Here is part 2 of the introduction: the birth of the main character in the story. Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to "TMNT." I only own Lilianna.

February 21, 2024

APRIL'S POV

I woke from a very pleasant dream. My brain missed the birth, but I had dreamed of holding my baby, a girl, for the first time with Donnie behind me. She had looked absolutely beautiful. It was a brief dream as I felt the baby's foot waking me up. I rubbed my enlarged belly, now the size of a soccer ball, and I chuckled in response to the baby's kick.

"You are already just like Daddy, you know that?" I asked my baby. "Are you… a boy?"

The baby kicked firmly in response.

"No? You must be a girl then, right?"

I felt small movements, and my eyes opened wide.

"I gotta tell Donnie!"

I got out of bed, put on some clothes, and then took that day's selfie. I took my sweet time going down the stairs, and I was even more surprised when I reached the bottom and turned around toward the kitchen: Donnie was cooking breakfast.

"Aww, April, I wanted to surprise you," Donnie said, not turning his face towards me.

"There's something I need to tell you, Donnie."

"Oh?" Donnie replied, now turning to face me. "Then let me take a seat—"

"No, don't! It's okay."

I walked up to my husband, smiled fondly at him, and caressed his cheek.

"Donnie, we're having a baby girl."

My husband looked at me in confusion.

"Are you sure? We couldn't tell on the ultrasound machine what our baby's gender is."

"Donnie, we don't need the ultrasound machine. I… I had a dream about our baby. It was a girl and we were holding her for the first time. Then our baby inside me woke me up. I spoke to the baby. When I asked the baby if he was a boy, I felt a hard kick. When I asked if she was a girl, she wouldn't stop moving."

Donnie had his mouth open in awe.

"April, are you telling me… that you can hear the baby's thoughts?"

"I… I think so. Donnie, I'm confident our baby's a girl."

Our daughter started to move around again, and I placed my left hand on my tummy. I was still looking at Donnie with a big smile on my face. I giggled, and reached out with my right hand to close his mouth.

"Donnie, she's excited to meet us," I said. "She really wants to meet you."

I was in awe at what happened next: Donnie knelt down and kissed my baby bump.

"I really want to meet you too, Lily," Donnie said, putting his left hand on my bump, and then he gasped as she kicked. "She heard me!"

"She didn't just hear you, Donnie," I replied excitedly. "She knew who you were: her daddy."

"Daddy."

Donnie let out a very contented sigh and smiled fondly at me.

"I never thought I'd be called that in a million light years."

I laughed as Donnie pulled himself up and kissed me.

"You really are the best, D," I told him.

"And the best has to go to work," Donnie replied, kissing me on the forehead. "Please, help yourself."

I grabbed a double helping of the pancakes that Donnie made and walked up the stairs. Then I went up the stairs and into the baby's room. Feeling inspired, I grabbed a stool and climbed it. I carefully removed the letters off the wall. I climbed off the stool and reached into a drawer that had all the letters in it. I smiled, thankful that Leo and Raph had already provided a means of learning for our baby. I grabbed the letters I needed and pounded them into the wall, spelling out "LILIANNA." Once I was content with my work, I walked back into the master bedroom to change into work clothes before driving to New York.

May 28, 2024

I was amazed that I had made it to 40 weeks of pregnancy, knowing the unique situation with Donnie. I sat in the rocking chair in the baby's room, rocking myself and rubbing my very large baby bump. I chuckled to myself, swearing that I looked like I had a beach ball under my dress. Yes, I had resorted to wearing dresses and leggings ever since I hit the third trimester twelve weeks ago. It was very uncomfortable to wear jeans and work pants.

I smiled at all the gifts that were opened and unopened in the baby's room. Donnie's brothers and their wives surprised me at the farmhouse one day and threw me a baby shower. Mikey was the most thoughtful, making all the food and bringing it up here. As the crib was already set up during Christmas, Leo and Raph made decorations that would attract the baby's attention. The women in the family got me clothes and diapers for the baby, so I was already prepared to go.

Suddenly, I felt something in my baby bump, like it was crunching. I held my breath, and then I let it out. Just in case it was a contraction, I took out my phone and timed it. The crunching only lasted thirty seconds.

"Maybe I oughta take a walk around," I said out loud.

The first place I went to was the bathroom to use the toilet. While still in the bathroom, I went ahead and made a bath for myself. While running the bath, I had another contraction. I stopped the stopwatch on my phone and reset it. I noted that ten minutes had passed.

"Okay, I got the bath made. We're gonna need towels."

I opened the cabinet to grab some towels. I knew I was going to need a few, and I was going to need one for the baby. Depending on how well the labor and delivery goes, Donnie would need a towel also.

"I should go see what Donnie is up to."

It took me some time to get down the stairs. I had been waddling ever since Donnie noticed the baby dropping five weeks ago, so my time down the stairs had been a slow one. I felt another contraction come. I breathed in and out for the thirty seconds before waddling down the rest of the stairs. Seeing that Donnie wasn't in the kitchen, I waddled outside to his lab in the barn.

"Hey, D."

Donnie turned to face me with a smile.

"Hey, April. How are you doing?"

"So far, so good," I answered, returning the smile. "Say, do you have any plans tonight?"

"I was going to drive down to New York to go on patrol with my brothers. Why do you ask?"

"Would the patrol take all night?"

Donnie's smile faded as he looked at me with concern.

"April, is everything alright? Is something wrong with the baby?"

Mentally, I started to panic. I tried to keep my cool.

"No! Nothing's wrong."

"April, I know you," Donnie replied, not buying it. "Please, tell me what's wrong."

"Donnie…"

I paused, taking a deep breath to prepare myself to tell him about the contractions, but I gasped my breath out when I received another contraction.

"April!"

Donnie quickly stood up and ran to me. I breathed in and out as my uterus continued to contract.

"Come on, April, let's sit down."

Donnie led me to the cot as the contraction came to an end.

"Donnie, I'm fine, really," I tried convincing him. "The contraction is over."

"April Michelle O'Neil Hamato, how long have you been having contractions?"

I looked up at Donnie's face to see a stern expression. I never liked it when Donnie said my full name, and when he did, he demanded the truth.

"This is the fourth one in the last forty minutes," I answered. "The contractions have been ten minutes apart. I've only had the four so far."

"April, forget the patrol," Donnie replied sternly. "I'm staying here."

"Donnie, really—"

"April, I'm not just talking as a doctor. I'm talking as your husband, and the father of our child. I'll call the guys and let them know I won't be joining them tonight."

"But Donnie—"

"No buts, April!" my husband screamed, and then took deep breaths. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shout. But April, if I had left for patrol, what would happen if you had the baby by yourself? Especially since it will not be one hundred percent human?"

I sighed in defeat, knowing Donnie was right. I nodded my head, telling him to call his brothers.

"Hey Leo, it's Donnie. I'm sorry, but I won't be able to make it tonight. April's having contractions. Sure, I'll call. Let me ask her."

Donnie put his hand over the phone to speak to me.

"Leo wanted me to ask if they can help in some way."

"We'll need it once the baby gets here," I answered with a smile.

Donnie removed his hand from the phone.

"Not yet, Leo. But I promise I'll call you. Thanks."

My husband hung up.

"Donnie, I do not want to give birth out here," I firmly told him. "I already have a bath set up in the bathroom upstairs, and there are towels on the toilet in case we need them."

"Do you really want to go through with a water birth?" Donnie asked. "The pains of childbirth will still persist."

"If this baby is part-turtle, then our baby will survive underwater. Besides, the hot water will feel good during the contractions."

"April, remember that turtles hatch from their eggs on land—"

"DONNIE!"

I clutched my stomach as I started to breathe through this contraction.

"It hasn't been ten minutes!" Donnie exclaimed with some panic in his voice.

"Donnie, please get me to the tub, right now!" I snapped.

"Okay, okay, April, let's relax. Can you walk?"

I nodded, but refused to let Donnie touch me until the contraction was over. He helped me off the cot, and we walked arm in arm back to the house.

"Donnie, I don't know how well this is going to go," I told him, expressing my fears.

"April, you are the strongest woman I know," Donnie encouraged me as we entered the house. "If we do this right, our child will be delivered safely. Now, are you sure you want to go through with this?"

"Yes, Donatello, I'm positive," I answered firmly.

"Alright, then up the stairs we go."

DONATELLO'S POV

We started going up the stairs, but then April groaned. Another contraction had struck.

"Breathe, April, breathe," I encouraged her.

We breathed together until the contraction ended, and then we walked up the rest of the stairs and into the bathroom. I helped my wife get into the tub. April sighed with contentment at how the water felt. About eight minutes later, she groaned in pain again. She breathed through her contraction for over thirty seconds until it ended. I put my hand in the water, but quickly took it out.

"April, this water is cold!" I exclaimed. "How are you not cold right now?"

"It's called I'm pregnant, Donnie!" she snapped. "The fat my body added on to protect the baby keeps me warm too."

"Alright, alright!" I snapped back. "I'm just asking questions."

"Then stop being a doctor, Donatello, and be my husband!"

We growled at each other. Suddenly, April started to cry, and I loosened my expression, putting a frown on my face.

"Donnie, I'm sorry," April cried. "Every time I get a contraction, it hurts."

I let out a sigh.

"April, I'm sorry too. You're right, I need to be your husband right now."

I let out another sigh.

"How about a compromise? When you get a contraction, and please tell me when you get one, I'll have to be the doctor. But when the contraction is over, I will encourage you as your husband. Alright?"

"Donnie, I need encouragement all the time. What if these contractions get even more intense and I'll feel like I can't do it anymore while you play doctor?"

"April!"

I quickly listened to my tone and started to take deep breaths.

"No, I'm not gonna do it. I'm not gonna yell at you."

I laughed.

"I don't know who needs the encouragement more, you or me!"

April chuckled along with me as she caressed my cheek. I smiled fondly at the touch.

"We will get through this together, Donnie, if we encourage each other. That's all I'm asking you to do."

I held her hand at my cheek.

"Donatello Hamato, I love you, no matter what."

"I love you too, April Michelle O'Neil Hamato."

We laughed, and then we kissed each other.

"Let's get you out of the tub so that I can get some warm water in there."

"Donnie, could we just stay in the bedroom until the baby's ready?"

"Oh! Uh, sure."

I helped April out of the tub and accompanied her to the bedroom. We tried putting her on the bed, but it was hard for her to get up there. I went to the baby's room to grab the yoga ball and rolled it into our bedroom. I found April with her hands on the bed, moaning and groaning through another contraction. I did not hesitate to go behind her and massage her back and her hips. When April was not having a contraction, she enjoyed my massages. When she did not want a massage, she wanted to kiss me, and I had to oblige, and I was happy to do so.

We remained in the bedroom for hours, and it was now May 29th past three in the morning. April moaned, as she usually did at the start of a contraction. This time, however, she screamed.

"It's going to be alright, April," I tried to encourage her from the bed. "Just breathe."

My wife shook her head.

"Are you okay?" I asked, and she shook her head again. "Okay, I need to see where you're at. I'll be right down."

I got off the bed as April fell to her hands and knees. Her position was good enough for me to do an examination on her. My eyes widened at what I had discovered.

"Donnie, what's going on?" April moaned when her contraction ended.

"I'm going to draw that bath," I answered. "We're going to have this baby very soon."

"Okay, but hurry!"

"I'll do my best."

I got up and went into the bathroom to draw a warm bath for my wife. I decided that a tinkle was a good idea and used the toilet while the water was running. When I finished doing my business, I heard April calling my name.

"Are you okay, April?" I asked from the bathroom.

"I think my water just broke. I'm leaking."

"WHAT?!"

I ran from the toilet back into the bedroom to see a puddle starting to form under April.

"We need to get you in the tub now!" I sternly told her.

I carried her bridal style into the bathroom and into the tub with no soap in it. I did not turn the faucet off, for the water needed to stay warm for as long as it needed.

APRIL'S POV

I moaned and groaned at the start of another contraction. At this point, the contractions were unbearable. This one felt so strong that I screamed. My contractions were now a minute long, and it finally came to an end. I was gasping for breath.

"Donnie, I felt super pushy," I panted, trying to rest and get my breath back.

"Do not push, April," Donnie sternly instructed me. "Just breathe."

I continued to breathe and pant at the same time. Right when I got my breath back, another contraction kicked in.

"Breathe, April, breathe," my husband encouraged me.

"I… I CAN'T!" I screamed while panting.

"Yes, you can, babe. Yes, you can."

I mentally laughed at Donnie calling me 'babe.' It was a name he rarely used because it reminded him of Casey. It was also Mikey's name for Renet, so it was a name that was never used in this house. Thankful for the distraction, the contraction ended, and my breath had a faster recovery. I looked up to see a smile on Donnie's face.

"Okay, April, I'm going to get in the tub with you. We're going to do this together."

Donnie got into the tub, and he let out a contented sigh.

"I can see why the hot water is comfortable after a contraction, April."

"Donnie, look outside."

I looked up and Donnie turned around to see the night skies transforming into the dawn of a new day. Suddenly, I felt another contraction coming on, and this one was the strongest of all of them. I screamed.

"Donnie, I think it's time!"

"How do you feel right now?" Donnie asked, turning back around to face me.

"Very pushy," I answered with a moan, and then I screamed again. "DONNIE!"

I felt my uterus doing more than contracting.

"Oh, Donnie, I think my body is pushing this baby out!" I grunted and panted at the same time.

"Okay April," my husband replied calmly. "Then push, and push hard."

I bore down and pushed as hard as I could throughout the contraction, and I heard Donnie encouraging me. The contraction eventually ended, and I panted, catching my breath.

"You are doing amazing, April," Donnie said, putting a smile on his face. "I'm feeling confident about this."

I nodded my head as I prepared for the next contraction, which happened within seconds. After I moaned at the start, I bore down and pushed. I could tell the baby was ready, because I felt a lot of movement. Suddenly, I screamed the loudest I had screamed all night.

"DONNIE, IT BURNS!"

"The head's coming and crowning!" Donnie replied, shouting over my screams. "Just breathe!"

"I'm having a baby and you want me to BREATHE?" I yelled.

"Not gonna yell," Donnie mumbled under his breath. "Not gonna yell. I'm not… going to yell."

Donnie let out a sigh just as my contraction ended.

"Now April, do not push on your next contraction. Let your body do it. Just breathe, or you can cuss at me. Just do not push."

"Why would I cuss at you, Donnie?" I asked calmly. "You're my husband."

"Trust me, April, it's going to hurt… a lot. More than it is right now."

"Have you delivered a baby before, Donnie?"

"No, and I'm scared."

"You're scared?" I asked with surprise. "Look at me, Donnie! I'm probably more scared than you."

"April, you're only scared because you're in extreme pain. I'm scared because… what if our child sees me as a freak and hates me? I'm afraid I'm going to mess up."

"Donnie."

I reached out and put my right hand on his cheek, and he looked at me with his amber eyes.

"If I can get past your appearance, so can our daughter. Besides, you are already being an amazing daddy. Lily loves you already. I know."

Donnie gazed fondly at me.

"I love you, Donatello."

"I love you too, April."

I screamed at the contraction and squeezed Donnie's cheek.

"April!" Donnie mumbled. "April, you're hurting me!"

I continued screaming, and Donnie eventually screamed with me as I continued squeezing his cheek. I felt our daughter crowning as the contraction continued, and it was eventually over.

"April, can you let me go now, please?" Donnie asked. "I think I understand your pain now."

I gasped and let go of his cheek.

"Donnie, I am so sorry!" I cried.

"April, it's okay," Donnie soothed me. "I'm not hurt."

"But I hurt you, and it hurts so much down there."

"April, it will be over soon. I have a good feeling about this."

"I hope you're right. I can't do this anymore."

"Yes you can, April."

It was Donnie's turn to put a hand on my cheek.

"You are birthing our child right now. This is the bravest thing you will ever do, and it is almost over. You can do this, April."

I smiled. Just the soft, gentle touch of my husband's strong hand was enough to calm me down temporarily.

"Okay, Donnie. Let's finish this!"

I felt a contraction right then, and I started pushing as hard as I could. I screamed, feeling like I was splitting apart.

"DONNIE!"

"You're doing good, April. Keep going!"

I pushed again, and I stopped, feeling so tired that I felt discouraged.

"Donnie… I can't do it."

"Yes. You. Can. Just one more big push, April. Do it for Lily."

I smiled when Donnie mentioned our daughter's name.

"Alright, Lily," I said with determination. "It's time for you to come!"

I moaned as another contraction came on, and I took a deep breath… and I pushed. I screamed, and I let out a yell as I pushed with all my strength. While pushing, I noticed the lights flickering on and off, and they stayed off as the sun rose. I collapsed, feeling like a heavy burden was gone.

"We did it, April," Donnie said with a smile.

I watched as Donnie looked down, and he started crying and laughing at the same time. He pulled our daughter out of the water, and I started to do the same.

"Oh, Donnie—"

"She's absolutely precious, April," Donnie said in a sweet voice, smiling through his tears.

Donnie handed our daughter to me, and he was absolutely right: Lilianna Mae Hamato was the most beautiful baby I had ever seen. She had white skin, but she felt like her daddy. I also noticed her back was solid, as was her torso, despite looking like a human. She shared one more feature with her daddy: she also had three fingers on each hand and three toes on each foot.

Lily started crying, and Donnie and I both laughed and cried with joy as I cradled her in my arms.

"You are so beautiful, Lily," I told my daughter, kissing her on her tiny head of hair. "Daddy and I love you so much."

"Welcome to the world, Lilianna Mae," Donnie told her, his face beaming with pride.

DONATELLO'S POV

"Donnie, April, are you here?"

The smiles disappeared from both our faces when we heard Leo's voice downstairs.

"I'd better go see them and tell them the good news," I told my exhausted wife.

We shared a kiss, and I got out of the tub and started to head downstairs.

"Uh, Donnie?" Mikey grabbed my attention. "You're wet."

I looked down to see that I was getting water all over the hallway and the stairs.

"Oops… hold on."

I ran back up the stairs and through the hallway and back into the bathroom.

"Excuse me, I need to dry off," I sheepishly told April. "I'm getting the house all wet."

April laughed merrily. I smiled fondly as I witnessed my wife already nursing our daughter. God, she was an amazing woman. April O'Neil Hamato had gone through hours of pain bringing our princess into the world, and she did not look like she had been in pain after all that time. Suddenly, she winced.

"Don't tell me I'm having another baby, Donnie," April said through the pain.

"That must be the placenta. It'll be much easier than delivering the baby, trust me. Just a couple of pushes, and I'll be back with a bucket."

After I dried off, I went out of the bathroom and across the hallway to get a metal bucket.

"Sorry, guys!" I yelled down to my brothers. "I gotta help April with something real quick."

"Is she okay?" Leo asked with concern in his voice.

"Oh, she's doing great!" I answered loudly. "I'll be back!"

I found the bucket, grabbed scissors and clamps from my first aid kit in the bedroom, and ran back into the bathroom. By the time I returned, April had successfully delivered the placenta. I took it out of the tub and put it in the bucket. Then, I cut our daughter's umbilical cord.

"Thanks, D," April said with fatigue in her voice.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"All the pain went away once I saw this little face," my wife answered sweetly, looking down at our baby daughter.

I smiled. I walked over to my two girls and kissed them both on the forehead.

"Now I, for real, am going downstairs to greet the guys," I told her.

I walked out of the bathroom, down the hall, and down the stairs to greet my brothers and their wives.

"Guys, I have the most amazing news!" I said, finally getting excited.

"April is okay, right?" Leo asked with uncertainty.

"Leo, she's fine!" I answered with confidence. "And so is our daughter."

"The baby's here?" Mikey asked excitedly.

"And it's a girl?" Renet asked with clasped hands.

"Yes and yes," I answered with a laugh. "April was amazing up there."

The six of them cheered and hugged each other.

"You're amazing too, Donnie," Leo said, hugging me. "Congratulations."

"Thanks, Leo," I replied, hugging him back. "Well, would you guys like to meet her?"

"Yeah!" they all replied with enthusiasm.

I lead them all up the stairs and into the bathroom.

"They're in here," I told them, and I turned to my wife with smiles on our faces. "Hey, April."

"Hey, D," April replied.

I walked up to her, knelt down, and we kissed each other.

"Here, D," April said, handing me the baby.

I held my newborn daughter in my arms with a fond smile on my face. Once I got one more good glance at my wife, I turned around with the baby.

"Everyone, I'd like to introduce you to our new daughter, Lilianna Mae Hamato."

"Aww!" Mikey and Renet said at the same time.

"That is the most beautiful name!" Renet said with love in her voice. "April, did you pick that out?"

"Donnie and I decided together," April answered.

"Can I hold her?" Mikey asked. "Pleeeease?"

Mikey gave us the puppy dog eyes, and I glanced at April. We giggled once we laid eyes on each other.

"As long as you promise to be careful," I answered, handing the baby over to her uncle. "Lily is very precious to us."

"Aww, Mikey, look at her," Renet whispered. "She looks like both her parents. It's very nice to meet you, little Lily!"

"You are the most beautiful baby I have ever seen," Mikey said with a fond smile. "I'm going to spoil you with lots and lots of love… and lots and lots of pizza!"

"I'm Auntie Renet, and this is Uncle Mikey."

"I want to hold her next," Karai volunteered.

"Of course," April replied as I wrapped my arms around her behind the bathtub.

"Are you doing alright?" Leo asked as Mikey handed Lily to Karai.

"I'm very tired, but I'm doing great," April answered. "Thanks, Leo."

I watched as Leo looked fondly at his new niece over Karai's shoulder.

"I'm your Auntie Karai, Lilianna."

"And I'm Uncle Leo. It will be my honor to train you in ninjitsu someday. I have a feeling you will do just as well on the bo staff as your father."

"She could do well on the tessen also," April chimed in. "Or in any weapon Lily chooses."

"I think our weapons chose us, honey," I replied as Karai handed the baby over to Mona.

"I'm Auntie Mona, little baby. And this is Uncle Raphael."

"May I hold her, Mona?" Raph asked.

"I think that's up to her mother, Raphael," Mona answered.

"Donnie, what do you say?" April asked while rubbing her postpartum belly.

"Go ahead, Raph," I answered, smiling at him.

Mona handed Lily to her husband.

"Lily, I promise not to let anything happen to you," Raph told her with affection. "If you ever need protection and Mommy and Daddy are not around, you just come to me, alright? You're my niece and I love you already. You are the best thing that has ever happened to Donnie and April, so please love them with all your heart and look up to them for guidance. Their love will always be bigger than mine, but you have my love too, as well as love from Uncle Leo and Uncle Mikey and all your aunties."

Lily started crying.

"Uh, Donnie, I think she's done talking."

I got up and took Lily from Raph's arms.

"Shh, Daddy's got you, Lily Mae," I soothed her, kissing her on the forehead. "You're safe in Daddy's arms."

Lily started to quiet down and started cooing to me. I was in awe at how precious and beautiful my daughter was in my arms, looking like the perfect mix of me and April. I let out a soft laugh when Lily smiled at me.

"April, look, she's smiling."

I glanced at April, whose smile grew bigger.

"And she was born only an hour ago," April replied in a high-pitched voice.

"I think we should give April, Donnie, and Lily some rest," Leo suggested. "They've been up all night bringing Lily into the world."

"Thanks, guys," I replied.

"We'll be downstairs making the food and doing other things for you guys," Mikey said.

"Thanks, Mikey," April replied.

The family left the room, leaving the three of us.

"We need to get you out of the tub, April," I said. "How are you feeling down there? Any better?"

"I feel extremely sore down there," April answered with a giggle. "But I'll try to get up. Can you hold Lily?"

"I have a better idea. Let me put her on the bed. Then I'll come get you."

"She has her own crib, Donnie."

"I think it's best if she bonds with both of us in the same bed," I replied with a smile.

I kissed April one more time before leaving the bathroom with our daughter. Lily still carried a smile on her face, and my smile only grew bigger. She was so precious. I vowed silently that I would watch over her no matter what. I laid her down on our bed.

"I'll be right back, Lily Mae, okay? I need to go grab Mommy. She's been in a lot of pain bringing you into the world, and she needs a lot of loving from both of us. I love you so much, Lily Mae."

I kissed her on her tiny head, and then I walked back to the bathroom.

"Alright April, you're going to grab both my hands, and I'm going to pull you out of the tub, okay?"

My wife nodded her head in agreement.

"One, two, three."

I pulled April up, and she hunched over.

"Oh Donnie!" April exclaimed. "I haven't stood up in a while."

"That's because you were having strong contractions and fatigue at the same time," I replied. "Come on, sweetheart, let's get you to bed."

I led her to bed, and we both lied down next to our daughter. After gazing fondly at her, who was now asleep, we pulled each other in for a few sweet kisses.

"Thank you, Donnie," April said fondly. "Thank you for everything. Thank you for being there for me. Thank you for helping me bring our little girl into the world. Thank you for not freaking out."

I let out a soft laugh.

"I have never been so scared in my whole life," I replied. "Nor have I been so happy. I love you both so much."

"We love you too, Donnie."

We kissed again, this time with a little tongue, and we finally fell asleep for the first time as a little family.

April and I both woke up to our crying daughter lying between us. We both moaned as we stirred ourselves awake.

"Oh, honey," I moaned. "It's only been an hour."

"Says the turtle who sometimes stays awake all night working on his experiments," April moaned in response as Lily continued crying. "Oh, Lily, what do you need?"

"She could need anything, honey," I answered. "Milk, a diaper change, attention."

"She's got the attention already, Donnie," April replied. "How would you know if she needs milk?"

"Put your finger on her cheek. If her face turns in that direction, then she's hungry."

I slowly got off the bed.

"I'm going to see what my brothers are up to."

"Okay. I'll feed Lily."

I trotted out of the room and down the stairs to find my brothers and their wives hard at work in the kitchen.

"Guys, what's going on?" I asked.

"Donnie, you just had a baby," Leo replied with a smile. "You need to rest."

"Lily woke me and April up," I yawned. "I can't recall the last time I've been this tired."

Mikey snickered before answering.

"Remember when we had to escape New York City from the Kraang and camp out here?" he asked, and I nodded. "We all took naps and had these dreams that had beavers in them. April tried to wake us up but couldn't."

"I think I'd rather feel like this than not be awake at all," I replied.

"Donnie, get back upstairs and go back to sleep," Raph demanded. "We got things covered down here."

"What things?" I asked, almost to the point of yelling. "It looks like you guys are cooking a feast!"

We heard Lily wailing from upstairs.

"DONATELLO!" we all heard April yelling from upstairs. "BE QUIET!"

"Oops," I said sheepishly.

"Yeah, you're gonna have to watch your temper even more now that you have a child," Raph reprimanded me.

"Look who's talking!" I snapped quietly, and then I took deep breaths. "Sorry, I remember the nights I drank so much coffee that I never had the will to go to sleep. I was trying to make retro-mutagen for April's dad. I don't miss those nights at all. But seriously, guys, what are you doing?"

"We are making meals for you and April that will last for months," Mikey explained.

"You both are going to have your hands full with Lilianna," Mona warned me. "April's not going to want to cook."

"So, we're doing it for you," Karai finished. "And it is our honor to help. When we're finished, Raphael, Mona Lisa, Michelangelo, and Renet will return to New York to live their lives while Leo and I stay here and help you and April with Lilianna."

"That's not necessary—"

"Yes, it is, Donnie," Leo chimed in, putting a hand on my shoulder. "Lily is our niece and more importantly, you're our brother. You need to take care of each other too, and Karai and I are more than happy to help with that."

"Don't you both have jobs in New York, too?"

"It's summer vacation, Donnie. We're not expecting our students to come back until mid-August. We're thrilled to be here. Raph and Mikey can look after the lair while we're gone."

"And I'd love to spend time with Lily when you and April need to go out," Karai chimed in. "Splinter would have done the same."

I gave them a fatigued smile. Karai was right. If Splinter was still alive, he'd have been delighted about being a grandfather to a baby girl. He would have loved to love on her, spoil her, and teach her the ways of the ninja. Then I smiled at the thought of Lily having not one, but seven teachers to teach her how to defend herself and to become a kunoichi as she grows up.

"Thank you, guys," I finally spoke. "I love you all."

"We love you too, Donnie," Leo replied.

We hugged each other.

"Now, please go back to sleep," Karai encouraged me. "I think Lilianna is back asleep."

I nodded and trotted my way up the stairs. When I reached the bedroom, April and Lily were already fast asleep. I smiled and joined them in the bed. I kissed them both on their foreheads before returning to my slumber.

"I am proud of you, my son."

I woke up and became aware of my surroundings. I quickly figured out that I was in a dream as I was surrounded by stars.

"Sensei?" I asked out loud. "Is that you?"

"Yes, Donatello. I am here."

I turned to my left to see Master Splinter in the flesh. I ran to him, and when I hugged him, he felt so real as he returned my hug.

"There is so much I want to tell you, Sensei."

"Yes, my son. So much has happened to you since I have been gone."

"You would have been so happy if you were here, Sensei," I started talking excitedly. "We can now roam freely around the country. You would have been able to return to Japan again."

I let out a sigh.

"But, I tried saving Shredder's allies. I made more retro-mutagen to cure them. I couldn't save them all."

Splinter put a hand on my shoulder.

"Your heart is in the right place, Donatello. But some things were not meant to be. Now you must focus on raising your daughter."

"You know about Lily?" I asked, putting a smile on my face.

"Yes. I am always with you, my son. And I promise that I will always be with Lilianna. You and April have done well. Raise her like I raised you. Guide her as I have guided you. Teach her to have courage. Encourage her to carve her own path."

"Don't worry, Sensei. We're going to raise our daughter to think for herself."

"But the most important thing, Donatello, is to teach her how to love, like I have loved you. And I will always love you, my son."

"I love you too, Sensei."

I woke up to Lily crying again in our bedroom. I watched as April stirred awake as well. I took a glance at the clock, and this time, two hours had passed.

"What's going on now, Lily?" April asked sleepily. "Are you hungry again?"

I watched as she placed her index finger on our daughter's cheek. But Lily did not turn this time.

"Maybe it's a diaper change this time," I suggested, moving my head down to smell her. "No, she's clean."

"So it's definitely attention, which we're giving her right now."

"I think it's more than that, April," I replied. "May I handle this?"

"Oh, please go for it," April answered with relief in her voice. "I still need more sleep."

"You try to rest as much as you can, honey."

I picked up our baby daughter and made her comfortable in my left arm.

"Shh, Daddy's here, Lily Mae," I soothed her. "You're safe. You are okay. Let's do some bonding while you are awake and alert."

I got off the bed and walked to the window where we had a view of the barn and the woods beyond it.

"I love you so much, Lily Mae," I spoke in a smooth voice. "I promise to raise you to become your own person and to carve your own path. I promise to teach you all I know about life and all the amazing things that come with it: science, reading, math. Mommy is smart, and so is Daddy. You are already very smart, Lily Mae, because you are our precious girl. You're also very brave, like Mommy, and you have a pure heart, like Daddy. I promise to bring those qualities to life as you grow older. While I raise you and teach you, I promise to listen to you no matter what. You are the one of the most important people in my life, and I promise to be the best daddy I can be. I am so excited to watch you grow older. I'm excited to watch you crawl, and walk, and run, and just have the time of your life. Life is not going to be easy, Lily Mae, but I can already promise you that you will never be alone. I will always be with you no matter what."

Lily smiled, and I laughed softly.

"She loves you too, D," I heard April say.

I turned around and smiled fondly at her.

"You can still hear her thoughts?" I asked, walking back to the bed.

"Yes, Donnie, I can. You are going to spoil her with all of that knowledge."

"So will you," I replied with a grin. "You are going to be one heck of a mom. You already are one heck of a mom. Here."

I handed our daughter back to her mother, who gazed fondly at her.

"There have been some days in the past where I envisioned myself being a mother," April told me quietly. "But I never imagined it was going to be like this! Lily is our little miracle from heaven."

"Yes, she is."

We watched as Lily let out a yawn.

"Aww!" we cooed together.

"I never thought in my lifetime that I was going to have a child," I quietly told my wife. "But this is amazing. She is so amazing."

"Isn't she?" April replied. "I'm curious: were you like this as a baby?"

"Unfortunately, I never asked Splinter about it. We'd have to ask him the next time we meditate. I am very interested in your life at Lily's age, though."

"Another time, D," April replied with a smirk. "Let's try to get some more sleep while she's asleep."

We kissed each other.

"I love you, sweetheart," April told me.

"I love you too, honey."