Brothers

Chapter 8

"You want to do what?" Donnie asked poking his head out from the cabinet that held all there bandages.

"Bring my bike"

"Are you crazy, where we are going there are no roads to drive on. And do I even need to go on, on how much weight the helicopter can hold."

"What all do we have to bring besides four turtles and a boy?"

"You're kidding right. First of all there is food, medical supplies, plus stuff like tents and bedding and..."

"Why do we need so much stuff? When Leo left all he took was a back pack."

"Well yes but I want to be prepared for anything .Leo said that they were using drugs on him and that he had been hurt. So I want to be prepared for anything."

Raph was surprised at what Don had said. "So you know that Leo is the ghost of the jungle"

"Yeah he told me last night." Don remembered last night's conversation and recalled what Leo had said about Raph and the Night Watcher gig. He decided that this would be the best time to ask Raph about it.

"Hey, can I ask you a question Raph?"

"Shoot" Raph said leaning against the doorway.

Don sat down on the computer chair and clasped his hands together in his lap looking down at them he asked "Why did you lie to us about the Night Watcher? Did you think I wouldn't be able to tell it was you?"

Raph stood up straight in surprise "Wait! You knew it was me the whole time?"

"I knew that supplies started going missing but I just couldn't figure out why until I saw a newspaper clipping about a new vigilante. That's when I started connecting the dots and then you started sleeping all day along with mysterious wounds showing up now and then and that just confirmed what I thought."

Raph was about to speak up but Don kept on talking needing to get it all out of his system.

"Dang it, Raph that was so stupid you could have been hurt. I was constantly worried about you! I was left all alone to deal with Mikey and trying to keep him happy and then splinter got sick and the cost of his medicine was too much for me to just ask April to give it to us so I had to get a job on top of that. I had to keep the lair running. You're my big brother and I trust you with my life but you weren't there when I needed you."

Donny, by now, had slumped down in his computer chair burying his face in his hands. Raph was dumfounded. Donny had known all this time and hadn't said anything.

"Donny I didn't realize... I guess the reason I didn't want to tell you was because I didn't want you guys to get in trouble or hurt. Master Splinter stopped us from going on training runs, but just because we stopped didn't mean crime stopped.

Raph went in and sat down on Donny's cot that was in his lab. "Believe it or not, the Night Watcher didn't start out with me being angry."

Donny raised his eyebrows.

Raph laughed. "Ok maybe I was angry. I just... it was about a week after Leo was supposed to come home; the tension around here was about to make me crack and so I had to go topside and talk to someone"

Donny got up from his chair and sat down next to Raph "so what did Casey say?"

"Bro, I didn't go to Casey! He might be good to bounce my anger off of, but that's not what I needed! I was really confused, so I went to go and talk to Mrs. M."

"You mean that old blind lady that helped you during the Triceraton invasion?"

"Yeah her, but when I got there she was about to be attacked by some stupid jerk, just so that he could get her purse. And well, I just ..."

Donny nodded in understanding, "but how did that start up the Night Watcher?"

"I had gone over there on my motorcycle and well... the jerk had a friend with a gun. The bullet ricocheted off of the helmet." Raph paused, ready for the doctor Don to emerge.

"What! He shot at you, in the head no less? Raph that was so dangerous, why didn't mmhhhpp..."

Raph took his hand off of Donatello's mouth, "Bro, do want me to finish the story or not?"

Don sighed "continue," he said weakly.

"Well anyway, I beat them both up and left them for the police. Then I helped Mrs. M. home and like I said, I wasn't really planning on becoming the Night Watcher. I would just go up every night after that and check up on her. Then I started also checking up on Angel and this other kid Tyler and a few other teens I know, and well ...When I saw others who needed help, I couldn't stop myself. I started to wear more protective gear so that no one could recognize me. I was concerned for Mikey and his Cowabunga Carl costume. It also helped me with my anger at Leo's disappearance as well. Then the next thing I know, Mikey starts talking to me about this new vigilante named Night Watcher. I didn't want you guys to get in trouble for going against Splinter's orders, so I kept quiet and did everything I could to throw you and Mikey off of my shell.

Raph nudged Donny's shoulder with his, "I didn't mean to hurt anybody especially my bros. I'm sorry Donny. I should have noticed something was wrong." Raph paused and shrugged his shoulders. Well... I did notice something was wrong ,I just had no clue how to handle it, so I tried ignoring it, hoping it would be solved on its own, but I shouldn't have. I'm sorry bro."

Donny sighed he knew that Raph would never want to hurt them. It was time to forgive and forget. "It's okay. I wasn't any better. I should have come and talked to you, asking for help with father and all the work. But I'm not very good at asking for help. Most of the time no one can help me, so I just have learned how to solve any problems on my own, I guess I don't know how to ask for help."

"Well, we can work on that bro. I already know a lot about motorcycles, and some other vehicle maintenance. Why don't you start teaching me about the copter and other stuff like that? I mean I can't help with a lot of things, but stuff like vehicles and things you could teach me, and then it would be one less thing for you to worry about."

Donatello smiled. "Thanks Raph," then he patted him on his shell. "Come on, you can help me do a diagnostic check on the helicopter before we start loading her up. And I will teach you what I can." He pulled Raph to a standing position and they started walking towards the garage.

Raph smiled, well he may not get to take his bike but hey, a helicopter is cool too.