The months passed in a blissful blur and soon it was Hope's twenty third birthday. She didn't even know if the brothers celebrated birthdays, so she decided to investigate.

Leonardo was in the dojo meditating. Hope entered and sat on front of him, leaning on her arm.

"Hello Hope." He said, opening an eye.

"When is your birthday?" She said simply.

Leonardo scrunched up his nose, she'd been living with them almost a year and she'd never asked about his birthday?

"Well, we don't really know the day we were born, but we celebrate our mutation day. Nearly twenty two years now." He smiled. "How come?"

"It's my birthday today."

"Wow really?" He said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "We should celebrate. I'll get cake."

"Hah, thanks Leo." She kissed him on his forehead and turned to leave.

That evening, Hope got stuck into her comics. Michelangelo normally joined her, but tonight he was nowhere to be seen. None of the turtles were.

Hope sighed. "This is as good a birthday as any, I suppose." She said aloud. She snuggled up into her favourite yellow jumper and rearranged her dungarees. She rarely took these clothes off, her favourite ensemble. Simple.

Michelangelo suddenly appeared in the doorway.

"Hope!"

"Hi Mikey. I thought maybe you guys had gone out early."

"We're training on the roof. Come on!" He said excitedly and scooped her up in his arms.

"Woah! Okay!" Hope stuttered.

Michelangelo swung Hope over his shoulders and she instinctively grabbed his shell as she'd done many times before. The turtles were amazing climbers and while she'd made excellent progress in scaling the buildings of New York City, sometimes it was easier, and quicker, to grab a shell and coast along.

Michelangelo was on top of the roof in seconds and Hope could not believe her eyes.

The roof was adorned with fairy lights, balloons, candles and a big banner sporting the words "HAPPY BIRTHDAY HOPE!" hung impressively on the roof top.

"Oh my god guys, this is beautiful!"

"It was all Donnie." Grinned Leonardo. "He knew it was your birthday, he was up here all day preparing this."

Donatello blushed as her eyes met his.

"It's nothing, really." He said bashfully, scratching the back of his head.

"Nothing? It's amazing!" Hope squealed and wrapped her arms around Donatello. "Thank you. Thank you all!"

A large blanket was laid out in the middle of the roof top with a buffet of food and cake, which Michelangelo had made from scratch. They all tucked in, laughing and chatting.

This is the life, thought Hope, this can't get any better. She glanced at Donatello who was staring up at the sky.

The night wore on and soon they all fell asleep under the stars. Hope stirred as Donatello laid a blanket over her shivering body. She smiled as she realised that he was returning the favour for all the times she'd kept him warm when he slumbered at his bureau.

"Hi Donnie." She yawned.

"Hi Hope, just making sure you're warm."

"D-do you want to join me?" She asked nervously, patting the space beside her. He hesitated, and she knew why, she may have been supressing her feelings for him, but it was obvious that lying with a human was not in his best interests.

"Okay." He eventually said and lay down next to her. She covered him with the blanket and they both lay looking up at the stars.

She stole a look at him and her heart fluttered. She rarely got to be so close to him and it was overwhelming. How would it even work, she pondered, tracing his face with her eyes. How would he taste? How would he feel? She'd fallen hopelessly in love with him. Not just from that first time she'd seen him and those eyes. But in the months since she'd gotten to know him, she knew he was all she ever wanted. And now she was so close to him, feeling his warmth taking over her body.

"What?" Whispered Donatello with a smirk on his face, when he realised that Hope was staring at him. She quickly looked away and flashed a sheepish grin.

"Uh- Nothing." She squirmed.

Donatello put his arm around her and pulled her close. She nuzzled into him, rubbing her cheek against his chest.

"Hope?"

"Yeah?"

"You're the best friend I've ever had."

"Back at you, Donnie." She sighed. Friend. That's all she'd ever be.