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.
XXXX
As the month wore on the kidnappings got a lot worse. Donatello, the ever pacifist, begged his brothers to let him go out on the patrols with them. They answered every time with frowns and shakes of the head. They were too worried about him and him being ever so close to the due date. Every time they left to go on their patrols Donatello took to pacing. It took Splinter to ordering Donatello to sit with him while his brothers did their patrol. Splinter had Donatello let him know about the doctor visits and what Jane and Tanya would tell him and what he was planning with his children. Splinter in turned gave advice.
And every time Donatello's brothers came back they had no news on any sightings of the kidnappers.
"Sorry Bro," Leonardo shrugged. He too had been slightly fretting about the fact that nobody even saw who these people were or even how many there were. He even had called up the vigilante Casey Jones to help keep an eye out. The tall human was livid. But even he who spent most of his time looking for crime hadn't seen anything. Leonardo had to admit that these baby snatchers were good.
Donatello's shoulders slumped as anger rose.
Raphael saw this and patted his brother on the back of the shell. "I'm sorry bro," he said, completely serious.
"Yeah I know how much you want those baby snatchers behind bars." Michelangelo said as he made his way over to the refrigerator. He looked back over at Donatello, "You hungry?"
Donatello shook his head. "No…I'm not."
Raphael blinked. "That's a first. Not even fish sticks? I'm sure we have some." He looked over at Michelangelo who nodded and looked into the freezer part.
"No thanks guys…I have some things I need to do. Tanya and the books say I'm going to be almost bedridden for a while. I want to get these things out of the way." With that he stood up and walked out of the room.
"Wow. The poor dude is really down." Michelangelo said.
"Yeah, I wish we could do something for him." Leonardo agreed.
"This kidnapping has been going on for weeks and I'm angry about it but he seems to be taking it harder then normal." Raphael said as he scratched his head. "I'm not too sure why though."
"It's because he himself is about to give birth. He can symphonize with the mothers that are missing their children. He is fearful." Splinter said as he stood up from the table.
"What can we do to help him?" Leonardo asked.
"Give him your support. But I fear he will try something reckless. You three will have to watch him."
XXX
Donatello did work on some things that he knew he'd never get around to once the twins were born. But he continued to work late and even when he turned the lights out and lay in bed listening to the sound of his brothers in bed he made plans. He knew the sounds that they made when they slept well. He then slowly eased out of his bed, biting back a groan when he felt his back begin to ache. He knew that he would be stopped and questioned at this hour of the night. He certainly couldn't tell his brothers he was going to do a very dangerous patrol while heavily pregnant. He knew he was being rather dumb but he couldn't sit back and let those monsters kidnap any more babies.
The lair was quiet as the turtle rearranged pillows to make it look like he was asleep in his bed. Creeping down the tunnel, he was being as quiet as he possibly could. He knew he looked ridiculous as big as he was trying to sneak around.
Taking three clumsily steps at a time; Donatello managed to make it outside the lair into the sewer tunnel. Finally free and having been unseen, the turtle ran through the darkened sewer tunnels. He ran but soon had to stop. He leaned against the wall already tired. He knew he had to move slowly and at a steady pace. He came to the tunnel that they used as the garage for the Turtle Van. He knew without trying he couldn't fit through a manhole anymore. Being as late as it was, he didn't have the fear of being discovered by humans as he hurried through the city streets keeping in the shadows.
Donatello prowled around on the rooftops. He didn't do any jumping, but took the pipes and fire escapes to get roof to roof. He stayed around downtown where there were more families. During his rests he would study the map he had. There were red circles on the map that marked the places where the children were taken. There were no patterns. They were very random. In fact they struck wherever there was an easy target.
He wandered the tops until an hour before dawn. He sighed and began to head back. The twins were starting to become more active, even the less active twin. He knew he had kept them awake all night with his moving around and now they were trying to pay him back. By the time he snuck back into the lair, they were turning flip flops in his stomach. He paused by the kitchen door and bent over a little, putting a hand to his large abdomen, letting out a deep groan. "Come on little guys. Give me a break." He said as they continued to show their displeasure.
"What is the matter Donatello?"
Donatello snapped his head up. Splinter was standing in front of him. His once reddish brown fur was now sporting gray around the muzzle. Other than the gray the old rat/man still held a deep awareness in his black eyes. "Oh…heh the twins are just acting up. There're isn't much more room for them to move."
"Is that all?" Splinter asked, looking closely at the turtle.
Donatello nodded. "Yes. I think I'll go to my laboratory." he said, hating himself to lie like that.
Splinter nodded. "Very well. Do not forget to eat. You are not just feeding yourself, but two others."
"I won't forget Master." Donatello bowed clumsily then hurried as fast as his tired body could carry him.
It was the same thing for the next week. Donatello would sneak out and do his own patrolling. He sometimes went late at night or early in the mornings. And he felt it. The stress and the backaches became worse. One night he was resting against a metal air conditioner. He had a green arm around his stomach. The twins were expressing their displeasure to his running around and his hormonal stress levels. It had been relatively quiet during the week. The kidnappers hadn't struck once. It was probably due to the fact that the police had increased their own patrols. "Guess they have those monsters concealing themselves." He said out loud. He often conversed with the twins. They even answered sometimes with sharp jabs to his bladder or other organs.
There was a slight pull in his lower belly for an answer. He sighed. "I'm sorry babies. But I can't let this rest. No child should be taken from its family. It's atrocious. Dishonorable." He said.
The twins finally settled down as the east horizon began to lighten. Donatello yawned and began to head back to the lair. Entering the sewers by one of Central Park's tunnels, he began to make his way home. His back was aching but he did feel that the extra movement that he had been putting himself through was doing him some good. It had been too long since he had any good exercise.
He slowly moved through the sewers. He turned to make his way into the drier and somewhat cleaner sewer tunnel that led to the lair when something began to bother him. His ninja training taught him to trust his gut. Someone was nearby… too close for comfort…
He spun around and drew his bo. He was not in a good mood at all. No sign of the kidnappers and being heavily pregnant and with his back hurting he was feeling very irritable.
"Alright. I'm not in the disposition as of now to play these games. Show your face now." Donatello ordered, glaring into the shadows.
"Hello Donatello." The feminine voice sent chills through his spine.
"Sir!" Donatello spun around to try to get a fix on the source of the voice.
"Yes. I told you I'd be watching you. In fact why are you running yourself ragged? It can't be good for the twins." The voice mocked.
"That is none of your concern." Donatello said sharply.
"Oh but it is. You are out looking for those kidnappers aren't you? Not very smart. What are you planning to do if you caught them? You are in a very delicate condition. I'm really disappointed in you."
"I don't care if you are or aren't. This is my choice. I can't just let them get away with this transgression," Donatello snapped irritably.
"You should. You have got to be really close to the due date huh?" Sir said.
"Again that is none of your concern. Besides, you're the one who did this to me." Donatello began to back away.
"Oh yes it is. But enough of that. How are you and the veterinarian's daughter getting along? Tanya is it?" the voice said with smudginess.
Donatello just narrowed his eyes in reply.
There was a laugh. "Yes…you two are getting very cozy with one anther. It's cute really. Just how far are you willing to go? Do you think of her as more then a friend? And does she think of you as more then a friend?" Sir asked.
Though Donatello couldn't see where Sir was he swung his bo through the air as a warning. "If you do not keep quiet I will make you!"
"Whoa. Rather defensive aren't you? But I'm not surprised. The mix of human DNA and male reptilian DNA plus the hormonal stress of being expectant. Now calm down. It can't be good for the twins can it?" Sir said as he backed away to help calm the agitated turtle.
Donatello stopped swinging the bo through the air and took deep breaths. "What do you want?" He questioned after a few minutes.
"I found something out about the twins that you should know." Sir said rather smugly.
"What is it?" Donatello asked on the defense again.
"Let me ask one thing first. How do you think the twins were created?"
Donatello blinked at the question, thought a second then answered. "I suppose that you used human eggs and used genetic mutation and amalgamated reptilian and human DNA and covalently bonded them together. Then the ligated DNA was infused into the human egg."
"Bravo Donatello. Exactly, I used a total of ten. Out of ten that I worked with only two had survived the DNA merging. The merging caused the eggs to die. There was something that was missing. The reptilian and mammal DNA didn't want to merge. We found out that the human adrenaline in the DNA strand and the reptilian cytosine kept braking. I found that I had to use a new strand of human DNA to hold the strand together. I had to go through all human blood types to find one that would hold. It wasn't until a few months before you were captured that I got in a new batch of blood donations. I found one that worked perfectly. On the first try the bonds that I needed took hold perfectly. They merged and all I had to do was wait for you." Sir told him.
Donatello nodded his head. He understood the process that Sir told him he did. But why was he telling him now? The whole thing was done and over with. "Fine. But why are you telling me this?"
"Because Donatello, I was looking back at the notes and noticed something. See, the twins you are carrying are actually carrying the genetic makeup of two human women. One being an anonymous donor. The other from Tanya Goodfellow."
Donatello's heart stopped just as his stomach did a flip-flop. "What?"
"She apparently did a blood donation about a year back and her donation was in one of the crates that I got from the blood drive. I did some checking in to the blood strand that I used and found her name, a Miss Tanya Quanisha Goodfellow. See I found it rather amusing that you went to Dr. Jane Goodfellow, and then you and her daughter found a strong connection right off."
Donatello stared out into the shadows. "You mean…"
Sir grinned unseen, "Yes. Miss Tanya may not be the egg donor, but with her blood donation; her blood-her DNA saved the embryos. She's a big part of the possible existence of your twins."
Donatello leaned heavily on his staff. It really wasn't a big thing and yet it was. No wonder he felt slightly connected to her and she to him. He took a deep breath and opened his mouth but with his ninja senses he knew that Sir was gone. Swallowing heavily he began the journey back the rest of the way to the lair.
XXX
"Uh Donatello?"
"Huh?" Donatello looked up from his belly that he had been staring at.
Leonardo was standing in front of him. "What is the matter bro? You've been acting spacey all day."
"I have?"
"Yep. You alright?" Leonardo asked.
"Yeah bro. I'm just thinking." Donatello said. "So what's up?"
"Nothing. Raphael and Michelangelo are out and Tanya just called. She wants to know what you are doing and was wondering if you was up to going over to Queens while we did our patrol tonight." Leonardo said.
"Tanya? Yeah, I want to go. I really need to talk to her." Donatello said. He had some questions to ask her and he was sincerely thinking about telling her what Sir informed him earlier that day.
Leonardo looked at his brother odd but let it pass. "Fine. Then we'll head over around eight tonight then."
XXX
Donatello found himself staring up at the rusty red brick building that Jane and Tanya called home. Like before Tanya was leaning by the door, the outside light on. She wasn't reading but was just staring off into the distance. Her outfit consisted of a green dress that went to her knees and black tights. The old ratty fedora that Donatello had given her was still sitting on her head. She looked up when she heard the Van pull up. Her round face lit up with a smile. "Hey guys." She greeted them.
"Hey Tanya," Leonardo waved to her.
The passenger door opened and Donatello slid out. He looked up at Tanya and smiled a bit. Waving back to his brothers he followed Tanya inside.
"Mom's at a meeting and I opted out of it. It wasn't really mandatory for me to be there so I decided to use this time to see how you were doing. I figured you might want to get out while the others were on the patrol." Tanya said as she led Donatello into the living room.
"I was rather glad you called. I needed to talk to you." Donatello said as he struggled down into the couch.
Tanya sat down in a high backed chair across from him. She had a slight smile on her round face while she waited for him to get settled. "Well what is it?"
Donatello took a deep breath and told her all about Sir and the first visit he did right after Donatello almost had a miscarriage. He winced when he saw Tanya's black eyes darken. "Tanya, please, don't be angry."
"Why should l be angry? You've lied to me, to my mother, to your brothers and to Master Splinter! Don't you realize that he could've done more then just talk to you?"
Donatello nodded. "Yes. It was reckless, but I had a feeling that Sir was telling the truth. But…there's more."
"More?"
"He came back today. He told how he used ten human donor eggs and only two survived the genetic processing. That the merging caused the eggs to die. That there was something that was missing. The reptilian and mammal DNA didn't want to merge. He said that he found out that the human adenine in the DNA strand and the reptilian cytosine kept braking. He had to use a new strand of human DNA to hold the strand together. He found one that worked perfectly. They fused. Tanya, he told me that the twins are carrying the genetic makeup of two human women. One being an anonymous donor. The other from you."
Tanya's mouth dropped. "What? Oh, my God! But…but how? How would this guy get a hold of my blood?"
Donatello sighed. "About a year back were you here visiting Jane?"
Tanya thought for a moment then nodded. "Yes. During Christmas. I was here for two weeks."
"And did you do any blood donations?"
Tanya gasped and put a hand to her mouth. "Oh god. I did. There was a blood drive at a church. It was the first time. I do it every year around Thanksgiving and Christmas. Here and in Los Angeles. He got a hold of my blood?"
Donatello nodded, "Yes. When you did that donation he took that blood and used part of your DNA strand to hold the human adenine in the DNA strand and the reptilian cytosine together. All together you are a big part of the existence of my twins."
Tanya stared at him wide eyed. "Wow. This-this is a lot to take in."
Donatello nodded. "I thought so moreover."
Tanya bit her lip. "So what now? What do you want to do? Have you told your brothers? Splinter? You telling my mom?"
"I felt I should tell you first. But yes I'm going to tell them. I wonder what they're going to say?"
xxx
"It figures." Raphael snorted.
Leonardo looked over to the red clad turtle, "What do you mean?"
"Only that that Sir dude decided that messing with Donatello wasn't enough he decided to mess with Tanya!" He began to laugh suddenly. "This is actually perfect! No wonder Donatello and Tanya are totally crushing on another! She's part of this too!"
Michelangelo began to laugh as well. Leonardo cracked a smile.
Donatello frowned as a blush began to form on his cheeks. "Guys, this isn't funny!"
Splinter nodded his head. "Donatello is right." He just shook his head when the turtles continued to laugh. He turned to Donatello. "What did Miss Tanya say?"
"She told me that she didn't mind at all. That we'll see how this progresses. In honesty neither of us is sure what to do. In a way, the twins are a part of her as they are of me. I mean if Sir was telling the truth about what he did then it was her DNA that saved them. And now at this point I am grateful."
"I see. Well as one says, 'Destiny has a way of finding us and mapping our lives before we are even aware of it." Splinter said.
"What do you mean Sensei?" Leonardo asked.
"I mean that if Michelangelo had not had a aptitude for caring for stray animals then finding that veterinarian Dr. Goodfellow then Donatello wouldn't have gone to her for help nor would he have met her daughter, Miss Tanya. And if Tanya hadn't gone to the blood drive, then she wouldn't be linked to you and the twins. So in a way everything happened for a reason. Now all we have to do is play them out." Splinter said.
Donatello nodded, his big brain already worrying with thoughts.
XXX
Later that night Donatello stepped out of his bedroom and shut off the light and glanced around. The lair seemed suddenly quiet as the turtle was trying to make it look like he had finally fallen asleep. Being as quiet as he possibly could, he slowly slinked along the wall. He started to walk out the door when the lights flipped on and Donatello had to blink in the sudden brightness. "What the-"
"Ah ha! See I told you he was sneaking out!"
Donatello recognized Michelangelo's voice. Finally he could see again. He looked around and saw that everyone was gathering around in the main room.
"Donatello, tell me, have you been sneaking out?" Splinter asked.
Donatello found he could not lie. "Yes. I've been doing patrols."
"Why? It's because you were hoping to try to catch those criminals?" Leonardo asked.
Donatello nodded. "Yes."
"Why would you do that? You're in no condition to do that. What if something happened?" Leonardo said.
"Nothing did. I guess I was just so angry that no one was able to do anything. That I wasn't thinking."
"Apparently," Raphael snorted. "Well we're thinking now and we're thinking that you should turn right around and go to bed."
"But-"
"Come on bro. Your too close to D-day that you need to take it easy. Beside the bad dudes haven't taken any babies in the last week." Michelangelo said.
Donatello sighed, knowing that they wouldn't move. He wouldn't meet the gazes of them. He felt hands on his shoulders. They turned him around and not too gently pushed him back toward his bed.
"We will stand by the lair's door if that is what it will take, but I think we would rather be in bed ourselves. Can we trust you not to try to sneak out again?" Leonardo said as he slightly pushed Donatello toward his bed.
"Ok ok. Fine. I'll be good." Donatello said as he broke away and headed straight to the bed. He sat down and heaved a great sigh. He looked back up at Leonardo. His brother had his arms crossed and was staring back down at Donatello.
"Thanks bro."
Leonardo cracked a smile that looked like his old self. "No prob, bro."
Once he had fallen asleep shortly after being forced back into going to bed, he did have a bad dream that the criminals had gotten a hold of his babies. He woke up panting hard and looking down at his belly. He rubbed it, making himself sure that his little ones were still safe inside him. It was also that time of night when they would act up.
The active one kicked him hard in one of the organs and it made him wince. It upset the less active one too because then it kicked out too. Donatello laid back down and rubbed his belly, trying to get them to calm down. He was just glad they were safe, but still felt sorry for those families.
XXX
The rest of the week was indeed hard on Donatello. All of them kept an eye on him. He wasn't completely under house arrest but someone was always with him when he left the lair. It wasn't until he actually stopped and saw how all the extra movement had been taking its toll on him. Once he stopped moving, he noticed that his back was hurting more and that his ankles were swollen and achy. He had read that was normal but it was still something to see. He had to sit down and get his legs supported to help the swelling to go down in his ankles.
What was also hard was that there was another kidnapping. It was all that Donatello could do not to rush back out. He heaved another sigh. His back was hurting more then usual that day. It felt like a slight pulling in through his belly and out through his back. It didn't hurt but it was uncomfortable. It had started earlier that morning, five days after he was caught trying to sneak out. It was now the first of May.
He squirmed on the couch, trying to get comfortable. There was some silly monster movie on and Tanya had come over to visit. She loved the cheesy horror movies. She saw them more along the line of comedy, although at the moment she was studying the book she had open in her lap. His brothers were sitting around the TV, leaving the couch for Donatello and Tanya.
Tanya looked over at Donatello again. He noticed this and tried to sit still but the pulling started again and he moved. She opened her mouth to say something when the movie was interrupted.
"This is Carol Sapp for newschannel 3 with the latest breaking news. The strand of kidnappings that has plagued the city just may be at its end. Due to heavy lockdown on homes with infants the ones that have brought this fear to our city had apparently became desperate. They attacked an eight-month along pregnant woman. After subduing her they attempted to cut the unborn child out of her womb. Hearing her screams people alerted the police. The suspects ran and the police are now pursuing. Lets go live to Rick Webb. Rick?"
The scene on the TV shifted and the newscaster was above the city in a helicopter. He began to tell the people watching that the suspects were on foot running through Central Park. That there were three. Two men and a woman.
Donatello jumped up, forgetting the uncomfortable pulling in his back and belly. "Come on! We can get them! They're right there!"
His brothers lunged for him but Tanya was closer. She dropped the thick book with a heavy thud and dove at him. She tackled him back down onto the couch and sat on his legs. "Oh no you don't! You aren't moving."
Donatello looked at her in shock then shook his head. "I have to! We need to do something!"
Tanya leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Donatello's big belly and brought her face closer to his. She wasn't putting any weight on his belly, but she still kept him from moving. "Please Donatello…you can't. The police will catch them. If you go out there something may happen and I don't want anything to happen to you or the twins because I love them…I love you!"
There were gasps all round, but both Donatello and Tanya ignored them. "What?"
"I love you. Call me strange or what but I don't care. I love the twins and you." Tanya said, her black eyes darker then normal.
Donatello started to answer when there was shout from the TV. All eyes turned to it and a huge weight was lifted. The police had caught the three humans. They watched as they were slammed into the ground and handcuffed. The three turtles, Leonardo, Michelangelo and Raphael let out a cheer. Donatello turned his eyes back to Tanya. She was grinning in happiness and Donatello began to meet her grin. He opened his own mouth but it turned into a wince. "Ow!" He put a hand to his stomach.
Tanya sat back. "Donatello?"
He grimaced as the pain hit him. "I think I'm in labor…"
"WHAT?" Everyone shouted.