Something Unexpected
Chapter 15
Raph leaves the compound and pays a visit to Casey and April.
Raph had no choice but to wear his Nightwatcher gear, most of it anyway. The suit was damaged, part of the leg had been cut away and his boot was gone but it was better than riding where everyone could see the giant turtle.
No one would think it was him. Ever since his return, there have been several replica suits made. Every other bike rider out on the streets of New York was wearing the Nightwatcher suit.
While Raph double checked his bag, a female agent named Heather entered the garage. “You’re hurt and supposed to be in bed. You shouldn’t go out tonight.”
“I quit,” Raph said without looking up. “You guys get to handle the press and I’ll disappear. You got Hun so you don’t really need me anymore anyway. My brothers will keep the crime low. I just… need some time away.”
“What happened,” Heather asked, trying to catch Raph’s eye.
“I told you,” Raph looked at her and managed to keep his emotions in check. “I quit.” Getting up on his bike, Raph pushed the ignition and shot from the garage before she had a chance to say anything more.
Swerving through traffic, Raph made his way to the ally next to April and Casey’s apartment. He hid his bike then with effort, managed to jump up to the fire escape. When he reached their window, he hesitated for a moment before knocking. He didn’t want to interrupt anything and he wasn’t in the mood to answer any questions.
Casey opened the window and looked at Raph, “What are you doing here? I heard about the fire on the news but they haven’t really said anything yet.”
“Bishop’s probably coming up with something now,” Raph said. “Can I come in?”
“Sure,” Casey stepped back and Raph crawled through the window. “What’s up?”
“Is April up?” Raph asked, clutching the bag at his side a little tighter.
“Yeah,” Casey nodded. “I’ll go get her.” As he walked back to the bedroom he looked back at Raph and smiled. “We’ve got some news for you too.”
“Can’t wait to hear it,” Raph called back as he sat down at the table and started to take some of the items out of the bag. By the time he had everything in place, Casey returned with April. Raph looked up at her, “I didn’t wake you did I?”
She looked exhausted and stifled a yawn but she shook her head. “I haven’t been sleeping well, I wasn’t asleep.” She looked at the items on the table. “Was there something you wanted to tell me?”
“Sit,” Raph requested. “I have something to show you.”
She sat next to him and placed her hands on the table. “What is all this?”
“I don’t know how much you know about me and Bishop…,” Raph voice failed him and he had to take a deep steading breath.
April shrugged, “Mikey told me that you believe that you are Bishop’s boyfriend reincarnated and that you two are together. He didn’t go into great detail.”
Raph nodded, “We were together.”
“You’re not anymore?” Casey asked, sitting at the table. “Did you guys have a fight?”
Raph shook his head, “That’s not what’s important. I’m here to give something to April.”
“Okay,” April’s eyes moved over the items on the table again.
Pulling the music box forward, Raph opened it to show April what was inside. He was grateful that it hadn’t been wound in a while so the music didn’t play. April gasped and looked into the box.
“You can’t seriously be giving me this.” Her hands stayed up towards her chest as she looked at the ruby necklace inside. “That looks old and… valuable.”
Raph closed the box and pushed it closer to April. “It was meant to be yours. Your grandmother bought the music box, intending to give it to your mother and the necklace belonged to her grandmother.”
April’s hands wrapped around the box, “Then why do you have it?”
Raph grabbed the album and turned the pages. “This is gonna be the hard part for you to believe.” He flipped to a picture of Rose. “This was me in a past life. She was Bishop’s wife. She died delivering their only child.”
“That’s horrible,” April said, looking down at the picture. “She’s beautiful, but I still don’t understand.”
“I’m getting there,” Raph mumbled, turning the page. “Bishop didn’t want to be a single father so he gave his daughter to a good family. She grew up not knowing that she was adopted but he continued to monitor her life. Her name is Ruby.”
As Raph turned the pages, April’s eyes grew wider and her hands moved up to her mouth. “Bishop’s my grandfather,” she said in disbelief, “and you’re my grandmother reincarnated?”
“It’s a lot to take in, I know.” Raph sighed, unable to look her in the eyes. “I’m still getting used to the idea.”
Casey let out a low whistle and leaned back in his chair.
They sat in silence while they took it all in. April sat staring at nothing for a while then pulled the album closer. Clenching her jaw as she turned the pages of the album, April saw photos of her childhood. Raph wondered what was going through her mind. Did she feel violated, lied to, angry?
With a sigh she leaned back then looked at Raph and softly smiled, “I knew there was something special about you.” She reached out for Raph and he took her hand. There was love in her eyes as she gently squeezed his hand. “This is great news.” She grabbed the album and flipped back to the picture of Rose. “I like the name Rose.” Placing her hand on her stomach she smiled. “If this one’s a girl, that’s gonna be her name.”
Raph looked at April then Casey then back to April, “You’re pregnant?” He looked at Casey, “Is this the something you had to tell me?”
Casey nodded, “She’s ten weeks pregnant. We found out a couple of weeks ago but you’re the first to know.”
April chuckled, “I thought I had the flu or something. I’m just happy that I didn’t take anything more than Tylenol.” Her smile faded and her hands held her belly. “But now I’m worried. Jason’s illness is genetic. We don’t know if he got it from his father or from our family.”
“April…,” Raph placed his hand over hers. “I’m sure everything will be fine.”
“I have to wait a few more weeks then they will be able to run some tests.” April’s eyes looked distant. “If the tests are positive we’ll have to make a hard decision; terminate the pregnancy or go through with it, knowing that we’ll have only a few years before the symptoms start to show. To be honest, I don’t know which one is more selfish.”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” Raph moved his hand up to April’s chin and turned her head so that she was looking at him. “This baby could be perfectly fine. Don’t worry about it now. Wait until you find out what’s going on and if something is wrong, then you can worry about it.”
“I just…,” April stifled a sob. “I don’t want to get my hopes up.”
“But getting yourself worked up over a possibility is just as bad,” Raph told her. “Hope isn’t a bad thing to have.”
April leaned over and wrapped her arms around Raph. “It feels good to finally tell someone. We didn’t want to tell anyone until we knew but Casey insisted we should tell someone and we decided on you.”
Raph returned the embrace. “I’ll always be here for you.”
They held each other for a while, taking comfort in their embrace. When they pulled apart, April noticed that Raph’s pants were tattered and that his ankle was wrapped. “Are you hurt?”
Raph followed her line of sight. “It’s fine.”
The television was on in the next room and they heard the reported announce that Nightwatcher was dead. The television could be seen from where they were and they all looked up to watch.
“Are you okay?” April turned and placed her hand on Raph’s shoulder. “You can stay here tonight.”
Raph shook his head. “Thank you but no.” He looked up at the clock, “It’s getting late and there are a few more things I need to do.”
He started to stand but April attempted to hold him. “Stay here. You don’t have to be alone.”
“I won’t be,” with great care, Raph pulled out of her grip. “I just…. I have somewhere to go.”
Casey stood, “You don’t have to disappear again.”
Raph removed one of the pictures of Rose and left it with the music box then took the album. “I don’t want to face my family with this right now. Make sure they know I’m okay for me, okay?”
“Yeah, sure, Raph,” Casey answered as Raph crawled out of the window. “Just, promise me that you won’t stay gone for long.” As Casey spoke, April got up and rushed to the phone.
Raph didn’t answer and he made his way down to the ally. When he landed, he was made painfully aware that the pain reliever was starting to fade. He limped his way to his bike and walked it out of the ally.
Soon he was back on the road, headed to his next destination. He felt hallow as he sped towards the Hudson and as his bike flew into the river Raph back flipped off, landing on the water’s edge, making sure to land on his good leg. The vibrations from the impact aggravated his wounded leg and caused him to inhale sharply.
He placed his bag on the ground then quickly removed his gear, throwing it into the river with the bike. The Nightwatcher was dead and this time he was going to stay that way.
Despite the pain, he ran to the shadows while clutching his bag full of his precious belongings. By the time he got to Mrs. Morrison’s place his whole leg hurt and he wanted nothing more than to sleep. He did his special knock and it didn’t take long for the door to fly open. “The news said that you were dead.” He voice was ragged and her face showed signs that she had been crying.
“I got here as quickly as I could,” Raph grunted as he limped in to the apartment. “I needed you to know that I’m okay. I guess Bishop decided to make it have a permanent ending.”
“Why would he do that?” Mrs. Morrison asked. “What happened?”
Raph sat down hard on the sofa, “I don’t wanna talk about it right now.”
“Alright,” Mrs. Morrison nodded her head and walked over to the linen closet. “I’m just glad that you are alive. Do you need to use the phone? Your family must be beside themselves right now.” She grabbed an extra pillow and a blanket for Raph. By the time she got back to him, he was already asleep.
She managed to get the pillow under his head and covered him with the blanket. After kissing him, softly on the head, she retired to her own room for the night. She knew that he would tell her what had happened in his own time; he always did.
