Author notes- I do not own the TMNT or any of their compadres.

A birthday surprise

The warm night air embraces me as I step out from the sewers, Raph right behind me. I inhale deeply, a smile appearing on my face. A bigger, rougher hand finds mine and leads me onto the rooftop of the nearby restaurant.

"So, how's this?" Raph asks me, as we cuddle under the stars.

"This is wonderful Raph, thank you. I've had such a great birthday, I was actually dreading it, but it's been great."

"You were dreadin' it?" His brown eyes search mine.

"Yeah, well, I can't say birthdays were really celebrated for me before. I probably only got hit with the metal pipe ten times instead of twenty." I reminisce. Raph's arms squeeze me that little bit tighter, keeping me safe. "It's all in the past now, let it flow away downstream as sensei says."

Raph only grunts in response. I rest my head on his shoulder and look up at the twinkling stars hanging above.

"I'm kinda glad we didn't bring a picnic."

"Mm, way too much pizza for one night."

"Oh yeah, you said you'd had a great birthday." He turns to me again.

"Yeah…?"

"Well, it's still technically your birthday." His eyes twinkle devilishly and a grin tugs at his mouth. He leans over and kisses me deeply and I push my body into his. His hand wanders to my thigh, his fingers dancing along it. I giggle as it starts to tickle and we break away from the kiss. He looks into my eyes and brushes my hair back from my face.

"Raph, do you…" I break eye contact with him, "Do you care about my past?"

"What d'ya mean?" His voice sounds uncertain.

"Well, you can't really say that I'm perfect can you?" His silence doesn't reassure me. "Raph?"

"Jeez Karm, how am I supposed ta answer that?" He says gruffly.

"Honestly would be nice." I look over at him, his face twisted into a frown. He gets up, walking away from me slightly. Frustrated by his frostiness, I sigh to myself and tuck my legs up to my plastron.

"I'm not… I… I can't do that." Raph mutters quietly.

"Do what?"

"Just… talk… about things. It ain't my style."

"But why?" My eyes drift over to his solid figure. His dark green skin looking nearly black in the dark and his mask whipping about in the wind. He glances off into the skyline, his back mostly turned to me and his stance taut. I take in his features. His strong legs, bulging with muscles, holding up his stocky frame. His powerful arms, hung maybe too limply by his side and his beautifully etched shell, shining slightly. He's just so good looking. It must be something to run in his family, his brothers aren't exactly unattractive either.

I look down at myself. My legs crouched up in front of me. I let them dangle over the edge of the building, critisizing every inch. 'Urgh, I have such flabby legs… Not to mention so short. I hate that huge scar down my calf. My feet… heh… the less said the better, way too big for my stubby legs.'

My eyes wander to my plastron, too small for my frame. 'Maybe if I lost a bit of weight, my hips wouldn't look so big. And maybe my curves would stay in line with my plastron, not overlapping it. Why the hell do I even have a chest?! It's completely covered up, there's no point, it's just more fat.'

Lastly, I examine my arms. 'Scarred, flabby and my veins stick out way too much.'

I sigh. 'What does Raph see in me? He's an amazingly good looking guy and he's stuck with this… thing.'

"I hate talking. I… I dunno why. I feel stupid an' exposed, an' I hate feelin' exposed the most." I feel his eyes clap on me. "I don't want…" He changes his mind, his mind obviously thinking too much at once. "You're beautiful, yanno that?"

I look up at him frowning.

"Whatever Raph."

"Damnit, why can't you take a freakin' compliment?" His eyes turn away and I sigh again.

'Damnit Karm, why do you have to be so awkward?'

Cold steel finds it's way across my neck as soon as the thought escapes me. I gasp, looking up into the mask of another of these mysterious ninja. Another two hoist me up, holding me whilst the other doesn't take his Katana from my neck.

"Raph." My voice wavers. He turns, eyes still burning with frustration, then fear as he realises the situation. Twenty ninja surrounding us, on a rooftop and my neck on the line.

"Happy birthday, Karma." The ninja holding the Katana to my neck hisses and I close my eyes. Only one man can be behind this, Baxter Stockman.