Alrighty...here's the 4th chapter. Sorry it took longer for this one. I lost my inspiration momentarily, and then finally found it again. I despise writer's block. Reminder:
No flames, no copying, and NO LAWYERS. Thank you!! ^_^

Donatello stepped down from the manhole and into the ankle-high sewer water in the maze of tunnels, helping Brandy down after hitting bottom. His movements and voice echoed throughout the channels, making him slightly nervous, but at the same time relaxed to be in utter darkness once again.

After hearing Brandy's interesting story, and after she had replaced her Greek Fisherman's hat back onto her head, Donny had offered to show her to his home where she could rest. Secretly, though, Donny was interested in more than just finding her a place to lay her head...

You know what that was?

Yeah, everyone knows what motivations are secretly planned when an opportunity like this comes around...

And Donny is a type that would probably do this...

Donny was overpowered by the longing for science. He smiled in his pleasure.

"Why is it so dark?" Brandy asked, her voice a curious child.

"That's just how it is in the sewer," Donny said, unsure of how he was supposed to answer that. He felt his answer explained enough, for he didn't really know why it was dark and lacked lighting on the ceilings...it just...was dark. No humans ever decided to install any electricity down in the sewers.

"Oh."

Donny walked forward, grabbing Brandy's hand, noticing the similarity it had to silk. "Just go where I go--" he was saying. Suddenly, a bright purple slam of light from behind his head almost blinded him, and he jumped away from Brandy in surprise. In doing so, Donny fell flat on his shell with a splash. He looked up to see that floating in the middle of Brandy's palm was a now small purple flame, lighting the tubes of the New York under maze.

"Wha--?" Donny sputtered, making a great effort to roll on his side and stand up. Being a turtle wasn't always easy.

"Sorry for scaring you," Brandy said. "I just thought we could use some light."

"Uh huh."

Donny and Brandy walked on, Donny's patience with the light growing thinner and thinner by the second. He felt uneasy with the light, seeing that he had always walked the sewers in sheer darkness. The lighting was new, unfamiliar, and uncomfortable. Brandy didn't seem to notice, as her eyes were locked in a forward direction the entire time.

Silence was drowning Donny. He felt he was supposed to spark some sort of lively, intriguing conversation that would make her more relaxed around him, as she seemed rather stiff and untouchable despite her kindness. Brandy must have been reading his mind, for just as he was thinking, 'I should say something to her to break this goddamn silence,' she incised the silence forcefully with a question that completely caught Donny off guard.

"Have you created any others like yourself?"

Donny gasped a bit, unsure of what to say to her. He knew very well what she meant, but since he was still trying to gather his senses, decided to make it sound as if he didn't understand. After all, she could have been implying that he or someone else had actually created others like him. Or, maybe she was talking about his weapons. Or...

"I'm sorry...what?"

"Do you have any children?"

That question was far too blunt to put off with false dumbness again, although Donny would have appreciated something complex so he could question it one more time, seeing that he hadn't gathered enough of his senses to properly respond right that second.

"Well, no," Donny finally said after countless sessions of throat-clearing. "See, my brothers and I are the only ones of our kind, and seeing that we are the only ones, cannot likely reproduce in any manner that would be considered normal. We are four male turtles, you know."

Brandy laughed that cotton candy laugh again, her eyes glittering with amusement. "Well, that's a pity. I very much like children."

"Then you'll like Mikey..."

"Mikey?"

"You'll see..."

Back at the lair, Michelangelo was cleaning the kitchen, and was quite bored with it. "I'm never making a bet with Leo ever again!" Mikey mumbled out loud, referring to the basketball game he and Leonardo had bet chores on.

Raphael walked in, grouchy as usual. he stomped past Mikey, pulling the refrigerator open and grabbing a Pepsi. He was never one for Coke.

Mikey realized the tension in the air, and, forgetting completely that he was supposed to refrain himself from asking about Raph's well being, stopped his sweeping and walked over to Raph.

"Heya Raph! How ya doin'?"

Raph didn't answer for a minute. Then, as if it was a horribly difficult effort, finally said, "Fine."

"Y'don't look fine. You look like hell. What's up?"

"I've just got a lot on my mind right now, kid."

Mikey kind of liked it when Raph called him "kid." He was the only one of his three brothers to get a nickname of somewhat endearment from Raph, as Raph always called Leo "perfect student" or "teacher's pet" or "goody-goody." Donny he always called "brainiac" or "nerd" or "bookworm."

"Well what is it?" Mikey urged.

"Nothing, Mikey."

"Aww come on, bro! You look like you really need to let off some steam! You've been very distant lately!" Upon seeing Raph's irritated expression, Mikey finally remembered that he wasn't supposed to ask Raph about what was up with him, and smacked his forehead as punishment. "I'm sorry, Raph! I wasn't supposed to ask you about it!"

Raph's face showed pure confusion. He took a gulp of his Pepsi before he set it down, swallowing as he asked, "You weren't supposed to ask me what?"

"What's wrong with you."

"Who told you that?"

"Leo and Donny."

Raph was silent. He had been a real jerk to Leo and Donny...even Mikey. To think that they had all agreed to leave him alone and give him the space he demanded touched him somewhere. Now, as he looked at Mikey, who was still smacking his forehead, he felt something warm when he thought of all the times Mikey had offered his hand in comfort. Raph had always declined it, and Mikey always shrugged and said, "I've got ears, Raph. If ya wanna use 'em, they're still around." Mikey always had his hand stretched to him, no matter how many times he refused it or bat it away.

"Mikey, it's okay," Raph assured, smirking to himself. "Don't worry about it."

"You mean you're not gonna hit me like ya did to Leo?" Mikey clutched his arm and looked at him hopefully.

Raph laughed. He laughed like he hadn't for so long...he laughed a whole-hearted, sincere laugh. It sounded like he hadn't used his ability to laugh for years, because it sounded a bit crackly and off-key. But it felt great. 'God it feels good to have such an idiot brother...'

"Nah. You won't get hit."

"Phew."

Raph rubbed Mikey's head in affection, sitting down at the dining table, which he had convinced Mikey to clear the pizza boxes off of. Mikey's artwork now inhabited the corner of the living area. Mikey imitated Raph, sitting across from him. Raph really needed to talk to someone besides Splinter. Not tell them everything, of course...just ramble without being shut up.

"Hey Mikey?" Raph began uncertainly.

"Yep?"

"Mind if I use those ears of yours?"

Mikey's whole face lit up. "Sure!"

"But you can't tell NO one that I ever said what I'm about to say!"

"Okidokey."

Raph smiled. Then, his face went back to serious. "I'm just a little sick and tired of being a ninja turtle. I mean, the ninja stuff is great. I love kickin' ass. But...I dunno...being mutants does somethin' to ya, y'know?"

Mikey nodded. He wanted to tell Raph that it wasn't all that bad, that they had each other to look out for, but it seemed that one, Raph seemed to feel that wasn't enough for him, and two, Raph seemed to need to just talk and not get a response unless he asked for it. Mikey sat very still and listened.

"I hate being cooped up, Mikey," Raph resumed. "I hate having to hide. I hate how I can't even explore the wonders of the world that I live in. I wanna see things, Mikey. I want to see what the Grand Canyon is all about...what makes it so grand. I want to see that Niagara Falls and maybe swim in Crater Lake. They say you can't swim in it because it's the cleanest water in the world, but I could wash up or somethin'..."

Mikey was near tears as he listened very closely. His brother, the jerk, the isolated hero that was just that-- ice -- was confiding in him. Mikey held his breath, afraid that one wrong move would shatter the magic of the moment. This was all he wanted in life at the moment...to know someone needed him.

"I want so bad to climb Mt. Everest. I've read stories about how many people have tried to make it to the top, and only very few have done it. But I want to be the one to make it without any problems, feel the feeling of being higher than everybody else. I want to feel like I am the closest one to the clouds..."

Suddenly, he stopped. He had said to much. He had exposed too much of his fragile heart, and he was embarrassed. It was worse when he looked at Mikey. Mikey looked thoroughly shocked. But it wasn't shock that Mikey was feeling...it was joy. Overwhelming joy.

Mikey's heart raced when Raph didn't continue. He saw the panic in Raph's ebony eyes, the fear of vulnerability. He knew Raph would never change in that sense, but it broke Mikey's heart. Why couldn't Mikey be one that Raph could just poor into without feeling scared? Why couldn't Mikey mean something to somebody and give advice like his helpful nature yearned for?

"Why'd you stop, Raph?" Raph didn't say anything. Just looked down at the table. Raph was thankful that he didn't expose the stuff about love, his desire to kill, and his rage, but he still felt he had said too much. Way too much. "I know you don't like opening up, bro."

Raph was surprised, but didn't look up.

"But you don't have to worry about me. I won't tease you."

Raph was so close to crying, but held back.

"If you want, I could tell you everything I've kept a secret, then you and I would be even. Would that make you feel better?"

Raph lifted his heavy eyes to meet Mikey's. Mikey was looking at him hopefully, and Raph could see the love there that had been there all along. The brotherly love. He saw how much Mikey cared, and how much Mikey just wanted to know. 'You're too curious for his own good, kid,' Raph thought with a secret smile. Although the love of a brother was good to feel, he knew that this type of love was the only type he would ever know. Brotherly love...nothing more.

"Mikey--" Before Raph could say anything, Donny's excited voice rang through the subway lair. Raph and Mikey looked at each other, and Raph sighed, standing up and patting Mikey's head again. "Thanks for listening, kid."

"Anytime, bro." Mikey lingered a second after Raph left the kitchen. He had to swallow everything that had happened. Only he of the other brothers knew what was wrong with Raph -- well, at least part of it -- and it felt good to know that he had a secret to keep now. No one had ever trusted him with secrets. Everyone thought that Mikey was too childish or too forgetful to be trustworthy. But now Mikey could prove to Raph AND himself that he could be something to someone and keep his promise.

He got up and walked out to the living area to see what Donny was hollering about. He stood among Splinter, Raph and Leo, trying to not look at Raph so he would not make it obvious that he and Raph had talked. He felt that would be the best thing to do for Raph so that he wouldn't be embarrassed. If only he knew that Raph was looking at him...

"Everyone, I have a surprise for you," Donny began, clearing his throat and sounding real important-like. "Every wonder if there were any other ones like us who weren't exactly human but not exactly beast?"

Raph's head shot up in sudden and earnest interest.

"Well, meet our new roommate for the time being!" Donny turned to the opening of their lair and said to the air, "Okay, you can come in. Meet my family."

Out of the shadows stepped a figure, catching the breath of the entire group. She smiled, saying, "Hi. My name's Brandy."