Leo and I had fallen asleep together. His shell was to me and I had an arm wrapped around him. Some people I think called this spooning.... But I didn't care.

We avoided the spot on the bed from our experience last night. It was a quiet and comforting night, really. I wondered how and if the others would find us in the morning. But that was in the morning.... I fell asleep.

Next morning, however, I woke up to Leo gone. I blinked ams looked around the room in confusion. Where could he have gone without making me wake or or telling me? But I paused. I was acting like we were together, but I leaned toward the fact that last night could have been a one-night thing.

I sighed and sat up and put on my mask, careful to not rip my ends more than they were by not pulling them too tight. I slipped on my wrappings and knee pads, listening if Leo would return.

He hadn't by the time I opened the door. It was eerily quiet in the lair. I couldn't hear Donnie in the lab with a welding tool, or any tool for that matter, nor could I hear Mikey playing his video games. Were they all in the dojo? But he heard nothing from the dojo.

Using ninja stealth and trying my best to hear, I creeped through the lair, uncertain of what'd I find our hear. No sound from any room. And none of my brothers were in their rooms when I cracked them open either....

I stalked to the kitchen and then the dojo. Even Sensei's room and Donnie's lab. Nobody was around. Not a glance, not a sound. I was starting to get worried. Where were they?

Concerned, I headed for the tunnels, still trying to listen. Still nothing. Not even the sound of dripping water from a cracked pipe. As if they had been restored, but even then I didn't hear the water that rushed through them. As if.... As if time had stopped.

Finally, I heard something behind me and I swiveled around to meet the gaze of Leo. His eyes had narrowed and was holding his katana in a offensive position. Something was off...

"Leo," I said, but he didn't move. Was he sleep walking? But with in swords and full gear? "Leo? Where's the others?"

"Others?" A rather deep and disturbing voice came from the depths and shadows behind me. I gulped and turned my head around just slightly, testing not to show my fear, and looked into two glowing red eye pits of Shredder....

I knew Leo was in front of me and he'd help so I backed up to Leo just a little before Leo trotted away from me, passing me on my left and then facing me, now in front of Shredder, eyes still their narrowed slits and sword ready.

"Leo, knock it off!" I growled, getting increasedly worried and frightened, even though I didn't show it.

The Shredder laughed in the only way he could laugh. A dark and sinister one that could send chills up anyone's spine, or shell.

I gritted my teeth, knowing he did something to Leo and possibly the others.

Leo growled and took a step toward me, sword point at my throat with just a quick flick if his wrist. I backed up, but Leo followed me. What was Leo doing? I was being cornered, I knew. Until the ground stopped and I almost felt down into a sewage drain. It was empty and at the bottom, I could see the long drop to my death....

I looked at Leo who stared at me with no recognition. It scared me too the core. I gulped and opened my mouth to speak, but I found myself falling down.

Gasping, I sat up in bed and held my head, my entire body shaking. Leo was there by me, talking to me. I couldn't hear him from the sound of my pulsing heart in my ears.

Leo stayed by me until I calmed down enough, keeping me close. We laid back down and I relaxed instantly, letting a dreamless sleep suck me into sleep this time rather than a nightmare.