My world faded around me. I tried to keep my eyes open for as long as possible, holding my hand where my lungs were, feeling the warm, sticky blood flow out. I kneeled on the ground, my vision getting blurry.

Zoey and Karai were closing in on Raph, calling more and more foot-bots to their aid. Raph tried to fight them all off. He tried to get to me. I reached out my hand. He jumped over everyone and reached out his.

Our fingers had barely touched when Zoey's rope went around his neck. She tugged and he flew backwards. Out of nowhere, April, Donnie, Mikey and Leo had jumped up.

The Turtles charged, while April went to my side. She turned green-or was it blue?- when she saw the blood puddle that was beginning to form around me. She called someone over. Leo came to my aid.

The last thing I saw was Karai put a bag around Leo's head.

"No. NO! TAYLOR!"

Leo's voice rang through my head as I opened my eyes. I seemed to be standing in a glorious park, with children and young adults everywhere.

"Where am I?"

My mom appeared. "You are in heaven, mija."

In heaven? Does that mean-

"I'm DEAD?!"

"Temporarily, yes. When Karai stabbed you, you lost a lot of blood. And you came up here."

"So... heaven is a park?"

My mother put her arm around me and we walked.

"The entrance is. But father down is a golden road that leads to our houses. That's where your papa is waiting for us."

In no time, we got to our house. It was a two-story house, with cream-colored paint with silver accents.

I gasped as we went inside. "It's beautiful, mama."

"Well, don't get to used to it. You aren't supposed to be here for awhile. Rodrigo! Your daughter is here!"

My dad slid down a winding staircase on the handrail. He jumped off.

"My daughter!" He hugged me then tilted his head. "Why are you here so soon? Have you already fulfilled your prophecy? Have you already unlocked-"

"RODRIGO! She has not, and don't you dare spoil the surprise, caramba!" My mother spoke in her quick Hispanic accent.

I smiled a bit. Then I remember what could be happening in New York. "Mama?"

"Yes, mija?"

I sighed. "I need to go back."

My parents shared a glance. "Of course. But you need to be introduced to someone."

My dad led me back to the park, underneath a- melon tree? I shook my head in disbelief.

"Here he is, mija. One of the animals that live inside you."

A silver and blue lion got up and walked until we were eye to eye. I put a hand on his soft yet shiny fur. He purred. I smiled.

"How is he mine? How I am I like a lion?"

"You shall be a great leader, much like a lion. His name is Jaula."

His name is Cage?

"Why?"

"Because he was once caged, and now he is free."

I nodded. "Papa... take me back. I understand what has to be done."

I awoke on the same rooftop, inches away from my blood. I checked myself. I wasn't hurt anymore, and I was sitting up against a boulder. The fight was still raging on. That's when Zoey noticed me.

"Karai! You were supposed to kill her!"

Karai looked in my direction and narrowed her eyes. "But- I did."

I noticed Leo struggling underneath about twenty foot-bots. So were Donnie and April. Zoey leaped in front of me.

"How are you still alive?"

"That's none of your beeswax. Why do you have such a vendetta against me? I'm you!"

"That is none of your concern."

"WHY?"

She started to cry and glow again.

"BECAUSE YOU STOLE MY LIFE FROM ME! I WAS THE ONE WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO LIVE IN THIS WORLD, WHILE YOU WOULD JUST BE MY OTHER HALF IN MY BODY!"

I gasped. I wasn't supposed to be Taylor? I was... supposed to be Zoey?

Zoey stopped crying and grabbed my hand. "But I'll make sure that happens. I'll make you nothing more than a memory. I'll finally have Raphael all to myself, without having to deal with you!"

She flung me off the roof. I grabbed onto a window ledge, hearing Raph and Leo scream out my name. I could feel my grip leaving. Now would be a good time to start glowing and fly.

I lost grip and screamed.

"AHHHH! RAPH! LEO!"

It was Raph who leaped over with Mikey, about a hundred foot-bots trailing after them. Mikey used his 'chucks to latch onto the roof. Raph grabbed me and the other end of the nun-chucks.

"Are you alright?!"

I could only nod as Mikey hoisted Raph climbed up with me. When we got to the roof, Zoey grabbed Raph's mask and pulled it, sending him flying onto the roof. The she grabbed my hand.

"Just DIE already! You are giving me a head pain!"

I started to glow. Once more, adrenaline coursed through my veins as I started to fly up.

"No."

I set fire to all of the robots, helping April and Donnie up. Leo ran to me as soon as landed and stopped glowing.

"Taylor! I'm sorry! I'm sorry I couldn't save you!"

He hugged me tightly.

"It's okay. Raph helped. So thank him."

Raph walked over, limping. Then he hugged me- in front of Zoey. She gasped and screamed. The she disappeared, leaving Karai on the roof.

"Hey! Zoey!" Karai growled at us, especially Leo. "This isn't over, Turtles! Shredder can't wait too long for Hamato! Or Taylor!"

And with that, she jumped off the roof.

I was in the living room, opening and closing my hand, trying to somehow summon a bit of electric blue. That's when Raph walked in.

"Hey, Tay-" He sat crossed his arms. "What are you doing?"

"Trying something."

He rolled his eyes as he sat down next to me.

"I wanted to say sorry. I should have taken better care of you."

"It's okay, Raph. You didn't know that we were gonna get ambushed."

"Still."

I stopped flexing my hand and looked at Raph. He looked at the dark-screened T.V. In this moment, he seemed... like a kid. My heart pumped. Something was telling me that I could care less about Leo.

That Raphael needed my attention much more.

"Raph?"

"Yeah?"

I kissed him. because my heart was telling me to. He hugged me and kissed me back. We sat there, making out, not noticing someone walk in.

"Whoa. What is going on here?"

I parted at the sound of a boy's voice. He was smiling, showing missing teeth. He had a hockey mask and his head, pulled back.

"Casey!" Raph groaned. "What do you want?"

"Casey?" The name sounded familiar... "Casey... Jones?"

"That's right. And you are?"

"Taylor. You're the kid that April tutors. Right?"

"You got that right. So, are you and Raph a thing or something? This hot-head finally found a girlfriend?"

At that word, girlfriend, Raph's eyes turned black and he leaped onto Casey. Then he started punching.

"Ow! Raph, buddy, what's going-ow!-on?! What did I do?"

Raph got kicked back. Casey leaped up, flinging on his hockey mask, taking out a baseball bat.

"Raph, don't make me use this!"

Raph charged back, something strange about him. I stepped in front... and paid the price.