A/N - I know this is way overdue, but it's extra long to make up for it!
Chapter 21 - The Many Consequences of Life
Breaking away from the powerful lure of sleep Donnie slowly blinked, the weight of his eyelids fighting against him. He laid still as he took in the sounds of the room; the rumble of the traffic up above and the calming laps of the water in the reflecting pool confirmed that he was not in his room or the lab. It took another second to place himself on one of the sunken benches in the living area, and he wondered how he had ended up there. As his consciousness came to, his brain started to recall bits and pieces of the strange events that had occurred. The wasp. The venom. His brothers in a zombie-like state, fighting them as though they were enemies.
The image that was the most alarming was that of April, laying scared beneath him as he loomed over her, tears of fear rolling off her cheeks. Oh God, what have I done?
He went to move, but suddenly felt weighed down, as though a very heavy blanket had been laid over him. As he tried to investigate, he quickly discerned that there was indeed something on top of him, and was even more surprised, in his hazy state of not-quite-awakeness, that the thing on top of him was none other than his girlfriend. Or ex-girlfriend? He wasn't honestly sure.
Squinting his eyes, he examined the redhead curled up on his side; one arm draped across his waist and her cheek on the upper part of his plastron.
"Dude, she was worried sick about you."
Donnie swiveled his head to the side and saw his youngest brother on the level above him, crouched down to check on him.
"How are you feeling?" Mikey asked. "Having any strong desire to bite me right now?" His eyebrows were raised in a mock seriousness.
Donnie shook his head, still not really sure what was going on, but he paused to consider the question. "I'm… I'm good." He replied, his voice low and hoarse.
Before he could even ask, Mikey had leaned down and offered him a glass of water, a bendy straw tilted out towards his face. He smiled at him and tipped his head as if to say, "Go on."
Trying to move as little as possible, Donnie lifted his head just enough to take a long draw from the straw, the cold liquid soothing his dry throat.
"Is everyone okay?" Donnie asked in a whisper. "You were able to produce the anti-venom?"
"Yeah man, everyone's been cured and you're all sleeping it off like a bad hangover." Mikey shrugged. "Or so I've heard."
Donatello nodded his head at this information. He felt a sense of relief wash over him to know that his family would all be okay, this one had definitely been too close.
The relief was short-lived however, as he could not stop the onslaught of dream-like images that kept breaking through into his memories. He squeezed his eyes shut, recalling the terror on April's face as he had pinned her to the ground.
He turned back to Mikey and tried to voice the confusion that was peeking through his exhaustion. Waving his free arm around he gestured at her sleeping form.
"Mikey, how did—? Why is she—?" He paused trying to make sense of his jumbled thoughts. "What the heck happened? I don't remember everything, but I'm pretty sure I attacked her in some kind of jealous rage! I'd expect her to be frightened of me, or angry at the very least..."
"She knows that wasn't the real you. You guys were all under the control of that wasp."
Donatello nodded considering the point that his surprisingly wise younger brother was making. It was true that they had not been acting of their own free will, and of course he'd never behave in such a way otherwise.
Mikey shrugged and added. "I mean, I'd like to assume that you wouldn't normally throw me across the room and try to bite people."
Donatello blanched as the new memory hit him so fast, it almost left him dizzy. "Oh no, I did do that! Are you ok? Did I hurt you? …I… I'm so sorry. "
Mikey let out a chuckle at Donnie's face. "Nah man, I'm good. I didn't know you had that kinda strength though, it was impressive."
His brother's calm facade helped ease a good portion of his worry, however there was the other matter, that last time he'd seen April, she had been in tears, claiming that it wasn't possible for him to care for her like he did. The hurt in his chest still stung as he recalled the way his world seemed to have collapsed around him when she had suggested that they break up.
He sought out Mikey for more guidance, again gesturing to the woman beside him. "But, April broke up with me… I thought… I thought…"
He continued to try and voice his confusion when the woman snuggled up against him stirred and he clamped his mouth shut, so as not to rouse her anymore. Again, he looked up at his youngest brother, unsure of what to say and feeling all the more dumbfounded at how this situation could have ended in such an ideal way.
"Dude, just roll with it. She digs you, like big time. Don't let that big brain of yours overthink it."
Donatello managed a silent nod. His body already fighting against him to continue resting.
"Now go back to sleep, we'll figure this all out."
Letting his eyes drift shut he took a moment to acknowledge the warmth from her body and the softness of her skin against his. He knew some crazy stuff had happened that day, but at the moment, things didn't really seem all that bad. And before he could be bothered any longer with his own thoughts, he drifted back to sleep.
April hadn't meant to doze off when she laid down next to Donnie, so when she woke up snuggled against him she had quickly removed herself. It's just that she was exhausted. The day had started early and after the intense adrenaline rush from fighting off her own possessed friends, she frankly felt as though she'd run a marathon. Even after everyone affected by the virus had been drugged into a deep sleep from the vaccine, there had still been much to do.
Mikey and April set about moving the three brothers, one-by-one from where they lay in heaps on the floor, to the sunken benches around the living area. With their muscular frames and large shells, the boys were quite heavy and even moving them the short distance had been difficult for the two smallest members of the group. The new "beds" were only a minor improvement over the hard cement floor, but at least they would be a little more comfortable, and by keeping them all in the same room, it made it easier to keep a watchful eye on them. Fortunately Splinter had yet to show any reaction to the virus, and they were able to walk him to his own bed before administering the cure and leaving him alone to sleep in peace.
After they were all settled, April went about checking their vitals and patching up the worst of their cuts and bruises from the various fighting they had all taken part in. Raph, was surprisingly the worst of them all, having tried to fight off an outraged Donatello while practically falling asleep on his feet. The side of his face was swollen and a good-sized split in his cheek had bled all over, leaving a crusty lightning-esque track dried onto his neck. Knowing that Mikey was not a fan of blood, she left him to clean and bandage any minor cuts on the other two, while she patched up Raph's unconscious form as best she could.
As she cleaned his wounds she tried not to think too much about what had transpired between the boys that had left Raphael looking worse for wear, but she couldn't forget that she had been the root of their battle.
As soon as the boys had been cared for the next order of business had been to take care of the wasp's corpse. Knowing that Donnie could possibly need it to study for any medical reasons, but also not wanting to take any chances with it, April and Mikey had locked it into a sizable biohazard container they'd found in the lab.
Avoiding the mess of broken shelves and parts somewhat hidden away in the back of Donnie's lab, they attempted to start cleaning up the wreckage left behind from the fights in the main room. Mopping up blood and sweeping up glass, both she and Mikey began to clean while simultaneously keeping an eye on the sedated and healing family members.
After she finished sweeping up the broken bits of screen from the smashed television on the living room floor (Mikey had insisted on first having a moment of silence to recognize it's passing), April gathered what remained into a pile for Donnie to either replace or repair. She paused beside Donnie's relaxed form, sleeping peacefully, no traces of the anger or wildness that the wasp venom had brought out in him earlier. She had simply intended to sit with Donnie for a few minutes and had not even noticed her eyelids drooping until it was too late.
When she had awoken, only Leo and Donnie remained sleeping on the benches. Glancing around for the other brothers, she assumed that Mikey was probably in with Master Splinter and was not surprised that Raph was the first to rise, since he had received the cure before the others. She briefly considered looking for him, knowing that she owed him a talk as much as Donnie, but also figured he might want some space for now, considering all that had happened.
Standing up, a wave of physical exhaustion swept over her, not to mention a dull scream from all of the aches and bruises she'd obtained in the fights. Her eyes burned and felt sticky from the contacts she had left in for far too long, so with nothing else calling to her immediate attention, she made her way to the bathroom to swap out her lenses and perhaps take a hot and soothing shower.
Opening the door she tried her best to stifle a yawn as she approached the counter. Squatting down digging in the cabinet the boys had cleared out for her "girl stuff" she groped for the bottle of contact solution. Just as she stood back up, the sound of the far stall door opening caused her to take a sharp intake.
She flipped around, not expecting to see Raphael emerging from having apparently just showered himself. He had a towel in one hand and was still soaking up the last few droplets of water along the back of his arms as he walked out.
"You startled me!" She yelped, out of reflex.
"April!" Raph's response seemed equally surprised. "I didn't hear you come in."
"I need to change out my contacts." She explained, wincing to herself, knowing that he probably didn't care.
She tried not to think about the way he had looked at her while under the spell of the wasp's venom. The lustful predatory way he seemed to claim her for himself was still fresh in her memory. But seeing him now, looking uncomfortable as well as battered and bruised, she was reminded that he had not been in control.
Raph nodded in response, avoiding eye-contact as well as small talk and walked to the next sink over. He pulled out the rolls of fabric gauze that were housed beneath, and silently, started wrapping up his fingers in the familiar way that made it clear he could do it without even looking.
"How are you feeling?" She asked, honestly concerned for his well being, not just the physical, but his mental state too. So many questions sat within those four words. She so desperately yearned to grill him; to ask him how much he remembered, if he was angry at her or Donnie, if he knew that those cuts and bruises had come from a jealous battle with his brother, and if he was feeling more like himself again. But she also knew Raph well enough to realize that he'd make a run for it if he felt cornered by her questioning.
"Fine." He grumbled with an air of finality.
She nodded in acceptance at the very Raph-like answer she had been expecting. Deciding that he was clearly in no mood to talk about it, April went back to her task at hand.
Watching him out of the corner of her focus, she removed her old contacts and rinsed out her eyes. She noted that he'd walked out from the shower with nothing but his mask on, briefly realizing she'd never seen him without it. He seemed to be moving slowly and favoring one side, sure he must be hurting. Having patched him up herself, she was all too aware that he was in pretty rough shape, and imagined half the reason he'd showered had been to loosen up some sore muscles.
Thankfully, it seemed the cure had worked as they hoped; he very much seemed himself. Angry and moody and bottling it all up inside. Ever since he had admitted his crush to her a few days earlier, he had been actively avoiding her, and it seemed he was picking up right where he'd left off. She hadn't known what to say to him before, and she certainly didn't know what to say to him now, but one thing was certain; she wanted her friend back. And now seemed as good of a time as any to take the first step.
She just finishing putting the second contact in place when he completed his own task and gruffly tossed the remaining roll back into the drawer and marched off for the door.
"Raph wait!" April called out after him.
He was already to the door, his shell to her, and she could visibly see his shoulders slump, clearly hoping he could escape without notice.
"Raph, I know before all this 'craziness', that I kinda ran away from my problems by leaving with Splinter... I just needed some time to think, and I wanted to give you your space…"
She paused and he slowly spun around to give her his attention, albeit hesitantly.
"I hope, despite everything, that we can still be friends?" She tried her best to sound optimistic, but was worried her plea might just scare him off even more.
He let out a sigh, his eyes downcast. "Yeah, of course." He shrugged, in the way that he did when he wanted to come across as being unconcerned.
April wrung her fingers as she thought through what else to say without bruising his already fragile ego. "I just, I promised you that getting involved with Donnie wouldn't screw up the team dynamics, and well…. I screwed up all kinds of things." She let her head hang forward a bit, not really able to look him in the eye.
"Hey now." Raph piped up and took a couple steps towards her. "This thing between Donnie and me - that's not your fault. I shouldn't have allowed myself to…" He struggled to find the right word. "…feel that way about you. That fight was all on me."
April brought her gaze up to look into his bright emerald eyes and was surprised to see the hurt that he was hiding in them.
"You know he loves you, right?" Raph gestured towards the living room with a thumb over his shoulder. "It's the real deal too, none of this crush-type nonsense that I was going on about."
April let out a giggle at the way he said it, but she could feel the warmth wash over her as she took in the words, knowing that they were absolutely true. She suspected it long ago.
"Yeah, I do." She nodded, her smile positively beaming
"Good. Well, don't let crap like me get in the way."
"Hey now, don't talk about yourself like that. You're a good man, Raphael."
"Yeah whatever." He mumbled, his cheeks blushing a bit.
April watched as he toed the ground in front of him, trying this best to not look back up. She knew that talking about feelings was not exactly something Raph sought to do and appreciated the discomfort he had lived through to tell her that.
He turned his head, to avoid meeting her eyes, and at that angle she had a perfect view of his swollen cheek bone and the split open gash she had attended to earlier. Deciding it was an appropriate topic-change, she pointed it out.
"Your bandage came off."
"Oh…yeah, from the shower." Raph shrugged while fidgeting with the wraps on his hands.
"Here, I'll replace it." She spoke up, and reached out toward him.
"Nah, it's fine. I've had worse." Raph tried to subtly step aside.
"But it'll scar, if it's not taped shut." She tried to reason with him. A small voice in the back of her mind thought about the terrible things that scar would remind her of.
"It wouldn't be my first." Raph replied simply.
Having helped patch him up while he had been unconscious, April was all too aware of the amount of damage Raphael had taken from his fight with Donnie. His plastron was already riddled with scratches and scuffs from many a brawl and it was hard to blame any specific ones on his brother. But the gash on his cheek and the swelling around his eye was an injury she had personally witnessed. Logically, she knew that she couldn't really take any blame, but also couldn't help feeling some guilt knowing they'd been fighting because of her.
"Will you please just let me." She huffed, and resisted the urge to put her hands on her hips and glare at him. April was trying her very best to not come across pouty, but why was he always so damn stubborn? Apparently something in the way she was looking at him paid off, because he finally relented.
"I get the feeling there is not much point in arguing."
"No, there's not."
"Fine then." Raph rolled his eyes for show and followed her back over to the row of sinks lining the wall and slumped back against the counter, letting himself slouch down a little.
He waited patiently as she dug through a drawer.
Pulling out a box of butterfly bandages, she caught him off guard with a question. "Interested in going back to a regular training schedule?"
"Yeah, I'd like that." He smirked.
She was well aware that he enjoyed playing the part of the teacher for a change and hoped that the time spent together could help mend their friendship.
"Great!" April commented as she pulled the last of the wrapper off the bandage and leaned up into Raph's personal space. She was hovering with her face inches from his cheek so she could get a good view. Using the bandage to ever-so-gently pinch shut the split in his tender green flesh. She was trying her best to not breath on his face or make the situation uncomfortable, but he didn't flinch in the slightest from her proximity, or even when she touched the wounded area.
Raph's eyes closed as April leaned in to scrutinize her work, and just as her fingers barely left the edge of the white sticky bandage, suddenly his eyes flew wide open, and he abruptly stood up straight. He was moving away from her, while avoiding her gaze.
Not knowing what she'd done wrong, April looked up concerned. "Sorry, did I hurt you?"
"No. No, it's fine." He backed away from her, stumbling when he caught his leg on the open cabinet drawer.
"Raph? What's wrong?" April asked confused.
"It's nothin'."
"Raph, wait—" And like that, she watched him bolt from the room. Her hand left outstretched as she attempted to catch him, with no luck.
The next time Donnie awoke, he was alone. He didn't even have to open his eyes to confirm that the warm comfort of April pressed up against him was gone. Had it all been a dream? he wondered to himself. But a deep inhale held traces of her distinct scent still caught up in the blanket surrounding him.
Knowing he wasn't dreaming, he found himself wondering where she had gone, and also what exactly it had meant that she had laid down with him. He was a little hazy on the details as to what had transpired over the last day or so, but distinctly remembered that she had broken up with him before departing.
"Good morning, sleepy-head."
The sound had Donatello sitting to see his eldest brother propped up on the other side of the sunken living room. An old blanket draped over his shoulders as he sat sipping a mug of what he could only assume was tea.
"Leo. How are you feeling?" Donnie asked, as he swung around and placed his feet on the floor in front of him.
"Like myself again, thanks." Leo nodded with a serene smile. "I hear I have you to thank for the science, and Mikey and April to thank for administering the cure?"
"Yeah, I guess. I don't really remember all the details." Donnie scratched the back of his head as he looked around the empty living space and noted that both the television and pinball machine were sitting in a pile of broken parts. He searched the depths of his mind for memories that weren't there. He could vaguely recall being in the lab with April and Mikey as they worked on the cure, but after that, it was all missing.
"Donnie!"
Mikey came bounding into the room and leaned over the back of the bench to envelope Donnie from behind in a bone-crushing hug.
"Glad to see you too, Mikey." Donnie managed to gasp out, despite his crushed lungs.
Mikey gave one final squeeze and then hopped down onto the bench making himself comfortable.
"Man, I thought you guys were going to sleep all day!" Mikey tried to complain, but the smile on his face couldn't hide his cheer.
"How long have we been out?" Donnie inquired.
"Hours man. April and I were worried sick about you guys. We had more than enough time to get you all patched up and even clean a bit. Crazy wasp zombies are not very considerate house guests."
At the mention of patching-up, Donnie glanced down to his arm and noticed a fresh bandage covering his bite wound. Mikey and April had definitely gone above and beyond their call of duty for the day.
"So ah, where is A… everybody else?" Donnie finally asked, avoiding eye-contact with Mikey, who was sure to read right through him and know there was one person in particular he really wanted to know about.
"Raph woke up a little while ago with a stick up his butt. He grumbled about something before wandering off to be alone. Splinter is resting in his room. He kinda ended up with a double-dose of sedative between the cure and the tranq darts. And April's… around here somewhere."
As if on cue, the redhead had stepped from the kitchen, quietly calling out to Mikey, obviously unaware that Donnie had awoken. Taking a split second to look her over, Donnie could see her hair was pulled back into a damp freshly-shampooed knot and her blue eyes looked bloodshot and tired, but overall she appeared unharmed, and he sighed with relief.
"Hey Mikey, I just made some more tea, and started a pot of coffee for when—" She stopped mid-sentence at the sight of the boys all awake and looking at her.
Donatello stood up abruptly, the tattered woolen blanket still draped across his lap fell to the floor. He paused before he could step forward, not really sure what to do next. Had it just been April, he'd have run over to her, but then he remembered the argument they had before she left, that resulted in her suggesting they take a break. Now that she fell into the 'ex-girlfriend' category, he was at a loss as to how to behave around her. His brain was at war with his heart, as his subconscious reminded him that no matter how much he wanted to hold her and make sure she was ok, he should abide by her wishes. He finally settled with a faint smile in her direction.
April cast her eyes around, obviously feeling a little awkward towards his reaction, but then looked up again determined. With 4 long strides, she crossed the room, heading straight for Donatello. Without so much as slowing down, she practically crashed into him, her arms wrapping around his middle in a hug. She darn near knocked him over and he had to adjust his footing, to keep from falling back.
"I'm so glad you're ok." She murmured into his plastron, still holding him tight.
Donatello stood a little dumbstruck. Was he in some kind of alternate reality? This warm welcome definitely confirmed that the memory of her sleeping peacefully against him earlier wasn't complete madness.
Another heartbeat passed, and his mouth hanging agape, transformed into the widest of smiles. He leaned into her embrace as his own large arms returned the hug around her.
They must have been intertwined for an uncomfortably long amount of time for the crowd watching, because Donatello was only pulled from the moment when he heard his eldest brother cough exaggeratedly.
"Hey Mikey, why don't we…uh… go get some of that tea?"
"D,awwwww, but look how cute they are?" Mikey whispered back to his brother, oblivious of his suggestion to leave them be.
April must have heard them too, because she released her grip and stepped back, spinning around to grin at their audience.
"You don't need to go, Leo." She wrapped a quick hug around his shoulders. "I'm glad you're okay too."
"Hey don't forget about me!" Mikey protested.
"But I thought that you never got bitten?" Donnie asked with a raised brow line.
"That doesn't mean that I don't want a hug!"
"Of course Mikey!" April turned to the youngest in orange, but he was already leaping at her with wide open arms. Crashing into her with a gigantic hug.
Donnie cautiously eyed April as he watched her interact with his brothers. He was still so confused about everything that had transpired and wished for nothing more than a chance to talk privately with her. But before he could even attempt to break away with her, Leo had asked the simple question about what had happened and Mikey dove into his storytelling persona and began to recount the details of the last few days, as though he was a troop leader telling a spooky story to a bunch of scouts.
April quietly left the room, as soon as the fable began and Donnie contemplated whether or not to follow her. But before he could even make up his mind, she had returned with a serving tray weighed down by a teapot and a collection of mismatched ceramic mugs. She set the tray on the ledge before stepping down to the seat below and reached out to hand Donnie a steaming mug of coffee with a smile.
There were two sides in the Hamato household; those that drank tea, and those that preferred coffee. Donatello definitely fell into the latter, and April, who honestly didn't seem all that taken by either drink, had always made it a point to remember his preference.
Warmed by her affectionate behavior, he could feel his cheeks flush as she turned back and grabbed the teapot to refill Leo's mug, before pouring one for Mikey and then herself. Taking a hesitant sip of the scalding liquid, she found a seat on the bench next to Donnie and made herself comfortable.
As the story-telling went on it became clear that the amount of time they had been exposed to the wasp's venom, directly related to how much each individual remembered. And Leo having been the first to be poisoned, had not been able to recall much of anything after Donnie had first examined the wound from the sting on his arm. He appeared to be taking in everything Mikey said with focused fascination and the youngest was enjoying the attention; his retelling becoming more animated as he went on.
Mikey didn't spare any details, or anyone's feelings as he recounted everything; from Donnie tossing him across the room, to Leo head-butting him before hitting Splinter with a tranq dart and Raph licking April's neck.
Donatello tried to put on a calm facade as the stories sometimes evoked hazy memories and uncomfortable feelings. He found it particularly unnerving how just the mention of Raph's earlier behavior immediately brought back aftershocks of a fierce jealous rage. And he felt a little tremor run through him as he relived the hate that had fueled him to attack his intimidating brother.
Blinking away the emotions, he tried his best to focus on Mikey's dramatic reenactment of the final brawl where he himself had apparently beat up Raphael and defeated the wasp.
Mikey pantomimed the jabbing of his bladed bo staff through the heart of the wasp and then let himself collapse onto the floor. "And that's what happened!"
As his baby brother stood back up and pretended to dust himself off, Donatello caught Leo giving him a look of hopeful disbelief, as though he was expecting one of them to reveal that Mikey's story was a fabrication.
Between the uncomfortable look on April's face and the shrug that he returned, he could see Leo's expression change to one more closely resembling horror.
"I should go talk to Sensei." Leo stated dumbly, as he rose from the couch, his own blanket sliding off.
"He knows you weren't yourself Leo. Don't beat yourself up too badly." April spoke soothingly when she saw the worry on his face.
"Yeah bro, it's fine. I mean, I forgive you for trying to attack me." Mikey offered with a smile on his face.
Leo bowed briefly and stood upright to look into his brother's eyes. "Thank you for your forgiveness. I'm sorry for what I did."
Mikey returned an uncomfortable smile to the unnecessary apology.
Leo patted his shoulder. "And I know what you guys mean, but I still feel like I owe Father an apology. I'm going to go see if he's up yet."
As Leo stepped away, Mikey bounced up onto his feet. "Well, I dunno about you guys, but I'm starving! Leo, see if Master Splinter wants to join us for dinner, and I'll whip something up."
"Great idea Mikey, I think we could all use a good meal and a chance to clean up." Leo tossed over his shoulder with a thumbs up.
"Great, I'll go dig around and see what we've got. April, you wanna help me?"
"Sure thing." April stood up from the bench.
Mikey hopped up over the benches, headed for the kitchen, but April stood her ground. Donatello could feel his pulse quicken as he watched contemplating her next move. He slowly stood up beside her, waiting to see if she was going to talk, suddenly nervous about what she would say.
"Donnie…" She finally spoke up, spinning around to face him. "I a…. I am really glad to see that you're ok… and everything."
"Me too April, if something had happened to you..."
"But, everything worked out just fine."
He watched a timid smile creep across her features as he looked down into her bright blue eyes.
"April, I… I vaguely remember some of what happened. I keep seeing flashes of your face, looking up at me with… so much fear…." His words trailed off and he let his head hang down. How could he give a proper apology if he wasn't even sure what he had done?
Feeling her warm hand on his cheek, he coaxed his eyes open and hesitantly looked into hers, somewhat surprised to see the trust and forgiveness in them.
"Hey, you heard what I just told Leo. These were special circumstances and I know you would never act that way on your own."
Donatello nodded in agreement as she continued. "You have absolutely nothing to feel guilty about, OK?" She reached out to take hold of his hands.
"How are you so amazing?" He asked.
"Well, I have my moments too, and I know that I owe you an explanation. But, now is not the time." She gestured over her shoulder, beyond to where the kitchen was situated, and Mikey was waiting for her to help. "Can we talk later? Tonight maybe?"
Donatello swallowed a lump that suddenly appeared in his throat. What exactly was she going to say? At least they seemed to be on better terms than when she left? Part of him wanted to say 'screw it' to helping Mikey and drag her off to talk right now, because he knew he'd be a mess of nerves until that conversation.
But knowing that she was right, they should finish tending to other matters first, he simply nodded and choked out. "Sure, later is fine."
April smiled up at him, releasing one hand so she could place her own softly on his cheek. "Don't fret too much ok, I want to set things right. Now I'm going to go help Mikey in the kitchen, are you going to join us?"
Donnie shook his head, thinking about how'd he'd love nothing more than a hot shower to wash away some of the grimy feelings still left behind. "I'll be right there, but first I'm going to go clean up a bit."
"Alright, well don't be too long."
The family had sat around the table that evening enjoying a mix of random leftovers that Mikey had assembled from the fridge. Master Splinter was still not feeling quite himself, but knew that it was important to spend time with his family after such a traumatic day. They chatted as they ate, reigniting the comfortable lightheartedness they usually shared around each other, despite the awkwardness of the topic they discussed.
Raphael, after much coaxing from Michelangelo and the promised threat of his father had reluctantly joined them all for a brief measure. It was the first time that the others got a good look at his battle wounds, the chatter hushing to a whisper as he approached the table. April broke the awkward silence by offering up the plate of food closest to her and he gave a grateful nod as he accepted the offer. The conversation picked back up without a single mention of his bruises or swollen face, but it had been clear by his inability to look him in the eye, that Donatello was fully realizing how much damage he had caused.
The meal had wrapped up quickly, and despite the early hour or the fact that they had slept for much of the day, it was generally agreed that it was a good night to turn in early. Both Splinter and Leo retired to the dojo for some healing meditation before bed and helped April and Mikey carry a stack of plates over the sink on their way out.
Raph took the opportunity to swiftly exit for his room before someone noticed. But unfortunately he soon heard the hurried footsteps of Donnie practically running down the hallway behind him to catch up.
"Raph, wait a minute!"
He stopped and shook his head without looking back. "I know what you're going to say Donnie, and it's not needed."
"But I want to apologize Raph, I don't really remember everything that happened, but I can hazard a guess as to why I attacked you."
Raph spun around, his eyes scrunched as he stared into Donnie's face. "Then it's clear that you also don't remember how I was acting towards April."
The intensity of his voice seemed to catch his brother off guard, obviously not expecting the conversation to shift in such a way. He watched Donnie close his mouth, to allow him to continue on.
Raph thought back to earlier when April had leaned in to place the bandage on his cheek. Her proximity had brought forth a rush of images to his mind's eye. What he could only describe as a dream, but the detailed way it rang through his brain made him realize the possibility of it being a memory. Flashes of April within his grasp as he lusted after her closeness, a strange sort of way he could distinctly remember the scent of her hair and, oh god, the taste of her neck. The animalistic urges he had felt to claim her as his own had come rushing into focus and it was all he could do to not have literally leapt back from her. He barely understood how April could look him in the eye after that.
"I can't recall it all either Don, but I know that I was acting crazy…and honestly, I'm glad that you were there to stop me."
"But it's not your fault, the wasp's venom was making you act like that." Donatello offered to his brother.
"Yeah I know, but that doesn't exactly make me feel any better about it." Raph mumbled quietly.
"Well now you know how I feel!" Donnie raised his hands in a gesture that conveyed he gave up.
Raph let out a chuckle at the realization they had both just come to. "Well, you were pretty pissed at me long before any venom came into play, and that was 100% my fault."
His brother looked up at him and cocked his head to the side, not exactly disagreeing with him, but reluctant to accept.
"Let's just agree that we both did some things we feel bad about and get over it, ok?" Raph smiled smugly, and had his face been less bruised, the effect would have been a little more convincing.
"Yeah ok." Donnie nodded.
They stood in the hallway facing each other for another beat before Donnie spoke again. "Do you want me to look you over? Patch anything up?"
"Nah." Raph swiped his hand in the air in front of him. "I've had worse, beside April patched me up pretty good." He pointed to the bandage on his cheek bone. "She's a keeper you know."
Donnie narrowed his eyes, unamused by the joke. "Yeah, I'd hate for someone to go and mess that up." He quipped dryly.
"Go and talk to her." Raph suggested.
Donnie muttered quietly in response. "I've been trying, but I feel like she was avoiding me."
"It's been a long day. Trust me, I think she'll want to see you." Raph slapped his brother's shoulder with a heavy hand, causing Donnie to falter a step. A none too subtle reminder, that while Donnie may have had the upper-hand in this last fight, Raph was more than able to kick his ass anytime.
Raph spun on his heel and headed for his bedroom in anticipation of a good night's sleep, leaving his lanky brother standing in the hallway.
Knowing that he'd head there eventually, April waited for Donnie in his lab. She walked through eyeing all of the leftover signs of what had transpired that day. His worktop counter was scattered with tools, petri dishes, beakers and syringe gun canisters leftover from earlier, when she and Mikey had so desperately scrambled to finish creating his cure.
Just beyond that, lay the victims of Donnie's wasp-possessed fit of rage, when he had picked up Mikey and flung him through the air like a football. Luckily for Mikey, his shell seemed to have taken the brunt of the damage, but the large shelf he had slammed into had poured its contents into a heap on the ground. Large textbooks, mechanical parts, heavy tools and who knows what else were scattered in broken pieces amongst the pile.
Making herself useful, she decided the least she could do was restore the fallen shelf, much lighter now that it was cleared off.
Letting out a grunt, she tipped it back up onto its feet, and scooted it into its proper place. Nodding to herself for at least putting one thing right tonight.
"That's a good start." She stated quietly to herself.
"April? Are you in here?"
Hearing Donatello's hesitant voice, April briefly closed her eyes and took in a calming breath. She had already mentally practiced what she wanted to say a few hundred times, but even then it left her feeling nervous. But she owed it to him, to not keep him waiting any longer. And she was pretty sure he was going to want to hear what she had to say.
"I'm back here Donnie." She called out, stepping away from the pile.
Donatello entered slowly, his hands gripping the worn leather strap that ran across his front. A nervous habit she'd seen him do many times.
"Oh… hi." He sounded unsure of what to say.
"How are you feeling?" She asked, full of genuine concern, unsure if that cure had any side effects. She never once doubted that it had worked, but if she had, looking into his eyes now, she could see the gentle soul behind them, the jealous monster that had momentarily taken over was long gone.
"Fine. Just, a… bit of a headache. From the inoculation no doubt." His answer was brisk and his gaze flitted around the room, as though not really sure where to land.
"Donatello–" Stepping forward she gently grasped the edge of his large hand, and he flinched a little at her contact. "Can we talk?"
"That's probably a good idea." He answered with a quiver. And she could see him visibly swallow.
April gestured to the stools over at his drafting desk and he reluctantly took his place. His posture spoke volumes, the way his shoulders sagged forward and his chin hung down. It reminded April of a scolded puppy dog.
She had hoped that the hug she had given after seeing him recovered before, had been enough to ease his worries. But it was clear he was still uncertain as to what type of 'talk' this was going to be. Wanting to right the wrongs from that day when she'd broken up with him, she decided to dive on in and not keep him waiting.
Taking her own seat on the stool beside him, she sat tall and placed a gentle hand on his knee. "I owe you an apology."
This was clearly not what he had been expecting as his chin quickly lifted, one eye ridge raised.
April looked up at him. "I'm sorry that I ever doubted you."
She watched his expression closely in the dimly lit cavern that made up his lab, but Donatello didn't move, he just sat like a statue looking back at her. The fear of what she was going to say next seemed to hold him prisoner.
"I had somehow convinced myself that because I was the first woman you had met, there was no way it was possible for your feelings for me to be true." April paused, her hands feeling a little shaky. "I was afraid that you were just latching on to the first person to talk to you."
"That's not tru—" Donatello tried to cut in, but April put up her hand to stop him.
"But I came to understand that your feelings for me are more than that… And really, I think that I was afraid… Afraid that as soon as you started seeing new places, meeting other people, you would realize how much you've missed out on," her words got quieter as she spoke and by the end they were barely a whisper. "…and start thinking that maybe you settled for me."
Donatello sat up taller in his chair, his eyes round and full of surprise. "You thought that of me?" He asked incredulously. "April, there's a million normal guys up there." He gestured top side, his tone growing quiet again. "And for some reason you were willing to give me a chance? Eventually you are going to be safe again, and you'll be able to go live above ground, and why would you ever choose to stick with the 'mutant freak' from the sewers?"
April locked eyes with him. "Because I love you."
A quiet whisper of air escaped from Donatello's lips as though his breath had been knocked from him. "You do?"
Smiling, she nodded, her bangs shaking into her eyes. "I do."
Donatello sat back in his stool, the flabbergasted look melted away as he appeared to collect his thoughts. For a split second, April started to worry that something was about to go wrong. Had she scared him? Did he not return her feelings? But before she could get too far thinking up worst-case scenarios, he spoke.
"I've always considered myself a man of science. I don't accept something unless I can do the math and prove it is the absolute truth." He talked with this hands, moving them around in front of him. "And how I feel about you is something I can't prove."
A wide smile grew across his face, as he locked sights with her again. "But I know with absolute certainty that it is the truth. I know that I love you, April." He paused with a grin and a shrug. "And not because you were the first person I met, even though I decided at that first glance you were the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen." He quickly rambled the last bit, obviously feeling a little silly to say it. "But because as we became friends and I got to know you; your caring soul, your sense of humor, your tenacity and your ambition, and a million other reasons are why I fell in love with you."
It was April's turn to feel breathless as her heart hammered against her ribs. She listened intently, holding on to every word. Watching how he seemed to gain confidence with each statement and was now sitting straight in his stool. The gap in his front teeth showing as his smile continued to widen.
"I love you, April. And not because you are the one girl I know, but because you are, 'the one' for me."
April swallowed back a lump in her throat as she struggled to keep herself composed. Casually swiping at a tear with the back of her hand.
"May I kiss you?" He asked, a hopeful tone to his voice.
April nodded and practically leapt from her stool just as Donnie stood. Jumping up into his open arms, her hands went flying around his neck, and she wrapped her legs around his waist as best she could with his shell. Their lips crashed together in feverish heat, both desperately in need of the other's touch.
Donnie's large hands wrapped down under her rump, to help hold her up in place. And she squeezed her legs around him tighter in response, all the while, their mouths busily dancing against one another.
April broke away to lean back and take Donnie's cheeks in her hands and placed a series of urgent kisses across his mottled olive-green face. She wanted him to know that he was just as beautiful, and showing him was going to be much better proof than simply saying it.
"I told you…" She spoke between each contact. "You always... have permission for a kiss!"
The final peck found the perfect landing spot, and she felt her whole body melt away as the sensation of him pressed up against her took over her thoughts.
"I love you." He chanted, coming up for air. "I love you."
She felt his warm breath beside her ear, as he quietly added. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to tell you that."
April felt her cheeks flush with warmth, but whether it was from hearing Donnie's whispered confessions or just the heat from the intensity of his kisses, she wasn't sure.
Still in his arms, April felt a relatively soft surface on her back as Donatello laid her down and easily positioned himself above her. So wrapped up in covering the side of his neck in gentle nips and soft caresses, she hadn't even noticed that he somehow managed to carry her across the lab, bringing them to the cot that sat in the back.
The cot was placed there for the purpose of being used for medical reasons; an exam table of sorts, to hold an injured individual while Donatello ran a diagnoses. But more often than not, it played the role of being Donatello's makeshift bed for those nights when he ended up collapsing there, after not being able to break away from a project, or when he was just suffering from insomnia.
At the moment it was covered in a pile of messy blankets, and April took in Donnie's scent trapped in the soft fibers as she nestled into their warmth. It was clear that he had slept here recently.
The back half of the lab was rather dark and only the faintest of light seeped in from the front area, allowing her to watch the way his concerned eyes searched hers for any sign that he should stop what he was doing. April answered with a smile, and a grasp of his headband tails, pulling his lips back down to meet hers.
Their legs tangled together, Donnie's plastron pressing against her front as he balanced above her. She ran her hands in a gentle caress across every inch of his smooth pebbled skin she could reach.
They continued their intimate caresses; soft lips tracing over sensitive flesh and fingers roaming over areas in exploration. Encouraging soft murmurs of satisfaction and moans of pleasure from one another.
Knowing that they were not quite ready to advance beyond it, an unspoken line was met by the two teens, and instead of crossing it, they both began to ease the eagerness of their attentions. The fiery passion that fueled their first kisses slowly began to cool. Donatello rolled off to the side, situating himself next to her as he continued his slow, but gentle kisses along her neckline. And April's wandering fingers, lazily began to trace their way back up to less sensitive areas.
The two lay snuggled, wrapped in each others arms enjoying the warmth of the other. Despite the rickety cot and lumpy blankets beneath them, April decided it was possibly the most comfortable place she'd ever been, and the exhaustion from the day began to catch up with her.
She must have let her eyelids fall closed for a moment too long, because she snapped them open to find Donnie's chocolate gaze locked on her. Mirth in his eyes, as a grin crossed his face.
"Am I boring you?" He teased.
"No! Of course not. I was just… resting my eyes." April tried to argue, but blushed, knowing she had been caught. Something familiar itched at her brain, as she remembered back to that first night they'd kissed, after their run-in with Karai. Her fatigue had caught up to her that time as well. And just as before, she knew it wasn't worth arguing with the ninja.
"I guess I'm a little tired." She confessed with a pout, feeling disappointed in her weak body requiring rest.
"Hey, you and Mikey were amazing today." Donatello retorted with a low chuckle. "I'm actually surprised you held-out this long for the sleep you so deserve."
"Well, I had some things I needed to take care of first." April winked at him.
He chuckled again, "C'mon, let's go get you in bed, shall we?"
And before she could even protest, he once again swooped her up into his arms, and carried her off to her room across the hall.
Feeling a sensation of being so safe and so loved while wrapped in his muscular arms was quickly becoming one of April's new favorite things. And she burrowed into his plastron as he walked out into the dark and quiet hallway. The other occupants of the house having followed the suggestion to retire to bed long ago.
They ducked through the thick curtain, entering her dark and cosy room. Donatello brought her over to her bed, gently laying her down a top of it. She scooted herself up to allow him to pull down the covers so she could better climb in. And as he pulled the warm comforter back up, April swallowed her nerves and grasped his wrist.
"Stay with me?" She asked, feeling a little worried that the proposition might scare him away.
Watching for his reaction in the darkness, she could see his eyes grow wide with surprise. She could practically hear the gears in his brain turning away as he thought through all the scenarios for his response. And she could assume that at least one of them was wondering what Splinter would say to find out two teens in his care were suddenly sharing a bed.
"We're just going to sleep." She offered as both a level setting, and also a way to hopefully ease his mind.
His eyes squinted from the smile pushing up his cheeks."I would very much like that."
And without any other words he quickly undid his belt and laid it softly on the floor, sliding off his knee and elbow pads to land beside it.
April scooted herself back towards the wall that the full mattress sat up against, making room for his larger stature. He slid in beside her and pulled the covers up over them both, leaving a small gap between them.
After he seemed to find a comfortable spot, April moved back to his side, wrapping her arms around the smooth cool skin of his large wrist, and nuzzled her cheek into his shoulder. If she didn't know better, she'd swear she could feel the vibration of his hammering heart ringing all the way up to where her head lay.
"Goodnight, Donnie." She murmured, already feeling the lure of sleep pulling her away.
"Goodnight, April."
End chapter 21
A/N - I jokingly named this chapter Quesadilla - because it was full of cheesy goodness. But, I wanna know was it too cheese? Or just the right amount? I figured they made it through plenty of drama to deserve a nice mushy moment.
Thank you all for waiting so patiently and sticking with me! I have a small epilogue to follow!