Hey everyone! So, I've had this idea bouncing around in my head since I saw the TMNT movie last summer, and finally decided to write it out and see what you guys thought! But first, a little info!

-This is in the TMNT 2014 universe. I know some people aren't too fond of the movie, but please give the story a chance!

-A few things are different, such as the turtles got their bandannas and weapons when they were younger than it shows in the movie, and they're seventeen when the events of the movie happen!

-I portray the lair as having actual rooms, which isn't how the lair actually is in the movie! This is just so that a scene or two in this chap can work!

-The turtles are roughly five years older than Jack, so when Jack is a few weeks old the turtles are five, when Jack is sixteen they are twenty-one, etc...

-The Autobots are NOT in this chapter, but I promise, they will be in the story! Just in a chapter or two farther along in the story! Just bear with me, fellow Transformer fans! For now, have an energon cookie! (::)

WARNING: A part in this chapter talks about blood a little bit! So if you get queasy easily, proceed with caution!

Disclaimer's on my prof.!

Sorry for any spelling errors!

Translations for Japanese words (in BOLD) are at the end of the chap!

Enjoy reading!

The sound of cars and people above echoed off the dark, dank walls of the New York sewers. This was a usual rhythm that didn't disturb the tall, tailed figure that moved through the tunnels, nor the four small, laughing forms that followed him.

For five years, this had been a part of Splinter's life: Wandering the sewers with his four little sons, searching for anything that had washed down in the recent storms that could be used in their home.

Stopping to pick up a chipped cup, the mutated rat looked up and smiled as his five-year-old, terrapin sons ran a little bit ahead, rough-housing as only boys could.

"My sons," He called. "Do not wander too far."

"Hai father!" Leo called in return, giggling with his brothers as they continued to mess around and play fight.

Chuckling to himself, Splinter placed the cup he had found into the large plastic bag on his shoulder (another item swept down by the city's most recent storm). He then went back to searching, making sure to keep an ear and eye on his little turtles, though he wasn't too worried. His little ones knew the sewers as well as he, they wouldn't get lost if they wandered a little too far, but that didn't stop Splinter from worrying.

He glanced up, watching as the four terrapins turned down a side path. A dead-end tunnel, Splinter mused. Well, that was alright if they played in there, it wasn't as if they could wander off too far, and they knew to not crawl out through the drain that led to the city.

The rat went to pick up an old, frayed blanket-

"Woah!"

"Lookit it! It's pink!"

A smacking.

"It's a human, dummy!"

At the word 'human', Splinter dropped the blanket and ran to the tunnel his sons were in, terrified. If there was a human here, the could all be captured, they'd all be experimented on and-!

But all he saw when he entered the tunnel was his four terrapin children, all huddled about a large wicker basket.

The basket was obviously old but sturdy. With how it dripped, sopping wet, Splinter guessed his children had fished it out of the sewer water that quietly flowed in the ditch at the edge of the tunnel. As he neared, Splinter could see that the basket had been lined with a soft pillow and blanket, and there, resting upon the makeshift bed...Was a baby.

The little baby was swadled in a blanket, sleeping peacefully despite all the noise the little turtle toddlers around him were making. The tiny human was pale, with a mess of soft, fine black hair.

The turtles all looked up at their father, watching as the rat slowly approached. Splinter stooped beside the basket, hesitantly scooping up the slumbering child in the basket and straightening.

For a moment, the rat wondered just who in their right mind would do this to a poor little baby, this child couldn't be more than a few weeks old, a month at most! Who could just go and dump their child in a sewer?!

Forcing his anger down, Splinter unwrapped the blanket that was around the baby, looking the little human over for any injury. The boy (for now it was obvious, without the blanket and lack of a diaper, that this baby was a boy) looked completely unharmed, much to Splinter's relief.

Leo, Mikey, Raph and Don watched with awe and confusion as their father carefully wrapped the little baby boy back up in the blanket.

"Why's there a baby down here, father?" Leo asked, truly curious as he stared up at Splinter with innocent eyes. Splinter offered a sad smile, patting his eldest son on the head.

"I do not know, Leonardo."

"What're we gonna do with it?" Raph piped up, frowning.

"Not 'it', Raphael. Him." Splinter corrected, kneeling down to allow his short-tempered son a better look at the little baby. Raph's frown deepened, but Splinter knew better than to believe his son wished the child ill. It was obvious that his second eldest son was wondering the same thing as him, 'who would dump a baby here?'

Mikey moved over, and Splinter allowed the youngest turtle to pull the blanket a bit away from the human babe's face. A big smile came to the short terrapin's face.

"Awww! He's so cute!"

"Shhh!" Leo hissed quickly, covering his little brother's mouth. "You'll wake it- him, up!"

Mikey pouted, but listened to his brother all the same. Donnie had come up by now, too, and was peeking at the baby, shoving his glasses back up on his beak.

"What are we gonna do, dad? We can't just leave him here! It's too cold, he'll get sick!"

And Donnie, Splinter's bright, smart little son, was most definitely right. If they left the baby human here, he would fall ill and surely perish.

"Can we keep 'im?!"

Splinter looked at Mikey, astonished. This was an innocent, childish question, but Splinter honestly found himself considering taking the tiny baby back to his and his sons' sewer home.

The rat looked at the child in his arms, and was surprised to find big, dark blue-grey eyes staring back.

At some point during Splinter's musings, the babe had woken up, and was now simply looking from one face to the next, not even making a peep. The child, so new to the world, hadn't the slightest clue that mutated animals were different and strange.

The baby yawned, tiny hand fisting, before big blue eyes blinked up at Splinter once more. Just as he had been with the turtles, Splinter was instantly taken by the sweet, innocent gaze.

Looking back to his sons, the rat held out the plastic bag of new belongings to his strongest son, Raph.

"Raphael, please carry this for me."

The little turtle frowned, but took the offered plastic bag.

"Why?"

A gentle smile.

"At the moment, as you can see, my arms are full."

Mikey gasped, seeming delighted.

"We gonna take him home?!" He asked, all bright eyes and big smiles.

Splinter inclined his head in acknowledgement.

"Indeed, Michelangelo."

The youngest terrapin whooped, dancing about in joy even as Donnie rolled his eyes and Leo shook his head at the shortest turtle's antics.

"Yeah! A new brother! A new brother!"

"We're takin' 'im with us?!" Raph asked incredulously, looking horrified at the idea of bringing a strange human into their home.

Splinter sent the hot-tempered terrapin a stern look.

"Raphael, do not be so cross. Just as we were saved by a hogosha, we shall save this little one."

Raph seemed to like the idea of being like a hogosha, and so he was appeased, at least for the moment. Splinter smiled gently, looking to his other children.

"Let us go home, my little ones."

It was late in the evening when Splinter had finally finished cleaning up the baby and making a suitable bassinet for the tiny human to sleep in. Now, with Leo, Mikey and Don crowded around him, peeking at the bundle in his arms, Splinter gently coaxed a home made formula (the same he had given the turtles as baby's) into the raven-haired baby's mouth.

The baby drank eagerly, obviously starving. Splinter was giving the baby a second serving when Raph, who'd been pouting in the corner, finally spoke.

"Why can't we jus' take 'im back t' th' city?"

Splinter turned, giving the little turtle a look.

"Raphael."

The terrapin huffed, looking away without retort.

Shaking his head to himself, Splinter carefully stood, tiny baby cradled in his arms. The infant was beginning to nod off, his belly full and body warm now that he was in a dry, soft blanket. A tiny foot poked out from the wrappings, revealing a hospital I.D band about the tiny ankle. In the sparse few weeks this child had been alive, it seemed that no one had bothered to remove the indentification. Luckily, the undernourished, tiny babe had hardly grown, and so the band had yet to become too tight.

He turned to set the infant into the make-shift bassinet, which consisted of an old, rectangular, plastic laundry basket, lined with pillows and a couple of blankets. An old, patched up stuffed animal revealed Mikey had added his own personal touch, and Splinter couldn't help but smile.

Kneeling down, Splinter carefully lay the baby down inside the basket, ensuring that the little human was comfy and in no danger from anything in the bassinet. Now, sure that the babe was safe and happy, Splinter finally turned his attention to the tiny I.D band.

Over the past few years since his mutation, Splinter had managed to get a grap on how to read, his intelligence greatly increased thanks to the mutation he had gone through. Either way, Splinter was relieved that the name on the band was in no way complicated.

As the rat read the single word scribled on the plastic strip, his four sons, even Raph, came closer to peer over his shoulder.

"Wha's it say?" Mikey asked (he, unlike his brothers, was still trying to grasp the written English language).

Splinter's gaze turned to his smallest son, smiling softly.

"This says that his name is Jackson."

Raph scowled, crossing his tiny arms over his plastron and glaring at the far wall.

"Tha's a stupid name."

He winced when sharp eyes snapped to him, and Splinter frowned.

"Raphael." He barked. "Go to your room. I will not tolerate your unkind attitude."

Raph gaped incredulously.

"But dad-!"

"Now, Raphael."

The little, angry turtle gave a yell of frustration, throwing his arms into the air, but storming off to his room all the same. The three remaining turtles watched, then Leo turned to Splinter.

"Why's he so mad, dad?"

The rat's gave turned to Leo, and he offered the boy a kind smile.

"Your brother simply does not like change, that is all. And a baby is most definitely a large change. Now, go help your brothers clean their shells, and then it is off to bed for all of you."

"Aw man!" Mikey whined. "But I wanna stay here an' watch Jack!"

Splinter chuckled, rubbing the little terrapin's head.

"I know, my little one. But it is nearing the time when all little turtles must sleep. Jackson will still be here in the morning. Now, go with your brothers."

Mikey pouted, but did as told all the same.

Smiling to himself, Splinter gathered up the bassinet in his arms, going towards his own room. It would be best to get the baby settled in there before he tucked his four little terrapin's into bed.

"Do not worry, my tiny one." He whispered to the infant. "You will not be alone."

Raph watched Jack quietly, the little babe in his bassinet next to the lair's second-hand couch. The infant was only laying there, big, dark blue eyes looking about in curiosity as the other three toddler terrapin's giggled, playing tag, while Splinter was cleaning up the remaints of their lunch in the other room.

After a minute or two, Leo, Don and Mikey's game moved into another room of the lair, leaving Raph and Jack alone. Hesitantly, the hot-tempered turtle slid down from the couch, crawling over to the bassinet and frowning at the baby.

"Yer not so special..." He grumbled, frowning as he pointed accusingly. "Don' know why ev'ryone likes ya so much. Well yer not takin' my place or any'ne elses! Ya've only been 'ere a week, I've been 'ere longer!"

The baby only blinked up at him blankly, making Raph scowl and glare.

"Don' stare at me like tha'!"

The infant continued to stare, making Raph squirm uncomfortably. He then gave a start when Jack's tiny hands wrapped around his finger, and the baby beamed a toothless smile, giggling and cooing at Raph.

The turtle hesitated. The little one's hands were so warm...

Raph's expression softened a bit.

"Well...Ya are kinda cute, I guess."

Jack only giggled and blew a raspberry. Raph couldn't help but laugh.

"Hey! No fair! I don't get ta stick my tongue out at you!"

Another giggle, and Raph grinned, lightly shaking the finger the baby had a grip on.

"Yeah yeah yeah, so funny!" He teased, lightly poking the infant's belly, earning a happy coo.

Raph sighed, shifting to fold his arms on the edge of the bassinet, resting his head atop them.

"Dad say's a hogosha saved us when we were babies. I guess ya need someone to save ya too."

"He does indeed."

Raph jumped, looking up in surprise when his father's voice broke into his thoughts.

"Dad! Uh...I was just..."

Splinter smiled warmly, moving over and sitting beside the little five-year-old.

"I know, Raphael." Dark eyes turned to Jack. what do you think of your new brother?"

"He's...Not gonna take any'nes place...right?"

Splinter shook his head.

"No, of course not. He is your new brother, but he is in no way a replacement."

"...Okay. Tha's okay, I guess."

Splinter chuckled softly, placing a hand on the terrapin's shell.

"And just as you are a good big brother to Donatello and Micheangelo, I am sure you will be a good big brother to Jackson."

Raph beamed at that, enjoying the praise.

"I'll be th' best big brotha' eva'!"

Jack watched as his big brothers all laughed, cleaning eachother's shells and splashing water at one another. The little six-year-old looked away, a sad frown on his lips. He wished it wasn't bath day, because it was the one day that he knew he was undeniably different from his brothers. He gave a slight start as Splinter sat beside him, beginning to tame the boy's wild, damp raven hair with an old brush.

"Is something wrong, my little hikari?"

Jack sighed, leaning into his father's touch.

"No daddy, I'm okay."

"Now, that I do not believe. You look so very sad, my little hikari, won't you tell me why?"

Jack hesitated, but eventually he did reply, though with a question of his own.

"Why'm I so different?"

The brush that ran through his hair halted for a moment, and Jack looked up to see Splinter was looking at him in surprise. Soon, Splinter returned to brushing the boy's hair.

"What do you mean, Jackson?"

Jack huffed, hugging his knees to his chest.

"I don't look like Leo or Raphie or Mikey or Donnie. I don't have a shell, and I'm not green. Donnie says it's 'cause I'm human and they're turtles."

"Your brother is...Correct." Splinter said slowly. "But that is not bad."

Jack frowned, head tilting back to stare up at his adoptive father.

"But I thought humans live up in the city. Why'm I not up there?"

Splinter grimaced. How to explain this to a child in a way that wouldn't hurt him?"

"I am unsure, my little hikari. All I know is a hogosha brought you to me, and for that, I am eternally grateful."

"A hog-sha?" Jack tried (and failed) to parrot. Splinter chuckled, smiling gently as he set aside the old hairbrush and scooped up the boy, settling the tiny human in his lap. He folded his arms around Jack, nuzzling the now slightly tamed mess of raven locks.

"Yes, little one. A guardian spirit brought you to me, and here you are, my sweet, amazing fifth son."

Jack played with one of Splinter's hands absently, staring at the nimble fingers.

"Why don't we live in the city, daddy?"

Splinter's gaze saddened slightly.

"Because the humans fear your brothers and I. They beleive us to be monsters."

Big, innocent blue eyes turned to the rats' face.

"I'm human an' I'm not scared of you guys..."

Splinter chuckled, bowing his head to nuzzle his youngest son's cheek.

"I know, Jackson. That is because you are very special. Because you are our little hikari."

Jack smiled at the nickname, snuggling into his adoptive father's chest.

"You're special too, daddy."

Splinter smiled wryly.

"Oh, that, my son, is a fact."

A little shadow crept through the dark, empty alleyways of the New York docks.

Jack knew he shouldn't have snuck out, but he would be nine in three months, for goodness sake! He was old enough to see the city! He was tired of seeing his brothers leave time and again to take out crime, while he was left behind!

And so, after his brothers and father had drifted off to sleep, he'd grabbed one of Raph's sais and tip-toed out of the lair.

The city wasn't what he'd expected. He thought it would be brighter and less...Scary. But he would be okay, he was sure of it. As long as he had his big brother's sai, he'd be alright.

The small boy turned into a side alley, only to find a deadend. Frowning, he turned to go back-

Only to find several large, burly men, each grinning. They smelled of cigarrette smoke and alcohol, and the stench made Jack's nose wrinkle. He backed away a bit when one of the men approached, the dim light the moon and city illuminating the tattoo of a purple dragon on his shoulder.

"Well, wha'do we have here? Ya lost, kid?"

Jack licked his lips nervously.

"N-no...I was exploring..."

The man laughed, and the sound was harsh and grating, making Jack flinch away and finger the sai tucked into the folds of his tattered jacket.

"Ya hear tha', boys? Th' lil' guy was havin' an' adventure!"

The other men of the group guffawed, and the group's leader turned back to Jack.

"Well, lil' man, I think ya wandered a lil' too far." He waved a hand about, gesturing to the alley. "This here's our territory. Why don' we help ya find yer way-"

The man reached forward, and panic flashed over Jack's young face. He did the first thing he could think of.

He lashed out.

The sharp side of the sai raked across the burly man's face, and the man reeled back with a yell of pain. Jack bolted, ducking around the hands that grabbed at him.

Jack ran fast and hard, eyes searching to find a manhole in the darkness. He had to get away! His father was right, it wasn't safe here, it was dangerous and-!

A cry of pain left Jack as he was grabbed and tossed against a wall. A terrified sob left the boy as he was surrounded. The man he had atacked came forward, a knife in his hand, blood trickling down his face from the gash above his brow.

"Ya lil' punk, yer gonna pay fer this!" The man growled, gesturing to his injury.

Jack raised his right hand to shield his face when the man raised the knife-

Pain, hot and burning, swarmed over Jack's hand. He screamed in pain, hugging his hand close. He could feel blood, warm and sticky, trickling over his uninjured hand, dripping o stain the ground, and the pain didn't go away. Jack sobbed, curling up as the man went to strike him again with the knife.

But nothing happened. No pain, no death...nothing.

Jack looked up through tearful eyes when he heard the man yelp.

A long tail had wrapped around the thug's raised arm. A very familiar tail, to Jack at least.

The man was then yanked back, and two figures joined Splinter in the fight against the group of thugs.

Jack felt relief, of course, but the pain in his hand overwhelmed that, and he continued to sob, hand hugged to his little chest.

He jumped when two semi-large forms jumped down from the rooftop above.

"Jack!"

"Donnie!" Jack burried his head in his purple-clad brother's plastron, continuing to openly sob. "It hurts, Donnie! It hurts!"

"I know, little brother, I know." Donnie soothed. "Mikey! Help me out here, I can't see his hand with it being so dark and my eyesight so bad, what's his hand look like?"

Mikey seemed a bit flustered (when Don was in 'doctor mode', that meant something was definitely wrong), but did as told, carefully managing to pry Jack's bleeding hand from his little chest, ignoring the blood as it coated his hands and squinting a bit.

He would've paled if he could.

"Mikey!" Don snapped, making the slightly younger fourteen-year-old jump. "What's it look like? Is the cut deep, shallow, on his wrist or fingers?"

"U-uh...He'd kinda...Kinda missing two fingers..."

Horrified emerald eyes turned to Mikey.

"What?!"

Donnie shifted his hold on Jack and while Mikey attempted to calm the little eight-year-old, the tech genius took Jack's injured hand by the wrist and held it close, ignoring the metallic scent of blood as he squinted. It took all of his willpower to not throw up as he carefully scooped up his tiny brother and stood.

"Sensei! Jack's really hurt, we gotta get him home!"

Splinter looked over from where he stood above the now cowering thug, his eyes sharp. His gaze flickered to the sobbing form of Jack before he looked back to Donnie and nodded.

"Then by all means, let us go."

Leo went to Raph, who was spitting threats at the gang members. The red-clad terrapin jumped when Leo touched his shoulder.

"It's time to leave, Raph."

Raph scowled, but, after giving one last kick to a thug's ribs, followed his family into the shadows.

Splinter and Donnie had patched Jack up as well as they could, but there was no replacing his fingers. They'd had to settle with cauterizing the wounded area shut and wrapping it up tenderly with gauze.

Jack now knew why he hadn't been allowed to go up-top. Splinter was right, it was dangerous and scary, even Jack himself didn't have a place among his own kind it seemed, especially now...

The boy had been oddly quiet since the incident only four months before. He rarely spoke now, not to his father, not to Mikey or Don or Leo, not even Raph, his 'best friend brother'. All he did was sit in his room, coming out for meals or to clean up. His ninth birthday had been spent trying to convince Jack to come open is presents.

Those presents were still unopened.

Jack still barricaded himself in his room.

And this drove his brothers crazy.

Raph had, surprisingly, not tried to coax his little brother out of his room yet, unlike the others. While Mikey was constantly trying to lure Jack out with the promise of playing fun games, Don tried to talk Jack into coming out to go scavenging, so they could try and find parts to make him a skateboard. Leo and Splinter had even tried coaxing Jack out by promising to let him watch his brothers train for once. But nothing worked, and each time Raph would watch his brothers or father walk away from the makeshift door.

It was nearing month five when Raph finally decided that enough was enough. He understood Jack needed time, and he had given his baby brother pleanty of space, but now it was time for him to try and fully recover. Raph wanted his little baby brother back!

Glancing around to ensure no one was watching (he didn't want to ruin his 'tough' image), Raph lightly knocked on the door. The aged, splintering wood creaked under the strength of his touch, but didn't break (it made no sense why someone would leave a perfectly good door like this at the dump, Raph absently mused).

"'Ey Jay, mind if I come in?"

No reply, and Raph frowned. He tried again.

"Jack, I know ya can hear me."

A long moment of silence, then Jack's soft voice carried through.

"Go away, Raph."

Raph crossed his arms over his broad chest, leaning on his shoulder against the wall beside the door.

"Not goin' anywhere 'til ya let me in."

Jack's voice grew in strength and anger.

"I said go away! Leave me alone!"

"Nope. Ya should be happy I'm bein' nice here and askin' permission." He jiggled the brass doorknob threateningly. "Unless ya'd rather I jus' barge in, up t' you, really."

"I'll tell daddy!"

Raph sighed, head lightly resting on the doorframe.

"C'mon, Jay. Ya don't have t' come out, jus' let me come in. Please?"

No reply, and Raph grimaced. Turning so his shell was to the doorframe, he slid down until he was sitting, elbows resting on his knees. This approach wasn't working, but what would? After a moment, Raph finally spoke.

"Ya know wha'? No one's home, 'cept us. Why don' we go down t' th' dojo an' I'll teach ya some Ninjitsu? It'll be our lil' secret."

There was a long minute or so of silence, then the door slowly opened a jar.

Raph smiled as a single, dark blue-grey eye peered out at him, and he offered a large green hand. After a second, a small, five-fingered hand took Raph's own three-fingered appendage, and Raph gently pulled the boy out of the room.

Jack's raven hair was messy and had grown to his jaw, and his eyes were dull and saddened. Raph offered a weak smile, standing as he continued to hold the boy's hand.

"C'mon."

They went to the ladder and Raph scooped up the little human, craddling the boy in one arm and using the free one to help him slide down the ladder. Reaching the ground floor, Raph set Jack back down and they both went into the dojo.

Being only nine, Jack hadn't been allowed to learn Ninjisu, and was rarely ever even allowed to watch his brothers train. But it was obvious he wanted to learn, it was easy to see when he would wach his brohers train and gain a light in his eyes that showed pure awe and admiration. So, Raph figured that if showing Jack a few tricks got Jack on track to returning to life with the usual vigor he'd had before, then what Splinter didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

Reaching the middle of the room, Raph kneeled down, taking a sai from his belt and holding it out to Jack. The boy took it in his hand hesitantly, his fingers tiny compared to the leather wrapped hilt. When Jack looked at him unsurely, Raph smiled.

"There ya go. Here, mover yer fingers a bit so it won't feel so heavy- there ya go."

Jack looked at him with such vulnerability that it almost hurt.

"R-Raphie...I dunno about this."

"Eh? Why?"

"Because...Because I can't do anything now..."

Raph frowned.

"Wha'? 'Cause of yer hand?"

Jack winced, and Raph grimaced.

"Jay, yer not helpless."

"I only have three fingers!" The boy snapped. "I can't write anymore 'cause I write with this hand! I can't draw anymore, an' everyone keeps acting like I'm different!"

Raph flinched slightly at that. It was true...

"We only act like tha' 'cause we're worried 'bout ya, Jack."

"But I don't like it! I don't wanna make everyone worry!"

Raph blew out a sigh, gave turning to the boy's right hand. It was wrapped in gauze, the three remaining fingers curled slightly...

Then it hit Raph.

Gaze snapping back to Jack, the red-banded turtle grinned, making Jack blink in surprise and confusion.

"Raph?"

"Yer right, we've been treatin' ya all weird, huh?"

Jack frowned.

"Yeah, but I can't...Can't do anything now-"

Raph gave a bark of laughter.

"Can't do nothin'? Yeah right!"

Jack jumped when Raph took hold of his right wrist, gently pulling it up until the little palm faced the turtle. Raph then released his wrist...And pressed his hand to the little human's, Jack's own three fingers...Pressing against his brother's three fingers.

Jack looked awed, realizing that now he was like his brothers, albeit in a small way. He had a hand that matched theirs, and hat made the little nine-year-old feel very special.

"See, Jay? I've got three fingers, but I can do tons of stuff!"

He was startled when Jack beamed.

"My hand's like yours, Raphie!"

A surprised laugh bubbled past Raph's lips.

"Yeah, yeah it is, lil' brotha'."

Jack bounced on his toes happily.

"I'm like you an' Leo an' Mikey an' Don now!"

Raph smirked, tickling Jack's sides, making the little boy giggle and shriek.

"R-Raphie!" He managed. "S-Stoooop!"

Raph laughed, scooping up the youth.

"See? Everythin's gonna be okay! If me an' our bro's can do stuff with three fingers, so can you!"

"I'm part turtle!"

Raph gave Jack an inquisitive look.

"'Ey, don't go tha' far. You're still pink an' squishy."

Jack pouted.

"Not funny!"

Raph smiled, hugging his brother close, pressing his forehead to Jack's.

"I love ya, lil' brotha'."

Jack hummed happily.

"I love you too, Raphie."

In his long sixteen years alive, Jack had learned many things. He learned that being the youngest of five had its ups and downs: like he could convince his brothers (most of the time) to take him to the sewer tunnels with sewage drains so that he could peek out at the streets, but he couldn't engage in battles with the Foot Clan. He learned that the city was dangerous, and he had to stay with his brother's when they'd go up-top. He had even learned the best way to polish a bladed weapon and how to keep up with his super-strengthed brothers in a sparring match.

He'd also experienced a lot of things too, things that delighted and awed him. When he'd seen the city for the first time through a drain, he had never felt so elated in his life, and the day when he'd finally been allowed to begin training in Ninjitsu with his brothers on his tenth birthday. The day when he had met April, the first human he'd ever spoken to that was nice? That had been so weird yet so...exciting (though the experience didn't encourage him to leave his home without his brothers at his back).

But he'd gone through many horrible experiences too. Like when he had been twelve, and his home had been attacked by the Shredder. He had been forced to simply watch as his family was taken away while he hid in one of the dried up storm drains that littered the walls of the lair. He'd experienced having to say behind and take care of his father while Raph and April went to save the others. Even to this day he still had nightmares about that...

But now, four years later, life was good (at least in his opinion). With a loving father, four amazing brothers and even an honorary sister in the form of April, Jack had all he needed.

If only he knew how much his life would change.

Translations:

Hai = Yes

Hogosha = Guardian/Guardian spirit

Hikari = Light

Sensei = Teacher/Mentor