CH:29 Cat's out of the bag

With Raph scaring the crap out of me, he snapped me out of my medication and I fell to the ground with a hard thump as my glow completely disappeared. I shoot a death glare at him as I try to rub some feeling back into my tail. "Ya know, you could enter a room with SOME grace of a ninja!" I snap at him, quite ticked off for being so rudely interrupted... Also I fell on my tail. It might be thick, strong and flexible but it's also very sensitive. And believe me when I tell ya there are very few things that piss me off more than an injured tail. It completely throws off my balance for starters...

Realizing just how ticked off I am, Raph stammers out, "S-sorry Tiger! B-but Y-you... I-it's just... Y-you were f-floating there!" His eyes just get wider and wider as he is having a hard time understanding what he had just seen.

While watching him freak out all that was going through my mind is, 'Maybe Sensei might have been right... I didn't think any of the turtles would have such a hard time coming to cope with this...' My facial expression turns to one of sorrow as my gut fills with dread at the possibility of being rejected because of my abilities. Especially from those that I thought would finally accept me for who I am. Lost in my depressing thoughts I didn't notice Raph taking a knee infront of me until he lifted my chin with his hand.

"Easy there Tiger, this is nothing to be sad about. In fact it's mind blowingly cool! Despite the fact that you glow like a Mardi Gras parade." He chuckles the last sentence out bringing a smerk to my face.

I finally look up in his shinning golden eyes to see that sexy grin grow across his face. He places a gentle kiss on my forehead making my face literally turn as red as a fire hydrant. Raph chuckles and helps me to my feet, asking slightly sarcastically, "So how long were you able to fly or could you always do it and just wanted to hide it from us?"

I giggle, "I can't really fly, atleast not yet. That will take a lot more practice. I was just meditating to increase the amount of energy I can use."

"Do you really need more? You're already a force to be reckoned with." He asks with a quizzical expression.

With an unusually serious air I explain, "In all honesty I don't have as much as I need for the jobs that lie ahead of us. You see every time I pass out, it's because my energy has become critically low, and if I happen to run completely out... I will die."

This shocks the crap out of Raphael, "You got to be pulling my shell..." I just keep looking at him with my serious expression. Raph's eyes go wide as he realizes I'm telling the truth, "So you mean to tell me that you literally risked your life for us all those times?! Even when we just met back in that underground city?!" I just nood my head in conformation. He sits down on the edge of his bed needing to take a load off as his brain and emotions processes this new information. After a moment he looks at me with sheer determination, "Then you need to meditate as often as you can. I originally came in here to check on you because I noticed your white light glowing through the cracks around my door. We should hang a cloth over the back of the door so my brother's don't notice and interrupt you like I did. And I'll try to wait at least an hour before going to bed after you so you have time for your meditations." He says very thoughtfully, warming heart.

I walk up to Raph standing so close that I'm practically between his legs. I wrap my arms around his head giving him a hug and I lay a kiss on his forehead like he does to me. With his face practically resting on my large chest, I whisper in his ear, "Thanks for being so understanding."

As his eyes close, his face turns shades deeper then I've ever seen it before as his arms wrap around my lower waist. Pulling me closer while his face buries even deeper in my chest. 'Maybe hugging him this way was a bad idea... Yeah... It's definitely a trap...' I thought to myself as I'm trying to figure out an escape plan.

Although muffled in my cleavage, I hear him say, "Don't you ever go risking your life like that again. I can't bear the thought of losing you."

I freeze in complete awe. Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I calmly stroke the back of his head as I say, "That's more then likely out of my control, Raph. Sometimes life doesn't give us the situations that we asked for but the situations that we need to grow stronger. Even if we have to risk everything to accomplish it, in the end its always worth it."

He looks up at me with water in the edges of his eyes. Holding me even tighter, slightly wrapping his legs around mine. "Even if you die?!" He asks with a bit of aggression creeping into his voice as his eyes start to darken.

With a warm smile and soft eyes I calmly say, "As long as my loved ones live on, I'll risk anything I have to."

At these words it's like a light bulb just went off in his head. He looks at me as his eyes turn back to liquid pools of gold. "Yeah, I feel the same way actually... I used to get into all sorts of trouble running off on my own, trying to protect my brothers form the troubles we face. It took me awhile to realize that we all work better when we all work together." Now it's his turn to be serious, "Just remember, we are here for you. Now matter how big the problem might be."

This actually makes a tear of happiness roll down my cheek. With a very soft voice I say, "Thanks Raph, I will always treasure your words."