Hi everybody! I guess we were due for another 10K word chapter. It took me some time to write because I had to refer to "For Good", "Freshman Anxiety", and "Worlds Between Worlds" quite often to write Karena's memories out and I had to be quite creative with Doris and Lily. I want to give you guys the warning again about this chapter containing suicidal thoughts, and after this chapter I promise I am done with that! Lots going on here, and I hope you'll enjoy reading this chapter!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to "Meet the Robinsons" nor "TMNT," nor do I own Sam Tsui and Christina Grimmie's version of "Just a Dream." I only own Karena, Lily, and Venus.
March 17, 2041 - Los Angeles, California, USA
LILIANNA'S POV
Wilbur and I went to Los Angeles via his flying car. Karena was heading to her hometown via airplane, so we had ended up speeding all the way there to beat the plane. We ended up landing his car right next to the Hollywood sign. We hopped out, as I could not help but look at the sign in awe. I took out my phone and took pictures of the sign from all angles.
"Lily, what are you doing?" Wilbur asked me with a glare.
"Wilbur, I've never been here before, so I'm taking advantage of it! This sign is so... beautiful!"
"Lily, you were here when Karena was kidnapped. Heck, you even drove here."
"Good point, but at least that time I knew where the Magician was taking her. I do not know where she is this time."
"That is the real reason why I parked next to the Hollywood sign," Wilbur replied. "You have the ability to track down one mind from a high altitude. Since this is so isolated, maybe you can do that here."
I closed my eyes and imagined myself in Karena's mind. To my surprise, she was closer than I thought she would be.
"I hear... music."
The voice who was singing sounded familiar... way too familiar.
"Christina Grimmie?"
"Lily! Where is Karena?" Wilbur asked impatiently.
I concentrated, trying to picture a location. Suddenly, a room came into view. I let out a loud gasp and opened my eyes. The room also looked very familiar.
"Wilbur, Karena's at Theodore Roosevelt High School listening to Christina Grimmie's cover of Just a Dream. She's in the boiler room."
"Get in the car! We need to get going before your vision and my nightmare become reality."
We hopped back into the car and made the drive to Theodore Roosevelt High School, the school Karena graduated from before moving to the future.
"Do you remember the layout of the school?" Wilbur asked me.
"Yes, my encounter with the Magician will not be forgotten."
"Then I'll follow you wherever we need to go."
I smiled, thankful that he was confident in me. It was not a long drive from the Hollywood sign to the high school. We parked the car and into the high school with no problems.
"You know, for it being 2041, security's not very good," I pointed out.
"New York City may be called the city that never sleeps," Wilbur replied. "But Los Angeles is another one of those cities. Especially after adapting my dad's technology, Los Angeles didn't think additional security was needed."
"It's ironic considering it's home to hundreds if not thousands of actors and singers. You'd think there would be more security around them."
"Are you saying that because your favorite singer was murdered at gunpoint?" Wilbur asked with a raised eyebrow.
I paused, not wanting to talk about the topic any longer. Suddenly, I heard music playing loudly.
"Another riding, I swear I see your face at every turn," I heard Christina Grimmie singing in a distance. "I'm trying to get my usher on but I can't let it burn. And I just hope you know that you're the only one I yearn for! No wonder I'll be missing when I learn."
"It's coming from down there," Wilbur said, pointing a finger and running ahead.
"Wilbur, wait!" I yelled.
I had no choice but to follow him.
"I was thinking about you, thinking about me, thinking about us, what we gonna be. Open my eyes. It was only just a dream. So I travel back down that road. Will you come back? No one knows. I realize it was only just a dream."
The song continued to play as I followed Wilbur down to the boiler room.
"NO!" Wilbur yelled.
I ran into the room and let out a loud horrifying gasp. Wilbur took Karena's place. Karena had let out a gasp and pulled the knife out from his shoulder. Wilbur collapsed onto the floor, yelling out in pain. Karena started to wail loudly. I had almost cried myself, but now I was needed. I needed to be strong for the two of them.
"What have I done?" Karena asked in tears.
"Karena, that doesn't matter now. We need towels and fast!"
Wilbur let out a loud gasp, hyperventilating at the pain he was enduring.
"Lily!" he screamed.
"Shh, Wilbur, everything is going to be fine. We're gonna stop the bleeding and then take you home to the hospital. Let me call my dad in the meantime."
I quickly took out my T-Phone and dialed my dad.
"Donatello."
"Dad, it's me. I'm at Theodore Roosevelt High School. Wilbur took Karena's place and he's heavily bleeding with a lot of pain. I can try to stop the bleeding but what else can I do?"
"Stay right there. I'm going to take the portal with your mom."
My dad hung up just as Karena returned with the towels, and she was crying again.
"Why did Wilbur have to do this?" Karena tearfully asked.
"He loves you, Karena," I answered, putting lots of pressure on his shoulder. "He never stopped loving you despite everything that happened. He loves you to the point where he'd sacrifice himself for your life."
"Lily, this is my fault," she replied. "If I hadn't gotten amnesia, none of this would have happened and I'd actually remember everything."
I turned to glance at her and read her mind.
I love him. I may not remember how, but I truly do love him. I'd give anything for him to survive this.
My thoughts were interrupted when the portal opened revealing my parents.
"Is everyone okay?" Dad asked, immediately running up to Wilbur with his doctor's bag.
"We're doing the best we can, Dad," I answered.
My dad placed his finger on Wilbur's neck, detecting a heartbeat.
"His heartbeat is faint. We need to get him to the hospital now. April, can you help me? Activate the portal."
"I'll stay with Karena," I said.
"No, I want to go," Karena replied. "I have to see if he'll make it through the night."
"Then go. I'll clean everything up here and meet you guys there."
Todayland, North Montana, USA
DONATELLO'S POV
Lily, Karena, April, and I all waited outside of Wilbur's hospital room waiting to hear from the doctor or nurse. I could not do anything this time because I did not have a license to perform surgery.
"Donnie!"
We all turned to our right to see Wilbur's parents approaching us. The ladies got up and hugged Franny. Cornelius and I shook hands.
"Thank you for alerting us about Wilbur, Donnie," Franny told me.
"Once again, Wilbur saved someone's life by taking her place," Cornelius said. "Any word on him?"
"Nothing yet," I answered solemnly.
"What do you think is wrong with him?" Cornelius asked.
"Karena tried to commit suicide after breaking up with Wilbur," I explained. "Once Lily told Wilbur about her vision, they drove to Los Angeles. They reached Karena just in time, because Karena stabbed Wilbur's left shoulder instead. He was bleeding a lot. I am praying that Karena avoided an artery and that she just stabbed tissue."
"About that," Karena chimed in. "Donnie, Lily, may I speak with you?"
Lily and I followed Karena out of earshot.
"Are you doing alright?" Lily asked.
"No, this is all my fault. I want to remember how Wilbur and I started out. I want to remember why I love him. And I want to remember us being engaged."
"So you want me to dig into your unconscious again?" Lily asked and Karena nodded. "It's going to be risky."
"This time, I'm willing to take the risk."
"I'm gonna need Wilbur's help, too."
Just as she spoke again, the door to Wilbur's room opened, revealing the nurse.
"How is he doing?" I asked.
"Wilbur has lost a lot of blood, Drs. Hamato and Robinson," the nurse explained. "We performed surgery to sew the wound in his muscle. But he's still unconscious. He may not make it through the night."
"But he's still alive?"
"He has a heartbeat, but it's faint. It's going to take a miracle for him to wake up."
"Thank you, nurse."
She walked away.
"Wait!" Lily called out. "May we at least see him? It may help him gain consciousness."
"Be quick."
"Go, Lily Mae," I told her sternly, putting my hands on her shoulders. "Save Wilbur's life. Save Karena's mind. Save their future."
LILIANNA'S POV
Karena and I walked into Wilbur's room. It pained me to see Wilbur in the state he was in. He was more pale than normal, but he laid peacefully with his eyes closed. His left arm was now in a sling to heal his shoulder.
Karena and I both walked around the bed to his left side. Karena sat down on the bed next to him.
"Wilbur, I am so sorry," Karena softly said, choking up with the threat of tears in her green eyes. "I wish there was something I could do to bring you back to life."
"This is where I hope to come in," I replied. "I'm not God, but I can try to heal you both if He grants me that power. I just need to have faith. I am actually very curious about how your relationship started four years ago."
"What do you need me to do?"
"Close your eyes. I will put my left hand on your forehead and my right one on Wilbur's. It's going to be tricky to get into Wilbur's mind because he has a mental shield."
"Will this hurt?"
"It may hurt Wilbur more than it will hurt you, but I sincerely pray that won't be the case. I'm going to try to mediate to get into both your minds and help you remember your time together."
"Do what you need to do."
I placed my left hand on Karena's forehead and my right on Wilbur's. I closed my eyes and started to meditate. Getting into Karena's mind was easy. I really struggled with Wilbur's. So I set my focus on a different person to help me out.
"Uncle Leo, it's me, Lily. I need your help. Wilbur is unconscious and I cannot enter his mind. I need to save his life and Karena's mind before Wilbur ends up dying. Please help us, sensai."
My eyes remained closed, and I tried again to get into Wilbur's mind. Suddenly, I screamed. I had no idea why getting into Wilbur's mind was so painful. Then, to my surprise, Grandpa Splinter was speaking to me.
"Be bold like the sun, Lilianna. You are not alone. We will save Wilbur's life together. Let us go back to the day Karena met Wilbur..."
March 30, 2037
I felt present in the air with Grandpa Splinter floating next to me.
"When are we?" I asked my mutant grandfather.
"Four years in your past," Grandpa Splinter answered. "Things were very different for Karena and my sons. Your father was only fifteen when he journeyed here."
"So I wasn't born when this happened?"
"No. Karena, Wilbur, and your family were from three different dimensions. Now, let us quiet our minds so we can listen to the meeting that changed everything."
I turned back forward to find my dad and three uncles along with Karena looking around Wilbur's house.
"The superhero's an intergalactic pizza delivery guy?" a teenaged Uncle Leo had asked. "That or he's nuts."
Karena giggled. I also giggled when I saw her ruined clothes.
"We find him just when Mikey is not with us."
"Yeah, Mikey would be over the moon with that guy," a teenaged Uncle Raphael replied.
I facepalmed myself at the pun.
"So where do we start?" Karena asked.
"Maybe I can help," a thirteen-year-old Wilbur said, suddenly showing up behind the group and holding out his hand. "I'm Wilbur Robinson."
Karena shook his hand and introduced herself and the group to him.
"I'm Karena Edwards. This is Leonardo, Donatello, and Raphael Hamato, and this is April O'Neil."
"Wait, Mom's here too?" I asked with surprise.
I looked down, and sure enough, there was my mom in her teenage form, looking much smaller than I remembered. Her medium-length red hair was tied up in a hair tie with a yellow headband holding her hair in place. I smiled, immediately recognizing her signature yellow jersey, blue jean shorts, and black leggings.
"We call ourselves Leo, Raph, and Donnie for short," my teenaged dad explained with a voice much younger than the seventeen-year-old Donatello I saw before. "We're looking for our brother Michelangelo."
"Mikey for short," Uncle Leo chimed in with his smile immediately turning into a look of shock. "Wait a minute, you're shaking our hands. You aren't afraid of us?
"Why would I be?" Wilbur asked in reply with a shrug. "For one, I have a butler who is a genetically enhanced squid. Two, we have two members of the family who would prefer to be plants. Three, I know where Mikey is."
"You found Mikey?" Uncle Raph asked with quite the smile on his face.
"Where is he?" Mom asked with just as big a smile as Uncle Raph's.
"He's in my room playing chargeball," Wilbur answered, returning the smile. "He was trying to find you guys here, and..."
Wilbur's smile suddenlv disappeared, and he was now quite angry.
"This is the second time this has happened today!"
"I don't remember him being this angry before," I whispered to my grandfather. "Except maybe when he was mad at me that one time."
"Please listen, Lilianna," Grandpa Splinter told me. "And quiet your mind."
"Wilbur, please calm down," Mom assured him, putting her hands on his shoulders. "We will find Lewis."
"Yeah, you're helping us find Mikey after all," Karena chimed in with a smile. "We'll help you in return. How's that?"
April, Karena, and Wilbur took some breaths together.
"Thank you," Wilbur said, putting a smile back on his face. "I'm sorry I snapped like that. It has been a long day."
"Let us go, Lilianna," Grandpa Splinter told me.
I felt some sort of motion that I could not describe. Before I knew it, it was nighttime.
"When are we now, Grandpa?" I asked.
"We went a few hours ahead," Grandpa Splinter explained. "Now watch."
I looked down and watched Carl escorting Wilbur, a teenaged Cornelius, and Karena back to the house at tall heights. Carl let out a laugh of joy.
"Look at that boys, we're almost home-free-AAH!"
I gasped. I watched a flying hat, whom I immediately recognized as Doris, stabbing Carl in the back. The three teens looked back before Carl fell limp and they fell to the ground. Doris let out a robotic maniacal laugh as she somehow grabbed what looked like a heavy science project.
"Wilbur, the project!" Karena screamed.
Carl moaned and then died. My heart broke at the sight.
"Oh, no!" Wilbur cried.
The three teens angrily looked at the scrawny man in a time machine, supposedly a stolen one as he did not look like the brightest man on the planet.
"Take a look around boys... and lady. Because your future is about to change!"
The scrawny man used the time machine to fly into a bubble. Suddenly, the skies started to turn green.
"Lewis, you have to fix the time machine!" Wilbur prompted the boy.
"No, I- I- I can't!" Lewis panicked.
"Wilbur, why are you so afraid all of a sudden?" Karena asked.
"The Bowler Hat Guy has won," Wilbur answered with sadness in his voice. "Lewis fixed the project, and now he's going to pass the invention off as his own. I'm not going to exist."
I felt angry at this. Not just at the fact the Bowler Hat Guy stole Cornelius project and passed it off as his own, but also because there was nothing I could do to stop that. I was just a spirit in this world.
"Look, I messed up," Wilbur continued. "I left the garage unlocked and I tried like crazy to fix things! But now it's up to you. You can do it, Dad."
Wilbur then walked over to Karena, putting a finger on her lips as she started to speak.
"Karena, in case we don't see each other again..."
Wilbur suddenly kissed Karena as if he had nothing left to lose.
"Their first kiss," I gasped in awe.
"I've always wanted to see what that's like," Wilbur told her with a kind smile on his face. "I... I love you."
Blue smoke surrounded Wilbur then.
"Lewis? Lewis!"
"Come," Grandpa Splinter said. "We shall go."
"Go?" I asked angrily. "I want to see what happens!"
"You already know what will happen, Lilianna. Otherwise you would not exist. Now come."
May 10, 2038
I found myself in a familiar spot: the Robinson Industries ballroom. However, it was strangely empty with only Wilbur in the room. But something was different about him. Wilbur wore a white suit, and he looked like he was the groom of his wedding. I heard the door open, and I turned to my right to see Karena entering the ballroom.
"What happened on this day?" I asked my grandfather.
"Watch and learn, my granddaughter," Grandpa Splinter told me.
I looked forward at Karena, who wore a kelly-green dress with green heels. She walked up to Wilbur, who turned on a song.
"Will you teach me to dance?" Wilbur asked with a smile.
Karena returned the smile with a nod. She helped Wilbur put his hands in the right places before demonstrating the waltz. I had noticed that with heels, Karena was slightly taller than Wilbur. It had dawned on me that the boy had a growth spurt during his sophomore and junior years in high school.
"You're in my arms, and all the world is gone. The music playing on for only two. So close together, and when I'm with you. So close to feeling alive."
"So what's the special occasion?" Karena asked.
"Well, considering I'm too young to go to prom, I figured I'd make up for it here," Wilbur explained.
"A life goes by, romantic dreams must die. So I bid mine goodbye and never knew. So close was waiting, waiting here with you. And now forever I know. All that I want is to hold you so close."
Wilbur pulled Karena against his chest as they continued to sway and dance.
"So close to reaching that famous happy ending," Wilbur sang along. "Almost believing this one's not pretend and now you're beside me, and look how far we've come. So far we are so close."
"Wilbur has a good voice," Grandpa Splinter said.
The raven-haired teenager twirled the brunette around the ballroom.
"I take it there's a reason behind the dance and the song?" Karena asked.
"Yes, there is," Wilbur answered. "You saved my life and the lives of everyone at Todayland High."
"You did that too, you know. That reminds me. Rachel has been sentenced to fifteen years in prison with mandated psychological counseling."
"Good. Hopefully she can take care of herself there. But anyway, I've done some thinking ever since Rachel tried to kill us. Not only have we become best friends, but we were an amazing team. And I love you, Karena, as more than a friend."
"I will admit, this first year in Todayland was not what I had in mind. But I couldn't have made it through without you. I think I made the right choice moving here."
"I've certainly changed since I met you. But what I am trying to say is…"
Wilbur paused, letting out a contented sigh.
"I want to be your boyfriend. With that said, will you be my girlfriend?"
"Wilbur, I'm an adult."
"I don't care. If it is love, and I know what I'm feeling is love for you, then love doesn't know what physical age means."
"That is a good point. I've never had a boyfriend before."
"This will be a first for me too. Sure, girls have had crushes on me, but I want my feelings for a girl to mean something."
"I feel the same way with the opposite sex," Karena replied, giving Wilbur a wink.
"Oh, how could I face the faceless days if I should lose you now?"
Wilbur and Karena closed their distance with their second kiss.
"We're so close to reaching that famous happy ending. Almost believing this one's not pretend. Let's go on dreaming though we know we are… so close… so close, and still so far."
"Come," Grandpa Splinter told me. "We will take one more trip back in time."
December 21, 2040
Splinter and I moved forward in time again, and this time it was winter in Todayland. The hills surrounding the city were covered in snow, and behind the hills was an amazing sunset the pink clouds against a blue and orange sky. Surprised that I was not freezing, I watched Karena approach Wilbur with a dreamy smile on her face.
"This is so beautiful, Wil."
"Isn't it?" Wilbur replied in question.
Wilbur held Karena's hand and she placed her head on his shoulder. They watch the sunset together for a few quiet moments. When the sun set and twilight began, Wilbur moved away.
"I have something to say."
"What is it?" Karena asked.
"The last three-and-a-half years were the best years of my life, Karr. I would not trade them for anything in the world. You brought out the best in me and you helped me learn more about myself than I would have if I was going through life alone. I had never imagined anyone special in my life, but you changed all that. I know we have been talking about our futures lately, but I cannot think of anyone else to spend my future with but you. I love you Karena, and I will always love you for the rest of my life. I feel at the top of the world when I am with you because I know with you at my side, we can accomplish anything we set our minds to."
There were a few quiet moments as Karena had her mouth open in awe, unsure of what to say. Finally, she spoke with a smile, stroking his cheek.
"Wilbur, you are never alone and you never will be alone. You have a family that loves you and supports you all the way and you help me."
"I know. It was thanks to you that I knew how much everyone loves me. Now I know I had originally planned this for much later, but I just cannot wait any longer."
Wilbur knelt down in the snow on one knee. I let out a gasp at the exact same time Karena did. I was watching their marriage proposal coming to life.
"Wilbur--"
"Karena Michelle Edwards, will you be my wife?"
Karena placed both her hands over her mouth and she let out tears of joy.
"Oh my stars, yes. Yes, Wilbur! Of course, I will marry you!"
Wilbur took off Karena's glove and slipped the ring on her finger. He got up and they embraced each other so tightly and then they shared a passionate kiss. They pulled away just when it started to snow.
"This concludes our time together, Lilianna."
I turned towards my grandfather. I felt shocked.
"I wish you could stay with us," I replied sadly.
I felt his hand on my shoulder, and I looked up with a saddened expression. Splinter was smiling.
"I am always with you, Lilianna. Donatello and April have raised an intelligent and spirited daughter. The more you grow, the more wisdom you will carry with you. Now, let us save Wilbur's life."
Grandpa Splinter closed his eyes and started chanting.
"Rin. Pyo. Toh. Sha. Kai. Jin. Retsu. Zai. Zen."
I closed my eyes and joined him, repeating the chant twice. We chanted one more time and even heard Wilbur chanting with us.
"Wake up, Lilianna."
March 17, 2041
I woke up. I turned to my right to see Wilbur with a smile on his face and his chocolate-brown eyes open.
"Hey, Lily."
I screamed with delight. I had saved his life.
"What happened?" Karena asked with a fatigued voice.
"You both saved me," Wilbur answered.
Karena let out a gasp, and then she laughed with tears in her green eyes.
"Wilbur! I… I remember you. I remember everything!"
I backed up as Karena ran over, jumped on the bed, and hugged him. Wilbur hugged her back with his right arm.
"It sounds like Lily saved you too," Wilbur said.
Karena turned around, got off the bed, and hugged me tightly. I embraced her, feeling her tears on my shoulder.
"Thank you, Lily, for everything!"
"I'll leave you two alone," I replied.
I walked out of the hospital room and was met by my parents and Wilbur's parents. Franny immediately stood up when she saw me.
"Oh, Lily! How's my little boy?"
I gave her a big smile.
"I take it by that scream it's good news?" Dad asked.
"Wilbur's gonna be alright," I answered. "He's awake, and so are the rest of Karena's memories."
I turned around to the room and witnessed Wilbur slipping Karena's engagement rings on her finger.
"And the wedding's back on," I announced. "Everything is officially back to normal."
"Not quite," Cornelius corrected me with a stern look. "Doris's little minion is running around Todayland somewhere. We need to find her before she hurts anyone else!"
"Let me call my family here," Dad replied, returning the stern look. "Two families are better than one. And besides, those two need their privacy."
I watched my dad dialing someone in the family.
"Leo, it's Donnie. Could you gather as much of the family as you can and meet us in Todayland? We need to find that hat and destroy it once and for all."
"Where should we meet you?" Uncle Leo asked.
I suddenly grunted in pain. I was having another vision. I saw the hat crawling around the Robinson house, eventually going into the train room. The hat continued to crawl, going up some sort of charging station. I woke up with a gasp.
"Cornelius, call Billie. The hat's in the train room trying to sabotage her train!"
"Looks like we have our answer," I heard Uncle Leo say.
"Yes," Dad replied. "Meet us in the living room at the Robinsons'."
My dad hung up the phone.
"Lily, you know the house more than anyone of us. We need a plan."
March 18, 2041
Everyone except for Wilbur and Karena had gathered in the living room.
"I got the hat fried for now," Billie said. "But she won't be knocked out for long."
"Is that Wilbur's chargeball glove?" I asked in amusement.
"This is my glove, darling," Billie answered with a smirk. "Wilbur taught me how to fix my charging stations. Speaking of which, thank you for alerting me. I saved my train just in time."
"I'm glad to hear it. Now, I've enlisted Carl's help since he has the blueprints to the house."
Carl stepped forward, opening his torso and taking the blueprints out of him. He unrolled them and looked at them.
"Lily told me to assign teams to each room in case Doris would make her way there," Carl explained. "Billie, you take the train room. And with each assignment, you may choose one member of the Hamato family."
"In that case, I choose Venus."
Venus appeared surprised. After some hesitation, she followed Billie.
"Bud will take the dining room."
"Come on, Lily."
"Sorry, Bud, I have Lily protecting the time lab."
I carried a bewildered look on my face.
"The time lab?"
"I'll explain in a minute," Cornelius replied.
"Alright, then Mikey, come with me!" Bud told my youngest uncle, and they left the room.
"Franny, the music room," Carl continued.
"I choose Renet."
"Gaston, the cannon range."
"I pick Ryan."
"Lucille, the kitchen."
"Athena, I hear you're quite the cook," Lucille complimented my youngest cousin. "Come with me."
With a smile, Athena followed Wilbur's grandmother out of the room.
"Cornelius, the lab."
"Donatello."
My dad kissed me on the forehead and then followed Cornelius.
"Laszlo, Wilbur's room."
"I choose Mona Lisa."
"It would be my honor to assist you," Auntie Mona replied, following Laszlo.
"Art, the garden."
"Come, Leonardo."
"Tallulah, the living room."
"It looks like we're staying in here, April."
"Fine with me," Mom replied with a smile.
"Fritz and Petunia, the front yard."
"Let's go, Raphie," Fritz said in his Petunia voice.
"I'm going to make you swallow those words," Uncle Raph replied angrily, following Fritz outside.
"Joe, you and Karai patrol the second floor," Carl instructed the last members of the two families.
"You've got to be kidding me," Auntie Karai replied with annoyance in her voice.
"Wait, Carl, wouldn't it be better if Joe and Karai patrolled down here and Tallulah and I go upstairs?" Mom asked. "Joe's in a wheelchair and has no access to the second floor. I can sense everything going on upstairs."
"April's got a point, Carl," Tallulah replied.
"Very well. Lilianna, come with me. We're taking the train."
Carl and I took the travel tube into the train room. We waved to Billie and Venus before hopping onto the train. We took off.
"Is my little buddy doing okay?" Carl asked.
I winced when I realized I never told the family what had happened in Los Angeles.
"Yes, Wilbur's going to be okay. Karena attempted suicide and Wilbur sacrificed himself for her. He's on the mend."
"Where did he get hurt?" Carl asked with sadness in his voice.
"Left shoulder. The nurse was worried he wasn't going to make it because he had lost a lot of blood. I was able to save Wilbur's life and Karena's memories."
A smile formed on my face.
"Wilbur and Karena are engaged again."
"We are forever in your debt, Lily," Carl said, a smile forming on his golden face. "I'm a robot and I can't even come up with the words to say thank you for saving Wilbur's life."
"That sounds enough to me," I replied. "Wilbur's like my brother. It's my personal goal to look after him. You don't owe me anything."
"Lily, I promise you on behalf of the family, if you ever need anything from us, please let us know. You're practically family to us too."
We shared a smile before the train pulled to a stop. We walked off and approached a robot receptionist.
"Good morning, Eve," Carl greeted her.
"Good morning, Carl!" Eve returned the greeting. "Are you here to explore the time lab?"
"Not quite. Eve, I'd like you to meet my friend Lily."
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Lily," Eve said, holding her robotic hand out.
"It's nice to meet you too," I replied humbly. "My dad would have been so ecstatic if he was in my place."
"Oh, I remember when he met me for the first time," Carl replied with a fond smile. "In fact, he was your age when we first met. He had a look on his face that I would never forget. You know, your father had mentioned he also made a robot. Metalhead, I think his name is…"
"That's him!" I affirmed him. "Metalhead was made with Kraang technology."
"Have a good day," Eve wished us as we walked into the time lab.
"My dad was tired of using his ordinary bo staff," I continued to explain. "So after getting permission from Splinter to upgrade his weapon, he reverse-engineered the Kraangdroid to make Metalhead. Metalhead very much evolved when my dad added artificial intelligence. He even sacrificed himself to save my family and the mutant friends they had made from some sort of prison."
I had wondered about something.
"Carl, Cornelius gave you artificial intelligence too, didn't he?"
"Yes, and that is why I have emotions. You are very observant."
I continued to follow Carl into some sort of lounge. Then we approached a door.
"You should still have access to any place in the house. But the time lab is prohibited to everyone except Cornelius. Not even Wilbur is allowed in due to his past. But today, you are allowed in."
I pressed my hand against the scanner, and the door opened. We both walked into the time lab to see the biggest robot I've ever seen.
"Robot Guardian, this is Lily Hamato," Carl introduced us. "She'll be helping you keep a watch on Doris. She may try to take the time machine."
I gazed up at the robot guardian, and I bowed to him. I looked up to find him bowing as well, which surprised me. Then something began to bother me, something Carl said about Wilbur.
"You've never really forgiven Wilbur for what he has done, have you all?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Cornelius locked Wilbur out to ensure he doesn't make the same mistakes again," Carl explained.
I glared at him.
"I may have only known Wilbur for three years, but I know him well enough to know he's not willing to make the same mistakes again. He's learned his lessons from the time machine mishap. I cannot read your mind, Carl, but I do know that Wilbur deserves better from you all. I sense you all still do not trust him after all this time, even after he's saved many lives including my own. Heck, he speaks more highly of my dad than his own father!"
I took a few deep breaths when I realized I was yelling at him.
"Please go, Carl. I promise I will guard the time machine from Doris."
Carl carried a frown on his face before leaving the time lab. I sat down on the ground and let out a sigh. Then I closed my eyes and meditated.
DONATELLO'S POV
"I am thrilled Wilbur is alive," Cornelius told me as we entered his laboratory.
"I'm even more thrilled that the wedding is on," I replied with a kind smile. "Karena finally remembered that she's his fiancée."
"And it's all thanks to your daughter. We are forever in your debt, Donatello."
I laughed.
"Cornelius, please, I'm not God."
"No, but it's very obvious that He is with your family."
I gazed around, my smile still on my face. I would forever be amazed at the sight. I had only wished my laboratory was as spacious as this one. But I smiled even bigger, content with my small lab in the barn back home.
"You know, Donatello, I could give you funding for a more spacious lab if you're interested."
I chuckled.
"Thank you, Cornelius, but please use the funding for my students. The next generation truly deserves the best. Heck, I'd give everything for my daughter to live successfully."
"Speaking of which," Carl said, to which I jumped and gasped. "May I speak with you both?"
"Is Lily okay?" I asked with worry in my voice.
"She's fine. She's in the time lab guarding the time machine in case Doris decides to take it. But anyway, I was talking to her about how you locked Wilbur out of the time lab and it disturbed her."
"Disturbed her how?" I asked.
"She doesn't believe you've forgiven Wilbur for his mistakes in 2037, Cornelius," Carl explained. "I don't think any of us have, even though we've moved forward."
"Does Wilbur talk about this to you?" Cornelius asked.
"No, but you remember how he reacted when Lily accused him of the lack of trust a few years back."
"Wilbur did tell me that he was trying so hard to hide his past," I chimed in, remembering exactly what happened.
"I don't believe Wilbur's had any hard feelings for us," Cornelius replied.
"Lily also said that Wilbur praises Donatello more than you, Cornelius," Carl sadly said.
Cornelius sat down, clearly heartbroken at those words.
"What have I done?" he asked, burying his face in his hands. "Wilbur's my son. I thought he trusted me."
I walked over and placed a hand on his back.
"May I give you some advice, from father to father?" I asked.
Cornelius looked up at me and nodded.
"I have always told Lily that I trusted her to make the right choices," I explained. "When she didn't, I did have to discipline her, and sometimes I had to punish her. But I've always forgiven her for her wrong choices. I once made the same mistake you made, Cornelius. Lily accidentally burned my lab down and she was bawling. Instead of forgiving her, I yelled at her and grounded her from being in my lab. I immediately regretted that once I found out she had been kidnapped."
I let out a sigh.
"Once we were reunited, I forgave her, and I've forgiven her every time since. I've allowed her to move forward and become her own person. But I still encouraged her to make the right choices because it was my job as her father. If you haven't forgiven Wilbur yet for his mistakes, I think now is the time, as soon as possible. Wilbur almost died sacrificing himself for Karena's life."
I witnessed something I never thought was possible: Cornelius was crying. I sat down and hugged him from the side.
"I love Wilbur, Donnie. It's just… I've harbored feelings from my past because I had been rejected so many times. And here I am rejecting him."
"Hey, until either of you are buried six feet underground, it is never too late to change," I comforted him.
Suddenly, an alarm sounded. Cornelius and I were alerted to our feet.
"It sounds like it came from the train room!" Cornelius shouted.
"Let's go!" I yelled.
Cornelius, Carl, and I ran out of the lab and into Wilbur's room. Along with Laszlo and Mona Lisa, we took the travel tube to the train room and met Billie and Venus there. Mona immediately ran over to her daughter and hugged her.
"Venus, darling! Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Mom," Venus answered with annoyance in her voice. "Can you let go now?"
"Where did the hat go?" Cornelius asked.
"The living room," Billie answered.
My T-Phone went off along with Venus' and Mona Lisa's. I took mine out to see a group text from Karai.
"The hat destroyed the garage scanner. The hat went out the door to the garage, and there's no one guarding it!"
"Stay here," I told everyone sternly. "I'm going to the garage."
"I'm coming with you, Donatello," Cornelius replied firmly. "I'm responsible for that hat!"
My T-Phone rang again, playing Christina Grimmie's Feeling Good to indicate my daughter calling me.
"What's wrong, Lily?"
"Nothing so far," she answered. "But Dad, isn't there a time machine in the garage? It's just the prototype machine in here."
I put my hand over the speaker.
"Cornelius, is there a time machine in the garage?" I asked him.
His eyes widened.
"We need to hurry!"
"That doesn't sound good."
"Lilianna Mae, stay there," I sternly told my daughter. "Stay there in case Doris finds the time lab!"
Cornelius and I ran to the travel tube, and we were taken to the garage. By the time we got there, however, we found the roof opened.
"No!" I cried. "We're too late!"
"Donatello, call Lily!" Cornelius yelled.
LILIANNA'S POV
I suddenly heard my T-Phone going off. This time, my dad was calling me.
"Did you get the hat?" I asked.
"Lilianna, you need to go back in time to March 30, 2007," Cornelius told me to my surprise.
"What? Why?"
"We got to the garage too late," Dad explained. "Doris took off in the time machine. You are our only hope now, Lily Mae."
"What?! Dad, what about everything you've told me about time travel?"
"Lilianna Mae Hamato, there is no time to argue about this!" Dad yelled over the phone. "Take that machine to the past and stop that hat now! I believe in you, Lily. You can do this. I love you."
"I love you, too, Daddy," I replied, nervous tears coming to my eyes.
I hung up and turned to the robot guardian.
"I have to take this time machine, my friend. I promise to take extra good care of it and the timelines."
We bowed to each other. I opened the hood to the time machine and took off for the most important day of Cornelius Robinson's life.
March 30, 2007 - Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
I had to use my psychic powers to find where Doris parked the time machine she took to the past, and I ended up parking right next to it on the roof. I had noticed an earpiece on the seat behind me, so I slipped it on.
"I do not know who is going to hear me, but wish me luck. I'm going in."
"Who is speaking?" I heard Carl ask on the other line.
"This is Lilianna Hamato. Cornelius and my dad told me to go to the past to stop Doris. She took one of the time machines."
"Not again."
"So what happened on this day?" I asked. "Cornelius told me to go back to March 30, 2007."
"Cornelius, or Lewis as he was called then, won the science fair with his memory scanner. You are not the first time traveler to visit that particular day."
"Wilbur?"
"And the Bowler Hat Guy. You need to go to the gym and tell me what you see. As you are aware, Wilbur made a mistake once."
"I'll update you. Can you send me the blueprint of the school? I believe it's Joyce William Elementary School."
I felt my phone vibrating. I opened it to see a text Cornelius sent me of the blueprints.
"That'll work."
"Lily, please remember that you traveled back in time to the past."
"I am already aware of all the rules regarding time travel, Carl. Auntie Renet's a teacher at TIME, and my dad has studied the subject. I got this."
"Let's hope your father's faith in you is well-placed. Good luck, Lily."
I studied the blueprint. I was on top of the library, and it looked like the roof was under construction. There was a wide opening, which made it easy for me to flip myself down.
"Follow your intuition, Lily," my mother told me in my head. "Never let anything weigh you down."
"I may not sense the hat, but I can try to find Lewis."
I closed my eyes to try to find Lewis' presence. Once I sensed he was in the gym, I made a run for it, making sure to use my ninja stealth so that no one would spot me. It only took me minutes to get to the gym, and I spotted the hat making her way to Lewis's project… just as he had set it down!
I walked around exploring all the projects, pretending that I was a visitor. I did get a few strange glances. For one, my mutant physiology displayed my three-fingered hands. Two, I was wearing my vision quest dress, which must have looked like I was from another world. Three, I was wearing my white ninja mask, blended in with my red braid, and this may actually be my biggest advantage of this time-traveling trip. Lastly, I carried both my naginata bo staff and my katana blades, which would be enough to scare anyone… or so I thought.
"Whoa! Are those real swords?"
I turned around to see a boy with long spiky blond hair: Lewis. I smiled.
"No, they're not. But I'm glad to see you enjoy them."
"I just stopped what I was doing to say they are totally cool!" Lewis replied with an enthusiastic smile.
"Thank you very much! I will leave you with your project. Good luck!"
I continued looking around to see the classic volcano project. Somehow knowing that this place was evacuated due to a fire, I used my telekinesis to ignite the volcano. Before I knew it, the fire alarms went off, and the sprinklers were activated, causing the gym to flood. The entire student body and their visitors were evacuated.
Meanwhile, I continued to keep an eye out for Doris amongst the chaos. I finally spotted her by the project.
"No!" I yelled.
I drew my naginata staff, activated the blade, and threw it towards the project. I let out a gasp, realizing what would happen if the project fell to the floor. I used my powers to dry up the one area of the floor the project would land. The project landed on the floor with a loud CRASH!
I let out a loud gasp, but then I had refocus my attention on Doris. She crawled for a bit, and then she found me. She let out a loud scream, and I drew my katanas.
"Doris, I promise you will never harm anyone ever again!" I yelled.
Doris spread out her metallic arms like she was a spider and armed herself in all eight arms. I let out a panicked gasp but maintained my composure. Despite carrying two katana blades, I was able to dodge every single move Doris made against me, thanks to my psychic abilities. After a while, I realized that I was fighting on water. Doris was made with metal and electricity. I realized that I was going to be careful with my stealth.
"Hey, Doris!" I yelled. "Come and get me!"
Doris screamed and quickly flew towards me. Using my cheerleading skills to my advantage, I performed a series of flips and corkscrews. When the time was right, I stabbed Doris through her core and then let my sword touch the floor, making her explode. I used my psychic abilities to shield myself from the blast.
I panted, relieved that it was finally over. I looked all over the gym, realizing that it was still quite a mess from all the water. My eyes settled on Lewis' project. I smiled, proud that being Donatello's daughter came with the advantage of exploring the world through an inventor's eyes.
I walked over to the project and started to get to work on repairing it. I was fascinated at how Lewis took simple items to create one amazing gadget. It only took me about five minutes to fix Lewis' project. Then, I had an idea about the water. I used my telekinesis to gather up all the water, and then I distributed the water to all the kids that were playing outside.
Suddenly, I heard the crowd of students coming back inside, and so I had to hurry on back to the roof. Only, I was faced with a dilemma: there was only one of me and two time machines. I put my finger on the comm link in my ear.
"Carl, I have good news: Doris is destroyed. We no longer have to worry about her harming anyone ever again."
"I knew you could do it! Not only did you do that, but you also managed to save a few lives with your water trick."
"Wouldn't that make an impact on the timelines though?" I asked with skepticism.
"If it had led to disaster, I would called you sooner. You did an amazing job, Lily."
"Speaking of disaster, there's only one of me with two machines. There's no way I can drive both. Can Dad use the portal to get to me?"
There was a small pause.
"No. According to your dad, the portal is an inter-dimensional doorway. It is not a time machine. However, your dad might have an idea. Sit tight."
I had no choice but to sit on the roof. Suddenly, a pink doorway opened, and out came… a woman with short red hair wearing a yellow jumpsuit.
"Wow, this is quite a dimension!" the woman said with a smile, putting her hands on her hips. "I feel so solid! And I love it!"
"Excuse me?" I called out to this woman. "Are you here to help me out?"
"Oh, yes! Donatello sent me. I'm April O'Neil of Channel 6 News."
"You're April?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. "Well, I know you're not my mom."
"I'm not from this dimension," April explained. "You see, Donatello had received a call from someone named Donnie to help you get the time machine back to the future."
"Donnie's my father," I replied. "But why did my dad send for you?"
"It was Donatello's idea. You see, my friend Donatello did not realize his alternate dimension counterpart had married April and raised a baby girl together. If he had come, it would have freaked you out. So, I'm here."
"This is so weird," I replied, holding my hands out. "And I've seen weird before."
"Weird always comes with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," April said with a wink and a smile. "And besides, I've never met your family. Your mom, on the other hand, has met my friends."
"Okay, the sooner we get back to… my future, the sooner we can send you home."
Even though I had finally figured out that this April O'Neil came from the 1987 dimension, I still felt weirded out.
"So, how do you drive this thing?" April asked, hoping into the red time machine.
I spent the next five minutes explaining the concept of a flying car to her as well as how to use the functions of a time machine. After I watched April flying into the sky, I followed her.
March 18, 2041 - Todayland, North Montana, USA
After I followed my mom's 1987 doppelganger into the future, I had her followed me into the Robinsons' garage. The entire Hamato and Robinson families cheered for us when we parked. I got out of the prototype time machine and was met by an embrace by my parents.
"Lily, we are so proud of you!" Mom happily told me.
"Not only did you save lives," Dad said with his gap-toothed grin. "But you also repaired Lewis' invention and made it better! The science fair went quite smoothly once everyone returned inside."
"Before or after the Bowler Hat Guy?" Wilbur asked.
"Wilbur!" I yelled happily.
I did not hesitate to run over and give him a hug.
"You got discharged!"
"Yes, asides from my shoulder in a sling, the doctor gave me a clean bill of health," Wilbur explained. "Karena, on the other hand..."
My smile faded away. I tried to read Wilbur's mind but couldn't.
"Is Karena okay?"
"Because Karena had actually attempted suicide, she ended up being given a mental health assessment and is still in the hospital under supervision. She'll be there for a week. She's encouraging us to visit her whenever we can."
"I am so sorry," Dad replied sadly. "But back to the topic at hand. Wilbur, these events happened after Lewis woke Michael up. There will be no repeats of disrupted history."
Wilbur blew a huge sigh of relief.
"And no more drama with bowler hats. But, um, who is she?"
Wilbur pointed to my mom's doppleganger. My mom walked up to her and examined her. My mom was much shorter than 1987 April O'Neil.
"So you're me from 1987, huh?" Mom asked with a smirk.
"I am. And you're the April O'Neil my friends have spoken quite fondly about. They were amazed at your psychic powers."
"It's actually April Hamato," Mom replied as Dad walked over to her and embraced her from behind. "I'm Donatello's wife. Lily is our daughter."
"So I've been told."
April O'Neil smiled.
"I am unable to have a child back in my dimension. I have been exposed to mutagen too much and the doctors have concluded that I am infertile."
"I am so sorry to hear that," Dad replied solemnly.
"That's okay. Knowing that I have a daughter in another dimension is good enough for me. Though I would have named my daughter Shadow. But Lilianna is a gorgeous name."
"Thank you so much!" I replied with a big smile. "I couldn't have asked for a better name, and I wouldn't trade my family for anything in the world."
"Keep them in your heart, Lily," April advised me.
"I will."
"Thank you so much for helping us," Dad told her, shaking her hand. "And thank you for bringing Lily home."
"It was my pleasure," April replied. "And I promise I will keep my trip here a secret. I understand what keeping secrets means after spending years with mutant turtles."
"Don't go astray from what you believe," I advised her. "Your beliefs are your foundation."
I glanced at my dad who gave me a fond smile.
"I will keep that in mind," April replied. "Now, I should be going. I should let Donatello know the portal worked splendidly."
"We'll see you in another dimension, April," Mom said, giving her a hug.
"See you later, Mrs Hamato," April replied, returning the hug.
My dad activated the portal and April walked right in.
March 25, 2041
WILBUR'S POV
Lily and I went to the hospital to discharge Karena after she spent a week in a behavioral health unit. Words could not describe how excited I was at seeing her.
"Are you nervous?" Lily asked.
"Nah. I'm excited! I know Karena's never going to think about killing herself ever again."
"True love truly does conquer all."
"Yes. And it wasn't just Karena's love for me. It was made very clear that you love both of us, too. I mean, you saved our lives, not just my saving Karena's."
"Hey, I'm a bridesmaid. I have to do my job to keep you both alive!"
Lily and I cracked up laughing.
"Oh goodness, I cannot wait to marry Karena," I said with a smile.
"I can't wait to stand with you both," Lily replied.
"And I can't wait to wear a gorgeous white dress."
We looked up to see Karena walking out of the elevator with a suitcase. I ran up to her, hugged her with my good arm as she laughed, and then I gave her a big kiss. Suddenly, I heard a camera click. We both turned to see Lily taking a picture on her phone.
"What?" she asked in bewilderment. "This is a Kodak moment!"
"There'll be plenty of Kodak moments once we get back home," I replied. "Shall we?"
Karena took my hand and the three of us walked out of the hospital into my blue flying car.
"So I am curious," Lily started to ask. "Karena, what was treatment like?"
"Well, I was assigned a counselor who spoke to me everyday to see how I was mentally doing," Karena explained. "I stayed with other people like me who had no hope for their futures. They were surprised when I told them I was your fiancée, Wilbur. That alone actually helped them the most, because even the richest people have a mental crisis at some point in their lives."
"That is true," I replied. "Dad had his crisis as an orphan. Mom I think had hers when she was getting married."
"I can tell you when my dad has his crisis," Lily chimed in. "My mom wasn't speaking to him for a while because of my grandpa's mutation. He couldn't sleep or anything because he was so depressed."
"Now this I gotta hear," Karena replied. "Did your uncles ever go through that?"
"Uncle Leo had lots of them because he was the leader. Auntie Karai had mutated into a snake. And then he was injured from his fight with Shredder. And then Splinter died in his presence twice."
"Wait, twice?" I asked with confusion. "How did that happen?"
"A little thing called time travel. I'll explain later. Uncle Raph had his crisis when Auntie Mona betrayed him while he was traveling in space, but she apologized and asked for his forgiveness in the end of that. Uncle Mikey... I think had his when he had a case of shell-acne."
"Shell-acne?" I asked with laughter. "Mikey got acne on his shell?"
"Not just his shell. All over him. Pretty much a mutated form of acne because he was messing with my dad's damaged batch of mutagen."
"Yikes!"
We continued sharing stories until we got home. I parked my car in the garage. I had Karena follow me and Lily up the travel tube into the living room. Lily and I landed with no problem and we waited patiently for Karena to come. Once Karena emerged from the travel tube...
"SURPRISE!"
All of the Hamato and Robinson families surprised Karena with a welcome home party, and she was in tears.
"Welcome home, Karena," Mom greeted her with a hug.
"And none of us messed it up," Leo replied with a grin.
We all laughed, remembering my own welcome home party where Leo, Don, and April messed up the surprise.
"Let's not have anymore drama for the rest of Wilbur's senior year now," Dad suggested. "We have his high school graduation to look forward to!"
"That's right, we do!" Mom replied.
"Let's not hesitate to party then!" Grandma suggested.
I turned to Lily, who gave me a hug.
"I can't believe my high school graduation is only two months away," I told her. "I actually forgot about it."
"It's been a busy week for us," Lily replied. "And don't forget about prom too. James already asked me out."
"Good for him. I'm looking forward to going stag."
Lily frowned.
"You're not going to ask Athena?"
"Nah. It was pretty uncomfortable going with her. Remember homecoming?"
"You were just waiting to dance with Karena. I understand."
"That reminds me..."
I walked away from Lily and over to Karena.
"Karena, may I have this dance?"
"Wilbur, there's no music!" Karena replied with laughter.
"There is now. Carl, play some Lifehouse for us!"
Everything started to play on the speakers, and every couple in the house started to dance. My parents danced together. The Turtles danced with their wives. Uncle Joe twirled his wheelchair with Aunt Billie sitting on him. Grandpa Bud and Grandma Lucille swayed slowly together. Uncle Gaston asked Tallulah to dance with him. Uncle Art ended up asking Venus to dance. Laszlo asked Athena. And Lily danced with Ryan.
"I love you, Karena," I whispered in her ear. "So very much."
"I love you too, Wilbur," Karena replied softly. "I promise to live my life to the fullest from now on. No more troubles between us."
"And I promise to listen to you no matter what."
We danced the day away until Carl called us to dinner, and we felt the happiest we'd been for what felt like months.