None of us knew what Raph did until after it was over.

I mean, if we had known we would have understood why she finally made a break.

She had been with us for almost two weeks, and her strength had returned. And her friendship with Mike bloomed. Even when she tried to be cold to him and make him leave her alone, he kept going back. I think despite herself she couldn't help but like him.

Leo had no part in any of it. He stayed away. I think he knew he might end up liking her, and he wanted to stay as neutral as he could about it all. For when we had to make our choice.

I should have. But I knew already that mike wasn't the only one taken with her. Master Splinter stayed and spoke with her on many a day, although they spoke in low tones and I never heard anything of what they talked over.

I tried to be like Leo. I did. But it was hard not to smile when I heard mike laughing at some things she said. Or when they would sing together, trading lines of song.

Still I didn't go and talk to her. I mostly listened. Mike and Master Splinter were the only ones who really spoke with her.

Until that day. Raph had made up his mind it seemed, and none of us knew. He'd dropped even complaining about her and mostly just ignored everything like Leo.

I figured he'd washed his hands of everything. He still glared at me when he saw me smirking over an overheard comment...or a laugh, but that was it.

If we had known, maybe....well.......who knows what might have been.