TSOTCTSOTC
Horace scrubbed the painted slurs off his shop windows with rough bristled brush and bucket of soapy water. The hospital had advised he take it easy, but he couldn't stand the thought of leaving them there any longer than absolutely necessary. Though at this rate, it would take forever.
A shadow fell over him and he looked up, freezing in place as he stared at the crowd of once regular patrons who'd stopped coming after his relationship with Medusa had become common knowledge.
No. Not again. He was in no condition for a struggle, but they weren't taking him without a fight.
Madelyn, the frizzy, chestnut-haired woman, in the lead, wrung her hands sheepishly. "We were wondering if you could use some help. Cleaning up."
He looked over the rest and they nodded with no small amount of shame.
His shock melted into a smile and he nodded. "Sure. I'll grab some more buckets and brushes. Thanks."
Madelyn shook her head. "It's the least we can do."
For the first time in a while, he felt an ember of hope. The same old problems were still there and not likely to ever go away, but, at least on a small scale, person by person, change was possible. It made him want to keep trying.
Back in his office, he threw every brush and bag he could find and a carton of soap into a grocery bag and headed out back into the alley, where there were a few leftover five gallon buckets stacked behind the shop for when he was in the mood for DYI renovations.
His breath caught when he found Medusa waiting for him there.
They stared at each other a moment. Finally, he broke the silence. "I've been calling."
"I needed to ssssee you." She replied.
Uh oh. Please don't let this be the start of a break-up conversation. He forced a smile. "No worse for wear."
She shook her head. "You sssshould be resssting."
He shrugged. "I've got stuff that needs doing. How's your family?"
"Mending." The corners of her mouth turned up. "And definitely ready to have their own ssspace again. The warehoussse isss a bit crowded." Her almost smile fell. "Are you ok?"
He chuckled darkly. "I've been better."
She reached out, as though to touch him, but stopped herself. "Becausssse of me."
He sighed and shook his head, making his vision swim, momentarily. "No, because of me. As I recall, I did exactly what you told me not to and put myself in danger. And honestly, I'd do it again because I have the right to speak and people need to know the truth. Even if it does set a raging mob on me. Though, I might want to keep an emergency superhero signal on me when I make well intentioned, self destructive choices in the future. And I will keep doing it because this is who I am and who I want to be. I'll do it on my own, but I'd rather do it with you."
She let out a long hiss and embraced him in her coils. "Foolisssh, but not alone."
He wrapped his arms around her in relief. "Thanks for giving me another chance."
She shook her head. "Our fight. Our fault. It'sss my chance too. Ssso keep trying to get yoursssself killed to a minimum."
He laughed. "I'll save my vigilante blogging for when it's needed most. Actually, I think there's a better way I can help."
And, as they headed back out front, he told her all about his new business plan for affordable, customized, mutant clothing and furniture.
TSOTCTSOTC
Sappho stared thoughtfully down at the grave which she knew was empty beneath her feet, not minding the quiet footsteps approaching behind her.
"I'm sorry, did you know Jaya?"
Sappho glanced up at the older woman, now standing beside her, and waited for a moment of recognition that never came.
"Yes. I am who I am because of her."
The woman gave her a sad smile. "My daughter always saw the best in people. I like to think that helped them see it in themselves."
Sappho did her best to return the woman's smile. "I will always be grateful to her. It was nice meeting you."
She gave the woman a nod before turning to leave her in peace.
Back on the path to the front of the cemetery, Arcos fell into step beside her. "You ok?"
Sappho sucked in a deep breath. "Yeah, I think so. I'm ready to let her go and be me. I think I can do that on my own now."
Arcos smiled. "No more crappy jobs then?"
A smile tugged at the edge of her mouth. "No. I'm done trying to be something I'm not."
He raised a furry brow. "So what will you do?"
She looked ahead. "What I'm good at. Just applied to good purpose. Especially since there's not point in hiding what I am anymore."
He gave her a quizzical look.
"Medusa is expanding her bounty hunting into private investigations and we work well together." She clarified.
He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I think you'll do great."
TSOTCTSOTC
Casey didn't even look up at the sound of his office door opening keeping his eyes on the files strewn across his desk. "Gabby, cut me some slack. It'll get done when it gets done."
"That really how you talk to your boss?"
His head snapped up. "Angel? What are you doing here?"
His sister shrugged and plopped into the chair on the other side of his desk. "I just wanted to...I've been reading, you know, all the stuff that's out there now." Her eyes stopped roaming his office to settle on him now. "I guess I know where you were always disappearing to, back when we were kids."
Casey leaned back in his chair and ran his hands through his hair. "Maybe I shoulda been home with you. Maybe it woulda made a difference."
She frowned. "Maybe. Or maybe things woulda gone really sideways if you weren't out there helping. Is it true? All of it?"
He nodded. "I wanted to tell you, but it wasn't just my secret."
She gave him a small smile. "Yeah. I get that. Wish I could've chosen my friends as wisely."
He laughed. "Yeah? And then, one day, you could attain this success story." He gestured around his office.
She raised a brow at him. "So you'd give it up to be a pro-hockey player, then?"
He snorted. "Fuck no. This is where I need to be."
"How are you still here, anyway? Isn't vigilanteing, illegal or something?" She asked.
He shrugged again. "Well, between the whole her vet thing and saving the world from a couple alien invasions, they've cut me some slack."
She laughed, "I'll bet."
Her laughter fell into silence that stretched on into awkwardness. "Can we go back...to how we used to be?"
He thought a moment. "Probably not."
She winced.
"But we can grow forward." He continued.
She looked at him, confused.
"See you for dinner at Dad's Sunday?"
She smiled. "Yeah. I'd like that."
TSOTCTSOTC
"I do have a right to be here because I'm the father." Aries snapped, pushing passed the nurse into Ana's room. "How many lambs do you deliver here?"
"No need to be so dramatic. It's their job to keep out the weirdos." Ana commented, not looking up from her compact mirror as she touched up her makeup. "What are you even doing here? I called your mom, so she can, you know, fix this." She gestured with her lipstick down at her lower half.
"I came because my daughter was born and I want to meet her." He answered through grinding teeth.
"Knock yourself out." Ana said, pointing her lipstick towards a bassinet by the window.
Anger evaporating, he shuffled over, staring in awe at the tiny being, sleeping inside. "She's beautiful."
"Well, you'd know sheep standards for that, but I'm her mother, so she ought to be." Ana added, moving on to eye liner. "Since you're here, how do you plan to pay for this?" She waved a hand around the hospital room. "I never did get around to getting health insurance."
He sighed, but didn't take his eyes off his daughter. "I've got it covered. Raph and I are actually pretty good at security, so we're starting our own business."
Ana rolled her eyes. "Forgive me if that doesn't instill me with confidence."
"What should we call her?" He asked, gazing down at his girl.
"I named her Chanel. It's a fantastic brand, after all." Ana informed him, touching up the edges of her foundation.
His eyes travelled up from his daughter to the filled out birth certificate application on the window sill and his eyes teared up. "Hi Nellie, I'm your dad."
Ana glared at him. "We are never calling her Nellie."
TSOTCTSOTC
Dead on his feet, Donnie pushed open the door to their new apartment, to find April gleefully scrolling through her phone on the couch. Smiling involuntarily, he slipped in behind her and ran a hand over her rounded abdomen. "You're in a good mood."
She placed a hand over his. "Yes, Congress has set up a big inquest for all the people in Battle's pocket that we outed. They're cleared out of everything he had his fingers in. The slate is clean. It's a fresh start. And the perfect time to strike back. The AFE can introduce legislation to protect mutant and hybrid rights. Everyone will back it to not look like an EDF sympathizer."
He smiled into the back of her head. "Sounds like you're building a better future."
She nodded. "For us." She patted his hand on her belly. "For all of us." She paused a moment and craned her neck to look at him. "How are the Mutanimals?"
He sighed. "Rockwell is fine and Pete will be, but Mondo hasn't woken up yet, even with mom's help."
She let out a long breath and leaned back into him. "It's early days yet and she's amazing. Don't give up hope. For now, be patient and let him take the time he needs to heal."
Donnie wrapped his arms around her and set aside his usual analytical skepticism to channel his inner Mikey. "Yeah, you're making the world a better place. He'll definitely see it."
TSOTCTSOTC
Leo changed Shen's diaper in a zombie daze, having barely slept in who knew how long. It wasn't just having a baby, though that was the lion's share of it. Nope, since the big reveal, their dojo had been swamped, replacing fiscal worry with the tedious task of finding the handful of legitimate students in the tide of curiosity-seekers. That and every government agency ever wanted to either recruit or restrict him and his family. With what was suspected during the war confirmed and then some, dealing with all the now interested parties had become a job in and of itself.
That and now there was an entire chunk of the internet, devoted entirely to his once secret family. Information, opinions, imitations, impersonations, conspiracy theories and a whole world of straight up fiction surrounded them. They were celebrities of sorts and the whole thing made him feel publicly naked. It was a wonder he got any sleep at all, even when he had the rare opportunity.
Picking up Shen, he wandered into the living room, to find Karai, watching the news and looking extremely pleased with herself.
"If that's about us, please turn it off." He groaned dropping down onto the couch beside her.
She gave him some side eye, indicating that he was raining on her parade.
Sighing heavily, he turned his attention to the TV, surprised to see that the AFH bill Karai had been fighting was defeated. "Oh." He managed a tired smile. "I can watch this."
A smirk toyed at the edges of her lips. Reaching out she took Shen, pulling their daughter close as she enjoyed reaping the news anchor announcing the fruits of her not-at-all scandalous efforts. Well not that anyone know yo which degree of scandal. No more than any politician. "Yep." she nodded. " This one went down and with it out of the way, hybrid birth registration and mutant-human marriage are on the table. We're making real progress."
He looked over at her with the sinking realization that she wasn't done campaigning. If there was any spotlight they weren't already, this would shine it on them. He wanted to crawl under a rock and hide, but forced a smile. "So the fight continues. They won't know what hit them."
She couldn't resist the worry in his eyes, despite his words of encouragement. She scooted closer, working her way against his shoulder. "You know, you're right." She nodded. "They'll never see us coming. Maybe I should run for office."
He stiffened, his eyes wide despite himself. "Ooo-office?" He croaked.
"Relax, Leo." She laughed. "I'm kidding. I'll wait until Shens out of diapers before that." She stretched one arm as she yawned, shifting Shen from one arm to the other. "For now, we could all use more sleep, and at least a little less stress." She kissed the top of Shen's head in a rare display of open affection. Maybe it was surviving another battle, finally getting a win in the uphill battle for equality, or maybe it was that Leo smelled good, Shen wasn't screaming and she was well and truly happy.
No matter her motivation, as Karai snuggled, a scowl on her face just to remind Leo he must never speak of it, he softened as she did, melting into her, his eyes heavy and heart full.
TSOTCTSOTC
Zoe stretched out on the couch, heaving a sigh as she flipped through the channels rather than reading the directory. She hated television. It was the biggest waste of time anyone could engage in, outside of video games. Her gaze drifted toward the window, a New York City night on the rise. Her blood tingled, her instincts itching to go on a prowl.
"Here, Mom." Antonello appeared, standing over her, a heaping bowl of buttered popcorn in his outstretched hand.
She sat up, placed the remote on the table, took a handful of popcorn and motioned him to put the bowl down. As she scooted down to make room for her son, Raph sidled up alongside, reached out and scooped her up with one arm, sinking in behind her. "C'mon, Anton. Let's start a movie before yer mom gets antsy and changes her mind."
Zoe's agitation melted away as the scent of Raph mingled with Anton. The outside world and all of its enticing marvels fell to the background. She wanted nothing more than to be near them. Here with them. Wherever here was. The lair. An apartment. The North Hamptons. Tonight it was still the warehouse, albeit empty except for the three of them as Father was in bed, Mother out to clinic, and their siblings a bit of everywhere. Wherever they were didn't matter, so long as they were safe. And they were. A little safer after every battle. A little closer to it anyway.
"Aries called," Raph said, flipping through the channels even faster than she had. When had he picked it up?
"Yeah?" she asked, motioning for Anton to put his head on a pillow in her lap. "Someone hire you guys for a job?"
Raph shook his head. "We have two lined up for this week and the next. But that's not why he called."
In a battle of mingled green and pink fingers and quick hand maneuvers, never so much as jostling Antonello, she reclaimed the remote. "Why then?"
"S'a girl. The baby. Ana had the baby. A girl. Some weird name. Nellie, I think?" Raph shrugged, redoubling his efforts for the device.
Their eyes met, a spark that warmed her insides ablaze in his. She grinned as their attempts to outdo one another continued. "Want to go see her?"
"In the mornin', after breakfast." He motioned toward her thumb and forefinger poised for his wrist and the web of his finger pressure points. "You bout done?"
Anton sat up, snatching the remote from their still battling hands. "Let's watch Franklin!"
Raph and Zoe sighed, then snickered in unison. He kissed her brow as her head settled against his bicep. As the show began, Zoe exhaled deep and long, her eyelids growing heavy as her muscles grew languid. Yes. Safe at last. Hun and her demons were finally dead. She destroyed him herself, and she'd rise up to defeat any other than dare try her or their family.
She hooked one arm around Anton, her heart fit to explode as the new baby stirred within her. Tonight they were safe. Whole. Together. She didn't care what was on.
TSOTCTSOTC
As Splinter pulled the mugs down from the cupboard, one wide and round with a thick handle, the other handleless and cylindrical, he reflected on how good life was after so recently being on the brink of shattering to pieces. Yes the world knew about them, really knew, but no mobs had come with pitchforks and torches, no shadowy government agents appeared to strong arm them into service, nothing.
Stares at the grocery store and park may have intensified or perhaps that was his imagination, chatter and debate on the electronics had and were still occurring according to Donatello and the dojo had seen a large influx of people who were decidedly not meant to be students, or so Leonardo had told him. He hadn't returned, fully abdicating that responsibility to his children. In the surprising relative peace that had followed the storm, it was time to refocus his priorities back to where they truly belonged.
The whistling kettle pulled him from his ruminations and he glided over to the stove to retrieve it and turn off the burner. Pouring the hot water into the chosen mugs, he looked over at Phoenix, chewing her lower lip as her delicate fingers flicked through their selection of tea packets.
As though sensing his gaze upon her, she looked up, eyes sparkling. The corner of her mouth, tugging into the hint of a smile, she held up her selections pinched between her index and middle finger.
He brought the steaming mugs to her and she plunked the bags into their respective cups. The aroma of her chosen flavors wafted up into the air and he inhaled the scent with a sense of peace.
She took the handled mug from him and led the way out the sliding glass doors onto the apartment balcony and settled into the vinyl-cushioned loveseat.
The smell and flavor of the tea, the sounds of their children and grandchildren at the park down below, the sensation of his wife settling into his side, he could not remember the last time he'd been so content. Yes. This was a good place for him, for them, to be. The inner peace and spiritual transcendence he'd sought had been here all along.