What is different?

The days seemed to be getting longer after that day when I spoke with Donatello last. Lea and I had gone out and visited some great places around the city but for some reason, it still felt like it was taking forever for a day to end. We visited South Side Street Port, the Empire State Building, Central Park, and Chinatown. We made several trips to Chinatown. I knew Lea could not get enough of that place. I often found myself looking around as if I was trying to find some sign that Donatello was there. That was so silly of me! I got freaked out one time because when Lea and I were at 5th Ave one day and she went inside a store real fast to check on a shirt that she kind of liked, I could have sworn I heard like feet rustling at this grate on the sidewalk where I was standing. It was one of those little open grates that they had on sidewalks. I walked over to where it was and looked down, but all I could see were pieces of trash and puddles of rainwater. I knew by that point that I was completely losing my mind. The turtles don't live underground! Sometimes I found myself in a daze and normally Lea would almost have to smack me across the head to get me to wake up. I felt so bad because I knew it must have been irritating to her. Finally after a couple of days, I forced myself to stop acting so foolish because it was over now. I told Don it could never be which is true so I just put him and everything else out of my mind. This helped me for a while.

Towards the end of the week, Lea and I took day trips around Times Square. We decided to stay around the hotel for a while so that way she could sleep in. We were both exhausted from the earlier part of the week so we decided to take it easy for now since we still had a whole other week to enjoy in the city. I knew my mind must have become somewhat clearer because the days felt like they were not so long. I was having fun and so was Lea! I mean when we had our discussion days ago and she brought up the statement that she didn't really dislike Leonardo it kind of shocked me. Because I thought by the way she and Leonardo were always fighting with each other that I knew for sure that she hated him. But now she seemed like she didn't really mind him at all. Lea use to be so troubled a lot by him, but now I think she was better. She acted like nothing was bothering her and I felt happy because I thought maybe this whole thing with Donatello was causing it. Lea was my best friend and sister to me. I didn't want her to be unhappy and I knew ending whatever I had with Donatello for the moment would help her be happy. Because as long as I wasn't visiting or talking about Don, meant that Leonardo wasn't going to be in the picture and that way both of us could be happy. Besides nothing could develop, we only had one more week in the city and that would be the end of it no matter what.

By the end of the week my nights were growing longer. I felt like I couldn't sleep as if I was anxious about something. I grew sick to my stomach, something was deeply troubling me. At night I felt so sick that I often stayed up all night and watched television. But I didn't tell Lea that I was sick, I didn't want to trouble her. Often I would go over to our window and sit down in the chair and look out at the city. Luckily our room was facing out to where I could see the Hudson River. I often looked out at the river, and then I would let my gaze fall down to see all the taxicabs and cars go up and down the roads. Why was I kidding myself? I knew exactly what was bothering me. I missed Donatello. I really hated myself for telling him that I couldn't be with him. I wanted to be with him. I don't know why, I knew I had grown to like him so much. Even if it could not be I had to see him one more time and tell him that I was sorry. I had written my contact information down on a piece of paper because I wanted to give that to him just in case he ever wanted to call me. That night I sat in the chair and looked out at the dark city. I felt so alone even though Lea was in the room with me. I could hear her sleeping so softly. I pulled my knees up to my chest and rested my head on top of them. I felt the warmth of my tears as they started to come down my face. I knew I would have to tell Donatello goodbye and it had to be soon.

The next morning as I was putting on my shoes, Lea walked over to her bed and sat down to brush her hair. "So what did you want to do today, Mel?" She asked me. For a moment, I hesitated. I really wanted to ask her if we could go to April's that night so I could meet up with Donatello again to tell him that I was sorry and that I had to say goodbye, but I was kind of scared on what her reaction would be so I paused for a moment before I blurted it out, "I was thinking maybe we could swing by April's tonight again? I decided to take your advice and tell Don that I am sorry and it would be for the best that we don't start anything. After all he's just a turtle and I would rather be his friend." I chuckled some nervously after I finished my sentence. I looked over at Lea I could see that she looked a little surprise and something about the expression on her face seemed to be like she was kind of hoping about something, but I wasn't too sure on what it was.

"We can do that if you want, Mel," she said as she nodded her head and smiled warmly at me. She looked over at the clock then said, "It's around 11am now, did you want to go ahead and call her so that way she will know? Then we could go downtown some for awhile again?"

"That's fine. You sure you don't want to go uptown today, Lea?" I smirked some as I walked over and sat on the edge of my bed where the phone was on the nightstand.

"Melinda..." She looked over at me with a playful stern look.

"What?" I smiled innocently. "I just wanted to see the stadium where the Yankees play in."

"Nice try," She said as she laughed and got up as she walked back to the bathroom to put up her brush.

I giggled some, and then dialed April's number that she had given me. For a moment I thought she wasn't going to be home and I kind of felt myself becoming down when the phone continued to ring but suddenly someone picked up. "Hello?" She asked. April seemed to be like she was annoyed about something. So this made me grow nervous to even ask.

"Hey, April, it's me, Melinda, again. Uh, is there a chance that Lea and I could come over this evening to talk to the guys one last time?" I felt my voice stuttering some, I knew I must have been nervous.

"Uh, sure if you want to," April said. "But they are here right now if you wanted to come over now. I offered to make them breakfast this morning and I think it was a bad mistake." I could her groan. Suddenly I heard her voice turn away from the receiver as she yelled out, "Mike! Get off of the table now!" Then I heard a loud smack and the sound of Mikey whining.

Then I heard another voice in the background, it was one that I did not recognize. It seemed older. "Michelangelo! You are a guest in this house! Please mind Miss O' Neil's furniture!"

"Sorry, sensei," Mike whined in the background.

April's voice turned back to the receiver once again. "Sorry about that. Luckily Master Splinter is here helping me. So did you want to come over now? I am sure they will stay here for a little while longer. I could use the extra help and besides it would be great if you could meet their master."

"Hang on, April. I'll ask, Lea." I pulled the phone away from my mouth and then called to Lea. She came out from the bathroom, brushing her teeth. "April wants to know if we want to come over now. She said that the guys are over there now because she made them breakfast and their master is there with them."

Lea looked at me for a moment and then walked back to the bathroom. She came back shortly without her toothbrush and said, "Sure, sis. If you want to."

I told April that it would be okay and we would be there shortly. A few minutes later Lea and I were leaving the hotel and were on our way to April's place. I felt my heart fluttering some; I shoved my hand into my pocket to feel the folded piece of paper that I put in there. "Their master is there with them?" Lea finally asked as we walked.

"Yeah that's what April said. He seems older. Is he like another turtle?" I giggled some. Lea shrugged her shoulders.

About twenty minutes later, Lea and I reached April's apartment. I knocked gently on the door. A voice inside the apartment yelled out, "Oh! Oh! I'll get it!" It was Michelangelo. Lea and I couldn't help, but to chuckle at him.

Michelangelo opened the door and then switched his expression to look more serious. He cleared his throat some and then spoke in a French dialect. "Good evening, madams. Do you have a reservation?"

Suddenly a small, plastic, green football hit Mikey in the back of the head and then I heard Raph's voice say "Mike, you bonehead! Just open the door and let them in! You're going to scare them off!"

Mikey smiled at us and then opened the door. I giggled and walked in but I was surprise to not see Don sitting there. But as I scanned over the living room with my eyes, I saw this small rat humanoid sitting on the couch beside Leonardo. He was shorter than them probably around 4 feet or so. He had gray fur and was wearing a brown little jacket that tied around in the front. I was so glad that my mom wasn't there she cannot stand rodents! I felt so honored in his presence. I felt his eyes looking over at Lea, and me as if he was studying us. I stood there nervously beside Lea. April walked over to us and smiled. "I am glad you could make it! I could use the help. These guys are driving me crazy! Especially this one!" She said as she pointed to Mikey.

"Aww but I am so lovable!" Mikey smirked as he walked over and sat down on the floor beside the couch. Raph leaned over and smacked him on top of the head.

Leonardo got up some from the couch and smiled warmly at us. "This is our father and master, Splinter." He said as he gestured to Splinter who was sitting beside him.
"Yeah I feel sorry for him," April said as she walked back into the kitchen to clear off the table.

"I do feel sorry sometimes for myself, Miss O' Neil," Splinter replied to her and then looked back at Lea and I. He bowed his head gently. "A pleasure meeting you two. My sons have told me about you. I am honored that you could join us today." Splinter then looked down at Michelangelo sternly. "Perhaps since you are causing our host so much trouble that you would like to help her clean up with the dishes?"

"No, no! Master Splinter! It's quite all right. I would rather do this alone!" April replied quickly as she took the dishes to the sink.

"Awww," Mikey whined as he slumped down some in disappointment, this made Raphael and Leonardo laugh some at him.

Splinter let out a soft chuckle then smiled at us. "Would you like to sit down with us?" He smiled softly at us. Leonardo got up from the couch and politely offered the seat on the couch to us as he walked over and sat down on the floor beside his 2 other brothers. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a soft smile appear on Lea's face. I felt Splinter's gaze fall upon me again and he was smiling warmly. "Michelangelo, perhaps you would like to take Melinda to where Donatello is?"

"Yeah he's in the back hooking up the new computer for me," April said from the kitchen.

Mikey chuckled as he ran over and stood in front of me. He changed his voice to almost sound like Igor. "Walk this way," He laughed demonically as he started to walk slowly towards the back of the apartment, dragging his feet; he was hunched over on the right side.

I heard Splinter sigh out and his 2 other brothers were laughing at him. "I am so not doing that, Mike." I laughed some. Lea walked over and sat down beside Master Splinter.

Mikey stopped walking that way and then laughed as he walked hurriedly towards the room where Donatello was. He was so adorable! He was acting like a small child that it made me want to laugh! I heard the sound of movement in the backroom as I got closer to the door. I shoved my hand back into my pocket to feel the piece of paper that I had stuck in there. Mike walked up to the door and knocked on it quickly before opening it some, pushing his head. "Oh Dooooooonnie," He called out playfully.

"What Mikey?" I heard Don say in the room.

"You have a special guest," He chimed as he opened the door wider. I suddenly felt his hand grab mine as he pulled me into there. I felt so nervous that I knew I was blushing. "Melinda's here!"

I stood there, I felt like I had froze. I knew I was blushing. Don looked at me; his eyes were kind of wide. Mikey motioned me over to sit down in front of Don. Don was sitting on the floor. There was a huge box on the floor beside him filled with computer parts and he had several parts down on the ground in front of him. "Hey, Don." I said some nervously.

"Hey," He said back. "Thanks, Mike."

Mikey sat down to the side of us. He was grinning big from ear to ear as he looked back and forth to us. Don's eyes went wide when he saw Mikey sitting there and looked back over at him. "You can leave now, Mikey."

"Awww.." Mikey whined.

"Now," Don said more sternly. This made me want to giggle so badly but I tried to hold it in. Mikey got up from the floor and shuffled his feet some on the floor as he walked back to the door. I could tell he was a bit disappointed.

Then he turned around quickly and grinned even bigger. "Okay, bro! I know you want to be alone with her!" He then started to make kissy faces at him. My eyes went wide and I let out a chuckle.

I looked back at Don. I almost busted out laughing at the poor guy. Don's face had almost turned as red as Raph's bandana. "Mikey!" He said in an annoyed tone as he started to get up from the floor.

Michelangelo busted out laughing and left the room, shutting the door. I could hear him laughing as he made his way down the hall. I smiled some and then turned back around to look at Don. I started to grow uneasy some, I felt my hand resting on my pocket where my note was.

Don laughed some. "One day I am going to hurt that runt."

I chuckled some from his comment and then looked over at the box and parts that he had on the floor. "So you putting April's computer together?" I got up from the floor and looked at the CPU that he already had sat on the table.

"Yeah. It's not a total new one, but it can do until she can get the money to buy a really nice one. You know the ones one with CD burners, 300 gigabyte hard drives." He stopped some as he looked at me. For a moment I think he was thinking that I had no clue what he was talking about.

"You want me to help you put it together?" I asked as I looked down at the box.

"You can if you want. It's kind of hard. This is an older model and the wires are not color coded so you can't cheat your way," He smirked. "Hopefully I can find a better sound and video card for this one."

I looked down at the box and pulled out the speakers from the box and placed them on the table. I looked at the back of the CPU and plugged in the wire. Then I walked over and grabbed some more wires for the monitor. I was about to walk over and get the monitor from the box when I felt Don's gaze on me. He was looking at me with wide, shocked eyes. I thought I was doing something totally wrong so I froze some. "What is it?"

"You know some stuff about computers?" He asked.

"Yeah. I had to put one together at this museum I had for my internship. It was an old model like this so I had to figure out on my own where stuff went. But I was amazed that it ran!" I smiled some.

"Oh well. I am going to put another memory stick on the motherboard while you hook up the monitor," Don said as he looked back down at the motherboard. Then he spoke up again, "So you wanted to see me?"

I grew tense when he said that. That had put me on the spot. "Yeah," I stammered. " I only have a week left in New York, but I wanted to give you something." I looked up from the monitor over to him and put my hand back into my pocket to get my note out. I walked over to him and handed him the white folded piece of paper without even looking at him then walked back over to finish hooking up the monitor.

I heard Don unfolding the piece of paper then there was silence for a moment. I knew he must have been looking over it. Basically I had written down my name, my address and my phone number. "I-I don't understand," Don said as he looked from the paper over to me.

"Well I wanted to give you that. Just in case you ever wanted to contact me once I am gone from here," I said sadly, I felt so stupid now.

"Oh okay," Donatello said softly. "Sorry for what I said the other day to you. I shouldn't have said that." His voice trailed off.

"It's okay, Don," I said as I stood straight up near the table and looked over at him. "I am sorry I ran off like I did. I felt kind of uneasy and I didn't want to say anything that would upset you."

"I am sorry that I made you feel uneasy. I should know better that I shouldn't have feelings for humans. But don't feel bad. You're right. I am a turtle and you are a human: Two different species. It could never work out," Don said as he kept his eyes away from me and on the motherboard in front of him. I could see the sorrow in him and I knew I was wrong about what I said the other day. I sighed as I walked over and sat down beside him.

"I shouldn't kid myself, Don," I said softly when I sat down.

Don looked over at me, confused. "Huh?"

I looked at him for a moment, studying his face. It was hard to truly see his face with his mask on. "Don, can you take off your mask for a moment?" He looked at me, still confused, but complied. He reached behind his head with his hands and untied his mask and held it loosely in his right hand.

I looked at his face and saw his brown eyes. I felt myself shaking some as I reached out and gently caressed his face. I knew I was wrong for everything that I said. Because Don wasn't an animal even though he was a turtle. He was truly different, but what is different? It is when you are not the same as everybody else. But people say that I am different. So maybe is it me who doesn't belong with everyone else. I felt Don's hand on mine as he reached over to touch my hand that was caressing his face with his. I knew at that moment my heart was truly pounding. I felt so horrible for even thinking that he was just a turtle…an animal. I felt tears fill up in my eyes. I tried to hold them back, but I couldn't. When I looked into his eyes, I couldn't stop. I felt so silly for crying because he looked alarmed when I did. I felt him reach over with his finger and wipe some of my tears from my face. "Why are you crying?" He asked so softly.

"I feel so bad for treating you the way I was, Don. You're so sweet and caring. I don't understand why you like me. This whole situation has me confused," I said some as I sniffed, trying to force myself from stop crying.

"You don't understand? Melinda, you are very pretty. No, you are beautiful. I know it is wrong to develop feelings for someone you hardly know, but that night I saved you in the Bronx, I couldn't stop thinking about you. Something about you made me like you. But when I met you again, I found how sweet and caring you really are. But don't feel bad for me," He said softly. "Any guy who gets you will be very lucky."

I looked at him, I couldn't believe what I was hearing. But I didn't want any guy. I wanted to be with Donatello. I didn't know how to tell him that. "Don, you're so sweet…" I said gently. "Thank you for saving me that night in the Bronx. I owe you my life."

"You're welcome," He smiled at me warmly. "You don't owe me anything. I am just glad that I was there to save you when I did. A lot of innocent people have bad things happen to them and I am so glad that you weren't one of them."

I smiled and leaned up and gently kissed Don on the forehead. "Thanks, Donnie. My guardian angel." I smirked at him.

"Anytime," He grinned big back at me. "You know your angel is always watching over you."

"You know I am really going to miss you, Don, when I leave to go home," I said softly.

"I'll miss you too. But I am sure you'll be able to come back sometime and visit," He smiled back.

I nodded my head. I so wanted to hug him or at least kiss him but I was so nervous that I froze at that moment. I grew so nervous that I started to rush myself to get out of there. "I better be going now. Lea will wonder what happened to me," I smiled some.

"Yeah. I'll never hear the end of it from Mikey either," Don said some, I notice the sadness and disappointment in his voice. It was so sad that I grew sad from this. At that moment I leaned over quickly and wrapped my arms around him, I buried my head in his shoulder and hugged him. His skin was so soft against mine, I nuzzled my head against his shoulder and neck some, taking in his scent. At first I think Don was kind of alarmed by this but then I felt his arms holding onto my back, pulling me in closer to the embrace. I felt my tears coming out of my eyes again as I hugged him. His body felt so warm and I felt so calm and secure in his embrace that I wanted to stay like that forever. "I don't want to leave you, Don," I choked through my tears as I looked up at him. I was very surprised to see that the part of Don's face where his eyes were was damp. Was he crying?

"I don't want you to leave either, Melinda," He said softly, he breathed deeply some and I could since the sadness in his voice as he choked some for breath.

I felt so sad seeing the tears on his face. I reached up and gently felt his face, I could feel that it was damp. He was crying. He looked at me in shock some as I touched his face to wipe his tears away. I looked back at him and it was at that moment when I felt myself leaning closer to him. I then felt his lips against mine. They were soft and warm that I felt so happy like this. I leaned in closer to take more of his lips, pressing mine against his. I felt him trembling some, I could tell that he was nervous. I leaned over and gently took his hand into mine, giving it a light squeeze. He then opened his mouth again for another kiss. I felt his other hand reaching up, cradling my face to his. I don't know how long we were kissing because everything seemed to stop at that point and I felt like I was all alone in the world with only him, exactly where my heart wanted me to be…