This is the last chapter, finally up after internet difficulties regarding living out in the Boonies have been resolved.

"Only dumb people try to impress smart people. Smart people just do what they do." -Chris Rock

Disclaimer: I don't own the turtles, or really anything... But please ask first if you ever want to use one of my OCs in anything. I can't imagine why you would, though; odds are you're pretty creative.

Nathan and Flame stood across from each other, Nathan glaring down from the higher ground of his platform. They were a contrast; even though Flame was trying not to show it, Raph could see that he was tired. The redhead still wore his riding clothes from two days ago, and his hair stuck out in odd places. A jagged streak of dirt marred his face. Still, Flame crept forward into the light, into the shocked silence.

Nathan was the first to recover. Even as a twisted smirk pulled at the murderer's lips, Raph was filled with immense relief. Flame was here. Flame had come for him after all.

"So you are not reformed," Nathan sneered, and the crowd seemed to let out a collective breath. Low murmurs could be heard being passed along.

"I consent neither to your coronation nor the execution of my friends," Flame shot back, ignoring the bait. For some reason, the statement caused Raph a sudden pang of sadness.

Nathan took an almost hesitant step forward, the smirk surprisingly gone from his face. Raph watched as Flame's eyes narrowed across the room. Something was up. Raph's own suspicions heightened as Nathan extended an appealing arm in Flame's direction.

"Brother," he began with exaggerated emotion, "You have been blinded, but you can still have all you dreamed of. We can create a safe world for our kind. Am I not only asking of you what you first set out to accomplish at your own coronation, your vows of love toward your people?"

For just a moment, Flame was silent, and Raph held his breath. He glanced quickly at Leo, who wore a tight expression. More than likely, Flame would accept Nathan's offer. To abide by Nathan's wishes would not only guarantee Flame security in his life, but also in his role as king. All would be as it was before Raph had gotten drunk on Demetri's wine...except, of course, he, Leo, and Donny would be dead.

Flame grimaced, leapt onto the platform. Nathan took a quick step backwards, his arm lowering ever so slightly. Flame snarled at this, stalking forward in the same feline manner Raph had first seen with Jet.

"My former statement still stands."

The words caused the "stadium" to erupt into chaos. Indignant shouts rang out and Raph could breathe again. By the time the clamoring had died down, Flame had backed Nathan up to the center of the huge platform.

"I can't fathom why you would choose this," Nathan was scowling. "No other king would have ever sided with a monstrosity over his own people."

Flame was quick to retort. "Perhaps you should change your definition of 'monstrosity.' You killed Jet, Nathan."

Murmurs again enveloped the hall at this accusation. Nathan held up a hand for silence, which was finally granted to him. "I only did so in defense of the people. Jet was my dearest friend, but he was delusional."

"Takes one to know one."

"That's rich coming from you!" Nathan spat. "At least I am not so pathetic as to follow the insipid beast who would dare to resist the attentions of a king around like a lost puppy pining for attention."

"He's not a beast." Flame's expression was quickly clouding over and Raph cringed. He felt his face heat slightly, felt Leo's stare searching him. He couldn't meet his brother's eyes, not now.

"But you do not refute anything else," Nathan purred. "Interesting."

Flame was silent, the crowd whispered amongst themselves, and Raph knew that Nathan had won the verbal battle. There was no way Nathan's followers would see him and his brothers as anything more than monsters. Since Flame tolerated them, he would immediately be ostracized. There would be nothing he could say to stop any of this.

Raphael knew he was going to die.

As if to prove Raph's thoughts correct, Nathan's voice carried a snide air as he addressed his audience. "You see how far our perfect king has fallen, how his judgment is impaired. Those of you who were skeptical before today will surely believe now that you witness it firsthand."

A general approval echoed across the room, and Raph noticed Flame's fingers had begun to twitch. Nathan, oblivious, continued on.

"Together, we must banish this madness from our midst, eradicate this poison, if our race is to survive. Too long have we been forced to live in substandard conditions. The humans fear us by instinct, and rightfully so, for soon shall they know exactly why. I will be your king, dear brothers and sisters, and I will lead us to a new life."

The applause had barely begun when the abrupt sound of weapons being drawn interrupted cries of joy. Both of Flame's twin dao swords were now at the ready, pointed in Nathan's direction.

Nathan was almost as quick with his hatchets; they were in his hands in the blink of an eye, the would-be king himself adopting a defending stance to match Flame's offensive.

"You couldn't seriously think I'd let you slide that easily," Flame raised a challenging eyebrow.

As if on cue, two unfamiliar-looking men stepped onto Raph's platform. Their faces were devoid of all expression. They each drew two sleek black pistols, and a synchronized click could be heard throughout the factory as safeties were simultaneously switched off.

Nathan cast a quick glance at them, frowning. "I see you have rallied Adam and Preach to your side."

"They have always been on my side. They're just making sure you don't try anything funny with your hostages over there."

"You think two men can stand against my entire army? That you can stand against me?"

"I believe it's likely."

Raph watched as Nathan and Flame began to slowly circle around each other, total opposites, but Flame had long ago claimed to have a nature similar to Nathan. Nothing could have been further from the truth.

They circled and circled, making the occasional jab, testing the limits of the other. One was fueled by rage but haggard, the other was fresh but constricted by fear. The ever-present spectators hovered, waited to see what would happen next. Sound was as dead as the machinery that served as bleachers.

A first clash. Nathan lunged forward, swinging a hatchet wide in the air. Flame blocked with one of his blades, and metal clanged against metal. Raph winced, knowing the force of Nathan's strike must have sent a shock wave radiating down Flame's entire arm. The redhead barely faltered in his counterstrike, but that was enough time for Nathan to manage a block and another swing.

Raph had seen Flame and Nathan fight before when he was drugged, but obviously not with such clarity. Nathan was a tough opponent if only for his style of fighting; he never seemed to get tired, constantly hacking away with his hatchets until his enemy was simply no longer strong enough to block. Flame was still recovering from that horrible injury he had sustained. Donny had told them it would be months before Flame would be back in full shape again, even with his body's quick responses.

That was why when Flame started to dance away instead of blocking further attacks and getting in close for a thrust, Raph became extremely worried.

A sharp gunshot started him from his thoughts. An armed man who looked to be approximately 23 fell to the floor with a nickel-sized hole in his forehead, dead center. Others with weapons soon loomed into view behind the body, brushing past their ally even as he fell. They were going to try to swarm the platform.

Adam and Preach both opened fire, and Flame's fight fell into the background for a minute as Raph struggled in panic against his chains. He'd always envisioned himself as someone who would die fighting, laying down his life for justice, at the very least being active as his fate was unfolding.

Nothing like this.

Raphael only ceased his movements when unearthly laughter filled the air and his entire world stopped. He looked up to see Nathan grinning in ghoulish triumph. Flame was standing a few feet away, his entire body heaving from violent, strained breathing. The red-headed leader held the hilt of one of his swords in his hand, the blade completely broken off.

Where was the other? Raph's eyes flicked around the platform until the glint of metal against the constant barrage of the artificial lighting caught his eye. The broken sword's twin lay directly across from Flame on the far side of the platform, having been knocked away earlier in their match. Nathan stood, suddenly confident, in between Flame and his only remaining weapon.

Adam and Preach continued to shoot, but Raph barely even noticed. His heart clenched painfully. Flame's odds of winning, which were never that great to begin with, certainly seemed even more lacking now.

From the forlorn look on his face, Raph could tell that Flame was realizing this as well.

"What are you waiting for?!" Raph yelled at the closest gunman, Adam or Preach, he didn't care. "Shoot Nathan!"

"Our orders were not to interfere," the gunman replied, genuine sadness seeping into his voice. "The king must resolve this matter by his own means."

"That's bullshit! Help him!"

"We already have. We brought him here, we obeyed his orders. Only the rightful king can decide the fate of the people, or his own."

So loyal they'd honor Flame's wishes even if it killed the one they served in the process. Great. Raph knew he wouldn't get very far with either of them, even if instilling disloyalty had always proved to be easier than its' counterpart. Instead, he turned to Leo.

"We've gotta do something!"

"I'm trying, Raph, I-" Leo let out a grunt as he tugged at his manacles. "I can't get this off!"

Nathan was beginning his slow advance as an idea struck Raph. He had no idea why he hadn't thought of it before.

"Hey, Adam, or Preach, or whoever you are..." he shouted over the gunfire, "Can you get us out of these chains?"

That suggestion caused the men to pause for a moment.

"It doesn't go against our orders," one man said to the other while casually shooting down another member of Nathan's army. The two gunmen smiled wickedly at each other for only a second, then abruptly turned and aimed for the chains.

Raph's knees hit the floor first, his hands subconsciously working to rub the numbness out of his forearms. Leo had gotten free first and sprang immediately into action, pushing through the angry crowd to the larger platform.

Raph quickly followed after his older brother, his legs having known the best course of action before his brain had fully registered it. Bodies on all sides tried to hold on to him, tear at him, as he made his way through the mob. Raph's eyes focused on Leo in front of him, who had leapt onto the platform, silent as a true ninja. No one warned Nathan as his brother snatched Flame's blade from the ground, tested the weight to it as calmly as if he were about to train himself in a new weapon, and swung.

Raph reached the platform, leaping onto it just in time to see Nathan's head hit the floor. A second or so later, the rest of his body followed it, slumping lifelessly to the ground.

The stadium seemed to gradually go still as what remained of Nathan's army discovered that it no longer had a commander. Donny had reached the platform now, had laid a calming hand on Leo's shell. Raph took in Leo's dark expression as his brother watched the pool of blood around the dead murderer grow, how Flame's blade was clenched tightly in his fist. Flame simply seemed haunted, as if a ghost had spoken to him.

A quiet question consumed the battleground: What is to be done now?

Flame was the first to speak. "He's gone."

Those two words, so utterly final, spurred Demetri to step forward. "My king, I am most terribly sorry to have doubted you. Nathan fooled us all."

Flame glanced up at the servant sharply, which caused Demetri to hesitate. Still, the man continued. "Please, sir, reclaim your crown before us as a sign of love for your people, despite what you have endured at the hands of this madman."

"You snake," Flame snarled. "Already you betray your master? I will never trust you again."

"I'm so sorry, my lord," Demetri repeated, a bit more desperately this time. He made his way up the platform and knelt at Flame's feet, the pillow with the crown resting upon it extended above his head. "I implore you, since as king you vowed to love the people so-take up your title once more, and lead us through this dark time."

The atmosphere in the stadium was tense, hopeful. If Flame so wished, Raph knew, he could take back all the power he had lost, and then some. He would be an unstoppable king. What was holding him back?

Gingerly, Raph approached Flame, who seemed like he might snap and beat Demetri's head in any second (if Raph himself didn't do it first). He side-stepped Nathan's blood carefully, following Flame's line of sight to that blasted crown. Flame didn't look up until Raph laid a hand on his shoulder.

"It would look good on you," Raph said quietly, so only Flame could hear. The redhead cracked his first real smile since Raph had seen him enter the stadium.

"You're just trying to butter me up. You know very well anything would look good on me."

Raph laughed awkwardly, slowly releasing Flame's shoulder from his grip. He really wasn't sure what they were anymore. Flame didn't love him; that much was made very clear the morning after they'd... He couldn't even think it, and instead contemplated the state of the floor. Little trickles of blood were racing towards them.

"Raph, there was a prophecy told about this. About me."

Flame's voice was serious now, and far from joyful, but Raph didn't detect any unhappiness, either. He looked up at Flame in confusion.

"I know what it means, now," Flame went on, gazing into the distance though he didn't seem to take any sort of note of his surroundings. His mouth was etched into a hard line. "I know what I have to do."

With that, Flame took the crown in one hand, not putting it on but instead hefting it high for the entire room to see. When he spoke, his voice rang clearly across the stadium.

"This is to be my last command to you as your king," he began, and a few gasps could be heard. Flame didn't even blink. "When I have finished giving this order, the crown shall be no more. Our race will be no more. I command you now to disperse. Go in families, in groups of friends, out into the world to make a living for yourself among the humans. If we continue to isolate ourselves from them, we will die out as a people. The humans are neither lesser nor greater than us, and if you can not find work, you are not trying hard enough. We are not a separate species of a certain nature that defines who we are. We are a people who can grow and change and overcome. I am living proof of that."

Flame smiled then like Raph had never seen him smile before, a grin so wide it could have enveloped worlds.

"If the golden eyes should ever come among you again, treat him no differently than you would treat any other. That child deserves his own personality, not his ancestor's. Now, make haste. Leave this place!"

Flame's final words echoed across the factory machinery, and people soon began to lumber away in shock. His brief speech done, Flame turned the crown over in his hands a few times, then tossed it aside.

"Why did you do that?" Raph blurted before his sense could return to him. His brow furrowed as Flame let out a light laugh.

"I had to kill my love trying to save it, of course!" Flame chuckled, and Raph wondered absently if the criminal had gone quite mad.

"Okaaaay..."

Flame seemed to sober upon seeing Raph's confused expression. His tone turned more serious. "Raphael, I am so sorry this happened to you. If it wasn't for my stupidity.."

"You couldn't have known."

"I should have! At the very least I shouldn't have been so reckless with you, just racing around that day. They could have gotten to you at any moment."

"Flame-"

"I never would have forgiven myself," Flame put both of his hands on Raph's shoulders, imploring. "Do you understand that, Raph?"

Raph smirked. "Well, you know what they say. People die every day."

Raph had expected a laugh at that, a friendly smile. Instead, Flame's expression darkened even more. "I'm probably selfish for saying this, but you are much more important to me than just any person. He didn't torture you, did he? Are you alright?"

Flame's hands trailed down Raph's arms to catch his elbows, tugging them closer together. Raph stilled as Flame's eyes searched him carefully, looking for the tiniest scratch. He tried to push Flame back to a comfortable distance, a friendly distance. He couldn't let himself hope.

"I'm fine, really."

"You're bleeding-"

"I'm fine."

"We're gonna have to get Donny to bandage that up.."

"I said I'm fine."

"Get some disinfectant-"

"Flame!" Raph finally yelled, exasperated. "I'm fine. Really. You can leave now."

Flame's eyes snapped upward, pain flashing over his features briefly before his face was a stone once more. "You can't be asking me to go so soon."

The words were stated with confidence, as if Flame were talking about the weather. Raph recognized the tactic from something Leo used to do. Say something with enough force behind it, and people are bound to believe you. He bristled.

"I am. Don't you want to?"

"Where would I go?"

Raph sighed. "I don't know, Flame. I'm sure you'll find a better life somewhere."

Slowly, Flame released Raph from his grasp, seeming almost disappointed. "Is this it, then?"

Raph knew for certain now exactly what Flame was referring to. Something painful stirred inside him at the thought of telling Flame to leave, but Raph knew he deserved better than a one-sided relationship. If Flame didn't love him... Well. He would have to deal with the loneliness later.

"It is."

Flame blinked quickly twice, then seemed to set his shoulders. He nodded to Raph sharply, stepping away. Raph's gaze followed the redhead hungrily as he turned away, hopped off the platform. He took in the stiffness in Flame's posture, the mess that was his hair, the grime that covered him.

Raph had never seen a sight more beautiful, and had to look away before he did something rash. Letting Flame go is necessary, he had to remind himself as he felt another hand rest on his shoulder, kneading the sore muscles there.

"He loves you, you know," Leo spoke quietly. "I can see it."

Raph shook his head. It wasn't like Leo to lie to him.

"He doesn't."

"Donny and I had our suspicions, but now we know for sure," Leo said, a bit more firmly this time.

"Donny is in on this, too?" Raph asked, incredulous. "I didn't know ya both could be so naive."

Leo only smirked. "Ask Flame, if you're so certain."

"That would be stupid."

"Raph, you don't have anything to lose. What does it matter?"

"Fine," Raph growled through clenched teeth. "Fine. I'll do it. But only to prove you're wrong."

In the distance, Flame had almost reached the factory exit, the sunlight from outside pouring through the wide open doors. The leader was nothing but a shadow, a dark outline. Raph leapt off the platform and started running in Flame's direction, choosing to ignore Leo's satisfied expression behind him.

He caught up with Flame just before he crossed the threshold. Flame half-turned expectantly, having obviously heard Raph's approach.

For a moment, Raph had no clue what to say. He didn't know how one broached an awkward subject like this. It was..unnerving. He might as well get it over with.

"Leo thinks you love me. How dumb is that, right?" Raph said, hoping his nerves didn't affect his voice.

Flame cocked his head to the side. "Leo is very observant."

What kind of an answer is that?

Before Raph could even open his mouth to ask, Flame continued on, taking a step in Raph's direction. "I was so worried about you, Raph, when you jumped out that window."

"You didn't love me then."

"I knew that loving me would put you in danger."

"But... We..."

Flame smirked, though the expression was not unkind. "I know. I have trouble sometimes controlling my impulses."

Raph's eyes narrowed. "What are you saying?"

"I'm a terrible boyfriend, the worst one you could possibly be saddled with," Flame said slowly, his gaze searching Raph's face. "But... I do love you, and even though I need you so much-"

Flame breathed in sharply, let the breath out more heavily than was necessary. "I want you to be happy, too. If you would be happy without me, then so be it, Raph. I'm gone."

"Leo was right?" was all Raph could say to that. Flame was nodding, his eyes sliding to the floor.

"I'm sorry..."

Raph wasn't listening. He was too busy running his fingers through Flame's hair, pushing the criminal back against the door-frame. Strange feelings were coursing through him at high speeds, and it had been so long since they had last kissed, and this was right.

Flame loved him. He was loved by this beautiful, ethereal, staggeringly imperfect being, and that was all that mattered as Raph's world condensed down to the feeling of Flame's body sliding against his own.

Though he could have sworn he heard Leo and Donny chuckling somewhere in the background...

My thoughts when I finished this story:

"It is finished!"

Next time I write a multi-chapter fic, I am definitely not posting each chapter as I finish it.

This piece is far from perfect, but I hope you guys have enjoyed it. If you have any constructive tips or just want to say hi, feel free to leave me a tasty review (yum, feed the starving author).

Thanks for everything!

-DauntlessAdrenaline