Her Family

  It was snowing outside. It was cold, but she didn't notice. She was too intent on something else to notice. She stared across the snow laden yard to the house with the light protruding out of it's windows. She saw a women standing in the window. She looked sad. The women wore small spectacles with gold trim at the end of her nose. She had her brown hair in a semi bun with a  brown scarf around her neck. She wasn't smiling, but you could still see the laugh lines on her aging face. She wore soft pink blush, mascara, cream colored eye shadow, and a little bit of red lipstick. In her hand she held a large green mug that she took a drink from now and then. She had two rings on her finger. One was a small golden band that symbolized her marriage and the other was a diamond ring. She had on a cream colored turtleneck that was tucked into her jeans which were held up with a brown belt. Mona sighed. That was her mother. It was now or never. She pulled out her Shell-cell and called her old home phone number. It started ringing and her mother left. "Hello?"

   "Umm, hi mom." Mona said back.

   "MONA LISA!!!" Her mother yelled happily. "Why haven't you called lately? I've missed you so much! What's going on sweetie?"

   "Oh nothing much I uh wanted to show you guys something." Mona told her. "Can you come outside?"

   "You're outside! Oh honey we'll be right out!" Next thing she knew was the front door opening and three people walking out. "Mona Lisa?" Her mother called.

   "Mona Lisa's here?!" That was her little brother, Hunter. He had his hands in his jean pockets, slouching his shoulders against the cold, wearing his favorite green hoodie.

   "That's what your mother said." Her father told him nodding his head. He turned to look at her mother "So where is she?"

   "I don't know. She said she had something to show us." Her mother answered looking around the dark yard.

    Mona closed the Shell-cell and took a deep breath. "I'm here, but I need to talk to you guys first." She said to them standing in the shadows of a tree.

   "Oh you're over there. Why don't we go inside and talk." Her mother said moving towards her.

   "Stop!" Mona cried making her mother stop in her tracks.

   "Why? What's wrong?" her father asked a bit nervous.

   "Listen, I need to tell you guys something first." Mona told them and her mother and father nodded while her brother stood in the cold scowling. "Do you remember when I went on that fishing trip with Jonathan and Benjamin?" she asked choosing her words carefully. Once again they nodded telling her to go on. "Well, while we were out on the Hudson our ship was uh attacked."

   "What?! What happened?!" her mother asked with a scared tone.

   "Well do you remember the pirate, Captain Filch?" Mona asked and they all nodded. "Well he was the one that attacked us."

   "Are you alright? What happened?" Her father asked holding her mother.

   "Well he tried to capture us-"

   "Did anyone get hurt?" her father asked interrupting her.

   She shook her head though no one could see it. "No. Not that I know of. Jonathan and Benjamin got away, but I wasn't so lucky." She paused to let her family speak, but they stayed silent so she continued. "He found out about my background in physics and wanted me to help him control the world through high-tech piracy. I went along with it until I had the chance to destroy his plans. And finally that chance came. He had a large lab, in his submarine that he called the Cleptifoid, in which he had me work. In the process of destroying the lab something went wrong and. . .and I. . . changed." she finished swallowing hard.

   "What did he do to you." her mother growled with a face so lifeless it gave Mona chills. She sounded like she wanted to kill him.

   "Nothing. He didn't do anything to me." 'At least not like what you mean.' she added silently.

   "Mona Lisa whatever it is, we can work through it together." Her father told her with a comforting smile.

   "Thanks dad." She said back to him with a smile.

   There was an awkward silence between her and her family until Hunter said "Can I go in now? It's getting cold out and I was playing my new game!"

   "Hunter's right Mona Lisa, if there's something you need to show us then show us sweetie. We don't want to freeze." Her father told her good heartedly.

   "Alright." She sighed agreeing with them. She couldn't delay this forever. "But I just have to say I don't look like the way you remember. I've changed." She told them one last time.

   "Mona Lisa, It doesn't matter what is on the outside just so long as the insides are the same." Her mother told her as her father nodded.

   "Yeah, you're always going to be my nagging older sister." Hunter added with a genuine smile. Mona smiled too. She new he meant well.

   "Just remember what you said." she told them one last time before taking a deep breath. Mona hesitated for only a second, but then stepped out from behind the tree. As she stepped into the light she saw her family's faces fall.

   She didn't know how long she stood there, but it seemed like an eternity. Finally someone spoke. "Why are you so fat?" It was her brother. Mona Lisa inwardly relaxed. Out of all the things he could've said he choose to say that.

   She smiled at him "I'm not fat, I'm just having a baby."

   "Okay, well it was good to see you, Mona Lisa." Hunter said waving then headed inside. Mona shook her head. Hunter had always been like that. Just go with the flow kind-of kid. He never let anything bother him. Mona Lisa turned back to her parents who were staring at her with wide fearful eyes.

   "Mom, dad." Mona said trying to draw them to talk, but it didn't work. "Please say something." She begged quietly. Mona Lisa stepped forward and her father tightened his grim around her mother as she tensed in his arms. Mona flinched as she gasped. Did they hate her now?

   Raphael, who had been in a tree across the street glared at her parents and made his way silently to her. They weren't gonna make her cry again! That was for damn sure. Once he got there he jumped down using his hand to balance himself as he hit the ground. When he was in sight he heard the gasps of her family and knew it was time to leave. "Mona," Raph said behind her. She turned to look at him tears in her eyes and Raphael felt his heart break. He had just wanted Mona to be happy. Now it seemed like he had made it worse by taking her here. "Let's go." He told her softly.

   "But," Mona started and Raph looked at her.

   "Mona, I'm sorry, but the way they are acting, it's starting to get on my nerves. And to help that fact they don't look to comfortable. And when humans feel uncomfortable like that they tend to get violent. I'm sorry Mona, but I'm not going to let you stick around here just so your dimwitted parents can hurt you not to mention the baby." Raph told her gently, but with a stern tone.

   "I understand that Raph, but-" Mona paused "Did you just call my parents dimwits?!"

   "Yeah." He said confused.

   "They're not dimwits!" Mona said suddenly angry.

   Raphael growled "Well obviously they're dumber than dung beetles if nothing else! I mean come on Mona. Your brother was okay with how you look and there's nothing wrong with you to begin with!"

   "They're not stupid they're just in shock!" Mona roared back. She did not want to fight with him right now, but Raph was asking for it.

   "In shock!?" Raph yelled. "Mona, they look like they're about to grab some pitch forks and yell Frankenstein!"

   Mona laughed "Frankenstein?! I think you've been hanging out with Mikey a little to much Raph. He's startin' to get to you."

   "Yeah well, I'm just saying you need to be careful and we need to leave."

  Mona sighed and gently placed her hand on Raphael's cheek. "I understand. If it bothers you this much we can leave."

   Before Raphael or Mona Lisa could speak or say anything at all they heard the clearing of a throat behind them and turned to see Mona's mother looking at them with a warm smile and two cups of steaming hot cocoa in her hand. "If I may interject," She started and looked at Mona Lisa "Your father has the fire going and it's starting to snow again, so if you two wouldn't mind stepping inside, you could finish your discussion there if you felt you had to, but being a mother I can't watch my little girl stand outside in the cold with barley anything on." She handed the cups to both Raph and Mona Lisa then turned and headed into the house without looking back. Mona looked at Raph, her face flushing a bit. How could she have not noticed her mother and father going inside. She sighed. She and Raph could get so into it with each other that they didn't notice the world around them. She had to get out of that.

   Mona started to walk forward to her house when she realized Raphael wasn't with her. She turned around to look at him who was still staring hesitantly in front of himself. "You coming?" She asked with a warm smile.

   He smiled too, comforted by her confidence, and moved forward. Once he walked through the door a warm air swept throughout his entire body. He looked up to see Mona hugging her parents. They broke apart and he walked up to her and placed his arm around her shoulder. "I uh guess I should tell you my name." Raph said sheepishly. He wasn't about to take back what he said, but he did feel a little awkward. He held out his hand and said "My names Raphael."

   Mona's father took Raph's hand and shook it. "Nice to meet you Raphael. My name is David and this is my wife Judy." There was a bit of an awkward silence until Mona suggested they sit down. "So I'm guessing that you and Mona Lisa are married?" David asked Raph.

   Raph and Mona shared a look that said 'uh...' "Not officially." Mona told him. Raph gave her a grateful smile. "We're together, but we're not married like that. I mean who would marry two mutants?"

   "You could've gone to Vegas." Judy said chuckling. Mona laughed to. She knew her mother wasn't serious, but it was still a choice. Mona didn't want to get married like that. If she ever could get married to Raph she would do it old fashion style in a church with a priest. "So I'm assuming this little bump also belongs to Raphael." Her mother asked placing a gentle hand on her daughter's belly.

   Mona laughed "Yep."

   "How far along are you?" Judy asked.

   "About six mounts."

   "When's the due date?

   "April 25th."

   "Do you know if it's a girl or boy yet?"

   "Well Donny said it looked like a boy to him." Mona told her very excited mother.

  "Who's 'Donny'?" Her mother asked confused.

  "Oh that's Donatello, Raphael's younger brother. He's our technology oriented turtle in the family."

   "There's more people like you?" Her father asked.

   "Yeah, so what?" Raph said defensively. David raised his hands in surrender.

   "I didn't mean anything by it, I just didn't know." Her father said smoothly. Raph nodded his apology and let Mona continue.

   "Well Raph and his family were once just regular animals." Mona told her mother. "They got changed into what they are now because of some ooze." She then proceeded to tell her family the exact story Master Splinter had told her.

   "Wow." Her mother and father said once she was done. "That is very... interesting." Judy said choosing her words carefully. "You have an older brother named Leonardo, two younger brothers named Donatello and Michelangelo and you father's name is Splinter and you are all ninjas. Did I get that right?"

   Raph smiled at her "Yep."

   "I'd like to meet them." Her mother said and her father nodded.

    "What are you going to name him?"

   "Name who?" Mona and Raph asked at the same time.

   "Your baby boy?" Judy answered with a chuckle pointing to Mona's stomach.

   "Oh." Mona said. "We were thinking of sticking within the family." Judy and David gave her a look that said they didn't understand, but Mona didn't notice. "His name is going to be Vincent Splinter David Hamato."

   "You named him after us?" David asked. Mona and Raph nodded "Thank you."

   Mona nodded again when Judy looked over at the clock and gasped. "Oh my goodness! I hadn't realized how late it was. Come a long Mona Lisa you need to get your sleep." She gathered her daughter up and as they were leaving Judy turned around and said to Raphael "Mona Lisa's room is this way." He nodded and followed them to the end of the hall where he entered the pinkest room he had ever or would ever see.

   "Like pink, Mona?" Raph asked sarcastically. Mona made a face at him, but didn't say anything.

   Judy kissed and hugged Mona while saying "I'm so glad you're safe and happy and with us again." She turned to leave, but then turned around again saying "I'll go get some sleeping bags for you Raphael."

   Raph looked up at her "Um thanks, but no thanks. I'll be fine."

  "You sure?" She asked him and when he nodded she left the room, saying "I will see you tomorrow morning, right?" This time both Mona and Raph nodded. When she saw this she smiled and shut the door behind her.

   "You sure you don't want something to sleep on? We could share the bed you know." Mona told him with a guilty smile.

   He smiled back at her "If I really wanted to sleep on the bed I'd kick you out and make you go sleep on the couch."

   Mona chuckled "Funny."

   He smiled at her then helped her into bed. "Happy to be home?" He asked.

   Mona looked at him "Raph This isn't my home anymore." He was about to ask her what she meant, but she stopped him and continued. "My home is with the boys and Master Splinter." She told him. "My home is with you." Raph's heart soared.

   "Good night Mona. I love you." He said petting her hair.

   Mona looked up at him and smiled "Good night Raph. I love you too."

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   Raphael sat on the window seal of Mona Lisa's room and looked to the yard covered in snow. He was twirling one of his sais to pass the time. He guessed it was about 2:00 in the morning when he heard the creaking of Mona's bedroom door. His reflexes kicked in and before he could even think about it he threw the sai strait at the intruder. When he heard the sound of his sai hit the wall he raced over to see if anyone had gotten hurt.

   "That's quite an arm you got there Raphael." David, Mona's father said to him in the faint light the moon was giving the room.

   Raph removed his sai from the wall and replaced it onto his belt. "I'm so sorry Mr. Jenson. My instincts are sometimes faster then my head... uh wait that came out wrong."

   "That's alright." David chuckled, placing a hand on his shoulder "I mean you are a ninja."

   Raphael rubbed the back of his head shyly "Yeah..." After a few moments of silence Raph asked "Why aren't you sleepin'? If you don't mind me asking."

   David chuckled "No it's alright." He looked over to Mona and sighed "I came to check on her. When she was younger she often had nightmares and would think that we had abandoned her. So every night, around this time, I would get up and make sure that she was okay. I haven't had to do that in quite some time, but tonight I was the one having nightmares. I thought she was no longer here. That's why I got up. I wanted to make sure my baby girl was still here." Raph nodded. He could understand that. "If you don't mind me asking why aren't you sleeping?"

   Raph smiled telling him it was okay. "I uh don't want to offended you or anything, but I just met you and this place is new to me. I don't really trust you guys, yet. And I'm out of my element. If something were to happen I would need to be prepared."

   "I can understand that, but what would happen way out here?" David asked with a chuckle. Raphael laughed nervously with him. He wasn't about to tell this poor man about the foot anymore than they already had. Mona stirred in her sleep causing the two males to look over at her. David looked at Raphael, who was looking at Mona. "You really love her, don't you?"

   "Of course I do. She's my Mona." Raph told him. "My heart is so full it's ready to burst. I don't think I have enough room for more. And I know that sounds corny, but it's the way I feel."

   David placed a hand on Raph's shoulder "It's not corny. I felt the same way about Judy. But then Mona Lisa and Hunter were born and I realized I had indeed more love to give."

   "What do you mean?" Raph asked confused.

   "Just you wait Raphael, when Vincent is born you'll see what I mean." David tapped him on the shoulder once before he walked out the door. Raph stood there for a few moments contemplating what David had said, but decided to go back to Mona's window.

   A few minutes later he heard Mona start to wake "Raph?" She asked.

   "I'm here."

   She smiled and rolled over. "Good."