Here's chapter 2. Chapter Three should be up this weekend at some point. I'm glad you guys enjoy it so far. As usual, I don't own these guys.
Raphael just stared at the woman that stood before him, one he thought he had lost years ago. She looked familiar, but so different than she had when she disappeared. Her dark auburn hair was cut short, a close buzz cut on the sides of her head, but the top was an inch or two long, and dyed a vibrant red color. A thin scar on the left side of her face went from her temple down to her chin, and she had another one on her right cheek. The worse was her eyes. Once filled with warmth and love, they were now icy cold. She radiated hate and disgust for him. Raph shook as a memory of her came to him.
"Hey Raph?" The turtle turned to face the young reporter that had so abruptly fallen into their lives. She was playing with her hands, and biting her lower lip. Raphael frowned deeply. Why would she be nervous around him like this? She normally sought him out to hang out and always seemed at ease around him. Something that had given him a small hope that maybe- just maybe- they could be more than friends.
"What's up?" he asked, pausing in his workout. She wrapped her arms around her shoulders, shut her eyes, and took a deep breath.
"I need to talk to you about something." She looked up at him, but quickly looked back down. There was nervousness and some fear in her eyes. He walked up to her and tipped her head up so he could see her eyes.
"April? You okay?" he asked, his voice firm and slightly commanding. He remembered how she had been complaining about her partner, the "human nerd" was trying to get her into a date again. "If it's that Vern again, I swear I'll-" He was cut off by April standing on her toes and kissing him on the lips. He froze in place as her lips continued to explore his in a gentle, non-pressing manner. He could believe that it was happening. He had dreamed of something like this, the images often moving into something that was far from appropriate for their relationship. Just as he was about to return the kiss she pulled away suddenly.
"Sorry," she said, turning red, "I shouldn't have done that." April went to take a step back from him, but he stopped her.
"Why not?" he whispered, and leaned in towards her, kissing her back. It was awkward and clumsy at first, but he soon got the feel of it and deepened it, pulling her close to his plastron.
"April, babe what's wrong?" he asked, his voice shaking. "What are you doin'? Why are you doin' this?" He searched his eyes desperately for something, anything that said that the woman that he loved so dearly was still there. He got nothing in return. She moved behind him, pressing the blade of the kusarigama against his neck.
"Just dishing out some well-deserved revenge." She replied coolly. Raph tried to turn to see her, but was stopped when the scythe dug deeper into his skin, causing him to bleed.
"Revenge? Whacha mean about that? I didn't do anythin' to you!" She leaned in close, he could feel her soft breath on his cheek.
"You and your brothers destroyed my life. You are the reason my father is dead and Sachs, the man who took me in after his death, is in jail. You took away everything I loved, and now I have come to pay you back for that." She snarled at him. Raph felt her weapon dig deeper into his skin. He hissed in pain as his mind was buzzed with what she said. Killed her Father? Why did she think they killed her Father? Out of the corner of his eye he could see a cold gleam of triumph at his pain. "I should kill you right now. " He felt a few tears fall down his face as true panic hit him. He had to get to her, truly losing her, knowing that he'd never hold her again, hear her gentle laugh, hold him close to her on his bad days, terrified him more than anything ever could.
"April, babe come on, this isn't you, we're your friends, your family. You saved us from the fire that your father died in, remember? You have that burn scar on your shoulder from it." He felt her freeze behind him, and another memory came to him.
"Oh man, why'd they go and do that?" Mikey complained loudly and the villain in the movie they were watching cut the heroine's cheek. "Now's it gonna scar." April frowned at the youngest turtle from her spot next to Raph on the couch. He swore the air around him turned to ice as his girlfriend glared at his youngest brother.
"Is there an issue with her having a scar?" She asked, her voice icy cold. The rest of the family turned to her, stunned at the tone of her voice, but their dim-witted brother paid no heed to her tone.
"Why wouldn't there be? Scars on guys look cool, because it shows they're tough and awesome. Scars on girls just look wrong." The orange turtle explained. "It makes it look like the hero failed to save her in time, and they look kind of ugly." The look on April face turned dark and she abruptly stood up. Leo watched her, concerned. "Where are you going Angelcakes? The movie isn't even half over?" Michelangelo asked as she made her way to the door. She turned to him, and odd look on her face.
"You know, back when you guys where at the lab you were always moving." She said, a sad half smile came to her face as she looked at him. "If I ever took you out of your tank and put you on the counter, you took off in a heartbeat. I had to save you from the edge more time then I can count." She crossed her arms and turned her head away, blinking away the tears in her eyes. The turtles remained silent, she never talked about their time at the lab, whether it was because she thought it was uncomfortable for them, or the painful memories that came with those times, they didn't know. "The night of the fire was no different. I had gotten you guys and was making my way out when you squirmed out of my arms. I stopped to pick you up, and a small piece of the ceiling fell onto my shoulder. I shook it off, but I didn't notice the damage until after I had let you guys go and an EMT came to check on me."
She slipped her fingers under the long-sleeved shirt she was always wearing when she didn't have a jacket on and pulled it over her head, a black halter top under it. Turning around, she pulled her hair over her right shoulder and pulled the strap of her left one down so they could see it better. All they could do was stare in shock. From the top of it, down to just above her shoulder blade a dark burn scar marred her soft skin. Raph watched her swallow hard, and continue to speak. "I'm sorry if you feel that I'm ugly because of it." She put her shirt back on and grabbed her jacket, continuing to head out the door.
"Way to go, dumbass." Raph growled at his brother, and stood up to take April home. Jogging to catch up with her, he heard Donatello, of all of them, chewing out is brother for his careless remarks. He caught up with her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. She tried-and failed- to shake him off and he pulled her into a hug. "It's okay babe," he murmured into her hair as he felt her begin to shake as silent sobs wracked her body. "He didn't mean it, he'll be over tommora, begging for your forgiveness an' make you dinner, and whatever else he feels like he needs to do ta get back in your good graces." She sniffed softly and looked up at him.
"You think so?" she asked, her large blue eyes rimmed in red. He smiled and leaned down to kiss the top of her head."
"Yah, I do." He whispered softly and then escorted her back to her apartment.
"How do you know about my scar?" she asked, voice waving slightly. Her hold on him relaxed slightly, but then tightened again. "Master Shredder warned me about this. That you'd try and get into my head. Feeding me lies and trying to sway my loyalties to him. I will not fall for that." Her grip tightened on her weapon. "Maybe I should leave your body for your brothers to find. As a warning of what is going to happen to them, one by one." Some part of Raph told him to push her off, that he should be able to, but another part warned him he could hurt her if he was too rough, and he could never do that. Again, she leaned in close to him, and whispered softly into his ear. "Now it's time to say goodbye." She brought the blade of the kusarigama back and was about to pull it across his throat when something came flying past him and hit her in the shoulder. She swore and jumped away from him, her body in a defensive stance.
"Raph, you okay?" a voice called from across the rooftop. He looked up to see Mikey standing on the ledge, shuriken in his hand. Beside him, April pulled out the one that hit her in the shoulder and tossed it onto the ground, then glared at the youngest brother.
"I'll get you for that!" she growled, starting to swing the ball end of her weapon in small, controlled circles. Michelangelo frowned at the sound of her voice and moved in closer, watching her face.
"April?" he asked softly. "What are you doing?' He slipped the small weapon back into a pouch on his belt. "We've been looking for you everywhere." His face turned to one of puzzlement. "Why are you trying to kill Raph?" A small hit of panic came to his voice, as he looked from her to Raph. A noise came from the next rooftop over. Looking over, the brothers saw a small group of three or four foot soldiers watching them. A dark smile came to April's face.
"Well boys, this has been fun, but it's time for me to go." She pulled a small smoke bomb from a pouch on her belt. She looked straight at Raph. "Next time we see each other you must bring the other two, I'd be delighted to meet them."
Raph got himself to his feet and pressed his hand to his neck. Thankfully the cut was still fairly shallow, and the wound didn't seem like it was bleeding much. He looked at his younger brother. There was panic and shock in his blue eyes. The youngest turtle moved to help Raph back to the lair. They went silently for a bit when Mikey stopped suddenly stopped and looked up at his brother.
"Raph, what wrong with April? Why did she act like she didn't know us? Why did she threaten you?" Raph sighed and closed his eyes, images of her icy eyes haunting him. He sighed softly and looked down at his baby brother.
"I don't know, Mikey," he said, then looked straight ahead, a look of determination crossing his face. "But we're gonna find out."