A/N: Holy crap! I leave for California in 3 days! D8 Where did all my time go?! Oh sweet literate speed, please bless me so I can finish this story by Tuesday night! Oh man. We're getting to that sappy, gooey, adorable stuff now that all the conflict is over. DEAL WITH IT. I'm in the moody for being cheesy BI.
NOTICE: THIS STORY HAS OC CHARACTERS. IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT ANY OF THEM LOOK LIKE, PLEASE CHECK THE LINKS ON MY PROFILE FOR YOUR VISUAL AID.
For the first time in a long time they were all safe. No one was coming after them; there was no revenge to be sought, no score to settle. They could all finally be a family once again and live without having to constantly have eyes in the back of their head. Leo felt an enormous weight off his shoulders only to have it replaced with another though it was much less daunting. The idea of Shiho carrying his offspring was mind blowing, especially since he was convinced since the day they fell in love that getting pregnant wasn't even possible. Being a father to Aanika wasn't easy, but he loved doing it. Getting that chance to do so with kids of his own flesh and blood was both exciting and terrifying.
As the helicopter pulled up into the sky, Shiho took a last long look out the window to the smoking and burning pile that was once Marcus' biggest laboratory. She pressed a kiss to two of her fingers and laid them against the window, saying her silent goodbye and thanks to Micah. She'd never forget what he did for her even if he tried killing her just before. It didn't matter, he sacrificed himself so she could live the life that she wanted even if he wasn't in the picture.
"Hey Shiho, come over here!" Mikey called. Shiho giggled and turned her attention away from the destruction and focused on her family. Aanika snuggled happily in her lap, Fiona and Donnie sat together in the cockpit, Saundra and Raphael arm wrestled, and Leo kept an arm protectively over her shoulders.
Never again were any of them being taken away.
All that was left now was to prepare for the quickly approaching future.
The adjustment to life in secret and shadow was, without a doubt, the biggest change for Magdalena to become accustomed to. Protocol called for the blonde vixen to be accepted by Splinter, first and foremost. Even though he was no longer the sensei or leader of the family, he was still the head of the family. Shiho was having the hardest time out of all of her sisters swallowing their new situation, having Magdalena around as a permanent member of their strange crowd never allowed her to let her guard down. If Michelangelo hadn't become so attached to her, she wouldn't have even been allowed into the helicopter when they left the destroyed laboratory. It didn't take much for Magdalena to set Shiho off to the point where Leo had to physically hold her back.
Needless to say, Shiho was grumpy. Shiho was snappy. Being pregnant never helped when her mood swings hit the roof and she screamed at anyone and everyone unlucky enough to be in her line of vision. Why just last week she nearly caused Michelangelo to soil himself after he spilled soda on her favorite blanket. A majority of the time, the ferocity was directed towards Magdalena and ended in a harsh scolding from her mate. Leo understood why she was so upset, but that didn't mean he was going to allow her to disrupt the peace that was in the home. Everyone was walking on eggshells around the irritated, pregnant fox. She spent the last few weeks hanging out with April in the apartment during the day just to stay away from Magdalena.
The less fights that Leo had to break up, the better. It was Saundra versus Shiho all over again. Only now with a fox that actually made attempts on the vixen leader's life.
"Hey, I have a cousin who's an OB/GYN, you want me to give her a call? She knows about the guys and is pretty cool with them all, well, cool with Don at least," April said, painting Shiho's nails at the kitchen table. Shiho was only in her 14th week, but she had quite the baby bump at this point. There was no mistaking her pregnancy for pudginess anymore. Shiho sighed heavily and flattened her tall ears; she'd been doing her reading and taking her necessary vitamins, but actually knowing what was going on inside her body would have been a weight off her shoulders.
"Yeah, I don't see why not. The ultrasound that Marcus performed was the only one I've ever had and Leo is itching to see them. Donnie has been absolutely consumed with studying about gestation and development. It couldn't hurt to have an actual doctor around to help him out."
"At least he's trying. How's Leo been with all of this? I know this must have shocked him. I mean twins?" Shiho chuckled as the red head brushed a coat of dark silver on the elegant nails of her right hand.
"He's coping. But he won't let me do anything by myself and practically carries me everywhere. It's sweet, don't get me wrong, but not necessary," Dipping the thin brush back into the bottle to recoat it, Shiho blew on her nails to make the paint dry as April moved to her left hand. It had been so long since they just sat back and had girl time together like they used to before the sisters showed up. Shiho missed April, aside from the boys she was the first friend she ever made.
April giggled. "He's just worried. I mean…look at you. You're barely four months pregnant but you already look like your pushing six. I mean what's up with that?"
"Donnie thinks it might have something to with my DNA. Red foxes and red ear slider turtles have a gestation period of only two months while humans have to go for nine months. We think my body is compensating and meeting somewhere in the middle. Which is so comforting might I add, knowing I could pop any day."
Absentmindedly, the fox rubbed the side of her swollen bump and crossed her legs. She looked absolutely exhausted, like she hadn't slept in weeks. The babies had been more active lately when she would try for sleep, kicking and squirming until she couldn't take it anymore and got out of bed so they'd settle. She did enjoy watching Leo's face light up when he'd rest his hands on her belly when they chose to wiggle around, that was something she never got tired of seeing; his happiness.
The girls giggled and gossiped like old times until Casey came home with groceries. Shiho was always happy to see her favorite thick-headed vigilante and waddled over to give him a hug.
"Hey, there's my Fuzzball."
Shiho chuckled and playfully smacked Casey in the chest. "Hey there, Casanova."
"So! We growing some hockey players in there or is Uncle Casey gonna have to teach 'em a thing or two?" He snickered. Shiho and April rolled their eyes and both snatched a yogurt out of the grocery bag and left him to put the food away.
"Yeah, yeah Casey. Keep dreaming. You'll be lucky if you get to see them through the protective bubble that Leo is going to put around them," Shiho sat against the cushions with a pillow under the small of her back. The miracle of life was a beautiful thing but it sure wreaked havoc on her spine and hips.
"I'm gonna go make that call to Linda, my cousin. Sit tight and I'll be right back," April said. Shiho nodded as Casey came to plop down beside her with his legs propped up on the coffee table and his arm slung across the couch behind her head. He wasted no time in commandeering the TV to flip the channel to a hockey game. Tall ears twitched back and forth as she ate her yogurt in contentment, completely comfortable just relaxing with lazy, ol' Casey.
"So, any idea what you're havin'?" Shiho shook her head as she stuck a spoonful in her mouth and swallowed, her eyes glued to the game. St. Louis Blues at Anaheim.
"Nuh-uh. Haven't had another ultrasound after we got back. We don't even know what they look like yet. April is calling her cousin though to set something up."
Casey belched making her grimace. He was as bad as Raph and Mike.
"Sounds good, Short Stuff. How's Mikey doin' with that sister of yours?" Casey flinched when he noticed her lip twitch and her eyes roll. Must have still been a sensitive subject with her.
"Fine I guess. And she's not my sister…just my clone." Softly, Casey chuckled and ruffled the hair at the back of her head, silently saying he was dropping the topic.
"Still pouting?" Both couch loungers looked to the window where Leo was perched. Shiho's face brightened with a smile as she struggled to stand and hobbled over to help him through. She hummed happily when he wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled her spot under his chin.
"Hey Leo Man! What's up, bro?"
"Hey, Casey. Just coming to get her and bring her home. Mikey's got dinner just about ready and he made your favorite. So, just suck it up and be nice, will ya?" Under his chin, he could hear Shiho grumbling and cursing. She hated being civil with Magdalena. She was more than able to forgive Micah after he'd sacrificed himself so she'd live. But, living with the blonde was more than Shiho's temper could handle. It was absolutely suffocating.
"No, you guys aren't going anywhere. I just got off the phone with Linda and she said she'll drive down to her office now. So, in the van you two," April said as she appeared out of the kitchen to put the phone back on its charger. "Hi, Leo."
"Hi, Ape. Uhh, who's Linda? Where are we going?"
"She's my cousin and an OB/GYN," April could tell she'd lost Leo by the puzzled look on his face and giggled. "In a nutshell, she's a doctor for pregnant women. She's met Donnie before but not the rest of you."
"Ohhh. Will we be able to see the babies?" He asked, rubbing Shiho's sore back as she cuddled. April said nothing and just nodded. A grin that took up the width of Leo's face came to him and he placed a hand on the baby bump. "Let's go then!"
"Mikey! I have told you once, I have told you a thousand times! Aanika is NOT allowed to drink soda!" Donnie screamed. He knew he was going to catch hell from Shiho and Leo for this one.
In the lair, the 5 year old was bouncing off the walls and running around making her uncles and sisters absolutely insane. From his focus on his video game, the orange masked turtles placed the tips of his fingers in his mouth and whistled. In an instant, the half pint fox was at his side and crawling into his lap to tell him what to do in the game. He'd given her a good portion of his secret stash of sweets as well as a few cans of Pepsi. Shiho was going to rip him a new one if she found out.
"Relax, Donnie. She's a kid. Kids love soda! Woah!" His entire body dodged to the left as his character on screen avoided being attacked. Excitedly, Aanika giggled and bounced in his lap. From her spot lounging on the couch like Cleopatra, Magdalena chuckled and eyeballed her little sister with a piercing blue gaze. Saundra was passing by with a bottle of water for Raphael in the training room and noticed the mini fox cower in fear from Maggie's heavy gaze.
"What is wrong with you? Can't you see you're scaring her? Stop it," Shiho hissed and slapped her cloned sister upside her blonde head with her palm.
"Ow, bitch!"
"Bitch! Bitch! Bitch!" Chanted the little fox. Mikey hurriedly pushed pause and picked her up under the arms with a terrified expression. Oh hell, if Shiho heard Aanika talking like that, everyone would feel her wrath. He could still feel the slap she gave him yesterday when Raph taught her to say 'asshole.'
"NO! Mini dudette! That's a bad word, baaaad word!"
"Bitch?" She asked, her head tilting to the side. Damn she was cute, big cerulean eyes glittering with innocence.
"YES! Shhh! Don't say it, Mama is going to kill Uncle Mikey."
"Smooth move, Maggie. You taught our sister a new word. You are so going to get it when Shiho gets home. Raphael still has the handprint on his face from yesterday." Saundra chuckled and swayed her way into the training room where she was greeted by her hard working mate.
"Oh who cares? She's going to hear it eventually. Besides, who makes Shiho the boss?"
Both Raphael and Saundra snorted. "Splinter did, duh." Raph said, which only made the blonde roll her eyes and flip through another glossy page of the fashion magazine she was reading.
"Whatever…" She muttered.
Mikey set the little one down and she picked up his controller to finish the game. The turtle sit down beside the blonde and pinched her on the thigh. She yelped and slapped him on the arm in response.
"Dudette, we have rules, y'know? Leo and Shiho are the leaders. You might as well just get used to."
"And?" Mikey sighed and palmed his face. Maggie flipped onto her back and he settled her feet over his legs to massage them. They weren't mates, not even close. But that didn't stop Mikey from trying to woo her and flirt.
"You just gotta listen, Maggie. Saundra learned her lesson the hard way when she didn't listen and nearly lost her scales. They're good leaders, really. Aside from the last hiccup, they keep us pretty safe," Maggie arched a brow. She really hated being told what to do now, especially after she was so horribly betrayed by Marcus. Her tall ears flattened back against her head as she stared hard at Mikey.
"Was Shiho really a stripper?" She said, trying to change the subject. Mikey choked and nearly squeezed her little foot too hard. Seeing the bothered look on his face brought with it the answer to her question and she bust out laughing" REALLY?!"
"It was a uh…really bad time for her. But, for the record, since you're her clone I know what your boobs look like," Mikey waggled his eye ridge suggestively like a lush. Giggling like the little flirt she was, Maggie winked and blew a playful kiss. For an evil clone who was hell bent on ripping Shiho apart, the blonde was a pretty adorable babe in Mikey's mind.
"Just, do us all a favor and try to not push Shiho's buttons will ya? She's a cool chick until you piss her off."
"PISS! Piss! Piss!" Aanika squealed, not taking her eyes off the screen as she chanted the slur over and over again. Mikey groaned and nearly cried. Shiho was going to have his shell. Her fury was scary enough when she wasn't pregnant.
"Little one! That is enough of that language!" Splinter bellowed after emerging from meditation. Instantly, Aanika became quiet and her ears dropped to the sides of her head as he came closer, she knew she was caught.
"I'm sorry, JiiJii…" She muttered shamefully, Splinter stood beside her with his paws clasping the top of his staff. The old rat stared down at the young fox with a very displeased expression that had her tail tucking itself between her legs. Only three members of her family could make her act sheepish; Leo, Shiho, and Splinter.
"It is alright. But I do not want to hear those words out of your mouth again. Understand?" Slowly and with a pout, the little fox nodded. "Good. I will have a talk with your uncles and sisters about their use of language."
"Are you gonna tell Mama?" She asked pitifully, nuzzling against him and clutching his robe. Splinter sighed heavily, he couldn't resist those eyes. No one could.
"No. I will not tell your mother, but do not let me catch you using those words again. You are a lady and should speak like one."
"Okay, Jiijii. I promise." Affectionately, the wise rate slipped his paw through the silky strands of her light brunette locks, it'd grown so much since she first arrived in the lair. Little ears flicked back and forth as he passed over them with his palm, much like Shiho, Aanika loved being petted.
"Guys, I just got off the phone with April. Shiho's going to have an ultrasound done by April's cousin. Who wants to go?" Donnie asked as he came down the stairs, keys in his hand. Fiona and Saundra were the first ones at his side with elated giggles. Splinter chuckled and nodded.
"Dude! Me! I wanna go!" Mikey said, eagerly waving his hands in the air as he jumped to his feet.
Raph chuckled after closing up the training room, wiping his face with a towel. "Me too."
Splinter leaned down to pick up Aanika and settled her against his side. "We want to go as well."
Everyone's attention then turned to the lounging blonde fox that was cleaning under her nails. Of course, she acted like she was absolute royalty after being so used to being spoiled by Marcus her entire life. When she felt all the eyes on her, she looked up and feigned to not have heard Donnie.
"I'm sorry what?"
Exasperated, Donnie sighed. "We're all going uptown to watch Shiho's ultrasound. You can stay if you want but we're all going."
"Why is everyone so uppity about Shiho being pregnant, anyway? Women get pregnant everyday, it isn't that big of a deal. But I suppose I can go."
Disgruntled, Splinter grumbled and moved past the stuck up blonde to join his sons. He said that she was allowed to stay but it was only to make Michelangelo happy, that didn't mean he had to like her. Or her attitude.
"Uhh…the big deal, Missy, is that we didn't even know she could get pregnant in the first place. I don't know if you know this, but Leo isn't exactly human. So it's kinda big for us. Sheesh, you're such a brat," Raph snorted as she stood and linked her arms around Mikey's bicep. They all rolled their eyes when he blushed like a fool. Saundra was the first one to actually growl and turn on her heel to be out the door. No one understood Shiho's frustration more than her sisters when it came to Magdalena, they might have accepted her but they still hated her. While they were sleeping in cold, blank rooms Maggie had her own bedroom in Marcus' home and was spoiled rotten.
Granted, he never liked her either but that didn't seem to matter to them. Maggie still had it made her entire life while the rest of them suffered.
"Dudes, let's just go! We get to see the little dudes!"
The quartet of friends had made their way uptown to Linda's private practice suite. Shiho was a ball of nerves and Leo was, without a doubt, worse. This entire experience was completely new and foreign territory to the turtle. The trip up in the elevator was tense and silent, Shiho holding Leo's hand the entire way. He felt guilty, he was supposed to be the strong one of the two. The rock for Shiho to lean on. But, Shiho didn't seem to mind which mde him feel that much worse.
At the elevators, they were instantly greeted by a woman in a doctor's lab coat.
"Wow. Judging by the baby bump you must be Shiho. Hi, I'm Linda O'Neil," April's cousin was delicate looking woman, thin and tall but so very pretty with the signature O'Neil red hair. She wore square framed glasses on the bridge of her nose in front of devastatingly green eyes; Shiho thought she was just lovely. Already, Shiho felt an enormous wave of comfort with this human and gratefully shook the hand that she had politely extended.
"Hi Linda. This is Leonardo, you met his brother Donatello, I think."
"I did. Such an extremely smart young man he is. And Leonardo, April tells me that you're the father?" Leo was always nervous when it came to meeting new humans. It was just a habit that had been pegged and deeply routed since he first met April. Gulping, he nodded with a shaky smile. Bright red lips pulled over perfect teeth in a smile as Linda placed an affectionate hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry, I'm no stranger to the odd workings of nature. But I must say, Shiho, you are something marvelous, a red fox hybrid. Oh how wonderful!" She said, leading both the mates and April and Casey back into an exam room in her private practice. Shiho's tall ears flattened in embarrassment at the gushing. "Your creator, who was he again? I believe we met at a conference once about twenty years ago."
"Oh…Marcus. Marcus Silver."
"Ah yes, of Silver Inc. Such a shame he went off the deep end. Now, I'll just need you to lay down up here after you undress and put this gown on. I'll be right back. April, Casey? Come with me so they can have privacy," Her voice disappeared behind the slow moving door as it closed. Leo and Shiho sat in stunned silence for a moment, a cotton hospital gown with blue dots clutched in her hands. She didn't even notice Linda put it in her hands.
"She talks a lot doesn't she?" Leo said, staring at the door. Shiho had a crooked brow, staring at the same door strangely.
"Uh-huh…anyway, hold me up while I take my pants off will ya? If I fall, I won't be able to get back up...like a turtle!" Leo chuckled and grasped onto her arm as she undressed. He never got tired of seeing her exposed tummy when she took her clothes off. The soft, flawless skin didn't have a single stretch mark thanks to that wild yam rub Donnie gave her.
Stripping down to her cupcake bra and panties, Shiho shivered in the chilly air of the office. She slipped the cool gown over her head but he stopped the fabric before it covered her bump. Leo always took every chance he could to kneel down and press two kisses against her, no one would ever understand how truly blessed the ninja felt just seeing that his babies were actually there and growing every day. Though his hands were rough from years of handling his katanas and training, his touches were soft and gentle against her delicate skin when they caressed across her belly.
"You alright, Leo?" Shiho asked after a few moments of silence, her fingers grazing against the back of his head. Leo seemed completely lost within himself.
"Yeah. I'm fine, just saying 'hi' to them," He rose back up and kissed Shiho on the nose before lifting her up onto the exam bed where she laid against the backrest. A gentle knock on the door stirred the parents from their haze as it opened and Linda came back inside with an exhausted look on her face.
Shiho giggled. "Wait, don't tell me...I know that look. His brothers are here?"
Linda slipped her hands into a pair of latex gloves with a snap. "How can you tell?"
"Shiho has the same look on her face every day." Leo chuckled and moved out of the way to the other side of Shiho as his brothers and her sisters all piled inside the room, gathering around the physician. Splinter entered last, tapping his way inside with April and Casey in tow. Aanika was on Raphael's shoulders, her small hands resting on his head as she wiggled excitedly. Shiho flashed an agitation glance in Saundra's direction when she realized Maggie was there. Silently, the gecko mouthed an apologetic "Sorry" with a shrug of her shoulders.
"Boy…you've got quite the family, Shiho."
"Heh, you can say that again." Leo brushed violet bangs away from her face to help her relax as Linda covered her legs and pelvis with a sheet, pulling the gown over her belly.
"Okay, Donnie, turn the machine on for me please and hand me the transducer probe," Donnie was more than eager to oblige as he flipped a few switches to turn on the machine and the monitor, handing probe to Linda. "Okay Shiho, this gel is going to be cold. Just hold still, I didn't have time to warm it up."
"EEK! You weren't kidding!" Shiho shrieked when the clear, thick gel was applied to her skin. Instantly, goose bumps covered her stomach.
"Why you gotta put that goo on her, Doc?" Raph asked, holding onto Aanika's wriggling legs to keep her from falling.
"It helps the sound waves carry a lot easier inside Shiho's body. This wand—" Linda held up the transducer and pressed it firmly but gently against the gel into Shiho's belly. "Sends sound waves that bounce off whatever is inside. See? Already we have…baby number one."
All eyes were on the grey and white image as Linda moved the wand. Leo couldn't believe it; he was seeing one of his babies as it was still growing. Splinter felt a warmth rush through him seeing the in-time image of his grandchild, he couldn't help but become misty eyed.
Anxiously, Aanika wiggled on Raphael's broad shoulders. "Uncle Raphh, what's that?!"
"Babies, kiddo. They're inside your Mama's tummy and growin'. Now hush, before I give ya a big ol' noogie." Shiho glanced at her red masked brother and winked with a giggle. He knew how to handle Aanika in her hyper spells.
"Alright, this one might be taking after Shiho. See the spine?" Her long finger traced the outline of the baby's spine. "It continues on and narrows out to what looks to be the bones inside of a tail. Now, little one, let's see what you are."
Leo looked down at Shiho who was practically crying rivers. This experience was what she wanted all along, seeing her offspring while surrounded by her family with Leo's hand squeezing hers. Not like that terrifying first ultrasound in Marcus' lab where there was no love, no smiles, no happiness. He's seen her wear dozens of different smiles before, but this smile she had was unlike all the rest. Soft and serene in blissful peace. The grin grew even wider as Linda moved the transducer down her belly.
"Ah-hah! We got a girl. And right now, she's sitting with her feet down. See her toes?" Simultaneously, the entire family ooh'd and aww'd, all except for Maggie who sat in the corner with her arms and legs crossed. She really knew how to be a wet blanket. "She looks like she's developing right on track. Alright, let's get on over to baby two."
"Linda, do you have any idea about when she could go into labor?" Donnie asked, adjusting the pulse controls to make the image clear. Linda kept her eyes on the screen as she looked at the size of Shiho's bump and analyzed the infants inside.
"It's hard to tell with the real mix we have going on here. But, they're a pretty good size already; I'm going to say she should start feeling contractions in the next four to five weeks maybe. But, then again, Shiho is my first hybrid patient, I'm guessing here." Violet eyes darted upwards to find the orbs of amber for answers. Leo didn't have any and tried to soothe her worries with a kiss to her forehead.
"Hopefully, it'll happen soon because I think baby two is taking after Dad here. See, there's a definite outline of a carapace. Now, I can't say for sure but the consistency of the shell should be soft enough to not cause any damage during birth," Leo's eyes boggled, Shiho had a split down the middle pregnancy. "I see five toes and fingers on this one but I can't quite see the gender. Little bean has their legs crossed."
Leo wasn't too disappointed that he couldn't find out the sex of his second child, he still had the overwhelming excitement that he was able to at least see them. His beak nuzzled against Shiho's ear as he squeezed her delicate hand to keep from falling apart. Warmly and quietly, he whispered into the soft fur."Thank you…"
Even Raphael found himself having a hard time keeping his own tears at bay. Obviously, the sisters were a blubbering mess with Mikey. Figures. They all passed around a box of tissues and blew their noses.
"Casey, are you cryin', man?!" Raph cackled.
"NO! I just have a sty or something, shut up!"
"Boys, please. Let Miss Linda continue with her examination." Splinter intervened with a tap of his staff into the floor. Mikey sniggered as he wiped his face.
"Mmk, I'm going to take a listen to the heartbeats and do a few measurements. Donnie? Can you man the keyboard?" The purple masked turtle saluted proudly and squeezed through his brothers to the keyboard to turn on the heart monitor. Instantly, the room was alive with muffled thumping sounds that nearly brought Leo to his knees. Even Magdalena found herself amazed, hearing the heartbeats made it real.
"Wow! We have some powerful little tickers in there. Good job, Mom."
The ride through the streets after the appointment was a loud one, April and Casey had driven home in their van while the rest of the hybrids and turtles climbed into the armored truck. The girls, excluding Maggie, were gathered around Shiho as she held up her ultrasound photos. Leo and his brothers were all huddled into the front with Splinter as they exchanged good wishes. Shiho and Leo kept meeting glances over their families and exchanging little smiles and winks.
They'd had their adventures and wild rides but none of them were quite like the one they were about to take. The turtles had travelled to different dimensions and went through time and space but had never been more excited about anything until now. Their kind wasn't going to disappear with them, they were going to have some remnants left behind when they were gone and the idea alone was enough to satisfy them all.
"What're you gonna name 'em, Shiho?" Saundra said, looking at the photos as they were being passed around.
"Yeah! You have to think of a name!" Fiona piped. Shiho chuckled and bounced Aanika in her lap to keep her from squirming. She hadn't thought much about the names, her and Leo hadn't discussed it yet. Not knowing the gender of one of the babies hindered part of the decision making.
"Not sure yet. Might just have to wait until they're born, girls. Oh Aanika, is that a yawn I just saw? I think you're going to bed once we get home," The young fox pouted and dramatically went limp in her mother's arms. She knew exactly where she picked that up from and reached back to smack Michelangelo behind the head.
"OW! What'd I do!?"
A walk through the tunnels and getting everyone settled down had left both Leo and Shiho exhausted, ready to just crawl into bed and sleep for two days. After singing Aanika's favorite lullaby and tucking her in, the mates at last retired into their room and shut the door. Immediately, Shiho slipped into her cool, silk nightie and crawled into bed. Leo finished taking off his gear and took a moment to just look at her in the glow of their candle light on the nightstand. It was true what the humans said about pregnant women, they absolutely glowed with beautiful radiance.
"Heh, what Leo?" She said, rolling onto her side with a pillow under her belly and another between her legs. Leo shook his head and clambered in beside her, his large hand petting the side of her face and said nothing. The pad of his thumb grazed over her glossy lip before leaning his head down to kiss her.
"Nothing. I love you, Fuzzball." Shiho smiled something sweet and slipped her hand to the back of his neck and kissed him again. When their lips met, Shiho's mind raced all the way back to the beginning to the first night she woke up in this bed, completely terrified. Leo was the first and last thing she saw that night, she never thought back then that she'd be where she was now. Mated, pregnant, surrounded by family, and happy. Those were four things Shiho never thought she'd see in her lifetime. But here she was, in bed with her savior and participating in a heart melting kiss.
"I love you, too Domehead." Leo rolled his eyes with a grin as he shuffled down to kiss her tummy twice.
"And I love you guys, too. My little legacies."
What a sap.
A/N: I think I'm going to dip back into the Italian Rennaissance with the names here. Not too sure yet but I have a few lined up in my head? So? How am I doing? YOU GUYS NEED TO REVIEW FOR ME! I can't go on without reviews D: Look at me, dying here. Hahaha, anyway. We're almost done duckies!