Author's Note: Hi, everyone! I'm so excited to begin this short-story with Angelicxox. She and I have also collaborated with some Resident Evil projects, so if you're interested please check out her page! We'll be writing in the TMNT 2014 & 2016 universe, so if you're unfamiliar with the newest movie - THERE WILL BE SPOILERS so please be on the lookout just in case! We look forward to continuing forward very shortly! Hopefully within the next couple of weeks! Thank you for stopping by, and we'd love to hear your thoughts as well! Thanks again, and enjoy the prologue!

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Just Once

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"It's not just my decision, it's ours." Leonardo looked down at the glowing serum in his hand a final time before carefully handing it to Raphael. "I'm with you, whichever you all decide to choose."

The room fell to a silence as all eyes immediately glued to Raphael. Raph looked around at the others, watching as they each were looking to him for the answer. Holy shit. He's leaving this up to me? Raphael wouldn't deny it, he wanted any chance to be human- to actually live topside with the rest of the world. Donatello anxiously watched, appearing uncertain for what may come Michelangelo looked more like a kicked puppy, Raph thought, knowing how badly he wanted it. But, what is the best time? The city's falling into chaos- who else is capable of stopping it? What's the point of joining the world when there's nothin' left?

"We started this fight as mutant turtles," Handing the serum back to Leo, Raphael nodded. "And that's how we're gonna finish this. Together. No matter what."

Leo smiled slightly as he gave Raph a short nod. Turning back to Don, he asked, "What should we do with this?"

"I can hold it in my lab, for the time being." Donnie said, "Run some experiments, maybe? Maybe it'll be able to learn more about its composition, maybe figure out a different use."

"Probably for the best." Leonardo handed Don the serum, "Keep it locked away, just in case. Maybe we can find out more about the Kraang through this."

"Right." Don quickly rushed off to his lab.

"Hey," Raph smirked, holding out his fist. "Let's go give these guys a true New York welcome!"

"Yeah!" Mikey's spirit lifted, enthusiastically bumping his fist with Raph's. "Lots of cursing, waving fists, and honking- wait, we should totally get those really loud horns that they sell at the games, you know?"

Raphael groaned, smacking Mikey across the back of his head before heading toward the exit of the lair with Leonardo. "Let's just go."

"OW!" Mikey dramatically cried, rubbing the back of his head. "Wait, so that was a negative to picking those up? I mean, come on- right when they're gonna hit you- WAAAH- it goes off right in their faces. Bam! Stunned."

"Sounds waves would affect us too, Mikey." Donnie ran past him, joining Raph and Leo.

"Oh, right." Mikey shrugged, quick to catch up to the others as they exited to the sewer tunnels. "But, we should pick up sound proof headphones to look like earmuffs just to add to the cute factor. Chicks will dig it, it'll be sold on the streets- Bam! Self-advertisement."

"Oh yes," Donnie chuckled, rolling his eyes as he continued the charade. "The people of New York will no longer be frightened because of fluffy earmuffs. Actually, their fear will be heightened by 0.4%"

"Okay, okay." Leonardo spoke firmly, leading the group closer to the undergrounds of the city streets. "Focus on the task at hand."

"Yeah, Fearless is right." Raphael smirked, "Let's focus on who's gonna get that last shot. Which, by the way, will probably be me but it better be one of us. April still won't let us live it down after she got the last shot on Shredder before."

"In you dreams, Raphie-boy!" Mikey countered, "Kraang-thingy-whatever-it-is totally is gonna be taken down by yours truly!"

"Odds aren't in your favor, Mikey." Donnie teased, elbowing Leo playfully. "I have Leo 2 to 1."

"Wait, what?" Leonardo shook his head, "Enough! It doesn't matter who takes the final shot. What matters is we hit hard, watch each other's backs- no matter what happens. No fancy stunts, no tricks. Get in, get out. Got it?"

"Someone doesn't like his odds…" Mikey mumbled to Raph, chuckling under his breath.

Donnie's cell rang out before he quickly answered. "April? Yeah...you sure? I mean, okay." Quickly hanging up he turned back to Leo. "April says the Captain wants to meet us?

"Well, Fearless?" Raphael questioned. "What do you think…?"

"I think," Leonardo smiled confidently. "Let's do it. Together."

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"Oh are you SERIOUS? I totally healed myself!" Mikey exclaimed at his video game as it showed the 'Game Over' screen. Mikey turned to Leo who sat nearby cleaning his katanas, "You saw that right, Leo?! Totally unfair!"

Leo let out a breathe as he shook his head. "No, Mikey. I didn't see it." Leo stood up, sheathing his katanas in the same motion. He tapped Mikey on the head as he walked passed him. "I'm going to mediate with Sensei. If you break another controller, I'm making you join us." Mikey cringed at the thought at mediating with Leo. It's not like he didn't like spending time with Leo, but sitting completely still and staying quiet was just not his thing.

"I'll be good, Leo. I got it under control! Don't you worry!" Mikey shot up a thumbs up towards Leo as he started the game back up. "Alright, I definitely got it this time." Mikey just started the round over when felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Yo, Mikey," Raphael said in a deep, quiet voice, "Come with me for a second, will ya?"

"Raaappphhhh," Mikey groaned, eyes still remaining locked onto his game. "can it wait like 5 minutes? I just started this round and so far I'm doing really well. I have a real good feeling about this one. And you know what Leo says, 'Never quit while you're ahead'."

Raph snorted as he moved around the couch, "I'm pretty sure Leo never said that but whatever I'll give you 5 minutes. I'll be in gym, so you better not make me come remind you time's up." He started to walk away when Mikey quickly looked towards him, "Wait! Don't go! Don't you wanna see your little bro totally kick this 12 year old's butt? It will so be worth it!"

Raph paused a moment and turned his attention to the game, gunshots blaring through the speaker along with inaudible mumbles from other players. There was so much going on, Raph didn't know where his attention should be. He just shook his head and made his way back towards the couch, leaning into it slightly. "Yeah, well I physically kick your ass every morning in training so you electronically murdering some other guy is nothing." Raph took a quick glance in the direction of the dojo before leaning in close to Mikey. "But seriously, I have to talk to you about-"

"NOOOOO!" Mikey exclaimed as he dramatically fell from the couch. "I lost again!" He dropped the controller and threw his hands into the air, "I'm forever SHAMED! I can't go on multiplayer for at least a week!" Sighing, Mikey picked himself off the floor and turned off his game. Taking a deep breath, Mikey spun around and put his hands in front of him in surrender. "Okay, okay. Look, before you ask I totally didn't eat that slice of pizza you were saving for later."

Raph straightened up a bit and narrowed his eyes towards his younger brother, "You touched my food?"

Mikey quickly shook his hands in front of him as Raph took a step closer, "N-N-NO! I said it WASN'T me! Key word in that sentence, Raph. It was totally Donnie, bro. But to be fair he might have taken it under the impression that it was my saved slice. And when I say "under the impression" I mean I might have told him it was mine." Mikey lightly chuckled but Raph stayed silent. "So, in conclusion Donnie ate pizza, not me."

Raph clenched his fist and took a deep breath. "I'm gonna pretend that we never had this discussion." Raph looked behind him again before turning back to Mikey. "Look, what I was saying before. I have this idea but you have to keep it quiet, alright?"

Mikey gapped at Raph. "Ohmygosh," Mikey loudly whispered, "you are gonna try and convince Casey to sneak you down booze? We should totally spike Leo's herbal tea! Oh! Or D's coffee! That will be classic."

"No!," Raph quickly grabbed a pillow from the couch and smacked Mikey, "Focus Mikey!" Once Mikey recovered from the hit, he gave Raph his full attention. "Do you remember what you told me about what you overheard Donnie telling Leo about that serum that could turn us human?"

"Yeah..?" Mikey answered confusingly, rubbing the side that still stung from Raph's pillow hit. "What about that?"

"You said that Donnie had made something that turned his hand into a human one before it changed back to normal? I was thinking we can ask Donnie to work on that serum. You know that could temporarily make us," Raph leaned in closer to Mikey, whispering, "human."

Mikey looked puzzlingly at Raph, "Wait, like, for real? You think it's actually possible? I mean Leo freaked out last time."

"Yeah…" Raph stood more confidently, "well that's why we don't tell Leo."

"Oh yeah, cause that went so well last time when we made a plan without him." Raph glared at him but Mikey just let out a deep sigh. "But, that would be so totally awesome. Did Donnie agree to it?"

"I was thinking you can come talk to him with me? I figured you could suggest the plan to him. I tend to be intense at time." Raph shrugged before motioning to Mikey towards Donnie's lab.

Mikey let out a laugh before following him. "Could be? Bro, that's an understatement. But, yeah I'll help you talk to him. I mean if there's a chance we could -" Mikey couldn't even finish his sentence. The mere possibility of becoming human, even for a short period of time, was overwhelming. He thought that this wasn't even a choice anymore and he had accepted it. But now? Excited wouldn't even be putting it right.

Raph smiled at his brother, happy to have him on board with the idea. He's been thinking about this ever since Leo gave him the choice in what to do with it. A small part of him did feel bad about not including Leo in this. But Donnie was an integral part of the plan. Without Donnie, they had nothing.

"Come on," Raph nodded towards the lab, "Let's go try and convince Donnie to lie to Fearless."

Mikey gave Raph a quick salute before running to Donnie's lab and jumping onto Donnie from behind. "DON! DON! DON!" Startled, Donnie let out a small yelp and he whipped around, throwing Mikey off him. Mikey laughed as he hit the ground, "Whatcha doing, Donnie?"

"Mikey, can you please be more aware of your actions when you come in here? I have very sensitive test samples out right now and I really don't want you to break them." Donnie quickly checked the petri discs he left out on the table when he noticed Raph walking into the room and quietly closing the door. Donnie looked between Mikey and Raph then cocked an eyebrow.

"Alllrrriiight guys, what's going on? Listen, if it's about me getting the final blow I told you, my odds were just as likely."

Raphael shook his head, "It's has nothing to do with that. I had an idea and I discussed it with Mikey and he thought it was a good idea. But for this idea to work, we need you."

Donnie continued to look between his two brothers, trying to figure out what they wanted to ask before they could even ask. "Why do I get the feeling I'm gonna regret asking you what it is?"

Raph took a deep breath before locking on to Donnie, "Can you make a serum that could temporarily make us human?"

Donnie let out a loud snort before laughing to himself. He smiled to himself before looking to Mikey and Raph, thinking he'd see them in the same reaction. But to his surprise, he was met with serious expressions. "Wait, you're serious?"

Mikey rushed forward to Donnie, slightly bumping into the table with the test samples, "Dude - think about this for a second! It would just be a night. We could experience what it's like to live up there, then the next day we will be back to our regular, awesome selves! It's a modern day Sleeping Beauty, man!

"That's Cinderella, numbnuts" Raph responded, shaking his head.

Mikey whirled at Raph, "Oh really now? How do you know that?" Raph leveled Mikey with a hard glare. "Shut the fuck up."

Donnie stepped in between the two of them and held his hand up, "Hold up a minute. You guys want me to make a serum for us? But what about Leo?"

"What he don't know won't hurt him." Raphael shrugged off Donnie's statement. For this plan to succeed, it couldn't have any sort of hiccup. And the only hiccup that comes in mind is Leonardo.

Mikey gave Raph a pensive look, "Well, I mean, maybe if we explain to him that it's temporarily he'll be cool with it. Or maybe we can tell him once we already we make the serum, maybe that will change his mind?"

"I don't wanna risk him not agreeing with us and shutting this whole thing down." Raph passionately stated, "Would you rather experience human for a few hours or would you want to not hurt Leo's feelings?"

Is it worth it?

"Is it even possible Donnie?" Mikey turned his attention back to Donnie, hope shining in his eyes, "Can you even do it?

Donnie turned towards his computer. He started pulling up the data from his original analysis. Sure it was only a few quicker tests since they were running against the clock with trying to stop Bebop and Rocksteady from finding the three pieces for that portal. Donnie got to the data that listed a partial reading of the structural breakdown of the serum. "Well, I would have to look into it a bit but I think if I manipulate these enzymes here just right…" The only sound for a few moments was Donnie typing out onto his computer until they heard a ding. "I could do it." Mikey and Raph both let out huge grins. Donnie turned to them, giving a smile of his own. "I could do it but I need some time."

"So we are at an agreement. We don't say anything about our super secret plan to Leo or Sensei?" Mikey looked reassuringly at his two older brothers.

Donnie nodded towards Mikey, "Yeah. I mean as long they don't confront me about it I won't say anything."

"We're really doin' this then…" Raph said with a smirk and put it hand in the middle of the three of them. Donnie looked towards Raphael's hand and smiled before placing his hand on top of Raph's. "I'm never one to say no to a challenge." Mikey then throws his hand on top of Donnie's hand. "LET'S DO IT!" Mikey then puts his free hand under his chin in thought, "Well, its more like 'LETS SUPPORT DONNIE DOING IT!' Wait that came out wrong."

Raph rolled his eyes then withdrew his hand from the pile and stomped out of the lab. Donnie turned away from Mikey and started typing on his computer. "I'm gonna get started on some preliminary runs. I'll let you know when I'm done."

Mikey carefully made his way to Donnie's side, making sure to not hit over anything. "So, how long are we talking D? Like a few hours long or like Special Edition Lord of the Rings marathon long?"

Donnie shrugged as he continued typing, not breaking his focus on the screen in front of him. "I don't know it depends on how long it takes me to break down all the components within the serum and to manipulate it to do what we want it to do. But I would say it would take a few days."

"What exactly would take a few days?" Leo's sharp voice pierced the lab. Donnie and Mikey snapped their attention to the open door of the lab where Leo was leisurely leaning on the door frame with his arms crossed. Donnie's eyes widened at the sight of Leo. Oh my god. He knows. He knows. He knows. He knows. Leo looked impatiently between Mikey and Don, waiting for an answer. Okay, Donnie calm down he doesn't know. Play it cool.

"I'm trying to break this game for Mikey." Mikey's attention went to Donnie, the excuse already clicking in his mind. "Mikey can't beat this level in a game so he wanted to skip the level. He wanted me to help him do that but I'm working on other stuff so I was just telling him it should take me a few days."

Leo shook his head, letting out a sigh. Donnie and Mikey exchanged a quick nervous glance before Leo pushed himself off the door frame. "Mikey, you can probably beat the level yourself. Just leave Don to his work, alright?"

"Geez," Mikey dramatically groaned, "I seek my older bro for guidance and you shut me down. Real bummer."

"You're trying to cheat." Leo pointed out, chuckling under his breath "Come on, Mikey. You'll feel much better if you figure it out yourself. Or train more like you should be doing."

"Yeah, you know, option 'A' sounds way better right now." Mikey chuckled, playfully commenting, "I'll do the honor-bound way and just keep losing- my world filled with shame until I can finally call myself a victor."

"Ayoo, Fearless!" Raphael called, brushing past Mikey to help take the attention off the possibility of Leo's interrogation continuing. "Are we going for that perimeter check or are you too busy pulling that diamond out of your ass?"

"First of all, language." Leonardo was quick to correct, sternly, "Second of all, our patrol isn't for another few hours. You should be training- your block was weak last night."

Raphael rolled his eyes, knowing his brother's angle all too well. Raph knew Leo meant well, but that didn't stop him from being bitter about it. "Yeah, well, you've been looking a little stiff. I wonder why."

Leonardo didn't think twice before stepping closer to Raph, narrowing his eyes. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Ya know damn well what I mean,'" Raph countered, gruffly his voice showing a hint of concern. "It means you need to need to lighten up or one day someone is gonna get a hit in and you're gonna shatter cause you're so wound up."

Mikey quickly ran beside Raphael and Leonardo, trying to defuse the rising tension with a wide smile. "He's got a point, brah. Worry leads to stress, stress leads to sadness, sadness leads to binge watching Titanic, binge watching Titanic leads to questionable behavior which ultimate downward spiral that will totally be your downfall." All three turtles were looking confusingly at Mikey, as if trying to figure out his train of thought. "Like, what was that thing that Greek god person who was having shoe problems?"

"Achilles." Donnie answered immediately, turning back to his computer. "But guys, I really don't think my lab is the best place for you two to battle it out again for the 15th time this week."

"Hey, they narrowed that down from 25 I call that progress- WAIT!" Mikey slapped Donnie on the shell, "Riiiiggght! Achilles!" Mikey then looked up towards the ceiling. "Wait, I totally had a point to this."

"I appreciate your efforts, guys." Leo brushed off the conversation. "It's you three I should be worrying about." Leo sighed deeply before heading out of the lab. "Alright, we'll begin the patrol early tonight. Raph, you're with me. Don, Mikey you guys get the second patrol."

"That's fine with me. Call us if you need anything!"

Leo nodded towards his younger two brothers. "Alright. You ready, Raph?"

Raph looked from Leonardo to Donatello and Michelangelo before nodding his head. "Yeah, let's get this started."

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It was a just a regular quiet evening in the lair. Splinter was quietly enjoying his soap operas in his room, Raph and Mikey fighting over a high score in a game together and Leo went out to get updates from Captain Vincent with Casey. Leaving Donnie an opportunity to finally share his excitement with the others. Earlier in the day, he snuck notes to Raph and Mikey in their rooms to set up a meeting once Leo went out for the night.

It didn't take long before the two came into his lab, Donnie eagerly jumped to his feet once they shut the door behind them. "Hey, guys, so I did it...I think."

"For real?" Mikey whispered loudly, "Like not, 'I think' like the last time you thought you fixed the DVD player and it caught on fire?"

"Yeah," Raphael cringed at the memory. "Fireball is definitely not what I want."

"Really? That's not what you told Casey the other night." Mikey teased with a loud laugh.

"Can it, shell-for-brains." Raphael didn't hesitate to smack him upside.

"Well, it's pretty hard to test." Donnie returned on topic, reading through his paperwork ."But the preliminary runs show this should work. Oh, I also grabbed some things while I was out before." Dropping the papers, he dragged over two garbage bags from a closet and dumped it out. Flowing out were sets of shirts, pants, and other items of clothing. "I don't know what we would actually look like, so I grabbed a bunch of different sizes that I could find."

"Hey, look." Raph chuckled, pulling up a dress. "I found Mikey's outfit."

"Ha, very funny." Mikey complained, ripping the dress out of his hand. His voice escalated as his eyes winded, "Wait, this isn't gonna change us into chicks is it? I mean, I'd look totally hot in that dress but-!"

"I'm pretty sure it wouldn't change our Y chromosome into an X one." Donnie shrugged, smiling slightly. "I made sure that I didn't alter that much DNA."

"'Pretty sure'?!" Mikey echoed dramatically, his eyes widening in horror.

"Is it risky, Donnie?" Raphael also showed some concern, shrugging uncomfortably at the thought of a possible 'mistake'.

"I mean," Mikey cut in, his own imagination taking a spin at his horrific expense. "Explaining to Leo why you're gone for another hour is easy but like, I mean…" His tone grew more serious as he worryingly exchanged looks at the others. "What if this goes wrong? Like, maybe we should- I don't know, maybe talk to Leo-?"

"No." Raphael hissed, quickly to dismiss any thought of involving his older brother. He knew how Leo felt already, deep down not wanting any involvement or thought to the very possibility of becoming human. Maybe, he was just as scared as to what could happen. It was easier to think the other. "No, if he knows he is gonna stop this. If anything, I'll go first. I'll take the risk."

"It should be safe, but…" Donnie hesitated, gluing his eyes to the ground before picking his head back up again. "I think I should go first. I made the serum, I thought it could be best if I do the trial run. Just to be sure."

"You deserve it, D." Mikey encouraged, putting his arm around Donnie. "I mean, totally not the risk part but everything else! You've been the one working your ass off on it. If it works, which it totally will, you should be the first one to go topside."

"Yeah, you did all the work." Raphael agreed, giving a short smile. "If Leo catches us, I would be satisfied if only you got to go."

"Okay…Once I drink this, I want you to start the timer. It should only last a few short hours. Emphasis on the 'if'..." Donnie watched as Raph walked over to the timer sitting by Donnie's computer. Mikey took a few steps back, his eyes wide as Donnie grabbed the serum in the bottle. Taking a final deep breath, he nervously forced a wide grin as he shrugged. "Alright, bottoms up."

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