The two sat quietly on the rooftops. Being tossed into a sudden rollercoaster of emotions had sent Casey back into a silent lapse, fueled with sadness. Dianne stared at the cloudy night sky, wondering what to do, what to think. It's not every day some kid from the future tells you that you're supposed to be his future parents. For her entire life, never once did she think about falling in love, starting a family, or even thinking about how close the future nearly came to pass when the alien invasion happened a few years back. 

Dianne had been safe with Baron Draxum hiding out in the Hidden City. Of course, that doesn't mean that the aliens had not reached the secret underground. Thanks to powerful yokai and mystics, they managed to repel the invasion before it took over and thankfully in time, otherwise the Krang would have been twice as powerful with magic on their side.

A soft sniffle escaped her as she thought over the other things her powers revealed. Dianne loves children and hoped to have a few of her tiny band of misfits one day. The future unveiled, though she hoped never to happen any time soon left her unintentionally scarred. That did bring the larger elephant in the room to light.  Dianne Rosetta was to be an Hamato.  Is a Hamato? Past and present tense will never make sense now. Casey gently tapped her shoulder in askance "You good?" She tried to convince herself that she was, but Dianne just scrubbed the tears off her face. "Y-yeah. Just, it's so much to handle."

Casey hummed, "I know how that feels. When I came here and saw their faces, the family was lost. I had no idea if I was dreaming. At that point, I wished the Krang took me away so I could reunite with the family I lost." Without turning her head from the sky, she quietly asked him what he thought of his life now. 

"I feel like I have been given a second chance. To save all of you now, and could not be more thankful for this chance." Dianne didn't know how to relate to this and Casey could see the waves of confusion weighing down on her shoulders. 

"Hey, Dianne. Look at me." 

As the two faced each other, Casey vowed to become the beacon of support in Dianne's confusion. "Look, I know this is probably the last thing you'd want to hear, but Dianne I will not fail my family a second time." He waited for the girl to show any signs of disturbance. When she didn't he continued, "I know you have no idea of who I am and what to do about this whole situation, but I would be glad to help you find your way. It's the least I can do." Dianne's hands gripped onto Casey's wrists as if he were the only tether to the real world. "Casey, I-I don't even know if I can be her."

"What do you mean?"

"Casey, I'm not THAT Dianne. I don't know if I can be her, or live like her, or... Casey, I don't have any idea about where Donnie and I stand and-"

"Dianne, I don't need you to be like that. I don't expect you to. Just be you and let me help you where I can." The girl nearly cried at how considerate this boy was. Someone she hardly knew. "Dianne, I care about you and I want to help you."

"Casey... But I've never done anything for you," she pleaded. The young man chuckled. "You being here made me feel more at home than I have felt in a long time."

---

Casey had fallen asleep a while ago. He had offered Dianne a small place to stay the night as she insisted. After the stunt she pulled, she could not bring herself to face Donatello or his family. She told her Uncle Draxum that she was fine so he wouldn't worry.

"Dianne, you know I can't help but worry. I mean, you just ran off like that." Draxum chided her. Dianne only musted a sad sigh. 

"How are the others?" she asked weakly. Draxum shrugged, "Speechless and worried, as I am, but I think Purple is taking it harder than anyone else."

Ah... so that is what that feeling is about. Since she left the lair, Dianne felt this sharp prick of loneliness and guilt but it wasn't hers. Of course, she knew it was Donnie's because she had become attuned to his aura however Draxum just confirmed that it is indeed the feeling ebbing of the purple turtle. 

The Silver Knight felt her own sadness seemingly mingle with Donnie's. Her outburst was unexpected by everyone, even herself. Dianne knew that Donnie didn't deserve her anger, after all the turtle had done nothing but care for her. 

"Dianne, I know that face." Draxum watched her carefully through the glowing mystic orb. "Tell me what's on your mind child." Even before Dianne answered, Draxum sort of knew the girl's worries.

"I... Oh, uncle, I can't believe I said that. I can't believe I did that."

Draxum kept silent and let his niece continue.

"I was just frustrated. So frustrated. Yes, my mission went south, and had Donnie not jumped in I would have gotten seriously hurt but, why oh WHY did Donnie even... how did... I just saw this blur of purple and I felt like I betrayed his trust by running away so suddenly for some solo act. Then Donnie and Leo came in to help and I just..."

Dianne sobbed, burying her head in her hands, "Drax, I was just so mad earlier. I don't even know why."

"Maybe it's because you didn't want Purple to get hurt?"

This made Dianne think for a moment. What did she feel when she saw Donnie fly in? Fear?

Yes, fear. She knows well Donatello's capability to handle himself in a fight but the moment she saw him taking on the spies Dianne swore she felt her heart rate pick up and fear took over as Donnie fought off every sweep and attack from the enemy.

He could have gotten hurt.

What else? Shame.

Dianne trusted Donnie. She just wanted to keep him away from the more gritty aspects of her life for example dealing with shady creeps from Big Mama. 

She felt ashamed for just leaving without any notice. 

What else?

What else?

After the whole confrontation at the lair.

Ah, yes. Confusion. About the whole future thing. Is it all real at all? Donatello and her? Then again, Casey Jr literally broke reality and now she saw her counterpart with Donatello from Casey's time. 

They looked so happy. She looked so happy. Donatello looked so happy. They were happy. Then, Dianne had wished and hoped that she could chase that same happiness with the same turtle. Thinking of that made her sad altogether. After her outburst, Dianne wished she had kept her mouth shut.

The shame and guilt on Donnie's face have been burned into her head. She wanted to apologize, though when people are angry they often overlook reason and forgiveness. Dianne ran. Ran away to hide and deal with this new confusion left behind.

Now, she just feels lonely and sad. A piece of her missing and distant. Part of her puzzle and part of her heart held by another.

"I ... I feel so bad, Uncle Drax."

Draxum hummed then he coaxed her into speaking her thoughts. Dianne rolled her eyes, knowing well she had not much choice but to spill the beans. 

"I was furious that Donnie intervened like that. He could have gotten hurt! What was he thinking of just jumping into a fight like that? And what am I supposed to do after Donnie dropped the whole 'him and I are a thing in the future', huh? How does that even make sense? The future boy here somehow knows my mind-reading abilities, like how convenient is that, so he shows me the future he is from, and BOOM! I see myself and DONATELLO, of all people being so happy and I see how much we went through and how much he cared and... and I... Uncle Drax, I just miss him."

So, she confessed. "I... I felt a connection to Donatello the first day I met him. He made me feel welcomed and happy and alive." Dianne took a pause and a deep breath, thinking of how else she felt. "I wish I could love like him."

Draxum, a guy who once was a man hardened for war, now smiled knowingly. Dianne, his dear niece, and may he boldly say though adopted, which he loved as a daughter, felt proud seeing her bloom into this magnificent flower. Dianne is a warrior, a kind and loving person. The only thing missing from her life so far was someone else to bring the love out of her. Lo and behold, it was Donatello. One of his original mutations. 

Draxum started to think, had he not gone through the mad scientist phase, Donnie would have not been here to love Dianne.

"I miss Donnie." That was the confirmation that Draxum needed to hear from Dianne to know that those two are tied by fate. 

To his daughter, Draxum told her the truth, "My sweet daughter, Donatello misses you as well."