Promise

Through her tear-blinded state she packed one bag. She knew she was being stupid. That she was being crazy. She should be happy! But…she couldn't be. She finished packing and opened the window. She looked behind her before she jumped down. It was time to go home, and pray that Raphael forgot all about her.

Raph listened and slowly opened his eyes. He went to the dojo and grabbed his sai and some rope, turning to Leo, "To hell with what she told you and go comfort Brianna. She's the best thing that's ever happened to you, Fearless," he said and also grabbed a first-aid kit and strapped it to his belt.

Leo watched him as he looked as if he was going to the topside. He sighed, "You're right." He said gently. "Thank you." He said as he went off to get Bria in his father's room and hoped that she would forgive him. He shouldn't have listened to Rae. Not when the future can easily be changed.

Raphael rushed to the garage where Lily was waiting with the garage door open and she was balancing his bike while holding up his helmet, "Arigato, Lily." He smiled and took it, jumping on his shell cycle and took off as fast as possible, remembering the general direction in which he had followed Rae that one night when they found Loki. 'Oh man, I do like her, I remember what she called that creature…' he groaned inside his head.

Rachel continued to run. She didn't need a map to tell her where home was. She always somehow remembered where it was, as long as she thought about it and kept her concentration up. She never could find anything else besides it and it was always a good thing. She had a good head start, but if Raph did make do on his word then he would be close by. She had to reach the warehouse.

She continued to run until she saw it right in her sights and she pushed herself faster until she got through the doors. She fell onto the floor and took a deep breath as she rolled on her back, "Touchdown." She breathed. "I made it home."

"And in tears," Ellie replied as she dropped a handkerchief on to her face. "I don't think I ever seen you look this upset…besides that one time."

"Oh these? I ran so fast the cold must have frozen my eyes shut!" Rachel lied easily, "I'm good."

A woman with dark brown hair and caramel bangs walked in and she sighed, "You're a horrible liar, Rachel," she rolled her blue eyes and helped Rachel stand. She fingered her silver hair pin, "Well? What'd you run from this time?"

"You're…" Rachel frowned and then grinned. "I ran away from…someone." She said as she watched her, "I've never seen you here before."

"I'm a Time Wielder, I can stop and speed time to a point," she smiled, "My name is Gabriella, Gabri or Ella for short. Ian just found me a few days ago."

"Ella." Rachel said with a slight smile as she looked behind her. "I…I ran away. It seems I'm really good at it." She turned back at Ella, "I'm back home."

"No you're not. You're home is working his way here, trying to find you," Ella smirked a little bit.

"No, he's not," Rachel replied as she walked in further into the warehouse, "He's not home."

"You're lying to yourself," Gabriella told her following her, fingering her hair pin, "It won't kill you either to admit it."

"Why do people insist that I'm lying to myself when I'm telling the truth?" Rachel asked, mostly to herself. "This is home. I can back track to this place with my eyes closed. I can't do that to him or to the lair that we stayed in. He's not home. He shouldn't even be trying to find me."

"He cares for you," Ella took out her pin and held it out, "Touch it."

Rachel looked at her and then decided to touch the pin. She watched it turn gold, "What?"

"You're in love with him. If you wish to continue to think of it as a crush then fine, but it's there," Ella put her pin back and watched her, "You're in serious denial," she shook her head and turned around, "Nice meeting you, Rae," she said going up the stairs. After a moment the piano was playing.

'I'm in love huh?' Rachel thought as she sunk down into a chair. She closed her eyes. She doubted…she wished…she didn't know what to think of anymore. If she was in love……if this was really what was going through her mind, "I can't be…can I?"

Raphael stopped his motorcycle in an alleyway and got off, putting it against a dumpster to hide it from prying eyes who might want to steal it. He put his helmet there, too, and then grabbed the rope, heading off into when he definitely knew as dangerous ground. However, he was determined, and he would gladly take on as many cuts and bruises and whatnot to get Rachel back.

Frances jumped from roof to roof and noticed something strange about the alleyway. There was a scent. What kind it was, he didn't know. He jumped off one of the buildings and looked around. His ears were perked and his claws were a little longer and sharper. He stilled himself. He wondered who this person was. The scent wasn't a bad scent. He smelled…familiar. It was almost the same scent Lily and Rae somehow managed to mingle with.

Raph heard the little sounds and took out a shuriken out, shooting it towards the roof above him to the right. He smirked when he heard a yelp, "You need more practice on stealth, whoever you are!"

"Thanks ninja I needed that." Frances growled as he ran over to the ledge of the roof and jumped down and landed on all fours. He knew that they were facing south, which meant that if he could at least push him back in that direction he wouldn't get close to Fireside, "Who are you?"

"Lily came here around Thanksgiving. Rae might only consider me as a friend, but I am Raphael. I am one of the people they've been staying with," Raph shifted his rope.

Frances looked at him and then looked at the rope that he was holding and he looked back at him, "Sorry. You got the wrong place."

Raph saw the recognition in the boy's face and went up to him, pinning him against the wall, holding his sai against his neck, "I know you know, kid, so tell me where Rachel is. I made a promise, and she knows it. I intend to keep the promise. Where is she?"

"I told you I don't know her." Frances hissed angrily at him. "You think that you can just toss me around and expect me to spill out every secret?"

Raphael smirked and stepped away, "Mm…I'm not here to attack her, just rope her ass and take her home." He took out his shell cell and hit a button, "Here," he offered it.

Frances frowned but took the phone anyway. He kept a stern eye on him as he lifted it to his ear. He listened to it ring.

A sigh answered the phone, "Find her yet, Raph?" a female voice asked.

"Lily?" Frances asked. "So, this man is really him isn't it?"

"Holy shit!" Lily told Don she would be right back and there was a shutting of doors, "Hi…" she breathed, "Fran? Is this really you? Why are on Raph's phone? I'm sure he likes the flattery but he's a turtle, not a man."

"Just confirming who he is," Frances replied lightly, "He's here in front of me demanding me to take him right into my gang's hideout because he wants our teammate back."

"Raph made a promise to Rachel that if she ever left he would track her down and drag her ass back," Lily giggled, "You don't have to take him inside, sweets, just ask Rae to come outside and that'll give him a chance to grab her."

Frances sighed, "Alright. Talk to you later."

"Bye," Lily said sadly and lingered before handing up the shell cell.

Frances gently shut it and handed it back to Raph. "What you're about to do is really cruel. She burst through the doors crying. You got her tied up in so many knots." He shook his head. "It's funny, I never seen her act like that before...well...not that's not true. There was this one time with Matt when she walked through the doors and never came down and when she did it was to disappear again. She doesn't consider you as a friend." Frances continued. "Just…keep that in mind as you tie her up and drag her back."

"I figured that much," Raphael grunted and put his phone back and then watched him expectantly, "There's another at home who would be very upset though if she didn't come back," he added. He didn't care much about whatever Matt character he was talking about, he just knew he wanted Rae back.

Frances stopped and looked at Raph. "Just how badly are you willing to bring her back? Are you going to go against every wish she ever had about being here and drag her back because you want her?" He didn't care if Rae would go back because of the second person Raph mentioned. The only question he had was whether or not Rae would be willing to go with this person and what this person was planning if he didn't get his way.

"If she doesn't come back, the other option I gave was to stay with her," Raph said softly.

"And if she doesn't want you to stay?" Frances asked, wondering just how high strung he was for her.

"I'll stay anyway. If not near her, then nearby, always within range if she does happen to need me," Raph rubbed his forehead.

"…I see." Frances murmured as he continued to walk. They reached the warehouse and he walked through the door after motioning Raphael to stay behind. He found Rae who was in the small living room. Her bag was still beside her. He sighed, "I'm sorry, Rae."

Rachel glanced up when he picked up her bag, "What are you doing?!" she asked, panicked.

Frances smiled as he grabbed her arm and dragged her to the door and opened it. He shoved her out of the door and the bag after her. "Sorry!" He called again as he slammed the door.

"DAMN IT FRANCES! LET ME BACK IN!" Rachel shrieked.

Raphael made a loop in the rope and tossed it at Rachel, and it wound around her arms and waist, "Hey," he said, "I told you I would come after you."

"I wasn't taking you seriously! Get this thing off of me Raph." She demanded angrily as her arms pinned to her sides so she couldn't move. Her eyes were narrowed and her cheeks were heated. "Why did you come after me? Wasn't there any doubt in your head that I possibly ran away for a reason?! Are all boys acting like idiots today?!"

Raph went to her and picked up the bag, slinging it over his shoulder and then he stood in front of her, "I came after you because I'm not the only one who needs you. Bria needs you, too, Rae. What I told you back in the kitchen was true, but even if you don't feel the same, so what? I don't mind it being one-sided. If I'm just a friend to you then I'm just a friend to you." He sighed and took off the rope, putting it on his belt, "Will you at least come back for Bria, if not me?"

Rachel bowed her head. He was okay with it being one-sided. That was nice to hear. It also broke her heart a little, but she knew that she was going to have to go through with it. 'No one should know how I feel.' She thought as she looked at him and smiled. "Of course," She said with a grin. "I got scared that you wouldn't want me around if you couldn't…If I couldn't see you like that." She said. She grinned and gently touched his arm. "Let's go back to the lair."