This is my pathetic first attempt at a one-shot. Please don't rip it apart too much because I will be continuing this series, the "Family" series.....

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It was nearly two in the morning, and my brothers were asleep. I myself could not sleep, so I quietly snuck out of the Lair and ventured to the top.

All was quiet, no one was about, so I perched on the roof, my ninja training lending me stealth. I did not move, less my position be given away.

The breeze stirred and my blue bandanna tail fluttered slightly. Still I did not move.

Then, a flash of movement caught my eye. It ducked behind a nearby dumpster. Seconds later, a gang of older kids came running.

'That's interesting.' I thought to myself, watching the gang of kids search in the dumpster. Some others checked the alley, then one of them had the brains to look behind the dumpster.

"Found him!" the boy yelled, grabbing the smaller boy by the shirt. "You are sooo going to pay." he snarled.

"Good work Jerry." another said, grabbing the boy and pinning his arms behind his back. "Punch him hard for me!"

The one he called Jerry grinned, brought his arm back, and started to swing it forward.

I leaped off the building I was perched on and stopped the boy's arm. "That is not very nice." I said, flipping him over and tossing him into some nearby trashcans. "Let him go." I said to the other boy, drawing my kantanas.

The boy yelled and ran off,dropping the smaller boy to the ground. I hoisted him up and he looked at me. I head a sharp intake of breath and waited on the inevitable scream.

"I'm Dylan."

Huh?

"What's your name?"

"My name is Leonardo." I said, thankful he did not scream. I sheathed my kantanas and looked around. "Where's your house?" I asked.

The boy looked at the ground. "I don't wanna go back." he said."Why not?" I asked, surprised.

"I just don't. My big brother always bosses me around and when I try to tell my sister what to do, I get yelled at."

"Are you mean about it?" I asked.

"Huh?"

"When you tell your sister what to do, are you mean and controlling, or gentle and suggesting?"

Dylan looked at his feet. "I say please sometimes..." he mumbled.

I sighed. "Saying please doesn't mean someone will do what you ask. You must be gentle, patient, and respectful of them." I had learned that from Master Splinter.

Dylan didn't say anything. He looked up after a bit and a thoughtful look came into his eyes. "Ya know... I'm gonna trry that. Thank you, Leonardo. Would you accompany me to my home, please?"

I smiled. "Of course." We walked side by side until we got to a small apartment building. Dylan went up the stairs, knocked on the door, and a man came out. He shouted something, grabbed his son in a fierce hug, and I watched as a woman stood at the door. She wailed, hugged her son tightly, and called for his siblings, who also held him in a tight embrace. I smiled as I watched from the shadows. Dylan turned around,flashed me a grin and a thumbs-up, mouthed a quick 'thank-you' and disappeared inside. I smiled again as I headed home.

I know that whenever Raph gets into his hot-head mode or Mikey gets to being too childish or Don gets too stressed, I'll be there. I won't run off and leave them without a leader. I won't run off and rob them of a brother.

But most of all, I'll remember Dylan, and think of how it would be if my father did not teach me compassion. I'll stop and think, 'If I had not learned that lesson, would my brothers hate me?' Then I'll know: whatever happens, whatever goes wrong, my brothers will be there. I will always have my family.

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There you have it. Improvment tips would be nice also. Thanks again!!