Living In Fear

Not Real

Raph tapped his foot impatiently, watching as Leo paced back and forth in front of him. Their patrol had ended a short while ago, and the oldest brother's incessant pacing was starting to get on Raph's nerves. The hot-headed brother glanced back, noticing that it wouldn't be long until the sun rose.

"Leo, you can stand here all you want, I'm going home."

With this announcement, Raph turned and walked over to the edge of the building. Before he could leave the rooftop, a firm grip dragged him back to the middle of the roof. Raph roughly pulled his arm out of Leo's hold and stepped out of reach.

Raph shot his older brother an annoyed glare and Leo met it evenly. "We are staying right here until our brother's return."

"Why?" Raph demanded. "Mikey and Donnie know how to get back to the lair."

Raph paused and reconsidered. "Donnie knows how to get them back to the lair."

"I know that." Leo snapped back, crossing and uncrossing his arms. "I'd just rather we all head back together."

"And I'd rather not." Raph grunted, watching as Leo walked to the edge of the building. Either not hearing him or purposefully ignoring the comment, Leo asked. "You think something happened?"

"No." Raph said shaking his head as Leo began pacing.

"I don't see why you're being such a baby. They're late all the time."

"But what if this time, it's more then them just being late?" Was Leo's comeback. "What if they're in trouble?"

"Their ninjas. Pathetic ninjas, obviously, but pathetic or not, they can handle themselves."

"But what if this time they can't?"

"You worry too much."

"You worry too little."

"Actually, I worry just the right amount."

"Really? Because you don't seem to worry at all."

"What's the point of worrying over nothin'?"

Then, as if fate was agreeing with him, he spotted Donnie and Mikey headed in their direction.

"See, they're fine." Raph said gesturing. "Can I go back to the lair now?"

Leo spun around and then visibly relaxed when Donnie and Mikey joined them on the rooftop.

"Dudes, this was the most boring patrol ever!" Mikey complained immediately. "There were no bad guys doing bad things!"

"Isn't that a good thing?" Leo asked.

"That's what I said." Donnie shrugged.

"Well, it's a good thing because no humans are, like, hurt or anything..."Mikey agreed. "But I can't be an awesome ninja-hero if there's no one for me to save!"

Raph shook his head, allowing Leo to start his lecture about how 'no crime is good' and noticed Donnie staring out into the distance. He raised a nonexistent eyebrow, wondering what the genius was looking at, when the hot-headed turtle suddenly remembered the brightening sky.

Just because he wasn't a fretty mother like Leo was, didn't mean Raph wasn't concerned with the safety of his family. He knew that them being out in the daytime was dangerous, so he turned back to the oldest and youngest turtles.

Seeing the blank look plastered on Mikey's face, Raph knew that he wasn't going to remember anything Leo was telling him and therefore had no problem interrupting the pointless lecture.