Hey There, Delilah

Chapter 33: More to a Leader Than a Title

Mick, Raph, and Donnie were all listening with curiosity. Raph saw this had been on her mind for a while. She pulled away from Raph so she could sit up, and he let her. The siblings all wondered what she had to say.

"A leader should support their team, and I know I haven't been the best at that. But now... It may be all I can do, so I will definitely do everything in my power to support my team. I'll make sure I don't forget that this time around..."

Mick smiled widely. Donnie put his arm over his little sister's shoulders, also smiling. Raph took Delilah's hand and she squeezed his.

"You're staying?" Mick asked as hope took over her eyes. "For good?"

"For good," Delilah confirmed.

Delilah looked at Raph, and he saw the light return to her eyes. He smiled and held her hand to his lips. He started tearing up.

"Can I hug you?" Delilah asked Raph, knowing he always asked her. He nodded.

She pulled herself into him and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. He held her torso, and he told himself to never let her go.

"I love you, Raph... That's never changed," Delilah whispered to him. He sighed deeply.

"I love you too... So, so much..." He whispered.

"So this is his soft side..." Mick whispered. Raph chuckled as Delilah pulled away.

"Yes, it is," Delilah smiled, putting her hands to Raph's cheeks to dry them.

"Woah," Mick said. Delilah felt Raph's skin warm slightly and she chuckled. Raph smiled at her.

"I've been dying to see you smile again," Raph said. She blushed and just hugged him instead

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Delilah told Donnie to make her cast teal. He did. She was happy.

Dill didn't return to the Lair that night, so Delilah sent Tina and Donnie to look for them.

Though she was still upset with Dill, Delilah still cared about them.

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Tina knocked on the door of Dill's apartment. Dill hesitantly looked through the peephole and sighed.

"Tina... please, you need to go..."

"No, Dill. You're hurting, and you saw yourself what happened to Dee when she was hurting alone," Tina said. Both were silent. "I brought you a frozen coffee from Dunkin, and Donnie's already on your balcony."

Dill looked to the balcony, and Tina was right- they saw Donnie's for standing on the other side of the tinted window. They took a deep breath. They opened the door. They got attacked by one of Tina's strong hugs.

They stood there like that for several moments. Tina soon let go, handed Dill a frozen coffee, then entered the apartment. She opened the door to the balcony and let Donnie into the apartment.

"Dee sent us. She still cares about you, Dill," Donnie admitted.

"Even if she's still hurt, she cares deeply. You know that, right?" Tina asked. Dill nodded, still in the doorway. They closed the door and went over to their bed. Tina and Donnie immediately sat on either side of them. Donnie put an arm around his partner, holding them close.

"Please, come back. At least for a moment. Let her see you." Dill shook their head.

"But she-"

"If not for her, for me?" Donnie asked. "For Tina?"

Dill looked up at Donnie with teary eyes. He held them closer. Dill pressed their head into Donnie's plastron.

"Dill... You're worrying me," Donnie said. "Please say something... I'd even be okay if you said something like... Like... You could say 'penis' and I wouldn't care, as long as I heard your voice." He was relieved to feel Dill hiccup a chuckle.

"Penis? That's the first word you came up with?" Dill asked, sitting up and looking at Donnie. They dried their eyes as Donnie smiled.

"It's the first thing I thought you would say," Donnie said.

"Fair enough..." Dill smiled sadly. Tina put a hand on Dill's knee and they looked at her.

"I'm sorry, Tina," Dill whispered.

"It's alright, Dill," Tina said. "She already has started rebuilding her relationships with us. Don't wait until it's too late to start with her relationship with you."

Dill bit the inside of their cheek, thinking. They stood up quickly, dizzy to the point they had to blink several times to clear their vision. They went to their dresser and pulled on a gray hoodie.

"Well? Aren't we going?"

Tina and Donnie smiled.

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Donnie entered the lab to check on Delilah's ankle.

"Where's Dill? Are they okay?" Delilah asked. Donnie smiled.

"Yeah. They just wanted to be alone with you, so I'm just going to check this and... You're good. I'll be in the living room with Tina and my siblings," Donnie said. "Okay?" Delilah nodded and he left the Lab. Dill entered a second later.

"Dee, look... I'm sorry, for everything. I haven't been fair..." Dill gulped. "I said nothing when you needed defending... And then I left when you needed me..." Dill fell apart. They started sobbing, their whole body shaking. "I have been an awful friend, and I know that... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."

Dill fell into the chair in front of a lab table. Delilah reached a hand towards them. They shakily looked up, genuinely surprised she had even looked at them. They hesitantly rolled the chair to be next to Delilah. They took her hand.

"I am upset you didn't say anything, but I was also worried about you when you didn't come back. I still care about you, as Tina already probably said," Delilah said. Dill nodded. "This isn't a full apology, but I am willing to try rebuilding the burnt bridges," she suggested.

"I'm willing to... I've missed you..." Delilah squeezed their hand.

Both were relieved to have their friend back.

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