A/N: Hey guys! Writers Block is nasty, but this week has been Leorai Week, so I thought I might post some of my entries here! This one is for the prompt 'Injured'. I hope I did okay, and I hope you guys like it!

I OWN NOTHING!

Enjoy!

Injured

The first thing he was aware of when conscious returned to him was pain. There was nothing but pure, blinding, unadulterated pain, blooming from his head and quickly spreading throughout the rest of his body.

The second thing he noted was that he was lying on his side, cold concrete tiles pressing against his skin, sending shivers through his already aching body.

The third thing…well, apart from the fact that his hands were securely tied behind his back, the ropes painfully digging into his wrists, there was something pooling around his head. Something warm, sticky, metallic tasting…was it blood?

He groaned through clenched teeth as he shifted where he lay, fighting to crack his eyes open, to find out where he was and what the hell had happened to him. However, after his blurred vision finally righted itself, he found nothing but a set of metal bars in front of him, trapping him inside a darkened cell, with only a single, dimmed beam of florescent light shining down upon him.

Blinking rapidly, Leonardo finally realized where he was. He'd infiltrated this very room twice in the past, though he'd never imagined being the one behind the bars.

He let out a frustrated breath. He was in one of the cells in Shredder's lair.

"Fan-freaking-tastic," he muttered under his breath. He still couldn't fully remember how he'd managed to get captured, but that mattered not. What mattered was that he was tied up, injured in too many ways to count on one three-fingered hand, and that he had to figure a way out before –

The sound of rusty metal doors creaking open and shutting again echoed from the hallways beyond, and Leo tensed. Someone was coming. And by the rattling of metal armor he could hear, becoming louder as they grew closer, he knew exactly who it was.

Moments later, Shredder was standing on the other side of the bars, looming over Leonardo like a dark, murderous cloud as his discolored glare bore through him. However, Leo dared not give him the satisfaction of seeing his fear, and instead he narrowed his eyes up at him defiantly.

He wasn't afraid of this monster. He had no reason to fear him.

"You survived the night," Shredder mused, drawing out a key and slotting it into the lock. Jerking his hand, the lock unbolted, and the barred door swung open with a creak before Shredder stepped inside. He chuckled darkly. "I must say I am impressed, turtle."

Leo's eye twitched at the idea that he'd been lying in a pool of his own blood for the better part of a whole night, but he quickly discarded it. "Dare I ask what you want from me?" he droned sarcastically, already knowing and dreading the answer as he glowered up at the man towering above him.

"You know precisely what I want, mutant," the man spat. "You will tell me where your pathetic rat master is keeping my daughter. And I will consider letting you live long enough to watch him suffer."

Leo only scoffed, though the action made him inwardly wince as his ribs throbbed in pain.

At that, Shredder growled, lifting his foot and stomping it down on Leo's carapace, earning a pained cry from the turtle. "You are expendable, Leonardo," he seethed, pressing his boot down harder until he heard a muffled crunch. "If you do not tell me where Karai is then I am certain that your brothers will."

Narrowing his eyes dangerously, anger burning behind cobalt eyes despite the pain searing through him, Leonardo snarled. "You won't…lay another hand on my brothers…or Karai!" he hissed, hands twisting behind him to somehow loosen his bonds and punch the ninja master in the face. Or better yet, strangle him until his very last breath wheezed out from his lungs.

Shredder only chuckled sinisterly, knowing that the turtle was helpless, utterly at his mercy. He pressed down harder, and Leo cried out once more, his eyes squeezing shut as tears of agony seeped through.

"Do you really believe you can stop me, creature? I will destroy everything you hold dear, whilst you rot away here in your own blood. And I will find my daughter, and together, we shall destroy Hamato Yoshi, and wipe his clan off the face of the earth!"

Leonardo had finally had enough. He'd had enough of Shredder's aberrations, enough of his twisted deceptions, enough of his attempts to manipulate Karai, to drag her back down into the hellhole she'd once called home, to force her once again to destroy the people that truly loved her…

And even if it cost him his life, should his fate be that he rotted alone in this cell until he drew his final breath, or that he perished by Shredder's hand right here and now, Leo would do everything, absolutely everything, to protect her.

No matter what, he would not fail her again.

"It doesn't matter…how many times…you say it," Leo spat through exhausted pants of agony, gathering the strength and the will to lift his head off the ground as he looked at the man standing before him. He met his gaze, and with his piercing glare, Leo gathered everything, his hatred, his determination, his unadulterated rage, and threw it at the husk of a man.

"She. Is not. Your. Daughter!"

Leo didn't remember blacking out again. He didn't remember seeing the sole of Shredder's boot rushing towards him, nor did he remember hearing the sickening crack that followed as his skull connected with the ground.

And as he opened his eyes, consciousness slowly returning to him once more, he certainly didn't remember the cell looking quite so blurry…or an awful lot like the sewer tunnels that led back to the lair…

Leo blinked rapidly, groaning in pain as he closed his eyes and tried to move, tried to lift his head up. But something – someone – was quick to stop him.

"Easy, easy Leo. I've got you," said a soft, soothing voice above him. A soothing voice that was familiar, and so beloved…

Opening his eyes again, Leo looked up. A faint gasp escaped his lips, his eyes widening as crystal blue met the serpent emerald orbs of the mutant that held him, bridal style, in her snake-like arms. To anyone else, this would have been cause for alarm, for panicked screaming. But for Leonardo…it was a blessing.

"…K…K-Karai?"

The snake girl smiled down at him. "Hey there. Glad you're not dead yet," she said. And it was then that Leo realized they were moving, Karai's elongated body slithering soundlessly through the tunnels, but all the while keeping him close to her chest. "We're almost at the lair now. You've been put for a little while, so you missed all the action. Don't worry though, I'll give you the details later."

Smiling weakly, Leo let his head fall back against her, his eyes drooping with exhaustion. "Heh…do the details involve you kicking Shredder's ass?" he asked. Her chuckle rumbled from her chest.

"Possibly. You should go back to sleep now. You look like crap."

"Aw, you're worried about me. You do care."

"You're talking an awful lot for someone who got captured and just had the sense beaten out of him. Seriously though, get some rest. You need it, Leo…"

Leo could only nod once, before his eyes finally slid closed. He had a terrible hunch that she'd just risked her life, risked getting captured by Shredder once again, to save him, and when he was coherent enough to call her out on her stupidity he most surely would…

But right now, he was content. He was safe. And better still, he was with Karai. That was all that mattered.

The thought was more than enough to put a smile on his face before he slipped back into a dreamless sleep, in the comfort and security of her arms…

A/N: Dang it I love this pairing! Even though in No Love is Greater I decided to make it purely platonic I still love them! More are on the way XD