Unexpected Gift

Chap 27

The Shredder was getting impatient about his ninjas finding Leonardo. He wanted him back. For the sake of seeing him suffer and getting the baby. Even wanting to kill the turtle's dream of becoming a parent, now that he had accepted the baby.

One of the ninjas came to him one night and said, "Master, we have spotted the turtles patrolling the city."

"Is Leonardo with them?"

"No. We haven't seen him."

"Then get one of his brothers. They will tell us where he is. Or the brother dies! Leonardo would turn himself over to us to save his brother." Shredder said.

"What if he's not home yet?"

"Those turtles always find a way to stay in contact with another. Do as I said!" Shredder demanded.

"Yes, Master."

---

Leo liked being able to move about the lair, but he sure did miss training and patrolling. He felt he was getting lazy. But Don had said no exercising. Staying home, worrying about his brothers on patrol just wasn't like him, but right now, he didn't have a choice.

He often watched the news to see what was going on in the city. Sometimes he would even sit and watch soap operas with Splinter too. Not his favorite shows, but it was something to do besides sit in bed and stare at the ceiling.

Leo was still eating at least six small meals a day, and with a few naps in between. He would use Don's computer to look up baby information more when Don wasn't in the lab. Unlike Mikey, Leo never got into anything that he wasn't supposed to. He just wanted to find out what could be going on with his baby.

It had been another month. Leo was now 24 weeks along.

Leo had grown quite used to feeling his baby kicking him. He found it was about the size of an eggplant. It weighed about 1 ¼ pounds. It was about 13 inches long. More than a ruler. It could suck its thumb and hiccup. But if there was one thing he wondered, could it hear his voice?

Yes, it could.

Sometimes now, when it really was his bedtime, the baby would really start having a party inside him, making it hard for Leo to sleep. He hoped it wasn't kicking his intestines, but he sure could feel it kicking his stomach.

April had begun coming down to the lair every week to help Leo with his Lamaze breathing, while Casey would be helping Raph with his bike or watching TV, like a wrestling match. Pregnancy wasn't his thing.

"So, how are you getting along with Leo?" Casey asked Raph.

"I try to make sure not to upset him. He's moody because I disagree with him a lot, but now, he gets EVEN moodier if you say the wrong thing." Raph said.

Mikey was as rambunctious as ever. He still played his video games and read his comic books. And he would go skateboarding, or fly skateboarding!

Leo would often try to meditate, and Mikey would go whizzing by him. "Mikey, you think you can keep it down! I'm trying to meditate!" He would yell at his bro.

"Just having some fun Leo! Wahoo!"

Leo glared after Mikey. He shook his head. He wished he could have that kind of fun, but the risk to his baby was too great. But then, Leo would feel a giant kick to his stomach.

"And quit scaring my baby!" Leo yelled again.

"Lighten up Leo!" Mike stopped what he was doing. "I'm just playing."

"You do that too much Mikey. You forget I have a baby inside me that kicks at me whenever I raise my voice or something loud goes by me!" Leo scolded. "That's why I keep telling you to keep it down! And I'm tired all the time because Junior won't let me sleep!"

"Mikey, you need to go to the sewers or somewhere else, away from Leo." Don came over. "Go make your loud noises away from here."

"Fine. I will!" Mikey said. He carried his skateboard with him.

"Thanks Don."

"I know the baby is putting a lot of stress on you." Don said.

"It's not my fault I can't sleep anymore."

"I know it's not." Don said. He noticed his brother was beginning to breath differently. "You alright? Your breathing seems different Leo."

"I read it's just a foot or something near my ribs. It does make it harder for me to breath, but I'll be fine Don." Leo assured.

--

Mike went out of the sewers to have his fun. He had his hover skateboard with him. Now his voice really carried.

But his fun was short-lived. A bunch of Foot ninja surrounded him. "Oh shell!" Mikey said. He had slid off his board when they had come around.

Mikey growled and took out his chucks. He prepared to defend himself. Not the best time to be by himself.

Mikey fought hard and well enough for awhile, but soon, even he could get tired. He was brought down, but he wasn't killed.

A ninja pulled him to his feet and pulled his arms behind his back. "What do you want, Foot creeps?" Mikye asked.

"Where is Leonardo?" One asked.

"He's not here!"

"We know he's not with you! Where is he? We know he's got to be back home by now!" The demand sharpened.

"I'll never tell you anything!" Mikey growled back to them.

"Fine! We have ways of making him come to us. Get his phone!"

Mikey's shell cell was grabbed out of his belt while his hands were tied up and he was gagged. They didn't want to hear his smart mouth.

They took him to a warehouse down by the docks. They would only let Mikey go in exchange for Leo turning himself in to them. Or so they told him.