*I do love a good holiday...that should be pretty obvious. This Christmas, there's more reason to be thankful than usual. The song included has nothing to do with the season, but it felt appropriate nonetheless. It's called "Up to the Mountain", by Patty Griffin. If you haven't heard it...you need it.
Michelangelo woke up naturally, without any sense of urgency to escape the comfortable warmth of his bed. He couldn't hear sounds indicating that anyone else was up, so it had to be early yet. The orange-masked turtle opened his eyes to see the grey overcast dawn, and turned his head to look at Rebecca. The young woman was sleeping soundly, a fact for which he was profoundly thankful. Most nights her sleeping pattern had been extremely fitful; whether it was more related to his sickness or the pregnancy, he didn't know.
Mike glanced at the oxygen tank in the corner. He'd been using the supplemental air for several days, and his blood oxygen level had finally stabilized to the point that Donatello had allowed him to sleep without it.
I hope he got some sleep too, he thought ruefully. I could just see him staying awake all night, watching his scanner to make sure that I was breathing properly on my own.
The turtle looked back to the cloudy sky, and sat up slowly when he realized it was snowing. He grinned as he got to his feet and approached the window for a closer look at the scene outside. Snow for Christmas. It doesn't get much more appropriate than that, does it? He crossed the room to get to the door, and listened at the entrance to the hallway. I don't hear anything. Shell, you can bet that will be short-lived. By this time next year, Reina and Olivia sure won't be letting anyone sleep in.
He cast one more look at Becky before sneaking down the hallway. His body felt stiff and unused, but it was getting easier to breathe on a daily basis. Mike still felt like he could burst at the idea that whether he was going to live or die was no longer in question. The turtle stopped inside the Great Room, shaking his head at the incredible sight of the light snow coming down through the gigantic floor-to-ceiling windows. It actually took him a moment to notice all of the Christmas loot strewn across the room, making the evergreen tree look like an island in the middle of an ocean.
Yeah, Santa's got our zip code all right.
He was startled when the kitchen door popped open, but he smiled when he saw Caleb. "Dude, you're quiet. I didn't think anyone else was up."
"I haven't been for very long," he replied. "Merry Christmas."
"Hey, you too. Were you thinking about digging through the presents like me?"
The man chuckled. "No, just getting a moment of sanity in while I can."
"You learn quick." Mike snorted.
"Would you like some tea?" Caleb offered. "I just made some for myself. It would only take a minute."
"No, thanks. I'm good for now." He peered at the rusty-haired man for a moment before continuing. "Are you doing okay this morning?"
Caleb nodded. "So, so. I'm definitely feeling Susan's absence, but I'm grateful not to be alone. I think being surrounded by the chaos will actually help matters." The older man walked over to the couch, throwing a look outside as he clutched his mug closer to his chest. "It's beautiful out there, isn't it? Susan was always thrilled to see snow, even when it didn't stick to the ground. Just the sight of it coming down was enough for her. We stood a much greater chance of seeing it here on the mountain than down in Asheville."
Michelangelo sat down on the couch beside him. "Do you think it will feel weird to go back to the Institute after all this?"
"I don't know if weird is the word. I think I would be returning to the Institute with a greater vision than I've ever had. My eyes have been opened to possibilities that I never knew existed. I've learned so much over the last three months, even things that I can apply to legal research. I'm so excited in one sense that I want to get started right away, to find out if the receptor blocker/inhibitor can achieve the same success against the Wnt pathway in humans. This kind of breakthrough could save a lot of lives. At the same time, I don't enjoy the thought of all of you leaving."
"You could come to New York," Mike pointed out. "Your equipment is portable, this we know. Are you attached to this Lab in Asheville?"
Caleb shook his head. "I'd only been there a few months, so I wouldn't say that exactly. It's something to think about, I suppose."
"Is there anything else tying you down here?"
"I have colleagues, investors...But money can be found from many sources, if a project is worthy enough."
"Why don't you consider it?" he asked. "I mean, no one's gonna push you to make a choice. We still have a couple of months left here anyway, don't we?"
"Yes, we do." Caleb ran his fingers through his hair with a chuckle. "I've gotten pretty accustomed to being around the noise and life of this group. The thought of being alone after getting a taste of this is almost enough to make me ill."
Mike touched his arm tentatively. Physical contact was a barrier they hadn't crossed often, even with the close proximity the two had kept during the months of research and treatment. "It's up to you, Caleb. There's pretty much always room for one more as far as we're concerned. We'd love to keep you around, but at the end of the day, it has to be what you want."
Caleb gave him a sad smile. "I have a lot to consider."
"No pressure." Mike patted his shoulder. His head turned as he heard someone coming. He glanced down the hallway to catch Becky stretching, and the young woman waved at him. "Morning, Beck. I didn't wake you up, did I?"
"No, I set the alarm on my cell phone to make sure I'd be up before Karina. The casseroles are already in the fridge, and they simply have to be transferred to the ovens. I figured I could handle that alone."
The orange-masked turtle wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed the woman deeply. She returned his embrace, holding onto him for a long moment. Mike took the opportunity to study her eyes, and saw exhaustion as clearly as if she'd addressed it out loud.
"Becky," he said reproachfully. "You're trying to do too much."
"I'm perfectly capable-"
"You're going to rest today. Period. You said the casseroles need to go in the oven?"
"Karina left the handwritten instructions on the fridge," she replied hesitantly. "But they cook at different temperatures, for varying lengths of time."
"I can handle reading." Mike grinned. "So sit back, enjoy the snow, and I'll only be a minute."
Caleb trailed him into the kitchen, and the man immediately headed to preheat the double ovens.
"What temperatures do we need?" he asked.
Mike pulled the paper off the fridge. "350 and 400...And the potatoes have to cook longer."
Caleb turned on the ovens and headed for the cabinet that housed the mugs. "They've been giving Rebecca the red raspberry leaf tea, haven't they?"
Mike nodded, and the man withdrew a packet of herbs.
"I'll start steeping them. I can throw the casseroles in the oven when it's ready too, if you want."
"The potatoes have to cook for like twenty extra minutes."
"Got it. Just wait for the tea, and then you can join your wife. This is a really important time for the two of you, and you ought to be enjoying it."
I am, thanks to you, Mike thought inwardly.
The Great Room was a glorious mess, but no one appeared to care for the moment. Olivia was still finding more joy in ripping up wrapping paper than she was in playing with any of the new toys. Karina had started picking up after the little turtle, but didn't have the heart to completely ruin Liv's fun. The two border collies looked like they were finally worn out from their frolicking, and were sacked out on the floor a couple of feet away from the hearth.
Michelangelo felt like peace had wrapped him up in a warm blanket. The relative calm after the "storm" of opening gifts and eating was comforting in itself, but even more so because of where his spirit was. It's still amazing to think that after everything we went through, we've got an answer.
Donatello was looking at him, and it spurred Mike to give him a casual smile.
"What's up, bro?" Mike asked.
"It's been a long year, hasn't it?"
Michelangelo laughed. "You mean between you getting hit by a car and following the Akiudo to Okinawa, to coming home to my issues and the earthquake? Yeah, Don, I'd call that a long year. It's a good thing it's almost over."
"That ain't even all of it." Raphael scoffed. "You've completely forgotten the most important part, that both of you should be paying attention to right now."
Mike was confused until he noticed the red-masked turtle motion in Olivia's direction. Olivia was standing on her legs unaided, a feat she'd been performing for several weeks.
"C'mere, Kouen," Raphael encouraged her, holding out his arms. "I know you're ready. You've been rocking back and forth for two days. C'mere so daddy can get you."
The little turtle's amber eyes stared back at him imploringly, and she raised her arms in a gesture to be picked up.
Karina got down on the floor beside the baby. "You can do it, angelito. C'mon."
The three steps the 11-month-old took to get to her mother left Mike a little breathless.
The young woman squealed with delight as she swept Olivia off the floor. "You're such a big girl, Liv!"
Olivia gave her a toothy grin, clapping her hands excitedly as Karina boosted her up in her arms.
"That's right, Liv, give yourself a hand," Raph said. "That was really good, kid."
Karina handed the squirming baby over to her father and ran off, presumably to tell everyone else within hearing distance.
The blue-masked turtle got to his feet to pat Olivia on the shell. "Good job, Liv. I can't believe she'll be a year old next month. Training comes next," he added impishly.
"You just can't wait to dig your claws into my kid, can you?" Raphael scoffed.
"It'll be a joint effort, won't it?" Leonardo returned. "She's going to need her dad to teach her most of this stuff."
"I never saw myself as a great teacher," Raphael admitted.
Mike was surprised by the honest confession, which only made him realize how concerned the red-masked turtle was. "Shell, Raph, you've been helping teach Jen things for years. And what about Greg and Bran? You work with them too."
"He picks on us you mean," Greg said dryly.
"It's different with them," Raphael insisted. "Liv is younger and more...vulnerable."
"You didn't think you'd be a good father either," Donny reminded him. "And you are. You just need to start with the basics, and work her way up from there. It's the same thing that Sensei did with us."
The mention of Splinter caused a jolt of longing to fill Michelangelo. I wish he could have been here to see Liv, that he'd have a chance to know my kid. He cut the thought off quickly before he had a chance to get emotional. I don't want to cry today. I've done enough of that over the last few weeks. I just want to be happy because I'm going to live, and my bros won't have to go through this.
He suddenly noticed Jenna quietly strumming her guitar from the corner. There had been some group singing earlier on, but now the woman appeared to be stealing a private minute with the instrument.
"Is your wife okay?" he asked Donny.
His brother nodded. "She's fine - Jen said she was figuring out a part." Donatello raised his head in her direction. "What are you working on, Jen?"
"It's not mine, and it isn't Christmassy," she returned. "It's just something running through my head."
"Let's hear it," Mike requested.
Jenna came over to sit on the edge of a chair, with the guitar strap still resting over her shoulder. She ran her fingers over the strings a little bit more strongly as she settled into a rhythm. Mike watched the other women gathering up behind the couch to listen, but Jenna didn't appear to notice them. The raven-haired woman smoothed dark locks behind her ear, and picked up the melody where she'd left off. Jenna spent a few seconds building the notes up again before starting to sing along with them.
"I went up to the mountain
Because you asked me to
Up over the clouds
To where the sky was blue
I could see all around me
Everywhere
I could see all around me
Everywhere
Sometimes I feel like
I've never been nothing but tired
And I'll be walking
Till the day I expire
Sometimes I lay down
No more can I do
But then I go on again
Because you ask me to
Some days I look down
Afraid I will fall
And though the sun shines
I see nothing at all
Then I hear your sweet voice, oh
Oh, come and then go, come and then go
Telling me softly
You love me so
The peaceful valley
Just over the mountain
The peaceful valley
Few come to know
I may never get there
Ever in this lifetime
But sooner or later
It's there I will go
Sooner or later
It's there I will go…"
Mike had been listening to Jenna, but felt himself drawn to look at Caleb, who almost looked overcome. When he saw the older man slipping out of the room, the orange-masked turtle rose to follow him. He caught up with him as Caleb entered the back sitting room, and called the man's name.
By the way Caleb jumped, he probably hadn't realized he was being followed.
"Sorry, dude, didn't mean to scare you."
The man laughed softly. "I should be used to it, shouldn't I?" Despite his smile, he couldn't hide the emotion that was threatening.
"I'm sorry for intruding, Caleb. I wanted to make sure you were okay."
"You're in blessed company, Michelangelo, and I know you appreciate them. Don't ever let go of that."
Mike acted against his natural inclination to honor the personal barrier that Caleb had erected months ago and hugged the man. Caleb blinked in surprise, but didn't try to escape him.
"I wouldn't be here at all without you," Mike told him.
Caleb shook his head. "I feel like I owe all of you a great debt."
Mike grinned. "That's an ongoing argument with all of us, Caleb. You'll have to get used to that too."