Leo cringed involuntarily as he knocked on Mikey's door. "Mikey? It's Leo."
"It's open," Mikey said, sounding moody.
Bracing himself, Leo opened the door and walked in. Mikey sat on the bed, fiddling around absentmindedly with his nunchuks. He didn't look up. Donnie was sitting at the foot of the bed, and looked curiously at Leo as he walked in. "So. Um, listen, Mikey."
"I'm not gonna give up," Mikey said, a strange growl to his voice.
"You been taking talking lessons from Raph?" Leo sat down on the bed next to Donnie. "I came in here to tell you that you're right – we can't give up based on what we know now."
Mikey's whole face lit up. "Really?"
"Yeah. Even Sensei said so. I bet if you'd stuck around, he'd have told you himself."
"I'm sorry. It's just…sometimes I feel like me an' April are the only ones who believe we can change this."
"I know. It's hard to look at the situation and be hopeful at the same time. It's especially hard for Raph…" He paused, realizing that it wasn't just Raph who struggled. "And me. But, after you left, Splinter said it's completely possible to accept the present reality and hope for the best. We have to accept that Donnie is – is gone – for now…"
"He's not gone," Mikey said, folding his arms.
"I know, but his mind is – "
"No, that's here too. Right there in that little turtle noggin of his."
Leo sighed. "That's not what I mean…"
"Donnie is still in there! I'll prove it to you. Look, he responds to me. Hey, Donnie! Donnieeee…Donnie!"
The little turtle didn't move at all. Leo's heart broke a tiny bit. "Mikey…"
"No, no, no…it's not his name he responds to. Check this out. Hey, Donnie, what's this button do?"
Immediately, Donnie whipped his head around and stared at Mikey with what could only be described as a look of terror.
"See?" Mikey said. "That's exactly the look that Donnie always used to give me if I asked him that."
"I – I don't believe it," Leo breathed.
"I told you he's in there, Leo." As Mikey spoke, Donnie's attention wandered. He laid his head down and closed his eyes. "Watch, he'll do it again. Hey, Donnie, can I touch this?"
Once again, the turtle looked at Mikey with fearful eyes.
Leo laughed – not just because it was funny, but because it meant that maybe, just maybe, his brother really truly wasn't gone. "Hey, Mikey, stop touching Donnie's stuff!"
Donnie looked at Leo this time.
"See?" Mikey said. "If we're in his lab, he freaks out even more. One time, he hid in his shell, and another time, he bit me."
Leo's t-phone buzzed; immediately, he pulled it out to check. "It's from Karai. Splinter told me to ask her when she can come so we can get a little more information. Huh. She says she wants to meet at Aunt Mei's tonight."
"We're gonna see Aunt Mei tonight? Sweet!"
Leo felt more than a little uncomfortable. As far as he knew, Karai hadn't seen Mei since the welcome home party they threw for her two weeks ago, and since Raph's dislike of Karai was largely triggered by Mei's injuries…
Still, Raph had been on his best behavior for the party, and he'd probably put on a good face tonight, too.
But if Karai was there to bring bad news…there was no telling how that would effect him.
"…and we'll have to make some of those awesome rice rolls that she and Mom used to make…"
Leo's focus returned to the present. "Mom?"
Mikey blushed. "Well…I mean…if Splinter's our adopted dad, and Mei's our adopted aunt, and Karai's our adopted sister…then that would make Tang Shen our adopted mom, right?"
"I…guess…but, we never even knew her."
"I know, but…I guess I never thought about Tang Shen as anybody but Sensei's wife, but now…I think I know what it mighta been like if she'd been around, you know? And she woulda been our mom. She woulda cooked for us and read us stories and sung us lullabies and stuff."
It was true enough. But thinking of Tang Shen as his adopted mother made his stomach go sour. To think that he still liked Karai – Tang Shen's daughter, his sister…
But we're not biologically related, he told himself.
What was wrong with him? What kind of sicko even tried to justify that kind of thing? He needed to get his head on straight, and fast.
"I know it's a little weird. Don't tell Sensei – it'll make him sad."
As if he just remembered that Mikey was sitting there, Leo clapped Mikey on the shoulder. "It makes perfect sense to me, Mikey. And I don't think Splinter would mind. I think it would make him glad to know you think that about her."
"What would make whom glad about whom?" Splinter knocked on the door as he entered.
"Oh, yeah, Mikey – Splinter told me to tell you that he was gonna come talk to you," Leo said.
"Sorry for yelling, Sensei," Mikey said, his face immediately apologetic.
Leo stood up. "I'll go practice my kenjutsu now. Oh, Sensei, Karai texted me back. She said that she'd meet us at Aunt Mei's tonight."
Splinter raised an eyebrow. "Oh? That is good."
Leo didn't need to ask about Splinter's facial expression. He knew that Splinter was worried about Karai's and Mei's first meeting in two weeks just like he was.
As Leo left, he heard Mikey's voice behind him. "Check it out, Sensei – hey Donnie! What's this button do?"
I'll make this right, Donnie, Leo thought, setting his teeth. No matter what the Kraang say. We'll find a way. Somehow.
I promise.
"Okay, Mei. Tilt your head back just a little." April poured the big cup of warm water over the top of Mei's head, rinsing out the last few shampoo bubbles. She took a bottle of conditioner and squeezed a blob into her hand, then started working it through Mei's raven locks. "I really love your hair, you know that?"
"I do," Mei said wearily. "You tell me almost every time you help me with this."
"Well, it's because it's awesome."
It's because I'm trying to cheer you up.
April knew that Mei hated the fact that she couldn't bathe alone. She knew what that felt like – when Mei had helped April bathe, April had felt totally humiliated.
"Thank you," Mei said softly. "Oh. I forgot to ask. How was the social worker?"
"Oh, that! It went fine. She seemed totally convinced that everything was just fine, and wished us luck! Then Dad told me that I had to work on trigonometry."
"I'm so glad to hear that. And how is your father's search for employment going?"
"He still hasn't heard anything back from the institutes he applied at, and his old job is already filled. He said he's about ready to start working retail again."
"Well, it's good that he's willing to keep his options open."
April poured more water over Mei's head to get the conditioner rinsed away. "All right. You're clean now." She handed a big fluffy towel to Mei and allowed Mei to dry off whatever she could with her good arm.
"I appreciate your help, April," Mei said. "I'm sorry that you have to do this, but I do appreciate it. The thought of having a stranger help me…"
"It's all right. I want to help you. You helped me, after all."
Mei smiled weakly. "And I'd help you again in a heartbeat."
"What outfit do you want to wear today? What about that grey skirt and that comfy shirt with the cherry blossom design on it?"
"Whatever you pick is fine, April."
"Okay. I'll be right back." April ran to Mei's room and went to the closet. She pulled out the soft jersey cotton skirt and the shirt. She wanted Mei to wear clothes that were comfortable, but not schlubby. If she felt pretty, maybe it would help her mood.
As April was pulling a fresh set of undergarments out of the drawer, her phone went off. Leo was calling her. She unlocked the phone and answered. "Hey, Leo." She cradled the phone between her ear and shoulder so she could keep working. "What's up?"
"Hey, April. Do you think Aunt Mei would be up for a lot of company tonight?"
"Umm, I can ask her. How much is 'a lot'?"
"Like…everybody. Including Karai. She's found out some developments, and she wants everyone to hear them, I guess."
April's heart leapt. "About Donnie?"
There was a long pause. "Yeah."
The tone of his voice made her mouth go dry. "Is – is it…"
"We just don't have enough info to go on. Karai will explain everything, I'm guessing. Is Aunt Mei okay with it?"
"Let me check." April tried to ignore the feeling of lead tied to her feet as she went to the bathroom. "Mei, is it okay if everybody comes here tonight?"
"As long as everybody understands that I am in no way going to be a good hostess."
"I'm pretty sure they'lll understand if you don't prepare them a twenty-course meal, or any meal, for that matter."
"Mikey said he'd make something," Leo interjected.
"Mikey will bring the food," April said. She gave Mei an evaluating look. "Do you think you're up to it? Karai said she has some news."
"Miwa is coming?" Mei's eyes lit up. "I mean, Karai?"
"That's what Leo said."
"Then yes. Absolutely."
"She said it's fine, Leo," April said.
"All right. See you tonight, around nine," Leo said.
They exchanged goodbyes and hung up. "All right, Mei," April said. "I've got your clothes picked out. Are you all dried off?"
"Mostly," Mei said. The brief expression of joy was gone from her face, replaced with something like depression.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes. I have – I have had a hard time sleeping lately."
April frowned. Was Mei having nightmares? "Why?"
"I am not sure. Will you stay for a bit and help straighten up the place?"
"Absolutely," April said.
After Mei was all dressed and ready for the rest of the day, April went to the kitchen to make lunch. She peeked out into the living room area to make sure Mei was all right.
Mei was staring at her weapons. A single tear clung to her eyelashes.
April wanted to ask what was wrong, but thought better of it. It could get tiring having people checking on you every moment.
She knew that firsthand.
Still, she hated seeing Mei like this. Mei, who was so strong and independent.
Everything will be better eventually, April thought. You'll get better, and we'll get Donnie back, and everything will go back to normal.
If there even was such a thing as 'normal.'