Ch. 27

Sitting outside a small bistro in up town, a young slender man sat sipping ice tea and reading Cosmo. Every once in a while his ebony fingers would tap his phone every once in a while to check the time and to check for a message. Sighing he tried reading one of the articles, becoming engrossed with the celebrity star gossip he didn't hear the chair in front of him being pulled out. Never looking up once, the man kept reading as the visitor took a seat.

"You're late," the man sung as he heard a rugged sigh from the person in front of him. Looking up there sat a pale man with a blonde beard and tired bright blue eyes smiled at him.

"Sorry was caught up".

"No, you mean you have been tracking your darling little sister and your older brother is constricting you from any or of all rest. How close to the truth am I?" the dark man put down his Cosmo and folded his hands and smirked at his guest. The blue eyed man rolled his eyes and waved at the waitress.

"Coffee with double shot of express, no sugar, no cream," the girl nodded and scampered off ringing up the order.

"Look, she is in my care why are you still stalking her? Look Noah, take my word she is safe," Noah looked up and scoffed.

"You call her being shot a few months ago being safe, especially with that barbarian she travels with? No, I saw them last night and even with her powers activating she should have sensed me. She saw me last second, you should be lucky her ruffian knows how to fight," having his coffee being served he gave a kind smile before taking a sip and giving a deep moan, "that's the stuff".

"I'm shocked, you have seen Cat's little boyfriend?" right as Noah heard the word "boyfriend" he spat out his coffee. The boy leaned back in his chair to avoid the spray.

"What did you just say?"

"I said Cat's boyfriend".

"That's not apart of the plan!"

"Your sister is a catch, besides," the boy then grabbed Noah's hand and smiled, "We weren't apart of the plan either and he allowed it," giving a defeated sigh Noah leaned back giving a loving smile before holding the boy's hand back.

"Babe, you have I point it's just…"

"It won't happen again, Cat isn't like that".

"Not y-"

"No never, she is my girl too".

"I can't believe this!" I yelped as I searched through my closet for something to wear. Clothes were scattered all over my room and the better options all rested on my bed in a messy heap. Sighing with frustration I heard a knock on my door. Stopping I slid down my small hallway to the front door and peered out through the peep hole.

"April?" I asked through the door opening the door for the carrot top that had coffees in her hand.

"Thought I should see how you're doing," I smiled and took my coffee and sat at the bar while she sat next to me. Sighing as I drank the dark liquid, closing my eyes in bliss I had forgotten the mess in my room, my lacking of wardrobe and the fact I was going on a date. Enjoying my coffee so much I didn't hear April leave for the bathroom and was now in the door way to my hall clearing her throat.

"Cat, what happened to your room?" April raised her eye brawl as I sighed.

"Would it sound crazy to you, but would you believe that I have a date?"

"Really?" April's features filled with excitement making me take a chug of my coffee.

"Yeah…"

"What's up?"

"Well… I haven't been on a date in a while".

"What is a while?"

"…since I was thirteen," I blushed with pure embarrassment as April went in to pure shock.

"You can't be serious?"

"We went to the arcade and both shared a root bear float at an ice cream shop," April then laugh and tried to stop, but couldn't. "I guess that is pretty sad".

"Yeah just a bit," she giggled as she then went straight to my room, "So I will make sure you look great for that date with Raph," the red head smiled as I laughed.

"That obvious?"

"No, just took a pick between him and Leo".

"Leo?"

"Yeah, you two are pretty close to it's just, your closer to Raph," smiling I nodded in defeat as we both ventured in to the battle ground, that would be my room, making sure not to slip on the cloths. After about an hour of: arguing, rummaging, shimmying in and out of cloths as well with a whole lot of goofing off. My cloths for the date were decided.

Texting Cat for the fifth time I leaned against my bike looking up at her apartment window. It was typical, never on time, why is it girls are never on time. Sighing I shook my head, I was now sounding like Leo. Leaning back and staring up at her window I closed my eyes and tried to breath. It was just Cat; the girl you crack dirt bag skulls with, the girl who trips on air, who sits on the counter eating peanut butter out of the jar, and why am I so freaking out?

"Waiting long?" looking up my eyes widened and gave a goofy inward smile. Thank god she doesn't have a boyfriend.

Walking down the steps of my apartment building I saw Raph in his Nighwatcher uniform and helmet leaning against the bike. Probably wore it to make sure no one saw him, I just wondered how much convincing it took for Master Splinter to give back his helmet. I smiled noticing he just stared with no reply. April and I decided that I should actually look like a girl on a date. I was wearing a flowing strapless coral dress that stopped just above the knee, on the bust the sheer fabric criss crossed to give the dress texture. For once I wasn't wearing my combat boots; they were no replaced with black strapped heels giving me an extra four inches. Then giving my own personal touch and was wearing my black biker jacket and letting my long curly hair loose as the curls tickled my cheeks and bounce as I walked. Striding up to Raph I smiled and stopped in front of him as staring through his helmet visor. I could feel his hot chocolate eyes burning in to mine as I returned it.

"Do I look that good?"

"You don't look bad".

"Guess I don't look good enough to say, 'would that boyfriend of yours let you out looking like that,' maybe I should go change and find something else to wear," trying not to laugh as I turned around and headed back to the door.

"No!" he grabbed my wrist, "I am not waiting for another thirty minutes! You look great," he struggled making me laugh hard.

"Good, now let's go!" I smiled as we both hopped on the bike and sped through the city. Holding Raph's waist I watched as everyone zipped by me making me slightly dizzy, laying my head against Raph's shell I sighed closing my eyes for the rest of the ride. Coming along side the Hudson River we stopped at our old rest spot and we both enjoyed the star light. Sitting on the fence I smiled and sighed feeling the spring breeze go through my hair playing with each strand it touched. Looking back at Raph as he leaned over the fence and looked out over the water and up at the sky.

"You know you can take off the helmet, we're the only ones here," I smiled as he nodded and obeyed. Looking up at me with his deep amber eyes, I stared down at him smiling. In that moment, I saw so much emotion in his eyes; emotions I couldn't describe. Feeling my heart pick up, I could feel my cheeks grow warmer making me smile. What was wrong with me, it was just Raph!

"We haven't been here in a while," Raph thought aloud as his gaze went back to the river. Nodding I looked back smiling.

"This is where I followed you when I thought you were apart of the foot. Also where we fought till we were both exhausted, angry and then we argued till the truth came out," I started to laugh at how pathetic we both looked. We were both literally on the ground me against the fence and him trying to stand, just shouting at the other.

"Yeah, that was stupid, that was when I realized to avoid your right hook," we both laughed remembering how I sucker punched him sending him straight to the ground.

"I would have never thought we would be like this now," Raph nodded and laid his head down on his arms. Closing his eyes giving a small smile as I closed mine enjoying the gentle breeze.

"Seems so long ago," I nodded as he stood up and offered his hand looking away, "Would you like to walk around, I mean this is a park," smiling I took his hand and hopped down while holding down my dress, then starting our stroll through Battery Park. Being the middle of the middle of the night no one would be out. It was silent between us, but wasn't awkward, though the silence was killing me.

"Don't think I've ever actually explore this park, I have been here for half my life and the moment I got a social life was when a masked turtle got bored and started to play dress up," I smirked taking a shot at Raph making him chuckled.

"Bored huh?"

"What, I know you're not a complete boy scout, so it's either boredom or the need for justice".

"Lets just say a bit of both, I got sick of sittn' around cause Leo decided to ditch us," sighing I smirked looking down at me, "Don't regret it though, got a good side kick out of it".

"Side kick?"

"Yeah, got a problem shorty?"

"I guess I'm fine with it just this once," I smiled as I slipped my arms around his making him stiffen. Giving a satisfied smile, I then felt how thick his arm was even through his amour. Blushing, I never looked up, but merely continued to walk as Raph slowly relaxed and let it happen. Then Raph stopped and looked down at me with an intense stare and it looked like it took everything just to look at me.

"Cat I uh…" I watched as Raph struggled to get out what he wanted to say as a furious blush started to consume his face. Staring back up at him I was confused, I had never seen the big guy out of words. He was always the one to give a swift come back or give a snide comment at the drop of a dime; this was new.

"Raph what is it?"

"I…" I watched him sigh giving up before immediately wrapped his arms around me, holding me tight taking me completely off guard.

"Raph?" I asked as I felt Raph nuzzle my neck making give a small sigh before returning his embrace. Holding him, I closed my eyes and enjoyed his warmth and his passionate nature.

"Can we just…stay like this for a sec," nodding I smiled turning my head towards Raph.

"You know you can hug me any time right, its-"

"No, I…" I then heard him growl and grasp me tighter, "Damn it how hard is it to say that I like you," giving a small smile I rubbed his shell.

"I like you to Raph," I then heard him groan in frustration.

"That's not what I meant!" Raph then let go of me and stared down sternly in to my eyes, grasping my shoulders tightly leaving me in complete bewilderment. "I like you Cat, but-" Just as Raph was about to finish his sentence, Raph's eyes widened as he then pulled me against him and dove for the ground.

"What the…" I looked up to see in the spot that we were standing was now covered in very sharp black needles. My eyes widened in shock as Raph was now on top of me glaring up at a tree in front of us.

"Sorry, but I'm going to have to ask to keep you filthy hands off her you ruffian!" staring up on a branch stood the man I saw from the other night. I could see him better now that he was up close. He wore a green trench coat with a hood covering his face along with black cargos tucked in to his combat boots.

"Who you calling ruffian you freak!" the strange clenched his teeth seeing us.

"It means get off of her and you are the freak, dumbass!" At that moment Raph stood up and drew his sais pushing me behind him glaring up at the hooded man. What the hell? Who was this guy?