Who are you: volume 2

Talking to each other

"Venus, are you alright?" Raph asked with slight concern as he bent down a bit in hopes of meeting Venus's height. It was quiet for a moment before she looked up with a thinking expression. Then Venus turned to the bar and walked over to the back, moving things around before she found a notepad and a pen. She walked back to him while writing something on the paper, confusion filling Raph's features. Then she capped the pen and turned the notepad around to face Raph with furrowed brows. Raph looked at the paper again and read what Venus had written.

What's the actual reason you came to see me?

Raph looked up at Venus and sighed, too tired to try and lie as he stood up. "I... I wanted to make sure your neck wasn't bothering you or anything. Since... I'm kinda the reason you're hurt." Raph said and looked to the side with a pained expression, one that made Venus soften hers. "I'm also the reason why you can't talk verbally and have to go back to sign language. And the reason why Leo felt like he had to also die holding Prime back and-" As Raph began to ramble, Venus shot her body towards his and hugged him to the best of her ability. He was shocked by this and had his arms hovering around Venus. It took Raph a moment before he sighed shakily and hugged Venus back, still holding himself back from crying as he was worried he'd hurt her somehow. It was like that for a few moments before Venus let him go and uncapped the pen, starting to write something on the notepad again. Once she was done, Venus turned the notepad back to him again.

I know you think that what happened is your fault, but it isn't. It's not any of our fault. I will get hurt, and so will you. That's why I'm so serious about all of your rest. We all went through something we haven't been too familiar with and will still have more to deal with if we want our city to go back the way it does. But if you get any nightmares about the whole mind-control thing, please, come to me and I will help.

Raph couldn't help but cry at those words, he wiped them away but looked at a smiling Venus. "Thanks, V, I almost forget how you can make most people feel better." Raph chuckled, Venus smirked and put shifted the pen into her other hand and held up something in sign language. Though Raph isn't fluent in it and has been trying to learn more about it so that Mikey wasn't the only one, Raph knew what Venus was trying to say.

"Love you"

A/n: She means this in a platonic way

Raph smirked and copied the action, something Venus smiled at and even gave him a thumbs up, showing how proud she was of his understanding of sign language. Both then went their separate ways, Venus smiling as she skipped to the medical cell to double-check Usagi and Leo for any other injuries. But once she rounded the corner, Raph lost his smile and sighed. Even if Venus had forgiven him, that doesn't mean he was ready to forgive himself. Raph sighed as he rubbed his brow and turned back to head towards his room. Somehow, Raph thought he could get some sleep before tomorrow, whatever Venus had planned was probably something big. Raph sighed as he opened his door and furrowed his brows, sighing again before walking in.

The Next Day...

No one knew why, but Venus wanted to drive the old van to Todd's. She had announced it after everyone had left Raph's bedroom that very morning. It seemed like each of them, even Splinter and Venus, couldn't sleep alone that night. Shockingly, Mikey had been the second one to arrive at his older brother's room. When Mikey opened the door to ask Raph if he could stay the night with Raph, he already saw Donnie wrapped in a blanket and leaning on Raph's side. They both sat on very cushiony blankets and pillows. While Donnie had passed out whilst hugging Raph's arm, Raph had been awake. No words needed to be exchanged to know why Mikey was there. All Raph had to do was lift his free arm and welcome Mikey in. Then Splinter came in after doing a quick check to see if everyone was asleep.

Then it was April, who happened to run into Casey and Ezra. Both had gone to see if Leo and Usagi were alright and were heading back to their given rooms, that was until April grabbed both their wrists and led them to Raph's room. While the good spots had been taken, Raph still managed to find space for Venus when she slipped in and she kept signing basic things to him to try and convince him that he was safe, that he could sleep and finally rest. A little easier said than done, but Raph managed to get some hours in. When they woke, everyone swarmed to Leo and Usagi's room. Usagi was still passed out and his katana was now in the dojo, so he wouldn't be able to nab it while the family was away. They had planned to update Draxum, Sunita, and Cassandra, but the phone lines had been cut down and Donnie was too exhausted to get his system working again.

After leaving SHELL-DON in charge of keeping an eye on Usagi and Leo, everyone got into the old dusty van and raced off to Todd's. "Now can you two tell us why we're going to Todd's?" Mikey whined from his seat as he looked up at Venus, who sat in the driver's seat with Ezra sitting in the passenger seat. "Not yet, Uncle Mike," Ezra said nervously but then turned to Venus, who looked at him. "But should we tell them about me? It might be easier if I say it now and then wait until we get there." Ezra whispered, ignoring how everyone was smushed together trying to hear Ezra. Venus looked ahead and bit her lip in thought. While it would be easier to say it now, Venus also wanted Ezra to know and understand that this family is very accepting, whether you are the leader or some kid from the future who had to adapt to a lot of things. For example, getting more than three or four hours of sleep.

Venus then began to tap the dashboard. "Wait until we get there, I promise it'll be worth the wait." Mikey translated, he sighed in annoyance as Venus smirked. Everyone tried to get answers out of Venus and Ezra, they even asked Casey, but neither of them budged or even gave them the faintest sliver of info. Donnie wanted to punch the vehicle because neither would tell him and both were kinda smug about it. They did finally reach Todd's and Raph kicked open the door and jumped out, looking around with a crazed expression. "WHERE IS LITTLE NEPHEW AT?!" Mikey yelled as he and Donnie searched the trees. "Hey, guys!" Todd said as he waved to everyone, ignoring how the brothers and Splinter looked at him with crazed expressions. "Is this... a puppy theme park?" Casey asked as he and Ezra looked up in shock and pointed at Todd's home. "Yup, Your orange and Purple friends help build this place," Todd said nonchalantly and pointed a thumb behind him, a puppy barking as it appeared in Todd's hair. Stars and hearts appeared in Casey's and Ezra's eyes.

"Mom..." Ezra said as he looked at Venus, who smirked and put a hand on her hip. Her other hand was using her Ninpo from stopping the others from tackling Todd to the ground for answers. "I know the whole point of us being here is to get younger me, but can me and Casey..." Ezra trailed off and pointed at the amusement park. Venus smiled kindly at them and gave them a thumbs up. "THANK YOU!" Casey yelled, grabbing Ezra and bolting for the theme park. Todd then walked up to Venus with a confused brow. "You're a mom? How'd that happen?" Todd asked, Venus, inhaled to answer but paused and frowned, reaching to her still-healing neck. Todd saw and smiled. "It's alright, one of your brothers can explain all that happened when we have lunch. Something tells me you're not just making a quick visit." Todd said, both turned and saw Ezra and Casey jumping into a pit full of puppies. Venus looked in slight disgust as she knew the amount of slobber that would cover the two but smiled still as she assumed the two had never seen a puppy before.