Raphael and Michelangelo have to hold Destiny down while Donatello fixes her wing. She thrashes at every poke and prod, tears appearing in the corners of her eyes.
"Damn it," she growls to herself, knuckles going white against Raphael's arm.
"Almost done, Desti-bear. You're doing great," Michelangelo assures her, petting her wolf ears and smoothing out her curls.
Sarina works on Destiny's arm, applying a pressure bandage to the wound. The cyborg wonders if Destiny realizes how lucky she is that the bullet didn't hit anything vital, but another whimpering scream from Destiny makes her abandon those questions for later. Destiny has more to focus on.
Donatello gives one more push to the wing and Destiny shrieks, her claws extending into Raphael's bicep. He lets out a yelp and lurches back, gripping his arm as his teeth grit, and she slumps back, panting, tears rolling down her cheeks. As Donatello starts to wrap her wing, April and Casey peek their heads into the lab.
"Is everything alright?" April asks. "Diaval's all freaked out."
"You know, considering the tortured screams," Casey adds.
"Just about finished with her wing," Donatello says as he tucks Destiny's bandaged appendage against her back. The humans nod and disappear again.
Destiny blinks rapidly and looks to Raphael, just able to see the puncture wounds in his skin. She gulps back a surge of nausea. "Sorry, Raph," she whispers.
"I'll recover." He winces and grips his arm a little tighter.
Sarina pins Destiny's bandage in place and moves to him, reaching out and taking his arm in her hands. She examines the claw marks for a second before her eyes flash and she reaches for her medical kit.
"Well," she mumbles to herself while gesturing for Raphael to sit down in one of the extra chairs.
He frowns. "What?"
"I am surprised by the depth of the punctures. I might have to do some stitching," she says with a nonchalant shrug.
Destiny's ears flatten against her curls and she curls her legs up to her chest, lips quivering as she squeezes her eyes shut. Raphael glances at her, his face softening, and he nudges her leg with his own.
"It's alright, Des. Don't go beating yourself up about it," he says as Sarina settles down and starts to stitch him up.
She winces as Donatello adjusts her wing. "Of all the things that could've gotten you stitches today, it was my claws," she mumbles. Michelangelo laughs and she can't help but crack a small smirk.
While they finish up, the lab doors slide open and Melanie comes in, her short hair pulled back with a bandana and a plate of cookies in her hand. She manages a smile as she joins the teens, Michelangelo immediately swiping a cookie from her.
"Everything okay? I made cookies," she says. There's a few nods and grunts and she holds the plate out to Raphael. "Raphael, want one?"
He eyes it for a second before taking one and biting into it. "Thanks," he says around a mouthful of crumbs. "You didn't have to."
"It's fine, I bake when I'm stressed," she says with a smile. Her dark eyes land on Destiny and her lips purse as she moves to her side. "Des, sweetie, when you said you had dangerous hobbies I never expected this," she says with a laugh in her tone.
She sighs. "Yeah, yeah, I'm accident prone."
"Destiny..." Melanie's tone is gentle but slightly scolding. It reminds the turtles of Splinter, in a way. "Remember, I don't want you beating yourself up about things that are out of your control. It's not healthy."
"I can't—" Destiny stops when she notices her therapist's look and sighs. "Right, I know. I'm sorry."
Melanie smiles and reaches out to pet Destiny's ears, making her tail wag. "Cookie?"
"Yes, please," she says, grabbing one. Before she takes a bite, her face softens with concern. "Is Diaval okay?"
"His head's bandaged and he's bruised, but you know him. He's tough." Her cheeks flush and she casts a fond look to the living room. "That man...he's something else."
Destiny snickers and starts to nibble at her cookie. Melanie hands out food to Donatello and Sarina before giving Michelangelo seconds, acting as if feeding a bunch of mutant teenagers is a normal pastime for her.
A loud beeping sounds from outside the lab and Melanie's face pales, her freckles becoming more prominent as she does. "The second batch! Oh, fudge nuggets..."
She hands off the cookies to Michelangelo and dashes away, muttering about losing track of time. Michelangelo shovels the last treats into his mouth, humming and smiling around his stuffed cheeks.
"Y'know, she's adorable," he comments.
"And, like, ten years older than us," Donatello retorts.
"Oo, Mikey's a cougar hunter," Raphael says with a devious grin.
The orange-masked turtle pouts. "Nuh uh! I just appreciate cuteness!" His chest puffs with pride as he jabs his thumb against it. "Besides, I've got my eye on someone else! She's blonde, she makes videos—"
"Aw, geez, is that that Youtuber you found a few weeks ago? DeepFriedDonut or something?" Raphael asks.
"Uh, duh. Annalise is literally the most adorable thing on Youtube. And her videos?" He kisses his fingers and shakes them at the air. "Molto bene. She's perfect."
Sarina shakes her head as she giggles, packing up her first aid kit. She clears her throat and turns her attention to the group scattered before her. "If we're done here, does that mean we can go get Leonardo?" she asks, breaking up the discussion.
Destiny's eyes widen and she gets to her feet. "Yes, definitely, let's go right now," she says, heading for the door.
"Woah, hold up, dudette," Michelangelo says, snatching her good arm and pulling her to a gentle stop. She whirls around to look at him. "You should get some rest and let us find Leo."
Her expression is stony, determination carved into her features. "No."
Raphael furrows his brow and stands, prompting Donatello and Sarina to follow as the trio joins them. "I probably won't say this again, but you should listen to Mikey," Raphael says. "You need to—"
"I'm going to find Leo, and none of you are stopping me," she interrupts, her tone forceful. "I will rest when he is safe in my arms again."
There's a tense moment of silence. She crosses her arms, daring someone to try and stop her. The remaining four mutants look at each other, searching for some kind of agreement.
When they look back to Destiny, they find that she's already opened the laboratory doors and gone into the living room. Splinter, April, Casey, Melanie, and Diaval are already standing, looking between Destiny and the others.
Donatello is the first to try and chase after her. "Destiny, I really think—" he starts.
"I won't sit here and wait, Donnie," she retorts with hardly a glance over her shoulder.
"Des—"
Raphael rests his hand on Donatello's shoulder, shaking his head. "We can't stop her, Don," he says.
"Destiny," Splinter says, finally able to make the wolf-raven stop. She purses her lips, rolling her eyes slowly as she turns to her Sensei. "Where are you going?"
"I'm gonna find Leo."
"And how do you plan to do that when you have no idea where he is and no way of tracking him?"
Her face flushes and her ears tug back. "I could...sniff him out."
Splinter limps a little as he goes to her, leaning heavily on his staff. He rests his hands on top of it and leans down so that he's closer to her eye level. "You are worried about him, I understand, but rushing out when you are exhausted and injured will not help him."
"Sensei, what if—"
"He sent the text, did he not? That means that he is alive and that he will find his way home. It is not that much different than what you did."
Her chest tightens and she draws herself into a self-hug, tail tucking between her legs as he wings quiver. Diaval shuffles over to her, reaching out to gingerly pat the top of her head. She sniffs as a weak laugh leaves her.
"Gonna be okay," Diaval says, retracting his hand.
She wipes her nose. "I just want him to be home."
"Guys?"
The entire lair seems to jump and Destiny whirls around. Karai stands at the entrance to the lair with Leonardo slumped against her, one arm draped over her shoulder, and Leonardo's face is exhausted yet alert.
"LEO!" Raphael and Destiny shout.
It only takes a moment before both mutants are across the turnstiles and hugging tightly to the blue-masked turtle. Karai retreats from the double embrace while Leonardo laughs softly and returns it.
Destiny cups Leonardo's face in her hands, tears rolling down her cheeks again as she struggles to find words, and Raphael crosses his arms and dons his signature "I'm not gonna cry" face.
"You got Shredder, you're alive, I just...I just..." she stammers, looking him over and touching his shoulders, face, and chest in brief, flighty motions.
He pulls her into a tight hug and she sobs against his chest, securing her arms around his neck as he takes a deep, cleansing breath. "I thought you died," he whispers. "When you and Sensei went down..."
"Donnie and Sarina caught us," she replies. "I thought I was gonna die too."
He kisses her forehead, lingering there for as long as he can as she calms down, tears drying. Behind them, Diaval and the rest of the family notice Karai standing off to the side. Diaval's entire body seems to droop, his mouth falling open, and behind him there's a few more gasps and wide-eyed stares.
"K...Karai?" he asks. She looks so normal, like her mutation has been erased, and he can't help but feel like she isn't actually there.
"Diaval, it's been far too long," she says with a smile.
Diaval hurries past the turnstiles to her, arms held out straight so that he looks like a stumbling zombie, and Karai catches him as he trips over his own feet. She laughs and keeps holding on as he steadies himself, his cheeks turning pink.
"Sorry."
She steps back, frowning at the bandage wrapped around his head. Her eyebrow arches and she rests her hand on her hip. "So I leave for a couple months and you go and get your head bashed in? Really?"
He pouts, reaching one hand to his bandages as he tucks his chin into the collar of his cloak. "Just a scratch..."
"Miwa."
Karai's face softens and Diaval immediately shuffles aside, nearly bumping into Raphael. Karai takes a few slow steps towards the entrance, hands folded behind her back, and behind Splinter the others peer out and try to catch a glimpse of the newcomer, eyes simultaneously widening or creasing in surprise or confusion.
As soon as Karai is within arm's reach of Splinter, he pulls her into a tight hug. Splinter rests one hand on the back of his daughter's head as a weary smile spreads across his face while she scrunches her face as her arms constrict around him.
"I am glad to see that you are alright," he says.
She nods, still not pulling away. "I missed all of you."
Someone clears their throat behind them and when they turn to it, Sarina has her hand raised slightly above her shoulder. Her eyes flash. "I hate to break up so many happy reunions, but can someone tell me who that is?" she asks.
"I heard two different names," Melanie adds, her tone softer than the girl before. "Miwa? Karai?"
"Right, you've never met," Donatello says with a breathy laugh. He coughs into his hand and straightens up, gesturing both girls closer to Karai. "Sarina, Melanie, this is Karai. She's Splinter's daughter."
"Miwa is my birth name," Karai says with the slightest quirk of her lip.
Both gasp, Sarina's eyes flashing yet again while Melanie rests her fingertips over her lips.
"You are the pretty little baby in Splinter's picture," Sarina says.
Melanie adds not a moment after, "Oh, you're the one Diaval told me about!" She extends her hand and dons a smile. "So nice to meet you!"
Karai accepts the handshake, glancing back at Diaval with an arched eyebrow and teasing glint in her eye. "Diaval, want to tell me about your..." She stops, looking back and forth between the two of them with an expectant air.
Diaval stiffens up, eyes going wide. "Uh, she's...she's..."
"We met in Canada. He's—" Melanie's cheeks flush and she scratches at her nose as if trying to remove her freckles. "Uh, we...what are we? I don't—"
He shakes his head, starting to shuffle on his feet. "We're...friends? Sorta?"
"I mean, we've talked about...uh—"
"Not lots, just..." He trails off, mumbling to himself as he starts running his fingers through his ponytail. "Friends."
"Yes, we're friends. Good friends."
Both cough and meet one another's eyes for a split second before looking away. Michelangelo snickers and nudges Casey, making the hockey player bounce his eyebrows and wiggle his fingers at them as they both let out cooing, singsong drones. April stifles a giggle and tries to play it off like she's scolding them. Diaval mumbles again and covers his face with his hands.
"Anywho..." Destiny whistles. She notices that she's still standing hip to hip with Leonardo and steps away, reaching up to tug at her curls. "Maybe we can continue this inside?"
"I agree," Splinter says. He rests his hand on Karai's shoulder and squeezes. "There is much to celebrate tonight."
"Oh! Can Mel-Mel make food?!" Michelangelo asks, starting to squeal at the thought. He spins to face the woman and clasps his hands together, eyes wide and sparkly. "Please? Pretty pretty please?"
She laughs and rubs his head. "I can whip something up."
"YES!" He pumps his fists and books it for the kitchen, dragging Melanie behind him. The rest of the family follows suit.