She sat on the living room floor, basking in the light that poured in through the window from the morning sun. It glinted on her silky hair, casting it with a red tint, and reflected on her skin, brightening it up with a rosy glow. Her silence and the sullen look on her face told him that something was bothering her.

Raphael snuck up behind her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "What is it? You've been quiet all morning."

The strength in his hands and arms, and his warm breath on the back of her neck was a welcomed comfort to her. It gave her the courage to turn and face him.

"Raph?" She took a deep breath. She wasn't sure where to begin. "Have you ever wondered what it would be like...to have a family?"

The turtle stared at her in confusion for a moment. "A family? But, I've already got one of those. Mike, Leo, Don, Splinter...heck, even you, Shadow, and April and Casey. You're all my fam--"

"That's not what I meant."

He stared at her for a moment, studying her face, the delicate cheeckbones, the soft skin, the bright eyes that held a certain mystery behind them. He wished he could see into her deepest thoughts, to discover the source of her anguish. But he discovered soon enough that he didn't need to.

"Raph, seeing April's baby yesterday...well, it made me think..."

Raph began to catch on. "Oh..." He swallowed nervously and stared at her for a moment, not quite knowing what to say.

"I want one, Raph. I really do."

Again, the turtle was speechless. Megan seemed to be the only one who had ever had that effect on him, and lately he found himself under her silent spell more and more frequently. He scratched his head nervously and stared at her. She wants a baby?

"Not right now, you know. I'm not ready for all that right now. But later on, down the road." She looked up at him sincerely. "I want a family Raph." She thought about her own family that had been taken away from her so suddenly. She regreted so much the fact that she had never allowed herself to get close to them, to show them how much she'd loved them. Now she wanted things to be different. She promised herself she would never turn the ones she loved away again. She needed them too much.

He knelt down beside her and took her hands, studying the seriousness behind her soft brown eyes. "Meg, you know that's not something I can give you." He spoke softly, examining her face in the golden light.

Megan lowered her head. "I know."

The two sat in silence for a long while as the birds chirped loudly outside. Raphael was confused. How was he supposed to fulfil her needs like Splinter said when she wanted the one thing he simply could not give her? Besides, he didn't know that he was ready for that kind of responsibility. A kid to look after? He was just getting used to the idea of having another person besides himself to consider. He wasn't sure he wanted the added comitment of raising a child.

A passing car broke his train of thought and he awoke to find Megan's eyes on him. He was frustrated by her blank expression. He hated not being able to read her emotions. How could he possibly know what she was thinking?

"So..." Raphael gritted his teeth as he thought about the possible outcome of this conversation. By the look in her eyes, he could tell that this issue was important to her. This was probably something she had wanted all her life. How could he tell her she couldn't have it? He feared the worst, but he forced the words out anyway. "Are you...breaking up with me?"

Megan closed her eyes and a tear began to trickle down her cheek. She sat there for a moment like that, in silence. Raph struggled with himself about whether he should hold her in his arms, or keep his distance. The thought of loosing her was something he couldn't bear. He loved her so much, he could almost taste it. There was nothing he wouldn't do for her. He hoped she knew that. In his mind, he begged her not to end this. He needed her, and he was convinced that she needed him too.

Megan opened her eyes slowly to gaze into his face. Raph held his breath until she spoke again. He could feel his blood pumping through his veins. It was the longest five minutes of his entire life. Please Megan, please don't do this.

April awoke to the sound of the doorbell. Not feeling much like getting up just yet, let alone moving, she nudged Casey with her elbow. Casey opened his eyes slowly and stared up at the ceiling. Morning already?

He was still worn out from the past two nights' activities. Yesterday, after the others had left, Casey and April had taken the baby to the hospital. He seemed healthy enough, but neither of them knew very much about premies. Although April had hated to part with her newborn son, the doctor had suggested he stay there overnight. He explained to them that there was a slight chance that his lungs could collapse, being so small and fragile. The thought frightened April, but he assured her that they would take good care of the baby, and that he'd be fine. With a lot of pleading, April had managed to convince the doctors that she was well enough to leave, so they stayed with their son until visiting hours were over, and then Casey had dragged her home. Between that and the previous night's booze fest, Casey really hadn't gotten much sleep at all.

"Someone's at the door.", April whispered. After yesterday, her body ached, and she really wasn't in the mood for visitors. She hoped that Casey could get rid of them quickly. Grumbling and moaning, Casey dragged himself out of bed and headed toward the living room. Before he could make it to the door, the bell sounded again.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm coming. Just hold your horses."

Without looking through the peephole, he unlocked the bolt and opened the door...and stood there in shock. A thin blond woman with bright green eyes, and a smile to match met his gaze.

"Robyn?"

Her smile widened. "Oh, Casey, it's so good to see you!" She dropped her bags and wrapped her arms around him. Casey returned the hug wearily. He was happy to see her, but he longed for his bed.

"Robyn? Is that you?!?!?" April crept out slowly, being careful not to overextend herself. Robyn stared at her sister who was wrapped up like a mummy in a pink terricloth robe.

"April!" Her sister hugged her gently, then stood back to look at her. "Well you don't look so pregnant to me!"

April smiled. "I tried to call you Robyn, but you weren't at home. You must have been at the airport already. I had the baby yesterday morning."

Robyn's eyes grew wide, and her jaw dropped. "What?!?!? Oh my god, where is it?"

"It's at the hospital right now." April flashed Casey a weak smile. "We should be able to pick him up in a couple of days if everything goes okay."

Robyn stared at her in wonder. "But, I thought the baby wasn't due for another month or so."

"Month and a half, actually." Casey broke in. "He came a little earlier than expected."

"But he's okay?"

"Yeah." April said more for her benefit than for Robyn's. "The doctor said he should be just fine."

Robyn smiled as she thought about the idea of the new baby. It was here already! She was an aunt yet again. She couldn't wait to see her new nephew. She wondered to herself if she would ever find someone like April had, someone to love and spen her life with, someone to be the father of her children. For now though, she was happy for her sister. April had waited a long time for this, and this was her special moment.

"So..." April sat down carefully on the couch. "What brought you out here so early? It's almost like ESP or something." she smiled.

"Actually..." Robyn's voice trailed off and she remained silent for a long while. She didn't know if this was the best time to tell her sister about her problems. It wasn't April's burden to bear. Right now, she had more important things to worry about.

"Robyn?" April could sense her sister's uncertainty, and she wrapped her arm around her shoulders.

"What is it? What's going on? Please tell me."

"I...I'm broke, April. I was layed-off from my job and...I'm running out of money."

"Robyn, that's terrible!"

"Yeah, I know. I'm not sure what to do, April. But this isn't your problem. I mean, you've got a new baby to look after. And, I'll be fine. I just thought it would be nice to come visit you guys for a while. Maybe it'll help me clear my head.

"Well you know you're welcome to stay here as long as you need to." April gave her a reassuring squeeze.

Robyn sighed. "Thanks sis. But you and Casey are still newlyweds, and you have a new baby to take care of. I'm sure I can find someplace else to stay."

They knelt on the floor, face to face, their noses just inches apart. Without breaking eye contact, Megan reached down and took Raph's hand. As he stared into her eyes, he could see the sorrow they contained. He knew that bad news would follow, but he longed to go deaf so he didn't have to hear it. Well...I guess this is it...

Megan took a deep breath, and another tear trickled down her cheek. She didn't bother to wipe it away.

"Raph...I..."

She closed her eyes and said nothing for a long while. Raphael was growing impatient. He thought he would burst at any moment. Why wouldn't she just say it? His heart was already breaking. It felt like it had been ripped from his plastron unmercifully, and stomped on until it could beat no longer. Why couldn't she just confirm his suspicions so he could flee from here, go hide somewhere where no one could hurt him ever again?

"Raph, I love you." Her voice came almost as a whisper, drilling itself even further into his heart.

He stared at her intently, hanging on her every word. "I love you too, Meg. You know that, don't you?"

Megan bit her lip and nodded. More tears began to flow, but she just let them fall. It felt better to cry sometimes. Her mother had once told her that crying washed all the negative feelings away.

Raph slowly lifted his hands and laid them on her cheeks, cradling her head. "Please don't cry.", he said softly, wiping the tears away with his thumbs.

Megan stared into his big brown eyes, at the gentleness and pure love that were hidden there. "Raph...", she began again. "I love you, and....I want to be with you forever."

The turtle stared at her in surprise. "You do?"

Megan placed a hand on his cheek and stared into his eyes. "Yes, I really do." She forced a small smile. "I just...the thought of not ever being able to have kids...it's just hard for me, Raph."

The turtle lowered his eyes again. Maybe it was better this way. Maybe it would be best for her if he left. That way she could get on with her life, find someone more like her, someone who could give her everything she wanted and needed. He really couldn't stand the thought of not having her in his life. She was so much a part of him now, but she deserved to be happy, and he knew he couldn't give her this.

"But I know..." she continued. "I know that the only thing worse than not being able to have a family...would be losing you."

Raph's eyes widened and he stared at her in wonder. "You mean...you aren't leaving me?"

Megan stared back at him in surprise. "Raph, I could never leave you. I love you so much."

Relief and joy washed through him as he wiped the remaining tears from her cheeks. She wanted a child, but more than that, she wanted him. She needed him.

"You had me worried for a minute there, ya know." He leaned over and gently kissed her forehead.

"Hey guys, look who's here!" Casey's voice echoed through the tunnels as they approached the lair.

"Casey?" Mike came out from the kitchen adorned in his pink 'Kiss the Chef' apron. When his friends entered the lair, he nearly dropped the bowl he was holding.

"Robyn!" He set the dish on the table and rushed over to give her a big hug.

"Hi Mike, it's great to see you." Robyn flashed him a bright smile.

"Yep, cute as always." Mike joked.

Robyn grabbed Mike by the arm and gave him a noogie. Mike squirmed and pulled away, laughing the whole time. He was definately happy to see her again. Leo and Don came out from other parts of the lair to see what all the comotion was about. When Don spotted her, he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Robyn? Wow! You look...great!" He rushed over to her and gave her an akward hug.

"Don, it's great to see you! You're looking good yourself." She could tell that his hand still hadn't healed fully since their last conversation about two months ago, and it pained her to see it hanging limp from his wrist. But he seemed to be in good spirits, and she decided that it would only cause unnecessary pain if she brought it up.

Leo looked oddly rigid. "Hi Robyn." His voice came out thin and quiet, and she noticed he had a hard time looking her in the eye. He forced a smile and shook her hand before retreating to the training hall. The others stared at him oddly and watched him in silence as he left.

"What's with him?", Robyn asked quietly.

"I dunno." Don whispered. "He's been acting like that for the past few days."

Mike nodded in agreement and turned to stare back at the empty room where his brother had stood just a few seconds ago. There was something going on with him, and he was going to get to the bottom of it.

"Master Splinter?" Leo quietly entered the rat's meditation room. He had gone the long way, through the training hall as to not arouse any suspicion from the others. He hoped that Robyn would be understanding about his shortness. He felt bad for being so rude, but he told himself he couldn't worry about that right now.

The rat looked up from his futon and gestured for Leo to come forward. It was already eight o'clock in the morning, and Splinter was usually up hours before this.

"How are you feeling today, Master?" Leo laid a hand on his furry forehead. You feel a little warm. Are you alright?"

Splinter smiled up at his pupil. "Yes, Leonardo, I am fine. I am just a little tired, that is all."

Leo nodded, but the worry was building up inside. What if Splinter didn't last the day? What if he was hiding how bad he really felt to spare him from having to take care of him? What would the others do if he died today? He told himself that he had to try to get them to spend time together as a family, before it was too late.

Almost as if Splinter could read his mind, he took Leo's hand and pulled him close. "My son, do not worry. I am not finished yet. I just need some rest. I will be up and about shortly."

Leo squeezed his hand and pulled the blanket up over his sensei, tucking it under his chin. "Rest well, Master. I will bring you some tea."

Leo took a deep breath as he turned to leave, fighting to hold in the tears. This was not the time to get emotional. He couldn't allow himself to loose it. Not now. Splinter needed him too much.

"Hey, I got a great idea!" Mike announced happily. "We should throw a parrrr-tay!"

"A party?" Don pondered the thought for a moment.

"Yeah! I mean, we could celebrate the new baby, delivered by Don and yours truly, and also Robyn's return!" He looked at the others eagerly. "So...what do you say?"

"Wait a minute..." Robyn stared at the two brothers in amazement. "You mean, the two of you...delivered April's baby?"

"Heh...here we go again!", Mike beamed.

Raph ran his hands over Megan's face and down her neck, gently wiping away the remaining tears. He stared into her face, admiring her simple beauty. Megan closed her eyes, enjoying the closeness. Even if Raph could never provide her with a child to love, he had given her something no other man ever had.

Overwhelming joy and relief fluttered through the turtle as he embraced her. She loved him. She would never leave him, even for something as important as having a child. He knew now for sure how deep her love for him stemmed. It felt good to be so accepted, so wanted. He wondered to himself what he had ever done in his life to deserve someone as perfect as her.

Megan laid a hand on his plastron, studying the lines and marks on his shell as she had done occasionally in the past. For some reason, even after all this time, the look of him still fascinated her. She remembered the first time she had gotten a look at his shell up close, way back when he had saved her life. She owed him everything for that. If it hadn't been for him, she knew she wouldn't be here right now.

Raph ran his hands down Megan's arms, basking in the softness of her delicate skin. He had never touched anything as soft as her. He and his brothers had skin that was more rough, and slightly scaly. But hers - hers was as soft as silk. Megan had to smile at the look of wonderment on Raph's face. Even though he had touched her several times already, each time, that same look of awe reflected in his eyes. She lifted a hand to stroke his cheek. His skin really wasn't as rough as she had imagined when she'd first met him almost eight months ago. It had a soft quality to it, and under that tattered bandana and tough guy image, his soul had a soft quality as well.

Raph laid his hand over hers and brought it down to kiss it gently. He gave it a quick squeeze before letting it go. Her smile almost melted him as he moved in closer. He laid his hands on her shoulders and pulled her into him, kissing her gently.

"A party? That sounds lovely Michaelangelo." Splinter sipped the tea carefully.

"Uhhh, yeah, it does." Leo said reluctantly. "But...I dunno if you should go, Master Splinter..."

Mike frowned at Leo in confusion. "Of course Splinter should go!" he protested. "He's part of the family too, ya know?"

Leo glanced in Splinter's direction. The rat shot him a knowing look and turned to face the other turtle. "I would be delighted to go, my son."

Leo sighed, but remained quiet. This was Splinter's decision, and if he thought he felt up to going, there was no way Leonardo could stop him.

Michaelangelo flashed Leo an interested frown. Leo caught his gaze and held it for a moment, straight-faced. He was determined not to reveal anything to his brother. Sorry Mikey, I just can't let you in on this. I promised...

"So...it's really good to see you, Donatello." Robyn smiled. "I really missed you guys."

"Yeah..."

The two had been walking for quite some time now, lost in their anxious conversation. They had discussed the miraculous birth, some of Don's new internet pals, and even the new video game he had been working so dilligently on. Before they knew it, they were miles from the lair.

Don hadn't really known where to start when it came to his mild handicap. It was still akward for him to talk about, and he knew she could sense that. He had tried to avoid the issue, but somehow, almost everything he said seemed to lead up to it. Finally, they had decided to take a breather. They sat down on an old drainage pipe and stared at eachother akwardly for a moment.

"Heh...remember when we first met?" Robyn decided a little humor might help to lighten things up a little.

"Yeah..." He thought back to last year when he had almost died of a coma. "Some things are kinda vague though. I was still a little out of it."

"Hmmm..." Robyn nodded. "Yeah...and you were unconscious when I passed out..."

He looked at her for a moment. He hadn't heard that little detail before. "You...passed out? Because of me?"

Robyn blushed a little. "Well...sort of. April told me about you guys, but I didn't believe her, so when I saw you, well..."

Don grinned mischeviously. "So why aren't you screaming in terror now?"

Robyn smirked. "I dunno, I guess because I found out that the big, bad, hairy green monster was really a puppy dog under that mask and shell?"

Don gawked at her playfully. "Hey, I'm not hairy!"

They laughed for a few minutes before Robyn grew serious. "You know, Don, you really are my truest friend."

It was Don's turn to blush. "I bet you say that to all the hairy green monsters."

Robyn smiled, but the look in her eyes was somber. "No, I really mean it." She laid her hand on top of his and squeezed it gently. Don stared at her for a moment, not quite knowing what to say. He studied the bright green eyes, and for a moment, he thought he could almost see worry behind them, but before he could analyze the look, it was gone.

It was true. They had been good buddies ever since they'd met, and he was really greatful for their friendship. Sometimes, when it seemed as though life was too hard to bear, he'd call her up, just for a few moments, to let out his frustrations. She was so easy to talk to. For some reason, he hadn't felt funny talking to her like that, and she had always seemed to understand.

It had been a while now since he had last spoken to her on the phone. The last time he talked to her, he had gotten a pretty rough lecture from Splinter about racking up April's phone bill. He decided he'd have to cool it for a little while. And since Robyn didn't have email yet, he'd had no real way of getting in touch with her.

Sitting here with her made him a little nervous. He wasn't sure why, but he'd always felt more comfortable talking to her from a safe distance over the phone. Up close and personal like this, it could be a little akward.

"Well, we better get going." he said atlast. "Mike's party is gonna start soon."

He brushed the hair back from her face and stared at her longingly. He was so greatful she hadn't turned him away. The love she held for him made him want her even more. She smiled up at him, noticing the passion behind his brown eyes. Raph ran his hands along her neck, and hooked his fingers in the collar of her pajama top. Megan closed her eyes as he slowly slid his hands down toward the buttons. His fingers moved quickly, and the top one came open, revealing a small patch of flesh, and the top of the scar she would probably forever bear.

His mind filled with flashbacks of the night he had found her surrounded by the Foot in Casey's apartment. She had been torn up so badly, he thought for sure he'd loose her forever. He had torn open her dress in an eager attempt to save her life. There was so much blood, and he hadn't known what to do. Yet, even with the adrenaline flowing, and her life slipping away, he couldn't help but stare at her. She was so beautiful, and he had wanted so much to hold her in his arms...

Suddenly, the phone rang, waking Raph from his memories. Megan opened her eyes and glanced toward the kitchen as the phone called out again.

"Should I answer it?"

He looked back at the phone. He really wished it would shut up. The stupid thing was interrupting him and spoiling the moment.

She thought about the message Don had left previously on the answering machine. "It could be someone important." she said gently.

Raph pouted at her. "Okay, but hurry up and get rid of whoever it is."

As they walked back to the lair, Robyn could sense the uneasiness in Don. She knew that there were things he was dying to get off his chest, but he had a hard time with the words. She decided to start the conversation off simply.

"So, Don, how are you...really?"

Don looked at her for a moment, as if he didn't quite catch her meaning.

"I mean, you look good, you seem to be doing well, but...you seem kinda quiet. And our last conversation..."

Don forced a smile and shook his head. "I dunno..." He lowered his eyes to stare at the muck his feet were tromping in. "Things have just been...weird. I mean, Leo has been acting totally strange, even for Leo. He's colder and more serious than ever before. It seems like he's got a lot on his mind, but he refuses to tell anybody.

Robyn thought about Leo's hasty greeting. "Yeah, I've noticed Leo does seem a little preoccupied...."

"And Mike..." Don continued. "Well, there's not really anything I can pinpoint, but I can tell he knows something. He's always giving Leo these funny looks. It's just kinda...creepy. But Splinter is the worst. He's withdrawn and keeps to himself most of the time. It's almost as if he's letting us go a little. I dunno, I just hope nothing's wrong."

Robyn laid a hand on Don's shoulder. "Don't worry, Don. I'm sure everything's fine. They're probably just going through some things right now. I'm sure everything will get back to normal in a few days."

"I hope you're right." Don looked at her for a long moment before trudging off through the sewers again.

"Hello?"

"Ahhh...Megan. It is good to hear your voice."

"Uhhh, yeah, it's nice to hear from you too." she responded akwardly. "What's up?"

Raph tugged lightly at her arm. She glanced at him and noticed the pleading expression on his face.

"Michaelangelo is throwing a party, and we would like it very much if you would come."

Megan swatted at Raph. "A...a party?"

"Yes." the old voice answered.

Raph leaned down toward her and whispered in her ear. "Get off the phone."

Megan shot him an irritated glance and held her finger up, mouthing the words, in a minute.

"It will be at April's." the voice on the other end went on. "I believe it starts at six o' clock." Megan glanced up at the clock. It was already five. That meant they only had an hour to shower and get ready.

Raph came up from behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Get off the phone...now." he whispered.

She held up a finger at him again, trying to look forceful. "Ummm...okay, we'd love to come..." she looked at Raph annoyed. "Splinter." She said the name very distinctly as if to press a point to him. Raph let go of her and his eyes grew wide. She was talking to Splinter? He hoped his sensei hadn't heard what he had been saying in the background.

"Very well. I will see you around six then?"

"Ummm...sure. Do you want us to bring anything?"

Raph was really starting to grow impatient. He decided he didn't care whether she was talking to his master or a care bear. He just wanted her off the phone now.

"Come on." he whispered in her ear again. "You said you wanted a baby. Well, there's no harm in trying to make one. You never know..."

"Hang on a second, Splinter." Megan held her hand over the phone and looked at Raphael. A big, mischevious grin spread across his face.

"Raph!" she half laughed, half scolded. The puppy dog look was all it took to melt her. "Okay, but just let me get him off the phone. I don't wanna be rude."

She returned the receiver to her ear. "Splinter? You there?"

"Yes, I am here."

"We just need to get ready."

Without a word, Raph scooped her up into his arms, causing her to nearly drop the phone. She covered up the mouth peice and grinned at him. "Raph!"

He smiled down at her but said nothing as he carried her to the bathroom. He set her down and began to unbutton her shirt the rest of the way. "Hang on a second." She set the phone down as he tugged at her sleeve. "What are you doing?" she whispered.

"Get off the phone." he mouthed.

"Okay, just let me say good-bye."

Raph turned on the shower water as Megan picked up the receiver once again. "Sorry about that Splinter. Anyway, we'll be there shortly."

Splinter sounded confused. "Is that water I hear?"

"Uhhh...water?"

"Yes, that sound. It sounds like pouring water."

Megan glanced at the shower water pouring from the nozzle, and frowned at Raph. Splinter could hear it running! How could he make all this noise with Splinter on the phone? He was bound to figure out what they were doing.

"Uhhh...I'm ummm...washing dishes." She hated to lie to him, but she figured she had no other choice. She certainly couldn't tell him what they were up to. He tugged at her pants and pulled them down to her ankles. Megan switched the phone to the other hand as she stepped out of them.

"Listen Splinter, I have to go, but we'll see you there."

Before either of them could say anything further, Raph snatched the phone out of her hands and hungit up.

Mike turned up the stereo. He grabbed Shadow by the arm and tossed her up into the air. Shadow giggled as he pulled her to the make-shift dance floor in the middle of the living room. April smiled as she watched them. Michaelangelo was so good with Shadow. The two of them were practically inseperable. She was really thankful for all of Mike's help with her too. He had sort of adopted her as a serrogate daughter, since he figured he probably would never have any children of his own. April and Casey had decided a long time ago that if anything ever happened to them, they wanted Michaelangelo to be the one to look after her.

The two of them were dancing to a hip hop song. Mike grabbed her up in his arms and swung her around his head as she giggled with glee. Splinter, who had been sitting quietly, watching all of the action, excused himself and went into the kitchen. Leonardo had been watching him intently all evening. His worry refused to leave, even for a few hours.

Splinter poured himself a cup of tea and stood in the doorway, watching his family. He smiled as he studied all the eager faces, laughing and chatting. This was the way he wanted to remember them. Michaelangelo was being his usual upbeat self, always the attention getter. Splinter smiled to himself. He would really miss his carefree spirit. Don was chatting anxiously with Casey about a new page he'd found on the internet. Listening to all the technical babble that spewed from Don's mouth reminded him of all the times in the past when his son's genious and skills had made their lives easier.

The sewers weren't a great place to live, but Don had helped everything seem more like home. He glanced at Leonardo, who sat on the couch almost as if he were in a trance. He thought that perhaps he would miss him most of all. Leonardo had been his star pupil, the one who had always paid attention and showed his reverance...the one who strived to be most like him. It pained him to see his son in such turmoil, especially over him. He hadn't wanted to tell him about his wavering health. He had decided not to tell any of them in fear that they would give up their normal lives. He did not want to spend his last remaining days with them in depression and sorrow. Instead, he wanted to share good, meaningful times with them. They would have time to grieve after he was gone, but for now, he promised himself not to lay that burden on their shoulders.

"Raph! Megan!" Michaelangelo greeted them at the door.

Casey glanced up at the clock. "You guys are late."

"Yeah, sorry." Megan glanced at Raph.

Raph just shrugged and plopped down on the couch. "So, where is everybody?"

April sat down carefully. "Splinter and Leo just left about a half hour ago."

Michaelangelo seemed to be pondering something, but he said nothing. Instead, he strolled over to the stereo and turned it on. "Come on everybody! We're supposed to be having a party!"

The music blared from the speakers, and Mike approached April. Bowing, he asked "May I have this dance?"

April smiled at him. "Oh Mike, I'd love to, but I'm still a little too sore."

Mike pouted a little, but then grinned. "Aw, it's okay April, just remember you owe me one!"

It had been a long time since Robyn had been to a club. She used to visit them frequently, but lately she found herself sick of that scene. It was just a noisy room to run away to when you wanted to escape your problems or meet nasty men who had only one thing on their sleezy minds. She decided long ago that if that was how the system worked, she'd rather be single. The music, however, was the one thing she missed.

"So...wanna dance?"

Donatello looked up to meet Robyn's gaze. "Uhhh...sure." he said akwardly. Don entered the dance floor nervously and took Robyn's hand. He had never danced this close to a female before. Gulping down the lump in his throat, he glanced at Raph and Megan who seemed to be having a great time moving to the music.

Mike noticed Don's uneasiness, and sly one that he is, snuck to the radio and popped in a CD. Heh heh heh! Let's see you guys dance to this! A new song blared out from the speakers. Raph grinned at Mike as he realized what his brother was doing. Poor Donny was sweating like a pig as the words poured out from the stereo. Let's talk about sex baby! Let's talk about you and me! Let's talk about all the good things and the bad things that may be...

Raph giggled to himself and swooped Megan up in his arms, dancing really close as to tease Donatello all the more.

It was getting late. The party had been going steadily for three hours now. Raph was pooped. He slumped down in a chair and glanced at all of the colorful streamers hanging over him. Then he noticed his brother wasn't around.

"Hey, where's Don?"

"He's in the kitchen with Robyn." April said matter-of-factly.

A grin spread across Raph's face. "Cooking something up in the kitchen..."

Megan slapped him on the leg playfully.

"Hmmm...this looks good." Robyn peered into a pot on the stove. "I wonder what it is."

"Knowing Mikey, it could be anything." Don smiled.

Robyn looked at him mischeviously. "Well, why don't we just taste it and see?" She dipped her finger into the pan and quickly stuck it in her mouth. "Ow, that stuff's hot!" She rushed to the sink and ran her finger under the cold water. Don watched her in amusement, giggling lightly to himself.

"Hey!" Robyn heard his laughter and ran toward him. "You think that's funny?" Don laughed and stepped backward as she lunged at him.

"Hey, wait!" He held up his hands to fend her off, and accidently bumped the pot with his arm. The sauce went flying right toward Robyn.

"Robyn, look out!" He grabbed her arm and pulled her toward him as the sauce spilled all over the floor. She looked up at him, noticing how tightly he was gripping her arms. Don met her gaze and quickly let go. "Are you okay?"

She glanced down at the orange mess on the floor. "Yeah, I think so. Thanks."

They stood there for a moment, staring into eachother's eyes. Don felt an akward tingle rush up his spine. He hadn't meant to grip her so tightly. But he noticed that she hadn't seemed to mind too much. He took a step toward her.

"Here, let me see that." He took her hand and examined the burn. It wasn't too bad. Some ointment and a bandaid, and the thing would probably be healed in a few days.

"Hey, what's--" As Mike entered, Don let Robyn's hand go and stepped back akwardly. "Oh man, my nacho cheese sauce!" Mike seemed not to have noticed how close they had been standing to one another. Instead, he grabbed a sponge and began to mop up the floor.

Don glanced at Robyn akwardly. "Sorry, Mike. Here, let me help."

"Master, is there anything I can get for you?"

"No Leonardo, I am fine for now."

The turtle pulled the blanket over Splinter and stared at him in silence for a long moment. He was getting worse. Leo could tell. He had only stayed at the party for an hour and a half, and then politely excused himself saying that there were things he needed to attend to. But Leo could tell that he was in pain. He had waited a few minutes, as to not seem suspicious, and then he'd followed his sensei home.

As Splinter dozed off into sleep, Leo stayed by his side as a constant vigil, not allowing himself the comfort of unconsciousness. Please master, please don't go yet... He stared down at his sleeping sensei. Even in his sleep, the rat coughed profusely. He was surprised none of the others had noticed Splinter's deteriorating state as of yet, and he wondered what kinds of drilling questions he would receive in the morning.

It was now midnight, and everyone was pretty worn out from the evening's events. April looked exhuasted as well, so they figured it was about time to call it a night.

Raph was the first to approach the couple. "Hey guys, congratulations." He stuck out a hand for Casey to shake, and looked at him seriously. "I mean that."

Megan hugged April goodbye and asked about when the baby might be returning home. April hoped it would be in the next few days. She missed him terribly already. As the group began to leave, April suddenly stopped them. "Wait!" she called. "I almost forgot..."

The others turned and looked at her expectantly.

"Casey and I have decided on a name for the baby."

Everyone anxiously poured back into the living room upon hearing the news. They had been waiting for this announcement for a long time. Raph had interrogated Casey on this almost since they had found out she was pregnant. How hard could it be to name a baby? April smiled and stared at the eager faces. "We've decided to call him Christian, after my grandfather."

She could see Mike's smile fade a little in dissapointment. "But..." she continued. "We couldn't forget the guys who helped bring him into this world." She couldn't help but smile at the way his eyes lit up in anticipation. He was going to love this!

"So his full name will be...Christian Don Michael Jones."

Donatello smiled shyly at her. "Y...you didn't have to do that."

"I know." she smiled back. "But we wanted to. After all, without you, we may not have made it."

Mike rushed over and gave April and Casey a big hug. "Thanks guys!" he said excitedly. "This is so awesome!"

Don grinned. "Yeah...it really is."