My wings snapped out and I felt myself glide upward into the cool air. I didn't have to think about what to do; my wings just…did it. I soared through the air, feeling the cold air bite the bare skin on my arms and face. I pushed upward into the clouds, exhilarated by this new freedom. Faster and faster I soared, going higher and higher with each flap of my powerful wings. Moments later I had burst above the top of the clouds and I was surrounded by a whole new world.

As far as the eye could see was a layer of fluffy clouds. Gone was the world of grey below. Here was a land of brilliant blue and yellow and white. The sun shone above me and as reflected on the pure white clouds below. I hovered just above the tops of the clouds and let my feet fall against the misty wall. My shoes disappeared into the blanket of white and I laughed. I pushed upward again and then let my wings go slack. I arced upward, then fell down, tumbling through the air. I disappeared into the clouds and for a few precious moments, I was blanketed in the white as I fell. Then I broke through the bottom into the world of grey again, taking a few of the clouds with me. I used my wings to turn in midair and make it so I was falling with my head pointed toward the fast-approaching ground. At the last possible second I unfurled my wings and shot upward, making an impossible tight turn before I hit the ground. I laughed again gleefully, my laughter ringing through the air. I heard a yell from below me and looked down. Sure enough, right below me was Raph, waving his arms in the air in an attempt to get my attention. I flew down to him in a large spiral, circling him. Landing ungracefully, I ended up hitting the ground too quickly and falling forward. My ninja training kicked in and I turned my fall into a summersault. Summersaults are not easy with massive wings sprouting out of your back, however, and I twisted my right wing in the process. Raph sprinted over to me where I lay sprawled on the ground.

"Are you okay?" He asked frantically, kneeling down beside me. I was too excited over the fact that I had actually flown to notice the waves of pain emanating from my wing. I stared up at the grey sky in wonder.

"I flew! I actually flew!" I exclaimed, trying to sit up. I winced when my wing protested but kept on talking, allowing Raph to help me into a sitting position. "I was up there above the clouds and in the sky and I was flying! It was the most wonderful experience I've ever had. I was up there all by myself and I was free! Utterly and completely free!"

"I know. I saw you up there, Angel, and I'm really glad for you but we need to get you back to Donnie pronto. Once all your adrenaline wears off from the flight you're really going to feel that," Raph said, motioning toward my wing, which was laying on the ground at an awkward angle.

I nodded, still stuck in my own little world, and let him pick me up in his arms. He ran back, sandwitching my twisted wing between myself and his chest. We made it back to the house in no time. Apparently I hadn't run as far as I had thought. My wing was really beginning to ache now and It was all I could to to not cry out in pain when Raph dumped me on the ground to go find Donnie. After a few minutes Don hurried out of the house with a first-aid kit and some bandages. He took one look at my wing and frowned.

"You dislocated it. How did you dislocate it? On second thought, don't answer that. I'm going to have to move it back into place. This is going to hurt," he warned, kneeling down beside me. I rolled my eyes.

"It hurts already."

"Then don't say I didn't warn you." Donnie said. Before I could question what he meant, he grabbed my wing and expertly twisted it back into place in one swift movement. Caught off guard, I screamed at the sudden wave of pain and yanked my wing away from him. After a moment, the pain ebbed to a dull ache. Donnie laughed.

"I told you it was going to hurt." He said simply, standing back up. I glared at him.

"You could have at least warned me of what you were going to do." I complained.

"Would it have helped?" he asked. I frowned.

"No, probably not."

"Then don't be so mad. Your wing will be fine in a few days. Just don't strain it too much, you hear?"

I stood and gave him a sarcastic salute. "Yessir!" He rolled his eyes at me.

We went back inside and I sat on the couch while he went to put his medical kit away. I moved my wing tenderly, still wincing at the pain, and made a mental not to not do any more summersaults. Raph entered the room silently and sat down beside me, not saying a word.

"I'm sorry for taking off like that." I apologized. He shrugged.

"Not a big deal. You're really fast, you know that?" Now it was my turn to shrug.

"It helps that I don't have a massive shell to weigh me down." I gave him a side-long glance and was pleased to see him smiling.

"Yeah," he agreed, "But I don't have oversized wings sprouting out of my back."

"Touché" I said

"Speaking of which, how was your first time flying? You looked pretty amazing up there."

I smiled. "Oh, Raph, It was amazing!" I told him the whole story, skipping the part where I ran into the tree. He listened intently. When I finished he shook his head in disbelief.

"Donnie's gonna flip when he sees you." He said, tightening his mask. My heart sank.

"He wants to watch me fly?" I asked.

"We all do. And I'm sure Splinter will want to once he and April get here."

"Oh, great. Now I have an audience. Raph, I don't think I can do it. I would get too nervous. Besides, I don't really know how I do it. I just…do."

"Well," he said, standing, "You've got all night to figure that part out. Want to come help me in the kitchen? We need to get dinner started."

"Sure." I said standing. Something tickled the back of my calf and I looked behind me. A small pile of black feathers lay on the couch where my wings had been a moment before. Oh, right. Molting.

"On second thought, why don't you stay out of the kitchen. I would rather not have feathers in my casserole." Raph said warily, shoving me back down onto the couch. I threw a pillow at him as he left the room, but it just bounced off his shell and dropped onto the floor. I got up and picked up the fallen pillow, tossing it back onto the couch. I grabbed a plastic bag from the pantry and carefully plucked each of my old feathers off the couch. At this rate, I would be feather-less by the end of the week!

That evening, after a small dinner of green-bean casserole and rolls, I locked myself in my room and curled up on the bed with my favorite book. I had found a copy of Pride and Prejudice, in one of the many bookshelves downstairs and was already halfway through it. It had been a favorite since seventh-grade and I hadn't read it in a while, so I figured I might as well read it now while I had the chance. I read well into the night, long after the moon rose above the top of the trees. I was on the last chapter when I heard Leo shouting in the room next door. He was having one of his nightmares again.

I tossed my book aside and ran out into the hallway, stopping at his door. I knocked frantically, but he didn't answer. He shouted unintelligibly, either not hearing me call his name or ignoring me. Finally, I forced his door open and entered his room. He was thrashing around on his bead, the covers long forgotten, and covered in a layer of cold sweat. I rushed over to him and held him down as best I could.

"Leo! Leo, it's me! Wake up! It's only a dream, Leo!" I cried, dodging an unintentional punch thrown my way. Realizing he wasn't about to wake up, I slapped him across the face as hard as I could. He started and sat bolt upright in bed, throwing me to the floor. He looked around the room frantically, as if looking for an attacker. Eventually his eyes found mine and he relaxed a bit. He slumped back onto his pillow, yanked a blanket off the floor, and covered his head in it.

"Leo?" I asked hesitantly. "Leo, what's worng?"

"Nothing" he groaned. "Thanks for checking up on me. You can go now. I don't need any help." I rolled my eyes and walked over to him, sitting on the bed next to him.

"I don't believe you." I said. He looked at me sharply, but I continued. "You've been having these nightmares for months and it's driving me crazy to see you in so much pain. Please let me help you, Leo. Actually, that's not a request. I am helping you whether you like it or not, so get used to it." He smiled at my stubbornness.

"You never were one to give up easily. Okay, I'll let you help me. I just don't know what you can do"

"I do."

We talked all night and into the wee hours of the morning. Leo told me all about his dreams and what caused him to react to violently. I listened and added a comment here and there, a plan forming in my mind. When he was finished I told him what I planned to do.

"Are you sure?" he asked. I nodded.

"It's not like I'll be staying up any later than normal, anyway. I'll stay here as long as you need me." I placed my hand on his shoulder and gave him a soft smile. He smiled back and put his massive hand over my small one.

"Thank you." He said simply.

"I'll do anything for my family." I told him. Then I got up and walked over to his door leading to the hall. "You'd better get some sleep, Leo. I'll tell the others you aren't feeling well." He nodded his thanks and fell asleep almost instantly, his head sinking deep into the pillow.