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Raphael looked down at the small bundle in his arms and sighed. Little Leonardo was ill with a high fever, hot flashes and vomit. Lots and lots of vomit. This deeply worried the young turtle’s parents and younger brother.
Raph sat in a rocking chair and started rocking back and forth to soothe his son. It pained him to see his eldest son in such a state and he was near tears when an olive green hand touched his shoulder.
He looked up to see his mate Donatello, who held their youngest son Michelangelo, and bit his lip. “He’s not getting any better. I’m afraid, Donnie.”
Donnie knelt and cupped the side of Raph’s face softly. “I know, but Leatherhead is coming soon to help. It will be ok.”
They smiled at one another and gently brushed their beaks together to send a message of love. Then, Mikey squirmed in Donnie’s arms, getting restless. The little one looked at his sick older brother and whined, reaching toward him.
Donnie set Mikey in Raph’s arms so that Mikey could be near his sibling. It always frustrated the sea green turtle when he couldn’t be within arm’s reach of Leo. He wrapped his body around Leo to share his body heat and keep him warm.
“Aw, don’t worry Mike. He’s gonna be ok. Mr. Leatherhead is going to help him get better.” Raph started rocking again but stopped upon hearing large, echoing footsteps coming closer to their home.
“I apologize for my tardiness, my friends. There were damaged tunnels on my route due to the construction on the surface.” A large crocodile, Leatherhead, set foot into the turtles’ home and set his medical bag aside.
“No worries, LH. We’re just glad you could come on such short notice.” Donnie greeted their large friend with a handshake.
Leatherhead smiled. “It is my pleasure, Donatello. Where is Leonardo?” Donnie led the croc toward the rocking chair. “Raph has been holding him and tried to keep him warm, as you requested.”
The crocodile nodded and knelt beside the chair. “May I have a look?” Raphael nodded. “Michelangelo, please move so that Mr. Leatherhead can look at Leonardo.”
Mikey held onto his brother tighter and stuck his tongue out at Leatherhead. His protective nature overpowered what common sense he possessed at that age. “Michelangelo I’m serious. Move.”
Leatherhead raised a clawed hand. “Allow me.” He bent down, coming face to face with the freckled mutant, to look him straight in the eyes. “Little one, I promise I will not harm you brother. I merely wish to help him. Once I am finished, he will need you to get better as well. Will you please move for me?”
Finally, Mikey slowly let go of Leo and clung to Raph’s neck so Leatherhead could pick up Leo. The medic took Leo into his arms and could tell immediately that the small turtle had a flu-like illness.
He set to work, running several tests while keeping his back to the family so as not to alarm them. He knew how stressful this kind of situation was for them, especially when the youngest experienced similar symptoms the year before.
Once done with testing, Leatherhead wrapped Leonardo in a thick blanket and handed him back to Raph. “He has the swine flu. Give him plenty of fluids, rest and this medication I concocted. He should be fine by the end of the week.”
Donnie took the medicine and bowed his head. “Thank you, Leatherhead. If I hadn’t lost all my supplies in that fire, you wouldn’t have had to come.” Leatherhead shook his head and smiled.
“I do not mind one bit, Donatello. Take care, Raphael.” Raph nodded. “Thank you.” Leatherhead gathered his supplies, bid another goodbye, and left.
Mikey crawled down from Raph’s shoulder and laid beside Leo once more. Chuckling, Raph hugged his babies close and began to rock again. He hummed a soft tune to soothe them to sleep while Donnie prepared a syringe to inject into Leo and give him his first dose of medicine.
As the babies fell asleep, Donnie knelt down and prepared Leo’s arm. Raph turned away, hating the sight of needles. Swiftly, Donnie injected the medicine into Leonardo and placed a band-aid over the puncture.
“There, the first dose is now in his system. Let’s put them to bed and have a drink, ok?” Raph nodded and stood, carrying the children to the nursery. He set them in their conjoined crib and placed a blanket over them, smiling as they cuddled one another for warmth and comfort.
“How did we get so lucky to have two little angels?” Donnie came up and wrapped his arms around his mate to nuzzle his neck. “Beats me, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
Raph turned around and returned the embrace. “Father would be proud.” They hugged for a moment longer then parted so they could walk out of the room. Their sons needed rest and with rest comes silence, something the parents needed to provide for the infants.
Raph opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of red wine, poured it into two glasses and handed one to Donnie. “Your drink, sir.” Donnie smiled, running his finger along the rim of the glass. “Thank you, kind stranger.”
They touched glasses in a toast to one another and sipped their beverages. Donnie stared at Raph, absorbing every detail in his muscular build as he had done countless times before. It never failed to mesmerize Donnie and it always sent a shiver down his spine when he realized that this creature was all his.
Knowing he was being stared at, Raph lifted his left arm and flexed his muscles. “Take a picture and it will last longer.” Donnie blushed and giggled, setting his glass down and using his hands as a fake camera. “Click! Work for me! Show me what you got!”
Playing along, Raph did several seductive poses that made Donnie’s heart skip a few beats at the majesty of them. “Marvelous! I am so impressed!” Donnie clapped with a goofy grin on his face.
Raph smirked and scooped Donnie up in his arms. Donnie yelped in surprise and clung to Raph as if his life depended on it. “You scared me!”
Raph chuckled and kissed Donnie’s cheek. “Now it’s time for the after party.” He carried his mate to their room and shut the door behind him.
Before Raph took another step, a loud cry could be heard coming from the nursery. Recognizing Leonardo’s voice, Raph set Donnie down and made a mad dash for the nursery, bursting into the room and running to the crib.
Leo’s skin was a very pale green and was covered in sweat. He screamed and cried, causing Mikey to wake up and cry as well. Just at that moment, Donnie entered the room and stood beside Raph. “What’s the matter?”
Raph shrugged, not knowing what was happening, and went to pick up Leo. Oddly, Leo kicked Raph’s hand away and held Mikey close in an attempt to soothe him. Shocked, Raph took a step back and looked at Donnie.
Leo would never reject attention from his parents when he actually needed it so both the older turtles were dumbfounded, not sure of what to do next. Donnie leaned down to study the eldest child.
“What’s wrong, Leonardo? Don’t you want help?” Leo ignored his ‘mother’ and made cooing sounds toward Mikey, who had begun hyperventilating and choking on his tears.
“I don’t understand. He woke up upset and caused Michelangelo to be upset also yet he doesn’t want to be held or anything. What do you think, Don?” Raph glanced at his mate with worry.
“I think Leonardo wasn’t feeling well and began screaming for our attention but forgot about his ailment when Michelangelo began to cry as well. His protective nature, as older brother, has taken over his instincts.” Donnie straightened up and turned toward Raph.
“We just need to give him more blankets, water and peace. The rest is up to him.” Donnie made his way to the closet and started to pull out blankets for the kids. Raph nodded and left to get water.
Meanwhile, Mikey had calmed down enough to cling to his brother and whimper into Leo’s chest. Leo hummed softly and rubbed Mikey’s shell, rocking slightly. The actions did their job and Mikey relaxed, nuzzling into Leo more.
They spoke to each other in their baby language and giggled, both feeling better afterward. The parents returned and were thrilled to see the two happy together. Donnie covered them both with blankets and Raph handed them their bottles filled with water.
The babies suckled on their respective bottles and began to yawn as the finished. Raph smiled and took the bottles back, setting them on the table beside the crib. “It seems to be working.”
Donnie nodded and kissed each of them on the head, including Raph. “Good job, daddy. Now everyone is happy.” Raph blushed. “Yeah, well I didn’t do it alone. You helped too, mommy.”
Chuckling, Donnie led Raph out of the nursery and to their bedroom. “Now that the babies are taken care of, we can continue with our plans.”
Smirking with a glint in his eyes, Raph winked and shut their door. He then went to the radio and turned it to their favorite station. “We don’t need to be heard either.”
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The following morning, Donnie sat in the kitchen with a mug of coffee in one hand and his cell phone in the other. He texted a ‘Thank you’ to Leatherhead with promises of late night conversations about science to repay him for his help.
Once done with that, Donnie drained the last of his drink and set the mug in the sink to be washed later. It was his turn to do dishes and he planned on doing so after lunch, eventually. He hated to clean, more used to the clutter and disarray that was his lab before the fire.
Donnie grabbed the medication Leatherhead left for Leo and went into the nursery to distribute it to him. He glanced into the room, looking for any sign of Michelangelo so as not to frighten him with the needle since he was afraid of them.
Seeing he was not present in the room, Donatello walked in and knelt beside Leonardo, who was laying on a pile of pillows in the center of the room. The young turtle looked up in confusion and hardly had time to register what was happening until after getting injected with the medicine.
Leo yelped and scurried away from Donnie, rubbing his arm. “Sorry, son. Mr. Leatherhead said you have to get this every day to get better.” Donnie smiled apologetically and set Leo back on the nest of pillows.
“I’m sorry to have scared you.” Donnie got up and left the room. He was then met by a small bundle latched onto his leg. Looking down, the genius turtle was happy to find his youngest child clinging to him.
“Da.” He chuckled and picked Michelangelo up, enjoying the adorable baby language the children spoke with. “Yes, Michelangelo?”
The freckled infant giggled and poked Donnie’s beak. “Ah baba. Blblblbl.” Rolling his eyes in amusement, Donnie carried Mikey to the couch and sat down. “Can you say mom? M-om. Or maybe dad? D-ad.”
Mikey stared at him not comprehending and that frustrated Donnie. He learned how to speak before he was one, so why couldn’t his children do the same? “M-Mo...Mah.”
Donnie gasped and looked at Mikey in awe. He was trying to speak! Donnie’s heart raced and he waited with anticipation. “Go on, son. You almost got it. M-o-m. Mom.”
Moving his mouth, Mikey tried to form the word but without making a sound. Then...”Mom...Mom-my...Mommy!” Donnie’s heart swelled with pride and he hugged Mikey close to his chest.
“Yes! Yes! That’s right! You said your first word! Raph come here!” The hotheaded turtle dashed to his mate in panic. “What? What’s wrong?!”
Donnie was grinning ear to ear and presented Mikey to Raph. “He said his first word!” Raph’s eyes widened at that. “He did? What was it?” “Mommy.”
Mikey giggle and poked Donnie’s chest. “Mommy.” Raph smiled and took Mikey into his arms. “Can you say daddy?” Glancing up at Raph, Mikey once again formed the word without sound then spoke. “D...Dad-dy...Daddy!”
Raph cheered and raised his fist into the air. “Victory!” The two parents laughed and cuddled their youngest when the eldest crawled toward them, wondering what the sounds meant. “Ah? Bababa.”
Mikey looked down at Leo and pointed to each parent in turn. “Mommy. Daddy.” Leo’s eyes sparkled and he attempted to be like his brother. “M-Mo...D-Da...Ma...Mama! Da...Daddy!” He giggled and Donnie picked him up.
“Well done, Leonardo. I am proud of you both.” Leo coughed and nuzzled Donnie’s neck, enjoying the attention. “I believe it’s time for a bath. He still has a slight fever.”
Raph nodded and made his way to the bathroom, turning on the bathwater to an acceptable temperature. Once the tub was full, he turned off the faucet and set Mikey inside. Donnie then set Leo down as well, removing his gear so as not to get it wet. The children loved to play in water and especially loved to splash each other and their parents so Donnie was prepared.
Raph followed suit and removed his gear as well, getting the soap ready. Before he could start, Mikey made huge waves and splashed Leo all over. He laughed and was thrilled to see Leo laughing too. Then he squealed when Leo splashed back and both were a giggling mess.
The parents had both gotten wet during the battle and finally began to wash their children. Raph scrubbed Mikey’s shell and plastron, washing away the dirt and grime that comes from living in the sewers of New York. Donnie did the same to Leo, which had the eldest giggling uncontrollably at each touch to his body.
For some reason, Leo loved to be held and touched anywhere. Whenever someone was touching him, he would smile and relax as if it soothed him. Mikey realized this and so he would always hug or hold Leo when he was upset because he doesn’t like the sight of his brother crying.
Mikey, on the other hand, wasn’t much of a touchy-feely kid. He loved hugs but could do well without them because he preferred to just have someone’s attention. That’s how we knew he was loved and wanted. Whenever he was alone, he would panic and have an anxiety attack until someone came to soothe him. Someone always did, too.
Once both infants were washed, Raph picked them both up while Donnie took a towel and wrapped it around each one. Donnie then took Leo into his arms and walked out to the living room with Raph on his heels. Donnie sat in the rocking chair and began to calmly rock back and forth to soothe Leo to sleep.
That method always worked on the eldest but Michelangelo was a different story. He was more rambunctious and often refused sleeping to stay up with his parents so Raph found that talking to him - most times with a story - would cause the youngest to doze.
Raph sat on the couch beside the rocking chair and began telling a story about three little turtles and an evil crocodile that tried to destroy their homes. In no time at all, both children were asleep and tucked in their crib.
Raph and Donnie bid them goodnight and went back to the living room. “Hang on a second. I want to check something.” Raph went back into the nursery and felt Leonardo’s forehead, smiling when he didn’t detect a fever. He kissed both their heads but it woke Leo up.
“Shhh. Go back to sleep, son. I was just checking on you.” Leo smiled at his father and sleepily muttered as he closed his eyes once more. “Wuv chu daddy...”
Raph grinned and made his way to the door, stopping just before he left. “I love you too, son.” With that, he shut the door and went back to his mate.
“What was that about?” Donnie quirked an eye ridge at Raph. Shrugging, Raph embraced Donnie and held him close. “Leo’s better now.” That made Donnie smile as he nestled in his mate’s embrace and his eyes began to drift closed.
“That’s all I wanted.”