In the Dark

By

Hannio

Disclaimer – None of the characters mentioned in the below piece of fiction belong to me in any fashion. I'm merely using them for my own use

Author Note – Just a quick little one shot between baby tot Raphael and baby tot Michelangelo. Bless them

Dedication – This little one shot is dedicated to Jenihenpen for being incredibly patient with me. The story is coming I promise!

Raphael glanced around him with eyes wide as he hesitated outside the doorway to the lair. He wasn't supposed to be outside especially as it was dark but he desperately wanted to see the moon. He hadn't seen it before but Donatello had last week and he had spent the week describing it in detail to the point that Raphael was almost obsessed with the idea of seeing it with his own eyes.

He knew that Master Splinter would give him a lecture if he caught him telling him that the sewers were no place for a 7 year old turtle to be but Raphael figured that what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him. He only wanted a quick look and then he would be back before he was even missed by anyone.

He glanced back behind him once, towards the safety of the door and bit his lip before he settled his shoulder. If Donatello was able to go out then why couldn't he? He was just as strong as him and he was sure he was just as smart when it came to common sense. At least that was what Master Splinter had told him last week when he had been upset when Donatello had called him stupid.

He breathed in deeply as he crept out into the cold tunnel, trying hard to ignore the way the darkness seemed to press down on him. He wasn't like Michelangelo, he wasn't afraid of the dark, if anything he quite liked it. He had lost track of the number of times he had snuck into his brother's bed after hearing him whimpering in fright and allowed the younger turtle to cling to him for comfort.

It was their little secret, the one they kept away from their other brothers. Its not that they thought Leonardo or Donatello would laugh at them, it was just they seemed so grown up all the time that they didn't think they would understand.

Raphael came to a sudden stop and glanced around him, his eyes narrowing slightly as he listened. He had been sure that he had heard a noise behind him, a scuffling sound of some sort. He spun out and glared out into the darkness

"Who's there?" he demanded loudly, the sound of his own voice giving him some comfort "Show yourself" A silence met him, he let out a shaky breath and turned away hurrying away his pace quicker as he willed his heart to stop pounding so much. He was nearly at the grate now that Donatello had said he had seen the moon from. The sooner he got there the sooner could get home.

He began running now, the water splashing beneath his feet, his arm pumping in an attempt to get him to his destination quicker. All he wanted right now was to be home in bed with the covers pulled tightly over him and the familiar sound of his brothers breathing to ease him off to dreamland. He had to see the moon though, he had come this far and he wasn't going to turn round and go home until he had seen it.

He came to a sudden stop and bent over, resting his hands against his knees as he tried to catch his breath, gulping the air until his breathing became normal. He glanced around him, crossing his arms around him and rubbing his arm as he realised that he was completely lost. He swallowed deeply and rubbed his eyes tiredly as he sat down, back against the wall staring opposite him.

He was in big trouble now, he was lost, and no one knew where he was. He was going to be grounded for weeks and then Leonardo and Donatello would give him those disappointed looks they had started giving him, the looks that made him squirm. His eyes widen as his breathing quickened. That if they ever found him. Maybe they wouldn't even realise he was gone and they would all go on without him.

He sniffled, rubbing his arm across his eyes again, glancing around him once more before his gaze turned up. A second later he scrambled to his feet a smile stretching across his face as his gaze focused on the large pale ball in the sky. It was exactly how Raphael had imagined it from the way Donatello had described it only it was so much bigger then he had thought.

He wasn't sure how long he stood staring at the moon but a slight sound caught his attention and his gaze focused on the grate, there was something on the grate. He glanced around before taking a step under and peered up, eyes narrowed. Whatever it was it was small and look brown in the light.

A second later he yelled as it fell on his face. He stumbled back, hand brushing his face desperately as he felt little claw scramble on his skin. He threw it off and stared at it in horror, his chest heaving. It was a small cockroach, staring at him, standing between him and the way home. Raphael felt frozen to the spot unable to move as he shivered. He could still feel it on his face moving.

He stared at it as he tried to gather his thoughts. All he had to do was move pass it, and then he could run. He was bigger then it, he could step around it. It was only a stupid cockroach after all but regardless on how much he said the words to himself it didn't help. He couldn't move, he couldn't speak all he could do was stare at the thing that refused to move.

"Raphie?" Raphael glanced up at the sound of his name.

"Mikey?" he squeaked. Michelangelo peered round the corner of the wall, blue eyes wide as he nodded his head.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, taking a step round the corner, his gaze fixed on Raphael who shrugged his shoulders.

"Nothing just wanted to see the moon and now I'm going home." he said, Michelangelo nodded glancing round the tunnel.

"Let's go" he said moving from one foot to the other, a clear sign he was agitated. "We can go home together." Raphael swallowed and looked at him, huddling down slightly, his eyes dropping as he spoke.

"I…I can't" he said quietly. Michelangelo blinked and took a step forward towards him, confusion on his face.

"What do you mean you can't?" he asked.

"I just can't Mikey, you go home without Me." he snapped, his gaze falling to the cockroach as he took a step back. It had moved towards him he was sure of it. Michelangelo followed his gaze to the cockroach before looking back to Raphael's frightened face.

"Because of that?" he asked simply, pointing at the cockroach to indicate what he meant. Raphael opened his mouth to answer but what came out was a whimper as it moved towards him again. Michelangelo frowned at the cockroach before he took a step forward until he was right behind it.

"Mikey" Raphael said, his eyes wide with worry as they met his younger brother's. Michelangelo smiled at him as he stepped to the side of the cockroach and kicked it so it went flying into the water.

"Stupid bug" he stated "No one messes with my big brother and gets away with it." He nodded his head once to himself before turning back to Raphael who was watching him his mouth wide open. "Can we go home now?" Mikey asked eagerly. "Its cold and dark here" Raphael nodded able to move again. He came to Mikey's side and wrapped his arm around his brother's shoulder.

"Thank you Mikey" he said, Michelangelo nodded.

"Our secret" he announced brightly. "We take care of each other right?" Raphael nodded with a grin as he began leading his brother home.

"Right"

Author Note – Hopefully you all liked it; I've never tried doing the young turtles before so it was quite the challenge. Please review.