Chapter 4: Joy and Sorrow
A/N: I know it's been a long time since I updated this story, but now I have inspiration and am going to work on this one again. We don't see much of Kirby in the show, so I thought it would be cool to delve into his feelings about what happened to both of his daughters. Thanks to those who have read and reviewed thus far. Your kind words mean the world to me.
Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. I only own the plot of this story and nothing more.
"Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. O'Neil," the doctor said. "You're going to have twin girls."
Kirby O'Neil was the happiest man alive. He had dreamed of the day he would become a father, and now he was the father to not only one but two girls. "Is this real?" he asked his wife, Lauren.
Lauren smiled at her husband. "It's very real, sweetie," she said. "We're going to be parents."
"I can't believe it!" he exclaimed. "I'm going to be the father of two girls! Wait until I tell the people at work!"
"I'm sure they'll be happy for you," his wife reassured him. She gazed down at her stomach and smiled. "I can't wait to see these little ones for myself. We'll have to think up names for them."
"All in due time, dear," Kirby said. "Right now, we need to celebrate."
She laughed. "Yes, we do, and I know just how we can do that."
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"C'mon, honey, push!" Kirby urged. "You're almost there."
Lauren grunted and kept on pushing, trying to bring her daughters into the world. It wasn't easy, but Lauren wasn't about to give up. She wanted to see her beautiful girls, and she was going to do it. She gritted her teeth and gave one last push. She gasped as she heard one cry and then another a few minutes later. Her girls were here!
The doctors tied the umbilical cords, and Kirby cut both of them. Then the babies were cleaned and then wrapped up and returned to their mother's arms.
"They're so beautiful!" Lauren breathed. "Hi, little ones. I'm your mommy."
"And I'm your daddy," Kirby added as he kissed both girls on their little heads.
"What are you going to name them?" the doctor asked.
Lauren smiled and pointed to the baby on her right. "This little one is going to be April Marie O'Neil," she said. "And the one on the left is going to be Robyn Lynn O'Neil."
"How are we going to tell them apart?" Kirby asked his wife.
"Oh, I'm sure we'll find a way," she reassured him. "There's no way they're going to be dressing alike. That will just confuse people."
Kirby nodded. "Yes, I can see what you mean," he answered. "I'm just so glad they're here, and I know they'll be so good to each other."
"They're twins," said Lauren. "They're going to be so close, and they'll love each other as sisters should."
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"Come push me, April," four-year-old Robyn begged.
"I'm coming," April called as she ran to the swing her sister was on. "You have to pump your legs, Robyn."
"Can you push me first?" Robyn asked her.
"Okay, but then I'm going to show you how to do it," April replied. She pushed her sister, and her sister giggled as she went high in the air. This happened for a short time and then April got on her own swing and began to pump her feet.
"April, help me!" Robyn begged. "I'm slowing down!"
"Just pump your legs," April replied. "You can do it. Just watch me."
Robyn watched her sister and copied her, and soon she was flying just as high as April was. She laughed, and April laughed, too. They were having so much fun together.
"I love you, April," Robyn said.
"I love you, too, Robyn," April replied.
"And we'll be sisters forever, right?"
April nodded. "Yeah, we'll be sisters forever."
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"Daddy, can we go on the horses?" April begged. She pointed to the merry-go-round that was spinning around.
"Sure, honey," Kirby replied. He led them to the ride and helped them to choose two white horses. He stood in between them so they wouldn't fall off and held them. As the ride began, the girls giggled as they bounced up and down and hummed to the music that was playing. At one point, Robyn reached out her hand to April who took it and smiled. They continued holding hands until the ride was finished and then Kirby helped them off.
"Was that fun, girls?" he asked them.
"That was awesome!" April said.
"Yeah, I loved it," Robyn said. "My favorite part was when we held hands."
"I'm glad you liked it," Kirby told them. "We'll have to do it again sometime."
Both girls cheered and were happy when Kirby got them ice cream. It was a perfect ending to a perfect day, and they would remember this day as long as they lived.
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Kirby sat in his office, hardly daring to believe what was going on. How could this have happened? April and Robyn were sisters! How could something so sweet and precious be torn apart instantly? Now one daughter had been sent away for her actions and the other was feeling guilty about all of it as though it was her fault. Steeling himself, Kirby figured that maybe spending some time together would help April. He left his office and went to his daughter's room. The door was open, and April was lying on her bed, a morose look on her face.
"April, I know you're feeling horrible about what happened, but you can't blame yourself for it," he said gently. "How about if we spend some time together and go to a movie?"
April looked up at her father. "I guess we could do that," she said.
"Great," Kirby said. He figured it would be the thing that would help mend the wound April was feeling. Plus, it would give them time to spend together since they hardly saw each other that much.
But what Kirby didn't know was that it would change their lives forever.
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"Dad, how could you bring her back?" April demanded.
"Her doctors say she's doing great, honey," Kirby told her. "I thought that since she's doing so well, she could come home and spend time with you."
"I don't want her here!" April snapped. "She tried to kill me, remember?"
"Yes, April, and she's sorry for that," answered Kirby. "You saw how she apologized to you. Why can't you forgive her? You two used to be joined at the hip."
"Because I don't trust her, Dad," replied April. "She's up to something, and I'm the only one who can see it."
Kirby ruffled her hair. "I think you're imagining things, sweetie," he said gently. "Just give her a chance." Before April could protest, he kissed her forehead and left for his office to do some work. He knew it was going to take April some time to come to terms with what happened, but he felt that Robyn was doing great and that the sisters would resume their relationship just as they had when they were younger.
It was all going to be okay.
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Kirby paced the floor of the apartment, worry building in his chest. April still hadn't come home, and now he was worried. He had called Donatello, hoping that the Turtle would give him some information, but Donnie stated that April had left them for home. With a sigh, Kirby headed to Robyn's room and wondered if maybe Robyn would be able to tell him what had happened to her sister.
"Robyn, I need you to come clean," he said. "Did you do something to April?"
"No," Robyn answered. "I know she went with her friends. Maybe they did something to her."
"I just talked to them, and they said she left to come home. Are you sure you didn't see her?"
"I'm positive, Dad," Robyn insisted. "I was here the whole time in my room."
"Okay, sweetie," said Kirby. "Thanks. But if you think of something, let me know. It's very important."
"I will," Robyn promised.
Kirby left and thought about what Robyn said. She certainly sounded like she was telling the truth, but he had his doubts, too. The phone rang, but it was only Crestwood explaining that the trial visit was over and that Robyn needed to come back because the doctors still weren't sure she was cured yet. Kirby knew Robyn wouldn't like it, and he was right. She screamed at him, telling him she hated him and that he was a horrible father. It hurt Kirby to hear that, but he had to do what was best for Robyn.
But after he left his daughter at the facility he couldn't help but wonder how all of this could have gone so horribly wrong.
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Kirby went to Robyn's room, tears filling his eyes. "Robyn, your sister's body was found in a hole," he said. "I know you said you don't know anything, but I want you to try and remember. Where were you that night?"
Robyn glared at him. "I told you that I was in here, Dad. I have no idea where April went or what happened to her. Someone probably killed her because people do that all of the time. But if I find out who did it, I swear, I will make sure they pay."
"No, you'll let the police handle it," Kirby said gently. "I'm sure they'll catch whoever did this."
"I hope they do," Robyn said firmly.
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The funeral was one of the worst days of Kirby's life. He never thought he'd be burying his daughter. Robyn was with him but was pretty much concealed so no one saw her. There were cameras there and one of them focused on him and Robyn. Kirby saw it and immediately covered his daughter's face so she wouldn't be exposed. No one else knew that there were two daughters, and he intended to keep it that way as long as he could.
He sat in numb silence as the funeral progressed and held Robyn's hand. Her face was etched in pain, and he could see that she really had loved April and was probably sorry for all that she did to her. Yes, Robyn had definitely changed, and it was this moment that caused him to make the decision to keep her at home.
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"So, what do you think of the Turtles?" Kirby asked his daughter.
"They're nice," Robyn said. "I kind of thought it was weird when you said April was friends with mutant turtles, but they aren't that bad. I think they'll be great friends for me."
"Just make sure you don't tell anyone about them," Kirby warned her.
Robyn smiled. "Don't worry, Dad, I won't," she promised. "Their secret's safe with me."
"Good. I'm glad you're going to be friends with them. We owe them so much."
"Yeah, we do," Robyn agreed.
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Kirby watched as the flames engulfed the antique store his sister had owned and the apartment above it. How could all of this have happened? He was thankful the Turtles had made it out, but he was sad about Robyn. She was likely dead now, and though he was furious at her for trying to kill the Turtles, he was also heartbroken. Now he'd lost two daughters and was truly alone in the world.
Leo put a hand on his shoulder. "We're sorry for your loss, Mr. O'Neil," he said softly. "No parent should ever have to go through that."
"Thanks, boys," he said gently. "I'm sorry she tried to kill you. If I had known that was her plan, I would have shipped her back to Crestwood. I feel like I've failed you."
"You have not failed, Kirby," Splinter reassured him. "Robyn did this on her own, and she hid her plan so masterfully that you would have never known about it. You are a wonderful parent, but sometimes children can go astray even with the best guidance. Just take comfort in the fact that you did all you could for her."
Kirby knew Splinter was right, but that didn't stop him from still feeling guilty about all of this. It was his fault, and there was nothing he could do about it.
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Kirby hurried into the Lair and to the infirmary where the Turtles were. They had just suffered a terrible ordeal, and Kirby wanted to know what was going on.
"It was Robyn and her boyfriend," Leo told him. "They trapped us and tried to kill us."
"They had cyanide in the building," Donnie added.
"You believe us, don't you?" Mikey asked, his blue eyes begging for Kirby to believe what they were saying.
Kirby nodded. "Yes, I do believe you," he said. "I didn't know Robyn had a boyfriend. She never really talked much about her life in Crestwood, but it doesn't surprise me that this would happen. I believe she's still out there, and we have to do all we can to bring her to justice. She can't get away with this."
"Kirby, you must accept that there is a possibility Robyn will not survive this war," Splinter said. "I know it is hard for you to think about it like that, but you must come to terms that sometimes a fight will happen."
Kirby nodded. "I don't want it to come to that, but I accept that if Robyn is going to try and kill your sons, I would rather they kill her than to have them die. Your sons have done so much for my family and are like a family to me, too. I don't want to choose between them and Robyn, but I accept that she's beyond help. She needs to be stopped, and if that means she dies for that to happen, I'm willing to accept that even if I may not like the idea of it."
"We are glad to hear it," Splinter said. "You are still welcome here at any time."
"Well, I do have to live here since my apartment isn't ready yet. But thank you, Master Splinter. It means so much to me that you're willing to accept me despite everything Robyn has done."
"You are April's father as well, and she was a fine young girl," Splinter replied. "We are honored to have you in our lives."
That made Kirby feel better, and he put thoughts of Robyn out of his head as he had dinner with the Turtles and Splinter. But he knew that she was out there and that she'd have to be stopped one way or the other. It hurt Kirby to think that way after everything he'd done to make sure his girls had a good life, but he knew that Robyn was dead anyway. She wasn't the daughter he thought she was and had too much hatred in her to ever be cured.
And that was why she needed to be brought down by any means possible. As long as Kirby could think of her as dead, it would be easier to deal with. He wasn't alone. He had the Turtles and Splinter, and though he'd give anything to have April back, at least he could find comfort in the mutants who had been her dearest friends. He had to move on and mourn for Robyn later. That was all he could think of right now.
"Mr. O'Neil, are you okay?" Donnie asked him.
Kirby snapped out of his thoughts. "Yeah, I'm fine," he answered. "I want to see that new invention you've been testing after dinner."
Donnie's eyes lit up. "Sure," he said.
And just like that, all thoughts of Robyn disappeared from Kirby's mind as he listened to Donatello prattle on about his latest invention. He wouldn't focus on the past and would focus instead on the future.
But as he settled into bed that night, he pulled out a picture of April and Robyn when they were four years old. How happy they had been! How had it all gone wrong? He began to sob for the daughters he had lost. Neither of them were coming back, and Kirby wished with all of his heart that he could change things. But this couldn't be changed, and all he could do was remember how it used to be and how things would never be the same again.
He put the picture away and settled down to sleep, trying to focus on what was to come next. Whatever happened, Kirby knew he had to be strong and do what was best for himself. Once this was over, Kirby figured he'd take a trip to Ireland to visit. He'd never been there and maybe it would be a way to get away from all the turmoil.
But what Kirby didn't know was that his life was going to change yet again, and it wasn't going to be a good thing for any of them.
A/N: And that's the end of another chapter. Yep, a bit of foreshadowing for Game of Lies and what's to come, though I'm not going to say what that is yet. You'll have to read more of Game of Lies to find out what happens. In the meantime, feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.