Okay, I really am not a fan of the TMNT (2007) movie, however, after re-watching it this evening, I came across a plot bunny.
After the whole Winter's incident, Raph still plays vigilante as the NIghtwatcher. Don and Leo are aware of what Raph is doing and both agreed to leave Mikey in the dark since the young turtle idolizes the Nightwatcher.
While on the rooftops, Mikey finds the Nightwatcher is in trouble with some foot ninja. He swoops down to rescue his hero. When he accidently finds out that the dark hero is his older brother, our little Mikey is more than pissed off that his brothers kept his identity a secret from him.
"Leo, I'm going out!" Raph said as he went over the turnstiles.
He heard a response from the dojo, "Just be careful brother, be back by midnight!" Just as the hot headed brother started to make his way to the garage, his youngest sibling jumped down from the second story of their home and chased after him.
"Hey Raph, where are you going?" Mikey asked curiously.
"Just out to bust some skulls with Casey. Nothing you would be interested in" came the reply as the turtle continued walking.
Michelangelo was suddenly in front of his brother, causing him to come to a halt. "Can I come? I promise I will be good!"
"Not this time Mikey! You need to stay here, it's too dangerous" Raph replied, shoving his little brother out of the way.
"But Raphie, I'm bored!" Mikey whined as he trailed behind his brother.
"Will you stop with the stupid nickname! NO means NO Mikey!" once the turtle reached the garage door, he quickly realized that his brother wasn't going to give up. To avoid any more whining from his little brother, he quickly slid behind the door and locked it.
"You never want to hang out with me anymore. It's always with Casey" He heard Mikey say from the other side. "This is not fair!" Mikey was hurt not because he couldn't go with his brother but because his brother kept going out night after night. He missed hanging out with him. Defeated, Mikey marched back to the couch where he will sit up and wait for his brother.
Once he heard his brother stomp away from the door and was a safe distance away Raph whispered, "I'm sorry Mikey, I can't let you get hurt". It pained the turtle that he couldn't let his brother in on his secret. The Nightwatcher gig had been going on for quite a while now. Don and Leo were okay with it as long as Raph promised the two of them that he would be safe and always call for help when he needed it.
Now Mikey was a different story. Raph knew that Mikey idolized the Nightwatcher, always watching the news to catch the latest update on the vigilante's recent outing in New York City. He was scared of letting his brother know who he really was simply because he knew Mikey would want to help and join in. And even if he told the orange masked turtle no, he could for see him following him around the city and getting in the way. Michelangelo always had a habit of trouble finding him and he couldn't risk his brother's safety. It was agreed between the three older turtles that Mikey would be kept in the dark about Raph's night patrols.
Raph slipped on his Nightwatcher helmet and sped off in the night on his motorcycle. He knew he would be back before the knuckle head went to bed and planned on making it up to him with a late night monster movie marathon.
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"In other news, the midnight vigilante known as the Nightwatcher apprehended three suspects last night. They were attempting to break into New York National Bank when the Nightwatcher stopped the robbery. By the time police arrived at the scene, the Nightwatcher already left them tied up. They were arrested and charged. Currently they are being held on $50000 bond."
Michelangelo switched off the t.v., plopping the remote on the couch next to him. The news report lit a spark in the young turtle. "Man, the Nightwatcher and Raph gets to have all the fun. I get to stay cooped up in here to watch re-runs of CSI. I should be out there with him! Hey that's it!" the turtle leapt to his feet and silently said to himself, "I will find the Nightwatcher and offer him my assistance. Mikey you're a brilliant turtle. We can bust bad guys together and I can finally meet my idol! OH this is going to be so awesome!"
Carefully, the ninja snuck out over the turnstiles past Donnie's lab door and out into the sewers.
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"That's all you got?" Raph growled under his heavy helmet. He was in the middle of busting some foot ninja on top of the old Armory building. He clocked the unsuspecting ninja in the head with his fist, bringing him to his knees. The turtle quickly looked at his surroundings. Foot ninja were scattered across the rooftops, unconscious. He thought he won the short battle and as he was about the retreat, more soldiers joined him on top of the roof, outnumbering him. He reached for his shell cell and managed to hit the distress signal before a foot ninja knocked it out of his hand and crushed it. I may have won the battle, but it looks like I am about to lose the war, Raph thought to himself as he continued to fight.
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Mikey was running the rooftops of New York looking for any sign of his hero. He stuck to the shadows in fear that his brother or Casey would spot him and question him for being out late and alone. The last thing he needed was Raph raining on his parade. The sound of fighting caught the young turtles attention as he leapt onto another roof top. He peered down to see the Nightwatcher fighting some foot ninjas.
The young turtle stood at the corner of the rooftop to take in the situation. Obviously the vigilante was out numbered, but hey it was his hero, he could handle anything. Mikey wasn't about to break up the show because he didn't want it to be awkward when he met his hero for the first time because he would be embarrassed by him for saving him. The fight quickly turned in favor of the foot as they knocked the Nightwatcher on the ground. When Mikey saw that he wasn't getting up he decided it would be a good time to intervene.
"Cowabunga!" He screamed as he leapt onto the old Armory building. He immediately caught the foot's attention away from the Nightwatcher and engaged in combat.
"Mikey" Raph cursed softly as he spotted his brother on the same rooftop fighting off the foot. He decided to play it cool so he couldn't give his identity away to his brother as they fought. He shouldn't be here…What the hell is he doing? Raph decided not to complain at the moment since the odds were a little more in their favor now as he made contact with a foot soldier with his fist. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a foot soldier sneaking up behind his unsuspecting brother and let out a cry.
"Mikey, watch out!" He managed as he dove in and pushed him and his brother out of harms way. Both tumbled to the ground with a thud and the NIghtwatcher's helmet fell off. Mikey's eyes lit up like saucers when he saw the helmet bounce across the rooftop.
Oh man, his identity! The young turtle thought as he turned to see his rescuer. Red bandana tails whipped in the wind as the Nightwatcher, no his brother, Raphael, got up and finished off their attacker with a swift kick to the head.
No way, Raph is the Nightwatcher? Why didn't he tell me? Does Leo and Donnie know? The young turtle questioned as he turned his attention back to the helmet. He lifted himself up and made his way over to it. Bending down, he picked it up and turned back to his brother. Mikey was hurt and angry at the same time. His brother hid his identity from him and for all he knew, the rest of his family.
Once Raph calmed down and realized the foot soldiers retreated, he finally realized the weight that his head normally carries was no longer present. Once it struck him that his helmet had fallen off, he turned around only to be faced with a very unamused little brother.
"Mikey what are you doing out? You could have gotten hurt!" Raph began to scold, trying not to bring up the fact that his brother just found out his identity.
"I was bored and well decided to track down the Nightwatcher. Stupid me didn't realize it was you this whole time" The bitterness that came off in his voice was evident and Raph for the first time in his life, felt sheepish. Mikey tossed the helmet towards Raph's direction. Quickly the red banded turtle caught it effortlessly.
"About that Mikey, look…."
"Does Leo and Donnie know?" He scowled.
"Does Leo and Donnie know about what?" said a voice. Two turtles dropped down on the roof and joined them. Mikey realized it was his brainy brother that had asked the question. "and what are you doing out here, Mikey?"
"This," Mikey pointed to Raph angrily as he looked at the two brothers. "Wait, you don't seem so shocked to see our brother dressed as the Nightwatcher so I can only assume you did know".
"Mikey, we did, and we didn't want to tell you because…" Leo was quickly cut off.
"SO how long were you going to wait to tell me? Or wait let me guess," he yelled, "You were waiting to see how long it took stupid little Mikey to figure it out on his own".
"It's not like that at all…" Donnie said.
"How could you keep this from me? Raph you lied to me" he said, his voice was a little calmer.
"I did it to protect you. I know you Mikey, you would have wanted to come out and help me. You idolized the Nightwatcher and I didn't want to…" Raph trailed off.
"You didn't want what? Me to ruin your fun? Me to ruin your image?" He spit back, the anger was found again in his voice.
"No, Raph didn't want to get you involved in fear that you would get hurt" Leo backed up Raph.
"You know what hurts?" Mikey said throwing his nunchucks on the ground, "The fact that you all can't trust me."
"Oh come on Mike, that's a bunch of bullshit!" Raph said meeting his brother's gaze.
"You were my best friend, Raphael. I tell you everything, but you obviously couldn't tell me everything. None of you." He screamed. "I call bullshit on you hiding this from me." Mikey never cussed out of anger and his brothers were a little surprised.
"We were protecting you, stupid!" Raph growled back.
"Protecting me from what? All you kept doing was driving a wedge in between our friendship. You kept pushing me away this whole time so you could go off and save the fucking world! Don't we already do that as a team?"
Seeing that the argument was heating up, Leo got in between the two brothers. "Cool it guys, lets head home and discuss it later"
"No, oh fearless leader." Mike said shoving Leo out of his way. "We're done discussing this!" Mikey then did something he quickly regretted. His fist came in contact with his red banded brother's face and knocked him on the ground.
"Raph!" Donnie stated as he scurried over to his brother. Raph's hand came up to meet his bleeding lip as he took one good look at his attacker. Michelangelo stood there shocked. His lips started quivering but he held back the tears, he wouldn't give his brother the satisfaction.
"I hate all of you for lying to me!" He yelled.
Before anyone could say anything, Mikey took off, hopping over to the next rooftop. "Mikey, come back here!" Leo yelled but the youngest turtle kept running.
"Raph are you okay?" Donnie asked as he helped his brother to his feet.
"Yeah, little shit has a good arm. He just grazed the skin, I'll be fine" Raph quickly shook off the hit and turned towards Leo.
"I knew that this was coming" Leo said not taking his eyes off of the rooftop Mikey jumped onto. "Maybe we should have told him"
"Look Leo, it was my fault" Raph put his hand on his brother's shoulder. "I chose to keep it a secret, it's my responsibility."
"Should we go after him?" Donnie asked.
"No, let him go, Mikey always comes home" Leo stated as they made their way back towards the lair.
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Raphael was camped out on the couch waiting for his brother to return home. The television was turned on to Mikey and Raph's favorite movie, "Young Frankenstein" but Raph wasn't really watching it. He kept thinking about what he did to his brother and guilt continued to eat away at him.
You kept driving a wedge in between our friendship. You kept pushing me away so you could go off and save the fucking world!
Mikey's words kept playing over and over in his head. In a way, Raph had to agree with his brother. Maybe this wasn't worth it. Maybe it was time to hang up the Nightwatcher helmet for good.
Raph sighed as he tried to get his mind back into the movie, at least it would help to pass the time. Donnie was cooped up in his lab again and Leo and Splinter already were in bed since they were usually the first one up for morning training. He agreed to be the one to wait for his brother. Raph glanced at the clock that read 11:40 before dozing off.
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Raph jolted up when he realized he had fallen asleep. As his vision came back into focus, he read the clock: 2:23 am. He missed his brother coming in. Raph turned off the t.v. and decided that he should check his brother's room to make sure he was indeed home. Before Raph could make it to the stairs the door to the lair swung open.
Raph turned around to see his orange banded brother standing on the opposite side of the turnstiles. "Mikey, do you have any idea what time it is?" Raph questioned.
"Raph, I'm sorry" Mikey said before collapsing to the ground.
"Mikey!" Raph jumped over the turnstiles and lifted his brother onto his lap to get a better look at him. His bandana was stained with blood as the wound on his head continued to bleed down the side of his face. Bruises up his brother's arms and legs littered the bright green skin he noticed as he lifted his brother's right arm up. That's when he saw it, a big bright red stain on his brother's plastron. He had been stabbed. Panicking, Raph called for his other brothers to come out of their rooms, not wanting to move him in fear of hurting him further.
Donnie was first on the scene. He quickly guided Raph and Mikey into the lab as Leo and Master Splinter trailed behind them. "What happened to him?" Leo asked sounding suspicious that his older brother had something to do with it.
"I don't know, he just walked in the lair and passed out on me. Tell me he's going to be alright, Donnie". Raph pleaded with his brainy brother.
"He should. The head wound tends to bleed a lot we just have to stop the bleeding. Raph grab me some gauze" Raph grabbed some out of the medicine cabinet and handed it to his brother. Donatello continued as he applied pressure. "The wound on his side seems like a graze not a full blown stabbing. Raph apply pressure while I start sewing his side up" Donnie demanded.
"What can I do, Donnie?" Leo asked.
"Leo sterilize the needle and Master Splinter, can you get the spare blood out of the freezer. I think he may need some replenished, by the amount of blood I can tell he's lost a lot". Donnie began to frantically work.
Raph and Leo didn't leave his side. When Master Splinter knew his son wasn't in danger, he left to go make some tea.
"There, all finished" Donnie stated as he placed the final piece of tape on the side of Mikey's head. "He should be fine guys, only now he just needs to wake up"
"Yeah and tell us who did this to him" Raph stated.
"Easy Raph, let's just focus on getting Mikey better." Leo interjected. The three turtles settled around Mikey's bed and before they knew it they had drifted off to sleep.
Splinter walked back in the room, with a steaming cup of tea in his hand, and took in the sight of his son's sleeping around the injured youngest. "Sleep well my sons, I believe Michelangelo will wake shortly" he said before retreating back into his room.
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Michelangelo felt pain hit him all of a sudden. The throbbing let him know that the hit he took from the foot meant that he was still alive. He became aware of his surroundings but was afraid to open his eyes. He was downright mean with Raph and even went off and hit him. He didn't know what came over him. His only hope was that he would forgive him.
Memories rushed back to him from when he walked into the lair. The look on Raph's face right before he passed out told Mikey that he was concerned and scared for his brother. Deciding that it could only mean that a big happy wet reunion was in store for him once he returned to the land of the living, he finally opened his eyes.
Blurry green figures came into his vision. Blue, red, and purple surrounded him meaning that his brothers were there with him. Once he could focus, he turned to see Raph had his head on his arm, sound asleep. Mikey found his brother's hand and gave it a squeeze. Raph began to stir and when he sat up he saw that his brother was awake.
"Hey" Mikey said drowsily.
"Hey yourself" Raph replied with a hint of crankiness.
Mikey didn't know if this was because Raph was just waking up or if he was still mad at him. He wished he would have stayed asleep, that way he could avoid the daggers that his brother was staring at him.
"How long was I out?" Mikey asked.
"A few hours" Raph replied dryly.
Raph continued to stare at his brother and it was starting to make him uncomfortable. "I can't believe you hit me" Raph said straight and to the point.
"I guess the foot paid me back in your favor." Mike replied sheepishly as he had a look at his bandages and bruises.
"The foot did this to you?" Raph replied.
"Yeah, it was my fault, I guess I was so angry I went looking for trouble last night" Mikey said dropping his gaze towards the bed. "I pulled a Raph". The pain in Raphael's eyes were evident when Mikey said that. He never wanted to influence his brother in getting hurt or worse, acting like him. There was only room for one hothead on the team. They were silent for a long time before Mikey felt his brother gently grab his chin and pull it up so he could look at him in the eyes.
Tears were forming in Raph's eyes as he said his name no louder than a whisper. "Don't ever scare us like that again. You came in here at almost three in the morning looking like utter shit"
Tears burned in Michelangelo's eyes as he didn't fight them from falling down his face. "I'm sorry" he choked out. Raph scooped his brother up in his arms and let out a sob. Mikey nuzzled his beak in his brother's chest as he felt the tears hit his shoulder.
"This is why I didn't want to tell you. I didn't want you to get hurt" Raph mumbled in his brother's shoulder. Mikey continued to hold on to his brother, realizing he got his big wet reunion. He smiled to himself because at that moment he knew all had been forgiven.
"I understand now. But Raph," Mikey pulled away. "Promise me something"
Sniffing, Raph replied, "Anything Mikey"
"Actually a few things: first, never lie or try to cover up anything again. I trust you with my life and we can tell each other anything"
"That's a given" Raph quickly replied.
"And second," Mikey continued, "Promise me that in between you going out busting bad guys that you remember your little brother whose sitting at home on the couch. That you come home every night safe and we can you know…" he trailed off, slightly embarrassed by what he was about to say. "Hang out once in a while on your nights off. I miss you big brother"
Raph couldn't believe it. Just ten hours ago, Mikey laid him out on that rooftop and now he was saying that he missed him. He hugged Mikey once more, a little tighter than the first time. Mikey heard his brother's voice echo in his chest as he laid his head against his plastron.
"We will hang out all the time, I have decided to give up the Nightwatcher gig"
"Wait what?" Mikey said
"I don't need to do that anymore. This situation has taught me that I have been missing out on the things that matter the most to me." Raph pulled away to look at his brother. "You and this family. This team. We fight together as brothers from here on out".
"I have to say I am a little disappointed, Raph" well that wasn't what he was expecting. Raph questioned it with a confused look. "New York needs a hero Raph. Someone to look up to. You were mine all along. You still are you know?"
Tears came to his eyes for the second time that night. Not from sadness but from pride. He was his brother's hero? Even after everything? Mikey cuddled into his brother's chest once more and Raph sighed in relief.
"I love you little brother" Raph stated.
"Love you too bro! And I am sorry that I hit you" Mikey replied.
"It was a cheap shot, just don't expect that to happen again" Raph threatened. "We'll let this one slide"
Mikey chuckled to himself as a sound of applause could be heard. The two turtles looked up to see their other two brothers cheering and clapping.
"Glad you two are okay now" Leo replied as him and Donnie joined in the group hug.
"We're sorry too Mikey for keeping this from you" Donnie stated.
"All is forgiven. Besides I know how you can make it up to me" Mikey replied with a cheeky grin. "I think the Nightwatcher could use a sidekick. I totally saved your shell back there dude"
Raph held his brother a little tighter and laughed. "After this, I am never letting you topside ever again and that is a promise"
"Oh man, not even to…" Mikey started to say
"Don't bother little brother, trouble is your middle name and with three over protective older brothers, we will never let you out of our sight again" Raph stated as he kissed his brother's cheek. Mikey decided that this is one fight he wouldn't win and drifted off to sleep.
END! Please read and review. Also a side note: I know that I haven't responded to my reviewers from my other stories but I want to let everyone know I appreciate the encouragement. You keep me coming back! I love the fanfiction community! Night Y'all!