This chapter takes place during/after "I Think His Name Is Baxter Stockman" and anticipates a bit what is going to happen in "Metalhead" – and "Monkey Brains", for that matter. ;)

Chapter 10: Grounded

You're grounded for a week!

While Splinter's decision annoyed Donnie a lot, he still was sure he could deal with it a lot better than his brothers could. After all, he had all these neat little projects he was working on, and now, he would have the time to finish them.

So these were his thoughts as he closed the door of his lab behind him. Should the others – and especially Mikey, since he was the one responsible for the punishment – complain about how bored they were, he would make the best out of it.

And with that he rifled through all the broken, half-finished, and nearly finished items on his workbench.

Where should he begin?

He pondered over an old, broken radio which he had thought of repairing or maybe turning into something completely different. Maybe he could use some parts of it for a radar system? Or what about a hi-fi system? Oh, the possibilities!

But after a few moments he shoved the radio aside as something even more interesting caught his eye.

The A.I. chip he had found on the military junkyard the other day! Now wasn't that something he could turn into something very useful?

His trip to the military junkyard had been so much fun, he never got why his brothers refused to join him – or when they did they kept complaining on how long they would have to stay. How could someone want to leave an interesting place like a military junkyard? It was like…like Disneyland! A place full of possibilities and magic, in a way. Yes, magic, although he meant the rational version, the one where you could find little treasures among all this junk.

Really, how could someone not get excited at a place like this? He just didn't get it. Okay, he didn't get his brothers most of the time. They just weren't interested in the stuff he liked. Maybe he should find someone who would love to join him on his junkyard trips. Or maybe he already had. April seemed to be into technological, scientific stuff. Maybe he could ask her if she wanted to join him next time. It would be a great chance to spend more time with her.

But spending time with April was so important to him, that he really wanted to maximize his chances. He had to think of any of her possible replies, of any counterarguments, of simply anything, so that in the end, they would spend some time together.

Hmmm, maybe he should make a flowchart where he could write down all the possible scenarios in which he could spend time with April. He really wanted to hang with her more often, but he needed to be prepared. And flowcharts always worked. Plus, they were so much fun to make. He nodded. Yes, he would make a "Hang With April"-flowchart. It was settled.

But first things first, he thought, as he looked down at the A.I. chip again. What new task could this thing fulfill? What could it be turned into in his second life?

He saw the radio from the corner of his eyes and smiled.

The day after they had defeated Baxter Stockman and come through randori – although Donnie's limbs were still hurting a little from that – Donnie was in his lab, unscrewing the old radio.

He had meant to keep himself busy, but he somehow lacked the usual energy. There was something that bothered Donnie. His newest invention had been meant to be the most advanced music player in the world, but instead it had been used by a maniac to upgrade his powered battle armor. Baxter had attacked people and brought them into serious trouble.

Donnie sighed. So his inventions could be used to hurt people, and this hadn't been his intention. He didn't want bad guys to use his devices.

"Hi guys!" he could hear April's voice from the lair's entrance. "Pizza's here!"

"Oh, yeah!" Mikey's cheerful voice reached his ear.

Donnie knew he should get up now and greet April and eat, but he didn't feel like doing it. He wasn't even hungry although he only had breakfast. But still, he should get up now.

The moments passed, and he still couldn't get himself to do so. And then suddenly April popped her head into the lab through the open door.

"Donnie?" she asked carefully.

"Oh, hi April!" he said, flashing her a smile, but it didn't feel as warm as his usual smiles for her did, but he hoped she couldn't see the difference.

"You okay?" she asked immediately – and thus ruined his hopes.

"I am fine," he lied.

"Really?" she asked again as she came closer, and he nodded which made her frown.

"I think you're lying," she said finally.

Donnie marveled at how good she already knew him in this short time. She was looking him over, her eyes piercing into his as the frown on her forehead deepened.

"Okay, you got me," he finally admitted.

"Thought so!" April said, her voice sounding a little triumphant, but then she looked sympathetically at him. "What's wrong?"

"Well, I thought about my latest invention, the T-pod."

He gave a short explanation on what had happened with April listening closely.

"Well, and then I started thinking about how my inventions could be used by bad guys," he ended his story. "And it really bothers me."

April nodded. "I see."

A moment of silence passed until April spoke up again.

"But I think that's the problem all great inventors have to face," she said. "Some inventions were meant to do mankind good and then ended up being used for something to harm people, like…" – she thought of a good example – "…like nuclear power, for example. It can be used to produce power, which is good. But it can be used for a nuclear bomb as well, which is bad." She looked at Donnie and smiled. "Donnie, inventions always provide the opportunity to be used in a bad way. But think of all the things that wouldn't have been invented if the scientists would have thought like you do right now. Don't let this stop you."

"You have a point," Donnie admitted.

"I know," April confirmed. "Besides, you're a genius, and I am pretty sure that if something goes wrong, you'll immediately think of something else to make up for it."

"I would at least try," he replied, but April smirked at him. "Okay, okay, I will," he added with a grin

"Good," April said. "Now…" She was interrupted by Donnie's stomach growling so loud even she could hear it.

"Now let's get you some pizza," she added, chuckling.

"Sounds like a plan." Donnie grinned and got to his feet, and they both left his lab.

But he thought about April's words a little longer, and she did have a point. Inventing things was what he did best. It was so him. And nothing should be able to stop him from being himself.