III - Hazy and somewhat unreal

Her eyes were burning. It must've been some kind of bright light.

What is this?

She closed her eyes tightly trying to bring her right hand to cover them, but she didn't have the strength to move it. She heard someone muttering next to her. Familiar voice. Voice that made her feel more comfortable.

"It's okay if you want to sleep. You're safe with me, as always, April."

Am I dead? she asked without realizing she hadn't actually opened her lips nor made any sound. She opened her eyes again slowly. The light was gone.

"Shh, it's okay. You're still recovering", the voice continued soothing, and she felt a warm hand caress her forehead. She couldn't move, but carefully she was able to adjust her eyes to recognize the face of dr. Donatello Oroku, her employee and dear friend.

"Donny..." she managed to whisper, but it was now when she noticed her left ear was aching.
"Save your strength, April", he said quietly, smiling at her. She tried to return the smile but she had no idea if she succeed.

She closed her eyes again, trying to figure out what had happened. The day had started out as a normal, except that he and Donatello had been about to run some tests on a new battle robot for the Foot Tech army. They had been working years side by side for the Shredder, Donatello's father, and now they really had discovered something new and ground-breaking. But before the programming of the prototype was finished, something blew up in the Foot Tech laboratory. She felt pain, tearing pain and saw a flash of flames, and that's where her memories ended.

I must've fainted, she reasoned, opening her eyes again.

"You need something? Water? Music? Should I read something for you?" Donatello offered. She winced at the thought of listening to music. Her left ear hurt really painfully.
"No music", she declined. Donatello nodded, fluffing her pillow carefully.
"Okay, no music. I'm just happy that you're alright."
April gave him a glance, that told him that there weren't a soul in the world who could think it was alright in such pain she was going through.

"I know, you must be in pains. It was a really bad hit you took. Does it hurt?"
She tried to nod, but it hurt. She blinked her eyes, and it was a sign enough for him.
"You have any strength to tell me where it hurts?"
"Ear...throat...thighs...everything."
"I'll get you something."
"And... I saw light."

Donatello stopped searching the little bottles that contained painkillers and other medicine. He was both amused and freaked. His lab assistant hadn't ever told him about her beliefs. Then a realization washed through his face.
"I'm sorry about the light. I was just changing the clean bandages. You know how badly I see in dark."

April looked relieved. A weak smile appeared on her face. It felt good to think about something ordinary and common. It was true that Donatello was half blind if there wasn't enough light.

What exactly happened? She wondered, giving Donatello a questioning look.
"You need something?" Donatello asked, digesting some painkiller in an injection needle.
"Was...was everything ruined?" She was able to mutter.
"The lab? Don't worry about it now, we have plenty of time when you have healed."
"The test?" She insisted, but Donny ignored her.
"Shh. Incoming", he muttered sticking the needle in her arm,
"Now you should rest. I'll come back later."