Shattered Mind - Part 6 – (Month 3)

Month 3

"Come on April you're going backwards again," Raph teased as he took the lead.

(Again… I swear this game is bugged… or is it just me…)

Frustrated and not understanding how Raph and Mikey conned her into playing Mario Cart, she really was starting to dislike racing games more and more, especially the fact on every map she some how always went suicide and steered her character off the map into some pit or lava.

"Why did I let you two talk me into this?" she turned her character around, she sighed when she came to the realization she was in last place again.

"Because Leo is spending time with Donnie and you have all this free time," Mikey jumped, racing after Raph, tapping his finger hard he was attempting to hit Raph with a turtle shell, the young turtle was overly excited for he wanted to beat Raph.

"Doesn't mean I have to play games with you two," she pointed out as Mikey's turtle shell hit her car instead, with an innocent look, Mikey smiled, accompanied with a I didn't do anything puppy dog eyes; in response she gave him the stink eye.

(Don't you dare look at me like that Mikey; you knew full well that shell was going to hit me… I swear the NPC's are doing a better job then me and I have the handy cap on…)

With a sigh knowing she was never going to beat the two turtle brothers, she surrendered putting the controller on to the coffee table.

"I should go see how Leo and Donnie are doing, it has been a half an hour," she slowly got up off the couch.

"If Donnie isn't complaining, why don't you let him have more time with Leo?" Raph pointed out, eyes glued on the TV as he just dodged his cart from hitting a NPC's banana peel leaving it for Mikey to wipe out on.

"Well tomorrow we will extend the alone time, you do know its best to keep this schedule with him."

Rubbing his head Raph sunk into the chair, "I know…"

"Raph he is getting better everyday, I realize it's not easy, but you must admit how much he's improved so far," April sat down on the chair's arm beside Raph.

Looking up, Raph's eyes were sad, frustrated and worried, "I have noticed but…April what are you going to do when he does finally gets better?"

April shrugged, "Well go home I guess, get back to taking pictures. Why do you ask all of a sudden?"

"Are you still going to hang out with us?" Mikey peeked up, he seemed a bit concerned.

In time she spent with them, although it has only been three month or so, they had became attached to her, they didn't have many friends other then having each other.

(Why would Mikey think I wouldn't want to stay in touch with them when Donnie is fully recovered?)

"Of course, truth be told and sad as it is, you guys are my only friends I have," April chuckled lightly feeling kind of pathetic in a way, she had admit she was quite attached to them as well, more then she has been with anyone for sometime.

"April, my time is up, I think Donnie is done with our one on one," Leo stood near the entrance to Donnie's Lab; beside Leo was Donnie he seemed oddly disturbed over something.

"Well boys have fun with your game," quickly she took both of their controllers making their characters run off the road then threw the controllers back at them.

"APRIL!" both yelped, shocked, as they went to the last place ranking, making the computer get first, second and third and so on.

(Hee hee serves you two right, for kicking my ass in this game.)

Approaching Leo, April kept an eye on Donnie, he was upset, about what, she wasn't sure of.

"So how did it go?" she wondered if something happened and Leo could shed some light on the matter.

"It went great; he even kept the time for when my thirty minutes was up. He insisted for me to leave to the point he escorted me out of the room," Leo gave an odd look at Donnie for the sudden mood change.

"I see, thanks I will take it from here," walking up to Donnie, April put her hand onto Donnie's shoulder, "So why so blue?"

Using his hands Donnie cradled her face, lowering them April smiled, "Do you want to go read something in your lab?"

Gently grabbing her hand Donnie led her inside the lab to the old couch, on the coffee table was a book on turtles and the multiple species there was.

"So were you and Leo looking at this?" April picked up the book as she sat down going through the pages.

(I wonder why Donnie put tabs on some of these pages?)

Donnie stopped her from looking as he flipped the page, on it was a turtle that look similar to him, "Oh I see, your this kind of turtle, I bet you were a cute baby."

With his hand Donnie tried to guide her to flip the pages, studying him she got the opinion that he wanted her to do something, "Oh you want me to see which species I think are cute or I like?"

Donnie stared at her then nodded then cuddled into her, used to it by now she didn't mind it was his way to show his emotions and for her to stop him she feared it would hinder him, it wasn't like it was harmful and he never did anything inappropriate

As well secretly inside she felt it was comforting having him that close to her, although she would never admit it, or show it up front, he was still sick and such emotions was something she shouldn't or couldn't consider.

Flipping the pages she found a couple, "Well this one is cute, it's a painted turtle. I guess by there markings that's where their name came from."

"Donnie its time for your bath, Mikey and Raph want to help you out today instead of April, is that ok?" Leo came into the room making eye contact with Donnie.

Donnie made no response, "Donnie I think that is a great idea, this way I can go make supper. I will make some homemade pizza pockets that you like. How's that for a deal?"

Unsure Donnie just sat their, then he got up heading towards the lab door where Mikey was waiting for him.

When Donnie was out of the room Leo sat down quickly, "April we need to talk," Leo voice was stern and serious.

"Sure what's wrong?"

"It's about Donnie."

"Ok… what's the matter then?"

(When is it not about Donnie, could Leo want to talk about something that might have happened in their alone time that he couldn't mention before for Donnie was there. Donnie did seem really upset over something at the time.)

Leo shifted his feet not making eye contact with April, "Well you see…how do I put this…"

Placing her hand on Leo's shoulder, April gave him a sweet smile, "Leo cut to the chase please."

With a sigh Leo looked into her eyes, "Have you noticed that Donnie has been placing his hands on your face a lot lately?"

Uncertain where this was going she was baffled by the question and why it made Leo so nervous, "Yeah he's been doing it since the day after he choked me, why do you ask?"

"He has been doing it more recently hasn't he?"

"Yes and your beating around the bush Leo, spill it," April crossed her arms.

"You see, my brothers and I grew up with different values when it comes down to dating, compare to humans like yourself. Those values in a situation like this, is that when we ask someone to be our mate we would place our hands on the individual's face we are asking."

"What!" April was shocked.

(Wait this whole time he been asking me to be his mate!? Oh please don't say I said yes…)

Tilting his head Leo was trying to read her silence, "Don't worry you never said yes, to do that you would have to do the same thing and either kiss or lick him on the beak."

"Really… That is different…but why would he be asking me," April contemplated on the situation as it hit her, "Oh I get it, because the way I act and how I am taking care of him he must have developed affection for me…"

It was the only answer that made sense, being ill as he was, he must mistaken his emotion he felt for her as ones of love in a sense of a significant other, then realizing what he was feeling for her was more on the level of a friend.

Leo nodded, "I came to the same conclusion, but that said he hasn't got mad for you denying him. I think he assumes you don't know what he is doing. That said I know it's weird that he is doing this, but can you pretend to play along acting like you don't know what is going on?"

"I see, so you wanted to warn me. So that I don't accidently accept and get him confused when I don't start acting like I am his mate."

"Yeah, sorry April I didn't want to bring this up, but I have notice the consistent gestures that have been becoming more frequent. Even Mikey and Raph noticed he has been doing it more and more, we were worried for him and you."

Sitting back April stared at the ceiling, "I guess this behaviour towards me is the direct result of him getting better, the more he improves, the more he realizes I will be leaving. Right now in his mind set, he thinks he can't live without me around so he is finding a way to ease that fear by asking me to be his mate. If I say yes that means he will never have to worry about me leaving. Leo I will play along, for I don't want to break him. As long as I play dumb on the situation he will move through this faze and be less dependent on me and less likely to confuse his feeling for me."