Brothers

Chapter 7

Mikey woke up with a gasp, he paused and looked around breathing heavily "just a dream" he murmured falling back down "just a dream," as he started to wake up more fully, he wondered where Leo was. Leo always knew when he had a nightmare, so where was he? Mikey looked around his bedroom once more, but he couldn't see Leo. That's weird, he thought. He got a sudden flash from his nightmare and soon Mikey was out the door and headed towards Leo's room. He stopped at the doorway in surprise. There was Leo and Donny. Leonardo was awake and looking at him and held out the arm that wasn't supporting Donny in a welcoming gesture.

Mikey smiled. "What's this, a sleepover, and I wasn't invited" he whispered. He jumped to Leo's other side and angled under the covers and pressed close to Leo hugging him. Leo wrapped his arm around him and whispered back, "You were invited, but just got here late."

Mikey yawned, "figures," he murmured.

Leo paused. "Want to talk about it?"

Michelangelo turned his head into Leo's side. "Not really," he murmured.

"Ok." Leo waited. He didn't have to wait for long.

"Leo," Mikey's voice drifted up to him.

"Hmm?" he asked, faking sleepiness; knowing that it eased Mikey's nervousness if he thought that Leo wasn't fully aware of what he was going to say.

"Do you uh... do you think of Tomas and his family as you do our family?" he asked. Leo eyes opened. He wasn't expecting that.

"A little," he answered gently, "why?"

"It's just the way you were acting around Tomas earlier today, and it's just you were treating him like well..." Mikey paused not sure if he should continue.

"Like one of my brothers," Leo responded, starting to see where this was going.

Mikey looked up at him. "Do you see him like that?"

"In a way," Leo replied. He felt Mikey cringe, so he kept on going trying to help him understand. "But it is different too." Then he went on. "You view Klunk as a member of the family, right?"

"Yeah, of course, he's my baby."

"Well, it's kind of like that. Klunk doesn't replace any of us, does he?" Leo paused, allowing Mikey to consider what he was saying. "And if it came down to it you would choose us before him, wouldn't you?"

Mikey looked up at Leo. "I don't want to make that choice ever"

"I know Mikey, but I had to. I had a choice to stay there or come home to you guys. I wasn't really needed here, but I was needed there."

Mikey started to protest, but Leo overrode him. "You guys could fight and protect yourselves. You're a lot older than Tomas and his brothers, and they couldn't protect themselves." Mikey fell silent at that, so Leo continued, "but I came home despite that, you know why?"

"Why?" Mikey asked wishing he had just stayed silent. not liking this conversation at all.

"Because, no matter who I met in my life, no one will ever replace my brothers; not even alternate dimensions of you."

Mikey finally relaxed. He knew Leo loved him. He was just afraid of where Leo would rather stay when he had a choice. "So you will always stay with us forever?"

"Well" Leo teased, "Not forever. I do need some quiet time to myself," then Leo got more serious, "but yes, Mikey. I will stay as long as you need me."

"Good." Mikey replied and settled against Leo's side.

Leo sighed in relief, glad that Mikey understood. He glanced down at his two brothers who had dug into his sides. For some reason, this closeness would always drive nightmares away. Now all that's left is to see if Raph is bothered by anything. He thought