Sorta my fav chapter...
Chapter 13
Raphael woke up the next day feeling, if possible, worse. He tried to move but he felt as if he had been hit by a truck. He was so frustrated that he was beyond anger and somehow reached the point of despair. She had given him back his sais but he couldn't use them in his condition. Hell, he'd be lucky just to get out of bed this morning. But then if he didn't get out of bed, he wouldn't see his goddess. He needed to touch her, and hold her. After what he had found out last night, he needed to know if she would ever let him even touch her in that way and make her his. Not that he would blame her if she didn't, but there were so many things he needed to know.
She had been gone when he had woken up last night, so he didn't know if she was okay. He worked through the pain and managed to get himself out of bed. He limped into the kitchen and found his brothers looking no better than he felt. Leonardo was arguing with Michelangelo, which was strange because Michelangelo and Leonardo never fought...Ever.
"Mikey I don't want you doing this." Leonardo said angrily.
"Leo I don't see what the big deal is. She wants to go so I say let her. You can't order her not to leave."Michelangelo replied.
Raphael felt his heart stop. If she left, if she decided to leave them... He couldn't even finish the thought because the thought of her not being in his life hurt too much. It hit him then that he had fallen in love with her. The realization hit him in the stomach and knocked the wind out of him.
"I may not be able to order her to stay Mikey, but I can order you not to go." Leonardo said.
"But she doesn't want to go without me Leo." Michelangelo complained.
Raphael couldn't even work up enough anger to get angry. She was taking Mikey with her. She had chosen Mikey? He turned to stumble back to his room.
"Leo it's my thing. I'm the Turtle Titan, I'm the one who is a partial member of the Justice Force. She wants me to introduce her to the Silver Sentry."
"Mikey I don't want you running around Manhattan looking for demons. Raphael has already been hurt I don't need another brother hurt or worse, killed!" Leonardo yelled.
"I will look after him Leonardo." The goddess's voice rode along Raphael's arms like a sinful invitation. "And besides I don't know if the man we chase is actually being ridden by a demon. It may just be a wild goose chase, but if the Silver Sentry believes that his adversary is acting in an unusual manner, I believe it is worth checking into." The goddess said to Leonardo.
"He's a criminal, he acts unusual, it's what they do!"Leonardo insisted.
"Trust me Leonardo, a high grade criminal stealing Twinkies from a convenience store is unusual . Demons don't usually ride criminals, no real challenge, they find it boring. They ride people who inhabit the grey area of human morality, but only because they have enough lawyers in hell to have extensive knowledge of all of those nice legal loopholes. If our criminal friend here is in fact being ridden by a demon, then it may be a refugee, or a rebel. Either way I want to talk to him." She said with a malevolent smile that didn't bode well for the criminal in question. She turned and looked at Raphael. Her face grew concerned. "Raphael how are you feeling? You look like you had a rough night last night."
"I must have, I feel pretty bad." He said collapsing into a chair at the table. His goddess walked over to him and knelt down in front of him, face full of concern. Now that he knew he loved her, not touching her was even harder. But after yesterday, he couldn't. He had been forcing himself on her, and he couldn't do that anymore.
She reached out and touched his face. She leaned in closer and whispered to him. "It was a long time ago Raphael, and I have been through much worse. Do not look at me like that, as if you are afraid to touch me. I have always welcomed your touch." She smiled gently at him. She stood up and looked at Leonardo, who looked angrily back at her.
"You hungry Raph, I could make you bacon and eggs?" Donatello asked.
"No thanks Donny." Raphael replied. "I'm not really hungry. I think if I can get out of this chair, I might head back to bed." He told his brother a Michelangelo moved to help him, get out ofg the chair. They walked towards his room and Raphael changed his mind. "Actually Mikey just take me to the couch."
"Leonardo," The goddess began, "We need to talk." She said softly.
"No, we don't." Leonardo growled angrily.
"Be it upon your shoulders then." She said heatedly.
Raphael lay down on the couch and went back to sleep. He didn't know how long he slept for but was awoken by the sounds of familiar voices.
"Hey guys," April's chipper voice said. "We finally finished with our trip. It was amazing, you should see all of the pictures we got. Backpacking through Europe was the best honeymoon ever!." April said happily. Raphael struggled painfully to sit up.
"Hey, where's Raph?" Casey asked.
"Crashed out on the couch." Michelangelo answered.
"What's he doin' sleepin' in the middle of the day?" Casey asked.
"About that," Donatello began.
"Hey Case how ya doing?" Raphael asked looking over the back of the couch at him.
"Hey bro, rough night?" Casey asked as he leapt over the couch and landed next to him. Raphael winced in pain. "Whoa bro, what happened to you?" He asked looking at the scars that his shirt didn't cover.
April walked around the couch and looked at Raphael. "Oh my god Raph, are you okay?" She looked at Casey concern in her eyes. "Donny, why didn't you tell us Raph had been hurt?"
"Well we knew you guys were half way around the world..."Donatello began.
"He was hurt Donny, that's no excuse, we would have come home sooner. How did this happen?" She asked.
"Forget about how, What did this to you bro?" Casey asked as he got Raphael to lift up his shirt exposing the full extent of his injuries.
Raphael looked at them. What was he supposed to say, a demon? "A really big monster got his claws into me about two months ago." He finally managed to say. He looked around the lair but didn't see Leonardo or the goddess anywhere. She must have gone out on her daily patrol and knowing Leonardo he was probably tailing her. He thought to himself which just made him angry thinking about his brother following her around like she was some sort of monster.
He turned his attention back to Casey and April. Although they shared everything with Casey and April he didn't know how they would explain the whole goddess and demons thing.
"Bro, you're not looking so good. Are you okay?" Casey said with concern. He paused in thought for a moment. "I know what will make you feel better, how about you and I go out and bust some heads" He said with a smile.
Raphael looked away from Casey's eager face. Donatello placed a hand on Casey's shoulder and shook his head slightly. "I can't fight anymore Casey." Raphael said quietly. He had thought it, he had even said it to his goddess, but somehow saying it to Casey made it more true.
Casey looked at Donatello who shrugged. "Don't say that bro, you just need to recover for a little longer, then you will be out bustin' heads in no time." Casey said to him.
"Thanks Case, but the sooner I get used to the idea, the better it will probably be." He said quietly. Casey and April shared a worried look.
"So has the monster problem been dealt with?" April asked worry lacing her voice. "Did you guys manage to get the monster that did this to Raph?"
"I don't think it would be good for you guys to get involved." Donatello said. "The situation is...complicated."
"But Donny!" April said in shock.
Michelangelo walked over to them. "Raph faced the monster without us, but the monster was dead when we found Raph. Raph was..." Michelangelo paused. "In rough shape." He looked at April and Casey. His serious expression at odds with his usual expression of carefree happiness.
"Oh God, Raph." April looked at Raphael in horror.
"This is serious stuff April, I don't know if we can get you involved, let alone should." Donatello said to her. "Come on April, show us some of your pictures, we'll talk more about this later when Leo gets back." He said with a forced smile.
She looked at him questioningly. "If you're sure..." She said leading Donatello and Michelangelo to the kitchen table. Casey looked at Raphael. "You know bro, if you ever need someone to talk to or something, or if there is something you want to tell me, I'm always here for you."
"I know Case." He said then he looked at his friend. He was silent for a moment. "Can I ask you something, two something's actually?"
"Sure, anything you want bro."Casey said curiously.
"What would April have done if she found your porn collection?" He asked.
Casey looked at him shocked. "Seriously?" Raphael nodded.
"Didn't want to find out, that's why I gave it to you. But knowing April, if she didn't dump my ass right there and then, I would have been in the dog house for a very long time. There may also have been screaming and things being thrown." Casey glanced at April. "Yup definitely screaming and things being thrown, probably at me."
Raphael looked away and nodded. He was silent a moment finally looking back at him. "So how did you know that April was you know, THE ONE?" He asked.
Casey gave him a strange look."I don't know." He answered finally. "I mean, we are so different from each other, and April, she's smart, really smart, but she puts up with me. She puts up with my temper and we have a lot of fun together. We have fun together when we do stuff, and fun when we don't. She understands me, you know, she gets me."
"And you get her?" He asked
"Hell no!" Casey said looking at him in shock. "She's a woman Raph, there ain't no understanding women. Just when you think you've got them figured out, they hit you up the side of the head with a hockey stick and change the rules on you." He shook his head.
"So basically she drives you crazy?" He asked.
"Every single day. Sometimes it's good crazy, sometimes it's bad crazy. Trust me Raph, never try to understand them. I'm just content to know that for reasons I'll never understand she loves me, and I love her." He said looking over the couch at April and smiling. He turned his attention back to Raphael. "Why the questions Raph?" He asked.
He was silent a few moments before finally answering his friend. "It's been rough Case. I've been angry and frustrated and annoyed but..." He smiled, "It hasn't been all bad." He said as he reached behind him and took the goddess' hand in his. The scent of flowers washed over him. He had asked her once why she smelled like flowers. She had said it was White Heather, and that it was her flower. "Goddess you're back." He said softly. It was then that he realized his slip. If they didn't want April and Casey in the middle of this, they couldn't know who or what she was, but how do you explain a woman who looks like a demon?
"I'm sorry I didn't know you had guests." The goddess' voice drifted over his shoulder.
"Whoa, where'd she come from." Casey said in surprise.
April turned around and heard Casey exclaim."Goddess is right, Raph, wow." She walked over to the couch and looked at the woman who had walked in. She was the most beautiful woman April had ever seen. She was tiny maybe five foot exactly so about two inches shorter than the guys. But there was a raw sensuality about her that was almost tangible. April looked over her clothing which was tasteful, bright blue halter top paired with blue jeans. Cute little green high heeled sandals that were the same shade as the scarf that she wore in her hair. She seemed to be wearing Leonardo's trench coat, which shouldn't have fit, Leonardo being a hundred and eighty pound turtle and her being maybe 110...soaking wet...fully clothed...in the evening, but somehow she made that trench coat look like it had been made for her. Her hair was a little odd, and she would have accused her of having a bad dye, job except it wasn't the flat black that dyed hair tended to have. Rather it was almost multi-coloured like that of a Raven's wing holding greens, blues and purples in the depths. Pale white locks framed her pale and perfect face, which was marred only by a series of scars and some sort of black tattoos that seemed to run from jaw to neck.
Casey leaned more towards Raphael and whispered, "Wow Raph is she...? Wait did she find...?" He asked.
"Yup." Raphael whispered.
"Wha'd she do?"
"Alphabetized it and picked out her favourites." Raphael whispered with a smirk.
"I am not worthy." Casey said holding out his hands and bowing.
"I threw it all out." Raphael said as he stood up without letting go of her hand. He walked over to her, laced his fingers through hers and whispered something in her ear. She smiled up at him. There was a look in her eyes, part flirtatious laughter, part tenderness.
"How are you feeling" The woman asked speaking in a voice that was like satin, all smooth and sinful. "When I left you were sleeping. You weren't doing very well this morning." She said with concern.
"Yeah, I feel better. I missed you." Raphael said. She laughed and smiled at him. April swore she could almost hear bells in her laughter.
"Liar. You were sleeping and therefore didn't miss me." The said with a smile.
Raphael touched her face tenderly then brought her chin up. She looked up at him questioningly as he moved in to kiss her. His lips touched hers and she kissed him back wrapping her free arm around his neck. They broke away from each other and Raphael searched her face looking for something. Whatever he found reassured him. She smiled at him and he smiled back showing a tenderness and affection that she didn't think Raphael would ever be capable of. the startiling realization that Raphael was in love hit her.
"Yeah, yeah, Raph quit hogging her, and quit showing off for April and Casey. What did you get me!" Michelangelo asked shoving Raphael out of the way as he leapt towards the woman, grabbing for one of the bags she was holding. The woman laughed and the laughter rolled down her skin like it was its own tangible force. The sound was full of happiness and joy. April blinked in surprise.
"Michelangelo, you will just have to wait a second I just walked in. Leonardo should be right behind me."
"You must be April and Casey." She said with a smile. April finally got the full attention of her gaze and she had to swallow. There was something about her, something in her gaze that made her think of looking into the eyes of an ancient creature that seemed to hold the knowledge of the world in their depths.
"Yes."April said faintly. "I didn't know the guys had company." April said faintly.
"Oh she's not company." Michelangelo said trying to dig through the bags. "She lives here. Did you get it, did you get it, please tell me you got it!"
"Oh just take the bag Michelangelo, yes I got it." She said with a smile at him. Michelangelo flung himself at her hugged her. "This is so awesome, I can't believe you actually found the limited edition super rare Silver Sentry and the Green Mantel: Tales From Space, #1!" He danced around her, kissed the comic then gave her a kiss on the cheek. Raphael glared at his brother but only stood there with his arms crossed. She laughed again and the laughter danced off of April's skin. Her laughter was seriously creeping her out.
"She doesn't live here Mikey." Leonardo said dangerously, as he entered the living room. "She's staying with us until she can go home."
"Hey Leo, go take a pill or something." Raphael said angrily. April looked at Leonardo in surprise. Leonardo was never angry, or at least when he was he was never this bad.
"Leonardo's just mad because I ended up going shopping, instead of looking for..." She stopped and looked at April and Casey. She sighed and shrugged. "There will be time enough tonight Leonardo. Just because I wanted to go shopping doesn't mean you need to be upset about it, unless of course that isn't why you are angry?' She asked looking at him over her shoulder. Leonardo glared at her silently. The air between them crackled with an angry tension, but she wasn't sure it wasn't underscored with another form of tension.
The woman turned and walked over to Donatello. She handed him a bag. He took it and then leaned in close and whispered something in her ear. Her face grew serious and she touched his cheek lightly. She leaned in close and said something back to him, his face grew worried but nodded. He threw an inscrutable glance at Raphael then took his bag to his workroom.
"Bro, isn't she your girl?" Casey leaned over and whispered. "Or is the field still open, cause if the ball is in play then I think you and Donny had better have a little talk."
"Thank you for those lovely football analogies Case." Raphael growled.
Leonardo stalked over to the woman and grabbed her by the wrist to stop her from leaving to go into Donatello's workroom. Whatever he said to her made her angry. She shook her head and tried to pull her wrist away.
"Leo just doesn't know when to quit." Raphael growled.
Michelangelo shook his head."You two had better duck, things might get messy. It's bad enough when Raph and her fight, but when her and Leo get going sometimes things get broken." Michelangelo said still looking through the bags.
"Do they always fight?" April asked faintly staring at her friend who was having a heated argument that was being kept low enough so they couldn't hear what was being said.
"Who? Her and Raph or her and Leo?" Michelangelo asked.
"Um..." April said in confusion.
"Her and Raph only fight when Raph is too stupid to listen to her or if he is in one of his moods and she doesn't want to take his crap anymore. Although Raph seemed to smarten up a bit after he tried to punch her, but only a bit." Michelangelo said smiling evilly at Raphael.
April looked at Raphael in horror. Raphael looked at the horror on April's face. "Mikey you're making me sound like an abusive boyfriend. It wasn't like that April. " Raphael said hurriedly. "We were sparing..." He began.
"Yeah and she told you to stop, but you didn't, almost got her right in the face when she didn't try to defend herself. It's okay she caught his punch and made him say uncle." Michelangelo laughed.
"Leo looks like he's getting a little rough." April said worriedly.
"Oh, don't worry about that," Michelangelo said with a wave of his hand. "She won't hurt him. Leo probably needs to get his ass kicked again anyway."
"She'd win against Leo?" Casey asked incredulaous. "But she's so tiny, and Leo's got about a hundred pounds on her, not to mention the swords."
"Oh, she'd win against all of us...at the same time...with both arms tied behind her back. If she really tried that is." Michelangelo said happily.
"Hey bro don't you think you better do something about Leo messin' with your girl?" Casey asked.
"She wouldn't thank him if he did." Michelangelo said with a chuckle. "She'd probably kick his ass too." Michelangelo said.
"Do you know what they're fighting about?" Raphael asked him, anger leaking into his voice.
"When does Leo need a reason?" Michelangelo asked. "They've been fighting off and on since last night."
The woman stepped into Leonardo's personal space, Leonardo took a step back. She said something to him and Leonardo nodded. She tried to pull off the trench coat but Leonardo stopped her. Donatello walked out of his workroom and looked at the fighting pair.
"Hey Donny you want to lay odds, looks like Leo's picked a fight again." Michelangelo said with a smile. "Okay, so do you think she's going to be nice or do you think she's going to go hard on him?" Michelangelo asked Donatello.
Donatello looked at the two and sighed. "Eye colour is normal, I'd say she's going to be nice."
Michelangelo studied the pair who were facing off. Leonardo drew his swords. April looked at the two in horror. "But she's unarmed!" She cried.
"Yeah, but Leo still doesn't have the advantage." Donatello said studying the pair. She walked up to Leonardo whose swords were drawn. She touched his shoulder and said something to him. Leonardo's anger became palatable. He pulled back from her touch and said something to her. She looked at him angrily then backed away.
"Hey Raph..." Casey began as he looked at Raphael who was being held back by Donatello. April could see the jealousy burning in his gaze. Casey looked back to Leonardo then back to Raphael. "Hey Raph, I think Leo is interested in your girl." He said in a worried voice.
"Naw, Leo hates her, been ridin her ass since she got here." Michelangelo said looking at Leonardo.
"No seriously bro, look at Leo's face, Leo's jealous. Really jealous." Casey said looking at Raphael. "I may not be too bright, but I know the look of a jealous lover and Leo has it."
"But he fights with her all the time, and he's downright nasty at times, doesn't trust her either." Michelangelo said in confusion.
Casey shrugged. "Maybe Leo doesn't even know it. Or he knows he can't have her."
April looked at her friends who were now all looking at Leonardo with speculation. Donatello let go of Raphael who glared angrily at Leonardo, fists clenched in anger.
The woman crouched low arms held straight out at her sides, head bowed. She almost looked like she was in a very low curtsey, without the dress. "I've never seen that starting position before." Donatello said curiously. "Do you think she will let him keep his weapons or is she going to take them?"
"Hmmm. I'm going to go with take them." Michelangelo said.
"I agree, how long do you think he has with them?" Donatello said looking at the pair.
"With green eyes I vote that she is going to get his weapons...let's say about halfway through the fight." Michelangelo said.
"I'm going to go within the first two moves." Donatello said. "Winner buys the next pizza?"
"Done." Michelangelo shook Donatello's hand.
"Seriously you guys! She could be hurt. How often do they do this that you guys are actually betting!"April asked shocked.
Michelangelo shrugged. "It used to be a few times a week, now it's almost daily."
Leonardo charged. April felt her heart speed up. "Donny you have to stop them, Leo's going to hurt her." She said in a panicked voice.
"She's a warrior April, she can stand up to Leo, believe me. She won't let him hurt her, and she won't hurt him, at least I hope not." Donatello said, worry beginning to enter his expression.
The woman didn't move, even though Leonardo was right on top of her, swords arcing down, and then she moved. She pushed herself backwards putting all of her weight on her back foot. Then she pivoted turning her back towards Leonardo, her arms outstretched. Her body lined up exactly with Leonardo's, her arm ran along his arm, her back along his back. She grabbed his katana and pulled it from his grasp, then she ducked as Leonardo turned and his sword skimmed over her head. She stood and flipped backwards out of Leonardo's reach.
"You lose Mikey." Donatello said to him.
April looked at the woman in shock. The guys were the most graceful creatures she had ever seen move. They were quiet and surefooted, but compared to her Leonardo looked like a bull in a china shop. A very clumsy bull. She moved like a dancer. Each muscle controlled, each movement precise and she moved with graceful sinuous movements that almost seemed sensual. She was also still wearing her heels, which just seemed unfair.
Sword struck sword as they battled furiously. But April noticed that she was constantly on the defence. She didn't seem to be attacking Leonardo at all. As the fight went on though she could see that Leonardo was showing signs of fatigue. Sweat was beginning to run down his body while she looked fresh and perfect, like she just stepped out of a magazine.
"Leo's getting tired, think she's going to go in for the kill or just wait till he drops?" Michelangelo asked.
"Go for the kill, you remember what happened the last time she let him fight till he dropped." Donatello said watching the woman begin to take the offence.
"What happened last time?" April asked, voice faint.
"Leo hurt himself, continued to fight, collapsed, then fell unconscious to the floor. She was so angry with him he ended up on bed rest for three days. Leo was not happy. In fact Leo was probably even worse than Raph, and he got stuck on bed rest for much longer.
"But if Leo didn't want to stay in bed, how did she make him?" April wondered.
"When Goddess says to do something you do it, or she'll make you. At least Leo was smarter than Raph. She ended up tying him to the bed one day. That was hilarious." Michelangelo said laughing.
"For you." Raphael grumbled. "That's right laugh it up chuckles."
"Oh whatever, you liked it." Michelangelo said.
"Yeah, you try being tied to a bed for a whole day." Raphael sneered.
Michelangelo shrugged. "I could see how it might not be such a bad thing in certain situations." Michelangelo said with a wink.
Red bloomed on Raphael's cheeks.
"Oh, here she goes." Michelangelo said turning his attention back to the fighters.
Leonardo was breathing hard, she hadn't even broken a sweat. Leonardo gathered himself up for one last charge. Katana held in both hands he charged her. She charged back, sword held in the same position as Leonardo. The swords struck and she pushed him back a step. He fought to push against her, but she gave a final shove knocking Leonardo to the ground. Sword pointed at his throat Leonardo yielded. He stuck out a hand and she looked at him with surprise. She reached out and helped him up. His face was serious but no longer angry. He kept a hold of her hand as he whispered something in her ear. He glanced at April and Casey and she looked at them as well. Eyes worried she turned back to Leonardo. She shook her head at whatever he said. Leonardo's anger flared again. She said something to him as she touched him gently on the shoulder. He closed his eyes and gave a curt nod.
Raphael clenched his fist in anger. Her eyes swivelled to Raphael and she looked at him eyes worried. "Your rage is leaking again Raphael." She said to him. She gave Leonardo's sword back to him, gave Leonardo's arm a squeeze then walked back to Raphael. Leonardo walked to the bathroom where April heard the shower start.
The woman pulled Raphael aside and whispered something in his ear. His anger drained away and his face grew serious. Raphael nodded, and she walked into Donatello's workroom.
"Looks like something's going down." Michelangelo said hopping off of the back of the couch. Raphael nodded, but walked around to the couch and sat down.
April grabbed Casey and walked a little away from the guys so she could talk with him. "Wow, did you see that April, that chick kicked some serious ass." Casey said in awe. "Man, I can't believe that Raph managed to hook up with such a hottie. I mean you are of course way hotter babe, but...wow."
April looked at Donatello's work room with a worried expression. She loved the guys, but she had never really thought about them in that way. She hadn't really thought about it, but could a human actually love the guys? Get past the fact that they were actually giant mutated turtles? Then her mind drifted into the complications of biology, were they actually physically compatible? She shook her head, she was going someplace she didn't even want to go.
"Do you think she's actually with Raphael Casey?" She asked. "I mean, she seems...I don't know, kinda touchy feely with all of them?"
Casey shrugged. "All I know is that I have never seen Raph this laid back. Usually he is itching to fight, and especially if he can't fight anymore Raph should be half crazed with anger. But look at him, he's practically calm. He must be working off all of his frustration in a different way, if you know what I mean, and I would bet you she has something to do with that. I mean look how she handles him." He said in awe.
"That's what worries me." She said quietly. April walked over and grabbed Donatello dragging him to the privacy of the kitchen. She sat him down on a chair."Donny I want to know what's going on right now! Who is that girl? She's...she's...I've never seen anyone move like that. And what is wrong with you guys. You guys are wound so tight you are all like little bombs ready to explode. Raph's been injured bad and almost acting civilized, you look like a kicked puppy, Leo's acting like Raph, and Mikey actually looks sad and worried underneath all of his silliness."
"Things are bad April. Really bad." April looked at Donatello's wounded expression and she sat down on a chair as realization hit her. "Oh God Donny. You love her." She said softly. Donatello put his head in his hands. "Does she know, does Raph know. Do you really think Leo...?" She couldn't even finish the question. The hurt and agony in Donatello's face stopped her. "Donny, does she really feel that way about Raph? She seemed...shocked that he kissed her."
"I don't know," Donatello said with a shake of his head. "Probably. I think that's the first time he ever kissed her. Raph loves her, how can I...April I love her so much it hurts. When I see them together...but then she...when I hold her...Things are really complicated April. I can't even explain it to you without...Raph doesn't know some things. I promised her I wouldn't tell him, but it's getting harder and harder to keep things from him, he's going to find out and he's going to feel like I betrayed him, that she betrayed him."
"Have you betrayed him Donny?" April asked quietly taking his hand. "Yes...no...April, you don't know what Raph went through. He went through so much and she is the only thing that has kept him sane, and he is still suffering. But how can I deny my feelings for her?"
"But Donny, if she's cheating on Raph with you..." She began.
He shook his head. "You don't understand April, it's not like that. Raph doesn't have her, I don't have her, that's the problem, I don't know if any of us even can have her. But Raph needs her." He whispered turning his head to the side and closing his eyes.
She looked at him. "What do you mean can have her, you mean like...you guys and she aren't...you know?"
Donatello looked at her in confusion, then heat flooded his face as he figured out what she was talking about. Donatello coughed. "No that's not what I mean, we're um...compatible." His blush faded. "She's just...so much more than us..." He said.
"Who is she Donny?"
"The who is less important than the what." Leonardo said as he sat down in a chair to her left. April jumped. "I don't want you or Casey involved in this April." Leonardo growled as Casey and Raphael walked over and joined them at the table. Donatello avoided looking at Raphael. April looked around and noticed that Michelangelo had gone missing. Leonardo continued talking. "She thinks you should know what is going on, but she says you can't become involved."
"Who is she Leo?" April asked. A slow dread was beginning to creep over her.
"If we had her name we would give it to you." Leonardo said bitterly.
"Leo, what are you talking about, her name is..." Raphael said in confusion.
"That's not her name!" Leonardo said as he stood up angrily. "'Never give your name to a being of power.' That's what she told us. She told us 'you may call me,' she didn't say 'my name is.'"
"She didn't give you her real name?"April asked in surprise.
"She didn't trust us enough to give us her name." Leonardo said angrily. But under the anger April could hear the hurt in his voice.
"It is true." The woman's voice floated over April's shoulder, "I gave you the name that was chosen for me, not the name I was born...no she was born..." April turned and looked at the woman who walked in and felt herself pale.
The woman looked confused, and shook her head as if to clear it. Her expression cleared and she looked at April steadily. Gone was the cute woman with the warm smile, instead a warrior stood in her place, and she wasn't human. April leapt from her chair and stumbled backwards.
The woman had the ears of a lynx jutting out from the top of her head; huge black bat wings arched from her back and a distinctly reptilian tail slowly moved from side to side. She wore clawed gauntlets and shoulder guards covered her shoulders. Her clothing was minimal, a black bra and some strips of white linen wrapped around her torso in a criss-cross pattern. A long flowing linen skirt, slit up the sides and back. Shin guards covered black knee high boots. Two swords stuck out over her shoulders ends poking out of the black cloak where it had been slit to accommodate her wings. Michelangelo stood beside her in his Turtle Titan costume.
She should have been horrifying, and yet with all of this she was still the most beautiful woman April had ever seen. It was then she understood what Michelangelo had meant when he had said that 'she wouldn't hurt Leo.' The power and silent menace that rolled off of the woman was a tangible beast that made the hairs on the back of April's arms and neck stand up. The feeling was at its core visceral.
Slung over the woman's arm she carried Leonardo's trench coat. "I cannot have you involved." The woman said to her and Casey. "I do not believe I would be able to protect you." She walked over to Leonardo and gave him his trench coat. Leonardo took it wordlessly. She then turned to Raphael, leaned down and touched his mask. "May I?" She asked. Raphael nodded as she removed his mask. "Thank you Raphael." She said touching his face lovingly. He stood up and tied the mask around her eyes. He touched her cheek, tilted her chin up and kissed her. She brought both arms around his neck and kissed him back.
"Go kick some ass for me." Raphael whispered. She smiled at him and Raphael sat back down in his chair. The effect of Raphael's mask made the woman even more menacing, all black and white with a slash of blood red across her eyes.
"Nice." Michelangelo said happily. "Now you just need an awesome super hero name." Michelangelo said with excitement as he grabbed her around the waist pulling her in close. She smiled up at Michelangelo, but April noticed the possessiveness of the grip he had on her waist.
"This is not time to be playing dress-up Mikey." Leonardo said angrily.
The woman just shrugged and smiled showing vicious fangs. "When in Rome."
April felt herself start with surpise. Shehadn't noticed the fangs before.
"Don't worry April she doesn't bite...much" Michelangelo said with a laugh.
"She'll bite you if keep bugging her Mikey." Raphael said in an annoyed voice.
Donatello looked at the woman worry written on his face.
"Only if he asks nicely." She said with a wink, her voice dripping in sexual innuendo.
April looked at Raphael who was sitting at the table, arms crossed. He looked a little irritated that Michelangelo was still holding her, but he didn't seem jealous of him. Leonardo looked at her angrily. She disengaged herself from Michelangelo's grip and walked over to Leonardo and placed a hand on his shoulder. He flinched back from her touch. "I am only joking Leonardo." She looked at Michelangelo and said, "Harbinger."
"Huh?" Michelangelo said.
She laughed. "It means, omen, a herald, a forerunner. You know like the Harbinger of Doom, that sort of thing. It's my sidekick name." She said with a smile at Michelangelo.
"Nice one." Michelangelo said. "And I get my own sidekick! This is going to be awesome."
Leonardo slammed his fist onto the table. "This is not a game Michelangelo."
"Be calm Leonardo. I will protect him. The demon that we will be hunting is not like the Syna. It is non-corporeal. It will be no match for me, even as I am now."
"Whoa, what do you mean demon?" Casey asked in confusion.
"Ignorance is not always bliss Leonardo, sometimes it just gets you killed faster. Tell them what I am, what we hunt this night, and then let them leave. The further away they are, the less likely they will be hurt." She looked at Michelangelo and motioned for them to go. They walked a few steps ahead.
Leonardo stood and grabbed her shoulder leaning in he whispered, in a voice full of menace. "If you let anything happen to him..." She looked at him over her shoulder, lips almost touching, and brought her hand up touching his face lightly. Leonardo closed his eyes at her touch. "I will not fail Michelangelo as I failed Raphael, and if I do it is only because I am dead." She said, softly to him. She leaned in and kissed him. She turn and she began to walk away.
April looked at Leonardo's face which was full of shock, torment and need. He managed to remove all traces of it before he returned to the table. April's gaze swung to Raphael who had obviously missed her kissing Leonardo. April knew that she was the only one who had seen what that particular encounter had cost Leonardo.
April jumped up from the table and ran to the woman's side. "Can I have a word?" She asked grabbing the woman by the arm and dragging her into Donatello's workroom. This woman scared her. There was something about her that knew she was dangerous, but they way she interacted with the guys she knew she would never hurt them, at least not physically. Well April had never been a shrinking violet so she had better just come out and say what she had to say. "Alright, I don't know who you are, or what's going on, but they are my friends and I won't stand by and let you break their hearts."
The woman looked at her and April had to force herself to keep eye contact with her. "I love them, with all my heart, but I cannot promise that their hearts will not break. All I can promise you is that I will protect them with my life." She touched April's shoulder as she walked past, metal claws scraping along her skin.
"Who do you love? You can't just string them along, if you love Raph be with him, if it's Donny, be with him, or with Leo or even with Mikey, but you can't let them go on this way. I don't care what's going on, Donny and Leo's hearts are breaking."
"April, I already told you who I love, and you, like them, still wish me to choose one. With what and who I am...You do not understand, just as they would not understand." She closed her eyes. "Unfortunately right now, this is so much bigger than me or them." She said as she opened her eyes and began to walk from the room. "Do not think that it is only their hearts that are breaking." She whispered as she walked out of the workroom and exited the lair with Michelangelo.
April followed.
Leonardo sat at the table, defeat written in every line of his body. April sat back down and her and Casey listened as Leonardo told the story of Raphael's encounter with the demon Syna, and the goddess' theory on the goings on in Hell, and a possible Apocalypse. The tale made her head hurt. "I want to stay and help." She said, her voice quavering
"The best way you can help April is to not be here. These Demons are fast and will eat you. It is bad enough that she has to protect all of us, adding two more people that she has to look out for is unfair to her." Donatello said in a reasonable voice. "Don't worry April, I'll keep you informed as to what is going on." April nodded and had to be content. Her and Casey left an hour later. She felt devastated. Her friends were in danger and they were hurting. And poor Raphael, he had been killed. It was no wonder the guys were trying to leave the goddess for him, but she had said she had already told her who she loved, but she had said all of them. April felt confused and hurt and frightened.
And then of course demons and the Apocalypse, it was almost too much to take in. Her and Casey didn't talk the whole way home. All she could hope for was that Donatello would keep her informed, but she knew she wouldn't rest easy until all of this was over.