Hello again! Also, I would love to personally thank each and everyone of you for the support you gave me on the first of these one-shots! It really meant so much to hear how much you enjoyed it and all of your suggestions so far have been noted for future. :) But still, if you have more ideas on what you would like to see in a one-shot… Please, KEEP THEM COMING! Haha. :D I will keep writing for this until I completely run out of ideas. Also, just a fair warning. I am moving back into my dorm later next week for my Spring semester that starts on the 17th, so if I stop updating for a slightly extended period of time, I will just be busy settling in at school again. Anyway, thank you all again for being so understanding, just as you guys have always been. This chapter begins about 7 weeks after the Kraang invasion from Further Complications.
(April's POV)
I was just hanging out at home since my dad was out running errands today and Donnie's been busy with fixing all of the equipment that got damaged during the invasion still.
Besides, it's not so bad.
After these past several weeks with the city finally starting to recover and the Shredder keeping it low-key since his forces got completely obliterated, it's almost like we could finally put our feet up and relax for once.
I was just paging through this freshman orientation guide that I got yesterday from my college when I heard the buzzer from down stairs. I tilted my head, wondering who could possibly be here. Then again it is during the middle of the day, so maybe it's Donnie or one of his brothers for whatever reason.
Eventually, I just shrugged before just walking up and pressing the button on the wall and saying, "Hello?" "April, it's me." I heard reply in a very familiar and distinct yet slightly… off tone.
Mona?
I just buzzed her in and waited as I stared at the front door until I heard her practically pounding her first on the door.
I ran to the door and opened it as I said, "Mona, what…" Then I was cut off when she grabbed my left wrist, practically power-walking into my apartment, and shut and locked the front door behind her before she pulled me with her.
I was too caught up in trying to mentally process what was going on as she pulled me into my room and then proceeded to also shut and lock my bedroom door behind her as she released my wrist.
"Mona, what the heck is going!... Mona?" I say, seeing Mona had her back to me as she was facing to look out my window. "Mona, what's going on?" I say, tilting my head, still having no idea what was happening right now.
Then Mona turned around and I was caught completely off guard by her expression. Mona looked freaked out, paranoid and… scared?
Wait, Mona Lisa… scared?
Then before I could say anything else she said, "I'm late."
She immediately looked away from me and looked like she was pretty much biting off the tip of her thumb.
I gave her the most crooked and confused look as I could possibly manage to put on my face before saying, "Late? What do mean you're…" I felt everything in me stop dead, almost like I was hit by truck, once I finally stopped being stupid and figured out what she was telling me.
I could feel my jaw progressively unhinge and eventually I put a hand over my mouth as I was trying to wrap my head around what Mona just told me.
I was trying to come up with… well, something?
But then I just heard Mona let out a beyond sarcastic scoff before saying, "Well, what do you think I mean? Late for a damn bus?! APRIL, I'm losing it here! I mean, what if…" I stopped her as I put my hands on her shoulders, almost like I was trying to ground her or something and be a good and supportive best friend as I said, almost commanding, "Mona, just calm down."
Mona scoffed again as I saw her wiping away some hysterical tears before readjusting her glasses and saying, sounding a little hostile and defensive, "Yeah, easy for you to say."
I just rolled my eyes and ignored that as I finally decided to say something important, "Okay, now what do you mean by late. How long?"
I tried to get her to calm down a little more as I got her to sit next to me on the edge of my bed.
I looked over at her as she crossed her arms and said quietly through her teeth, almost like she was in pain as she said, sounding very exact, "3 weeks and 4 days."
All of a sudden I got this sudden urge and practically had to bit my tongue as I was processing what she said again and trying not to just blurt anything out. But, I was trying to be supportive as I said, "Well, are you sure this isn't just you being irregular. I mean, sometimes my period skips a couple weeks from when it happened the previous month and…"
Just then Mona grabbed me by the shoulders, pretty much shouting in my face, "April, listen to me! My cycle is like a freaking train schedule! It has happened every month on the same damn day since I first got it when I was 12. JUST SAY IT! I'm screwed! I'll have to drop out school and…" "STOP IT!" I blurted out, getting annoyed with her snapping at me when all I'm trying to do is help her.
It was completely silent for almost 30 seconds until I finally let out a frustrated sigh and apologized, knowing I didn't make the situation any better by pretty much telling her to shut up, "Look, sorry Mona, I… Just tell me what's going on."
I looked back over at Mona and saw her biting her lip and still looking beyond freaked out.
Seriously, this is not the Mona Lisa I'm used to. It's like I'm not even looking at my best friend right now. When Mona said she was completely losing it; well, I can see that she is definitely not exaggerating right now.
"Well… April, remember how during the invasion, Raph and I fell down that elevator shaft and ended up in those caverns below TCRI?" She said, sounding like she was trying to explain this situation with something that had nothing to do with what was going on right now.
I just said exactly what was going through my head as I responded, "How could I forget? We all thought you and Raph were dead for hours after everything was over until you guys finally showed up at the lair."
"Well…" She started, looking away from me again. I immediately leaned forward, hoping to finally figure out what exactly was going on.
7 weeks ago
(Mona's POV)
Ugh, my head.
I just felt disoriented, pretty much to the point that I didn't even want to move. I seriously had no idea where I even was right now.
I let out a sigh as I finally opened my eyes, but… I couldn't see anything. Everything that surrounded me was darkness and… wait?
Immediately I flung my hand up to my face and felt around until I realized something that made me let out a beyond annoyed groan.
Crap… where are my glasses?!
At that instant, I shot up off the ground only for my hand that was on my face to fling to my mid-lower back as I grunted and winced slightly, now wishing I sat up slower than I actually did. I mean, nothing felt broken or torn… but still.
I tried to brush it off as best as I could as I got on my hands and knees and started feeling around.
After all, without my glasses, I'm pretty much a useless human being, especially since I'm severely nearsighted like both of my parents and I've needed glasses for as long as I could remember.
So, thanks genetics!
My hands kept scanning over what felt like dirt around me until my left hand bumped into something that got my attention and when I put my hand over it, I couldn't stop myself from smirking victoriously to myself and saying quietly, "Looks like I hit pay dirt."
I grabbed my glasses off the ground and put them on and they didn't seem to be broken.
I kept trying to collect myself and trying to remember everything that just happened. The last thing I remember was screaming and falling down an elevator shaft for what seemed like an eternity, well… until I hit something that made me pass out.
Honestly I'm surprised I'm not dead from that fall, but luckily, I think I landed on something soft.
And then Raph… Oh god. Where's Raph?!
Ugh! How could have not even thought about him?! For all know he could be dead and impaled on a sharp rock right now!
I got up and I was about to call out to see if by some chance he was still alive when I heard, "Mona?"
Raph.
I immediately sprung my head up and called out back, completely relieved, "Raph! Where are you? Are you okay?" "Mona! Yeah, I'm good! Ugh! I can't see a damn thing!" He called back, sounding frustrated and angry.
Finally I rolled my eyes at myself for being stupid as I finally pulled out of phone and turned on the flashlight app to be able to see.
I kept scanning around until I finally saw Raph. He hand his back turned to me initially until he probably noticed my light and turned around. I could see the light from my phone reflect off his eyes, making that familiar green glow back at me.
We both stared at each other for a moment before both of us ran at each other in an all out sprint as we met in the middle and flung our arms around eachother tight, neither of us wanting to let go. Then that quickly turned into both of us kissing and both of us sighing practically on contact.
I'm pretty sure both of us were just on an adrenaline high.
Just the fact that both of us were somehow still alive. That I was just completely relieved that he was here and he was okay.
"Mona! Babe! Are you okay?! I swear if…!" All of a sudden, the everything started shaking and rumbling around us. I probably would've lost my balance if Raph and I weren't practically clutching each other for dear life.
It finally stopped and both of us were frozen like victims of Medusa as everything started settling down until it was almost so silent that a pin drop could have been heard from miles off.
I waited until the tremors completely subsided before saying, almost whispering, "Whether that was us or something else… let's try to keep it low-key by keeping shouting to a minimum. Sound good?"
I didn't look at Raph but I heard him agree, "A'right."
It was quiet again before I heard him ask, his voice low, "So… what the heck is this place?" I waved my light around, seeing nothing but dirt, clay, and concrete rubble around us along with very high ceilings.
"I think it's some kind of underground cavern. Maybe the Kraang used this place to store their weapons away from the public eye." I surmise, still looking around.
Just then I saw Raph's hand guide mine to point my light in a direction until I could see what I could only describe as a... passage?
"Or to get places… C'mon, it might be our way outta here." He said, as he started off and I quickly followed him.
We've been wandering around this seemingly endless tunnel for a several hours now, trying to look for anything. I mean literally anything that looked like it could be a way out.
Lights, a way up, just anything.
We kept walking until I stopped and grabbed Raph's shoulder practically trying to contain myself and I said, pointing up but still trying to be quiet, "Raph, look!" Raph looked at where I was pointing and looked back at me with this huge, relieved grin before both of us stared at this streak of light shining through the ceiling.
It was almost like we were gold rush miners who've been wandering a mine for days and finally struck a vein of gold.
We were about to approach it until the tremors started again, but this time they were bigger… and worse, much worse. It was so bad to the point that the ceiling above us was starting to crumble down. Neither of us knew what to do as this area behind us was completely sealed off by concrete, rocks, and dirt and came down from the ceiling.
Then I noticed something that made my eyes go wide as I yelled, almost horrified, "Raph! Look out!"
I practically tackled him into the opposite wall of rubble as more rubble that was about to crush us came crashing down several feet in front of us.
Both of us laid there in shock for a second at everything that just happened.
I slowly got to my feet as I kept looking back and forth between the two walls of rubble, almost as if I was trying to confirm the current situation.
I put my hand over my mouth until I all of a sudden heard a loud crunch behind me and I whipped my head around when I heard a loud yell and saw Raphael pretty much trying and failing to break apart the pieces of concrete and rocks, looking almost like he'd gone totally insane.
He kept trying everything he could punching, kicking, pulling, shoulder tackling spots on the wall as he kept grunting or yelling with each hit.
I knew he was frustraited and I was still trying to come up with some sort of reaction until I saw dirt spilling from the ceiling due to him attacking the rubble.
I snapped out of it as I ran over and shouted, "RAPH! RAPH, STOP!"
I was trying everything I could to make him stop, but he just continued in his realm of rage as he kept attacking the wall, still fighting.
"I NEED TO GET US OUT!" He shouted back at me as he continued to work, almost justifying his actions. But, I just shouted right back, angry that he wasn't listening to me, "NEITHER OF US WILL GET OUT IF YOU CAUSE ANOTHER CAVE IN AND KILL US BOTH!"
I finally had it.
I gripped his shoulder and used all my strength and was by some miracle able to throw him away from the wall and he stumbled back into the opposite wall with a thud.
Then… I don't know what came over me.
I just fell to my knees and really just looked around me, the reality of the situation finally setting in.
We were trapped here.
The walls were packed thick, the ceiling was heavy and weakening, we probably have limited oxygen.
We were going to die here.
Everything I did to get even with those monsters for killing my parents and thousands if not millions of innocent people was for nothing. I was going to die without even making anything right.
I could feel the tears coming down my face as I just stared at the floor, feeling beyond defeated.
It wasn't until I heard, "Mona? Babe?" I looked up and no sooner did I feel two familiar hands on either side of my face, whipping my tears away, something I've sadly gotten used to since the abduction incident.
"Mona? Mona, I…" I just looked right at him as I put my forefinger and middle finger over his lips to stop him from talking.
It was silent between us as we just kept looking at each other. Our eyes finally locked and I slowly moved my hands up and removed his mask before tossing it to the floor before doing the same with mine. I barely noticed, but Raph was closer to me.
We kept looking at each other for a moment before our lips came together and it felt like everything in me was on fire as both of us continued on with the situation until both of us ended up standing and stumbling until my back was against one of the walls and Raph kept pressing into me as I kept pulling him closer, neither of us skipping a beat as we practically hit the point of no return.
Nothing was going to stop this now.
I don't know if it was just adrenaline or not, but we were going to do this if it was the last thing either of us ever did living.
Present
I felt so humiliated right now.
I basically just told April exactly what happened and I stopped short since I was pretty sure could connect the dots about what exactly happened between Raph and I in that cavern before we later escaped and ended up being fine.
I could feel myself crumbling under all the pressures I felt right now as I put my face in my hands and exasperated, sounding as out of my mind as I felt, "Ugh, I'm so stupid!" I could feel drops hitting my palms as I cursed myself again.
I'm crying… AGAIN?!
Seriously, I swear I've cried more as a 17 year old than I ever did during infancy.
I whipped my head up when I heard, "No, you're not."
I saw April just looking at me, but… she looked completely sympathetic. Almost like she could feel my pain too. I looked away really quick and scoffed to myself a little, "Seriously?"
April gave me a look and said, "Mona, stop. You and Raph were trapped down there for hours and thought you were going to die. If that were me and Donnie down there in that situation, we would have probably done the exact same thing."
I just kept sitting there, feeling like everything in me was being crushed in a vice and I seriously thought I was going to be… Oh crap. I put my hand over my mouth and I could feel myself trying to push it down.
But, luckily it passed.
Which is great because the last thing I need is to vomit on April's floor right now.
UGH! I hate this!
I've felt like this several times this week, but I've never actually been sick yet. It just keeps teasing me into thinking I'm going to throw up. Not to mention is also isn't helping the cause of trying to deny what's physically happening to me right now.
Then I felt a hand on my back and I realized I was still hunched over with my hand over my mouth, probably not helping my cause either. I looked down and realized she was holding the small trash can that she usually keeps next to her bed.
I waved it away as I sat up again and assured, "No, I'm cool."
There was a long period of awkward silence before I heard her ask, "Does anyone else know about what's going on?" I shook my head as I admitted, pretty much sounding beaten to death right now, "No. I… I didn't want to. But, I just have no idea what to do right now and if I was going to tell anyone it was going to be you… or Leo. But, I couldn't tell him. I practically had to bit my tongue to the point of almost bleeding from blurting out what's been going on with me when we ran into each other in the tunnel earlier."
The silence came back for a second before I heard, "What about Raph? Does he know... anything?"
I whipped my head up and immediately spat out, further showing my defensiveness, "NO! No! April, are you insane?! We've already had enough insane shit happen to us! Are you seriously telling me that I should just walk up to him and go, 'Hey Raph, I know we're 17 and just survived an invasion and dealt with all my issues; how about a baby?' Yeah! I'm sure that's exactly what he'd want to hear right now."
"Then what, Mona?! Are you just going to wait until you start showing?!" But, then I saw April back off, immediately looking guilty, even though I admit that I kind of deserved to be told off a little like that right now. Also, based on the look she was giving me right now, I knew she really didn't mean it and felt really sorry for what she said to me.
After all, I haven't exactly been nice since I got here and just been interrupting her when all she's been doing the whole time is trying to be a good, supportive friend hearing out her completely off her nut best friend.
"Mona, I'm sorry. I really didn't mean that. It's just..." She apologized, but I just waved it off as I said, "No, April, it's okay. Besides, I'm sorry too. I know you're just trying to help."
Then almost on instinct, we just hugged, almost as if to call it even and that all was forgiven.
It was quiet again before I heard her say, "Look Mona, and this is just totally my opinion and you really don't have to do it. But, if I were you… I would be honest. Besides we aren't even entirely sure yet about this."
I just put my face in my hands again, still feeling like I'm one thread away from rocking on the floor and gnashing my teeth down to the gums out of insanity, before saying, "UGH, I don't know, April? I can't even think straight right now."
Just then I saw April kneeling in front of me, looking me right in the eye before saying, "Look, Mona. Do you really want my opinion, right now? At least what I would do if I was you right now?"
I was still trying to come to grips that this was really happening right now, but I just nodded. Right now, all I really wanted was just some idea of what I should do about this situation.
Just then, April put a hand on my shoulder again, but… it felt completely reassuring, like right now we were actually about to do something constructive with the situation instead of panicking, or me panicking at least.
"Okay, here's what we're going to do. We're going to go to the Pharmacy around the corner and get a test. Then depending on how that goes, we're going to go to the lair and you're going to tell him. Then you guys can decide where to go from there. Okay?" April explained.
I was still contemplating everything she said. I kept thinking everything over until I finally just stood up and said, really trying to pull myself together.
"Alright, let's do this. But are you sure?" I ask, knowing she'd catch my drift. April just gave me a small smile and said, "Mona, you're one of my best friends and you don't need to do this alone if you don't have to."
I just gave her a small smirk back before I followed her out of her apartment.
Look, even though, I'm still this close to having an absolute mental break down, I know April's right. Just trying to stall the situation and hide it is not going to help anything.
No matter how freaked out I am right now, I have to just be open and honest about this.
I remember all the way back after I dropped that scenario at the end of Further Complications with Mona and everyone finding out she was pregnant, it lead some people to ask me what exactly happened to lead to Mona and Raph getting into that situation that caused Molly's conception. Then from that I hope it fulfilled a curiosity some might have had to see how exactly Molly was brought into play for this series. ;) That and I also really wanted to show an April and Mona bonding moment to show that not only are they best friends, but they are also like the sisters that neither of them had. I also really hoped you enjoyed and noticed when it comes to some of the similarities between Molly and Mona in an extremely stressful situation, like mother-like daughter right? Haha. Again thank you all so much for reading and reviews are always appreciated.
Stay Classy!
Dexter1995
