Onegai Shimasu - Shi

Epher requested a follow-up chapter from Mikey's POV. So that's the main inspiration for this update. The timeline and story arc here are deliberately fuzzy relative to the Nick show since, right now, the only character advancing a meaningful plot seems to be Ice Cream Kitty :P . Lastly, as far as I know, there's no canon around the name of Mikey's teddy bear; so I had Mikey give him an actual name here. Thanks to everyone for being so kind to keeping reading, and reviewing!

"LEATHERHEAD!"

I woke up screaming, again.

The memory of my repeat nightmare was bright. It stung like a spotlight when it's your turn to dance, but you suddenly forget all the rad moves you rehearsed alone in your bedr- um. Anyway.

I wiped the water from the corners of my eyes, and listened in the darkness.

For a buncha ninjas with super-senses, my brothers could sleep through a zombie apocalypse when they were tired enough. Or maybe, by now, they were just used to my nightmares.

I hugged my teddy bear closer: Lewis always comforted me. Just like Leatherhead.

I'd dreamed that Croco-dude, my best friend, was falling, falling, faster-an'-faster, down a dark pit that seemed like it would never end. From inside the walls, fat tentacles grabbed for him. But he kept tumbling, away from me, further and further.

The look on his face? It was enough to make me shudder. His expression was only fear and fury. Like when he's in his darkest emotional place.

I hate that place. We worked so hard for him to climb outta' it; me an' him: together.

But this time, I couldn't do anything. I couldn't stop it. The only thing that finally broke his fall, was Donnie's face.

At least that's somethin', right?

But the worst part: it was all my fault. I didn't go get the Gator. I didn't go back for him. In my panic, I told myself he'd be OK on his own. He'd come so far, recovered from so much – had such calm breaths.

Giving L-head that stuffy seemed to have helped a million. Lewis was totally right about asking April to buy a plushy kung-fu frog, even if it was my idea to name him Raphael. Was the stuffy still with the Leatherhead? Did Raphael fall down the hole with him, too? Or was he like me? Waiting for his best friend to come home and having nightmares because he thought he never would.

All my fault. All my fault I didn't know the right thing to do. An' I lied to myself to make things easier. I coulda' made the same choice to stick with my bros, to get us all to safety, without emotionally selling my best friend upriver. I could have faced the reality of choosing to leave my friend behind.

Part me really thought he'd be fine. Why wasn't that part of me right? And if it was right, which part of me is it exactly so I can always use it when Sensei asks me stuff?

Maybe Sensei's with Leatherhead? Maybe they found each other in the sewers? I bet they're patching each other up and comin' to find us even now…I bet Raphael's leading the charge. Does Leatherhead still have my old T-phone that I gave him?

Lewis is tellin' me to be quiet and go back to sleep. He misses LH, and Raphael, too; I'm not the only one hurting. At least Lewis and me, we understand what each other's going through. We both lost our Dad and our best friend. And that means: we also lost part of ourselves. I swear if anyone else other than Casey has something bad happen to 'im, I'm really gonna lose my sh-

"SSShhhHHH! Mikey, stop sleep-talking and go back to bed!"

Figures Leo would be the one to wake up and tell me to shush: Be Quiet, Mikey. Have Nightmares Quietly, Mikey. Quieten Down.

I can see the outline of Leo's shell against the faint light of the room. He's sat down by the door, and he'll stay there until he knows I'm calm, and back asleep. Leo's watching over me. I wish we could do the same for LH. Where are you, Dude?

I love my bro, more than life. But tonight? I'm gonna pretend Leo is Leatherhead sitting guard while I sleep.

.