TMNT does not belong to me. Just Cade, Delaney, Layla, Toby & Co.
"How many times did Dad tell you not to touch that?" Fifteen-year-old Delaney asked irritably, her mismatched hazel and blue eyes glaring through her periwinkle mask at her red-masked cousin. Cade just shrugged and flipped one of her silver sais.
"Actually, Laney, he told you, Aaron, and Toby. Toby specifically." Their second youngest cousin was very much like his father, their Uncle Mike. Same exact personality. Completely unable to keep his hands to himself. His little brother Yoshi was usually right behind him. "And besides, it's not like it's gonna make much of a difference. That piece of scrap hasn't worked since your brother dropped it," the sixteen-year-old said, her accent almost the same as her hotheaded father's. With just a hint of her mother's Southern in there.
Donatello's daughter rolled her eyes in much the same way her father always did. "It doesn't matter, Cay. We don't know anything about it. For all we know it could be a bomb set to go off if someone tampers with it too much."
Cade's eye ridges rose, but she pulled her hand back from the small piece of machinery, "Then why keep it?"
"Well, maybe because it's clearly not a bomb?" Delaney said, earning her a scowl from her older cousin and best friend. "Yeah, I know I said it might be one, but the configuration doesn't match the blueprints of any explosive device I've ever studied." Like her father, Delaney found solace in science, "In fact, the alloy is of a kind not even used in bomb manufacturing. That, and I didn't see any type of trigger or trip-wire when Dad examined it. Still-"
Raphael's eldest rolled her eyes, "Spare me the lecture, Genius Junior." The younger turtle girl narrowed her eyes at the moniker. Her Uncle Raph had christened her and Aaron, her twin brother, that when they were just kids. And, of course, her cousins had picked up on it quickly. Cade was the only one who used it frequently. She was more like her father than her younger brother was. Trevor was more like Aunt Annie. Very much in control of himself. Cade was known for blowing up occasionally. Not as much as when they were kids, but it was still an issue. Delaney suspected that the reason why her oldest cousin was doing better was because of the time Uncle Leo spent meditating with the headstrong teenager.
But now that Grandpa had just passed away... Uncle Leo was spending more time by himself. And, on top of grieving Grandpa Splinter along with everyone else, Cade was also missing that special time with their blue-masked uncle. Which was why she was now snapping at her favorite cousin.
"Look, Cade. You're not the only one hurting here," Delaney said, finally snapping. Cade stiffened, fists clenched. "I miss Grandpa too. And I know you're frustrated. Uncle Leo's not trying to ignore you. And anyways, if he was, I wouldn't blame him," the younger turtle said, the tears finally falling down her face. "The whole world doesn't revolve around you, Cade!"
Delaney stood up fast to escape her father's lab and her green-eyed cousin, only managing to run into her Uncle Mike's arms. She wrapped her arms around his waist and cried silently into his plastron as he rubbed comforting circles on her shell.
"What's going on, girls? Cay?" the orange-masked turtle asked, looking at his oldest niece.
Cade just shook her head and stalked off, growling softly. Raphael looked up from the dojo area where he was sparring with his fifteen-year-old son. His wife, Annaleigh, who was seven months pregnant with their own set of twins, got up to follow their headstrong daughter.
Uncle Raph shook his head, "I got it, Wildcat. Why don't you help Trev with his meditation?"
Delaney tried to tune it all out as she clung to her Uncle Mikey. She just wanted Grandpa back. Shell, she'd managed to keep her cool so far. Why was she falling apart now? Cade really hadn't acted any different from normal. I guess losing Grandpa is finally starting to get to me. Her dad had always said that she was emotionally tough, like her mother. It was Aaron who'd gone hysterical first when Uncle Leo had told all of the teenage turtles the bad news. Mom and Dad were in the garage right now, talking with her twin. Delaney wanted them right then. But she dare not follow Cade up there now. Like Uncle Raph, sometimes Cade just needed her space. This was definitely one of those times.
Cade stomped through the garage, completely ignoring her Uncle Don and Aunt Amie as they called to her. It wasn't long before she was racing across the roof tops of New York. Completely aware that her father was following her the whole time. Why the shell can't he just leave me alone? Can't he just get it through his thick head that I don't want to talk about it?
But there was no use trying to outrun Daddy. She knew 'cause she'd tried it before. So, she kept going until she reached the park, stopping in the middle of the woods so that her father could catch up.
She kept her shell turned firmly toward him as he approached, "I'm fine, Daddy. I'm not gonna do anything stupid." Cade turned slowly toward him, "Just needed some air."
Raphael nodded, then wrapped her in his big arms, "I know you're not gonna do anythin' stupid. You're a lot smarter than I was at your age. But you're sure as shell not fine. I'm not that dumb."
Cade gave a half-hearted chuckle, burying her face in his chest. "Why Grandpa, Daddy? I mean, yeah he was old. But he wasn't that old. I just want him back," she finished with a soft sob.
Raph tightened his arms around his daughter, "I know, Sweetie." His voice almost choked. "Splinter was my dad, ya know. I miss him just as much as you do."
"I'm sorry for being such a pain. I just... I just don't know what else to do," Cade said miserably.
Her dad kissed the top of her head, "You're not a pain. You're just hurting like the rest of us. There's nothin' wrong in losing it every once in a while. Better to stomp off then to explode. I should know. I was a lot worse when I was your age."
"So I've heard," she said, trying to keep her voice light as she looked up at her Daddy's amber eyes.
Raph's expression was just a little stern, "Ya might want to apologize to Laney, though. She seemed pretty upset."
Cade pulled away and sighed, rubbing tear-filled eyes with her knuckles, "I know. I didn't mean to hurt her."
Thirteen-year-old Layla was currently trying to get her father to stop meditating. Her blue-masked father had been sitting in Lotus position in his and her mother's room for much longer than normal. But Leonardo was extremely focused, so much so that nothing short of an emergency would get him to snap out of it. And the shapeshifting young turtle was fresh out of those.
"Daddy, c'mon!" She tried snapping her fingers in front of his face, but that didn't work. She tried everything she could think of, and then some. Her dad didn't even flinch. Her eyes changed to a deep red out of frustration before turning back to their normal pupiless, silvery brown. Sometimes she loved his focus, like when he spent time with her alone, especially when they did their katas or went out on patrol together. But now...
"Daddy, everyone's hurting too you know." She curled up in his lap like she used to when she was little, breathing a sigh of relief when he finally moved and wrapped his arms around her.
"I know, Lotus Blossom," he answered softly, using his special nickname for her. "But I've got to gain control of myself. It won't help the family if I lose it now."
"If you did lose it, Daddy, I won't tell." He chuckled softly and kissed her cheek.
"You're just like your mother, you know that?"
"Funny, love. I was just about to say that she takes after you," Steph said as she settled on the bed next to them, offering him a mug of Splinter's favorite tea.
Thirteen-year-old Toby was sitting with his mother on the couch while his dad comforted Delaney. He'd felt his grandfather die. And since then, he'd been completely silent. Which was completely unlike him. His uncles always said that 'Mikey Jr.' would have been a better name for him. His dad was still quite the goof usually too, but nowhere near the prankster that his uncles and aunts said that Michelangelo used to be.
Sensing Grandpa's death wasn't the only thing keeping him quiet. Like his mother, he could sense everyone's emotions. Uncle Leo was in shock, trying to keep himself centered for everyone else's sake. Uncle Raph had been simmering rage, taking out his feelings by helping Trevor with his self-defense until he'd followed Cade out. Uncle Don was guilty regret as he and Aunt Amie comforted Aaron, both father and son were feeling like they could have done something. And Dad was completely opposite from his usually cheerful self.
Everyone else was feeling their grief in different ways as well. The only ones who weren't hurting were Uncle Raph's twins who weren't even born yet and Toby's little brother, Yoshi, who, because he was only five, didn't yet understand death. All the kid knew was that Papa Splinter had gone away and wasn't coming back.
Toby's eyes shown his normal violet as he 'tasted' everyone's current state of mind, changing to baby blue for a moment. Unlike his mother, Toby was capable of shutting off his ability. But only for a certain amount of time. He just hoped that everyone was feeling better by the time it did. Sometimes, his empathy was just too much for him to handle.
Please R&R.