Raph watched Angel from across the lair's living room as Casey, April and Mikey all congratulated her for what felt like the hundredth time. He had already hugged her, ruffled her hair and commented "look at you, kid", though she wasn't a kid anymore and sure didn't need him to tell her that. It had been twelve years since they met, and she'd blossomed into a beautiful woman.

Leo had excused himself earlier, saying that he'd patrol alone; something that had become more common since Splinter's death a year ago. 'And they'd always though Ah was the bonehead.'

Don was coming from his lab, as usual a cup of black coffee in his right hand at nearly three in the morning. Raph figured that one day they were going to find him dead in his office chair, after his heart explodes from all the caffeine he drinks. The latter stopped beside him, drawing a drag from with Raph assumed was lukewarm coffee at best. "Whatcha thinking, Raph?"

He cut a smirk at his younger brother. "Dat I don't know how ya down that tar you're drinkin'. Anymore dumb questions, Brainiac?"

Don smiled, downing the last of his cup before leaning his elbow against Raph's shoulder. "Same way you down the piss you call beer." As their eyes met, he nodded towards their friends. "You should tell her."

Raph sighed shrugging off the arm. "Ah don't know what you're talkin' 'bout."

Don's smile fell as he turned towards him. "Don't be dense Raph, you know how she feels about you."

The red banded brother sighed and crossed his arms, his green eyes narrowing at brown ones. "We're close, always have been, so what?"

Don shook his head. "It's more than that, when Splinter dead last year you two…"

"She's a kid, Don."

Through his words had cut the thought off mid-sentence, Don knew Raph didn't need to be reminded that Angel rushing home had saved his life. They'd hung together in the days after Splinter's death, wither they were sparing in the dojo or working on one thing or another in the garage; they'd even shared his bed for the week Angel had taken away from college. They were almost never apart.

Meeting his brother's eyes, Donatello could see the strain denying his feelings would take if he allowed Raph to do so. So, he pressed on. "She's 24, Raph."

He watched the muscles in Raph's arms flex as he tightened them across his chest. "An' ain't been scared by half what we've seen; she's got her whole life ahead of her."

Raph's voice took on a tone that Donatello knew all too well; it was the tone he used when he was finished with a conversation and before he beat the hell out of whoever was in front of him. It was his 'done' tone.

Don pinched the nasal bridge between his eyes and sighed as he heard Raph turn upon his heel; probably retreating to the garage. He'd have to reach him now. "I know you remember the last time we fought the Daimyo's son and Drako, Raph."

Raph's steps stopped dead and Don turned to stare into his brother's back. "The world I was thrown into was war ravished and everything we knew was gone thanks to the Shredder." Raph stood still, no foreseeable intention on interrupting. "Casey and Splinter dead, Mikey lost an arm, April had to lead the resistance, you and Leo hated each other and were fighting an endless war through various states of blindness."

His older brother sighed, his shoulders sinking as he turned to face him. "Get to your point, Donny."

Don nodded, meeting Raph's eyes. "The same love you have for each other there is what I see trying to form here. Why walk away?"

Raph's eyes softened behind the mask as his attention moved past Don, locking on the 'woman of the hour'; a sad smile crossing his features. "She's my girl, Don, always will be." Their eyes met and Don could have sworn he saw tears in his brother's eyes. "She deserves better than Ah've got."

Without waiting for a response, Raph turned and walked away, never seeing the violet eyes that had sought him out watched him go.