Before note: I'm back! And with a new chapter to my most popular story on the website, "Never Thought It Was Better Than It Seemed"! (I didn't know you guys loved this fanfic so much…) Anyway, it's kind of a long story as to why I came back earlier than I should've, but to make a long story short: I'm sharing a computer with my younger sisters until the one I always use is fixed, which may not seem likely…

Alongside this, my stories are back, but I will be in much longer process, due to sharing with my sisters, who play on the computer just about the majority of the day.

I mostly worked on this story on my postponed list first because of 14rosie14. Girl, you seriously cracked me up with your excessive comments to get this story on! And you're not the only #1 fan of Apritello…

And one more thing! You know how Donnie has a broken arm and a bullet wound. Well, when I first described it, I said that the broken arm was on same one with the shoulder wound, and that was meant to be. In the others, I said that the other arm was broken, with the bullet wound on the opposite arm. That was the mistake. Just to let you know so you don't get confused, both injuries are on the same, right arm.

Anyway, please enjoy this next chapter of the story you so obviously love! :)

Disclaimer: TMNT is not mine.

Had April been dreaming? She truly wanted it to feel like one. The scenes she experienced were way to terrifying and unforgetful to not believe as a reality.

So she sat there, completely paralyzed at the saddening scene before her, occasionally squeezing the false life out of her T-phone as she held it close to her chest. She watched from a far chair in her lover's room, watching in pain at how intensely Leonardo worked on the hyperventilating Donnie. His olive skin was dangerously pale. His breathing was at a disturbingly fast pace. Sweat poured down his hot forehead, and his brown eyes were halfway closed, desperately looking at Leo to help him with his uncomfortable fever.

Leo mumbled under his breath as he laid an ice cold cloth on his brother's head. "I knew he was going to get a fever sooner or later. He wasn't looking good earlier, and I told him he should rest before it got worse…Oh, Donnie, what am I going to do with you?" He rubbed his thumb up and down on Donnie's warm cheek, staring down at him with sad steely blue eyes.

April held down upcoming tears. It wasn't too long ago when Donnie slipped unconscious from his growing fever after April kissed him. She was actually surprised when he woke up with already groggy-looking eyes when she returned with an alarmed Leo. This was all her fault. If she would've known he had a fever earlier, it wouldn't be so intense now. She had kept him up way too long to physically express the way she felt about him, and now both she and he had to pay the price. Seeing the one she loved so much, the one she wanted to be with forever now, so hurt and sick, lying in bed uncomfortably…she knew it was all her doing. She should've been the one bedridden with wounds and a fever, not him. If he hadn't have pushed her out of the way, the future would've been brighter if she'd gotten shot. Why did he have to save her? Why did he have to do this?!

Why did he insist on hurting her further…?

She stared sadly at the one she loved when she heard a moan escape him. His foggy eyes looked back at her, no hints of emotion inside…

Except for love…

"There," Leo said, straightening up from his hunched over figure over his younger brother, "That'll help cool you down a bit. Now, Donnie, I'll be back in a little while so I can give you the right medicine. If you need anything, tell April, alright? Just lie still and relax, okay, little brother?" When he received a feeble nod in response, he smiled and grabbed Donnie's hand, squeezing it before he walked out of the room and closed the door behind him.

Donnie trained his hot eyes on April the entire time from when she stood up to where she walked up to him and held his hand. They were silent for a while, enjoying each other's company. April found herself staring at her boots, her downed hair completely drowning her face. She didn't want Donnie to see the tears that now fled her eyes…

Of course, Donnie was able to sense them, having a feverish and hallucinating mind and heart or not. "April…Don't cry…" he said in his soft, sick voice, "If you cry, I cry…and that's…not good…" Despite her grief, April had to smile, resisting the urge to humor Donnie's fever-demented brain. It's amazing what that unique disease could do to mess up your mind…

"Donnie…" she said, wiping away her tears, trying her best to keep strong for her close friend. She sat down on the bed next to Donnie's still figure, looking back at his now pale red eyes. He looked so tired…

Another long silence broke out for a while. April wrapped both her hands around Donnie's single one, bringing it to her face and cuddling it. Donnie smiled at her, his gap tooth peaking through. He let the grasp go and caressed April's cheek. The relationship might've been new to her, but April had no idea how much Donnie loved her. Besides what he told Mikey, she was everything to him. Ever since her father was taken from her, he made a promise to her that he and his brothers would get him back, and a promise to himself that he would protect her at all costs. That promise was apparently put into full effect when he saved her from possible death with the Purple Dragons. He then knew how strong and well he was willing to own up on the promises he made, especially to the ones he cared about. It might've put him on the spot of danger, but he was willing to do anything that put everything dear to him at risk so that his promises would be accomplished, even life.

And when it came to someone like April, he did put this logic to the full test.

He was on the verge of slipping into a deep sleep, he was so tired, but his weary eyes stared love-filled at April's, who the latter was likewise. She leaned closer, till her lips were at perfect level. Before they got any closer, his brown-turning eyes were telling her something. He wasn't going to last their entire what-they-were-going-to-do-next. He just couldn't keep himself up any longer, but he was willing to slip into sleep knowing that she loved him back. April smiled, easily catching on.

When their lips met for the second time, Donnie felt a slight haze fall over his fatigued mind. His body sank deeper into the cushions, and he didn't bother to fight back the haze that was arousing him into a peaceful slumber. His hand slipped from April's face, collapsing at his side.

The last thing he saw was April's closed eyes zoomed in on his blurry vision, before his own eyes closed, and his mind suddenly went blank.

He was asleep…

After a few seconds, April pulled away, looking warmly at the serene face of her lover, his eyes completely disappeared behind an ocean of purple. He still sweated bit under the washcloth, and his skin still continued to lose its vibrancy, but his breathing slowed, making it more comfortable for him in his sleep. He looked so peaceful.

April touched his cheek. Why can't their kisses ever be full without something happening?

This time, however, she wasn't scared. She knew he had slipped into unconsciousness for a good reason. She wasn't afraid of losing him to anything else anymore. He was safe with her. She knew he was never going to die anymore, not if she could help it.

She jumped when she heard the sound of the bedroom door opening, and she quickly straightened up. She changed her position to looking the opposite way when Leo suddenly entered the room, holding a bottle of liquid medicine in one hand.

"Hey, April," he said, grinning, "How's Donnie holding up?"

"Oh," she replied with a start, desperately trying to hide her deep blush, "he was doing just fine, but he just fell asleep." She stood up and stretched, trying to also hide her awkward feeling.

"Figures," Leo muttered, "That fever is already eating him up and it just came." He walked up to Donnie's sleeping figure and laid a hand on his forehead, taking off the cloth, "Guess I don't need the medicine right now." He put the medication bottle on Donnie's bedside table.

April watched him for a bit, her heart beginning to slow, before saying quietly, "I'm gonna go to the common area, okay?" Much to her relief, he only gave her a dismissive nod. She nodded back and rushed out of there as fast as she could, trying her best to calm all of her jumpy feelings. That was close…

When she made it to the large living room, she found both Mikey and Raph playing video games in front of the TV, both of them yelling out various remarks of either victory or irritation. They seemed to feel her presence, and turned to her at the same time. Their grins were beginning to dwindle when they saw the look on her face however.

"Hey, April," Mikey said, "What's wrong? Is Donnie okay?"

Is Donnie okay? She asked herself mentally.

She puffed out a sigh. "To be honest," she said, flopping her tired body against the couch, staring up at the ceiling, "I really don't know."

Done! I know this chapter is also short, but you know my restrictions now!

I will come back in extended time for the next chapter, along with my other fanfics!