Regrets

Pushing Away

"Hey, I'm back." Leo smiled as she entered the apartment. It was her day off and she had just dropped Yuki off at daycare. Her smile suddenly dropped when she saw Vicky White sitting in their living room.

"Ya remember Vicky White? From Social Services?" Raph asked her.

"Hi, we were just talking about your work arrangements, seems like you're both working long hours." She smiled at the teens.

"Flexible hours." Raph quickly replied.

"Because of Yuki." Leo added.

"And she's always with one or the other of you?" She asked.

"Not always, she's at daycare right now."

"She's not left on her own, if that's what ya mean." Raph glared.

"I'm sure that you wouldn't put her at risk, but you must get tempted to make the most of when she's asleep, quickly head to the store?"

"We wouldn't leave her." Leo glared. "If I go to the store and Raph's not here she comes with me."

"Perhaps you can draw up her weekly routine for me then, you know, work, child care?"

"Yeah, sure." Leo quickly replied before Raph could say anything...

******

Back at the Saiyo house Alopex and Tigerclaw were enjoying their breakfast while Kitsune was looking through the mail.

It was very quiet without Yuki and Leo.

"Oh Alopex." Kitsune suddenly said. "I told Leona I'd take her mail over if there was any."

"That's very good of you Mother, why don't you take a meal and a check and make it really easy for them." She glared.

Tigerclaw just sighed and left the kitchen.

"Alopex, come on, she's entitled to do what she thinks is best."

"Best for who?" She asked. "She's a mother, she should be thinking more than just herself."

"She is! And I for one think we should respect that."

"Well that's very supportive of you Mother, and when Yukiko suffers because of it I'll remind you you said that." She glared and left to get ready for work...

******

After Vicky White had left their apartment the two teens had been walking on pins and needles. Raph had just gotten back from working in the store and he only had an hour and a half before he had to leave for his delivery job.

"I'll go get Yuki from daycare." Leo said as she grabbed her coat.

"But ya got another 20 minuets before ya ta get her."

"I know but we don't want Social Services accusing us of neglecting her." She glared.

"Don't, I've been paranoid about that all day." He sighed. "I asked some of tha guys at tha store why they do it, ya know, turn up twice."

"What did they say."

"Apparently that don't unless they think somethin's wrong."

"Like what?"

"Well if someone said somethin', a neighbour rang or school-"

"Rang them?" Leo asked before her eyes widened. "Oh no; Mom! It's my Mom isn't it?!" She glared.

"What's ya Mom?" He asked before it suddenly clicked. "Ya mean reported us?! She wouldn't go that far!"

"Oh yes she would!" She exclaimed as she headed for the door. "You go get Yuki!"

"But Leo!" Raph called but she was already gone...

******

Alopex hummed a Japanese song ias she washed the dishes. Kitsune had just gone out to get some stuff for dinner so she was home alone.

Suddenly the front door burst open Leona stormed inside with tears in her eyes.

Alopex just stared at her daughter.

"It was you wasn't it?" Leo growled. "Phoned Social Services, said we weren't fit to look after Yuki?! Don't deny it!"

"I'm not denying anything."

"Do you hate us that much?!"

"No, I love you that much."

"Your pathetic." Leo snarled.

"I don't expect you to understand, not yet, but I'm stopping you doing further damage." She replied calmly.

"And what if they take her into care Mom?! How much damage would that do!?"

"You honestly think I'd let Yukiko go into care?" She asked in disbelief. "You really don't know me Leona; Social Services would place her here, where she's safe and loved."

"She's loved where she is."

"But she's not safe, is she?" Alopex asked her. "Imagine if she had died from that electric shock, think of the years of guilt wishing that you'd do something different, that you could turn back the clock!"

"She didn't die though did she?"

"Not this time, no."

"She's safer with us than you." Leo growled, much to Alopex's shock. "If I had to choose between her staying here and being put in care I'd choose care!!"

"Well that just proves my point Leona. You'd let your daughter go into care just to spite me would you? Where as I would give up everything I have to make sure that she's safe; I didn't want to call Social Services! What else could I do?! I've pleaded with you to bring Yukiko back but you just wouldn't listen!!"

Just the Kitsune came back from the store and was shocked to find her daughter and granddaughter at each others' throats.

"You just can't handle that I've got my life together! That I'm loved and I've got a future with someone, 'cause that's what it is, you're jealous!!!" Leo cried.

"What's going on?!" Kitsune exclaimed but the two younger women ignored her.

"Of course you think I'm jealous, relationships are everything at your age aren't they? You're just a pair of kids playing happy families, but you'll grow up and you'll see pass that and you'll be thankful that I pushed so hard to keep my granddaughter safe!"

"You reckon?" Leo scoffed. "Because as far as I'm concerned you don't have a granddaughter, and you don't have a daughter either; I don't want you anywhere near Yuki or else." She warned before storming out the door...

******

That night Kitsune confronted Alopex about what had happened with Leo. 

"I'm not going to say I told you so." Kitsune said.

"Sounds like it to me." Alopex glared.

"I'm not defending Leona's behaviour, she was totally out of order! I'm saying if could of just left her to realise her own mistakes-"

"Those mistakes could harm Yukiko!"

"Alopex, you may not be as right about what is best for Yukiko as you think you are."

"Well thank you for your expert opinion Mother." She glared. "But the truth is you can't stomach me fight to do right by her because it shows you up for what you didn't do for me when I was her age!"

"That's not fair and it's not true."

"Isn't it?! Because right now this feels like somewhere I've been before with you Mother, when I was a kid, undermined and criticised and abandoned when I should of been supported at the worst times of my life!" She exclaimed as Kitsune grabbed her bag.

"I am not listening to this rubbish because you have pushed enough people away for one day madam!" She said and headed for the door. "And for the record I gave up everything for you when I could of just gotten rid!" She spat before leaving...