Author notes: Thanks everyone for the reviews! Keep them coming, they motivate me! Oh, and if anyone doesn't know The Outfield's song 'Your Love', listen to it before reading…there will be a pop quiz at the end…. j/k :-P. Thanks friends!
The sun peaked in threw the windows as Shadow rolled over, bumping her elbow into something sold. Opening her eyes, she glanced at the clock, 7:48am. She groaned, leaning up on her elbows.
"Mornin."
Looking to her left, she pushed hair out of her face. Raphael was looking at her with sleepy eyes as well.
"Hi." She blinked. Rolling over onto her other side, she faced him, silent for a minute.
"I'm sorry about last night."
He looked at her, rolling on his side to face her as well. " 'Bout what? Nothin happened."
"I know, I'm sorry I dragged you up here I guess." She smirked at him, "Thank you? "
His eyebrows narrowed, "For what?"
"For putting up with me; I was a little crazy last night, and… for not taking advantage of me." Her eyes never left the part of the mattress where her finger was doodling an imaginary figure eight.
He Smirked, rolling over onto his back again, putting his arms behind his head, "I wouldn'ta taken advantage of ya." Looking at her, she nodded her head, as he continued "Maybe a few years ago I woulda… But I was worried for my own safety when you practically caveman'ed the shit outta me and dragged my ass up here last night!"
Her face redden, " I did not."
"When have ya ever known me'ta lie? Yea, .. ya did." He was serious with no hint of a smile.
Sitting up in bed, the covers fell to her waist, she turned her head to look at him, hair falling behind her shoulder, "Well I said I was sorry for being a drunk ass hole last night. What else do you want from me? I don't regret anything, because nothing happened! God! You acting like I threw myself at you!"
Getting defensive himself, Raphael leaned up on one arm, " Well ya did sorta throw yourself out there, flirt'en an kiss'en me'n shit!"
"You're a fucking prick!" she threw the covers off her and crawled out of bed.
"Well learn'ta handle your alcohol lil'one!" he said narrowing his eyes, pointing at her as he sat up in bed. A fight was the last thing either of them expected at eight in the morning, let alone after the night they just had, but here it was, in true 'Raphael and Shadow' form.
"You know perfectly well that I knew everything I was doing and saying!" she began pacing like a wild animal.
"Well explain to me, then why your throw'en apologizes out left'n right!" he yelled as he shook his head, throwing his hands in the air.
"Because I didn't know if I had done anything wrong! Its not like I go around getting drunk and kissing large turtles then ask them to sleep in bed with me!?"
"So that's it!" he stood, sending the covers to the end of the bed. "You regret kissen me, then asken me'ta come up here'en then your thanken me for not touchen ya!? You're a hypocritical and a fake!" he yelled crossing his arms. "Your no better then Cara!"
"What!? If theres one thing I'm not, its fuck'en fake or fuck'en Cara!" she flailed her arms as she yelled.
"Your repulsed by me but I'm your friend! That's fake!"
"You got it all wrong hot head!" here it was, her famous last words before her hearts demise.
"OH enlighten me Shadow!" his tone was completely condescending as he rolled his eyes, not wanting to really hear what she had to say.
"First, I don't regret kissing you, in fact I'm happy it finally happened! Second, I wanted you to come up here because I wanted to be near you even if it was just to sleep! I was scared to make any moves because I think I have feelings for you and I don't want to ruin this fucking friendship!" she screamed at him from across the bed.
"Well I know I have fucking feelings for you which is why I didn't take advantage of you even though I thought 'bout it four billion times after you fell asleep!" he screamed back pointing at the ground, every muscles in his neck and shoulders was taunt and showing.
They both stood there breathing heavy, staring into each others eyes from across the bed, their anger slowly slipping away.
"Why didn't you say so?" more of a demand than a question, her tone was softer.
He looked away, embarrassed, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand. 'I didn't know what ya wanted. Didn't know if I'd ruin 'us' if I did anything…" the trailed off quietly looking back up at her as she sat on the bed again.
"Ironic isn't it?" she asked him as he sat back on the bed, his back to her, head down.
"Yeah." She heard a muffled reply. Looking over his shoulder at her "I just never thought… ah'mean…" he gruff voice was so unbelieving, unsure, so completely unlike him.
She reached over touching his shoulder. Turning the rest of the way, he looked at her. She moved her hand as he turned, scooting to her knees she inched closer to him, she put a hand on his face.
"I never really get this way 'bout things, but Shay, I…" he stammered. Racking his hand over his face. He looked so out of his element.
"Well big, bad Raphael, I'm scared too…" she replied with a nervous smirk.
"Good, so this ain't just me." He said more of a statement then a question; reaching up and running a hand down threw her hair.
"No, it's not just you…" she whispered as he leaned in and kissed her softly. Timid almost. Shadow reached up, putting her hands on his shoulders, returning the gesture. He placed his large hand on her hip, pulling her into him, as she brought her arms up around his neck. Deepening the kiss, she felt her tongue touch his as their lips parted a little more, becoming more passionate. Both his hands encircled her waist and began softly running up and down her sides. She sucked in a breath, but neither breaking from the kiss.
Shadow leaned into him more, letting her self move over into his lap. He ran his hands down her body and onto her thighs that were on either side of him. They broke off the kiss, looking at one another, breathing hard. She smiled sweetly at him, tilting her head and rubbing her nose on the end of his.
He smirked at her, "Shay, your not gonna apologize for this later, are ya?"
"Dick…" she whispered, taking his face in both her hands as he grinned, she kissing him.
His large arms wrapped the whole way around her waist and then some. She pushed her body into his and kissed him deeply. She heard him let out a breath through his nose, then a small moan.
Before she knew what was happening, she was on her back, lips still locked. Wrapping her legs around his waist, she could tell he was still holding most of his weight up off of her. Pulling his head back, he nuzzled her neck, trailing feather light kisses. She sighed, tilting her head back and bringing her hands down, leaving one on his shoulder and putting one on his chest. She could feel him running a hand down her stomach, searching for skin, as his other arm still supported him. His rough hand was warm on her skin as she felt the tank top ride up just below her bust. She arched her back into him, reminding him of his dream. Raphael shuddered, but he wasn't sure if it was from the déjà vu or the action itself. She giggled. He stopped kissing her collar bone. "What?" he looked at her curiously.
"Talk about a major misunderstanding…" their lips just inched apart.
He grunted "Your tell'en me."
She grabbed him and pulled his face to hers again, this time more roughly, she moaned. His responded by leaning more weight on her, pulling her into him. He shifted his hips slightly. She arched into him again as she reached for the hem of her shirt. This time, Raphael didn't wake up from a dream…
He sat watching her as she took spoonfuls of raw meat and rice and jammed it into the sliced bell peppers. Shadow had put him to work chopping potatoes. The curtains fluttered in the evening's breeze as the radio played on.
"You almost done?" she asked putting the last of the dinner into the oven.
"Yeah, here. " he picked up the pot of water and potatoes and set it on the stove.
"Good." She reached up and set the timer for an hour and a half.
"You wanna kill alittle more of our day?" he hip bumped her, making her giggle.
"A girl needs some recoop time here." she laughed pushing him into the grey colored counter top.
"Hey! Just a simple question's all!" he put his hands up.
Chimms began to play and Shadow reached for her phone. "Hello"
"Shay baby! Whats up!?"
" Hi Mikey!" she smiled looking at Raphael, activating her 'speaker phone'.
"Whats cracken girlie? You haven't killed him yet have you?"
Raph rolled his eyes "What up douche bag?"
"OH… hey Raphie! Hey when you guys come'en home? Donny and I are get'en into guitar hero and we wanna make teams!" Shadow smiled and looked at Raph.
"I guess we could come home.." Raphael cut her off.
"We'll be home in a few days…" taken her phone, he hung it up.
"Raph! What are you doing!?"
"I don't wanna go back just yet! You could use'ah few more days to relax and, I'm not ready to face'em all yet."
"Face'em with what? Us?" he nodded.
"I'm not ready to tell anyone anything either. I mean…what do we say to them? Especially my Dad… " she trailed off at the end. It was a realization that both of them had stumbled on just a moment ago.
He looked up at her "You ok with this?" he motioned to himself.
"Yeah, I'm fine with this." Shadow smiled. Her phone rang again, taking it from Raph she laughed. "Hello?"
"Hey Shay, I think you had'ah bad connection, of the Raphael kind!"
"Sorry Mikey! We'll be home soon ok?"
"Sounds peachy babe! See ya then!"
She shook her head laughing. "He never slows down does he?"
"Never." Shaking his head.
The next few days were a sensual blur with packing and cleaning in between. After Raphael had packed the last of their things into the Envoy, she started the car before he walked into the house. Hearing Shadow walking down the stairs, he looked up to see her sporting jeans and a black tank top.
"You ready to go?" she asked meeting him as the bottom of the steps.
"Not quite." He said picking her up as she giggled, carrying her to the sofa that still needed covered back up. He claimed her mouth, one hand on the back of her head, the other on the floor as he lay on top of her. She smiled as she heard the stereo on in her car, The Outfield's 'Your Love' was faintly coming threw the screen door. Pulling away she laughed; he smirked too picking up on the lyrics.
"See! Its fate!"
"Nice try, anti-Romeo!" she said as he stood pulling her with him.
She walked to the chair and grabbed the dusty cover for on the sofa. Handing him the other end, they covered the plaid abomination that April refused to get rid of. Shadow walked to the kitchen, hitting the light. They were officially ready to hit the road, dusk was quickly fading into twilight and they needed the dark on their side for the drive. Climbing into the passenger side seat Shay looked out the window at the farm. This was definitely a vacation that would hold a special 'Dear Diary' context forever.
At about half past one in the morning when they pulled her SUV up to the curb in front of the antique store/apartment. The street was still barely lit, the lamp across the road was giving its last fighting chance. Raphael turned looking out the back window, the side and up threw her sun roof; No one in sight. Leaning one arm on the middle consol, he unbuckled himself and looked at her.
"Well, here we go." She nodded, looking in his eyes.
They both moved for the other at the same time, a sweet, soft kiss like the first, nothing like they had been sharing the last few days. They had been heated, rushed, urgent; this was wet, careful, nervous still, void of lust but still there was a meaning to it; a meaning neither of them understood just yet. Raphaels hand reached up, moving her hair to the side and gripping the back of her neck, her hands on the sides of his face. There was a ringing. "Ah' course! Why da'fuck not?!" Raphael pulled back throwing his hands in the air. She smacked him on the arm and answered, "Yesss?"
"What the hell are you two doin? Come up here and hang out!" Donny's voice came threw the receiver.
"We'll be up in a minute!" Raph snapped gruffly leaned over toward the phone.
"Go right for the Adam's Apple Shay, I promise it will leave him paralyzed..." she laughed at Donny.
"We're on our way. Later." Closing her phone she looked at him.
"Stop pissing in your own Wheaties and lets go!" she opened her door and climbed out.
He ran around the side of the car and met up with her at the alley way to the door. Pulling out his key as they went, she stopped and grabbed his arm when they were out of the yellow, fading, street light. Pulling him into her, Raphael immediately began kissing her and lifted her up against the wall by her bottom; Shay's legs wrapping around his waist.
"This is the last one." She panted between their lips meeting.
"Mm hmm." He tried to agree, setting her down a few moments later.
Taking her hand, he opened the door, locking it and they made their way threw Aprils shop, bumping into 'other peoples' treasures as they went.
"If those clowns make one comment 'bout our 'alone time', I'm drop kick'en someone right in the live'en room." He said as he lead her up the steps.
Laughing, Shadow squeezed his hand and rolled her eyes "Stop, your turn'en me on!"
He gave a low laugh, "Ass." letting her hand slip from his as they stopped outside the door to the apartment. Looking at each other, she gave him a nervous look. Opening the door, Raphael walked in with Shadow on his tail.
April smiled, getting up from the table "There they are! OH god, look how tan you got!" she commented hugging Shadow.
"Raph, scars are back and darker than ever I see!" Donny gave him a smart-ass smile from the sofa.
Flipping him off, Raphael moved to hug April. She picked up on it the second she hugged him, but dismissed it. 'They were riding in the same car for the last few hours…' April thought as she smelled a good amount of her Step-Daughters Vanilla scent on her friend. A woman's intuition is her greatest ally after all. Mikey ran to Shadow, hugging her, and then pulled back "You still hurt there skinny?" he asked softly laying his hand on her stomach.
"Haha, a little tender, but much better."
"Sweet! Well you wanna rock out or what?"
"Not just yet, what about me?" Shadow turned to see Casey coming down the stairs in sweat pants and white undershirt.
"Hey Casey!" she laughed as he reached her.
"Hey there." He said hugging her. He was becoming quite used to his daughters jokes, especially the ones on his 'name vs dad'. Pulling back he looked her over. He skin was tanned, making her brown hair and chocolate eyes darker, her side swiped bangs hung over her one eye and her cheeks had a healthy glow to them.
"You look good. Rested." He said facing her. Turning he clapped his hand on Raphael's shoulder "You take good care ah'her?"
Raph cleared his throat and looked at Shadow "Course." He replied looking back at Casey, rolling his shoulders toughening up as always and right on time.
"Raph, you ok man? Ya haven't even tried to beat'da shit outta me yet!" Mike grinned from the sunken living room; trying to expend some of his energy. Smirking at Casey, Raphael turned and dove off the step at his little brother. Ah, yes… it some respects, it was nice to be home.