Well, it's now currently 12:15 am when I'm updating so it is Monday. Um, still don't own any TMNT character but I do own all the OC's. In this chapter, the whole stuffed bear will be explained in this chapter. It's kinda a brotherly chapter and, well, you'll just have to read it!
Big welcome to a new reviewer - r33k00b34r - for the great review! And thanks to all the other people who reviewed as well!
Mikey nervously paced the hallway as he listened to Leo talking with April and Casey.
"Are you sure neither of you saw him last night?" Leo let out a sigh. "Okay April, thanks." Mikey burst into the room the second he heard the phone click.
"Anything?" he asked hopefully.
Leo regretfully shook his head. "Sorry Mikey, no. They'll be over in an hour to help us search though. Why don't you go get your Turtle Titian out? That way, while we search, you can go see Silver Sentry and the other superheroes. Maybe they'll keep an eye out for Raph."
Mikey brightened slightly at the mention of getting his uniform. Although none of the brothers really enjoyed Mikey and the dumb outfit together, Leo had to admit that it did come in handy.
Mikey ran into his room. Throwing open his closet door he revealed the clean and pressed costume. Mikey grinned.
And my they thought I couldn't keep anything clean.
He carefully laid it on the bed and started to strip off his pads when the small bear on his bed caught his eye. With a sigh, he stopped and sat down on the bed, starring at the bear in his hands. A small white envelope caught his eyes, hidden carefully in the bow around the bear's neck.
With shaking fingers, he removed it. Inside were three pieces of paper, all neatly folded into small squares. On them were written in very familiar handwriting.
Michelangelo
April and Casey
Angel
A sudden memory hit him. This wasn't just any bear; it was Raph's.
(FLASHBACK)
"Achoo!" a sneeze echoed through the lair. Mikey paused from his coloring books, wondering where the sound came from.
"Achoo! Achoo!" Weak sniffling followed the sound.
Leo entered the room, looking around before letting his gaze settle on Mikey. "What was that?" Six-year-old Leo asked.
Mikey shrugged, wincing as he heard several more sneezes. Don walked into the room carrying what Mikey assumed was an old Walkman, in his tiny three-fingered hands.
"Was that you two?" he asked. They both shook their heads. "Where's father?"
"I'm right here my sons." He said as he moved into the room, a frown on his face.
"What was that?" Mikey asked, cocking his head.
Splinter sat down on the old green couch, gathering his three sons in his arms and snuggling them into his fur. "I'm afraid Raphael is sick my sons. You must not go near him, but let him heal."
Mikey suddenly remembered watching a late night movie alone, when Splinter was gone. Someone had gotten very sick and died.
"Is Raphie going to die?" he asked in a small voice, tears filling his eyes.
Splinter flicked an ear at his child's question. "Of course not, my son. He will not die as people in movies do." He said with one eyebrow raised.
His youngest really hadn't thought he was going to get away with watching a horror movie that late at night did he? He'd fallen asleep crying when the person died.
"No my son. It's just the flu. He'll be alright in a few days." Splinter gave him a reassuring smile. "But for now, if you must see him, please stay back from him. I do not wish for you to fall ill as well."
Leo and Donny both nodded, their brown eyes wide. Mikey nodded his head as well, not truly understanding what was being said. Father looked pleased when they had nodded, and Mikey wanted Father to be pleased.
Master Splinter was surprised when Michelangelo nodded his head as well. He wasn't quite sure that the youngest turtle understood everything, but he understood enough. After all, his children were not liars. He excused himself, saying that he was going to gather supplies. He wanted Raphael well almost as bad as three brothers did.
As soon as Splinter was safely out of the lair, Don turned to his brothers.
"I'm going to get on the computer and see if I can get some information about the flu. Make Raphie better."
Leo nodded his head, once again taking control when Splinter wasn't around. "Alright. Father taught me how to make soup with the fire so I'm going to make Raphael some soup. Mikey" he turned to the eager smallest turtle. "You just stay out of our way and let us work."
Mike's face fell as his two brothers went about making his brother better. He wanted to help, too; but how?
He wasn't old enough to light a fire; according to Father and Leo. Even Raph, who was the second oldest wasn't allowed. Father said simply because he wasn't old enough, but Mikey knew that wasn't all.
He had no clue how to work the 'puter. All the buttons looked the same to him. The one time he tried, he thought he broke it cause the screen went all black on him. Don said he hit the 'off' button and that he didn't break it. To Mikey though, off and broke were the same thing. The screen was black regardless.
How can I make Raphie feel better so he can play? Mikey thought with a frown.
He walked over to his small bed (a mattress on the floor with a small pillow and a large blanket) and reached into his pillowcase. With a grin, he revealed a small, green sheet of paper with a 20 on it. He knew the numbers were two and zero, he just didn't know what they were together.
Sticking it back into the safety of his pillowcase, he went to ask Donnie. After all, Donnie knew everything.
He saw his older brother typing on the 'puter again, the small scowl he always got when he did. Father told him it was his 'thinking face', but Mikey thought there was some aliens in the computer, trying to suck Donnie into the white screen.
That would explain why the screen was always black when he and his brothers got on, but white when Donnie did. They choose Donnie.
He ran to his brother's side, fearfully looking up at the computer.
Maybe if they saw him, they'd go away.
Sure enough, no aliens but funny markings that Father called words. Mikey was proud to say he knew a few, but the word sizes were making him dizzy. Donny seemed to understand, cause he was still staring. He jumped when Mikey laid a hand on his arm.
"Mikey!" Don jumped with surprise. Calming his racing heart, he turned to the youngest turtle. "I'm busy, what is it?"
Mikey wasn't sure how to explain the funny green paper he found when he spotted one of those papers on the small desk.
"What's that?" he pointed to the green paper. This one had a 1 on it.
Donnie sighed impatiently. "It's called money Mikey."
"What's it do?"
Donnie brightened at the thought of teaching his brother something. Whenever he tried in the past, trying to teach them about the atmosphere and knights on large horses called Warhorses, he got funny looks, but no ears.
"The humans use it to buy stuff." Don explained. "Sensei said it was very important to them and that's how they buy nice toys and food and stuff."
Mikey picked up the bill carefully. "What's the number?"
Don gently pulled it from the turtle's little hands. "It's a one Mikey. Father is going to save up a bunch of them and go get a pizza when he has enough."
Mikey loved pizza! "How much money does pizza take?"
Don corrected him. "You mean how much is the pizza? It's twelve dollars Mikey. So Father needs twelve of these?"
Mikey put on an innocent look. "What if he found money with big number. Like two and zero?"
Don drew a sharp intake of breath. "If Father found that much money…wow that would be huge!"
Mikey thanked his brother and ran into his room again. Maybe he could use money to make Raph better, then get pizza. He nodded his head. Yes, that's a good idea.
Later that night, when everyone was asleep, Mikey carefully grabbed the money tightly and made his way to the door, grabbing his special up-top coat so nobody would see him. Father told them they were never to leave the lair without him, but this was an emergency. He had to help make Raph better so he didn't die.
Climbing up the ladder, he used all his strength to push aside the manhole cover. The city, even at night, was alive!
He spotted a toy store he always stopped at to look in the window, when they went up. Carefully making his way to it, he spotted a man putting a sign in the door. The man had shoulder length black hair and big arms. He was huge compared to tiny Mikey.
"Wait! Mister!" he yelled as he ran up.
The man turned and frowned. "Sorry kid, we're about to close up. Come back in the morning." He added. "With your parents."
"Please?" Mikey carefully hid his face, but not his eyes. He starred up at the man. "My brother Raphie is sick and I need to help make him better."
The man was about to say no, when he looked in the kid's huge eyes. He let out a sigh. "Come on in kid. How much you got?"
Mikey proudly held up the money. "But," he told the man. "I need twelve ones left. For pizza." He quickly added.
The man led him over to a shelf full of small toys. There were teddy bears, horses, puppies, kittens and other animals Mikey had never seen or heard. He scanned the shelf carefully, knowing it had to be the right one. He couldn't find anything.
"What are you looking for kid?" the man asked gently. He'd never seen a kid act so serious about picking out a toy before, especially one that wasn't even for them "What's, uh, Raphie like?"
Mikey thought hard. His brother liked to be mean and hit Mikey. He liked to take his crayons and break them when he was trying to color. He liked to wrestle. Mikey could almost swear he liked getting hurt and in trouble.
"Uh, red?" he offered.
The man scratched his head as he scanned the shelves. "Red huh?" he walked over to another shelf and picked up a small, brown bear with a red ribbon tied around it's neck. "This work?"
Mikey nodded his head. It was perfect. He took the bear, as if he was holding china, and then quickly ran his hand over its head. It was fuzzy and extra soft. He held the money up to the man. The man took it over to a funny looking computer and hit a few buttons. Mikey jumped when a drawer popped out.
He wondered if their computer could do that, especially when he saw the drawer had lots of money. And they needed money. The man handed back a bill with a five and a ten.
"Here kid, you can have him for five bucks. Now," he ushered Mikey out the door. "Go give that to your brother and buy that pizza."
Mikey nodded eagerly and started to rush off when he remembered his manners. "Thanks mister!" he called as he vanished into the alley.
The man waved and went back inside to finish closing the store. Shaking his head he thought, kids.
Mikey quietly made his way back into the lair, thankful everyone was asleep. Well, almost everyone. He quietly walked into the separate room Father had set up for Raph so he wouldn't get the others sick.
Sniffling and bloodshot eyes greeted Mikey as he went up to his brother's bed. His whole body was covered in heavy blankets, so only his eyes peeked out. His mask lay on the table next to him. He turned his teary eyes to Mikey, quickly rubbing and arm across them to get rid of any tears.
Mikey kneeled beside his brother. "Are you okay Raphie? Are you crying?" he was worried. He didn't like it when any of his brothers cried.
Raph let out a sniffle before nodding his head. "Ya, I'm Kay," it was hard to talk with a sore throat and a stuffy nose. "Wha ya doin, Mikey?"
Mikey grinned at his brother. "I got something for you. To make you better."
Raph tried not to role his eyes. "I don need nother picture Mike." He gestured with his hand at the stacks of drawing's Mikey had done.
Mikey shook his head. "No, not another picture." He produced the bear from his coat. "Ta-da!"
Raph starred in shock at the bear, before turning his gaze to Mikey. None of them had any stuffed animals, only broken toys they found in the sewer. "Tha fer me?" he asked with wide eyes.
"Yep." Mikey handed the bear to Raph.
Raph slowly took the bear, not believing it. It was brand new, he could see from the lack of dirt on it. He gave his brother a grateful look and a rare smile. "It's even red." He murmured.
"Tanks Mikey!" he whispered. He closed his eyes and slowly fell asleep, clutching the bear to his plastron with both arms.
Mikey grinned from ear to ear as he went back to sleep. The look on Raph's face had made it worth it. He even remembered to stick the rest of the money on the desk for Father to find later.
A pair of amber eyes watched the deed his youngest son performed. At first, he had failed to notice his son's absence until he snuck back into the lair. He watched with his own eyes tearing. His first reaction had been to punish his son for leaving the sewers without him, but when he saw what Mikey had the courage to do on his own, he couldn't find it in his heart to punish him. His son did it out of love for his brother. Mikey wasn't the smartest or the toughest, but he did have the biggest heart.
(End Flashback)
Mikey shook his head, bringing himself back into reality. The bear was still tightly clutched in one hand, the notes in the other. He couldn't believe Raph had kept the bear this long. He was too tough for something like this, wasn't he?
He knew they'd cleaned the room many times since then and he should have seen the bear. But he hadn't. And Raph had kept it. He couldn't understand how Raph had kept it this long and never told him. And how could he just leave like he did and not tell him that either. He set the bear on his pillow and brought out the red mask from his pillowcase.
"Mikey?" Leo stepped in the room. The first thing he noticed wasn't that Mikey wasn't in his costume, but the bear on the pillow. "What's that Mike?" curious, he reached for the bear.
Mikey snatched the bear up, eyes flaring. "Don't you touch it." He hissed. "It's not yours."
"And it's not your either." Leo snapped back. "Whose is it?"
"It's Raph's."
Leo blinked. Why was Mike in Raph's room? "What were you doing in his room?" he stepped forward. That's when he saw the notes.
Before the orange clad turtle could stop him, he'd snatched all three notes from his brother. His eyes widened when he recognized the handwriting's. Seeing the first letter had Michelangelo written on it, he assumed one was for him and the other for Don. But when he went to read the names on the other two he, he could feel his heart break. They weren't addressed to them as he'd assumed.
Angel.
With a calming breath and a racing heart, he looked at the last one.
April and Casey.
Mikey starred at the floor as his brother went through them. He obviously thought there had been a note for him.
"Is this all he left?" he asked, barely managing to breathe. It wasn't Mikey's fault.
"Yes." Mikey said in a small voice.
By then Don and Splinter had joined them. Starring in shock at the notes, emotions hit like a hard wind.
Anger, betrayal, sorrow.
"Would you be willing to read us the note he left for you Michelangelo?" Splinter asked his son. He wanted to hear what lay heavy on his son's heart.
With a shaky nod, he opened the note and began to read.
Dear Mikey,
I'm sorry it came down to this. I really am. But I want you to understand that it has never worked out; it never will. While in ways it's not your fault, it is. Just like you rely on Leo and Splinter, I too needed someone to lean on. To be heard. I couldn't lean on Leo; while he was my best friend at one time, I guess you could say he grew up without me. Don, don't get me wrong ,I love him as much as I do any of you, but I've never felt connected or bonded to him in anyway. Besides, he never has time for anyone except he 'toys'. Then there's you Mikey,
Mikey paused, feeling tears run down his cheeks.
I've always known you were there. We fight side by side; we protected and looked out for one another, whether it was on the streets, in battle, or even at home. I don't think you ever really saw it, but I did. Mikey, I know you've said that I'm your hero, but Mikey, you're mine too. Lately, I've given you the shoulder to cry on; but where's mine? I'm not blaming you. I'm supposed to be tougher than you. Right? Huh. I know I'm the tough brother and everything, but sometimes I needed someone to lean on. Mikey, since I'll never see you again, I thought I should let you know that in everyway, with a Turtle Titan costume on or not, you're my hero. You make me laugh; you give me a personal punching bag; heck, you give me exercise with our daily chases after a prank. But more than that, I saw you were the only one who came to get me at dinner. You're the only one who wanted me at the table. So I thank you for that. It meant more to me then you'll ever know. I know Leo, Don or sensei might get their hands on this and read it so I just want you to know that you're my little brother Mikey and I love you to death. Whatever happens; wherever I go, just take the bow off the bear and I'll be there. The bear, I've kept it all these years to remember that deed you did for me when we were young. Rarely a day goes by when I don't pull out that bear at least once. Even though you don't know it, the love in that bear from you is still there. Whenever I needed to feel you, I just pulled out that bear and was reminded of your love. So next time you need my love, you pull out that bear. So, I can't write forever, even though I have so much more to tell you. I can sum it up in a few words; I love you Mikey. You're my hero. Love ya forever.
Your big brother 4 ever,
Raphael
Please don't kill the author. (runs and hides) I promise there will be action in a few chapters. Um, please review and tell me what you think. More reviews = faster updates!
evil, I know. HE-HE!
