Chapter 22

"Check up"

Sparks flew across the garage in bright, white hot streaks. Raph had given up on wood working and was trying a new medium in his attempt to repair the furniture for the babies, welding, and so far he loved it. It wasn't something he was new to. He had used the skill many times when helping Don or Casey with the cars. Matter of fact he was quite skilled with it. So far he had made all four legs for the rocking chair, though he hadn't figured out how to put them on yet. And he was now finishing up the last of the missing rungs for the crib. Turning off the torch he flipped up his face guard to inspect his handy work.

"Yah. That's what I am talking about." He grinned as he inspected the home made rung. He had been using scrap metal. Which needed to be smoothed down and probably wasn't FDA approved for cribs but he was close to out of options. He would make sure it was safe and had no sharp edges or places for little fingers to catch. But right now he needed a break.

Lifting his arms above his head he stretched and let out a loud yawn. Then not bothering to put the tools away just yet he stood and walked into the main part of the layer. The only person occupying the space was Mikey watching T.V. .

"Where is everybody?" Raph asked as he headed for the kitchen.

Mike looked over the back of the couch. "Umm… Leo and Splinter are in the dojo, probably meditating on the drone issue or something and Arayah and Don are in the lab."

Raph stopped and looked toward the lab, a twinge of jealousy bubbling up, simply because she was spending time with someone other than him. "What are they doing?"

"I don't know." Mike Shrugged and turned back to the T.V..

Raph considered the possibilities, which didn't help quell the Jealousy that seemed to be bubbling up faster than he could stomp it down. She hadn't been avoiding him since the kiss she had so feverishly planted on him a week ago. But honestly He had been avoiding her, he hadn't really thought to much about her excuse for kissing him when he had been holding her in his arms drowning in her scent. But, when sleep later eluded him, her reason had consumed him. What kind of excuse was pregnancy for kissing someone anyways?

He marched himself into the kitchen and got himself a glass of water, after checking the sprayer for a rubber band and then removing said rubber band.

He took a sip of the water as he leaned against the counter. 'If she wasn't interested, fine. She needed to keep her hands and her stupid excuses to herself then.' He took another sip. 'And if she couldn't because of… whatever than...than… what?' He still wanted her, still longed to touch her, protect her, feel her warmth in his arms, and in his attempt to avoid her, he was finding he missed her. Raph sat the cup down on the counter. "Damn."

He pushed himself away from the counter and walked toward the lab, shooting Mikey in the back of the head with the rubber band he had taken off the sprayer. He found himself feeling overly pleased with Mikey's yelp and grumble.

Without knocking He pushed open the door to the lab.

Arayah was lying back on top of one of Don's lab tables. Her shirt lifted up to her ribs, her tonfa strapped to her legs and her jeans unbuttoned and unzipped, emphasizing how much her belly had swollen. It wasn't so much that someone that didn't know about the pregnancy would really notice, but it was enough that she couldn't button her pants over it anymore. April had maternity clothes but with the drones marching through the sewers and Bishop on the surface, they hadn't been able to get together to get them. Raph didn't know how Arayah felt about not fitting in her jeans but he thought she was beautiful and he wanted so badly to touch her despite her apprehension in regards to him, which brought him to why he had come in to the lab in the first place. His attention went to what Don was doing.

He appeared to be tinkering with something Raph couldn't identify, nothing out of the ordinary or suspicious. Raph's jealousy began to subside and he relaxed.

"Well, according to the big bang…" Donatello started to answer some question Raph hadn't been privy to.

Arayah looked down at Don and raised an eye brow. "You realize the likely hood of the big bang is less than 0.01 per cent over four billion years. "

"Yes." Don answered, then glancing at his brother greeted him, "Hey, Raph."

"Hey." He walked up to the table. "What are you doing?"

"Trying out the ultrasound." Arayah smiled up at him. "Do you want to see?"

That smile made his heart skip a beat then tighten. Raph shrugged. "Sure."

"So you believe we were created by an unembodied deity that spoke everything into existence?" Don asked, continuing his and Arayah's conversation.

"No. I believe in….. what is it called when you know about different religions but you just don't give a flip?"

"Athiest?" Raph guessed.

"No, that is the belief that there is no god." Donatello corrected then turned back to Arayah. "I think you are referring to Agnostic... actually that is a person who claims neither faith nor disbelief in God. I'm not sure if that applies to just not caring." Don made a couple more adjustments to the ultrasound machine.

Don sat back in his chair as he thought. "If you don't care why would you bother to look up the numbers?"

"In high school I got into trouble for beating up on the debate club kids. So the principle made me join the debate club to better learn empathy. At one point we debated the big bang vs creation." Arayah said with a shrug.

Raph chuckled. "Miss 'be kind to others' used to beat up on nerds?"

"I wasn't always nice. We gotta out grow our teenage angst at some point."

"I still beat up on nerds." Raph grinned as he leaned against the table Arayah was laying on.

"Why am I not surprised?" Arayah rolled her eyes.

"When do you beat up nerds?" Don asked his brother making another adjustment to the machine

"Every time you step into the dojo." Raph's grin widened.

Arayah couldn't stifle the laugh that choked out. "Sorry, Don."

Raph beamed triumphantly at the fact he had brought the beauty next to him to laugh.

Don rolled his eyes. "Whatever, meat head."

Arayah chuckled again.

Raph frowned at his brother, who just shook his head.

"Don't dish it if you can't take it, Raphie." Arayah grinned as she gently elbowed Raph teasingly, regaining the surly turtle's smile.

Feeling the ultrasound was ready Don placed the transducer probe on Arayah's lower belly and then he typed something into his computer. His eyes widened with amazement at what he saw. "Wow."

Raph's smile faded. "What's wrong?"

Don quickly typed something else into the computer.

"Don?!" Raph snapped.

"Look." Don hit one more button and the largest of his computer monitors lit up. The thrumming of two tinny heartbeats filled the room.

Raph and Arayah just stared at the two little hybrids that showed up on the screen. It was very different than what Arayah had gotten a glimpse of in Bishops lab. Back then they had simply been two little odd forms with hearts beating away. Now they were much bigger. Little limbs squirmed and kicked about. Eye sockets could be seen and carapaces that spread from the ribs had almost finished fusing.

"What's that noise?" Mikey asked from the door way. He looked a little worried. The fast beating sound could have something to do with those machines that wondered about the sewers, and then running about his overly imaginative dreams. He was hoping he was wrong.

"My kids." Raph said his voice thick with the emotions that filled him. Surprise, joy, pride, each beaming from the large smile that had spread across his face. And suddenly he understood Casey's excitement when he had brought those blurry little pictures to show them.

"Really?" Mike hurried into the room and looked at the screen. Pointing out one of their little tails he chuckled. "They have tails even."

"Leo, Sensei!"Raph called over his shoulder. "You guys gotta come see this."

Raph turned back to Don. "Can you send this to April and Casey?"

"Sure." Don set to work typing some commands into the computer so it would start recording.

Leo and Splinter hurried into the room to see what Raph was hollering about.

"Whats up?" Leo asked before the screen caught his eye.

"Are those my grandchildren?" Splinter asked awe filling his eyes as he approached the visions on the screen.

"Yep." Don answered as everyone crowded around the monitor.

He began moving the probe around. Looking at more specific similarities and differences between the twins as well as what attributes they shared with their parents.

"We only have a rough idea of conception, but even still it would appear they are developing a little faster than they would if they were fully human, but slower than they would be if they were fully turtle. They are presenting at about three months, give or take, but you couldn't have conceived more than two months ago. I think you will be delivering before you reach nine months."

"One doesn't seem to be forming a plastron." Arayah pointed out, a little concerned.

Raph looked between Arayah and Don. "What does that mean, Don? Is there something wrong?"

Don considered some of the other differences between the two, such as head shape, the facial bone structure, the number of fingers were different for each as well. He adjusted the frequency so he could view organs. Again there were obvious differences. Though he couldn't make out exactly what was what at this point. Though they, hopefully, had everything they needed at this point in development, the organs were small and hard to decipher between.

"I think there are differences because of however Bishop did the fertilization. If he cloned one and filled in any 'gaps', so to speak, but combined your genetics on a more even scale with the other it could account for the differences. We'll keep a close eye on them though." Don explained, giving the two parents a reassuring smile.

Raph considered the endless possibilities of Bishop's intentions. Concern etching its way into his features as he tentatively slipped his hand up over the small swell of Arayah's belly. He didn't want to be pushed away from her, not again, and especially not in front of his family. But the desire to be closer to this… situation, this on coming change that was becoming more and more real with each passing day, trumped what fed his apprehension. So much had lead up to this moment, so much confusion, hurt, fear. What would he have to offer these two growing whispers of life? What promise of safety, nourishment, or sustainability did he really have to give them without her? His father had done it. But it had not been easy, and here in this moment he understood the worries and suffering his father had endured on behalf of him and his brothers. One thing was for curtain he did not want to do it alone.

Arayah's hand ever so gently stroked his cheek drawing his attention.

"Are you ok?" Arayah asked, her brow furrowed in worry. Had he changed his mind, now, after nothing could be done? What would she do then? Sure she intended to be a part of this as perhaps a separated parent might take their child every other weekend. She had grown enough confidence and attachment to at least try. But as far as raising them, teaching them, training them to survive… she had intended on leaving that to Raphael and his brothers. Had he not said that between the lot of them that things would be fine?

"I want you to stay." He said softly.

That wasn't what she had expected him to say. "What?" Arayah gave him a confused look.

"You said you would carry them for me, be their mother… but that doesn't mean you're planning to stay here."

"You mean after their born?" Arayah asked as she sat up.

"Yes." Raph retracted his hand from her belly and leaned on the table looking up at her. Hope foolishly dashing across his eyes for just a moment.

The moment was quickly shattered when Arayah started to shake her head.

Raph was growling before she had a chance to give more of an answer. Had she not been the one that kissed him this last time? Given him some reason to hope, to think that maybe she had changed her mind?

"What the fuck's you're problem?" He growled.

Arayah gave him a shocked look before narrowing his eyes. "Besides the fact that I would like a little of my life back?" Arayah asked.

"It's all about you and what you want ain't it?" Raph hissed.

"No."Arayah argued. Not caring for the implication that she was selfish.

"Bull shit!" He snapped.

"Fine, what do YOU want, Raph?" She snipped as she slid off the table and pulled her shirt down over her belly.

Had he not just told her what he wanted?

"You!" Raph stepped up to her, and quickly continued before she caught on to what he had just admitted. "From the fucking beginning it's all been about you. Everything has evolved around you and what you want. You ain't got no, fucking, idea what I've done for you, what I deal with for you. And for what?!"

Arayah's features hardened. "I'm sorry, I am pretty damn sure you didn't crawl out of the fucking sewers for me, Raph! I didn't bring Bishop into your life…"

"The hell you didn't. You walking into my life in that fucking pizza parlor, princess, IS why I crawled up from the fucking sewers. So yes Arayah it has, like I said, evolved around you from the beginning."

Princess? Arayah blinked at him for a moment as she switched from the condescendingly spoken word to the mention of the pizza parlor. "That was you?" of course it had been, the motorcycle she had appreciated, the way he had covered himself so not a bit of skin had shown. Why hadn't she put it together sooner? "You left the money on my window sill."

Suddenly feeling guilty for not letting his pride go on the matter of the money he had owed, Raph took a step back, the look he was giving her confirming her suspicion.

"How did you know where I lived?" she asked, suddenly feeling violated. "Did you follow me?"

Raph shook his head. He knew it looked bad. Like he was some sort of stalker. His answer came as a horse whisper. "No."

"Then how!?" She screamed at him.

Raph actually jumped at the sound of her anger. "I had your name. I just had Don…"

Arayah looked at Don. "You helped him?"

Don couldn't deny it, so frowning, he simply gave a silent nod.

Arayah shook her head as she looked over the four brothers. "You bastards. I wouldn't be here, pregnant and stuck in this fucking hole in the ground if you sons of a bitch had just… no" A sudden realization struck her. "I helped you." Arayah said turning back to Raph her eyes piercing strait through to his soul.

"No good deed goes unpunished, huh?" Mike said with a frown.

"Obviously not." Arayah drawled out, then glaring at Raph she stormed past him and out into the main part of the layer.

She was beyond pissed. And she wasn't sure what pissed her off more, the fact that he had stalked her, the fact that she had apparently brought this all upon herself by being nice, or that he was right and it had all evolved around her.

"I can't believe him. Why would I want to stay down here? Someone please give me one good reason." She grumbled to herself as she stormed across the layer.

And the universe, or God, or whatever other powers that Arayah had chosen to ignore, decided to answer in a loud and clear "BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!" that suddenly sounded from the lab as well as Donatello's phone.

"We have a breech!" Donatello announced.

"Move!" Leo ordered everyone into the motion of their escape plan.