After the recent mess of dramatic events, all I wanted was one normal day. I didn't want any more secret missions, arguments, fighting, or awkward conversations. I just wanted to have a chance to let myself catch up, to process all that had taken place. The idea of having to return to work on Monday almost made me have a panic attack. I could almost see the conversations now:

Hey, Lily. How was your weekend?

Oh, it was great! I infiltrated a secret organization that is currently trying to take over the city. Then I totally betrayed someone I really care about. But it's all good now, because he suddenly decided to forgive me and then we kissed. Did I mention he's a 6'0 mutant turtle?

Ha. Ha. Ha. Just kidding.

No, in reality, I'd just hide behind my desk and avoid every question that I could from my coworkers. It's not like I'd ever betray the brothers and tell anyone about their existence, but I'd have pick my lies very carefully. No one could ever know that I went anywhere near the Foot Clan building. I wasn't sure who I could trust anymore, even with the smallest pieces of information.

Splinter was sitting at the kitchen table when I arrived to their home that afternoon. He had been waiting for me, that I was sure of. He smiled and motioned to the seat next to his. I felt guilty as I went over to him, knowing that I had betrayed his trust just as much as I had betrayed Raphael's. The only difference was that hurting Splinter felt a lot worse: unlike Raphael, I knew he was the type of person who wouldn't get mad. He was the kind of person who simply felt disappointment when they were hurt. And nothing felt worse than someone being disappointed in me. I'd much rather be yelled at.

"Leonardo told me what you did." Splinter began, pushing aside the newspaper he had been reading and then folding his paws in front of him on the table. "That was very brave of you."

"I'm not sure if brave is the word I would use..." I replied. "I just wanted to help."

Splinter nodded. "I know."

"I'm really... sorry." I managed to say weakly. "I never meant to cause so much trouble."

Splinter gave me a long, hard look. I could tell that he was deep in thought, and I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or bad thing. Would be forbid from seeing his sons? Was I a danger to their safety now?

"I was not completely honest with you before, when I told you the story about how my sons and I became the way that we are." He finally said. "Perhaps if I had been honest with you, this would not have happened. I am partly to blame for these recent events."

"What did you keep from me?" I questioned with confusion.

Splinter took a deep breath, seeming hesitant to say anything more, but then reached for the newspaper on the table and unfolded it. He tapped the front page with one of his long nails and I leaned in close to get a better look. It was a picture of Eric Sacks, a very prominent business man in New York. His owned almost every major company in the city and he was beloved by the people that worked for him.

"I don't understand." I said, still staring down at the picture.

"Eric Sacks helped create the mutagen that created us. And now, he is working with the Foot Clan to recreate the mutagen." Splinter explained. "This is why you should not become involved with anything to do with the Foot Clan, Lily. You work for a company that Sacks Industries owns."

My jaw fell open as all the puzzle pieces began to fall together. Now, it all made sense.

Raphael had known where I worked from the very beginning, because he had been following me home every night after he had saved me. And then, the other day when he pressed me for information about my friends... He must have been trying to figure out if I was close with anyone at my job - perhaps even Sacks himself. It also explained his reaction to me getting involved with Leonardo and Donatello's plan. What I had done yesterday was even more dangerous than I had realized.

"Raphael told you where I worked before he brought me to meet you, didn't he?" I asked softly.

"Yes."

"Did Leonardo or Donatello know?"

"No, they did not. I felt it best to keep that information a secret. If Leonardo had known, he would have never tasked you to plant that device." Splinter said.

"Oh God..." I stuttered. "I had no idea... I can't believe this..."

"Tell me, do you know Eric Sacks personally?" Splinter asked.

"No! I've never even met the man before. My work... it's a really small company. They got bought out by Sacks Industries long before I ever moved to the city." I replied.

"Good." Splinter said gently, placing his paws over my trembling hands. "Then I do not believe you are in any danger."

My heart was racing and adrenaline was crashing through my veins. My whole body was shaking now as I realized just how deep the trouble I had gotten myself into was. If anyone found out that I had been to that building, and lied about my job in order to get up onto the roof, they would know I had been up to something. It wouldn't be too hard for someone to connect the dots - maybe not all the way to the turtles, but they would probably assume I knew something about the Foot Clan.

And then if they went looking on the roof... and they found the device...

I stood up quickly, almost knocking my chair over.

"I need to go clear my head... I'm just gonna go walk around for a little while." I said to Splinter, not giving him a chance to respond before I hurried across the room and went back out to the sewers.

I ignored the spray paint path that had been drawn for me, instead deciding to wander aimlessly. It probably wasn't the smartest idea, but I had the T-Phone with me, so if I got too lost I could always call one of the brothers. A few minutes later, I rounded a corner and came to a dead end. It wasn't damp in this area of the sewer line, so I let myself drop to ground.

It felt like the walls were closing in on me. The brothers were involved in something so much bigger than I could have ever imagined. If Eric Sacks was as corrupt as they claimed... Well, then no one was safe. I tried hard to not cry, but as I sat there on the ground, I began to feel more and more overwhelmed. Eventually, I gave up and let the tears fall freely.

I was in way over my head.

I heard footsteps approaching, and I peered around the corner to see Raphael making his way towards me. Something inside of me broke when I saw him, turning my fears into anger and frustration. There were more issues with this situation than just the one with the true identity of Eric Sacks. I climbed to my feet and turned to face him.

"You're a hypocrite, you know that right?" I stated coldly. "You made me feel like such a bitch yesterday for lying to you. But all this time, you were keeping something from me too."

"I didn't think you'd be goin' behind my back with Leo. I didn't think it would matter."

"That's not an excuse."

Raphael's eyes narrowed. "I was protecting you."

"No you weren't!" I cried. "What was it that you said to me yesterday? 'You didn't protect me, you lied to me.' God, I did the same thing as you, and you attacked me for it. But it's okay for you to lie to me?"

"Splinter didn't want you to know." Raphael shot back. "I had no choice."

"Well, that's all fine and great, but that still doesn't explain why you were so mean to me yesterday. You knew that I didn't know the truth, but yet you still made me feel awful for what I did! You could have been honest with me then, and at least I would have understood why you were so mad! Were you just never going to tell me?" I yelled in response.

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe I'm just not a good person? Hell, I'm sure Mikey has told you plenty of times that I'm an asshole. Always have been, always will be. If you have a problem with that, then I can't help you." Raphael replied harshly.

"Oh whatever, Raphael. I don't buy into that act. And that doesn't answer my question."

"What question?" He snapped.

"Were you just never going to tell me the truth?"

"I was." He growled, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"Oh, really? When?" I asked.

"Last night."

"Hm. I must have missed that part of the conversation." I replied sarcastically.

"Lily!" Raphael exclaimed angrily. "I was gonna tell you. Why the hell do you think I came over after we argued? I felt like shit and I wanted to make things right, okay? But then you kissed me and I didn't want to fuck things up. Again."

I sighed, feeling worn out, like I had just run a mile. He was an impossible person to argue with, but I guessed that he probably felt the same way about me right now. Raphael had a way of bringing my inner hothead to the surface.

"What now?" He asked me, his voice low.

It was simple question, but I was able to read between the lines. He wasn't simply asking me what we were going to do right now, at this moment. He was asking what was going to happened between us, from this point on. Even though he was trying hard to keep it hidden from his features, I could see the worry in his expression and in his eyes.

For the first time, I could see that he was just as scared of losing me as I was of losing him.

I wasn't sure what to say to him, because I wasn't sure what was going to happen now, about anything. I took the few steps forward that I needed to in order to close the distance between us. I laid my head against his chest, trying to convey through my embrace how much I needed him, now more than ever. I couldn't hear his heart beat, like you'd be able to on a normal person, but I could hear him breathe, which was just as soothing. He pulled me closer, his rough skin cool against my own. I closed my eyes, trying to relax.

Somehow, even though I hated fighting with him, every argument seemed to bring me a little closer to Raphael. Maybe he had been right earlier - maybe he was just an asshole, and arguing was the only way he knew how to deal with things. As I let myself calm down a little more, my thoughts drifted away from the comfort that I felt from his arms around me, and they landed on another face, which immediately made my eyes snap back open.

I had a feeling that from now on, Eric Sacks would be haunting my dreams.