Together As Mutants (Book Six)

CIV. The Difficult Stuff

Donatello and Sarina know it, but they don't want to believe it. Of course, everything points to it, all the science, all the experiments, just plain facts of nature. The experiment they've been conducting for years still shows mediocre promise, but that's all it is. A mediocre promise, an inkling of hope.

The idea that the couples can actually have children together...well, it's a pipe dream, and the two intelligent mutants know this better than anyone. The one thing they don't want to do is tell everyone else that starting a family is most likely impossible.

"Donnie, we have to tell them," Sarina mumbles, pushing a few loose strands of pure white hair from her eyes.

Judith squeaks as she nuzzles her tiny nose against her mistress' hand, rolling around on her wheeled feet. Metalhead beeps questioningly as he rests a cup of coffee next to Donnie.

Donnie frowns and leans forwards, resting his chin on his hands. "Must we? Can't we just tell them if they ask?"

She narrows her eyes, puckering her lips a little. "No. We have to tell them now so they can work out other possibilities before they're married. Leo and Des are only a week or two away from their nuptials." The cyborg stops, looking at her circuit-patterned hands forlornly. "We have to tell them the truth, alright? They deserve it."

The purple-masked turtle sighs, unable to argue with his fiancée's logic. He nods once, his mind travelling back to when the couple had this conversation when they were younger. He had brought up the same problem; different species, incompatible genetics, no children. That conversation sparked their experiment, but nothing has shown for that so far. Still, it breaks his heart in more ways than one to know this.

Sarina stands up and moves to his side, wrapping her arms around him and kissing his cheek lovingly.

"It's alright, darling. We'll make it through, okay?" she whispers.

He grasps her hand as it rests on his chest, rubbing it gently with his thumb. "I suppose."

----------

"Guys? Can we get everyone gathered in the living room please?" Donatello calls.

Destiny raises her hand from her spot on the couch, where she's working on her laptop. Her engagement ring twinkles lightly on her finger, only making the purple-masked turtle feel more sympathy.

"Already here," she says smugly, flicking her tail as she tightens her unruly ponytail.

Leonardo enters the room, sitting down next to his fiancée and kissing her cheek gently. Taylor and Raphael enter from the dojo, while Annalise and Michelangelo emerge from the kitchen. Donnie sighs and clasps his hands together, looking to Sarina to start the meeting.

"So...the weddings are all planned and the dates are set," she says, rocking a little on her heels. "But this little meeting is about what could happen after the weddings."

"Use protection. We get it. No kids running around until we plan it," Raph grumbles, hopping to the chase.

"Raph, don't interrupt," Taylor scolds gently.

"Actually...that's part of the topic. Kids," Sarina continues, her expression rather pained. "For all we know, um...it's impossible for any of you to have kids with your preferred partner."

"What? Lisey and I can't have a baby?" Mikey asks immediately, his face heartbroken.

"Not can't...but for all we know, it's genetically impossible," Donnie explains gently. "Maybe it could happen by some miracle, but otherwise, you all have to be prepared for the fact that you may not be able to have the kids you really want to have. The most we can guess is that Des and Leo could possibly have kids, but only because they're both mutants. Sarina and I might for the same reason, but out of the results we've gotten from our tests." He sighs and shakes his head. "It's like flipping one hundred coins and having them all land on heads, for all we know."

They look at each other for a moment, their emotions unreadable. Destiny looks down, fiddling with her hands. Leo reaches over and takes them, squeezing gently.

"What are our options?" the blue-masked turtle asks.

"Adoption of a human child, surrogate mothers..." Sarina lists. "And there's the possibility of robot children, but creating actual life is probably the most difficult thing Donnie and I have come across, even though Metalhead is technically our child, he's far from...being human. Judith is the same way. She's a hamster."

Annalise raises her hand. "What if the guys used their patches while they...did the deed?"

Sarina and Donnie glance at each other, not having thought of that. Still, they shake their heads.

"We don't know," Donnie answers. "Maybe it could work, but we're all still turtles underneath the mutagenic material's camouflaging abilities." He rubs the chain hanging around his neck, the silver band cool beneath his fingertips. "I'm sorry."

"We can still try...right?" Destiny whispers, her eyes hopeful.

"Of course," Sarina assures her. "We just wanted to bring up that fact so you wouldn't be incredibly disappointed."

"Well, thanks." Leo smiles a little. "We appreciate the warning."

"Yeah," Raph and Taylor agree sullenly.

Mikey hugs his knees to his plastron, still forlorn over his supposed crushed dreams. Annalise gently rubs his shell, trying to comfort him but not finding the right words.

Donnie sighs and slumps his shoulders. Sarina takes his hand and gives him a sad smile.

It'll be okay, she seems to say.

I hope you're right, he replies silently.