Two days later.....

"Aw, man!" Raphael groaned. "Why do I have to baby-sit?"

"You mouthed off to Master Splinter, that's why," Leonardo reminded him. "You also did it in front of Lana."

"Don't swear around her Raph," Donatello told his brother. "I mean it. You do, and I'll kill you for it. We don't need her having a potty mouth at the age of two."

"Don't give her all my pizza either," Michaelangelo piped up. "I don't want her eating it all on me. Don't you go eating it all either."

"Mikey, I don't give a shit 'bout your damn pizza," Raphael retorted. "If I want pizza, I'll order my own the way I like it."

"She goes to bed at seven," Donatello went on, ignoring Raphael's language. "If she's really good, and doesn't seem tired, then put her to bed at seven thirty. Don't forget to make sure she brushes her teeth and washes her face. You have to help her with everything."

"Don't forget to change her diaper either," Leonardo added. "She'll get cranky otherwise."

"You got enough damn instructions?" Raphael snapped. "I'm amazed she didn't come with some frigin' handbook."

"We'll be back around ten," Leonardo stated. "Splinter might be back by nine, but did say he may be later than that if he gets caught up playing chess with Andre."

"Fine. Now would you leave already?" Raphael said annoyed.

He watched as his brothers left and smirked to himself. They didn't know it, but he'd wanted to baby-sit Lana, from the very moment they'd said they wanted to go out. He knew he couldn't come right out and say he wanted to because then his cover would be blown. Instead, he'd mouthed off to Splinter, in hopes that Splinter would make him stay home and baby-sit.

"Lana!" He called. "Where are you?"

Lana came running in from the kitchen.

"Donnie gone?"

"Yeah," Raphael replied. "But he'll be back later."

"Pway?" She asked hopefully.

He nodded, knowing she'd meant practice. "Sure Kiddo; why not?"

She grabbed his hand and excitedly began to drag him to the practice room. Once there, Raphael got out their daggers and they began to go over what he'd shown her the day before. They practiced until they both grew hungry, then headed to the kitchen for some pizza.

"Ick!" Lana cried after taking a bite out of her slice. "Yucky!"

"What's wrong with it?" Raphael asked, taking it from her and looking it over.

"Hot," she answered as she took a sip of her juice.

Raphael chuckled. "I take it you don't like pepperoni."

She scrunched her nose up, then stuck her tongue out. "Blech!"

Raphael placed her pizza on his plate, then passed her a new slice.

"Here. Try this one," he told her. "It only has cheese."

"Tank-you," she smiled sweetly, before taking a bite out of it.

"Better?" He wanted to know.

She nodded, before answering with her mouth full. "Yesth."

"Don't talk with your mouth open Kid," he stated. "Donnie wouldn't like it."

She swallowed, then apologized. "Sorry."

He smiled at her. "It's alright."

After they'd had supper they went into the den to watch T.V.

"Chipmunks!" Lana cried, when she saw her fave cartoon.

"Yeah, chipmunks," Raphael sighed, as he was sick of watching Alvin and the Chipmunks.

"Simon!" Lana squealed with delight, as he was her fave.

Personally, if Raphael had to choose a chipmunk to like, he knew he'd pick Alvin. He liked how Alvin was always scheming something and giving Dave a hard time.

"Kinda like me in a way," he thought. "I sure as hell give Master Splinter a headache some days."

They watched cartoons right up until eight o'clock.

"Shit!" Raphael muttered. "I'm a half hour off."

"Shit?" Lana repeated.

"Lana! Don't say that!" Raphael said shocked, but sternly. "Donnie told you not to say that."

"You did. Why?"

"I'm bad, that's why," Raphael stated as he picked her up. "You're a good little girl, who doesn't need bad words coming out of her mouth."

"Oh..."

"If you say it again, you could wind up in trouble," Raphael went on. "You don't want that to happen, do you?"

"Donnie mad?"

Raphael nodded. "Yep."

"No want," she replied, shaking her head furiously.

"Then don't repeat bad words," Raphael told her gently, as he helped her get into her pajamas.

Once she was ready for bed, he tucked her in and read her a short bedtime story, as it was already past her bedtime. By the time he finished the story she was asleep, so he kissed her forehead, then turned out her light (nightlight automatically comes on), and left.

He sat by himself watching T.V. after that, and was glad she didn't wake up screaming like she had the night before. He knew if she did she'd want Donatello, but he wouldn't be home for awhile. As it was, he'd had to explain to her why he was tucking her in instead of her beloved Donatello.

"Hey Raph," Michaelangelo said, as him and the others entered the lair. "Whatcha watching?"

"April," Raphael answered. "She's doing a report on the murder of Lana's family. Said Lana may be the only key as to who the murderer was."

"Well, she's not testifying," Donatello stated. "I don't want her going up top in case the guy's still in New York."

"Well, you'd best talk with April then," Raphael rejoined. "Especially since she's already told the cops she knows where Lana is, and that she will testify."

"What the...." Donatello trailed off. "April wouldn't, would she?"

"Well, she did pal," Raphael snapped. "Said for you to give her a call."

"I think I'll do just that right now."

They all watched silently as Donatello picked up the phone and angrily dialed April's number.