Two Worlds One Family

Prologue

16 years ago

Winter had finally hit the city of New York. Everywhere you looked there were people, bundled up so much they could barely see in front of them. As they hurried to their destinations, eager to get out of the elements, very few actually paid attention to their surroundings.

Below the surface, within the city's sewer system, there was a rather unusual family. An elderly rat, by name of Splinter, lived in the tunnels with his 4 adopted turtle sons. Fate had brought them together, an accident that changed all their lives entirely. Who knows what would have happened if the green ooze that leaked into the sewers hadn't covered their bodies?

On this cold night Splinter roamed the sewer tunnels, scavenging for food for his young family. The turtle tots had been living with him for several months now and in that short time, their development had grown to a level he had never imagined. All four were walking and talking and now each was starting to develop their own personality.

Leonardo had taken on an authoritative role, ensuring that both he and his brothers followed every instruction their father gave them, almost like a big brother.

Raphael on the other hand had a bit of a temper and tended to act before he thought. He didn't take to kindly to his brother bossing him around.

Donatello was the quietest of the four. Where his brothers would partake in boystress play, he preferred to quietly read or take a part objects to see how they worked. Splintered was amazed at the level of ability that his son showed at such a young age.

Finally there was Michelangelo, the most hyper of the group. He was always annoying his brothers, trying to make them laugh or playing pranks on them. He also had a short attention span that led him to trouble.

Although the four were not as helpless as they were when he first found them, Splinter always took them on his ventures for food in fear that they would get themselves into trouble or expose themselves to the people above in the city. While he looked for food in the alleyways, the turtles would stay in the tunnels below and play.

Once he had placed the last bit of food in his satchel he quickly made his way back to the manhole and making sure the cover was secure before he went to collect his sons. Only, this time there was one missing.

"My sons, where is Donatello?" The 3 turtles looked between themselves and their surroundings before shrugging at their father. They had been too busy playing to notice their brother's sudden disappearance. Sighing, Splinter gathered the three and went to search for Donatello. It was unusual for him to wander off by himself, Splinter prayed that nothing had happened to him.

They soon located the missing turtle crouched over an old cardboard box.

"Donatello, what are you doing?! You know better than to wander off!" The young turtle jumped at the sound of his father's voice before gesturing to the box at his feet.

"I heard a cry and came to see. It's a baby, look father!"

Splinter stepped forward to see what his son was looking, the other three close on his heels. Sure enough, there was a tiny human baby barely covered in what could have been a blanket at some point. The turtles watched curiously as there father bent down and lifted the helpless infant in to his arms. The newborn was very cold and the umbilicol cord still attached so they hadn't been there for long, a few days at the most.

"You are correct Donatello, this is a human baby".

"How did it get down here?" a curious Leo asked. Splinter could not smell any other human scent nearby so who ever had left the child was long gone.

"I do not know my son. Come, we will take the child to our home to heat them up" .

The turtles ran close to their father the entire way home. They sat patiently waiting on the couch while their father fetched a better blanket to wrap the baby in, even Mikey. Upon unwrapping the baby Splinter discovered that it was a little girl. Smiling softly he carried her now, completely cover, over to the couch where the turtles were waiting anxiously to see her again.

"He is so cute!" Michelangelo curiously poked the baby.

"It is a little girl Michelangelo and you must be very careful with her" Splinter corrected his son, "She is much smaller than you and can easily get hurt".

"She is so cute!" repeated Michelangelo with more excitement this time. Surprised by the sudden the baby began to whimper.

"Well done Mikey, you made her cry!" Raphael scowled his brother.

"I didn't mean to" Mikey replied with a pout.

Donatello shuffled closer to the baby and lower his head until his face was level with her's.

"It's okay baby girl, that's just Mikey. He can be a bit loud sometimes."

The baby's eyes darted to him, taking in every word that he spoke to her. He smiled and stroked his green finger across her soft cheek. Immediately the little girl stopped crying.

Splinter sat back in disbelieve at how gentle and caring his sons where being towards the baby. Even Raphael seemed to have a soft spot for her.

"Father, what will happen to her now?" Leo asked and was quickly answered by a keen Donatello.

"She can stay here with us, can't she?!"

Four pairs of eyes quickly darted to the rat, with a mixture of curiosity and pleading amongst them. Splinter thought about the strange request for a moment. The sewers were no place for a little girl to grow up but he had seen glimpses of what life was like for orphaned children above ground. From the lack of clothing that the baby girl had been found in it was clear that this was not a simple case of a missing child. He couldn't provide her with the perfect life but at least she would be loved.

"Yes she can stay my son. We will call her Andrea".

"Welcome to the family Andrea" Donatello smiled at the baby, his finger wrapped tightly in her tiny hand.

"Donatello, will you hold her while I find her something her something to eat?"

The protests from Leo and Mikey were soon silenced.

"Donatello is the one who found, her should be the first one to hold her"

Donatello sat back with his shell firmly pressed against the couch and his legs crossed in basket. He sat, proud as punch, as his father laid Andrea on his lap.

Splinter couldn't help but smiled as he went to retrieve the bottle he had acquired for his sons months ago but never used. He had a feeling that Andrea would fit in very nicely to their small, unique family.