Greetings and this is the final part of the actual story. Saying that, I might do an epilogue after wards, following the events of this, but that would be some time from now. But for now, let's get on with the final part of the story. Remember this is how I believed the episode would have taken place, so it will feel like an episode, but in story form. But enough of my babbling, you want to read the final part, so let's go. As always, all rights of Ninja Turtles go to their respective owners, so without further ado, let's see the end.

Donatello and Casey were face to face with their sticks drawn like swords as April looked on. She appeared more annoyed than fearful of what would happen though, for them fighting over her well-being was not the proper to be doing so when they were just trying to get away with their lives from a giant ooze creature, but she looked on as Casey held her back as Donnie continued to look through Casey's eyes to April's.

"A stick huh? I like your style." Casey complemented Donnie's weapon of choice. Casey then took an overhead swing, which Donnie blocked his staff. Casey then continued to strike with every strike of attack he could think of, but Donatello continued to block each one with the simpliest of moves and blocks. Casey didn't realize how over his head he was not knowing his was fighting a highly skilled martial artist. On the other hand, Donatello was always told by his sensei to never use their skills to hurt innocent lives, and while it was clear that this Casey kid was a jerk and punk, he was still an innocent life that did in his own way save April himself.

April just continued to look at Casey fegal attempts to attack as she palmed herself, shaking her head.

"Casey, just stop this." April told him just wanting him to give up, but Casey turned to her breathing heavily, tiring out from his rapid attacks to no avail.

"What? You don't think I can take a freak, well then watch this toots!" With that he made one last charge at the turtle.

"GOONGALLA!" He screamed out at his foe to try for one massive blow, but then opened his eyes to see that the turtle had simply stepped aside and was standing next to him just shaking his head. "What the heck?"

Then with a quick twirl of his bo staff, Donnie swatted Casey's stick out of his hands to the building wall next to them and then give Casey a thrust to the chest of the kid taking him to a knee, giving him a warning to just give up. Donnie had pretty much enough of this senseless fight by this point as it was solving nothing to fight like this.

"You're wasting my time." Donnie told the kid as he then went to take April's hand. "Come on April, let's go!"

But to his shock, his hand was swated away by the girl he cared for to confront him once more, bringing back terrible memories from their past.

"You stop it too Donnie, if you're trying to find somebody, why are you wasting your time with me?" April said in a controlled rage, Donnie was taken a back by her comments. Even standing up for her now, April had no intent to accept it from him, she was still very upset and bitter towards him and his brothers.

"Well I thought you..." Donnie started, but she quickly cut him off again.

"You thought wrong!" April concluded any chance of him trying to talk to her.

"April I..." Donnie sulked as he lowered his head and his guard.

"Surprise!"

Donnie then turned and gasped as Casey then came from his side with a much larger goalie stick and drilled Donatello right under the chin knocking him off his feet to the pavement below stunning him. April just gasped as the shot came within a couple feet of her as well. Casey then flipped the stick over his shoulder standing over his victim.

"Two minutes for high sticking, but boy was it worth it." Casey bragged to himself as April then questioned his motives.

"All you did was cheap shot him, you're proud of that?" April angerly remarked, but Casey just withdrew his stick back in his bag carried on his back.

"There ain't no rules in fighting April. Now come on, we're getting outta here." Casey told her and then took her hand to take her away from there, but she then planted her feet in the ground to stop him from walking, she shook head and then started walking to fallen turtle on the ground. She knelt down next to him, though still not looking happy towards either one of them and turned her head to the human.

"Just get outta of here Casey." She turned to him with a hurt look.

Casey was confused by this, he didn't understand what was going on and was a little peeved by it.

"What's this? You're siding with the Punk Frog?" (WINK) Casey called out her, finding another chance to insult his fallen victim.

"He's a turtle Casey!" April being quick to correct him, however Casey seemed to care less about that.

"Whatever...you tell your little creep friend when he wakes up that I'll be back!" He said as he jumped on his bike pedaling off. "Ya hear that, YOU AIN'T SEEN THE LAST OF ME TURTLE!"

And with that, Casey rode off into the night leaving April with Donatello, she just shook her head as she turned back to the turtle by her.

"Donnie, are you alright?' She told him, although still not exactly in a tone of worry or pain. Donnie groaned as he started to stir holding his chin as he sat up slightly, and his vision blurred.

"Uh, man that stick packs a wallop? Huh?" The purple cad turtle blinked his eyes rapidly to try and regain his vision, soon his eyes began to refocus on a young red head over him. "April? W-Why did you choose me over him?" He said weak and groggy.

"Because you're the lesser of two evils." She extended a hand and helped Donnie up to his feet who still looked a bit loopy, but looked to be regaining his strength as he saw his friend stand before him. "Now I want you to take me home, and then...I want you to leave me alone...for good."

The last line then snapped Donnie back to reality, she still wasn't happy with him, or his brothers. Even after all that, after standing up for her. She really did mean the "lesser of two evils" part. It just left him so confused and speechless. What more could he possibly do to show her that he was sorry.

"But April..." Donnie tried to talk to her, but...

"No buts Donnie! Look...whenever you guys are around, trouble follows me. So I'm asking you and your brothers, to stay away from me. Do you understand?" She said in a strict voice.

Donnie couldn't take it anymore, he had to leave, before his emotions became too much in front of her. He then turned around and began to climb up the stair wall on the building behind him, leaving April behind.

"Hey! Where are you going, I said take me home first!" April yelled up to him, but her friend just snapped his head down towards her in sorrow.

"Oh I understand April. I've done everything I can to find a cure to help you and your dad so you can be happy again, and you don't even care; all you want to do is think of the bad times. So fine. If you want me to leave you alone, I won't make you wait..." He got up to the rooftop to say one last sentence to her. "So goodbye April..." And with that Donnie was gone, just like when April deserted the brothers before, Donnie had left her to fend for herself.

April couldn't believe what Donatello had said to her, but she wasn't going to take it lying down, she knew that Donnie wouldn't leave up there, she knew that he would wait for her to answer back before he left, and she sure to let him know how she felt.

"You turtles ruined my life! And you're trying to make me feel like I'm supposed to be happy?! Maybe Casey's right Donnie...MAYBE YOU ARE A CREEP!"

Sure enough, April was right...Donnie did stand by on the rooftop waiting for a responce. And the responce he got, was torture. He couldn't bare anymore. He closed his eyes as hard as he could and slowly walked away to go into the night.

April then knew she was alone again, or so she thought, for when she turned around to leave the alley she was in, the giant ooze creature was standing there. She realized that her yelling allowed him to find her as she realized she was in real trouble.

The creature spoke with anger and distain. "You hurt Donnie! You hurt me! Now I...HURT...YOU!" He yelled to her with his ooze hands forming fists.

April then screamed out in horror.

XXX

The three brothers in the streets could tell the scream of who it was.

"It's April!" Leo told them. "Hurry! We gotta find her!" As the brothers ran off as fast as they could in a race against time.

XXX

April was dodging strikes as much as she could, but Timothy then slammed the ground taking April off her feet. Timothy now had fists of rage and he was ready to strike.

"GOODBYE...APRIL!" The monster yelled as he wound up for one gigantic punch to hit her. April knew she was trapped, there was no hope, she was as good as gone.

"APRIL! NO!"

Suddenly, out of no where, Donatello appeared running behind April to shove her to the side out of harms way, but he was not able to avoid the incoming attack himself. The shot leveled him directly in the chest and the speed of Donnie running full speed into the full force of Timothy's fist sent him flying back on impact at an extreme speed as April looked on in horror as Donnie then drilled the brick wall behind him, cracking it slightly, knocking Donatello out as he crumbled to the ground laying set up on the wall unmoving.

"DONNIE! NO!" April cried out to the fallen turtle as she ran to his aid.

"DONNIE! NO!" Timothy soon screamed out as well as he had no intent to hurt his friend, but he did, and badly too. Timothy soon ran away from the scene leaving April to tend to him as Timothy disappeared into the night to escape before he could be seen again by someone else.

"Oh my gosh, Donnie. Please say something!" April pleaded with Donnie to get up as she lifted up his hand and grasped it to get him to awaken, but upon letting go, Donnie's hand dropped to his side as he continued to sit up on the wall behind, unconcious. April was horrified as she leaned her ear to his shelled chest. Thankfully, she heard a heartbeat, he was alive. But she couldn't help but break down at the sight of him still unmoving before her. "Why do you always do this to me?" She cried out to herself.

Just then she heard two seperate voices, but not from the streets, but in her thoughts. Two different voices, they were both calling her name, calling in worry, in fear. And she recongized who they were, and where they occured.

One was from her father, right before the mutagen canister shattered on top of him as he shielded her from it. The other was Donatello from just now, shielding her away from the attack that was sent upon her.

Then it hit her, like a ton of bricks. She now knew why Donnie was always there, why he was always worried, why he always stood up for her, why he struck her father as he dive bombed her in the warehouse that night. She looked down to him barely able to catch her breath as his eyes were closed.

"You were just trying to protect me...and all I did was yell at you. Oh Donnie, I'm so sorry!" April huddled up to him, hugged him, and cuddled under his arm as she realized the matter. She felt the tears forming in her eyes as they streamed down her face, some of them landing on Donnie's shell underneathe her. She just stayed there by his side, waiting for him to come to, but he wasn't awakening.

Just then, another group of figures stopped in the alleyway that she was located in, the group knew right away who it was and ran over quickly.

"April! Are you al...Donnie?" Leo stopped in fear as she saw April by him, unmoving.

"Donnie!?" Raph added in shock. "Is he alright?" Mikey also said as Leo ran to Donnie and April's side. April got up and allowed Leo to check his brother for any damage to him, April just looked on in fear as the others walked up to her in comfort.

"April, what happened to him?" Raph asked with an arm on her shoulder.

She struggled to find the words as she was choking on her own emotions, but managed to tell them.

"I was attacked by this giant ooze monster, and Donnie he...he saved me!" April broke down and burried her face in Mikey's arms crying on his shoulder as his face was more crushed than hers.

Raph gathered the information that April had told them. "Ooze Monster? Pulverizer?" He looked to Mikey, who got the same feeling.

"Pulverizer did that to Donnie? I thought they were friends?" The youngest turtle question in confusion. April put her head up and looked confused.

"What? That thing was...trying to help?" April said in shock.

"Well...I think he found out that Donnie..." Mikey then pulled out the object that started the whole thing. April then saw it too as he gently took it from Mikey's hand. It was the picture frame that Donnie had made with the photo of Donatello and herself inside, and it was her first time seeing it. As she looked over to Donnie, and back to the picture, with the hearts around the frame.

Of course...it all made sense now. That's why Donnie had this motive to help her dad, and why he went all out to try and help her...

Her thoughts were cut off when Leo turned to his brothers, more to his older brother. "Raph! He's hurt bad! We need to get him back to the lair and fast!" Leo called to him hoisting up Donnie's head to pillow his skull from the solid hard wall, Raph was quickly there to help Leonardo in any way as the two prepared to lift him up, Leo then turned back to his youngest sibling. "Mikey, get April home and..."

Leo was quickly cut off though.

"No...I'm coming with you." She said still looking down at the photo in hand. This surprised the group as they looked on.

"But, you said..." Raph started.

"I know what I said, but I know where I need to be." April agressively said, they all looked to each other. Raph and Leo then nodded and Leo looked over to her.

"Of course April, you're welcome to come." Leo agreed. "Ready Raph, grab his feet, carefully."

The two then slowly picked up Donnie trying not to make vicious moves as their younger was injured was badly from the force he smashed the wall behind him, added to the force of the attack from his friend.

"Hang in there brother, you're gonna be alright." Raph told Donnie while carrying him as they began to attempt to get him down into the sewers without hurting him further, all Mikey could do was put his arm around April to comfort her, almost wanting her to hold on as much as Donnie.

As far for their injured brother, whether he was aware of it or not, whether they could hear him or not, they knew he was a hero. He saved April's life from sure endangerment. He had to be alright...he just had to.

As Mikey was about to help April along, April stopped him.

"Mikey..." April started as she held up the picture pointing at the hearts engraved on the frame to the youngest turtle. "Does...Donnie..." She trailed off before even finishing the sentence, but Mikey knew what she meant to ask. Mikey's mouth was slightly open for the question and then looked at her with a deep, comforting, smile and gave a generous nod.

April then focused on the picture even more now, now that she learned the truth of Donatello's intentions, the reason he had done everything to care for her, to protect her. The reason why he made so many promises to ensure her and her family's saftey. What it was meant out of.

Love.

XXX

Deep in the depths of the sewers, the Mutagen Man had hidden away sorrowed over the actions transpired, and was beginning to gain a new throught process as he recalled the events...

"Donnie Choose April...over me!" He said as he had something in his hand. It was long and wooden...it was Donnie's bo staff, which Timothy may have picked up after striking him, it was now the only thing he had of him left. But it was clear he had a new intention for his friend.

"Donnie hurt me...Now I...HURT...DONNIE!" His fist then clenched his staff in his hand and the wooden object began to melt in his hand until it was nothing but an acid sludge.

XXX

Back in the lair, the family and April were huddled around their injured brother and friend. They wrapped him up in blankets to restrict his movements and to keep him warm. His eyes were closed, more in a squint though. His breathing was steady, but was heavy and weak, which made Sensei believe that his shell was not able to prevent his ribs from being hurt in some capacity. They all looked on, hoping he would be okay.

"Will he be alright Sensei?" Leo turned to his Sensei, who continued to check his son's head to make sure he had no concussion or fever. After an assesment, Sensei was able to make a verdict.

"Donatello's physical wounds will heal over time, but if what you say is true about Timothy, I'm afraid his emotional wounds will take much longer to heal."

They looked on as it was true. Donatello may saved his friend, but in result may have lost his other friend in the process. April looked down from over top him and turned to her trainer from the past.

"What makes you think that Sensei?" She asked. Splinter was preparing to leave to allow his son to rest, but he stopped and turned to her.

"Believe me April, for I know what it is like to lose a friend, over the saftey of one I cared for." Splinter then turned back to his dojo, perhaps to gather more treatment, but it seemed he did all he could do.

Leonardo then knelt by his brother and placed a hand on his forehead with support and comfort. "Donnie has a strong spirit. If anyone can overcome this, I know he can." His voice soothing hoping that Donnie could hear him, but Donnie didn't respond, nor did he even respond to the touch of his brother over him.

April and Donnie's brothers all stood by the couch where he laid on. They knew they all had a hard task ahead of them. To try and help their purple clad turtle recover from all the physical and emotional injury that he had endured.

Courtesy of their new enemy...The Mutagen Man.

XXX

So there you have it, not a happy ending, but hey, not all episodes have happy endings do they? I hope you enjoyed it. I am also thinking about doing an episode style story of the final encounter between the Turtles and Mutagen Man, but that's yet to be started so it would be some time before that would be posted, but if everyone would like to see how I think the Mutagen Man Saga will end, I would be thrilled to try to do my take on it. But until then, thanks for reading. You guys are awesome! :)