AN: This is the chapter I cried writing...good luck. *hands out tissues*

Song: Not Gonna Die - Skillet

The building crumbles to pieces, making every mutant on the outside grow stark with fear. Every one of the teenagers' friends, the newly-humanized Foot Clan mutants, and the Jones family stare in shock, unable to move or function at all. Silence fills the air, one that leaves a cold tension and the feeling of death all around them.

Destiny stumbles forwards, her eyes wide and her face agonized.

"Dean!" she screams, knowing that her son is somewhere in that wreckage with her nieces and nephew.

"Dean!" Venus shouts, her green eyes filling with tears.

Mitch holds the turtle girl back, his blue eyes drowned in sorrow as he stares at the wreckage. Annalise moves to her son with Michelangelo at her side, the three looking out at everything with shock and sadness on every face. Venus sniffles and turns, hugging Mitch tightly, and the boy doesn't pull away as he sinks to his knees and engulfs her in his warm embrace.

Destiny moves to the rubble, leaving Leonardo on his knees nearby, still weakened.

"Des..." he croaks, trying to stop her.

"Dean! DEAN!" she keeps shouting, morphing into a wolf and clawing desperately at the stone. "DEAN!"

Donatello and Raphael leave their wives, rushing forwards and helping their sister. The two women hug each other and tremble as they stare at the site, feeling almost too stunned to cry.

Destiny sniffs through the wreckage, catching the scent of her young family members. She follows the trail swiftly, finding the spot where it's strongest. She claws at the large slab of concrete blocking it desperately, her claws growing bloody and aching with every swipe. She keeps trying, her motherly instincts spurring her forwards. Then, with a final burst of adrenaline, she shoves the giant blockade out of the way, finally seeing the teens hidden in a crater in the pavement.

Dean lays on the ground, his body battered and bruised and his clothing torn open with bloody cuts. His wings are shattered and twisted at odd angles, his legs obviously broken as well, his handsome face streaked with dirt and deep cuts. Dakota is curled up near him, her eyes shut and her body as limp as her oldest cousin's. Asher and Copeland are still awake, but their eyes are only on their injured siblings and friends as they hold whatever injuries they sustained.

"Dean..." Destiny whispers, her eyes filling with tears as she collapses into the hole. She pulls him close to her chest, stroking his hair and wolf ears gently as she cries, rocking him in her arms. "It's okay, sweet boy. Mommy's here...I'm here...please hold on, baby. Don't go...I don't want to lose you."

Raph and Donnie stumble over, their eyes overwhelmed with emotion. Destiny presses her lips to her son's forehead, her eyes squeezed shut as tears run down her scarred face, her wings wrapped around them both and shielding her son's broken body from the view of others.

"Copeland," Raph breathes, leaping down into the crater and pulling his daughter to his chest. "I thought I lost you. Don't ever do that again!"

Copeland returns the hug, her body shaking. "Dad? Are you...crying?"

The red-masked turtle shakes his head, harshly wiping away the tears slipping down his face.

"No, Copey. It's just really dusty here," he mumbles, kissing her forehead gently as he hugs her even tighter. "Oh princess...I was so scared."

"But...you're never scared."

"That can't be said anymore."

He looks her over, noticing a bloody cut on the right side of her plastron. A lightning bolt shaped chip can be seen, the opposite of his. She notices his gaze, sheepishly putting her hand over the cut and averting her eyes to the ground. He only hugs her again, crushing her against his plastron.

"Ash, Kota!" Donnie calls, following his brother into the pit.

He embraces his son tightly, his heart racing in his chest. Asher returns the hug slowly, but his face is still heartbroken as he looks to his fraternal twin.

"Dad...she used too much power. She powered down before the building...before the...the..." he stammers, his voice thick and tears welling in his russet eyes, threatening to soak his deep violet mask. "Dean covered all of us in his wolf...the rubble, it...it...Dad, I'm so sorry. I love you so much and I'm so sorry."

He hugs his dad tighter, crying heavily. Donnie doesn't hesitate to wrap his arms around the boy's shell, holding him like he's the most precious thing in the world. He releases him after a moment as the two intelligent turtles kneel down next to Dakota. Donnie pulls her slim form into his arms and cradles her against his plastron. Asher doesn't take his eyes off of her, the guilt he's feeling evident in his being.

"Come on, my miracle," Donnie whispers, pressing his lips to her forehead and letting them stay there. "Fight through it. You're going to be fine, alright? I'm going to make you alright." He brushes a soft white strand of hair from her scratched forehead. "I told you that you were special...I told you..."

Asher moves closer to his dad and sister, wrapping his arms around Dakota and burying his face in her neck as he cries harder.

"Come on, big sis. I don't want to lose my favourite lab partner," he whispers. "I don't want to lose my other half...please hold on."

Over the rubble, Leo moves towards his family with Venus in tow, the two turtles determined. Every time Leo stumbles, his daughter steadies him and helps him keep moving. They reach the site, moving next to their mother and wife, brother and son. Destiny refuses to release Dean, continuing to cry. Venus sniffles and sits down next to her brother, gently taking his hand and resting her forehead against it. Leo hugs Destiny from behind, both parents' eyes tearful and completely focused on their injured child.

"Come on, we have to get out of here," Leo tells his wife urgently. "The humans will come, they'll ask too many questions...and he needs serious help if he's going to live."

Destiny nods, not saying a word as she pushes herself to her feet, forcing her aching body to stay strong as she lifts Dean with her. The four of them climb out of the crater and stumble back to the gathered group nearby.

Sarina appears at the edge of the hole with Taylor at her side. The cyborg's arm is still limp and useless, but she doesn't let on to any pain she's experiencing. The two mothers rush to their husbands and children without bothering to think. Sarina collapses next to Asher and Donnie, tears already falling freely down her face at the sight of Dakota. She weeps heavily, and it isn't long before Asher's arms surround his mom in a warm hug.

"Copeland! Honey!" Taylor exclaims, engulfing her daughter in a hug. "I thought...I thought you were...you're grounded for life for following us, young lady," she scolds, trying to sound stern but the relief in her voice betraying that.

The turtle girl only inhales deeply as she shuts her eyes and keeps her mom close. "I love you so much, mom. I love you so much, dad."

Raph wraps his arms around both girls, his eyes still wet with the "dust induced" tears. Taylor laughs weakly and wipes them away, and he only replies with a sad smile.

Mitch sinks to his knees, burying his face in his hands as he sobs freely. Mikey and Annalise only grow more concerned as they kneel behind him.

"Mitch, what's wrong?" Annalise asks kindly, although there's so many factors that could contribute that the question feels useless.

"Besides the obvious?" Mikey adds forlornly.

Mitch punches the ground so hard that the loose rubble beneath his knuckles breaks his skin. He doesn't care about the pain, only able to stare at his family.

"I should've been with them. I left. I wasn't with them when they needed me," he cries, his tone angry and guilt-ridden. "Dean told me to go, but I should've refused. I could've done something."

"You brought Venus out. You led all your friends out," Annalise says softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "They're alive because of you. Aren't you grateful for that?"

"And if Dean isn't? If Dakota isn't? How can I be grateful if they're not there either?" He looks to his mom, his baby blue eyes blazing behind the wet anger.

Mikey shakes his head and moves closer to his son, gently placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Mitch, you're just as much of a hero as they are. You're the guy who led the others to safety. You're the one who managed to escape the battle without a single rescued person getting killed, and that means that you are incredibly important. Don't you ever think of yourself as anything lower," he says sternly, shocking both his wife and son with the wise speech. He smiles lightly and ruffles the boy's curls. "You're like the toppings on a pizza. Without you, it just isn't as good."

Mitch laughs weakly as the family joins in on a tight group hug. Nearby, Casey and April remain in shock, each of them holding one of Blake's hands. The dark-haired boy doesn't take his eyes off of the spot that Venus disappeared into with her dad.

Elisabeth claps a hand over her mouth as she shuts her eyes, taking deep breaths as she tries to calm herself down. She can't bear to look at Dean's still form laying nearby with his family around him, the sight only making it hurt more. Tiki moves to her side and gently hugs her, something she eagerly returns. Nixie sits down on the ground and places her head in her hands, her usually outspoken and confident personality completely hidden by the shock and trauma she just went through. She shuts her eyes as her short brown hair brushes her cheek, burying her face in her knees. Lukas stares out at the wreckage, his face pained as he waits for his friends to come out, and Blake hugs Casey's leg tightly, his entire body quivering with shock.

Emery's golden eyes flicker to her hands, lithe and human again. Her caramel hair has reverted back to the black it was before she was mutated, sleek and shiny. Her slanted eyes and petite nose make her look almost like a china doll, save for her added muscular structure from years of ninjutsu. Tiger Claw seems as shocked as his little sister, his eyes still yellow, but he's now a tall and well-built Asian man. He still wears an eyepatch, his face creased with lines of aging.

Bradford and Xever can't stop looking at each other, reeling from seeing the human bodies that they coveted for so long. Steranko and Zeck are the same way, Zeck looking way too overly excited about being human again. Baxter Stockman keeps touching his body, even testing out whether he can still spit acid by making little retching noises. When nothing happens, he grins and claps his hands together. Karai stands at a distance, guilt evident in her entire being as her hazel eyes watch the horizon.

Tiki suddenly stiffens, releasing Elisabeth from his comforting embrace. He starts sniffing the air and looking around at his group of friends.

"Hey...where's Kelly?" he asks.

Everyone straightens up, looking around. Sure enough, the auburn-haired girl is nowhere to be seen. Tiki's brown eyes grow fearful as he morphs into his dog form and goes dashing into the wreckage, sniffing around frantically. Lukas follows after the fluffy black and white animal, his eyes wide.

"KELLY! KELLS!" he shouts, his heart racing.

Asher hears his friend's distress call, climbing from the crater as Donnie and Sarina head back to the group with Dakota. The violet-masked turtle meets Lukas' eyes, and the sandy-haired boy's face falls.

"Ash, it's Kelly..."

Asher stops himself from following after his family and limps to his friend, his entire body aching but determination to find his friend overwhelming all that. They search desperately, their hearts sinking.

Then, Tiki starts barking rapidly from a little ways away. The two teens dash over to find their fluffy friend pawing and whimpering at a slab of concrete. Lukas and Asher push at it desperately, Tiki returning to his human form to help out. The slab budges, but only just. Tiki kneels and peers under, seeing that there's a sliver of space that a human could hide inside, but the rock doesn't move.

Then, a rumbling voice sounds from behind them.

"Lets me help you with that," a distinctly Russian accent says.

Steranko steps to their side and also pushes, his added strength making the slab move a little easier. In the next moment, Bradford and Tiger Claw also join them, their muscled bodies heaving against the stone.

Then, it falls away, revealing the curled up form of a teenage girl within a crumbling pit. The ex-Foot Clan mutants move away, not wanting to intrude.

"Kelly," Asher and Lukas breathe, leaping into the hole.

"Guys! GUYS!" Tiki shouts, urging his other friends to get over here.

Asher lifts her carefully, his heart racing crazily within his plastron. Kelly's face is smudged with her dirt, her glasses broken and knocked askew on her nose. Blood stains the side of her head, making her hair stick to her forehead, and her legs are completely flattened from the concrete that landed on them, dooming her from ever walking again. She doesn't stir, remaining limp.

"Kelly...please wake up," Asher pleads.

"Come on, buddy," Lukas adds, his tone like that of his friend.

As Elisabeth, Nixie, Copeland, Mitch, Venus, and Blake arrive, a tiny cough escapes Kelly's lips. They all tense up, moving into the spot with wide eyes.

Kelly's eyes open, the deep green of them clouded with pain. A weak smile graces her lips, her hand resting on Asher's plastron.

"Ash...Luke..." she whispers.

"What...what happened? Why weren't you with the others?" Asher demands, his body shaking.

"You needed...help. I-" she coughs, a groan escaping her as she holds her stomach. "I set off...the explosion..."

"You...you helped them bring the building down?" Lukas repeats, shocked. "But..."

A few tears escape her eyes and trickle down her grimy face. "Yeah...but...I helped...destroy Shredder..." She looks up at Asher, her face saddened. "Didn't I?"

The violet-masked turtle nods. "You did. You helped us win. You did it."

She smiles weakly. "Good...I'm glad...I did." She looks around at the other gathered teens slowly, her forehead creasing. "Where's Dakota...and Dean?"

"They're...hurt, but they'll live," Copeland says softly. "You're okay?"

Kelly doesn't respond, a shudder leaving her body. "Asher?"

"Yes?" he asks, almost desperately.

"I'm glad...to have you...as friends."

He laughs a little. "I'm...I'm glad you're our friend. You're going to be okay, you hear me?"

She smiles weakly as her eyes flutter shut. "I believe you..."

Her chest rises and falls once more, then stops. Lukas' eyes widen as Asher's does the same.

"Kelly? Kells?" Lukas whispers. "Kelly, you better not be teasing right now. Kelly! Damn it, wake up! Don't...don't..."

She doesn't respond, her body completely limp against Asher's chest as the cold chill of death sets in. Elisabeth is the first to realize what just happened, breaking down and sobbing even harder as Mitch and Nixie start doing the same. Venus and Blake follow suit, crying freely as they hug each other close. Tiki hugs Copeland as she remains stiff, her face stuck in a look of shock and disbelief.

"She...she can't be! She..." she mumbles.

Asher squeezes his eyes shut and nods, his entire body shaking. Kelly; shy, sweet Kelly who never thought of herself as brave or all that smart, sacrificed herself for all of them.

Lukas covers his face with his hands and weeps, his hair falling in his tear-soaked grey eyes. Asher stands shakily with Kelly in his arms, his tear-filled gaze looking back at the group who witnessed everything. Every family group is waiting with their enemies and allies, not a single face showing happiness. The heavy weight of grief and loss hangs in the air like a dark cloud, raining down on them all.

When the large clan of mutants and humans alike reaches the communal meeting area, the newly-humanized Foot Clan employees still make no move to fight. They only bow their heads in shame and respect. Sarina covers her mouth with her working arm, burying her face in Donnie's shoulder. The purple-masked turtle purses his lips as Asher moves closer, knowing that his son is going through the worst pain that he's ever felt.

For a few moments, nothing but silence endures. A few birds chirp nearby, making the scene sound unnaturally happy.

"So...what now?" Emery's soft voice purrs, breaking the frail silence.

No one responds immediately. Then, Leonardo gets to his feet and smiles weakly at the group. His sapphire eyes flicker to every one of them, not a hint of anger or vengeance in his face.

"We go home," he answers simply.