Growing Pains

Chapter 25

"You sure you have to go back?"

Raphael was watching April gather the few meager belongings she had managed to bring despite the previous days' chaos. Master Splinter had granted the turtles a break after their sparring match in lieu of seeing off their human companions since both April and Casey had work to return to in the city. Casey had a bit of leeway at the garage; it wasn't a huge deal if he didn't show up until midafternoon. April on the other hand, had already called in "sick" for the morning, but knew she needed to get her butt back to the office before the evening briefing if she wanted to keep her job.

The redhead glanced up from her knapsack, "You know I do."

He sighed. Raphael got it. He did, but that didn't mean he had to like it. Being left alone with the family he had only just been reacquainted with wasn't something he was exactly relishing. It wasn't that he didn't want to spend time with his brothers and sensei. He did. However, after so much time alone and on his own, suddenly having three siblings demanding his attention was a little intimidating. Not that he would voice said concerns in such a way. Instead, he was left bemoaning to his soon-to-be-departing girlfriend, "I just would rather you didn't."

"Look," She brushed her long bangs out of her eyes, "As much as I love my job, you know if I had a choice I wouldn't be leaving you to the wolves like this."

He cut her off, "I can handle my brothers just fine on my own, April."

She quirked an eyebrow, "I never said you couldn't, but I'm not blind, Raph. It's obvious you're still pretty nervous about being around them."

"It's just weird." He huffed out forlornly as he scratched a claw into the dirt floor of the barn, "Eight years is a long time. I'm going to have to get to know them all over again."

"Funny." April stood, shouldering her pack as she sauntered over to him. Placing a tiny hand on his massive knee she observed, "I imagine they are probably feeling the same way you are right now."

"Great." He rolled his eyes as he scooped her up, "A day full of icebreakers. What could be better?"

"Don't be grumpy, Raph." She soothed as he carried her out of the barn, "Just keep an open mind and be patient. Everything will be fine."

"Have you met me?" The turtle scowled, "None of those are qualities I excel in O'Neil."

"I don't know. When you set your mind on something you can do some pretty amazing things, Raphael."

"Hmph." Green eyes relaxed ever-so-slightly, "I think you're giving me a little too much credit."

"Someone has to. Goodness knows you're not about to." Coming up beside the semi, April scanned around for the others, "Casey had better be ready. I told him I'd only be a few minutes."

Kneeling down, Raphael lowered her to the ground, "I hear them in the house. Don't worry, I'm hard to miss. As soon as they see me they'll be out."

Almost if on cue, Casey, followed by the mutants, streamed through the old wooden doorway, "'Sup Red? You ready to get this show on the road?"

Turning around to face Raphael again she rubbed the hand, which was helping support his crouching form, "I promise I'll only be gone until the weekend. Come Friday night I'll be the first one out of that office."

"Don't worry about it." He gave her a tiny grin despite his anxious mood, "I'll be fine. Your work's more important. You should focus on that."

"It's not more important." April firmly wrapped herself around as much of his hand as she could, "It is important, but you'll always be my number one priority. No job could ever replace you, Raph."

Feeling his cheeks blush, Raphael cleared his throat in an attempt to save face in front of his family, "Alright I get it. You better hit the road before you turn this into a complete chick flick."

Shaking her head, April hugged each of the other turtles in turn before, and after giving a final embrace to Splinter, walked around to the passenger side of the semi. Casey was already in the cab as she jerked the door open, but before she could pull herself up, a shadow fell over her. Looking up, she saw Raphael now on her side of the truck. Then, before she could move he knelt down to lean his face close to her level. His murmured words were warm against her neck, "I love you too."

Now it was the redhead's turn to blush. Face a hearty shade of scarlet, she jumped up into the cab. As Casey backed the truck out before turning, April placed a hand to her cheek sincerely wishing that somehow she could preserve the heat of Raphael's breath onto her freckled skin forever.

A/N In case some of you are wondering, Raphael reunited with his brothers on the docks Friday night, got caught early Saturday morning, and was rescued during the wee hours of Sunday morning. By time the group drove up to North Hampton, it was Sunday around noonish. Thus, it is now Monday morning and that is why April and Casey need to leave. Don't worry, April will be back very soon (I mean this is a Raphril fic lol). She just has to deal with work stuff first.