Bonds

by Fenix Uzumaki

When the Turtles find a child in the sewers, covered in scars and with a severe infection, they take him in to help him heal. Who would have thought the child would grow on them? No pairings.

This is taken from one of my other stories in another category, but I felt that since the turtles only make an appearance in one chapter [for now] it wasn't enough to justify a crossover title.

I do not own TMNT or Country Bears [though I wish I owned CB!]

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Preview

Mid-June 2005

The horrific smelling, slimy water sloshed around him as he trudged through the sewers. Arms wrapped around himself, he looked around and jumped with fear at every little sound. Worriedly, he looked back to make sure no one followed him. Once again, there was no one there. Strange, he could have sworn…

Part of him was disappointed. He wanted to be found, yet he knew he would probably be taken back to Esmeralda. The thought both excited and terrified him. He wanted to turn back and return to her, yet at the same time, the thought drove him forward away from her.

Up ahead, he spotted a raised landing. It was at least a foot above the water level. Not much, but it was enough. Limping, he climbed up onto the ledge and curled up, shivering.

The longer he lay there, the more realization dawned on him. He was free. Free. Finally, he could go home! Then he frowned. Did he even have a home? Would they accept him back? After all he had been through, would they even want him?

Tears gathered in his eyes and began to fall. Everything that had happened over the past year hit him all at once, his sobs echoing throughout the sewer system.

.~*The Country Bears*~.

Late June 2005

The figures watched in a stealthy silence the figure resting on a ledge in their sewers. He had arrived about two weeks ago, and since then, they had noticed that he would steal from the garbage of the people on the surface. Sometimes, they noticed he would shoplift from store delivery trucks.

They had been quite cross about this, but were mostly concerned for him. A few of the things he had stolen were medical supplies. Painkillers, gauze, and bandages. Was he hurt? Why was he down here?

"Hey, Leo? He hasn't moved in a while," the youngest of their group whispered, watching as his slightly older brother moved closer, staying hidden in the shadows.

Leo glanced at his youngest sibling. "Donny will be able to tell us."

"Should turn the little thief in to the police," a third voice belonging to the second oldest of the group growled.

"Enough, Raph. He's probably homeless," Leo interrupted. "Sensei's ordered us to keep an eye on him."

Beary slowly opened his eyes, his breathing harsh and ragged. His pelvis was aching horribly. He could not move without sending shots of pain through his nervous system. His vision was cloudy as he whimpered and whined, succumbing to his hallucinations as he let out a cry, fighting off the demons that seemed to be closing in on him.

He let out a terrified cry when he saw a monster approaching him. Three fingers and toes, knee and elbow pads, a strange shell covering most of his body, and a purple band around his head. Oh, and his skin was a light emerald green.

"Easy, easy. I'm not going to hurt you," the figure murmured, running his odd hands over the young bear's body. "Relax. My name is Donatello. What's yours?" He was trying his best to calm the cub. "B-Be-Beary… T-Taylor…" the thirteen-year-old replied, yelping when Donatello pressed a little too hard on his abdomen.

The green being could see the scars that covered his body and knew he had been through hell. Spotting the bandages on his pelvis peeking out from his shorts, he gently undid them, noting that they were filthy. A new roll was nowhere to be found. Eyes widening, he looked at the highly infected burn. Quickly placing the bandage back, he scooped up the furry creature. He could feel the heat radiating off of him. There was only one place to go.

He dashed back to his brothers. "Leo, we need to get him to Splinter. In addition, his name… It sounds familiar. He is badly hurt. An infected, barely treated burn."

Leo thought about it for a moment before nodding. "Let's go. Raph, lead the way."

Raph scoffed and quickly took off, followed by his two youngest brothers. Leo stayed behind a moment to make sure they were not being followed, and then disappeared into the shadows.

.~*The Country Bears*~.

Splinter looked around the misty field with suspicion. This was not his normal dream state! Suddenly, he was overtaken by a bright light that slowly took form. A Tueri. Yes, Splinter had read the legends. Tueri could visit dreams. Why would one visit him? He was not a bear.

"Master Splinter," the Tueri smiled, waving a paw and creating two pillows. She sat upon one and gestured for him to do the same.

He watched her and cautiously approached, gingerly taking a seat. "It is not often I am visited in my dreams," he spoke quietly,

"It is not often that I visit dreams. It drains me so." The Tueri had one white ear, brown and white hair that flowed like a waterfall down to her ankles, and a white face with forest green eyes. "I suppose you are wondering why I am here, as you do not follow our culture. That is easy to explain. You, or at least your sons, have recently found someone that belongs to me."

He frowned and looked at her. "Belongs?" She did look very similar to the bear cub, but why would she say belongs? "If you will forgive me, who are you?"

"His mother, Helena Taylor. I died when he was only three, but I have watched over him ever since. I have come to ask for your help."

He nodded. "I can help only as much as I can in some cases, what do you seek of me?"

"My son is in need of healing. Not just from his physical injuries, but his mental ones as well. I cannot tell you much about what has taken place, as it grieves me so to think upon it. I ask you..." She lowered her gaze a moment before looking him straight in the eye. "I BEG you to help him. Train him. I led your sons to him, and him to an area they patrol, for this very reason. I know you can keep him safe and train him, make him stronger. I want him to be able to defend himself both physically and mentally. I want him to learn from you, one of the best teachers in the world."

Splinter blinked in surprise. "You wish for me to teach your son? You've only just spoken to me and yet you trust me with this request?"

"I do. I know it is strange, but I can see your aura and your soul. Not as well as the Great Spirit Bear, Evelyn Hathworth can, but as a Tueri, I can see what's in you. I pray you grant me this request, and if you cannot, then to watch over him until such a time as I return to you and bring you news of when to return him to the surface."

"I will grant your request, but as you know, I can only do it if he wants to. I cannot and will not force him to take lessons. I never forced my sons."

Helen nodded and smiled softly. "I thank you, Master Splinter, for allowing me to speak to you. Do not tell my child of our encounter, as he will not understand." She closed her eyes as she began to disappear.

"I will not tell him, I promise. I will inform my sons to keep an eye on him and to bring it to my attention when he wakes next."

"Dii te et domum tuam." With that, she was gone.

.~*The Country Bears*~.

Beary's form lay on a cushioned table, his clothing removed as best from around the area without irritating it. His breathing was labored and he would cough with each breath. He had been here in this place for almost two days, still not waking up.

"How long as he been unconscious? You should have brought him in earlier. Hmm... I see..."

Leonardo entered the room just then, having only heard the last bit of the whispered conversation, glancing at his father and younger brother, the latter that stepped out to find something. He passed over a large folder. "I have his medical history at last, Master Splinter. Moreover, found out who he is. Have you heard the story of the bear cubs that were stolen from their hotel by slave traders?" His brown eyes were bitter and full of anger at the thought.

The old wise one nodded, stroking his chin. "I have, but this puzzles me. If this is one of them, where is the other?" He gently examined the cub, cleaning him up a bit with a cloth and mild disinfectant as he had done every day to make sure the burn stayed clean.

"In April, Jewel O'Neal was returned to her family and gave birth to a son. She is only thirteen. She and her parents have disappeared off the grid. Raph's trying to locate them. Mikey's helping him.

"Father... I looked up something more. Apparently at the base where this creep lived, the FBI found a body." He looked at Beary. "His body. It was burned in the explosion, yet they made a dental match. I don't understand. Someone has gone to great lengths to make sure Beary Barrington-Taylor is not found. The family has already held funeral services. As far as they and the FBI are aware, from what I could find out, is that he's dead. Yet, here he is before us."

Donatello returned just then, having heard what his brother explained. The thought made his blood boil. He went over to the cub, gently prying his mouth open. After a moment, he looked at his father and brother. "There is why, you see there? At the base of his teeth? The only way they would have made a dental match was if the pulp that is found inside the tooth had been extracted and injected into the body found."

"How do they do that?" Leo stepped forward, looking at the cub with curiosity. "How bad off is he?"

Donatello sighed, closed the cub's mouth again, and continued his examination. "Put it this way: I'm surprised the kid doesn't have blood poisoning from this mess. As for how they do that, whoever did it to him had medical knowledge including some basic dentistry. You have to get to the spongy layer inside the tooth to get at the pulp."

The brainiac frowned and checked the cub's temperature. "Still hot. Makes me worry how long he has had that burn. At least two weeks. We saw him try to treat it… Should have gotten to him sooner. This is gruesome. If we had not gotten him here when we did, he most likely would have died within a few hours. He still hasn't woken yet, and that troubles me." He looked at the monitors he had hooked up to the child, studying his heart rate and breathing.

"To do that, we have to find out what's happened to him since the FBI raided that base in Salt Lake City. And we may only know that if and when he wakes up."

Splinter looked at his sons before placing a long-fingered paw on the cub's head, closing his eyes. "I fear his mind is in a turmoil. He needs time to rest and recuperate. He will wake in his own time."

"I'll get him hooked up to a new IV and put him on some more antibiotics. Speaking of, you mind handing me over a couple of the red and grey ones? The, uh, well I guess Mikey calls them Space Capsules with a Bitter Aftertaste." He smirked and shook his head at his younger brother's antics.

The blue masked turtle chuckled a bit and did as his brother asked. "They are rather nasty, if you ask me."

"I know, but they are necessary and essential. I'll put him on some of the liquid ones after he wakes, but this is just to give a head start." He took them and looked down at the cub, setting them down. He then, being extremely careful, trimmed the fur around the burn and washed it with some salt water and saline to ensure no dirt remained. Like Splinter, he also cleaned the burn every day, making sure no pus remained. He would have trimmed the fur sooner, but his burn was so raw they had to wait.

"Hmm… Well he's as cleaned up as possible down on that burn so…" He undid the capsules and sprinkled the powder all over the burn, after which he slathered it thickly in some burn cream. Very carefully, he applied a new dressing over it. "I don't know when he's going to wake. He's pretty out of it."

The cub gave a slight twitch, his face contorting to a grimace, a soft groan leaving his dry lips.

"I thought you said he was unconscious!" Leo cried, moving a bit closer.

"He was. Looks like someone's coming round. Easy kid. I'm sorry," he soothed. "Just take it easy, you're hurt. We're here to help."

The cub's eyelids lifted, revealing hazel, as he looked around fearfully. Where was he? Why were there voices? He groaned and shifted, his body tensing up despite the pain it caused. Were they here to hurt him?! Why wouldn't their forms come into shape? They looked like green blurs! "L-Leave m-me al-alone! I... I've d-done n-noth-nothing wr-wrong! D-Don't hurt me! P-Please!" he begged, finding himself unable to move and get away. "I'm a g-good b-boy! I'm a g-go-good boy!"

Leo's eyes widened as he restrained the cub gently.

"Hey! Hey! Calm down, kid! You'll hurt yourself! We're trying to help ya. Settle down." Donny wondered if he would have to give him a little sedative for his own good. He backed away and gathered what he needed, filling a syringe and setting it down on the counter beside the table just in case. "My name is Donatello. You're safe, Beary. You're safe. It's all right."

"N-no such th-thing as s-safe!" Adrenaline pumping through him, he began to squirm, raising his paws and thrashing around at the strange creatures. He was on the offense now. "Get away from me!"

Leonardo growled, grabbing his wrists and holding them down at his sides. "Don, will you just knock him out already?! Or something?"

Beary didn't like being held down one bit as he brought a knee up, smacking the leader in the head with it and breaking free, toppling off the side of the bed. His body was aching, but he was trying not to stop. He had to get away!

Leo, startled at first, quickly moved to grab him. "Kid has a heck of a kick."

"Damn it! Stop moving; you'll hurt yourself, kid!" Donny groaned and carefully grabbed hold of the kid and apologized as he slid a needle into his vein, sending the low dose of sedative into his system. "Calm down, or you will hurt yourself even more. We're trying to help you, Beary. Trust me, I'm not going to hurt you. Release him, Leo. See, kiddo? We're not going to hold you down anymore. Just calm down. You need our help. That burn's infected."

Leonardo, backing away and letting his purple-clad brother take control, felt a stab of pity for the young cub as he saw the utter terror in his eyes, something that shouldn't be there. Not in a child. "Easy... We promise we won't hurt you. Sorry for grabbing you."

Splinter watched in silence, studying the child's body language.

Beary looked at them both, their forms coming into focus. "W-What a-are y-you?!" He could feel his resolve weakening.

"Would you believe us if we told ya?" Donny smiled as he watched the medicine take effect, calming the child but not knocking out. "Before I answer that, I need to get you back onto the bed. Are you hurting anywhere?" He looked at the cub's eyes and sighed. "Will you trust me and my brother here to put you onto the exam table so I can look at your injuries? I will only do it if you let me, all right?"

Beary looked at him, eyes full of mistrust, before slowly nodding. "Okay. Just... try anything and I'll..." He broke off. His vision swam a bit once more as his head started pounding. Their voices swam, as did the rest of the sounds, and his eyes rolled up as a shudder ran through his body, getting stronger and stronger.

"Kid? Beary? Oh, shell. Damn it, Leo, what's it say in his records? Is he on anything for this?!"

Splinter moved over and helped to hold the cub still. "Be quick, hurry." He softly chanted a lullabye in Japanese, offering his comforts to the child. "Natsuhiboshi, naze akai? Yuube kanashī yume wo mita. Nai hanashita.Akai watashi yo Natsuhiboshi, naze mayou?Kieta warashi wo sagashiteru. Dakara kanashī yumewo miru. Natsuhiboshi, naze akai? Yuube kanashī yume. Sanda ni kisai sa rete iru. Nai hanashita. Akai watashi yo Natsuhiboshi, naze mayou? Kietaga sagashiteru o warashi. Dakara kanashī yumewo miru."

Donny got up after apologizing and rushed to the cabinet looking for something suitable to use. Diazepam! Anything!

Leo rushed back to the records, sure he had seen something. Finding it, he read aloud. "'After waking from a six-month coma, Beary was found to have epilepsy, perhaps caused by the poison that forced him into the coma and did damage to his brain. We have yet to find the proper dose to treat it.' That was back when he was eleven. He's... actually, he just turned thirteen less than a month ago."

"Well that's just great! Does it say anything about any medicines he's been on to help with them?"

The oldest brother nodded and listed them. "Most of them failed, though. The last prescription they tried... they never found out if it works." He flipped through the folder, blinking. "It stops there. The last entry was last September, just a week before they went missing. I could not find any other records. I am sorry, Sensei."

"Hold him still. This should do the trick," Donny said, wandering back over.

Splinter looked over at his oldest son. "No reason to be sorry for something that was never there, young one." He frowned at the seizing cub. "Donatello, be quick."

The tech geek nodded and carefully injected into the cub the mixture of sedative and muscle relaxant. "I just hope this works. Still had some left from when April had those problems. All right, keep hold of him."

For the first few anxious seconds, there seemed to be no result. After a minute and still nothing, Donatello was nervous. Finally, a few seconds later, the cub's convulsions slowed and finally ceased.

All breathed a sigh of relief.

"I was able to access his records through the computer. Perhaps whoever took them did the same? There has to be more records, or records were never kept during their... captivity?" Leo frowned, looking at his brother.

"More than likely any records since then would have probably been kept on paper by the ones that had him." Donny shook his head and gently, after making sure the cub wasn't going to go into convulsions again, rolled him onto his less injured side into the recovery position. "You are having one shell of a bad night aren't you, kiddo."

"Language young one."

"Sorry, Master."

Leonardo frowned and shook his head. "Sensei, might I ask if I can go on a mission to find out more about him? Perhaps I can locate these missing records in Utah. I will be gone no longer than a week."

Splinter turned to him, mulling this over. He did not want his son to go so far away, but he also knew they needed all the answers they could find. "You may, but as always proceed with caution, who knows who may have chased him down here, or may still be looking for him on the surface." He glanced over at the hurting cub. "He'd do better in a hospital but I fear if he was to be sent to one that it would be sent all over the headlines that he had been found and the ones that had kept him captive would know where to find him."

Donny frowned. "Then maybe he should stay here until he gets better enough then? This is as safe and secure as anywhere. At least until we find some way to contact his family and return him to them."

"I agree, Father. And I thank you for your blessing. I will take Casey with me, while April scours the city above for anything. He had to have been in the city to have come down here. I will return in a week, if not sooner." He dashed away, only to be replaced by Raphael.

The red-banded ninja turtle frowned, watching him go. "And where's he off to?"

"He's off to find out more about the cub, what have you found out?" Splinter turned to address him.

Donny didn't look up as he picked the cub up and took him over to the table, setting him down. Once more, he gently examined him for any injuries, also keeping an eye out for when he regained consciousness again.

"Hmph. Well, it would seem that Jewel O'Neal is actually in the city. New York City. Been here about two months now." Raphael eyed the cub on the table, curiosity in his eyes.

"Whereabouts is she, my son?" Splinter asked, sitting upon a chair. "Is she safe? Whom is she with?"

"Her parents." He explained what he had found out.

Splinter nodded. "As long as she is safe. Did you both find out the information?"

"Or is Mikey stuffing his face full of pizza again?" Donny smirked.

"Both. He got grease all over your new keyboard," Raphael grinned, knowing this would rile up his younger brother.

Donny groaned. "Mikey! I swear I am gonna kick your shell for that!" he called out to the orange banded brother of his. "I swear! That's the third one this week!"

Raphael laughed and shook his head. He looked at the furry rat. "Sorry, Sensei. May we go out and see her ourselves? See how she and her family is faring?"

"If you wish. Be careful and also, they might not take your visit if you intend to do so as friendly."

"Chill, Sensei. Not gonna be seen by them. Just watching and making sure they are indeed all right. Considering what section of town they are in, I think it is a good idea."

"Cannot a father worry?" He smiled. "All right, go ahead but report anything that shouldn't be as it should be. If you see the girl go out on her own, keep a silent vigil."

Raphael nodded, knowing this was an important task. "Yes, Sensei. Thank you for your blessing." He jumped away. A smack was heard, along with Mikey's yelp—they knew that Raph had just alerted him to the mission—and then silence.

About thirty minutes later, Beary began to stir once more, even more groggy than before. "Jewel... Jewel..." he murmured repeatedly, drawing attention to himself.

Donatello smiled and moved over to him, immediately checking his vitals. "Looks like he's coming round again. Take it easy kid, you've had a rough time kiddo."

"Jewel... Dex... Roxi..." he whimpered, blinking slowly. "My head hurts..."

"I'm not surprised. Just take it easy. Here, this might help with that. You had a seizure about half an hour ago." He, aware that he'd already been given medicine, gave him a carefully measured dose of some painkillers directly into his bloodstream via syringe. "Once that kicks in, you'll feel better."

Beary eyed him for a moment. "TMNT...?" he murmured, blinking in surprise. "Am I dreaming? Has to be... you guys only exist on TV..."

Donatello blinked at first. TV? They were on TV? Oh, that must be that show that Mikey was so excited about watching. Briefly, he wondered where the "creators" had gotten their ideas for this show. "Hehe, I guess you've got us, huh? Yeah, it's us, I guess. Okay how many fingers am I holding up?" He held up a hand in front of the cub.

"Three? I don't understand. If this is a dream... then... then I'm still at Esme's place..." The slightly longing mixed with fear in his voice did not escape turtle and rat.

"Esme? No, kiddo, you're not at her place. You're down in the sewers. You've been down here for a while." Donny glanced over to Splinter. Who was this Esme? The name sounded familiar, but surely it couldn't be her, the richest person in the city, and the mayor who had caused so much trouble for them sending more people down to the sewers to rid the city of the "rat" and "pest" problem that seemed to grip it, along with rid the city of all the garbage.

Surely it couldn't be her.

"Esmeralda Belleo, I think her name was," he replied.

Well, shoot. It was her after all.

"She... I don't know..." Suddenly Beary was wary, knowing he shouldn't let on too much. Then he realized that this was probably just a dream anyway. Didn't matter if he told them. So that's what he did. He told them everything that had happened to him since he had been kidnapped.

Donatello wisely recorded this on tape.

"Are you saying that that nasty piece of work that's well known around here is who had you?"

He blinked. "Nasty? She... she cared for me. Fed, clothed, and bathed me. Watched out for me. Introduced me to this wonderful drink called honey. Or was it Honey Ale? Heard of it?" He licked his lips a bit. "And then... oh, that night..." There was fear in his voice now, but the longing was still there as he told them about the night that he had gotten drunk and basically slept willingly with the older she-bear. Then he spoke of what happened the next day, how she wouldn't free him... tormenting him for hours on end.

His eyes and tone still longed for her. It was a product of what he had been put through the past nine months. His new lustful nature.

Splinter and Donny looked at each other with worry and anger. She'd done that to him?! Donatello frowned and sat down beside the cub. "Sounds like she did you a lot of disfavors kiddo. Sure, she did a few good things, if they were, but who did you so much more: her or your girlfriend Jewel? Who loves you? Esmeralda or Jewel?"

Beary frowned, blinking. "Jewel...?" Why did that name sound familiar? It was as if he couldn't place it! For what felt like forever, Esmeralda had been his world entire. Who was Jewel?

A sense of longing filled him as he remember a gentle touch, laughter like chimes, and love. Sweet, passionate love, and a promise. Unconsciously, he looked down at his ring finger on his left paw, thumbing the empty space in silence, as if adrift in memory.

Splinter's eyes twinkled. This was good sign, though a tad worrying. Why was the child having so much trouble remembering? "You remember her, don't you...?"

"She... had golden fur that lit with fire in the first rays of the rising son and the last rays of the setting sun. Forest green eyes filled with adventure and a journey. Love. Friendship. My... My Gem. My wi-wife. Bonded mate. Mother of my child. My best friend," he whispered, describing her to the best of his ability. "Her smile could light up the darkest of rooms and bring the sun out on the gloomiest of days."

This time Donny smiled. "Sounds like she is a very beautiful and lucky girl to have you."

"I betrayed her." He closed his eyes, tears falling down his cheeks. "I do not deserve her."

"It was not your fault. You had no control over what happened to you," Splinter said soothingly, moving closer to him and gently wiped his tears away.

Beary didn't believe him. He could have stopped all this! Could have gotten away! It was all his fault!

"Hush now, it really wasn't your fault little one." The wise old rat shook his head. "Do not blame yourself for things that were not in your power to stop. Do not forget you are safe now, and you are not in that situation anymore. You are free."

"Free? There's no such thing. There will always be those out who hurt and maim."

"Nothing is permanent in this wicked world—not even our troubles, young one," Splinter replied kindly.

"I don't understand…"

The rat chuckled softly. "Your mind will answer most questions if you learn to relax and wait for the response."

Donatello chose that moment to interrupt. "Sensei? If I may ask, what would you think if I try and help this youngling? He's in a lot of pain as it is, and I mean emotional and mental pain."

Splinter pondered over that as he continued to try and settle the upset cub down, trying to prove to him that it wasn't his fault. "When we are unable to find tranquility within ourselves, it is useless to seek it elsewhere…" he murmured to himself, eyeing the cub. "I will grant your request, my son." He knew that other than Leonardo and himself, Donatello was the right choice in the healing process.

Donny smiled and nodded, moving closer to the cub.

Beary couldn't stop the tears from falling. This was a weird dream. Why were they making him think of this?! Why were they being so cruel? Saying he was not at fault when he was! They weren't there! They hadn't seen what he'd seen; been through what he had!

Donny stroked Beary's head gently, trying to calm him down. "Listen to us, Beary. listen to what is the truth. Don't be afraid," he whispered softly. "You know, being well, us isn't all that it's cracked up to be. I don't know what that show tells you, but being a huge turtle, we've had our share of abuse, too.

"A lot of the time we have to hide away because of who we are and what we are. Hated and feared by everyone just for being different and no one understood us. We're more alone than you think, being who we are."

"And now I'm like you. Alone in the world. No one likes a whore. No one wants someone like me around," Beary interrupted.

"I wasn't finished, kid. We found friends who accepted us for who we are, and now we don't feel so alone any longer. And who says you are that word? I don't hear anyone here having called you that. You aren't alone, no not at all! If you were alone, then what am I? A figment of your imagination?" He shook his head sadly. "You've lost faith in people haven't you? You think that no gives two bits about you; that they don't care about you."

The thirteen-year-old looking away from him was answer enough.

Splinter sighed. "Child, what he is trying to say is that you should never give up on yourself or those that care about you. My sons here never left your side after you arrived down here. They watched you, wanting to know who you were and what your story was. You are cared about, and your friend, Jewel… I'm sure she's thinking about you right now."

He moved away for a few moments before coming back with a large blanket which he carefully covered the cubs body with, tucking it around him. "Don't ever lose faith in someone or yourself, child."

"Why shouldn't I?" he asked softly after a few minutes. "Can't trust anyone. I've been put through hell in the past few years. Why do the gods hate me? What have I done wrong? I've fathered I don't know how many cubs, and Jewel... Jewel's birthed a cub at just thirteen!"

"All because of a situation you had no power in. You could not have not done it, so therefore you are not at fault, child. You have not done anything wrong at all. It is those that have done this to you that have done wrong; your gods do not hate you."

"But why me? I don't understand... I have to have done something wrong to have this all happen to me. And now Jewel's been brought into it, along with my brother and his wife!"

"They are away from that, yes? They are safe, yes?" Splinter knew how Jewel was but the other two?

"I don't know! I don't know! For all I know, that son of a bitch has them!"

"And what would you want to do about it if he did? Just lay here feeling sorry for yourself?"

That stopped him. "I... What can I do? I'm not very strong at all. I'm fairly weak. Can't even defend myself."

Donny smiled. "What would you do if we showed you how? Show you how to get stronger? And also help rest and clear that very much hurt mind and soul of yours?"

Beary froze. "W-What?"

Splinter smiled and nodded, agreeing with his son. He could not sit idly by as this child's mind fell deeper into darkness.

The purple ninja turtle went on. "We wish to help you, and it would be good for you as well. We'd take care of you and help you get back on your feet and out of your shell, so to speak."

"Why do you want to help me?" The thirteen-year-old didn't understand. "Why now?"

This time, Splinter answered. "Why is now not a good time to start? We want to help you because we care. No one, especially a child, should ever be alone and unable to defend himself. Do you want to be strong? It is an offer we do not make lightly. I will warn you that you will be put through several trials and tribulations as you learn to discipline your mind as well as your body. It will take much work, but I believe you are ready to learn."

"I... I'll be able to protect Jewel...? And our child?" He gave them a small smile. He would probably fail at this task, but that did not mean he wouldn't try! "I am honored to accept your proposal."

The elder nodded. "Then welcome young one, and..." Splinter poked his nose gently, "do not think of fearing to fail before you've even tried."

.~*The Country Bears*~.

Late August 2005

Every day, he worked as hard as he could, training with each brother and Master Splinter. When Leonardo had returned from Utah, he had brought with him medical records of Beary's time with Thrasher. He had even found records for Jewel, as well as Dexter and Roxanne Barrington. With Donatello's help, the records had been transferred to medical databanks. Beary's, however, had been left out—at least until they figured out how to help him get home.

Raphael had been watching over Jewel—without telling Beary about it, keeping her location a secret known only to him, his brothers, and Splinter.

The first two weeks had been grueling for the young bear, whom not only healed but trained. It had taken him a bit to get into the swing of things and not let his frustrations get to him—something he still battled with.

His schedule was fairly simple:

5:30 – 8:00 am—Meditation with Master Splinter

8:00 – 8:30 am—Breakfast

8:45 – 10:45 am—Training with Leonardo

11:00 am – 1:00 pm—Training with Raphael

1:05 – 3:00 pm—Lunch/Free Time

3:15 – 5:15 pm—Training with Donatello

5:20 – 6:00 pm—Dinner

6:15 – 8:15 pm—Training with Michelangelo

8:15 – 10:15 pm—Meditation with Master Splinter

10:15 pm – 5:00 am—Sleep

From Splinter, he learned to calm his mind and spirit through meditation, and practiced with him first thing in the morning and the last thing at night before he went to sleep, also in Splinter's quarters so that the aged rat could keep an eye on him and help him through his nightmares and fears of the night. Stilling his mind was one of the hardest things he had to do here, and often Splinter would lightly smack his head with his walking stick and remind him to focus.

From Leonardo, he learned how to be light on his feet and fight with grace and honor. He was the second person he trained with every day for about two hours after meditation with Splinter. He did balance exercises, mental exercises, and learned basic self defense. How to be a leader was another one of the lessons, and how to be a follower. He had also helped him overcome his disability with his legs, which were a bit weaker than they should have been due to the damage that had been done to them over the past year.

With Raphael, it was tough. He learned to channel his anger and fear into power and strength to fight back against the enemy. He learned offensive techniques and how to outwit his opponent. Kicks and jabs, but fighting with honor. Being a more laid back, sensitive cub, Beary found this extremely difficult in learning, but with each blow learned new skills and stored them in his mind and muscles. He grew stronger and more hardened, but not without a spark of mischief. Beary bonded more with Raph, as the red-masked turtle reminded him of his older brother.

Donatello took him down a more mental path: Analyzing every situation with a keen eye and learning how to pick a fight. He also was taught more first aid techniques and how to hide in the shadows, keeping his emotions locked behind a mask when faced with an enemy.

Michelangelo, on the other hand, was a completely different story altogether. They laughed and shared stories, along with pulling pranks on each other and the other turtles. He taught him to not forget that training didn't have to be all serious—in fact, it could be rather fun! Beary also bonded with the orange-clad ninja because of this fact. Together, they would play tag, hide-and-seek, darts, and practice their gymnastics.

Sometimes, Casey and April would even come down and bring him some of his favorite foods, along with art supplies and whatever else he needed. For example: Clothes. Down in the sewers, though, he preferred having only shorts.

Though he had only trained with them for about two months, Beary grew stronger, smarter, and happier. He became more open about his feelings, started letting go of his anger and fear, and learning not to give up.

FLASHBACK

One Week Ago…

Splinter watched his pupil with a smile as the cub trained with the four brothers, for the first time all together. None used any weapons but their bodies. The four brother turtles were taking it easy on the cub so as to not overwhelm him, and so far, things seemed to be going well. Beary was holding up his own. Flips, kicks, and light punches. Finally, after about fifteen minutes of watching, Splinter knew the child was exhausted. "Enough, my sons. It is time."

The turtles glanced at each other and grinned. They all knew what their father had planned for the young bear cub. They had completed their training with him and though he was a bit wet behind the ears, he was, in their books, ready to be considered a ninja. At least one in training. An honorary member of their family.

Beary grabbed a nearby towel and patted it against his sweaty face, his fur damp from the sweat. After getting it mostly dried off—having to resort to a hairdryer—he turned to look at Splinter. "Sensei?"

The rat watched him in amusement, patience written on his face. Unlike his reptilian sons who could dry off with just a towel to the face, Beary had fur and required more maintenance. "Kneel, my pupil."

The cub glanced around at the four brothers, before doing as Splinter had asked, kneeling before him and lowering his head.

"Beary Taylor, you have shown great skill and talent in the study of Ninjutsu. Your time here among us, you have spent working hard to become a better person. You have learned to rid yourselves of your fears and work through your problems. You have been taught how to defend yourself and how to have fun, to keep your spirit alight even in the harshest conditions. You have completed the training we offered you, and as such have grown stronger!"

He smiled fondly at the cub and reached into his robe. He walked around to the back of the teenager and pulled his paw free, producing a golden-yellow bandana ribbon with two eye slits. "Bear this as a symbol of your training and endurance, and as a reminder to never give up, to never fail, and, above all, believe in yourself. With quick and careful movement, he tied the sash around his head and returned to his previous position.

Beary's eyes could not have gotten any wider as he looked up at the mirror Splinter produced from another pocket. The golden ribbon that surrounded his eyes and—in a way—hid his identity, was long and soft to the touch. He had never before felt so blessed and honored. "Sensei, I…" He touched paws and bowed. "I am honored."

Michelangelo suddenly let out a shout and ninja-kicked the air. "Cowabunga, dude! You're one of us, now!"

END FLASHBACK

Beary smiled at the memory as he silently trailed behind Michelangelo. The two of them were on their way to check out a disturbance in the "ghetto" part of the city. Beary bore his golden bandana—so far, he was taking very good care of it—and had a "shell" phone in his pocket.

"All right, I'm gonna check out this section. You move on ahead, kid. I'll catch up once I'm done." Mikey grinned at him and vanished into the shadows.

Beary smirked and took off, leaping from side to side of the pipe. His burn rarely gave him any trouble, but just in case, he always kept a bandage covering it. As usual, he wore only shorts, letting his scars donning his body show to the world, including the old, almost year old, burn scar on his back show who he was. Today, however, he hadn't had a chance to clean off the sewer sludge that covered his body from when he had slipped into the water. His fur was a mess and he absolutely reeked.

Thankfully, that provided him with excellent cover. He kept his breathing in check as he hear sounds from up above. Climbing the rusted bar ladder, he climbed the manhole and peered out the opening, lifting the cover with his head.

He peered around, curious. Wait. That scent…

Silently, he pushed the cover away from him and crawled out, hiding behind a nearby dumpster. He poked his head out and watched the scuffle taking place a few yards away.

A young golden she-cub was cornered by two larger males, and they were going for their clothes, one of them slashing at hers with a bright blade. The taller one snatched something from her neck.

Her terrified cry sealed the deal. He knew who this was. He didn't care how it was possible.

Rage boiled in him as he pulled out his shell phone and dialed the emergency number that would contact all the turtles and Splinter back at the base. He set the phone down, knowing they were going to track it, and stepped out from behind his hiding place.

He wasn't about to wait for them, though he knew he should. He rushed headfirst into the fray.

"Let her go and give back those rings!"

.~*~.

By the time the Turtles got there, despite how fast they had moved, all they found was the phone, signs of a fight, and a bloodied golden bandana.

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If you liked this preview, let me know in a review! I apologize if they were OOC, as this is my first time writing a story/scene for this fandom. If you wish to read more about this story, go to my profile! This is part of "Book Three: Bonds". [it would be best if you read Book Two, first. Book One is more of a stand-alone, with some tie-ins to the others.