Well, this is it, the end to this story!

It feels weird ending it, staring with into the darkness and now its ending.

feels really weird!

But hey, it had to end.

So anyway

Enjoy!

I do not own TMNT

Chapter 30

"Leo, are these people serious about giving us the key to the city?" Raph's voice echoed around the lair.

"I guess so! They won't leave us alone about it" Leo answered

"I say we just take it and get it over with" Mikey added.

"But we don't deserve it Mikey" Don walked out of his lab, "We were the cause of this just as much as Coplan was"

"We weren't the ones that killed those people! We didn't threaten to destroy the city" Mikey explained

Leo stood up from the couch, "Yeah but we brought him here" He said softly.

Silence grew in the lair, Raph leaned up against the wall, rubbing his head, Leo paced, arms crossed, Don stood still, watching his brother pace, Mikey sat on the couch, looking at the floor. No one knew what to do, they didn't deserve the key to the city, neither did they deserve to be heroes. They did this all to stop what they started before people got hurt, and too many got hurt.

"We don't deserve the recognition" Don muttered.

"Why not? We saved the town from Coplan! If that's not a hero, I don't know what is!" Mikey exclaimed.

"Mikey did we really save anyone" Raph alleged, "A whole hospital full of people died, including elderly and kids, a bunch of innocent people died at the hands of the stupid UFTU…a lot of people died because of us Mikey…and they call us heroes"

Silence returned, it haunted Mikey to the bone. He didn't understand why his brothers were being negative about the city calling them heroes. He thought that if they were called heroes that they would be happy, that they wouldn't have to hide anymore, no matter the circumstance.

"I thought this is what you guys always wanted" Mikey said softly.

He felt every eye on him, he saw Don look up at him in the corner of his eye, he looked over for a second and saw Raph looking at him, he didn't know if Leo was looking at him or not.

"To be known…To be recognized…Not just for stopping Coplan…but for everything we did" Mikey said.

No one responded, he must have hit a nerve of thought in everyone's mind.

"For stopping the gang wars, for stopping the foot ninjas from hurting people…you're right…we don't deserve the key to the city for stopping Coplan. We deserve it from everything else we did…The things we didn't have to do, but still did"

Leo closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He knew Mikey had a point, he knew that everything he said was true, he just didn't know if it was the right thing to do.

"Wow…I guess I'll be the one who breaks the silence" Raph said, "Mikey's right…We are heroes…But I still think we shouldn't get the key to the city"

"That's fine, we should still be called heroes" Mikey said

"Mikey…Why do you want this so bad?" Leo asked in a serious voice.

"Want what?"

"To be a hero" Don answered

"…Because" Mikey wanted to talk to someone about this, but he just didn't know how to bring it up in a conversation, but now's he chance, "Because when I was in that city, and you guys left…and I was alone, I face facts…I was going to die…I was never going to see you guys again, I was never going to see the real city again. And that got me thinking" He stopped for a second, getting off the couch and standing awkwardly in the middle of the room, "If I died…who would remember me"

There was a look of confusion around the lair, "We would have Mikey" Don broke the silence.

"Yeah, I know you guys would have, and April and Casey…but no one else, no one else would even know I died…If I die, I want to be recognized for something…for doing something in my life…I mean what's doing good if no one is even going to recognize you for its"

There was more silence around the lair.

"I guy could stop a couple of robbers at a bank and die and get recognition for it. But us…We saved the city countless amount of times, we've stopped criminals, we've saved people…and no one even knew we existed" Mikey took a breath, seeing his brothers looking at him, he wasn't able to tell what they were thinking. Until Leo broke the silence.

"I didn't know that's how you felt Mikey" He said softly.

"…Neither did I" Mikey said seriously.

Raph crossed his and exhaled deeply, he felt depressed for some reason. Mikey's words made him feel like Mikey were still hurting. He walked over to Mikey and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"We'll answer their questions…But I still don't think it's a good idea to get the key to the city" Leo said finally.

Mikey nodded, "That's all I want"

Don smiled then stood up, "What do you think they're going to ask us?"

"Probably where we came from and stuff like that" Leo answered.

"What time is it at?" Raph asked.

"The guy said it started at 2" Don answered.

Raph looked at the clock, 1:30, "We better start heading out"

…..

"Hello ladies and gentlemen, the Mayor wasn't feeling well today so he sent me, he sends his regards. Anyway we are here to honor these four brave…uhh...turtles, for restoring the peace of our great city. Now I would like to take a moment of silence for the people who have lost their lives"

The man bowed his head and everyone followed, Mikey clasped his hands and bowed his head, he peeked over at his brothers and saw they were bowing their heads, eyes close. The sad piano was hitting strings in Mikey's heart. It was beautiful. Then he noticed the two security guards carrying the sniper rifles, then he noticed, they were safe, they were being protected.

Don inhaled deeply, as the piano played, he swirled his tongue around his mouth, a constant reminder of Scarlet. That name left marks in his memory, he absolutely hated her, but at the same time, couldn't get the image of her out of his head. He didn't know why he felt this way, she was toying with him, even though she isn't here anymore.

Raph felt his heart squeeze as the piano hit a high note, and then he remembered the people in the hospital, those poor, innocent people. They didn't deserve to die, they didn't deserve this. Then he remembered the sight of that kid, laying on the gurney, gun shots in his chest. Who shoots a kid? What sick fu*k shoots a goddamn kid? It sickened Raph how people are these days.

Leo felt a lump form in his throat as the piano played a beautiful melody, he thought of nothing but of that woman he saw when he looked out of April's window. Seeing her walk down the street normally, then having a solider beat you and shoot you on the spot for no reason. For no god damn reason. Coplan didn't get it bad enough, Leo wished he could have done more to that sick freak.

The piano stopped, the man raised his head and walked to the microphone, "The threat to our city has been removed, and we no longer have to live in fear, no more worry. No more locking our doors at night, no more crying little children asking their moms if they were safe. When little sally walks down the street to get something to eat, there mother does not need to worry about her safety, cause as a city, we will make sure everyone is safe, we will make sure little sally gets her food and goes back to her mother. As a city, we are one. As a foundation, we are one. As a community, we are one. As a civilization, we are one. As a family…We are one."

Cheers and shouts roared through the audience, the happiness radiated off the audience, Leo could feel it sink slowly into him, and he smiled as the audience chanted.

"We are one"

"We are one"

"We are one"

The man held up a hand, signaling everyone to quiet down, "Thank you, now for the real reason we are gathered here, these four young m-..Turtles" The man held out his hands toward them and they smiled.

"Please…Come up to the microphone and say you're names" The man stepped away from the microphone.

Leo walked up to the microphone and leaned in, "Hello…umm…My name is Leonardo" He stepped away from the microphone and Raph was next, "Sup…Names Raphael" He smiled and joined Leo, Don walked up and leaned in close, "My name's Donatello", he nodded his head and joined Leo and Raph. Then Finally Mikey walked up to the microphone, "Sup dudes! My name is Michelangelo, and don't you forget it!" The three of them burst out in laughter, the man giggle and clapped his hands.

Then the man walked back up to the microphone. "Let's give our hero's a round of applause", then the audience all clapped their hands, Don smiled when he saw April and Casey in the audience, smiling and cheering them on.

"I think I can get use to this, guys" Mikey whispered to them.

Raph smiled and looked out into the audience, seeing them cheering them on and praising them. Raph loved this feeling, the feeling of being known.

"But boys, personally, I want to thank you, for sacrificing you're self to save this city and its people. You guys are a true inspiration to us all" The man said.

More clapping and cheering started again, they couldn't help but smile.

"Now you guys are open to answer questions" The man stepped away from the microphone and allowed them to talk into the microphone. They looked at each other, wondering who should go first. Then Mikey sped to the microphone, "Ok people, let me hear them"

Everyone raised their hands at the same time, shouting at him to pick them. Mikey looked around, and then pointed at someone.

"Where have you guys been all this time?" He asked

"Well, we have been right under your feet, literally, we have our own place in the sewers, so we've been living in the sewer for all this time" Mikey said

Leo walked up to him and placed his hand on Mikey's shoulder, "Ok my turn"

Mikey chuckled and ran back to Raph and Don.

"Any more questions?" Leo asked

They raised their hands once again and Leo picked one, "What exactly are you guys?" She asked.

Leo figured this question was going to be asked, "Ok…Me and my brothers are mutant turtles, at a very young age, we were dropped down the sewers and we landed in this ooze. Our father, master Splinter, found us and took us in, soon we developed human like characteristics, as our father did. And after that, we grew up and our father taught us the ways of being a ninja, and before this whole deal he passed away, leaving me in charge" He answered

As Leo continued to talk, Mikey finally faced facts, life is going to be different from here on in. They will be known, they can walk down the street and been seen and be normal. Mikey smiled, glanced over at Leo and watched him tell their story. He couldn't believe this, they see them, and they're not scared. They accept them.

*BANG*

Mikey jumped at the large boom that sounded through the air, he looked around quickly to find where it came from, then noticed Leo on the floor, gaping hole between his eyes.

"LEO!" Raph screamed, ran to him and knelt down near him. Mikey and Don stood there in shock, Don looked out into the audience, ran to the security guard and tore the sniper out of his hands, looked down the scope and examined the building across from them.

He instantly found it, the person standing in the window, holding the sniper rifle, white tang top and red hair back in a ponytail. She smiled and waved to Don.

"NO!" Don shouted, throwing the sniper on the ground.

Mikey felt tears running down his face as he ran to Leo, screaming.

Don looked at the audience, seeing them panicking, screaming and running. Then out of nowhere UFTU soldiers surrounded the audience and opened fire. Massacring everyone.

Mikey looked at Leo, "Oh my god no! NO!" Mikey screamed.

Raph felt the tears roll down his face at the sight of Leo, face staring up in shock, bullet hole between his eyes.

I lied.

To be Continued