Disclaimer:  I do not own the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; they are the property of Mirage Studios, Inc.  I am only borrowing them for the entertainment of those reading this.  Please don't sue me, I assure you—I have no money.  The other characters are mine, please don't borrow without permission. 

Chapter 8: Donatello

Donatello:

I was just about to clean my dishes from breakfast when I heard the knock on the door.  It made me jump, but there was little question in my mind as to who was on the other side of it.  Only two people had been here in four months: Athena and Panaceia.  Actually, Psyche had stopped in with Panaceia once, but I doubted very much that this was she.

I opened the door to Panaceia who smiled back at me.

"Hello again, sorry about the unannounced visit."

"Actually, I'm starting to think that's the only kind of visit that you and Athena make."

The right corner of her mouth twisted into a half smile and I could tell that she wasn't sure if I was joking with her or not.  I decided to leave her wondering, and she changed the subject as she came in and took off her jacket.

"So how is everything?"

"Everything is good."

"Good; and you're feeling alright?"

"I feel great."

"Good."

She looked around the place and smiled.

"I see you're still keeping everything immaculate."

"Yeah, well, no computer.  I have to do something with all of that extra time."

"Athena says you're still training on your own."

"Some.  It's hard when she's not right there to instruct me, but I manage."

"Well, I think that's great."

She paused and looked at me, which always made me uncomfortable with her.  Apparently she noticed and looked away.

"Well, I didn't come to intrude or spy on you.  I just came to run a couple of tests and make sure everything's okay."

"You're not intruding, it's no problem.  So, where do you want me then?"

I realized after it left my mouth how that sounded, but I ignored it and hoped she didn't notice.

"Um, living room's fine.  You can just lay down on the couch."

"Okay."

I still wasn't comfortable playing the patient, but Panaceia usually made it pretty quick and painless.  These days it was the only chance I got to talk with her anyway.  I settled myself on the couch while she organized her things on the table.

"So how are things at the house?"

"Oh, the usual.  Iris walks around like she's carrying the world on her shoulders while Psyche acts as though she didn't have a care in the world.  Neme has been in one of her moods ever since she came back from her last assignment, and Athena is usually gone visiting one of you, and even when she is home she might as well not be because her mind is always elsewhere."

"And what about you?"

"Me?"

"Yeah, how are you?"

"Oh, I'm fine."

She started poking and prodding at me like she usually did, and it was essential for me to keep talking to her through that to distract myself.  Not that her touching me bothered me, but I wasn't exactly used to someone putting their hands all over me—especially not an intelligent, beautiful woman.

"So, I don't suppose you'll tell me anyway, but do you have any idea when Athena's going to have us come back to the house?  Or is our sentence not up yet?"

"It was never her intention for this to be any kind of punishment, Donatello."

"I know that, I'm just joking.  She wouldn't let me have a computer though, and that is a punishment for me."

She laughed a little.  God, she had a beautiful smile.

"Well, I don't know what her plan is right now.  I think she's just waiting until the time is right to bring you back together."

"Oh."

"Why?  Are you getting impatient?"

"Impatient?  No."

"Do you not like it here?"

"Actually, I love it here.  I like having a whole house to myself.  Like I said, I'm not crazy about not having a computer, but that's probably been a good thing.  I've had time to do lots of other things instead."

"Don't you miss your brothers?"

I thought about that one for a minute.  When Athena had first sent us away, I don't think I could have been happier.  Even Mikey had started to get on my nerves.  I just wanted to be left alone entirely.  I suppose I still wanted to be alone for the most part, and yet…

"Sometimes I miss them."

"Only sometimes?"  She arched an eyebrow at me.

"Only sometimes."

"And the rest of the time?"

"The rest of the time I just want to stay here.  By myself."

"So you're hoping she won't bring you back anytime soon?"

"I guess, well, I don't know.  No, I wouldn't mind if she brought us back now—as long as I still had my own space to be alone when I wanted."

"You like your privacy."

"Always have, I just never really had it before."

"Well, I will leave you to it then.  I think I'm all done here."

She started to collect her things from the table and put them back in the case.  I thought maybe she'd taken that last comment as a suggestion that I wanted her to leave.

"I didn't mean that I wanted you to go."

"I know, but I'm finished anyway."

"Well, why don't you stay for lunch?"

"Lunch would be great, thank you."

That smile was going to be the death of me…