Hi, peeps. Sorry I haven't been updating the story so much. I'm back at uni and things are hectic. There are references to the 2007 movie so if you haven't seen it, you might be a bit confused at times. This is only rated M for language. Enjoy :D
"Ma'am, I'm trying as hard as I can." The last few months of April's pregnancy had flown by. She was huge, and ready to give birth at any given time. The turtles, graciously and more than willing to help, had taken jobs to help pay for baby supplies. Mikey had gotten back into the children's birthday party business, making his comeback as Cowabunga Carl, Leo had started his own karate class for kids, Donnie had been employed at the Apple store on 5th avenue, and Raph, well, Raph didn't feel he needed to contribute to this unborn baby's well being. Instead, he decided to contribute to his favourite city's well being, and resurrect the Night Watcher. He'd sworn he'd never go back, but the temptation was too great. How did they disguise themselves in the open world? Thanks to Mikey, the laughable, made up disease 'reptilitis' led employers to believe that the brothers were born with a horrible deformity that gave them the appearance of turtles. It was ludicrous, but it worked.
It was a Monday morning, and the good people of New York were flooding the Apple store with broken iPods, iPads, and MacBooks. Donnie was dealing with a cranky, stubborn dame who refused to believe her husband's laptop was broken.
"Well, try harder!"
"Ma'am, you don't understand, your husband stood on the laptop. The LCD screen is damaged beyond repair. You'll have to purchase a new one."
"What about my warranty?"
"If you had read your hardware warranty, ma'am, you would have noticed that it expires within a year. You purchased this MacBook Pro a year and a half ago."
"Young man, I'm not sure I like your tone! I want to speak to your manager!"
Donnie sighed, ready to whip out his bo staff and knock this woman off her feet. He was use to pissed off customers, but today, he was just not in the mood to deal with them.
During his lunch break, Donnie ate his sandwich from Panera Bread and smoked a cigarette. He was new to smoking tobacco, not really enjoying the taste, but finding that it soothed him after a stressful shift. He wasn't worried about addiction; he could quit whenever he wanted. All he had to do was invent some nicotine patch stronger than the store bought ones and he was good to go. He had a solution for everything…but not for that hole in his heart.
As he watched the everyday New Yorkers rushing to work with a Starbucks coffee in hand, he thought about April, and how he should have made a move on her when he had the chance. There were so many wasted opportunities he could have taken to ask her out on a date, or woo her when Mikey was out partying. He'd never get those chances back. He was a weakling, a coward, and now he'd never have her.
"Donnie, break's over. Get your ass in here!" A coworker called. After taking another puff of the cigarette and putting it out with his foot, Donnie forced himself up and returned to the shop.
"Those kids are so cute." April and Leo relaxed on the sofa after Leo's karate class in the dojo.
"Yeah..."
"Do you ever think about having kids of your own?"
"Nooo...that's...not on my to-do list...I've got more important things to worry about. I've still got my younger brothers to take care of. That's basically like having kids..." He and April laughed. "Besides, I'm sure I'll have my hands full as an uncle." Leo placed his hand on April's belly. The room went silent for a moment.
"What's happened to Raph?" April asked, "I haven't seen him in days..."
"No idea. He's unpredictable." Leo sneered, "We've all gotten jobs except for him. God, he's so selfish."
"...I'm sure he's got a lot on his mind right now..." April tried to be understanding. She knew Raph, and he was unpredictable, but he was also sensitive. The idea of becoming an uncle had probably put a lot of pressure on him.
More silence.
"Anyway, I'd better get going." April rose from the couch.
"April, you really need to take some time off work." Leo stood as well, trying to talk April out of going, "You're due any day now. What if you go into labour on the air, for god's sake?"
"I'll be fine." April assured the eldest turtle. She was a strong woman, and she loved her job. There was no way Leo or anybody could talk her out of reporting the news. She began to walk casually out of the lair, "Tell Mikey I'll be home at six."
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY FROM COWABUNGA CARL!" Kid after kid, hyped up on cake and sweets, charged at Mikey and jumped onto him, knocking him down to the floor. Mikey was use to this. It was the norm for Cowabunga Carl. He would come home from every birthday party, bruised and tormented. And don't even get him started on that stupid turtle head he had to wear...It got hot and sweaty, and he could hardly see out of it. He would get mauled by these children, the parents watching nonchalantly. The pay wasn't even that good, but he had to step up to the plate if he was going to be the best father he could be.
When the children left the room to attack the piñata, Mikey sighed a breath of relief, and turned his attention to the television after hearing a familiar voice.
"Hi everyone, this is April O'Neil with Channel 10 News. I am standing on 42nd street where locals have reported seeing a masked individual atop buildings and skyscrapers, watching over and keeping a close eye on New York." A picture flashed up on the screen, "A few citizens we spoke to have claimed that this person is a returning 'vigilante' from years ago, and is known for fighting crime incognito. For more on this story, visit our website."
Mikey's mouth opened underneath the turtle head. That picture...The guy in the picture...He recognized the costume. The armoured suit, the motorbike boots, the metal helmet...It couldn't have been any clearer. It was Raph.
Raphael listened to the sound of the 5 o'clock traffic. It was already getting dark, and the lights on the skyscrapers were beginning to light up the city. He was in his prime. The tight leather suit and helmet were of comfort to him; he didn't have to feel self conscious about being a six foot tall talking turtle.
It was quieter than usual that night, not as much crime or disturbances. Raph humphed. He was shocked, and slightly disappointed; he got his kicks out of avenging this beautiful city. With nothing to do, he sat down on the edge of the Times Square Tower, and just watched the hectic traffic below.
"So, O'Neil..." Vern and April walked side by side down 49th street after April had finished her shift. Vern regularly waited for her outside work, and it was very irritating. Even though she was pregnant, he didn't give up trying to pursue her. "Since the father isn't around, y'know...I was thinkin'...why don't you and me go get some dinner? There's a great sushi place right on 51st-"
"Vern, please." April cut him off, "I've told you, I'm perfectly happy in the relationship I'm in."
"Why won't you tell me who the father is?" Vern passive aggressively begged her to reveal this secret to him. "He's obviously terrible if he isn't here for you!"
That one remark lit a fire inside April. Anyone who dared to comment negatively on Mikey was an enemy to her. With grit teeth, April turned around and slapped Vern across his face. "Don't you ever fucking talk shit about Mikey." She stomped off, realizing she had just revealed who the father of the baby was. There was only one Mikey Vern knew of, and that was the teenage turtle Mikey. She looked back at Vern. His hand was on his red cheek, and the expression on his face was that of utter disbelief.
April arrived home twenty minutes later after taking the bus. The traffic was, as usual, chaotic and not in her favour. The apartment was empty; Taylor was most likely out at a bar with her art major friends. April had her umpteenth bathroom break, and then proceeded to prepare dinner. She raided the cupboards and finally decided on noodles, as they were easy to make. She sighed as she watched the noodles boil. It had been an uneventful night, and she started to feel a little bad about what she had done to Vern. Questioning herself, she reached for her Android phone, thinking of what she could possibly say to him.
Vern, sorry I
Hands clasped over April's mouth. She screamed and dropped her phone.
"Get her outside, NOW." A voice demanded.
"Ok, ok! Don't yell at me!"
April screamed and screamed, but it was muffled under giant, grey hands. What the hell was going on? Her brain couldn't comprehend the situation. The two people who had broke into her apartment had dragged her outside and thrown her into the back of a black van. Her mouth was gagged, and her arms and legs were tied together. She could hear the men yelling at each other in the front.
"YOU DIDN'T SAY ANYTHIN' ABOUT HER BEING PREGNANT, BEBOP!"
"YOU'RE GETTIN' SOFT, YOU IDIOT! SHREDDER SHOULD'A KICKED YOUR WEAK ASS OUT WHEN HE HAD THE CHANCE."
The van started to move. Panicking, April sat up and began to kick her feet against the metal walling of the van, hoping someone would hear.
Raph watched this mysterious black van with loud banging noises coming from it. While wondering whether he should go after it or not, his police scanner reported a traffic disturbance in lower Manhattan; they were playing his song. Raph leaped from building to building, trying to catch up with the speeding van. When he got as close as he could, he made the jump, and landed on top of the van with a loud thump, causing it to swerve. The banging got louder. Raph struggled to stay on top as he crawled to the back of the van. "Hey! Someone in there?" He yelled.
April knew that voice. It was deep and rough, with a thick New York accent. "RAPHAEL!" She screamed, muffled by the gag. Raph recognized her voice almost instantly, too. "APRIL!" He became frightened. This was no longer an everyday 'avenging the city' effort, this was a kidnapping, a kidnapping of his little brother's pregnant girlfriend. Her fate rested in his hands.
Once Bebop realized there was an intruder, he began to intentionally swerve the van, attempting to throw Raphael off. "RAPHAEL!" April cried. She was no damsel in distress, but she was truly terrified. She may have been able to defeat the Shredder and fend for herself, but this time around, she was carrying a baby. Her life and more importantly, the baby's life, was in danger.
"I'M COMIN', APRIL!" April could hear the distress in Raph's voice. He began to tug at the backdoor, only managing to open it just enough so that he could see her face.
"RAPHAEL!"
After Bebop sharply turned down an alleyway, April heard a loud crash that made her heart jump. Raph had fallen off the van, landing hard on the concrete. "RAPHAEL!" April watched as he disappeared into the distance.
"APRIL! NO!" Raph yelled, feeling tears sting his eyes. He saw her peek out the opening of the door, sobbing and terrified. He had failed her, but he wasn't going to stop there.
Raph hopped down the closest sewer hole, and ran as fast as his feet could take him. His panting and groaning echoed throughout the sewer as well as his feet splashing in the water. He reached the lair and practically bust down the door. "LEO!" He shouted. His big brother was sat with Mikey, watching wrestling.
"Raph!" Mikey got up from the couch with a worried look on his face, "Have you seen April? She was due home an hour ago, dude!"
"SHE-...SHE-..." Raph gasped for air. "SHE'S BEEN TAKEN. SOMEONE'S TAKEN HER. I-..I-..I TRIED TO SAVE HER BUT I-..."
"WHO TOOK HER?" Leo asked. Raph couldn't answer.
"COME ON!" Leo ran for his weapons, Mikey following. After strapping his katanas onto his shell, Leo grabbed Donnie's bo staff and led his brothers out of the sewer.
Unfortunately, Donnie worked late nights on weekdays, but that meant his brothers knew exactly where to find him. Without being seen, they arrived at the Apple store, and noticed Donnie outside taking a smoke break. "DONNIE!" Leo yelled for his little brother. Donnie's heart nearly stopped when he saw his brothers. They were going to kick his ass.
He quickly stomped the cigarette out, and ran to them, "Guys?!" He should have expected a punch to the face, because that's exactly what Donnie got. His glasses fell to the floor, chipping one of the lenses.
"WERE YOU SMOKING? WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" Leo yelled.
"LEO, THAT AIN'T IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW." Raph retorted, holding back Donnie from punching his big brother back. "APRIL'S BEEN KIDNAPPED."
"Fuck..." Donnie calmed down. He didn't know what to say.
"WE NEED TO GO, GUYS!" Mikey yelled, nearly in tears.
"It'll be alright, Mikey." Leo tried to comfort his brother.
"MY GIRL AND MY BABY ARE IN DANGER."
"Let's go." Donnie slipped his glasses back on.
"What about your job?" Leo asked as he handed his little brother his bo staff.
"Fuck that." Donnie answered bluntly.
"Stop swearing."
"HOW ABOUT WE STOP TALKING AND SAVE APRIL!" Raph began to run ahead, getting tired of the useless banter.
"LET'S GO!" Leo ordered, taking off after Raph.