"That's it? That's his whole speech?!" Raph had his arms crossed as he and Leo stood in front of the stage.

Voron had just ended his speech, just a few trivial things had been said. The attending turtles were happy there was no bad news and were enjoying the festival in front of the city hall.

Leonardo's eyes narrowed as they followed the mayor's retreat into the crowd of citizens.

"A little suspicious, isn't it...?"

"Ya bet-" Raph was interrupted by his shell cell ringing. He answered the call when he saw it was Donnie.

"Hey babe," he greeted, "the boring speech just ended, we're on our way home now."

"Raph..." Don sighed at the other end of the line. "Can you find a quiet place? I'd rather have you both hear this..."

"What's wrong?"

"Please..."

"Hold on."

Worried at the strange behavior, Raph gestured for Leo to follow him. They quickly made their way away from the crowd and climbed a building. Up there and off from the festival it was quiet and secluded enough, so Raph put the phone on speaker.

"What is it, Donnie?" Leo asked now, tempted to run home as fast as possible. But if it was that urgent, Don would've told them to come home already.

The genius didn't answer at first, probably thinking about how to break the news.

"I can't really tell you without you two freaking out beforehand, so here it goes: Voron hired our old friends Erion and Naroy to scare us. They're supposed to attack us and say that the rabbits sent them. So that we'd support his stupid craze."

"What- Why- How do you know?!"

"... Cause they just did. We're all okay!" Donatello quickly added in an exhausted tone. "I mean, as okay as we can be..."

Raph's grip on the shell cell tightened dangerously.

"... What? They attacked you?"

They heard Donnie shift, some rustling.

"We've brought the triplets to bed. Then I thought I saw someone at the window, there was a creaking on the porch, so I went to investigate. There were footprints."

The genius paused.

"Mikey saw Naroy by the window. I brought him and the twins to the triplets, I thought I could easily take them on. But they came prepared. They had a sedative. We were lucky I've started to build up an immunity to this world's sedatives as soon as it was clear we were staying.

Anyways, when I managed to get up again I got a pan and knocked Erion out. Naroy gave in pretty easily then and tried to tell me the rabbits sent him. After a little more... gentle persuasion... he told the truth."

"That's it. I'm gonna kill him. Right in front of the crowd, I don't care!"

"And you're really alright? Nothing happened to the kids?"

When Don didn't answer Leo's questions right away, Raph's wild rant came to a stop as he stared at the phone, heart thumping wild.

"Well... I got some minor cuts from the window they broke, and I'm still a little woozy from the sedative. The kids slept through it all, Mikey just went upstairs to make sure."

"And Mikey?"

"Look, after Naroy confessed and I knocked him out Mikey brought me something to tie them up and called Bogen. When the cops had arrested them he left for the kids immediately. It... it just happened so fast, I'm still sitting on the floor. I haven't really looked him over yet, but..."

"But what?"

"Naroy was laying on him when I stepped in, dick out. I... I don't think he actually did it... but I don't know for sure. Mikey seemed okay despite a little limp, but like I said, I haven't really checked him over yet."

Since Leo and Raph didn't respond right away, Don spoke up again.

"If I could I would come and beat up Voron myself. I really don't care anymore, guys. Who knows what they would've done if..." he sighed "This has to end."

"It will, honey. We'll come home as soon as I've talked to Voron." Leo's voice was calm, though Raph could see the rage and fire in the dark eyes.

"Do that... I think Mikey's coming, make that asshole pay."

When the call ended, Raph was torn between storming towards Voron to beat the shit out of him, and holding Leo back. This calm rage was quite scary.

"Fearless, what's the plan?" He asked quietly, a hand squeezing the forest-green shoulder.

"We're gonna talk to Voron." Leo simply said, starting back to the festival.

"Just talk?"

"Yes."

However, at the festival, the leader didn't go straight for Voron. Instead, he climbed the pedestal. A little wary, Raph followed him.

Some turtles realized he was about to say something, so they quieted and paid attention, the rest soon following.

"Good evening. For those who don't know me yet, my name is Leonardo. The past two years I've worked in the council, for our dear mayor Voron." He gestured towards the mayor in the crowd, who grinned at the short applause he got.

"During my time with him, I learned much about this city. And I have to say, many things have to change."

There were surprised whispers among the crowd, Voron looked unsure.

"Aren't you all sick of having your family life be steered by someone else? To be forced to breed, just because the mayor has an irrational fear of rabbits." He made a short pause, satisfied by the reaction of the other turtles.

"Rabbits, that haven't done anything to us. They live in their own city, happy, and get along just fine with the other races. We are the only ones excluded from the great import and export services and business connections, because Voron is scared of them."

"Leonardo, what are you doing?!" Voron hissed when he climbed the stage. Outloud he said, with a false laugh, "This is not the right time for jokes, my friend."

Raphael stepped forward so the older turtle wouldn't try to attack his mate to make him shut up.

"I'm not joking, Voron." Leo didn't bother using a quiet voice. Everyone should be able to hear the truth.

"Isn't it true, that you imprisoned one of our own kind, just because he fell in love with a rabbit?"

"H-He killed a fellow turtle! Mating and producing an offspring with another species is-"

"-Is genetically impossible. There won't be hybrids. And you know that." Before Voron could open his mouth again, Leo continued.

"Isn't it weird, that there are no witnesses of that evening years ago? And still the poor turtle – an innocent turtle – was imprisoned. Because of an accident, he's been locked away for fifteen years... and experimented on. He's endured horrible things for years, just because Voron needed a labrat."

"If you kill someone, accident or not, you're to be arrested! That's our law! And prisoners deserve that-"

"A prisoner is still a living being! How would you feel if you were imprisoned for an accident? Would you want to be tortured forever?" Leo asked the crowd.

"If you don't break the law you won't be imprisoned!"

"With how you keep changing the law, everyone could be breaking it by just walking on the wrong side of the street!"

The shout came unexpectedly from someone in the crowd. Raph recognized him as one of the rebel turtles.

His interference encouraged others to join.

"My sister was arrested because she refused to mate!"

"My best friend was a rabbit! I was forbidden to ever see him again!"

More turtles shouted their problems, braver together now that they were not alone.

"These things shouldn't have happened." Leo announced. "Those who break the law - real laws - should be able to explain themselves. They deserve a trial, a chance to redeem themselves. And a small theft shouldn't be punished with a life-long sentence."

Cheering. Voron's sweat was visible even in the dim light of the paper lamps.

"You can't be serious! For as long as I've been the mayor, the system has worked! This city works because of me!"

"I don't want more kids! My wife already had three miscarriages!"

"That's a price to pay if we want to catch up with the rabbits-"

"We don't want to catch up with the rabbits!" The crowd went louder.

"I am the mayor! Until May my word is law! And if you're not quiet at once I will send at least one turtle of each family to be exiled!"

That was it. He lost his followers. The fragile system he's been building up for the past fifteen years just broke completely.

"No, Voron." Leo spoke up again, silencing the protests.

Raph could tell immediately that his mate had already won the crowd. They've been suppressed for so long, too scared to go up against the mayor. All it took was an alternative, someone to step up for a better world for them.

"I don't think so. Our book of laws – you as mayor should know it – says that if the current mayor abuses his power to break the law, his reign ends and a new election can start."

"Oh please, as if I would do something so dumb and abuse-"

"Why don't we let our city decide, hm?" Voron took a step towards Leo, but one look at Raph made him stop immediately.

"What do you say?" Leonardo directed at the crowd. "If the mayor imprisons an innocent turtle just because he can, isn't that an abuse of power?"

The murmurs were back.

"If the mayor bribes a doctor with a promotion and a new house to poison fellow turtles, isn't that abusing his power?"

Voron's eyes widened in shock. The murmurs turned to shouts of agreement, there were surprised gasps at the revelation.

"And if the mayor," Leo took a breath to keep his cool at the reminder, "frees two dangerous rapists from prison and gives them the order to attack a helpless family with babies, isn't that an abuse of power?!"

The crowd went wild, shouting profanities. Voron realized that he had lost. Nothing he could say would get him back in the population's good graces. He took a step back, struggling to find his voice.

"Y-You have no proof..." he spat towards Leonardo and Raphael.

"Ya bet we do have proof." Raph smirked, satisfied that Voron was finally getting what he deserved.

"We have pictures of your drug files, and I'm sure Nilo would love to tell his city what's been done to him. He sends his regards, by the way." Leo said coldly.

The mayor's breath hitched.

"And I'm sure if we ask really nicely, Erion and Naroy will tell them all about your orders." Raph hit his fist in his open palm and glared at Voron, who was shrinking away more and more as he realized he was screwed.

xxxxx

Don let the phone slide to the ground as he used the railing to stand up, still a little dizzy from the sedative.

Mikey quickened his pace down the stairs to aid his mate, a limp in his step.

"I thought you said you were okay?" He scolded the genius without heat.

"I am... the sedative just needs to wear off completely." Donnie assured, glad when he was sitting down on the couch.

"Here, lay down, I'm gonna take care of your cuts." Mike pushed him in a laying position and opened the first-aid kit he's brought along.

The genius decided to let his baby brother work first while he thought about how to approach the topic.

"Did you call Leo and Raph?" Mike started a conversation himself, keeping a straight face.

"Yeah. Leo said he's going to talk to Voron and then they're coming home."

Mikey paused from cleaning the shallow cuts at the mention of the mayor, but continued rather quickly. "Okay."

"What about the children?"

"Ky, Amy and Cav slept through everything. Ava was awake but fell asleep when I gave her a pacifier and put a heatlamp over them. Nix was a little scared when he heard you shouting." He shrugged, his expression way too calm despite what happened.

"I said you tripped and hurt yourself, that's why you shouted. He promised to kiss it all better tomorrow." A ghost of a smile tugged on the corners of his mouth.

"What about... about Erion and Naroy?"

"Bogen himself came with other cops to haul them back to jail. We really need an equivalent to 911, by the way..." He gave a short hollow laugh and cleared his throat.

"He was pretty worried that they hurt us." When Mikey didn't answer, Don put his hand on the freckled cheek to make him look at him.

"Sweetheart, did he hurt you?"

"No. Not like that, I mean..." He sighed. "I think fighting them kinda reminded my body that it was still sore, even sitting hurts. But he didn't, you know..." Michelangelo finished putting band-aids on the cuts and shrugged one shoulder.

Donnie sat up and wrapped his arms around Mikey, kissing his forehead. The smaller turtle snuggled in the offered embrace, wiping at his eyes as he felt himself breaking down in the comforting closeness.

"I was scared... that they're gonna hurt our babies..." He shuddered. "I couldn't stop Naroy, they could've knocked me out too and then they would've-"

"Ssh..." Donatello hushed as he rubbed the trembling turtle's arm. "They didn't. All of our babies are just fine." he tried to calm him. "If Voron sent them to scare us, they wouldn't have touched the children. They're way too precious for him."

"I hate him so much! Why can't he leave us alone?!" Mikey now sobbed.

"I don't know baby... but Leo and Raph won't let him get away this time." Don was confident that it would end tonight. And if they killed the mayor and they had to leave the city, he didn't care. As long as they were far away from that monster.

He had no idea when their mates would come home, and their window would have to be repaired too. The cold January air seeped in through the opening. Though right now he was too exhausted to get up, and Mikey needed him.

"Come on, let's lay down together until they're back." Don spoke up when the sobbing turtle calmed down. He pulled his mate in a laying position with him, grabbing for a blanket.

Mikey sniffed and helped him adjust it so it covered both of them before snuggling to Donnie again. Soothed by the rubbing on his carapace he fell asleep rather quickly.

The olive turtle sighed in the emptiness of the living room. He wanted to stay awake until Raph and Leo were home, he was way too wired to sleep anyways...

xxxxx

"Donnie?"

The genius jerked awake at the shake of his shoulder. Realizing Raph had woken him he settled back down, pulling Mikey's still sleeping body closer.

"What time s'it?" he asked sleepily, rubbing his eyes with his free hand.

"A little after midnight." Raph whispered, the calloused hand gentle as he rubbed it over Don's head.

"Mh... the window..."

"We already took care of that, babe." Raphael smiled at the cute way Donnie leaned into the touch.

The genius' grip on Mikey tightened when someone tried to loosen it. He heard Leo's chuckle.

"Let go, it's me. The bed is comfier than the couch, don't you think?"

Blinking groggily, Don finally let go of Mikey so their leader could pick him up to carry him to bed. He yawned and began sitting up, but found himself in Raph's arms a moment later.

Instinctively his arms wrapped around the strong neck.

"How did it go with Voron...?"

"Let's just say he's not the mayor anymore."

The mahagony eyes widened, more awake now.

"What? Does that mean Leo is...?"

"Not yet. There's an official election next week, but Voron is banned from it and has to move out of his mansion within the next three days."

"How did you-"

"We're gonna tell you the whole story in the morning, honey. Did you check over Mikey? Did they..."

Donnie yawned again as he was lowered on their shared bed.

"No. He's just sorer again. I'm gonna keep an eye on that."

He wanted to know more about Voron now, but snuggled up to all his mates he found himself falling asleep easier than expected.

xxxxx

"... And as soon as Leo takes over, he's gonna have Voron arrested for what he's done."

Leo rolled his eyes, but seemed content as he fed Aventurine. Sure it would have been satisfying to just beat up the mayor, but this... this felt pretty good too.

"If I win the election, there's gonna be a fair trial."

"Oh come on," Raph waved him off, "They all were crazy for you. Nobody's gonna go up against you. And nobody's gonna show mercy on that bastard."

"Papa, what's bastard?" Don deadpanned at Raph.

"That's a bad name that you shouldn't use."

Amy wagged her finger at her dad. "Bad daddy."

"Sorry." He didn't look sorry at all.

"What about Asinda?" Mikey had a thoughtful frown on his face. Cav squealed around his empty bottle, and when Mike took it away the infant reached up to grab at the freckled face of his mother.

"She wasn't at the festival..." Leo said, gently bouncing Ava she started to fuss in his hold.

"She never did anything to hurt us..."

"Voron is the one getting punished, baby. Asinda and Reno can do whatever they want to."

"Voron is her mate..."

"After everything he's done to us, do you really want to spare him?"

Mikey shrugged before settling Cavansite up against his plastron to make him burp.

"I think we should talk to her. Explain everything."

"We will, if you want to. Like I said, it's gonna be a fair trial. And I think Asinda will understand. She wasn't happy about his rabbit craze either, and she didn't even know the bulk of what Voron did."

"We visit Asin-dah?" Ky perked up.

"Not today, champ. We gotta properly repair our window first, or it gets too cold."

Last night they've only improvised with plastic wrap, that wouldn't do for long.

"Sides, didn't you want to visit Elia and her new baby sister?"

"Actually I think we should take it easy today." Don said pointedly, remembering what Mikey said about his soreness the night before.

Mike didn't comment on that. In all honesty, he wasn't to keen on running around today either.

"Why don't we take care of the window, and when you're done daddy and fafa will take you for a walk outside?" He suggested, earning a happy gasp from the toddlers.

"Not just garden? Really outside?"

"Really outside. We need a few groceries, you can help them buy the right cereal." Don gave a sideways smile. "But first you're gonna have to tidy up your toys in the living room."

The kids hurried to do just that, eager to go grocery shopping with their parents.

"... I'm not sure you two should be alone after-"

"We're gonna be just fine. And just so you know, when you're back Mikey and I will take a few hours off. You're on baby duty."

"Yeah... a dip in the whirlpool would be heavenly." Mike chuckled as he tickled Cav's chin, making the baby laugh and kick his legs.

"Tch, ya hear that Leo? They're excluding us."

"Oh please. You had yesterday all to yourself, especially Leo with all his rebel meetings." Donnie got up to clean up the rest of their breakfast. "All we ask for is three hours."

Raph reached out to grab Don's arm and pulled him onto his lap.

"Take as long as you need, babe." He nuzzled the olive skin affectionately, making Donnie squirm and giggle in the hold.

"I still can't believe we really made it. Voron is history. Just like that."

"Do you really think he's gonna give up so easily?" Mikey asked as he rocked his youngest son, coaxing him closer to sleep.

"Shell, what can he do? He doesn't have the power of the mayor anymore."

"I don't know Raph." Leo shrugged, mimicking Mikey and rocking Ava so she'd fall asleep.

"He freaked out when he thought he'd lose control. Yesterday he was holding back because of the witness-"

"Fearless, he tried to attack you when he realized he's lost."

"And you punched him to unconsciousness before he even made two steps." Leo added, rolling his eyes. They've been lucky the crowd cheered for that.

"Ya heard the chief. Until we have a new mayor – you – he's under strict observation. There's no way he can sneak away to attack us." Raph shook his head. "And even if he tried, he'd know it would be suicide."

xxxxx

"What do you mean he's gone?"

Bogen sighed, rubbing a hand over his bald head. It was a week after the election.

As expected, Leonardo had won. His plans for the future had drawn the majority of the city in. The leader almost couldn't believe how easy it had been. It was as if the turtles here were sheep, following whoever dared to take the lead.

Voron and his family had left the mansion. Asinda had been shocked at hearing her mate's schemes. It had taken her about an hour to compose herself again, and left her mate in favor of sharing a small house in the city with Reno for the time being.

The trial of the ex-mayor had been the day before. It was no surprise that he's gonna be arrested for at least five years; and forbidden to ever even set a foot in The Heights.

"I'm sorry, Leo. We don't know how he did it, but he wasn't in his holding cell anymore when we tried to take him to jail this morning." Bogen said.

Leo massaged his temples. The election, the trial, and all the other things he's had to take care of... Voron escaping was not good on his nerves.

It wasn't good, in general.

He still had to gather a new council, and since he wasn't allowed to chose family members, it was quite hard as he barely trusted anyone.

Bogen definitely was part of it, and while Usagi couldn't because of his race, Nilo was happy to accept.

The rebels had been brought back into society without complications, the other turtles accepting them easily. All those years in hiding, just because of Voron.

"Did you check Asinda's new apartment?"

"We did, and also his brothers'. We looked at every place he used to go; nothing. There's a rumor that he's been seen at the border, in the direction of the lizards' city."

"But we aren't sure he really left, are we?"

"No... though it's quite possible. I mean, he's gonna be arrested at sight, his wife left him, there's no reason for him to stay here."

Leo nodded absentmindedly. It would fit Voron's personality to run away when things got rough.

"I don't want to risk anything, though. We're keeping the cops positioned at the border, in case he shows up again."

He wasn't too worried. Voron was an idiot, but even he wouldn't be dumb enough to run around in public. And Don had taken on a new project; to install security devices and cameras everywhere.

There were many projects ahead, but with a maniac probably running around in their city, this would have to be a priority.

"Aye aye, captain." Bogen saluted, getting a sideways smirk from Leo. "So, when's the big move?"

The new mayor stood and stretched. "I don't know yet. We're pretty happy in our current house."

"You can't just leave the mansion empty."

"We're not. We're just waiting till the twins are a few months older. At least old enough to sit up on their own." Leo smiled softly at a photo of his children on his new desk in City Hall.

xxxxx

"Are you ready?" The triplets giggled and nodded, eagerly hopping in place. Don chuckled at their enthusiasm. "Alright. One... two... three! Go!"

The toddler squealed in joy and hurried down the hall, opening every door in search of their daddy.

They've been playing hide and seek for a while now, to playfully let them explore their new big home.

Aventurine's eyes were wide as she wiggled in her mommy's arms, eager to follow her older siblings despite not even able to crawl yet. Mikey chuckled and followed the triplets to satisfy her curiosity.

Cav was content in Leo's hold, gnawing on a teething help. Don gently ran a hand over his head while his lips found his mate's for a soft kiss.

In the past three months so many things had changed for the better. The city was happy, there was no sight of Voron, everything was going the way it was supposed to.

"Think we finally get our happy ending?" The genius asked with a smile.

"We definitely deserve it." Was Leo's answer as he pulled Donnie closer, kissing him again.

They parted with a laugh when Cavansite squealed happily between them.

"Yeah, we definitely do."