This was such an awesome ending for an awesome story. I love your ability to write gripping action and suspense. The fight scene was powerful, especially when Hun threw Mikey on the grenade and Raph saved him. I like how you deal with the real reactions Mikey would have to torture and trauma, rather than having him just shrug it off. And I'm so glad Leo forgave Casey! Thanks so much for finishing this story.

SUCH a good epilogue.

GLORIOUS Raph-Mike interaction. Seriously. Like, words are defying me at the moment. Even while it's depressing, it's also really smile-inducing to know that Raph knows what needs to happen to help Mike out. The transformer was like, icing on a cupcake, I daresay. Lovely.

I give you WIN for bringing the Leo-Casey tension to a conclusion, too. Not that they were necessarily good friends or anything like that, but before it all went down I like to think they at least had an understanding. You know, respect and all that jazz. And you are excellent for forcing them to take that awkward step towards restoring the balance of tolerance.

Don's section was WONDERFUL. Like, words actually ARE failing me, it was so well-done. Seriously. Made of more win.

And that last section? Agh, truly exceptional! Going over everything that happened, feeling useless, the term "It's just treating a symptom." I loved the entire thing. Made me wanna hug him, too. Though that wouldn't turn out well. I especially loved how you said he began his FIRST novel. It's like a little look into the future that says he writes more. Which was probably your intention xD

Line choice of chapter: "How did I let that happen?"

Really just...spoke to me. -applause for fic-

See? Lookit, reviewing. I would have eventually, anyway, you know.

X3 ahh, where do I begin? Usually I'm not big on reading sequels. It's like, the first fic was already made out of epic awesome, how could they possibly keep up such a level?

Have a cookie, you successful woman. Because it turns out that Halfway Point was unfinished after all. You not only created a new-but-tied-in plot, you also made a VERY-dramatic-and-would-be-totally-ironic SUBplot to keep me freaking out while it was happening. Just, like, gah!

This is probably my favorite chapter in the whole fic, right here. Because it's providing pre-epilogue closure to the biggest issues at hand. That's just in general, though. I ADORE Michelangelo in this chapter. Just...it was BEAUTIFULLY done. You wrote the shock aspect of it so believably without taking him uber-OOC. And the advice from Raph was just about tearjerking.

Also, hooray for Leo not having HIV. Because that would've been a real kick to the balls. I VERY TRULY adored the "** disease" line. Because it seems like just the kind of thing Leo would DO. And that hug at the end? So wonderful. So very.

Selected favorite line of the chapter: "Raph's eyes shattered like mirrors."

And that was all you needed to write to convey what was going on in his head, m'dear.

Yeah. Yeah, I loved that. I read it again, end-to-end, twice. Very well-crafted.

I'm particularly fond of the fact that NOT having something traumatic happen can still knock a person for a loop. What almost happened to him rattled Mike deeply, and realistically. Leo, too.

I also like the idea that Raph, while not exactly coming out of it all smiling, was at least wounded physically this time, instead of emotionally.

Yes, you have a great talent for showing how people grow, yet still remain true to themselves.

TORI!

I can't tell you how shocked and delighted I was to check updates today and find you'd posted chapter 8. In truth, as will happen when one has to wait a bit for a next chapter one builds their own theories of what happens, etc., and yet all my theories were relaxed with your version. :)

I am INCREDIBLY pleased, I'm so glad everybody got away ok and that Leo is all right as well. In truth I thought what was going to occur was Raph's blood loss was so bad that he needed a transfusion from none other than Leo immediately, and yet perhaps that was a bit too melodramatic.

In any case, I am so glad everything wrapped up well. Mikey seems to be ok for the moment but as you point out he's numb right now . . . I'm eager to see how you will finish the story. Perhaps it's too much to ask that ALL of these be resolved in the epilogue, but then if not I do hope you plan to do little installments of this universe later on:

1) Leo and Casey have to come to a peace (or something like it hopefully!) as Casey came through for them this time

2) Raph and Mikey may need to have more convo time on what happened?

3) Any Raph and Casey interaction be present? Even though we know they came to a peace at the end of "Halfway Point," it would have been interesting to see how things have settled with them now that time has passed.

ANYWAY that's just my crazy imagination running away with me on added scenes to this remarkable and well written universe you've created, and I know the art of writing involves picking and choosing scenes . . . but I'll just throw them out there anyway as hopefully bits and pieces we may read someday. :)

Again, thanks so much for this chapter!! I look forward to the dialogue and to all your fics hereafter!!

Oy! You nearly gave me a heart attack at the end of last chapter, which I read...um...a month a go or soemthing. I had read the original 18minutes and started halfway point at least three times, too afraid of wanting to see big strong Raph fall apart.

But read it I did, cried a little I did, and was happy that Raph was okay...until I started reading this and then there was a bit of teariness.

And I'm glad you're back to finish it! :D

Even if your readers have to wait a while between updates, I know it's only because we're getting wonderful, polished, seamless writing. Reading this, I realised another reason I find it hard to leave you reviews sometimes is that I read your updates in the same way that a person dying of thirst drinks water. O_o

I love how you extended the tension a bit beyond the battle scenes. The whole section in the Battleshell was breathless and INTENSE. And at the same time, because we're reading it through Mikey's POV, almost disconnected. I got this feeling as I read it of panic and floating at the same time. It's overload, I suppose, and you take the reader there right along with Mike.

... I ADORE doped-up-Raph. So much. XD And also the little pieces of rough wisdom that you manage to slip in there - without suddenly making him sound like some kind of ancient guru, or something. It's a very Raph sort of wisdom.

I also adored Leo's massive rant about going to d'Hoonib for a cure and then the contrast with Don's two-word reply. "It's negative." XD You should have heard the sound I made when I read that (reviews would honestly be so much easier if I could just tape record my reactions as I read! I'm a very vocal reader) - it was sort of like this relieved *whoomp* of air coming out of my lungs, as if someone had just poked me very hard in the stomach. Even though I KNEW you wouldn't give Leo HIV. :P

I selfishly want you to do NaNoWriMo again so that a), I'll have another writing buddy in November, but more importantly b), so that one day I'll get to read an original novel of yours. Because I would pay good money for that. (Also... did I read somewhere that you have Whedon-fiction somewhere? I WANTZ).

Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing how you tie this all up in the epilogue! (I still remember how stunning the epilogue was for Halfway Point... yowza.)

P.S. Oh em gee!! I just went snooping back through your Lj because I got the urge to re-read that last chapter of Halfway Point, and I found the entry where you have snippets of all these WIPs, most of which I haven't read before! SO MUCH YAY!! XD Quality time. Want. Now.

That is all. Keep doing what you do, because you do it so damn well. :D

Hello, I am but a humble reader. I have no writing talent to speak of (wish I did) so when I find a story I like and can get into I tend to stick with it. This is one such story.

I have read Eighteen Minutes and Halfway Point and both were wonderful. Halfway Point in particular kept me up untill 3 in the morning on a school night (I'm still in high school so it was not an easy task to swipe the familys' laptop and smuggle it into my room so I could finish the story).

Anyway, back to my point, this is an excellent storyline so please, please, PLEASE! Have mercy on the poor people who can only read good fanfic and update soon!

Wow...im drowning in final projects and papers and decide to take a little break and nearly fall off my seat to find this update.

GO CASEY GO CASEY GO!

The people who shined this chapter...1) Raph because he always shines, and 2) Casey cause he disregarded Leo and go his ** into gear and came to the rescue (with splinter!).

Sad thing is...this was the rescue that Raph had needed when he was raped, with everyone charging and blasting and everything. It what all of them wished to do before Raph got hurt.

I very curious about the bit about Hun and Mike's observation of him. Was it just a peek, or will it have some type of importance later?

Leo and Don will have to come clean with whats going on...

Can't wait for another chapter! Loved this little respite from the suffocating world of schoolwork!! (6 days till i graduate!!)

Tri

Let me just say this was well, WELL worth the wait. You certainly did leave our hearts pounding and our minds reeling in trying to guess what was going to happen next with the ending of chapter 6 and this was an amazing next chapter.

I'm glad we were able to experience Raph's relief in saving Mike and the quick, reeling, incredibly written battle scene, it was just like a return to "Eighteen Minutes" when so much happened in so little time. Like that first story this one does not allow the characters to stop for reflection or pause or even to take a breath they must be so driven and let their instincts lead them completely on as they're trapped in this clash of circumstances all at once.

I am on the edge of my seat once more to see what happens. . . I do so hope that you give this story a round of new chapters if for these two primary reasons: 1) Most of us (at least I anyway) assumed that "Halfway Point" was the conclusion to this AU, and that really would have been fine, you did such an amazing job of it that was cathartic in itself. But now to have the story freshly opened up and knowing what happened afterwards, and seeing how much is STILL to come . . . no no no Tori, we won't let you get off that easy :) and 2) Such aftermath now must occur, and I will list them as I do hope all these can be wrapped up before the story's end:

- Raph and Mike moments as Mike has to process what he nearly went through and now he and Raph have an even tighter bond, however horrifically it came about, and I'm sure there should be some scenes there to share

- Leo still needs to find out if he's HIV-positive and Raph needs a blood transfusion no doubt from the bullet wounds . . . dare I say a big decision is going to need to be reached?!? I can't wait to see what happens!

- Raph has to re-confront his past even more starkly than before and I'm sure flashbacks/etc. etc. will emerge once more, or perhaps this really will put him at peace.

- A Raph and Casey scene or two? We saw how they did come to terms at the end of "Halfway Point" but it would do us readers so much good to hopefully see peace being made between Leo and Casey and really see how Raph and Casey's friendship has re-formed itself over time even more.

Yes this is long!! I could seriously keep going though, I'm so appreciative you posted this latest chapter, I read it right before going to a long day at work and it gave me a great jolt of energy and fresh anticipation.

You're an incredible writer, keep up the good work, and I hope we don't need to wait TOO long for the next bit. Just promise you'll throw us a long more writing, preferably from this universe, and we'll forgive you the wait. :)

~ BellaMonte

Gah! You cannot leave us there! I'll forgive you for taking long if you update today or tomorow, lol. preferably today, hehe. awesome chapter

^^ Well as long as you apologized...Oh who am I kidding. As long as there was a chapter to read, it's all good.

I just...I love your fics so much. This was my favorite chapter of all, I'm thinking. Especially how Casey came to the rescue anyway.

I hope you update soon. ^^

awesome chapter! update soon!

How did I not find this until now? The Halfway Point is one of my favorite fics ever and I'm thrilled you're writing a sequel. At the moment you have me terrified for all of them, I hope you're happy with yourself.

On a slightly different note, this: "Mikey slithered his tongue through his lips and slobbered deliberately on Raph's hand," - I totally did that when I was a kid and my brother tried to shut me up by putting his hand over my mouth!

This is becoming a great sequel! I'm very eager for more. There is so much action and all the boys have problems. Please update soon because I'm already on the edge of my seat!