"So things are going okay with you and James?" Jasmine yelled from her closet. Kelly's face on the laptop sighed dreamily and she rested her chin in her palm.
"Amazing. He's so nice. And hot. But now I'm pretty sure that he's raised my expectations wayyyyy too high for any other guy to follow up," Kelly said and Jasmine laughed as she quickly pulled her hair up into a bun and sat back down at her computer.
"Well I'm glad that he's there to protect you while I can't," Jasmine sighed and Kelly gave a sympathetic smile.
"How's the big NYC?" Asked Kelly. Jasmine shrugged, an unconscious smile coming to her face at the thought of Raph.
"It's pretty good. I like it here," the smile stayed on her face and it didn't go unnoticed by Kelly.
"Is it just the city you like, or someone in particular that you like?" Kelly smirked. Jasmine blinked and felt herself blush.
"What? Pshhhh, nooooo." She lied weakly. Kelly laughed and smirked again.
"You're such a bad liar, Jazzy. Now spill. Tell me everything. Is he hot? What do you think of him?" Kelly asked rapidly. Jasmine froze and bit her lip a little, glancing down at her wrist to see the writing still there from her mysterious soulmate.
"I-... I don't know what I think of him." She sighed. And she was being fairly honest. Raphael wasn't exactly the easiest to get along with sometimes, but he was a great guy. Nice, confident, brave, and pretty handsome.
"Jasmine!" Jasmine looked at the screen to see Kelly giving her another smirk. "I called you like, five times."
"Sorry Kelly. I was just thinking about some homework." Jasmine forced a smile but her mind was still on Raph.
"Yeah. Right," Kelly teased before she looked behind her at the clock. "Sorry Jazzy, I've gotta go. James is picking me up and we're going to a movie tonight," Kelly said apologetically. Jasmine waved her off and smiled.
"Have fun."
"You're the best Jazz." Kelly smiled and Jasmine laughed as she hung up.
The room went quiet and Jasmine looked out her window, her mind still trained on Raph. She put on a red hoodie and opened her window, crawling out, climbing to the roof and sitting down, swinging her legs over the edge. A thud behind her made her head swing around and a smile appear on her face.
"Hey there stranger," she greeted and Raph smirked and crossed his arms before wandering slowly towards the edge of the roof.
"What's a pretty girl like you doing out on a rooftop at this time of night?" He asked. Jasmine laughed and turned her head again to look back at the nightlife of New York to prevent the blush from spreading farther into her cheeks.
"Oh, the usual. Just thinking about some stuff."
"Well. If you're up for it, still wanna go down to the lair? We have patrol but you can hang around the lair while we're gone for a bit then Donnie can probably help you with calculus," he offered. Jasmine smiled and shrugged.
"Why not. Just let me grab my bag," she saw him give a small smile and nod before she climbed back down her fire escape, going out and making sure her apartment door was locked before putting her phone, laptop, binder and textbook into her bag and going back to the roof where Raph was leaning against a wall waiting.
"Ready?" He asked. She rolled her eyes with a smile and pointed at him.
"I swear to God if you do something stupid while we're on our way there, I'll de-shell you." She threatened playfully. He chuckled lightly before going over to her and holding out his hand.
"Fine. No flips this time," he agreed and she smiled before putting her small hand into his while he lifted her up bridal style and she curled into his chest. Raph felt tingles shoot up his arm when she put her hand in his but fought down the blush that threatened to appear on his cheeks as he lifted her small form into his arms.
He felt Jasmine shift closer into his plastron and her dark hair tickled his arms as she glanced up at him and his eyes met her dark ones. He smiled at the girl in his arms and started running.
<<{}>>
"They've just left the apartment, Master." The cloaked figure spoke into his comm and heard his master chuckle.
"Good. Now, get her, and bring her to me." The comm went dead and the cloaked figure jumped off the roof and started tailing Raph and Jasmine as they ran across the rooftops and towards the lair.
Raph frowned when he saw something move in the corner of his eye. He turned his head but saw nothing, so he turned back and just kept running. But he couldn't just ignore the uncomfortable feeling in his stomach and the tingling making the scales on the back of his neck feel-... odd.
Something-... something was wrong-...
A shadowy movement appeared again and he knew then that he was right. They were being followed.
He turned left, away from the lair and ran a bit faster. His muscles tensed and his hold on Jasmine tightened slightly. Jasmine felt the change in his grip and glanced up at him, seeing their change in course. She frowned.
"Raph-..."
"We're being followed," he said quickly. He clenched his teeth and pushed himself to run faster. He needed to get out of there. He needed to keep Jasmine safe. She glanced around his muscular arm only to see no one there. He kept running and she just glanced around and kept an eye out.
Until-...
"Shit." Raph breathed as he slid to a stop when someone dropped down in front of them. All Jasmine saw was a black figure, a mask and hood over their face and head, and a black cloak wrapped around their shoulders. The only thing visible was parts of their arms where the black wrappings didn't fully cover.
Raph set Jasmine down gently and pushed her behind him, drawing his sais and crouching down a little bit in a defensive position in front of Jasmine.
"Who are you?" He growled and the figure just stood quietly. "Hey. I asked you a question. Who the hell are you?"
"I am Blackout." The voice disguiser was on and it distorted his voice too much to recognize it. Jasmine peeked around Raphs bulky frame and Blackout saw her.
"What the hell do you want?" Raph asked next, twirling his sais but staying in a defensive position in front of Jasmine. The only thing in his mind was to keep her safe. No matter what. Blackout kept his gaze trained in Jasmine.
"You know what-... or who-... I want." His hand raised to point at Jasmine who shuddered. The air around her went cold and she took a half step closer to Raphs shell.
"Over my dead body," Raph snarled. Blackout chuckled softly making Jasmines chest squeeze in fear.
"That can be arranged, turtle."
"Go to hell," Raph growled. Blackout drew a sword from his hip and spun it around in challenge. Raph knew he couldn't just charge in. He needed to protect Jasmine. So he waited for Blackout to make the first move. And he did.
Blackout struck fast towards Raph's head and he quickly brought his sai up to block him. He pushed Jasmine back with his other hand just before Blackout struck down on his other side. Raph didn't see the foot headed for his ribs and grunted with the force of the blow. He stumbled back and barely had enough time to get his footing before Blackout struck again, aiming for his neck. He brought up both his sais and struggled with Blackout.
Jasmine watched fearfully from behind Raph as Blackout started gaining ground and making more and more hits on Raph. At one point in the fight, Raph slammed his fist into Blackouts stomach, forcing him back. Raph threw a panicked look over his shoulder to Jasmine.
"Go! Get outta here!" He yelled as Blackout jumped towards him again.
"No! I'm not leaving you here!" She replied. Raph grunted as he was kicked in the side again, then caught Blackouts sword in his sais, looking back at Jasmine again.
"Go!" Raph rammed his head into Blackouts, making him stumble back as Raph leaned over in pain, holding his side and panting. He scowled at Blackout who charged him again. He cried out in pain when he was sliced on the arm with a short knife, then Blackout kicked the back of his legs, making him drop down hard to the ground onto one knee. Blackout took the advantage and sliced his leg, kicking him hard in the ribs. Raph heard a snap and yelled out before he was stabbed in the side of the neck with a needle.
"Oh no," he murmured as he ripped it out and stumbled onto his feet. His vision became blurry as he stumbled to the side feeling dizzy.
Jasmine gasped as Blackout injected him with something. She quickly ran behind a bunch of stacked boxes near the other edge of the roof and ripped open her bag, grabbing the pocket knife from inside and peeking over the boxes to see Raph taking a beating. She let out a low growl when she saw Raph fall to his knees and Blackout roundhouse kick him in the face. Blackout watched Raph hit the ground then looked around for Jasmine.
"Come out, come out wherever you are little Jasmine," he called out and Jasmine gripped the knife tighter. Blackout caught sight of the stacked boxes and walked towards it.
When he got to the other side, he glanced around it only to see no one there. He didn't have time to react before a shout from behind him made him turn, while Jasmine plunged the knife into his shoulder, twisting it in a circle and gritting her teeth as he screamed in pain. She ripped the knife out and held it up.
"Stay away from me and my friends," she snarled. "Or else the next time you'll find yourself six feet under." Blackout growled and held his hand to his shoulder as the blood seeped between his fingers. Jasmine stared him down and he finally hopped off the roof into the next one, running away and disappearing over some roofs.
Jasmine let out a sigh of relief as her hand dropped next to her and she took in a shaky breath. Then she turned and ran towards Raph's side, dropping down next to him and wincing at his appearance. He was bloody and bruised, cuts littering his skin. She gently ran a hand over his cheek to get no response other than his ragged breathing.
"Raph. Raphael! Wake up," she said to him as she slapped his cheek gently. His eyes fluttered a little bit and eventually focused on her. He sighed and coughed before she grabbed his hand and held it. "You'll be okay. It'll be okay."
"J-Jasmine." He whispered. She squeezed his hand. "Jazz. Jasmine."
"I'm here, Raph. You'll be okay. I'm not leaving you."
"P-phone. S-side pocket. Leo," he whispered out as his eyes closed again. Jasmine frowned before looking around his belt for his phone. She found it and looked at it.
"Damn it. Password. Raph," she glanced down at him. He didn't even open his eyes.
"Zero, seven, four, zero, nine, three," he whispered and then he fully passed out. Jasmine glanced down at him in panic.
"Damn it Raph... Raph! No, you have to wake up. You have to stay awake." She said. But she got no response. "Please Raph. Just stay with me. Stay with me."
___________________________
Ooooohhhhhh. Raphs in some trouble.
My lord I feel like I haven't updated in forever, and I am sooooo sorry. Things have been pretty crazy around here lately. But I promise there will be some more chapters soon! I have a day off today so I feel like I might have another chapter for this book tonight. Maybe. I hope.
Anyhow, I hope you liked this chapter!!
XX Shadow
(Unedited)