Author's Notes: Finally convinced myself to go through this. I admit, I split the original chapter in half to form two smaller chapters as it was getting too long and was a bit rushed as one big thing. I needed to add more explanation to the next part anyway, so here we go. :3 Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Lhiams Violet as ploht shoh...er...I mean, Violet and this plot are mine XD

*Kohana = Little Flower (Japanese

Chapter 13: Homecoming

"You know guys…out of everything I've encountered in the future, I think I'm going to miss you the most" I smile as I stand before the clones, talking softly to them as I prepare myself for going home.

Cody said the Time Window was pretty much ready and within the next few hours we'll be sent home, so I'm preparing my clone brothers for it.

Dark Mikey pouts, "No fair!"

I touch him on the shoulder lightly. "But I'll always be with you…" he goes to ask how when I point to his chest, "In there!"

I wish I didn't have to leave them, but at least they aren't living badly anymore.

"Violet," Dark Leo growls slowly, "We'll never forget you…what you've done for us…"

My smile flicks into a grin, "Hey, what is family for?"

"Family?" Dark Mikey tilts his head in confusion. I simply nod to him.

As I enter the lab, I am sad that I had to do that to them, but I think it would have been worse without me saying goodbye.

"You can go home! The time window is up and running again!" Cody announces as I approach.

I give a half-smile and go and stand next to Leo, Raph and my Master. Mikey approaches with a bag full of future stuff but is soon lectured on not taking anything home. We all must remove the equipment we are wearing to do so. I gave my tessen to Mikey's clone as a present though because he treasured them so dearly before, so I was already weapon-less.

"Guess this is goodbye" Cody sets it up for us.

We all say our goodbyes, my brothers starting to jump into the portal. That's when I see Serling start to spark, gibbering about a virus taking over him.

I dive at Cody as he swings his arm round. "Cody! LOOK OUT!" I manage to save him from the blow as Serling moves towards the machine my family have already exited through.

"Thanks Violet, but if you don't hurry, you'll miss your ride home!" he tells me quickly.

We both jump up quickly. "See ya Cody!" I run towards the portal Serling has grabbed by the edges. I see Viral's head appear above him formed from a load of red energy, but then go into the time window as I get nearer.

Cody is ahead of me and tries to pull Serling away but is immediately shocked and thrown backwards, falling onto the floor.

I'm about to get there, about to enter when I see the edges begin to break; the machine is collapsing! I dive forward with all my speed and strength as the portal explodes, closing my eyes for impact!

"You okay?"

I look over to Mikey who's lying next to me. "I guess…it's just…"

He smirks, "You can't stop thinking about going home?"

I nod slowly.

"Well I don't mind where or when we are, as long as we're together! I don't want to miss anything to do with my Kohana!"

"Oh Mikey…"

"I mean it! No dream of mine could outrank being with you!"

I feel myself blush lightly. "You smooth talker"

I hug into him, laying my head on his chest so I can feel his heart beat.

Together. Safe.

"Well at least everyone got home okay" I hear someone speak out loud.

I groan in response, feeling sort of drained of something…but what?

"Violet?"

I pull myself into a sitting position and look up into the face of my friend.

"Cody? What are you doing back in the past?" I ask hazily, the smoke around us obscuring my vision.

He gives a sad smile, "Violet, I'm not in the past…we're not in the past, you're still in the future…"

I recoil as I start to work out why I feel so wrong. "It's gone!"

"What?" He seems confused.

"My link…it's gone…Mikey…" I curl up into a ball, feeling as if there's a void within me. This is the first time since the binding ceremony I've felt truly alone. I feel tears escape my eyes as I sit there, so I bury my face in my knees so Cody won't see.

I feel him place a hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry Violet! I'll get you home, I promise!"

I look up even though my face is tear-stricken, asking ever so quietly "Really?"

"Really!"

I stand up, "Thanks Cody, but I need some time alone…"

Actually, that's completely the opposite of what I want, but I can't stand it when people see me cry like this. He lets me leave as he says he'll start work on getting a new time window made in time.

I walk slowly because I'm depressed, up to the roof. I go and sit on the edge of it, hugging my legs, ignoring the fact it's starting to rain. I sit there as the rain drenches me, hitting my body and chilling it quickly. I still don't care though, all I care about is the fact I can no longer feel Mikey; we are truly separated.

Even up here depresses me, as this part was where my Master Splinters worked most, making a rooftop garden as a place of solitude.

"Mikey…" I whisper into the gloom, sniffing slightly as I look over the city.

I close my eyes and once again rest it on my knees. I wish I could feel his heart beat again, that made me feel so safe. Now I feel all exposed and alone, in other words: vulnerable.

"Violet?" Someone growls. I hear them approaching slowly, their feet splashing through the puddles that are forming due to the rain.

I don't respond.

"What are you doing?"

I glance back at the clone behind me, catching a flash of blue; it's Leo's. But I remain silent.

He now stands behind me, looming over my sanctuary. "I think you need to talk to someone, right?" A small smile creeps onto his face, but he tries to not make it obvious.

I stare at him for a minute, analyzing him cautiously. He sits next to me slowly, unsure what else to say to me.

"It's just…I feel…empty"

He sighs, making me start wonder why he came…but that's one of the similarities he has with the real Leo: he cares about me too much to leave me.

I can see he's trying to work out what to say. "What do you mean?"

"Something important has gone!" I lower my voice again, "But…" I dip my head again.

"So? You've still got us, you haven't lost everything," he looks away quickly, trying to hide the slight blush he has.

I close my eyes, "I know, but it's not only that…I worry about them…my other family…I have no clue where or even when they are, let alone if they're safe"

He places a hand on my shoulder, making me turn my gaze to him. "Those guys are strong, they can look after themselves"

Wow…first one of the clones to give my other brothers a compliment.

"I know" I lamely repeat.

He offers me a hand and helps me stand. I'm now completely drenched, as is he.

He leads, starting to walk to the left, so I go to his right so I can walk beside him. As we get to the door, he opens it for me and lets me in first. I shiver as I stand in the corridor, sneezing as I am too cold. Lucky for me Master Keiko trained me to deal with drastic temperatures (both hot and cold), so I haven't got to worry about going into hibernation again.

I try to shake the worst off only to find Dark Leo splash me…on purpose! I splash him back playfully and we soon start a water fight, using the puddles we created on the floor to do so.

It's then when I realize why he did it: To distract me from my problems. Also, I know he felt like it.

I thank him for our talk, say goodbye once more, and quickly run away from him to dry off. I hear him shout out to me, but I can't stop, I've started to cry again.

I lock myself in the bathroom, drying myself with a towel briefly before flopping down onto the floor and hugging my knees once more.

"There! Finished!" Cody announces to me.

I eventually emerged from my sulking in the bathroom and rejoined Cody in the lab. I look at the machine before us.

"Um…Cody? I hate to say this…but that's not the Time Window"

It looks a bit like the Transcendental Lathe…but it's not; it's got a platform too.

He smirks. "You're right, it isn't, but it will send you home." I give him an odd look so he continues. "Using some of Don's blueprints, I created this machine. It's a bit like the time window, but it will send you differently by…"

I stop him. "I don't think I'll understand, so you can stop now" I give him a smile, "So I guess this is goodbye…"

"Yeah…"

We stand in silence for a moment, but I make a move I would have never dreamt of when I first got here: I hug him! We embrace, I could feel it would be comforting for him, so I gave in and gave him what he wanted…though I like hugs, so I don't mind.

I go to move away when he stops me. "Wait! I've got something to show you!" he smiles broadly taking out an old looking but well-kept book.

"Cody…if that's April and Casey's journal, trust me when I say I don't want to read it"

"It's not…" I sigh in relief but tense up more when he says "…it's yours!"

"I especially don't want to see that!" I give him a scared look, "It could destroy the future!"

"Oh, it won't" he assures me, "You put…well, will put instructions in it". He forces the book into my hands, I notice a page marked with a bookmark. "Open it"

I gulp, shakily opening it to the page indicated. There is a blank page on the left side and a photo stuck on the right hand page. I can't help but smile at the photo; it is Mikey and me, hugging into each other lovingly.

"Who took that?" I ask slowly, "It makes me look kind of fat…"

Cody shakes his head and takes the journal back slowly. "It doesn't matter, all I can say to you is that you get home safely"

I nod slowly, walking up onto the platform, Cody going to the computer and typing in some stuff.

He activates the machine after exchanging a final smile. The laser thing come down and start to scan me, then begin to zap me…splitting me up as if teleporting me somewhere.

As I leave, I hear Cody say something quietly. His words were "Just tell them…" whatever the heck that was supposed to mean.