Once I walk into the lair, I see Michelangelo in the main room with all of his brothers. He looks worried to death.

"... And now I can't find her," the orange-clad turtle is saying. "I don't know what could have happened. I checked everywhere, dudes, even the toilet! And I don't think she can fit down it."

I spot Leonardo's gaze waver from his brother for a second, but he says nothing. Obviously, he isn't going to confess to anything.

"Did you check behind you?" Donatello asks, with a nod towards me.

Michelangelo spins around. His sky-blue eyes light up and he engulfs me in a crushing hug.

"Lizzy! I thought you had gotten kidnapped again!" he exclaims, almost breathless with relief. "I went to check your room this morning and you weren't there!"

I wrap my arms loosely around his neck as I wait out his embrace. I can't resist giggling. "I'm alright, you big lump. I just went out for a walk with Casey and April."

It's hard to keep my attention on Michelangelo when I feel Leonardo staring at me. It makes me want to shrink into the floor and hide. However much I want to glare at him, though, I pretend I don't notice.

Michelangelo sets me on my feet and looks it me with curious eyes. "Did anything good happen?! Did you bring back pizza?!" he questions.

I laugh. "Yes to the first, and no to the second."

"Darn! I'm hungry!" Michelangelo sighs with fake sadness. He's too happy that I'm back to actually be bummed. "What happened, then?"

I glance at Casey and April, but they seem pretty content with me telling the story myself. "We went by my house," I explain as casually as I can. I'm certain what I'm going to say will upset Michelangelo, but I can't stick around. Especially not when I have the opportunity to get out of their hair... Ok, not the best choice of metaphor.

"And?" Michelangelo presses, staring at me intently.

"And I've decided I want to move back into my house," I go on.

As predicted, Michelangelo's face falls. "Don't you like it here?" he asks in a sorrowful voice.

"I do, I really do!" I reply quickly. "I just don't want to overstay my welcome. I also want my own bed back, no offense to that mattress or anything."

"Don't you think we should inspect the place first?" Donatello looks skeptical. "The Foot might have a close watch on it, and you coming back could be exactly what they're waiting for."

"Already done, Donnie," Casey speaks up from behind me. "We swept the place clean. Literally, because April dumped a load of dust bunnies on us."

Leonardo unexpectedly breaks into the conversation. "Wait, so you all went inside a potentially-dangerous building with no ninjas to back you up?" There's no mistaking the anger in his voice. He's never lost his cool so quickly.

"We didn't need ninjas, Leo!" Casey replies nonchalantly. "I've got my own skills, and April is almost a Kunoichi."

"Yes, almost," Leonardo returns with a disapproving shake of his head. "She still has a lot to learn, just like you," he adds with an irritated glance at me. "What were you thinking, leading Casey and April into danger like that?!"

I raise my eyebrows. "So now it's my fault? I'll have you know that it was April's idea to go out in the first place. I also wasn't 'leading them into danger'. They had my back without me asking them to do a thing. I easily would have gone into my house by myself," I spit angrily.

"Whoa, tension," Michelangelo mumbles.

"I'll say," Donatello quietly agrees with his brother for once.

Leonardo grits his teeth. "You shouldn't be so quick to sacrifice yourself like that! You need to start thinking before acting!" It's the moment he speaks these words that I know he's referring to our last argument, too.

"Why do you even care?!" I raise my voice at him. He doesn't own me, so why is he treating me like it? "It's my choice. If I want to risk my life, then I will."

"There's a difference between being brave and irrational," Leonardo shoots back. "You need to learn it."

"Or maybe you need to learn to respect other people's decisions!" I snap. "I'm going to move back into my house, and you're not going to stop me."

Raphael places a hand on the blue-clad turtle's shoulder. He looks calm for once, even sympathetic. "It's not worth it, Leo," he says softly.

Leonardo ignores him. "You're putting yourself in danger for no reason," he growls at me.

"Well, maybe it's worth the risk!" I retort. "Maybe it's time I'm not trapped underground with talking ninja turtles anymore! Maybe I want to stop questioning myself if I'm going mental every single time I see you! Maybe I'm sick of living some weird sci-fi life! Like I'm some kind of freak!" As soon as the words are out, I wish I could take them back. They don't need to know that, deep down, I think this is all a dream. But they do now.

Leonardo's expression changes to hurt, as well as the other turtles'; even Raphael. I brace myself for a smart retort. Instead, Leonardo takes a deep breath to steady his voice, and speaks again. "Fine," he replies smoothly. "Do whatever you want. I'm done trying."

His words sting. He's giving up on me, the exact thing I didn't want him to do? Hadn't I told myself I wouldn't take these guys for granted? Well, there isn't anything I can do now.

"Fine," I say quietly. "I'm done, too."

Leonardo gives me a simple nod and disappears from the room.

I look at the other turtles. Raphael appears hurt, but not as much as Donatello. Yet, neither compare to the look in Michelangelo's eyes. It's as if I physically slapped him.

"Mikey," I start guiltily. "I didn't mean it like that..."

But he doesn't seem interested in an apology. Michelangelo gets up and walks away. Before he's out of view, he stops, turns his head so only half of his face is visible, and says, "I thought we were best friends." Then he leaves.

He thinks I lied to him. He thinks I wasn't serious when I called him my best friend. The real meaning of what I said settles in. It's a horrible feeling.

I can't find any words to reply. My heart aches and my head is throbbing. I feel tears forming in my eyes. I'm choked up.

I look at Donatello for any sign of hatred, but he just gives me thoughtful look. "I have some work to get back to," he finally says, and he leaves as well.

Raphael is the only turtle left. He stares at me for a long time, but he never speaks a word. He doesn't have to say anything, however; I can already hear his accusations in my head. That's much worse than him actually talking.

Finally, I can't take it. I push passed Casey and April and run out of the lair. I manage to make it to the surface before the tears start. And they don't stop.

The sun is high in the sky, so every busy New Yorker that I pass can see me crying. I push on towards my house, blocking them all out. Strangers don't matter; they won't understand.

How could they, when I just lost my best friends, who are giant talking teenage ninja turtles?