TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter and Purple 'N' Blue Wings for reviewing!
Okay, take a deep breath...
Later that evening, Raph and I are sitting on April's couch. Splinter is caring for my brother. And Casey is down there discourage Aaron from doing anything stupid. The guys and Amie will be getting here any minute now.
Shadow walks over to me, begging to be picked up. Before I can even move, my husband picks the toddler up and places her in my lap. She kisses my belly. "Cade," her little voice says, matter-of-factly. Raphael chuckles at her.
My husband had picked out that name on Christmas Eve. The night I'd told him that I was pregnant. It was the only one that had stuck. And, even though I'm convinced that I'm carrying a boy, Mikey had pointed out that it was a good girl's name too.
"That's right, Shadow," I say, tickling her tummy. "And it won't be long before baby Cade gets here. Then you'll have someone else to play with. What do ya think of that?"
The dark haired little girl giggles as I tickle her. I can't believe how much she takes after Casey. Hopefully she'll have her mother's brains.
I hear the window creak, tensing. Only to relax when I catch my sister's scent. Amie comes up behind me.
"I can't believe how big she's gotten!" Amie coos at Shadow. And scaring my husband out of his shell. His bros, who are right behind my twin, start laughing.
"Not funny, Amie," Raphael growls.
My sister sits on the arm of the recliner, giggling. "Too bad, Raph. I thought it was," she says smugly.
The red-masked turtle mutters to himself and I chuckle, pecking him on the cheek. I can't help but notice Amie's expression, though. Something's up.
"Is Aaron okay?" I ask. I can tell that my Raphael's not pleased with my concern for my brother. I can see it in his amber eyes.
Don sits in the recliner and is about to answer when Amie settles into his lap. Completely stunning him into silence and making him blush fiercely. Which only makes everyone laugh again. But it doesn't last long. The same look I'd noticed on my sister's face is on the guys' faces too.
"Leo, what's going on?" Raph asks. "You all look like someone died."
I gasp, clutching Shadow closer, "Did Aaron-?"
Mikey shakes his head as Leo holds up a hand to stop me. "No, he's doing better actually," Fearless answers and I give a shaky sigh of relief.
"He told us where he's been," Mikey adds.
"And where was that?" April asks as she comes from the kitchen, settling on my other side.
Fearless takes a breath, "He managed to find where Hun and the FOH were hiding."
There's a collective gasp from April, my husband, and myself. I'd known that the FOH hadn't disappeared entirely, but I hadn't been expecting Aaron to find them.
Raphael is the first one to speak up, "And where is that?"
Don finally manages to find his voice, "Aaron said that didn't matter. He said that they've already moved."
"To where?" I ask. "C'mon guys. Spill. I can't handle the suspense."
When Amie speaks up, her voice is completely emotionless, "He doesn't know. They found him out, beat him, and left him for dead. It's a wonder he even made it to us." I can tell by her eyes that there's more.
Shadow squeals happily when she sees Mikey. The orange-masked turtle takes the sixteen-month-old from my arms and I turn to Leo, "What else did Aaron say, Fearless?"
Said turtle pinches the bridge of his beak, "He found out what they're planning. He told us shortly after you two left the Lair."
"Shell, Fearless! Quit hanging back. Just tell us!" My husband is clearly about to lose it. I pat his thigh soothingly.
Leo takes another breath, but it's the purple-masked turtle who answers, "They've managed to get a hold of one of the Shredder's old labs. They're making an airborne gas that will immediately kill any mutant it comes in contact with. Like pesticide," Don finishes, his voice horrified. He wraps his arms around my sister's waist protectively.
Raphael clenches his fists, "We've got to get the girls out of here. Now," he says, his voice dangerously quiet.
Mikey shakes his head. "That won't work, Raphie. Aaron said that once the stuff is loose, it'll just spread. There's no way anyone can run from it."
My husband pulls me into his arms. I can't tell if he's shaking. 'Cause I'm shivering violently.
"H-how much longer before they release it?" April asks, shocked.
"Four to five months," Leo answers, so quiet that I can barely hear him.
Four to five months. My and Raphael's baby will be two, maybe three months old by then. An image of my beautiful little baby dying with me and my husband comes into my mind. I start sobbing into Raphael's plastron. What on earth are we going to do? What can we do?
What will they do now?
Please R&R.
