Chapter 3

It was Friday night; and that mean, movie night at the lair.

Faith chuckled as she arrived to find the usual chaos associated with movie night.

Donatello was still in his lab, blow torching…something; Leonardo was in the kitchen getting the food organised, and Michelangelo and Raphael were arguing over what movie they were going to watch.

"Mikey, we are NOT watching the Avengers AGAIN! A know the script by heart, we've seen it so many times!"

"But it's epic – superheroes uniting to battle against evil! And there's no kissy stuff in it, which you hate."

"We're not watching it!" Raphael lunged for the DVD.

"Have to catch me!"

"Come here, goofball!"

The two brothers proceeded to run about the room, Mikey squealing like a girl, while Raph looked ready to explode.

Faith decided to head for the kitchen.

"Hey, Leo!"

"Faith, how's it goin?"

"Not bad, thanks." Faith looked at the massive spread of food on the table. "Are we feeding the army?"

Leo laughed. "We have Mikey, remember? I reckoned, after the destruction that occurred last week, it was better to be safe than sorry."

"Oh jeez, yeah," Faith cringed at the memory. "Good call. You want a hand bringing the stuff in?"

"Nah, I can manage. Why don't you help decide what we're gonna watch?"

"Thanks, dude, land me with the difficult job," Faith said with a smile.

"C'mon, you're good at calming Raph down, and Mikey'll watch whatever movie you say."

"Fine. Any preferences?" she asked, pausing at the doorway.

"Just, not the Avengers again," Leo replied, "oh, and not Star Wars – before your time, but there was carnage that night."

"Why, what –"

"Don't ask!"

"Oookay…"

Faith returned to the living room. The battling turtles were still running round in circles, and not for the first time, did Faith wonder, if they were left to it, how long they would go on.

She passed Don's lab on the way to them.

"S'up, Faith!" he said without looking up.

"Hey, Don. Movie's coming on in five."

"Righto!"

Still holding his gadget and screwdriver, he flipped himself very impressively onto the couch facing the televisions, and resumed tinkering.

"One turtle down," Faith muttered. She took position her position, leaning casually against a pillar and checking her nails.

Neither Mikey nor Raph had even noticed her yet, as they ran in her direction.

Letting Mikey pass, Faith stuck out her foot, sending Raph flying in the air. He scraped across the floor with a bang and groaned.

"What the shell…"

He looked up to find Faith standing over him, a mischievous grin on her face.

"Hey tough guy, enjoy your trip?"

"Yay, Faith's here!"

Mikey turned round and ran back to them. "Just in time, me and Raph can't agree on what to watch."

"What a shocker."

She looked down at Raphael, who was still lying on the floor.

"You alright down there?"

"Apart from you nearly killin' me with your big banana feet," he retorted, "am good."

"Now, Boo Boo, don't be cross," Faith said, helping him up, "I want a nice quiet night, just watchin' a movie, and chillin' with ma boys, okay?"

"Fine." Raph huffed, but he was smiling. Having Faith here now, seemed to have chilled his temper, and improved his mood considerably.

"Faith, I wanna watch Avengers again," Mikey whined, giving her puppy dog eyes. "Pwease?"

"Sorry Mike, I'd rather watch something different tonight, so does Leo. You know how this works; majority rules."

"How about we try inception again?" Donatello chirped from the couch.

"No way," Raph said firmly, "I don't care how many awards it got, that movie's wack! I ain't watchin' it."

"How about Star Wars?" Mickey suggested.

"SHELL NO!" erupted from the kitchen.

Faith laughed. "Calm down Leo, we're not gonna watch Star Wars. Look guys, I brought some movies I got today. How about we watch one of them?"

"What did you bring?"

Faith brought the dvds out for them to see. "I got Argo, the Hobbit, and Wallace and Gromit, curse of the Wer-Rabbit."

"Random," Raph laughed.

"Well, I'm a random kinda gal," Faith replied, "I'd prefer the Hobbit, since I didn't get to see it at the pics, but I'm okay with whatever."

The turtles went into debate. Mikey wanted Wallace and Gromit, Don wanted Argo; Leo wanted the Hobbit, but Raph, Faith could tell, was trying to be difficult to wind her up.

"I'm not fancying any of them," he said with a smirk.

"Raph, if you don't pick, I'll make you watch Mamma Mia again, and I'll sing and dance like I did last time too."

"Dude, you watched Mamma Mia?!"

Mikey was rolling on the floor laughing. "How did that happen?"

"Lost a bet," Raph growled, "fine, go with the Hobbit, since you made me read the book a month ago."

"It's a good book," Faith said, leading the way to the couch," you said so yourself."

"Was alright. It was a bit too…kiddy."

"Well duh! It's a kid's book. The movie'll be better, though, like Lord of the Rings."

"Actually, reviews of the Hobbit have been mixed," said Don, finally putting his gadget away. "Some felt that because –"

"Bro, no offence, "said Leo, bringing out the last of the food, "but can we please go through one movie night without hearing its reviews?"

Don sighed and helped himself to some chips.

Just then, the entrance door opened, and April and Casey came in.

"Hey guys!"

"Thought you two were goin out for dinner?" Faith asked.

"We are, just thought we'd stop by on the way, and see how things were," April replied, "wow, movie night's starting early. Normally you're all still fighting over what to watch."

"Managed to get a quick resolution," Faith said proudly, "thanks to my powers of persuasion. Hey, master Splinter, you okay with the Hobbit?"

The wise old rat had appeared from his room.

"Excellent," he replied, "I am in the mood for a good Tolkien adventure."

He made his way to the couch, sitting beside Don and Leo, ticked into the cheese platter his eyes had been fixed on.

Mikey had made his base on the floor, within quick reach of the food, and ensuring he had the remote control. Raphael donned the large armchair.

Everyone was ready and waiting.

"Well, have fun guys!" Casey called, "c'mon April, we're gonna be late."

"Okay, Faith, don't be late tonight. Remember we're goin shopping early, tomorrow."

"No worries, April."

The couple left and Faith put on the DVD.

"Why do you need to go shopping early?" Leo asked.

"April's havin that party tomorrow, remember? You guys'll probably get roped in to help get the place ready."

"So, you're shopping for party stuff?"

"No, clothes. April says she's gonna treat me."

"That is very kind of her," Splinter remarked.

"Yeah, wish she wouldn't though," Faith said, "I already owe her so much; letting me live with her and giving me a job at the Antique's store."

"Shhh, guys," Mikey hissed, "I wanna see this."

It was a trailer for a new war game coming out.

Faith went over to Raphael.

"Move over a bit, tough guy."

"Why don't you sit on the couch?"

"'Cause, if it gets scary, I wanna be able to hide behind your shell."

"You can do that with the others."

"No, I can't."

"Why?"

"'Cause, if I get sleepy, I wanna use your shoulder as a pillow."

"Why can't you do that with one of the others?"

"'Cause, see Don starts talking about the special effects and I miss the movie. Mikey squeezes the life out of me when he gets scared, and Splinter, well, that speaks for itself."

"And Leo?"

"His shoulder isn't as comfy as yours. It's all bony, and – not squidgy, whereas yours –"

"Is just squidgy enough?"

Faith beamed at him. "Exactly."

Raphael sighed. "Alright, crazy girl, squeeze in."

Faith kicked off her shoes and settled down beside him.

"You know, we do this every week," she said softly, "you should know the routine by now."

Raphael leant over the table and got them a bowl of popcorn to share.

"Shut up and watch the movie."

He smiled as Faith made herself more comfortable by putting his arm round her.

He knew what the routine was; he just liked to be reminded, that he was the only guy she wanted to sit with.