This chapter was harder to write than I thought. But I did some reflecting too. I have enjoyed writing about Karena and her relationship with Wilbur over time. I have enjoyed writing about Karena and Wilbur's daughter Diana (sorry for the spoilers!) and her journey through high school. I have enjoyed writing about Justine, my OC in the "Toy Story" world and the main character of another ongoing story, "The Sheriff's Daughter." But right now, I am absolutely loving writing about Lilianna Mae. When I first came up with her, she was just some psychic in a "Meet the Robinsons" story without a lot of development, and she just happens to be Donatello's daughter. But the more I write this story and develop Lily's character, the more I can relate to her, and Lily has helped me be more honest with myself and with the people who love me.

This is a fun chapter. It's a chapter of the Hamatos (Donnie's family) and the Robinsons spending time together as well as Karena and April catching up. I hope you will enjoy it!

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


November 25, 2038 – Todayland, North Montana, USA

LILIANNA'S POV

Cornelius led the two families in prayers after we all gathered in the dining room. When he finished, the frog band provided the entertainment above us.

"I just have to carve the turkey," Cornelius announced.

"Would you like some help?" Dad asked.

"That would be great, Donatello."

I watched my dad stand up. Carl handed him a fork and carving knife, and then my dad positioned himself at the other end of the turkey.

"Are you ready, Donatello?" Cornelius asked.

"I was born ready, Cornelius!" Dad replied with his gap-toothed grin.

"One…"

"Two…"

"Three!" the two scientists yelled at the same time.

They carved the turkey, and the rest of us cheered. It took Cornelius and my dad no time at all to carve all of the turkey.

"Thanksgiving dinner is officially served!" Carl announced.

I opened my mouth in surprise at what happened next. Mini-versions of Carl came out of his torso with plates. Each robot grabbed the right amount of each food for all of us and brought the plates to us.

"Thank you," I said to the robot bringing me the food.

These same robots eventually brought over glasses of water.

"Wilbur, would you like to share our tradition with our guests?" Cornelius asked.

"What tradition is that?" Mom asked with a smile.

"Each of us shares one thing we're thankful for," Wilbur explained. "It can be something that happened in the past year, something that is happening right now, or something that will happen in the future."

"I like that!" Dad replied with a smile, cutting his meat. "It's a nice day to reflect on what has happened and who is in your life to share that with."

"We take turns," Franny said. "And Wilbur is always first since he's the youngest."

"Well, now hold on," Wilbur chimed in. "Lily, how old are you?"

"Fourteen."

"Then you are the first person, and guest, to share what you are thankful for."

"And I'm relieved," Wilbur thought.

I laughed.

"I'll definitely take going first because I'm the youngest over going first because I'm the oldest," I said.

"Oh, so you have siblings, Lily?" Franny asked.

"No, I'm an only child. I have three younger cousins."

"Each of us has a child of our own," Dad chimed in. "I think my brothers got inspired after Lily came and April survived childbirth."

"Congratulations," Cornelius replied. "I bet you're proud of your family, Donatello."

"I am."

"So, can you tell me more about your cousins, Lily?" Franny asked.

"Ryan is the oldest after me. He is Leonardo and Karai's son. He always believes that he is the best of all of us as far as ninjutsu goes, but he has just as much anger as Auntie Karai. He looks up to his dad a lot, and he will never leave our side. He loves Space Heroes just as much as Uncle Leo."

"Which isn't surprising considering he's named after the main character," Mom chimed in.

"What is Space Heroes?" Cornelius asked.

"It's the parody of Star Trek," Dad answered. "Leo really likes the show and I don't know why."

"Anyway," I chimed back in. "Next is Venus, Raph and Mona Lisa's daughter. She's not as angry as Uncle Raph, but she is just as skilled in combat as Auntie Mona. Venus loves to plant and has her own greenhouse in Dad's old lab."

"That is very intriguing," Franny replied. "How does Venus manage to grow flowers and vegetables in it?"

"Now that I can explain," Dad answered. "Venus discovered a bud that fell from Splinter's tree in the dojo, and she brought it to Leo. Leo then advised her to show it to me. So she comes running into my lab to show me the bud, expressing her desire to plant it. With April's help, we got the tools needed to build a greenhouse alongside an uninhabited wall, and Venus and I worked together to plant a bonsai tree. Her love of horticulture only grew from there. We use black body lights to help the plants' growth."

"Does Venus plant vegetables too?" Lucille asked.

"Oh yeah," Mom answered. "In fact, Mikey uses the vegetables to make the sauce and the toppings for his pizzas, and Venus actually makes money from that."

"That is very impressive," Cornelius said with a grin.

"Speaking of Uncle Mikey," I continued. "He and Auntie Renet have a daughter named Athena, who is very much like him. Athena is wise beyond her years, just like Uncle Mikey, and she shows a lot of compassion for the people around her. She's probably the most innocent of all of us."

"Athena is definitely Mikey's girl," Dad chimed in. "Athena learned to cook from her dad, and she has made amazing dinners herself."

"And it's not just pizza," Mom said. "She's made chicken pot pies, ramen noodles, au gratin potatoes, anything you can name."

"Mikey named his daughter well," Lucille replied, smiling at the sentiment.

"Lily, I am curious," Cornelius started to ask. "What do you like to do?"

"I am just as creative as my dad," I answered. "I love watching him do his experiments. But I've always loved reading mystery novels, and I like exploring why things happen. I've recently gained a liking to psychology, the human mind. Mom has psychic powers too, so I'm happy that I will be able to talk about it with her."

"I promise I will start training you on how to use your mind when you come back," Mom told me.

"So, Lily, would you like to start our tradition?" Cornelius asked. "What is the one thing you are thankful for this year?"

"I am thankful for my family," I answered. "And I'm not just talking about my parents and family back in New York. You've all taken me in and made me feel like I'm part of your family. So in the depths of my heart, thank you."

"I am thankful for Lily," Wilbur announced, and my heart melted a little. "I've always wanted a sister, and Lily, you have made things quite interesting when you came into our lives."

I laughed merrily.

"I'm next," Karena chimed in. "I, too, am thankful for Lily. Because of her, I got to reunite with two dear friends whom I thought I'd never see again."

I watched my parents smile at each other and then at Karena.

"Now, Donatello and April, before I let Tallulah give out her thankfulness speech, I have a question for you," Cornelius asked. "What year were you both born?"

"I was born in 1996," Mom answered.

"I am younger than April," Dad replied. "I got mutated in 1997 as a baby turtle. I'm guessing I was born that same year."

"Donatello, when's your birthday?"

"September 29."

"Laszlo and I have our birthday on the Fourth of July," Tallulah replied.

"In that case, what are you thankful for, Donnie?" Franny asked.

"I hope Wilbur didn't start a trend here," Dad said with laughter, and the family laughed with him. "Lily Mae, I am thankful that you're in my life. You have done so many amazing things since the day you were born into my arms, and you continue to amaze me every day. Yes, even on the days when we have been apart. You inspire me to be a better dad, and I love you very much."

"Aww!" Franny, Karena, and Lucille all exclaimed at the same time with affection as I blushed.

"You actually delivered Lily?" Franny asked with a fond smile.

"No, April did," Dad answered, returning the smile. "I just caught her and brought her to her mom."

"My turn!" Tallulah said cheerfully. "Wilbur is indeed the trendsetter."

We all laughed.

"Lily, I am thankful for you. Not only did you make my day in my dress shop the other day, but you also brought me home."

"Home?" I asked in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Our family originated in New York City," Laszlo, Tallulah's twin brother, explained. "I had my own art studio there while Tallie was finishing her arts degree in the fashion field. Our mother died of cancer and we could not afford to live in the city anymore. So Uncle Bud took us in. And I will forever be thankful for Uncle Bud and Aunt Lucy, for opening their home to us, and to the Hamato family."

I frowned when he revealed Petunia died. I tried to read Fritz's mind.

"It was the worst day of my life. I haven't gotten over death. Thank heavens I have this puppet she made for me to remember her by."

"Oh, poor Fritz," I said quietly.

"April, you're up," Franny said with a smile.

"I am thankful for my husband, Donnie. He is my shoulder to cry on. He is my rock to lean on. He is always there when I need him. He's never given up on me. When I see him with Lily, he treats her the same way he treats me, and it just melts my heart to no end. When Lily was kidnapped, he had shown a perseverance I had never seen before, always trying to find a way to bring Lily back to us. And when Lily revealed herself, he never gave up trying to contact her. Donnie's not just a heck of a husband, and he's not just a heck of a doctor, but he's one heck of a father, and I love him for loving our daughter with such fondness."

I wanted to turn away as my parents kissed, but I didn't. Instead, I smiled as I watched the public display of affection.

"Get a room, you two!" Wilbur teased, and the rest of the family laughed.

"That won't be necessary, Wilbur," Dad replied while blushing.

"Now I am next," Franny announced. "I am also thankful for Lily. Now, Karena is like a daughter to me because she's dating Wilbur. But you, Lily… it feels like I have gained a second daughter. Lily, on behalf of the family, you are welcome at the Robinson House any time. And that goes for you also, Donnie and April. You two are amazing parents, and Lily is an amazing girl."

The three of us smiled at each other.

"I am thankful for the brilliant mind that is Donatello," Cornelius said. "I am called the Father of the Future here, but Donatello has accomplished so much more. I cannot wait to catch up with you and to work with you."

"Neither can I," Dad replied with a smile.

The rest of the family continued the tradition as we finished our dinner. Dessert was served, and we all enjoyed our choices of apple, pecan, or pumpkin pies. Lucille had even made a mix of the three together, which I ended up trying and enjoyed it. Mom even asked for the recipe, and Dad had suggested our family come up with a pie-baking contest. I had chuckled, telling my dad that the only people who would participate in that were Mom, Uncle Mikey, and Athena.

"Okay, everybody, we're going to do another annual Thanksgiving tradition," Carl announced. "We're going to Wilbur's room to play chargeball!"

"The entire family plays?" Dad asked with surprise in his voice.

"Nah," Cornelius answered. "I don't play. There are four games one-on-one games that go on. The winners of those continue to the semi-finals, and then the winners of those two games play the finals. You three are more than welcome to play if you'd like."

"Can we make it interesting, honey?" Franny asked. "Have eight games at first in case the Hamatos want to play… that is if they're up for it."

"I'm game," Dad replied. "What about you, April?"

"Sure! Lily?"

"I'm for it," I answered with a grin.

"Awesome!" Carl replied. "Here are the matchups: Franny against Donatello. Tallulah against April. Art against Lily. Wilbur against Laszlo. Gaston against Bud. Cornelius against Billie. Karena against Lucille. And Fritz against me."

"I don't wanna play!" Petunia yelled.

"Petunia, please stay with Joe," Carl advised 'her.'

Fritz pouted when giving the puppet to Joe.

"Let the games begin!"


APRIL'S POV

We were all handed gloves to wear on our hands, and then we all got zapped into different chargeball arenas. Tallulah and I ended up in an actual one in downtown Todayland.

"Tallulah, is this an illusion?" I asked.

"No! This is for real! Cool, huh? Do you remember how to play?"

"I could use a refresher," I answered.

"Okay, so you make the charge ball in your glove, and you throw it like a dodgeball. The point is to destroy all of these blocks. There are sweet spots you can use to better aim your charge ball. There is no penalty for hitting your opponent, and don't worry, the charge doesn't hurt too much. Once you destroy all the blocks, you wanna try to aim for the goal behind your opponent. Does that make sense?"

"I have a question: can you flip around, or do you have to run?"

"It is best to run, but use your imagination! But no superpowers are allowed."

"Let's do this, then!"

The buzzer went off, and I learned very quickly how the game works. There were fourteen blocks on each side of Tallulah that I needed to destroy. Tallulah and I kept moving around to hit each other's blocks, and we had hit each other once or twice. While I kept trying to destroy the blocks, I heard the buzzer go off.

"Oh, sewer apples!" I grunted.

"Don't forget those sweet spots, April!" Tallulah yelled with a grin.

"Right, and I gotta focus."

The buzzer went off again, signifying the second round beginning. My focus was better this time. I dodged Tallulah's charge balls, and while I was dodging them, I took advantage of the sweet spots, destroying more blocks that way. I heard the buzzer go off again, and I turned behind me. Tallulah had knocked out all of my blocks and won the game.

"You'll get it next time, April," Tallulah said with a frown on her face.

"Don't frown. You won. You deserved it."

We shook hands, and we were zapped back to Wilbur's room. We found Carl standing around while Fritz sat on the cushion.

"Who won?" I asked.

"I did," Carl answered. "The losers have to take a seat to show they're eliminated."

Everyone else eventually showed up after about five minutes after I took a seat.

"Alright, everyone. Here are our new matches: Donatello against Tallulah. Lily against Wilbur. Gaston against Billie. Karena against me."


WILBUR'S POV

"This is going to be fun," Lily said after we got zapped to the garden.

"Yeah, a karate black belt against a master kunoichi?" I replied. "Whew. So you beat Uncle Art, huh?"

"I got skills!" Lily replied proudly.

"That or you have extreme beginner's luck. Let's go!"

The buzzer went off to start the match. Playing chargeball in the garden was a challenge. There was a pizza wheel in the center that turns clockwise. When I first started playing, I had trouble getting the charge ball through the wheel, and I was often at a disadvantage against Uncle Art. After my uncle gave me tips, getting the charge ball through the wheel got easier, but it still was not easy. I used the same method I always had used and took advantage of the sweet spots to destroy Lily's blocks. I had avoided the pizza wheel in this round. Suddenly, I heard the buzzer go off. I looked behind me to find that all my blocks were gone. Lily had scored the first goal. I couldn't help but smirk and chuckle.

"Where did you play the first time?" I asked.

"Here," Lily answered, returning the smirk. "I played against your Uncle Art."

"Dang! You learned how to use that pizza wheel much faster than I did. Let's rematch!"

The arena was reset, and the buzzer went off again. This round was a lot more fun. Lily and I both tried to take advantage of the pizza wheel, and we kept on hitting each other with our charges.

"As fun as it is getting mildly electrocuted, we should probably take this seriously," Lily suggested while still laughing.

"Okay, Miss Kunoichi," I replied.

Lily playfully dropped her jaw, and then she threw a charge ball at the sweet spot, destroying one of my blocks. I was able to watch her closely to see what she was doing, and while I was impressed, she did help me focus more to destroy her blocks. It worked, and I scored the round's goal.

"Way to go, Wilbur!" Lily yelled with a thumbs up. "Looks like you're just as skilled as I am!"

"Excuse me!" I playfully yelled back. "I've been playing chargeball for eight years. Today was the first time you've played it and you already think you're better than me!"

"I never said that," Lily replied innocently. "That's your ego talking."

The third and final round started. Lily and I fought to the death, destroying each other's blocks with both the pizza wheel and the sweet spots. Eventually, the blocks were cleared off on both sides. We both fired at the sweet spot and into each other's goal. The buzzer buzzed.

"How do we know who won?" Lily asked.

"Lily, your side is lit up," I answered. "Congratulations. You have bested me."

I walked to the pizza wheel, as did Lily, and we shook hands.

"You know, when we were at the pool and you, um… took off your clothes, and then you dived into the water…"

"Yeah?"

"One of the thoughts that went through my head was meeting my match. We have the same skill set, and we're both masters at what we do."

"I know, Wilbur," Lily replied with a smile. "I was reading your mind the entire time."

"Oh good Lord," I groaned, my smile fading away. "If I had read my own thoughts, I would have been embarrassed."

"Don't be. I felt flattered."

"Anyway, today proved it. I was actually matched up against you, and we really matched even at the end. I have to commend you on how fast you learn, and not just from using your psychic abilities."

"Wilbur, all I can do is read minds. I can't predict someone's moves."

We paused.

"Let's go back to your room," Lily said with a smile.

We were zapped back into my room.

"Alrighty, we are down to two games," Carl announced. "Here are the matchups: Donatello against Lily and Billie against Karena. Good luck!"

"Wilbur, you lost?" Mom asked with surprise in my voice.

"I don't know who is more surprised here at both of us losing, you or me," I replied.

"Who did you face just now?"

"Lily."

I brought my voice down to a whisper.

"When she seduced me at the pool, I was standing there thinking I had met my match because she is just as strong and skilled as I am, and she's just as mischievous. She just proved me right today."

My mom laughed.

"So who did you face that you lost in the first match?" I asked in a normal tone.

"Donnie. I've actually met my match too, honey."

"Don's just as good as you, huh?"

"I think he has his knowledge of physics and advanced mathematics on his side," Mom explained. "He threw charge balls in ways I never thought possible. It'll be interesting to see who comes out on top."

"Yeah, which one? The father or the daughter?"


DONATELLO'S POV

Lily and I were zapped from Wilbur's room to the frog cantina.

"This is going to be so fun," Lily said out loud.

"Were you being sincere, Lily Mae?" I asked with a smirk. "Or do I sense a hint of sarcasm?"

"Both?" Lily answered with uncertainty.

"Come on, Lily Mae," I encouraged her. "You've defeated your opponents so far. You got this!"

"Yeah! So did you!"

The buzzer sounded, and our match started. Trying very hard not to hit my daughter, I aimed my charge balls very carefully. The frogs playing their jazz music in the middle did not make it easy. Using acrobatics was not an option. Lily had moved a lot to throw her charge balls to destroy my blocks. However, thanks to my knowledge in physics, I had the upper hand. I threw my charge balls just like I was throwing shuriken, and I easily scored the goal after destroying her blocks.

"Dad, how am I supposed to win if you beat me?" Lily asked in exasperation.

"Careful, Lily Mae," I warned her. "You're thinking like Ryan. Use your ninja training to your advantage as long as you follow the rules. That is how you win. Try again."

The buzzer sounded again, signifying the start of the second round. As I threw my charge balls, I often glanced at Lily, who looked like she hesitated. I stopped momentarily.

"Lily, are you alright?" I asked with concern in my voice.

"Yeah! Yeah, I'm okay."

"Are you sure?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, Dad, I'm fine. Let's play."

We continued the second round. As I continued throwing the charge balls, Lily started to throw them, but she went wild with them. I was easily able to destroy her blocks and win the game.

"Lily, come here."

"How?" Lily asked. "We're separated by water."

"Carl, we're ready!" I yelled.

We got zapped back into Wilbur's room.

"Are we ready for the final match?" Carl asked us.

"May I speak to my daughter first, Carl?" I asked him.

"Sure."

I took Lily out of the room and we gathered in Cornelius's lab.

"Lily, what happened in the arena?" I asked, still concerned. "Did you learn something new about your powers?"

"No, Dad, I was trying to read your mind."

I put my hands on my hips and put a stern expression on my face.

"Lilianna—"

"I could read your mind, but I couldn't understand what was going on. I tried to follow along and couldn't. That's why I lost."

"Lily, I understand that you were trying to be like me. You already are like me just from being my daughter. But the best way to play a game and to live life is to be yourself, Lilianna Mae Hamato. I have accomplished so many things because I wasn't trying to become somebody else. There's only one Donatello Hamato in this world, and he's here giving his daughter sound advice. Just be you, because there's only one of you, and I love you."

Lily smiled at me, showing her gapped teeth.

"Thanks, Dad. But could you teach me physics some time? Please? I want to learn how to throw shuriken and charge balls like you do."

I laughed and gave her a hug, and she returned it.

"Lily Mae, I'd be honored to teach you. I'm blessed to pass down my trick of the trade to you."

"You're the bee's knees, Dad!" Lily said happily.

She gave me a kiss on the cheek, and I blushed. I watched as she trotted down the stairs and out of the lab.

"The bee's knees?" I asked out loud in confusion.

I shrugged it off and headed back to Wilbur's room to see who my opponent was going to be in the finals.

"Everything okay, Donatello?" Carl asked.

"Yes, everything is fine, Carl."

"Alright, everyone. It is time for the anticipated finals! It'll be Donatello against Karena. Good luck!"


KARENA'S POV

I dropped my jaw in surprise. I was not expecting to face off my old friend at all after watching Lily's cheerleading tryout. Donnie and I were transported back to the train room to finish it off.

"Well, this is different," Donnie said in awe.

"Where were you before?" I asked.

"It was all so strange," Donnie explained, rubbing his head. "First, I went to this arena that looked like an ant hive, and I was facing Franny. Then, I went to what looked like a boiler room surrounded by lava. I won against Tallulah. Things went back to somewhat normal when I faced Lily in the frog cantina. What about you?"

"I faced Lucille in the chargeball arena first. Then I faced Carl at the ant hive. I faced Billie here and I guess we're finishing it here."

"So you do have one advantage over me," Donnie replied with his gap-toothed grin that never changed. "This should be a good match."

The buzzer sounded, and Donnie and I got to work destroying each other's blocks. It appeared that Donnie had an advantage also. He knew exactly where to fire the charge ball. My only source of reliance was Wilbur's techniques that he taught me over the past year and a half. I had gotten better, but Wilbur was still the chargeball champion of the Robinson family. This year, a Robinson was not going to win it, which made this match very unique.

Donnie and I played our best, but then the buzzer sounded. The mutant turtle won the first round.

"Maybe you'll get the next one, Karena," Donnie encouraged me.

"We'll see," I replied.

The buzzer sounded, and round two had begun. Not much had changed in our techniques. But it was clear that Donnie had more talent than I did. He had been training to be a ninja all his childhood, and then he kept on using his skills as a ninja throughout his adulthood. My only training was karate in my young childhood, but then I grew out of the practice until I met Donnie and his family. After I moved to Todayland, Wilbur and Franny have been training me in karate, and I'm currently a brown belt. I wish I could say I assisted Wilbur in solving his attempted murder, but I was humble and could not take any credit. Donnie and I were evenly matched, but then the buzzer sounded. Not only did that indicated that round two was over, but it also revealed that Donatello Hamato won the chargeball tournament.

"Congratulations, Donnie," I applauded him.

"Thank you, ma'am," the purple-clad turtle replied.

I giggled at his politeness before we were zapped back into Wilbur's room.

"So who won?" Franny asked as we returned.

"The winner of this year's annual chargeball tournament is…"

I paused and made a gesture to my friendly opponent.

"Donnie," I finished with a smile.

The entire family cheered wildly, and Lily and April ran up to hug the man of their family.


November 26, 2038

APRIL'S POV

Karena and I decided to do some shopping on Black Friday to catch up on everything that had happened since 2013. We both were so relieved when we saw robot sentries providing security to every store in the city. Black Friday was not very chaotic in Todayland, and we were both thankful for that.

"So April, you were just discovering you had psychic powers when I met you," Karena started the conversation.

"Yeah! A whole lot happened since I last saw you in 2013. The Kraang had tried to invade our planet after our realities merged together."

"But the Turtles won, right?"

"Eventually. I was captured, so they had to come and save me, and we almost lost Leo when taking down the Technodrome, but we won and we celebrated. After a few months, the Kraang came back with a mutagen shipment, which failed miserably."

"The Turtles stopped that too?"

"Actually,… well,… yes and no."

I paused, remembering the time I had a grudge on Donnie.

"They stopped the shipment, but they also spilled all of that mutagen and mutated my dad on accident."

Karena let out a horrified gasp.

"Was Donnie able to fix it?" Karena asked.

"Yes, eventually. Though I blamed my dad's mutation on him and his brothers and didn't speak to them for a while."

"Obviously, you two cleared the air or else you wouldn't be married."

"My road with Donnie was… interesting, to say the least. Donnie had kept following me while I wasn't speaking to him. I met a boy named Casey Jones. I was his trigonometry tutor, and he too had a crush on me. I almost considered dating him. But then, Donnie saved my life from Karai."

"Karai? Karai tried to kill you? Isn't she Leo's wife?"

"Their road was very complicated compared to Donnie and me. Karai had been raised by the Shredder, but she discovered that she was Splinter's long lost daughter. She betrayed the Shredder, but it was costly. While the guys were rescuing her, she got mutated into a serpent, but she could change back to her human form."

"Can Karai control that?" Karena asked with astonishment.

"Oh yeah. She's a kunoichi too. She had adapted to her duel identity very well. So while we were trying to find her, the Kraang invaded Earth, and we had to evacuate the city. Leo ended up being injured by the Foot Clan. We retreated to what is now my home. It took months for Leo to heal, and then he and his brothers went on what was called a Vision Quest while I stayed back with Casey."

"I understand you and Casey were friends. Did you two take it forward a step?"

"Casey wanted to, but I didn't return his feelings. I had feelings for Donnie this whole time. I couldn't really tell him until he brought Bigfoot home."

"I'm sorry, what?" Karena replied with confusion. "Are you serious?"

"Yes, believe it or not, and Bigfoot was a lady who was absolutely crushing on Donnie."

We both burst out laughing.

"Donnie did learn to back off from that experience, but I told him, in not so many words, that I did have feelings for him and that he shouldn't give up that easily. Casey still pursued me and I kept turning him down."

"So back to this Vision Quest?"

"Yeah, so they succeeded, and then we all returned to New York and pushed the Kraang back to Dimension X and saved everyone. But then we had to try to save the planet from a Black Hole Generator, but failed because Shredder killed Splinter. Luckily for us, a robot called the Fugitoid came and brought the six of us aboard his ship. We made a journey through time and space. We time-travelled six months into the past to give us the chance to find the pieces to the generator, and then we actually traveled galaxies away from here."

"Wow! What did you think?"

"It was incredibly beautiful. I didn't want to leave, but I knew where my home was. If there was a planet I could do without, it was a bug world where Lord Dregg ruled. Yuck!"

"Yeah, I wholeheartedly agree with you. So were you able to find all the pieces?"

"Yes, but then the Triceratons, an intergalactic dinosaur species, found them all before we did. History almost repeated itself, but we were able to alert Splinter to Shredder's betrayal. Thanks to that, the planet survived, and I was promoted to a full-pledged kunoichi. I had been trained on my psychic powers by the Fugitoid."

"That must have been a cool experience," Karena replied. "So when did you and Donnie start your relationship?"

"That depends what you mean by that."

Karena looked confused.

"You know… dating?"

"November 20, 2016," I answered. "I remember that day well. It was the worst day of my life, but it was the best day at the same time."

"What happened?"

"So while I was in space, I was gifted a crystal by the Aeons, and Donnie wanted to study it back home in the lair. But I refused. The crystal gave me powers I never thought I'd have, and they were getting out of control. I refused to listen to Donnie or to Splinter. I let it control me, and I… I killed Donnie."

"What the… shell? So how did Donnie come back?"

"Donnie ended up being molecularly scattered, so once I destroyed the crystal and my demons, thanks to my memories of Donnie, I was able to use my powers to bring him back. I ran into his arms, but then I somehow ended up home. I apologized to everyone and then Donnie and I spoke privately. While crying, I spilled out my feelings for him, and he initiated our second kiss together. Most of our dates were in the lair eating Chinese or popcorn and watching some corny or monster movie, but we made the best of our quality time together. We finally ended the Shredder, and we saved the world from invasion a couple of times, which lead into Donnie proposing."

Karena gasped with delight.

"Tell me everything!"

I laughed.

"Well, about a year later, the Turtles and I had stopped someone named the Shredder from an alternate dimension. He and Krang were plotting to destroy the world. Thankfully, a couple of mutants who were once our enemies, Bebop and Rocksteady, thought better and helped us save the world. They were tired of being villains and decided to create lives of their down. It inspired Donnie to set up a date for me to meet him at the Brooklyn Bridge. So, I leapt across rooftops to meet him, gave me a speech about how I had changed his life, and he proposed using my full name and Tang Shen's engagement ring."

I showed Karena my two rings.

"The bottom one was given to Donnie by Splinter. Tang Shen was Splinter's wife. Donnie made a wedding ring for me to intertwine with this one. We got married at the farmhouse on Christmas Day that year. Casey and the other Turtles surprised us by remodeling the bathroom and bedroom and giving us a honeymoon, but then we decided to call the farmhouse home. Donnie's only reason for going back to the lair was to grab most of this things. It shocked his brothers, but they showed understanding. After we moved on, Donnie focused on returning most of Shredder's allies back to normal, but not everyone accepted."

"Lily told me that Cornelius stopped by your place after your wedding," Karena finally spoke.

"Yes, Cornelius came by and offered Donnie to take an exam to test out of college. He earned three doctorate degrees. Cornelius then offered him a remote job at Todayland University, and with that money, he started his own practice, I finished my own education, and offered Mikey, Raph, and Leo to go to college. Leo turned him down, fulfilling his passion to be a sensei for the Hamato Clan."

"What did Raph and Mikey do?"

"Raph is now a detective for the New York City Police Department, and he's the best there is. Sometimes Donnie will analyze a clue Raph finds because Donnie is sometimes the only one with the answers. Mikey owns his own pizzeria restaurant, and his pizzas are beloved by not just the city, but by everyone who visits."

"Good for them!" Karena replied. "So what are you doing now?"

"I am an investigative reporter for the Channel 6 News back in New York. Raph and I actually work together when I'm reporting important cases, whether they're ongoing or closed, though we didn't start working together until I returned from my maternity leave in 2024. Donnie is home all the time. He does his remote job in the morning, and then he'll homeschool Lily. Lily will do her thing for a while, whether it's exercising outside or watching her dad work, and then dinner comes around. We would go down to the lair for the weekend to train in ninjutsu. We both train Lily when we're not in the city."

I let out a sigh, smiling with pride about everything that had happened since Donnie and I got married.

"How are you enjoying being Donnie's wife?" Karena asked. "It must be interesting being married to a mutant turtle."

"It's a new journey every day," I answered, looking down at my rings. "But I love being married to Donnie. He takes care of me and Lily, he is our provider, and he gets smarter every day. He's able to answer any question we have about life and its problems without hesitation. So what about you? How long has it been for you?"

"One and a half years," Karena answered.

"And has your relationship with Wilbur been in full bliss?"

"No, not entirely. We've actually been dating for only a year, but it wasn't official until this past May."

"What happened?"

"Well, Wilbur had a stalker during his freshman homecoming dance and his stalker would not stop following him," Karena explained with a weary sigh.

"Oh no!"

"Yeah, she almost killed me by slamming into my car. I was in the hospital for quite some time. Once this stalker eventually realized that Wilbur was never going to fall for her, she tried killing Wilbur too. Wilbur solved his attempted murder in disguise and managed to help her get psychological help."

"Oh my. I'm sorry you two went through that."

"We spent this past summer truly getting to know each other without anything looming over us."

"Yeah, that was what Donnie and I did after an almost-apocalypse. Just got to know each other on a deeper level and had fun doing that."

"And how is Splinter doing?"

I closed my eyes and winced at the mention of his name.

"I know that look. He's not here anymore?"

"Shredder murdered Splinter in early 2017. And I watched it happen!"

I broke down in tears, reliving that event in my mind. I felt Karena pulling me in close to her.

"Words cannot describe what you're feeling, April. I am so sorry."

"I'm sorry, Karena. I never talk about it. The only person I can really talk to about it is Raph. He witnessed it too. But I haven't. I kept it all to myself… except to Donnie."

"Have you ever cried… on that day every year?"

"Oh, it was horrible when I was pregnant with Lily…"


FLASHBACK: February 19, 2024 – North Hampton, New York, USA

DONATELLO'S POV

I started a fresh pot of coffee so that I could start my day off on the right foot. Just when I took out my coffee mug, I heard a loud scream coming from upstairs.

"APRIL!" I yelled in a panic.

I dropped my mug on the counter, ran up the stairs and into the bedroom to find my pregnant wife tossing and turning. She was having a nightmare.

"April," I cried, trying to shake her awake. "April, wake up!"

April let out another scream.

"April, WAKE UP!" I shouted.

My wife's eyes shot open as she let out a loud gasp. There were tears streaming down from her blue eyes down her cheeks.

"Donnie? Oh, Donnie!"

April pulled me into her arms, and she bawled. I wrapped my arms around her as her tears fell on the tails of my purple bandana.

"Shh, everything is alright, April," I soothed her. "You were just having a nightmare."

"It felt like I was really there, D," April cried.

"The nightmare was that bad?" I asked. "Did someone die?"

"Splinter died again, D."

April cried even harder at the mention of Splinter's name.

"Would you like to talk about it?" I asked. "What happened to Splinter in your dream?"

"Donnie, talking about is only going to make it worse," April answered.

"April, talking about it may help you move forward from your nightmare. And besides, I'm your husband. Putting nightmares back in Pandora's box is my job around here."

"Don't joke around, Donnie!" April suddenly lashed out angrily. "Splinter's death actually happened, Donnie, no matter how my nightmares interpret that!"

I looked down at her swollen belly, forgetting for the moment that she was pregnant with our child. I remembered reading that pregnancy can cause all sorts of emotional roller-coasters, so I tried a different approach.

"Honey, I understand you were devastated in your dream. But if you bottle this up, you're not going to heal from it. Please, tell me what is on your mind right now."

April started crying again.

"Donnie, promise me you will never ever leave me alone in a fight to the death. I don't want you dying by the edge of a sword too."

It finally clicked, and I felt horrified.

"April… you witnessed Splinter dying on the roof of the Wolf Hotel that night?"

April cried harder and held me tighter.

"Hey, honey, why don't I hold on to you? I want you to feel safe, okay?"

April nodded, letting go of me. I got back under the blankets, and I wrapped my pregnant wife in my strong arms. I felt her putting her left hand on my plastron and her right hand on her belly as she continued to cry.

"Do you feel safe, April?" I asked.

"Yes. I'll always feel safe when you're here."

My heart melted at that.

"Would you like to talk about what happened that night? You don't have to talk if you don't want to, but please know that I am here for you no matter what."

"I had thought for sure that Splinter defeated the Shredder again," April explained through her sobs. "Splinter had tossed him over the edge. Raph and I were cheering him on as we supported each other. We had both gotten injured. Suddenly, I heard Leo screaming, and… and… I saw Shredder coming back. And he… and he…"

April sobbed harder into my plastron. I rubbed her back to soothe her.

"I couldn't stop him in time. It's all my fault! If I had paid attention to my surroundings, Splinter would still be alive!"

"Aww April, Splinter's death was not your fault."

"Yes, it is, D!"

I let out a sigh.

"April, please listen. I know your heart has been in pain after all this time, and this has been hard for you to talk about. But I am proud of you for opening up to me. That is not easy to do. You have taken the first step to healing. But please know that Splinter's death was not your fault. Shredder and his allies knew what they were doing. They planned Splinter's demise extremely well. And Splinter… he was doing what he thought was best. No one is to blame for Splinter's death except for Shredder. And Shredder has been gone for good. Shredder's been gone for seven years. He will never harm anyone again. You are safe, April. I promise."

"Donnie, I've been having the same nightmare for the last seven years. But this was the worst one. I dreamed that… Shredder had killed you too."

Tears now came to my amber eyes, and anger came to my heart. Right now, I wanted to go to the Netherworld and kill Shredder all over again. I had almost murdered Don Vizioso before, so I knew I would have the capability to do that. But deep down, I would never take another man's life, and I made that promise to myself that day to never hold a grudge again. I let out a sigh, letting my anger wash over me, and I put my head on top of hers.

"I'm not going anywhere, April," I told her in a soothing voice. "We're both safe, and so is our baby. The Shredder cannot come to us here. If he tries, he'll have to face Splinter."

For the first time this morning, April giggled. I smiled, adoring it.

"You know, Donnie, I had never told anyone that I was having these dreams until today."

"You held it inside for seven years?" I asked with worry. "Oh, April. Please promise me that you'll always come to me when you want to talk about Splinter's death, okay? And the same goes for any other nightmare you have."

"I promise. Oh, Donnie, I never even told Raph about this. He witnessed Splinter's death too."

"I think it's time you told him, okay? Raph was right there with you. He may be able to help you further."

I paused, praying that April was feeling a little better.

"How are you feeling?" I asked.

"Better. Thank you, Donnie."

"You're welcome. Would you like some coffee?"

"Donnie, could you sleep with me for an hour? I'm still rather tired."

I looked down at her and smiled.

"Coffee can wait," I answered, kissing her forehead.

We got settled on the bed, and we fell asleep in each other's arms.


PRESENT TIME

APRIL'S POV

"Have you healed since?" Karena asked me.

"Yes. Everyone was a key part of my healing. Leo and Karai meditated with me. Raph finally opened up to me about that night and we were able to heal together. Donnie did what he had always done: supported me no matter what."

"That sounds like the support I got from my family. I finally got over my grief for my mother dying."

"That's right! I remember you telling me that your mother died, and that was how we grew close. So you're done grieving, huh?"

"Yes, finally," Karena answered. "I have received a lot of counseling that was paid by Cornelius. The family even surprised me with my own garden with a cherry tree in honor of my mother."

"That is so sweet! So it sounds like the move from 2013 to 2037 was worth it."

"Yes, it was. My life has gotten so much better because of it."

"So what do you do now?" I asked.

"I attend Todayland University and majoring in music education."

"Hey, my husband teaches at Todayland University. I wonder if you've had him as a teacher yet."

"What does he teach?" Karena asked.

"I believe biology and physics."

"I have signed up for my classes for next semester. And biology is one of them. Is Donnie the only biology professor?"

"No, but he's the only professor to teach remotely. Who knows? Having Donnie as a teacher may prove to be interesting."

"Why? Have you had Donnie as a professor?"

"No. I had already finished my science credits for my degree by the time Donnie started his job there."

"I still can't believe the Turtles have jobs," Karena said in astonishment. "Who knew?"

"Not only that, but they all have families of their own. It's amazing how much things can change in twenty-five years."

"It's unreal! And it amazes me that your husband was right about our realities merging together because of my move here."

"Donnie has always been ahead of most scientists," I replied with a grin. "I think he was even ahead of Cornelius but couldn't do anything because of his status as a mutant. But I'm thrilled Cornelius gave Donnie the opportunity to show his work to the world. He's even won a Nobel Peace Prize for inventing the tools needed to stop interdimensional invasions."

"Good for him! I wonder who recommended Donnie for it."

"Jack Kurtzman. One night when I went on my first patrol with the Turtles, I was running out of breath, and then I sensed someone watching us. We followed Jack to his apartment and saw a whole bunch of pictures of us and other mutants. He had been following his story of the Kraang and often showed appreciation of Donnie and Dr. Rockwell's contributions to science. Jack actually won a Pulitzer prize for his work."

"I don't know who he is, but I'm glad everything went in a positive direction for all of you."

"You and me both," I replied with a smile. "Let's do some more shopping. Maybe I can surprise Lily with something."


November 28, 2038

LILIANNA'S POV

Monday quickly came. I woke up with sadness, because my parents were returning to New York today. When I realized I was going to be alone again, I got scared. I got out of the bed and put on my black outfit. Then, I walked out of my room and into the travel tube. I greeted the Robinsons in the dining room, but to my surprise, my parents were there also. Karena was not present.

"Good morning, Lily Mae," Dad, wearing a lab coat along with his purple mask, greeted me.

"Morning, Dad," I replied.

I felt depressed. I looked up at my dad and noticed a frown on his face.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I would be lying if I said yes."

"Well, let's talk."

"We'll all eat in the kitchen," Franny told the family. "Come on, everybody! Let's give Lily a private moment with her parents."

We watched the Robinsons leave the room, and then my parents sat on opposite sides of me.

"What's wrong, honey?" Mom asked, tucking a piece of my red hair behind my ear.

"I wish I was going with you both," I answered, tears coming to my blue eyes. "I know it's safer for me here, but I'm not ready to be away from you… at least, not yet."

"I wish we could both stay here," Mom replied.

"And we wish we could take you home with us," Dad chimed in with a smile. "But you did a very brave thing, Lily, and we didn't even need to be here to help you make your decision. You made the decision to be a cheerleader on your own. And when you decided to be a cheerleader, you decided to try something new. You're our daughter, Lily, and we love you very much. But we also want to give you the best life possible, and right now, it's here. You need to spread your wings as a cheerleader, at least for the rest of the school year before you return to us for good."

"And besides, we'll see each other much sooner than you think," Mom said with a smile. "You only have three weeks until Christmas break! They are going to fly by before you know it."

"And then you and Karena will fly to New York and come see us," Dad chimed in again with his gap-toothed grin.

"Mom, Dad, is it bad that despite my being here with the Robinsons, I still feel alone?" I asked.

"You are still getting adjusted to life here," Dad answered. "And that is normal. You're brave, Lily. If I was in your shoes, I'd be building an invention that would get me to fly away from here and safely into the sewers in New York."

"Dad, it's called an airplane," I replied with a giggle.

"I am speaking as a fifteen-year-old Donatello," Dad replied. "People were scared to look me and your uncles back then. We didn't have a car to get around because there are no roads in the sewers. The trains were not running. Until I invented the patrol buggy, we had no means of transportation. But you, Lily, you have more advantages than I did. You are not just my daughter. You are also Uncle Mikey, Uncle Raph, and Uncle Leo's niece. You have trained with them and gained skills just from that. You are in the most technologically advanced city possible. One of us is always with you, no matter what. Grandpa Splinter is with you, too. He's told me you found a way to communicate with him through meditation. If you ever feel alone, you can do two things. Meditate and talk to Splinter, or surround yourself with your friends in the present. That was how Mom and I coped while you were away from us."

"You just promise us that you'll go to school, do well in your classes, and excel in your cheerleading performances," Mom told me. "Okay?"

I smiled, knowing that I have the confidence I need to get through at least the next three weeks.

"You just make good choices," Dad said. "And I promise you, like your mom said, these three weeks will fly by, and we'll celebrate Christmas at the farmhouse."

My smile disappeared, and I put on a confused look.

"Don't we usually have Christmas at the lair?" I asked.

"We'll see," Mom answered. "We love you, honey."

"I love you too, Mom, Dad."

We hugged each other, and it was our last hug for a while.