A/N: THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER BEFORE THE EPILOGUE! There is a sequil guraunteed! The next one in the series is Mikey centric so maybe more people will read that one? Well, please read, enjoy and review!
Raph and Leo picked up Sasha and Vic and put them on their shoulders. "So, where to oh Fearless Leader?" Raph asked, and Leo scowled. "Stop that! And it's that way, Hot Head." Raph glared. "Nitwit." "Ninja Wannabe!" "Splinter Jr!" Nicole and Katie snapped. "GUYS!" they both yelled at once, and Leo and Raph stopped, still giving each other death glares. "Come on, let's go..." Don urged, pushing on Leo's shell, and Mikey doing the same with Raph.
When they finally reached the rock wall that they had come here from, they all stared up at it. "So do we just... do the same thing we did to get here?" Mikey asked, looking unsurly at the rest of the clan. "Yeah." said Leo, " But I don't remember the symbols." Don scratched his chin. "Maybe if I shine my light on the place we came out of, the symbols will show up?" Leo shrugged. "Might as well give it a try, Donny." Don smiled, and looked up again. "Well, I remember falling when we got here, so the portal was probably up this wall." Leo nodded, shrugging again. "Check it out, Donny Boy."
Don climed a tree that was right up against the wall, up to the very top of it. He stood up slowly, standing on one of the thin branches, and shined his light on the wall. Sure enough the markings glowed dimly on the wall. He quickly got out his chalk and drew them out. "Got it!" he called. Leo gave him the thumbs up. Then, Don heard a cracking noise, and his stomache dissapeared. The branch beneath his feet split, and he hit the ground with a loud THUMP. "Don!" Emily yelled, and rushed to him. He looked up, and laughed. "Didn't see that coming..." he said, and sat up, rubbing his head. Emily smiled and kissed his cheek.
"Alright, up two or three at a time!" Don told them. Leo heaved Sasha up onto his shoulders, and he and Nicole climbed the tree first. Leo stood on another thin branch. He looked down, and hesitated for a minute. Don remembered his fear of heights, and desperatly wished he had a camera so he could black mail Leo about being afraid of climbing a tree. But, Leo shook his head and recited the chant, and then stepped through the portal with Nicole's hand in his and Sasha on his shoulders.
Raph put Victoria on his shoulders, and climbed the tree with Katie. Raph jumped off of the branch and into the portal, and Katie front flipped after him. Then, Mikey bent down and Hannah hopped on his back, her arms around his kneck. He climbed the tree with Kristin. "COWABUNGA!" he cried, jumping into the portal, Kristin shaking her head and following after him.
Josh and Linda ran to the tree and climbed up too, leaping into the portal. They were followed by Gary and Erica, Kara and Derik, and Jeniffer and Chris. Then, Don, Em, and Jill were up next. Leo stuck his head out of the portal. "Hurry up, Donny!" "Comin comin!" Don called, and took Emily's hand. "Come on." Emily smiled at him, and he ran to the tree with her behind him. He climbed the tree, Jillian clinging to his shell. He gripped the thin branch above and pulled himself up slowly. Emily followed after him. He stepped carefully onto the thin branch, that seemed almost ready to break after all of the weight that had repeatadly been put on it. He took a breath, and jumped.
He flew through the portal and landed on hard concrete, running a few steps to keep from falling over. He put Jill down, and looked up as he heard Emily falling through the portal too. He caught her with his arm behind her back, and smiled. "Nice catch." she said, and he helped her up. Mikey grinned and inhaled deeply. "Aaaah, the sweet smell of the city! How I missed it!" Don rolled his eyes, and shoved Mikey forward. "Move it, Goof Ball." Mikey pouted, and walked down the sidewalk in the shadows, Kristin clinging to his arm and Hannah holding his other hand. Don grinned, and held Emily's hand walking down the street after his little brother. Soon, they reached the familiar sewer cover. They all filed down below the city, and Mikey inhaled deeply again smiling widley. "Sewer sweet sewer!" he declared, and everyone followed him as he headed home.
Don knocked on the door to the lair three times, and it was opened by Angel holding Natalie on her hip. "GUYS! YOU'RE BACK YOU'RE BACK!" she cried, and threw her free arm around Donny's neck, and then hugging everyone else. Natalie squealed happilly and layed a wet one on Don's cheek. Don smiled and took her gently from Angel, kissing her on the head. "Thanks for watchin Nat, Ang." he said, and Angel smiled. "Hey, what are friends for, huh?" Don smiled and gave Natalie back to Angel, who took the little turtle girl to the living room and set her on the couch. The family filed in the door, grinning widley at their familiar surroundings. They all turned as they heard the familiar tapping noise of Master Splinter's walking stick.
They all bowed in respect, and Splinter smiled. There was love twinkling in his eyes as he looked at each of his daughters and sons. He smiled particularly at Emily, who didn't notice because her head was bowed. "Well done, my children. Welcome home." They all looked up, and thanked him in unition. He smiled warmly, and nodded. Suddenly, Don bent down and hugged his Master tightly. Then he was followed by Leo, Mikey, even Raph. And then the rest of the family joined in a big group hug. All at once they yelled, "TURTLE POWER!" Then, Don shook his head. "Let's make a vow NEVER to say that again." Mikey laughed. "Can't promise ya that, Donny Boy."