New chapter yay! Okay, sorry if this chapter seemed a little rushed at the end or something. I was really tired, so please forgive me for rushedness (Not sure if that is a word or not), spelling errors or grammatical errors. Thank you all again for the support.
OH MY GOSH! 100 reviews! Is that a good thing? I hope it is! Thank you all so much!
Well hello little audience inside my brain. How are you this find midnight?
Good? Peachy?
Well me, I'm dandy. Got some insomnia going on and just staring at my ceiling. Yup, I'm good.
You guys ever get those nights? Where you just can't fall asleep. You feel extremely tired, and would gladly go to bed, but as soon as your head touches the pillow, you feel wide awake again?
Yeah, this is one of those nights.
Maybe I'm just nervous?
You see, little audience in my brain, tomorrow is the day I choose my very own weapon. It has been at least five months since I began training with Splinter.
I've improved a lot and since then and things have been going great.
The boys have started to grow, at amazing rates.
Already, just at the age at 5 months and a half, the four little turtles have already begun to stand on their own feet.
They couldn't stand long, and could only walk a short time before falling down, but it was still astounding.
Perhaps it was their mutation that is helping the growth process along, but just seeing how far they have come, it is wicked.
I remembered when Leonardo had shocked my by rising to his feet. Using the wall to help support himself he looked at my with an accomplished smile.
"Leonardo!" I gasped in shock as the little baby leaned his little body against the wall and grinned at me. "You're… Oh my gosh, good job Leonardo!' I cheered.
He giggled, holding one little hand out to me. Hesitantly he stepped forward, his leg wobbling a bit. Holding my arms out for him, I waited patiently for his second step.
"Splinter!" I called over my shoulder to catch his attention. "Come here! Quick!"
A rush of foot steps and Splinter arrived, coming closer to see what was wrong. See Leonardo on his back legs, his eyes widened.
"That's it Leonardo. Try step number 2." I suggested. He looked up at me, and narrowed his eyes in concentration. Looking down at his toes, he held his arms out for balance as he took his second step, away from the wall.
His three brothers gawked at him, surprised at what their older brother was doing.
Leaning forward a bit when I saw Leo almost fall down, I forced myself to stay back. This was something Leo had to do on his own.
Taking yet another step, swaying a bit, Leo lifted his hands out to grab mine.
Once his three little fingers were wrapped around a few of mine, he used my hands to support himself, and shuffled forward the rest of that way, right into my stomach, were he hugged me tight.
"You did it!" I cheered, lifting him up and jumping to my feet. Twirling him around, I paused when Splinter came up, patting his head.
"Well done Leonardo." He praised.
It wasn't long after that when Raphael and Donatello also first their first steps. Michelangelo was the last one, and still can not walk more than a few steps without falling down.
His brothers aren't that different, but at least can stand on their own for a long while if they have something to hold onto.
Maybe soon, they would start talking too? Could they speak? That would be wicked if they could.
Moving to lay on my side, staring at the wall, I blinked when I heard a soft creaking sound. There was a small patter of feet as two figures approached my bed.
On of the two reached out, pulling on my shirt sleeve.
Rolling over, I squinted my eyes open at the sound of whimpering and small squeaks. Sitting up, I rubbed my eyes in a haze.
"Wha-?" I leaned for my lamp, pulling the small string to turn it on. When the light filled the room it took my eyes a minute to adjust.
The light! It burns!
When my eyes finally adjusted, I blinked at the sight of Leonardo standing before the bed, holding the hand of a whimpering Michelangelo.
"Leonardo. Michelangelo. What are you doing up?" I asked the 5 month olds. Barely able to walk by themselves, it surprised me they had made it all the way to my room.
At the sight of Mikey's tears, I lifted myself into a sitting position. "Did you have a nightmare?" I asked, leaning off the bed a bit to cup Mikey's freckled face. With a little sob, Mikey reached out for me to hold him. Complying, I lifted him onto the bed, holding him close.
"There there." I said soothingly as Mikey cried into my shirt, clinging onto my arms. With a small smile I looked to Leonardo. "Leonardo, did your brother wake you up?"
Although he was only 5 months old, Leo could, in his own way, sort of speak. Well… I suppose you could call them words. Most of the time it was just random gibberish. But he got close to some words some times.
Blinking a few times, he nodded. "Uh-huh…"
I suddenly felt really proud. "Did you walk him over here like a good big brother?"
Without hesitation, Leonardo nodded his head in a large motion. I smiled warmly at him. Reaching out, he grabbed me hand, allowing me to help him onto the bed. When he was safely on, he crawled over Michelangelo and me, laying his head on my stomach.
Patting his head, I smiled when both of them had begun to calm down and doze off again.
Reaching my head over my head, I reached blindly for the lamp. Feeling the string I pulled it, and placed the room into darkness.
Mikey, luckily out of his stage where I had to walk around while holding him, fell asleep again easily. Leo on the other hand, I could feel that he was awake because he kept pulling on my sleeve. Looking down at him, it took a second for my eyes to adjust before I could see his dark blue eyes staring up at me.
His head still resting on my stomach, he blinked.
"Go to sleep." I urged.
He frowned and hid his face within my T-shirt. Blinking, I tilted my head a bit.
When something wet soaked through my T-shirt and onto my stomach my eyes widened. Sitting up, careful not to wake up Mikey, I placed a hand on Leonardo's head.
A soft sob escaped his throat and he looked up at me with teary eyes. Reaching out, he hide his face in my shoulder, clinging to me tightly.
"…Did you have a nightmare too?' I murmured softly, hugging him close. Another sob, this one a little louder, was my only reply. Frowning, I pressed my cheek to the top of Leo's head. "What a brave little turtle you are Leonardo.'
-000-
The next morning I awoke to the feeling of two little hands poking my nose insistently. Grumbling at the feeling, I squinted my eyes open.
What sort of person pokes someone to wake them up?
Oh.
Two little turtles do.
"…Morning." I waved to them slightly.
The grinned, wagging their little tails excitedly. Sitting up, I patted their heads, recalling the night before.
It had taken forever to calm Leonardo down enough so that he would fall asleep, and even after that, it took me even longer to fall asleep.
Rolling over, I looked towards my clock. It was 7 Am.
Ugh. Who wants to wake up at that time?
I slowly forced my self out of bed, herding Leo and Mikey towards the kitchen for breakfast. When I entered, I was surprised to see Splinter there, waiting for me.
"Good morning." He greeted.
"Good morning." I nodded back, moving to make myself some water. "How long have you been up?"
"An hour." He said, motioning towards the high chairs I had found for the boys. Raphael and Donatello were already sitting in them, their faces a mess from their baby food.
Aww, cute. Wait, how in the world did Raphael get food on the top of his head? Was he just throwing it up into the air or something?
Chuckling at the sight, I grabbed a washcloth and moved to clean Raphael's face. He whined in protest at first, but slowly gave in and let me clean him.
Moving the cloth against his cheek, he pouted at me. Giggling, I moved forward and kissed his forehead, something he didn't protest too.
Then I moved onto Donnie. Though he wasn't as messy as his older brother, the goo on his face was still there. So leaning down, I gently cupped under his chin so he would look at me.
Blinking, he smiled as I began to wash his face, cooing in delight at the feel of it. Closing his eyes and grinning, he reached out blindly, trying to grab my own face.
I grinned, pressing my nose to his snout. "Good morning, Donatello." I smiled, pulling away to kiss his snout instead. He flew his arms around wildly, kicking his feet in his fit of giggles.
Pulling back, I smiled lovingly at him. He was so sweet and cute.
When I looked towards Splinter, he was smiling warmly at the three of us, looking away only briefly to help Leonardo and Michelangelo into their out high chairs.
After that, we all had breakfast together. I made Splinter some eggs using a heater, and old pan, and some (luckily) un-rotten egg I found. He was thankful for the meal and bowed his head to me in respect.
Once I sat down and began to eat my own food, I look to Michelangelo. He wasn't able to hold his own spoon by himself yet to get his food, so I was the one who had to feed him.
Placing his little bib on, I moved the spoon around in the jar to collect some of the baby food. I'm glad to know they could actually eat this stuff.
"Say "Ah" Mikey." I smiled, holding the spoon out. With wide eyes, the young turtle stared at the on coming spoon in shock. "Here comes the airplane." I mused, spinning my hand a few times in an airplane motion.
Smiling, Mikey open his mouth wide. "AH-h!" he said loudly as I placed the spoon in his mouth. Closing his mouth, I caught the bits that started to drip down his chin with my spoon, bringing it back up to his mouth.
It was really nice they way we ate together like this. It really made me feel like we were a family. Splinter and me were the adults, well, I was at least some what of an adult, and the boys were our little kids.
Oh whoa wait, does that mean that Splinter is like the Dad? And I'm the mom?
"Splinter?" I spoke up after a few seconds of comfortable silence. He looked up, speaking with his eyes for me to continue. "I was just wondering something…" I trailed off. Wait no, this would probably sound stupid.
"What is it Arinna?' Splinter inquired.
"Oh well um… I don't mean to sound cheesy or anything, but… is this um… well, it is like, a family?" I asked slowly.
Splinter looked shocked by my question, and titled his head to understand what I meant. "A family?"
"Well, yeah. Like, are you the Dad? And I'm the mom? Then the boys are our kids?" I looked towards Michelangelo and continued to feed him to distract myself.
Splinter was silent, as if he wasn't sure how to answer, or he was just thinking.
"I-I mean, listen, I think you're a great guy and all, but when I say I'm the mom and you're the dad, I don't mean we're a couple. Not at all. I'm just saying that it seemed like that or somethin'." I explained myself quickly, fumbling over my words. "And I'm not saying I'm trying to force you into taking in the boys as your sons, I just thought that was sort of what the relationship was like and all and-" Splinter held up a hand to stop me, and I clamped my mouth shut.
"Arinna." He chuckled. "There is no shame in your question. I honestly have wondered the same thing." He admitted.
"You have." I gawked at him.
Oh, oh that's good! So I'm not making a complete fool of myself by seeing something that wasn't really there. GOOD!
"I do believe you are right. I have become very found of the little ones." He looked to the turtles, who were either stuffing their faces with their baby food, or covering themselves with it. "I have come to love them as my own." His smile was so warm, it reminded me how my Father had looked at me when I was little.
A small tug of my lips, and I was grinning from ear to ear, happy to hear those words from him. "So then...?"
"I would like to adopt them as my own sons, yes." The older rat nodded.
"That's great!" I cheered. "You'll be a great Father."
"Thank you." Splinter chuckled. "However, to raise four children by yourself is a very hard thing to do."
"Oh what?" I gapped at him. "Who said you would be alone. I'll be here to help." Like I would let you go through this alone Splinter! Friends stick together till the very end!
"As what?" Splinter suddenly smirked.
"…As… As 'what' what?" I blinked. Okay, that was confusing. What did he mean by that.
"What would you be to the boys?" he pushed forward, motioning to them. Following his hand, I looked at the three oldest, then back to my right, where Mikey was trying to bring my hand forward so he could take another bit of his food. Slowly letting him pull my hand to him, he took a large bit, smiling in satisfaction.
"What… would I be?" I repeated absentmindedly.
"Would you be a friend?" Splinter began to guess.
Well, I would definitely be their friend.
"… A family member?'
I love them as family already.
"…A Mother?" the final question caught me off guard and snapped my attention to the man turned rat.
"A mother?" I squeaked.
"Yes, you are the one who brought up the thought in the first place." He reminded me. "You said how you thought I was like the Father, and you were the Mother. So I only assumed you thought of them as your own sons as well."
"I…well um…" I blushed out of embarrassment and looked away. Was it even okay for me to think of them as my sons. I wasn't their real mother, and what if they resented me because of that. What if they thought I was trying to steal away the spot of their real mother? I didn't want that.
Would they even be happy with a weirdo like me being their mom?
"I…" I hesitated. "Could I even… be their mom?"
Splinter's eyes widened, shocked. "You doubt yourself?"
"Well, yeah, of course I do." I said quickly. "I'm not all wise or strong, and I hold doubt about myself about what I will teach them. What if I teach them the wrong things?"
"You wouldn't." Splinter said, his voice sounding so confident. Locking eyes with him, I gaze deeply into those un-lying and truthful orbs. "You would teach them everything they would need to know to be truly honorable boys."
"…How do you know?" my voice was soft.
The older rat had a knowing glint in his eyes. "I have seen what you are like Arinna. You wish only to help others. A child's personality comes from what their parents teach them. You, with a heart so pure and kind, would surly pass down a great legacy of kindness."
No one had ever said something like that to me. And the only person before who ever had such confidence in my ability was my brother. It made me happy to know Splinter trusted me.
"…Thanks." I said bashfully. "I think.. being their mother…" I paused to pat Mikey's head and smile at his brothers. "…Would be amazing."
It truly would be.
After that, we all left the kitchen and moved to the Dojo.
It was time. The moment I had been waiting for all night had finally arrived!
"Arinna, it is now the time for you to choose your choice of weapon. You already hold skill and promise to any of the ones I have shown you. You Photographic memory allows you to learn quickly." Splinter announced, staring at me as he placed all of his weapons on the ground before me. "You have done well in the past five months, learning the basics of Ninjitsu." He continued.
Staring at the weapons I glanced up at Splinter nervously.
"However, a ninja must be one with their weapon. Which is why I ask that you choose which one you shall wish to continue with and master."
"What will happen if I master it?" I inquired. There were so many weapons. How was I going to choose?
Splinter smiled. "Then perhaps at that time, we shall move onto another. Fore although the hand work comes easy to you, the foot work will not."
I grimaced at the thought and nodded. "So… I just choose which ever one I would be most comfortable with?"
"Precisely."
I smiled, looking towards the weapons excitedly. I can finally truly begin my training! But which one should I choose? Oh gosh, this was so intense. What if I pick on that is super hard and I wont be able to master it?! That would be so embarrassing.
At the moment, one weapon in particular caught my interest more then the others.
"…The bow." I said slowly, reaching out to lift it up, along with the bag of arrows. It reminded me of my mother and made my heart ache. Yet at the same time, it gave me courage.
"This one." I held it up for him to see.
"The bow and arrows it shall be then." My master, my friend, smiled kindly at me.
I grinned back. "Thank you, Master Splinter." We bowed to each other.
And we're done! Sorry if this chapter seemed a little rush. I may not be able to update till the weekend, sorry! I have a lot of band stuff going on right now. Hope you don't mind!
ALSO! A lot of you said that you wanted a second story based on when the turtles were teens. Well I'm happy to say I made that story! CHAPTER ONE IS ALREADY UP! It is called Father Mother and four little teens!
Hope you can all check it out. And don't worry, I wont be ending this fanfic any time soon either! :D