One week later. . .

Everyone had checked out of the hospital and were now able to feel free once more. But they still had some things to fix up after the fight they went through.

The city was still filled with debris, some destroyed buildings, and flipped vehicles. Even though they had all just been discharged, Jake and the others still volunteered to help out with the city cleanup.

"Are you sure you want to help us?" Makayla asked. "You really don't have to."

"Please, I insist." Ryan said, smiling brightly. "This is only the first step to earning my redemption."

"You're serious about that, aren't you?" Makayla said with scoff as Jake elbowed her gently.

"That's nice." Jake simply said.

"Alright, let's go see how we can help." Ryan said, pulling Trinity by the hand.

"Wait, leave her here for a sec." Jake said. "She can catch up to you in a bit."

"Huh?" Trinity said in confusion.

"Alrighty then." Ryan smiled.

"Love the new fit, by the way." Jake said, pointing at Ryan's new outfit.

Ryan's new outfit consisted of a low cut magenta colored shirt with frilled sleeves, a dark blue skirt, grey leggings, and black heels boots.

"Oh, thanks." Ryan said. "I figured I'd try on new look to really show the new me. Maybe I'll even let my hair finally grow out."

"But not too much?" Jake said. "I like your short hair."

"I know." Ryan smiled. "I just. . . I don't wanna have to be reminded of who I used to be."

"That's fair." Jake said.

"Anyway, I'll talk you to guys later." Ryan said as she skipped away to help with the cleaning.

"Damn. . . she *is* serious about this." Makayla said, cringing a bit.

"So, what did you want to see me about?" Trinity asked.

"Don't think I haven't noticed." Jake said.

"Huh?" Trinity said, blushing a bit. "Noticed what?"

"Your feelings for Ryan, duh!" Jake said.

"Don't say that so loud!" Trinity said. "She might hear you."

"So, it's true then?" Jake asked with a smirk.

"Crap. . ." Trinity said with a sigh.

"Hey, it's alright." Jake said. "Hey, maybe when this whole things blows over, you can shoot your shot."

"You're okay with that?" Trinity asked.

"She's not *my* girlfriend, anymore." Jake said. "Why would I care if she was with someone else? Especially when that someone is her best friend, that she has known for a long time?"

Trinity looked back at Ryan, who had started helping around with the cleaning. She looked back at Jake and smiled.

"Yeah. . . you know what? I'll go for it when I can." Trinity said with a proud smile. "It just. . . it has to be the right time."

"Take all the time you need." Jake said. "You're only giving the time to Ryan, too."

Trinity smiled as she went to catch up with Ryan to help her with the cleaning of the city.

"What was that about?" Makayla asked.

"What?" Jake said, sounding confused.

"Hey, there he is!" A familiar voice said as Jake was suddenly snuck up behind. "How's my freak buddy feeling?"

"I'm doing fine, I guess." Jake said. "I managed to make up with the majority of my enemies."

"Who's left?" Leo asked, walking up to him as well.

"Donnie. . ." Jake sighed.

"Ah. . . that's right." Leo said. "I wouldn't even try that right now, if I were you."

"Yeah, he's still mad that April kissed you." Mikey said, showing up as well.

"At me?" Jake scoffed.

"Hey, it is what it is." Raph said. "He'll have to get over himself at some point."

"Hey, thanks for the help during the fight, by the way." Jake said.

"Don't thank us yet." Raph said. "There's still a lot to be done around here."

"Right." Jake said with a smile.

Suddenly, Jake spotted his group of school friends cleaning up some debris. He walked over to them to help them out a bit.

"Need a hand over here?" Jake asked, as he lifted up one of the hunter vans back on its wheels.

"Woah, when did you get such strength?" Mars asked, looking impressed.

"I guess that's a good thing about Night Shade being a part of me." Jake said.

"Did he lend you his strength?" Shane asked.

"Well, it's more like it was hidden deep within me." Jake said. "But you could say Night Shade played a part in its awakening. Or it could be genetic."

"That's so sick!" Gracie said with a smile on her face.

"Totally." Elexa said with a smile.

"Um. . . Jake?" Mars said. "Since we're friends and all. . . I think it's time that we tell you some stuff about ourselves."

"Huh?" Jake said, looking confused.

. . .

"No freaking way! That's so cool!" Jake said in excitement as his friends completed telling their stories. "So,  Mars. . . you're part dracana, which is basically an alien from the planet, Magdomar. Gracie. . . you're a half-koopa hybrid and daughter of the koopa king. And Elexa. . . you're a zombie?!"

"Yep. That about sums it all up." Mars said, blushing a bit.

"So, we're all a group of weirdos!" Jake said with a smile. "But, wait. Elexa, are you really a zombie? Cause you look so-"

"Alive?" Elexa asked.

"I was gonna say 'beautiful', but that works too." Jake said.

"Oh, That's because I wear tons of makeup and perfume." Elexa explained. "Just try not to catch me at night."

"Noted." Jake said.

"Just wait until you hear *my* story." Makayla said with a smirk.

"Tell us right now!" Gracie said, excited to hear more.

----------

"Man, that guy gets on my nerves so bad!" Donnie said as he watched Jake helping out his friends.

"Don't be such a loser, Donnie." Casey said with a sly smirk. "He's just having fun with his friends over there."

"The city needs cleaned up." Donnie said, seriously. "This is no time to mess around!"

"They're working even harder than you are right this second." Casey said. "Stop obsessing for one moment and listen to your own words."

"I'm not obsessing!" Donnie said.

"Then, go surrender to him right now." Casey said. "He clearly won April's heart fair and square."

"I'd never. . ." Donnie scowled.

Casey just rolled his eyes as he continued to clean around the city.

----------

As everyone was cleaning up, April was watching from a distance. She still wasn't in the best shape to do any extraneous work at the moment, so everyone invited on letting her sit back. But a part of her still felt a bit sad about something.

Master Splinter suddenly walked up to her and noticed how she was feeling.

"Are you alright, April?" Splinter asked.

"I. . . I don't know, Sensei." April sighed. "I'm still thinking about the events of the battle. As well as mine and Jake's talk in the hospital."

"What did you talk about?" Splinter asked.

"Well. . . we confessed our feelings to each other." April said. "But. . . a part of me feels like that Jake isn't into it as much as I think."

Splinter raised an eyebrow as he continued to listen to her.

"I mean, I get he went through a lot, but. . . I can't help but feel I may have let it all out on him too fast." April said. "Also, he hasn't talked to me in a week, so. . . I don't know what to think."

"Perhaps he just needs more time." Splinter said.

"I guess so." April said. "But I can't just stand around anymore."

April then took out a small piece of rubble in her hand and threw it at Jake.

Jake felt the piece of rubble hit the back of his head as he reached his hand up to feel whatever hit him. He then turned to see April walking off in a different direction. Splinter looked at him and shrugged as he didn't even know what was up with her at the moment.

Jake put in a serious look as he stopped what he was doing and began to walk towards where April had went off to.

"Where you going, bro?" Makayla asked.

"Um. . . I'll be right back." Jake said. "I need to check on something."

Without another word, Jake went off to catch up with April to see what was wrong with her.

"I knew it!" Donnie suddenly called out as he noticed Jake. "I saw April head that way! He's following her! I need to stop him!"

Raph then suddenly grabbed Donnie and pulled him him for a chokehold, keeping him from going anywhere. "I don't think so, genius." He said. "Do you *want* April to feel worse right now?"

"I think there might be something wrong." Ryan said. "Do you think she'll be okay?"

"That's an odd question, coming from you." Douxie said.

"Hey, I'm doing my best to be better!" Ryan said, angrily. "At least acknowledge my progress!"

"What progress?" Douxie scoffed. "All you've done so far is help clean up the city and gave a half-assed apology!"

"Oh, that's rich coming from someone who wouldn't even acknowledge his own brother as family before!" Ryan snapped back. "At least my reasoning for what I did was because I *cared* about him the whole time!"

"Guys, please don't argue." Trinity said. "There's still a lot to do! So, let's focus on the more important stuff."

"Yeah. . . Jake has this covered." Leo said. "If anyone can cheer up April. . . it would be him."

Makayla just sighed as she watched her brother run off to catch up with April. She couldn't help but feel a little worried, though.

To be continued. . .

Jake Moon, Ryan, and Trinity belong to me

Makayla Light belongs to makaylaLight435

Marsha 'Mars' Magma belongs to princessofmagdomar

Shane belongs to Bakshane93

Gracie belongs to SonicBoomFan17

Elexa belongs to Elexa_Ruby

TMNT belongs to Nickelodeon

Tales of Arcadia belongs to DreamWorks

All rights reserved