Title: Destinations – Sequel to 'Moth and Flame'

Author: Jayde

Summary: This picks up a couple of months after 'Moth and Flame'.

Disclaimer: I do not now, nor have I ever, owned the turtles. No harm intended.

Credits: Done! Thanks everybody!

Chapter 11:

Months later … on Earth …

Pushing open the door, Mike took a deep breath of the air. Spring in New York. You had to love it. He flipped the sign on the glass, indicating that the martial arts school was open for another day of business. Across the street, the door of the new bookstore opened. Leo stepped out into the early morning sunshine and offered a wave. Mike returned it, watching as Leo picked up the newspaper that was resting on his front step.

As Leo straightened, a slender figure appeared behind him. Sen offered a smile to Mike, and he happily returned it.

"I'll be over in an hour!" Leo called out. Mike replied with thumbs up. Leo still taught classes at the school, but the day-to-day operations were now in the hands of Mike's little clan, along with Raphael. Mike grinned, returning to the inside of the school. Not that Raphael enjoyed his new partnership. It was a relief to have him working at the Utroms' Earth headquarters the majority of the time – training their support staff in self-defense. Contracting Raph out brought in some real cash flow for the school.

Of course, they had a little assistance getting that deal. It helped that Raphael was dating someone with connections.

Two days after his brothers had returned from Sen's planet, a woman had shown up at the school. Dressed casually for the warm weather and with sunglasses hiding her eyes – Mike had approached her at the door thinking she was a potential customer.

"Actually, I'm looking for someone," the woman said politely.

Raph had come out of his class. "Hey, Mikey …" He had frozen for a moment, recognizing the visitor. "Haven?"

"Look," Haven responded a little nervously, tucking her hands into her pockets. "I'm even early." Raphael approached, his expression forming into a frown.

"Take your sunglasses off," he demanded. Mike started. That was harsh. So it was weird that she left them on inside … And then Haven lifted them off her face.

"Damn," Mike whispered. She had a hell of a black eye. Mike glanced at Raph, and noted that his brother looked furious. Haven had picked up on that as well. She anxiously fidgeted with the sunglasses in her hands.

"It's not that bad," Haven began. If anything, Raph's face grew harder. "You … you should see the other guy," she tried, and then slumped a bit in defeat.

Mike shook his head as he wandered back towards the office. Once Raph had cooled down, Haven had explained the whole thing. She had been taken into custody by the Maoran authorities, but the Utroms had her released pretty quickly. She was, she had explained, on an extended leave of absence.

"I was written up for aiding crazed mercenaries from Earth," Haven revealed. Raphael shook his head slowly. "It's very detrimental to my career," Haven went on, the smile on her face ruining her serious delivery. Her job was in no danger, and they both knew it.

"So I owe ya one," Raphael agreed. His eyes returned to the bruise on her face.

"I'll heal," Haven reassured. She decided to change the subject. "So here I am, on Earth, with all this time off. What would you recommend?"

Raphael grinned. That was the point when Mike excused himself, and left the room.

Raph wouldn't return from teaching for hours yet, and it was possible he wouldn't come back at all today.

"Morning, Dad," Noelle greeted, throwing a backpack over one shoulder and cramming a pop tart into her mouth as she wandered by from one of the studios to drop a kiss on his cheek.

"You're gonna be late, Elle. Move it," Mike ordered, but he was smiling. Noelle dashed out the door to get to school.

Mike headed for the office and sat down. He leaned back in the chair and put his feet on the desk – no Raphael here to scowl at him, so why not?

The phone rang, startling Mike enough that he nearly flipped backwards in his chair. He hoped it was Don …

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"Breathe."

"I am!" Sam shot back. Don, his face close to hers, kept his voice calm.

"Please, Sam. Concentrate. Breathe with me," he urged.

"It … is not … the breathing …" she snarled. "It's the pain, damnit!"

An amused chuckle sounded from the foot of the bed, catching the attention of the couple. "I'm sorry," the doctor offered, smiling toothily. "It is just pleasing to know that labor is the same everywhere." A nurse rushed in, a white bundle in her arms.

"I'm sorry, doctor, this is the best I could find," she stated, holding out a folded lab coat to the physician. The doctor stood up, the top of his head nearly brushing the ceiling of the hospital room. He held up the coat, and shook his head.

"It will have to do, eh?" The doctor struggled it on over his massive shoulders, thrusting two arms through the sleeves. His other arms poked out of the front of the coat. "Now, let us see how we are progressing."

"How we are progressing?" Sam snapped, blowing a lock of damp hair out of her eyes. Another contraction rose up, and her eyes squeezed shut. The agony twisted inside, leaving her panting and exhausted. "I can't do this," she groaned.

"Yes you can," Don reassured, his fingers squeezing her hand.

"We are ready to begin pushing," the doctor reported cheerily. "Mr. Hamato, please hold back your wife's knee. The nurse will get the other one, now … at the next contraction, please, Mrs. Hamato."

Sam took a deep breath, struggling to remember the instructions from the pre-natal classes. The wave started – she could feel her body beginning to spasm – and she bore down, holding her breath. A burning sensation made her gasp, and she panted through it.

"A little more, Mrs. Hamato," the doctor entreated. "We are very close now."

Another contraction, and Sam ground her teeth together. Using every bit of energy that remained in her body, she pushed. The doctor was a blur of motion as four of his limbs worked quickly to catch the newborn, cut the cord, and examine the infant. A small wail greeted the grinning physician.

"Marvelous," the doctor said gleefully, turning the little one over. "He looks just like you, Mr. Hamato." The doctor reached up and laid the child on his mother's abdomen. "It is most amazing – the shell is still soft."

"Didn't feel soft," Sam disagreed weakly. She stretched out her fingers and caressed the tiny green arm. Her hand moved and she placed her palm on the little head. The skin was soft and warm – she smiled, feeling a tenderness and a fierce love for this new life. Maternal instinct, she thought fuzzily. Turning her head, Sam looked over at Don. He had a hand over his mouth, and his eyes were filled with tears. He looked, for the first time in her experience, like he didn't know what to do. "Don." His eyes met hers, and she held out a hand to him. "Come here and say hi to your son."

Lowering himself to sit on the edge of the bed, Don reached out and touched the back of the baby's small hand. The fingers curled, forming a tiny fist. Awed, his hands joined hers, caressing their child and marveling over every part of him. The doctor and nurse exchanged secret smiles. They backed off, allowing the new parents time. Sam found herself counting fingers and toes: Six fingers and four toes – funny how that seemed just right.

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In Central Park …

"Remember when we would have picnics in the lair?" Noelle asked, popping a chip into her mouth.

Rachel laughed, and leaned back on her arms. "Carpet picnics," she replied. "We'd get food all over the place, and Uncle Leo would growl at us." Noelle giggled, nearly spilling her soda. Mike caught the can and righted it on the blanket they had spread out. "When are we flying to London?" Rachel demanded.

"We have to see the baby!" Noelle agreed loudly.

"Soon," Juliet said, picking up her sandwich. Nearby, a group of kids ran shrieking after a dog, it's leash trailing in the grass. "Did you call Raph?" Juliet questioned, waving the sandwich at Mike. He nodded, his mouth full of potato salad.

"So, are you going to have more kids, Mom?" Noelle asked. Juliet choked on a bite of sandwich, and Rachel nearly sprayed soda she was laughing so hard. "I mean," Noelle clarified, glaring at her sister. "Now that you know it's possible to have more."

"I'm always willing to try," Mike sagely noted. The comment earned him a paper plate to the forehead.

The end!

That's it folks. I have no more plots in mind for this story. RD noted that there were still some things that could be wrapped up – Do Raphael and Haven wind up happily ever after? Do Don and Sam survive the joys of parenthood? But … I'm not going to write it. Sorry. I'm really, really done. You'll have to imagine what might have happened next.