So, dear readers, thus far my story has been "canon" up until "Slash and Destroy." Obvious it has now deviated. I really dislike this fact, but I can't change everything. But I guess that's why they call it fan fiction, huh?
Also, I know it has been a long time since my last update. Things have been really hectic lately and I have been super busy, as well as going through some really hard stuff. So, thanks for all the encouragement, everyone, because without you I might not have picked this up again!
Enjoy!
Leonardo sat on the couch, absentmindedly opening and closing a small switchblade he had picked up somewhere. He couldn't remember exactly where he'd found it, but he supposed it had probably belonged to Xever or one of the Purple Dragons, who favored such street weapons. It was in such nice condition that it seemed a shame to leave it behind to rust, and so he had claimed it for himself. And while he might not go overkill like Raphael did, he figured that a turtle just can't have enough knives.
He hardly even noticed the sound of Space Heroes; he barely heard the equipment rattling around in Donnie's lab. The noisy flippers on the pinball machine didn't even reach his consciousness, and he was just barely aware of Raphael's presence on the couch next to him.
As he rhythmically flipped the blade open and shut, he couldn't think about anything but the fact that Donnie and April were actually dating each other. It delighted and infuriated him at the same time. He knew how much it meant to Donnie, and he couldn't be happier for April. But there was a million-to-one chance that any single one of them would ever find a girlfriend, and it appeared that the odds had favored Donnie.
It wasn't that Leo was jealous of April; the thought of dating April was bizarre to him. He was jealous of Donnie's relationship, not the girl.
Longingly, he thought of Karai. First, she'd been a prominent member of the Foot. Then a potential ally. Then Shredder's daughter. Mortal enemy. Now Splinter's daughter.
Did that make her his sister, then? Would she ever find out who she really was?
With a sigh, he finally returned to the present. He wondered what Raph, Donnie, and Mikey would say if they knew that they had a sister. Even worse, he wondered what they would think of him still harboring a crush for said long-lost sister.
A sound from the old turnstiles made Leo look up. Aunt Mei was walking in with a large duffel bag strapped around her shoulder and several grocery bags in each hand. Leo promptly jumped up to help her.
"Hey, Obasan," he said. "Let me give you a hand."
"Thank you, Leonardo," Aunt Mei replied. She handed him several of the grocery sacks.
"What's with the duffel, Auntie M?" asked Mikey, who had come over to help her as well.
Aunt Mei flashed a half-twist smile. "You'll find out later," she said.
Leo grinned. Aunt Mei was always bringing them surprises of some kind or another.
"So what are we making tonight?" Mikey asked, looking in the grocery bags as they walked into the kitchen.
"I thought I'd let you make something," Aunt Mei said.
"Right on!"
Leo helped them put away the groceries before walking back into the den; April had finally emerged from her room and was watching the evening news with Raph.
"Hi, April," Leo said. She hadn't been overly talkative with him for the last several months. He would be lying to himself if he didn't admit that he missed it.
April looked up at him and attempted a smile. She was obviously having a rough day.
He walked over and sat down next to her. Gesturing to the TV, he said, "I still say you'd be a better reporter than that dude."
April laughed weakly.
"Hey, can I talk to you for a sec?"
"Sure, Leo."
The two walked away from the television so that they wouldn't interrupt the others. "So, uh, are things going okay?" Even as he asked, Leo knew the answer. The circles under her eyes suggested that her overall health was in decline.
April sighed. "I guess."
"But, I mean, things are looking up, right? Sounds like Donnie's getting closer to that retro-mutagen all the time. And, I mean, you guys are going steady, so that's got to be a positive."
April smiled faintly. "Yeah." She looked at him for a moment. "What about you?"
"I'm fine," Leo said. "It's just—I've got some stuff on my mind."
"You want to talk?"
"I don't want to bother you with any of it."
"Nah, it would be nice to think about someone else's concerns for a change," April said. "Tell me."
"Okay. Well, it's kind of dumb, but…I read this, uh, story."
"Uh huh."
"So, the guy is adopted, right? And his dad's biological daughter was kidnapped when she was a baby. So the daughter is presumed dead."
A hint of suspicion flashed through April's eyes. "Okay."
"Well, this guy meets a girl, and they really hit it off, and they start dating."
April nodded.
"So then it turns out that the girl is actually the biological daughter of the guy's adoptive father. Pretty weird, huh?"
April didn't respond for a minute. "I guess that is kind of weird," she said.
"Well, anyway, they end up staying together. It's a happy ending, but it kinda makes me wonder if it's ethical."
"Because they are brother and sister?"
"Yes. I know it's not biological, but still—it seems off."
"So, Leo, why exactly are you asking me about this? I mean, if anyone would know about that kind of thing, it's probably Donnie. I'm sure he could give you a long lecture about laws, ethics, and DNA."
"Yeah," Leo sighed.
"What's this really about?" April said, raising an eyebrow.
Stupid, stupid, stupid! Leo thought. I should have known better than to open my stupid mouth. "Nothing. I just felt really weird after reading it, and I wanted your opinion.
"Plus," he added, shifting subjects, "I wanted a reason to talk to you. You've been so distant, April. I've been really, really worried about you."
April smiled weakly. "Thanks, Leo." She gave him a hug. "I think it's getting better, really. I mean, I'm still depressed and all, but I think Donnie's getting really close to the retro-mutagen. I know that nothing will make it better immediately, but having Dad back will help a lot. I feel like I have hope again."
Leo hugged April tightly before letting her go. "Well, you know I'd do anything for you, same as for my brothers, right?"
April's smile broadened. "Yeah."
Leo's words warmed April's heart. She knew how much he cared for her—placing her in equal standing as his brothers was probably the highest amount of friendly love a person could ever hope to receive. She had seen the fierceness of Leo's love for his brothers.
For a moment, she thought fleetingly of the Shakespeare play she had been studying at school. The Merchant of Venice was a detailed study in the concept of brotherly love. The teacher had mentioned that the Elizabethan era people ranked friendship as a love more pure, more steady, and more powerful than even romantic love. This was apparently a major theme for the play, though April still hated the way that Bassanio gave up Portia's ring to save Antonio. Ah, well, April thought, what did Portia expect Bassanio to do? Let Antonio be saved for free?
While she was pondering all of that, Leo walked back over to the couch and plopped down, clearly happier than he had been before their conversation. April was glad to see his mood lightened, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she was darkening everyone's moods with her gloominess.
Abruptly, Donnie popped his head out of the lab. "Hey, anyone know how soon it will be until dinner?"
Raph looked up. "How should we know?"
Donnie frowned. "I don't know, you're next to the kitchen."
"You have two legs."
With a scowl, Donnie traipsed over to the curtain that separated the den from the kitchen. "Oh, hey April!" he said, his face lighting up when he saw her. "I didn't see you there!"
"That's okay," she said. "I want to know when dinner is too. I'm feeling hungry."
"That's great!" Donnie said excitedly.
April blushed. She knew her lack of appetite was seriously concerning Donnie, but she was embarrassed by the attention.
Quickly noticing her reaction, Donnie backpedaled. "Well, I mean, you know, hunger is a very complex chemical reaction in the brain, and you know how much I get excited about chemical reactions."
"Nice recovery," Raph said sarcastically from the other side of the room.
With an icy glance in Raph's direction, Donnie said, "Let's go see when it's gonna be ready."
The two of them walked into the kitchen, where Mei and Mikey were busily preparing—something.
"It'll be just a few more minutes," Mikey said cheerily, "but our culinary feast will be ready soon."
"All right," Donnie said. "Now I know I need to wait until after dinner before I start the next phase of my research. Hopefully I won't lose my groove."
"Psh. If anyone doesn't have groove, Donnie, it's you," Mikey quipped.
Donnie glared for a moment. "What's with everyone today?" he muttered. "Is it national Haze Donatello Day?"
"Dude, that's every day," Mikey said happily.
April giggled in spite of herself.
As Donnie reddened, Mei gave him a sympathetic look. "You only bring it on yourself, you know. You react to everything, which only encourages them."
Donnie sighed. "Can I help with dinner?"
"You could set the table."
April and Donnie grabbed a stack of dishes and started to set the table for dinner. Soon, everything was ready and everyone gathered around.
April wasn't exactly sure what it was that Mikey had prepared, but it was significantly more edible than she had expected. Raph, Leo, and Donnie seemed to enjoy it, anyway. Mei gave April a knowing wink, and Splinter ate it without complaint.
Just as Mikey was getting up to clear the dishes away, Mei spoke. "Wait. I have an announcement to make."
"What is it, Aunt Mei?" Mikey asked, his eyes shiny and hopeful.
Mei smiled warmly. "I am going to be moving into the sewers with all of you."
A chorus of excitement went up around the table.
"Wow!"
"That's great!"
"Awesome!"
Mikey threw his arms around Mei and planted a kiss on her cheek. "I can't believe how totally awesome that is!" he said.
Even stoic Splinter was grinning widely.
As all of the turtles clambered up to hug Mei, April felt a sudden pang of loss. She barely remembered her own mother's hugs. Even though she knew she was part of this family too, she longed for the embrace of her own mother.
And with any luck at all, soon she would at least be able to hug her father once again.