Chapter 9

Meanwhile, in the TV area...

April and Casey arrived in the lair with a 2-year-old Kane asleep in Casey's arms 20 minutes after they received Leo's call and they were met with both Leo and Raph walking up to them from the sofa that they were sitting on.

"Hey guys!" said April.

"Hi, April. How's Kane been? I see that he's asleep..." Leo said as he looked from April to Kane who seemed to be fast asleep and curled up in Casey's arms with his head resting on Casey's shoulder.

"He got tired shortly after finishing his dinner, so I settled him down to sleep with his blanket and pillow in the playpen that you guys set up for us before you left for patrol. He only shifted once in his sleep whilst Casey got him out of the playpen and carried him during our preparations to head to the lair. He's been like that ever since..." April explained while she watched Casey pass Kane over to Raph.

"I guess it just shows that he definitely has Raph's side in terms of sleeping..." Leo said with a chuckle.

"Ain't nothin' wrong with dat, Fearless...!" Raph said with a mocking glare at Leo before looking back at Kane, who was starting to stir and open his eyes. "Hey, lil' man…"

As soon as he looked up and recognised his father, Kane smiled.

"Daddy!" He said as he hugged Raph with his little arms trying to wrap around his neck.

"Heh heh, definitely a daddy's boy...!" Casey teased.

"Shut it, ya Bonehead!" hissed Raph with a slight blush on his face before turning and heading back to the sofa with his now wide awake son in his arms.

"Come on, we'll tell you everything that's happened..." Leo said whilst guiding them towards the sofa before pouring some tea that he prepared earlier.

After being given an update on what's been happening, including Mikey's pregnancy and how he felt when they spoke to him earlier, April stared at Leo and Raph with a surprised look, and Casey did the same but with his mouth wide open too.

"Oh my gosh! That's wonderful news to hear that Mikey and Donnie are having a baby of their own! I just can't believe that Mikey would feel so down about himself, all because of what happened to Master Splinter days ago...!" April said before her eyes changed from happy to sad when she said the last sentence.

"Well, if Donnie hadn't been so hard on him by blamin' him and pushin' him and us away when we only wanted ta help him, then Mike wouldn't have ran away and started hatin' himself for what was said ta him!" Casey said with an unhappy tone in his voice.

"Donnie wasn't the only one who said harsh things to him; Raph and I said similar things to Mikey in the past, all because we were selfish and wanted him to be someone he's not instead of accepting him for who he is now, and I think he kept his true feelings about what we said to him bottled up until today..." Leo said with a sigh.

"Well, we know now from Donnie dat Mike and da baby are gonna be okay, and another reason why we invited ya here is that we need yer help ta prepare a celebration fa them whilst Mike's restin' in da infirmary!" Raph said with a smile to try and uplift the sad atmosphere whilst bouncing a laughing Kane up and down on his knee.

"Really!? That's a great idea! Mikey would love that! You can count on me to help with the set-up!" April said excitedly.

"Count me in too!" Casey said immediately after April.

Leo smiled at his friends' support and enthusiasm. "Thanks, guys...You can help with setting up the decorations with Serling once he's fully charged up and I'll order the pizza and-"

"I'll take care of the orders for the Chinese food, Leo..." A voice came from behind him and he turned around to find Donnie walking towards him with a smile on his face. "Hey…"

"Donnie!" April shouted as she headed over to give him a hug, which he happily returned. "Congratulations to you and Mikey!"

"Thanks, April, it's still sinking in that I'm going to be a father in a matter of months and that Mikey still loves me despite everything that I said to him earlier. Also, I want to say that I'm really sorry for pushing you guys away when you only wanted to help me find Master Splinter..." Donnie replied back with a blushed and nervous look on his face.

"Hey, you were just stressed out of yer brains with tryin' ta get Master Splinter back. No biggie, man...!" Casey reassured him, letting his earlier feelings of what Donnie did to them and Mikey go.

"Remember, Donnie; we're always here to help you every step of the way in bringing back Master Splinter. Just let us know, ok?" April said to Donnie with a loving smile.

"Thanks, April, Casey…" Said Donnie looking stunned and then smiled towards them both.

"Did you say that you want to order our Chinese food, Donnie?" Asked Leo, whilst placing his hand on Donnie's shoulder, after hearing not long ago that Donnie wanted to do that task.

Donnie looked back at Leo and said, "Yes please, Leo. Mikey is still finding it hard to keep food down due to nausea, so I need to order a dish that is light for his stomach. You don't mind that, do you?"

"Not at all, Donnie. I will order the pizza instead whilst you do that..." Leo answered him and left to complete his task whilst Donnie watched him leave with a smile before taking out his shell cell to call and order the Chinese food, including the special dish needed for Mikey.