Chapter 6

"Lara!" Donnie called for the hundred thousandth time that evening.

"Dudes," Mikey complained. "When can we go home?" Leo shoved an angry finger in Mikey's chest.

"Shut up." He said angrily. "We can leave when we find Lara."

"I don't see why she's so important all of a sudden." Leo turned around and opened his mouth, but another cool voice stopped him.

"I'm not going home." It said.

"Where have you been?" Leo scolded. "We've been looking for," Lara waved him off.

"I told you. I'm not going home. I only have a scratch from battling her." She scrunched up her sleeve, and her arm was cut absolutely open, and was bleeding heavily. Donnie was speechless.

"Well," Leo said, obviously exhausted. "Only a scratch eh? Let's go home so we can fix that up."

"No." Lara said firmly. "I'm never going back."

"And why not?" Leo demanded. "Tell me why." Lara's long hair whipped back and forth as she shook her head. Leo sighed and asked her something quietly that the others couldn't understand. Lara nodded and he took her around a nearby corner alone. They emerged a moment later, and a once confident Lara was now in tears. Lara ran into Donnie's arms, and let her tears flow once more. Leo glared at Raph, and that pretty much answered Donnie's curiosity. He sighed, and continued the walk home with his brothers.

…

Lara awoke early Monday morning. She sighed and prepared herself for another day of arguing and training. Raph and Leo had been arguing over what had happened for months now. While Lara was practicing that afternoon, she finally shot an arrow into each of the deer's hearts. She was so excited. Well, being a ninja wasn't as exciting as she had expected.

"Come on let's go." Leo said. "We should be out on the rooftops before nightfall." Lara sighed and closed her laptop.

"Do I have to go?" She asked. Leo gave her "a look" and answered,

"You know the answer to that question."

Lara sighed again and stood.

"Just because I know the answer, doesn't mean I will do it." Leo gave her another look, and walked out towards the exit. Lara knew she had no choice but to follow. She sighed, and slowly followed him outside.

…..

"Honestly," Lara said to Raph and Leo, interrupting their argument. "Why can't we have a peaceful patrol without you both arguing all the way through it?" Raph glared at her.

"Since when do you care?" He snapped. Lara stood up from where she was sitting, and walked up to him and looked him straight in the eye. Sparks coming from her eyes in anger.

"Because Leo is only trying to protect me." She shot back. "And you won't let him because you're jealous! Jealous that I am getting more attention than you." Raph was equally angry now.

"Oh really?" He growled, shoving an angry finger onto the skin of Lara's neck. "Since when do I get jealous?"

"Now." Lara spat.

"Why I'm gonna,"

"No!" Leo yelled. "Stop it! Both of you!" He glared at them. "There is no need to hurt each other." He sighed. "I think we should call it a night and go home."

"Sounds good to me." Lara snapped and took off back home.

…

"But she's still following me!" Raph said angrily. Lara was eavesdropping once more. But wait, didn't she get in trouble last time? Well, now Donnie is with her, listening too, as well as Mikey.

"Because she looks up to you." Leo answered. "Why else would she have told me when she was younger, that she wanted to be like you, because you're so strong?" Lara silently slapped a hand to her forehead.

"Thank you Leo!" She muttered. "I did not want him to know that." Donnie was trying so hard not to giggle. Leo's statement did not change Raph's attitude at all. But his eyes flicked away for a moment, and Leo smirked.

"Oh, that's it!" He said. "You like her." Raph's face turned red.

"I do not!" He answered.

"Yes you do! I can see it in your face!" Leo started laughing. Meanwhile, behind the corner where Lara crouched with Donnie and Mikey, Lara's face also became red, redder than Raph's mask. She buried her head in her knees.

"Oh, great." She muttered. "Just wonderful." Donnie and Mikey couldn't hold back their laughter either. They started laughing right along with Leo. Lara couldn't take it anymore.

"Leonardo!" She shouted, coming out of her hiding place. "Honestly!" Leo was still laughing.

"I'm sorry," He said. "It just slipped out..."

"Slipped out?" Lara said angrily. "Slipped out." Lara stormed back to her room.

…..

Lara sat in her room reading, when there was a knock and a familiar voice at the door.

"Lara?" It asked. "Can I come in?"

"No." Lara snapped, but the door opened anyway. It was Raph. "What do you want?" Lara said turning away from him. Raph shut the door behind him, and sat down next to Lara on her bed. He put a hand on her shoulder.

"About what Leo said," He began, Lara knew what was coming. "He's actually right, but I didn't want to admit it." Lara rolled over and looked at him. "I wondered if you felt the same way…"

"I do actually." Lara answered quietly. Raph looked at her in surprise.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was too shy." Lara answered. "I'm sorry." Raph hugged her.

"It's okay. I'm glad you do."

"Why were you so mean when I came?" Raph rubbed the back of his neck.

"I, well, I'm not really sure. I guess I was jealous."

"It's okay," Lara answered and gave him a peck on the cheek. "I like your protective nature. It makes me feel safe." She smirked at the shocked look on his face. "You'll be getting a lot more now." And she left her room, shutting the door behind her.

….

Lara sat on the edge of a rooftop that evening, watching the sun set on the peaceful New York City. Lost in her thoughts, she didn't know Raph was behind her, until he clapped a hand over her mouth and grabbed her waist to keep her from falling.

"Raph!" Lara muffled from beneath his hand. "Don't do that!"

"But it's fun." Raph answered releasing her. She punched his arm.

"Please don't. I really hate being scared."

"Okay, I won't. But maybe every once in a while I will." Lara looked at him and shook her head.

"Right." She answered. "You do that." Raph smiled, and picked her up around her waist again, took her off the edge of the roof, and set her down gently on the ground. He kissed the top of her head, and said.

"Last one to the lair is a rotten egg!" And he took off running toward home, the others following right behind him.

"Guys!" Lara called, but they didn't hear her, they kept on running. Mikey noticed that Lara hadn't followed, so he went back to make sure she was okay. He saw her just standing there.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"I can't jump the roofs, remember?"

"Oh, that's right. Here, I'll help ya."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome, sister." Lara smiled, and together, they went home.

"What took you all so long?" Leo asked when Mikey and Lara got home.

"Can't jump the rooftops, remember?" Lara said, looking at Raph in disappointment.

"Oh, we forgot. Sorry."

"It's fine, I don't mind."