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No money being made.\nWord Count: 100K+ multi-chapter 2k3\nSummary: Donatello sets out to do April a small favor and winds up in another dimension.\nRating will vary by chapter, from G to NC-17\n\n~~The amazing preview image created by @dragona15", "description_bbcode_parsed": "Disclaimer: The TMNT are not mine. No money being made.
Word Count: 100K+ multi-chapter 2k3
Summary: Donatello sets out to do April a small favor and winds up in another dimension.
Rating will vary by chapter, from G to NC-17

~~The amazing preview image created by \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tdragona15\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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", "writing": "\tThe clean, warm water in Nicco’s shower felt damn good after so many days without that small luxury. Don and Nicco showered together, scrubbing each other’s carapace and indulging themselves in the love making that Mase had teased his brother about.\n\n\tPressed against Nicco, the older turtle’s arms wrapped around him and their mouths meeting in a passionate kiss, Don forgot his earlier apprehension. With the water raining down on them, Nicco pushed Don against the tiled wall, winding his hands beneath the smaller turtle’s buttocks to lift Don onto his erection.\n\n\tThere was an unbridled ecstasy in their coupling, each wringing the ultimate high from the other. Don experienced a sudden surge of joy at the knowledge that he could share so much of who he was with another being.\n\n\tHe had been a little self-conscious about being so physical with his lover when he’d only just stepped foot into Nicco’s home. Afterwards he understood part of the reason Nicco had ravished him in the shower; Don felt more relaxed and not nearly as anxious at the prospect of meeting Nicco’s father.\n\n\tStripped of his gear, Don felt very naked until Nicco gave him a pair of pants to wear. The style was similar to a Japanese Hakama and Nicco explained he preferred the fit because it accommodated both his shell and his tail. Don had to admit that Nicco looked very handsome in the pants that he wore.\n\n\t“We don’t wear anything else around the house,” Nicco explained as he looked Don over approvingly. “Dad doesn’t have a lot of company and the only other person who lives here is the woman who takes care of him and the house. You’ll meet Annabelle at dinner; she’s also our cook.”\n\n\tDon had never in his life been nervous about meeting anyone but he could feel the butterflies flitting around inside his stomach as Nicco led him from the bedroom and up a third flight of stairs.\n\n\t“Your house is big,” Don said and almost bit his tongue at how silly that sounded.\n\n\tNicco chuckled. “Dad acquired it long before he retired. Mase and I have bedrooms on the second floor; the top story is all dad's. Besides his bedroom, he has a study and a lab of his own that he still works in from time to time.”\n\n\tSomething clicked in Don’s head. “Oh right, you did tell me he was a scientist.”\n\n\t“He was a good one too,” Nicco said proudly. “We couldn’t have asked for a better father, especially considering how smart Mase is. Dad had to retire when his health started to fail. He’s confined to a wheelchair and uses a special lift to move between floors.”\n\n\tThey were approaching a wide door and Nicco stopped in the hall just outside of what Don assumed was his father’s bedroom. “Wait here a minute while I go in to make sure dad isn’t having a nap. I’ll let him know I went on the last trip without Mase and that I met someone else who has one of the artifacts. Then I’ll come get you and make the introductions.”\n\n\t“Okay,” Don said in a small voice.\n\n\tNicco wrapped his arms around Don and peered down into his face. “My dad will like you Donny,” he whispered against the smaller turtle’s mouth. “I knew you were special as soon as we met and he’s an even better judge of character than I am.”\n\n\tDon couldn’t help but smile at that and Nicco rewarded him with a quick kiss. Then he turned and tapped on the door, entering without waiting for a reply.\n\n\tDon stood to the side as Nicco stepped into his father’s room, the sound of soft music filtering out to the younger turtle. The closing of the door cut off the pleasant background of instrumentals and Don found himself alone.\n\n\tWhile he waited, Don looked at some pictures hanging on the walls. A couple of them were abstract paintings, their colors appealing to his eyes, and he noticed they were signed by Mase. The other pictures were actually photographs of Nicco and Mase which represented various periods in their lives.\n\n\tOne of them showed a very youthful Niccolo in what Don assumed was his colonel’s uniform from the time he’d fought in the alien wars. Nicco’s expression was deeply serious, as though the world’s weight rested squarely on his shoulders alone. The look was so reminiscent to one his brother Leo got from time to time it caused Don a touch of sadness.\n\n\tDon noticed that there were no pictures of Nicco’s father on the wall and wondered if the man was one of those who disliked having his photo taken or if this hallway was designed as a shrine to the two mutant boys he’d raised.\n\n\tHis thoughts were interrupted by the opening of the bedroom door. Nicco stood there, a smile on his face as he held his hand out toward Don.\n\n\tTaking a deep breath, Don took the offered hand, pulling confidence from his lover’s firm grip. As he walked into the room, Nicco closed the door behind them.\n\n\tNicco stopped a few feet in, saying nothing. Don looked at him curiously and then followed the other turtle’s gaze towards a darkened end of the room. He could just make out a seated figure before a ceiling fixture above Don’s head was clicked on, leaving Don blinking against the sudden glare.\n\n\tA very faint squeaking sound pulled Don’s attention back to what he assumed was Nicco’s father in his wheelchair. The man was coming towards them and a second later rolled into the light.\n\n\tDon gasped before he could catch himself. The man in the wheelchair was Baxter Stockman.\n\n\t“Remarkable,” Stockman said, his head tilted slightly to one side as he studied his son’s new friend.\n\n\t“Dad, this is Donatello,” Nicco said. “Donatello, my father Dr. Baxter Stockman.”\n\n\t[i]Niccolo Stockman[/i]. It echoed through Don’s brain before he pulled himself together. This was not his Stockman of the crazed mind, perpetual greed, and immense ego. The frail man in the wheelchair had risked censure to raise two orphaned mutant turtles, had given them a good home, an education, and the skills to take care of themselves.\n\n\t“I’m so happy to meet you Dr. Stockman,” Don said, stepping forward to offer his hand.\n\n\tDr. Stockman grasped it warmly, his eyes never leaving Don’s face. “My son gave me a very brief rundown on how you two wound up on that parallel world together. I would like to hear the entire story and if you’d care to share it, a run-down of your antecedents Donatello.”\n\n\tDon glanced over at Nicco who nodded. “We’ve got some time before dinner. Why don’t we go into the sitting room and get comfortable? It’s a long story.”\n\n\tStockman released Don’s hand in order to manipulate the controls on his wheelchair. Leading the way through an arch, Nicco’s father waved his son and guest towards an arrangement of chairs and a sofa. Nicco indicated that Don should sit on the sofa and once he’d done so, Nicco sat down close to him.\n\n\tPulling his wheelchair near the squat table that was in front of the sofa, Stockman pointed at the ornate bottle that sat in its center. “Nicco, would you please do the honors?” Looking at Don, he added, “This is an extremely fine sherry.”\n\n\tNicco poured out a glass and passed it over to his father. As he poured a second glass, Don told him, “I, uh, don’t really drink.”\n\n\tWith a smile, Nicco placed the stem of the glass between his fingers. “It isn’t nearly as potent as the berries we ate. Sip it and savor the taste.”\n\n\tDon blushed lightly at the reminder of the fermented berries they’d eaten, the ones that had caused him to have his first true positive physical reaction to Nicco. He waited until Nicco took a sip from his own glass before trying the wine.\n\n\tIts dryness surprised him but he found it to be quite good. Nicco was watching him and grinned when he saw Don’s reaction to the drink.\n\n\tWhen Don looked over at Dr. Stockman, he saw that the man was staring at them, a small smile lifting the corners of his mouth. Don immediately realized that Stockman was a scientist through and through, and therefore an excellent observer.\n\n\t“Niccolo, is there something you’d like to tell me?” Dr. Stockman asked.\n\n\tNow it was Nicco’s turn to blush, a sight that was so attractive it was all Don could do not to reach for him.\n\n\tClearing his throat, Nicco said, “Don and I fell in love, Dad. He’s my mate.”\n\n\tThe hint of a smile on Stockman’s face blossomed into an expression of pure joy. “I had a feeling from the moment I saw him walk into the room. Congratulations you two. Donatello, you must truly enjoy a challenge.”\n\n\t“Dad!” Nicco protested.\n\n\tNow it was Don’s turn to chuckle. “I always have,” he agreed.\n\n\t“Thanks a lot,” Nicco said, placing a hand on Don’s knee.\n\n\t“Let’s hear the story before Annabelle calls us to dinner,” Stockman said, “otherwise you’ll be trying to tell it with Masolino interrupting every ten seconds to shoot fourteen questions at you.”\n\n\tDon touched the back of Nicco’s hand. “You start.”\n\n\tAs Nicco began his part of the tale, Don sipped his sherry, periodically inserting comments or answering questions. He tried not to appear to be staring, but Don’s eyes kept drifting back over to Dr. Stockman. The doctor’s counterpart in Don’s dimension was a deadly megalomaniac who counted the turtles as his worst enemies.\n\n\tIn Nicco’s dimension, Stockman was a well-respected man of science, a hard-working and unselfish individual with a warm heart. Don wondered when and how the two men’s lives had taken such a drastic divergence.\n\n\tThere was a fireplace in the room and Don noticed that the pictures on the mantle were of Stockman with his sons. One of the largest pictures, holding a prominent place on the mantle, was of a robe clad Stockman who had obviously just received his college degree. Standing with her arms around him and a proud smile on her face was the man’s mother.\n\n\tDon remembered that his Stockman had lost his mother at an early age. Could the difference between the two men be explained by the influence of a supportive and loving parent?\n\n\tThinking about his own adopted father, Don believed he’d found his answer.\n\n\tWhen they’d completed the joint telling of their adventure, leaving out certain personal aspects of course, Don launched into the story of his life. Dr. Stockman leaned forward in his wheelchair to listen, giving Don his rapt attention and asking extremely intelligent questions as the turtle talked.\n\n\tWhen Don was finished, Stockman sat back in his chair and sighed. “Completely fascinating. It makes one’s head spin to think how the most subtle of things can have such a huge ripple effect.”\n\n\tDon glanced at the picture of Stockman and his mother and then back at the doctor. “If my brothers and I had developed into two turtles instead of four we might never have met April, I would never have experienced the artifact, and I wouldn’t have met Nicco.”\n\n\t“If my sons had been rescued from the ooze more quickly, I might have found myself raising four rambunctious turtles instead of two,” Stockman said, his smile filled with humor. “I don’t even want to imagine the headaches.”\n\n\tNicco sat up straighter, grinning as he theatrically touched a hand to his chest and said, “Come on dad, you know I was a breeze to raise; it was Mase who caused you so many problems.”\n\n\t“Oh [i]no[/i], you weren’t a bit of trouble,” Stockman said sarcastically. Laughing, he looked at Don. “Let me tell you about the time Nicco took twenty boxes of soap flakes and . . . .”\n\n\tA chime rang inside the room, interrupting the man. \n\n\t“Saved by the dinner bell,” Nicco said.\n\n\tAs the trio existed Stockman’s sitting room, Don couldn’t help but be impressed by the loving and playful relationship between Nicco and his father. It was obvious from their interaction that their affection for one another was very deep and that they both had a great deal of respect for each other.\n\n\tIn the hallway, Stockman turned towards the elevator while Nicco and Don took the stairs. Stockman was just emerging from the lift when the pair of turtles reached the ground floor.\n\n\tThe living area of the main floor was quite large and flowed directly into the dining space, which was open to the big kitchen. Mase was in front of the stove, a shaker in his hand as he attempted to add some ingredient to a huge steaming pot.\n\n\tBefore he could manage it, a small gray haired woman darted over from the center island where she’d been cutting vegetables and whacked the turtle on the back of his head with a wooden spoon.\n\n\t“Ouch!” Mase yelped, turning quickly and rubbing his head. “What’d you do that for Annabelle?”\n\n\tAnnabelle snatched the shaker from his hand and set it back into the spice rack. “Get out of my kitchen before I hit you someplace that’s important.”\n\n\t“I was only trying to help,” Mase said, his voice suddenly going silken. “There’s so many people coming to dinner and I didn’t want you to be overwhelmed . . . .”\n\n\t“Because you’re that thoughtful and not because you and I disagree on the amount of rosemary that should go into the stew,” Annabelle said, her tone clearly sarcastic.\n\n\t“Exactly,” Mase agreed, grinning at her as though Annabelle’s sarcasm had completely escaped him.\n\n\t“If you want to help, you can finish cutting up these greens for the salad,” Annabelle said, handing her knife to Mase.\n\n\t“Anything for you, Annabelle,” Mase said unctuously, stepping over to the island as Annabelle walked out from behind it to stand with her hands on her hips, staring at Nicco.\n\n\tAlthough she was short and slight, Don could tell right away that Annabelle’s size was deceptive. She had a no-nonsense attitude and Don had a feeling she was a lot stronger than she looked.\n\n\t“I heard you went off on another one of your adventures,” Annabelle said, addressing Nicco. “I’m delighted to see you decided to clean up this time rather than trying to bring a ton of dirt with you to my table.”\n\n\t“Now Annabelle, I only did that once,” Nicco said. Grinning, he glanced at Don and said, “Once was all it took. She swings a mean wooden spoon. Donatello, meet Annabelle, the person who really holds this family together and keeps us on the straight and narrow. Annabelle, this is Donatello.”\n\n\t“Humph,” Annabelle snorted.\n\n\tShe didn’t move from her stiff stance so rather than offer a hand; Don placed his hands together and bowed politely. “I’m so happy to meet you, Annabelle.”\n\n\tAnnabelle’s expression softened. “Well, at least he’s polite. Maybe he can teach you boys a thing or two.”\n\n\t“She likes you,” Nicco said cheekily.\n\n\tDon noticed that Dr. Stockman had rolled up to a place at the head of the dining table and sat watching the antics in the kitchen with a smile on his face. That he loved his boys was evident from the way his eyes shone whenever he looked at one of them.\n\n\tSeeing that Annabelle’s attention was elsewhere, Mase set down the knife and tiptoed back towards the stove. Just as he was reaching for the spice rack, Annabelle snapped, “Get away from that pot, Masolino.”\n\n\t“She has eyes in the back of her head,” Mase lamented. With a quick hop he came out of the kitchen to stand next to his brother. “I met this mutant once who had six eyes; four in the front and two in the back. He was a great lookout; absolutely no one could sneak up on him. When he slept, he only closed three eyes.”\n\n\t“That was when you two fought in the alien wars,” Don said.\n\n\tMase’s face lit up. “Nicco told you about that! I’ll bet he skimmed over a lot of stuff though; he doesn’t like to talk about being a war hero. Have you ever fought in any wars? You look like you could hold your own in a fight. We have a dojo in our house, maybe we could spar a little later? Do you know martial arts or do you just use your staff? You’ve got excellent muscle tone, I’ll bet . . . .”\n\n\t“Mase, I think I heard the front door,” Nicco said quickly, cutting into his brother’s monologue.\n\n\t“It’s Corius!” Mase exclaimed. “I told him to come for dinner.”\n\n\tHe raced towards the front of the house and Nicco rolled his eyes. Annabelle walked past them carrying a large bowl filled with salad and one of biscuits, which she placed on the dining table.\n\n\t“Let’s sit down,” Nicco said. “Annabelle doesn’t like tripping over people while she’s setting the food out.”\n\n\tAs Don took a seat next to Nicco’s he noticed that the place setting across from his was enormous, as was the chair.\n\n\t“Mase hand crafted that chair specifically for Corius,” Nicco told him, following the direction of Don’s eyes. “You should see his bed; he had to knock down a wall and take over the spare bedroom in order to make the thing fit. Before they had the custom bed, Mase and Corius used to . . . .”\n\n\tDr. Stockman cleared his throat. “Details aren’t required, Nicco.”\n\n\tNicco chuckled and then Don heard Mase’s voice and realized that the hyper turtle had been quiet for a good five minutes. Apparently Nicco wasn’t the only one who knew how to stop Masolino from talking.\n\n\tEven though Don had braced himself for the appearance of Leatherhead’s double, he was still surprised when Corius came into view. The croc was almost a complete duplicate of Don’s friend on Earth, except that he wore trousers and a long jacket.\n\n\tDon and Nicco stood up as Mase brought Corius over to the table. “See Corius, I told you he looks like us! Isn’t it amazing? Isn’t he cute? It’s no wonder Nicco snapped him up and brought him home, he’d have been a fool not to. Not that I want to give Nicco too much credit for common sense but . . . .”\n\n\tCorius made a rumbling noise in his throat which stopped Mase’s word stream. “Introduce us like a polite turtle,” Corius told him.\n\n\t“Oh yeah,” Mase said, grinning at his boyfriend. “Corius this is Donatello, Nicco’s new mate. Donatello, this is Corius. He’s all mine.”\n\n\tCorius extended his hand across the table and Don took it, giving the croc a firm handshake.\n\n\t“Call me Don. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” Don said.\n\n\tCorius smiled as he released Don’s hand and the four mutants sat down. “My appearance doesn’t frighten you,” Corius observed. “Mase told me that you are from an alternate dimension. Perhaps one in which I too have a double?”\n\n\tThat one question told Don that Corius lacked none of Leatherhead’s intelligence. With a nod, he said, “Yes and he’s a great friend and ally. His name is Leatherhead and he’s a scientist.”\n\n\t“So is Corius,” Mase said proudly. “He owns his own pharmaceutical business that he started with another friend of ours. Corius and Professor Honeycutt recognized right away that the various mutants on our world needed medical care and weren’t going to get it from the humans. We had mutants step up to become doctors and surgeons, but there was a lack of medicines that would work on mutant physiology.”\n\n\t“Mase does contract work for us and has been instrumental in developing several of our patents,” Corius said. “Professor Honeycutt manages the business and is our primary salesman; his human form is a great advantage when dealing with the human drug store owners.”\n\n\t“Corius wants to make Mase a full partner in the business,” Nicco said, his eyes on his brother. “Mase hasn’t wanted to accept because he’s worried about how much time it will take since it’s a start up business. His concern is that he won’t be able to take on the side jobs he does and it’s a question of money.”\n\n\t“The bills have to be paid,” Mase said, meeting his brother’s eyes and looking more serious than Don had yet to see him.\n\n\t“Yes they do and now we have all the money we’ll ever need,” Nicco told him. “Those diamonds mean you aren’t going to lose your chance at a dream.”\n\n\tThe look that passed between them was so loving that it made Don remember how deeply he felt for his own siblings. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for them and he understood now that Nicco’s desire to find those diamonds had as much to do with making his father comfortable as with ensuring Mase’s happiness as well.\n\n\tAnnabelle appeared just then, carrying a gigantic bowl of stew, which she placed on the table in front of Nicco. As she took her place at the other end of the table, Don inhaled deeply, the tantalizing smell of good food reminding him that he was very hungry.\n\n\tNo one moved as Dr. Stockman cleared his throat, each of them lowering their heads at his cue. Following suit, Don felt a sense of inner peace and contentment as the old man spoke.\n\n\t“I give thanks for the food before us, which are the fruits of our planet,” Dr. Stockman intoned. “I give thanks for my family and for the fact that all are safe and strong. I give thanks for each day, good or bad, because it is another day I share with those I love.”\n\n\t“As do I,” the others murmured as Stockman finished speaking.\n\n\tNicco stood up then and began to ladle the stew into bowls which were passed around the table. Don felt a surge of pride realizing that Annabelle’s placing the bowl before Nicco was in deference to his position of leadership in their small family.\n\n\tWhen Nicco returned to his seat the salad and biscuits made their way around and then everyone began to eat. Nicco reached under the table and gave Don’s knee a quick squeeze, smiling at his young lover when Don looked over at him.\n\n\tThere was nothing in Don’s life that could match the absolute happiness he felt at that moment. His optimism returned full force; surely with minds like Masolino’s and Corius’ hard at work, between them they could find a solution that would keep Nicco and Don together without either having to sacrifice their families.\n\nTBC……………..", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "\tThe clean, warm water in Nicco’s shower felt damn good after so many days without that small luxury.  Don and Nicco showered together, scrubbing each other’s carapace and indulging themselves in the love making that Mase had teased his brother about.

\tPressed against Nicco, the older turtle’s arms wrapped around him and their mouths meeting in a passionate kiss, Don forgot his earlier apprehension.  With the water raining down on them, Nicco pushed Don against the tiled wall, winding his hands beneath the smaller turtle’s buttocks to lift Don onto his erection.

\tThere was an unbridled ecstasy in their coupling, each wringing the ultimate high from the other.  Don experienced a sudden surge of joy at the knowledge that he could share so much of who he was with another being.

\tHe had been a little self-conscious about being so physical with his lover when he’d only just stepped foot into Nicco’s home.  Afterwards he understood part of the reason Nicco had ravished him in the shower; Don felt more relaxed and not nearly as anxious at the prospect of meeting Nicco’s father.

\tStripped of his gear, Don felt very naked until Nicco gave him a pair of pants to wear.  The style was similar to a Japanese Hakama and Nicco explained he preferred the fit because it accommodated both his shell and his tail.  Don had to admit that Nicco looked very handsome in the pants that he wore.

\t“We don’t wear anything else around the house,” Nicco explained as he looked Don over approvingly.  “Dad doesn’t have a lot of company and the only other person who lives here is the woman who takes care of him and the house.  You’ll meet Annabelle at dinner; she’s also our cook.”

\tDon had never in his life been nervous about meeting anyone but he could feel the butterflies flitting around inside his stomach as Nicco led him from the bedroom and up a third flight of stairs.

\t“Your house is big,” Don said and almost bit his tongue at how silly that sounded.

\tNicco chuckled.  “Dad acquired it long before he retired.  Mase and I have bedrooms on the second floor; the top story is all dad's.  Besides his bedroom, he has a study and a lab of his own that he still works in from time to time.”

\tSomething clicked in Don’s head.  “Oh right, you did tell me he was a scientist.”

\t“He was a good one too,” Nicco said proudly.  “We couldn’t have asked for a better father, especially considering how smart Mase is.  Dad had to retire when his health started to fail.  He’s confined to a wheelchair and uses a special lift to move between floors.”

\tThey were approaching a wide door and Nicco stopped in the hall just outside of what Don assumed was his father’s bedroom.  “Wait here a minute while I go in to make sure dad isn’t having a nap.  I’ll let him know I went on the last trip without Mase and that I met someone else who has one of the artifacts.  Then I’ll come get you and make the introductions.”

\t“Okay,” Don said in a small voice.

\tNicco wrapped his arms around Don and peered down into his face.  “My dad will like you Donny,” he whispered against the smaller turtle’s mouth.  “I knew you were special as soon as we met and he’s an even better judge of character than I am.”

\tDon couldn’t help but smile at that and Nicco rewarded him with a quick kiss.  Then he turned and tapped on the door, entering without waiting for a reply.

\tDon stood to the side as Nicco stepped into his father’s room, the sound of soft music filtering out to the younger turtle.  The closing of the door cut off the pleasant background of instrumentals and Don found himself alone.

\tWhile he waited, Don looked at some pictures hanging on the walls.  A couple of them were abstract paintings, their colors appealing to his eyes, and he noticed they were signed by Mase.  The other pictures were actually photographs of Nicco and Mase which represented various periods in their lives.

\tOne of them showed a very youthful Niccolo in what Don assumed was his colonel’s uniform from the time he’d fought in the alien wars.  Nicco’s expression was deeply serious, as though the world’s weight rested squarely on his shoulders alone.  The look was so reminiscent to one his brother Leo got from time to time it caused Don a touch of sadness.

\tDon noticed that there were no pictures of Nicco’s father on the wall and wondered if the man was one of those who disliked having his photo taken or if this hallway was designed as a shrine to the two mutant boys he’d raised.

\tHis thoughts were interrupted by the opening of the bedroom door.  Nicco stood there, a smile on his face as he held his hand out toward Don.

\tTaking a deep breath, Don took the offered hand, pulling confidence from his lover’s firm grip.  As he walked into the room, Nicco closed the door behind them.

\tNicco stopped a few feet in, saying nothing.  Don looked at him curiously and then followed the other turtle’s gaze towards a darkened end of the room.  He could just make out a seated figure before a ceiling fixture above Don’s head was clicked on, leaving Don blinking against the sudden glare.

\tA very faint squeaking sound pulled Don’s attention back to what he assumed was Nicco’s father in his wheelchair.  The man was coming towards them and a second later rolled into the light.

\tDon gasped before he could catch himself.  The man in the wheelchair was Baxter Stockman.

\t“Remarkable,” Stockman said, his head tilted slightly to one side as he studied his son’s new friend.

\t“Dad, this is Donatello,” Nicco said.  “Donatello, my father Dr. Baxter Stockman.”

\tNiccolo Stockman.  It echoed through Don’s brain before he pulled himself together.  This was not his Stockman of the crazed mind, perpetual greed, and immense ego.  The frail man in the wheelchair had risked censure to raise two orphaned mutant turtles, had given them a good home, an education, and the skills to take care of themselves.

\t“I’m so happy to meet you Dr. Stockman,” Don said, stepping forward to offer his hand.

\tDr. Stockman grasped it warmly, his eyes never leaving Don’s face.  “My son gave me a very brief rundown on how you two wound up on that parallel world together.  I would like to hear the entire story and if you’d care to share it, a run-down of your antecedents Donatello.”

\tDon glanced over at Nicco who nodded.  “We’ve got some time before dinner.  Why don’t we go into the sitting room and get comfortable?  It’s a long story.”

\tStockman released Don’s hand in order to manipulate the controls on his wheelchair.  Leading the way through an arch, Nicco’s father waved his son and guest towards an arrangement of chairs and a sofa.  Nicco indicated that Don should sit on the sofa and once he’d done so, Nicco sat down close to him.

\tPulling his wheelchair near the squat table that was in front of the sofa, Stockman pointed at the ornate bottle that sat in its center.  “Nicco, would you please do the honors?”  Looking at Don, he added, “This is an extremely fine sherry.”

\tNicco poured out a glass and passed it over to his father.  As he poured a second glass, Don told him, “I, uh, don’t really drink.”

\tWith a smile, Nicco placed the stem of the glass between his fingers.  “It isn’t nearly as potent as the berries we ate.  Sip it and savor the taste.”

\tDon blushed lightly at the reminder of the fermented berries they’d eaten, the ones that had caused him to have his first true positive physical reaction to Nicco.  He waited until Nicco took a sip from his own glass before trying the wine.

\tIts dryness surprised him but he found it to be quite good.  Nicco was watching him and grinned when he saw Don’s reaction to the drink.

\tWhen Don looked over at Dr. Stockman, he saw that the man was staring at them, a small smile lifting the corners of his mouth.  Don immediately realized that Stockman was a scientist through and through, and therefore an excellent observer.

\t“Niccolo, is there something you’d like to tell me?” Dr. Stockman asked.

\tNow it was Nicco’s turn to blush, a sight that was so attractive it was all Don could do not to reach for him.

\tClearing his throat, Nicco said, “Don and I fell in love, Dad.  He’s my mate.”

\tThe hint of a smile on Stockman’s face blossomed into an expression of pure joy.  “I had a feeling from the moment I saw him walk into the room.  Congratulations you two.  Donatello, you must truly enjoy a challenge.”

\t“Dad!” Nicco protested.

\tNow it was Don’s turn to chuckle.  “I always have,” he agreed.

\t“Thanks a lot,” Nicco said, placing a hand on Don’s knee.

\t“Let’s hear the story before Annabelle calls us to dinner,” Stockman said, “otherwise you’ll be trying to tell it with Masolino interrupting every ten seconds to shoot fourteen questions at you.”

\tDon touched the back of Nicco’s hand.  “You start.”

\tAs Nicco began his part of the tale, Don sipped his sherry, periodically inserting comments or answering questions.  He tried not to appear to be staring, but Don’s eyes kept drifting back over to Dr. Stockman.  The doctor’s counterpart in Don’s dimension was a deadly megalomaniac who counted the turtles as his worst enemies.

\tIn Nicco’s dimension, Stockman was a well-respected man of science, a hard-working and unselfish individual with a warm heart.  Don wondered when and how the two men’s lives had taken such a drastic divergence.

\tThere was a fireplace in the room and Don noticed that the pictures on the mantle were of Stockman with his sons.  One of the largest pictures, holding a prominent place on the mantle, was of a robe clad Stockman who had obviously just received his college degree.  Standing with her arms around him and a proud smile on her face was the man’s mother.

\tDon remembered that his Stockman had lost his mother at an early age.  Could the difference between the two men be explained by the influence of a supportive and loving parent?

\tThinking about his own adopted father, Don believed he’d found his answer.

\tWhen they’d completed the joint telling of their adventure, leaving out certain personal aspects of course, Don launched into the story of his life.  Dr. Stockman leaned forward in his wheelchair to listen, giving Don his rapt attention and asking extremely intelligent questions as the turtle talked.

\tWhen Don was finished, Stockman sat back in his chair and sighed.  “Completely fascinating.  It makes one’s head spin to think how the most subtle of things can have such a huge ripple effect.”

\tDon glanced at the picture of Stockman and his mother and then back at the doctor.  “If my brothers and I had developed into two turtles instead of four we might never have met April, I would never have experienced the artifact, and I wouldn’t have met Nicco.”

\t“If my sons had been rescued from the ooze more quickly, I might have found myself raising four rambunctious turtles instead of two,” Stockman said, his smile filled with humor.  “I don’t even want to imagine the headaches.”

\tNicco sat up straighter, grinning as he theatrically touched a hand to his chest and said, “Come on dad, you know I was a breeze to raise; it was Mase who caused you so many problems.”

\t“Oh no, you weren’t a bit of trouble,” Stockman said sarcastically.  Laughing, he looked at Don.  “Let me tell you about the time Nicco took twenty boxes of soap flakes and . . . .”

\tA chime rang inside the room, interrupting the man.

\t“Saved by the dinner bell,” Nicco said.

\tAs the trio existed Stockman’s sitting room, Don couldn’t help but be impressed by the loving and playful relationship between Nicco and his father.  It was obvious from their interaction that their affection for one another was very deep and that they both had a great deal of respect for each other.

\tIn the hallway, Stockman turned towards the elevator while Nicco and Don took the stairs.  Stockman was just emerging from the lift when the pair of turtles reached the ground floor.

\tThe living area of the main floor was quite large and flowed directly into the dining space, which was open to the big kitchen.  Mase was in front of the stove, a shaker in his hand as he attempted to add some ingredient to a huge steaming pot.

\tBefore he could manage it, a small gray haired woman darted over from the center island where she’d been cutting vegetables and whacked the turtle on the back of his head with a wooden spoon.

\t“Ouch!” Mase yelped, turning quickly and rubbing his head.  “What’d you do that for Annabelle?”

\tAnnabelle snatched the shaker from his hand and set it back into the spice rack.  “Get out of my kitchen before I hit you someplace that’s important.”

\t“I was only trying to help,” Mase said, his voice suddenly going silken.  “There’s so many people coming to dinner and I didn’t want you to be overwhelmed . . . .”

\t“Because you’re that thoughtful and not because you and I disagree on the amount of rosemary that should go into the stew,” Annabelle said, her tone clearly sarcastic.

\t“Exactly,” Mase agreed, grinning at her as though Annabelle’s sarcasm had completely escaped him.

\t“If you want to help, you can finish cutting up these greens for the salad,” Annabelle said, handing her knife to Mase.

\t“Anything for you, Annabelle,” Mase said unctuously, stepping over to the island as Annabelle walked out from behind it to stand with her hands on her hips, staring at Nicco.

\tAlthough she was short and slight, Don could tell right away that Annabelle’s size was deceptive.  She had a no-nonsense attitude and Don had a feeling she was a lot stronger than she looked.

\t“I heard you went off on another one of your adventures,” Annabelle said, addressing Nicco.  “I’m delighted to see you decided to clean up this time rather than trying to bring a ton of dirt with you to my table.”

\t“Now Annabelle, I only did that once,” Nicco said.  Grinning, he glanced at Don and said, “Once was all it took.  She swings a mean wooden spoon.  Donatello, meet Annabelle, the person who really holds this family together and keeps us on the straight and narrow.  Annabelle, this is Donatello.”

\t“Humph,” Annabelle snorted.

\tShe didn’t move from her stiff stance so rather than offer a hand; Don placed his hands together and bowed politely.  “I’m so happy to meet you, Annabelle.”

\tAnnabelle’s expression softened.  “Well, at least he’s polite.  Maybe he can teach you boys a thing or two.”

\t“She likes you,” Nicco said cheekily.

\tDon noticed that Dr. Stockman had rolled up to a place at the head of the dining table and sat watching the antics in the kitchen with a smile on his face.  That he loved his boys was evident from the way his eyes shone whenever he looked at one of them.

\tSeeing that Annabelle’s attention was elsewhere, Mase set down the knife and tiptoed back towards the stove.  Just as he was reaching for the spice rack, Annabelle snapped, “Get away from that pot, Masolino.”

\t“She has eyes in the back of her head,” Mase lamented.  With a quick hop he came out of the kitchen to stand next to his brother.  “I met this mutant once who had six eyes; four in the front and two in the back.  He was a great lookout; absolutely no one could sneak up on him.  When he slept, he only closed three eyes.”

\t“That was when you two fought in the alien wars,” Don said.

\tMase’s face lit up.  “Nicco told you about that!  I’ll bet he skimmed over a lot of stuff though; he doesn’t like to talk about being a war hero.  Have you ever fought in any wars?  You look like you could hold your own in a fight.  We have a dojo in our house, maybe we could spar a little later?  Do you know martial arts or do you just use your staff?  You’ve got excellent muscle tone, I’ll bet . . . .”

\t“Mase, I think I heard the front door,” Nicco said quickly, cutting into his brother’s monologue.

\t“It’s Corius!” Mase exclaimed.  “I told him to come for dinner.”

\tHe raced towards the front of the house and Nicco rolled his eyes.  Annabelle walked past them carrying a large bowl filled with salad and one of biscuits, which she placed on the dining table.

\t“Let’s sit down,” Nicco said.  “Annabelle doesn’t like tripping over people while she’s setting the food out.”

\tAs Don took a seat next to Nicco’s he noticed that the place setting across from his was enormous, as was the chair.

\t“Mase hand crafted that chair specifically for Corius,” Nicco told him, following the direction of Don’s eyes.  “You should see his bed; he had to knock down a wall and take over the spare bedroom in order to make the thing fit.  Before they had the custom bed, Mase and Corius used to . . . .”

\tDr. Stockman cleared his throat.  “Details aren’t required, Nicco.”

\tNicco chuckled and then Don heard Mase’s voice and realized that the hyper turtle had been quiet for a good five minutes.  Apparently Nicco wasn’t the only one who knew how to stop Masolino from talking.

\tEven though Don had braced himself for the appearance of Leatherhead’s double, he was still surprised when Corius came into view.  The croc was almost a complete duplicate of Don’s friend on Earth, except that he wore trousers and a long jacket.

\tDon and Nicco stood up as Mase brought Corius over to the table.  “See Corius, I told you he looks like us!  Isn’t it amazing?  Isn’t he cute?  It’s no wonder Nicco snapped him up and brought him home, he’d have been a fool not to.  Not that I want to give Nicco too much credit for common sense but  . . . .”

\tCorius made a rumbling noise in his throat which stopped Mase’s word stream.  “Introduce us like a polite turtle,” Corius told him.

\t“Oh yeah,” Mase said, grinning at his boyfriend.  “Corius this is Donatello, Nicco’s new mate.  Donatello, this is Corius.  He’s all mine.”

\tCorius extended his hand across the table and Don took it, giving the croc a firm handshake.

\t“Call me Don.  It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” Don said.

\tCorius smiled as he released Don’s hand and the four mutants sat down.  “My appearance doesn’t frighten you,” Corius observed.  “Mase told me that you are from an alternate dimension.  Perhaps one in which I too have a double?”

\tThat one question told Don that Corius lacked none of Leatherhead’s intelligence.  With a nod, he said, “Yes and he’s a great friend and ally.  His name is Leatherhead and he’s a scientist.”

\t“So is Corius,” Mase said proudly.  “He owns his own pharmaceutical business that he started with another friend of ours.  Corius and Professor Honeycutt recognized right away that the various mutants on our world needed medical care and weren’t going to get it from the humans.  We had mutants step up to become doctors and surgeons, but there was a lack of medicines that would work on mutant physiology.”

\t“Mase does contract work for us and has been instrumental in developing several of our patents,” Corius said.  “Professor Honeycutt manages the business and is our primary salesman; his human form is a great advantage when dealing with the human drug store owners.”

\t“Corius wants to make Mase a full partner in the business,” Nicco said, his eyes on his brother.  “Mase hasn’t wanted to accept because he’s worried about how much time it will take since it’s a start up business.  His concern is that he won’t be able to take on the side jobs he does and it’s a question of money.”

\t“The bills have to be paid,” Mase said, meeting his brother’s eyes and looking more serious than Don had yet to see him.

\t“Yes they do and now we have all the money we’ll ever need,” Nicco told him.  “Those diamonds mean you aren’t going to lose your chance at a dream.”

\tThe look that passed between them was so loving that it made Don remember how deeply he felt for his own siblings.  There was nothing he wouldn’t do for them and he understood now that Nicco’s desire to find those diamonds had as much to do with making his father comfortable as with ensuring Mase’s happiness as well.

\tAnnabelle appeared just then, carrying a gigantic bowl of stew, which she placed on the table in front of Nicco.  As she took her place at the other end of the table, Don inhaled deeply, the tantalizing smell of good food reminding him that he was very hungry.

\tNo one moved as Dr. Stockman cleared his throat, each of them lowering their heads at his cue.  Following suit, Don felt a sense of inner peace and contentment as the old man spoke.

\t“I give thanks for the food before us, which are the fruits of our planet,” Dr. Stockman intoned.  “I give thanks for my family and for the fact that all are safe and strong.  I give thanks for each day, good or bad, because it is another day I share with those I love.”

\t“As do I,” the others murmured as Stockman finished speaking.

\tNicco stood up then and began to ladle the stew into bowls which were passed around the table.  Don felt a surge of pride realizing that Annabelle’s placing the bowl before Nicco was in deference to his position of leadership in their small family.

\tWhen Nicco returned to his seat the salad and biscuits made their way around and then everyone began to eat.  Nicco reached under the table and gave Don’s knee a quick squeeze, smiling at his young lover when Don looked over at him.

\tThere was nothing in Don’s life that could match the absolute happiness he felt at that moment.  His optimism returned full force; surely with minds like Masolino’s and Corius’ hard at work, between them they could find a solution that would keep Nicco and Don together without either having to sacrifice their families.

TBC……………..", "pools_count": 1, "title": "Don and the Puzzle Box part 18", "deleted": "f", "public": "t", "mimetype": "application/msword", "pagecount": "1", "rating_id": "2", "rating_name": "Adult", "ratings": [ { "content_tag_id": "4", "name": "Sexual Themes", "description": "Erotic imagery, sexual activity or arousal", "rating_id": "2" } ], "submission_type_id": "12", "type_name": "Writing - Document", "guest_block": "t", "friends_only": "f", "comments_count": "6", "views": "168" }