Legacy Mutation (Book Eight)

Chapter 38: Memories of Her

"DAD!" the twins scream.

Donatello collapses to the ground, his arms curled around himself as he cries out in pain. Destiny flies forwards instantly, trying to help her friend up as tears run down his face, his breaths fast.

"I call tactical retreat!" Leonardo orders. "Ninjas, go! GO!"

Asher and Dakota rush to their father's side, their eyes widening in panic. Destiny grits her teeth and summons all her strength, pulling Donnie to his feet and wrapping her arms around him, fully aware of Sarina coming at them for another attack. Asher and Dakota ready their weapons, although they both feel incredibly outgunned.

Destiny makes sure her grip is tight and takes to the air, carrying her brother with her. Dakota and Asher turn and follow, knowing that their mother is following. The family retreats, every heart pounding as they try to escape the murderous cyborg on their tails.

They get into the sewers just in the nick of time, breaths heavy. Michelangelo spins to face Destiny as she nearly collapses, finding it harder to carry Donnie when not flying. The orange-masked turtle rushes to his brother's side, his baby blue eyes sick with worry.

"Des, is he...is he..." he stammers.

"He's alive, just...hurt," Destiny responds, her face pained. "Both physically and emotionally."

"We've got to get him back, now," Raphael cuts in. "I'll carry him."

Before anyone can say a word, the red-masked turtle scoops his brother into his arms and takes off down the tunnel. Dakota and Asher follow without hesitation, both twins feeling completely and utterly crushed inside. Their mom has forgotten all about them, their dad is heartbroken and injured, and the rest of their family...who knows what they're feeling?

When the family gets back to the lair, Mitch dashes off to the dojo to get Master Splinter. The blond and the rat return swiftly, albeit Splinter moves slower.

"What has happened?" he asks. "I take it you did not find Sarina." His eyes fall on Donnie, his face freezing in fear. "Donatello?"

"Sarina got her mind wiped by Emery. She shot him," Leo reports hurriedly. He looks to Dakota and Asher with a grim expression. "Will you two be able to patch him up?"

Dakota nods. "Of course we can."

"Doctor Asher and Nurse Dakota, at your service!" Asher seconds, sounding a lot more confident than he feels.

"Just hurry!" Copeland snaps.

"Calm," Dean reminds her with one word.

Venus clings to Destiny's legs as she watches the twins and Raph disappear into their lab with Master Splinter. Leo moves to them and scoops his daughter up, managing a weak smile.

"Come on, bedtime for little turtles," he murmurs.

Venus nods and rests her head on her mom's shoulder. "Okay daddy..."

They disappear into the long hallway of bedrooms. Mikey places a hand on Mitch's shoulder, trying to distract his son from the shock he's experiencing.

"You should get some shut-eye," he says softly.

Mitch lets out a small sigh. "I think I'll go play with Ice Cream Kitty and Pepper-oni...they'll make me feel better."

He wanders off to play with the food pets, his face the most forlorn it's ever been. Annalise hugs Mikey gently as his shoulders slump in defeat.

Taylor nudges Copeland, jerking her head towards the rooms. The turtle girl gets the idea and heads off, a little upset that she didn't get to use her weapon on any Kraang droids but too worried about her uncle to really care. Taylor sighs, looking to the lab before heading to her room. Mikey and Annalise follow.

Destiny, now the only mutant left, moves to the lab to check on Donnie. As she reaches the door, Master Splinter and Raph leave, talking softly to one another. She moves past and goes into the large space, seeing that Donnie is awake and sitting up in a chair while his twins work to bandage him up and clean the wound. The purple-masked turtle stares straight ahead, his eyes bloodshot and his mask tear stained.

Dakota carefully pins the bandage in place, straightening up as her red eye flashes.

"Dad?" she whispers. He makes a small, sad sound. "Dad, try to get some sleep, okay? We'll get her back."

Donnie's russet gaze flickers to his daughter for a second, his heart aching at just how much she looks like Sarina. He nods once and looks away, his face still drooped in a frown. Asher gently ushers his sister towards the exit, wanting her to sleep. She nods, moving past Destiny without so much as a second glance.

Asher watches Donnie for a second, leaning over hugging him gently.

"It'll be fine. Mom isn't going to leave us forever. She'll come back," he murmurs comfortingly. "I love you. Dakota loves you. Mom still loves you somewhere deep down inside her."

He turns and leaves. Donnie slumps over, his elbows resting on his lab table as he buries his face in his hands.

"No, she doesn't. She doesn't even remember who I am," he whispers, thinking that he's alone.

"Donnie?" Destiny calls, acting as though she just walked in. "How's the stomach?"

He makes a small, untranslatable noise. The wolf-raven moves closer to him, her eyes almost glowing in the darkened room.

"Donnie, it's going to be okay. We'll find a way to bring her back," she murmurs as she sits down next to him, gently taking his hand in her own.

"How? Everything...everything we had together since the day we met is gone," he whispers, his voice cracked and broken. "In her mind, she's still a sixteen year old girl who never saw the world, except now...Emery, and whoever's working with her, channeled her hatred for the Kraang and aimed it at us." He looks up, his face so crushed Destiny feels it inside her heart. "How can twenty-two years of memories...memories we made together, just come back? How?"

Destiny doesn't answer. Donnie looks at his feet again, his eyes filling with tears again.

"I know that you're living your worst nightmare right now," Destiny says softly.

His sorrow disappears for a fleeting second, replaced by confusion. "W-what? H-how do y-you know that?"

She smiles weakly. "Donnie, I'm your best friend. I know you...and I know that Sarina becoming Subject 60184 again has always been your greatest fear. She feared it too."

The turtle buries his head in his arms again, his shoulders trembling.

"I...I miss her...I don't want to live without her..." he cries.

Destiny scoots closer and hugs him gently, her wings surrounding him.

"She's going to find a way to bring herself back to you. I know it," she comforts.

He turns and hugs his best friend tightly, crying into her shoulder. She holds him gently, trying to find some way that this can get better.