April counted the cracks in the ceiling. She forgot those were there. They were small but connected to each other like wannabe spider webs crawling across the ceiling. How did she not notice that growing up?

The red head glanced at the clock. It was now one in the morning and she still couldn't sleep. It was weird. April would have thought that, by being able to sleep in her own bed back home, she'd be able to sleep better knowing she was back in her and her dad's apartment. But no. She was wide awake and she knew sleep wouldn't come any time soon.

She slipped out of bed, feeling how cold it was in the room, her bare legs automatically gaining goose bumps. Outside, the rain tapped against the window and claps of thunder and lightning now and then filled the sky.

Even when she got her dad back, he had been critically injured and put into the hospital. Not wanting to risk her going back out into the public eye in case the Kraang were to somehow come back after their defeat, they insisted on her staying with them but she wanted to try living in the apartment her dad had raised her in. Just until her dad recovered.

April stood up and walked out of her room, holding her arms to stay warm. She knew she could turn the heat on, but she and her dad hadn't lived there for almost a year now. The water had been turned off; she wouldn't be surprised if the heater didn't work either. Donnie was planning on fixing that for her so she could be comfortable staying there.

Donatello...April stopped in her tracks. It was weird to think that they had been technically together for a few months now. In the midst of chaos, he had confessed to her and kissed her; unafraid of her rejecting him because he knew he could die.

At first, April didn't know how to react. But she realized, deep down, she could love him. And in the end, she did. It was a slow and awkward process, but he was patient and kind and ended up being the guy she both had been looking for and needed.

Standing there in the hallway of the apartment, April suddenly felt so...alone. The place had once been filled with life and love now remained a cold and distant memory. Her mind drifted to the mutant in purple, wondering what he was up to.

April's eyes glided over to where her T-Phone was, her mind lost in thought. Would he pick up? They probably wouldn't be patrolling in the rain. No use. Would he be asleep? Would she be bothering him?

She took the phone into her thin fingers and pressed the button that had his number on speed dial. April held it to her ear and waited. It rung twice before Donnie's anxious voice answered the phone.

April opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. She stood there, urging herself to say something. Anything. But she couldn't. She shouldn't have called over feeling lonely. It was stupid.

She hung up and flung her phone away, walked back into her room and collapsed onto her bed with a heavy sigh. April stared back up at the web pattern on the ceiling. Had she lost her mind? Just because he was her boyfriend didn't mean she should call him whenever over stupid things.

Five minutes probably didn't even pass by when she felt a presence near the front door. April sat up, stiff, but relaxed upon realizing it wasn't a threatening presence. She peeled herself from her bed and tip toed through the apartment and to the door.

April slowly rose on her toes and peered through the peep hole. There, in a purple hoodie soaked to the brim, was Donatello. He seemed to hesitate, unsure if he should knock or not despite having a key.

The red head dropped back down onto her feet and swung the door open. Donatello was gone from the front door but hung from a bar connected to the metal framework of the apartment.

The mutant looked at her in surprise; his body soaked and glimmered in the moonlight. He looked as though April had caught him about to leave. He stared at her, his mouth lightly open.

April stared at the clothes he wore: a purple hoodie with the hood pulled up over his head and jeans that clung to his muscled body from running in the rain just to see her. She had bought him the clothes for him to wear so she could try to get him in public more when it's not in the middle of the night so they could look more like a normal couple rather than a nocturnal one.

The red head didn't remember willing her body to move, but in a few steps, she stood in front of Donatello, their bodies separated by the metal railing. The rain poured down on her, instantly soaking her hair and yellow nightgown.

April could feel herself lightly tremble from the cold and lifted her right hand to grasp part of Donnie's hoodie, stepping as close as she could to where the metal bars were pressed against her legs.

Donnie chuckled, flashing his infamous gapped tooth smile. He let go of the rail with one hand and wrapped it around her as though to keep her warm. April rested her other hand on his left arm, searching his face.

It amazed her how human he came off. More often than not, she forgot he was even a mutant. Forgot he wasn't fully human. But in the clothes she bought him...she couldn't tell he wasn't a human at all.

April brought her hand up and tugged at his hood, forcing his face down and drew his lips to hers in a kiss. They were bitterly cold and slick from the rain, but they brought warmth to her heart.

When she broke the kiss, she could feel his warm breath on her face. It brought chills to her, wanting to wrap herself in that warmth. April took a step back and Donnie smiled at her, so much love in his eyes. He turned to leave but she reached out for him and grabbed his sleeve. "Wait..."

Donnie looked back at her in surprise. April felt her lips tremble, her hair sticking to her face, the rain blinding her senses. She found her voice and tried to look at him through the downpour.

"You should come in...get dry." She said weakly. April licked her lips, even though they weren't chapped. "Just until the rain stops?"

Donnie searched her eyes and then nodded. He climbed over the railing and slipped her hand into his. She guided him inside and he closed the door behind him, the water from their bodies and clothes already forming puddles on the ground.

April nodded in the direction of her room. "Make yourself at home. I'll get us some towels." She broke her hand away from his and instantly missed it. She walked the short distance to the bathroom and took a bundle of towels into her arms.

She walked into her room to find Donnie standing there, dripping wet. The carpet had soaked through, but April didn't care. The moonlight reflected off of his skin and clothes and she felt her heart skip a beat.

April sat the towels down and took one and walked over to him. She reached up and began to gently dab at his cheeks, soaking up the water. She gently brushed the towel over his skin and took in every scar, blemish and appreciated how smooth and soft it was.

The red head glanced up into his eyes and froze. He looked down at her through the shadow of the hood, a soft smile on his face and his eyes slightly hooded with emotions he felt for her.

Donatello gently held her wrist in place and ducked his head down and stole a kiss from her lips. His touch was intoxicating. She could smell the musky scent of whatever soap he used back at the lair and suddenly missed being able to walk into the bathroom and smelling the scents Donatello bathed himself in.

April dropped the towel, the piece of cloth long forgotten. She clutched at the hoodie, enjoying the deep kisses he gave her and she gave back to him. She broke the kiss, leaned her head back for air.

The mutant placed a firm hand on her back and trailed his kisses from her mouth, to her jaw and then her neck. The feeling made April want to close her eyes. She forgot about being cold, sad, or lonely. How could she feel those when she was with him?

April traced the folds in the hoodie and tugged at them. Donatello broke away from her and helped her guide the article of clothing over his head and dropped it to the floor to be forgotten along with the towel.

It was funny how April had no idea the boys could take of their shells until recently. It was just something that the boys were used to. Splinter treated them more like turtle children than human children, feeding them a turtle diet and when they outgrew their shells he would make more for them.

April traced her finger down Donatello's toned torso. Human torso. The skin had scars here and there from when he was battered in battle, his plastron breaking now and then, but for the most part the skin was untouched. Just a beautiful masterpiece of muscle behind flesh.

It was hard for him to wear clothes around her, wanting to show his more human side than believing he was more turtle, but she appreciated the gesture. It was sweet. And it was odd getting used to the fact that he was now more human than ever.

The red head didn't wait. She slipped her fingers through the belt loops of his jeans and dragged him to her until their hips touched. A blush crept on his face and she could see his smile in the darkness. April felt herself smile back.

Their lips connected once more and April closed her eyes as she focused her senses on his lips against hers and the way his hands guided over her body with such delicate care.

His fingers traced her hips, grazed her rib cages and stroked her back. Donatello's touch made her shakily inhale as he kissed her, feeling her whole body go weak with small spasms.

April dragged her fingers over the toned muscles of his arms, the shape of his torso, the softness of his neck and smoothness of his head. She loved how he seemed made for her, how every dip of his muscle and shape of his frame fit perfectly in her fingers and the palm of her hand.

The red head gently gave him a push and he stepped back with her as her bed came in contact with his legs and he was forced to sit down. She crawled onto his lap and slowly slid the damp nightgown off of her. She let it fall to the ground as cold air kissed her skin, instantly hardening her nipples. She drew in a breath and connected her eyes with Donnie's.

He stared back, eyes slightly wide. They trailed down her body and he lightly gasped under his breath at the sight. April drew his face back up to hers and kissed him. He kissed back, their lips slowly entwining with one another.

Donatello broke the kisses and began to drag his lips over her jaw and down her neck once more, lightly biting at the tender, cold skin that earned him light gasps from April. He drew his kisses down her chest and took the tip of one breast into his mouth and lightly sucked.

April felt herself buckle, a groan escaping her lips. Donatello quickly placed his hands on her back to keep her from bucking away from the pleasure he brought her, holding her close to him as he sucked again.

The red head closed her eyes and took shaky breaths, sweat beading on her forehead. Donatello quickly switched to the other breast and sucked on that and earned another groan from April who quickly clasped her hand over her mouth, redness forming in her cheeks.

Donnie broke his mouth away from her breast and took her hands in his, leading them away from her face and grazed his thumb over her reddened cheek, her blue eyes wide.

"You're beautiful," he breathed.

April could only smile, love shining in her eyes. She slid off his lap and gently tugged at his jeans, the wet soaked cloth clinging to his muscled legs. With a little help from the mutant, they dragged the jeans off and let it fall to the ground in a wet pile.

She blushed, trying not to stare. It was hard to imagine she had him laying on her bed. Naked. Was this really happening? In the darkness, he looked so human. April dragged her eyes along his face, torso, hips, and at the route of his sex that, too, was like a regular man's.

April didn't know what she had been expecting, but it made her silently sigh in relief to know that the man before her really was no different than a boy she could have fallen in love with at school or on the street.

She brought her eyes back up to his, the redness of his orbs seeming to be glowing in what moonlight there was in the room. April crawled over his lap and into his awaiting arms and kissed him in the dark.

Donatello dragged his hands down her body so slowly it made April's knees weak. His fingers dragged themselves down her sides and tugged at her underwear. April had forgotten about those: the last article of clothing keeping them from continuing the night.

In one swift move, Donatello pulled her into a kiss and flipped them, gracefully tugging the underwear off of her and tossing them behind him, not caring where they land.

April fell back to the bed and opened her eyes to gaze up at the man above her. In the darkness, he was a mere shadow whose features were faintly lit by the full moon outside.

The redness of his eyes seemed to scan her face before connecting with her blue orbs, searching them too as though looking for a silent answer. April took his face in her hands and brought his down to hers, their lips finding each others'.

Donatello took her hands in his and stretched her arms above her head, interlacing her fingers with his. He lowered himself down onto her. His kisses drugged April. She fought to kiss back as deeply as him and failed in a sense. He moved hisses down her neck, lightly biting at the skin.

When he entered her, April bit her lip as water formed in her eyes. She closed them and struggled not to gasp. She had expected it to hurt, and hurt it did. But Donatello took it slow for her and brought his head up to kiss the tears away.

April felt safe. Safe with him, safe in the room, just...safe. Like the world could fall apart around them but he'd be there keeping her safe and sound from it all. She felt her body tremble, his body keeping her warm in that cold room.

April opened her eyes to find Donatello had buried his face into her neck. It took her a moment before realizing he was waiting for her to give him the okay. He trembled from the sensation of the intimacy they had right then, all of his self control going towards what made her happy.

The red head smiled, still feeling the tears stream down her face and kissed the crook of his neck. She rocked her hips, struggling to move along his length with the weight of his body on top of her.

Donatello let out a shaky groan into her skin and got the picture. He began to rock with her as though relieved he could finally move. April bit her lip from the pain, but with each thrust, it became more bearable. She could tell he was in heaven, and with time, she knew she would be, too.

Wet skin met wet skin and lips dragged themselves along the outline of the one they love, taking in every scar, blemish, mistake and perfection engraved in their skin as they found their way to the other's mouth.

Fingers entwined and bodies warm from the heat both gave off covered by the protection of the sheets, April couldn't ask for anything better. The rain poured outside and the room was freezing, but none of that mattered.

Pain was replaced with pleasure and April couldn't cling to the man she loved anymore than she already did. It was a dance in the darkness she could get used to, loving the sensation that he could bring to her and only her. He was hers and she was his.

April dug her nails into his skin, knowing they would leave marks by morning. But she knew the love bites he gave her would shine through for a while for her as well. For once, she didn't feel alone. She was surrounded by love and she couldn't ask for anything better.

As she rocked there, their bodies morphed into one another and he held her so tightly, she gazed at his face, lightly leaving kisses on his skin and lips when should between her gasps and moans, earning the same sound from him.

It warmed her heart to know that, if she ever needed him, he would be there in a heart beat. She still couldn't believe how fast he came to her when she called and didn't say a thing. He was more than just her best friend and boyfriend, he was her life. He was her guardian, her world, her protector, just as she was his. And she knew if he ever needed her, she would be there in a heartbeat for him as well to make him happy and protect him with all her might.

In the end, she wasn't alone and never would be alone. If she needed him, he would be a phone call or text away. If she needed someone to talk to, he would always listen. If she needed to feel safe, he was there to pull her into his arms in a heartbeat. April was never alone, and as their bodies entwined, dancing to the rhythm of the storm outside, all she wanted from him was to kiss her in the rain, kiss her goodnight, and kiss her until the world ended and time ceased to exist.