TMNT: Blue

Chapter six

Leonardo's Point of View:

I heard everyone screaming behind me, but I somehow kept ahead of my family until their voices began to grow softer with each pounding step as I evaded their efforts to catch up to me. I ran like the wind had lent me its strength and I left my brothers behind me as I hid my trail with expert precision. My stomach began to cramp terribly and even in my panic, I knew where to go.

"Leatherhead!" I called as I banged on his door, "LH! LH, help me please! God, LH! Please be home!"

I sobbed into a fist as my stomach let me know that something was wrong. It hurt so bad. What was I going to do? I gasped when LH's door swung open.

"Leonardo?"' the mutant alligator asked as he stepped out the door before seeing my state and ushering me inside, "What has happened?"

"Baby," I gasped in pain as I held my cramping stomach, "Hurts! Don't tell them I'm here! LH, my baby! It hurts!"

"Leonardo, calm down," LH ordered as he reached for me.

"Hurts," I gritted out, "God, it hurts."

I must have blacked out because the next thing I knew I was waking up in a bed with Leatherhead watching over me. I shifted under the covers and then gasped as I remembered what had occurred. Looking up at my friend in a panic, I went to rise, but the mutant alligator pushed me gently back down to my pillow.

"The baby is fine," LH assured me as I opened my mouth, "Keep still. You and your child were in a lot of distress. No more running like that. You might have miscarried and I do not know if your body can survive that."

"Okay," I sighed as the panic ebbed away in my system, "So my baby is okay? Just like you said, I didn't lose the baby, right?"

"He or she is very strong and held on," Leatherhead soothed me as I nodded thankfully as tears sprang to my eyes, "Be at peace, Leonardo. Right now the baby cannot take you stressing out anymore today."

Nodding, I breathed deeply to calm myself. I felt a bit ashamed of my flight from the lair. I endangered the life of my child. That was foolish and selfish on my part. The baby could not defend himself or herself and it was my responsibility to keep the infant safe. I had to be a more responsible parent from now on.

"Don't let this upset you, but your family has been by to see if you were here," LH admitted as I looked back up at him, "They are very worried and I felt very bad having to lie to them. What has happened that caused you to hide from them, Leonardo? This is not like you."

I sighed and closed my eyes for a second. I then explained the whole story to my friend.

"Leo, you can't protect them forever," Leatherhead breathed as I shook while he assisted me in leaning up by adding a few more pillows behind my back, "You are going to need your family close to you as the baby develops. Plus, Raphael has the right to know about his impending fatherhood. Your baby has two parents."

"I'm sorry to place you in this situation," I sniffled as tears formed and fell, "I'm going to go back. I'll tell them the truth, but I've been so scared. I-I've tried to do the right thing, but I'm afraid that this will destroy my family. What if they reject Raph for what he did? What if they reject me because I wouldn't get an abortion? I won't let anyone hurt my baby, LH."

"None of that will ever happen. Not with your family," LH soothed as he placed his large hand on my shoulder, "Your family will rally just like always. None of this is your fault and none of it is your brother's either. Bishop did this, but you will have a son or daughter soon who is an innocent in all of this and will need a family."