Author's Note:  *smiles brightly and waves at reviewers*  Hi!  Well, it's good to know that I haven't scared all of you away.  Hee hee.  Thanks so much for the kind feedback!  I love you all!  *gives out lots of hugs*  Note before we begin:  blah, blah indicates Japanese.  And I do not own Richard Marx's "Hold on To the Night."  Hope you all enjoy this!  Lots of thanks to sss.  ;)  *gapes at previous chapter*  I mislabeled it, it wasn't supposed to be chapter five, but chapter six.  This is chapter seven.  Hee hee.  Sorry.

*Chapter Seven*

Shannon:

I wanted to call out, to get his attention, but my voice was caught in my throat. All I could do was watch as the shadow disappeared into pitch-blackness, waiting for the inevitable. "Something interesting down there?"

I nearly jumped out of my skin. I spun and stumbled back, tripping over the coffee table, and crashed into the sofa, my hand clapped over my own mouth to stop myself from screaming. I lay still, hyperventilating, as my eyes adjusted to the darkness. I saw the faint outline of a dark figure, silhouetted against the moonlight. A slight breeze rustled the thin curtains in front of the open balcony door. I swallowed hard, willing my heartbeat to slow back down to normal, and lowered my hand slowly. "Omigod, you scared me!" I hissed.

Raphael grinned at me as he offered a hand. "Sorry," he mumbled. "I didn't mean to."

An uneasy feeling swept over me again as he pulled me easily to my feet and the effects of being scared out of my wits slowly ebbed away. Fifteen feet behind me, beyond a closed door, was Michaelangelo. I shifted nervously and instinctively positioned myself at the mouth of the hallway. There was no chance of getting Mike out. That meant Raphael had to leave. And he had to leave now!

His eyes shifted from me to look beyond me, and my heart began to beat even faster as thoughts of what would happen if Mike woke up now came to my mind. Raphael's head cocked slightly to the side and for a moment, I wondered if he was going to question me about the panicked fear that I knew must be written all over my face. He shifted his weight, eyeing me carefully, and I tensed as I watched his eyes move. I prayed there was nothing in this room that suggested I wasn't alone...

Relief washed over me as he spoke again, and I realized our thoughts were nowhere near the same. "Did I wake you up?"

Finally, I found my voice. "Raph," I began in a hoarse whisper. I stopped as I realized how panicked I sounded. Oh, god, he was going to figure it out just by my voice! I closed my eyes and breathed deep, willing myself to be calm. "Raphael, you have to get out of here."

I looked up at him again and in the dim moonlight that flooded through the balcony window, I saw a puzzled look appear on his face. Oh, lord, that sounded so desperate... I immediately sought for something else to say, to fix the way that had come out. "I mean..." I stammered. My mind raced, but I couldn't come up with the words.

"What's wrong?" he asked, the look on his face changing to one of concern.

Terrifying scenarios ran through my mind. I imagined him getting the idea that I'd been hurt, that my attacker was still here. He'd push past me and throw the bedroom door open. And Mike would sit up in bed, shocked. Should I run, at that point? Should I try to explain? Should I just curl into a ball and die?

"It's..."I struggled. "It's nothing. I'm... fine. It's just... Please!"

My whisper rose in volume as the tension in my chest escalated and stole the breath from my lungs. Oh, please, just leave... He shook his head slightly. "I don't understand…"

He wanted an explanation. There was no getting around it. Think fast, Shannon! I bit my lip, shifting my weight nervously. His eyes left mine for just an instant and flickered to the darkness over my shoulder. Every muscle in my body tensed.

I stepped forward instinctively, trying to divert his attention, and pressed my hands to his plastron, but his gaze remained locked over my shoulder, eyes narrowing. I panicked. Placing both hands on his cheeks, I forced him to look at me and rose on my tiptoes, kissing him hard. For a moment, he was shocked. But it distracted him well enough. His arms slipped around my waist and I watched his eyes slide closed.

As our tongues met, a sharp pang of guilt shot through me. This was wrong. This was so very wrong. It wasn't fair to either of them. The simple misunderstanding had gotten so out of hand, I didn't know what to do about it. Tell them... Yes. I had to tell them. I couldn't go on doing this any longer. I had to explain what had happened, no matter how painful it would be.

I pressed to him, buying more time. When I pull away, I'm going to tell him... I remembered Mike, in the next room, and my thoughts lingered there. Telling him would be harder. I knew that the truth would hurt both of them, but I imagined it would hurt Mike more. Raphael wasn't... My thoughts faded into a blur, and I forgot the logic of my assumption. How would it not hurt Raph to find out that I was sleeping with his brother while I was kissing him?

The thought made my stomach turn. I felt like a slut, and I hated it. I'd never cheated on a boyfriend. I'd hated girls that did. Never in a million years would I have thought I'd be here, caught up in this soap opera. But no more. It was going to end now, even if it did hurt. Even if he was angry. Even if he hated me...

I considered that for a moment. Michaelangelo had shown me a new side of Raphael: his angry side. Did I really want to piss him off? Did I dare to? You can't keep lying to him, Shannon... No, I couldn't. But perhaps a confession was not wise when his brother was just down the hall. I imagined telling him, and watching in shocked horror as he stormed down the hallway into my bedroom. What would he do? What would he say to Mike? Would he even give me a chance to tell him that it wasn't Michaelangelo's fault?

That wasn't wise. Not here. Not now. I would tell him, but to do so now was wrong. Right now, I had to get him out of here before he discovered Michaelangelo.

He pulled away slowly and our lips parted. My eyes immediately lowered in shame. That was so wrong... And at the same time, for him, it wasn't. For him to kiss me, his girlfriend, was totally natural and even expected. Oh, where did everything go so wrong?

I realized he was talking, and that I hadn't heard a word of what he'd said so far. "... haven't seen you for three days and—"

"Now isn't the time, Raph," I interrupted, well aware of his words. Three days? Had it really been that long? I hated doing this to him, seeing him like this…but this wasn't the place for words. "Please." I rested my hands on his shoulders and dared to look up at him. "We'll talk later. I promise. I'll explain everything."

The pained look on his face made me drop my eyes. Yes, I would explain everything. The vow to do so was written on my heart. I wouldn't put him through any more of this. "Raph... trust me," I whispered to the carpet. "Please?"

He let go of my waist with one of his arms, and he brushed his hand across my cheek, pushing some strands of loose hair behind my ear. I cringed at the gentle touch, though with my face turned to the floor, I knew he couldn't see it. "Just tell me why," he whispered.

I sighed. "My... brother dropped by for an unexpected visit."

The words rolled off my tongue easily and I wondered where I'd come up with them. I immediately felt guilty. I shouldn't be lying to him. But I had no choice. If he and Mike saw each other here...

"Your brother?" he questioned, and I could sense the sharpness in his voice. His words bit into me, and the suspicion that I heard there caused me to falter. Was the lie that obvious? Raph, please don't ask questions... Please just leave...

"Yes," I repeated, feeling the beat of my heart quicken as once again I thought of Mike in the next room. His brother. "My brother."

Oh, Mikey, please don't wake up…

"So you want me to leave." The statement was blunt and flat, and I cringed slightly. The icy tone cut through me like a knife. I pleaded silently that he wouldn't argue with me, and that he'd just listen. Outwardly, I managed a slight nod.

He thought about it for a moment and then he replied. "Sure, I'll leave." I cringed at his tone, recognizing the sarcasm. "While I'm at it, why don't I just go jump off the bridge? Or would you miss me then?"

I kept my eyes down, shaking my head slightly, pleading with him in my mind. Please don't be mad... Please just leave... I promise I'll explain... "Raphael, please," I begged.

He sighed deeply and turned away, but made no move toward the open balcony. After a moment of silence, he looked back at me. "How long is he going to be here?" he demanded, his voice losing much of the irritation that had tainted it a moment ago.

Again I faltered. God, I hated lying to him. Well then why are you doing it?

I have no choice!

And whose fault is that?

"A while," I managed. "I don't know exactly how long. Maybe just a couple days, but..." I looked up and caught his stare. A lump formed in my throat and I forced it down. I had to tell him. I couldn't put it off. The guilt would eat me alive if I didn't tell him soon, and I knew it. "Come back tomorrow night," I whispered. "I'll... make sure he's not here. Then we can talk. I'll explain everything."

I heard a noise behind me and panic washed over me again, stealing my breath. Instantly, my heart beat faster. Mike was awake. The bed was shifting as he stood up. My eyes darted to Raphael and I saw him looking down the hallway. I pressed hard to him, drawing his attention away from the door. I'm so close... Please don't walk out of there yet!

 

"Please go!" I whispered harshly, not even trying to hide the panic. "If he sees you here...!"

Time stopped for a moment as his arms wrapped around my waist. He leaned down and I turned my head slightly, cringing as I considered what kinds of questions such an action could raise. He kissed the side of my mouth rather than my lips, and pulled away slowly, a confused look on his face. Please don't ask... please just leave... His hands unlocked from around my waist and in an instant, he was gone.

I spun as my bedroom door opened, and the balcony door hissed quietly as it slid into place.

Raphael:

As I left her place, the darkness of the night gave me a comfortable feeling of security, and the moon gave me just enough light to see by. But I really wasn't paying much attention to it. I was still trying to decide what I was feeling. It seemed that at this moment, every possible emotion was running through me, and I was having a difficult time separating and distinguishing them. What had gone on there? The question rang through my mind as I ran back over the brief conversation I'd just had with Shannon.

Her brother was visiting.

Her brother.

The statement was logical enough.

Then why are you doubting it?

My inner voice was screaming at me, but I wasn't sure why. I couldn't place it. As I slipped into the dark alley, I closed my eyes and retraced her image in my mind. She'd been nervous, but that was to be expected if she was afraid of her brother waking up and seeing me. There was nothing about that that didn't ring true. No, it was something else. Something just didn't feel right.

I sighed, and opened my eyes, having a frustrated sigh. Something didn't feel right with this whole thing. I tried to remember past conversations that we'd had, searching for any information I could pull about her brother. There weren't too many times I could recall when she had been talking more about her herself than asking questions about me and my family. Come to think of it, I couldn't recall any time when she had ever gone into serious detail about her family. I knew she didn't get along with them, but that was about it.

Then why is her brother visiting?

I considered that for a moment. To reconcile? I guessed.

Seemed reasonable, but I still couldn't shake off the feeling I had that things weren't as they seemed. There was a piece somewhere that I was missing. I sighed and pushed the thoughts out of my mind. I'd talk to her later. Right now, I had other problems.

The last place I wanted to go was home. That place was about as close to hell as I could get without actually dying. But right now, it seemed as though I had no choice. If I stayed out any later, I would just make everything worse. Leo would be a raving maniac.

I had headed to her apartment in the first place to escape the talk that Leo had been in the process of giving me. It was the same old thing, every time, and I didn't know how much more of him I'd be able to stand. With Mike gone more frequently, there wasn't really anyone to step between the fighting anymore. Don spent more and more time in his lab, and Splinter only came in when the shouting became more than he could stand.

It seemed as though I couldn't even go out with Casey anymore without Leo waiting to pounce on me with one of his famous "responsibility" lectures. Or lack thereof, as it appeared to be in my case. Now with Shannon's place off limits for who knows how long, my options of escape had been partly killed. I sighed as I felt my thoughts drifting back to her again. Something still felt unsettling to me.

I tensed suddenly, and froze as my sixth sense kicked in, warning me. Something was wrong. Something was dangerous. I was being watched. I turned slowly, my eyes scanning the alley. I always took care to use darkened alleyways to walk through the city streets so I could avoid being seen. But it wouldn't be the first time I'd been followed.

Except there was no one behind me. No... it was coming from somewhere else.

I lifted my gaze to the rooftops next to me, tensed and instinctively ready for battle, but I got the same result. No one was there. I turned again until I was facing the busy New York streets and raised my eyes to the rooftops across the road, making out the faint outline of the ledges in the moonlight.

Something moved. A shadowed figure, poised on the rooftop of one of the buildings.

I blinked, and then, in an instant, it was gone. I stared, waiting for it to return, but the space that had just been occupied but a second ago was empty. I could've sworn that there had been something there…

You're losing your mind, Raphael.

 

I still couldn't shake the uneasiness. But even so, I needed to get home. I sighed as I turned and continued on my way back to the lair.

Michaelangelo:

She stood in the center of the living room, still as a statue, her wide eyes trained on me. I studied her for a moment as I slipped out of the room and started down the hallway. "Shannon? You okay?"

Her eyes darted behind her, and she relaxed slightly. "Yeah," she clipped, but the tension in her voice was evident.

I walked to her and looked around the living room for any clue as to what was bothering her. The shadows danced over the walls, but nothing moved. She swallowed hard as my eyes came to rest on her. "Are you sure?" I whispered, concerned. Something had spooked her. "What are you doing up?" I glanced at the clock, but I couldn't read it in the darkness. "It's the middle of the night."

"I..." she stammered, shifting nervously. "... had a nightmare. Um... and I went to... get a drink of water."

I stepped forward and rested my hands on her shoulders. She was hard as a rock from the tension. I kissed her cheek lightly and massaged a little, and her breathing slowly returned to normal. I ran my hands down her arms and took her hands, rubbing my thumb gently over her palms. "Come here," I guided, stepping back.

"Where?" she asked, still sounding worried.

I led her to the kitchen table and pulled one of the chairs out with my foot. "Sit down," I ordered gently.

She complied and I brushed her hair back, then ran my fingers over the collar of her robe. I followed it down to where it was closed over her chest, and separated it slowly. She tensed up as I eased the fabric off of her bare shoulders and pulled her hair back again. I rested my hands on her skin and rubbed gently at first.

After a few minutes, I felt her slowly begin to relax. I massaged harder, pressing against the top of her chest with my fingers and using my thumbs at the base of her neck. She exhaled a deep breath, and a quiet moan escaped her lips with it. I smiled. "Feel good?"

"You're really good at this," she whispered.

I laughed quietly as I ran my fingers over her warm skin. "It's even better with some warm oil and quiet music in the background," I answered, leaning down and nuzzling her hair. "I'll have to show you sometime."

She moaned as my hands ran down, over her chest, and cupped her breasts. "Why don't you just sing for me?" she teased.

I chuckled as I considered that. "You've never heard me sing, have you?" I replied.

"No," she laughed.

I found her ear through her hair and bit gently. "Trust me," I whispered. "It's not romantic."

She giggled quietly as I ran my tongue along the rim of her ear, then she turned to face me. I pulled away slightly, instantly captivated by her blue eyes. "You should let me be the judge of that," she informed me. "Unless, of course, you're too shy."

I jerked away, my hands rising back to her shoulders. "Me?" I challenged, laughing. "Shy?"

I stepped back and pulled her to her feet, nearly toppling the chair. She laughed as I stepped back, dragging her with me, and embraced her. I kissed her gently and felt her body relax against mine. She'd pulled the robe back onto her shoulders, but I could still feel the heat radiating from her. Our lips parted and I kissed the side of her mouth, my hands running over her back as I held her to me.

There actually was a song that had come to mind the moment she had suggested my singing, but I knew I couldn't do it well. Hell, I couldn't sing if my life depended on it. But I wasn't shy. I pressed my cheek against hers, our bodies rocking back and forth gently as I began in a whisper. "Just when I believed... I couldn't ever want for more..."

Her hands ran up my arms to my shoulders, and she nuzzled against me encouragingly. "... this ever changing world... pushes me through another door." I took in a breath as her arms locked behind my neck and she rested her head on my shoulder. "I saw you smile... and my mind could not erase... the beauty of your face."

I choked for an instant as her lips pressed to my neck and a smile crossed my face. "Just for a while... won't you let me shelter you?"

"Hold on to the night..." she began quietly, in unison with the words as they came out of my mouth. I quieted and let her take the chorus. She sounded a lot better than I did, and I loved the sound of her voice. "Hold on to the memories...." I'd never heard her sing. She sounded so beautiful. I felt my heart melt as she nudged me, her voice dropping almost to a whisper. "I wish that I could give you something more... That I could be yours..."

My hands brushed over the tie around her waist and I traced it around the front of her body, missing a beat as I realized that she wasn't going into the next verse. "How do we explain..." I took over, feeling the slow and steady pace as we moved back and forth, shifting our weight. Dancing. Another thing I'd never done before...

"... something that took us by surprise?" I found the knot in the tie, over her stomach, and ran my fingers over it. "Promises in vain... love that is real but in disguise..."

I pulled at the tie and she pulled away slightly. The words were lost on my lips as her robe fell open completely and my eyes ran over her body. As I met her gaze again, I saw her studying me with a strange look on her face. I hadn't expected to see tears in her eyes...

"What happens now...?" she whispered, continuing where I'd left off. "Do we break another rule? Let our lovers play the fool?"

I raised my hand to the side of her face and brushed my fingers over her skin lightly. Her lower lip quivered and she closed her eyes as a single tear rolled down her cheek, burning where it met with my skin. "I don't know how..." she choked. "...to stop feeling this way...!"

I'd forgotten the song by now. I raised my other hand and tilted her face up. She opened her eyes and stared at me. "Shannon, what's wrong?" I whispered.

She pulled away, turning her back on me and shaking her head.  She pulled her robe closed and held it tightly, her arms crossed over her stomach and holding her hips. A dozen scenarios ran through my mind, none of them pleasant, and I watched her for some kind of cue. My mind ran back over the lyrics.

Something that took us by surprise... Yes, this relationship had certainly done that. That was no big secret. It had come out of nowhere, for me. Somehow, I'd never stopped to think that she might've been just as surprised as I was by the whole thing. For the first time, I thought hard about where I stood in her eyes. Why was I here? Why did she want me here?

"I want you to stay…"

New scenarios sprang to mind as I considered her words. She'd asked me to stay, but was that what she'd wanted? Was it just supposed to be a fling, and it got out of hand? My stomach turned as I considered that. Do we break another rule... Let our lovers play the fool... Suddenly, I realized all the things that I had ignored because they meant nothing to me.

Our lips met and I let her lead, not wanting to pressure her.  She seemed so unsure… heat rushed through my body and I moaned quietly. She pulled away slowly and her eyes met mine, mere centimeters away. "Can you stay?"

The pieces fell into place and I closed my eyes slowly, humiliation washing over me. It made me pause for a moment. Why that emotion?

Because it's not you... You're just the other guy...

I breathed slow and kept my eyes closed. "You're seeing someone else?" I guessed.

"I was," she whispered.

I cringed at the words. No. It wasn't supposed to happen like this... I turned my head to the side and opened my eyes to stare at her carpet. I wanted to leave. I didn't want to have to hear this. I wanted to go home, to crawl into bed, to cry and not let anyone see. God, why hadn't she just told me before she stole my heart? It would've been hard, but I could've handled it.

"I wasn't going to tell you," she finally continued. "I didn't want to. I mean, I figured... it wouldn't matter now."

I drew my eyes to hers, forcing myself to look at her. What was that supposed to mean? How could it not matter that she was in love with someone else?

I don't know how... to stop feeling this way..

"But when we first..." She swallowed hard, choking on the words. "... I was dating someone else." She raised her hands and hid her face behind them. "And I'm so sorry I didn't tell you."

I studied her for a moment. She was talking in the past tense. She was dating someone else. Did that mean she wasn't anymore? There was a long silence as I tried to work up the courage to ask her. "But you're not now?" I pleaded.

She shook her head. "No," she answered. I breathed a sigh of relief, but quickly caught it as she growled and spun away from me again. "Damn it, I don't want to lie to you!" I stared at her, not sure what to think, and she turned to me again. What the hell was she trying to say?

"I'm not seeing him. But I haven't... officially broken up with him. I... haven't been with him since I met you. I haven't had a chance to talk to him."

I stared at her, dumbfounded. What was the bottom line here? I knew it, but I was almost afraid to ask. I swallowed hard and closed my eyes. "Do you love him?"

There was a silence and I looked up to see her eyes closed as she shook her head. "No, Mikey," she whispered. "And that's the truth. And it's what I'm gonna tell him."

Now, I felt relieved. It wasn't a game. She wasn't using me. And if she hadn't had a chance to tell him yet, that was different than two-timing him. "You should call him and tell him," I informed.

She shook her head. "He doesn't have a phone," she sighed, brushing her eyes. "I don't even have a way to get a hold of him. He comes over here, and that's the only time I see him."

I studied her for a moment. "But you are going to tell him, right?"

She nodded. "I am. He said he'd come tomorrow night. I'm gonna tell him then; I promise."

I brushed the tears off her cheek and she swallowed hard. Her lip quivered again and our eyes locked. "I'm just... so sorry I didn't tell you. Forgive me. Please."

I slipped one arm around her waist, pulling her close to me. She tucked her head underneath my chin, her hot tears running onto my skin and trickling toward my plastron. I brushed her hair back with my other hand, massaging gently at her scalp. "I forgive you," I whispered.

"I love you," she answered, clinging to me. Her fingers wrapped underneath my shell, hugging me as best she could. "I can't believe how much I love you! I don't even understand it." She pulled away and looked up at me, her eyes glistening. "You just... captured my heart."

I smiled as I brushed my fingers over the side of her face. "Well, either that or I'm a better lay than I thought I was."

She managed a quiet laughed and batted my hand away as she brushed her cheeks roughly. For a moment, it was quiet. She stared at me intently. "I do love you, Mikey," she repeated. "I really do."

I nodded, my smile falling. "I know you do."

"Don't leave," she pleaded, running her fingers along the sensitive skin on my sides.

I shook my head. "I wasn't going to. Not unless you asked."

She smiled, reassured, and leaned into me. I hugged her tightly as we kissed.

Shredder:

"I have news that might interest you."

I turned to face the soldier that had entered my study. I had not called him in, and most of the soldiers would not walk into my private chambers unless I had asked for them. I could think of nothing important that this one would have to offer. I studied him before I answered. He appeared to be not much more than a kid, and his arms were folded over his chest as he waited for my response. The black mask that covered his face permitted me from seeing what emotions lay there, but he had bowed before he entered, which showed that he knew how to give some respect. Half of my mind wanted to just throw him out, but I could not think of a reason for him to come here unless he did have something to offer. He intrigued me.

"What is it?" I demanded, eyes narrowing.

"Your greatest enemies are those four turtles, are they not?"

He was choosing his words carefully.

"Get to the point," I answered, my voice harsh. The soldier stood firmly and did not waver, and I felt my anger rise at this one's impudence. He really was beginning to try my patience now. I should have sent him out…

 "I know a way to get to them."

That was all that was needed to get my interest piqued again. For years, I had been trying to find ways to get to them, and every way, I had failed. They were always one step ahead of me, and always kept a covered trail behind them. I could not do one thing without them being upon me. They always prevented me from doing anything with the foot clan. I turned my eyes to the soldier in front of me, to study him again. I still had a doubt—how did this one know something that I did not?

"What is this way you speak of?" I questioned, folding my arms across my chest as I listened to his story. As he told me his information, a smile began to form behind the metal plate that hid my face. So…the freaks had girlfriends now. Or perhaps it was just this one? The thought in itself disgusted me, but I did not care about that at this moment. I had a way…and I did not intend to fail now. When he finished speaking, my answer came out low and menacing.

"Bring her to me."

TBC