"Oh, great, you guys are finished," Sadie said, looping her arm through Miwa's arm as soon as she exited the dojo after morning training.
Miwa tensed for a second and then forced herself to relax enough to let her sister-in-law drag her into the stairwell. She'd been back with the clan for eight years and still wasn't completely used to being touched.
"We hired a new scientist to work in the first floor lab and I want you to come with me to welcome him on his first day," Sadie said, dragging Miwa down the stairs.
"Why me?" Miwa asked.
"Well, Donnie can't do it," Sadie said.
"But I don't know anything about the lab, remember? You and Donatello remind me of that very important fact every time I dare to step foot in your precious lab," Miwa said, scowling. "While practically smacking my hands away from stuff," she muttered.
"No need for you to touch anything down here either," Sadie said, grinning at her as she opened the door to the first floor lab. "I just want another face with me to welcome him to the company."
"Fine," Miwa said, rolling her eyes at Sadie as she headed into the lab where she immediately bumped into someone. That someone's hands reached out and grabbed her upper arms to steady her. She looked up and found herself staring into the gray eyes of the man she'd run into.
"Gotcha," he said, grinning at her.
Her eyes moved up to his striking red hair and she only managed to nod at him as she realized he was still holding onto her arms.
"Great, your security code got you in the lab no problem I see," Sadie said. "We're so happy you're joining the team."
Miwa watched the red-haired man drag his eyes away from her to look at Sadie. He released her arms and reached a hand out to shake hands with Sadie.
"I'm very glad to be here, Dr. Hamato," he said.
"Please, call me Sadie. And this is Miwa Hamato. Miwa, this is Dr. Sam Chaplin."
Miwa licked her lips as Sam grinned as he looked back to her. He extended his hand to shake one of her hands as well.
"Very nice to meet you, Miwa," Sam said, squeezing her fingers. "Your last name is also Hamato, huh?"
Miwa nodded as she replayed the sound of her name coming out of his mouth. "Donatello is my brother," she said, finally finding her voice.
"Can't wait to meet him either," Sam said. "So are you a scientist too?"
Miwa laughed. "No. In fact, I'm not technically allowed to touch anything in the labs." She sent a light scowl to Sadie.
Sam leaned in towards her. "Well, I won't tell if you won't," he said, winking at her.
Miwa felt something squirm in her stomach and took a tiny step backwards. "Well, it was nice to meet you. I have to get to an appointment," she said, pointing awkwardly at the door to the stairwell.
"Be sure to come back and visit," Sam said. "I'd hate to start talking to myself being the only one down here all the time."
Miwa smiled awkwardly again and headed for the stairwell.
"Be right back," Sadie said to Sam and quickly followed Miwa into the stairwell. "Wait, where are you going?" she asked Miwa before she could get up all the way up to the second floor. "You don't like him? Are your ninja senses going off? Is there something wrong with him?"
"Ninja senses?" Miwa asked, raising an eyebrow at Sadie. "You had me meet him while I'm completely covered in sweat from morning training!"
Sadie's worried expression was quickly replaced by a wry grin. "You didn't care about how you looked before we went in the lab."
"Shut up," Miwa said, turning to stomp up the stairs.
"Have fun at your appointment!" Sadie called up after her. She smiled and went back into the first floor lab to show Sam around.
Leo came up behind Raphael as he was pouring himself some coffee and trapped him against the counter between his arms.
"Are you going to tell me your secret already?" Leo asked, pressing his plastron against Raph's shell. He leaned forward and kissed the back of Raph's neck.
Raphael tried and failed to fight off the inevitable shiver he got anytime Leo went anywhere near the back of his neck.
"No, ya dork. Get offa me."
Leo pressed his plastron harder into Raph's shell in response. "Usagi will be here in a little while to drop off the bunnies. Maybe I'll just ask him."
Raph smirked. "He's not comin."
Leo released Raphael. "What?"
"I canceled yer trainin with the bunnies today."
Leo narrowed his eyes.
"Surprise?"
"No practice today?" Machi asked, coming into the kitchen.
"Why did you cancel practice?" Leo asked.
"You'll find out later," Raphael said, taking a sip of his coffee. He poured Machi some cereal and placed it in front of her.
He was saved from Leo's fierce blue gaze by a knock on their door. Miwa quickly slipped inside and sat down at their kitchen island next to Machi. She gave her adorable ten-year old niece a quick hug.
"What'd Sadie want?" Raph asked, side-stepping away from Leo's scowling face.
"She wanted me to help welcome their new first floor lab scientist," Miwa said, ducking her head into the cup of coffee Raphael handed her.
Leo pulled his eyes away from glaring at Raph when he heard the strange tone of Miwa's voice.
"Hamato Miwa, are you blushing?" Leo asked, staring at his sister's red face.
"I've never seen you blush before," Raph said, tipping his head at her. "Even when you should blush, like remember that time in training when I flipped you across the room after you tried a sneak attack?" Raph asked. He caught Leo ducking his face to hide a smile and could no longer hold back his own laughter. "That would've been a good time to blush. Remember that?"
Miwa glared at Raphael as his rumbling laugh shook his shoulders. "No, I do not remember that," she said, sternly.
"Yeah, me either," Raph said, choking on his laughter as he walked out of the room.
Leo grinned as he heard Raph's open laughter fill their bedroom.
"What's so funny?" Machi asked.
"Nothing, sweetheart," Miwa answered.
"So you liked him?" Leo asked.
"I only spoke to him for a minute."
Leo shrugged. "I think that's all it takes sometimes."
Miwa ducked her head again but turned to say good morning to Akito as he sleepily entered the kitchen.
"You feeling ok?" Leo asked him. "You never sleep this late."
"I was up late working on a project," Akito said, sitting next to his Aunt Miwa. She tried to hand him her coffee mug but Leo's hand blocked him from actually taking it.
Leo glared at Miwa as he handed Akito some orange juice. "You'll stunt his growth."
"He's already as tall as me," Miwa said. "I can't handle my little nephew getting any taller. Give. Him. The. Coffee."
Machi giggled while Akito happily drank his orange juice.
"I'm sure I'll wake up once we start training," Akito said.
"Apparently, we're not having training today," Leo said to him.
"And do you hear how deep his sweet little voice has gotten?" Miwa asked.
"I'll be in my room, then," Akito said, eager to get away from his Aunt Miwa's scrutiny of his ongoing transition through puberty.
"I still don't understand why I can't go watch Shadow's soccer game," Machi said, suddenly. "She invited us. She wants her family there."
Leo sighed silently. Machi was smart trying to pull the family card with him. But they'd been over this a few times already. He knew Machi kept bringing it up because she really wanted to go but he hated having to repeatedly tell her no.
"Shadow doesn't understand why we can't go either."
"Machi, you understand that Shadow is a human and we are not, right?"
She crossed her arms and scowled but nodded at him. Miwa reached over and rubbed one of her shoulders.
"And we live in a human world. We can't just go watch a soccer game."
"It's not fair," Machi said.
Leo nodded again. "I wish you could go. Maybe we can find a nearby building and watch from a rooftop?"
Machi slipped down from her stool. "It's not the same," she said before leaving the kitchen.
Leo exchanged a look with Miwa before he narrowed his eyes on his sister suddenly.
"What?" she asked.
"I hear you and Raphael recently had a conversation where he asked you for a favor."
"Don't try pulling that leader turtle crap on me," she said, smiling. "My lips are sealed." She stood up and began to head towards the exit. "I'm going to have breakfast with Father. I'll see you guys later."
"Why will you see us later?" Leo asked.
Miwa smiled again as Leo followed her to the door. "It's a secret," she said before she quickly slipped out.
Leo turned and found Raph leaning against their bedroom doorway, smirking at him.
Raphael thought it was kind of fun having a secret that was driving Leo crazy. But since he didn't want Leo to actually kill him, he wasn't dumb enough to also tell Leo that everyone in the clan knew the secret already. He was already on edge with nerves and excitement all day waiting for it to finally be dark enough outside so they could finally get moving.
"Time to go, Fearless," he called out to Leo from the living room. He wasn't sure what Leo had been doing but his absence from the main rooms had given Raph a chance to pack up what he needed from the kitchen. Ninja skills or no, he'd had a really hard time packing up what he wanted to bring all day without Leo spotting him.
Akito and Machi appeared from their rooms, each with a backpack slung over their shoulders. Leo appeared as well and narrowed his eyes at his children when he realized they clearly knew what was going on. His eyes moved to Raphael who was organizing a few bags by their apartment door.
"Where are we going?" Leo asked, his tone icy.
Raphael glanced over at him. "Stop pouting. Yer gonna like it. Come help me carry this stuff down to the shellraiser." He began picking up some of the bags and realized Leo wasn't moving. "Akito and Machi, why don't you run next door and see if Shadow and everyone else is ready to go."
Akito hesitated when he saw how upset his dad looked. But Machi grabbed his hand and dragged him out the door.
Once they were gone, Raph crossed the room to Leo and looped his arms around his shell. "Do you really want me to tell you when yer already this close to findin out?"
"Everyone else already knows?"
Raph nodded. "Yes. They're comin too. But I really did all of this for you." He bumped his nose into Leo's nose. "Its yer birthday surprise."
Leo felt himself softening but continued to scowl at Raph's pleading face.
Raphael tightened his hold around Leo and leaned forward to kiss the side of his face before whispering, "I know I only mentioned this to ya yesterday, but I've been plannin it for months."
Leo stiffened. "Months?" he asked. "How did I not notice you planning something for months?"
"Cause I did it while I was at the garage," Raph said, shrugging. "And the only favor I asked from the rabbit was that he and the bunnies come with because I knew Akito would like it if Violet came too." He kissed the side of Leo's face again. "Now, have I shared enough secrets with yer stubborn ass to get ya to get in the damn car already?" he growled.
Leo looked into Raph's eyes and let a dorky grin cross his face. "This is for my birthday?"
"Let's go," Raph said, smiling back at him as he pushed him towards the door.