Here's the final chapter!!!! Yay!

So, i found that I really like writing chibi turtles :) so I think I'm going to write another, longer story with more chibi's :)

Anyways, I have another One-shot that I should be posting soon... Just have to edit it a little more... actually, I think I have 2 one-shots... I don't remember. I'll have to check my flash-drive, lol.

Anyways, now I'm just rambling. :) Here's the final chapter!!! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: The turtles, both young and old, are not mine... :(

TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT

I listened to the quiet that surrounded the lair, remembering other times that we had spent together. I had often wondered myself if I had made the right decision in choosing Leonardo as leader. There had been times where I had come ever-so-close to revoking his title as leader and giving it Raphael instead. He had had some trouble getting over his fear of heights, and there were other times where my patience with our one-on-one lessons had quickly run thin when he could not grasp what I was trying to teach him.

But he quickly doused those thoughts as time and time again he continued to prove himself. By the time he had reached the age of fifteen, he was a well-conditioned leader. He had overcome his fear of heights, and meditation seemed to help him focus more and he was able to grasp my lessons very quickly. He spent hours every day going over the lessons I had taught him in the past, as well as the lessons that I had just taught them that day. Now, whenever I look at my eldest son, I feel great relief in knowing that he would be able to take over when I had to leave this earth.

Leonardo looked at me with a mixture of shock, sadness, and confusion. "Master Splinter, I… I don't understand…"

"What is not to understand, my son?"

He looked me in the eyes. "I… have I done something wrong…?"

I sighed. "Leonardo, it has nothing to do with your actions. It has to do with completing your leadership training."

My son continued to stare at me with that look on his face. "Yes, Master Splinter," he said quietly, and bowed from where he kneeled on the floor in front of me.

I bowed slightly as well. "You will leave in the morning."

Leonardo's eyes went wide, but he nodded. "Yes, Sensei…" He stood, and turned his back to me, walking out the door.

It was time for Leonardo to finish his training, but I was not able to teach him any more. What he must learn, he can only learn from himself, and so I must send him away. With his brothers always around, there would be no way for him to understand what he had to accomplish.

I listened as Leonardo went up the steps and entered his room, quietly shutting the door as he entered. I couldn't hear anything else after that.

It was a while later that I exited my room Michelangelo was asleep on the couch, television still on. Raphael was dozing slightly in the chair, and Donatello had fallen asleep once again in the lab that he had constructed a few years ago. I headed up the stairs and walked to Leonardo's room, where I knocked quietly on his door. There was some scuffling in the other side before he opened the door.

"Master Splinter?" he asked, slightly surprised. I almost never came up to the boys rooms.

"Leonardo," I said. "As your brothers are asleep, I think it best that you leave as soon as possible."

"But… I won't be able to say goodbye…" he said quietly.

"It will be better if there are no goodbyes," I told him. "It will make everything much more difficult. I will explain to your brothers in the morning."

My son looked slightly crushed, but I was feeling bad as well. I did not want to send my son away and break this family up, but in order for us to become a better family, it must be so.

"… Yes… M-Master S-Spl-Splinter…" Leonardo stuttered. He looked down.

"Come, my son," I said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I will walk you to the door."

I led him down the steps and to the door. He paused, only for a moment, to run an eye over his brothers. He then turned and continued to follow me. He stood at the door and faced me.

"Goodbye, father…" He said, bowing.

I smiled encouragingly at him, then pulled him into a tight hug. "Good luck, Leonardo."

We broke away, and he stepped out into the sewer. He looked back once, and then ran ahead, the only thing on his back his weapons. He carried nothing else.

I wiped a tear from my eye as I shut and locked the door to our home. Then I turned and headed to my room to meditate.

TMNT

In the morning, as my sons were eating breakfast, I entered the kitchen. They looked up as I did so.

"Good morning, my sons," I greeted.

"Good morning, sensei," they chorused.

"I wish to speak to you," I told them. "When you are finished with your breakfast, please come to the dojo."

I headed to the dojo after, but out of the corner of my eye I saw them exchange glances.

It was only a few minutes until I heard the three of them heading to the practice area, talking in low voices to each other. They entered, and kneeled before me. I saw Michelangelo and Donatello glance at the spot that Leonardo normally occupied.

"My sons," I began, but Raphael interrupted, getting straight to the point that I was about to discus with them.

"Shouldn't we wait for Fearless Leader?" he asked gruffly.

I gave him a look that silenced him. "That Is what I wanted to discuss with you," I said. "Leonardo has left for a few months to train. He has gone to Central America and will not be back for a long time."

My three youngest sons stared at me in shock, and Raphael had a look of anger on his face. He and Leonardo had never gotten along since the day I had named the leader. I could only imagine what he was thinking.

I waited to see what my sons would say, but they seemed a little speechless. It was finally Michelangelo who broke the silence.

"He… didn't even want to tell us goodbye?" he asked, and I could tell from his voice that he seemed hurt.

I shook my head. "I told him that it would be better if he did not."

"Figures," Raphael snorted. I gave him a look, but he glared back at me. "I'm going out," he said, and stood and walked out the door.

My other two sons stared at where he had disappeared, then turned their eyes back to me. I sighed. "Morning practice will be cancelled for today."

The two of them nodded and left, talking quietly as they did so. I sighed. Maybe I had a made a mistake…

No. It was the right thing to do.

Over the next few months, letters from my son arrived regularly, telling of what he was doing in his time away. My sons, even Raphael, got excited every time a letter came, and Michelangelo took to pinning them up on the fridge in the kitchen.

But as the time for his return came closer, letters stopped coming. When the night for his return finally arrived, it was with heavy hearts that we discovered that he was not going to come. I worried that something had happened, but after meditating for a while, I was convinced that my eldest was perfectly healthy. Letters no longer came. Michelangelo and Donatello employed themselves, and Raphael became distant. He seemed miles away, and rarely talked to anyone.

When my son finally arrived home, everything seemed to be easier. And as soon as Raphael and Leonardo made their peace with one another, everything turned out to be for the better.

I was erupted from my thoughts as I heard the door to our home open and my sons enter. Michelangelo said something, and Donatello and Leonardo laughed. Raphael grunted, and from the yelp that came floating to my ears, I could only guess that my son in red had hit my youngest upside the head.

Leonardo entered my room, poking his head around the door, just like he had done for years.

"We have returned, master," he said, body relaxed and laughter in his eyes. "Our run was a success."

"I am glad to hear it, my son," I said. "Enjoy the rest of your night. You can give me a full run-down in the morning."

He looked slightly surprised, then smiled softly at me. He bowed his head. "Goodnight, father."

"Goodnight, my son."

He carefully closed the door and I heard him walk back to his brothers. I listened as the four of them sat in front of the television to watch a movie. Eventually, one by one, they began to drift asleep. As I listened to their soft snores and the gentle hum of our home, I smiled, remembering…

I remembered time were I had almost given up, times when I had disciplined them. Times of hardship, times of joy. Times of celebration and times where it seemed that things would never be the same. Times that made me laugh, and times that made me cry.

I remembered every single minute of my four sons lives, and smiled, closing my eyes, feeling pride wash over me.

I loved them, ever since the moment I had found them. And I always would love them, no matter what happened.

It was with this thought, that I finally succumbed to sleep, and I let the darkness surround me. I took a long, deep breath, closed my eyes… and smiled.

TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT

The ending was supposed to leave you guessing... Lol. Not sure if it worked or not.

So, I'm not sure how this "First Person Point of View" worked out. I think I'll try another one... Let me know what you think!