There, I did it. Now let's see if it's working.

After three days of working on it, Donatello had finished repairing the wristband. He put it around his wrist and pushed the button. A see-through turtle shield appeared.

"Michelangelo," he called. He was just in the next room.

"You called, compadre?" asked Michelangelo when he entered the lab. His eyes widened when he saw the shield. "Wow!" he gasped. "What is that?"

"A protective shield," explained Donatello. "It's supposed to be able to block every attack, but… hey, could you throw something at me? Anything's fine."

Michelangelo shrugged. "Ok," he said. He looked around and picked up a random little device from one of the boxes that stood beside him.

"Not that!" said Donatello quickly.

"Ok, ok, sheesh," said Michelangelo.

"I didn't mean my machines," said Donatello. "Something like a weapon or just something expendable."

"I could try and attack you with my old nunchakus," said Michelangelo.

"Perfect," said Donatello. "Bring it on."

Michelangelo took his old weapons and gave his all against the shield. He couldn't break it. He tried again. Still no success. He tried again and again.

"Ok, Michelangelo," said Donatello at a certain moment, "you can stop now."

But Michelangelo, stubborn as he was, kept on trying to get through it.

"Michelangelo," tried Donatello again. "Michelangelo!"

He finally stopped.

"That's enough," said Donatello. "It works pretty good."

"Pretty good?" repeated Michelangelo. "If I can't even break through, it's more than just 'pretty good'!" He sounded a little irritated.

"You're right," said Donatello with a smile.

"Did you make this just now?" asked Michelangelo.

"Actually…" started Donatello, but then he remembered Leonardo's words. He shouldn't tell the others about Naomi, let alone that he even saw her three days ago!

Michelangelo was still waiting for an answer. "What?" he asked.

Donatello shook his head. "Nothing," he said. "I made this a long time ago and I found it when I was cleaning up."

"Hey," said Michelangelo, "isn't that the thing you and that kid were makin'? Uhh…"

A shiver went down Donatello's spine. He widened his eyes.

"How did you know?!" he asked in surprise.

"I remember you guys talkin' about something like this," answered Michelangelo. "Come on, what was her name again?"

"Oh, then you were actually listening," said Donatello. He shook his head. "So you haven't forgotten about Naomi, either, huh?"

"Yeah, Naomi, that was it!" said Michelangelo loudly. "Wow, she must be a teenager by now!"

"Shh, Michelangelo!" said Donatello carefully. "You want master Splinter to hear you?!"

"I am afraid I did," said Splinter from the door opening. He gave both of the Turtles a strict look. Michelangelo gulped; Donatello looked guilty. At this moment, he looked like a child getting scolded by his parents.

After a long, awkward silence, Splinter said strictly: "I had told you to forget about the child."

"We know, Sensei," said Michelangelo.

"Yeah, but then I found…" tried Donatello, but Splinter interrupted him.

"You found her, have you not?" said Splinter.

Donatello's mouth fell open. How did he know that?

Like he could read his mind, Splinter said: "You have been a little more eager to repair that machine around your wrist than you have been for any other inventions you have made in a while."

"I'm sorry, master," said Donatello.

"No, Donatello," said Splinter. "You should not apologize. It is understandable why you remembered her. I was afraid this day would come. I am no longer your sensei, my son, therefore I cannot forbid you to look for her again. I can only advise you not to. She does not remember any of us. A mutant Turtle appearing in front of her might scare her. "

"But she wasn't scared when I…" started Donatello, but he stopped.

That's right, I never told anyone that she saw me after I brought her home that night.

"She was scared when she first saw us," said Splinter. "She will be scared if she sees anyone of us again."

"Yeah, we sorta have that effect on people," said Michelangelo, scratching the back of his head. "I think Sensei's right, Donatello."

"Master Splinter," said Donatello. "I have always listened to you and followed your guidance. But this… I'm almost certain that the bond Naomi and I have… is something that you haven't erased."

Splinter's eyes widened.

"I still feel that connection," said Donatello. "And I think she does, too. I don't know how to explain… It's just my gut feeling."

"I know you had a strong bond with that girl," said Splinter. "Perhaps you are right, and the bond between the two of you is still intact. But if it is, what will you do with it? If you decide to talk to her again, will she be able to even understand this connection? We cannot know this for sure, Donatello."

Donatello thought of what that would be like: him standing in front of her, talking to her. Would she remember him from that night after her memories of them got erased? The most realistic situation would be that she would run away, thinking he was a monster. But maybe…

He looked at the wristband they had made together back then. Then he looked up.

That's it!

"Thank you, master," he said. "I think I know what to do. And don't worry, I won't reveal myself… Not yet."

He ran out before Michelangelo or Splinter had the chance to say something back.

"I'll be right back!" said Donatello.

I'll just lay this somewhere in her house! Of course! Why didn't I think of that right away? Maybe it'll bring back something!

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Next chapter's almost finished (I'm on fire with this X3), so that'll be up either today or tomorrow :) Thanks for reading, and please let me know what you think ^^