Disclaimer: Do not own or make money off of TMNT.

Chapter 7: Choices

After all was said and done, the four brothers walked out of the building that had been a prison for so long. They carried with them a truce signed by both them and several of the elite foot ninjas and Kat. They didn't have to worry about the foot anymore. And it was as if a weight was lifted from each of their shoulders.

As they neared the Battle Shell, Mikey turned to Raph. "Everythings set we can set out now or in the morning. The lair was secured when we left, and Ive gathered everything we will need."

Raphael nodded, pondering if they should leave right then or not. Leonardo stepped forward before he could make his decision though."Where would we be going? And i don't think I'm ready to face the lair yet either."

Raphs raised his eye-ridges at this remark and noticed Donnie nodding as well. Mikey frowned slightly. Why wouldn't they be able to.. Ohh. It hit him quickly that they still didn't know Splinter was alive. Glancing at Raph, he saw the sudden understanding on his face as well.

"Leo, Donnie... Theres something you need to know." Raphael paused, quite uncertain how to word it. Alixia though suddenly took the need to explain right out of his hands as she bounded ahead of them, darting into the Battle Shell then back out again.

"Raphie, Splinters on the phone!!" The child's acute hearing had picked up the ringing of the Battle Shells communications system even before they reached the vehicle. She was now bouncing back and forth infront of the vehicle waving at them.

Raphael took off at a sprint not noticing the shocked looks on his brothers faces. Mikey though turned to them. "Splinter was injured pretty badly so we couldn't bring him back with us. He is still in Arizona. He was doing pretty good when we left." Leo and Donnie both stared at him for a second longer before dashing into the vehicle. Both sliding to a stop as they saw their fathers face on the screen.

"It is something you will have to decide Raphael, The kibberwicks are a very nice family, But Alena is leaving the final decision in your hands." Splinters voice was soft and compassionate yet firm as well.

"Father..." Leo and Donnie spoke at the same time, their voices fading as they weren't sure what else to say. Raphael backed away from the terminal to allow his brothers to speak to their father. Walking outside the vehicle, he stared up at the dark sky, unable to see many of the stars he was accustomed to seeing.

He could easily hear the voices of his brothers as they got reacquainted with their father. Feeling a presence at his shoulder he turned to meet Mikeys worried gaze.

"What was he talking about Raph? The Kibberwicks?"

Raph glanced past him to make sure Alixia was still inside then turned back to Mike. "They're a family thats finally decided to come forward and offer to take guardianship of Alixia."

"Your kidding right? Now they come forward? What are you going to do?"

"I don't really know yet, I think we need to go back to the Lair if the others don't mind. And Id like to talk it over with everybody. And find out what Alixia wants as well."

Leonardo appeared in the doorway of the green vehicle and waved Raphael over. "Splinter wants to know when we are starting out for Arizona."

Raph moved to join them inside once more. "Father, If my brothers don't mind, id like to wait to start out. Leo and Donnie both need their rest. And well... I'm going to have to discuss some things with them and Alixia as well."

Raphael glanced over at his two brothers and they nodded indicating they no longer minded returning to the lair. Raph turned back to his fathers image on the screen. "Very well my son, I will inform Alena to expect your decision when you do arrive."

Raphael nodded and they said their goodbyes. Mikey moved to the drivers seat and they set about making their way home. Raph sat in the backseat and was quiet as he wondered what he should do. Alixia had become important to him, to his family. He glanced up as Leo reached out to keep the child from loosing her balance as the vehicle swayed. grinned slightly as Donnie reached out to pick her up and set her on his lap. They had been barely reunited, and they had barely met Alixia but it was obvious each brother was growing fond of the child. Even Mikey loved her already he knew. And Splinter treated the child much as he had treated his own sons when they were young.

Leonardo watched the warring emotions flicker across his usually hotheaded brothers face. "Raph, what did Splinter mean by expecting your decision when you arrive?"

Raph jumped slightly, then glanced from Leo to Alixia then back again. "Its something that i need to talk to Alixia about in private first then id like for all of us to discuss it later." Leo nodded and settled back, which caused another strange emotion to flicker though Raph.

It was a strange emotion, one he wasn't sure how to put to words. Before his brothers had been released he had taken command because it was necessary. Yet it still felt like he was in command with Leo accepting everything he said. Usually his brother would oppose much of what he said. Raphael frowned slightly. He didn't really want to be leader all the time. That was Leonardo's job. But it was also something that could wait to be figured out.

Once they reached home, Raphael pulled Alixia aside and moved into the now clean dojo. It would afford them some solitude for the questions he had to ask her. And true to Raph style he decided not to skip around.

"Alixia, a family named Kibberwicks have requested the right of guardianship over you."

Alixias eyes teared up and her lower lip trembled slightly."Y-You don't want me anymore?"

Raphs normally hard heart clenched and he knelt before her. "I would love for you to stay with us. But its not just up to me. It matters what you want. And how my brothers feel about it. This is their home as well."

She nodded, her orange striped hair flipping down to cover her blue eye."W-What I-If they don't want me to stay. What if Splinter doesn't want me to stay??"

Raphael sighed, he really didn't want to face that reality as he didn't think it would happen. "If you decide you want to stay with me, and they dint want you here, Which i doubt will happen, Ill stay in Arizona with you. Master Splinter has already said that it is my decision though."

Alixia lowered her head. "I could never ask you to leave your brothers. I-If they don't want me here, then i will go with the Kibberwicks."

Raph reached out and pulled the little girl against him in a tight hug. "Why don't we go see what they say then?"

He found his brothers in the living room, each sprawled out in a different chair, just relaxing. Though both Leo and Don had some pizza that had been left over from Mikeys meal the other night. He stopped, watching them from the distance. Both were skinny and both bore obvious scars from the things they had been through. But all three of his brothers looked happy. He glanced down as a earful Alixia tugged slightly on his arm.

He smiled encouragingly at her, and let go of her hand. She moved without her usual bounce and sat on the floor in the middle of where his brothers sat. They glanced at her then at Raphael. Mikey spoke up first.

"If this is about what you said earlier, Raph. You should know how i feel already."

Raphael nodded."It isn't so much me needing to know it as Alixia."

Leo and Donnie shared a confused look and turned to Raphael. "What is this about?

Raphael sat down with his legs crossed near Alixia on the floor. "A few months ago, nearly five to be exact, I chose to become Alixias guardian. Her family was gone, and because of her different colored eyes, none of the Catrains were willing to adopt her. Quite the opposite in fact. The day i found her, several of the younger Catrains had tried to kill her and she had run away."

He paused, and glanced to where Alixia was now picking at the carpet that covered the floor infront of the couch. Turning his gaze back to his brothers, he winced slightly at the horror in their eyes. "After i found the Catrains, I requested to become her guardian and it was granted by the elder. Now though a family has come forward and asked permission to take guardianship. Alena and Master Splinter both feel its my decision to make as her current guardian. But i need to know how each of you feel about the situation."

He finally stopped speaking, and sighed. This was making it feel even more so like he was in charge. Before he would never have approached his brothers like this. Of course he would have never considered taking guardianship of a child before either.

Leonardo spoke up before anyone else could.. "Raphael, we are already all attached to her. If she wished to stay with us, I think it would be great."

Alixias head snapped up and watched with wide eyes as the rest of the brothers nodded as well. Turning to Raph she watched as a grin spread across his face. "I can stay?"

"You can stay" Leos voice held a slight chuckle.

Alixia tackled him nearly hard enough to tip over the chair he sat in. Leo laughed though and hugged her tight. Donnie and Mikey also moved forward to hug her, kneeling beside Leos chair. Raph watched from where he sat for a few minutes. It was obvious in that moment that Leo was leader, and he couldn't have been happier. And it was also obvious that his family was whole again, if not slightly bigger.

Donnie reached out a hand to Raph and he grasped it and felt himself suddenly crushed by the arms of his family. It fell apart soon after as Mikey started giggling from Alixias tail tickling his side. The two rolled on the floor for a little while, until Mikey cried uncle.

Raphael grinned. Tomorrow they would set out for Arizona. He knew already that they would stay there for a while. They would of course return to New York. It was their home. But he also knew Leo and Donnie. Leo would be interested in learning the Catrains way of fighting. And Donnie... Donnie would want to know everything about the race that he could find out.

Raphaels grin faded slightly as he watched Alixia and Mikey play. Five days in the Battle Shell was going to be difficult. He could see that already.

Authors Note: I think there will be one more chapter to this story. After this i will be writing a Mikey story, to be dedicated to a loyal reviewer.