A/N: Oh gosh, Sciencegal, I laughed so hard at your comment. XD Yes. Yes, Raph did. And I agree, Zathura. If anything, romance is really important-so neither parent feels like the child(ren) is/are coming between them. :)

Now for some brother/sister fluff. :D

December 14
1:36 P.M.

Ever since Michelangelo learned that babies could hear inside the uterus, he'd taken to talking to Nia's bulbous stomach. Whenever they'd pass, he'd say high to all three people—his little nieces or nephews included. Really, he couldn't help himself.

Especially when his sister was having a bad day.

"Your mama looks tired," Mikey said. He sat by the entrainment center in April's living room, yet spoke so loud across the cluttered coffee table that Nia squirmed on the couch.

"Don't get them riled up again," she whined.

"I can't help it if they get excited. They like they're Uncle Mikey. Right, guys?"

Nia sighed, caressing her stomach that stretched her high-waist dress. "If I throw up, it's going to be on your half of the work."

"Not cool, Dudette!" The mutant hopped onto his knees. "We spent so much time on this storyboard. I inked all night!"

The artist sent him a dry look. "Frankly, My Dear, I don't give a damn."

"Hey, you can't use movie quotes to counter me. That's my shtick."

"Uh-huh." Nia sunk back in her seat. She looked paler than usual, so Mikey stood.

"Should I call Donny or Mel?" he asked.

"No. I'm fine."

"Doubt that."

"Well." She sighed. "These kids like to party on my bladder. I'm craving taquitos still, but every time I eat them, they come right back up. My back's killing me. My feet are starting to swell. I just feel exhausted and—I…"

"Growing babies is a tough job, Ni," Mikey said with a small smile. "I think you're doing great so far."

Burping, Nia leaned her head against the couch's backrest. "Thanks, Niichan."

"And yet I get the feeling there's something else bothering you."

"I don't know…"

"You aren't the only one with super senses. Come on. Tell me." The mutant rounded the coffee table to kneel beside his sister. She took up the furniture's length, but he let her know it was okay by stroking her hand.

The touch lured her gaze from her knees. She stared at Michelangelo with brown and teal eyes, which glistened under the dimmed lights.

"I—I don't want to upset you," she whispered.

"I'm a ninja. Think I can't handle it?"

"I'm just being emotional."

"No dice." Mikey's grip tightened around Nia's hand. "Keeping things buried is bad for you. And this time, you aren't the only one who feels the effects."

Nia glanced down instantly. Perhaps her babies had moved, to prove their uncle right. "I…can't sleep well. So, I end up just laying in bed…thinking."

"So your thoughts bother you?"

"Yeah."

"What kinda thoughts are ya having?"

The artist ignored the mutant's playful smirk, lips downturned. "Lately? About Leo."

Mikey swallowed. Hard. His stomach sank; however, he maintained a smile for his sister's sake. He said he could handle things, so he would, even after tears slipped down Nia's cheeks.

"I—I miss him," she continued.

"I do too," Mikey said through a tight throat.

"I—it isn't right. He should be here. For this. Them." Her free hand slid against her stomach. "New members are entering our clan and he…he's gone."

"Feels a little hollow, doesn't it?"

Nia nodded with a loud sniffle.

"I get ya. Unfortunately, that's…that's not our call."

"It's his. Which makes this worse."

"What do you mean?"

Breaking Mikey's hold, Nia brought her hands together, wringing them. "I—I was just beginning to know him before Black Lotus happened. I mean, Raph and I had barely started dating. He told me, not long after I started work at Warner-Frost, that I would—would always have a place with you.

"But wh—what if this isn't what he wanted? What if he never really liked the idea of me with Raph? And he comes back and decides you should never mess with humans again? Wh—wh—what if thinks these babies are a mistake?"

"No, Nia." Mikey paused when the young woman's tears broke into a sob and he captured her hands again. "Your babies are his family. Understand? No matter how broken he becomes, he'll never forsake them."

"You've read his letters," she cried. "We—we lost most of them in the collapse, but…I remember. He'd talk about plants and weather and lost time and detachment. He's…He could change by the time he comes back."

"We have to believe it'll be for the better when he does," Michelangelo said, firm. "If we lose faith, what losers would that make us? Yeah, we…we couldn't help him heal. We aren't at his side to watch him stumble and find his path again. But we can be there in spirit. Even though he didn't seem to care when he left, I let him know that…because he's my brother. I'll always have faith in him."

"Yo—you think he'd be alright with me as a sister?"

"He'll tell you as much when he returns."

"Why must the wait be so long?"

"Beats me." The orange-masked Chunin smiled. It was a taxing action he could only manage for several seconds. Then it fell, his gaze lowering from Nia's pained expression to her pregnant belly. "He'll love these little dudes or dudettes, Sis. Just like I do."

"I hope so…"

Shot nerves. Gosh, did they make Mikey tingly and tired. He could only imagine how heavy his sister felt. 'We've worked enough on the comic. She needs rest.'

Mikey could think of only one way to help. He resituated on the floor, so the base of his skull rested on the couch cushion. Nia stared blankly in return and he spoke towards her belly like an old friend,

"Wanna hear a story? I'm great at those. And I think your mama could use one." He glanced up, noted his sister's thankful nod, and then continued in a gentle voice, "Once, when your Uncle Leo and I were teens, we met a superhero named Nobody."