Don woke up at six the next morning, October 17, and got up gently, so he wouldn't wake Leo, but his mate woke up and said, "Don, what time is it?"
"Six. Go back to sleep, Leo. I'll handle things."
"You sure?"
"I am. You need to rest. Last night took things out of you."
Leo cast his eyes around the room and they landed on the eggs in the incubator. "Are they all right, Don? I'm very concerned about the smaller egg."
"I'm sure they'll be fine, Leo. Maybe they'll be Christmas babies. That would be awesome."
"I get a bad feeling that they're not going to be."
"If that happens, we'll handle it, but I'm sure things will be fine. Try not to worry, okay? I love you."
"Love you too," Leo said sleepily, and closed his eyes.
Don went outside and found the kids in the kitchen with Mikey and Holly at the kitchen table. The kids were eating cereal. "Morning, Daddy," Tyler said. "Is Daddy coming for breakfast?"
"Hi, buddy," Don said, and rubbed Tyler's head affectionately. "Not yet. He's sleeping." Don then proceeded to kiss Alex and Lisa, who squealed happily.
"Hi, Don," Mikey and Holly said in unison.
"Hey. Where are Casey and April?"
"Still asleep, Don," Mikey said. "Unusual that Leo's still sleeping. Is he okay, bro?"
"Last night, Leo unexpectedly went into labor and laid two eggs. One large one and one smaller one and they'll probably hatch in December. This means that you're a big bro again,Tyler, and you're going to be a big bro, Alex. Leo's tired, but he's fine."
"Congrats, bro," Mikey said.
"Way to go Don," Holly said.
"Ohh, a baby. Can we dress the baby up?" Lisa asked.
"Will the baby like Space Heroes?" Alex asked.
"What's wrong, Ty?" Don asked, noticing he'd been silent.
"Thinking," Tyler said, wrinkling his snout, the way Raph had done when he was deep in thought. "Are they going to be boys?"
"I don't know."
"My middle name's Raphael, but can we name one after Daddy? He was a hero and I know he'd love it."
"Yes. We are planning on doing that."
"Cool. Something else I want to ask. My daddy talked with a Brooklyn accent. I watched the home videos you, Daddy, my daddy and Uncle Mikey made and I want to talk like my daddy too. He was so cool and the best fighter. And he told awesome jokes and his comebacks were cool. He's my hero."
"Sure, Ty."
"Great. I'm done with breakfast, so can I go to my room?"
"Sure."
Don watched his stepson leave the room and thought, I'm not jealous of Raphael at all, but sometimes it's hard for me to hear how awesome Raph was and to be reminded that I'm Leo's second choice and I know no matter what I do, Ty will never consider me his father, even though he calls me daddy. I think it's more of a sign of respect than anything else.
"Daddy?" Lisa said. "Can we go play now? We're finished?"
"Yes," Don said. "But stay inside. It's cold and wet outside."
"My turn to choose what I want to watch," Lisa yelled, as she and Alex ran out of the room.
"You okay, bro?" Mikey asked. "I know it's rough listening to Ty talk about Raph."
"It's fine," Don said. "Honest. Raph was his dad. It's normal he'd want to talk about him. It doesn't bother me that he does, but…"
"I think what Don's trying to say," Holly said. "Is that Don's reminded that he wasn't Leo's first choice and he sometimes feels like he's in Raph's shadow, but he can't say anything, because it would hurt Tyler and ruin his relationship with him. Don's walking a tight rope."
"Exactly. I'm the step dad and if I say anything, I'll come off looking like an ogre, especially as I told Ty he was spending too much time watching the home videos. He told Leo, who basically said there was nothing wrong with Ty watching them and having a shrine dedicated to his father in his room."
"I think it's creepy, but you're right. If you say anything again, you'll come off looking like an ass."
"I feel for you, bro," Mikey said. "But I have to agree with Leo and Ty. There's nothing wrong with what Ty's doing. Swallow your ego and accept that it's nothing personal, but you'll never be regarded as his daddy and he will always talk about Raph and you were not Leo's first love. Raph's Ty's hero. You knew that would happen before you and Leo hooked up."
"Yes, but…" Don began.
"No. No buts. Stop thinking of yourself, Don. The kid never knew his dad and he wants and needs to talk about him. You're being a jackass."
"FUCK. All right. I'll admit it. I'm jealous of Raph. I tell myself that I'm not, but I am. Raph this, Raph that. Like he's a fucking saint. Well, he wasn't. His recklessness and temper nearly got us killed more than once in battle."
"Don…"
"He was a selfish, opinionated, lazy, grumpy jerk, and his jokes were pathetic. Top ninja? Don't make me laugh. Raph was second rate and would have been better if he'd only handled his temper and aggression. He was a damn liability and honestly, sometimes I hated him. He pushed all of our buttons on a daily basis and yet he's a damn saint?"
"I FUCKING HATE YOU!" Tyler yelled, his golden eyes blazing, and his shoulders shaking with rage. He'd come into the room to ask Mikey to come play a video game with him. "MY DADDY WAS A BETTER NINJA THAN YOU AND A HERO. YOU'RE LYING!" Tyler stormed out of the room and ran outside into the pouring rain; thoughts racing through his head like a greyhead. I hate Don. He's lying. My daddy was a hero. A hero. I hate Don. I hate Don. Never going to call him Daddy again.
"I'll go after him," Mikey said. "You've done enough, bro."
Mikey ran outside and soon caught up to Tyler. "Come home, Ty," he said.
"No. I hate him. He was wrong about my daddy."
"Of course he was. Raph was impulsive and had a temper sometimes, but he was gentle, had a pure heart and he was a fantastic ninja. Just like you will be. Don's having a bad day…."
"He didn't like my daddy."
"He loved your daddy, but you know that Don wasn't Leo's first choice. Your daddy was, and sometimes Don's reminded of that and feels bad, like he's competing for Leo's affections, which is silly, because your daddy isn't here. Do you understand?"
"He's jealous of my daddy, Uncle Mikey? So I can't talk about him?"
"Of course you can talk about him, Ty, but try not to so much in Don's presence. Do you understand?"
"I think so, but I still hate him and my daddy would hate him too."
"Wrong. Raph would be mad that you're hurting, but he'd also try to see it from Don's perspective. And Raph didn't bear grudges."
"He'd beat Don up first for upsetting me, right?"
Mikey smiled. "Probably. He was very protective of the people he loved and he was close to Don. Before Raph passed, he asked Leo to marry Don, because he knew that Don would love you both and Don has been great to you."
"Not the same as my real daddy would have been. If it upsets Don so much, can I talk to you about Daddy?"
"Anytime. I have tons of Raph stories you would love."
"Tell me!"
"I'll tell you at home and I think you and Don need to talk."
"Okay."
Arriving home, Mikey took Tyler into the kitchen where Holly and Don had been talking. Holly excused herself and left the room. "Hi, buddy," Don said, standing up. "Tyler, I'm sorry, but hearing about your daddy made me feel a bit jealous. I always feel like I'm in Raph's shadow and I'm not good enough."
"Want me to leave, Ty?" Mikey asked.
"No, Uncle Mikey," Tyler said. "That's fine. I kinda see where yer comin' from, Daddy. And yeah, I'm gonna talk like my daddy startin' now. But one thing ya gotta understand, is that yer not my real daddy and ya will never be. My daddy's up in heaven and I'm gonna talk 'bout him. I don't want ta make ya sad, so I'll talk 'bout him with Uncle Mikey. I'm gonna go ta my room."
"Ty…." Don said.
"I wanna be alone right now, Daddy. Not sure I wanna call ya that either. I don't think my daddy would want me ta."
Don watched his stepson leave the room and said, "Mikey, have I lost him?"
"I don't know, Don. I hope not."
Tyler slipped inside Leo's bedroom. Sensing a presence in the room, Leo opened his eyes and said, "Ty, hi, buddy."
"How ya feelin' Daddy?"
"Tired, but all right. What happened? Have you been crying? And you're talking like Raph."
"Yeah, do ya mind if I do?"
"No. Are you okay?"
Tyler shook his head. "Me and Daddy had words. Let me tell ya."
When Tyler had finished, Leo said, "I'll talk to Don, but it's not easy for him. This whole business, Ty.
"I know that."
"And he has been wonderful to you and accepted you as his own."
"He has, but he said mean things 'bout Daddy."
"That wasn't right. What a damn mess. Talk about Raph all you like, but try not to so much in Don's presence."
"What if I don't wanna call him Daddy no more?"
"Do what your heart tells you, Ty, but I know it would hurt Don. He DOES love you and I don't think Raph would mind. He wouldn't see it as betrayal."
"I'll think 'bout it. Are those the babies?" Tyler asked, pointing at the incubator.
"Yes. Excited?"
"Yeah. I can't wait until the squirt's old enough ta play ball and do my homework."
Leo chuckled and said, "There's a bag over there in the corner. Bring it here."
Tyler handed the bag to Leo, who opened it and said, "This bag is yours, Ty. In it are some of Raph's things I forgot we left here two weeks before he died."
"Oh, wow," Tyler said, extracting several comic books, some books, a few of Raph's diaries, Raph's clothes, some spare bandannas and photos. Tyler fingered a bandanna and said, "Can I wear this, Daddy?"
"Of course you can, but not at meal times. I still have lots of Raph's stuff to give you and over time you'll get it."
"Like his sai."
"Yes and when I'm feeling more rested, we'll get back to your training."
"I can't wait. I wanna be an awesome ninja like Daddy. Can I ask ya somethin'?"
"Sure."
"Do ya still love Daddy?"
"Raph? Yes."
"More than Daddy Don?"
"Tyler…."
"Please. I wanna know."
"Don't tell him. It would hurt him, but yes. I miss Raph and not a second goes by that I don't wish he were still here with me."
"Okay," Tyler said, storing it up for ammunition. "Tell me a funny story 'bout Daddy."
Leo proceeded to tell Tyler about Raph's fear of cockroaches and how Mikey had hid several in his bed, making the hothead scream like a girl. Tyler giggled and said, "Was Daddy mad?"
"He was," Leo said, and chuckled at the memory. "Raph got him back by putting baking soda into the ketchup. As soon as Mikey shook it, it exploded, landing on Mikey and the ceiling. You should have seen Mikey's face. Priceless. Mikey was always pranking and Raph was his preferred target."
Tyler grinned and said, "Daddy had a sense of humor. I love it."
"He did and you take after him, my little man. Raph told jokes all the time and made me laugh. He also made me feel safe and secure and loved. Come sit with me. I'll tell you some more stories."
Tyler got into bed with Leo and Leo told him more stories, making the little boy giggle.
Up above, Raph watched Leo and Tyler and thought, "I'll soon be with ya and not a day goes by that I don't think of ya too, Leo, and I'm so proud of ya for bein' such a great daddy ta our boy. I always knew ya would be.