AUTHOR'S NOTE: thanks to all that reviewed so far. Still much to go, but I wanted to say that anyway! oh yeah, and sorry about the much confusion with my POV changes. will do better there. This, I know, took a long time to put up but I was away for a while in B.C. I am back now and here it is!

oh dear god... were the first words to pop into my head. My rational mind was telling me to back away. It was telling me one did NOT kiss men one didn't know...or turtles. On the other hand, my body was telling me something totally different. It was shouting 'go for it! go for it!' Despite that, I was nervous of what he was making me feel.

"Erm..uh..." I took a step back. "This is kinda...unnerving..."

He mumbled an appology. "I-I never meant to make ya uncomfortable."

"I-it's okay...I-I just...I-I don't know you and I...well..."

There was a long silence. I took a deep breath. How was I going to describe what I felt to him? "I-I think I have lost my marbles."

"Why is that?"

"Because I-I wanted to...but you're a..."

He sighed. "A turtle?"

I nodded. "Yes, that's exactly it. B-But part of me doesn't care. It's just scary is all."

He smiled. "It's okay. I getcha. I would be totally freaked out if I were you too."

dammit! I thought, stop smiling! it's disarming! Making me want things that scare me to death...like your kiss...

"I'm glad you understand." I said after a long moment of silence. "So...uh...what's your name? I-it's the one on the card...that I got with the flowers...Mikey is it?"

"That's right." he acknowledged.

I had no idea why I asked him the next question I did, but I was so intrigued with him I couldn't help myself. "W-what is that short for?"

"Michelangelo. Mikey is the nickname that my bros and sensei use." he said.

I frowned for a moment. Why did both of those names sound familiar all of a sudden? Why did I get the feeling that this turtle knew me somehow? and I knew him? I remembered him saying that my name was Christine that I was 'his girl.' Could it be true? could we have been an item before I most all my memory? From the attraction and the near kiss tonight, I was willing to say it was plausible. Either way, I had to know.

"Mikey," I said slowly, "I want to ask you a few things...is that okay?"

He nodded. "Ask away, babe." I blushed at the word, not having been called that. We began walking down the path leading to a more secluded area of the park. The moonlight shone down on us, letting us be able to see where we were going.

"For starters, I-I want to know...why do I feel as though I know you?"

He sighed heavily, a pained expression crossed his face. "We were best friends...then..."

I stared at him a long moment. "Then?" I pressed, needing to know something about my self so badly I could taste it.

"Then," he continued, "We...became more than that...we started going out." my heart nearly broke at the obvious longing in his voice.

"So, it was true what you said back in my room that night." I said, staring at him with wide eyes.

"Yeah." he said simply, staring into my eyes.

It was alot to take in. I was once best friends then the girlfriend of the turtle standing before me and yet, he'd felt like a stranger at first. But now, things seemed different now that I knew the truth. I still didn't have a single memory of said relationship, but something in my mind and heart knew it was real and true as the nose on my face.

"I-I wish I could remember..." I said sadly. "But if it's any consolation, I've grown to like you. I feel comfortable with you...that's saying alot. I've been pretty wary of people lately."

I took his hand in mine, trying to offer him some comfort and to accenuate my statement. As luck would have it, the heat flared between us again. It seemed that even the most innocent touches would warm my body as nothing else could. He looked at me with heat and longing in his eyes. I took a step closer to him so that only an inch or two separated us.

"I oughta warn ya, babe. If ya come any closer, I'm not sure I can resist trying to kiss ya again."

I fearlessly moved closer. I needed so much to give into the need that was awakening in me. It was scary, but irresistable all the same. That was my last thought before I tilted my mouth up to meet his. Mikey tensed in shock at first, but slowly relaxed and began kissing me back. It was slow, sensual, and downright wonderful. For that space in time, I was able to forget that I felt lost and lonely in the world...

six months later....

I couldn't have been happier, really. I now had a boyfriend. A boyfriend who made my world so much easier to live in. I had also been introduced, well, according to Mikey, re-introduced to his brothers. But I didn't care about which way that went. They were all fascinating individuals. Even more amazing yet was their sensei, Splinter. He was a giant rat! A sweet, mild-mannered rat at that. Of course, I liked him instantly.

It was funny, I had a feeling I knew all of them too as Mikey had pointed out. It felt right to be among them. It was also encouraging to think that with these said feelings that my memories weren't completely out of my reach. I just needed time and they would return.

Ar the present time, however, Mikey and his brothers were sitting around their kitchen table gorging themselves on pizza. I had to laugh. They were just like any teenage human being in their actions. That sort of thing never ceased to amaze me. Mikey let out a belch when he finished eating. Leonardo whacked him gently and scolded him. I snickered.

Leo shook his head at Mikey and I. "You two are hopeless. With the way you are encouraging him..." he said looking at me.

Donny grinned. "And you wonder why she is his girlfriend..."

Raph rolled his eyes and huffed. I studied him for a moment. He was the only one that seemed to be a little reluctant to become friendly with me. I wonder what had happened beforehand that made him feel as though he had to act that way. I was definately going to have to talk to him later on.

later that night...

I gently rapped on Raph's door. I heard a grumbled "yes?" from inside.

"It's me." I said in a small voice, "Can we talk?"

"Door's open." Taking the hint, I opened it and walked inside. He was laying on his back, staring at the ceiling. His room was filled with candles, giving it a soft glow almost comforting glow.

I sat down on a small wooden crate next his bed.

"What's on your mind?" Raph asked after a moment of silence. He regarded with a look that said he was annoyed with me and hoped this wouldn't take long.

"I-I have noticed that you haven't been particularly nice to me since I came down here and I want to know why. W-What did I do?"

Raph sighed. "It's a long story." He picked up his sai from a small table next to him and twirled them absentmindedly in his hands.

"Well, I have time." I said, standing my ground.

Raph glared at me, clearly not appreciating the fact that I wasn't giving up. Sighing, he spoke. "Well, before, you an' Mikey were best friends ya see. You met 'im while you were on vacation here. Then, you went back home and left him. For six years. Mikey missed ya like ya wouldn't believe. It tore me up to see him all like that. I guess I got kinda mad at ya for makin' him feel that way. When ya came back, more than friendship feelin's between you two started comin about. I was furious 'cause I was sure you'd leave Mikey heartbroken again. Of course, me tryin' to stop all that didn't work. It only made Mikey an' everyone else mad at me. Afterwards, the whole thing with you losin' your memory happened and that left Mikey hurtin' more. I wasn't happy about it and I'm still not. You've caused my bro alot of pain an' it don't sit with me well."

As I listened to Raphael speak, a tidal wave of emotions hit me. Among them were sadness, anger, and confusion.

"I-I had no idea..."

Raph sighed heavily. "Of course not. Ya lost yer memory."

That stung. Alot. Standing, I glared down at the bitter turtle. "I didn't ask for this to happen to me! If I could have stopped it, I would have...but here I am. I never meant to cause Mikey pain if that's what I did. I care a great deal about your brother. In fact I...I love him."

I was stunned by my own words. When had THAT happened? I had no idea...but I did know for certain it was true. I loved Mikey. It was crazy...in the short time I had been around him, I had lost my heart. I waited for Raph's reaction. What he said, I didn't expect.

"Good."

"What?" I couldn't believe my ears.

"I said, 'Good.' "

"Yes, I-I heard that..but...why? after all you said..."

Raph sat up, looking me directly in the eyes. "Because he's in love with you, ya know. It's good to know that you at least feel the same way."

I didn't know what to say to his words. I just nodded and left his room, armed with new information and startling realization that I was in love with Mikey and he felt the same way.

I smiled. Things were finally looking up.