Sorry for this chapter being late, school has had me busy and I've been really tired lately so yeah!
There was a ding from the dryer and Donnie jumped up, dashing into Splinter's room. April laughed and followed him. She entered the room to see Donnie jumping up and down and pointing at the dryer. She just shook her head and opened the door, pulling the bunny from the pillow case and handing it to Donnie. He immediatly grabbed it and hugged it tight.
"Fresh out of the dryer." April said, bending over and picking him up. He stuffed his face in it's clean fur and smiled. He was just so adorable. When April walked back into the TV room, she saw Leo and Mikey wrapped in a blanket in front of the TV. Raph still sat on the couch with the melting icepacks on his knees.
"When is Howwy and Hannah comin' back?" Mikey asked, turning around.
"After they get home from school." April answered sitting down with Don on her lap.
"Wha's school?" Donnie asked innocently. April just smiled and hugged him. She could way a lot about school, but she had to remember that these were four year olds she was talking to.
"A very boring place." She said, knowing that was the best answer she had.
"Why awn't you in school?" Leo asked, him and Mikey turning from the TV.
"Well, I have to stay here with you." She answered. Maybe when they were fifteen again, she could get Don to write a pretty convincing doctor's note.
"Do you yike stayin' hew wiff us?" Mikey asked. What was it with all the questions?
"Of course I do." She replied with a grin. Don smiled back and stuffed his face back in the bunny's fur. "Did you sleep well Leo?" April asked, looking over at the little groggy turtle.
"Yeah, I stiw tired dough." He answered, looking back at the TV. Mikey crawled out from under the cover and walked over to sit next to April. He hugged her arm and leaned up against her.
"I want Howwy to come back." He said softly. April sat her hand on the top of his head.
"It's okay Mikey. She'll be here before you know it." April said. Mikey nodded and cuddled close to April. She looked over at Rph who was keeping to himself, "Your knee feel better?" She asked him.
"I guess." He said with a shrug, "It'w hurt when I twy to walk dough." He said, crossing his arms.
"Go ahead and walk around a little to see if it's better." April said. Raph slid the towels and icepacks from his knees and timidly stood up. He took a few steps away from the couch and walked back, his legs shaking the whole time. He sat back down.
"Dey feel a wittle better." He said with a shrug. April slid Don off her lap and stood up, walking into Raph's room to find a knee brace. She found a pair of small ones under a stack of dumbells. They seemed old considering that they were torn up on the edges (either that or Raph at one point refused to wear them and tried to destroy them). She picked it up and carried it into the TV room.
"Here, this'll help it feel better." She said, wrapping the first one on his right knee.
"Do I have to wear dese?" He asked when she finished wrapping it.
"Would you rather not be able to walk?" She asked, getting the other. He crossed his arms.
"No." He finally answered. April stood and put her hands on her hips.
"Now walk around." She said. He groaned and stood, walking around in small circles before sitting abck down, "Better?"
"Better." He responded with a hint of a smile. April smiled back then sat back down with Don and Mikey. Don crawled back into her lap of course and Mikey held one of her arms as he leaned up against her.
"Is it time fow Howwy and Hannah to come yet?" Mikey asked after a few minutes. April looked down at her T-phone. It said 3:36 and had a new text. She pulled her arm from Mikey's grip and opened up the text.
On our way. Can't wait to see the boys back to normal! Holly's text said. April smiled.
Hurry, Mikey is missing you. She replied, "They're on their way Mikey." She said to the little turtle. He started smiled wide.
"Yay!" He cheered, throwing his arms into the air. Raph's face lit up at hearing that Hannah was coming over.
"I'm hungwy." Donnie said softly. April stood and picked him up.
"Let's get a snack before Hannah and Holly come." April told the boys. Mikey ran over and grabbed her hand and Leo ran ahead. April turned her head so she could see Raph slowly following, walking with his hand brushing against the wall for balance. April sat Don down and Mikey climbed up beside him. Leo plopped down across from Donnie and eventually Raph sat next to Leo.
"Can I have popcorn?" Mikey asked.
"Me too!" Leo called, raising his hand. April nodded and pulled out two giant popcorn bowls and a popcorn bag.
"How about you two split this bag?" April suggested, putting the bag in the microwave and starting it.
"Okay."'Kay!" Came two voices from behind her.
"I want grapes." Donnie said, hugging his bunny. While the popcorn popped, April opened the fridge and found a small vine of grapes. She placed it on a plate and pulled them off (so Don wouldn't accidentaly eat the vine), and sat it in front of him. He thanked her and started eating them, a tiny smile on his lips.
"What would you like Raph?" April asked as she opened the microwave and poured the popcorn into two bowls. Raph shrugged and looked around the kitchen.
"What do we have?" He asked, resting his head on the table. April started opening cabinets and naming foods.
"Cheez-its."
"No."
"Granola bar."
"Naw." Raph said. April took a deep breath and went to the fridge.
"Orange juice?"
"Ew."
"String cheese."
"Um, no." April went to the freezer.
"Pop-cycle." She said, getting annoyed.
"Sure." He said. April mentally cheered.
"What kind?" She asked.
"What kinds are there?" He replied. April muttered something that wouldn't be appropiate for four year old turtles and looked at the lable.
"Grape, cherry, and orange." She said.
"Cherry." He finally answered.
Who would've guessed. April thought sarcasticly as she handed him the red pop-cycle. He took it and immediatly took a big bite off the end. April took a deep breath and looked at the four little turtles. Donnie was almost done with the grapes and was swinging his legs under the table. Mikey and Leo munched on their popcorn, Mikey done and stealing a handfull when Leo wasn't looking. Raph was almost halfway done with his pop-cycle, red surrounding his mouth and a bit dripping onto his plastron.
"April?" Came a voice from the TV room.
"Howwy!" Mikey yelled, stuffing one last handfull of Leo's pocorn in his mouth before running in to greet her.
"Mikey!" Leo yelled, getting up and running after him. Donnie ate his last grape and walked over to April to grab her hand and lead her into the TV room. April waited untill Raph put the unfinished pop-cycle into the sink then walked in with him.
"I've been watin' fow you fowever!" Mikey said as Holly picked her up. He gave her a big kiss on the cheek.
"I'm so excited to see you Mikey!" Holly said, giving a big kiss on the cheek. Mikey hugged her neck tight. She laughed and walked him over to the couch, sitting him down and stepping next to April, "I thought you said they'd be fifteen." She whispered.
"I wanted to wait untill you two got here." April answered. Holly nodded and walked back over to Mikey.
"Hannah!" Raph called, going over to give her a hug. She bent down and hugged him.
"What's on your knees?" She asked, seeing the braces.
"Mah knees huwt so Apriw put dese on dem so dey wouldn't." He answered with a tiny smile. Hannah nodded and gave him another hug.
"Okay, now what?' Hannah asked April quietly after Raph walked back over to the couch.
"Now we get Spike-" April started.
"Who's Spike?" Holly asked.
"Raph's fifteen year old pet turtle." April said. Hannah and Holly nodded and April continued, "Well anyway, and have them touch him and then get drenched with mutagen. Easy." She said, clapping her hands together. Holly and Hannah gave confused faces before slowly giving a thumbs up.
"Raph had a pet turtle?" Hannah asked. April gave a little smile and shrug.
"So can we do it now?" Holly asked.
"Why not," April said, "I'll get Spike." April walked away to Raph's room. She looked around, finding him in a tank on an unused dresser. She carefully picked him up and carried him back into the TV room.
"Wha's dat?" Mikey asked, seeing her walk in.
"This is Spike." April answered, sitting down on the couch. The four of them walked over and stood around her. Raph was especially interested of course.
"Where'd you get 'im?" Leo asked, petting Spike's shell.
"I, uh, found him in the sewer." April answered after a little pause. Mikey patted Apike's shell and Raph tapped his head. Donnie timidly reached out and pet him.
"Wha's his name?" Mikey asked. April opened her mouth to answer but Raph beat her to it.
"Spike." Raph asnwered, patting Spike's little head.
"Why do you say that Raph?" Hannah asked, walking over.
"He yooks yike a Spike." Raph said with a shrug. April nodded and stood back up after they all had had contact with Spike.
"Whew aw you takin' him?" Raph asked, running over to April, who was walking away.
"I'm putting him back because he looks tired." April said. Raph nodded and walked back to the couch. April carefully sat Spike down in his tank and walked back into the TV room.
"Okay guys, come follow me." April said, nodding for them to follow her to Don's lab. The four turtles gave very confused looks and reluctantly followed her.
"Why aw we coming in hew?" Donnie asked, hugging his bunny. April picked out the mutagen from the desk.
"W-wha's dat?" Mikey asked, pointing at the glowing canister. Once all four were in there, April grabbed a broken bo-staff and stood in the doorway.
"I'm sorry guys." She said, holding it up to crack it, "It'll be over soon." She said, cracking it and throwing it onto them. She quickly closed the door and locked it.
"Apriw!" "Help!" "Ouch!" "It huwts weally bad!" April heard them yell from inside. She sat down in front of the door and took a deep breath, trying to ignore their pleas. Holly and Hannah walked over and sat down with her.
"It's okay." Hannah said, patting April on the back. There was yelling and crying from inside the lab adn April almost started crying herself.
"I feel horrible." She said, resting her head in between her knees.
"You did the right thing." Holly said, sitting down beside her. April nodded and the three of them sat there.
Waiting.