Thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing. I really get excited about checking my mail. (sad huh?). Still no answers to Raph's little troubles but he actually speaks in this chapter. Any who, here we go again. And, uh, sorry this chapter is so short.
April woke up the next morning to the smell of pancakes and coffee. Rolling over, she realized Casey was already up. She could hear his voice downstairs talking to Michelangelo.
Grabbing her robe, she went downstairs for breakfast. As the smell of coffee grew stronger, her pace quickened. "Morning everyone," she said as she walked into the kitchen.
"Good morning glory," Michelangelo gave her a small kiss on the cheek and handed her a cup of coffee.
"Thanks Mikey," she smiled.
"Hey!" Casey interjected "Watch it shortstack," he pointed a piece of bacon at the smallest turtle. "That's my girlfriend you're kissing." He walked over and gave April a small kiss on the lips. "Morning Beautiful."
"Well that's just great," Mikey put his hands on his hips and flashed a cheeky grin. "I've been replaced."
"Sorry Mikey, but Casey's greeting is a bit better," April smiled. She looked around the table at her adopted family and couldn't help but feel like this was where she belonged. He smile grew into a large grin when a plate of pancakes was placed in front of her.
"The blueberry bushes outside were ready to be picked," Michelangelo shrugged. "So I figured, why not? Everyone loves blueberry pancakes." Michelangelo watched for a moment as everyone began eating. "I'll take the silence as a good sign."
After a good breakfast, Leonardo was the first to get up. "Where are you going my son?" Splinter asked.
"I thought I might go exercise for a little," he shrugged his shoulders. "I don't want to get rusty."
"If you would, do a favor for me first."
"Of course Sensei. What is it?" Leonardo put his plate and cup in the sink.
"The weather report said that it was going to be rather cool tonight. Would you mind cutting some firewood for the fireplace?" he passed his plate to Casey who was getting up.
"I can give ya' a hand with that Leo," Casey said.
"Actually Casey, I would like for Michelangelo to assist Leonardo with that particular task."
Mikey looked a little shocked at his father's suggestion. "But Master Splinter," he protested. "I was gonna go check on Raph."
"April can do that," and he turned to April. "If you do not mind."
"No, of course not," she stood up and stretched. "Just let me go get changed and I'll go relieve Donnie." And she headed upstairs to her room.
"Well," Casey scratched at his head. "I guess if we're gonna build a fire tonight, I better go and check the flume to make sure the chimney isn't clogged."
Chairs scraped the floor as everyone got up to take care of the mornings tasks, some more hesitant than others.
"Hey Mike," Leonardo spoke to his brother as they were at the front door. "I'm going to go put my katanas up in my room, I'll meet you at the wood pile."
"Fine," he muttered. "Whatever," and Michelangelo trudged out to the side of the barn, obviously upset.
April got changed and made her way into Raphael and Donnatello's room. She stopped in the doorway and stared at the sight before her. Donatello was sitting in the chair at the foot of Raphael's bed, facing his brother. Raphael slept soundly while Donatello kept watch. He had obviously been awake all night his head would bob as he kept fighting the sleep that threatened to overtake him.
April walked over quietly, not wanting to surprise him. "Donnie," she whispered softly and touched his cheek.
"Huh?" he jumped a moment and turned to see April eye level with him. "Hey," came a groggy answer. "What time is it?"
"It's time for you to get some rest," she replied. "Go lay down in the other room. I'll sit with Raph for awhile."
"But..." he began to protest.
"Donnie, you need some rest. I promise to come get you if he needs anything." She put her hands behind his shoulders and helped him out of the chair. "Go get some sleep."
April went about picking up the washcloths off of Raphael's skin. Some of the salve made from the baking soda crumbled and fell to the sheets. As she did so, she could hear Donnatello and Leo talk for a moment as the tired turtle crawled into bed.
"Is he gone," a tired voice caught her attention.
"Hey," she smiled and pulled the chair up to the bed side. She gently stroked the side of his face. "Yeah, I sent him to get some sleep in the other room. You gave us quite a scare."
"Sorry," he answered and held her hand to his cheek for a moment. Suddenly, as if ashamed of his actions, he let go and turned his head away from her.
"No Raph," she pulled his face back over so he was looking at her. "Not this time."
Leonardo headed out to the side of the barn. As he got closer, he could hear a loud TOCK! as Michelangelo had begun cutting the wood. He let out a sigh and his shoulders sagged for a minute as he thought about the brief conversation he had with Donatello. "Hey Mike," he spoke. "Save me any wood?"
"Sure," he answered without even looking up. WHACK! Another piece of wood was split. He tossed the two pieces into a small pile he had started.
"So I talked to Donnie," Leonardo said in between strikes. "He said Raph's swelling has gone down quite a bit."
"And?"
"And he said he'll probably wake up today and he'll be up and about tomorrow." Leonardo smiled at Michelangelo, hoping to get some sort of reaction, but the youngest didn't even look at him. Leonardo felt a hole growing in his stomach. Frustrated, he put his axe down and walked over to his little brother and immediately took the blade from his hands.
"HEY! What gives!" he shouted. "You could get hurt doing stupid stuff like that!"
"Well maybe then you might actually pay some attention to me!" Leo shot back.
Michelangelo just looked shocked. It wasn't a regular thing for his oldest brother to take a cheap shot like that. Michelangelo just stared at the ground.
"Look Mikey," Leonardo tried to apologize. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you."
Michelangelo sat down on the stump and put his head in his hands. "Don't apologize Leo. You're right. I haven't exactly been pleasant to you since we got here." He stared his brother in the face, "I'm sorry. I'm just…….. angry." He held his hands out, "What's going on? Is Splinter trying to purposely keep me from talking to Raph? Did I do something wrong?"
"No Mikey," Leonardo pulled the other stump over next to his little brother. "I think Splinter is doing his usual. Trying to teach us a lesson."
Michelangelo leaned forward, his arms resting on his legs. "This must be a heckuva lesson." He turned to look at his brother as Leonardo put his arm around him. "You have any clue what it is?"
"Mikey," Leo chuckled for a moment, "did you know, that I can't stand blueberries?"