As Splinter stepped out into the night air, he couldn't help but think about how cold it had been for September. None of his sons did well in the cold and he was happy that he had found an electric heater a few years back that Donnie had been able to fix up. The lair at least stayed warm but sometimes it was still not warm enough. He thought maybe this was one reason why his oldest son was not getting better aside from the fall into the pool.

He walked into the store and was relieved to see very few people there; he walked the aisles and found a variety of medicines that he felt would help. He carefully pick through them finding the ones that he felt would be best for Leo's symptoms. After he gathered them up, he tallied the amount and saw that he would have about twelve or thirteen dollars left over. He decided to pick up a few things for his boys.

He knew Raph and Mikey were fond of comic books and bought one for each of them at only $2.50 each. He found a suduko combination crossword puzzle book that he thought Donnie would enjoy for only $4.99. He would have three dollars left after he purchased these items. As he continued to wander, he tried to think of what Leonardo might like. Martial arts and books on war seemed to be the only thing he was really into aside from enjoying that Space Heroes show, maybe a book about space. He looked around but after a while of not finding anything, he gave up and decided to go and check out.

"Just getting better and being able to get back on his feet so that he could be with his brothers is what I know he would like." Splinter thought to himself. He walked over to the cash register and began to disperse the items. Luckily the cashier was busy talking with a friend and rang up his items without giving him a second glance. As he walked out the store, he let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding and headed to the man hole cover he had come out of.

As he walked along the street, his thoughts elsewhere, he heard a loud banging noise coming from somewhere across the street. As he looked around he realized that the noise was coming from behind an arcade. Thinking someone might be in need of help, he walked around the building to the back where three men were bringing out a machine of some sort, they dragged it over to where a dumpster stood.

"Okay boys," He heard one of the men say, "Just put that one over there and lets go get the last one. These old machines will be fine by the dumpster till Friday when the garbage truck comes, once we're done with this we can call it a night." After that, the three men went back inside the arcade.

Splinter found himself walking up to the machine the three men had just left out by the dumpster. As he came closer, he realized it was a pinball machine. As he scanned the pictures on the face of the game, his face lit up. It was a Space Heroes Pinball game. Maybe it was just a coincidence or maybe it was some sort of a miracle, but whatever it was, Splinter knew he was meant to be here. As Splinter looked over the game, wondering why the men were placing it in the trash, the back door to the building once again opened and an older looking man walked out. He stopped short when he saw Splinter, dressed in his dark coat with the hood still over his head.

"Please Sir," Splinter put up his hands as the man was about to yell into the building for the other two men. "I mean you no harm."

"Why are you here?" He yelled. Splinter recognized him as the man who spoke earlier. He was a short older man with thick glasses on and thinning grey hair. He put his hands up as if to tell Splinter not to come any closer.

"I heard noises back here, and it was so late I thought maybe someone was in need of help." Splinter explained.

"Well, that's all well and good but no one is hurt back here." The man answered. "I own this arcade and my boys and I were removing a couple of games. They're old, no one plays them anymore and they cost too much to fix." The door opened again and the man's two sons came out removing another game. They stopped when they saw their father talking to Splinter. The arcade owner motioned for them to continue with their job, they walked the other game over by the first one. "Now if you don't mind," Their father said, " I'd like to finish up so my sons and I can go home." He was about to go back into the arcade place when Splinter called out to him.

"Wait, please." He said, the man turned and looked at him. "Since you are throwing the games out, I was wondering if you would permit me to buy one of them from you." The man looked puzzled at his request. "I do not have a lot of money but I will be happy to give you what I do have."

"Now why on earth would you want a broken down game like that?" He asked.

"Please sir," Splinter began, "I too am a father with four boys, my oldest is very sick and he will be turning fourteen on Thursday." He looked back at the pinball machine. "I had to use what little money I do have to buy him medicine," He pointed to the bag in his hand. "Space Heroes is his favorite TV show and to give him a gift such as this would surely help him recover."

The arcade owner looked at Splinter curiously, uncertain of what he should do. He looked back at the game and then back to Splinter. "Even if I give this to you, it doesn't work, how will you fix it?" He wanted to know.

"One of my sons is highly intelligent for his age." Splinter had to chuckle at this."He is excellent with electronics and fixing things, I am sure he would be able to fix this machine with no problem."

The man considered Splinter for a few more moments. He then shrugged and just as Splinter was about to pull out his wallet to give him what few dollars he had left, the man stopped him. "I'll tell you what," He said, "You hold onto your money, if you can find a way to get that game home, it's yours, or rather your son's." The old man said with a grin.

Splinter could not believe his ears. "Thank you sir," He said to him, bowing respectfully as he blinked away the tears. "It will be gone within the hour." The man nodded and Splinter watched as he followed his sons back into the building. He then hurried back to the manhole cover and quickly got back to the lair.