CelicaChick: Leo certainly is a trouble magnet but he's also very good at getting out of trouble. Thank you for reviewing!

AlessandraDC: I enjoyed writing the sweet moment and I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for reviewing!

Guest: Yeah...the Lair's really well-hidden and the Foot are more for ambushing the guys than trying to actually find the lair (silly humans!). Here comes the rest of the rainbow! Thank you for reviewing!

Bob: Don't die! You are too kind! Thank you for reviewing!

Turtlecrazy714: I really wanted him to get his sight back, to be honest. I love putting in references. Mulan, especially, is awesome. I'm sorry for the wait but what with this one wrapping up, I think I'll take my time with the other stories. Thank you for understanding. :) Thank you for reviewing!

BlueBoltKatana: I'm sorry that I made you cry! Thank you for loving it. Thank you for reviewing!

TMNT-Queen: Hahaha! I'm happy that you're happy! Thank you so much and thank you for reviewing!

DragonChild157: Ehehehe! Mikey messing with Raph. That'd be funny! Tempting... ;) Also, congratulations on being the 500th review (Holy cow! 500!) Thank you for reviewing!

gima2618: Yay! Thank you for reviewing!

TheMaskedTimelord: I'm sorry that the story's ending but I'm thrilled that you enjoyed it as much as you did. Thank you for reviewing!

efarraiz: Ahhhhhh! Gracias, gracias, gracias! Mis fans fieles te incluyen, por supuesto! Gracias por el comentario! Te mando un gran abrazo!

CelandineGranger: I'm a sucker for happy endings. Thank you for reviewing!

Guest: Thank you for loving it! Thank you for reviewing!

lizzybudd: Don't worry about it. :) I knew you'd review eventually. Thank you for commenting on the fight and Leo's thoughts on his leadership and ability. I tried to make him getting his sight back as "realistic" as possible (considering that there's no cure for cortical blindness). The guys really shone in this scene for me. I was very happy with them. Thank you for reviewing!

Always Late Texas Kate: (FFnet won't let me put the dot in your name, I'm sorry.) You read this whole thing in six hours!? Bless you! Thank you! Thank you so much! Thank you for your kind words and thank you for reviewing!

XYZArtemis: Leo is my favourite character, too. Thank you so much! Unfortunately, this story is coming to an end (this chapter here is the epilogue) and there won't be any hardcore show-down between Leo and the Shredder - though that would have been epic! Thank you for reviewing!

Guest: Thank you so much! That's so kind of you to say. I enjoy the feels. :) Thank you for reviewing!

Author's Note: It's short but it's the perfect note (to me) to end on. Thank you all for reading!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Epilogue

"Patrolling went well tonight," Leo told Master Splinter as the front door closed behind him, the last one in. Better than well, in fact. For all of the activity and skirmishes during the night, his brothers were all unharmed, save for a couple bruises.

Sensei had met them at the door and nodded now, his calm, black gaze falling on each of them in turn. "Good, my sons. Very good."

Leo exchanged a smile with his father as his younger brothers yawned and stretched.

He nudged Mikey's shoulder with his own. "Good job tonight, guys."

His brothers gave him funny looks, like they weren't sure if he was being serious.

"Ya turnin' in, Fearless?" asked Raph.

"Later. I think I'll read for a bit."

Master Splinter, Don, Raph, and Mikey all smiled at that. It had been almost a full year since his fall off the roof, almost a year of working on his sight, going through Don and Mikey's countless exercises, suffering headaches and frustration as his brain fought to work once again. He still had bad days: days when his vision blurred and he couldn't see more than five feet in front of his beak, but they were getting fewer as the weeks wore on. He was even patrolling again – had been for four months now. Leading his brothers across New York's roofs was as easy as it had been before but with extra perks. His heightened hearing and smell gave him an advantage over his adversaries, and he often caught himself closing his eyes when he fought.

They bade each other good night and Leo headed for the couch where he'd left his book. Don went straight to his lab (for only an hour; otherwise, Leo would drag him out and to bed) while Raph and Mikey walked into the kitchen for a late-night snack, and Splinter returned to his kettle which had begun to whistle. Klunk was already asleep on the sofa when Leo sat down but the cat stirred, stretched and padded over to curl up on his feet. Leo stroked him, marvelling at the orange and white, before picking up his book.

Leo let his eyes drift over the words on the paper for several long moments. His fingertip traced the letters that weren't even marginally blurry – progress, after his long day and the late hour.

He smiled to himself and turned the page.

He heard the soft footsteps as they exited the kitchen and paused on their way to the stair. "Do you need something, Raph?" he asked, not even looking up.

"Not really." The footsteps drifted over, trying to be casual. Raph came up behind him and peered over his shoulder. "Whatcha readin'?"

"The Scarlet Pimpernel. He's the original, alter-ego hero. Way before Superman came out. April got it for me."

"Huh. Ya just start?"

"Almost at the end. It's not very long."

"Oh." The disappointment was clear in his tone and Leo schooled his expression carefully while he thumbed all the way back to the beginning.

"Sit down and mind Klunk," he ordered.

"Yer gonna read? Aloud?"

Leo lifted his eyes to his brother's, savouring the spark that lit that amber gaze because he could. He could look into his family's faces again. He could see their smiles again. "Payback," he said.

Raph smiled wryly and obeyed, settling in on Leo's other side and not disturbing the cat.

Leo returned his gaze to the first page and began: "Chapter 1. Paris: September, 1792. A surging, seething, murmuring crowd, of beings that are human only in name…"

In his peripheral, he caught Mikey trotting out of the kitchen, sandwich in hand, while Don wandered back into the living room. Sensei was already in his armchair as if he had been there since the dawn of time. Leo never broke stride in his reading as his brothers and father gathered around, and if he saw Raph close his eyes and lean back, or Mikey exchange a thumb's-up and a grin with Don, or Master Splinter smile, he never said.

End

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Please review. Thank you all again! You're a marvelous audience! I hope to see you in the next story!