Love Ya, Princess—A TMNT 2012 Story
Summary: When Joey becomes upset because of a nightmare, Raphael steps in and tries to help make her feel better.
TMNT © Mirage Studios
Joey © Me
Love Ya, Princess
It was a quiet day in New York City. That was a first. Usually there were Foot bots on the prowl, the Purple Dragons causing trouble, or the Kraang sending drones to wreak havoc. But today, none of the turtles' enemies were out destroying the city on this day, so the Hamato family decided to hang back, have a free day from training and relax
Except for one problem—not everyone in the Hamato family was relaxed.
"BREAKFAST! COME AND GET IT!" Mikey shouted from the kitchen.
The other turtles—Leo, Raph, and Donnie—didn't seem all too excited to have another one of Mikey's cooking disasters, but their minds were changed when the sweet, greasy smell of pizza aroused them and they all jumped to their feet and fled from the living room to take a seat at the table.
"It's about time, Mikey," Raph grumbled, not trying to sound excited. "I thought my stomach was about to eat itself!"
"Patience, Raphie," Mikey grinned, "there is plenty for everyone."
"What did you make this time, Mikey?" Leo asked.
"My fellow brothers, I present to you"—Michelangelo then presented to them a tray full of—"PIZZA MUFFINS!"
Donnie stared at the concoction. "Uh...what's a pizza muffin?"
"Only the best kind of muffin there is, dude!" Mikey explained. "It's a regular muffin filled with pizza sauce, coated with pepperoni and cheese, throw it into the oven, and viola! A pizza muffin! You guys gotta try it!" He then began passing out a muffin to each of his siblings. "One for you, Raph; one for you, Donnie; one for you, Leo; and one for..." He stopped when he came across an empty seat. "Hey. Where's Jo-Jo?"
The others shrugged. "Haven't seen her all morning. Probably still asleep," said Donnie.
"I'll get her up," Raph said as he got up from his chair and started heading for his sister's room.
"No!" The turtles turned to see Splinter standing in the entrance of the dojo. "It is wise to not disturb her. She came to me earlier this morning, saying she is feeling unwell and wishes to stay in bed for a while longer, which I have allowed."
"Not feeling well? Is she sick?" Raph asked with worry in his voice.
"I do not think so, Raphael," Splinter shook his head. "I am sure she had a rough night and wishes to be alone for a while."
Raph scoffed. "If I know Joey, she never wants to be alone even if she says it."
"Raph's got point, Sensei," Donnie said.
"If Josephine wishes to be alone, then we shall respect her wish," Splinter declared firmly. "I will not have any of you bothering her while she is trying to rest. Is this clear?"
"Hai, Sensei," the turtles all said, bowing their heads.
"Good. Now, enjoy your breakfast. Your sister will come out whenever she feels hungry, not when you ask her to." Then Splinter disappeared into the dojo.
There was a long moment of silence between the turtles until one of them spoke out. "Jo, wanting to stay in? That doesn't sound like her at all," said Leo.
"Yeah," Mikey nodded. "Normally, she's the one getting us up, or she's helping me make breakfast, or she's doing early training with Splinter, or-"
"We get it, Mikey," Raph growled.
"What's with you?" asked Leo, clearly seeing his younger brother's temper suddenly beginning to boil.
"Nothing." With that, Raph snatched a couple of the muffins and stormed off to his room, slamming the door. The remaining three watched him go then exchanged glances. Knowing how close Raph and their sister were, they seemed to know exactly what was up with him.
A few hours after breakfast, the turtles were all in the living room watching more of that show called "Super-Robo-Mega Force" when they heard the sound of a door opening. Quickly turning their heads around, they see their sister standing in the shadows of her room. The sleeves of her #84 Jersey sleep shirt were soaked, her faintly freckled cheeks were flushed pink as well as her nose, her teal-blue eyes seemed a little duller than usual, and the white of her eyes were a bit red. She gloomily looked around until she laid eyes on her mutant older brothers.
"Hi, Jo! Have a good sleep?" Mikey exclaimed cheerfully.
Joey forced a smile and nodded, then she headed for the kitchen, dragging her sock feet. Although her back was to them, she could see them eying her suspiciously and worriedly. But she was in no mood for talking about anything. She noticed one of the muffins Mikey had prepared was on at plate in front of the seat she usually sat in, slipped into her chair and took small bites out of the muffin.
The turtles followed her into the kitchen and crowd around her, but know well to give her enough space. "Hey, Joey...you feeling okay?" asked Leo.
Joey nodded slowly and turned her head from him. "I'm fine," she said barely above a whisper.
"You sure?" Don said, checking her out. "You like you've been-"
Joey tore away and faced the other direction. "I'm fine," she repeated, her voice cracking a little.
Raph didn't like seeing his sister so down, especially when she refused to talk about it. "Well, obviously, something's bugging you. We're just trying to help, Jo."
"I don't need your help," she mumbled and took another nibble out of her muffin.
Mikey smiled sympathetically and hugged her loosely. "Well, whatever's bothering you, you can tell us. We'll be here to listen. We all love you and want you to be okay."
Josephine then started trembling and squirming. "I-I said I'm fine. Just...Just...Stop touching me!" She shoved Mikey away then buried her face in her hands and suddenly began to cry. Leo and Donnie went to help Mikey up while Raph remained by Joey's side, trying to figure what's got his sister so upset.
That was when Splinter entered and lifted Josephine into his arms. "I thought I told you four to leave Josephine alone!" he said angrily as Jo clung to his kimono and cried into his shoulder.
"Sensei, she's our sister," said Leo. "We just want to help her feel better."
"If she wants to tell you what troubles her, she will. But if she doesn't, do not force her!" He then headed off to the dojo with Joey. "She will remain in the dojo with me so she can rest and settle down. I do not want any of you disturbing her. Is that understood?"
"Hai, Sensei," the turtles said softly and watched their master and sister disappear into the dojo. They all wore worried looks. They were deeply concerned for their sister and wanted to help. They knew her enough during the ten years she's been raised with them that whenever she was this upset, it had to be something big. And being her big brothers, it was their job to make it better.
However, Raph felt that was more of his responsibility. He clenched his fists and grit his teeth behind his lips and let out a heavy sigh through his nose. He was angry, as well as worried.
Late the following night, Joey refused to sleep. She either sat up or laid in her cot and messed with her clothes or her blanket. Splinter occasionally told her to try and get some rest, but shivers and a churning feeling in her stomach kept her up.
"S-Sensei?" she asked in a whisper.
"Yes?" he replied.
"I'm feeling a little hot...Can I walk around the lair a bit to cool down some?"
Splinter sighed. "Very well," he said, and his ears perked up the sound of tiny, eager sock feet racing out of the room.
Joey raced through the lair, biting back sobs, and headed for the subway, running as fast as she could through the tunnels until she reached the back part of the sewers. When she was far enough from the lair, she sat on the edge of the sidewalk and stared at her reflection in the sewer water. Tears dripped off her nose and splashed into the water. Memories from the previous night bubbled up, and more tears rose with them. Pulling her legs up to her chest and hugging them, she began to sob, her body trembling with each cry.
"Jo?"
She gasped and perked up, recognizing that voice. Turning around, she sees her second oldest brother standing at the corner of the tunnel, a look of worry seen in his emerald-green eyes. She sniffled and looked away again. "What do you want, Raph?" she quivered.
"Well, for starters, why are you this far from the lair?" Raphael asked. "So no one can hear you cry?"
"Just leave me alone!" Joey croaked in mid-sob.
Raph sighed and only stepped closer towards her. "Jo-Jo, you never like being alone. I know you too well. Privacy, sure, but never alone." He sat down beside her on the edge and hunched over. He stared at his reflection for a while then looked to his sister's, trying to see her face, but it was hidden behind her hair. He didn't like seeing or hearing his sister cry. In fact, he hated it. Ever since the first moment they met, when Splinter brought her home and presented her to them wrapped up in a blanket, they were going to be close. Whenever she needed someone for anything, he made sure that someone was him unless Joey said otherwise. When she would become sick, Raph would always want to take care of her. And when he would get mad, she would always help figure out a way to cool down his temper. Yet as of this moment, he couldn't help his sister. He felt helpless.
"What's bugging you so much?" he asked.
Joey sniffled and turned away. "N-Nothing."
Raph rolled his eyes and shook his head. "You suck at lying, Princess. Now tell me, what's gotten you in such a fit?" Joey kept her head turned away from him, resting her chin on her knees. "Did you have a bad dream or something?" Joey suddenly bursting into a fit of sobs indicated he hit the nail on the head. It angered and hurt him to see her so distraught. He placed a hand on her back, feeling her sobs rack her body. "If it bothered you this much, why didn't you tell any of us?"
"I-I d-did!" Jo hiccupped. "I-I told...S-Sensei..."
"Why Sensei and not any of us about your nightmare?" he asked.
"Because...Because the d-dream was...a-about y-you guys...!"
Raph now understood. That was why she couldn't look at him or the others, why Splinter wanted them to not push her and leave her alone, and why she wanted to isolated herself. She was afraid to face them after what she saw that night. He wanted to apologize for being too pushy earlier, but before he could say anything, Jo began to talk.
"W-We were out on patrol...A-And suddenly, all of our enemies surrounded us...So many of them...They attacked without warning...We were losing...D-Donnie was the first to go...Rahzar, he...he bit clean through his shell...S-Sounded so real...N-Next was Mikey...T-The Purple Dragons cornered him...They pierced him...his neck, his chest...a-and his head...I-I could see the life draining from those cyan eyes...The Foot ambushed Leo...H-He took on S-Shredder...and they impaled him from behind...through his shell...through his neck and his h-head...He fell backward...the blades went deeper through...Fishface killed you...H-He grabbed hold of you...and he sunk his teeth into your neck...When y-you succumbed to the poison, he...he..." She made a twisting and ripping motion with her hands before crying again.
Raphael was absolutely sickened. He could visualize it, but he was certain it was worse for his sister. He rubbed her back gently and hugged her as she wailed uncontrollably, telling her to let it all out. He felt her hot tears dripping onto and rolling down his leg, he heard the pain and fear in her voice. He knew that telling her it was only a dream wouldn't make anything better. All he could do was hold her close until she calmed down.
After a good fifteen minutes of crying, Jo's sobs turned to sniffles and hiccups. Raph glanced down at her and smiled while rubbing her head. "Feel better?" he asked.
Joey sniffed and rubbed her eyes. "A-A l-little," she croaked.
"Aw, only a little?" Raph playfully whined. "Well, I know how to make you feel lots better?"
Joey glanced up at him, her teary teal-blue eyes twinkling with curiosity. "How?"
"What I always do!" Raph then gently grabbed Joey's shoulders and pulled her into his lap. Then he slid his under her Jersey sleep shirt until his fingers found her stomach and started tickling her there. He grinned the second Jo started laughing and trying to get away from him, but he held her fast and resumed wiggling his fingers into her soft, warm belly.
"Hee-hee-hee-hee-hee-hee-hee-hee! R-Raphie-hee-hee-hee! S-Sta-ha-ha-ha-hap! T-That ti-he-he-he-tickles!" Joey cried.
"Yeah, I can see that, Jo!" Raph exclaimed over his sister's giggles. Then he removed his hand from under her shirt, lifted her hands in the air and attacked her underarms. Josephine went into a fit of hysteric, shrieking giggles as she began thrashing around in his lap. "You feeling any better yet, Princess?!"
"HA-HA-HA! AHA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA! YEE-HEE-HEE-HEE-HEE-HEE-HEE-HEE! N-NO-HO-HO-HO, NO MO-HO-HORE! R-RAPHIEEEEE!"
Despite his sister's pleas, he didn't stop there. He tickled her wherever else he knew she was ticklish: on her neck, her ribs, her hips, her knees, her feet. He tickled her mercilessly while holding her still in his lap. That would seem possible, but Raph was a ninja.
Raph wiggled his finger into Jo's neck and she giggled, raising her shoulders and shaking her head. "Hee-hee-hee-hee! Quit, that tihickles!"
Then he dug his fingers into her ribs, earning a loud laugh and a jolt from her, and he'd do it repeatedly. Same reaction when squeezing her hips—except she thrashed around more violently. "HA-HA-HA-HA-HA! RAPH, STA-HA-HA-HAP!"
Raph journeyed further down until he found her knees, squeezing the top and wiggling his fingers underneath. Joey yelped and pressed her legs together, trapping his hands under her knees. She didn't giggle as much, but any laugh from his sister was good enough for Raphael.
He made his way down to her tiny socked feet. Slipping his hand under them, he poked the bottom of her foot; she squeaked and pulled her foot towards her, but his hand followed. Then he tickled her feet by gently scratching the soles and the under part of her toes. Joey squealed and kicked and giggled, her cheeks turning red from smiling and laughing so hard. "Hee-hee-hee-hee-hee-hee-hee-hee! R-Raphie, no! N-Not my feet! Nyah-ha-ha-ha-ha! Plea-hee-hee-hee-ease don't, stop!"
"Don't stop? Okay then!" Raph continued tickling her feet with one hand while tickling her belly with the other. Then to finish it all off, he lifted her shirt, revealing her warm belly, pressed his mouth over her belly button and blew repeatedly. "PFFFFFTTT!"
Joey threw her head back and screamed. "AAAAAAAAAAAH! AHA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HAAAAAAAAAAH! HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA! HA-HA-HA-HA-HA! HEE-HEE-HEE-HEE-HEE-HEE!"
Raph chuckled and finally quit tickling her, letting his sister calm down in his lap. "You feel better now?" he asked again, and she nodded. "Good. 'Cause if you weren't, I'd have to make you go through that again," he said, playfully tapping her on her baby-like nose, making her giggle. Raph then held her close, resting his chin on the top of her head. "Don't ever feel afraid to come to any of us if you have a bad dream. It may seem hard to talk about it, but like Mikey said, we're always here for you, for anything."
Joey smiled and nuzzled him. "Thanks, Raph," she said sleepily. Raph nuzzled the top of her head then stood up, cradling her in his arms as he made the journey back to the lair. By the time he arrived, his sister was fast asleep. He then decided to let her rest with him for the night and laid down on his cot, placing Joey next to him. He made sure she was comfortable then kissed her forehead.
"Love ya, Princess," he whispered, and the two drifted off to sleep.
A/N: I know I have more Transformers fan fiction fans on here than TMNT, but even though if you aren't a TMNT fan, could you all please read and review? It'd mean a lot :) many thanks!