Angel's Child

“OOOOOOOOOOOOOOH…Ya guys are in TROUBLE…”

“Shut up, Z…”

Z, whose actual name was Zaira, was Mikey and Chi’s eldest daughter.

She was the most humanoid among the children, without a shell or plastron, but she still had sea-green skin.

Her red/gold hair was always in her face, over her eyes, and she seemed dressed for bed already.

She smirked, sitting on the back of the couch nonchalant as ever.

“Aw, did I ‘it a nerve, Izzy?”

“Shut it…”

“Don’t start, Z…” Angela advised.

“Come on, Z…Time for bed.”

“But DAD…”

“Come on.”

Mikey picked up his first-born, though she protested and struggled weakly against him as he walked off.

“Are they okay?”

“We’re fine, Lily. Go to bed.” Angela assured.

Lily looked unsure, checking them over with bright blue eyes.

She was like her mother, a medic at heart, with her healing Waterbending.

Her pale cream shell was barely covered by her tank top.

“Come on, Lil. We’re going to bed.”

“Alright, dad…”

Once everyone was gone, two upset fathers turned to their fidgeting daughters.

“I thought you two knew better than to do something like this.”

“Figured ya valued yer sleep more than runnin’ ‘round after bad guys.”

“You two could have been hurt, killed! Don’t you realize that?”

“What would ‘a ‘appened if ya two ‘adn’t been able ta beat up those thugs?”

It was like they’d rehearsed this so well that the two teens couldn’t even get an answer in…

“We don’t want to find either of you bleeding in alley!”

“Does it look like we’re ready ta bury our kids?”

The two teens noticed two more presences as their fathers continued on their tirade, when a hand was placed on Leo’s shoulder.

“Love? You’re shouting is going to wake up Arianna.”

Artemis smiled gently, soothing her mate’s ruffled feathers with the reminder of their youngest daughter.

Only eight years old, little Arianna looked most like her father, and was the sweetest little girl you could ever meet.

Angela had been the same, and still was, but she got in much more trouble nowadays.

Kasai carefully took her lover’s hand, smiling sweetly.

“Can’t you both just be glad they’re home safe and sound?”

“…I guess…”

“Good.”

The gold-masked turtle turned to her daughter and niece.

“You both wash up and go to bed. I think you’ve learned your lesson.”

“Thanks, mommy! Auntie K!”

“Thanks, mom! Auntie Artie!”

The two teens ran off, and both male turtles realized they’d just let them off the hook…

“…Ya two are good…”

“We know.”

Artemis smiled.

“You can just give them an extra hour of training tomorrow. Punishment solved. Let’s go to bed.”

Both males nodded, hesitantly following.

Each couple had their own rooms, but siblings had to share amongst themselves.

Not enough rooms for everyone to have their own, unfortunately…

“Mommy? Daddy?”

Artemis stopped, turning at the shaking little voice.

“Ari, what are you doing up?”

“I-I had a n-nightmare…”

“Oh, my poor baby…” The crimson-eyed turtle soothed, picking up the little turtle.

Her eyes were a watery, light-light brown, and she wrapped her little arms around her mother’s neck.

“What was it about, Ari?” Leo wondered, putting a soothing hand on her head…

“A-A bad man…”

“What bad man?” Artemis coaxed.

“H-He hurt Angie, m-mommy…”

“Who hurt her?”

The Avatar knew her youngest child sometimes had visions of the future, and they always came in dreams.

Normally, they were mild at best, showing good days and all that.

Nightmares were frightening…

Horrible, dark, nasty things…

“H-He kept m-making her scr-scream…and e-everything was r-red…”

Leo felt his stomach twist at the thought…

Maybe, just maybe, he’d lose his little girl…

“Love.”

The worried look from his mate seemed to ground him again.

“What if…?”

“I won’t let it.” He promised.

Little Arianna seemed to be dozing now…

“D-Daddy…”

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“H-He kept…c-calling himself s-something…” She slurred sleepily.

“What?”

“…Sh-Shredder…”

She fell into a deep sleep as stunned silence filled the two turtles...