Song: Wake Me Up When September Ends - Green Day

Leonardo helps me rise to my feet. I lean heavily on him, and despite the fact he's covered in wounds, he acts as my rock.

His fingers gently trace the cut going down my side. He quickly takes his hand away at my wince. "It's shallow," he murmurs. "You'll be alright."

I am still fighting the effects of the serum. It's so hard to resist falling into blackness. The only thing that keeps me in the present is Leonardo's deep, calm voice, and the will to survive.

"Saki, face me!" Master Splinter's shout jolts me completely awake for a moment. I turn my head to see the Shredder disappearing into the shadows of the room, probably to escape through a secret exit.

"You have mutated my daughter and harmed my sons! You will come back and finish this battle!" Master Splinter keeps yelling, his voice deep with rage.

"One day, rat," Shredder replies over his shoulder, before he is gone.

Master Splinter pauses for a moment. Then he turns around and rushes over to Karai's side, his expression filled with concern. "How is she, Donatello?" he asks, his anger fading.

"She's still bleeding, but by some miracle, most of it seems to have cleared up," the purple-clad turtle reports promptly, his expert gaze traveling over the serpent closely.

Relief seems to cover the room.  After all Karai has done for us, it would be horrible to witness her fade away.

"Raph, did you destroy the portal?" Leonardo questions the red-clad turtle. That explains the random power surge and crashing noises I heard a few minutes ago.

"Yeah," Raphael is suddenly very monotone.  Even though we won, he looks defeated.  He must be thinking of Casey.

"What about the one we found in the TCRI rubble?" Donatello speaks up again. "We can't just leave that lying about with Shredder's ex-henchmen roaming around. They might attempt to use it."

"We'll get rid of that one tomorrow," Leonardo decides as he tugs me closer to him. "The sun is rising and we're all beat. Donnie, are you fit enough to carry Karai?"

Master Splinter steps forward instead. "I will carry her," he decides, gently scooping the mutant into his weary arms.

Leonardo gives a respectful nod. "Then Donnie, you help Raph carry Lizzy's mother," he orders.  "If we bring her back to the lair, I can help change her back to normal."

Raphael and Donatello obediently walk over to the spider.  She only responds to commands made by my father.  And he's dead, so she is completely motionless.  Raphael and Donatello both grab a leg and start to guide her towards the exit, step by step.

At least I didn't lose my whole family.

"Let's go home, team," Leonardo announces.

"Wait, dudes!" Michelangelo stops us. He eyes the serum-filled needle on the ground. He slams his foot down on it, shattering it. The liquid spreads out into a small, useless, purple puddle.

The orange-clad turtle gives me a small smile and then says, "Ok, now we can go."

On the way out, I see snowflakes sprinkling from the sky. They're only just beginning to collect together on the ground, creating a blanket of white on the streets.

Though I am still suffering through the serum effects, I somehow manage a smile. "What do you know?" I murmur. "I actually did live long enough to see the first snowfall."

I feel Leonardo's turtle nose brush my ear. "And I'll make sure you live to see plenty more," he breathes.

I look up at him and my smile grows. He returns it, his sapphire-blue eyes sparkling through the darkness. I feel a rush from something other than the fact that we just saved the city.

~*~*~*~

I cringe as Donatello applies antiseptics to one of my wounds. It doesn't help that I still feel weak from the serum.

Leonardo sits next to me, awaiting his turn with Donatello. He hasn't left my side since we kissed.

We kissed. That's still hard for me to believe. I didn't realize it was something I wanted until it happened; and now, I wonder why I hadn't yearned for it before.

Leonardo may not be human, but he is definitely the greatest guy I've ever known. If we're going to get used to this kissing thing, let's just say that I won't reject them. And if we're to become something more, I can guarantee that I will be the happiest person on earth.

I drag myself out of my thoughts. Michelangelo is on my other side, blabbing on to April about how awesome he fought. Raphael is the only one sitting quietly off to the side, lost in his thoughts.

Everyone is supposed to be tired, but they're too thrilled from the battle. My father is gone, and with him went his evil plan. Of course they're celebrating.

But I couldn't share their enthusiasm.  The Shredder escaped. He's still out there, waiting for another chance to rise again. Goosebumps crawl up my arm as I realize this battle is far from over.

My anxieties threatens to overwhelm me and I sink down into my seat.  At least I have my mother to comfort me.  Sure, she's currently a mutant spider caged up in Donatello's laboratory.  But he promised to fix her, so I know I'll get to see her again one day.

I wish my brother was here. I always thought he would be by my side. I never realized that I could lose him until I did. And when I finally got him back, he evaporated like dew in the sunlight. I guess it's true that you don't appreciate what you have until it's no longer there.

Leonardo witnesses the change in my behavior. "What's on your mind?" he asks gently.

I shrug as if it isn't a big deal. "My brother," is all I can manage to say. My voice is dry and bitter.

"He'd be proud of you, Lizzy," Leonardo reassures me softly as Donatello begins treating the blue-clad turtle's injuries. "You avenged his death and saved the city from destruction."

I play with my fingers. "It doesn't feel like it," I grumble.

Leonardo reaches over and twists his fingers between mine. "It never does," he admits with a shrug. "But that doesn't mean it's not the truth."

I gaze up at him, a smile taunting my lips. I can't stop myself from drowning in the waves of his blue eyes.

   Donatello suddenly stands up, snapping my attention away from his brother. He removes several explosives from his sash. "Well, guess we didn't need these after all," he comments as he gets up to put them away in his lab.

   "I'll be glad to light them up anyway," Michelangelo calls after him, snickering.

   Donatello just rolls his eyes and keeps going.

   I groan as another headache comes on. They've been on and off since I got injected again, and they only seem to be getting worse.

   My head feels ready to explode this time. I press in on my temples, but it doesn't ease the pain. The room starts to spin, but then it stops and the headache fades.  Donatello needs to come up with an antidote before I can't hold on to reality anymore.

   Donatello appears in front of me while I experience the struggle. I look up to see a sympathetic frown on his face, the same one he had given me when the turtles first brought me back to their lair. I instantly feel worried.

   "What?" I ask him when he just continues to gaze at me sadly.

   "Your father was right, you know," Donatello finally says. "There's no way I can get the serum out of your system. He and Stockman programmed it to accomplish a job before it flushes itself out. And since you're not going to let it finish its job..."

   Leonardo blinks. "Are you saying she's stuck like this forever?" he whispers.

   Donatello bows his head in defeat.

   I feel a hand on my shoulder. It's Michelangelo.

   "Too bad you can't just, like, forget all about the serum ever being injected into you," he says.

   Donatello's eyes light up suddenly. "You know, I still have that brain transmitter I used on you over half a year ago," he says to me. "If I can change around its circuits and recalibrate its brain wave signals, maybe I can get it erase the existence of the serum from your mind. The only downside it that to get rid of those memories, it'll have to remove everything from the moment you got kidnapped and up until now."

   I bite my lip. "You mean that I won't remember anything at all? I won't remember the Foot or Kraang? I'll forget all about my brother's deaths and my dad?" All of that sounds quite good, actually. Except for one little detail. "I won't remember any of you?" I dare to ask.

   "You'll forget everything since after you got kidnapped," Donatello answers softly.

   I glance at the turtles, and people, surrounding me. I don't want to erase all of my memories with them! I want to cherish them forever. That's what memories are for. They aren't there to be taken away.

   But it's either erase my memories and be normal again, or keep them and become a murderer of my own friends. I can try to continue fighting off my subconscious, but with the newest serum dose on top of the old, I know I'm not strong enough to hinder it. Something has to be done.

   Everyone's gazes are fixed on me, making me feel self-conscious. I can't bring myself to even glance at Leonardo or Michelangelo- they will be taking the news harder than anyone.

   But it's my choice. I swallow the lump in my throat as I voice my decision.

   "Donnie, erase my memories."