FutureBoy: Hey, commander. Dianne is staying over at my place. Don't worry about her too much, she's had a long day. Also, pass her message on. She wants everyone to know that she'll be back in about two days. PS, tell Uncle Tello not to worry too much. She will come around eventually.

---

April's feet bounced, easily mirroring her nervousness. Dianne was a no-show all day and the Hamato family decided to respectfully give her much-needed space. At that expense, Donatello had a sudden burning need to disappear to his 'thinking spot' as he names it. "Donnie, I think you should just calm down for a sec," said the curly-haired brunette ducked just in time to avoid a flying toaster. "And maybe you should stop flinging metal cooking objects around the room?"

Out of a mountain of science, Donnie absentmindedly waved his sister away with a light shoo-shoo. "April, I can't just leave without my most favored gadget." The purple turtle stuck his head deeper into the pile of tools rather frustratedly. "AHA! I found it." In his hand, April could see a slender purple wristband. "What's that?" 

"This is a cloaking device." Stepping away from her, Donnie slapped the bracelet on and tapped on it a single time. A flash of purple, (what other color do you expect), shrouded him head to toe and when it disappeared, a young man with tan skin stood in his place. As much as Donnie took pride in his inventions, April who just got the shock of her life gave him a hard chop on his head as her cat-like reflexes kicked in. "OWWW! April, what the heck?!"

"DONNIE?! OH HAMATO'S ABOVE WHAT HAPPE- MMHPHHH!" Donnie slapped his hands over April's mouth while looking around frantically. "April, calm down. It's still me, Donatello!"

"mfmfhm!" The curly-haired woman mumbled into his hand before 'attacking' him.

"Wh-What? EWWW APRIL!" the purple tur- Human, pulled back his hands in disgust. "DID YOU LICK MY HAND?!"

"DONATE-" Before she could shout again the now-human turtle shushed her immediately, "FIRST OF, don't freak out! Second..." he continued now in a hushed tone, "how are you even surprised? I literally transformed in front of you." Honestly, April tried to refrain from choking Donnie to death, "Well, warn me next time. What did you think I would do if you suddenly decided to mutate into a human? If that is even remotely possible."

"Sister mine, mind you it's a 40/60 percent chance of mutating into a human. Still, my point goes. Why did you even lick my hand, April!? YOU LICKED MY HAND!" April laughed and shook her head to hopefully rid of the remaining shock. "Fine, fine. I'm sorry. But could you at least tell me why you're in a meat sack?" Surprisingly, said turtle did not go into speech mode, "Plot purposes," he replied vaguely while deactivating his new cloaking device.

"What plot?"

"Oh, you know, nothing your 3rd-dimensional brain can handle." Whatever that was, April refused to question Donnie on the weirdness he spewed, instead opting to rake her eyes over his lab. "Geez, Donnie. Your lab is a mess."

The purple turtle simply nodded while he dug around for something new to tinker with. In fact, April soon came to notice that there was a mass of different tinkering on the floor. Some were welded into odd shapes, some crafted into small sculptures of flowers and some remained unfinished, which in all took refuge littered across the floor. Oh dang, the symptoms were there.

"Hey, Don?" she asked and the purple ninja turtle replied with a hum. "When was the last time you slept?" For a moment, the hissing sound of soldering that he was doing paused. 

"Two days ago, dear sister." Ah, it's all coming together. Classic Donnie overthink, April sighed to herself. Instead of beating around the bush like she normally would, April chooses to metaphorically beat sense into her brother's head through the bush.

"So, two days you mean like two days ago when you accidentally dropped the bomb that you and Dianne were a hot, spicy, and cozy thing back one branch of an apocalyptic future overrun by Krangg aliens and that future boy Casey is living proof that he is in fact from the future who time traveled back to the past just in time to help us save the entire planet from the Krangg, so you accidentally revealed the whole shebang out of the blue at ABSOLUTELY the wrong timing because you care about her so deeply and don't want to see someone you really, really, really, admire and love; by the way that was three really's, get hurt?"

There was a deadbeat of silence where Donatello quietly cursed the great detective likeness of the brunette. Setting down his things, Donnie turned to look at April with almost absolutely no reaction. 

"... That's a major stretch but,"

"I KNEW it!" April snapped her finger and Donnie rolled his eyes in annoyance and sank into his chair. "I KNEW IT! You, sir, are avoiding her!" Donatello gave her the side eye, "Avoiding you, you mean, and my family? Why, yes I am if it saves me from the lecture Dr. Feelings, Draxum, and Papa have undoubtedly prepared for me." Donnie was immediately greeted with a harsh slap to the back of his head. 

"Don't act smart with me, Don. You should know, I bought you a chance away from those lectures so you better start listening to me before I drag Mikey, Drax, and Splints down here." The softshell turtle challenged her with a look saying ' I dare you' to which April threatened rather sweetly with the options of getting Leo and Raph to hold him down for the lecture. "Sweet Gallileo, fine, you win." Donnie pouted. "But did you have to put it that way? I mean, hot, spicy, and cozy? Not to mention admire?" he laughed light-heartedly.

April simply shook her head with mild amusement and leaned on Donnie's desk, one of her hands playing with a small orchid sculpture. "Well, I'm not all wrong right?" 

"I don't know about the first part and neither am I sure about .... love"

"Love?" April and Donnie said at the same time, the latter having a drop in his smile. "So, I don't see you denying love?" mused April. Donnie smiled sadly, "I don't know. April, I don't even know where I stand with Dianne."

"I just messed everything up" So, April tried to comfort the turtle, "Dee, we all know you meant for the best. It's just... "

"Complicated? A mistake? Yeah, it was." Donnie frowned, "I should have just kept my mouth shut and be done with it. Let her live her life. I mean, we don't even know if Dianne and I would end up together, right?"

After all, science and love do not mix.

"I mean, sure we were a ... thing? But that was in a separate timeline where the Krangg managed to take over the world and here in our reality, the Krangg are defeated so whatever happened in the future should have no possibility of occurrence in the now. Of course, that does not explain why Casey is still here cause if the future was changed Casey Jr's probability of existing should be almost none and..." April leaned forward and gently squeezed Donnie's shoulder with her free hand, "Dee, I get it but your rambling out of stress."

Donnie felt his bottom lip quiver, "Damn, April. I just.... science and love do not mix." Standing up Donnie began to pace around, "Look, I care about Dianne, I admit. Though now I think she would not even want to see my face because I have possibly scared the shit out of her and chased her away for good and I'd probably never get to be close to her again. I care for her deeply and that scares me, April!"

Then he confessed, "April, I felt a connection to her the day I met her and when Casey Jr told me about her relationship with me in the future he came from, I wanted to deny everything but I couldn't because I felt so calm and happy around her. It is as if I have known her in another life. When I saw the risk of her getting hurt back at the Hidden City with that evil baron of the north, and when she went on her solo mission I just had to do something to protect her with all my heart because she already has my heart."

Needless to say, April was left gawking. It was so rare to see the Hamato Donatello open up. His family always knew that Donnie cared and loved so much but to see him express it with such passion is truly something like a miracle. Just like when he cried over Leo trapping himself in the decaying Krangg dimension in an attempt to save his family redeem himself and save the future. Just like when he cried to his father, Hamato Yoshi, about nearly losing him and his brothers and sister in the fight with the Shredder. Donnie cares and his family knows it. Sometimes, it's the genius himself that seems to fall short of realizing it.

"And there we have it," April went over to stand beside her younger brother. Cupping his face and smiling proudly, "I'm so proud of you Donnie." The turtle was confused, "Proud of what?"

"I'm proud that you are finally giving yourself the chance to realize love, Dee. I have known you since we were kids and you had your silent way of caring but seeing you grow and care boundlessly shows how much you've grown, Donnie. I speak for you brothers, Papa, and myself that we are all proud of you." Donnie bit his lip and small tears seeped out of his eyes. Lunging forward, he engulfed his sister in a hug mumbling his thanks into her fluffy hair. 

The ring of Leo's portal echoed in the lab. Donnie sighed and released his sister but this time, instead of chasing the rest of his brothers away he let them tackle him into a much-needed group hug. "So... you guys heard all that, huh?"

Leo smirked, "You're not going to chase us out?", making Donnie grin. "Not this time, brother."

Mikey squealed with joy, "I always knew you were the family's lover boy".

"Raph is very proud of you," Raphael pulled Donatello into a gentle hug. Finally, Splinter cleared his throat to get Donnie's attention. 

"My sweet purple," Yoshi cooed to his baby purple. In his hands, Hamato Yoshi handed Donnie a small gift. Donnie knelt to meet his dad. "Hey, Dad." 

Splinter smiled, "I think it's time you get into the Hamato secrets of flirting techniques and win back your orchid." With a wink, Splinter patted his son on the head. 

With renewed hope, Donnie wanted to try his best to chase his dear Dianne. "Wait, Donnie! Hold on," she tugged on his arm and placed something into his palm. Winking, she gave Donnie that last piece of encouragement, "I think this would be a nice gift for her, no?"

Raising an eyebrow, he looked upon the metal carving. Oh... it is his favorite orchid. The same orchid that symbolized everything Dianne meant to him. 

Either way, Donnie was determined to get Dianne back.

And it's losing you I can't believe

To watch you leave and let this feeling die

He could not let his feelings down. He would not let Dianne down.

You alone are the living thing that keeps me alive
And tomorrow if I'm here without your love

Dianne is part of his life, as much as he is to hers.

You know I can't survive

Hamato Donatello knew his sweet demise as a man in love and he would not have it any other way. 

Only my love can raise you high above it all

Deep down he has been feeling the pang in Dianne's soul. The rift between them hurt her just as much. She felt lonely.

So... Donnie said,

Don't throw it all away, our love, our love

While in future boy's house, Dianne feels the missing warmth only Donatello seemed to provide. She did miss him dearly, so she said, 

Don't throw it all away, our love

\

\

\

<3