TMNT - Hiding the truth... part 3

Title: Hiding the truth… part 3
Author: becky016
Rating: PG
Warnings: None (I think)
Summary: Now that Charlotte’s confessed to her pregnancy and with Raph nowhere to be found. It’s up to the others to help lift the mood.
Disclaimer: I do not own TMNT

Charlotte laid on her bed; she had removed her cardigan and left it hanging on the hook beside the door. There was no point in wearing it now, everyone knew. Clutching onto the pillow tightly she couldn’t help but shed few tears past her cheeks. She remembered everyone’s looks they had given right before Raph stormed out, and she too had bolted to her room, locking the door behind her.

Suddenly three knocks had brought Charlotte out of her slum, quickly wiping her tears away she approached the door but stopped suddenly.
“Charlotte it’s us!” Robyn bellowed behind the metal frame.
“Come on open up, please!” Mia’s voice also called out. Although she didn’t want to see anyone, Charlotte really needed her friends right now.
Pulling the lock to one side, she slowly let the door creak open standing there was Julie, Robyn and Mia all holding out a box with a cake inside. The cake was decorated with various patterns, glitter and symbols and written in thick pink icing along the rim, read “Baby Wishes”.
“Congratulations!” they all beamed; Charlotte was able to produce a smile also, feeling grateful to have friends like them, as they each made their way inside.

In the meantime Leo, Don and Mikey were all in the laboratory. Don was typing on his computer, Leo stood against the wall and Mikey lay on the bed with his head dangling over the edge, twiddling his thumbs. Don had given him strict instructions never to touch or go near anything when he was in his lab. Even now Mikey struggled to keep his urges at bay.

“Did any of you know?” Leo asked breaking the silence.
“Nope…”
“Nah-uh” were his responses.

Leo couldn’t believe how each of them could have missed all the signs. He would have hoped one of them at least knew that something was going on. Even when Charlotte locked herself away, none of the girls seemed to have known either. Not that it bothered any of them, they were happy for their friend.

“I don’t see what the big deal is… I mean this IS big, but in a good way, right?” Mikey smiled sitting up from his slump.
“While that may be true, I’ve been doing some research and it turns out some female turtles can lay between fifty and up to two hundred eggs per season, it’s quite fascinating really” the genius smiled, he always loved doing research on the ordinary lifestyles of their species, and this gave him an excuse to study more into the lifecycle of a females pregnancy.

Mikey then threw himself towards Donatello shaking his genius brother’s shoulders as he panicked.
“ARE YOU SERIOUS?! DUDE! TELL ME HE’S KIDDING!” Don shoved the youngest brother off of him.
“But we’re mutants, and the girls were once human so... surely that would cause each of them to have a regular pregnancy like any other human right?” Leo suggested looking at the computer screen, flash and bleep away.
“My point exactly, it would be more than likely that the baby would be born, not by an egg but a live birth, like any mammal for example” he stated.

The computer brought up an image of DNA cells Don extracted from the girls when they first encountered one another, pointing out for Leo, which of the cells were human and the rest mutation.
“So… the baby’s gonna… EWWWW GROSS!  MENTAL PICTURE IN MY HEAD! GET OUT! GET OUT!” Leo and Don’s hands slapped their foreheads at the overactive reaction their brother was having.

Back in Charlotte’s room, Julie and Mia were happily gazing at Charlotte’s small, but noticeable bump.
“Oh this is so exciting!” Mia clapped
“I know who ever thought our Charlotte would be the first!” Julie smiled. They had each had a slice of cake even though Charlotte was just starting on her second piece.
“I can’t believe you guy’s would do this for me” she mumbled, happily stuffing her face.

Normally Charlotte always upheld the idea of eating with proper manners, but the cake was too delicious.
“Well duh… you’re our friend right? ‘Sides this little one deserves the best” Robyn winked handing Charlotte a napkin to wipe her mouth, Charlotte assumed that by the term “little one”, Robyn could have only meant the baby.
“So… have you thought about names yet?” Julie questioned eager to hear the answer.
“No not yet…”

Charlotte placed both hands on her bump, she had a much bigger thing to worry about right now, like were Raphael had run off to.
“It’s was bad enough that I hid this from all of you, let alone Raph… anyway he probably won’t ever speak to me again, let alone have anything to do with this baby’s life…” now Robyn felt it was necessary to talk some sense into her.
“Then screw him! If he can’t man up to it! Then the world should be done with him, is what I say!”

Everyone could all see her point; Charlotte only hoped he hadn’t gotten himself into trouble, let alone abandon her completely.

The sound of heavy knocking interrupted the group as Julie went over to see. Realising that it was the guys, she welcomed them inside. As soon as Mikey spotted the cake he happily helped himself to the rest which annoyed everyone else, a fair share.
“We just came to give our congratulations” Leo explained, Mikey nodded in agreement stuffing his face with cake.
“Thanks” Charlotte smiled, looking at her belly only made Leo wonder if they were each reaching that stage to have a family of their own.

It never crossed his mind, but having a child wouldn’t be such a bad thing would it? Leo kept wondering if this was what Raph’s was thinking. Each of the guys agreed that they would go searching for him the next day. Only because they believe he still needed time to think this through.

Don then made himself comfortable beside Charlotte observing her physic.
“Charlotte if it’s okay I’d like to start right away on running some tests just to make sure everything is developing as it should” he explained.
“Oh… yay…”

As much as she respected Don and his unique style of thinking, she didn’t want to become his next test subject anytime soon.
“I’m gonna start working on my own version of an ultrasound machine so we’ll be able to see and hear the baby” Don explained, everyone was in totally agreement on the idea.

After an hour of talking over what was going to happen next, Charlotte took it upon herself to call up Casey and April with a heartfelt apology. They said they understood and shared their own congratulations on the news.

Charlotte was able to sleep a little easier that night, however with the nausea still occurring from time to time, and the uncertainty of Raph’s return. It still seemed pointless to be celebrating, and so she placed her hands together and said a silent prayer.

TBC…