[He knows he has never raised a child before, let alone four children. And the most he knows about kids is from his experiences with April back at the lab. And he understands that he is not meant for this, not supposed to be meant for this. Yet, somehow, along the way it feels like he is]
"You will not lay a hand on my sons." -Splinter
"Your sons? You think you're their father?!" -Shredder
Bayverse
Each and every one of their movements is recognizable from their time in the lab. And he can see their growing personalities set in everyday. And although the odds are they will grow and differ, the thought that they are growing is what excites him. They are only 6 months old. He has only had them for 4 months and yet, everyday he is learning something new.
Splinter rocks the four children in a cradle with the quiet hum of the subway acting in as a lullaby. During the day, trains are much more active and Michelangelo cries when he hears them. His tears always eventually set the other three off and Splinter's heart breaks when he hears the sobbing. But he knows there is little he can do.
Because if they were like the humans they would not be hiding in a filthy, deserted subway station in the first place. They would have a safe home, full of protection, love, and exploration.
Splinter never knows what to do when they try to crawl around, because you don't know who's down there or what could happen, and he's not willing to take a chance in their lives.
They do not understand it yet and they will not for many more years, but someday they will grasp the fiery protectiveness in his heart and hopefully it will spread to theirs, because if there's anything else he wants more than life itself is to have that same love he holds so dearly towards them, be used to protect each other.
And he remembers that whenever he thinks of the warmth and happiness they bring him already. They are now his children. They are no longer confined to a cage and neither is he. They are free and he has them.
Someone inside the cradle makes a small yawning noise, so Splinter sits up and brushes his tail against the blankets, smoothing them out. The sound stops, but he does notice small, blue eyes sleepily staring back at him. He picks the infant up in his arms and continues rocking the cradle, with his tail.
"Da-da."
They are no longer infants.
"Da-da!"
Yet they are still learning how to speak.
Splinter sighs from the 'counter' of their brand new home. Hours of trekking through subway grounds and rusty wires, all well carrying 4 eighteen month olds, had actually gotten them somewhere.
Their home is messy. Most nights it is freezing cold. But it is father away from the public eye, which is needed when you have 4 children who cannot be seen and do not understand why.
Plus, the home's benefits are increasing daily.
Sometimes there is working water. A few miles away, construction workers leave their lunches, a perfect opportunity for Splinter to grab them. A mattress was nearby that is big enough for all four of his sons, and the second Splinter brought it in, they all cheered.
And added with the slightly cracked dishes, a small wooden bench, and a few toys he has found for them, his children do not seem to mind the working problems.
"Coming, my sons."
When he walks into the area designated as their bedroom, he sees his children playing race cars. The paint job on each car is peeling and the pretend windows are cracked, but they don't seem to mind that either. Raphael screams race car noises well Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael run, the best they can, up to greet him.
He plants a kiss on each of their small heads and Michelangelo waves his arms up in the air. Splinter smiles as he crouches down beside them. "What are we playing today?"
His answer is a beaten down race car being sent his way, curtesy of Raphael.
Splinter's smile stays as he picks it up and proceeds to roll it back to him. Immediately, all four of his children giggle in response, as if what he has done is single-handily the greatest thing in the world.
He knows toys are hard to come by and truthfully, they deserve so much more. They deserve the world, but he cannot give it to them.
And although a part of that breaks him, he focuses on this part, where his sons are so overjoyed and purely happy that he is playing with them.
He spends the rest of the afternoon playing race cars with his children.
He is still learning.
The turtles are 6 now and everyday, he is discovering something new. Raphael and Michelangelo do not know how to calm themselves when play wrestling turns into real fighting and Donatello simply has to touch everything they own.
Leonardo believes he is old enough to solve all problems the world throws at them.
Splinter does not know where these thoughts come from, because he knows he has never thought them himself. And he certainly has never told his eldest that just because his younger brothers are misbehaving, he, as the older brother, must be responsible.
Yet, even Splinter has to admit, it certainly is very endearing to watch Leonardo as he jumps in front of Donatello and begs Splinter not to be angry with whatever the second youngest has gotten himself into this time. And then there's the situations where, at the first sound of screaming in Mikey and Raph's direction, Leonardo promises he will handle it and proceeds to speed off in their direction.
Splinter never knows what to say when he does it. And, for awhile, he feared his eldest might be afraid when he is angry.
So Splinter tries not to raise his voice very often. Instead a light scolding and a suggestion on how to fix the problem is his reply.
Though, as he pays more attention to Leonardo, these fears wash away. And he soon notices just how much Leonardo is trying to act like him.
In the morning, Leonardo insists on pouring his own breakfast, followed by an offer of pouring everyone else's.
Raphael is quick to state he does not want Leonardo near his food, but Michelangelo and Donatello really do not seem to mind. And a few times a week, Splinter even allows his oldest child to pour his own milk. The whole thing never fails to leave a mess in the process.
Splinter is not sure what Leonardo is striving to be. Perhaps, it is as simple as being a good older brother. Though, that does not completely explain the many arguments with Raphael..
He does notice, though, Leonardo asking many more questions about what Splinter is doing.
"Where are you going?"
"To find food, my son."
"Can I come?"
"You must stay with your brothers this time."
"Why?"
"I am not going to the normal finding spots and I do not want you wandering off."
"I won't wander!"
"My son.."
He ends up taking not just Leonardo, but all of his children. He simply cannot resist any of their precious begging eyes and desperate pleas. And of course, they are thrilled at these new exploring grounds, and as a result, Splinter is petrified.
Leonardo takes Michelangelo and Donatello's hands to keep them from going far. He offers to watch over Raphael, but Raphael is so sure that he can watch himself.
Splinter smiles a little upon watching the six year old's conversation unfold, but soon reality hits him hard, and he goes back to guarding all four of them.
He finds the book when the turtles are 9. And just like that, his life changes. No longer does he need to worry that if someone finds them, they will be taken. No longer must he keep a constant watch over his four sons, making sure that no humans discover their presence and the location of their brand new home.
They will be safe. Because now, he can physically protect them.
He learns martial arts quickly and he teaches them even sooner. The movements come easy for him because he realizes why it is so important he masters them.
His children do not though.
He tells them that this book of safety is a blessing they cannot simply overlook. But they still don't understand why all of a sudden, they need to fight.
Splinter tells them how dangerous the world above can be if they are not careful, and he knows that they still have many questions. He does his best to answer them all, but he's never really lived freely above ground, and does not always know what to say. He cannot be positive that the humans will not accept them, but based on all he does know, along with his conscience, he's unfortunately close to sure that they won't.
Either way, he will not risk that chance. And he informs them of that, right away.
Leonardo is the first to comply, so Splinter demonstrates a few moves with him. Of course, this gets Raphael wanting to try it, followed by Michelangelo, who's more then happy to try that twirl thing he just did.
Donatello, still seems unsure, so Splinter speaks to him alone. The intelligent boy has read his fair share of human stories, most of these books gift's from Splinter, and Splinter knows he has read about wars and fights, and how they tend to only worsen things, yet when he sits the second youngest down, he does not expect Donatello to tell all his fears right away.
"-I don't think that we really need too. And Mikey may get hurt. And somebody cou-could.."
As Donatello trails off, Splinter rubs the child's head in an act of comfort. Donatello whispers silently and although Splinter can't hear what he is saying, the father still replies;
"The act of battle can be grave, yes, but you are simply being trained for the worst case scenario. I truly hope you and your brothers will never have to use what I am teaching you, other for something as simple as sparring, but in case, you do, you, and your brothers will be safe."
Donatello nods and does not comment on it any further. And after a few days, he seems just as excited with his progress, as his brothers.
At ten, they call him sensei. And no longer do they yell or complain when something does not go their way.
They are flourishing along with the martial arts. But their wondrous skill is not what takes him by surprise.
It is his new name.
His four sons have gone fully into this. Incorporating ninjutsu into part of their everyday life. Michelangelo does not need to do the dreaded task of reaching over to the found box of pizza when he can simply borrow a katana, stab a slice, and lift it towards him.
Splinter makes a mental note of speaking to his youngest about the sanitary effects of that choice, but he puts it on the back burner for now.
"I am very proud of each one of you." Splinter says after every training session. Their immediate response is now an obedient, "thank you sensei."
They are truly growing, though Splinter is not quite sure when he'll grow enough to recognize his new name.
And the whole thing doesn't make much sense, considering he is the one who told them to call him sensei, because what the book told him. It is what the book refers to as a teacher, and it is now his job to teach them.
Unfortunately still, sensei is not dad. And truthfully it never will be. Because sensei means teacher and father is everything else.
However, Splinter is learning to separate those two positions from the training room to the rest of their home. After all, even with he occasional "sensei" on a day off from ninjutsu, he still knows they know that he is not just their teacher, but their father.
He knows this by the conversations, the hugs, and their laughter.
His 13 year old sons thrive on ninjutsu.
When he first teaches them, they master it quickly. But this.. this was incredible. It has only been four short years and they have excelled, each in their own, unique ways.
Everyday when they are showing him a new move, he writes down their strengths and weaknesses and applauds them. The journal he writes these things down in is now nearly full and more than once, he has needed to stick regular pieces of paper inside.
He does not have the heart to find a new one. Not when there are so many memories inside the current.
His sons are growing up so fast, not just emotionally but physically as well, and he cannot bear to part with a second of it.
Soon, he fears, they will be taller then he is.
Splinter immediately chuckles at that, because truthfully, they are nearly as tall as he is now. And he is sure they still have much more growing to do, though he hopes they do not grow too much taller. Otherwise they may need to find a different home.. with a higher ceiling. For now, that would have to be a problem for another time.
His sons are nearly 15, and they are beginning to defy his orders.
All their lives he has told them not to go above ground, and he has warned them of the dangers that lurk there. Yet somehow, curiosity seems to overtake fear with his sons, and if he didn't know better, he'd say they are proud of managing to get out from the world above, uninjured.
The first time they sneak out Splinter is waiting for them. He firmly tells them never to do this again, and reminds them how dangerous it is. They even appear to be listening.
The second and third time though, he has lost all reason of convincing that they will actually listen.
The Ha'shi made for a good 'teenaged time out spot' with each punishment specialized for each son. They groan and complain every time he brings it up, but he is proud of its early success.
Unfortunately, it's effect apparently does not last long enough on this issue, because he catches them in on the act once again. And this time, punishments are much more severe.
They do not tell him where they went right away, so he returns the favor in a rather harsh, yet seemingly appropriate matter.
He does not care how long it will take. They are not to be risking their lives just for a sense of adventure.
And he will make sure they do not sneak out again if it's the last thing he does.
Eventually, after 11 hours of this questioning game, Michelangelo breaks. And immediately afterwards, Splinter forgets about his whole no-going-above-ground rule.
They bring April O'Neil to the sewers, more accurately, they kidnap her.
Splinter does not completely approve of this, but he makes his complaints silent, because they did what he asked and the way it was done does not matter right now.
He can tell his sons have millions of questions when he sees April once again, and she recognizes him, which is something he does not at all expect after these many years.
15 years is a long time. And although, April O'Neil has always been part of his thoughts, he does not at all expect her to remember the small lab rat her father would test on.
She is the child, now adult, he bases his own parenting skills on, from many years ago. And although, it has been a long time, her relationship with her father was one Splinter always admired. Since mutating, he tries his hardest for his sons and him to have the same.
Splinter wants his sons to know the guardian angel who rescued them. And now they do. Life will never be the same.
Three of his four children are screaming for their father. They are rattling the bars in front of them with so much force, Splinter is grateful they haven't broken.
They do not need to be risking their lives, trying to save him. They do not need to see this at all..
Splinter desperately tells them to save themselves as his body is slammed to the ground by the one and only Shredder.
He wants to say something more, tell them how much he loves them and not to blame themselves. Never to blame themselves. But he is not given the chance, as each powerful throw, strips him of needed oxygen, throwing his body in ways that he should not move.
For a few minutes, somehow Splinter is sure the bars are broken and he is almost positive Leonardo, Donatello, and Michelangelo are in front of him. They have dropped their weapons. And Splinter knows he now must be delirious because this is not what he wanted. Never to give up...
Within seconds, something as sharp as a knife stabs his stomach and he moans out in pain. And just like that, the world comes to a close and darkness wraps around him.
The next time he awakes Raphael is throwing rocks off of his crushed body. He is not sure why there are rocks in the first place, but he knows something is horribly wrong.
April O'Neil and his second eldest are rushing, and he soon realizes that within seconds, he is being carried and brought to what must be the needle room.
Raphael has always been fast.
"I'm here."
His second eldest's voice flows to his ears and Splinter sighs in relief, because one of his four are visibly safe. And as he tries to form more coherent thoughts, speak words, April O'Neil and Raphael share a pained glance, and all at once, he knows what has happened.
"You must save your brothers.. Stop Shredder.. Go, Raphael." is the last thing Splinter says before the world goes black once more.
His children are 15 and yet, they have saved the world.
He is so incredibly proud of them. And he tells them that often. They have grown up before his very eyes, but somehow they are still the same small, rambunctious spirits he felt that love for, ever since they were small.
He still feels it everyday. And now that they patrol the city nightly, sometimes he feels it more then ever. But he has trained them well, both physically and emotionally, and he trusts that his son's now know what they are doing.
He was not ready to let them go. In one way or another, he still isn't. But they are growing up. They are growing. It excites him and he knows they are just excited over their own adventures.
Plus, they now have April O'Neil as a ally. And Splinter enlists her to tell them more about the outside world. And so what if they use her knowledge to have pizza for dinner every night for the rest of the week? According to his sons, they now have connections.
New York is a safer place with his children in it. And he knows that now. That fiery love and protectiveness he holds dear in his heart, is being used in each of his sons towards each other, just as he wants. All they needed was to believe that their true power lies in believing in one another. He is so incredibly proud of them..
Whatever the future holds, he is their father. And he will always have them.
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