Author's Note: I want to reassure you that I'm still working on Turtle Dove stuff; I've just been dealing with another case of writer's block. I'm working on that while I've been working on this one, too. This is one of my story ideas I briefly announced, and I hope you all enjoy this one. This is going to be an alternate take after "Bat in the Belfry" and addressing April's addiction to the Aeon Crystal. However, it's going to take a darker turn, though I don't know if it'll be as dark as "The Power Inside Her". Either way, I hope it's painfully enjoyable for all of you!

Along with this one, like I said, I'll be posting more Turtle Dove stuff before long. I may even post my Donnie and the Aeon Crystal story and a new chapter to "Things Unseen"...after a few years.

Anyway, rambling over! Be sure to read and review!

Chapter 1: Slipping

Donatello focused his eyes through the eyepiece on the microscope and studied the red discs scattered on the pink-tinged background. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary, and the chemical analysis came back clean, too. Everything kept coming back normal, and that was what frustrated him the most. He should be happy everything came back normal, but nothing about this was normal, or even remotely okay. There were red flags popping up every second and scientific methods couldn't give him an answer.

He didn't have anything scientific that could help April.

"April…are you okay?"

"It's MY crystal. I'm never gonna take it off for anyone, or ANYTHING, ever again."

Donnie sighed and massaged his temples with weary hands. April's growing obsession with that Aeon crystal disturbed him, and her behavior that night disturbed him even more. Just asking her if he could examine it earned him a slap on the hand and April angrily yelling at him to back off. Losing the Aeon crystal thanks to Mikey's thoughtless curiosity gave an angrier reaction, with April accusing all of them of stealing it. Splinter called her out on both her obsession and overuse of the object.

"You are not thinking clearly, April."

"But-but Master Splinter, my-my crystal!"

"You are too attached to that object. The crystal is a crutch. I recommend against using it."

"It's NOT a crutch! It's just…really important to me, and now it's MISSING!"

Whether April wanted to admit it or not, the crystal was indeed a crutch. That's what Donnie couldn't understand. When she first received the stone from the Aeons, she acted perfectly normal. The few times she used it in space, she remained normal; the April they all knew. What changed? He thought about it for a moment and realized when he noticed the changes. They all seemed to start after April decided to take on that freak Shinigami one-on-one.

April more-or-less got creamed by the more-experienced Shinigami, and she was about to do something April O'Neil would've never done…she was about to literally stab the witch in the back. Sure, Shinigami pretty much kicked April while she was down, and beat her twice in one night, but attempting to stab her in the back over wounded pride was over-the-top. Unfortunately, the changes didn't stop there, and Donnie drummed his fingers over the computer keyboard in deep thought.

April's attachment to the Aeon Crystal: Symptoms similar to human substance addiction.

Symptoms as follows: Headaches, nightmares, increased dependency on object in question, mood swings, withdrawal combined with violent behavior when without object in question, denial of addiction, reduced inhibitions, paranoia.

Recommended treatment: Attempt to wean April off the crystal until dependency is gone. Complete removal at once will risk worsening symptoms.

Problem: April is no longer willing to talk about addiction to the crystal. Will not part with the crystal even for experimental purposes.

Crystal: Seems to possess life-giving properties, almost appearing sentient. Anything given life by the crystal will grow violent when in close proximity of it. Does not seem to affect others…only April.

Donnie saved the information and shut the computer off with another sigh. He could analyze the crystal until he had nothing left to analyze. He could talk to April until he was blue in the face…but he wasn't a counselor. An inventor, a chemist, an engineer, yes…but he wasn't a professional when it came to mystical alien crystals and their effects on psychics. At the same time, he felt that if he didn't do something soon, April would just get worse. What if she used so much of that crystal's power that her brain literally exploded? What if she used her powers to make someone else turn inside-out if angered enough?

Having enough of the morbid thoughts, he pushed himself from his chair and decided time out of the lab was in order. When he exited the lab, he found his brothers quietly watching Chris Bradford's 2 Ruff Krew and eating leftover pizza. Then he looked over to the far end of the sofa and found April. She sat with her eyes closed, head down, and hand firmly gripping the crystal; the same position she sat in after returning from fighting Wingnut and Screwloose. He took notice that his brothers sat several feet away from her, perhaps wary of her earlier behavior. Donnie suddenly took notice of Michelangelo entering the room holding a plate of pizza, and judging by the way he cautiously approached the redhead, it was a peace offering.

"…April?" Mikey held the plate close to her and smiled nervously. "Sorry about taking your crystal. I just wanted to see if it could bring stuff to life, and I really should've asked you first. Will you accept the Slice of Peace?"

April didn't look up, but a faint grunt came out. To most, that would be a sign to run as fast as they could…but Mikey, unfortunately, didn't take hints most of the time. He pushed the pizza and plate closer to April and urged, "Please, April? Pretty please with sugar on top-"

"Keep away from me, you thief!"

Before Mikey had time to dodge, April viciously slapped the plate from his hands and shoved him to the floor. He landed on the floor with a thud and a groan, stunned by what April did and how much force she used. Mikey glanced at the pizza now splattered on the floor and honestly appeared heartbroken, though April didn't seem to care. Everyone could see the venom in her blue eyes and her hand still holding a death-grip around that crystal.

"April, I…" Mikey attempted quietly, but the redhead cut him off.

"Next time you steal MY crystal, I'll throw you off a building." She glowered, the anger in her eyes making her look foreign to the others. "Stealing things for you little games stops-"

"April, I think you should go home."

It wasn't Leo who spoke the request. To everyone's surprise, Donnie was the one to voice it. Even April looked stunned that Donnie would want her to leave the lair; knowing him, he'd encourage her to stay as long as she wanted. Yet Donnie stood, eyeing the fallen Mikey with worry, then looked at April with a somber expression, fighting to keep himself in check and to keep some control over the situation.

April hurriedly opened her mouth a few times and finally spoke, "Donnie, I was just-"

"It's been a long night, and I think you need some rest to clear your head."

Donnie implying-no, accusing her of thinking irrationally made April scoff. She was the only person here thinking rationally tonight, since Mikey proved that he couldn't keep his hands off someone else's property. All just to bring some dumb comic-book characters to life, too. They didn't make a big deal out of her losing the crystal, but they were just too ignorant to realize it's importance to her. Now Donnie had the gall to accuse her of being the irrational one. Since when did he decide it was okay to talk back?

"So you're going to take Mikey's side?" The redhead spat viciously, taking everyone but Donnie by surprise. "You always do that! You let him get away with stealing from me because he's the baby-"

"Just GO, April!"

April's venomous rant skidded to a halt when Donnie snapped at her. Her anger evaporated when she visibly flinched at the volume of his voice, something she never expected out of the normally-reserved Donatello. Stunned blue eyes scanned the genius turtle taking deep, calming breaths, pondering his next course of action. Donnie finally sighed and shook his head in exasperation and gave April a look that was indifferent, to say the least. No amorous gaze, no worried stare…just a stone-cold expression.

"Just…just go on home." He begged calmly. "We'll talk tomorrow."

The redhead remained speechless from Donnie's loud command. Her body rose on its own, as if she went on auto-pilot, and she only looked at Donnie. Part of her hope he would flounder and apologize profusely, like he always did. Instead he said nothing, his gaze telling her to listen to his command for her own good. Blue eyes flashed at him, and she even fluttered her eyelashes in hopes he would cave. But he wasn't going to falter…not this time. Donnie wanted her out of the lair.

Gathering herself, April muttered a 'fine' before trudging into the tunnels beyond, disappearing out of view a few seconds later. When the brothers felt assured she was out of earshot, three pairs of eyes glued to Donatello in shock. Donnie, the very person who had jelly-legs over the redhead, wanted her to leave. Donnie, the very person who welcomed having time with April…now wanting her gone? Looks like April wasn't the only one with a changing mood.

"Donnie…what was up with that?" Leo asked incredulously.

The purple-masked turtle sighed and pinched the skin between his eyes. "I didn't mean to snap…I've just been a little frustrated after tonight, that's all. I just lost my temper for a second…"

Back on his feet, Mikey kept his head down and dug his toes into the floor. He noticed the ruined pizza on the floor and remembered what started on this, immediately feeling guilty for April's mood whiplash and now Donnie's moment of anger. "I'm sorry, D…it's all my fault. If I hadn't stolen April's crystal, she wouldn't be-"

"Mikey, she was acting like this before you took her crystal." Without warning, Donnie reached over and smacked Mikey in the back of the head. "Which was VERY stupid, mind you." Ignoring his brother hissing in pain, he continued, "Ever since she squared off with Shinigami, she's been obsessed with using that crystal. The way she used it to defeat that eyeball monster, then how she almost shot Leo down with the Turtle Blimp's cannon…it was all over the top."

"Kind of like she wanted to go out and hurt somebody?" Raph asked bluntly.

Donnie hesitated, but gave a quick nod. "It's…it's making her into an entirely different person, and that's what I don't get! She was perfectly fine in space!" He sat down and, to his brothers' surprise, slammed his fist into the couch. Apparently, April's bad mood started to affect him, too. "She never acted obsessed with that rock, and now if you even try to talk about it, she'll bite your head off! It doesn't make any sense!"

Leo took a seat next to him and placed a calming hand on his shoulder. He could feel Donnie's breathing growing ragged with his frustration, and wished he could give his brother the answers he sought. So far, Master Splinter was the only one to bluntly tell April that she developed a full-blown addiction to the object for power; an 'easy way out'. Just as Donnie said, Shinigami defeating her-she and Karai rubbing it into April's face that she didn't deserve to be a kunoichi-began this sudden downward spiral. Did they strike a nerve that hard? Or was there another issue under the surface?

"Donnie…take it easy or YOU'LL be obsessed. We're worried about April as much as you are." Leo saw Donnie look up at him with a tinge of doubt, so he gave him a small smile to give him reassurance. "If this keeps up, we'll all have a talk with her. Kind of like an intervention, you know? Just don't get stressed out…"

As much as Leo's words offered comfort…Donnie felt they really didn't understand the growing severity of the situation. Donnie remembered what happened to the Aeons when they became obsessed with the Black Hole Generator piece. Something foreign to their world became their life and in-turn corrupted them. The Aeon crystal was foreign to Earth-April-and now became April's obsession. It made him wish Fugitoid was still here…

What was that all about?

April came home and asked herself that question non-stop. Not regarding Donnie…but herself. It was now she looked back and realized she acted, well, crazy when Mikey apologized. While she still felt upset by his theft of the crystal and didn't excuse it, her reaction to his attempts to patch things left her being no better. He tried to apologize, and all she did was shove him and yell at him; calling him a thief. Donnie's reaction still had her heart racing. She never saw him get angry with her, not even on his bad days.

Master Splinter's harsh words from earlier echoed through her mind. Using the crystal as a crutch…could he be right? Since Fugitoid wasn't there anymore to help her develop her powers, and Splinter was no psychic, she felt like she had to develop her powers herself. The crystal came along, and gave her the strength without the time-consuming work. Without the training needed to fully control it.

The more she thought about it, the more it seemed like she took the easy way out.

The crystal gave her the boost in power she needed, though, so why shouldn't she be protective of it? In the wrong hands, it could be dangerous; just look at Wingnut and Screwloose. Her anger towards Mikey for taking the crystal came back for a moment. He'd been doing a lot of foolish things lately and not getting reprimanded for it. Of course, she hardly reprimanded him, either, ever since the 'Mom-Thing' incident. But the anger disappeared, and she thought about her actions when Donnie merely asked to test the crystal.

Maybe taking a break from the crystal would help…

When April grasped the string attached to the crystal and attempted to lift it above her head, her hands literally trembled with weakness. The crystal felt like lead, and she couldn't lift it any further. Or maybe…her body didn't want her to lift it. She tried again, and she could feel tears welling up in her eyes. She was literally terrified of taking if off. Her hands felt like they were burning every time she wanted to take it off.

NO!

April's own mental command halted her from attempting to take it off. She found herself somewhat disturbed that she was getting so upset over taking it off. But the thoughts came again, and a blanket of paranoia wrapped around her. What would happen if she took off the crystal? What if Dad came home and accidentally threw it in the trash? What if the Foot came and stole it to heal Shredder? What if Donnie snuck in and stole it for more 'tests'?

'Donnie wouldn't do that. He just wants to test it because he's worried.'

'But what if they don't want you to be strong? They could want you to get rid of the crystal to make you weak again. Be back to little helpless Princess April.'

'I'm not weak. I can do find without it…'

'Can you? Did you do well without it against Shinigami? Remember how she and Karai both mocked you?'

'They all want you weak. Especially Donnie and Splinter. If they take the crystal, you can never be a kunoichi again. Ever thought that maybe that's what Donnie wants?'

Literally arguing with herself caused a dull pain in April's skull…and her hands slowly lifted away from the string securing the crystal. The calm returned at last. In fact, she became a little too calm; cold, even. One hand wrapped around the crystal with a tight grip, and her eyes narrowed in determination.

'Show them how strong you are. Show them that you're BETTER than them.'

She would never be beaten by some parlor-trick witch again. She would never be defenseless and scared again. She would no longer be weak. She would no longer take orders concerning her precious crystal. She would never be told 'ninjas only' again by some stuck-up, wannabe hero. Not be told she was weak by some hypocritical hothead. Not have anything stolen from her by some attention-starved loser. Not be told to calm down by some soft-shelled romantic. Not be patronized by some old rat.

She would not let anyone separate her from the crystal ever again. If anyone did…even Donnie…they would be sorry.

I'm hoping I'm not making Donnie and April out of character in this. However, I feel like Donnie kind of let it go easily in the show because, well, it's April. I kind of think he's careful not to make her mad ever since the incident when her dad mutated. Here, however, he's clearly ready to call April out on her behavior, even if he's doing it while frustrated. With April, I believe the crystal is feeding into her paranoia that everyone wants her to get rid of the crystal and 'be weak', and that she desperately wants to better her psychic powers too soon. Plus, she's also thinking like an addict, and many addicts fall into denial of their habits and paranoia that everyone's out to take their happiness.

The next chapter is going to be...pretty dark.