A/N: Alright, this should be the last of the whole relationship/love girl talk. Finally. Please feel free to let me know how dull and horrible the whole thing is. I know explosions and fight scenes are infinitely more interesting than two girls talking about "feelings", but it has to happen.

Chapter 4: Ice Cream for the Soul

"Thanks," April said softly as she scooped up a spoonful of creamy, chocolaty goodness. "I don't really have another girl to talk about this sort of stuff with."

"Well, I'm not saying I'm the best at this whole romantic love stuff, but I am a pretty good listener," Laura sat on the opposite side of the booth. She had brought April to a small dinner in a secluded part of town, telling stories about the best sundaes and pies in the city. The perfect snack for a girl talk. There were only two other groups in the diner with them.

April sighed and propped her cheek on her hands, leaning on the table, her spoon dangling from her mouth "I don't know. It's just . . . I like Donnie, I really do. But it's just—"

"He's a mutant?" Laura pointed out the obvious issue.

"Does that make me superficial?"

Laura thought about this, "I don't think it does. When it comes to love, like I said I'm not all that experienced. But in my opinion, you should date someone who you think you want to spend the rest of your life with. If you want to be serious about this, you have to think about what the future would hold, if that makes any sense. And I think you would be giving up a lot. But on the other hand, he is a great guy. He sweet and adorable, he'd do just about anything for you, and he wears a purple head band. I mean, come on, it takes a real man to wear purple."

April laughed, as she scooped up another glob of ice cream. The sweet flavour nipped at her tongue as it melted in her mouth. "But then there's this other guy, Casey, I met when I transferred schools. I signed up for extra credit, and he turned out to be the guy I'm tutoring. He was kind of a jerk at first, but he's cool and laid back. Doesn't want to live a normal life at all. When we were attacked by the Foot bots at the skating rink, he just laughed and shot a hockey puck at their faces!"

"So you're saying that he's weird enough to be part of your abnormal life?" Laura asked.

"Something like that," April thought, "I think he would be able to accept all the weirdness in my life if he knew. But, I kind of want something normal in my life too, even if it's a hockey obsessed nutcase who wants to be a bounty hunter."

"Nothing wrong with normal," Laura agreed, "I'm wishing my life was a little more normal right now."

"I don't know what to do," April admitted, her eyes downcast.

"Nor should you," Laura laughed waving her spoon in the air, "But the upside is, you've got your whole life to figure it out. Love is complicated and just makes things infinitely more complicated than they should be. It's not something you can figure out over a sundae and a good talk. It'll take time to figure out what you think is best, and you're still young and all."

"You sound like you know what you're talking about," April said, admiring the ease at which Laura could talk about this stuff.

"Me? Hah! That's rich," Laura smiled again, "No, I really don't. When it comes to love, like I said, it's complicated. And I really don't know what I'm talking about. I've never even had a boyfriend before, so don't go expecting any advice learned from experience."
"You've never had a boyfriend?!" April was surprised at this, "But, you're so likable! I didn't like you half an hour ago, and now I'm eating ice cream with you, spilling my guts out about my love life. How can you never have had a boyfriend before?"

"Right one's never asked," Laura said simply. "There have been a few guys I've sort of liked, but . . . I don't know. I think I've just lost interest in the idea of getting a boyfriend. I mean sure, if the right guy appears, that'd be cool. But I'm not out looking for one. I also think that I'll be fine without a significant other. I work best alone, figure everything out by myself. I honestly don't know if I really want a boyfriend."

"And how's that working out for you?" April asked skeptically.

"Well . . . I've never really been lonely, always had my family here in New York to fall back on if I needed someone. But it makes me wonder sometime, what if I had my own family. What if I was a mother? Honestly, that scares the crap out of me."

"You're scared?"

"Hell's yeah! But I don't worry too much about it. In any case, we aren't here to discuss my lack of a love life, we're here to discuss yours. But first, I think I need some pie." Laura waved over the waitress, an older woman with black hair, streaked with grey pulled into a small bun.

"Pie please," Laura smiled sweetly. The lady looked critically at Laura, eyeing her mostly demolished sundae.

"And what of your diet, young lady?" The waitress asked giving Laura a disapprovingly playful look.

"The only diet I'm on is the one that makes me happy. Right now, it calls for pie."

"You're gonna be up all night with all this sugar in your system," the waitress walked away shaking her head. The cook behind the counter smiled and shook his head at the woman's conversation.

"You know her?" April asked. She noticed that the staff in this diner were rather familiar with Laura. April figured that Laura stopped by here a lot.

"She's my mom," Laura replied matter of factly. April almost dropped her spoon.

"Your mom?" April glanced back at the waitress who was fetching a coffee pot to refill a cup at one of the other tables.

"Yep," Laura said, scooping up another spoonful of her sundae. There wasn't much left of hers, while April's was only half gone and starting to melt. April felt a little jealous of Laura again. April never knew her mother, but she pushed the feeling away.

"You don't really look alike," April noticed.

"Tim got most of mom's looks," Laura said, licking off her spoon before diving in to get more.

"What about your dad?" April asked. A sour look passed over Laura's face.

"He's not around anymore," Laura left her spoon in her sundae cup and looked out the window at the passing cars. "He left a long time ago."
April picked up on her reluctance to talk about it, so she let the subject drop. Guess she didn't have her whole family either.

Laura's mom returned to their booth and placed a big slice of blueberry pie topped with whipped cream in front of each girl.

"Thanks, mom," Laura smiled again, picking up a fork.

"Who's your new friend?" Laura's mom asked smiling at April.

"This is April O'Neil. April, mom," Laura introduced her.

"Hi, it's nice to meet you," April said, extending a hand.

"Hello April," she shook her hand, "you can call me Marcy. I hope this one hasn't been filling your head with too much junk," Marcy gave Laura a look.

"Just some much needed girl talk," April admitted.

"Girl talk? Well, I don't know how much help this one can be," Marcy nudged Laura's shoulder, "Maybe if she would get a boyfriend I could finally have some grandchildren."

Laura rolled her eyes at the insinuation and shoveled a piece of pie into her mouth. Marcy left to attend her other tables.

"She seems nice," April commented.

"She works too much," Laura replied.

OoOoO

"That was awesome," April said later as the two girls walked out of the diner.

"I know right," Laura agreed, "Best deserts in the city."

April checked the time, "Oh man, it's pretty late. I should get home before my aunt starts to worry."

"You stay with your aunt?"

"Yeah, after what happened to my dad, she's letting me stay at her place until we can get him back."

"Oh that's right," Laura said, as the girls started walking, "He got mutated or something right?" Grape had mentioned it when they were discussing side effects of the mutagen over the phone.

"Yeah. I don't know where he is, but he's somewhere in the city, I know that for sure."

"Well, he'll turn up eventually. And when he does, me and Grape'll have a cure. I guess I'm not just working my family here."

"Thanks, Laura," April said, smiling at the older girl.

"Well," Laura said as they approached an intersection, and pointed off to the left, "This is where I turn off." Laura paused a moment, tapping the toe of her shoe against the sidewalk, "So . . . are we cool?"

April realized what Laura was doing, and she felt a little guilty for the way she acted earlier in the lair. April smiled up at the older girl, "Yeah, thanks for everything."

Laura relaxed a bit and stopped her tapping, "Anytime, Spring."

"Spring?" April asked.

"Well," Laura said, smiling nervously, "I figured since all the guys got nicknames, why not you too."

"And where did you get 'Spring'? So I have a bouncy personality or something?"

"Naw," Laura said chuckling, "Didn't think of that one. I was thinking that spring starts in April, and everything starts to grow back after the long, cold winter, or something corny like that."

"I like that," April admitted, warming up to her nickname.

"I thought it was pretty good."

"Are you going to stop by the lair again tomorrow?" April asked. Despite everything, she now saw Laura as a sort of confidant, who she could blab about all her girl problems to.

"No, I probably won't be by again for a while. Unless something good happens, I would rather keep to myself. No offense, but this whole thing with ninjas and mutants and aliens is all more than I want to get involved in. I'd rather keep my distance if I can. Don't wanna bring anything back home to my family."

"I got cha. So when will I see you again?"

"Tell you what," Laura pulled out her cell phone, "I'll give you my number, and if you wanna get together, let me know."

"Cool," April took Laura's phone as they swapped numbers. When April was handing the phone back, she caught a glimpse of her screen saver; a picture of a younger Laura and a small boy, must be Timothy, wrestling together on a lawn of grass. Laura had a big triumphant smile on her face as she sat atop of her younger brother, and Tim had his face set with determination, still trying to get the best of her. April smiled at the memory, realizing how much Laura's brother meant to her.
Laura caught her looking and blushed a bit. "He may be an idiot, but he's my idiot." Laura turned around and headed off. "See ya around, Spring," she called over her shoulder as she hurried across the street.

She's a good person, April told herself. She really cares about her family, and is just trying to do the same thing I am; get her family back together. I'm so stupid for being jealous in the first place.

April looked up at the night time sky, lost in thought. Then out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a slight movement on the rooftops.

"Some ninjas," she said aloud as she made out the figures of Leo and Donnie jumping across the buildings. Since they were here, she might as well join them for the rest of their patrol.

A/N: Another chapter done. Now, next chapter is where it all starts getting exciting, no more romance crap (hopefully). Reminder: can anyone guess who the unknown scientist lady from the previous chapter is? Here's a hint: she's not a specific character but part of a group mentioned in previous episodes of the show. And I'll make you guys a deal. I'm going on vacation for Christmas and won't be back until boxing day, but if someone can guess what group she's a part of, I'll post the next chapter early. Good luck.