Randall stayed down in the lair for a few more days, waiting for the worst of the pain to get past.

After four days of relaxation, and the pain going down, he felt he was ready to go back to April's. He had liked hanging out with his friends, but now, he was ready for some time on his own again. April would look after him if he needed anything.

Mikey drove Randall to April's place, then they went down to the basement, where they hung out and watched some movies. But after that, Randall really wanted some alone time.

"I wish you were still living in the lair." Mikey said.

"I know you do, but I've said it before that even though it is great to have you as my friend, I still do need my alone time. Some people get tired of me being around all the time. And at times, it's the same with me. We can hang out again another time, Mike." Randall said.

Mikey reluctantly went back home again.

Randall could finally relax in the bed that had become his down here in the basement. He fixed himself a meal, ate it and went to sleep for awhile.

April later checked in on him to see how he was doing. He was up and watching his TV again at this time. She just wanted to check on the wounds and change the bandages. Don had given her orders to make sure the wounds were looked after daily.

Randall hated looking at the wounds period, but knew it had to be done. April helped him take a cloth bath. He was still wary of taking a shower with the stitches.

While she was putting new bandages on him, he said, "I want to work again. I just feel lazy without working."

"If you think you can handle bending over and only lifting lightweight things." She said.

"I can do it." He said.

"Okay, rest up for today, and we'll see how you do tomorrow. But one slip up and you aren't working until the stitches come out." April warned him.

"Agreed." He reluctantly said.

He hated being treated like this, like he couldn't be allowed to do anything, just because of these injuries. They were looking better with each passing day, but he wished they would heal faster.

The next day, he opened some boxes and did lean over to take the items out of the boxes. He did feel some pull from the stitches, but the wounds didn't do too bad. April was watching him warily.

Randall tried not to let on that his wounds did throb from the bending over, but he was going to keep it up, if just gently. The darn things itched too, which was annoying as well.

The shift ended on a pretty good one. Randall just wanted to spend time to himself now, but April checked the wounds to be sure they were fine.

There was no blood and the wounds were scabbed over. It would still be another week before they were going to be deemed ready to come out though. Then April bound them up again.

…

A few days later, all the turtles came over for a sleepover and a movie night in April's apartment. Casey came over too. Mikey went downstairs to get Randall to join the fun.

This night, Master Splinter was glad to have his sons out of the lair. He wanted some time for himself too.

Randall followed Mikey upstairs. Mikey was glad that his friend was doing so well.

But in the bathroom, Don checked on the wounds once again. He was surprised at how fast they were healing.

"Us monsters heal pretty fast." Randall said. "I've been working in April's shop and they're not a big deal anymore. I just hate looking at them."

"They will be permanent scars though." Don said.

"I know, but I can deal with that. I just want the stitches out."

"A few more days. Just to make sure they are fully closed."

When Randall's middle was wrapped again, they both went out for some movie and popcorn fun.

"Aww! The popcorn's all gone." Mikey moaned half way through the movie.

"I can't imagine where it all went, Mikey." Raph said.

"I was hungry, but now I'm really hungry." Mikey said.

"You're always hungry." Randall said.

"What about getting some ice cream?" Don suggested.

"That sounds like a great idea." Casey said.

"I'll run to the store and get some." April said. "Stay here."

April went to an all night open store and bought a big bucket of ice cream. And some smaller boxes of it for choices. She didn't want the guys to get into trouble tonight out on the streets.

It was a really warm night out yet, so ice cream sounded like a good idea.

The guys were all anxious to get their taste buds on some nice, cold ice cream when she got back.

Mikey got out seven bowls out of the cupboard while April got a scooper spoon out of the drawer in the kitchen while the rest of them opened up the ice cream bucket and boxes.

Chocolate, vanilla, banana split, strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate, just some examples of what they all mixed up. And even some with almonds.

Randall just chose a basic chocolate. He did love sweets himself.

Once all the guys were satisfied in the ice cream choices, the boxes and bucket were put in the freezer for later. They popped in another movie to enjoy while eating the frozen treats.

As he was watching the movie and enjoying his ice cream, Randall looked over the others in the room with him. These were fun times he had never had as a kid. He had never had a normal childhood. He knew that being kids did involve sleepovers and just having fun like this. And after all the hardship he had faced from rough other beings in his world and in this world, it was like he was gaining back a part of his childhood from his friends.

He could actually call these guys his friends compared to anyone else back in his world. He was paid attention to, he had a job, he had beings here who would hang out with him and teach him things of this world. He knew by now that humans weren't toxic by the touch, but he did know that other ones outside of April and Casey were dangerous.

They all enjoyed this movie, another western one. Then April declared it was time for bed. It was late.

April dragged out an air mattress for Casey to sleep on. She would sleep in her own room. The guys would all sleep out in the living room, though Randall had the option of the basement. This time, he chose to stay up here with his friends.

He laid down closer to the TV. Mikey moved closer to him.

"Just make sure you give me enough space." Randall said.

"Of course, bro."

Randall flinched at that. "Bro?"

"After all this time, you've become like another brother."

"It's true, Randall." Leo said.

"Bros look out for one another." Raph said.

"Thanks. That means a lot." Randall said. For once, he felt like a part of a real family.

They all settled down to sleep for the night. It was the weekend, so there was no work tomorrow. But the next few days also spelled some good news for Randall too, as he would finally get his stitches out. During the healing process, they had also itched a lot too.

Four days later, Don took a look at and removed the stitches.

Randall was glad to have the horrid stitches out at last after two weeks of recovery. They had left their mark though. The slashes from the Shredder would always remain. And Randall had a big hatred for him too. He would kill him too if he got the chance.

….

The days were getting shorter as fall was coming on. Randall wondered if he was going to need to head south again.

"Randall, if you don't want to, you don't have to leave the house during the winter if the cold air will bother you. I keep it plenty warm in here in the wintertime, and there are some times when the guys do go to the farmhouse during the winter because it does get quite cold in the sewers." April said.

"Do the turtles still patrol in the winter?" Randall asked.

"Yes. They eat and warm up with their heat lamps and just keep on the move. That usually keeps them warm for awhile. They don't stay out nearly as much in the winter. But they also will wear clothes as well. It's easier for when they want to go some places. Winter's the easiest time for them to wear clothes."

"Even if I do wear clothes, there's no way I would fit in with a gang of humans with my body anatomy."

"There is a holiday coming up where you could walk out with the humans. The turtles do it. It's called Halloween. Casey and I dress up and go to parties that night. The turtles go out and get candy or walk the streets. Or watch scary movies. And they like to decorate pumpkins." April said. "Parents take their kids trick or treating, which is when the kids dress up like their favorite superheroes or creatures and they go out and get candy from people's houses."

"By creatures, you mean to say monsters, right?"

"Yeah. No offense."

"I'm not exactly a kid."

"It doesn't matter. People of all ages celebrate Halloween. There are parties and dances that go on that night for adults."

"I'm not much for parties. And with my set of legs, I probably wouldn't dance too well. And I don't want to be around humans at such a big place with too many of them." Randall said.

"You don't have to. We can see what the guys will do at that time. We also have Thanksgiving in November, and then there's Christmas in December."

"Us monsters didn't have Thanksgiving, given we'd never heard of it, and we did celebrate Christmas, even if I never fully grasped the understanding of it."

April went on to explain the meaning of both the end of the year holidays.

"Oh." Randall said when she had finished.

"Randall, I know you said you don't have a family back in your world, but do you consider us a family?" April asked.

"You guys are definitely a family. One that I wished I could have had as a kid. But it is nice to have one now. This is something that I have always wanted, to feel wanted and respected." Randall said.

"Everyone deserves a family. To feel loved and supported." She said.

"Yeah."

Randall had felt the support and respect, and care from this family. He began to wonder if they did love having him around? He knew Mikey did. And the others had been grateful to him for saving them.

It had been a few months since Randall had moved into the apartment with April and in all this time, their relationship was completely just as friends and a business partnership. And since cold weather was going to be here soon, he was really happy to be living in a real house again. Or an apartment. Better than the outdoors.

….

One day, while April was just peacefully working in the workshop, there were a couple men that came in, looking suspicious.

Randall was upstairs, just cleaning her apartment. He did that sometimes too for extra money. He had just finished vacuuming.

April watched the men carefully. "Is there anything I can help you gentlemen with today?" She asked them.

"Yeah, hands up, lady!" The dark haired one pulled a handgun on her.

She raised her hands.

"Give us all your money!" The blonde one ordered.

"Uh, sure."

Randall heard the commotion downstairs. He had seen some of these hold ups on TV when he watched them with Mikey. He went over to the staircase to see what was going on.

"Are you sure there's nothing else you want?" April asked, scared.

"No, we just want your money, or we may hurt you if you don't, girly." The blonde one said.

April was putting money from the cash register in a bag.

Randall growled and vanished. He knew April had fighting skills, but right now, she had guns aimed in her face.

He snuck down the stairs. He growled and made sure the men could hear him.

The men turned around and saw nothing. April knew it was Randall. "What was that?" One of them asked.

Then the blonde one felt his feet get tripped up from under him. He was holding a gun and the gun fired as he went down. It fired into the ceiling and would need to be patched up.

April then went and grabbed the wrist of the other man and threw him over her head. He landed a few inches away. He had dropped his gun out of surprise.

Then April picked up a gun and aimed it on them.

The one that Randall had gone after opened his eyes and he saw the woman with a gun aimed at her.

"You, over here with him, now!" April ordered.

The dark haired one joined his friend.

"Randall, hold them there." April said. She went to go call the police.

The men didn't know who she was talking to, but then a purple lizard appeared. He was on all eights.

Randall growled at the men, acting like an animal in this instance. The men were definitely afraid of him. They cornered themselves.

"Nice lizard, we need to go." The dark haired one said. They tried to sneak past him.

Randall snapped at them both with his teeth. They both stayed huddled in the corner.

Before long, sirens were heard. Then April took over again. Randall knew he couldn't be seen. He went back upstairs, but vanished anyway for good measure.

The police came and arrested the two men. And one of the men said April had a pet lizard.

"The lizard was vicious, man!" The blonde one said.

"Do you have a pet lizard, ma'am?"

"No. He's just making it up." April said.

"Alright. Stay safe, Ms. O'Neil." The officer said.

"Thank you." She said and saw the two officers off.

Randall reappeared after that. He had heard everything. She hadn't given him away.

"If anyone else had seen you, they would ask if I had a permit to have you. Some exotic pets are allowed, but otherwise, they would be taken to the city zoo." April said.

"I don't want to be caged ever." Randall said.

"And I wouldn't give you away. I have kept the turtles' secret for a long time. And thanks for your help, Randall."

"No problem."

April definitely saw Randall's worth too. He had just helped save her life and her money from burglars. He was well worth having around.

They later told the tale to the guys later than evening.

"Lucky he was here with you." Leo said.

"Yeah. He's a great business partner and friend." April said.

Randall smiled. He loved this attention. He wasn't trying to make a habit of saving everyone, but he did like wanting attention like this, good attention, and it wasn't like he was getting it from a large crowd. It was just a simple small family.

Later in the week, when he visited the turtles' lair, he had a talk with Leo.

"How often do you guys decide to go out in the cold winter weather?" Randall asked.

"We go out when we feel like it, or when there's been stuff going on. We still have to make sure that bad guys don't get away with their evil business. They are especially active around Christmas time. They try to steal items that are meant to be gifts to others."

"That's all great for you guys, but I just can't stand the cold. I have to limit my time outside. I get sick easily from it."

"That's okay. You don't have to go outside if you don't want to. And at times, we do go to the farmhouse when it gets too cold down here." Leo said.

"I probably would go again, as long as I don't go camping in the winter."

"We don't camp in the winter time, except in the barn maybe."

"No thanks. I just can't be outside much." Randall said. "Or I could go back down south."

"You don't have to do that. Just stay here. You have April's place to stay in. And you can come to the farmhouse when she decides to bring you or you can come up with us. Just call us and tell us what you want to do when the time comes." Leo said.

"Sure."

At least now Randall had a piece of mind that it wouldn't be forced on him to go. He definitely didn't want to go camping again too soon.

It was close to Halloween when I wrote this section. The Halloween part was fun to write when I got to it. Stay tuned for more soon!