"It might be a good idea for you to move down here for the time being, April," Leo said, crossing his arms across his chest.

"What?" April said.

He knelt to face her, his face solemn. Since she was sitting down, April found herself looking straight into his eyes, and felt uneasy at what she saw there. "I know you really value having your own space — and it was kind of irritating for you when you stayed with us last time," he said. "But it might be safer for you to live in the lair, at least until the baby is born."

"Safer?" April said, her brow crinkling.

"The Foot Clan knows about you, April. Shredder knows that you're our friend," Leo said ominously. "If they see that you're pregnant, and there's no sign of a human father… they might figure out that one of us is responsible. And if he found out, the Shredder wouldn't hesitate to use you and the baby against us."

April's eyes widened, and her hands automatically pressed to her stomach. Panic bloomed inside her at the thought of what Leo was saying. She had seen personally what the Shredder would do to people associated with the Turtles — her shop had been blown up and burned down in the past because of him. He would unflinchingly use an innocent child if it allowed him to kill the Turtles — assuming he didn't hand the baby over to a Foot genetics lab to be dissected. She couldn't let that happen.

"There are other dangers as well," Master Splinter said, stepping out of his room and shutting the door firmly behind him. April looked for any sign of Don, but saw nothing before the door slid closed. "Like Agent Bishop."

Leo's face became grim, and April felt her stomach clench. Bishop was a monster — a psychopath who had nearly dissected the Turtles, and would have succeeded if she, Casey and Splinter hadn't come to rescue them. His goal was to create an army of super-soldiers to fight against aliens, and he thought the Turtles' mutations could help him in his quest. If he learned that the Turtles were genetically compatible with humans, he would do anything to get ahold of her baby.

No, it might be even worse than that. If he learned of her baby's existence, he might also try to recapture the Turtles in order to breed more mutant infants from them — mutants who were partly human, and who could be more useful in his research. She couldn't let that happen to them. Just the thought of them in his grasp…

"Do you think he's watching April too?" Leo asked Splinter, breaking through her thoughts.

"I do not know, but it would not surprise me," Splinter said grimly. "And there is one other who may have an interest in April's child. I believe his name is Sarkis."

A chill went through April, bringing back the memory of a cruel face looming over her and Don in the cell. "You know? Did Don tell you?" she asked.

"He did, the evening after your rescue. He did not tell me everything that transpired during his captivity, but he said that the Dragons had captured you on the orders of a sorcerer named Sarkis, who was searching for a mutant turtle who was a child." Splinter's shaggy brows drew together. "I previously believed that he was simply in error, since my sons are the only four mutant turtles. But now—"

"You think he meant my baby," April said, dread creeping through her.

"We must learn more of this man," Splinter said, gripping his walking stick. "I will make inquiries with some who may know of this Sarkis, or may be in a position to learn more. But for the time being, Miss O'Neil, it would be best if you remained close to the lair as much as possible. It is not safe for you to be alone."

"I'll start packing as soon as I can," April said quietly. She cast a glance at Splinter's room. "How… how is Donnie? Is he all right?"

"He is having difficulty accepting this new development," Splinter said, looking somewhat downcast. "I have left him to meditate for a time."

"I can't blame him for having trouble with it," April said, closing her eyes. "He was right. It really should be impossible."

"Or perhaps, it is a miracle, Miss O'Neil," Splinter said softly. He placed his hand on her belly, as if bestowing a blessing on what was inside it.

April opened her eyes again, looking down at his hand. For a moment she imagined her baby as it looked now — barely formed, a tiny fluttering life floating in her womb. As it grew larger and more defined, what would it become? What would the offspring of a human and a mutant turtle look like? She had no idea, and knew that no one else did either.

"When can I see him?" she said quietly.

"When he has grown calm again," Splinter said. "I think you will have much to discuss when he emerges. In the meantime, we must begin preparations for April's time with us." He cast a significant look at Leo, who nodded slightly. April wasn't sure what that exchange meant.

Splinter was about to answer when the shoji door slid open, and a rather ragged-looking Donatello emerged, with Raphael standing behind him, clutching his elbow and guiding him out. Don's eyes met hers, and she saw a whirlwind of emotions behind his eyes — as if he had hundreds of things to say to her, but none of them were making it to his mouth. His arms bent slightly and his hands clenched, as if he wanted to reach out to her — and she felt herself respond, wanting to reach out to him — wanting him safe in her arms, comforting him —

Splinter placed a hand on her shoulder, and spoke quietly to all four of his sons. "Miss O'Neil will be staying with us for the foreseeable future, both for her own safety and for the safety of her child," he said. "We should begin preparations as soon as possible."

"I can't — I mean, it wouldn't be right of me to kick one of the guys out of his bedroom for however many months I'm here," April said.

"I agree," Mikey announced.

April couldn't blame Mikey for feeling that way — he had lent his room to her for some weeks the previous year, and hadn't been particularly happy about it. But before she could speak up, Raph smacked Mikey's head from behind, an irritable scowl on his face. Mikey yelped and rubbed his head.

"Don't worry, April," Leo said warmly. "We've figured something out that should work for all of us." He swung around to face his brothers, suddenly all business. "Mikey and Don, we need you guys to start clearing out the storage room. It doesn't matter where you put the stuff in there, as long as it's somewhere else. Raph and I will help April pack everything she'll need in the Battle Shell, and bring it back here."

April started to protest that she could do the packing herself — she mainly needed her clothes and toiletries, and those wouldn't take long for her to pack. Besides, she could make trips back to the apartment if she needed to. But a chill ran through her as she remembered what Splinter and Leo had said about the Foot and the E.P.F. watching her. Suddenly it seemed a lot wiser to bring two trained ninjas along.

"I'll be up at the Battle Shell in a minute," she said quietly.

"We'll be waiting," Leo said, as he and Raph stepped into the elevator that led to the surface. The aqua doors closed in front of them, and they were gone.

"Come on, Don," Mikey said, seizing his brother by the shoulders and directing him toward the far end of the lair. "We have a storage room to clean up. And I'll give you all the juicy details while we work."

Don stumbled a little, then leaned back against Mikey's grip. "What are you talking about?" he said, seemingly thrown off by Mikey suddenly pushing him around.

"I'm talking about the latest Justice Force comic book. You wouldn't believe the plot twist at the end—"

Before they leaped up onto the second level, Don glanced back at April, and once again she was left with the feeling that he desperately wanted to speak to her, but couldn't find the words. His dark eyes were overflowing with it. For a moment, she thought he was going to reach out to her, or say something about what had happened to them. But with a sigh, he turned away and leaped up onto the second level, with Mikey just a step behind him.

Disappointment threaded through April. She looked up the place where he had been standing for a moment earlier, running her hands over her arms. Was he upset that she was pregnant, that he was going to become a father? She couldn't blame him if he was — the baby had been conceived in the midst of pain, humiliation and rape, and both of them had been forced into intercourse. It might be a living reminder to Don of something he was trying hard, so very hard, to move past.

And he might not want a baby even if it hadn't been conceived in that cell. April had never talked to him about the subject of children, since Don had been convinced that he couldn't have them. But he was only seventeen, after all — not at an age where he should be thinking about having them. And he had no experience with babies. Perhaps he didn't like them.

"Does Donatello's silence bother you?" Splinter's soft voice said.

April was jolted out of her thoughts. "I — sorry, Master Splinter. I was just thinking that — I don't know if Don wants the baby." Her shoulders hunched slightly.

Splinter frowned. "Do you have a reason to believe he will not?" he asked.

April shook her head.

The mutant rat sighed, and lifted April's chin so that she was looking in his eyes. "One thing you must always realize, April, is that you will never be alone in this. The child you carry is Donatello's, meaning that you have joined our family in a more tangible way than ever before. He, his brothers and I will all support and care for you both in every way we can — and I promise you, you and your child will never lack for love as long as our family is here."

April felt tears welling up in her eyes. With an inarticulate moan, she collapsed forward onto Splinter's shoulder, and felt his thin arms clasping around her.

"My child, my child," he murmured, stroking her back. "There is no need to be afraid."

"But — Don —"

"Donatello has suffered great pain and great loss of late," Splinter said quietly. "The wounds of his spirit are not easily healed, and he has been frightened by news that he cannot understand. But he loves you deeply, and I think that when he has grown calm once again, he will return to you and demonstrate that love." He smiled softly. "And I think that he will want your child as much as you do."

April felt sobs rising in her chest, and her fingers dug into Splinter's shabby robe. "I do," she whispered brokenly. "I do want it. I just — I'm afraid that when Don sees it, thinks about it, all he'll be able to remember is how it was conceived."

"He loves you," Splinter repeated. "His love has not wavered because of the violation you both shared. Trust in him, Miss O'Neil. His spirit is strong."