Thank you to everyone for your reviews. Much appreciated :) Sorry if I don't always update this story quickly, it isn't because I don't want to. Sometimes I get writer's block.

Don sucked in a deep breath, turned around and calmly said, "Talk about what, Leo?"

"Spare me the innocent look, Don," Leo hissed. "You know what I'm talking about."

"No, I don't. You okay, Leo? You're looking tense."

"Of course I'm tense! You gave our baby to Shredder! How could you do that, Don? He's a defenceless little baby. You're lucky can head returned him unharmed and that Kane found him in the sewers before anyone else did. What if Leatherhead or the Rat King had found him? Or Baxter Stockman or Bishop?"

"I was….."

"Shut up. What if they'd gotten hold of Raphie? They'd have tortured him and killed him. And then what? Would you have cared? Did you stop to think how I'd feel when you handed Raphie off to our nemesis? Or how Dad and Mikey'd feel? Did you? Or how Raphie must have felt scared and all alone.? Did you know Bebop and Rocksteady stuffed him in a broom closet, because they couldn't handle Raphie's crying? And why was he crying? Apart from being wet and hungry, he missed his parents. You… I can't even look at you!"

"No, I….I'm…"

"Sorry? Stick your apologies in your shell, Don!"

"Where do we go from here, Leo?" Don asked glumly.

Leo sighed sadly. "I can't trust you with Raphie. That much is clear."

"Look, I was wrong, but I love you, Leo. I just got so wound up. That baby never stops crying. I get hardly any sleep and I'm…."

"Bullshit!" Leo hardly ever swore, so Don looked at him in shock. "Our other sons all kept us awake when they were babies and we coped fine. It's Raphie you dislike, because you can't get it in your thick skull that he's a baby now. Whatever happened was the old Raphael. HE'S A BABY! DO YOU GET THAT, DON? BABY! DEFENCELESS."

"I hear you, Leo."

"Do you, really? Or will you palm him off to someone else again?"

"No, Leo, I was…."

"We're on a trial separation and you will not be spending alone time with Raphie."

"Leo, but…."

"No buts. You will be nice to Raphie when you see him, you will treat him like you treat our other sons and maybe I'll forgive your stunt someday. Until I feel I can trust you again, the separation stands. Got it?"

"Leo, I…"

"DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"

"Yes, Leo."

"When Raphie fell out of his cot, was that you dropping him?"

"No, I'm sure it was one of the kids."

"I hope so," Leo said coldly. "Because if I ever find out otherwise, we're done. And if I see any bruises, marks, cuts, whatsoever on Raphie, not only will we over, but you'll be cast out of the clan. And you will never see the boys again? Do you understand?"

"Yes, Leo."

"Something's bugging me."

"What?"

"When you got captured by Bishop, why were there no marks on you?"

"I don't know."

"Why didn't he turn you into an egg as well? Why did he only target Raph?"

"I don't know. You know psychos," Don said, trying to remain calm. "They always have an ulterior motive and seeing that I'm a genius, maybe Bishop wants to pick my brains someday and that's why he didn't do it. Raph wasn't…"

"If you were going to say Raph was stupid, he wasn't."

"Oh, not dumb, but not as high up on the IQ scale as me."

"None of us are," Leo said flatly. "Thanks for reminding me!" he added sarcastically.

"Leo…."

"I don't want to hear anything you say. Makes me feel ill looking at you! Now get out of my sight and clear your stuff out of the bedroom!"

Don walked out, feeling defeated, and headed to the bedroom. Shedding tears, he packed his things into bags and carried them to his old bedroom. My plan backfired, Don thought angrily, as he shoved his things into drawers and cupboards. What am I going to do now? I have no option, but to play nice for now. But that baby will never have my affection and I'll do my best to make sure it feels unwanted and wants to leave.

Later that morning, the family relaxed and watched a movie in the lounge and Don and Leo put on a united front for the sake of their kids, but it was clear that there was thick tension between them. They never said a word to each other and when Don offered to get Leo a cup of tea, it was instantly refused. Leo never let Raphael out of his sight, keeping him close and paying him so much attention, Don thought he'd hurl. The baby cooed and gurgled and made little laughing noises, all of which delighted the family. Well, everyone, but Don, who'd finally had enough and sulked in the kitchen with a cup of coffee.

Cameron woke up around eleven and Mikey brought him into the lounge to see his cousins. Although he'd spent some time with them, he hadn't really met Raphael and the family was curious to see how the babies would react to each other. Sitting down on the floor, Leo had Raphael on his lap and Mikey, also seated, had Cameron on his. "Raphie, this is your cousin, Cameron," Leo said. "Say hi."

"Goo," Raphael said.

"Say hi, Cameron," Mikey said. "That's your cousin, Raphie."

"Bah," Cameron said.

Leo and Mikey laughed. "They're looking at one another," Leo said, and it was true. The babies were staring at one another with obvious fascination. Cameron was a month older than Raphael and he reached out with his chubby fingers and touched Raphael's snout. "Gah," he said.

Raphael gurgled and put his thumb in his mouth.

Kane came running over from the TV and said, "Bwother. Mine."

"Yes, buddy," Leo said.

"Mine!" Kane hated anyone else near his brother and was very possessive. "My bwother."

"Kane, yes, but you have to share. Raphie loves Cameron, too. Sit down. You can play with them, too, okay?"

"Okay, Daddy." Sitting down, Kane reached out his arms for Raphael. "Wanna hold Raphie, Daddy."

Leo placed Raphael in his arms and Kane bent down and kissed the wriggling little baby. "My baby, Daddy. Mine."

Kane began to sing a lullaby in his childish little voice and slowly rocked Raphael. The baby closed his golden eyes and was soon asleep.

Mikey laughed. "Got a real little mother hen there, Leo."

"Uh huh. The boys all love him, but Kane, especially, dotes over Raphie. It's all I can do to get Kane to bed at night. He wants Raphie there with him."

"It's nice. Means Raphie will have lots of people looking out for him."

"How are things with you and Don? Couldn't help noticing the tension."

"Not in front of the kids, Mikey. We'll talk later."

Leo tried to take Raphael from Kane and said, "Lunchtime, Kane. You can hold Raphie later."

"No! Baby mine."

" Uncle Mkey's making pizza."

"Pizza!" Kane squealed, handing Raphael to his dad.

Leo chuckled and said, "Take your brothers and go wait in the kitchen." The family, sans, Don, who'd gone to his lab, all ate lunch and then the boys had a lie down. Leo watched Raphael sleeping in his cot and thought, I don't want to lose Don, but I have no option if Raph's in danger. And what if Don goes nuts and attacks our other kids, too?

After lunch, Mikey took the other boys to his room to play video games, while Leo watched TV, Raphael on his lap. Suddenly, Leo heard a familiar voice. Weird, he thought. What's tin can doing in our lair? Glancing up, he saw Shredder on the TV. "Ah, Leonardo," the villain said. "I see you."

"Get off my TV, creep," Leo snapped.

"I don't wish to fight, Leonardo. I…" Shredder's eyes roved to Raphael and he smiled. "How is young Raphael?"

"Fine now that he's with people who love him."

"I never harmed him, Leonardo. I liked the baby and it would have been wonderful to raise him as my son. If he hadn't cried so much and if Krang hadn't disliked him, maybe things would have been different. I've always wanted a son."

"Can't imagine you settling down."

"Even villains have families, Leonardo. I am glad Raphael is happy and safe."

"I guess I owe you a thank you for returning him unharmed, but your mutants…"

"Have been punished for their actions. How are you coping with your babies, Leonardo?"

"Fine! What do you want?"

"I'd like to spend time with your children. I don't think I'll have any and it would be…."

"Y-you what?" Leo spluttered.

"Yes, spend time with your children. Baby sit. Maybe I'll pick up pointers for if I have kids. I can handle Raphie in small doses if you need a break. I'm sure you do."

"You want to babysit my kids? Have you lost your mind? You hate us."

"Young Raphael changed my mind. Despite being a turtle, he's a cutie. You agree and I'll call a truce. Won't that be nice? No more fighting. You can focus on raising your adorable family."

"I…"

"Think it over. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Later, Leonardo, and bye-bye, Raphie."

Whoa, Leo thought. That was weird. Shredder wants a truce, but is he sincere? I need to talk to Dad. Leo asked Mikey to look after Raphael and then he went to his father's room.