Chapter Thirty-Eight
The Farmhouse
After a couple of hours of resting and getting the Battle Shell fixed up again to continue the journey, the gang all piled back inside and April and Casey got in the front to drive.
Raphael had taken the cloth off his face but it was now covered in gauzes, Michelangelo had a large one on his head that almost covered his eye as well as some dressings on his body from where Cobra had spat on him.
Mona was still feeling tired and was resting on the floor of the battle shell, half her body covered in bandages, though she could heal faster than the turtles, she had taken quite a beating.
Donatello and Leonardo were also dressed in bandages, yet Donatello was looking rather sweaty since as well as dressing everyone's wounds, he had to make sure the Battle-Shell was fixed up and safe to travel in for the rest of the journey.
"Man I can't wait for a bath..." said Donatello as he sat in the corner of the battle shell.
"I think we're all in agreement Donnie..." said Raphael.
"Yeah!" said Michelangelo "You stink!"
"Shut up you!" Raphael snapped at Michelangelo making Mona giggle as she lifted the gaze on her shoulder to look at her wound.
Donatello saw her looking and crawled over to inspect.
To his relief he saw that the wound had completely closed up all but leaving some bruising and a red angry scar.
Karai who was sitting nearby couldn't see clearly but she peered over curiously.
"Are you okay Mona?" she asked.
Mona looked up with a smile.
"I'm fine..." she said "My wound...it doesn't hurt as much anymore..."
Karai looked at Mona's wound and her eyes widened at the condition of it.
"What the...?" she said "Your wound...it's...its not there anymore...apart from that bruising..."
"Mona's a fast healer Karai." said Leonardo "Though she looks like a mutant anole, she's got some Salamander properties in her..."
"And Salamanders can regenerate their limbs...or heal themselves." said Donatello as he peeled off Mona's gaze on her face showing the wound there was gone!
"Incredible!" said Karai as she saw the face wound was gone.
"Small wounds can heal a lot faster than the big ones." said Mona "But it doesn't mean I'm invincible."
She then yawned.
"You should rest Mona..." said Donatello "We all should, we got a long journey..."
"No shit Sherlock." Michelangelo said.
"Michelangelo! Language!" Splinter hissed at Michelangelo referring to the fact they had a minor in their presence,but Pandora was too busy worrying about her parents than listen to Michelangelo's swearing.
"Sorry Master..." Michelangelo gulped.
As Mona lay down, Pandora crawled over and snuggled against her.
"Mummy?" asked Pandora "Are you okay Mummy?"
"I'm fine sweetheart..." said Mona "Just very tired..."
"Can I sleep with you mummy?" asked Pandora.
"Of course pretty girl!" said Mona nuzzling Pandora's nose and helping Pandora lie down next to her.
Raphael picked up a blanket and covered both girls with it then lay down next to them to keep them warm.
Michelangelo smiled cutely at the scene and decided to sit with them. Pandora cuddled up with her mother and closed her eyes and Michelangelo picked up Cuddles, Ninja Bear and Geisha Bear and placed them next to Pandora.
"Sleep tight Little Geisha." he whispered giving Pandora a kiss before laying down, Donatello smiled at the scene before leaning back and closing his eyes, Splinter did the same and put his head down as he sat in the lotus position.
"Awww." Karai whispered as she looked at Pandora "So cute!"
Leonardo nodded and looked at the family laying together.
Karai then stroked her stomach as she thought of her and her baby's future.
"We better rest Karai..." he said "We'll be at the Farmhouse in a few hours, but it is a long journey."
Karai nodded and positioned herself to lie down, Leonardo stretched out his legs.
"You can rest on my lap if you wish." he said.
"Thank you Leonardo..." Karai said as she lay down on the blanket covered floor and rested her head on Leonardo's lap, and rested one hand on her belly.
Leonardo stroked Karai's hair to sooth her to sleep and at the same time rested back and closed his eyes before drifting off to sleep himself.
Several hours past and it was nearly dusk when the gang arrived at the Farmhouse.
April and Casey had taken it in turns to drive giving the other a chance to rest, but by the time they arrived they were exhausted.
As soon as the farmhouse came into view, April grinned happily.
"Here we are!" she said pleased "Safe and sound!"
"You bet babe!" said Casey as he parked the Battle-Shell outside and climbed out "Oh man that feels good! Good fresh air! The quiet countryside!"
"Perfect place for Karai to have her baby." said April.
"I'll go in and get everything set up." said Casey "You get the others."
April nodded and walked to the back of the battle-shell and opened it, as she did, she saw everyone asleep.
April quickly climbed in and nudged them all to wake them.
"Wakey, wakey guys!" she said "We're here!"
Pandora was the first to wake up and she saw the open doors of the Battle-Shell and the countryside.
"We're here!" she said excitedly "We're here! We're here!" she squeaked even more excitedly "Mum! Dad!" she shook her parents awake "Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!"
Raphael groaned and snuggled into Mona who was stirring and blinking her eyes as she tried to wake up.
"Pandora..." he whined "It's too early...go and play in your room..."
April laughed as she looked at Raphael, as did Donatello and Leonardo who had woken up from April's nudging.
"Poor guy!" said Donatello "He says that every-time he tries to have a lie in when Master Splinter 's not getting us up early for training!"
"Yeah." said Leonardo "Always feel sorry for him!" he gently nudged Karai who sat up rubbing her eyes.
"We're here." he said "Safe and sound."
Karai smiled at Leonardo then looked across to Pandora who was trying to get her father awake.
"Dad!" Pandora whined as she climbed on her father's shoulder and looked into his sleepy face "We're at the farmhouse!"
Raphael blinked again and looked at Pandora who was staring right at him.
"Huh?" he groaned again.
"The farmhouse daddy!" Pandora said bouncing on him "We're here! We're here! Aunt April says we're here!"
Raphael soon remembered and his eyes shoot open.
"Oh yeah!" he said "We sure are!" he sat up and grabbed Pandora who squealed happily then pulled her towards him nuzzling into her hair and pretending to eat her.
After a while, the turtles managed to get everything out of the Battle-Shell and to the farmhouse, Pandora instantly began to run around excitedly around the open area in front of the house.
"Pandora!" Mona called "Don't you wander too far!"
"Okay mummy!" Pandora called.
Karai meanwhile stared at the large farmhouse and the acres of land around it.
"Wow..." she said "It's beautiful..."
"Yeah!" said Michelangelo "Home on the range! Where the turtle and lizard play! And we're safe from the dangers of the city! And we can stay awake all day!"
Raphael shook his head at Michelangelo.
"You're impossible bro!" he said.
Karai just kept looking around the area drinking in the warm summer evening and the beautiful countryside.
"We better get the rooms set up." said Donatello as he placed some bags on the porch.
"Yeah." said Leonardo "And make sure the room for Karai to give birth in is ready."
"Leave that to me Leo." said Donatello "You and the others get yourselves sorted, I'll deal with the medical equipment."
"I'll help you Don!" said Mona.
"Mummy! Daddy!" Pandora called "Can I play for a little out here?"
"Of course Little Geisha!" Mona called "Just stay in front of the farmhouse okay?"
"Yes mummy!" Pandora called back before running around with her arms open and making aeroplane noises.
"I'll keep an eye on her." said Karai walking over to the bench on the porch and sitting down whilst holding her stomach.
"Thanks Karai." said Mona as she and the other turtles carried the bags inside the farmhouse.
An hour later, the rooms were all set up and ready for everyone to sleep in.
April soon got into the kitchen to make everyone some supper as they were all hungry as well as tired and since it was warm outside, everyone decided to sit in the warm evening dusk to eat.
Leonardo sat next to Karai as they along with the others tucked into sandwiches and soup, Pandora was still running around the front with Ninja bear and Geisha bear in her hands as well as chasing fireflies.
"It's a beautiful evening tonight..." said Karai as she stared at the fading sunset.
"Yeah." said Leonardo "I love it here, especially at sundown, and sunrise, that's when I tend to meditate."
"It's the perfect place." said Karai "More than perfect place to relax and meditate, and the sunset is so beautiful."
Leonardo looked over to Mona and Raphael who were watching Pandora play.
"Mona gave birth to Pandora here..." he said "We believed it was the perfect place for her to have her baby, and Pandora now she's a boisterous child, it's safe for her to run around and play outside and us not worry about dangers that we experience in New York..."
Karai smiled and sighed softly as some of the evening breeze blew through her hair.
"If you like, I'll show you around the place." said Leonardo "There's so much space here and so many places to explore and see, it's quite liberating when we don't have to hide."
"I'd love that." said Karai turning to Leonardo with a smile "Thank you."
Leonardo smiled and was about to speak again when he heard Raphael's voice.
"Pandora!" he called "Bedtime!"
"Awww!" Pandora sulked "Please daddy! Just five more minutes!"
"Come on little lady!" said Raphael "It's been a long journey and you need your sleep!"
"I'm not tired!" Pandora protested, yet she let out a little yawn "I don't wanna go to bed!"
Raphael folded his arms and gave his daughter a frown.
"Get over here you little madam." he said "Bedtime!"
"Come on Little Dudette!" said Michelangelo walking over to Pandora and lifting her into his arms "If you don't get to sleep tonight, you'll be sleeping all day tomorrow and I can't play with you!"
Karai laughed softly then decided to join in.
"That's right little one!" she said "You'll need your sleep if you want to play more tomorrow!"
Pandora looked at Karai and Michelangelo and she sighed.
"Okay Uncle Mikey, Kay-ree" she said "I'll go to bed."
"That's a good girl!" said Michelangelo tickling Pandora on her neck then placing her on the floor so she could say goodnight to everyone.
"Thanks Mikey." said Mona "You sure know a thing or two with Pandora!"
"Well I'm her favourite uncle!" said Michelangelo pointed a thumb to himself proudly "I can talk her into anything!"
Donatello and Leonardo frowned a little at Michelangelo then kissed Pandora goodnight as she went up to them to say goodnight.
When she got to Karai she lifted her arms to hug her to which Karai leaned forward and hugged her.
"Sleep tight little geisha." said Karai "Sweet dreams!"
"Night night Kay-ree!" said Pandora "Can I be your assistant again soon?"
"Of course sweetheart!" Karai smiled as she kissed Pandora's cheek "You were such a good girl earlier."
Pandora grinned then walked with her parents to go to into the farmhouse and to bed.
Karai watched her go then leaned back on the bench.
"She's such a beautiful child..." she said "Pandora...You're a lucky turtle to be her uncle..."
Leonardo nodded.
"Yeah..." he said "Very lucky...she's the child any father would dream of..."
As he spoke, Karai noticed a slight sadness in his voice as well as a dreamy longing in his eyes.
"You okay Leonardo?" she asked.
Leonardo looked back at Karai and smiled embarrassed.
"Huh? Oh yes," he said "I'm fine."
Karai looked at his eyes again then looked back at the sky as the sun disappeared over the hills and trees and the stars began to appear signalling the end of the day and the start of what would be the final months of waiting.
So the gang made it safely to the Farmhouse! Looks like it's gonna be a few relaxing months there until the baby is born!