Donatello couldn't sleep. He shifted his arm awkwardly, wishing he could lie on his left side like he normally did. At the same time, he knew personal comfort wasn't the real reason he was still awake at this hour. He stared at the ceiling while listening to Mike's even breathing from the next bed, almost wishing he couldn't sleep either. Don hadn't wanted to voice certain things earlier - but now they were keeping him up.

With a soft grunt Donnie struggled upright, and worked his way to his feet. His legs worked fine, if a little stiff. He used his good arm to guide himself through the dim Lab, and slowly opened the door. Luke would absolutely bust him if he got caught sneaking around at this hour. The turtle looked into the living area, scanning left and right until he located Luke's outline underneath a blanket on the couch.

He waited for a few seconds to make sure the man was asleep, and then eased quietly out of the Lab for the first time in days. Donnie headed straight for the Lounge, even knowing he wouldn't be able to play a whole lot. It was still his favorite place for thinking this time of night when he was restless.

Donatello was surprised to see light coming from under the door, and pushed it open silently. He expected to see Raph stealing some private moment with his guitar. Instead he found Jenna bent over the keyboard, eyes downward, writing on a notepad in front of her. Her dark hair was finally loose around her shoulders again, and she was wearing a sweatshirt that was clearly too big for her. The teen was also so lost in what she was doing, she didn't seem to notice Donatello enter the room.

"Hey," he greeted after a minute.

Jenna jerked so hard that the stool was nearly knocked over as she scrambled to her feet, but then she laughed. "It's a little late to give someone a heart attack."

He ducked sheepishly, "Sorry. Quiet kind of comes with the training. You look like you're working hard on something. I don't want to bother."

"Don't go," she insisted at once. "Will you please stay for a while at least? I had no idea you felt well enough to be on your feet."

"Eh, I probably shouldn't be yet, but I'm not doing anything strenuous, so..." He trailed off while walking further into the room. Don eyed her fevered notes shyly. "You've stayed busy."

"Yeah, it's been coming...pretty quickly. Are you usually a night owl, or are you just tired of lying in that bed?"

"I do some of my 'best' work at night," he quipped. "But tonight, I couldn't sleep period."

"Your warden let you off?"

"Uh...Luke's asleep. What he doesn't know won't hurt me."

She snorted freely. "Well, go on and sit down then. I hope I'm not intruding by being here."

"I told you to use it, so how could you be intruding?"

Her smile became thin, and she seemed to be working up the courage. "Would you like to hear one of my songs?" she asked finally. "The first piece I ever wrote?"

"Yeah," he answered immediately, then winced at his eagerness. "I would," Don confirmed calmer.

"Okay. Now I don't really do this, so be nice," she directed without looking up.

Her fingers slowly met the keys with a somewhat haunting quality. A few seconds later, she began to sing.

"I lost myself, so long ago it seems

I just don't know where to start

Pick up the pieces, of a life that's never been

Whatever's left here of my heart.

It'd sure be nice to know, who I could've been

In a world without this fear.

Now so much time has passed

That I don't understand,

Where I'm supposed to go from here -

Oh where do I go from here?

'Cause I see life all around me,

But I cannot partake

Yes, I hear all their laughter

But when I try, it just feels fake.

So as they go their way

I'm left behind to watch

From the shadows,

From the safety of these walls."

When Jenna stopped playing, she looked ashamed and uncomfortable. The purple-masked turtle was a little blown away by what he heard, but wasn't sure the right tactic to comfort her with. In the end, he had to speak up just to fill the silence.

"It's very honest, Jen. And you sound beautiful." He colored at the act of shortening her name, but it felt good rolling off his tongue. It also didn't appear to bother her.

"Thanks. It's a rather naked feeling to be that honest." She glanced up and motioned for him to join her. "All right, your turn. You've still got a good hand, mate. Can you play a little something for me?"

He pulled over another stool to the keyboard. Shifting his sling one more time, Don rolled his right hand over the keys thoughtfully, softly beginning to play an unfamiliar melody over the high notes. As it built in intensity, Jenna nodded her approval.

"What do you call that?"

"I'm kinda just making it up."

She raised her own hand as he continued playing, and motioned to the lower keys. "May I?"

"Be my guest."

She intertwined the melody he'd created with a lower harmony, joining with him as he repeated the notes he'd already played. He looped it over again until she was more sure of the part. The two parts built together, but neither overshadowed. The purple-masked turtle had never experienced such a perfect blend on an instrument before, even where it concerned his brothers.

The sensation was enough to give him goosebumps, and he hesitated. Jenna stopped as well, shooting him a meaningful look.

"Do you mind if I ask why you were mad the other day?" she said evenly.

"Keep playing, and I'll tell you."

She started up with him again as he tried to find the most diplomatic way to describe events.

"In this family, I'm kind of a like a sore thumb. We all have our similarities, and our differences, you know? But mostly, I feel more different than the others.

"Mike and I have been close since we were kids. We're sparring partners, we share a room, and talk about everything. But with Leo and Raph...I don't know. We've just never seen completely eye to eye. We have each other's backs in a fight, but sometimes, I feel like that's all we have. For the most part, I don't think get me at all. I tend to blame myself for it, though. Pretty sure there's something wrong with me."

Jenna immediately stopped playing and put her hand on top of his. "Donnie, if there's something wrong with you, I don't know how to define what's right."

He was saved from both his incredible awkwardness and having to say anything, as the door was pushed open at that exact moment. Donatello jerked upright on his stool, and looked guiltily over the keyboard to see Luke standing in the doorway.

The man folded his arms threateningly. "Evening." The look Luke sent him was almost on par with his Sensei's correction.

"Um...hi, Doc." Donnie quickly got to his feet. "We were just...playing."

"At 4am. I guess there aren't enough hours in the daytime," he returned sternly. "All right, c'mon, fugitive. You should really be asleep."

"I'm coming, Doc," he agreed meekly. The purple-masked turtle cast another glance at Jenna before he made it to the door. "G'night."

"Night," she replied softly.

Luke shook his head in the living area. "What am I supposed to do with you?"

Don shrugged, only slightly caring about the man's irritation. "I didn't run a marathon."

"And if it was one of your brothers sneaking out past you?"

"They probably wouldn't be able to, Doc."

"So I need to get an alarm for the door, that's what you're saying?"

The turtle snickered. "Only if you think I'm gonna be your patient forever."

"I read your journal, Don. I know how often things come up."

"Not with me," he defended mildly.

At Luke's incredulous glance, Donatello smiled sheepishly. "This doesn't count. I don't get in that much trouble."

"Okay. Just out of curiosity, what do you call your electrocution from three months ago?"*

The turtle blanched. "An accident? Honestly, I...didn't know you got that far in my journal."

"You can't say these things don't happen to you, Donnie, because they obviously do."

"Yeah, but it won't happen again. I made a ton of mistakes which I don't intend to repeat."

"Mistakes aren't something you intend to make. All I want to hear is that you'll respect my judgment. If I say you need to be off your feet, I'd better not catch you sneaking out again."

"Technically, I didn't sneak out."

"The fact that you had to 'ninja' your way out of the lab confirms it was wrong. Doesn't it?"

Don groaned. "Yeah. I guess. Are you this tough on all your patients?"

"No, actually. This is a new thing for me. In the ER, I'm accustomed to fixing one major problem and moving on to the next. Aftercare isn't my usual forte, so I'm adapting."

"You're kinda good at it," the turtle admitted. "It's nice to know..." Don hesitated, afraid of overstepping his boundries.

"What?" Luke pressed.

"Is this real?" he forced himself to ask. "I don't want to offend you, but I'd rather not get my hopes up either. You mean to...stick around?"

"Do you want me to stick around?"

Donatello nodded. "Yes, I would."

The man relaxed into his first smile of the night. "I'd like be around too. I meant what I said, though. If you accept me in this role, I expect to be taken seriously. I realize you have a lot more knowledge about your family, and are already deeply invested in your alternative medicines. I can also see that you're certifiably brilliant. But you still might come to find I have a few things to offer."

"That part is obvious," Donnie filled in quickly. "You know a lot more than me, Doc. In my mind, you're the genius."

"I may know more about some things, and you know more about others. The point is, I'd like to work together."

"You're the boss," Don allowed. "I will let you take that burden from me, because I don't want it."

"You're sixteen years old. The burden shouldn't belong to you."

"I already said I don't want it. Are you sure you do?" he finished impishly.

"With the stubbornness I've already witnessed in all of you? I know I'll to have to draw up some sort of agreement going forward."

Don nodded. "A contract sounds fair. I'm sure you won't be too hard on us."

The man's eyebrows rose. "It will depend on you guys, and your willingness to cooperate. For instance, when I tell you to go back to bed, and not leave the Lab until I say you can, what are you going to do?"

"Listen?" he suggested.

"Good answer. You can start right now."

*Once again...Cost of Honor.