When I first saw you I knew
You are perfect
Nothing marring your beauty

And it was up to me to make you amazing Live up to your potential I am your guide

Teaching you to live your life When I barely know how to live mine

Teaching all my mistakes Sharing all of my trauma

Your eyes look at me Glistening peaceful

Will it be tamped out by this broken world? I pray not

I’m not ready Will I ever be ready?

Please look me in the eyes and tell me I haven’t ruined you

Parenthood is the most jeopardising stressful thing ever no sleep routine is broken no free time your kid is the most wonderful thing but it’s also but he’s also she’s also a parasite that wakes up every night never misses with his poo pee and he had to keep checking out change of diapers all of the time it’s a new way of life and a new responsibility, but it’s the best thing e

(Fanny’s POV for the intro story cause why not)

Fanny was rather furious at the moment. She couldn’t understand why her daddy wouldn’t let her go to Penny’s house.

“But Daddy!” She cried. “She’s my best friend!” Fanny clung to Edmund’s leg, summoning all the tears she could.

Edmund patted her head and sighed before turning back to his paperwork. “Well I don’t know her parents, so that’s a no.”

The girl threw herself to the ground and thrashed her fists. Edmund didn’t even spare her a glance before he sat down in his seat.

Fanny stopped her tantrum. She layed on the floor, face to the carpet and arms to her sides, frowning at Edmund with her eyes.

“Me and her basically have the same name too.”

Edmund raised an eyebrow, eyes still on his work. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“I dunno.” Fanny closed her eyes.

It was quiet, with the sound of rustling paper and their soft breathing in the silence.

“Daddy.”

“Uh-huh?”

“Why do you have so much work?”

Edmund paused. “Because I have an important job.”

“Mhhh.” And then she fell asleep.

(Back to Edmund’s POV)

The sun was hotter then hot that day. Edmund, though, was wearing a black turtleneck sweater and some jeans.

“Daddy,” Fanny said as they walked across the street from their apartment complex to the neighborhood park, “How are you not hot?”

Edmund held her hand and shrugged. Fanny was more well dressed for the weather, with her short sleeved pink flower shirt and tiny shorts. “To be honest, I don’t know.”

She frowned. “Your weird, Daddy.”

“Trust me, your not the first person to say that,” he muttered. He ushered Fanny to the swings, noticing the one child who was playing and a man sitting on a bench. “Go ahead and play.”

“Okay!” Fanny giggled and ran towards her favorite swing.

Edmund sighed and then went to sit on a bench. There was only one, so he found himself sitting next to the man. The man spared him a glance and waved.

Edmund strangely felt awkward. He never seen this man at the complex before; was he new?

Thankfully, the new man was the extroverted type.

“Hi, my name’s August. Me and my son just moved here a few days ago.” August laughed. “I think you and your daughter are the first family unit I’ve seen here.”

Edmund gave a slow nod. Unsure what to say. It was like his mind had went on shut down at the thought of talking to another adult.

August’s smile faltered. “Um? Are you alright?”

Edmund coughed. “Yes, yes. My name is Edmund.”

August’s smile came back in full swing. “That’s a strange name.”

“Also, she’s not my daughter.”

August’s smile froze on his face. His eyes narrowed.

“What.”

Fanny and August’s child, Kaleb, became inseparable after that day at the park.

The two men weren’t sure what had happened during their introductions, but Fanny and Kaleb were two peas in a pod and were two twins of destructive mayhem….

“Hey, Daddy,” Fanny said, trying to sit still as August combed her hair ponytails._ (“Such nice long hair~”)_, “isn’t your mommy coming today?”

The four of them sat inside Edmund’s apartment’s small living room for a small time to get together.

Edmund nodded. Kaleb stuffed a croissant, his fourth one, Edmund noted, into his mouth. “Your mom’s still alive? Aren’t you like 60?”

Edmund wheezed as August left go of Fanny’s hair to stride over to Kaleb and pop him on the mouth. “Kaleb Dean Wilkerson!”

“Owie! Papa!” Kaleb rubbed his swelling lip.

August gave a shy laugh; his face was red. “Sorry about that,” he said, “sometimes Kaleb can’t control his mouth.”

Fanny crawled over to put her head in Edmund’s lap. “Trust me,” the man said, “I know.”

“Daddy.”

“Yes, Fanny.”

“You still haven’t answered my question.”

“Ah, yes, she’s supposed to.”

“Then where is she?”

“Well….”

Jennifer

She had lied. Yes, she felt bad, but she really didn’t want to meet that girl.

Who was technically her half-sister.

If she felt weird just thinking about her, she would definitely feel weird around her. Holding her. Hugging her.

She admitted it: she was scared of the girl.

So all she had to do was pretend that she was busy with something else and Mundy wouldn’t question it.

(Alright, lost motivation. And I’m starting up on Denying X ♾️ anyway so yeah! This is the finale for now. Thanks for reading and have a good day!)

Two Months Later…

Edmund was snoring in his bed, eyes shut and mouth slightly open. Fanny, instead of sleeping in her own bed and room, snuggled in beside Edmund and pressed herself against his side.

“Daddy, you’re so mean sometimes,” she sniffled, “Making me sleep in my own bed.”

Edmund did not reply. His deep snores filled the room.

Fanny yawned. “I promise,” she said, closing her eyes, “that I won’t pee this time. Pinky promise.”

Then she fell asleep.

Edmund woke up with something pushing against his side and a wet feeling in the same area.

“Fanny,” he muttered.

The girl blinked groggily, her eyes opening to the sound of his voice. “Yes, Daddy?”

“No more water for you.”

“Noo! I didn’t mean to!” Fanny cried.

Edmund groaned as he sat up. “I’ll go get the water started.”

“I can still sleep with you, right?” She asked, watching him slide from the bed to the bathroom. “Right, Daddy?”

Fanny sniffled and shot out of bed after him. “Daddy!!!!”

“Daddy.”

“Eat your breakfast, Fanny.”

Fanny did the opposite and placed down her fork. “Why do you wear glasses?”

“Because my eyesight is poor,” Edmund responded, “Now eat your eggs.”

“So.” Edmund sighed. “Do your glasses make your eyesight rich?”

Edmund stabbed his eggs then placed down his fork as well. This girl. “I suppose so; yes.”

Fanny gave him a look of awe. “I want glasses to!”

Edmund shook his head. “No, you don’t. Now eat, Fanny, or you aren’t getting dessert tonight.”

“You’re so mean, Daddy!” But she began to eat.

“So how’s the girl, Mundy?” Jennifer asked on the phone one day.

Currently, Fanny was busy playing with Edmund’s hair, which was quite long in style for a man his age (31).

“I will make you look bootiful, Daddy, just you wait!” She said, running her small hands through his black hair.

“Just fine, Mother.”

Jennifer gave a click of her tongue. “She isn’t causing you too much trouble, is she? We can still put her up for adoption.”

Fanny hummed as she tied a few strands of Edmund’s hair in a scrunchie, oblivious to the conversation. Edmund sighed through his nose and smiled to himself.

“No, Mother, I don’t think that’s necessary. Then an idea popped into his head. “Hey, how about you come over this break and visit?”

“Oh,” she stuttered, “W-will the girl be there?”

“Of course.”

“I don’t know….”

“Done!” Fanny clapped her hands in delight. Edmund was scared, his scalp felt tight. “Just wait here, Daddy! I’ll be right back!” She slipped from the coach and ran off to the bathroom.

Edmund returned his attention to his mother. “What do you say?”

“I’ll…think about it.”

“Thank you. She’s been waiting to meet you.”

“Has she….” Jennifer muttered. “Anyways, I gottta go, hun. Buh-bye.”

Edmund said his goodbyes as well. As soon as he hung up, Fanny came bolting back with a hand-held mirror.

“Look, Daddy! Looook!” Fanny pushed the mirror into his hands. “Didn’t I just make you look bootiful!”

“Uhh…oh…well.” Edmund looked at his reflection. His black hair stuck up at odd angles, when had she found gel, and there were at least four scrunchies that tied up ponytails.

Fanny looked at him expectantly. “Well?”

The man sighed. He placed the mirror down and leaned to kiss Fanny on the cheek. Fanny giggled. “It looks…bootiful, Fanny.”

Fanny gave him a proud smile. “I told you!” She yelled. “Next time we can do face makeup!”

Edmund’s smile faltered at the thought of Fanny’s crafty hands near his face. “Ah, I don’t know about that….”

(Part 3 will be when Jennifer comes to visit! Anyways, thanks for reading!)

“What?” Edmund looked at the man with his spectacled gaze, voice raised despite his introverted behavior. “What do you mean that child is mine?”

The man, whose name was Mr. Marlowe, brought out his handkerchief and wiped his sweaty nose. The child beside him, a tall girl with large amber eyes and oak brown skin, peered at Edmund from behind Mr. Marlowe’s leg.

“Well sir, you have heard that your grandfather has died, yes? Edmund Manner, good chap.”

It gave Edmund shivers every time he heard his own name. “Yes, I know he has; I was at the furneral.” Edmund pointed a rash finger at the child. “But what does she have to do with it?”

Mr. Marlowe coughed again, then said, “Um, you see—“

“A maid, that’s who he bedded!” Mrs. Jennifer Manner shrieked at the news. “And now, after his death, the woman puts the child with my son!”

Edmund, who was rather peeved at the situation himself but had used all his frustration cursing while he bathed, gave a shrug. Even though Jennifer and he were speaking on the phone. “She didn’t know grandfather died, and as you know I have the same name—“

“She should have kept the child to herself! Why the hell would we want her?”

Edmund just sighed. “I’ll deal with it. Goodbye, Mother.”

Edmund hung up the phone with Jennifer still fuming about the situation. He turned to face his kitchen counter where the girl, whose curly hair was twisted into two small braids that went to her back, was sitting there quiet. Watching him.

“So,” he started, walking towards her, “your name’s Fanny?”

She nodded. She couldn’t be more than 4 with that face.

Edmund pointed to himself. “Do you know my name?” He asked, placing his elbows on the counter.

Fanny gave a small smile, twiddling her fingers. Then she pointed at him and shrieked, “Daddy.”

Edmund gave a frown. “No, I’m not your “daddy”. I’m Mr. Edmund. Mr. Edmund,” he said slowly, “Do you understand, Fanny?”

Fanny gave a slow nod, squinting her eyes.

“Alright then,” Edmund said, “What’s my name?”

Fanny closed her eyes. “Uh huh.” She opened them, a focused gaze in her eyes and a confident smile.

“Daddy!”

The man slammed his head on the table.

Edmund had to go to work, but Fanny needed a place to stay. She couldn’t stay alone in his apartment.

Thankfully, there was a childcare facility near where he worked. He had signed her up the week before, and now just finished packing her bag.

The girl sat on his bed, dressed in a pink dress and adorned with two little earrings in her dark ears, watching him curiously as he packed.

“I’m going to work with you, Daddy?” She clapped her hands. “I’m so excited!”

Edmund peered at her for a second, then zipped her bag up. He was used to her calling him her dad by now. “No, you are going to a childcare facility.”

Fanny froze. Her lip wobbled. “What?” She whispered, her voice cracking. “I thought I was going with yoooouuu!!”She screamed. Tears fell down her face and she shook.

“Ah! Wait! Wait wait wait!” Edmund dropped her bag and went over to her. His hand reached for the crying child, but then stopped, unsure on what to do.

Fanny knew exactly what to do: cry. “Daddy’s gonna put me in jail! Why, Daddy, whhyyy!”

Edmund hissed through his teeth. “Fine, fine! You can go with me to work this once,” he groaned, defeated, “Just please stop crying.”

She stopped crying immediately. “Ok!” She wiped her tears and scooted off the bed, grabbing her forgotten book bag on the ground. “Let’s go, Daddy!”

He was such a sucker.

(The idea is borrowed from an anime called “Bunny Drops” that I love. Sadly it only had 13 episodes, but they were all beautiful and heartwarming. The girl is much older and different than my girl character, though. So if you ever watch it, don’t be surprised. Anyway, thanks for reading)

“Hello?” I answer the phone. I don’t recognize the number, but it’s the second time they’re calling, so I figure it’s not spam or anything like that.

“Is this Rachel Nogueras?” The voice on the other line asks quickly. She sounds stressed.

“Yes, this is she.” My heart beats into my throat.

“I’m a nurse at Northwestern. Your sister’s had an accident. She asked me to call you… before she passed away,” she says. My vision blurs. My heart stops. I forget how to breathe. “There’s a child here—her son—and she needs you to take care of him. She doesn’t have a spouse.”

I know that but I can’t talk. Her son Asher. Eight years old, now without a father or mother. She wants me to take care of him? I don’t even know how to take care of myself. I can’t believe she’s dead. What happened? An accident. What kind of accident?

“Rachel?”

I gulp in some air and manage to swallow. “Yes, I’m here.”

“Can you pick up the child?”

Shoot. I have to do that now? How the hell do you take care of those things? How to I help him process his mom dying, when I can barely comprehend it?

I take in a long breath. I have to take care of him. Who knows what’ll happen to him if I don’t? An orphanage? Foster care? I’ve heard horror stories from neighbors about those places. I can’t let her only son go. I have to do it for Ruby. I have to do it for her.

“Rachel? Are you still here?”

I blink and some water escapes, but I manage to calm my breathing down. “Yes. I will pick up her son.”

I end the phone call with a “thank you” and wipe my tears. God, this place is a mess. How am I supposed to raise a child here? I have an apartment, while Asher is used to living in a house. My kitchen island is covered with papers and my bedroom has dirty laundry on the floor. I’m not sure if I make enough money to support another person. My pantry is way under stocked.

I sigh. This is for Ruby. I have to do it. No excuses.

It’s already pretty late—nine at night—so I think I can just take Asher to bed when he gets here. Of course, I’ll have to set up a bed for him. But once he’s asleep, I can work on cleaning my home and making it kid-friendly. Then tomorrow, I’ll get groceries. One step at a time.

After pulling out a twin mattress that I use when a friend stays over from my closet, I put on the sheets, take a pillow from my bed, and grab a blanket from the living room. Then, I get in my car and drive to the hospital.

I’m thankful I don’t have to see my sister’s dead body (yet; I’ll deal with those emotions at the funeral) because Asher is in the front waiting room. I spot his brown curls before he sees me. He’s alone. Poor thing. I start walking towards him. When he sees me, he gets up and runs over to wrap his little arms around my stomach in a hug. I kneel down and give him a hug from there.

When I release him, I see his red and tear-stained face. “Hey,” I say gently, taking my thumb and wiping his cheeks. “It’ll be okay. I’m here.”

He sniffles and his breathing sounds more like choking. “My mama…”

“Shh, I know,” I say, rubbing his back. His crying breaks my heart. The poor thing. “I’m here.”

On the drive home, we listen to the Mary Poppins soundtrack, neither of us saying a word. When we get home, I ask if he’s had dinner. He says no, so I quickly heat up some boxed mac and cheese and pour him a glass of milk. I give him a small portion because he should be about to go to bed. I actually have a random spare toothbrush lying in the bathroom closet, unopened, so I give him that to use. In the morning, we’ll stop by his house to pick up his things.

We enter my bedroom, where I set up his makeshift bed. He views it, then looks back to me and asks, “Can I sleep with you tonight?”

I sigh. I wanted to clean up a bit… but it can wait. “Of course,” I say. I let him lie in my bed while I get ready, then I join him. “Goodnight, Asher.”

“Goodnight, Aunt Rae.”

May God have mercy on us, whatever god might be looking down to see and hear this news. We are not ready - haven’t been and won’t be - and although she is celebrating, smiling, I feel I might collapse to my knees and bleed forward into the concrete flooding into another world. What a great escape that would be, with all the changes that will be coming. For us, and for them. This being that we do not yet know, but who we will spend at least the next 18 years with in the same home. What if we can’t raise them right? What if they despise us? What if, after all we do, they abandon us, and I am left like some decrepit empty nester, a bird without a home?

May I look back on these feelings one day and be wrong. Mercy, please.

(have some fluff 🎉💖💘💗💕)

~Month One~

“Bobbi? Have you seen my cheese puffs? I put them up here just so Leo couldn’t find them-“ Lizzy stops short as she takes in the expression on Bobbi’s face: guilty, guilty, guilty. “BOBBI. Did you EAT my CHEESE PUFFS.”

“Mmmmaybe…? Look I was really hungry and they were the only thing that sounded good and I’ll buy you more please don’t be mad at meeeee,” Bobbi whines.

Lizzy shakes her head, sighing. “You better get me more ASAP, Bobs. I wanted those.”

Bobbi nods. “Okay. Sorry Lizzy.”

“It’s all good.”

~Month Two~

The baby’s heartbeat is a soft thu-thud over the ultrasound room’s speakers, and Bobbi can’t stop herself from gasping, feeling tears well in her eyes.

“Raph…”

He doesn’t say anything right away, just reaches over to take her hand. When he speaks, his voice is rough. “I know, sweetheart. That’s our baby.”

The yokai nurse kindly steps out of the room to give the happy couple a moment alone with the sound of their baby’s heart.

~Month Three~

Footage on a shaky, low quality camera. Bobbi is swaying, alone in her room, eyes closed and hands folded over her slightly rounded stomach. Soft singing is barely audible.

”If you ever find yourself stuck in the middle of the sea,”

”I'll sail the world to find you.”

”If you ever find yourself lost in the dark and you can't see,”

”I'll be the light to guide you.”

The song trails off as she moves out of frame, but just before she disappears, the person holding the camera sighs wistfully. It sounds suspiciously like Chell.

~Month Four~

Bobbi: “So… I’m pregnant.”

Leo: “YOU WHAT?!?!”

Donnie, nudging Chell and whispering furiously: “Did you know about this??”

Chell: smug nod "Briar's gonna be thrilled."

Splinter, tearing up: “…I am so happy for you, Raphael and Roberta.”

Lizzy and Bell: high fiving in celebration

Mikey: “Oh, I am SO happy for you guys!!”

Group hug

~Month Five~

“Okay, taking bets: Boy or girl?”

Mikey hmms. “I get girl vibes.”

Leo grins impishly. “Wanna bet, little brother?”

“You lost last time, babes,” Lizzy calls over her shoulder. “You can’t afford another twenty bucks.”

Leo pouts, knowing she’s right.

“I think girl,” Bell says, fingers covered in pink paint. “Briar gets a girl cousin to play with.”

Raph enters the room, holding a tiny envelope made smaller by the sheer size of his hands. He waves it around, grinning. “How much you wanna bet on that, Bell?”

“Fifty dollars,” she says without hesitation.

“Dammit,” Raph mutters, tugging the small paper out of the envelope and glancing at it. His face somehow manages to fall and look extremely proud at the exact same time, and he passes the paper to Bobbi, who gasps and smiles.

“Better pay her then, Red,” Bobbi teases, and Bell’s head snaps up.

Silently, she holds her hand out, and Raph passes over the fifty.

~Month Six~

She’s mid-laundry basket when she feels it: a tiny tap on the inside of her stomach.

“Kiddo?” She’s not sure why she speaks aloud to a child that cannot hear her well enough to respond yet, but she does it anyway.

“Hey, baby girl,” she whispers, smiling softly and resting a hand on her round stomach.

She doesn’t see her husband peeking around the corner, grinning widely at her.

“Whatchu doin’, huh? Sayin’ hi? Just checking on me the way I check on you? That’s fair.”

Another tiny jolt.

“Mhmm, I feel you, sweetheart. Let Mama finish up her laundry, okay? You can check up on me again later.”

One last thump, softer now.

“Alright. Grow big, baby girl,” Bobbi says, then resumes her folding.

Raph ducks back around the corner and tries very hard not to cry.

~Month Seven~

Raph and Bobbi are in bed, snoozing, one of Raph's hands resting on Bobbi's stomach. Raph starts to snore, and startles awake when he feels a tap against his palm.

"Huhwha-" His eyes widen when there's another kick, and he seems to realize what's happening. "Oh... Hey, baby," he whispers with a smile. "Was I snoring?"

Kick, kick.

"Sorry, baby girl. Didn't realize you could hear me. Your Pops is a little tired today, hadda fight a whole buncha Foot Clan leftovers with Cass. It was CRAZY, you know. They weren't great fighters but there were a whole bunch of 'em. See, it started when..."

Bobbi keeps her eyes closed, but she can't stop the smile on her face from growing wider as she listens to her husband regale their baby with story after story.

~Month Eight~

"Oof. I miss being able to walk more than 10 feet at a time without getting winded," Bobbi groans as she plops down on a bench in the Hidden City.

Chell flashes her a sympathetic smile. "You're carrying a whole other person in there, and it's Raph's spawn at that. You were never going to have a good time of it," she laughs.

Bobbi leans back, dramatically draping her hand across her face. "Alas, I should have known that creating another being with a man of his stature would cause me such distress. Pray for me, sister, for I fear I shall not survive such a large child emerging from such a small place," she says, trying to keep a straight face and failing hilariously.

Both the sisters break down into giggles, and every time they look at each other, it starts a fresh torrent of laughter.

When Donnie comes back with a sleeping Briar in his arms, he gives the two of them a strange look, and they start laughing AGAIN.

It takes them a full half hour to calm down and get home.

~Month Nine~

Her water breaks in the middle of lunch in her cozy bed, and she is more than slightly annoyed by it.

“Oh for the love of- RAPH. I could use some help in here, big guy,” she shouts, wincing as a contraction much stronger than the small ones she’d been experiencing all day hits.

“Be right there, sweetheart,” he yells back. “One sec, alright.”

“We don’t HAVE one sec, RAPH.”

“Whaddaya mean, we don’t have one sec? I’m BUSY, Bobbi!”

“MY WATER FUCKIN’ BROKE SO GET YOUR ASS UP HERE,” she bellows.

Commotion down the hall, then thudding as Raph bursts through the door and literally breaks it off its hinges.

“Now?”

“YES.”

“Okay, okay!”

(1072 words. pray for my search history 🙏 wrote most of this while watching bayverse 1 lmao)

(I 💃🏻 AM BACK 💃🏻 ON 💃🏻 MY BULLSHIT 💃🏻🕺🏻🪩)

The portal appears in their suite right on time: a crackling blue circle floating in front of them.

The returning newlyweds hoist their luggage into their arms and step through the portal, returning to the subways of New York City in seconds.

Instantly, they’re swarmed by family members, hugging them and pestering them with questions.

“Didja miss us?”

“Hope you had plenty of fun, you two- ow! What was that for?”

“AUNTIE BOBBI!! HI!!!”

Chell stays quiet, though, and uncharacteristically so. She catches Bobbi’s eye easily and nods to her own bedroom.

Bobbi slips quietly away from the mass of mutants (and three humans) still chattering away with Raph, making her way to her older sister’s room.

As soon as she gets near the door, Chell yanks her inside and shuts the door.

“So?” Chell demands, circling around Bobbi like a vulture, eyes fixed on her younger sister’s stomach.

Bobbi lets out an exasperated sigh, rolling her eyes at Chell. “Yeah.”

“OH MY GOD,” Chell squeals, trapping Bobbi in a bear hug and bouncing in place.

“Calm down, Chell, you’re gonna bring the whole place down on us,” Bobbi teases, unable to stop herself from laughing.

“Ohhhh, Briar will be so excited to have a baby cousin! When are you going to tell everyone, luv?” Chell’s smile lights up the whole room, but Bobbi’s demeanor is notably less cheery.

“I don’t know, exactly… It’s a pretty big thing…” The tortoiseshell seems to shrink in on herself, averting her gaze.

“Of course it is. I know, I’ve done it myself,” Chell teases, looping an arm around Bobbi’s shoulders. “Pushed seven pounds of screaming mutant baby out of a veeeeery small hole. Worth it in the end, but damn was it hard.”

“That’s not what I mean and you know it, Chell.”

“I know. So talk it out. What’s buzzing around in that brain of yours?” Chell pokes Bobbi’s forehead, drawing a hesitant giggle from the younger of the two.

“…I’m scared, Chell. So many things could go wrong. I could get sick, I could get hurt, I could lose—“ She falters, unable to say it aloud. Already she’s become attached to the life slowly but surely growing inside her.

“But you won’t,” Chell replies simply.

“How can you possibly know that?” Her voice is soft, hoarse. Scared.

“I can’t. But call it a gut feeling. You’ll be alright, both of you.”

“I hope you’re right,” Bobbi whispers, feeling tears well in her eyes.

Chell gives her sister a gentle smile, pulling her in for a hug. “I always am.”

Bobbi takes a deep breath, collecting herself as well as she can, then gets up and heads out of Donnie and Chell’s room, trying not to show any hint of the emotions still cascading through her body and mind.

Who else would run into her, though, than the one person who can see straight through her hastily constructed wall: Raph.

“Hey, Bobbi, you disappeared on me,” he grins, then seems to notice the wetness in her eyes and the lines around her mouth that betray her fragile state of mind. “Bobbi? Are you okay?”

For whatever reason, that one simple question breaks down the dam and she bursts into tears. Raph’s face shifts to an expression of concern, and he tugs her into his arms and carries her to their bedroom, settling on the bed and rocking her gently.

“What’s wrong?” Raph asks after she’s managed to calm down mostly.

Through bursts of odd, hiccupy crying, she forces out: “Scared, don’t— don’t wanna lose my— our—“

Raph’s heart breaks a little bit when she can’t even finish her sentence, breaking down again into helpless sobs. He tucks her head under his chin and runs one hand through her hair, letting her cry it out.

“I know you’re scared, sweetheart,” he rumbles when she’s a bit calmer. “Hell, so am I. Anything could happen, ‘specially this early on. And on top of that, I worry ‘cause Dad wasn’t always… wasn’t always the best at parenting, even though I know he tried. And I’m scared of being like that, too.”

Bobbi sniffles. “You’re not like your dad, though,” she mumbles, tilting her head back to look up at him.

“That don’t stop me from worryin’.”

She’s quiet for a moment, long enough for her breathing to even out. She tucks her head back under his chin and pulls his hand onto her lap, tracing shapes on his massive palm. Though she may never admit it aloud, she likes feeling small, safe in his arms.

“Just…promise me you’ll be there. Even if I say things I don’t mean. Even if I take you for granted.”

Raph chuckles, the sound reverberating through Bobbi’s whole body. He holds up her hand in his, tapping her ring finger and the simple rose gold band that sits there, pale against her milk chocolate skin. “This means forever, sweetheart. I’m with you forever, through anything life throws at us.”

“Okay,” she whispers, and he rests his hand on her stomach. “Okay.”

“Love you.”

“Love you too, Red.”

(848 words. FLUFFY THIS ONE’S FOR YOU YOU INSPIRED ME TO COME BACK TO THIS WITH YOUR LOVELY LOVELY COMMENTS TYSMMMM 💕💓💖💞💗💘)

“Lydia Winters, Doctor Simmons will see you now.” the receptionist Maddie sitting behind the desk says.

I walk to the door, my hand shakes as I reach the doorknob and I remind myself that Doctor Simmons is here to help. I am wondering why I have been so nauseous the last week or so and certain foods I used to love like bacon now just the thought of these foods has me wanting to throw up. Even when I take naps lately, I still feel so fatigued afterward. For the last couple of days, I have been craving Brussels Sprouts with mustard and peanut butter which is unusual because I normally dislike all three foods.

“Ms. Winters, please take a seat on the exam table, and let’s find out what’s going on,” Dr. Simmons quietly declares. I do as she asks and she begins to question me about my symptoms such as when they began and what they are. After a few minutes of answering her questions, she hands me a small bottle and tells me to give a urine sample. A few minutes later, I walked out of the bathroom and handed her the bottle. She tells me she will have the results soon and to rest.

I take a look around the exam room, the plain white walls are filled with paintings of sunsets and stars in the night sky. I start counting the stars to pass the time and lose track of how many there are. Next thing I know, I feel a tap on the shoulder and open my eyes before glancing around the room. Dr. Simmons is standing above me with a grin on her face and that’s when I remember where I am.

“I have some good news for you Ms. Winters, you’re pregnant; congratulations!, Dr. Simmons squealed. Instinctively, I put my hand to my stomach, my mouth drops and my heart starts racing so fast I’m surprised the doctor doesn’t hear it. “A baby!? I’m pregnant, that’s not possible because we used protection. I don’t think I’d be a good mother.. what if my baby hates me.. what if the father doesn’t want to be in our baby’s life. I’m not ready at all, I can’t do this alone,” I think to myself. I whisper to Dr. Simmons with tears streaming down my face, “Am I.. am I sitting down? I think I’m going to faint..”

(Author Note: Working title. Also, I think this really needs work and I’m not sure if it’s accurate).