Ch3 The Ghost of Christmas Present.

As his eyes roamed over the room, Raph noticed a small amount of light in the middle of the room suddenly begin to glow brighter. He sat up and watched as the light slowly transformed into a tall turtle with brown eyes.

"Donnie?" Raph looked at the purple banded turtle dressed in a long flowing red robe with a Christmas wreath on his head and holding a long brown shepherd's hook. Raph shook his head and placed his hand to his forehead, "No, not Donnie," he muttered as he looked back at his clock, "You're the next…." He waved his hand at the apparition.

'Donnie' nodded toward him, "I'm the Ghost of Christmas present," He stated in a booming voice, "And I am here to show you….."

"Yeah, yeah I know," Raph muttered as he stood and walked over to him, "You're here to show me what Christmas is all about for the here and now."

"Take my sleeve Raphael," 'Donnie' commanded as he raised his arm, "And I will show you all you need to know."

"Okay," Raph relunctantly took the sleeve, "Let's get this over with."

The two walked toward the wall and like before, went right through. Raph looked around and noted they were in the dojo watching his three brothers decorate the tree. But their mood was anything but happy.

"I wish Raph would come out and help decorate," Mikey said.

"He needs time Mikey," Leo told him as he looked toward the entrance to the dojo.

"I know but how much time Leo?" Mikey continued to whine, "I mean….I miss Master Splinter too but it would be so much easier to enjoy Christmas if we were all together."

Donnie walked over with a glimmering angel, "Well, maybe he'll come with us to April's house," He muttered as he stood on his tip toes to place the angel on the top of the tree. The three stood back and Donnie clapped his hands. Instantly, the lights on the tree turned on and the three turtles smiled at the scene. But their smiles faded as they looked at each other.

"It's just not the same," Leo said. He sighed and started toward the dojo entrance, "Mondo Gecko will be here soon so let's get dinner ready."

Raph watched as the three turtles walked away from the tree and slowly made their way to the kitchen. "Wow," He said in a whisper, "I didn't realize how much my not being there would bring the others down like that."

"Can you blame them?" 'Donnie' asked him, "You are brothers, and in this life you are all you have." 'Donnie' started toward the wall again, "When one of you is feeling bad, it brings the others down too, especially when they feel like there is nothing they can do to make things better."

"I suppose you're right," Raph said as they walked through the wall, "Where to now?"

"To show you another sad and lonely person," 'Donnie' replied.

The two walked toward the wall and moments later, Raph saw they were now standing on a rooftop. "Why are we here?" He asked as he looked around, "Is there someone here I know.

"Down there," 'Donnie' pointed and Raph looked over the roof to see a small humanoid lizard standing on a fire escape and staring into an apartment.

"It's Mondo," Raph muttered and jumped down to stand next to the gecko. He looked at Mondo and noticed him staring sadly into the house. Raph looked in and watched a woman in her early forties sitting in front of a Christmas tree, a young child sitting next to her and a tall man standing just behind them, but, Raph noted, the family did not look happy.

"I miss him," The woman said as she picked up a wrapped package.

"So do I honey," The man said as he walked toward the window. Mondo gasped and quickly ran up the fire escape and back onto the roof, "Sometimes I wish I could take back all the mean and hurtful things I said and beg him to come home but…." The man turned away from the window sadly, "But I still don't know if I could ever feel comfortable having him here looking like he does."

The woman joined him at the window, "Well, where ever he is, I hope he's okay."

Raph watched the couple walk back to the Christmas tree then looked up to see Mondo looking down sadly, "I miss you too mom and dad," Mondo whispered. He then turned and quickly ran down to the streets and toward a nearby manhole cover.

"Aw man," Raph's green eyes shimmered, "I forgot Mondo said his parents had kicked him out," He watched Mondo disappear into the sewer, "Poor kid," Raph shook his head, "But at least he does have friends."

'Donnie' nodded, "Yes, he does have friends that treat him like family but you have both Raphael," The apparition walked away from the roof ledge, "Or have you forgotten that?"

Raph looked down in shame, "No D, I…." He muttered, "I haven't forgotten," Raph looked back at the apartment, "But this is Christmas, a time for happiness and good cheer so you can't show me just sadness," He climbed back onto the roof, "There's got to be some place where people are celebrating that we can be a part of, right?"

'Donnie' stared off into the distance, "It's time to go Raphael," He stated as he reached out for him.

"Go?" Raph looked at him in shock, "An hour can't be up yet so where are we going?"

"To a place where there is happiness and celebration," 'Donnie' responded, "To the home of one of your dear friends," Seconds later they found themselves standing in the living room of April O'Neil's house.

"Oh come on," Raph moaned, "I don't want to see this." He looked up at the tall turtle, "Do you seriously have to show me the party I'm going to be missing?" He huffed in annoyance, "Can't you take me some place else!? Anyplace else but here?"

"Watch," 'Donnie' pointed, "And observe."

"Come on Daddy!" April called out as she walked out of the kitchen carrying a large bowl of salad, "Our guest are going to be here any minute!"

"I'm coming April," Kirby came out carrying a large platter of turkey with all the trimmings, "The rolls will be ready in five minutes and the desserts look delicious."

"I hope the turtles will be in a celebrating mood," April said as a knock on the door sounded, she looked at the table sadly before walking away to answer the door, "I know it's been hard on them since Master Splinter passed away, but I hope they realize they still have family." She opened the door to see Casey smiling down at her with an armload of presents.

"Casey!" April smiled up at him, "Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas Red," Casey said as he walked in the room, "Merry Christmas Mr. O'Neil."

"Merry Christmas Casey," Kirby responded and pointed toward the other end of their apartment, "You can place the presents over there by the Christmas tree."

"Are the turtles here yet?" Casey asked.

"Not yet," April responded as she continued to set the table.

"Great, I got a killer present for Raph," Casey responded, his eyes wiggling. "When he sees the present you get him he is going to love the present I got for him."

The ghost of Christmas present watched Raph hang his head in exasperation.

April looked at Casey disapprovingly, "Casey, there's going to be other people here," She nodded toward her dad who had walked into the kitchen, "I hope it's nothing that will embarrass Raph?"

"I'll have him open it in the other room," Casey said with a chuckle, "That'll be an appropriate place."

Raph narrowed his eyes in curiosity as he watched the scene play out, "What's he talking about?" Raph muttered as 'Donnie' looked at him with a sly smile.

"Casey!" April frowned.

"Just kidding April," Casey walked over to her and gave her a kiss, "You're standing under the mistletoe."

"Just for you and just this one time," She gave him a sly smile and went back to the table to complete the festive dinner.

Casey stared intently at her but a knocking on the door interrupted his thoughts. "I'll get it," He said as he made his way toward the door.

He opened the door and smiled widely upon seeing Leo, Donnie, Mikey and Mondo, arms full of presents, standing in the hallway. "MERRY CHRISTMAS!" They shouted as they made their way in.

The three turtles and one gecko walked in and watched as Casey peered out into the hall, "Where's Raph?" He queried when no other turtle could be seen.

The others looked away sadly, "He didn't wanna come," Mikey told him.

"Oh no," April looked at them in dismay, "It won't be the same if he's not here."

Raph turned to 'Donnie', "Okay I get it," He muttered angrily, "I'll be disappointing a whole bunch of people if I don't show up," He turned back to the scene and watched as his brothers, Mondo, Casey and April gathered around the tree.

"I can't believe Raph isn't coming," Casey said as he pulled out a bag among the presents, "I brought over some games and one of them is Pictionary," He looked sadly down at the game, "I wanted him to be on my team."

"And we're expecting a bunch of guest and one in particular was really hoping to see him," April added.

"Wait," Raph looked back at 'Donnie' in surprise, "There are others coming to the party?"

"You see Raph," 'Donnie' shook his head at him, "You won't be just disappointing them, you'll also be disappointing yourself." They turned back to the scene.

"I know," Leo shook his head, "But he just isn't in the mood to celebrate Christmas."

"Well, if he doesn't want to join in the party here," The teens looked up as Kirby came out of the kitchen, "Maybe we can bring the party to him," He told them.

"I suppose," Donnie rubbed his chin while eyeing the table full of Christmas goodies, "Unfortunately much of the food will get cold before we get there."

"Yeah," Mikey agreed, "And reheating cold food in a microwave or oven just isn't the same."

A knock at the door turned their attention away from the food, "Great, the rest of the guest are here," April said happily, than looked down at the floor sadly, "I just wish Raph was here to greet our one special guest."

"One special guest?" Raph again looked at 'Donnie', "Who is it?" He asked excitedly, craning his neck to see past the door, "Who else were they inviting to the party?"

"It's time to go back home Raph," 'Donnie said as he took his arm and walked him toward the door.

"Wait, I want to see who all is coming!" Raph said as many familiar voices could be heard, "I want to know who the special guest is." He strained his ears as a familiar voice reached him, "Mona?" He whispered as he attempted to look back.

"I'm afraid I'm all out of time," 'Donnie' told him as they walked through the wall, "I just hope you learned something about tonight and the true meaning of Christmas."

"I did," Raph nodded solemnly, his head hung low and eyes looking downward, "I've been a jerk," He muttered as the voices faded away, "I've been lucky to still have family and friends who care about me and I'd rather wallow in self-pity in my room."

He felt 'Donnie's' grip loosen and looked up expecting to see them back in his room but instead was shocked to find himself standing alone in the middle of the lair. But it was not the lair he was expecting to see. The living space was in complete shambles with fallen beams and large concrete stones strewn all over. The ceiling had caved in and rubble and debris was everywhere.

"What happened to the lair?!" Raph cried out, racing toward the bedrooms, "What happened to our home!"