TMNT 100 Theme
Chapter 33
Give up

Despite the burden of the box she was carrying and the fact that she was pregnant with twins, April hurried through the underground path that led to the lair. She couldn’t help but feel excited. Why wouldn’t she be? Donatello had rescued female turtles and April couldn’t wait to meet them. 

Casey was hard pressed to keep up. He was guiding Mrs. Morrison and the blind old woman moved slowly. April tried to wait for them but she just couldn’t so she told them that she would run ahead so the Turtles would be ready for them when they arrived. 

She entered through the garage and Donatello was already up on the platform waiting for her. “Raph’s a little mad that you left Mrs. Morrison behind.” Leave it to Donatello to be watching the surveillance feed for their arrival. There was no sneaking up on the Turtles’ lair.  

“I couldn’t help myself,” April said in her defense. “Girl Turtles! I need to meet them and their sensei. Mrs. Morrison will be fine with Casey. Besides, if Raph was so worried about her he could run down the tunnel to meet them.”

With a soft chuckle Donny helped April up onto the platform, taking the box from her so she could navigate the ladder better and then taking her hand when she reached the top. “What’s in the box?”

“A few old dresses and some old dolls,” April answered. “I got them for really cheap at a garage sale. I brought them for Raph. I’ve also got some money for Raph. The last few dolls he restored for me sold quickly. People love them. So this is his cut.” 

“We’ll leave it here on the platform,” Donny said, placing the box close to the wall. “His special room has been moved down the tunnel since we needed the other room for the girls.” He then turned and pointed April to the stairs. “You go on up to the entertainment room. I’ll wait here for Casey and Mrs. Morrison. We’ll join you once they get here.”

“Okay.” April didn’t need to be convinced. She walked up the stairs as fast as her pregnant belly would allow her. There was a new, notable musk in the air as she approached the entertainment room. At least it wasn’t overwhelming. April had become a little more sensitive to smells due to her pregnancy. 

She entered the entertainment room and couldn’t hide the smile on her face. She was beyond happy that the guys had a real chance a love. “Hi, I’m April.” She waved at them, stepping forward to take the hand of the closest one. 

“My name is Leah,” she replied.

“It is a pleasure to meet you,” April said. 

“My name’s Michelle,” the orange banded girl said as she rushed over to look April over. “You’re the first human we have ever met. You’re pretty.”

“Thank you,” April replied. “I think you’re pretty as well.” Michelle blushed as a sweet smile spread across her face. She really was adorable. 

“These are our sisters, Rachael and Donna,” Leah said indicating the other two before turning to their mother. “This is Sliver, our master and mother.”

“Hi,” April said, shaking Sliver’s hand. She then leaned in close and whispered, “If there is anything you need…. Specifically feminine needs….”

A soft smile graced Sliver’s lips as she shook her head. “That will not be necessary,” she whispered back. “I no longer have a uterus. Thank you for the offer and the deaccession.”

April sensed a pang of sorrow in Sliver’s words. As much as she wanted to know more, she knew better than to ask. She was not close enough to Sliver to get such personal information out of her. Maybe one day. 

“Your daughters have lovely names,” April said a little louder. “How did you come up with them?”

“I named them after my favorite Renaissance painters,” Sliver answered. 

“Huh?” April tilted her head to the side. “I don’t recall there being very many female Renaissance painters. And the ones I know never had names like theirs.”

“Everyone on our world was the opposite gender than they are on this one,” Michelle stated as a matter of fact, looking proud of herself.  

“That makes sense,” April nodded. “So then, instead of Michelangelo, it would be….”

“Michelangela,” Sliver finished, nodding her head. “I had shortened it to Michelle. It was easier for the girls to say. Donna’s namesake was, Donna di Niccole di Betti Bardi. I shortened that one for obvious reasons. I almost called her Nichole but decided that I liked Donna better. Leah’s name sake was Leahnora de Vinci. I had also shortened that one. Rachael was the only one whose name was not shortened. It was lovely as it was and easy enough for the girls to say.”

“It would have been fascinating to visit your world,” April said wistfully, “and to compare the two to see how different things would be if every man in history was a woman.”

“It will be interesting to learn this world’s history and compare it to the one I knew,” Sliver agreed. “I will be sure to tell you all that I discover. It will make for interesting conversation.”

“I’m sure it will,” April said with a slight chuckle. “I look forward to long conversations about it. I just love history.” She then turned to Raph and handed him his money. “Before I forget. This is for you. I have a box downstairs with more things for you to restore.”

“I have some more ready for you,” Raph said, taking the money. “I’ll get them for you before you go.”

At that time Donny and Casey entered with Mrs. Morrison. “I brought cookies,” Mrs. Morrison announced as she entered the room. “I hope there is enough. I know you boys can have a big appetite.”

Mikey eagerly accepted the bag of cookies while Raph guided Mrs. Morrison to the sofa. Once Mrs. Morrison was settled, Raph placed Snow in her lap. “Mi Mor’son,” Snow cooed, giggling in delight at seeing Mrs. Morrison again.
 
Introductions were made once again as Mikey passed out the cookies. It was obvious that it was the first time the girls had ever had fresh cookies. And, much to April’s surprise, Mikey had noticed this as well and made sure that each girl got a second cookie before anyone else. 

“I hope we get to eat like this always,” Michelle said past a mouth full of cookie she was savoring. She then looked up at Raph. “So… what kind of things do you restore?”

“Dolls,” Mikey answered, a little aggressively. 

There was definitely more tension in all of the guys and they were all behaving differently. Before, it was rare for April to see their tails; they tended to make sure they were tucked at all times. Now, they were down on full display. 

April had to bite her lip to keep from smiling when she realized that the guys were posturing for the girls. She wondered if they even realized that they were doing it. The poor things were out of their comfort zone and didn’t know what to do. 

“Dolls?” Rachael smirked. “I don’t see you as the doll type.”

A slight triumphed smile turned up the edges of Mikey’s mouth and Raph looked ready to pounce on him. Being around girls seemed to be making them a tad more aggressive. So April decided to step in before things got out of hand. 

“Raphael is quite the artist and works well with his hands,” she stated, patting Raph on his shoulder. “He cleans the dolls off, fixes their hair, and repaints them. Then I either sell them to help support the guys or we donate them to children living on the streets. Donny works on restoring electronics, when he can. Raph paints those to look better as well. It helps to keep him busy and out of trouble.”

“Speaking of which,” Raph mumbled as he quickly counted the money April had given him. He then removed a few bills from the stack and handed them to Donny before tucking the rest back in his belt. 

The guys usually kept most of what they made for themselves but they also offered part of it to the family savings. Raph and Donny were usually the ones who contributed the most, Donny making the most money with customer service calls. Leo and Mikey didn’t really possess any skills that could be discreetly sold. 

“Thanks,” Donny said, accepting the money and tucking into his belt. 

“It’s good that you have a way of making money,” Sliver stated. 

Leo nodded. “It is nice to be able buy things we need instead of always having to scavenge for them. Donna will at least be able to contribute once Donny sets her up with a call center. We’ll have to wait and see if the others will be able to contribute somehow beyond scavenging. It’s difficult for us to come across honest work.”

“We’ll do whatever we can,” Leah assured him. 

Leo smiled. “Of that, I have no doubt.”

The rest of the visit went well. April tried to get a read on which girls the guys liked and vice versa. The only one she could tell right off the bat was Mikey. He was head over heels in love with Michelle. Fortunately it looked like Michelle felt the same for him. With the others, it was a little harder to tell. 

Before it was time to go, April followed Raph down to the platform and he picked up the box she had brought. She had intended to wait for him there; no one was ever invited into Raph’s sanctuary. So she was surprised when he indicated for her to follow him. 

When they got to the room, Raph pulled a key out of his belt and unlocked the door. She suspected that maybe he would have her wait there. But then, he stepped aside to allow April to enter.

She was amazed at what she saw. Dresses in garment bags, or covered in trash bags, hung on a rack with shoe boxes stacked under them. Dolls in various stages of restoration sat at a work station with everything well organized. Some finished dolls were kept up on shelves; ones Raph didn’t want to part with. She had no idea what to expect going in, but it wasn’t this. 

Raph walked over to pick up one of the numerous boxes that lined the walls. He opened it to reveal a large wad of money. April already knew what he was saving his money to buy. He wanted to make his own porcelain dolls and was saving to buy a quality kiln and supplies. 

After placing the money she had given him with the rest, Raph closed the lid and handed her the box. 

“Do you finally have enough?” she asked, taking the box. “You are going to need to tell me what kind you want. Or better yet, write it all down.”

“The kiln will have to wait,” Raph answered and then turned to pick up another box. “You’ll need to sell a few more things for me. But, you’ll have to be careful about it.” He pulled a small felt bag out of the box and handed it to April. “That has a few stones in it that I took out of some of the jewelry I have. And then I melted down the gold. You don’t want someone asking questions on how you got them.” 

Raphael never parted with his jewelry, some of the dolls, yes, but never the jewelry. The fact that he took them apart and melted them down was a sure sign that he was up to something. 

“What do you want me to buy that would cost so much money?” April asked as she looked into the bag. There was a few thousand dollars’ worth of precious stones and nuggets inside. 

To answer her question, he handed her a slip of paper. April read over the short list: Two Shakuhachi, two Koto, and several new, women’s kimono. Tucking the slip of paper into her pocket, April said, “I’ll see what I can do. This might take some time.”

“Just make sure you get the best quality you can,” Raph insisted. “And don’t tell them that it’s from me. Just say that you got them somehow through your business and that you thought they would like them.” 

“Okay,” she assured him.

Once that was settled, Raph picked up the box with the finished dolls for her to sell and they headed back to the platform. April was excited to see the dolls and could not wait to take them home first. So, after they got back up on the platform, April took the box from Raph and headed for the stairs. 

April stopped mid stride when she noticed Donna standing at the foot of the steps. “Hi,” April said with a smile. “Did you need something?” April had noticed that even though Raph had relaxed when they were alone in his room, he had gone rigid again at the sight of Donna. Could it be that he liked her or was he like that for any of the girls? 

“I just… um,” Donna answered softly. “I was wondering if I could take a look at the dolls you brought before Raphael took them and if… maybe I could have one?”

“What would you want one of those for?” April walked up to Donna and sat down on the bottom step. She opened the box to show the dolls inside. “One of these will be much better. Look at how great they turned out. Raph really is talented.” She knew she shouldn’t get involved but she couldn’t help but play wingman just this once. 

“Those are very pretty,” Donna practically whispered. “It’s just that… Raphael worked so hard on them and…, you know…, they are meant to be sold. I couldn’t take one. So I’ll be okay with one of the ones you brought.”

“I have some in my room that I never meant to sell,” Raph offered. “You can have one of those.” Oh, he does like her, April thought. 

Donna blushed. “Oh, I couldn’t do that.”

“The whole reason I’ve collected them was so that I could give them to… someone… one day.” Raph was nervous. April could see it in his eyes. He used to be so confidant but now…. She was there when Raph tried to offer a gift to Joi; he was more sure of himself then. But, the rejection from Joi and the attack from Hun had crippled his confidence.

“I… um…,” Donna stammered as she looked off to the side and wrapped her arms around herself. Don’t reject him, April pleaded in her mind. She could see the heartbreak in Raph’s eyes. 

“I… uh… know what it’s like to lose everything,” Raph choked out, somehow managing to keep his composure. “It’s hard to replace the things that were special to you. Sometimes it feels like it’s impossible. If it will help make things easier for you, you can have any doll you want. Even if it’s one of the old tattered ones that April brought.”

“Thank you,” Donna whispered. “One of the ones April brought will be fine.”

“I’ll get the box so you can look through it,” Raph said and then jumped down off the platform. 

“Are you sure you don’t want one of these,” April offered one last time. 

Donna simply shook her head.

Raph returned with the box and set it down. He then stepped away to give Donna space while she looked through it. April noticed that his tail was tucked up again. He had given up. 

Donna selected a doll, quietly thanked them both, and then hurried off to her room. April could only watch as Raph picked the box up and made his way back to his special room.    

TMNT 100 Theme
Chapter 34
Drink

Rachael needed a quiet spot. As much as she loved her overly energetic sister, there was only so much she could take of Michelle. She wouldn’t shut up about the guys and kept trying to get Rachael to confess to which one she liked. 

She didn’t know who she liked. Choosing one of the guys was the last thing on Rachael’s mind at this point in time. It was beyond her how Michelle could be so interested, given what they were going through. Maybe in a few weeks but, right now, Rachael felt miserable.

She decided to do some exploring on her own to get herself familiar with the lair. She had to admit, it was beautiful. This station was never meant to be a simple stop. Whoever had developed it had intended it to be a destination. It was almost a pity that it was never finished, and forgotten. At least it served a good purpose now. 

Rachael climbed the flight of stairs to the top where it was supposed to exit to the street. A solid concrete wall now stood where the exit would have been. Rachael sat down and leaned her back against it, closing her eyes. She just needed a moment.

After a while the sound of someone coming up the stairs had Rachael opening her eyes again. She decided that if it was Michelle, she was going to hit her in the stomach. However, the turtle who came up the stairs was not Michelle but Raphael, carrying a six pack of beer. 

He stopped when he saw Rachael. He looked surprised to see her there. “What are you doing up here?” 

“Getting away from Michelle,” Rachael answered flatly. 

“I needed to get away from Mikey,” Raph chuckled. He looked back down the stairs. “I guess I’ll go. We’re not supposed to be alone together.”

“I’m in no mood for anything romantic,” Rachael replied. “Trust me, even if you tried, nothing’s gonna happen.” 

Raph looked at her and his eye narrowed a little. “No offence, but you’re not the one I want. So I wouldn’t try anything.”

“Good,” Rachael snorted. “If you are anything like me, we would be awful together.”

Raph smiled. “I agree.” He walked up the last of the steps and sat down next to her. “This is a good spot to get away from everyone sometimes.” After popping the top off of one of the beers, Raph passed it to Rachael. “Drinking alone sucks. Having you here will help to keep me from drinking the whole pack myself.” 

“Thanks,” Rachael accepted the beer and took a sip. It was the first time she had had beer that was cold. It was so much better that way. She looked over at Raph. “You really already have your eyes set on one of my sisters? We’ve only been here a week.”

Raph shrugged as he took a long drink from his bottle. “True we haven’t really gotten a chance to get to know ya. But, considering that you guys are girl versions of us, we all have a good idea which ones we would prefer.”

Rachael snorted. “I haven’t put any thought into it, to be honest.” She took a drink of her beer. “It’s the furthest thing from my mind.”

Raph gave her a sideways glance. “You are interested in being with a guy though. Right…? I mean… you’re not…. You know.”

“A lesbian?” Rachael asked, getting to the point. Raph simply gave an ‘I’m not judging’ shrug, drawing a half smile from Rachael as she shook her head. “No. I’m not into girls. I’m not good with expressing my emotions and I’m not into romantic shit. I’m not the kind of girl to swoon over a guy and daydream about love like Michelle is. On top of that, there is just too much going on right now.”

“You’re lying,” Raph stated, turning his head to look at her. “You want to be loved.”

Rachael sighed, clinched her jaw and looked up. “Okay fine. I do think about it at times but right now, hooking up with someone is not something I want to do. And, the part about not being good with my emotions is true.”

“I can tell.” Raph smiled. “You don’t even show much emotion in the way you talk. I’m not all that good with it either. I got a tough guy image to maintain.” He chuckled before finishing off the rest of his bottle and opened another one. “Opening yourself up is terrifying. It makes you vulnerable.” He looked down. “Being rejected is painful.”

“You say that like you’ve had the experience.” Rachael placed her empty bottle with the others and grabbed a new one. Then she pointed at Raph. “I know we’re bonding and all here but don’t make me regret prompting you to explain by getting all emotional.”

“I fell for a human girl a little over a year ago,” Raph admitted, shaking his head. “I won’t go into details. I thought…. I was wrong.” He looked over at Rachael. “I might hide my emotions but finding someone to love me and accept me has always been something I wanted. I was a hopeless romantic when I was a kid and then I learned not to be. I built walls.”

“Yeah,” Rachael said softly, nodding her head. “I was too.” She took a drink and then looked at the bottle as she spoke. “It became painful, knowing that it wasn’t going to happen. Over time I learned to shut it away. I pushed it all down until there was nothing left but anger.”

She looked at Raph. “I’m afraid to let myself hope again. What if none of your brothers want me? I don’t want to be the one who is settled for.”

Raph let out a soft chuckle. “I understand. I feel the same way. I think we all fear that a little.”

“What if we end up having to settle for each other?” Rachael asked. 

Raph sighed. “I don’t… know.” He looked at her and offered a warm smile. “It’s not like it would be the worst thing. If it came to that, I’d be good to you…. We’d fight often, but I’d be good to you. But you don’t have to worry. One of my brothers likes you. I’m not going to say which one though.”

“You already said that you don’t want me and Mikey wants Michelle so that just leaves Leo and Tello.” Rachael snorted and shook her head. “I came up here to avoid talking about this shit.” She finished off her second bottle and picked up another. “So let’s change the subject. We’ve established that we both tend to push down our feeling out of fear of being hurt and replace it with anger. What else do we have in common?”

Raph let out a long burp as he opened his final beer. “Do you like sports?”

“Yes,” Rachael nodded. “Mostly football and hockey. Are the mainstream sports all men or women?”

“Men,” Raph answered. “But there are professional women’s sports.”

“It was the same on my world,” Rachael stated. “Maybe it’s because men are more aggressive, and as much as I hate to admit it, physically stronger. Tends to make things more entertaining.”

“You work out?” Raph asked before taking a drink. 

Rachael looked over at him and flexed. “Have you looked at me? Of course I do.”

“I have weights you can use if you like.” Raphael smiled and let out a soft chuckle. “At least I think I still do. I haven’t used the lighter weights in years.” Rachael let out a snort and punched Raph’s arm which only made Raph laugh harder. “What? You had just admitted that males are physically stronger.”

“Change of subject,” Rachael said, leaning back against the wall. “What’s up with the old tattered doll Donna got the other day?”

Raph let out an exasperated sigh. “I offered her one of the finished ones. She refused, saying that one of the ones April brought would do.”

“Ah,” Rachael nodded. “She’s a dork. She would’ve felt guilty taking one of the nicer ones since you sell them.”

“I offered her one from my collection,” Raph said. “Before you say anything, yes, I keep some of them. I have my reasons…. She didn’t want one of those either.”

Rachael looked at Raph and his body language said it all. “You like her,” she teased and a smirk turned up the side of her mouth. 

“Yeah, well…,” Raph glanced at her before taking another drink. “It’s unrequited.”

Rachael sighed. “Again, she probably felt like you were only offering the doll out of kindness and that she didn’t deserve it.” Rachael chuckled. “She’s a great fighter and she’s super smart. I mean, once she’s comfortable around you she has a quick wit and a sharp tongue. But, she’s insecure and thinks that, because of her weight, she is going to be the one who is settled for.”

“Don’t say anything to her,” Raph requested. “If she’s that way, I don’t want her coming to me because she feels sorry for me. I’ll rethink my approach though.”

“I don’t want to get involved one way or another,” Rachael said, holding up her hands. “This is all going to be a big mess before it turns into a happily ever after.” There was a moment of awkward silence and then Rachael decided to change the subject once again. “So what is this Battle Nexus that Michelangelo keeps going on about?”

“That.” Raph finished off his last beer and added the empty bottle with the others. “The Battle Nexus is an ultimate fighting championship held in the Nexus once every three years.” Before Rachael had the chance to ask another question, Raph held up his finger. “The Nexus is a dimension linking all dimensions, or something like that. To be honest I wasn’t really paying that much attention when they explained it. I just wanted to punch something.”

“When’s the next one?” Rachael wanted to know. “Will we get to go?”

“The next one is in a few months,” Raph answered. “If nothing else, you’ll get to go and watch so you get an idea of what to expect in the one after that.”

“I wanna fight in it,” Rachael argued. 

“It’s not my call.” Raph shrugged. “It will ultimately be up to the Ultimate Daimyo, the head guy in the Nexus. You can argue for your chance when we get there. Until then, we need to train.”

“What are you doing up here?” Leonardo asked, seemingly coming out of nowhere. How the hell did he do that? He was standing so close to them and yet neither of them heard. 

“Drinking,” Raph answered. “And, getting to know each other. We got a lot in common.”

Leo crossed his arms over his chest. “You know we are not supposed to be alone with one of the girls.”

Raph stood. Being up a few steps higher and being taller, Raphael towered over his brother but Leo wasn’t fazed by it in the slightest. “You know damn well that she’s not the one I want,” Raph growled. “Nothing at all was going to happen.”

“Splinter laid out the rules,” Leo snapped back. “We will follow them until he says otherwise.”

“Yeah. He said that we had to stay away ‘til we got our urges under control.” Raph argued. “I’m under control. There wasn’t a single moment where I wanted to fuck her.”

“Thanks,” Rachael quipped, adding her empty bottle to the rest. “That helps to boost my ego.”

Raph looked down at her and smiled. “You are totally fuckable, if all I wanted to do was fuck, but, as we agreed, our personalities would clash.”

With a smile on her face, Rachael rolled her eyes. “Oh that makes it better.”

“This isn’t a joking matter,” Leo chided them. “Why were you up here drinking anyway?”

“To get away from Mikey,” Raph answered as Rachael said at the same time. 

“To get away from Michelle.”

Leo sighed. “Get back down stairs before Master Splinter or Master Sliver catches you up here.”

“We’re done anyway.” Raph leaned down to collect the empty bottles. “I’m going to work on some of those dolls April brought.” He made his way down stairs, leaving Leo and Rachael alone. 

Leo looked up at Rachael and then started to step back, down the stairs. “I guess I should go.”

Rachael smiled and crossed her arms over her plastron. “What? You don’t have control over your urges?”

“I’m just following the rules,” Leo stated and turned to continue down the steps. 

“Oh I get it,” Rachael teased though her tone remained flat. “You’re just like my sister, the perfect little student who always follows the rules. That’s all I need is two of you little goody two shoes.”

“It was hard enough having to put up with just Raphael. Now that we’ve finally worked through most of our differences, I’ve got you. I can’t seem to catch a break.” Leo turned to look at her. “I respect my father enough to follow his rules. They are there for a reason. You and Raph seem to go out of your way to break them.”

Rachael scoffed as she stood up. “We only have to stay away from each other if you can’t control yourself. Raphael and I were fine. There was no chance of anything happening. But you seem tense. Is that why you need to leave, Leo? You can’t control yourself…? Do you wanna fuck me, Leo?”

“That’s enough,” Leo hissed. 

“You wanna bend me over and take me don’t you.” Rachael smiled, challenging him. She had always loved getting a rise out of her sister, pushing her to the edge so to speak. She wondered if she could get the same responses out of Leo as well. “You wanna fuck me, claim me, have me call out your name while you thrust your cock inside of me. Do you really think you’re man enough for me?”

“Stop it,” Leo yelled. “I’m not getting sucked into this.” His chest was heaving as he took as shaky step down the stairs. “You can stay up here if you like, but I’m leaving.” He turned and made his hasty retreat, leaving Rachael alone. 

Rachael scoffed and shook her head. “You’re no fun, Leo,” she called out after him. She took a few steps down the stairs and noticed a wet spot where Leo had been standing. Bending down, Rachael touched it. The slick substance coated her fingers and gave off a musky smell. 

He wasn’t mad. He was struggling to maintain control. What would have happened if he had lost that control? Rachael had to sit down. “Oh shit.”

TMNT 100 Theme
Chapter 35
Seeing Red

This whole thing with the girls was a mess. Mikey’s hormones were on overdrive and Michelle was confusing. There were times when she flirted openly with Mikey. Then, when Mikey moved in a little closer, Michelle would pull away. It was like she was okay with verbal flirts but she didn’t want to be touched. 

Michelangelo wasn’t the only one who was having a hard time. He could see that Leonardo was also upset. He had been for a few days now and had mostly kept to himself. He was tense, like he was expecting something horrible to happen. But, did Mikey dare to ask what was bothering his brother? Did he really want to know?

Mikey was going to leave well enough alone, but Leo was keeping him awake with all of his tossing and turning. It seemed that he didn’t have a choice but to get involved. Groaning, Mikey looked over at his older brother. “What is it?”

“What is what?” Leo mumbled back, shifting once again.

“You’re upset about something,” Mikey said. “Neither of us is going to get much sleep until you get it out of your system.”

Leo heaved a sigh and turned to look at Mikey. “I caught Raph and Rachael sitting, alone, at the top of the stairs the other day.”

Confused, Mikey sat up and looked down at Leo. “I thought Raph said he had no interest in her. What were they doing?”

“They were drinking beer and talking.” Leo was looking up at the ceiling. “They were so comfortable with each other.”

“Do you think he’s moving in on her?” Mikey asked. 

“He insisted that he had no interest in her,” Leo answered, shaking his head. “But who knows. Maybe he’s keeping his options open.” Frustrated, he rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hands. “But that’s not the worst part.”

Mikey waited a moment but soon realized that Leo wasn’t about to say anything more any time soon. “So then, are you going to tell me what the worst part is?”

It was dark but Mikey was sure that Leo was flustered. His jaw was clenched and he kept letting out exasperated sighs. “I became aroused,” Leo finally said through his teeth. “I had trouble controlling myself when Raph left me alone with Rachael. I wanted to pin her up against that wall and take her there. It took all of my control to turn around and walk away. I can’t believe that I let her get to me like that.”

Mikey took a minute to let that sink in. Leo, the master of control, was having a hard time controlling his urges. But that most likely wasn’t what was bothering him. Mikey had a good idea what it could have been. “Do you think she noticed?”

Leo closed his eyes. “I was so aroused that my tail was dripping.”

“Dude,” Mikey couldn’t help but chuckle a little bit in disbelief. “Even I haven’t had it that bad.”

Leo’s hand shot up and swatted Mikey’s arm. “It’s not funny.” Leo’s voice was raw with his mixed emotions. “I’m just waiting for her to crack a joke about it. Use it against me in some way. I can hear her and her sisters laughing at me now.”

Mikey shrugged. “Maybe she won’t.” A smile crept across his beak and he bit his bottom lip. “Maybe she likes the idea that you were aroused around her.”

Leo covered his face with both hands. “Why is this happening? I can’t get her out of my head.”

“You’re the alpha,” Mikey offered. “You have an instinctual need to reproduce. She is a strong female who can provide you with strong children. You have an overwhelming desire to claim her as yours before anyone else does.” He looked down to see that Leo was looking up at him, through parted hands, in disbelief. “What?” Mikey rubbed the back of his head and shrugged. “I watch a lot of Animal Planet.”

“I’m only nineteen,” Leo stated, dropping his hands to his sides. “I don’t need children right now. I would like them one day. But that can wait.”

Mikey lay back down and tucked his arm behind his head. “Reason says that you don’t need children right now but your hormones wanna screw, to dominate. I mean, given the chance, I would totally do Michelle but I don’t want any kids. Like, ever. I almost envy the fact that Raph can’t have any.”

Mikey placed a comforting hand on Leo’s arm. “If she hasn’t said anything by now, she’s not going to say anything at all. Maybe she didn’t notice and you’re worrying over nothing.”

“I hope so,” Leo said. “I don’t need any more stress.”

Mikey couldn’t help but smile as he said, “When you finally do hook up with her, it will be the best stress relief you’ve ever had.”

Leo groaned and rolled over. “Don’t put that image in my mind or I’m going to need the room to myself for a while.”

“That seems to be happening a lot.” Mikey chuckled and closed his eyes. 

Leo let out yet another exasperated sigh but managed to settle down enough for them to sleep. They slept soundly for most of the night. There was only one instance where Leo’s dreams caused him to wake up in a cold sweat. 

Like every night, Mikey was able to calm Leo by gently rubbing his carapace and reassuring him that everything was okay. As he did, he couldn’t help but wonder if Rachael was going to be able to handle this side of Leo. Would she be willing to? If they did end up together, Mikey was going to have to warn her about Leo’s nightmares. 

The next morning, after practice, they received a call from April, informing them that she was on her way with some items for them. Since the items were in large packages she drove her van through the underground tunnels and entered the lair through the garage. Mikey, Leo, and Donny were there to meet her as she pulled in.

It wasn’t uncommon for April to bring them random items. She sometimes managed to find treasure troves in abandoned storage closets or estate sales. If she couldn’t sell them in her store, she would give the items to the guys.  

Mikey and his brothers helped her with the boxes, making sure that she didn’t carry anything that was too heavy. Whatever was in the boxes was big.

The others were on the platform waiting for them. Raph pulled the box Mikey had up on the platform and then helped Mikey up. 

Once they were all up on the platform, April pulled out a pocket knife and started to carefully open one of the boxes. “They’re items from Japan,” she stated. “I don’t know if anyone from around here would want to buy them and I hate trying to sell things on the internet so I figured you guys would want them. Though I think the girls might like them more.”

She opened one of the larger boxes to reveal the kato inside. Pointing to a box of equal size she said, “There is another one in here. The two smaller boxes have those Japanese flutes…, don’t ask me to pronounce it. And, that box over there has some kimono and hair accessories inside it. The shopping bags have some essential grooming items in them. Those I bought specifically for the girls and Sliver.”

“Really?” Leah reached down and picked up one of the smaller boxes. Pulling a small dagger out of her belt, she opened the box and pulled out the shakuhachi. She let the box drop to the floor as she looked at the flute in disbelief. “It’s beautiful.” She then put it to her lips to test the sound. “Thank you,” she said to April as her eyes filled with tears. 

“This is great!” Michelle said as she knelt down to look at the koto. “I never thought I would be so happy to see this stupid instrument.”

“This is very generous of you, Mrs. O’Neil,” Splinter stated. 

Rachael and Donna eagerly went and collected the other two instruments from their boxes while Sliver approached April. “It is and I cannot thank you enough.”

April shrugged it off. “It’s nothing.”

“It’s not nothing,” Donny stated, looking at the instruments. “I looked up what it would cost to get quality instruments like this. These aren’t cheap.” He looked April in the eyes. “Where did you get them again?”

Blowing a raspberry, April tried to wave Donny off. “You know…. I come across things sometimes.”

“It seems somewhat suspicious that you happened to get the exact things that the girls had lost,” Leo stated, crossing his arms over his chest. He then looked at Mikey. “Did you bug April in to finding these?”

Mikey snorted. “No! Where would I get the money to pay for them? Besides, you know I would own this if I was behind it.”

Leo rolled his eyes and then looked at April, crossing his arms over his plastron. “April?” His tone made it very clear that he wanted answers. 

“Why are you grilling me?” April sighed. “I brought you things. I always bring you things.”  

“Yes, but these are specific and expensive things, in perfect condition,” Leo argued. “April, you’ve got a baby on the way. I know you feel bad for the girls but you can’t spend that kind of money on things like this.”

“It wasn’t my money,” April said in frustration then her face showed that she didn’t mean to say it that way. “I mean I didn’t….” She groaned and stomped her foot. “Knock it off okay. It wasn’t a big deal. Just let it go.”

Mikey could see the moment Leo realized what was going on. Narrowing his eyes the leader looked over at Raph. “It was you.”

With his arms crossed over his plastron, Raph glanced at Leo but was unable to keep eye contact with Leo’s piercing glare. “Let it go, Leo,” Raph huffed. 

“You’re the only one with a private savings,” Leo stated. 

Raph dropped his arms to his sides and growled in frustration. “Fine. I gave the money to April, told her what to get, and asked her not to tell anyone.” He wasn’t quite yelling but he was definitely on the loud side. “Ya, happy now?”

“Why?” Michelle asked. “Why didn’t you want us to know that they were from you?”

“Because,” Raph glanced at Donna but then quickly turned his eyes to the wall, “I didn’t want the four of you to think that there was an ulterior motive or that I was trying to win you over. I just wanted you to have something that would help…. I figured it would be easier accepting it if it came from April. I didn’t know my brothers were going to lay into her like that.”

“You’ve really made that much, selling dolls?” Donny asked and then shook his head. “You give me over half of everything you make. That doesn’t add up. You should have a few hundred at best. This would have cost thousands.”

“I melted down a necklace,” Raph admitted. “April sold the stones and gold for the money.”

Mikey couldn’t believe it. Raph with his jewels was like a dragon with his hoard. Nothing and no one could part them. Raph got to keep them because they would be too dangerous to try to sell. There would be too many questions. 

“Speaking of which,” April said as she pulled some money from her pocket. “Here’s what’s left. I was going to give it to you in private but seeing that everyone knows now….”

“Thanks.” Raph accepted the money and tucked it into his belt. 

“You had April sell them?” Leo’s voice was a mix of shock and anger. “We’ve talked about this. That’s too dangerous. What if the one you gave April had been reported as stolen? Do you know the danger you put her in?”

“That’s why I melted down one of the ones I found a long time ago,” Raph argued. 

“If melting them down makes them safe to sell then why don’t we melt them all down,” Mikey suggested. “We would have so much money if we did.”

“No!” Raph snapped at him. He was practically fuming. Like a dragon with his hoard. “Why don’t we sell your comics?”

“Enough,” Leo hissed, defusing the situation before it got out of hand. 

Slowly Michelle turned away from the argument to look up at Sliver. “I know this whole situation looks tense and all but… please let us keep these. They went to a lot of trouble to get them for us. Don’t make April take them back. Please. I won’t complain about having to practice ever again.”

Splinter let out a soft chuckle. “The deed has already been done and no harm has come from it. Since no serious sacrifices were made, perhaps it would be best to simply accept the gifts.”

Sliver looked from Splinter, to each of her daughters and then sighed. “You can keep them” They each looked relieved at their mother’s decision. 

Michelle jumped up and ran over to Raph. “I know you didn’t want the credit but, thank you.” She touched his arm and smiled up at him. 

Mikey’s vision tunneled as a surge of anger took over. The next thing he knew he was charging towards Raph, fists clenched. He managed to land a blow across the left side of Raph’s face, flooring him. 

“What the hell?” Leo yelled, pulling Mikey back. “Have you lost your mind?”

As quickly as the anger overcame him, it was gone. “I’m sorry.” Mikey couldn’t believe what he had done. And, by the looks on everyone’s faces, neither could they. Regret washed over him as he fell to his knees. “I don’t know what came over me. I’m so sorry.”

Raph’s hand covered the spot where Mikey had hit him as he slowly got up from the floor. “This is why I didn’t want anyone to know.” He turned his head to glare at Mikey. “I don’t want Michelle.” His voice was stern but there was still a slight tremble to it. 

“Let me look at it,” Tello offered, slowly reaching for Raph. 

Flinching, Raph pulled away, shaking his head. “I’m fine.” He made his way to the edge of the platform and jumped off. “I’ll be in my work room.”

“I’m sorry,” Mikey whispered again, unable to think of anything else to say.

His eyes were fixed on the ground. He couldn’t bring himself to look up at the others, to see their disappointment in him. He had struck Raph, hard, in the same place that Hun had repeatedly struck him. He felt like the scum of the Earth.

Michelle knelt down in front of him and placed her hand on his shoulder but it didn’t stay there for long. “You don’t need to be jealous of your bothers. I want to be with you too.”

Knuckling the tears from his eyes, Mikey looked up at her kindly face. “You’re not mad?”

Michelle shook her head and shrugged. “I watch enough Animal Planet to understand what you’re going through. I’m sure it’s a very confusing time for you all. I’m surprised there haven’t been more fights.”

“But, if you want me too, why do you keep pulling away from me?” Mikey desperately wanted to know. 

“Oh that.” Michelle titled her head to the side. “I really want to be with you but, right now, I’m just… too miserable.”

“Because you’ve lost everything?” Mikey ventured to guess. “You need time to get over that?”

Michelle shook her head and pointed to her stomach. “It’s the clutch of eggs that’s making me feel this way. I feel so full and weighed down. I have a hard time bending over or breathing and I need to pee all the time. Intimacy is the furthest thing from my mind.”

Mikey felt his mouth drop. “Eggs?”

“We lay eggs every year,” Donna softly explained. “It’s a natural cycle.”

“We don’t like being touched,” Lea added.

“And we’re irritable,” Rachael stated flatly. 

“A few days after they’re out I will totally be open to getting closer,” Michelle said. Then she looked back at her mother and added, “Within reason. Nothing too fast.” She then turned back to Mikey. “It’s just, ‘til then,” she waved her hand in a shewing motion, “don’t touch me.”

Mikey heaved a sigh of relief. “Knowing that helps,” he admitted. “I thought you were still weighing you options.” Looking her in the eyes, he smiled. “I think, once we’re established, I won’t… be seeing red… whenever you talk or touch one of my brothers.”

Michelle smiled and her blue eyes sparkled. “It’s good that we could work all of that out.”
TMNT 100 Theme
Chapter 36
Playing the Melody

 
Leo’s nightmares were always so vivid. The sound of the Shredder’s voice echoed in his mind. He could feel the bones breaking from blows from the Foot soldiers or the cold of Karai’s blade as it pierced his flesh. He could smell the blood of his father and brothers as it seeped from their wounds. He could feel the heat of the flames and the force of the blast as the ship exploded. 

Every failure relived. Every pain remembered. 

Sometimes they were so real that they would cause him to cry out in his sleep. Michelangelo tried to soothe him, running his hand along Leo’s carapace. It was reassuring and most of the time it worked but for some reason, tonight, Leo couldn’t get himself to calm back down. 

To keep from disturbing Mikey any more, Leo decided to get up for a little while. He headed into the kitchen for a cup of herbal tea and a melatonin tablet. He hated resorting to such things but sometimes it couldn’t be helped. Not when his stress levels were so high. 

When he opened the door to the kitchen Leo was surprised to see Donatello pouring water into a mug. The genius turtle jumped a little, sloshing hot water onto the counter as he turned. “Oh, Leo, you startled me.”

“I wasn’t expecting anyone to be in here,” Leo said as he entered the kitchen. “Is there enough water for two?”

“There was,” Donny chuckled, reaching for the dish towel. “Before I spilt it on the counter.”

“You have what’s left.” Leo headed to the cabinet for a mug. “I’ll warm up some more.”

“So… why are you awake,” Donny ventured to ask. 

Leo shrugged as he filled up the kettle with water. “Bad dream. You?” 

“Same,” Donny stated. He handed the box of assorted herbal teas to Leo. “Do you wanna talk about it?”

“Do you wanna talk about yours?” Leo countered as he selected his tea bag. “Yours had to’ve been bad if you’re drinking tea.”

Donny laughed and leaned back against the counter. “Sometimes my nightmares are about that dystopic future the time scepter sent me too. I can still vividly remember watching the older versions of you guys die.” He took a sip of his tea as he thought. “Deep down I still fear that something will happen to make that future come to pass.”

Leo nodded his understanding as he poured hot water into his mug. “I do understand your fear but Shredder is dead and Karai is… no longer our enemy. That should ease you mind a little.”

“I know.” Donny managed a weak smile. “It does. Those nightmares don’t happen as often as they used to.” Tilting his head he looked Leo in the eye. “Your turn.”

“Ah.” Leo smiled at his brother. “That’s how this is going to play out. Okay.” Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Leo thought about which one of his many nightmares he wanted to talk about. He settled on his oldest one. “I have nightmares of being chased and ambushed. That day the Shredder and the Foot attacked me was my first great failure in life. After seeing what the Purple Dragons had done to Raph….” Leo shook his head in an attempt to clear the mental images. “It just brought all of those memories to the surface.”

Donatello sipped at his tea and thought for a moment. “I have nightmares of becoming that monster again, losing my mind and tearing through our family.”

“Most of the time my dreams are generic,” Leo admitted. “We’re out on a mission and I manage to get you all killed. Though, I do still have nightmares of Karai running me through with her sword as well.”

Donny looked down into his cup of tea. “I have nightmares that I start to fall apart like Stockman did, losing my mind as I disintegrate into nothing.” 

“I have those nightmares too,” Leo stated. “My biggest fear is losing you guys as I stand helpless to prevent it.”

“We’ve been through so much in only a few years.” Donny placed his mug on the counter and walked towards Leo. Not really sure what was happening, Leo placed his mug on the counter. It was a good thing that he had. Donny leaned in and placed his head against Leo’s chest and then wrapped his arms around Leo’s waist. 

Wrapping his arms around Donny, Leo gently returned the embrace. “We have,” he agreed. “But at least we still have each other.”

….

A good morning practice always left Leo feeling accomplished and eased the stress. It soothed his nerves to see his brothers fight so well and take their training seriously. Even Tello had come a long way with his technique, falling in line with the others and holding his own in one-on-one training. 

One day the girls will join them for morning training. But until they lay their eggs, Sliver had given them reprieve. Apparently it was hard for the girls to bend and balance with the added weight.  

Leo headed to the showers with his brothers so they could wash the smell of sweat from their bodies. The large, retrofitted shower accommodated the five of them. They took the opportunity to help each other clean the grime off of their shells and Donny checked any sore muscles. 

Once they were done they had some free time before they had more lessons. Splinter never allowed them to be idle for long. 

Leonardo usually spent his morning free time meditating alone in his room and he didn’t intend for today to be any different. So he made his way down stairs to his room. As he passed the dojo he could hear the sounds of the girls practicing their instruments. 

Pausing on the final step, Leo listened for a moment. The sound was so lovely that he eventually sat down. Meditation could wait.

The songs where ones that he had not heard before. Then again, he wasn’t familiar with classical Japanese music. From what he could tell, like Japanese literature and poetry, the music was uniquely beautiful. 

He closed his eyes so that he could focus entirely on the music. He could almost pick out the girls’ personalities in the way they played their instruments. 

One of the flutes’ melodies was even and precise, leading Leo to believe that it was Leah. The other had a slightly harsher and forced sound to it, giving the impression that it was Rachael. Michelle had to have been the one playing the koto loudly with a slight rush on the notes, while Donna must have been the one playing quietly with a slight hesitation. 

Despite it all, they played well. The song was soothing and haunting at the same time. Leo had always thought that there was something eerie about the sound of the instruments. 

It wasn’t long before Raph joined Leo on the steps to sit and listen. Since the girls were in the dojo, Raph couldn’t work out like he usually did at this time. Not a word was said between them, not even when Sliver had the girls stop to give them instructions. They simply sat in silence and listened. 

Every so often, one of the girls would make a mistake, causing them to have to start over. A few sour notes were allowed to slide from time to time but overall it was harmonious. They were all well practice in their given instrument. Leo was almost jealous. 

After a while the door to the dojo opened and Leah stepped out with her shakuhachi in hand. She looked at the pair sitting on the steps and Leo could swear that she almost blushed. “You were listening to us play?”

“Yep,” Raph answered. 

Leo smiled. “There’s not much else to do down here and we don’t get to hear live music all that often.” His eyes then shifted to the instrument in Leah’s hand. “How do guys play instruments meant for people with ten fingers when you only have six?”

Leah held up her shakuhachi. “This only has four holes on top and one in the back. The instrument’s sound comes from air pressure as much as finger placement. The koto is played with picks on two fingers and the thumb of one hand while the other hand slides the bridges. So that works out for my sisters as well.”

“You guys sounded great,” Leo stated. “Maybe one day you can put on a proper concert for us.”

“Or private ones,” Michelle chimed in as she exited the dojo, giggling as she carried her koto. “Which do you prefer, Leo, the koto or the shakuhachi?”

“I like the sounds of both instruments,” Leo replied, not wanting to fall into her little trap. 

The idea of a private ‘concert’, however, did sound nice. He could picture it in his head, Rachael practicing her shakuhachi while he meditated. Every once and awhile she would hit a sour note and quietly curse. But when she finally found her rhythm, the rich sounds of the wood instrument would aid him in his relaxation. 

“What about you, Raph?” Michelle asked, drawing Leo from his fantasy. 

Raph simply shrugged in response. 

Michelle placed her koto on the ground and crossed her arms over her chest. “Well, I’m taken and Rachael has said that you guys don’t want each other so that leaves Leah or Donna….” A sly smile spread across her face. “Which one do you want to give you a private concert?”

“Knock it off,” Rachael said flatly, heading out of the dojo and smacking Michelle on the back of the head. “Give the guy a break. Unlike you and Mikey the rest of us need some time to decide on who we want. We’re not gonna jump into this blindly. Raph and Leo probably haven’t made their decisions yet.”

“I was only teasing.” Michelle pouted, rubbing the back of her head. Then she added a little louder, “You didn’t have to hit me.”

“What have I said about hitting?” Slivers voice carried from the dojo. 

Rachael winced and then glared at her sister for a moment before turning her head towards the dojo. “But…,” she started but was quickly cut off by her mother. 

“In here now!”

Groaning, Rachael made her way back into the dojo. “I’m irritated because of the eggs and Michelle manages to make it worse any time she talks.”

“You’re sisters manage to control their anger during this time,” Sliver countered. 

Raph chuckled, causing Rachael to shoot him a piercing glare before she entered the dojo. “Come on…,” her usually flat tone took on just a hint of a wine. “It wasn’t that hard. Just a little tap.”

Donna exited the dojo with her koto in hand and looked at Michelle. “Do you want me to check where Rachael hit you? We want to make sure there isn’t any major damage from that devastating blow.” The snarky tone in her soft voice took Leo by surprise. And, judging Raph’s reaction, he wasn’t expecting it either. His look of surprise quickly turned into a smile. 

Donna looked like she was going to say more but Leo and Raph caught her eye. Donna looked over at them and her shyness took over once again. Cheeks flushed, her nerves silenced her. 

Michelle, however, didn’t suffer from shyness. “What’s the matter, Donna? Suddenly at a loss for words? Do you have a crush on one of them?”

“That’s enough,” Leah warned Michelle and crossed her arms over her plastron. “That is, unless you want to find yourself in the dojo with Rachael.”

Michelle threw up her hands. “I’m done.”

“Good,” Leah said. “Now take your instruments back to your rooms then head back into the dojo. We are not done with our lessons.”

“Yes ma’am,” Michelle said sarcastically, heading back to the rooms. 

When they were gone, Leah looked at Leo and Raph. “Sorry about that.”

Raph chuckled. “Do you think we’re any better? We pick on each other all the time. I’ve teased Leo once or twice about you guys.” 

“This was a good sign that you ladies are getting comfortable with us,” Leo added. 

“And we hit Mikey all the time for the things that comes out of his mouth,” Raph concluded. 

“It’s still not something we should do in front of others.” A soft smile graced Leah’s face as she looked at Raph. “I wanted to thank you again. I know you went to a lot of trouble to get these for us.”

Only glancing at Leah, Raph shrugged. “It was worth it. You guys sounded great.”

“Leo’s right, we will have to play for you… guys… all of you…, to thank you properly.” Leah chuckled softly and looked down at her shakuhachi. “This really meant a lot to us.”

Raph nodded his head as he looked up at her. “A concert sounds nice.”

“We’ll arrange something then,” Leah said and then took her leave, waving at them both. “I have to put this away and get back to my lessons.”

“Later then.” Leo waited for her to be out of earshot before nudging Raph. “You don’t think she’s into you…, do you?”

Raph looked at his brother and lifted an eye ridge. “What makes you say that?”

“You don’t think she was maybe flirting a little?” Leo asked and then looked towards the dojo to make sure Rachael was nowhere around. He then leaned in close to Raph and whispered, “What if she’s like me and… you know… wants you?”

Raph shook his head. “No… She was just saying thanks for the instruments…. Nothing more…. They’re just not used to talking to someone outside their family.” He looked up in the direction of the bedrooms. “At least I hope.” He then looked at Leo, worry on his face. “If they are like us in who they want then, with the exception of Mikey and Michelle, we’re all fucked, and not in a good way.”

“That would mean Rachael would want Tello,” Leo stated, groaning slightly. 

“Yeah,” Raph grunted, looking down at his hands. “And Donna is against the idea of being with me.”

Leo leaned back against the railing with a heavy sigh. These girls were both a blessing and a curse. Why couldn’t any of this be easy?

TMNT 100 Theme
Chapter 37
Abandoned

Donatello brought Tello over to the portal device and turned it on. “I wanted to show you something before I disassembled it. “

Tello looked at Donny in disbelief. “You’re gonna take it apart?”  

Donny looked up at his counterpart and smiled. “I promised Leatherhead that I wouldn’t keep it for long.” He turned back to the control panel and typed in a code. “I’ve studied countless worlds already and it doesn’t seem like it is going to end anytime soon. More worlds show up daily. It’s infinite. I have my notes so if there is ever a need to build it again, I can. But, for now, it is best to be done with it.”

The Plexiglas covered portal came to life and showed what looked like Tello’s old lair. “I found parallel worlds to yours,” Donny explained, “and came to find out that yours was actually an offshoot. This one is the original. There, your counterpart and his family are still together. In fact in most of the parallel offshoots, they are all alive.”

Dropping to his knees, Tello watched the image in the portal of his counterpart family practicing. His world was almost an exact copy, except for his took a turn towards tragedy. Listening to their banter, Tello couldn’t help but smile. “They are still alive on other worlds.” He looked up at Donny. “Thank you.”

Donny nodded back to him and then turned to shut the machine down. “It’s best not to linger on it.”

“I agree,” Tello said as he got back to his feet. “It’s oddly comforting though, knowing that my reality was, in a way, not the real thing.”

“Yeah,” Donny agreed and then chuckled slightly. “An interesting fact, that world, the one yours originated from is an offshoot of Turtle Prime, just like this one was.” He held up his finger before Tello could ask any questions. “I will explain that in a minute. That world looks like it is still developing but there are lines that break off from it to create their own realities. This reality started out as a direct offshoot from Turtle Prime and has its own lines of parallel realities. But then there is a point, after we were visited by our counterparts from another dimension and defeated the Shredder, that our line splinters into several realities and there really is no one true line anymore.” 

Tello’s eyes went wide. “What do you think it means?”

Donny shrugged and shook his head. “I don’t know.”

“It’s kind of like the main story finished and fan fiction took over,” Donna stated from her workstation. Donatello had forgotten that she was there, she had been so quiet. She usually was when she worked. Since her voice was so quiet, Donny had set it up for her to do tech support via text over the internet. 

Leaning back in his chair, Donny looked at Donna. “I never thought of it that way.” 

Donna glanced over at him. “It’s kind of scary thinking of it that way, isn’t it? But who knows how the different worlds are created or why? What’s important is that we are here.”

“How very prolific of you,” Tello quipped. 

“I can be,” Donna replied without looking up from her computer. 

With a smile on his face, Donny got to work dismantling the portal device. He was glad that some good had come out of his creation. His work had saved lives. He looked over his shoulder at Tello and Donna. They were engaged in some polite banter while she helped a customer. 

The three of them had grown close over the past month. They worked together well and when they did occasionally disagree, they managed to work things out without things getting heated. Donny saw his counterparts as siblings and he had a feeling that they saw each other the same way. 

He liked seeing Donna so open and it pained him when he saw her shut down around the others. She was such a sweet girl and like him in many ways. He was sure that his brothers would love her as soon as they really got to know her. 

The only thing she didn’t open up about was who she liked among his brothers. No matter how much he prodded her about it, she would not tell him. But he could tell that she liked one of them. The only thing he did know was that it was either Leo or Raph since Mikey was off the table and she and Tello had no interest in one another. 

The truth will come out eventually. He just hoped that it didn’t result in broken hearts.

It took Donny the better part of the day dismantling the portal device. Once it was gone and put in to storage, it opened the lab up. He hadn’t really realized how much space it had been taking up until then. Maybe he could set up a play area for Snow so he could keep her near when he worked. 

The thought of Snow had Donny longing to hold his daughter. So he sought her out, knowing that where ever she was she would be with Leatherhead. He decided to start in the entertainment room. Leatherhead had set up a small play area for her in there. 

As he made his way up the stairs Donny passed Raph. “Do you think you can take Snow for the night,” Donny asked. 

“I don’t mind,” Raph replied. 

“Good,” Donny said with a smile. 

A knowing grin played across Raph’s lips as he chuckled and shook his head. “That smile on your face pretty much broadcasts what you have planned for tonight.”

“What can I say?” Donny playfully shrugged. “I’m madly in love with him and being with him still excites me.”

Raph chuckled and continued on his way down the stairs. “I’ll take her after dinner so you and your husband can have the rest of the night together.”

“Thank you, Raph,” Donny called down to him before continuing on his way up the stairs. 

When Donny entered the entertainment room he saw Leo sitting on the floor next to Snow, positioning her into a basic kata form. Leatherhead was chuckling nearby, watching them. 

“She’s barely learned to stand,” Donny stated, making his way over to them. “Let her learn how to walk before you start in on the ninja training.”

“It’s never too early to start,” Leo said with a grin on his face. 

Leatherhead laughed and looked up at Donatello. “We’re just playing. I was having her stand and Leonardo decided to come over and see if she could hold a pose.”

“She keeps falling,” Leo stated as a matter of fact. Then he added with a playful grin, “She’s hopeless.”

“She’s not even a year old yet.” Donatello lightly thumped Leo on the head before picking up Snow. “Don’t you have some meditating to do or one of the girls to swoon over?”

“Alright,” Leo said as he rubbed his head and stood. “I’ll go. It’s my turn to make dinner anyway.” He leaned in close to Snow and kissed her round cheek. “I was just kidding about you being hopeless. You’re going to be an amazing fighter one day.”

With that Leo left the small family alone and Leatherhead turned his attention to his partner. “You were in the lab longer than usual.” His tone wasn’t angry or accusing, just a truthful observation. 

“I got tied up in a project,” Donny stated. 

“It wouldn’t happen to be your portal again would it?” Leatherhead asked. 

“It was,” Donny answered truthfully and then smiled. “But, not in the way you think. I dismantled it.”

Leatherhead lifted an eye ridge. “You’ve abandoned your project?”

“Finished it,” Donny corrected. “I took it apart and placed it in storage.” He shrugged and adjusted Snow in his arms. “If there is ever a need for it I can always put it back together. But for now, I am done with it.” A wide grin spread across his face and he felt himself flush. “I’m ready to focus on other things.”

“Oh?” Leatherhead stood and moved closer to Donny. “A new project?”

“You could call it that.” Donny stood on his toes and kissed Leatherhead’s cheek, eliciting a giggle of delight from Snow. “Raph has agreed to watch Snow for us tonight.”

Leatherhead chuckled. “I think I’m going to like this new project.”

As promised, Raphael took Snow as soon as she was done with her dinner. “You’re sleeping with me tonight,” he said as he lifted her from her highchair. Snow smiled at Raph, patting his plastron. 

“She’ll be sleeping in your room,” Donny corrected. “In the pack n’ play. Right, Raph?”

“Sure she will,” Raph replied but he didn’t sound all that sincere. 

Donny inwardly sighed. Raph tended to spoil Snow but it couldn’t be helped. If Donny wanted some time alone with Leatherhead, Raph taking Snow for the night was their only option. Donny was unable to be intimate with Leatherhead if Snow was in the room and if Donny had asked anyone else to take her, Raph would have seen that as a slap in the face. Fortunately Snow knew that she could only get away with such things with Raph. 

There were butterflies in Donny’s stomach as he got ready for bed. Leatherhead was in the shower at the moment so Donny took the opportunity to get a few things ready. 

He had insisted that Tello and Donna call it a night early. They left with knowing smiles on their faces. It seemed that the whole lair knew what he was going to be doing with Leatherhead tonight, at least in part. They didn’t know that they were going to be trying for another baby. 

Leatherhead hadn’t been in the room since that morning so when he entered the lab, his eyes went wide. “Having that contraption out of here really opens the room up.”

“I know,” Donny chuckled. “Now we have room for another crib.”

“Snow will be ready for a toddler bed by the time the second one comes along.” Leatherhead got down on the nest bed and looked up at Donny. “Are you sure you want another one? Now that the girls are here, it’s only a matter of time before there are more children. You don’t have to worry about Snow growing up alone anymore.”

Dropping down on the bed, Donatello pressed in close to his mate. “I want to have at least one more, if we can. I hope this uterus isn’t a onetime deal.”

Leatherhead moved over Don and nuzzled his long snout against his neck. “There is only one way to find out.”

“This is going to be a fun experiment,” Donny said with a slight giggle. 

Leatherhead lifted his head to look down at Donny. “I love you.”

Donatello felt his heart skip a beat. “I love you too,” he whispered back. 

Leatherhead parted Donny’s legs and sat back on his feet between them. His rough, scaly fingers ran along Donny’s thighs. “Now let’s get to work.” Donny laughed as he looked up at his mate. Leatherhead’s eyes were following the movement of Donny’s hand as it moved between his legs. Leatherhead’s fingers were too rough to do the prep work but he got to enjoy watching Donny do it. 

It didn’t take much for Donny to get ready; the pathway leading to the alien uterus was self-lubricating. Leatherhead didn’t need to be aroused to perform; his crocodile penis contained a bone and could be erect at a moment’s notice. But Donny still took his time, putting on a show for his love. Leatherhead tended to enjoy the show more than the sensations.   

Donatello’s penis emerged and he slid his finger down his long shaft then inserted it into his cloaca. Leatherhead watched at Donatello jerked himself off with one hand while he fingered himself with the other. He then leaned down so that he could lick the inside of Donny’s flared tip, drawing a moaning churr from Don. 

“I’m ready,” Donny breathed. Removing his finger from his tail, Donny reached out for Leatherhead’s emerging penis. He gave the solid shaft a few good pumps before lining it up with his entrance. 

Leatherhead thrust inside, the thick ball at his tip stimulating Donny’s inner walls. He didn’t need to stimulate his penis to feel pleasure. The vaginal like entrance produced a sensation that felt amazing. It made Donny regret that they hadn’t used it more. When they usually had sex, Leatherhead would wear a condom and press into the rectal opening, just to be safe. It was enjoyable but nowhere near as good as this. 

It wasn’t long before Donny climaxed. His head pressed hard against the pillow as the sensation coursed through his body. The pulsating of the internal orgasm soon triggered an orgasm in his penis. The back to back orgasms that seemed to be competing for sensory dominance had Donny’s head reeling. 

Seeing that his mate was more than satisfied, Leatherhead allowed himself to finish. He then carefully pulled out and curled up next to Donny. 

“That was great but it happened faster than I wanted it to,” Donny said a little out of breath as he felt his body start to relax. 

“We can go again once you’ve rested,” Leatherhead said with a chuckle. 

“We have all night. I want to make the most of it.” Leaning against Leatherhead, Donny let out a content sigh. “If it’s a boy, I want to name him Pinyo. If we have another girl, I want to name her Amber Rose.”

“I like those names,” Leatherhead replied softly. Donatello barely registered the words before sleep overcame him. 

TMNT 100 Theme
Chapter 38
Mother Nature

Donna moaned and leaned over to rest her head on the desk. Looking up from his workstation, Tello asked, “Are you okay?”

Donna clutched her abdomen. “It’s time for me to lay my eggs. I knew it was coming. Michelle started this morning.”

Tello stood up and walked over to Donna. “Do you need any help?”

“No,” Donna answered flatly. “I’ll get up when the pain ebbs and head into the bathroom.” Turning her head she looked up at Tello. “My sisters and I have decided to lay our eggs in the shower room. It will make cleaning up easier.”

Donatello poked his head from around the shelves that served as a room divider. “Do you think I could have one? I’d like to study an unfertilized egg.”

“Sure,” Donna replied. “I’ll bring you one when I’m done.”

“If there is anything we can do to make this process go smoother…,” Tello offered. 

“Thanks,” Donna groaned, “but no.”

“I can sympathize with what you are going through,” Donatello said as he walked around the shelves. “It was painful bringing Snow into this world.”

Donna turned her head so that she was face down on the desk again. “You at least had a baby to hold when it was all said and done. I’m going to have half a dozen dud eggs. I always have six.” 

“Maybe next year they won’t be duds,” Donny teased. 

“I don’t wanna think about it,” Donna moaned. “That’s too many babies to have at once.” She tilted her head enough to rest her chin on the desk. “I think the worst of it is over. I’m going to the shower room now.”

“Do you want me to walk with you?” Tello offered, extending his hand to assist Donna to her feet. “Just in case the pain comes back while you’re walking up the stairs.”

Donna considered him for a moment. “Okay,” she relented, accepting his help up. “Just stay out of the bathroom.” She grabbed the doll that was sitting on her desk and together they made their way out of the lab. 

Tello kept a reassuring hand on Donna’s carapace as they made their way up the stairs. It was slow going but Donna was able to make it without any issues. Tello held the door open for Donna and she quietly thanked him as she walked through. He saw Leah already sitting on the floor, letting the water wash over her. She looked to be in a great deal of discomfort as well. 

She looked up as Donna entered and her eyes locked with Tello’s for a moment. He suddenly felt like an intruder and hastily turned away only to find himself face to face with Rachael. Her eyes narrowed as she looked down at him. “Stay out,” she hissed. 

“I was just making sure Donna made it here okay,” he explained. “I had no intention of going in.”

“That’s sweet of you,” was Rachael’s satirical response as she pushed him out of the way. “Move.”

Tello gladly left at that point, feeling sorry for whoever ended up with Rachael and prayed that it wasn’t him. As he made his way back down the stairs he though back to what Donny had said. There was a chance that some of the eggs will be fertilized next year. That would mean turtle babies. 

He found himself heading towards the dojo. It was something he had been thinking about ever since he first saw the girls. He had to know for sure one way or the other. 

Splinter didn’t say anything as he watched Tello pull the orb down from its shelf. It had been at least a month since Tello had used the orb to talk to his brothers. So using it now wouldn’t be considered too soon. Setting it on the floor in front of him, Tello sat in the lotus position and entered into a trance. 

He felt the orb open up to him and allow him into the spirit realm. He stood alone for only a moment before his brothers joined him. “There are female turtles now,” Tello said, getting strait to the point. “It’s only a matter of time before there are babies. When you told me that you were going to be reborn into this world, did you mean you were going to be reborn as turtles?”

His voice caught in his throat as he looked at his brothers. They stood silent for a moment, probably unsure with how much they could tell him. “I don’t need to know the details,” Tello pleaded. “Just tell me if I’m right?”

With a smile on his face, Leo nodded. “You are correct.”

Tello smiled through his tears. “I’m not gonna have to search for you.” He wiped his eyes and took a few steading breaths. “You said before that you’re not going to be born as brothers.”

“Yeah,” Mikey replied. “We couldn’t burden one set of parents with more than one sick kid. So we all chose a different mother.”

“You chose mothers?” Tello asked. “Do you know who your fathers are going to be?”

“Yes to both,” Raph replied but Leo shushed him. 

“It will be through them that we will be able to live again,” Leo explained. “It’s only after the eggs start to form that we will leave here and go there. There has to be a heartbeat first.”

“That makes sense, I guess” Tello thought for a moment and then remembered something else he wanted to ask. “The April of this world is pregnant with twins. Is one of them April or Casey or maybe Shen?”

“They’re April and Casey,” Leo answered. 

Tello didn’t understand. They were in love. “They chose to be reborn as twins? They can’t be a couple if they’re related.” 

“But they will also never be apart,” Raph argued. 

“Apparently it’s a thing,” Leo added with a shrug. “Lovers who die together will often choose to be reincarnated as twins.”

“But Casey…” Tello looked Leo in the eyes. “He suffered like you guys did.”

Leo nodded and looked away. “He will have some problems.” Holding up his hand before Tello could ask any questions, Leo added, “It will be revealed soon enough. April will need some moral support when she finds out.”

“We’ve told you all we can,” Raph said and then smiled, placing his hand on Tello’s shoulder. “But you can tell us a few things. Like, which of the girls you like.”

Tello chuckled softly as his heart sank. “Who I like…. Does it matter?” Shaking his head, he looked away from his brothers. “I don’t think I’m anyone’s first choice.”

“April really did a number on you. Didn’t she?” Mikey said and then added. “You’re a great guy, Donnie. Any of those girls will be lucky to have you.”

“One of them will end up settling for me.” He didn’t like being so negative but, all things considered it was hard for him to be positive at the moment. “I just hope it’s not Rachael. She scares me.” He then grinned and held up his hands. “Sorry for saying anything negative about the woman who could one day be the mother to one of you guys. Though, I don’t know what any of you would choose her. There are three others to choose.”

Raphael chuckled but didn’t say anything. 

Tello considered his brother for a moment. Could Rachael be the one he had chosen? The desire to ask had the question on the tip of his tongue but he thought better of it. It was best not to know too much. 

“When a relationship actually starts to establish, I’ll let you guys know,” Tello decided to say instead. Clearing his throat he looked at each of his brothers in turn and then asked, “When we all do start to pair off and… um… the inevitable happens, will you tell me then who your chosen mothers are?”

Leo nodded his head. “Once we are conceived we will let you know. As long as you visit us before we have to go.”

“Good,” Tello smiled. “It will give me a chance to prepare your parents to be.” He hugged each of them, noting that in the spirit world they lacked their familiar scent. “I guess I should go.”

Raph gave him a reassuring smile. “We’ll be in your life again soon.”

“Just don’t play favorites,” Leo warned with a teasing smile. 

Feeling a little better than he did when he first came in, Tello nodded and waved to his brothers before pulling himself out of the spirit realm. When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the orb. Tello picked it up as he got to his feet and placed it back on its shelf. 

“Did the visit with your family help?” Splinter asked. 

“It did,” Tello replied with a nod. “Found out a few things.” He debated with himself for a moment and then decided to go ahead and tell Splinter what he knew. He knelt on the floor in front of Splinter. “My brothers, along with other turtles who had died in the multiverse, will be reborn here. To us.”

“I can see how this news would excite you,” Splinter said. “What else have they told you?”

Tello shrugged. “Not much. They can’t give me any details. I guess they fear altering the outcome or something. The spirit realm is a strange place.” Splinter chuckled and nodded in agreement. “They did tell me that my father is going to be reborn as Karai’s child,” Tello continued, “and that Casey and April are going to be reborn as April’s twins.”

“And yet, you still seem a little sad,” Splinter observed. 

“Their deaths scarred most of their souls,” Tello explained. “My father and April, not so much, but the others are deeply scarred, so much so that they will have afflictions in their new lives.”

“I see,” Splinter said thoughtfully. “You feel a level of guilt over this.”

“Yes,” Tello admitted, relieved that Splinter understood. 

“But it is not your fault,” Splinter pointed out. 

“They told me that my being here was what made it possible,” Tello argued. “If it wasn’t for me, April’s children would be… normal.”

Splinter shook his head. “Michelangelo bringing you here is what showed Donatello that passing through the portal was safe and therefore he was able to find the courage to save the girls. Without the girls here there would be no children. You being here might have swayed their decision to where they were to be reborn but they could have made that decision before you were brought here, for other reasons. Maybe they saw this world’s April and Casey as the best to handle whatever afflictions they have.”

Splinter reached out and took both of Tello’s hands into his. “Do not feel guilt over what is to come. You did not choose their fate.”

Letting out a sigh of relief, Tello thanked Splinter and then excused himself from the dojo. As he made his way up the stairs he saw Rachael making her way down. She looked exhausted. After a moment’s hesitation, Tello decided to offer her his help. 

She glared at him for a moment before relenting and accepting his assistance. She leaned heavily on him as they made their way down the stairs. When they arrived at her room, she mumbled her thanks before disappearing through the door. The soft murmur of voices told him that Michelle was already in the room resting. 

He looked up towards the bathroom and wondered how the Leah and Donna were doing or if they were already done. The opportunity to ask Rachael about them was already gone. Knowing better than to enter the bathroom to check, Tello decided to head back to the lab to lose himself in work. 

One day, hopefully in the not too distant future, he will be allowed to sit with and comfort the one whose eggs carry his children and possibly the reincarnation of one of his brothers. 

TMNT 100 Theme
Chapter 39
Triangle

Donna woke up alone in her room and continued to lie in bed for a few moments. It wasn’t often that she was able to be alone. She liked to bask in it whenever possible. 
 
It had been over a week since she and her sisters had laid their eggs. They were all starting to get back to their old selves. On top of that, he pain in Donna’s tail was finally gone. Though she had gotten immediate relief from the fullness, the stretching of her cloaca made laying eggs a painful endeavor. 

Since they were all better, it was time for them to get back to training. 

Leah was probably already in the dojo warming up. Splinter was going to assess where Donna and her sisters were in comparison to the guys. Leah was determined to perform at her best. Donna didn’t worry as much. The guys were older and had more experience. No matter what, they were going to be vastly better than Donna and her sisters. 

Donna was feeling excitement mixed with apprehension. Now that the eggs were out of her system she was in the mindset to appreciate the guys’ godlike bodies. The idea of seeing them all sweaty as they trained was exhilarating. However, they would also be able to see her and that made her nervous. 

Just like Donna and her sisters were sizing up the guys, the guys were sizing up the girls. The only, more or less, established couple was Mikey and Michelle. Donna knew that it was only a matter of time before everyone else started to pair off. But there was the question, was she was going to end up with the one she wanted or was she going to have to settle? There was also the question, if the one she wanted also wanted her or if he was going to have to settle? She didn’t know which one was worse; settling or being settled for.

Tello had told her that one of them was interested in her but didn’t go into details as to who it was. She had a feeling she knew. Raphael. He had made it so painfully obvious when she had asked for the doll. The problem was she wasn’t sure she wanted him, which was why she didn’t accept one of the finished ones. He intimidated her. That and she kind of had her eyes on Leonardo. 

She had to admit that she hadn’t really taken the time to get to know either of them yet. However, to her, Leo seemed to be the better fit. He was calm, quiet, strong, confidant, reserved…, while Raphael was… not. But would Leo want her? If Leo knew Raph wanted her, would he even consider her as an option? Maybe if Donna somehow showed her interest. She covered her face with her hands. She was too shy to do anything like that. This was not going to end well. There was no way she could compete with her sisters. She was going to end up with the one none of them wanted. 

With a heavy sigh, Donna got out of bed and put on her gear. Once she was dressed, she took a long look in the mirror. “You can’t put it off forever.”

She was the last to arrive in the dojo. Here sisters were already warming up. “I thought I was going to have to send one of your sisters to get you.” Sliver sounded annoyed. “Get your bo so we can get started.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” Donna mumbled as she made her way to the weapon rack. 

Leonardo and Splinter were sitting off to the side to observe their practice. Their expressions were stoic as they watched Sliver line Donna and her sisters up for their warmups.

Why was Leonardo there too? Donna let out an exasperated sigh. 

“Don’t be nervous.” Rachael whispered, smirking when she realized that Donna was staring at Leonardo and Splinter. “They’re only judging you right now.” She tisked. “I’m sure, you already have a mark against you for being late.”

“Shut up,” Donna hissed. 

“Enough!” Sliver’s tail whipped out and snapped the two of them across the shins. “Pay attention.”

Michelle chuckled, earning herself a snap on the leg as well. They all remained quiet after that and started with warmup katas before moving to more complex ones. Sliver then had each of them come up individually and ran them through several katas that were specific to their talents and chosen weapons. The whole time, Leonardo and Splinter silently watched, taking it all in. 

Donna pushed their presence out of her mind as best as she could and focused on her movement. She successfully executed every kata her mother called out. By the time she was done, she was winded and covered in sweat. Sliver was pushing each of them hard. She must have been determined to showcase their abilities. 

Next, Sliver paired them off. Michelle and Leah sparred while Donna and Rachael got to rest. Donna kept her eyes on the fight and away from Leonardo. She couldn’t let the fact that he was there get into her head. Why couldn’t it have just been Splinter?

Michelle showed her agility as she moved around while Leah showed her precision. They both showcased their skills quite well but in the end, Leah proved to be the victor and managed to throw Michelle to the mat. 

Next it was Donna and Rachael’s turn to spar. Rachael relied on brute force and close range combat so Donna’s best tactic against that was keeping her at a distance and letting her tire herself out. Donna was graceful in her movements, able to step and spin to avoid Rachael’s blows while landing a few of her own. The fight was going in Donna’s favor. At least it was for a while. 

“They’re watching you,” Rachael said, grinning. “And right now they can see your butt.” The psychological tactic had the desired effect. Donna, glanced over at Leo, second guessed herself and hesitated, allowing Rachael to move in. A solid punch to the gut had Donna doubling over, gasping for breath. “That was too easy,” Rachael whispered in her ear.

“Enough,” Sliver announced, ending the match. With a smirk on her face, Rachael walked over to kneel on the ground next to the others while Donna righted herself. Sliver placed a comforting hand on Donna’s carapace. “What happened? You were doing so well.”

“I got distracted,” Donna softly answered. “I guess I let my nerves get the better of me.”

“You are an excellent fighter, Donna,” Sliver stated with a soft smile. “But you must work on your confidence.” She turned to her daughters. “We are done for today. However, I encourage you to remain in the dojo to observe the boys’ training.” 

“Gladly,” Michelle giggled, earning an elbow to the side from Leah. 

“Silently,” Sliver added.

Leah bowed her head. “Yes mother.”

“The four of you did well,” Splinter stated as he stood. “I am impressed with your level of skill considering that you have never faced real combat. Would you mind of Leonardo took over the majority of their training?” Splinter asked Sliver while Leonardo stood and grabbed his weapons. “I have been planning on handing over full control to him for a while now and they all need to learn to fight as a unit.”

“But you’re our master, mother,” Rachael interrupted. 

Sliver raised her hand to silence Rachael. “I would not mind at all,” she said to Splinter as she moved to sit out of the way. “It would benefit them to learn under a new master.” Donna and her sisters followed their mother and sat off to the side. Donna sat on the end furthest from Sliver, keeping her eyes on Leonardo. He was incredibly handsome. She was going to enjoy watching him train.

It wasn’t long before the others joined them and their lessons began. Splinter stayed off to the side, allowing Leonardo to take charge. Like Sliver had done with the girls, Leonardo started the guys off with simple warmup katas before moving to more advanced sets. After a while, Donatello was excused and he took a seat next to Donna. 

“What’s going on?” she whispered to him. 

Donny smiled and rubbed his stomach. “Leatherhead and I are trying to have another baby. If I am pregnant…. That is still incredibly strange to say…. If I am pregnant, I don’t want to run the risk of harming the developing fetus.”

“Oh.” Donna replied. The idea that Donatello was technically also female was still strange to her. It led her to wonder what other oddities awaited her in the future. “I hope it all goes well for you.”

“Thank you,” Donny said with a smile and then they both turned their attention back to his brothers. 

Donna’s jaw dropped as she watched the guys train. They were by far better fighters than she and her sisters were. How were they not seriously hurting each other? She glanced over at her mother and sisters and by the looks on their faces, they were just as amazed. 

They guys joked and teased as they practiced, razzing on each other whenever one made a mistake. Donatello even joined in every once and a while, earning himself some snide remarks in return. Their jovial banter was a stark contrast to their fighting styles. Donna and her sisters had a lot to learn. 

“I used to have a crush on him too,” Donny whispered to Donna. 

Donna’s face suddenly felt hot. “What?” 

“When I first realized that I was gay I had a huge crush on Leo,” Donny explained. Donna must have made a face because Donny let out a soft chuckle. “You’re not that obvious, but I am good a reading people.”

“You don’t have a crush on him anymore?” Donna wanted to know. 

“Well, now I’m madly in love with Leatherhead.” Donny shook his head. “My crush on Leo faded a little after we started going top side. I got to see a different side of my brothers after that. I still thought Leo was great but I ended up falling in love with Raph.”

“Why?” Donna asked, looking at the guys as they trained. What made Raph so great?

Donny smiled and turned his attention to his brothers. “There is a side of Raph that he tends to hide that conflict forced him to reveal. He started to open up more and we found a connection.”

“I may be your counterpart,” Donna stated, “but I’m not like you. I have no desire to be with someone like Rachael.”

Donny smiled. “We’ll see.”

Donna snorted and turned her full attention back to the guys. Raph had just thrown Mikey to the mat and was helping him up. “I’m looking forward to taking the title from you in a few months.”

“In your dreams,” Mikey replied with a snort. “I beat you last time and I’ll beat you this time.”

“You only won last time because Splinter bowed out and Leo was underhandedly taken out,” Donny chimed in. 

“Big talk coming from someone taken out in the first round,” Mikey teased back. “But I beat Raph fair and square.”

“Ya ain’t gonna smart mouth your way into a victory this time,” Raph stated. “If we meat up in the ring, you’re going down.”

“If… we decide you are ready,” Leo said, sounding almost hesitant. He was probably worried that Raph was going to blow up. Donna knew Rachael would in that situation. She was quick tempered and mean. Raph was most likely the same. 

Raph spun around to face him. “What do you mean?” Donna braced herself for the long tirade. 

“Master Splinter and I have yet to decide on whether or not you are ready,” Leo explained. “You suffered a great trauma and it might still affect you. You’re fine with training but we don’t know how you’re going to react in a real fight.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Raphael argued. “There are safety protocols in place. If I can’t handle the fight then I’m teleported out. I’m not gonna get hurt.” Donna was surprised that Raph wasn’t yelling. Rachael would have been yelling. Instead, Raph’s eye was pleading as he struggled to maintain control. “Leo, I’ve been looking forward to this. I need this. I’ve have so many restrictions on my life and so much has been taken from me. Please don’t take this from me too.”

Leo took in a deep breath and then slowly let it out. He looked over at Splinter and the two of them had a silent conversation. Raph remained quiet while his father and brother came to their decision. “Alright,” Leo gave in. “You can fight in the tournament.”

Raph let out a staggering breath. “Thank you.”

“What Hun did to him changed him,” Donny whispered to himself, keeping his eyes fixed on Raph. He looked on the verge of tears. 

“What exactly happened?” Donna asked, keeping her voice low. 

Donny glanced at her and then looked off to the side in thought. “I will let you read his medical file. It will be easier for you to fully understand.” He turned his head to look directly at her. “Come to think of it, I will eventually need to get medical files started on you and your sisters. Since you have laid your eggs, your hormones and vitals should be back to normal levels. Splinter and Sliver have also asked me to have a sex talk with everyone. So I will need as much information on the four of you as I can get before I can do that.”

“Sounds like fun,” was Donna’s sarcastic reply. “I will help you any way I can.”

“Thanks.” Donny smiled. “This is not going to be easy. And I imagine it will be a little embarrassing.”

Donna felt a nervous flutter in her belly. “I’m not going to have to examine your brothers. Am I?”

Donny shook his head. “No. I’ve done all of that and you can read all you need to know in my files.”

“Oh, good,” Donna said relieved. 

Donny chuckled softly. “You will get to know one of them intimately soon enough.”

“But is he going to be the one that I want?” Donna mumbled, looking up at Leo.

TMNT 100 Theme
Chapter 40
Breaking the Rules

Leonardo spent several hours after practice talking with Splinter and Sliver. He relied heavily on their guidance as he made the transition towards clan leader. He would listen to their council for a long as they were around but ultimately the final decisions will be his. That was a heavy burden to bear.

To add to the stress, their little clan was getting bigger and had a very real chance of continuing to grow. It was no longer just assuming leadership over his brothers. He was going to be responsible for so much more. He was both overjoyed and overwhelmed by it. 

Then there was the stress of training with the girls. Currently, they were a distraction. It was going to be awkward being so close to them. Sweating was going to cause their scent to be stronger. Leo was going to have to be close to them and touch them in order to correct them. He was tempted to have everyone wear clothing during training until everyone got their hormones under control. 

He hated to admit it but Leo had gotten hot and bothered just watching them train. The need to lay claim to the one he wanted before any of his brothers could was crushing. The movement of her body and the sound of her voice drove him crazy. Why was it so hard to control? 

He had been able to work out most of his frustrations during training with his brothers. However, the fact that she was there watching him, judging him made his alpha dominance hammer away at him. He wanted to show that he was the one in charge. He needed to show it. Part of him was willing to hurt his brothers to prove it. Fortunately he had kept that part of himself under control. 

He had managed to suppress his desires while he talked with Splinter and Sliver. Once he had worked out a strategy with them that included the girls in daily training, Leonardo excused himself and headed to his room. He needed to meditate and probably masturbate. It was already turning into a long day and it was only mid-morning. 

“Are we going to be able to fight in the Nexus?” Rachael asked from the stairs, halting Leo’s escape to his room. “I had asked your brothers but they had all said that it was up to you.”

He could do this. He could talk to her without losing control. Taking a deep breath he steadied himself for the conversation he was about to have. If she was anything like Raph, she was not going to like the answer he was about to give. “I don’t know if you are ready.”

“You don’t think we’re good enough?” she shot back, her usual flat tone containing a slight amount of venom. “Why is it your call?”

Leo sighed. “You and your sisters have great potential but you’re inexperienced. Training with the same three people your whole life does not prepare you for a tournament that pits the greatest fighters from across the universe against each other. And I don’t think I can get you ready in the few short months we have left to prepare. It’s my call,” Leo lifted his chin, “because I am the clan leader. My word is final. You can go and observe but you will not fight.”

Rachael stepped down off the stairs and moved to stand directly in front of Leo. She was only inches away. He could feel her breath on his face and it wouldn’t have taken much for him to lean forward to capture her lips. He had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep himself from taking her. 

She was the same height as Leo, her bright green eyes able to look directly into his. “What do I have to do,” she asked softly, barely moving her lips, “to prove myself ready?”

Even though Rachael was in his personal space, Leo stood his ground. He managed to push down his desires and kept eye contact with her. “Donatello wants us to go to the Foot headquarters tomorrow morning to run physicals on you and your sisters.”

Rachael shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. “I’m not following. What does that have to do with this?”

“After he is done,” Leo stated. “We can have a small breakfast and you and your sisters can spar against members of the Foot. If you can hold your own against them then I will consider allowing you to participate in the Nexus Tournament.”

Keeping eye contact, Rachael nodded in agreement. “That seems fair enough.”

“Good.” Leo took a step back. “If there’s nothing more, I have some matters to attend to.”

“There is one more thing I want to know,” Rachael stated, stepping forward. Before Leo could say anything, Rachael leaned in and pressed her lips to his. It fanned the flames of his desire and he felt a rush of lustful need. His tail throbbed, demanding that he take her. As much as he wanted to ravage her mouth, Leo managed to push her back. 

“What are you doing?” The words flew from his mouth as soon as it was free of hers. 

“Testing a theory,” she replied and then tried to move in to continue the kiss. 

His hands gripped her arms, just below the shoulders to keep her back. “What theory?”

Her eyes sparkled as she grinned. “That you wanna fuck me.”

Leo suppressed a churr and his grip tightened. “Why?” he managed to rasp out. What was her plan? Was she trying to play him? Was she going to try to humiliate him? 

“Because I want you to fuck me,” she replied, nipping forward in an attempt to reconnect the kiss. When Leo continued to hold her back, Rachael sighed and stood up straight. “Look, both Leah and Donna want you too. I want to lay claim to you as much as you want to lay claim to me. That is… unless you would prefer one of them.”

Leo managed a slight shake of his head. “I would prefer you.”

“Then let’s go,” Rachael said bluntly. “We can go into your room and fuck. We both want it.”

It took every ounce of his control to keep from pulling her forward into a kiss, from doing exactly what she suggested. He had to look away, break eye contact. Letting her go, he shook his head. “We can’t.”

“Why?” Rachael tilted her head to the side and folded his arms over her plastron. “Because your daddy told you not to? I thought you were the clan leader. How can you be in charge of anything if you continue to do everything he tells you to? Maybe you’re not man enough for me.”

She moved to walk away but Leo grabbed her arm. He held her in place with an iron grip and looked her in the eyes. “This is about more than sex. If we take that step and satisfy our desires then that is it. You would be my mate.” His body shook as he tried to maintain control. “My desire for you is trying to wipe out all rational thought but I can’t rush into this. I need to make sure you are the right one. I am the clan leader. I cannot have a mate who would disrespect me. I need a mate who will support me and be a good mother to our children. If you can’t be that then go.”

He released her arm and her hand came up to cover the spot he had just been holding. Taking a step back, Leo made it clear that she was free to leave. Much to his delight, she stayed. 

“Most of the time you avoid me,” she said. “How are we supposed to get to know each other first when you have a hard time maintaining control around me?” She pointed down between his legs. “You’re so aroused right now, your tail’s dripping.”

“I don’t know,” Leo admitted and he felt his face flush with embarrassment. “I can’t seem to get this out of my system. Every part if me is demanding that I make you mine but I need to know you are the right one before I do that.”

“So this issue right now is that you can’t think straight because you are horny?” Rachael looked off to the side in thought. “Maybe there is a way to get it out of your system without actually having sex.”

Shifting from on foot to the other, Leo looked at the ground. “I’ve tried… handling it myself. It’s not enough.”

“I’m not suggesting that you masturbate,” Rachael said flatly. Leo couldn’t believe how blunt she could be but at the same time that was part of her appeal. Rachael crossed her arms over her plastron. “I’m suggesting that I assist you. There are things we can do besides fucking.” At Leo’s sharp intake of breath, Rachael chuckled. “You gotta thing for foul language.”

“I desire a partner who is vocal. Yes,” Leo admitted. “And blunt.” Every muscle in his body was tense. He looked up at her. “I also like it a little rough.” 

“That’s not a problem.” Rachael smiled. “I like being vocal and I’m a strong girl.” She gestured with her head towards Leo’s room. “You go ahead into your room, I’ll clean up the little mess I caused you to make, and I’ll meet you in there.”

There was a small voice in Leo’s head that told him to tell her no. That he should simply go to his room, lock the door, and work it out himself. But every other fiber of his being was screaming for him to accept her offer. He couldn’t take it anymore. He needed to do something. “Okay,” he gave in.

Leo didn’t give her a chance to say anything more. He turned and headed to his room. His whole body felt like lead. It was numb and on fire at the same time. The inner conflict was still raging. Was this what he truly wanted? It wasn’t too late to change his mind. He walked to the sink to splash water in his face. It did nothing to help him. 

The door opened and Leo turned, expecting Rachael but saw Mikey instead. He could have taken the opportunity to ask for help. All he had to do was confess what was going on and Mikey would step in to stop it. But instead Leo glared at him, “Get out.” 

Mikey’s eyes went wide. “You okay, Leo?” 

“I need the room to myself,” Leo replied. 

Mikey’s expression turned to one of concern. “You’ve needed the room to yourself a lot lately. You’re having a hard time with the girls here. Aren’t you.” 

“Aren’t you?” Leo wanted to know. “I feel the same as I did when Bishop hit us with that spray that ended with me… raping you. I’m afraid that I’m going to do that to one of the girls.”

“They’re affecting me a little but not to that extent. Maybe you should talk to Splinter,” Mikey suggested.    

Leo shook his head. “I can’t. If I can’t work this out on my own, how will he ever see me as ready to take over? How can I take control the clan if I can’t control myself? I’ll handle this.”

“I’m here if you need me,” Mikey offered. 

Leo laughed. “The kind of lascivious help I need is not the kind you can give.” Tears filled his eyes as all humor dropped from his voice. He covered his face in shame. “Just promise that if you ever see me lose control and go after one of the girls, you’ll stop me.”

“I’ll beat the shit out of you if that’s what’s needed,” Mikey promised. “But, I’m sure the girls will be able to fight you off.”

“You weren’t,” Leo said, looking down at the ground. Mikey took a step towards him but Leo held his hand up to stop him. “Please go.”

“Okay,” Mikey said softly, backing out of the room. 

Leo was alone for only a few moments before the door opened once again. This time it was Rachael. She didn’t say anything as she walked into the room and closed the door behind her. 

“There’re things you need to know,” Leo said, keeping his back to her. Rachael remained silent so Leo continued. “I have PTSD. My brothers and I have all been through… a lot and we’ve all been affected but the added burden of being the leader has taken its toll on me. I have nightmares… night terrors.”

He turned to look at her. “Are you strong enough, willing to take on all that I am?”

Rachael sighed. “You’re not worried that I’m not the one you want. You’re worried that I’m not gonna want you.”

“I’m not going to be gentle,” Leo admitted. “I might not be able to stop once I get started. You fight me, I will force it.”

“I’m not gonna want you to stop, I’m gonna be begging you for more.” Rachael smiled. “I want you to pin me to the bed while you slam your cock into me.”

Leo sucked in his breath and held it for a moment before letting it out slowly. “Please don’t talk like that right now. I’m having a hard time holding myself back. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“I don’t think you’ve got it in you,” Rachael stated flatly. “You’re too much of a daddy’s boy. You’ll push me out of the room and jerk off before you let yourself do anything to hurt me.” She moved towards Leo, removing her gear as she made her way across the room. 

“Leah and Donna won’t be able to handle you but I can.” When she reached him, she was naked. “We’re going to end up together. I’m not fertile right now so there is nothing for us to worry about.” She placed her hand on his chest. “So fuck me. Get this out of your system and make me yours. End your suffering.”

With a shaking hand, Leo reached up to cup Rachael’s cheek. He carefully leaned forward and kissed her, their tongues twisted together but Leo continued to hold back. 

Rachael pulled back and looked him in the eyes, her lips pressed together in a thin line. “Is that all you got? That was awful.”

Leonardo pressed in for another kiss. This time he let go and the best way he could describe the feeling was relief. Holding back had been exhausting but now he felt invigorated. His desire increased and he did nothing to restrain it. 

Pressing his plastron against Rachael’s, Leo racked his fingers down her carapace. Rachael hummed into the kiss and wrapped her arms behind Leo’s neck. If someone had walked in at that moment, Leo would have attacked them. He was determined to make her his. 

Leonardo turned and backed Rachael against the wall, pinning her to it. Lifting one of her legs while he widened his stance, Leo brought his tail forward to seek out hers. When their tails touched they twisted together, spreading their combined juices.

Breaking the kiss, Rachael tilted her head back, exposing her neck. “Don’t stop. Fuck me, Leo.” Her usual flat tone was gone, replaced with breathy desire. “Please. I want you.”

With a growl, Leo latched on the Rachael’s neck and started sucking at the pulse point. At the same time he lined up their cloacas and pressed inside. Rachael awarded him with a gasp and a moan. His hand squeezed the back of her thigh, just below her butt as he immersed himself deeper inside. 

“Don’t hold back.” Rachael’s now smoky voice enticed Leo more. He churred and started rock his hips. “More,” she demanded, grabbing hold of his biceps and digging her fingers into the tense muscles. “Is that all you got? I thought you said you were gonna be rough.”

Her words had him increasing his pacing to the point that he was hammering into her. Through the blissful delirium, Leo was able to think clearly enough to remind himself not to leave any marks. He detached his mouth from her neck, instead choosing to lick and nip at the sensitive flesh but no hard sucking. 

Leo churred and staggered in his movements. Rachael grabbed his face and forced him to look into her rapturous green eyes. “Don’t you dare finish before I do. You fuck me until I’m satisfied.”

He needed her praise so he willed himself to last despite the fact that his engorged cock was ready to burst. He released some of the pent up and painful need by smacking her ass. If he was going to suffer until she climaxed then so would she. 

She released his face and he moved his mouth back towards her neck. To keep from biting her he clamped his teeth down on the lip of her carapace. 

“So good,” Rachael whispered and ran her hands delicately along the back of Leo’s head and neck. “Fuck me, Leo. Make me cum. Don’t stop. I’m so close.” She continued to whimper encouragement and praise in his ear slit. He wanted to hear more. 

Leo slapped her ass again and kneaded the taut muscle. Rachael’s tail was so wet that it was leaking and caused a slick sound with each upward thrust. The juices now coated their tails, thighs, and even the fingers on Leo’s hand that was holding her leg up. 

Rachael’s inner walls started to pulsate. “Cum with me,” she whispered the simple command into his ear. 

With a deep groan, Leo released his seed inside her, thrusting as deep as he could go. The excessive amount of fluids flowed from her to drip to the floor. The scent of their combined juices filled the air adding to the rush. He ground against her, lingering in her silky warmth for as long as he could. 

The rush slowly faded and exhaustion set in. Every muscle relaxed, forcing him to drop to his knees. Rachael slid down the wall with him to sit in his lap. They held each other in the blissful calm after the storm. Leonardo couldn’t remember the last time he felt so good. 

“Feel better?” Rachael had resorted back to her usual flat tone. 

Leo nodded, keeping his face pressed against the nook of her neck. His jaw hurt, he was sticky with juices and sweat, and his whole body felt heavy. The best part was that he could think clearly again. “I really needed this.”

“Any time,” Rachael replied. 

TMNT 100 Theme
Chapter 41
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The musk that was coming from Leonardo was so strong that it was starting to affect Mikey, causing him to be fearful of his older brother. He had never been afraid of his brother before. Doing his best not to show his fear, Mikey instead offered his support. 

Leonardo rejected his help and insisted that Mikey leave. As much as he wanted to help his brother, Mikey was eager to leave the room. He closed the bedroom door, leaving Leo alone.

Mikey would have to make do without the CD he had burned just for today. The lack of music wasn’t going to stop him from going through with his plan. He had worked too long and hard. He didn’t want to wait another day. 

Michelangelo wasn’t as great with his hands as Donny or Raph but he had some skill. He had only needed a little bit of help from Donny with the electrical work but everything else he had done himself. Weeks of patching, sewing, painting, and mending was about to pay off. He was going to advertise his feelings for Michelle the best way he knew how, with pizazz. And, sadly, without music. 

As Mikey made his way to the stairs, he saw Rachael standing by the kitchen entrance. She was just standing there, which was strange, but Mikey didn’t want to waste his time trying to figure her out. He had another girl to impress. 

Taking the stairs two at a time, Mikey raced up to the entertainment room. He walked in to find Michelle sitting on the sofa with Leah. They were watching a movie. From the sound of it, it was a movie they had seen on their world. Michelle was pointing out all the differences while Leah passively listened, occasionally nodding. 

The movie was almost over, so Mikey stood and listened. He loved to listen to Michelle talk. She was so enthusiastic and animated. It brought a smile to Mikey’s face. In his opinion, they were perfect for each other. 

When it finally ended, Mikey walked over and leaned over the back of the sofa. “I have something for you,” he said in sing song to Michelle. 

Her already cheerful face lit up. “You do?”

Mikey nodded. “It’s down in the tunnel.”

Leah cleared her throat. “The two of you are not allowed to be alone.”

“You could come with us,” Michelle suggested hopefully. 

“Sure,” Leah sighed as she got to her feet. “Being a third wheel slash chaperone sounds fun.”

“You’ll like it too,” Mikey promised. “I had Michelle in mind when I made it but it’s a place all of you can use, if you want.”

Mikey led the way down the stairs and onto the platform. They were met by the scent of a particularly strong incense. Leo must have been doing his best to mask his musky scent or block out the girls’, one or the other. 

“That is strong,” Leah commented as they passed the rooms. 

“Leo’s been having a hard time with you girls around,” Mikey explained. “It is driving him crazy. That’s why he’s been spending a lot of time alone in his room, meditating among other things.”

“It’s hard for us to get to know him and for him to get to know us if he spends his free time away from us,” Leah said. 

Mikey sighed as he jumped down off the platform. “He’s upset that he can’t get himself under control and afraid of what he might do.” 

“Why do you think it’s only affecting him this way?” Michelle asked. She accepted Mikey’s offer to help her down. She was perfectly capable of doing it herself but it was a good excuse to have some physical contact. 

Mikey didn’t want to get into any details. The last thing he wanted to do was hint at the fact that he had experienced the way Leo likes to satisfy his sexual desires. The usually self-controlled leader had a tendency towards aggression when it came to sex. It was frightening. 

When Michelle was down on the tracks, Mikey offered to help Leah down. “He was already under a lot of stress to begin with,” Mikey lied. “Now he has to fight the instinct to prove himself the dominate one.” 

As expected, Leah politely refused the help and jumped down on her own. “In my case,” Mikey continued with a shrug. “I’m laid back. I will admit that having you girls around is affecting me… a lot…, just not as bad as it’s affecting Leo.”

“In what way?” Leah wanted to know. 

Mikey thought for a moment before answering. “For starters, I can’t tuck my tail to save my life and I wanna show off. On top of that, I’m a little more aggressive. I mean, I punched Raph. I’ve never been the type to pick a fight before. On the other hand, if Michelle had touched Leo that day…, I would have just sulked in the corner. He’s the alpha and I am terrified of him right now. I wouldn’t challenge him for anything.” 

“Not even for me?” Michelle asked, pouting a little. 

Mikey sighed. He hated to admit it but he nodded. “It’s a good thing that you’re not the one Leo wants.”

“Who does he want?” Leah asked, trying to sound casual but Mikey could tell she was eager to know. 

“I don’t know,” Mikey lied once again. He didn’t know if it was the right choice or not but he didn’t want to be the one to break it to her. “I don’t think he’s made his choice yet. He’s only assured me that he respects that Michelle is the one I want and that he wasn’t considering her.”

Michelle crossed her arms over her chest. “You know we have a say in this too.”

Mikey held up his hands in defense. “I know. I know. My brothers and I know in our heads that we’re not some basic animal. But the natural urges are overwhelming and not something we’ve had to deal with before. It’s gonna take us some time. We’re trying out best. Trust me. I have no desire to rush into sex again.” He regretted it the moment the words came out of his mouth. He groaned. Why did he have a tendency to ramble?

Confusion set in Michelle’s eyes and she stepped back as she scanned Mikey’s face. “Have you had sex before?”

Looking down at the ground in an attempt to hide his shame, Mikey nodded. “I saw an opportunity to experience something I thought I would never get the chance to and took it. It felt great while I was doing it but afterwards I felt… bad.”

“Did you pay for a whore?” Leah asked, flatly. 

Mikey shook his head. “No. I went to a furry convention and hooked up with… two girls there.” 

Leah and Michelle’s mouths dropped open in disbelief. “Two?” Leah asked. “At the same time?”

Mikey once again held up his hands in his defense. “I was sixteen. I went to the convention because I saw it as a place where I could walk around openly for a while. I started talking to a couple of girls and the next thing I knew we were back in their hotel room.”

Mikey let out a heavy sigh and rubbed the space between his eyes. This was not how he had planned the day going. The last thing he wanted to do was talk about his past regrets. “I was at least smart enough to use condoms and took them with me when I left so there was no DNA evidence.

“I did all that before I even knew that there was a possibility of your existence,” Mikey said in his defense. “I thought it was something I wanted but it wasn’t. I felt used and hallow afterwards. I don’t want just sex. I want a meaningful relationship, a companion…, someone to spend the rest of my life with.”

“You guys don’t need me here,” Leah stated and headed back up onto the platform. 

Mikey’s heart sank as he watched Leah climb up and expected Michelle to follow. “You think I messed up.”

Leah shook her head. “You’re a good guy, Mikey. You’ve made your mistakes and I believe that you won’t repeat them. I can trust you with my sister and that you will follow our parents’ rules.” With that she disappeared over the edge. 

Mikey turned to look at Michelle. “Are you disappointed in me?”

Shaking her head, Michelle smiled and took Mikey’s hand. “It’s not like you did it last week. And… to be honest, given the chance, I probably would have done the same thing.” Sliding her bottom lip through her teeth, Michelle looked into Mikey’s eyes. “I don’t want to rush into things either, even though, in my heart, I know you are the one I want.”

A rush of joy lifted Mikey to cloud nine. “I knew I would make the perfect girlfriend.”

Michelle giggled and kissed Mikey on the cheek. She then started pulling him down the tunnel. “Don’t you have something to show me?”

“Yes,” Mikey replied, taking the lead. 

Michelle nudged Mikey as they walked hand in hand. “So you were able to hold your own with two girls?”

“They got what they wanted out of me,” he replied. 

“I’m sorry it didn’t end up being the experience you were hoping for,” Michelle said. 

Mikey shook his head. “I’m not. It opened my eyes to what I really wanted.”
	
At the end of the tunnel, as far away from the rest of the lair as possible, was a large dark blue tent. It was not a camping tent. It was the kind of tent a merchant would set up at a fair. Mikey had found it at the junk yard. It was most likely damaged in a wind storm and its three walls had needed a lot of patching but it was spacious and fit Mikey’s needs.

Mikey had added a curtain to the front for more privacy. He pulled it aside to allow Michelle inside. The gasp that followed told Mikey that she was impressed. 

“This is amazing!” Michelle headed straight for the refurbished, loveseat sized, wooden swing and sat down. She patted the space next to her. “Join me?”

“That was the plan,” Mikey said, closing the curtain behind him. 

The tent was lit by several strands of white Christmas lights that crisscrossed over the ceiling and were intertwined with artificial ivy to look like the night sky through a canopy of trees. The floor was cushioned by a carpet that Mikey had pieced together to look like cobblestone and grass. It was something he has seen someone do on the internet and fell in love with the idea. A few artificial plants rounded out the effect of being outside. 

Michelle leaned over and placed her head on Mikey’s shoulder. “This is lovely, Mikey.” 

“I wanted to do something nice for our first date.” Mikey wrapped his arm around her and they leaned against each other as they swung back and forth. This was what he had always wanted. Being with Michelle felt right and Mikey felt a sense of peace. There was no need to rush into anything. 

“You are so beautiful to me,” he started to sign to her. He didn’t need that CD after all. 
TMNT 100 Theme
Chapter 42
Are You Challenging Me?

Today was the day. Leonardo was going to take their female counterparts to the Foot headquarters so that they could prove whether or not they were worthy of fighting in the Nexus Tournament. He hoped that it was all going to go well. He had just started his relationship with Rachael and he didn’t want to fight with her over it. 

Testing the girls wasn’t his only objective. He also planned on seeing how well Raphael fought against someone who wasn’t family. Would he be triggered if a group of men came at him? That was another argument he didn’t want to have. 

Leo had decided that no matter how well they fought today, they would be allowed to fight in the tournament if they wanted. Raphael was right, the Nexus Tournament was safe. There were plenty of safety protocols in place to keep them all from getting hurt. They will all know how well they fight by the end of the day. The decision to participate will be theirs. If they don’t fight well and they still decide to go, that’s on them. Their defeat will happen fast enough. At least they wouldn’t be able to blame him for not giving them a chance. 

Leonardo sat up in bed and looked around the room. His eyes fell on the spot where he had pinned Rachael up against the wall. He was still torn over what he had done. On one hand, it had relieved a great deal of stress. On the other hand, he had gone against his father’s wishes. On top of that, he didn’t really know her. His inability to control himself around her made sure of that. He sighed and hoped his hormones had made the right decision. 

They had been lucky that they were not caught. Everyone else just happened to be doing something else at the time. Rachael had been able to sneak out of Leo’s room and up to the bathroom to take a shower without getting caught. Leo had scrubbed himself and the wall using water from the sink in his room. Then he had burned incense to cover the lingering smell. As far as Leo knew, Mikey didn’t suspect anything.  

“Do you need the room to yourself again?” Mikey mumbled, half awake. 

Leo shook his head. “I’m okay.” He looked down at Mikey and asked, “you?”

Lifting the sheet, Mikey looked down at himself. “Yeah.” Then he added, “If you don’t mind.”

“Not at all,” Leo said as he got up from the bed. “Remember, we’re going to Foot Headquarters today. We are all in desperate need of something different.”

“Yeah, I know,” Mikey grunted as he reached under the bed for his box of toys. “I’ll be ready to go when it’s time to leave.”

Leonardo headed to the kitchen for a light breakfast. The girls had to go in fasting for their health screenings so he wasn’t expecting to find any of them in there. When he entered the kitchen he was surprised to see Donna making herself a cup of tea. 

She was standing at the counter, slowly dipping her teabag into a cup of water while reading what appeared to be a file. She was so engrossed in what she was reading that she didn’t notice when Leo entered. 

Leo was happy to note that he was no longer crazy with a desire to mate. Donna’s scent, thought notably female, was not the scent that he now associated with his mate. It seems that claiming Rachael was all he needed. 

He was about to casually say ‘good morning’ but the words caught in his throat when he noticed the tear on Donna’s cheek. Was she crying because she had found out what had happened yesterday? “Are you okay?” he asked. 

Startled, Donna jumped and turned to look at him. “Oh! Hi… um….” She he kept her eyes diverted and held up the file so he could see it. “Donatello had given me all of your medical files to read. I am currently reading Raphael’s, and I am at the part where he had been attacked by the Purple Dragons. Donatello is very detailed and I have a vivid imagination.”

Relieved, Leo nodded his understanding. “It was hard to see.” He reached into the cupboard to grab the box of Cream of Wheat and then moved over to get a bowl. “A lot changed after that day, for all of us, but especially for Raph. He hasn’t been the same since.”

“PTSD will do that to a person,” Donna stated softly. She removed her tea bag from her cup and threw it in the trash. “According to Donny’s files you all have it just in varying degrees.” She continued to keep her eyes on anything but Leo. She was nervous. Leo knew it was because of her crush. It was important that he did nothing to give her the impression that he was interested. He did not want to lead her on. 

“We’ve been through a lot.” Leonardo placed his filled bowl in the microwave and set it for two minutes. He watched as Donna took a sip of her tea. “I thought you were supposed to be fasting for your exams today. Donny won’t be happy if you mess up his tests.”

“It’s decaf and unsweetened,” Donna replied raising the cup. “I needed something with a little bit of flavor. I’m so hungry.” She looked back down at the file in her hand. “It’s amazing Raph can move at all,” she said before taking a sip. “Donny thinks that the mutation has something to do with it.”

“Possibly,” Leo said. “We’ve all managed to heal remarkably well from serious injuries in the past. Raph was close to death and has come a long way in his recovery. But it doesn’t surprise me. I’ve never known anyone as determined as Raph. I knew that he wasn’t going to let what happened to him hold him back.”

“My sister’s the same way,” Donna stated bitterly, keeping her eyes on the file. “A trait that is admirable but does not make up for the fact that she is thick headed, stubborn, mean, and abusive. I’ve spent my life trying to keep my distance from my sister whenever possible. I’m sorry for anyone who ends up with either of them. I personally don’t like being yelled at or hit on a regular basis.”

Leo shook his head. “Raph will treat whoever he ends up with like a princess. You should see the way he interacts with April or the way he is with Mrs. Morrison. That’s how he will treat his mate.”

“I don’t want to be the one to test that theory,” Donna stated flatly. She was flushed. Leo wasn’t sure if it was simply because he was there or if talking about Raph put Donna on the defensive. Did she know Raph liked her? Leo sighed inwardly. Of course she knew and she was fighting against it. Leo felt bad for his brother. He had been through enough heartbreak. 

The timer on the microwave went off and Leo quickly pulled out his breakfast. “We should all take the time to get to know each other before any decisions are made. We don’t want to rush into anything. Who we think is best suited for us could end up being all wrong.” Leo grabbed as spoon from the utensil drawer and headed for the dining cart. “We leave in an hour.”

“Okay,” Donna mumbled as Leo stepped through the door. 

He was relieved to be out of there and yet he still felt guilty. “You are such a hypocrite,” he mumbled to himself and plopped down into one of the chairs. 

As Leo ate his breakfast he noticed a dirty bowl sitting on the table. Everyone knew that they had to clean up after themselves. So why was this one left here? Grabbing the bowl, Leo inspected the contents. It had held cereal. Judging by the smell he could tell what kind. It was Raph favorite brand. 

Leo closed his eyes and sighed. Raph must have been in here and had overheard his conversation with Donna. The bowl was left on the table because Raph couldn’t bring himself to enter the kitchen after what he had heard. Why did this have to be so hard?

….

It wasn’t long before the whole family was gathering together to head out. This included Splinter, Sliver, Leatherhead, and Snow. Donatello planned on doing a checkup for Snow on top of examining the girls. 

Leonardo led the way through the sewers with his weapons drawn. They had to stay alert. Their enemies knew that they live in the sewers, so even staying underground was no longer safe. Both the Purple Dragons and Bishop possessed technology needed to set up surveillance in the tunnels. And, Leonardo wouldn’t put it past either of them to have men down in the tunnels searching at all hours of the day.  

Leonardo wanted to test the girls’ fighting skills but he preferred it in a controlled environment and not against enemies who intended on killing or capturing them. Fortunately, they were able to make it to Foot Headquarters without incident.   

As they emerged from the sewers they were met by a pair of Foot soldiers and led inside. Donatello, Leatherhead with Snow, Sliver, and the girls were allowed to break off from the group. They headed off towards the lab while the others were led to meet up with Karai. 

She was waiting for them in her office. The usual business atmosphere had given way to softly lighting and a there were a few recently added baby essentials as well. Even Karai seemed a little different. Her face and body were slightly rounder, softer and she wore loose clothing. Leo wouldn’t say that she had lost her edge but she wasn’t as hard as she once was. Motherhood looked good on her. 

Miwa was also in the room, tending to the newborn baby while Karai went over official Foot business with her advisors. They both looked up as the Turtles entered the room. “Hello, Leonardo,” Karai said, moving around her desk to greet them. “You look well. Where are the female turtles you had told me about? I am eager to meet them.”

“They’re with Donatello, in the lab,” Leo answered. “He wanted to get his tests done first before everyone got sidetracked.”

Karai laughed. “That’s understandable.” She gestured over to where Miwa was sitting. “Would you like to meet my son, Takahashi before we get down to business?”

“I would be honored,” Leo nodded. 

“Miwa has been a blessing,” Karai stated and then signaled for Miwa to bring the baby over. “I don’t know what I would do without her.”

As Miwa carried the baby over, Leonardo noticed that Tello inched up to stand next to him. His eyes were fixed on Miwa and the baby and he looked excited to see him. And, judging by the look Miwa gave Tello, she was expecting him to be. 

“Would you like to hold him?” Karai offered. Leonardo started to lift his arms but then realized that she was talking to Tello. “Miwa told me,” Karai explained.  “I am honored that your father has chosen me to be his mother in this new life.”

Leonardo stood in shock for a moment. “What?”

“I haven’t told the guys about… that… yet,” Tello replied, his face darkening. “I wasn’t sure how to broach the topic.” He looked down at the bundle in Miwa’s arms and reached out. “I would like to hold him.”

As Miwa relinquished the baby to Tello, Karai explained. “Miwa has informed me that their family will be reincarnated here, on this world and that their father has been reborn as my son.” She leaned in closer to Leo and whispered, “I guess this means that his brothers will be reborn as your children.”

“I would be honored,” Leo replied and looked at Karai. “But hopefully a few more years pass before that happens.” Leo couldn’t say that he was surprised by this revelation. Compared to everything he had experienced in life, this was not the strangest. Of course Tello’s family would seek an opportunity to be born close to him. 

“He has Eczema,” Miwa stated. “The only thing that carried over from his past life trauma.” 

“What do you mean by that,” Leo wanted to know, looking down at the baby. The baby had strong Japanese features despite his mixed heritage. There was a red rash on his fair cheeks and mittens had been put on his hands to keep him from scratching. His eyes looked dark grey and there was a red sheen to his hair when the light hit it just right. So there was a little bit of his father in him as well. 

“As you know, their deaths were traumatic,” Miwa explained. “So much so that it scarred their souls deep enough that it will carry over into their new lives.”

“I was going to tell you,” Tello mumbled, fixing his eyes on the ground. 

Leo looked at Tello and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “I understand why you were afraid to tell us. But knowing that they will come to us with some kind of affliction will not keep us from wanting to have them. Nor will it cause us to blame you or be angry with you in any way.”

“Thank you,” Tello said and managed a slight smile. 

After everyone got a chance to see the baby, Leo sent his brothers to one of the many dojos to warm up. Leo had allowed Tello to stay behind so that he could sit with the baby a little longer while Leo joined Karai and her men to discuss the more recent Purple Dragon activities. 

“I want to get back out there to help you fight them,” Leo stated as he looked over a map of the city that had markers of recent Dragon activity. There were too many that indicated civilian deaths. “Hun has to be stopped.”

“You are always welcome to join us,” Karai stated. 

Leo sighed, “That’s easier said than done. I don’t know if my family will ever be on board with joining the Foot Clan.”

Karai placed her hand on Leo shoulder. “The offer will always be there.”

Since they needed to give Donny time to examine the girls and for the girls to eat, Leonardo spent the next hour offering tactical advice to Karai. He took pride in knowing that she respected him and valued his opinion. At least he was helping in some way. And it felt good. 

As they began to wrap up, their tactical talk turned toward light banter. A sly smile turned up the corner of Karai’s mouth. “Do you already have a preference for one of the female turtles I am about to meet?”

A rush of heat flooded Leo’s face. He was still getting used to having such a familiar relationship with Karai and her men. Shrugging his shoulders, he attempted to play it off as no big deal. “We’re still in the ‘getting to know you’ phase so it’s hard to say one way or another.” Leo hated lying. “It wouldn’t be wise to rush into anything.”

Karai let out a soft chuckle. “Okay.” 

They wrapped up their meeting and headed to the dojo with Miwa and Tello. Karai took over tending to her son while Miwa and Tello got ready to practice. 

Introductions were made as soon as the girls joined them. Leonardo could tell that Karai was sizing the girls up, trying to figure out which one he would be attracted to. From the corner of his eye he could see that Miwa was quietly teasing Tello over the same thing. 

When it was time to start training, Karai with Splinter, Sliver, Donatello, and Leatherhead moved off to the side to observe. Leonardo was once again put in charge of training.  However, do to the fact that it had been awhile since he had seen real combat he planned on participating as well. 

First, Leo ran everyone through a series of katas. Then, after about an hour, he indicated for Karai to call in her soldiers. Per Leo’s request, the ten Foot soldiers selected to train with them were a mix of mutants and humans dressed in street clothes. When Raphael saw them he shot Leo a piercing glare. He knew the street clothes made them resemble the Purple Dragons and that it was meant to test him. 

Leo lifted his chin, daring Raph to say something about it. The test was necessary and was needed for more than going to the tournament. Leo needed to know if Raph could be triggered. Would he panic in a fight against men who reminded him of his attackers?

Raphael let out a huff but said nothing. His face was a mask of determination that screamed, ‘How many times do I have to prove myself?’ The silent conversation ended when Raph broke eye contact and moved to stand with the others. 

Leonardo then set the girls up for one on one matches. Michelle went first and was paired with a man wielding a bokken. They all had practice weapons. It was the best way to prevent anyone from getting seriously hurt.

The Foot soldier started out simple, it was what Leonardo had instructed them to do, and Michelle was able to hold her own. But as more time passed the ninja changed his tactics. His skill quickly out matched Michelle’s and it wasn’t long before she was taken down. 

Michelle was on her back, looking up at the ceiling. “I didn’t do too good did I?”

Reaching down to help her up, Leo let out a soft chuckle. “You did well. I am impressed with how long you had lasted.”

“I think, I need more practice,” Michelle said as Leo helped her up. 

“You have the skill,” Leo reassured her. “You just need more experience against opponents you are not familiar with.”

Leah went next and was paired with a Foot soldier who was armed with a bo. Though he had a simple weapon, he was larger than Michelle’s opponent had been. Leah managed to last longer than Michelle had but ultimately she was defeated. 

Then there was Rachael. Leonardo had selected a female Foot soldier who had been mutated into a fox. She was lithe and agile. Her weapon of choice was a pair of blunted bladed gauntlets similar to what Shredder had used. 

Rachael fought with determination and ferocity. She didn’t allow her opponent to start off easy, instead setting the level high from the start. That had been a mistake and Rachael was quickly taken down.  

Leo reached down to help Rachael up but his hand was swatted away. “Happy?” Rachael snarled. 

“No,” Leo answered and stepped back to give Rachael room to stand. He had a feeling that there was going to be a fight about it later. “The last thing I wanted was to make you upset.” He knew better than to press things when she was upset so instead Leo turned to look at Donna. “Your turn.”

“I don’t want to fight in the Nexus,” Donna stated, shaking her head and taking a step back. “You don’t have to test me.”

“I’d still like to gage how well you fight against someone who isn’t family,” Leo said, gesturing for her to step forward.

Donna let out a heavy sigh of resignation and moved into the practice circle. Her opponent, Miwa armed with a bokken. This was as much of a test for Miwa as it was for Donna. Miwa had been locked up for about a year and as a result she was still a little out of practice. 

The two fought well against each other. At first it looked like Miwa had the upper hand but, as Donna focused on the fight, her shyness melted away and she landed a few good blows. She was an impressive fighter and was quick to adapt to Miwa’s fighting style. But as skilled as Donna was, Miwa proved to be slightly better. The match ended with Donna face down on the mat. 

“The four of you did better than I had anticipated,” Leo said as he reached down to help Donna to her feet. Donna shyly accepted then moved over to stand next to her sisters. Rachael was still brooding over her loss. “I want to let you know that I am leaving whether or not you fight in the tournament up to you.”

“I don’t think we’re ready,” Leah replied. 

“This sucks,” Rachael huffed, crossing her arms over her plastron. 

“I will make sure that the four of you are ready for the next one,” Leo promised them. “You will have plenty of opportunities to practice against a diverse set of opponents.”

Michelle held up her hand. “Will we at least be able to go watch you guys? The idea of traveling to another dimension is kind of cool.” 

“Yes,” Leo said with a smile and a nod. “I would like for you all to join us so that you can see what it is like. It will help to better prepare you for the next one.” With that settled it was time to move on. “Raph,” Leo said without looking at him. “Your turn.”

“I knew it,” Raph hissed as he stepped forward. He shouldered Leo as he passed. “Asshole,” he mumbled under his breath, just loud enough for Leo to hear. Drawing out his practice sai, Raphael stood ready for whatever Leo had planned for him. A low growl resonated from deep in Raph’s throat as four Foot soldiers, including one mutant stepped forward. 

“Begin,” Leo ordered. 

The four Foot soldiers attacked and Raph did all he could to defend himself. A fight with the odds of four to one was something that Raph had done many times before. Two years ago, this match would have been common place and Raph would have been victorious. Whenever Leo trained with the Foot he had several soldiers attack him at once. If Raph could not hold his own now, it would prove that he was not up to par. 

The fight lasted longer than all four girls’ matches combined and it didn’t look close to being finished. Raphael had managed to disarm and throw one of the soldiers to the ground, taking his opponents down to three. A sense of relief filled Leo as he watched his brother dominated the match.  

All was going well but then suddenly, Raph let out a fearful cry and pulled back. The Foot soldiers had been warned of this possibility so all activity stopped. 

Leo rushed forward. “What happened?” 

Shaking, Raph backed away. “I saw one of them pull out a dagger.”

“None of them have a dagger, Raph,” Leo assured him. 

“Don’t, Leo.” Raph pointed to one of the Foot soldiers. “I saw a dagger in his hand.” He tensed up and stepped away when Leo got too close. He looked angry enough to strike out at Leo. 

“You’re mistaken,” Leo said, doing his best to keep Raph calm. “Why would one of them pull a dagger on you?”

“They could work for Hun,” Raph offered as an answer. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he had a few men working undercover. Or, just to fuck with me for laughs. I’m sure some of them still hold personal vendettas against us.”

“They are our allies,” Leo insisted. 

“I don’t trust them,” Raph yelled. “And for the life of me I can’t figure out why you do. For fuck’s sake, Leo.” Raph pointed to Karai. “She ran you through with her sword.”

“Karai and I have moved past that,” Leo argued. “If it hadn’t been for her, you would be dead.”

“So you keep reminding me,” Raph said through clinched teeth. Looking down at the ground, Raph took a few steading breaths. “So does this mean I can’t fight in the tournament now?”

“Just like with the girls, whether or not you fight in the tournament is up to you,” Leo stated. “You know your own skills and abilities. However, until you can overcome this, I don’t think you’re ready to go out on patrols and we need to limit your time on the surface. I don’t need you panicking and putting everyone else in danger because a Dragon pulls a knife.”

A tear slid down Raph’s cheek and his grip tightened on his sai as he stared hard at the ground. “Fine. I’m done.” He stormed out of the dojo. 

It was times like these that Leo wished Splinter was still in control of the clan. 

TMNT 100 Theme
Chapter 43
Safety First

Rachael took the steps two at a time on her way up to the entertainment room. Today, they were going to have to sit through a lecture on how to have, what Donny was calling, ‘safe sex’. That promised to be fun and awkward. 

As she reached the top of the stairs she heard a squeal of delight followed by a deep, rumbling laugh. Rachael looked towards the entertainment room and saw Donna standing just outside the entrance, looking in. 

Moving up behind her sister, Rachael looked into the room. Raphael was on the floor, playing with Snow. The young mutant was wearing a sparkling purple princess dress with blue and purple fairy wings on her back. She giggled, clutching a similarly dressed Barbie doll to her chest as Raphael roared. “You can never defeat me!”

She smiled as she watched them. She had to admit that it was cute. Raph was a great dad and Rachael was willing to bet that Raph made both the dress and the doll for his daughter. He had skill. They looked better than anything Rachael had seen advertised on television. 

Raphael loomed close to Snow. “I’m gonna get ‘cha.” With a playful squeal, one of Snow’s chubby hands came up and bopped Raph on the snout. Raph fell to the floor, rolling to his back. “My one weakness.”

Snow got up and toddled over to Raph then leaned down to plant a kiss on his beak. Raph grabbed her and lifted her up. “You fell for my trap. Now I’ve got you.” He brought her down to his chest, wrapped his arms around her and started to kiss her neck. 

Snow squealed and giggled, kicking her legs in a playful attempt to break free of Raph’s grip. “Dop it, daddy! Dop it!”

“He’s great with her,” Donny said, causing Rachael and Donna to start and turn around. How did he get so close without them knowing? 

There was a huge smile on his face as he walked past them. “Any one of you would be lucky to have him for a partner.” Then his smile dropped, replaced with a frown as he took in the scene. “Is that another new dress and doll?” He stormed into the room and looked down at Raph. 

“What?” Raph replied with a grin. “What good is having a child if you can’t spoil them every once and a while. Besides, who else am I gonna lavish with gifts? I’ve got all this stuff and no one to give it to.”

With a soft sigh, Donny reached down and picked up Snow. “You will have a girlfriend soon enough.”

“Yeah sure,” Raph mumbled as he got to his feet. 

Heavy footfalls coming up behind them let Rachael know that Leatherhead was approaching. “Hello, ladies,” Leatherhead said to Donna and Rachael as he passed them to get into the entertainment room. Rachael and Donna mumbled their replies. Rachael couldn’t get over how big he was. How was Donny able to walk after being with him? 

He headed straight for Donatello to retrieve his Snow. “I see that your daddy has given you some new toys.”

“Papa,” Snow giggled, reaching out for Leatherhead to take her. 

“You get to play with me for a while,” Leatherhead cooed softly to Snow. “Mama has to talk about adult things with everyone else.”

Donny chuckled. “You’re gonna miss all the fun.”

“I’ll survive,” Leatherhead quipped back. 

Rachael leaned against the wall and couldn’t help but smile. They had such a warm, loving relationship. She could see the admiration they had for one another in their eyes. She wanted that, to be able to say, ‘I love you,’ without saying anything at all, especially since the usually hated all that mushy stuff. 

“Time to go in,” Leonardo said from behind Rachael, causing both her and Donna to jump. Like Donny, his approach had been silent. How do the guys do that? He was able to get right behind Rachael without her knowing. He was going to have to teach her how he did that. 

It wasn’t long before the others joined them and they all found a place to sit or stand. This included Sliver and Splinter, who chose to stay in the back and out of the way. Rachael supposed it was because they wanted to make sure that the lesson stayed on point but didn’t want to make things too awkward. Talking about sex around her mother was not Rachael’s idea of fun. 

Rachael and her sisters occupied the large sofa, Tello sat in the arm chair, Mikey and Leo pulled up two desk chairs and Raph stood behind the sofa. Donatello stood in front of them and turned on the television.  He then placed a disk into the DVD player and a power point presentation came up on the screen. Rachael had to stifle a groan. 

“Oh come on, Donny,” Mikey complained, expressing Rachael’s exact feelings. “Is this really necessary? Sex is a pretty basic thing. It’s not hard to figure out.”

Donny let out a soft chuckle. “You’re right, Mikey, it’s not that hard to figure out what goes where. But I’m not here to teach you how to have sex. I’m going to teach you how to have better and safer sex.

“Having some knowledge about what to expect will be beneficial for all of you,” Donny explained. “Our anatomy can be… a bit shocking if they don’t know what to expect. And…,” Donny smiled, “there are a few things that I have to tell you about the girl’s anatomy that will help you to… uh…,” he looked back remembering that Splinter and Sliver were in the room, “be responsible.”

“Oh.” Mikey grinned and leaned back in his seat, understanding what Donny was going to say. “Then bring on the knowledge. I would love to learn how to be responsible.”

Donatello was very thorough in his lesson with detailed sketches on anatomy. He started with images of a turtle penis. And he was right, it was shocking. Despite the fact that she and Leo had sex, she did not see his penis.  

“How does that thing fit?” Rachael blurted out, amazed that she hadn’t felt it smashing against her lungs. “Is there a void inside of us?”

“There’s room,” Donny chuckled. 

“Don’t interrupt,” Donna hissed. 

“Hoping for some good pointers,” Rachael teased back, eliciting a deep blush from her sister. “You’re gonna need them. You….”

“Enough,” Leah warned them, cutting off the rest of Rachael’s insult. Then she added in a whisper, “Mother is standing behind us.”

Rachael scoffed, crossed her arms and slouched back on the sofa. This was pointless and boring. Rachael looked at the drawing of a penis and tried to imagine what one would look like in real life, particularly Leo’s. She fantasized what she would do with it, picturing herself running her fingers along the shaft and licking the tip to have a taste. 

She could see Leo lying on his bed, looking up at her. She would take her time, making sure he was pushed to his limit so that he would he rough with her again. 

“What do you mean they can store sperm?”

Leo’s voice snapped Rachael out of her daydream. She looked at the television to see that Donatello had moved on to the female anatomy. Donatello’s eyes were wide, surprised by Leo’s outburst. “It’s only a theory,” Donny said. “There are species of turtle that store sperm for up to two years, so it’s possible….”

“Two years?” Rachael blurted out and the room fell silent. Everyone was looking at either her or Leo in confusion. Racheal’s cheeks got hot as the beginning stages of panic started to set in. Did they suspect?

“Oh shit. This is rich.” From his spot behind the sofa, Raph started to laugh. “Fearless fucked up. The perfect son did something wrong.” He looked at Leo and shook his head as his anger set in. “You didn’t finally get yourself under control, you gave in. It was easy for you to do since you had your pick.”

“That’s enough, Raphael,” Splinter stepped in. 

Raph spun around to face his father, clenching his jaw in anger. It was obvious that he wanted to say more but, out of respect for his father, kept quiet. 

Splinter reached down and grabbed ahold of one of Raph’s clenched fists. It was a silent gesture of comfort that managed to calm Raphael down enough. “I’m going to my room.” Raph pulled his hand way from Splinter and turned to leave. “This shit’s pointless for me to know anyway.”

Splinter watched in silence as Raphael left and then he turned to Leonardo. “Was he correct in his assumptions?”

“Yes,” Leo answered, without looking at his father. His body was stiff and there was pain in his voice when he said that single word. 

“Come,” Splinter commanded and headed out of the room. 

Despite the torrent of emotions that he had to have been feeling, Leonardo didn’t hesitate to get up and follow Splinter. He was an obedient son. 

Rachael sat still, her heart hammering in her chest as she waited for her mother to say something. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the looks on her sisters’ faces. There was a mixture of heartbreak, disappointment, shock, and anger. This was not how she wanted to let everyone know that they were together. 

“You as well,” Sliver said tartly and followed Leo out the door. Unlike Leo, Rachael was hesitant to get to her feet. She must have taken too long because Sliver paused at the entry way, and turned. “Now!”

Her mother’s anger helped to motivate Rachael up off the sofa. She wasn’t looking forward to the lecture she was about to receive but she knew better than to make it worse by dragging her feet. 

The four of them walked down to the dojo in silence. As soon as they entered the room Leonardo, keeping his eyes fixed on the ground, headed straight for the center and kneeled. 

Rachael’s stomach was in knots and her head was spinning as she made her way over to kneel next to Leo. Was he mad at her? Tentatively reaching over for his hand, she was relieved when he turned his hand over to hold hers. Whatever happened now, at they were together in this. 

“Out of all of you…,” Splinter started, ending with a sigh. “I had expected better of you, Leonardo.”

“I know,” Leonardo mumbled. “I am sorry. There is not excusing it. I could not get control of my basic instinct. I needed to stake my claim.”

“Do you love her,” Sliver asked. 

Glancing over, Leonardo squeezed Rachael’s hand. He took a few steading breaths and then looked up at Splinter and Sliver. “I feel that she is the best option for my partner and, one day, the mother of my children. But, in all honesty, I cannot say yet that I love her yet. Though I care for her, it is all still too new. In time, I’m sure that bond of love will form.”

Sliver turned her attention to Rachael. “Do you love him?”

“I don’t know,” Rachael answered honestly, shrugging her shoulders. “I know that I’m attracted to him. I know that both Leah and Donny wanted him so I needed to make a move. When I went to him, I wasn’t planning on… it happening. But I could see that he was struggling and I did end up antagonizing him. I guess I took it too far.”

“There is no turning back from this,” Splinter stated. “The two of you barely know each other.  If this does not work, you two cannot simply go your separate ways and hope to find another.”

“We will make this work,” Leo assured him. “You have my word.”

Splinter and Sliver exchanged looks and then moved off, out of earshot to have a whispered discussion. Leonardo watched them for a moment before turning to Rachael. “I don’t regret it,” he whispered. 

Rachael smirked at him. “If I’m gonna be stuck with someone, I’m glad it’s you. Your crazy matches my crazy. No one else would be able to handle us.” She looked over at their parents. “I wonder what they are talking about.”

“What they’re going to do to us,” Leo replied. “Most likely.”

“Well, they’re not going to tell us to stay away from each other. That’s not possible. I’m probably gonna be stuck with extra training or something like that,” Rachael said and then elbowed Leo. “That wouldn’t be much of a punishment for you though, would it.”

Leo chuckled and shook his head. “My punishments are more along the lines of more chores. Like cooking and cleaning.”

The pair went silent when they saw that their parents were coming back over. They remained kneeling on the ground, holding hands as they waited for their parent’s verdict. “Seeing that Michelangelo and Michelle have established themselves as a couple,” Sliver began, “Splinter and I have agreed to allow Rachael to move into your room and Michelangelo to move in with Michelle. But keep in mind that if they are not ready then you will have to wait.”

Rachael looked up at them in confusion. “You’re not gonna punish us?”

“We are both disappointed, but what can we do? The consequences of your actions will come later,” Splinter stated. “If you do not end up with children then you can count yourselves lucky.”

“If you do have children, they will be yours to raise,” Sliver said, leaving no room for argument. “We will assist you, when needed, but they will be your responsibility.”  

Leo bowed his head. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Just in case,” Splinter said. “Use the condoms Donatello has provided from now on.”

“We will.” Rachael nodded.

“Go,” Sliver dismissed them, waving her hand. 

Without letting go of one another’s hands, Leo and Rachael stood, bowed, and left the dojo. They made their way back to the entertainment room in hopes of finding Mikey and Michelle. Rachael’s heart was still hammering in her chest but, this time it was more from excitement than fear. 

TMNT 100 Theme
Chapter 44
Tears

“Well,” Donny sighed as he watched Leo and Rachael follow their parents out of the room. “I guess that ends the lesson for today.” He grabbed a box and handed it to Mikey. “Here are some condoms. You can come to me when you start to get low. I’m going back to my lab.” With that he collected the rest of his things and left the room. 

Tears stung Leah’s eyes as she sat in stunned silence for a moment while it all sank in. Leonardo and Rachael had admitted to having sex. There was no coming back from that. Not in this small group. They were an item. Now the only one left for her was Raphael. 

Leaning forward she cradled her head in her hands. He wasn’t so bad. He seemed nice enough. He wasn’t her first choice, or even her second choice, but in time she could grow to love him, learn to work around his stubbornness and anger. She was sure of it. 

Leah was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of Donna crying. She looked over to see her sister holding her stomach as she sobbed uncontrollably.

Leah reached out and placed her hand on Donna’s shell. “Donna?”

“Why did he choose her?” Donna sobbed. “She’s such a bitch. He’s too good for her.”

A little taken aback, Leah leaned down in an attempt to look Donna in the face. “I don’t understand why you’re so upset.”

“Because she had a crush on Leo,” Michelle informed her, rolling her eyes. “I mean it was totally obvious.”

Surprised, Leah looked up, past Donna, at Michelle. “It wasn’t to me. I thought Donna was with Tello. I mean, they spend so much time together.”

“No,” Donna and Tello said together. 

“We’re more like brother and sister,” Tello clarified, steepling his large fingers together. “The reason we are together all the time is because of the work we do with Donny. We get along and work well together but there’s no attraction beyond friendship.”

“And besides that, he likes you,” Donna said tartly as she stood up. With tears streaking down her cheeks, Donna rushed from the room. “I’m going to my room.”
 “Oh,” Leah managed to say softly, feeling a little relieved and awkward at the same time. On one hand, her sister was hurting. On the other, Tello was available. The only reason she had been considering Leo was because she thought her choices were between Leo and Raph. Tello was actually preferable over the two of them. 

“We’ll leave you alone to talk,” Mikey said, grabbing Michelle’s hand. He pulled her off the sofa and out of the room before anyone had a chance to object. 

Once they were alone, Leah looked up at Tello. She could see that he was flushed with embarrassment as he fidgeted in his seat. “She wasn’t supposed to tell you that,” he mumbled, looking down at his hands. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Leah asked, scooting closer to Tello. 

Unable to look up at her, Tello shrugged. “The last time I had a crush on a girl, I over did it, came on strong. She knew how I felt but never flat out told me ‘no’. I tried to let her go once but she kissed me and made me think I had a chance, reeling me back in. But she ended up choosing another guy.” Leah reached out and placed her hand over his but he pulled it away and stood up. “I can’t go through that again.”

“I won’t do that to you,” Leah insisted. 

“You wanted Leo.” Tello said, his voice brittle with emotion. “The only reason you’re coming after me is because, like Donna, you don’t want Raph and I’m all that’s left. I’m the one you’re willing to settle for.”

“I was willing to settle for Leo because I thought you were with Donna,” Leah argued standing to move in front of him. “If I had known you were available, I never would have considered him.”

Tello looked up at her with a look of disbelief in his eyes. “You would choose me, over Leo?”

“Yes,” Leah replied softly, bringing her hand up to caress his cheek. “I prefer you.”

Tello looked down again and barely managed to whisper, “It’s hard to believe you.”

“She really hurt you,” Leah said softly as she brushed away a tear with her thumb. Leaning in, she gently placed her forehead against his. “We can take this slow. I’m not going anywhere.”

The moment was broken by an anguished cry that echoed throughout the lair. “Guys!” It was April and she sounded upset. 

Leah and Tello rushed out of the entertainment room and down the stairs in time to see Raph emerge from his craft room. April was standing down on the tracks and ran to him the moment she saw him. Casey was also there with a look of distress on his face. 

Raphael held their pregnant friend as she cried, gently rubbing her back in an attempt to soothe her. Everyone else eventually made their way down to either stand on the platform or down on the tracks, waiting to hear what had their friend so upset. 

“Whatever it is,” Raph soothed, “we’ll work through it.” He looked up at Casey and silently asked what was going on. 

Casey looked down at the large envelope he was holding. “We had a routine checkup today, a sonogram, to find out the gender of the babies. They discovered something….”

Donatello climbed down onto the tracks and approached Casey. “Is that the sonogram?” With a slight nod, Casey handed the envelope over to Donny. After a quick scan over the contents, Donny looked up. “I see.” He walked over to April and placed a comforting had on her back. “It will be alright, April. Medical science has come a long way. Most of this can be corrected. He might not be able to play sports but he can lead a full and productive life.”

“What did I do wrong?” April sobbed, curling in tighter against Raph. “Why is this happening?”

Tello left Leah’s side, hopped down off the platform and headed straight for Donny. Holding his hand out Tello silently asked to see the sonogram. As he looked over the image, Tello dropped to his knees. “I’m so sorry, April. This is my fault.”

April looked over her shoulder and choked out, “What?”

“It’s because of me that your baby is this way,” Tello said somberly. “If I wasn’t here, your baby would be normal. They wouldn’t have come here if I wasn’t here.”

Leo stepped up to the platform edge. “Does this have to do with what you said at the Foot headquarters the other day, about how your friends and family will be reborn here?”  

Without looking up, Tello nodded his head. “The Casey and April from my world have chosen to be reborn to April and Casey.”

Rubbing her eyes, April pulled away from Raph and turned to look at Tello. “I don’t understand. What does that have to do with what is wrong with my baby?”

Tello glanced up at her but could not maintain eye contact so he looked down at the sonogram again. “April died quickly so, for her there was little trauma. But, Casey…. He… he was crushed, surviving for a few days before succumbing to his injuries. That trauma has carried over into this life, as a deformity.”

While Tello spoke, April made her way over to stand next to him. “So you’re saying that the reason there are problems with my baby is because he is reincarnated from your Casey and the way he died affects him now?”

Holding back a sob, Tello nodded. “I’m sorry. They did this so that they could be close to me.”

“Then I didn’t do anything wrong,” April said, as a new flood of tears filled her eyes. “That’s a relief.”

Tello’s eyes went wide and he looked up at April. “You’re not mad?”

April shook her head and wrapped her arms around her belly. “No. I was afraid that I had done something wrong to cause it. Knowing the truth takes a heavy burden off my shoulders.” She reached down and cupped Tello’s face with both of her hands. “Thank you. We’ll do everything we can to make sure that this life is a good one.”

Leah made her way down onto the tracks and knelt down next to Tello. “What’s wrong with the baby?” Tello showed her the sonogram but she shrugged. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to see in that.”

“I couldn’t see it either,” Casey stated. “I don’t know how anyone can see anything in that mess. All I know is what the doctors told me. And we ended up spending the day talking to a lot of them.”

“Here,” Tello pointed to the image. “This is the spine. See how it’s not straight?” When Leah nodded, Tello pointed to another part. “This is his leg.” He then pointed to another part. “This is the leg of the other baby. See how they are different?”

Leah looked closely at the image. “This one isn’t as long and kind of looks twisted.”

Tello nodded. “They’re not developing properly.” He placed the sonograms back into the envelope and handed it up to April. “This development makes sense, since the lower half of Casey had been crushed.” He got to his feet and reluctantly looked April in the eyes. “I am sorry.”

“It’s oaky,” April reassured him while wiping the remainder of her tears from her cheeks. 

“Your friends couldn’t have chosen a better person to be their mom,” Raph stated, draping an arm over April’s shoulders. “She’ll take good care of them. It’s just a shame that it means they get stuck with Casey as their dad.”

“Hey,” Casey said in protest while the others chuckled, the tension in the air alleviated. 

April leaned into Raphael for a sideways hug. “Thank you.”

“You’ve got three of the smartest minds in the world down here,” Raph said as a matter of fact. “There ain’t nothin’ wrong with that baby that they won’t be able to help him with.” He then turned his attention to Tello. “And you stop apologizing for your friends and family choosing to be born here. They’re gonna be in good hands when they get here. My brothers will be good dads to them.”

“This is the first I’m hearing about this,” Donny interrupted. He turned to Tello. “Does this mean that my baby will be someone you knew? Do I have to prepare myself for complications?”

Tello shook his head. “The last time I spoke with my brothers, they told me that Slash will be reincarnated as your child. He died quickly. There shouldn’t be any problems.”

“We don’t have a Slash in this world,” Donny said. 

Tello looked off in the distance as he thought and a small smile turned up the edges of his mouth. “He was originally Raph’s pet turtle that got mutated. Let’s just say that being reborn as a mix between a crocodile and a turtle will suit him well.”

This was the first time Leah and her sisters were hearing about it as well. “Does this mean that the children my sisters and I have with you and the others will have problems?”

“One of my brothers will be born to each of us,” Tello said, nodding his head. “That way none of us are burdened with all three disabled children. I don’t know about the rest of the children we all could potentially have. There are other Turtles, from other dimensions, who are waiting to be reborn in this world. We are their only chance at a new life. They can either be reborn to us or move on. But, there’s no rush. They are willing to wait for us to be ready.”

“Or over eager,” Raph quipped, grinning up at Leo who simply narrowed his eyes in response. “I guess some will be here a little sooner than others.” Raph continued, unfazed by Leo’s look. “It all depends on how responsible the rest of you are.”

“Fuck you, Raph,” Rachael shouted down at him from her spot next to Leo. 

“Rachael,” Sliver scolded. 

“Sorry, mother,” Rachael replied. 

“I would love to,” Raph shouted back in a broken voice. “And I can as much as I want without consequence. But none of your sisters want me.” 

He turned to go back into his craft room but April grabbed his hand, stopping him. “Do you need to talk?”

“I’m fine,” Raph choked out. “This feeling’s nothing new. I’ve dealt with it before and I’ll deal with it again.” Slipping his hand free of her grip, Raph entered his sanctuary and closed the door.  

 

TMNT 100 Theme
Chapter 45
Kick in the Head

Mikey could not believe what he was hearing. After April had left, comforted by her friends and the knowledge that what was wrong with her baby was not her fault, Leonardo, along with Rachael, pulled Mikey and Michelle aside. 

“Splinter and Sliver have given their permission for Rachael to move in with me,” Leo told them in a whisper. “But, for that to happen, Mikey, you have to agree to move in with Michelle.”

“So you guys break the rules and you’re rewarded for it?” Mikey exclaimed in a loud whisper. “You get away with everything, Leo.” 

“I do not,” Leo hissed back. “You sound like Raph.” 

Mikey snorted in response. 

“We’re in trouble,” Leo informed him, “and you know how much I hate having Splinter disappointed in me. What other choice did they have? They know that attempting to keep us apart would be pointless. On top of that, there is a good possibility that we will have children. So… we need to be together. Besides, what are you complaining about?” Leo waved his hand in frustration. “You benefit from this.”

Mikey crossed his arms over his plastron and glared at Leo. “I’m not ready. Unlike you, I wanted to take things slow with Michelle. We haven’t even kissed yet.” Mikey’s anger over the situation faded as something dawned on him. Before Leo could react, Mikey held up his hand and asked, “Do you think Rachael is ready to share a room with you?”

Rachael looked at Mikey in confusion, lifting an eye ridge. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Leo looked away, suddenly finding the floor interesting. He tried to speak but no words came out. There was no doubt that Leo knew what Michelangelo was talking about. 

Mikey felt sorry for Rachael. She committed herself to a man she only knew on the surface. There was so much more to Leo; a hidden darker side. ‘I’m sure Leo’s terrified that Rachael will come to regret it,’ Mikey thought to himself.

He knew firsthand how rough Leo could be. Considering how much Leo had been worked up, Mikey was fairly certain that Leo had been rough with her during sex. So it was likely she had experienced that part of him and accepted it. Leo probably wasn’t as bad as he had been with Mikey since Rachael was a willing participant. But, did she know that it wasn’t going to be a onetime thing? 

Add to that Leo’s night terrors and that he was under a great deal of stress keeping the family safe. There were times that Raph’s temper was nothing compared to Leo’s. It was a lot to take on in a short period of time. She needed time to prepare. 

“I had this plan in my head,” Mikey said, leaning down a little in an attempt to get Leo to look at him again. It worked. Leo lifted his head and fixed his eyes on Mikey. “First I was gonna encourage you to tell her about everything. Then I was gonna explain things to her, let her know what works and what doesn’t. It was meant to take days.”

“If this is about his PTSD and nightmares, I already know,” Rachael interrupted. “He told me all about it before we fu….” A sharp glance from Leo stopped Rachael. She cleared her throat before continuing. “…. before we were intimate. He wanted to give me every chance to turn tail and run. Even after he laid it all out, I decided to stay.”

Mikey let out a deep sigh of relief and looked between them. Okay so she was aware of what she was getting into but she didn’t really know. If she wasn’t properly prepared, she could be hurt during one of Leo’s night time fits. The fact that he wasn’t used to her would be an added issue. In his moment of nightmare induce confusion he could see her as an intruder. “I think I should at least run through a few things with you, just so you are a little more prepared.”

Rachael shrugged. “That’s fine. We can talk after dinner.” 

She shrugged it off now but Mikey knew that her first time dealing with one of Leo’s night terrors was going to make her head spin. The first time Mikey experienced one it left him with a black eye. He was fairly certain that Leo having someone new in bed with him would most likely trigger one. 

“Whatever advice you can give her would be great, Mikey.” Leo’s smiled, conveying to Mikey a genuine appreciation. “You have done so much for me and it means a lot that you have these concerns. Thank you.”

Getting a little flustered with embarrassment, Mikey snorted and tried to wave it off. “You would do the same for me.”

“I don’t want to push you into doing something you aren’t ready to do,” Leo said honestly. “If you’re not ready to move in with Michelle then it can wait. I don’t mind waiting.”

Mikey looked over at Michelle and tried to get a read on how she felt about all of this. She simply grabbed his hand and smiled at him. She was leaving the decision up to him. However, her eyes looked hopeful. 

“Okay,” he said, without taking his eyes off of Michelle. Her smile widened and the look of hope was replaced with excitement. Turning his attention back to Leo, Mikey said, “I’ll move my things in with Michelle so Rachael can move in with you.”

“Thank you, Mikey,” Leo said. 

Rachael started off towards the bedrooms. “I’ll go get my things. What few things I have.”

Mikey sighed and followed after her. “I guess I’ll do the same.”

“Do you want me to help?” Michelle offered. 

With a grin on his face, Mikey looked back and motioned for Michelle to stay put. “It’s best you not come into the room. There are a few personal things in there we don’t want you to accidentally find. Leo can help me move my things. He owes me.”

“I’m coming,” Leo said with a laugh, following after Mikey. 

“I swear we are never allowed to settle in one place for very long,” Mikey said as soon as they entered the room. He headed straight for his things, some of which were still in their boxes. It didn’t take him long to pack the rest. “I guess it’s a good thing I was too lazy to unpack this stuff.”

Leo chuckled in response. “Maybe deep down you knew this was only temporary.” Leo stacked some of the boxes and lifted them with ease. He probably could have carried more if it weren’t for the fact that he needed to see. 

“Nope,” Mikey said, picking up the rest of the boxes and following Leo back out the door. “Lazy.”

They passed Rachael on their way. “Just set your things anywhere,” Leo told her. 

“That’s easy,” Rachael said flatly and held up the few items in her hands. “I don’t have a lot. They’re not gonna take up too much space. I’ll find an empty shelf… or rearrange things so there is one.”

Leo stopped and turned to look at her. “Don’t mess with too much.”

“I’m not promising anything,” Rachael replied, continuing towards the room. 

They’re already acting like a married couple, Mikey thought to himself, shaking his head while he tried not to laugh. 

Tello was sitting under the stairs, playing with the cats when Leo and Mikey passes. “What’s going on?”

“I get to move in with Michelle,” Mikey explained, “so that Rachael can move in with Leo since they already committed to a relationship with each other.”

“Well I guess it’s fortunate that Rachael was rooming with Michelle and you were rooming with Leo then,” Tello observed. “That way none of the rest of us has to shuffle around.”

“I guess it is fortuitous,” Mikey agreed as they reached his new room. “The longer we can go without telling Raph the better. I can just see his head exploding in anger now.”

Michelle greeted them with a smile. “It will be so nice to finally have things in the room.”

“Cut him some slack,” Tello said, standing up and moving to stand in the doorway as Mikey and Leo placed the boxes on the floor. “You and Leo have had it fairly easy. You got the girls you wanted, while Donna wants nothing to do with Raph. She’s actually in her room crying. Leah’s in there with her now.”

“You sound a little upset,” Leo observed. 

Tello flushed a little and diverted his eyes to the floor. “Leah and I talked a little before April showed up. After everything was sorted out with April, Donna headed back into her room and Leah followed. They’ve been in there ever since.” He fidgeted with his hands a little. “I’ve been out here, trying to process it all… without her.”

“So… then…,” Mikey said with a toothy grin. “You also got the girl you’re into.”

Tello’s blush darkened. “It seems like it.”

“Yeah,” Michelle said, drawing the word out. “I thought you would be the one Leah went for.”

“Um….” Tello tilted his head slightly. “You did? Is there a reason for that?”

“Well,” Michelle’s voice went up in pitch. “Don’t take this the wrong way but, you’re the most docile one in the group and Leah…. Well…. Let’s just say that she likes to be in control of things.”

“Leo’s counterpart alright,” Mikey said, dodging an attempted punch to the arm by Leo. “I’ll admit,” he said to Michelle, “I pegged Leah for a dominating type. She’s always to prim and proper, like Leo, so she’s bound to have the same issues with letting go of control.” Again Mikey had to move in order to avoid being hit only this time Leo adjusted and managed to land a solid punch to Mikey’s arm. “Ouch.”

“Wait a minute,” Tello said in protest. “I’m no weakling. I can take charge of things… in the right situations.”

Mikey placed his hand on Tello’s shoulder. “We’re not saying that you’re not capable of taking charge, just that you’re more comfortable as a follower.” He gently shoved Tello. “And it doesn’t make you any less of a man…, so to speak. There’s nothing wrong with letting a girl take charge in the sack.”

Even though it wasn’t a hard shove, Tello still rubbed his shoulder more out of shyness than pain. “Now you’ve given me more to think about.”

“That’s enough,” Leo said, glaring at his brother before he had a chance to say anything more. “Let’s stop talking about sex.”

“Why? Getting you all worked up?” Mikey teased, grunting as once again Leo struck him. “Okay. I’ll stop.”

“I’m gonna go make sure Rachael isn’t snooping out of boredom,” Leo said, leaving the room. 

“I’m gonna go as well,” Tello said, backing out of the doorway, “and think some more.”

With a smile on her face, Michelle closed the door. “Now we’re alone.”

“Yep,” Mikey said, swallowing hard as nerves set in. “Time to unpack,” He said quickly and headed for the stack of boxes, eager for the distraction from his screaming libido. Nothing kills desire like the mundane task of unpacking. Right?

With a sigh of exasperation, Michelle grabbed Mikey by the arm and pulled on him until he was facing her. Before he could say anything in protest, she pulled him down into a kiss. It was a soft, sweet, closed mouth kiss that lasted for just a few seconds but it left Mikey’s head spinning like he had just been kicked. 

There was a soft smack as their lips parted. “That was nice,” Michelle whispered, her lips still just a hair’s breadth from Mikey’s. 

Mikey’s lips were still tingling. “It was,” he agreed, fighting the urge to pull her into another kiss and ruining the tender moment. His body was on fire. He knew he wouldn’t be able to stop with just one more kiss. At the same time he couldn’t bring himself to pull away from her.

“I will admit that I was a little afraid that it was gonna be like when Deadpool and Mr. Deadpool kissed.” Michelle chuckled, resting her hand on Mikey’s chest.

“Me too,” Mikey exclaimed, snapping out of his trance. In the comic, when Deadpool had kissed his female counterpart from an alternate dimension they were both disgusted. Part of him had feared the same result with Michelle. Fortunately that was not the case. It was the exact opposite in fact. “Only in my comic it was Deadpool and Lady Deadpool.” Rushing back over to his boxes, Mikey searched for the one that held his comics, grateful for the distraction from his raging hormones. 

Progress was being made and the first hurdle had been crossed. The fear that had kept Mikey from acting was starting to melt away. After finding the comic he settled on the tatami with Michelle to read it together and she was just as excited as he was to start reading it. This really could end up a perfect relationship. 

TMNT 100 Theme
Chapter 46
In the Storm

“Your resting blood pressure is one hundred forty over eighty,” Donny stated as he placed the sphygmomanometer back into the cabinet. “How can someone who appears to be so calm and collected on the outside carry around so much stress?”

“Conditioning,” Leo answered. 

“You need to vent some of that stress,” Donny said, crossing his arms over his plastron. 

“Easier said than done,” Leo argued. 

“When’s the last time you meditated?” Donny asked. “Successfully.”

Leo shook his head. “I have tried but I haven’t been able to clear my mind enough to meditate for a while.”

Donnie sighed. “That’s what I thought. You have a girlfriend now. Try taking advantage of it.” Donny held up his hands and laughed when Leo looked at him with a raised eye ridge. “And, no I’m not implying that you simply have sex…, though sex is a great stress relief and I have given you plenty of condoms. You’ve got time before nightfall. Have a nice relaxing soak in the hot tub together, spend some time under the UV lamps, and then see if Rachael will give you a massage. Talk to her. Listen to her play her instrument. Take a few swings at the punching bag and have her spot you. Do something. I don’t want to have to medicate you.”

Leo glared at his brother. “Medicate me?” Looking away, he shook his head. “I have come close to losing loved ones so many times that I have lost count. I am the leader. It is on me to keep us safe. Now our little family is bigger and it will continue to get bigger and our enemies will not hesitate to kill any one of you. Medicating me will not change that.”

Donny sighed softly. “I know you carry the weight of the world on your shoulders right now but you have to learn to let some of that go. It is crushing you. I don’t want you to have a heart attack because you’re constantly worried about what our enemies might do. Stressing about the future won’t do anybody any good.”

“Alright,” Leo said with a sigh and a slight nod. “I’ll find Rachael and we’ll do some of the things you suggested.”

“Good.” Donny nodded. 

Leo got to his feet and considered his brother for a moment. “How are you doing?”

“I’m good,” Donny replied with a smile, rubbing his belly. “I’m not as sick with this pregnancy as I was with Snow.”

“It is so weird hearing you say that,” Leo said with a chuckle. “I don’t think I will ever get used to it.”

“You think it’s weird for you?” Donny smiled at his brother. “I’m the one going through it.” He looked off to the side in thought. “When this one is born, I’m going to have Dr. Chaplin remove the alien uterus. I’m good with just two.”

“There will be plenty of babies in the lair soon enough,” Leo pointed out. 

Donny laughed. “We won’t have room for them all.”

“This is not going to be easy,” Leo stated with a sigh. 

“We’ll figure it all out,” Donny soothed. 

Leo made his way to the door. “I hope so.” He left Donny’s lab and sought out Rachael. He had to admit that the thought of a nice long soak in the hot tub and a good massage sounded nice. Would she be willing to give him a massage?

He found her in the dojo, training with Raph. The pair of red banded turtles were sparring against each other both physically and verbally. Going unnoticed, Leo simply stood back out of sight and listened. From where he was standing he couldn’t see what was happening, but their voices carried well enough. 

“Good,” Raph said, followed by the soft shuffling of feet as they repositioned themselves. “Again.”

Raphael barked orders at Rachael, helping her develop her skills against an unfamiliar opponent. Years of training against the same opponents has its downsides. It is easy to read them and they become predictable. A thug on the street is anything but predictable. 

“You mad at Leo?” Rachael grunted out as they sparred.

Raph let out a humorless laugh. “No. I expected this. It’s not his fault that Donna wants him.”

The sound of movement stopped and Rachael took a few deep breaths to steady her breathing. “She’ll come around.”

Raphael sighed. “Her choices are me or being alone. I’m sure she struggling over which one’s worse.”

“Don’t be mean when she finally comes to you.” They walked a few steps and then there was the sound of a water bottle being picked up and exchanging hands. “Thank you.”

“I won’t,” Raph said as Rachael took a drink. “I’m not mad at her. I just want her to be happy. If she wants me to leave her alone, I will. If she decides to be with me instead of being alone….” His voice cracked. “I’ll do whatever she asks me.”

“That’s not fair for you,” Rachael pointed out. 

“It’s not fair for her,” Raph argued. “I want to be with her. She’s the one having to settle.”

“She wouldn’t’ve been happy with Leo,” Rachael stated with a slight chuckle. “And he wouldn’t’ve been happy with her. You’re what she wants, she just doesn’t know it yet.”

“We’ll see,” Raph said dismissively. “We’ve been at this for a while. We should take a break so we’ll be rested for tonight.”

“Alright,” Rachael agreed. 

At the sound of approaching footsteps, Leo silently pulled back from the door and then started walking forward again to give the impression of just arriving. When Raph emerged from the dojo, Leo smiled. “Is Rachael in there?”

“Yeah,” Raph replied with a nod and continued on his way. 

Leo watched as Raph walked away. He hated to see his brother suffering, knowing that there wasn’t anything he could do to help. Any action Leo took would only anger his brother more. He took comfort in knowing that Raph was at least opening up to his counterpart. 

With a soft sigh, Leo turned away from his troubled brother and headed into the dojo. Rachael was doing cooldown exercises that stretched her muscles and displayed her flexibility. Leo felt his tail stiffen at the sight and had to take a few steading breaths. “Hey,” he said, drawing Rachael’s attention. 

“Hey,” she replied with a slight nod of her head. “I just got done learning a few things from Raph. I’m ready to take on some bad guys tonight. It will be nice to finally get out there and make a difference.”

“We’ll start you off easy and work your way up,” Leo said, smiling. “Before you know it, you’ll be able to take on a team of Purple Dragons with ease. But for now.” He reached out his hand to her. “Come with me.”

“Where are we going?” Her usually monotone voce carried a slightly suggestive tone as she slipped her hand into his. It wasn’t helping his blood pressure to hear her voice change like that.

“I thought we could both benefit from a nice long soak in the hot tub,” Leo said as he led the way out of the dojo. 

“That’s fine,” Rachael said with a smile. “As long as we fuck later.”

Leo stumbled in his step and quickly looked around to make sure there was no one around. “Not so loud,” he whispered. 

“I thought you liked me loud,” Rachael teased. 

“Not where others can hear you,” Leo hissed, pulling her along. 

She didn’t resist him in the slightest and when they passed the stairs she chuckled. “You missed the turn.”

“Change of plans,” he said, heading straight for their room. “We’ll soak in the hot tub later.” Ignoring the knowing looks from Mikey and Raph, who happened to be exiting the kitchen at that moment with food for the cats, Leo entered his room, dragging Rachael behind him and then closed the door. 

“What on Earth could’ve changed your mind?” Rachael ran her bottom lip through her teeth. “Was it something I said?”

“Get your gear off and get on the bed,” Leo growled as he removed his mask. Rachael made a show of removing her gear, keeping her eyes on Leo the whole time. When she moved to the bed and lay down on her back, Leo shook his head. “Get on your knees and grab the headboard.

“Alright,” Rachael said in her sultry voice that was reserved only for Leo. She shifted her position so that she was on her knees, placed her hands on the headboard and lifted her tail. Looking over her shoulder she asked, “This what you want?”

Leo nodded his head. “Yeah.” He removed the rest of his gear and then retrieved the box of condoms out from under the bed along with some rope. 

As Leo placed a condom on the nightstand, Rachael’s eyes shifted towards the rope. “You gonna tie me up?”

“I’m going to tie your hands,” Leo confirmed. 

“You gonna blindfold and gag me as well?” Rachael asked, looking up at Leo. “Do you wanna spank me? Do I need a safe word or something?”

“I’ll never gag you,” Leo stated. “I need to hear you talk, that’s part of what gets me off. And I have no desire to hurt you. I’m not into that. I just want to tie your hands to the headboard. It has to do with control.”

“Feed your kinks,” Rachael said, nodding her head. “I trust you.”

“Good,” Leo said and then proceeded to bind her hands to the metal headboard. As he looped and bound the soft rope around her hands, Leo could feel his desire rise. When he was done, he tugged on the rope. “Not too tight?”

“I’m good,” Rachael replied. 

Leo traced his fingers along her arms and down her back as he made his way to the foot of the bed and her backside. Grabbing her tail, Leo sild his finger across her cloaca. She moaned in response, lifting her tail higher. “Can I see your cock before we start,” Rachael requested, looking over her shoulder. “You went after it so fast last time I didn’t get a chance to see it. I wanna see if it’s an impressive as Donny claims it to be.”

Keeping his hand on her tail, Leo stepped closer to the head of the bed. He dipped his finger inside her, teasing her clitoris. Much to his delight, she was already wet. With a soft moan, he slipped his penis out of his tail. One hand stimulated her and he used his other to stroke himself, her moans of pleasure adding to his own. The desire to get up on the bed and take her from behind was strong but he wanted to hear her beg. 

“That is impressive,” Rachael hummed. “I want it inside me.”

Leo removed his finger from her wet slit and grabbed the condom. “I don’t believe you.”

“Oh but I do want it,” Rachael said in a sultry voice. “Give it to me. Fuck me, Leo. Please.”

Leo smiled. “Ride me.” He put the condom on and then got up on the bed, sliding under her. She straddled him and then teased him by grabbing his cock with her tail. Moving her hips, she slid her slit up and down his length. 

“Put it in me,” she pleaded. “I can’t do it myself. You tied my hands.” When he did nothing, she growled. “Damnit, Leo. Don’t tease me. Fuck me.” She had increased the movement of her hips and looked down at him with a gleam of mischief in her eyes. “Or are you too scared you won’t last long enough to satisfy me?”

Leo’s penis twitched and ached with desire. How was it that she already knew all the right things to say to get him going? Keeping his eyes locked on hers, he lifted his needy cock as Rachael lifted up. He aligned his tip with her slit she lowered herself, taking it all in. Even with the condom on, it felt amazing to be enveloped by her tight warmth. Rolling his head back, Leo let out a deep churr.  

Rachael moaned as she started to bounce up and down on him. “You feel so good, Leo.”

Leo placed his hands on her thighs, squeezing the tight muscles that trembled with the effort of keeping the fast pace she had set. Words of praise fell from her lips in breathless mumbles. Whenever she tilted her head back, Leo could see the throbbing pulse in her neck. Everything about her excited him. 

“Oh fuck,” she gasped, slowing her pace as her body tensed. 

Leo moved with her, gently stimulating her through her orgasm in an attempt to strengthen it or at least draw it out longer. The squelching sound made every time he moved within her was another turn on for him. It meant she was wet and that meant that he had successfully pleasured her. 

Her body trembled from the after effects of the orgasm and she slumped slightly in exhaustion. “That was… wow,” she mumbled. 

With a few steady upward thrusts, Leo sought out his own completion before reaching up to undo the knots that held Rachael’s wrists. As soon as she was free, she fell onto him, her beak pressed into his neck as she let out a satisfied hum. 

“I need to take this thing off,” Leo said softly, kissing the top of her head. 

With a slight nod of understanding, Rachael lifted herself up. Leo made sure to hold the condom in place as she slid off and flopped down on the bed. Leo sat up and removed the condom, happy to see that it held, and threw it away. He knew it was possible that it was a little late to start using one but if she was capable of storing sperm, he wasn’t about to add to what she already had. 

With a satisfied sigh, he lay back down on the bed and the two of them shifted their position until they were comfortably snuggling up against each other. Donny was right, sex was a wonderful way to ease tension. He hadn’t felt this relaxed in a long time. 

Rachael trailed her fingers down Leo’s plastron. “Your penis is still out,” she said and touched the still exposed tip. 

Leo gasped and grabbed her wrist. “I can’t pull it all the way in yet and it’s kind of sensitive so don’t touch it.” He lifted her wrist to his lips and kissed it before checking to make sure the ropes didn’t leave any marks. It was a little red but he was sure it would fade soon.

“Okay,” Rachael chuckled, placing her hand back on Leo’s chest once he released it. 

“I will want to tie you up again,” Leo said as a matter of fact, looking up at the ceiling, “in more intricate ways. And blindfold you.”

“But you’ll never gag me. You’re into bondage.” She shrugged. “That’s fine.” Rachael traced her fingers through the lines on his plastron. “You can do whatever you want as long as you fuck me.”

“Don’t talk about sex outside of this room again,” he said, keeping his eyes on the ceiling. 

Rachael propped herself up and looked down at Leo. “Is there anything else?”

Leo cupped her cheek and brought her down for a soft kiss. “I love you.”

A genuine smile lit up her face. “I love you too.”

They stayed in bed, snuggled up together for another hour before heading upstairs for a soak in the hot tub. Rachael was kind enough to rub Leo’s shoulders while they soaked. By the time they were done, dinner was ready. Afterwards, Leo helped with the dishes while Mikey took Rachael off to the side to discuss Leo. 

When darkness fell, it was time for them to go out on their training run. Eight out of the nine turtles suited up to go out. Donny was staying behind due to his condition. Leo could see the worry in Sliver’s eyes as they left but Splinter was there to reassure her that everything was going to be alright. 

This was something that they needed to do. Sliver had to let them go. Their enemies were dangerous and the girls were going to have to learn how to survive the storm if they ever wanted to leave the lair. What they were going to face tonight was nothing compared to the torrent of evil that awaited them in the future. 

Leo led the way through the sewers and up to the surface and the others followed silently. It was strange not hearing the usual banter between his brothers. Leo couldn’t remember exactly when it had stopped happening. For a moment, he longed for the simpler days when they were able to be more carefree.  

The area they were going to patrol was one that the Purple Dragons tended to stay away from. Petty crooks were what they were after, nothing too great. This was going to be the girls’ first real fight, Leo wanted to keep it simple.  

When they reached their destination, Leo addressed the girls. “My brothers and I will stay back while the four of you fight the bad guys. We will only intervene if we deem that the situation has become more than you can handle. Until we find a crime, we keep moving. Stay close and don’t let anyone see you. And above all, try not to kill anyone.”

The girls nodded their heads in response and Leo turned, heading across the roof tops. Even though they weren’t going to be fighting the greater threats against the city, it still felt good to finally be on patrol again. 

63
Pen and Paper

Donna flopped down on the bed with a grunt. Their first patrol had been a success. Mistakes had been made but they had managed to fight off petty criminals without needing the guys to help. But all that fighting had left her whole body aching. She had physically worked herself harder than she had ever worked before. Then again, she had never had to fight for her life before. 

The more time that past the more she hurt. Now that the rush was starting to wear off, every blow the criminals had managed to land was starting to make their presence known. She hurt so much that, despite how exhausted she was, she doubted she was going to get any sleep. 

Leah looked just as exhausted and she was sporting a sizable welt on her upper left arm where one of the criminals had managed to strike her with a bat. That was going to leave a nasty bruise. Slowly, Leah removed her gear as her body started to stiffen. “I have a feeling I am going to be hurting worse in the morning.”

“You and me both,” Donna moaned, shifting her position a little to make room for Leah. 

When someone knocked on their door they looked at each other, neither willing to get up to answer it. “Come in,” Leah called out. 

Tello poked his head in and smiled at the two of them. “Hi….” He held up a small bottle. “Donny asked me to give this to you. It’s ointment. It should help ease the pain and reduce the swelling.”

Leah held up her hands. “Toss it here. I don’t wanna get up.” 

“You know,” Tello said as he opened the door a little wider and stepped in. “If you are in that bad of shape I could always come in and lend a hand.” With a chuckle he held up his hand and smiled. “It will take less than no time at all with hands like….”

His statement ended with a slight yelp as he was pulled back. He looked off to the side and Raph’s voice could be heard coming from just out of sight. “Now’s not the time to flirt with your new girlfriend.”

“Right. Sorry.” Tello shifted his attention back to Leah. “Sorry. I got a little carried away. Here.” He tossed the bottle and Leah expertly caught it. 

“You’re forgiven,” Leah said with a smile. “Maybe in the morning I will let you put those hands to work.”

Tello flushed and started to mumble nervously and incoherently. Once again Raph’s hand came out and pulled Tello back. “Goodnight, ladies,” he said, staying out of sight as he closed the door. 

Leah and Donna passed the bottle between each other as they worked to cover all of their sore spots. By the time they were done, the bottle was almost empty, spurting out its contents when they squeezed, but at least it seemed to be working. The pain Donna had been feeling was fading to a dull ache. 

Closing her eyes, she let out a content sigh. 

She must have fallen asleep because the next thing she knew was that she was being startled awake by a loud thud and Rachael screaming out, “Leo!”

Stiff muscles be damned, Donna and Leah were out of their bed in an instant. They opened their door in time to see Mikey rushing into Leo and Rachael’s shared room. Making their way over to the open door, Leah and Donna looked inside. 

Rachael was sitting on the floor with Mikey looking her over. “I’m fine,” she insisted, shooing him away. “He didn’t hurt me. I was just surprised.”

Leo was on the bed with his head in his hands, slouched over in shame. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled over and over. 

“What happened,” Mikey asked as the others soon joined them to see what was going on. 

“Leo started moving,” Rachael explained. “I was asleep and had forgotten that I was next to him and not Michelle.” She sighed, looking more frustrated with herself than anything. “Michelle tends to fidget in her sleep so when Leo started moving, I pushed him like I usually did Michelle. That’s when he threw us both off the bed but I’m okay.”

“I tried to strangle you,” Leo stated, sounding angry with himself. 

“You came to your senses before anything happened,” Rachael argued. She looked around at everyone gathered in the doorway. “I’m fine,” she insisted. “You all can stop gawking and go back to bed.”

“She’s right,” Sliver said from behind Donna. She placed her hand on Donna’s shoulder and coaxed her away from the door. A simple hand gesture was all that was needed to get Leah to move away.

“Rachael appears unharmed so there is no need for you all to stay,” Splinter agreed, stepping past the others to enter the room. “Mistress Yuri and I will handle this. The rest of you should return to your rooms.”

“Hai, Sensei,” they all said, overlapping one another as they made their way back to their rooms. 

“Everything okay?” Raph asked Tello. He had stayed back by the stairs when everyone else had tried to press into the room to get a look. 

“It seems like it,” Tello replied as they made their way back to their room. “Leo snapped out of it before he seriously hurt Rachael.”

“Good,” Raph said. “Hopefully she’ll learn fast. I’d hate to see Leo guilt ridden over hurting her like he was when he gave Mikey a black eye.”

Leah and Donna entered their room and made their way back to bed. “Can you imagine?” Leah asked as they settled into bed. Leah was on her back, looking up at the ceiling with her hands tucked under her head. “She needs to be on guard at all times now, even when she’s asleep.” She turned her head to look at Donna. “He could seriously hurt her if she does the wrong thing.” She looked back up at the ceiling and sighed. “I’m glad it’s not me.”

“If Leo’s that bad, imagine how bad Raph is,” Donna said tartly, turning on her side facing Leah and tucking one arm under her pillow for support.  

Shaking her head, Leah looked at Donna again. “When I overheard Mikey warning Rachael about Leo after dinner I had asked Tello about Raph. He said that Raph was a deep sleeper and if he does have a nightmare he simply holds Tello closer. I don’t think you have to worry about him.”

Donna glared at Leah. “You’re assuming that I’m going to be sleeping next to him one day.”

“You’re the one who brought him up.” Leah turned on her side to face Donna. “You’re going to choose to be alone?”

Donna looked down and shrugged. “I don’t know yet.”

Leah brushed her fingers along Donna’s cheek and then leaned in to kiss her sister on the forehead. Nothing more was said as the two settled down to sleep. 

The next morning, Donna headed to Donny’s lab with the latest file she had finished reading in hand. She was learning so much from Donatello’s notes and envied the life he had led. True his life had been in danger a good portion of the time but he had experienced so much. He had even traveled through space and time. 

The door to the lab was open, indicating that she was free to enter. She rounded the shelving unit that served as a room divider and headed straight for Donny, who was sitting at his desk. She held the file out to him. “I’m ready for the next file.” 

He reached down to pat the filing drawer without taking his eyes off of his computer. “Help yourself.”

Dropping to her knees, Donna opened the drawer and placed the read file away before searching for another one. She didn’t have to read the files in an order, they were by subject not by occurrence. So she looked for a subject that interested her and found the one on the guys’ mystic training. 

As she pulled the file out, she noticed an envelope with her name on it next to one with the name Joi on it. Curiosity getting the better of her, Donna grabbed the envelope with her name on it and tucked it against the file in her hand to hide it. 

“I’m gonna start in on these right away,” she said as she got to her feet. 

“We’re good on work load for now,” Donny said, without looking up and waved her away. “You can do whatever you want for now. But I will need your help later with some things so don’t tuck yourself away somewhere where I can’t find you.”

“Alright,” Donna agreed as she made a hasty exit. 

She headed straight for her room and closed the door behind her. Sitting on the bed, she tossed the file aside and looked down at the envelope in her hands. Why would Donny have this? She was going to find out. 

Carefully breaking the seal, Donna opened the envelope and pulled out the folded papers inside. It was a hand written note, three pages long front and back, written in black ink. After scanning over the first few lines, she was able to deduce that it was written by Raphael. 

Part of her wanted to simply fold it back up and seal it back in the envelope but the other part wanted to know what it said. So she read it. What harm could there be in it?

The first part explained how it was Donny’s idea that he write the letter. It was therapeutic. Write the letter, say what you wanted to say, seal it in an envelope and never send it to them. It was a way of working it out of your system without actually confronting the other person. He had done it years before when a woman named Joi had broken his heart. That explained the other one Donna had seen.

Then he went on to explain how when he had first seen her that she was like an answer to his prayers. He was closest to his brother Donny and he had hoped to have the same connection to her. He had forgotten about the animosity that Donny had towards him when they were younger. That it was only after they went out into the world and had to fight alongside each other that their relationship started to grow. 

He understood that, since Donna and her sisters lacked the same life experiences that she did not get the chance to build that same kind of relationship with Rachael. And, just like he had done with her and Donny, Donna had projected the image Rachael on to him. 

She had to take a moment to stop reading as she let that sink in. He was right. Everything she thought about him was based on Rachael. She had never taken the time to get to know him. She knew that she wasn’t exactly like Donny. It wasn’t fair to assume that Raphael was exactly like Rachael. 

She continued to read about the things he would have shared with her. About how he had already started to modify some of the dresses he had to fit her. He promised that he would never hurt her. He couldn’t guarantee that he would not yell from time to time or lose his temper, but he would not physically harm her. 

Tear stains smudged the ink on the page as his words turned to acceptance of her not wanting him. He said she deserved better than him and that all he wanted was for her to be happy. He would respect whatever decision she made. 

She read how he felt that the attack had left him weak, damaged. It robbed him of his ability to have children. His confidence was gone. He was doing things he never would have done before it had happened. 

What she read next she had to read again to make sure she had read it right. Sitting up in bed she felt her heart sink as she read it yet again. He confessed that he was addicted to pain pills and that no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t stop taking them. She could see the change in his handwriting that signified how emotional he was at the moment he had written the words. Donna’s heart sank. What was she going to do now that she knew this secret? 
TMNT 100 Theme
Chapter 48
Sport

Tello stood at one end of the dojo, looking across the room at Michelle. His heart hammered in his chest as he tried to anticipate how she was going to come at him. Nodding his head to indicate that he was ready, he braced himself. 

Michelle darted forward, making a tumbling pass across the dojo floor. When she reached him, Michelle did a hand spring into the air and came down with her feet together. Dropping to one knee, Tello cupped his hands and positioned them so that she would land on them. 

As soon as they made contact, Tello judged her next move. The way her muscles tensed, Tello could see that Michelle was readying herself to jump again so he gave her a boost. They worked in unison. As he stood, he lifted his arms so that Michelle would gain more height in her jump. 

His eyes never left her as she twisted and spun in the air. As she began her decent, she twisted so that she fell backwards towards him. Tello reached up and caught her, cradling her in his arms. 

He held her for only a second. As soon as her downward momentum had stopped and they had both found their balance, he adjusted his hold so that she could slide out of his arms and onto her own two feet. 

She threw her harms up into the air and cheered, “You caught me!”

“Wonderfully done,” Sliver praised them, clapping her hands. “There was no hesitation and you both managed to anticipate one another well enough get through the stunt without falling.”

In hopes of uniting the two teams into one, Splinter and Sliver had decided on running them all through a series of trust exercises. Working as a team was crucial to their survival. Being raised together, the siblings were already used to reading one another during a fight. The goal was to get that same level of familiarity between the boys and girls. 

The sport they were practicing this morning was, more or less, competitive cheer. Donatello, however got to sit it out due to his condition of being pregnant. In the exercise, the girls were making tumble passes across the dojo towards the boys. There would be no discussion beforehand or plan, instead they would have to go purely off of instinct. 

At first it was disastrous. The girls would hesitate, not fully trusting the guys to catch them and the guys would fumble, unsure where the girls would go. Bodies would collide with one another and the pair would end up in a pile on the floor, both blaming the other for everything that had gone wrong. 

It had taken them some time but eventually things started to turn for the better. Michelle was actually the second one Tello had managed to read properly. Rachael had been the first. It was intimidating to have someone almost as big as he was running towards him but she had no intention of having him catch her. Instead she had relied on him to give her a boost. She had gone up into the air, did an impressive twist and spin, and then landed next to him. 

Michelle and Tello moved out of the way as Splinter called Raphael and Donna forward. They were the last pairing for the day. Earlier, Raph had collided with Rachael, dropped Michelle, and managed read Leah well enough so that she was able to flip and land standing on his shoulders. 

However, Donna’s over all shyness and mistrust had all of her attempts ending badly. Tello felt bad for her. It wasn’t that she lacked skill, just confidence and she didn’t like being the center of attention or touched. 

“Raphael will catch you,” Splinter assured Donna as she took her place on the other side of the dojo. “Trust him and do not hesitate.”

After letting out a deep breath she began her run towards Raph, flipping and twisting as she raced across the room. Tello could read the anticipation laced with fear in Raph’s eye as his stance shifted with every move Donna made. He looked determined to make this work.

Donna’s final flip had her in front of Raph with her back to him while in a handstand. Using her momentum, he reached down and grabbed her by the waste and lifted her from the ground. He tossed her slightly into the air, twisting her so that she was momentarily face down and parallel to the ground. As he ducked slightly, she brought her feed down. They made contact and together they righted themselves to the standing position, with her balanced on his hand. 

“He was able to lift her up!” Michelle cheered in delight, clapping her hands. 

“Not funny,” Donna shot back so frazzled that she was thrown off balance. She let out a small squeak as she started to fall. 

Raphael was quick to react and managed to move so that he could catch Donna bridal style. Rachael let out a soft chuckle. “Good catch.”

Ignoring Rachael, Raph looked down at Donna for a moment, checking to make sure she was alright. When their eyes met, his cheeks darkened and he gingerly set her on her feet. Raph looked away before the blush that painted Donna’s cheeks flared. Tello was sure that even if he had seen it, Raph would have thought that it was due to embarrassment or anger. But there was something about the way Donna was looking at Raph that made Tello think that there might have been something more to it. 

Michelle’s eyes went wide as her hand came up to her mouth. “I didn’t mean it that way. Sorry, Donna. I was happy that you guys succeeded. It wasn’t meant to sound like I was teasing you.”

“It’s okay,” Donna replied softly, shifting her eyes to the floor. “I over reacted.”

“You did well,” Sliver praised them. “Though there was still a little bit of hesitation, you finally learned to trust one another. We must build on that until you are all a unified team.” A sly smile spread across her face. “Splinter and I have come up with several more exercises designed to do just that and they will be part of your daily training.”

Splinter moved to stand next to Sliver and gestured towards the weapons’ wall. “Now that this little exercise is complete, it is time for katas and sparing.”

“Hai, Sensei,” they said in unison, bowing slightly before turning to collect their weapons from the wall. 

Once again, Splinter and Sliver stepped aside to allow Leo to take charge. He ran them through a series of katas that could be used with any weapon and then separated them to practice weapon specific katas. After an hour of that, he paired them off for some sparring. By the time they were done, Tello was exhausted. 

He decided was going to use his free time before lunch to take a nice, long soak in the hot tub. He took the stairs two at a time and was already in the process of undoing his belt as he opened the door. Stripping himself of all of his gear, he set it aside before heading over to the hot tub to turn it on. 

As he waited for the water to get hot, Tello took a quick shower to wash off all the grit and grime. Freshly cleaned, he slipped into the tub and rested his carapace against one of the jets. He liked the way the gushing water felt against his sensitive scutes. Leaning his head back, Tello closed his eyes and relaxed.

The sound of the door opening was not enough to rouse him from his moment of tranquility. He didn’t care who it was or what they were going to do, he was comfortable and had no intention of moving for anything. 

He heard their every movement. They first stripped off their gear and then made their way over to the shower. Their foot falls were light, leading Tello to believe that it was one of the girls. Mikey or Raph would have been stomping their way to the shower and Leo would have made no sound at all. If it had been Donny, he would have said something. 

“Can I join you?”

Leah’s voice pulled Tello from a trance and his eyes popped open as he jerked upright. There she was, standing at the edge of the hot tub, looking down at him, naked and wet and he suddenly felt lightheaded. Nodding dumbly was the only response he was able to give. 

As Leah stepped into the hot tub, Tello could see that her tail was down. His pulse quickened and his own tail grew stiff at the sight of it. 

Leah hummed as she submerged herself into the warm water, sitting across from Tello. “This is nice.” She smiled, looking Tello in the eyes. “I’ve been hoping we could spend some more time alone together.”

“I’m still finding it hard to wrap my head around the fact that you have chosen to be with me,” Tello admitted. 

“Well, I have,” Leah replied. “What about you? I’m I the one you wanted?”

“I hadn’t really thought about it,” Tello admitted. When he saw a brief glint of sadness in her eyes he did his best to explain. “It’s just… I’m scared,” Tello said, keeping his eyes fixed on Leah. “I didn’t want to let myself fall for one of you. I don’t…,” he faltered and had to look away. “It killed me a little on the inside when April finally chose Casey over me. I don’t think I could go through that again. I think you’re beautiful, but part of me’s afraid that someone else will come along and you’ll fall for him. You’ve chosen me out of who you thought was available but your choices really aren’t that limited. I mean, the Foot clan has several mutants now. You don’t have to be with another Turtle. I’m sure there are several who would find you attractive….”

Before he could ramble any further, Leah moved so that she was sitting next to him and then placed her hand on his cheek to coax him to turn his head and look at her. “I’m not settling for one of four options. I have met several of the mutants in the Foot clan and I would rather be with you.”

“Why?” Tello rasped out. “Why would you want to be with me?”

Leah chuckled. “Would you like a list?”

“It might help,” Tello said, managing a small smile. “I could use a boost to my ego.”

“You’re witty,” Leah said, running her fingers along Tello’s cheek, “and a little goofy. I like your smile and your eyes. You’re kind and smart. I can’t think of anyone I would rather be with.” Leaning forward she placed a soft kiss on his lips, causing his brain to shut down.

When they parted he tried to say something but it all came out and incoherent dribble. With a giggle, Leah licked her lips and moved to sit in Tello’s lap. Not knowing what he was allowed to do, his hands gripped the edge of the seat. His heart was pounding as she leaned forward. This time she kissed him deeply, her tongue exploring the depth of his mouth. 

Tello churred in response. 

“I like that sound,” Leah hummed into the kiss. “Do it again.”

“I don’t really control it,” Tello said in a daze. “It just kind of happens.”

Leah smiled as she sucked on Tello’s bottom lip. “Why don’t we go back to my room and see if I can get you to make that noise again.”

Tello nodded his head. At this point he was willing to do anything she asked of him. He didn’t resist as she pulled him out of the hot tub. The cool air snapped him from his daze enough to turn the heater off before they gathered their gear and left the bathroom.

When they reached Leah’s room Tello remembered one small problem. “What if Donna comes in?”

“I had asked her if I could have the room to myself for a little while,” Leah answered, as she put her gear away. “She knows I want to spend more time with you so she promised to stay away until after lunch.” She chuckled. “Her only request is that we put a towel or something on the bed. Just in case.”

“Okay,” Tello said, suddenly feeling lightheaded again. Was she implying what he thought she was? The next thing he knew was that he was lying on the floor, looking up at Leah. “What happened?”

“You fainted,” Leah answered. 
 
“I did?” Tello whimpered. 

Leah nodded. “You okay?”

She helped Tello sit up and a wave of embarrassment washed over him. “Oh man, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Leah soothed. 

Internally he was chiding himself. Placing his hand on his head, Tello sighed. “I get nervous and then light headed and the next thing I know…,”

“It’s okay,” Leah insisted and then helped Tello to his feet. “Why don’t you go lie down on the bed.”

“Good idea,” Tello said before flopping face down on the soft tatami. “That way if I pass out again, I won’t get hurt,” he mumbled into the pillow. 

Leah got on the bed next to him and began to rub his carapace. Tello hummed in delight and began to relax. After a while, Leah coaxed Tello to roll over onto his back. She then straddled his hips and resumed kissing him. 

He gripped his sheets as another churr bubbled up. Breaking the kiss, Leah smiled down at him before noticing his white knuckle hold on the sheets. Sliding her fingers down his arms, she grabbed hold of his hands. “It’s okay if you touch me.” She moved his hands up so that he could grab the back of her thighs. 

Tello churred as he kneaded the tight muscle. 

“I really like it when you make that sound,” she husked as she dropped her tail down to wrap around his. Churring again, he squeezed Leah’s legs tighter as he bucked his hips. 

Tello’s body trembled from the rush of endorphins. Dazed, he looked up at her. “Leah.”

“That sounds even sweeter,” she hummed leaning forward to once again capture his lips. 

His mind was in a fog but his body was alive. Every touch was like a shockwave to his core and before he knew it, his penis was emerging. Leah didn’t shy away from it. She simply shifted her position so that it could come up between them. When she touched it, Tello nearly blacked out again. 

He churred with each breath, unable to believe that it was actually happening. He was in such a dazed state of euphoria that he barely registered it when she reached for a condom. He watched her unroll the it onto his penis, so aroused that it almost hurt. It was really happening. 

As she lowered herself onto him and he was enveloped in her tight warmth, his eyes glazed over. Blinking in an attempt to clear his vision, he tried to watch Leah but he couldn’t stay focused. He was in a state of pure bliss and it was only getting better. The world could come crashing down around him and he wouldn’t know it. 

He thought that there was no way it could get any better but then his body tensed for a moment before his released. Lights danced before his eyes before everything went black. 

Tello couldn’t remember the last time he had felt so relaxed. His eyelids were heavy as he fought to open them. A soft kiss on his forehead helped to pull him to full consciousness. “Did I dream it all or did we… just…?” he asked weakly. 

Leah smiled and nodded. “We did.”

“I’m sorry I passed out… again,” Tello whimpered. He felt bad. There was no way she had enjoyed it. He had been lying there like a lump the whole time, making her do all the work and then he passed out. “I’ll make it up to you, somehow.”

“I enjoyed it,” she said as she curled up against him, resting her head on his chest. 

“Really?” Tello looked at her. “You’re not just saying that to make me feel better?”

Leah nodded. “Watching the kind of effect it had on you and hearing all the noises you made… kind of turned me on. I hadn’t planned on us having sex but… the more nervous you were… the more aroused I was.” She lifted her head so that she could look at him. “I didn’t know that about myself.”

“I never thought that sex would be so incapacitating for me,” Tello said in an attempt to be funny. “I guess we both learned something new about ourselves.”

“True,” Leah said with a chuckle as she placed her head back on his chest. “We have a few more hours before lunch. I don’t want to move until then.”

“Good idea,” Tello mumbled as he started to doze. 

TMNT 100 Theme
Chapter 49
Fairy Tale

Raphael was sitting at his work table, delicately painting the eyebrows on the face of a Barbie doll he was refurbishing. It had originally been a doll from the eighties with heavy makeup and matted hair. Some acetone on the face removed the original paint and a few hours soaking in fabric softener helped smooth out the hair. He was glad that he was able to salvage the hair. Replacing it would have taken a great deal longer that it did for him to brush it out. 

The light brown brow was the last detail he had to do on the face. Once it was dried, he would be able to style the hair and then place the head on a body. He already had a few Barbie sized dresses made, using materials from formal gowns that were too damaged to be salvageable for anything other than scrap. 

He used real gold and small jewels as accents and jewelry. When finished, the doll he was working on would put any found on the market to shame and would sell in April’s shop for several hundred dollars. There was a waiting list, his dolls were so popular. Most people didn’t care what size doll they got, so long as they got the next one. 

He had his favorite movie, Beauty and the Beast, playing on a small television, DVD player combo. He wasn’t really watching it, having it on more for background noise. He softly sang along to the music as he worked, his deep baritone often falling out of key but he knew every word. 

He had just finished the eyebrows and was debating on whether or not to add a beauty mark when someone knocked on the door. He had been expecting April with a new supply of old dolls but a glance at the clock told him that it was too early for it to be her. 

Placing the brush in a jar of water to clean, Raph turned off his desk lights and got up to see who was knocking at his door. When he opened the door, his heart jumped into his throat. Donna stood there, looking up at him with her doll clutched in her hands. 

He stumbled over his words for a moment before settling on, “Hey.”

“Hi,” Donna said, looking down at her doll. “I was wondering if you could help me.”

“Sure.” Raph nodded. This was a start. She was at least talking to him. “What do you need?”

“I need help… um… brushing her hair…?” She looked up at him and then sighed. “Okay so, honestly, I’m just using her as an excuse,” she rambled. “I came here to talk…. I figured that since Leah and Tello have officially declared themselves as a couple, it would be best to let them share a room and so I… need to….”

“… find a new place to sleep,” Raph finished for her. 

Donna nodded. 

“I… uh,” Raph sighed. He was at a loss. He had no idea where she was going with this. Did she want to share a room with him? Did she want him to help her clean out another empty space? “I… will… do whatever you want.”

“Well,” Donna hesitated, looking hard at the ground. “You and I are…,” she shrugged, “the last ones. So… maybe I can stay in your room?”

“Oh,” Raph managed to say before his voice gave out on him. So, she decided that being alone was the less desirable option. He cleared his throat in hopes it would be enough to regain his voice. “We have some extra tatami stored away somewhere. We can pick out the best one and set you up a place to sleep.”

“We should also start spending more time together,” Donna suggested. “Get to know each other.” Unable to find his voice, Raph nodded in response. There was a long awkward silence between them before she cleared her throat. “Can I come in?”

“Yeah,” Raph said, stepping out of the way while mentally kicking himself for not offering it first. She was opening herself up to him. He needed to seize that opportunity and show her that she was wrong about him. 

Donna looked around the room. “You’ve got a lot of stuff in here.”

“I’ve been collecting for a long time,” Raph replied, closing the door and then pointed to the doll in Donna’s hands. “If you want me to clean her up a little for you, I can. I’ve got the time. I can probably soften the hair up so you can get a brush through it.”

“Um… sure,” she said, handing over the doll. “Why not.”

Keeping his distance, Raph reached out to take it from her. “It will take a few minutes. Feel free to look around. Just be careful around the work table over there. The paint’s still wet.”

“Okay.” She scanned the room again as another silence fell over them. After a while, her attention was caught by the movie. “What movie is this?”

“Beauty and the Beast,” Raph answered as he filled a small plastic tub with warm water. “It’s one of my favorites. I like to listen to it while I work.” 

“I’ve never seen it.” Sitting down to get a better view, she settled in to watch the remainder of the movie. “What’s going on?”

“Here.” Raph picked up the remote control and restarted the movie. “You can watch it from the beginning.”

“You didn’t have to do that,” Donna said. 

Raph shrugged. “It’s okay. I’ve seen it hundreds of times. Like I said, I just had it on for background noise. You can watch it while I clean up your doll and time will fly by.”

“Okay,” Donna surrendered and then turned her attention back to the small television. 

The silence that fell was a great deal less awkward. Donna was occupied with the movie while Raph worked on the doll. 

He didn’t want to over step and do too much but he did want to make a noticeable difference. While the hair soaked, he scrubbed the body with a slurry of baking soda and water. The hard plastic body was still in decent condition and the grime came right off. He washed and mended the tattered dress and then touched up the paint on the face. Most of the eye lashes had fallen off so he glued some new ones on the stationary lids. Finally, he brushed through the hair, taking care not to mess up the new paint. 

Raph had finished with the doll long before the movie finished but Donna had been so engrossed in it, Raph didn’t want to disturb her so he started to work on styling the Barbie doll’s hair. 

When the credits started rolling, Donna turned off the television. “That was a good movie, it had me in tears a few times. I really liked the ballroom scene. It was lovely.” She turned to face Raph and he presented her with her cleaned doll. Her eyes went wide. “Oh wow!” Taking the doll from Raph, she turned it over in her hands. “This is the same doll?”

“Yeah,” Raph said with a nod, scratching the back of his head. “Sorry that she’s still a little damp but the paint is at least dry. I hope I didn’t do too much.”

Keeping her eyes on the doll, Donna shook her head. “She looks wonderful. Thank you. I didn’t think she could ever look this good. You’re amazing.”

Raph’s cheeks flushed. “I’ve had a lot of practice mending things.”

“Like this over here?” Walking over to a full-size dress Raph was in the process of mending, Donna inspected his work. “What got you started in all of this?”

“When we were small, Master Splinter would read us stories,” Raph explained, deciding to be completely honest. “He found this book with a bunch of old princess stories in it. They were all about evil witches putting magic curses on royalty then someone else would come along, break the curse with love and they would live happily ever after. 

“I got it in my head that we were cursed. I mean, it all fit, in my young mind at least. We were different and had to remain hidden, just like in the stories.” He let out a soft chuckle as he thought back on those times. “I thought that there was no way a young and beautiful princess would fall in love with my father, he was too old, and had no faith in my brothers so I made it my responsibility to break the curse. 

“I knew it was gonna take a lot of work to get a woman to look past the way I looked and fall in love with me so I started collecting things to give her, to win her over. I became obsessed with princesses. I wanted to get in their heads, find out what they liked. My brothers thought I was weird and they gave me a hard time over it.”

Raph shook his head and this time his chuckle was filled with sorrow. “I yelled at them, saying that at least I was trying to break this curse. That was when Master Splinter sat me down to tell me that there was no curse and that we were never human. It broke my heart. 

“At first, I refused to believe him. In time, I realized that he was right but a small part of me never gave up hope that I would find someone to give all this to. That she would look past this,” he indicated the way he looked with a wave of his hand, “and… love me.”

“Wow,” Donna said softly, looking at Raph as if seeing him for the first time. 

“Yeah.” Raph looked away, his heart sinking as his stomach tied itself in knots. “It was stupid.”

“I don’t think so,” Donna said. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be loved by someone.” She once again looked around the room. “All of this stuff would have been great for a human.” Looking at the dress, she ran her fingers along the curve of the bodice. “Not something that a mutant turtle could use. I wouldn’t even fit in this.”

“Well, that’s the wrong cut for you,” Raph said as a matter of fact. “That’s going to April’s shop. You would look amazing in a dress with the right cut.”

Donna laughed and shook her head. “I would look ridiculous in a dress.”

Feeling a little bit more confident, Raph allowed himself a half smile. “Mind if I prove you wrong?”

Dumbstruck, Donna watched as Raph moved over to the rack where he had his collection of dresses hanging. “You can’t be serious,” she said as Raph pulled a garment bag down. “A dress made for a human will not fit me. I’ve got extra on my back and lacking something up front.”

Raph unzipped the bag, carefully pulling out a formal periwinkle dress with silver accents, and presented it to her. “When you and your sisters first arrived, I started modifying some of the dresses. This one should fit you.”

“Really?” Donna looked at the dress. “You want me to try it on?”

Taking a step back, Raph shrugged and cleared his throat. “You don’t have to. But if you were to put it on, it would,” look amazing, he thought, but said, “fit,” instead.

“I’ll put it on just to prove to you that I would look silly in it,” Donna stated, taking the dress from Raph. 

After placing her doll down, she bent over and started to step into the dress. Raph cleared his throat, causing her to pause. “It won’t look right if you’ve got all your gear on.”

Straightening up, Donna looked Raph in the eye. “Is this all a ploy to get me naked?”

Raph laughed, feeling as if a barrier had been broken. Was she actually flirting with him? “Technically, we’re already naked. The gear is more for practicality than modesty.”

“True,” Donna smiled and placed the dress over the back of a nearby chair so that she could remove her gear.

“I’m gonna get a few other things,” Raph said, darting off in excitement to search through his collection of accessories as she got dressed. With items in hand, Raph turned to make his way back to Donna. What he saw stopped him in his tracks. 

The sleeveless dress fit her as he had hoped it would and the color looked stunning against her olive-green skin. The thick straps crossed behind her neck, just above the shell and then dropped back down the sides to hold the dress in place, keeping the shell exposed. The neckline was low enough to show just the top of her plastron and the bodice was straight down her front. The long, ankle length skirt folded nicely over her hips and came up high enough in the back to fit under the lip of her carapace. He stood there gawking at her for so long that she started to blush. 

“I told you that I would look silly.”

Raph shook his head. “You look… amazing.”

“Really?” She sounded as if she didn’t believe him as she looked around the room. “Let me see for myself. Do you have a mirror?” 

“Not yet,” Raph said, regaining his composure. “If you don’t mind me getting a little handsy, I can add a few accents first to pull the whole outfit together.”

Donna’s already flushed skin darkened further and she gave a slight nod of approval. Standing still while Raph moved around her, she allowed him to work. He placed silver jewelry around her wrist, neck, ankle and bicep. Next he placed a small headdress on her that had parts that dangled down like earrings. For the final touches, Raph dusted her cheeks with a silver shimmer, accented her eyes with purple and silver liner, and highlighted her bottom lip with a shimmery gloss. 

Satisfied with the final result, he led her to a full mirror and stood her in front of it. “You’re beautiful.” 

“This doesn’t look horrible,” she said in disbelief. While she stood, transfixed by her image, Raph rushed over to put his suit on. Donna didn’t even notice he was missing, she was so taken aback by how she looked. 

“I’d like to think that’s how Turtle fashion would look, if that were a thing,” he replied as he tied his bowtie. “There’s no reason to hide the carapace. It’s actually quite appealing.”

“You actually find my shell appealing?” Donna asked, turning to look at him. She smiled at the sight of him in his suit. “You look nice.”

“Thank you,” he said, grinning back. “I didn’t want you to feel odd being the only one dressed up so I thought I would join you. And, yes, isn’t it the carapace that male turtles are usually attracted to? It would explain why there are so many YouTube videos of them humping anything dome shaped.”

“I suppose,” Donna said, chuckling softly.

“You wanna know something else I did while I was gathering things to impress a princess?” Raph walked over to the radio and turned it on. A song of unconditional love started to play with a melody that would suit his needs. Turning back to Donna, Raph held out his hand. “I taught myself how to dance.”

With a giggle, Donna reached out and took his hand. “Are you any good?”

“Let’s find out.” Pulling her body flush against his, he led her through the dance. There were a few missteps in the beginning due to nerves but they eventually managed to learn how to read one another. Before long he was able to incorporate more complex moves, dipping and spinning her in time to the music. 

Due to the size of Raph’s collection, there wasn’t a lot of room to move, but they made the most of the space they had. It was invigorating. For the first time in a long time he was able to forget his pain and find joy. 

The song ended and they both stopped, panting from both the exertion from dancing and the rush of endorphins. Caught up in the moment, he lowered his face closer to hers but caught himself the last second and pulled back. She was only here because she was settling for him, not because she was choosing him. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to….”

“It’s okay,” she said softly. They were still standing close and she rested her hands on his chest. “I wouldn’t have objected.” She looked up at him and he could feel her heart pounding. “I know you’re holding back… because…. Can we forget that I ever had that crush on Leo? Please? Neither of you are…,” she looked down, “how I assumed you would be.”

“We used to be,” Raph said. “I was everything you assumed I would be and, to be honest, who I used to be wouldn’t have wanted you either. Like you and Rachael, Donny and I didn’t like each other much when we were younger. We were too different. Going top side and fighting for our lives changed that.”

Donna had a distant look in her eyes as she thought. “I think I understand. When we were out on patrol the other night, Rachael… well…  I didn’t expect her to be so protective. I thought she would laugh at me as I got beat up but the moment I started to falter, she rushed over to help me and then made sure I was okay.”

“Yeah,” Raph smiled. “I’m sure it surprised her as well. Seeing you in danger triggered something in her. If she is anything like me, the overwhelming need to keep her family safe is starting to grow inside her. I’m sure she’s even had a few nightmares of not getting to you in time but she’s not to the point yet where she’ll let you know that.”

Biting her bottom lip, Donna looked up at Raph. “You really didn’t have to stop.”

It took a moment for him to register what she meant but when it hit him, his heart skipped a beat. Looking down at her, he licked his lips before hesitantly leaning forward. Their lips met and then separated in a soft, closed mouth kiss. He closed his eyes as he moved in for a second and this time they stayed together longer.

Donna parted her lips and Raph deepened the kiss, his tongue plunging in and sliding against hers. Desire stirred within him but the pain pills in his system kept it from igniting. In that moment, he was elated while his heart broke and he mentally berated himself for becoming addicted to pain pills in the first place. 

When they parted, Donna sighed with a smile. “That was nice.”

“Yeah,” Raph agreed and then sucked his bottom lip. He wanted more. He could tell that she wanted more. She was starting to want him and he knew that he was unable to step up to the task. As joyous as this moment was supposed to be, it left him feeling sick with regret. 

Reluctantly, he pulled away from her. “I need to finish that last doll before April gets here. Why don’t you go tell Leah and Tello that you are willing to move into my room so they can be together. See if they are up for it.”

“Okay,” Donna replied with a slight nod. “I’m gonna go take this off first,” she chuckled awkwardly as she made her way off to the side to change.

Raph watched her as she removed the dress. That same desire stirred but he was too numb for it to become anything more. His body just wouldn’t respond. 

She washed the makeup from her face and then put on her gear. After collecting her doll, she headed to the door. “I’ll see you later.”

“I won’t be much longer,” he told her as he opened the door. “When I’m done here we can set everything else up in my… our room.”

“Okay,” she said softly before quickly kissing Raph and making her leave. 

Closing the door after her, Raph leaned against it. He wasn’t entirely sure what had just happened, his mind was still reeling from the kiss, but he knew one thing for certain. He needed to find a way to finally end his addiction. 

TMNT 100 Theme
Chapter 50
Deep Thought

Sliver stepped out of the kitchen with the kettle of hot water in one hand and two clean tea cups in the other. She paused when she saw Raphael carrying Donna’s Koto into his room while Tello carried a few of his personal belongings in to the room Leah was supposed to be sharing with Donna. 

Not quite sure how she felt about it yet, Sliver decided to continue on her way to the dojo to discuss it with Splinter. Together they would make a decision. 

It was no longer just Sliver’s decision to make. That was the biggest adjustment for her. For a little over seventeen years she had been a single parent of four girls. Now she is part of a parenting team and the number of children had more than doubled. It was best for everyone if Splinter and Sliver presented a united front in all things. So, all matters were discussed at length before any decisions were made. 

Sliver entered the dojo and made her way to the small table that Splinter had made ready. They set aside time together every day to drink tea and discuss important family matters, like what she had witnessed are her way here. 

She placed the tea pot and cups on the table. “It appears that Donna has decided to give Raphael a chance.”

Splinter paused as he was preparing to scoop some matcha powder into one of the cups. “What brought you to that conclusion?” he asked as he continued to carefully measure out the needed amount of the green tea powder. 

“The fact that she is moving into his room,” Sliver replied, trying to keep the irritation out of her voice as she poured water into one of the matcha filled cups. 

“Oh?” Splinter picked up the chasen and began to whisk his tea. She could tell that he was attempting to hide his smile. 

“Did they discuss this with you?” she asked as she whisked her own tea. 

Splinter shook his head. “They did not. They must have assumed that, since we allowed Rachael to move in with Leonardo and for Michelle to share a room with Michelangelo that it would be alright.”

Sliver brought her cup up to her nose so that she could inhale the aroma. It helped to calm her nerves. One benefit of having human friends was the ability to obtain such delicacies. She had gone so long without being able to indulge in something as simple as a well-prepared cup of tea. “So, we are alright with this turn of events?” she asked before taking a sip. 

“It was bound to happen eventually,” Splinter said. “We can reprimand them later for making such a move without discussing it with us first but I can see no reason to not allow it.”

“I worry about Raphael,” Sliver pointed out. “I am not sure of Donna’s reasons.”

Splinter’s ears drooped as he nodded his head. “If she is with him out of pity….”

“You and I know how such things turn out.” Sliver sighed. “I will discuss it with her. The last thing I want is to see Raphael hurt further from Donna’s good intentions.”

“And I will speak with Raphael,” Splinter said, keeping his eyes downcast as they filled with worry. The momentary joy he felt had faded over the prospect of how things might be. 

“With these new turn of events, I have a feeling that Rachael will not be the only one with fertile eggs come Spring,” Sliver said, wanting to lighten the mood. 

That drew a soft chuckle out of Splinter. “My sons will all make wonderful fathers.”

“They have a good role model. I know you are overjoyed that your sons have found love,” Sliver stated, setting her tea down on the table, “but they are too young to be starting families. They should take the time to enjoy simply being with one another.”

Splinter nodded his head in agreement. “What happened between Leonardo and Rachael cannot be undone. The others will take precautions. The best we can do now is support them. To try to keep them from being physical with one another at this point would be an exercise in futility.” 

“I remember what it was like to be young and in love,” Sliver admitted, smiling to herself as she lost herself to the memory. “I was only eighteen when I married.” She looked up and saw a warm smile on Splinter’s face. “Have you ever been in love?”

Splinter shook his head. “Not romantically. I was a young rat when I was taken in as a pet by my Master Yoshi. I witnessed his love for Shen and it brought me joy. After my master’s death, I was too heartbroken to do anything other than wander and kept my distance from other rats. After we were mutated, my focus was on the boys.”

“If I may?” Sliver casually asked, waiting for Splinter to nod before continuing. “Why is it that you have not expressed an interest in me?”

“It never occurred to me,” Splinter answered honestly. “I had given up on the prospect of ever finding a partner and suppressed the desire a long time ago. Besides that, I would not presume that a courtship would be welcome. Aside from the fact that I am considerably older, you were once human and so are not naturally inclined to be attracted to a rat.”

“Oh.” Sliver lifted her cup to her lips and took a sip. After savoring the delectable blend of bitter and sweet, she set her cup down again. “I would not object,” she said as a matter of fact. 

“I am not your only option,” Splinter pointed out. “If it is companionship you seek, there are younger mutated men within the ranks of the Foot who would find you attractive.”

“I enjoy your company,” Sliver countered before taking another sip. 

Looking down in thought, a brief smile spread across Splinter’s face but it soon faded. “It would not be fair to you. I am old.”

Sliver reached out to grab Splinter’s hand. “The attraction I feel for you looks past the physical. I have found a kindred spirit in you and I look forward to the times we set aside to spend together.”

“As do I,” Splinter admitted. 

“Then why don’t we open this up and see how far it goes,” Sliver proposed. 

Smiling, Splinter looked her in the eyes. “I would like that.”

….

Donna placed the small box containing her few possessions on the floor and then looked around the room. Raph’s hammock was in the middle, covered in blankets and pillows. It was large and looked relatively new as opposed to something he had found at the junk yard. 

There were free weights in the corner along with a bench. The pack-and-play for Snow was pushed against the wall closest to the hammock. A small table sat next to it with a children’s night lamp on it and Disney Princess wall clings decorated the wall above it. Storage containers were stacked in various spots throughout the room, probably containing clothes and other items Raph had collected over the years. 

This was happening, Donna thought to herself. Raph wasn’t what she had first expected him to be. Maybe if she took the time to really get to know him, she might actually love him. Only time will tell. At least the idea of being with him was no longer a dreadful thing.  

“We can put one of the tatami over here,” Raph said, pointing to a relatively clear area. “I can move some things around, give you your own area that you can do anything you want to.”

“Where did Tello sleep?” Donna asked, noting that there was only the hammock. “Did he move his tatami to the room he’s gonna share with Leah?”

“He slept in the hammock with me,” Raph replied. “He was having nightmares when he first got here. Having someone to sleep next to helped with that.”

Donna looked the hammock over and shrugged. “It’s big enough. Can’t I just sleep next to you?”

Raph’s skin darkened as he stammered for a moment before managing to answer. “You don’t have to… I mean I know you don’t….”

“It’s okay,” Donna said, cutting him off. “We’re together now, so I might as well.”

“Whatever you want,” Raph said with a slight nod of his head. 

“I want this to work,” Donna said in all honesty. She also wanted to help him but she didn’t know yet how she was going to broach the subject. She wanted to know the real him, who he was before he was broken. She saw a glimpse of him earlier that day, the cocky and brazen personality that was hidden beneath the shattered surface. 
  
“So do I,” Raph said, walking over to her. She could see that the more she opened up to him, the more he opened up to her. “I’m terrified of saying or doing the wrong thing. I feel like I’m on thin ice.”

“Oh.” Donna felt her heart sink a little. “I don’t mean to make you feel that way. This isn’t a, one mistake and I’m done, kind of thing. I want you to act the way that you would if you though this was a sure thing.”

“Really?” A cocky smile played across Raph’s lips but didn’t linger. “You sure?”

Donna nodded and that was all that was needed for Raph to gain the confidence to pull her into a kiss. Her lips parted and he deepened the kiss, twisting his tongue around hers. The kiss alone was enough to make Donna’s head spin but then Raph started to rake his fingers along her carapace. She understood in that moment how her sisters could fall so quickly into his brothers’ beds. She would have willingly parted her legs for him. 

A knock at the open door had them hastily parting. Donna was so worked up that she was willing to bite the head off of whoever had interrupted them but then she saw that it was her mother standing in doorway and all of that hormonal rage fell away. 

“Mother?” Donna was already flushed from the kiss but the embarrassment of being caught made her face feel like it was on fire. 

“I would like to talk to you,” Sliver said in a calm voice. “Come with me.”

Donna followed her mother without hesitation. As they left the room, Splinter stepped inside. She heard Raphael acknowledge his father as she made her way up the stairs. 

Sliver led Donna to the dojo and then back into her room. Donna’s heart pounded as she knelt on the floor. Sliver was hard to read, so Donna couldn’t tell if she was angry or not. Whatever her mother was feeling, Donna was about to find out. 

“Whose idea was this move and why did you not clear it with either me or Splinter?” Sliver’s voice held an air of accusation. 

“It was my idea,” Donna confessed. “I figured that since Leah and Tello were together that they would want to share a room. I thought it would be okay since you let Rachael move in with Leo and Michelle move in with Mikey.”

“Splinter assumed as much. I would have preferred that you ask us first,” Sliver stated. 

“I’m sorry,” Donna said, looking down at the ground. 

“More importantly,” Sliver sighed, “are you alright?”

“Yes,” Donna answered as she looked up at her mother. Why would she feel the need to ask that?

“This is something you want?” There was concern in Sliver’s voice and it started to make sense. Donna nodded in response and Sliver started to pace. “I want you to be sure. I would hate for you to feel pressured into doing something you do not want to do. Though I know it would not be your intention, I do not want to see Raphael hurt as a result. He has been through enough.” She stopped pacing and looked Donna in the eyes. “Don’t do this unless you are absolutely sure.”

“I won’t hurt him,” Donna insisted as her eyes filled with tears. It hurt a little that, in a way, she was being seen as the bad guy. “I don’t hold a torch for Leo and I have no desire to be with Mikey, Donny, or Tello. I don’t hate the idea of being with Raph. There are things about him that I do like. This whole thing was my idea.”

“You are a nurturer, Donna, and I know you are willing to set your own feelings aside to help others. If you’re with him out of pity or because you have resigned yourself to the relationship, he will feel it.” Sliver knelt down in front of Donna and reached out to grab both of her hands. “In the end, that will hurt him more than simply rejecting him.”

“That’s not what’s happening,” Donna maintained her conviction. 

“Alright,” Sliver said as she stood. “As long as you’re sure. You may go.”

Donna wasn’t convinced that her mother believed her but she didn’t want to argue with her about it either. If she was honest with herself, she wasn’t sure she believed what she was saying. “Thank you, mother,” Donna said, bowing her head before standing. She was going to have to prove herself by actions. 

As she left Sliver’s room, she saw Splinter setting up his area to meditate. Whatever he had to say to Raphael must have been just as concise as Sliver’s lecture. 

She made her way back to the bedroom and, when she entered, saw a tatami on the floor. Raphael was in the corner, lifting large free weights. Splinter’s words must have nourished the seed of doubt that was planted in Raph’s head. 

“Why is the tatami there?” Donna asked as she closed the door. “I thought I was going to sleep in the hammock with you. Why did you change your mind?” She had a feeling that she already knew the answer but she wanted to hear him say it. 

“It’d be better…,” Raph mumbled, keeping his back to her. “You’re here because you think it’s me or nothing. I know… you don’t… love me…. It’d be better that you don’t sleep in the hammock with me until you do.”

“Fair enough,” Donna choked out. Her chest felt tight. She hated the fact that she was causing someone so much pain. “But if you want me to fall in love with you then you can’t keep moping around. We need to spend time together. Remember, we’re treating this like it’s a sure thing.”

“But it’s not,” Raph pointed out. “You have other options. You could end up falling for one of the mutated Foot soldiers.”

“I’ve met all of them,” Donna countered. “I’m not interested.”

“I can’t give you kids,” Raph said in an attempt to give her another reason to leave. 

Donna shrugged and waved it off. “My sisters will have plenty. Before we know it, we’ll be up to our eyeballs in kids. They don’t need me contributing to that mess.”

“I’m a mess,” Raph said, his voice raw with emotion. “You deserve better.”

“Then be better,” she challenged him. Determined, she made her way across the room to stand in front of him. Her heart pounded in her chest, she wasn’t used to being so bold but she wanted him to look at her. “I know you’re afraid of being hurt again but at least try.”

“I want to be but I’m addicted to pain pills,” Raph blurted out. “I’m broken.” His one good eye filled with tears as he waited for her to react. He looked as if he was expecting her to run for the door.

Caught off guard, Donna didn’t know what to do. She wasn’t expecting him to confess. Part of her knew that he did because he was testing her resolve and he desperately wanted help. When she didn’t say anything, Raph continued. “I’ve tried to quit but I get sick whenever I don’t take them and I don’t want my family to know. I’m too ashamed.”

“I won’t tell them,” Donna heard herself promising. She was so overwhelmed that she felt numb and her mind was on autopilot. “We’ll figure something out.”

A look of relief washed over Raph’s face as he fell to his knees. “Thank you.”

TMNT 100 Theme
Chapter 51
Two Roads

He was running down a back alleyway, trying to get away but his legs wouldn’t work. They were close. He could hear them. He thought he knew where he was but the streets were wrong. When he tried to use his shell-cell, it didn’t work. 

As he fumbled with the buttons, something grabbed him.  

Raphael woke with a start, reaching out only to find himself alone in the hammock. He had gotten used to having someone sleeping next to him so now sleeping alone felt off. There was a void that caused his dreams to be disturbing. 

Looking across the room, he noticed that Donna was also awake, sitting up and looking at him. 

“You were having a nightmare,” she said softly. 

“I woke you,” Raph whispered, regretfully. “I’m sorry.”

Donna shook her head as she got to her feet. “I can’t sleep. I’m not used to sleeping alone.” She walked over to the hammock and nudged Raph. “Scoot over.”

“We talked about this,” Raph replied, not moving. “Go back to your bed.”

“Move over,” she said, shoving him. “I’m not sleeping alone on the floor. Besides, it seems that you aren’t having an easy time sleeping alone either.” Even though he still didn’t move, Donna started to get in the hammock anyway. “I’ll sleep on top of you if I have to.”

“Fine,” Raph grunted, finally scooting out of the way. 

“Oh, don’t act like this is putting you off,” she scoffed as she settled beneath the blankets. 

“The problem isn’t me being put off,” he stated. 

“I want to be here,” Donna insisted. 

“You pity me,” Raph countered. He closed his eye as the memory of his earlier confession echoed in his head. “There is no other reason for you to still be here.” His eye snapped open and he hissed in pain when Donna smacked his arm. 

“Knock that off,” Donna said in a harsh whisper. “If I didn’t have some feelings for you I would have walked out that door and told your father what was going on with you the moment you told me.”

“Why didn’t you?” Raph whispered. 

“Several reasons,” Donna replied, rubbing the hand she had used to hit him. “I knew your confession was a test as well as a cry for help. I don’t want to hurt you and I know how devastating it would be for you if your family found out. You reached out to me, I’m not about to slap your hand away.”

Raph’s chest tightened as he fought the urge to cry. “But why do you care? You didn’t want me.”

“I didn’t,” Donna agreed, followed by a brief silence as she thought. “But that was before I started to get to know you. I’ve matured a little in the past few months. Besides that,” she mumbled, snuggling down against Raph, “I’m starting to like the way you smell.”

Raph chuckled, despite the way he was feeling. “My smell?”

“Don’t laugh at me,” Donna playfully pouted. “Turtles are drawn by scent and the longer I’m close to you the more I understand how Rachael and Leo lost control.” The subtle innuendos in her statement were not lost on Raph. He could tell by her scent that she was aroused and it pained him that he could do nothing for it.

“I know.” Raph pressed his beak to the top of her head and breathed in her scent. It was powerful. “If I wasn’t so numb all the time, your scent would be driving me wild. There’s more than one reason I can’t give you kids.”

Donna rested her hand on Raph’s hip. “We could try.” 

“I can’t,” Raph choked out, shaking his head though her touch did manage to stir his desire enough to make his tail twitch.

“It’s the drugs,” Donna said, bringing her hand up to caress his cheek. “Once they’re out of your system and you’ve had a chance to heal, it won’t be a problem anymore.”

Raph turned his head so that he could look her in the eye. “What if it is?” 

“Then it would be purely psychological,” Donna stated as a matter of fact. “I’ve read your file. There is no medical reason why it shouldn’t work.”

“But what if I can’t?” Raph persisted. 

Donna traced her finger along the scars on Raph’s plastron. “If you are concerned about being able to keep me satisfied, there are other things you can do.” 

“Would you like me to?” Raph asked, placing his hand on the back of her thigh. She tensed and he immediately regretted the proposition. He honestly though that’s what she was suggesting. “I’m sorry.” He removed his hand. “I got a little carried away.”

“No… I….” She hid her face against his chest and he could feel the heat radiating from her face. “I… want you to,” she said in a small voice as her whole body trembled. 

Confused, Raph asked, “Are you sure? I’m getting mixed signals here.”

“I’m just nervous,” she blurted out, her voice mumbled by his chest. “I’ve never done anything like this before.”

“I can’t do anything with you balled up like you are,” Raph said. 

Keeping her face planed against Raph plastron, Donna shifted her hips and tentatively parted her legs. Raph slid his hand between them and ran his finger along the underside of her still tucked tail. She tensed but didn’t fight as he eased it down. 

She was already wet so Raph’s finger slipped effortlessly inside. He found her swollen clitoris and began to swirl his finger along the sensitive flesh. Her body stilled but her breathing started to intensify as tiny hums escaped her otherwise silent form. 

She gave no indication one way or the other if he was doing it right. He couldn’t tell if her heavy breathing and twitching was from nerves or pleasure. She was hard to read. Then, he felt her begin to pulsate around his finger and she started to kiss his neck. 

“Was that it?” he asked, keeping his finger inside her. It was hard to tell for sure. She nodded and let out a satisfied hum. “Okay.” He kissed the top of her head. “You good or would you like me to continue?”

“Um…” she replied in a breathless whisper. 

Raph moved his finger in small circles. “More?”

Donna gasped for breath and her legs parted a little further. Then she started shifting her hips slightly. That was different than before. Raph stopped. “What?”

“A little deeper,” she mumbled, keeping her face hidden.

“Okay.” He slid his finger in further and continued. He eventually added his other finger and pressed his thumb to the base of her tail, eliciting a full body shiver. Then her body tensed as a slight whimper escaped her. As she began to relax, she once again peppered his neck with small kisses. 

When he pulled his fingers from her, he was inundated with her scent. It stirred the desire within him enough for him to move on top of her. In that moment, he thought that maybe he could do it. She did not fight him as he settled between her legs and touched his tail to hers. She trembled in anticipation and it further fueled his need. 

He pressed inside and began to move, slowly at first but it wasn’t enough so picked up the pacing. 

With her nose buried in the nape of his neck, Donna trembled and softly moaned. He could feel her inner walls beating against him but their soft warmth wasn’t enough. 

“I can’t,” he choked out as he continued to try. “I want to but I can’t.”

“It’s okay,” Donna soothed, running her fingers along the back of his neck.  

Giving up with a frustrated grunt, Raph fell into the hammock next to her. Fighting his tears, he curled around Donna and kissed her cheek. “You okay? You’re satisfied?”

“Yeah,” she whispered back, bringing her hand up to cup his lower jaw and caressed his cheek with her thumb. “Everything is gonna be okay. I’m gonna help you through this. Then we’ll be able to enjoy this together.” She leaned in and kissed his nose. “Try to get some sleep.”

Disappointed in himself, Raph did his best to quiet his thoughts enough to sleep. 

The next morning, Raph awoke to a soft kiss on the cheek. He opened his eye to see Donna smiling down at him. He smiled back. He couldn’t think of anything better to wake up to. 

“Come on,” she said as she got down out of the hammock. 

“You go ahead.” Raph stretched his aching muscles. “I take a few minutes to get going.”

“You need to take a pill.” It was not a question but there was also no accusation in her tone. It was simply a statement of fact. 

Raph closed his eye and nodded. “I’d rather you not be in here when I did.”

“No sense in hiding it,” Donna said as she looked around the room. “Where do you keep them?”

“Please,” Raph rasped out. Even though she knew about it, he didn’t want to flaunt it in front of her. 

“I need to know what you are taking and how much,” Donna stated flatly. “That way I can plan for your detox.” She walked over to the hammock and once again cupped his jaw and caressed his cheek. “What were you planning on doing, initially, to get yourself off the drugs?”

“After the Nexus, I was gonna run off, hide somewhere and let it run its course,” Raph answered. “I’ve already been hording supplies where I plan on staying.”

“That’s dumb,” Donna replied, patting his cheek. “Doing it by yourself is dangerous. You would be vulnerable. You could get hurt or hurt yourself. That’s not happening.”

Raph took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Then what do you suggest? I can’t do it here. My family will find out. And I’m not telling anyone else.”

“We’ll run off together,” Donna said. “I’ll be with you to help you through it and keep you safe.”

Raph shook his head. “I don’t want you to see me like that.” This relationship was flimsy enough as it was. Would she be willing to stick around if he lashed out at her in a withdraw induced rage? He didn’t want to risk it. “I’ll go alone.”

“Here’s the thing,” Donna defiantly stated, crossing her arms over her plastron. “Either I go with you or I tell your family but you are not doing this alone. Those are your choices.”

Raph couldn’t help but smile. There was the spunk and sass he knew she was capable of having. She was digging in her heels and there was no way she was going to shy away from this. “Pull out the bottom drawer of the dresser. The pills are on the floor in the corners.”

Donna left Raph’s line of site but he could hear her searching for the pills. The rattle of one of the bottles told him that she had been successful. “There’s different doses in here. How many of these do you take?”

“One of the higher doses or two of the lower ones,” Raph answered. “It normally last me until after practice.”

“Where do you get them?” She asked as if the thought had just occurred to her.

Raph shifted a little in the hammock as he struggled to find his voice. “I take them from the Purple Dragons.”

Donna stayed silent for a moment and Raph was sure he had finally reached her breaking point. But, then she appeared next to the hammock with a pill in her hand. “You are going to have to make these last because you are not going out to get anymore. I’ll make sure of that, even if I have to attach myself to your hip.”

Raph took the pill from her and dry swallowed it. “I’ve got enough to get me through the Battle Nexus. You and I can leave as soon as we get back; get it over with.”

“Okay,” Donna said as she turned to leave. “We’ve got a plan.”

Raph liked this side of Donna. 

TMNT 100 Theme
Chapter 52
Fortitude

The bags had been packed for weeks. Casey’s mother was staying with them to help run the store and would stay for as long as April needed after the babies were born. 
 
It had been decided that it would be best to deliver the twins via a caesarian section to prevent complications. April was monitored regularly, with weekly visits to both her doctor and a specialist. The goal was for her to make it to at least thirty-five weeks. Any sign of labor and she would have been rushed to the hospital. 

To help increase her chances, April used the breathing exercises that she had learned from Splinter to reduce her stress. Luck would have it, she made it to the goal with few problems. She thought she had gone into labor once but it turned out to be nothing more than false labor pains. 

Her cesarean section was scheduled for ten o’clock so she had to be at the hospital at least two hours early to get ready. April had her list of everything she would need to take with her. She had set everything out the night before and double checked it in the morning. 

Nerves kept them quiet on the way to the hospital and Casey was extra cautious in the way he drove. April looked behind her at the back seats. The car seats were already in place, expertly put in by someone at the local fire department. 

The whole time the man worked, April thanked him for his help and apologized for being a bother. He assured her that it was no problem at all and that he wished more people would be like her. There were few things more heartbreaking than seeing a life lost over an improperly installed car seat. 

The hospital staff was ready for them and they didn’t have to wait long before they were escorted to the room where they would prep her for surgery. April removed all of her clothes, placing them in a bag before slipping into the hospital gown. She then got up on the bed and waited while Casey filled out some paperwork. 

A nurse came in checked April’s temperature and blood pressure before inserting and I.V. in April’s hand. Several hospital bracelets were placed on April’s wrists, including the electronic security device for her babies. The nurse then placed a heart monitor on April’s finger and made sure all the devices were working properly before taking her leave. 

The anesthesiologist was the next to come into the room. He instructed April to sit up with her back towards him. The large man had to raise the bed to its maximum height so that he could be at the right level to insert the epidural in April’s back. Casey pulled a chair up so that he could sit in front of April. The bed was so high that April was able to comfortably rest her feet in Casey’s lap.

April held tight to Casey’s hand while the doctor worked. She squeezed each time he injected the local anesthetic around her spine. He spoke to her as he worked, letting her know what he was doing. Though it was explained to her, the sensation of the needle sliding along her spine was nauseating. 

Her grip on Casey’s hand had her knuckles turning white and his fingers turning purple, but he didn’t complain. He used his free hand to caress her cheek as he whispered up to her, “You’re doing great.”

“Done,” the doctor said as he placed a large protective cover over the epidural. “You can lie back down.”

It was nerve wracking to lie down knowing that there was a needle in her back, despite the fact that she knew it was flexible and would bend with her. Satisfied with his work, the doctor left to make sure the operating room was ready. 

As she waited for the drugs to take effect, another nurse entered the room to make sure that her pelvic region was clean shaven. She made quick work with an electric razor, cleaned up, and was gone in under a minute. 

After a few minutes, the first nurse entered the room. Placing her hand over April’s legs, she said, “Touch my hand with your foot.”

Try as she might, her leg would not lift. “I can’t,” April admitted. 

The nurse smiled. “The epidural is working.”

Casey was instructed to put on his scrubs and to make sure that all of his hair was secured and under the cap. By the time he was done, another nurse entered the room and, along with the other nurse, wheeled April out. 

Keeping her eyes on the ceiling, April concentrated on her breathing. In just a few moments, her babies would be born. 

The operating room was cold and several people were in the room, including the specialist, the anesthesiologist, and April’s obstetrician.

The nurses wheeled Aprils bed next to the operating table. “We’re going to move you over now,” one of them said. “We need you to cross your arms over your chest.”

April did as she was instructed and the nurses rolled her onto her side, frightfully close to the edge of the bed as they slid a board under her. Though the small nurse standing between April and the floor gave words of reassurance, April couldn’t help but doubt that she would be able to do anything if she did start to fall. 

April didn’t have to fear for long. The medical team had her on her back and over on the operation table before the panic could set in.

A large curtain was put in place to block April’s view and Casey was directed to have a seat at her head. Someone placed a blanket over her upper body to help keep her warm and turned on a fan that blew warm air into it. Then, the doctors tested her one last time to make sure she couldn’t feel anything before they began. 

The scent of her own burning flesh filled the air. Casey, without prompt, reached over and held her nose for her since she wasn’t supposed to move. It was the little things that Casey did that showed how much he cared. 

Even though she was numb, April could still feel a slight tugging. It was a strange sensation that lasted for a few moments before she heard the sound of a baby crying. 

“We’ve got the girl,” one of the doctors announced. 

April looked up at Casey and saw him trying to get a look at their daughter. “Go,” April said with a soft smile. “Take a picture of her first moments and then come back to tell me how perfect she is.”

“Right. Pictures,” Casey said, getting to his feet as he dug his phone out of his pocket. 

There was more tugging, followed by the sound of the second baby’s cries. The doctor looked over the curtain at her. “We’re almost done. How do you feel?”

“Eager to see my babies,” April answered honestly. 

Casey returned, sitting back down at April’s head and holding out his phone. There were two sets of tiny foot prints on his scrubs. “They are both beautiful and so small.” He flipped through the pictures for her to see. “They even let me take a little video.” 

A nurse appeared with one of the babies in her arms. “Here’s the girl. We’re going to take her to the nursery to get her cleaned up and run a few tests. We’ll have her ready by the time you’re in your room.” 

True to her word, as soon as April was settled in her recovery room, the nurse brought the baby. “No one is to take this baby from the room besides you or a nurse and it must be in the bassinet,” the nurse instructed. “The nurse has to have a badge like this one. Any time she is brought to you, we will check her bracelet and yours. This one here,” the nurse pointed to the electronic bracelet on April’s wrist, “will also let us know that she is yours.”

The nurse placed the tightly swaddled baby in April’s arms and a short melody played. “If she was the wrong baby, the song would not have played and we would have heard a soft buzzing sound. This also works as a security device. If anyone were to try to take her, they would not get very far. We have sensors at all exits and the elevator. The floor would go on lockdown if she was taken anywhere near them.”

“That’s good to know,” April said, studding her daughter’s face. The nurse had no idea the kind of people who would go to great lengths to get their hands on her. 

“We take security seriously,” the nurse assured her. There was a small part of April that worried if it was enough. 

“When will I see my son?” April asked, trying not to linger on her fear. She wanted nothing more than to see both of her babies, to know that they are both okay and safe.

“As soon as the specialists are done with him,” the nurse replied. “They shouldn’t be much longer.”

“Thank you,” April said. 

The nurse had April roll over to her side so that she could remove the epidural. “It will take a little while for the drugs to wear off. We want you up and walking around again as soon as possible. I’ll be back in in a little while to remove the catheter. Don’t try to get up until then. If you need anything more, press the button,” the nurse instructed.

“We’re gonna have to settle on a name,” Casey pointed out after the nurse left. He sat down on the edge of the bed and looked down at the baby. “Jones baby one isn’t gonna cut it for long.”

“I’ve been thinking about that,” April said as she ran her fingers along her daughter’s head. She had a full head of dark brown hair. “I want to name her after you.”

“My legal name?” Casey said, making a face. “I don’t think I like the idea of her being named Arnoldina or something like that.”

April giggled. “I was thinking something more along the lines of Cassey.”

“I like that.” Casey smiled. “What about the boy?”

“To keep up with my family tradition, I was thinking Octavius,” April said and waited for Casey’s feedback. 

“His initials would be OJ,” Casey pointed out. 

“You’re right.” April shook her head. “Octavius is out.”

“You can name him August, after your favorite uncle,” Casey offered. “AJ is a lot better than OJ.”

“August it is,” April said with a laugh. “And AJ is a cute nickname.” 

April undid Cassey’s swaddle to get a good look at her. She was so small that the shirt she wore was loose. The diaper was folded down so it wasn’t touching the umbilical cord which was clamped off. Cassey whimpered at being exposed to the cooler air so April lifted her up to rest her on her chest. She knew skin to skin was good for the baby and she craved it herself. “Did you send pictures to the guys?”

“Yeah. They said they will visit after they get back from the Nexus. They wanted to give us some time to get settled.” Before April had the chance to lift the blanket to cover Cassey, Casey leaned over to look at the baby’s back. “She’s got a birth mark,” he said, pulling down the shirt.

“She does?” April looked down and sure enough, there was a mark about the size of a quarter on the left side of her back. 

Casey ran his finger over the mark. “Do you think it’s the scar she carried over from her past life?”

“It’s possible,” April said, with a slight nod as she brought the blanket up. “I wouldn’t doubt it. Fortunately, that seems to be the extent of it for her, unlike her brother.”

“Here we go,” a nurse announced as she came into the room, pushing the second basinet. As the nurse maneuvered the cart to the side of April’s bed, the specialist entered the room. 

April passed Cassey to Casey and then held out her arms for August. The nurse had anticipated this and was already in the process of checking the medical tags. She lifted August from the basinet and handed him to April. The short song played. 

“I’ll be back to check on you later,” she said before tuning to leave. 

April smiled down at her son. She found humor in the fact that his thick red hair stuck out in every direction. Through the blanket, April could feel the braces around August’s torso and legs and wondered how it was that he could sleep with all that equipment on. 

She listened with rapt attention as the specialist went over their plan to straighten August’s spine and legs. April was able to breathe a sigh of relief when the doctor said that it didn’t look like he would need surgery to correct them. 

Both April and Casey were instructed to remove and put on the braces several times, until the doctor was satisfied that they would get it right. The hardest part was doing it all while August cried. She wanted to stop what they were doing and pick him up to comfort him. But, it was important that they learned how to do it. So, she strengthened her resolve and got it done. 

They were given books to read and instructed to make an appointment in one month so that August could be fitted with the next set of braces. He was going to go through several as he continued to grow before his spine and legs were corrected.

The specialist left and the nurse returned to remove April’s catheter and instructed her to stand. April wasn’t sure if her legs were ready but the nurse insisted that it had to be done. “We don’t want you forming a blood clot. You need to get up and moving. The rest of the drugs will exit your system faster if you move.” 

Her legs felt like she had been sitting on them for too long but at least they supported her weight. She shuffled her feet from one end to the room to the next. When she got back to the bed she had more feeling in her legs but she was exhausted. The day’s events were catching up with her so she lay back down and decided to get some rest. 

The sound of one of the babies grunting drew April from her lite sleep. She opened her eyes to see Casey’s mom holding August. With a smile on her face, Casey’s mom reached out to grab hold of April’s hand. “They are beautiful. You did good, April.” She looked down at the baby in her arms. “He’s a fighter like his dad, I can tell. He’s not gonna let this hold him back for long.”

Squeezing her mother in law’s hand, April nodded. He had chosen her to be his mother and she was determined to makes sure that he got a chance at a full life. 

TMNT 100 Theme
Chapter 53
Magic

Waking up every morning next to Michelle was a dream come true for Michelangelo. She was his perfect soulmate. Kissing her neck, he took in her intoxicating scent and he ached with desire. 

“Mikey,” Michelle hummed. “Your penis is touching my leg.”

“You know you have that effect on me.” Mikey licked her neck and the rolled on to his carapace. “Help me out before we go to breakfast?”

Every morning was the same, not that Mikey was complaining. An orgasm every morning was nothing to gripe about. He would wake up with an erection and Michelle would jerk him off. It was enough to satisfy the desire. In return, Mikey would go down on her. It was win, win. And, it was worth getting up early for. 

“You know we can have sex,” Michelle pointed out as she turned to her side and grabbed hold of Mikey’s cock. “This is fun and all but I wanna know what it’s like to have you inside me.” She pouted and pressed her body against his. “Please.”

Mikey churred, instinctively bucking his hips. “No. I’m not ready to have kids.”

“Thanks to Donny, we have condoms,” Michelle argued in sing song. 

“Thanks to Tello, we know that there are Turtles from across the multiverse, including Tello’s brothers, who want to be given a second chance at life. The universe or fate or whatever is making it so we do that for them.” Mikey shook his head. “We have sex, that condom will break. It’s best not to risk it.”

Michelle’s hand paused and she looked down at him, making a face. “Really?”

“Don’t give me that look,” Mikey teased before bringing her down into a kiss, the sensation making it hard to resist the urge to mount her. Pulling out of the kiss, Mikey looked up into her eyes. “I’ve had more experience in the way this crazy universe works. This isn’t easy for me. I want you so much it hurts. It’s just, I want to be able to enjoy a little more alone time with you before we add kids into the mix.”

“We start having sex after this next clutch?” Michelle pleaded. “That would give us at least another year if a condom does end up breaking.”

“Okay,” Mikey agreed, placing his hand over hers to encourage her to start moving it again. “Until then, we’ll keep doing this. This is good.”

Taking the hint, Michelle redoubled her effort to get Mikey off. As good as it felt, it was getting harder for Mikey to climax this way; his body demanded more. Damn you, universe, he thought to himself. 

To help things along, Michelle licked along the petals of Mikey’s tip. Mikey churred at the soft addition to his most sensitive area. She really was the best thing to ever happen to him. 

“I’m cumming,” Mikey warned her, white knuckling the sheets as he neared his peak. 

Michelle pulled her face back and placed her hand over his tip in an attempt to contain his ejaculate. Cum coated both of her hands and trickled down his shaft. The sweet release of the orgasm helped calm his desires, for now. 

After a quick cleaning at the sink, it was Michelle’s turn. Mikey settled between her legs and licked her tail, tip to base. She hummed as his tongue flicked across her cloaca. Pressing his lips against her slit, Mikey penetrated her with his tongue and got to work stimulating her clitoris. 

Her feet rested on his shoulders and her toes gripped the lip of his shell. She whimpered softly and caressed the back of his head, occasionally gasping as he brought her closer to completion. He could feel her pulsate against his tongue when she climaxed and her legs trembled as he continued to stimulate her throughout her orgasm. 

When he felt her start to relax, Mikey pressed a soft kiss to her inner thigh before pulling away. “Good?”

Biting her bottom lip, she smiled up at him and nodded. “Yeah.”

Mikey got off the bed and then assisted Michelle up. Then, after a quick look to make sure no one was around, the pair made a mad dash up the stairs and too the showers. 

Upon opening the door, they were greeted with a deep groan. “You better not be having sex in here,” Mikey called out, entering the bathroom. “You have a room for that.”

“We’re not,” Donna called back, sounding perturbed. She walked into view with a scrub brush in hand. “I’m scrubbing his shell and hit a tender spot.” It brought a smile to Mikey’s face knowing that Raph and Donna had gotten closer in the weeks since they started to share a room. They spent a lot of their free time together. 

It led Mikey to wonder if they were taking a morning shower for the same reason he and Michelle were. If they didn’t, the scent that lingered would broadcast to the lair their actions of that morning. 

“Mind if we join you then?” Mikey said, heading back towards the shower. Glancing over towards his brother, he noticed that Raph didn’t look well. “You gonna be up for the fight today, bro?”

Today was the day that they were to head into the Nexus. Mikey was beside himself with excitement and nerves. He had a championship to defend and a new girlfriend to impress. 

“I’ll be fine,” Raph waved him off. “I’m just a little stiff. Nothing a good soak in the hot tub won’t fix.”

“I am so excited to go into the Nexus,” Michelle said as she turned on the shower. “I know we’re not gonna be able to fight but it’s going to be awesome watching you guys and seeing all the different kinds of people. Mikey tells me that the Daimyo is a super big guy.”

Raph chuckled. “He is impressive.”

“What’s more impressive is the statue of me,” Mikey boasted and struck a pose. “I’m the only one out of my brothers who has won the Battle Nexus Tournament.”

Raph groaned. “It was six years ago, and he still won’t shut up about it.” He turned to face Mikey. “The only reason you won was because Leo was poisoned and knocked out of the running.”

“I beat you though.” Mikey grinned as he stepped under the water. “Fair and square. And if you don’t get yourself loosened up, I’m gonna kick your tail again this year. Don’t think I’m gonna go easy on you.”

“Oh, I hope I get paired with you,” Raph growled. “Give me a chance to smack that grin off your face.”

“Come on, Raph.” Donna tugged on his arm to get his attention from Mikey. It was amazing how quickly his features softened at the sound of her voice. “Don’t let him get you worked up. Let’s get you soaking in the hot tub.” 

Ignoring Mikey, Raph allowed Donna to guide him to the hot tub. Who’d have thought that it would take such a soft voice to get Raph to listen? 

After their shower, Mikey and Michelle headed to the kitchen for breakfast. It was Leo’s turn to cook so Mikey knew it was gonna be something good. Due to the fact that there were more of them now, they doubled up on their kitchen duties. So, Rachael was also in the kitchen, helping Leo with the task. 

Mikey stood back and watched them work. In his mind, it was perfection. Leo was the one in charge and Rachael followed his instructions to the letter. There were times she questioned him or offered a different option. He would listen to her and take her words to heart. She helped to make him think beyond his routine and see things in a different way. He kept her from making a mess of it all.

It was good for them. Leo was the kind of guy to get stuck in a rut or would bind himself to the instructions set before him. While Rachael was the type to think outside of the box but sometimes to the point of being reckless. Their personalities were supposed to clash but as long as they both kept a level head, they could help each other grow and improve. 

Breakfast consisted of several different quiches and a fruit salad with a tangy yogurt dressing. The conversation focused mainly on the Nexus and what to expect. 

Mikey playfully made a jab at Donny for deciding to get pregnant so that he would have an excuse not to participate in the fighting. “Got tired of getting knocked out in the early rounds?”

“Very funny,” Donny replied snidely. “My priorities are different than yours. I have no desire to ‘prove’ myself in an arena.” 

“If you say so,” Mikey shrugged. 

“Oh.” Raph snapped his fingers as he remembered something. He dug his shell-cell out of his belt. “Casey sent me a pic of the twins early this morning.”

After pressing a few buttons, Raph passed his phone to Donny, on his right. “They’re beautiful,” Donny said, looking the image over before passing the phone to Leatherhead. 

The phone made its way around the table and back to Raph. As he tucked it back into his belt, he said, “We have to go see them as soon as we get back from the Nexus.”

Donny nodded. “Barring any complications, April and the babies should be released from the hospital by then.”

“She’s probably going to insist that we are all spotlessly clean,” Donna pointed out. 

“There’s a shower we can use when we get there,” Leo said. “We’ll have to go in one at a time but that’s the best we can do.”

“It’ll keep us from crowding around the babies,” Leah said. “We’ll have to draw straws for who gets to go first.”

“Raph’s Casey’s best friend,” Mikey stated. “He should get to go in first to see the babies then Tello since they are reincarnated from his friends. The rest of us will draw straws for who gets to follow after.”

Leah smiled. “I was more concerned about the hot water.” Her comment earning a few hearty chuckles. 

After breakfast, it was Mikey and Michelle’s turn to do the dishes. While everyone else headed off to do their own thing, Mikey and Michelle collected the dishes and headed into the kitchen.  

The best part about cleaning up after Leo was that he was tidy and usually left minimal mess. They were able to make quick work of the dishes and were off to enjoy their free time before it was time to head into the Nexus. 

As they headed up to the entertainment room to play some videogames, the sounds of Snow’s laughter echoed down the stairs. They entered the room to find Raph and Snow sitting on the floor with a mess of toys surrounding them, including trucks, princess dolls, and plush toys. 

“It’s looks like a princess versus plush warzone,” Mikey teased as they carefully made their way across the room to the television array. 

“She just likes to play with an assortment of toys,” Raph said and picked up one of the plush bunnies. “But, they’re not at war. Right, Snow? The princess loves the bunny.”

“The princess loves the truck,” Snow said as she crammed a princess doll into a Tonka truck. 

“That’s my kind of princess,” Michelle giggled, patting Snow on the head as they passed. “You two have fun. Mikey and I are gonna play a game.”

“Nothing too violent,” Raph requested. “And keep some of the TVs on PBS. Please. Snow’s favorite show is about to come on.”

“Sure.” Sitting on the sofa, Mikey turned and smiled at his brother. “Grand Theft Auto isn’t too violent, right?”

Raph let out a sarcastic laugh. “Don’t be a smart as… aleck.”

“Smart aleck,” Snow repeated over and over, demonstrating why Raph had to watch his language around her. 

“That’s enough,” Raph said, picking Snow up. He blew on her cheek and neck, eliciting a squeal of laughter from her. 

“Stop it, daddy,” she shrieked. When he held her out, Snow began to squirm. “Put me down. I wanna play.”

“Okay.” The second Raph placed her on the ground, Snow scooped up an arm full of her toys and sat down in his lap. 

She held out a toy for him. “You take this one.” Grabbing a fluffy bunny plush with her tail she held it up. “This one’s the bad guy.”

Mikey leaned over the back of the sofa and laughed. “Deceptively cute bad guys are always the worst.”

“Kids aren’t so bad,” Michelle whispered to Mikey as she sat next to him. Draping her arm on the back of the sofa, she rested her head on it as she watched them play. “They can be fun.”

“I didn’t say I never wanted them,” Mikey whispered back as he watched Raph play with Snow. “Just not right now.”

Running her bottom lip through her teeth, Michelle sat up and looked over at Mikey. “Let’s forget video games and play with them.”

“Okay,” Mikey replied, vaulting over the sofa. He sat down on the floor across from Raph and looked down at Snow. “Can we play too?”

With a big smile on her face, Snow grabbed a toy with her foot and held it up for Mikey. “You can have this one.” When Michelle sat down, Snow grabbed another toy and handed it up to her. “Here.” Holding up her own doll, Snow declared, “This one’s the leader. You do what I say.”

“Oh, she’s your daughter alright,” Mikey quipped and grinned up at his brother. 

It had been a long time since Mikey had played with toys but he remembered how it was done. They allowed Snow to guide the action and simply played along. The theme of play changed constantly as Snow’s mind wandered to other things. She moved from sitting in Raph’s lap to Mikey’s and then Michelle’s. Snow loved the attention. 

When Leatherhead entered the room, Snow held up a toy. “Papa, play.”

Leatherhead shook his head. “It’s time for you to eat.”

“I’m not hungry,” Snow said in protest. “Play.”

Leatherhead smiled. “I guess I will have to eat your chicken nuggets myself.”

“Chicken nuggets?” Snow got to her feet and toddled over to Leatherhead. “I’m hungry.”

Leatherhead scooped her up. “First you need to wash your hands.”

“They clean,” Snow argued, holding her hands out.

“You also need to try to go potty,” Leatherhead stated as he turned to leave, not even bothering to argue with her.  

“I don’t have to,” Snow pouted. 

“I want you to try,” Leatherhead replied. 

“She is so cute,” Michelle cooed as they vanished out of sight. “And, he is so patient with her.” She got to her feet and stretched. “I hope all the kids end up as well behaved as her.”

Mikey laughed. “That’s wishful thinking. Some of them are bound to turn out like Raph.”

Raph threw a plush at Mikey. “I wasn’t the only one who was a handful.”

“You and I had fun,” Mikey said with a grin as he remembers some of their antics. 

“And, your kids will have fun.” Raph grunted as he got to his feet. “I’m glad that the one I got turned out to be a good one.”

The stiffness in Raph’s movements gave Mikey cause for concern. “You okay, Raph?”

“Yeah,” Raph said with a nod. “I’m fine. I’m just a little stiff. All I need to do is warm up and I’ll be ready for the Nexus. Don’t worry about me.”

“If you say so,” Mikey said with a shrug. If Raph wanted to get his shell handed to him, it was not any of Mikey’s business. The Nexus had safe guards up so they didn’t have to worry about Raph getting hurt beyond his pride. 

When it was time to go, the whole family gathered on the platform. Splinter had brought a large bowl of water and set it against one of the walls. “I will take the others in first,” he stated as he started to draw the symbols on the wall. “The incantation for spectators is different than it is for the competitors.” He looked up at Leo. “Once the portal closes behind us, move the bowl of water to another section and open the portal like I taught you.”

“Yes, father,” Leo said with a slight bow. 

“Good luck, my sons,” Splinter said before turning to recite the incantation. The portal opened and Splinter began ushering the others through. 

“Love you, Mikey!” Michelle said with a small wave before stepping through the portal. 

Rachael followed, grinning ear to ear. “Kick but, Leo.”

“I’ll be rooting for you, Tello,” Leah said, following her sisters. 

Donna walked over to Raph. She looked like she wanted to say something but she didn’t, opting instead to lean against him. Wrapping his arms around her, Raph kissed the top of her head. “I’ll be okay.”

Nodding, Donna pulled away from Raph and headed through the portal. 

“Good luck, guys,” Donny said before heading through with Leatherhead and Snow. 

Finally Sliver passed through, followed by Splinter and the portal closed behind them. Leo moved the bowl and got to work drawing the symbols on the wall. 

As they watched Leo work, Raph placed a reassuring hand on Tello’s shoulder. “Remember, this first round we fight together. After that, you’re on your own.”

“I’m ready,” Tello replied, clutching his bo a little tighter.  

“You don’t have to hold back,” Leo reminded him. “You can’t kill anyone in there. Even if you tried.”

Tello nodded. “I understand.”

“Okay.” Leo turned to the wall and recited the incantation. When the portal opened, they stood in front of it for a moment. Leo pulled out his swords and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “Let’s do this.”

Stepping through the portal, Leo led the way to their first challenge. 

TMNT 100 Theme
Chapter 54
Stripes

Eyes closed Tello, with his bo held tight, followed the others through the portal. It felt like stepping through a pool of cold water. The fluid rush and swirled around him but he was still able to breathe. There was a moment of weightlessness and then the sensation of falling. His eyes shot open as he landed hard on his shell in what appeared to be a wooded area. 

“Forgot to warn you about the drop,” Mikey said, offering to help Tello to his feet. 

“Thanks,” Tello replied dryly as he accepted Mikey’s outstretched hand. 

“You alright?” Raph asked. 

Tello waved him off. “I’m fine.” Looking around, Tello took in the scenery. He could tell that they weren’t on Earth, the flora was unlike anything he had ever seen. Rocks and what appeared to be fallen statues littered the dry ground. 

One thing he did not see was an arena. “Should we get going?”

“We wait here,” Leo answered, looking both relaxed and ready to strike at any moment. “This is where our first fight will take place and we prove our worth. Our opponents will appear soon enough. Until then, study our surroundings.”

As if on cue, a portal opened and four creatures emerged. They would have been a shocking sight if Tello hadn’t been to Dimension X. These creatures were tame compared to the things he had seen there. 

The Turtles jumped into action without hesitation, meeting their adversaries head on. 

Trusting that the others would keep the other three opponents occupied, Tello focused on the one in front of him. Their opponents were long, thin, and limber, making them hard to hit. He parried with the creature at first so that he could get a feel for its fighting style. 

Leonardo had told Tello that the Battle Nexus had the best fighters from across the multiverse. So, Tello trained vigorously in preparation. He didn’t want his passing on to the next stage to be on their merit. Refusing to be their weakest link, he was determined to earn it himself. 

Once he had the creature figured out, he decided to go on the offensive. Tello struck out with his blade, anticipating the creature’s move to avoid it. He had mapped out in his mind several different ways the creature could avoid his strike and had a follow up attack for each one. 

When the creature moved in one of the predicted paths, Tello was ready for it. Pulling his initial strike short, Tello shifted his grip, pivoted in time with the creature’s movements and jabbed with the blunt end of his bo. 

The blow hit home, striking the creature between the eyes. With a cry of pain, the creature staggered back. Before it had time to recover, Tello brought his staff around in a sweeping arch and knocked the legs out from under his opponent. It landed hard and didn’t get back up. 

Satisfied that his opponent was out, Tello turned to see how the others were faring. Raphael and Leonardo’s opponents were already down. 

Their attention was on Michelangelo who was running up a tree. He flipped over his opponent, twisting in air and kicked him square in the back before landing. There was enough force in the blow that the creature hit the tree. 

With the final opponent down, a spirit like creature appeared and declared them the winner. Judging by his appearance, Tello felt it safe to assume that the creature was Gyoji, the Battle Nexus referee. 

“Way to earn your stripes,” Raph said, clapping Tello on the back. “I knew you would be able to hold your own.”

“That was my first real fight in years,” Tello said as a grin split his face. “Man, it felt good.”

“I shall teleport you to the next arena,” Gyoji said, lifting his war paddle.

They were surrounded by a blue light followed by a shifting sensation. The sensation left Tello feeling a little queasy but after a few steading breaths, he was able to maintain composure. 

They had gone from a wooded area to standing in front of a fortress. It had been built in front of a waterfall with a statue carved into the rocky outcrop. Oddly enough, the crashing sounds of the surrounding water could not be heard. 

Instead, there was the roar of the crowd and more cheers rang out as more and more combatants appeared. After spending his life hidden away, it was a bit overwhelming to be in the center of an arena. He was amazed at all the different kinds of people. 

“Stop scanning the crowd,” Raph said after nudging Tello. “They’re up there.”

Raph pointed to the fortress where their loved ones stood on a platform balcony next to a rather large, masked man in a kimono. Undoubtedly, the man was the Daimyo. Michelle enthusiastically waved at them. Whatever she was shouting was drowned out by the crowd. 

“Turtles!”

“Trax!” Raph replied cheerfully. “It’s good to see you made it again this year.” Tello turned to see a large orange triceratops in what looked like gladiator gear. 

“You look a little worse for wear, my friend,” Trax said to Raph. There was a detectable level of concern in his voice. 

“You can buy me a drink later and I’ll fill you in on what happened,” Raph said, trying his best to hide the pain in his. 

Trax’s attention shifted to Tello. “Donatello, you… look different.”

“Another long story,” Raph said with a light chuckle. “This Donnie is from another dimension. The Donny you know is up there.” He pointed to the balcony and, as if he knew they were talking about him, Donny waved. “We call this Donnie, Tello, to avoid confusion.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you,” Trax said to Tello. “I look forward to hearing your story over a few drinks, once we get the chance.”

“It’s not a happy one,” Tello warned him. 

Traximus smiled down at Tello. “With those kinds of stories, the more you share them the easier it is to deal with their pain.”

“Turtles!”

How many people did they know here, Tello thought to himself as he turned. A white rabbit dressed as a Japanese samurai approached them. His eyes fell on Raph and Tello and his smile faded to a look of confusion and concern. 

Before he had the chance to ask his questions, the Daimyo began to speak. “Welcome, combatants.”

“I’ll fill you in on everything later,” Leo quickly said to the rabbit. “It’s good to see you again, Usagi.”

“Likewise,” Usagi replied before turning his attention to the Daimyo. 

“My congratulations to those of you who have made it past the preliminary round.” The Daimyo’s voice boomed over the quieting crowd. “I commend the valiant efforts of those who had not.” Raising his hands high, the staff in the Daimyo’s hand began to glow. “Now that all who have passed are gathered, tier one will begin.”

Energy shot from the Daimyo’s staff and surrounded them. Tello looked up amazed at the beauty and was a little fearful at the same time. The ground lowered as the energy swirled around them. Without realizing it, Tello had been moved and was no longer near the other Turtles. The power the Daimyo possessed was phenomenal. 

Walls formed and Tello found himself in a triangular shaped enclosure with another person. His tan colored opponent appeared to be female. Tall and slender, she looked lithe and had a spear for a weapon.  

Tello readied himself for her attack. Like with the preliminary match, Tello stayed on the defensive and read her fighting style. She was tough but age or injuries from her preliminary match seemed to be slowing her down and she was favoring her left leg. 

Once he had her figured out, Tello decided move in a way that forced her to pivot on her left leg. The brief moment of hesitation was all Tello needed. Dropping down, he swept her legs while bringing his bo up to connect with her as she fell. His bo met air as she was teleported away. 

“I made it past the first round,” Tello said to himself as a wave of relief washed over him. It was a rush to be out in the open, fighting with a crowd of people cheering him on. “Not bad for someone on the ‘B’ team.”

The jubilation came to an end as he was overcome with guilt and regret. His brothers would have loved this; the chance to fight and prove their skills without the fear of being injured or judged for what they were. He missed them so much it hurt. Falling to his knees, Tello began to cry. 

The walls fell, signaling the end of the first round. The Daimyo’s voice once again rang out but Tello could not focus his mind on the words. He was enveloped in cold and it felt as if he was being shifted through space. 

When he emerged, he was once again in an enclosure with another person. He didn’t know if he could bring himself to fight. 

“You okay?”

Tello looked up to see Raph and shook his head. “I can’t do this.”

“Alright.” Raph knelt down next to Tello and began to rub his back. “It’s alright.”

Gyoji appeared. “Do you wish to forfeit?” When Tello nodded, Gyoji turned to Raph. “You must deal a final blow.”

“Go sit with the others,” Raph soothed as he got to his feet. “You did good.” All it took was a gentle punch on the shoulder and Tello was teleported away. 

As soon as he materialized again, Leah was kneeling by his side. “Tello, what’s wrong? Were you hurt?”

Tello shook his head. “I started thinking about my brothers. I’m sorry. I wasn’t ready.”

“Don’t apologize,” Leah said as she caressed Tello’s cheek. “It’s okay to miss them.”

“You have come a long way in handling your grief, Donatello,” Splinter said, the only one who still referred to him by his full name. “Do not view this as a setback. It is simply part of the process.”

“Thank you,” Tello replied, shifting his position so that he was sitting comfortably on the floor. The grief was already starting to ebb. Glancing over he saw Mikey sitting on the floor and pouting, not too far away. “Mikey?”

Mikey looked up and forced a smile. “I got knocked out by Usagi.”

“This round is over,” Rachael stated from the balcony. “Leo and Raph are still in it.”

“The remaining combatants will be given a break before having to fight in the final rounds,” Splinter said. “Why don’t we head down and meet with them.”

“They’re gonna rub it in my face,” Mikey complained.
 
“You can show me your statue instead,” Michelle said, nuzzling Mikey’s cheek. “Then you can take me around town, just the two of us. Would that make you feel better?”

“A little,” Mikey said and turned his head to give her a kiss. 

As they gathered themselves to leave, a portal opened. Surprised by its appearance, they turned to see who would come through. Even the Daimyo stood, ready to fight, unsure of who it could be. It had to have been someone of great power to open a portal inside the fortress. 

A woman carrying a staff stepped through followed by a short old man. “Hey, guys,” the woman said sheepishly. “Long time no see.”

“Renet!” Donny replied, relieved but obviously surprised to see her. “What are you and Lord Simultaneous doing here?”

“We’re here because you and your brothers can’t seem to stop messing with the multiverse,” Lord Simultaneous answered, glaring a Donny. “Do you have any idea the trouble you’ve caused me?”

TMNT 100 Theme
Chapter 55
Multitasking

Holding tight to Michelle’s hand, Michelangelo felt his heart drop. Whatever Lord Simultaneous was mad about had something to do with Donatello’s trans-dimensional portal device. Was Lord Simultaneous there to undo the last year? The thought of never knowing Michelle caused a hard lump to form in his stomach.

“And, you,” Lord Simultaneous said turning his attention to the Daimyo. “You allowed them to pass through the portal into the Nexus. They do not belong in this Nexus.”  

“Wait,” Donny interrupted. “This Nexus? There’s more than one? I thought this was the center of the multiverse?”

Lord Simultaneous groaned and turned his attention back to Donny. “There are multiverses with in the multiverse,” he said as if it were common knowledge. “There is a reason you’re not fighting various versions of yourselves here. They all have a Nexus assigned to them. There are even several versions of Null Time.”

“There are, like, multiple realities we have to keep in check,” Renet stated. “It’s a lot of work and it keeps getting bigger. I’ve even met three different versions of myself. That’s a trip. But, I don’t have to tell you about that.”

Lord Simultaneous turned his attention back to the Daimyo. “Do you have any idea the trouble that was almost created when you let these alternate Turtles through your portal? Reality almost crashed in on itself when the different Nexuses they were meant to go to tried to compensate by merging.”

“I did not think it would be an issue,” the Daimyo said in his defense. “They were coming from Third Earth.”

“But they don’t belong on Third Earth,” Lord Simultaneous replied. “In fact. They don’t belong anywhere. They are supposed to be dead. Including this one.” He pointed at Donny. “Your cloned body was supposed to disintegrate.”

Leatherhead, who had been standing quietly with Snow in his arms, suddenly moved forward to loom over the two Time Keepers. A low, ticking rumble resonated from his chest as he glared down at them. “That is a discrepancy that you will not correct.”

“Steady,” Donny soothed, caressing Leatherhead’s cheek. 

“If none of this was supposed to happen,” Tello interjected, “why is it that the Turtles throughout the multiverse who had died are lining up to be reborn in this…, their world? This stands to reason that this was somehow destined.”
“You’ve got it reversed,” Lord Simultaneous said in rebuttal. “You weren’t destined to meet so they could be reborn. The spirit realm is an opportunist, taking advantage anytime something occurs to give you guys the ability to have children, but has no control over where this happens.”

“What’s taking you guys so long?” Raph said as he and Leo entered the room. “I thought we were gonna show the girls the pavilion and surrounding market.” Surprise and worry splayed across their faces the moment their eyes fell on Lord Simultaneous and Renet. “What are you guys doing here?” 

“And, why does Mikey look like he’s on the verge of tears,” Leo added. “What’s going on?”

“We’re still getting to that,” Donny answered, fixing Lord Simultaneous with a steady gaze. “But don’t worry. Something tells me that if they wanted to fix everything by doing a reset, they wouldn’t have bothered coming here to tell us about it.”

“You’re correct,” Lord Simultaneous said with a slight nod. “If resets were only as simple as you make them sound. No. I’m here to inform you of the near cataclysmic event you caused so we can avoid the incident from happening again. Their existence in your world is fine, we can work around it. It was when they entered the Nexus that things really started to go awry.”

“Wait a minute,” Mikey interrupted. “If they weren’t supposed to enter the Nexus, why didn’t you stop it from happening?”

“It’s not that simple!” Pinching the bridge of his nose, Lord Simultaneous let out an exasperated sigh. “You don’t know how this works, do you.”

“I thought that was pretty much established,” Mikey replied. 

“We can’t predict the future,” Renet stated with a snort. “Only observe it as it happens.”

“But you know what’s going to happen,” Mikey argued. 

“Yes, but it must happen for us to know about it,” Lord Simultaneous said. “This timeline must continue to exist so we know the consequences of them entering the Nexus from Third Earth. Without it, we would not know and we get into paradoxical consequences. If I did go back to prevent them from entering, it would only create another yet another parallel dimension.”

“It’s complicated,” Renet added. 

“My head is starting to hurt,” Michelle whimpered. 

“Don’t try to think about it and just take our word for it,” Lord Simultaneous said to her. “We will be the ones to take you home. Okay,” Lord Simultaneous said, shifting his gaze to look them all in the eyes to drive the statement home. “After we get you all home, the girls, and the Donatello from another dimension cannot come back.”

“We’re never gonna get a chance to fight in the Nexus?” Rachael said with a hint of anger behind her usually stoic tone. 

“That’s right,” Lord Simultaneous replied.

“Fine by me,” Donna shrugged.

Rachael huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. “That sucks.”

“What about our children?” Donny asked, retrieving Snow from Leatherhead to show her to them. “Will they be allowed to fight in the tournament one day?”

“Snow can,” Renet answered, stepping forward to get a closer look at Snow. “She is so cute,” she cooed, leaning down to rub noses with Snow. “I can’t believe this little thing becomes such an amazing fighter.”

“The others cannot,” Lord Simultaneous continued as he shot Renet a warning glare, causing her to back away. “They are also not supposed to exist. This includes the one you are carrying now.” He looked up at the Daimyo. “I know these four had followed their father through the portal several years back. Don’t let their kids do the same. Block them from entering.”

The Daimyo nodded. “You have my word.”

“I know it all sounds totally harsh,” Renet said apologetically. “But, we have done so- much to let you guys have this. The few rules you guys have to follow is a fair trade off.”

“What do you mean by that?” Raph demanded. 

“There are those who would have preferred that your tampering with interdimensional events be undone,” Lord Simultaneous explained. “They didn’t care about the amount of work it would have taken. However, since you have done so much in your dimension and the multiverse as a whole, Renet managed to persuade me to pull some strings to allow this reality to continue to exist.”

“It wasn’t easy. We had to… uh…. What’s the best way to put it?” Renet looked off to the side as she thought. “It’s like, putting sealant on a cord to prevent it from unraveling.”

Donny lifted an eye ridge. “I don’t follow.”

“We have to ensure that there are no offshoots from this dimension,” Lord Simultaneous offered. “From the moment Michelangelo saved the Donatello from an alternate universe, we have made sure that there are no other parallel lines.”

“Which is why we couldn’t go to the point in time to prevent the girls from coming here,” Renet added. “It would have caused an offshoot of this dimension. One where they came here and one where they did not. We need to keep it at the one.”

“But, we’re not here to get deep into the complexities of how the multiverse works,” Lord Simultaneous said, waving it off. “The whole reason for this trip is to prevent the near cataclysmic event from happening again.”

“You have my word,” Leo stated with a slight bow of his head. “After you return us home, Splinter, Raph, Donny, Mikey and I will be the only ones to enter the Nexus from now on.”

“And Snow,” Donny added. “Once she’s old enough. Leatherhead too…. He’ll want to watch her fight.”

“She grows into a great warrior,” Renet said with a smile that then faded. “Not always a good person, but a great warrior.”

Donny held Snow protectively against his chest. “What do you mean by that?”

“Oops. I wasn’t supposed to say that,” Renet hesitated as she thought and looked down at Lord Simultaneous for help. 

“There’s no harm in a general explanation,” Lord Simultaneous said with a grunt. “Now that you’ve brought it up. No details.”

“Right. In every other dimension, you’re dead since you didn’t have the other Donatello there to save you,” Renet said sorrowfully. “And in others, Raphael… did not survive the attack. So, Snow… she gets a thirst for vengeance and it consumes her. But, I’m sure this Snow will be fine as long as she is raised with love.”

“She gets that in spades,” Donny said, hugging Snow. 

“Good,” Lord Simultaneous said. “Then all will be well. Now that it’s all settled, Renet and I have to get back to work. The multiverse is a never-ending cascade of problems when it comes to you turtles. We will return at the end of the tournament to take you home,” Lord Simultaneous said, opening a portal. “Don’t attempt to leave without us.”

“You have our word,” Splinter reassured him.

“Thank you for allowing us to continue to live on Third Earth with the guys,” Michelle said while waving goodbye.  

“Thank you for allowing us to continue to live,” Rachael added as the portal closed.

“Why don’t we clear our heads while we take a look around the pavilion and wait for the next tier of the tournament to begin,” Leo offered. “We still have some time.”

A huge swell of relief filled Mikey and he pulled Michelle into a tight hug. Despite what Lord Simultaneous had said, it still felt like they had almost lost the girls. He did not want to go back to that unbearable loneliness.

From the way the others were acting, they felt the same. They all hugged their loved ones. Even Splinter and Sliver shared a modest display of affection, pressing their foreheads together. 

Mikey swore that he would never take Michelle for granted. There were so many in the multiverse who will never know the joy of her being in his life. 

Ch 56
Foreign

The whole time Renet and Lord Simultaneous were talking with the others, Raph worried about two things. His first worry was that he was about to lose Donna, just when they finally started to connect. The way Lord Simultaneous was talking, it sounded like a real possibility. 

Donna had wrapped herself around his arm, burying her face against his bicep with her fingers intertwined with his. He could sense that she was equally afraid. Of course, she was afraid. While he was worried that he would have to live without her, she feared losing her life. 

When they were reassured that the girls were going to be allowed to stay, Raph’s other concern became the focus of this thoughts. It was safe to assume Renet and Lord Simultaneous knew of Raph’s problem. The way Renet kept looking over at him told him that she was worried about him. Would she say anything to his brothers in an attempt to help? Or, knowing Renet, simply blurt it out without thinking? 

That fear dissipated a little as the two time lords exited through the portal. But, the concern was still there. They were going to return after the tournament. Something could be said then. 

Concern over Tello, had Raph pushing his own issues aside to check up on him. There was something about Donatello, no matter which incarnation of him it was, that drew Raph in. He wasn’t sure what it was about them, but he would do anything to keep them safe.  

Once he was sure that Tello was okay, Raph went over to retrieve Snow from Leatherhead. Holding his daughter helped to ease his anxieties. Renet and Lord Simultaneous said she needed love to keep her on the right path. That was an easy enough requirement to fill. Raphael adored his daughter. 

They still had some time to kill before the tournament would continue, so the Turtles had decided to start the tour down in the Hall of Champions. Actually, it was Mikey who had insisted on showing off his statue to the others. For him, it was on the top of the priority list and since they were leaving right after the tournament it had to be done now. 

As they made their way down, they were met by Usagi and Traximus. Brief introductions were made and Leonardo gave them an abridged account of the events that led to Tello and the girls ending up in their dimension. 

“I wonder if there are parallel versions of my world,” Usagi said, almost to himself. “Certain aspects of my life would not have worked out the same if I had been a female. I definitely would have known sooner that I had a child.”

“If there were several versions of my existence, I think I would prefer never to come in contact with any of them,” Traximus stated. “With my people struggling to rebuild our government, my life is complicated enough as it is. So much so that I was almost unable to attend the tournament.” He then smiled and added. “But it is good that you were able to find mates out of the experience.”

“You have no idea,” Mikey said, grabbing hold of Michelle’s hand. “This is like a dream come true.”

“I agree with Traximus,” Usagi said. “Though it appears that there is an uneven number of males to females. I can only imagine the troubles it has caused.”

“It’s actually not an issue,” Donatello said with a nervous chuckle as his cheeks darkened. “I’m in a relationship with Leather head.”

“Then it all seems to have worked out.” Usagi smiled and then turned his attention to Snow. “What about the child? Where did she come from? She looks as if she could be from the same world as Drako.”

“That one is complicated,” Donny answered, looking over at Raph as if to ask permission to tell the story. When Raph nodded, Donny continued. “To summarize, a man named Bishop abducted me. His intentions were to make it so I could have children, breed me with my brothers and raise our children as his own little soldiers. My brothers and Leatherhead managed to rescue me, but the alterations had already been done. In fact, the reason I’m not fighting in the tournament this years is because I am currently pregnant.”

“So, then the child is yours,” Trax stated as he moved in close to look Snow over, “and Leatherhead’s. But, if that is the case, why is Raphael the one holding her?”

With a squeal of delight, Snow grabbed hold of Trax’s horn. “Diyasour.”

Traximus chuckled, not bothered in the slightest and the large warrior softened as he gently pulled himself from her grasp. “On my world, children are kept in a nursery. I have not seen one since I had entered into adulthood. I had no idea how delightful they could be. She is adorable.”

“She is,” Donny said with a smile. “The uterus Bishop implanted in me combines my DNA with the DNA of whoever I mate with. To ensure that I mated, Bishop dosed us with something that… gave us an overwhelming and uncontrollable desire to mate. I was alone with Raphael and Leatherhead when the drugs took effect. So, Snow is also Raphael’s.”

“Interesting. That must have taken some dark wizardry,” Usagi said awe.

“Science,” Traximus corrected. “This Bishop must have access to various alien DNA. I have met a species whose wombs work in such a way. They take the strongest genetic material to form the child. Leatherhead’s DNA must have been more dominate.”

“That is what we believe as well,” Donny said. 

They entered the Hall of Champions and followed the path through the statues. Leonardo pointed out the ones that they knew as they made their way past. Which happened to be quite a few. 

Aside from Splinter and Yoshi, there were statues of Drako, the Ninja Tribunal, and the Shredder. Leo made sure to give them a brief explanation on how they knew each of them. Given the chance, he would go on for hours when it came to history. 

Mikey, however, did not think that the explanations were brief enough. “This leads us to the reason why we’re here,” he interrupted as he trotted ahead. “My statue.” Once he was in front of the statue Mikey did his usual, turning to strike the same pose. “I’ve hardly aged a day! I still have the same baby face and chiseled physique. Hard to believe this was six years ago.”  

“That is one big statue,” Rachael said as she came upon it.

“It’s almost as big as his ego,” Raph quipped, standing beside her. “He likes to brag about winning every chance he gets. He won’t shut up about it. But what do you expect, it’s his only worthwhile accomplishment.”

“You’re just jealous ‘cause you don’t have one,” Mikey said with a wide grin. 

Smirking at Raph, Rachael shrugged. “He has a point. You don’t have one.”

“Don’t encourage him,” Raph grumbled and moved on to stand in front of Splinter’s statue. “At least I have a chance this year. Thanks to Usagi, Mikey doesn’t.”

“Don’t bring me into this,” Usagi stated, lifting a brow. 

“As if,” Mikey said to Raph with a snort, ignoring Usagi. “They only reason you’re moving on is because Tello forfeited. From the looks of you, you were more than ready to throw in the towel. He could have beat you with a feather. There is no way you are going to win the tournament.”

“You’re one to talk. The only reason you even have that statue is because Splinter forfeited and Leo had been poisoned,” Raph growled back. “You wouldn’t have stood a chance against them.”

“I won the final battle all on my own,” Mikey argued. “Twice.”

“Enough,” Splinter said, striking his cane on the ground. “I’ve grown weary of this argument. It is time the two of you put it to rest.”

“I believe you promised me a drink,” Trax said in an attempt to draw Raph’s attention away from his brother. “We still have time before the next tier begins. You can tell me how you received your scars and I can get to know your lovely mate.”

Donna blushed as she shyly wrapped her arms around herself. “Lovely?” she whispered so softly that Raph barely heard her.  

“Do you want me to take Snow?” Donny offered. 

Raph looked down at his daughter and noticed that, despite his yelling, she had fallen asleep with her head resting on his shoulder. He shook his head. “No. I wanna hold her a little longer. I’ll give her back to you before the next round.”

He wasn’t going to say it out loud but he wanted as much time with her as he could manage. As soon as they returned home from the tournament and saw Casey and April’s twins, Raph and Donna were going to leave. There was no way to know how long it was going to take for the drugs to leave his system. It could be several weeks before he got to hold her again. 

“There is a lovely little tea shop that is not too far from here,” Splinter said to Sliver, offering her his arm. “They have a tea that is unlike anything you have ever tasted.”

With a small smile, Sliver wrapped her arm around his. “That sounds delightful. Heaven knows that I could use a good cup of tea right now.”

“Let’s go get some sweets,” Mikey exclaimed as he pulled Michelle away. “You won’t believe some of the things they have here.”

“Okay.” With a giggle, Michelle allowed herself to be pulled away. 

“We’ll join you,” Donny said, trotting after them. “I have a massive craving for something sweet right now.” Leatherhead followed after his mate. Raph could see the desire in Leatherhead’s eyes to lecture Donny about eating a proper diet while pregnant. But the smile that said he was willing to indulge his mate overruled it. 

“Looks like we are all parting ways,” Leo said, taking Rachael’s hand.

“Looks like it,” Raph agreed as he took Donna by the hand. He could tell that she was a little nervous about the idea of being out among others. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze before once again addressing Leo. “We’ll meet you back at the arena in time for round three.” 

“Usagi, would you like to join us?” Leo said to his friend. 

“I would love to,” Usagi replied with a smile. 

“I’m afraid we’ll get lost if we go off by ourselves,” Tello pointed out. “Leah and I haven’t been here before.”

“It would be much appreciated if one of you allowed us to join you,” Leah added.

“You can come with us,” Leo chuckled. “Usagi and I will show you around.”

“Is there anything cool you can show us,” Rachael asked as they walked away. “Like, weapons?”

“I think there is something nearby,” Usagi replied.

At the moment, everyone seemed happy and carefree. But, guilt weighed heavily on Raph as he watched his family disperse, knowing what he was about to put them through. If all ended up going as planned, they would simply be mad at him for running off with Donna. But, then again, when has anything ever gone as planned? 

Chapter 57
Through the Fire

Leonardo wished that there was more time to show the others around the Nexus. There were so many wondrous things to see and this was their only chance to see it. But, the tournament would not wait. Gyoji appeared, announcing that the final stage of the Battle Nexus Tournament was about to begin and teleported Leo and Usagi to the base of the arena. 

They drew kunai from an orb of water, that had colored ribbon attached to them to determine who they would fight next. Leonardo’s ribbon was yellow and matched with a short and stocky fighter. They had just enough time to acknowledge each other before they were teleported into the arena to battle. 

During their tour of the Nexus, Leah had told them about the remaining combatants, including the stout creature Leo now faced. He was difficult to knock down due to his low center of gravity, and knew how to take a blow. 

He won his matches by grabbing hold of his opponent. He would either hurl them against the wall with such force that they were teleported away before they made contact or he crushed the appendage, leaving them unable to fight. Staying out of the creature’s reach was Leo’s top priority. 

Though his opponent was slow, he was solid and strong. Rough skin covered the stout creature that rendered the edge on Leo’s blades useless. He would dull the edge before scratching the creature. Sheathing his swords, Leo knew he would have to take a different approach. 

Leonardo first tried to go for a pressure point. As he moved in close to hit one, his opponent grabbed for him. Leo had to pull his strike short in order to get out of harm’s way. The rough fingers grazed his wrist and it took all of Leo’s control not to panic. A broken wrist could be crippling. 

His opponent smirked, knowing he almost had Leo. “You’re fast. But, I’ll get you.”

“No, you won’t.” Removing his belt, Leo lowered his swords to the ground but kept the leather strap in his hand. His opponent chuckled as they continued to circle one another. 

Leo ran forward and, as predicted, his opponent took a defensive stance. With both ends of his belt twisted around his hands, Leo leapt into the air, flipping over his opponent. As he passed, Leo drew the belt around the creature’s neck. 

Twisting around, Leo crossed the ends of the belt and then planted his feet in the middle of his opponent’s back. Once in position, Leo pulled with all his might in hopes that it would do the trick. 

Thrown off balance, the stout creature fell forward. Judging by the way his opponent was gasping, Leo had managed to apply enough pressure to choke him, if only a little. All he had to do now was maintain his hold.  

His position on his opponent’s back, made it impossible for the creature to reach back and grab hold of him. His fingers grazed Leo’s ankles but that was as far as they could go. It was the biggest disadvantage of his short and broad build.  

After a while, his opponent gave up on trying to grab him and decided to shake Leo off instead. He stood and started shaking, but Leo and impeccable balance and managed to stay in the center of his back while maintaining tension on the strap. 

Changing tactics, his opponent tried falling back, in an attempt to crush him. Leo caught them, placing one foot back while the other stayed planted in the middle of the creature’s back. This put his opponent at a complete disadvantage. He couldn’t stand back up due to Leo pulling down on his neck. If he twisted to the side, Leo would follow, staying in the center of his back while continuing to choke him.

Whatever he did, however he turned, Leo would compensate for it. 

His opponent started to thrash and claw at his neck. Leo knew that he had to hold on just a little while longer. The safety spells over the arena would not let him harm his opponent but it also had to determine that there was no way for his opponent to get out of it. 

The creature’s movements began to slow, a sign that he was beginning to lose consciousness.  Just as Leo started to think that they were going to let his opponent pass out, Gyoji showed up.

He looked at the creature. “Would you like to forfeit?”

The creature gave a quick nod and he was teleported away.   

The sudden loss of his opponent had Leo falling back. Relieved that the strategy had worked, he stayed sitting on the ground for a moment to allow feeling to return to his arms. He could hear the clash of weapons coming from the other sections of the arena. As long as those battles continued, he would have time to rest. 

Returning to the center of the arena, Leo collected his swords and put them on. He wondered how Raph was holding up. He looked up at the observation deck to see his family looking down at another section of the arena. Judging by the looks on their faces, they were all watching Raph. 

When the crowd and his family erupted in cheers, Leo knew that Raphael had succeeded in his match. 

With the final match completed, the walls came down to reveal the remaining combatants. Raphael, Usagi, and a tall female had also made it to the final four. 

Leo smiled at his brother but it quickly faded when he realized how beat Raph looked. Walking up to him, Leo placed his hand on Raph’s shoulder. “How you holding up?”

Raph shook his head. “I’m done. I barely managed to finish that one.”

“I honestly did not expect you to make it to this far,” Leo said, giving Raph’s shoulder a squeeze. “You’re an inspiration for us all. I am proud of you, Raph.”

Thought there was pain in his eyes, Raph flashed Leo a lopsided smile. “Just remember this moment the next time I do something stupid.”

A portal made of water opened and Gyoji gestured for them to enter. “Step through the portal. You will be paired as you exit.”

The four combatants passed through the portal and emerged in a large, open arena. Raph and Leo appeared on one end while Usagi and the female appeared on the other. 

“Looks like you get to be the one to take me out,” Raph said as they turned to face one another. “Don’t go easy on me.”

“I don’t plan on it,” Leo replied. “I wanna get this over with as quickly as possible. That way I get a longer rest before the final battle.”

“As much as I would love to see you win the whole thing, I ain’t forfeiting,” Raph said. “I’m not gonna make this too easy for you.”

Leo smiled while drawing his swords. “I wasn’t expecting you to.” Raph’s pride was on the line. If he was going to go out, he was going to go out fighting. Leo was going to make sure it was a fight he could be proud of. Leo beckoned Raph to attack. “I’ll let you lead this dance.”

The two clashed, both giving it all that they had. Even though Raph was exhausted, he knew how to fight through it and he knew Leo’s fighting stile well enough to anticipate his moves. If Leo did let up, Raph would strike the advantage. 

Eventually, Raphael’s exhaustion caught up with him and his body became sluggish. He wasn’t able to get a block up in time. As Leo brought his sword down there was a moment of panic before his brother was teleported safely away. 

With a sigh of relief, Leo allowed himself a moment of reflection. He had made it to the final round. 

He looked up towards his family. Splinter, Donny, Tello, and Donna were nowhere to be seen, most likely off to check on Raph. He smiled as he pictured them fussing over Raph. The others smiled and waved, Mikey and Michelle the most enthusiastic. 

Leo then turned his attention to Usagi’s fight. The tall female was skilled, using a weapon that resembled a pair of katar and gauntlets that blocked Usagi’s swords. He decided to study her movements, just in case she bested Usagi. 

In the end, Usagi proved to be the more skillful warrior. He spotted an opening and arched his sword towards her midsection. She teleported away a split second before the blade made contact.

No matter how many times he has seen it happen, Leo still felt a slight surge of panic in the moments before they were teleported.  

Now that the final match was about to begin, Leonardo couldn’t help but smile. He had spared against and fought alongside Usagi several times. He was his best friend. He couldn’t have hoped for a better outcome. If he was going to lose to anyone, he would prefer it to be Usagi. But, then again, he had no intention of losing. 

“I’ll give you a moment to catch your breath,” Leo said as the two met in the center of the arena. “You can let me know when you are ready.”

“Thank you,” Usagi said with a smile. “I am glad that you are my final opponent.”

“As am I,” Leo replied. 

Usagi took several deep breaths but he knew that resting for too long could do more harm than good. He would give himself enough time to recover his strength without losing his adrenaline rush from the last fight and allowing fatigue to set in.

“I’m ready,” he said as he moved into a fighting stance. 

Leonardo readied himself for the fight, facing Usagi with both swords drawn. The two started to circle one another, each waiting for the other to make the first strike while deciding on their own methods of attack. 

Eager to get the fighting started, Leo went on the offensive. With a fire in his eyes, Usagi shifted his stance accordingly and their swords crashed together. 

Now that the battle had begun, the two swordsmen were in constant motion. They simultaneously defended and attacked while looking for an opening for a final strike. Neither one ever gained control of the battle. Neither one faltered. 

Spurred on by the rush of the fight and the drive to win, nether let up in his attack. The two skilled warriors fought with such speed and accuracy that the crowd fell into an awed hush. 

It wouldn’t have mattered if they continued cheering or not, Leo’s mind was in a trance like state. Its only focus was on Usagi, the rest of the world faded away. 

A sudden force pulled the two apart. In their confusion, they both looked up towards the Daimyo. 

“This has gone on long enough,” the Daimyo declared. “Never has a battle lasted so long. Never has two combatants been so equally matched. I could allow you to continue to fight until one of you tires enough to falter but I don’t see that happening any time soon. So, for the first time in Battle Nexus history, I declare a draw.”

Leo’s mind barely processed the Daimyo’s words. Now that he had been pulled from the fight and allowed to slow down, fatigue caught up to him. Looking over at Usagi, he could see that his Samurai friend was in no better shape. 

Leo’s legs gave out and he collapsed to the ground as Usagi sat down hard. Every tendon in his hand screamed in pain when Leo tried to loosen his grip on his hilts. There was a deep indention in the palm of his hand and his fingers were bleeding. 

They were teleported away and swarmed by healers the moment they materialized. Leo was guided to a tatami. As he lay back a damp cloth was placed over his eyes. 

“How long?” he rasped. 

“Five hours,” one of the healers replied. “The two of you would have fought until you dropped dead from exhaustion if the Daimyo hadn’t stopped you. Never in my life have I seen such a pigheaded display of determination.”

“Rest,” another said. “We will take care of you.”

The room felt as if it was spinning and every inch of his body felt like it was on fire. Despite it all, Leonardo was asleep before the healer finished speaking. 

  

Chapter 58
All That I Have

Leonardo and Usagi stayed in a deep sleep for several hours while the healers assisted in their recovery. Rachael stayed by Leo’s side as he slept, despite the healer’s insistence that she leave so they could work. 

Leah had never seen this side of her sister. She was usually so distant and uncaring, but now, she was worried. It was a testament to how much she truly loved Leonardo. 

When the two warriors woke, they were sore but they managed to stand on their own. Seeing that they had adequately recovered, the Daimyo held the awards ceremony, naming them both champions. 

Neither of them seemed upset that they were sharing the title. In fact, they seemed quite happy about it. The bond between the two sword wielders was greater than their need to prove that they are the best.  

There was no time to celebrate after the ceremony. Lord Simultaneous and Renet arrived as soon as it was over and return the Turtles and their family back to their proper dimension. 

Leah was more than happy to go. As beautiful and enchanting as the Nexus was, it felt good to return to normalcy. 

It wasn’t a happy moment for everyone. For Tello, returning home meant spending time in the shrine dedicated to his family and dealing with the pain he had suffered during the tournament. 

Leah stood on the outside, trying to decide if she should join him or allow him this time to himself. She couldn’t imagine what he was going through. She had yet to experience so great of a loss. 

“There’s no harm in asking.” Leah turned to see her mother standing behind her. “I know there were times that I wished for some company,” Sliver added in a soft whisper.”

“Thank you,” Leah whispered in response as she embraced her mother. “I would be lost without your guidance.”

“Be patient with him,” Sliver said, hugging Leah in return. “Everyone mourns differently and in their own time. Even if he would rather be alone, at least he would know you cared enough to offer.”

Stepping back, Leah smiled at Sliver. “I’ll keep that in mind.” She watched her mother continue on her way before turning to knock lightly on the frame. “May I join you?”

“Yeah,” Tello replied. “I’d like that.”

Leah slipped past the curtain and sat down in the small area across from Tello. “You okay?”

“I miss them,” Tello answered, looking at the photo of his brothers. “There are times that the pain is greater than others. They would have loved the Nexus.” With a sigh, he rubbed the bridge of his beak. “Sorry. I don’t mean to dwell.”

“You have no reason to apologies,” Leah assured him. “It’s okay to mourn. You take all the time you need.”

“It helps having you here,” Tello confessed. “You give me a reason to… move. Without you, I think I would just stop again.”

Leah smiled. “Then I will be here for you…, with you whenever you need me.”

Tello held out his hand. “Come here.” After sliding her hand into his, Leah was pulled the short distance between them and into Tello’s lap. She nuzzled against his chest as he wrapped himself around her. “You are the best thing to ever happen to me,” he said, kissing the top of her head. 

“I love you too,” she replied. 

They sat in a comfortable silence for a while. Tello would stare at his brothers’ carapaces or run his fingers along the box that held his father’s ashes. The pain he felt was hard for Leah to comprehend, but she would do everything she could to help him through it. 

“We get to go see the babies tomorrow,” Tello stated, out of the blue. “I look forward to seeing my friends again, as they start their new lives.”

“Should I be jealous,” Leah teased. 

“Part of me will always love April,” Tello confessed, letting out a slight chuckle, “but if she were here today, I would choose you over her in a heartbeat.”

Leah softly chuckled. “I believe you. I have no doubts of your love.” 

From her position, Leah could see their feet and thought out loud, “I wonder how many toes our children are going to have.”

“Hard to guess,” Tello said, wiggling his toes. “I just hope they have your smaller hands. It will make life so much easier on them.”

There was a brief moment of silence between them. 

“Wanna go watch a movie,” Tello asked. 

“Sure,” Leah said, looking up at him. “I would like that. I just hope the television’s free. Snow’s been on a PBS kick here lately.”

Tello shrugged and released his hold on her so she could get up. “If it’s not we could watch a movie in our room on the laptop.”

“Then let’s skip checking the TV room and just go to ours,” Leah said, offering Tello a hand up. “I like the idea of snuggling together on the bed better anyway.”

“Alright,” Tello agreed. 

Standing in front of the shrine, Tello and Leah bowed before turning to leave. 

They spent the next few hours snuggled up close to each other in bed while they watched the latest movie adaptation of a comic. As they watched their hands started to drift into more intimate locations and it wasn’t long before the movie was set aside. 

Leah kissed Tello’s lips as she coaxed him to lie back then she straddled his hips, twisting her tail around his. Their tails touching was enough to draw a churr from Tello. 

Sitting up, Leah looked down at Tello’s glassy eyed expression. She loved the way he looked up at her in his aroused state. The other boys were too dominating and aggressive, but not Tello. He submitted to her. 

She could feel that his penis was beginning to emerge so she moved up to straddle his chest. “I’m not ready yet.”

It was a small lie. In fact, she was very much aroused, wet and ready. It had more to do with her desire to control the moment than anything else. That, and she loved getting oral. 

Taking the hint, Tello hooked his arms under her legs and brought her the rest of the way forward until her tail was over his face. Leah braced herself with her hands on the wall as Tello licked the inside of her cloaca. 

She let out a satisfied hum and placed her hand on the top of his head. The sweet sensation of the impending climax was her favorite part. “Almost,” she whispered. 

Her orgasm hit, causing her legs to shake and her stomach to tighten. Tello drove his tongue as deep inside her as it could go and gently sucked on the parts of her clit that was exposed in her arousal. 

Satisfied, she lifted off of him to sit next to him on the bed. His beak was covered in her juices and, looking up as her, he churred, needy for his own release. 

“Now it’s your turn,” Leah said, smiling at him. 

The look in his eyes, the scent of his arousal and the wanton desire in his churrs had Leah’s desire fired up despite already having an orgasm. She wasted little time finding a condom and placing it over his rock-hard penis. It was tricky, unrolling it over the flared tip but Leah managed to squeeze it closed enough to work the condom down. 

As soon as it was on, Leah positioned herself back over Tello and lined his tip up with her entrance. He churred with every breath as his hands massaged her thighs. With each rock of her hips, Leah took him in deeper. 

Deep down she wished she could feel what it was like to have him inside her without the piece of latex between them. But, that would not be without its consequences and she did not want to disappoint her mother by going against her wishes. 

She rode him hard and she knew that he was lost in the pleasure. All he was able to do was lay back and enjoy it. Which was fine with Leah, she preferred being the one in control. 

It was good that, despite how easy it was to get Tello worked up, he had stamina enough for Leah to climax two more times before reaching his own. 

She knew he was close when his grip tightened on her thighs and he began to thrust. When he climaxed, he held her down so that he could be deep inside her as he finished. It was the only bit of control Leah allowed him to have. 

When he was done, Tello released his grip and rolled his head back on the pillow. He was still half in a trance but at least he stopped passing out. 

Grabbing the base of Tello’s penis to hold the condom in place, Leah lifted up and moved to sit beside him. As she moved to remove the condom she felt her heart hit her stomach. 

There was a tear in the condom and Tello’s cum was leaking from it. 

“It broke,” Leah said past the lump in her throat. 

Tello responded with a questioning hum. 

“The condom broke,” Leah stated, unable to take her eyes off of it. 

“What?!” Snapping back to reality, Tello propped himself up to have a look. “Oh….”

“I… I must have done something wrong when I put it on,” Leah squeaked out as she was overrun with emotion. 

“Don’t panic,” Tello soothed, sitting in an attempt to look her in the eyes. “Donny said that he also put some spermicide in the condoms. So, we could still be okay.”

“There’s usually a lot in the condom,” Leah said, still staring at it. “But, there’s not much in there at all. That means it’s all in me.”

“I’m sorry,” Tello whispered. 

Eyes filling with tears, Leah placed her fingers against her lips. “I’m gonna be a mom.” She looked at Tello and smiled. “I’m gonna be a mom!”

Tello lifted an eye ridge. “You’re… happy?”

“Ever since I was little I wanted to be a mom,” Leah said. She never would have admitted it to anyone but the only reason she was using the condoms was because her mother wished it. And, the fact that Rachael was going to be a mother first had Leah a little jealous. 

Leah placed her hand on Tello’s chest. “Which one of your brothers are we supposed to have?”

“Leonardo,” Tello replied, still a little confused. “They decided to go to their female counterparts…. Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

“Yeah.” Leah nodded. She leaned in and kissed Tello, tasting herself on his lips. His agile tongue flicked inside her mouth, stirring her need once more. 

When they pulled apart she looked him in the eyes and grinned. “Let’s go again. This time, without the condom.” Why not, she thought. The ‘damage’ had already been done.

With a needful churr, Tello submitted to her once more. 

Chapter 59
Flowers

Sliver was meticulous in her grooming. It had taken her years to get used to having so much fur, dealing with a great deal of discomfort when she was first mutated. 

When she was young, her mother had kept Akitas, a breed of dog that need to be groomed regularly to cut back on shedding. She was often tasked with the dogs’ upkeep as part of her daily chores. Fortunately for her, she was able to apply those skills to herself. 

Now, she enjoyed running her hands over the soft top coat, taking pride in how well she managed to maintain it. 

Each night she showered, scrubbing and conditioning her fur and hair. When she was done, she would put her hair up in a towel and wrap herself in her robe before heading down to the room she shared with Splinter. 

That night, Splinter was sitting on the bed with his kimono draped around his waist, using his tail to brush the fur on his back. It was a method Sliver had also learned to use early on. But now, it was one that was no longer necessary.

“Allow me,” she offered, holding out her hand.  

“Thank you,” Splinter said as he passed her the brush. 

Kneeling down behind him, Sliver got to work. She ran the comb through his fur, noting the strong muscles underneath. Splinter might come off as a withered old man but he was a formidable fighter.

“I will admit that, at first, I was surprised at how well you kept your coat. I was expecting it to be dry and unkept.”

Splinter chuckled. “That hasn’t always been the case. Before we met April, I cleaned myself with whatever I could get my hands on. The condition of my fur then is probably more what you were expecting.”

Sliver ran the brush through Splinter’s fur, removing the loose undercoat. It was getting warmer, which meant that their thick undercoat was starting to shed. Sliver was determined to get as much as possible so it wouldn’t end up coating the lair. 

“Speaking of April,” Sliver said. “Are we still going to see her and the babies tomorrow?”

“Yes.” Splinter nodded. “Leonardo should be recovered enough by then.”

“I am eager to see them,” Sliver said as a soft smile played across her lips. “It has been far too long since I have been able to hold a newborn.”

“With the way our children are behaving, we will have plenty of babies to hold soon enough,” Splinter stated, drawing a hearty chuckle from Sliver. 

“I suppose you’re right.” Sliver handed the brush back to Splinter. “All done. My turn.” As they repositioned themselves so that Splinter could brush Sliver’s back, she lowered her bathrobe to her waist. 

There was something serene in being groomed by another. The soft steady strokes lulled Sliver into a peaceful state that made her worries slipped away. She usually slept easier on the nights that Splinter brushed her. 

Splinter worked the brush through her damp fur, discarding any loose strands that ended up in the brush. It wasn’t glamorous but it was necessary.   

“I am done,” Splinter said, passing her the brush so she can continue grooming herself. 

“Thank you,” Sliver replied, turning slightly to kiss Splinter on the cheek. The fact that he kept his eyes averted from her bare breasts was not lost on her. So, she turned all the way around to face him and kissed his lips. 

Splinter tensed but returned the kiss. He was still so unsure. 

Though they had shared a room and a bed, their relationship had yet to develop beyond the platonic. Sliver guided one of Splinter’s hands to her breast. It was overdue for their relationship to progress to the next stage. 

…..

Splinter watched as Sliver pinned her long dark hair up in a loose bun. The small mirror showed her soft smile when their eyes met in its reflection. 

Once her hair was secure, she stood and made her way over to where her kimonos were kept. As she passed, the subtle scent of flowers filled the air. 

Splinter smiled, as a feeling of joy filled him. He had never known such a love before and he never expected that he would experience it. Part of him still felt unworthy of it. She deserved so much more than he could offer. 

Sliver selected a dark green kimono with pink sakura petal accents. It was one of Splinter’s favorites and he suspected that she knew it. 

On the surface, Sliver presented herself as a serene and ‘proper’ lady but she was capable of holding her own against any adversary. Given the chance, Splinter was sure that she could be a Nexus champion. It was a pity that she would never have such an opportunity.  

It was almost time for morning training so Splinter excused himself and made his way into the dojo. Leah and Tello were already waiting. They were restless, a good sign that something was troubling them. 

“You’re early,” Splinter said, hoping to coax something out of them. 

“I need to speak with my mother before training starts,” Leah said.

“Did something happen,” Splinter asked, shifting his gaze to Tello. Out of the two of them, Tello was easier to read. 

Tello balked and looked down at the floor. “It’d be best if both of you are here to hear this.”

“Very well,” Splinter replied and began preparing for the others to arrive. He had his suspicions on what it was but would not voice his assumptions. He would know soon enough. 

Sliver stepped out of the room as Michelangelo and Michelle entered. “I can’t believe we beat Leo here,” Mikey said. 

“He’s probably still tired,” Michelle pointed out. “That fight was intense. I got tired just watching it.”

“He’ll be here soon enough,” Sliver said as a matter of fact. “It would be best if you prepared.”

Leah timidly approached Sliver. “Mother, there is something I have to tell you.”

“Your next clutch will be fertilized,” Sliver stated, voicing Splinter’s suspicions.  

Leah nodded. “We were careful but… the condom broke.”

“I told you,” Mikey exclaimed, causing everyone to jump. 

“Michelangelo,” Splinter warned. 

“Forgive him,” Michelle said, slapping Mikey’s arm. “He’s got it in his head that fate is determined to work against us and that any attempt in preventing children is pointless.”

“Their condom broke,” Mikey argued. “I told you something like that would happen. This only proves my point. I’m not willing to risk it. The best way to prevent it is to not do it at all.”

“You saying you haven’t had sex,” Rachael asked as she entered the dojo with Leo, followed by Donna and Raph. “And, did I hear that Miss. Perfect made a mistake.”

“Enough,” Leo warned her. 

“We haven’t,” Michelle confirmed with a sigh. “And, Leah did.”

“Enough,” Leah demanded. 

Raph looked at Mikey in disbelief. “Really? I would have put money on the two of you being the first to go at it. You guys have been all over each other since you met.”

Mikey scoffed. “Shows what you know. I know more than you think I do. I know where babies come from and, unlike you, I gotta be careful.” As soon as the words left his mouth it was apparent that he regretted them. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright,” Raph mumbled in response before heading over to collect his training gear. 

“He’ll be alright,” Donna reassured Mikey with a pat on the shoulder and then trotted over to Leah. “Congratulations?” She drew out the word, ending with a higher note to her voice to indicate a question. 

Leah smiled. “I’m not distraught over it, if that’s what you’re implying. I’m okay with this. I just wanted mother to understand that it wasn’t planned.”

“I’ll be available to help you,” Donna offered, “whenever you need it.”

Leah hugged Donna. “Thank you, little sister.”

“Alright,” Leo interrupted. “It’s time we got started.”

Splinter and Sliver sat off to the side to observe while Leo lead the morning lessons. There was a sense of pride that came with watching Leo take over as head the family. It was comforting to know that if anything happened to him, his children have reached the point where they can take care of themselves. 

Donatello was taking a break from training, sleeping in. He was close to his due date and this child was larger than Snow had been, limiting his movements and making sleep difficult. 

Splinter worried about him, but Donatello reassured him that everything was alright. 

After training, they showered and then loaded into the battle shell. Driving was the better option since they didn’t want to arrive at April and Casey’s covered in sewer water. It was also easier on Donatello to ride than to walk given his condition. 

Leonardo parked in the back of the store, pulling the back of the battle shell up to the loading dock. Casey was there to open the large garage door that led into a storage area. They were able to jump from the vehicle into the building without being seen.

They climbed the stairs to the apartment above. At April’s insistence, they washed their hands as soon as they entered. “No kissing them,” April warned them. “And make sure the tails of your masks stay back.”

She was sitting on the sofa with one baby in her arms and the other one dozing in a swing. She looked exhausted, which was to be expected with two newborn babies. 

Karai, Dr. Chaplin, their son, and Miwa were also visiting April and the babies. They were all comfortably seated around the room, Karai with her son on her lap. Takahashi had grown since they had last seen him, plumping up and able to sit up on his own. 

“She gave us the same set of rules,” Miwa said, walking up to give Tello a hug. “It’s good to see you again.”

Tello returned the embrace and then headed over to see Takahashi first. “He’s looking well.”

“I managed to formulate a lotion to help clear up his rash,” Dr. Chaplin said. “He’s a happy healthy baby and has been hitting all his developmental milestones.”

“Here,” Karai said, handing Takahashi up to Tello.

Sitting down on the ottoman, Tello placed the baby on his knee. “How’re you holding up,” he asked April. 

“The braces make August uncomfortable so no one is sleeping well,” April answered. “Casey’s mom has been a godsend. I don’t think I would be able to do this without her.”

“Where is your mother,” Leo asked Casey as he sat next to April to get a closer look at the baby.

“She’s down in the shop with Sid, running things for us,” Casey said as he lifted the baby from the swing and took her over to Tello. “She’s got a birthmark over her heart but she’s healthy.”

“She’s beautiful,” Tello said, running his finger over Cassey’s hair. “She ended up with black hair.”

“August ended up with red,” Leo said, smiling down at the baby. 

“You wanna hold him,” April offered Leo. “Just be careful with his braces and watch his head.”

“Yeah,” Leo said, holding out his arms. “I could use the practice.”

“Here.” Casey offered Cassey to Splinter. “You are her surrogate grandfather after all.”

“Sit here,” Karai offered as she stood from the plush armchair. “It’s easier to hold a baby for an extended period of time if you are seated.”

“Thank you,” Splinter said, taking the baby into his arms before sitting down. She was small, barely weighed anything, no more than a sack of flour, but the fear of dropping her made her heavy in his arms. He appreciated the chance to sit. 

Her deep blue eyes studied him, curious but not frightened by the new face. Splinter smiled. There was something about the way a baby smelled that warmed the heart.  

Sliver stood next to Splinter and lovingly gazed down at the baby. “They are beautiful, April.” 

“They are,” Rachael agreed. “I’ve only just met them but I will beat the snot out of anyone who hurts them.”

“That’s a bit much,” Michelle said. 

“I mean it,” Rachael stated flatly. “They’re small and helpless. I want to keep them safe.”

“That’s how I felt when I first saw Snow,” Donny said. 

Dr. Chaplin stood up and offered Donatello his seat. “Not much longer until you have your second.”

“Not soon enough,” Donny chuckled as he sat. “This one is causing a great deal of discomfort. It is not a mere three pounds like Snow was.”

“You should come in for another exam,” Dr. Chaplin said. “Your plastron is preventing your stomach from adequately expanding. We can check its development and how it’s positioned. If there is any danger of internal damage for you, we can c-section it out.”

“The thought of that terrifies me,” Donnie admitted, placing his hand on his stomach. 

“Having the baby early, in a controlled environment is better than something going wrong and losing the both of you,” Leatherhead pointed out. 

“You’re right,” Donny said, looking up at Leatherhead. Nodding his head, Donny locked eyes with Dr. Chaplin. “I will come in tomorrow.”

“I’ll come with you,” Tello offered. “I want to run a few tests on the mutagen samples using their equipment.”

“I’ll go too,” Leo said. “I hate not being able to contribute to the protection of the city. At the very least I can help advise Karai’s next move against Hun.”

“There’s no reason you can’t fight with the Foot,” Raph said. “Just because Don and I are out of the big fights doesn’t mean you all have to be. I can take the girls on patrols for petty crime while you, Mikey, and Tello fight with the Foot against Hun and his men.”

“Did those words really come out of your mouth,” Mikey asked, leaning over to look Raph in the eyes. “You’re okay with teaming up with the Foot? You feeling okay?”

“I’m not saying I’m on board with moving in with them,” Raph replied, pushing Mikey’s face away. “But, they’ve proven that we can trust them so allying ourselves with them isn’t such a bad idea as it seemed a year ago.”

“It’s good to see you finally come around,” Leo said. 

He stood and walked August over to Leah and silently offered her a turn to hold him. Leah took the seat Leo had just vacated, next to April. It was her first time holding a baby and it showed. April helped adjust August in her arms for the most comfortable position. 

“Don’t read too far into it,” Raph said, crossing his arms over his plastron. “I just know that we need to do whatever it takes to stop Hun. He’s getting out of control.”

“Can we not talk about the atrocities of the city right now,” April requested. “I’ve got enough on my mind. I don’t need to worry about Hun coming after the babies to get to you guys.”

“August’s discomfort is not the only thing to keep her up at night,” Casey said. 

“You are welcome to come stay with the Foot,” Karai offered. “Hun will not be able to get to you there.”

“I might just take you up on that offer,” April said. She leaned in closer to Leah so that she could look down at August. “I don’t feel safe.”

“We can escort you back with us today,” Karai said. 

“I’ll pack our bags and let ma’ know,” Casey said as he headed into the bedroom. 

“Thank you,” April said to Karai as the weight of worry lifted from her. There was enough strain and worry that came with being a new mother. The fear of meeting the wrath of a sociopath should not be one of them. 

Chapter 60
Keeping a Secret

Donna lay pressed against Raph in the hammock, doing her best to comfort him. Having used up the last of his supply of pills earlier that day, he was already in the early stages of withdraw.

They were waiting for everyone to go to sleep so that they could sneak out. For some reason, some of them had decided to stay up late. The longer they had to wait, the worse Raph would get. If they didn’t leave soon, he wouldn’t be able to leave at all. 

“You okay?” Donna whispered. 

Raph lifted his hand to show her that it was starting to shake. “I feel tingly.”

“We’ll leave soon,” she promised. 

“Maybe we should wait,” Raph said. “I don’t want to cause Don anymore stress than he’s already under. You can go and get me more pills and we can do this after he’s had the baby.”

“We start down that path you will keep finding reasons to put this off.” Donna shook her head. “We do this now. You back out, I will tell them.”

“Fine,” Raph huffed, turning his head away. 

“Donny will be fine,” Donna said, kissing Raph’s cheek. 

They waited in silence for the others to go to bed. When they could no longer hear any noise, they waited a little longer before Donna got up to check. 

The lights in the lair were off with the exception of a few nightlights. With the note explaining that they had decided to go on a lovers’ retreat, in her hand, Donna made a dash to the dining room to leave it on the table. It was the best cover story she could come up with.

With that done, Donna collected a few more items and then snuck out with Raph. 

To avoid Don’s security cameras, they stayed out of the secured tunnels. This caused Donna to be on high alert. If anyone were to attack now, Raph was in no condition to fight them off. She was their only defender and that fact made her uneasy. 

Raph was equally anxious to get to relative safety. Though he shivered uncontrollably and his movements were stiff, he pushed himself, leading the way to his hideout. 

When they reached the location, Donna wasn’t surprised to see that it was an old subway station. She followed Raph as he made his way past the turnstiles and deeper into the abandoned structure. What did surprise her was the large tree, growing in the middle of one of the rooms. 

“It’s beautiful,” she said as she peered up into the branches. She had never seen a live tree before. She like the way it smelled. 

Raphael had tied his supplies to the branches in an attempt to keep the vermin away. Reaching into one of the baskets, he pulled out a long rope and handed it to Donna. “It will probably be best if you tie me to the tree. That way I can’t escape… or hurt you… when the withdraws get really bad.”

“As long as everything is well padded,” Donna said, running her hand along the rough bark. “I don’t want you getting rope burn or hitting your head against the tree.”

Raph nodded. “I’ve got blankets and cushions to set up against the tree and some wrist guards.” He was suddenly overcome with a full body shiver and had to lean against the tree for support. “The sooner you tie me up the better,” Raph stated. “The cravings are getting bad.”

“Alright,” Donna said and then got to work setting up where Raph was going to spend the next few weeks. 

She laid out a make shift nest against the tree using the cushions and blankets while Raph put on the pair of wrist guards. Digging in her own supplies, she pulled out a package of disposable mattress protectors. Raph wasn’t going to be able to move whenever he needed to relieve himself. The mats would make it easier for cleanup and disposal. 

Raph saw the pad and, understanding what they were for, he looked away in shame. The next few days were not going to be pleasant for either of them. 

Donna then tied one end of the rope around Raph’s wrist and walked it around the tree while Raph settled himself on the nest. Making sure there was no way for Raph to reach the knots, Donna tied his other wrist. 

“You okay,” she asked him when she was done. “Give it a test.”

Raph struggled against his restraints, doing his best to find a way to undo them. “I think they’re good,” he declared, out of breath after several attempts. “It’s uncomfortable but it will keep me in place.”

“What would you have done if I wasn’t here,” Donna asked, sitting beside him. “You wouldn’t’ve been able to tie yourself to the tree.”

“I probably would have continued doing what I have been all this time, kept making excuses and putting it off,” Raph confessed, “putting my family in danger every time I left to get more drugs.” He let out a deep breath and shook his head. “I don’t want to do this.”

“I’m here,” Donna soothed. “I’ll help you get through this.”

“It’s not gonna be pretty,” Raph said. “I looked up what happens during withdraws. I’m gonna be a nightmare.”

“I know,” Donna replied, caressing the top of Raph’s head. “I can handle it.”

Raph’s good eye filled with tears. “I can get mean.”

Donna did her best to smile. “I know. I’ll try not to take anything you say to heart.”

“I’m sorry,” Raph sobbed. “You shouldn’t have to do this. I’m afraid you’re gonna hate me when this is all done.”

“I’m not gonna hate you.” Donna wiped the tears from his cheek and kissed his beak. “You can make it up to me later.”

“I’m scared,” he said in a harsh whisper. “What if something goes wrong?”

“I’m scared too,” Donna admitted. “But, it has to be done.”

They had a rough road ahead of them. One where many things could go wrong. Donna was going to have to keep him clean and hydrated while dealing with his outbursts. 

Donna hoped that the area they were in was secluded enough that no one could hear him. If one of their enemies stumbled upon them, there would be no way she alone would be able to keep them safe. 

“It already hurts so much,” Raph said, closing his eye as he body shivered. “Maybe we shouldn’t do this. I functioned okay on the pills. The only reason I failed in the tournament was because I had to cut back to make what I had left last. If I had been taking my normal amount, I would have made it further.”

Donna shook her head. “You have to do this,” she insisted.

“Why?” Raph pleaded. “I need them. I’m in pain without them.”

“The pain is the withdraws,” Donna argued. “Your body is lying to you because it wants more drugs. Once you get through this, the pain will go away.”

“You don’t know that,” Raph snapped. 

“No, I don’t,” Donna admitted, trying her best not to let his anger get to her. “If you still have pain when this is over then we can talk to Donny or Dr. Chaplin about how to manage it, safely.”

“Or I can just keep taking the pills,” Raph insisted.

“Where are you going to get them” Donna asked him. “Hun? What if he decides to lace them with something? It could kill you. What if he catches you? If you don’t get them from Hun, are you going to rob a hospital? You’d have to if you want the dosage you were taking. You gonna tell your brother? Donny won’t give them to you and I’m not gonna get them for you.”

“You’re right,” Raph said through clenched teeth. “I know you’re right. But, I don’t want to do this anymore. I don’t like this at all. I’ve had the flu and it was nothing compared to this.”

Donna held up a bottle of water for Raph to drink. “Would you like me to call your family? Maybe Dr. Chaplin will be able to help you better than I can.”

Hastily swallowing some of the water, Raph shook his head. “No. I still don’t want them to know about this. I’d rather suffer than have them know. Please, don’t call them.”

“Okay,” Donna agreed and held the bottle back up to his lips. “Drink some more but not too fast, you don’t want to upset your stomach.”

Raph took a few more, steady swigs from the bottle. When he drank about half, Donna set the bottle aside and got to work sorting the supplies. 

Raph had stocked several nonperishable items like peanut butter and crackers along with water and some canned foods. They had enough supplies to get them through the next few weeks. 

“Can you not do that right now,” Raph requested. “All that banging is making my headache worse.”

The pain in his voice made Donna’s heart ache. “Okay,” she replied quietly. She had been barely making any noise at all. “Do you need anything?”

“Just quiet,” Raph whispered. 

“I’ll let you try and rest then,” Donna said. 

Donna set up her sleeping mat in the far corner of the room. She wanted to be in the same room as Raph, just in case, but, if he was already having a sensitivity to sound, she also wanted to give him his space. 

It had only been six hours since he had taken his last pill. Things were going to get worse long before they would start to get better. 

Pulling her doll from her bag, Donna held it tight and she tried to get some sleep while she still could.

 

Chapter 61
No Way Out

Haunting memories plagued his dreams. Sometimes he would revisit past mistakes. There had been many times where he had barely managed to escape death. His brothers looking at him in desperation as they cradle their broken bodies, the fear of death in their eyes. 

Sometimes his fears of the future manifest themselves. In the worst ones he finds his family dead, their milky eyes looking up at nothing. A blade from nowhere would pierce through him, a feeling he remembered well and one he will never forget. 

He dreams changed as his family grew. He had seen Snow, dead among the rubble more times than he would like to count. He has heard Rachael’s screams mixed with Hun’s laughter or the sounds of Bishop’s saws. 

“You’re alright,” Rachael’s voice echoed in the darkness. “It’s just a dream.”

Leo’s eyes snapped open. Taking a few steading breaths, he waited for the dreams to fade before turning his head to look at Rachael. There had been times where he thought he was awake and turned to find her dead. He had learned to wait. 

“I’m okay,” he whispered, kissing her forehead. “I’m sorry I woke you.”

“Don’t,” Rachael replied. “You don’t need to apologies.”

Leo looked at the clock and saw that it was nearly five in the morning. “I might as well get up.” Getting out of bed, he collected his gear. “It’s my turn to fix breakfast anyway.”

“Get me when it’s ready,” Rachael mumbled, closing her eyes and pulling the blanket higher. 

Leo leaned over the bed and kissed her cheek. “I love you.”

“Love you too,” Rachael replied with a yawn. 

Leo entered the kitchen to find Donny leaning over the counter. “You okay,” he asked, rushing over to check on his brother. 

“I need to get this baby out,” Donny replied out of breath. 

“We’re taking you today,” Leo reassured him while rubbing Don’s carapace. “Dr. Chaplin will take care of you.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” Donny grunted, drooping his head as his hand came up to cover his stomach. The pain in Donny’s expression gave Leo cause for concern. 

“You okay,” Leo asked. 

Donny looked at Leo and forced a smile. “The baby’s moving and there’s not much room for it.”

“Do you need us to take you now,” Leo asked. 

Donny stayed silent for a moment as he thought about it. “Yeah, I think so,” he whimpered, nodding his head. “I want to go now.”

“I’ll get the others,” Leo said and rushed out of the kitchen. 

Taking the stairs two at a time, Leo made a mad dash for Donny’s lab but quietly entered. Since Leatherhead suffered nightmares as bad if not worse than Leo’s, there was a level of caution needed when waking him. 

“Leatherhead,” Leo called softly from across the room. “You need to wake up.”

With a low rumble, Leatherhead’s eye opened. There was an intensity in his gaze as it shifted to Leo. “What is it?”

“Don wants to go now,” Leo said as he carefully made his way to Snow’s crib. “He’s in pain. I need you to go to the kitchen and help him into the Battle Shell. I’ll take care of Snow and wake the others.”

“Are we brining her as well,” Leatherhead asked. 

“Whatever happens, it is likely Don will be staying there for a few days,” Leo said. “Are you going to be staying there with him and do you want Snow to be there with you?”

“Yes, to both,” Leatherhead said as he headed for the door and pointe to a bag on the floor. “Don’t forget her diaper bag.”

Leonardo slung the bag over his shoulder and then lifted Snow from her crib. She sighed softly as he adjusted her in his arms but stayed asleep.

As he headed back down the stairs he saw Leatherhead carrying Donny from the kitchen and turned his attention to waking the others. One by one he knocked on bedroom doors, speaking loud enough for his voice to carry, “We need to go,” then he would wait for a reply before moving on. 

When he got to Raph’s door, there was no answer so he knocked harder. “Raph!” When he was met with silence a second time, he tried the door. Finding it was unlocked, he opened it. “Raph, we need to go. Raph?”

The room was empty. 

Closing the door, Leo walked to the bottom of the stairs and called up to the upper levels. “Raph? Donna?”

“What’s going on,” Mikey asked, yawning as he exited his room. “Where are we going?”

“Don needs to see Dr. Chaplin now,” Leo answered. “We’ll have breakfast and training there while we wait. Also, Raph’s not in his room. I don’t think he’s in the lair.”

Leo looked over to see Leatherhead waiting on the platform, worry etched on his face. Where ever Raph was, they couldn’t worry about it now. They needed to get Donny to the Foot headquarters. 

“Everyone, grab your gear and load into the Battle Shell,” Leo said and then turned to head into the dojo. “Father?” he called out as he entered. 

“What is it, Leonardo,” Splinter asked, coming from his room. “Why is there such a commotion so early in the morning?”

“Donatello is in pain,” Leo answered. “We’re heading to the Foot headquarters now. I’ll do morning training there.”

“Give us a moment longer and we will join you,” Splinter said. 

“Raphael isn’t home,” Leo said, shaking his head. “Donna must be with him. I do not know where they have gone, nor do I have time to investigate.”

“We will wait here for them and check in to see if they went to visit any friends,” Splinter offered. “Go.”

“Thank you, father,” Leo said, bowing before turning to exit. 

He hurried to the Battle Shell and handed Snow to Leatherhead before getting in the driver’s seat. 

It was still dark when they reached the surface and Leo turned down a back road to avoid as many people as possible. It was still early enough on a Sunday morning that traffic was sparse so they were making good time. Things were going well enough that Leo started to relax. 

A loud bag and the Battle Shell pulling to the side, indicating a blown tire, ruined that feeling. “Typical.” Rolling his eyes, Leo pulled into an alley so that he could get out and investigate without being seen.

After checking to make sure no one was around, Leo opened the door and stepped out. As soon as his foot touched the cold pavement, there was a sharp pain in his shoulder. In the second it took him to turn his head and see the dart, his vision started to turn black and he felt himself start to fall. 

….. 

“Leonardo.” The silky voice echoed called out to him. His thoughts were muddied and nonsensical. The room was spinning and his stomach churned. 

“Wake up,” the voice demanded. 

He knew the voice but his mind was too groggy to place it. His eyes fluttered open. He was on the floor, in the dark. There was someone next to him. He tried to reach out but his body wouldn’t respond. 

“I thought you were stronger than this,” the voice mocked. “Maybe I overestimated you.”

“Bishop,” Leo mumbled as he struggled to regain control of his body and mind. “What…?”

“I captured you,” Bishop said. “I will admit, it took longer than I would have liked, but my patience payed off. I’ve had agents all over the city, lying in wait for months.”

“Why,” Leo asked, regaining enough control to begin lifting himself off the hard ground. 

“You’re my prisoner,” Bishop stated. “I get to ask the questions first.” He waited for Leo to get himself into a sitting position. “Where did the females and second Donatello come from?”

Leo’s head was spinning so bad that he had to close his eyes and take a few deep breaths to keep from throwing up. There would be nothing gained in lying so he stuck to the truth. “Don managed to make an interdimensional portal.” 

“How is it that Donatello is still alive,” Bishop asked. “He should have dissolved by now. Or, is he also from another dimension?”

Leo looked up to see that he was in a small, windowless cell with Rachael. Bishop’s voice must have been coming through a speaker system. He could hear banging in the distance but could not identify where it was coming from. 

“The Donatello from the other dimension managed to stabilize him,” Leo answered, reaching down to check on Rachael. She was unconscious but alive. There were signs that she put up a good fight. 

“How?” Bishop demanded.

Leo shrugged. “You’ll have to ask him. I don’t know.”

“He’s in no condition to answer any questions,” Bishop said. 

Leo’s heart sank and his head snapped up to look directly into the camera on the wall. “What did you do to him?”

“Nothing,” Bishop stated. “As soon as he came too, he tucked himself into his shell and hasn’t come out. I didn’t know you could do that.”

“We can’t,” Leo said. “His fear understandable given the fact that the last time he was captured, his was forced to watch as his family was tortured and killed,” he said aggressively enough to make his head throb. Resting his head in this hand, he took a few deep breaths. “What about the others? What did you do with Donny? He needs medical attention.”

“We’ve removed the baby from Donatello,” Bishop said. “They are both in the lab along with the little girl for testing. The large crocodile isn’t happy about it.”

That would explain the banging, Leo thought. “What about Mikey and the other two females?”

“The female whose oviducts were filled with the frightened Donatello’s sperm is in a cell with him,” Bishop answered. It didn’t surprise Leo one bit that Bishop conducted such invasive tests on them “Michelangelo and the other female are in a cell together. I plan on injecting him with that hormone that will drive him to mate. When the females lay their eggs, I will collect them.”

“You would take our children,” Leo said in disbelief. “We’re not your enemy. We fight for the same things. Why are you doing this?”

“Soldiers. It is something I have wanted for a while now,” Bishop replied. “Why else do you think I gave Donatello a uterus?”

“What,” Leo asked, not fully understanding Bishop’s meaning.

“You have proven yourselves to be formidable fighters,” Bishop answered. “The only problem is that I lack complete control over you. Your children will be raised to obey me. However, if you can get the other Donatello to tell me how he stabilized the clone, I won’t need you or your children. Since you have done so much for this world, I will release you and you will never have to worry about me again.”

“I can’t do anything from in here,” Leo said as a matter of fact. “Put us all together, including Donatello and his children, then we can work something out.”

“That can be arranged,” Bishop replied followed by a click that ended the connection.  

 

 

Chapter 62
I Can’t

Donna had only managed to doze for a few hours before Raph’s whimpers woke her up. When she got up to checked on him, he was drenched in sweat and was constantly shifting in an attempt to alleviate the pain. 

She had to change the mat under him. The strong scent and dark color of his urine indicated that he was dehydrated so she tried to get him to drink more but only managed to get him to take a couple of sips. 

“You need to drink,” she insisted and pressed the bottle up to his lips. 

“I don’t want it,” Raph replied, turning his head away. “If I drink any more, I’m gonna puke.”

“Fine,” she said as she put the bottle aside. “Maybe later.”

She placed her hand on his chest in an attempt to comfort him but it caused him to wince. “It hurts,” Raph whimpered, straining against his restraints. “I hurt all over. I’ve been at death’s door before and it was nothing like this. This was a bad idea.”

“You have to let the drugs work their way out of your system,” Donna reminded Raph, placing her hand on his head to gage his temperature. He felt cold despite being covered in sweat. “Your body is lying to you, making you believe you need the drugs.”

“You don’t need to keep reminding me,” Raph hissed and turned his head away. “It’s easy for you to sit there and repeat what you’ve read but you don’t know what this is like. I’ve never been this sick.”

“Neither have I,” Donna said. “All I have is the research I’ve done. I’ve never been through anything like this so I cannot speak from firsthand experience.”

“Fuck you,” Raph snapped. 

“Raph,” Donna said in disbelief, clueless to what she had said that caused him to lash out.

“You’re so perfect,” Raph said through gritted teeth, his voice trembling. “Too good to get yourself into this kind of situation.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Donna stated. “I’m doing what I can to help you through this.”

Raph looked her in the eyes. “Then give me something for the pain.”

“I can’t,” Donna insisted. “If I give you anything, it will set back your recovery. The drugs….”

“… need to leave my system,” Raph finished for her. “Yeah I know. You’re like a fucking parrot.”

“I’m doing the best I can,” Donna said as she fought back the urge to cry. She knew that this wasn’t him. The withdraws made him irritable. He didn’t mean what he was saying. 

“Well, you’re failing,” Raph shouted, causing her to jump. “You’re no help at all.”

“You’re the one who’s failing,” Donna shot back. It was starting to get to her. Part of her wanted nothing more than to break her promise and call his family. Let them deal with him. “It hasn’t even been a day and you’re already ready to give up. I thought you were stronger than that.”

“Fuck you, you fat, bucked tooth, bitch” Raph growled. 

“Fuck you too.” Donna stood and backed away. It was getting to be too much. “I need a break.” Turning on her heel, she left the room to let Raph cool down on his own. 

“Trusting you was a mistake,” Raph yelled after her. “This whole thing was a mistake.”

He continued to yell after she left the room. It was hard to hear the cruel things he was saying. He was testing her. He wanted her to give up on him because maybe then she would give him what he wanted. 

She made her way to the turnstiles and had to fight the urge to keep going.  

Once alone, Donna sat down and allowed the tears to flow freely. She had known that it wasn’t going to be easy but she hadn’t expecting it to be so difficult. She had to keep reminding herself that it was only temporary. In a few weeks, Raph would be better and back to the way he was. 

But, try as she might, doubt was a strong force. She looked towards the other room as the dark thoughts started to take over and fill her mind with uncertainty and fear. 

What if the Raph she knew, the Raph she had fallen in love with, was because of the drugs and once they were out of his system he turned out to be someone completely different? She didn’t want to be with someone who was angry and irritable all the time. 

She rubbed the tears from her eyes and took a few deep, steading breaths. “I can do this.” It needed to be done and he needed her to be strong enough to do it. She would deal with who he becomes after this is over. 

She grew suspicious when there was silence from the other room.  

Getting to her feet, Donna walked over to check on Raph. She peeked through the entrance, making sure to stay out of his sight. He was mumbling to himself as he struggled against the restraints. No doubt he wanted to escape so that he could get his hands on more pills. 

Given his current state of mind, leaving the security of the sewers would be disastrous. If he didn’t wander into a crowd of people in his confusion, he would end up captured by Hun while attempting to steal more drugs. 

Fortunately, this was something they had planned for. They made sure that Donna had tied him up in a way that he would be unable to break free, even with his skills.  

With nothing else to do, she decided to watch him, just to see what he would do. She was exhausted so she sat, leaning heavily against the wall but stayed where she could watch him. 

After a while, he gave up and continued mumbling to himself while he shifted his position. The lack of sleep was catching up to Donna, causing her eyes to drift shut. 

She must have dozed off because she was jerked awake by the sound of Raph yelling. 

“Donna! Get them off! Help me! Please!”

Donna jumped to her feet and rushed in the room. “What’s wrong?”

“The bugs,” Raph whimpered. “I’m covered in bugs. Get them off me!”

Moving in for a closer look, Donna searched for any bugs that were on Raph but she didn’t find any. Everything she had read in preparation for this said that Hallucinations were a symptom of withdraws. 

She brushed her hands over him as if she were sweeping away the bugs, hoping it would help. “They’re going away,” she soothed. 

“They’re everywhere,” Raph shrieked. “Get them off me!”

“It’s not real,” Donna said, doing her best to get him to focus on her. “There are no bugs.”

His eye was glazed over, darting around in panic and focused on nothing. “They’re eating me!”

“They’re not real,” Donna whispered and kissed Raph’s head. “You’re okay.”

“Why are you letting me suffer,” Raph wailed. 

“Close your eye and focus your mind,” Donna said as she cradled him against her. His flesh was clammy and cold. “There are no bugs. Your mind is playing tricks on you.”

With his eye closed, Raph pressed his head against her chest. His breathing was labored and his body trembled. “I can’t do this.”

“Once it’s all over, it will be worth it,” Donna promised. “You won’t have this addiction lording over you anymore.”

“Splinter?” Raph mumbled, pulling away from Donna to look around the room. 

“He’s not here,” Donna told him. “It’s just us.”

“I’m sorry, father,” Raph sobbed, his eye focused on nothing. “Please,” he begged over and over. “Don’t. I’m sorry. I wanna go home. I’ll be a good son. Just let me come home. I’ll behave.”

Donna began to cry when she realized that Raph was seeing his worst fear. “It’s all in your head,” Donna said, doing her best to comfort him. 

Despite Donna’s best efforts, Raph stopped seeing her and focus on his hallucinations. He rambled nonsense to things and people only he could see. It pained her to see him like this, knowing that there was nothing she could do to help him. 

She stayed with him, feeling helpless, wishing it would end. Morning came and went. Raphael was still rambling, unable to sleep as the day faded once again into night. 

Donna tried several times to get him to drink and eat but to no avail. He would spit out anything she managed to get in his mouth. 

When she talked to him there was no indication that he knew she was there. His eye remained focused on nothing and he constantly mumbled. 

She did her best to keep him clean but it was difficult without his cooperation. Her exhaustion had her in an emotional state. She worked through her tears as she rolled him from side to side to remove and replace the pad. 

By the middle of the next day, Raph fell silent and his eye closed. Relieved that he was finally asleep, Donna curled up against him and passed out. 

 

Chapter 63
Last Hope

Leonardo was startled when two of the walls started to move. They lifted up to reveal four other rooms, quadrupling the size of his small cell. 

Each segment contained the others, paired off, with the exception of Leatherhead, who had been alone in the cell next to Leo. He looked to be enraged and Leonardo couldn’t help but worry. If Leatherhead went into a rampage, someone was going to end up hurt. 

In the other cell, that had once shared a wall with his, Leah was with Tello, who was still tucked in his shell. She was laying over him, doing her best to offer him comfort. This situation was too similar to how he had lost his family. The fear of this playing out the same way must have been suffocating for him. 
 
The adjacent cell held Mikey and Michelle. They were curled up together, both looking confused and a little frightened. Michelle had been crying and, like Rachael, Mikey was injured from the fight. 

“Leo,” Mikey called out as he untangled himself from Michelle and ran over. “What’s going on?”

“Bishop,” Leo answered as he checked Mikey’s injuries. “Looks like you put up a good fight, little brother.”

“Not to brag but I held on the longest,” Mikey said with a grin. It was a relief to see that he was still in good humor. “Rachael fought like a mad woman.” He looked at her. “She doing okay?”

“I think so,” Leo said, looking over his shoulder. “Her injuries don’t seem to be life threatening. She just appears to be sedated at the moment.” 

“They hit her with, like, three darts,” Mikey said. “I don’t think she’ll be waking up for a while.”

“If that’s the case, Leah,” Leonardo turned to his counterpart, “I know you want to stay with Tello at the moment but would you mind sitting with Rachael for a while? If she’s had too much sedative, someone needs to watch her breathing and… I can’t do that at the moment.”

“I understand,” Leah replied with a nod and then leaned in close to Tello. “I’m not going far.”

“Where’s Donatello and my children,” Leatherhead demanded in a low growl. 

“Bishop told me that he will bring them,” Leo replied. “I don’t know how long that will take.”

“They’re right outside the door,” Bishop answered over the speakers. “Behave or we won’t let him inside.”

“Kroki,” Donny said through the door. “Stay calm so we can be with you. If you try anything, he’ll hurt us. Do you understand? You have to stay calm.”

“You have my word,” Leatherhead growled and his body tensed as he fought to maintain control. “I will not attack.” 

The door that was part of Leo’s cell opened and an agent pushed Donny through in a wheelchair. The baby was bundled and in Donny’s arms. Donatello looked exhausted but well. 

Another agent who was struggling to keep a hold of an enraged Snow, followed. They had tied her snout closed with a ribbon, most likely to keep her from biting. There were bandages around the agent’s hand suggesting that she already had. 

Snow was placed on the ground and both agents backed out of the room, securing the door once they were through. 

“It’s a boy,” Donny said as Leatherhead rushed to them. 

“Are you alright, my love,” Leatherhead asked and removed the ribbon from Snow’s snout. 

“I’ll be alright,” Donny said, offering a soft smile, “as long as I don’t overdo anything. I won’t be any good in a fight and I will slow all of you down.”

“Hopefully it won’t come to fighting,” Leo said as he walked closer to them. He looked down at the baby in Don’s arms. “No wonder he was giving you troubles.”

The baby looked like a snapping turtle with massive underbite. His shell was visibly solid, even though the blanket. Like his sister, he had four fingers, three toes, and a long tail. 

“Have you thought of a name,” Mikey asked, coming up behind Leo. 

“I’ve considered a few,” Donny said as he ran his hand over the baby’s head. “I think… I like Galileo.”

Leo smiled. “Studding the Renaissance again I see.”

“I’ve actually been studying astronomy,” Donny admitted as a slight blush spread across his beak. 

“It’s a wonderful name,” Leo said. 

Donny held Galileo a little closer and looked up at Leo. His eyes were pleading and full of fear. “The way Bishop spoke to me, he didn’t out right say it, but he implied that he will take my children from me. Please…, don’t let that happen.”

It wasn’t the first time Donny had reached out to Leo in a desperate need for him to make things better. Donny relied on the team’s strength to keep him safe as much as they relied on his intellect. 

It wasn’t that Donatello was weak, on the contrary he was physically stronger than all of them due to all the lifting he had to do with his projects. Fighting simply wasn’t in his nature. He was a thinker and if he had been given the choice in life, he probably would have never chosen to be a ninja. 

“That’s not going to happen,” Leo promised and then walked over to kneel down next to Tello. “Bishop wants to know what you did to stabilize Donny. Give him that information and he will let us go.”

“Shredder made the same kind of promise,” Tello replied from inside his shell. “I can’t go through this again. If he starts killing everyone, have him kill me first.”

“He’s not going to kill us,” Leo hissed, trying not to get frustrated with the situation. He was all too familiar with what Tello was experiencing but he needed Tello to pull it together so they could go home. “He is going to keep us here and force us to breed. He will take our children and raise them to be his perfect soldiers.”

“What will he do with the ones that are reincarnated and born with defects,” Leah asked. 

“If their defects are too severe he wouldn’t see any value in them,” Leo stated flatly. “But, he won’t need any of them if you stabilize his cloning process for him.”

“I’ll give him what he wants and then he will kill us,” Tello said, still not coming out of his shell. 

“No, he won’t,” Leo assured him. “Bishop is a lot of things but he is not a liar. You give him what he wants and he will let us go.”

“Well, I can’t give him what he wants,” Tello said as he came out of his shell. “I don’t have what I need.”

“I will get what you need,” Bishop said over the speakers. 

“You can’t do that,” Tello snapped back. “What I need is back at my lab. The only other way to get it is to open a tridimensional portal to Dimension X. But, you’d have to be a fool to do that since it would lead the Kraang right to your world.”

“Don’t tempt him,” Mikey said, crossing his arms over his plastron. “He’s already done several foolish things in the name of protecting the Earth. I’m sure, in his mind, he’s sure that he could keep the Kraang from being a threat.”

“If you have what is needed in your home, I can escort you there,” Bishop said. 

“And lead you to the lair,” Tello said with a snort. “No way. You’ll just have to let me go and trust me to come back.”

“And risk you returning with the Foot instead of what you say you need,” Bishop argued. 

“Well then I guess it’s option B,” Tello huffed. “We put your world at risk by opening a portal to Dimension X.”

“What is it that you need to get?” Bishop’s tone was sounding a bit agitated. 

“Mutagen,” Tello answered. “The mutagen that made me to be exact. I brought some over from my dimension and it is what I used to stabilize Donatello.”

A long silence followed. 

“So, what now,” Leah asked. 

“He must be thinking,” Leo replied. “He’ll let us know when he’s reached a decision.” 

Kneeling beside Rachel, Leo decided to take the opportunity to check on her. She was still unconscious. As he inspected her body, he could see the different wounds from the fight and Bishop’s tests. 

The ones that bothered him the most were the small holes near where Rachael’s oviducts were located. Leo hoped that Bishop only extracted for his tests and did not inject anything into her.

When he heard the heavy clank of the door unlocking, Leo stood and faced the door. 

“Behave,” Bishop warned Leatherhead as he entered the cell. A low rumble emanated from the large crocodile in response but he did not move. 

Like Leatherhead, Leo’s defenses were up. They never knew what to expect when dealing with Bishop so they had to be ready for anything. 

Of all the reasons Leo had expected Bishop to visit them in person, he was left dumbfounded when Bishop ushered in a mutant turtle child. 

“This is Venus,” Bishop stated, indicating the child who was now clutching his leg. “She is a clone.”

“You created her…, using our DNA,” Leo assumed. “I thought you wanted to stabilize your own clones not ones of us.”

“That is not important,” Bishop replied. 

“Yes, it is,” Mikey snapped. 

“What is important,” Bishop continued, ignoring Mikey, “is that she only has a few days left, at best. Stockman and I have been trying to stabilize clones for quite some time. Your unique gifts passed down to children I raise and will be loyal to me. Sadly, the ones that were older than her have already detreated.”

He placed a hand on Venus’ carapace and looked at Tello. “I wanted you to know that it is her life I am asking you to save. If you fail to hold up your end of the bargain, she will die and there is nothing I can do to prevent it. And, there are more like her.”

“I never planned on betraying you.” Tello’s eyes were fixed on the child. “I will get you what you want but I will not lead you to the lair.”

“Fine,” Bishop replied. “Let’s go.”

Chapter 64
Out Cold

Donna woke with a stiff neck, the pungent scent of urine accosting her nose. The few streaks of sunlight that managed to pierce through the dense leaves, told her that it was nearing nightfall. That meant that she hadn’t slept long.  

Sitting up, she stretched her neck before getting to work. The first thing she did was give Raph a sponge bath. He slept through it. For that she was grateful. She didn’t think she would have been able to handle another verbal bout with him just yet. 

After she was done, she decided to stretch her aching muscles by doing some katas. While she moved, her attention kept shifting to Raph, wondering if she should wake him for breakfast or let him sleep. 

She had some crackers with peanut butter along with a granola bar and a bottle of water. She sat next to Raph, watching him as she ate. Reaching out, Donna placed her hand on his chest to feel his breathing. It was shallow. She was starting to worry. 

“Raph.” Donna shook him. “Wake up. You need to eat and drink something.”

There was no groan to protest. No twitch in his features to show that his sleep was disturbed. Nothing. 

“Raph,” she repeated a little louder, grabbing hold of his shoulder. “Wake up.”

Again, nothing. This was worrisome. Placing her food aside, Donna go up on her knees and moved closer to Raph’s face. “Raph,” she said as she patted his cheek. 

When she still got no response, Donna pinched his arm. “WAKE UP!”

Raph gave no indication that she was getting through to him and Donna started to panic. “Raph, please wake up.” She grabbed his shoulders and shook him. “Open your eyes.”

Donna had no idea what to do. She ran her hand over his forehead to test his temperature. He wasn’t warm, if anything he was a little cold. 

“Raph,” she tried again, shaking him in a futile attempt to wake him. 

She stood and began pacing back and forth. What if the withdraws was killing him? He didn’t want his family to know but she couldn’t sit there and do nothing. This was more than she was expecting to happen and she didn’t know what to do. He needed a doctor.

Her mind raced with possibilities. If this was nothing and she called for help, he would never forgive her. But, if this was serious and she did nothing, he could die. She didn’t want to lose him like that. She would rather him live and never talk to her again. 

With shaky hands she dialed Donny on the shell cell and did her best to steady her breathing while she waited for him to pick up. 

“Hello?” Donny answered. 

“Donny,” Donna sobbed, unable to contain her emotions. “I need your help.”

“What’s wrong,” he asked. “Where are you?”

“It’s a long story,” Donna said with a whimper. “But, Raph’s not doing well and I’m afraid that if he doesn’t get help soon, he’ll die.”

“Turn the phone’s tracker on,” Donny instructed. “We’ll come and get you.”

“Okay,” Donna whispered. “Hurry.”

“We’ll get there as soon as we can,” Donny replied before hanging up.

After untying Raph’s wrists, Donna continued to pace while she waited, frantic with worry. Every so often she would drop to her knees and check to make sure Raph was still breathing. As long as he was still breathing he would be okay, she kept telling herself. 

She heard footsteps in the distance, followed by unfamiliar voices. Staying out of sight, she looked out to see who it was. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw a man in a dark suit walking through the abandoned station. “Bishop.”

Though she had never seen him before, she knew it was him. Raph and his brothers had told Donna and her sisters many stories about him. The man standing in the station was exactly how they had described him. 

Several more men stepped through the turnstiles and began fanning out. 

“Check there,” Bishop said, pointing a group of men in her direction. 

Heart pounding in her chest, Donna collected her bo readied herself for a fight. She was vastly outnumbered. All she had to do was hold out long enough for the others to come. 

As soon as Bishop’s man stepped into the room, Donna cracked him over the head with her bo. The man fell to the ground in a heap, alerting the others to her presence.

“There,” Bishop called out to his men.

None of them rushed up to fight her. Instead they stood back as Bishop stalked forward. The knowing smirk on his face displayed an air of confidence. Donna knew this was a fight that she was nowhere near ready for but that wasn’t going to stop her from trying. 

Crying out, Donna attacked, swinging her bow towards Bishop’s midsection. Catching it with one hand, Bishop’s smile widened. “Cute.”

With a jerk of his wrist he pulled her forward. The last thing she knew was the searing pain of a Taser to her arm. 

…..

Head throbbing, Donna opened her eyes. A wave of nausea struck her and she closed them again. Covering her head with her arms, she let out a long moan.  

“She’s coming too.” Rachael’s voice was too loud. Each word made it feel like her brain was beating against her skull. 

Someone touched her shoulder. “Donna,” Leah said softly. 

Donna shushed her sister, refusing to move. Sleep was the only thing she wanted to do. She had never experienced a sickness like this in her life and the hardness of the ground was doing nothing to ease the pain. She wondered, for a moment, why she would be on the ground. 

The pain induced haze lifted enough for her to remember what had happened. In a state of panic, Donna sat up, “Raph!” and immediately regretted it. The room spun and she soon found herself lying back down on the floor. “Where are we?” she moaned, covering her head again. 

“Prisoners of Bishop,” Rachael answered flatly. 

“He got you too,” Donna asked meekly, peeking out through her arms. “Did he capture you when you came looking for us?”

“No,” Rachael scoffed. “We had no idea where you were. We never had the chance to even wonder about it. He took us by surprise on our way to Foot Headquarters.”

Donna could think of only one reason they would all head to Foot Headquarters. “Where’s Donny,” Donna asked, her need for answered trumping her desire for quiet. “Is his baby okay?”

“I’m here,” Donny answered. “And, the baby’s fine.”

“We’re all here,” Mikey chimed in. “Well, not physically in this room, but we’ve all been captured.”

Donna took a few deep breaths and tried again to sit up. “Who’s not here?” A wave of nausea threatened to empty her stomach but she managed to focus her mind enough to fight it off. 

“Tello was sent back to the lair to get his mutagen,” Leah replied. “Leo was allowed to sit with Raph while we wait.”

Donna sat with her back against the wall and looked around the room. Rachael looked like hell. Donatello was sitting in a wheel chair with the baby bundled in his lap. Leatherhead was standing near Donny, holding Snow. 

They must be so worried with their family trapped in such a place. It was hard to imagine what they were going through. It was Donny’s children Bishop had wanted. It was the whole reason he had cloned Donny. 

Mikey and Michell were sitting close together. Mikey also looked like he had recently been put through the wringer but didn’t look as bad a Rachael. Leah had been pacing. Something she usually did when she was annoyed and she was gathering her thoughts to confront its source. 

Leah knelt down in front of Donna and Donna knew there was a lecture coming. “What were you thinking?”

“Um….” Donna looked around the room and all eyes were on her. “About what?”

“Raph,” Mikey blurted out. “Bishop filled us in with what was going on. Raph could have died.”

“It’s a good thing Bishop found you,” Donny stated with the slightest amount of irritation in his voice. “His blood pressure was dangerously low.”

“You could have warned me Bishop was coming,” Donna said, wiping the tears from her cheeks. “It would have spared me a shock to the system. If I had known you were sending Bishop, I wouldn’t have tried to fight him.”

“I had no way of contacting you,” Donny replied. “I’ve been stuck here for… I don’t even know how long.”

“I called you when I realized that I couldn’t wake Raph,” Donna said. “I talked to you.”

Donny shook his head. “Bishop must have my shell cell and simulated my voice. He tricked you.”

The door opened and Leo walked through before it closed again. He glared down at Donna, making Donna wince in shame, before making his way to Rachael. “How are you?” 

“Better,” Rachael mumbled. “Any news?”

“Raph’s stable,” Leo said. Turning to Donna, his eyes narrowed. “Care to explain what the hell is going on.”

“He begged me not to tell you,” Donna sobbed, keeping her eyes fixed on the ground. “He was so ashamed. But, I told him if he didn’t quit, I would tell you. He was planning on doing it alone so I went with him. I was just trying to help him. He trusted me with his secret and I didn’t want to betray that trust.”

“Where was he getting his drugs,” Donny demanded. 

Donna looked up at him, but she couldn’t see anything, her vision was blurred with tears. “He’s gonna hate me enough as it is.” She shook her head. “I’m not telling you anymore.”

“How could we not know?” Mikey asked no one, staring blankly at the floor. 

“He hid it well,” Leo stated and began to pace the room. “Or we were too blind to see it. As the leader, I should have known something was wrong.”

“I should have been following up with him more,” Donny argued. “But, I let myself get distracted.” 

“You guys can’t beat yourselves up over it,” Michelle said. “The important thing is that he’s gonna be okay. Right?”

“He’s not gonna like the fact that it’s Bishop saving his life,” Leo said, “but at least he will live. At least, that’s what Bishop tells me.” He scoffed and shook his head. “Bishop had the audacity to offer to clone Raph, give him an undamaged body.”

The room fell into an awkward silence. No one wanted to say that it wasn’t entirely a bad idea. The chance to be whole again was a tempting offer. The question was, would Raph be the type to take it? 

“You should have told us,” Leo said to Donna. 

“I know,” Donna replied, her voice catching in her throat. “I messed up. I’m sorry.” Unable to look any of them in the eyes, Donna hid her face in her arms and cried. She would much rather be tased again than to see their disappointment in her. They were all mad at her and rightfully so, and it left her stomach in knots. It was the worst feeling. 

Chapter 65
No Time

The drive back into the city was long due to congestion on the road. They had been on the road for at least an hour, barely moving. Traffic in the city was hardly ever light but there were times when it was worse than others. It just so happened that they had picked a time where it was at its peak. 

Tello sat in silence, arms crossed with his eyes fixed on a stain on the floor of the van, trying to figure out what it could be. In the back of a hollowed-out van? Knowing Bishop and the kind of men under his employment, it was probably blood. 

They drove him to Casey and April’s store. There he had access to the secure tunnels that led to the lair. He would also have the chance to tell their human friends what was going on. At the very least Casey and April would be able to get a message to the Foot. If things didn’t go well, there might still be a chance of being rescued. 

“We’ll wait here,” the man at the wheel said as they pulled in behind the building. 

“Wonderful,” Tello replied before jumping out. 

He was more than eager to be out of that van. It was still mid-morning. Not the best time to be out, but as long as he didn’t draw attention to himself, he would be able to slip into the back of the store unnoticed. 

“April,” he called out as he entered the storage room. 

“Tello?” April ran into the back and pulled him into a tight hug. “Where have you guys been? Splinter and Sliver have been beside themselves with worry. You’ve been gone for over twenty-four hours.”

“Really?” Tello exclaimed as April took a step back. Since they had left early in the morning and it was only mid-morning now, he had thought that only a few hours had passed not a full day. What had Bishop done to them in that time?

“We were ambushed by Bishop,” Tello answered, doing his best to stay focused on the now. “He’s holding the others captive and won’t release them until I replicate the treatment I used on Donatello to stabilize him. He’s got cloned turtle children that will die if I don’t.”

“That’s horrible,” April gasped. 

“Yeah,” Tello sighed. “Puts me in a tight spot. I don’t want to help the guy but what choice do I have? I’m headed back to the lair to get the mutagen from the lab so I’ll be able to tell Splinter and Sliver what’s going on. Can you call Karai and let her know what’s going on, just in case things don’t go well?”

“Of course.” April nodded. “Are the others okay?”

Tello nodded. “Bishop delivered Donatello’s baby. It’s a boy and they’re both doing fine. Mikey and Rachael are a little banged up from the fight but are otherwise okay. Everyone just wants to come home.

“I’m terrified,” he confessed as tears filled his eyes. “I can’t go through this again. It’s taking all that I have not to implode.”

April pulled Tello into a comforting embrace. “You are so brave. I know this is hard, but you can do this. Take a deep breath and focus on what you have to do, what you can do.”

“Thank you,” Tello said, returning the hug. “There’s one more thing before I go. Do you have something here that you can use to scan me to make sure Bishop hadn’t placed a tracking device on me?”

“Of course, I do,” April replied. 

Of course, she does, Tello thought to himself. Leo and Donny have several items stashed here at April’s shop. Weapons, nonperishable foods, and various gadgets, including scanning devices that detect trackers. 

April pulled one of the trackers out and gave Tello a once over. Much to his surprise, there was no tracker on him, at least not one that Donny’s devices could detect. 

Trusting Donny’s devices, Tello headed quickly to the lair. 

Even though the tunnels were secure, Tello stayed on alert. It helped him keep his mind form focusing on all the things that could go wrong. If his mind was allowed to wander into the realm of what ifs then it would leave him paralyzed.

The fear of being followed, captured, or killed was very real. He wasn’t sure if going back to the lair was the right thing to do but he had no other choice. As much as his mind was screaming to try to confuse anyone who could possibly be following him by taking the ‘scenic route’, Tello knew time was of the essence and decided to take the most direct route. 

When Tello reached the lair, he hesitated to enter. He knew that emotions would be running high and he wasn’t sure he would be able to handle it. His hands trembled as he unlocked the door. 

“Master Splinter,” Tello called out as he walked along the track. “Master Sliver?”

The pair appeared on the platform. There were streaks in the fur on their faces from their tears. Going and entire day not knowing the whereabouts of their children must have been pure anguish for them. 

“Tello,” Splinter called to him. “That is going on? Where are the others?”

The fear in Splinter’s voice cut Tello to the core. It closed his throat and it took him several tries before he could speak. Every second Tello couldn’t speak, the fear in their eyes intensified. 

“Are they alive?” Sliver pleaded. 

Tello managed a nod. “Captured,” he choked out. 

“Did they find Raphael and Donna,” Splinter asked. “Were they also captured?”

Tello shook his head. “They weren’t here when we left. They haven’t returned?”

“No,” Sliver replied tartly. “We found a note, saying they had decided to spend some quality time together, alone.”

“Get up here,” Splinter ordered. “We will find a way to save the others. Who took them? The Dragons? Bishop?”

Panic filled Tello to the point that he was finding it hard to breathe. It took all of his will to walk. “Bishop,” Tello rasped. “He wants me to formulate a way to stabilize his clones, using the mutagen from my dimension. He’s holding the others hostage until I’m able to deliver.”

His heart hammering in his chest, the room began to spin and Tello crumpled to the ground. “I can’t watch them die again!” His eyes fell on the third rail. It would be so easy to reach out and grab it, ending his suffering. 

“Listen to me,” Sliver said softly into his ear, appearing seemingly out of nowhere. Her hand was on his carapace, patting ever so gently in a steady beat. “Focus on your breathing.” Her other hand was on his chest. “Take a deep breath and let it out slowly.”

Closing his eyes, Tello concentrated on the sound of her voice and timed his breathing with her words. “In and out….”

The tightness faded and breathing slowly became easier. When his eyes began to focus, he saw Splinter sitting in front of him with a bag in his lap.

Reaching in the bag, Splinter pulled out a canister of mutagen. “Is this what you need?”

Tello nodded and wondered how long his panic attack had lasted. 

“Drink this,” Sliver said, handing Tello a cup of tea. 

It must have been a while, if they had time to make him tea.

It was herby, most likely something without caffeine and sweetened with honey. Tello was never much of a tea drinker but he found comfort in the warmth of it. Whatever herbs that were in the brew helped to settle his nerves. 

“Thank you,” Tello said before taking another sip. “I’m sorry….”

“Don’t,” Sliver stopped him. “Do not apologize. None of this is your fault. We hadn’t considered the fact that you’ve been through something like this before. We should be the ones apologizing.”

“I’m not going to be able to do what Bishop wants if I keep panicking,” Tello stated. Setting the cup on the ground, he reached out for the bag with an unsteady hand. “I should head back. The sooner I get this done, the sooner this will end.”

“Do you need anything else,” Splinter asked as he handed over the bag. 

For this to be over, Tello thought to himself. He wanted nothing more than to curl up under a blanket and wait for it all to end. “Just the mutagen,” He answered, shaking his head. 

“Would you like us to walk with you,” Sliver offered. It was as much for their peace of mind as it was for his. They needed to make sure he made it to his destination.  

Tello nodded. “That would be nice.”

“Okay,” Sliver said, helping Tello to his feet. 

Together the trio made their way back to April’s shop. Splinter scouted ahead while Sliver walked beside Tello with her arm around him. With them there, Tello was able to focus on his breathing and allow his mind to go numb. 

He vaguely remembered April helping him out to the van. All he wanted was to sleep. Laying on the floor of the van, Tello curled himself around the bag and closed his eyes. 

One of the Bishop’s men roughly nudged him on the shoulder to wake him but said nothing. It took all of Tello’s strength to move, every inch of him felt heavy. Slinging the bag over his shoulder, he followed the men out of the van. 

He was led down the hall and into a lab. The tightness in his chest was back. It was all too similar to the way Shredder treated him. The men left him alone as soon as they reached the lab. He expected, at any moment, to see Mikey, chained and primed to be tortured as a way to motivate him to work. 

Dropping to his knees, Tello did his best to focus on his breathing but the memories of Mikey panicked and begging not to be submerged again, echoed in his mind. Whether his eyes were open or shut, he couldn’t shake the memories. 

His eyes burned with tears. Everything hurt. 

“They told me you weren’t doing well.”

Tello turned his head to see a robot with a holographic head. All he could do was stare, dumbly up at the contraption. He wasn’t even sure if it was real or is he had lost his mind. 

“This should help,” the robot said and injected Tello with something. 

“What?” Tello managed. 

“It should help with your anxieties so you can work.”

“Who are you,” Tello asked as he closed his eyes and waited for the drugs to take effect.

“My name is Baxter Stockman,” he replied. “I am here to assist and learn.” Judging by the tone of his voice, he wasn’t thrilled to be Tello’s assistant. “I’m also here to keep you on task and make sure you don’t try anything.”

“I will do what Bishop wants,” Tello stated as the tightness in his chest started to diminish. “I will need to run some blood work on the clones he wants me to stabilize.”

“That can be arranged,” Stockman said. “This is my lab so I will be able to get you anything or answer any questions you might have. I am a renowned scientist.” The air of superiority was not lost on Tello.

“I can’t tell yet of you’re in better or worse shape than the Baxter Stockman of my dimension,” Tello stated, looking Stockman over. “I’ll let you know once I get to know your situation better.”

Curiosity piqued, Stockman asked, “What happened to my counterpart?”

“He was mutated into a fly,” Tello replied flatly. “He also claimed to be great but wasn’t really. Average at best. He messed up a lot. Which is why he ended up being mutated into a fly.”

“I assure you that I am a genius,” Stockman insisted. 

“Then why are you a robot?” Tello shot back, managing a half smile. 

There was no humor in Stockman’s glare. “It seems that the medicine has done its job in helping with your anxieties. Is there anything else you need so you can start working?”

“Time,” Tello said and pulled a canister of mutagen out of the bag with a steady hand. 

“That, is limited,” Stockman said as a matter of fact. “Venus is already starting to show signs of destabilizing.”

“Then, bring her to me now.” Tello got to his feet and looked Stockman in his holographic eyes. “The sooner I start, the better.”

“Okay,” Stockman said, turning to leave the room while Tello took stock of his surroundings. 

He had all the materials he would need to formulate the stabilizing mutagen for the clones. The question was, would he have the time. 

63
Starvation

63
Expectations

Yuri expresses her disappointment in Donna.

63
Horror 

Sleep Sex 

63
Standing Still
 
Raph pulls back

63
Annoyance

A noise in the lair that no one can identify where it is coming from. 

63
Mischief Managed

Mikey and Michelle have some fun together. 

63
Precious Treasure

Donny and Leatherhead spend time with their children. 

63
Danger Ahead

Seen on the news clues that Hun is up to something, causes blackout. 

63
Dark

Power outage. 

63
Hold My Hand

Mikey/Michelle

63
Traps

Hun sets up some traps for the Turtles

63
Team Work

Working together. 

63
Tower

Hun is in a tower. The Turtles break into it. 

63
Spiral

Up the staircase

63
Gray

Hard won battle Mikey and Leah are hurt. 

63
Relaxation

Out to the farm

63
Drowning

Desire to take the pills again.

63
Stars

Donna sees the stars for the first time. 

63
Night

Night time at the farm

63
Rainbow

A sign of hope.

63
Dreams

They share their dreams. 

63
Questioning

Raph doesn’t believe that the babies could be his. 

63
Waiting

For the eggs to hatch

63
Misfortune

A few of the eggs don’t make it

63
Sorrow
Egg dies

63
Eyes

The baby has Raph’s eyes

63
Light

Yuki, he is small, white and the light if his parents’ life. (Mikey reincarnated)

63
Can You Hear Me?

Yoshi getting his hearing device. 

63
Mirror
Child acting like parent. Trying to practice ninjutsu. 

63
Happiness

Finding happiness

63
Smile

The children bring joy. 

63
Innocence

Children

63
Heaven

Time with family. 

63
Childhood

Kids being kids

63
Family

Final chapter.