Anticipation, Part 5

Title: Anticipation, part 5
Author: becky016
Warnings: None (That I can think of)
Note: I will be using these (---) to divide my story as some scenes, may, jump back and forth to one another.
Disclaimer: I do not own TMNT

The two guys stood there, eye to eye and Casey couldn’t believe what had come out of the mutant’s mouth. He had to make sure he heard correctly.

“It was supposed ta be a surprise… an’ wiv your mouth I knew it couldn’t be kept a secret” Raph huffed, glancing away for a moment before they returned back to where they were. Still the human stood there almost gobsmacked by it all.
“Well? Got nuffin’ else ta say?...” Raph questioned.

It seemed as though the whole city went silent before Casey’s smile finally emerged across his face.
“HAHA!” within seconds the man had his arms wrapped around the mutant, hauling him into the air. His merriment at the news could probably be heard across the entire lair.  
“IT’S ‘BOUT TIME TWO GOT HITCHED!”
“Urgh! Case! Jeez nuff wiv the bear hug already!” the turtle grunted, he’d sworn he hadn’t received a hug like this in a long while.

Eventually the human put him down but he still wasn’t done.
“Hehe sorry, but this is huge!”
“Come on it ain’t that big of a deal” Raph said, picking up his sai and twirling it in his palm.
“Uhh… have you bumped ya head lately this is you we’re talkin’ ‘bout!” he cried out with a chuckled. Within a split second Raph threw his palm over his comrade’s mouth.
“Shhh! Ya dumbbell!” he ordered as the pair listened out of any signs of the others, but nothing was heard.

Seeing as the coast was clear the mutant then removed his hand.
“Whatcha sayin?”
“Well no offense dude, but you never seemed the marryin’ type ta me”
“Oh yeah! well…” he had to admit the guy did have a point, probably because none of them ever expected a group of female turtles to show up one day. It all seemed like a distant memory now when he looked back at it all.
“So any way’s how ya gonna do it?!” Casey interrupted.

Raph just shrugged before he thought for a minute.
“I dunno, ain’t though that far yet, I mean I wanna do it before the baby gets ‘ere but gotta find me a nice rock first”.
“Well when ya find it, ya better let me know kay! Cause I got dibs of bein’ ya best man!” he then climbed to his legs making his way over to the doorway, it was late after all and it was supposed to be his turn to help Zack with his homework after all.

Raph chuckled, picking up the now empty beer bottles as it appeared that everything was falling into plan. But he saw Casey stop in his tracks and glance back at him.
“Who knows, she may even say no” Raph’s expression dropped.
“Thanks for the vote of confidence” he grumbled.
“Happy ta help” with a quick wave and a bye Casey departed the mutants lair, getting himself back to ‘the real world’.

Raph too decided it was time for him to hit the sack, but before that he had to take a shower. Lord knows Charlotte would have his shell if he went to bed all sweaty and stuff. When the cool water passed over his muscles and shell Raph felt calmer than ever, everything was falling into place, well falling into place so far.

Tomorrow he’d sneak out and grab himself a real fancy ring, the kind Charlotte deserved for having to put up with him this whole time, and for the remainder of their lives to come. Then there was the matter of how to propose to her.

Once he had dried himself off he headed for his room. Inside Charlotte was already sprawled over the covers, using only a bedside lamb to help her read through a baby names book. With a flick of a switch the lights almost blinded the woman.
“Rrrgh! Raph!” the turtlette huffed, taking a pillow and planting her face in it.
“Turn them off you jerk!” her voice muffled, Raph couldn’t help but chuckle, but he did as he was told and took a place besides her on the mattress.

The red head eventually pulled her head out and let her eyes adjust. But her expression was less than pleasing. Unlike Raph he was seated with a witty smirk.
“You’re an asshole you know that…”
“S’not my fault I wanted ta see ya pretty face before I wenna bed” he replied followed with a quick peck to her lips.

“Huh?...” Charlotte’s brow rose, with that statement as Raph climbed under the covers and turned over to fall asleep.
“When ya done readin’ turn out the like ‘kay” he muttered. But he was interrupted as Charlotte’s palm reached over and turned his chin towards her.
“What have you done Raphael?”
“Me? Nuffin’…”
“Liar… you’re never in a cheery mood like this, not unless you’re up to something” she said.
“Well then maybe I’m upta summin’” he grinned, again giving her a kiss before he rolled back round.

Of course the mutant couldn’t give the game away, still that didn’t mean he couldn’t have fun in the process. Only problem was Charlotte hated being wound up, and she wasn’t about to let her boyfriend get away with whatever secret he was hiding and with that she pulled the switch to the lamp and too fell asleep.

------

“Hey you guys ready?...” a voice popped up, when Raph turned he noticed Robyn’s head peering past the top of the stairs. With what little hair she had she had managed to have it pulled back into a small bun. Minus a few loose strand here and there.
“All the guests are being seated” she finished. She too was dressed up in a gown for the occasion not that she was pleased with it, she huffed and growled as she was finding the material difficult to move in. Not that everyone was complaining about her new look.

“Woah! babe you should totally wear a dress more often!” Mikey complimented, he had to admit he liked seeing his girl look a little feminine for a change.
“Yeah right, when pigs start to fly” Robyn replied.
“What if I could arrange that” Mikey smirked, which only earned him a punch to the arm.
“Ow! Kiddin’ Kiddin!”
“So how’s the bride doing?” Don asked.
“Better than me I hope…” Robyn said.

They were suddenly interrupted by a loud crash outside of the house. When they glanced out of the window Leo spotted the trouble.
“Uhh Don…” Leo muttered, once his brother took his place, he spotted his young ones all mangled up in the grass with the Jones boys. The mutants and humans were all battered, getting up one by one, clasping onto their aches and pains from crashing their hover boards together.
“Ow…”
“Awe man I ache all over…” they whined.

“What did I tell you kids?!” Don cried out. Each child jumped as they spotted the mutant glancing out the window towards them.
“Uh oh!” without a second thought they scattered in each direction, which only put Don in a foul mood.
“Urgh those kids… will they ever listen?” he began climbed out the window in hopes to catch them, or at least two of them.

“Hey, hey where ya goin’?!” Raph cried out, causing his brother to pause for a minute.
“The ceremonies ‘bout ta start, ya can’t just leave!”
“I’m not leaving Raph, just heading out to retrieve your niece and nephew” and with that the ninja left his brothers to it.
“Ugh…” the turtle smacked his forehead at the terrible timing of it all.

He then felt a pat on his shoulder as it was Leo who next greeted him.
“Come on Raph let’s get a move on” so far this day had been going okay, but in most of the drama’s he’d watched on TV over the years Raph couldn’t help but wonder if something bad was lurking round the corner.

Much like that day.

------

The scene began back in the lair and everyone was getting ready for a movie night together, all except for one turtle.

Dressed in his hoodie and tracksuit bottoms, Raphael placed his cap on and started heading for the door, in hopes that no one would notice him.
“Raphael?” the turtle cringed at the sign of his master’s voice, guess this wasn’t going to be as easy as he thought.
“Where are you going my son?”
“Just topside…” Splinters brow rose.
“Yeh know for some fresh air…” Raph explained.

“Fresh air?” the pair turned their heads and spotted Leo appearing from the shadows.
“You don’t really expect us to fall for that, do you Raph?”
“I don’t ‘ave ta explain myself to you fearless!” the hot head growled. Gathering from the way he reacted the leader suspected his brother of being up to no good.
“It does, if it means you’re heading out to get us in trouble” he replied.

Meanwhile Mikey’s head peered out of the kitchen, with a bowl of freshly made popcorn in hand. He joined Donatello and the kids, who were watching the commotion from afar. It was a sort of early entertainment for them before Robyn and Mia got back with the pizza and movie.

“An’ who ever said I was ever going ta get us in trouble?!” Raph bellowed.
“Because you always do!” Leo yelled.
“Grrr… Stay outta this!” the brothers heads then clashed, and it was then Splinter slammed his walking stick to the ground.
“Enough both of you, Raphael you are free to go, and Leonardo I suggest you join the rest of us in the sitting room quietly” the rat ordered.

“But!...” Leo couldn’t get a say as his master was already making his way over to the sofa, and as he turned to face off against Raph, the turtle had vanished.
By that point Leo slumped himself in the single sofa when Robyn and Mia had returned.
“Heeey! We got the pizza!”
“And the movie!”

“It’s about time!” Charlotte called from the top of the stairs.
“Come on Char get it while its hot!” and with that each of the mutants hurried themselves, and before they knew it. They were all seated together, the lights were down and the movie had begun. The children were all sitting on the floor, with their own bowl of popcorn to eat and unfortunately since they couldn’t share the entire floor was soon covered.

When she had the chance Charlotte then did a head count and noticed a turtle missing from the group.
“Hey Donnie, where’s Raph?” she whispered.
“Hm? Oh he went out just before you came down” the red head huffed before they were hushed by Mikey.
“SHH! Guys movie!”

”Hmm… I wonder…”  
“Hey watch Ashley for me” picking herself up from the crowd the pregnant turtle trundled off upstairs. Don spotted her and called out.
“Charlotte!”
“SHH!” Mikey hushed again.

------

As she was upstairs, the turtlette began dressing herself from head to toe in, she doubted her boyfriend was just heading out for no reason, and she was going to find out.

------

Making sure his face was covered; Raph entered the ring store which sat nearest to the manhole. He saw all the beautiful jewels lined up in the glass cabinets, and a few of them caught his eye. But none of them looked like they were good enough for C.

“Can I help you?” a young woman popped out of nowhere, all dressed in black with her blonde hair tied in a bun. Making sure his face was properly covered Raph got down to business.
“Yeah I err… I’m lookin’ for an’ engagement ring? ya got any nice ones?”
“Well we do have our… fine collection right over here” for some reason she kept peering over her shoulder. But Raph didn’t think too much of it. Little did he realise that he had walked in on a robbery and whilst the woman kept him distracted, her two comrades were making sure their hostages didn’t make any sudden movements.

------

Trolling down a sewage way, Charlotte spotted a bright light coming from one of the ladders. As she went to investigate, the light of the moon was coming down from the top of the ladder, and as she climbed to the top, she found herself in a darkened alleyway. It didn’t take her long to find out where her boyfriend had gone, given from the mucky footprints leading to the small store across the road.

She had noticed the jewellery sign and various lights across the building, which questioned the woman, but she decided to go investigate nonetheless.

As she drew closer, Charlotte clocked on that something was wrong. Peering past the window she saw that most of the indoor lights were down, not to mention seeing some large individual in the far corner. But upon closer inspection she realised that, that particular person was Raph. There’s no way she could ever forget that worn out hoodie.

By this point she had also spotted something else in the corner of her eye. Two members of staff, tied up and gagged, whilst being held off against a man dressed in black and Raph to dumb to realise. What’s a turtle to do?

------

As the woman grabbed a few odd rings from here and there, she threw them down in front of him.
“Here you go the finest in the bunch” she said.
Surprise by the sudden change in her mood, Raph decided to take his time with them. But he did wonder a few things while the girl was once again looking over her shoulder.

“Say… what’s with the gloves?”
“…Excuse me?”
“Ya gloves” Raph said again, pointing them out.
“Oh… well those are so we don’t dirty the products” she said, awkwardly.
“Uh-huh…”

As he lent down to get a closer look, in the glass cabinet, a reflection caught his eye. Meanwhile the woman got a signal from her companion.
“Cooould… you please hurry up sir… were closing in a short while…” she said.
“Yeah… yeah ‘kay…” he muttered.

From the reflection he noticed someone in the window, they were banging away for his attention and when he turned to face them, he spotted his girlfriend beneath all the clothing.

“C?...”

The only thing his didn’t count on was the woman pulling out a gun from behind her. But Charlotte noticed.

“RAPH!”

TBC…