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Ok last Chapter...here we go!

Chapter 12: A New Friend

It's been about a week since we found out Leo was an artist. He was getting stronger, able to hold himself back longer and more frequently, then he caught a cold. The turtle with the strongest immune system out of the four of us, ends up with the weakest. Heck he's weaker than me know...hate to admit it but I tend to get sick easier than the rest of us. I think Leo's been sick maybe...five times in his life? Counting this time. Anyway...he's finally shaking it off after a week. I'm sitting on the couch with him in my lap...he gets cold easy lately. The fire is going in the hearth and he's snuggled up under about five blankets. Don moved the TV over here so I have something to do...I finished all the books here. Leo coughs a little but doesn't wake so I relax. He needs sleep...he hasn't gotten much since he started coughing. Yeah I did catch the stupid cold...but I shook it off the other day. Ever since Leo got sick he hasn't pulled himself back...Don thinks its because Leo's focusing on getting better. Leo coughs again and then mumbles something. I glance down and he's still out. I gently adjust the blankets so they're covering him better. We don't need him getting chilled and backsliding. Don peeks around the corner.

"Hey how's he doing?" Don asks softly.

"He's sleeping right now, still coughing a little, but he's out," I reply quietly. Don nods...he's worried...we all are...Leo's health is just shaky right now. We're worried that he'll be weakened immensely by this cold...that another...worse illness will snatch him away while he's still recovering. Don watches the figure of our older brother for a minute and then sighs.

"April made fresh Tea do you want some? Lunch will be ready soon, I'll switch you out then," Don says quietly.

"Yeah...I'll take some and alright," I reply quietly. Don pauses and then slipps off. Mikey comes in a minute later and sits by Leo and I. He reaches over and adjusts the blankets. Don brings in my tea and then after checking on Leo he heads back to help April in the kitchen, he squeezes Mikey's shoulder encouragingly as he leaves. Mike manages a smile.

"Get better soon bro," I hear Mikey whisper. Leo mumbles softly in response and then coughs. April calls for lunch and Mikey, after squeezing Leo's hand under the blankets, gets up and heads out, he nods to me and I give him a gentle smile.

"Raph? *cough* Why am I in your lap? *cough*" Leo asks softly. I nearly jump out of my shell. I look down and Leo is looking at me, his golden-brown eyes dull from illness but the fire that is my brother is behind it.

"Hey bro," I say softly," Um...well...you've been getting really cold lately...since you got sick." He raises an eye ridge and sighs but puts his head back on my plastron.

"Whatever," he mumbles. I chuckle. He mumbles something else and then coughs.

"Sorry?" I ask softly.

"I'm hungry," he replies.

"Ah...one sec...DON!," I call loud enough to be heard but quiet enough not to startle Leo. Don peeks around the corner.

"Fearless is hungry," I say quietly.

"Preferably something good...*cough*...don't you dare give me *cough* Master Splinter's special soup *cough*," Leo says quietly. Don grins and comes over.

"How's April's homemade chicken noodle soup sound?" He asks gently.

Leo coughs again but manages a smile. Don grins even more and then gets up to get some soup. I hear him telling the others Leo's both awake and sane. I look down at Leo.

"You stayin' this time?" I ask gently. Leo smiles...well kinda smirks.

"As much fun as chasing butterflies is *cough* I'm looking forward to staying sane," Leo chuckles weakly. I laugh and hug him.

"Good to have you back bro," I whisper. He sighs and leans into the hug.

"Good to be back," He replies.

*-*-*-*

It's two days later and Leo is on the couch, propped up with pillows and literally buried in blankets. He somehow managed to sneak a book under the covers and is reading right now...he's supposed to be sleeping. Mikey is curled up on the floor next to Leo, asleep, knucklehead. Leo glances at him and smiles. I come the rest of the way into the room.

"Ya' know...ya' supposed to be asleep right now," I growl gently. Leo glances at me and to my shock he rolls his eyes. While I'm recovering he starts laughing softly.

"Before you get mad at Mikey...I knocked him out," Leo says softly, "pressure point." I shake my head. Leo is as stubborn as ever, we used to have to drug him to get him to stay in bed when he got hurt. Mikey must of been telling him off for not sleeping.

"Ya' know Mikey was worried sick over over you...heck...we all were," I grumble," You could at least sleep the rest of the dang cold off." Leo smiles.

"Alright, alright I'll take a nap," Leo mutters," maybe you'll all leave me alone then." I chuckle and help him get settled and cover him back up. He's already shivering a little from being out of the blankets for a few seconds. After I'm sure he's out I head back to the kitchen. Don is adding a few finishing touches to Leo's wheelchair. Yesterday Leo outright told Don that there better not be any rocket boosters or robot arms are anything like that on it. Don just grinned.

The shield that will cover Leo's lower legs has been improved and there is now one that will cover his lap as well. Leo can't feel anything in his legs so if he were to scrape his thighs on the underside of the table he wouldn't feel it and he could hurt himself pretty bad. The lap shield is Don's solution to that problem. The wheels have been improved on, better grip both for the actual wheels and Leo's hands. The wheels are now almost silent and Don improved the turning radius on the chair so Leo has a lesser chance of getting stuck. The front wheels are a little bigger and move easier. Don improved the brakes and made them stronger, so Leo can sit at an angle without sliding or rolling. Don also improved the padding on the seat and back of the chair, making it more comfortable. Within various areas on the chair are hidden compartments that allow Leo to keep, shurkin, throwing knives and a pair of Tanto blades (Leo's request) have been fixed behind the seat. Under the chair's arms are more hidden compartments. Inside are paintbrushes, pencils, colored pencils, erasers, etc. Leo won't have to worry about anything being out of reach.

I'm pretty sure Leo will like it. Leo said he'd switch to Tanto blades instead of his beloved Katanas, the Katanas would be too long for him to wield from a wheelchair. Mitchel Gordon is suposed to join us for dinner tonight so Don is working quickly to finish the last touches to the wheelchair.

Around dinner time I go wake Leo and Mikey, Mikey heads for the kitchen to help get dinner going and I help Leo to the bathroom before wheeling him into the kitchen in the old chair. Leo is grumbling about not being able to stay sitting up very well. I just grin, the new chair will make live so much easier for him. Leo just stares at the new chair. It's still black and silver, though Don put dark-blue ghost flames on the hard surfaces. Don and I help Leo into the chair and he tests it out, maneuvering easily around the room and us. Don then showed Leo all the hidden things and Leo grins, flipping the throwing knives in the air and catching them easily. When Leo finds the art stuff he just sorta smiles and tears up a little.

"Thanks Don," he finally whispers,"It's perfect." Don hugs him and April throws her hands in the air and hugs Leo too, soon we are all hugging him and laughing. The sound of the door being rang sends April to the door.

Minutes later a man walks through the kitchen, he's tall, dark haired and has bright green eyes. He spots Leo.

"Ha! Leonardo! How are you my friend?" He greets. Leo and the man share a quick hug, the guy sounds like he's got a French accent. Leo and the man talk for a bit and bicker good naturedly. April brings out "Night Weaver" and Leo and Mitchel get talking about that. After about an hour dinner is ready and we all sit down to eat. It was a good night, having a new friend join us. Don and Mitchel got talking about physics and we all yelled at them to stop, because we couldn't understand a word they were saying.

Four days later I'm walking toward Leo's room at the lair, Don worked out an elevador system so Leo didn't have to move to the lower level. I lean against the door frame, Leo is busy painting. He's been working on it since we got back.

"Hey Raph," he greets without looking up. He is still a ninja you know.

"Hey bro," I reply. Leo sits up and stretches.

"Come take a look," he says, wheeling himself back a ways so I can come over. I'm standing with my back to the viewer with broken chains on my wrists, the room is dark, a door is open and Hun's large form is standing in the entry way. It the way I must've looked to my brother's the day Hun tried to split us up and sell us.

"I call it 'Defense'," Leo said softly.

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