Dagger From the Mirror (ROTTMNT/TMNT 2012 Crossover Fic)

Bittersweet

The next hour was the longest one of April's life.

She paced back and forth outside Donnie's lab with dark eyes downturned and a deep frown on her face. The burn on her cheek hurt from being twisted like so, but she barely felt it—her own injury was the last thing on her mind. All she could think about was Mikey in the lab, and the other world's Donatello trying to help him.

Upon reaching the lair, Donnie had shooed everyone but himself, his Mikey, and the Aprils from the lab. He had stated that he needed more space to work, and only the people he absolutely needed to help could stay. April to calm Mikey down in case he woke up, his world's April because he needed an assistant, and the other Mikey to keep him contained if he woke up and started to attack. Of course, everyone else was upset they couldn't stay, but Donnie was firm. Eventually Leo just led everyone out and Donnie began to work.

That was around 45 minutes ago. Donnie and April worked quickly, and the controlled Mikey didn't wake up once, much to everyone's relief. The mind control device was out a half hour later. April, somehow beyond stressed and extremely relieved at the same time, had excused herself outside of the lab to try and clear her thoughts. The three remaining inside promised to call her in the second her Mikey woke up.

Donnie had told her he'd probably wake up in an hour or so, but April just wanted him to get up now. She needed him to rise. She needed to see that familiar smile again. She needed to hear him being himself again. She wasn't going to feel okay until she knew with absolute certainty that Michelangelo was truly okay, and to know that, she needed to see it with her own two eyes. And until then, she was just going to continue pacing and trying to keep herself from pulling her hair out in stress.

"Come on, Mikey..." She mumbled to herself, "Just wake up already..."

"Yo Other Red, you okay?"

April blinked, looking over to see that Casey was leaning against the wall opposite her—she hadn't even noticed him enter the hall—and stopped in her tracks. Casey raised one brow in question, prompting an answer. April hesitantly nodded.

"You sure?" He chuckled, "You look 'bout ready to scream. Not that I blame you, but..."

"I'm just a little stressed," April admitted, "Or, uh, a lot actually."

"I get that," Casey shrugged, "Need to make sure he's okay for yourself before you believe it, right? I'd feel the same if someone I was close to got roughed up like that. Totally not cool."

April nodded, slumping back against the wall. Still needing a release for all her anxious energy, she tapped her foot up and down as she spoke.

"I'm just worried how he's gonna react, or what if the thing messed up his brain or something?" She shivered, thinking about just how big the device was once they removed it—the metal went deep into his neck, and she hated thinking about it. It was almost definitely going to leave a scar. "What if he's changed forever?"

"Our April was worried about the same thing happenin' with her dad, you know," Casey said, "I wasn't there, but she's told me stories. Her dad's okay, and the only side effects were just... natural ones that happen when you go through shit like that. Mikey'll be okay otherwise."

"Well, that's good," April mumbled, "I think..."

"He'll be alright, just give him some time to wake up and to deal with everything." Casey grinned widely, "If he's anything like these guys, he'll bounce back alright. Just needs some time."

April thought back to all the things she and her family had gone through in the past year. Fighting the Shredder, trapping him and handing him over to Big Mama, their crazy fights with Draxum, Meatsweats, Hypno, the Foot in general... Mikey had dealt with it all. He was still dealing with it, since they all knew the Foot were still a threat, still desperately trying to find a way to bring their leader back. Mikey was handling it so well it was impressive.