So, we got a little drama, a little character development going on with Lily. Probably not the best chapter I've written, but I did enjoy the moments between Leo and Donnie. Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to "Meet the Robinsons" nor "TMNT." I only own Lilianna, Karena, and James.

February 13, 2039 - Los Angeles, California, USA

DONATELLO'S POV

It was three o'clock Pacific Time when I reached Theodore Roosevelt High School. First, I looked around the school to see if I could find the time machine that Lily took to get here alone. I felt frustrated when I couldn't find it. I flew over the rooftops, and the time machine wasn't there either. Feeling extremely concerned, I parked my flying car in the parking lot and went in the school.

"Lily?!" I yelled.

I peeked in every classroom downstairs. I went up to the second floor and looked in every classroom there.

"NOOOO!"

I was alerted to the screaming on the floor above me.

"LILY!" I yelled again.

I found another staircase and climbed it. I reached the third floor, and I reached a solemn sight. My daughter was kneeling on the floor, and she was sobbing. Before her was a body. I walked over to the body and immediately identified it belonging to the Magician. I knelt down next to him and checked his pulse.

"He's dead," I said out loud.

Lily only cried harder. I looked towards her in alarm, and then I found bleeding in his upper torso. I tore his clothes apart and examined him.

"His liver's been punctured. He had no chance."

Lily wailed. I looked ahead and found her broken bo staff, clearly a clean break. On one half of the staff, the naginata blade was activated, and I found blood on it. I put a frown on my face when I put the pieces together. While defending herself, Lily stabbed the Magician. I took my T-Phone out and called Raph.

"Sup, Donnie?"

"Hey, can you get over to Theodore Roosevelt High School right away?" I asked. "It's urgent."

"Sure. Is everything okay?"

"I'm fine, but I can't say the same for Lily."

"Lily?! We'll be right over."

Raph hung up.

"We heard screaming," I heard someone say as he came up the stairs. "Is everything al- oh my gosh!"

To my shock, Leonardo and Karai arrived and found us.

"Donnie?!" Leo asked with surprise in his voice.

"Leo? What are you doing here?"

"Athena found portable portals in your lab," Leo explained. "We devised a plan to help Lily and Karena with those. What happened here?"

"Lily fought the Magician on her own," I answered with sadness in my voice, walking over to my daughter. "And Lily defended herself."

I tried to hug Lily, but she pushed me away.

"Hey, Lily Mae, everything is going to be okay," I tried to soothe her. "I am right here. The Magician can't hurt you anymore."

"You did a very brave thing, Lily," Leo chimed in with comfort in his voice. "I am proud of you for following your instincts."

"Daddy?" Lily finally spoke in a whisper. "I wanna go home."

"Okay, sweetie," I replied softly. "We'll go home right now."

I turned to Leo.

"Raph's on his way here," I told him.

"No need to explain," Leo replied with an understanding smile. "Raph and I will take care of the Magician."

"Thank you. And thank you for your help. Did Lily plan on you guys being here?"

"Once Athena revealed you still had portable portals in your lab, we came up with the plan to come here together," Karai answered. "Once we found Lily here, she gave us all jobs to do. Leo and I helped Karena escape with Wilbur. Lilianna did amazing, Donatello. I just wish it didn't come with such a cost."

"Thank you."

I carried Lily in my arms and carried her out of the building and into my flying car. She was silent the entire night. When I stopped in various places to get food, she did not eat, nor did she drink. I had tried to comfort her to where she could eat, but she still had tears falling down her face. We ended up returning to Todayland at two o'clock in the morning. I carried Lily into the apartment and put her in bed, praying that she will rest her mind in slumber. Then, I went to my own bedroom and quickly fell asleep.

February 14, 2039 - Todayland, North Montana, USA

KARENA'S POV

I woke up, got dressed in a red dress, and I took the travel tube to the dining room. The entire Robinson family was there to greet me.

"Karena, we are all so thankful that you are okay," Franny, who matched me, greeted me and gave me a hug.

"Me too, Franny. Thank you all for praying for me. In fact, the one person I need to thank is Lily. She sacrificed everything to come rescue me."

"I'm very surprised Lily went off to Los Angeles alone," Wilbur chimed in. "That sounds like something I would do."

"I was even more surprised when Leo and Karai found a way to come to Los Angeles and free me from the chains," I replied.

"You saw Leonardo and Karai?" Wilbur asked with surprise in his voice. "You'll never guess who I met: Renet and Athena."

"Oh that's right, they found you in Todayland. How were they?"

"Well, I can tell Athena and Lily are close. Athena is just as resourceful as Lily is. Renet is a very caring woman."

"I had the pleasure of meeting Ryan and Venus," Cornelius chimed in. "They politely asked me to destroy a remote the Magician made."

"Is the Magician going back to jail?" Franny asked.

We all looked at each other and shrugged.

"Karena, Wilbur, neither of you saw the Magician after you escaped?" Franny asked with surprise in her voice.

"I did get a glimpse of Lily fighting the Magician," I answered. "But that's it. I don't know what the aftermath of it was."

"Let me call her."

I watched Wilbur taking out his iPhone and dialed Lily's number. He eventually put a look of concern on his face.

"That's weird. Lily didn't answer. That's not like her."

"We did have a long day in Los Angeles," I replied. "Maybe Donnie's awake."

I took out my iPhone and dialed the mutant turtle.

"Donatello."

"Hey, Donnie. It's Karena. How are you?"

"I am very tired, but I'm okay overall. How are you? Are you doing okay since you got back?"

"Yeah, I'm here with the Robinsons eating breakfast. Wilbur just tried calling Lily. We were wondering what happened to the Magician."

There was a pause, which concerned me.

"Donnie? Is everything alright?"

"Karena, Lily killed the Magician in self-defense."

My mouth opened in shock.

"Is Lily okay?"

"No, she isn't. When I found her, she was crying and even pushed me away when I tried to comfort her. She didn't eat or drink anything on the way home. She's still sleeping. I called Lily in absent from school, and I'm taking the day off to be with her. Which reminds me—"

"No class today. Got it."

"You should take the day off too, Karena. And you can tell your teachers and boss that is the doctor's orders. I'll write you a notice before you return to work tomorrow."

"Thanks, Donnie. I'm sorry Lily is going through this. Could you tell her we'll be praying for her? She has the strongest spirit I've ever seen."

"I will gladly tell her. Thank you so much. Stay safe, Karena."

"You too, Donnie."

I hung up.

"Is Lily okay?" Franny asked.

I turned toward the family with sadness in my eyes.

"Donnie is asking all of you to pray for Lily. She… dueled with the Magician and accidently killed him. She's taking this pretty hard."

"Poor baby," Lucille murmured sadly.

"Lily won't be at school today, Wilbur," I told my boyfriend. "Donnie actually encouraged me to take today off to recuperate."

"I agree with him. We'll have to do something for Lily. I hate hearing that she's down."

"Wilbur, honey, it's going to take more than the Robinson spirit to perk hers up this time," Franny said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Her spirit is probably broken because she violated one of her beliefs. All we can do this time is pray and let her know that we are here for her."

LILIANNA'S POV

I woke up. The first thing I saw was a smile on my dad's face.

"Daddy?"

"Shh, you are okay, Lily Mae," Dad soothed me. "We're back in Todayland. You slept all night and all morning."

"Can this moment last forever?" I asked. "You watching over me with a smile on your face. I don't want anything else to happen."

My dad chuckled.

"Would you like to talk about what happened in Los Angeles? I promise to not leave your side."

"The girl you knew is gone, Dad," I answered, about ready to cry again. "I'm no longer pure and innocent!"

"Aww, Lily."

My dad scooted closer to me and held me in his arms. Once again, I let the tears fall onto his plastron and the tails of his purple mask.

"Shh, everything is okay, Lily. You may not be innocent, but your heart is still pure."

"Dad, how can my heart be pure if I killed someone?" I bawled. "I don't ever want to take another life again! Heck, I'll give up my status as a kunoichi. You can let Uncle Leo know I'm done training!"

"Lily, you are letting your emotions talk for you," Dad replied sternly and compassionately. "I've done that before, and it almost caused me to kill someone intentionally. Killing the Magician was an accident, Lily. And it wasn't just an accident. You were defending yourself. If you hadn't killed him, he would have killed Karena and any of us who got in his way."

"So… I won't be going to jail?" I asked with a sniff.

"No, sweetheart, you won't," Dad answered, putting his smile back on his face. "You saved all of our lives with your quick thinking and your courage. You are safe here. And hey, let me tell you something. You are not banished from the Hamato Clan because you killed someone. Uncle Leo killed the Shredder, and he's still here."

"Was that an accident?"

"No, it wasn't."

I looked up to see Uncle Leo entering my room, much to my surprise.

"Uncle Leo! You kept the portals?"

"We all figured we'd be there for you in case you needed us," Uncle Leo explained as he sat next to my dad. "And Splinter told me to come and see you. Anyway, the Shredder and the Magician are two very different people. The Magician had a grudge against Karena for petty theft. But the Magician never harmed anyone except for you and Karena for kidnapping you both. The Shredder, on the other hand… his heart was full of hate and jealousy. He murdered Splinter's wife because he couldn't have her. He took Karai, Splinter's daughter, and he raised her as his own daughter as an act of revenge. He injured me in a fight, and he used Karai to injure Uncle Raph, Uncle Mikey, and your dad. He did not care for the human soul, Lily, and he wanted anyone who was in his way to die. He also sought power, and he believed the mutagen could give him such power. But the mutagen was unstable, and he murdered Splinter in cold blood."

Uncle Leo paused, putting a hand on my leg.

"Lily, you know the code of ninjutsu by heart. We never encourage murder. Your father almost killed someone in cold blood, but thankfully, he realized who he was and held off. But as for the Shredder, he would never stop trying to kill us until we were actually dead."

"So it's like giving him a capital punishment… ninja style?" I asked.

"Yeah, it's something like that," Leo replied. "But you and the Magician… Lily, you were fighting the Magician as a distraction for me and Auntie Karai to free Karena. You just accidentally activated the blade on your weapon, and that's why the Magician is now dead. You had no ill intention of hurting him, Lily, and because of that, we are all proud of you."

I smiled at first, but then I looked down.

"Dad? I know I did some things yesterday that you didn't like—"

"Hey, Lily Mae, no. You were right."

"Huh?"

I looked back up with shock on my face.

"You were right," Dad repeated himself. "Someone had been kidnapped. You didn't want to sit around and wait. You knew something had to be done, so you took the first step. Heh, you remind me of myself. When we had gone on our first patrol, and when I first laid eyes on your mom, our first fight didn't exactly go as planned…"

FLASHBACK: September 29, 2012 – New York City, New York, USA

DONATELLO'S POV

We had returned to the lair after we failed in our first fight to save a girl and her dad from being kidnapped. We reported everything to Master Splinter, who was not pleased at the results.

"And so your inability to work together allowed them all to get away," Splinter angrily told us.

"Well, maybe if I didn't have to waste time arguing with hero boy, I could've saved them," Raph retorted, blaming Leo for the fight.

"Hey, if you hadn't gotten in my way, I could have done it," Leo shot back at him, and then he turned towards me. "And you went flying off on your own. How smart was that?"

"Well, it would have worked out great," I replied to my oldest brother, and then sharply turned to my younger brother. "If somebody hadn't hit me in the head with their nunchucks!"

"Well, none of this would've happened if…"

Mikey paused, turning to his left only to find no one there.

"…Somebody hadn't trusted us to go up there in the first place!"

We all winced at Splinter's reaction. Now we knew for sure he would not let us go to the surface again.

"Oh, geez," Mikey said, rubbing his bald head. "Sensei, I didn't mean to—"

"No, Michelangelo. You are right."

"I am?"

"He is?" Leo, Raph, and I asked at the same time with shock in our voices.

"You were not fully prepared for what was up there," Splinter explained. "I trained you to fight as individuals, not as a team. And as your teacher, your father, the responsibility for that is mine. Perhaps in another year we can try again."

My jaw dropped in shock.

"Another year?"

I let out a scoff.

"Has everybody forgotten that people were kidnapped? They don't have a year! Sensei, we have to do something now!"

I paused, surprised that I was brave to stand up to him, but I continued, pouring out my feelings for this girl.

"You weren't there, Sensei. You didn't see the way that girl looked into my eyes. She was scared. And she was counting on me—us, to save her!"

I bit my lip as Splinter turned around and gazed at a picture of his family.

"Yes, you must save her."

PRESENT

LILIANNA'S POV

"You would have done the same thing?" I asked, smiling at my dad's story.

"Yes, I would have. And Lily, I know this will sound strange to you, but by accidentally killing the Magician, you saved lives that day. You saved Karena's life. You saved yourself. You saved the lives of everyone involved and finally brought peace to our families."

"Your father's right, Lily," Uncle Leo said with a proud smile on his face. "And now, we can finally put that chapter behind us. You and your dad can finish the school year here with no issues, and we will look forward to the day you two come home for good."

"The best part, Lily Mae, is that you don't have to worry about keeping an eye on someone for their safety anymore," Dad chimed in, showing his gap-toothed grin. "You can freely live your life without a worry in the world, and I am so happy that I am here to see you do that."

"That would be pretty amazing," I replied, but my smile went away. "Uncle Leo, since you all have a portable portal from the Kraang, could you guys maybe come visit sometime? Even if it's just one of you visiting."

Uncle Leo pondered in thought, and then he turned slightly toward my dad.

"What do you think, Donnie? Do you think it's possible?"

Dad turned back toward me, still showing his gap-toothed grin.

"How about a deal? You just keep on doing well in school and making good choices, and maybe we can make arrangements for one relative to come over. Or maybe we can send you to the lair for the weekend. What do you think, Leo?"

"I like that idea. That way we're not overusing the portal just in case something goes wrong. And besides, Ryan's been wanting to meet Wilbur. Maybe he'll get his chance. Does that sound good, Lily?"

"I like it," I replied. "And Uncle Leo? Thank you for having faith in me. I'm not sure what I would have done if I was in different circumstances."

"Hey, I was in your shoes, too, Lily," Uncle Leo replied. "I was the one who finished off the Shredder, and yes, I was in emotional pain for killing someone. But your parents and your uncles helped me move forward and helped me become the sensei I needed to be. And now, Lily, we need you to be the leader of the Hamato Clan. Or at least, to prepare yourself for that role."

"I'm going to be the leader. For real?"

Dad and Uncle Leo laughed.

"Yes, for real!" Uncle Leo replied. "After all these years of training, you've earned it, Lily. We are all proud of you."

"And do you wanna know what else I'm proud of?" Dad asked. "I'm proud of the way you have learned how to use your powers. You adapted quickly, even faster than your mother. If you become the sensei of the Hamato Clan someday, you will be one heck of a teacher."

"Thank you, Dad, but that's not my dream."

"Oh? Then what is your dream?"

"I want to be a forensic psychologist, Dad," I answered. "I've been the victim before, and I want to help put other victims at ease. With my powers, I believe I'm more than capable of doing it."

"It's not just your powers, Lily," Dad encouraged me. "You have compassion and a strong spirit. Both are needed to become an efficient psychologist. I can show you some things in my lab once we get back. I did invent some psychological things to help your mom out with her powers."

"Thanks, Dad. I love you. And I love you, Uncle Leo."

"We love you too, kiddo."

I hugged my dad, and I felt Uncle Leo's arms touching mine also. I felt so much better about my life and where I was going.

The next day...

WILBUR'S POV

I sat down at my usual spot in the cafeteria finishing yesterday's homework. Karena had taken Donatello's advice and took the entire day off. Yesterday had happened to be Valentine's Day, so I took Karena out on a much-needed date at Futureburgers. While eating, we had prayed for Lily, praying that she would get the courage she needed to move forward.

"Hey, Wilbur."

I looked up, and I saw a girl wearing a red T-shirt with a black skirt and black boots. Her copper-red hair was up in a ponytail, and her bangs were perfectly straight.

"Lily!" I replied with shock in my voice. "I'm glad to see you, but I'm also surprised to see you. I would have thought that you'd be out the rest of the week."

Lily sat down across from me.

"I'm still not okay, but I am better than I was yesterday. My uncle is staying with me and Dad the rest of the week."

"Which uncle?" I asked curiously.

Lily smiled at me.

"Leonardo. He's been in my shoes before, so he knows how to move forward from that kind of situation."

"It is nice to know that you aren't alone in that," I replied, returning the smile.

"I felt weird because Uncle Leo kept telling me that he is proud of me for following my instincts. But I don't feel proud, you know? I took a life... even though it was an accident, I feel that I deserved worse."

I gave my friend a smirk.

"Lily, you're a Christian, right?"

Lily gave me a look of confusion.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Everything!" I replied loudly, throwing my hands in the air. "By telling Jesus that you believe in him and accepted his gift of salvation, you have also accepted his offer of protection. He knew that this would happen. But he is full of mercy and compassion. Your sins have been forgiven already. He will never leave you, Lily. And he has always kept his promises."

She smiled.

"Has anyone told you that you'd do well as a pastor?" Lily asked me.

"No. Why? Did I help in some way?"

"Actually, yes. You just reminded me that there is a light at the end of the tunnel in the midst of all the darkness."

"Also think of your dad and your uncle," I continued. "Your dad has shown compassion by never leaving your side after the incident. And your uncle is also showing compassion for offering to guide you through your emotions. After all, he's been through what you're going through before, as you said. Leonardo doesn't sound like the kind of guy to just abandon you. After all, he is the sensei of your clan. Of course he'd want to help you. You were never alone to begin with, Lily. God was with you when you accidentally set your dad's lab on fire. God was with you before, during, and after you were kidnapped. God was with you throughout your travels from Oklahoma to all the way up here. God was with you during your vision quest. God was with you when you drove down to Los Angeles to save Karena's life. And God is with you now, and he always will be with you."

"Thanks, Wilbur," Lily replied. "You are a true friend."

She paused.

"While we're talking about my uncle, he has a son named Ryan. Ryan is my oldest cousin, and he wants to meet you."

"Really?" I replied, my grin turning into a smirk.

"Really. You two actually share a lot in common, now that I think about it. Maybe Uncle Leo can make arrangements for you two to meet."

"I'll agree to it if you tell me what he likes and dislikes."

"I'll make you a list of his likes and dislikes," Lily replied with a laugh.

I smiled, loving the way she smiled and laughed.

"You know, James told me about his dance with you on Saturday," I told her. "I think you two should plan something together."

I laughed when Lily started blushing.

"Isn't the guy supposed to plan something, Wilbur?" she asked.

"Yeah, but sometimes a woman has to take charge. My mom does all the time when she wants to do something with my dad. And besides, I think a small date with James is exactly what you need."

"I'll go under one condition: you help James plan the date and surprise me. My emotions are all over the place right now."

"I understand," I replied. "Let me see what I can do. Maybe I'll even have Karena help me."

"May I make a suggestion?" Lily asked, and I nodded. "Ask my dad. My dad knows me the best out of anyone."

"You want me to ask your dad about a date?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Okay, I may have only known your dad for a short period of time, but I know how much he loves you. He's going to be very protective of you."

"So don't mention that you're planning a date for me! Just casually ask him what my likes and dislikes are."

I shrugged.

"I guess that could work."

DONATELLO'S POV

I sat down at the table and opened my laptop to start grading more papers. Just before I started to grade Karena's paper, I heard my T-Phone ring. It was so loud that I jumped in my seat. Praying that it did not wake up my daughter, I answered it.

"Donatello."

"Hey Don, it's Wilbur."

"Hey, Wilbur! How are you?"

"I'm doing good, thanks! How about you?"

"I can't complain," I answered with my gap-toothed grin, starting to read Karena's paper.

"Good! I know I saw Lily today at school, and-"

"Was she okay?" I asked, my grin fading away.

"She still felt guilty, but I gave her a small confidence boost. I reminded her about God and that she will never be alone because of him. It looked like that confidence boost carried into tonight's game because she was all smiles."

"Well, she is a cheerleader, and cheerleaders are supposed to smile, but good! Thank you for helping her. I was worried after dropping her off at school today. Leo was worried, too."

"Oh, that's right! Leo's staying there with you."

"Yeah, Leo's killed someone too, but the circumstances were very grim. Did you know that I was tempted to give Leo psychological counseling because I thought he was talking to the air?"

"What the heck? There's gotta be a logical reason there! Was it God?"

"Splinter, actually. I had no idea Splinter had attained his spiritual form until he helped us battle the ghosts of the Nether World. Then I saw his spiritual form for real before he said good-bye. I guess Splinter became Leo's conscience. They talk all the time in meditation. But anyway, Leo's staying the rest of the week to be there for Lily."

"Lily mentioned that Ryan wanted to meet me? Lily gave me an actual list of what he likes and dislikes and I told her that I wanted to meet him."

"Oh, awesome! I'll have to let Leo know."

"Speaking of likes and dislikes, what does Lily like to do when she's not studying or cheering?"

"She loves nature," I answered with a smile. "All throughout her life, she's always running around in the woods, studying every tree and animal that lives there."

"So she loves to hike and camp out?"

"Yes, she does. And she shares that love with her mom. April likes to go camping too. I, on the other hand, would rather stay in my lab overnight."

I heard Wilbur laughing on the other side.

"That is the world-famous Donatello for you."

It was my turn to laugh.

"I'm not sure about 'world-famous', but yeah."

"No, really, it's true! You won a Nobel Peace Prize! That's definitely an accomplishment worth sharing with the world. In fact, I've read that you and your brothers are right up there with Lucille Ball as some of the most famous people from New York."

"So much for being in the shadows," I replied with a chuckle.

"Did you know?"

"No! It was nice to be celebrated that week, but then I thought, well, people have to move on eventually. And they did. To me, being celebrated is not too big of a deal. It feels accomplishing, sure, but then we have to move forward and start a new day in the morning."

"I don't know who's more humble, you or Leo!"

"It was Leo at first. After all, he was the leader of the clan and always took Splinter's words to heart. I always celebrated whenever I disabled a bomb or whenever one of my inventions works. After I became a Christian, my celebrating myself drove me crazy."

Wilbur laughed.

"Now I pray every night that I am thankful for my intelligence and how it's helped so many people."

"Does Leo know you're a Christian?"

"No, and neither do the rest of my brothers."

I blew a sigh of relief.

"I'm glad you asked me that because I just now remembered that Leo is exploring the city of Todayland. I spoke to Karena about this too, how I'm afraid that I'll be laughed at out of the clan."

"I wouldn't worry too much about it. Your love for each other is strong. And besides, from what you've said of Leo, he sounds to be very understanding. You may be laughed at, but they'll still love you because of who you are. And who you are is something you should never lose sight of."

"That's what Karena told me. Thanks, Wilbur."

"Anytime. And thank you for your help."

"Are you planning on doing something for Lily, per chance?" I asked, my gap-toothed grin coming back.

"Yes! Yes, I am."

"She'd like that. Unfortunately, I do have to end this call. I still have to grade papers."

"Okay. Thanks for chatting with me, Don."

"Anytime. Bye now."

I hung up and got back to working on Karena's paper as well as the rest of the papers. It was one in the morning when I got done, and with a smile, I fell into a slumber.

February 18, 2039

LILIANNA'S POV

My dad dropped me off early at school, and I went to my locker to put my things away.

"Lily Hamato."

I turned to my right to see a boy walking down the hall towards me. I smiled and blushed when I recognized him.

"James Anderson."

James stopped by my locker and smiled at me.

"What brings you by?" I asked, putting a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Would you like to go on a date with me?"

My smile turned into a look of shock.

"I cannot believe you asked me that with a straight face," I replied before breaking into laughter.

"I rehearsed the past couple of days," James said, rubbing his neck.

"I really must have made the impression on you, haven't I?"

"Yes, you did. Though I was disappointed you haven't replied to my texts yet."

I winced.

"Shoot, I am so sorry," I replied, shaking my head. "A lot has happened this week, and my emotions have been all over the place. Please forgive me."

"I understand. Life happens. I take what happened is part of that complicated life you spoke about on Saturday night?"

I smiled, appreciating that I didn't have to explain much for him to understand.

"Yes, it's exactly that," I answered. "So you really want to go on a date with me?"

"Y-yeah! That is, if you're up for it."

"Have you asked my dad?" I asked.

It was James' turn to wince.

"D-Donatello? No. But I thought you only ask your dad for your hand in marriage."

I bit my lip. This quickly got awkward.

"I'll tell you what. Meet me at my locker after school. My dad usually picks me up. We can greet him together and then we'll go from there."

I closed my locker and gave James a peck on the cheek.

"I'll see you after school," I told him.

I walked down the hallway and down the stairs. Then, I went to the cafeteria to spend the morning with Wilbur.

"Hey, Wilbur."

"Hi!" Wilbur greeted me. "Nice outfit!"

I looked down at my black pants and purple blouse.

"Thanks!"

I started to blush.

"James just asked me out on a date!"

"Well, that's awesome!" Wilbur replied, a little too enthusiastically.

"Yeah, and here's the awkward part: I asked James if he asked my dad to take me out."

Wilbur's smile disappeared that instant.

"Uh, you never mentioned James had to ask your dad to take you out on a date."

"I didn't," I replied. "But it's the gesture that counts. I told James we'd greet my dad together after school."

"Lily, if I had known, I would've had James ask your dad ahead of time."

"Wilbur, it's okay. I can handle this. I'm a kunoichi. I know how to take care of myself."

"The question is, are you ready for it?"

"I think so. Uncle Leo's been a big help. I've meditated with him every night, and then I prayed with my dad afterwards. Both my uncle and my dad have given me advice on moving forward and just being myself."

"I just hope your dad will like James," Wilbur replied. "Because if not, I'll vouch for him! He's my best friend after all."

"How long have you known each other?"

"James was the only one who really stuck up for me all the times I had been teased for my cowlick and for being the son of one of the richest men in the world. He's picked a good girl to go on a date with."

I smiled, and then I finished my breakfast before the warning bell rang.

DONATELLO'S POV

I closed my office for the weekend, left the building, and got into my flying car. I made the short drive from the university to the high school to pick up my daughter. I smiled when I saw her, but my smile quickly disappeared when I saw a boy who wasn't Wilbur with her. I parked the car. I got out of the car and started to walk to Lily.

"Hey, Lily Mae," I greeted her, my smile coming back.

"Hi Dad," Lily greeted me back, giving me a kiss on the cheek. "I'd like you to meet James Anderson. We met at the winter ball last Saturday. James, this is my dad, Dr. Donatello Hamato."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," James said, firmly shaking my hand.

"It's very nice to meet you, James," I replied. "You have a good, firm handshake. That will come in handy someday. Lily, where's Wilbur?"

"Wilbur already left," Lily answered. "I wanted you to meet James because... he's asked me out on a date."

My smile disappeared again.

"Lily Mae, may I speak to you alone, please?"

"Sure, Dad."

We walked inside the school and into the auditorium.

"I'm sorry this is sudden, Dad," Lily spoke. "But I wanted James to meet you before I agreed to go on this date with him. I wanted to respect you."

I let out a sigh and shook my head.

"Lily, I am extremely worried about this," I replied. "I don't think this is a good idea."

"Dad, didn't you meet Mom when you were my age?"

"Yeah, but I didn't ask her out right away! I waited for some time before... taking her out... on a date."

"Oh? So what was your first date, Dad?" Lily asked with a smirk.

"Well, your mom will not count it as a date, but the first time we were truly alone together was when we investigated Dr. Rockwell's lab before he became a mutant monkey. And then we battled said monkey. Asides from patrols and trips to the junkyard, our 'dates' were spent in the lair."

"So why are you worried, Dad?"

"Because you're my daughter," I answered sharply. "I do not want to see you get hurt."

"Dad, you already saw me getting hurt, twice," Lily shot back. "Once when I was kidnapped and the second time when I accidentally killed the Magician. How can one simple date hurt me?"

"If you're not careful of your feelings-"

I paused, letting out a huge sigh.

"Lily, men are a totally different topic than ninjutsu. A good man will not harm you. But there are some men that will manipulate you to believing they love you only to hurt you in the end."

"Let me guess: Mom did that to you at some point, right?"

I put my finger up to answer that question, but put it down when I realized my daughter was right.

"Dad, please relax. I can take care of myself. If James hurts me, I promise I will come straight to you and you can beat him up for me. I know that because I'm your not-so-little girl anymore you are protective of me. I understand that. But I need to take the risk. And I like James, Dad. I want to go on this date with him. I think I need this date, actually. There's nothing wrong with being flattered."

I put my stern expression back on my face.

"Lily, being flattered is a nice feeling, but only if it is for the right reasons. Do you remember when you seduced Wilbur in the pool?"

She nodded.

"You did flatter him, but you only wanted answers. You never had any feelings for him in the first place, but you led him to believe that you did. The best policy in relationships, honey, is honesty. If you like James, then tell him that. Don't do what your mother did at first. She hid her feelings from me for a long while. How did James treat you at the dance?"

"Like I mattered, Dad," Lily answered, blushing. "When I danced in his arms, I felt safe and secure. He tried to kiss me, but I told him I didn't kiss a guy on the first day. Trust me, Dad, I learned my lesson from the pool."

I let out a sigh, momentarily letting the worry wash over me.

"You may go on this date, but please be careful. And I want to speak to James first."

"Shall I send him inside?" Lily asked.

"Yes, please."

I waited only a couple minutes for James to enter the auditorium.

"You wanted to speak to me, sir?" James asked as he sat next to me.

I smiled at him.

"I appreciate you being respectful, James, but please call me Donnie. I want you to feel comfortable. So, please relax."

James, wearing a white shirt with blue jeans, relaxed in his chair.

"Feeling a little better?" I asked.

"Yeah, thanks, Dr. Hamato."

James winced, remembering what I said.

"Donnie! Donnie! Donnie! Sorry!"

I could not help but crack up laughing.

"You're that nervous, huh?"

"Yeah, Donnie, I am. I like your daughter, Donnie, and I really want to take her out on this date. I promise I'll treat her with utmost respect and I won't let her get hurt."

"James, please relax," I assured him with a kind smile. "I can tell just from you talking to me that you mean well. I'm worried for Lily. This is her first date, and I am worried that she will get hurt. But if you're promising me she won't, then I'll trust you. But please know that I have loved Lily first. If you hurt her, then you'll have to deal with me. Okay?"

"Yes, sir- I mean, Donnie."

We both laughed.

"I don't know what I'm more scared of: that I'm talking to Lily's father or the smartest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle."

"James, trust me when I say the only reason you will need to be scared is if you hurt my daughter. Right now, you have a blank slate. Use that to your advantage. This date is for you and Lily to get to know each other, and of course, I want you both to have fun. Where are you taking Lily, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I'm taking Lily to the arboretum and gardens," James answered. "A little bird told me Lily likes nature."

Everything clicked.

"Wilbur told you?" I asked.

"How did you know?" James asked with widened eyes.

"They don't call me the brains of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for nothing," I answered with a wink and a gap-toothed grin. "Wilbur asked me what Lily likes to do."

"Yeah, the date was Wilbur's idea. I told him that I danced with Lily and I enjoyed myself. She is an amazing girl, Donnie."

I chuckled.

"She sure is."

We both stood up and shook hands.

"I'll escort you outside. Do you need a lift to the arboretum?"

"I have my license and my car, Donnie," James answered with a smile.

"Well, good for you! Good luck."

"Thank you, Donnie."

I followed James outside and greeted Lily by my car.

"You two have fun on your date," I told the kids with a smile on my face.

Lily looked at me skeptically.

"Lily Mae, read my mind," I told her with a smirk.

My daughter looked into my amber eyes with her blue ones, and once she was convinced of the truth, she smiled.

"Thanks, Dad," Lily said, giving me a kiss on the cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"I have my own car," James told her. "We can drive there."

"That sounds great!" Lily replied with a smile.

"Be safe!" I yelled after the two kids.

After letting out a sigh, I got into the car and drove back to my apartment. By the time I got in, I found Leo slaving away in the kitchen. I couldn't help but smile.

"Leo, what is this?" I asked.

"Dinner, I hope," Leo answered, returning the smile. "I'm making arrangements for..."

Leo paused, giving me a strange look.

"Where's Lily?"

"She is going on a date," I answered, my smile going away.

Leo gave me an even stranger look.

"Okay, that was not what I was expecting to come out of your mouth," Leo replied.

"Tell me about it," I replied, sitting down at the table.

"Donnie, are you okay?" Leo asked, joining me at the table.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," I answered with a sharp exhale. "Just concerned."

"Concerned that Lily is going to get hurt?"

I looked up with a shocked expression. Leo had just read me like a book.

"I understand where you're coming from, Donnie. She's still recovering from the emotional shock from her killing the Magician. But who knows? Maybe this date will help her to start leaving that behind."

"Leo, I highly doubt she will forget killing a human being."

"I agree. But keep in mind, Donnie, that this human being was not innocent. He kidnapped two girls - a young adult and a child. And yes, I've told Lily that. She has gotten better since Sunday night, but she's still vulnerable. It took me time to get over the shock of it all too. Lily will not the same person after everything she's been through, but her core, her soul, will be the same. She has always been known to us for her pure heart, just like you, Donnie. And she always will be known for her pure heart, just like you."

I smiled.

"Thanks, Leo, for everything. You know, of all the people who understood me, you understand me the most. I mean, asides from April and Lily."

Leo laughed.

"It's my honor, Donnie. I love you."

"I love you too, Leo."

We got up and hugged each other.

"So, what is the occasion that you're attempting to cook dinner?" I asked, showing my gap-toothed grin.

"I am using the portal to bring Karai, Ryan, and April here."

"April?!" I asked with surprise in my voice.

"Yes. You missed each other in Los Angeles, so I have arranged for you and April to go on a date at the Cheesecake Factory. Karai and I will have a nice date here in the apartment. And Ryan will meet Wilbur and spend time with him."

"Ryan's never met Wilbur before!" I replied with surprise in my voice.

"Karena and I have worked it all out," Leo replied with a wink. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to my dinner."

"Would you like some help?" I asked. "Being the only parent for a temporary time has helped me learn how to be a better cook."

"Of course! Your love of chemistry has played into the role of cooking, so I'd love to learn some lessons from the best professor of Todayland University."

"Okay, now you're just trying to flatter me," I replied with a smirk.

"Come on, little brother! Let's have some quality brother-bonding time!"

I laughed at Leo's enthusiasm as I joined him in the kitchen.

"I'm going to miss you when you go back to New York tomorrow," I told my oldest brother with sadness in my voice.

"Hey, we're now only an interdimensional portal away," Leo replied. "Just send us a text, and we'll be right over."

"I cannot believe I didn't think of using the portals. And I cannot believe Athena, Mikey's daughter, paid attention to me all those years ago."

"Mikey paid attention too, you know. Sure, he's not the brightest turtle in the world, but he's got the unique kind of creativity and resourcefulness. Athena is definitely his daughter. Venus is a mini-Raphael. And I know Ryan is a mini-Karai. Lily is the only child in the next generation that is a true mix of her parents."

I smiled, peeling and cutting the onions under the cold water in the sink.

"Okay, how are you not crying right now?" Leo asked. "Every time I tried cutting onions, I end up crying. Mikey even cries over onions."

"I used to cry while cutting onions," I replied with my gap-toothed grin. "I read an article about a trick to cutting onions without crying."

"So you're cutting them in the sink?"

"In cold water. You know how Mikey puts his head in the freezer every time he cuts onions and Ice Cream Kitty is there to comfort him and dry his tears?"

"Donnie, you are making this sound like a love story," Leo teased.

Leo blinked a few times, and his smirk went away.

"Oh my gosh, it all makes sense!"

I cracked up laughing as I finished cutting the onions without a single tear coming to my amber eyes.