•5•

~∆~

A little, young girl approached her father with hopeful grin playing on her lips and he turned when he heard bare feet coming his way.

"What is it, my child?"

He crouch down to his daughter's height with his hand landing on her shoulder, wondering what got her this happy. She glances the way she came from her quick walk through sewers and back at her father, crossing fingers behind her back.

"Dad, since I'm already 8 years old, could I go explore?"

But when she saw the look in his blackish eyes and hear him sigh, she know things won't go according to her imagination.

"Please, dad, just for a while. I will be extra careful. I can protect myself!"

She held her hands up clasped together, pleading her father for approval.

Out of all his five children, she's the most curious one about the surface world with people just like her, and he understand she wanna know more about her own specie. But it's not the right time. Not yet.

"Y/N. We have talked about this. The world you wish to know is way cruel than you think it is. It is too dangerous for you."

All the hope she held crashed down like plane into ocean, sinking down and losing itself.

"Dad, please-"

"No, Y/N. It is decided. End of discussion."

Splinter rose back into his full height and turned his back to his daughter with hands held back like professors in schools.

Her cheeks turned red in anger, her small fists clenching tigtly until her nails drew blood on her palms.

"This isn't fair! How am I supposed to learn about myself when I know nothing about humans?!"

Splinter turned back to her and held his hands towards her once he sees her fuming in anger.

"Y/N, I understand your curiousity, but your not ready yet-"

But the anger got better of her and she raised her voice at him, which she never does.

"No! Leave me alone!"

And she storm past her brothers into the maze of sewers, her father shaking his head in disappointment.

I jerk awake, gaining consciousness after this short nap I took again in Vern's van. I hate this. The nightmares are horrible. Are they ever gonna stop? I hope so.

"Y/N." An arm touches my shoulder, startling me and I snap my head to April, who's wearing look of concern. "Are you alright? You were mumbling 'sorry' over and over."

Staring at her in confusion, my heart race calmed down slowly. Shaking my head, I push myself into sitting position and lean against the wall of van. "I'm fine. Don't worry. Are we there yet?"

"Almost. You coming with me inside?" My look saying 'are you mental?' is enough answer for her, nevertheless I speak up.

"Not happening." She didn't say more, only bit her lips and turned back forward, while I wrapped arms around my knees pulled to chest, losing in thoughts of 'what if'. I didn't even realize we're here until Vern halted the van to stop.

"Thanks for the ride, Vern." Thanked April and unbuckled herself.

"Yeah. No problem. Nothing better than dropping off a pretty girl at a rich guy's house." Sarcasm drips from Vern's tongue and I pat his shoulder, at which he looks at me.

~🐢~

By the time we got back home, it turned evening until the blue sky turned to my favourite midnight black, showing hundreds of stars. That's also when we parted ways, April going to our apartment and me hanging on the rooftops; my favourite activity.

Sitting on the edge of one of the roofs, my legs folded criss-cross, my phone buzzes and I pull it out to see April sent me text: 'THE TURTLES WANTS US TO MEET AT THE SAME ROOFTOP LIKE BEFORE. NOW.'

My eyebrows knit together in confusion, a little excitement in my chest for getting to be with my brothers again. However, I waste no time and make my way there, not using my wings though. I climb the fire escape to the top and see April already standing there with her back facing me.

"Hello?!" With unhearable footsteps I crept behind her and grabbed onto her shoulders, making her let out a short scream. She relax once she sees it's me laughing my ass off.

"Jesus, Y/N. It's only you." She breathed out puff of air, her chest lifting up and down quickly.

"Disappointed to see me?" I teased with smirk, crossing arms on my chest. Before April can answer, Mikey appear behind her and turn her around to face him, startling her again. Scaring people seems to run in the family.

"Okay. Are you April O'Neil and her friend?" The question is aimed especially at April, pointing first at her then at me.

"In all our glory." A grin crawl on my face, doing small bow. Mikey grinned.

"Initiating retinal scan. Scanning, scanning, scanning, scanning. Scan complete. It's them. It's them. Guys, it's them!" Donnie walked out from behind corner with his scan light blinding us and I jump out of the way, rubbing my eyes and causing me to hit hard chest.

"Of course it's them, Donnie. Hey. Really glad you could make it. There's someone important we want to introduce you two to, but first..." Leo's arms wrap around mine and April's shoulders until she pushes away from him, giving Raph clear room to jump behind her and throw red bag on her head.

"Crap-" Before I can fully finish, they throw bag over my head too.

~🐢~

"Where are we?" Is April's first question when we're set back onto our feet, and I can't help but snicker at their seenthrough bags that were supposed to block our sight.

"Are we in the sewer?" If I wasn't holding back secrets, I'd tell April she wil get used to it.

"No, technically yes." We hear Donnie admit and I see Mikey lower his arms.

"Yeah. Yeah, it's a sewer." The bag is pulled off my head and I'm ready to scold them for using wrong bags when my eyes land on figure standing in front of us, my father wearing his warm, fatherly smile I missed for years. And everything is my fault, because I was stupid and selfish.

"You brought us here, April." Even his voice carry the same care he always held for me and my brothers, and I feel like I don't deserve it.

"Splinter?" April breathe out and walk up to him without me following. Feeling all the guilt falling on me like bird poop, I wrap my arms around me, wanting nothing more than shrink back and disappear, but before that give a big hug to him.

"How does she know his name?"

"Did you tell her his name?"

"Maybe she's clairvoyants."

"Maybe she's Jedi!" Having not feeling anxiety crawling up on me, afraid dad is gonna push me away after what I said to him, I would've laughed at my turtle ninja brothers. Dad inspected April closely when she reached him, his warm smile never fading.

"It's been a long time. Hmm. You always did have your father's eyes. " He said.

"I don't understand." April said, confused.

"Don't be afraid. All will be made clear." He gestured with his hand.

"This is crazy." I can't see April's expression but know this is a lot to take in for her. And for me too.

"It's not as crazy as it seems, April." Me speaking up brought eyes on me, ones belonging to my dad.

"Come closer, child." My breath hitched but listened to him anyway, moving till I'm standing right in front of him. Just like April, he inspect me closely, like searching in my tearing eyes if he's seeing who he think he sees. Then he smiles and hold my shaking hands in his.

"We may have been separated for years cause of your desire to know more and it would be lie if I said our argument didn't print painful stains, but after all, father still loves his daughter dearly. And I'm proud to say, welcome home, Y/n."

The tears I was attempting to hold back finally spilled over, one after one, and I wasted no more time throwing myself into his opened embrance.

"WHAT?!" Five voices call out, but my mind is filled only with regret and guilt to acknowledge them.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, sorry, sorry. I didn't mean it. Please, forgive me, dad." I cried more, the tears staining dad's kimono.

"There's nothing to forgive, my daughter. Everybody make mistakes." His hand rubbed my back and shoulder in soothing maneuver, causing me to snuggle even more into his arms.

"But Sensei, how can you be so sure it's her?" Leonardo stepped forward, scanning me up and down and trying to recognize me just the way dad did. And he ain't alone.

"Yeah. She looks so....different." Mikey tilted his head, all of the brothers matching expression.

"It's been over 6 years, Mikey. If she hasn't died, she grew up with high possibility into unrecognition." Donnie stated, fixing his glasses. Dad hummed into smile and pulled from our hug so I can wipe my cheeks and face my brothers.

"A parent always know which child is theirs." Both of dad's hands held my shoulders. "But if you need prove." And he moved my hair out of the way, revealing the ugly scar on the side of my neck I had ever since dad found me. It only stretched bigger and bigger by my time growing up.

Mikey is the first one to snap from the shock that dwell on them, walking to me to trace his finger over the scar to make himself sure it's not fake or anything and his long lost little sister is standing right in front of him.

"Oh my god, it's her. Guys, it's her! It's really her! I missed you so much!" It happened too fast for me to process but I found myself squished in Mikey's large arms, spinning us both around. His happiness lifted the corners of my lips upwards into giggle.

"She's back! Our little sister is back!" Another body joined our little reunion hug, jumping around along with Mikey as my feet dangled in air.

"Guys, let her breathe. We just got her back." This voice belong to the fearless leader, holding his arms open for me to jump in with that brotherly smile, not like usually with his strict self. Immediately I jumped into his embrance, not allowing another load of tears spilling over.

"I missed you guys so much. So, so much." My grip around his neck only tightened, wishing for this moment to never end, to stay with them. I'm not leaving them this time.

"We missed you to." His breath tickle my ear, yet I pay no attention to it, too occupied melting into his embrance. That was until I noticed the toughest turtle sitting down with his gaze lowered, staring at nothing particular. With tap on Leo's shoulder to lower me down, I slowly approach Raph with worry weighting my chest, afraid he isn't glad to have me back.

"Raph?" At first it looked like he's completely out of world, zonet out and ignoring everything and everyone, when he lifted his head for me to notice his eyes are glozzy.

Back when we were kids, he never let any of us to see him cry, let alone know he actually does. Only once has it happened when I stumbled upon him on sewer walk, getting pushed away in the result.

"We thought your gone, forever. We believed for years that.....you're dead. Ho-How?" Seeing him looking so vulnerable makes my heart crack. It wasn't like I had any favourite brother or one I liked to hang out with mostly, so it's quite surprising Raph has taken my disappearance to heart the hardest, not to say letting others also to see.

"Aw, Raph." He stiffed when I did the same like with others, hugging him tightly around neck. After few seconds of hesitation he eased up and wrapped his bulky arms around my smaller form, and I'm sure after this the guys won't stop teasing Raph about him being big softie actually.

"I don't understand." April cut in, watching the whole scene with confusion drawn on her features. She glanced between us all before at me. "How are you related to them?"

"Let's take a seat for this." Dad suggested, already sitting down so we went to join him.

~∆~