No Longer So Young
Chapter Three

Final Chapter

“Nice to see you’ve returned.”

Don glanced at Leo through the corner of his eye. “Right. I’ll be in my lab.”

He passed Raph, ignoring the snarl on his brother’s lips. “Don’t mess wit’ my bike again Don,” he growled out. Don gave a sarcastic smile.

“What? Annoyed that you’re not the only one anymore that can ride?”

Raph straightened. His eyes narrowed.

Mikey peeked over the top of the couch at the storm brewing. Leo stood by the kitchen, his shoulders tensed. He too sensed the toxicity that was spilling from his brother’s auras.

After a few stressed moments, Raph’s eyes softened. He gazed at his brother with a mix of sadness and hurt. “What happened to ya Donny?”

Donny remained silent, contemplating what to say. “I was alone.”

There was no venom in his words but they slapped his brothers harder then anything he had said before.

Don pushed by Raph and continued to his lab. The door clicked lightly behind him and silence fell over the lair.

“Hey, Leo?” The elder sibling looked at his brother. “D-d’ya think it’s our fault? Y’know, for what happened to him?” Raph’s voice was shaky, lacking all form of confidence and authority it usually carried. “I mean, if I had gone out with him that night, on his run, he wouldn’t have- none of this would have- heck. I don’t know what I’m tryn’ to say,” He dragged his hand down his face.

Leo’s eyes softened. “Raph, you know that even if you had gone there’d have been no way to change it. If anything, you’d have ended up in that place right next to him.”

“But even if I had, at least I’d be able to tell ya what really happened! We don’t even know half the stuff they put ‘em through!”

“Enough Raphael!” Raph heaved a huge sigh, looking away from Leo. “Stop blaming yourself. It won’t change anything. It’ll only make you go inane. I should know.”

“Right. You would know.”

Mikey watched Raph until he disappeared behind the elevator doors. Leo had already retreated to his room in the mere seconds it took for Raph to leave.

Mikey slouched into the cushion of the worn out couch. He popped a chip into his mouth and turned the television up to max. After a few minutes he turned it off with a sigh. It wasn’t going to work like usual. This was one subject he couldn’t ignore, shrug off or make light of with a few bad jokes.

An old cream-colored cat jumped onto his lap and purred lightly, rubbing up against his chest.

Mikey smiled sadly and rubbed the cat’s head. “You’ve got it east little guy. You don’t have to worry about anything other then chasing mice all day.” He rubbed the small piece of metal that huge off the purple collar around his neck. He read the indenting. Casey. Mikey chuckled to himself. It was just like the bonehead to name an animal after himself.

He glanced at the paper calendar hanging on the sewer wall. “It’s tomorrow isn’t it? No wonder everyone’s so uptight. Don especially…”

“It’s funny isn’t it Casey? Everyone, in his own way, blames himself for what’s happened. I think I do sometimes as well… I mean we’re ninja! We should have been able to protect him. To save him…”

-----

Donny tinkered away at the pile of junk that littered his workspace. He wasn’t really that interested in trying to finish anything. He just wanted an excuse to not think about anything else. About those weeks, the girl, Bishop, Splinter, Casey, April.

He scoffed. It was hard to think of anything else when his own skin in itself was a reminder.

Don glanced at his holographic calendar. “So it’s tomorrow isn’t it? Wonderful.”

----

Rain poured down form the sky, soaking the ground and their coats. Leo opened the car door and helped the graying redhead out of the black car. He crossed the graveyard with April’s arms around his own. He patted her hand gently, knowing how hard it was for her to come back every year. His brothers followed silently behind them, each lost in their own thoughts.

They stopped at a large black marble gravestone. Dying flowers littered the gravestone bed. April bent down and placed a bouquet of lily’s on the grave bed. The others placed their own gifts on the grave as well, each as silent as the first.

No one spoke for a long time. Not a sound was uttered. Not until Raph placed an old, worn out Hockey stick on the grave did April gave a chocked sob.

Leo wrapped his arms around her and let her cry into his chest. The diamond ring on her ring finger glittered duly in the rain, catching the drops like a magnet.

Don stared at the carvings on the stone.

Casey Jones.

Beloved husband and friend.

A fighter till the end.

If he hadn’t gone on that run, he wouldn’t be standing here with one of his oldest friends crying for the lost of her husband.

Of course, ‘ifs’ never fixed anything.

Don started back for the car. He couldn’t stand being there for longer then necessary. The others followed and climbed into the car in silence. Leo pulled the black Toyota out of the long driveway and started down the country road.

“Hey Leo?” April asked, breaking the long silence.

“Yes April?”

“How- how’s Splinter?”

“He’s alright. I think you should visit him. I’m not sure how much longer he’ll…”

He didn’t need to finish his sentence. They all knew it was coming. After all, Splinter couldn’t live forever and they where all well into their mid-forties. He was almost ninety-years old.

“I’ll come. Soon,” April promised.

----

Don crouched on the top of the building. The person he was waiting for should be out there soon.

Amethyst walked out of the building carrying a backpack. Don jumped down and walked over to her.

“Don! Hi. It’s been a few days. I didn’t think I’d see you again.” She seemed relatively happy to see him. That was always good.

“Amethyst, could you tell me the name of your mom?”

“Sure. Her name is Virginia. Virginia…well her maiden name was Virginia Cerst. I’m not sure what my dad’s last name was.”

Amethyst cocked her head to the side. “Don? Are you alright?”

Don cleared his throat. “Yeah. I’m fine. W-would you be willing to let me see your mother?”

She didn’t say anything for a minute. Then, almost reluctantly, she agreed. “I’m not sure if she’ll be alright with you though. She’s had some… tough times.”

Don chuckled. “I think I can relate.”

“Floor 2 room 119.” She slipped the key into his hand.

Don gave her a weak smile. “Thank you.”

Amethyst smiled at him and watched as he jumped away.

----

Don knocked on the door. He still wasn’t sure what he would do if this was the Virginia he remembered. If it wasn’t, well he’d have made a hell of a mistake.

The door creaked open and a pair of bright blue eyes locked onto his.

Don felt the air rush out of his lungs. “It is you,” he breathed.

“How did you find me?” she asked in a whisper.

Don smiled. “I met a spirited girl with a unique name. Can I come in?”

The door didn’t move for a few seconds then it opened steadily.

Don stepped into the dilapidated room and turned to the woman. She has her arms wrapped around herself, her blue eyes looking him up and down.

“You’ve changed,” she stated.

Don smirked. “Well, it’s been nearly fifteen years since I’ve seen you.”

“Fifteen…” she shook her head. “It couldn’t have been that long…” her dowdy graying hair fall into her face as she rubbed her brow ridge. “I still can’t believe that you’re still alive after that.” Her voice had dropped into a whisper. She looked up at him, seeming a lot smaller and older then she did a few minutes ago. “I need to-”

Don interrupted her. He didn’t want to hear what she was going to tell him. “So she’s your daughter? How old?”

“Twelve. Donny, listen. I-”

“Who’s the father?”

“I-I’m not sure. If you remember I had been forced to be with several men.” She looked down in shame.

He knew. He had been forced to watch more then a few of the rapes. He shook his head to rid himself of the memory.

He forced himself to change the subject. “How’ve you been doing?”

She gave a weak laugh. “Not good. I’m in New York to help out one of my uncles who’s been acting as Amethyst’s grandfather. But I’m also here to get medical help.”

Don’s head snapped up. “What? Why?”

“I-I’m really sick Donny. Ever since we got away from Bishop. The doctors can’t find the cause and they have no cure. I’ve been going to Naturalists to see if they might have anything but so far…” She let out a great sigh. “Don, they say I’ll be dead within a month.”

Don felt like the world had dropped onto his shoulders. He rubbed his forehead. “Within a month? As in, this month?”

“Yeah…”

“…Why didn’t you ever contact me?”

“I didn’t have the courage to. I wanted to but I found out I was pregnant and things went down hill from there.”

He started for the window. “I have to go. I’ll need to get back to lair. I told you about Leo.” Truthfully, he just couldn’t stay in the room much longer. He opened the window and stepped onto the cold fire escape.

“Donny!” He turned to look at Virginia. “W-will you come to see me again before the months out? Please?”

He nodded his head weakly and disappeared.

----

Donny climbed through the window of Virginia’s hotel room. He looked around the shabby space in search of the woman he wanted to see.

He spotted a small figure curled on the couch, knees up to her chin.

“Amethyst,” he called out softly.

The girl’s head lifted up. “Donny right”

“Yeah.”

“Donny, c-can you come hear for a second?”

He crossed the room and sat down next to her. She reached out and grabbed the edge of his coat and buried her head into his chest. After a moment of shock, Don placed a hand on her back.

“Mom’s not doing good,” she sobbed, “She’s in the room. D-dying.”

Don felt his heart drop into his stomach. He was going to be too late.

“Hey,” Don started. He looked down at the girl to find that she had fallen asleep. Don covered her with his coat and opened up the door to the bedroom.

Virginia was asleep under the covers, her breath raspy and deep.

Don pulled up a chair beside her and shook her awake.

Her eyes opened wearily. “Donny?” She choked out.

“Yeah. It’s me.”

“I-I need to tell you something.”

“You should really try to sleep.”

“N-no! I need to tell you. I-I lied when I said I didn’t know who Amethyst’s father was. Remember that night Bishop drugged you? Well, it caused you to fulfill the need to preserve the species. Um, with me. She has a permanent tan that becomes green if she’s in the dark to long. She only has four fingers. Donny, I need to know that you’ll take care of her. Please?”

Don stared at the dying woman. He had been around twenty-nine when Bishop had captured him. He had been placed in a glass cell across from a young woman who had also been taken forcefully into Area 57. He had ended up falling in love with her, from the short chats they had when the guards allowed them to be in the same cell. But never did he dream that he would have raped her.

Don shook his head. “I can’t believe that I-”

“Shut up Don. You didn’t do it on purpose. Besides, I had gotten used to things like that.”

He winced. “That makes me feel a lot better,” he muttered.

Virginia let out a laugh and spasm into coughs. Don took her hand and ran his fingers over her scar. The same scar he had on his own hand. “D-Don, just promise that you’ll take care of your daughter.”

Don watched as the woman’s eyelids started to droop. He bent down and cupped her face into his hand and kissed her gently. When he pulled away, the last breath had already left her.

“I promise Virginia.”

----One year later----

“Amethyst! Hurry up!”

“I’m coming!” The young girl slid down the sewer ladder and crossed the room to walk next to her newly appointed father. Her skin was a light greenish tan and her white tanktop showed off her small shell and a bit of her carapace.

Donny placed a hand on her shoulder, smiling down at her. She flashed him a proud smile.

They halted at a blank brick wall. Don pushed a brick in and a code pad popped out of the wall. He punched a few of the keys and the wall opened up to reveal their lair.

The two crossed the room. They took their seats in-between Raphael and Leonardo in front of the Japanese style door to their Sensei’s room.

Leo glanced over at his brother and smiled. Don had carried an air of hate and depression for over fourteen years. He had never told them exactly what had happened to him while in Are 51. At least, he had never told them in detail until a few months ago. It seemed that because of his daughter, Don felt like she should know how she was created and what her parents had been through before she was born. Leo still shuddered at the memory of the story.

Leo glanced at his brother again. He no longer looked so old. His eye had a new spark of life in it and his smile was genuine. No longer forced like it had been.

Leo patted Amethyst on the shoulder and gave her a smile. She cocked her head like a little puppy but grinned at him.

A shifting noise caught their attention and they all looked over at the sliding door. Splinter emerged from the room and stood in front of them, his head held high. He was leaning heavily on his cane and April was helping support him but their father still looked like a noble warrior. He slowly walked towards them then stopped by a small table that had been set up.

“Amethyst, please come here,” he spoke gently. His voice didn’t tremble. It still held the authority of the family and all who heard it where obliged to listen.

Without hesitation, the young thirteen year old moved to kneel in front of her Grandfather.

Splinter smiled gently at her and picked up a piece of dark, amethyst colored cloth off the table. He moved forward and placed it around her head and tied it in a knot. He placed his wrinkled hand on her head and leaned down to kiss her hair.

“Stand my child. You are now a ninja and apart of this family. No matter where in the world you go, you will always be welcome here.”

Amethyst stood and gave Splinter a hug then turned to her uncles and father. She smiled brightly at them then rushed into Don’s open arms.

Don buried his face into his daughter’s hair. “Thank you,” he murmured.

“Welcome,” she whispered back.

They broke apart and Don ruffled her hair. April came over and hugged the young girl.

“So,” Mikey said while he stretched, “Who’s up for a game of Tag? Ow!” He rubbed his back and bent forward. “Popped my back,” he whined.

Splinter chuckled. “You, my son’s, are no longer so young.”

“Yeah, but sensei,” Leo said with a devilish smirk, “We could beat you at a game of Ninja Tag.”

Splinter smirked. “As you would say, bring it on.”