As always; if ya recognize it, it ain't mine.

Chapter 10

Fawn POV

Sleepily, I made my way to the kitchen the next morning. I was looking for food and coffee. It had been a long night of praying that my Mom would wake up, to every God I could think of. Uncle Don and Uncle Leo were already there; Don for the same reasons I was, and Leo was cleaning out the industrial refrigerator Mom had bought a few years back (according to Uncle Mikey). It was a fancy glass front set up.

As I walked in, I saw Uncle Don leaning back against the counter and sipping a steaming mug, while Leo was on the floor tossing things from the fridge into a large trash bag and grumbling about wasting food.

About that time, Mikey walked in and told him what was ok to get rid of and what wasn't. I guess that was a good thing, because Leo had almost thrown out a tub of fondant that Mikey had made the day before. Don and I figured out we are getting cake for dessert tonight.

As I reached for a mug on the open shelf above the coffeemaker, I caught Dons glare.

"What?"

"You are too young to need coffee in the morning. You should be drinking milk and..."

That was when Uncle Raph appeared in the doorway and grumbled, "Knock it off, Donnie-boy. Munchkin's been up all night, too. As long as she eats somethin' descent, Fawn'll be okay. And, anyways, it didn't stunt yer growth none." As he spoke, he reached up and grabbed two mugs and filled up both with the dark, steaming, liquid and placed both on the table, one of which he turned and slid to me. After a minute, Uncle Mikey put some french toast and three different kinds of syrup and jelly on the table.

Uncle Mikey's eyes were soft as he rubbed my shoulder and said, "Eat up, Sweet Pea. A growing girl needs all the food she can get."

"Ahem," a throat cleared from the doorway. It was my Granddad and the rabbit guy-Usagi, if I remember right.

"Good morning, my dear," Granddad said as he smoothed one hand over my head and received a cup of tea from Leo with the other. "We have much to discuss the morning, Fawn Li. In the meantime, I wish to ask you a few," his voice caught as he took in the scar on my face that ran from my hairline to just under my right eye, "questions," he finished and then cleared his throat.

I shied back, but whispered, "Okay, Grandpa." Questions usually meant that there would be an argument brewing, and then I would spend most of the night patching myself back up. The idea made me fidget in my seat a little.

Involuntarily, I flinched when Granddad lifted his hand in front of me. His eyes grew very sad and he whispered as he gently tipped my chin, "I will never raise a hand to you in anger, my sweet granddaughter."

About that time, one of the uncles tried to toss a slice of french toast toward Granddads plate, but it was going to hit him in the face so I caught it before it could.

"You have had martial arts training?"

I nodded sadly. "A little Karate before Gram Thea passed away. After that, I worked in an Okichitaw dojo for lessons. That didn't go very far though, after Jack-the-Schmuck decided to be a vindictive jerk. A few days later, my sensei pulled me into his office and told me I couldn't continue my lessons, and then he handed me a deposit slip. He told me, in his most stern voice, 'Get out as soon as ya can, kiddo. I was 13."

I didn't notice my uncles dragging each other from the room. I was so intent on my conversation with my Granddad that I didn't hear the sharp jerk of the chains on Raph's heavy bag, the slam of the lab door, or two doors slam shut. However, at Granddads flinches, he obviously had.

He motioned at Usagi to check on the uncles and after he bowed to my grandfather, Usagi left.

After a time, Granddad spoke, "Tell me, dear, about your schooling."

I sighed. "After Gram Thea passed away, Jack-the-Schmuck pulled me out of school. I had been in the advanced classes. I worked as a stock clerk at a Mom and Pop store there in Cheyenne. One of the managers was a retired teacher and helped me study for my G.E.D. I took it last fall. When my results came in, The Schmuck tore them up, screaming about the Marine Corps. Didn't know it then, but when we left, Mom was a Marine with her G.E.D. "

Granddad smiled fondly. "She was. I remember when she was 13. She snuck out early one morning and didn't come back for several hours. I got scared and by the time she came home, I was worried sick. But then, she handed me a print out of her test scores. She had aced the tests. I was so proud of her," he smiled, then continued, "She did much the same as you did. She worked at any bodega that would allow her to work under the table until she turned 16, and then any that would hire her. When she turned 18, she joined the Marine Corps, but the recruiter told her with her test scores, any branch would overlook the fact that she had a G.E.D. The Corps were the only ones to use her 8 years of ninjutsu training as a bonus. She entered her training at a higher rank than the others of her cycle. I will never forget the first time she came home on leave. It was just after she came back from being in Japan for 18 months and she had boxes full of things she had bought for each of us. My sister, Ayumi, met with her on her first weekend in Tokyo. Those two hit it off. Your mother sent home pictures of all the things they went to see and do. Ayumi also sent things home with your mother; my walking stick among them."

I sighed sadly. "How did she get that way, Grandpa Yoshi?"

He told me everything that had happened in the months my Mom had been home. But then, he looked at me and said, "Rest today, Fawn. Tomorrow, Leonardo and I will test your training and Donatello will test your education. After that, we will fill in the spaces that need it."

Leo POV

I sat in the lab, holding my sisters hand while Mikey was off skating to blow off steam, Raph was beating the crap out of his heavy bag, and Don was growling under his breath and looking for our schmuck of a brother-in-law.

I remembered one night when she was stationed at Norfolk while we were 12.

After a few weeks of having Dad yell at me every time one of my younger brothers did something wrong and not being able to talk to anyone about how I felt; I did the one thing we were forbidden to do alone. I waited until it was very dark out and I went topside with a sack of saved quarters.

I put 50 cents in the pay phone and dialed 0. A moment later a pleasant voice came on;

"How may I direct your call?"

"Norfolk Naval Station, Please."

"One moment," replied the voice. Then, there was ringing.

"Norfolk Naval Station Switchboard; this is Lt. Jorgensen; how can I direct your call?" The female voice asked.

"Ma'am. Can I talk to my sister? I've had a really bad day."

She chuckled a little, "What's your sister's name, honey?"

"Marlowe Hamato. Her address says she is stationed there, but Dad won't give us the number."

"Give me just a second, honey," she said as I heard the clickity-clack of a keyboard. "Here she is. I'm gonna transfer your call to her barracks, okay. Don't hang up, okay, honey."

"Thank you," I sniffed through watery eyes.

A few moments later, a man answered, "Yeah."

"Can I talk to my sister," I asked, softly; my voice breaking about halfway through.

The mans voice softened, "What is your sisters name, Squirt."

I sniffled as tears ran down my face, "Marlowe Hamato."

"Just a minute," he replied warmly.

On Marlowe's end

My Sarge came over to me and gently shook my shoulder to wake me up, "Hamato. Phone call, sounds like a kid."

I was up outta that bed faster than lightning. I, literally, ran for the phone.

"Hello," I tentatively answered.

There was a sob at the other end. One I would know anywhere.

"Leo? What's wrong, Buddy? Is it Dad again?"

How he ever managed to squeak out 'yeah', I will never know. But, I do know that it spoke volumes and made this big sister's heart squeeze.

"Oh, Leo," I cooed to my younger brother. My sergeant, Perilette, was sitting there and just smiled.

"Check to see if you are ok."

He sniffled, "I am."

"Good. Now close your eyes and imagine me giving you a huge hug."

"I've grown a little, Sissy," Leo tried to say around the lump in his throat.

"It doesn't matter if you are 12 feet tall, you are always the perfect height for a hug or a cuddle. Now, close your eyes. Imagine my best big sister hugs, where I kiss the top of your dome and tell you everything will be alright."

I heard him sigh on the other end. It was followed by a soft, "Thanks, Lowe."

"Not a problem, little brother. I have already told you, I will always be here when you need me. How are the others," I asked when I heard a small scuffle on the other end of the line.

A new voice came on, "Lowe?"

"Raph. Did you follow Leo?"

"No. I was out cooling down. Dad pissed me off tonight. He told Leo that it was his fault Mikey damn near got caught by tha Foot. How in da hell is it Leo's fault if Mike fucks up?"

I sighed. "Boys, Dad is having a really hard time right now. Have either of you looked at the calendar?"

Silence

"That's what I thought. Dad's anniversary is coming up and it hurts him that Ma isn't here anymore. Listen, tell Dad I got this. I will email Donnie in the morning to give you guys some direction and I will try to call Dad sometime before noon. In the meantime, I want you both to go home, get all snuggled in, and remember that this big sister adores all four of you; no matter what."

"Ok, Sissy," Leo whispered.

A moment later it was followed by Raph's soft, "Yeah, Sis."

"Good. I love you both. Now go."

"Love ya, Sis," Raph whispered.

"Love you, Sissy," Leo sighed.

Tears ran down my face. Sis had always been shielding us from the bad things in dad's past, in hers. All I wanted was for my sweet, brave, and strong big sister to wake up. As I held her hand, I felt her finger twitch and I looked up. Her eyes were still closed and she was still breathing.

I leaned up to her and put my cheek against hers and whispered, "Keep fighting, Lowe. Everyone is here and we are just waiting on you. Fawn found us. Don checked out your birth records. We are looking for your older brother, Bear."

From the doorway, Don sighed. "I found him yesterday, but it won't do us any good. He died in a car crash in Lame Deer, Montana a few years ago. A drunk driver hit him. Threw him clean off of the road and into a swollen creek. The autopsy report said the crash broke his neck, paralizing him, and he drowned before anyone could get him out. He had multiple contusions and lascerations. The drunk that hit him was a white guy. He got away with a few days in the county lock-up."

I looked up to see my little brother walking back into his lab, His glasses were in one hand and he was wiping his cheek off with the back of the other.

I laid over her shoulder again, and whispered, "Come back, Marlowe. We are falling apart without you."

About that time, Mikey was in the doorway for his shift.

A/N-Sorry it has been a bit. Life has been crazy.