No Escape

Part 12

Leo felt his skin turn cold, heart dropping to the floor. He wasn't expecting this one. He didn't know how to talk to him. All he could think about was throwing the sai at him and almost killing him.

"Leo?" He heard Raph's voice say.

Leo bit his lip, not knowing how he should do this.

"Leo, are you there?" Raph asked again.

"Yeah, yeah I'm here." Leo said.

"...You doing ok?"

Leo couldn't gather the words. "Y-yeah. I'm hanging in there." He said truthfully.

There was a frightening silence. Leo didn't know where to break it, or embrace it.

"Donnie says he may have found the Foot headquarters you're in." Raph said.

"Really?" Leo asked, actually surprised.

"Yeah. We'll find ya and bring you home." Raph said.

Leo felt his heart begin to warm, but there was another silence. This one was much longer. Leo was beginning to wonder if Raph was still there. "Raph?" Leo said.

"Yeah?"

He heard.

"...Just making sure you were still there." Leo said.

Raph felt his heart cringe. "Leo... I'm sorry... This is all my fault." Raph said.

Leo was waiting for this moment. "This isn't your fault. I deserve this... I deserve to be here after what I said to you."

"You don't deserve any of this, Leo." Raph said.

"But... But I almost killed you." Leo said.

"And I nearly killed Mikey! I'm the stupid one. I should be there."

"Don't say that. No one should be treated like this... No food, going through brutal tests... like I'm a caged animal." Leo said.

"Leo, we're going to find you, and we will rescue you, whatever it takes." Raph said.

Leo smiled. "Please, I don't think I can take much more!"

There was another silence. Leo felt it eating his insides.

"It's late. You need to rest." Raph said.

Leo didn't want to stop talking to Raph, but he did feel sleep embrace him. "Promise me you'll come and find me." Leo said.

"I promise. I love you, bro."

Leo's heart cringed. "I love you too."

Then the connection faded and Leo opened his eyes, seeing his room, just the way he left it. He exhaled and shifted to the wall, leaning up against it. He reached over and grabbed the cup of water. Not caring anymore, he began to chug the water, feeling it violently make its way down his throat. He set the empty glass on the ground and rested his head on the wall, feeling his eyelids get heavier. With one last exhale, he fell into a deep sleep.