Raphael

The Lair

Five Hours Later

In two short hours we were packed and April's cousins were on the next flight to New York. Splinter and April insisted they could manage the four of mine and Zoe's kids, along with Karai and Leo's baby girl Midori, as well as Rachel until help arrived. I thought they were nuts, but April went on some kind of tangent about how some women handle a dozen kids by themselves so surely the two of them could.

The women didn't have a problem with it. Although I saw Zoe's eyes tear up as she kissed each of our babies. That look of reflection however, was nowhere to be found when she loaded arrows in her quiver, packed her bow, tessen, shuriken, and knives.

Now she was tugging the rubber band from her hair and shaking her wild red waves loose. Then she proceeded to slip her feet into a pair of gray high heeled shoes.

"Where do you think you're goin'?" I ask, gazing at her from my spot on the bed, with Hisao asleep on my plastron. It can't be comfortable but he always wants to be either there or on Zoe's chest. If he does sleep on something softer it has to be between us or another family member. But the kid never fails to sense it when there's no one in the room with him.

Right now his mother is tugging on the hem of a shiny silver colored dress that has me wanting to stick him in the crib and throw her on the bed. The color sets off her eyes and they seem to shine like polished chrome. A coy smile plays on her coral colored lips and she raises a cinnamon colored eyebrow, "I'm going fishing."

"You're not goin' anywhere without me," I say, trying to shift Hisao onto the mattress. Milk induced comas are great things, I can move him and unless we leave he won't even stir. I have my hands on her by my next breath, and I bend over to look her in the eye, "What's the plan Feisty?"

She purses her lips, draws her head back, "What makes you think I have a plan and who are you calling Feisty?"

As I hover near her jaw she tips back her head, challenging me with a mere look.

"Mmm, you," my hands slip from her biceps down to her hips and I squeeze her butt, "Always you."

With the slightest turn of her head her lips brush mine, and she whispers, "I thought Leo was the planner."

A low chuckle escapes me, "Yeah, you're the schemer."

My fingers brush the skin of her thighs just below the edge of her dress. I slip them under and up a little higher and find the holsters she wears to hold her weapons.

"See that right there, is evidence of a plan." I say, tugging on the black material.

"Karai and I are going out for drinks. I just like to be prepared." She steps out of my reach and moves for the door.

"Hey!" I protest a little too loudly and Hisao whimpers from the bed.

"Shhh!" She scolds me, opens the door and steps out.

I glance down at the stirring baby. If I walk out he'll wake up and she knows it.

Screw it, she ain't goin out without telling me where. But right as I open the door I find her standing on the other side of it, a playful grin on her face.

"Had ya going for a second there didn't I Big Guy?" She winks then explains herself, "We'll have phones, a tracking bracelet, not to mention our emotional bond. You will be able to find me if anything happens."

A shiver pricks at my insides and I shake my head, "I don't like it. I say we'll watch from above."

"Fine, but I'm leaving now." She points down to the lair entry where Karai pops a hand on her hip and frowns at me.

"Where's X?" I motion toward Hisao, "If I leave this room-"

"I'm right here. Mikey and Donnie are coming with you." Exodus carries Noah and makes her way up the steps. "We'll just sleep in there with him. It'll be fine. Go ahead."

"Sometime tonight would be great," Karai complains.

"I'm coming," Zoe waves her off then flashes Exodus a grateful smile, "Thanks X, take care of my boy."

"Sure thing Z, go stir up trouble." Exodus' bright blue eyes sparkle as she gives Zoe a knowing look.

A protesting growl rises up in my chest.

"Don't say things like that X, you get him all riled up." Zoe grabs my hand as she laughs and leads me downstairs.

We leave on foot, through the garage exit and I put an arm around her pulling her to the side next to the fire escape. "We should… get that pain connection turned back on Z."

The frown on her face doesn't sit well with me and what she says bothers me even more.

"Not until all of this is over Raph. We still have our emotional connection and I don't feel like pain is something we need to share. It's gotten so that I can block that one part and I think it's for the best."

My stomach quivers. "Why? I want to be able to feel you completely."

Her gray eyes flash, "You feel me every day Big Guy. I'm not budging on this. If anything happens to one of us, the other still needs to be able to function." She glances in Karai's direction and I catch sight of Leo lecturing her while she gazes up at the night sky, arms crossed over her chest.

I'm not going to lecture Zoe and she's partly right. If either of us are hurt we can't risk being incapacitated by pain and unable to help the other. And the familiar vibration that fills me from within tells me she is in fact with me.

"Is your com on?"

She stretches up on the toes of her shoes and I feel the corners of my mouth curve, she still can't reach me, even though they add three inches to her height. Her fingers wrap around the tails of my mask and she lures me to her. As our lips meet I hear a throat clearing from behind me.

"I'm sorry but five kids, is more than enough. Hands off each other, we've got work to do." Karai tugs on Zoe's arm and I grumble in protest as Zoe releases me, linking her arm through Karai's as they make their way down the alley onto the sidewalk.