A/N: …Aaand this here concludes the first (and most boring) story arc. Believe my I never intended the first story arc to last this long. Originally I planned it to last like 6 chapters. But as it turned out I had a quite a struggle making Raph and Marie friends but I really wanted to build that bond instead of choosing the route TMNT 2012 usually does when female characters are introduced.

Now about the chapter itself, I really wanted this to be more Raph centric chapter, I've never been confident writing him thus I chose to write with writer's point of view. Few things I should probably mention about this chapter are that this is sort of my own version, it does not completely follow the episodes from the show, like here Slash is not captured by the Kraang right after "Slash and Destroy" nor has he met Newtralizer at this point yet. This chapter was supposed to explain the ending of chapter 0 – Marie was supposed to meet Slash there. This chapter was 14 pages long originally so I just had to cut content – I still saved everything I had to cut. I really wanted to tell that story but who knows maybe I write a side story about it. Would anyone be interested in reading it?

Chapter 14: Old friends

It was surprisingly calm night in New York City – especially considering all that lingered in the shadows, things that normal people knew nothing about. Despite all the weird occurrences in past months no one seemed to question whether this was indeed a normal night. For those who believed so, one who knows more can only say:

Lucky them.

For Raphael this was another of those nights Leo had dragged them all to find those missing mutagen canisters, they accidentally dropped from the Kraang ship a while ago. So far, the search had been going on slowly, and it frustrated Raphael. This was one of those nights nothing interesting was going on. That was until he happened to accidentally gaze upon the direction of a certain shady alleyway. That's when he saw them.

To be honest seeing Marie on that same alleyway where they had first met didn't surprise him at all, but the one she was talking to did. The figure standing near her looked huge in comparison to the human girl – who was kind of tall but had no such mass as the creature she was facing.

No, not creature. Another turtle.

Raphael recognized him right away. Memories of that night came back in an instant, he remembered how angry he had been on that night to his brothers, he had taken the cannister containing the ooze and left it in his room with his pet turtle, Spike. And once he returned his Spike had changed. At the moment it seemed to be the best thing that could ever happen, Raphael would finally have a team member who actually got him, someone who wouldn't slow him down. Whenever he thought about that night, and how he had acted he couldn't help but feel ashamed. Had he really been that stupid? Everything had been way too perfect. He should've seen the warning signs in Spike's new persona, but he didn't, which in return almost cost the lives of his brothers. Still… part of him missed Spike, part of him couldn't believe there was no return to how things had been. Raphael knew he should hate him for the stunt he had tried to pull, but in the end, he just couldn't do it.

Now he just felt nervous. Seeing Marie chatting with the mutant twice as large as herself and who knows how many times stronger than her too but Marie – obviously didn't even consider running away. How stupid could she be? Raph remembered that night way too well, especially the condition Spike – or Slash had put his brothers into and thought of him seeing his brothers – or anyone he cared about in that condition scared the hell out of him. That why he almost ditched his brothers and went down there. But it turned out he didn't have to. Marie turned around and exited the alley, the doubtful side of Raph's mind was expecting Slash to do something to Marie when she had her back turned. Yet he didn't, he just stood there and watched as Marie went her way, once turning around and waving him a goodbye.

Now this was strange. While Raph hadn't heard what those two were talking about, he thought it was odd for Marie to be so cozy with someone just like that. She had never waved Raph a goodbye – at least Raph didn't remember her doing that. So, did this mean she knew Spike… Slash somehow? And if she did, how well exactly? Did she know how dangerous he could be? Raph didn't want to view his old friend as something dangerous, but he knew it to be true and judging by Marie's behavior she surely didn't.

Well at least she walked away unharmed, Raph thought to himself. What he really wanted to do was to have a little talk with Spike…. Slash. Be as it may, Raph wasn't still over what happened last time and how it all had ended. He needed explanation, or certainty to how things were, or something.

He isn't bad person. Ooze just affected his brains or something. He can still be the same as he was when he was just Spike.

Raph knew he couldn't hate him completely. As for how the things stood now, Raph wanted to make amends or at least try. He needed to know Slash was doing fine, at least. But as he was going to do just that, he noticed Slash had already went and vanished from where he had been standing just a minute ago.

"Raph, what's keeping you?" He heard Leo's voice somewhere close by. All of his brothers were just few rooftops away and looked at him, waiting for him to move it. He did, as much as he was bored with their current mission, he knew he couldn't just ditch his brothers, it wasn't right, and it would just make him seem suspicious. He should just see this mission through and then go and try to find Slash on his own. Raphael didn't really want to mix his brother into this considering what happened last time they were involved with Slash. And if he couldn't find Slash, he could always pay a visit to Marie's. Even though he tried to deny it this thing between Slash and Marie bothered him a bit.

Just what was it that made her act friendly with Slash? They got to know each other somehow otherwise Marie wouldn't have been so careless.

Then again, she could be stupid at times, completely oblivious to the danger she was in, this Raph had witnessed the second time he had met her. But if Slash had wanted to harm her, he would've done it when she had her back turned on him, right? Yet he just let her walk away. But it wouldn't kill Marie to be bit more careful…

Raph couldn't help but feel bit irritated. It wasn't just because of Marie or Slash. It was this whole ordeal with the mutagen cannisters and trying to locate them. They had been doing this for a while and who knew how long it would take. Most of the time those cannisters would've already been broken and the turtles would find newly mutated mutant waiting for them or occasional foot attack and sometimes – or mostly they wouldn't find anything. At times Raph even wondered, whether the tracker Donnie had built worked at all.

This was one of those nights. It was yet another wild goose chase, they went on late at night and still found nothing. It was frustrating for Raphael especially.

How long was this going to go on, anyway?

No one had an answer to this; sure, Donnie gave them some numbers for missing mutagen cannisters but Raph (as well as others) wondered whether the numbers were correct. Be as it may, as they reached the lair it was already so late his search would have to wait till the next night. Even Marie was probably in her bed snoozing at this point, he thought.

As he lied in his bed, under the covers, Raphael felt foolish. Things like Marie and Slash shouldn't bother him. Sure, the ordeal with his old friend did bother him but Marie shouldn't belong to things that bothered him. Not if he worried about Slash, they were two different people – both were important to him – Marie too, in her own way but they didn't belong together in his thoughts.

Just what was going on there? What were they talking about? Did Marie know who Slash was? Did she know about them? Had Slash told her something? And if so, why hadn't Marie—

No, that's not like Spike. He wouldn't talk.

How would you know? He has changed, he isn't the same anymore.

No, I want to believe the old Spike is still there. He has to be. Somehow….

The day went on slowly. Raph he didn't seem to be able focus on anything. He received scolding from master Splinter for his lack of concentration and odd looks from his brothers. He couldn't wait for the night.

During his sleepless night Raphael had come to the conclusion: he couldn't possibly know what set of mind Slash currently had. There was a chance he had calmed down, but there was also a chance he hadn't. He couldn't include Casey in this just in case Slash continued his former behavior. Raphael didn't need another close to him hurt.

He had decided to look for Marie as well. If she knew Slash, she maybe she knew where to start looking for him. It was a long shot, but it was still worth to try. Only thing Raph hadn't thought about was how to sneak away from his brothers or Casey. He really wanted to take care of this on his own since he was the one who started this whole mess, he and his temper.

Luckily this was one of those nights they would return early, and Leo would stay glued to the TV watching some rerun of Space Heroes or something. For the life of him, Raph couldn't get how Leo could get himself to watch that show. Raph knew Space Heroes was dumb but that wasn't it. Others were watching too, Mikey, Donnie, April and Casey. Only that Casey and Donnie weren't watching, they were bickering silently about something. That wasn't really anything new, those two were always bickering among themselves. April was sitting next to them and wasn't even bothered by them. Raph was sure she could hear them bickering (probably over who could sit next to her for all Raph knew), but April made it seem like she didn't even care about it.

Raph rolled his eyes, as much as he liked Casey, he could never understand why he and Donnie would make such a fuss over one girl. And how could April not get irritated by their constant bickering.

Anyway, this was the best chance to sneak away – and it wouldn't even look suspicious as everyone knew Space Heroes was never Raph's cup of tea anyway.

At first Raph headed for the ballet studio where he knew Marie would be at this hour. Until he actually got there and the whole building was dark, no lights no nothing.
"Don't tell me it's still closed", Raph mumbled to himself. That made his mission bit harder. In a city as big as New York it was nearly impossible to find one girl unless you knew exactly where to look. Raph needed to stop to think for a while. Sure, he could go and knock at her window, but what if she wasn't there? It was still pretty early, usually she'd be finishing her ballet lessons by now so there was little chance of her being home. Raph tried to think of the places she might visit. He did remember one place. An apartment building not so far from the dance studio, it had been a while, but Marie had followed the Kraang and this smelly old man there this one time.

However, it turned out he didn't have to look for her for long. When Raph had wondered around two or three blocks away, he heard a familiar voice coming from a street nearby.
"Put me down, now freaking slender man rip off!" Yep, that was Marie all right.
"Kraang is not familiar with such a statement", mechanical male voice said. That was another voice Raph was all too familiar with. It was the Kraang, again.
"Oh yeah? Then, be a nice what ever you are and put me down so you can go and find out!" Marie growled at the human looking robot. Raph stood at the roof top for a while, observing what was going on in that dimly lighten street. At first, he thought Marie was getting into trouble like usual, possibly being cornered by a Kraangdroid or something, but this he didn't expect to see. Marie seemed to be stuck on its shoulder, the robot must've caught her somehow.
"Go and stalk some little kids or something!" Marie added seemingly annoyed at the situation. One part of Raph knew this could lead to something serious, he knew the girl was in danger but other part of him couldn't help but be amused by the situation.

"Kraang cannot do what is known as go and stalk little children", the robot said with monotonic voice. "The one known as a girl was seen by another Kraang following Kraang—" That's how long it got in its speech until Raph jumped in and slashed its head with his sai. It made a sort of sparking noise before both sides of the head dropped to the ground and with that the body and Marie who had been placed like a sack of flour on the robot's shoulder, came crumbling down.

"Well that works too", Marie sighed in relief as she got herself up from the ground. "Thanks a lot, Raph."
It wasn't sarcasm, Raph had this feeling Marie meant what she said. Suddenly he felt odd, awkward. He had wanted to find Marie – and now that he had but he didn't know how to go about this. Could he just say he saw Marie with Slash last night? What if she'd get annoyed by the question? Like if she thought Raph was following her – which he wasn't. Or should he be more tactical about this? Should he make some small talk and then get to the point?
"Well aren't you chipper", Marie said.
"What did you do this time, Marie?" Raph asked. He decided just to go with it. He wanted to know what the Kraang wanted with her anyway.
"I didn't do anything", Marie said as innocently as ever. "I just heard what ever that thing is talking with another and-"
"And you followed it", Raph didn't even have to guess. This wasn't the first time she had done so. Raph didn't know what her deal was, if she was trying to be a hero or something she should just stop. She obviously either had a death wish or she didn't know how dangerous the Kraang could be. And this annoyed Raph more than he realized at the time
"Marie, again?" He sighed. "This isn't exactly first time you've been doing this."
"So?" Marie asked, sensing what kind of talk she was about to get.
"These things can get dangerous in case you haven't noticed", Raph at least tried to sound convincing but ended up sounding angry instead. "You don't stand a chance on your o—"
"I know that", Marie said firmly. "It wasn't supposed to catch me, there were two of them and-"
"And it did", Raph argued against her. "Just because you were lucky last time doesn't mean you can take them on by yourself!"
"I wasn't trying to take them 'on'!" Marie yelled frustrated. "I was only following them to see where they went, that's all."
"Why?" Raph asked.
"I… I'm not really sure myself", Marie said slowly as it was the truth.
"Then you should stop", Raph said firmly. "There's no need for you to get involved."
"Because only you and Jonesy can take these guys on?" Marie snorted.
"That's not it", Raph denied. Then again, he didn't really know what "that" was. He just didn't want Marie to get involved in all of this. That's all. Or was it?
"I didn't come here for this", Raph mumbled, suddenly remembering he didn't look for her to scold her. He had something he needed to ask from her.

"Then please enlighten me", Marie said but not in a happy way. Raph looked at her, and saw how Marie crossed both of her arms, waiting for him to do the talking. Then he became mute for a second. He didn't know how to say what was on his mind.

I saw you yesterday. You were talking with another turtle and I was wondering if you know where he might-

That sounded stupid. Marie would just laugh at him or something if he said it like that.

"Come on Raph", Marie said sounding amused. "It's not like you to be so shy. What is it?"
"Well I…" Raph mumbled but suddenly his voice was covered by loading of a gun. A laser gun, like the ones the Kraang liked to use. Before Raph had a change to turn around, he heard a familiar sounding voice – a raspy voice grunting and smashing the bot's head with a mace.

For a moment, Raph couldn't move. He could only stare at the huge figure in front of his eyes.
"It's becoming a habit, Slash", Marie said breaking the silence between two turtles.
"It's nice to see you too Marie", Slash said. He sounded happy kind didn't have a clue to be honest, but at least he wasn't angry. Then he took a long glance at his former friend.
"How is it going, Raph?" He asked. If he had sounded easy going a moment ago, now he sounded distant somehow. But still Raph felt like he was still the same, the same turtle he used to be friends with. Like nothing had changed.
"Spike I-" He began but was interrupted.
"I told you, it's Slash now", Slash corrected him.

…Expect it had.

Raph realized this, but still he didn't want to give up on him. If he could only get through to him, then maybe…
But it was like a moment ago, he didn't know what to say, where to begin.
"Um, do you guys know each other or something?" Marie asked to break the awkward silence between the two.
"We are old friends", Slash said, sounding pretty easy going again. "I can see Raph here has made some new ones while I've been away."

Not this again.

The flashback came as Raph remembered it. He remembered finding almost all of his brothers hurt, injured by Slash. He remembered fearing for them, wondering if they were hurt badly and whether they would make it, whether-
The same fear struck him all over again. Was he still at it? Would he hurt Marie now that he knew they were friends? Raph knew he couldn't let that happen to Marie. She wasn't as strongly built as his brothers, one strike from Slash would surely smash her into pieces. He couldn't let that happen, so he went and stood between them.
"Raph, what are you doing?" Marie asked narrowing her eyes. Raph knew she didn't like the idea of him shielding her, but she would just have to bear it.
"Don't worry, Raph", Slash said sounding calm. "What happened back then… I'm…. I'm past that."

What did he mean? Past that? He tried to kill my brothers! And he says he's past that! How can he put it like that?! It can't be as easy as that!

This time, Raph knew to keep his temper hidden inside. He didn't come here to fight. He wanted to talk, to straighten things up. He couldn't let his temper ruin this. Not this time.
"Were you nearby?" Marie asked.
"You could say that", Slash said. "I heard you two arguing."
"We weren't that loud", both, Marie and Raph said at the same time.
"I doubt they could hear you in Jersey", Slash said. Part of Raph felt like he was trying to make a joke.
"Great, thanks a lot Raph", Marie said, sounding amused instead of annoyed. She smiled at him and despite the situation Raph couldn't help but to smile back.

Slash looked at them during this. This meeting had been a bittersweet one, he hadn't even been sure if he wanted to see Raphael after all he had done to his family. Still, here he was watching Raph sharing a smile with another friend. He didn't bear ill will against Marie for that. She was a good girl, kind and calm – as much as Slash knew anyway. He had met her once or twice and that was the impression he had gotten. Slash felt little happiness for Raph had found someone like that to… no, not to replace him but to be friends with. At least Raphael wasn't alone, at least he had someone. For Slash didn't believe they could ever go back to the way things used to be. Not after what he had done.

It was a nice moment, a serene moment. Perfect moment in away to turn your back and leave for good. To say one last goodbye and leave things like this. But as it is with all nice moments, this one too had to come to an end.

Slash was the first to hear them entering the scene. He heard their van stopping at the side of an empty street. At first it only looked like a van passing by but as it stopped after making something of a quick U-turn, it was clear the van had no plans just to stop by and leave as fast as it had arrived. When its door opened, they all saw robots marching to the empty street trying to surround them.
"Not again", Marie sighed.

Or not trying, succeeding in surrounding them.

"The one known as Raphael is the one known as the turtles. Kraang must eliminate the one known as Raphael to get rewarded by the one known as Kraang Prime", one of the robots said.
"And the one known as a girl is often seen with the one needed by Kraang, if Kraang captures the one known as a girl the one needed by the Kraang will come to Kraang", another blabbered.
"You can try!" Marie yelled at them. "But I promise, I won't be an easy catch!"

Marie's attitude amused Slash, even in situation like that, this girl had guts. Normal girl would have – perhaps, ran away.
"She's a tough one!" Slash yelled to Raph after it began, firing of the laser guns.
"You have no idea!" Raph yelled back at his former friend as he was dodging the laser beams. For being so large in size and for being turtles both, Slash and Raph were surprisingly fast, besides Raph was used to fighting the Kraang. Slash didn't have problems either, his mace did a toll on Kraangdroids, smashing them into robot pieces while Raph did his best to not to lose to Slash in this. In fact, he had begun to enjoy himself, fighting side by side with him, seeing which one could take out more Kraangdroids. However, one person he didn't see was Marie.

The thought didn't even cross his mind, until he saw a robot incoming, for a moment it looked like it had problems with its balance. It was sliding towards them – as well as two other robots in great speed unable to stop.

As if it had slipped on something.

Slash swung his mace at it, breaking into pieces. Then Raph saw her, in some distance looking like she had just said "Oops", or something.
"What did you do?" Raph yelled at her.
"I didn't do anything!" Marie yelled back. But Raph knew she had done something, especially when another droid tried to grab her, but Marie dodged it – by luck it seemed and then it slipped. Into what, that Raph couldn't see but it was coming at him with speed, unable to get the balance it needed. Raph took this chance and slashed its robotic head off.

For a moment, things looked good for them. It really looked like they were winning here, but then the other van came with as many Kraangroids as the last one, only these were standing. There were many of them, too many for two mutant turtles and one girl without a weapon to handle. A legion, that's what they were. And more would come.
"We can still take them!" Raph yelled, sounding as tough as ever. He thought they could beat them; in his stubborn mind he was sure they could. But Slash wasn't so sure of it. He saw Marie backing down, where she had been standing now was army of robots reaching out for her, for them all.
"They really do want you killed, don't they Raph?" Slash said to the green-eyed turtle next to him.
"I had no idea I was this popular", Raph joked. He knew now wasn't the time, yet he still did it for he didn't want to admit they were in trouble here. Suddenly he felt something bumping into his shell.
"Raph, is that you?" He heard Marie asking.
"Who do you think?" Raph asked. He hated to admit it, but he was starting to be out of breath himself.
"What can we do?" Marie asked.
"We have to create an opening", Slash said. Marie nodded. That seemed to be the only possible option, there was no way they could ever hope to win being cornered like this.
"Sounds good to me", Raph said. "Just tell me when."
There was something however, that Slash failed – no, what he chose not to mention to Raphael. His own escape wasn't part of the plan.
"Marie?" He asked lowering his voice.
"What?" Marie asked.
"When we do this, I want you to run and take Raph with you", Slash said.
"But…" Marie tried to resist, she didn't want to leave anyone behind, not Slash, not anyone.
"Someone has to stay and keep them busy", Slash explained.
"But you can't…." Marie resisted.
"Don't worry about me", he said. "I'll be fine. Just look after him, will you?"

Marie didn't have time to argue, it all happened so fast, suddenly there was this yell that said: "NOW!" and they made their move. Slash swung his mace at the Kraangdroids faster than Marie had ever thought someone his size possibly could creating a hole in that line of robots, large enough for them to get away. Marie grabbed Raph's wrist and ran.

At first Raphael didn't understand how it all happened, or how he let himself be dragged away by Marie. He only could hear Slash's shouts among all that shooting of lasers.
"Get away from here!"
"What?!" Raph yelled. "No!"
He tried to fight it, to push her away, but her grasp on him was strong. And suddenly Raph felt his feet slipping, try as he might he just couldn't get them to work in balance which made it easier for Marie to drag him, no to push him away. All he could do was to yell Spike's name as he could see the Kraang overpowering him and dragging him into one of their vans.

Neither Raph nor Marie could remember how Marie managed to drag Raph to her hideout. That place by the river where they had last sat some days ago. And there they stood again, but this time in silence.

Marie could tell Raph was pissed off. He should be too, she wasn't sure what his exact relation had been to Slash, all she could tell they knew each other and considering how Slash had sacrificed himself so Raph and Marie could get away from the Kraang, it was evident Slash cared about him.

Only one who didn't see it, was Raph himself. His green eyes were blazing with anger or rage was more like it. He glared at Marie and Marie glared back. She didn't get it, did she? How could she just drag him out of there? How could she just stand there when they took him away? They should go out there and go after the Kraang! That was something Casey would do! That was something his brothers would do! But this… this Karai look-a-like….!

"We should go out there!" Raphael shouted at Marie's face. "We should go and get him back!"
"And how do you suppose we do that exactly?" Marie asked him, calmly. "We were outnumbered out there Raph. If we were to enter their hide out – if we knew where that was, it would be a suicide. You know that."
"No I don't!" Raph shouted. All he could see was red, he wasn't thinking straight, before he even grasped it himself, he launched himself at Marie. Marie didn't move. She grabbed Raph's wrist and threw him to the air.

This was something Raph didn't expect, still his rage didn't subside. At this moment Raph really hated Marie, the one person who had stopped him for helping Slash. He got up and launched himself at the girl.
"How can you live with yourself?!" Raph raged. However once again, Marie grabbed his wrist as he came and threw him into the air.
"You don't get it, do you?" She said silently. Enraged, Raph got up and launched himself at her.
"Yeah, I get it!" He yelled at her while running at her. "You are just a coward!"
Marie waited for him to get close enough, and then she grabbed his wrist again, throwing him into the air. Raph didn't give up, however. Marie knew it was useless trying to talk to him when he was like this. And unfortunately for Marie, Raph knew just what buttons to push.
"I bet if that was your friend you would just run away and leave them to rot!"
Marie knew Raph didn't mean what he said, but this was one thing Raph could have and should have left unsaid. In truth he did not know Marie or any of her friends. He might've glimpsed of how she saw them, but he did not know anything besides that.
Marie grabbed his wrist again, but this time she wouldn't just let him go as she tossed him into the air, she kept that tight grip as she tossed him, landing his head on a wall made of bricks – but not as hard as she probably should have.
"Don't you see you, fucking idiot?!" She yelled at his face. "Slash decided to lure the enemy away to save your sorry ass, to get you out of harm's way!"
Raph didn't want to hear it. He was struggling, his left hand at Marie's grasp. He wanted to push Marie away and just leave without her. Yet Marie's grasp was strong. Way stronger he thought a girl of her stature would have.
"I'm not letting you go, until you calm down", Marie said calmly. Being as pissed as he was, Raph didn't care if he accidentally hurt her as he tried to get away from her. Marie made a mistake of loosening her grip on his wrist and there Raph saw his chance. He moved quickly, pushed her away and ran. Yet Marie proved to be faster than he had given her credit for. She jumped over him, facing him, grabbing his wrist and throwing him once again.
"You freaking idiot!" She yelled. Then she gasped for air and squished his wrist as tightly as she could. And there he went again, landing his head to that cursed wall of bricks, this time harder than last time.

Raph's head was spinning. Try as he might he couldn't just simply get up, pain on his head was too much, everything was spinning around him, the scenery was spinning, that stupid brick wall was spinning, the river was spinning and Marie was spinning.
"Why are you doing this?" Raph grunted when he finally got his ability to speak back. He lied on the cold ground and suddenly felt tired. His headache didn't seem as bad after a while, but it was replaced by tiredness.
"I told you, didn't I?" Marie said softly. "I don't want to lose any more friends. Unfortunately for you, that counts you too."

This left Raph speechless. Sure, he remembered the conversation they had just few nights before. He understood Marie's feelings, but he hadn't never thought she would worry about him. Yes, they were friends but… this was something he hadn't even payed attention to. He liked Marie but he had never really thought how Marie felt about him. In a way, knowing that he was important to her, warmed his tough turtle heart in very odd way. It made him feel awkward. What he could possibly say to that?

Sure, he liked Marie too. As in she was fun to be around. He didn't want anything to happen to her either.

Yes, that had been "that". The thing Raph wasn't able to grasp earlier. He didn't want Marie to get hurt either in her search of the Kraang.

But how could he bring himself to say it? If he did, he would only sound like a fool. So, he just sighed and pulled himself up so much that he could sit beside her. Marie was perfectly calm and silent, her gaze was focused on the dark blue night sky.
"I never thought you'd be that strong", he finally said.
"Oh I'm not", Marie said pleasantly. "I was only using your own strength against you."
Then she started giggling.
"I never imagined you'd be impressed by someone if that someone hits your head against the brick wall."
"D-Don't be stupid!" Raph blurted out. He could feel his cheeks blushing hard. Luckily in this darkness Marie would never notice. Still that was odd thing to say.
"Impressing me would take more than that", Raph said firmly.
Marie gave him a short glance, smiling but not in fun making way, it was just a friendly glance. Then she went back to her sky glancing.

Despite what happened, Raph felt good about being at Marie's company. He still felt bad about Slash but deep down he knew Slash would be anything but an easy prisoner, he was way more than the likes of Kraang could chew on.

After thinking about it for a moment Raph really wanted to share the story with Marie. He felt like she should know.
"I found him from the sewers when I was little", he finally said. "I guess someone had washed him down there."
"Slash?" Marie guessed.
"I called him Spike", Raph said. "I just couldn't leave him there, so I took him with me. He was my best friend for years; someone I could talk to about anything."
Marie nodded understandingly.
"Something happened not too long ago", he said silently. "He got mutated and then he changed."
Marie didn't quite understand what the term mutated really meant, but she knew better than to ask about it. She didn't want to interrupt Raph now that he was the one doing the talking. Marie might have not known him for long, but he never had seemed like a guy who talked a lot willingly.
"I think it somehow got into his brains", Raph continued. "He tried to kill everyone I cared about. No matter what I said to him made any difference, so we got into a fight and he fell from a rooftop. I turned my back on him once and he was just gone."

"I don't know what happened to him after that", Raph sighed, finishing his story. "I know everything he did was bad. I know I should be hating him for what he did, but I just can't. Even if he turned into a monster, I can't do it."
Gentle smile appeared on Marie's face, she was quite sure Raph wasn't going to like what she did next, but she felt like she had to do it. Marie had lost friends before, it wasn't just Liisi, she had lost other ones too – just not in gruesome way, so she had a pretty good grasp of how he was feeling, and she wanted to let him know she understood him. So, she landed her hand softly on Raph's. And indeed, this gesture surprised him. He had not seen this coming and when it did his first reaction was to pull his hand away, but as he looked at Marie he simply couldn't. As he looked into her eyes, eyes filled with sympathy and understanding, he just couldn't.

If one side of Raph's mind had thought Marie wouldn't understand, that side had been wrong.

"I think he was sorry for what happened", Marie said gently. "When I found him on that alleyway, I usually go to, with his leg injured he didn't seem to care about anything. Not even the fact that my dog was sniffing him."
"So you… wait when did that happen?" Raph asked. To think about it, all he wanted to know prior to the Kraang attacking them what was the story behind Slash and Marie.
"My first night in New York", Marie told him. "Few months before you decided to try and kill me."
"Oh", Raph sighed. That kind of did explain why Marie wasn't really afraid of him when they met for the first time. Then again, that could be just her nature.
"But weren't you afraid of him?" He asked.
"As funny as it may sound, I wasn't", Marie said as if the matter would be as simple as that. "I don't know why, I guess I was just curious. I had never seen anything like him before."
"Well you should have been", Raph at least tried to scold her, she shouldn't just walk to mutants just like that. "He could have ripped your head apart or something."
"He did try to scare me of", Marie remembered. "But he wasn't really trying. Even Storm could see that."

"I think he regretted things he had done", Marie said. "He told me he had done something he wished he could take back."
"Did he really say that?" Raph asked.
"He did", Marie said silently. "He still cares about you, you know."
"How can you know?" Raph asked little bit skeptical.
"Well what he did back there, staying behind, only proves it", Marie said. "He didn't want anything happening to you. That's why he did what he did. To get you out of the harm's way."
"That doesn't make me feel any better", Raph sighed. He knew he couldn't go after the Kraang on his own and even if he did there was no guarantee he'd ever find where they took him. He couldn't ask Marie to come with him, she would just end up getting hurt… again. Besides she was right about it being a suicide. Maybe he should talk to Casey about this or his brothers – he should leave the part about Marie being with him at the time though.

"I think we should get going", he said.
"We probably should", Marie agreed. "It's getting late and I don't know about you, but I have an early morning tomorrow."
With that said, Marie let go of Raph's hand and stood up. Raph followed her example. They walked together out of the place in silence. Raph felt like he needed to say something to her, he didn't know what, but it had to be something nice after all he had been mean to her previously. Yet here she was listening to him even though he had used her one weakness to try and hurt her feelings. And he should do it, until Marie turned to go to another direction.
"Well I'll be going this way", she said smiling.
"Are you sure you don't need me walking you back?" It didn't sound like him, not to Raph himself and not to Marie either.
"Come on Raph", Marie smirked. "I'm a big girl, I know how to get back home safely."
"Says you", Raph said.
"Seriously, I'm taking the bus", Marie said. "Besides it's not like you to worry about me."
"It's not that", Raph said. "I just…"

Come on. Raph told himself. Say something nice to her before she goes home. Yet nothing came out as she started walking away

"Marie?" Raph called out to her. She turned around and looked at him. And he couldn't think of anything. "Nothing", he finally said. Marie nodded and then walked away.

Raph had no other choice than return to the lair. It was starting to get late – even for ninja turtles and if he stayed gone too long others would notice and start asking questions. The matter with Marie didn't bother him until he found himself walking in the sewers. Maybe he should have walked her home. What if something happened to her on her way back? What if-

"Where have you been?" The leader in blue asked as he wondered to the lair.
"Nowhere", Raph said automatically. He wasn't sure if he wanted to tell everyone about Slash, maybe he should, that would at least stop the questions. Whatever happened to Slash, wherever he was taken to, Raph and his brothers would be able to deal with it, He was sure about it.

It had been wrong to ask Marie no matter how angry he had gotten. She would've gotten herself hurt and Raph didn't want that. Slash could take care of himself, but Marie… maybe not.

Surprisingly Raph found himself thinking about her after he was done talking with his brothers about the Slash ordeal. But it wasn't that kind of thinking Donnie did whenever April was in his mind. Raph was just going through it all, everything that happened that night and how he had acted towards her. He felt ashamed. He should've never said those things to Marie. What if she didn't like him the same anymore?

Raph knew he was just being stupid. They didn't leave their separate ways in bad terms, did they? No. Marie had smirked and told him she could manage herself. And she had listened to him, understood him, if she had been angry with him, she wouldn't have stayed.

Raph hadn't really thought about it, this whole thing befriending a girl that looked exactly like one of his enemies seemed so unreal. So uncertain even at times, but now he was happy to have her as his friend. Still that didn't mean he had any intentions to introduce her to his family. He just didn't like the idea of that, it worked – they worked much better this way.

And he wanted to keep it so. For now, at least.

A/N: I just wanted to thank all those who have been reading this story all way through. I imagine many have forgotten it since nothing interesting was happening and I don't blame you. I struggled with these last chapters a lot, I'm so happy they are finally done so we can move on with the plot. So, here's a question: Where do you think the story is headed next? Do you have any ideas? I know I do but I'd like to hear from the people who read this story!

Also, does this constantly changing writing style bother you? If so which point of view do you prefer?