My Hero In Purple

Epilogue

The light of early morning shone through the window, the blinds making darkened stripes appear across everything within the bedroom. Donatello cracked his eyes open, blinking as he adjusted to the morning sun. He tried not to rustle the sheets as he rolled over onto his shell, his eyes standing out, red-brown, in stark contrast with his olive skin without his mask, which hung off the edge of the bedside table. He stared at the ceiling, waiting for the grogginess to subside. The gears in his mind began to turn, and with the disappearance of his slumbering state, his brain churned out a mental to-do list for the day.

The microwave still needed fixing. He'd check over the air conditioning unit (it was beginning to make that infernal squeaking noise again). And then it was off to the lair, to visit his brothers and Master Splinter. A quick patrol around the city, and the day's work would be through. Then he could come back home to...

A small shuffle beside him made Donnie turn his head. The sunlight from the window reflected and refracted off April's red hair, her delicate form still enveloped in the comforter, her shoulders rose and fell with each breath that escaped through her slightly parted lips.

In the fifteen years, since he'd met her, she remained unchanged. Sure, April had inevitably matured into a young woman, but in Donnie's eyes, she was as youthful and vivacious as the day they'd met. He grinned, shifting to trace his fingers gently along her freckles, connecting them with imaginary lines he painted with his hands. Her eyelashes fluttered, and her eyes opened slowly, two enchanting crystalline pools of blue, showing inklings of the dreams that still lingered.

April smiled, catching the hand roaming across her skin and lacing her fingers through Donnie's.

"Good morning, Mrs. Hamato," He greeted softly, leaning closer to place an affectionate kiss on her nose.

"Good morning, Mr. Hamato," She replied with a quiet laugh, sitting up and adjusting her loose tank top properly on her midsection, then stretching her arms above her head.

Donatello's eyes remained intently on his wife for a few moments, before grabbing his mask and tying it around his head, the worn purple tails falling over his shoulder.

"Finally, it's the weekend," April commented, removing the hair band from around her wrist and starting to fashion her auburn locks into a messy bun, "A little time to ourselves, to relax."

"For you," he amended, "but for me, it's another day of arduous training and patrolling."

"Aw, is the big, strong vigilante pouting?" She teased.

"Maybe just a little," He chuckled, pulling her close and nuzzling her cheek.

"You better stop," April warned with a grin, "You're starting to sound like Gia."

Before the happy couple could say another word, the bedroom door swung open slowly, and a small head peeked through, a mane of bright red hair flying messily about the girl's face.

"Hello?" She whispered, her russet eyes glittering with mischief as she padded in on bare feet, "Are you awake?"

"Yes, sweetie, we're awake," April smiled, beckoning to the child warmly.

She grinned, hurrying over and jumping onto the mattress, perching at the foot of the bed. Her auburn curls cascaded past her shoulders, down her back, the red complimenting her pale green skin in the most unique and perfect way. Her birthmark resembling a carapace could be spotted briefly any time the collar of her flannel pajamas moved. Her hands remained behind her back, and her trouble-maker smile made April and Donnie raise a brow simultaneously.

"Well, if it isn't the infamous Gianna Hamato," D joked, "I wonder what she's got up her sleeve now."

"I don't got nothin' up my sleeve, Daddy," Gia giggled.

"Double negative," April observed, leaning forward to try to grab her. The toddler wriggled out of her mother's grasp/

"Don't got nothin'." Gia lifted her nose in the air, refusing to look at either of her parent.

"C'mere, you." Donnie lunged and scooped his daughter up before she could protest. She squealed in surprise, smiling up at him in mock innocence. Donatello smirked, reaching around to grab the little girl's loot from behind her back.

"What is -- oh." April's eyes settled on the crystal diadem in her husband's hand.

"Look how sparkly the pretty tiara is!" Gia exclaimed, her pudgy fingers reaching toward the accessory.

"Honey, where'd you get that...?" April breathed, a question promptly ignored by the little girl.

"I haven't seen this since... since before we were married," Donnie said, examining the diadem closely before glancing up at April with a reminiscent smile, "Remember?"

She nodded, gingerly taking the tiara and staring at it in amazement. Gianna crawled out of her father's arms, making her way over to April and asking, "Where's it from, Momma?"

"It was your grandmother's," She replied absentmindedly.

Gia frowned, obviously unsatisfied with the simplistic answer. "Is it important?"

April looked up from the diadem, turning to Gia and explaining, "Years ago, before you were born, I got this taken from me. Some mean guys came and stole it from me, just like that."

She snapped her fingers right beneath Gia's nose, making the little girl jump and giggle.

"And your daddy, being the gentleman he is, got it back for me." April glanced over at Donnie with a loving smile.

"He got it back? Did he have to fight bad mutants? Was it epically bodacious?" Gia gawked.

"You've been hanging out with Uncle Mikey too much," Donatello stated with a grin, "But.. yes. I'd like to think it was... epically bodacious. It was the first time I got to kiss your mother, after all."

Donnie pulled April to him, pecking her lips for emphasis.

Gianna, meanwhile, wrinkled her nose. "Yucky," she mumbled.

"You'll understand when you fall in love, someday," April insisted, blushing faintly at her husband's kiss.

"Nuh-uh! I'm never gonna fall in love! Boys got cooties!" The toddler proclaimed, pausing for a second before adding, " 'Cept you, Daddy."

Donatello laughed, giving his daughter a kiss on her cheek. "Thanks, princess. Now go get dressed, if you wanna come with me to the lair."

"The lair!" Gianna cried, as if he'd just announced she was about to travel to a magical land, "Do we get to see Ez?"

"Maybe," he replied, swinging his legs out of bed, "if Uncle Leo isn't trying to train him again today."

"Typical, that Leo would try and get Ezra to train so early," April commented with a grin, throwing the covers back and lifting Gia back down to the floor.

"But -- but didn't Auntie K say...?" Gia began, her tone wrought with confusion.

"He's gonna do what he wants to prepare his son for life as a ninja," D shrugged, "no matter what Karai says."

Gianna's eyes fell to the floor, her eyes full of disappointment at the news of not getting to play with her cousin.

"Oh, it'll be alright, sweetie," April comforted, "Maybe Ez will finish up early. Now, who wants waffles?"

The toddler's eyes lit up once more, and she trotted out of the bedroom, chanting, "Waffles! Waffles!"

The couple chuckled, and Donatello glanced at his wife. "She takes after you."

April beamed, glancing down at the diadem in her hands. "Funny, how much things have changed..."

He nodded in agreement, walking over and tilting her chin up to meet his russet eyes.

"My adoration of you sure hasn't."

She blushed, her freckles standing out on her cheeks even brighter. "I love you," she held up the trinket in her palm teasingly, "my hero in purple."

"And I love you," Donnie replied, sweeping her red locks behind her ear and gazing into her crystalline eyes lovingly, "to the moon and back."

The End.