Oh my! It's been over 2 months since I've updated this one! I couldn't even remember where I left off! I'm gonna try to hurry things along, but at the same time, don't want to rush it and affect the quality of the story. I think I just got out of the groove on this one and haven't had any good ideas for it.


Kwame has come to pick up Wheeler and Linka and bring them back to Hope Island. However, he is unaware of the nature of their visit. He just assumes that he is bringing them back home to stay and get back to work. When they arrive back on the island, they find that Gi and Ma-Ti are off getting groceries for the welcome home dinner they were planning on preparing for Wheeler and Linka.

While Kwame goes to prepare the table, Wheeler and Linka head to their cabin and begin packing up their things. They have just finished packing the last box when Gi enters the room.

"Hey! There you are! Welcome home! Dinner is ready!" She says as she wraps her arms around both of them. Then she notices the empty room and pile of boxes. "What's going on?"

"Let's go get dinner, I'm starving. We'll explain everything then," Wheeler says.

"Ok," Gi says, unsure of what to think, although she is fairly certain she's not going to be too happy with what Wheeler and Linka have to say. It looks like they'll be saying goodbye.

"Wow, you guys! This smells great! I'm starving!"

"We wanted to do something special for you," Ma-Ti says. "We missed you and are glad you are back."

"Yes, Kylee and David are great teammates, but it will be nice to have the original team back. So we felt that the best way to welcome you home would be to have a 'family' dinner. A little something to eat from each of our cultures."

Gi stays silent, still waiting for Wheeler and Linka's announcement, but feeling uneasy about it.

"This is wonderful. So thoughtful of all of you," Linka is finding it hard to continue, her throat suddenly closing up with sadness. The fact that they are leaving all of this behind has finally hit her.

"What is wrong Linka?" Ma-Ti asks.

"We have some news," Wheeler says.

"Good news? Bad news? Is everything ok? Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. We're both fine. Never better actually…unfortunately, this welcome home dinner is gonna be more like a 'goodbye' dinner."

"What?"

"Why?"

"No!"

"Yes, I am sorry, but it is true. Not because we want to, but because we have to," Linka says.

"It wasn't an easy decision to make," Wheeler adds. "But it's the best decision for us…for all of us. We're not going to be much use to the team for much longer anyways."

"Do not say that! You will always be useful to the team!" Kwame says.

"Yeah, maybe…but as much as I love you guys and what we do for the Planet…it's too risky. It's not worth the risk. I…we…have new priorities. Babe, you wanna take over?"

"Da, ok. We can no longer continue on as Planeteers because I am no longer able to perform my duties. I need to step down and take it easy."

"What's wrong? Are you sick?" Gi asks.

"Nyet…I am pregnant."

"EXCELLENT!"

"OUTSTANDING!"

"CONGRATULATIONS!"

The Planeteers all shout different exclamations as they embrace Wheeler and Linka.

"So when are you due?" Gi asks.

"In six months…The doctor estimates May 6th," Linka says.

"So Wheeler is going to be a daddy…" Ma-Ti says.

"Could it be possible that he might not be the least mature person in Linka's life now?" Kwame jokes.

"Nyet! I think the babies will still be more mature than him!"

"BABIES?!" The other three exclaim.

"Oh…yeah…did we forget to mention that we're having twin?" Wheeler says.

"THAT'S AMAZING!"

"WONDERFUL!"

"FANTASTIC!"

"Thanks, we think so too," Wheeler says as he wraps his arms around Linka and kisses her temple.

"So…you're leaving?" Gi says sadly. "Just until the babies are born, right?"

"Nyet, I am sorry Gi…everyone…We have thought about it long and hard and leaving permanently is the best decision for everyone involved…including you all."

"Including us? Of course we understand and support your decision, but being without two of the most experienced and skilled Planeteers will be hard to overcome."

"Not that Kylee and David are not great. They are very good at what they do…a great team…just like you two…and great teammates…but…"

"There is an age gap between them and us…we are not as close to them as we were…are with you. The five of us used to always do things together…but now, it is the three of us and the two of them…sometimes they join us for a game of volleyball or swimming if we ask, but usually they decline."

"That sucks," Wheeler says. "But you gotta figure, you three aren't gonna be doing this much longer right? Gaia has had plenty of time since we re-joined the team to find replacements…Linka and I though, we can't come back. It's not just about us anymore…we've got these little ones to think of now…and we will be thinking of them constantly…so if we were out on a mission, we could get distracted and that could be disastrous. And what could be even more disastrous is that if one or both of us doesn't come back from a mission…then what? Then our kids are without one or both of their parents. We can't risk that."

"We understand, of course," Kwame says. "We will miss you, but you must do what is best for you and your new family. We wish nothing but the best for you."

"Yes my friends. We will always be friends, no matter if you live here or back in New York. And we look forward to sharing this joyous time in your lives. So you better be sending pictures and videos!"

"You betcha little buddy! Your inbox will always be full!"

"And as long as we are still here, you will always have a place to come on vacation to," Gi says.

"And you all are always welcome to come visit…we just have one less guest room for now!" Linka says.

"Yeah, and once they're old enough, they'll have their own rooms, there will be two less guest rooms!" Wheeler adds.

"Well, let us eat before our food gets cold. We will need all the energy possible to help Wheeler and Linka carry all of their stuff to the Geo Cruiser and then unload it into their home," Kwame suggests.

"That's not necessary man. We appreciate the offer, but we…I can handle it. What if you're needed here?"

"Well, as of right now, we are not…but we are needed somewhere else…helping you! Linka is in no condition to help you…no offense Linka," Gi says.

"None taken."

"And it's crazy for you to do all this lifting and lugging yourself…especially so soon after your surgery," Gi finishes.

"Are you in a hurry to get back?" Kwame asks.

"No, not really. We just figured we'd get everything packed so we could get out of your hair," Wheeler says.

"You are always welcome here…and as long as Kylee and David are sharing a cabin, and as long as we are still Planeteers, we will consider your cabin just that…your cabin. It will be here for you whenever you would like to visit…so why not stay here tonight if there is no rush to get back to New York," Kwame says.

"That's ok with me…what about you Babe? Anything you need to get back for?"

"Nyet…I would like to stay here one more night…take one last walk along the beach; one last swim with Poe and her friends; one last trip to the cliff where we were married, and to see my bird friends; one last game of volleyball…"

They all look at her like she's crazy.

"I will be keeping score instead of participating, of course."

"Excellent. Then it is decided. We will eat, play a game of volleyball, and go for a swim. Then we will leave Wheeler and Linka to themselves to take one last walk down memory lane…to relive where all the magic happened!" Ma-Ti says.

And they did just that. Wheeler and Ma-Ti's team won the volleyball game, but Gi and Kwame insisted that they let Wheeler's team win just to be nice. They even jokingly suggested that Linka messed up the scoring in favor of her husband's team. After that, they cooled off by going for a swim with Gi's dolphin friend, Poe, and her fellow dolphins, including the one that Wheeler had named "Flipper." Linka was the only one that didn't go in the water. She had on a suit, but left one of Wheeler's shirts on as a long cover up. She was still feeling self conscious about her body so she was content with just sitting on the dock and dangling her feet in the water.

Once the friends were done swimming, David and Kylee joined them at the beach.

"Here," David says as he and Kylee hold out their Rings to Wheeler and Linka. "Gaia said we should give these to you for the day…just incase you wanted to use them one last time…start a fire, make a mini tornado…call Captain Planet…"

"Thank you! That sounds like a proper way to say goodbye to our rings," Linka says.

"Yeah, thanks. What d'ya say? One last time for old time's sake?" Wheeler asks.

"Then let our powers combine….Earth!"

"Fire!"

"Wind!"

"Water!"

"Heart!"

The five beams of light swirl together and combine in a magnificent display.

"By your powers combined, I am Captain Planet!"

"GOOOOOOO PLANET!!!" The teammates shout.

Captain Planet descends from the sky and lands in front of Wheeler and Linka just as Gaia appears next to him.

"What a pleasant surprise…it's the Wheeler family. Congratulations by the way," he says as he embraces both of them. Then he whispers to Wheeler, "Twins? Good job. Two down, six to go," he teases, reminding Wheeler of his nightmare.

"Uh, thanks Cap."

"Da. Thank you. We would not be here if it were not for you and Gaia. Becoming a Planeteer was the greatest thing that ever happened to me…Well, second greatest," she says as she looks at Wheeler. "Ok, third greatest," she concludes as she places her hands across her belly.

"Planeteer Dating Service…that's what we're here for…Right Kylee and Dave?" Captain Planet asks the other Planeteer couple.

"Much better than the bar scene or being set up on blind dates!" David jokes.

"Good luck to the both of you. Be sure to bring the little ones back here to meet Uncle Cap, got it?"

"We'll definitely be back to visit, Cap," Wheeler says.

"Good. And Linka, you keep this guy in line ok? No letting him get out of diaper duty."

"Not a chance! While I am changing one diaper, he'll be changing the others!"

"Aww Babe, I'm sure you're smart enough to figure out a way to do two at one time. I have faith in your abilities! OUCH!" He cries as she smacks him on the butt.

"Uh-oh, looks like I started something," Captain Planet jokes. "Better leave before I get Wheeler in more trouble! Once again, good luck. You'll always be Planeteers and now you're about to welcome the next generation of Planeteers into the world. You have served your planet well. And just because you don't wear the rings anymore, doesn't mean that you have to stop being Planeteers. Keep doing your part to save the planet to make it a better one for your children, grandchildren, great grandchildren...you get the idea...The power is yours!"

And with that Captain Planet disappeared into five beams of light that returned to their rings.

"Wow. I didn't think about that," Wheeler says.

"What?" Linka asks.

"Great grandchildren...you and me, long after we're gone, parts of us will still live on through our offspring."

"Da Yankee...that is how it works. That is how people remain on the earth...re-populating."

"I know...I just...I mean...this is huge. We're starting a new branch to our family tree...and it begins with you and me!"

She wraps her arms around him and holds him tight.

"Well when you put it like that..." she stops, getting choked up.

He tilts her head up to look at him and then wipes away the tears.

"...it is a very sweet thought," she finishes.

"Well I'm a sweet guy," he says as he leans down and presses his lips to hers.

"Awwww," the other Planeteers all coo in unison at the sight.

"Yeah, yeah, we're cute. We know...now if you'll excuse us...my wife and I have a trip to take down memory lane.

Wheeler takes Linka's hand and leads her into the woods. They take the familiar trail up to the cliff where they were married. They sit there, enjoying the view, her back against his chest as he wraps his arms around her.

"Is something wrong Babe?"

"Nyet. Not really I am just sad."

"Why?"

"'Why?' Aren't you?"

"No way. I've never been happier," he says as he tightens his arms around her. "Why are you sad?"

"Because, we are leaving behind a life that we have always known."

"But we did it once before…when we left to go to college…and we did alright for ourselves."

"Da, I guess so."

"And this time, we're leaving together. We're not leaving the comfort of Hope Island for the unknown world of college. We don't need to worry about struggling through classes; making new friends…we'll have each other, and our 'little bugs.' It'll be ok. It'll be more than ok. It'll be great. That's why I'm not sad. I never needed anything as much as I need you…and since I have you, and I'm not letting you go…EV-ER…life is good. I'm the happiest…luckiest…most blessed…husband and daddy in the whole world," he punctuated all of his adjectives with kisses across her shoulder and up her neck.

"How do you do that?" Linka asks.

"Well it's simple, I just pucker my lips and…"

"Not that durak! How do you always manage to make me feel better?"

"Oh, that's easy. It's my job. I think I swore to it in front of God and all of our friends and family…something about being a husband or something like that?"

"Oh, is that all?"

"Yeah. Seriously though Babe. I live to make you happy. I don't ever want to see you upset over anything. I wanna help you see the good in things and not dwell on the negative, cuz let's face it Linka…I'm the optimist in this relationship!"

This causes her to chuckle. Then he goes on,

"I'll do whatever it takes to make you happy and keep you happy. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"And you to me," she says as she turns sideways to face him better and press her lips to his.

They make their way down to the lagoon. They sit on a rock formation in the water, reminisce, and kiss. When they part, she lets out a sigh.

"Now what?"

"I am just wishing we had more time."

"We have the rest of our lives."

"Nyet…here."

"Don't you think we've spent enough time here? I do. I'm gonna miss it too Lin, but it's time to move on. We've spent alot of great years here."

"Nyet, we have spent a lot of years here, but only this last one has been great. I meant I wish we had more time here, together…all those years that I wasted. This…being here with you in our lagoon…those are some of my fondest memories of Hope Island. I wish we had more of them."

"We can make more," he purrs suggestively.

"Really? You can turn back time and go back to when we were Planeteers as teenagers?"

"No…and even if I could, I wouldn't."

"You do not regret all that lost time? Time wasted doing nothing when we could've been doing this?" She asks, kissing his neck thoroughly.

"I'm not saying that I wouldn't have loved doing this all day, every day as a horny 17 year old, but everything that didn't happen back then, led to what's happened, what's happening, now. Maybe we wouldn't be here today if we had been here back then. We're both different people than we were back then. I'm a little bit more mature, and you're a little bit more…tolerant. Back then, I probably would've said or done something to piss you off, annoyed you, et cetera and you would've gotten sick of me. It could've ended badly and we might not even be friends."

"Or, we could have left here together. Gone to New York together, been there for each other during school, and been happy together this whole time," she argues.

"Wait a minute…you said that you never contacted me when you were going to school in New York because "we would have been a distraction to each other." Now you're singin' a different tune? C'mon Babe…you know better. I wish I could tell you for sure that we could've been together all this time…but that didn't happen. And if having to wait all these years is what brought us to this moment right here, then I wouldn't trade it for anything."

"I would not trade you for anything," Linka says as she leans her head on his shoulder. "And one day, we will bring the kids here and show them where mommy and daddy met and fell in love. We can show them the cliff, where I convinced you to forgive me and we had our first real kiss. Then we can bring them down here to the lagoon for a swim."

"And we can tell them how I violated their mother right here!"

She playfully smacks his chest.

"Actually, it was right there!" She says as she points to a spot further away from the edge of the water.

"I wasn't talking about back then," he whispers softly against her ear before standing up and holding her in his arms.

She wraps her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist as they kiss. He presses her against the rock formation they were formerly sitting on in the water and grabs at the bottom of the t-shirt she is wearing to pull it up.

"Nyet, leave it," she says as she pulls away from his lips and yanks the shirt back down.

"Why? No one knows where this is. No one's gonna catch us!" He says as he tries again.

"It is not that. It is me, three months pregnant and bursting out of this bikini. One look at me, and you will not feel like continuing."

"Oh geez, not this again! How many times do I gotta tell you?! You're beautiful…and the bigger you get, the more beautiful you're gonna look to me."

"You are just saying that to be nice."

"Ok. Fine. If that's what you wanna think…but you know what I think? I think that you keep saying that you're disgusting because you need me to keep reassuring you're not."

"I never said I was 'disgusting!' You think I am disgusting?!"

"NO! I was just paraphrasing what you…" he stops when sees the mischievous smile on her face. "You're joking again…You gotta stop doin' that Babe. With these up and down emotions and mood swings, I never know when you're serious and when you're joking!"

"Da, that is the point!"

"Well it's not nice."

"I am sorry…what can I do to make it up to you?" She asks with a hint of sarcasm.

"Well, for starters, you can trust me," he replies as he leans his forehead against hers.

"I do."

"Then let me see you. There's no sheets to hide under, no lights to turn off…" he once again takes hold of the hem of the t-shirt, brushes his lips against hers, and whispers, "It's just me Baby."

She presses her lips more firmly against his and nods her head, giving him permission. He pulls the shirt off over her head, and then lifts her up so that she's perched on the edge of the lagoon. They resume their kiss, allowing their hands to skim over each other's bodies. Linka wraps her legs around Wheeler, pulling him tightly to her. Wheeler lowers his head and begins peppering kisses down her neck and across her collarbone.

"You're so freakin' hot."

"'So freakin' hot'? How old are you Yankee?" She giggles.

"You said you wished we'd gotten together sooner…when we were younger…so I'm actin' like a teenager!" He replies as he continues to trail his lips over every inch of her body that he can reach. He reaches behind her and pulls at the string of her bikini top, admiringly removing the purple material. He pries her legs from around his waist so that he can move to kiss his way down her torso, paying extra attention to her expanded abdomen, and resting his hands on her sides.

He slides his fingertips under the edge of her board shorts and she holds herself up so that he can pull them off, leaving her completely naked and vulnerable to his admiring gaze.

"Wheeler…" she says uncomfortably.

"Ssssh, don't say it," he says as his hands roam over her body, his lips exploring.

She laces her fingers through his hair and she is over come by emotions.

"I love you," she says as she gently pulls at his hair to get him to stand up so that she can kiss him.

"And I love you," he says as he once again makes his way back up to her lips.

"Off," she mumbles against his lips as she tugs at his swim trunks and fumbles with the drawstring.

He helps her get them loose and then slips them off, never once breaking contact with her lips. He leans forward, bending her backwards, and pressing her back into the soft grass.

"We don't happen to have a lagoon anywhere on the property in Scarsdale do we?"

"Nyet," she chuckles.

"Too bad."

Wheeler spent the next few hours making Linka wish that there was a lagoon at their house. They always seem to enjoy themselves so much when they're at their Hope Island lagoon.

Wheeler and Linka laid on their sides in the grass, facing each other, their limbs entwined, as they smile at each other.

"We must look like something out of the story of Adam and Eve…two beautiful naked people in a tropical paradise," Wheeler comments.

Linka laughs and adds,

"Da, and we are not very good at resisting temptation either."

"No…but that's fine by me!"

Linka sits up, struggling to get loose from Wheeler's embrace, and begins putting her bikini back on.

"Where are you going?"

"That water is calling me," she says as she steps into the water and goes under.

"Hey wait for me!" He says as he pulls on his swim trunks and dives in.

He swims up to her, grabs her around the waist and pulls her to him.

"I don't think it was necessary to put our suits back on!"

"I am not a nudist, so da, it was necessary!" She pulls out of his arms and swims under the waterfall.

He follows her and when he reaches the other side of the falls, he sees that she has retrieved the raft and was climbing onto it. He soon joined her on it and they dangled their feet under the falling water.

"This feels so good."

"Do your feet hurt?"

"A little…and I am only at three months! I do not even want to think about how badly they will hurt in the coming months!"

"Well, I'll do what I can to help. Just say the word…I'll rub your feet, or do what ever needs done around the house while you just relax and put your feet up…I mean it Babe, don't be afraid to ask for help. I know how you like to be independent and don't like to admit when you need help. But look at it like this, it's not you asking for help…it's the babies. They need you to think of them and what's best for them. So if that means sitting around and feeling helpless, then that's what you gotta do."

"Ok. You are right. I know you are right…"

"Wait, I'm sorry…can you repeat that? I don't think I heard you correctly!"

"Shut up. I just need to you keep reminding me that I need to be helpless, for the babies' sake. That I cannot over do it, even if I think I am capable of doing something…that I should completely take advantage of you and make you do everything while I sit around and do nothing," she says with an evil grin.

"Good. I'm gonna hold you to that!" He says as he takes her hand and kisses it.

She fell asleep next to him on the raft. He stayed awake, watching her, and enjoying the opportunity to admire her without making her uncomfortable. When she finally awoke from her little nap, Wheeler slides off the raft and takes her with him, cradling her in his arms. He takes her Planeteer ring hand in his ring hand and intertwines their fingers, holding them up and examining the blue and red stones.

"I can't believe we'll never be wearing these again after tonight," he says.

"I know."

"I've been thinking all night about what I wanted to do to use it for the last time."

"I do not even know what to do…one last mini tornado I guess…nothing special."

"Well, what would you say if I told you that I came up with something…but I'm gonna need your wind power."

"I'd say, what do you have planned?"

"Remember how on occasion, we would combine our too powers to make the equivalent of a blow torch?"

"Da."

"I wanna do that."

"And then what?"

"You'll see…just follow my lead," he says as he extends their intertwined ring hands and points them towards the rock wall behind the waterfall. "Fire!"

"Wind!"

He guides their hands, going back and forth, while Linka curiously tries to figure out what he's doing. Wheeler stops his fire power, causing Linka's wind power to blow water from the waterfall onto the newly carved font on the rock wall. When the water his the hot rock, steam starts to billow all around it. Once the steam clears, Wheeler carries Linka through the waterfall and sets her on her feet. They wipe the water out of their eyes and look up at the wall.

"Not bad, eh?!" He asks as he puts his arm around her.

She laughs.

"It is perfect," she says with a smile and then she turns in his arms to give him a kiss.

They stand there, kissing for what seems like hours under the words "Wheeler and Linka 4-Ever," surrounded by a heart.


To Be Continued...hopefully sooner than the last time!