“Give me back Teddy!” Nick cried, jumping to try and retrieve his beloved friend from his older brother.

“No!” Brian shouted.

“Give him back!” Nick screeched.

“Nyah! Nyah!” Brian taunted, waving the bear above his brother’s head. “Nyah! Nyah!”

“Brian, give him back his bear,” Kevin ordered, scratching a spot on his green-skinned arm.

“No,” Brian replied. “Finder’s keepers.”

“I wanna my bear!” Nick shrieked, throwing a miniature tantrum. “I wanna my bear!”

A.J. plugged his ears. “Give Teddy back; please! We’re sick of hearing him whine.”

Brian ignored them and continued to torment his younger brother.

“What is going on in here?” A voice demanded.

Brian and Nick both froze, and looked over at their sensei.

Howard looked from Nick’s tearstained face, to Brian’s haughty one, waiting for an answer.

“He stole Teddy!” Nick said, tears streaming down his small light green face, as he ran to his furry rat master for a hug.

Howard hugged the child, before eyeing his darker green-skinned brother warily. “Brian Thomas?”

“He was bugging me,” Brian told him, his blue eyes shifting a tad nervously. “He wouldn’t leave me alone.”

“So you took his Teddy Bear to get back at him?”

Brian nodded.

“Did you not realize it would just make him more of a pest?”

“He wasn’t bugging me,” Brian shrugged. “I was havin’ fun.”

“Yeah, you were, but we weren’t,” A.J. piped up from his spot on the floor. He was an olive green colour, though his shell was the same shade as his brothers. His eyes were also chocolate brown, the same as their father, Howard. “He was too loud. I couldn’t hear my cartoon.”

“So what?” Brian demanded. “It was just some dumb cartoon.”

“My cartoons aren’t dumb!” A.J. protested. “Yours are!”

“How much you wanna make a bet?” Brian challenged. “Hmm?”

Howard interrupted them. “Brian Thomas, leave Alexander James alone; and Alexander James that’ll be quite enough.”

“Yes, Master,” they replied.

“Brian Thomas, give Nickolas Gene back his teddy bear, then go to your room.”

“But…” Brian tried.

“No buts. Do as you are told, or suffer a more severe consequence.”

Brian huffed, and glared at his littlest brother as he handed him his teddy bear.

“I don’t want to hear a word out of you, until supper, understood?”

“Hai, Sensei,” Brian sighed, as he headed towards his room.

“Thank-you,” Nick whispered, staring up at his father gratefully, his light blue eyes still shining with tears.

Howard looked down at his young son, and couldn’t help but smile at him.

“You are welcome, my son. Now, go play.”

Nick nodded, then hurried over to Kevin to see if he wanted to play a game with him.

Howard awoke to the sound of someone screaming, and quickly headed to his sons shared room to see what was wrong. When he entered the room, he found Nick lying on the floor, half under his bed, screaming like mad.

“Sensei!” Nick screamed, tears streaming down his small, scared face, once he’d spotted him. “Help!”

Howard quickly scooped him up, and soon heard snickering coming from under the bed. He glanced around the room, noticing that the other three beds we unoccupied.

“Kevin Scott, Alexander James, and Brian Thomas,” he began, suppressing the sigh that wanted to escape. “Come out from under there.”

He watched, as three green heads slowly poked out from under Nick’s bunk. He waited until they were standing before him before prompting an explanation out of them.

“What is the meaning of this?” He demanded. “Why have you gone and upset your brother?”

The three six-year-old turtles looked at the floor, not answering his question.

“I am waiting for an answer, my sons.”

“You tell him!” Brian hissed.

“No! You!” A.J. hissed back.

Suddenly, they both turned to Kevin.

“Nuh-uh,” Kevin said shaking his head. “I’m not telling him.”

Howard knew he wasn’t going to get anywhere if this kept up, so he asked the son he knew would be honest.

“Alexander James?”

A.J. grumbled something incoherent, but got a sheepish look on his face when he realized his master was watching him.

“Brian said it would be funny,” he admitted. “Kevin said so too.”

“So because your brothers said it was okay, you figured it would be okay to scare the daylights out of your brother?”

“Hai, Sensei,” A.J. answered.

“Brian Thomas?”

“It was just a joke,” he replied, shrugging.

“A joke that made your brother cry,” Howard snapped. “You boys know how much he hates the dark.”

“We’re sorry, Master Howard,” Kevin piped up. “We didn’t think we would scare him that bad.”

“My sons, it is not nice to use your brother’s fear against him,” Howard informed them. “Tomorrow, you three shall be doing extra chores as well as extra practice.”

“Aw, Sensei,” Brian whined somewhat, a scowl forming on his small face. “That’s not fair!”

“I believe it to be perfectly fair, Brian Thomas. Hopefully it will teach you all a lesson,” Howard said, as he shooed them into bed. “Sleep now. You will have lots to do in the morning.”

Howard looked down at the small turtle still in his arms, and sighed, before going out into the den with him.

“Sensei?”

“Yes, my child?” Howard asked, as he sat down in his chair.

“Is the Boogie Man gone?”

Howard chuckled slightly. “Little one, there was no Boogie Man under your bed. It was just your brothers playing a joke on you.”

“So the Boogie Man wasn’t trying to kidnap me?”

“No, Nickolas Gene,” Howard smiled softly. “The Boogie Man was not trying to take you from me.”

“You sure?” Nick double-checked.

“I am sure, my son,” Howard replicated, as Nick snuggled into him even more.

“Master?”

“Mm?”

“Will you sing me something?” Nick queried. “Please?”

Howard looked down into the big blue eyes staring back up at him, and sighed lightly.

“Alright, my son; I shall sing you something.”

He then sang a song his Master Yoshi had taught him a long time ago. He sang until he was sure Nick had fallen asleep, then carried him back to bed and tucked him into it once more.

“Sweet dreams, Nickolas Gene,” he whispered, as he kissed his son’s head. “I promise all will be well tomorrow.”

Three years later…

“Sensei’s not going to like this,” Kevin told his brothers, his green eyes darting around and taking in their current surroundings. “If he finds out we’re up here, he’ll kill us for sure.”

“Yeah, Kevin’s right,” A.J. agreed.

“Aw, c’mon,” Nick whined. “You promised you’d do this with us. We can’t do it by ourselves.”

“Why not?” A.J. questioned.

“It wouldn’t sound right, that’s why,” Brian snapped. “Now shut-up; someone’s coming.”

“Well, if we really are going to do this…” Kevin trailed off. “Be prepared to suffer the consequences if we get caught.”

“Master won’t do nothin’ ‘cause we ain’t gonna get caught,” Brian retorted.

They stood there patiently, until the person walking by was near, then they launched into their plan.

“Even in my heart, I see you’re not being true to me. Deep within my soul, I feel nothing’s like it used to be,” Brian sang. “Sometimes I wish I could turn back time, impossible as it may seem. But I wish I could, so bad, baby.”

“Quit playin’ games with my heart. Quit playin’ games with my heart. My heart. Before you tear us apart. Quit playin’ games with my… I should’ve known from the start. You know you gotta stop. My heart. You’re tearing us apart. Quit playin’ games with my heart.”

“I live my life the way, to keep you coming back to me,” Nick began. “Everything I do is for you, so what is it that you can’t see? Sometimes I wish I could turn back time, impossible as it may seem. But I wish I could so bad, baby.”

As they continued to sing, a crowd started to gather around them, all wondering whom the four kids in trench coats and fedoras were.

“They’re amazing,” they heard one woman say. “I wonder who they are…”

“Who knows,” the man she was talking to shrugged. “But whoever they are, they deserve a record deal.”

The four boys smiled, wishing they could get an actual record deal and perform live for the people who were gathering. But because of whom they were – and what they were – that would probably never happen. Besides, Master Howard would never go for it.

Once they had finished the first song, they went right on into the next. They had written these themselves as they’d been bored. And though the lyrics seemed a little old for nine-year-olds to be singing, they knew more about the world than your average nine-year-olds, thanks to their sensei.

“Baby, I know you are hurting,” Kevin began. “Right now you feel like you could never love again. Now all I ask is for a chance to prove that I love you.”

“From the first day that I saw your smiling face,” A.J. sang. “Honey, I knew that we would be together.”

“Oooh. When I asked you out, you said no but I found out,” Brian continued. “Darling that you’d been hurt; you felt that you could never love again. I deserve a try Honey just once. Give me a chance and I’ll prove this all wrong.”

“You walked in you were so quick to judge,” A.J. cut in. “But Honey he’s nothing like me,”

“I’ll never break your heart. I’ll never make you cry. I’d rather die than live without you. I’ll give you all of me, Honey that’s no lie,” they harmonized. “I’ll never break your heart…”

They sang a couple more songs, then carefully bowed, making sure to not lose their fedoras or to let their green hands show, before quickly hurrying back to the lair.

“I hope Sensei’s not there when we get back,” A.J. commented, then eyed his two younger brothers. “If he is, I’m blaming you.”

“Like Sensei will care whose idea it was,” Brian scoffed. “We’ll all still get in trouble for going up top without permission and in broad daylight.”

“He’s right,” Kevin groaned, as they slowed their pace. “Sensei won’t care who thought of it. We all disobeyed orders.”

“You’ll all get in more trouble than me,” Nick smirked.

“Why’s that?” A.J. demanded.

“I’m the baby, as well as the cute one,” Nick said. “I can get away with more than you any day.”

“Damn!” Brian riposted. “He’s right, you know. We’ll get in more trouble than he will, Kevin and I especially.”

“Why you and Kevin especially?” A.J. queried.

“I’m the oldest, as well as the model son, and Brian’s the hard-headed trouble-maker,” Kevin stated. “Man, do I ever hate it when he’s right!”

“Yeah, well, at least I don’t think I’m perfect every day,” Brian snapped. “Unlike you Kevin, I live in the world of reality, and not fantasy.”

“I’d say your head’s pretty high up there in the clouds if you think I’ve never faced reality,” Kevin retorted. “I’ve faced it just as much as you have, if not more so.”

“See what I mean!” Brian shouted. “You think you know more and are better than us just ‘cause you’re the oldest!”

“I do not!” Kevin rebutted. “You think you’re all high and mighty for no reason!”

“Nuh-uh!” Brian shook his head. “You’re the high and mighty one! Mr. I’m-Sensei’s-Pet-So-I’m-Better-Than-You!”

“Take that back!” Kevin yelled.

“No!” Brian screamed. “I won’t!”

In the next instant the two were fighting like crazy. Nick and A.J. looked at one another, shrugged, then entered the lair, only to find Howard sitting in his chair.

“Just where have you boys been?” Howard interrogated without looking up from his paper.

“Um…we went for a walk, Sensei,” Nick said after a slight hesitation, hoping his master wouldn’t notice his ‘um’.

“Mm hmm,” Howard nodded. “Where are your brothers?”

“Killing each other,” A.J. shrugged unconcerned.

“Again?” Howard groaned.

“Yep,” Nick nodded enthusiastically.

The two watched as their sensei got up and left the lair. He returned a couple minutes later with both of their brothers by the back of their trench coats.

“March,” he told the two once he’d put them down. “And not a sound either.”

“Hai, Sensei,” they mumbled, as they headed for their room.

Howard eyed the two watching the scene. “Just why where you four wearing your trench coats if you went for a walk in the sewers?”

“It…it was…” A.J. trailed off as he thought.

“Cold,” Nick supplied.

“Yeah, that’s it,” A.J. nodded. “It was cold, so we grabbed our coats.”

“In the middle of summer?” Howard said skeptically.

“Well, it’s not as hot down here as it is up there,” Nick stated. “It’s cooler down here ‘cause of the water and stuff.”

“And just how would you know if it was hotter up there than down here?” Howard queried raising his one eyebrow. “Hmm?”

“We…we just assumed it was,” A.J. piped up.

“Yeah,” Nick quickly agreed. “We assumed.”

Howard eyed them both suspiciously, then sent them off to play, seeing as their chores and practice had already been taken care of.

A.J. and Nick played, quietly talking about the crowd they’d attracted at the park. Suddenly, they heard words that chilled them to the bone.

“There was quite an attraction in Central Park today,” the newscaster said. “Four young boys dressed in trench coats and fedoras put on quite a show for the people passing by. The young quad sang their hearts out for the people of New York, stating that they’d written the songs themselves. The whereabouts of these boys is unknown, as are their identities. Well, boys, wherever you are, if you’re watching this right now, the state of New York wishes you all the best of luck and hopes your dream of being musicians comes true. Now, in other news…”

The two nine-year old turtles looked at one another wide-eyed, and quietly began to inch themselves out of the lair.

“Freeze,” a voice commanded. “About face.”

They froze and slowly turned around only to look into the angry face of their master.

“Colder down here than up there, now is it?” Howard replicated. “You just assumed it. Well, boys, looks like you assumed nothing, except that you could get away with disobeying my strict orders.”

They gulped, and lowered their heads some, but still kept their eyes on their sensei.

“Kevin Scott! Brian Thomas!” Howard called. “Come here! Now!”

The two scurried out of their room and into the den.

“Yes, Sensei?”

“So, you boys were in Central Park today, were you?”

“Alright, who told?” Brian demanded, glaring at his two already shamefaced brothers. “I’ll beat the life outta you.”

“There will be no beating the life out of anyone, Brian Thomas,” Howard told him. “Your brothers did not inform me of your disobedience - the six o’clock news did.”

“Oh,” Brian said sheepishly, as he too looked at the floor.

Howard eyed them all carefully. “You boys know the consequences of sneaking out and going up top without permission, more or less, in broad daylight.”

The four shrunk their heads into their shells some, from shame. A.J. shrunk his partly from shame, but also partly because he could feel his face going red.

“I am very disappointed with all of you,” Howard stated. “I can not believe you would break such an important rule. And why? Because you wanted us to get caught!”

“We did not!” Brian cried, his eyes blazing. “We don’t wanna get caught!”

Howard turned on his son. “Then why did you go up there?”

“To sing!” Brian growled. “We wanna sing!”

“Oh. So going up top to sing for humans is a brilliant idea, even though they could cause our family great harm,” Howard returned sarcastically.

“No!” Brian rejoined angrily. “We just wanted to know what they’d think!”

“Why are their opinions important, when you know if they found out what you really are, they would study and dissect you without a second thought to what they were doing?”

Howard had made a mistake by saying ‘what you really are’, instead of ‘who you really are’, but was too enraged to notice at the time.

“Because they make music!” Brian shot-back. “We wanna make music!”

“Music!?!” Howard bellowed. “You are ninjas and not some ‘manufactured’ music group! Ninjas are to stay hidden and live in the shadows! Not wander around the city in broad-daylight, thus endangering their family!”

The others stared at their master in shock, for never had he raised his voice like that to them, while Brian stood glaring at him, fury still evident in his eyes.

“Just ‘cause we gotta live here with you don’t mean we can’t have dreams!” Brian snarled. “We’ve rights too, you know!”

“Rights? Your rights?” Howard repeated some. “I will tell you your rights, young one. Your rights are to remain restricted to the lair for a month, extra chores, and extra practices!”

“Like hell they are!” Brian hollered. “You can’t control us forever!”

“I am your father, and you will show me respect Brian Thomas!” Howard confirmed.

“Treat us with some respect then, you evil, shit-headed rat!” Brian screeched.

“Rooms!” Howard growled. “Now!”

Kevin, Nick, and A.J. all stood staring at him wide-eyed, while Brian still glared at their father angrily.

Howard grew impatient. “Would you like for me to take you all over me knee right here and now while I am very upset with you?”

Their eyes still wide, the three shook their heads, then scampered off to their shared room.

Howard turned only to find Brian still giving him the same Look.

“Brian Thomas, I am not about to repeat myself.”

Brian gave him an icy look, then spat at him.

Howard had had enough then, and immediately whacked Brian’s bottom sharply with his walking stick. “Your room, now!”

Brian glared at him once more, though there were tears in his eyes, and ran to his room to join his brothers.

Howard sighed frustrated as he sat down. “Kids,” he muttered to himself. “They figure they are grown and know everything at age nine.”

Seven years later…

“Whoa-oh-oh-oh. Boys will be boys. Hey. Whoa-oh-oh-oh. Boys will be boys.”

“You’ve got something so incredible in my eyes. My heart starts pumping. Whenever you’re around, my whole world’s upside down, baby,” A.J. sang, then did a back flip.

“But I try to get closer, and you always push me away. You tell me it’s much too soon, but I just can’t help it always gotta make a play,” Brian continued.

“Whoa-oh-oh-oh. Boys will be boys. Hey. Whoa-oh-oh-oh. Baby. Boys will be boys,” the four harmonized happily.

The four sixteen-year-old turtles smiled as the audience cheered them on and continued to sing and dance.

“Sensei was wrong,” Brian thought, smirking. “He said they wouldn’t accept us, but they have.”

“They like us!” Nick exclaimed silently, then did a funky little dance. “They really like us!”

“If only Master Howard could see us now,” A.J. said to himself. “He would be so proud. I wonder what he’s doing right now…”

“I’m enjoying myself, but have a bad feeling about this,” Kevin’s conscious told him. He frowned at his thought, and shoved his conscious away, wanting to enjoy the show they were putting on for the fans they had managed to gain.

The audience went crazy as A.J. sang his rap in We’ve Got It Going On.

“I’m creeping up on your left. Straight up funky when I get with ya. I get ruthless when I get wet. Keep the party packed in my corner. Tough like granite to keep the crowd hype. Get up on this just to get right. What you want is what you’re gonna get, Backstreet’s got the special effects. Uh!”

Meanwhile, Howard sat at home in the den watching his sons on their television.

“Backstreet Turtles,” he sighed shaking his head. “They sure picked the right name for themselves. They are turtles and always having to use the back streets as not to be seen. Too bad they forgot about the ‘not being seen’ part.”

He saw A.J. do a back flip, and shook his head once more.

“Using their ninja skills for such worthless things. I would have thought I had taught them better. I have a feeling they are only doing this because they want to prove me wrong, Brian Thomas especially.”

As Howard thought about things, the concert ended and the Turtles hurried backstage for the meet ‘n’ greets that were to be taking place. They’d just barely made it to their seats, when a young girl came up to them.

“May I have your autographs?” She asked politely.

“Sure,” the four grinned.

They signed her stuff, then waited for the next fan to arrive. Soon a girl about fifteen appeared before them.

“Hi. I’m Allison,” she said softly, as she handed them her CD and poster to sign.

“Brian, do you really have a bad temper?”

“Yeah, he does,” Kevin piped up from the other end of the table. “Trust me on that one.”

Allison giggled. “In that case… Brian, may I have a hug?”

“Sure,” Brian shrugged, deciding it wouldn’t hurt to please a fan. Though, if his brothers goaded him for being nice later, he’d be sure to beat the crud out of them. “You can have a hug.”

He hugged the girl, then asked her if she’d like to stay and keep them company. He’d never asked a fan to stay before, but there was just something about her that made him want for her to stick around longer.

“Are you sure?” She queried. “There are others waiting to come in here.”

Brian didn’t even bother to check with his brothers, mainly because he didn’t care what they thought of his offer. “Yep.”

“Okay,” she replied, taking the empty seat next to him.

No sooner did she sit down than did Nick return.

“Uh hmm,” he coughed.

“What?” She asked looking up at him

“You’re in my seat,” Nick told her. “I’d like it back.”

“What if I don’t wanna give it back?” She said jokingly.

“I’ll make you,” Nick answered

“I’d like to see you try,” Allison riposted.

“I don’t wanna have to hurt you,” Nick threatened playfully.

“Ah, hell. You wouldn’t hurt a damn fly,” she replied, eyeing him.

“Yep. She’s definitely my type of girl,” Brian grinned.

“Hey!” Nick cried. “Brian!”

“Well, well, well,” A.J. began. “Looks like Brian here, has found himself a new friend.”

“Shut-up A.J.!” Brian snapped. “Or I will hurt you.”

“You know he will J.,” Kevin put in. “We don’t need you two fighting here in front of our fans.”

“Yes, Dad,” Brian snapped. “We will do as you say, Dad.”

“Brian, cut it out,” Kevin ordered.

“Or what, Dad?”

“Brian, I mean it.”

Brian pretended to shudder. “Ooh. I’m so scared.”

“You’d better be,” Kevin replicated, ignoring his brother’s sarcasm.

Awhile later the meet ‘n’ greets were done and over with and they were free to go home for the night. Kevin, Nick, and A.J. stood up and started to leave, but soon realized that Brian wasn’t with them. He was still talking with Allison.

“Brian!” Kevin called. “We have to go!”

“Point?” Brian rejoined.

“You need to go now.”

“I’m big enough now I can take care of myself,” Brian returned. “If I wanna stay and chat with Allison, I will stay and chat with Allison.”

“But…” Nick tried.

“Don’t you go starting in on me Frack,” Brian stated, cutting him off. “You know how mad I’ll get if you do.”

Nick sighed. “Fine Frick. You wanna stay, stay. I’ll cover for you as always.”

“Thanks,” Brian said, before turning back to Allison.

The other three left then, the oldest two eyeing Nick oddly.

“Do you really always cover for him?” A.J. asked curiously. “If so, is that why you’ve been in loads of trouble lately.”

“Yes, and yes,” Nick sighed.

“Why do you take the blame for him?” Kevin demanded. “It’s not right.”

“He’s not only my brother, but best friend as well,” Nick responded. “Friends stick together.”

“True. But they don’t use each other all the time,” A.J. pointed out. “Brian’s just using you to keep himself outta trouble.”

“How dare you suggest that he’s just using me!” Nick yelled, suddenly very upset. “You’re just mad ‘cause he didn’t choose you to be his best friend!”

“Nick, best friend or not, what he’s doing is still not right,” Kevin put in. “If Sensei knew what he was doing, he’d be in loads of trouble.”

“Yeah, well, what Sensei don’t know can’t hurt him!” Nick snapped.

“No. But it can hurt you,” A.J. said softly.

No one knew what happened then. One minute A.J. was standing and the next he was lying on the ground clutching the left side of is face.

“Dammit Nick!” He shouted, as Nick ran off. “You’re turning into Brian more so every day!”

“So are you,” Kevin commented as he helped him up. “You’re beginning to use his language which Sensei doesn’t approve of one bit.”

“Shut-up!” A.J. grumbled. “You would’ve used it too if Nick had’ve punched you instead of me.”

“Maybe,” Kevin shrugged. “But I guess we’ll never know.”

Three days later…

“Brian, what’s she doing here?” Nick asked. “You know Master Howard doesn’t approve of us having anyone down here.”

“She’s visiting, problem?” Brian challenged.

“Don’t worry Nick, I won’t tell anyone where your lair is,” Allison informed him. “I promise you that with all my heart and so much more.”

“Whatever,” Nick grumbled, then went off in search of A.J. or Kevin.

He found his other brothers sparring in the practice room.

“Why so glum chum?” A.J. queried.

“Brian’s hanging with Allison again,” Nick replied.

“I thought Sensei forbid him to see her again, as she might tell someone where we live?” Kevin checked. “I could’ve sworn Brian had been lectured about it.”

“Sensei did, and Brian has,” Nick answered. “I know he was told not to hang up top with her, but I wonder what Master Howard will say when he finds her sitting on the couch.”

“WHAT!?!” His brothers yelled. “SHE’S HERE?!?”

Nick nodded, then smirked. “Yep. And guess who ain’t bailing him out this time.”

“Way to go buddy,” A.J. said, slapping him on his shell. “It’s about time you stopped taking the blame for something Brian’s done.”

“You’re telling me?” Nick joshed.

Suddenly, they heard yelling coming from the den.

“GET OUT!”

“But…”

“NO! SHE DOESN’T HAVE TO!”

The three of them hurried into the den to watch the latest scene unfold.

“BRIAN THOMAS!” Howard yelled. “HOW DARE YOU GO AGAINST THE RULES OF A NINJA AND THIS HOUSE!”

“FRIG OFF!” Brian shouted. “I’M ALLOWED TO HAVE FRIENDS IF I WANT!”

“NOT AS LONG AS YOU LIVE HERE!”

“THEN I’LL MOVE!”

“WHERE? YOU HAVE NO PLACE TO GO!”

“I’LL FIND A PLACE!”

Father and son continued to argue, until they heard a shrill whistle. Everyone turned to look at Allison who quickly took her fingers out of her mouth.

“Look,” she began. “I didn’t come here to cause trouble. I came here to hang out with my only friend. If you don’t want me here, all you have to do is ask nicely and I’ll leave.”

“Allison…”

“No Brian,” she said, putting her finger on his mouth to silence him. “I don’t want you to leave your family because of me. I like you just as much as you like me, and then some, but would never be able to live with myself if I were the reason you left home.”

“Why…” A.J. tried, but she cut him off.

“Why’d I say ‘only’ friend?”

A.J. nodded.

“Because he is,” she replied simply. “Brian’s the first and only true friend I’ve ever had. My family moves all the time, so I never get the chance to make friends. We just moved here the day before the concert, so I didn’t know anyone as usual. When Brian asked me to stay, I couldn’t believe my ears because no one’s ever asked me to stay.”

“We’ll be your friends too!” Nick exclaimed, then cast a glance at his master. “If Sensei’s okay with it, that is.”

Allison turned to Howard. “Sir, it’s up to you. If it’s all right with you, I’d like to be friends with your sons. But if you want me to leave, I’ll leave and never come back.”

Howard looked at his sons pleading faces - Brian was doing the most pleading for the first time ever - and thought a moment before coming to a conclusion.

“You may stay…” Howard began, pausing to let the cheers die down, “…as long as you do not tell anyone where we live. It has to remain a secret between the six of us.”

“Oh, thank-you!” She gushed, giving him a big hug. “Thank-you so much!”

-----------------------------------------

A year goes by…

The turtles were walking through the sewers when they suddenly heard a cry of distress coming from up top. The four of them hurried up to the surface, being careful to stay hidden within the shadows of the dark alley. They remembered to be ninjas when they knew they had to be. They watched as a bunch of guys cornered a young girl. Suddenly, they heard someone gasp.

“Allison!” Brian gasped in surprise.

His brothers looked at him questioningly.

He looked at them and nodded to let them know it was indeed Allison.

“Leave me alone!” They heard Allison say.

“Never,” the one guy snarled. “You’re ours now.”

Brian looked to Kevin, who nodded, then they counted. “One…two…three… COWABUNGA!”

The four brothers flew at Allison’s attackers.

Allison watched silently as fifty-five others advanced and surrounded her friends. She let out a small cry as one of the men clad in black hit her. She fell to the ground and whimpered.

“Get offa me, you punk!” Brian yelled, as someone jumped on his shell.

“Kevin!” Nick cried, as sixteen men took him down. “Help!”

“Nick!” Kevin called, as he collapsed under the weight of his attackers.

“Ack!” A.J. screeched. “There’s too many!”

Soon the four turtles were captured and were being held by their captives. They were shocked when the head guy went over to Allison and thanked her.

“Thanks for helping us capture these freaks,” he said. “Now they shall die and be dissected.”

“No!” Allison thought. “No!”

“Allison?” Brian managed weakly.

She looked at his sad face and began to cry. “Brian, I’m so sorry.”

Suddenly she saw his eyes blaze. “You used me!”

“No! Brian! I never…” She was cut off as the head guy slapped her.

“No use in lying to him anymore, you little brat” he growled.

She watched helplessly as her only friends were dragged away, her best friend glaring at her the whole time.

“I’M SORRY BRIAN!” She screamed as loud as she could. “I’M SORRY!”

Soon they were all out of sight, and she shrieked desperately. “BRI-YUHN!”

She began to sob, but realized it wasn’t going to help them any, and quickly headed for their lair, after making sure she wasn’t being followed.

Howard came out of meditation as he heard the sound of someone running. He’d just stood up when Allison barged into the den.

“Howard!” She cried frantically. “They got the guys!”

“Who has them?” Howard demanded calmly.

“Lou Pearlman and his Foot Soldiers!”

Howard’s eyes narrowed. “How did Lou catch them?”

“He used me to get to them,” she admitted. “He had his Foot Soldiers surround me, then while the Turtles were fighting, had about fifty-five others surround them.”

“You deceived us?”

“I’m sorry Howard! I never meant to!” She said, her eyes filling up with tears. “But I had to, or they’d kill my family. I never wanted to do this to them, Brian especially, but I had to.”

She began to sob, collapsing to the floor. “Please don’t be mad at me!”

Howard placed a hand on her head and stroked her hair. “Do not cry, my child. They will be fine. I promise.”

“But…but how do you know?” She asked, looking up at him.

“I’m going to need the help of you and their fans,” Howard started. “Then we’ll…”

Next night…

“Let us out of here Lou!” Kevin growled.

“Nope. Sorry. No can do,” Lou replied gleefully. “You’re stuck here until you die your long, slow, painful, long awaited deaths or until you decide to sign a contract with me instead of JIVE.”

“How could she do this to me?” Brian wondered aloud. “After all I’ve done for her, this is how she repays me?”

“Ah. Still shocked to know the only person you ever let into your heart deceived you, Brian?” Lou smirked, as Brian nodded in spite on himself. “Well, let’s just say it’s made my day knowing she’s gonna die thinking you hate her for something she had no choice but to do.”

“What do you mean?” Brian demanded. “I thought she was on your side.”

“She never was, never has been, and never will be on our side,” Lou told him. “We just used her to get to you. We knew you’d come to her aid no problem.”

“Why’d she help you then?” Nick wanted to know.

“Shall we say, I made her an offer she couldn’t refuse,” Lou grinned evilly.

“You asshole!” Brian shouted, pounding his fist against the side of the cage they were in. “How dare you use her like that!”

“Why am I the asshole?” Lou said as he left, turning out the lights. “You’re the one who wouldn’t believe their best friend.”

“Dammit!” Brian cursed, then for the first time ever, allowed himself to cry in front of his brothers. “I’ve lost her.”

“Brian, she understands,” Kevin told him, as he rubbed his back. “She knows you’ve no idea why she did what she did. She also knows you were in a whole lot of shock when you said all that to.”

While Kevin comforted Brian, Nick, on the other hand, looked utterly lost at the sight of his tough guy brother crying.

A.J. patted Nick’s shoulder. “It’ll be okay Nick. It’ll be okay.”

Suddenly Nick began to sob. “I hate the dark!”

While the Turtles were stuck, Howard, Allison, and thousands of fans had gathered at Central Park. Allison had posted an urgent message on their official fan club, as well as a few other discussion boards she lurked upon.

“Okay, listen up!” Allison shouted. “The Turtles need your help and fast! We have developed a plan to get them back, but will need everyone’s co-operation! Are you with us?”

The crowd cheered their response, wanting to help rescue the group that had done so much for all of them without even knowing it..

“Okay then; this is what we’re going to do…” Allison began.

Abandoned warehouse later that day…

“Tell us why, you made a huge mistake. Tell us why you’re such a flake. Tell us why you think BST is gonna die today!” The fans sang. “Are you, some kinda fool? We are here, to hurt you. Hurt you. We better not be too late. ‘Cause we’re here to kick your ass today!”

Lou looked out the window at all the fans and shook his head.

“GET OUT OF HERE!” He yelled. “OR DIE WITH THEM!”

The fans ignored him and kept on singing.

“YOU BLASTED FANS!” He hollered shaking his fist.

Soon Lou heard singing coming from behind him. He turned around only to find Howard standing before him.

“So, Howard, we meet again, do we?”

“You should have kept your name as Shredder, Lou,” Howard stated. “You like to shred lives and dreams to pieces no matter what the cost.”

“Just like you should’ve changed yours to Splinter, as that’s what I’m going to turn you into,” Lou replied. “With great pleasure too.”

As Howard and Lou argued, Allison and a crowd of fans snuck into the building, and eventually found the room that the turtles were in.

“Psst!” Allison hissed. “Nick!”

She watched, as Nick looked around confused.

“Nick!” She hissed again. “Behind you!”

Nick turned around, but couldn’t see anything, as it was still pitch black.

“Who’s there?” He asked timidly.

“Does the word ‘fans’ ring a bell?” Allison asked.

In the dark she saw one of the brothers’ heads snap up.

“Allison?” The voice said puzzled.

“Hi Brian,” she whispered.

He turned around. “What’s going on?”

“Howard and I are carrying out our plan to rescue you,” she replied. “Thanks to a whole crowd of determined fans, so far we’re doing okay.”

“What about all the Foot Soldiers?” Kevin queried. “They’re lurking about here somewhere.”

“No they’re not,” a girl answered proudly. “We knocked them out, and tied them up.”

“Yeah,” another added. “Told them not to mess you with guys anymore, or they’d have to deal with us crazed fans again.”

A.J. chuckled. “Good old fans. I knew I always liked them for a reason.”

”You like us because we scream your name and throw ourselves at you, you dork,” Allison teased.

”And that would be my second reason for liking y’all,” A.J. replied. “The first will always be for your dedication.”

”Enough with the jokes! We don’t have the time for them right now!” Kevin snapped, his green eyes piercing into the dark and glaring in the direction of the two jokesters.

”Party-pooper,” A.J. and Allison replied.

“How are we supposed to get out of here?” Brian questioned, cutting in before they started to argue. “It’s not like you have the key or…”

“What? You mean this key?” Allison smirked, cutting him off and holding up the key.

Brian shook his head. “Always were good at that, weren’t you?”

“You’d better believe it,” she laughed as she unlocked the cage they were in.

Once they were free again they all hurried out the way the girls had come in.

“Where are we going?” Nick whined. “And why can’t we turn on the lights?”

“Nick, this is all part of the plan, alright?” Allison rejoined. “We can’t turn the lights on ‘cause we dunno where the switch is. Besides our eyes have adjusted to the dark, and lights would blind us right about now.”

Suddenly, the room flooded with light.

“What the…” they all trailed off.

“Looking for something?” Lou interrogated.

“Yeah,” Allison riposted. “You.”

“Bring it on, girl,” Lou grinned. “You can’t beat my men.”

“Um…Master?” A Foot Soldier piped up. “We’re not fighting them.”

“What!?! Why not?!?!” Lou demanded.

“Some of our daughters are among them,” he responded. “We’re not hurting a bunch of kids. We only abducted the turtles ‘cause you said you’d kill us. Thanks to the fans though, we realized there’s thousands of us and only one of you.”

“You quit I take it?”

“Yep,” a few of the Foot clan nodded. “Family’s more important, and these fans are psycho.”

“Damn you all!” Lou growled. “You’ve foiled my plans!”

In an instant, thousands of other fans entered the building and the room, all still singing.

“Tell us why, you messed with fans. Tell us why, we easily foiled your plans. You know why, we kicked your sorry ass today!” The fans sang. “You are a real tool. The real fool. Yes we know, We weren’t too late. ‘Cause BST is safe; Hurray!”

“Ahhh!” Lou screamed, as he jumped out the window to escape. Sure, he wanted for the Turtles to sign a contract with him, but that didn’t mean he liked their music. He just wanted the money they brought in by being ever so successful.

Everyone froze as they heard a thud, and Kevin glanced out the window. He looked back at them laughing.

“The idiot slipped and fell flat on his ass,” he told them.

They all laughed. Howard included who also let Kevin’s language slip just this once.

At the lair…

“Allie, I’m sorry,” Brian apologized. “I never meant to blame you.”

“Brian, you had a right to,” she replicated. “I was the reason y’all were abducted, whether I had a choice or not.”

“Yeah, but still. I…”

She placed a finger on his lips. “Shh. None of that. Just give me a hug and all will be forgotten.”

Brian smiled and picked her up in a big bear hug.

“I love you Allie,” he whispered.

“I love you too Bri,” she whispered back.

“Well, looks like you boys have proved me wrong,” Howard stated suddenly. “I always told you the humans would not accept you and cause you harm, but after what I witnessed today, I think I am willing to change my opinion of them.”

“Glad to hear that Master,” Brian grinned still holding onto Allison.

“But do not go thinking just because you were right this once you will be right about everything,” Howard told them. “I will still be right about certain things, and you could cause harm to yourself or others if you do not listen.”

“Hai, Sensei,” the four brothers replied, exchanging knowing looks with one another.

“So Brian, turning soft are we?” A.J. teased. “I thought you said nothing would ever be able to warm your cold heart?”

“Ah, shut-up,” Brian groaned playfully. “You know Allie’s my only exception.”

“Pizza anyone?” Nick asked as he carried four pizzas into the room with the help of Kevin. “They’re fresh.”

Brian took a slice. “Damn that’s hot!”

“Yeah, so is Brian’s mouth,” Kevin stated. “Glad to see some things never change.”

They all laughed for a bit, then Allison spoke.

“So, y’all think you can stay out of mischief now?”

“My sons stay out of mischief?” Howard laughed. “There is no possible way.”

“Sensei!” The turtles groaned.

“You never know, we could get lucky,” Allison giggled. “But then again, Brian is their brother, so I don’t see luck helping us anytime soon.”

“Hey!” Brian exclaimed. “You’re supposed to be my best friend!”

“I am.”

“Then why are you insulting me?”

“Because I can,” Allison smirked, as she began to run around the den.

“I’ll get you for that!” Brian yelled running after her.

“Hey! Wait for me!” Nick called as they ran out of the lair.

“Well, you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em,” A.J. shrugged, before joining pursuit.

Kevin looked from Howard, to the door, and back to Howard again. A second later, he too was running after them.

Splinter chuckled, shook his head, and rolled his eyes slightly, as he sat down in his chair. “Kids; they are always into mischief, no matter their age.”