I do not own TMNT or any of the characters, except for Anakha.
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Part 1: Snippets
Raphael could see the worry on her face as she spoke the words.
"I'm pregnant," Kate told him. At first he thought she was kidding, after all she was human and he was a mutant turtle.
"Good one," he grinned at her. Her eyes quickly becoming more fearful, hoping that he wouldn't do something stupid.
"I'm not jokin," her voice quiet and serious now. He stopped, stared at her for moment. The look on his face not changing.
"Really?" He asked. She nodded, getting more worried.
"Really?" He asked again. Then he descended on her, grinning madly he swooped her up in his arms, kissed her lovingly.
"We're going to have a baby?"
"Yeah, we're going to have a baby," she smiled. He was accepting it better than she thought he would.
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He sat outside the lab, worrying. Despite his brothers reassurances that everything would be fine he knew better. He closed his eyes as another cry of pain could be heard coming from behind the door of the lab. April had arrived a number of hours ago to help.
He glanced up as Splinter came and sat next to him silently.
"What was I thinking getting her pregnant?" He asked. A question he had asked himself numerous times over the last number of hours.
"You could not have known, my son," Splinter spoke quietly. There was another scream of pain from inside the lab. Raphael winced, wishing he was the one in pain, not his girlfriend. A few minutes later there came the sound of a long thing howl. The door opened and April stepped out, in her arms she held a tiny blanket wrapped bundle.
"Raph, you have a daughter," April said, smiling at him, holding the baby out to him.
"How's Kate?" He asked, ignoring the baby.
"Donnie's taking care of her," she replied, again trying to bring his attention to his new daughter and again Raphael ignored her. April glanced towards Splinter, uncertain of what she should do now.
"I would like to hold my new granddaughter, Miss O' Neil," he said, gently taking the baby from April. Splinter looked towards Raphael.
"I will introduce our new family member to your brothers," Splinter informed him. Raphael nodded once, not really listening to his father. Splinter slowly made his way to the main room of the lair.
In the lab Kate spoke her final words
"Tell Raphael not to blame Anakha..."
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"She is your daughter, Raphael. You can's expect us to take care of her for you," Leonardo said calmly.
"I don't give a shit!" Raphael snapped angrily. Splinter's shaggy brows lowered in disappointment.
"It's her fault that Kate's gone, I can't forgive her for that!" Raphael glared at Leonardo. The 'her' in question opened her mouth, letting out a wail. Donatello who was currently trying to feed her, shushed her, rocking her gently. At just a few months old she knew that something wasn't right, that the person who was supposed to care for her most in this world didn't want her.
"You'd rather just ignore her forever?" Leonardo's voice now raised in frustration to. Raphael shrugged, trying to ignore the sounds of the screaming baby in Donnie's arms.
"Hey, if that's what it takes," he said, his voice suddenly calmer, he turned and walked out of the kitchen, shoving past Mikey on his way.
"What's his deal?" Mikey asked no one in particular. Donnie shrugged silently, Leonardo took a few moments before calming down, Splinter was the only one who spoke.
"He needs more time," he said. Leonardo looked at their father incredolously.
"How much time does he need?" And stomped out of the kitchen. He was sick and tired of trying to get Raphael to take responsibility for his own daughter. Something his hot headed brother did NOT want to do. Donnatello sighed heavily, looking down at the now quietly sniffling baby in his arms as her tiny hands grabbed for the bottle her held in one hand.
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Anakha held onto the sofa coushion with both hands, concentrating hard on trying to stay on her feet. Michelangelo who had been watching her had gone to the kitchen to get a snack. She babbled away incoherently to herself. Raphael leaned in the doorway watching her silently and she had jsut noticed him. At nearly ten months she had yet to master the intricate art of actually talking.
"Dada," came from her mouth. Raphael felt something in his chest at the word, he slowly made his way towards her. She tried hard to keep her grip on the sofa, but failed and fell on her butt. She let out a small whimper.
"Don't cry, hey, don't cry," Raph said quietly. He looked around hoping to see one of his brothers who could help with this. After a moment he realised that he wanted to be here with her. She knelt behind her and gently picked her up, setting her on her feet again. She grabbed the sofa cushion again, but after a moment let go, standing on wobbly legs. Raph held onto her for a moment or two, making sure she wasn't going to fall. He moved to in front of her, to the side of the sofa and held his arms out.
"Come on, you can do it," he encouraged her. There was a look of concentration on her face and he could see her trying to move one leg, but then just dropped to the floor and crawled towards him instead and hugged his leg.
"Dada," she looked up at him.
"Aww...where's the camera when you need it for a cute moment like this?" Mikey's voice interuppted them. Raphael glanced over at him, raising an eyeridge.
"I know I'm just so photogenic," he said. Mikey snorted loudly.
"Not you, her" he said pointing to the now babbling Anakha.
"You didn't tell me she could talk now," Raphael said a little accusingly. Mikey shrugged good naturally.
"She hasn't, I think she was waiting for daddy to be around to hear her. Besides if she had and we told you then you probably would have said you didn't care," Mikey said calmly. Raphael blushed, ashamed of the way he'd been behaving. He looked down at his daughter now sitting leaning against him.
"I'm sorry for being such an ass," he told her sincerely. She waved hands at him.
"Dada, ash," she said.
"You know, if Splinter hears her talking like that you're both going to be in trouble," Mikey informed him.
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Leonardo and Michelangelo carried their gravely injured brother between them. Donnatello hurriedly led the way, shoving open the door of the lair.
"Daddy!" An excited voice squealed happily. A small three year old child, dressed in Yellow Pyjamas came into view, a big grin on her face. The grin dropped away, mouth dropping open and eyes widening at the sight of her father held up between her uncles. Blood poured from the wound in his chest.
"Daddy?" Her small voice trembled. She knew that when blood came out of you it hurt and a lot of blood was coming out of her father. Donnatello moved in to take over from Michelangelo.
"Mikey get her away from this," Leonardo ordered. Splinter came into view behind Anakha, his eyes to widened in shock at seeing one of his sons in such a state.
"Sensei, get me some clean sheets, clothes and a bowl of hot water," Donatello said. He and Leonardo made their way towards his lab. Michelangelo moved in picking up Anakha and hustling her back to her bedroom amidst her protests.
"Uncle Mikey, what happened to daddy?" Her voice was quiet, her eyes wide in her small face. Michelangelo sighed inwardly, but tried to keep his voice light.
"Your Uncle Donnie will take care of him, don't you worry," he said. She frowned at him.
"But daddy's hurt, he bleeds lots, Uncle Mikey," she informed him, as though he didn't know this already. He knew it was bad, but he tried to remaind calm for his niece. She sat on the bed and watched the door, as if waiting. Mikey sat next to her, she looked up at him and leaned against his side.
"What if something really bad happens to daddy?" She asked worriedly.
"I don't know," he replied, if was all he could say.
Donnatello sighed, wiping one hand across his forehead. He glanced across the table at Splinter and shook his head. There was nothing else he could, the damage was to great. Raphaels eyes opened slowly, he blinked once, looking towards his brothers and then his sensei. Donnatello knew without asking that Raphael knew he was dying.
"Promise me..."His brother coughed once, blood spatters splashing his lips and face. Leonardo leaned in close.
"Anything, bro, you know that," he said softly. Tears leaked from the corners of Raphs eyes and Leo knew they weren't tears of physical pain.
"Take care of her for me. Make sure she knows I loved her, that I'm sorry I won't be there for her," he whispered hoarsely. Splinter nodded, his eyes full of pain.
"Do not worry my son, we will do as you ask," he said. Raphael let out his last sigh.
Anakha looked up as her uncles and Splinter came into the room. She could tell by the looks on their faces. She knew what death was. Daddy had told her about mommy and how mommy had loved her, but that mommy couldn't stay with them.
"NOOOO!" She wailed and slid off the bed, running out the door, managing to avoid Leonardo's grab for her.
"Anakha, no, don't!" Donnatello cried out as his niece gripped the door handle of his lab shoving the door open. She grabbed Raphaels limp hand.
"Daddy, wake up!" She called. She sniffled miserably, shook his hand.
"Wake up! Daddy, please!" She started crying. But he didn't wake up, he never would again.