Chapter Text
Donatello sat hunched over his cluttered work table, a series of complex charts and glowing computer screens surrounding him. His brow furrowed in concentration as he examined the data streaming from the blood sample he had taken. The hum of machines and the occasional beep of a computer were the only sounds in the room.
He took a moment from the information coming up, sighed and rubbed his temples. It had been a chaotic past few days, and he wasn’t even sure if he completely processed the fact that one of April’s clones made it out of the lab and had been living in the city.
April... just thinking about her brought a warmth to his cheeks. Donnie had harbored a crush on her from the moment he laid eyes on her. She was kind, intelligent, and brave…. And now, there was a clone of her, created by the Kraang, walking among them.
He had been surprised by their differences, despite being an exact genetic duplicate, your personality was different. He wondered if that had to do with your living situation after escaping the kraang, or if your personality had always been different. ‘Well,’ he thinks to himself, ‘It’s not like identical twins are completely similar in personality.’
While pondering this question, Donnie's eyes drifted back to the data on his screen.
"No... that can’t be right," Donnie muttered to himself, his heart sinking. He checked the data again, going through the data again, and again, and again. He was going through the numbers repeatedly, hoping for an error, a miscalculation, anything that could explain away this grim reality staring back at him.
Your cells were breaking down at an alarming rate.
He thought back to the clone from the TCRI, when he and his brothers had fought them they turned into a gooey mass. He sat back in his chair, his thoughts racing. He couldn't let that happen to you. You were a person, not just a failed experiment. The very thought of you suffering the same fate made his stomach churn.
Just then, the door to the lab slid open, and Leo stepped in, his expression turning concerned when he saw his brother’s worried look.
“How’s it going in here?” Leo asked, trying to gauge the situation.
Donnie glances at the data on the monitor.
Leo walked up to the work table and looked at the monitor, the data a blur of complex charts and numbers. "Is this from the blood sample you took?" he asked.
“Yeah,” Donnie states, voice low.
Leo picked up on his brother's distress immediately. “What did you find?”
Donnie sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Their cells are breaking down. At a rapid rate.”
Leo’s eyes widened slightly, the severity of the situation sinking in. “Whoa, what? What does that mean?”
“You remember the other clones we fought, and how they turned into that goo stuff? I think it’s similar to that. The kraang’s cloning process was imperfect, none of those clones were stable. I mean some of them had physical deformities. “
Leo's face grew grim. “So, they’re going to... dissolve?”
Donnie grimaces, “Not right away…at least I don’t think so. They’re more stable then the others. If I can conduct some more tests…”, Donnie trailed off, suddenly realizing that you might not know about your condition.
“We have to tell them,” His expression wide as he looks at Leo. “Leo, how do you tell someone they're body is deteriorating?”
Leo's expression mirrored Donnie's concern as he processed the gravity of the situation. He knew they couldn't keep this information from you, but breaking such devastating news wouldn't be easy.
"We have to be honest with them," Leo replied, his tone somber. "They deserve to know what's happening to their body.”
Donnie nodded in agreement, though he still wore a troubled expression. "I just don't want to cause unnecessary panic or distress. They've been through so much already."
Leo's expression softened with understanding as he listened to Donnie's concerns. He placed a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder. "It won't be easy, but they deserve to know the truth. We'll figure out how to tell them together."
Donnie nodded, grateful for Leo's support. "Thanks, Leo."
-
You were back in the living area, sitting on the couch while Casey regaled you with tales about his battles with the kraang and with a group called the Foot Clan.
With a grin tugging at the corners of your lips, you leaned forward, hanging onto Casey's every word. His tales were like something out of a comic book, filled with daring escapes, narrow victories, and encounters with mutants and ninjas.
Raph, leaning against Casey's side of the couch, would interject and offer his own commentary. Whenever Casey embellished a detail or exaggerated the truth, Raph was quick to call him out, adding a humorous twist to the stories. Their banter brought an extra layer of entertainment to the stories, making you chuckle at their friendly jabs and playful rivalry.
Meanwhile, April couldn't help but laugh at the boys' antics. Amidst their banter, she would occasionally chime in with the actual true story, providing some much-needed context and clarification.
With the two boys currently being engaged in what could only be explained as a pissing contest, you notice Donnie and Leo walking towards you all. The smile you had quickly fell as you saw their expressions.
‘The blood tests…do they know?’ You think to yourself, but you know the answer. The looks on their faces give it straight away.
Raph and Casey's banter faded into the background as you focused on Donnie and Leo's approach. You couldn't help but feel a knot form in your stomach.
‘They’re not going to say anything here, in front of everyone, right?’
You could feel your anxiety rising, you didn’t want your new friends to know you were dying...at least not right now. You were beginning to feel normal.
You nearly jump up from the couch, startling Casey and April and walk up to Donnie and Leo.
"Hey, guys," you began, your voice wavering slightly despite your best efforts to sound composed. "Is everything okay?" Everything is not okay, why ask that, why fake it.
Donnie exchanged a brief glance with Leo before turning his attention back to you, his expression somber. "We need to talk," he said, his tone grave.
You attempt a smile. “Sure,”
Donnie glances at the others, who are all staring.
Please not in front of them, please not in front of them.
Donnie looks back at you. “Can you come to the lab for a minute? Just some private questions”
Relief floods over you.
You give him a nod and walk back with him. It wasn’t until you made it to the lab that you realized Leo was still with the others. Anxiety crashes over you again. He wouldn't say anything to them without you being there, right?
Donnie says your name, bringing you down from the anxious mess going on in your head.
He’s not looking at you, staring down at the table. "I've been analyzing the data from the blood sample I took earlier, and... well, I've discovered something concerning."
You cross your arms, trying to give yourself some support. “I think I know what this is about.”
Donnie looks up to you, “You do?”
You nod. “Past few weeks I’ve been experiencing numbness, my fine motor skills are getting worse and recently my legs have been giving out.” You sigh, “My sisters weren’t perfect clones, they suffered from what the kraang called clone degeneration. I’m pretty sure that’s what I’m going through…what I’m suffering from.”
In a weird way it felt good to talk about it with someone other than yourself.
You take a breath. “I’m going to die.”
"I'm so sorry," he murmured, his voice filled with genuine sympathy. "I can't even imagine what you must be going through."
You offered him a small smile, appreciating his understanding.
"It's okay," you replied, your voice steady despite the turmoil swirling within you. "I've had some time to come to terms with it." Fake it till you make it, baby.
“Leo…does he know?”
“Yeah, he came in while I was analyzing the data.” You grimace which Donnie notices. “If you’re worried about telling the others, don’t be. He wouldn’t do that”
That brings you some relief.
You ask him the question that’s been on your mind since this whole thing started. “How long do you think I have?”
“I..I don’t know for sure but,” He hesitates, then takes a breath. “You might have less than a month before your cells completely deteriorate.”
Shit.
You had hoped for a little bit more time than that. You thought of all the things you wanted to do, places you wanted to go.
You can feel tears starting to form, you shut your eyes tightly. Don’t you dare start.
“But!” Donnie quickly states, “I’m not 100% sure. I was hoping we could conduct some more tests and that could help me get a better view of your situation.”
Donnie's words hit you like a ton of bricks, the reality of your limited time sinking in. A month... that was hardly any time at all. Panic and despair threatened to overwhelm you, but you fought to keep your composure.
Taking a deep breath, you opened your eyes and met Donnie's gaze. "Okay," you said, your voice trembling slightly. "Let's do the tests. Maybe there's still a chance..."
But what could they do? The kraang, with all their advanced technology and knowledge, couldn't even find a solution to clone degeneration.
-
The tests consisted of another blood sample, skin samples, and some of your hair. You watched him put some of the samples into different beakers, filled with liquids you didn't know the purpose of.
"These reagents," he explained, pointing to the beakers, "are used to test for various enzyme activities and cellular responses. We're looking for any anomalies in your cell behavior that could give us a clue about the degeneration."
You nodded along, hoping it looked like you were understood.
Donnie gave you a quick look, eyes narrow and in a flat tone said, “Basically, we're trying to see how your cells are reacting to different chemicals. This helps us understand why they're breaking down and if there's anything we can do to stop it."
You give him a thumbs up, okay that was easier to follow.
Some of the skin samples he put under a microscope, carefully adjusting the focus before looking through it and writing down notes. He explained to you, "By examining your skin cells, we can observe the physical changes happening on a microscopic level. This might help us identify any patterns or triggers for the degeneration."
While he looked through the microscope and chatted with you, you heard noises coming from the entrance of the lab.
“Hey, what are you guys doing in there!? You’ve had them in there for so long!” That was Mikey.
You turned your head just in time to see him poking his head into the lab, his usual energy radiating despite the somber atmosphere. “We’re just doing some tests, Mikey,” Donnie replied, his tone a mix of patience and exasperation.
“More tests?” April’s head popped into view. “Is something going on?”
“Hey guys, let's just give them some space,” came Leo’s voice. He appeared to be trying to get the others to leave the lab.
Casey and Raph pretty much burst through the door, not caring that Leo was trying to push them out.
“Yeah what gives,” Casey asked, looking at Donnie, “You never had me go through some weird lab examination thing.”
“You aren’t a clone of April,” Donnie retorted, his frustration evident.
The two began to bicker, and as much as you liked the distraction everyone being in here was making your heart race. You weren’t ready to confront this grim reality with them.
Suddenly, you felt a gentle hand on your shoulder, and you looked up to see April standing beside you, her expression filled with concern.
You flinched, leave it to the original to snuff out when something’s wrong.
"Hey, are you okay?" she asked softly, her voice tinged with worry. "What's going on?"
“I…” you try to come up with a response. Something that will reassure her. Your mind is blank. You grip the postcard in your hoodie's pocket.
Fuck it.
“I’m dying.”