Disclaimer: I do not own the turtles and I am not making any money off this story. Also, I nicked the names Kimiko and Kensei from 'Heroes' but not the characters.
A/N Summery: So two out of three people went for option 2 so that is what I am going to write. The babies belong to Leo and Karai. Unbeknownst to Karai she has her own mutation in her DNA. With the birth of the children it has triggered this mutation and now she is dying. Unsure what to do she sends her children away to Leonardo while she continues her search for her birth father who may be the only person able to save her. The introduction of the children offers to turn Leo's neat and orderly world upside down as he deals what none of the brothers ever thought possible. Takes off right where the other story stopped. BTW, I live for reviews, makes me write faster so if you like please leave one! (-: I am always looking for criticism as I am always looking for ways to improve my writing, thanks!
Blood Rites II
Leo watched the two infants as they settled back down, crying only because they had been exposed to the chilly night air. As they found new warmth in their own closeness the children seemed to appease themselves. Leo gently placed the blanket back over the huddled forms. As he stood back up he looked about himself in hopes that he would find the ninja but there was nothing, even his senses told him that he was alone.
"Damn Karai," he didn't really know what cursing Karai was achieving but for once in his life he had no idea what to do. All his skills as a leader and a warrior did nothing to serve him now when faced with what he had never thought possible. What would his brothers say?
April, the name came to him like a bright epiphany in dark hollows of his uncertainty. He would take the infants to her, surly she would have some idea as to what he should do. Gathering the basket up as gently as he could he moved to the fire escape. April's wasn't all that far from where he was but he couldn't move across roof tops as he would have normally. Well, he could but he didn't think it was all that great of an idea with the tiny cargo he now carried.
Moving down the fire escape was tricky enough as he tried not to shake the basket too much. He moved like a shadow down the alleyways of New York, hoping that the children wouldn't pick some inopportune time to start crying. However, luck stayed with him as he moved, the children made no noise. Absently he wondered if the children had been drugged. Oddly enough he found that thought painfully infuriating, but he pushed it to the side.
April's building was in sight, it was after business hours so it was easy for him to slip in though the back door unnoticed. Of course, without the Foot watching everything they did there was very little chance he would be spotted. Now the only people he had to hide from were the odd pedestrian. He climbed the stairs to the main door to April's apartment and knocked. The door opened hesitantly as April poked her head out to see who would possibly be at her door. Only the turtles came to her door at such odd hours, but they rarely knocked.
"Leo? Sense when do you guys knock?" April pulled the door the rest of the way open but stopped at the wide eyed expression that Leo wore. "What's wrong?"
Leo didn't answer her but looked down to the basket that he carried. April followed his gaze uncomprehendingly. He didn't wait for the invitation and brushed past April placing the basket down on the kitchen table. As if on cure there was a muffled cry and he pulled back the top blanket, brushing his hand along a chubby cheek in an effort to calm the tiny cries. The gesture worked as the infant leaned into the touch.
"Oh my God Leo, did you find an abandoned baby?" he heard April ask as she approached the table.
"Something like that," was his muttered response.
"Well, why did you bring the baby here and not to the authorit…" she now stood beside him and her words suddenly failed her as she looked into the basket. April's mouth opened and closed, looking like an imitation of a fish. "Ah, well, how? I mean who? Ah…oh my, Leo."
Leo gave a small smirk. "Yeah, that was kind of my response as well." He let out a long exaggerated sigh as all the possible humor of the situation left him. There really wasn't anything amusing about this sinking ship that he was on.
"So they are yours Leo?"
"Yeah," he never thought this would have been possible.
"So who is their mother?" April already had a really good guess but she wanted her friend to tell her.
"Karai, but this wasn't supposed to happen." He pulled his hand away from the infant and started to pace about April's kitchen. "I mean it was just once and it isn't like I meant for anything to happen! Just one thing led to another and I figured that would be the last time I would ever see her again! But then this!"
He was gesturing about, flinging his arms around as he walked. It seemed he was talking more to himself than to April but she listened anyway. It was a rare thing indeed to see Leonardo so undone, so obviously shaken by this new possibility. She really had no idea what to say so she just watched him as he continued to rant.
"I live in a sewer April! What am I going to do with two infants in a sewer! And what are my brothers going to say! Please April you have got to help me. You're like a woman and all of that tell me what I am supposed to do?"
April placed her hands on her hips as she was instantly annoyed with that last statement. "Now you listen here buddy, just cause I am a woman does NOT mean I hold the book to instant child rearing!" Leonardo instantly became deflated and she almost felt bad for the turtle who was obviously distraught.
"You're right April but," he hesitated as he his eyes flashed between his friend and the ominous basket and its cargo. "I am terrified."
April's eye brows lifted suddenly as she regarded him. "You, Leonardo, who has faced down countless enemies, traveled the world and fought countless times against impossible odds and came out victorious is afraid of two tiny, helpless infants?" April seen the turtle flinch at her words but she continued regardless. "You have got to be kidding me."
"It's not like I am afraid of the infants just what…" Leo gave up. He pulled out a chair from the table and collapsed into it. He folded his arms on the hard surface and laid his head down, ignoring the slight pain that came from his forehead hitting the wood. Perhaps he could wish himself some place else, far away.
"Leo," April gave a soft sigh as she walked over to her friend placing a small hand on the back of his shell. "It can't be all that bad."
"It's not bad April." He looked up at her. "I'm not sure what I feel right now but it's not bad. How could I blame two innocents for something that I did. I just never thought…Well none of us ever thought that something like this would ever have been possible. Donnie would have been able to find out but then what were the chances of any of us ever finding someone that would want to be with us in the first place? We just always figured we would be the first and last of our kind." He sighed as he looked away, placing his hands over his eyes trying to rub away the migraine that was threatening him. "We never talked about it but the four of us always knew that we were destined to be alone. These two little ones take everything we've known, thought, and accepted and throws it out the window."
"Well, maybe this is what you guys need." Leo looked at April with raised eye ridges and a look that she knew meant that he was listening but didn't believe a word she had just said. She offered him a weak smile as she shrugged. "Look, I am going to get out of my night gown and get some jeans on. You are going to need some supplies."
Without a word he pulled out some money from his belt and handed it to her. He was only mildly aware of her presence as she moved about the apartment and then out the door. She wouldn't be gone long as there was a small store just a block away. The silence was unnerving and again he found himself wondering if the infants hadn't been drugged to keep them so unnaturally quiet. That thought sent a bolt of anger coursing through his body. If anyone had hurt either child he would personally see to it that they did not live long enough to even consider doing it again. He pulled the basket in front of him and checked to make sure they were both still breathing.
"When did I get so protective over you two? We just met after all." Leo mused aloud softly. The temptation was too great and he reached in and slowly lifted one of the children out of the warm basket. As he cradled the small form against his chest the child stretched out its stubby arms in a makeshift stretch, it's tiny mouth forming a perfect circle as it yawned. Bright brown eyes met his own and he smiled faintly. "Your mother must have a lot of faith in me to send you two here to New York."
The second child began to fuss and Leo gently placed a large hand on the infant which seemed to appease. He marveled at how tiny the children seemed to be, but then he was far from small. Yet, his hand covered a little over half of both bodies. His resolve was set, these were his children and no matter what he would protect them. They were completely dependent on him and as those fierce brown eyes focused on him he knew that they were now his first priority. The fact that he was now a father was slowly sinking in, it was not a role he had ever expected to take but now that it was laid out in front of him he would step into that role with a sense of pride.
"Well," he regarded both children. "I can't promise you the world no matter how much I want to but I will promise you that I will always be there for you two. Come hell or high water." Leo smiled down at the squirming body in his arms but then froze as a very unappealing smell greeted him. "Ah kid, I'm trying to have a meaningful conversation with you and you just dumped nuclear waste in your dipper. That is just wrong." He stood slowly as he placed the infant back in the basket, his back to the door. "Maybe when Auntie April comes back we can coerce her into a dipper changing, what do you think?"
There was an unmistakable sound of a door opening and closing as April re-entered the apartment. "Ah, there will be no coercing 'Auntie April' into anything."
"Hi April!" Leo shifted from foot to foot in an attempt to hide his sudden embarrassment, suddenly he felt like an awkward teenager again. He hadn't actually meant for her to hear that. "Didn't think you would hear me."
She walked past him placing her bags of shopping on the kitchen counter. Pulling out a blue package of diapers and she handed them to Leo who took them reluctantly. "These walls are amazingly thin and my hearing is quite good."
"Come on April…"
"NO! You were the one with the fling now you get to deal. And don't give me 'but you're a woman' crap. I've changed the same amount of diapers you have. Oh yeah, I almost forgot…" she shuffled about in the countless bags she had brought back with her. "Here is some powder and some wipes." She handed the items to him with what he was sure was the most evil grin he had ever seen, it was worse than facing down the Shredder. "Have at it my turtle friend."
He watched her pull out bottles and formula, he would have gladly switched with her but he doubted he was going to be allowed that luxury so he turned back to the child. "Right, I can do this." He pulled out the child that emanated the offending odor, placing it on the table.
"Leonardo! Don't you dare!"
"What!" Leo looked back unsure as to what kind of mistake he had just made.
"Don't you dare change that child on my clean table! Put this under…um," she hesitated suddenly. "Are they boys, girls, or one of both?"
"Um, both but I don't know if this is the boy or the girl." He answered honestly.
"Doesn't matter, suppose you will find out here in a sec anyway." April brought over a vinyl changing matt, placing it under the child. "Okay, now have fun."
"I don't see how this is the fun part." He mumbled as she walked away.
April stood back and just watched as the turtle attempted to change the squirming child, apparently the boy, after three attempts Leo seemed to be doing fine. He threw away the soiled diaper after wrapping the thing in a complete roll of kitchen towels. She tried hard not to laugh at him as he was trying so hard but the look of concentration he wore was amusing in itself.
"Here Leo, I bought some little one peace outfit things. I wasn't sure what size to get but these should work." She handed him the package and he took it studying the little outfit first before trying to put it on his son. It was a little big but it probably wouldn't stay that way for long.
Leo lifted his son placing him back into the basket just as his daughter started to cry. "No, not you to," but there was no mistaking the scent and he pulled her out to repeat the changing process but at least this time it didn't take him as long.
"Do they have shells?" the thought struck April suddenly as she set two bottles with warm formula to the side to let them cool a bit.
Leo looked up from dressing his daughter, "Kind of, more like a large callus on their backs."
April walked over as Leo turned the infant over gently to show April. Sure enough, the skin was rough with circular designs which mimicked Leo's shell. The skin was a deeper shade of green. "Wow," was all she could think as she brushed her hand over the child's back.
He finished dressing her but she started to cry again as did the little boy. "What now?" Leo asked sounding slightly exasperated.
"Probably hungry, here." April handed him a bottle as she scooped up the girl leaving Leo with his son and walked over to the sofa and took a seat.
Leo sighed and did the same sitting down offering the bottle to the child who took it without hesitation. Both children settled down as they ate hungrily.
"Do they have names?" April asked him in a hushed voice.
Leo had almost forgotten about the crumpled note he had stuffed in his belt. "Yeah, Kimiko is the girl and Kensei is the boy." He smiled softly as he gazed at his son. "Kensei is a great warrior form Japanese myth."
"And what about Kimiko?"
"No," he shook his head.
April turned back to the infant. "Ah well that's okay isn't it? You will just have to make the legend all by yourself."
Leo just rolled his eyes. "Don't you dare start giving her any ideas."
April offered him a small smile. "So, how are you going to tell the guys?"
"Hmm," Leo glanced at her and then back to Kensei. "Just walking into the lair the guys will figure out what's up. Same as you did."
"You know Leo, you probably don't want to think this but what if these little ones aren't yours? What if Karai is just trying to trick you somehow?"
"Why does everyone want to think the worst of Karai?" His words came out clipped and angry.
"I'm sorry Leo, I wasn't trying to make you mad, I was just thinking aloud."
"I know," it was a conscious effort but he let his anger go. "Donnie I am sure will be able to tell but really there is no reason for Karai to go to such lengths."
"You're probably right," a part of her regretted opening her mouth. "I just wonder why she would have sent the children away or even not say anything until now."
"I was wondering that myself. There will be a time and place to find out but right now I have more pressing concerns."
"Yeah," April smile widened. "Like taking a crash course in single parenting!" This time she did laugh, but attempted to keep it subtle enough not to disturb Kimiko from her meal.
"Whatever," but her laugh was infectious and it brought a smile to his own lips.
"You know what Leo," she said after she finally sobered up some. "I think you will be a great dad."
"Hm," was his non committal response as he took the bottle away from Kensei who appeared to want nothing more to do with it.
"No, seriously."
"Well, thanks for your vote of confidence even if I still have my own doubts." He stood and went back to the kitchen. There were perhaps ten bags on the counter and he wondered how he was supposed to carry everything home.
"Don't worry. I figured I would go with you." She answered his unspoken question. "Besides," there was a glint in her eye as she spoke. "I want to see how the others take this."
"You scare me sometimes April, you do know that don't you?"
She ignored him as she placed the used bottles in the sink and pulled out some blankets. "Here, to keep them warm."
Silently they bundled the children up against any possible chill. The warmth complemented by their full bellies had lulled brother and sister back to sleep. Leo carried his son while April held his daughter, each grabbing a number of bags as they headed out of April's apartment and down to the sewers.
Leo was actually glad April was going with him. Again he felt like some fumbling teenager afraid to go home and face his family. Not that they would be mad at him or disappointed but it was all the questions he knew he would have to face. At least Raph wasn't going to be there, he wasn't sure if he could face him so quickly. He was sure Raphael would not be too pleased with the currant turn of events.
He shook his head to clear it. Damn, just when and why had his life become so complicated?
A/N: So really, what did you think? Good, bad, too much, not enough…don't be afraid, feed the writer! (-:
