"Look, I'm sure you're just over-reacting about this." Raph said to her. "Daniel is probably not that bad if you chose to go out with him."

"What? So you're saying you trust my sense of judgement?" Madi questioned.

"Sure, if you put it like that." he started. "I'm not trying to get all emotional and sentimental-"

"Because that would be against your 'tough-guy' programming." Madi pointed out, a small smile on her face as she pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders.

"Exactly," Raph agreed with her, a similar small smile on his face. "But he most likely won't grab you by your neck and throw you off the edge of a building. 'Cause that would just be stupid and pointless. If he..." Raph pretended to keep down a bunch of vomit, mocking Madi like he had done in the lair when she was talking to Daniel on her cell phone, and yet trying to make her laugh at the same time. His  efforts worked as she started to giggle, trying to hide it by covering her mouth with her comforter. "....If he loves-" Raph put his hand over his mouth, as if he was about to throw up, causing Madi to laugh even more. He swallowed, then looked at her again. "If he loves you like you say he does, then he wouldn't betray you."

"I guess you're right." Madi stated with a huff. Raph scoffed.

"Of course I'm right, I'm always right."

"And real modest as well." Madi replied sarcastically, causing them both to let out a small trail of chuckles. It was....strange....to have Raph so close without him hating her. Usually, by now they would've been at each other's throats. It was weird, but Madi almost felt...comfortable like this. It was like she was sitting with an old friend, just talking. And, maybe, she might've even said that she was happy that he was with her at that moment.

Raphael felt the same way. Accept he didn't feel like he was sitting with an old friend, he felt like he was sitting with someone he cared about. He felt like Donnie did when he hung out with April, or how Leo felt when he had hung around Em a few years earlier. Raph could feel his hands getting clammy, his heart was beating lightly in his chest, and the butterflies in his stomach wouldn't stop flying around.

He wondered if this was what it was like to be in love. Was it normal to not be able to breathe around the person you care about, but yet your lungs have the relief to inhale and exhale just because your crush is with you and not someone else? Were his hands supposed to be wet with sweat? Was he supposed to think that her eyes sparkled beautifully in the moonlight, or was that being a stalker?

Madi yawned as she stared up at the sky, then looked at the watch on her wrist. It was nearly four in the morning and she'd have to get ready for church in a few hours.

"I think I might fall back asleep, but I don't want to." Madi admitted. She refused to look at Raph, otherwise she might break. Her dream really scared her, because she'd had many like them before. And every one of them came true in one way or another. Madi was scared that if she fell back asleep, she might have another scary vision. She had had enough of her visions within the past few hours that she didn't need anymore.

"I'll stay here with you the rest of the night, then I'll wake you up in a few hours so you can get ready." Raph suggested.

"But I thought you needed to be back in your lair before sunrise." Madi asked him with another loud, long yawn. Madi remembered April saying something to her about their strict curfew that would get them in serious trouble if they were late. Raph just smirked and rolled his eyes.

"Since when have I done a good job of following orders?" he countered. "Plus, who's going to protect you if the Foot show up or the Kraang?" Madi smiled, surprisingly happy that he was going to stay. She rested her head down onto her pillow and muttered ten words before falling asleep. "You're not as bad as I thought you were, Raph."

Raph just smiled and pressed his lips against her forehead, knowing that she wouldn't remember him doing that in the morning.

"You can call me Raphael now if you'd like."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Raph was rudely woken up by two hands grabbing his shoulders, shaking him out of his deep slumber. The sun was shining up above them, intense heat filling the air. His eyes shot open as he realized that he had fallen asleep. When had he fallen asleep?

"Raph, wake up! It's nearly noon! Your brothers are worried sick about you!" he heard Madi say. She looked angry, but she also looked concerned as well. "I thought you were going to stay awake!"

"Gosh, can you stop shouting? You're starting to give me a head-ache." Raph mumbled as he rubbed his eyes.

"Sorry," Madi said, her voice no longer shouting. "But you need to get back to the lair right now. You're gonna get in so much trouble because of me." Raph could hear the guilt in her voice and see it in her eyes as he sat up, realizing that he had slept on the roof-top beside Madi. He put his hand on her shoulder.

"Relax, it's okay. If I get in trouble, it's not a big deal." he tried to tell her as he stood up. But she still didn't look very convinced as she got to her feet as well. Raph's eyes widened and he put his hand on his forehead, realizing that Madi most likely missed church if he had been asleep and unable to wake her up. "Oh, Madi, I'm so sorry that you missed-"

"Forget about that, Raph, we need to go now!" Madi said, dragging him towards the fire-escape, abandoning her pillow and blanket. "Your brothers called and they're absolutely furious."

"Since when have I cared what my brothers thought?" Raph asked as he followed her down the stares, surprised by how strong she was as she pulled him into her bedroom before someone outside could see him.

"You're gonna care when you get your shell kicked for being out after curfew." Madi said to him as she closed the window and pulled the blinds, making sure that no one could see inside her room. She began to pace back and forth, her arms folded over her chest in worry. "This is all my fault. I hate it when people get in trouble because of-"

"Madi." Raph said, stopping her mid-sentence as he stood in front of her, his hands on her shoulders. "This is not your fault. It's my own fault that I fell asleep-" Suddenly, Raphael was interupted by the sound of Madi's bedroom door opening.

"Madi? You in-....Oh my gosh." Daniel said as he saw Raph. The three just stood there for a second, realizing what was going on. Daniel's mouth hung open in absolute shock. But after moment, he gathered up his marbles and a glare appeared on his face. "Get away from her!" he shouted and ninja-kicked Raph in the chest, sending him flying onto Madi's bed.

"No, Daniel! Stop it!" Madi shouted as she stood between Danny and Raph. She didn't want either one of them getting hurt. Especially Raph, considering the fact that he would most likely get in trouble with his family for wanting to protect her while she slept on the roof top. Daniel grabbed her arm, shoving her out of his way, causing her to fly backwards and slam into her dresser.

Raph watched, his anger beginning to boil inside of him as he saw Madi flinch in pain. And the fact that her boyfriend, the guy she loved with all of her heart, was the source of her pain only made his anger and fury even worse. He stood up, glaring at Daniel.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Raph shouted as he jumped off of the bed, landing on top of Daniel and pinning him to the floor. After Raph had delivered a few blows to the guy's face, Daniel rolled him over so that he was on top now, beating the crud out of him.

"No! Stop it!" Madi shouted as she tried to pry Daniel off of Raph, but only ended up accidentally getting hit in the chest by her boyfriend. The sound of something cracking echoed through the air as she fell back on her knees, gasping for breath. Raph saw Daniel hit her again and the that was the last straw. With a huge burst of strength, Raphael threw him off of himself. The secret Foot ninja flew through the air, his head smashing against the farthest wall and sliding down, unconcious.

"Madi," Raph said as he quickly crawled to her side, putting his hand on her back as she continued to struggle for air. Something was definately wrong. If it had just been a regular punch, she would've been recovering by now. But she obviously wasn't. "Are you okay?"

"DO I LOOK OKAY, RAPH!?" she shouted at him, then coughed. Small specks of blood could easily be seen on her lips, staining her skin red. "I knew....h-he was strong....B-b-but I didn't think he.....was that strong..." She stuttered between gasps for air as tears started to fill her eyes. Panic began to set in as Raph tried to think of what to do. Her arms began to shake with the intense pain, her strength beginning to fade.

"Help! HELP!" he shouted from her bedroom as she collapsed into his arms, no longer having the strength to hold herself up. Fear and worry replaced his angry emotions as April ran into the room. Her eyes widened as she saw the sight before her.

"Raph, what happened?" she asked as she kneeled beside them.

"I-It was Daniel. Madi and I came back in from being on the roof a-a-and he saw us and attacked me. Madi tried to stop the fight, but she ended up getting hit!" Raph exclaimed. Madi coughed again, more blood starting to drip from her mouth.

"I'll call 9-1-1. Don't leave her side!" April said as she ran to the kitchen for her phone.

Raph just prayed that they wouldn't be too late.