A/N: Hi everyone! This is my first TMNT fan fic, so please be nice! Any feedback is appreciated, and also any ideas as to what direction this story goes in too! Please note the rating of the story, it will contain cursing, violence and adult themes later on! I hope you enjoy!
Cowabunga, dudes!
Autumn O'Neil reached down and scrambled at her suitcases from the ridiculously slow carousel, grunting with the effort as she hoisted them off and onto the floor.
As if a whole day of travelling across the country wasn't enough, she now had to break her goddamn back?
Today sucked. Like, total suckitude, man.
Sighing, she blew a piece of hair from her face and proceeded to drag her luggage through JFK airport, weaving her way through the impatient, moody and tired passengers who had suffered the same long winded flight as she had.
As the passengers moved through to arrivals, Autumn's eyes scanned the awaiting crowd, looking for the familiar face of her cousin.
As usual, she spotted the hair first. That gorgeous fiery red hair that, unfortunately, Autumn did not inherit from the O'Neil genes. Instead, she ended up with dirty blond, that fell just below her shoulders. It contrasted nicely with the bright blue O'Neil eyes she shared with her cousin, though, so she wasn't complaining.
"Autumn! Autumn, over here!"
Autumn's head turned in the direction of that familiar voice, a smile spreading across her face as her cousin emerged out of the crowd, holding her arms out.
"April!" Autumn grinned and ran as fast as she could towards her cousin, embracing her as tightly as she could whilst trying not to drop her bags. "God, it's so great to see you"
"I know, I'm so happy you're finally here!" April O'Neil pulled away and smiled at Autumn "You look great! How was the flight?"
"Ah, you know, the usual. Long, uncomfortable and cold. You could have warned me about the temp, ya know, cuz" Autumn said, as she shivered, pulling on a sweatshirt.
"Sorry, sometimes I forget that Laguna Beach is, like, the polar opposite of Manhattan" April smiled apologetically. "Casey is just grabbing us some coffee, and then we can get home"
"Sure, I cant wait to meet this husband of yours" Autumn smirked "we both know your choice of men can be kinda shitty"
"Well, I hope I don't fit in that category" an unfamiliar voice sounded from behind Autumn and she whirled around, coming face to face with a very handsome guy with shaggy black hair and piercing hazel eyes. He had a cheeky smirk on his face and three coffees in his hands. "I guess you gotta be Autumn?"
"You'd be right" she smiled up at her cousins husband "and I'm guessing you're the unlucky guy who married my cousin?"
"Remind me why I said you could stay with us again?" Chuckled April, knowing Autumn was only joking around.
"Cos you love me. Nice to meet you Casey, and thanks so much for letting me crash at your place until I get an apartment sorted" autumn held out her hand once Casey had handed the coffees out. Casey waved her thanks off and shook her hand.
"Don't worry about it kid, you're my family too now" he smiled kindly.
Autumn definitely liked him, and she sent her cousin a sneaky nod of approval as he picked up her luggage and carried it through the airport. As they emerged outside, autumn's teeth began to chatter in the crisp February air, and she glanced upwards, smiling at the flakes of snow that were drifting to the ground.
"I guess you don't see snow very often on the Golden Coast, huh?" Casey chuckled as Autumn carried on looking up at the sky in amazement.
"Very rarely" she looked at April and Casey "y'know, I thought I'd hate moving to New York but, it's actually kinda cool"
"The novelty will wear off in a few days" laughed April "and you'll be pining for the beach and your surfboard before you know it"
"You surf?" Casey looked mildly impressed as the group approached his truck.
"She's won medals for it" April said proudly, making her cousin blush a little.
"Woah, that's kinda cool" Casey chuckled "I'm very impressed, kid"
"Hey, easy on the 'kid', dude, I'm 24" Autumn pointed a finger in Casey's direction, but she was smiling. Casey chuckled again, unlocking the truck and placing Autumn's luggage in the trunk. "Besides, when you grow up with the beach on your doorstep, you learn a few things"
"Well, I'm guessing since you couldn't bring your surfboard, you brought your other board?" April asked with a raised eyebrow as they got into the car.
"Sure did. She's all wrapped up in my bag" Autumn nodded, referring to her precious skateboard. "What else am I gonna get around the Big Apple on?" she laughed, climbing into the car, yelping when she sat on something that definitely wasn't supposed to be there. She reached under her butt and picked up the strange object, chuckling when she realised it was a hockey mask. "Hey, Jason, I hear Camp Crystal Lake is kinda nice this time of year?" She joked, waving the mask at Casey.
"Ah, crap, sorry kiddo, forgot that was back there" Casey shot a look at April who shrugged.
"Casey used to play professionally until he got injured, he likes to keep his sticks and masks around as a reminder of his former glory"
Autumn laughed loudly as Casey scowled at his wife.
"Thanks, babe" he muttered and she patted his cheek.
"How are you going to survive with two females in the same house?" Autumn teased as Casey started the engine.
"With plenty of beer" he sighed, ignoring the two women giggling, and pulling out of the airport parking lot. "What did I do to deserve this kind of punishment?"
The drive to April and Casey's place wasn't too bad, well as far as Manhattan traffic went anyway, and a smile broke out over Autumn's sleepy face as she recognised the old building as they approached it.
"You live above Uncle Kirby's old shop? Man, I thought this place would have collapsed by now" Autumn chuckled to herself as she recalled spending one or two summer's here with her aunt, uncle and April as a child, running around the old antique store and seeing how many creepy old toys she could re-arrange before her uncle noticed.
"Nah, but I only keep it open on weekends, working at the station takes up most of my time during the week, and Casey bartends in Brooklyn most nights" April smiled, unlocking the door at the side of the store to get up to the apartment above. "We've spent a lot of time and money making the apartment more…modern. It's truly ours now"
"Thank God, because no offence, Aunt Annie's taste in drapes and carpet was just awful" teased Autumn as they made their way up the narrow staircase.
"I know" April chuckled at the mention of her mother. "Well, welcome home, Autumn"
"Dude…" Autumn gasped at how much the apartment had changed. It was more open now, the wall that once separated the kitchen and living room now gone, leaving a spacious area for the married couple to cook and lounge in. The hideous paisley carpet had long been ripped out, replaced with smooth, light wooden flooring throughout the entire apartment, which may have made it cold, had it not been for the large open fireplace in the corner, opposite the large flat screen tv (no doubt Casey's contribution to the apartment makeover). The large corner couch looked extremely comfortable, and it was clear which end was Casey's, and which end was April's. Casey's being the end closest to the coffee table, giving him easy access to the TV remote, and whatever can of soda or beer he liked. April's end had a book on archaeology resting open on the arm of the couch; her glasses perched on top carefully.
The bathroom had been completely re-done, with a full bathtub installed, as well as a shower. April and Casey's room overlooked the streets, whilst the guest room, Autumn's new room, didn't have such a great view, but it did have a window seat, which Autumn flipped out over. It was the one thing she had in her apartment in Laguna Beach that she was devastated to leave behind, and she had a sneaky feeling April may have convinced Casey to quickly build one once she learned her cousin was going to be moving to the city.
It wasn't a huge apartment, but it was homely and cosy, and just what Autumn needed.
It almost made the death of her parents easier to cope with.