Chapter 6

It had been a few days since their fight. Raph nor April would break. They kept up the charade that life was better this way. Raph did his usual of staying in the dojo and working out. April did her job as she was supposed to. Since the break up, April had brought down two different Foot operations that made the news. There was a new vigilante in the city and none of its citizens had a clue that it was their very own April O'Neil. She was poking and prodding at the Shredder. She was going to finish this if it was the last thing she did and once it was over, April could go back to Raph.

All she did was focus on work. She spent all her down time in the gym or patrolling with Mikey. They had become quite the little superhero pair. Bringing down muggers and robbers and whoever else had an illegal agenda. It helped keep her mind of Raphael, but she would be lying to herself if she said she didn't wish Mikey would bring Raph along under false pretenses.

Raph was laying on his bed with his head phones and his eyes closed. His head was bumping along to the beat. She closed the door behind her and his eyes jerked open. She jumped a little when he was so abrupt. He eyed April for a moment, trying to hide any shock and slight excitement he might be feeling. He sat up as she stayed by the door still grasping the knob, ready to run if he rejected her. His large hands removed his headphones and placed them next to his lamp. She looked like a puppy, all wide eyed and sad.

"What are you doing here, April?" He asked as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

She didn't say anything. She walked to Raph and sat beside him on the bed. He didn't turn away from her because he wanted her to do whatever she was going to do. She placed her palms on his cheeks and pulled his mouth down to hers. He didn't fight her. He had no desire to, he loved her and that would never change. His fingers entangled in her hair. So much hair. He loved how it tickled his muscles when she was on top of him. His hands grazed down her neck and onto her shoulders. Her jumpsuit felt different. He massaged the fabric in his hands as they continued to kiss. He also noticed that her hair was still covering his hands.

He pulled back slowly and opened his eyes and there she was. Perfect, scarless, porcelain skin. Long auburn hair that reached the middle of her back. A mustard yellow leather jacket that covered her upper half. Raph's breath hitched in his throat.

"What's wrong, babe?" Her voice purred.

"This isn't real." He replied becoming upset.

April held his palm to her mouth and kissed it, "You let me go. This is as real as it gets."

Raph's eyes popped open and he jumped up from his laying position. Sweat fell down his face as he tried to process what just happened. His heart was pounding and his breathing was heavy. It was so real, he felt like he could still feel her leather jacket on his fingers. She was right here in his arms and it was so tangible. The same April was right in front of him and he knew it was wrong because her long hair or her yellow jacket didn't make April April.

"Jesus Christ." He mumbled under his breath.

April made her way through lower Manhattan, swinging on stairwells and leaping across roof tops. She had to get back to home base and get some rest. She had finally exhausted herself enough to hopefully fall asleep without having Raph at the fore front of her mind. She came to a screeching halt about halfway to her destination.

A large hulking figure was standing looking over the edge. She hoped, but only for a moment because she knew it wasn't him. Leonardo's katana's gleamed in the moonlight when he turned around.

"April?"

"Hi, Leo." She said quietly.

"Patrolling?" He asked keeping it short and simple. She knew he was struggling with how to behave towards her.

She nodded, "Heading back from it, yeah. You?"

"Just starting. I just sent Ra-" Leo stopped before her said his name, "Well, anyway it's my shift."

"How is he, Leo?" She questioned not completely sure she wanted to know the answer.

Leo looked over the city, "April, I really shouldn't have to answer that. You know Raph. You know exactly how he's handling it." The coldness of Leo's answer sent chills down her spine. She nodded firmly one time and began to walk passed him. He laid his large hand on her arm, "Please, April. Go to him."

"I can't do that. He made it abundantly clear that things would not be done my way and I'm sorry but I'm not going to be responsible for getting him killed."

Leo scoffed, "Right because this isn't killing him anyway." He withdrew his hand from her arm.

"This isn't all on me. I want him to know everything, but he has got to work with me a little." Leo shook his head as he listened to April, "Don't shake your head at me like I'm being ridiculous! You think I like this anymore than him. It is killing me-" She was interrupted by her phone going off, she huffed deeply in annoyance with Leo and answered, "O'Neil… You have a location on that for me?... Okay, send back up. We have to be ready for anything. I'm on my way."She placed her phone back on her belt and looked at Leo solemnly, "I have to go handle this."

"Don't get yourself killed." He replied.

"Please, don't hate me, Leo." She said having to hold back the tears.

Leo smirked, "Me? Hate you? I have never felt anything close to hate for you, April. Get outta here. Go save people."

April tried to smile through the immense sadness she felt at that very moment. Suddenly she wondered why it never dawned on her that Leo could feel for her the way Raph does, but he said so much in that one little remark and it made everything so clear. His distance, his attitude, and the jealousy. He was in love and he never had a chance because even if Raph and April weren't together, it was too late. She would be forever Raph's angel, not his. She leapt of the edge down to the fire escape. Moments later, Raph came out of hiding and walked to his brother.

He looked at Leo with remorse, "Ya never said anything."

Leo shook his head, "What was the point? It was always you, Raph. You sure you want to do this?"

"It's the only way I'll find out everything and get to be with her. She'll be mad at first, but she'll get over it. Let's hurry before we lose her trail." He said and they were off.

It was a hostage situation, not unfamiliar from the same one April was taken hostage in three years ago. Only this time, it was April they were trying to coax out of hiding, not the turtles and here she was, being sent in as the negotiator, for lack of a better word. The Foot had several people held up in Ellen's Stardust Diner near Times Square. It's a big tourist spot in the city, perfect for capturing a large group at once.

Vern was sitting in a van at the end of the block with the man with graying hair and a couple of other tech guys, while April and some other select super humans were getting ready to storm the diner and get the people out. The sad part was that, most of the people there were probably tourist and had no idea what gang this was plaguing the city.

"Can you hear me, O'Neil?" Vern said into the mic set up in the van.

"Yeah, Vern, I gotcha." She answered.

"We don't have eyes inside, but we've all been here, so we have to rely on our memories to get these people out. Everyone put your gas masks on. This is will the only way to catch them at a disadvantage at once. On my count, we're cutting the power and dropping the gas." Vern instructed. April stood calmly as she and the others awaited Vern's signal, "Three, two, one, out."

The building that lit up the corner of the block went dark and they stormed inside. Windows busted open, screams of frightened hostages were heard all over. They all started ushering as many people out as they could before the gas completely incapacitated them. April was grabbed from behind. She grabbed onto the arm that attempted to drag her down and in one swift motion flipped him onto the floor and kicked him in the head knocking him unconscious.

She quickly worked her way up the small spiral staircase on the famous diner and began ushering a little family. She turned around to head back down the stairs and there he was, standing in front of her. Her breath caught in her throat, "What are you doing?!" She practically shrieked. Raph simply pushed passed her and picked up the two children and got them downstairs to safety and April led the parents close behind.

Once they were safely out the door, April tried to lead Raph away, "You have to leave now, Raph! They'll see you!"

"I'm not leavin', April!"

The air was cloudy and stuffy. She felt her chest tightening even with her gas mask on. The Foot members laid passed out on the floor of the diner and the families were outside being carried away by ambulance after ambulance. She knew it was only a matter of time before they came in and saw him.

April was becoming frantic, "No, I don't know what they'll do to you if they get their hands on you! This is exactly what I've been trying to prevent! This is why I stayed away to keep this from happening! I don't want you stuck living like this!"

"I'm goin' where you go! If this is where you are, then they can have me!" He growled through the gas.

"O'Neil, you okay in there?" She heard Vern in her ear.

"Vern, stall them! Raph is in here!" She spoke into her wrist.

Raph's brow furrowed, "Vern?"

"What do you mean Raph is in there?" Vern practically squealed.

"Just stall them!" She yelled back at him, "Think about you father and your brothers! Raph, please go now!"

Raph very calmly shook his head, "It's not your decision, April."

She tears came up to the rim of her eyes, "Raph, please!"

"No." He answered with no fear.

Then a small group of April's team led by the gray haired man walked in the diner. They stopped in their tracks when they saw Raph. The man looked at April with regret.

"No, don't touch him!" She yelled, "Raph, go now!"

"April." The man said softly.

She was crying hysterically now, "No!" She threw her arms around Raph, "Don't touch him!"

"April, I warned you about this." He spoke still softly, he snapped his fingers and a couple of guys walked over to Raph to lead him out.

Raph hugged her tightly and kissed her head, "It'll be okay." He whispered.

Raph let go of her and walked quietly with the two men.