It's another relatively quiet evening in Manhattan, New York City. The occasional caw of a crow or the buzz of an insect is heard, the only things alive beneath the light of dirty street lamps. Five shapes race past a sleeping hobo, who snorts as he's roused from his slumber. He looks around blearily, belches, then mumbles something incoherent and drifts back to sleep.

Leonardo is the first to reach the edge of the building, his chest lifting and falling rapidly with his breaths as he scans the horizon. His three brothers and Destiny arrive shortly after him in similar degrees of exhaustion.

"Good work, guys," Leonardo says, turning to his team. "Another successful scope of TCRI, no sign of increased Kraang activity, we're in the clear. One less thing to worry about." He checks the time. "And it's only 9:16. We made good time."

"Thank shell," Raphael mutters, stretching his arms skyward as he cracks his neck. "I am ready for a long nap."

"Same, but I'm also ready for pizza," Michelangelo says. He laughs and hooks his hands behind his head.

Silence. Leonardo, Raphael, and Michelangelo turn to their remaining teammates, as if waiting for them to drop their own two cents into the pot. Donatello is staring up at the sky, arms crossed over his chest, eyes slightly narrowed and his lips pursed. Destiny's lips move to herself and she taps her finger lightly against the hilt of her uchigatana, bobbing just enough to show that she's far more interested in the music playing in her head than the conversation happening in the real world. Her gaze is misty and far away.

"Earth to Donnie and Destiny!" Leonardo calls, snapping his fingers. Both teens startle and blink a few times, looking to their leader as he arches an eye-ridge. "Are you two alright?"

"Peachy," Donatello mutters.

"I'm fine," Destiny says with little bounce to her tone.

She wanders past the turtles and hops into the alleyway, swiftly disappearing back into the sewers. Donatello is quick to follow her. The remaining brothers glance at one another and let out similar sighs in synchronization.

"I hate when they're upset and I can't do anything," Michelangelo admits.

"Keep your chin up, little brother," Raphael says with a gentle pat to Michelangelo's shell. "They won't be mopey forever."

Leonardo purses his lips. "I hope you're right, Raph."

They head for the sewers without another word.

----------

The teenagers enter the lair in relatively high spirits, each one ready to kick back and relax. Michelangelo makes a beeline for the TV while Raphael snatches up his comic book from the living room bench and flops onto the nearest beanbag chair. Donatello storms off to his lab, still not uttering a single word to any of his family members.

Destiny's gaze flicks over every living thing in the lair, a slight spark in her eye, but then it snuffs out as her face falls. Leonardo wanders over to her side and reaches out to gently brush her elbow, just enough of a touch to warn her of his presence.

"Now...I get why Donnie's upset," he says as she glances at him. "But, uh...what about you? The usual?"

She shrugs, raking her fingers through her windswept curls and pushing them from her face. "I keep thinking that he'll be here, then I remember. Donnie's mood doesn't help." She smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes and she doesn't show her teeth. "I...also haven't been sleeping well," she admits, rubbing the back of her neck.

He looks at the lab doors and all he can think of is his brother sitting in his desk chair, hunched over with his head slumped onto the nearest surface, his brilliant hands idle and his heart still beating through the pain.

"Maybe you should have a nap later," Leonardo suggests as his shoulder brushes Destiny's. "It could help."

She nods as her hands drift together, one finger scratching at her knuckle. "Yeah," she mumbles. Her tail lashes and she shuts her eyes, exhaling through her nose. "I really wish I didn't feel everything so much."

"Honestly...same," he agrees, crossing his arms over his chest as he too lets out a long breath.

Inside Donatello's lab, the scene is much like how Leonardo imagined. Donatello's head is slumped against his hands as he stares aimlessly at the wall. Pictures of his family and friends decorate a small section of the wall—specifically, there's pictures of a certain redheaded girl. He stares into the still image of those beautiful, smiling blue eyes, and he swears that a heart attack would hurt less.

"Why him?" he demands to the photo. When he gains no response, he smacks his head on the desk. "Stupid...stupid...stupid..."

He squeezes his eyes shut, willing himself not to cry again. He doesn't want to be miserable anymore, but it feels nearly impossible to take his mind off his predicament. He keeps reliving the moment in his mind, each time mocking him further.

"I owe it to him to be honest. Just...please don't mention anything about Casey, me, and dating until I'm ready to break it to him, okay?"

He felt his world stop just then. All he was trying to do was find Destiny and ask her if she had seen his extra Petri dishes, and instead he heard the death blow, the final toll of the bell, the end. He was too late. April O'Neil will never be his.

Anger and sadness are two horns on the same goat in this situation. Donatello is not only hurt that April felt the need to hide the announcement from him, even for a little while, but he's angry. He's angry that even though April had hugged him, kissed his cheek, and even kissed him on the lips and called him hers, she still chose Casey. He's angry at himself because he didn't take the chance while he had it. He's upset that April doesn't talk to him like she used to, like from before when they were friends.

He lets his head rest against the lab table and he tries in vain to find something else to focus on. The voices of his brothers and Destiny reach him from outside, providing the perfect distraction.

"Has anyone seen my t-phone?" Michelangelo asks.

"Where'd you last have it?" Leonardo asks.

"With me! Or..." There's a long pause. Donatello can picture his little brother's wide-eyed facial expression perfectly. "Oh shell."

"Mikey..."

Another long break, then Michelangelo's voice comes out in a squeaking whisper. "It's...back at TCRI."

There's the sound of something hitting the ground followed by an exasperated groan. "We've had enough of losing phones! Why couldn't you just hold onto it?!" Raphael demands. His voice combined with its volume gives Donatello a pretty clear visual of the rage permeating the red-masked turtle's face.

"I didn't know! I was just taking that selfie in the hallway with that—"

"That's the problem, Mikey, you don't know anything!"

Donatello heaves a sigh, pulling himself from his stool and moving to the door. He drags one open and peers out just in time to see Destiny step between Raphael and Michelangelo, her scarred face made to look even fiercer thanks to the deep scowl on her lips.

"Hey!" she snaps. "He lost his phone. Give him a break, Raph."

Michelangelo sniffles and hugs Destiny around her middle, rubbing his head against her torso like a kitten. "See? Desti-bear is nice to me."

Leonardo lets out a tired sigh and runs his hands over his face. "Okay, so we've got two options," he states. "Get Donnie to self-destruct the t-phone remotely or we go and try to get it back. First option is easiest, but annoying and creates more work for Donnie. Second option—"

"Is what we're doing," Destiny interrupts. "I'll go. I could use some alone time."

"Sorry, Des, but not now," Leonardo says. "Alone time otherwise? Fine. Not on a mission to TCRI. I'll go with y—"

"Actually," she says, shifting her weight onto one leg. She glances towards the lab, just then noticing Donatello observing the dilemma. A sly, fanged smile breaks across her face and the turtle's face pales. "I'll take Donnie," she finishes. "We could both use the distraction."

Before they can say anything more, Destiny heads for the lab with sure, swift strides. Donatello squeaks and slams the door shut, but Destiny doesn't slow down. She goes right up to the giant blockades and clenches her hand into a fist, smacking on the doors repeatedly.

"Don't you dare hide from me, Donatello," she calls.

"Go away," he mumbles from inside. "Let me stay here and cry and be alone."

Destiny steps back, takes a huffing breath, and rolls her shoulders. She morphs into a wolf and jams her claws in the gap between the doors and pries it open. In a flash, she's back in her humanoid form, and she enters the room, finding Donatello hiding behind the Metalhead No. 2 prototype that he's never gotten to finishing.

"Come on, we're gonna go do something," she urges. She steps around the prototype and taps his head lightly. "No moping."

He retreats into his shell—arms, legs, and all—and clatters to the floor. "No."

"You're acting like a turtle tot."

"When I was a turtle tot, I didn't know what heartbreak was or what it felt like!"

Destiny rolls her eyes, heaving a sigh as she takes a step closer. Donatello doesn't reappear from the comfort of his shell, even when she kneels down and gently touches it.

"Donnie...I know it hurts, okay?" she whispers. "I know better than anyone in this lair that it does, but you can't just let yourself sink into a puddle of depression."

"I want to sink into a puddle of depression. Just watch," his voice mutters from his shell.

"If I'm not allowed to be a puddle, you can't be a puddle," she retorts. "Come on, Donnie...Don...Donarino..."

She waits, arms crossed over her chest. He doesn't budge. She sighs and a movement at the door makes her look over her shoulder, where Leonardo has poked his head inside. She places a finger on her lips and winks at him, raising her free hand and unsheathing her claws as she slowly turns to Donatello.

She lowers her claws to the base of his shell and scratches. Instantly, he squeaks in pleasure and comes popping out of his shell like a Transformer robot. He churrs softly as she keeps scratching, thumping his foot a little on the ground.

Leonardo arches an eye-ridge and Destiny smirks. "Alright," she nearly chirps as she gets to her feet. "Now that you're out, time to go!"

Donatello's dopey smile remains for a second. "Uh...uh huh...yeah...okay."

"Great, you agree. Chop chop, Donnie-boy, we're gonna go get some fresh air!" She claps her hands together, takes a deep breath and nods. "Yeah. Onwards. Go."

Leonardo almost laughs, while Donatello realizes what he just agreed to a scrambles to his feet with ever-widening eyes. He stutters for a few seconds, stumbling after Destiny like a lost puppy as she heads for the door of the lab, then stops. She played her cards and cornered him.

She turns around at the doors, her tail lashes, and he exhales heavily. "Fine," comes his defeated sigh.

Destiny grasps Donatello's hand and drags him out the doors. They head for the turnstiles, earning a few looks from the other turtles.

"Be back soon," she says.

Leonardo gives a small wave. "Call if you run into anything."

"Unless I run into Casey...in the Shellraiser," Donatello mumbles. "Then I won't call."

Destiny, the only one who heard him clearly, stops and jerks her elbow out so abruptly that Donatello rams his plastron into it and coughs. She starts walking again, dragging the winded and reluctant turtle behind her.

"Don't kill each other while we're gone!" she hollers over her shoulder. "Splinter's trying to meditate, you know."

"Yeah yeah, mother," Raphael returns with an eye-roll.

"Bye Desti-bear! Bye Donnie!" Michelangelo shouts.

Destiny and Donatello disappear back into the sewer tunnels. A few moments later, there's the pattering of returning feet as they race by, going the opposite direction. Leonardo cranes his neck over and stares in stunned disbelief.

"Uh...guys?" he calls.

"We forgot the Party Wagon!" Destiny's echoing voice sounds from the tunnel.

Leonardo's laughter mingles with the rumbling of the van's engine.