Disclaimer: I'll own the TMNT when pigs fly.
A/N: Thanks for still reading and reviewing guys. I know it's been awhile, so I appreciate it greatly. :)
Mac--Yeah, Splinter made a threat. You don't hear that everyday. Thanks for reviewing.
Doppleganger33--Hey, it's cool. I like to know what the readers think. Speaking your true feelings helps me out. Sure, I can take out the little kid accent. No problem. As for the lawyer thing...well...you'll just have to see...
LenniluvsBrian-Thanks for the review. As for the other thing, well...You'll also just have to see. ;)
Motherhood
By: TMNTlover4ever
Chapter 11: The Painful Kiss
Michelangelo:
I woke up around 9am. This still left me a few hours to talk to Leo later. But right now, my stomach was telling me to have breakfast.
I walked out of my room, in a tired fashion, and went to the kitchen.
Raph just exited as I entered, Don nor Angel was around, and Splinter was probably in his room. It was just Leo, reading his newspaper.
Perfect.
I poured myself a bowl of cereal and sat across from Leo, eating it slowly.
"Morning Leo." I said after my 4th bite.
"Morning Mike." He said, his eyes never leaving the paper.
"So...ah...what's been going on lately?"
"What do you mean?" He asked, looking at me now over the top of his paper with a cocked eye ridge.
"Nothing. I was just wondering how've you been doing..." I stated innocently.
I promised Sheri I'd help her, so I would.
"I've been fine..." He said, but he was still suspicious of me. I couldn't imagine why...heh heh.
"So, how come you've been dodging Sheri for the last couple weeks?" I asked.
"What?"
"You've been avoiding Sheri for the last couple weeks...Well, you haven't been hanging out with her as much as you used to...and I was wondering why..." I said.
"It's nothing. I just have wanted some more alone time."
"Leo...don't lie to me...I know what Splinter has told you..." I said.
Leo looked a little shocked. "What has he said?" He asked, giving me a quizzical look.
"Something about...how you can't get involved in a relationship because of your leadership duties." I said, casually.
"So, you admit to eavesdropping, huh?" He asked, putting his newspaper down. I got his complete attention.
"I may have eavesdropped by 'accident.'" I said, with a smirk.
Leo shook his head. "I can't believe you sometimes, Mike." He stated.
"You know you love me." I said, smiling innocently.
Leo rolled his eyes.
"So, come out with it...why are you avoiding her?" I asked.
Leo didn't answer.
"If I guess, will you tell me yes or no?"
"Sure..."
"Okay...She smells..." I said with a chuckle.
Leo couldn't help but smile at that. "No. That's not it."
"Hmm...You...you like her...a lot...and you've been drifting away from her so maybe you won't like her anymore and it won't hurt so much when she does date someone." I guessed.
Leo just nodded. "You caught me."
"But, I don't get it. Why won't Splinter let you date? I mean, if it came between saving me and her, you'd still have a hard time deciding because she's also part of the family. So, how would it hurt to date her?" I asked.
"Don't know. But, I don't want to go against Master Splinter's wishes. You know how he can get." Leo said.
"Yeah. Don't want to face his wrath." I said with a slight shudder.
"Why don't you talk to Splinter? I'm sure if you told him this point, maybe he would allow you to go out with her." I said.
"Maybe..." He muttered. Leo sighed. "Still, I don't want to argue with Splinter..."
"Well, you do as you please. But, if you don't go for it, I will. And it may just be me, but I think Raphael is starting to notice Sheri a bit more too. So you better jump on it because we both know Raph won't give you time, like I will." I said, drinking the extra milk from the bowl and then putting the bowl and spoon in the sink.
"What if she doesn't like me that way back?" Leo asked.
"I don't think you'll have to worry about that," I said with a wink.
"Well...I'm going to go train now. Wanna join?" He asked, knowing what the answer would be.
"You'd know I love to, but I'm going to go read some comic books since it's our day off from training, but I ain't gonna stop you from training if you want. Have fun..." I said, as I walked back to my room.
Actually, I made it look like I was going to my room, but then, when Leo couldn't see me anymore, I walked into the infirmary.
Sheri was awake, playing my Gameboy.
"How'd you get my Gameboy?" I asked.
"Don gave it to me because I was complaining about how bored I was and he didn't like it anymore so he gave me your Gameboy. I like this Mario Kart Racing. It's fun." She said. But then, she pressed the 'pause' button and looked at me.
"Well?" She asked.
I grabbed the chair and sat it beside her bed.
"I got your info that you wanted, but you can't tell anyone else that you know this. If Leo finds out...well, let's just say, I won't be around anymore..." I said in a lowered voice.
"Okay, I won't tell a soul." She whispered back.
"Leo isn't hanging around you because he's mad or anything...It's...It's that he likes you...a lot...and well...if it were up to him...you two would be dating...However...Splinter doesn't want him to...because of his leadership duties..." I said.
"Really?" She asked.
"Yep. Nothin' but the truth."
"That freakin' sucks." She muttered.
"Well, I told him to go talk to Master Splinter about it, but he didn't seem to big on the idea. He's either gotten over you or he really just doesn't want to face Splinter...But, this is all the info I can give ya." I said.
"Thanks Mikey. I know it's taken you a lot of guts to kinda betray Leo like this. But, I just didn't want him mad at me without me knowing it." Sheri explained.
"It's okay. I understand." I said. "...I wouldn't want him mad at me either...Believe it or not, he can find some great ways to get revenge." I added.
Sheri smiled. "It's always the quiet ones." She said.
"Yeah..." I muttered.
"Thanks again, Mikey." Sheri said, leaning toward me and hugging me.
"You're welcome." I said returning the hug.
What I did next, surprised us both...I kissed Sheri's cheek...
Sheri half way parted from the hug, she kept her arms around my shoulders, but...had loosened her grip around my shoulders and was now facing me. She wore a quizzical look on her face.
"Sorry...sorry...about that...I-" I tried to explain, but she stopped me by putting her pointer finger on my lips...Then we kinda leaned in toward each other and kissed...
Leonardo:
I took a deep breath as I stood in the dojo. I kept thinking about what Mikey said. As much as I hate to say it...I don't think I like her 'that' way anymore...
Who am I kidding?
I do like her 'that' way.
That's it...I'm going to talk to Splinter...
I walked over to Sensei's room and took another deep breath.
I stepped up to the door, and knocked, lightly.
"Master Splinter?" I asked.
"Yes, my son."
"May I talk to you about something?"
"Of course. Please come in."
I walked in silently, keeping my grace. I needed to be on my best of the best behavior.
Splinter stood in front of me, his two hands on his walking stick as usual.
"Master Splinter...I want to talk to you about my leadership duties."
"Okay, talk away, my son."
"Listen Master Splinter, I have tried your method of avoiding Sheri, but I still cannot help but like her. I was hoping you'd reconsider about me dating..." I said in a hopeful tone.
Splinter sighed.
"My son, the only reason I did this was to save you from pain." He said.
"I know Master Splinter, but if Sheri's willing to go out with me...she should understand...And, even if we didn't go out and I still had to make the choice between saving her and one of my brothers, I'd still have to think about it. She's part of the family anyway, Sensei. I don't see how it will hurt if she just steps up from 'friend' to 'girlfriend.'" I said.
Splinter sighed again.
"I suppose you are right, Leonardo. But, I was hoping you wouldn't like her anymore to help you, but I also understand love is a mysterious thing...One of the best feelings one can feel, but also a great weakness..." Splinter said, avoiding my eyes.
He sighed again.
"You may date my son." He said.
"Thank you Sensei." I said, bowing to him.
"But," He added in a stern voice, "you must tell the girl who you are going out with, that you have duties to your family first. And if there was ever a situation where you could only save one person, you are obligated to save your brothers. If she truly loves you, she'll understand." Splinter said.
"Thank you again, Sensei." I said, bowing again. He returned the bow. Then I turned and walked out of his room, a smile on my face.
I knew we kept a few fake flowers around here, somewhere. Angel loved them. I grabbed a fake daisy from a vase on an end table next to the couch. I took another deep breath and walked to the infirmary with a newly found confidence.
As I walked in the doorway, I saw my brother, kissing the girl that he said he would give me time to try to get.
Damn him...
Sheri:
I could feel Leo's presence when he stood there. Mikey and I parted from the kiss, looking at Leo. His facial expressions made me want to cry.
He just stared at us for a second his mouth open and his eyes wide. Then, he dropped the flower, sadness and anger were the only emotions I could read on his face when he left. I glanced over at Mikey, who had a sudden interest in the floor around his feet.
Damn it all...
Then, Mike got up. "Leo, wait!" He called out, as he walked out of the infirmary to go find his confused, angry, and sad brother.
Tears started coming to my eyes as I put the Gameboy on the little table next to me.
Don nor I could go anywhere. Not even to court today, but that was okay, because the only thing I felt like doing was curling up in a little ball and dying.
How could I kiss Mikey like that? I knew Leo liked me...How could I toy with his emotions? Damn it all...
But...why did Mikey kiss my cheek? Why didn't he stop me when we kissed? How come he leaned into the kiss too? I hate this...
I put my hand out, toward the flower. I concentrated hard, hoping my powers would finally kick in. The flower started to have a green aura glowing around it as it started floating toward me. It landed in my hand, and I held it, twisting the stem in between my fingers to get a good look at the daisy.
I'm sooooo sorry Leo...
I felt someone coming so I put the flower by Mike's Gameboy and made my face look as emotionless as possible.
"Hey, Sheri, I got a surprise for ya!" Raph said with a smile as he entered through the other doorway to the infirmary. On his right shoulder was Angel with a big sweet smile on her face. He then put her down on the ground.
"Hi, Sheri!" She said.
"Hi..." I said, not getting it.
"Uncle Raphael helped me learn my L's and R's!" She said excitedly.
"Took us a couple days of reading and working hard, but we finally did it." Raphael said, picking her up and twirling her in the air.
"Cool, huh?" Angel asked.
"Yep, really cool." I said.
"Uncle Raph, can we go watch Sesame Street?" Angel asked.
"Sure, hon. See ya Sheri." Raph said walking out. You rarely saw Raph like this. I guess this little girl changed him a little. Just a little...I think he was also trying to get Angel's mind off of court today.
Well, whatever...I'd rather be him right now than me...or Mikey for that matter...
God help us...help Leo...help Mikey...
TBC
