TMNT and Jo--A Broken Bond

by BBPRIMEFAN101

It's clear to everyone's eyes that Raph and Joey are as thick as thieves, always willing to fight for one another. But when they have a fight of their own and Joey runs off, she ends up kidnapped by Karai. Her family believes her to be dead, until they cross paths once again one month later, not as family-but as enemies.

1. Chapter 1

~9 years ago~

Hamato Yoshi awoke to absolute silence. Not a single sound was hear within his home in the sewers of New York. No voices could be made out throughout the rooms, only slight snoring. The humanoid rat felt the warmth of the sun creep through the gutters above and beam down upon him, seeping through his fur and onto his skin. He moaned and raised his head from his pillow, supporting himself on one elbow. He pushed a mass of blankets off of his body down to his legs and sat up. Yoshi rubbed his eyes and yawned, then gazed to his left. He reached over, gripped the trim of a blanket, and gently pulled it down to reveal a sleeping two-and-a-half-year-old human girl.

Yoshi smiled at the sleeping toddler. She was facing towards him, her body arched and curled inward; her dark brown hair was all matted up where she laid her head on a pillow, her freckles were hardly noticeable in the glare of the sun's light, her tiny arms were coiled around the body of a stuffed bear, and she breathed slowly and silently. She wore a very large jersey with the number 84 on it, which she had received as a gift from her oldest brother on their last birthday. The jersey went down to her ankles, so she would be able to wear it without any pants underneath for a while. Under her closed eye lids were a pair of glistening teal-blue eyes that no one on earth could say no to.

Yoshi gently ruffled her hair and looked at the clock that hung on the wall. The time read 8:29 A.M. One minute short of his children's usual waking time. He was sure the minute would pass once he got each of his kids up and out of bed. He got onto his knees and rested a hand on the little one's shoulder, gently shaking her. "Josephine," he whispered. "It is time to awaken." A faint moan came from the girl and she stirred, but did not open her eyes. "Come, Josephine," he told her. "Time to get up." He shook her a bit harder. Another moan erupted in the tot's throat and she stirred again. The tiny girl named Josephine then came to her senses as she emerged from deep sleep and slowly opened her eyes.

Josephine raised her gaze up at the humanoid rodent and smiled. "Daddy..." she said softly.

Yoshi grinned and helped the girl sit up. "Good morning, my daughter," he told her as she rubbed her eyes with her knuckles and yawned. "Did you sleep well last night?" Josephine nodded. "Did you have good dreams?" The toddler beamed a smile and nodded eagerly. "Would you like to tell me about it?"

Josephine nodded again. "I dream we training," she began, making every 'r' in every word sound like a 'w', "then a bad guy come, he smash house. Then you, Daddy, jump in and you fight. WHAM! POW! HIYA!" She swung her fists and spun on her heels, losing balance and then falling on her bottom, making her father laugh. She giggled and continued, "Then bad guy scared, really scared. You tell him 'Go 'way, never come back' and he never come back! Daddy save day! Then we all had cookie and then nap time. The End."

"My, that was a marvelous dream, Josephine," Yoshi said, poking her in her stomach and making her giggle. His ears twitched as the clock chimed, indicating it was now 8:30 in the morning. "Well now, I believe now it is time to awaken your brothers. Would you like to help me?" Joey smiled and nodded. "Very well. You go awake two, and I will awake to, though I think I already know which two you will choose." He patted her head and she skipped out of the room, and he followed behind.

Josephine stopped at the entrance of a door with the letter 'D' on it and smiled. She slowly turned the handle and pulled the door open, letting a ray of light into the room. It spread to every corner of the room, including the bed in the furthest corner. Josephine merrily skipped to it and stopped at the edge of the bed, her chin being up to the top of the mattress, getting a good look at who was sleeping in it. She slowly pulled down the covers to reveal one of her seven-year-old older brothers. But they weren't like any other brothers. He and her three other brothers were different. As in, non-human, like Yoshi. Only they weren't rats. They were turtles. Real turtles with real shells and all. They each have only two fingers and a thumb, and three toes on each foot. They were turtles, but were also human.

The slumbering turtle she giggled at was named Donatello. He had pale, yellow-green skin, red-brown eyes, and a gap between his front teeth; he was a very precocious child, much like Josephine when she was real little. He loved to read, experiment with things. He enjoyed tinkering and taking things apart to see how they work. Josephine didn't absorb his love for technology, but did inherit his interests in sciences. Her other brothers often tease him about his passion for learning, but she respected and admired it. She had a bond with Donatello, or Donnie as she and her other brothers call him. Josephine remembered all the times he would read or sing to her every time she had a nightmare and was in tears or to help her sleep; she would always go to him if Yoshi wasn't around to comfort her. In other words, she and Donnie were very close.

Josephine tapped her finger on his snout, and all she got from him was a moan. She tapped him again, a bit firmer this time, and he flinched. Donnie lifted his heavy lids to reveal a set of red-brown eyes. When his vision cleared and went into focus, he noticed his human baby sister standing at the edge of his bed, smiling at him. He sleepily smiled back and sat up stretching his arms with a yawn. "Yes, Joey?" he asked groggily. Joey was one of the few nicknames her brothers had given her because either her full name was too long or the nicknames were much better.

Joey took the turtle's hand in one of her own and tugged, pointing out the door with her other. "Daddy say it time to get up. It time," she said, pulling at his arm. "Get up. Get up."

Donnie laughed as his two-year-old led him out of bed and into the hall where the boys shared rooms. They saw that their oldest brother, Leonardo, was standing in the middle of the hallway, watching their father enter the room next to his. Leonardo, or his siblings called him Leo, was a very responsible child, he did exactly what he's told when told to do it; he looks after his brothers and sister and takes care of them, and is loyal to his father and admires him, hoping to be like him one day. Leo had watery-blue eyes that always begged for their father's attention and approval, and when he got it he had the biggest smile on his face the world had ever seen. And even though her brothers were all seven years old, Leo was deemed the oldest because of his mature behavior. Donnie was figured to be the third youngest because of his timidness.

"Morning, Leo," Donnie said as Joey dragged him into the hall.

Leo turned to him and chuckled. "I see you got dragged out of bed." He walked over to his brother and hugged him. "Morning, Donnie." Then he bent down to Joey's height and hugged her. "Morning, Jo." This was another nickname given to her.

"Mornin', Leo," Joey beamed a smile, saying the 'L' with a 'w' sound. They turned around when they saw their father exit a room carrying something in his arms wrapped in an orange blanket. He sat what he held on the ground with the two boys and girl tot, and it rubbed its eyes and yawned. "Mikey!" she exclaimed. What stood in the orange blanket was her youngest older brother, Michelangelo, or Mikey his siblings call him. He rubbed the sleepiness out of his bright, baby-blue eyes and yawned again, stretching his freckled cheeks, revealing a set of top and bottom teeth with one missing on top. Mikey was deemed the youngest of the brothers because of his childishness and immaturity, which would kick in any minute now. Joey skipped to her brother in the blanket and wrapped her arms around his shell. "Mikey!" she said with a giggle.

"Hiya, Jo-Jo!" Mikey said, grabbing his sister under her arms then lifted her up in the air, spinning around. "Whee!" he exclaimed, flying her like an airplane. Josephine squealed happily and giggled as Mikey lowered her down and hugged her tightly.

"Good morning, my children," their father announced.

The three boys stood shoulder to shoulder and bowed. "Good morn-"

"Wait!" All eyes fell on the little girl. "One not up yet."

Yoshi then smiled. "You are right, Josephine. Why don't you go wake him up?" Joey nodded and hopped to the only door that was shut. This door had several dents that curved inward and outward and came in various sizes. Jo ignored them, turned the handle and pushed the door open. The light flooded into the room, brightening up over half of it. It didn't, however, reach the bed that sat on the other side of the room. Joey crept over a pile of comics and walked on her toes to the side of the bed, then she smiled at who slept in it.

Her second oldest brother with bright, green eyes and a lightning bolt-shaped crack in his plastron, Raphael, or Raph (or Raphie) as his siblings called him, laid curled up in his bed with the blanket up to his chest under his arms with a bit of drool dribbling out of the corner of his mouth onto his pillow. He had his arms pulled inward like he was shielding something; Joey carefully leaned in to see what he had and let out a giggle when she realized it was his pat turtle, Spike, who he found in the sewers after being flushed down the drain and rescued him from a flash flood after a heavy rain. Raph never lat any of their brothers hold him. He sometimes lets her hold it, but not when anyone is around because Mikey would whine and say it wasn't fair. Raphael always had the fiercest temper out of the siblings; he got mad easily at almost anything, and often took his frustrations out on his brothers. He bullies Michelangelo a lot, he and Leo get in the most fights, and Donnie and Joey are often left alone, but either one or both of them tried to separate them. Raphael was always a bit jealous of Leo because of how their father always complimented him on his hard work and responsibility, and always wanted to please his father and get his attention. However, Leo, Donnie, Mikey or Joey always got it. But despite his crudeness and harshness to others, Joey had always known he had a soft side within him the first moment she saw him as an infant. Somewhere.

Joey poked him lightly in the chest. "Raphie," she whispered. No response, nor movement. She tapped him on his snout. "Raaaaphie. It time to wake up." Raph only snorted and rolled onto his side, facing the wall. Spike opened his beady eyes, licked his lips and made a faint squeak sound when he saw Josephine. She patted his little head and shushed him then made her way to the end of the bed. Joey wore a mischievous smile on her face; she had other ways in getting her brothers out of bed, especially Raphael. "Oh, Raphie," she said in a soft, threatening, sing-song way, "If you no get up, I have to do 'dwastic' measures." She slid her tiny hand under the sheets until she felt skin; her grin grew as she used her pointer finger and stroked side to side. What she touched flinched and was pulled upward. She giggled then crawled onto the bed, climbing over her brother's body and knelt beside his head. She lifted her pointer finger and pointed it at his neck; she knew there was one spot on his neck that always made him squirm. There was no difference if he was asleep or awake. She found that certain place and glided her finger over it lightly. A snort from him made a bear a silly grin appear on her face and she did it again a few more times. The snort became a giggle, and after a few more, continuous times, that giggle turned into faint laughing. Jo-Jo knew she had her brother and pounced with a little roar on top of him, poking him all over.

Raph exploded into laughter and squirmed under her, but he couldn't shake his sister. His brothers and father could hear him laughing and figured that Joey had gotten him up and they chuckled to themselves. "O-Okahahay!" he gasped between giggles. "I-I'm up! I'm up! Please stohohop!" Joey ceased poking and got off her brother, kneeling beside him on his bed. He sat up and tried to glare angrily at her, but just couldn't when she had that silly grin on her face; he just laughed again and pulled her into his lap and ruffled her hair. "Ya had to ruin my dream, Jo-Jo," Raph grumbled playfully. "I was dreamin' that I was beatin' a ton o' baddies."

Joey beamed a smile and tugged on his arm. "You tell Daddy all 'bout good dream when you get up. Up, up, up!" she told him, still pronouncing her R's like a 'W'. "Off ya shell, Raphie."

"Wait a second." Raphael pulled from her grip and headed back to his bed. He lifted Spike up and rested him on his own little pillow, then fed him a lettuce leaf and smiled as he scratched under his chin.

"Raphie!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming. Geez, hold yer horses," Raph said as he climbed off her bed and followed her out, walking carelessly over the pile of scattered comics and out of his room with Joey dragging him by his hand.

The three turtles in hall turned to them and grinned. "I see you got dragged out of bed, too," Leo said with a smirk.

"Very funny," Raph glared as Jo led him to the middle of the hall.

"Don't feel bad, Raph," Donnie said, laying a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Joey got me up the same way, too." Joey beamed a smile and rocked on her heels.

Then the humanoid rat approached them. "Now may we begin our day, Josephine?" he asked with a smile, and she bounced her head up and down. Yoshi chuckled and stood tall before the mutated turtles and human girl. "Good morning, my children."

The children bowed in respect. "Good morning, Father/Daddy," they said in unison.

"Shall we begin today's training?" Yoshi declared.

"Yes, Father/Daddy," his five children nodded.

Then their father smiled. "I am feeling a bit generous today. You five have all done well in mastering the art of ninjutsu."

"Even Mikey?" Raph snorted, making the little one pout.

Yoshi glared and swatted his leg with his staff. "That was harsh, Raphael. Now apologize you your brother." Raph grumbled under his breath and did so, and of course, Mikey easily forgave him, as this was the norm of him being teased by Raph. The rat nodded in approval and went on, "As I was saying, you five have been training hard for a while, and you have all improved greatly over these past few weeks. I was thinking we would cut our training session in half, and spend the rest of the day for family get-together." The boys and girl exclaimed happily; normally, family bonding for them would be meditating or drinking tea, but it seemed their father had something else in mind. "Now," he said. "Let us begin."

Yoshi took his human daughter into his arms and led his four humanoid turtle sons through their home to the dojo he had built for them to practice and train in. There was a large rug on the floor that covered almost the entire floor to the where it met the wall, and there was a large tree on the northern side; yes, it was real. On the western wall was a shelf where the students racked their weapons, including their masks. On the hangers were their masks: one was blue, one was red, one was orange, one was purple, and one was silver. On the shelf below it were the weapons: a twin set of katana, a pair of sais, two kusarigama nun-chucks, a bo staff, and little fingerless gloves and iron wrist plates. The young ninjas each grabbed a mask and their chosen weapons, then raced to the center of the dojo, sitting on their knees at Yoshi's feet. Leonardo wore the blue mask and laid the twin katana in front of him. Raphael wore the red mask and placed the pair of sais in his lap. Donatello wore the purple mask and laid the staff horizontally on the carpet. Michelangelo wore the orange mask and held the nun-chucks in his hands. Josephine wore the silver mask and slipped the gloves on her hands, then strapped the wrist plates around her lower arms.

The children all glanced upward to their father, awaiting him to announce today's lesson. He sat on the floor crossing his legs, resting his hands on his knees, closing his eyes. He told them as they got in the same position, "My children, we will first begin with a brief meditation. To allow our Chi to awaken from rest, to give it energy. To fuel our bodies with strength, and calm ourselves. Now, breathe in..." he and his students breathed in at the same time, "and out." They exhaled slowly. "In again..." they sucked in air slowly, "and back out." They exhaled. "One more time, in..."

"Huh'ksshhh!" Yoshi opened his eyes at the abrupt sound to see Donatello rubbing under his nose. The little turtle blushed. "S-Sorry, Sensei," he stammered embarrassed. His children called Yoshi 'Sensei' because during training, he was their master.

Yoshi cleared his throat giving Donnie a brief glare before closing his eyes and resuming their meditation. "Again. In-"

"Huh'ksshhuh!"

Yoshi opened his eyes again at the disturbance and glared with a displeased groan, then he noticed Donnie sniffling and itching his nose. "Is everything all right, my son?" he asked.

Donnie sniffled again and replied, "Y-Yes, Sensei, just a tickle in m-my...H-Huh'ksshuuh! ugh, bless me."

Leo pressed his hand against his younger brother's forehead. "You feel hot. You must be sick," he said. Little Josephine gasped and crawled to Donnie's side, hugging him. Leo tried to separate them. "Now, Jo-Jo, if Don is sick, then we don't want you getting sick, too."

"No!" Joey exclaimed. "I hug Donnie! I no care he sick!"

"Josephine," their father said gently yet firmly, "Leonardo is correct. You have a very weak system to fight the germs that make you sick, so we can't risk you getting ill." He sighed pitifully when he saw Joey's bottom lip quiver. "Little one," he said kindly, "I understand you care and worry for your brother, but I am sure he wouldn't want you to get sick as much as I don't."

Don sniffled. "He's right, Jo-Jo." Josephine looked up at him. "I know how weak your immune system is, and I don't want to put you at risk, okay?" Joey blinked tears and sniffled, nuzzling his arm. Donnie widened his eyes a little; during all the time he knew his little human sister, it was nearly impossible to make her cry, and when she did she had to be seriously hurt or scared. From what Don could see, Josephine did seem to be afraid; afraid something would happen to him if she didn't help. He smiled and ruffled her hair. "Hey, it's okay. It's just a little cold, probably. I'll be...Huh'ckshooo!-fine in no time."

"I-I take care o' you?" Jo whimpered.

Donnie smiled and looked to their father. The rodent sighed, lowering his head. Then he said, "If you wish to care for your brother, you may." Joey gasped happily and smiled. "But you may after your training. Just because Donatello is excused from practice does not mean you four are. Now, I am going to take your brother to bed, and I want you to behave while I am away. Understood?"

"Hai, Sensei," the three turtles and little girl said together. Yoshi took the turtle in the purple mask up in his arms and carried him out of the dojo back to his room.

Mikey smirked with a snicker. "Geez, it's like he thinks we're gonna burn the whole lair down."

Raph huffed and crossed his arms. "So unfair, he don't get to train and we do!"

"But we're not sick, Raph," said Leo. "And Donnie can't train while he's sick, it would make him feel worse." Joey nodded her head in agreement.

Raphael just scoffed. "Whatever."

"SHH! Daddy coming back," Joey shushed him as Yoshi entered the dojo and sat cross-legged in front of them. "Donnie otay?" Raph snickered; he always found it funny how his sister said 'otay' instead of 'okay'.

Yoshi nodded. "Yes, Josephine, Donatello is okay, he just needs some rest."

"We see 'im?" she asked.

"After training. All right?"

"Otay, Sensei." Raph snickered again.

Yoshi sighed. "I believe we should just skip the meditation and begin the lesson." He stood up, as did his remaining students. "Today we will learn a new form of kata." Mikey raised his hand. "Yes, Michelangelo?"

"What kind of kata?" the little ninja asked. Raphael laughed like he had asked the stupidest question.

Yoshi banged his staff on the floor, silencing the red-masked turtle. "It is a new type of kata, my son," he explained. "It will both improve your agility and skills of focus; which you, most of all, need." The orange-clad turtle blushed with a goofy smile. "Now. Observe, my students." He then performed in front of his three sons and daughter. They watched amazed at the quick reflexes, jabs and kicks used. Then again, their father was a grand master of ninjutsu; of course his skills would be superior. He finished with a final jab then rested his hands beside his waists. His students gawked at him admirably, and Yoshi smiled. "Now. I will teach you the same kata, and-" Mikey raised his hand again. "Yes, my son?"

"Yeah, um...How do you expect us to learn something that you did at, like, super-sonic speed?" the orange-clad ninja asked. Raph rolled his eyes instead of laughing because his little brother had asked yet another stupid question.

Yoshi tried to give his son an annoyed glare, but the confused look on Mikey's face was too precious and he chuckled instead. "If you had let me finish, my son, you would have heard I will teach it to you one step at a time." Mikey nodded slowly. "But first, I will perform it again. Then I want each of you to try and copy it from as much as you remember. Then I will help you through it, step by step. Understand?"

"Hai, Sensei," the ninjas said and bowed their heads.

Then their master performed the same kata again, staring the same and finishing the same. Then he stood tall and looked to his children. "Which of you would like to try first?" Leonardo instantly raised his hand. "Very well, Leonardo. Come on up." Leo got to his feet and stood in front of his teacher. "Now, try to do the same kata from what you remember." The young ninja nodded and took the first stance Yoshi stood in then performed as much as he could remember and finished in the same position as his father, his hands made into fists, sitting at his waist. He looked to his father for approval. "Well done, Leonardo. You almost had it perfect. Just after the third roundhouse kick, there is a jab of your left hand, not your right, and you do it once in the air. Now, try it again." Leo did so, fixing his mistakes, and Yoshi grinned as his son mastered the kata. "Excellent, my son. It is rare to master a technique so quickly. You are improving well."

Leo beamed a smile then bowed respectively. "Thank you, Sensei."

Raphael huffed to himself, folding his arms over his chest. "Teacher's pet," he muttered under his breath. While he scowled at his brother, Joey and Mikey gawked admirably.

However, Yoshi heard his troubled son and towered over him. "Raphael." The red-clad turtle quickly glanced up at the sound of his father's strict tone. "Would you like to try?" Raph swallowed heavily then turned to his younger siblings, who just stared back at him. Mikey blinked incessantly, and Joey bore a tiny smile. Raphael then looked to Leo, who just wore the biggest grin on his face. Raph felt tempted by that smile, hoping to wipe it clean off when he does just as good at completing the kata. With a confident nod, he stood up and started off in the same position. Halfway through what he remembered, after the roundhouse kick, his foot slipped and he fell on his rump with a thud. Mikey giggled and Joey shushed him harshly. Raph flushed angrily and stood up to try again, resuming where he left off. He stumbled a bit or two trying to perfect it and he grunted each time he did up till he finished, blushing angrily and embarrassed. "You did good, my son. But next time, go a little slower and loosen your muscles. Too much intensity and quickness can cause imbalance, and bruises on your tail." He chuckled and playfully swatted Raphael's rump with the end of his staff. "Now, would you like to try again?" Raph eagerly nodded.

"DADDY!"

They all jumped at the shrill of Donnie's cry. Yoshi gasped and raced out of the dojo, Leo, Mikey and Joey not far behind. Raph humphed agitatedly and stomped after them. They entered Donnie's room to see him sobbing with dribble on his lips. Yoshi raced to his son's side. "What is the matter, my child?"

Donnie sniffled and wiped his eyes with his knuckles. "I-I...I...t-thre-ew u-u-up..." he said between hiccups. Hamato Yoshi then noticed the stain of bile on his ailing son's bed sheet and grimaced; then he took pity and sighed sadly, placing a paw on Donnie's shoulder.

"Ugh...it smells like something died in here!" Raph exclaimed, plugging his nose.

"Hush!" the humanoid rodent snapped, making the little ones jump. Yoshi wiped away Donatello's tears and shushed him gently. "It is all right, my son. It is all right. Now, you go wash up while I clean your sheets." Donnie sniffled with a nod. Joey began crying all over again and ran to Don's bedside, clinging to him and wailing in his arms. "Josephine, enough of this. Your brother is ill, leave him be." Yoshi tried pulling them apart, but Josephine's hold on her brother was fixed tight, and the rat just sighed aggravated.

Donnie sniffled with a light cough. "I-It's...okay, Father..." he said as he ruffled her hair a bit. "S-She's only scared for m-me."

"I understand, but I do not want her to get sick," the rodent said.

"I-I guess that's up to her," Donnie shrugged, rubbing under his nose.

Joey then turned to her father with large, teary teal-blue eyes. Yoshi could not hold any anger or agitation against a look like this, and he sighed heavily. "I suppose it is, my son. But she must resume her training." Joey whimpered and sniffled. Yoshi turned to his three sons in the doorway. "You three return to the dojo. I will meet you there in a minute." Leo, Raph and Mikey nod and head back to the training room. "Now. I will be back with a wet cloth soon, and I will put your sheets in the washer. Josephine, you keep him company, understand?" Joey nodded eagerly and sat next to Donnie on his bed.

While Yoshi went into the kitchen after depositing the soiled bed sheets in the washer, and while Joey stayed with Donatello until he returned, Leo and Raph and Mikey sat in the dojo cross-legged, waiting for their father to return to resume their instruction. Raphael impatiently and angrily drummed his fingers on his knee as he glared at the floor. Not long after, he got tired of waiting and stood up, trying out the kata once more. He tried the first roundhouse kick but slipped like before, falling on his tail. He growled through his teeth and slammed his fists on the floor. "I always mess that part up! I'll never get it right!"

"Sure you will, Raph," said Leo, "you just have to keep practicing."

"You got it right the first time, Leo!" Raph retorted, shooting a nasty glare at his oldest brother.

Leonardo shrugged his shoulders. "Well I train the most with Father, so I have better experience."

Better. That one word always shot fire through Raph's veins. The ill-tempered mutant turtle growled, tightening his fists, ready to sock one in Leo's eye; and he would have if his father had not returned to the dojo with Josephine in his arms. Yoshi sat Joey beside Mikey and stood in front of them again. "Now, where were we? Oh. Raphael. Do you still want to try again with the kata?"

Raph exchanged glances from his Sensei to his siblings beside him. The looks they gave him made him feel a bit uneasy, like a large crowd watching your every move while you stand alone on a stage. He sighed heavily and lowered his gaze. He was tired of making a fool of himself, and that was something Mikey usually did during training. "No," he grumbled. "No thanks, Sensei."

"Are you sure, my son? You were very eager to try again earlier." Raphael nodded his head. "Very well. Now. Michelangelo, Josephine. Which of you would like to try first?"

"Me, me, me!" Mikey waved his hand frantically in the air and jumped to his feet.

"Very well, Michelangelo. Just start from the beginning and perform as much as you remember," Yoshi told him. Mikey nodded eagerly and stood in the starting position, then began to perform the kata. He did fall a few times but got back up with a giggle and continued. However, while trying to do spinning back-kick, he fell backwards flat on his face. Mikey sat up quickly and wailed, covering his mouth.

"Mikey!" Leo and Joey exclaimed and crawled to his side. Raph just remained where he knelt and plugged his ears to block out his youngest brother's crying.

"Here. Let me see, my son," Yoshi said gently. Mikey removed his hands and widened his mouth. "Ooh, your lip is busted a little bit and...your tooth is gone."

"Toof?" Joey repeated and looked in his mouth. "Toof! Toofy gone!"

Leo chuckled. "It's tooth, with a t-h, not an 'f'. But yeah, it is gone."

"It's right there," Raph dully said and pointed where Mikey's face impacted the floor; it was surrounded by a small puddle of blood.

Mikey wiggled his tongue where his tooth used to be and whined. "It feels weird, Daddy."

"I know, it does, but wait a while and a new, grown up tooth will come in," Yoshi told him. Mikey gasped and smiled. "Now, you four sit here while I get an ice pack for Michelangelo's lip." He then stood up and left the dojo.

Raph got a good look at the small tear in Mikey's lip and scoffed. "You're a baby. There ain't hardly anything there. All that fuss over nothing."

Mikey pouted. "It didn't really hurt, it's just the fact I hit my face on the floor that scared me," he said.

"Oh, so you're a baby, and a scaredy-cat?" Raph laughed.

"Knock it off, Raph, leave him alone," Leo said, frowning. "I'm sure you'd cry if you fell face-first into the floor. I know you did when you scraped your knee in a game of tag."

Raph just stuck out his tongue and blew raspberries at him. Leo rolled his eyes at his brother's immaturity and rubbed Mikey's shell. "It's okay, Mikey."

Michelangelo ran his tongue over the tear in his lip. "It's all swollen and red." Joey suddenly leaned in and kissed it. Mikey pulled away and laughed. "Eww! Joey, why'd ya do that?"

"Daddy kiss our boo-boos and pain go 'way, so I try an' make the pain go 'way," the toddler girl explained with a proud smile. "It work? I do good?"

It really caused his lip to sting a bit, but he played along and nodded. "Yeah, the pain all gone, Joey. Thank you!" Josephine giggled and hugged him tightly. Yoshi then returned to the dojo with a baggie filled with ice wrapped in a cloth and handed it to Mikey, who pressed it carefully against his lip. He said Mikey could wait a while before trying again if he wanted to.

"Josephine," Yoshi said. "I believe it is your turn to try." Joey bobbed her head frantically and got to her feet. She closed her eyes as she stood in the starting position, then little by little she performed the kata, eventually speeding up once she felt comfortable. She twirled on her bare toes during the kicks and kept her footing during the jabs and punches, and finished with a perfect leap-kick, then stood in the final position. Yoshi let out a chuckle of impression. "That was quite impressive, Josephine. You did not make a single mistake." Joey giggled and rocked on her heels. No one noticed Raphael's careless eye-roll, or heard his disgusted scoff. Yoshi then looked to his children. "Boys, there is a lesson to this. Do you know what it is?"

Mikey raised his hand. "Don't fall on your face?"

The humanoid rat laughed a bit. "No, that isn't it, Michelangelo."

Leo held his hand up next. "Patience is a virtue?"

"Correct, my son," Yoshi nodded. "You must have patience to accomplish something. See how Josephine took each step slow then sped up when she felt comfortable?" The boys nodded. "Well done, Josephine." The little girl grinned and plopped herself back next to Mikey, who congratulated her by ruffling her hair. "You four have all done well."

"Go see Donnie now?" Joey chirped. "Pwease?"

The father sighed and nodded. "Yes, you may go-" Before he could finish, Josephine was already on her feet and dashing out of the dojo to her brother's room. He smiled and shook his head. "You boys may go, as well." Leo and Mikey raced out together while Raph trudged behind them, glaring at the floor.

Jo-Jo skipped into Donnie's room to find him asleep with tissues on the floor and a trash can beside his bed. Joey knew he hadn't thrown up because there was no foul smell, so she continued her way into his room and sat next to him on the mattress, watching him sleep. She giggled every other time he snored because of his stuffy nose, but mostly she wanted him to rest peacefully, so she remained quiet.

Leo saw her in Donnie's room while he was sleeping, and she was on his bed. He poked his head in and frowned. "Joey," he hissed in a whisper. "Get down from there. He's sleeping and you could wake him up."

"Donnie say I could," the girl lied.

Leo knew how much of a horrible liar his sister was, so he marched into his sick brother's room, lifted his sister off of his bed and held her up as she fussed and bucked, trying to break free. But Leo's hold on her only tightened, digging his fingers into her sides, and she suddenly started giggling. "Leo, that tickles!" The more Joey laughed the more she moved, and the more she moved the tighter Leo's hold was on her, making the girl giggle even more. "Leheheo, no tickle!"

Unfortunately, Joey's giggles had awoken Donnie from his sleep and he groggily sat up rubbing his eyes and nose. Leo saw his weary brother awake and scowled at his little sister. "Joey, your laughing woke Donnie up!"

Josephine pouted and stamped her little foot. "You tickle me!" she defended herself, pointing at Leo and sticking out her bottom lip.

Donnie yawned. "W-What's goin' on? Whu's this about?" he asked sleepily.

"I found Joey sitting next to you on your bed and I didn't want her to wake you," Leo explained, "so I tried to take her out but she wouldn't remain still."

"You tickle me!" Jo whined and folded her arms over her chest.

Donnie chuckled with a light cough. "It's okay, Leo. Sensei said it was okay for her to look after me." Joey nodded in agreement. "Well, I should get up anyway. I'm hungry."

"You sure your stomach's okay?" Leo asked.

"Yeah, I feel better with my stomach. I'm just feverish and stuffy," Don said, rubbing his head.

"Okay. I'll tell Father to make you some soup. Joey...just do whatever, but don't pester him." Then Leo left his brother's room to find their father.

Leo didn't notice Raph pouting on the couch in their living area. The unhappy turtle watched his brother enter the kitchen to ask Yoshi, who was looking at Mikey's busted lip, to make Donnie some soup because he was hungry. Raph huffed and sat back down on the couch, crossing his legs and folding his arms over his plastron. His siblings were getting all the attention. Donnie sick and Joey was looking after him, and Sensei was making him soup. Mikey busted his lip and his getting all the looking-after and the comfort. Leo and Joey did an excellent job practicing the kata and got all the praise and glory. And what does he get? Scolds and lectures, and bruises on his tail.

His lower lip trembled angrily as Raph squeezed his eye shut. He wondered in things would be better for the family if they didn't have him around. His temper always left someone hurt, either physically or psychologically. But his words always wounded his family more. It seemed clear to him that their father appreciated the others more than him. When Leo and Mikey followed their father as they carried a bowl of soup into Donnie's room, he sought the opportunity to run out of their home and deep within the sewers.

The mutant rat and young turtles found Joey sitting on Donnie's lap holding a tissue to his nose, telling him to blow. "Josephine, what are you doing?" asked Yoshi

"Donnie sneeze a lot," she said, "I try help an' clean his nose from 'mucus'. I learn new word! Donnie teach me!" She then turned back to her ailing brother, holding the tissue to his nose. "Blow, Donnie!" Donatello abruptly sneezed into the tissue. "ACK! I say 'blow', not 'sneeze'! Your ears turned off or somethin'?!" They all laughed.

Yoshi lifted Joey from Don's lap and placed himself on the edge of his son's bed, holding the bowl of soup in one hand and a spoonful in the other. "Try to eat, my son. Replenish your strength." He held the spoon at Donnie's lips; Don slowly opened them and allowed the spoon access into his mouth. The warm broth of the chicken soup sent chills down his spine and he swallowed it little by little. He gave his father a nod to let him know he was ready for another serving. Just as the bowl was half-empty, Donatello began yawning and his eyes began to droop. Hamato Yoshi softly sang his son a lullaby to help him rest, and when he finished he kissed his forehead and left, his children not far behind. Joey pecked Donnie a kiss on his cheek and skipped out of the room.

Mikey landed on the couch and turned on the TV to watch cartoons, Leo went into the kitchen to fix himself a sandwich, and their father was playing with Josephine, who giggled as she tried to catch his pink, naked tail. Mikey suddenly frowned and looked around him. "Hey. Where's Raph?"

Leo came out with a peanut-butter jelly sandwich. "Dunno. Last I saw him he was following us out of the dojo."

"Where Raphie?" Jo asked, the concern easily heard in her voice.

"Raphael," Yoshi called out, searching through the lair. There was no sign of his second-oldest child. "Raphael. This is no time for playing. Come out, now." Nothing. "Raphael!"

"Ya think he ran off into the sewers?" Leo asked, now sounding afraid. "What if he gets lost?"

Joey gasped and began crying. "Raphie l-lost?!"

The humanoid rat headed for the exit of their home. "Leonardo, look after your siblings!" he instructed then disappeared into the tunnels, crying out his lost son's name. The name echoed throughout the curved walls of the tunnel, but no reply came. Tears stung the rodent's eyes and he quickened his pace. He feared the worst had happened to his son. He was not prepared to lose another child.

He suddenly froze in his tracks when a sound came to his ears. He held his breath and listened; it sounded like distant sniffling. It was far, but a possible sign his son was alright. Yoshi followed the sound into the abandoned, sealed off section of the sewers. The sniffles came from within a deep hole in the wall and he crawled into it. There in the furthest corner was Raphael, hugging his knees and hiding his face, his shoulders shaking violently as he sobbed and sniffled in his lap.

Yoshi sighed of relief and crawled towards his son slowly. "Raphael." The mutant turtle quickly raised his head to reveal a tear-stained face, red eyes, and a little dribble of snot running down his upper lip. Raphael glared and hiccuped, then turned his head away from his father. "Oh, my son," Yoshi said, his voice quivering. "I thought something horrible had happened to you. Do not ever scare me like that again, you understand?" Raph just huffed his breathing and sniffled. "Do you understand me?!" Yoshi exclaimed, fearfully and angrily. "You know you are not allowed to wander through the sewers alone!"

Raph fought his father's grip and spat, "Oh, so now ya care 'bout me?!" Yoshi gave him an alarmed and surprised look, like he didn't understand. "I think it's obvious ya like the others more than me! They are better at everything, even when they mess up, they get all the attention when they're sick or hurt, and they get all the lovin'! What do I get?! I get yelled at and spankings and punishments and sits in the corner! I'm the bad kid! They're the precious little angels! You love them more, I know it!" Raph turned away and howled as tears stung his eyes and rolled down his cheeks like an assembly line.

Yoshi was shocked, and heartbroken, at what his son had just poured out to him. He crawled to him and wrapped his arms around him, embracing the boy tightly. "Oh, Raphael," he said softly, stroking Raph's head. "I would never love someone more than another. I love you all the same. And the only reason you get punished is to learn your mistakes, and I punish you because I love you. You are not a bad kid, you are my precious little angel, as are the others. I understand your temper always gets the best of you, but that does not change the fact that you are my son and I will love you forever. I love you so much, my son...my child..." He softly sobbed as he rocked back and forth, continuing to rub Raph's head. The little turtle's crying reduced to sniffles, hearing his father's short breaths and sobbing. He raised his trembling arms up and wrapped them around Yoshi's body, squeezing as tight as he could.

They both heard the sound of quick footsteps approaching them and looked to see a small figure race down the tunnel and stumble into the hole. When the figure came into the dim light, they both saw it was Josephine, covered in scrapes from tripping numerous times. "Josephine," Yoshi exclaimed. "What are you doing here? I told you to stay in the lair!" Joey didn't listen; she just broke down crying and collapsed on top of her brother, draping her arms around his neck. Her small body shook with each sob and wail she let out and she buried her face into his chest. Yoshi then understood. "It seems Josephine was as well nearly scared-to-death at your sudden absence."

Raph looked from his father to his sister clinging to him. She was scared...for him. Not of him. She cared about him, and ran all this way, this deep in the sewers, to find him. Raph began crying again and hugged her tightly. Yoshi embraced them both, holding them close to his chest. Suddenly Leo came stumbling in to the little chamber. "I'm sorry, Master Splinter, I tried to stop her, but-" he was silenced, and puzzled, at the sight of his father, brother and baby sister all crying together. He saw Raph completely broken down and felt sorry for him. Then the fear of something dangerous happening to him, or that could have happened, flooded over him, and he rand to Raph's side and hugged him, crying into his neck. His wet eyes suddenly widened. "Raph...y-you're hurt..." he pointed to a large gash on his brother's arm.

Raph glanced down and noticed the cut. "I-I didn't even know it was there..."

"Come," Yoshi stood up and carried Raph in one arm and Josephine in the other, "let us return home and look at it. Michelangelo and Donatello are probably worried." Leo stayed close to his father's side and often switched sides to be near Joey and Raph. To try and cheer them up he'd graze his finger along the soles of their feet to make them giggle, and he succeeded each time.

When they returned to the lair, Mikey and Donnie ran up to Raph crying and threw their arms around him. "W-We were so worried," Donnie wept, then he noticed the cut on Raph's arm, and saw Joey covered in scrapes from head to toe. "What happened?"

"All shall be explained soon, my son," Yoshi said calmly. "Right now, I need to clean Raphael's and Josephine's wounds." He carried them both to the bathroom and placed them on the counter, then began rummaging through the medicine cabinet. He pulled out a box full of bandages and a needle and thread, in case he had to stitch anything. "Now, hold still," he said as he ran a towelette under a running faucet of cold water. "This may sting a little." He dabbed the moist towelette on Joey's skinned knees, and the second the cloth grazed her skin, she yelped in pain, pulling her legs inward to her chest. Yoshi got a gentle grip on her ankles and pulled her legs towards him, and he continued dabbing the scrapes on her knees and legs. She shined and squirmed a bit, but she eventually got used to the sting. Then he dabbed her arms and elbows, and when he finished he placed bandages over each scrape, as well on her legs.

"Now. Raphael, let me see your arm," Yoshi held his hand out. Raph gingerly extended it and allowed his father to examine it. The humanoid rat re-soaked the towelette and dabbed the wound, trying to rid it of the dry blood; Raphael winced a few times but the stinging subsided after a while. When the excess blood was cleared, Yoshi lifted the cloth to reveal a two-inch cut on his arm. "Hmm. I am trying to decide if it needs stitches." The rodent examined it a while longer, then sighed heavily and pitifully. "I am afraid it does."

Raph gasped. "I-It does?" Yoshi nodded. "I-I don't want stitches!"

He got ready to jump down from the counter and dash out of the bathroom to his bedroom when he felt something squeeze his hand. He turned his head to see Joey's teal-blue eyes locking with his, staring deeply into them. She had a small, yet comforting smile on her face. "It otay, Raphie," she spoke softly. "I hold your hand, so you no be afraid."

Raph was about to object and scold that he wasn't afraid, but he couldn't find a single sense of anger within him. Besides, he was afraid, and he needed a hand to hold. He curled his fingers around hers and smiled thankfully. Raphael faced his father and nodded, then Yoshi began sewing the wound shut. Raph would groan each time the needle pricked him as it slid through his skin, but he kept his mind on positive things: being loved, cared for, having an awesome family, awesome brothers, awesome father, and an awesome baby sister. Sooner than he knew it, the humanoid rodent was finished.

Raphael glanced down at his sealed wound and widened his eyes. "That...was quick."

"Yes," Yoshi nodded. "Having company through hard times keeps your mind from all negative things." He then closed his eyes and lowered his head. "You really frightened all of us when you suddenly left, Raphael. We thought something horrible had happened to you."

Raph hung his head guiltily. "I-I'm sorry, Father. I just...I know my temper is bad, and it always leaves someone hurt. I...I thought things would be better if I wasn't around. You wouldn't have to waste your time swatting my back side or trying to deal with my problems."

The father was shocked. "Oh, my boy. As I said earlier, I understand your temper can cause you to do things you do not mean, but you are as important and needed in this family as are you brothers and your sister. I will be honest, it does grow tiring having to give you punishment the most frequent, but I do so because I love you, and I know you can do better. So much better. We all love you, Raphael," he lightly pressed a hand against his son's cheek, "and you will be loved, forever."

"And ever," Joey chirped, nuzzling his shoulder. Raph chuckled and draped his good arm around her neck.

Once he finished tending to their wounds, Yoshi carried his children to the couch in the living area, placing them next to pillows and covering them up with blankets. Leo, Donnie, and Mikey came racing forward. "You okay, bro?" the youngest turtle asked.

"Yeah, I guess," Raph sighed. He ruffled Joey's hair and added sarcastically, "Joey's fine, too, by the way. Thanks for askin'."

Mikey swatted his hand in the air. "Ahh, Joey's a tough girl. A few scrapes won't bring her down, right?" Josephine held her nose high in the air proudly and nodded.

Raph leaned forward close to his brother. "Ya sayin' I ain't tough?"

Michelangelo shrugged. "Well, you were crying."

"So?!" Raph said. "I'm sure you would too if you had a cut like mine, or if you were covered in scrapes."

Leo smirked. "Deja vu, Raph?" The red-clad turtle was about to ask what he meant, but then he remembered what they discussed in the dojo after Mikey fell flat on his face and busted his lip.

Raphael tried to play it off. "Well, whatever. I'm tough, too, and I can prove it." He showed off his sewn-up cut. "See? I had to get stitches, and I didn't even cry once. Did I, Joey?"

"Nuh-uh!" Joey shook her head fiercely.

"Yup. I am tough," Raph said proudly. "I can withstand almost anything!"

"Yeah. Almost." Leo slid his hand under his blanket to find his foot and stroked his finger along his toes. Raph squeaked and giggled as he pulled his foot further in close to his body. Leo smiled to see his brother laugh.

Then Joey crawled over him to where Donnie knelt. "You feelin' otay, Donnie?" she asked.

Don nodded. "I was scared when I heard Raph had run off, but I feel better now that I know he's safe and back home with us." He and Raphael exchanged glances and smiled at one another.

"As do, I, my son," their father said as he entered the living area. "And I take it you are no longer ailing?"

Donnie shook his head. "No, Father. After a little rest I feel much better than before."

"Donnie not sick no more?" Joey said excitedly.

Donatello laughed and nodded. "Yes, Jo-Jo, I'm not sick, and it's 'anymore', not 'no more'. You don't use a double-negative in a sentence."

"Oh, whatever!" Josephine scoffed and embraced her brother tightly.

"Daddy, can you get Mikey offa me? He fell asleep on my foot." Raph pointed to a sleeping Mikey who nuzzled a lump under his blanket where his foot was. He wiggled his toes, but Mikey didn't move.

Yoshi chuckled. "I believe it is his nap time, as it is for all of you. We have all been stirred up a bit and need some rest." He took Joey in one arm and Mikey in the other, then led his children to their rooms. He laid Mikey in his bed, tucked him in, and kissed his forehead; he did the same with Leonardo and Donatello. Raph noticed Joey whispering in their father's ear and he began nodding slowly. The rodent took his hand and guided him into his room. Yoshi sat Jo on the floor as he tucked his son in bed halfway, then he straightened himself. "Raphael, Josephine has requested if she could nap with you."

Raph blinked a bit then glanced at his sister, who bore a small smile, which began to look silly as sleepiness appeared on her face. The young turtle smiled. "Sure," he said and lifted the blanket that hadn't been tucked under. Yoshi removed the little girl's gear before laying her in bed next to her big brother, tucking them both in tightly, and kissing their foreheads.

"Rest well, my children," he said softly then left the room.

Joey moaned and nuzzled her brother. "Happy dreams, Raphie," she whispered as she drifted off to sleep.

Raphael smiled and laughed a little. "Happy dreams to you, too, Jo-Jo." He patted her back and stared up at the ceiling. So many things had happened that day, and the day wasn't even halfway over. But he learned an important lesson, as well. No matter how much of a trouble-maker he could be, no matter how many times he got punished for it, he would always be loved. And he'd love them; though he'd never completely admit it.

His eyes drifted off to a close and he slept with a smile on his face, hugging his sister with one arm, and holding her hand in the other. Raphael didn't know if he had already known this or if he just discovered it, but he knew they would be close.

Real close.