W h a t e v e r. T h e. C o s t

Mikey sighed, low and sad, glancing over at his brothers. Them, he was doing this for them. But that didn't make it any easier. If it wasn't for me they wouldn't be in danger, he mused, I owe it to them, they cant suffer for my mistake, I cant let that happen. His thoughts were strangely morbid, he noted. That wasn't right. He had to enjoy today, act as if it was his last because for all he knew, it could be.

Forcing himself to smile, he bounded over to them.

"Hey Dudes, what you doing?" He chirped.

"Seriously…" Raphael leaned over the back of the couch, "What does it look like we're doing?"

"It looks like you're relaxing and watching TV…"

"Then that's what we're doing, dumbass."

Mikey grinned, "But you Raphie-boy…."

Raphael looked from his brother to the TV, giving neither one his full attention, "Me, what about me…?" He muttered.

Michelangelo leaned over, gripping the sides of the cough. He leaned right into Raphael's ear and whispered the magic words.

It was instantaneous and also, just what he wanted. Michelangelo could practically see Raph's pupils dilating as he grit his teeth, "What…?" His voice was low, dangerous, but Leo and Don didn't give him a second glance. Mikey however, felt a chill work its way up his spine. He smiled wider though, dancing out of reach as Raphael made a lunge for him.

"Come back here ya stupid little…Damn it! How the hell can anyone run so fast? Stand still so I can pound ya!"

Leo shook his head smiling. He glanced at Don. The purple clad turtle was trying to stifle laughter, a hand clamped over his mouth. He wasn't succeeding, however, despite his best efforts.

Sitting back, Leo reflected on his youngest brother. If one was to be technical, they were quads for the most part, but somehow, Mikey had been dubbed the youngest, like Leo the oldest and so on. Leo wasn't sure when it had been decided that Mikey was younger than all of them, nor could he remember when he had been chosen as the eldest. He decided that it didn't matter anymore. What mattered was his family. And Mikey. Mikey was their light; even if he could be an annoying pain in the shell. He made them laugh and lightened the mood with his never-ending optimism. Their lives would be dull and empty without him. After Master Splinter's death a year ago, things had been hard, but everything was starting to get back to normal, more or less, and his brothers had really pulled through, all of them.

Sensei. You would have been proud.

Smiling again, Leo turned his attention to the TV. The news was on.

As he watched, his smile faded, morphing into a frown, "Hey, Mikey! Raph! Come over here"

"Leo, cant it wait?"

"No, Raph, this is serious."

A growl.

"More serious than getting Mikey back for what he did to my bike?"

'"Yes"

"You sure?"

Leonardo sighed, "Very"

The two brothers made their way into the living room, with Mikey keeping a very safe distance from Raphael.

Leo stood in front of the TV, he gestured to it, "They say that someone has stolen a bunch of deadly chemicals from the high, practically impenetrable, maximum security vault of the Ratica medical research center. It's the one down in Iowa."

"Try saying that ten times fast" Quipped Mikey

Thwack!

"Ow!"

"What good would that do anyone?' Donatello mused, "Ratica may have the most advanced equipment known on earth but the chemicals would be useless unless…"

"Unless one had the technology themselves."

"No one would have it…"

"Except if a certain scientist was involved' Finished Leonardo quietly.

Donatello shook his head, "Bishop"

"What the hell does that bastard want this time?" Raphael growled

"What else? To create a super army, dissect. Control alternate life forms. You know, the usual." Replied Donnie, shrugging.

"Thanks Don, I feel so much better" Raph replied, a sarcastic twang to his words.

Mikey was turning paler and paler, his brother's words fading to a fuzzy sort of static. He could feel a light film of sweat break out across his skin. He felt feverish, hot and cold, chilly almost with the sudden realization. The chemicals, the tracker, it all came to the same thing. Bishop was closing in and he was closing in fast.

The back of his neck have a sudden, painful throb and he grabbed it reflexively. The tracker. The last time they had fought Bishop, not a week ago, Bishop had shot him with it. He'd explained it, given Mikey and ultimatum and a week to decide. Time was nearly up.

He hadn't told his brothers because he'd been afraid. He'd been afraid, irrationally so, that they would leave him behind.

He'd take Bishop up on his offer and just hope that it would work.

Because it was all he really had, in the end.

*0*

Everything was still. It was quiet with a sense of something unearthly, something wild and terrifying. Mikey supposed it was the fear. The strangling, choking fear that made him want to be sick, made him wasn't to run to his brothers and tell them everything. Mikey stood in the living room, eyes closed. He was leaving this, leaving all of this behind. His family, his home, his life.

He heard the sound of snoring coming from Raphael's room and smiled, sad and wry. This was probably the last time that he would ever hear that. Mikey scrubbed his eyes with the back of his hand and took a deep breath. Then he turned around. This was the hardest thing that he ever had to do and it was killing him.

"Goodbye." he whispered and then he was gone, one step forward, then another and another, soon he was running as fast as his legs could carry him. His breathing came in gasps and his vision blurred but he refused to cry. Now was not the time.

Michelangelo felt the wind rushing past his face, it felt strange, without his mask. His mask, along with all of his gear and his precious weapons were still in his room. They were on his bed along with a note. A note that explained both everything and nothing and Mikey had to hope that they wouldn't find him. They couldn't or this would all be in vain.

*0*

When Mikey finally reached the surface, he began to feel a little. Pushing all his negative thoughts and doubts aside, Mikey continued on his way to the arranged meeting place. He had been planning this for a while, making sure that if this was his last option, it would be flawless. All that was left was to actually do it, but he didn't feel at all prepared. How could you ever be prepared to throw your life away?

The warehouse. Mikey had a chance to wonder, as he ran across the asphalt. What is it with bad guys and abandoned warehouses? He mused, Why cant they just rent a pent house or something. Or at least something that wasn't decomposing and threatening to collapse at any minute.

The thought was so normal, so carefree that Mikey nearly choked on his breath.

He reached the place and stepped inside, it seemed deserted and was void of light save for a single swing lamp in the middle of the room. It was illuminating only a small area and making the shadows look even more forbidding.

"Well then, it seemed that you decided to show. I was afraid you wouldn't make it, Michelangelo."

Mikey tensed, taking a deep breath, "What did you expect? Unlike you I live by honor, I always keep my word." His voice was tense and strained and he was unnerved by how much he sounded like Leonardo. Big brother would be proud, but there was no humor in his thoughts.

Bishop stepped into the light, smirking. He snapped his fingers and out of the shadows came heavily armed guards.

"Doesn't look like you trust me, huh?" Mikey's voice was bitter and hard.

Bishop just stared at him. He would have been impassive if not for the small, triumphant smirk playing on his lips, "For the sacrifice you are about to make, your country thanks you, Michelangelo"

Michelangelo grit his teeth as a dart slammed into him, piercing his skin. The last thing that he knew before he lost consciousness was the sensation of being lifted up and the blur of colour before he succumbed to the darkness.

*0*

"Mikey, wake up, its time for practice!"

Getting no reply, Leonardo headed towards his brother's room.

"Mikey, practice started ten minutes ago, I thought I told you-" Leo stopped dead at the empty room and made bed.

"Michelangelo?" He questioned warily, he wouldn't put it past his little brother, to be pulling a prank on him again. He looked around the room before his eyes fell on a pile on the bed, as he got closer, he saw that it was Mikey's mask and gear and his… nunchucks? Mikey never took those things off unless he absolutely had to, it was like Leonardo with his Katanas. It was a sort of attachment one got with their weapons.

Mikey had always been the worst.

Worry gripped him and he swallowed hard. Sticking his head out the door, he called his brothers, " Don! Raph! Get over here, I cant find Mikey!"

" What do ya mean, ya can't find Mikey? He's-" Raphael's statement died in his throat as he entered his brother's room.

He cursed under his breath, looking more annoyed than anything else.

Donatello entered the room, still flushed from their training. He walked over and started to talk to Leo. Raph's attention wondered to the pile on the bed. When he got there he noticed something that Leo had not. There, folded underneath all of the things was a small white piece of paper. With trembling hands, Raphael picked it up. Please tell me this isn't what I think it is. Mikey couldn't, he wouldn't…He's not like me.

As he opened it, he saw his brothers writing. It started neat and ended in a messy scrawl, smudged in places and Raphael wondered, for a moment, if he'd been crying.

Raphael grit his teeth.

Dear everyone

When you read this, I will already be long gone.

I have to leave, I can't stay at home any longer, as much as I would love to tell you why or better yet, stay. I cannot put your lives in danger. I will miss all of you, please keep my things safe, cause one day I might come back, but I doubt it. You are all great, the best family that a dude could ask for, please don't blame yourselves for me leaving. It is not your fault, it was also my choice and you couldn't have stopped me. I can be very determined when I want to. Please do not come and look for me, because you won't find me. I want you to know that this is the hardest thing that I have ever had to do and I wish that I didn't have to do it, but I need to.

Donnie, don't lock yourself in you lab all day, okay? And slow down on the coffee, it's not good for you bro, heh. I just wanted to say thank you for all the times you saved our shells or were there for me when I needed you most, you never let me down. I never said thank you enough but I appreciate you. Master Splinter would be proud.

Leo, big brother. Thanks. The number of times that you put us before yourself and got hurt to save us…the number of times you were there for me. Please relax a little, you don't need to be perfect, we know that you try your best. You've never failed us Leo, you've never failed me.

Raph, I'm gonna miss you. I don't know what to write, I don't have enough space. Just keep that temper of yours in check, kay? And at least try to get on with Leo, and don't touch my comics! Lol. You are a great bro, and( you'll kill me for saying this) , but your really soft as well, thanks for being there when I needed you most, you're my best friend.

This letter can't begin to cover everything that I want to say to you but please know that I'm really going to miss all of you. I love you bros.

Till I see you again

- Your brother, Mikey

The wording was clumsy, chunky almost, and much had been scratched out and re-written. Raphael read through it again, trying to make sense of everything. Trying to find anything that would put this together for him. His rage bubbled and died in his chest.

"Raph..?"

Leonardo was looking at his, his eyes narrowed.

Raphael shook his head, and rubbed at his eyes, taking a deep breath.

Michelangelo, his little brother, was gone, and he wasn't coming back.

My second chaptered fanfic.

What do you think?