Timestamp - Day of Reckoning, 6 years after Raphael's death

The blaring alarm ripped through the KRUB. Leonardo burst into the security room, Miker hot on his heels. Donatello was frantically looking over the security feedback "Don, talk to me buddy. What's going on?"

Donnie banged his console angrily, "Get everyone out of here, now!" Just as he said that Donnie slammed the all-panic button, sending out the emergency evacuation wave throughout the base. The tech whiz turned around only to find his two brother's still looking at him, "Are you guys insane? I said get out of here!."

"Don, answer the question," Mikey begged. Donnie watched his youngest brother with sad eyes, "Angelo, we have been discovered."

Leo shook his head in confusion and then begged Donnie to explain in detail but the softshell walked out of the security room hastily and headed for his lab, both his brothers followed suit. As Donnie secured his battle shell and fighting gear on as he told Leo the weight of the issue, "One of the three main Krang, the Sister has found our base and is currently ripping through the tertiary and secondary security vaults. The system is not holding, she's too powerful!"

"We can fight our way through Don-"

"NO, LEONARDO WE CANNOT"

The two brothers flinched at the genius' outburst, knowing full well that this tone of voice meant only one thing, they were doomed. After all, the only other times he used this voice was when Cassandra and Raph met their timely ends.

Thankfully, Splinter and Draxum had long passed on to the ancestral plane well before the apocalypse hit its peak. They at least died happy and kind deaths.

At his brother's silence, Donnie tried to reassure them the best he could, "Look, let's just gear up and get everyone out of this base, kay? I've contacted the nearest base for medical, evacuation, and artillery backup. They're on their way as we speak."

Mikey and Leo nodded in understanding and began to gear up as well. Taking whatever tech Donnie passed on to them.

As the three left the lab, Donnie asked Mikey to use his mystic powers to aid the evacuation by creating multiple portal corridors. "I won't let you down, Dee. If any Krangg gets in my way I'll bring out Dr. Delicate Touch,"

"You do that little brother." Donnie was about to turn away when Mikey suddenly engulfed him in a hug. Out of all the 'stay-safe' hugs, this one oddly felt the saddest, neither Donnie nor Mikey understood why. As the youngest Hamato brother disappeared into action, Donnie continued his march to the security room.

"Alright, what now?"

"Nardo, you do your uh, leader thing. Yes! You will 'leader' every one of this base and continue to 'leader' them until you bust Krang butt and save the planet from Krangification!"

Leo stared estranged at his strange brother, "What are you talking about? And what are you doing here? We need to fight our way out"

Donnie sighed tiredly but he kept his eyes glued to his monitors. He eyed every movement the Krang Sister made and counter-attacked her with the in-built security system that he could only automate from the security room.

"Nardo, I will say this once and I will never repeat it again. The Krang Sister is tearing through all the security levels and the systems are failing. I have automated security backups that I can unfortunately only automate from this room. I cannot leave and join the fight because my fight is here, buying you time. Buying you enough time, so that you can get your dum dum self, saving the dum dum people, and bringing them to dum dum safe-ville, away from the dum dum Krang."

"And before you point out that it's automated, Nardo, keep in mind that the systems are intact failing and so has the automation. But I refuse to call it manual work just because some oversized wrinkled up brain chewing gum she beast alien decided to destroy all my tech!"

Leo miraculously got all of that, amidst the blaring alarms and screaming people. "R-right," Leo nodded to himself and ran out of the room, only to run back in with worry on his face, "What about you?!"

"Leo- what? WHAT'S WITH THE INTERROGATION? EVERYTHING IS FINE, I SAID!"

"Damn it Donnie, what about you? You can be left here alone with no defense!"

"I have my battle shell and my mystic tech bo, Leo!" Donnie growled growing ever more frustrated. Try fighting an oversized brain alien on a small console while talking to your sibling.

"Don! I'm commanding you to leave your station and evacuate like everyone else!" Leo yanked Donnie's shoulder so that they would face each other.

Donnie was about to shout back and retaliate but when he saw Leo's eyes, he understood. Leo was tearing up and crying. His jaw clamped tight and his fingers grasped onto Donnie. Leo was worrying.

Leo was crying.

As the red alarm lights failed, Donnie gently clasped Leo's shaky hands, "Brother, I will be right behind you. I will-"

"That's a lie. Don, I know when you're lying,"

True enough, Donnie knew from the start of this attack, this would be his last mission on Earth. No one else could man the security system. No one else than his wife and son but he wasn't going to drag his family into this mess. This sacrifice was going to be made so that everyone can get out.

The determination in Donnie's eyes and the finality of his last spoken words told Leo, there was no turning back. "I am, Leo. I can't leave this station. It's the only way I can buy all of you the time needed to escape."

Leo almost collapsed on his knees, but Donnie held him up and brought Leo into a hug. "Anata wa hitori ja nai," .

Leo gasped and clutched onto Donnie, crying into his shirt. The softshell held the slider close, then pushed him away. His twin. This would be the last time he would ever see his twin.

"I love you, Nardo'. Take care of Dianne and Sheldon for me. Stay strong, brother."

---

Over at the other side of the base, Mikey was sustaining multiple portals. April made sure that every department in the rebellion made quick work to leave and abandoned the base. Finally, she saw Leo running through the crowd, "Commander, where's Dianne?"

"Dianne went to evacuate the children, the injured, and the sickly."

Leo nodded and began to make his way to the medbay. "Dianne!"

Screaming children and worried medical practitioners were all he could hear and see. If Dianne weren't there, he swore Donnie would haunt his soul forever. "LEO! Over here!". Sheldon and Casey Jr were by her side.

The Slider dashed over when he spotted her "Help me move this beam up! There are children and patients in there." As soon as the beam lifted, the rest of the medical crew brought the last of the people out of the medbay.

"Master Leonardo, what's going on?" Casey asked. Dianne  watched Leo with worry as she held the two young boys close. Leo urged them to walk and explain on the way. "Wait, we need to leave home?" Sheldon cried out with sadness. Leo crouched down to his nephew and gave him an encouraging squeeze on the shoulder, "Hey, home is where the heart is, alright. As long you have your family with you and in your heart, you will always have a home."

Then he brought his son into the hug as well, having both the boys in his tight but comforting grasp, "Anata wa hitori ja nai." What words would bring comfort to the boys, brought a panning hurt to Dianne's heart, she knew of what was to come. "Now take care of each other and go find Aunty April. She will lead you to the evac, alright."

The boys nodded, then turned to Dianne. "Stay safe, aunty. Come back in one piece, please? Bring Uncle Donnie with you." Dianne smiled and hugged Casey, "I will."

She then took her only son and brought him to a hug. Sheldon immediately buried himself in her warmth, "Don't leave me, mom. I need you. Please don't go...I want dad" Dianne felt her heartstrings pull but she maintained her strong persona. "I will be right behind you, baby. I will always be with you."

"Now, I am going to get your father and make sure he is alright. We'll meet each other soon, alright baby."

She kissed Sheldon on the forehead and then urged both boys to leave immediately.

What was left was the deafening silence. The alarms had finally given out about thirty seconds ago, save for the eerie three-minute self-destruct countdown. Without needing him to say it, Dianne already knew about Donnie's decision to stay behind. I was apparent. The self-destruct had not been fully automated yet and every bit had to be manually controlled.

"I think this is goodbye..."

Leo downright refused to look into Dianne's eyes. He was already crying his heart out. Dianne took matters into her own hands and wrapped Leo in a final hug. "Take care of the boys. Take care of April and Mikey and yourself. Be strong and don't give up."

Leo finally gave in and hugged his best friend. Dianne sobbed quietly, "I will miss you bestie." Leo whispered. Dianne chuckled weakly and let the slider go. Just as she turned a corner, she decided to leave Leo with one important piece of knowledge, "Donnie loves you very much, and he is very proud of the person you have become."

Then Leo watched as his best friend leave for the last time ever.
---

"DONNIE!"

"Dianne?" Bile rose up in Donnie's throat. "You're not supposed to be here."

"I know, but here I am. Now tell me what to do,"

"Dianne, go!"

"DONNIE! I am not leaving you here. You know this console needs to be manned by two people. And, we both know that we would never let Sheldon handle this much technical pressure. Not yet, and definitely not now."

Donnie grumbled, he knew she was right. They discussed this before. Like any parents, they would sacrifice their lives if it meant securing a chance for a better future for their children.

Donnie nodded and told Dianne which key sequence to initiate. The self-destruct was finally brought down to the remaining 30 seconds. On the security monitors, the last of the portals Mikey made had just closed. All areas of the Krang Rebellion Underground Base had been successfully evacuated. The Krang Sister just made it to the main facility only to find the place abandoned. She screamed and trashed at everything. If they were going down, that alien will burn and die with them.

20 seconds left to countdown.

Donnie and Dianne sunk to the floor, holding each other in an eternal embrace. "...take care. We love you." Donnie pressed the button of his wrist gadget and sent their last message to their family.

10 seconds left to countdown.

"Don, I love you," Dianne looked up at him with tired eyes. "I love you, so much."

Donatello held his wife's face in his hands, planting one final kiss on her lips and holding her tight. "I love you too, forever, Dianne."

---

From the evacuation ship, everyone watched the KRUB die in a powerful explosion. Silence enveloped the ship and silent tears were shed at the knowledge of the two great sacrifices that day. Two more members of the Hamato clan finally being able to join their ancestors.

Sheldon picked up a message originating from the KRUB just 30 seconds before the base blew up. The Hamato clan played it and all heard the final message from Mr. and Mrs. Hamato. The final smiles, to be seen.

" Our dear family," Hamato Dianne started, "... continue fighting and living. Continue hoping and loving."

Hamato Donatello came in, "To my brothers, Leo, Mikey, continue being strong, I'm very proud to have led by your sides. To our best friend, April, keep up the O'Neil spirit, Commander."

"To Leo, hope is a ninja's best weapon. Mikey, continue being the best mystic arts user ever." Hamato Dianne spoke with determination.

"To our nephew, don't give up hope. Learn to survive." the couple said together.

"And finally to our son," Hamato Donatello and Hamato Dianne had tears in their eyes, "We are proud of you son. Never let this day drag you down," the mother spoke. "Survive and be strong. You are my pride and joy, Sheldon." said the father.

"Always remember, anata wa hitori janai. Take care. We love you,"