Christmas and a Proposal

Lily rubbed her arms as she watched the others from the back way where they wouldn't see her. She had spent half their celebration time – which consisted of dinner, a food-fight, and jokes and laughter – thinking about what she could say to Donatello. It hurt so badly when she saw their brightness and laughter, made her cry several times, even. She knew he sensed her, there was no other explanation for the way he was so rigid. She had realized she was so afraid was because she had little confidence that she could.

She had gone through it in her mind and everything pointed in the direction that she had all the means necessary to keep Ciar from hurting her family. He was an animal, and so was she. He may be an even more powerful one, but they all had a weakness. She knew full well what hers was, but she could easily figure out a way to avoid it.

'So what's stopping you now?' Ciar asked in her mind, bored out of his mind. Yes the argument was entertaining when it was happening, but now that it had been stopped for hours and they had spent time alone, he was growing bored.

'I'm waiting for an opening, Ciar,' Lily sighed. She found just bursting into a conversation was rude.

'Just jump in…' Ciar smirked.

'No,' Lily rolled her eyes, 'You may find it fun but I don't.'

Ciar rolled his eyes, but decided to stay silent as he watched the party continue on. It was so boring. Nothing fun or exciting happening…

"Of course you are bored…" Lily muttered under her breath. Michelangelo did something and it made Nao blush and throw a pillow at the young turtle and everyone else laughed. She chuckled too. She had missed Mikey's antics and suddenly she felt better. The orange-banded turtle always seemed to make all their spirits lighten.

'Just go over and tell him,' Ciar grumbled, 'or I'll make you. Just appear and sit down if you have to. It won't matter. He already knows.'

"Everyone else doesn't," Lily snorted, but rolled her eyes and carefully walked out there. The girls looked at her with smiles, but the boys all narrowed their eyes a bit, "Hello, minna…" she said and was nervous again.

"Welcome back." Rachel grinned at Lily. "Have fun?"

Lily smiled at Rachel gratefully, "Eh, I just went out for a walk, but the wind's starting to pick up out there. I think we're going to have a blizzard tonight…" she said and attentively sat down next to Donatello.

Rachel winced, "A blizzard? You're kidding..." She liked snow, but blizzards weren't on her top favorite storms.

Don gently gave her a slight smile, but didn't really look her in the eyes. He was still tense from the fight, but he was also relaxed that she had come back. He was cautious because he didn't want another fight. He prayed that there wasn't going to be another. At least not now…

Lily smiled back but then bowed her head, "Don…I'm sorry…" she said hesitantly. As she spoke more her words got a bit faster because she was nervous and unsure, "I didn't mean to push you away, but I thought if I told you, you would follow me, or try and stop me and attempt to offer an alternative. I couldn't do that because my plan was already set, and if you had come you would have been hurt one way or another."

As clueless as what Lily even said, Rachel still crossed her fingers by her side and hid it behind her back, watching Don's reaction. He looked completely shocked and gently hugged her, "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have kept pressuring you for information. I was just worried. I still am, but I'll try not to be too worried anymore. I thought I pushed you away."

Lily blinked in surprise that he had hugged her so quickly, but then hugged him back tightly, relieved, "No, no, never," she soothed. She then went to a different yet similar topic, "Don…you said I was lying about loving you……that's anything but true………"

"I know," Don said softly. "I was mad, Lily, there are things I say that I mean, and others that I don't and that was one of them. I know you love me the same way I love you."

"Alright," Lily nodded. She smiled as she pulled away, "I'll try and tell you my plans next time, Chigiri."

"Arigato," Don smiled.

"Aw they made up!" Rachel squealed happily.

Lily blushed and the other laughed. She threw a pillow at Rachel but then giggled too.

"That looks familiar…" Nao snickered and then said, "I REALLY need to brush up on my history…" she shook her head.

"What are you talking about?" Rachel asked as she gently tossed the pillow to Nao, "I meant to throw that at Lily but I guess I was facing you so it randomly went to you."

Nao easily caught it and threw it at Donatello, "First those two," she motioned to Leonardo and Brianna, "Now them!" she pointed at Lily and Don.

Lily's eyes widened, "What'd we do?!" she asked.

"YOU'RE LIFEBONDED THAT'S WHAT!" Nao bowed her head, "You guys suck…" she palmed her forehead, "I have no idea if it's just this family's spirituality or what, but seriously…who's next?"

Rachel's eyes widen before she jumped back, "That's unexpected, but expected. I think you and Mikey."

Mikey just laughed and shook his head. "Impossible."

"Don't deny it, little brother." Rachel said playfully, "You and Nao have been acting the same."

"I'm sure there are requirements," Mikey shook his head, "What about you and Raph?"

"That'd be a mircial in disguise to you wouldn't it?" Rachel huffed playfully as she folded her arms.

Raphael pulled Rachel down into his lap and then kissed her neck, "Why do you say that?" he asked.

Everyone burst out laughing a she let out an indignant squeak. "I don't know. I just don't think I really like the idea of being Lifebonded. I mean…" She looked upwards, her lips pursed closed and then she said, "For one thing, if you were in pain or me? I don't think either of us would survive. Not to mention we get ourselves in some pretty bad situations to begin with."

Raph dug out the velvet box from his pocket and handed it to her, "And your point is what, my love?"

Rachel raised an eyebrow as she looked at the box and then to him and then back to the box, "Um…speechless. My god…" She starting chewing on her lip, "Is this what I think it is?"

"No Rae, he's giving you a ring to declare that he's going to break up with you and leave," Mikey told her.

"Smart ass," Rachel burst out laughing and hugged Raph tightly.

"What a way to put it, bro," Raphael laughed as he hugged Rachel back and held his free hand out to high-five Michelangelo. He then pulled away, "Open it, Rachel," he nudged her.

Rachel rubbed her lips together and gently opened the box to have her eyes widen. It was a beautiful Celtic cross with a black diamond in the middle with a black band instead of the normal silver. "Oh my god…" She whispered, "This is gorgeous."

Raph kissed her neck again, "I'm glad you like it," he murmured affectionately, "But I still gotta do this the old fashioned way…" he then shifted her so she was sitting down and then he slithered down onto the floor. He took the ring as he knelt in front of her and grinned at her blush, "Rachel Jay Stevens, will you marry me?"

There was utter silence in the room.

"Yes," Rachel nodded with a big, big smile on her face, "I will marry you, Raphael Hamato."

"YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" the whole room erupted into cheers.

"Yes! Go Raph! Noogie!" Casey laughed and put his friend in a headlock and noogied him.

Rachel burst out laughing as she was gathered into a hug by Don, Lily and Mikey who were the nearest to her.

"Hey, let me hug my sister!" Bria pouted.

Leo just smiled; he was glad that his brother actually didn't wait until being the last person again, to confess his feelings to the woman of his life. "Congratulations," He said with a big smile, "Welcome to family, Rae."

"Be careful please," Rachel winced slightly as Mikey accidentally hugged her too tightly, "Thank you…" He had loosened his grip, but then moved out of the way so Bria could have a chance at hugging her.

Brianna grinned and huggled her sister, "Oh, man, girl, this is AWESOME!!!" she grinned and kissed her cheek, "Now you have a sparkly on your hand."

"I swear you and Matt should have gotten together before he found out his sexuality. You guys would have been made in heaven." Rachel muttered, but grinned big. Now it was her turn to tell Raphael and everyone what was up with her. She pursed her lips together. Damn it was going to be difficult.

Lily rolled her eyes as she saw Rachel's dilemma. She pulled her out of the pile of hugs and then turned her to face Raph, "Tell him. Just shout it for the world to hear! You have nothing to be afraid of," she grinned and shoved her forward.

Raphael raised an eyebrow but smiled, "What's up?" he asked.

"Instead of crashing into you, I'm still standing that's the only thing different about that." Rachel muttered to herself, before she started playing with her hair nervously, "Um…can I tell you something?"

"Anything, Rachel," Raphael chuckled, "You can tell me anything."

"One should not say that unless they really mean that." Rachel raised an eyebrow, "Okay…" She started playing with her hair even more nervously. "You know how I fainted a few days ago when I argued with Matt and been extremely tired and being really different right?"

"Yeah…like also not drinking coffee anymore…You hate tea but now we can't pull you away from it," Raph put a hand on either of her shoulders, "Just spit it out."

"I'm a month along," Rachel admitted finally, "I'm with your kid."

Raph stared at her for the longest time, completely frozen solid. He had no idea what to say. Everyone else was silent, too and had a shocked expression except Lily and Donatello. "You…You're…OH MY GOD, I LOVE YOU!!!" he suddenly just picker her up and twirled her around happily.

Rachel burst out laughing and hugged him. Leo looked over at Bria who looked shocked, "I'm guessing the only ones that knew were the cats," He in literal shock.

Don was grinning, "So we had a proposal and a pregnancy announcement," He looked over at Lily and smiled at her.

"I told her she had nothing to be worried about!" Lily grinned totally missing his smile. She saw Bria and Nao glaring at her though and held her hands up; "She made me swear I would tell you!" she tried to defend and ducked behind Don.

Brianna sighed, "Well, it seems Christmas is the magical day today," she looked at Raphael and her sister totally hyper now and she couldn't help but to smile.

"That I won't deny," Don murmured, "I wouldn't deny that at all."

Nao shook her head, "I asked…and my question was answered…" she sighed and then also smiled.

"So Raph and Rae were the next couple to be Lifebonded? That took a long while." Mikey smirked.

"Yup," Nao chuckled.

"So how does it feel?" Mikey teased Raph once the newly engaged couple had settled down, "I know for a fact that I'm ecstatic…"

"Knowing you, Mikey," Rachel was grinning wildly, "You're going to spoil my kid rotten."

"You have no idea how true that will be," Raph laughed.

Leo rolled his eyes teasingly, everyone knew that Mikey was going to spoil the child rotten, but so was Bria. He knew that for a fact seeing how Bria could barely keep herself contained from jumping her sister around the room. "Congrats, both of you," he smiled.

Rachel blinked but then smiled, "I thought for sure you'd be lecturing."

"Eh…" Leo shook his head, "Not this time around."

Bria pursed her lips, "Everyone's a worry-wert…" she grumbled. She knew exactly what Leo meant by that.

"There's always one in the family," Rachel pointed out to her sister.

Bria sighed, "True, true," she conceded.

Raph snickered and brought Rachel closer to him. He nuzzled her, "Thank you…" he whispered.

"You helped out," Rachel pouted at the light kiss, but grinned anyway, "You started it," She winked.