This is IT for this fic, we are done with the Behind Bars series. I want to thank everyone who reviewed thus far... you guys rock.
Special thanks out to my friends, support, and betas - Mikell, Melody Winters, Scribe of Turesa, and finally Raph's No. 1 Girl
The song "Before he Cheat" does not belong to me, nor do the TMNT characters. However, ALL OC's belong to me so ask before use!
"I still can't believe it's you." Raph whispered, pulling free of Don's nursing grip and brushing a strand of brown hair from jade colored eyes. "When I saw you…I thought I was dreaming. That I'd never see you again."
"I'm sorry." Her once young voice that had been filled with the innocence of a youthful girl was gone, filled the musical sounds of a young woman. Blinking, she cast him a shy smile. "After you and your brothers were taken away, I couldn't stand dad anymore. So I ran home and hoped to find you guys are free you." Her cheeks turned crimson. "Except I always seemed to be a few steps behind you guys the whole time."
"Macaster moved me around a lot." Raph nodded, turning to look at Leo. The eldest turtle was sitting across from him, shooting anxious looks, as though he was afraid Raph was going to disappear again. Mikey was pressed tight against one side of Raph, leaning on him to provide the support and comfort both needed while Becka sat on the opposite side, leaning against the turtle. Don sat at Raph's feet, a roll of bandages and salve in his hands and he bandaged Raph's raw and bloody wrists and ankles.
"I'm sorry."
"Becka, how did you know you're father was going to be there?" Leo asked, studying the girl with sharp brown eyes.
"I actually found out from my…one of the guys at the airport."
Everyone detected the change in her sentence, but let it slide. Raph gave a small nod, accepting the fact that she had a right to her secrets. Becka was beautiful, smart, and wonderful. She deserved a boyfriend that made her happy - one that could give her everything in life Raph couldn't.
"I just wanna know how you guys managed to scare everyone away." Becka chuckled lightly, changing the subject. "I mean, I'm hiding in the plane and waiting for Raph to be loaded when I see everyone start running. But no car made it more than a few feet." Everyone laughed at the memory.
"Run!" a man screamed, tossing a hawk that was sitting on his arm into the air and making a beeline for his car. Behind him was a mad mob of people, all screaming and some even hiding their faces behind random objects, like papers and even cages – attempting to hide their faces from the oncoming policeman and the very angry looking dog at his side, also wearing a badge.
Alex watched in utter amusement as those who could even get in their cars attempt to start them. Those lucky enough not to have their doors melted shut (thanks to a genius invention by Donatello) had scrambled into their cars and the keys were twisting back and forth, waiting for the hum of the engine. Alex knew that under the hood was a fancy reworking made by Donatello or an utter mess made by Michelangelo.
A few cars did work and they all raced for the road. A few died on the small hill upward, causing a collision for those unfortunate souls parked at the bottom. The few that did make it to the top died right there.
Within seconds, the whole area was filled with curses of angry men, crying woman who feared jail, cries of frightened animals, the chuckle of Alex and the bark of Lance.
"So wait…" Raph held up both hands. "You guys managed to sabotage all the cars and trucks without no one seeing?"
Mikey nodded proudly. "Yep. You know that lady who brought you in? The chick in boots?"
Raph frowned. "I wouldn't exactly call her a chick Mike, but yes. Her name is Sharon."
"Well that Sharon-dudette is going to need a new trailer…or a very heavy paint job." A smile filled his face.
"You." Mikey hissed, spotting the hot red truckr and fancy horse trailer parked near the road. Seeing a flash of purple, showing his brother was still hard at "work" and wouldn't notice what he was about to do, Mikey grinned and reached into his belt, pulling out a small bottle of green spray paint. Carefully sneaking up to the side of the trailer, Mike shook up the can and opened the lid.
Making sure no one was watching, Mikey artfully redecorated the obviously very expensive trailer. When he was done with his handiwork, he moved to the tires and hammered a nail in with his fist. With a snicker, he moved to the actual truck and pulled out a throwing star.
"Where have I heard this before?" Mikey chuckled at the tune popped in his head. "Oh yeah."
"I dug my key into the side of this pretty little souped up 4 wheel drive"
"I don't' have a key, since they won't me drive." Mikey chuckled, pulling out a sharp star shaped object. "But I'm sure this will work just as well."
"Carved my name into his leather seats…"
"Hmmm…Michelangelo is a little too hard to spell." Mike mused. "But I'm sure Anonymous would work. If I knew how to spell anonymous, that is…" after a second's thought, he broke out into a large smile. "But Sucker works just as well." And he proceed to carve 'Sucker' into the leather seats of the trailer.
"I took a Louisville slugger to both headlights"
"A slugger huh?" Mikey grinned wickedly as he pulled out his nunchucks. "I don't got one of those handy, but I'm sure these'll work just as well." Within seconds, the sound of glass breaking filled the small area, but was muffled by the loud yelling of the crowds.
"Slashed a hole in all 4 tires!"
"I already did that." Mikey smirked at the nailed in tires, watching the faint stream of air hiss as it escaped its rubber prison.
"Maybe' next time he'll think before he cheats."
Standing back, Mikey viewed the decorated trailer and destroyed truck. "Maybe next time she'll think before she kidnaps my brother."
"Did you seriously destroy her trailer and truck?" Raph gaped. Mikey responded with a nod. "I guess she'll be spending that money that money on replacing her transportation instead of that new stallion."
"That is only if she gets out of jail." Leo smiled. "And by the way Alex was acting, all of them are going to be in there for a long time."
"Except my father." Becka said softly, her voice stone-like. Everyone went silent, nervous looks shot at the girl.
"Becka, I'm sorry." Leo whispered. He'd driven the blade into the man – he'd killed her father.
"No Leo," She looked up with teary green eyes. "I'm sorry. My father caused this family grief. I only wish…something had been done sooner. And that none of this could have happened."
"No, Becka…" Leo stood, gently tilting her head up to look at his face. "I mean I'm sorry I had to kill him."
"It was death or life in prison Leo." Becka whispered. "Even if it wasn't a jail for life, with everything, he could have very well faced the death penalty. It was better this way."
Raph grabbed her hand, giving a reassuring squeeze. She squeezed back and looked him in the eye. Raph knew that look – she'd given it to him mere hours away on the plane, where she caught him in her embrace.
"Becka?" Raph whispered, trying to clear his blurry vision as he stared at sparkling jade eyes.
"I have you Raphael…I have you." She stroked his forehead.
"Raph!" Mikey bounded up the steps of the plane, tacking the turtle from Becka's grip and into his own. He pressed himself close, trying hard not to sob into his forest green shoulder. Don was close behind, his hand on Mike's shoulder as he cried, looking at his older brother. He was hurt and nearly broken brother – but he was there. Raphael was there.
And no one would touch him again.
"We got to get out of here." Leo soft voice made them all look up. His own chocolate brown eyes were tearing up from the sight of Raph, but he had to hold it together to get his family to safety. "Suzy is ready with the van – Splinter and April are at the lair, readying the infirmary and Casey is backup." He jerked his thumb towards the brush where Lance and Alex had appeared where Casey was waiting, probably trembling from the want to go out and bust some heads.
"Okay." Raph murmured. "Let's go home."
"I still can't believe you guys found me." Raph sighed, leaning against the van wall. "I mean, after all this time. I didn't think…" his voice lowered in shame. "I thought you guys had forgotten about me."
"Never!" Mikey and Don shouted jointly while Leo's eyes bulged.
"How could you think that?" Leo demanded. "We would never leave you alone with those scums…I'm just sorry it took so long to find you. It seemed like every time we found a clue, you were already gone." His voice turned into a whisper. "I'm sorry."
Shaking his head, Raph reached over and grabbed Leo's arm. The young leader turtle shook under the firm grasp. It felt so weird to have the turtle that had been missing for so long be the one to offer comfort – when it should be him, doing it.
"Don't apologize Leonardo." Raph chuckled at the slight raised eye ridge at the mention of his full name. "If anyone should be doing it, it should be me. I'm sorry for it all – I didn't mean to cause you guys so much trouble. I just didn't really have a choice half the time, if you know what I mean."
Mikey chuckled while Don frowned, going back to cleaning cuts and bandaging bloody areas. "I don't find that funny Raph."
"Don?"
"Seriously," Don turned firm light brown eyes to the turtle. "I don't find that funny at all. In fact, I find it disturbing that you're joking about something like that."
"Sorry Don." Raph offered a weak smile. "I won't do it again."
"Good."
"And Raph," Mikey broke in with a wide smile. "Don't ever do this thing again. A few months bro – it just wasn't a family without you there."
Family? The thought seemed familiar to the forest green turtle. In fact, he couldn't remember the real time he'd been part of the family. Even before the circus and Macaster, there was never a family of five, with four brothers and one father. It had always been a family a four, with him never there. But now the word…it held something that Raph didn't know a simple word could.
Love and loyalty – forgiveness and honesty.
Power and strength – family was a word never to be messed with.
Just like his family.
Raph smiled. "No you guys…this." He spread his arms out, indicating everyone in the van and at the lair. "This…this is family." And the word never sounded better. As they continued to drive, a thought strayed into his mind that made him smile.
You mess with my family, you mess with me. And that would be a very bad thing to do.
I AM DONE! *cheers*
Please leave a review and let me know whether you would like to see more fics like these in the future.
Review Please!
~raphfreak