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"April, thanks so much." Leo said gratefully as their redheaded friend stepped into the lair, loaded down with bags.
She gave him a quick hug and a flashing smile. "It was nothing, really." Waving him off, she set the bags down on the kitchen table in the lair. "Casey will be down in a few minutes."
"There's more?" Leo asked in surprise.
"Leo, there are three babies living down here. They'll need a lot for awhile – clothes, toys, food, bottles, blankets, milk, baby stuff for the bathroom, diapers, wipes, powder, pacifiers, burping rags, bibs, high chairs, beds, teething toys, baby changing table, swings, mobiles, strollers, nightlights, car seats, baby movies and music, bottle warmer, diaper bag, picture frames, sheets, pillows, bumper pads, swimming stuff, bath toys, dinnerware for the baby, snacks,containers, books, playpens, and...." She trailed off at Leo's disturbed look. "What?" she asked innocently.
"Do babies really need all that stuff?" he gaped, his eyes wide.
"Yes." April nodded her head firmly. "We got it all too and I don't want to hear one word about it." She held up her finger as Leo started to protest. "And I don't want to hear one word about paying us back either. They're like family too me. I want the best for them, and I'm sure you do too."
"Well yeah, but..." Leo stuttered, shaking his head in amazement. "That's so much stuff...we have to pay you back somehow."
April gave a sweet smile. "There is one thing..."
"Yes?"
"You'll let me babysit them." She smiled happily at another stunned look from Leo.
"But...but..." Leo opened his mouth but could find nothing. "I meant money wise April."
"Okay then. You can pay back for 25% if it."
"April." Leo said, exhausted at arguing. He remembered a saying that was something like, "A wise man does not argue with a woman if he values his life" and Leo very much valued his.
Pressing her lips together in thought, she narrowed her eyes. "Fine, if you have to pay me back, you can treat me and Casey to a dinner one of these days."
"Tonight." Leo said firmly as Casey staggered into the lair, bags pilled high in his arms. His muscles bulged as the pile went above his line of sight. He staggered around the lair, legs weaving one in front of the other as he teetered, struggling to regain his balance while not dropping any bags.
Don ran into the living room at the sound of Casey's yell o.O does the yell freak Raph out? as the top bag started to fall. Diving under the pile, Don easily caught each bag that fell. Casey gave him a grin, now able to see, at Don. Shaking his head at the man, Don led the way to the table, adding to the pile. Everyone helped Casey pile the rest on the table. When it all the bags were out of arms and safe from hitting the floor, Leo realized in amusement that they could no longer see the food stained table.
"How much stuff does a baby need?" Leo asked in amazement.
"Lots." Said Don simply. "Lots and lots; and we have three so the stuff triples." He started unloading the bags, taking out three different colored baby blankets; a dark crimson, a brown, and a teal. He pulled out three of the same colored pacifiers, raising an eyebrow at April at the color choice. She smiled and gave an innocent shrug of her shoulders.
"Um, guys." Casey said, coughing hard, and staring at the spot behind their shoulders. He let out a few more hard coughs.
"Casey, are you okay?" Leo asked.
Casey said nothing, only pointing a shaky finger behind them. They all turned around…
Mikey was standing behind them, a triumphant smile on his face, holding a Carley. And behind him, was Raph, looking tense and nervous and holding his two sons.
"Raph…" He whispered, his tears falling, lost in the blue cloth around his eyes.
He watched as Raph's eyes took in the multiple bags on the table and his eyebrows shot up as he realized what was in the bags. He took a hesitant step forward, then another. Everyone stepped away or stayed still as he slowly made his way to the table. Reaching out, almost hesitantly, he picked up a neatly folded brown blanket. Looking up, his eyes met with Leo's.
May I? The gaze seemed to ask. Leo gave a gentle nod and smile, and watched, joy filling his heart as Raph handed Jayden off to Mikey before wrapping his brown headed son in the blanket. Dominick gave a small coo and a smile, and reaching down, grabbed the pacifier in a tiny fist. Bringing it up to his mouth, he started to suck on it, happily looking on with big brown eyes. Mikey handed Jayden back to his father and let him wrap his second son in a teal blanket. All that was left was Carley and the red blanket.
Leo sucked in a breath, shooting a glance at April. He could see what she had done...her father bore the red for his color and Carley was so similar, she would also wear red, but a very dark crimson color while Raph's was a bright red. She looked so much like her father...same colored skin, eye, and he could already tell she would act like him too. She wasn't afraid of exploring, unlike the others who preferred to stay next to an adult and she loved annoying Leo...she was Raph's daughter all right.
Holding his breath, Leo watched as Mikey led Raph over to the couch. At first he seemed hesitant to sit on it when Mikey sat down holding Carley. He set her on the cushion before pulling her back onto his lap. Raph watched before sitting down himself. He hesitantly leaned back, as Dominick and Jayden both leaned against his plastron, both sucking on pacifiers that matched their blankets.
Don watched the scene, realizing at once what Mikey was doing. Raph was scared of punishment so Mikey was using his kids to show him it was okay and there was nothing to be afraid off. Mikey couldn't force Raph to sit down so instead, he used Carley as an example, showing Raph that if she could sit down, it was okay for him too. Don smiled.
Mikey could be a pain in the butt a lot of the time but when it came to family, there was no one who took the job more seriously than him. Leo naturally looked after his younger brothers – it was like breathing to him. So worry came with the package. Don cared for his family too but sometimes he knew he overdid a lot of things.
Like when Raph broke his finger, Don wrapped up his whole arm in a cast and gave him a sling. It was a minor break but he didn't want to take any chances...
He watched the scene in silence with Leo, Casey, and April. Mikey had been able to accomplish more in a day than he and Leo had in a few. Don knew that in order to help Raph he would have to stop being the doctor and become the brother Raph needed.
It would be hard and he knew the journey to healing would be long and full of pain but he was ready to take that path and finish it. He would do it for family.
He would do it for Raph.
Next chapter Raph will be back so if you want to read it soon, review!
Please?