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Biker Mice From Mars

In

Shattered Freedom

Part 12

By Whipblade

Throttle poked his head in to the Medical Center, two hours after leaving the meeting. He scanned the room, it was empty. Slipping in noiselessly, he padded to the center office. Looking in the uncovered windows, he spotted Tweak.

The gray rat looked up, seeing the tawny mouse; he opened the door with his tail. "Can I help you Throttle?"

Looking like he got caught doing something he wasn't suppose to. Throttle stepped into the doorway. "Was... uh Lee in here?"

"Paige took Riff into exam room 2." Tweak directed.

"Thanks.." Throttle headed for exam room 2.

"He's the one with the wires?" A young soft spoken boy asked.

"That's him." Paige answered gently.

"He looks dead." the child whimpered.

"He's much better now." Paige assured flipping the page to a photo album. "See."

The small boy nodded "Still looks sick."

Throttle stood silent as he watched a child, about five year's old, sitting with his back to the door. The kid looked small for his age. Something Throttle knew all too well. Black hair blended with smaller than normal black ears that had more of a point to them than full round normal mouse ears. Two short red antennae's bobbed with each movement the boy made. Tan fur, a lighter shade than his own, shone with a golden hue. Black paws pointed out pictures. He could see the small claws in the ends of each finger.

Throttle couldn't move. He was frozen with fear. The little black tail, swayed back and forth in a nervous and excited twitch. A very flexible mouse-tail Throttle noted. He wanted to say something, to speak his name. But what do you say to a child that you never knew existed.

"Daddy knows about me now?" Riff asked innocently.

"Yes, your mommy finally told him." Paige said, although her voice held a slight bite.

"Mommy didn't want me, why did she wait so long?"

"You're daddy was sick for a long time." Paige said, unconvincingly.

"I was a slave." Throttle stated, shocked at what he said.

The child turned around, big bright innocent eyes looked up at him.

Throttle swallowed the lump in his throat.

Neither one of them moved.

Throttle frantically fretted he said too much. The kid just stared at him, as if expecting more. Not sure what to say or do, he went with instinct. Kneeling down to the boys' height, Throttle smiled weakly. "Hey, Riff."

"Mister Lance said you were a prisoner." Riff said not moving.

"Same thing." Throttle frowned. "A rat named Mace captured me and held me prisoner."

"That why you was sick?"

Throttle nodded yes. The innocence in the child's deep crimson eyes had no knowledge of war or death. How was a kid to understand a war, something he never experienced before? With Mars a wasteland compared to this vessel..... He was taking the kid right from heaven to hell. "Yeah, for four years."

"I'm five." Riff smiled proudly.

"I'm your .... dad...." Throttle tasted the word for the first time. It wasn't that unpleasant.

"I know. Miss Paige told me about you." Riff smiled looking up at the cream furred rat.

"She told you anything good?" Throttle asked, also looking to the female rat.

"No, she didn't tell me who my new mommy was." Riff said quietly eyes down cast.

Throttle took a deep breath. "Uh.... you... I... uhm...." he paused, closing his eyes, opening them again he looked to the kid, the child that was his. "It's just me."

Riff tilted his head to the side. The expression made Throttle smiled. Riff looked just like a curious puppy from an Earth advertisement. "I don't have anyone in my life, other than friends."

Riff smiled inquisitive. "Do I get to sleep in a bed or a crib?"

"Uhm... well.... I guess a bed... unless you want a crib." Throttle pondered. He didn't have anything for a child in his room. Just what he and his bros brought for Charley's baby, and what he had manage to scrounge up with Lance's help earlier.

"I want to sleep in a bed. I don't like sleeping behind bars." Riff confessed.

Throttle smiled. "Me neither."

Paige looked at the light blinking on her communicator. "Excuse me." She stood and stepped over Throttle to get out of the room.

Throttle stood, taking her vacant seat. "Do you have a favorite toy, Riff?"

The boy gave a nod, as Paige shut the door on them.

"Its this." he pulled out a tongue depressor.

Cocking a brow, Throttle looked unimpressed. "What is it?"

"It's a stick." Riff smiled as if it was the best thing.

Knowing what he brought, and was hiding under his bed back in his room. Throttle smiled. "I got something for you. It's not much, but it's better than a stick." He chuckled. "Do.. do you want to see my room?" he asked uncertain.

Riff smiled excitedly. "Will I be staying there?"

Throttle blew his bangs out of his eyes. "Well... you'll have your own room. But yeah, you'll be living with me."

Riff jumped up and raced to the door. Opening it, he paused. "Do you have any other kids?" he asked as Throttle walked beside him.

"No, you're all there is." Throttle said watching how the kid bounced around chatting about the ship, his life. Riff said very little about his mother.

Throttle was down the hall when he heard Vinnie and Modo's frantic and excited voices. Charley seemed to be laughing at them. Ears swiveling at the commotion, he knew what he was about to miss. Looking down at Riff, Throttle smiled_. 'Hell, I'd miss Mace blowing up for this_.'

Coming to a stop in front of his door, Throttle placed his hand on the key pad. It scanned, the door opened. He walked in. Riff didn't. Turning around, the adult mouse waited.

"You... coming in?" he asked tentatively.

Riff looked up his large eyes welled with tears_._

'Oh no.'_Throttle winced. _'Not this!' "Come on in." holding out his hand, he waited till the boy took three steps into the room. The door shut quietly behind them.

A big fat tear trickled lazily along the tots' cheek.

Sitting down on the floor, where he stood, Throttle reached out with both arms and brought the child to him. "It's okay Riff, I'm scared too."

Tears started to fall more freely as the child cried. "Not scared." he whimpered between sobs. Small black arms wrapped around Throttle's neck.

Rubbing the boys back, Throttle didn't say a word, he was stiff, holding the boy he wasn't sure how to handle .Once the sobs quieted, did Throttle attempt to console his son. "You okay?" he asked.

Riff nodded his wet face against his shoulder.

"Look, if you don't want to stay...."

Riff hic-cupped, "I wanna stay."

Throttle frowned, pulling the kid from his chest; he looked at the red eyed, wet face boy. A small black line ran from Riff's hair, down his narrow short snout, to the tip of his black nose. "Why are you crying then?" he asked trying to understand.

Riff whimpered he forced a smile on his face. "I dunno." his little black hands gripped onto black cotton. Throttle heard more words than the little voice uttered. Bringing Riff against him, he wrapped both arms around the small boy, molding himself against the kid. "I love you, son." he said, his voice cracking as his bottom lip trembled.

Riff felt a wet drop on his nose. Looking up he saw his father who held him tight, crying. "daddy?"

"It's okay, I'm just happy." Throttle sniffled, burying his snout into the boys' thick black hair. The scent never came to Throttle's nose. A small part of regret briefly filled then fled the tawny father.

*****************

Sweat dripped off Charley's brow. She panted with the effort, but even the pain wasn't as much as her mind anticipated. Squealing cries erupted. Leaning heavily against the bed, exhausted she smiled. "What is it?"

"A BOY!" Vinnie gasped. "What A BOY!"

Paige slapped him. "That's the umbilical cord!" she hissed with a giggle.

Deft to Vinnie's comment, Modo's gentle eye smiled with the glow of his proud face. "A girl."

"Terra?" Charley sighed looking to her lover.

"Terra Ivy Rose Davidson." Modo smiled leaning down he kissed his wife.

The squealing baby washed and dried placed into Charley's arms. "Terra, hello Terra Ivy Rose." she cooed.

The pink wrinkled bundle of joy with floppy red antennae's and a small pink tail stopped wailing. Eyes unable to open, Terra snuggled against the warmth of her mother.

"Throttle missed the best thing in the world." Vinnie muttered in awe of the whole experience.

"Throttle is with his son, Vincent." Tweak's calm voice hummed warmly. "He's enjoying his own kind of birth."

Modo smiled. "Looks like we'll be having two baby showers tomorrow." he hummed.

"A son?" Charley looked over to the rat taking off his bloody scrubs.

"He'll explain it, later." Tweak smiled in such a warm fatherly way, that Charlene's heart melted.

Modo took Hannah from Charley. "Hey baby girl, I'm your daddy." he smiled rubbing his nose against her small little black pug nose.

******************

Throttle dug under his bed.

His son wandering around, occasionally poking his head under the bed as well, trying to see what his daddy was looking for among the spider webs, dark and scattered clothes.

Throttle grabbed something warm and fuzzy, pulling hard, Riff squealed while being dragged closer to his dad.

"Riff?"

"daddy..." Riff whimpered.

Throttle released the warm fuzzy thing. "Sorry." He muttered, trying to reach to the far side of the bed. "I was hoping..." He grabbed something cold and fuzzy. "For this." Pulling the soft plush bulldog in a leather vest out from under the bed. Throttle stood up, whacking it against his leg. Dust flew.

"This is for you, Riff." he handed the toy to his son.

Riff looked at it with wide eyes. It was a toy! Looking disbelievingly at the mouse who was his father, his small black hands reached for it.

"It's okay Riff, he's all yours." Throttle felt the small paws tug at the toy, before letting go.

Riff looked at the strange dog. Hugging the material he never felt before close to his chest, Riff smiled. "Thank you daddy."

"Your welcome, son." Throttle smiled as Riff zipped from the bed room to the sitting room. The child plunked down in the middle of the floor and started talking to the toy.

Is that normal? Throttle briefly thought. Shaking his head he smiled wondering what Charley had given birth too.

**********************

Lee carted three over sized boxes down the hall, dropping them at the door, she knocked.

Throttle looked at the door. Moving around his son, he opened the door. "Lee? Didn't expect to see you," he said surprised.

"Riff's stuff, do you want his crib?" she asked coldly.

"No... No it's okay." Throttle answered seeing the three boxes. "This is everything?" he eyed the white and black rat.

"He has daycare everyday from 8 am to 2 pm, swimming lessons after that, and will be starting school in a month." She turned away. "Now, that is everything."

Throttle watched her leave. Pulling the boxes in, he looked at his boy. "Is she always like that?"

"Mom don't like anyone." Riff sighed looking at the boxes. "Not since Ma'ze left."

"Who?" Throttle looked down at his son.

Riff sighed. "Ma'ze was living with us for a bit, but he left."

Throttle shifted uncomfortably. "Did you like him?"

"He was okay. He didn't like to play with me, always had work to do."

Throttle sighed inwardly relived. Don't have to be compared to anyone yet. Good.

Riff poked at a box.

"Want to go through them?" Throttle asked opening one.

"Okay!" Riff chirped looking expectantly at his dad.

Throttle dragged the three boxes into the small room that was now Riff's. The room only had a twin bed and a dresser in it. But Throttle hoped the boxes contents would change that. As they pulled out clothing from the boxes, Throttle's hopes were dashed.

"Riff, these are too small for you." he sighed looking at the two sizes too small out fits.

"If I don't move too much, they still fit." Riff stated proudly.

"Yeah." Throttle boxed up the clothing far too small for his son. Looking at the stuff his boy used as swimwear, Throttle sighed frustrated with Lee's lack of attention. "You wear these for swimming?" holding up a pair of small orange shorts.

"Yup." Riff smiled.

"Aren't they a little tight?" Throttle asked warily.

"Kinda...." Riff answered not sure if he really wanted to wear them again.

Throttle tossed the shorts into the full box of useless clothing. "Is there any place to go shopping on this ship?"

Giving his dad a dubious look. "Shopping?" he asked unsure of the word.

Throttle winced. "Okay." Standing up he offer his boy his hand. "We're going to the library and you're learning about Earth," he declared.

Riff didn't protest as he was hauled up into his father's arms.

"You're heavy." Throttle huffed shifting his boy in his arms.

Riff giggled as he was carried down the halls.

**************************

Hours later, Throttle carried his sleeping boy down the hall. He poked his head into the quiet infirmary. "Charley still here?" he asked a passing Ratchet.

"She went home with her new born about an hour ago. Paige is monitoring her." Ratchet replied smiling.

"What'd she have?"

Ratchet stopped dead in his tracks, blinking he frowned. "Gee, I don't know." Feeling silly for not knowing he shot the tawny mouse an apologetic half smiled. "Sorry."

"It's alright, but their both fine?"

"Yup, both doing great." Ratchet perked knowing that much.

"Thanks." Slipping back out of the infirmary, Throttle made his way to his room.

*******

Throttle leaned against the bedroom door frame. With only the soft glow from the night light aiding his vision, Throttle smiled as he watched the miracle sleeping within the room.

Riff didn't even stir as he silently padded over and sat on the edge of the small racecar bed.

Gently petting his sons blond shoulders to where they met black elbows, he sighed in loving content. Pulling the pale blue blanket up over his sons shoulder tucking them in, keeping the soft thin furred hybrid warm.

He sat staring, still amazed that this small five year old was his son.

Stoking the baby soft wavy black hair, he watched the blankets rise and fall with each gentle breath his boy made.

Throttle just wanted to - wake him up and start the day as a new father, a new family!- but he refrained. Knowing it would be the first to many new experiences. Smiling faintly, he realized he finally had something in common with Modo to talk about.

Standing, he gently padded out of the room, closing the door half way.

************

Modo opened his eye slowly. At the foot of their bed cried their baby. "It's your turn," he grumbled.

"She's not hungry." Charley replied just as tired.

Modo protested moving, but let his tail wiggle on their baby's tummy, before he felt the wetness under her. With a huff, he rolled out of bed.

"Ah wanted to be a daddy why again?" He grumbled lifting his daughter to the change table.

"Because we wanted a family." Charley giggled sleepily.

Modo yawned as he put his dry daughter back into her dry crib.

"G'night Ivy."

The little pink baby with closed eyes and small folded ears yawned lazily before drifting back to sleep.

Modo almost did the same... standing up. Crawling into bed, he was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

*********************

TO BE CONTINUED...

Whipblade

[[email protected]](%5C)

** April 2007**