(Three Weeks Later)
Raphael stood in the doorway of the Lab, watching the interaction between Donatello and Luke. He enjoyed seeing the spark of life in his younger brother's eyes again. Though Donny had yet to speak, the days following two successive stem cell transplants had shown significant improvement in both his spirit and mobility. He hadn't been able to rise from the bed on which he was lying, but Don could move everything by his own will now.
The red-masked turtle was grateful for the improvement he'd seen in Luke's temperament as well. The blond-haired doctor seemed to thrive off of working with Donatello. Raphael couldn't help grinning at the excitement that Luke was barely containing, even though he had no idea what the man had been testing with Donny.
He couldn't resist coming up behind him, and peering over Luke's shoulder. Raphael saw that his brother had one of the thin "tablet" computers on the tray in front of him, and the fingers of his right hand were tracing the over-sized touch-screen keyboard. The speed with which Donatello was typing was nowhere near his normal break-neck pace, but he pressed each letter with deliberate purpose.
Luke wasn't even looking at Donatello for the moment; he was too wrapped up in a second tablet computer that he was holding in both hands. The man started to laugh, right before he finally sensed the turtle behind him and jolted in surprise.
"Easy, Doc, don't go throwing Donny's new toys around. You break it, you bought it," Raphael teased.
"Didn't I tell you guys to start making some more noise?" Luke demanded.
"Yeah, for Brandon," Raphael emphasized. "You want us to walk around here all heavy-footed for everybody, Doc? That's not gonna happen."
"I can't for the life of me see why not," the man muttered.
"Don't you, Doc? If we don't live by it, we won't be able to do it by instinct as easily."
"Yeah, Raph," Luke said sarcastically. "I think you guys just get a kick out of scaring us every time an opportunity presents itself."
"Where do you get these ideas?" Raphael smirked, thumping Luke's shoulder.
Before the man could reply, a chime signaled from the tablet in his hand. Luke chuckled when he looked at the screen, and Raphael glanced over his shoulder to see a message field.
"You caught us, Doc."
Raphael gripped Luke's shoulder harder as his head jerked up to look at Donny. His brother gave him a half smile and raised his good hand in greeting.
"Doc, you didn't tell us you had him talking!"
Luke shook his head. "I just discovered that he could put sentences together, Raph. I've been testing him every day and have seen some progress with words, but nothing like this. I didn't expect him to be this far along when I gave him the computer today!"
Another chime had both of them looking down at the same time.
"Focus over here please? You know, with the guy who hasn't talked in over a month?"
Raphael laughed. "Figures you'd go all 'genius' on him, Donny. You're the same as you always were."
"Sorry, Don, we're not trying to talk over you," Luke explained. "It's great to hear from you, even if it isn't out loud. You have to be bursting with all of the things you'd like to say."
The man held the tablet up further so that Raphael could see it more easily while they patiently waited for Donatello to tap out a reply. The red-masked turtle was so excited that his right leg was shaking.
"You have no idea. You're going to have to pry this thing away from me, Doc."
"Ha," Luke inserted. "You're still going to have to sleep at some point. I control your IV."
Donatello shook his head at Luke as his fingers returned to the screen. "You would hold that over my head."
Luke smiled. "Hey, I know how to get my patients to follow orders. You can go to town right now though; I'm not about to stop you. In fact, I'm going to go tell everyone that you're finished playing hard to get."
Don rolled his eyes. "Yeah. That's what it was."
"I'm going to grab your wife, so don't forget how to type before we get back," Luke called sardonically before handing the computer to Raphael, and heading out the door.
Raphael cradled the tablet carefully in his hands, watching the screen for Donny's words more than the visual cues upon which he'd gotten used to having to rely.
"Make sure you tell Doc that wasn't funny."
Raphael snorted. "Oh, I got you covered on that one, Bro. I don't know about this computer thing though; I almost feel like I could break it in half. Why the shell is it so small?"
He watched his brother's face this time as he typed a reply, marveling at the calm ease in Donatello's features. This isn't hard for him to do. He almost looks…normal.
The message alert tone broke Raphael out of thought, and he looked down at the screen.
"It's the nature of technology, Raph. Everything gets smaller as time goes on. Be gentle, okay? I really like the tablets."
"I like 'em too, Donny, if they're gonna make it easier for you to talk to us. The thing is a lot lighter than one of your laptops."
Donatello nodded and Raphael grinned at him.
"You sound like your old self, Bro. I don't know how to tell you how relieved I am."
His younger brother practically beamed in response. "I think I have some idea, Raph. How would you like to be cooped up inside your own head for a month?"
"I wouldn't. I'd have probably gone mad, especially considering everything going on around me." Raphael heard raised voices from the living area, and what sounded like a rush of feet. "Uh oh, Don. I think you're about to get hit by a tidal wave."
"Bring it on, Raph, just keep my tablet safe, huh?"
"I'll try, Donny, but something tells me that your wife is gonna rip it out of my hands the minute she gets here."
"The chances of that are almost certain."
"Is there anything you want to say before the whole family comes down on you at once?"
"Yeah. Could you find one of my masks? I'm tired of feeling so naked."
Raphael chuckled under his breath. "I'll rustle one up for you, Bro. You just hang tight and watch out for the stampede."
The last couple of hours had been a blur for Donatello. He sensed the exhilaration in faces and voices of the others around him, even if he could only express his by machine for now. It's a major step up from being trapped in my head, he reminded himself. I can recall when I used to wish that I could have a chance to hear myself think. Now I'd give just about anything to be able to make a sound.
But this is progress. Caleb said it would be months before the full effects of the transplants would kick in. I need to be grateful for everything I've regained.
Family and friends had filtered through the room in pairings, despite Raphael's prediction of a tidal wave. That figures. Doc doesn't want me to get overwhelmed. I think I overdid it as it is, but I don't really care. The ability to share his thoughts and ask questions of someone else was a gift that he swore he'd never take for granted again. It's amazing that we don't realize how great we've got it, until we have to lose something.
Donatello had fed off the enthusiasm and excitement of the others, and had managed to even pick up a little more speed as he had continued to use the tablet as his messenger. Now the small computer was set aside, and he was supposed to be resting. Don was physically and mentally exhausted, but he didn't want to relinquish to sleep.
Don closed his eyes for a few seconds at a time, only to reopen them to gaze at Jenna. The raven-haired woman was sitting patiently at his right side, and he'd caught her dozing off a couple of times. When he looked at her this time, she smiled.
"Doc is going to make me leave if you don't get some sleep, Donny."
His eyes traveled to the tray where both tablets had been set aside. Jenna followed the direction of his glance, then looked over her shoulder at the door.
"Okay," she whispered, as if someone else would hear. "I don't think Doc is going to be gone very long, so we have to make this quick."
Jenna slid the tray around to where the purple-masked turtle would be able to reach it, and picked up one of the tablets for herself. Donny grinned at the way that her black hair flailed around her face as she hurried, and was too caught up in the sight to turn on the computer right away.
"I mean it, Donny, Luke could be back any second. Talk fast!"
Donatello depressed the button on his tablet, and gestured to her machine to remind her to turn it on too. The surface of the screen felt nothing like a regular keyboard, but the smooth coolness wasn't objectionable. Definitely isn't hard to get used to.
He smiled shyly at the young woman as he delivered the one message that he really longed to share. "I want you."
His words had the desired effect of making her laugh.
"You're not even on heavy drugs, are you?" she asked.
"I told you not to mention that day ever again."
"I'm sorry, Don, but you left yourself open for that."
Donatello thought for a couple of seconds before responding more seriously. "This has been really hard for me, Jen. I've missed you so much. Maybe that's why I don't want to sleep, even though I know I should."
"Yes, you should," she said pointedly. "But I've missed you too, Donny. We've all been going a little crazy waiting for some good news. Getting to talk to you today is almost the best thing I could have asked for."
"Almost?"
Her light blue eyes averted for a moment, and then met his. "Well, yes, Donny. I miss your voice too. It's one of the most soothing sounds in the known universe. But that doesn't mean I'm not ecstatic to hear from you, because I am."
"You've been so great through all of this, Jen."
Jenna shook her head. "I've been a real mess sometimes, Don, I just never wanted you to see it."
The turtle gave her a pained look. "I'm sorry that I put you through this."
"Donny, this is in no way your fault," she contradicted. "You were attacked."
Donatello nodded. "I understand that much. But if I'd used a different method to try and escape, this never would have happened."
"We've all been over that night 1,000 times, and it hasn't helped anyone. This is one of the happiest moments I've had since you were injured, Donny. Don't ruin it with an apology," she chided lightly.
"You're so great, Jen. You don't know how good it feels to have you here with me."
She made a scoffing sound. "All I've done is sit around on my lazy bum, except for when Raphael's dragged me into the dojo, or one of the other girls got me involved in some small task. I tried to keep busy with a couple of things, but nothing ever took my mind off you."
He gave her an impish smile. "That's why you're the best…and I still want you."
Jenna laughed as she set her tablet aside and leaned over him. Her skin against his cheek felt warm and reassuring. He raised his hand to run his fingers through her dark hair, sighing inwardly as she kissed him.
The young woman pulled the tray out of the way to give herself more room, but she barely had a chance to get an arm around his neck before the door to the Lab popped open. Don looked over and saw Luke roll his eyes.
"I keep forgetting not to leave you guys to your own devices. You need sleep, Donny," Luke said firmly.
The purple-masked turtle tapped Jenna's arm, motioning toward the tablet. The woman grabbed it for him, and Donatello waited for Luke to pick up the other device.
"I need her too."
Luke looked like he was going to object, but he couldn't stifle a smile. "Do you know how impossible it is to get mad at you right now?"
"That's what I'm counting on, Doc."