Love Found

Raphael skidded through the secret alleyways and the pathways he had memorized that lead to that exact location. He knew ever twist and turn, every rough edge, pot hole, rock and pebble that lead to that place. That very special place…

How could he be so stupid?!

He wasn't allowed to think further on that matter, because when he turned the corner, he was forced to swerve sharply when he saw a huge pile of rubble blocking his path. Oh, and to top it off, he skid on black ice. Raphael's bike swerved and he landed on his right side, moving the still healing ribs which made him cry out, and his head did a rebound off the asphalt.

Raph used his ninja training to get off the bike as he skid some more and he saw a flash of white...it was the paper. Snatching it he went to put it back, but felt blood. Shouting in anger he rearranged his bandana and placed the riddle back. Looking up at the sky, he felt tears prick at his eyes. He went around the rubble, remember vaguely hearing on the news the night before about a fire, but didn't remember it was here.

Determination sped his feet until he was running at top speed towards that place…but he keenly felt the sun settle behind the horizon, pitching him in even deeper darkness he was already in.

Sound…he needed to rely on sound, but Rae was as still and quiet as Splinter or Leo when not wanting to be found…

Raphael felt the tears in his eyes as he tried using smell as well, but not even the dirt beneath his feet told him where he was going…

"Rae…please…wait for me…"

She stood there in the middle of the street, the lights were shining and she was alone. No one would come bother her, not when they knew who and what she was. Rachel waited underneath the strobe light, feeling the sun die in the west. As it got lower, her heart sank deeper in her chest. She felt like crying, she felt like dying. It wasn't fair, but life was never fair. It was merely keeping a promise she failed to uphold…and for once in her life she regretted making the promise.

Rachel couldn't bear it. She couldn't just stand around, praying he'll answer the riddles, knowing that most she left were fake and three were real as they could be. She felt something stab her in the chest and her head spun. It made her bend as she felt her heart beat faster.

Something inside of her coaxed her to do something, say something do anything. Her mouth opened and she began a lyrics to a song just recently had heard.

"(I – see – you
I – see – you)
Walking through a dream
I see you
My light in darkness breathing hope of new life
Now I live through you and you through me
Enchanting
I pray in my heart that this dream never ends
I – see – me through your eyes…."

She sang softly as she stood up from kneeling. She tossed her head up to stare at the multicolored sky.

"Living through life flying high
Your life shines the way into paradise
So I offer my life as a sacrifice
I live through your love
You teach me how to see."

Her voice rose a little higher, almost pleading. Rae wasn't begging anyone to come to her, she wasn't asking anymore, but she was pleading. She was praying.

"All that's beautiful
My senses touch your word I never pictured
Now I give my hope to you
I surrender
I pray in my heart that this world never ends
I see me through your eyes
Living through life flying high."

She clutched her chest and she took a deep breath, like she had learned in choir and continued the song.

"Your love shines the way into paradise
So I offer my life
I offer my love, for you
When my heart was never open
(and my spirit never free)
To the world that you have shown me
But my eyes could not division
All the colors of love and of life ever more."

Tears started sprinkling from her eyes, but her voice didn't hitch.

"Evermore
(I see me through your eyes)
I see me through your eyes
(Living through life flying high)
Flying high."

"Your love shines the way into paradise
So I offer my life as a sacrifice
And live through your love
And live through your life
I see you
I see you."

Her voice faltered and she fell to her knees, tears streaming. He wasn't coming. He wasn't going to appear. She wanted to wait, but she told him two hours. Something told her to stay, something begged her not to move and she listened to her instincts, hoping that it wasn't a fight, but praying that it was telling her to wait for Raph.

"Rachel…Rae…Rae…" a voice grunted and breathed heavily, and the voice turned into the figure, but the figure was quickly lit up, as if by magic. Raphael was holding onto the wall, his tears and eyes the only think one could see crystal clear. Tears of joy she was there, tears of despair he was no doubt too late.

Raph's eyes were in turmoil, drifting up and down like he was trying to stay awake…stay alive. He looked at the watch he had mindlessly put on after the first hour of nothing, so he could check it ever five minutes, "Five minutes passed sunset… four passed the start of Night…I guess I'm too late, huh?" he tried smiling, even smirking just that little bit, but it was forced. A strangled laugh came from his throat.

"There you are…my perfect Angel…standing under that street lamp like it's your own personal moon..." Raphael pushed off the wall and staggered a bit, but turned partially away, his movements forced, "I guess I don't deserve you, then, if the fates made me late…" he swallowed passed the brick wall in his throat.

Rachel stared at him for the longest time before she stood up, stumbling as she tried to stand and when she got up, her eyes filled with tears. "You are a moron Raphael Hamato." She said thickly as more tears streamed down her face, "An angel? I'm no closer to that than anyone in the world. You're not deserving of me?" Her voice went high. "If you truly didn't deserve me you would have made me stay here until midnight. I was willing to do that. I know riddles aren't your strong suit. All I wanted was to know you'd try. Damn it, Raph."

"Don't…not now…don't play with me…" Raph snapped a hint of a sob in it.

Rachel was taken aback and she glared heatedly at him, "I'm not fucking playing around!" She screamed. "Are you a buffoon or something? Can't you see that the last thing I'm doing is playing around with you? I'm not trying to fuck around! I'm trying, just trying, to get you to understand!"

Rae was about to open her mouth to continue when she heard him sniff. Her whole body stilled and she looked at him in shock. He was crying…she had made him cry. Her heart squeezed tightly against her chest. Never. She never seen Raph cry. Never. And to see his head bowed and he was trying to hold back his own tears, was a slap across the face. It wasn't a mean one, it was a reality slap. Something, Rae admittedly, needed. "Raph……" She murmured to herself.

"Oh Jesus," Rachel grumbled as she walked towards him. "I'm so sorry." She said softly. "I didn't mean to do this to you. I just didn't know what else to do. Bria gave me a few ideas on what to do, and I just…I couldn't do it." She stood in front of him and watched him. "I'm so sorry. I was just trying to figure out a way of telling you that I'm falling in love with you, and I couldn't do it because words aren't my strength. So I made you play a game so it would buy me time. I'm so sorry, so sorry."

Rachel stared at his smile and gasped when she realized what she just said. She couldn't deny it though. She couldn't say anything about it. Instead she shook off her shock and reached up and started brushing away his tears. "I never meant to make you cry. I'm so sorry."

"Rae…" Raph murmured as he felt her delicate hands on his skin. His world did a cartwheel and he swayed, groaning before even the street lamp, "Rae's moon", went dark, and he felt himself falling but cushioned by her…He wheezed a chuckle and managed to turn his head into the crook of her neck, smelling her personal scent, and he whispered, "I love you, too…my Angel…Rae…" After that…nothing…