A/N: I cannot claim to own anything…Nick holds that honor!

Leonardo awoke to a silence penetrating the lair which he never before had experienced. Normally at night he could at least hear Raphael snoring or Donatello muttering in his sleep, but all he was beholden to was an unearthly quiet. Immediately feeling on edge, he reached for his katanas and stepped out of his bed. The blue banded ninja carefully stalked to his bedroom entrance and peered into the bedroom hallway. Katanas at the ready, he checked each of his brothers' rooms to find that they were empty. Panic began to choke at his heart, but he forced it down with practiced calm.

A small flicker of light caught his attention out of his peripheral vision. It was coming from Master Splinter's meditation room. He tightened his grip on the hilts of his swords as he cautiously made his way to the beacon, drawn akin a moth to a flame. The meager illumination was emanating from a candle, flickering to its own soundless tune. Master Splinter was seated behind the candle, deep in meditation. The candle was casting haunting shadows upon his seated form.

Relaxing his hold on the katanas ever so slightly, the terrapin regarded his sensei for a few moments before deciding to speak.

"Master," he said to gain the mutant rat's attention, "something is wrong…the others are gone, I cannot find them."

Splinter's eyes opened, filled with a dull, vacant expression. He seemed to stare through Leonardo as he spoke.

"Yes, my son," he began, his voice distant and devoid of emotion, "something is very wrong. You must listen to your brothers."

"B-but Master," Leonardo could not understand why Splinter was acting so strangely, "I searched everywhere for them…they aren't here!"

If Splinter was disturbed by this news, he made no indication. His blank visage did not change.

"Appearances may be deceiving, my student. They are here, just as they should be. Look for yourself," the ninja master ordered.

Leonardo sheathed his swords and turned around. He could suddenly hear the muted sounds of the television playing in the den. Raphael and Michelangelo were seated on the couch. The leader's eyes widened in surprise as he attempted to assimilate the fact that just moments ago his brothers had not been there at all.

"Master Splinter…" Leonardo spoke, his brow furrowing in bewilderment. "What's going on? I don't understand…"

"Listen to your brothers, Leonardo. You must listen to them…"

"O-ok, Sensei," Leonardo said uncertainly. "I will."

He went the distance to the den to see that April O'Neil was on the television, but he could not discern what she was reporting. It was as if he were listening to her voice through water. Raphael and Michelangelo were not paying attention to the TV at all. The red clad ninja was reading a book, and the youngest brother was winding a watch on his right wrist.

"What are you guys doing?" Leonardo inquired.

Neither of his brothers were engaging in behavior which was normal for them, which was just adding to the odd atmosphere of the lair at the moment. Leo tried desperately to wrap his mind around the present happenings, but it was as if his thoughts were trudging through a thick swamp. He knew something was amiss, but the more he tried to analyze the situation the more mired his contemplations became.

"I'm learning to read between the lines, Leonardo," Raphael addressed the eldest brother casually, without even glancing up at him from his book. "Which is something you are going to need to learn to do real soon, before it's too late."

"For sure, dude," Michelangelo added, "and I'd be able to tell you when if my watch didn't keep stopping. It won't be long before it's totally busted. Major bummer."

"Tell Leo to bring it to Don," Raphael said to Michelangelo, as if Leo had left the room. "Don can fix it. He always knows what to do."

"Mondo notion, Raph," Mike nodded in affirmation, "Leo should take it to Donnie."

Mike took off the watch and handed it to Leo. "Here, dude, you heard Raph. Bring it to Don. You're going to need this working more than I will."

Leonardo took the offered watch from Mike. He was still baffled by their uncharacteristic behavior, but decided to heed Splinter's words and listen to them. Clutching the watch in his hand, he left the den to head for Don's lab. When he stepped out of the room, the darkness and silence returned, as if he were changing scenes in a warped play. He hastened his pace, hoping Don had some awareness as to what was going on.

He swiftly made his way to Donatello's lab, the blackness thickening with every step and clinging to his skin like a wetsuit. His heart was hammering in his ears.

"Don, are you here?" he choked out, feeling stifled by the surrounding void.

With his words, a single ray of light illuminated the rear corner of the room. He could not make out the source of the beam. Donatello was kneeling in the corner, languidly fiddling with a device without any of his customary enthusiasm when immersed in his element.

"Come here, Leonardo," the genius spoke.

Leo obeyed and when he reached the corner he instantly recognized the invention Donatello was working on.

"The Healthometer?" Leonardo wondered out loud. "Didn't we disassemble that years ago?"

"I fixed it up just for you, Leo," Don stood, his eyes filled with the same lifelessness that Splinter's had been.

The blue clad turtle took an inadvertent step back. He dropped the watch to the ground and found himself reaching for his katanas. His thoughts still felt muggy, but his instincts were buzzing in alarm.

"None of this is right…" he breathed.

"You're right, Leo, none of this is right," Donatello warned in monotone. "It's about to go horribly wrong. You must listen to me."

Don reached out and grasped Leo's hand. Leo struggled futilely against Don's grip, when he normally would have been able to free himself easily. Don took his other hand and forced one of Leo's fingers into the Healthometer. It beeped and the arrow immediately pointed to "Adios Amigo." Leonardo regarded the reading in shock, finding himself at a loss for words.

"Look, Leo," Don motioned to the watch on the ground. "The watch has almost stopped. Tell Don…Don can figure it out…"

"But Donatello, I did come to you," Leo said desperately. "I don't understand, I –"

He suddenly got the sensation that he was being pulled away against his will. The room shifted dizzyingly around him and he felt completely disoriented. In a flash, the darkness dissipated and his eyes flew open. He sat up quickly, to find himself in his bed. His sheets were a tangled mess around his legs, and his breathing was ragged and uneven. He grasped mentally to gain his bearings. Hadn't he just been in Donatello's lab? Now he was back in his room? He closed his eyes momentarily to concentrate on slowing his breathing and calming his racing heart.

"I'm in my room," he whispered to himself. "It must have all been a dream. But what a strange dream… What does it mean?"