Disclaimer: I do not own the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
A/N: this is written in junction with dondena. The idea is hers. She is beta as well. Also these turtles are based off of the 1987 old toon turtles. It takes place after the 'Red Sky'. Shredder and Krang, and Lord Dregg are all long gone.
XXX
Everyday became harder for Donatello to hide his pregnancy. His midsection was slowly becoming rounder. His once hard plastron plates had become flexible. They were still hard, but they were beginning to yield. It began to worry him. He had read that women don't even begin to show at five weeks, and here he was already showing. Thankfully nausea and fatigue was going away though he still couldn't stomach pizza. His craving for fish and milk grew stronger until he began to swipe pieces of sushi from Splinter's sushi tray.
He also tried to hide a lot from his ever-continuing curious brothers and Sensei. He had begun to see them sneaking peeks at him when he wasn't looking. One time he even caught Leonardo staring intently at him, or at least his slightly rounder stomach. Donatello had cleared his throat, causing Leonardo to look up into Donatello's eyes. Donatello had narrowed his eyes as he stared into Leonardo's. He was being defiant he knew, but if he could just keep this in hiding until he saw Goodfellow, he would relax much easier.
When he finally noticed that all of them and not just Leonardo staring at him, he began to hide it by donning a wider belt and keeping his arms crossed. It made him look moodier and if it hadn't been for April's continued visits and invites to her apartment, even throwing the idea of a Christmas pizza party to them helped distract his brothers away from him.
In the two weeks before Goodfellow was due back, April helped Donatello a lot. He found himself feeling alone and closer to April more then ever. He knew that it was due to the stress and the female hormones that his body was now producing. Sometimes April would hold him as he cried. She never said a word, only held him. Her being there helped him more than he cared to think. He also couldn't help but notice things he had never thought of before. Yes he was a genius, but he also was a teenager. He had loved to goof off as much as his brothers, though he would still get easily distracted by something new, especially if it was in junction with technology. But now as he awaited Goodfellow to return to New York, he couldn't help but see everything in a different light. His brothers were growing up though they were still as silly as ever. April had the biggest change. No longer did she try to use them to rise to the top as a reporter, but she had let go of that part of her life. She had been a good reporter, but she had found her calling as a freelance writer. She wasn't as whiny as she once was.
As Donatello was reflecting on all of this, his turtle com began to beep. Donatello lifted his head from his lab table where he had been resting it. Pulling it out he clicked it open to see April's face. "What's up April?" He asked.
"How you feeling Donatello?" She asked.
"Depressed. I hate hiding this from the others. Any word from Dr. Goodfellow?" Donatello asked as he gave a sigh.
"Yes, that's why I was calling. She gave me a call just now. She's due to arrive tomorrow morning. She said that she got my message. I told her that it was due to you guys. She said to give her a call about ten in the morning tomorrow. I didn't tell her what it was about." April told him.
"Oh thank you April. You don't know how much you've helped." Donatello said, tears in his eyes as he felt his mood change. He wiped them way. He hated these hormonal feelings.
"Anytime Donatello." She paused, "Do you want me to go with you tomorrow?"
Donatello nodded his head. "Would you?"
"Of course Donatello. Just give me a call whenever you're ready. I've got to go, I've got this deadline due soon, so see you later." April's face then blacked out.
Donatello closed the com and set it down. Dr. GoodFellow was due to be back the next day and soon the whole thing will be over and it'll only be a dream. Everything could go back to normal. Donatello repeated this over and over in his head, though he had the oddest feeling of guilt in the back of his mind.
XXX
After a disastrous morning of sparring and then barely keeping breakfast down due to nerves, ten o'clock finally came. Donatello emitted an excuse and took off before anyone could say anything.
Once he was away and made sure he wasn't followed he pulled out his turtle com and dialed Goodfellow's number that April had given him. After three rings the woman picked up. "Hello, Dr. Goodfellow speaking."
"Dr. Goodfellow, it's me, Donatello, Michelangelo's brother. I need your help really bad."
The woman was quiet for a second. Donatello knew that she was trying to remember him. Michelangelo she knew well, but the others not so much. "Ah yes, Donatello. The turtle that wears purple. So, you sound so worried. What's wrong?" She asked.
"I came across some… trouble and I'm in need of a doctor. Michelangelo trusts you and I don't know that many humans that are not a doctor or scientist…one that's not crazy anyway..." Donatello trailed off.
"I'd love to help. I have some free time now. Can you come in?" Dr. Goodfellow said, willing to help.
"Yes. April O'Neil will bring me. Thank you." Donatello said.
"No problem." The African American woman hung up.
Quickly as he could he called April and she agreed to pick him up on the corner. The drive to the zoo's animal clinic was quiet. The place was full as it was on a Friday morning so April drove her van around back. Donatello had told her to use her van so that his brothers would be less likely to follow. The clinic was still closed but Dr. Goodfellow was waiting at the back door. They got out and met her.
"Morning Donatello, Miss O'Neil. I hear you went to the free lance writer." Dr. Goodfellow said as she led them inside.
"Yes. Though I do play the reporter every now and then." April laughed.
"So Donatello, you tell me you are in need of a doctor. So what can I do for you?" The woman said as she led them to her office.
"You see, Dr. Goodfellow-"
"Please…as I told your brother Michelangelo, call me Jane." The woman interrupted.
"Jane. I was turtlenapped a little more then a month ago. A scientist, a man that everyone there called 'Sir' ran some tests, then he…artificially impregnated me. Two embryos. At first I didn't believe him, but after I escaped I started becoming sick. I did a little research, read about the symptoms, then took a pregnancy test. I did this twice. What he said and done to me was true. I am pregnant."
Donatello stood up from the seats that he and April had taken. He uncrossed his arms that he had taken to crossing automatically.
Jane had stood in front of her desk and was leaning against it. She hadn't said a word though her eyes had widened. When Donatello stood up and showed his belly, she allowed a gasp to escape her. "Wow. You are not kidding. So what are you planning to do? Have you told your brothers and Sensei?"
"Oh no! I don't plan to! April is the only one that knows other than you. Is there anything you can do?"
Jane nodded, "There is. You are speaking about abortion aren't you?"
Donatello hung his head, but nodded.
"I see. Yes I can perform an abortion. I suppose you want to do this today huh?"
"Yes, as soon as possible." Donatello looked up at her with hopeful eyes.
"Ok. Before I perform the actual test, I do want to check you and the embryos out. It's mandatory. I don't do many animal abortions though I have. I'll get you set up in a room." Jane turned away but then turned back. "Donatello, my daughter Tanya is here. She just graduated from college and now is beginning her year of residency. She'll be helping me out. She already knows about you all. I had to tell since I never know when Michelangelo would be showing up with more animals." Jane smiled when she saw the mistrust and anxiety cross his face.
"It's fine, she's been dying to meet you all anyway, and she'll keep your secret, both of them."
Donatello relaxed. "Ok."
Jane nodded once and walked out the door.
April turned to Donatello. "Did you know she had a daughter?" She asked.
"Had no idea. Michelangelo knows her better then me. There was no one else to turn to and Mike's known her for years. He trusts her." Donatello said as he gave a sigh.
The door opened and a short young African American woman walked in. She looked almost nothing like Jane. Her face was rounder and she was a little big-boned. While Jane had the classic curly thick black hair, this woman's hair was flat and straight and fine, with a touch of deep honey. Her skin was lighter as well. She had her mother's eyes though. Big, round, intelligent and a deep black.
Her eyes widened, then she broke out in a smile. "So you're one of the turtles that Mother has been talking about? Michelangelo?"
Donatello shook his head. "No that's my brother, he wears orange. I'm Donatello."
"Ah sorry. Still all the pleasure, I'm sure." Tanya held out her hand, "I'm Tanya."
"Like wise…oh I mean yes, nice to me you." Donatello said as he shook her hand.
Tanya stared at him for a few more seconds then shook herself out of it. "Ok. Mother said to get you settled into a room. So if you'd follow me…" she backed out of the room and beckoned.
Donatello hesitated but then followed with April close behind. They followed the young woman through a hallway to a door. Tanya opened the door and ushered them inside. "Ok," Tanya began, now serious. "You are in here for an…abortion?" Her mask slipped and looked at him funny. It wasn't of disgust, just confusion. She looked back down at the clipboard she had. "Is this right?"
"I'm afraid it is." Jane said as she rolled an ultrasound machine in. "Tanya go get the tray."
"On it." Tanya laid down the clipboard and walked out of the room.
"Ok Donatello, while this ultrasound warms up, I'm going to draw some blood." Jane said as she patted the table. "Now you sit up here." He walked forward and jumped up onto the table.
At that moment April's phone rang. She walked out and answered. After a heated discussion she poked her head back into the room. "I'm so sorry Donatello, but I got a call from my office. They want me to come in. I'll tell them no if you really need me here."
Tanya came back in and set the tray down. She looked over at April then at Donatello. "I'll take care of Donatello." She turned to Donatello. "You'll be fine. Both me and Mother will be here."
Donatello raised an eyeridge at the woman's eagerness but somehow felt safe. He nodded at April. "Go on. You've done so much for me anyway. I will be fine."
April nodded and hugged her green friend. "I'll be back as soon as possible, and if you need me at all, give me a call."
"I will April. Thank you." Donatello watched her go and heaved a sigh.
Jane pulled on some gloves and picked up a needle. "It'll be fine Donatello. Now I'm going to take a blood sample, then we'll do the ultrasound to find the position of the embryos, then go from there."
The next half hour was nerve racking for Donatello while he was poked and prodded. When the blood taking was over, Jane said, "Now Donatello, can you lie back for me?" He laid back and took his belt off and Jane put some gel on his belly so she could do the ultrasound. Jane ran the ultrasound probe over Donatello's bulging plastron. A faint image showed up on the screen of the machine. "There they are. It's strange; your plastron is softer and yielding but just as thick. You say that this man injected them in the side?"
"Yes." Donatello lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling.
Tanya was standing at his head. She thought for a moment, "Then try the sides." She said.
Jane nodded and moved the piece over to his right side. The image on the screen became clearer. It was still small, but Donatello could still actually see the baby. Jane moved the piece to the other side and again the image showed the tiny baby. Before Jane pulled the piece away, Tanya moved forward.
"Want to hear the heartbeats?" She asked as she turned the knob.
At first Donatello didn't say anything, but then nodded, "Sure."
The room was filled with the sound of fast paced heartbeats.
Donatello froze when he heard the sound. Jane nodded and turned the machine off.
"Ok. Let me put this away then I'll be back and we'll talk." Jane said as she pushed the ultrasound machine out.
Tanya stayed behind and helped Donatello wipe the cold gel off of this sides and plastron. "So what do you think?"
"I-I didn't imagine that I'd actually be able to hear them or even see them." Donatello said, shocked.
Tanya smiled. "They looked and sounded very healthy."
"Did they?"
"Yes."
"Ok, Donatello," Jane began as she walked back in, "the best way to go about the abortion-"
"No." Donatello said, surprising Jane and himself. "What if I…kept them?"
"W-well," Jane sputtered then got over her shock. "Everything looked fine. In fact you could even carry them to full term, which I figured in the time that you told me that you were impregnated will be six months. Humans normally carry nine months, but take in consideration of what you are. Human and turtle."
"Six months? Then you're actually almost out of the first trimester. That's why even at five weeks we could see the babies. They are growing fast." Tanya said as she did the math.
"A woman normally carries the baby forty weeks, so if you say only six months then I'll only have nineteen more weeks. That'll put them to be due in May." Donatello said.
"That'll be about right." Jane said. "You sure you want to do this?"
Donatello took a deep breath then nodded. "Yes. I want to keep them."
"Ok, but I know how rough your life is. Try not to fight anymore then you have to. That'll mean you'll have to tell your brothers and Splinter. You also need to eat healthier. I know that you all love pizza, but you need to cut back on that. And I must let you know, the birth…it'll have to be a…"
"A cesarean section. I know. I'll be prepared." Donatello said.
"Ok then. If you do this I'll want to see you every month. Those babies are growing fast and I want to keep an eye on them and you. They'll be pushing your internal organs around and I want to make sure that there will be no damage."
Donatello nodded and slid off the table. "I will. Thank you Jane."
"Your very welcome. Now I got to get back to work. Don't be afraid to give me a call. Anytime." She then gave him a smile and walked out the door.
Tanya walked Donatello to the back door where April was just pulling up. Surprising him Tanya gave him a hug. She pulled back and slipped a piece of paper into his three fingered hand. "Here I know you have the office number but this is our home phone. I'm staying with Mother right now. And don't be afraid to give us a call. Even if you just need to talk." She then waved at him and went back inside.
Donatello blinked then climbed into the van.
April winked at Donatello. "Looks like you got a number Donatello."
Donatello blushed, as he looked down at the paper. "It's not like that."
"Sure. So how'd it go?" She asked gently.
"I'm keeping them."
"What!? You are!" April stopped the van and looked over at Donatello in shock.
"I'm keeping them." He repeated.
"You sure? And is it safe?" April asked.
"Yes. When I heard the heart beats and Tanya told me that they are healthy, I thought, they are a part of me. How can I hurt them? It's hard to explain…"
April smiled, "Not as hard as you think. I understand and I'll be here for you." April started the van again and began to drive into the traffic. "So when are you going to tell the others?"
"Not yet. Soon though. Maybe on Christmas…" Donatello trailed off, already thinking about the things he could teach his children. He did like to teach others about things when they would let him. He hoped his kids would be good students one day.
Another thing he thought about was if one or both of them would take after him. Good question? Would they? Only time would tell.