Ankot ch11

She never went back to sleep. Not that night and not for another one after that. She'd held Sophia for hours on end while they had cried for all they were worth.

Tabitha, for all of her normal rage, couldn't get angry at a fly.

If it hadn't of been for Bea and Becca she might have forgotten to feed Sophia because Tabitha herself didn't eat for the next two days.

She screamed her loss into her pillow until her voice cracked and her throat felt like it would bleed. That only came after trying to comfort Sophia as she begged for her mother with promises of angelic behavior.

But seeing her sister's, pale, empty, still body on the morgue table almost made her puke. It wouldn't have been enough. How could she get rid of all of these emotions at once? Everything had caught in her throat, choking her. Yet she was able to breathe. Hyperventilate might have been a more accurate description.

After that moment all she could remember was the endless phone calls, Sophia crying, and Bea and Becca. Then came the funeral itself. The few friends and sparse family she knew how to contact floated about for a time. Then she was alone with Sophia again.

How was she supposed to raise her? She'd had a plan before. What kind of an example was she giving her? But pain clouded everything.

How many days had it been? When was the last time they had ate anything besides some casserole mush some one had handed them? When had showers been a concern?

Just then a tap at her window jolted her into the present.

She pulled the curtain, surprised to find all of the turtles gathered around the sparse opening. Becca hung off Mikey's back. Right. They were still real and Sophia probably wanted to see them. Ushering them in, she went and got her niece.

For the first time in over a week, Sophia smiled. She yelled at first sight and went running to the group. Tabitha watched as she bypassed both Mikey and Raph, who had both been ready to receive the child's affection, and latched onto Leo's leg.

Tenderly, he picked her up, cradling her against his side like she weighed no more than she had when she was three. "Hey, So-So, I missed you. Are you okay? Becca told me everything."

"I... I miss Mommy, but Becca, and Bea, and Aunt Tasha said that it's okay. Leo, can I have a horsey ride again?"

"Anything you want, as long as Aunt Tasha says it's ok." Leo looked her way and all she could do was nod.

As Leo went about entertaining Sophia, Tabitha's nose picked up something. Something... Meaty. To her surprise her stomach gave a longing rumble. Suddenly she was hungry. She looked around for the smell and found Mikey, popping latches off a large storage container. Rosemary, bay, thyme, and onion wafted through the room. "I brought some food, I know Becca said that all you've eaten has been casseroles and fast food. I hope you like stew." Mikey smiled, handing her the container. "I hope I didn't muck it up too bad for you either."

Her mouth watered. "Thanks. I'm going to eat some now." She mumbled as she began a zombie shuffle to the kitchen.

She tenderly tried the first bite. It was heaven. The meat was tender but chewy, the broth was rich and well flavored. Chunks of carrot, slivers of onion, and perfectly cut squares of potatoes gave it the needed volume to fill her stomach. The group's clamouring in the living room was drowned out as she continued to eat. It tasted like home.

As she finished the first bowl, and started scooping out a second she noticed that it was silent. She looked over to the group and saw them staring at her. "What?" She asked around a carrot she was still trying to consume. The bunch of them started to laugh. Donnie chuckled out, "I've never been so jealous of someone eating something before."

"I want some too, Aunt Tasha!"

"I'm glad you like it." Mikey laughed.

Confused, she raised an eyebrow. "You looked like you wanted to marry that soup," Becca clarified. Sophia clamored off Leo's shoulders, with only a little help from the turtle himself. Quickly gathering the items, soon Sophia was next to her waiting for her serving. Tears prickled in her eyes. How long had it been since Sophia had been interested in food?

Sophia took a bite and made a face, fluttering her eyelashes and smiling real big. The group went into an uproar of laughter. Sophia giggled around the food in her mouth and beamed at them. Tabitha couldn't help but roll her eyes. She nudged Sophia with her elbow, which got even more giggles. "Alright, stop laughing before you choke."

It was a couple hours later and numerous piggy back rides later when Sophia fell asleep. Head on the arm rest of the chair, one foot on the other, as she hugged Leo's captured arm.

They had spent the time talking about their home, how something epic seemed to happen everyday. Even telling stories of some of their older victories, or hilarious failures. It kept her mind busy, granting her some peace.

"Guys, I have to go." Donnie gasped after looking at his phone.

"What's wrong? Is it-?"

"Yes! Jordan is crawling!" Excitement clear, Donnie was already making his way to her window. Tabitha realized what was being said and the clues of a proud parent. "You have a kid?" She gaped. The joyous banter in the room died. It looked like the cat was out of the bag, and it seemed like it was a big cat.

"Shit, look, Leo, just tell her. I have to go, one of the other two might crawl too and I want to be there!"

"Yep, definitively your show, Fearless. We're going to head out with Donnie." Tabitha watched as Mikey and Becca pulled Raph with them and all that was left was a giant turtle trapped by a tiny sleeping girl.

"Uh, I think we should get her in her bed." Leo sheepishly said. "She's fine. Donnie has a kid? Wait... Three kids? How did he get them?"

"He didn't steal some human kids, if that's what you're getting at." Leo said, defensive. "They are his, flesh and blood. We were all surprised too. We didn't know we could... you know... with... humans."

"What humans? As far as you have told me all I know of is Becca. And it doesn't look like she's ever been pregnant."

"Sara, Donnie's fiancee and a sister to us all." He seemed to grow serious for a moment. "I'm sorry to have kept things from you, but I have to keep my family safe."

She wanted to be angry. She felt a bit betrayed, but she couldn't say that she didn't understand. So much of them was a secret. She was never supposed to even know about them. But the secret of a family was a large one. Would Becca as become pregnant? Just how did that work? How could a human... mate with one of them? What did the babies look like?

"How?"

"Um..." His discomfort apparent.

"Okay, Uh, are they... like you? Or like Sara?"

"You know, hold on, I have some pictures." He pulled out his phone with his free hand. A few button punches, and some agitated mumbles, and he held out the object to her. Three tiny turtles, each in diapers, and distinctly not entirely turtle, gazed back at her. "You'll have to talk to Donnie about the exact how's and why's. But they seem to be growing just as we did."

She nodded. It was odd. To think of him as being small once. How would he have been as a child? How did he play with his brothers? What did he do for fun?

She handed back the phone. "I'll take her, thank you for explaining." She went to move Sophia, but Leo readjusted and picked her up in one motion. "I've got her. I'll lay her down and leave. Thank you for having us."

Something seemed different about him. Tabitha wished she was better at reading people because the shift was bothering her. He would open up a little, and then close himself off. It was like Sophia was playing with a light switch. On and off again, and Tabitha wondered at the reason. Leo went and laid Sophia down in her bed. Tabitha waited until he came back.

"No, thank you. I needed some company. So did So-So. She likes you. She was disappointed when Raph showed up and not you, you know." She teased.

"Yeah, I was told. In length." Again she cocked an eyebrow, but Leo just turned and shimmied his way out of her house. "Bye," he tossed over his shoulder.