Three months later, the family was expecting Leo to come home anytime this month now. But when he didn't come home, it got everyone suspicious. Why didn't he come home? Unless… something must have happened to him.

That thought just made Emma cry. Her son would be growing up without ever knowing his father! And it was her fault though that she had never told Leo about his son.

The family all wrote some letters to Leo, but this time, they never heard back from him. That's when the worry began, and the family began to fall apart.

…...

After 3 more months of waiting, Emma decided she couldn't take this disappointment anymore. She loved this family more than anything and would never betray them to the human world, but she needed some time and space with her own family. She had some family that lived clear on the other side of the country.

She told the turtle family what she planned. She left Koji with his uncles and grandfather and left. She left a note saying that she loved Koji, the family, and Leo, but she had to spend some time with her human family, but she didn't say where they lived. She didn't say when she would come back.

As quick as she could, she arranged a rental moving truck, had some movers help her pack her stuff, and she left New York for the west coast.

Now it was up to Don, Raph, Mikey, and Splinter to raise Leo's son the best way they knew how.

Raph wasn't much up to helping with the baby, which left Don and Mikey to mostly take care of him. Raph had begun going out at night and being the Nightwatcher by now. He just didn't always feel up to taking care of someone that resembled his lost brother so much. But he didn't hate him. Raph was just also worried about if he might hurt Koji because he wasn't the most gentle turtle.

Don took care of most to the feedings and diaper changes. Mikey was more the entertainer for Koji. He loved getting a laugh out of his nephew.

Master Splinter was proud of how at least two of his sons were taking care of his grandson. He loved Leo's son and helped out with advice and occasional fusses when Don or Mike didn't know what to do, but he mostly left the care to them. But he wished even more that his eldest son would come home and be a father.

He felt that Leonardo was still alive somewhere, but after so many letters to try to get him to come back, and not getting anymore replies, it was hard to write anymore. Splinter hoped his son was okay, but learning to be a parent was going to be Leo's responsibility when he came home.

Since Emma had taken off and not said where she was actually going, Don had finally taken it upon himself to write to Leo and tell him about his son, but again, he never heard anything back. Right now, it almost seemed that Leo wasn't coming back. But they hoped he would.

…...

Down in the jungle, Leo had grown so used to this life of having no one around. He missed his family greatly, and most of all, Emma. He wanted to come home, but he just felt like he wasn't succeeding. He didn't want to go home a failure.

He felt bad that he wasn't writing back anymore. But he just didn't have anything much else to report on. They all knew what he was doing down here. Saving villages and perfecting new skills. But he had no idea what was going on at home.

…...

Koji was now 8 months old. He was well taken care of, but now, just to have money to be able to get his needs taken care of for food and diapers, and even baby clothes for colder times, Don and Mike had started jobs.

Don would hold Koji while talking to Mikey on the phone sometimes, talking to people about their computers, or he kept him nearby while he was sleeping. He would only keep him in his room when he tried to work on some projects.

The rest of the time when Mike was home, he would take care of Koji. He would let Don get his work done.

Or Splinter would watch Koji when both Don and Mike were busy with their jobs at times.

Raph just slept all day and was out all night. He rarely ever had contact with his nephew.

…...

After the last band of bad guys came to one of the villages Leo protected, a fire had gotten started at the Post Office, and Leo was no longer getting his family's letters. That was another reason he wasn't writing back anymore.

Leo knew that if he was going to send another letter to his family, he would need to find a Post Office in another of the villages.

But one day, some few days after saving a certain village near his cave, Leo heard someone calling out up above, they could have been looking for him. He wasn't going to show himself. He didn't mind protecting the humans, but he didn't want to have close contact with them. It had already been hard enough on him to leave his girlfriend behind.

But when the woman fell down into his cave, Leo didn't want her to die, and once he caught her in his arms, he instantly recognized the woman as his friend, April.

Leo got a fire going and he welcomed April to stay with him for the little while she would be here. She told him about what was going on back home with Don and Mike's jobs, what little was known about Raph, and how Splinter was doing.

But Leo was more than shocked to hear about Emma. How she had packed up and moved away, and he was even more shocked to hear that he was a father.

"You have a son. Emma named him Koji." April said.

Leo was silent for a long moment, then asked, "Why didn't Emma tell me?"

"She felt mad at you for leaving her, and felt so alone without you there to help her. She knew this mission was important for you, and didn't want concerns for her or your child to stop you from finishing your training. But now that your training period is ended, you should come home Leo and meet your son. He will be needing you."

"But do you know when Emma will be back?"

"No, we don't. She said that she was wanting to spend time with her family, but she didn't say where they lived. She said she would write when she got there."

"I really need time to think about this April. To find this out all so suddenly…" Leo said.

"It's ok, Leo. I understand. But more than anything, your family needs you back too. They just aren't themselves the way they used to be."

"Thanks April."

Leo had a lot to think over now. He had told April that he felt something was missing. And right now, that one thing was his family, and Emma.

And I'm not copying anyone else's ideas. This was all my own thinking. I know there are a few stories like this that have been done recently. Maybe not with the baby, but with a girl being in the turtle's lives.

The review box is hungry. Please feed it to make it feel better.