"Going out again tonight?"
Raph started in surprise and smacked his head on the muffler of his bike at the sound of his brother's voice. Cursing loudly, he sat up and glowered at Leo, who leaned nonchalantly against the door jamb that led into the garage.
"Don't you have anything better to do than standing there gawking at me?" He complained as he gathered himself to his feet. Leo shrugged.
"Not really. Classes don't start until four." He turned to leave but paused momentarily. "Tell her we said 'hi'," he said with a cheeky grin and left before Raph could form a decent retort.
Growling, he turned back to his work and finished fine tuning the shocks. He hadn't called her yet to schedule a time. Didn't want to seem too eager to see her again, but really, he couldn't wait to show her just what the bike could do.
Glancing up at the clock over the door, he saw it was almost three o'clock in the afternoon. He'd better do it now, or she might be the one to cancel. Typing in the correct digits, he held the phone to his ear and listened to the shrill ringing while the call tried to connect.
Hope's phone buzzed on her desk. "Dammit!" She cursed as she the test tube she was holding slipped from her hand and smashed to the floor. Fortunately for her, it was empty. Scrambling to her desk and desperately searching for her phone under the mess, she threw screwed up bits of paper on the ground until she finally found it.
It was him. He was calling her. Butterflies suddenly started whirling in her stomach. Why was she so nervous about answering it? She'd only seen him the night before.
Earlier that day she'd been rummaging through her makeshift closest trying to find a suitable outfit for that evening. She didn't want to seem sloppy, wearing the same clothes two nights in a row. At the bottom of the cupboard she'd found an old rubbish bag filled with some clothes she'd been eventually planning to throw away. Raking through it, she spotted something she'd once worn as a Halloween costume to a party a number of years ago. A smile had spread across her lips figuring it would be perfect.
Pressing the phone to her ear she answered. "Hope Brevin."
Hope Brevin. It was the first time he had heard her surname, but it suited her somehow.
"Hey, it's Raph, still up for that bike ride tonight?"
"Of course!" She replied, a little too enthusiastically. "Ahem, yeah yeah, I am. You know where I live; what time is best for you?"
"I can be there at five," Raph said, checking the clock above the door. "Think you can be ready by then?"
Hope glanced at the ensemble she'd looked out, handing on the door frame. "Yup. I'll see you then."
"Great!" He responded with a little more enthusiasm than he thought was necessary. "See you then." He hung up and looked back at the bike. This had better go smoother than yesterday. He was sure that a girl could only put up with so much. Maybe he should check the transmission one more time… Just to be safe…
There wasn't time to start a new batch of serum. Hope looked longingly at her research. She found it hard to sit around and do nothing. She'd been meaning to tidy her desk for a while, so groaning with displeasure at such a task, she started sorting things out.
Once a reasonable amount of time had passed she changed into her clean set of clothes and planted herself in front of the mirror.
"Not bad, Brevin." She gave herself a smug smile and waited for Raph to arrive.
With a rev of the engine, Raph pulled up in front of Hope's laboratory for the second time in two days. Pulling out his T-Phone, he sent her a text, telling her that he was there. Then he sat back on the leather seat and waited for her to come out. He wondered vaguely if she would be wearing the yellow jacket again. It really brought out the pale yellow in her hair.
"Gah, snap out of it, Raph…" he chastised himself aloud. His thoughts were interrupted by the metallic sliding of the door opening. He looked up just in time to see Hope step out into the alley. "Wow," was all that he could think of to say.
Hope was pleased with his reaction. She was dressed head to toe in tight leather, a costume she'd donned as a rock biker chick once. The pants clung to her, showing off all her curves and the jacket was zipped up all the way to her neck, extenuating her figure. "I thought it might be appropriate." She held a steady smirk on her face.
"Uhh…," Raph tried to speak, but words failed him significantly. He wanted to say something, but his brain had stopped working. She looked stunning in all that black leather, clad in tall buckled boots and her long hair tied back in a messy bun. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. Focus! Say something, idiot! "Yeah… that'll work. I mean…," he stammered, thinking he came across as chauvinistic. "You look great."
Hope's face flushed crimson. "Well… Thanks…" She held out her hand for the helmet. "Might as well complete the look, eh?" She grinned and winked at him. Did you just wink? Seriously, Hope, get a grip of yourself, she scolded in her head.
He stared dumbly at her outstretched hand for a moment before his brain recognized what she was saying. With a start, he put the smaller of the two helmets in her hand before turning away to put the other over his own head.
What is wrong with you? he scolded himself, She's just a girl… Seriously, you've fought aliens, ninjas, and giant freaking cockroaches! Pull yourself together… His heart nearly stopped when she slid onto the bike behind him and slipped her arms around his plastron.
"Ready?" he managed to croak, the heat pouring into his face relentlessly.
"Ready!" She chirped excitedly, giving him a quick squeeze to show she was holding on.
Raph revved up the engine and peeled out of the alley. He skirted around cars easily, deftly leaning into every turn. He could hear Hope laughing excitedly as she clung to his shell. Score one for Raph today.
Focusing on the road ahead, he sped down the busy streets, heading toward the edge of the city. It was going to take a while to get to the place he wanted to show her, but he was certain it would be worth it.
"This is even better than last time!" She squealed from behind him. There was something exhilarating about being this out of control. It was an adrenaline rush to the max. And she was loving every second. Being on a motorcycle, the way she was dressed, with this incredible guy, she felt almost sexy.
Her enthusiasm was infectious and he let out a crow of triumph as he gunned the engine, speeding over the bridge and past the last of the welcome signs. Now there were fewer cars, increasingly open space, and the buildings became smaller and further apart.
Raph quickly checked the mileage signs that they passed, calculating how long it would take them to get to the park.
"We're going to have to stop for gas soon," he shouted over his shoulder to her. "There won't be a lot of stations out where we're going."
"And where is it exactly that we're going?" She shouted back. It had been a long time since she'd been out of the city. Years in fact.
He slowed the bike, turning into a nearby gas station and parking in front of one of the pumps. Shutting off the motor, he smirked at her from over his shoulder. "When was the last time you've seen the stars?"
The stars. He was taking her to watch the stars? "I-I… well… not recently… I mean… I have seen them… but not… well… heh." She rambled nervously, suddenly feeling very self-conscious of her attire. She wrapped her arms around herself protectively. I must look like a complete idiot standing here looking like this, stuttering like a fool, she thought sadly.
He had expected her to be thrilled, but instead, she looked mortified. Did he do something wrong? He got off the bike and looked into her anxious face.
"We don't have to go there if you don't want to. I thought… well, that you'd like it. You know, since you're a scientist and all. I… I just…" He stopped and sighed, defeated. Way to screw up another one, Raph, he thought to himself cynically.
"No! I do! I mean… I want to. Definitely!" She backtracked quickly. Why did he make her so nervous?! She gazed up into his emerald orbs and grinned awkwardly.
He wasn't sure what to make of all this. He would never understand women… but looking into her bright blue eyes really made him want to try.
"Okay," he said, trying to regain his composure. "As soon as I get the tank filled up, we can go. You can stretch your legs if you want. They might be a little stiff from sitting for so long."
"Good idea." She dismounted the bike and walked around a bit, taking in the evening air. It felt so much fresher out here than in the stuffy city.
Raph couldn't help but watch her as she ambled around the parking lot of the service station, outlined against the twilight. The way she moved was breath-taking, and it wasn't just because of the tight leather outfit. Glancing slightly to the right, he noticed that he wasn't the only one staring. A greasy teenager was leaning up against the side of the building, leering at Hope in a way that made Raph's skin crawl. If the creep went anywhere near her, he'd be in for a world of hurt.
She lifted her arms above her head to stretch out her back. Once her muscles felt a bit less tensed up she turned back to the bike to find the mutant turtle staring at her. She couldn't quite place the look on his face, it was a medley of confusion, anger and perhaps even a dash of awe. When their eyes met, his darted away in a split second to scowl at the leering teenager. She paid no attention to the boy. Her eyes were fixed on Raph. She walked slowly towards him with a smile on her face. "Almost ready?"
He instantly relaxed when she returned. "Yeah, I'm ready," he said, strapping on his helmet. "Maybe before nightfall, I can teach you to drive the bike yourself. What do you think?"
"Wow! Really?! That would be amazing!" She replied, feeling excited. Putting on her helmet and regaining her seat on the bike, she ran her fingers down his shell, believing he couldn't feel it. "It sounds a bit terrifying though. You sure you can trust me?"
He closed his eyes at the light touch of her fingertips on his shell. The contact felt really nice, and he barely stopped himself from moaning softly. "Hrm? Oh! Um… Yeah… I can do that. As long as you can trust me with teaching you how to drive. We'll take it slow, so there's nothing to worry about."
"Well as long are you're sure. Let's go! I'm curious about where it is you're taking me in order to see the stars…" Again she encircled her arms around his waist her hands resting on his plastron. The leather from her jacket squeaked on his shell.
Raph revved up the engine and pulled away from the pumps. He tried not to think about her hands pressing on his plastron too much. She needed to be holding on to him. Why was it so noticeable now? "It's a place I found back when the Kraang invaded!" He shouted to her over his shoulder. "My bros and I camped out there one night, and I swear I could see every star in the sky from there!"
Hope smiled inside her helmet. Maybe he would tell her more stories of his past. The times before mutants were free. It was something she had always been curious about. If there were so many mutants living in New York, where had they been before?
They drove for another hour and a half before he slowed and turned down a dirt road. Raph pulled off the road at an empty campsite, complete with picnic tables and the charred remains of a few campfires.
"I think we'll keep the bike here and walk to the clearing." He looked up at the descending sun and decided that they had enough time. "How about we get in a lesson before the sun sets?"
She chuckled. "Well just a quick one, I don't want to embarrass myself too much…" She turned away slightly and unzipped her jacket. "I am cooking in these things!" She explained before removing it and laying it on one of the picnic tables. Under it was a plain black strapped top, which was partially damp with sweat.
Raph quickly averted his eyes from her bare shoulders, glistening with sweat and the black top that clung to every curve. He was suddenly conscious of how different the two of them were. Not that she cared; she just wanted to learn how to drive his bike. But she was a beautiful, human girl and he was… well, he was a freak.
His own words from years before echoed loudly in his ears, chastising his brothers for having hope of love in their lives. You don't have a chance with her! Stop kidding yourself! Now he understood why Donnie and Leo had always looked so hurt when he'd said that. Raph wanted to have that kind of hope of love and happiness, but… who would ever want to be stuck with a green, shell-backed monstrosity like him?
"Okay… So what do I do…?" Hope stared dumbly at the bike, unaware of what she should be doing.
The sound of her voice snapped Raph out of his abstraction. Dammit! Stop being such an ass! He cleared his throat as he stepped up to the motorcycle.
"Well, the first thing is to actually get on the bike," he said, teasing her to cover up his own insecurity.
Hope looked uncomfortably at the bike. It was really very large, and even from being on the back, she knew her feet wouldn't touch the ground. She placed her hands on the handlebars and whipped her leg over. Sure enough, she didn't have the push to get herself up and over.
"Uh… help…" she looked to Raph awkwardly, giving him a sheepish smile.
He stepped behind her and grabbed her around the waist. She didn't weigh very much at all, so positioning her on the motorcycle was no problem.
"There ya go. Can you touch that pedal down there with your feet?"
The feeling of his large hands around her waist made her chest tighten and tingles shot up her whole body.
"S-sure…" She stammered, half longing for his touch again. Once comfortable in position, she placed her foot on the pedal he had indicated. "There. Woah."
Now she felt absolutely powerful. She was only sitting on it, but damn she felt hot. She ran her hands over the handles feeling the smooth metal on her palms.
"Okay," Raph said, coming up close beside her. "I'm just going to show you the controls for now. Let you get a feel for them before you go anywhere."
He pointed to the pedal he'd asked about before. "That's how you change gears." He applied pressure to her foot, demonstrating how to reach the different gears. "And the brake and throttle are on the handlebars. So, to stop, turn the left and to go, turn the right. Easy enough, right?"
Hope cocked an eyebrow at him. "Easy when you know how, you mean." she pursed her lips and looked down at her hands, still gripping the handlebars. "Okay, okay, I think I've got it." She recited what he's said in her head a couple of times, until it was fully wedged in there.
"Good. I'm gonna start the engine, but keep it in park so you can feel how the acceleration feels without speeding into a ditch." Raph turned the key and the engine roared into life. "After you get comfortable, I'll let you drive it a little, just slow. Think you got this?
From being on the back of the bike before, she had still felt a little of what the engine being on had done to her. But now that she was up against the engine and not moving, vibrations were sent all through her body, it was electric and her eyes widened, realizing that she was getting more excited than she probably should. "I-I got it…" she said, barely audible over the roar of the engine.
"Alright," Raph replied matter-of-factly. He pulled the bike up and disengaged the kickstand. "Take it out of park and put it in first. But go slow, okay? Just go to the end of the road there." He pointed to a place about an eighth of a mile further where the road joined another.
Hope was terrified. She didn't even have a driver's license. You are a scientist. You do crazy things every day. Why are you so scared of this? She said confidently in her mind. Angling her foot slightly on the gear pedal she felt it change. She leant forward and the motorcycle coughed and went dead.
"Oh. Well, that's not what I expected…" She gritted her teeth and looked to Raph, biting her lower lip, trying hard not to laugh.
Raph bit back the laugh for as long as he was able, but soon it came full force. He leaned against the side of the bike and covered his face with one large hand, his body convulsing with wild laughter. After a minute he collected himself and wiped his eyes. "You must have flooded the engine. It's okay. Rookie mistake; happens all the time."
The sight of the turtle laughing like that, totally free, no stress, just pure happiness, made Hope's heart warm a little. She stared at him as he fell about with laughter, her jaw aching from the smile on her face. "You know, maybe I'm not cut out for this." She grinned as he wiped the positive tears from his eyes.
"Nah, it just takes practice. I fell off that damn thing a hundred times before I got the hang of it." He looked up and saw that the sun had disappeared behind the tree line and the sky was growing darker. "Think that'll do it for driving lessons today. Ready to go see more stars than you've ever seen in your life?" He held his hands out to her, ready to help her off the bike.
"Yes. I really am." She took his hand, swung her leg over the seat and jumped down. Realizing how close they were now standing and that she still had a hold of his hand, her heart started wildly thumping in her chest. She felt her face grow red and her breathing become labored.
"Come on, it's this way," he said, pulling her in the direction of the trees. Her small hand was cool and her skin felt soft and smooth against the rough callouses on his palm. He released her hand awkwardly and they strolled through the trees, accompanied by the sounds of the forest.
It was starting to feel colder and Hope slipped her jacket back on. "This is beautiful." She commented in awe, gazing up at the nature around her. "I don't get to see things like this often." She realized suddenly that she was completely relaxed and had stopped over thinking her words before speaking. This realization made her look up at Raphael. What is he doing to me? She wondered.
"Before we left New York after the invasion, we'd never seen anything like this before," he said quietly as he pushed past some brush. The temperature was falling slowly and he began to wonder if that leather jacket was going to be warm enough for her. He suddenly wished that he had brought a coat, just so he could offer it to her. "There's a clearing up ahead where you can just lay back and see everything in the sky."
"I have to ask, and I'm sorry for being so… blunt." She piped up suddenly. "But before mutants became part of society, where did you live?" It was a question that had been playing on her mind for some time now, and she couldn't think of a good time to ask. So there is was, out in the open, ready for him to answer.
"When Master Splinter rescued us, he took us into the sewers and raised us down there." He smirked at the slightly disgusted look on her face. "Yeah, it was pretty gross, but if we'd chanced it on the surface, we coulda ended up in a research lab. We might not have made it out of that."
"That's very true. Sorry for being so forward, I just always wondered where the mutants had been hiding all that time. Before, you know, the mutagen spill." She slowed down slightly, letting him lead the way on the narrow path.
"Some mutants were a lot more subtle than others. The ones who worked for the Shredder walked around on the surface all they wanted, scaring the crap out of the humans." Raph hopped over a fallen tree, then turned to help Hope over.
"Wow, I'm surprised it wasn't in the news more. Maybe the government knew about the mutants long before we did. There are a lot of conspiracy theories about that, actually. The best one I ever-" she was cut short as she tripped over the log and fell fabulously at Raph's feet. Laying on her back, staring up at him, she covered her face with her hands, completely and utterly gobsmacked.
"Oh shit! You okay?" he asked, quickly kneeling down next to her. Something drew his eye to her right left. The trouser leg was torn and there was an angry red scrape along the skin. He touched it gingerly and she hissed in pain. "Dammit… don't want you walking on that…," he mumbled as he slid his arms under her legs and behind her back, lifting her easily.
"Ugh, I'll survive. Woah!" She said as he lifted her up. "So much for a non-eventful night." She smiled gratefully at him. The way he was carrying her meant that she needed to keep her arms wrapped around his neck, in order to keep herself steady. It also meant that she could casually lean her cheek against his rough skin without it seeming weird.
The smell of strawberries coming from her hair was intoxicating and Raph had a difficult time focusing on the path ahead of him. He needed to keep talking, just to keep his mind off of the touch of her cheek on his shoulder and the way her arms were wrapped around his neck. "You… were saying something about mutant conspiracy theories?"
"What? Oh right! Yeah. So, I don't know what it was like from your point of view, but to us humans, it was so weird. The media never really reported anything and we weren't warned. It was just one day, 'hey some mutated people are going to be wandering about, treat them nicely.' It was so badly done. But anyway. Because we still don't really know what happened, there are tons of theories about it. Mostly around the Kraang after the invasion. But there are some saying that the government knew about mutants all along, but when some finally started to show themselves they denied it. There's this great one though, that some of the mutants were fighting crime at night, like some sort of superheroes. I mean, it's like stuff from comic books. I dunno, man, I don't believe it, you'd think someone would have noticed if that were happening!" Once Hope got going, she found it hard to stop. She was interested in these types of things, and it was nice having someone who actually listened.
"Oh really?" Raph couldn't help but be amused at the story. "I think I've heard that one before. Those crime-fighters weren't ninjas, were they?"
Hope scoffed. "Ninjas, superheroes, vigilantes. Whatever you wanna call it." She laughed. "It's ludicrous really."
"I dunno… Maybe not as crazy as you might think…" Raph gave her a knowing smirk. He wondered if she would believe him if he told her. She was right though. It was a crazy concept. If he hadn't lived it, he wouldn't believe it.
She twisted her body slightly to look him in the eye, shooting him a suspicious look. "What was that look for…?" She asked quizzically. "Do you… know something…?"
Raph ducked under the last tree branch and emerged into the clearing. Above them, thousands of stars were sprayed across the midnight blue sky above the tops of the trees. He smiled at the look of amazement on her face as she looked around at the night sky.
"You said one time that I had a lot of stories to tell," he said as he set Hope down gently on the grass. "Well, I'm gonna tell you some of those stories. About four mutant turtles who were raised by a ninja master…"
She forced her eyes away from the beautiful flurry of stars in the sky and gawped at him. "You… What…?!" She managed to choke out.
"Don't talk, just… listen for a while. Okay?" He settled down on the grass next to her and began to talk. He told her about coming out of the sewers for the first time, about fighting the Kraang, the Shredder, and the Purple Dragons, told her about the times when they won battles, and times when they lost battles. He wanted her to know everything. He wanted her to know about him.
Over the course of the stories Hope listened intently. This is exactly what she had hoped for. And with every new anecdote that he stared, she couldn't believe her ears. This was real. This had all been happening over the last two decades, and she had been none the wiser. And what he was telling her. They had all been so brave, so courageous, and they had never asked for any recognition, no thanks. It was unbelievable.
"And then the mutant laws were passed. After that, it's not like we could just go out and fight crime like that anymore. The law applies to us now. So we hung up our ninja weapons and I haven't fought with my sais since. Just for exercise, but that's it."
He finally came to a stop and glanced at her, curious as to what she might say. It was a lot to take in and he hoped that he hadn't overwhelmed her.
She looked at him for a long time before she spoke. "Well… It's a very long and crazy story, Raph… If you made it up… you're a genius. If you didn't… then… you're a… a… ninja…? That's just… Oh my god." She shook her head in disbelief, and struggled to her feet.
"Suddenly wish I'd brought my sais so I could prove I'm not a liar." He stared up at the stars and breathed in the cool night air. "But it's all true. Swear on my shell."
"Wow." she whispered, following his gaze upwards. "It's a lot to take in. But one thing's for sure, you need to introduce me to your family. They sound wonderful." She wandered over to him and put an arm around him. "Thank you for taking me here. It's truly stunning."
Raph stiffened at her embrace, then snaked his arm around her and returned it. "Just wanted to see if it would compare," he murmured to himself. Speaking louder, he said, "Oh yeah! The guys have been bugging me about you for ages. They'll jump at the chance to meet ya."
She raised her eyebrow and dislodged herself from him. "You've… uh… you've told them about me…?" she asked, wondering what he could have said. She sat herself down on the grass and lay back, peering up at the sky's beautiful canvas.
"Mikey forced it out of me the night I took you out for that beer," he said begrudgingly, closing his eyes as he lay back on the grass next to her. "When you meet him, you'll understand how it's hard to keep secrets from him."
Raph sighed contentedly as he relaxed slowly in the grass. "He blabbed it to the others, and now they tease me about any chance they get." He yawned loudly and stretched out his arms.
"You've never had a girl… friend… No wait, that's not what I meant. Friend who's a female… Ugh, you know what I mean…" Hope stammered, covering her face with her hands in embarrassment.
Raph hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should really tell her. Throwing caution to the wind, he said "Before I went to prison… there was a girl, but she gave up on me when I was arraigned. Haven't seen her since." It still hurt to talk about Brooke, but he'd slowly been letting it go.
"Oh… how long… were you in for…?" She asked cautiously, not wanting to probe too far.
"Three years," he said solemnly, not opening his eyes. "I could have served ten, but I pled down. I didn't deny what I did, but I made damn sure that they knew why."
"Was she… human? Your girl?" Hope felt like she was asking too many questions, but he didn't seem to be wavering.
"Yeah. She was human. A teacher. Great with kids." Why was she asking so many questions about Brooke? She can't have known her. Probably didn't.
"I'm sorry that you lost her." She said mournfully chancing a look in his direction. Wow Hope, way to ruin the mood, she thought to herself angrily.
"Yeah. I was too, but it was probably better that way. I… I wasn't the best kind of… guy for her. And I proved it by getting my ass arrested." He sighed and shook his head. "Guess it's just not something I was meant to have."
Hope decided to answer him by taking his hand in hers. It was a bold move and she knew he could very easily reject her gesture, but she needed him to know that she was there, and she cared.
His eyes flew open at the sudden pressure on his fingers. He turned his head to look into her eyes. They were full of compassion and a sweetness that was all for him. He couldn't understand why he would deserve to be looked at like that, but he wouldn't give it up for the world.
He squeezed her hand back, grateful that she was here and wishing that he could be more to her than what he was. Illuminated by only the light of the moon and stars, she was truly beautiful.
They lay like that, side by side, hands intertwined, gazing up at the sky, for what felt like hours. It was one of the most relaxed moments of Hope's life. She couldn't even remember the last time she felt this at peace.
Raph felt his eyes growing heavier the longer they lay there. She didn't seem to want to talk, and he'd talked too much for one night. He didn't want to interrupt the quiet, nor did he want to disturb the obvious contentment in his companion. As he dozed, he thought of Hope's fingertips, lightly tracing the patterns on his shell.
She heard Raph's breathing become steadier and realized that he'd fallen asleep. Smiling to herself, she let go of his hand and turned into him, leaning her head on his plastron. She was too exhausted to even think about heading back, plus, she was enjoying this tranquil moment. Her eyes eventually closed and she drifted into a deep sleep.