Whatever the cost

This is a TMNT fanfic

Right, this is the second fan fiction that I wrote so it's not all that good. It has some graphic and brutal scenes, but nothing too hectic...this is Mikey centric and angst, I know my grammer and stuff isnt perfect though,lol. . Hope you like it.

ULR to the story: [spoiler]http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4442475/1/Whatever_The_Cost[/spoiler]

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Whatever the Cost

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 1

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mikey sighed sadly, glancing over at his brothers. Them, he was doing this for them. But that didn’t make it any easier. If it wasn’t for me they wouldn’t be in danger, he thought. I owe it to them, they can’t suffer for my mistake, I can’t let that happen.

Forcing himself to smile, he bounded over to them. Hiding his inner turmoil, he couldn’t let them find out, find out what he was about to do.

------------------------------------

‘Hey Dudes, what you doing?” Mikey chirped happily.

“What does it LOOK like we’re doing Mikey? Came the grouchy reply

“I dunno, but maybe you should check you’re…..’ He whispered the rest into Raphael’s ear.

“YOU WHAT!?” Roared Raph. He jumped up and started to chase a giggling Mikey who was already far away.

“Come back here ya stupid little…Damn! How the hell can anyone run so fast? Stand still so I can pound ya!"

Leo shook his head smiling. He glanced at Don; the purple clad turtle was trying to stifle laughter at the sight of his two brothers. It was not working.

Sitting back, Leo reflected on his youngest brother (technically they were quads but Mikey had been dubbed the youngest, like Leo the oldest etc.) He was their light; even if he could be an annoying pain in the butt…he was their annoying pain in the butt. He made them laugh and lightened the mood with his never-ending optimism. Their lives would be dull and empty without him. Smiling again, Leo turned his attention to the T.V the news was on.

“Mikey! Raph! Come over here” Called Leo

“Leo, I’m kinda busy trying to-not-get-beaten-up over here! Can’t it like wait? EEEP!

“Raph, stop the –bull in a china shop- act and get over here, this is IMPORTAINT”

‘More important than getting Mikey back for what he did?

‘Yes”

‘You Sure”

“Very”

“Fine, but only if I can get him later”

‘Deal’

The two brothers made their way into the Living room, with Mikey keeping a Very safe distance from Raph, who was still fuming.

Leo began pacing in front of the T.V. ‘They say that someone has stolen a bunch of deadly chemicals from the high, practically impenetrable, maximum security vault of the Ratica medical research center’

‘Try saying that ten times fast’ quipped Mikey

SMAK!

“Ow!”

‘What good would that do anyone?’ Donatello mussed thoughtfully. ‘Ratica has the most advanced equipment known on earth, those chemicals would be useless unless…”

“Unless a certain scientist was involved’ Finished Leonardo quietly.

“Bishop”

“What the hell does that bastard want this time?” raged Raphael

“What else? To create a super army, dissect. Control alternate life forms. You know the usual.” Replied Donnie shrugging.

“Thanks Don, I feel soooooo much better” Raph replied sarcastically

All the while the others were talking Mikey was turning paler and paler. The chemicals, the tracker, it all came to the same thing. Bishop was closing in and he was closing in fast.

Mikey knew something that none of his brothers did. When they were fighting bishop’s men last time bishop had inserted something into Mikey, a tracker.

He did it by shooting him with it. Mikey hadn’t told his family, he was afraid that they might leave him behind. Even though I deserve it. He thought dejectedly.

He new for certain that Bishop was preparing to strike. Mikey needed to leave. To give himself up and just hope that his brothers wouldn’t find him. Just hope.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 2

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Everything was still. Mikey stood in the living room, eyes closed. He was leaving this, leaving all of this behind. His family, his home, his life.

He heard the faint sound of snoring coming from Raphael’s room and smiled sadly. This was probably the last time that he would ever hear that. Mikey choked down a sob and turned his back on the room. This was the hardest thing that he ever had to do and it was killing him.

“Goodbye” he whispered

Slowly he took one step forward, then another and another; soon he was running as fast as his legs could carry him. His breathing came in gasps and his vision blurred, he let the tears fall, raining down and pouring out his sadness.

Michelangelo felt the wind rushing past his face; it felt strange, without his mast. His mask, along with all of his gear and his precious ’chucks were still in his room. They were on his bed along with a note, he hadn’t specified much in the note, only that he was leaving and not coming back. He didn’t want to be found…okay, he did, but he couldn’t have his brothers save him or all of this would be in vain.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

When Mikey finally reached the surface, he began to feel a little nervous, he wasn’t having second thoughts but he didn’t trust Bishop one bit. He was worried that, despite his promise, Bishop would still hunt down his family and hurt them. Despite this he knew that he was the best hope that his family had, if he had stayed with them they would’ve been caught for sure, no doubt about it.

Pushing all of these thoughts aside, Mikey continued on his way to the arranged meeting place. He had been planning this for weeks in advance, down to the last detail. All that was left was to actually do it, but he didn’t feel prepared.

The walk to the warehouse-

What is it with bad guys and abandoned warehouses? He mused, why they can’t just rent a pent house or something. Or at least something that wasn’t decomposing and threatening to collapse at any minute.

-seemed to take an eternity, but at the same time flew by.

He reached the place and stepped inside; it seemed deserted and was void of light save for a single swing lamp in the middle of the room. It was illuminating only a small area and making the shadows look even more forbidding.

“Well then, it seemed that you decided to show. I was afraid you wouldn’t make it, Michelangelo.”

Mikey tensed, it took every fiber in his being, not to attack Bishop there and then.

Taking a deep breath he replied, ‘What did you expect? Unlike you I live by honor, I always keep my word” his voice was tense and strained.

Bishop stepped into the light, smirking slightly. He snapped his fingers and out of the shadows came heavily armed guards and an entire army of foot ninja.

“Doesn’t look like you trust me, huh?” Mikey joked nervously

“For the sacrifice you are about to make, your country thanks you, Michelangelo”

Mikey gasped as he felt dart pierce his skin. The last thing that he knew before he lost consciousness was the sensation of being lifted up and the blur of colour before he succumbed to the darkness.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

At the lair:

________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Mikey, wake up, its time for practice!”

Getting no reply, Leonardo headed towards his brother’s room.

“Mikey, practice started 10 minutes ago, I thought I told you-” Leo stopped dead at the empty room and made bed.

“Michelangelo?” He questioned warily, he wouldn’t put it past his little brother, to be pulling a prank on

him again... He looked around the room before his eyes fell on a pile on the bed, as he got closer, he saw that it was Mikey’s mask and gear and his… nunchucks? Mikey never took those things off unless he HAD to.

Worry and fear gripped him. Sticking his head out the door, he called his brothers,

“Don! Raph! Get over here, I can’t find Mikey!”

“What do ya mean, ya can’t find Mikey? He’s-” Raphael’s statement died in his throat as he entered his brother’s room. “-oh.”

Donatello entered the room and began to question Leo and then they got into a very rapid discussion. Raph’s attention wondered to the pile on the bed. When he got there he noticed something that Leo had not. There, folded underneath all of the things was a small white piece of paper. With trembling hands, Raphael picked it up. Please tell me this isn’t what I think it is. Mikey couldn’t, he wouldn’t…

But as he opened it, he saw his brothers writing, (in bright orange. Well that was Mikey for you), his worst fears were realized. The writing started neat and ended in the complete opposite.

There were a few teardrops on the page as well. Raphael never showed his emotions if he could help it, but even though he did not cry as he read, he couldn’t help the burning in his eyes or the ache in his throat as he read the note.

Dear everyone

When you read this, I will already be long gone.

I have to leave, I can’t stay at home any longer, as much as I would love to tell you why or better yet, stay. I cannot put your lives in danger. I will miss all of you, please keep my things safe, ‘cause one day I might come back, but I doubt it. You are all great; the best family that a dude could ask for. Please don’t blame yourselves for me leaving. It is not your fault, it was also my choice and you couldn’t have stopped me. I can be very determined when I want to. Please do not come and look for me, because you wont find me. I want you to know that this is the hardest thing that I have ever had to do and I wish that I didn’t have to do it, but I need to.

Donnie, don’t lock yourself in you lab all day, okay? And slow down on the coffee, it’s not good for you bro, heh. I just wanted to say thank you for all the times you saved our shells or were there for me when I needed you most, you never let me down. I never said thank you enough but I appreciate you. Master Splinter would be proud.

Leo, big brother. Thanks. The number of times that you put us before yourself and got hurt to save us…the number of times you were there for me. Please relax a little, you don’t need to be perfect, we know that you try your best. You’ve never failed us Leo, you’ve never failed me.

Raph, I’m gonna miss you. I don’t know what to write, I don’t have enough space. Just keep that temper of yours in check, kay? And at least try to get on with Leo, and don’t touch my comics! Lol. You are a great bro, and( you’ll kill me for saying this) , but your really soft as well, thanks for being there when I needed you most, you’re my best friend.

This letter can’t begin to cover everything that I want to say to you but please know that I’m really going to miss all of you. I love you bros.

Till I see you again

- Michelangelo. Aka. Mikey

At the end of the letter Raphael felt a single tear run down his cheek. He closed his eyes and felt the reality sink in. His little brother was gone, and he wasn’t coming back.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 3

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Shredder:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

The collar chafed his neck, his hands tied and his body was worn, he was too tired to move but they made him, they were dragging him along by the chain attached to the collar that cut painfully into his flesh, but that was nothing to what he had experienced since he had been handed over to the Shredder.

Flashback

“This terrapin creature is of no more use to me alive, I have taken all the samples that I need. Do with his what you wish, but remember, when he is dead, he is returned to me.”

” Of course, I will try not to damage him…to much” Bishop laughed quietly at this as Saki left the room.”

“Not a bad deal.” He muttered to himself, riffling the money in his hands, “Not bad at all”

End flashback

That had been the beginning of his punishment at the Shredder’s hands. Bishop had been bad but Mikey had learned to live with it. Shredder wanted information about his family and was prepared to make Mikey suffer for it. Day after day, Saki would ask him if he would relent, day after day Michelangelo would refuse and day after day the punishments would get worse. He had tried to be strong when he first got there, not crying out, or showing fear. But he was too exhausted to try any longer.

As they pushed him into the dull empty room he noticed the table, his eyes widened and he resisted his captors as best he could. The struggle ended in a final push and he fell to his knees. It was futile and Mikey knew it.

At least his family was safe, this was not in vain, but still…he wanted so much to be with them and he was scared that they would never meet again before he died He was wrenched to the ground, his legs wouldn’t move and he was dragged along the ground to the waiting table.

The white - coated man stood ready with the syringe. Mikey wrestled against the collar and found himself being beaten harshly before he was hauled onto the table and his arms and legs were fastened.

“The torture can stop Michelangelo”

“Only if I give you information?”

“Would that be such a bad thing? I have much to offer you, why do you not join me?”

” I could never betray my family…”

“The same family that has yet to come for you? Listen to me, they have yet to come, they have abandoned you! ”

“Go. To. Hell. Saki! It was my choice to leave, just GO.TO.HELL!” He spat

The shredders eyes burned with anger. “If you insist Terrapin, feel my wrath”

The needle pushed in his arm and it instantly burned as the fluid was emptied from the syringe. He convulsed on the tabletop, his head slamming on its clean surface, his cries filled the white room.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

At the Lair:

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Leo sat on the couch, watching TV, or more, looking through the TV, his thoughts were elsewhere. He was thinking about his missing brother. He had never thought that Mikey would ever consider running away; he had thought that Raph was more prone to that kind of thing. Thinking back to the letter he felt his eyes burn and his vision blur.

Leo, big brother. Thanks. The number of times that you put us before yourself and got hurt to save us…the number of times you were there for me. Please relax a little, you don’t need to be perfect, we know that you try your best. You’ve never failed us Leo, you’ve never failed me.

Never failed. Then why did he feel as if he had let his family down, let his little brother down? We still haven’t found him and it’s been weeks, months! I still train as much as I use to, I still worry, maybe even more. I’ve failed him. Again.

Sighing, Leonardo got up and began pacing. In his current state, he didn’t notice the figure leaning against the doorframe, watching him intently, eyes narrowed.

“We’ll find him Leo.” He said suddenly

Leonardo started at the sound of the voice, but relaxed when he saw who it was.

“How can you believe that? He’s been missing for over 4 months, anything could’ve happened, he could’ve been captured or gotten hurt or he-he could be, he could be…”

Leo chocked down a sob at the thought of his youngest brother being dead.

Raphael moved over to the blue clad ninja and led him to the couch. He sat him down and held him tight.

“ It’ll be alright Leo, Mikey will be fine, he’s a good ninja…”

“ Raph, were we such bad brothers that he really could stay anymore? W-what, what did we do wrong.”

Leo took a deep shuddering gasp and buried his face in Raph’s plastron.

To say that Raphael was surprised, would be putting it mildly and he felt kind of awkward that his older brother was opening up to him. Leonardo was always the strong one, he never broke down, never showed his anger or sadness, least of all to him.

Leo must be really upset for him to be acting like this. He concluded, so he let his older brother unload onto him, and get all his sadness out, it was not like he did it very often. Raph held Leo to his tightly, rocking slightly and rubbing his brother’s shell gently. This continued for a long while, Raph never moved, he just let Leo sob into his plastron, comforting his silently. Raphael closed his eyes as he felt the tears threatening to fall, Leo’s outburst had him worried as well, anything could happen to a mutant turtle, anything at all.

He looked down sadly at Leonardo.

He’s blaming himself again….

I have to leave, I can’t stay at home any longer, as much as I would love to tell you why or better yet, stay. I cannot put your lives in danger. I want you to know that this is the hardest thing that I have ever had to do and I wish that I didn’t have to do it, but I need to.

Something went off in his head, ‘Cannot put your lives in danger’ what was Mikey talking about? What if there was more to this then it appeared. Raphael tensed slightly, Leo sensed it and raised his head.

“ Sorry…” He muttered

“ What? Oh, it wasn’t you Leo, I-I just thought of something…” Something in His brother’s tone made Leo instantly concerned.

“ What?” He asked , he still sounded upset but he wasn’t crying anymore.

“ I-I need to take another look at the letter…” he said quietly.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

With Shredder:

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Saki circled Mikey, like an animal circling it’s prey. Mikey was hanging limply from the chains around his wrists, the blood trickling down his arms.

Saki prodded him hard with a blade. He backed away and motioned for a ninja to step forward. A machine was brought closer and the cables were connected. Mikey shuddered and his eyes went wide with fear. No, anything but that!

Mikey twisted and yanked at the chains but he knew he had no way of escaping the coming punishment Mikey groaned and prayed that this wouldn’t last long. He braced himself.

He barely felt the prong touch him as the electricity coursed through his body, it felt like he was being stabbed with a thousand knives, his eyes were shut tight and every muscle in his body convulsed. It felt like a lifetime had gone past before the sponge was withdrawn. His body relaxed of it’s own accord and the muscles throbbed with pain and exertion.

“... I think we need to do that again.” The ninja moved forward.

Mikey shook his head weakly, his body already drained from only a taste of the torture and he didn’t think that he could take anymore. Shredder stopped the ninja just before the sponge touched.

“ This can stop Michelangelo, just say the word, we can make a deal but I will get what I want, I always do.’

“Not this time shredder. You wont break me! You WONT get my brothers ever!” Mikey replied, looking up at Shredder.

Nodding Saki left the room and left the Orange clad ninja to his ‘treatment’.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 4

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Michelangelo’s POV

________________________________________________________________________________________________

It was the beginning of hell. My own personal hell brought to me by one simple act. Giving myself up for the good of my family. If I could go back would I do it again? Yes, I would, I would do anything for my family, anything at all.

They haven’t been caught yet, I know that for a fact. Shredder is still trying to get information from me, get him to join me. I wont though, I’d rather die before joining him, but I don’t know how much more of this I can take. I’m so tired, this cant go on. I have to escape, I wont go back to my family, what if the tracker is still in me? I will probably die trying to leave but I don’t care and I wont give Shredder the satisfaction of breaking me, of seeing me beg, this is the only way. What is the point anymore? I have nothing left to live for anyway.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Guards were lying at my feet, along with foot ninja. They littered the floor, brutally murdered. No mercy had been shown, they had deserved it. After everything that they had put me through. The incredible pain, the feeling of helplessness as they hurt me, beat me, tazed me.

The door to my cell was open, the chains that had held me dangled on the wall. I felt cold, empty, detached. I felt no emotion and that was okay with me. Better not to feel at all, than to feel the pain and the guilt.

Slowly I looked down, my hands were covered in blood; there were marks of scarlet across my legs, plastron, and arms. I shuddered but felt no remorse for their deaths. They worked for the Shredder, they had helped hurt me. I didn’t care.

I shoved their bodies’ aside; I grabbed a pair of nunchuks and left the room.

I ran down the hallway, thinking about how I had been forced down here in the past. Taken to the Shredder, to be tortured, hurt. I felt tears well up at the thought of that, Shredder hadn’t cared, hadn’t showed any mercy.

I had fought so hard, but I was weak and there were too many for me to fight, I had been helpless as they hurt me, stabbed me, injected me. I had been alone, completely alone.

I was brought out of my thoughts by the loud wailing sound. I heard the Alarms go off and saw the foot swarm the passage way. I was desperate and I lashed out, I had lost couldn’t of who was dead and who was unconscious.

I wrapped my left nunchuck round the sword, whipping it out of the ninja’s hands before thwacking him on the head with the other. As I roundhouse kicked an elite soldier across the room to see that more foot ninja spilled into the hallway.

"Where are you all coming from?!" I asked angrily

I twisted and punched, my muscles were screaming for rest but I carried on. I felt myself getting tired but I continued. I felt the tears streaming down me cheeks; I would never see my family again. Never feel their embrace, here them speak to me….but it was better this way.

With that thought I pressed on, smashing skulls and breaking bones with my newly acquired weapons. I was thrown off my feet as a hard impact struck me on the back of my head. I felt a burning pain as a katana slashed my right arm.

Another sharp pain came over me and I fell to my knees. Tears stung my eyes, a small, sharp knife had been stabbed in my flesh between his shell and plastron. Gritting my teeth, I stood up. I cried out, overcome by pain, but I continued my tirade against the enemy.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

With the others:

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Leonardo stared out across the rooftops of New York. They were so close, so close to finding their baby brother. It had taken them a while, but they had finally managed to trace Mikey to this spot. Oroku Saki’s ‘base of operation’ . Out of the corner of his eye, Leo saw his two brother’s land beside him on the rooftop. Silently he gave the signal to move out. Nodding, Donnie and Raph leaped down, with Leonardo not far behind. As they approached they were immediately attacked by a pair of foot guards. Fortunately, they were easily to defete. There were no more soldiers or guards, the place was quiet, too quiet.

Something was wrong.

Raphael felt his gut clench in worry at the thought of Michelangelo. His baby brother meant a lot to him, more than he would ever tell. Michelangelo was probably the only one who really understood him, they were like opposites but yet, the same.

Raphael always felt the need to protect him more than his other brothers, he was so…innocent and carefree and Raph was scared that one day he would loose all that. Raphael felt helpless. He couldn’t protect his youngest brother now and he had no idea what had happened in the months that had passed. He was scared because he almost didn’t want to find out. Not that he would ever dream of abandoning Mikey, he just didn’t want to see him get hurt.

Donatello ran fast, his feet barely touching the ground he was absolutely terrified about his younger brother. He had read the research reports about what Bishop had done to him. The inhumanity and cruelty, and Shredder was a whole lot worse. Don had with-held the information from his two older brother’s, he knew that they wouldn’t be able to handle it, but that didn’t make it any less real. The thought of that propelled him onwards. He had to save Michelangelo.

They entered the building undetected and ran through the many hallways. They turned a corner and were shocked speechless by the sight that met them.

The floor was littered with the bodies of Foot ninjas’ and guards. They had been brutally murdered, their blood flowed freely, eyes unseeing. They lay on top of each other. Some of the foot’s masks had come off reveling their caved in heads, merciless killing, beaten to death or simply hit once. No one had been spared.

No survivors.

Leonardo felt the bile rise in his throat. Who could have done that. This was,- the devastation, the stench of death- it was horrific. With a trembling hand he drew his weapons, his brothers did the same.

Just then the wailing sounds of an alarm went off, shrieking and blaring.

All three ninjas readied themselves for the expected attack but it never came. In the distance the sound of a battle could be heard. After exchanging glances they set of at break-neck speed to the source of the noise.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Hold him down!”

“NOOOO!” Mikey fought as hard as he could against his captors. He just wanted it to end. He couldn’t go back. No matter what happened, anything but that. He welcomed death but he was afraid that it wouldn’t come. That Shredder would continue his torture and that was a burden that he could no longer bare.

Saki looked down at him disdainfully and with loathing, it seemed that there was no chance to obtain what he wanted from this terrapin and he knew that it was time to end his life. He stared down coldly at the ‘broken’ ninja and stated in a calm and non-caring voice.

“Take him back to his cell. Sever his head.” Turning he added, “Give the body to Agent Bishop, I want this animal out of my site!”

Mikey Stopped struggling and allowed himself to be half carried, half dragged away. It was finally over, his torment was finally over.

He was thrown to the floor and roughly pulled to his knees, his head was pushed forward and he thought of his family. No goodbyes, no final words. He was finished and he would never see them again. Yet, he didn’t plead for survival, what was the point? Michelangelo wanted this meaningless existence to end. He was finished. His life wasn’t worth living anymore.

He sensed the guard raise the katana and bring it down. But instead of the expected killing blow, Mikey felt nothing. Suddenly he heard another sound, a war cry , a scream of anguish and hatred that pulled at his heart. It was a sound that he hadn’t heard in a long time, too long. The sound of his brother’s voice.

Nothing but the shock of hearing that voice could have given him the strength to raise his head.

When he did he saw Raphael lunge his sai into the ninja and his katana dropped from his dead hand. His other brothers were there as well, attacking and killing foot ninja and guards. They had come for him, and they had saved his life. There when he needed them most.

Gentle hands wrapped around his shoulders and pulled him backwards, wrapping him in a fierce embrace. Raphael rocked his baby brother gently, tears coursing down his cheeks as he held him tightly.

He had been so afraid, more afraid than he would ever admit. He had been terrified of loosing his baby brother, that he would never see him again. Turning, Michelangelo buried his head in his brother’s plastron and sobbed. Letting out all the pain, the pain of being on his own, the worry about his family, the loneliness, the fear. He let it all out right there.

A moment later he felt the protective arms of his other older brothers’ wrap around him. Through his tears, Mikey smiled inwardly. He was leaving this place. He was going home. His family had come for him. Mikey allowed the darkness to encompass him as his brother lifted him softly and he was carried away.

The End

To be continued.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ok, I dont expect you to do a full out crit or anything, but I'd like your opinion. Thanks.

Check this out plz.

[spoiler]I'm considering writing the sequel, Tainted Inocence

ULR to the story: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4442475/1/Whatever_The_Cost[/spoiler]