It wasn't too uncommon for souls to be shared. When Splinter had met his wife, his timer had stopped, the neon numbers freezing...but it didn't come off. It had been confusing to say the least but easily explained by on old friend. Splinter, it seemed, had more then one soulmate. It had happened before, souls being shared by multiple people instead of just two. The highest it had ever gone to was apparently seven. He and Tang Shen had talked about it and had agreed that, whoever this person was, it wouldn't matter. He loved her, she loved him, and he was her soulmate. They would deal with it if it ever came up. But they never got the chance. Tang Shen was killed, Splinter was mutated, and became a single father. He still had that frozen timer but had nearly forgotten about it, only showing it to his sons when he had explained what they were for. He had wondered who this other soulmate was but did it even matter anymore? The world was huge and filled with millions of people and Splinter rarely left the Lair anymore. He would probably never find them... Y/N was thinking the same thing. Everyone she knew had long since found thier soulmates and commenced into thier own happily ever afters. But her? Her soulmate had never showed up, her timer suddenly frozen one day. She didn't understand it at first, until it was explained to her. Somewhere out there, her soulmate had found another. She could have easily gone to look for them, they said. She could find them if she tried, they told her. But she didn't. Her soulmate was already happy, Y/N decided, and she didn't want to risk taking that away. Instead, she chased a different dream: journalism. Y/N flew around the country, chasing leads and writing stories. She won awards, caught villains, found out evil schemes. But despite all her accomplishments...people still didn't care. They saw that frozen timer and pitied her, shook thier heads sadly. It was ridiculous. She hated it. Maybe that was why she was no longer interested in her soulmate. Maybe that was why she chased stories instead of them. It was another day for the mutant family. The turtles were on the surface, starting another patrol. Mikey goofing off, Donnie tinkering with something on his belt, Leo and Raph bickering. When Mikey, who was walking along the edge of a building, suddenly pointed something out. "Guys, come here! Check this out!" He hissed. The others crept over and looked at what the turtle was pointing at. They saw a group of purple dragons, advancing on an older woman. She was glaring at them and said something angrily. "I know who that is!" Donnie said, "It's Y/N L/N! She's a journalist." "And she's in trouble. Let's go, team!" The turtles lept off of the roof and into the fray, landing between the gangsters and the journalist. It was a risky choice, but with such a large group of thugs trying to attack one lady, it seemed worth it. The fight had gone as expected. Purple Dragons made a few threats, one of the turtle's retorted with a snarky comment. Then punched were thrown, blows landed. Leonardo at one point glanced over his shoulder to see Y/N punching out one of the gang members and was impressed. And when it was all over, some unconscious and others running away, the turtle's turned towards the journalist. "What did these guys want with you?" She looked at them strangely but held up her camera. "Probably these. I found out about some cargo--not sure what yet--and I guess they weren't pleased with my snooping. Or the photos." "Wait...down at the docks?" Raph asked. "...Yes, actually." It was foolish. It wasn't thier best plan. But the turtle's realized how much they needed her help...and how much danger she was actually in. They had to take her to the Lair. Leonardo had gotten there first and had gone to tell Splinter everything, while Y/N talked over what she knew with Donatello. It was decided that, for her own safety, Y/N had best stay here. She was disappointed to miss out on the rest of the story...but maybe was best to keep the mutants in Manhattan to herself for now. She agreed to chase another, equally exciting story instead. "After all, everyone loves a diamond heist." she said. "Dude, how do you find this stuff out?" Mikey asked her. "Unsavory contacts and a healthy disregard for the law." But then the turtle's left and Y/N was left to putter around thier home alone. Or so she thought. She heard someone moving in the other room and suddenly remembered when they mentioned thier father. Y/N had expected an elderly turtle or something, not a tall rat. And she certainly wasn't expecting her timer to drop off before they had even said hello. They both froze for a second, hearts pounding rapidly. Splinter had stopped expecting to find her. Y/N had stopped caring. And yet, here they both were. "Well...this is...interesting." Y/N said, finally speaking. "I agree. We have much to discuss, Ms. L/N." But the discussion was put on hold when the turtles suddenly came bursting in, having forgotten something. Y/N would continue to visit though, long after the mission was over. She became a mother figure to the turtles and thier friends, April being the most interested in her carreer in journalism. She had always wanted to be a reporter as a kid. But she didn't forget about Splinter. They talked about everything that has happened in thier lives before they had found each other. Somethings were too hard for the rat to talk about and Y/N understood that. For now, they enjoyed each other's company. They had long, late night discussions and drank tea together. He told her about his life in Japan and his ninja training, the ups and downs of raising four boys. She told him about her home and her career, about the dangerous situations she had gotten herself in and out of over the years. It wasn't romantic, to some people, but they were happy. They hadn't told the turtles though. Master Splinter always kept his timer covered, wrapped neatly in bandages. And Y/N was certain that the boys hadn't even noticed hers when they meant. Until Mikey suddenly asked about. "Cause I coulda sworn I saw it that night but now I don't. Did ya meet your soulmate?" He asked excitedly. Y/N froze. The turtles looked at her expectedly and she looked at Master Splinter. The rat thought quickly, clearing his throat to grab the turtle's attention. "Yes, my sons, she has." It took a minute for them to catch on. Michelangelo was the first to realize it as he began to squeal excitedly. He had always, always wondered who his dad's second soulmate was and now! Now he knew. Leonardo was second, his mouth dripping open in shock. He was stunned. He couldn't speak, couldn't make a single sound. He just stared at the two of them, his eyes switching from Y/N to Splinter. Donatello was freaking out now, pointing at the two of them. "You mean you're his...and you're hers...and that means...what the shell!" And Raph? Raph is torn between smiling like an idiot and standing there, frozen solid. He hadn't remembered his father's timer, he hadn't even considered that he was someone's soulmate. But holy shell, it was fantastic. "Are they okay?" you asked Master Splinter, looking at the brothers with concern. "Just fine, a little surprised perhaps. In about ten seconds though, they're not going to let you be." This was about to get interesting. You know what I just realized? The turtle's have thier birth mom/turtle mom, Teng Shen/adopted mom, and now Y/N who is thier...dad's girlfriend? Step mom? They got all the mom's. Better lock up your mothers, the green machines are comin' for 'em.