Type: Dialogue-fic

Between: Raph and Don

Setting: Christmas Eve, snowy rooftop, fluffy coats and city lights, during the two years Leo was in South America

Summary: Bonding and Christmas understanding, hopefully humor and brotherly fluff

"Donnie, what are ya doin' out here?"

"Geez, Raph! You nearly gave me a heart attack! What are you thinking sneaking up on me like that?"

"One, it ain't considered sneakin' if you weren't paying attention. And two, my question still stands. What'cha doin' out here in the snow? Are you wishing for frostbite or somethin'?"

"Sure, Raph, because I always wish for frostbite on Christmas. It's tradition."

"Shut up an' answer me already."

"Why should I tell you? Just go off with your reckless patrolling of the city and just leave me alone."

"Sheesh, someone isn't feeling the Christmas spirit."

"It's sure hard to when my IT job is driving me up a wall, the Christmas tree has been devoured by rats, the presents I planned for have backfired, my younger brother is losing hope that we'll even be a family again, my father is fading more and more into the background of everyday life, my older brother is away in South America and doesn't seem like he even wants to come home, and my final brother is running around PATROLLING EVERY NIGHT AND MOST TIMES DOESN'T EVEN BOTHER COMING HOME!…. It… It doesn't exactly feel like a Christmas worthy of celebration."

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh."

"So what are ya doing out here, then?"

"I….. I had to get away from it all…. It just feels…. suffocating at home. I wasn't sure what to do."

"Seems like it. This is a great spot, after all. Can see most of the city."

"Yeah."

"Remember when sensei used to take us out here to look at the Christmas lights?"

"Yeah, I remember. It always seemed like he chose the coldest night of the year to go out."

"It was Christmas Eve, Brainac! Of course it was cold! 'Course, Master Splinter would always strangle us with heavy coats and scarves before we left."

"It's a good thing too, or else we probably would have frozen at our normal body temperature. Even now we need thick jackets to be out here."

"I guess, but it always felt like he was being a mother-hen. You'd think we were old enough to dress ourselves."

"We were ten, Raph. Leo and I probably could have handled it, but you and Mikey would have frozen to death out of negligence."

"Your confidence in my survival skills is truly flattering, Don. But what do you say to the fact that Splinter still does it now?"

"He doesn't."

"Yeah, he does. Just yesterday he tried to tie three extra scarves around my throat."

"Wait, you were home yesterday? How come I didn't see you?"

"It was the dead of the night, Donnie. You and Mike were both passed out. Splinter was the only one up."

"So then you just left again."

"I waited til mornin'. Needed to stay in the sewer until it was safe to go up anyway."

"So you couldn't wait at home? What was so important in the sewers that you chose it over us?"

"Hold on there, Don, I didn't choose anything over anyone-"

"Right, that's why we hardly ever see you anymore and when we do it's only for a few minutes before you leave again! I think this is the longest conversation I've had with you in months and even then they usually end in arguments! What gives, Raph?"

"I didn't come here to argue with you, Donnie."

"You don't come at all, Raph."

"Computer chip."

"What?"

"You asked why I went into the sewers yesterday. It was for a computer chip."

"Computer chip?"

"Yeah, you know, the latest version? The piece of tech you've been drooling over all year?"

"You mean the CC500?"

"Yeah, that's the one. Ordered it a few days ago and set the shipping address to an abandoned house near a manhole. It ended up arriving a few hours late."

"But… why would you want a computer chip?"

"Gee, I don't know, Brainac. Let's think about this for a minute, it's Christmas Eve…. the chip is something you've wanted for a long time…. You do the math."

"But… I don't…"

"I'm not spelling it out for ya, if that's what you want. Geez, for a genius ya sure are slow."

"It's not that… I just…. Why?"

"Why?"

"Yeah, why? I mean… Oh shell, I feel like an idiot."

"As much as I love to hear you say that, it really isn't you. Like you said, I haven't exactly been home very often."

"I know, but… still. How did you even pay for it?"

"I have savings, as hard as it is to believe. Yours was actually the only really expensive one."

"Really? What you get Mikey?"

"That new comic book he'd been wanting. I know a guy who was able to get it for me for cheap."

"Was it stolen?"

"Sure Donnie, I totally got our baby brother stolen merchandise for Christmas. What do you take me for?"

"Sorry, I just-"

"My guy works at the company, Don. He reserved one for me."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Oh."

"I don't understand you."

"And here I thought we were going to remain in silence as our feet freeze to this rooftop. What don't you get about me, Donnie?"

"I don't understand how you keep changing your mind."

"About what?"

"About everything. About if you're home or not, about if you want to be nice or not, about if you care or not-"

"Don't go there, Don."

"See? Even now you're avoiding it. Just answer one question: Do you still care about us?"

"What? Of course I do! Why would you even think that?"

"I don't know, maybe because you're never home and when you are you avoid everyone! And then you go off and spend all this effort to get us presents! It's like one minute you care and the next you couldn't care less."

"You're right."

"I- I am?"

"Yeah, ya are. Happy now?"

"… No."

"No surprise there. So what do you want from me?"

"What do I want?"

"Yeah. You obviously think I should be doing things different. What do you want me to do?"

"Do? How about stay home and never go out again?"

"No can do, Donnie-boy."

"Why not?"

"Can't stay there for very long… With Leo being gone an' all… It's…"

"It's what?"

"Suffocating."

"Look, Donnie, I don't want to fight with you, bro. It's Christmas. Shouldn't we talk about something else?"

"I- You will be home for Christmas, right?"

"'Course. How else would I get you guys your gifts?"

"You'd find a way. Are you staying to receive some gifts as well?"

"Didn't think there would be any."

"Don't be so dramatic, of course there are. Just because Leo isn't here doesn't mean we stop being a family."

"True. But ya know what?"

"Oh, pray tell…"

"We ain't the only ones."

"The only ones what?"

"The only ones with someone missin' on Christmas. People go missing a lot in the city. Most of the time they never find the body. Reason I'm here."

"What reason?"

"To find out. To make things right for them. It's just a shame I can't do the same for us."

"Raph… you aren't the only one who wishes you could jump on a plane and search the entirety of the South American jungles until you found him and dragged him home. We all do."

"Well yeah, but do you all wish you could kick his shell to kingdom come the moment he gets back?"

"When he gets back?"

"Yeah…. He is coming back, Donnie."

"Right. Leo comes back, kick his shell. Got it. Any other brilliant plans on your Christmas list?"

"Yep. Drag the genius back inside before he freezes to death and lock his lab door and sabotage his IT phone so he can actually enjoy this Christmas without whinny idiots who forget to turn on the computer."

"Hmm, well thought out strategy. Except for one thing."

"What's dat?"

"We don't have a tree."

"Plenty of 'em for sale at the spot down the street. You got cash?"

"Yes, I do. Shall we?"

"After you."

Author's Note: Just thought I'd try this out. I've never done a dialogue-fic before, but I liked when other authors did them so I thought I would try my luck. And it's close to Christmas so I wanted to do a one during the holidays. Set before the 2007 movie.

Hope you liked it!