"KIYA!"

With one angry back-kick, Raphael knocked the robber flat on his back.

"Nice, Raphie," Casey remarked coolly, "But how about ya let the big boys play?"

With a smirk, Raphael gestured towards the thug who was doubled over on his knees trying to recover from the mighty blow.

"He's all yours, Jonesy," Raph replied, smiling.

Casey whipped out his bat, and WHACK! The guy was out cold. Casey reached down and picked up the stolen sack of money.

"I'll take care a' this," he grunted, swinging the heavy bag over his shoulders. Then all of a sudden, Raph and Casey heard sirens blaring from up the street, and from the sound of it: it seemed like they were coming this way!

"Ut-oh, the boys in blue," Casey whispered, turning to Raphael, "Le's book!"

"Oy…wha' happened?"

The boys turned to find that the felon was coming to. Raphael looked around for something to bludgeon the burglar, when he spotted a golf club from Casey's pack.

"May I?"

"Be my guest."

"Thank you. FORE!"

And with that, the guy was-once again- out cold.

"Nice," Casey commented, patting Raph's shoulder, "I'd say a hole in one."

"Come on-it was reported by this alley way!"

"Time ta bounce, Case," Raph cried as he climbed up a nearby fire escape, Casey following suit-leaving the sack of money on top of the crook's tummy.

"Pleasure doin' business witcha," Casey saluted to the unconscious man as he made his way up the fire escape. As Casey always did, he waited at the top of the building just to make sure the policemen handcuffed the bad guy and got the stolen possession into their rightful care.

"Whaddya make of it, Arney?"

"Dunno-looks like he held up a bank."

"Yeah, and somebody already beat us to the fun part," looking down at the unconscious thug.

"Let it go, Jerry. Whoever caught him-they did a damn good job," Arney said looking up. His eyes squinted as he thought that he saw something in the shadows staring at him.

Casey quickly ducked down when the officer's eyes hit him. Damn! Saw me! I'm busted.

Casey looked back up, to find the cop still looking at him, however- he was…smiling. Casey's face contorted in confusion beneath his mask. The cop's eyes-bright and blue, like Casey's- held some sort of memory. He had eyes almost like his… 'Ah, c'mon, Casey!' he began to tell himself. Yeh thinkin' about him too much. But Casey couldn't help it. There was something familiar about that man: that face-that smile….that name.

"Arn. Arney. ARNOLD!"

"Huh? What?"

"C'mon-help me lug this guy into the…whaddaya lookin' at?"

Casey, again, ducked so not to be seen by the obvious "bad cop" who was still dragging the bank robber like a sack of potatoes.

"Nothin', Jer. I'm comin'."

"Well-we don't have all night, Jones!"

Casey gasped quietly as he ran from the roof top. As Casey tried to catch up to Raph, all that kept going through his head was, 'Thanks for the visit, Dad. '

'Why am I even up this late? I mean- c'mon it happened years ago: it shouldn't be bothering you'

April's thoughts twisted and turned as she made her way up to the attic. It was a few minutes to midnight, but who was she kidding-she wasn't gonna be sleeping tonight. Finally, she made it to the top. It was a dusty, old place: forgotten by all except the dust and spiders. Old boxes filled with fond memories stacked in heaps were cluttered about the room. April looked around almost blindly for what she sought out for in the blackened room-her only light being the moon which poured in through a small window.

Purely by chance-she found it. Resting at the very top of a pile of boxes, she found the little box sitting safely and soundly. She stepped over small mountains of clutter and picked up the box from the top of the heap: wiping dust from the label which was marked "Daddy".

April then cleared a little spot on the floor, sat down, and began to go through the old pictures and mementos from her past. Her i dad's /i past. She saw lots of baby pictures: ones which showed her father cradling both her and Robyn in her arms as infants. There were ones of April's tot-hood and childhood: ones where April first learned how to ride a tricycle, her high school graduation, and her father's final birthday…

Suddenly, the tears cascaded from her eyes and down her face. She looked up to the moon and said, voice shaking, "Happy Birthday, Daddy."

Once Casey finally caught up to Raph, they began their nightly "roof-hopping" until they got to their usual spot down by 11th. Panting slightly, Raph began to chuckle.

"Heh-heh! We sure did show that punk who's boss, eh Case? …Uh…Casey?"

Casey was absent-mindedly staring at the moon, with a slightly forelorn look on his face. A few seconds later, he realized that he was being spoken to.

"Huh? W-whatcha say?"

Raph looked at Casey confusedly and restated his avowal.

"Um…I just said that we did a good job kickin' that guy's ass tonight."

"Oh! Awe, yeah! We was awesome!"

"Er, yeah…You okay?"

"What? Ah, yeah. I guess I'm just a little distracted is all. What time is it, anyhow?"

"Le'see," Raph took out his Turtle-com and checked the built-in clock, "Quarter afta' midnight."

"Damn, it's late! You betta' get home, bro! Mastah Splintah's probably worried sick aboutcha!"

"Ah, bullshit…"

"HEY! Watcha mouth!"

"Sorry," Raph replied, walking towards the end of the building angrily, "It's just…he keeps me on such a tight leash, y'know? Like-like tighter than the others. And it just pisses me off! It's like he thinks that I ain't good like the others."

"C'mon-I'm sure he doesn't think that," Casey said as he walked over to his friend, "He just…wants ya to be safe."

"Yeah, I guess…I just wish he'd back off sometimes! 'S like he thinks I'm still a little kid that needs his hand held! Like…he just doesn't get that I don't need his help anymore."

"'s 'at what you think? Ya too old to need a father?"

Casey looked into Raph's eyes sternly, and from Raph's opinion-it looked like there were tears forming in his eyes. And all of a sudden, Casey grabbed Raphael's arms and began to speak.

"Now, you listen to me," Casey stated firmly, "You are a very- VERY-lucky guy, you know that? You got three brothers, a good, stable home-"

"Yeah, a stable sewer," Raphael mumbled under his breath.

" 'SCUSE ME," Casey emitted angrily, " 'YA GONNA LET ME FINISH?"

"Yeah, sorry," Raph replied, almost fearfully.

"Now, you *sniff* you got a good life," Casey cracked, his voice choking up with tears, "And it's 'cuz of your father's guidance. Some people…some people don't even get ta have fathers. What I'm sayin' is you may think Splintah's breathin' down ya neck, some people'd KILL fa' that! He doesn't do it to annoy you-it's 'cuz he loves you, and he wants the very best for you. A father's love: having a father that's there fa' you…it should bnever /b be taken for granted. Ya' very lucky, Raph. Don'tchu EVAH forget that."

Casey breathed deeply, trying to compose himself, and stepped away. He had his back to Raphael, but Raph could tell that Casey was sniffling and rubbing his eyes. 'What the shell's goin' on with him?'

"Case…" Raphael said softly, putting his hand on his best friend's now quivering shoulder, "Casey-what's this really about? What's goin' on with you?"

Casey turned back to face his friend-his eyes bright and teary. Sniffling, he replied.

"If ya really wanna know…It's…it's the anniversary of the day my old man died."

Raph stepped back from his friend, not knowing how to respond. He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably.

"Gee, Casey, I'm real sorry about that, I… I see why ya got so pissed at me now."

"Nah-it's alright, I'm sorry," Casey sniffed, trying to regain his old Casey Jones-coolness, "I-I shouldn't have been so hard on ya. I mean-yeh just a kid: you got every right ta' vent ya' feelings, a-an'-"

"Case," Raph interrupted, looking into Casey's sad, blue eyes, "You wanna talk about it, pal?"

Once more, the tears returned to Casey's eyes, and with one heavy sigh, he looked up at the moon and found enough strength to tell what was on his mind…or rather…what was on his heart.

Casey:

Back when I was a child

April:

Before life removed all the innocence

Casey:

My father would lift me high

April:

And dance with my mother and me and then

Both:

Spin me around till I fell asleep

Casey:

Then up the stairs he would carry me

April:

And I knew for sure

Casey:

I was loved.

April:

If I could get... another chance

Another walk

Casey:

Another dance with him

I'd play a song that would never, ever end.

April:

How I'd love, love, love...

Both:

To dance with my father again.

April pulled from the box an old scrapbook-filled with pictures of the O' Neil's just hanging around the house, and found one that made her smirk a little. It was her and her mother having some sort of trivial argument, which April was hugging her father as she and her mother were going back and forth.

April:

When I and my mother would disagree

Casey: (laughing)

To get my way I would run from her to him

April:

He'd make me laugh just to comfort me.

Casey:

Then, finally-make me do just what my mama said.

April:

Later that night when I was asleep

He left a dollar under my sheet

Casey: (tearing up)

Never dreamed that he...would be gone from me.

April:

If I could steal one final glance: one final step-

Casey:

One final dance with him.

April:

I'd play a song that would never, ever end.

Casey:

'Cause, man- I'd

Both:

Love, love, love to dance with my father again.

bBoth:/b

Sometimes I'd listen outside her door!

Casey:

And I'd hear how my mama cried for him...

I prayed for her even more than me

April:

I pray for her

Both:

Even more than me!

Casey sobbed quietly, and even Raphael shed a little tear, too. 'Wow,' Raph thought, 'Casey's right: I…I am lucky'. All of a sudden, Casey looked up at the skies and spread his arms out wide.

Casey: (with feeling and emotion-fists shaking at the sky)

I know I'm prayin! For much too much!

April: (Eyes glowing with tears)

But could You send back-

Casey: (slightly more relaxed and sincere-voice shaky)

The only man she loved?

April:

I know You don't do it usually

Casey:

But, dear Lord- she's dyin'! ...To dance with my father again.

Casey:

Every night I fall asleep

April:

And this is all I ever dream.

As the clock chimed 1, April placed the scrapbook away, closed up the box, and placed it back where she found it. Walking out the room, she stopped in the doorway and looked sadly back into the room, and lowered her head as she turned off the dull light.

"And tha's why you gotta appreciate yeh fatha'," Casey sniffled, "'Cuz ya neva' know when he might…h-he might…"

Casey held his hand to his mouth, trying to fight the urge to cry. He shook and trembled with sadness, and Raphael, too, was crying at this point.

'Alright, Raph: calm down-' Raphael told himself, sniffling a little bit, 'You gotta be strong fa' Casey.'

He cleared he throat, tears still in his eyes, walked over to Casey and croaked, "C'mon, bro- let's getchu home," And walked a still weeping Casey over to the stairs which led to the street below.

About an hour later, Raphael returned to his sewer home to find Leo sleeping on the couch and Master Splinter looking up at him angrily.

"Raphael," his sensei growled, "My son- do you not realize the late hour you have kept us awake wondering where. you've. been?"

Normally, Raphael would've retaliated- cursing and screaming up a storm about how he wasn't a child anymore and how everybody should just leave him alone…but, no. Instead-Raphael cried. He walked over to his little father and embraced him and sobbed liked a baby into his father's shoulder.

"Father," Raphael croaked, "I-I'm s-s-sorry. I-I'm so s-so sorry."

"My son," Master Splinter whispered rubbing his son's shell, "Sh. Sh. It is alright, Raphael. Silence these tears, and look at me."

Raphael released himself from his master, sniffled a little, and stared embarrassedly at the floor.

"Look at me, my son," Master Splinter said lifting his son's chin up where their eyes could meet.

"Why these tears, Raphael?

"Let's jus' say I've seen what it's like not ta' have a father…and it sucks."

Master Splinter smiled at his son, wiped a tear that was falling from his eye, and rubbed his head.

"It is late, my son-and you are a growing young man who needs his rest. Now-to bed."

"Yes, Sensei," Raphael nodded heading up to bed, "G'night."

"Goodnight, my son."

Just as Splinter was about to head to his dojo, he turned around when he heard and small, "Master?"

"Yes, my pupil?"

"You… y'know I love you, right? Even though I don't…really say it much?"

The old rat smiled at his temperamental son, and replied "Indeed, I do."

"Kay: just checking. 'Night."

"Goodnight, my son."

As Raphael climbed into bed, he looked up at the ceiling, and whispered, "Goodnight, Mista' Jones. Watch ova Casey, will ya'? Thanks." And in two seconds flat, he was fast asleep.