Ok! This will wrap up Kid Stuff! Next chapter is going to be loads of fun, I won't tell you what the premise is, but I'll tell you the title. Lethal.

Make of that what you will.

The quadruplets were riding the subway, though to which stop, Leonardo still had no idea.

Not that he had time to wonder about their destination, the young leader found himself more than a little occupied with keeping up with Michelangelo, who was having a blast clambering all over the subway car. Despite the afternoon hour, the train was only occupied by about fifteen or twenty passengers, a fact which Leo didn't mind at all. Yes, he was having fun enjoying their brief stint as humans, but that didn't mean he felt comfortable riding in a cramped space with a bunch of other people. While he'd never struggled with claustrophobia, even despite his newly acquired distaste for cellars and caves, the teen ninja still had very little desire to be packed like a sardine into a tin can. A tin can moving at high speeds. Underground. That he had no control over.

Leonardo quickly pulled in deep breath through his nose. Ok, maybe after everything he's been through, he might have a little bit of claustrophobia, but not anything to freak out over. He was fine. Perfectly, fine. Ok, change of tactic, he needed something to distract him from the tight feeling in his chest.

"So," the blue clad brother addressed his siblings, allowing his brothers time to glance up at him, before allowing a cheesy grin to spill across his face, "are we there yet?"

Raphael rolled his eyes, but gave a huff of amusement, "Bein' human has made ya really weird, Leo, or," the brawler gave a mischievous smirk, "weirder than ya already are."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Leo retorted, giving his brother a lopsided smile, before shrugging one shoulder, "I'm just enjoying this while I can, once we're back to normal, I'll go back to my prior responsibilities, and I promise to be the same overprotective drill sergeant you know and love. Until then, though, I'm making the most of this experience."

Raphael nodded, topaz eyes softening in understanding and empathy.

They all had loosened up since the change. Even Master Splinter had, he'd been taking it easy on them in training the last three weeks, and not demanding constant vigilance while topside. It was going to be rough when they all have to readjust back into life as mutant ninja turtles again. The brawler couldn't help but admit that he'd gotten used to being able to goof off with Casey during the day, and Mikey had made friends with kids at the skate park. Even Donnie had made friends at the local library, enjoying hours spent sitting on the floor between bookshelves, having deep discussions with fellow science enthusiasts about theories and concepts. And while Leo may not have said so, Raphael had caught their leader sneaking out with his violin in tow, likely to play in Central Park if the wads of cash he came back with were any indication. If that were the case, then it was no wonder he had the money to give them their days out.

However, soon all that would come to an end. The people who've they met, the spectators listening to Leo's music, the kids at the skate park, the nerds at the library, what were those people going to say when the brothers inexplicably disappeared, never to return? Would they even notice the change, or would they worry? Not to mention, how would their family handle the change after having a taste of freedom? Would they actually be happy to get back to normal, the way they think they'll be? Sure, they wanted to be turtles again and he still missed his shell; but now that he knew what it felt like to go on ice cream runs with his brothers in the middle of the day, how would he handle going back to the sewers, returning to a life lived in the darkness of the underground. Never to see the blue sky, never to interact with the outside world, unless in secret snatched moments.

Would they ever be truly happy again?

The brawler heaved a sigh, he needed to get his head together, or this night out was going to get depressing fast, "Yo, Donnie," Raph grumbled, angling his body towards the purple clad ninja, "care ta explain ta me why we're takin' the subway? Last I checked we have a truck."

Leo softly snickered at Raphael's tone, while holding no malicious intent, it was at once genuinely curious but also annoyed. Turning to their resident genius, the leader waited for his response. Donatello merely gave a long-suffering sigh, "I heard the Battle Shell making a strange noise on the drive back from the symposium last night," he explained, "the last thing I wanted was for us to break down on our way to-uh,"

Don paused, realizing he'd almost let slip the surprise, before clearing his throat and continued, "To where we're going," he finished with a nod, "I'll give the Battle Shell a checkup tomorrow to see what's going on under the hood."

Mikey, swinging from the handles attached to the ceiling of the train, gave an evil giggle, "Don't think I didn't hear that, Dee," he hummed playfully, "you almost spilled the beans."

"But I didn't," Donnie retorted.

"But you could have," the youngest countered, curling his legs up and then straightening out so to plank in midair like a gymnast, "and with all the grief you and Raphie have given me about keeping Leo's surprise under wraps, you know that I will never let you live it down if you're the one who ruins it."

"Would it really be ruining it if we're on our way?" Leo asked, unabashedly aiding in needling his brothers, "I mean, what's the difference if I found out now as opposed to later?"

"No!" Don and Raph both bellowed, brown and topaz eyes widening in sheepish grimaces, as their fellow passengers shot them dirty looks.

Clearing his throat, Don answered Leo's query, "We've put way too much planning into this," he stated, tone stern and unyielding, "we already know when and where we will be doing the big reveal, and not a second sooner!"

Leonardo exchanged a dissatisfied glance with Mikey, before giving a dramatic sigh, "Killjoy," he murmured with a smirk, copying the baby by grabbing a handle, and allowing his body to swing in a lazy arc, "is that why I'm not allowed to look at the tv?"

"Yes," Donatello supplied succinctly, "just keep your eyes on us, and don't look at the screen."

Quirking a dark eyebrow, Leonardo toyed with the idea of whining like Mikey would have in this situation or looking at the screen really fast to prove a point. However, he knew they really had put a lot of planning into this outing, and even Raph was excited about their surprise, it would hurt them if he were to look at the tv and actually see something pertaining to their excursion. So, the leader settled with exaggeratedly widening his eyes, focusing in on Don and Raph hard enough to make the middle children laugh.

"Now arriving at Madison Square Gardens."

Mikey dropped to the floor with a thud, eyes sparkling, and a wide grin stretched across his face, "Dudes, we're here!"

"Quick, Raphie," Donnie snapped, rushing to his feet, "get the blindfold!"

"Blindfold?!"

Leonardo didn't have an opportunity to protest further, as he was promptly tackled by Raphael. The brawler chuckled as he quickly wrapped the dark cloth over his brother's eyes, "Ya know, if we dyed yer hair white, ya would look like Gojo,"

The leader tilted his head back as a ripple of laughter bubbled up his throat, "From Jujutsu Kaisen?" He asked, "I mean, technically we could count as ninja sorcerers, especially after training with the Tribunal, but I think that's where the similarities end."

"Nah, dude," Mikey gave excited pulls on Leo's arm, blue eyes likely sparkling as he compared his brother to the anime character, "you both are really cool in a fight, like you're playing 4D chess or something!"

"Ha!" Leonardo guffawed, causing Raphael to fumble the loose knot he was trying to tie, "I'm flattered that you believe that Mikey, but I'm afraid it's the opposite, I'm not nearly so omniscient as you think."

"Well, you do have an uncanny sixth sense for whenever we're in danger or doing something we know we're not supposed to be," Donnie added in a dry, albeit playful, grumble, "plus, you really do seem to share the skill in staying four steps ahead of your enemy."

"Please," Leo shook his head, earning a gentle swat from Raph for messing up the knot again, "when it comes to fighting, Gojo puts me to shame, I'm nowhere near as strong as he is."

"That's because he's a fictional character," the genius countered, his voice soft with the gentle smile the leader could easily picture was on his face, "so he has the advantage of a writer making him overpowered, while you, my dear aniki, are real. You work hard, you push yourself to improve every day, but you're also a leader who's aware of your flaws, so you don't act like an arrogant jerk like he sometimes does in the show. Which, makes you significantly more awesome, in my book at least."

The blue clad ninja blushed at the praise, warmth spreading in his heart, "You guys are spoiling me," he deflected, mouth curving in a shy but grateful smile, as the brawler behind him heaved a relieved sigh that he finally finished the job, "first a big surprise, and now all these compliments. What am I going to do when I have to drag you three into the dojo for our first early morning practice as turtles again?"

"Don't?" Mikey threw in, small hands gripping Leo's own, pulling him to gently guide their sibling out of the subway car as it slowed to a stop, "Or, at the very least, remember how much we love you, and reciprocate that love by not killing us with the workout of our lives?"

Leo pursed his lips thoughtfully, feeling Raph cup his left elbow, and beginning to move along with his brothers down the car towards the exit, "I could," he murmured, "but wouldn't true reciprocation mean training you harder so I can ensure your safety?"

Mikey gave a dramatic groan, prompting a bark of laughter from the eldest, "That was such a Leo thing to say," the baby grumbled, "I think I agree with Donnie, you two aren't alike at all. Gojo jokes around about everything, and he sometimes skipped his classes, I don't think you've played hooky a day in your life."

"Probably not," Leo stated, shaking his head, hair blowing in the breeze of the open train car, "plus, he also endangered his students by disappearing and leaving them to face high risk enemies by themselves. I'd never do that to you guys."

"Nah, ya definitely wouldn't," Raphael agreed, giving his leader's arm a quick, but affectionate, squeeze, "watch out fer the steps, Fearless,"

Leonardo nodded, raising his leg and stepping on the concrete staircase leading up to street level, "So, how much further, guys?"

"Not too much further!" Mikey exclaimed, "just up the stairs, and then we'll be there!"

The leader fell silent, mind clicking away as he considered the clues granted him up to that point, trying to work out the surprise. He knew they were going to Madison Square Gardens, which was obvious, due to the announcement on the loudspeaker. However, he was stumped on just why they were there. He hadn't looked into any events after the wrestling match, and it had been two weeks since then. However, according to the excited chatter swelling around him, voices of teenagers echoing off the tile walls of the subway station and following them up the stairs, there was an undeniable thrill of excitement in the air. Which meant that this was something a lot of people were attending. The blue ninja's heart gave a leap, eager anticipation making his skin break out in goosebumps.

Finally, after walking up the stairs, and being dragged by his siblings down a crowded sidewalk, he was brought to a halt, and he felt Donnie's slim fingers grab a delicate hold on the blindfold. "Ok," the genius was breathless in excitement, "get ready, in three…"

"Two," Raph continued, his hand sliding up from Leo's elbow to rest on his leader's shoulder.

"ONE!" Mikey bellowed; his exclamation quickly followed by Don pulling the black cloth off Leo's face.

Sapphire eyes blinked rapidly to adjust to the brightness of the day, fighting to refocus as he peered ahead. When he finally regained clarity, Leonardo felt his heart leap in his throat, even as his mind shut down in utter shock, "No. WAY!"

As he expected, they were standing in front of Madison Square Gardens, but on a huge billboard was an image depicting a Korean singing group. But not just any group, it was Stray Kids, Leonardo Hamato's favorite k-pop band. He had all of their songs memorized, his beat up mp3 player loaded with even their most recent albums, and even knew the dance moves to boot (Mikey had once caught him dancing in his room to one of their songs, much Leo's intense embarrassment. However, all was forgiven when the youngest quickly closed the door behind himself so to join his big brother in the private dance party). Despite Leo getting much better at allowing himself to indulge in hobbies and interests since the caves, the eldest was still shy about certain things, so he'd never mentioned or outright said that this was his favorite band.

Count on nosy little brothers to find out your secrets, just so they can spring the world's greatest and best surprise EVER.

In an uncharacteristically juvenile moment of overwhelming joy, Leonardo started softly bouncing while pointing at the billboard, incoherent squeaks pouring from his shocked mouth. Raphael burst into shocked guffaws at the never-before-seen sight, liquid gold eyes almost glowing with affection. The sound seemed to bring the eldest back to reality, as he whirled around to put a hand on Donnie's shoulder, the other still ecstatically pointing, "Are they really here?!" He practically screamed, "Are we going to see them, in concert?!"

Donatello was struggling to act casual; the fruits of their labor being rewarded in full as their leader was practically vibrating with happiness, however the genius managed to give a careless shrug, "I don't know, aniki, what do these tickets say?"

Trembling fingers grasped the pieces of paper withdrawn from the pocket of the purple hoodie, holding them up so to read the writing, "Holy shell," Leo whispered, voice low and reverent before quickly regaining volume, "Holy. SHELL!"

The leader slowly shook his head, "How?"

Michelangelo gave a low chuckle, enjoying the stunned look on the brother who was infamously difficult to surprise, "April helped us score the tickets," he explained, "Donnie found them online, but even after we pooled our cash together, we still didn't have enough, but April threw in the rest saying that after all you've done for the family, you deserved a night out."

Sapphire eyes swelled with tears; their normally stoic brother completely overcome by emotion. The teen ninja turned to look at the giant sign one more time, jaw hanging slack in shock before turning back to his siblings. "I-I," he stammered, "We're…..and they…..here….and I'm gonna….Holy shell!"

"I think we broke 'im," Raph chortled, watching his leader reread the tickets in his hands.

Donnie waved the brawler's concern away, a giant grin stretched across his features, "Don't worry, he'll reboot, it's a lot to process."

"Yeah," Mikey snickered, "give him a minute, let the turtle geek out!"

"I mean, they're only his favorite band," Donatello finished, rolling his eyes.

"Ya don't say?" Raphael said with a mock gasp.

Suddenly the eldest whirled back around from where he'd been once again staring slack jawed at the billboard. In a running leap, Leo flung his arms around his younger siblings, somehow managing to capture all three, "You're the best!" He exclaimed, gripping them as tightly as he could manage despite the height differences,"You're the coolest, most awesome brothers, in the history of ever! I love you so much!"

"I never would've guessed," Raphael grinned, returning the exuberant embrace, "what with ya takin' this so calmly an' all."

"Maybe we should cancel the outing," Donatello snickered, "I don't think he likes the surprise."

Leo pulled away, mouth agape in betrayal, even as he hurriedly putting the tickets in his hoodie pocket, "Not funny, Don." He said seriously, before turning towards the main entrance, "Now, let's check in and find our seats!"

….

Although it took over an hour of standing in line, finally the team was able to check in at the ticket counter. Leo grinned in glee as he spotted a vendor selling glow stick bracelets, necklaces and crowns, jerking his thumb at the man in a silent question on if his brothers wanted some. Mikey agreed enthusiastically, with the middle children also cheering their consent. Leo, as always, led the way as the boys were quick to buy up what they could, and promptly outfitted themselves in the festive gear, color coordinated, of course. Once inside the main hall where the stage lay, all four brothers were beaming, drinking in the sights and sounds as thousands gathered for the concert.

Nudging his brothers, Donatello held up his shell cell, "Let's take a picture for Dad and April!"

The quadruplets huddled together, Raph smirking at the camera, while Leo, Don and Mikey grinned widely, the youngest holding up two peace signs. The genius snapped the picture, then rushed to send it to their respective family members. Suddenly, the lights dimmed, and Leonardo couldn't repress the shiver of excitement as he heard the opening strains to the song Maniac. The young leader cast his eyes on the stage, joining the rising screams as the members of Stray Kids rose up through the fog of the stage, a spotlight on each.

"Leo!"

The blue clad ninja turned to find baby blue eyes practically glowing, as the youngest pointed over to a section near the stage, "There's a group of people down there doing the dance moves! Let's go!"

Raphael and Donnie didn't hesitate, pushing the eldest down the stairs to join the fans mirroring the dance moves happening on stage. Leo let himself be pulled, without argument or complaint, he and his brothers falling in line with the other dancers. For the next two and a half hours, Leonardo danced himself to exhaustion, waving glow sticks, and singing along to every song until he was hoarse. When the concert finally ended, the group closing it out with their signature song Fam, the teen ninja allowed himself a moment to really look at, and appreciate, his own family. He memorized their faces, glowing with joy and flushed with excitement; the way they returned his gaze with brotherly love and a feeling of unity, eyes shining with that unspoken certainty that they'd always be family and would have each other's backs, no matter what. Leo engraved this moment on his heart, committing it to memory and framing it as a precious memento that he'd treasure for the rest of his life.

Looking up to the night sky, the final strains of the song fading as the singers gave their bows to the fans, Leo gave a silent prayer of gratitude, eyes closed as he reveled in this once in a lifetime experience with the best brothers he could have ever asked for.

…

Michelangelo heaved a contented sigh, leaning his head on his leader's shoulder as they walked down the darkened sidewalk. Leo had his arm slung casually around the youngest's shoulders in a loose, but affectionate, side hug; the blue warrior softly singing the lines to the song Backdoor, Don and Raph backing him up during the harmony parts. Mikey's lips curved in a gentle smile, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere.

On the train ride back to their neighborhood, the boys had been chattering nonstop, reliving various favorite moments of the concert, or just exclaiming about the experience in general. Now though, they'd calmed, exhaustion coupled with a companionable silence broken only by Leo's low singing. Twisting his head up to look at their leader, Mikey mused on the eldest's singing voice, a sound they'd never heard before the caves, but now was something familiar around the lair on the weekends. It was surprisingly good, something that had shocked April the first time she'd heard it drifting from the kitchen as Leo washed the dishes. She'd remarked that if Leonardo ever wanted to quit being a ninja, he had a promising future as a singer.

The leader had hunched his shoulders then, giving a shy smile, and stated he wasn't celebrity material, that he was better suited for the life of a ninja.

Mikey shook in a silent chuckle. Yeah, Leo was too good for that crowd anyway, and their family needed his wisdom as their leader. With a happy smile, Michelangelo lazily returned his gaze back to the sidewalk, eyelids heavy as their night caught up to the small ninja. Eventually the brothers turned the corner into the familiar alley that provided the shortcut to their garage, and as Mikey peered into the gloom, the youngest almost missed the glint of metal in the shadows.

It's strange, the way time seems to slow when you're staring death in the face. Michelangelo had always heard the line in movies and shows about your life flashing before your eyes, and despite the many times he'd almost died himself, he'd yet to experience said encore. However, the chill of seeing the barrel of a gun pointed at your family? That's different. The reasons why that person was important, fleeting memories of Leo reading to his siblings after a horrible nightmare to help them fall back asleep, of his brother training late into the night to perfect purely defensive moves meant to preserve his brothers, the smile the eldest wore during family mealtimes so full of love and reflecting a bottomless well of devotion, each surged to the forefront of the youngest's mind. Mikey was the jokester, the prankster, the video game playing and comic book reading baby of the family, a position he took full advantage of when he could.

But tonight? Tonight, Michelangelo prayed he'd be strong enough to be the protector, just like his big brother was every single day.

Unfortunately, he found that the instinct to protect, was a hard role to fill when that position practically flowed through the eldest's veins and gave his heart a reason to beat. Leonardo, having also noticed the danger when the youngest tensed, and shocked to find Mikey pushing his small body to cover his leader's, reacted with the speed and fluidity of quicksilver. Strong arms pulled his baby brother back, spinning the youngest in a blur of motion crushing him into a fierce embrace, immobilizing him. As previously stated, it was instinct, something he'd done more than once on patrol, and would continue to do until the day he drew his last breath (and possibly beyond, if Leo had any say about it). Before Mikey could blink, he was captive in his big brother's arms as the leader turned their bodies around, barely registering the shocked yells of their siblings, faded and muffled as if they were underwater, and put his stronger, thicker shell between his family and danger.

However, Leo didn't have his shell, not tonight.

Mikey's mouth opened in a horrified yawn, stretching in a soundless scream as two shots rang out in the dark, he felt Leo's body jerk as the eldest gave breathless gasps of shock, sapphire eyes chips of ice even as they glazed over in pain. The youngest tried to hold his brother as Leonardo's knees buckled, hands trembling as they reached around to clutch a back now wet with blood as it leaked from his wounds. However, in his human form, lacking his prior strength, Michelangelo could only fall with his leader to the trash strewn alley floor, tears streaming from shattered baby blue eyes.

"Le-o," he gasped, lips shaking as he clutched the trembling body of his big brother, his voice rising from a whisper and building into a gut-wrenching scream, "Leo….LEO!"

Somewhere above the eldest and youngest, Mikey heard Raphael blast a howl of rage, breezing past his fallen siblings to attack the one holding the gun. Donnie was kneeling next to them, mouth moving as he tried to get Michelangelo's attention, hands pawing at their leader, desperately trying to look at the wounds. The orange clad ninja didn't seem to have control of his own body though, he tried, God knows he tried, but his brain was stuck between the moments when the first crack rang out and Leo jumping in to become a shield for his family. He couldn't escape, the sound of gunfire replaying in his mind, worsened by the feeling of blood dripping down his fingers, staining the back of his leader.

"Mike….Mikey, come on, I need you to snap out of it!"

The sound of Donatello's voice, coupled by the feeling of Leo's hands tightening into fistfuls of the youngest's hoodie, grounded Michelangelo enough to come back to reality, "Donnie, you gotta help him," he pleaded, throat convulsing in gulping sobs.

"I'm going to," the genius nodded, pushing up the hoodie to examine the eldest's back, prompting a breathless cry from Leo, "sorry, aniki, I need to see how bad it is."

"It's….fi-ine," their leader gasped, before jerking in wracking coughs, each one wet and rattling deep in his chest.

Nearby, Raphael had tackled the gunman to the ground, wrestling the weapon away and sliding it across the dirty concrete. Rearing back, the brawler brought his fist down repeatedly into their attacker's face, several facial bones cracking audibly. Grabbing the gunman by the shirt, Raph pulled him into the light only to suck in sharp gasp. "You," the hothead hissed, "I shoulda known,"

Morty gave a bloody grin, mangled face still recognizable despite the damage, "I said I was gonna get 'im," he slurred, "said I'd stain the ground wit' 'is blood,"

"Ya'd shoot my brother, just because he beat ya up when ya tried ta mug 'im?!" Raphael was shaking, white hot fury burning through his veins like molten steel, "I oughta kill ya!" He growled, voice low and dangerous, before strong hands began to tighten on the criminals windpipe, "In fact, I think I will!"

Several seconds passed, with Morty choking, strangled gasps for air squeaking past the lips that were quickly turning blue, Raphael sneering at the man who'd hurt his brother and leader. However, a weak voice made the hothead give pause, "Raph-phie," Leo wheezed, casting pained sapphire eyes on his sibling, "don't….don't do it…you're be-better than he is….don't kill….'s not worth it….please?"

Raphael gaped at his brother, once again stunned speechless by their leader's compassionate nature. Leo matched him, stare for stare, blue eyes pleading his brother not to stoop so low as to kill in anger. The brawler's chest heaved as he warred within himself, struggling to choose between revenge and obedience. Finally, the larger teen closed his eyes, a solitary tear making its silent trek down the chiseled features, weaving around the mouth set in a clenched snarl. After what felt like an eternity, the brawler released their attacker, the man sucking air greedily through his abused throat, before Raph unleashed one final blow strong enough to knock the criminal unconscious.

Standing up, the red clad ninja approached his brothers, topaz eyes dark in fearful concern, "What do ya need me ta do, Donnie?" He murmured, "How can I help?"

"Call 911," the scientist rasped, brown eyes weary as his bloodied hands tried to maintain pressure on the bullet wounds, "I can't help him and he needs a doctor."

"But what about-?" Raph began, stammering in confusion, "Donnie, we ain't human!"

"Maybe not permanently, but for right now we are," Don bit back, tears welling in his eyes, "he needs immediate help and moving him to the lair will only make things worse! So just call 911, Raph!"

The red ninja nodded his head jerkily, fumbling to get his shell cell out, hurriedly punching in the numbers. As Raphael made the call, Donatello cast his eyes back to Leo, watching the sapphire gaze grow heavy, their leader's eyes fluttering in fatigue brought on by blood loss. "Leo, I need you to stay awake!" The genius ordered, cupping the eldest's cheek with bloodstained fingers, before quickly returning to applying pressure, "Come on, aniki, don't give up, we need you!"

The youngest bit back the sobs burning in his chest as he listened to Donatello plead with Leonardo to stay awake. Why, did this have to happen tonight? How did Morty find him again? Why couldn't he have just stayed away? Why did his brother have to get shot? Why did Leo have to be the self-sacrificing idiot that he always is? Why couldn't Leonardo have just let him be the protector for once?! Mikey clenched the hands clutching his brother into angry fists, burying his face into the broad shoulder that bore so much of their family's burdens, "You idiot," he bit, fury washing over him in waves, though whether it was fury at the gunman, Leonardo or himself, even Michelangelo wasn't sure, "you idiot! Why couldn't you let me protect you for once?! Why did you have to be so stupid?!"

"B-Because," Leo wheezed, straining to lift heavy eyelids to half mast, blood dribbling down his lips and dripping off his chin, "I'm…aniki…I…pro-tect…tha's why,"

"Leo, stop talking!" Don commanded, tone clinical as he assessed the damage, "Focus on staying alive, talking will only wear you out!"

"I'm your brother too," the youngest snapped, ignoring the scientist's scolding, "I was going to protect you,"

Leonardo shook his head, even as his body shuddered in agony at Donatello's heavy hands keeping pressure on his wounds, "You ca-can't…you'd di-ie," his words were cut off by a heavy moan, his body sinking lower into Mikey's arms, fighting to maintain consciousness, "t-too small….right now….can't han-handle an…injury li-ike that,"

Pale lips twisted into a bitter snarl, the familiar burn of anger over his human appearance scorching down Mikey's throat, however, the youngest had no time to dwell on that. Leo's frame shook, a harsh shiver running across his shoulders and down his back, even as he curled in on himself with a strangled scream held behind clenched teeth. Another cough tore its way up the leader's throat, bringing a wave of crimson with it, soaking Michelangelo's shoulder. Hot tears mingled with blood, dripping down the youngest's face, staining Leo's hoodie. Their leader's body was growing heavier as he lost the battle against falling unconscious, and Mikey's arms trembled with fatigue, unable to bear the weight for much longer. The familiar burn of exhausted muscles only proved to make the orange clad ninja angrier, though, self-loathing burning like acid in the back of his mind.

If only he'd been stronger, if only he'd been bigger, if only he'd been faster…if only, if only he'd been…if only he'd been good enough.

The wail of an ambulance cut through the night, swiftly drawing near. In moments, an army of paramedics jumped out of the red and white vehicle, surrounding the struggling brother, "It's ok, kid," one of the doctors assured Michelangelo, kind brown eyes peering out from caramel skin, "we've got him, I promise, we're going to take good care of your brother."

Mikey almost wanted to scream no, and demand they take their hands off Leo, but logically he knew they were the only ones who could help. So, with great effort, the youngest forced his hands to uncurl, and allowed the first responders to heave Leo onto a gurney. Baby blue eyes watched in horror as his brother was bundled away, the paramedics shouted over each other as they worked to stabilize Leonardo, and then the doors slammed shut, separating them before the vehicle zoomed into the night, lights flashing. Sitting on the ground, small frame shaking uncontrollably, Mikey suddenly felt numb. It was as if he were disconnected from his body, the only feeling he could register being the heaviness of his shoulder with the warmth of congealing blood drying in the material of his hoodie. Hands trembling, he slowly looked down to stare uncomprehendingly at the crimson puddle splashed across the concrete.

"Come on, Mikey, I called April and she's going to drive us to the hospital where Leo is going,"

A hand reached down to jostle the orange clad teen, forcing Mikey's gaze to focus away from the puddle, and up to Donatello. The scientist frowned, noting how the youngest shook, wide eyes blank as he tried to make sense of what happened. "Raphie, I think Mikey's going into shock," he murmured gently, "I'm not sure he can walk."

"That's fine, I got 'im,"

From somewhere on his right, Michelangelo felt strong arms pick him up as if he were still a tot, pulling him into a warm embrace. Blond curls rested on a broad shoulder covered in red material, and as the world passed before his eyes, Mikey was overwhelmed by an intense fatigue that quickly drug him into unconsciousness.

….

Several hours later at the hospital, the young warrior was still in surgery, and their small family had been directed to the waiting room. Michelangelo, recovered from his exhaustion, woke with his head in April's lap as the woman carded slim fingers through the soft locks. The youngest had quickly asked where Leonardo was, and thankfully that was the moment the doctor arrived to announce the successful surgery saving their leader's life. Casey chose to leave, as their transformation had left patrolling up to him the past several weeks. April stayed behind, and after they'd been ushered to a hospital room, both she and Splinter had dozed off in the chairs, leaving just the younger brothers to keep a vigil over their leader. Now, with Leonardo still under anesthesia, they could only sit at his bedside, and wait.

Sitting as close to his brother as he was able, Mikey held Leo's hand, a small thumb rubbing warmth into the clammy skin. Baby blue eyes, uncharacteristically somber, watched the sleeping face, waiting for a sign that his sibling was going to wake. "I'm so sorry, Leo,"

"What are ya apologizing for?" Raphael murmured, he and Donnie sitting on the other side of the bed, both watching just as intently as their younger brother, "it's not like ya shot him,"

"No," the youngest muttered bitterly, "but it's not like I helped either. I was useless, just like always."

"Hey," Don's brown eyes shot to Mikey's face, the scientist's features stern, "we went through the trials of the caves so Leo could learn that he was valuable and loved by his family, don't make me drag your butt to Japan so you can learn the lesson too! Because, so help me, I will."

"And I'll help," Raphael stated, crossing his arms to show his seriousness on the subject.

"It's not the same," Mikey snapped, thumb ceasing its soothing strokes so that the orange clad ninja could hold Leo's hand more firmly, "Leo does a lot for this family, pulling stunts like this, not to mention the stress he deals with as our leader and big brother. What do I contribute beyond causing everyone problems? I couldn't even protect my own brother tonight! I failed at the one thing I should be able to do, the one thing I've been training to do since we were six!"

"Didn't ya hear Leo about why he chose ta take the bullet?" Raphael growled, leaning forward to stress his point, "Yer too small! If ya had been a turtle, that would have been different, but yer not!"

The cherubic face crumpled, Michelangelo ducked his head, pulling in erratic breaths as he fought against the urge to melt into tears. The sight caused the brawler to sigh, his heart breaking at the youngest's struggle, "Mikey, it ain't yer fault yer small as a human," he stated, tone soft and gentle, "but if ya had taken those bullets tonight, we'd be at the morgue instead of waitin' for ya ta wake up from surgery!"

"Am I glad Leo got shot?" Raph continued, gaze intense and fiery, "Heck, no! But I am glad that I don't have ta bury my baby brother! I understand why Leo did what he did, and trust me, there's enough blame ta go around. Yer not the only one ticked at themselves for not bein' more aware of our surroundin's."

"Raphie's got a point there," Donnie sighed, raising weary brown eyes to meet baby blue, "I was there when Morty was chased off by the cops. I just assumed that he'd been caught and didn't double check, maybe if I had, I'd known to warn Leo about keeping an eye out for the guy."

"My question is, how did he find us?" The brawler groaned.

The genius paused, considering Raphael's question, before slowly opening his mouth to speak, "Leo mentioned that he first ran into Morty when the guy tried to mug him in an alley," Donatello ventured, "my best guess is that was the alley we use as a shortcut. Maybe he figured that he could catch Leo one more time there, and unfortunately for us, he was right."

"Well, he's been taken care of now," Raph grunted, "A few hours ago, I called the cops ta check, and they said they've got him locked up. He'll stand trial fer attempted murder, and since Leo is considered a minor, he won't have ta testify, the fact that Morty was arrested for shootin' a kid is enough ta put him away for a while."

"Good," Mikey mumbled, shoulders still heavy with guilt.

Don sighed, leaning forward so to cross his arms and lay his head on the bed, "Mike, you did nothing wrong. Honestly, your quick thinking alerted us to the danger in the first place, Leo was just faster to react once realizing it. You saved him from being killed."

Baby blue eyes rose to meet chocolate brown, and while Donnie couldn't say that Mikey believed him one hundred percent, he could see that the youngest at least chose to accept a small measure of the comfort being offered. Silence once again reigned, save for the beeps of the nearby machines. Closing his eyes, the scientist attempted to doze, hoping that he could at least rest while they waited for their leader to wake. He had almost fallen asleep, when a sharp cry squeaked across from him. Shooting up, Donatello met the panicked gaze of the youngest, causing concern to stir in the scientist.

"You ok, Mikey?"

The smallest ninja was panting heavily, clutching his right arm against his chest, but blue eyes widened as the teen cautiously pulled his sleeve up to look at the limb, "Donnie," he quavered, "I think we've got a problem."

Donatello's eyes widened as Mikey slowly presented his right arm, and his heart fell to his stomach. Michelangelo's hand was turning green, "Oh…no…"

Raphael's face was shut down in shock, topaz gaze growing wild as panic set in, "Donnie, what do we do?" He asked in a horrified whisper.

"We need to get out of here, NOW!" The scientist stated.

The three siblings sprung into a hurricane of motion, their expressions tight with fear and anxiety. Donatello rushed to their father, shaking him roughly, "Master Splinter! You need to wake up, we're in big trouble!"

Their father came to, shaking the sleep from his head as he blinked blearily up at his child, "Donatello, what is wrong, my son?"

"We're changing back," the teen made sure to carefully enunciate his reply, making eye contact so to convey the urgency of their situation.

Splinter's cobalt gaze widened, then narrowed, "Attend to your brother, prepare him to leave." He instructed, then turned to Raphael, "Go fetch a wheelchair, Leonardo will not be able to walk on his own, we will use that to sneak him out of the hospital."

The rat turned human stood, striding over to wake April, rousing her by taking her hand, "My daughter, you must call Casey!"

"Hm?" The woman came to, opening green eyes with a sleepy mumble, "What's going on?"

"We're changing back!" Michelangelo hissed, wincing as another stab of pain shot through his arm, "And I don't think we have much time!"

April's already pale features became ghostly, a moment of shock and fear causing her to freeze before she snapped back to attention, "Throw me your shell cell!"

Donatello complied, April quickly dialing Casey, before returning to powering down the machines next to Leo. The genius was ensuring that he could disconnect his brother quietly and avoid any shrieking alarms. As the scientist moved, however, he staggered with a breathless cry, slumping down onto the bed. April and Splinter rushed to him, but Donnie waved them away, "I'm fine," he reassured through gritted teeth, "we need to get Leo out of here before we're knocked unconscious by the transformation."

"I'm back!" Raphael breezed into the room, features tight and strained, the brawler obviously in pain.

"Awesome," Donnie nodded, he and Mikey scooting Leo's unconscious body towards the side of the bed, "now, we lift on three," Don instructed, moving to the eldest's side so he and Raphael could transfer him to the chair, "One, two, three!"

Moving their sibling while under anesthesia was a simple matter, however, the siblings winced when Leonardo groaned in pain, even while asleep. Michelangelo rushed to wrap a blanket around their leader, tucking it in so to keep him warm. Splinter fetched a pillow, gently tucking it between the wheelchair and Leonardo's tender back. As he worked, the ninjutsu master paused, then turned to his most intelligent son, "Donatello," he asked, voice heavy with concern, "your brother was shot from behind, how will changing back effect his wounds? Will the injury transfer to his turtle form?"

Don groaned, "I don't know," he whispered, brown eyes overflowing with fearful panic, "it may transfer to his shell and we have to figure out how to treat it, or his carapace may be fully intact and his internal muscles are tender? I don't know!"

"Then we will fight that battle when it comes," Splinter nodded, pushing his concern to the side, "for now we must focus on our escape."

"Casey is on his way," April announced, "he said he's parking the battle shell next to the garden on the side of the hospital."

Donatello nodded, brown eyes far away as he mentally mapped their route, "Ok," he said, pulling in a shaky breath, "there's an exit for patients who want to sit in the gardens, there's also a sidewalk leading down to the street. Our problem, is figuring out how to wheel Leo down three floors, and sneak past God knows how many nurses and orderlies, without attracting attention."

"We should split up," Raphael threw in, "a big crowd will definitely attract attention."

"True," Splinter nodded, "however, the more bodies available, the better we are to shield Leonardo from view. Why not use the elevator? We can stand around your brother, keeping him out of sight."

"If we go with that idea, then Raphie can't be the one pushing him," Michelangelo stated, baby blue eyes narrow in determination, "You need someone small so we can stay undercover."

"And it just so happens that I know just the guy fer the job," Raphael's eyes glimmered as he caught on to what the youngest was suggesting, "Mikey's right, if we walk as a group with him pushing Fearless, we can give Leo the cover he needs and sneak him out of this place!"

"Got it," Don hooded, "then let's get out of here before the night nurse comes in to check on Leo!"

Pulling in a steadying breath, the small family drawing strength from each other, the group swiftly left the room. Michelangelo ducked his head, pushing his anesthetized brother down the hall as his family walked around him like a human privacy screen. Luckily for them, it was late enough at night that the halls were mostly empty, the lights dim. The group, sans April, using their ninja training to traverse the long corridors as silent as ghosts. Mikey bit down on his lip, stifling a whimper as another stab of pain shot through his abdomen. They didn't have time to surrender to the transformation afflicting their bodies, and so the youngest soldiered on, forcing his trembling frame to continue moving despite the agony washing over him in waves.

Raphael took point, making use of his larger bulk to stand in as the shield at the front. Signaling his family to come to a stop, the brawler peered around the corner, watching for any that might impede their flight, before giving another silent signal for them to continue.

Donatello clenched his jaw, the elevators were just up ahead. This was the most dangerous part of the mission, because if even one person was in the elevator, it could risk their entire escape. Drawing closer to the elevator, the genius quickly pressed the call button, shoulders shaking as he fought the stabbing pains dancing along his spine. With a small ding, the doors opened, the family holding their breath, only to heave a collective sigh when they revealed no one riding said lift. Donnie and Raph quickly separated, standing aside so Mikey could push Leo in, and then the family jostled together, hiding their precious cargo from view.

Looking down, Raphael's eyes widened yet again, as he noticed a green tinge trickling down his arm and to his wrist, prompting the hothead to pull his hoodie sleeve down to cover himself. "We need ta move faster," he rasped, sweat trickling down from his hairline.

Donatello gave a frantic nod, "I know," he wheezed, "we're going as fast as we can, we only have a little further to-!"

"Guys?" A beleaguered voice suddenly slurred behind the middle children, "Wha's goin' on…?"

Jaws falling open in shock, the duo whirled around to see agonized sapphire eyes blinking open, heavy with both pain and the effects of the anesthetic. Splinter was the first to react, their father stooping down so to caress the worried face, "My son," he whispered urgently, "you must stay still and be very quiet."

"Why?"

Donnie couldn't stifle the fond smile that lit his face when Leo tried so hard to quiet his voice, but the drugs in his system prevented him from doing so, which resulted in an almost comical stage whisper. Apparently, their father also found this amusing, as the ninjutsu master shook with a soft chuckle, "We are going home, my son, but we cannot be caught."

Leonardo blinked up at his father, drugged brain struggling to process his words, before giving a slow nod, "Okay," he said in a not very quiet whisper, bringing a finger up to his lips, "I'll shhh," he stated with an unsteady nod, before twisting his head to look at Michelangelo, "we need to shhh, okay Mikey?"

The blue eyes, once overflowing with grief and guilt, suddenly brightened in unrestrained affection, the youngest shaking with soft laughter, the sound slowly building into a quiet giggle, "Yeah, okay, Leo," Mikey grinned, "I'll shhh,"

The eldest gave a satisfied nod, wobbly head twisting around so to give everyone else in the group the same order, pale finger still held to his lips. Donnie and Raph exchanged looks of amusement at the sight, and just like that, the heavy atmosphere lifted, the small family finding themselves able to breathe again. It was silly, how Leo waking and trying to be the leader despite being high on hospital drugs could lift their spirits, and give them a fresh feeling of hope and a second wind of strength. But such was the mystery that was Leonardo Hamato. He could walk into a room in the middle of an impossible situation, and still rally his troops for battle, leading them with utter confidence in their abilities.

Mikey shook his head, he'd certainly never understand it, but he never wanted to live without it, either.

The group was roused back to attention when the elevator bell chimed, signaling their arrival to the ground floor. Once again, Raphael stuck his head out, assessing the halls before nodding for them to go. They could see the door to the gardens, they were almost home free! As one, the family began jogging in an unspoken agreement that they leave as fast as possible. The brawler hit the exit, pushing it wide to allow Mikey passage, and as they drew in their first breath of the night air, the family released a breath of relief. Casey was at the corner, and they would soon be home!

"Mike, let me push him!" Raph snapped, not unkindly, "ya go get the back ready for Leo!"

The youngest nodded, sprinting down the sidewalk towards the battle shell, Donatello close behind. Throwing the back doors open, the family lifted the barely conscious leader into the truck, folding the wheelchair and putting it inside for later use. April and Splinter jumped in, situating the eldest into a more comfortable position, Leo's eyes fluttering as he began to surrender once again to sleep, while the brothers crawled in behind them and shut the doors. At the sound of the latch clanking shut, Casey punched the gas, and the siblings slumped in the back, breathing hard as the efforts of their escape and the pain of the transformation swiftly caught up with them. Mikey dropped his head on Donnie's shoulder, a shiver wracking his frame, even as the genius slumped against Raphael's broad chest, the younger brothers a tangle of arms and legs as they fought to catch their breath. The battle shell shook as it rumbled down the road, the human man at the steering wheel giving worried glances back at his family as he drove, accompanied by an odd clanking noise.

"Yo, Don," Casey called from the front, "is the battle shell supposed ta be soundin' like that?"

Donatello groaned, head falling into his hands, before snapping out an exhausted, "NO!"

…

Leonardo slowly peeled open his eyes, body aching and breath labored.

The young leader bit back a low moan echoing from the back of his throat, struggling to refocus his bleary gaze. The sounds of water dripping and rushing overhead, accompanied by the familiar smell he'd grown up with, clued the ninja in that he was no longer in the alley, the last place he remembered being. The ninja frowned, struggling to remember why his body hurt so much. That's when a sharp gasp hitched the broad shoulders, sapphire gaze wild with fear as the memory of being shot surged back into his mind. Leonardo's head popped off the pillow, right arm clutching the blankets as he fought to sit up, only to fall back into the pillows with a strangled cry when his battered body protested the movement.

Vision swimming, the agony coursing through his body exploding before his eyes with fuzzy starbursts, Leo shuddered on the cot, however, he did not allow himself time to recover. He needed to check on his brothers, needed to see with his own eyes that they were safe, and no one else had suffered any more injury. Curling his right hand to grip the bed, Leo was ready to once again try and force himself up, but was interrupted by the arrival of the last thing he expected to see.

Michelangelo, but not the Michelangelo he'd gotten used to seeing over the past almost two months, this one was green, tall, muscular and protected by a blessedly thick, stalwart shell on his back.

"Leo, you're awake!" Mikey exclaimed, setting himself down on a chair Leo hadn't noticed before this moment, taking the eldest's hand in his own, "Welcome back, bro,"

Leonardo stared in wonder at the familiar face, a smile curving across his lips, "Mikey," he breathed, "you're you again!"

"In the flesh," the youngest chuckled, "and let me tell you, I'm more than happy to not be a midget anymore!"

"What about Don, and Raph?"

Baby blue eyes softened, Mikey's grin dialing down to a soft smile, "They're back to normal, too," he reassured, "they'd be here, but they're still recovering from the shock of becoming a turtle again. As soon as they can move, I promise they'll come to visit."

"And Father?"

"He's back to his old furry self," Michelangelo chuckled, "I've never seen Dad so happy now that he's got his fur coat back."

The eldest gave an appeased nod, before a sudden thought struck his brain. If Mike, Donnie and Raphael were turtles again, then that meant…

Sapphire eyes widened, and Leo slowly brought the hand not being held by his brother up to eye level. Three green digits, strong, familiar, calloused from years of abuse, hung in the air, shocking and yet comforting. Gazing at his hand, rubbing the fingers together to wonder at the feel of his old scales, and revel in the weight of the shell he'd missed so much, the leader felt a relieved sob burst from his mouth. They were back, all of them. His brothers were safe, father was probably recovering in his room, and he'd heal from his injuries. All was finally, truly well with the world again.

Hand drifting down to rest on his, mercifully thick, plastron, Leo allowed his eyes to drift back to Mikey, finally taking in the weariness hanging in the cracks around the expressive blue eyes. "You look tired," he whispered, his own eyes growing heavy with the need for rest.

Michelangelo huffed a humorless laugh, "Watching your brother get shot, then breaking said brother out of a hospital while turning back into a turtle does that to a guy," he answered in a lopsided grin.

Leo nodded, heart twinging in empathy at the difficult night his family had suffered, before holding one side of the blanket up in an unspoken invitation. Mikey's eyes grew glassy, the youngest clearly wanting to snuggle his big brother, but hesitant due to not wanting to hurt him more than he already was, "Are you sure?" He asked with a nervous chuckle, "I'm not as small as I used to be."

"You'll fit just fine," Leonardo rasped, barely holding on to consciousness as his baby brother crawled in next to him on the cot.

Heaving his battered body to rest slightly on his side, Leo wrapped his arms around Mikey, pulling the youngest into a tight hug. Michelangelo immediately went limp, heaving a soft, contented sigh, and yes, he fit perfectly. With a gentle smile across his beak, Leo drifted off on silken clouds of sleep, arms clutching his baby brother while the rest of his family slept peacefully in the quiet of the lair. It had been quite the experience, but Leonardo couldn't deny, that he was perfectly happy as a mutant ninja turtle.

Ok! Kid Stuff is officially over, but their story doesn't end there. I wonder what Bishop is planning, he's had almost two months to do shenanigans, I guess we'll just have to wait and see!