Where Some Parents Evolve, Other Do Not
(Continuation of Ending 2)

Though it was hard, but felt right, Henry left his pet turtles down in the sewers with the mutant turtles for a while.

"I still think it's weird dat we're takin' care of our parents like dey were pets." Raphael commented as he placed a bowl full of fruit and vegetables in the aquarium.

"I know." Donatello agreed. "But what can we do about it?"

"Well…can't we like, I dunno, mutant them or something?" Michelangelo asked.

"How?" Leonardo asked back. "There isn't any mutagen around."

"That stuff was made accidently by the Utrom when they were making the transmat." Donatello reminded his brothers. "And they used the transmat to go home."

"What about Professor Honeycutt or Leatherhead? They both lived with the Utroms. Maybe they might know how to make the green ooze." Michelangelo suggested.

"That true." Donatello said with a nod.

"But what about Master Splinter?" Leonardo asked. "If we somehow manage to mutate our parents, what will become of him?"

"We're not going ta dump him Leo." Raphael assured his elder brother. "Think about it. If things turn out ok between him and dem, we could all live ta-gether."

"That would require a bigger place." Michelangelo pointed out. "Maybe we could trade places with Leatherhead or Donnie could find us another place."

"Guys, aren't we getting a little ahead of ourselves here?" Donatello asked. "First thing's first, lets see if we can even get any mutagen."

"So let's get started already." Michelangelo said excitedly.

"Ya make it sound easy." Raphael commented. "But where should we start?"

"Well I can contact Professor Honeycutt and have him meet us over at Leatherhead's place. With their two heads together, we might get some idea of how the stuff is made." Donatello suggested.

"Sounds as good a plan as any." Leonardo sighed. "Let's do it."

At Leatherhead's place

"Ah, my turtle friends." Leatherhead greeted. "To what do I owe such a visit?"

"L.H. we need yer help." Raphael told the large alligator.

"Of course. What is it that you need?" Leatherhead asked.

"Well, we figure that between you and Professor Honeycutt, mutagen could be made." Donatello said.

"Mutagen? Why are you trying to make that for?" Leatherhead asked.

"It's like this, we have found our parents and we want to mutant them." Leonardo explained.

"I see." Leatherhead nodded.

"But you can help us, can't you?" Michelangelo asked hopefully.

The large humanoid alligator watched Mike's eyes grow wide as an added an affect to his plea. "We can most certainly try." Leatherhead answered.

"That's all that we ask." Leonardo told them.

"Greeting my terrapin friends." Professor Honeycutt said as he entered the home of Leatherhead. "I have received your message, what is that you need my help for?"

"If ya showed up a few minutes earlier, ya coulda saved us from havin' ta repeat ourselves." Raphael snorted.

"Be nice Raph." Leonardo scolded.

"Oh dear." Professor Honeycutt sighed. "I am sorry."

"Do not worry my friends. I will explain everything to him." Leatherhead assured the turtles as he pulled the fugitoid off to the side.

"What is it that our friends need?" Professor Honeycutt asked.

"They want to know how to make mutagen." Leatherhead told him.

"What for?"

"To mutate their parents."

"They have found their parents?"

"Apparently."

"Oh dear, this is not good."

"I agree, but I cannot seem to say no do them."

"But do they know of the risks? Pet turtles can only live to up to thirty-five years, forty at the most. If we can make mutagen and mutate them, they will be seniors."

"That is, if they can survive the mutation. And that's not the only thing to worry about."

"I know. So what can we do?"

"I do not know how we can explain the situation to them. Maybe we should take this up with Master Splinter."

"Yes, that would be best. All though, I do hate to turn on them like this."

"What else can we do?"

"Yes, what else can we do?"

"I have told Honeycutt what you ask." Leatherhead told the turtles as he and the fugitoid come back to them. "He is also willing to make an attempt, but we'll need a lab. Perhaps we can go back to your place and use Donatello's?"

"Sure you guys can." Donatello replied.

"This is going to be so cool." Michelangelo exclaimed happily.

Leatherhead and Honeycutt looked at each other nervously.

At the lair…

While Professor Honeycutt pretended to access his memory bank to see if he could find the recipe for the mutagen, Leatherhead snuck off to Splinter's room. "And so you see predicament that we are in."

"Yes Leatherhead. I understand." The elder rat nodded. "I will talk to them."

"I wish we could mutate their parents, but I fear the risk is too high." Leatherhead sighed.

"It is alright." Splinter assured the large alligator. "Really my sons should not have put you and the Professor in such a spot, but then again, I do not blame them for trying." The two beings exit the master's room. "My sons, come here a minute."

"Yes master?" The four turtles asked as they kneeled before the elder rat.

"It has come to my knowledge that you wish to mutate your parents." Master Splinter said. "And though it graves me to tell you this, I feel I must. You can not do such a thing."

"But why not?" Michelangelo asked.

"Because they are old." Master Splinter told him. "Older than I was when I was mutated. If you mutate them, they will look older than I do now and to do so will also throw their lives into chaos."

"How?" Raphael asked.

"They have lived their whole lives in a glass aquarium." Master Splinter explained. "They know nothing of the world. Although they are old, their minds will be like that of a newborn babe. It will take them years that the do not have to try and adapt."

"I…I never thought of that." Donatello admitted.

"I know it's weird to see your parents as just pet turtles, but I think it would be difficult for you if you saw them as helpless seniors."

"Could it really be that bad?" Michelangelo asked. "Maybe we could help them adapt or take care of them."

"Mikey, do you remember watching those shows that show what it's like in a poorly run senior rest home?" Donatello reminded his youngest brother. "Do you remember what those people looked like? I think that's what Sensei is trying to shield us from."

"I guess." Michelangelo frumped.

"And you have to think about their dignity too." Leonardo added. "I mean, it would be pretty dishonorable to be made to look like that."

"I suppose you're right." Michelangelo sighed. "But it was nice to hope."

"I am sorry my sons." Master Splinter said gravely.

"As am I." Professor Honeycutt said sadly.

"I am also." Leatherhead sighed.

Meanwhile, above ground…

Jeffery, dressed in a brown gym suit, stood at the front gates of his home. "I don't think I can do this Henry." He said nervously. "What if…"

"There is no need to rush. Take your time." Henry said soothingly. He was dressed in his priest outfit. "If you do not wish to go in now, there is always next time."

"It's just that it feels like it has been so long."

"You ran away when you were what…eighteen? And now you're twenty-five, it's been seven years."

"Yeah. Seven years of not reminding them of how much a disappointment I was."

"Now what did we talk about talking negatively?"

"Yeah, yeah. Everyone makes mistakes. Blah, blah, blah." Jeffery inhaled deeply. "Ok, I think I'm ready." The two men pushed open the gate and entered the front area. As they neared the door, Jeffery got more and more nervous. "On second thought, I not. Let's go."

"Oh no you don't." Henry grabbed his friend by the arm. "You made the commitment. Now you should see it through."

"But I changed my mind. I just wanna get out of here." Jeffery tried to pull his arm free, but the young priest kept a tight hold on it. "What do you do, lift weights or something?"

"When I'm not out saving the world or trying to reunite parents with their children." Henry joshed.

"What if everything turns ugly or something?" Jeffery asked. "I mean, what if the police are called into this?"

"Why do you think I'm dress in my work clothes?" Henry pointed out. "You think I did this to make a fashion statement?"

"You have quite an attitude there." Jeffery commented. "Are you sure you're a priest? I mean, with comebacks and lifting weights..."

"Call me new age." Henry replied. "I think it's only right to show that even holy men can still be human." He pushed Jeffery up to the front door. "Now how about giving that knocker a good knocking?"

"O-k." Jeffery breathed. With a trembling hand, the young man grasped the ring of the door knocker and light taps it on the door. "Welp, nobody home. Let's go." Again, Jeffery tried to leave for the gate.

"You call that a knocking?" Henry exclaimed. The young priest grabbed the door knocker and rapped loudly on the door. "That's what I call a knocking."

Jeffery freaked. "But someone might hear you."

"And you used to call yourself a Purple Dragon." Henry teased. "What happed to all that bravery?"

"I left it at the gate, along with my sanity." Jeffery replied.

"Who's there?" A woman's voice called out.

"Father Bryson." Henry answered.

"Father Bryson?" The woman peeked through a window on the door. "Are you looking for donation?" She asked. "Cause if you are, you're going to have to wait till I get my checkbook. A good socialite can't be snubbing the church."

"No, no." Henry replied. "I'm believed I have found something that belongs to you, Mrs. Johnson." He yanked his friend in front of him.

"Oh my…it can't be." The woman's face disappeared from the window and the door is thrown open. "Is that my baby?" She grabbed Jeffery's cheeks. "It is. My baby has come home." The woman squealed.

"Mom…your hurting my cheeks." Jeffery said as best he could while his cheeks were being stretched.

"But it has been so long since I've seen you." The woman cooed as he squished his face. "And you look as cute as ever."

"Sarah, who was that at the door?" A man yelled.

"Oh no…" Sarah breathed. "It's your father. I can't let him see you." She panicked. "He's been so angry since the company forced him into early retirement and he blames you for that."

"But he was bringing in so much money, even when I was bad." Jeffery muffled though his still squished cheeks. "Why would they do that to him?"

"It hasn't gotten through his thick skull that he's getting old and that younger people are jumping in these days." Sarah explained. "But he still thinks it all your fault." She finally let go of his cheeks.

"Do you blame me for anything?" Jeffrey asked.

"No." Sarah put a finger to her chin. "You're antics haven't done anything to ruin my life. In fact, come to think of it, you've gotten me to kind of wake up."

"I did?" Jeffery laughed. "How?"

"Well, when you ran away, I started wondering why you did so." Sarah told him. "Then I realized that…I haven't been treating you as well as I should." She admitted embarrassingly. "Really, I'm surprised that social services haven't been called and you taken away." The elder woman heaved a heavy sigh. "I think it would have done a lot a good to be placed in a better home than this." She waved her hands. "Anyway, I've given up my bad habits and am sober for almost six years.

"I'll be clean going on…." Jeffery counts on his fingers, "almost two weeks."

"Sarah!" A man came up behind the woman. "I asked you who what at the door. The least you could do was answer me." He looked past the woman at the priest before his eyes settled on Jeffery. "You." The man said venomously.

Sarah turned to her husband and tries to keep him calm. "Now Elijah…"

"H…hi d…dad." Jeffery stuttered.

"Don't you 'hi dad' me." Elijah practically roared. "I can't believe that you have the gall to darken my door step asking for money."

"I didn't come here to ask for money." Jeffery said in an insulted tone. "I just came by to see how you both were doing."

"As you can see, just fine." Elijah stated sternly.

"Good, then I'll be leaving." Jeffery whipped around to leave.

"Hold it." Henry grabbed the young man by the sleeve. "Aren't you going to introduce me?" He asked. "After all, I've never met your parents."

"Oh right. Mom, dad, this is my best friend Henry. Henry, these are my parents." Jeffery said quickly.

"You're the boy who moved away when Jeffery was an eleven?" Sarah asked.

"Yes ma'am." Henry nodded.

"So you were the one who was going to throw away those turtles Jeffery ended up with." Elijah said.

"Going to throw away?" Henry cocked an eyebrow at his friend. Jeffery smiled sheepishly. "Oh yeah, that's right." He said with a nod. "What way for an up coming priest to act." The young man shot his friend a quick glare.

"I would say so." Elijah harrumphed. "So what did my low-life son say to get you to come out here? Manipulated you into help him get us to think he's changed? To think that he's a born again…"

"No." Henry interrupted. "It was I that asked to accompany him here." He told the elder man. "I was worried about how things would turn out."

"I thought that you said that everything would be ok." Jeffery whispered. The young priest elbowed him in the ribs. "Ow…"

"Why wouldn't you think that things were not going to be alright?" Elijah asked in an insulted tone. "We're all adults here." He turned to Jeffery. "I…I may have been a little quick tempered. Why don't you come inside and we'll talk things out."

"Just me?" Jeffery asked.

"And your friend of course." Sarah added. "We would like to get to know him too." She and her husband moved out of the doorway to let the two young men in to the house.

At first Jeffery hesitates, but a secretive shove from Henry gets him though the door. "We would be delighted to." The young priest said as he followed his friend in

The Next Day…

Henry and Jeffery were down in the sewers, visiting the turtles.

"So I heard that you went to see your parents." Michelangelo pried. "How did it go?"

"Fine." Jeffery shrugged. "I will be attending a J.C. next week in the hopes that I can make something of my life."

"Dat's good ta hear." Raphael congratulated.

"Planning on going to a four year afterwards?" Donatello asked.

"I dunno." Jeffery shrugged again.

"What are you going to be?" Leonardo questioned.

"I dunno." Jeffery shrugged once more. "I guess I'll figure it out when I need to."

"Well there is no need to rush." Master Splinter said wisely. "Let life guide you in your own time and way."

"Yes sir." Jeffery nodded.

Michelangelo looked at Henry. "I take it that you're going to take back Zaphod and Trillian." He said sadly.

" 'fraid so." Henry confirmed "The children at the church miss them. They are somewhat mascots there."

"It was nice to finally meet them, even though it was a little weird." Leonardo admitted.

"To tell you the truth, it was kind of weird to meet their children." Henry replied.

"Um…here." Raphael handed Henry the aquarium that the young priest had brought down there.

"Thank." Henry said with a light bow. He looked into the glass tank. "There's one missing."

"Raphael." Master Splinter gave the red clad turtle a stern glare.

"Yes sensei." Raphael sighed as he produced Trillian from almost thin air and placed her back into the aquarium.

"Do not worry, I'm sure that Jeffery can bring them by to visit when he comes or maybe when I'm in the neighborhood, I could do so."

"I am sure my son will greatly appreciate that." Master Splinter replied.

Both humans walk into the elevator and as the doors close, Jeffery says, "Thanks for everything. Until next time."


A/N: Clueless little me, I didn't think that by bring in the turtles' parents that I would be opening a whole can of worms. 0.0;

Now I know I've had some request to mutate the parents, but from a logic point of view it couldn't be done. According to some research I did, turtles only live to be 35 years old, 40 if they are well cared for and lucky. For a female to give birth, she has to be five years old and males have to be three years old to be able to breed. Plus there is the factor of adding a couple years to the parents, because they can't be expected to breed right way. So if you add the TMNT ages, you'll get the mother at about 22 and the father at about 20. Both would be at or over the hill, making it hard for them to be able to funtion in the world as adult turtles. So sorry there, but on a happier note I did bring Jeffery back to his parents and thus finishing my story for good. (I hope.)

By the way, I haven't see the new Hitcher's Guide To Galaxy, only the BBC one. I decided to name the turtle's parents Zaphod and Trillian, because my dad likes HGTG books and he was the one who introduced me to TMNT.