Crestfallen at The End of The World

Chapter 8: Donatello

Cassandrew Jones is so Totally Fine. I mean, he lived through the apocalypse, watched his uncle die, watched his other uncle die, and was shoved through a time gateway by his dad to save the world. But he's doing okay.

After smoothly saving the world from the Kraang with these weird versions of people he used to know, Casey felt he was finally moving on. Like he was getting somewhere.

New York was still recovering from the invasion, but Casey can't bring himself to focus on it too much as he sits at the kitchen table with his friends.

Casey is, for the first time since he can remember, wearing clothes that, while not practical, offer him more comfort than he is used to. He's also cleaner, which is something he's starting to get used to.

It's a special kind of unnerving to be sitting with the past versions of his family after defeating an alien race that his family have spent Casey's entire life fighting. Just a bit.

They... Are different from what he's used to. Which, shocker, am I right? Of course it's different. But he didn't expect to feel a certain hurt in his chest whenever they looked at him with familiarity, but not recognition. It stings, when he tries to make an inside joke with his.. With Donnie, only to realize a moment too late that it wouldn't make sense.

But. He's adapting. It's been a few months since the invasion, and he's healing. They all are. And he's come to terms with the fact that he'll never see his dad, or uncles, or aunt, while in this new timeline.

So. He's at the kitchen table with his friends. Eating food that Mikey made. It's not perfect, or chef-made. But he made it because he's been itching to get back in the groove of it, and it's notable progress on how his hands have been healing. The family sends their youngest encouragement, proud of him.

And before the table can get up to take care of their dishes, benching Mikey who claims he's okay enough to do it himself, an orange portal opens above the table, effectively silencing everyone. The portal, one that Casey knows is his Master Michaelangelo's, spits out someone Casey had just come to terms with never seeing again.

From the portal, Master Donatello comes tumbling out in all his disheveled glory. He crashes onto the table, and the clasp of his overalls snaps off and nails Leo in the eye, causing the teen to yelp and reel back in pain.

Casey would've stopped to check on him, but he's already beside Donatello before he processes it, and then he's being dragged backwards by the arms, as if they were protecting him. He thrashes wildly.

"Let me go!" He exclaims, feeling tears of frustration build when he isn't released. "I know him! He's Master Donatello!" He's my dad, he doesn't say.

"Are you sure, bud?" Raph cautiously says, side-eyeing the older mutant. Casey bristles. "We just want to make sure? What if-" Raph doesn't finish before Casey elbows the person holding him back, earning a grunt of pain and freedom. He'll apologize later.

Casey almost trips over his feet and quickly kneels beside Donatello, holding his face in his hands to check him over. The remains of the kitchen table dig into his legs uncomfortably, but Casey has to make sure. Donatello's skin feels just as leathery as he remembers, dust-covered and stained. His clothes are disheveled, but the same. His glasses are as unneeded as ever.

One final detail, Casey picks up the older turtle's wrist, finding the blue bandana that he never takes off. A laugh of pure disbelief and shock tumbles out of his mouth. He feels a slim hand touch his shoulder and he turns to find Leo grabbing his shoulder, his friends looking worried.

Casey feels tears start to fall. "It really is him." He tells them, before he feels the wrist in his hand twitch and hears a groan. He whips his head around to find Donatello blink blearily up at his teenage counterpart, who's leaning over him curiously.

"Why're you so fuckin' ugly, bro." Is all he says, before closing his eyes and falling unconscious again. Donnie rolls his eyes, a comeback on the tip of his tongue, before he tenses suddenly.

"Casey, look at your pants." Is all the teen is told, and Casey looks down to find dark blood staining his pants, pooling around Donatello where debris is lodged in his leg.

The group scrambles to take the older softshell to the Medbay.

____________

Donatello wakes up with a dry throat and crusty eyes, and even though he'd gotten rest for the first time in days, he feels exhausted in a way that pulls at his bones. He turns and is met with his joints popping in protest.

"Yikes, I sure hope I'm not like that when I'm an adult."

Donatello gasps and shoots up from where he's been resting, which was a medical bed. A Medbay? He's in the past. In front of him is a teenage Leonardo, who looks tired, but physically fine.

"It's weird seeing you with both arms." Is the first thing out of his mouth, and it's quiet and raspy, but Leo still manages to hear it and he pulls a surprised face at the unrelated response. Or the sudden movement. Probably both.

"Woah man, lay back down." Leo is by his side, gently pushing on his plastron to force him back down. Donatello hisses at the pressure, grabbing the teenager's wrist. Leo flinches violently, and Donatello doesn't miss it.

He swallows. "Can I have some water?"

"Sure, peepaw." Leo chuckles nervously, sliding his wrist out of Donatello's hold and leaving the room. Donatello internally sighs in dismay.

"I'm only forty!" He calls after the teenager.

"Peepaw!" Is shouted back. Donatello grumbles, looking away from the door petulantly.

Casey takes that moment to slide into the room, looking more anxious to see Donatello than ever. The older turtle waves in the boy, but it brings a spark of barely hidden anger and relief to his son's eyes. Oh boy, he's in for it.

"What the fuck were you thinking?!" Casey barely manages to hold in an enraged shout, instead hissing at his dad and grabbing him by his overalls to drag him closer. Donatello lets himself be dragged, clearing his throat anxiously. "Why did you do that? Why would you let me believe you were coming with me, before throwing me into the portal by myself?!" He didn't wait for Donatello to answer, but the softshell wasn't going to anyway. Casey needs this.

"And what was that, 'get therapy'?! Dad, I wanted you to come with me!" Casey begins to sob, but he keeps speaking, tightening his hold on Donatello's overalls. "It was terrifying! One second, I'm watching Hounds surround you, and the next, I'm on the streets of New York, alone, with so many people suddenly alive! Do you know how much of an adjustment that was?!" He's almost finished venting, and Donatello rests a hand over the hands gripping his clothes, offering a silent comfort. Casey lowers his head to his dad's chest.

Donatello, never one to be a sap, presses his snout to the teen's head, pressing a kiss to the soft hair. "It's okay if you hate me."

"I don't hate you." Casey chokes. "But I really don't like you right now."

"That's okay too. I'm sorry."

Casey shakes his head, leaning to wrap his arms around Donatello's neck. "It's not okay, but I'll forgive you."