Little Raphael

Chapter 5

"Casey!" Raph screamed as he saw Casey be thrown against the wall and falling to the ground, being knocked unconscious. This distracted Raph, causing him to not see the foot of his opponent headed straight for his face.  He fell to the ground, groaning and wiping the blood from his split lip.  He looked up at the foot clan ninjas who were glaring down at him. 

This was what he was worried about.  How could he get out of this, with his brothers not knowing what was happening?  Surely they would have started wondering where he was by now.  He had to think quickly.  Who knows what the Foot clan would do to him and Casey if they were captured? 

Raph glared back, trying not to show fear.  He tried to jump back to his feet but was immediately knocked back down.  Despite being a skilled ninja, there was no way he could defeat ten footbots on his own.  

He groaned again as he felt his face scrape against the concrete.  "C'mon guys.  Please get here," He said desperately to himself.  He looked up and saw that one of the bots had its blade raised.  Just before it started to go down, there was the sound of metal hitting metal.  

Raph looked and saw one of the Hamato clan ninja stars sticking out of its head before falling down to the ground.  The other bots looked at it in confusion.  

"Up here metal heads!"  Screamed another voice from a water tower.  Raph knew that voice anywhere.  

"Mikey!"  Raph said with relief.  Then, all of his brothers jumped to the ground.  "Guys!" 

Leonardo sighed as he looked at his brother with a smirk.  "How did I know you two would find trouble to get into?" 

Before any of them could say anything else, the bots started to run.  They knew there was no way they would defeat the turtles without turning into scrap metal for one of Donnie's experiments. 

"Looks like our reputation precedes us," Donnie said crossing his arms.  He then went to Raph.  "Luckily you don't look too banged up." 

Raph shook his head as he stood.  "I've had worse.  What about-"

"Haley and April are watching Selena right now," Leo said, already knowing what Raph was going to ask.  "You really think we would bring a newborn baby to come looking for you?" 

Raph was about to answer when there was suddenly there was a groan. "Uh no," Raph said running to his best friend.  "Casey! We got to get him back," He said throwing his friend over his shoulders.  All the brothers nodded as the followed Raph down the fire escape.  They had left the manhole cover off of the sewer, so they were able to jump back into the sewers with ease.

**********

"Don't worry about it, Raph," April said as she closed the car door behind her husband.  "Casey gets himself into accidents on his own all the time," She smiled as she placed her hands on her hips.  "Let us know if you need anything.  Parenting is hard, so don't be ashamed to ask us for anything," Raph nodded as April hugged him.  "And I mean anything." 

"Thanks, April," Raph said as he hugged her back.  "I will." 

As April drove her family away to head back to their home, Raph turned to Haley who had his baby girl in her arms.  He sighed as he took her and bounced her gently.  Haley sighed.  "Do you want me to watch her tonight so you can actually rest a little?" 

Raph shook his head.  "No thanks, Haley.  I would just feel better about watching her.  Plus, you already have helped enough," He then turned to his brothers and father who were watching him.  "I'm just going to go to bed." 

"Sounds good, bro," Leo said as he patted his brother's back.  "I'll wake you up for training in the morning if you want." 

"Yeah.  I'd like that.  I'll be able to blow off some more steam," Raph said before yawning.  "Goodnight guys." 

Everyone watched as Raph bounced Selena in his arms while walking to his room.  When he disappeared behind the doorway, everyone let out a quick sigh.  Leonardo walked up to Haley and put his arm around her.  

Haley looked at him.  "There's no way he'll get a good night's sleep with a crying baby and sleeping in that old hammock he's had since he was ten." 

Leonardo shook his head.  "No, but he'd rather sleep in the hammock than risk rolling over Selena in his sleep.  We're still looking for cribs for her that are salvageable." 

"Why not get her a new one?" Haley asked quietly as everyone walked over to the TV area. 

Donnie sighed.  "They are so expensive.  If we can't find one in a month or so, we will buy one, but we want to try and find one first." 

"I have money.  I've been saving for years," Haley said abruptly.  "I'll pay for it." 

"We cannot ask you to do that, Haley," Splinter jumped in.  "We appreciate the offer, but we cannot ask you to spend your money on something that you will get no use out of." 

Haley looked at him.  "You guys aren't asking, I'm offering.   It's the least I can do since you guys are letting me live with you rent-free," She stood up.  "And you guys are my family.  Families help each other out when they need it.  Plus, don't you want your new and first niece, and granddaughter, to have a good crib?  One that we know is safe, stable, and sanitary?" 

Everyone sat quietly.  Mikey was the first to break the silence.  "Well... I call getting to go crib shopping with you.  My first niece is going to have the best crib money can buy!" 

"Mikey!" Leo said from the couch, rolling his eyes.  

"Without bankrupting your girlfriend, Leo," Mikey said quickly.  "Wouldn't want that." 

Haley rolled her eyes.  "We can go looking tomorrow afternoon,"  She glanced at Mikey who had a goofy grin on his face.  The few times they went out to go do something or pick up dinner, he would beg to stop at the comic book store.  She would obviously go with him, as going out alone was not allowed and Mikey would take any chance he got to go topside.

Leonardo sighed.  "Thank you," He said kissing Haley's temple.  He then looked at everyone else in the room.  "I'm going to go to bed too.  Training is at seven.  Don't sleep in or I'll dump cold water on you." 

Donnie rolled his eyes.  "Yes sir, fearless leader." 

Splinter nodded.  "We should all get to bed.  Sleep well my children.  I will see you all in the morning." 

"Goodnight guys," Haley said as she followed her boyfriend. 

"Night!" Donnie said.  

"Farewell, dudes-bros and dudette." Mikey screamed as he ran to his room as well.