Therefore, Love

Part 27

You eased onto the kitchen chair, pulling the hood of Donnie's sweater higher around you. Leggings making the seat slick.

"You need anything?" Donnie sounded concerned.

"Yeah." Your voice stifled with pain. "A heating pad."

"Okay, yeah." Donnie bustled around in the kitchen while you lay your head in your arms, taking in the life around you.

The kids in the dojo with Leo and Raph, the laughter and shouts of triumph, or failure. The sound of water filtering, the ding of the microwave.

"Here." You looked up at the heating pad Donnie slid across the counter to you. "The pain should abate in two or so days." A cup full of hot tea entered your field of vision as you pressed the heating pad against your abdomen under the sweater.

"Thanks Dee." You attempted a smile, sure it looked pained.

"I gotta get back to training," his hand soft on your back as he kissed the back of your head.

"Go on." You waved him off. "I'll be fine."

"I can help if she needs anything, too, Don." You looked up to see Leo's wife join you at the table.

"Okay." He nodded. "Okay." He squeezed your shoulder before leaving the two of you.

"He's serious about this." She watched him leave, admiration in her voice.

"Yeah." You sighed, slipping back on the chair.

"How many eggs were you guys able to get?"

You shrugged. "Forty, I think."

"Good!" You watched her clap. "That gives you guys a real decent chance."

You snorted. "I'm trying not to get my hopes up." You responded honestly. "Donald said he wasn't sure how compatible our gametes are. He said something about selecting the most human… uh," you rubbed at your neck, unsure how to phrase it for table talk.

"Sperm?"

You smirked at her, "Yeah."

"How many are you going to try the first time?"

You shrugged. "Depends on the sperm, I guess."

She nodded, fingers absently twisting her silicon ring. Blue, of course. You chuckled at that. "How's Splinter doing?"

You watched her hesitate. Eyes searching the table for answers she didn't seem to have. "He's…" she shrugged. "You know. Aging." Finger stopped fiddling with her ring. "And," you watched her bite her lip before looking at you. "Well, cancer is what it is."

You closed your eyes, hummed low in your throat.

"Donnie's doing what he can." She offered. "And I'm doing the best I can." As though defending herself. "And Mikey's with him now."

"I'm not judging." You waved your hands. "It's just… sad." You pressed the heating pad tighter against you. "I've only had two years to get to know this family. I would have liked more time."

"I know." She sighed, falling back in her chair, you felt her eyes on you. "We're having Thanksgiving at my place again. So that Splinter can join. Can't really move him between here and there anymore. It just wears him out now. Were you able to get time off work?"

You nodded, slumping over the table as another cramp hit you. "Yeah." Teeth grit.

"Don't worry about dressing up." She gave you a sympathetic smile.

You snorted, you hadn't planned on it. "Have you and Leo thought about more kids?" You looked at the dojo. "I think Donnie wouldn't mind if we get," you motioned to yourself, "our shit figured out."

"We've talked about it." She smiled, "but no. Three kids is more than enough."

You nodded, another childish scream filling the lair. "Yeah."

"How about you two?" Her head tilted as she twirled her cup. "Just planning on one?"

"I mean," you sat back up, eyes closing. "We'll be thrilled if we get anything, honestly."

"Right." She sounded bashful. "Sorry, that was an insensitive question."

You laughed, winced. "Not at all." You looked up as Raph crossed into the living room, grabbing a blanket, then vanishing again. "What about them?" You motioned to Raph's retreating back. "Did they ever-"

"No." Hand slapped the tabletop. "They're going to be kid free."

You nodded. "Good for them."

She laughed, "Right?" She hesitated. "If this is a bad question, stop me." You eyed her. "But when Leo and I first asked about. You know. A child, Donnie said the human uterus was too hostile. How are you going to-"

"It's essentially an artificial womb." You closed your eyes, very tired. "I don't know a whole lot about the science of it."

You heard her hum in thought. "Okay." She stood, "Let's get you on the couch and more comfortable." Her hands on your shoulders were strong and comforting as she supported you to the living room, tucking you in. "Need some painkillers?"

You shook your head. "I just took a couple. Should be kicking in anytime now."

"Okay." She grabbed the remote, turning on the sci fi cartoon you knew the guys were obsessed with.

"Really?" You shot her a look.

She shrugged, "It's grown on me."

The intro started. You looked at her, the ring on her finger.

"Aren't you nervous about your kids going on patrol?" You shifted your gaze back to the tv. "Learning all this?"

"Yeah." Her honest answer startled you.

"Then why-"

"I trust them." She sighed. "I know that they'll keep my boys safe. All of them." Her soft smile, eyes moving to the direction of the dojo. "Plus my two oldest are at that stage where they can make their own decisions. In this manner, anyway. I'm not going to tell them they can't bond with their family."

"Have you ever been interested in learning all-" you motioned towards the kids and mutant, "that?"

Her snort was all the answer you needed. "With what free time?"

You nodded. "That's true."

"Hey guys!" Echoed through the lair.

You smiled at Leo's wife with knowing as Raph burst through the living room.

"You're back!" Raph shouted, overzealous.

"And we're back to a full house." You rolled your eyes as everyone else filed out after Raph.

"Oh, I love this episode." Leo caught the tv, perching on the arm of the chair his wife was sitting in, draping an arm over her. 

The kids pulled out the beanbags, arguing for a moment over who got which one till Donnie cleared his throat, eyeing them. They settled down without complaint as Donnie moved to you, lifting your legs to settle your feet over his lap.

"You okay?" His hand rubbing your leg worried.

"I'm fine." You smiled. Craving to look around. Frowned. "Are Raph and-"

"No." Leo and Donnie responded together.