Ninja Turtles 1. Chapter 1

\- Playground -

It's not easy raising four mutated turtles, especially if they're toddlers. Add all their pent up energy, the ever-present rule of "No leaving the lair," and one old rat that loves to meditate in silence, and you have a recipe for disaster in the form of broken furniture. Of course the old rat loved his sons, but he needed a break every now and then to meditate and plan for his sons' next lesson. After all, it's not easy teaching his four toddlers how to read, write, and the art of ninjustu. So when he heard his youngest son talk about how he wanted to go to a playground, an idea came to him that would solve both his, and his sons' problems.

One night, while his sons where asleep, Splinter had left the lair to look for material he could use to make a miniature playground for his sons at the nearest junkyard. Splinter was lucky that night; he was able to find half of a kiddie slide, an intact tire, two metal boards with the screws still attached to it, and several yards of rope. However, because of his large haul, he had stayed out longer than he had intended. He had to run home with his haul if he wanted to get home before one of his sons woke up.

By the time Splinter had made it back to his home, three sniffling, green faces greeted him. The moment they saw him, they all burst into sobs and swarmed around him. Splinter put down his haul in favor of wrapping his arms around his sons and pulling them in close. As he tried to comfort his sons, Splinter asked them why they were crying. His son, Raphael, looked up at him through his tears and explained the situation.

"Mikey had a nightmare. He dreamed that you left us and never came back. When he woke up, he ran to your room but you weren't there." Raphael sniffed before continuing, "He ran back to our room and jumped on Leo and told him that you weren't there, like in his dream."

Raphael's words set off alarm bells in Splinter's mind, and that's when he realized he was holding three of his sons not four. Raphael hadn't noticed his father's sudden stiffness as he continued with his explanation.

"Leo told Mikey to not worry and that he would go find you. He told me and Donnie to stay with Mikey then left to look for you." Raphael sniffed again before adding, "I'm glad you're back dad."

Splinter gave his sons one last squeeze before letting them go and standing up. He looked at each one of them before saying, "I am sorry that I was not here to comfort you my sons, but you should have kept your brother here and waited for me. I did not see Leonardo on my way back. Stay here, I will look for your brother."

His sons whined in protest, but did as they were told. Once Splinter had left, all three opted to look through the giant bag that Splinter had brought home with him. Each of them immediately forgot their current troubles as they marveled at what their father had brought home. Donatello, the smartest of the four turtles, put the pieces of the proverbial puzzle together and excitedly told his brothers how their father was going to make them a playground.

* * *

Splinter raced through the sewers, calling out his eldest son's name the entire time. Caution be damned, his son was lost in the sewers looking for him! Splinter took many twists and turns as he looked for his son. He was almost near the old junction when he heard a small voice answer his. He stopped in his tracks and yelled his son's name once more, trying to locate him. Splinter heard the voice again, off to his left, and ran in the direction of his son.

Splinter continued the cycle of him yelling his son's name and waiting for the reply until he narrowed down the possibilities. Eventually, he came to stop at a section where the tunnel split in two. Splinter looked down both tunnels, knowing that his son was in one of them. He called his son's name one last time and waited for his reply. Splinter stood there for 10… 15… 20… 25… 30 seconds waiting for his son to call back, but he heard nothing. Panic started to make itself known as Splinter didn't hear his son; he was about to call for his son once more before he heard small, fast footsteps coming towards him. Against his better judgment, Splinter stood there and waited for whatever was running to come to him. As the slapping of feet came closer he heard a quiet, "Father?" A small green form was running towards Splinter. Relief washed over Splinter as Leonardo ran up to him. Splinter pulled his son into a tight embrace before scolding the child.

"What were you thinking? You know that it is forbidden to leave the Lair, yet you did it anyway. Do you know how worried your brothers and I were?"

Leonardo looked down in shame before explaining himself.

"I'm sorry father, but you were missing and Mikey was scared. Donnie and Raph were too. I just wanted to find you and bring you back. I'm sorry I broke the rule."

Splinter felt himself soften after Leonardo's words. The old rat sighed before saying, "It is alright, my son. I suppose this is partly my fault for not telling you four where I was going."

Splinter stood up and held out his paw for his son to grab.

"Come Leonardo, let us go home."

* * *

**So, how was it? This is my first time writing for TMNT, so I hope it was ok. If you liked it and want me to write more, then please send me a ****prompt and I will gladly write a story for it.**


	2. Chapter 2

**SubtleBubbles**** gave me the prompt for figuring out how Leo got his fear of heights. I took this straight out of my childhood, so I hope y'all like it!**

* * *

\- Fearless No More -

In hindsight, the entire ordeal was stupid to begin with, yet it had been the cause of the first fear on a slowly growing list. Had he known that a slight slip of the hand would have caused this issue to come up at all, he might not have taken up the challenge.

He and his brothers had finished training with Master Splinter and were taking a much deserved break. Now that it was finished, all four were playing on the new playground Splinter had constructed for them. Raph had taken over the tire swing; Mikey had claimed the slide for himself, but still let his brothers have a turn every once in a while; Donnie was swinging on the monkey bars, and Leo was spotting Donnie. Ever the concerned big brother, Leo wanted to make sure that his brothers were safe before he started playing. Master Splinter had told all of them that the monkey bars were dangerous, so one of them had to be there in case the other fell. Since the other two had wanted to go to their respective spots on the playground, that Leo to help his little brother. He held onto Donnie's feet while he swung from one bar to another. Once Donnie reached the last bar, he kicked his feet to show that he was done swinging. Leo stepped back to give his brother room to drop down. Once Donnie had landed, he turned to Leo before saying, "Ok, your turn."

Leo looked up at the bars before looking back at his brother, his nervousness clear as day.

"I don't know Donnie. Are you sure you want to stop?"

It was a poor defense, but the best his six-year old mind could come up with. Unfortunately for the young turtle, Raph was listening to their conversation. He stood on his tire swing and taunted his older brother.

"Ha! Is fearless Leo afraid of the monkey bars? I bet you need Mikey to hold your feet."

Leo and Mikey both shouted, "Hey!" at Raph, clearly insulted by what the hotheaded turtle had said. Leo fell for his brother's taunted and indignantly said, "I don't need anyone's help. I'm a big turtle! I can do it by myself."

Raph smirked then said the two words that created Leo's first fear.

"Prove it."

Leo gulped, then looked back up at the daunting iron bars above him. He mentally prepared himself before slowly climbing up the ladder to the first bar. Leo looked back down at Raph before reaching out to the first bar. He grabbed the cold metal and swung his other arm to the next bar. Leo continued this cycle until he made it to the other side of the monkey bars. Leo let out a triumphant shout then smiled at Raph.

"See, I told you I could do it!"

Raph felt his cheeks flush in surprise, before he countered, "Yeah? Well..." Raph paused, trying to think of something that would be more difficult for his older brother, "I bet you can't do tricks on it!"

Leo stared at his brother before accepting the challenge. As much as he loved his brother, it was fun to prove him wrong.

Leo reached out to the bar he had previously held and grabbed it again. Knowing that all three of his brothers were watching, he grabbed the same bar and swung his legs past the second bar and wrapped them around the third. He let go of the first bar and let himself hang by his legs, laughing at his brother's stunned faces. He rocked back and forth to gain momentum before reaching for the next bar. He continued this pattern two more time before Master Splinter walked into the living room turned playground. He saw his eldest son hanging from his feet and reaching for the next set of bars, and saw that none of his sons were spotting him. Splinter felt panic run through him and couldn't stop himself from yelling his eldest son's name. Startled by his father yelling at him, Leo missed the next bar and ended up smacking his head on the bar. The force of the blow was enough for Leo to loose his grip on the other bar. As he fell, he felt weightless for a fraction of a second before hitting the cement floor.

Leo's family ran over to him as he slowly sat up, putting a hand on the blooming bruise. He could Donnie and Mikey yelling his name and Raph apologizing to him over and over again, but he didn't respond to it. He felt a paw on his shoulder and slowly looked up at the one who owned it. He heard his father ask him if he was okay, and shook his head. Leo regretted it as he felt a sharp pain in his temple; he winced and his eyes started to water. Master Splinter picked up his son and held him close as he took him into the kitchen. He set Leonardo down on the counter before rummaging through the medical cabinet. Once he found the right herbs, he mixed them with quick precision. Taking out the gauze, Splinter spread the paste onto the bruise before wrapping the gauze around his son's head. Once Splinter had finished, he stood in front of his son and asked him what had happened. Leonardo looked down in shame before explaining.

"I'm sorry Master Splinter. I thought that I could play on the monkey bars by myself. I did it the first time with no problem, so I thought that I could do it again."

Leo neglected to tell his father that Raph had made him do it; he didn't want his younger brother to get in trouble.

Splinter stood there, contemplating what he should do next. He sighed before deciding on letting Leonardo off with a warning; there was no need for him to add insult to injury.

"Be more careful next time. I make rules for a reason, and we don't need a repeat of this."

Leonardo nodded before jumping off the counter. He was a little wobbly on his feet, but shook it off as he made his way towards his room.

In the next few weeks, Splinter would notice his eldest stray from the monkey bars.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Please send a prompt!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! Turtlefanforlife1982 needed inspiration for a new chapter in her story "Firsts," so here is my version of Mikey's first prank. Hope y'all enjoy, and go check out "Firsts."**

* * *

\- First Prank -

Having brothers means that sometimes toys are broken. It also means that they'll try to cheer you up, no matter what it takes. All four brothers have experienced this, but one broken toy somehow led to a life-long love of pranks.

Living with three brothers can be stressful, so it came as no surprise when Leo had declared he would spend the day learning how to meditate. With small green legs shoulder-width apart and tiny, balled fists on hips, Leo tried to make himself look just as important as any other superhero while he told his brothers that they had the day off from training. Woops and hollers met the toddler's shell as he turned to walk into the dojo, still trying to maintain his superhero look.

Once the shoji doors had closed, the three youngest immediately went to grab their toys. Raph picked up a small monster truck Splinter had brought home from scavenging, Mikey grabbed a kid-sized kickball that had also been found during a scavenging trip, and Donnie had the Ken doll – _"it's an action figure!" _– Splinter had got him for his birthday. Donnie knew he would be mercilessly teased by his brothers for playing with the girl's toy, but he didn't feel like playing with his other toys.

As if on queue, Raph and Mikey started giggling before Raph slid his monster truck forward, making it crash into the Ken doll. Mikey burst into a fit of laughter when he saw Ken get run over by Raph's monster truck. Donnie picked Ken up before glaring at both of his brothers. He was about to move to a different part of the lair when felt someone grab Ken. He turned around and saw Raph holding onto one of Ken's arms.

"Hey, why don't you get rid of this and play with a different toy?"

"Because Father got it for my birthday."

Raph stared at his younger brother, completely confused, before asking, "So? It's a dumb toy for girls."

Donnie gasped, "Don't say that! Father tried really hard to get me something. I'm not gonna throw it away just 'cause you think it's dumb." Donnie tugged at his toy, "Now let go!"

And thus, the tug of war over the Ken doll began, each side trying to take it from the other. Eventually, Ken couldn't take it anymore and was torn apart. Both parties looked down at the broken toy in their hands before one of them snapped at the other.

"You broke it!"

Raph looked up at his brother and saw that he had started to cry. He tried to think of a way to make it better, but couldn't think of anything before Donnie had run off. Raph stared at the broken toy before stalking over to the couch to sulk.

Mikey looked at both of his older brothers sulking in opposite parts of the lair, then thought about getting his oldest brother to solve the problem. But he was learning how to meditate; Mikey didn't want to interrupt him with such a trivial matter. Mikey had to solve this by himself. He left his ball on the ground and walked over to Donnie.

Once he stood in front of his brother he thought about what he should do in order to cheer him up. An idea popped into his head and he grinned before waving his hand in front of his older brother. Once Donnie had looked up, Mikey smiled before starting his master plan.

"Hey Donnie! Look at this!"

Mikey hooked a green finger around the corner of his mouth and pulled up, then stuck out his tongue. He made an elongated "eeeehhhhhhh" sound to add to the comedic relief he hoped he was creating. Donnie just stared at him before looking back at the broken pieces of Ken in his hand. Mikey stopped when he noticed it hadn't worked, and another idea popped into his head. With a ,"I'll be back," he went to grab Leo's toy hammer.

"_I'm sure he won't mind me using it to help Donnie."_

When Mikey returned he gained Donnie's attention once more before he started hitting himself on the top of his head with the toy hammer. Mikey's efforts gained a short giggle before it turned into a sigh. Mikey puffed out his cheeks in annoyance as he tried to think of something else that would cheer up his brother. A smirk that promised misfortune to one of his brothers made it's way across his face. Mikey left his older brother once again to prepare for the demise of his other older brother.

Once all the preparations where in the right place, Mikey ran back to Donnie and grabbed his hand before dragging him into the main room. Donnie, utterly confused about what was going on, tried to ask his little brother what he was doing but had been shushed before he could voice his question. Mikey pointed at Raph, and then motioned for Donnie to stay where he was. Mikey walked behind Raph, took out a sharpie, then started drawing on the back of his brother's head. Raph whipped his head around and snarled at Mikey before lunging at him. Mikey danced out of the way, causing Raph to topple over the back of the sofa. Donnie started giggling as he saw his older brother splayed on the ground while his younger brother taunted the older.

Raph jumped up and ran after his little brother yelling, "You're a dead turtle Mikey!" along the way. Mikey jumped over some unseen object as he ran away from Raph. The older turtle ran into whatever Mikey had jumped over and fell flat on his face. Donnie let out a bark of laughter as he realized that his little brother had laid out trip wire for his older brother. When Raph stood up, he was met with a bucket of water being thrown in his face. Raph shook with rage as both of his younger brothers where on their shells laughing at him. With a cry, he let one well-known phrase rip through the air.

"You are so dead Mikey!"

* * *

**So, how was it? Feedback is always appreciated, and please send prompts. Also, this is a thought that has persisted to bother me throughout the week. What type of ****music would the turtles listen to? Personally, I think Leo would listen to alternative and/or classic rock. Raph would listen to heavy rock/metal during workouts then listen to something like R&amp;B when he thinks he's alone. Donnie would listen to either techno or classical. Mikey would listen to pop. What do y'all think? Please let me know.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys, guess who survived Hurricane Isele? This girl! Ok, so nemoshewolf gave me the prompt of the turtles sneaking out for the first time to go topside, and animesan gave me the prompt of the turtles doing something for Father's Day. For some reason, I couldn't separate the two prompts are separate ideas and so, this chapter was born. I have combined both ****prompts for this story, so I hope it turn out okay. Enjoy!**

* * *

\- Sneaking out on Father's Day -

It was coming. The most daunting day of the year was one day away. The one day that all four turtles put their heads together to come up with a plan was upon them. Yes, tomorrow was Father's Day.

Every year this day came and passed by in an uneventful manner. In the six years they've been alive, the best the boys could come up with was making breakfast in bed; which ended up being burnt toast and rubbery eggs. This year, they planned on making it the best Father's Day ever. So, after training concluded, they ran to their shared room and started unraveling their master plan.

"Okay guys, we have failed each and every time we have tried to have an awesome Father's Day, but this year will be different!"

Leo stood in front of his brothers, standing in his newly adopted hero pose. He looked at each one of them before continuing.

"In order to succeed, we need a plan – a good one. And we need to write it down this time so we don't forget." He directed his attention to his second youngest brother, "Donnie, you got that covered?"

The purple masked turtle nodded, "I've got it right in front of me."

"Good, now let's start. What are some ideas you have?"

The three youngest thought long and hard about what they wanted to do, some sticking out their tongues as they thought, before Raph piped up.

"I want to get Father a movie!"

Leo thought about Raph suggestion before deciding it was a sound idea.

"Ok, which one?"

And with that, Raph no longer knew what to do. His childish mind categorized this choice as a top priority, and rendered him speechless for an extended amount of time. His brothers stared at him; waiting for the decision they knew would eventually come. Raph quickly gave up when an answer didn't come. Frustrated by his inability to choose, he yelled, "I don't know!"

His brothers remained quiet after Raph's outburst, until big brother Leo came in to save the day.

"Father always liked Asian stuff. Why don't we get him a movie about that?"

All four agreed to their brother's proposal, which led to the next order of business. Mikey jumped up and down in his spot, waving his arms over his head while shouting, "Ooh, ooh me! Pick me!"

Leo sighed before calling on his youngest brother.

"Yes Mikey?"

"I want to make a cake!"

Mikey beamed proudly at his idea while his older brothers stared at him in shock. Sure they all had wanted to make a cake for Splinter, but that involved going to the surface to get the materials and ingredients needed to make one. It was very risky, but it was for Splinter. Leo decided to come back to Mikey's idea once they had figured out everything else thy needed to do. Which means that Donnie was left.

"Um, I want to make a duck out of wood for father."

Leo shook his head, "No Donnie, that would too long. Try something else."

Donnie pouted and thought of another idea.

"How about a rubber ducky? Then father can play with it in the bath."

Leo smiled and nodded, that sounded like a good idea to him.

Leo told them how he wanted to take a picture of the four of them for Splinter to keep. Then he went to the next phase of the plan; how to get all the things they needed without Splinter knowing. Leo looked uncomfortable and antsy when he told them that they would need to go to the surface to get what they needed. They all knew the consequences of leaving the lair. One of the few rules Splinter had drilled into them was, 'Do not go to the surface.' None of them were too keen on disobeying Splinter, but if it was for Splinter then it should be okay, right?

In the end, they all decided to wait until Splinter had fallen asleep before leaving the lair. It was a long wait, and the four turtles almost fell asleep several times, but they were able to stay up longer than Splinter, and got ready for what they were about to do. Leo and Donnie stuffed all their bedrolls and placed their masks nest to each one. Mikey and Raph started to walk to the entrance of the lair, being careful not to make any noise. Once the other two made it to the entrance, they slipped out as quietly as they could.

They walked down the semi-familiar sewer drains as they made their way to the first ladder leading up to the surface. Once the manhole cover was removed, they all filed out and gazed at their surroundings in awestruck wonder. The night sky was a pleasant shade of navy blue with a few grey tinted clouds ambling along. The walls of the alley were decorated in bright, multicolored words and symbols. The street just across from them was lit up with different colored lights. It was truly a scene to behold for the four young turtles; but they were on a mission, now was not the time to gawk. Leo looked around the alley to see if there was anything useful. He saw a large tin rectangle off to the side filled with black bags and other debris. He started to walk towards it, vaguely wondering if this was what his father called a dumpster.

Leo called his brothers over, and soon all four of them where looking through the rectangle, trying to find anything they might need to get for their father's special day. After what seemed like hours of sifting through garbage, Donnie let out a shout of glee as he held up a dirty rubber duck dressed in a green toga and tiara. Donnie looked for his brothers' approval of the duck, and jumped up and down when they said it was good. They found a few other things they would need, such as baking pans and a broken spatula, before they decided to look elsewhere.

Mikey was the first one out of the tin rectangle, which, in his mind, meant that he was the one to decide which way they went. The toddler ran towards the end of the alley and was about to run out into the street when he felt someone grab him and pull him back. Just as he was pulled into the safe confines of the alley, a taxi sped right by where he just was. Mikey stared up at his rescuer, only to find his oldest brother glaring at him. He knew what was coming next, and he didn't like it one bit.

"Mikey, what were you thinking? You can't go off by yourself. We need to stick together."

Mikey looked down at his feet and mumbled an apology before standing back up. His oldest brother sighs before looking around; there were several shops just across the street and not many pedestrians out at this time of night. He knew their best chances of getting what they needed quickly would be to cross the street in front of them, but there was a big risk with that. They could be spotted or hit by one of the fast, yellow squares that had passed them earlier. Judging by how fast and big they were, Leo guessed it would really hurt if it hit someone. Leo looked back at his brothers and heard them starting to complain about how cold they were. Leo looked back across the street and made his decision. He told all of them to hold hands and get ready to run. Leo waited for the next yellow square to pass before he bolted forward, nearly dragging his brothers in the process.

Once they had made it to the other side, Leo let go of Mikey's hand and went into the alley next to a shop with a lot of food in it. His brothers followed him before they discovered a door. Leo jumped up to try to reach the handle, but missed it. He tried again with the same results. He looked back at his brothers before asking Raph to get on his shoulders. Raph nodded and, with the help of his two younger brothers, got on top of Leo's shoulders. Raph reached up and grabbed the handle before pulling it open. Leo let out a pained hiss as the door was slammed into his head, and slowly backed up so his brothers could go in. Once Mikey and Donnie were inside, Raph jumped off of Leo's shoulders and held the door open for his big brother. The two oldest walked inside and immediately searched for the two youngest. They weren't hard to find as Mikey gave a triumphant shout. They followed it and saw their little brother holding up a box that had the words 'Cake Mix' written on it. All four turtles smiled and looked around for icing. It was during this time that Donnie found a $5 bill lying discarded near the bread section. When he brought it back to his brothers, they decided to put it on a counter for the owner to find. Once they found the icing, they left the store to continue their hunt.

They ran down two blocks before coming across a video store. Once again they walked down the side alley, and once again Raph stood on Leo's shoulders to reach the handle. This time, however, Leo anticipated the opening of the door and moved out of the way just in time. When all four of them entered, they wasted no time and went straight towards the section that looked like it had the most Asian influenced movies. Two brothers stood back as they let Raph decide what movie he wanted to get for Splinter. He ended up picking "The Karate Kid," and all three walked over to where Leo was looking at cameras. Seeing that his brother had picked a movie, Leo grabbed the first camera he saw and led his brothers back to the manhole cover they had come out of.

* * *

Once they returned to the lair, the four turtles started hiding what they had gotten. While his brothers hid their presents, Leo grabbed a marker and four pieces of paper. Trying to write as quickly as possible while still making it neat, Leo wrote a different word on each piece of paper that made a sentence when put in the right order. He then gathered his brothers together, put them in a line, and then handed them each a sheet of paper he had written on. Leo ran to set up the camera before running back and taking his spot in the line. When the camera flashed, Leo ran back to see how well the picture turned out. He let a satisfied smile creep across his face as he held the picture in his hand. Yes, it had turned out well.

The four brothers woke up early that morning in order to prepare for Father's Day. They started by checking on their hidden items to see if they were disturbed, then went into the kitchen to prepare breakfast for their father. This time the toast wasn't burnt and the scrambled eggs were just slightly runny. Making sure that everyone got to hold something; Leo had Mikey carry the eggs, Donnie carry a glass of water, Raph carry a tray, which left him with the toast. All four of them walked carefully into their father's room and placed the breakfast items on the tray after Raph had put it on their father's lap. They then crowded around their father's head and looked at each other's smiling faces before they all simultaneously yelled, "HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!"

While the old rat was awake, the sudden shouting of his sons shocked him enough for him to bolt upright in his bed. When his sons giggled at his reaction, Splinter felt his features soften. He looked at the four turtles surrounding him and smiled at each one before asking, "So, what devious tricks do you have in store for me this year?"

His sons laughed and then pointed at the tray sitting in Splinter's lap. He looked back at his sons before asking the obvious question.

"Did you make this for me?"

All of them nodded their heads eagerly and watched as their father took a bite of the eggs. He swallowed and smiled at then before telling them how good it was. Which was true, it was a full three steps above what it had been last year. Knowing his sons wouldn't leave until he had finished all of it, Splinter dug into his meal heartily then let his sons drag him into the main room. They had him sit down on the sofa then proceeded to give him the gifts they had gotten last night. Raph was the first to present his gift.

"This is for you father. I know how much you like Asian stuff, so I got you this!"

Raph heard Mikey snicker when he had said that he knew what Splinter liked, but didn't let it ruin the moment as he pulled "The Karate Kid" from behind his shell. Splinter looked surprised to see the new-looking case that held the movie, but didn't say anything as he was touched by his son's extravagant gift.

Donnie came up next and handed a rubber ducky dressed up as The Lady of Liberty. He told Splinter how he got that for him so he could play with it in the bath. Splinter smiled at his son's thoughtfulness, and watched as Leo walked up next. His eldest son cleared his throat before starting to talk.

"Father, you mean so much to all of us and I want you to know just how much we love you. I took this picture of the four of us so that you'll always remember how much we love you."

Leo placed the photo in Splinter's paws, then backed up. Splinter looked down at the photo and took in a quick breath. There, in the photo, stood his four sons; all smiling and holding a piece of paper in their hands. The line his sons stood in went from Raphael, Michelangelo, Donatello, and lastly, Leonardo. The words on the papers made a sentence he would forever cherish.

_We love you dad_

Splinter looked up at his sons and thanked them for their generosity, but then Mikey piped up.

"It's not over yet, there's still my present."

Splinter cocked and eyebrow at his youngest son's statement.

"Oh? And what would that be Michelangelo?"

Mikey flashed a brilliant smile, "I'm gonna make a cake!"

With that, all four turtles rushed into the kitchen to help make the cake. It would be a good long hour before the emerged from the kitchen, which gave Splinter time to ponder how his sons had managed to get him these gifts. When they came back to announce that the cake was ready, Splinter decided that sometimes he could let his sons keep a secret to themselves. After all, Father's Day was not meant to be spent lecturing your sons.

* * *

**So, how was it? Prompts and constructive criticism are welcome. See you next time!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys, animesan wanted me to write about the turtles playing hide and seek in the sewers and then getting lost. Oh, some interesting tidbit about hide and seek; did y'all know that the game was created to teach little kids to stay in one place if they ever get lost? I used that knowledge to create some irony in the story. Enjoy! **

* * *

\- Seek and Find -

All he wanted was some, well-deserved, peace and quiet. Was that too much to ask for? Apparently so, especially if he had four rambunctious toddlers to look after. If only they would be quiet for an hour or two, that would be enough; but the only time they're quiet is when they're sleeping, and they have out-grown nap time. They needed something to do outside of the Lair, but what could they do that he deemed safe? They couldn't be left alone in the sewers by themselves, they could get lost. _They would not be alone if they stuck together, _an irrational part of him had thought. He couldn't let himself think that way, but he so wanted to relax in a calm environment. He deserved that much for raising the four turtles, right? Right. It would do them good to go out on their own every once in a while, and they could learn more about the tunnels surrounding their home. Yes, letting them out would be a learning experience for them. It was all about their education, not his need for relaxation. With this in mind, Splinter stood and walked into the main room where he knew his sons would be playing. As he walked towards his sons, he saw that each one of them turned to face them, once they noticed him. Splinter stood in front of them and told them, in the calmest voice he could muster, that they could play in the sewers. His words were met with high-pitched squeals as they ran out the door and into the sewers beyond.

* * *

All four brothers were giggling and squealing in delight as they ran through the tunnels. To any outsider, they would have been disgusted by what they saw; but the turtles saw it as an adventure, a new place to explore and play. They stopped running when an idea popped into each one of their heads. They all turned to face one another before saying, in complete unison, "Let's play a game!"

They all giggled at their synchronization, and asked they asked one another what they wanted to play.

"Space Heroes!"

"Doctor!"

"Mafia!"

"Hide and Seek!"

They each looked at each other, confused as to why the other three didn't want to play the game he suggested. Then an argument broke out over which game they played. The bickered for what seemed like hours before Leo switched into "authoritative mode," drawing out all of his big brother powers in order to put an end to the argument.

"Stop it! Now! We're going to play Hide and Seek since it was Mikey's turn to pick a game. So who wants to be 'it'?"

His brothers shuffled from foot to foot; none of them wanted to be "it" first. Leo sighed before taking up the mantle of being "it." His brothers thanked him before he turned around to let them hide in secret. He started his countdown at twenty, since he couldn't count much higher than that. The only one that could was Donnie; he could count up to fifty!

Once he reached zero, Leo turned around and stood in place for a long moment, debating on which way to go. He eventually chose left, since they had come from the right. He continued on this path for what felt like days to his young mind, before he reached a fork in the tunnel. He stood in front of the cross-section and tried to decide which path his brothers had taken. He peered down each tunnel before stepping into the right one. He travelled along the path until he came up to a little niche in the tunnel wall. Smiling to himself, Leo was sure one of his brothers where there. He slowly crept up to it before jumping in front of it while yelling, "BOO!"

His brother screamed and he laughed to himself. He heard his brother say, "That's not funny," as he crawled out of the niche. Once he stood up, Leo recognized him as Donnie. Leo grinned as he explained the rules to Donnie.

"Ok, so now that I've found you, you have to help me find Mikey and Raph." Donnie nodded, "Did they go down this way too?"

Donnie shook his head, "I don't know. I was the last one to leave."

Leo pouted, but kept most of his disappointment to himself.

In the end, they decided to continue down the tunnel. Raph and Mikey might be up ahead.

* * *

Mikey crouched in his corner, peering past the edge every so often to see if Leo would amble down the tunnel. He never did. Mikey was starting to get scared, he was alone, in the dark, and his brother hadn't found him yet. Part of him wanted to run find his brother, but the other part wanted to stay hidden in case his brother walked down the tunnel he was hidden in. A long time had past since he had first found his hiding spot, and yet his brother still hadn't shown up. _What if Leo never finds me? What if I'm stuck here forever? What if someone else finds me instead? What if… What if…_

Many "What if" scenarios circled around the poor turtle's mind, scaring him even further. At this point he was crying, and his fear drove him to leaving his hiding spot in order to look for one of his brothers. Tears blurring his sight, the young turtle stumbled through the tunnel until he heard a familiar voice.

"Mikey?"

It was his big brother Raph! Mikey ran towards the voice and tackled it to the ground.

"Oof! Mikey, what are you doing?"

Raph pried the sobbing turtle off of him, before he realized that Mikey was, indeed, crying. Raph put his hands on his little brother's shoulders before asking him what was wrong. Mikey was able to choke out the whole story in between sobs and sniffling. Raph was at a loss for what to do. On one hand, they could wait there together; on the other hand, they could try to find their other two brothers. Neither sounded like a good option. Raph pulled Mikey into a hug while he tried to think of what to do. They stayed like that until Raph decided on a third option. He and Mikey would go back home and tell their father what happened. He would know what to do.

Raph let go of Mikey and stood up before taking his little brother's hand. He told Mikey what they were going to do before setting out on the trek back home.

* * *

Leo and Donnie were completely lost. They had no idea how they had gotten where they were, no idea on how to get back, and had two brothers waiting to be found. To top it all off, both of them were starting to panic. Donnie was looking over his shoulder every two seconds and was pressed up to Leo as if he was afraid his big brother would disappear. Leo was showing his panic in a different way. He narrowed his eyes and tried to pick up the slightest noise that might give away one of his hidden brothers' hiding spot. He griped Donnie's hand to show his brother that he was there, and so that he knew Donnie was there. Both were too distracted to notice that the floor had become increasingly slippery and uneven. All it took was a misplaced foot to make the two brothers come crashing down.

Leo, ever the big brother, griped Donnie's hand tighter and pulled the falling turtle over him so Donnie would land on him, and not the rocky floor just below them. Just as Leo had wanted, Donnie landed on top of him, but the added weight caused his body to dig farther into the rocky floor. It cut into the skin on his palms, knees, and face while leaving bruises yet to form on other various parts of his body. Leo grunted as he felt Donnie's weight shift off of him. Once Donnie had stood up, he looked back to his big brother and asked him if he needed help getting up. Leo was able to push himself up onto shaky legs before resting a hand on the tunnel wall. He hissed as the cut on his palm touched the rough surface (they would find out later in life that that tunnel had been abandoned). Donnie cautiously walked towards Leo and gaped when he saw the cuts that littered his brother's cheek and knees. Donnie reached out to grab Leo's other hand, only to retract it when he felt a warm, sticky substance and heard his brother hiss.

Leo knew the look that Donnie had on his face. Donnie was scared, confused, and panicking. He had to do something to take his brother's mind off of his injuries, and he had to do it soon. With no clear plan in mind, Leo blurt out the first thing he thought of.

"Do you want to play Doctor?"

Donnie stared at Leo like he was crazy. This was no time to be playing Doctor! They were lost, their brothers were lost, and Leo was h –

"You can be the Doctor, and I'll be the sick person."

Donnie shook his head; sometimes he could not believe the nerve his brother had.

"Leo, now is not the time to play Doctor we gotta find –"

"Help me Doctor Donnie. I don't feel too good."

Leo pushed off the tunnel wall and swayed before falling on top of Donnie in a dramatic fashion. He completed the "helpless victim look" by putting the back of his hand on his forehead and tilting his head to the side. Leo decided to push it a little more by adding, "Only you can save me Doctor Donnie!" and coughing into his other hand.

Despite himself, Donnie smiled at his big brother's antics before playing along. In his best doctor voice, Donnie lowered his chin and said, "What seems to be the problem?"

* * *

Raph and Mikey ran into Splinter's room the moment they made it back home. As soon as the doors to Splinter's room slammed open, Splinter was met with the distraught faces of two of his sons. He felt a knot grow in the pit of his stomach as he looked at his two sons. Something was wrong, and he would make sure to fix it.

"What is wrong my sons?"

That one question led to the floodgates opening. Michelangelo sobbed as he ran into his father and buried his face into his father's clothes. Raphael stood still and looked at the floor while his father gently embraced his little brother, secretly wishing he was being hugged like that too.

They stayed like that until Mikey had stopped crying. Once his father had let go, Splinter had asked again what was wrong. Raph told him the entire story. Once he had finished, Splinter stood up and walked briskly towards the entrance. He turned back to his sons and told them to wait here until he returned, in case their brothers found their way back. Then he left.

Splinter raced down the sewer tunnels searching for his sons. He called out their names many times over as paternal instincts took over his mind. He took different tunnels felt and right, somehow knowing that his sons would be at the trail. He trek took him longer than expected, but he was able to find his sons in the end.

He turned the corner of yet another tunnel and heard the sounds of his sons' voices. As he got closer, he could make out the words.

"C'mon Leo! I did the best I could to heal you, know it's up to you to stay alive!"

Was his son injured? Fear coursed through his body at the thought of loosing one of his children.

"I'm trying Doctor Donnie, but I don't think I'll make it."

Oh god, that was Leonardo! His son sounded so weak and frail. What happened to his son?

"Don't say that! You will make it; I know it! It's only a hole in your tummy and a fever, you've been through worse!"

WHAT!? A hole in his stomach!? Whoever had done this will pay dearly!

Splinter put on a burst energy to try to reach both of his sons before it was too late.

"I'm sorry Doctor Donnie, this is it for me. Tell the others I love them…"

"NO! LEO! You can't die!"

And that's what did it for him. Splinter let out a roar and sprinted all the way to where his sons were. When he got there, he expected to see the worst. Instead, he saw his sons giggling and rolling on the ground. Splinter stood still in confusion. Had he imagined what he had heard?

"Okay, what should we do next?"

"Oo, Oo. How about you just fell down the stairs and broke your arm."

Nope, looks like he hadn't imagined it, his sons were playing Doctor. He just wished they hadn't picked such gruesome injuries.

Splinter cleared his throat to gain his sons attention. The reaction was instantaneous. Both his sons leapt up from the ground and ran over to Splinter, both yelling "Daddy!"

Splinter smiled as his sons hugged him. He went to embrace both of them, but noticed Leonardo had small cuts littering his palms, cheeks, and knees. When Splinter asked what happened, Leo proudly stated, "I protected Donnie."

While Splinter wondered what his son had meant, he was just glad to see his sons again. He picked them both up and carried them home.

Once they had returned home, Michelangelo and Raphael swarmed Splinter; both glad to see that their father and brothers were back in, mostly, one piece.

* * *

**So, did you like all the irony in there? I thought it was pretty clever. As always, I would greatly appreciate it if you would send me a prompt. See ya next time!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys, so both Crystal Violeta and Secrethearts wanted me to write a sequel to the last chapter where Leo got sick from an infection. So, here it is! I hope y'all like it. Enjoy!**

* * *

\- Only in Sickness -

Taking care of one son can be difficult if the other three keep pestering their father about said son; at least, that's how Splinter viewed it. He had moved his oldest son into his room since Leonardo's brothers were becoming too clingy for the turtle to handle. However, now that Splinter had moved the sick turtle to his room and told them they were not to go in, the brothers now pestered Splinter. Which led to how he was dealing with it now, hiding from his sons in his room. It was convenient too; he could watch over Leonardo while Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael stayed away from them both. That's not to say that Splinter didn't feel guilty, he did, but he would pop a vein if his sons questioned him about Leonardo again.

Throughout the whole ordeal, they were worried about their big brother, especially Donatello, but they didn't know what they could do to help. All three did what they thought was best, cling to their big brother and hope whatever made him sick went away. While Leonardo would never tell his brothers that they were smothering him too much, it became apparent when Leonardo gained a relieved look in his eyes after his brothers had left. Seeing this, Splinter brought Leonardo into his room and forbade his sons from going in. Which led to Splinter's current predicament.

Splinter sighed as he wiped a damp washcloth over his son's face. He would have to leave the sanctuary of his room soon to make his son soup; the poor turtle couldn't handle solids at the moment. Splinter put the washcloth over the lip of the bucket and stood up. He told his son where he was going before leaving the room.

Soon after Splinter had left, the sliding door opened and revealed Leo's younger brothers. They filed in quickly and quietly before carefully shutting the door. Once the task was completed, the three brothers sat around Leo and asked him how he felt. Leo smiled dimly at each of them and told them he was feeling better. They all nodded, content with their big brother's answer except for Donnie. He placed his hand on Leo's forehead and took it back before announcing that Leo still felt warm. Leo frowned at his brother, but said nothing else. Donnie was like this; he needed to make sure that his family was telling the truth.

Mikey scooted closer to Leo before curling up into his big brother's side, mumbling something about how he was glad Leo felt better. Leo smiled at his little brother and put his arm around Mikey. Donnie and Raph stared at the scene in front of them before Raph nudged Donnie with his elbow. He knew what this meant; Raph was trying to encourage Donnie to saw what he had wanted to since Splinter had brought him and his brother home. Donnie sucked in a breath before letting it out in one go.

"LeoI'msorryyougothurt'causeofme."

Leo stared at Donnie in bewilderment before chuckling. "It's not your fault Donnie, this stuff happens. I'm just glad you're ok."

It was Donnie's turn to stare at his brother in bewilderment before he smiled and curled up into Leo's other side. Raph watched as Leo put his other arm around Donnie, and felt as if he should be curled around his brother too. Raph moved over to the side Mikey was on and curled around Leo's shoulder. He put a hand on Leo before saying, "You did good big brother."

Leo smiled at Raph and nudged his brother with his head.

Splinter entered his room to find three of his sons curled around their big brother. Even though he knew they shouldn't be in here, he couldn't help but smile at the scene in front of him. Splinter made his footsteps heavier as he walked over to the bucket. He placed the bowl of soup next to it before addressing his sons.

"I know you want to be with your brother, but he needs to eat. You can come back once Leonardo has finished eating."

The three turtles got up from their spots reluctantly and left the room. Splinter helped Leonardo sit up before handing him the bowl of soup. Leo at slowly, as if testing his stomach to see if it would betray him. So his son ate, Splinter asked if his brothers had bothered him. Leonardo answered truthfully and said they did at first, but then realized they needed more comfort than he did, and that he was happy to provide that much needed comfort. Splinter nodded to show he understood.

Once Leonardo finished, Splinter took the bowl from his son's hands and walked to the kitchen. As he cleaned the bowl, he heard the door to his room open and close. He shook his head in amusement, it seemed as though they really did need comfort from their big brother.

Splinter entered his room to find his sons in the same position they were in last time he entered the room, except this time they were all asleep. Splinter, yet again, smiled at the scene in front of him; his sons were truly special.

Splinter lay down behind Donatello and gathered all his children into his arms. He smiled again as he felt them snuggling closer to him and his oldest son. His sons would sleep well tonight, Yes, tonight would be a good night.

* * *

**So, was it good? Please send prompts, but only if you want to. See y'all!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys, sorry this is so short, I didn't have a lot of time to write this one. Guest asked my to write a story where the turtles go up to the surface and get spotted by humans. Originally, I had this going in a different direction, but after I started writing it morphed into this. Hope you like it!**

* * *

\- On their Trail -

Today was the day Splinter had finally let them play in the sewers without supervision, as long as they used the buddy system. All four brothers were excited about this turn of events and left immediately to explore their newfound freedom. They started out with races and slowly progressed to tag. Each brother laughed and yipped as they were tagged and chased by their brothers. All in all, it was a rather fun and productive day, in their eyes. However, life as a mutant turtle is not all sunshine and rainbows, and the other shoe was just waiting to drop.

There was a lull in the turtles' merrymaking as they all tried to catch their breath. Each one smiling with such pure innocence that only a child could contain. While waiting for their second wind, they heard the slosh of disturbed sewer water up ahead. They all froze before diving into hiding spots, and waited for the sound to fade. But instead of fading, it grew. The sloshing became louder and louder, and with it the sound of voices accompanied it.

"I can't believe we have to do this! Everything smells down here."

"I know, right. I mean, I know the sewers smell bad, but I didn't think they would smell this bad."

"Let's just get this over with and get out of here. I heard there were alligators living in the sewers, and I don't want to get eaten."

Three voices total, that meant three times the danger for the turtles. They stood stock still as they waited for the voices to go away, yet they still came closer.

"Yeah, I heard about that too. It's supposed to be albino, right? With razor sharp teeth. Big, ugly thing."

"Yep, that's it. I heard it bit a guy's arm off."

"No way! I heard that it ripped a guy in half with its bare hands!"

"That's just a rumor. There's no way an alligator could use its hands. They walk on those."

"Well that's what Janette said! You can ask her about it."

By this point, the three intruders were almost next to the turtles' hiding spots. Each brother grew nervous as they held their breath and hoped the voices would turn around before they spotted the brothers.

The voices were right next to Raphael's hiding spot when one of them decided that was as far as they needed to go. After they turned around and left, the four brothers let out the breath that they were holding. The four slowly crept out of their hiding spots before convening. They were about to go home when Raph piped up.

"Let's go after them! We need to learn them not to come back!"

Donnie sighed before adding his two-cents, "Its 'teach them,' not 'learn them.'"

"Whatever. We still need to let them now this is our place, not theirs."

Mickey looked at his big brothers before saying, "I don't know. What if they're mean?"

"Then we beat them!" Raph was becoming more and more passionate about this, and each brother knew there was nothing they could do once Raph got like that. They all nodded and went after the voices.

They followed the voices' trail until it led them to a ladder, which connected the surface to the sewer. They all hesitated and looked to each other before Donnie had asked Raph if he really wanted to do this. Raph stayed adamant about his decision, and they all climbed up the ladder and popped up on the world above. They were greeted by the sounds of cars rushing by, horns honking, sirens wailing, and six collective gasps from behind them. The four turtles turned around and met a group slightly larger than the one they encountered in the sewers.

Raph and Leo stepped forward as they felt their younger brothers trembling behind them. None of them expected there to be this many humans, but the two oldest would put on a brave face for the younger two. Both turtles gave the humans their most menacing glare before Raph spoke.

"I'm only gonna say this once. Stay out of the sewers, that's our territory." Raph grinned as he thought of something else he could add, "Or else we'll eat you!"

The humans nodded their heads a little too much to show that they understood.

"Good, now get out of here before I change my mind."

The humans didn't need to be told twice. They ran away from the turtles in a mad dash. Raph watched them leave, and couldn't help the smile that was crawling across his face. Today he had defended his brothers without any assistance. He was very proud of himself, and apparently, so was his older brother. While they were walking back home, Leo pulled Raph aside and gave him a warm smile before saying, "I'm proud of you bro."

* * *

**So, how was it? Please send a prompt if you have an idea for what you want to see next. Also, I am going to ****recommend a fan-made manga for y'all. It's called MNT Gaiden and its about our favorite turtles. If you haven't read this, then I highly recommend doing so. It is fantastic, and has great character development! See y'all next time!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys, Crystal Violeta asked me to write a story where Mikey sleeps with Leo after he had a nightmare. Hope y'all like it, and sorry for the lack of long chapters. I've been in a writing funk lately, but I'll try to make the chapters longer next time.**

* * *

\- Nightmare Killer -

_He was running. He didn't know where from or where to; all he knew was that it was dark and if he stopped running then something would get him. So he kept running. A feral growl sounded behind him. He turned to look and saw beady, red eyes cut through the darkness. He yipped and ran twice as fast, but he was tiring. Soon he would have to stop to rest, but for now he kept going._

_He was gasping for breath; his legs were burning. He needed to stop. He looked behind him once more and didn't see anything. He stopped, put his hands on his thighs, and tried to catch his breath. He heard the growl again, and looked up to find those beady eyes right in front of his own. He screamed._

Michelangelo woke with a jolt, sending his covers tumbling over his legs and trapping them. He looked around wildly for the thing that had been chasing him, but found that he was in the room he shared with his brothers. The candle in the corner emitting a soft light that chased the monsters away, well most of them. Not all monsters could be scared off by candlelight.

Mikey was scared, and he couldn't go back to sleep; he needed someone to help. He first thought of Master Splinter, but he had been in a foul mood lately. What about Donnie? No, his older brother did not like to be woken up in the middle of the night, especially if it was because one of his brothers had a nightmare. Then what about Raph? Raph cared a lot about his brothers, even if he didn't like to show it. Raph was strong too; he could drive away the scary monster. Making up his mind, Mikey went over to Raph's bedroll and tried to wake him up. He shook him once, twice, thrice, but he still didn't wake up. A frown made its way across Mikey's face as he started poking his older brother. Sill nothing. Giving up, Mikey looked around his room once more before his eyes settled on his big brother. Leo, of course! Leo would always help Mikey with whatever he needed. Why hadn't he thought of his big brother before?

Walking over to his big brother's sleeping form, Mikey lightly shook him once and saw his big brother's eyes start to open. Leo blinked a few times and groggily stared at his little brother.

"Mikey? What's wrong?"

Leo sounded so tired, maybe this wasn't a good idea. Mikey looked down and mumbled something that sounded like "nothing." Leo sighs and moves over, then pats the spot he had previously occupied. Mikey wordlessly complies and snuggles close to his big brother. Leo holds him close and gently strokes his head.

"Was it a nightmare?"

Mikey nods and moves closer to Leo.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Mikey shakes his head, but does so anyway. He told Leo how something was chasing him. How he couldn't get away from it, how scary it was. Leo took this all in, and when Mikey was done, he looked his little brother in the eye and told him with such conviction that it had had to be true.

"Mikey, no matter what happens, I will be there for you. Nothing is going to hurt you while I'm around. Your safe."

Mikey nods and pulls Leo closer so he could hug him. Leo returns the hug, then hears Mikey's breathing even out. Leo chuckles to himself, _'Mikey must have been tired.' _Leo closes his eyes and succumbs to sleep as well, but keeps his hold on his little brother so he knows that he's not alone.

_Mikey is in that same dark place again, and the monster is still there but something is keeping it away from him. Mikey squints and sees that Leo is bravely standing between him and the monster. Leo looks back at Mikey and smiles._

"_No matter what happens, I'll be there for you. Nothing is going to hurt you while I'm around. Your safe."_

* * *

**How'd you like it? please let me know, and send me a prompt if you have one. See y'all later!**


End file.
