Frozen Fallout

It was the 25th. Rachel had gotten a call nine days ago from someone and had told Donatello that today Lily was supposed to have come back. However, it was starting to become late at night and she still hadn't come back. He couldn't ask Rae anything because she was out on patrol with Raphael and he knew that even if he tried, she would just lie or be vague.

It was starting to get nerve-wracking. Rae promised that she would be safe, but he was starting to doubt the girl's word. He didn't go out on patrol tonight because he was stuck in the lab with a new idea that he had to finish. Not only that it was Raph's turn and he couldn't very well take that away from him because he was worried about Lily. He wouldn't even know where to go to get her and Rae wouldn't be much help.

God he hated this so much, but what could he do? He fidgeted with one of his gadgets before sighing. He hoped that Rachel was right about her being safe. It sucked sometimes, not being in the loop. Then again, he paused in his fidgeting and thought about what Lily had said. He had distanced himself from his own family for a long time now. Whoever said he's been a part of it?

He sighed, shaking his head. The consequences were his choice, he knew that. Still, he placed the gadget to the side and leaned back in his chair. The lab was still and cold, like a cave. There was nothing but machinery and some medical supplies for anyone that comes back injured. Out from his doors was heat and laughter, that's what she had said.

He brought that upon himself, he knew that all too well. He hated it when his brother's commented about how long he stayed in his lab. He held conversations because that's what he was supposed to do. Donatello sighed; he held conversations because he didn't know what else to do. Advice he could give, and a conversation he could try…but what else was he good for? He almost hurt them once when the monster inside of him came out. No…he did hurt them once before. This was to protect them…

Lily was quite right…this lab of his was like a cold cave. Lonely and full of solitude…He wished he could join the light again, the heat and the laughter…but he was scared to. He didn't want to hurt them again.

Raphael looked at Rachel. She seemed really anxious and he was wondering why, "Rae?" he reached over to touch her shoulder but she jumped down to the ground before he could make contact.

Rae didn't want to be here, with him, but she didn't have a choice if she wanted to get back to the lair. She looked around in the alleyways. Lily's words still haunted her every time she looked even in his general direction. You're just lying to yourself. It was chanted like a song, always on repeat. She shuddered. Tomorrow was Thanksgiving. Thinking about it made her throat constrict.

Bria and she were welcomed to join, including Lily if she "ever returned". Rae wasn't sure if she should stay. It was so hard to breathe when the holidays came up. She always tossed herself into her work around those days too. Bria could barely get her to stay around during the holidays, always running off during the current day and coming back the next. Never telling where she went…

Rachel didn't have that luxury now. Leonardo distrusted her and would find any reason to keep her down. She took a deep breath as she searched the alleyway for the kitty that was to round the corner any minute.

'I never asked to have a crush on him. I asked never to fall in love,' Rachel thought stiffly. 'This will go away in time. I know it will…and when it does maybe I can breathe a little easier…maybe my heart will finally stop racing.' She bit her lip as she touched her chest. She had thought a long time ago that this heart of hers would be stilled. There was still a chance it could be, if she very, very much wanted dead. However, feeling it race against her chest wasn't a new feeling for her.

Rachel had felt this way when he was around, 'I don't want this. I want to be normal again. When…when did my heart decide to crush on him?! I don't want this. I never wanted this. He won't even like me the same way and I'm glad of that. Maybe I should confess and get a broken heart out the way. It should be able to do that right?!' She wanted to yell at herself, to do something…but couldn't. 'Damn you Lily…why did you have to put these stupid thoughts in my head? It's not fair.'

"I'm going to take a walk around the alleyways." She finally spoke up. "You know, just in case I run into something."

"Sure, whatever, Rae," Raph sighed, "Just don't run off like you did last time," he requested.

She stopped. "I can't make that promise." She replied as she took off running. Damn. Why again did he act like he cared for her? Because she was a guest? She wasn't sure. What she did know was that she needed to run, to make her mind clear. She had to keep it clear. Otherwise, she could endanger everyone. 'Okay Lily, where am I going to find you?' She thought as she skidded to a stop and looked both directions.

One alleyway lead to the highway, but another lead the deeper part of NYC's underground. "Sly little vixen." She mused as she started running again. Just pretend to find a stray cat, look all pleased about it and take her home. That was the plan and she hoped that Lily didn't get herself into trouble for it.

Lily mewed and barely avoided Rachel's running steps. She mewed again and sat firmly, unhappy at almost being stepped on in her kitten form, "Mew!"

"Oh hey there little kitty," Rachel cooed as she sat down. "You know I got a big huge bone to pick with you when you transform back." She snapped in a whisper, knowing that Lily could hear her. "I bet your lost aren't you kitty? Come here." She coaxed as she gently held out her hand.

Lily jumped into Rae's hand and purred, "Mew!" The 9 days had been long and tiring, but she had learned a lot and made amazing friends with everyone. She wondered what Rachel was upset about but shrugged and let things play out.

Rachel sighed as she picked the kitten up and looked around. "Okay then…" She was thankful that her distant run didn't take her too far...it was quite easy to retrace her steps since she didn't a very long way. She petted Lily's fur, mindlessly and looked up at the rooftops. She had a feeling that Raphael decided to find a little fight to get himself into. She wondered what he was thinking.

"What's that you got?" Raph appeared in the alleyway beside her and was leaning on the wall.

Her heart jumped out her chest and she turned around. "Do you like scaring me like that?!" She demanded.

"Actually, yes," Raph walked over to her, "It lets me get some sort of reaction out of you towards me lately," he reached for her hand, "You've been avoiding me, and if you're like Mikey who you've been taking refuge to, avoidance usually means something's bugging you and/or you did something and are guilty about it." He managed to grip her wrist gently which was holding the kitten that started purring when he brushed its fur.

"It's neither. I'm not avoiding you." Rachel said with a smile that was just as false as her words. 'Damn. That's what it's like having siblings though…it makes it easier for others to read them…damn…damn…' She shook her head. "Glad you seemed to enjoy laughing at me though. Look what I found!"

Raphael smiled as he saw the kitten and he rubbed it's head between its ears, "Cute little one," he chuckled, "Let's take it home with us, I'm sure Klunk will like having company," he smirked and before she could run away, he grabbed her around the waist and put her in his arms bridal-style, "Ha, caught you," he grinned and took off before she could fight her way to her feet.

"Why the hell?" Rae demanded while trying to hide a real smile. "Don't answer that." She murmured as she looked away. She gripped the kitten a little tighter as he continued to go through the night with random speeds. She shouldn't be so comfortable with this. She shouldn't be so at peace with this. But she was.

"I like feeling you with me…I miss you," Raph answered anyway and took the opportunity to jump and have to look forward and not at her, "It's colder at night when you're not there to warm it up."

Her cheeks turned a hot red color. "I don't understand." She said which was true. She honestly didn't get it. Was he saying that she was great company? That she was a good friend? Heaven forbid if he was trying to confess. "But…" Her mouth had worked faster than her brain. "I know that I like being around you too." 'In more ways than one…damn it! I need to die…just someone…randomly someone shoot me.'

Raphael laughed and heard a mew, "Don't hug the kitten too hard, there, Rae," he smiled at her and then jumped down. They were inside the park, but he still wanted to run with her there, "If you like being with me…why are you avoiding me?"

Rachel didn't have an answer for that one. 'Well it goes a little something like this. I'm crushing on you and I have a feeling that it won't work out because I'm through of being in relationships…yeah…how to explain that without hurting someone's feelings?' She thought to herself miserably. "I don't know." She responded.

Raph skidded to a stop, but they were only a few meters from the lair. He set her down on her feet, "Lie all you want, damn it," he huffed and walked off, "I hate hearing you voice tainted by lies…it's too good for that."

"Have you ever thought, just for once, that I'm lying to protect you and your family?!" Rachel called out to him. "That I'm doing this because I'm scared?! I don't want these damn feelings because I never asked for them!" She stopped as she turned pale to what she had said. Her temper easily could match Raphael's and she completely...she was stupid. "Agh! Forget it." She took off running towards the lair. Once she dropped off Lily she could get her stuff and get back to Fireside. She couldn't believe she did that. Damn. Now he was going to get suspicious.

Raph was forever grateful Master Splinter had taught him so much, and he was easily able to catch up to Rachel. He was also suddenly grateful to the kitten, to suddenly dropped to the ground and Rae had skidded to a stop. He jumped and caught her, "Rachel!" however when she yanked away, she tumbled down towards the Turtle Lake, and since the ice wasn't completely frozen, the moment she tried getting up, the ice broke underneath her, "RAE!"

Raphael jumped down and used his weapons and skills to attach to the hill and then he reached for Rachel who managed to resurface and grab onto the more solid ice around her, "Rae! Rachel, grab onto me!"

Rachel, frantic and freezing to death, grabbed his hand and allowed him to pull her up and away from the pond. She was cold, soaking and freezing. She couldn't even speak because her teeth chattered. God that water was cold. Not only that, she had at least ducked back in the water at least three times trying to grab on solid ice.

Raph rubbed her back and his eyes widened when his hands glowed red. He heard yelling and looked up to see Bria, her hands in the sign for fire, and even as she was skidding, she was focused. He turned back to Rachel and picked her up as the kitten jumped onto her shoulder, "Come on, let's get you warm," he said gently.

"Is she alright?" Brianna reached them with a blanket and put her hand sign down, Raphael's hands stopped glowing, and she put the blanket over her sister, taking notice of the calico kitten who transferred shoulders, "Rae! Can you speak to me?"

Rachel's teeth were still chattering since her clothes were still wet. "I-I c-can t-talk." She stammered horribly, "I-I d-d-don't th-think that I c-can be qu-qualified a-as being fine. Throw m-me in a hot ba-bath and the-then we'll ta-talk."

Bria smiled and helped Rachel into the house where the other brothers were waiting and she looked at Michelangelo, "Mikey, can you start a warm bath?" she asked.

"Sure." Mikey replied, wondering what the hell had happened to her. She was soaked. Surely Raph didn't decide that Turtle Pond was safe enough to throw her in. He walked away to start it.

Bria took Rae, but paused and looked at Raph, "Did you find that kitten on patrol?"

"I-I d-did." Rachel said, "I-I us-used to ha-have ca-cats." She shrugged. "It's ma-mainly for Do-Donny." She sneezed. "I will n-not be ha-happy if I ca-catch a co-cold." She complained.

"Why would you go through the trouble of find a stray cat for me?" Donatello asked with a raised eyebrow. "And you might want to go to your room and put on something clean and dry. You will catch a cold if you stand around any longer in those clothes."

"I-I th-think I'll d-do th-that." Rachel nodded as she sneezed again, "Geeze." She grumbled as she walked off. She hated being cold and this was not helping. At least she got a warm bath out of it. Now to avoid Raph and make sure he didn't try to corner her.