Authors notes- I don't own the boys, just the green banded ninja turtles.

I hope I'm doing okay with this story. The stuff with Stockman is as grisly as it gets, I promise!

Fix the problem, not the blame.

"Here." Yoshi says simply, standing in front of a metal door.

"What is this place?" I frown.

"It was for the old Subway, a security office or something. Raph's made a home out of it though."

I nod.

"Are you coming in?"

"No, I don't want to intrude." He smiles slightly.

"Thanks."

An awkward silence ensues.

"Think you can get back alright?"

"Yup." I smile. "Thanks Yoshi."

"Don't mention it." And with that, he disappears.

Breathing deeply, I knock on the door. Something clatters from within and I hear swear words muttered.

'Language as bad as ever Raphael.' I roll my eyes.

The door is ripped open, and amber eyes narrow at me, quickly widening.

"Hello Raphael." I grin. "Got time for an old friend."

His composure droops.

"Kar? But…"

"Long story, if you got time for it?"

Dumbfounded, he opens the door further to let me in.

A pitiful, and not to mention chilly, excuse for a home, I take in Raph's surroundings. A small bed is pushed into the corner, and an armchair and TV sit in the middle. Weights and a practise dummy dominate the far corner. Two doors lead off, I'm guessing the bathroom and kitchen. My eyes wander to the TV, flickering images and buzzing quietly.

"H-how?" He says softly, coming up behind me.

"Magic." I wink and giggle. He relaxes slightly. "Long story short, there's this thing called the Time Sceptre and it allows you to go to any point in time or any place in the Multiverse. It kinda got into the wrong hands, and well, I just ended up here."

"If I didn't know how crazy the world is, I wouldn't believe ya." He smiles slightly. "S'good ta see ya."

"Likewise." I flash him another grin. "38, huh?"

"Heh, yeah." He rubs the back of his neck and I finally take in all of his features.

Familiar amber eyes surrounded by red meet mine. He seems stockier than in his teenage years and a lot more scarred, a small scar running across his left cheek. I notice his belt around his waist, absent of his sai, and instead of brown wrist bands like his brother wear, his wrists are adorned with black fingerless biker gloves.

"Still as muscley as ever."

Raph tilts his head down slightly.

'Has he gone SHY?!'

"I try." He says. "What ya come round fer anyway?"

"Wanted to see you." I smile.

"Why not Leo?" He studies my face warily.

"Been there, done that, and between me and you," I lean closer to him, "he's a bit of a jackass."

"'Kay, who are ya an' what have ya done with Karm?"

I chuckle slightly.

"You never change, do you? As cynical as ever."

"An' yer as beautiful as ever."

I let the sentence ring in the air, before turning away slightly.

"What happened?"

"What d'ya mean?"

"Why… why am I with Leo?"

"'Cause, I dunno, ya just picked him."

"But… I love you."

"Karm, don't." He says sternly.

"I do Raph, I really do!" Spinning around, I face him, "I don't understand why… why I picked Leo."

"Ya liked him. Ya did all along."

"I liked you too."

"I guess… I guess I was jus' too much of a jackass." He turns his back on me.

"I know I can't fix things between you and me, but… I'd like to fix things between you and Leo."

"No!" His eyes flash red as he faces me again. "I ain't ever talkin' ta that son of a-"

"Raph, the way things are at home… they shouldn't be. They need you."

"No they don't, they never needed me…"

"No, they do. Without you to keep Leo on his toes, he starts to think he's right all of the time. He's controlling, can't you see-"

"Let it stay that way." Raph sounds defeated. "They're doin' okay without me."

"So Donny being maimed is okay? Mikey not smiling is okay? Me… me being weak is okay?"

"Ya ain't weak Kar." He steps towards me. "He's jus' strong, he… ya love him. Ya'll do anythin' fer him…"

"Including turning my back on you?" Tears well up in my eyes.

"It… it wasn't his fault. None of this was his fault, it was mine… I did somethin' none of ya could forgive me fer…"

As I go to speak, an urgent knock echoes through the metal door. Raph nods in the direction of the kitchen and I rush off. He sighs and opens the door.

"Yoshi?"

"Where's mum?" He sounds out of breath.

"In the kitchen, why?"

"Leo's looking for her, right now, and he's coming here."

"'Kay... Uh…"

As I step out from the kitchen, Yoshi's eyes meet with mine.

"Then let him find me."

"He's seriously piss-"

"Annoyed, Yoshi." I correct.

A loud knock echoes into the room, and Raph pushes Yoshi towards the kitchen.

"Go on." He mouths.

Yoshi pulls me into the kitchen, and closes the door, leaving a small gap to peek through. Another loud knock echoes.

"I'm comin'!" Raph yells and throws open the door. "Leo-"

"I'm not going to play games, where is she?"

"Who?"

"Karm."

"On holiday-"

"Don't treat me like I'm stupid," Leo squares up to his brother, "I said, where is she?"

"I dunno." He seems to shrink back under the cold stare of the blue banded turtle.

"…If I find out you've been lying to me, I will tell her, Raphael." Leo hisses. "She'll find out what a pathetic excuse for a living being you are."

I find my fists curling into balls as I watch on.

"I'll tell her ya wanna talk ta her if she drops by…" Amber eyes drop to the floor.

"You better."

'I'm not seeing this… Raph is not backing down to Leo… this is some horrible nightmare…'

Proudly, Leo strides out of the door, slamming it behind him. I watch Raph, shoulders drooped and eyes still fixated on the floor, before eagerly pushing the door open. He turns to me, sad amber eyes meeting mine.

"I've gotta head back, uncle Don wanted help with something." Yoshi excuses himself, quickly and quietly exiting, leaving Raph and I, standing, staring.

"I…" I'm the first to break eye contact. "I don't understand how things got so bad…"

"Because of me…" Raph says quietly. "Things… things were okay when you an' Leo got together, fer a while. I was left broken hearted, but, yanno, I've survived worse. But… I guess, I guess I'm a jealous bastard. One night, you an' me were up late watchin' some film. I didn't really wanna see it, but I watched it anyway, jus' ta be in yer company. We stayed up talkin' fer a while, 'til ya got so sleepy ya almost fell asleep on me. I carried ya upstairs, tucked ya in bed… an'… ya woke up, well, woke up enough ta kiss me on the cheek… I took it a step further, kissed ya on the lips… that's when Leo walked in…"

I find myself choked for words.

'That explains how bitter Leo is… he must have kicked Raph out… banned me from seeing him…'

"I'm sorry."

"No Raph, I'm the sorry one… I came between you, the one thing I never wanted to do was come between you and Leo… I'm sorry."

As I start to sob, I find myself in familiar strong arms, holding me close.

"Could be worse."

"How?" I snuffle.

"Well… ya could be with Mike. That'd drive anybody crazy."

Through my sobs, I manage to chuckle.

"I'm going to help, I'm going to fix this." I rest my head against his plastron. "I caused this, I'm going to fix this."

"Lemme help."

"You can, but first, I need to talk to somebody." I look up to him.

"Leo."

I nod and he wipes the tears from my cheeks. Wrapping my arms around him, I close my eyes, and for a second I feel like I belong.

"I…" I stop myself. "You're amazing, remember that."

"Heh, if ya say so…"

"I do say so." I pull away from him. "I'll be back, hold me to it."

"Take care of yerself, 'kay?"

"You too." I wink at him, making him smile slightly.

Authors notes- The last few sentences in Raph's point of view.

She winks at me, and I can't help but smile. As she turns and disappears out the door, I feel the familiar ache in my heart.

'Ya said I was amazin'… yer so wrong, the only amazin' one is you. Leo's lucky ta have ya… he deserves ya.'

I look down at my gloved hands, curling them into fists.

'He's never lied ta ya, for starters…'

With a heavy sigh, I turn to my punching bag and vent my frustrations.