Just as suddenly as April's descent into the cave had begun, a sudden grip on one of her falling arms brought her to a halt, a spike of hot pain flowing through the arm that had been grabbed in midair.

Wide sky-blue eyes locked on her savior, the narrow-eyed Donnie had the flashlight clenched between his teeth as his masked brow furrowed in concentration, struggling to keep them both from falling with the single arm that still gripped the wall.

A light, strained grunt escaped as his hand tightened its grip on her arm and he carefully began dragging her up to his level, leading her to the back of his shell before she obediently reached her free hand up to grab hold of the top of his carapace.

Once he was certain that April was no longer in danger unless she chose to let go, Donnie moved his hand back to the wall and continued to make his way back up to the surface, infinitely relieved when his hands gripped the edge of the hole.

He ignored the way his arms shouted from the strain as April let go of his shell and quickly pulled herself onto the grass, spinning around to grasp him around the shoulder. She helped him drag himself from the cave entrance and then move away from the edge, neither willing to chance another unplanned dive.

They both collapsed onto the grass a bit later, the flashlight falling onto the ground as both eyes landed on the cave entrance, the only sound was the distant chirping of hidden grasshoppers and Donnie's light panting.

"You'll be fine, huh?" Donnie suddenly asked, breaking through the tense silence and causing April to laugh lightly.

"Yeah, well, I thought I would be." She admitted sheepishly, giving him a thankful smile. "Next time, I'll have to remember that Donnie knows best."

"You better." Donnie replied promptly, mentally checking her over for injuries in case she collected any during the fall. Slight remorse could be heard in his voice as he added. "I almost didn't catch you..."

"Guess I better thank my lucky stars that you did then," April replied as a feeling of guilt crept upon her for her insensitive urge to get away from Donnie back in the cave.

Glancing up from her lap, she became aware that he was staring directly at her. Feeling unnerved under his gaze, she chose to act as though she didn't notice and got to her feet, brushing off the five on her shirt.

She spotted the sun setting in the distance, the last bit of golden rays shining on the surrounding forest, darkness slowly falling on the pathway that led home. Deciding that it had been a good idea to get out of that cave when they had, April glanced back at Donnie when she noticed he was still sitting on the ground, his thoughtful gaze on the hole across from them.

"Donnie?"

Absentminded autumn gaze flickered to meet hers, and she asked. "You okay?"

"Yeah..." He replied as though his state of mind was far from his current state of health. "Just... Thinking."

"What about?" She asked politely as he pulled himself to his feet. He began messaging the wrist of one hand as he shrugged, glancing back at her and giving a small smile as he said, "Nothing important."

Seeing as he didn't seem to be up for elaborating on that, April waved him after her and said. "If you say so."

The comfortable silence fell between the two once more, April glancing over at Donnie every once in a while, his expression still distant as he continued messaging his hand. Upon closer examination, she realized that his normally green wrist was now more of a shade of red, the teen quickly making the connection that this was the hand that he'd used to hang onto the wall.

"Your hand okay?" She questioned, the genius blinking a few times as he was shaken back into reality before glancing down as though he hadn't even realized his wrist was hurt.

"Oh. Yeah." He replied quickly, shifting the hand in question out of sight as he used the other to rub the back of his neck. "I'm good."

"Didn't look good to me." April replied, picking up on the fact that he was now avoiding eye contact.

"I think it's just sprained." He explained upon realizing she wasn't going to let this manner drop.

Lifting it back up under his critical gaze, he mused. "Pretty sure the quick turn to catch you must have pulled something. Doubt continuing the climb helped it that any."

Seeing her concerned look, he quickly added. "But it's not that big a deal. I'm sure it'll heal fairly quickly, and in the meantime, I barely even notice the pain. In fact, I didn't even realize there was a problem until you pointed it out."

He watched her stiffened body relax and mentally sighed in relief. Donnie knew she had a big heart and might choose to blame herself if she thought he'd been seriously hurt. He didn't want that kind of weight on her chest, especially not since the only one to blame was him. She'd never have taken that sudden fall if he hadn't spooked her by something he'd unconsciously done or if he hadn't brought her there in the first place.

At his side, April had turned her attention down the path, her thoughts drifting back to the cave, Donnie's sudden action, and her reaction to it. Now that it was over and past, she couldn't figure out why she had been so eager to leave or annoyed with him. She had guessed his intent when she first followed him into the forest and yet she hadn't hesitated to go with him.

Was it because she was simply curious to see what he had planned? Or bored enough not to really consider what she was doing?

For some reason, she had an odd feeling that neither of these was even close to the answer...

Both teens were lost in their thoughts and didn't realize when two shadowy figures appeared in the forest nearby, stalking them for a short while before both gave war cries and leapt at them.

Shocked shout followed this as April and Donnie spun around in time to be tackled by the figures. Donnie hit the ground and instantly struggled under his assailant for a couple seconds before he suddenly met the emerald gaze of his assailant, the smug grin across the familiar face causing Donnie to scowl.

"Get off of me, Raph!"

"Only if you say uncle."

"I said to Get. Off." And with this, Donnie swiftly offed-balance him and tossed Raph onto the ground, getting to his knees as he wiped off his plastron and glared at his older brother through narrowed eyes.

A sharp pain along his wrist when he tried to reach for his staff caused him to pull his hand back and get to his feet instead of giving Raph the much-deserved punishment for scaring him half to death. As he rubbed his sore wrist, Donnie glanced over and saw that April had also realized who had attacked her and had seemingly kicked Casey into a tree, scolding the black-haired teen in an infuriated tone.

A small grin flickered on his face as he watched, but it quickly disappeared when Raph pulled himself to his feet and started to make his way over to him. Giving his older brother the cold shoulder, Donnie simply walked over to the two humans as Casey finally managed to put in his two cents. "Just chill, Red, it was only a joke."

"One that practically gave me a heart attack, Jones!" April huffed back, slipping her tesson safely back into her belt, Donnie pleased to know she had remembered to always keep it on her.

"I know." He put in coyly as a smirk formed, slipping his hocking stick into his bag now that April was no longer on the vengeful assault. "That's what made it so funny."

"You're so immature." April stated as he tried to move to her side, the redhead promptly walking away from him.

Donnie was about to move towards them when Raph reappeared in his path and asked. "What, so you're just gonna ignore me now?"

Wondering if Raph had been speaking, Donnie played off his cluelessness as an uncaring shrug and he shifted around the hothead to continue down the path, earning an irritated eye roll.

Realizing annoying Donnie wouldn't get him a conversation as it did with Leo, Raph decided to try a different icebreaker. Making his way to his brother's side when Donnie started walking, Raph nudged his shoulder and asked. "So? How'd it go?"

"How'd what go?" Donnie asked blankly, finally turning his head to meet Raph's gaze.

Scoffing in disbelief, Raph gestured to the shadowy woods around them and said. "You really expect me to believe that you and April just happened to be wandering the woods together? I'm not Mikey, Donnie, I know how this works. Two teenagers who like each sneaking out into the woods at night-"

"Raph!" Donnie hissed as his face flushed. "For your information, it was still light out when we left the farmhouse. Secondly, please never, ever, ever, insinuate that when April's standing right there."

He shot an erratic gesture to his distracted crush and Raph rolled his eyes before shooting back, "I'll consider it... If you spill the beans."

"Why are you asking?" He demanded suspiciously. "Is this recon for Casey or something?"

"Why so paranoid?" Raph asked, Donnie narrowing his eyes in response. Letting out a frustrated sigh, he mocked. "No, it's not "recon for Casey". Believe it or not, I actually want to know how the night went. Also, if you guys are dating, and I should expect an incredibly whiny Casey in the morning."

"No, we aren't dating." Donnie stated dryly. "We just took a walk to get some fresh air. And no, it still wasn't dark when we started, so stop thinking what I know you're thinking."

"If you know I'm thinking it, then you're thinking it too." Raph pointed out with a smirk, his younger brother letting out a soft groan as he tried to think of a quick way to change the direction of the conversation.

"And what were you guys doing all day?" Donnie asked as he shot him a disapproving side-eye. "After just disappearing early this morning and not even bothering to warn any of us, I might add."

"We told you we'd be heading out last night, didn't we?" Raph shrugged. "What's the big deal?"

"The big deal is you worried Leo," Donnie snapped irritably. "And when he's worried, he paces. And him constantly pacing through the house wasn't helping his agitated leg any."

A month or two ago, Raph would have responded with some snarky comment about how he didn't care or that Leo just worried too much, but after everything that had happened to their older brother and to them, he was at least sympathetic enough to give another awkward shrug. "Didn't mean to worry 'im..."

Donnie let out a brief sigh as he realized that he was being unfair, aware that Raph needed his time running amok through the forest to help him keep his cool.

Raph didn't do well with being trapped in one place for a long period of time, especially not with Mikey acting like a loose cannon all day, and getting out into the woods to punch trees–or whatever it was he did–seemed to be enough to keep Raph from exploding in fits of unnecessary anger at the drop of a hat.

As Donnie mused over whether he should be angry with Raph, the hothead's gaze had fallen on his arm and his eyes narrowed slightly when he noticed that the olive green was now more of a shade of red.

Worried that he might have actually injured Donnie when he'd shoved him to the ground, Raph did his best to keep his tone neutral as he asked. "So- uh, what'd you do to your arm?"

Pulled from his thoughts, Donnie glanced over at him and then followed his gaze down, quickly shifting it out of sight.

"Nothing." He insisted far too quickly for Raph's liking, his brother suspicious at the fact Donnie didn't immediately start scolding him for his reckless behavior.

Wondering if his wrist was the reason Donnie was in some strange mood, Raph came to a sudden stop and grabbed his arm, a thin frown forming when Donnie let out a short pained gasp when he jerked it upward.

Eyes narrowed at the genius, he demanded. "Okay. Truth this time, brainiac. What'd you do?"

Donnie let out an impatient huff and tried to tug his hand back, but Raph didn't budge. Seeing that April and Casey were getting further away, Donnie finally admitted. "Okay, fine. Remember the cave Mikey showed you after we beat you during that one turtle hunt? The one you didn't want to go into because you thought that if we found it cool, then it must have been lame?"

That sounded like something he would say, though he actually didn't remember saying it or even having the conversation, but he nodded in agreement anyway.

"As we were climbing up the wall, April lost her grip and I had to swing in order to grab her before she fell too far. I didn't pay exact enough attention to where my trajectory would end up and I think I rammed my wrist on a loose rock."

He let go of Donnie's arm when the genius pulled his hand back, quickly turning and avoiding eye contact as he continued further. It wasn't hard for the hothead to see there was more to the story than he seemed willing to share, but he knew that if his stubborn brother wasn't up to spilling, nothing that he could say would make him.

The farmhouse came into sight, and Raph watched as Donnie turned and silently hurried towards the solitude of the barn. He was tempted to call after him but decided against it, knowing that his brother wanted to be alone to brood about whatever had happened while him and April were out.

Raph jogged after April and Casey as they headed towards the door and Casey grabbed the handle as April stride to warm him about something, but he pulled it open with ease and walked in.

Leaving a puzzled April on the porch, Raph followed him inside and Mikey practically rolled off the couch before jumping to his feet, a beaming grin greeting them as he said. "About time you guys got back! It's getting dark which means Leo's going to wake up at any minute and-"

Seeing April enter behind them without Donnie made Mikey pause and do a double-take. Glancing between them with a startled look, he asked. "Hey, where's Donnie?"

"Donnie?" April repeated, glancing around as she realized the genius was no longer with them. "He was right behind us..."

"Donnie's in the barn." Raph interrupted suddenly.

Mikey nodded his thanks and sprang for the door, but came to a sudden halt when Raph added. "And if you're headed out to bother him, I suggest you take an ice pack with you."

Mikey turned to ask why he would need one, but Raph had already made his way up the stairs.

Shrugging, Mikey stopped by the kitchen to grab an ice pack and wished Icecream Kitty goodnight before making his way out of the house. Dashing for the barn, he came to a stop at the doors and pulled one open, a bright light greeting him as he called out Donnie's name.

Donnie was slumped over at his desk, his posture slack and his expression a million miles away. He glanced up from his desk when Mikey arrived, the slightly annoyed look the youngest earned making Mikey wonder if his brainy brother was still mad that he'd locked him and April out of the house.

Shutting the barn door behind him, Mikey made his way over to Donnie and asked. "So? How'd it go? Did she love it or did she love it?!"

"You realize you just asked the same thing twice." Donnie replied dully, leaning back in his chair as he casually avoided the question.

"It's not what I said, it's how I said it." Mikey stated with a slightly frustrated sigh, as though Donnie understood nothing. "Now tell me! How'd it go?"

"It went fine." Donnie replied, turning his gaze to his desk as he fiddled with something with one hand, Mikey noticing the other was lying simply in his lap.

This gathered his attention because Mikey had never known Donnie to have even one of his hands still at any given time, especially not when he had a desk full of things to tinker with. Baby-blue eyes widened upon realizing it was slightly purple and swelling, his gaze traveling down to the ice pack he held. Suddenly realizing why he had it, he set it down on the desk in front of Donnie and announced, "Here you go!"

Donnie gave it a startled glance and turned back to face Mikey, his younger brother beaming proudly. It seemed to take a moment to click and Donnie lifted it off the desk, moving it so it was pressed against his wrist, his tense shoulders relaxing a bit. "Thanks, Mikey, but how did you-?"

"Raph told me."

Donnie nodded in acceptance, and Mikey hopefully pressed. "So-?"

When Donnie looked at him blankly, Mikey leaned across the edge of his desk and demanded. "How was your date?"

A small scowl appeared, and Donnie leaned back as he snapped. "It wasn't a date, Mikey."

Disappointment covered his freckled face as his bright grin faded into a concerned frown. "That bad, huh?"

"Thanks for the ice pack, but you can go now. I don't feel like talking about it." Donnie stated, hoping that this would put an end to the conversation he was certain that he didn't want to participate in.

Mikey seemed to have other ideas.

"Aw, don't be like that, bro." Mikey replied, tilting his head downward in the hopes of regaining eye contact with his immediate older brother. "I know when something is bothering you and this is eating at you like you're a supreme pizza with jelly beans and cotton candy."

Donnie finally met Mikey's gaze, if only so he could stare at him in repulsion at his strange pizza-topping choices, and Mikey prodded. "Come on, D. You can tell me."

As usual, Mikey's sixth sense when it came to his brothers turned out to be correct. Donnie, having been dying to tell someone about the thoughts pressing down on him, suddenly found himself blurting. "It's just - I did something really stupid back in the cave and now I think I've ruined everything."

Mikey studied his face, trying to decide if he was being serious or over-dramatic before asking. "Well, what'd you do?"

"I-I think I tried to... Kiss her." Donnie admitted, face flushed as he avoided eye contact with his younger brother. Mikey's eyes rounded drastically as he stared at his older brother as though seeing him for the first time. "You think?"

"Okay. So I did." Donnie admitted with a sigh, the youngest honestly shocked that his brother wasn't way more excited about his achievement.

"Dude! That's awesome! First kiss in a magic cave!"

"First off, I keep telling you it's not magic." Donnie huffed as his scowl deepened. "Secondly, I also said that I tried to."

"Oh." Mikey considered this for a few moments and asked. "Is that why you're so pouty? Cause you weren't able to?"

"I'm not pouty." Donnie snapped indignantly as Mikey realized that he might have said the wrong thing. "I'm just... Frustrated."

"Cause you didn't get the kiss." Mikey clarified.

"No.. Well, yes, but..." Donnie seemed at a loss for words, but the curious jokester continued to stare expectantly. "I don't know! Okay!? I mean, how does she want me to act? "You're my mutant." What does that even mean? Does she want this or not? Why do girls have to be so complicated!? "

Mikey watched as Donnie let out a groan and face planted on his desk, not really following along with what his brother had been saying, but aware that it was messing with his head.

Finally, he shrugged carelessly when Donnie glanced over at him, "I dunno, D, and that's why I'm never gonna fall for one. Watching you and Leo tells me that it is so not worth it."

Running his good hand down his face, Donnie simply shook his head and stated. "You can't decide whether you fall in love, Mikey. It just happens."

"Not to this turtle, it won't." Mikey announced firmly. "All I need is myself, my pizza and my bros. Oh! And IceCream Kitty too."

"If you say so." Donnie relented with a sigh, turning his downcast expression down to his lap.

Hating to any of his brothers so down in the dumps, Mikey glanced around the room for a way to brighten his brother's demeanor, abruptly moving from his side and over to the chalkboard shoved to one side of the barn.

Drawing Donnie's attention when he began scooting it over to his desk, Mikey put on his most convincing smile and announced, "Guess you didn't have try-to-kiss-April-but-be-denied on this thing, huh? Looks like we gotta wipe it off and try again!"

Donnie blinked several times before he remembered communication was accomplished with word. "Try... Again? Mikey, I don't think-"

Mikey was not to be deterred from cheering him up and proclaimed, "Don't tell me you're really giving up! Come on, bro, I know you better than that. Obviously, you were just right about not planning enough. This time, we gotta be ready for anything!"

There was a notable change in his demeanor, whether because Mikey had said he was right or because he was attaching himself to the idea of a second chance, a glimmer of hope in his gaze. "You... You think so?"

"Course I do!" Mikey replied as he whipped off the board. When he turned back around, he saw that his older brother had come up behind him. Confused by the suddenly stern gaze, Mikey tilted his head curiously and Donnie stated, "Alright, but this time, no improvising. Like, say, locking a turtle out of the house."

Crossing his fingers behind his shell, Mikey promised, "Stick to the plan! Gotchya!"

Donnie squinted at him in disbelief for a few seconds and Mikey's innocent smile never faded, the genius relaxing and turning back to the board as Mikey twirled the piece of chalk between his fingers importantly.

"Alright." Donnie mused carefully. "Where to start..?"

"Duh, bro, Giant Ice cream Kittys."

"Of course. And that falls under natural disasters...?"

"Correctamundo!"

Quickly scribbling it down, Mikey circled it dramatically and turned back to Donnie. "See! Already got one down! We got this."

"Yeah..." Giving his brother a small, thankful smile, Donnie added, "Hey, um, thanks, Mikey."

"No prob! You know I always got your back." Mikey replied as he added crashing meteors to the list and then hummed, "Mmmmmm, what else? Oh! Mutagenize race cars!"

"You really think that could happen?"

"You never know D... You never know..."