A\N: Finally, I got thi finished off. Stupid epilouge-y thingy. . Anyway, I still can't find the beginning of the poem for this fic so one day, when I do find it, I'll add that as a new chapter. For now, enjoy the last chapter of this fic. *sighs, then dies* NOTE: Past and Present (for those who read it) I thought I finished the update only to find it was only THREE pages on Word. Now normally, I only post five or six Word size page updates so I must wait. I just really didn't want to get into the fight yet. Just be patient. I will get it done, but I hate fight scenes (even though this doesn't last long). Another thing: I HAVE FIGURED OUT HOW TO START RAPH'S FIC (third in Dreams series; sequel to Past and Present). That means, as soon as Past and Present is over, I will start work on it. . . That'll take a while. You all may think PP is close to an end but it is not. It's only half-way done. Which means, if I get impatient, I may start Raph's before I finish Mikey's... Anyway, go ahead and read.

EDIT: I forgot the first part of this chapter. I apologize for the inconvienience.

Disclaimer: I don't own the turtles & company. All characters property of Eastman and Laird. Story-line and plot belong to me.

"Turtles, I know you have so far found a way to escape and that you are still in the building. My ninjas surround the building. You will not be able to escape any farther then the walls surrounding. You would do well to forfeit to me now. If you continue to resist recapture, I will kill your brother within the next half-hour. That's how long you have to meet me in the parking structure."

The announcement over the PA system echoed through the halls and reached the place where the three turtles were hiding from passing ninjas. Raph clenched his fist tight as he listened. This was all his fault and nothing Leo could say against it would convince him it wasn't. He knew Mikey wasn't fit to resist Shredder. He was already real injured from the last time he faced Shredder alone thanks to him. Why was he such a hothead? He's definitely not winning any awards for best son of the year. He's not very good at being a responsible brother. He never really tried and now that Master Splinter's dead, everything's falling apart and he's the one only making it worse.

He narrowed his eyes before moving towards were he'd guess the parking structure would be located. He felt Leo grasp his arm and he turned to face the eldest with a scrawl. "What?" He whispered.

"Don't be reckless," Leo said, "Don't make my mistake. We'll go together when we can."

"Fine bro, but that betta be soon." Raph said, "I'm not lettin' Mike down again."

"Don't worry about that," Leo said, "Shredder's not killing Mikey – or any of us – today."

"So what are we waitin' for?" Raph asked.

"That," Donny said as he pointed to more Foot Ninjas walking around the corner. Since it was on Leo's blind left side, he hadn't seen them until Donny pointed them out. Leo watched them pass before indicating for Raph to go first.

"Let's hurry now while we still can." Leo said, "I don't want to run into any more trouble if we can avoid it." Raph nodded before silently leading the way.

When they arrived, Mikey was on his knees with his hands cuffed behind his shell. Shredder had a hand on his shoulder and his gauntleted fist held a wakizashi sword to Mikey's neck. Pure fear was etched in his features. Raph wanted to run to him so bad, but he had to hold back.

"So you did come," Shredder said, "Give up now or he dies." Mikey squeezed his eyes shut tight as he felt the blade press hard against his throat.

"Let 'im go, Shred-head!" Raph growled.

"You should know by now that won't work with me, Raphael." Shredder said, "It didn't the last time." At this, Leo subconsciously brushed a hand across his neck where he could feel the small cut and dried blood from when his life was threatened much like Mikey's is now.

"Don't hurt him," Leo said, "We did as you said. There's no need to hurt him now."

"Drop your weapons."

"I just got these back!" Raph said, twirling his sais.

"Raph," Leo said, sharing a meaningful look with him. Raph huffed before tossing his sais after one final twirl. Leo's katanas and Donny's bo staff went next. "Now release our brother." Leo demanded. Shredder only smirked.

"Grab them!" He ordered and the ninjas surrounding did as was told. "Now watch your brother perish before your eyes."

"No!" Mikey yelled before he started squirming. Shredder pulled him up by his shoulder to reach him better before beginning to slice through Mikey's neck. Before he could do too much damage, Leo used the shuriken hidden in his hand to cut the ninja holding him. As his captor hissed in pain, Leo escaped his clutches, rolled to grab his katanas back before slicing at Shredder's neckline. As soon as the head fell free, Leo helped Mikey up and cut his wrists free before handing him his nunchukus that he had grabbed as well. He then grabbed Mikey's wrist and pulled him away from Shredder.

"You okay, Mikey?" Leo asked his brother.

"Fine," Mikey gasped out with a hand grasping his neck tightly. A trail of blood seeped between his fingers. The cut was easily serious, but not fatal if Mikey keeps pressure on it.

"Raph! Donny!" Leo said next. Raph looked up after he busted a ninja in the mouth that had been trying to keep a firm hold on Donny's weakened form.

"Yeah, bro?" Raph asked.

"We're getting out of here. Now." Leo says, "Help Donny."

"Gotcha," Raph said. He handed Donny his bo staff before helping his brother walk. The Foot ninjas finally got in gear and began to try to stop their progress. As Leo ran and dodged with Mikey, his shell cell buzzed. He quickly answered it one-handed.

"Where are you?" April asked before he could say anything.

"Parking structure." Leo said, "Ya might wanna hurry."

"We'll be there in a few minutes." April said, "Casey's driving." Leo hung up at that and tucked the cell back in his belt before drawing his katana. He heard a thud to his left and turned to see Raph, grinning.

"Ya really need ta work on da one-eyed thing," Raph said, "Ya let sum'one sneak up on ya fer a change."

"That's why I got you, bro," Leo said as a thank you.

"Next time I may not be there," He said, pointing at him with the Tsuka of his sai.

"Oh, you'll be there," Leo whispered. That's when the Battle Shell speed into the parking structure, knocking down any and all ninjas in its way. It's curved to a stop beside them and April opened the back door.

"Come on, hurry!" She said, waving them in. Leo handed her Mikey before crawling in himself. Raph helped Donny inside next and slashed his sais threateningly at the ninjas before he got in as well. April closed the doors and then Casey speed forward and out of the building.

"Drive around for a bit," Leo said, "They could follow us." He had settled down behind the passenger seats propping Mikey up. Donny knelt down in front of the shelving unit and drawers built into the Battle Shell looking for the first-aid kit which he quickly brought out and set it before Leo. Leo nodded in thanks before opening it and grabbing some gauze. He gently pulled Mikey's hand away from the cut on his neck and held his own hand against it with the gauze between it. "The bleeding hasn't stopped enough yet so we can't really wrap it up."

"I had a feelin' Shred-head was gonna kill Mike anyway." Raph growled from the other side of the van in the corner. April was sitting to his right.

"He's not dead though?" Casey asked from the front.

"He would be if Leo hadn't a' distracted Shredder by cuttin' his head off again." Raph said.

"Are you feeling okay, Mikey?" April asked.

"M'fine," Mikey said, sounding a little more dazed then he was earlier. He had his eyes squeezed shut but it was hard to tell if he was actually in pain or not.

"Ya don't look 'r sound it," Raph said. Mikey made an intelligible sound and ignored him completely. "Awe come on! Ya can't still be mad at me!" Mikey then raised his hands to cover his ears. Leo looked over at Raph curiously when he noticed the youngest brother's reaction. He planned to ask Raph what happened between them later.

By the time they got back to the lair, Mikey's cut finally stopped bleeding enough to wrap the injury. The rest of his injuries were treated along with Donny's and Raph's before, just for the night, all four brothers slept in their own beds and April, and Casey took the couch and chair. It had been a long day. April knew that tomorrow would be even longer. She planned to get them to talk out their feelings. She felt it was time for the brotherhood to bond anew…

That morning, April had them all in the sitting area. The tension between them could be cut with a knife. It was clear in the way they occupied the space. Mikey looked cranky were he sat on the couch opposite Casey. Donny was lying back against the otherwise empty couch. Leo was hunched over the back of it with his head lying on his arms on the back of the couch beside Donny. Donny had a mixed expression on his face that was hard to decipher. Leo was curiously glancing at Raph every now and then where he stood against a stone column behind and to the left of him. Raph had his arms crossed over his plastron as he ignored Leo and instead watched Mikey almost apologetically. It was an unusual look to him, but Mikey took no notice of it. Even though they were brought together to fight for rescue, they obviously still held strife between them that could only be solved by what April planned for them today. At least she hoped it would work. It was the only thing she could think of to do. She just wanted her family back to the way it was supposed to be. These four treasured pieces in her life needed her guidance and she was going to give it to them.

"Alright guys, we need to talk," She began, placing her hands on her hips what she knew to be intimidating. "You four have really gone downhill since your father died. I know that's a difficult experience and you're each suffering in different ways. You have to pull through this and forget about all these bad feelings against each other. You care too much for each other to hold these grudges. Last night proved this! I want to try something and I want you to be honest. I want you to each take turns in saying what you're upset about. How about Mikey goes first?"

"Raph," He muttered, darkly, and without elaborating. Raph looked away at that.

"Why are you mad at Raph, Mikey?" April asked as she placed a hand on his shoulder. He finally looked up and met her eyes before answering.

"'Cuz he's a selfish jerk," Mikey said, flatly. Leo was the only one to notice Raph clench his fists.

"What did he do?" April asked next, softly.

"He…" Mikey broke eye contact and returned his attention back to his lap, "I don't really wanna talk about this…" He whispered.

"Just get it off your chest," She said, kindly, "It'll make you feel better in the end, I promise."

"Okay…" Mikey looked up and directly at Raph as he said, "He left me alone…twice…and both times something happened to me in result. He let Shredder hurt me."

"Twice?" Raph said as he turned back, sharply, and looked at him, "The second time I left ya, I hadta save Leo's sorry ass from gettin' skewered by Shredder! It ain't my fault Casey couldn't a' kept Shredder's goons offa ya in da meantime!"

"I could have come with ya if you hadn't of left me that first time!" Mikey yelled back, "And why didn't ya wake me anyway? I could have helped!"

"You were too injured-" Raph began.

"'Cuz ya left me that first time!" By this time, Mikey was standing up with his fists clenched. It was rare to see Mikey mad at the worst of times, but none of them had ever seen him this mad before. April quickly moved between them and gently pushed Mikey back into his seat.

"That's enough, Mikey," She said, soothingly, "Let's go to Donny now. I can tell something's bothering you. What is it?"

"Nothing's wrong," He lied, solemnly.

"Mikey admitted his problems. It's your turn."

Donny fidgeted a little before saying softly, "Mine isn't that big a deal, really…"

"You got to say something…"

Donny glanced up at Leo before turning towards April. "Alright, it's…it's Leo," He said, "I hate how…how he's so…calm…around me… I…I saw him break down in…in front of you, April, before…before I ran off and ran into Shredder… I just want to know I'm not the only one…"

"Donny…" Leo said, softly as he moved a hand over his brother's shoulder. Donny automatically clasped his over it.

"Yeah, I figured you would feel that way," April said as she looked at Leo.

"I can't." Leo said firmly, "Let's just move on, now?" Then he looked around and realized he'd be next, but he didn't say anything.

""He's right, yanno?" Raph said, "Ya really shouldn't hold it all in like ya do. It ain't healthy."

"Who're you to say that?" Leo asked, "You do the same thing all the time."

"Yeah, and I pay fer it," He said with narrowed eyes, "It ain't no big deal just ta show yer not heartless, bro."

"You don't get it, Raph." Leo said, "I can't. I don't know what would happen if I allow myself to break down. Yes, sensei's death affected me more then you can imagine, but I don't want to go down that road and end up a mess. Please don't make me. You guys need me now more than ever and it helps me when I don't have to think about my own sorrow. This mask is all I have to hold against that crushing weight. I just need you to help me hold it at bay."

"You sure?" Donny asked.

"Yeah," He said with a small smile, "I'm sure."

"Alright," April said, "Raph? Do you have anything to add?" Raph sighed at this as he finally stepped away from the column.

"Ya really wanna know what's on my mind?" He asked with a glance at Mikey. "Mike's right. I'm a screw-up. All this is my fault."

"What makes you think that?"

"I left 'cuz I was tryin' ta give Leo some space only ta make it easier fer Shred-head ta start bringin' us down one by one. Then I left Mike with Casey jus' 'cuz I couldn't stand doin' nuthin'! Then Casey hasta follow me leavin' Mikey completely alone. When I find 'im next, Shredder's already gotten ta 'im and I hafta carry 'im home! Then I find out Don got captured wit' da information he forced outta Mikey and Leo's gone off alone. 'Cuza what Mikey went through, I couldn't have 'im come wit' me so I leave 'im wit' Case only ta find on my return that he was captured as well! I coul'n't even save Leo after that! That's why I'm a screw-up! It's all my fuckin' fault!"

"It's not your fault, Raph," Leo said, quietly, "You're allowed to make mistakes. The Shredder just used our own problems and tried to make them worse."

"He sure made 'em worse alright…" Raph growled.

"But, he failed in tearing us apart." Leo finished, indicating Raph had cut him off.

"And what makes ya say that, fearless?" Raph challenged.

"Don't call me 'fearless' right now. I feel anything but fearless." Leo practically snapped at Raph. Then he took a calming breath before he could continue. "We're all here – together. Do you need any more proof than that? We came together and helped each other in the end. Yeah, things may seem a little shaky right now, but what matters most we still share. You helped me realize that with that speech of yours. I know now why you really left and if that's true, then we're together in that. But yanno… You coulda asked me if you felt like that."

"You woulda lied."

"…True, but we could've avoided a whole lot of trouble."

April smiled at that, glad to see the smiles on three of the brothers. She then turned to Mikey who was pointedly looking away from the others. "Mikey? Are you still mad?"

"…Yeah…" He said before turning to her with a sad smile of his own, "'Cuz Raph's still a butthead. But I understand now. And anyway, I'm just glad my bros aren't fighting anymore. Thanks April."

"I didn't do much. I just let you guys do all the talking." She said, modestly.

"Exactly. You're the best. Maybe everything will turn out okay now."

"I hope so."

THE END :P

A/N: And they all lived happily ever after O.o PLEASE REVIEW! I want to know thoughts.