A Sense Of Family

Disclaimer: Didn't own them in the past, don't own them in the present. Guess what don't see owning them anywhere in the near future. I only own my own OC's.

Chapter Fourteen: A Sense of family?

RAMIELA:

I decided to cook dinner for tonight, freeing dad up from that chore, so he could relax. Besides it gave me a chance to make something that appealed to both of us without being totally fattening and indigestible to me. So I was busy in the kitchen, chopping vegetables, when I heard an urgent banging at our door, the door rattled a bit under the pounding it was getting.

I heard dad rouse himself and head that direction muttering "Settle down, I'm coming all ready. Or just come in."

I chuckled lightly and shook my head, turning back to the task at hand, a few seconds later dad came into the kitchen, carrying with him a sense of concern and worry. I turned to look his way, to see Leo pushing his way past dad, acting as if he owned the place and bringing with him the commanding, 'don't mess with me' attitude. I arched my eye ridge at the blue masked turtle leader silently wondering what would bring him here, especially when I knew I hadn't attacked, him or Raphael for a while.

"I need your help Ramiela" he said abruptly.

It was not a question, but an order, he wasn't asking but demanding, as usual and I bristled at his words.

"My help?" I echoed keeping my tone saccharine sweet, "And what if I don't intend to give it?" I inquired with a smirk. Would serve him right if I didn't, he barges in to my home, ruining the peace the calm of the place and then starts to order me around.

"I need knowledge only you may have and I'm not playing games with you over it. You can either tell me what I need to know or you can forget being in our clan ever." Leonardo snapped laying it on the line, "My son has been captured by the Foot his life is in danger. I don't have time for your petty games and temper tantrums."

I growled at the insinuation of his words, I knew this day would come, I had always known it would. After all, it had to, when one knew Leonardo as well as I did. I knew from my time of researching my enemy that family, with him, came first. I was not family, not at this present moment, and would not be until I was accepted into the clan. I knew when he told me that he would wait till I was ready to divulge what I knew of the Foot, that there might come a point when he would demand it from me and use what ever it took to get me to agree, it seemed the time was now. While my suspicions about him were correct I hated the fact he compared me to a bratty spoiled two year old, did he not realize that he as a leader had broken his word to me!

But it didn't matter that he had broken his promise to me for I was only ronin. But still it irked me that he would show such little honour towards me, while I had to give so much to him.

"After all we have done for you, do you still have no sense of family? And what it means?" he demanded.

I stalked towards him "I know what I desire in a family Leonardo, but since when is your family, my family?" I asked as I stood toe to toe with him and leaned towards him, I was not going be intimidated by him, in my home. "Michaelangelo has treated me like family, right from the first day he was imprisoned he never thought of me as anything other then his daughter and he has treated me as such." I declared, "You come to me now for help but what have you done for me Leonardo, have you prevented your clan members from maligning my name, have you lead the way by trying to befriend me? Tell me Leonardo, great leader" I hissed, "What would you do for me?" my voice dropped becoming chillingly cold in tone.

"We are talking about my son. All I need from you is specific information on where the Foot may be" Leo replied tersely through gritted teeth glaring at me, and refusing to give up on his reason for his, friendly, visit.

"Rama, please. I know you may not agree with Leo, and I know Aiden hasn't been kind to you but if you know anything that might help us..." Dad interjected, " we'd be grateful Rama."

I scowled as I glanced his way, for him, and perhaps only because of him. I would do my duty, even as a ronin, though Leonardo wasn't going to like what I had to say, still being ronin did give me some privileges, such as being able to speak to a leader of any clan as I pleased.

"Let me be the clan's leader for this mission and I will help you" I vowed.

"Raph will never follow your lead" Leonardo protested.

"Listen Leonardo this is not the time to quibble. If you care one iota for your son, as you say you do," I paused allowing my words to sink in, "then you would be wise to allow me to lead and convince Raphael to follow my lead for this night." I insisted, "It is true I know a few places the Foot may be, I know the floor plans of the places I have knowledge of. I remember many of the Foot, especially have intimate details of possible leaders their weakness and strengths, as well as knowledge of how the Foot clan itself is run. So all that knowledge means I can get you in and out with more efficiency, being less likely to draw unwanted attention" I pointed out.

"I know all of that, so why don't you just tell me. I'm not asking you to join us in our battle, just for information." He retorted.

"Funny" I snorted, "I haven't heard you ask for anything from me." I waved my hand and walked away from him to lean on the counter, "Face it Leonardo you know as well as I do time is of the essence, the quicker we can do this the better. I don't have time to divulge everything I know and insure that you have memorized every detail. If I was wrong or somehow forgot to give you one important piece that could save or kill your family, I would be held accountable for it" I shook my head in irritation, "Your family or you yourself, might believe I was working at cross purposes to them. Even with me leading I am sure Raphael will have something to say" I scoffed, he could hardly keep his mouth shut at the best of times, "But even so at least with me leading you stand a better chance and you really don't have time to stop and consult with me every step of the way which means you really won't be leading anyways." I paused took a deep breath, "If the Foot Clan is not in any place that I am aware of you can have your leadership back, it just makes more sense for me to lead the Clan at this moment. As soon as the mission is over, if not before it is over you will have leadership again. I'm not trying to overthrow you, I promise you that and dad is our witness to it."

Dad smiled "I witnessed her vow to you Leo and she makes a lot of sense."

Leonardo fixed me with a stony stare, true his clan wasn't used to following my lead, but I had a feeling Leo and Raph would find it the hardest to do, for I sensed dad did trust me, and I was sure Donatello would have little problems with the change of leadership. Still I was also aware that if Leonardo agreed he would abide by his decision in the matter.

Finally he gave a curt nod of his head, "If we run into too much trouble though, I'm taking over" he informed me.

His words told me, he didn't trust me. That was fine, I all ready knew that. "We will run into trouble it can't be avoided, it is rather how much trouble we can avoid or work around, without having to fight our way through everything" I walked over to the stove, turning it and the burner under a pot off, dinner would have to wait for later. If there was a later for any of us.

I went to the dojo and strapped on my gear, then followed the others back to pick up Don and Raph. Raphael gave me a dirty look as soon as I entered their home.

"So when you bringing the rest of the clan down on us?" he demanded.

I curled my lip at his insinuation that I was to blame for Aiden's capture, never mind the fact he was sure that I had planned it all to destroy them, like I couldn't do it on my own.

"Cool it Raph, we have to work together to get Aiden back. I'm not going have you fouling this up" Leo barked, "Rama has agreed to help us and fight with us on this, so put your differences aside and work with her and not against her."

I noticed he hadn't told Raphael the best news so I figured I'd drop that bomb, give Raph a chance to figure out who was boss now. "Yeah, your great leader has relinquished command of the clan to me, which means I am your leader now!"

Raph whipped around to look at Leo, I could see Leo wasn't amused as if he was going to wait for a better time or wished to tell Raph himself, but it was out and there was little to be done then to deal with it.

"Aww, hell Leo you've gone crazy will all be walking into our deaths" Raph protested.

"It was the only way Raph and it is only temporary" He stated calmly but shot me a dark meaningful look.

"Raphael you may detest me and that is your right, but you will follow my lead in this matter no matter what your feelings towards me may be" I began.

"I don't have to listen to a damn thing you say" he interrupted.

I moved fast, grabbing him and throwing him to the floor, then pinning him down as quick as I could "Leonardo may allow you such privileges under his leadership but I won't" I informed him sharply, "You will not do anything to jeopardize your life or anyone else's while I'm in charge. You will obey quickly without complaint, or find out how fast I can reprimand you for lazy disobedience even in the thick of battle" I warned him, "Keep in mind that this is for your nephew's life that we do this. Once the assignment is over Leonardo resumes leadership and we can return to our mutual agreement to hate and despise one another, that is if we both survive this night" I assured him "Now swear allegiance to me for this one night Raphael." I commanded.

I really didn't want forced loyalty. I know Yukio had forced loyalty of many of his people and in the end taught them to maintain that loyalty out of fear and hatred. It was a loyalty that one might have for a while and even maintain, but it was I knew not as fierce as a loyalty built of love and respect, such as I felt for Mike and I believe he felt for me. But I knew that he would stand by his word, even if it was given under duress, no matter how it irked him, he would comply. I knew Raphael thought a great deal of honour and his family.

I felt his dark eyes boring into mine, and felt his resentment as I held him down.

"Do it Raph" Leo ordered.

Raphael finally, though ever so reluctantly, gave in agreeing to follow my lead and do his part in the mission ahead.

I smiled letting him up " I for my part Raphael, swear as a leader that I would not ask anything of you I would not be willing to do myself, that I am willing to sacrifice my life to protect any of you, and do my best to keep you all safe."

He snorted as if he didn't believe my words, and he probably didn't. Oh well I tried, and I know he hated me for forcing his agreement, so I had hoped by making that promise to him he would know I really did have the clan's interest at heart. To him though no matter what I said or did, I would be a Foot Soldier and his enemy and there was nothing I could do to prove other wise.

Kali entered the room and she rushed over to me, "Rama you will get Aiden back from the Foot won't you?"

"Of course Kali, rest easy on that one." I assured her, I smiled at her, "You are a good fighter Kali but I think it would be best for you to stay here and protect your mother and Heiwa until we return"

Kali nodded a frightened look coming to her eyes as she glanced almost nervously towards the door, "I will." She promised. Then she took a breath "Rama one of the Foot said they received information that was right just before they attacked Aiden and I. We'd gone topside and weren't supposed to be there" the girl confessed.

I smiled to myself, "Something about that rule is far too tempting to ninja children of this clan" I muttered softly.

Kali gave me a startled look.

"Don't you know I was captured by the Foot when I broke that rule too." I recalled, "I had a human friend, a boy, that I would visit, and nobody knew. One day I went up and never came back home" I looked towards Mike, then Leo. From the look on Leonardo's face I could tell this was new information for him and I had no doubt his oldest two children were going be in big trouble later.

"Rama, I think when Aiden heard that he thought the information had come from you, but it didn't. Did it?" Kali beseeched as she looked up at me her eyes pleading.

Even as she spoke I sensed she wasn't so sure of her own words, she wanted to believe I hadn't yet,needed to hear me say it, deny or confirm to fully decide. Here I always thought she had trusted and believed in me.

Oh I knew she could have been in shock and upset but still she wasn't questioning the rest of her family if they had somehow told a Foot, no just me.

Her words hurt me.

"It was probably another soldier, who saw you above. A sentry who informed the others where to find you. I promise I won't return without Aiden" I vowed.

I heard Raphael muttering and grumbling under his breath.

Don came in and handed over some bombs and other devices he'd been working on for the mission ahead of us. I turned then to face those I would be leading into battle. Suddenly I had a sinking feeling that no matter what I did. I wouldn't be able to save all of us. If I could not spare them, I knew those that survived would lay the blame at my feet. Yet Leonardo had the sheer audacity to speak to me about having a sense of family.

TBC