More Than You Think

26

"What are you doing here?" The venom in Vanessa's voice hit me hard but I refuse to let it bother me. "Taking care of their dad." I answer as Raph and I continue toward his room. Leaving his brothers alone as Leo continued to lead. "Thanks for being here." Raph whispered to me as I take his empty tea cup replacing it with a hot cup steeping a new bunch of tea leaves. I simply nodded not wanting to make a sound. As I raise the blanket to keep master Splinter warm, his eyes open slightly catching my eyes. I pause for a moment, "Thank you for taking care of my sons." Was all he said before his eyes shut. I froze there slowly looking toward Raph to see if he heard him. "Come on." He pulled me out clearly stricken with grief as he wouldn't face me. I knew that was his way of saying goodbye but it's not time yet. He's getting closer however with each passing day.
"Raphael, let's go get some fresh air." I lead us out of the sewers ignoring the tears we heard as we sneak off.

"It's not going well is it?" His voice became serious. The humid air was sticky to our skin summer was getting closer, with it was lots of rain has come. "Raphael, whatever happens it's not the end for them. They're mutants and people like me and April that know. It'll be hard, breakups are always hard, but they'll be other girls that'll be lucky to have them." I was honest. Then he turned to me, "Do ya feel lucky? Ya know being with me?" His question was weighted. "Raphael..." I began then took a deep breath, "You remember Oscar right? Well after some time of us being together, he and his friends were umm passing their girlfriends around... he cheated on me with his friend's girlfriends and it wasn't long until they involved other girls. At first I was kept out of their sick game, but soon Oscar wanted to drag me into it. That's when I found out and of course I wouldn't stand for it. Anyways after him I swear off of dating, then you came." I couldn't look at him because I remember the day he tried to, they're hands trying to hold me down. I shiver pushing the memory back into the dark where they belong. I felt arms around me and wiping away tears I didn't know I was shedding. "I wish I could put it into words, what you do to me. I just know is that I feel safe with you." I finish and say how I feel.
"Ya do the same thing to me too." He nuzzles into me. "I hope my brothers get lucky like me." He kisses me and lifts me up. The kiss was passionate but brief as we felt the light trickles raindrops interrupt us. Quietly we go back underground hidden from the outside.

"So Amy was right, you knew all along ." Erika's voice was shaky as Vanessa held her. "It's not my place to out them." I simply say without a single expression on my face. "Do you even feel anything? Is there anything behind that blank expression? We've been friends since I can remember and all I get is a stoic face with no remorse or sadness something?" Erika was begging at this point. Vanessa's face looked like a volcano ready to erupt. I couldn't think of anything else to say, anything I think of I can hear the comebacks. 'You know me.' 'All you do is lie and hide things from us.' 'Imagine if you were in their shoes?' 'Imagine how we feel right now.' "What nothing to say?" Vanessa spat at me. "There's nothing I can say that can make you forgive me let alone change what has happened. I can't chose for you. Everything from here on is up to you. You can hate me, you can break up with them. Hell you can tell the whole world about mutants, I just wanted you guys to be happy and I hope whatever choices you make gives you that." I finally say. It was the almost the same thing I was told by my dad before he died. He left me and Johnny with Angel while he went to deal with our mom. She fell into the Foot Clan when they were first starting out which is why they spilt. After that we never heard from him and mom was sent away.
"Do you actually care about our happiness?" Amy finally speaks. "Of course I do. If I didn't I wouldn't have helped you guys, and I would have told you the truth right away before you fell in love." With that I leave them following Raphael to his room.