Author's note: Finally, this has been properly edited! I'm sorry it took so long, but my writing has been taking a lot of backseats to visual art. The chapters following this one will probably fall into more of a "slice of life" genre, with some timeskips here and there. I hope you guys decide to stick around!

My dear Donatello,

I hope you and your brothers are doing well. More importantly, I hope that Usagi-san has found you and given our daughter into your care, so that my heart can ache less when it comes to her future. I'm very sorry if my kanji is shaky and difficult to read. I can't seem to help it as I write to you.

Do you think of me very often? I like to think you would, even if I am as much a secret to your family as you are to the people I live among. I hoped you would come back sooner when I realized what was happening, but you said you're from far away. How could I know when next you'd come to my town?

I was afraid of what would happen to the child, if I couldn't find her father—or at least a place for her to grow up. My mistress was very angry. If I found no place for the baby, then she would get rid of her herself in some way, something I refuse to think about too hard.

I guessed this would upset you. I hope I guessed right, and that your home will be a good place for a little girl.

I realized we made a mistake, you and I. How can one night together decide whether two people are fit to be compatible? I worry that I have fated our daughter to endless questions and wondering. I'll certainly wonder about her. But maybe we will be able to visit, if my mistress ever changes her ways.

I will write some important things you should know, since you weren't there for her hatching. But her name is Haru, for the early springtime, and her hatching day is the first day of Uzuki, the month of u-no-hana. I've enclosed a piece of her eggshell in this letter. I've kept some to be sentimental, but it's not fair that I do that and you have none.

There is another letter, wrapped up with this one, but that one is for Haru. Do not open it for her, because I don't know when I'll be able to speak to her again. Or even if I will be able to speak with her again! When you decide she's of age, give it to her. They are her mother's words alone.

I packed with her an owl carving—do you remember, Donatello? It was the one you admired at my stall months ago. I hope it carries for you good memories.

I must stop now, my dear one. My tears are staining the paper and making my kanji even worse.

Thank you for our night. And please take good care of Haru.

・ Akane

She hadn't cried since Usagi had set her basket down. Was that normal, Donnie wondered? To not react even when she had been dropped into this new, mysterious world, pulled through a nauseating hole between dimensions?

Maybe it was. He didn't know anything about children, after all.

Haru held his finger tightly, her eyes squeezed shut in sleep. Donatello rocked the little basket with his free hand, a gentle rhythm that seemed to calm them both.

Talking to his master over tea, in Splinter's room, had been far too normal a setting for the gravity of his new life. Sensei had not been angry, no. He even seemed to understand where Donatello's mind had slipped from common sense that night.

He had still been disappointed, and stern. It shamed Donnie, as he was sure it was meant to.

"Do you understand, my son, what you have gotten yourself into?"

"Of course, sensei."

"Ah, but do you really? The many needs of a child, a girl child at that, when you have lived your whole life with one gender … the search for her mother, who suffers alone … and you are so young."

Master Splinter's voice smiles, but when Donnie dares to look up, his eyes are fierce.

"I'm sorry, Master."

"Don't be sorry. Do what you must."

"And what is that?"

The tone sharpens. Donnie winces.

"Use that fine, strong brain of yours, my son. We will help you, always, but you must find that path yourself."

A knock on the door pulled Donnie from his thoughts. It pulled Haru from her slumber too, and Donnie watched her eyes open … and saw her face screw up into what seemed to be complete anguish.

His door creaked open, and Mikey stared down at them-the tired, surprised Donnie, and Haru, who had begun to cry. Did all babies get so loud, so fast? Was there some sort of useful volume dial he could turn?

"Now you've done it." Donnie's hands hovered over his daughter, unable still to reach for her and give her comfort. Maybe the shock hadn't completely worn off after all. "She was so peaceful all night, and … damn it."

Mikey closed the door behind him. He took in before him his older brother, already looking desperate, and his niece (the best part: he had a niece!), wailing like it was the end of the world and ringing in his ears.

"I think they like to be held," he said, crouching by the basket. He was gentle, but not hesitant, as he reached under Haru and pulled her into his arms. Before Donnie could protest, Haru was resting comfortably against Mikey's chest. Her sobs were already receding.

Donnie stared. It figured that Michelangelo would be naturally good with kids, even if this was just as new to him. "I guess they do like to be held."

"Yeah, bro. I guess we'll remember that for future reference." Mikey's smile was as genuine as always, but maybe gentler than Donnie was used to. Mikey knew Splinter had read him the riot act, all right. "Usagi's gonna go home in the morning. He wants to make sure your girlfriend—Akane's alright. And maybe you and her will work something out, I dunno."

"Yeah. Maybe." The words of her letter churned his mind, made his head ache. How can one night together decide whether two people are fit to be compatible? How, indeed.

Still, Akane's future looked dark, where she was right now. At the very least, some sort of partnership should be made of this, once she had her freedom … she deserved to see her child, who was clearly so beloved already.

Donnie reached out behind him, to the little nightstand by his bed. His fingers trembled as they traced the carving's features.

"Mikey," he said hoarsely, "what am I gonna do? I mean … how do I know I can do this? I don't even think Splinter thinks I can do it! And she …"

Donnie looked at his child, trailing off. He almost felt more helpless than she, and he knew how selfish, how stupid, that must sound. Where had he gone wrong? Had he stepped so far over the boundary of genius that he had tripped right back into the domain of idiots?

"Bro. Donnie. Don't think like that." Mikey adjusted his hold on Haru, her head resting on his shoulder. She was quieter now, but her eyes were wide and watching Donnie. Infants weren't capable of judgment. It was silly to think that she was waiting for him to make his move, to see if he would succeed or fail. But still—those bright eyes burned.

" How else can I think?" Donnie stared at the basket, his stomach in knots. "I don't know anything about this. About girls, or about kids."

He had nothing here for a child, let alone a turtle child. He would be depending on a girl whom he barely knew to help him, and that was if Usagi could even find her again. What did she need? What did she eat? Would he know if she was slow or behind for her age?

"Donnie," Mikey said again. His voice carried a gentle cast. "Try not to drift off, okay? We're both real good at that, but I think tonight you should extra hard to stay in the game."

He wanted to snap at his brother, reach out and slap him over the head just for being obnoxious. You don't know what I'm going through. At least Master Splinter had my same worries once.

Instead Donatello breathed out, closing his eyes.

"Give her here," he said softly, holding out his arms. Mikey grinned, and passed Haru over carefully, her thumb tucked comfortably in her mouth. Donnie thought that his smile would be forced, but when he looked down, he was surprised to find it feeling right on his face.

Mikey jumped up, his burden lifted from his arms. "If you guys need anything, you know where to find us. And good luck, bro," he added, looking back as he walked through the doorway. "This is really intense and crazy. But you're also the smartest guy I know, so."

He closed the door softly, leaving Donnie alone with his daughter and his thoughts. He hoped that Haru was tugging at his heart already. That would make things easier when she got difficult. And, as Splinter had told him, things would get difficult.

There were very few people in the world Donnie could say that he loved. He wondered if he was too afraid to add one more to the list.