Epilogue: Yesterday's News

Within the lair, it had been a lazy start to the next day. None of the turtles had stirred in time for morning practice in the dojo. Fortunately, Master Splinter showed sympathy following their gruelling mission and had allowed the teens a day off, granting them some well-earned rest.

Donatello, beyond exhausted at the end of the previous night, had been the last to stir. He'd woken to find that he ached all over after their arduous adventures. His solo battle against the foot soldiers, then his part in the rescue of Raphael and the subsequent seizure had taken its toll on his weakened body.

Yet even with the lingering pains, the joy that still fluttered away within the turtle couldn't be dampened. Mikey had been right when he'd said they'd found themselves a new normal. Things weren't the same as they'd been before, but they were a team once more. Sure, Donnie had new limits, but nothing was insurmountable. Especially with his family by his side.

Sitting in his laboratory, surrounded by the comforts of his familiar possessions, Donnie felt content and at ease. It was a feeling that, at one point, he'd doubted he'd experience again. Yet here it was, burning brightly within him and filling the turtle with a sensation of happiness and wellbeing. Even the nagging aches in his limbs felt like trophies.

"Donnie! It's on!"

Carefully, Donatello lowered his screwdriver and set it gently down onto the desk. It landed without a clumsy bump, something that he was inexorably pleased about. His dexterity was not back to pre-accident levels, and he doubted that it ever would be, but it was good enough to get by. Especially when he had willing help.

Beaming happily, Michelangelo put down the toaster. He'd been holding it steady, assisting Donatello in fixing up the latest damage to the hapless breakfast appliance. The young turtle's excitement at being able to physically help his big brother as he worked didn't seem to be something that was likely to wear off anytime soon. From Donnie's perspective, Mikey was actually a lot more tolerable when he was doing something practical instead of just getting in the way.

"Mikey! Are you in there, too? Hurry up!" Leonardo's voice rang out again from the other room.

"C'mon, D!" Michelangelo encouraged, and Donatello found his elbow being grabbed as his younger brother dragged him enthusiastically from the lab and into the living area, where the other two turtles were already gathered around the television.

Rather than being tuned to cartoons, or Space Heroes, the television was set to Channel 6, where the anchor was reporting on the chemicals polluting the sewer.

Mikey bounced down into the lower area, then turned back to offer Donnie a hand to do a sedate version of the same movement. As they settled themselves before the screen, Master Splinter materialised from the dojo to join them in watching.

"—go to Joan Grody, on the scene!" the host was saying, before the camera cut to the presenter, as she stood on the street alongside two familiar faces.

"Thank you, Carlos," the reporter stated automatically, as soon as she appeared on screen. "I'm here live from downtown with May and Kevin…"

"It's April, and Casey!" their friend cut in.

Ignoring her, Joan kept her focus on the camera. "Last night, they were here as the perpetrators were dumping another load of chemicals into our pristine sewer network. Although the police have yet to confirm, it seems likely that this is the work of more notorious mutants!"

"What?!" April protested. "No! It was the—some guys in black pyjamas! With a foot symbol!"

"The villains wore black, to hide their mutated disfigurements!" Joan stated, keeping her gaze fixed on the camera.

With an exasperated sigh, April reached over and plucked the microphone from the presenter's hand. "Give me that!"

Casey stepped forward to block Joan, as she tried to snatch back the stolen object. "Hand it over, you brat!" she cried.

As April took a step to the side, the camera elected to follow her rather than remain on the presenter. A smirk crept over Donnie's face, and he heard Leo and Mikey both chuckle. Their human friend raised the microphone and began to do a piece to camera as if she'd been born for it.

"Late last night, another attempt was made by the notorious criminal band to spill stolen, toxic chemicals into the sewer network," she declared, her gaze locked onto the camera and making it feel to Donatello like she was staring straight at him.

For once, he could legitimately stare back without it seeming weird, he realised in delight. A grin settling onto his face, he relished every second of gazing straight into those big blue eyes and watching as she reported the story infinitely better than Joan Grody ever could have done.

"Here's the footage we managed to capture of the crooks in action!"

Clearly the team broadcasting the article were just going with the fact that April had taken over, as they obediently cut to showing the video that Donnie had recorded. He was pleased to see that his night camera had worked perfectly, creating a clear shot of the two Foot soldiers as they'd been beginning to pull the chemical containers out of the truck in preparation to pour them down the storm drain.

Either April or Casey must have grabbed the camera again after the police arrived, as there was then some footage of the Foot soldiers being arrested. They'd barely protested, evidently still dazed from the pummelling that Donatello had given them. Although, he realised in minor annoyance, Casey seemed to be gleefully taking the credit for it.

Donnie let it go with a shrug. Maybe beating up two rookie ninjas wasn't a patch on what he'd once been capable of, but it was more than he'd ever thought he'd be doing again. A small victory, but a victory nevertheless.

The sentiment was evidently shared; Donatello realised in sudden embarrassment that his family were all grinning at him.

"You did a number on those two!" Leo commended.

"Yes," Splinter agreed. "That was well done, Donatello."

"Th-thank you, Sensei!" Donnie beamed, before turning his attention back to the screen.

Having finished showing the footage, the news broadcast had cut back to April. She hesitated uncertainly for a moment before seemingly receiving a nod from someone behind the camera, prompting her to continue.

"Following a tip off, the criminals were found to be part of a gang based in a building near the Williamsburg Bridge," she continued. "The police have been in attendance and have taken the youths into custody. The city is confident that the pollution of the sewers will now cease."

Sweeping her hair back, the turtles' young friend seemed to blossom before the camera as she announced, "this has been April O'Neil for Channel 6 news. Now back to you in the studio!"

"April makes a way better presenter than the Grody woman," Michelangelo sighed happily.

Donatello nodded in eager agreement. "She's a-a-amazing."

"Someone give that girl a job," the television anchor was saying, with a cheerful wink towards the camera. "Meanwhile, the blaze in the warehouse downtown has finally been brought under control. What caused the fire has yet to be determined, but the CCTV footage shows a costumed man fleeing the scene."

The screen showed the shattering of glass and then the unmistakable form of Michelangelo bursting out of the building with a bellow before promptly racing out of view. Within the lair, the depicted turtle giggled awkwardly, as all other eyes immediately turned to him in condemnation.

"For Channel 6 news, this has been Carlos Chiang O'Brien Gambe!" the anchor concluded, before the report cut into adverts.

Leaning over to grab the remote, Leonardo flicked the television off, while at the same moment Master Splinter turned to Michelangelo and arched his eyebrows dangerously.

Mikey shifted his weight nervously. "Uh, oops?"

"Michelangelo, come to the dojo," their sensei instructed. "I believe the rugs require cleaning… With a toothbrush."

"Oooaaawww…" the youngest turtle groaned, as he trudged off after their father.

Shaking his head, Leonardo stood and brushed himself off before sauntering over towards the kitchen. Raphael didn't linger either, as he headed for the training dummy that hung nearby.

Left alone in the middle of the room, Donatello hesitated uncertainly for a moment as he wondered what to do next. Did he go back to fixing the toaster? Ideally, he needed Michelangelo's help for that. But, given Splinter's expression, his little brother wasn't going to be released any time soon.

Glancing around for inspiration, Donnie saw that rather than attacking the punching bag, instead Raph had elected to go and sit down beside the water. His brother had been quiet all day, the turtle slowly realised. That wasn't like him at all. At least, not unless he was stewing over something. Then, it was very much like him.

Impulsively heading over, Donatello sat down next to his brother. "So, what's up, Raph?"

Raphael glanced over towards him, before rolling his eyes. "Can't a turtle wallow in peace?"

"What, like you l-let me?"

The other turtle hesitated, then conceded the point with a shrug.

Donnie dangled one leg down towards the water, using the other to prop up his arm as he twisted to gaze at his brother. "W-well?"

With a heavy sigh, Raph shook his head. "I just… I don't get it. Why? Why do you guys keep risking your shells, for me? First, when the gantry fell. Then yesterday, all of you, in the burning storehouse…"

For several moments, Donnie sat in silence as he worked out how best to answer his brother. He knew he'd taken too long when he realised he was getting a sidelong glance, as Raph was working out whether to elbow him in the ribs.

"You know…y-you do the same for us," Donatello pointed out, resting a hand upon his knee. "What about that t-time in the tunnel, when we were kids?"

He saw Raphael look towards him in confusion.

"You don't r-r-re-member, do you?" Donatello playfully accused. "I was out sc-sca-scaveng-eng-enging. You were bored, so you tagged along to torment me. We got to a part of the sewer we hadn't explored before.

"It was part of the old sewers, that had been d-damaged when they'd built the subway. I was young, I didn't realise the tunnel was u-unstable. As I pushed forward, some of it came down. It would have hit me, but you p-pushed me out of the way.

"You got hit in the head. N-not as bad, but… You were out cold. Back then, I didn't know what to do. I started dragging you back to the lair, screaming for Sensei. Just as he arrived, you had a seizure."

Raph's eyes widened slightly at the revelation.

"I thought you were dying," Donnie admitted, as he gazed down into the water below them. "But…you were ok. You came around.

"That day I realised th-that I wanted to learn m-medical skills," Donnie continued, "so that I'd know what to do if it ever ha-happened again. I wanted to know I could save you, because…"

He paused, twisting to smile at Raphael. "Well… Why did you save me back then, Raph? Why do you p-protect any of us?"

Raph looked startled at the sudden question, then furrowed his brow as he struggled to answer. "I dunno… I don't even remember that time you were talking about, Don! I guess… Because you all get into trouble and need my help."

"But why do you help?" Donatello pushed, as he dipped his toes into the water and swished them around. "Why not just leave us to get hit?"

Colour crept into Raphael's cheeks as he finally realised where he'd been led. "Geez, Donnie! It's because… Because I…" Abruptly, he folded his arms in a huff. "You know why. I ain't saying it."

Donatello chuckled. "Me neither. There's no need."

Reaching across, he affectionately thumped his brother in the shoulder. It earned him a warm, if somewhat embarrassed smile in return, before Raphael suddenly caught him across the shell.

The two entangled in a fraternal embrace that said far more than words ever could.

THE END

oOo

That's it, we're finally done! :O Thank you so much to everyone who has struck with the story to the end. I'd like to take this chance to give final thanks to my beta reader, CelandineGranger. :) If you haven't checked out her stories yet, definitely do so! They're absolutely amazing.

Finally; massive hugs with much love to all of you that have taken the time to leave me a review. :D I've been excited and happy to receive each and every one of them. I am so very, very grateful - thank you! :3 Now that the story is concluded, if you could let me know which has been your favourite part, that'd make my day! :D

Until the next story... This has been Spirael!