The Ring of the Bell

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Raph's POV:

I am woken up by a loud whimper. My eyes pop open and I am imminently upright and looking around. I look at the clock to read 3:05.

What the shell?! I hear the whimper again making me look down. I see Mikey tossing and turning in his bed. Tears rolling slowly off of his face. Eyes scrunched up tightly like his grip on his teddy bear. A soft sob escapes his mouth.Mikey is having a nightmare. I touch Mikey's shell and shake him gently.

"Mikey wake up. It is just a bad dream. Wake up" I say shaking him. Mikey's eyes fly open as I see his body shaking with fear. He looks at me with his baby blue tearful eyes with fright. "It's Okay, Mikey" I coo at his gathering him up into my arms. "It was just a dream." I hear Mikey sniff as he nuzzles into my arms. "Let's go get a drink of water" I state calmly getting off of the bed with Mikey tucked into my arms. Mikey nods as I leave his room to the kitchen. Upon entering the kitchen I see Leo sitting at the table with his own glass of water.

"Couldn't sleep?" I ask stepping closer to Leo. Leo gasps and nearly knocks over his glass of water.

"Raph what are you doing up?" Leo asks steering clear of the embarrassment he must be feeling.

"Shrimp here had a nightmare" I say juggling Mikey in my arms a bit. Leo nods and stands up.

"I can take him from you" Leo says sounding more like a demand then a request. I nod and hand Mikey over to him. I fill up my own glass of water and take a seat across from Leo. I see Mikey begin to struggle in Leo's arms. "What's wrong, Mikey?" Leo asks trying to keep Mikey from falling. Mikey's baby blue eyes stare directly at me. He waves his arms towards me while whimpering. "Something tells me Mikey wants you" Leo states handing him over to me.

"Is that right, Mike?" I look down at Mikey as he curls up against my chest almost purring.

"I'm going to take that as a yes" Leo laughs smiling at me.

"What? It isn't my fault he likes me" I groan rolling my eyes. "Why did it have to be me? Why couldn't he have attached himself to you or Don?" I complain taking a big swig of water.

"I'm not sure Raph, but it is clear he likes you best" Leo replies finishing off his water.

"Yeah but why? I mean I was so mean to him" I look down at a now sleeping Mikey.

"Mikey is forgiving. That is just who he is" Leo says putting his glass into the sink. "Yeah I know" I sigh in defeat. "You should go back to bed training is in about four hours" Leo says before walking out of the kitchen and to his room.

"Goodnight bro" I whisper to him as I lift Mikey up and head back to his room.

Leo's POV:

I wake up the next morning ready for anything. Or so I thought. I walked into the dojo thinking I would be the first one. Boy, I was wrong. My mouth dropped open when I see Raph sitting in the center of the room with Mikey. I notice Raph's eyes are closed as Mikey chews on his mask tail.

"Moring" I say after regaining myself. Raph's green eyes slowly open and look at me.

"Morning" he grumbles under his breath.

"Why are you hear so early?" I ask a bit curiously.

"Pipsqueak here got me up" he says in a low voice while rubbing Mikey's head. Mikey turns his head towards me and smiles. He crawls out of Raph's lap and over to my leg. He wraps his tiny arms around my left shin as he smiles up at me. I lean down and pick up to receive a small giggle from him.

"Good job, Mikey" I praise him. "You got Raph up. No one has ever done that" Mikey laughs and grabs the tails of my mask and chews on it happily.

"Shut up" Raph growls standing up.

"Morning Leo" Donnie's voice rings threw out the dojo "and Raph?" he finishes. I turn around and see Donnie looking confused as he makes his way over to Raph and me.

"Mikey got him up" I clarify tickling Mikey under his chin. He laughs and blows bubbles with his mouth.

"Really? Mikey did that?" Donnie sounds surprise as he looks at a moody Raph.

"Are we going to train or no?" Raph says impatiently tapping his foot on the ground.

"Guys! Guys!" another voice quiet girlish echoes though out the lair.

"Morning April" Donnie says cheerfully waving at the human.

"Guys there is..." April's voice trails off as her gaze settles on Mikey. "Who is that?"

"April meet Mikey, again" I say holding Mikey a little ways out from me.

"Mikey?!" April gasps taking a closer look at the small turtle.

April's POV:

"That's Mikey?" I say with disbelief.

"I the green flesh" Leo says nodding.

"How?" I ask looking at Donnie.

"We are unsure" he says shaking his head.

"What is going to happen now?"

"What is this 20 questions?" Raph sneers before yawning.

"What happen to you?" I ask looking at him up and down.

"Great more questions" he sighs crossing his arms over his chest.

"Mikey woke him up early today" Leo jumps in. I see Mikey start to wiggle in Leo's arms indicating he wanted down. Leo sets him on the floor and Mikey crawls away to Raph. As soon as he gets to Raph, Mikey tugs at his knee pads and coos up at him. Raph picks up Mikey and cradles him in his arms close to his chest. Mikey bops Raph's nose gently, gaining a smile from the hot head brother.

Raph and Mikey in the same room and Raph not trying to kill him? This will take some getting use too.

TBC