Author's Note: New, bonus chapter, woo! XD Actually, it's only a mini chapter...but I thought it was needed. And yes, re-writing quite a few things in this story, but only to make it all fit together in the end. SO, here ya go - more fun. And I was try for a bit more humor in this...just to see how much you guys like it. Please tell me what you think!

Chapter Rating: PG, for mild language, innuendo, and alcohol use.

MINI CHAPTER: An Afternoon of Chess

Idly, he swung a beer bottle between his fingers, listening to the foamy drink swish around inside it. The television was buzzing away with the latest news, and despite the remote he was actively using to change the channels, wasn't really paying attention to the screen. After a few more uninterested clicks, he turned the television off and took a long swig off his bottle, rolling the frothy liquid along his tongue before he swallowed. He was on his fourth bottle, and with Leonardo surface-side with April, Raphael didn't see the harm.

It's been a while since he'd had a beer. Making up for it in quantity was fine by him. It came with a free buzz.

He heard his other brothers in the kitchen, one of them in particular being too loud for the game that was being played.

"How—You can't do that!"

"It's a fair move, Mikey. Queens can pretty much do anything."

"Yea? Well that means mine can do that too."

"Of course. But you have to actually have the piece in order to play it."

"Yea, yea…"

A shift in the couch cushions pulled Raphael's attention away from the conversation in the kitchen. His eyes darting to the figure at the other end of the couch, he watched her settle down. Outfitted now in white tee and jean shorts, she turned to face him, her legs folded under her and her fingers toying with her necklace. He took another sip of his drink, noticing her attire – thank God for April. If she hadn't kept some old clothes down here, Yin would be in a paper bag.

Waiting, he observed her observing him. He knew she had something to say, but didn't bother to ask what. He was never one for small talk, let alone a person who'd initiate it. So, he waited.

"Where'd you get that?"

Raphael saw her eyes on his beer. He also noticed that the welt on her cheek was now greenish-yellow; almost healed after only a few days.

"The fridge."

She responded with a polite giggle, causing him to raise an eye ridge. He hadn't meant to be funny…but thinking about what he had answered, he guessed it was not what she had asked.

"I know that. I mean…where do you get it? Your food, and everything else. Do you guys have outside help?"

"Kinda. Couple people on the outside we know. Mostly we just know how to make the things we want from the surface appear in our lair."

That was the most delicate way he could describe what they did. Stealing was the honest truth, but they didn't do it for the thrill. Necessity will always trump moral principle.

"Nobody notices?"

"Nope."

Raphael drained the last of his beer, setting the empty bottle on the coffee table. His body hummed comfortably with the alcohol buzz, but he was no where near drunk. He and lady liquor were well acquainted, so he knew how much it would take to relax a little.

"You guys have a lot of outside friends?"

"No."

"You don't really trust anybody…huh?"

"No."

He felt like he wasn't giving her questions satisfying answers, but he didn't really know what else to say. Social and Raphael really weren't mixed well. Silence hovered over them, allowing the sound of the kitchen's chess players to fill the air.

"Damnit! Why didn't you go for that piece?"

"Ah…I think I can tell when I'm being set up for a trap. I can see the pieces just as much as you can."

"Ya better be careful with the wise cracks, Donny – I know where ya live."

Raphael gave a snort at his brothers' remark. He and Yin exchanged humored glances.

"You family's pretty close."

"…We're pretty much all we got."

She was quiet for a long moment, and a glance at her showed a more serious, sad expression.

"…Must be nice."

Raphael gave her a more concentrated look. There was definitely more meaning behind those words, but the buzz he was enjoying ushered along the decision to dismiss it. He realized that he still knew very little about her situation, and that it was still possibly dangerous to have her here, but he didn't feel like worrying about that right now.

Looking over, he watched Yin pull her long locks of hair over to one shoulder, her fingers working the strands into three chunks that she slowly began to weave into a braid.

"I'm sorry."

He wasn't sure he understood what that apology was for.

"For?"

"For giving you a hard time. I'm sorry for that."

This was awkward. He gave a shrug, his eyes dropping.

"I'm not really good with people. I don't know how to act around them, or talk…so I generally don't trust anyone. I won't…because it's safer to. But I realized…that you're the same way. You and your family can't afford to have a lot of outside contact…because trusting one person, even if it's one wrong person, can get you guys killed. I understand that."

He held her gaze, letting her words sink past the buzz of the alcohol to where he could weigh her words with more consideration. Her violet eyes shined very intensely into his, clouded with an emotion he could place. She continued on, her fingers cradling the vile around her neck.

"I don't really know how to explain what I'm feeling, so I'm just gonna say it: Thank you. I know what a risk you took bringing me into your home…and I do whatever I can to keep you and your family secret. I appreciate what you did for me, what you're doing for me. I…just wish I could do something in return."

She bowed her head, her gesture very gracious and very oriental. He shifted uneasily, unable to think of a response. When their eyes connected again, she gave him a warm, inviting smile and reached out to squeeze his hand.

"So…thanks. Really."

Managing a quick but awkward nod of gratitude, Raphael watched her right herself and head toward the kitchen. He really didn't know how to respond to women when it came to feelings. Aside from April and the 'Yer fuggin' hot' and 'How much?' he usually exchanged with other selected and moderately expensive women, he really didn't know how to talk to them, either. Not without an agenda on the mind.

He sighed and gave a listen to the other room, waiting for more conversation to pick up.

"Check."

"We'll just see about that. Take this."

"Checkmate."

"What? Lemme take it back."

"Fine."

"There."

"Checkmate."

"I mean there."

"Checkmate."

"There?"

"Mikey, that's the same place you tried two moves ago. Checkmate."

"This is such a dumb game."