Toddler Tales
Disclaimer: I deny any ownership of any adult or adolescent transformed shadow warrior chelonians.
Chapter Four: The Best medicine
Splinter got up pacing the floor he glanced anxiously towards the front door willing it to open, it was getting close to morning, too close and his sons had still not returned home. He knew the Foot had been very active, extremley so, and it seemed his sons had been in many large battles, as of late, due to this. He laid his ears back against his head, taking a deep breath ' They will be fine.' Yet he could not escape that feeling of dread that wrapped around him, the forboding premonition that something absolutley terrible had taken place.
He looked at the end table by the rocking chair, on the table sat a cup of tea, that had gone cold. It wasn't like the Master to worry and yet he couldn't seem to avoid it either. Suddenly he heard a faint sound and the aged rat breathed a sigh of relief, his sons were returning.
Moments later three of them staggered in the door holding one another up, battered bleeding badly. But Splinter saw no sign of the fourth, perhaps he was covering the rear.
Leo groaned and coughed a bit "The Foot got Mike" he moaned with concern and fear, "They used a smoke bomb and kept us busy...we..." he tried to explain, but his feelings for his brother was transparent in the way each word seemed painful to speak.
Raph snarled, "We gotta get Mikey, Leo. I'm going back there and ..."
Don and Leo both grabbed him, holding him back from retreating back into the sewers.
"No Raph it is turning to day light and it isn't safe tonight.We'll go get Mike back together, at nightfall" Leo ordered.
Raph glared, at Leo the look clearly saying he was ready to go to blows over this, "Look we need Mike back fast, Leo. Rama is going be wanting herdaddy. How the hell do we explain to a three year old daddy isn't here?"
"Raphael" Splinter thumped his walking stick on the floor, "Leonardo is correct you must wait until tonight. It is too dangerous and Ramiela might miss her father, but she will miss all of you too. After you have tended your injuries and rested, when the night falls..."
Raph cut in, something he wouldn't normally do, at least as long as it was Splinter talking, "So we are supposed to leave Mike to be tortured?" Raph flared.
"Michaelangelo has been taught how to deal with such things. He will be fine until tonight" Splinter replied, hoping that he was right. That the Foot would not kill his son out right, "We have Ramiela to care for."
Splinter helped treat his sons many injuries and made them tea, that would help them rest and recuperate faster. By the time that was done Rama had come toddling out of her bedroom holding her toy Franklin.
"Piner, where daddy?" She whimpered rubbing sleep from her eyes with the back of a hand, "Daddy not here." She sniffed.
Splinter picked up the sleepy eyed turtle child, "Your father isn't home now but he will be back later" he soothed stroking her back, and the short dark hair that grew around her face.
Rama yawned "Raphie?"
"Raphael is sleeping as are Donatello and Leonardo." Splinter carried her to the rocking chair sitting down with her on his lap, rocking slowly as Rama slowly became a little more awake and alert to things around her.
"Would you like to have a bath Rama?" Splinter knew Rama usually enjoyed a bubble bath.
"Bubbe too Piner" Rama asked quickly.
"Yes lots of bubbles" Splinter assured her.
Rama got off his lap and ran towards the bathroom. Splinter filled the tub full of luke warm water and lots of bubbles, he tossed an assortment of toys boats, plastic pails, shovels, a wind up dolphin that worked in the water and numerous other toys into the water before placing Rama in. Rama squealed pretending to swim and playing with her toys and the bubbles. Grabbing gobs of the white fluffy soapy bubbles and blowing them, or throwing them at Splinter.
It was some time later, after all the bubbles had died, before he drained the tub and wrapped his grandchild up in a couple of towels. "Are you getting hungry Ramiela?"
Rama rubbed her stomach, "Hungry" she echoed, allowing Splinter to dry her off.
"We'll get you something to eat then." Splinter promised, opening the door.
Rama shot out tearing for the kitchen, Splinter shook his head, she wasn't supposed to run in the lair, but he had a feeling he knew what she was running towards and he knew she'd be disappointed, so he didn't have the heart to chide her for her misdeed. He looked at the bathroom, wanting to clean it up but knowing that Rama needed him more it would have to wait. He got up and walked as quickly towards the kitchen as possible. Rama came running towards him.
"Piner no daddy. Rama hungry" She moped miserably.
"I know child, I will make you breakfast. Do you want some eggs and toast?" Splinter suggested.
Rama nodded "Yes pease Piner." then as an afterthought asked, "Where daddy?"
"Your dad will come home later tonight after you are in bed." Splinter replied.
Rama scrunched up her face as if she didn't understand, as far as she was concerned daddy was almost, always, at home. Once in a while he would go out and when he returned he'd often have a treat for her, a small piece of candy, or a tiny toy of some kind, or perhaps a flower. But the important thing was daddy was here, not somewhere else. so she couldn't fathom the idea that daddy was not here now, nor would he be home soon. The way daddy ought to be.
Splinter scrambled some eggs and made toast and tea while talking with Rama. "Ramiela would you like to help me make some pretty pictures after breakfast?" Splinter inquired. He wanted to keep her occupied so she wouldn't think about her father, and also he wanted to keep her relativley quiet so his sons could get the rest they so desperatley needed.
"Rama hep Piner?" Rama asked her eyes growing big and round.
"Oh I could use some help with colouring and gluing" Splinter assured her.
Rama beamed there was nothing she liked more then helping, if she saw some one sweeping she wanted to help by doing it, there were so many things she wanted to help with. Besides she liked Splinter so she clapped her hands and cheered "Hep Piner."
Splinter chuckled at her as he gave her, the plastic bowl with the eggs in it and the toast with peanut butter and jam on it.
Rama typically made a mess of that, three year olds were not the neatest of eaters, and a lot of food ended up on the floor. Splinter sighed, and rolled his eyes gently when he saw the crumbs, bits of crust and egg bits that had found their way on the chair, all over the table and the floor. "Rama hep Piner now" Rama announced as she finished her juice.
"First child let us clean up the table and your hands and face, so we don't ruin the pictures." Splinter suggested. He cleaned her up, then set her to colouring bits of paper while he washed up the dishes and swept the floor. He was finished in time for Rama to grow bored of colouring. Splinter poured his second cup of tea and came to sit down beside Rama, "I'm going show you how to make a pretty paper chain." Splinter cut long strips of orange, red, yellow, green and purple paper. Then he took a glue stick and dabbed glue on the end of one bit of paper, holding the ends together, when he was sure it was secure he got Rama to pick another colour.
Together with Rama's help they made a long chain of multicoloured paper links. Then Splinter taught Rama how to weave strips of paper into another sheet of paper, and make chinese laterns from the construction paper.
"You are making many wonderful crafts. These will be nice for your dad to see when he comes home" Splinter assured her.
"Rama make pretties for daddy and Piner." Rama gushed as she bounced up and down.
"Why you remembered your T's Rama. Good girl!" Splinter cheered, he knew the small turtle child had problems saying l's and T's sometimes she was able to say them, most the time she couldn't. "For that I am going show you how to make a pretty for Ramiela" Splinter replied tickling her.
Rama giggled, Splinter rose from his chair and went to get a box of fruity oohs out of the cupboard and showed Rama how to string the circular cereal on to bits of string. Of course Rama ate quite a bit of the cereal and she often held some up between her fingers for Splinter.
Leo came in just as they were finishing he yawned a bit and smiled "Looks like somebody has been busy." he commented as he saw all the crafts, he was sure from all he'd seen that Rama's construction paper was now all used up.
"Yes it helps her Leonardo" Splinter replied, arching an eyebrow up knowingly and winking at his son, "Perhaps you would like to take her into the dojo for a while and teach her a few things, so I may get some rest myself."
Leo looked at his father, the rats eyes looked weary and his shoulders were slumped, it was clear he was tired and needed a break from Ramiela, and Leo was fully aware that Rama could start her training as a ninja, though the first few lessons hardly seemed like the foundation for making a warrior. "Sure Master."
So Leo was the next to occupy Rama with games of ;Can you do this? Can you catch me if you run real fast? Can you roll on the floor like a ball?
Rama laughed at the funny games Leo had her playing, she had been in the dojo to watch her dad and uncles train and sometimes Uncle Raph and she would play in there. But it was the first time she had played such games with Leo. She didn't know Uncle Leo could be such fun. When they were done Leo scooped her into his arms and tossed her into the air tickling her. He spun in circles and then set her down trying to see if she could chase him quickly.
Rama stopped her playing as she saw a spare set of nunchuks on the wall. she stared up at the wooden and chain weapons, sniffing a bit. Leo came over and picked Rama up, she turned and hugged him burying her face into his neck whimpering "Daddy. I wan' daddy."
Leo kissed her forehead "I know honey, but your dad will come home later." Leo vowed, "Let's get some lunch I bet you are hungry" he said hoping to distract her.
After lunch, Don and Raph both spent time playing with her, dinner came and went, Rama was growing tired of waiting for daddy, yes everyone told her daddy was coming home, but she had been waiting for so long and she hadn't seen him or heard from him. She was getting mad, from waiting she wanted her daddy and she wanted him now. So she began to kick and scream and wail for her missing father.
Splinter knew it was a temper tantrum brought on by longing, that she had reached her limits and was expressing it, gently he gathered the flailing child into his arms, his own hands and arms blocking her from hurting him, but holding her close. He packed her to the rocking chair where he sat rocking and shushing her, though he did not have a good singing voice the old Master sang a soft Japanese lullabye.
"Daddy?" Rama moaned wearily as she finally stopped fighting and sighed miserably in exhaustion slumping against the rat and snuggling closer to the body that felt so soft, warm and comforting. Splinter crooned softly to her until he saw here eyes starting to droop, they'd jerk open and she'd stare blankly for a moment and then the lids,as if too heavy for her, began to close again.
Splinter smiled tenderly at her, "It has been a hard day for her my sons, I think I will tuck her into bed. I wish you luck tonight return with Michaelangelo"
"We will Master" Leo assured him.
"You can count on it" Don agreed.
"I'm not coming home without him" Raph declared.
XXX
Although it had been a long day for the ninja Master, he could not just go to bed and sleep, he decided to meditate in his favourite chair while waiting for his son's return home. That he was concerned for his children went without saying, and he silently prayed that they would be able to find Mike and bring him home without too many problems befalling them. After some meditation Splinter went into the kitchen to make some tea and brought that and some crackers and cheese into the living room, where he sank blissfully into a chair and flipped on the TV tuning in to a late showing of Casablanca.
Time ticked ever slowly away, and still he was loathed to go to bed, he wanted, needed to know his sons would be all right, especially Michaelangelo, the Master shuddered as he wondered how they would explain to Ramiela about Mike if, the unforgivable had happened, no Michaelangelo was alive, he was sure of that much. He sensed his son's life force and though it was weak it was there and it meant there was hope. But if the others should fail what then?
It had been hard enough keeping the turtle tot occupied and distracted today, and while he enjoyed spending time playing with his grandaughter he didn't quite have the ability to keep up with her for long periods of time, like her father she was an exhuberant child.
Splinter must have closed eyes, but only for a moment, he wasn't sleeping, no just resting, when his sons returned Don carried Mike who was badly wounded and beaten. At first Splinter thought it was a dream but he blinked a few times and shook his head rousing himself, "Michaelangelo"
The turtle faced his mentor, Mike's face was swollen and puffy, large gashes were cut into arms and legs, and there was a deep slash in his carapace. "Hey Master, where's Rama?" he asked weakly.
"You can see Rama later Mike you need help now" Don soothed.
"No, I gotta see Rama now" Mike insisted fighting to pull free, "Let me see her Donny."
"Not in your condition Mike, you'll give her nightmares" Raph joshed lightly, "After you are fixed up."
Splinter cocked his head sighing with relief that all his sons returned but he also understood Mike's protest to see his daughter, weak and injured as he was, his first concern was for his child. He wanted to know she was all right. Splinter smiled and his whiskers twitched a bit Michaelangelo would not heal properly while his thoughts were on his daughter, and knowing how Ramiela had been, well she needed to know that her father, even when he had been missing for a long time would return to her.
He slipped off towards Rama's bedroom and found the tot sitting up in her bed crying, her short hair in disarray. She wiped her eyes with a pudgy fist as she sobbed.
"Ramiela, did you have a bad dream?" Splinter asked softly.
She jerked her head up and around "DA-DDY " she wailed.
"Oh child it is all right he has come home now" Splinter went to the bed and sat down, "Your dad has come home and he wants to see you as much as you wish to see him."Splinter soothed. "Come I will show you."
He picked her up and carried her into the infirmary where Mike was still demanding to see his daughter and the other three were trying to restrain him, and care for his injuries. "There is someone here to see you Michaelangelo."
Don turned, "Master are you sure that is wise?" he began.
"Of course for she is the best medicine a worried concerned father could have" Splinter assured Don.
Rama saw Mike and held out her arms "Daddy!" she yelled.
"Come here baby, you come sit beside me, you know I missed you. I thought about you Rama llama ding dong. You gave me strength" Mike smiled relaxing now as he took his daughter and sat her on the bed beside him.
"Daddy ow"
"Yeah Rama I have lots of ows but you make them better." Mike smiled up at Splinter, "As one father to another, thanks Master for understanding."
Splinter bowed and silently left the room, he knew now that the reunion was the best thing for those most hurt by the separation, and they would gain comfort and peace from each other. He knew because he had been there and he knew, what it was like and he knew nothing brought peace of mind like holding your child close and knowing that you were all safe from the dangers in the world.