"Is there something wrong, my son?"

"No, Sensei, I'm fine."

The old rat frowned at the blatant lie and sighed. "I can tell when you are lying to me, Raphael."

No answer. He eyed his son thoughtfully and allowed his tail to twitch behind him, a gesture that he knew the red-masked ninja would understand.

Raphael sighed for the twentieth time that very afternoon. For the past ten minutes or so, he had been feeding his new pet turtle, Chompy.

Splinter eyed the little alien turtle warily. He was still not quite sure how to feel about the fact that they now had an alien creature, no less, one that would eventually grow to bigger than their entire planet, living with them. But Donatello's tests had shown that via his current growth-rate, Chompy would not be large enough to pose a true threat to anyone until millions of years after their deaths.

Raphael was happy. He appeared to have grown very close to his young turtle pet and his bond with his brothers appeared to have gotten even closer, which made Splinter smile. Raphael seemed thrilled to be back in New York, but there was still something...off about him. All of them were acting a little different, particularly around their sensei, but Raphael's behavior was maddeningly uncharacteristic of the hotheaded turtle.

"My son...I realize that I know very little of the time that you have spent away from me, but if there is something bothering you—"

"No, no, it's nothing, Sensei."

"It does not sound like nothing," Splinter's stern voice rumbled lowly.

A wistful, breathy sigh, a sound which seemed so alien for Raphael, escaped the turtle's lips. He stood and scooped up Chompy Picasso. "I'm going to my room."

Splinter reached out, "Raphael, do not—" He stopped and his hand fell, allowing his son to walk away. If Raphael needed time, then time he would allow. Confronting the red-masked turtle about his mood could wait until later that evening. For now, he would let the child be.

Leonardo strode into the kitchen and brewed some tea. He offered a cup to Splinter, which the old rat accepted with a soft mutter of thanks.

Leo immediately sensed his father's distress. "Is there something wrong, Sensei?"

"It is your brother, my son. I begin to grow very concerned about him."

"Donnie?"

Splinter raised an eyebrow. Surely, Raphael's behavior could not have escaped his brothers' notice. Unless, of course, there was something wrong with Donatello that was much more pressing than Raphael's current state.

"I confess, he was not the brother I was thinking of. Is there something wrong with Donatello?"

"No, Sensei, it's just that he's been running nonstop for the last couple of days trying to replicate some of the technology we had on board Fugitoid's ship." Leo said with a shrug.

Splinter hummed. "I see." He fell back into silence.

"Who were you talking about, Sensei?"

"Raphael," the old rat sighed, wearily.

Leo's face fell a little before steeling over.

Splinter noticed the change and frowned. Something was being kept from him, that was clear, but whatever it was, it was anyone's guess.

"What is it, Leonardo?" He asked gently, probing his son's eyes for any clues. There were none forthcoming.

"That's for Raph to tell you, Sensei. It isn't really my place."

"I can understand that, my son, as long as his ailment in no way threatens your fighting abilities and teamwork."

Leonardo shook his head vehemently. "Not at all, Sensei. It's just something Raph has to work through on his own. Things like that are hard enough, but when you add in the distance—I mean, long distance is hard, but interplanetary? I've tried to talk to him about it, but he knows that I'm against his current decision. Not that I have anything against him for it, you know? I just don't want him to end up being the one who gets hurt."

In the midst of Leonardo's ramblings Splinter had been lost. He had no idea what the eldest turtle was speaking of, but he had heard enough to know that the eldest only had his brother's best interests in mind.

A loud scoff made both their heads turn. Mikey leaned against the counter behind them. "Oh, come on, Leo! You know ML wouldn't do anything like that! 'Besides, Raph's absolutely crazy about her."

"Gee, I hadn't noticed." Came the overly sarcastic reply.

Splinter raised both eyebrows. "Who?"

"Mona Lisa! Raph's GF!"

Splinter crossed his arms, clearly not appreciative of his youngest's abbreviations.

"GF?" he asked.

"Yeah, his giiiiiiirlfriend." Mikey chimed in a sing-song voice.

"Mikey—" Leo began.

Donnie walked in and cut him off, heading straight for the coffee machine. "Lay off Raph, Mikey. He's having a hard enough time as it is." The genius mumbled tiredly.

"I know, I know..." Mikey admitted, his shoulders dropping a little. "He really misses her, bros."

Taking a sip of steaming-hot coffee in his hand, Don leaned against the counter. "What did you expect? Those two really had something."

"I won't pretend to understand it," Leo sighed and admitted, "but I'd never really seen him so—"

"—Enamored?" Don suggested.

"—Lovey-dovey?" Mikey offered, making faces.

Leo's face softened drastically, "—happy."

A smile tinged with sadness spread across both the younger turtles' faces.

Mikey looked particularly saddened, "Yeah, he really fell hard."

"Yeah, you know the last time we saw her, I was expecting him to—well, you know." Leo said softly.

Don frowned and nodded, "Yeah, me too. I mean, she—she told him she loved him."

Mikey's sad smile resurfaced. "Raph's never been too great with words."

His brothers looked at him.

"He told her, bros. Just not in a way that we could hear."

"You really think it's love, then?" Leo asked softly.

Both younger brothers shook their heads.

"Do you really need to ask, Leo?"

Images of Raphael and the Salamandarian flitted through his mind. The happiness on his brother's face, the affection in the neon-green eyes...Raphael risking his life to save hers. His raging fury when she'd been injured...

It wasn't a startling realization. He'd known, he'd just tried to deny it. He hadn't the heart to discourage it, but he knew how sensitive his emotional sibling was. He didn't want Raphael getting hurt. But—

"Raph loves her."

"With every last bit of his giant heart." Don muttered.

A tail thump brought the three sons to silence. The moment they saw the look on their father's face, they grew uncomfortable.

"You believe that your brother—is in love?"

They looked at each other, and finally nodded. Leo shifted nervously under his father's gaze.

———————————

Raphael tickled Chompy Picasso's plastron with his finger. The little turtle's limbs flailed and excited clicks could be heard. A full smile stretched across Raph's face.

"Who's a cute little turtle?" He asked softly, waving his finger around. Chompy bit it softly. Raph chuckled.

Splinter cracked the door open and peered inside.

Prying his finger from Chompy's tiny, but strong grip, Raph frowned a little. "Must be hard for you without a mama around, huh?"

Chompy trilled happily and rubbed his head affectionately against Raph's hand.

"Yeah, that's right. I'm here to look after ya. I'll keep you safe."

"Raphael."

The red masked turtle cranked his neck around towards the door. "Sensei."

"Do not get up, my son." Splinter urged. He sat on the end of Raphael's bed. "Your brothers and I were expecting you at dinner."

"Just wasn't hungry, I guess."

"Perhaps that is simply because your mind is otherwise occupied."

"Yeah, maybe." Raph answered softly. He held Chompy in one hand and rolled onto his carapace so that he could look up at his father.

Chompy trilled and crawled out on Raph's pillow. He licked Raph's face. Raph stared wide-eyed for a few seconds then smiled.

Master Splinter chuckled. "That creature is very fond of you, my son."

"Yeah. Chompy knows I'll always be there for him."

"You always were good with animals." Splinter said, thinking of when Raphael's head was barely higher than his knees.

Raphael laughed and Splinter looked at him. "I used to bring all kinds of critters home."

"That, you did." Splinter, too, laughed at the memory.

"You always made me go with you to take them to the humane society." Raph mimicked his father's voice and said, "These creatures do not belong in the sewer, my son. We must leave them with people who will help them find a proper home.' The only one you didn't say that for was the alligator."

"It was a feral alligator, Raphael."

Raph crossed his arms. "I still think I could have trained it."

"Very well. Next time you decide to keep an alligator as a pet, I will not stop you. But do not blame me when it bites off one of your fingers." Splinter remarked dryly.

Raph laughed. Chompy started chewing on his finger again.

"Thanks for the thought and all, Father, but I think I'm gonna have my hands full with little Chompy here."

"Yes, indeed. Two pets in this household is quite enough."

Raph's forehead creased the way that it always did when he was thinking very hard about something. Splinter raised an eyebrow. What could that child be thinking now?

"Master Splinter..."

"Yes, Raphael?"

"When the guys and I go out on missions and stuff—do you think you can keep an eye on Chompy for me?"

The old rat suddenly found himself staring down into the huge, maroon eyes of an infant turtle alien. He sighed.

"Raphael, I am not sure I can—"

"It's just because he's so little, ya know? He can get into things that Spike couldn't and I don't want anything bad to happen to him."

Splinter knew he was beaten before he even looked at Raphael's face, but as soon as he looked up into the sweet, sensitive eyes of his son, he couldn't say no.

"Very well, my son. I will watch over him."

The feeling of his temperamental son hugging him close was worth it. Besides, one little turtle was hardly any trouble to watch over. He had once managed with four, after all. If it eased Raphael's mind, he would happily guard this tiny little alien as he would his sons.

"Thank you, father."

Ah, Father. How good it was to hear them call him that again. Silence spread between them. Chompy wandered over to the edge of the bed and gnawed at Splinter's robes. Master Splinter was not amused. His finger gently brushed over a well-known pressure point just under the jaw on the left side. The little turtle mewed unhappily and immediately stopped what he was doing. Splinter looked down into Chompy's eyes.

"I hope you have learned that my robes are not for eating."

Chompy trilled as though he had understood.

"Good. As long as you remember that, I shall not have to do it again."

Chompy trilled again, happily, this time.

Raph grinned, but the expression faded quickly. Splinter frowned. Raphael looked as though his mind was worlds away from their home in the sewers.

"Are you certain you feel alright, my son?"

"I'm fine, Sensei." Raph sighed. "I'd tell you if something was wrong."

"While I am glad to know that, Raphael. I should prefer it if you would tell me about Mona Lisa."

The red-masked turtle seemed surprised. "My brothers told you?"

Splinter nodded. Raphael sat up, his muscles slowly tensing up. The old rat was quick to soothe him.

"Raphael, I am not angry with you for not telling me. Nor am I angry that you are in a relationship. I do think you are a little young, but do not worry about that now. Tell me: What is she like?"

A few minutes of absolute silence passed. Raphael absorbed his father's words. His eyes began to sparkle and his heart fluttered.

"Well, she's—she's beautiful, Sensei." He said, dreamily. "She's a Salamandrian. A Lieutenant in their fleet. She's super strong and smart and she has the most beautiful eyes..."

"Stronger than you, Raphael?"

Raph grabbed his father's shoulder excitedly and smiled. "Yeah, like way stronger and smarter!" he sighed. "What a woman."

"She sounds like a most interesting individual." Splinter remarked.

"She is! She is, Sensei! You'd like her. She believes in honor and nobility just like us. I—" The light in Raphael's eyes flickered and died.

"Raphael?" Splinter asked, gently prodding the unresponsive turtle.

"It's just—last we heard, her planet was being overrun by Lord Dregg. I just—I hope she's okay. If anything happens to her—"

The wise father put an abrupt stop to his son's morbid thoughts. "From what you have told me, Raphael, I am certain that Mona Lisa is more than capable of taking care of herself."

"Yeah, you're right. Thanks, Sensei."

"Raphael, your brothers seem to support this relationship. And after what I have just heard, I find myself in complete agreement with them. All I ask, my son, is that you are cautious. Such relationships can bring danger, and love, if turned into hatred, can be everlasting." Splinter pulled his child into his arms. "No matter what happens, Raphael, your brothers and I will always love you. We are all here for you. I know firsthand, the strain of being parted from the one's love. If you ever need company, come to me. I will stop whatever I am doing, understand?"

"Hai Sensei." Raph took comfort in Splinter's words. "I love you, Father."

"And I you, my son."

Chompy Picasso trilled ecstatically. Splinter and Raphael chuckled.

——————————

Well, how was it?