* Ahem. I forgot to mention a few chapters back that I don't own anything related to the TMNT. But I think you knew that. ;) Today's chap will be your last chance to breathe for a while...so enjoy it.
Michelangelo was comfortable and warm, possessing no desire to move from underneath the covers. Rebecca was lying so close to him that he could feel her steady breathing. The orange-masked turtle opened his eyes, and found the young woman in the exact position in which she'd fallen asleep, brushing the side of his plastron. Light brown curly hair was splayed around her face, and he imagined he could see a halo while she slept.
Mike could remember life before Rebecca. It had only been a little over a year since he'd met the woman through a series of unlikely circumstances, and he had fallen in love with her. He'd been prepared to live without a companion before, even after all of his brothers had someone of their own. Now the thought of living without Becky was one of the most heart-rending things his mind could conceive.
She was less upset about the "episode" I had than I thought she'd be. Shell, it's not like Beck's mad at me for being sick. She just wants to know that Donny and the docs are doing everything they can.
Over the last week since the incident Mike had been through numerous minor tests, but he wasn't looking forward to the eventuality of the biopsy Luke had told him about. He'd felt normal for the most part over the last couple of days, except for the paranoia that was lingering in the back of his mind. Mike hadn't asked about returning to training, and he honestly wasn't in a hurry this time.
Mike had found small ways to limit himself further, to help keep everyone else satisfied. Going to bed sooner had been an easy concession, because Rebecca had taken to retiring to their room earlier in the evening. He couldn't help but wonder if her new "tiredness" actually had more to do with getting him to sleep sooner, but he didn't mind the extra alone time with her.
If it was up to Mike, he would have enjoyed lying there with her for several more minutes. The desire had no sooner flickered through his mind, than the sound of Olivia crying washed over his consciousness. It wasn't extremely loud, but Rebecca slept almost as lightly as he did. It only took a few seconds before the sound of the baby's crying rapidly retreated, yet Becky was already stirring.
Michelangelo was grinning by the time her blue-green eyes focused on him, and a smile immediately played on her lips as well.
"Hey, Mikey," she said a little sleepily.
"G'morning. Did you get enough sleep?"
Becky lifted her head. "Mmhm. I don't remember waking up once. You?"
"I always sleep better when you're with me."
Rebecca nuzzled his cheek, then she started to sit up the rest of the way.
"What's your hurry?" he protested.
"My back." She groaned. "I don't know what the deal is. I must have slept wrong at the hotel, because my lower back has been bothering me ever since."
Mike gave her a pained look. "Maybe stretching would help. I could show you a couple of things."
Rebecca nodded. "I'll try anything once, Mikey. Let me change into something decent, and we can look into that."
Mike rose from the mattress as his wife headed for her dresser drawers. "Do you want some breakfast first?"
Rebecca shrugged. "Maybe some toast. Last weekend didn't do me any favors, Mikey. I've had heartburn almost every day. I guess I should be eating better."
The young woman pulled a long sleeve shirt over her head, and paused for a long moment in front of the mirror. Her posture screamed of insecurity, and Michelangelo hated it. Rebecca didn't allow the nerves to show often, but the turtle knew how self-conscious she still felt sometimes. Rebecca was built differently than the other girls, and she had a bad habit of comparing herself to them. Becky was the shortest of their human friends, standing only a couple of inches taller than Mike. It was a perfect situation as far as he was concerned, but height wasn't the true issue.
Rebecca had muscular legs that resulted from physical therapy for an old injury, but she was slightly stocky. Calley had a strict dancer's form, and Karina's workouts maintained the figure she'd attained as a long-time dancer as well. Jenna was no better. Becky found all three women striking in their own way, and she had told him more than once that she didn't belong in the same category as they did. Even with the confidence Rebecca had gained in the last year, Michelangelo knew that her self-image was going to take more time to heal.
He silently walked toward his wife, and took a position behind her. The orange-masked turtle ran a hand over her curls, and wrapped the other arm around her waist. Rebecca glanced over her shoulder at him, and leaned against the turtle after a beat of hesitation.
"Sorry, I know I'm doing it," she said softly. "I'll stop obsessing."
"Obsess all you want, just make it over the right stuff," he said lightly, and then squeezed her tighter. "You're beautiful, Beck."
She smiled at him in the mirror. "You're sweet, Mike."
"But you know it's true."
Rebecca turned around, and she allowed the turtle to wrap both arms around her. Michelangelo sighed inwardly, as he caught himself wishing that she could just see what he did when he looked at her. Holding her felt so right that he couldn't bear to let go for a little longer, and she didn't seem to be in a hurry either.
"Let's go see what Olivia was carrying on about," Rebecca finally said.
In a flash, the self-depreciating girl who never felt good enough was gone, replaced by the strong yet calming presence that she normally projected. Rebecca's fingers played across his wrist as she pulled him toward the door, and Mike grasped her hand as they headed downstairs.
"Aw, look. The lovebirds are up." Raphael smirked from the living area, but was quickly apologetic. "I hope Olivia didn't wake you."
"I was already awake, Raphy," Mike assured him.
"And I needed to be up," Rebecca added. "Your brother's going to help me fix this issue with my back."
Raphael's eye-ridges rose. "When you need someone to teach you for real, come look me up."
The red-masked turtle easily ducked the couch cushion Mike chucked at him.
"I taught you a couple of things the last time we were on the mat," Mike challenged.
"Again, I was goin' easy on you, Chucklehead."
"Enjoy that excuse, bro, 'cause you can't use it forever."
Raphael gave Karina a lop-sided grin as the woman breezed through the living area rapidly and raced up the stairs. Karina was running a little late, or at least that's what she'd proclaimed when she woke up that morning. Olivia was playing with a set of plastic rings at Raphael's feet, and using the couch to pull herself up occasionally to get a couple of cheerios from him.
The TV was on as usual, but he wasn't really watching it. Raphael raised a hand in greeting as Calley came down the hall. The young woman paused to lean against the back of the recliner, and automatically tossed the fringed bangs out of her eyes. Raphael nearly chuckled again with the remembrance of how quickly she had asked Karina to cut the extensions out of her hair after the last show. Calley's signature short style had emerged once more before that evening was over.
"Cutting your hair might have been jumping the gun a little," Raphael teased. "What if the next people want you to have the extensions too?"
Calley rolled her eyes. "I'll cross that bridge if I get there."
"Will you find out anything for sure today?"
"The meetings are informational up front, but they'll probably start in on another set of try-outs the last half of the day."
Raphael shook his head. "I don't see why you should have to try out again, what with the show you already put on."
"It's a standard practice, Raph."
"I don't care. After seeing you last time...You were really something else, sis."
Calley smiled, and her shoulders rose awkwardly. The young woman had never been very good at accepting compliments, but at least she was trying now. She came around the front of the chair as Olivia babbled in a continuous string of sounds that almost seemed conversational. The young woman sat down while the baby crawled her direction, and Olivia balanced on her knees to show Calley the plastic rings she was grasping in both fists.
"Those are nice, Liv." Calley laughed as the seven-month-old smacked the rings together a couple of times, obviously enjoying the sound.
Karina flew back downstairs, and paused behind Raphael. "Sorry I'm so rushed this morning, Raph, but Calley and I really need to get going."
The turtle stood up to draw her face toward him, and kissed the woman goodbye. "I'll still be here when you get back, Kari, for a while anyway. Fearless and I are probably gonna run a patrol tonight."
"Well, you're being 'daddy' all day, so you deserve some play-time too." She chuckled, and bent down to reach Olivia on the rug. "Goodbye, angelito. Be good for Daddy, and Mommy will see you later."
Karina kissed Olivia's forehead, then nodded at Calley. "C'mon, hermana. It's time to get ourselves to the surface."
"Ain't you forgetting something?" Raphael held up a set of car-keys with a grin, and tossed them into her cupped hands. "You won't get far without the keys, Kari."
"You're forgetting something else too," Leonardo called, as he strode swiftly down the hall. "I wanted to walk you guys to the van entrance."
"Keep 'em safe, Leo," Raphael offered tongue-in-cheek.
Not long after they'd left, Olivia's small hand tapping his leg got Raphael's attention.
"Dadadadada." She gazed at him plaintively with wide amber eyes.
The turtle reached for the forgotten bag of cheerios. "Sorry, Liv, you want some more?"
Raphael got down on the rug beside her, and offered Olivia a few more pieces of cereal. He'd come to love these quiet moments, as much as he enjoyed the rest of his family. By the time Leonardo came back the cheerios had been abandoned again, and Raphael was relishing the sound of her giggling as he raced a toy car around her.
The blue-masked turtle leaned casually against the couch. "It's too bad you don't like your kid, Raph."
Raphael threw a grin his direction. "Yeah, this really sucks, Leo. You should try it sometime."
Leonardo chuckled. "I wouldn't oppose it. Olivia's getting bigger so fast, and I swear it sounds like she's trying to talk to us."
The two oldest turtles spent the remainder of the morning alternating between entertaining Olivia and ribbing each other. The other boys had mostly been out of the way with their own wives, but a little after 12, Donatello and Jenna finally emerged from the Lounge. The young woman had been playing with some piano parts for a new song; an exercise that she and Donny often did together.
Jenna flashed Raphael and Leonardo a smile as she strolled through the living area. "Anybody getting hungry yet?"
Raphael cast her a wolfish look. "Is that a trick question, Jen?"
"Do you have something in mind?" Leonardo asked.
"Not really. I think I'll just see what strikes my fancy," Jenna replied, and hooked an arm through Donatello's. "Do you feel like helping me, Don , or do you need to get back to real work?"
Donny shook his head firmly. "I told you I wanted to spend some time with you."
"Atta-girl, Jen, a little manual labor will never hurt him." Raphael laughed.
Donatello shot him a dirty look, just as the red-masked turtle was picking Olivia up again.
"I think this girl is about ready for a nap. You want your bottle, Liv?"
The baby kicked her legs lightly as he carried her into the kitchen to retrieve one of the prepared bottles from the refrigerator. Jenna was already riffling through the fridge when he got there, and she handed over a bottle when she saw him coming.
Raphael stuck the bottle into the warmer on the counter, and frowned as Olivia squirmed harder in his arms.
"Settle down, Kouen, you're takin' a nap. I'm not gonna have you being all grumpy when your Mama gets home."
Raphael balanced Olivia on the counter top, and kept an arm around her while he waited for the bottle to finish heating. The turtle was just reaching pull it out of the warmer, when a sudden powerful jolt underneath him nearly made him lose his footing. He gasped in surprise as he braced against the counter more firmly with one arm, and yanked Olivia up with the other. The strange sensation didn't end with the initial jolt, but continued in shaking so hard that he was afraid to even try to move.
The deafening roar of what sounded kind of like the subway filled the room, and he clutched the baby tighter against his plastron, as if the floor could disappear under them at any moment. The next thing he knew, the entire room went black.