Alrighty! So there is one chapter left in this story after this one. I have enjoyed writing this story very much, and I absolutely love writing about Lily. I feel myself relating to her more than I thought I would. With that said, I am thinking about continuing this story to include her parts in the other stories, kind of like I have done with another 'story' of mine, "A Robinson Storybook." Lily has a lot of adventures ahead of her, and if I do decide to go down this path, then I'll be so excited to write more. But, in the meantime, enjoy!

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

February 18, 2039 – Todayland, North Montana, USA

LILIANNA'S POV

"Be safe!" Dad yelled behind me.

I followed James to the back of the building where he was parked. He led me to a red flying car, and he unlatched the roof so we could get in.

"So, what plans do you have on this date, James?" I asked with a smirk.

"It's a surprise," James replied with a wink.

"Would you like me to close my eyes?"

"Sure! But I promise it will be a date you will not forget."

I let out a laugh, and then I closed my eyes, thrilled that I did not have to use my powers to read his mind. I suppose there was a way to enjoy a surprise after all. I felt the car lifting off the ground. I enjoyed the feeling of contentment with my eyes closed during the short drive. It only took us about five minutes to reach our destination.

"Shall I open my eyes yet?" I asked.

"No, not yet," James answered.

I heard the roof unlatching. I felt prompted to stand up. To my delight, I felt James lifting me up and out of the car, putting his hands under my armpits. I landed perfectly on the ground.

"Now, take my hand."

With a smile, I took James' hand, and I was immediately brought back to all those times my dad asked me to hold his hand. I took a sniff, and I started to smell pine trees. I let out a content sigh, thrilled that I was somewhat brought back to the feeling of home.

"Okay, you can open your eyes now, Lily," James said.

I opened my eyes, and I let out a delightful gasp. I was surrounded by all kinds of trees. There were no birds, for it was winter and all the birds had migrated down south, but it was just the kind of peace I remembered when I was home.

"So, what do you think?" James asked.

"James, do you have any idea what you have done?" I asked with a big smile on my face.

"Brought you to a place I knew you'd like?"

"Not just that. James, you've shown me a place I never knew existed in Todayland. You've shown me a place that brings me right back home in New York. And you've shown me a place where all of my memories as a child can come alive at my home away from home."

"Does your hometown feel exactly like this?" James asked with a smile.

"Pretty much. My hometown is very small though. It's in upper New York state and there's not a lot of people there. My parents and I live in a house in the middle of the woods, and I do mean in the middle of the woods."

"Like all you see are trees?" James asked.

"Pretty much. You'd have to travel down to the south or the east to see cities. If you go north, you'll see more trees and even mountains. If you go west, you'll either see Lake Ontario or the cities of Toronto and Hamilton."

"Those are Canadian cities, aren't they?"

"They are. One of my passions was geography when I was a kid."

"Wilbur mentioned that you love nature, and that's why I brought you here. What about nature do you like?"

I pondered in thought as we walked the trail.

"I've always enjoyed the quiet. It's a different kind of quiet. When you're alone at home or if your parents are sleeping, you hear silence, and that's it. There is absolutely no other noise. To me, that's the deafening kind of quiet. But when I run in the woods and I hear nothing but the wind blowing the hair out of my face, that's the kind of quiet I truly enjoy. I'm not alone, and I focus more on my surroundings."

"So you're mindful?"

"Yes. That was one of the first lessons as a ninja: be mindful of your surroundings. And my dad recently taught me to be mindful of other people too. They have secrets that have changed their lives, and it is up to them to want to share them with the world or not."

"So, what is your secret, Lily?"

I let out a playful scoff at my date.

"Oh no, Master Anderson. You're not going to get me that easily!"

We both laughed.

"Oh come on! You don't have to tell me your deepest, darkest secret right away!"

My smile instantly disappeared. I knew in my heart that I could never tell anyone other than my family and the Robinson family that I had accidentally killed someone. I felt tears coming to my eyes when the thought came in my head that I would eventually have to tell James if our relationship were to blossom into a marriage.

"Lily, are you okay?"

I turned toward James, who had a look of worry on his face. I nodded my head and wiped away my tears.

"You're going through that dark secret right now?"

I nodded my head again. To my surprise, James smiled.

"Hey, if you don't want to tell me, then I won't pry. But I promise I won't leave your side. I want you to enjoy our date, because I truly do want to get to know you. You're not just a pretty face, Lily. You have a beautiful soul."

I smiled.

"Thank you, James. Thank you for understanding."

I paused, thinking about what I want to share with him.

"I do find it fascinating that you only have three fingers on each hand," James spoke up, still having that smile on his face. "Your dad does too now that I think about it. Are you part-turtle?"

"I am," I answered. "I'm pretty much a perfect blend of my parents. I got my dad's hands, feet, and smile. I have my mom's hair, eyes, and skin."

I took out my T-Phone and scrolled through my photos to find a picture of my mom.

"Here's my mom. Her name is April. I am part-Irish from my mom's side and part-Japanese from my dad's side."

"You are part-Japanese?" James asked with intrigue. "You don't look Japanese at all!"

"My dad was born a baby turtle and he, along with my uncles, got adopted by a ninja master from Japan. This man, Hamato Yoshi, followed a strange man who carried a cannister of mutagen with him. There was a fight. Both the turtles and the mutagen fell. The mutagen spilled all over Yoshi and the turtles. The turtles gained human characteristics because Yoshi was the last being they touched. Yoshi mutated into a rat, as he had stepped on one prior to the fight."

"I think I understand," James replied. "So because your dad had touched Yoshi, he also gained Japanese DNA."

"Exactly! You must have a passion for chemistry if you know so much about DNA."

"It's biology, actually, but yes, I prefer chemistry over biology. In fact, I've decided I'm going to college to study chemistry."

"My dad doesn't teach chemistry, but I think you two would get along really well. He teaches biology and physics at Todayland University."

"So that's why you and your dad are here!" James replied with an inspired look on his face. "Your dad's a teacher! Honestly, I'm surprised. I would have expected him to have his own company or something like Cornelius Robinson does."

"Well, kind of," I replied. "He's a doctor of medicine too. He has his own practice back home."

"Is there anything your dad can't do?"

I pondered in thought.

"Hunt. My dad cannot hunt for the life of him. My mom on the other hand… she'll take one of my uncle's katana swords and hurl it into the heart of the deer. Then she'll call my dad to carry it home so she can cook it."

"Okay, how does your mom know how to hunt?" James asked with surprise in his voice.

"My uncle taught her. My mom seems like the kind of person who can do anything, too. She's a news reporter for Channel 6 News in New York City. She'll investigate anything that goes wrong with another uncle of mine. She cooks. She hunts. She knows ninjutsu, too. And she's almost just as smart as my dad. She'll assist him in his inventions sometimes."

I paused, taking a moment to appreciate the pine smell.

"So, James, what do you like to do?" I asked.

"I enjoy playing sports, basketball and baseball, especially."

"Oh that's right! You're on the basketball team! I remember seeing you while I was cheering you guys on."

"Oh shoot!" James exclaimed.

My smile went away.

"What is it?"

"Tonight's senior night. I was so looking forward to this date that I forgot I needed to be there."

"And I'm a cheerleader, so I need to be there too," I replied. "Shall we take a rain check on our date?"

"Yeah, I'd like that. I was so looking forward to showing you the gardens, too."

I laughed.

"We have all the time in the world."

"How fast can you run?" James asked with a smirk.

"Hello? You are talking to a female ninja – a kunoichi!"

"Well, let's go then!"

James and I raced each other out of the arboretum and back to his flying car.

"Okay, I never thought I'd be beaten by a girl," James said with laughter when we finished our little race.

"You know it's funny. We talked about both my parents, and we talked about you. Is there anything you'd like to know about me?"

"What is your favorite kind of ice cream?" James asked.

"Ooh, an icebreaker question! I like that! Superman, hands down."

"Really? Your favorite ice cream flavor is Superman?"

"Yes! It's colorful, but the combination of flavors are perfect."

"Do you feel like Superman after eating it?"

I cracked up laughing.

"I wish! I'm already very strong though. I don't need Superman's strength to accomplish mighty feats."

"No wonder you felt so light. You're pretty much all muscle. I take it the strength training came with the ninja training?"

"Exactly."

New York City, New York, USA

LEONARDO'S POV

After Donnie and I finished cooking dinner in Todayland, I took the portal back to the lair. I was greeted in the dojo by my wife and son.

"Hey, guys."

"Hi, honey," Karai replied with a kind smile. "How is Lily doing?"

"She is currently on a date," I answered with a grin. "So she seems to be in higher spirits."

"Lily is on a date?" Karai asked with surprise in her voice.

"Dad, isn't a date when a boy and a girl go somewhere together?" Ryan asked.

"Yes, son, that's exactly right."

My grin got bigger. For the first time in a while, I was very excited about the plans I had made.

"Speaking of dates, I've made some arrangements in Todayland. Where's April?"

"April just got off work," Karai answered. "She'll be here shortly."

"Perfect!"

"Dad, what plans?" Ryan asked. "Am I a part of those plans?"

"You are. Ryan, Karena and I have made arrangements for you to come to Todayland and meet Wilbur. And we've already agreed to you spending the weekend at his house."

"Wow! That's… very generous of you, Dad."

"Karai, Donnie and I made dinner at his apartment, and we are going to enjoy a meal there."

"Oh Leo, a double date with Donnie and April?" Karai replied with a smile, putting a strand of her black hair behind her ear. "We haven't had a double date in a while."

"It's just the two of us, Karai. Donnie and April are having dinner someplace else."

"I'm having dinner where?"

We turned to see April entering the dojo.

"Just in time, April!" I replied with a big smile. "I am surprising you and Donnie with dinner at the Cheesecake Factory in Todayland. Don't worry. Donnie already knows."

"Leo, you didn't have to do that," April replied, blushing and putting a strand of her red hair behind her ear.

"April, you and Donnie missed each other in Los Angeles and you haven't seen each other since December. You're overdue for a date."

"And you're going to use the portal to take us there?"

"Yep!"

"Gosh, I don't think the talk of the portals will be going away for a long time," April replied with a laugh. "So, when are we leaving?"

"Right now."

"RIGHT NOW?" Karai, Ryan, and April yelled at the same time.

"Leo, I just got back from work!" April yelled in a panic, looking down at her yellow jumpsuit. "I'm not wearing this on a date!"

"April, Donnie's always loved you no matter what you wear," I assured her. "It will be fine."

"Not that I'm complaining, honey, but I'm with April on this one," Karai replied, referring to her armor.

"Honey, relax. You look beautiful no matter what."

Karai blushed.

"Dad, since when did you become the romantic one?" Ryan asked with a smirk. "That's Uncle Donnie's thing!"

"Because Uncle Donnie and Aunt April are long overdue for a date, and so are me and your mother. And because me and your mother are going to be in Donnie's apartment, I'd figured today was the best time for you to meet Wilbur."

"Well, like Mom said, I'm not complaining. Let's go!"

Todayland, North Montana, USA

DONATELLO'S POV

I smiled when Leo took the portal back to New York. It gave me time to clean the kitchen and to set the table for him and his wife. While setting up the table, I heard the door open and close, and I looked up with surprise to see my daughter running inside.

"Lily?! What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be on a date?"

"Dad, it's senior night at the school tonight!" Lily yelled, running to her bedroom. "I'm supposed to be there to cheer!"

I let out a loud gasp. I, too, had forgotten about the game tonight.

"Shoot!" I exclaimed, now hurrying to finish setting up the table. "Well, hurry up and get ready! I'll be ready as fast as I can!"

I found a piece of paper next to my laptop and hurriedly wrote a note:

Leo, Lily rushed home reminding me that there was a game she needed to be at tonight. It's the very last home game for the season, so we rushed on over there. Wilbur is part of the color guard, so he has to perform also. Please tell April and Ryan to meet me in the gym. They cannot miss me from where I'll be standing. They will need to take the bubble transport to get to the high school. Enjoy your date! Donnie.

"Lily, are you ready to go?" I yelled.

"Yeah, just about!" Lily shouted back from her bedroom. "I can do my hair on the way there!"

"Just put it in a ponytail. You're going to be beautiful no matter what!"

Just then, Lily rushed out of her bedroom in her cheerleading uniform, putting her long red hair in a ponytail.

"Okay, I'm ready," I told her. "Let's go."

Lily and I quickly walked out of the apartment, flipped down the stairs, and ran outside to my car.

"So asides from your date being cut short, how was it?" I asked her.

"It was amazing, Dad!" Lily replied with a big smile. "James took me to an arboretum that I had no idea existed here. We were surrounded by trees. It instantly brought me home for some time, and some of my childhood memories came back. I think I found my home away from home."

"It sounds like I should pay a visit there sometime."

I let out a loud, delighted gasp.

"What is it, Dad?" Lily asked.

"Lily, you just gave me an idea on what to do for some of my classes!" I happily explained.

"What?"

"Taking my students to the arboretum! Biology is the study of life, and the arboretum is full of it! Dendrology, the study of trees. Entomology, the study of insects. Geology, the study of rocks. Anthology, the study of flowers. There's a whole lot to see and learn there, Lily! I'm going to create a scavenger hunt for my students!"

"That sounds like an amazing opportunity, Dad," Lily replied with a big smile. "But maybe wait until the weather warms up a little."

"Yeah, that's a good point. There aren't many insects in the winter. Oh, I know! I'll grade the scavenger hunt like it's an exam. Not only will it be a big grade for them, but it will also get their brain juices going as a way to study for their final exams."

"So, it'll happen in late April? The weather should be warmer by then."

"Oh yeah. Spring truly comes in April when the flowers start to bloom and the insects start to pollinate off them. It won't be hot enough for the students to sweat, but it also won't be too cold for the students to risk themselves getting frostbite. Thank you so much, Lily! I love you!"

"I love you too, Dad," Lily replied in a sheepish tone.

"Anyway, what all did you and James talk about?" I asked, calming down from my excitement.

"So James loves chemistry, and he plays baseball as well as basketball."

"Oh! James is on the basketball team?"

"Yeah. I cannot believe I didn't recognize him until just now. He's not a senior though. He's in Wilbur's class. But anyway, we also spoke about you and Mom, and then a little about me. He asked me what my favorite kind of ice cream is."

"That is a very interesting question, and a good one too. It sounds like he wants to get to know you more, which is the point of a date."

"Yeah, we're going to resume our date at some point," Lily replied. "I just don't know when."

"Now here's a piece of advice I will give you: take your time. You're only fourteen, and despite people telling you life is short, you have plenty of time until God calls you home."

"Speaking of which, thank you."

"What for?" I asked, displaying my gap-toothed grin.

"For reminding me that I am never alone and that everything will be okay," Lily answered, smiling at me. "You, Uncle Leo, and Wilbur have all been amazing to me this past week."

"Well, it's our pleasure. Now, I'm going to drop you off so you can join your squad. I'll be in to watch in a minute."

"I love you, Dad."

Lily kissed me on the cheek.

"I love you too, Lily Mae."

Lily hurried out of the car inside. I parked my car and paced myself inside. I bought three tickets for myself, April, and Ryan. Then I walked into the gymnasium and tried to find Karena. It took me a short time to find her with the Robinson family. I walked up the bleachers and sat next to Karena.

"You got here in the nick of time, Donnie," Karena told me. "The first game's about to start."

"Whew! Good! I'm so sorry I'm late. I was helping Leo cook dinner. He had made plans and Lily and I totally forgot about tonight's game."

"Wilbur was the only one who remembered," Franny replied. "This is the only game of the entire season that takes place on a Friday, so it threw all of us off."

"And guess what?" Karena chimed in. "I forgot about this and was in such a hurry to get here that I forgot that Leo was bringing Karai, April, and Ryan here. I hope they'll be okay."

APRIL'S POV

I followed Leo, Karai, and Ryan through the portal into Donnie's apartment.

"Donnie, we're here!" Leo yelled.

I smiled at the arrangement Donnie had made at the table. It looked like the perfect dinner for two. My smile went away when I saw a note on the table.

"Guys, listen to this," I said in a loud voice and started to read the note. "Leo, Lily rushed home reminding me that there was a game she needed to be at tonight. It's the very last home game of the season, so we rushed on over there. Wilbur is part of the color guard, so he has to perform also."

"I'm not liking where this is going," Leo chimed in, putting his head down.

"Hold on, Leo, there's more. Please tell April and Ryan to meet me in the gym. They cannot miss me from where I'll be standing. They will need to take the bubble transport to get to the high school. Enjoy your date! Donnie."

Leo groaned in disbelief, burying his head in his hands.

"Well, at least you both can keep your date," I told him. "Well, Ryan, I guess the plans have been changed for us."

"Wait, I know what the bubble transport is," Ryan replied, a smile forming on his face. "Venus and I saw it on our way to see Cornelius."

"Perfect!"

"You two better go if you don't want to miss Lily and Wilbur's performance," Karai suggested.

"That's a good idea," I replied. "Enjoy your date, guys! Ryan, let's go!"

Ryan and I left the apartment and ran down the stairs. It was a cold winter night when we got outside, and I was so thrilled that we all thought to wear some sort of covering over ourselves. Karai and I both wore gray coats while Leo and Ryan both wore blue cloaks.

"Well, Ryan, you know the city more than I do. Where are we going?"

"Follow me!" Ryan replied enthusiastically.

I followed him to what was called the bubble transport, and it was the most fascinating thing I had ever seen. Ryan and I took an elevator to the top of the structure, and we both got into our own bubbles. Once we punched in our destinations, we flew in our bubbles over to the high school. They popped when we got on the ground. We tried to get in through the front of the high school, but it was locked.

"Let me call Uncle Donnie," I told him.

I got out my T-Phone and called my husband. I frowned when I reached his voicemail.

"You have reached the voicemail of Dr. Donatello Hamato. I am unable to take your call at this time, but please leave your name, number, and a brief message, and I will return your call as soon as I can. Thank you, and have a blessed day."

"Hey, D, it's April. Ryan and I are trying to get to the game, but the door is locked-"

I paused when I felt vibrating on my phone. Donnie was calling me back! I hung up on the message and accepted his call.

"Donnie! Thank goodness!"

"Sorry about that. The junior varsity game just started and the Stars just scored a couple points, so the gym got loud. Where are you?"

"We're at the front, but the door's locked."

"You have to go around and come in through the back. I'll meet you both outside. I already bought tickets for you two."

"Donnie, you are the biggest blessing that God has ever given me!"

My husband chuckled.

"I love you too, sweetheart. See you soon."

I hung up.

"We have to go around to the back."

"Okay, but could we hurry?" Ryan asked. "It's freezing out here!"

"That's right. You're more cold-blooded because you're more turtle and snake than human. Well, let's make a run for it!"

Ryan and I sprinted around the high school until we spotted Donnie, wearing his purple cloak, outside.

"Thank goodness!" Donnie exclaimed, giving me a big hug and a kiss on my lips. "I was worried you two weren't going to make it!"

"The game just started, you said?" I asked.

"Well, the first quarter just ended, but you didn't miss too much," Donnie explained, walking us back inside and to the gym. "Ryan, Wilbur is part of the color guard who only performs in the second game. Lily cheers the entire time in both games, and she has a performance also, usually right after Wilbur's."

"I can't wait to see it," Ryan replied with a smile.

Donnie led me and Ryan to the bleachers, where we were joined by Karena and the Robinsons.

"April, hi!" Karena sweetly greeted me.

"Hey, Karena!"

We hugged each other.

"I'm so happy to see you!" Karena told me.

"Yeah! Long time no see!"

"Ryan, it's very nice to see you again," Karena told my nephew.

"It's good to see you too, Karena."

We sat down and watched the game in motion. While the boys bounced the ball around, passed the ball around, shot the ball into the hoops, Lily and the cheerleaders worked to pump up the crowd. We suddenly heard a loud clap.

"Oh, hey, Lily's about to start one!" Donnie whispered excitedly.

"We are the Stars and we can't be beat!" Lily and the cheerleaders yelled with smiles on their faces. "Because we got the power to knock you off your feet!"

The cheerleaders clapped once while repeating the cheer and moving their arms and legs around. When they finished, they put their hands on their hips. Our attention went back to the game for a short time before the cheerleading squad started another cheer.

"Y-E-L-L! Y-E-L-L! Y-E-L-L! Y-E-L-L! Everybody YELL YELL! Todayland! Todayland! Go Todayland!"

The cheerleaders repeated the cheer, and we chanted the city name with them.

"Lily is amazing!" I whispered to my husband as one of the Stars players scored a basket.

"I know, right?" Donnie replied with a big grin.

It took some time before the cheerleaders led a new cheer to pump us up just before the second quarter ended.

"Hey Todayland fans, stand up and clap your hands! Go Stars go! Go Stars go!"

We clapped along with the cheerleaders.

"Hey Todayland fans, now let's see you wave your hands! Go Stars go! Go Stars go! Go Stars go! Go Stars go!"

We waved with the cheerleaders until the cheer ended, and then they jumped and cheered as the Stars scored another basket just when the buzzer went off.

"And that's halftime folks!" the announcer above us said into the microphone. "The Stars have a good game going with a score of 10 to 4."

"Uncle Donnie, may I get some popcorn please?" Ryan asked.

"Sure! In fact, here."

Donatello reached into his wallet and gave Ryan some money.

"Get three bags for each of us, please," Donnie requested with his gap-toothed smile.

"I'll go with you Ryan," Karena said, getting up. "I can show you where it's at."

"Thank you."

I watched Ryan and Karena walk down the bleachers and out of the gym. The basketball players and cheerleaders had also left the gym as part of their halftime break.

"Hey, guys!"

We turned to our right to see Wilbur standing in front of us.

"April?"

"Wilbur!"

Wilbur and I laughed as they hugged each other.

"Long time no see!"

"I know! It's been a while! How are you?"

"Well, I was warming up for pep band and I needed a break," Wilbur explained with a smile on his face. "I figured I'd stop by and say hi. Where's Karena?"

"She's getting popcorn with Ryan," Donnie answered.

"Who's Ryan?" Wilbur asked with a confused look.

"Our nephew," I answered, and Wilbur smacked his head in disbelief.

"That Ryan! Where did our brains go?"

"Well, I know where Lily's went," Donnie said, giving me a look of disbelief.

"Oh that's right!" I replied with a big smile. "Lily went on a date! I wonder how it went."

"Me too," Wilbur said. "I helped set it up."

Just then, Ryan and Karena came back.

"Wilbur, hi!" Karena greeted him with a peck on the cheek. "Checking things out before you play with the band?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Wilbur, we'd like you to meet our nephew Ryan," Donnie introduced the two boys. "He's Leonardo's son. Ryan, this is Wilbur Robinson."

"So you're the Wilbur Robinson Karena keeps talking about," Ryan said, shaking his hand.

"I suppose I am," Wilbur replied with humility and a smile. "Lily has actually given me a list of things you like and things you dislike, so I am looking forward to knowing you."

Ryan laughed at that.

"Lily is just as quirky as Uncle Donnie, that's for sure. I am looking forward to spending the weekend with you."

"You are?" Wilbur asked with a surprised expression on his face.

"Surprise!" Karena and Franny said at the same time.

The cheerleaders and basketball players came back out.

"I guess that's my cue to head on back with the band," Wilbur said. "I'll see you later, Ryan."

"Good luck, Wilbur!"

We watched Wilbur walk down the bleachers and out of the gym. The buzzer sounded, which meant that the game resumed. The cheerleaders did not hesitate to break into a cheer.

"Stars, stand up! Stand up and scream. The best yea we're yellin' for the number one team. Let's hear it for the Stars, the yellow and white. Number one, that's what we said. The best yea alright. Go yellow, fight white. Let's go Stars. Go yellow, let's fight!"

Just when the cheer had ended, one of the Stars players had shot a three-pointer in the basket.

"April, that was Lily's date that just scored," Donnie explained to me.

"He's cute," I replied, noticing the energy he gave to his team. "What's his name?"

"James Anderson, Wilbur's best friend. He danced with Lily at the winter ball last Saturday. I think Lily is smitten with him."

"I can see why."

"READY?" Lily yelled on the sidelines. "OKAY!"

"Star spirit, yea get up, get up!" the cheerleaders encouraged us, and everyone stood up and clapped. "Let's hear it. Yell for the team that is the best. Come on crowd yell T-H-S, T-H-S. Yeah that's right. Let's go, let's fight, let's win. Stars, Stars alright!"

"I wish Athena and Venus are here to see this," Ryan said with a smile. "Lily's really good."

"You can use your T-Phone to videotape some of her cheers," I encouraged him.

"I do it all the time," Donnie chimed in. "Aunt April loves it. I'll betcha your cousins will too."

LEONARDO'S POV

Karai and I sat at the table by candlelight in Donnie's apartment. We smiled at each other the entire time, and we enjoyed the intimacy we had together.

"Leo, this meatloaf is delicious," Karai said before taking a bite of her salad.

"I gotta give credit to Donnie," I replied. "He has improved so much with how to cook that I am calling this Donnie's meatloaf."

We both laughed.

"Was Donatello horrible at first?"

"We all were. Mikey was the cook. But then Mikey opened up his own restaurant and Venus started a greenhouse in Donnie's lab and Athena started to cook too. We all took turns helping Athena make sure she didn't burn anything."

"I remember that," Karai replied fondly.

"April must have taught Donnie some things at the farmhouse, because he was never this good until now. He said being the only parent here has helped him step up on his cooking. He even taught me a new way to cut onions."

"Donatello the doctor."

"Exactly."

We both took a bite of our salads, and then we took a sip of our sodas. Then, we both let out a heavy sigh.

"Leo, you're probably thinking the same thing I am thinking."

"You feel bad about Donnie almost missing Lily cheer too?" I asked with an empathetic smile.

"I know this is supposed to be our date, Leo, and it's been lovely," Karai replied. "This is the best date I've had in years. But Lily's cheerleading right now, and even cheerleaders need support. We're Lily's family, Leo, and I feel that we should be there to cheer her on."

"You know what? I agree. And besides, Donnie and April still need to go on their date. We can finish ours after the game. Let's put the salad and pop away and go to Todayland High School."

"Let's do it!"

Karai and I worked to put everything in the fridge, and then we jumped out of the apartment building and sprinted to Todayland High School. After discovering the main entrances were locked, we hurried around to the back. We bought two tickets, and then we found our way inside the gymnasium. We spotted Lily right away on the sidelines, who waved at us with an excited smile. We waved back, and it did not take us too much longer to find Donnie and April with Ryan.

"You got room for two more?" I asked.

Donatello and April looked at us with surprised looks on their faces.

"Leo! What are you doing here?" Donnie asked. "Aren't you two supposed to be having an intimate occasion at the apartment?"

"We were, and we will once Lily is done cheering," Karai replied. "We're here to support Lily and Wilbur."

"Lily's more important than our date, Donnie," I replied.

Donnie gave us a heartfelt smile.

"And so is being with Ryan," Karai chimed in.

"Well, come have a seat!" Karena said with a smile. "This game's just about over and then they're going to recognize all the seniors who will be playing and cheering in their very last game."

We didn't pay much attention to the celebration surrounding Todayland High School's seniors, as Lily was a freshman and Wilbur was a sophomore. Karai and I simply enjoyed catching up with Karena. Karai met Wilbur's parents for the first time, and she immediately bonded with Franny.

"Would you accept a challenge, Karai?" Franny asked with an excited smile. "Who do you think is the best kunoichi?"

"Oh, you're on!" Karai replied with a big grin. "You may have to include April and Lily in on the competition."

"You'd better make it a six-women competition," April chimed in. "Athena and Venus have proven themselves to be quite the ninjas too."

"And what about me?" Karena asked.

"You have improved, honey," Franny replied to her. "But you're not a master."

"Come on, Franny, neither are Athena and Venus," Karai said. "A seven-women competition. I'd totally dig for that."

Suddenly, the gym was filled with loud music. The older basketball players ran in and started to shoot some practice baskets. Lily and the other cheerleaders stood up and started pumping their fists and dancing to the music. The pep band and cheerleaders pumped up the crowds for ten minutes, and then the players were introduced. Then, we stood up for the "Star Spangled Banner," and the game began.

"Lily looks like she's having the time of her life," I told Donnie.

"She really does," he replied with a proud smile on his face.

"Do you think she'll miss this when she returns to New York for good?" I asked.

"I'm no psychic, but I think she'll miss everything about Todayland after we return. I think even I might miss it."

"Then why don't you stay here, Donnie?"

My second younger brother shook his head.

"My place is in New York, Leo. This experience so far has been one to remember. But my life is in New York with April, Lily and you guys."

"Well, we do have portals now, Donnie. Maybe you can use it to come here every day."

"I can't, Leo."

"Let's get physical!" the cheerleaders yelled after the game started. "Get down, get hard, get mean! Let's get physical and beat that other team!"

I smiled, feeling proud of Lily for overcoming so much. I looked to my left and noticed Donnie having a sad look in his eyes. I looked back to the sidelines when Lily and the cheerleaders started another cheer.

"Hey, hey! Hey, hey, are you ready?"

They clapped and stomped with their right feet two times.

"Are you ready?"

They clapped two more times while stomping with their left feet.

"To play."

They clapped and stomped once on their right feet.

"Say go team."

They clapped again and stomped once on their left feet.

"Go team!"

The cheerleaders clapped and stomped once on each foot.

"Todayland Stars all the way!"

The cheer ended as one of the basketball players for Todayland scored two points. The crowd roared.

"Donnie, look, just from hearing you talk about your students, you're having the time of your life right now. Lily is, too, and I can tell just from how she's smiling."

My brother put a smile on his face.

"Thanks, Leo. You're right. I do love my job. But I love April and Lily more. That's non-negotiable."

I continued to smile, proud of my brother for putting his family over his work. I watched April pecking him on the cheek.

"I love you too, D," she told him. "Thank you for providing for us."

"Thank you too, for following your dreams and providing for us, April."

"S-U-C-C-E-S-S," the cheerleaders yelled. "That's the way we spell success. We wish you luck and all the rest with S-U-C-C-E-S-S!"

A short time later, the first quarter ended, and the second quarter started after a couple of minutes. While my family and I kept our eyes on Lily and the cheerleaders, Karena and the Robinsons watched the game. We noticed the Todayland Stars had fallen behind and their opponent had taken the lead.

"Unity and teamwork," the cheerleaders yelled again as the second quarter was about to end. "Let's pull it together and fight. Yell for the Stars, the gold, yellow, and white!"

The buzzer sounded. The second quarter had ended.

"And that's halftime, folks," the announcer said above us. "While the Stars are taking a break, it is our pleasure to present to you the Todayland High School color guard, performing their routine to Paramore's Emergency and featuring solos by sophomore Wilbur Robinson and senior Camilla Jones."

We clapped and cheered loudly as we watched the color guard finish setting up. All of our eyes were on Wilbur as the song began. We watched him toss a flag to a girl right on the first beat, and then he put his hands on the flag, tossed it in the air, and caught it with ease.

"WHOO!" Donnie cheered excitedly.

"Okay, that was amazing," I replied in agreement.

The song went into full swing, and all of the color guard started to dance and twirl their flags.

"Is it just me, or is Wilbur the only boy on the guard?" Karai asked.

"No, I noticed too," I answered. "He must be a very special member on the guard."

The first verse came, and Camilla started her solo. I noticed that she was twirling a rifle of some sort. I was in awe at all the tricks and spins she performed on the rifle. There were times throughout the verse the rest of the guard joined in, twirling their flags behind their bodies and in front of their bodies. And at the end of each line, there was a small toss. Once the chorus came on, everyone cheered for Camilla, and all of the color guard ran and danced to new spots while twirling their flags. I had then noticed that all the seniors that were performing had rifles.

"Look!"

I looked back to Karena, who pointed to Wilbur. We all noticed him moving forward with a different flag than everyone else. The second verse began, and so did Wilbur's solo. While Karena loudly cheered him on, I watched Wilbur performing all kinds of tricks and spins with both his flag and his body. He was moving as fast as Donnie and Lily when they fight with their bo staffs. Wilbur had found a way to blend in everything he had learned to create the most amazing routine I had ever seen. I could not decide if his routine was better than Lily's cheerleading tryout routine or if he had matched her abilities.

All of us cheered loudly when Wilbur finished his solo and the rest of the color guard joined in for the rest of the song.

"What did you think, Ryan?" I asked him with a grin.

"Wilbur was amazing," he replied. "He is just as good as Uncle Donnie and Lily. Is he a ninja too?"

"Sort of. He specializes in karate, which is a Chinese martial art. They wear colored belts to determine their expertise, and Wilbur is a black belt, the best color possible."

"Let's give a big cheer to the Todayland High School color guard!"

We all cheered.

"And now let's give a big cheer to the Todayland High School cheerleading squad, performing their routine to Katy Perry's Firework!"

"Here comes Lily," Donnie said loudly amongst the cheering.

Our attention was now on my niece. Lily's long red hair was held up by a gold ribbon, and she wore a long-sleeved white shirt with a big gold star on her torso. Her skirt was white with gold lines on the hem. Lily ran into the gym carrying gold and white pom-poms, but I noticed all the cheerleaders were carrying different colored pom-poms. They got into position, I took out my T-Phone and set it up to videotape the performance, and then the song started. My eyes were on Lily the entire time. She was all smiles as she danced with the other cheerleaders. What had really gotten me intrigued was how their routines at the chorus was different each time. The first time, Lily was lifted up and performed a stunt while in that position, stretching her right leg all the way over her head. Then she performed the tree pose with her hands high in the air. In the middle of the chorus, she was let go, and she performed a corkscrew until she was caught by her spotters. At the line "Let your colors burst," all the cheerleaders had waved her pom-poms in the air. At the very end of the chorus, Lily was one of the cheerleaders to perform a series of cartwheels and flips.

The cheerleaders' routine mostly matched the lyrics, and Lily was the cheerleader doing the most stunts, given her skills. Once their routine ended and the pep band, including Wilbur, returned to the other side of the gym, the cheerleaders led a chant to the crowd.

"Let's get fired up! Get rough, get tough, get mean. Let's get fired up and roll right over that team! One-two-three-four. Let us hear you stomp the floor! THS, THS, THS!"

We were encouraged to stomp our feet with them.

"Let's get fired up! Get rough, get tough, get mean. Let's get fired up and roll right over that team! Five-six-seven-eight. Everybody rotate! Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!"

The cheerleaders did a 360-degree turn while we chanted with them.

"Let's get fired up! Get rough, get tough, get mean. Let's get fired up and roll right over that team! Nine-ten-eleven-twelve. Let us hear you Stars yell!"

We yelled excitedly, and we yelled even louder when we realized it was the end of their routine. Some of the cheerleaders had their hands on their hips while the others had held them up high.

"That was amazing!" I yelled excitedly when the basketball players returned.

"I know, right?" Donnie replied with excitement.

"Isn't there a competition the cheerleaders go to?" April asked.

"Yeah! Lily's got one coming up."

"I don't see why this routine wouldn't win it."

We enjoyed listening to the pep band play more music, and we enjoyed watching Lily cheer on her team to where the Todayland Stars came back and won the game.

WILBUR'S POV

I had joined my family in the bleachers as Lily finished cheering, and right after the game, I did not hesitate to show Ryan around the house. My guest was smiling in amazement throughout the tour, and it ended in my room where we just relaxed.

"Huh, it looks like my mom set up a bed for you down here," I said, noticing the cot. "Normally we'd put you in the guest room, but Karena currenly lives there. Thankfully, it won't be much longer."

"Do you not like having Karena around?" Ryan asked.

"Don't get me wrong. She is an amazing girlfriend. But she's been itching to go back to her dorm ever since she moved in, and I don't blame her. The topic of marriage hasn't even popped in our relationship yet."

"Well, of course not," Ryan replied, sitting on the cushions, and I joined him. "You're only fifteen and in high school. When my dad was fifteen, he was worried about three things: being the perfect leader, being just like Captain Ryan on Space Heroes, and impressing my mom."

"Define impressing her," I requested with a smirk.

"As in my dad had feelings for her and was hoping she'd like him back. Just like Uncle Donnie and Aunt April when they were fifteen and sixteen. Mom actually admitted to calling him adorable back then. But the Shredder was raising her back in the day, so a relationship was not possible then. The Shredder had wanted my dad and my brothers gone at all costs."

"Lily mentioned your dad killed him, right?"

"Yes, my dad killed the Shredder eventually, and it was because the Shredder killed my grandpa. I think my family has had the most drama out of all the Turtles. Uncle Raph and Auntie Mona started their relationship once she moved to Earth. The only thing that had held them back was the fact that Auntie Mona was an interspatial species."

"Mona Lisa is from space?" I asked with wide eyes and a surprised voice. "What planet?"

"Salamandria," Ryan answered with a smile on his face. "You can call her a genetically-enhanced salamander if you'd like. That's pretty much what she is. Their daughter Venus is more like her in physiology than Uncle Raph. But Venus certainly has her father's personality. Now let's see... Uncle Donnie and Aunt April. I do remember Uncle Donnie telling me that they became fast friends, but their friendship was put on hold due to an accident that Aunt April blamed him for. But they forgave each other and moved on as friends. Their story, I think, is the most romantic of all of them."

"Lily talks about her dad very fondly," I replied with a smile.

"Uncle Donnie and Aunt April are certainly trendsetters when it comes to relationships. They were the first to get married, you know. My parents were the third couple to marry. Which brings me to Uncle Mikey and Auntie Renet."

Ryan paused, letting out a laugh.

"Gosh, their story is the hardest to tell. Auntie Renet is a time-traveler, and she met Uncle Mikey while time-travelling."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on."

I waved my hands in front of him.

"Renet is a time-traveler?"

"Yes. She came from this very year, in fact."

"And I thought I was the only one," I replied in a mumble.

"Wait, you travel in time, too?" Ryan asked with surprise in his voice.

"Not anymore. I used to when my dad first invented our two time machines, but I ended up getting in trouble for bringing my dad's younger self to this time and he almost got adopted by my family."

"Oof!"

"Yeah. That's where Karena came in, actually. She's talked some sense into me, and I've been content with my life since. But my question is, how did Mikey and Renet end up together?"

"Uncle Mikey kept flattering her, and she was touched by his affections. Auntie Renet travelled back in time to 2018 to marry Uncle Mikey. She had to stay in the past for nine months though when she got pregnant with Athena. The strange thing is, she had aged nine months, so when she returned to the future, her future was different. She had discovered she was fired as Lord Simulatneous' assistant and now works at the TIME agency in New York. But at the same time, she had Mikey and a thirteen-year-old Athena with her. So she's content now."

Ryan scooted closer to me and spoke to me in a whisper.

"Please do not tell Uncle Donnie I'm telling you this. He hates time travel."

I gave him a weird look.

"Why? Time travel is a fascinating subject to talk about!"

"Uncle Donnie ranted in New York about how all of his travels through time except for one of them ended horribly. He has sworn to never work for someone who specializes in time travel. That is the one thing he and your dad disagree on."

"Huh. Now I gotta know: which adventure worked out for him?"

"The adventure where he, my dad, Uncle Raph, Uncle Mikey, Aunt April, and a family friend named Casey Jones went to space and travelled back in time six months to save the planet from annihilation. And it worked. Earth was saved."

"So that's how Raph met Mona Lisa!" I exclaimed with excitement. "That makes sense now!"

"Yep. Heh, even Uncle Mikey and Auntie Renet had an easier relationship than my parents. You know of how we're all in the Hamato Clan?"

I nodded.

"My mom isn't. She was born a Hamato, but in an act of revenge, the Shredder tried to murder my grandpa, Hamato Yoshi, and murdered his wife Tang Shen on accident. When it was revealed they had a daughter named Miwa, the Shredder took her away, claiming her as his own daughter and named her Karai. She was raised in the Foot Clan and did all sorts of evil things for him. Then, she met my dad. They flirted with each other, and then my dad and uncles attempted to assassinate the Shredder, so their friendship was broken. Then some time later, my dad discovered Mom was Splinter's long-lost daughter, and she finally believed it. She got mutated into a shape-forming serpent, which is why I'm so pale. She is the only one of two mutants Uncle Donnie could not cure. After being on the run, Shredder found her again and fed her a brain-worm, which is a mind control serum that works under Shredder's control. After Splinter and my dad cured her, Mom worked to rebuild the Foot Clan to regain the honor that Shredder had taken away. Now the Foot and Hamato Clans are at peace with each other. Both my parents have dojos they teach at, but at the end of the day, they have both encouraged their students to be their own person, not what people make them to be."

"I'm fascinated with this story," I replied. "I really am. But what does this have to do with your parents' relationship?"

"Shredder kept trying to take my mom away from my grandpa and my dad. But then he stupidly decided to mutate himself for more power. Then he just wanted all of my family dead. I'm sorry to be blunt, but I'm not sorry my dad killed the Shredder."

"Okay, now I have another question: technically, your dad and your mom were siblings, right?"

"But they didn't know at the beginning. And... my dad was adopted. After all, he is a genetically-enhanced turtle. And with my mom marrying him, she was finally able to ditch her history with Oroku Saki and become a Hamato again. My dad had feelings for my mom all along, so he never saw her as his sister. Uncle Mikey was the only one who acknowledged that my mom was his sister until my parents married."

"And how is your mom liking her life married to your dad?" I asked with curiosity.

"She loves it," Ryan answered. "If she didn't, I wouldn't be here. She's finally able to live the life she's wanted to live."

"And what about you?"

"It's hard. I'm the son of the leader of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the sensei of the Hamato Clan as well as being the son of the sensei of the Foot Clan. I kind of feel that it's my destiny to be the leader of the Hamato Clan. But I'm not the oldest."

"Lily is."

"Yes. And Lily is the model ninja of all of us. And I do mean that sincerely. A couple months ago, I would have said that with sarcasm. We used to fight a lot. When we spar, it was always me against Lily, and Lily won every single time. It angered me so much we actually argued, and our arguments were heated. And then Lily went on her vision quest and succeeded. It dawned on me that if she can do something like that at only fourteen years of age, then she is a true leader. I respect her now because of that."

We smiled at each other.

"So, what about you? Dad tells me you know karate."

"Yeah, my mom's trained me since I could walk," I explained. "She figured I'd need it for self-defense someday. It's great to have. I mean, I've stopped someone from killing me."

"You too, huh? Sounds like you and Lily have a lot in common."

"Ryan, we have so much in common we could be siblings. It's a little scary, actually. We are equal in pretty much everything, and we both have a super-genius father, so we have intelligence on our side."

"So the only differences are... you two are from different cities, you two are of different species, and you do not have psychic powers."

I pondered in thought.

"Yeah, pretty much. Would you like to learn how to play chargeball?"

"Sure!"

At eleven o'clock at night, I taught Ryan how to play chargeball and we spent the next couple hours having fun on the court.

DONATELLO'S POV

After we dropped off Lily, Leo, and Karai, April and I made the drive to the Cheesecake Factory to enjoy a late-night dinner. I had ordered a flatbread pepperoni pizza while April had a salad. We both ordered Coca-Cola for drinks.

"This is nice," I told her with a kind smile. "We don't get to do this often enough."

"No, we don't," April replied, returning the smile. "That was nice of Leo to do, even though it happened later than planned. Lily did amazing tonight."

"Didn't she? Wilbur was pretty good too."

"Wilbur's knowledge with the flag is very impressive. He's just as good as you, D."

"Give all the credit to Karena on that one. She's the one who taught him how to twirl a flag."

"Really? Huh. Come to think of it, Roosevelt High School had a color guard. If I had met you guys earlier and trained earlier, I would not have hesitated in joining."

My kind smile turned into an optimistic gap-toothed grin.

"I think it worked out. The only thing you were involved in is the science club. And don't get me wrong, I would have only been involved with that club also because ninjutsu takes a lot of your time."

"Yes, it does," April replied, taking a bite of her salad. "There were days I wished that I just lived down with you guys and not have to worry about school. But at the same time, who would have been my school teacher."

"Me. Splinter didn't know everything. Ever since I can remember, I had been reading books on science, math, medicine, and so on. I was the one who taught my brothers the core subjects in school."

"So being a teacher really has been your calling," April said in awe. "It really suits you. Speaking of which, I overheard Leo talking to you about you staying in Todayland."

"April, I can't, and you know that," I replied, my smile disappearing. "You and Lily are far more important than my job. And I've really missed being with you these past two months. I don't ever want to be away from you that long again. Then again, I may not have a choice until the school year is over."

"Well, we do have portals. I can always come on over any time you need me to."

"I think Leo has the right idea, though. You coming over for a date."

"I can always ask you if you want to go on a date, Donatello."

We smiled affectionately at each other.

"You can, Mrs. Hamato," I replied. "In fact, I'd love it if you asked me out. There will be times when I need a break from being the only parent around."

"I can always come over and spend time with Lily too," April said, putting her left hand on my right one. "She's our daughter, Donnie. I miss you and Lily so much. Speaking of Lily, I take it you're going to start homeschooling her again?"

"Yeah. Our lives will be back to normal when the school year is over. I'll just ask Lily what all she's learned and then I'll go from there."

"What if she misses Todayland? Lily looked so happy to be cheering. She won't be able to do that at home."

"Hey, let's discuss this later, okay?" I asked with a smile. "Right now, we are on our first date in a while. It's just us. No brothers, no sisters-in-law, no children. Just us, April, and I love it."

April laughed affectionately, and we pulled up to each other and kissed each other before continuing our meal.