Raphael

"So what are you saying Leo?" I whisper my question while holding a sleeping Grey in my arms. A glance at the clock tells me he'll be waking up hungry any minute now. Zoe, as if reading my mind, places a bottle in my hand before taking a seat on the floor of the dojo, next to me. Hisao just finished nursing and seems to be in a milk induced coma in her arms.

Leo passes his ebony haired infant daughter to Karai and sighs.

Donnie holds one of Rachel's little fingers as she tries to balance herself before she lets go and toddles over to April. He glances in my direction, "He's saying we tuned out what was going on in New York for the past year and it's gotten out of control. These rogue hybrids are not even trying to be discreet. There are clips of them on the news. They've held up businesses, broken into cars, vandalized buildings, mugged people…"

"You mean they've committed normal everyday New York crimes. The only difference is they're hybrids." Zoe sneers at Donnie as though he's offended her.

"Yes- but we released them. We contributed to the increase in crime. It's our responsibility to fix that." Leo cast a sympathetic glance at Zoe then quickly set his gaze on me. I have to fight the smirk that begs to make its way to my face. Leo doesn't want a civil war and lately the topic of hybrids is starting to rub Zoe the wrong way.

"Don't look at Raphael to help you Leo. I know we need to get back and look into this, but I want to understand who the players are and what's going on. The hybrids we released were so excited to be free… This just doesn't make any sense." She stands up, "I have to go check on Kei."

"Sofu has him." I tell her, pointing to the floor, "Sit. This meeting ain't over."

Her jaw shifts and her grey eyes narrow as she sinks back to the floor, "Fine."

Michelangelo shuffles into the dojo, rubbing his eyes as he makes his way to Donatello, "He's not doin' so good Donnie. Think you could look him over again?"

My heart wrenches, one thing Zoe and I are fortunate enough to say about each of our babies is that they are all healthy. Hisao is bonded to her at an almost intolerable level, but we all chalk that up to his birth and try to cope with it. But Mikey and Exodus' son has been frail and sickly since birth.

Donnie puts a hand on Mikey's shoulder, "Sure Mike." He glances in Zoe's direction, "You want to try that thing we talked about?"

I stiffen. What thing?

Zoe gives Donnie a solemn look, "Definitely."

"What's going on?"

"We're going to try a transfusion. Zoe was the closest they had to a perfect specimen so maybe her blood will help Noah. I theorize that Midori and Rachel are healthy because they are human-females, but I believe Noah is weak because he is both male and turtle. Yet your children are all healthy. So I suspect it must be Zoe's DNA. We want to try a transfusion and perhaps a bone marrow transplant."

That does make sense.

Exodus chooses this moment to make us all aware that she's been standing in the doorway holding the sick baby. "There were better anti-rejection meds in the lab. If we could find Stockman's new lab I'm sure he'd have them. I hated being a lab experiment and I sure as hell don't want that for Noah. At least I know the meds will work."

Donatello frowns, "Actually we don't. Noah wasn't made, he was born."

Tears of exhaustion slip down Exodus' cheeks and Mike is quick to her side, kissing and hugging his mate and their infant. "Well I won't have him go through everything Zoe and I did! I say we get the meds and then you can do lab work to see which of the three methods might help him best."

"I think it's time to call my cousins guys." April says, getting to her feet.

"Huh?" Leo's head whips in her direction.

Zoe stands suddenly and Karai follows suit.

What's going on here?

"It's time to go back to New York," Zoe nods.

"I'm staying here with my cousins, Splinter and the kids. Someone has to be here that can help Laurel, Wren and Robin and who knows the intricacies of this family. They aren't trained martial artists and no offense Raph and Zoe, but your two oldest could probably subdue the childcare." April winks at Zoe whose cheeks flush.

"What are they a flock of birds?" I quip.

April glares at me, "Funny Raph. No, Laurel is their older sister but Robin and Wren are fraternal twins."

Leo opens his mouth to speak but Karai beats him to it, "Enough, April make the call. Exodus, do you want to stay here with Noah?"

"No, but I will stay at the lair with Noah and Hisao. If we need Donnie I don't want to be two hours away from him."

"Why's Hisao goin?" I don't like this. I want all of my kids together and safe, here at the farm house.

Zoe whirls on me, "You know why Raphael. He won't take a bottle or even settle for anyone longer than three hours. I can't be worried about him here driving our babysitters mad. Exodus can handle it. He's just going to have to go with us."

I already know how this is going to go but I throw it out there anyway, "Or you could stay here with our kids."

"All right, I'm with Karai, April make the call and let's go pack. We can be in New York by nightfall." Zoe nods in April's direction. April leaves the dojo without another word, Zoe and Karai right behind her. Exodus hands Noah over to Mike and follows them.

She not only completely ignored me but left me and my brothers looking at each other.

"What just happened?" Leo looks at each of us then waves his hand toward the door in disbelief.

"I think the women just took charge of the situation," Donnie smirks.

"But I'm the leader," Leo whines still staring at the doorway.