A/N: Hey!
Yes, I know, it's been forever... I honestly don't have an excuse besides writer's block and real life and demotivation. But I finally decided to write a final chapter/epilogue, because I don't like leaving my stories unfinished and I thought you guys might like to see an ending to this one. So here goes. :)
I don't own TMNT.
It's night and the stars are twinkling happily above us, but they aren't the only things that are happy.
My family. My brothers and Sensei are all so happy, too. Right now, Mikey is teasing Raph, who is doing his best to restrain his anger - I'm proud of him for that. Donnie's scanning the rooftops just in case while overhearing Mikey and Raph, and boy, does he look amused. And I'm watching all of them with a huge smile on my face because I love my family and I love being outside at night and I love everything, everything so, so much.
And then there's me. I am happy, too.
It's been almost two weeks since we left the turtles in the alternate dimension and returned home. It was tough, no doubt it, because everyone knows now. About me. About my insecurities, my thoughts, my actions, everything everything everything.
But it's okay.
Too long, I've been hiding everything behind a mask, thinking it was the only way to go. Thinking that it was better to fake it till I made it. But what I didn't realize is we all have masks. We're all hiding something, but what takes us a while to realize is that we don't have to hide everything. It took a long time for me to realize, but I don't have to keep it all inside anymore. I have my family and friends to help me, and that makes everything a lot easier to deal with.
Donnie says relapses are realistic. I've only had one so far, and it was small, but I know that I have my family on my side. They will always be here to support me. They care about me. I matter to them. They love me, and I love them. And they're here for me always, always, always.
The hardest part is realizing that I can't always protect them. It won't always be my fault (okay, fine, it almost never is my fault) if they get hurt. Their pain is my pain, yes, but it won't make me weak, or a failure, or a terrible leader. I just have to remember that things like that do and will happen, and they can't always be controlled, and we learn from them. And if I ever forget that, I have three crazy, awesome brothers and one wise, faithful father (even if he isn't here physically) to remind me.
Feeling the gentle wind tickle my skin, seeing the shimmering stars in the sky above me, surrounded by peace and happiness and tranquility on all sides, I can't help but think, I am the luckiest turtle alive.
"Fearless?" Raph's voice cuts into my thoughts. He's finally stopped his brotherly bantering with Mikey and instead, has walked over to my side, away from the others.
Softly, he says, "You're the best leader and oldest brother anyone could ever have."
I turn to him. He's looking away, his emerald green eyes suddenly interested in the cracks in the rooftop as I study him. "Thanks, Raph."
He glances at me, then looks away again, hesitantly. He half-mumbles, "I have something else to tell you."
"Go ahead," I nod, and wait. I'm a little surprised at Raph's sentimentality, but ever since, well, everything, he's been letting his soft side show more often.
He taps me on the shoulder. "Tag!" he says with a wicked grin before running away.
"Wha-RAPH!" I call out, and before I know it, my brothers are dashing away, gliding across the rooftops for a game of ninja tag.
I shake my head before taking off after them. That's my brothers for you.
But I wouldn't trade them for the world.
A/N: And Behind the Mask is DONE! (Finally!)
This epilogue kind of short, and it kind of doesn't flow the best with the past chapter, I know, I know. But I hope you guys still liked it? At least a little bit?
This story really did not end up where I thought it would when I first started writing it. And tbh, I did weave a bit of my own experiences in this story. But hey, it's finally finished!
Thank you all for your support and understanding through this whole journey. I appreciate you all! :)
