Regrets

Re-Building Bridges

Leona refused to sleep. It had been only a day since Catherine had tried to kill Yukiko and the young mother had become incredibly protective of her daughter. In fact the tot was fast asleep by Leo's side.

On Raph's side of the bed was a newspaper.

The incident with Catherine Aiuto was front page news. Leo knew it was only a matter of time until Alopex got wind of it and groaned at the thought. No doubt it would mean another visit from social services.

The bedroom door opened and Raph, with a towel around his waist, stepped inside.

"She still asleep?" He smiled.

"Yeah." She replied, not taking her eyes off Yuki.

"Ya didn't sleep much." He sighed.

"I couldn't, every time I close my eyes I keep seeing her on that tower with Catherine and I was too late to save her."

"Come on babe, she's hear now, she's safe." He smiled. "Ya should call yer boss, maybe ask fer some time off."

"No, I'm gonna hand my notice in."

"What?!"

"I should of been with her Raph, not just dumped on a stranger, from now on I'm going to be with her."

"Come on Leo, yer still in shock."

"You don't understand, Yuki relies on me for everything, I'm her Mom!"

"I do understand!"

"No you don't! You haven't got a clue! She's not a part of you like she is me!" She glared before turning away. Raph sighed before going to get ready for work...

******

Later that morning Leo and Yuki were in the kitchen making chocolate cupcakes. She and Raph still hadn't spoke since that morning. As Yuki stirred the mixture and Leo read the instructions, there was a sudden knocking on the door.

Giving her daughter one last look, she went to open it.

She was shocked and slightly angry when Alopex came running in the second the door was opened. The fox quickly ran up to Yuki and wrapped the child in a hug.

"Is she alright?" Alopex asked.

"She's fine." Leo glared.

"Are you sure? Something like this can have all sorts of effects and I don't just mean physical."

"She's fine! Don't you think I'd know if she wasn't?!" She snapped as she took Yuki and sent her to her room.

"More importantly, how are you?"

"I'm fine."

"I don't believe you." She said gently. "You can't go through something like this and be fine."

"I bet your loving this." She sneered.

"Excuse me?"

"Go ahead, tell me you warned me! Tell me what a useless mother I am! Tell me I'm just a stupid kid who can't take care of her own daughter!!" She cried as tears streamed down her face.

"I don't think that." She replied.

"Yes you do, but you're right, no wonder you called social services! She'd of been better off in care!! I'm just a pathetic mom and I don't deserve to have her!" She said and Alopex felt her heart ache.

She quickly went over and hugged her daughter...

******

Raph sighed as he sat in the bar with Casey and Donnie. Due to incident with Catherine his boss had given him the week off, paid of course. Normally Raph would be happy about some time off to spend with Leo and Yuki, but his girlfriend's words kept ringing in his ear.

How Yuki wasn't a part of him like she was Leo.

"Yo Raph! What's with the long face?" Casey laughed.

"He and Leo are probably still on edge after what happened the other night." Donnie glared at the human.

"Hey, I was asking yer brother." He snapped back.

"Guys." Raph suddenly said. "What makes a dad?"

"What?" Casey frowned.

"What makes someone yer dad?"

"Well, a dad is someone who gets up every day and does whatever he can to put a roof over your head, clothes on your back and food on your table. He's a pillar of strength and is always there for you and your mother, showing you both love and support." Don explained.

Raph nodded as he returned to his thoughts...

******

After calming down and finishing the cupcakes, Alopex and Leona were snuggled up on the couch. 

"You can't blame yourself." Alopex smiled.

"Yes I can, I should of been with my own kid, not dumped with some stranger." She mumbled.

"She wasn't a stranger, she was your grandmother and you felt sorry for her; you mustn't blame yourself, your tired and you were glad of some help, you weren't to know what would happen."

"I should of, I'm her mom, I should of been there to protect her." She argued and Alopex sighed.

"When you were four I took you to the mall, you were being a pain, always pulling out of my hand and asking me for everything, I was tired and took my eyes off you for one second and when I looked up and you were gone." She sighed. "The mall was full of strangers and you were gone, I searched all over until I found you in a toy store, I shouted at you until you cried and then I cried." She laughed.

This got a chuckle out of Leo.

"There's no such thing as a perfect parent, we don't have a crystal ball, if we did we'd wrap our children in cotton wool and never let them go, which is what I tried to do with you and Yukiko and I shouldn't of done." She smiled as she gave her daughter a kiss on the head.

"Mom, I've missed you."...

******

That night when Raph got home he saw Leo in the kitchen making dinner. When she saw him she smiled.

"Hey, Yuki made some cupcakes." She smiled and gerstered to the plate full of cupcakes as Raph gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks babe, where is she?"

"In her room playing." She replied. "Oh, my Mom came over, she was really supportive and we had a great talk." She smiled.

"That's... That's really great." He smiled, but it falter. "Um... I've been thinkin' about what yer said this morning, about how Yuki wasn't a part of me."

"Oh Gods, I didn't mean it like that." She quickly said. "I meant that I carried her, gave birth to her, I've been with her every day out her life; you'll always be her father."

"Why? Just because she has my genes?"

"What?" Leo frowned.

"Ya were right, I haven't been there for Yuki as I should of been and I'll never forgive myself fer that but it's not too late."

"What do you mean?"

"I want us ta be a really family, I want us ta be more than boyfriend and girlfriend with a kid; Leona Saiyo, will ya marry me?"...