Chapter 38: Snatched Away
It had been roughly three weeks since Derek had been attacked by the toddlers. Jaden and Amber had been over their illness for quite a while. Kevin was finally back on his feet and life had begun to settle back into normalcy.
Leo was leaned against the wall of the dojo when Raph came in and started to stretched.
"Hey," Leo greeted.
"Morning," Raph chuckled, "what are you doing up this early?"
"Restless," Leo replied, "I've been meditating…"
Raph stopped and looked at him.
"What's wrong?" Raph demanded.
Leo looked at him and then looked away.
"I sense death," Leo mumbled.
Raph tensed and then walked over to him.
"Whose?" Raph asked softly.
"I'm not sure…but I'm beginning to think that its….mine," Leo whispered.
Raph looked away and back at him.
"Why? Why do you think its yours?" Raph growled, knuckles whitening as he bawled his hands into fists.
"I feel heavy, like there's a weight on me," Leo replied before sinking toward the ground, and resting a hand on his knee, "I'm not ready."
Raph stopped and looked at him before sitting down and wrapping an arm around his brother.
"Stay home today," Raph whispered.
Leo shook his head.
"I can't Titian has a audition with Broadway today. He wanted me to come with," Leo whispered.
Raph chuckled.
"I forgot he had that audition. He's really good isn't he?" Raph whispered.
Leo nodded.
"He wants to go to that Russian Dance School next year instead of finishing high school," Leo mumbled.
"I saw you gave him the old Katanas you made years back, the ones you had hanging in your room," Raph commented.
Leo nodded.
"He deserved them, he's been working hard," Leo replied.
"Hey dad can we-?" Titian asked as he came in, pausing when he saw his father and uncle on the floor, "Um? Dad are you ok?"
"I'm fine Titian," Leo replied, "Raph just twisted his ankle and we sat down."
Raph gave him an all too obvious snort of laughter to which Titian simply chuckled and shook his head.
"Sure dad, are you sure you want to come with me today?" Titian asked softly.
Leo stood to his feet and gave his son and gentle glare.
"If you ask me that again Titian Yoshi Hamato you will not wake up the following morning," Leo said firmly before striding out of the dojo.
Raph busted up laughing despite the worry Leo had told him of and Titian simply shook his head.
"I'll take that as a yes," Titian muttered before following his father.
~*~
Raph shook his head before going through a few Katas for the morning, Sais glittering as he twisted in the flickering light of the Dojo.
When he finished he headed up to his wing of the building and got ready for the day. He had paperwork to do for the Shop.
"Grmpa!" Aenya greeted when she spotted Raph.
"Hey spitfire," Raph chuckled as he scooped the girl up and carried her toward the kitchen.
"Grmpa! Grmpa! Grmpa!" Aiden cried, tottering after Raph and reaching upward.
Raph stopped, scooped up the boy and cuddled him.
"Alright you two, you had breakfast yet?" Raph asked as he sat them on the counter.
"Peeeas!" Aiden cooed as Aenya shook her head so hard her curls bounced.
Raph chuckled and ruffled the boy's hair as he kissed Aenya's forehead.
"They already ate, dad," Jade called as she came in.
"Alright, sorry you two," Raph chuckled as he made toast, "you an Jaden bringin' these two along today?"
"I thought about it but I was worried they'd get in the way. Aiden especially, he's curious. Aren't you my little cuddler," Jade cooed as she picked up her son and held him.
"I play wih grmpa?" Aiden said softly, hugging his mother.
Jade smiled a little and gave her dad a questioning look.
"Would you care?" she asked.
Jaden came in a few seconds later and scooped his daughter up off the counter, spinning her a little.
"Hey sweetheart," Jaden greeted as he kissed he forehead, "you being good?"
"Yeeah," Aenya whispered.
"Jaden, I'm taking her into the shop with me. She and Aiden can hand out with me in the front," Raph said firmly.
Jaden gave his father a mock glare and then nodded before grabbing coffee and leaning back with Aenya.
"Alright, as long as she behaves," Jaden said as his daughter hugged him and chattered about the cartoon she had been watching earlier.
~*~
Raph leaned against the counter while he talked to someone that came in often enough to be recognized.
"Well, these the grandkids?" the man asked as Aiden and Aenya, who were sitting on the counter next to Raph, turned around and waved.
"I has crayon," Aenya said, waving the red-orange crayon in the air.
The man chuckled, "you do don't sweetheart. What's your name?"
"Enya," Aenya said softly.
"Ah-en-ya," Raph said softly, gently correcting the girl.
"Well isn't that a beautiful name," the man said softly, before turning toward Aiden "and who are you?"
"Iden," Aiden said softly.
"Ah-iden," Raph corrected gently.
The man chuckled and then turned back to Raph.
"Well what do I owe you guys?" he sighed.
Raph gave him his bill and reached over to steady Aiden, who was teetering on the edge of the counter.
"Grmpa crayon!" Aiden whispered.
Raph turned and spotted the crayon on the ground, rolling away while Aiden pointed and fought tears.
"One second Jack," Raph said quickly before walking over and stooping so he could grab the crayon, "alright, thanks Jack, have a good day."
"No problem Raph," Jack called as he walked out.
Raph handed the crayon back to Aiden and gave the boy a quick kiss before starting back up on the paperwork he had been working on, glancing over at the toddlers now and then.
Raph's head snapped up when he heard the click of a gun. A man stood in front of him, hand shaking as a gun hovered in front of Raph's face.
Raph's yellow-hazel eyes narrowed to furious slits.
"What the hell?" Raph growled, "you going to rob me? This is a repair shop not a bank."
"Just give me all of your money, NOW!" the man shouted.
Raph growled and glanced at the toddlers beside him, the two were frozen eyes huge.
"Grmpa?" Aiden whispered.
The man with the gun turned his attention to the toddlers, the gun following seconds later. Raph froze, rage leaping up a whole new level.
"Leave them alone," Raph growled.
The other people in the front were watching in terror.
"Give me the money or I'll shot them!" the man shouted.
Raph locked eyes with the man.
"Shot them and I'll kill you slowly. Keep my Grandkids out of this," Raph growled.
The man leveled the gun at Raph's face again and screamed his demand.
Raph hit him and managed to jump the counter and grab the man's hand. The gun skittered across the floor as Raph wrestled.
Sam who had been in the back came rushing in as the toddlers started screaming.
Raph jumped back as the man whipped out another pistol and fired. Raph grunted and tried to get a hold of the gun.
"DAD!" Jade screamed as she rushed in.
Raph jerked back again as the gun went off, this time, crumpling to the floor afterward.
"PADRE!" Jade screamed, Sam grabbed her and sent her to her son and niece.
Raph remained still on the floor.
"GIVE ME YOUR MONEY!" the man screamed, firing a shot into the air.
Jade cried out and grabbed the toddlers, pushing the screaming kids under the counter and ducking for cover.
Jaden came storming in seconds after the third shot was fired, charged the man and sent him sprawling, the man sat up and leveled the gun at Jaden.
"Money," the man managed.
Raph moved, grabbing the man's hand and squeezing it.
A sickening crunch filled the room and the man dropped the gun, screaming as he clutched his hand.
Raph flopped down, just managing to roll over, blood bloomed on his shirt.
"PADRE!" Jade cried as Jaden secured the crazy.
Jade grabbed Raph and lifted her father's shoulders, his head lolled back and his hooded eyes landed on the picture of Jo.
"Comin'," Raph whispered, "Wa'n't you Leo…"
His body gave one final shutter and went limp.
"PADRE!" Jade screamed, sobbing as her brother joined her.
Jaden closed his eyes and bowed his head, gently closing his father's eyes and pulling his sister close, his own tears spilling down his cheeks.
The ambulance and cops pulled in seconds later.
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