Hi guys! I had a little trouble deciding how to write this chapter. I decided to have some drama, all of which surrounded Wilbur. I thought about including Diana as well but I wrote enough about her in "Her Heart's Calling" that I decided just including her birthday was good. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to "Meet the Robinsons," "TMNT," "Sonic the Hedgehog," "Criminal Case," nor "Choices: High School Story." I only own Lilianna, Little Donnie, Mika, Vaia, Eowyn, Nakoa, Karena, Diana, and Wesley.
January 1, 2063 - Westport, Connecticut, USA
LILIANNA'S POV
"Thank goodness, we're finally home!"
My husband pulled us into the driveway in the Knuckles Wagon with a proud smile on his face.
"I cannot wait to show the twins everything we have done in their room," Knuckles said as he turned the car off.
"This week was exactly what we needed. Don, Mika, and even Vaia got to use all of that energy playing in the snow outside."
"At least the hedgehog and the fox helped keep Vaia safe. With her powers, I was worried."
"And, meanwhile, we got plenty of rest while we bonded with Eowyn and Nakoa."
I smiled before continuing.
"Athena, Skyler, and Venus were a huge help while we stayed over."
"Athena really seemed to enjoy spending time with the children."
I frowned.
"Athena had a miscarriage a long time ago," I explained. "She just... accepted her fate and moved on. My mother did the same thing when she miscarried my brother."
"I did not know you had a brother," Knuckles replied with surprise.
"I never got to meet him. His name was going to be Yoshi, after Master Splinter. Just when my mother found out she was having a boy, she bled a lot. It was very heartbreaking for both my parents."
My Echidna husband held my hand squeezed it.
"Shall we go inside?"
"Yes!"
I turned around to see my kids.
"Are you ready to head inside?"
"YES!" Don, Mika, and Vaia all answered at the same time.
I went ahead to unlock the door while Knuckles carried the twins. The three older children dashed to their rooms while I took it all in. Last week, when we were last in this house, I was heavily pregnant with the twins. Never did we know until later that the twins would be born that Christmas Day. Needless to say, it was the best Christmas gifts we had ever received and we were very blessed.
"Shall we go upstairs?" I asked my husband. "I'll take one of them."
Knuckles handed Nakoa to me and we made our way upstairs to the nursery. We got the twins out of their carriers and set them next to each other in the bed Knuckles made for them. They cuddled next to each other as they continued to sleep. My husband held me close and we watched them enjoying their slumber together.
"How are you feeling?" he asked me.
I sighed with contentment, closing my eyes.
"I'm just thankful to be home with my family."
My phone vibrated in my pocket. I took it out and read a text message from Wilbur.
"Don just told Wesley you guys are home. Would you like to come over?"
I texted him back.
"Sorry, Wilbur. We just put the twins down for a nap. How was your week?"
Knuckles and I walked out of the nursery and down the stairs. Wilbur sent me another text.
"We were all thinking about you guys. We felt bad that you and Knuckles couldn't celebrate Christmas with us, so we wanted to invite you all over to celebrate a second Christmas with us."
I smiled, putting my free hand over my heart before I replied.
"That's sweet, but we just got home. It's only appropriate we spend New Year's Day here together."
My phone buzzed right away, but with a text from Karena.
"Hi, Lily! We weren't going to tell you, but since Wilbur says you won't be able to come over, we want to bring our Christmas presents over to you. Is Knuckles cooking right now?"
I glanced over at my husband, who stood right next to me, and I typed my answer.
"No... why?"
I did not receive another text message for the next five minutes.
"That's not like Karena nor Wilbur to not reply," I spoke, feeling concerned.
"What would you like to do?" Knuckles asked.
"Rest! Although, to be fair, I've done a lot of that lately."
"Also, to be fair, we did just arrive home after a four-hour drive. We need to rest. Sit down on the couch, darling. I will ask the kids if they want pizza."
I smiled and kissed him. To my delight, he returned it.
"I love you, Knux."
"I love you too, darling."
I blushed.
"I rather like being called darling," I told him. "It's so romantic."
Knuckles took off his glove and caressed my cheek. I melted into the touch and gazed deep into his beautiful purple eyes. We kissed again. He put his glove back on and went upstairs. I sat down on the couch. I closed my eyes and ended up napping for twenty minutes.
The doorbell rang.
"That was fast," I spoke, rubbing my eyes.
"What was fast?" Knuckles asked. "I just placed the order five minutes ago."
"Then who is at the door?" Don, Mika, and I all asked at the same time.
The Echidna answered the door.
"Wilbur! Uh, hello! What brings you by?"
"Diana, Wesley."
I watched as Diana and Wesley each brought in a big basket.
"What on earth is that?" I asked in bewilderment.
"Gift baskets!" Karena answered with a grin.
"Karena, we've been at this house since I was pregnant with Vaia! This is not a housewarming party!"
"We know that!" Wilbur replied. "But with twins, you two are going to be very busy and will not want to cook. So, we made meals to put in the freezer to last you the next three months. Diana, Wesley, let's unpack them."
"Thank you," Knuckles said. "But this is not necessary."
"Knuckles, you may have handled Vaia by yourself," Karena spoke. "But double the babies means double the trouble."
"And also double the parents since Lily will still be home the next two months."
"Knuckles, trust me. You'll be taking care of two babies, plus a fire-wielding toddler. You are going to be stressed."
"Karena, Knuckles is right," I chimed in. "I will still be home. And these are children four and five. We got this rodeo in the saddle."
"Did you make that up just now?" Wilbur asked in bewilderment.
I shrugged.
"Possibly."
"Wilbur, Karena, we can handle it," Knuckles assured them. "We'll both take care of the twins and Vaia, and then I will still make dinner."
The doorbell rang again.
"That would be the pizza," I spoke. "I'll get it."
I went to the door to get the pizza. Then I put it on the counter.
"I was going to suggest having us cook dinner for you," Karena sassily spoke. "But pizza works, too."
"As Lily has expressed in her texts, we just got home," Knuckles sternly explained. "We did not expect to stay at the farmhouse for a week, recovering from Lily giving birth to twin echidnas. And yet, here we are. It was nice of you to invite us over, but we said no because we need to rest after a long drive. And that is why we ordered pizza. I would think you would understand since you have also driven four hours from the farmhouse to here."
"Well, excuse us for being nice people!"
I gapped my mouth open. Knuckles glared at Karena and stomped his foot on the floor.
"Get out."
"Are you serious right now?" Karena angrily asked.
"GET OUT!" Knuckles shouted. "We have said we needed to rest and you just invited yourselves over without telling us!"
"We are friends! Friends are always there for each other. Why do you need an invitation?"
"Knuckles is right," I sternly chimed in. "We just got home with not three but five children. We needed tonight to rest and instead, we're standing here arguing with you! So, get out!"
"DIANA, WESLEY!" Wilbur shouted.
We heard the twins crying. Knuckles groaned and went up the stairs.
"Nice going, guys!" I chastised them. "You woke the twins up. You couldn't just GO UP THE STAIRS AND TELL YOUR KIDS YOU'RE LEAVING?"
"Let's go, Wilbur!" Karena spoke angrily, dragging him by the arm.
"Mom, Dad, where are you going?" Diana asked in alarm.
"Home!" Wilbur shouted in response. "Lily kicked us out."
"I'm sorry, I kicked you out?" I shouted furiously.
"You would have anyway! Come on, kids! Enjoy the dinner! I'll see you in three months!"
"I'm back at work in two months, genius!"
I slammed the front door. I grunted angrily. I heard the twins crying and I went upstairs to help my husband.
"Kids, go help yourselves to some pizza. Daddy and I will be down in a few minutes."
I entered the nursery and found Knuckles struggling to calm both of the babies.
"Lily, take Nakoa!"
I took our son and rubbed his back to try to calm him down.
"It's okay, sweetie," I tried to soothe him. "It's okay. Those loud, ungrateful people are gone now."
"Were they ungrateful?" Knuckles asked with a frown, rubbing Eowyn's back. "If anyone was ungrateful, it was us. They gave us dinners for three months and we just kicked them out because we wanted rest."
"Yeah, we definitely could have handled that better. But so could they! They just came over when we made it clear we wanted rest."
We stared at each other. We both sighed and sat in the rocking chairs with our babies.
"Do we need to set standards for who comes over?" I asked.
"Maybe we can send the kids over to their friends' houses instead?" Knuckles suggested.
"That is an idea. Donnie can go to Wesley's instead, even if we're mad at the latter's parents."
We sighed again.
"This is not going to get us anywhere," Knuckles spoke.
"Let's just put the twins back in bed and go eat pizza with the other kids."
January 2, 2063
KNUCKLES'S POV
I stirred awake again at the twins' cries. Only an hour had passed since I changed their diapers. I was starting to understand what my wife meant by having long nights.
"Knuckles?"
"Yes, I hear them. Let's go."
We slowly got out of bed and went into the nursery.
"Mommy, tell the babies to stop crying," Mika slowly pleaded.
"Aurora, when we request something, we say please," I sleepily, but sternly reminded her. "Please go back to bed. Mommy and I can handle this."
Lily and I walked to the twins' crib and we each picked up a baby. I picked up Nakoa this time.
"Hello, Nakoa. What is the matter in your time of need?"
"That is the most wordy question I have ever heard anyone ask their baby," Lily said with sass as she started to feed Eowyn.
"Then what should I say?" I shot back.
"It's simple, Knuckles. Simply ask, what is the matter? Or, what's wrong? Or, what do you need?"
I let out a sigh.
"What do you need, Nakoa?"
He nuzzled into my chest.
"Lily, he needs to be fed, too."
"Just try to soothe him."
I rubbed our son's back to try to calm him down. I let out a sigh. Taking care of Vaia was easy. I would hold her in my arms and she would instantly calm down.
"Knuckles? What's wrong?"
I gazed over at my wife, who had a look of concern.
"How old was Vaia when I met you?" I asked.
"Let's see. We met at the end of January two years ago, and Vaia was born at the beginning of November. So, she was only about three months old when you met her."
"When I first met Vaia, Donatello and Mika had taught me how to hold a baby. When I held Vaia for the very first time, she touched my spine and had a smile on her face. She calmed down. But this... what am I doing wrong?"
Lily put Eowyn back in the crib before walking over to me. She put a hand on my shoulder.
"Knuckles, taking care of a newborn child is not easy. They do not have a nighttime schedule. They wake up because they know something is wrong and they cannot fix it by themselves. But, the more they grow, the more they start to understand what you do to take care of them and they will start to do it themselves. And a newborn child will eventually understand that nighttime is sleepytime. And eventually, our child will appreciate you for all you've done to take care of them."
She kissed me on the cheek as she took Nakoa away.
"You are doing an amazing job, Knuckles," she assured me. "I know it doesn't seem like it right now, but hey. You are a warrior. You always look after others, and now you are doing that with your own children. Do it with pride and honor!"
I smiled. Lily sat back down at her rocking chair and fed Nakoa. I suddenly felt fatigued and fell asleep in the rocking chair.
KARENA'S POV
I couldn't sleep. My conversation with Lily and Knuckles kept playing in my head. I felt guilty about the way it ended.
"Karr, go to sleep," Wilbur grumbled. "Your tossing and turning is waking me up."
"I can't sleep, Wilbur."
We both sat up.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Were we wrong, Wilbur? Were we wrong to just show up at Lily and Knuckles' house?"
"We were only trying to help. This is on them if they decide to be ungrateful."
"Yeah, but we just went over despite Lily telling us not to. Maybe we should have waited another day."
"We're the Robinsons, Karr. We always lend a helping hand regardless of the circumstances. Can we please go back to sleep? We can talk more tomorrow at dinner."
"Wilbur, this can't wait."
"Yes, it can. Good night."
My husband lied back down and I slowly did the same. I could not imagine myself in Lily's shoes. I thought taking care of Wesley as a baby was hard enough with one other child. But Lily had twin babies in addition to three others. I'm not sure I could have done that. I went back to sleep, thankful that, unlike Wilbur, I get to sleep in.
New York City, New York, USA
WILBUR'S POV
I was preparing to leave for the day when I heard my phone ring.
"Robinson."
"Agent Robinson, there's a Mr. Hamato here to see you."
I felt confused. One of the Turtles had come to see me, and it was not Donatello.
"Thanks. I'm about to get off. Tell him I'll be right down."
"Have a nice day, Agent Robinson."
"Thank you, Eve."
I hung up and went out the door. I took the elevator down to the lobby and looked around for my visitor. But it was not one of the Turtles.
"Knuckles."
"Wilbur. We need to talk and I am not accepting no for an answer."
I let out a grumbling sigh.
"Come on. I'll take you to one of Lily's favorite places."
The Echidna got in the car with me and we parked close to the 9/11 Memorial.
"What is this serene place?" Knuckles asked.
"Has Lily told you about the attacks in 2001?"
"She has told me very little."
"Almost three thousand people died to an act of terror and fear," I explained with a frown. "A group of terrorists from the Middle East hijacked four airplanes and used them as missiles to target four symbols of the United States. Three targets were hit. In the fourth plane, the passengers figured out what was going on and fought back. The terrorists plunged the plane into the ground."
I took Knuckles to the reflecting pools. Knuckles laid a hand on one of the panels.
"This was where the Twin Towers stood. They symbolized financial freedom back in those days. If you lived in New York City, you were proud of it and anything was possible. September 11, 2001 changed eveything. While the Pentagon, the third target, was fixed, these towers did not stand a chance. They burned to the ground an hour after they were hit, killing everyone who were trapped."
"Why did these attacks happen?"
"They were terrorists, Knuckles. They wanted to sow fear into our people. They believed that their religion should be the only one followed."
"It is not a religion if it encourages murdering innocent citizens," Knuckles replied angrily.
He let out a sigh.
"My people had always believed that the Owls were our enemy, that they needed to be destroyed so that we could retrieve the Master Emerald again. But after being in solitude for years and after seeing what the Master Emerald can do, I started to doubt everything. My father had always taught me that is it dishonorable to turn your back on one of your own. It is dishonorable to kill someone in cold blood. The Owls had attacked us centuries ago because they saw what the Master Emerald could do. Now, as its guardian, I believe the Owls were right. I wish my people did not do what they did. If they had listened instead of taking action, I would not have been alone."
We turned towards each other.
"Allow me to be the first to apologize," Knuckles spoke, offering his hand. "You offered to help us and we turned you down. We should not have done that. We should have talked this out. I hope you can forgive me for the way I acted."
I was surprised. Knuckles may be called the most dangerous warrior in the galaxy, but he displayed sincerity and wisdom. I shook his hand.
"I'm sorry, too. We should have respected your wishes and waited another day. It's funny. Karena was thinking about this same thing. Perhaps she was right, and so was Lily. I hope you can forgive us for being arrogant."
"You were not arrogant, my friend. None of us knew any better. Would the four of you like to come over for dinner? I feel that Lily and Karena need to forgive each other."
"I think Karena will be willing. I will pay and pick up the food. You try to convince Lily to have us over."
"Deal."
LILIANNA'S POV
I woke up to the door opening. Knuckles had just returned home from his errands.
"How did they go?" I asked sleepily.
"You first," he replied with a chuckle.
"Eowyn is a very alert baby. I had trouble putting her down for her nap and we both must have fallen asleep like this. Nakoa, meanwhile, was chill. All he wanted to do was eat and sleep!"
Knuckles took Eowyn from my arms with quiet laughter.
"Thank you. My arms feel like jelly. So, your errands?"
"I need to tell you the truth," Knuckles spoke, sitting down on the couch. "I did not run errands. I went to T.I.M.E. to talk with Wilbur."
My eyes widened.
"You went to New York just to see Wilbur? Why?"
"None of us handled yesterday very well. Someone needed to be first and I decided it would be me. I was the one who threw the Robinsons out, after all. But Wilbur took me to the 9/11 Memorial and we talked it out. The Robinsons are coming over for dinner and Wilbur is paying."
"Well, I'm not very happy with Karena right now," I replied bluntly. "Did you see the way she reacted after our pizza arrived?"
"Yes. That was why I kicked her out. But, Lily, we were all wrong. That was why I apologized to Wilbur. You should do the same to Karena. I know you are stubborn. I am, too. But everyone deserves a second chance."
I sighed, and then I smiled.
"I'm rubbing off on you, aren't I?"
"You did not just bring life back to me, Lilianna. You also taught me wisdom and mindfulness."
I shook my head, still smiling.
"No, Knuckles. You have been wise and mindful all along. I was the one who needed to learn those things, and I'm the psychologist!"
We laughed.
"I have to admit, you would make an excellent therapist."
Knuckles blew a raspberry at me.
"I do not know about that."
"No, really! You listen, and that's a huge deal. And when you need to be blunt, then you are exactly that. We need more of that in the world."
"They also need someone who is compassionate and caring, like you."
We shared a fond smile. Then, the doorbell rang.
"That must be them," Knuckles spoke. "I will go get it."
I watched him greeting the Robinsons with a smile on his face. He and Wilbur hugged, even with Eowyn in the former's arms.
"Hi, Knuckles!" Diana greeted him excitedly. "Is that a baby echidna?"
"She is. We call her Eowyn."
"After the shieldmaiden from Lord of the Rings!" Wilbur replied enthusiastically. "I take it you're raising her to be a warrior?"
"Her and her twin brother both."
"We never did get to see the babies. May I?"
"Of course."
Knuckles handed Eowyn to Diana as the rest of the Robinsons walked in. Karena sat on the couch where my husband sat before and faced me.
"Hey, Lily. Can we talk?"
"Let me speak first."
"No, please, let me," Karena spoke. "I feel bad about the way I acted. You told me you and Knuckles needed rest and we didn't listen. We barged in anyway. We should have respected your decision."
"And we should have accepted your offer to help us," I replied. "We truly are thankful for all the food you've given us. I know Knuckles will find a good use for it."
"I'm still amazed your husband is the one who cooks. Wilbur will not stop talking about his meatloaf."
I laughed.
"Knuckles is the Echidna of many talents. My kids have not once complained about his cooking, even if there is something they don't like in it."
Karena suddenly turned around.
"Knuckles, you need to share your cooking secrets with me!"
"Sharing my secrets to being a warrior is one thing," Knuckles replied with a grin. "Cooking is an entirely different kind of battleground."
"Anyway," I sternly continued, bringing Karena back to attention. "We were ungrateful and we are sorry. I hope you can forgive us."
"Only if you can forgive me for being a brat," Karena replied with a smile. "I did feel rather angry that you kicked us out. We thought of ourselves and not at all about what you went through. Now may I please hold that baby?"
I laughed and handed my new son over to her.
"His name is Nakoa."
"He's an echidna!" Karena exclaimed with surprise.
"So is Eowyn, his twin sister."
"First, you deliver a baby mutant turtle. Now two anthropomorphic baby echidnas! If anyone has many talents, it's you! How do you do it?"
I laughed.
"It's God I give all the credit to."
"Was the birth difficult?"
"Heck, yes!" I exclaimed before rearranging my thoughts. "Alright, the labor happened exactly the way I imagined it would and it wasn't too bad. Both births, on the other hand, were the most painful births I had ever gone through."
I smiled, first at Nakoa, then Eowyn in Diana's arms, then at Knuckles, and finally back at Nakoa.
"But all the pain was worth it, as always."
"So what's next for you?" Karena asked me.
"Raising my new family with Knuckles, for one. But I'm also hoping to get back on my feet and figure out just where exactly the mutagen bomb prototype is. If I can destroy that, then we are safe forever."
"Doesn't that kind of thing involve a lot of money?"
I gasped.
"Diana!"
"Yes?" Diana asked, walking over to us.
"Didn't you mention that Ashley Faris had been sending money to someone?"
"Yeah, some guy called Blackbird. Why?"
I laughed excitedly.
"A clue! FINALLY! Wilbur, do we still have Ashley's flip-phone in evidence?"
"It's probably still there. Why?"
"We have a number to track!"
January 3, 2063 - New York City, New York, USA
WILBUR'S POV
"Lily was right," Kai told me. "Ashley was sending money to an important figure."
"I take it you've traced the number Ashley was texting?" I asked.
"Yes. A crime lord named Saki Oroku."
"Saki Oroku?" I asked in confusion, scratching my neck.
"I had to dig deep," Kai explained. "He's Japanese, so he's actually called Oroku Saki."
"The Shredder!" I yelled angrily. "Ashley was sending money to the Shredder?"
"Or so we think. Oroku Saki died back in 2017."
"He might have, but there was a successful clone of him created. That's who Ashley must have been sending money to."
"So what do you plan to do? Find this Oroku Saki?"
"At this point, only Lily might be able to find him. She's got an eye no one else has."
"But isn't she on maternity leave?"
"Then I'll just have to interrogate Ashley myself now, won't I?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.
I made a beeline to Donnie's office and knocked.
"Hey, Wilbur! What's up?"
"I need you to come with me to interrogate Ashley again."
"Why?" Donnie asked.
"Lily's not here and you're the closest relative to her that qualifies to interrogate Ashley."
"Excuse me? No, I am not. If there is a relative of Lily's that is most qualified to interrogate Ashley, it's Renet, the chief herself. That, or invite Knuckles to interrogate her."
"I can't just invite Knuckles to T.I.M.E. to interrogate Ashley!" I shot back.
"D says Knuckles can be quite intimidating when he needs to be. Knuckles saw right through his lies."
I asked Renet for permission to have Knuckles come to T.I.M.E. to help us. While Renet gave her permission, Knuckles ended up declining my invitation. He explained that the less Ashley knew about Lily's life, the better. I agreed, knowing that Ashley was Aumanil's archnemesis.
Renet and I visited Ashley in prison. The guard escorted Ashley to us.
"Oh, it's you, Agent Robinson," Ashley said in disappointment. "The closest thing I get to visitors is a letter from my brother. Are you here for another one of your interrogations?"
"Let us ask the questions, Ms. Faris," Renet bluntly replied.
"So, yes," Ashley replied with a huff. "I'm already locked up for the rest of my life. I have nothing to lose."
"Except your dignity?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "We learned recently that you sent money to Oroku Saki, the Shredder. Is this money going towards Armageddon?"
"I never asked any questions about what he was going to do with the money. But the Shredder had promised me freedom if I did what I was told."
"You do realize the Shredder is ruthless, right?" Renet asked. "If you fail him, you receive the exact opposite: a debt, possibly your life."
"I'm stuck in here, aren't I?" Ashley asked. "The Shredder can't exactly kill me here."
"You do speak the truth there, Faris," I replied. "You are safe from the Shredder's wrath. But you never answered my question. Is he using the money for Armageddon?"
"And I do suggest telling us the truth," Renet warned her seductively. "You don't want to have any more time in prison, do you?"
"You are terrible at this, Chief Hamato," Ashley said, rubbing her hands together. "You should have sent Lilianna here instead. I quite enjoy my conversations with her."
"So you would rather answer to Dr. Lilianna Hamato than us?" I angrily asked.
"Lilianna is a challenge to me. I will only speak to her."
"Why?"
"That is for me to know and you to find out."
Westport, Connecticut, USA
LILIANNA'S POV
"So you're saying that Ashley refused to talk to you?" I asked, feeling floored.
"She will only speak to you, Lily," Wilbur replied at the very quiet table.
"I have a feeling I need to catch up on this," Knuckles spoke with hesitance.
"Ashley Faris is a con woman," I explained. "She has stolen money from all her jobs and she almost made Westport High School a police state until Diana figured out who she really was."
"What do you mean?" Knuckles asked.
"Ashley stole money under different aliases. At Westport High, she was Principal Amanda Isa. While putting Ashley in prison did help T.I.M.E. get out of the black, T.I.M.E. never really recovered financially. Ashley screwed the timelines up big time because of all she has done."
Knuckles gapped his mouth open with shock.
"Ashley worked at T.I.M.E.?!"
"Yes. I... actually took her job as a result. Wilbur asked me to prove his innocence because Ashley framed him for theft."
"We were trying to get more information out of Ashley regarding Armageddon," Wilbur chimed in. "But we got nothing. All she told us was that the Shredder promised her freedom if she did what she was told."
"And when she was arrested, James paid the price," Knuckles angrily replied.
"Yup. He was looking for Lily and discovered she had children, so he was after them as well. James died protecting his family."
"Lilianna, I will go talk to Ashley," Knuckles spoke. "I know I said no, but I refuse to let you go and do this. I will get the information you need."
"No," I sternly replied. "You are going to be too intimidating if you talk to Ashley alone. Not to mention that there is a possibility that Ashley might still be working for the Shredder, even if she is behind bars."
I let out a sigh. The last thing I wanted to do was leave my babies. But I knew I did not have a choice.
"Aumanil is going to talk to Ashley."
"But she said--"
"Ashley will talk to her," I interrupted Wilbur.
"I will go with you as backup. Are you okay with this, Knuckles?"
The Echidna let out an angry sigh.
"We do not have any other choice. I will let you go, Lily, on one condition: you take the fox with you."
January 4, 2063 - New York City, New York, USA
After Knuckles made breakfast, I transformed into Aumanil and Wilbur accompanied me to the prison complex Ashley was being held. Tails promised us he would be discreet as he placed a bug in Wilbur's jacket to record the whole thing.
I sat down on a chair as the guards escorted Ashley out to me. Her eyes widened.
"Aumanil?! You got a new look! Red is definitely your color."
I glanced down and realized I was wearing the outfit Knuckles gifted me. The dress covered what was left of my baby bump quite well.
"I am not here for flattery, Ashley," I sternly reminded her. "I am here for information. Dr. Hamato has sent me on her behalf."
Ashley glanced down at my hands and raised an eyebrow. She let out a sigh and gave me a firm nod.
"Why did you request to talk to Lily?" I asked.
"As I have told Agent Robinson, Lily gives me a challenge. Unlike Chief Hamato, Lily knows how to get information. In fact, the Shredder has spoken highly of her, hoping to someday lure her to his side."
"Lily may be flawed, but she is strong-minded. She has a strong sense of justice and will never join the Foot Clan. And neither will I. Now, you are going to give me the information I need to stop Armageddon, or else I can tell a judge that you are withholding information from an active investigation, and you truly will be here for the rest of your life. Your chance for parole will be taken away. You have sent money to the Shredder, correct?"
"Yes. He has a code name, Blackbird. The real Shredder is dead. His clients cannot know that he is a clone or else he will not be seen as a trustworthy adversary."
"So you are aware that he is a clone?" I asked with surprise.
"Yes. When I first started stealing for the Foot Clan, everything went to Baxter Stockman to give birth to a clone. Why would we resurrect someone who has been dead for thirty years? Someone has already tried and failed. Technology advanced, and so has cloning."
"And the money you sent to the Shredder... is that for Armageddon?"
"That and any means necessary to dispose of you. According to our agents, you are the most powerful enemy."
"I think we've had enough," Wilbur spoke angrily.
"No!" I sternly replied. "Where is the Shredder hiding?"
"That little fox might have banished the Foot Clan, the Purple Dragons, and the Vizioso Mobsters to different dimensions, but we are not alone. We have a worthy adversary willing to help us jump dimensions so that you will never find us, Aumanil."
"Have you been helping them from behind bars?" I asked.
"Well, I can't exactly do anything behind bars now, can't I?" Ashley sneered.
I read her mind.
"We are done here," I spoke. "Thank you for your time."
Wilbur and I met Tails outside.
"Ashley knew I sent everyone to different dimensions!" Tails exclaimed angrily.
"Yeah, it seems like Knuckles was right to send you with us," Wilbur replied. "Ashley definitely has inside help."
"I agree," I spoke. "We need to do a cross-examination of all the guards in that prison."
"But how do we do that?" Tails asked.
"Everyone is going to say they were innocent," Wilbur spoke, his hand on his chin. "They would not betray Ashley that easily."
"A lie detector test, maybe?"
"That would work on humans," I replied. "But what if one of the guards is a Kraang?"
We gazed at each other.
"We need April!" all three of us spoke.
APRIL'S POV
I walked to the lobby and found Wilbur, Tails, and, to my surprise, Aumanil, here to see me. I led them back to my office.
"What can I do for you?" I asked.
"May I ask you a question first?" Tails asked.
"Sure."
"Why are you still working? Wouldn't you want to retire at your age?"
"I'm still working because I love my job, Tails," I answered. "And 66 is still quite young! I still feel like a young adult, thanks to my training. Now, what is this really about?"
"I need to conduct an investigation into the prison Ashley Faris is staying in," Wilbur explained. "We just interrogated her regarding sending money to the Shredder and we think she might have inside help."
"Ashley knows I sent all of our enemies to different dimensions," Tails revealed.
"So what is everyone's role in this?" I asked.
"Wilbur and Renet are going to conduct lie detector tests on all the employees at that prison," Aumanil explained. "Then we are going to analyze them."
"We? Why?"
"April, you are part-Kraang. You have the gift to discern who is a Kraang and who isn't. And Lily, as a psychologist, can read between the lines."
"Come here."
I dragged my daughter away to a secluded corner.
"Aren't you supposed to be recovering from having the twins?" I whispered.
"Ashley would not talk to Wilbur," Lily explained. "She only wanted to talk to me, so I went as Aumanil to talk to her."
"I do not trust her, Lily!"
"Mom, do not worry about me. I was not alone. I read her mind. She definitely has inside help. I cannot discern who this spy is alone, and neither should you."
"Why isn't Knuckles with you? Didn't he promise to protect you?"
"If Ashley discovers I married Knuckles, then he and the children will be in trouble."
"But isn't Knuckles the most dangerous warrior in the galaxy? Surely he can take care of himself and the children."
"If Knuckles and the children were discovered because of me, I wouldn't live with myself. I already lost James. I do not need to lose anyone else. Please, Mom, just trust me on this."
"I'd still tell him what you are planning. He might be able to help in his own way."
I sighed and I nodded.
Westport, Connecticut, USA
KNUCKLES'S POV
"Why do you have to do this now?" I asked, my hands on my hips, after my wife revealed Wilbur's plan. "You need to rest and bond with Eowyn and Nakoa."
"I know, Knux. But our investigation into Ashley keeps getting more complicated and complicated."
"The investigation ends once the perpetrator is behind bars, does it not?"
"We do have post-investigation duties, Knuckles, to make sure we have covered all ends. And that's especially the case at T.I.M.E., where time-travel might be imminent."
"Do you think this Ashley time-traveled?"
"I don't think, Knux. I know. Before she stole money from T.I.M.E., she stole money from the past and framed Wilbur for it. Thankfully, that part of the case is resolved."
"But did you not also say that T.I.M.E. is still in financial trouble as a result of Ashley's crimes?" I asked.
"I was told the money was never recovered," Lily answered.
"Well, at least we know where the money went. Has your technological expert found the bank account to where Ashley sent it?"
"Yes... and no. The Shredder closed the account."
"BLAST!" I yelled angrily, punching my fists together. "So now what?"
"We..."
Lily hesitated.
"... Wait until Wilbur finishes his investigation into the prison."
"I wonder if the fox can trace this dead account. He can do wonders with his technology."
"So can my dad," Lily replied with laughter. "And Wilbur's father. I seem to be surrounded by geniuses."
"You forget, dear, that we are not of this planet."
I winked at her.
"Well, Tails has already been very helpful. Perhaps he can find something my team can't."
"And I hate to admit it, but we need to put one of our teammates in the ring. One who has been a spy before. One who would know how to get in and out of a jam."
"Are you talking about Shadow?" Lily asked.
"Shadow loves to brood against humanity. I was actually thinking about Rouge, though I hate admitting it."
"Rouge actually makes sense. She was a jewel thief in the past, was she not?"
"Yes. She even stole the Master Emerald once upon a time. I had to retrieve it back with Shadow and Sonic's help."
"I have a spy myself: Alopex. She's a mutant fox who used to work with a mob. She's been monitoring the old dojo in Japan with her brother Tiger Claw."
"What is with your family and naming mutants?" I asked in amusement.
"You would have to ask Uncle Mikey," Lily replied with laughter. "Although, I think Tiger Claw named himself."
January 5, 2063 - Green Hills, South Montana, USA
"Nope."
"What do you mean, nope?" I asked with a glare. "You are the best in the business of spying."
"Come on, Rouge!" Sonic pleaded with her. "We really need your help. Aumanil needs your help."
Rouge blinked.
"Aumanil? Now there's a woman who knows exactly what she wants. Alright, I'm in. No offense, Knuckie."
I crossed my arms, still glaring at her.
"Some taken, Bat."
"What does Aumanil need me to do?" Rouge asked with a flirtatious smile.
"Here is a list of all the Kraang outposts," Tails explained, handing her a long list. "And these aren't just the ones in New York City that the Turtles dismantled fifty years ago. These are the outposts that Aumanil found all around the globe."
"What am I trying to find?"
"Lily believes the Shredder and all of the mobs are dimension hopping," I chimed in. "We need you to find a way to follow them through a portal and report back to one us, who will report back to Lily."
Rouge's smirk faded away.
"Knuckles, why me? Wouldn't Shadow be more discreet?"
"Lily agreed with me that you are the best. You were a spy when we first met. We need those skills to help us stop the Foot, the Purple Dragons, and the Vizioso mob for good. And we think they have help. Wilbur is already investigating one member on this side of the universe. Now, we need you. You are the only one who can get away with dimension-hopping without revealing yourself. Shadow, while he has healed from his past, still carries a rage inside him. You carry no hard feelings at all. You do not have a grudge with anyone."
Rouge let out a long sigh.
"How will I communicate with you?"
"You won't," Tails answered. "It is best to be discreet. Knuckles, what has Lily told you about everyone's strengths and weaknesses?"
"The Foot Clan, Shredder's branch, are ninja mercenaries," I explained. "If you make one wrong move, you will be caught. You might be able to get around the Purple Dragons because overall, they are dimwitted. The Vizioso mob are ruthless. They have crafted anti-mutant weapons. If you are caught by them, they will not be afraid to kill you."
"But we are not mutants," Rouge replied with confusion.
"Not where we are from," Sonic explained. "But here, we definitely qualify as mutants. What would you call a humanized hedgehog or fox or echidna or bat?"
"Freaks," Rouge answered angrily. "Now I understand. Is there anyone else I need to be concerned with?"
"There are two alien races to watch out for," Tails chimed in. "The Kraang and the Utrom. They look like one and the same. One wants to terraform this planet and mutate everyone while the other wants universal peace."
"Lily suggested you try to convene with the Utrom Council," I told her. "She has told me they are worthy allies. Just mention either Aumanil or any of the Turtles' names and you will have gained their trust."
"And now, what is in it for me?" Rouge asked.
"Aumanil will decide that at a later time. Do you understand your assignment, Rouge?"
"Remember our pledge, Rouge," Tails reminded her. "We pledged to use our powers to keep the universe safe."
Rouge glanced over at Sonic. She turned back to me with a worried glance. She then put on a determined face and gave me a firm nod.
"I am in... Commander Knuckles."
"Perhaps in another lifetime," I replied.
January 7, 2063 - Westport, Connecticut, USA
LILIANNA'S POV
I woke up to the twins' crying again. But just as sudden as I woke up, they stopped crying. I turned around and found I was alone.
"Knuckles?" I spoke.
There was no answer. I instantly got worried something happened to my family. I transformed into Aumanil and ran into the nursery. But words could not describe what I saw when I got into the room.
My Echidna husband was asleep in the rocking chair by the window where the stars twinkled and shone inside. Both twins were nuzzled into his chest as he securely held them in his arms. I smiled and almost cried at the sight.
I returned to my room, transformed back into Lily, grabbed my phone, and silently returned to the nursery and took a picture of the sight. I quietly walked up to them and debated what I should do.
I remembered how much Knuckles had struggled with adapting to taking care of the twins. He had cancelled training the entire week due to his fatigue. He hadn't even asked me to challenge him, which was not like him. When I asked him to recruit Rouge as a spy, he was excited to get out of the house.
I smiled, finally realizing that Knuckles simply needed a break and get out of the house. I walked up to my husband and planted a kiss on his forehead.
"Thank you, Knuckles, for all you do for me and our children. I love you so much."
I decided to leave him alone and go back to bed.
"I love you too, dear."
I turned around and saw Knuckles stirring in his sleep. He settled back in and went back to sleep with a smile.
"Good job, Knux," I whispered. "I told you you'd figure this out."
I went back to my bedroom and went back to sleep. It would turn out to be the best night's sleep since my pregnancy.
February 2, 2063
WILBUR'S POV
"Thank you for helping me out, Lily."
"Thank you!" Lily replied enthusiastically. "Last year was a combined birthday and wedding party for all of us. This year, Karena, Diana, and Knuckles deserve to have a party just for them."
"Isn't it amazing that just a year ago, we were celebrating your upcoming marriage to Knuckles and now you two have twin babies together?"
"Time flies when you're having the best days of your life!"
"How's Knuckles handling fatherhood?"
Lily grinned at me as she finished setting up the table.
"Like a champion! He struggled at first, but after taking a break from being in the house, he's settled in. Look."
Lily showed me a picture of Knuckles sleeping in the rocking chair with both babies in his arms.
"He looks so happy. I'm happy for you both."
"Thank you! Now the question is, how are you feeling about Diana being an adult now?"
"No!" I exclaimed. "Don't remind me! Let's just finish decorating so I can throw Diana one more birthday party."
"She's not staying here next year?"
"She got accepted into her top two universities: our alma mater Todayland University and Pacific Bay University."
"I graduated from Pacific Bay University as well. I hope Diana makes the right choice. It would be nice if she stayed with family."
"When we visited Pacific Bay last summer with Amy and Russell, she felt a calling. I have a feeling she will head there. How are your children?"
"The twins are asleep right now, and so is Vaia. Mika is doing very well in school and Don's been studying harder than ever for the ACT."
"How did he score on the SAT?"
"The highest!"
"That's fantastic! Good for him!"
"He's pretty thrilled about it, too."
"Does Don have any plans after high school?" I asked. "I know his situation is very unique with him only being twelve."
"He actually wants to stay home and help me and Knuckles take care of his siblings," Lily answered with a perplexed expression.
My eyes widened.
"Okay, that was the last thing I expected to hear from Donatello's grandson."
"Knuckles and I have decided to let him make his own choices. We are not going to force him to go to college."
"What would your father have done if you were in Little Donnie's shoes?"
"Convince me over and over and over again to go to college," Lily answered, rolling her eyes. "I'm not going to do that to him."
"You're putting him first. I can respect that."
Lily and I finished setting up her house for the party. Then, her phone rang.
"Hello? Oh, hi, Knux!"
She turned towards me.
"Is it okay?" Lily mouthed to me.
I gave her a thumbs up. I texted Karena.
"Yeah, you can come home now," Lily spoke to her husband. "Yeah, please bring your friends! See you soon!"
She hung up.
"The pizza should be here in five minutes," I revealed. "And Karena, Diana, and Wesley should be here any minute. Where are Donnie and Mika?"
"They went with Knuckles. They deserved a break."
We heard a portal opening outside.
"That's Knuckles!" Lily exclaimed. "He's early!"
"Not too early," I replied with a wink. "Keep him distracted."
LILIANNA'S POV
I met my husband and kids outside. I ran up to Knuckles, embraced him, and kissed him. He returned it all with a smile.
"Donatello, Mika, why don't you go inside and see Vaia and the twins?" Knuckles suggested.
Our children ran inside, and it was just the two of us outside.
"It is nice night outside," Knuckles spoke.
"It's freezing!" I shivered.
"Well, I was about to ask you to dance, but I can keep you warm, too."
He put on "The Sentimental Evening" on his phone. Then, he pulled me into his arms and we swayed back and forth, keeping each other warm.
"Thank you," I spoke softly.
"You are welcome."
"Happy birthday, Knux. I love you."
"I love you too, darling."
I snuggled into his body as we continued to dance. As the song ended, I felt my phone going off. I read the text from Wilbur.
"We're ready."
"Come on, Knux. Let's go inside."
"I will follow you anywhere, Lily."
We kissed and then we headed inside at the exact same time as Karena, Diana, and Wesley.
"SURPRISE!" I shouted with the rest of the group.
"What is all this?" Karena asked.
"The celebration of our February birthdays," Wilbur explained, looking around the room with a smile. "Karena's forty-fourth, Diana's eighteenth, and Knuckles's fifty-eighth birthdays."
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"
"Thanks, guys!" Diana said happily. "This has been the best birthday yet!"
"I will go get Vaia and the twins," I spoke. "And then we can celebrate!"
After we got our pizza, I stood with Knuckles and Diana.
"So, Diana, your dad told me you got accepted to your top two universities."
"I did! I'm thinking about going to Pacific Bay next fall."
"Congratulations," Knuckles commended our goddaughter. "Where is Pacific Bay?"
"California," I answered. "It was Don's very first home."
"That is a long ways away! Do you have family there?"
"No," Diana answered. "But I have connections. Plus, Caleb, my boyfriend, is in California as well. He's in San Francisco, but still."
"But still far--"
I suddenly gasped.
"Anna!"
"Anna?" Diana asked. "Who's Anna?"
"You remember Anna, Diana!" I answered with a grin. "She's our lawyer who lives in San Diego. Russell's son Jasper is her husband."
"Are you serious? That's amazing!"
"Well, there you go," Knuckles said with a smirk. "You will not be alone, Diana."
"Also, did I hear you're 58?"
"Yes, you have heard correctly."
"Wow! You're like, twenty years older than Lily. How did you two end up falling in love with each other?"
"Diana, I will admit I was worried about the age difference at first," I explained. "Then my aunt Mona Lisa told me she is 20 years older than my Uncle Raph and that gave me relief."
"There are many reasons why we fell in love, Diana," Knuckles explained. "We have similar pasts. We are both warriors. We share the same beliefs regarding family. But when you are in love, Diana, you will want to feel safe, but you will also want to feel challenged. You need to grow in love, and Lily has done that for me."
"And Knuckles helped me grow through my grief and he helped me find love again. We are always there for each other, no matter what."
Diana suddenly frowned.
"What is wrong?" Knuckles asked.
"I always imagined a future with Caleb," Diana explained. "But things are still weird after that marriage proposal last year."
"Have you told him how you feel?"
"Yes, we talked about it. We took a break. And we've been off and on. Caleb will sometimes fly back and we will go on a date."
"How do you feel right now?" I asked.
"I don't know," Diana answered. "I love Caleb. But I'm scared about what will happen if he is not the right one for me."
"Diana, trust me when I tell you this. And Knuckles, you need to hear this, too. If you have doubts about a boy, chances are, he's not the one for you. You need to follow your instincts. Had I followed mine, I would not have married James."
"Really?" Diana and Knuckles asked at the same time.
"Why not?" Diana asked.
"He was willing to drop everything to follow me, but I did not want him to do that. Diana, if you sacrifice a dream, it should only be because it was right for you, not because someone you love tells you to. It was not fair of me to have James sacrifice his dreams just so he could be my husband and the father of my children."
"So why did you marry Knuckles?"
"I married Knuckles because he supported me in my dreams and I supported his. We did not need to sacrifice anything. We love each other with all we have. If loving someone requires you to sacrifice something you love doing, then it's not worth pursuing."
"But why worry about it now?" Knuckles asked with a grin. "It is our birthday. We should be celebrating!"
"You know what?" Diana asked, returning the smile. "You're right. These last few months are gonna be the best months of my life. I'm now an adult. I'm playing Moana in the musical. I'll have one more prom with Caleb. And then, I'll be graduating high school. It's going to be amazing!"
"That's the spirit!" I replied enthusiastically. "Go enjoy your own party! And besides, I'm pretty sure Caleb misses you over there."
I gazed over at him and waved. He waved back with a smile. Diana walked over to him and held his hand. I held my husband's hand.
"You did amazing, Knux," I whispered to him.
"So did you," he whispered back.
"You should go enjoy the party, too, Knucklehead. It's also your birthday. Go celebrate with your friends!"
We kissed and I went to check on the twins, who were unfortunately too young to eat cake. I took them both to the nursery and decided to try to breastfeed them at the same time. After a successful first try, I burped them and then put them in their crib for another nap. I kissed them both and headed downstairs to enjoy the party.
February 25, 2063
KNUCKLES'S POV
"Knuckles! Wakey wakey, eggs and bakey!"
I stirred awake to my wife's voice.
"Did you seriously sing that just now?" I groggily asked her.
"Yep! Now get up!"
"Okay, okay, I'm up."
I sat up... and found my wife holding a breakfast tray next to me. I dropped my jaw in surprise.
"Happy anniversary!" Lily sang.
"Thank you!" I joked. "What is the occasion?"
"Knuckles Hamato!" Lily exasperated. "Do you seriously not remember our wedding day one year ago today?"
"I am joking, Lilianna! But you should have seen your face."
"I'm gonna get you!"
She set the tray down and charged. But I read her moves and kissed her on the lips instead. She moaned, relaxing feeling pleased at the touch.
"Happy anniversary, darling. Thank you for breakfast."
"You're welcome, Knucklehead. Go ahead and eat. I'm going to go check on the twins."
"It is quiet around here."
"Don, Mika, and Vaia are all at the Robinsons' house today. It's just us and the twins."
"I would not have it any other way," I replied with a smile. "Especially since you return to work tomorrow."
"Oh."
Lily suddenly frowned.
"Yeah. I'll... be... right back."
She slumped away. I frowned, but I started eating my breakfast: scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and toast with grape jelly. I also drank a cup of grape juice. By the time I finished breakfast, Lily joined me again in the bedroom.
"Are you alright, Lily?" I asked.
"Honestly, no."
"Is it about work?"
"Yes."
I patted on the bed, prompting her to join me.
"Knuckles, what if I go to work and the twins need me?" Lily asked.
"Lily, you have pumped plenty of milk yesterday and I know you will pump more today," I assured her. "Everything will be fine."
"What if it isn't? You'll be home alone with Vaia and the twins. It's not going to be easy."
"No, it will not. But you have helped me prepare for this challenge. If anything, it might be easier for me to take care of the house, thanks to Vaia's superpowers."
"Easy, huh?" Lily asked with a smirk. "You're adorable. Well, if anything happens, I'll come right back."
I put a fist on my hip and put on my stern voice and a stern expression on my face.
"Lily, you go to a place where you bring home the money we need for our family to thrive. I cannot do that. I wish I could, but I cannot. My place is here at the house protecting our children. It does bug me that I cannot just go outside and train, but Lily, I love you and I love our children. I am more than happy to sacrifice my training to be their father. Our children always come first. If it means hearing them say, I love you, then the sacrifice is worth it. Trust me, Lily. You need to go back to work. I will drag you there myself if I have to."
"Who are you and what have you done with Knuckles, my strong husband who loves to fight?"
"I still love to fight, Lily. You helped me remember that. But I do not just fight for my pleasure anymore. I fight to protect my family, and I am honored to train our children to fight for themselves. Now, please, relax. I promise I will call you if anything happens. Meanwhile, what do you say about celebrating our wedding anniversary? You got us started with breakfast in bed. So, now what?"
"Well, what do you think we should do?" Lily asked. "How did your parents celebrate being married?"
"They didn't," I answered with a frown. "My mother went out to hunt and my father took care of me. It was a normal day for them. So, allow me to ask you: what did you and James do on your wedding anniversaries?"
"We always went out to dinner and danced to our song. During the day, we lived our lives and took care of the kids."
"But we only have the twins here."
"Who are back asleep after their breakfast."
I grinned.
"Aumanil, I challenge you to a trial by combat."
Lily grinned back. She got out of bed and transformed into Aumanil, something that inspired me every time.
"Challenge accepted, Knuckles Hamato."
We went outside to the beach on this cold day and we fought it out, releasing all of our stressed energies into this fight. We threw punches and kicks at each other, and we also used our powers against each other. We ended the fight with smiles on our faces.
"I forgot how fun these trials by combat are!" Lily said with tired laughter.
"So did I," I replied. "We need to do this more often... alone."
"What if I woke up with you at dawn? We could have quality time to start our day."
"That sounds like an amazing idea. So, now what?"
"What do you say we spend some time with the twins, just the two of us?" Lily suggested. "Then we can leave the twins with Sonic and Amy Rose and go out to lunch. Afterwards, we'll get the kids and spend time as a family."
I smiled fondly at her.
"That sounds... like a wonderful idea. Let us go wake up the twins and play with them."
We wrapped our arms around each other and went back in the house, looking forward to spending the rest of the day not just as a married couple, but also as a family. This was a day we would never take for granted.