The cool evening wind blew gently around her making her shiver involuntarily and pull her jacket more securely around her. Brushing a few stray stands of red hair out of her face, April stared out across the empty country side, knees tucked up under her chin, eyes fixed on the glowing orb that was the sun as it continued it descent towards the horizon transforming the surrounding sky into a fantastic array of colours.
Watching the sun setting was one of Aprils favourite things to do at the farm house.
She remembered perching alongside her mum on the top of the old chicken coop, just as she was now, talking about anything and everything until the only remaining light came from the farmhouse and the fireflies that danced in the grass. Some of her best childhood memories came from those moments.

Even after her mum disappeared April would watch the sun sets, remembering those times. It made her feel close to her mum, helped her deal with the painful feelings her absence brought. Tonight, those feelings seemed to hurt more than ever.

The Kraangs invasion of New York had taken its toll on everyone. Their injuries were still healing, Leo was still lying unconscious in the upstairs bath tub, Splinter remained missing and who knows what had happened to her dad, Casey's family and the rest of the cities citizens. Everything was just one big mess and everyone was at a loss as to how to begin fixing it.
Part of her was angry at herself. Compared to the rest of the team April felt utterly useless. She wasn't strong like Raph or smart like Donnie. She couldn't fight like the others. Compared to them she was weak and a liability. The more rational part of her brain knew she was being silly and that no matter what they did the chances are they would have still ended up in the same situation as they were in now.
She knew it was stupid, but in that moment, all April wanted was a hug from her mum, one of those comforting hugs that promised everything would be all right no matter how bleak it seemed.
The fact that she couldn't do that, combined with everything else, made her feel her mums absence more.

The world around April seemed blurry and quivering. So wrapped up in her own thoughts it took a moment for her to realise that it was due to her entire body shaking in quiet sobs, as tears rolled uncontrollably down her face. Quickly she wiped them away, not wanting anyone to know she had been crying when she went back inside. They had enough problems to deal with without adding her emotional baggage to it.

A loud creak made her jump. Turning her head she watched as Donatello climbed up onto the roof of the chicken coop, its wooden frame groaning and moving slightly under his weight making him pause for a moment before making his way over to her.
Since the moment they stepped foot inside the farmhouse, the scientists brain had gone into overdrive. Immediately setting up his laboratory in the barn he spent every waking moment trying to find a solution to their predicament, often working through the night and missing meals seeming to live purely on caffeine. Twice they had found him passed out at his desk and dragged him to bed only for him to wake up a few hours later and start all over again.
This was the first time anyone had seen him voluntarily out of the barn.

"Hey you" she said as he sat down beside her. Even in the dimming light she could see the effects his persistent search for answers was having on her best friend. He looked exhausted.
"Hey" he replied, stretching his legs down towards the edge of the roof, "What are you doing up here?".
"There are some good spots in the city" April said, turning her attention back to the disappearing sun, "But it doesn't beat the view from here"
"No", Donnie agreed, "No it does not".
For a few moments the two of them just sat their enjoying the few, listening to the crickets chirping somewhere below them and watching the odd bat fly past chasing its latest meal. Without thinking April leaned against the purple banded terrapin, noticing that for once he didn't tense up the second she touched him instead putting his arm around her, holding her against his side.

"Its so peaceful out here" Donnie said quietly, breaking the silence "Back in New York, even in the sewers, there is so much noise, you don't realise you miss it until its suddenly gone".
She did look up at him then, he was staring out across the fields with a tormented expression on his face.
"Hey" she murmured, quickly sitting up so she could look at him properly, reaching out with one hand to turn his face towards her. "It'll be ok Don, Leo will get better, and we'll find a way to fix this" she wasn't sure who she was trying to convince more, him or her, but she couldn't stand to see him look this way, "we always find a way". He sighed.
"I just can't come up with anything. I'm always going round in circles each time coming up with nothing, I feel so useless!".
"Your not useless Donnie, you've just been working so hard your brain can't cope anymore, you need a break".
"I can't take a break, I need to..." Aprils hand over his mouth stopped him before he went on a self-depreciating rant.
"Donnie" she told him firmly, "If you don't take a break your gonna have a meltdown, then you'll be no help to anyone". Slowly she removed her hand, "I saw it happen with a girl at school a few years ago, she took on so much extra work, put so much pressure on herself that one day she snapped, it still affecting her now". She looked down at her hands "I don't want that happening to you".
"Ok I'll take a break", Donnie said as she looked back up at him, "maybe a fresh mind will help".
"Can't see how it wouldn't" April replied with a smile, accepting his silent invite to return to his side, the pair of them gazing back at the sun which had almost completely disappeared beyond the horizon. A few early fireflies flashed in the darkness below them.

It seemed oddly natural being so close to him in this way, it was nice.
She was well aware of the scientists feelings for her, he wasn't exactly subtle about it, and she knew that she felt more for him then just friendship, but she didn't want to start anything until she was completely sure what it was she felt.

"Can I ask you something?" Donatello asked her, leaning the side of his head against hers.
"Sure".
"Why were you upset earlier?, I was in the house earlier and didn't see you, so I came outside to see if you were here" He paused before continuing, his words spilling out as he started rambling. "I spotted you up here, you were crying. I got the feeling you wanted to be alone but I couldn't stand to see you like that so I had to come and make sure you were ok, but if you don't want to talk about it then that's fine I get it".

April smiled to herself at his rambling, she'd always found it rather adorable. Although she didn't want to share her emotional drama, she' d always felt able to tell Donnie anything no matter how trivial it was. They spent hours in his lab talking whilst she watched him work. and he had always listened, never once complaining or making fun of her. Besides she didn't know why, but just having him here made her feel better.

"I'm just missing my mum" she told him quietly, "We used to do this every summer until she disappeared and I've continued the tradition ever since". As she spoke she could feel his arm tighten slightly around her. "I stopped crying about it ages ago, but I guess with everything else going on... I just got a bit overwhelmed".

"I'm so sorry April" Donnie murmured sadly pulling her into a proper hug, "I really am".
"Its ok Don" she replied, pulling back to smile at him before she started crying again. It was forced smile and she could tell he didn't buy it. Donnie could always read her like one of his books. "Like I said, Leo will get better, we'll find a way to sort all this out and before we know it things will be back to normal".
"Sounds easy"
"It will be". As they spoke the sun finally disappeared beyond the horizon, not to be seen again until the morning, leaving everything in darkness. Normally this would be Aprils cue to go back inside but she was reluctant to leave the turtles side, having him there made her feel better. But he clearly needed sleep and she was starting to feel tired as well.
"Hey Don?" she asked they got to their feet, holding on to one another to keep their balance on the slanted roof as they climbed down.
"Yeah?"
"When you get back to your lab, would you mind if I helped out?". It may have been dark but she could hear the grin in the reptiles voice. "Of course, you know what they say, two heads are better than one!"
"Great"

The two didn't speak again until they were outside Donnie's room, the Mickey and Casey had long since retired to bed and judging by the light coming from the bathroom, it looked like Raphael had decided to spend another night watching over their oldest brother. "I'll take over from Raph in a minute" April said, "He needs to rest as well".
"Ok I'll stay up with you" Donnie said trying and failing to hide a yawn.
"No" April told him firmly, "Your going to sleep, I'll wake you guys if anything changes"
"Ok, see you in the morning?"
"Sure"
Leaving Donnie to get ready for bed, April started walking along the dark landing, trying to avoid all the creaky floorboards so not to wake up the others. She thought she was going to have to fight with Raphael to get him to give up his post but he had already past out on the floor. Unable to lift the giant mutant turtle by herself April fetched a blanket and a pillow to make him more comfortable before taking up her position beside the bathtub.
Things are going to get better, she thought to herself, with the way they are now, things could only get better.