Author Notes: *taps fingers together sheepishly* So... um... some cliffhanger in the last chapter, huh?

In my defense, I had fully expected to have this chapter completed last Saturday evening, Sunday morning at the latest. It would have been only a day or two of waiting! That's not that cruel!

But then my coworker called in sick Saturday morning, the day I was supposed to have off. And, if we're being honest, 'I can't come in because I want to stay home so I can write TMNT fanfiction' really isn't a good enough excuse to skip out myself, so I ended up working all day. Thus, I didn't get my day off to write like I had planned, and had to get it done in bits and pieces when I had time after work.

Being a responsible adult sucks sometimes. 0/10, would not recommend.

Chapter 21: Surprising Turns

I gave a nervous, hesitant smile, waiting as my three humans stared blankly at me, and watching their facial expressions desperately for any hint of acceptance as they each processed this understandably awkward moment.

Familiar fears began to knot up my stomach again. Were they disappointed? Would they be upset with me for tricking them for so long? What if they changed their minds? What if they didn't want...

"I knew it!"

And then, all of a sudden, Mikey was there, throwing himself on me with his arms around me, wiggling with joy and hugging me tightly as he squealed happily. "IknewitIknewitIknewit!" Then he pulled back, squished my cheeks firmly between his hands, and flattened his face against mine, his blue eyes staring seriously into mine. "Tell us EVERYTHING!"

I was startled for a second, but then melted with relief under his touch. I couldn't help but give a small chuckle, reveling in the feeling of his hands on my face. I reached up to lightly touch his own freckled cheek. "I will, I promise. But that might have to wait until we're all back home."

Home.

With my family.

That sounded amazing the moment I said it.

Mikey gave another ecstatic squeal and wiggle of joy, though whether from my words, or the sheer thrill of hearing my voice, I didn't know, and quickly threw his arms around me again, squeezing even more tightly then before.

"Took ya long enough." Raph moved beside us and nonchalantly thwapped me lightly on the back of the head with a hand. He tried to act casual, but his face was split with a wide, elated grin that he obviously couldn't hide, his eyes twinkling.

"Sorry." I loosened my grip on Mikey just enough to rub the back of my head sheepishly. "I can be unhealthily stubborn sometimes."

"Heh." Raph snorted, then reached up and took one of the tails of my mask between his fingers, raising an eyebrow as he examined it, before emotionally clearing his throat. "Nice mask."

I gave him a shy grin. "Well, you know, I've always liked the color blue..."

Raph swallowed hard, then, finally giving in, he reached out and wrapped an arm around me, pulling me into a tight hug, his voice trembling a little in spite of himself. "Glad to see you... brother."

I exhaled and closed my eyes, trying to blink back any tears that threatened to escape.

"Leo, your voice is beautiful, and I want to listen to it forever." Mikey informed me, his face pressed in my neck contentedly and muffling his words slightly.

Realizing one brother still hadn't said anything, I hesitantly looked up at Donnie, who was still hanging back, his hands held clasped together with fingers twisting around one another.

I loosened my grip on Raph and Mikey, and looked unsurely at him. "Um... Donnie?" I swallowed hard. "I..."

I trailed off, watching as Donnie stepped forward, and I held my breath as he approached, awaiting whatever judgement the eldest brother would pass upon me.

Raph and Mikey parted slightly to make room as my purple brother moved in and quietly wrapped his arms around me.

I exhaled shakily, and pressed my face against his temple.

"Thank you." he finally whispered, his head leaning against me.

I tilted my head and nuzzled him gently. "What are big brothers for?"

His breath hitched, and, surprised, he pulled back to look at me with wide reddish brown eyes.

I lifted my hand off of Raph's shoulder, moving it up to trace Donnie's cheek as I softly said to him, "I was going to say yes, you know. Back there in the Sanctuary... before Dun interrupted us." I exhaled, then looked at him uncertainly. "If... if you still want me to... that is?"

His expression went blank for a moment. Then he swallowed hard, bit his lip, and finally his whole face scrunched up as big bubble tears formed. He threw his arms around my neck and pressed his face against mine. I could feel the wet tears on his face, rolling down to touch my own cheek, where they transferred to trail their journey instead down my own green scales. "Please." he whispered hoarsely.

"Forever, then." I closed my eyes and promised, squeezing all three of them tightly against my plastron.

"You'd better." Raph growled harshly into my shoulder.

Mikey gave a happy noise and squished in further, wiggling as happily as a puppy. "This... is... AWESOME!" he breathed out in a happy sigh.

I squeezed all three of my brothers closely, my nostrils flaring as I drank in their scents. There was no smell of blood, only the comforting scents of my brothers, mixed a little with musty brick dust and sweat, and I felt the relief flooding through me.

They were okay. My brothers were okay.

"Right." Irma came up the ladder and perched on the edge of the hole, wiping her hands clean on a rag. "You guys worked through the Hamato Brotherly Feels yet? Because I just got word from both April and Casey, and it sounds like the bad guys are on the move."

I frowned, pulling back as I remembered that the danger threatening my family still lurked out there.

"Uh... Irma?" Donnie turned to blink at her, obviously surprised.

"In the flesh." she grinned at him, tucking the rag into one of the back pockets in her denim overalls.

"How...?" Donnie looked between her and me, stepping back and wiping his face, quickly regaining back his composure. "Wait, you've met Leo already?"

"Oh, yeah, Leo rescued everybody when the Mousers attacked the compound." Irma looked at me with bright stars in her eyes. I narrowed my eyes at her, silently reminding her that we were under a 'minimal touch' rule. She narrowed her eyes right back, giving me a look that clearly said, 'challenge accepted'.

"Everybody?" Donnie looked concerned. "How... how many is everybody?"

"Literally, everybody. April, Casey, Angel, and almost all of the Hamato Ninjas." Irma went cross eyed for a second as she noticed a smudge on her glasses, and she pulled out the rag again, taking off the thick spectacles and rubbing them clean as well.

My brothers looked at one another, then at me and Irma.

"Aannnd... everybody was okay with Leo?" Raph asked cautiously.

"Hm? Oh, yeah. Of course. He's your brother, isn't he?" Irma set the glasses back on her face, blinked through them, and seemed satisfied as to their cleanliness. She glanced back at the brothers, giving them a lop-sided grin. "It was kind of adorable, actually. He kept going back and forth between this weird mix of a calculating chess master and a frantic mother hen running around, going 'Mah baby chicks are in danger! I have to find them!'"

"Hey. I was not!" I protested, embarrassed.

"Daw! You were worried about us!" Mikey was still clinging to my neck and arm, then he paused as he noticed something. "Are you... Ha! You're blushing!" he noticed gleefully, then quickly snuggled me happily. "Aw, don't worry, Leo. We were worried about you too."

I bit my lip, but couldn't hide the pleased feeling the attention brought up.

And then, because apparently the fact that the three Hamato brothers had a mutant turtle for a brother was no longer the most juicy bit of gossip anymore, she turned to my purple brother and threw up her hands excitedly. "And Donnie! Guess what! You almost got assassinated!"

"No kidding, Irma." Donnie scoffed, starting to move about to examine the control boards of the Utrom mech. "The army of Mousers and EPF tanks kind of made that plan obvious. Dun has apparently betrayed the clan, that much became clear when he tried to have us arrested."

"No, the army invasion was apparently Plan B." Irma corrected him. "Plan A was to blow you up in your lab."

"What?!" Donnie straightened up and suddenly looked highly offended. "Dun was going to blow up my lab?!"

"With Donnie in it?!" Raph also looked offended, though for more sensible reasons.

"Yup." Irma nodded. "It was part of his plan to take over the clan, but that got ruined, so he apparently decided 'Eff it, I'll just wing it'. Thus, the army." She chuckled evilly, rubbing her hands together. "Xever spilled the beans about everything. It was amazing! He almost peed himself, he was so scared of Leo!"

Mikey paused, then looked up at me. "Please tell me you got video of that."

Raph looked perplexed, looking back between Irma and me. "I have the feeling we mighta missed a few things while trapped down in that bunker..."

"You're not kidding!" Irma agreed.

"We shouldn't keep sitting here, it's too dangerous." I shifted Mikey so he was no longer hanging off my neck, but now more settled across my shell. He seemed delighted when he realized I was going to let him piggyback there as I moved about. "We can fill in my brothers as we move." I picked up Irma by the overall straps again, carried both her and Mikey easily across the floor, and deposited her on the driver's seat of the mech. "You're driving this thing."

"Hm." She looked at the controls in front of her, then up at me. "Yeah... good call."

"And that, Donnie, is why, for the love of all that is good, you need to teach your brother to drive!" Irma finished her recap, turning in the seat to point at me accusingly. "You said you knew how to drive! My poor Spectrum X!"

"Eyes on the road, Irma." I sighed. Mikey snickered, still clinging to my shell. "And, in my defense," I held up one of my three fingers, "The question you asked was IF I had ever driven a car before. Which I have." I paused, and then guiltily tapped my fingers together. "Once."

"You... only once?" Irma realized in horror. "I could've died in a fiery crash!"

"This mech is powered by Utrom technology. The fuel system isn't even remotely flammable. You know that fully well, Irma." Donnie said absently, tapping his chin as he mulled over the sudden information dump. He frowned, looking up. "I don't like any of this. Even with the Mousers out of commission, we're outnumbered and, except for the mech here, we're outgunned. Most of the clan's big weapons are down in my lab, but with Stockman's level of clearance, I'm not sure I'd trust any of it. He would have had ample time to sabotage anything that could be of use to us."

"Dun really kidnapped Dad?" Raph had one of his sais out, and was spinning it in one hand, obviously agitated.

I felt my plastron tighten a little, and I nodded, eyes downcast. "And he's being held in the EPF headquarters, which isn't going to be easy to get to." I swallowed hard. "It's... it's all my fault. I should've seen this coming. I... I should've protected you all."

To my surprise, Mikey scoffed. "Leo, bro. We're Hamatos." He draped over my shoulder to grab my chin and turn my head to look at him. "This sorta stuff kinda happens to us all the time, to be honest." He flashed me a confident, reassuring grin. "And we always figure out a way to save the day in the end." He paused for a moment, then added with an impish look. "Usually in the most dramatic fashion possible, of course."

Raph sheathed his sai and walked over. "Mikey's right, you know." Then he shrugged with a smirk. "Including the bit about the dramatics." He put a gloved hand on my shell. "We'll save Dad somehow, you'll see."

I looked up at them, gave a shy, thankful smile, and nodded. Then I cleared my throat. "Well, um... I do have a plan, actually."

"Oh?" Donnie looked up curiously.

Feeling a little more confident, I stepped forward towards the speaker, and pressed the call button. "Casey? April?"

"Still here, dude." Casey answered. He, Angel, and April had all been included over the speaker phone during Irma's recap of events.

"Us as well." April chimed in.

"Irma said that you had information about the enemy troops moving out." I adjusted the orange brother on my shell to a more comfortable position as we talked. "I think we're getting close, so I just want to make sure things haven't changed."

"Oh, yeah." Casey spoke up, a little more seriously. "About half the guys surrounding us just up and left." He sounded thoughtful. "I think they've given up on getting us out for now, with the Mousers outta commission, and are just leaving enough of a force in place to keep us hemmed in."

"I'm fairly certain that they're congregating here." Donnie had been studying a map of the city he had pulled up on one of the mech's screens, and pointed to a junction in front of the EPF building. "That's the most defensible location, and the most likely place they'll try and stop us."

"Right." I nodded, and turned back to the speaker. "April, were you successful in your attempts to hack into the EPF's communication lines?"

"Almost." April informed us. "I've gotten into one of the channels, the one used by the lower ranks, but they're not really giving out anything useful that I've caught so far. I've been trying to get onto their more secure channels, but EPF security is tight."

I shook my head. "I only need to know one thing. Are they aware of the fact that my brothers are in the stolen mech?"

"Uh... yeah?" April sounded confused. "Were you trying to keep that a secret? Because they definitely know."

"No, that's perfect, actually." I nodded, pleased.

Donnie tapped the screen in front of him. "We'll be getting within visual range of the gathering EPF forces before too long if we keep going." He glanced up at me. "Are we going to try and muscle our way through them? It'll be a little on the risky side, but the Spectrum X should be able to handle what forces they have assembled, barring any unexpected surprises."

"Like pickup trucks armed with mounted harpoons?" Irma observed dryly from the driver's seat.

Donnie frowned and glanced back at the screen. "Hm. Point observed. It will be risky."

I straightened out my mask a little, and adjusted Mikey on my shell, before turning to glance at my brothers, giving them a dangerous, confident smirk. "Actually, shall we sow a little chaos among the enemy ranks, my brothers?"

Raph blinked at me, then gave an eager grin that matched my own. "Oh, that's what we're best at, Leo!"

"This is awesome." Mikey whispered, grinning from ear to ear.

"What about me?" Irma asked, glancing back from the driver's chair.

I grinned. "It's time for Phase Two of my plan." I announced, turning towards the mech's visual screen.

"Sir! The stolen mech is approaching at a speed of approximately thirty two miles per hour down Fourteenth Ave. Estimated time of arrival, three minutes forty three seconds and counting." an EPF agent barked out from inside a black van, sitting at an array of screens with a large headset covering both ears.

"You heard her. Get ready, troops!" A sharply dressed EPF commander barked out, striding purposefully as the troops around him lowered their guns and got into position. "Where's Johnson?!"

"Here sir!" came the sharp salute. "All ground mines are strategically placed and fully armed and ready, sir!"

"And the EMP unit?" the commander barked, turning around.

There was another sharp salute. "Fully charged and ready for deployment!"

"Excellent." the commander turned, folding his arms behind his back. "Remember, men, the goal is to disable and recover the stolen mech, not destroy it. There's a lot of taxpayer dollars at stake."

"And the Hamato brothers, sir?"

The commander waved the question off. "It would be preferable to capture them alive, but if they were to perish in the attempt, it would be of no great loss to our cause."

"Uh... sir?" The agent in the van sounded more hesitant this time. "The mech... it's picking up speed."

"They're going to try and ram us, then?" the commander growled, then smirked. "I'd like to see them try to after crossing our mines."

"No. Sir. They're increasing their speed and... they just ran right past the expected turn. They're actually heading away from us now." the Agent lowered her headphones and looked at him, perplexed. "I think they're heading over to the Driscoll Bridge."

"They're heading down into Jersey?!" the commander gawked. "But... but why?!"

"I... don't know!"

"But... but..." the commander sputtered, obviously completely baffled, then quickly composed himself and started barking out orders. "Everybody, move! Now! Get to your vehicles!" He began stomping around, shoving people into action. "The Hamato brothers are extremely dangerous, and we can't let them enact whatever plan they're trying for! We need to head them off, NOW!"

There was several minutes of panicked scrambling, and then several military vehicles roared to life, speeding down the road after the fleeing giant mech.

From atop a nearby building, my brothers and I watched the slightly dinged up mech disappear into the distance.

"I've only known Irma for like, an hour." I mentioned, then glanced at my brothers. "She's going to be cackling evilly the whole time in there, isn't she?"

"Like a caffeinated hyena." Mikey nodded sagely in agreement.

"You know, Leo," Raph watched the EPF drive away with almost a look of disappointment on his face, "when you said we were going to cause chaos, I was hoping for more of the usual kind we cause, with fire and explosions."

"Oh trust me, this move is causing far more chaos then meets the eye here." I glanced down the side of the building, then carefully hopped down the fire escape. "Come on, the coast is clear. Let's move."