Dean sits crosslegged on the dojo floor next to Leonardo, trying to meditate. His father remains completely still, an aura seeming to surround him in a white halo. Dean's aura, however, is never held for more than a second or two.

He lets out a sigh of discontentment as it once again disappears. Leo opens one eye, his aura disappearing too.

"I sense that you're distracted," he comments.

"I just have a lot on my mind. Meditating isn't really helping," the young mutant replies. "Can I go?"

Leo raises an eye-ridge. "Practice makes perfect, Dean."

"Yeah, but I just don't want to practice too much right now. I think I need to talk to mom about some stuff."

The blue-masked turtle nods. "Mom advice? Is it about girls?"

"Um...maybe?"

He chuckles. "You may go."

Dean grins, his fangs glinting. "Thanks dad."

He dashes away, wings flapping. He moves into the living room, seeing his family at work. Michelangelo and Mitch play video games while Annalise watches from her spot across Mikey's shell. Copeland and Taylor play guitar side by side while Raphael punches the punching bag nearby, smiling at the sound of the music. Inside the lab, Dean can see the four scientists moving around, experimenting and laughing. Venus reads a book on the bench, eyes wide and lit up with joy.

Dean moves past them, searching for Destiny. He moves into the hallway near the bedrooms, which have expanded quite a bit over the years. He peeks into each bedroom cautiously, finding his mom in his room, cleaning up his discarded clothing and putting it into a laundry hamper.

"Hey mom?" he calls.

She turns, smiling a little when she sees her oldest son. "Hey Dean." She tosses a shirt into the bin. "You know, it wouldn't kill you to keep this cleaner."

He rubs the back of his neck. "Yeah...I know."

She smirks. "What do you need?"

"Advice...about girls."

Her eyes light up and she grins, grabbing her sixteen-year-old son's hand and pulling him to the bed before sitting down.

"Speak, and I shall listen," she says, imitating Splinter.

He runs a hand through his hair. "Well, I've been dating Katie for six or seven months now..." he starts.

Destiny purses her lips. "Ah, Katie. The girl I still haven't met."

"I think that it's time for me to show her who I really am."

The older mutant's lips seem to purse even more. "Dean..."

"Okay, don't even think about saying anything about Elisabeth," he interrupts.

Destiny looks taken aback. "What?"

"Don't say anything about Elisabeth! Whenever I talk about Katie, everyone brings up Elisabeth and twists it around!" he huffs, crossing his arms.

"Well, how am I supposed to give you advice if I can only talk about some girl I've never met?"

He's about to argue again, but shuts his mouth. "Oh...yeah."

"Do you need advice, or do you need to vent?"

"Both."

"Okay, let me think..." She pauses. "Elisabeth and you have been best friends almost since day one of grade nine. Katie...well, she noticed you once you got on the football team."

"Okay, but she likes me."

"So? Why does she like you? Has she ever told you?"

"Well...I..." He stops, thinking over everything she had said to him in the past.

Hair.

Eyes.

Teeth.

Muscles.

Football skill.

"She likes...me," he mumbles. "My looks...my skill in football..."

"Okay, but what about your bravery? What about your kind heart? Does she like those?"

"She's never told me."

"Exactly."

He makes an exasperated noise and flops back onto the mattress. "That's why I want to show her who I am! I can't really open up to her a lot because of our family and what I am." He gestures to his wings, tail, and wild eyes. "It's hard for her to like my personality when I don't look like I usually do."

Destiny lets out an astonished laugh. "Can you tell me what the shell made sense in that sentence?"

"Um...the...uh...I DON'T KNOW!" He groans and covers his face with his hands.

"Dean, I'm just trying to help."

"No, you know what? I shouldn't have bothered. You don't know anything about what I'm going through."

"What? You-"

"You don't know a thing about relationships because you and dad never have any problems! You met, fell in love, and everything was perfect! No problems, no fights, nothing!"

She stands up, her mouth open. "Dean, I am your mother. You do not get to talk to me like that." She crosses her arms. "I'm just trying to help, and you're not listening."

"You're not being helpful!"

She looks hurt. "Dean, I only want the best for you, and I really don't think you should show Katie who you are. Not yet." She shakes her head. "If anything, show Elisabeth first."

"Whatever." He stands up and tries to leave, but she grabs his arm.

"Your father and I have had plenty of problems. Our relationship isn't perfect, and you should never believe that."

"Let me go. I don't want to talk to you!" he snaps.

Her bottom lip trembles, but she manages to keep a strong face. "You told me you wanted advice."

"I lied! Just leave me alone and stop telling me how to live my life! You're wrong!"

She releases his arm, biting her lip. "Okay...okay..."

She brushes past him, covering her mouth with her hand, her chest tightening up. Dean had never yelled like that before, especially not at her. She squeezes her eyes shut, unable to stop the tears. She just wants to help her son, one of the most important guys in her life.

"Des? What's wrong?" Leo asks, stopping her walking.

She sniffles and hugs him, crying into his shoulder. Leo returns the embrace immediately, incredibly worried. He looks over her the top of head, seeing Dean standing in the hallway at a distance. The feeling of guilt is evident all over his face, and the blue-masked turtle puts two and two together quite swiftly. He sighs, returning his attention to his wife.

"Des, honey? I'm going to talk to Dean, alright?" he murmurs, brushing her tears away gently.

She nods, hiccuping a little. "Alright. I'll go start the laundry or...something."

He kisses her scars lovingly, his hand brushing her shoulder as she moves past. Leo turns to his son, his expression far from pleased.