A/N: I wasn’t going to make a second part to this—I originally wanted to leave it as a one-shot. But I saw how many people really enjoyed it and wanted more, so I decided to write an additional part! I made it a lot longer, but Tumblr was not letting me post it so I will be posting them individually-which I hope is okay, but there was just a lot more I wanted to explore in this story. Thank you so much for the support
Synopsis : Eight years later, the past finds its way back—whether they’re ready or not.
Tags: @skywitchflatbaddie , @jellifishpuffs , @schmelscorner , @dejiyani , @viktorz-accent , @aws-blossom-heart , @sugaritbx
New York wasn’t how you left it all those years ago.
you just weren’t the same person anymore.
You still remembered the mix of emotions that sat heavy in your chest the day you decided to leave—how it felt like you were tearing yourself in two, one half staying behind while the other forced itself to move forward.
When you left, you didn’t look back.
And for a long time, you never came back.
Eight years later, you’ve grown into someone entirely different—someone stronger, steadier, someone who learned how to live without the life you once thought you’d never leave behind.
Somewhere between the rooftops and quiet nights, between laughter that echoed through hidden rooms and a love that ended before it ever had the chance to last.
standing in the same city that once felt like home—
you weren’t sure if you were revisiting the past…
You knew, deep down, you never wanted to come back.
The mix of emotions sitting in your chest was enough to make you feel sick if you let yourself think about it for too long.
But business didn’t care about feelings.
And it brought you right back to New York.
Just for a couple of weeks.
That’s what you told yourself.
You tightened your grip on your luggage as you walked through the narrow airport corridors, the hum of voices and rolling suitcases echoing around you. Everything felt too loud, too close—like the city was already pressing in on you before you’d even stepped outside.
Step by step, you made your way toward the exit.
You slowed as you passed a large window, your eyes drifting outward almost instinctively.
The skyline stretched across the horizon—familiar, towering, unchanged.
Your breath caught slightly.
And it still looked the same.
But you didn’t feel the same.
For a moment, you just stood there, staring—like if you looked long enough, you might recognize the version of yourself you left behind in those streets.
But she wasn’t there anymore.
And neither was the life you once had.
That’s what you tried to believe.
Your work had offered to arrange an escort to your hotel, something simple and professional—but you had politely declined.
There was someone you’d much rather see.
You continued your descent through the terminal, the crowd thinning as you approached the exit.
a flash of bright yellow caught your eye.
She stood just past the doors, waving you down with both hands, her signature yellow leather jacket practically glowing in the crowd.
You couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at your lips.
New York wasn’t exactly a quick trip, and while you’d both tried to keep in touch—texts, calls, the occasional message on social media—it was never quite the same.
Not like seeing her in person.
“Hey!” she called out, already making her way toward you.
You barely had time to react before she pulled you into a tight hug.
the city didn’t feel so heavy anymore.
She let out a deep sigh as she held you tighter.
“God, I missed you so much!” she laughed, pulling back slightly.
You smiled, softer this time. April had always been a bridge between two worlds you once lived in—a world you chose to leave behind.
The thought alone made something in your chest tighten, but you pushed it down just as quickly. You knew she still kept in touch with them, of course she did, but she also knew what happened.
What he said. What he did. And after that night, you never really went back. Not to them. Not to that part of your life. You told yourself it was easier that way, cleaner.
You let it go. Or at least… you tried to. You never asked April what happened after you left—never asked if they talked about you, if he did.
Never asked if Raphael ever regretted it, or if he even cared. Because some questions, you weren’t sure you wanted the answers to.
Your work had offered to pay for a top-of-the-line hotel, but you decided to stay with April instead. It felt easier—familiar. You followed her out, letting her grab your bags despite your protests, and walked toward a truck that looked all too familiar.
“There she is!” Vern called, arms already spread wide like he was greeting a celebrity.
“Hey, Vern,” you said, stepping in for a quick, polite hug.
“Thought you deserved a ride from none other than the Falcon,” he grinned, pointing proudly at his truck.
You couldn’t help but laugh a little.
Vern—the self-proclaimed hero of New York. The man who had taken credit for the turtles’ fight against the Shredder all those years ago. Sure, some people knew the truth now… but most of the city still saw him as the one who saved the day.
“Wow,” you said lightly, glancing over at April as she shoved your suitcases into the back. “I’m such a lucky girl.”
April shot you a look, already smirking.
And just like that, for a moment, things almost felt normal again. You hopped into the back seat, April taking the passenger while Vern pulled out into traffic. The streets were just as busy as you remembered—one thing you definitely didn’t miss about living in New York. Having to leave three hours early just to get anywhere on time. “So, how’s life been?” Vern asked, glancing at you through the rearview mirror as the traffic ahead slowed to a crawl. He said it like he wasn’t the same guy who randomly liked your Instagram posts at midnight, clearly keeping up with everything you’d been doing. “Life’s good. Busy,” you said with a small laugh, resting your head back against the seat. “(Y/N)’s staying with me,” April added, turning slightly to smile at you. “We’re gonna have some girly time.” “Oh—girly time,” Vern repeated, looking between the two of you. “So that doesn’t include me, or…?” You couldn’t help but laugh at that, the sound coming easier than you expected.
“You can see her later. We have a lot of catching up to do,” April said, shooting Vern a look, clearly unamused.
“God, it’s been so long since I’ve been here,” you added, glancing out the window at the crowds of people and towering buildings covered in advertisements.
“You’re staying for a few weeks—by the time you’re ready to go, you’ll be all New Yorked out—” April started, only to be cut off by the loud, obnoxious ringing of her phone.
She unzipped her jacket and pulled it out, and you saw it immediately—the way her expression dropped when she read the caller ID. Then she glanced over at Vern.
You didn’t need her to say it. You already knew. One of them. You weren’t sure which, but you knew.
“You gonna answer?” Vern asked, looking between the two of you.
“Oh—it’s just Donnie,” April said, but the name alone was enough.
Familiar. Heavy. She looked back at you, hesitant, like she wasn’t sure what to do.
You understood why. It wasn’t all of them—you weren’t on bad terms with all of them. Just… one. “Hey, April,” you said gently, giving her a small nod.
“I really don’t mind. You can pick up.” you said, offering her a reassuring smile.
“Thank you. I’ll be quick.” With that, she swiped to answer, leaning back into her seat.
“Hey, Don, what’s up?” she said casually. You tried not to eavesdrop—but it was kind of impossible when you were all stuck in the same car.
“No, not tonight. I don’t think I mentioned it, but (Y/N)’s in town. She came in for a visit, so I’m spending the day with her.” The second the words left her mouth, your stomach dropped.
Great. Now they knew you were here.
You shifted slightly in your seat, trying not to let it show on your face. It wasn’t April’s fault—of course she wasn’t going to lie to them—but still… hearing it out loud made everything feel a little too real. “Okay, talk to you later. Bye,” she said, hanging up and lowering her phone.
April lowered her phone slowly, like she was bracing for something.
For a second, no one said anything.
The car filled with a quiet that wasn’t there before.
“…So,” Vern started, glancing between the two of you through the mirror, clearly sensing the shift. “That sounded… normal.”
April shot him a look. “Vern.”
“What?” he shrugged. “I’m just saying—nobody screamed, nobody panicked. That’s a win.”
You let out a small breath through your nose, leaning your head back against the seat again.
“They were gonna find out eventually,” you said quietly.
April turned slightly in her seat, watching you more carefully now. “I didn’t mean to just… drop it like that.”
“I know,” you replied, giving her a small smile. “It’s fine.”
you were trying to convince yourself it was.
Your fingers tightened slightly around the strap of your bag, your gaze drifting back out the window as the city passed by in a blur.
And somehow, it still had a way of pulling everything back to the surface.
April hesitated for a moment before speaking again, softer this time. “If you don’t want to see them… you don’t have to.”
“I’m not here for them,” you said simply.
But not the full truth either.
Vern hummed lightly under his breath, clearly choosing not to push it further for once as the truck rolled forward through traffic.
the city felt a little smaller.
Like no matter where you went…
you couldn’t really avoid the past anymore.
“What did April say, Donnie?” Leonardo asked, sitting across from him at the table.
“She can’t tonight,” Donnie replied, then glanced over his shoulder, making sure they were alone. “She said (Y/N)’s in New York. Staying with her for a few weeks.”
Your name hadn’t been said much since you left.
They all knew what happened. Why you left. Why you never came back.
Leo’s expression shifted instantly—subtle, but telling.
They all had mixed feelings when it came to you. You had been close with all of them once—family, even—but after everything with Raph… you disappeared from their lives just as quickly as you entered it.
Leo leaned back slightly, thinking.
He already knew you weren’t here for them. You weren’t going to come looking. And if you had wanted to see them—you would’ve reached out.
So what was the point of telling Raph?
What good would it do besides stir something that had never really settled?
“Donnie,” Leo said after a moment, voice quieter now, “maybe keep that between us.”
Donnie looked at him for a second, then gave a small nod.
“Yeah… I was thinking the same thing.”
Raphael wouldn’t handle it well.
You were the one that got away.
Even if he was the reason you did.
The rest of the drive passed quicker than you expected.
Maybe it was the conversation, or maybe it was the way your mind kept drifting somewhere you didn’t want it to go.
Either way, before you knew it, Vern was pulling up to a familiar building.
Your chest tightened slightly.
Some things really hadn’t changed.
“Home sweet home,” Vern said, putting the truck in park.
April was already unbuckling her seatbelt. “C’mon, I’ll help you with your bags.”
You stepped out onto the sidewalk, the city air hitting you instantly—louder, heavier, more alive than anywhere else you’d been in years.
You grabbed your suitcase as April pulled the rest from the back, the two of you making your way toward the entrance.
Each step felt… familiar.
Like your body remembered this place even if you tried not to.
“You good?” April asked, glancing over at you as she held the door open.
“Yeah,” you said quickly, offering a small smile. “Just… weird being back.”
She nodded like she understood.
The elevator ride was quiet, save for the soft hum as it climbed. You watched the numbers change, your reflection staring back at you in the metal doors.
When the doors finally opened, April led the way down the hall, stopping in front of her apartment.
Because the last time you were somewhere like this…
“You gonna stand there all day?” April teased lightly, already unlocking the door.
You let out a small breath, shaking off the thought.
And then you stepped inside—
back into a life you swore you left behind.
April’s apartment hadn’t changed much.
Still decorated the same, the same pictures on the walls, the same dishes, even the same sofa. You couldn’t help but let your gaze drift toward the fire escape, noting how many times you’d been here when a certain turtle would drop in unannounced, like he belonged there just as much as you did.
“So,” April started, pulling a glass from the cupboard and filling it with water, “I don’t think I mentioned it on the ride here…” You glanced over at her, already suspicious. “But Vern has this thing tonight. It’s more like an anniversary of him ‘saving’ the city,” she added, making air quotes with her fingers.
You snorted at that. Vern really took the whole hero thing seriously, despite doing absolutely nothing.
“Go on,” you said, amused. “Anyway, it’s a formal dinner, and I thought maybe we could dress up and pop in,” she shrugged casually.
You blinked. “April, I only brought a couple blouses for work. I don’t have anything formal,” you said, pointing toward your worn suitcase, still covered in old luggage tags.
“Come on, I have something you can wear. Don’t let me down,” she insisted, stepping closer and gently grabbing your shoulders, giving you a small shake.
“Pretty, pretty, pretty please. I already told Vern you were coming…” Her voice trailed off at the end. You narrowed your eyes. “What? April.” “Come on, it’ll be fun. They have an open baaar,” she dragged out the last word, trying to sell it.
You paused, thinking it over for a moment longer than you should have. Then you sighed.
You looked at yourself in the mirror as April took her time, carefully applying soft makeup and curling your hair to perfection. You couldn’t remember the last time you’d gotten dressed up like this.
“So, what kind of dress do you have for me?” you asked, smiling at her through the mirror.
“Oh my God, you’ll love it—it’s beautiful,” she said eagerly before rushing out of the bathroom toward her closet. You watched her jog off, shaking your head slightly.
Your eyes drifted back to your reflection.
It had been a while since you’d looked like this.
You reached for her lip liner on the counter, carefully tracing your lips, adding just a little more definition.
“Ta-da!” April announced, popping back into the room, holding up a long red gown.
It shimmered under the light, covered in delicate jewels that caught every movement.
Your eyes widened. “Whoa… if that’s what I’m wearing, what are you wearing?” you laughed.
“I may or may not have a pretty cute black dress waiting for its moment,” she teased.
You let out a small laugh, but your gaze lingered on the dress.
Not exactly something you would’ve picked for yourself.
For a second, you just stared at it.
A memory, sharp and uninvited.
You in a different mirror. Different night. Same color.
His hands had hovered awkwardly near his sides like he didn’t know what to do with them, trying very hard not to stare—but failing anyway.
“Damn…” he had muttered under his breath before he could stop himself.
You had turned, caught him looking.
He’d cleared his throat, suddenly very interested in absolutely anything else in the room. “Nothin’. Just… didn’t think red was your color.”
You had raised a brow. “And yet?”
And yet he’d looked at you again.
Like he’d just realized something he wasn’t ready to say out loud.
The memory snapped back just as quickly as it came.
You blinked, fingers still lightly holding the edge of the dress fabric in front of you.
“…You okay?” April’s voice broke through gently.
You swallowed, forcing yourself back into the present.
“Yeah,” you said quickly. “Just spaced out for a second.”
But her eyes lingered on you a moment too long to miss.
You cleared your throat, letting the moment pass. “It’s really pretty.”
The drive there felt longer than it should’ve.
Not because of distance—but because of everything in your head that refused to quiet down.
By the time April’s car pulled up to the venue, the city lights had already changed into something sharper. Brighter. Too polished. Too loud in a different way.
The building stood tall ahead of you—glass, gold accents, cameras near the entrance. People dressed like they belonged in another world.
“Okay,” April said, glancing over at you as she parked. “Just a quick appearance. Smile, nod, grab a drink, we leave whenever you want.”
“Sounds easy enough,” you replied, though your fingers lightly adjusted the edge of your dress without thinking.
She gave you a look. “You good?”
You hesitated for half a second.
Then nodded. “Yeah. Just… haven’t done this in a while.”
April smiled softly. “You’ll be fine. You look amazing, by the way.”
That got a small laugh out of you. “You too.”
The two of you stepped out of the car.
The air outside was cooler than you expected.
Inside, everything changed immediately.
Music. Glasses clinking. Cameras flashing. Voices layered over each other in a constant hum of celebration. The kind of event where everyone pretended they belonged in the same room, even if they didn’t.
Vern spotted you almost instantly.
“There she is!” he called, far too loud, already making his way over like he was hosting the whole place himself.
You smiled automatically, falling into polite greetings, small talk, familiar faces that felt slightly distant.
even as you played along—
Like the air had tightened just a little too much.
Her posture shifted slightly beside you.
Her smile stayed on—but it softened at the edges.
The night moved painfully slow.
You did your best to be polite, to smile, to engage in conversation with April and Vern’s acquaintances, but it all blurred together after a while. The tight red dress that hugged your figure now started to dig into your skin in places you couldn’t ignore.
You regretted agreeing to come.
But you also knew April wouldn’t have come without you. And she wanted this time with you.
Now you sat alone at the table, watching guests mingle and laugh about things that didn’t concern you, your fingers loosely wrapped around a glass of wine you barely touched.
She made her way over and slid into the seat beside you.
“Hey,” she said softly. “You just about ready to leave?”
“Yeah,” you admitted with a small, tired smile. “Sorry, April. It’s been a long day of traveling. It’s starting to catch up with me.”
“It’s okay,” she said quickly. “We can head back, watch a movie, do nothing. Whatever you want.”
Before you could respond, her phone rang again.
She sighed, already pulling it out of her purse. “Geez, Donnie’s been trying to call for hours now. Must be important.”
“What—now?” April said into the phone, her tone shifting immediately.
“Can’t this wait till tomorrow? I mean yeah, I have it with me, but I’m at Vern’s event right now.”
“Yeah, okay. I’ll be there in a second.”
She ended the call and looked at you with a slight wince.
“Look, sorry. I have to drop something off to Donnie real quick. You don’t have to come, I promise. He just needs it now.”
Honestly, the idea of sitting there alone in a room full of strangers while April went off to meet a mutant turtle sounded worse.
“No, no,” you said, already grabbing your purse. “I’ll come with you.”
April blinked. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah,” you said, forcing a small smile. “It’ll be nice to see Donnie.”
That part wasn’t even a lie.
April hesitated for half a second longer, then nodded.
“Okay. It’ll be quick, I swear.”
you both made your way toward the exit.
“How long’s she gonna be, Donnie?” Leonardo asked, standing patiently in the alley behind the venue.
Patience, though, was only on the surface.
His brothers lingered around him, each of them pretending to be busy in their own way, all of them waiting for the same thing.
“She’s coming now,” Donnie said quietly, eyes flicking down to his device.
“Dude, is April gonna be all dressed up?” Mikey asked, eyes widening slightly.
“Well, she ain’t going to a formal in jeans,” Raph muttered, lightly knocking him upside the head.
Donnie adjusted something on his watch, the glow of it briefly lighting his face. “Can we focus, guys? April’s gonna be here any second.”
“Hey, guys. What’s so important I needed to come here?”
April’s voice cut through the alley like a shift in gravity.
And for a moment, all of them straightened.
“Oh… you’re all here?” she said, slowing slightly. “I thought it would’ve been just you, Donnie.”
Her gaze flicked briefly behind her.
Like she already knew what was coming.
“Sorry, April,” Leo said, stepping forward. “We just stopped by on our way to the lair. We’ll be quick.”
Mikey brightened immediately. “Hey! You look good, babycakes.”
April let out a small laugh. “Thanks, Mikey.”
“You couldn’t have waited two seconds for me, girl—”
Your voice cut in as you rounded the corner.
Your heart dropped so fast it almost hurt.
This wasn’t supposed to happen.
Leo’s expression shifted instantly—shock, then something carefully contained, like he was trying to hold the moment together before it shattered.
It was like the world had forgotten how to breathe.
Eight years didn’t exist in that moment.
Like your name had caught in his throat and never left.
standing right in front of him again.
“(Y/N)?” Raphael said, pushing past Mikey to get a closer look at you.
Your name sounded different in his voice now.
Like it had been waiting years to be spoken again.
Because it shouldn’t have been possible.
Not here. Not now. Not him.
Raphael stood in front of you like time had simply… bent around him and brought him back unchanged in all the ways that mattered.
More scars traced across him now, like history written into skin and bone. More definition in his face, like life had carved him sharper instead of softer. He looked like something that had survived you leaving him.
something that never did.
Like you were something fragile enough to break again just by breathing too hard.
Like you might vanish if he reached too quickly.
And instinct—stupid, ancient instinct—made you step back.
The space between you didn’t just grow.
Everyone else disappeared in it.
The alley, the night, the world beyond this moment—all of it dulled into silence except for the weight of his stare.
Like he was trying to memorize you again before you slipped out of existence.
And it hit him like something physical.
Because hearing your voice wasn’t just hearing you—
it was remembering everything at once.
Every laugh he shouldn’t have let himself love.
Every silence he still carried like a bruise.
Every rooftop moment he thought he was saving you from him…
only to realize he had been losing you instead.
You couldn’t stop looking at him.
Couldn’t stop feeling him.
Like time hadn’t erased anything at all.
Like eight years had only stretched the wound thinner, not healed it.
The way his eyes moved over you—slow, disbelieving.
The way your hair fell now, soft where it used to be hurried. The way the red dress caught the dim light like something too bold for the distance you’d both endured. The way you weren’t the girl who left him anymore…
And Raphael just stood there—
like the world had finally given him something back it had no right to take in the first place.
“I thought I’d never see you again,” he said, lifting his hand slowly toward your face.
His palm hovered for the briefest second—like even now, even after everything, he was still asking permission without words. Then he touched you.
Like you were something he was afraid to wake up from.
His thumb brushed lightly against your cheek, slow and unsteady, like he was memorizing the reality of you through touch alone. He had always been gentle like that. Even when everything else about him was rough edges and fire, his hands had never been cruel.
You stood there, frozen in the space between then and now.
Still trying to understand how he was here.
Still trying to hold all the hurt that came rushing back the second you saw him.
Words gathered in your throat and refused to come out.
Because what were you supposed to say to that?
To eight years of silence suddenly standing inches away from you, looking at you like you were something lost and found all at once.
Your eyes flickered over his face instead, searching it like it might explain something words couldn’t.
“I… apologize to break this up. But can we focus, please?” Leo said, carefully grounding the moment before it could spiral further.
The spell broke—just slightly.
You blinked, like you’d been pulled back into your body all at once, and finally looked around at the familiar faces standing in the alley.
Mikey, still bright as ever, was the first to break the silence.
“Wow, this must be sooooo awkward for you guys,” he said, completely unfiltered. Then he grinned, like nothing in the world had ever been heavy for long. “Also—hey! Nice to see you again!”
And for a second, it almost made you smile.
But the air was still thick with everything unsaid, everything suspended between you and Raphael, like even breathing too deeply might shift something irreversible.
And Raphael still hadn’t stepped away.
Donatello began speaking quietly with April, gesturing toward whatever urgent reason had pulled them all into this moment. April shot you a look—concerned, hesitant—but she didn’t interrupt. Didn’t step in.
Like they understood, in some unspoken way, that this wasn’t theirs to break.
They were giving you space.
Raphael’s attention didn’t leave you.
“I just… thought I lost you,” he said softly, a faint, almost disbelieving smile touching his mouth as he stepped closer again, like he couldn’t help himself.
Like distance had never really been a concept he accepted when it came to you.
His hand lifted toward your face once more.
Your fingers gently closed around his wrist, stopping him before he could reach you again.
The contact made something flicker in his expression—confusion first, then something quieter. Something that settled deeper.
You were both younger then.
Younger in a way that didn’t just mean time—it meant understanding. Learning how to hold someone without breaking them. Learning how to let yourself be held without fear.
Back when love had felt like something you could figure out as you went.
“You did…” you said softly.
And the words landed heavier than anything else in the alley.
You saw it happen in him—right there, unmistakable. The exact moment your voice stopped being something he could reach for, and became something he had already lost. Not suddenly. Not violently. Just… finally.
Like the truth had been sitting between you for years, and only now decided to settle.
“Okay, let’s move,” Leo said, breaking the stillness.
He pulled himself up onto the fire escape without hesitation, already shifting back into motion like he could outrun the weight of what just happened. Donnie followed, quick and precise. Mikey went after them a second later, glancing back once with a softer expression than before.
they were gone upward into the city.
Leaving the alley a little emptier.
Raphael didn’t move right away.
He stayed where he was, eyes still locked on you like distance had become something physical he couldn’t accept. Like if he looked away, you might become unreal again.
A mistake his mind had learned to regret too vividly.
The way his shoulders tightened, like something in him wanted to stay—wanted to say something more, something that had been sitting in him for eight years with nowhere to go.
Slowly, like pulling himself out of gravity.
He turned away from you, climbing after them without another word.
Not until the last possible second.
it felt like he never really stopped.
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