Author's Notes: To be honest this story was written a year ago and had been collecting hard drive dust ever since. I wrote half of this story out and then got distracted with family complications (and my own personal health) that I completely forgot about it until I was recently going through my document folder and found this. After reading all that was written for this story's plot I was amused enough to post it up.

Here's the thing. I am unsure if I really want to finish this story as I had originally intended or just end it in a manner that would make it completely AU and up in the air. Depending on how well this story is viewed by the readers depends on how the ending will turn out. Mind you the writing isn't that great as this was my work a year ago and my writing has improved since then. So please forgive; although I had tried to touch it up a little but not by much..

As always I am a sucker for reviews. So please R&R!

Story's Plot: What would happen if a young woman suddenly took on the role as mother for our turtles? What would happen and would the turtle's story truly and completely change? How would sudden motherhood affect our new mother Ileen (Pronounced eye-lean)? Motherhood is a wondrous gift, but most importantly – scary!

Disclaimer: The only thing I own is my own created characters and this story's plot. Other than that I do not own TMNT.

Divided

By: Giai Kame

Prologue: Surprises in Origins. LOOK OUT!


"Look out!"

It had happened so fast that if she hadn't been paying attention she never would have noticed it.

She had been waiting on the other side of the street for a little boy that was supposed to give her four baby turtles from his two pet turtles which had, had a clutch of babies. That little boy's name was Sam; and she knew this because she babysat him as a side job. Not only that, but her father knew Sam's mother very well - making them like family. She had known the boy since he was born.

To be honest she was a sucker for the kid. With blonde hair and blue eyes he was just too cute for her, and she knew that Sam was well aware of it. Due to the fact that he knew she had a hard time saying no to him he had approached her several days ago with tears in his eyes and a desperate question. She had to stop and listen to the poor eight year olds' sobs and his story of plight. It had taken her awhile just to calm the poor boy down enough to be able to make out what he was saying.

It turns out that his two pet turtles, Miss Shellie and Mr. Hardback, had babies together. Sam had tried his best to keep the eggs safe, yet sadly most of them didn't make it due to his inexperience and lack of proper equipment to hatch turtle eggs. Four eggs did make it and had hatched four healthy baby turtles. She remembered watching him that day and how she nearly had a heart attack when the boy had suddenly cried out. She had thought he was in trouble at first and came running to his aid – only to discover that he sat in his room as he stared intently into a box while practically jumping out of his skin in excitement. When she had investigated what was so interesting within the box she noticed that four eggs seemed to move with life. One by one she had watched with Sam as the baby turtles hatched from their eggs.

He had been so happy and excited at the hatching of Mr. Hardback and Miss Shellie's four babies that he had told his mother that night of their family pet additions; which she had instantly stated that he had to get rid of them. He had been heartbroken at the news and cried, yet his mother still insisted on getting rid of the baby turtles. So of course little Sam had come to her the following day telling her how his mother wouldn't allow him to keep Miss Shellie and Mr. Hardback's babies. To comfort him she told little Sam that she would take the babies and keep them so that he could visit them any time he wanted by just coming over. It had comforted the boy enough to bring a smile upon his face.

What could she say? She was a sucker.

So she had asked his mother to allow him to hold on to the four baby turtles while she prepared a proper home within her home for the four. Sam's mother had kindly agreed, and so she had gone to the pet store and spent a good chunk of her pocket money for the perfect place to keep the four little turtles. After a few days she had called Sam telling him she was ready and to bring the little guys over; agreeing to meet him at the corner of 4th and 5th avenue.

So there she was, standing there waiting for little Sam and the jar of four turtles. The moment she saw the boy she couldn't help but smile. In his excitement he had stopped and waved at her, causing him to delay just long enough at the corner that he had to wait for the cross walk sign to change to 'walk' once again. The boy had been so excited with a huge grin upon his face she couldn't help but wave and smile back. Standing there she had waited – not noticing the old blind man trying to cross the busy intersection until she heard the cry.

"Look out!"

A male teen not much younger than her pushed past Sam in a desperate rough manner to reach the old man that it had caused Sam to drop the glass jar within the gutter. Instantly Sam bent down on the sidewalk to try and fish the four baby turtles out, yet sadly he wasn't fast enough and could only helplessly watch as the four turtles were washed down into the sewer. Not realizing what he had done to young Sam and the four turtles, the teen quickly pushed the old man out of the way of a speeding truck – saving his life. Not once did the truck slow down.

It had all happened so fast.

People cheered and clapped for the teen that saved the old man. All but two clapped anyway – a heart broken boy and a shocked teenage girl.

The sign changed and a teary eyed Sam run up to her crying, "Ileen! Ileen! Th-the babies! I lost 'em!"

Patting the poor child's back in a means of comfort she replied in determination, "Don't worry Sam. I'll get 'em."

Looking up at her Sam sniffed before replying, "How so? They're down in the sewer!"

Walking into an alley and glancing around, she quickly noticed a man hole. Grinning brightly she replied to the distraught boy, "Cause they're my babies now and a mother never leaves her babies behind! Come on Sam! I need you to stand guard for me while I go down there and get my babies back."

Blinking with owlish large eyes Sam replied curiously as he followed her into the alley, "How are you going to get down there Ileen?"

Her plump cupid bow shaped lite pink colored lips instantly twisted into a suave smile towards the boy as she casually lifted the manhole cover and set it aside. Instantly Sam understood and smiled brightly with a cry of delight, "Oh wow – cool! Can I come?"

Still smiling she pulled out a pocket flash light and replied calmly, "Sorry dude. You need to stay here and keep a look out for me. Besides if your mom found out that I brought you down in the sewers she would have a new babysitter for you faster than either of our heads could spin put together."

Eyes wide, Sam nodded in understanding as he silently watched her start to climb down into the sewers. With an encouraging smile to the boy she disappeared into the darkness below.

Once half way down the ladder she jumped the rest of the way down. Casually landing on her feet she flicked the flash light on and started to head in the direction of where the turtles should have landed. A nagging feeling began to chew at the pit of her stomach causing her feet to move faster than she had originally intended, yet horrid thoughts of her new little babies injured from: the broken glass, the fall, or even being eaten by rats invaded her mind. Due to these thoughts alone her feet flew the short distance from where she descended into the sewers and where her babies were supposed to be.

Rounding the corner with flash light aimed upon the ground she let out a gasp of horror the moment her eyes met the sight before her. Only three of the baby turtles could be counted for; two crawling within a green ooze while one was within a rats' mouth by its shell and its little legs wildly moving within the air. Instantly the grey rat hissed around its mouth full of turtle shell and she screamed at the rat, picking up a piece of gravel from the sewer ground and hitting the rat in the hind leg with it in hopes of it letting go of her baby, yet it only hissed and ran off with the turtle. All she could do was scream at the rat as it disappeared into the sewer tunnels with the baby turtle.

With tears in her eyes she quickly scanned the ground in hope that the rat had only gotten the one, yet to her disappointment she could only find two. Gently she knelt next to the two remaining turtles and whispered hoarsely as tears fell down her face, "Hey there. How are my babies? Come 'ere. Let's get you out of that mess and get you home and cleaned up. Okay?"

With that she removed her button down shirt, thankful that she had a tank top on underneath, and gently picked up the last two turtles and placed them in the shirt. Making the shirt into a sack she whispered softly as she wiped the green substance off her pale skinned hands onto her pants, "Hang tight little guys. I need to get us back to the surface."

With that she stood straight as she glanced around the dark sewers with sad eyes. Her eyes fell upon the broken canister that had seemed to have been the container for the green substance, that now covered her and the two remaining turtles, and with her mind made up she picked up the half that held a serial number upon it as a means to possibly track down what this stuff was and even complain about the crazy truck driver to the company. Seeing an old coffee-can she decided to use it as a means of holding the part of the container she picked up as a way of preventing the broken edges from cutting her. Once finished she quickly moved back to the manhole that she had climbed down from – never once noticing the eyes of a grey rat staring at her with sadness.

Climbing out of the manhole had been a bit of a struggle, yet once she was out she let out a sigh as she felt fresh air hit her wet face. Sam was right next to the manhole waiting for her and his nose wrinkled in distain at the smell she brought with her, "You stink Ileen. What's that funny green stuff on you? Is that slim?"

Giving the boy an odd look she realized that she was covered in the green ooze and sighed; with a stern reply she stated, "The little ones were crawling around in the stuff. Don't touch me or the little ones till we get cleaned off! I mean it Sam – this stuff could make you sick for all I know and I'm not having you get sick because of me. Got it?"

The boy nodded with wide eyes as he stared at her before he instantly rattled on with more questions, "So, did you get them all?"

With a slight wince she held her shirt close to her as she stated in a more softer tone, "No, I was only able to save two.."

Large blue shocked eyes met lighter blue sad eyes as Sam demanded then, "What? Why only two? You have to go back and get the other two!"

Staring down at Sam she calmly replied, "I can't Sam."

With anger he shouted out then, "Why not?"

Calmly placing the dirty shirt down on the ground along with the can she then casually replaced the manhole cover as she replied, "Because the sewer rats got them.."

Tears fell down Sam's face as he realized what that meant. With a loud sob he cried for the two lost turtles – none of them realizing the truth and what was about to happen.

Once finished she gathered up the shirt sack and can as she sighed than looked at Sam and replied tiredly, feeling exhausted suddenly, "Come on Sam. I'm sure your mother is worried about you now. Let's get back to my place and have your mom come pick you up, ok?"

Sniffing Sam only nodded in agreement as he followed Ileen back to her home; neither of them saying anything to each other along the walk back to her place.


Ileen was so tired. Tired didn't even describe the half of it. Lying on the floor she smiled gently at the two baby turtles as they crawled over to her and seemed to curl up next to her and fall asleep – lulled to sleep by her body heat. She didn't mind as it brought her comfort in some odd sense.

Maybe everything was finally getting to her? Since the death of Tang Shen and her Master Yoshi – her sensei of thirteen years – it had been nothing but questions from the police, her father being over protective, and her constant tears of loss. Going to school and having two jobs didn't help things either. She was just thankful that she was within her last year of high school and only weeks from graduation. Maybe she could get a job at TCRI like her father and Master Yoshi – now that was a thought.

With a yawn she rested her head upon her arms, too tired to even place the little turtles within their aquarium. Her long white colored blonde hair fell in waves around her, seeming as a blanket to the two little ones since they now lay under her long hair. With a weak smile at the two she drifted off to sleep.