Together As Mutants (Book Six)

63. Donatello and Sarina Leave

Donatello sighs heavily as he walks into the lab. Sarina looks up from her magazine, arching an eyebrow with worry.

"Donnie? Is something troubling you?" she asks.

"I was thinking about stuff. Since everyone's travelling anyways..." He pauses, biting his lip. "What if we took the human patches and did a University course together? Just for a year or two? We could learn a lot."

She places her reading material down, her forehead lights blinking lightly through her hair as she thinks.

"But...leaving Destiny with Mikey, Raph, and Taylor? What will they do?" she wonders.

"Get jobs, keep up with ninjutsu..." The turtle smiles a little. "Taylor's already got her foot in the door of a couple places, Mikey's got his Antonio's delivery boy job-"

"Okay...but..." She shakes her head, unable to deny just how alluring the thought of it is. "I must admit the idea sounds wonderful."

"It will be wonderful! We can send in applications. We'll have to fabricate a few things, but with our minds...Baby, we could go anywhere." He grabs her hands, his eyes shining as he kneels next to her. "It could help us with that project we've been working with too. Shouldn't we try to make a difference?"

She nods, hugging his neck. "Okay. We'll go take a course."

He lifts her into the air, his arms surrounding her in a tight hug as he spins around, whooping in glee.

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The day comes, and Sarina and Donnie work hard at packing everything up. Master Splinter, although hesitant, did not want to rob his children of this experience and allowed them to go. Besides, with the human patches, what was there to worry about?

Even so, as the intelligent couple prepares to leave, the others are distressed. Taylor is out again, working, like she is most days now, and her absence is far more noticeable than times in the past. Splinter already hugged the two goodbye, standing near the back of the room while the other three mutants stand at the exit to the lair.

"And what? You're gonna be gone for another two years?" Raphael snaps, crossing his arms.

"Oh come on, Raph! We're living a little!" Donatello says, his russet eyes pleading.

"We just want to have some new experiences...outside of the lair," Sarina adds.

"B-but...Annalise already left, then Leo...I don't want to lose you guys too," Michelangelo sniffles, rubbing his eyes a little.

Destiny gently squeezes his hand as tears start trickling down his face. Donnie places a hand on his little brother's shoulder, not liking seeing his family so distressed.

"It's okay, Mikey. You've got Des, Raph, Taylor..." the purple-masked turtle lists.

"But...but that's only...only...a small amount of us!" he stammers, his voice thick.

Donnie hugs him gently, Mikey burying his face in his tall brother's shoulder. Raph keeps his glare on the floor, trying to keep his own emotions at bay.

"What if another villain shows up and we don't have our brainiacs or our leader?" he asks.

"We're a phone call away," Sarina says softly, stepping forwards and resting her hand on his bicep. "You guys will be just fine."

"Yeah...just come back, okay giggled?" he asks.

"We will, Raphael." She smiles lightly.

Donnie finally pries Mikey off of him, gently adjusting his little brother's crooked mask with a light smile on his face. Destiny's wings tighten against her back as her tail flicks.

"Good luck," she says softly.

She smiles, but a look of loss and loneliness hides within her green eyes. Leonardo's mask remains hanging around her neck; the way it has been since the day he left. It's only been two months, yet the whole thing seems to already be taking its toll on her.

Sarina opens her arms to her considered sister, a hug that Destiny accepts instantly. The wolf-raven pulls away and hugs Donnie, giving him a light peck on the cheek.

"Keep your chin up. Okay Destiny?" he whispers in one wolf ear.

"I'm already trying to go without Leo...and now you and Sarina?" she asks.

"Only for a little while."

She nods and pulls away. Raph pushes past her and hugs his purple-masked brother tightly, squeezing his eyes shut as his body trembles.

"Learn a lot, bro," he mutters.

Donnie chuckles softly and returns the hug. "You got it."

Sarina smiles, holding her free hand out to her boyfriend as the brothers part. He takes it, their hands intertwining comfortably, and they climb into the Party Wagon and drive away down the tunnel.

"They will be alright," Splinter says, smiling at his remaining children. "We all will be."

The three mutants take a deep breath. "Yeah."