So I probably won't go too much into reimagining "Hope" because I feel that I did a great job with it already. But now the difference is that Donatello is Karena's doctor, so I'm going to write that story in Donnie and Lily's point of view. It'll also be interesting because the Hamato cousins are going to school together one last time because Lily is graduating college at the end of that reimagination. I also never went too much in depth about April's pregnancy at the beginning of the story, so I may include bits and pieces of that as a flashback here.

Also, SIXTY. CHAPTERS. WOOT!

Lastly, some news... the reason why these chapters have a longer wait to them is because... I'm writing a book! Well, a book of daily devotionals. I've had a passion for writing ever since I wrote "Catastrophe" over 10 years ago and after praying about, I realized it has always been my spiritual calling. I think I need the most prayers on how to publish it on a budget.

But for now, enjoy this chapter!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to "TMNT," "Meet the Robinsons," nor "Toy Story." I only own Lilianna, Ryan, Venus, Athena, Karena, and Justine.


June 17, 2044 - New York City, New York, USA

DONATELLO'S POV

April and I finally settled into the lair after a week of moving our things back in. Lily returned to Todayland after helping us move back in with the rest of the family. April and I had spent an amazing twenty-five and a half years in North Hampton, growing together in our marriage and raising our daughter together. Now, we were back home and we were happy to finally be back with our family without having to leave again.

I heard knocking at my lab door. I turned to see Venus standing there.

"Hey, Venus!" I greeted her with a grin. "Come in!"

"Thank you. Could we talk?"

"Sure!"

Venus closed the door behind her and walked towards me. I gestured her to sit down on another chair.

"What did you need to talk about?" I asked.

"My greenhouse," Venus explained. "I'm moving to Todayland with Athena for college and I'm worried all the flowers will wilt in there without someone to take care of them."

"Venus, do not worry," I assured her. "I will take care of the greenhouse for you."

"You would do that?" Venus asked, sounding surprised. "I was going to ask my mom, but if you're--"

"Insisting, and yes, I am insisting," I replied with a kind smile. "I do teach biology, after all. Flowers and plants are part of that category. Sometimes I'll use them for my medicines. I may end up using the greenhouse for that."

Venus chuckled.

"I totally forgot about that. Well now wait, does that mean Athena and I will be your students again?"

"Yes, that's exactly what that means. Ryan was my student last semester."

"Ryan has told me about it. He enjoyed having you as a teacher so much more than he did as a kid."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah, he said you made that class fun to do the work in and he learned a lot. It's no wonder you're the head of the department. Athena's really excited to be in your class."

"Well, thank you! I hope I will be able to inspire you both."

"I have no doubt you will."

We smiled at each other.

"I should get to work in the greenhouse," Venus said.

"Go ahead. Karena's coming over for a prenatal appointment, so I should get ready for that."

"Prenatal? What does that mean?"

"It means before baby. I get to show Karena what her baby will look like inside her today. I also get to see if the baby is growing alright."

"I've never seen anything like that before," Venus replied.

"Are you sure?" I asked with a raised brow. "You didn't study it in school?"

"It was talked about, but I've never actually seen it with my own eyes."

I pondered this information.

"Why don't you watch me do this appointment with Karena?" I suggested. "It's actually really cool to watch a baby grow inside the mother. Now, Karena will be looking normal today since she's only eight weeks pregnant, but her belly will eventually stick out as the baby grows bigger."

I paused, still feeling skeptical Venus had never seen a pregnant woman before. Venus was eighteen years old, turning nineteen in just two short months.

"Are you sure you've never seen a pregnancy before? Like in videos or in books?"

"I'm sure, Uncle Donnie. Mostly because my dad discouraged me from that happening to me."

I frowned. Sure, Venus was a mutant. Her chances of finding a man to love and marry were slim. But it didn't mean it absolutely could not happen.

"Oh, Venus, I'm so sorry you went through that," I spoke with a sad voice. "I understand how you feel. Your dad usually discouraged me from trying to make romantic gestures towards Aunt April. And hey, I proved him wrong!"

Venus gave me a half-smile.

"I somehow feel more hopeful because you and Aunt April made your marriage happen. But perhaps my dad is right. I'm a half-Salamandrian, half-mutant-turtle living in a world full of humans."

"That never stopped you from going to high school and trying out for the color guard," I reminded her with a confident grin. "But Venus, it is totally okay if you choose not to get married and have children."

Venus widened her eyes.

"Really?"

"Yes, it is. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Now if you do find a man to love and marry him, then we all, even your dad, will be happy for you. But the only one who can define your life is you."

"I know marriage is not likely to happen to me, and that's okay. It might happen to Athena."

"It might," I affirmed her. "Or it might not. When it comes to living your life, only live yours, alright? Comparing yourself to another woman is not a very good habit to grow into. It will hurt you more than inspire you."

"How do you know all this, Uncle Donnie?" Venus asked. "Are you a counselor too?"

"I know because I have a wife who has had the same thoughts you're having now. When we got married, she's told me firsthand what her thoughts were before we started dating. And having these thoughts is human. Even though we are all part-human, that is still enough to make us human. We have negative thoughts about ourselves and we make mistakes. But only you can move forward from them. No one else can speak for you nor can they be you. Only you can do that."

Venus smiled, looking more confident.

"Thank you, Uncle Donnie. No wonder Lily looks so confident after talking to you. Where is Lily, anyway?"

"She went back to her apartment in Todayland with Justine."

Venus's smile disappeared.

"Are you okay?" I asked. "Were you looking forward to Lily being home for the summer?"

"It's not just that. The four of us will be together again, not just going to school in Todayland, but also living in Todayland. Would I have to give up being the leader to Lily?"

"I think that is something to talk to Lily about."

"Hey, Donnie!" I heard Karena say at the door. "Hi, Venus! I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"Hey, Karena," Venus replied. "No, I'm done. You can have my uncle now."

"Venus, my offer to show you Karena's baby still stands," I assured my niece with a smile before I turned to Karena. "Venus has never seen a pregnancy before."

"You're kidding!" Karena exclaimed. "Then in that case, I'd love for you to watch, Venus."

"Are you sure?" Venus asked. "I don't want to intrude."

"I promise you won't intrude," Karena assured her. "In fact, if you have any questions, feel free to ask them. You just might have the same questions as I do. This is fairly new to me, too."

"Well, if you insist."

"Alright, Karena, let's have you get on this table here," I told my patient.

Karena lied down on the table and I placed some blue gel on her abdomen.

"While we get set up, why don't you tell me how you're doing?" I suggested. "Are you still experiencing nausea?"

"Yes, every day at lunch," Karena answered.

"Okay. What about fatigue? Are you feeling tired?"

"I still want to sleep in."

"Now, I know you're still having nausea but are you craving anything?"

"Pickles. If I'm not feeling nauseous, I'm eating pickles."

"Very interesting... have you exercised at all?"

"Yes, Wilbur and I walk around the track at the high school before he goes to work."

"Excellent!" I replied happily. "I take it that means Wilbur's been taking care of you?"

"Yes, and he's been super sweet," Karena answered with bliss. "He's always bringing home a Sprite from work so that I'm not nauseous in the middle of the night."

"I'm very happy to hear that. Before we take a look at the baby, I've noticed that you've lost some weight. Are you eating okay?"

Karena sighed.

"Here and there. If I'm not nauseous, I'm eating a big meal."

"Okay, Karena, you need to be careful," I sternly replied. "If you eat too much in one sitting, you are going to be even more nauseous and throw it all back up. I'm going to suggest that you start eating smaller meals to help your nausea."

Karena took in my suggestion.

"Do you have suggestions? Grandma Lucille makes me toast in the morning."

"That's a good start," I answered. "Fruit is another good option. The brighter the color, the more nutritious it is for you and your baby. Dried apricots and prunes are also good options."

"Got it. Thanks, Donnie.

"Sure! If it helps you any, April did not gain any weight until she started showing at 20 weeks of pregnancy."

"Twenty weeks?" Karena asked with a surprised tone. "How is that possible?"

"It could have been the way her body was built. Her nausea subsided around the time her first trimester ended and she still wasn't showing. Her clothes were feeling tighter though.

"Same here."

I blew a sigh of relief.

"That is encouraging to hear. You may have lost weight from other parts of your body and it may have gone to your baby. Speaking of which, let's take a look!"

"Did you make the machine yourself?" Karena asked.

"I did! And I've used it for April's pregnancy."

I found the heartbeat and it rang loud and clear all around the room.

"Uncle Donnie, what's that noise?" Venus asked. "Are we under attack?"

I laughed.

"No, Venus, everything is fine. You're hearing the baby's heartbeat."

"Whoa!"

"Amazing, isn't it?" Karena asked.

"And here... is your baby," I announced.

I found the baby on the machine and Karena gasped. Right now, it looked like a small blob, but the baby was very much alive and moving.

"Despite your weight, what I'm seeing has been very encouraging so far," I told Karena. "The only change I am asking you to make for right now is to eat smaller meals. It should help with your nausea. If it doesn't improve after a week, please give me a call. Maybe we can try a medicine to tone it down."


August 12, 2044 - Todayland, North Montana, USA

LILIANNA'S POV

Justine, Wilbur, and I drove to Todayland Airport together to pick up my cousins after a very quick summer. Ryan was moving back to Todayland. Justine and I did not hesitate to have Ryan move in with us. Ryan had assured us that he was comfortable sleeping on the couch. In exchange, I told him that he had to keep the room clean. Ryan packed light before he left New York.

Athena and Venus received the news that they were going to be roommates in the dormitories, so they also packed light. I was going to help my youngest cousins decorate their dorm while Justine and Wilbur helped Ryan move in.

Afterwards the six of us went to Futureburgers for dinner. When we got there, we saw a pleasant surprise.

"KARENA!" us girls yelled at the same time.

"Hello!" Karena greeted us happily.

The three of us hugged her and she hugged all of us back. When we broke the hug, I noticed Karena now had a small baby bump underneath her blue dress.

"You look absolutely adorable!" Athena squeaked excitedly.

"Thank you! I just came back from my appointment with your uncle."

"How did it go?" I asked.

"All of my appointments have gone well since your dad told me to eat smaller meals," Karena answered. "My nausea is now at a minimum and I'm clearly gaining weight. Wilbur has been an amazing husband and Tallulah has made me the most beautiful clothes."

"You look amazing," Venus complimented her.

"I still can't believe you've never seen a pregnant woman, Venus," I chimed in, shaking my head. "Your mom never showed you any pictures of her bump?"

"She never took pictures."

All of us stood there dumbfounded. Even Wilbur and Ryan had their jaws dropped.

"What did your mom do?" Wilbur asked with a shocked voice. "Keep her pregnancy a secret until you were born?"

"No!" Venus answered defensively. "Everyone knew. It's just that she didn't want any pictures taken of her."

"Now that I think about it, I do remember Auntie Mona telling me that her race cherished pregnancy as one of life's joys and it was to be taken seriously," I replied. "That's probably why she didn't want pictures."

"Plus, didn't salamanders reproduce by laying eggs?" Wilbur asked.

"No, the females laid eggs," Venus answered. "But everything changed for Salamandria when the Kraang came and mutated their planet. When every salamander and newt became humanoid mutants, some of the females continued to lay eggs while the rest gave birth. I was born live when Uncle Donnie performed a Caesarean section to get me out."

"He saved my life and my mother's through C-section too," Ryan replied. "I'm forever calling Uncle Donnie a hero for that. My mother took pictures of her bump every week."

"Mine too!" Athena chimed in. "She was so excited to have me. Uncle Donnie had to do surgery on her too to save our lives."

"I'm not going to talk about mine," I replied. "I feel like an outsider."

"Maybe not," Justine chimed in. "How were you born, Lily? Did your dad save your life too?"

"No, there wasn't a need for emergency surgery. My mom pushed me out with no problems."

"My mom pushed me out too," Justine replied. "But my dad had to use some sort of vacuum to help out. What about you, Wilbur?"

"I'm in the same boat as you too," Wilbur answered. "I was born naturally with no intervention. And the doctors were worried because my mom had miscarried a lot. I would have been one of eight children had they all survived."

"Oh my goodness!" Karena exclaimed. "I had no idea, honey. Well, I guess I'll declare the winner of the birthing contest, and the victory belongs to those born of C-section surgeries!"

"Oh wow!" I replied. "So this is going to be an interesting delivery for you then with you born one way and your husband, the other. Did you tell my dad that?"

"It hasn't come up. But now that you mention it, I'm suddenly nervous."

"Hey, the only thing that matters is that you and the baby are healthy," Wilbur assured his wife with a comforting voice.

Wilbur and Karena shared an embrace before we all sat down to dinner.


September 9, 2044

I sat with my cousins in the cafeteria for lunch after a morning full of classes. We ate lunch together, we did homework together. We did research together. And we spoke together.

"Can you believe we're all together again?" Athena asked excitedly. "The only one we're missing is Wilbur."

"One, Wilbur graduated when we all were in high school together," Ryan replied.

"And two, Wilbur's student teaching at Todayland Elementary," I chimed in. "He hasn't stepped foot on campus all semester. The only time he may walk on campus would be for the last time in December."

"What does Wilbur want to teach?" Venus asked.

"History. He wants to be a high school teacher."

"I want to teach history too, but to little kids," Athena replied.

"Why not go for a degree in generalized education and then have an emphasis in history?" Venus suggested. "It may save you some credits and some money."

"Nah, I want to follow in my mom's footsteps," Athena said before freezing. "I mean in regards to being a teacher, not working for someone like Lord Simultaneous."

The rest of the conversation flew by as I continued to do my research. I paid no attention to my cousins. Suddenly, I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to face Athena.

"Are you okay?" Athena asked me. "You totally spaced out."

"I'm sorry," I replied. "I'm doing research on psychology programs for a master's degree. I need to make a decision on which schools to apply to."

"Why not stay here?" Ryan asked. "You clearly love it here."

I shook my head.

"Ryan, there hasn't been any crime here since we stopped Krang and Krang Subprime from killing off all the animals with their sonic blasts. And besides, Todayland University doesn't have a program for those wanting a career in criminal psychology."

"Speaking of which, I need to talk to you," Venus chimed in.

"Would you like to talk now?" I asked, closing my laptop. "I don't have to start applying until December."

Venus nodded with a small smile. We left Ryan and Athena in the cafeteria and walked outside. We sat down on a bench, appreciating the 70-degree temperature and the warm sun.

"So, what's up?" I asked with a smile.

"I've been meaning to ask you for a while, but I suppose you want your leader title back, huh?"

"What?" I asked with confusion. "What do you mean? Do you not like being the leader?"

"No!" Venus exclaimed. "I love it! Don't get me wrong. But the four of us are together again. You're the oldest. Therefore, you should be the leader again."

I frowned.

"Oh, Venus. I'm not asking to be the leader again. I never wanted to be the leader in the first place."

"Huh? What? Why? Why didn't you say anything?"

"Uncle Leo made me the leader because I am the oldest and I proved that I was responsible. But I never wanted it. I felt so stressed during high school. I was a cheerleader and a member of the student council. I already had a lot on my plate. And then being the leader on top of it... I practically had no time for myself."

I paused, let out a sigh, and I placed my hands on my cousin's shoulders.

"I first saw your ability as a leader when you performed in the color guard. You looked so happy when you started out and when you became a captain. I immediately knew who was going to take my place when I moved here, and from what I heard, you have done an amazing job. We need you as our leader, Venus. I will follow you and do whatever you need me to do. And besides, I think being the Hamato Clan's representative in the Justice League is a big enough role for me to fill."

Venus smiled, and we hugged.

"Thank you, Lily. It means a lot hearing that from you."

"Hey, you are a strong, amazing woman," I replied. "You are like the wind: you let nothing weigh you down. You continue to prove people wrong every day."

"Well, hey, so do you!" Venus replied. "You are the role model we all need. Heck, you've even inspired Ryan and that is not easy to do."

We paused.

"So, what did you find in your research?" Venus asked.

"There are programs in Pacific Bay, California and Phoenix, Arizona," I answered. "I'm going to do more research and see if there's a program that's closer to home."

"I do hope you don't have to move across the country to pursue your dreams."

I let out a sigh.

"You and me both," I replied. "I can't imagine being thousands of miles away from you all, let alone across the country. Todayland is already two thousand miles away from home. Both Arizona and California is another thousand miles."

"I really enjoyed my time in the Grand Canyon," Venus replied with a smile. "I want to go there again sometime."

"Well, if I decide to go with this program at Grand Canyon University, I'll let you know."

"May I give you some advice?"

"Sure?"

"Don't just look at graduate schools. Ryan had everything planned out. He's attending this university to earn a bachelors degree in criminal justice. Then he plans to return to New York and go to the academy to be a police officer. Then he'll be assigned a district. So while you're looking at graduate schools, look for job opportunities too, whether it's an entry level job or an internship. Actually, in your case, it's best to go with an internship. It's the best transition to go from being a student to a professional."

I blinked a few times, taking it all in.

"Are you alright?" Venus asked.

I chuckled.

"The advice you gave me sounds like advice my dad would give me."

"Your dad is an amazing teacher, by the way. He knows how to reach his students."

My phone suddenly buzzed and my face turned white.

"I gotta run! I'm going to be late for class!"


New York City, New York, USA

DONATELLO'S POV

I heard knocking at the door. I looked up and smiled when I saw Karena and Wilbur walking in.

"Hey, guys!" I said excitedly. "Come on in! Wilbur, it's very nice to see you again."

"You too, Donnie," Wilbur replied with a smile.

Karena immediately got on the table and laid down.

"Someone's excited," I said with a smirk. "I take it that means you want to see the gender today?"

"Yes!" Karena answered excitedly.

"No," Wilbur answered at the same time.

My smile disappeared and I felt confused.

"No?" Karena asked with a shocked voice. "What do you mean no?"

"I think that we should talk about how we should raise our son or daughter before we just assume we're going to have one or the other. Girls and boys are very different people to raise."

"Okay, I guess I'm going to be Donatello, the psychologist, today," I chimed in. "Wilbur, Karena, have you ever had this talk before or during your marriage?"

"I never wanted kids," Karena explained. "I was scared that my child would suffer the same fate I did, that I would die and Wilbur would have to raise him or her alone."

"I'm not your dad, Karr," Wilbur assured her. "I'm a fighter, and so are you. You are not your mom. You may have lost hope before you moved to the future but you never quit."

Wilbur let out a sigh.

"I didn't want kids either. Until I started student teaching, I never saw myself with them. Being an only child didn't help things."

Karena sighed.

"Same. But Wilbur, please tell me... how do you truly feel about being a dad? Are you excited about it? Are you scared?"

"Both. When you told me you were pregnant, I was over the moon! It dawned on me that I was going to leave a legacy behind, something I had always wanted. But I'm scared too. I don't know what kind of father I'll be. I do not want to be like my dad who rarely spent time with me as a child. He was always gone. I want to always be there for my kids, no matter what."

I smiled, feeling encouraged at the conversation the expecting couple were having. I started to set up the ultrasound machine.

"And what about you, Karr?" Wilbur asked.

"I've been wanting a child ever since I married you, but I was scared to admit it. But I'm not scared anymore."

Karena rubbed her small baby bump.

"This is God proving to us that we are capable parents. But my goal is to be the best parents we can be to our child. Yes, we should talk about how we should raise our child, but the exciting part is setting up a nursery for our son or daughter. I so badly want to know the gender so I can start preparing for him or her."

"I think I can help you there," I chimed in after setting up. "You do not have to find out the gender right now. April and I tried when she carried Lily but her legs were closed. April didn't discover Lily was a girl until two months later. I can do an ultrasound exam, see how the baby's doing, do the usual tests. Now, I can determine the gender of the baby at this point. I can keep that secret until you want to do some kind of gender reveal or I can tell the family without you two knowing so they can get you the appropriate gifts. But the real question is, where will your nursery be?"

"Probably our room," Wilbur answered. "My dad probably could build another room, but then we'll be so far away from the baby."

"So why don't we keep the gender a surprise for now since you can't really decorate right now?"

Karena and Wilbur glanced at each other.

"Okay," they answered.

"So, let's take a look!"

I applied the blue gel on the bottom of Karena's baby bump and used the dobbler to spread it around. I started to hear the heartbeat then.

"Wait, what's that sound?" Wilbur asked.

Karena simply smiled and held her husband's hand.

"It's the baby's heart," she answered sweetly.

"Whoa!"

Wilbur sounded just in awe as Venus did a few months ago. My mind briefly focused on how Lily was doing before I shook myself back to reality. I examined the baby on the ultrasound machine with a smile on my face. She was growing very well.

"Wilbur, did you want to take a look at your baby?" I asked him.

"Hmm?"

Wilbur snapped back to reality before taking a glimpse at the ultrasound. And then he went back to a look of awe.

"Is that... our baby?" Wilbur asked.

"It is!" I answered. "A very healthy baby, in fact. Karena, or Wilbur, would you hold the dobbler while I do some tests?"

I examined my patient as she and her husband continued to look at their baby with smiles on their faces. I smiled myself, fondly remembering how I took care of April while she carried Lily. Seeing my daughter inside her womb had also left me in awe and made me look forward to meeting her.

"Okay, so based on this ultrasound and the size of your bump, your baby is measuring at ten ounces and about six inches in height. The reason why mothers can discover whether her baby is a boy or a girl is because the baby's sex organs are developed enough, and I'm sure you know what to find if the baby is a boy. Now, Karena, have you felt your baby move yet?"

There was no response. I let out a sigh, remembering how my brothers pretended to sleep when I spoke like this. Thankfully, it wasn't the case here; Karena and Wilbur were still looking at their baby in awe, and I couldn't blame them.

"Uh, guys?" I spoke again.

Wilbur suddenly glanced at me and let out a chuckle.

"Sorry, Don," Wilbur said sheepishly. "You were saying?"

I chuckled before repeating myself.

"Now, I know the baby is moving," I continued. "But Karena, have you felt the baby move?"

"Yes. A couple weeks ago. I don't feel it much, but I know with confidence I'm carrying a baby."

"The more the baby grows, the more you'll feel the baby kick," I replied. "You should be feeling at least ten kicks or moves every hour. I won't ask you to keep track of those kicks yet, but feeling too little can signify a problem. And speaking of problems, I've noticed your iron is a little low. Do you like peanuts?"

"I love peanuts," Wilbur replied enthusiastically.

"I'll eat them occasionally," Karena replied.

"Wilbur, please make sure you're sharing those peanuts with Karena," I said with a grin. "That is my new prescription for her. Iron is a key factor in a baby's growth."

"Iron... it keeps the muscles strong, doesn't it?" Wilbur asked.

"Hmm, kind of. I believe you're thinking of calcium, which, too, is important for the baby. No, iron delivers oxygen to the lungs and the muscles. Karena, the more the baby grows, the harder it'll be for you to have the oxygen needed, which means a lot of problems down the road, like anemia."

"I can also do some research on foods that have iron in them," Wilbur replied. "My parents can help me with that."

"That's a good idea. Now, Karena, let's talk about some symptoms. Do you have heartburn or indigestion?"

"Oh goodness, yes!" Karena answered. "Sometimes the heartburn is unbearable! Franny's had to give me Tums a few times."

"Okay, Tums is a start. Does it work?"

"Yes, it does. Calcium helps with heart burn, doesn't it?"

"Actually, it depends," I explained. "Milk makes it worse. Broccoli would be the better food to consume if you want calcium. I was actually going to suggest chewing a sugarless piece of gum. Now, do you have any headaches?"

"No."

"Very good. Have you felt faint or dizzy?"

"No."

"Awesome. Any cramping?"

"Not since the first trimester," Karena answered.

"Your family must be taking very good care of you if you haven't had cramps in a while," I replied. "Keep it up! The only other thing I will warn you about is swelling in your feet and ankles. It does go along with the leg cramps, but it may be something you cannot avoid. Wilbur, I would suggest you or your mom go shopping with Karena for new shoes just in case. April gained a foot size when she was pregnant and she's been the same size since."

"I will keep that in mind," Wilbur answered.

"Good. Now, do either of you have questions for me?"

"The sex of the baby will be going to the family, right?" Wilbur asked.

"Yes. I will seal it in an envelope for you to give to whomever will host your gender reveal or baby shower."

"I'll give it to my mom. She's good at planning parties. Thank you, Donnie."

"Anytime."


APRIL'S POV

I sat at my desk finishing up my story before clocking out for the day.

"Psst!"

I glanced around, sensing someone in the room. I turned toward the door and saw a pregnant Karena leaning against the frame. I waved and held my index finger up, telling her to wait a moment. I clicked on the word publish and then clocked out. I walked toward my friend and gave her a hug. She embraced me back.

"It's so good to see you, Karena," I told her gently with a grin. "You look absolutely breathtaking!"

"Thanks!" Karena replied. "This baby is certainly taking my breath away every time I feel a kick."

I forced myself to laugh at her pun on my compliment.

"I don't know who's worse, you or Lily!" I said. "But come on! Let's go outside."

"I'm working on my sense of humor," Karena explained as we took the elevator. "Wilbur's been rubbing off on me."

"Riiight. So there must have been a special occasion if you're all the way in New York with a baby on the way."

"My 20-week exams with Donnie. I so badly wanted to see the gender of our baby but Wilbur wants to be surprised."

"Ooh, that's a tough dilemma to be in. What did you two decide to do?"

"Donnie knows and has placed his results in an envelope for Wilbur to give to Franny."

We walked out of the elevator, through the lobby and out the door.

"Where's Wilbur now?" I asked.

"He went home. I stayed so I could talk to you."

"Oh? Are we catching up or did you need to speak to me about something? Needing advice about being an expectant mother, maybe? Because I've been there twice."

Karena pondered for a moment, looking confused. Then she gasped.

"Right! You were supposed to have a son and he died of a miscarriage. I can't imagine what you've been through."

"Thank you. Lily was our brave listener that week. Without her, Donnie and I would have gone to a dark place."

"Well, I will take you up on asking for advice," Karena replied with a smile. "It's more of a favor I'm asking for."

"Oh? What can I do?"

"Donnie mentioned you discovered your baby was a girl by hearing her thoughts. Is that something that came with your powers?"

"I like to think so," I answered with a fond smile, putting a hand on my flat abdomen as I remembered the feeling. "Generally a mother can only feel her baby move and will have this intuition if something is wrong. With me and Lily, it was more like I was reading Lily's thoughts inside the womb by feeling her kicks. I was mindful of what was happening inside me."

Karena glanced around and then whispered to me.

"April, I have to know the baby's gender. I'm too excited to wait."

"Karena, I understand what you're going through. I felt excited too when I was 20 weeks pregnant and then my hopes were dashed when Lily kept her legs closed during the ultrasound. I got lucky when I found out she was a girl at 28 weeks of pregnancy. But the last thing you want to do is to find out the gender of your baby behind your husband's back. Wilbur clearly wants it to be a surprise. If you start decorating the nursery and Wilbur comes in to take a look, he will think you betrayed his trust. And knowing Wilbur, trust is earned. He's lied most of his life and learned the hard way how to be trustworthy. And, ironically, he hates being lied to."

Karena hung her head down, looking like she was about to cry.

"Come here, Karena."

I held out my arms and Karena hugged me back, her tears falling into my right shoulder.

"It's okay," I soothed her. "These next 20 weeks will fly by and your baby will be here before you know it. These past 20 years flew by for me and honestly... I wish Lily was a baby one more time so I could hold her."


Todayland, North Montana, USA

LILIANNA'S POV

"Thank you, everyone, for meeting me here," Wilbur told the four of us.

"Of course!" I replied enthusiastically, wearing a sparkly red dress. "You caught me in between shows."

"And we're more than happy to help," Athena chimed in. "So what's up?"

"Karena and I went to Donnie's lab so we can see our baby at 20 weeks of pregnancy," Wilbur explained.

"Is it a boy or a girl?" Ryan asked.

"We chose not to find out," Wilbur answered. "But there's something that doesn't feel right, particularly with Karena."

"Is everything alright?" Venus asked.

"Karena wanted to find out the gender of our baby. I didn't. I wanted it to be a surprise. I wanted to discuss with her the pros and cons of raising a son and a daughter."

"If you really want to find that out, then I'd be talking to my dad and any of my uncles," Ryan replied.

"I hate admitting it, but Ryan has a point," I chimed in. "Leonardo is the only mutant Turtle to have raised a son. I would definitely talk to him. And this next part that I'm going to say is not because I'm biased. But regarding raising a daughter, Donatello is the one to talk to."

"I agree with Lily," Venus replied. "Donatello is not just the smartest of the clan and he is not just the doctor. He has paid the most attention to his daughter's needs and has the closest relationship with her. Donatello is the best father, period."

I could not help but blush at Venus's compliments about my dad. Raphael and Michelangelo were both amazing fathers in their own right. Raphael preferred to show tough love while Michelangelo didn't do much disciplining, instead seeing Athena as a confidante.

"Thanks, guys," Wilbur replied with a smile. "But just out of curiosity, if any of you were to find out the gender of your baby, would you do it?"

"Yes, in a heartbeat," I answered. "I'd like to know what kind of mother I would be before the baby is born. But then again, parenting is about the journey of raising a child and watching him or her grow up."

"Lily's right," Ryan chimed in. "And I would also find out. Heck, I'd already be excited at the thought of being a father. I know my father was."

"I'd want to keep it a surprise," Venus answered. "All I would want out of a pregnancy is that the baby is born healthy, and that really is the most important thing, not whether you're going to have a son or a daughter."

Wilbur smiled fondly at my cousin, taking in her words.

"I'd want a surprise too," Athena answered. "I love surprises and I'd get to decorate the nursery anyway I want to. And I'm sure the baby would love it."

"Venus, I gotta say you have amazed me," Wilbur said in awe. "When I met you, you were this shy girl living in your shell. I've never seen you so confident this entire time, and I do mean that you are more confident now than you even were on the color guard. What changed?"

"Lily brought me to Jesus. I've never been so happy in my entire life."

Wilbur let out a laugh of joy.

"Really? That is awesome! Lily, I bet you're happy to not be the only Christian cousin now."

"Actually, I'm a believer, too," Athena chimed in. "Lily brought me to Christ when I started out in high school. Uncle Donnie helped us out."

"In fact, Athena and I have spent all of May at the farmhouse with Lily," Venus chimed in. "We helped Aunt April and Uncle Donnie pack up their things and move them back to the lair and at night, we'd read the Bible with Lily. And yes, we still did our ninja training."

"The lair hasn't the same without any of you there," Wilbur replied. "It's just been me, the Turtles, and their wives."

"Lily wasn't kidding when she said college was a busy life," Athena said. "Venus and I are actually working with Lily in the club."

"Really? You both sing?"

"I will, sometimes," Venus answered. "But when I'm not, I'm assisting in some other way. I actually play with Franny's frogs, branching out my musical abilities. Franny's been an excellent tutor."

"My mom is teaching you all the musical instruments, huh?" Wilbur asked. "Are you sure you want to be a florist and not a musician?"

Venus laughed.

"My calling in life has always been with flowers and I've already brought joy to people with them. I believe that is going to stick with me. But hey, I'll have the ability to make music with my family too."

"And Athena, what do you do?" Wilbur asked.

"I make the food! Cornelius was so impressed with my cooking skills that I make the dinner at the club. And don't worry, it's not just pizza."

"You know, I am twenty-one now," Wilbur replied, looking thoughtful.

"That's right, you are!" I exclaimed. "Come to my show tonight!"

"That reminds me, I gotta go back to my job," Athena said.

"I'll stay with you, Wilbur," Venus offered. "It's not our turn yet.

"I guess I'll be going back to the apartment to play video games with Justine."

We all gazed at Ryan with shocked looks on our faces.

"Since when does Justine know how to play video games?" I asked.

"Oh, I taught her when I first moved in," Ryan explained. "She's a fast learner!"

We laughed before we split up to go about our lives.


New York City, New York, USA

LEONARDO'S POV

The eight of us had finished our ninja training with Wilbur when Wilbur asked to speak to me and Donnie alone. When Mikey and our wives retired for the night and Raph went off to work, the three of us remained in the dojo.

"Thanks for agreeing to talk with me, Leo, Donnie," Wilbur told us with a smile.

"Anytime!" Donnie replied enthusiastically.

"Of course," I replied. "What can we help you with?"

"I spoke with your children earlier this evening," Wilbur explained. "And they told me you two were the best fathers to talk to about this subject. Leo, you were the only Turtle to have a son. And Donnie, all four kids were in agreement that you were the best father to talk to in regards to having a daughter."

"I think I know what this is about," Donnie chimed in, bearing a grin on his face. "Are you still on the fence about finding out the gender of your baby?"

"Yes," Wilbur answered with a frown. "I felt guilty because Karena wanted to find out and I didn't. And I saw the way she looked at me when I said I didn't want to know yet. So I asked your children what they would do and now I'm here. I wanted to ask you both what it's like raising a son and raising a daughter."

"I think you are overthinking this, Wilbur," I replied. "It's really easier than you think. Everyone starts out as a baby and everyone has the same needs as a baby."

"Yes, a baby needs food, sleep, and baths," Donnie chimed in. "Those are the base components of being a parent. And Leo is right. For the most part, taking care of a son is the same as taking care of a daughter. The goal for both genders is to raise them to be hardworking, independent people. There are two stages in childhood where things are different: the stage in early childhood where the genitals are discovered and adolescence."

"Adolescence was hard with me and Ryan," I replied with a frown. "But I suppose it was my fault. Ryan fought with me all the time."

"Are we talking actual fighting or the yelling kind?" Wilbur asked.

"The yelling kind. Ryan struggled a lot when Lily was chosen to be the leader instead and he wouldn't accept anything I told him. He often broke curfew and I kept having to discipline him. I was convinced he hated me. Once Lily made Venus the leader, Ryan was fine."

"Now hold on, Leo, what makes you think Ryan hated you?" Donnie asked me. "Lily told me Ryan was bullied quite often when he started going to school. Maybe he was struggling to fit in while going through puberty?"

"Heck, I struggled to fit in," Wilbur replied. "It got better throughout the years because I felt confident in myself. Maybe Venus helped Ryan find that confidence. How did Ryan do his senior year?"

"He was much better," I answered. "All three of them were. I think Lily helped me see that she wasn't the best for the leader role."

"Lily loves what she is doing now," Donnie chimed in. "But Lily and I have had our fights too when she was a teenager, even more so after the accidental fire at the lab. Now, Leo, I'm not sure how you settled things with Ryan, but Lily realized she hated fighting with me and we've always talked things out. I actually very rarely had to ground her as an adolescent."

"I was the complete opposite," I replied. "I tried to be the father Master Splinter was and Ryan resented me for trying too hard to be perfect."

Donnie and Wilbur frowned.

"Wilbur, listen, there is no right way to parent," Donnie told him. "But it's something to think about too, no matter if your child is a girl or a boy. Your actions influence what your child will do. If you're rough, then your child will be rough too. If you're kind, then your child will be kind. You and Karena will be the first people your child will know, so the actions of you two will be the key to what kind of person your child will be."

"This has been a very enlightening conversation," Wilbur replied with a smile. "Thank you both. Donnie, I think I'm ready to know the baby's gender."

"Are you sure? Are you two planning on doing a gender reveal?"

"No. Karena really wanted to find out the gender today. I feel bad at how we left things."

"Don't be," I replied with a smile. "It turns out you learned something today. I'm sure Karena's learned something too."

"Karena tried to get April to reveal the gender," Donnie said. "But April told her that it wasn't right considering the circumstances. Are you sure you wanna know?"

"Yes, and I want to surprise Karena with it," Wilbur answered. "Please?"

Donnie turned towards me and gave me a grin. I nodded in approval as my brother turned back to him.

"In that case, congratulations, Wilbur. You will be having a baby girl!"