The next week of vacation time (Mikey keeps calling it 'Leave' in his head) breezes by. It had been too long without his brothers and Mikey frowns fiercely at how quickly the time is passing.
The week is passed with talks that take long into the night, Mikey cooking again, and long spars and talks as Mikey teaches his brothers everything he can squeeze into that week. He's glad to prove he hadn't let his 'ninja skills' fall and wane while he learned. He sits with Donatello and listens to everything his older brother can teach him about medical first aid and in turn teaches him everything he had learned about emergency care.
With as much talking and training that is squeezed into that week Mikey isn't really surprised about how quickly it all passes.
It doesn't mean he's happy about it though.
They all know he goes back for more training and they won't see each other again for a while at the end of the week. As the end approaches the family drifts closer together, spending as much time as they can manage together. The Turtle Pile has been a regular thing since that first night, and continues right up until the very last night.
When the time comes there isn't a dry eye in their group. (Though not a tear is shed at this point by any of them. It's more like watery eyes and frantic blinking.) Mikey moves to each family member and gives them hugs, leaning up to press their foreheads together in a gesture of love and devotion that has been used since they were very, very young. He stands there with each of them for a moment, forehead to forehead, eyes shut and basking before he whispers to each of them "I love you. I'll see you again."
Each family member returns the sentiment "I love you, you better come back."
He's also told to expect letters now that they know where to send them.
Mikey grins wide and bright and loving at them before he lifts his hand into a salute.
It's time to get on the plane.