emotion. Soon his whole body was trembling. His brothers had made it. He was safe.
Leo took several more deep breaths, the fresh air felt so good to his burning lungs and throat. His eyes fluttered open again when he felt his arm being squeezed gently. The look of worry etched on each of his brothers' faces was enough to make his heart ache. Raph stared down at him like if he was to blink his brother would disappear forever. Don's brow furrowed as he concentrated on cleaning the scratch down his face. Leo shivered at the thought of what caused that wound. Mikey's eyes watered and tears left muddy streaks down his cheeks.
"S'gna be k," Leo mumbled.
Mikey sputtered out a half sob and half laugh. "Dude, we should be telling you that."
A low hum was all he could answer but a small smile spread across his face.
Don could see the exhaustion in Leo's eyes, not just physical fatigue. "It's ok, Leo. Rest. We will be home soon." Don ran his hand gently down Leo's face, a subtle way to get him to close his eyes.
Leo closed his eyes again and sank down into sleep, feeling safe and secure with his brothers around him and the battleshell rumbling under him.
Don sighed and looked at Raph. "Call April, tell her that we are on our way home."
Raph nodded and pulled his shellcell out. After a whispered conversation, he shut the phone with a snap. "They are waiting at the lair."
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Splinter knew that his sons had arrived home even before the door could be heard. He felt each spirit, although one was weak. Raphael had told April that they had found Leonardo in time and he was ok. It still didn't make it any easier to see his oldest son being carried into the lair by Michelangelo and Raphael.
Donatello stopped long enough to give Splinter a short bow and then he started toward the lab. Splinter noticed the speed in his son's step, but felt relieved that there was no life or death urgency about it.
"Take him to his room," Don called from the lab. "I'll be there in a minute."
"Is there anything you need me to do, Don?" April was already heading in his direction.
"I need some warm water and towels," Don answered. "Thank you, April."
April waved the remark off and turned toward the kitchen.
Splinter slowly made his way up the stairs to Leonardo's room. Mikey and Raph had already settled him in his bed by the time the rat came through the door.
"Turn the lamp on, Mikey," Raph said as he pulled the blanket over his brother. He knew that Leo would want some light when he woke up.
Splinter blew out a deep breath when he got his first good look at his injured son. He had a few cuts and bruises, but otherwise looked fine. He knew that Raphael wouldn't lie to him, but there was something about seeing it with his own eyes that brought relief.
"He really is going to be alright, Father." Donatello's sudden voice made Splinter jump slightly.
He smiled apologetically as he crossed the room. "He just has a few bruises and none of the cuts need stitching."
Don had already removed the oxygen before they brought him in, his steady breaths and strong pulse were reassuring. Raph took his brother's blue mask off so Don could get a good look at the swelling around Leo's eye and jaw. He didn't even stir with all the noise and movement around him.
"Ya sure he's ok?" Raph's voice was strained.
Don hesitated and then nodded slowly. "He is just...tired."
"Tired?" Raph sputtered. Tired made it sound like Leo just needed a nap...that he stayed up too late or he over did it in the dojo.
"Exhausted." Don corrected himself. "The stress of being in the grave, physically and mentally...it was just too much."
"When will he wake up?" Mikey asked.
Don shrugged. "I'm really not sure."
"My sons, it is almost dawn. Perhaps you should all get some rest as well."
Don nodded as he wiped some of the mud off of his plastron. "I'll get cleaned up and stay here with..."
"I'll stay with Leo," Mikey interrupted.
Don opened his mouth to argue but quickly shut it when he saw the determined look in his brother's eyes.
He nodded. "Alright, Mikey. Come get me if you need to, Ok?"
Mikey dipped his head slightly, his eyes never leaving Leo.
~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~
Mikey tried to get comfortable on the small cot that Raph had brought to Leo's room. The events of the night played over and over in his mind. Hearing his brother's muffled cries over the communicator, the smell of wet dirt, the sight of Leo in the coffin when Don opened the lid.
He squeezed his eyes shut, blocked out all the other sounds and just listened to Leo's even breaths carry through the room.
He was home safe.
Alive.
He wasn't sure how long Leo would sleep and he was surprised when thirty minutes later, his brother started to stir.
Mikey carefully approached Leo's bedside.
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Leo could feel the darkness close around him like a vice, crushing him. He couldn't move...couldn't breath. The smell of death hung heavy in the air.
He could hear Hun's voice over the pounding of his heart.
"Trick or treat, freak!"
Boney hands gripped his arms and jagged finger nails dug into his flesh, pulling him deeper into the sludgelike blackness.
~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~
Mikey stumpled back a few steps when Leo shot up in the bed. His older brother gasped for breath like someone drowning. His hands clawed at his throat, willing the air to get to his lungs.
"Leo?" Mikey quickly made it to his side.
Leo didn't seem to know Mikey was in the room, he just continued to struggle to get his breathing under control. He violently kicked the blankets from his body, not wanting anything to feel like it was binding him down. The rescue seemed like a dream, one of the hallunciations that he saw while in the coffin.
He finally looked at the orange clad turtle when he felt Mikey's hand on his arm.
"M-Mike?" Leo blinked a few times.
"Yeah, bro. It's alright, you're home now."
Leo's eyes scanned the room and his breathing started to slow to normal.
"Why don't you lay back down," Mikey said as he guided Leo back to the pillow.
"NO!" Leo's voice cracked and he pushed Mikey's hands away.
Mikey jumped back, thinking he hurt his brother. Don must have missed something. "Do you want me to get Donnie?"
Leo shook his head. "No, Mikey," his voice came out in a strained whisper. "I-I'm Ok, I just...I want to-to sit up for a few minutes."
Mikey suddenly realized that he wanted to sit up because he could now. He moved to sit next to Leo on the bed.
"Do you want something to drink?" Mikey asked. "I could get you some water."
Leo looked up at his brother. His throat felt like sandpaper and water sounded so good, but he shook his head.
"No..don't leave...not-not yet, Ok?"
Mikey nodded. There was a few minutes of awkward silence, just Leo's strained breathing could be heard.
He cleared his throat nervously. "I-I'm sorry, Leo," Mikey barely whispered out.
Leo squinted his eyes at him.
"I'm sorry," he said a little louder, thinking Leo didn't hear him.
"Sorry?" Leo repeated.
Mikey numbly nodded.
"F-for what?"
"If I didn't go out...then you wouldn't have...Hun couldn't have..." The words spilled out of his mouth just as fast as the tears did from his eyes.
"Wait, wait," Leo interuppted Mikey's apology. "You don't have anything to be sorry for, Mikey. None of this was your fault."
Mikey wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "What?" he choked out. "You don't think it was your fault, do you?"
Mikey narrowed his eyes at his brother when he didn't answer right away.
"No," Leo finally answered. "It was no one's fault...except Hun's. He planned this, Mikey."
Mikey felt his breath catch in his throat. It was meant for him and Leo just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
"I-I was afraid," Mikey's voice shook. "I didn't think we would find you."
Leo drew a deep breath and slowly released it. "But you did."
"Did-did you doubt?"
Leo bit his lip. "I was afraid too." He couldn't hide the quiver in his voice.
His whole body shivered as the crushing feeling returned. "We are used to the shadows, Mikey," Leo continued. "But this was different...the darkness was different. I tried to stay calm but I just couldn't stop the panic...it got out of control.
Leo swallowed hard. "I couldn't stop it...the more I moved around the worse it got."
"I'm sorry, Mikey...I-I should have been stronger," his voice trailed off. "I didn't help the situation."
Mikey opened his mouth to protest, but was cut off by someone clearing their throat. Both brothers looked to the doorway to find Don standing there holding a glass of water.
"It was a panic attack, Leo," Don spoke up. He walked to the bed and handed his brother the cup. "And it couldn't be helped."
"How are you feeling now?" Don said as he sat next to his brother on the bed.
"Tired and sore," Leo said as he took a sip of the water, the liquid instanly soothed his throat.
"Thanks, Donnie."
Don smiled and nodded. "No problem, bro. You have been through a lot. I want to you to rest as much as possible and one of us will bunk in with you for a while."
"I'm Ok, Don," Leo objected. "I don't need..."
"Physically, you are ok, Leo, just bruised up a bit. But..." Don's voice trailed off. He had heard his brother waking up from his nightmare, gasping for breath.
"Please, Leo, just humor me."
"Where is Raph?" Leo tried desperately to change the subject.
"Still asleep, I guess," Don answered.
"Wrong, genius," Raph's tired voice came from the doorway. "No one can sleep with you hens cackling," he said as he strode into the room.
"How ya feelin', bro?" Raph took a seat on the cot across from Leo's bed.
"I feel alright." Leo looked around the room. "Really, guys. I'm fine."
His brothers looked at him like he could go crazy at any moment, and the feeling was just as overwhelming as being in the coffin. He took a deep breath to clear his head.
"I am kinda hungry," he mumbled. He want to shift their attention on something else. He couldn't have another attack...not now, not in front of everyone. He was home and safe...they made it...he made it.
His breathing was coming out in short gasps. The more he tried to shake the feeling the more it beared down on him. Darkness was nipping at the edge of his vision. He could hear the dirt and debris being shoveled onto the coffin, Hun's voice...the rattle of bones. It seemed so vivid and real that it felt like he was still in six feet under the earth.
Don was the first to notice and he took Mikey's place on the bed beside his brother. He gently shook his shoulder, trying to get him to snap out of it. When that didn't work he called his name. It took several times before Leo's eyes started to focus again.
..eo? Leonardo!"
"Don?" His voice was barely over a whisper. He glanced around the room again at the worried faces of his brothers.
"I-I'm sorry," he said, his cheeks darkened several shades. "I'm alright, Don."
He took several quivering breaths. "I'm Ok, now."
Don's eyes widened and he gave Leo's arm a squeeze. Leo knew what he was silently telling him. The panic attack seemed to come out of nowhere...he wasn't out of the woods yet.
"I-I know, Donnie." He gave his broher a small smile. "I understand."
"Are you still up for some food?" Raph asked. He tried to be casual, but Leo could see the anxiety on his face.
Leo nodded.
"We could make some breakfast and bring it up to you."
"No," Leo said as he shifted off of the bed. "I'll join you."
Raph looked at Don as he helped Leo to his feet. Don just nodded his head.
Leo swayed a bit and Raph grabbed his other side. "Ya sure, bro?" Raph asked.
"Positive." Leo gritted his teeth and waited for the wave of dizziness to pass.
He took a few shakey steps toward the door with Don and Raph a couple of feet behind him, ready to catch him if his legs gave out.
He stopped at the door and turned to the bed, where Mikey was still sitting. "You coming, Mike?"
"Yeah," he said, his eyes were fixed on the floor.
"Um, could you guys start on breakfast," Leo asked as he made his way back to the bed. "Mikey and I will join you in a few minutes."
"Yeah, sure," Don said as he and Raph left the room.
Leo waited until he could hear their footsteps going down the stairs before he turned to his brother. "Mikey?"
He sighed when Mikey wouldn't look at him. "Mikey, I-I'm sorry...I tried to not...I couldn't.."
He stopped when his brother shook his head, a few tears rolled down his cheek. "No, Leo...I'm so-so sorry. I shouldn't have went out...I'll never do that again, I promise. Just be ok, please. Just be ok..."
Mikey sucked in a sharp breath when Leo pulled him into a hug. "I already told you, Mikey, that it wasn't your fault."
Mikey pulled away from Leo and scrubbed his face with the back of his hand. "But it is...If I woud have just stayed at April's instead of going out then none of this would have happened."
Leo thought back to Mikey's face as he trick or treated with the other kids and how happy he looked. "It wasn't your fault," Leo repeated. "Or mine, or anyone. It was Hun. And I don't want him to ruin the one night that you can go out and just be yourself."
Mikey gave Leo a confused look.
"I'm not going to let this get the better of me, Mikey, and I won't let it do that to you too. If we do, then Hun wins after all."
Mikey nodded, his gaze still was fixed on the ground.
"I'm not saying it's going to be easy." Leo swallowed hard. "Nightmares are never easy."
"But we are here for each other. All of us."
He clapped his brother on the shell. "Ready for breakfast? The others are waiting."
"Yeah," Mikey answered and helped his brother to his feet.
Leo slowly shuffled out the door and down the stairs. Mikey stayed a couple of feet behind him, far enough to give him some space, but close enought to help if he needed it.
They joined their family in the kitchen, where April had already started on breakfast.
"Hey, guys," April greeted with a smile. "It is almost ready, take a seat."
"Thanks, April," Leo said as he sat in the nearest chair.
"It's no problem at all," April's voice cracked a bit. "I'm just glad that you are ok and home safe."
She turned and placed a stack of toast on the table and Leo noticed tears starting to form in the corners of her eyes.
"I-I'm ok, April," Leo stuttered. He hated to see his friend so close to crying.
"So," Don spoke up. He watched his brother closely from the corner of his eye. "Raph, I've been wanting to ask you what you and Casey went back for at the cemetary."
Don wanted to shift the conversation, so April could calm down and Leo wouldn't start to feel overwhelmed. The next few day will be like walking on egg shells.
Raph looked at Casey with a wicked smile on his face. Casey returned the smirk.
"Well," Raph started. "Case-man and I wanted to make sure Hun had something interesting to wake up to."
~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~
Sunlight filtered through the small stainglass window sending a kleidscope of colors around the dusty room. Hun groaned before his eyes snapped open. Memories started to flood back and he raised up drawing in a sharp breath. He instantly regretted the sudden movement as the room spun and his head pounded.
"Auugh..stupid turtles," he muttered as he ran his hand roughly down his face.
He looked around the small room and as his eyes adjusted to the dim light, his breath hitched.
In the corner of the room was a stone slab and resting on top was a coffin.
He scrambled to his feet and stumbled to the door...the only way out. He tried to open it, but it would not budge. He thought about throwing himself against it, but was afraid that the whole building would fall down. He growled under his breath and turned to the window.
The painfully small window.
He scowled as he picked up the vase of flowers by the coffin. After tossing it up and down in his hand a couple of times he hurled it at the stainglass. It shattered and sunlight poured into the room. Hun suppressed a shiver and finished knocking the glass out of the frame. He poked his head out and looked around. It wasn't long before he spotted the two foot soldiers that were with him.
"Hey!" Hun yelled.
One of the ninja turned his head to the sound. The other sat on the ground, his mask was removed and he was cradling his head in his hands.
"Get me out of here!"
The ninja limped to the mausolem and removed the sai that was jammed into the doorframe. He used the sharp point and picked the lock. Hun pushed the door open from the inside sending the soldier staggering backward.
"Those freaks are going to pay for this," Hun growled as he stalked out of the cemetery.
He got to the gate and his face fell. He clenched his fists so hard that his knuckles bleached.
His car sat just where had left it, the only difference was, all the windows were busted out, the tires were slashed, the hood was popped and all the fluids that the car needed had leaked onto the ground.
The two ninja, one supporting the other, had finally caught up with the mountainous man. Both exchanged looks and prepared for the explosion that they knew was coming.
Hun ground his teeth together painfully. He looked back at the ninja and then to his wrecked car.
"Crud."
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