Leo and Cass went inside and unable to contain her excitement, Cass blurted out, "Jas, me and Leo are getting hitched." Jasmine was sitting next to Raph on the couch. She jumped up and flung her arms around her sister. "That's awesome, sis. I'm so happy for you. Congrats and welcome to our family, Leo."

"Yeah, congrats, guys," Raph said. "We have some news of our own, don't we, angel?" he said, looking at his mate.

Jasmine nodded and said, "Raph popped the question and I said yes."

"Fantastic!" Cass squealed. "We're both tying the knot, sis. I'm so happy, I could burst. Jas, let's go look at wedding magazines. I saw some in Bron's room and she won't mind if we look at them. Come."

"Now?"

"Yes. Now. Come on!" Cass shrieked, dragging her sister away.

Leo smiled at his brother and said, "Congrats, Raph. She's a lovely girl."

"She is and I can't wait until we're bonded," Raph said, his eyes shining with happiness. "She's the one, Leo. I know she is and I'm gonna show her how much I love her every single day. I'm happy for ya too, Leo. Ya deserve happiness and I hope she makes ya happy."

"She does. I'm going to have a lie down. Need anything before I go?"

"Nope."

"See you later."

Left alone, Raph looked at Jasmine's phone on the coffee table. In the girls' excitement, Jasmine had left it behind. Raph picked it up, curious to see what was on it. Scrolling through, he saw several photos of a forest green and dark blue eyed turtle holding hands with a smiling Jasmine. Sam, Raph thought. Must be him. He read their conversations too. Sam was romantic and often wrote long poems to Jasmine and she did the same. It seemed to be their thing and Raph felt insecure. How I can compete with him, he thought? I ain't no poet. He's perfect, a real Prince Charming. I ain't that. He placed the phone back on the table and thought, she's not over him. Maybe she'll never be. I can't compete with a ghost. A fuckin' perfect ghost. It's weird that she still has photos of him. Ain't like he's ever gonna come back. Does she still think 'bout him? I'm gonna ask her. If she loves me, she has ta get rid of those photos.

The rest of the day was uneventful. Over dinner, the couples announced their engagements and there was much laughter and celebration. When Raphael went to bed, he asked Jasmine to join him. "I don't think this is a good idea," she said, after she'd kissed him good night. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Why?"

"Because we said we'd wait until we'd had the ceremony."

"Can I at least see ya naked?"

"No, Raph. That'll lead to sex."

"I bet ya let see Sam see ya naked," Raph said jealously. "Yer my mate. Why can't I see ya?"

"I don't want sex now, Raph! I told you and leave Sam out of it."

"Why? Ya afraid yer bein' disloyal ta a ghost if I see ya naked? For damn's sake, I'm yer mate. It's normal for mates ta see each other naked. Here's me," Raph said, throwing the bed covers aside.

"I'm going to go…"

Raph grabbed her hand and said, "Come on, Jas. I ain't askin' ta sleep with ya. I just wanna see ya. Please. I like ya and think yer beautiful. I just wanna see. I ain't tryin' ta be a jerk. I'm sorry if I sound like one. Please."

Jasmine shyly removed her clothes and Raph watched her with hooded eyes, his shell growing extremely tight. "Yer gorgeous," he said huskily. "So stunning. Come here. We'll just cuddle, I promise."

"Okay," Jasmine said nervously. "But nothing else, Raph."

She got into bed beside him and they kissed deeply, Raph's hands exploring her shapely body, until he found her slit. "Lie down," Raph said, ignoring the throb in his groin. "I wanna do somethin'."

"No, Raph, I said I…"

"Ya will like this, Jas. Trust me," Raph said, and kissed her gently. "Do ya trust me?"

"Raph…."

"Look, we ain't gonna screw, but we gotta have some relief while we wait for the ceremony and I wanna make ya happy."

"Buy me some flowers," Jasmine said sarcastically, sitting up. "I said no."

"Flowers don't make ya see stars," Raph said, pushing her back down. "Let me do this for ya. It's my gift ta ya for bein' so sweet ta me. I bet ya'd let Sam do it!"

"Is that what this is about?" Jasmine said heatedly, shoving Raph off of her. "You're jealous of Sam? He's dead. That's stupid, Raphael, and you don't need to woo me with sex to make me happy."

"Ya know what's stupid? Still havin' his photos on yer phone!"

"You snooped," Jasmine said, tears springing to her eyes. "How could you violate my privacy? I've never done that to you. Maybe our engagement's a mistake. You'll..."

Raph's heart sank at her words and he felt like he couldn't breathe. He started to hyperventilate and Jasmine looked at him in concern. "Raphael…"

"Can't breathe. I'm sorry. I just wanted ta see if…What was on yer phone. I'm sorry for bein' an asshole and for pryin'. Don't leave me, Jas. I'd die without ya. I was jealous of Sam. He sounds so perfect. A romantic and everythin' I ain't. I can't compete with a ghost."

"You stupid ass," Jasmine said, all her rage melting away and folding him into a hug. "I like you, because you're you, Raph. I don't need you to be anyone else and you don't have to be a romantic to make me happy or buy me things. Just love me. That's all I want and competing with Sam? That's silly. You don't have to think that way, Raph. I'm yours and I'll always be yours. Sam and I had our time, but I'm yours now."

"But ya said the engagement was a mistake," Raph said, burying his head against her plastron and inhaling her scent.

"I get mad too, Raph, but I…I don't want us to end."

"Do ya still love him?"

"He was my first love and he'll always have a place in my heart. Like I guess Amanda will with you. I know that and I'm cool with it, because I know we're together and nothing will change it. Nothing. I love him, but I'm not in love with him. I think I could love someone else," Jasmine said, her hazel eyes twinkling.

"Would ya delete his photos if I asked?"

"Would you delete Amanda's photos?"

"I never had any of her on my phone, but I would have done if ya'd asked me."

"If it means so much to you, Raph, I will," Jasmine said, reaching for her phone in her jeans pocket on the floor.

"It does. The only pics of guys I want ya ta have are of me!"

Jasmine sat down on the bed and deleted her gallery of her and Sam and the conversations. "All done, Raph," she said. "I suppose it was time to remove them. Can't stay trapped in the past."

"Take of us and send it ta my phone. We're makin' new memories, Jas."

Jasmine did as he said and said, "All done. Time for bed, Raph. I'm very tired."

"Wait. Give me yer phone."

"Why?"

"Just do it."

Jasmine handed him her phone and he snapped several photos of her and sent them to his phone. "If ya don't want any action, at least I got somethin' of ya ta masturbate ta, Jas," Raph said, and grinned.

"You're a naughty boy," Jasmine said, and smiled.

"I am and when yer ready, I'm gonna show ya how much."

Jasmine lay down, pressed up against him. Their faces were turned to one another and she said, "You're the only boy whose seen me naked, Raph. I always wanted to wait until marriage. My master forced himself on me, but Sam prevented sex from happening by attacking him. That's when we escaped and I saw Sam fall to the ground when he was shot by my master. I wanted to run back to Sam, but he told me to run. He gave up his life to save me. My sister wasn't so lucky. Our master raped her and hurt her so badly that she may never be able to have kids. I hope she can. She'd be an amazing mom."

"Just like ya will be," Raph said, and kissed her gently on the lips. "I'm so sorry, Jas, that ya and yer sister went through that. I wish I'd been there for ya guys. I'd have killed yer… that bastard with my bare hands. Does Leo know?"

"I don't know and it's not our secret to tell."

"If I ever find Akita Yamaha, I'm gonna kill him. What does he look like?"

"Wears a purple cape and a metal mouthguard, has dark hair and dark eyes. Has goons named Bebop and Rocksteady."

"Shredder!" Raph said in amazement.

"Who?"

"My bros and I know him as Shredder and we've dealt with him many times. Yer enemy's my enemy and I'm gonna fuck him up so bad when I see him. Trust me. No one hurts my girl and her sister and gets away with it. Wonder why he used an alias, though."

"He told me that a man he admired was called Akita Yamaha, so he adopted that name and gave us that surname. I hate it."

"Well, yer gonna have a new surname. Hamato."

"Not Rossi?"

"As much as I love my family, I'm used ta Hamato and I ain't gonna change it, Mrs. Hamato," Raph said, and smirked.

"Mrs Hamato. I love it! Night, Mr. Hamato, I…I adore you."

"Same here, angel," Raph said, and kissed her gently on the lips. "And I always will."

The couple fell asleep, unaware that their new found love was going to be tested by an unexpected visitor.