Chapter Thirty-Five
Epilogue
Mona sat on the bed in the small bedroom cradling a comfortably wrapped Pandora in her arms; the tiny reptilian baby was sleeping peacefully, occasionally moving her lips and wigging her tiny fingers.
"You're so precious..." Mona whispered "So precious to me..."
Every so often she would kiss her daughter's tiny forehead and continue whispering to her.
Mona never thought she would be a mother, at least not in this way, the life she had before, she never dreamed she would one day have a family, she had wondered if it would be for her back then.
But one thing did cross Mona's mind, just being here, holding her child close to her, after all she had been through, she would do it all again if it meant being here right now with her daughter and her family.
But there was the thought of her family in Wisconsin and wondered how they would take to Pandora if they ever met her.
"I wonder if my parents would love you?" she whispered "Would they see past the reptilian features and see the beautiful child inside?"
She stood up and walked around the room, the sun was shining through the window causing some bright sunbeams to dance on the wooden floor.
As she was lost in her daydream the door opened and Raphael walked in.
Giving a warm smile at her mate, Mona held up Pandora and Raphael gazed upon his daughter stroking her tiny cheek.
"You've made me the happiest mutant turtle in the world Mona." Raphael said as he took Pandora into his arms and held her against his plastron. Pandora shuffled slightly in her swaddling but she didn't wake up.
Mona rested her head on her mate's shoulder and stroked Pandora's fingers.
"I can't believe we're parents now Raph." She said "I never would have imagined we'd have a child so soon."
Raphael shook his head.
"I never imagined I'd be a father..." Raphael choked.
"You'll be a great dad." Mona smiled but her smile faded as she remembered the old lair again and Pandora's room he and his brothers worked so hard on now destroyed.
"Do you think we'll ever find another home in the sewers?" she asked "After our last home..." she stopped as the images of the lair being stormed by Foot Ninja filled her mind.
Raphael shut his own eyes as he remembered that horrible day.
"We have relocated our lair before." He said "We can do it again...but it will be difficult...after everything that has happened."
He looked down at Pandora and stroked her cheek.
"But we will find somewhere, some place where little Pandora will be safe and grow up." He kissed Pandora's forehead "That's a promise."
Mona rested on her mate's shoulder again, she trusted her mate but she still felt worried.
"How's Donny?" she asked.
Raphael sighed.
"After Pandora was born, I thought he would be more relaxed..." he said "But he's retreated back to that tiny room, won't even answer the door when me or the others try to talk to him, he won't even speak to Splinter."
Mona bowed her head.
"He hasn't told me anything..." she said.
"I'm not the best one to talk about what he's been through babe." Raphael said "He will tell you when the time is right...he's just been so worried about you..."
Mona nodded understanding and stroked Pandora's fingers again.
"I will try and talk to him myself." She said "Hopefully he will pour everything out now I'm no longer vulnerable."
As she thought about Donatello and how much he was suffering, the image of Dr Arden flashed into her head.
"What did you do to him you bastard?" she thought "What did you do to my adopted brother!?"
Eight Weeks earlier at the Foot Headquarters...
Dr Arden opened his eyes, he could no longer feel excruciating pain in his body but pins and needles were in his legs and upper arms.
Bringing his hands to his face he felt the damaged skin, he then felt the collar around his neck with the needles still sticking into his veins.
"Those turtles!" he growled, mustering all his strength to roll onto his side, and then ignoring the pain in his legs and arms he lifted himself up slightly.
Looking around he saw the mess the operating theatre was in along with the many tools and machines scattered everywhere and broken.
Also amongst the debris were the unconscious and dead lab assistants and Foot Ninja.
"No!" he thought gritting his teeth, he tried to stand up, but his legs were still full of pins and needles.
Dr Arden then saw Izo Arashi lying on the ground bleeding from where Raphael had stabbed him with his sai.
"Arashi!" he cried, he tried to stand again but his legs still wouldn't move, mustering all his strength he began to drag himself across the floor, each time he turned his head he could feel the needles from the collar bending and sticking further into his skin making him grunt in pain.
His arms also throbbed painfully as he continued to drag himself along, he soon made it to his fallen boss and studied him.
"Arashi!" he choked "Arashi! Look at me!"
But his boss was unresponsive, all over his chest, stomach and arms were puncture wounds soaked in blood from where Raphael had attacked him.
Dr Arden checked his breathing and pulse and found there was still life left, instantly he lifted his left hand and made the syringes appear and at once he injected healing serum into his body.
As he was doing that, he heard grunts from the middle of the room and he saw two Foot Ninja and a nurse rise up rubbing their heads and groaning.
"What the fuck happened?" said one as they looked around, they then saw Dr Arden injecting Arashi with the healing serum.
"Doctor!" said one "The turtles have escaped!"
"No shit Sherlock!" Dr Arden growled "Get your delirious backsides over here! Our leader is injured and requires urgent treatment!"
"Right away Dr Arden." Said the nurse staggering over as the two other ninja got a trolley to place Arashi's body onto it.
As Dr Arden finished healing Arashi he took a syringe to his own body and used it to cure his wounds and his painful legs.
Gasping in relief as the normal feeling returned to his body, Dr Arden stood up and unlocked the collar from his neck.
He winced as he pulled the syringe needles out of his neck and the tiny holes healed up due to the healing serum.
"Take Arashi to my lab and begin treatment to his battered body..." Dr Arden growled dangerously "I must take care of some business before I join you."
"Yes Doctor." Said the nurse as the ninja lifted Arashi onto the trolley and wheeled him out.
"I shall be there soon." Dr Arden growled as he left the theatre.
As he left the theatre, Dr Arden tore off his white medical shirt and strode down the corridors, he flexed his syringe fingers and gritted his teeth.
"Those turtles have foiled our plans again Arashi." He thought "They have fought and won many battles against us, but we've never been broken, we never give up!"
He made it to the throne room of the Foot Headquarters and over to the top of the room where he saw a microphone and combinations link on the small table.
"When you employed me Lord Arashi," Dr Arden growled "I proved myself as a faithful servant and a good doctor and scientist, so much so you entrusted me with what you could not trust your other subjects."
He sat at the table and prepared the microphone and communications link.
"Attention Foot Headquarters, this is Dr William Arden, Our master is very sick...injured by the ninja turtles...but do not fret...He shall awaken and resume command of our headquarters...in the meantime...I shall assume command until he heals..."
He finished the announcement and smirked.
"You made me your second in command...master...and I do not intend to let you down..." he looked at his syringe fingers again and stood up to walk back to his lab so he could tend to his Master.
"I will heal you...and continue my research to find the Shredder and recapture those turtles, their master and the lizard...I will not let you down...even if it takes me years..."
Oh no! Dr Arden is alive and he's trying to save Arashi's life after Raphael stabbed him all over. But he's also running the Foot Headquarters until (or if) Arashi recovers, and he still continues to search for Shredder!
Hope you enjoyed the fic and thank you all to who read and reviewed!
Stayed tuned for the sequel 'Cherished' Coming soon!