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

The Calm Before The Storm

It was quiet.

It'd been months since Donnie could say this. His mind had been crying out for nearly a year, a never-ending tornado of screams and pleading for months that had threatened to drag him under. It was the one thing he could never put a stop to for months under the Kraang's control no matter how hard he searched for a way—his mind would always scream as long as that blasted device was in his neck.

But it was finally out, and his mind was quiet.

Everything was, actually, and Donnie looked around the darkened lab he was in now. It was his counterpart's. Illuminated only by the light from a nearby lamp, he could see the remnants of his counterpart's work everywhere—Little Mikey and Leonardo bandaged up in the corner and both Raphaels sleeping nearby, obviously completely exhausted from the day's battle. They were sporting their own batch of cuts and bruises and were haphazardly bandaged up. If they were asleep now, Donnie knew they had to be truly tired out (no Raph would ever sleep after a battle unless their body was truly giving them no other choice). The older Mikey was nearby, wrapped up in a blanket with his head resting on his Raph's shoulder. They were tired, but resting.

All in all, it would be a beautifully peaceful scene if it weren't for the injuries Donnie knew he'd been the cause of.

His counterpart was in a chair with his head on his desk, the two mind control devices in front of him. He still had one of his tools in his hand. After bandaging everyone up and removing his and April's devices, he must have fallen asleep right where he was. There was a half-filled cup of coffee right next to him that failed in its mission to keep him awake, but maybe that was for the best—if anyone deserved to sleep, it was Donatello. Maybe more than anyone else in that room.

"Donnie?"

A voice snapped the turtle out of his thoughts, and Donnie looked over to his right to see New April laying on a table next to him. Her eyes were clouded just like he knew his were (a lingering side effect of the mind control that would fade soon), and they were half-lidded, exhaustion keeping them from staying open fully. Her skin was scarred and bruised from the battle before.

Seeing his best friend like that brought tears to his eyes. "April—" he started, but broke off. He covered his mouth with his hand as he choked over his own words.

What had he done?

The memories came back in a tsunami of emotion, and Donnie squeezed his eyes shut tight. He'd been with the Kraang for nearly a year, hadn't he? He'd done so much for them without so much as a second thought, and now they had so much more technology. Hundreds and hundreds of new powerful weapons and a new plan that was sure to work, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. The entire Earth would be taken thanks to him.

And what about his family? He was surrounded with reminders of what he'd done, the consequences of his own actions. He'd beaten Mikey and screamed at Raph and April—oh god, April. He'd kidnapped her.

"Donnie—" She was whispering now. Donnie felt her hand as she reached out to touch him, and he flinched at the pain on his shoulder when she laid her palm there (probably some bruise he'd never noticed getting, but he relished in the pain since he knew he deserved it). He shifted away from her comfort, but she followed him. "Donnie," New April repeated, more forcibly this time.

"I'm so sorry," He whispered, tears streaming down his cheeks now. He still refused to open his eyes.

"Donnie, please, look at me." Her words were much more urgent this time. She squeezed his arm, and Donnie forced himself to open his eyes—it was the least he could do after what he'd done to her, right?—to look at her. Blue eyes met brown. Both were full of color, and both were finally themselves.