Delilah sat in her family's coffee shop, Abraço, for the 15 minutes it had been since closing. One Columbus Place, her family's apartment building, had gotten a place for current residents to stay while they were rebuilding. They also offered everyone to stay there for free for life starting that day.
Delilah took their offer since she needed the money she made from the bakery to pay for college and the bakery's needs. Something dawned upon her as she thought of that.
I have to run the bakery, and I have to make it in my name...
She started shaking and crying. Freddie ran from his spot on the window sill to and rubbed against her legs. She picked him up and whimpered slightly, but Freddie didn't judge, for he is a cat. She smiled as he licked the back of her hand.
"Such a cute cat..." she whispered, petting the bridge of his nose. He purred and pressed his head against her hand. They both jumped when someone knocked on the door of the bakery. Still holding Freddie, Delilah wiped away her tears and opened the door.
"I'm sorry but I have closed for the night," she stated. The person nodded. There was a moment of silence between them. "May I help you?"
"Yes, actually. I am Chief Rebecca Vincent from the New York Police Department. I would like to speak to you about what happened at your apartment building early this morning, as well as tell you about the murder that occurred in front of this shop around the same time."
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"So, it was you, your younger sister, your younger brother, your parents, and your very cute cat?" Chief Vincent asked as she reached out to boop Freddie on the nose. Delilah nodded.
"Just the six of us."
"Was anyone separated?" Delilah took a deep breath.
"My parents first. They had my siblings and I leave, but they stayed in to help our elderly neighbor, Mrs. Simpson, and her dog, Skooter. They all perished."
"Then?"
"My little sister, Leslie, aged ten. She was holding my hand but at one point, she got separated from me. When my brother and I found her, she was on the ground with blood around her head."
"What about your brother?"
"Marquis, aged fifteen. After the first part of the building collapsed, he went into it to look for our parents. Then the rest collapsed after the second bomb went off and he got trapped." Delilah's lip started shaking and she willed herself not to cry. Freddie rubbed against her collarbone. "They were all pronounced dead at the scene."
Chief Vincent silently looked over the notes she had taken. She bit her bottom lip slightly. After a few moments, she took a deep breath.
"That is all about the apartment collapse." She turned off the voice recorder, then started it again.
"Chief Rebecca Vincent, time is 22:37, location is 'Abraço' on East 7th street between 1st and 2nd Avenue. Talking to Delilah Lawson about the murder of Leonardo in front of Abraço around 0327 this morning."
"Delilah, there was a murder of one of NYPD's officers, Leonardo. He was with his three brothers- Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello- after their father and two volunteer detectives got assassinated. Donatello had then gotten kidnapped by the Foot Clan and Leonardo got shot fighting them. Were you aware of this occurring?"
"No, Ma'am," Delilah responded.
"You were at One Columbus Place at this time, correct?"
"Yes," she responded, remembering everything all too well.
"Why are you telling me this?" Delilah asked out of pure curiosity. Chief Vincent smiled slightly.
"Mostly because I am required to tell you. However, two of the brothers- Raphael and Michelangelo- are in a similar situation. The NYPD was wondering if you would like to meet them, so you all can get support from each other?"
Delilah thought. She held Freddie closer to her chest. He licked her chin, then settled his head into the nape of her neck.
"In a few days. I need some time for myself... To process..." She whispered. Chief Vincent nodded and added that to her written notes.
"I completely understand. You can either give me a call or come to the station and ask for me when you're ready, okay?" Chief Vincent took out a sticky note and wrote on it. "There is my number so you can call me directly if you wish." Delilah paused, then took the sticky note. "Does that sound okay?"
"Yeah... It does."
"Okay."
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"Is this shop yours?" Cheif Vincent asked, looking around after she packed up her belongings.
"I guess so. It's still under my parents' names, but I'm going to change it soon. I think they signed the ownership documents to go automatically under my name when they retire or die, but I'm going to go to city hall to make sure," Delilah responded. She was playing with Freddie and his favorite feather toy.
"Right," Chief Vincent responded. "How long has it been in the family?"
"We started it when I was five. Marquis was two, and Leslie wasn't even an idea yet. My parents started it after my mom had a miscarriage with a girl. They were going to name her Lily, so a reason why they called it 'Abraco'- it means hugs in Portuguese. They are both... Were both, Portuguese." Chief Vincent smiled.
"How long have you been a part of it?"
"Since we started. I would greet people and entertain people in line or at tables. I was a talker. I also would have a taste of the mistakes, which I always thought was heaven," Delilah smiled.
"Lovely," Chief Vincent said.
"Is it too late to make an order?" Delilah stood up from her seat and set the feather toy underneath a napkin holder for Freddie. She quickly washed up and stood behind the register.
"How can I help you, Chief Vincent, at this lovely, late-night hour?"
"Late night? What time is it?"
"11:14, or 22:14," Delilah responded. Chief Vincent smiled.
"I'll take... a black herbal tea with thyme lemon shortbread?"
"Coming right up."
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"No. I'm not doing it," Raph scoffed. "I don't need some chick with daddy issues coming into our lives and changing everything."
"Hey, she's a good person. Our age, too. She's 18, and she's been through exactly what you have. She was at Columbus Place when the Foot bombed it," Casey explained.
"And? Not my problem."
"I listened to her interview with Vincent. She lost everything, much like you did."
"She didn't watch her brother die" Raph yelled, finally snapping. Casey glared at him.
"You're right," Casey muttered. "She also watched her sister die." Raph's eyes widened, then hardened again.
"She didn't see her father die."
"You're right," Casey restated. "She also watched her mother die. But yeah, she has no idea what you're going through with Leo's death and Donnie's kidnapping," Casey demanded. "It's worth that." He huffed away. "I'm going to my uncle's, see y'all tomorrow."
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Mikey was sitting on the couch in silence, eating Cocoa Puffs right out of the box. Raph was in his exercise room lifting on the weight bench. Mikey grew to loathe the silence and got up from the couch, leaving the cereal behind.
"Hey, Raph?" Mikey asked, approaching his brother.
"What, Mikey?" Raph snapped.
"I just... I think it'll be interesting to talk to her. Delilah." Raph laughed. He put the bar back on the rack and sat up, looking at Mikey.
"Of course you do."
"You don't have to scold me for it. You're just angry all the time and..." Mikey saw fire behind his brother's eyes.
"And what?" Mikey looked at him, petrified.
"I... I agree... It's not worth it." Mikey went back to the living room, grabbed the cereal, and shut himself in his room.
Raph sighed and put his head in his hands. He sat up again and bit the inside of his mouth for a moment. He took a deep breath.
"Mikey!"
"Yeah?" Mikey asked, hesitantly peeking into Raph's exercise room. He was scared, and Raph felt instantly terrible. Raph stood up and looked at his brother. His brother...
"I, um... That was mean of me..." He looked Mikey in the eye. "I'm sorry." Mikey smiled.
"It's okay. I figured you'd come around."
"Did you?" Mikey paused, thinking.
"Not really, but, that's not really important."
"Yeah," Raph smiled. He chuckled, relieved. Then he took a deep breath. "Do you... do you want to finish what you were going to say? About meeting that chick?" Mikey lit up even more. Mikey then hugged Raph around his torso. Raph hugged him back.
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"Chief Vincent, it's Delilah. I'm ready to meet them."
"Hey Casey, Chief. Mikey and I, we're in."
"We're going there? I don't even like coffee."
"Vincent, should the turtles and I go to her or will she come to us?"
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"Chief Vincent, you invited them to come here, right? To Abraço?"
"Mikey, you don't have to order anything. Geez..."
"But I don't want to make her feel bad, Raph..."
"Do the turtles have cover into the shop?"
"I made sure everything is in order, and she also has hot chocolates and teas, Mikey, so you don't have to get coffee. We won't need shielding since it's night," Vincent stated, responding as they drove from police headquarters.
"She knows we're coming, right?" Casey asked.
"Yes. I texted her to let her know we were on our way."
"But... Does she know..." Mikey started quietly.
"What we are?" Raph completed. Vincent sighed.
"No. She only knows your names." Mikey gulped. Raph put an arm over his shoulders.
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Delilah was holding and petting Freddie when the van pulled up. She got up from the couch in the corner and drew the blind. She turned off the lights in the store as Chief Vincent had instructed. She didn't know why, but she didn't argue with the Chief of Police.
She had a knot in her stomach as she opened the door. Chief Vincent entered and looked around.
"It is just you in here, correct?"
"Correct," Delilah nodded, holding Freddie like a baby.
"Alright. I am going to warn you, the brothers... They are mutants." Delilah's eyes widened.
"Mutants?" She asked.
"Yes, turtle-humans created from a mixture called 'mutagen,' however only one of the remaining brothers has any left in his bloodstream."
"Who created them?"
"Eric Sacks." Delilah gaped at Chief Vincent.
"I can see you're nervous. Are you having second thoughts?" Delilah shook her head.
"No, ma'am. I will need a moment to adjust to them when we first meet," the girl explained.
"I understand," Chief Vincent stated. "Let me know when you're ready, Delilah."
It took Delilah a few minutes to fully compose herself. She sat back down and played with Freddie using his favorite feather toy. She took a deep breath and sat up straight.
"I'm ready." Chief Vincent nodded and took out her walkie-talkie.
"Send them in," Chief Vincent instructed. The door opened a moment later.
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Delilah stood up as she saw the two tall, dark figures enter the cafe. A third, man-like figure entered.
"I thought you said there were two brothers remaining?" Delilah asked Chief Vincent.
"There are-"
"I'm Casey Jones, human. Friend of theirs, and was also a witness to the murders. Can we turn the lights on, Chief?" the man asked.
"Yes. The curtains are drawn, correct, Delilah?"
"Yes, Chief Vincent. I will turn on the light," Delilah stated. She scrambled to the switch and turned it on. She hesitated before turning back around.
Delilah stared at them. They stared at her. Chief Vincent had her walkie-talkie in hand. Delilah sighed deeply.
"I'm Delilah Lawson, 18 years old, she/her pronouns." Like a knife through warm butter, the tension was cut.
"I'm Raphael, 18 years old, he/him pronouns," Raph stated. "Raph works just as fine."
"I'm Mikey. Nice to meet you" Mikey waved. Delilah waved back. "I'm 16 by the way. He/him." Delilah offered for them to sit.
"Do either of you want anything? I've got teas, coffees, hot chocolates, breakfast foods," she added.
"Sure, um... what kind of hot chocolate?" Mikey asked.
"Mexican hot chocolate- has a bite to it, milk chocolate, white chocolate, dark chocolate, mochas, raspberry flavoring, strawberry flavoring." Delilah listed as she washed up.
"Strawberry hot chocolate? That's a thing?" Mikey asked, looking like an excited puppy.
"Mhm. I'm guessing you want that one?" Mikey nodded excitedly. She smiled and got to it.
"What about you guys, Raph and Casey?" she asked. Raph shrugged.
"Anything to keep me awake for the next few hours," Raph stated.
"Ahh, does a mocha cappuccino with 4 shots of espresso sound good?" Delilah asked, pouring Mikey's hot chocolate into a large mug.
"Sure."
"What about you, Casey?"
"Um... A pumpkin spice chai latte."
"On it, right after I finish Raph's," she smiled.
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Casey, Raph, Mikey, and Delilah all sat at a table.
"Thank you for the drinks, Delilah," Casey said. Mikey had already finished half of his while the rest of them were being normal and appreciating theirs.
"No problem. It's what I do," she shrugged, smiling. Raph took a sip of his drink.
"Can I ask you about what happened at Columbus Place?" Raph asked. Delilah's eyes widened.
"Wow, right into things, huh?" Delilah laughed. Raph breathed through his nose in agreement.
"What have you heard so far?" Delilah asked them.
"We heard there were 2 bombs, 8 Foot deaths, 9 resident human deaths, and 15 animal deaths in total," Raph responded.
"And that your brother, sister, and parents were 4 of the deaths," Casey added.
"And that it happened around the same time that Leo was killed and Donnie was kidnapped," Mikey sighed. Raph gripped Mikey's forearm for a moment. Delilah looked into her coffee.
"They didn't die in vain, my family. I doubt Leo did either." she gulped. Raph and Mikey nodded. "My parents stayed in the building to help our neighbor and her dog get out. They failed and lost their lives as well."
"They did not die in vain, I agree," Casey stated.
"They sound really brave," Mikey added. Delilah smiled.
"Yeah, they were..."
"My sister, Leslie, was 10. My brother, Marquis, was 15. Leslie just tried to keep up with Marquis and me, but in the rush, she got separated, and I guess she had gotten knocked to the ground, so by the time Mark and I got to her, she..."
Delilah had to bite the inside of her cheek. She didn't make eye contact with any of them, and no one spoke for a while. Freddie jumped onto the table and Mikey jumped.
"Hi there..." Mikey whispered. He offered a hand to Freddie, who sniffed then licked his finger. Mikey smiled as Freddie started rubbing against him.
"That's Freddie. I had him when Mark had gone into the rubble to look for our parents. Then the second bomb went off. He howled like a baby," Delilah stated. Freddie walked opposite from Mikey and looked at Casey. He meowed loudly.
"Hello to you, too, Freddie," Casey smiled. Freddie cocked his head to the side, then went to Raph. Freddie jumped from the table and onto Raph's shoulder. He cuddled himself into the space between Raph's shoulder and shell.
"Make yourself at home, I guess," Raph stated. Freddie promptly fell asleep.
They all sat in comfortable silence and watched Raph carefully pet Freddie.
"I didn't witness Leo getting shot," Raph stated, putting his hand back onto his drink. "I only heard the shot and heard him groan." He gulped. "I feel bad for being on the roof instead of staying at the wheel." Mikey looked at him.
"It's not your fault. You were in an awkward position and we both know he would have put himself in that position, no matter where he was," Mikey stated. Raph looked at him.
"Makes sense." Raph sighed. "But it doesn't make it better."
"I agree," Delilah stated. "No matter what happened, or what someone says, it doesn't hurt less."
"Exactly," Raph stated, pointing to Delilah. He put his hand on the table gently as to not wake Freddie. "Exactly." They smiled and looked at each other, and that's when Delilah felt it.
She didn't know what it was, but neither did he. They only locked eyes for a moment, but whatever it was, stayed until long after. Delilah offered her phone number to the three of them. Mikey immediately made a group chat and she added their numbers to her phone.
Raph texted her later on, asking to come back the next night. Of course, she agreed.
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