3.2 Donnie x Peach

                                    

                                          
peach1442 
                          
Next: Mikey x Den 
Later: Donnie x Ace
                          
Back at One
By Brian McKnight
                          
Donnie knew that he had to do something and fast. As the days went by, Peach continued to believe that Leo was her boyfriend. All of her memories pointed his way. Don had to find a way to make her remember their relationship before he lost her forever.
                          
He decided to start with the small things. He and Peach used to cook breakfast together whenever she came to the lair early on the weekends. Turning on the stove, he prepared the pan to make pancakes. Peach strolled in, eager to get her hands on some breakfast food once she smelled the first pancake.
                          
"Ooh, perfect timing. I was just about to go get something." She smiled and sat on one of the stools.
                          
Donnie laughed playfully. "If you want something to eat, you're gonna have to help me cook."
                          
Peach gently shoved Donnie out of the way and took the pancake mix from him. "Whatever you say, Einstein." She froze while mixing the batter. Another memory flashed into her mind.
                          
~~~~~
                          
Peach and Donnie were debating over whether they should make toast or waffles for breakfast. Donnie was smiling at her as he hastily cleaned the waffle iron he had put together a few days before.
                          
She waved the pack of bread in front of his face. "Scrub that iron all you want, Donnie-boy. We're eating French toast today."
                          
Donnie dried the waffle maker and placed it on the counter. He grabbed the ingredients needed to make waffles. "Just think of it as... trying out one of my new inventions."
                          
Peach giggled and hugged his arm. "A new invention? I can assure you that you're not the first person to use a waffle iron."
                          
He playfully wiped some of the flour on his head onto her face. "Yeah, well I built this bad boy, so I think we should use it."
                          
He kissed her forehead and returned to his batter. Using his mask tails, Peach wipes off the flour from her face. "Whatever you say, Einstein. I'm still making my toast."
                          
~~~~~
                          
Peach blinked and looked over to the tall turtle beside her. Was she wrong about her relationship with Leo? Was she just joking around with Donnie in her memory or was that flirting more than friendly banter? 
                          
She shook her head and passed Donnie the pancake mix. "What else can I help you with, your highness?"
                          
Donnie flipped the pancake and turned back to the girl of his dreams. "That depends, do we want bacon or sausage?"
                          
She shrugged. "I don't see why we can't have both. Besides, whatever we don't eat, I'm sure Mikey will gladly finish it off."
                          
Donnie laughed again, remembering the last time there was more food than there was people to eat it. Mikey stuffed himself like a teddy bear. He began to talk about it, but stopped himself mid-sentence when he realized Peach might not remember the memory.
                          
She touched his shoulder. "No, keep going. Maybe I'll remember as you tell it to me."
                          
"Mikey was like a vacuum. The moment someone started to say they were full, he was already cleaning their plates for them. Mikey and I got into it that night because..."
                          
~~~~~
                          
Donnie and Master Splinter were having a separate conversation about upgrading the lair's security system. They were unaware of the disgusting scene of Mikey chewing sloppily with his mouth open.
                          
Mikey burped. "Leo, you gonna finish that?"
                          
Leo shook his head. "Nah, I think I'm f-"
                          
"Full? Say no more my brother. I got your back." The next thing anyone knew, Mikey was slurping down the remainder of Leo's food. "Peach, how about you? You gonna finish that cake?"
                          
She shook her head, not even bothering to use words to respond to him. Raph grumbled at how messily Mikey was eating. "Well, great. Now I lost my appetite."
                          
Mikey eagerly finished off the last bite of Ralph's pizza and looked to him next victim. Donnie was still busy explaining the new setup to Splinter and had barely touched his food. "Now, I'm fully aware-"
                          
Mikey quickly swiped Donnie's plate. "Don't worry, D, I'll finish your food for ya like the superhero I am."
                          
"Mikey!" Donnie reaches across the table to attack his baby brother. 
                          
Peach grabbed his hands and pulled him back into his seat. "Call down, babe. There's more in the kitchen hidden from Mikey that you can eat."
                          
Donnie's face softened and squeezed her hand.
                          
~~~~~
                          
Peach laughed and leaned into Donnie's side. "I remember! I wanted to laugh so bad, but I didn't want to hurt your feelings."
                          
Donnie placed the last pancake on top of the rest of the stack. "You were the only reason I didn't go full on Raph on Mikey. I was ready to flip a table or something."
                          
He handed her a plate of the breakfast they had just made together and sat at the table in a comfortable silence. It was moments like these that Donnie missed the most. Being happy and together, even if they're not saying anything to each other, meant so much. Peach felt a familiar feeling in her stomach. Something she never felt when she thought Leo was her boyfriend. With Donnie, things felt natural and reciprocated.
                          
That's when she knew. "Donnie, we were a couple, weren't we?"
                          
He sighed and put his fork down. "Y-yeah, we were. I wanted to tell you, but I didn't want to overwhelm you with information that you couldn't remember. I figured it was best to just help you gradually remember and hope that what we had would form again."
                          
"Why didn't you tell me that Leo wasn't my boyfriend?" She asked.
                          
Donnie shook his head. "I don't know. I guess I was scared that you wouldn't believe me. I didn't want to take away the few things you remembered from you. I didn't think I had the right to."
                          
Peach stood up and hugged Donnie. "I'm just happy that I remember now. You're someone that I never want to forget again. I don't remember if I've ever said this before, but... I love you."
                          
Donnie stood and hugged her properly. "I love you too. I promise to help you remember everything and to help you remember what we had."