The warm water washed over Cassidy, she doesn't feel tired, more relaxed than anything. She was filtering through her first day of self-defense training, trying to figure out what she did for Raph to change moods so quickly. They were doing fine, he surprised her by being so patient. She had braced herself for him being short tempered simply due to her not knowing what she was doing. Yes, she's learned how to throw a punch by the time she was twelve. That's how she was able to land that punch on Raph when they first met. Giggling at the memory, she ran her hands through her hair, scrubbing the shampoo into her scalp. Humming to herself and the sound of the water splashing against the tile, she didn't hear the door to the showers open then close.

Raphael stepped in the shower room, headphones placed over his head as Children of Bodom pounded through his head. His head downcast as he focused on removing the wrappings around his wrists and hands. He kneeled on the tiled bench, lifting his leg to remove the wrappings, glancing up because he thought he caught something out of the corner of his eye. He was about to resume removing the wrappings from his leg when he saw it again. He looked up in enough time to see hair. Long, brown hair flick from the inside of the tiled shower in front of him.

His heart stopped.

Cassidy.

God. Dammit.

Raphael turned on his heel and left the shower room quickly. He burst back into the den, ripping his headphones from his head and chucking them across the room. Fuck. He'll have to tell Don about the headphones later. Raph was stomping towards his room when he heard Leo and Donnie in the lab. He would have ignored them and continued on if he didn't hear Donnie mention Cassidy.

He crept closer to, straining to hear in on the conversation. He usually wasn't one to sneak in, was usually brute honest and attacked yet, the way that Donnie said her name made him worry.

"…Cassidy has had a tough go at it Leo"

"I understand that, but you said you found something earlier that could pose a problem."

"Yes, Cassidy has a half brother. From what I understand she doesn't know he exists. He's eight years older than her…he has had a few run-ins with the law…" Donnie rambled on even more, the information seeming unimportant until.

"He is affiliated with Dr. Baxter Stockman."

Raphael leaned further into the lab to see Leo tense, his arms crossed over his chest as he began to sway from side to side.

"Are we sure she doesn't know him?"

"I am 98.999993 percent positive that she doesn't know he even exists. They have separate mothers."

"Speaking of mothers…Does she know that her's is going through chemo?"

"Sweeping through everything, I have concluded that she does not."

"Are we su…"

"Yes, she hasn't had any contact with her birth mother in over five years. From what I could tell from her interactions on social media, her mother doesn't even know that she now lives in New York vs. back home in Ohio." Donnie finished, typing away furiously on the keyboard. The incessant tapping sounds were gnawing away at his resolve. Which, at this point, was damn near non-existent.

"What the fuck LEO." Raphael yelled, making his presence known, he was beyond pissed. He cracked his knuckles as he towered over Leonardo, trying to intimidate the brother, the leader of the brothers.

"Raph, everything is okay…we are just looking out for Cass…"

"By leaving me out of IT! The FUCK DonNIE! Why…"

"You are too close to Cassidy to see past your feelings." Leonardo stated, already squared to meet Raph head on.

That was the worst thing to say to Raphael at that moment. He lunged, attacking Leo in Donnies cramped laboratory.

"You need to CALM down! We are only here to HELP…"

"WHO ASKED FOR YOUR HELP!?" Raph lunged again, Leo expertly maneuvered out of harm's way. This only pissed the large brute more.

"It was my fault Raph. I was running a dynastic on her computer system and phone while I added my update so she was able to contact us. She had a bug attached to her system that I took out but it has led to some interesting finds. Digging deeper I found her half-brother and information on her mother. Cassidy has been through a lot in her short life, it's easy to understand why she is drawn to you…" Donnie continued to ramble on as he risked stepping between Raph and Leo. This was usually a big NO on his part, the two distinct alphas causing enough chaos on their own, usually to the point of no return at times. Donnie thrust himself between the two brothers, back to Leo, bow drawn on Raph to keep him at bay. Mikey came in, nunchucks drawn and ready to help in any way he can.

"You wiped it out, Don, that was enough. Why did you have to snoop."

"It was unintentional, but Leo…" Donnie gulped, he shouldn't have mentioned Leo. Oh no.

"Leo WHAT? Asked you to sneak through Cass's LIFE!" Raph was enraged, his fists vibrating at his sides. He wanted to pummel Leo and Donnie.

"I was PROTECTING the FAMILY! She thrust herself into our lives and I couldn't risk this family being found out!"

"You had NO RIGHT!" Raph growled, his yell echoing all around, bouncing off every cemented surface.

"YES. I. DID," Leo said sternly, not once reading his calm composure, only speaking in his better-than-thou leader voice. Steady and Stern. The room went silent. Mikey's eyes were bouncing between each of his brothers, not quite sure what to do. He was in the dark about the information that Raph overheard about Cassidy, Mikey was worried that he'd never see Cass again.

"It was a good thing too. If not, we wouldn't have known that her half-brother is working with Baxter Stockman." Leo finished, cool, calm and collected. Unlike his red-banded brother.

"Who…what?" A whispered gasp was heard from the newest occupant in Donnie's lab. Mikey let out a small yelp as he jumped to the side as he stared at Cassidy. Her hair damp and dripping along her shoulders, her black long sleeve tee was bunched at her elbows. The towel she used clutched in her hands, the look of shock amongst her features.

"Cass…" Raph turned to look at her, his hand twitched at his side. He wanted to wrap her up and erase that look off her face. He growled, turning to glare back at Leonardo.

"Cass…um…we have some information that we need to discuss with you," Donnie eased, walking slowly up to Cass who had gone silent in the doorway. She was searching for answers in anyone's eyes that she met. Her eyes met Raphael's the minute that Donnie wrapped his arm around her shoulders and turned her around to head out into the den. Raphael never blinked, Cassidy being the first one to break the trance as she turned to follow Donnie. Raphael was on Donnie's tail in a second. He refused to leave Cassidy's side. Out to the den, she sat on the couch, Donnie took a seat on the coffee table in front of her, moving the empty pizza boxes to the floor.

"Don…Donnie…What did Leo mean? I have…" Cassidy couldn't bring herself to finish, her heart thrumming in a deep pain in her chest. She hasn't felt like this in years. She thought she'd never feel like this again.

Donnie went on to explain to Cass everything that he found after adding his software to her phone so that she was able to contact him and his brothers. He let her know the backstory of Baxter Stockman and the incidents the brothers have had with him in the past. Let her in on the existence of a half-brother that she truly did not know he existed. Donnie finished up explaining to worries and concerns that Leo and Donnie both shared, Mikey and Raph stayed silent, except for the few growls and grumbles from Raphael who paced behind the couch. His eyes never left Cassidy. The tense atmosphere that filled the laboratory earlier, now filled the lair. Everything was silent, Cassidy never said a word, she sat silently, unmoving against the couch cushions. Donnie felt…unnerved by her lack of emotion, she was so guarded. He was afraid that unleashing so much information at once has caused some of her emotional pain she hid deep down to resurface. Donnie did not disclose the information about how Cassidy was…harmed, when she was younger. Other than himself, Leo was the only brother that knew; the only reason he knew was because he caught Donnie in the midst of finding out the information for the first time and stayed to learn about what happened to their new friend. No one deserved to be treated the way that Cass was treated growing up. No little girl should ever have to go through that type of trauma, especially not from someone that was meant to be a protector. And now, as Donnie looked at her…he felt as if he had betrayed her.

"Cass…" Donnie leaned forward to place his hand on her, and she flinched. Her eyes lifted from the deep space she locked herself in and as she locked eyes with him, her bright hazel, blue-green eyes held no color. They were dark and distant.

"I want to go home." Her voice is a deeper octave than any of the boys have heard. Each brother looked on in shock, each trying to decipher what was going on in her mind.

"I will…" Leonardo offered, he was about to offer Cassidy his hand to help her stand when she stood without looking in his direction. She turned to face the back of the couch.

"Take me home." She handed the towel out towards Leo without looking at him. He took it from her hands, his eyes never leaving her as she walked around the couch to pick her bag up, following Raph towards the garage without another word.

"Cass…" Mikey whispered, standing, arms stretched out towards her but Donnie placed his hand on his shoulder to hold him back.

"Give her time Mikey…She needs time."

"No. She needs to know we didn't mean to hurt her. She needs to know that we love her." Mikey's gaze was downcast as tears welled up in his eyes. He shook Donnie's hand off his shoulder, looking between Leo and Donnie, shaking his head, he walked off towards his room.

It was a silent walk into the garage, Raph wasn't sure what to say, he decided that he would leave it up to Cassidy to say the first words. Looking around the garage, he could take the Shell-Raiser, but glancing back at Cass, her distant look led him to the one thing that might bring a smile to her face. He grabbed the black sweats out of the drawer to the left of Stella. He threw on the Punisher hoodie and fastened his boots around his feet. Stepping towards Cassidy, slowly, he lifted the smaller helmet above her head, not moving until she locked eyes with him. Without saying a word, he settled the red helmet atop her head, securing it in place. He trailed behind her, lifting the empty book bag strap, lightly touching her arm to fasten it through the wrap, pushing it up to rest amongst her shoulders. No words were traded, only quiet breaths and the sound of fabric and metal. He motioned for her to sit first, she looked at him then, he heard her silent request. He lifted her gently, settling her down on top of the black leather that made up the seat. He wrapped his leg around and mounted his bike, Cassidy's book bag pressed into his plastron, the raw material uncomfortable against his plates.

He revved and then tore out of the garage. Twisting and turning down every side street, avoiding the main roads as much as possible. One last turn and he was in front of her apartment. She climbed off of Stella, leaving her helmet to lay atop the seat, righting her bag before looking at Raph.

"…Cass," He whispered, removing his helmet as he stepped into the shadows to avoid being seen.

"Thank you Raphael…"

"I didn't…"

"You have been a great friend…but,"

Oh no. Raphael's heart clenched. Cassidy was pulling away from him. He wouldn't allow that. He couldn't allow that.

"No buts Cassidy," He made a step towards her, she held her ground, her dark eyes never leaving his.

"Yes, Raphael. But… I need time. I cannot go about like nothing has happened. I have learned so much. I need…space. Time and space." Cassidy's gaze never left his, he could see the tears welling up in her eyes, but she never let them fall.

His anger was about to explode. He wasn't going to let her leave without a fight. He was an aggressor, born to take action.

"I'm not giving you space. I can give you time, but you're not going to be alone. I REFUSE to throw us away." He was shaking, his hands flexing at his sides. He felt a raindrop fall onto his head, slowly starting to cover the air around him with the distinct aroma of rain, yet the tension was not washed away.

"I want to be left ALONE, Raphael. I don't need you." Those words cut like a knife. He broke.

"Shut the FUCK up Cassidy. You're angry, you don't know what you're saying." He growled, his eyes never leaving her, afraid that if he blinked she'd disappear.

"I will NOT shut the FUCK up Raphael. I have been left in the dark too long. How long have you known about my half-brother? How long have you known about my own mom? How long have you WILLINGLY left ME in the DARK!?" Cassidy yelled, walking closer and closer towards Raphael, her hands lifting to push against his chest.

"I would've NEVER left you in the DARK! I just found out tonight! I'm just as PISSED as YOU!" He gripped her shoulders, harder than he anticipated but hoping that she could feel the truth in his words.

"Let me GO!" He immediately dropped her hands, not wanting her to feel uncomfortable in his grasp.

She ripped away from him then. Tears freely flowing down her face, she aggressively wiped them away with her sleeve.

"Please….leave." She stressed, refusing to make eye contact with him now.

"I WANT you to leave me alone. I DON'T want to talk to you or your family. I don't want ANYTHING to do with ANY of you. LEAVE." She turned and made her way to the front of her building, running inside.

Raphael's chest was heaving, chucked her red helmet against the brick of her building, it clattering and shattering amongst the brick.

"FUCK!" He screamed into the night. He glanced towards her window, her light flicked on, he realized he couldn't leave. He scaled the building, and slammed onto her balcony rail. He didn't even have the chance to tap on her window. Making eye contact with her through her rain covered glass. She stood, broken, tear stained and her dark eyes never wavering from his. He missed Cassidy, the one that always smiled at him, laughed with him, touched his arm the way she did.

She looked like a dark angel, her damp, dark hair splayed across her shoulders, dark clothing hugged her body, her dark eyes only adding to his misery. This wasn't Cassidy. This was a dark, hollowed shell. Standing tall, she looked through him, not at him, through him.

He realized that in that moment… he had lost her.

He backed away, and with one final look dropped into the alley below. He waited, looking at her window. Counting.

22…23…24…25…

One minute.

127…128…129…130

Two minutes.

274…275…276…277…278…

Five minutes passed.

The lights turned off, blanketing her apartment in darkness. The thunderous rain roared loudly above him. A silent cry was the only thing to be heard before he mounted his black bike and sped off into the night.