Hi everyone! I had to admit that I cried while writing the first half of this chapter. I have felt somewhat the same way Little Donnie has here, so this part of the chapter helped me process my feelings about my past.
Now the second half of the chapter... ooh, I'm so excited to share this with you! I did do some research while writing this chapter because this is one story that I want it to feel memorable to Lily and Knuckles. I wrote the beginning of that journey here. I have already written the ending, but that may be a whole chapter by itself in about two or three chapters from now. We'll see what I come with for the middle. Expect some twists and turns with this one!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to "Meet the Robinsons," "TMNT," "Sonic the Hedgehog," nor "Choices: High School Story." I only own Lilianna, Little Donnie, Mika, Vaia, Karena, Diana, and Wesley.
March 15, 2062 - Westport, Connecticut, USA
KNUCKLES'S POV
I took Vaia with me in the stationwagon to pick up Mika and then Donatello. However, the minutes I spent waiting for my son turned into an hour. I turned off the car.
"Come on, Mika," I said as I got out of the car and helped Vaia out. "Let's go inside and find your brother."
I stepped foot into Westport High School for the first time.
"So this is Donnie's school!" Mika said in awe.
"Yes. Please do not venture too far off, Mika."
We looked around every corner of the two-story school. But we could not find Donatello. Suddenly, we found Diana turning the corner towards us. She smiled.
"Hi, Knuckles! What brings you by?"
"Have you seen Donatello?" I asked.
"Come to think of it, no," Diana answered, scratching her black-haired head. "He's been hanging out with Morgan and her parkour group."
"Donatello has not mentioned her. And what is parkour?"
"Skateboarding, climbing up buildings, climbing trees, and so on."
"Has he told you anything about having plans?"
"No. Quite the opposite. He's been avoiding me."
Diana sighed.
"I don't understand," she continued. "Is everything okay at home? I have never seen Donnie so distant before, not since he transferred here."
My suspicions were confirmed. Donatello had trouble adjusting to change.
"Diana, when Donatello transferred here, how did he seem to you?"
"He was very much a fish out of water. He had trouble fitting in. But I knew he had a passion for his ninjutsu training. He was not afraid to show it off. Last year, when the school elections happened, he hung out with Morgan and her friends."
"Lily mentioned Donatello had snuck out of the house at night last year," I replied. "I believe I know exactly where to look. Come on, Mika."
"Knuckles, I hope he's okay."
"Me too."
The three of us returned to the car and drove to the park. But we could not find him there. So we went downtown. We searched every street and could not find him.
"Daddy?" Mika asked. "Can we go home?"
I sighed.
"Yes, we can. I am sure Donatello will present himself to us."
LILIANNA'S POV
I came home learning from Knuckles that Donnie had run off with a friend named Morgan, whom he ironically described as an anarchist last year. I instantly became worried, but my husband discouraged me from finding him.
We ate dinner with Mika and Vaia and we helped them settle into bed. Then we attempted to call Donnie multiple times.
"Knuckles, I can't sit around and do nothing anymore!" I panicked. "I have to go out and find him."
"He is going to have another thing coming when he gets home," Knuckles angrily replied. "He is already grounded for lying to me and for sneaking off to Long Island Sound. Where could he have gone this time?"
I was about to spin around to transform when we heard the door open. Knuckles and I both turned to find...
"Donnie!" I yelled with relief. "Thank goodness you're alright!"
"Where have you been?" Knuckles sternly asked, putting his hands on his hips.
"Okay, Dad, relax, please," Little Donnie replied with sass. "I went to New York City."
"ALONE?!" Knuckles roared.
"I went with friends."
"Which friends?" I asked. "Diana?"
"No. Morgan. We went to a park to practice our skateboarding."
"You couldn't do that here?" I asked.
"No, because I knew Knuckles would find me if I stayed in Westport."
"Let me get this straight," Knuckles spoke with a glare. "You knew you were grounded. You knew you were supposed to wait for me to pick you up when you do not have musical practice. You knew that if you pulled another disappearing act, that you would be in big trouble. But you deliberately disobeyed me anyway and ran off to New York City without an adult?"
"What do you have to say for yourself, Donatello?" I asked.
"Hey, I made it back here safe and sound. I can take care of myself."
"You may be the smartest kid in town," I replied, crossing my arms. "But your father is right. You broke many rules today. You did not ask me or Dad if you could go to New York City. You did not come home in time for dinner. In fact, you missed dinner entirely, which also means you missed some family bonding. But what's worse is that your father gave you a punishment that came with new rules and you broke those!"
"I don't need a lecture," Donnie shot back.
"You broke the rules, Donatello," Knuckles sternly spoke. "You most certainly need a lecture."
"I am not a child anymore," Donnie said loudly.
"You are eleven years old!" I replied firmly. "In the eyes of the law, you are most certainly a child. And with the way you have been behaving lately, you are certainly not an adult. I don't care how smart you are."
Donnie gasped. And then his glare returned.
"Fine. Then treat me like a child. I don't care."
"That is not true and you know it," Knuckles replied. "I did not want to do this, but after everything you have said and done, I do not have a choice. Every day, after school, I will be picking you up first and we will be going home."
"But what about musical practice?"
"You should have thought about that before you decided to disobey me. You will not be going to musical practice at all."
"I'll text Karena and let her know," I said.
"You agree with him?" Donnie asked, on the verge of tears.
"I am sorry, Donatello, but yes. You have gone too far."
Our son sharply turned around and ran up the stairs. He slammed the door.
"Oh no!" I moaned, suddenly feeling weary.
I collapsed on the couch and started crying. This time, instead of trying to comfort me, Knuckles cried with me. We cried into each others' shoulders.
"Mommy? Daddy?"
We both gasped and turned to our daughter, who had suddenly shown up.
"Why are you crying?" Mika asked. "What happened?"
"Nothing that concerns you, Mika," I answered.
"Are you alright?" Knuckles asked, wiping his tears.
"I can't sleep," Mika answered.
"Oh," I frowned. "What's wrong?"
Knuckles and I both patted on the couch, encouraging her to join us.
"I thought about what you said, Daddy," Mika told us. "You heard me say how important it is for Mommy to kiss me good night. And then both of you came to kiss me good night every night. But then I heard Donnie yelling at you. He even said to me that you didn't care about us. I had a bad dream where you both said you didn't love me anymore."
Mika started crying.
"Oh, sweetheart," I spoke, tears threatening to leave my blue eyes again.
"Whatever Donatello told you is not true," Knuckles said. "Mommy and I love you very much. We made a vow at the wedding to put you first and to love you with all our hearts."
Knuckles and I glanced at each other and frowned.
"I am afraid we broke that vow," he continued. "Mommy and I made sure we loved each other, but we did not pass that same courtesy to you. Mika, I am very sorry if I have caused you any trouble."
"I am sorry, too, Mika," I spoke. "I am afraid I have not been a very good mother to you lately, nor in your short life."
"Mommy, that's not true," Mika replied, wiping her tears away. "Yes, you are gone a lot, but it is because you love me. You give me food to eat. You give me clothes to keep me warm. You give me a bed to sleep in. And do you want to know what the best gift is you have given me?"
"What is that, sweetheart?"
Mika turned towards Knuckles and smiled.
"A daddy who loves you and who loves me and Donnie and Vaia, just like you do. Daddy, I'm sorry for being mad at you and Mommy. Can you forgive me?"
"Of course, we forgive you," Knuckles answered, finally smiling after a very hard day. "Can you forgive us? We were so into each other after getting married that we forgot that you are just as important to us."
"Of course, I forgive you, Mommy and Daddy."
"May we have a hug, please?" I asked.
"Yes!"
The three of us embraced each other into one giant hug. And then we pulled apart.
"You have continued to display great wisdom for your age," Knuckles told her. "I am very proud of you."
"I wish Donnie could see what you see," I chimed in. "Sometimes, you need the innocence of a young child to open your mind."
March 17, 2062
DIANA'S POV
I was eating lunch with my friends when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around and found Donnie holding his lunch tray.
"Can I talk to you alone?" Donnie asked.
"Of course! Excuse me."
I followed Donnie into the empty band room.
"How have you been?" I asked.
"I don't know anymore," Donnie answered honestly with a frown.
"Let's start from the beginning, then."
"Well, Knuckles took my mom on a honeymoon after they got married."
"Yeah, and the three of you came over so that you were taken care of."
"I was so happy they came back," Donnie continued. "But then Mom started going back to work. With musical practice, I don't ever get to see her. When I do see her, she's always with Knuckles. I... got jealous."
I gasped.
"You were seeking attention?" I asked, feeling floored.
"Oh, I got the attention, alright. I was grounded not once but twice from hanging out with Morgan and her friends. Now I can't go to musical practice at all."
"Mom mentioned that at dinner last night."
"That's not the end of it. Now Morgan tells me that we are going to go borrow some horses and ride out to a nearby cliff tonight."
"It's not Lowther Point in Greenwich, is it?" I asked.
"Yep. That's the cliff."
"But you're grounded. What are you going to do?"
"I don't know!" Donnie answered in a panic. "Morgan will think I'm chicken if I don't go, no matter whether I say I'm grounded or not. But yet, there's a part of me that cares and hopes no one will get hurt. I... I feel that because I have hurt my family a lot lately, I feel that I owe it to myself to be sure no one gets hurt tonight."
"That is a big risk!" I warned him. "You could be in serious trouble."
"I can't take that chance to just sit there and do nothing. Diana, I'm sorry. I truly am. But I gotta go and make sure no one gets hurt."
The small mutant turtle left the band room. I took out my phone and texted Lily and Knuckles.
LITTLE DONNIE'S POV
Knuckles picked me up from school and we went to Mika's school to pick her up.
"So I hear there will be horse races in Greenwich," Knuckles spoke.
I panicked, glancing over to my left to watch his face as he drove.
"How do you know that?"
"Word gets around."
I tried to read his mind but couldn't.
"Word also got around that you plan on going despite your punishment," Knuckles continued.
"Dad, just let me explain--"
"No. You need to listen to me. Riding horses off the cliff in the dark is extremely dangerous. And besides, you are grounded."
We pulled up to Mika's school. Knuckles turned off the car and faced me.
"I want to make myself very clear," he sternly told me. "You are not to go, no matter if you were grounded to begin with or not. If you sneak out and do this, I swear you will be grounded for a month. Do you understand?"
I gulped and nodded hastily. Shortly afterwards, Mika got in the car and we went home.
Mom came home around six-thirty and we had our dinner. Then, we got ready for bed. I got into bed at nine. Mom and Knuckles kissed me good night and I pretended to settle in.
I lied in my bed awake, thinking about my talk with Diana. And everything I told her was the truth. I was jealous of Knuckles. After my dad died, it was up to me to take care of my mom. I felt I owed my dad in that way.
I moaned. This entire mess was my fault. Both my parents were right. My mother assured me that her love for me never changed. But I had decided to fight against that. Knuckles, meanwhile, always looked out for me. He searched for me when I ran off both times. He grounded me to protect me. And I got angry at him. In fact, for the last two weeks, I hated him, but I could not tell him that.
I glanced over at the clock. It was nine-thirty. I decided to take the time to sneak out of the house and head to Greenwich to stop my friends from hurting themselves. I successfully snuck out the window and used my invisibility and my training to speed to Greenwich.
LILIANNA'S POV
Knuckles and I cuddled with each other. But I felt a different energy tonight.
"Knux? Are you alright?"
"Have you gotten the text from Diana about Donatello?"
"Yes."
"I spoke to him about it," Knuckles explained. "I sternly told him not to go."
"Well, he's safe and sound in bed. I have to believe he got the message. And I'm sure you mean well."
"But how can you be sure? It feels like Donatello has been resenting me ever since we got back from our honeymoon."
"Resenting you?"
"All we have done is fight. And I hate that. I want to love our son but he is not letting me do that. Do you have any advice for me?"
"A solution will arise in due time," I soothed him. "We need to go with the flow and accept these challenges to help both us and the children grow."
"Are you seriously using my words?" Knuckles asked in amusement.
"They are good words, and they have helped me. Take your own advice, Knuckles. Things will work out. I promise."
We leaned in and kissed. We stared at each other with admiration in each others' eyes.
"I love you."
"I love you too, Knucklehead."
He laughed. We leaned in to kiss again. Suddenly, my phone went off.
"Who is calling you at eleven o'clock in the evening?" Knuckles asked.
"It's... Donnie?"
I answered.
"Donnie, is everything alright?"
"Mrs. Hamato, it's Morgan, one of Donnie's friends."
"Where is Donatello?" I furiously asked.
"Hurt. We... we did a stupid thing. We took horses to see which one of us could get to the cliff the fastest without falling. One of us went too fast. Donnie sacrificed himself to save him and now he's crying in pain."
My heart started to break.
"Where are you?"
"Lowther Point in Greenwich. Donnie told me to call you. Please, hurry."
She hung up.
"Lily, what is wrong?"
I turned to my husband with a hurt expression on our faces.
"Donnie's injured... at Lowther Point. I have to go save him."
"I told him not to go!" Knuckles angrily replied.
"Knuckles, wait. Donnie... he injured himself saving someone's life. I think he went to be sure no one got hurt."
"I'm coming with you."
"No. Someone needs to stay with the girls."
Knuckles frowned, but nodded with understanding. We got out of bed and hugged each other.
"Be safe," the Echidna whispered.
We kissed. Knuckles got back in bed. I transformed into Aumanil and flew out the window.
Greenwich, Connecticut, USA
"Donatello?" I yelled. "Morgan?"
"Over here!"
I blew a sigh of relief. I flew over to the friend group, who had surrounded Little Donnie.
"Please, step back," I told them.
I approached my son, who was clutching onto his right shoulder.
"Donnie, it's me, Aumanil," I soothed him. "Does your shoulder hurt?"
"I think it's dislocated," Donnie whimpered. "My right leg really hurts, too. Can you do something?"
"Yes. Let me take care of that shoulder and then let me examine your leg."
I texted Wilbur to call my dad. Then, I placed my right foot directly underneath his armpit.
"What are you doing?" Donnie asked, clearly scared of the situation.
"This is a method my father taught me to help with a dislocated shoulder and put it back in place. This is going to hurt. Can two of you support him?"
Morgan and another kid held onto my son.
"Are you ready?" I asked.
He nodded. I pushed my foot into his armpit and I pulled onto his arm. Little Donnie let out an agonizing scream as I put his shoulder back into place.
"Are you alright?" I asked.
"Yeah, I think so," he whimpered.
"You are a trooper, Donatello. Your father would be very proud of you."
"Which one?"
"Both of them."
Little Donnie suddenly passed out. After finding a pulse, I examined his leg as well as the rest of his body. I glanced up at the cliff. He was very fortunate to survive such a fall. I took him to the lair so my father could further assist him.
March 18, 2062 - New York City, New York, USA
I sat in the living room with two of my uncles and my mom. Not a single word was spoken the entirety of my visit. I did, however, text Knuckles to tell him Donnie was okay.
It was now two o'clock in the morning. Finally, I heard the door open. My dad emerged from the lab.
"What did you discover, Father?" I asked.
"Little Donnie is very lucky," Dad spoke. "I'm not sure anyone else could have survived a fall like that. After you fixed the dislocated shoulder, I fixed up his leg. He broke the same bone Diana did some time ago. But him moving around is going to be very difficult. His right shoulder needs to be in a sling, but he'll need crutches to get around. That is going to be very difficult to do with only one arm."
I let out a sigh.
"But, there is good news. Donnie is a mutant like all of us. Whenever any of us had an injury, we healed in a shorter time than the average human. But I would like to come over to your place to check up on him."
"We would love that. Mika and Vaia would love to see you. So would Knuckles."
"Speaking of which, how's married life going?"
I frowned.
"It has been difficult with the children adjusting to having a father in the home again. Mika's doing alright now. But I think Donatello's is going through more than he is telling us."
"He did ask to speak with you," Dad told me. "He seems to have a lot of regret."
"Thank you."
"Let's get to bed, guys," Mom finally spoke.
I walked into the lab and saw my son sitting up on the cot. His right leg was dangling in the air.
"Hi, Mom," he greeted me.
"Hey. How are you feeling?"
"I'm in a lot of pain. I have a lot of regrets. But otherwise, I'm good."
"Would you like to talk about it?"
"Could we?"
I pulled up a chair and sat next to him.
"I can't hide it anymore," Donnie spoke with a frown. "I'm jealous of Knuckles."
"What? Why?"
"Because he's taking care of you. When Dad died, I had this sense to take care of you and Mika because there was no man around. When you came home every day, I tried to do what Dad did. I made dinner. I played with Mika. I read a book to her. I even cleaned the house. But then Knuckles showed up. He started doing the same thing. I couldn't help but feel shame that I wasn't doing enough to be sure my family was safe. So, when you and Knuckles got married, I felt invisible. I felt I was no longer needed. I know it sounds silly, but--"
"What do you mean, no longer needed?" I interrupted him. "Of course, we need you! Donnie, when you were born, you were the best thing that ever happened to me. You made me a mother, something I had dreamed about since marrying your dad. You completed our lives. And you have done more than that. You know Knuckles, the father who grounded you for your wrongdoings? Knuckles had wanted to start a family for years. But there was no possibility. He had no hope, being the last Echidna. Then, he met us. When I told him to talk to you about your dad dying, he started loving you like you were his son. You completed Knuckles's life. You gave him hope! He grounds you because he loves you. He yells at you because he loves you. He trains you in the ways of the Echidna because he loves you. Chances are, he made mistakes in his life that he did not want to see you repeat."
Donnie started to cry.
"He probably hates me after all of this."
"No, Donnie," I soothed him, caressing his cheek. "That is far from the truth. Knuckles, your father, loves you with unconditional love. You could have committed a crime and Knuckles would still love you. He may lecture you on how stupid the decision was, but once Knuckles gives you his love, he will never take it back. He wants the chance to raise you to become the best warrior and the best turtle you can be. Please, Donnie, give him that chance. And please give me the chance to be there for you, even if you don't want me to be."
He continued to cry. I got onto the cot with him and held him in my arms.
"I love you, Donatello."
"I love you too, Mom."
"It is not too late to talk to Knuckles. I think he would love the chance to just talk."
March 20, 2062 - Westport, Connecticut, USA
KNUCKLES'S POV
I was feeding Vaia some applesauce when I saw a ring appear in the living room. I started to smile, thinking the fox or the hedgehog were coming to see me. Instead, I saw a crutch coming out of the ring.
"Donatello!" I exclaimed with surprise. "What are you doing here? You are supposed to be at school."
"I can't wait anymore, Dad. We need to talk."
"Let me put some leftovers in the microwave."
I gave my son some macaroni and cheese with beef and green beans. Then, we sat at the table.
"What would you like to talk about?" I asked.
"I wanted to say I'm sorry for everything," Donatello explained. "It's... it's..."
"Yes, Donatello?"
He suddenly started crying. I frowned.
"I thought I was doing my dad a favor when he died by taking care of Mom. That because I became the man in the house, I had to make sure everyone was safe and happy. And then you come into our lives and marry my mom. I saw you more than I saw her. I felt like I was losing my place."
"So that is why you continued to say you could take care of yourself," I replied.
"To be honest, when you talked to me like you were my dad, I wanted nothing to do with you. I didn't want you to worry. But when Morgan said she and her friends were going to ride horses off a cliff, I started to doubt them. I confided in Diana. I was going to stay home and serve my punishment. But if someone got hurt, I didn't want someone to get hurt because of me."
"So you sacrificed yourself and got hurt."
"I didn't think I was worthy of your love, Knuckles. Not after everything I've done. I was okay with dying. I was okay with staying invisible."
Donatello openly sobbed. I got up and moved to a chair closer to him.
"Hey, I am not mad," I told him, rubbing his shoulder. "I never was mad at you."
"You're not?"
"No. In fact, you remind me of myself."
"I do?" Donatello asked, wiping his beak on his sleeve. "How?"
I chuckled.
"Yes. I, too, had trouble adjusting to a new life. I, too, was grounded. And I, too, ran off to try to find my purpose."
"You did?"
"Yes. I started asking Wade questions about music and what home was. He showed me there was more to life than just being a warrior. At first, I thought I was on a quest to rebuild my tribe. But, after the journey, I realized that I was on a quest to find home. And it looks like you had that same journey, Donatello. You needed to find a new purpose after I married your mother."
"But what is that purpose, Dad? I feel like I don't belong."
"You do belong, Donatello," I replied with a smile. "You are our son. You complete both of us and you give us a new meaning of life and of love. You give us a reason to smile. You are a big brother to two amazing female warriors. You have always gone out of your way to make sure Mika and Vaia are safe. Here, you have no reason to be invisible, for your mother and I see you for who you are: our smart, thoughtful, amazing son. Your purpose here is to grow as a son and as a brother, just like mine was all those years ago. And Donatello, with every ounce of my body, I believe you will grow up to be a very powerful man."
Donatello got up and hugged me with his good arm. I returned the embrace as he cried into my shoulder.
"I'm so sorry, Dad. I'm sorry for everything!"
"I know, son. I know."
"I promise never to be reckless and run off ever again. Can you forgive me?"
"Of course, I forgive you. But I ask for your forgiveness as well."
We pulled apart.
"What for?"
"For not putting you first. You are just as important to me as your mother is. I did not just marry your mom. I married you, Mika, and Vaia as well. We are all one family and I promise to listen and talk to each of you every night. And as for family night, we will give you that choice as to what we do."
"Really?"
"Really. Our experience at the diner helped me see that. It was your idea, after all."
"Then I forgive you, Dad."
We hugged again, finally ready to put that chapter behind us.
April 28, 2062
LILIANNA'S POV
Our relationship as a family has gotten much better since Knuckles and Little Donnie forgave each other. We allowed Little Donnie to return to musical practice, forgiving him from his punishments, for we saw his sacrifice as a noble deed. All five of us found a new understanding within each other and we could not be happier.
As for family night, Donnie suggested instead of doing a movie night, we trained as a family and included Vaia. Needless to say, we all preferred sparring over watching a movie. We also had an agreement on the weekends. On Saturdays, I relaxed while Knuckles and the kids took care of me and the house. On Sundays, it was my turn. Knuckles and the kids rested so I could take care of them.
As for me and Knuckles, we kept our promise to Donnie and Mika. When we are with Mika, I read her a story from her book. We prayed and kissed her good night. Meanwhile, Donnie wanted to know about Knuckles's past, so the latter told him a story about the Echidna tribe. We also prayed with him and kissed him good night. After that, Knuckles and I made love every night... well, every night that we could. We were stronger than ever together.
Today, after work, my dad joined me so he could look over Little Donnie.
"So how have you all been since we last spoke?" Dad asked.
"Much better," I answered. "We've become a power family with our sparring."
"Well, except for me," Little Donnie chimed in. "I can't really do much in my condition. Though Dad's been giving me some new techniques to help the healing go faster."
"It seems to be working so far," Dad replied with encouragement. "I'm going to take off your cast so I can examine your leg."
"I'm going to go downstairs and finish dinner," Knuckles said. "Come along, Mika."
"Okay, Daddy!"
After they left, my dad got to work sawing off my son's cast. The smell of plaster got to my nose, and I was suddenly feeling nauseous. I ran out of my son's room, into my room, and into the bathroom. I lifted up the toilet seat and puked. I puked again, still smelling the plaster. Suddenly, I heard knocking.
"Mommy, are you okay?" Mika asked.
"Yeah! Yeah, sweetie, I'm fine."
I flushed the toilet and rinsed my mouth off. I heard knocking at the door.
"Lily, it's Dad. Are you okay?"
I opened the door.
"Yeah. Sorry about that."
"What kind of smell was getting to you?" Dad asked.
"The plaster from Donnie's cast."
"Come to think of it, you've been running out of my office this last week. Was it a similar smell?"
"Yes!"
"Hmm..."
Dad put his right hand on his chin.
"Did you want to take my blood?" I asked.
"That's probably a good idea," Dad answered, getting a syringe ready. "Have you been experiencing any other symptoms lately?"
"Come to think of it, Wilbur caught me napping a couple times this week."
"How's your appetite?"
"Very unusual. I'll have no appetite in the morning but yet, at dinner, I'll ask Knuckles for seconds, which never happens."
"How has your mood been?"
"Very cranky in the morning, but when Knuckles and I are together, I'm very lovey-dovey."
"When was your last period?"
My eyes widened. I was late.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" I asked, putting my hand on my abdomen.
"It is possible. Let me analyze this blood and get back to you on Monday."
May 1, 2062 - New York City, New York, USA
I woke up to knocking at my office door.
"DAD!" I shouted.
"Don't worry, Lily Mae," Dad teased me with his gap-toothed grin. "You're not in trouble."
"I napped again!" I moaned. "I need to quit that. Do you have any ideas?"
"Lots and lots of water. Do not drink soda or coffee. Also, try to get a short walk in during one of your breaks."
"How am I supposed to go without coffee?" I asked. "Knuckles makes the best coffees ever."
"Limit yourself to one cup."
"I'll be sure to let him know. Have you figured out what is wrong with me in those blood tests? Am I starting menopause?"
"Quite the opposite!" Dad answered excitedly. "Lily, you're going to have a baby. Your human gonadotropin count is very high."
I gasped, putting a hand on my abdomen.
"I need to sit down."
"You're already sitting."
"Then I need to lie down."
I leaned back in my chair, my hands still on my abdomen. I was in shock. I did not think having a baby with Knuckles was even possible. And yet, here I am.
"Are you okay?" Dad asked.
"I need a minute," I answered. "Or maybe the entire nine months to process this!"
"I thought you'd be excited."
"I'm excited, shocked, scared, happy."
"How did you feel when you discovered your pregnancy with Donnie?"
"I was full of joy, finally having a baby with James."
I frowned.
"It took me and James almost five years for us to have a baby. And I would have been happy having just one child. And here I am having baby number four, my first with Knuckles after only two months of marriage."
"It's really going well, isn't it?" Dad asked, sharing his gap-toothed grin again.
I smiled, realizing what he just said.
"Yes, yes it is. And you know something? Knuckles did mention wanting a baby. I just... I didn't know if it could happen with his anatomy and my age. I didn't want to get his hopes up."
"So, how will you tell him?"
"I..."
My smile faded away.
"I... don't know."
May 7, 2062 - Westport, Connecticut, USA
As today was Knuckles's day to rest from doing chores around the house and taking care of the kids. I took Vaia shopping and gathered the supplies needed to surprise my husband with the news.
As we got into the checkout lane, I gasped! Today was Donnie's birthday! Vaia and I got out of the checkout lane and I gave my husband a call.
"Hello?"
"Knuckles, I just realized something important."
"That today is Donatello's birthday?"
"Whew!" I exclaimed. "I'm glad someone remembered!"
"You forgot?" Knuckles asked with shock.
"There's been a lot going on lately," I replied, rubbing my swollen abdomen. "Thank goodness I realized in time. Now I need to find a gift for him. Unless you already found something?"
"I am in the kitchen making his birthday cake as we speak," Knuckles said.
"You're the best husband and father ever! Even though you are supposed to be resting."
"Do not worry, Lily. We can order pizza tonight."
My stomach dropped. So much for my romantic plans. I sighed, glancing at Vaia.
"Listen, Lily, I need to hang up so I can have steely focus. I will see you soon. I love you."
"I love you too, Knuckles. See you soon."
We hung up.
"Well, Vaia, looks like we're putting all this food back and getting your brother a birthday present."
After finding the perfect gift, Vaia and I returned home. I placed Vaia in her crib so she could nap. Then I put away the groceries while Knuckles finished the cake. As for his little present, I went upstairs and prepared it. I decided to present him his gift outside at the beach after the children went to sleep.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang as I came down the stairs.
"Are we expecting anyone?" Knuckles asked.
"Can I get it, please?" Donnie asked.
"Yes. But please be careful."
Little Donnie wobbled to the door and then opened it.
"Oh, hi, Wesley. It's been a long time."
"Hi, Donnie. Can we talk?"
"Sure. Come on in."
"Hi, Uncle Knuckles," Wesley greeted us. "Hi, Auntie Lily."
"Hello, Wesley," I greeted him.
Donnie and Wesley sat at the table.
"I want to apologize," Wesley spoke.
"Me too," Donnie replied. "You were right. I wasn't fair to you when I included you in my lie. But my parents helped me see the light and I don't feel alone anymore. I have a new purpose here. I am Donatello Akihito, the son of Knuckles and Lilianna, and the sister of Aurora and Vaia. And my purpose is to defend my family. And my purpose is also to be your friend. Now I realize how wrong I was and how I hurt you. I hope you can forgive me."
"I forgive you. And I hope you can forgive me for waiting so long to forgive you. My dad got through my thick skull and told me I should always be open to forgiveness. I haven't been a very good friend for shutting you out."
I watched the two boys hug.
"Wesley, would you like to stay and celebrate Donnie's birthday?" I asked.
"Let me ask my parents."
Wilbur and Karena consented to Wesley staying over. I then ordered the pizza. Donnie and Wesley mostly spent their time playing Mario Kart. Knuckles even joined in for a game or two. Then, it was time for Donnie to open his presents.
"I would have gotten you something," Wesley spoke. "But I think my forgiveness is enough."
"Actually, I do have something," Donnie replied, pulling out two bracelets. "Here. Have a friendship bracelet. It'll remind both of us that we'll always be best friends, that we'll always be there for each other."
"This is an amazing gift! Thanks, Donnie!"
They hugged again.
"Now open your presents!" Wesley encouraged him.
First, Donnie opened a gift from Mika and Vaia.
"It's a macaroni necklace?" Donnie asked.
"Uh-huh!" Mika answered. "We made it in class last week. I wanted you to have it."
Mika took the necklace and put it on him.
"Thanks, sis. I love it!"
Donnie's next gift came from Knuckles.
"It's a purple ninja mask! But why does the material feel different?"
"Put it on," Knuckles told him. "And then try turning invisible."
Donnie did as he instructed. His head, along with the mask, turned invisible!
"Whoa!" an invisible Donnie exclaimed. "The mask disappeared with me! How did you do that?"
"The fox helped me out," Knuckles explained. "He discovered a way to not just turn your mask invisible, but eventually all of your clothes as well. I hope you won't mind if I take your clothes to the fox on occasion."
"No, not at all. Thank you, Dad!"
"You are welcome."
The last gift Donatello opened was from me.
"It's a skateboard?" Donnie asked in awe. "Mom, you didn't need to get me this!"
"A little bird told me you enjoy skateboarding," I explained. "Now you can go skateboarding with your friends."
"Michael would love this! Although he's a senior and graduating high school this year."
"It's not the end of the year yet. And besides, you have summer vacation as well."
"That's true! Thanks, Mom. Thank you, everyone for the presents!"
"You're welcome!" we all replied.
Then we ate pizza. To everyone's surprise, I ate an entire pie! It was very rare for me, as I could only eat a few slices a night. Then, we sang the birthday song and enjoyed the chocolate cake Knuckles made. All too quickly, Diana came to pick Wesley up and Knuckles and I put the kids to bed, as it was a school night.
"Good night, Donatello," Knuckles said with a kind smile.
"Good night, Dad. Good night, Mom."
I kissed him on the forehead.
"We love you, sweetie," I told him.
"I love you, too."
We left the room.
"Hey, dear, do you wanna head outside for a little bit?" I asked.
"It looks like it will be nice outside," Knuckles replied. "I would love to spend some time with you at the beach."
"Great! I need to go get something from the bedroom and I'll meet you outside."
"I will see you in a few minutes, then."
I grinned as Knuckles started heading downstairs. Again, I fell in love with his dreadlocks. Then, I put my right hand on my abdomen, wondering if I would be birthing a baby echidna or not. I went into the bedroom, grabbed the same small box Knuckles had my engagement ring in, and then joined him outside.
I smiled at the sight before me. Knuckles was sitting on the sand looking out at the ocean. I decided to join him.
"It is, indeed, a beautiful night," Knuckles spoke.
"Yes it is."
I leaned into his shoulder and he laid his head on mine.
"Lily, are you alright?" he asked. "You seem nervous."
"There is something."
I got up. I held my hand out with a smile. Returning the grin, he took it and I helped him up. I stared longingly into his purple eyes.
"While we had a rough start to our marriage, these last two months have been absolutely wonderful," I spoke. "You have made me the happiest woman alive. And our children are very happy, now that we are a complete family."
I glanced up at the stars before returning to his eyes.
"Well, as complete as it can be for the rest of 2062. There is still a puzzle piece missing that I have discovered very recently."
"Oh?" Knuckles asked, a twinkle in his eyes. "And what puzzle piece is that?"
I got down on one knee. I opened the box to reveal a pacifier.
"Knuckles Hamato, are you ready to start a new quest to become a new father and rebuild the Echidna tribe with me?"
"Are you saying you are ready to try for a baby?" Knuckles asked in awe.
I laughed. I got up. I held the box in my left hand. My right hand rubbed my swollen abdomen.
"We have tried... and we have succeeded."
His jaw dropped.
"Are... are you joking?"
"No!" I answered sweetly with tears and laughter as I caressed his cheek. "Knuckles, we're going to have a baby."
He grinned ear to ear. Then, he lifted me up in the air, spun me around, and laughed with joy. I laughed with him.
"We are going to have a baby?" Knuckles asked with a fond smile.
"Yes! After Christmas."
We continued laughing and crying with joy as we enjoyed this moment all to ourselves. We shared numerous kisses together. At some point, I showed him where the baby was. He knelt down and kissed my belly. I giggled, feeling like a little girl again. We decided to simply enjoy each other after our time at the beach, knowing the best was coming soon.
May 14, 2062 - Green Hills, South Montana, USA
TAILS'S POV
Sonic and I had just woken up. We stretched, went outside, and had ourselves a little race to warm up. But we were in for a surprise when we returned home.
"Good morning!"
"Knuckles!" Sonic and I yelled excitedly.
We went over to his seat and hugged him.
"What brings you by?" Sonic asked.
"Do I need a reason to visit my brothers?" Knuckles asked in return.
"So, you're just here to spend time with us?" I asked.
"Yes. And I do have some news."
Knuckles hesitated, biting his lip.
"And I need to ask for advice."
"Well, we are just about to order some McDonald's," Sonic replied. "It's become a Sunday morning tradition."
"That is a good idea."
"Have you had breakfast yet?" I asked.
"Come on, Tails, this is Knuckles you are talking to," Sonic spoke. "He's got a hearty appetite."
"Lately, so has Lily!" Knuckles replied with a laugh. "She has asked for seconds at dinner every night."
"Dang, Knux! Your food must be that good."
"Well, I just discovered why she has been asking for seconds."
"Okay, McDonald's has been ordered," Sonic spoke.
"Is something wrong with Lily?" I asked.
"That is what I thought at first," Knuckles answered. "She has been sleepy. She never eats breakfast anymore. When she gets home, she throws up. And then, she not only eats her dinner but she asks for seconds."
"Well, no wonder she asks for seconds!" Sonic replied. "No breakfast? How do you survive without eating?"
"Has Lily seen a doctor?" I asked.
"Yes. Her father took her blood when he was examining Donatello's leg. And that is where the news comes in."
"And?" I asked my Echidna brother.
Knuckles sighed and smiled, his cheeks turning a shade of red.
"Lily and I are going to have a baby."
My jaw dropped. I glanced over and saw Sonic's jaw dropped as well.
"Knuckles, that's amazing!" I spoke happily. "Congratulations! I told you to have faith."
"Dang!" Sonic explained, clearly in shock. "You and Lily have only been married for what, a couple months?"
"Yes," Knuckles answered with a laugh.
"And you guys are already pregnant? Holy sherbet! That's fast! And again, I thought I was the fastest being alive."
"So, when's the baby due?" I asked.
"Lily told me after Christmas," Knuckles answered.
He bit his lip.
"How do I approach this?"
"Just be sure Lily is well-taken care of," Sonic answered. "She's going to have a lot of growing pains."
"Growing pains?"
"The baby will be growing inside her uterus," I explained. "In other words, her belly. Because the baby will be growing bigger for nine months, she will have some pain in her back and her legs."
"Well, she has told me her job has her sitting most of the day," Knuckles replied.
"That's good, at least," Sonic said.
"On the contrary, Lily needs to exercise and take walks often," I chimed in. "Maybe you can incorporate that into your family training."
"Lily does take walks at work as well," Knuckles replied. "And she has been pregnant three other times."
"See?" Sonic replied enthusiastically. "She knows what she's doing!"
"But what can I do as her husband?"
"Listen to her," I encouraged him. "Offer her massages. And at some point in her pregnancy, the baby will start to hear things. You can talk to the baby eventually."
"Huh."
"I may not want kids someday," Sonic encouraged him. "But from what I have read, pregnancy can be a wonderful experience for both you and Lily. If you give her all the attention she needs, she will include you in it."
"I do not believe that will be an issue," Knuckles replied with confidence.
"But hey, Knux? Congratulations. You are already an amazing father to Lily's kids. And now having one of your own with her? That's a huge deal. Cherish every moment with her and your little one."
We hugged each other, and then we enjoyed our McDonald's.
May 28, 2062 - Westport, Connecticut, USA
KARENA'S POV
Today was the best day to celebrate everyone in May as Diana went to Caleb's graduation party last night. Wesley was now a teenager, to my disbelief! My husband was now one year shy of forty. Little Donnie turned twelve not too long ago, and we had decided to include Mika in the celebration as her birthday was coming up as well. Mika would be turning the wonderful age of seven. Lastly, Lily would be celebrating her thirty-eighth birthday tomorrow.
However, I had decided to remain with Diana the entire night. Diana was currently vulnerable.
"Is something wrong, Diana?" Lily asked. "You've been strangely quiet all day."
I studied Lily. Something seemed different about her. She was dressed in a black dress with elbow-length sleeves and an empire waistline. The dress flowed past her knees as she wore black ballet flats. Her red hair had also gotten slightly longer since we last saw each other.
"This month's been weird," Diana answered with a sigh. "Apparently, Caleb cannot stand being apart from me when he goes off to college and asked me to marry him at our prom."
"I'm sorry, what?" Lily asked with confusion. "What did you say?"
"I said no. It's way too soon. And besides, I still have one more year of high school left. I'll need to focus on applying for colleges and maybe saving some money so I can go to college."
"Where are you looking at going?"
"We're heading to Pacific Bay this summer to look at the university there. Russell has been a huge inspiration for me going into profiling."
"What is she, chopped liver?" Knuckles suddenly asked of his wife. "Your own godmother is a profiler and you could not ask her?"
"To be fair, Russell has always been available when I need someone to teach me," Diana defended herself.
"Though I don't blame you," Lily replied. "Russell was my guide as well before I went to Pacific Bay University. Heck, he was my supervisor!"
"Really?" Diana asked, her brown eyes suddenly twinkling. "What is it like?"
"It's a beautiful campus," Lily answered. "I think you'll love it."
"My dad's going to be taking my senior pictures there and at a couple other campuses."
"He took amazing photographs at our wedding," Knuckles replied. "You are in good hands."
"So how are you two going to spend your summer?" I asked. "Do you have any plans for a summer vacation with your kids?"
"No," Lily answered innocently. "No vacation. We're going to spend our summer growing a baby."
Diana burst out laughing.
"Sorry!" she wheezed. "It sounded funnier than I thought it would."
"Did you just say growing a baby?" Wilbur asked.
"Yes!" Lily answered excitedly, rubbing her swollen belly. "We're pregnant!"
"OH MY GOSH!" Wilbur and I exclaimed at the same time.
"So, that's why you've been napping at work!" Wilbur spoke.
"And that's why you look different!" I chimed in. "How far along are you?"
"Nine weeks!" Lily answered, now holding up a sonogram. "We're due the Friday after Christmas."
"Don't mind me, but you look farther along than nine weeks."
"Lily has been eating a lot of dinner every night," Knuckles explained. "She has asked for seconds every time."
"Well, she is eating for two now," Wilbur replied with a smirk. "Makes sense."
"But maybe hold it back some," I advised.
"It could also be because I've already had three babies," Lily replied.
"Oh, that's true. Have you told your kids yet?"
"No. We're going to do that tonight."
"Why not now?" Diana asked.
"That was our plan," Knuckles replied. "Go ahead and get the kids together."
Soon enough, all five kids were on the couch with Vaia on Donnie's lap. Wilbur and I sat on the armchairs as Knuckles and Lily stood in front of the TV.
"Donnie, Mika, Vaia," Lily spoke. "Daddy and I have some news we want to share with you."
"It is going to be Christmas present that all of you will love and enjoy," Knuckles explained with a fond smile.
"Christmas already?" Donnie asked. "That's one way to get the Christmas shopping done."
"Yes and no," Lily replied. "You will all still receive Christmas presents, but there is one we will tell you about because we need to prepare for it."
Lily and Knuckles glanced at each other and smiled.
"On December 29th or earlier... we are going to have a new baby in the house."
All three of Lily's children screamed. I laughed at the mixed reactions. Mika was very excited. Vaia looked like she had no clue what was going on. Donnie could not decide on whether to be excited or worried.
"Is the baby going to be a girl or a boy?" Mika asked.
"Daddy and I have decided to keep it a surprise," Lily answered.
"Are Mika or I going to have to share a room?" Donnie asked.
"Not with each other."
"We are thinking Vaia might be in the same room as you, Mika," Knuckles suggested. "That way, Donatello, you can keep your privacy."
"I'm okay with this!" Mika answered enthusiastically.
We all blinked.
"Are you sure?" Lily asked.
"Yeah! It might be cool sharing a room with my sister."
"Thank you for being flexible and honest," Knuckles replied.
"Are you all going to need help with anything?" I asked. "We are always on board if you need us."
"We will take you up on that," Lily replied with a wink. "Although I already have the muscle."
"Actually, Wilbur, when the time comes, would you help me move Vaia's things into Mika's room?" Knuckles asked.
"Of course!"
"But how are we going to arrange Mika and Vaia's things around?" Lily asked. "I don't think Vaia is ready for a big girl bed yet. She's not turning two until November."
Knuckles pondered for a moment.
"Let's do our research soon. But I believe the celebration needs to continue, especially for you, Lilianna."
"Knuckles is right," I replied. "You might as well enjoy the festivities while you can."
May 29, 2062
LILIANNA'S POV
Knuckles made me a romantic dinner to celebrate my birthday. He ended up dropping the kids off with the Robinsons so we would be alone. As steak was not an option for me due to my condition, Knuckles made us hamburgers and sweet potato fries. He also substituted grape juice for the wine because of my pregnancy, though I had a feeling the grape juice was more for him.
After we ate, we ventured upstairs to Mika's room and analyzed it. Mika's bed was currently on the right wall with drawers on the other side. The closet was right next to the door. Across from us were the windows looking out to the beach.
"Any ideas, Knucklehead?" I asked my muscular husband.
"It looks like there's room on the left wall for Vaia's bed," Knuckles answered with keen observation.
"That is true. Vaia is still pretty small, so we don't have to move the dresser."
"But what about Vaia's diaper station?"
"Vaia has been weaned, so the only things we would need are diapers and wipes. I can leave the breast pump where it is. You might be able to whip something up so that the station can be the same height as the bed."
Knuckles got on his phone and did some research. His face lit up.
"I have an idea!"
And then he frowned.
"But there's a catch."
"What is it?" I asked.
"I could give Vaia my old bed that I slept in as a teenager," Knuckles explained. "But my bed is shaped like a pickup truck."
I smirked.
"I have a feeling Vaia will be the kind of girl who likes pickup trucks."
He laughed.
"Vaia? No. Mika is the one who would be fascinated with pickup trucks. She's headstrong and fearless. Vaia would more likely drive a Corvette."
I cracked up laughing.
"You know the kids so well!" I yelled with a grin.
"That's it!" Knuckles exclaimed with an excited gasp.
"What? What is it?"
"Sonic! His bed was a convertible. If he would let me bring it here, I can easily repaint it to fit Vaia's style."
"You might not have to," I replied, putting my hand on his shoulder. "Vaia's favorite color is red. Come to think of it, so is Mika's. Gee, I wonder where they got that from?"
Knuckles let out a hearty laugh.
"But how am I going to build a diaper station for Vaia when it is going to be close to the ground?" he asked, rubbing his neck.
"Hmm..."
I pondered for a moment.
"We need to figure out a way to fit all of the girls' clothes in the room as well."
I snapped my fingers.
"What if we just hang all of Mika's clothes in the closet, maybe even make some cubicles, while we put Vaia's clothes in the drawers?"
"A minimalistic style," Knuckles replied.
"Yeah! Save us some money that way."
"Now that we have a blueprint for the room, what should be the timeline for Vaia to move in here?"
"Well, at least we don't have to repaint the room," I spoke, noting the red walls.
"I was going to suggest we ask Vaia," Knuckles replied. "But she cannot communicate like that yet."
"That is a good point. We'll have to take this transition nice and slow. Going too fast is going to scare Vaia. Mika might like it, but Vaia won't."
"What if Mika helped us with a smoother transition?"
"I think she'd like that a lot," I answered. "It might also give them both a better understanding about adjusting to a new baby brother or sister."
I grinned and rubbed my abdomen.
"I gotta say, I am really looking forward to experiencing this entire pregnancy with you."
"May I ask you something?"
"Of course!"
"What are we looking forward to?" Knuckles asked. "I know next to nothing about all of this."
I turned towards him and caressed his cheek, smiling at him.
"There are so many things to look forward to, Knuckles. You get to watch the baby grow inside me slowly but surely. You'll get to feel the baby kick for the first time. You'll get to hear the baby's heartbeat. And you'll even get to talk to the baby once he or she starts hearing us."
I sighed contently, placing my other hand on my swollen belly. Knuckles put his right hand on top of mine.
"Pregnancy may come with pain, but the little things will all add up to the baby loving you and being warm and loved in your arms. It will be all worth it, Knuckles. You'll see."
We kissed, and his electricity flowed through me.
"Wait, what about my powers?" Knuckles whispered.
"This is our baby, Knuckles. Your powers will course through him or her. And I have no doubt the baby will have your powers as well. I think we'll be fine. Your powers give me confidence. If you have that confidence, so will our child."
We kissed again. The Echidna lifted me up and carried me into our bedroom. We started making love until the children came home. After we kissed them good night, we continued to make love until slumber took us.