Destiny knocks on Dean's bedroom door gently, holding a plate with three slices of pizza on it.

"Dean? Honey? I brought you dinner," she calls softly.

There's a clanking noise and a few grunts of pain from the room. The door opens, and Dean holds his hand out to take the plate. His eyes are reddened, his face miserable and showing just how broken he feels.

"Thanks," he mumbles as he takes the pizza.

Destiny grips the door before he can close it, smiling sadly at her son. "I heard about what happened."

His eyes fill with tears as he looks away, suddenly finding it hard to breathe. "So it's true? I'm never going to fly again? I might never walk properly and do ninjutsu? Play football?"

She doesn't respond right away, knowing that the truth is tough to say out loud. Of course, she doesn't know the exact truth either, she simply knows what the evidence is leaning towards.

She knows how much ninjutsu, football, flying...even being able to walk means to him, so she wants more than anything to be able to tell him honestly that he'll be able to go back to normal.

"No one knows exactly what's going to happen, Dean," she murmurs. "But...the evidence points to yes. It's true."

A few tears run down his face, and he limps back to his bed, his bandaged wings quivering with every movement.

"Okay...fine. I'll just eat here," he mumbles.

She moves into the room, leaning down and kissing his forehead gently.

"I love you," she reminds him.

He doesn't smile, but his voice remains sincere. "I love you too, mom."

She turns and leaves. He looks around his room; at his ninjaken sword on his shelf, his extra football jersey draped over a chair, posters of Space Heroes and others. Two of the three main items remind him of what may never happen again.

He places the pizza on his bedside table, holding back growls of pain as he lays down. He slips the braces off his legs, letting them collapse to the floor as he hugs his pillow beneath his head. The tears don't stop.

🍕🐢🍕🐢🍕🐢🍕🐢🍕

Asher sits in the living room playing the violin, as per usual. He gets more skilled every day, his mind picking up the instrument swiftly. The fact that he only has three fingers does little to change that.

As he plays, he hums a song to himself. His mind flickers to Ruby and Kelly, the two girls he cares most about besides his mom and sister. Both of them were and are incredibly special, holding a place in his heart that can't be filled easily.

Lately, whenever Asher thinks of Kelly, he finds himself remembering the happy times. He remembers the Spin the Bottle game in grade nine where he earned his first kiss with her. He remembers all the times in grade ten where him, Kelly, Lukas, and Dakota would try to make something and have it blow up in their faces. Their only reactions were laughter and a "let's try again" attitude. He thinks of the short amount of grade eleven that the four of them got to have, spending their spares laying in the grass and talking about nothing that seems of any importance, but when Asher lets himself think about it, he wouldn't trade those talks for anything.

"Hey guys?" Kelly asked.

"Yeah?" Dakota responded, her finger tracing the clouds lazily.

"We should stay best friends forever, okay?"

Asher and Lukas looked at the auburn-haired girl, smiling fondly as she adjusted her glasses over her deep green eyes.

"Forever is a long time, Kells," Lukas said, his grey eyes flickering back to the clear blue sky.

"I know, but that's what I want." She had looked at Asher and flashed her signature, shy smile. "Forever...however long my forever lasts."

Dakota had let out a laugh, the sound musical and lovely. Asher couldn't help but also laugh at his twin's happiness.

"We'll always be friends," the cyborg girl whispered, reaching over and gently wrapping her hand around Kelly's. "I know we will."

Kelly's lips twitched into a relaxed look as her eyes flickered to the two boys again.

"Well?"

Lukas chuckled. "I like the idea of always. Let's do it."

Asher could only shut his eyes and enjoy the peaceful moments.

He breathes deeply, his heart feeling clenched yet light at the memory. He starts playing the chords to a happier song for once, singing softly to himself. He knows that he doesn't have much of a voice, but he still likes singing the words to himself.

"Sometimes you think you'll be fine by yourself.
'Cause a dream is a wish that you make all alone.
It's easy to feel like you don't need help.
But it's harder to walk on your own."

He smiles a little, his fingers moving along his beloved violin strings smoothly. Copeland, who had been sitting on the twisting platform above the living room pit, smiles and strums her guitar, joining in on the song softly.

"You'll change inside.
When you realize.

"The world comes to life,
And everything's bright
From beginning to end.
When you have a friend
By your side.
That helps you to find
The beauty you are.
When you open your heart,
And believe in
The gift of a friend."

Asher stops playing, frowning a little. Copeland arches an eye-ridge as she looks down at her fellow turtle.

"What's up, nerd?" she calls.

The violet-masked turtle shrugs. "I just can't remember the next verse. That all I've got."

"Just sing the first one again," she responds. "And if you're going to sing, sing louder! Alright, a-one, a-two, a-one two three four."

They start up again, Asher slightly pink in the cheeks with embarrassment as he moves the strings again. It's already difficult for him to play properly and sing, but he doesn't care. He's actually feeling happy for once.

"Sometimes you think you'll be fine by yourself. 'Cause a dream is a wish that you make all alone," he sings, messing up on some chords as Copeland laughs above him. "It's easy to feel like you don't need help. But it's harder to walk on your own."

"YOU MOCK MY PAIN."

The turtles jump, looking towards the hallway. Dean stands there, or at least tries to stand, his hands clenched around his crutch handles and his muscles tensed up. He growls, trying to fight back his anger.

"Dean, we were only-" Asher starts.

"Of all the songs, it's that one? About walking? About not needing help?" he snaps, making the timid turtle shrink back. "I feel mocked, Asher. MOCKED."

The wolf-raven mutters something unintelligible and limps off, his crutches clicking against the floor as he hobbles to the dojo. Asher looks away, lowering his violin with a sad frown once again eradicating his face. Copeland hops down, moving over to him and forcibly shoving his face to the side.

"Don't you dare frown, Asher Austin!" she snaps, narrowing her hazel-eyes.

He blinks in shock, his blue eyes flashing. "But...Dean, he just said that I was-"

"Dean is angry at the world right now, not you. You wouldn't mock anyone. You're too much of a mister nice turtle to do that," she retorts smoothly. "I'll go talk to him. Keep playing. Keep smiling too." She smirks and nudges his shoulder with her fist. "Love ya, nerd."

As she walks away, Asher follows her movements with his eyes. "Since when do you freely tell people that you love them?"

"Ever since I realized that our time here is too short to waste it having a stick up your shell," she answers over her shoulder. "And yes, that means telling my loved ones that I love them every now and then."

The violet-masked turtle lets out a soft, amused chuckle as his older cousin disappears into the dojo. He lifts his violin to his chin again and readies the bow over the strings.

"Well Levina, it's time to keep singing," he murmurs.