Goodbye, Mr. Bear

They were not going to let him sleep in.

Someone clattered dishes about in the kitchen, way too loudly and too deliberately. Already he could hear Leonardo doing his morning exercises, and he could hear Master Splinter's walking stick hit the concrete floor over and over.

CLACK CLACK CLACK

If he had not stayed up so late watching the sci-fi channel movie marathon of most campy mad scientist and brain monster flicks, he would not be so tired, but it seemed that as soon as he crawled into his bed and curled up with his trusty stuffed panda, the others woke up.

CLACK CLACK CLACK

Normally the sound wouldn't have been so much of a problem. He knew that Master Splinter's walking stick didn't sound like that, so he wondered why now it seemed so loud?

Someone's hand slammed into the drop cloth that served as a door to his room, startling him. He jumped, sending the poor old panda to the floor. Mikey hurriedly grabbed up the bear and turned away from the door.

"Wake up, sleepy head!" Raph. He heard his older brother move away, and he prepared to ignore him. "Donnie? You makin' breakfast?"

"I would if I had some dishes to use," Donatello said in the distance. He clattered dishes for emphasis. "If someone had done the dishes like they were supposed to , since it was his night to do them "

Mikey groaned and pulled a pillow over his head. He had totally forgotten about washing the dishes. He had promised to do them after one of the movies, but of course another one came on, and then another, and then another…

It was a pure smorgasbord of cheesy film making.

Raph's hand slammed into the drop cloth again. "C'mon, bozo, go do the dishes!" He stomped off in the opposite direction as before.

"Just…go awaaaay!" Mikey said from under the pillow.

"What was that?"

Uh oh. So maybe he hadn't walked off.

Please don't come in, please just go away…

Raphael pulled back the drop cloth. "Oh no you don't," he went over and ripped the pillow away, or attempted to, as Mikey kept a firm hold on it. "It's already 9, time to get up! Don't make me force you!"

Mikey sat up and tugged on the pillow. "Just let me sleep in a little, 'kay?"

"Nuh uh. I want French toast, and I ain't getting' French toast if you don't get your butt down there and wash some dishes."

"Use paper plates! Or paper napkins! Or wash them yourself!"

"No way, bro!" Raph pulled at the pillow, but it was obvious Mikey wasn't going to let go. "Fine! I'll take this instead!" He let go of the pillow, sending Mikey flying back onto the bed, and collected up the age worn stuffed panda.

"Nooo!" Mikey grabbed for the panda, but Raphael had already made for the door. "Give him back, Raph! Seriously!"

"You want him? Come get 'im!"

Mikey frowned and folded his arms, obviously not in the mood to play.

Raphael lifted the drop cloth and waved the poor toy at Mikey. "Come get him, or else Mr. Bear meets Mr. Toilet!"

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Oh, I'd so dare! This thing smells like sixteen years of slobber an' dirt, I can smell it from my room!" And with that, he disappeared out of the room. "It could use a good bath!" Mikey could hear him run away.

Mikey scowled, knowing any chances of getting any sleep just dashed out the door along with Raph. Usually he wouldn't be so concerned, as his brothers had stolen Mr. Bear before, but he knew Raph had a vendetta against the plush thing, and he wouldn't put it past him to actually damage the toy.

He ran after Raph, knocking aside the drop cloth and following his older brother into the main area of the lair. Mikey chased Raph until he was cornered, but then Raph kept a game of Keep Away going by tossing the bear between hands as Mikey tried to grab it. "Gonna hafta do better n' that, Mikey."

"Just gimme the bear, Raph!"

"Do the dishes first!"

Mikey scowled. It was rare to see such an expression on the turtle's face, but it did happen every once in a while. He balled his fist and pulled back…

"Leo, go long!"

…let it fly…

The bear went sailing across the room.

…Mikey halted his punch and turned as Leo nabbed the bear out of thin air and looked at it curiously. Good ol' Leo, he'd just hand it over, he wasn't as cruel as Raphael…

Mikey held out his hand for it, but Leo held his hand back, keeping the bear out of reach. "Raphael's right, Mikey. You should have taken care of those last night."

"Leo…"

Leo held his arm back more for emphasis.

"Just hand him over, Leo! He's an old man; all this tossing around is going to give him, uh, um…"

Leo raised a brow, slightly amused.

"It's gonna give him something bad, like a bad hip or something! Just give him back!"

"A bad hip, Mikey?" Leo couldn't hide the chuckle in his voice. He shook his head. "Dishes first."

"If you give him back, I'll go do the dishes, I promise. For the rest of the day even!"

Leo contemplated the offer, looked at the bear, then began to relinquish him back to Mikey…

"Nuh uh!" Raphael flew past, nabbing the bear and flipping over their heads. "Too fast!"

"Raph-a-ellll!" Mikey couldn't mask the whine in his voice. He nearly stamped his foot in a tantrum, but caught himself before it happened. "C'mon!"

Raph only laughed and dashed into the kitchen. "I think Mr. Bear's gotta date with the garbage disposal!"

"Raphael, do not tease your brother!" Splinter said from the living room area. He absently clicked through channels. "It is too early for you to already be picking fights!"

Raphael looked at Splinter, then at Mikey, who stood in the entrance to the kitchen. Donnie stood at the stove, between Mikey and Raph, stacking French toast and bacon onto the one clean plate in the kitchen. Raph grinned evilly and held the bear above the sink.

"Doooon't…" Mikey hissed.

Raph flicked on the garbage disposal. Mikey inched closer.

Raph held the bear out for him, then held it away when Mikey reached around Donnie to get the bear. Donnie ducked under another game of Keep Away, moving to set the food on the table, then returned to look for utensils. He fished in the drawer as his brothers bickered about him; Raph did a good job of keeping Donnie between himself and Mikey.

"Guys, will you quit it?" Donnie's hand landed on a steak knife. He held it up and sighed. "Not even a clean butter knife!"

"Seriously, Raph, I am so not kidding! Give me Mr. Bear now!"

Raph could hear the tone in Mikey's voice, the flat, serious, threatening tone. He had pushed his littlest brother too far. He sighed and held over the bear, just as Donnie turned with the steak knife in hand.

It tore through the bear, spitting stuffing out of both the exit and entrance wounds.

"NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"

"Oops."

"Raph! Look what you made me do!"

"Hey, I'm not the one tryin' to eat French toast with a steak knife!"

Mikey pushed his brothers aside, knocking Donnie into Raph, which made Donnie release the steak knife. The bear and knife combo fell into Mikey's hands. He gave his signature squeak that signaled he was about to cry, or turn around and maim someone, or both. "Mr. Bear!" He pulled the knife out of the bear, only to allow the bear to bleed old pilled and yellowed stuffing to the floor. He sank to his knees. "No, Mr. Bear! Speak to me! Say something!"

"Good going Raph."

"It's a stuffed animal , Donnie!"

"Yeah, that's as old as Mikey!"

Mikey let the bear slide out of his hands onto the floor. He was dangerously close to tears. How could Raph do that?

"Oh, don't cry," Raph said, worried, as Mikey gave a telltale sniffle. "I'll…I'll buy you a new one, Mikey! I swear! I wasn't really gonna hurt him!"

"It won't be the same! It's like buying a pair of new shoes! They don't fit right!"

"You don't wear shoes, Mikey," Leonardo said, coming into the kitchen. He picked up the bear and a wad of stuffing that had managed to fall to the floor. He looked at Master Splinter as he too joined them and relinquished the bear to his sensei.

"You know what I mean!"

Splinter sighed. "It is fine, Michelangelo. The tear is very clean."

Mikey looked up, rubbing a tear from his eye. "You mean, you can save him?"

"Yes," Splinter replied, holding the worn bear between a thumb and finger. "Although after a thorough washing, and new stuffing." He held it out at arm's length and left the room, but not before barking an order. "Apologize to your brother!"

The three eldest turtles looked at each other, then at Mikey, who picked himself off the floor. "Sorry, Mikey…"

"Yeah, I totally didn't mean to stab your bear…"

"I'm sorry, Mikey," Raph said, going over to his brother. "I didn't think you'd be that upset!"

Mikey looked at Raph and two tears made their way down his cheeks. "You're horrible!"

"Aww, come on, Mikey! I'll do anything to make it up to you! Just name it! I know, I'll do the dishes for you. All day. Is that okay?"

Mikey sniffled. "You sure?"

"Yeah, I promise."

"Really? Because you really hurt me."

"Yeah Mikey, just forgive me, okay?" Raph looked at his younger brother with complete concern.

Mikey turned his head away and covered his face, his shoulders shaking.

"Good going, Raph," Leo chastised.

"Yeah, Raph," Donnie parroted.

"Hey, I offered to…"

They paused as Mikey's shoulders shook harder, and then he burst into laugher. The three looked at him, bewildered. "Oh, dudes, you should have seen your faces!" the younger turtle pointed to Raph and began backing out of the room. "Oh, Mikey, I'll do anything, just please stop crying! Oh, my poor little bro!"

Raph's concerned face melted to a blank stare. "Mikey…"

"I'll buy you a new one, Mikey!" Mikey mocked in a squeaky voice. He only laughed harder and ducked Raph's swipe as his brother tried to nab him. He ran out of the kitchen. "I so got you! That's what you get for messin' with Mr. Bear!"

Raph scowled and pointed at the dishes. "Get your butt back here and do the dishes!"

"Naw, bro! You promised!" He dashed away, laughing.

Raphael scowled and moved to take after him, but both his brothers caught him. "What?!"

"You…did promise, Raph," Donnie said.

"So? He tricked me!"

"A promise is a promise, Raph," Leo added. He gave a shrug and held up a washrag. "Try not to get pan hands?"

Raphael scowled but grabbed the washrag from his brother. He could only bristle as his brothers walked away, sniggering.

He turned to the dishes and shut off the garbage disposal. "Why I oughta…"

…..

"Hey, Mikey…"

Mikey turned his head up as his sat on the couch. Raphael stood upside down in his vision, his hands behind his back. "What? You aren't gonna like, hurt me for this morning, are you?"

"Nope."

"Uh…then why are you standing there with that grin on your face like that?"

Raph brought his right arm from behind him, producing the repaired and freshly washed stuffed panda.

"Mr. Bear!" Mikey nabbed the bear from Raph and hugged him close, fairly standing on the couch. "I thought I lost you forever, dude!" He looked up at Raph. "Thanks, bro."

"Oh, don't thank me yet."

"Huh? Why?"

Raph held up his other hand, which held his own pillow. Mikey went wide eyed and ducked as Raph brought the pillow down where his head was. He dashed from the couch and laughed, pointing to Raph. "Ha ha, too fast!" His smile faded as he saw Donnie and Leo approach, pillows in hand. "Heh…I guess this is payback for my Oscar winning dramatic performance this morning?"

His brothers grinned mischievously and leapt at him, pillows at the ready.

Mikey ducked, holding the misfortunate Mr. Bear out as a shield.

……

In his room, Splinter smirked as he heard the sound of pillows making their mark on his youngest son. His smile deepened as he heard all his son's laughter ring throughout the lair.