A/N: As a sign of my sincerest apologises for keeping this story hanging, I offer up two chapters in one day. I hope you've all enjoyed this story. Thank you so much for your support.

Disclaimer: see chapter one

The quiet of the subway terminal was broken by the shrill cries of an infant. Donatello bolted up in his desk chair, eyes wide. It took a minute for him to remember where he was. It had been a little more than a month since the remaining brothers had fled the old lair and had taken up residence in the abandoned underground subway terminal. Donatello got up from his computer and went to see if everything was okay. He walked out of his new lab and into the main area of the new lair. He found Raphael sitting on the couch with his baby daughter held to his chest, muttering something to the squirming infant. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Donatello made his way over to the couch. The closer he got, the more he could pick out what Raphael was saying. He was singing a lullaby that Splinter used to sing to them when they were small.

Eventually, Mackenzie began to settle down; her cries becoming low whimpers. Raphael leaned over and kissed the top of his daughter's head and whispered something in her ear that Donatello couldn't hear. Mackenzie cuddled into her father's chest and fell into a deep sleep. Donatello was just close enough to hear Raphael take in a shaky breath, and that's when he noticed wet streaks running down his brother's face. Raphael had been crying.

"How long are you plannin' on standin' there?" the red masked turtle asked.

"Sorry," Donatello apologized. "I heard Mackenzie crying. I didn't know you had her."

It was a lame lie. Raphael always had Mackenzie, he never let her out of his sight. He even had her crib set up in his room so he could be by her side if she started crying during the night. Raphael had taken on the role of two parents. Donatello just wished that his brother would let him and Leonardo help out; they were Mackenzie's uncles, after all, they should be able to help with the responsibility of taking care of her as well.

"Uncle Donnie needs to get better at lying," Raphael told his sleeping daughter.

"He's just concerned," Leonardo said, walking up. "As am I. You haven't had a good night's sleep in almost a month. You need rest."

"I'm fine," Raphael replied stiffly, without looking up at his brothers.

"This isn't what Mikey would have wanted," Leonardo put in.

Raphael's body tensed at the mention of his deceased brother's name. "Don't...bring Mikey into this," he growled.

"He would want all of us to take responsibility in raising Mackenzie," Leonardo went on. "So, why do you insist on doing everything yourself?"

Raphael didn't answer. He just kept his eyes locked on Mackenzie's sleeping face. Leonardo sighed and walked around the couch so that he was standing in front of his brother. He knelt down so that he was looking up at Raphael's face.

"Raph, there's also the decision of training her," the blue masked leader said. "If she's going to have any chance at survival, she needs to be trained."

Raphael still didn't speak. He just sat there and listened to what his brother had to say.

"Raph, please," Donatello said. "Say something."

"What do you want me to say?" Raphael asked sharply. "You guys may be over the fact that Mikey's dead, but I'm not."

"Raph, we're not-" Leonardo began.

"Just give me space," Raphael said. "I need time to think."

Leonardo slowly got to his feet. "You're not the only one still mourning the loss of Mikey, Raph. Everyone mourns differently."

Raphael looked back down at Mackenzie. "So actin' as though Mikey never existed is your way of mourning?" he asked bitterly.

"We don't act like that," Donatello scowled. "We shed just as many tears at night as you do, Raph. Mikey wasn't just your brother, he was ours as well."

Raphael closed his eyes and buried his face in Mackenzie's neck as tears began to stream down his cheeks. Leonardo sat down on the couch and put an arm around his brother's shoulders.

"Please let us help," Leonardo said softly. "Mikey wouldn't want you running yourself to the ground. We have just as much responsibility for Mackenzie's upbringing as you do. You don't have to go down Master Splinter's road and raise a child by yourself. You have me and Don, and we're more than willing to lend a helping hand."

Raphael turned bloodshot eyes to his eldest brother. Leonardo held out his arms. Slowly and carefully, Raphael transferred Mackenzie over to his brother's waiting embrace. Leonardo cradled his niece in his arms as Donatello helped Raphael up off the couch, leading him towards the stairs that led to the bedrooms. Leonardo watched his brothers disappear into Donatello's room before looking down at Mackenzie. He sighed and a soft smile touched his lips.

"Just out of the egg and already you're wrapping everyone around your little finger," Leonardo said. He gently ran a finger over Mackenzie's cheek. "You're special, little one. And I get the feeling we're going to find out just how special you really are."

And, that's all she wrote. Thank you for sticking with this story for so long. Your support has been amazing. Thank you all so much.

Reviews are welcome, flames are not