(A/N: A recreation of Lone Rats and cubs)

Donnie walked around his home, lighting candles in each room to keep it bright. The power went out in London, UK that is where Donnie and his daughter decided to settle at least for a little while. He sighed in relief as the living room was now properly well lit, he sat down on the floor, putting down juice boxes and yogurt when he heard the patter of tiny feet.

"D-Daddy...?" He heard a little girl ask him, he turned around and saw a tiny mutant fox, his little girl.

"Hey Honey, what's wrong?" Donnie turned his body around and picked her up.

"I-I'm swared...." She shook in fear and clung to her father.

"Shh, Shh, Aubrey it's alright" Donnie held her, trying to calm her down.

Aubrey held onto him, tighter as he tried to calm the 5 year old. Then he had an idea.

"Do you remember when you asked me about how we managed to move?" Donnie looked down at her.

Aubrey nodded and tilted her head in confusion, he smiled and sat her down, wrapping a blanket around her.

"I'll tell you the story, about how I managed to keep you safe" Donnie smiled.

"Ooh" Aubrey grabbed a juice box and started drinking it.

"This started years ago..."

Flashback

After leaving my former home and holding you in my arms, I bumped into a mysterious stranger.

I followed her, only to find my curiosity got the better of me. She was not human and was selling something to a woman, then when they spotted me I was attacked. During that struggle, I got a scar on my arm... The life I've lived was dangerous but I could not have survived with bravery and a good heart.

When you were a baby, things were different. We lived in America. I had many different tasks back then: Finding food, staying in the shadows... Hiding from people who I knew at the time would never understand us.

He ran across rooftops, then sneaked into an alley. Opening an apartment and sneaking food from the kitchen. Until someone entered the apartment and he slipped out without being seen.

While foraging one night I managed to encounter the creatures responsible for my scar.

"Ruby: 56R-376, we must capture the older creature and the smaller creature for experiments." One of the creatures said.

"Affirmative Ruby: 76R-380." The other creature said. They scanned the alley way but Donnie was too well hidden for them to notice. It was empty and they moved on.

I did not know what they were at the time but I knew they were dangerous and not human.

The enemy I saw had technology I had never seen before.

Donnie sensed something then quickly hid while a strange flotation device scanned the area.

He hid as pigeons flew away, alerting the device and killing one of the birds. He gasped and stayed hidden until the device moved on. When it finally left, Donnie reappeared onto the rooftop and began running to a church. When he got to the top where the church bell would ring, he slipped in and lit a candle.

That part of the tower became his home, it had most of his scientific material, notebooks filled to the brim, his boa staff hanging on the wall alongside a witch hat, a make-shift crib was against the wall and he heard the tiny cries of a baby.

When he walked over, he removed a blanket of a baby mutant girl. At first glance you would think that she was completely a fox mutant but then you realize that she had the shell print of a turtle. He picked her up along with the blanket and began calming down the baby.

The baby girl began cooing and touching his face, making him smile.

"Hello Aubrey, I brought food for you" Donnie sat down on a pillow and pulled out formula and a jar of algae, he began mixing the two together and poured it into a bottle.

"Drink up" He put Aubrey down in a baby seat and handed her the bottle, she picked it up and started drinking it. Amazing considering she was only about 8 weeks old in fox standards.

Donnie smiled then faded as he pulled out a picture of him and Aubrey's mother, then looked at the scar on his arm.

"What terrible thing did I do that made me deserve this?" He sighed then stared at his daughter. A beautiful creation that he made.

Aubrey then crawled out of her baby seat and crawled towards him, putting her tiny hand on his arm then smiling at him. Donnie smiled back at her.

As you continued to grow, I began to wonder what you would become and if there was a safe place anywhere in the world for us.

Then a humming from the previous flotation device was flying by their home, it froze and began scanning it.

Donnie realized then put out the candles, grabbed his boa staff and placed Aubrey in her crib.

Donnie waited and stared out the corner of the wall as the device came closer.

The device then scanned the bell tower, finding no traces of Donnie or Aubrey. It began to float away, allowing Donnie to take a sigh of relief until... the bell started ringing, causing Aubrey's sensitive ears to ache.

The baby hybrid started tearing up and before Donnie could quiet her down, she began to bawl in tears. Alerting the device, pulling out it's weapons and started floating back to the tower.

The purple clad turtle sprang into action, coming out of the shadows, boa staff in hands and attacked the device. Pinning it down, pressing the side that unleashes the sharp edge and stabbing the device in its main power cord. Strange oil like fuel sprayed all over Donnie's arms and face.

The turtle gasped for air then ran over to the bell tower, holding onto the wall staring at his daughter in her crib.

"We can't stay here, we must leave now!" Donnie pulled out a large duffel bag, and started putting his things inside it. He started to grab the baby's supplies when he stared at the witch hat on the wall.

Donnie felt his heart begin to break but then immediately snapped out of it, grabbing the hat and putting it in the bag. He then turned to Aubrey and started wrapping her in a blanket, covering her mutant features. He grabbed a make-shift stroller and placed her in it, with pillows, blankets, and a stuffed turtle with fox features.

Time passed as Donnie was walking around the city, using a black cloak to disguise his mutant self from the humans who walked past him. The disguise was working until Aubrey began fussing because of the noises the city was making.

Donnie opened the stroller and Aubrey began reaching out for him, "Stay quiet, never be heard, and never be seen."

It seems that Aubrey understood what he meant and began to quiet down. Donnie covered her again, sighing in relief as he sat down underneath a train station.

Remaining focused even at rest will keep you sharp. There is always a quiet before the storm. Always ...

"Mutant." A voice spoke as Donnie looked up and saw a group of the alien creatures, holding weapons.

"Surrender to us now. Resistance is useless against us."

Donnie stood up and took his hood off, he got into a fighting stance.

"We shall see." The train above them sped by as they stared at each other.

One of the creatures lunged at the purple clad turtle but he beat them at ease, but when he struck the final blow it seemed the body couldn't handle and poof leaving a red smoke and a ruby gem on the floor.

"What? Gems?" He asked himself.

The gems managed to knock him off his feet and pointed a weapon at him.

"Give up now and the pain will stop."

Donnie gasped as Aubrey poked her head up, and shot a camera flash as the creatures. Blinding them for a brief moment as Donnie reached into the stroller and pulled out his old boa staff.

It was then more gems pulled out their weapons, he did not want to risk the chance of getting caught so he began running away, pushing the stroller as the gems shot lasers at him.

To block their path, he threw shurikens at an unfinished construction site which fell blocking the gems path. Donnie continued running, not even thinking about going back to his so-called home where his brother lived. That is when he found an abandoned shipping container by the docks, he picked the lock and pushed the stroller inside.

"This can work, for now at least" Donnie said to himself, he put Aubrey on the floor and began cleaning up as Aubrey crawled around playing with the wires and plugged in a lamp for some light.

Aubrey smiled and cooed as her father patted her head, "Very good, Aubrey" Donnie thought of his father and he began to meditate... well trying to.

Aubrey crawled in front of him, handing him a can of soup to share.

"Thank you, Aubrey" Donnie smiled as he looked at her, "You know, when you were born your mother made something to protect you, she didn't finish the spell but I believe I can"

Donnie reached into a box, and pulled out a small ring box. When he opened it, it was a heart necklace but one side of the heart was purple and the other side was black, hanging from a silver chain. He placed in between the both of them and began chanting a spell, it was simple yet powerful much like himself in a way.

Aubrey giggled as he wrapped the necklace around her neck, she smiled and fell backwards making her father smile as he shut off the light. He picked up the small mutant, rocking her gently as she fell asleep in his arms. Allowing him to put her in a small box with blankets and pillows, he held onto his boa staff and sat down, watching her.

"Rest Aubrey, because... I think we won't get away from them for long" He said as he began to fall asleep.

Our days were spent sleeping, while at night, I hunted for food and took care of you.

Donnie snuck into an open apartment window and stole some baby food for Aubrey, then some food for himself. He quickly ran to the container and put Aubrey on top of a box and began to feed her.

When I would practice any experiments or my ninjitsu, I noticed you trying to imitate me.

Donnie was practicing some basic ninja moves when he saw Aubrey on the floor, following his every move.

At first, it kinda amused me but then... it made me realize...

He picked her up off the floor and held her.

A possibility.

He chuckled and stared into her raspberry eyes, "My daughter" he smiled as she smiled back and stared into his raspberry eyes.

The adorable moment ended when an explosion came from behind them, revealing the gems holding weapons.

"No!" He yelled as he held Aubrey close to her.

"The turtle mutant has cost us enough trouble, so destroy the turtle." One of them said, as they began firing at the two of them.

Donnie was fast so he put Aubrey in the stroller, grabbed his things and ran out of the container to a ship that was departing soon.

He ran onto a ramp that would lead to the ship, Aubrey giggled as she felt the rumbling sound. Donnie realized that he entered in the ship's cargo hold a perfect hiding spot, he ran behind some giant wooden boxes as the gems ran past them.

"This ship is messing with my scanner, I won't be able to track them" One of them exclaimed.

Finally, something that was gonna work to our advantage.

The gems looked around and spotted what looked to be Donnie's silhouette.

"I found the mutant! Hurry and follow!" A gem said, following the silhouette.

With the ship's metal interference blocking their tracking device. I could choose the battleground, where I could strike hard and fade away into the shadows.

Donnie poofed a gem, then disappeared as the other gems picked up the gemstone. He then ran behind them, and began trying to push the stroller up the stairs to the plank of the ship. He then realized one of his shurikens got caught in the wheel and he began trying to pry it out.

"No, No, No, No! Not now!" He struggled, while Aubrey's giggling became louder.

"Shh, Aubrey! You have to be quiet, like a ninja" He shushed her and continued struggling.

What he didn't realize is that one of the flotation devices snuck up behind him. Aubrey whimpered which got his attention and made him turn around as the device got into attack mode.

Aubrey whimpered as the stroller started shaking, then started falling down the stairs. Making Donnie turn around but he didn't reach it in time.

"No!" Everything was like slow motion, Aubrey reached out for him but she fell off the stroller and onto the floor, crying as the stroller hit her on her face.

Donnie ran towards her and picked her up, realizing that the fall made a tooth fall out of her mouth. Making a gap tooth just like his.

Aubrey touched his face as consultation to calm herself then touched his boa staff. At this point all Donnie saw was red, he placed Aubrey in the stroller and made his boa staff into a naginata. When he turned around, he was filled with rage he hadn't felt in a long time.

"I must thank you for one thing... Now, I have the ultimate excuse to rip you to pieces." Donnie smiled evilly as he charged at the device, tearing it apart.

Aubrey hid in the stroller, holding onto her stuffed turtle as her father fought, which hurt her ears.

The device was completely destroyed, Donnie then collected himself then walked over to the stroller.

"You are going to be okay, Aubrey" He patted her head, " So much love to give" He smiled but then it faded as more gems appeared.

He then ran to the cargo hold of the ship which was huge, it helped him come up with more battle plans.

Our fight was far from over yet, but this time... I was going to make them come to me.

Donnie ran left and right, making them confused and scattered.

Besides being unable to track us, I began to realize what being out of the ship could offer.

The gems kept following them but the group became smaller and smaller.

Although I had to be careful about not being seen, it gave me many more opportunities.

He pulled out shurikens and threw them at the gems making them poof.

A place to hide and grow, And time to pass on what I learned in my younger life.

Donnie pushed the stroller and began to really fight the gems, making it so much easier to move around.

He grabbed onto the stroller and finally saw the plank and ran to it, seeing Aubrey poke up holding his boa staff.

"Be careful, Aubrey-Rose." He smiled as he finally made it to the plank and even sighed in relief when he saw no humans aboard yet.

He stopped running and caught his breath finally, still knowing the fight wasn't finished. He took down the final gem and looked at Aubrey in the stroller.

I used to wonder if I had the discipline to be a proper father ...

He saw his teenage self across the ship with his brothers then he turned to the stroller and saw Aubrey's mother, Shady holding their engagement ring while smiling at the baby hybrid.

For any family.

He placed his hand on the stroller as his late fiance's hand was placed on top of his.

In the darkest part of our journey, I wondered if I would get the chance to be both.

The gems surrounded the two, and were trying to use the advantage of the open against Donnie.

I wanted to be both.

Donnie looked at the gems, holding onto his weapon.

"You all destroy the turtle. But take the hybrid alive."

"Yes Commander, we will destroy and capture."

"Never! Creatures from beyond this world, you want mutants? Here... I will give you a mutant!" He yelled as he began to fight back against the gems.

He was taking them out one by one

This was going to be our Thermopylae...

He fought as hard as he could with Aubrey watching from the stroller.

A final stand to claim our freedom as ours.

Donnie kept fighting but he did not notice the gem commander coming up behind the stroller, Aubrey turned and looked at the gem as she whimpered in fear.

Donnie finally saw the gem commander and he shouted, "LEAVE HER BE!" He tackled the commander and they began fighting each other, not realizing that the stroller was pushed closer to the edge.

The two struggled as they fought when Donnie saw the stroller hanging off and Aubrey holding onto it for dear life.

Donnie tried to get his hands free but then he smashed his head against the gem and it finally poofed.

He started running towards the stroller but it tipped over, dropping Aubrey over the edge.

"NO!!" He screamed as he jumped into the water, he struggled to grab her and then he screamed in the water as he finally grabbed her and swam up to the boat and jumped onto the plank.

Out of breath, he managed to hug Aubrey and collect their things to hide in the cargo hold.

Finally on the ship, it started departing to London. Which meant we would be safe.

Flashback ends

"And that is how our first great adventure led us home" Donnie spoke and smiled.

Aubrey smiled as she let her father continue speaking.

"Now, I may not have a grand gesture for you but I do have something" Donnie stood up and walked towards a box, he pulled out a butterfly pendant.

"They say in Japan, butterflies are the symbol of metamorphosis and transformation but they also symbolize good luck, good health and prosperity" He smiled and placed the pendant in her hands.

"I love it, daddy!" Aubrey smiled.

"You can wear it whenever you please, I just know you'll do great things when you're older" Donnie smiled and hugged his daughter, as she hugged back it gave Donnie a chance to think about the life he's had so far.

The memories of his brothers and the adventures they had were so long ago...

Oh, what has become of their now broken family?