THIS CHAPTER WAS SO LONG I HAD TO BREAK IT UP INTO THREE SECTIONS SO IT WOULDN'T OVERWHELM YOU GUYS!

Overture

December 10, 2001

Splinter's whiskers twitched as the scent of coffee filled the kitchen nook. While the Hamato family was still new to the "lair" as the boys were fond of calling it, they already had found several essential appliances to fill their home. Like the coffee pot. The ninja master often preferred tea, but since becoming a single father to four – now five – toddlers, at least one cup of coffee in the morning had become a necessity.

Before filling his mug, Splinter checked on the contents of the pillow fort in the common area. All four of his sons were snuggled into a tangle of bodies with April at its center. At some point during the night, April's hand found its way around Donnie's – whose hand was curled around hers in response. Splinter smiled as he lowered the blanket.

The click of the turnstile caused the rat's ears to twitch and his body to stiffen before a familiar scent allowed him to relax. There was only one person who had access to their area of the sewers…

"Good morning, Splinter-san!" Sixteen-year-old Mai Murakami lifter her chin in greeting since her hands were full of grocery bags for the Hamato family. She bit her lip as Splinter raised a finger to his lips, gesturing to the sleeping turtles within the mass of blankets and pillows. The pair silently made their way into the kitchen.

"Good morning, Mai. It's good to see you." Splinter helped Mai place the bags on the counter. He then retrieved an extra mug from the cupboard. "Would you like some coffee?"

Mai nodded. "Please!" She made a happy noise as she took her first sip. "Did the boys make the pillow fort to ward off the cold last night?"

"Not only for the cold," Splinter gestured for her to go take a look. Mai cast a curious and confused glace over her shoulder as she reentered the common area. Splinter began putting away groceries, chortling to himself as he heard a faint squeak. Mai rushed back to the kitchen, her face contorted in shock.

"Splinter-san! Th-that's a little girl!"

"Indeed." He paused to take a long sip form his mug.

Mai glared at the older man. "You know what I mean! Wha… how? Why is she here?" She took a seat at the kitchen island as Splinter resumed putting the groceries in their proper place.

"Her name is April," He began softly. "I found her last night on my supply run topside. There were… strange men after the girl and her mother" Splinter sighed, placing both hands on the counter before turning back to face Mai. "Mai… these men seemed familiar. I believe them to be a part of the same group who hunted the boys and me in the early days of our… transformations." Mai grew concerned as Splinter gripped the counter behind him, his knuckles turning white. "They… they killed her mother Mai. These men killed April's mother right in front of me and I did nothing!" He spat.

It had been a long time since Mai had seen Splinter's face full of guilt and rage; not since she was little and Hamato Yoshi had dragged himself into her father's noodle shop, fresh from an unknown tragedy left behind in Japan.

Splinter sighed, allowing his anger to dissipate. "April's mother asked me with her dying breath to protect her from these men… the Kraang she called them. Believed that if they were to somehow get ahold of April, that it would be the end of the world."

Mai followed Splinter's lead, also taking a calming breath. Rising from her seat, the young woman located a frying pan and the package of bacon she had brought with her. "Well, you'll simply have to teach the girl how to kick butt one day, like how you plan to do with the boys." She giggled as the scent of sizzling bacon wafted up to meet them. "How long do you give them before they're all barreling in here for breakfast?"

Splinter chuckled, appreciative of the young woman's attempt to lighten the mood. "No more than 10 minutes. And thank you. Training April alongside the boys may be beneficial for her in the future." He paused. "Mai, I realize that raising a daughter will be different than raising four boys…" Mai shot him a smile.

"And you expect to suffer through it alone?" She asked sarcastically. "Not to worry, Splinter-san. I'll let Mama know and we'll help with any 'girl stuff' as it pops up. Call us whenever."

"Mai! You're here!"

The young woman barely had any time to brace herself before an orange-clad missile launched itself into her middle. "Oof!" She grunted. "Hey there Mikey! Do you want to help me scramble some eggs to go with the bacon for breakfast? Your new sister might appreciate it…" She winked.

Mikey beamed as he saluted his friend. "Sous-Chef Mikey reporting for duty!"

xXx

April yawned, groggily wondering where she was. The girl began to panic and flail, waking up in an unfamiliar place. She almost shrieked as warm hands wrapped her into a hug.

"April! Everything's fine. Calm down… Just breathe." She did what the voice instructed, breathing deeply as the hands rubbed up and down her back. "Better?" It wasn't until she pulled away from the embrace as she locked eyes with the concerned russet ones gazing at her, that she remembered what had occurred the day before.

Breathing again, April blinked back the tears pricking the back of her eyes. She didn't want to start crying this early in the day; not in front of Donnie. "Yeah. Thanks."

"Did you sleep well?"

Lying on her back, April stretched her arms above her head. "Fine, I guess. I've never slept in a turtle pile before." She squinted at the interior of their pillow fort. "Hey! Where's everyone else?"

Donnie offered April a hand to help the girl to her feet. "They're in the kitchen with Mai making breakfast." April's grip on his hand tightened.

"Who's Mai?" Donnie could barely hear her whisper. He realized how scared she must be with another unknown person entering her life without her permission.

He rushed to reassure his friend, rubbing her arm again. "Don't worry! Mai is amazing." The purple-clad turtle smiled as he received a weak grin for his terrible pun. "Her dad's an old friend of Splinter's from before our whole…" Donnie gestured to his face. "…this whole situation. Lucky for us, the Murakamis don't care that their friend is a human-rat hybrid now."

Both kids stared at April's stomach as it suddenly rumbled – loudly.

Donnie chuckled. "You hungry?"

"Starving!"

The turtle and the toddler left the confines of the pillow fort, meandering to where the scent of breakfast was emanating from. "Mr. Murakami owns a popular noodle shop topside and sends Mai down here once in a while with food and presents."

"Yeah! Presents!" Raph piped up as they entered the kitchen. "Whadya bring us this time, Mai?" His little legs kicked back and forth from where he was seated on the island next to Leo. Said brother then proceeded to punch him in the arm. Raph scowled.

"That's rude, Raph!"

"It's alright, Leo." Mai soothed. "I did indeed bring something with me. But first," She knelt down to address young girl who had tucked herself behind Donnie. "It's okay! I won't hurt you, April. My name's Mai.. I hope that we can become friends." April ducked her head, shyly. Mai decided to try a different trick. "Would you like to help the boys unwrap the gift I brought?" April lit up, nodding vigorously.

The young woman grinned as April and the turtles huddled close to see what she had brought them. Even Raph's eyes twinkled at the large bankers box wrapped up tight with a bright red bow. He hopped off of the island as Mai plopped the box on the floor where everyone could reach it. "I know that Christmas is still a couple of weeks away, but I figured that with the weather turning colder, you guys might want something to watch while you cuddle in the pit."

Raph crossed his arms over his cracked plastron. "We don't cuddle, Mai." He glared at her.

"We huddle for warmth." Donnie chimed.

Mai nodded solemnly, exchanging an amused look with Splinter as their father chuckled. "Oh, of course!" She remembered the turtle pile from earlier. "I wouldn't be surprised if it became a regular thing."

"Whoa!" Mikey yelped. "Mai, what are all of these?" He handed her one of the black rectangles he had liberated from the box.

"These are VHS tapes, movies. Splinter told me about a VCR player he found at the dump last week and I happened to find this entire box of movies at a thrift place near Dad's shop." Mai rifled through the box along side April. "Now, most of them are old Disney movies, but there might be a couple you guys would enj-"

Everyone froze as April squealed in delight.

"April?" Donnie touched her shoulder, concerned.

She waved him off, hoisting her treasure into the air. "I found my favorite movie from home! The Little Mermaid!" Except for Mai, her excitement was met with blank stares. "Have you guys never seen The Little Mermaid?"

Mai placed a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder. "It's hard for the guys to get access to things down here. Maybe this is an experience you can share with them…"

April turned a pleading gaze to Splinter. "Can we, Splinter? Can we pleeeaaaaaasssssseeeeee?" The rat smiled.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea, dear one. Let us finish breakfast first and then we can set everyone up in the common room."