Disclaimer: I don't own TMNT or its characters. I do however own Maya, Suki, Nico, Cora and Noah. They are mine and cannot be used without my permission.

Yeah, new story...kinda on a roll tonight and though I would finally post this after having it collect computer dust for the last year and a half. Enjoy.

XxX

"Ow...ow...OW! Will ya stop doing that!?"

Huffing in annoyance at her brother, Suki leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest as he pulled his hooded vest back on while being carefull of the bandages now covering his back. "Who were you fighting this time Niko? You know Mom don't like it when you do that."

The only answer she got was a snort as he pulled the hood up and poked his ears through the holes at the top. After that, he stood up and made his way towards his room.

"Niko, seriously. You need to stop doing that. Mom's not in the best of health anymore and you going out and getting into trouble isn't helping her at all."

"Ya think I don't know that? Ma isn't in good health because our FATHER isn't around to help. She works her fingers to the bones raising the four of us and working in the orchard!"

Suki watched as as Nico paced the room, his ears flat against his head while his tail flicked back and forth. She knew the subject of their father was a sensitive subject for him, as his leaving had hit him the hardest of all of them. Cora and Noah never knew Raphael, so his leaving never left a hole in their lives...Suki herself knew that sooner or later, he would have to leave them to go back to war with his brothers, their uncles, to protect them and this world from the evil of the Shredder.

At least, that was what she could remember from listening in on the stories their Uncle Usagi spoke of with her parents when she was little...

"That's why Mom needs you to stop fighting...it's bad enough you left school..."

"What good is that place anyway? We're OUTSIDERS Suki, ya know this! We'll never get a job in town, plus, I've learned all I wanted to learn. I can read, write and do math..." He counted out the three simple things by flicking the three, sharp and thick claws out on his right hand, using his pointer claw to pick at something stuck between his teeth. "I can hunt for my food in the lake and build my own shelter..."

"Not if you keep getting your butt kicked by the local bullies."

Nico hissed and flashed his fangs at her, his tail puffing up and his ears going flat again. "It wasn't a fair fight to begin with! Five grown men again one 15 year old is a load of bull-"

"A load of what?"

Turning around, both Nico and Suki watched as Noah walked in the front door carrying a basket of rice. They could hear Cora, the older twin, outside helping their mom bring the rest of the goods inside.

"Um...nothing kid, forget I said anything." Nico stated as he ruffled Noah's furry head, gently flicking his dark green ears.

"Stop! I'm not a baby anymore, you can't keep doing that!"

"Couldn't fooled me..."

"Nico, leave him be." Maya said as she walked in through the door carrying a small bag of sugar while Cora carried in the rest of their food. "We've had a long day in the orchard and in town. Apparently there was a fight in the town square this morning..." She glanced at the bandages peeking out from around the side of Nico's hooded vest. "No one saw who it was, but they took on 5 grown men."

"Hah! I could have taken them on!" Cora stated, her sharp fangs a contrast to the blackness of her fur and shell as she grinned smuggly. "And I would have won instead of running away!"

"You get into a fight at your age and I'll ground you missy." Maya said firmly. Bad enough one of her children was a scrapper, she didn't need two of them getting into fights. "Now...Suki dear, could you please help the twins put the food away and start making supper? I need to talk to Nico for a moment."

"You're in trouble! You're in trouble!" Cora mocked as Nico snarled and hissed at her. The two of them were so much alike that they were always butting heads and not a day went by that there wasn't some sort of skuffle in their small house between them.

"Cora, please...you know I'm not feeling well...please keep it down..."

"Sorry Mom."

Nico glared and quickly flicked Cora with his tail while following Maya outside. He felt like he was 6 years old again after dumping freezing water onto Cora and Noah during a trip into town...Maya had simply looked sadly at him and shook her head while comforting her youngest offspring and drying them off before calling it a day early and heading back to their home. He felt like a brat then and he was feeling like a brat now. "Ma...I..."

"It's okay Nico...I know those men are bullies. I just wish..." She had to pause for a moment to cough and catch her breath before continuing. "I just wish you wouldn't get into so many fights...you're meant for so much more..."

"Ma...I'm never going to be anything more then just a scrapper...I'm a failure as a ninja..."

She remembered that day...Nico had been training at the local dojo up until he was 12...the teacher had told her that he had the skills but not proper discipline to be a ninja and had promply kicked him out of the building. It had broken his heart and he vowed never to become a ninja after that.

"It's not your fault dear...Raphael leaving...I know it hurt you the most...you've had to be the man of the house since you were four...but you're good at other things...your carvings are beautiful and bring in extra money."

"My carvings...only good thing I can do with my claws..."

"We all have strengths and weaknesses Nico...we just...sometimes take longer..." Her words were getting lighter, her breathing more ragged as she fought to catch her breath. Curse this blasted illness for settling in her lungs. It would take months of pricey medicine to make it leave or twice as long without it...and with their gold stretched thin, she couldn't afford the medicine.

Nico's ears flicked towards Maya as she started coughing, his eyes wide as he carefully took her shoulders and lead her back inside. "C'mon Ma, lets get ya back in where it's warm. The cold does ya no help. Suki!" He yelled as he helped Maya in through the door. "Ma isn't feeling well again, think ya can make her some tea?"

"Of course. Noah, crush up the herbs for me. Cora, keep an eye on the rice while I boil the water. Nico..."

"Way ahead of ya. C'mon Ma, lets get ya in bed, hmm? Ya'll feel better if ya lay down..."

Nico instictively flattened his ears again when Maya simply nodded and continued to cough, her lungs fighting against the illness that was sapping her strength. He helped her into her bed and tucked her in before carefully hugging her and excusing himself from her room. His siblings would look after her now...he had to get away before he punched another hole in the wall.

Raphael...their father...the man who had walked out on them one night without a goodbye...this was HIS fault! It was because of him that their mother was so sick and they were struggling to get by! And yet...even though his heart ached from the pain, his brain said that if Raph could have stayed with them, he woul have.

"Yeah, right...hold on just a lil longer Ma...I'm gonna make things right again soon...just you see..."

With that, he vanished into the orchard, setting his plan, and his fate, into motion.

XxX

Yeah, Nico isn't a happy camper right now...and who can blame him really, what with Maya sick with an unknown lung illness. I know I could bring a Healer into the picture, but that would take away from the story, so...we'll just pretend that the Healers aren't around right now, m'kay?

Remember! Reading + Reviewing equals one happy Deadly Fangs!