*Few more familiar faces in this chapter, and maybe an unfamiliar one. Alexis was in Allies, but she was little more than a baby. She belongs to Brandon and Jazz, and she's Aidan's older sister. The song included in this chapter is "Bittersweet Symphony", by The Verve.

Tim pushed away from the table, full to the brim so he couldn't even finish his Obaasan's black-out cake. He caught a quirked eyebrow from the auburn-haired woman when he rose, and smiled at Victoria apologetically. "I can't eat anything else – at least, not now. I'll come back to it again in an hour."

His older namesake laughed as his gaze made a wide sweep of the crowded Lounge. "If there's any left," his grandfather warned him.

"Don't listen to him, Timothy," Victoria corrected. "I've got plenty more where that came from."

The young blue-masked turtle snorted. "Somehow, you always do, Obaasan." (Grandma) He nudged Harley lightly with his foot. The mutt was lying under his side of the table, hoping to receive a few more crumbs. "You've got to come out of there."

The puppy arched his ears and barked sharply at the sound Tim's chair made when it dragged across the floor.

"I swear it doesn't bite," he assured the canine.

Victoria reached to take his plate. "I know just where to keep this for you." The woman winked and went in the direction of the kitchenette, leaving Tim with his Ojiisan. (Grandfather)

"Your appetite has yet to catch up your father and uncles," the elder Tim teased.

"I'm sure it'll happen, Ojiisan. Give me a couple of years, and I'll be eating everything in sight with the best of them."

"There's really no rush for that," Calley chided, collecting a couple of glasses from the table. "We try to be prepared, but it's gotten more difficult over the years. You can stay my 'little' eater for as long as you want, Tim."

"Mom," the twelve-year-old complained. Nothing else needed to be said.

"You'll get there soon enough. Would you grab some of these dishes, Tim?"

"Sure, Mom." The turtle obediently headed down the length of the long table, picking up stray plates and silverware to take back to the kitchenette. When he got there, he stared at the huge pile of things waiting to go in the dishwasher and swallowed nervously. "Do you want some help with these?" he forced himself to ask.

The blond woman gave him a wry smile. "No, Tim, you're fine. I already grabbed someone who hasn't touched dishes in ages."

Brandon sheepishly trudged into the kitchen behind Calley. The sight of the muscular man surrendering to his mother was enough to make Tim quietly snicker. "Okay, you got me here."

"I'm glad you came peacefully," Calley badgered.

"I'm man enough to do my part," he returned. "Um…is everything going to fit in the dishwasher?"

"If you stack it correctly, Bran."

"And how do I do that?"

She laughed. "Why do you think I'm here?"

Before the man could answer, six-year-old Aidan ran into the room and wrapped himself around Brandon's leg.

"Daddy, my truck stopped!" the boy wailed.

Bran pried the child from his leg and bent down to his level. "What do you mean it stopped? Did the batteries die?"

"No, it's broken! Can you fix it?" Aidan extended his remote controlled truck through tears.

"Uh…y'know, Aidan, I'm not so handy in the tools department. Did you try racing this on the steps again?"

The boy nodded hesitantly.

Brandon sighed. "I keep telling you this isn't a real monster truck. It can't take that much abuse."

"Daddy, my truck…!"

"Okay, okay, hang on." Brandon stuck his head out of the kitchen. "Jayden! I need a favor, kid."

The young purple-masked turtle trotted over and froze at the sight of the full sink. "What kind of favor? 'Cause I was hoping to get out of here before dawn."

"Very funny," the man retorted. "No. I need you to take a look at Aidan's truck. He says it stopped working."

Jayden brightened. "That sounds more up my alley. Lemme see it."

Tim peered curiously around his cousin as Jayden set the monster truck upside-down on the counter. "I'll never understand how you do this, Jay."

Jayden grinned. "Trial and error, Tim. My dad says I practiced for most of my life."

"Started with the toaster," Brandon offered. "We couldn't keep one in the house when you were a toddler, because you constantly took them apart."

"So it began," Calley added. "At least you spend a little more time fixing things than breaking them now."

Jayden nodded, distracted. "The wheel assembly is busted. Have you been throwing this down the stairs again, Aidan?"

The boy's chin quivered. "Can you fix it, Jay-Jay?"

"You bet, little man. I got you. Come with me." The purple-masked turtle disappeared around the corner with Aidan.

Tim turned back to his mother. "You don't need anything else?"

She shook her head. "No. Go ahead and join the others. I'll be supervising this one." Calley indicated an unhappy-looking Brandon.

"Why do I suddenly feel like I'm ten years old again?" Bran wondered.

"Well, if you took turns without someone having to track you down…"

Tim chuckled as he bolted from the sound of his mother's scolding. He was greeted by the voice of a sport's announcer coming from the closest TV, but no one seemed to be listening.

"But why did they get more 'downs' than the other team?" Shunshi looked baffled. "It does not seem fair for one team to have more chances to run the ball."

Raphael groaned. "I told you, Shun. It's 'cause the other team managed to run the ball farther. If they make it across the line, the downs start over. You've been in this country long enough. It's time you started learning the important stuff."

The twenty-three-year old shrugged. "I find it confusing."

"You'll get it, but you've gotta sit down and watch a whole game."

"They are so long, Raphael-san."

Greg laughed. "You won't convert this one, Raph. I've tried – believe me."

The red-masked turtle made a face. "Meh, this game's not a good example. Hardly any points on the board."

"Then could we not watch something else perhaps?" Sayuri requested.

Tim wheeled around. Not getting in the middle of that. He steered around the couch and spied his father and grandfather in the small seating area close to the fireplace.

Upon his approach, his Ojiisan chuckled. "You gonna join the old timers, Tim? I'm touched."

The young turtle's brow creased. "You're not that old."

Leonardo laughed loudly, thumping the man's shoulder. "You hear that? We're not that old!"

His Ojisan grinned. "You aren't anyway. I feel it myself more and more every day. I'm even starting to carry that label around the Precinct. "

Tim made a scoffing sound. "They don't know what they're talking about, Ojiisan."

He winked at the turtle. "Either way, as long as I'm still strong enough to chase down bad guys, I'm not going anywhere. Speaking of bad guys, there's been a lot of buzz about the bust you all made at the diner on Kinsley last week."

Leo shook his head. "That wasn't us. Olivia and Nate cleaned up on their own."

"NYPD has been trying to get their foot in the door with that 'protection ring' for years. I'll have to let those two know they're the heroes of the month."

Tim felt a pang of jealously, though he tried hard to squash it. "Wish we'd been with them."

His father looked down at him. "We've seen a good amount of action too, Tim, especially down south the other night. Don't worry - there always seem to be enough bad guys to go around, and you're getting more experience every night you come out with us."

Tim sighed, fingering the faded bruise under his right eye. "Last time, all I got was clobbered."

The older blue-masked turtle shook his head. "It happens, Tim. We've all been there more times than we can count. We don't want any of you hurt, but it can't always be avoided. You have to let it go."

"But I'm supposed to learn from it, aren't I?"

"Learn, yes; dwell, no," he replied firmly.

Tim nodded, but said nothing more. Nearly getting knocked out in front of his father and uncles wasn't something he could immediately get over. It wouldn't be so bad if it didn't seem like I'm behind everyone else. Jay and Charlotte are a few months older than me and they have their 'special genes', but it doesn't make me feel better about ending up on my shell.

"Tim, don't do this."

He met his father's dark eyes questioningly, but could guess what he was going to say.

"There's a place for all of you on this team."

"I know," he answered. "I think it's going to take me longer to find mine."

Both Leo's hands landed on his shoulders. "You are just. Starting. Out. All the training that led up to this point, every hour you already invested, it helps prepare you for the streets. But when reality sets in and you're suddenly using everything you've learned in an uncontrolled environment with unpredictable factors, there's bound to be some catching up to do.

"You probably won't take this advice any better than I could at your age, but perfection isn't obtainable, and beating yourself up over the situation doesn't make it better."

Tim bowed his head briefly. "I'll try not to."

"I'm sure you can take me, if that means anything to you," his grandfather said lightly.

"I'd never 'take you' anywhere, Ojiisan."

The door to the sky deck swung open with a rush of air and Charlotte and Alexis came inside with a trail of laughter.

The young turtle fixed the girls with a look. "Something sure sounds funny. What are we missing?"

Alexis giggled again and Charlotte flicked her shoulder.

"Nothing," the purple-masked turtle said innocently. "But you are missing some fun out there, and so is my twin. Have you seen Jay?"

"He's probably working on Aidan's car."

"Olivia is gonna play for us, Tim," Alexis told him. "You should come out and hear it."

The young blue-masked turtle hopped to his feet, but shot a glance back at his father and grandfather.

His Ojiisan shooed him out. "Leave the old people to their rocking chairs."

His father groaned. "Please go, Tim, before your grandpa ages us into an early grave."

Olivia popped inside before Tim could head that direction. "Are you coming out?"

"Yep. I hear the real party is on the roof."

She nodded with a grin, then turned to shout across the room. "Dad! Come outside. That game is lame."

The red-masked turtle sauntered over. "It is a bust. What are you up to, Kouen?"

"I put together another song with the new chord change. Alexis kept bugging me to play it, so I figured I would get it out for an audience."

Raphael nodded. "I should get my acoustic."

"Then how will you listen to me? C'mon, dad. Let me have the spotlight for a change. I worked hard!"

"Sure. Once won't kill me, right?"

Olivia rolled her eyes at him. "You comin', Tim?"

The slight chill in the night air made the blue-masked turtle zip up his sweatshirt before stepping outside, though he noted his uncle didn't bother with clothes. Unless they're patrolling, he never does.

"I'm gonna look for Jayden and Nate!" Charlotte called after them. "We'll be out in a minute."

Olivia returned to a spot near a circle of low-burning lanterns, settling on a cushion in the middle. She'd already gathered a small crowd which included their Uncle Donatello, Jenna, Rebecca, and Reina. Tim took a seat with Raphael on the remaining bench while his cousin began strumming a few random chords.

Timothy settled in happily while she found her rhythm on the guitar, and started playing an instrumental he'd managed to hear snippets of over the last two weeks. Liv hates sharing anything openly until she thinks it's good enough. It's funny how she's a perfectionist in her own way. I guess the fact that she won't play all the time makes hearing it more special.

Raphael nodded his approval. "You got that much of Bittersweet Symphony by ear?"

The sixteen-year-old nodded. "Once I finally mastered the darn chord."

"It sounds good, Kouen. Think it could use some accompaniment though." Raph smiled slyly.

"I'll get there, dad," she said pointedly, annoyed. "You could add some vocals if you want."

The older red-masked turtle smirked at Donny. "Hasn't been too long, has it? You wanna try it with me?"

Don nodded. "You start it."

Olivia looped her instrumental around for them, and her father bobbed his head as he felt the timing.

"'Cause it's a bittersweet symphony, that's life

Try to make ends meet

You're a slave to money, then you die

I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down

You know the one that takes you

To the places where all the veins meet, yeah…

No change, I can change, I can change, I can change

But I'm here in my mold

I am here in my mold

But I'm a million different pieces from one day to the next

I can't change, my mold

No, no, no, no, no…"

When Donatello's voice blended with Raphael on the chorus, Tim felt himself getting a little lost in the music. He rarely raised his voice higher than a few decibels even when singing with a group, but the young turtle loved listening to the others. The dim atmosphere combined with some of his favorite sounds were the only things required to create a near perfect evening.

All of the goodness was interrupted by a faint blur he barely saw before it collided with his face. It was followed by something extremely cold cascading over his head and saturating his hoodie. Tim gasped as the chill registered, and heard his uncle curse. The blue-masked turtle was kept busy trying to remove frosting and crumbs from his eyes, but he could hear the action around him.

"Why you little—"

"Should have dressed for the weather, Raphy. Guess you didn't know how cold it was gonna get."

Tim knew his Uncle Mike's chortle anywhere, and didn't have to guess who was behind him. He gratefully applied the towel that was dropped in his lap, but then scowled over his shoulder at Nate. "Your timing could have been better," he imitated.

The young orange-masked turtle gave him a playful shove. "Don't start things and I won't finish them."

"And you!" Raphael's accusing finger turned to Olivia. "You helped set this up?"

Nate understood his anger. His uncle looked like he'd been doused by a two gallon milkshake.

"It wasn't my idea, but it was still funny," she retorted.

At Mike's high-pitched laugh, the red-masked turtle finally exploded off the roof to chase him down.

Tim was embarrassed to be caught off guard in front of everyone, but it didn't seem like he could be furious over the retaliation. Just another ordinary night around here. Next time, I'll wear more layers.