It's been about a month since I decided that we would need a new place but I haven't been able to find one that would be big enough for the five of us. I've been going out every night to look as well but have found nothing. I groaned and rubbed my face as I made my way back to the lair, having failed again on finding us a new home.
I began the process of opening the door and walked in when it opened, feeling it close up behind me. I looked around the living room, seeing the tots all still in the same turtle pile I left them in and smiled softly at the four of them. I started wondering if I should start bringing the little tots along with me, maybe they'll be able to spot something that I can't see.
And almost as if they knew I was thinking about them, they started to stir, coming to the waking world slowly. I walked over to them and crouched down, waiting to see how quickly they would notice me. They were doing much better than when I found them a month and a half ago. They looked healthier, fuller. Most of their wounds have already scarred up and hopefully will fade to almost nothing. Their eyes began to flutter open, looking around as they woke up. I knew that it was too early for them to be awake so I rubbed the top of each of their heads, "It's alright little ones. GO back to sleep." I churred softly, letting them know that they were safe and with me. It seemed to work because they started falling back to sleep.
I laid down next to them, watching them sleep. I know that sounds creepy but they seem so peaceful when they sleep, like nothing can get to them. I lifted a hand and rubbed Leonardo's cheek softly, smiling softly when he turned his head into my hand, cooing softly. That's when a thought enters my mind. These little guys were another version of me and my brothers, which means they might have the same bad guys we do. Which also means that I am going to do everything in my power to make sure that these kids are safe and are able to be kids.
Nothing was going to touch my children. With this last thought in my mind, I closed my eyes, letting sleep take me.
I let out a grunt as I felt something land on me, I opened my eyes to slits and saw that it was Leonardo on top of me, smiling at me like he didn't do a thing in the world but I also knew that was a lie as well. "Dada! Ake up!" I groaned and closed my eyes again. "How about no, Leonardo? Dada wants to sleep." I had to bite back a smile as I heard him whine. "Nooooo, dada ake up!" I let out a playful huff as I opened my eyes again, looking at him. "But dada wants to sleep. And you know, he's got the perfect thing to let him sleep." With no warning I pulled Leonardo into my arms, causing him to shriek, and rolled over to my side, snoring very loudly. He started laughing and wiggling out of hold.
"Od Dada! Od!" I opened my eyes and looked down at me, seeing that he was almost out from under my arms. His chin on my arm with his own arms straight up in the air. I chuckled and sat up, "Alright little man, you win. Where are your brothers at?" He pointed to the kitchen and I nodded, standing up and watching as Leonardo ran to the kitchen as well. I made my way to the kitchen slowly, stretching my arms up above my head, groaning out in relief as I felt my shoulders pop.
I walked into the kitchen and saw all the tots at the table and Michelangelo in his highchair. And that surprised me a little. "Who got Michelangelo in his highchair?" I looked at the three older tots. The twins pointed at Rapheal and gave me a big grin, his snaggle tooth starting to poke out. "I crossed my arms over my chest, raising a brow at him. "I did it!" I chuckled and started making breakfast.
Well, breakfast was normal this morning. Like it is every morning. Saying the prayer, talking with the little ones, feeding Michelangelo, only for him to start flinging food and starting a food fight. Once I got the little tots and the kitchen cleaned back up, I brought the little ones into my lap and set them down on an empty table. "So, I have a question for you guys" I knew that I had their attention when they all chirped at the same time. "Do you guys want to help me find us a new lair?" Before I could say anything else, they chirped loudly and clapped their hands, nodding their hands." I laughed at them, shaking my head. "Will you guys be alright going out of the lair for a little bit?" They haven't been out of the lair since I brought them here and I wanted to make sure that they would be okay with it first.
"We be otay!" Raphael said. I nodded, "You guys will have to stay up later than normal then so that we can go. Sounds like a plan?" They all nodded again and helped them down off the table and watched them run out of my lap to go play.
A few hours later, I walked out of my lap and saw the little tots sitting in a circle, tossing a rock in between each other. I felt bad because I wasn't able to get them toys to play with but hopefully with this new lair, I'll be able to do better for them. I cleared my throat and watched them all jump, having to hold back in a chuckle. "Are you guys ready to go?" They all nodded and stood up. Raphael picked Michelangelo up and they all walked up to me. I bent down and grabbed Michelangelo from Rapheal. "Donatello, can you grab me a blanket out of my lap?" Donatello ran as fast as his legs could take him, making me extra glad I decided to put away all the dangerous stuff after I brought them home.
Donatello came back out with a blanket and ran up to me, panting slightly and held it up for me. I grabbed the blanket and started to wrap it around me like a sling. After I wrapped it up, I put Michelangelo in it so that that way, I could have both of my hands free. I grabbed Leonardos and Donatello's hands with Rapheal in front me. And slowly, we walked out of the lair.
The turtle tots were quiet as we walked down the sewers, looking around in awe. I smiled as they reminded me of the first time me and my brothers walked in the sewers with my father for the first time. Thinking about my family was getting easier with time but it still hurt. "Well? What do you guys think?" And that question right there made all of them talk, Michelangelo babbling and chirping.
Somewhere else in the sewers, sat a being in the dark. Seething as they remembered what they had done and wondering why they did it in the first place. They were going to find the ones that this mess in the first place and continue to make them pay for this was their fault. All of it was their fault. They continued to sit there in the dark, planning on how they were going to get turtles, their sons, back and there was going to be no force in the world that was going to stop them from doing so. The turtles belonged to them, they were their property. They had their blood in them. So there they sat, planning and waiting.