Here Beside You
A/N: Here is the one shot I promised you that takes place after Darkest Plight. I hope that you enjoy this story and I want to thank everyone who has read and reviewed my Falling Leaves series. It means so much to me that you like it and my character too. I hope you enjoy this one shot as well.
Summary: Willow nurses Leo and Splinter back to health after Super Shredder's attack. Takes place after Darkest Plight. A Falling Leaves one shot.
Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters are property of Nickelodeon. I only own the plot, Willow Green, Cynthia Lee, Audrey Donnelly, and any other characters not associated with the TMNT universe.
Willow sat in a lotus position and tried to reach her beloved.
She wished she could have been there with him, but Leo had insisted that she stay in the Lair while they searched for Splinter.
She felt nothing, and she took it as a bad sign.
Sighing, she slipped out of her trance and heard the turnstiles which meant someone had come home.
Willow rose to her feet and hurried out of the dojo. Her heart sank when she saw April and Karai supporting a gravely injured Leonardo.
"What happened to him?" she demanded.
"Shredder nearly squeezed him to death," answered Karai.
"Damn him!" cursed Willow. "Any word on Splinter?"
April shook her head. "Nothing."
That wasn't a good sign, but she had no time to think of that now.
"Get him into the infirmary," she ordered.
Once there, she assessed her son's wounds. "Tell me where it hurts," she urged her son.
Leo groaned. "It hurts all over."
Willow began pressing on certain points of her son's body and he winced each time. Yes, he definitely had broken ribs. He was lucky he had survived the attack. She began tending to the wounds and bandaging them up. She had April retrieve ice packs so that she could put them on Leo's aching body.
Leo smiled at her through the pain. "Thanks, Mom," he said.
"That's what I'm here for," she replied.
The sound of footsteps had her running out of the infirmary to see Donnie, Mikey, Raph, Casey, and Splinter entering the Lair. Splinter looked to be badly hurt, but at least he was alive.
She rushed to her beloved and held him close. He winced but smiled as he returned her embrace.
"Don't ever scare me like that again," she chastised.
Splinter smiled. "I will do my best," he said.
She led him into the infirmary where all parties were shocked to see Leo lying on a cot.
"What happened to him?" Raph demanded.
"Shredder nearly squeezed him to death, but he'll be okay," Willow reassured him.
Raph stayed by his brother's side while Willow turned her attention to Splinter with Donnie's help. He had already set his broken leg, so they rigged up a cast to keep it steady. He was also battered from his fall, so they tended to the bruises and cuts that marred his body.
"I am fine," he answered. "Please go get some of my herbal medicines. We will take those as well."
Mikey left and returned with the items. Splinter prepared them and had Willow give some to Leo and kept some for himself.
"I never really liked this stuff, but if it helps with the pain, I'll take it," Leo commented.
"Yes, I agree that the taste is less than pleasant," Splinter added, wrinkling his nose. "But if it helps us to heal, that is all that matters."
Knowing there was nothing else they could do, the Turtles and the humans left the infirmary. Willow stayed where she was and Leo looked at her curiously.
"Mom, why are you still here?" he asked.
"I want to stay with you," she answered.
"You do not have to do that, Willow," Splinter said. "We will be fine."
The medicine was making them both tired, but Willow stayed with them as they fell asleep and wouldn't leave their side. She was bound and determined to take care of them until they healed.
22222
"Mom, dinner's ready," Mikey said. "You want some?"
"I'll have it in here," she replied.
Mikey shrugged and left the infirmary but came back with three meals. Willow ate hers along with Splinter and Leo though the two patients didn't eat as much as Mikey would have liked for them to eat. But as long as they had food in them, he wasn't going to complain.
Donnie came by to check on them and was surprised to see Willow there. "Mom, you don't have to be in here," he said. "They're going to be fine."
"I want to stay with them," she insisted and left it at that.
Donnie shrugged and left after concluding that both Splinter and Leo were improving.
Willow sat on the chair and stayed with her charges. Her butt hurt and her legs were getting cramped, but that didn't matter. She couldn't shake the images of Shredder nearly crushing her son to death or of Splinter falling into the abyss with Shredder. She knew if she didn't stay with them, she was going to lose her mind and endlessly worry about them dying suddenly. She had already gone through that once with her beloved and she didn't want to do it again.
Toward bedtime, she felt someone put a blanket over her as she fell asleep. No one tried to coax her from her spot and for that, she was grateful.
22222
"Okay, Leo, let's get you up and walking," Donnie said. He and Raph were holding onto their brother and gently helped him to stand. They waited while he regained his balance and then helped him take a few steps. Willow could see the pain in her son's eyes but also his resolve to get back on his feet. After he was too tired to do much more, they set him back into bed and then helped Splinter up. Splinter did very well though he was also in a lot of pain. Willow could sense there was more there behind his façade and she wished that he would tell her what was going on.
"Donnie, maybe I should go back to my room," Leo said.
"You're not strong enough yet, Leo, and I don't think you can get out of your futon without help right now," Donnie answered.
Leo sighed in frustration but didn't contradict his brother.
"Don't worry, Captain, you'll get there," Willow reassured him.
22222
Willow woke up to the sound of chanting and turned her head to see Leo making motions with his hands and chanting.
"Ah, you're doing the Healing Hands mantras," she noted.
"Hey, if they can get me out of bed faster, that's all I need," he answered.
"You are very wise, my son, but just remember that the mantras are not always the cure all as you would want them to be," Splinter cautioned. "Remember how long it took me to recover from Slash's attack."
"Has anyone heard from Slash?" Willow asked.
"Raph said he wants to visit and will be coming soon," Leo answered.
"He's coming today," Raph said as he came into the room. "He just called me."
"Are the other Mutanimals coming too?" Willow asked him.
He nodded. "Yeah, they haven't been here in a while."
Not long after, the Mighty Mutanimals entered the Lair. It was still pretty quiet without Pigeon Pete and Willow had to wonder where he was at the moment though she knew better than to ask.
"How are you guys holding up?" Slash asked.
Leo shrugged. "We're banged up, but it's nothing we can't handle."
"I wish I could have been there to help you guys," Slash said.
"Do not blame yourself, my friend," Splinter advised him. "Sometimes things happen that are not within our control. This is a lesson I have tried to instill in Leonardo many times though he tends to forget about it now and then."
"Well, if SOMENOE didn't keep stressing the importance of leading my brothers, maybe I would remember it," Leo said in a teasing tone.
"Ah, so that's why Leo's always got a stick up his ass," Slash teased. "Hey, Raph, the next time you wanna complain about Leo having a stick up his ass, you can blame Splinter."
"I do NOT have a stick up my ass!" Leo protested. "I'm just under some immense pressure to do the right thing."
Raph smirked. "In other words, you have a stick up your ass."
Leo was about to say something, but Willow intervened.
"Boys, that's enough," she chastised.
Slash's teasing look turned serious. "All joking aside, we did come here for another reason other than to visit you," he said.
"And what's that?" Willow asked him.
"Well, for two reasons. One, we were wondering if it would be okay for us to take Karai and Shinigami to our place since they really have nowhere to go."
Splinter nodded. "I think that would be an excellent suggestion. What do you think, my daughter?"
"I like it. Thanks, Slash."
Slash smiled. "No problem."
"What's your other reason for coming here?" Leo asked.
"We want to think of a way to take down Shredder after what he did to you. He can't get away with something like that."
Splinter hastily shook his head. "No, it is too dangerous. Shredder is far too strong and you would not stand a chance against him."
"Well, it was worth a shot, but you definitely know best, Master Splinter," Slash said.
"Are you guys up for a movie marathon night?" Mikey asked them.
"Totally," Mondo Gecko replied.
"Sounds good to me," Slash added.
"Cool. I'll go make the popcorn."
22222
A few hours later, everyone had left and the Turtles had settled in for the night. Leo wanted to try sleeping in his own room which left Splinter by himself with Willow.
"Alone at last," she commented.
"I can see you have been waiting for this for a long time," Splinter commented.
She laughed. "You know me too well."
"I would hope I do by now." He kissed her forehead and she snuggled into his fur.
They were side by side on Splinter's bed and Willow had never felt happier about that. Alone time with Splinter was very rare so she was always glad when they managed to get some time to themselves.
"After you heal, we are so going to Murakami's for some dinner," she said.
"I would like that very much," he said.
Willow kissed him on the lips for a long time and smiled when they pulled back. "Did you like that, too?" she asked him.
"Mmm," Splinter rumbled as he kissed her once more.
"I really wish we could do more than this," she said wistfully.
"In time, we will," he promised her. "But for now, I think doing this is just as fine."
"Me too," she agreed as they kissed more.
22222
That night was one of the best of my life. Splinter and Leo both healed though it was a slow process for Splinter. It seemed as though our lives were going to get more complicated and they did. We had more trials to face, but we faced them together just as we always did. Splinter and I did have that lunch at Murakami's and it was definitely awesome and one of my most cherished memories ever.
Well, I had better get to bed as four boys still need to be looked after.
Until next time,
Willow
The End
A/N: And another one shot comes to a close. I might do a one shot about the dinner date because I think that would be a fun one to do, but we'll see how I am on time and what else I have to do. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.