AUTHOR'S NOTE: we are entering the homestretch for this story! Not to worry, this isn't the last chapter. I'm thinking there might be a couple more left to go...then after this, who knows? if you have any suggestions as to which turtle I should feature next in a story, let me know. thanks and enjoy this chapter!

AUTHOR'S NOTE PART 2: sorry this took so dang long to put up. I was caught in writer's block on this one. And I got an idea for another story and had to spend some time writing that one down. But, here it is finally.

"Oh cool! nintendo!"

"awh, you beat me! and you're a girl!"

"I don't want to go home!"

"Stay with me..."

I started awake. The words had flashed through my brain with surprising clarity in flashes, instances, and then were gone again. I took a deep breath. Who were those people speaking? why did I know them? Were these memories? or just a dream? I hadn't any clue. All I knew was that it startled the hell out of me. Taking a couple more deep breaths, I tried to relax my nerves and my mind. I laid back down on my pillow and tried to sleep again. When I did, I saw the faces of the people that had spoken.

It was a younger version of myself and Mikey. We were hugging furiously.

"Stay with me..."

"I wanna, but I have to go back home...I promise I'll be back."

"Good 'cause I'll miss ya lots!"

"I'll miss you too, Mikey."

The younger version of me walked away and faded into the darkness. It was true! Mikey and I were best friends! I had come to new york and everything...I was so elated when I woke up I didn't know what to do with myself. I ran out of my room to see if anyone was up. When I hit the living room, I saw the boys up, getting ready for practice.

They all took notice of me barreling towards them with a huge smile on my face.

"Man," Mikey said, grinning. "What got into you this morning?"

"Some of my memory came back last night!" I shouted, unable to keep it in.

Mikey's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "That's great, babe!"

I recounted what had returned to me last night. "I'm so happy I could dance around!" I said, laughing.

Mikey gave me a huge hug. "I'm proud of ya." he said, and ruffled my hair affectionately.

"Thank you." I said, then proceeded to kiss him silly. His brothers groaned, but we both ignored them.

Splinter cleared his throat. Mikey and I turned to look at him to see that he was grinning at us.

"It is time for practice, Michelangelo. You may, oh how do you boys put it? 'make out' later."

We both blushed, but chuckled. "Alright, sensei." Mikey said and entered the dojo. I followed suit to watch them practice. Good fortune, I decided, was smiling down on me today. I had a piece of my memory back! I couldn't help but smile again. I watched Mikey with new appreciation. With these memories, he became even more precious to me. It also made loving him feel more right than ever. That reminded me...I hadn't told said turtle that yet. I decided that tonight would be the best time. After all, we could be alone that way. During the day, there was just too much for them to do.

And so, I waited the day out helping them out where I could just to keep busy. I helped with wrapping up their hands and wrists for the punching bag, passing them necessary battle weapons, and what have you. But the thought of what the evening was going to bring never left my mind. When the time came, I motioned for Mikey to join me in the room Splinter had set up for me whilst I stayed with them.

"Yeah? Ya needed me?" he asked, closing the door behind me.

"Yes, indeed I do." I said, wrapping my arms around his neck and gently kissing him. Mikey moaned and kissed me back.

"Mikey," I said softly, I came to a realization recently."

"Yeah? what was that?"

"I have fallen irreversably in love with you." A huge grin spread across Mikey's face. "Awh, babe..I-I love you too." He hugged me tight to him and our lips met again, passion raging. I smiled as he lowered me down onto the mattress of his bed...

The next morning...

I slowly opened my eyes, feeling lazy but sated. I grinned as I caught sight of Mikey, who was just waking up aswell.

"Good morning, sunshine." I said.

Mikey gave me a sleepy smile and ran his thumb down my cheek. "Good morning, babe." I snuggled closer to him and felt his arms envelope me.

I traced the shape of his plastron with my finger. "Last night was great by the way."

Mikey got that trademark smirk of his on his face. "Glad ya enjoyed it." He kissed me softly. "But, I must get up for practice." I groaned in protest and Mikey laughed.

"It's part of the ninja package." he said and kissed my forehead.

"Just hurry back." I purred.

"Will do!" he said, grinned, and left the room.

I laughed at his enthusiasm. He always seemed to have it in a neverending supply. I yawned and decided that I could use some breakfast. I carefully got up, making sure that his sheets were wrapped around my nude form securely. I found all my clothes and quickly dressed. Once I did, I walked down the hall and entered the kitchen.

Thankfully, being big eaters, the fridge they had always had a variety of food in it. There was sushi and other Japanese style foods for Splinter, and other less-than-healthy food for the turtles. But, being the sweethearts that they were, they managed to arrange a spot for me. It had a variety of fruits, veggies, and other goodies. I grabbed a pepperoni stick and nibbled on it. Yeah, not the greatest breakfast food but I loved them.

About an hour later, a huffing Donatello entered the kitchen. Sweat was shining off his entire body. Obviously Splinter had been working them hard this morning.

"You tuckered out there, Donny?"

"Yeah. Splinter was teaching us new moves this morning. They take alot of energy to do." He dabbed his head with a towel. He was joined shortly by the rest of his brothers. Mikey came over to me and laid his head on my shoulder.

"Gah! I'm tired!" I smiled and massaged the back of his neck. "Poor mikey." I cooed and laughed.

Mikey just grumbled and didn't move. As I kept massaging, he groaned. "Awh, babe, that feels so nice."

I grinned. "That's the idea."

The boys just grumbled at us as they normal did. I rolled my eyes and laughed at them. They were quite the amusing characters when they wanted to be and sometimes even when they didn't realize it, like at that moment. Mikey had now fully relaxed against my shoulder now.

"Feel better?" I whispered in his ear.

"Yes." Came the mumbled but very happy reply.

"Good." I said and just stood with him. Mikey put his arms around me, cradling me against him. I sighed happily and enjoyed it, as I always did.

Little did we know, Splinter and Raphael were watching us.

Raph's POV

Splinter smiled. "It is nice to see Michelangelo with her again."

I snorted, but for some weird reason, I agreed. In the beginning I'd been so jealous that Mikey had gotten what I'd been wishing for as long as I could remember: a woman to love me. But now, I realized, that it would be cruel to be mad at them for being in love. I should be gratefull that somebody had come along and had made him happy. In a way, Mikey had given us all hope. Hope that maybe that same could happen to us. So, all in all, I was gratefull to my brother. Crazy...me gratefull to Mikey. I had to grin at that.

Man, I pick the wierdest time to have an epiphany. I thought and shook my head.

Splinter must have noticed my thoughtfull look, for me poked me gently with his cane. "What are you thinking, my son?"

I explained my thoughts to him. "I hope she gets her memory back soon...I wanna be able to fix this with her."

Splinter smiled at me as though I had just handed him the Holy Grail. "I am so proud of you, Raphael. You have learned your lesson."

I felt a warming in my heart at his words. "Thanks, Sensei."

"It also shows," the rat went on, "that you are maturing. You were able to put aside your anger and see your mistake. Now, you will be the better for it because you are able to fix it."

A sense of pride went through me at that. "Thanks again, that means alot." I was getting choked up now. If he kept up, I would probably break down and cry.

"Who would have thought Michelangelo would give you a lesson in maturity?" Splinter joked.

I chuckled at that. "My thoughts exactly."