Sarah looked at her weeping cousin, who'd entered the lounge. "What's wrong, Mandy?" she asked.
"Raphael hates me, saw my engagement ring and thinks I played him. Not true. I love him."
"Want me to talk to him?"
"You can try, but he won't listen. He was so mad and threatened to throw a glass at me. I really messed things up."
"He's a man, uh man turtle. Give him a few days to calm down and try again. You know what men are like. They sulk like little babies."
Amanda shook her head. "No, he hates me. You didn't see how furious he was."
"What are you going to do then?"
"Go through with the wedding. I can learn to love Leo. Besides it would be the honorable thing to do if I'm expecting his baby."
"You're what?" Sarah said in shock.
"I haven't been feeling well for the last week. Intense nausea. I haven't said anything to anyone. I suppose I should."
"Mandy, how is that possible? You're a human and Leonardo's a reptile."
"I don't know."
"And you love his brother. It's not right."
"I know that," Amanda said, covering her face in her hands. "But Raphael hates me and if I'm pregnant with Leo's baby, what choice do I have?"
"You'll have to tell Raphael. What if he changes his mind and wants to talk to you?"
"He won't."
"And do you want this baby if there is one?"
"I don't know. Their brother, Don..."
"Have you been with him, too?"
"No. Of course not! He's like their family doctor. I'll head over there later and ask him to run some tests. By the way, where's Damien?"
"Went to lie down."
"And what do we do about Uncle John?"
"I don't know. We can't call the authorities. No one would believe our story."
"His brothers would. I want to call them, but..."

"Amanda!" Raphael yelled from the bedroom.
"I can't see him," Amanda said. "Can you, Sarah?"

"I suppose so," Sarah said. "I have to talk to him about his injuries and recovery. What will you do, Mandy?"
"I'm going to see Don. I'll be back later. Please be nice to Raphael. I know he's being an ass to me, but he's hurt and probably missing his family. Make him something to eat and drink and see he gets what he needs."
"Okay. Be safe."
"See you later."

"Amanda!" Raphael shouted again.
Sarah went to Amanda's bedroom, opened the door and snapped, "What do you want?"
"Who are ya?" Raphael asked, staring at the pretty blonde.
"Sarah. Can you lower your damn voice? You sound like a fisher wife."
"Screw ya. Where's that whore?"
"I don't know any whores and don't take that attitude with me, reptile. I saved your life."
"Yeah, ya do. Yer cousin. That bitch."
In that moment Sarah really took a dislike to Raphael and his obnoxious behavior. "Probably with Leonardo. Telling him all about his little baby."
"Baby?" Raphael asked, his jaw dropping. No, she has ta be fibbin', he thought. Please let that be the case.
"Amanda's pregnant."
"Yer lyin'!" Raphael said, his heart sinking. I was gonna tell her I'm sorry and I wanna talk, he thought miserably.
"Ask her yourself when she gets back from the lair. She's asking someone named Don to run tests."
"Get out," Raphael said softly, his heart feeling like it'd broken in two. "Please. I wanna be alone."
"I don't know what Amanda saw in you. You're rude, you definitely aren't a looker and she can do much better. I hope Leonardo makes her happy. She loves him. Told me she can't wait to marry him."
"Please go," Raphael said, tears springing in his eyes.
"I need to check your injuries, Raphael. Lie still."

Heartbroken, Raphael lay still, tears running down his cheeks as she checked his injuries. "You know you're gravid, Raphael," Sarah said. "What will you do?"
"I'm a ninja. We live by a strict honor code and I can't take the life of an innocent. I'm gonna have it and raise it."
"What are you, a girl or boy? Must be a girl to be gravid."
"I'm a damn boy," Raphael hissed. "Wanna see?"
"No thanks. I'm sure I've seen better. Probably ugly. Isn't it purple?"
"GET OUT!" Raphael roared.
"But it's purple and flared at the top, right?"
Mocking him about Amanda and now his manhood was too much. "I said get the fuck out," Raphael snarled, baring his teeth.
"Charming. You're very aggressive, which is unnecessary. Now regarding your legs, we've splinted them and you'll be up and walking about in about three weeks."
"I ain't sittin' here for three weeks."
"You have no choice. The bullet missed your heart. You're very lucky by the way. If it had pieced it, you'd have died. Now can I make you something to eat?"
"Go ta hell," Raphael said, closing his eyes. "Ya tormented me enough."
"Tormented you? How? I was being conversational. Did I upset you by poking fun about your dick? Come on. You must know that it's hideous and that you're a freak. I'll be back now with your food."

Bitch, Raphael thought. I have no family. No one and I'm gravid. Not by choice. I don't want it, but I can't kill it. It's innocent. He ran his hand underneath his tail, feeling the bulge. It's alive and it's gonna depend on me. Just like Amanda's baby will depend on her. I can't believe she's pregnant. My Amanda. I gotta do the honorable thing and walk away, but I don't wanna. No, I'm gonna make one last effort ta talk ta her. I'll love her and the baby, but would she love me like this?

Sarah entered bringing a bowl of soup and coffee. "Food," she said, setting the cup and bowl on the desk and helping Raphael sit up. He glared daggers at her.
"I ain't hungry."
"You will eat," Sarah ordered, setting the bowl on his lap. "I'll feed you if I have to."
Raphael picked up the bowl and threw it at her. "Take ya and yer damn food out," he growled.
Sarah shrieked as the scalding soup landed on her and said, "You bastard. That was my favorite summer dress."
"Tell someone who cares. FUCK OFF."
Sarah scowled at him and said, "You're an ungrateful reptile. I saved your life and this is how you treat me."
"OUT!"
Sarah stormed out, banging the door behind her.

Meanwhile Amanda was at the lair and sitting in the infirmary with Don and Leo. "So," Amanda said, when Don had finished the tests. "How long before we get the results?"
"About fifteen minutes," Don said. "Can I bring you guys something while you wait?"

"No, thanks," Leo and Amanda said in unison. "I'm excited," Leo added. "I can't believe I might be a father."
I hope I'm not pregnant, Amanda thought. I'm not ready to be a mom. Aloud, she said, "I can't believe it either."
"I wish I could tell Raph."

"To gloat, Leo?" Don asked. "We all know Raph was so in love with Amanda."
"No. Because Raph and I were always so close. We'd tell one another everything."
"Oh, right," Don said, not buying his story.

Fifteen minutes passed and Don checked the results. "I have the results," he said.
"And?" Leo asked.
"Amanda's pregnant. Congratulations. She's due in December."
"I'm going to be a dad," Leo yelled, grabbing Amanda and kissing her. "We're going to be parents. Mandy, aren't you happy?"

"Thrilled," Amanda said, while inside she felt like her world was crumbling down. Now Raphael and I really can't be together, she thought. He'd never want another man's baby.
"I'm going to tell Mikey," Leo said. "You coming?"
"I want a minute to myself. I'll be there soon."
"Okay. I love you, sweetheart," Leo said, kissing her cheek.
"Love you too."

"So," Don said. "You don't look happy, Amanda."
"Nope. I don't want a baby."
"You don't want one or not his? Never mind. I know the answer. I can see it in your face."
"Now I have no choice and Raphael hates me. We fought earlier."
"You saw Raph and didn't tell us?"
"It's a long story, but here goes." Amanda told an abbreviated story of the recent happenings. "So, yeah, and he doesn't want to see you guys until he's ready."
"But he's okay?"
"He'll be fine, but he hates me. And I don't know what to do about my uncle."
"Raph will see us when he's ready and we'll get revenge on that psycho. Believe me. Now about Leo. I've never seen him so happy."
"I know and I feel so guilty. I don't know what to do."
"I do. Be true to yourself, Amanda. You can't be in a loveless marriage. It's not fair to you or Leo."
"But Raphael..."
"He's a stubborn bastard when he wants to be, but I believe he still loves you. Call off the wedding, give Raph a few days to cool down and then talk again."
"I will, but what about the baby? Raphael won't want it."
"The baby's an innocent and Raph will know that. He's a softy and I know he'd love you and the baby. He'd love it just as much as if it was his own. Leo could visit the baby. You'd figure things out, but marrying Leo when you're so in love with Raph isn't right to all concerned."
"I want to go home and think about how to tell Leo. I can't tell him right now just after the pregnancy results. It would be heartless.
"Fine, but you will do it?"
"I will. Please tell Leo my cousin called and I have to sort out some family business."
"Sure."

Amanda left the lair, climbed into a cab and asked for the driver to take her home. They were about ten minutes from her home when the driver, who'd been drinking heavily most of the day, lost control of the car. Amanda screamed as the car swerved off the road and crashed into a tree. Hitting her head hard, Amanda slumped forward. I'll always love you, Raphael, she thought as she lost consciousness. Frantic rescue workers used the jaws of life to get Amanda and the driver out of the car before it exploded. They'd just managed to do so and taken them to safety, when the car exploded, causing debris to fly high in the sky. Flames licked at the vehicle, reducing it to a mere shell. "Okay, steady now. Let's lift her," a paramedic told his colleague.
"Is she dead?"
"No. Unconscious."
"And the driver?"
"Dead. I think on impact."
They lifted Amanda on a stretcher, into the ambulance and sped to the nearest hospital.