4This has been one crazy week… April O'Neil thought to herself as she chopped firewood in front of her family's old farmhouse. Considering everything that happened with the turtles' oversized hairy guest, April was ready for a little peace and quiet.
April chuckled softly to herself. It actually wasn't all that bad. It was definitely entertaining to watch Bigfoot try again and again to woo Donnie. All those times she followed him around the house or made him soup- oh, that awful smelling soup!
As she swung her ax, April thought of the music box Donnie had made for her and how much her relationship with Donnie mirrored Donnie's relationship with Bigfoot. April sat down on her chopping stump while she thought about this. While there similarities between the two relationships, they also couldn't be more different.
The more she reflected, the more April realized how wrong she had been. She and Donnie had been through so much together. He had saved her life the first time they met when the Kraang kidnapped her father. They had been through two alien invasions, and somehow, Donnie was always there to save her whenever April got herself into trouble.
Now that I think about it, April mused; it wasn't Donnie who made all the advances. She frowned as she recalled the times she may have encouraged Donnie's affections.
Flashback to "Target: April O'Neil"
I was still mad at the turtles for turning my dad into a giant raging man-bat; that's why it hurt so much to call Donnie when the new-and-improved Foot-Bots attacked me. I had to lead them away from Casey, but there was no way I could take them all on my own, especially after Karai showed up.
It was only when Donnie leapt in front of me to protect me from a blow Karai was about to land that I knew I was safe. No matter how mad I was at him, I knew Donnie would never let anything happen to me.
After the fight, I went back to the lair to the lair to apologize to Master Splinter and the turtles, especially to Donnie.
"Thanks for always being there Donnie, even when I don't want you to." I gave him a well-deserved hug and a kiss on the cheek.
I stepped back as Donnie fell over with a goofy grin on his face, mumbling something about "being a turtle". I giggled and didn't think anything else of it.
Flashback to "The Lonely Mutation of Baxter Stockman"
I had been watching Donnie work for hours. I knew that he was hard at work finding a Retro-Mutagen to fix my dad, but it was taking forever.
"Donnie, you've been at this for, like, a million hours." Donnie gave me a small smile and went back to tinkering with the mixture. I watched as he placed a few drops onto a slide and put it under the microscope.
I was looking around the lab when I heard Donnie shout. "Guys! Master Splinter! Get in here!"
Donnie went on to explain a bunch of science stuff, but the gist was clear: he could change my dad back to normal. "I'm just, speechless! Thank you, thank you SO much Donnie! You're the best!"
I was so excited; I grabbed his head and gave him a big kiss on the cheek. Just like before, he mumbled something and fell over. I didn't have time to think about it; I was getting my dad back!
Flashback to "The Invasion: Part 1
The whole world was crumbling to pieces. The Kraang had invaded Earth, transforming people with mutagen. None of it would have even happened if I hadn't brought my so-called friend "Irma" to the turtles' lair. I was living in a nightmare.
At least some of us had made it back to my dad's apartment. Kraang Prime was chasing Raph and Casey down the streets and Leo was who-knows-where. My dad was freaking out while Mikey was trying to calm him down. I was tending to Donnie's injured arm when I noticed him starting to fidget.
"April… now that it's the end of the world, again…" His eyes tried to make contact with mine, but I kept my gaze locked on his arm. I had an idea of what was coming.
"I figured I better just tell you…" Nononononono! I can't deal with this right now!
"How I feel…"
In a snap decision, I tightened the bandage on Donnie's arm. "OW!" he yelped.
"Oh, sorry Donnie. You should just stop talking." I had too much information to process. While I knew I would have to make a decision someday, I knew it would have to wait until another time. With the Kraang and some of the guys missing, I couldn't handle hearing what Donnie had to say. "It makes everything hurt more."
I could briefly see the pain in his eyes before they were once again filled with concern for the situation at hand. I hated having to hurt Donnie like that, however, an alien invasion was not the time to contemplate my love life. That would have to wait.
Return to "A Foot Too Big"
As April came back to the present, she realized how much she actually cared for the purple clad ninja. She smiled as she stood up and continued chopping wood. Maybe it's time I talk to Donnie about this.
She continued chopping wood when she heard someone come up behind her. "Hey April."
"What's up Donnie?" April put down her ax and wiped her brow.
"I, um… well, I-I-I just wanted you to let you know that I won't be bothering you with music boxes anymore." Donnie's eyes became so big and sad, like what he was about to say was slowly killing him. "I get it now. Donnie is to April as Bigfoot is to Donnie."
April looked at him incredulously, not believing what he was saying.
"I'm just… a mutant."
April gasped inwardly. Here was her best friend telling her he understood why he meant nothing to her. What Donnie said may have been killing him slowly, but his words were a dagger to April's heart. She knew how she felt now and needed to let him know.
"You're not just a mutant, Donnie," April looked at the ground to gather her courage. "You're MY mutant." That's when she kissed him. Not a friendly peck on the cheek, but a proper first kiss. April gave him one last beaming smile, turned and walked away.
"I understand nothing."
"One little spark, of inspiration/ Is at the heart, of all creation/ Right at the start, of everything that's new/ One little spark, lights up for you" - Journey into Imagination, EPCOT
"Jesus looked at them and said, "With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God."" -Mark 10:27